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World of Tiers #1
The Maker of Universes
When Robert Wolff found a strange horn in an empty house, he held the key to a different universe. To blow that horn would open up a door through space-time and permit entry to a cosmos whose dimensions and laws were not those our starry galaxy knows.
For that other universe was a place of tiers, world upon world piled upon each other like the landings of a sky-piercing mountain. The one to blow that horn would ascend those steps, from creation to creation, until he would come face to face with the being whose brain-child it was.
But what if that maker of universes was a madman? Or an imposter? Or a super-criminal hiding from the wrath of his own superiors?
The Maker of Universes is unlike any science-fiction novel you have ever read, it is wonderfully unique.
For that other universe was a place of tiers, world upon world piled upon each other like the landings of a sky-piercing mountain. The one to blow that horn would ascend those steps, from creation to creation, until he would come face to face with the being whose brain-child it was.
But what if that maker of universes was a madman? Or an imposter? Or a super-criminal hiding from the wrath of his own superiors?
The Maker of Universes is unlike any science-fiction novel you have ever read, it is wonderfully unique.
191 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1965
About the author
Philip José Farmer
626 books855 followersPhilip José Farmer was an American author, principally known for his science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories. He was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, but spent much of his life in Peoria, Illinois.
Farmer is best known for his Riverworld series and the earlier World of Tiers series. He is noted for his use of sexual and religious themes in his work, his fascination for and reworking of the lore of legendary pulp heroes, and occasional tongue-in-cheek pseudonymous works written as if by fictional characters.
Farmer is best known for his Riverworld series and the earlier World of Tiers series. He is noted for his use of sexual and religious themes in his work, his fascination for and reworking of the lore of legendary pulp heroes, and occasional tongue-in-cheek pseudonymous works written as if by fictional characters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
September 16, 2022
Esto lo escribí al leerlo hace mil años:
8/10. Aventuras con mucho ritmo de la mano de Farmer en la que nos mezcla distintas culturas de la Tierra con el protagonista, Wolfe, que busca al Ser que ha creado un universo con distintos niveles.
A mí me gustó mucho, como me han gustado mucho varias de sus novelas y su saga genial "Mundo Río"
Y al releerlo hoy, con el Club de Lectura del grupo de CF de GoodReads pues…”simplón” es la palabra que mejor lo define.
Aventuritas de Fulanito de Tal que aparece en un mundo/universo paralelo a través de un portal de paso. Ehhhhhh, pero nada de explicaciones de cómo se cre ese portal en plan agujeros de gusano ni nada de eso. Se crea y ya. Vale, por una “tecnología perdida”.
Lo he visto todo muy simple: trama, personajes, técnica narrativa y desenlace. Una decepción respecto a lo que tenia en mi memoria.
Si su maxima loa es que se lee ameno y que es cortito pues eso, que no es algo que recomendaría leer hoy. Y conste que Farmer fue en tiempos uno de mis favoritos en CF.
P.D: Del tratamiento a las féminas en la novela mejor ni hablamos. Digamos que eran otros tiempos. Que lo eran, lo eran (1965 creo recordar).
8/10. Aventuras con mucho ritmo de la mano de Farmer en la que nos mezcla distintas culturas de la Tierra con el protagonista, Wolfe, que busca al Ser que ha creado un universo con distintos niveles.
A mí me gustó mucho, como me han gustado mucho varias de sus novelas y su saga genial "Mundo Río"
Y al releerlo hoy, con el Club de Lectura del grupo de CF de GoodReads pues…”simplón” es la palabra que mejor lo define.
Aventuritas de Fulanito de Tal que aparece en un mundo/universo paralelo a través de un portal de paso. Ehhhhhh, pero nada de explicaciones de cómo se cre ese portal en plan agujeros de gusano ni nada de eso. Se crea y ya. Vale, por una “tecnología perdida”.
Lo he visto todo muy simple: trama, personajes, técnica narrativa y desenlace. Una decepción respecto a lo que tenia en mi memoria.
Si su maxima loa es que se lee ameno y que es cortito pues eso, que no es algo que recomendaría leer hoy. Y conste que Farmer fue en tiempos uno de mis favoritos en CF.
P.D: Del tratamiento a las féminas en la novela mejor ni hablamos. Digamos que eran otros tiempos. Que lo eran, lo eran (1965 creo recordar).
February 24, 2024
Okay, sometimes you reread a book you loved years earlier and find you still love it. Other times, some of the shine has worn off the penny. This was of the second variety.
