Ghost [Hardcover]

Piers Anthony (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1988

From the author of the bestselling Xanth series. The selfish and superficial inhabitants of Earth have depleted its resources. Now Starship Captain Shetland and his crew set out to explore the void beyond the universe on a time-ship to find new sources of energy. What they find instead are--ghosts.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Anthony's latest novel is one of his most minor efforts, a mechanical working out of an absurd, rattletrap plot, overwhelmed by talk and introspection. The story is set in a future in which a law has been passed (the Miscegenation Act) forbidding the marriage of two people of the same race (this in response to "savage race riots" and the need to slow population growth). Kerr Shetland, captain of the Meg IIa "timeship" traveling beyond the farthest reaches of the universe in search of new energy sources for an energy-poor Earthand his crew of six spend the trip in a paroxysm of racial, sexual and psychological self-examination, finally reaching some sort of epiphany when the ship breaks up on the rim of a Black Hole, and they are transformed into pure spiritall to little effect.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Severn House Pub Ltd (June 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0727816063
• ISBN-13: 978-0727816061
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,012,927 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #46 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > ( A ) > Anthony, Piers

More About the Author

Piers Anthony is one of the world's most popular fantasy authors, and a New York Times bestseller twenty-one times over. His Xanth novels have been read and loved by millions of readers around the world, and he daily receives hundreds of letters from his devoted fans.In addition to the Xanth series, Anthony is the author of many other best-selling works. Piers Anthony lives in Inverness, Florida.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An insight to the mind of Piers Anthony, October 18, 1999

By 

Bryce Alexander ([e-mail]) (Glendale Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ghost (Mass Market Paperback)

OK, this is not the best Piers Anthony story in the world, It is reminiscent to the early pulp Science Fiction style (which I enjoy).

However, there is a message in this book which will be found as a more subtle theme in many of his later books. A message of exploring the basis of reality and how our perception of that reality can shape exactly what we define as real.

It is to me an exploration of the mind where Mr. Anthony takes a premise of "what if" and then creates a fictional world in which that premise is real and valid, then as the story develops we learn exactly how valid that premise really is.

I recommend this to hard core fans of Piers Anthony who wish to beter understand him and his writing. You will find this theme again in the Tarot series played out in a much better format.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book, September 16, 2001

By 

Bobby (KS,USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ghost (Mass Market Paperback)

This was the first of Anthony's books that I read. I found it to be interesting and give the push to read more of his books. It had a little of everything to it, the suspense, the romance, the adventure everything a Sci-Fi book should have.

2.0 out of 5 stars Schlocky pulp, likely ground from real art, December 27, 2009

By 

rironin "rironin" (MA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ghost (Hardcover)

I'm a big fan of the Xanth series, so I'm no Piers Anthony hater. I read Ghost many years ago when I was a young teenage lad, and found much of it compelling, to be honest. At the time I didn't think too hard about the far-ranging and ultimately silly plot; I naively let it all ride.

I tossed my paperback copy long ago, never really judging it harshly, but cognizant that it was no longer a book I needed on my shelves. I haven't given it another thought up until right now, when I find myself watching the movie Solaris - the original Russian film, which was remade not too long ago, and which is itself based on a novel of the same name. It just occurred to me that there are some definite parallels between the storyline of Solaris and Ghost - glaring ones. I suspect Anthony was exposed to either the movie or the book, and drew on it heavily for his own story. Sadly, I can't see how his work could possibly be considered an improvement, even though I haven't read the original novel. Shame on you, Anthony! Stick to writing fantastical puns!