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Venus on the Half-Shell by [Philip Jose Farmer]

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Philip Jose Farmer

Venus on the Half-Shell Kindle Edition

by Philip Jose Farmer (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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Simon Wagstaff narrowly escapes the Deluge that destroys Earth when he happens upon an abandoned spaceship. A man without a planet, he gains immortality from an elixir drunk during an interlude with a cat-like alien queen. Now Simon must chart a 3,000-year course to the most distant corners of the multiverse, to seek out the answers to the questions no one can seem to answer.

Print length

208 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Titan Books
Publication date

December 10, 2013
File size

1388 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Fun to read, and very interesting from the perspective of the history of science fiction." - Pop Mythology --This text refers to the paperback edition.

About the Author

Philip José Farmer was a multiple award-winning science fiction writer of 75 novels. He is best known for his Wold Newton and Riverworld series. In 2001 he was awarded the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Grand Master Prize and a World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award. He passed away in 2009. --This text refers to the paperback edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00DFIE7YE
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Titan Books (December 10, 2013)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 10, 2013
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1388 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #485,224 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #682 in Humorous Science Fiction (Kindle Store)
- #777 in Humorous Science Fiction (Books)
- #880 in Science Fiction Short Stories

Customer Reviews:
50 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		58%
4 star		20%
3 star		14%
2 star		5%
1 star		3%

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Top reviews from the United States

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This book is weird, comical, extremely absurd !

Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2020

Verified Purchase

Philip Jose Farmer wrote this under the name of Kilgore Trout, which was a fictional author created by Kurt Vonnegut. The story follows a banjo playing bum Simon Wagstaff who manages to escape a cleansing flood of Biblical proportions in a Chinese spacecraft. He picks up a dog he calls Anubis, an owl called Athena and a female android called Chworktap and together they roam through space on Simon's quest to find the meaning of it all. I enjoyed the silliness, satire, and farce. A fun and bit silly read. A must for any sci fi lover.
If you found this review helpful, please vote below so I can help improve other reviews as well. Enjoy the book!

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

Douglas K. Beagley

1970s Sci-fi Satire

Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2020

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Satirical 1970s scifi that is satirizing 1970s scifi... it’s sort of fun. A bit like Hitchikers Guide, but messier— sounding very much like a rambling plot summary of Kilgore Trout in Kurt Vonnegut’s books, which is the stated intention. Plenty of sexism and silly sex, but in a satire, how can you tell for sure?

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M. Davis

PJF wrote two good books, this is one of them

Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2011

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IMO, having read a few thousand titles of 50s-90s SciFi, Philip Jose Farmer wrote two worthwhile books, this one and "The Green Odyssey." Literarily they're pure fluff, but they're fun nonetheless. PJF originally published this under a pseudonym, presumably because of the overridingly sexual nature of the content.

Helpful

Ernest Maples

It must be good for me to remember it for so long

Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2014

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Read this book 30 years ago and then it got lost in one of my moves, but frankly, I really think one of my friends stole it. I looked for a copy off and on for years, then found it for my kindle. It must be good for me to remember it for so long. One of the funniest books I have read, especially since the original byline was Kilgore Trout of Kurt Vonnegut fame. A must read!

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

David Lintner

Excellent SciFi Humor

Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2014

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I first read this book when it was published under the name Kilgore Trout, an homage to Kirt Vonnegut and his fictional science fiction writer character. I thought the book was hilarious, and just as audacious as Vonnegut. I was unaware at the time that the book was written by Phillip Jose Farmer. Now, returning to the work after so many decades, I find I love it as much now as I did so long ago. It is a masterpiece, and I highly recommend it.

12 people found this helpful

Helpful

Dan Cooper

So much fun to read this again!

Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2017

Verified Purchase

Ever want to know how life came to be on earth? This is a classic folks, a must read for SF fans. Witty and urbane with some great stream of consciousness prose reminiscent of the beat poets. I didn't want it to end, but the answers our hero finally discovered to life's greatest questions were delightful. A note of caution, this is not a book for the overly modest or easily offended.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Marycarol

i liked it better when I first read it many years ...

Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2017

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i liked it better when I first read it many years ago. I think it’s because I always stoned. Not the same now.

3 people found this helpful

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David Itkin MD

Finally on Kindle!

Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2013

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This is the greatest book ever written. It has it all--humor, sex, philosophy, and manages to address the meaning of life. Move over, Bible!

9 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Showmaster

Long lost treasure rediscovered.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 16, 2018

Verified Purchase

I read this in the 70's having sought it out as a Vonnegut fan and lover of the idea of Kilgore Trout. Now that I am nearing 70 the inner Kilgore is the dominant aspect of my character. The love that PJF had for Trout/Vonnegut comes through in spades and controversy or not I have to believe that Vonnegut came round to accepting it as a genuine homage.
Read and enjoy.

Goochoid

This is brilliant, and I have no idea why this book ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 31, 2016

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This is brilliant, and I have no idea why this book is much more tightly rated, very funny, easily as good as good Kurt Vonnegut (who PJF was trying to emulate or parody) and just a great fun sic-fi space opera.

who is he

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 16, 2017

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A great book by a S.F master

Perceptive Reader

Breath-taking!

Reviewed in India on July 26, 2014

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This book had been published ahead of its time, and that's why it still remains relatively obscure (except among the readers of science-fiction who know & appreciate the book as what it is: a classic). Yes, the deployment of the erotica is rather 'diverting' at times. Yes, the protagonist really has a terrible name, and somehow he does full 'justice' to that name. But, in the garb of depicting his adventures among various alien races, the author shows the absurdity of mores & conventions, and does all of it in a thoroughly tongue-in-cheek manner. It remains a thought-provoking book even after all these years because of its philosophy, which is very sympathetic, very curious, and very humane. Recommended.

Chas

Rubbish

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 9, 2015

Verified Purchase

Used to read a lot of science fiction, and saw some favourable reviews of Philip Jose Farmer, so tried this - don't bother, I saw no merit in it whatsoever.

One person found this helpful