I originally read this because it was in Appendix N of the original Dungeon Master's guide and was one of the inspirations for Dungeons and Dragon. It's easy to see why with all the lost ruins, caves, and monsters. It's a fun adventure story.
I'm still chewing on why I soured on this a bit in the last 16 years. No real sense of jeopardy? None of the female characters have much in the way of personality? Hyper-capable leading men? I still find the concepts compelling and enjoyed reading it but I'm not ass over tea kettle for it like I was the last time. I was planning on rereading the entire series but I'm not sure now.
I originally read this because it was in Appendix N of the original Dungeon Master's guide and was one of the inspirations for Dungeons and Dragon. It's easy to see why with all the lost ruins, caves, and monsters. It's a fun adventure story.
I'm still chewing on why I soured on this a bit in the last 16 years. No real sense of jeopardy? None of the female characters have much in the way of personality? Hyper-capable leading men? I still find the concepts compelling and enjoyed reading it but I'm not ass over tea kettle for it like I was the last time. I was planning on rereading the entire series but I'm not sure now.
October 10, 2009
As an exercise in world building, World of Tiers is very interesting. That's about it, though. I enjoyed it on a pulpy quick read level. However, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a deep involving novel.
The Plot
Robert Wolff is a retired linguistics professor looking at homes to buy in Arizona. While inspecting a room alone, a gate to the world of tiers opens before him. He steps through and finds a world where mermaids and nymphs exist. After a few weeks of eating the food and drinking the water, he is young again. That's when the plot really gets going and he tries to figure out what this world is.
The Good
The world of tiers is a pretty cool invention. It's a world shaped like a stepped Myan/Incan pyramid, four steps high. The individual layers are separated from each other, connected only in the middle by massive monoliths. Each layer is massive, containing entire continents.
The world exists in a pocket universe, created by an alien race of immense power. It is orbited by one sun and one moon. When the sun goes behind the monoliths in the middle of the world, that's when night occurs.
People get from level to level by climbing the nooks and crannies of the massive monoliths in the middle of each level. This is forbidden by the "god" of the world of tiers, though.
Most of the inhabitants were kidnapped from earth and their physical bodies altered by the "god" to resemble creatures of earth's myths, such as centaurs and mermaids.
All of this is really cool, and very inventive, in my opinion. I liked this world building aspect of the novel the most.
The Not-So-Good
The not-so-good? Pretty much everything else. The book read like a summary of another, longer book. For instance, while climbing the central monoliths, one of the character's girlfriends becomes pregnant and later loses the baby. I didn't really spoil anything here, because this happens in the space of a couple of pages. No psychological ramifications and no blaming or hurt feelings occur.
The characters were also not very compelling. There was one who was kind of a trickster, but it was obviously a "mary sue" self insertion character for the author himself. He was a little too perfect and competent to be true.
Conclusion
It's a good enough read but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who isn't a big fan of world building. On that alone, it deserves praise. That's about all the praise it deserves, though.
The Plot
Robert Wolff is a retired linguistics professor looking at homes to buy in Arizona. While inspecting a room alone, a gate to the world of tiers opens before him. He steps through and finds a world where mermaids and nymphs exist. After a few weeks of eating the food and drinking the water, he is young again. That's when the plot really gets going and he tries to figure out what this world is.
The Good
The world of tiers is a pretty cool invention. It's a world shaped like a stepped Myan/Incan pyramid, four steps high. The individual layers are separated from each other, connected only in the middle by massive monoliths. Each layer is massive, containing entire continents.
The world exists in a pocket universe, created by an alien race of immense power. It is orbited by one sun and one moon. When the sun goes behind the monoliths in the middle of the world, that's when night occurs.
People get from level to level by climbing the nooks and crannies of the massive monoliths in the middle of each level. This is forbidden by the "god" of the world of tiers, though.
Most of the inhabitants were kidnapped from earth and their physical bodies altered by the "god" to resemble creatures of earth's myths, such as centaurs and mermaids.
All of this is really cool, and very inventive, in my opinion. I liked this world building aspect of the novel the most.
The Not-So-Good
The not-so-good? Pretty much everything else. The book read like a summary of another, longer book. For instance, while climbing the central monoliths, one of the character's girlfriends becomes pregnant and later loses the baby. I didn't really spoil anything here, because this happens in the space of a couple of pages. No psychological ramifications and no blaming or hurt feelings occur.
The characters were also not very compelling. There was one who was kind of a trickster, but it was obviously a "mary sue" self insertion character for the author himself. He was a little too perfect and competent to be true.
Conclusion
It's a good enough read but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who isn't a big fan of world building. On that alone, it deserves praise. That's about all the praise it deserves, though.
April 16, 2024
A retired professor finds a horn that when played, takes one to different universes.
Derivative, like a lot of his work, but ephemerally entertaining.
Derivative, like a lot of his work, but ephemerally entertaining.
May 22, 2013
-Aventuras en las formas, futuros rumbos del autor en el fondo.-
Género. Ciencia-Ficción.
Lo que nos cuenta. Robert Wolff es un hombre casado de sesenta y seis años frustrado e insatisfecho que no recuerda, como mínimo, sus primeras dos décadas de vida. Mientras revisa una de las casas cuya compra está considerando, ve imágenes de otro mundo en una pared, en las que un hombre de aspecto salvaje saca notas musicales de un cuerno plateado mientras está rodeado de unas criaturas inhumanas. El salvaje, que parece reconocer a Wolff, arroja el cuerno a sus pies. Primer volumen de la serie del mundo de los niveles.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Ciencia-Ficción.
Lo que nos cuenta. Robert Wolff es un hombre casado de sesenta y seis años frustrado e insatisfecho que no recuerda, como mínimo, sus primeras dos décadas de vida. Mientras revisa una de las casas cuya compra está considerando, ve imágenes de otro mundo en una pared, en las que un hombre de aspecto salvaje saca notas musicales de un cuerno plateado mientras está rodeado de unas criaturas inhumanas. El salvaje, que parece reconocer a Wolff, arroja el cuerno a sus pies. Primer volumen de la serie del mundo de los niveles.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
May 6, 2011
I thought I liked Philip Jose Farmer, I really did, but maybe I am wrong.
I remember being blown away by this series when I first read it many years back, but revisiting it I can't believe how awful some of this is. The writing isn't terrible per se, and the plot is decent. Earthling is transported to another world, cruel overlord has taken over, must climb through the universe to find the creator and take him down. The twist at the end is not a huge surprise, and despite the fantastic creatures along the way, the book drags.
Actually, it is mainly because of the creatures and landscapes along the way that the plot drags. Rather than learning about the land and animals and people through plot, we get a lot of expoistion. A lot of which is unclear why we needed it. Farmer seems to have gotten so excited about the world he created, and the backstor he formulated, that we need to hear all about it, even when the plot just freezes while he tells us.
If that weren't bad enough, the name of each new and or person needs to have about 8 letters too many, 3 of which must be z's.
I am going to push on to the next two or three to see if it gets better, but I am afraid it won't
I remember being blown away by this series when I first read it many years back, but revisiting it I can't believe how awful some of this is. The writing isn't terrible per se, and the plot is decent. Earthling is transported to another world, cruel overlord has taken over, must climb through the universe to find the creator and take him down. The twist at the end is not a huge surprise, and despite the fantastic creatures along the way, the book drags.
Actually, it is mainly because of the creatures and landscapes along the way that the plot drags. Rather than learning about the land and animals and people through plot, we get a lot of expoistion. A lot of which is unclear why we needed it. Farmer seems to have gotten so excited about the world he created, and the backstor he formulated, that we need to hear all about it, even when the plot just freezes while he tells us.
If that weren't bad enough, the name of each new and or person needs to have about 8 letters too many, 3 of which must be z's.
I am going to push on to the next two or three to see if it gets better, but I am afraid it won't
October 23, 2014
I'm re-reading this now after finally completing the series. It's been almost 40 years since I first read it, so I'll see if it keeps its 4 star rating (I doubt it), but I HAVE to find out how the entire story winds up.
The re-read was great. There are some holes in the story, but it still stands as a fun, quick read. It's still a fairly unique adventure story that is based on SF, but has some fantasy elements, sort of.
-----------
For years, I considered it a good, stand-alone, novel. I still think so. However, I got sucked into reading the following books, through the 5th & wanted to scream in frustration since the ending was a cliff hanger. It is now a series of 7 books. The series was completed in the 90's, a 14 year gap between books 5 & 6. I haven't read 6 or 7, yet. Reviews for the last book are not encouraging, but I will get them because I need closure!!!
-----------
The first book starts out with Wolf on Earth. He falls in with a knave who leads him on a merry chase through a private world of tiers that is inhabited by a bizarre collection of mythological beings that were grown in the labs of the creator of the universe.
When I first read this, what impressed me most, was the new (to me, then) idea of private universes & worlds that Farmer came up with & how he handled them. It's really just a fun, action story with an SF basis but really more of a fantasy novel. He's managed to pack so many different genres into one book & tied them all together in a unique (then) & seamless way.
------- Spoiler below --------
-
Farmer posits a race that humans are descended from & our 'Earth' is just one more private universe. Space travel isn't really possible since the 'stars' aren't really there, they're imperfections in the lining of the bubble universe we inhabit. The makers of the universes aren't even the originators of this, they found out the same thing as they developed. They are now an old, declining race. They've forgotten the science behind the wonders they control & are fighting among themselves - the implication being they are repeating the cycle of those that created them.
The main character of the series is Kickaha, the merry knave that first introduces Wolf to the new universe. He's originally from Earth & is now something of a legend & thorn in the side of the 'Lords'. His battle with one lord, Red Orc, in particular is a central theme - the clean cut hero against the decadent villan.
The re-read was great. There are some holes in the story, but it still stands as a fun, quick read. It's still a fairly unique adventure story that is based on SF, but has some fantasy elements, sort of.
-----------
For years, I considered it a good, stand-alone, novel. I still think so. However, I got sucked into reading the following books, through the 5th & wanted to scream in frustration since the ending was a cliff hanger. It is now a series of 7 books. The series was completed in the 90's, a 14 year gap between books 5 & 6. I haven't read 6 or 7, yet. Reviews for the last book are not encouraging, but I will get them because I need closure!!!
-----------
The first book starts out with Wolf on Earth. He falls in with a knave who leads him on a merry chase through a private world of tiers that is inhabited by a bizarre collection of mythological beings that were grown in the labs of the creator of the universe.
When I first read this, what impressed me most, was the new (to me, then) idea of private universes & worlds that Farmer came up with & how he handled them. It's really just a fun, action story with an SF basis but really more of a fantasy novel. He's managed to pack so many different genres into one book & tied them all together in a unique (then) & seamless way.
------- Spoiler below --------
-
Farmer posits a race that humans are descended from & our 'Earth' is just one more private universe. Space travel isn't really possible since the 'stars' aren't really there, they're imperfections in the lining of the bubble universe we inhabit. The makers of the universes aren't even the originators of this, they found out the same thing as they developed. They are now an old, declining race. They've forgotten the science behind the wonders they control & are fighting among themselves - the implication being they are repeating the cycle of those that created them.
The main character of the series is Kickaha, the merry knave that first introduces Wolf to the new universe. He's originally from Earth & is now something of a legend & thorn in the side of the 'Lords'. His battle with one lord, Red Orc, in particular is a central theme - the clean cut hero against the decadent villan.
November 26, 2016
Robert Wolff, un anodino sexagenario, y su esposa están buscando nueva residencia. Durante una visita a una vivienda, Wolff vislumbra un mundo asombroso, donde un personaje le ofrece un extraño cuerno. Esto dura breves momento, pero Wolff oculta el cuerno para volver más tarde. Será entonces cuando, al tocar el cuerno, se interne en este nuevo mundo. Y aquí es donde empezarán las aventuras para Wolff, en un universo creado por seres, casi semidioses, poseedores de una avanzada tecnología. La mayoría de habitantes de este universo, formado por varios niveles, lo constituyen híbridos de personas y animales, capricho de los experimentos de uno de los señores creadores.
‘El hacedor de universos’ (The Maker of Universes, 1965), del estadounidense Philip José Farmer, es un buena novela de aventuras, mezcla de ciencia ficción y fantasía, precursora de lo que sería la gran obra de Farmer, El Mundo del Río. Lo cierto es que el argumento suena también mucho a las novelas de John Carter de Marte, de Burroughs.
‘El hacedor de universos’ (The Maker of Universes, 1965), del estadounidense Philip José Farmer, es un buena novela de aventuras, mezcla de ciencia ficción y fantasía, precursora de lo que sería la gran obra de Farmer, El Mundo del Río. Lo cierto es que el argumento suena también mucho a las novelas de John Carter de Marte, de Burroughs.
July 17, 2013
I loved how the book started with a whisper, in a very mundane setting. Also I really loved the orientation sequence to the fantasy world. There was some other good stuff throughout. I have still have a lot of trouble grasping and keeping track of weird fantasy names though, like in the Hobbit. At some point in this book, I found myself reading about centaurs, and I couldn’t remember them being introduced. A little later it was bird knights or something and I couldn’t remember when they had been introduced either. It’s like a fantasy trope tossed salad. Usually Farmer is great at evoking visuals, but I couldn’t really picture the shape and scale of this Tier world very well. This is my least favorite Philip Jose Farmer book so far. The book didn’t end well either, it just chopped off abruptly at the end to be picked up in the next book.
February 17, 2018
Metaphorosis Reviews
2 stars
Summary:
A dissatisfied retired man finds a strange gateway in the basement of a house that’s for sale. Going through it, he finds a bizarre world of stacked disks on a spindle, full of danger, weird environments, and beautiful women.
Review:
Pretty much my entire, limited knowledge of Philip Jose Farmer comes from the Riverworld series. I thought those books were mostly very good. But it turns out that the bits I didn’t like – the macho tone, the occasional lack of logic – are very much a part of the Farmer approach. In this book, they’re the main part.
It appears Farmer had a modestly intriguing idea – the stacked world of tiers, and ran with it. This is pulp fiction, but not in a good way. It’s all manly men, beautiful, obedient women, and a very thin plot tied together with an almost complete lack of logic. In the hands of someone like Zelazny or Anthony, this could have worked. For Farmer, it feels like a seat of the pants project written to deadline. I just can’t recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
2 stars
Summary:
A dissatisfied retired man finds a strange gateway in the basement of a house that’s for sale. Going through it, he finds a bizarre world of stacked disks on a spindle, full of danger, weird environments, and beautiful women.
Review:
Pretty much my entire, limited knowledge of Philip Jose Farmer comes from the Riverworld series. I thought those books were mostly very good. But it turns out that the bits I didn’t like – the macho tone, the occasional lack of logic – are very much a part of the Farmer approach. In this book, they’re the main part.
It appears Farmer had a modestly intriguing idea – the stacked world of tiers, and ran with it. This is pulp fiction, but not in a good way. It’s all manly men, beautiful, obedient women, and a very thin plot tied together with an almost complete lack of logic. In the hands of someone like Zelazny or Anthony, this could have worked. For Farmer, it feels like a seat of the pants project written to deadline. I just can’t recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 28, 2024
4/10
I expected this book to feel dated (published 1965), and it did, but it also felt more like fantasy than sci fi for huge chunks of the story. I never felt connected to any of the characters. There were too many plot developments that just seemed convenient (or contrived) rather than developing naturally out of the narrative. I guess the author laid some groundwork for the the big reveal in the final chapter, but it still felt like it came out of left field.
I am trying to read some “classics” in the genre, so I am going to keep going with this series and see if my opinion changes with later books.
I expected this book to feel dated (published 1965), and it did, but it also felt more like fantasy than sci fi for huge chunks of the story. I never felt connected to any of the characters. There were too many plot developments that just seemed convenient (or contrived) rather than developing naturally out of the narrative. I guess the author laid some groundwork for the the big reveal in the final chapter, but it still felt like it came out of left field.
I am trying to read some “classics” in the genre, so I am going to keep going with this series and see if my opinion changes with later books.
May 17, 2020
Solid read, typical Farmer book. It was released in 1970, 1970! In spite of the age, it carries well for mainstream SF, although there are images and styles here that are very reminiscent of his Riverworld books. That is the use of ancient history and mythology to drive his current worlds.
Decent read nonetheless. I enjoyed it. But it will not be a favourite.
Decent read nonetheless. I enjoyed it. But it will not be a favourite.
October 19, 2022
De nuevo un libro que me termino en diagonal. No me ha enganchado y tampoco me he sentido conectada con el protagonista. La sensación ha sido de estar leyendo una especie de H.G. Wells y su máquina del tiempo con tintes del mago de Oz. Volvemos a patinar en una lectura de ciencia ficción.
August 26, 2013
Philip José Farmer, Il fabbricante di universi (The maker of universe, 1965)
Ennesimo romanzo sugli universi paralleli, del genere che un tempo si sarebbe chiamato Avventura.
Insomma, è scritto bene, c'è azione, ci sono continue scazzottate, assomiglia al classico fantasy gruppo-che-ha-un'impresa-da-compiere, ma non ha nient'altro. Niente di niente. A metà delle circa 250 pagine sbadigliavo e non vedevo l'ora che finisse. Fortunatamente è finito.
Peccato, perché l'inizio che descrive il protagonista, stanco della vita di tutti i giorni, funziona alla perfezione. Ma poi Farmer si lascia prendere la mano dalle banalità.
Insomma, se cercate un romanzo d'avventura e azione, più che di fantascienza pura, va benissimo. Ma per chi, come me, non apprezza costruzioni grosse ma vuote, prive di fascino e che non lasciano a bocca aperta, tirate dritto.
Come ho scritto più volte, la vera fantascienza è altro.
September 17, 2011
I have read so many books from this era with this similiar plot. I'm sure you know it well too. The Narnia/Wizard of Oz/Alice in Wonderland theme of a modern day character unsatisfied with life being transported to a magical world. I may have read it before but this is one of the better ones. Nice writing and world building. Doesn't really stand up to current fantasy or science fiction but an above average example of the golden age of pulp. Recommended to both fans of fantasy and science fiction. To anyone interested in this era of writing. And to fans of Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar series as well as the books named above.
January 15, 2020
After reading To Your Scattered Bodies Go and it's sequels, which I loved, I was eager to try another book (especially a serie!) by Farmer. Even though not all the books in that cycle were perfect, sometimes fairly unequal, they were still pretty enjoyable, asking thought provoking moral, *ethical* and philosophical questions or building an interesting universe. In the foreword of this book, Farmer explained how he came up with the different concepts as a young boy, how Kickaha and other characters were created, what inspired them and when I realized I was getting another "stranger stuck on a weird planet", it only added to the hype. Oh boy was I in for a disappointment.
To sum up the book without spoiling too much, we follow Robert Wolff, an old American professor stuck in a fairly unhappy marriage, who discovers a silver horn allowing him to travel to another universe (through a scene that is _slightly_ reminiscent of a book by a certain C. S. Lewis). After discovering the area for a few days and getting to know the locals, he decides to stay there permanently after realizing his body is becoming younger (his hair regrows, even his... erm... manhood is better). Once he learns the local language (some ancient Greek variant, lucky he was classical languages professor right??), we get to know the universe a bit better, which is basically shaped like the Tower of Babel, or a wedding cake, multiple cylinders of decreasing sizes stacked on one another, each containing a different biome, culture, etc. After his silver horn and "the most beautiful woman of the universe" are stolen from him (yes, she seems to be his property too), he follows the kidnappers to rescue both, going through different adventures on each level, with the added goal of reaching the top to meet the Lord who rules that universe and making him pay for his wicked games (like implementing people's brains in apes or eagles).
Now, Farmer seems to really know his anthropology, I am no expert but the names sound natural, the historical, religious and mythical references are flowing and at no point do we really see or feel the seam, everything seems to hold together. Moreover, he covers more than the Western classics, granted two levels are around ancient Greeks (Atlantis and Troy) but the other are built around Native American culture and an interesting mix of 13th Century Teutonic Germans and Yiddish-speaking Germans (with also ancient-Semitic "aborigines"). All of this make the universe feels fairly rich, but unfortunately, the pacing makes us miss most of it.
As the story is centered around the rescue of Wolff's belongings, we really don't get to stop much to take on the sights, on every level, the speed is greater, we barely get to see the Atlantis level, the Native American one is literally spent rushing on horseback, etc. The book will jump between a few scenes and dialogues to a paragraph describing weeks if not months worth of actions in a few words. Sure, I don't want to read 200 pages of "Robert climbs 4 cliffs of 30000 feet" but still, sometimes it feels rushed. At the start of the book, I would empathize easily with Wolff but as the book progresses characters feel emptier and emptier, becoming more archetypical, less relatable...
The book fits more the bill of fantasy than sci-fi, which wasn't a problem for me in this case, but some elements would really make the suspension of disbelief difficult to maintain, e.g. the fact that Wolff always manage to follow the kidnappers even though that world is huge and he gets lost or delayed a bunch of times. Kickaha is basically a Mary Sue, able to survive anything, seemingly teleport around (maybe even literally, later books seem to focus on him so it might be explained then?). Despite a nice reveal/twist at the end, the story is pretty straightforward apart from the few extreme coincidences.
However, my biggest grip with the book is the way it treats non-white male characters. Now, the book was published in 1965 and I am sure none was shocked by any of that when it came out, but today, in 2020, it does clash with more modern sensibilities. While the usage of "Amerindian" could be excused for the time, "negroid" is another thing entirely, a few years before the Civil Rights movement and we are still stuck on this? There is also a few of the Semitic characters who are described to have hawkish noses, which is a bit... yikes. Moving on from the racist undertones, there are also misoginist ones. Wolff talks about his "woman-fast" and how he wants to break it, Kickaha threatens a woman with rape and tell her she will long for him afterwards. And then there is the "if you don't slay chicks you are queer" and other "masculine" remarks. Obviously this isn't as bad as, say, Lovecraft but does it mean it's ok? I am partial to the Death of the Author and removing some of the writer bias and adding historical context but it sometimes read really archaic and that's a shame.
For a while, I compared this book to Everworld from K. A. Applegate, but truthfully these books are way more balanced and polished. I thought I was getting another Riverworld saga, but I was actually reading an ancestor of that, a first draft of To Your Scattered Bodies Go. In conclusion, while I enjoyed part of the book, I am not sure I will be reading the sequels anytime soon, despite the really interesting ending (we want answers!). Some parts of the book, just don't play well with modern sensibilities, a lot of it feels rushed or hollow, the characters get no development (or too much and from nowhere), etc.
To sum up the book without spoiling too much, we follow Robert Wolff, an old American professor stuck in a fairly unhappy marriage, who discovers a silver horn allowing him to travel to another universe (through a scene that is _slightly_ reminiscent of a book by a certain C. S. Lewis). After discovering the area for a few days and getting to know the locals, he decides to stay there permanently after realizing his body is becoming younger (his hair regrows, even his... erm... manhood is better). Once he learns the local language (some ancient Greek variant, lucky he was classical languages professor right??), we get to know the universe a bit better, which is basically shaped like the Tower of Babel, or a wedding cake, multiple cylinders of decreasing sizes stacked on one another, each containing a different biome, culture, etc. After his silver horn and "the most beautiful woman of the universe" are stolen from him (yes, she seems to be his property too), he follows the kidnappers to rescue both, going through different adventures on each level, with the added goal of reaching the top to meet the Lord who rules that universe and making him pay for his wicked games (like implementing people's brains in apes or eagles).
Now, Farmer seems to really know his anthropology, I am no expert but the names sound natural, the historical, religious and mythical references are flowing and at no point do we really see or feel the seam, everything seems to hold together. Moreover, he covers more than the Western classics, granted two levels are around ancient Greeks (Atlantis and Troy) but the other are built around Native American culture and an interesting mix of 13th Century Teutonic Germans and Yiddish-speaking Germans (with also ancient-Semitic "aborigines"). All of this make the universe feels fairly rich, but unfortunately, the pacing makes us miss most of it.
As the story is centered around the rescue of Wolff's belongings, we really don't get to stop much to take on the sights, on every level, the speed is greater, we barely get to see the Atlantis level, the Native American one is literally spent rushing on horseback, etc. The book will jump between a few scenes and dialogues to a paragraph describing weeks if not months worth of actions in a few words. Sure, I don't want to read 200 pages of "Robert climbs 4 cliffs of 30000 feet" but still, sometimes it feels rushed. At the start of the book, I would empathize easily with Wolff but as the book progresses characters feel emptier and emptier, becoming more archetypical, less relatable...
The book fits more the bill of fantasy than sci-fi, which wasn't a problem for me in this case, but some elements would really make the suspension of disbelief difficult to maintain, e.g. the fact that Wolff always manage to follow the kidnappers even though that world is huge and he gets lost or delayed a bunch of times. Kickaha is basically a Mary Sue, able to survive anything, seemingly teleport around (maybe even literally, later books seem to focus on him so it might be explained then?). Despite a nice reveal/twist at the end, the story is pretty straightforward apart from the few extreme coincidences.
However, my biggest grip with the book is the way it treats non-white male characters. Now, the book was published in 1965 and I am sure none was shocked by any of that when it came out, but today, in 2020, it does clash with more modern sensibilities. While the usage of "Amerindian" could be excused for the time, "negroid" is another thing entirely, a few years before the Civil Rights movement and we are still stuck on this? There is also a few of the Semitic characters who are described to have hawkish noses, which is a bit... yikes. Moving on from the racist undertones, there are also misoginist ones. Wolff talks about his "woman-fast" and how he wants to break it, Kickaha threatens a woman with rape and tell her she will long for him afterwards. And then there is the "if you don't slay chicks you are queer" and other "masculine" remarks. Obviously this isn't as bad as, say, Lovecraft but does it mean it's ok? I am partial to the Death of the Author and removing some of the writer bias and adding historical context but it sometimes read really archaic and that's a shame.
For a while, I compared this book to Everworld from K. A. Applegate, but truthfully these books are way more balanced and polished. I thought I was getting another Riverworld saga, but I was actually reading an ancestor of that, a first draft of To Your Scattered Bodies Go. In conclusion, while I enjoyed part of the book, I am not sure I will be reading the sequels anytime soon, despite the really interesting ending (we want answers!). Some parts of the book, just don't play well with modern sensibilities, a lot of it feels rushed or hollow, the characters get no development (or too much and from nowhere), etc.
November 5, 2013
Been awhile but I remember searching all over to find (remember) this series, I could only remember kickaha or something like that to go on my search on finding these again... this was before the computer era of everything at your fingertip's.
Fun read kind of like the Amber series but different heh' 4-6 in series and everyone just pulls you along, and end's up in "our" world if I remember right. best be on the re-read shelf'
Fun read kind of like the Amber series but different heh' 4-6 in series and everyone just pulls you along, and end's up in "our" world if I remember right. best be on the re-read shelf'
October 6, 2015
Great fantasy/SiFi series. Farmer is one of my top 5 favorite writers. Very recommended
July 31, 2022
Farmer's first book (1965) in the 'World of Tiers' series starts well enough (Farmer can write well when he is not being lazy) with what appears to be a version of the common pulp trope of an ordinary man thrown into an alien world - John Carter of Mars being the obvious model for most.
In this case, a late middle aged man, flabby and married to a loved shrew, is thrown into a fantasy world that seems to mimic that of Greek mythology. It is one of a tiered series of worlds leading via other largely literary fantasies to the eventual excuse for calling it a science fiction novel.
All the pulp reading of a teenager - the Greek myths, Westerns (without the cowboys), chivalry (with the nice twist of having Yiddish Knights), Doc Savage and Tarzan, evil bored galactic scientists of the Ming school - is mixed in with a rather sweet nostalgic eroticism.
Our hero Wolff is in his sixties but Farmer seems to be writing as if he was having a mid-life crisis of his own in his late forties when he wrote the book. It is an entertainment of its time and place but it has not lasted well.
The Maker of Universes soon declines into pulp predictability. The science fiction is of the Flash Gordon type as our hero gets reinvigorated into the most manly of heroes, acquires a side kick and a girl and works his way through American Indian, exotic jungle and teutonic cultures.
The writing too deteriorates with the mounting excitement albeit with some genuine inventiveness and adventure mixed up with the obvious and the tedious. As ground zero for a series it might have merit as an introduction but the book itself does not honestly encourage one to read on.
The link with his avowed classic 'Riverworld' series (started as his fourth 'Tiers' book had been completed) - earthly literary cultures explored in sequence on a quest - is so clear that the ideas behind Tiers might reasonably be called a practice run for the later and better series.
April 6, 2018
Fun at the time, around 1977, I’d be 15 years old. As one does with friends we were passing around books or at least buying the same books. Some author would became the thing to read and Farmer was one. I think I liked the idea of this book more than the book. Over time I read quite a few of Farmer’s novels. As an adult reader I’ve taken a couple looks back. I was recently looking at Hadon of Ancient Opar ( because Burroughs ) but concluded that he rather bored me. Stuff happens but his pacing isn’t really there. There’s a lack of excitement and tension. Or maybe it’s more the characters making me not care. So I hate to dump on Mr Farmer, but I can’t read them anymore. My 3 out 5 comes out of nostalgia really. Oh well.
January 12, 2020
Твір в дусі класичного weird fiction. Роберт Вольф, землянин, котрий випадково знаходить у своєму підвалі дивний ріг. Він дує в нього і потрапляє в інший вимір, який чимось нагадує Едем. Там мешкають люди ,а також інші істоти, котрі не надто доброзичні. Цим світом править жорстокий Володар, якого звуть Джадаві, що створив його.
У новому світі, Вольф закохується у жінку Хрісеїду, яку викрадає Володар з іншого світу на іншому рівні. Саме її має врятувати Вольф.
Попри те, що роман надто типовий для свого жанру, все ж автору вдалося подати оригінальний сюжет, який наповнений алюзіями на грецькі міфи.
У новому світі, Вольф закохується у жінку Хрісеїду, яку викрадає Володар з іншого світу на іншому рівні. Саме її має врятувати Вольф.
Попри те, що роман надто типовий для свого жанру, все ж автору вдалося подати оригінальний сюжет, який наповнений алюзіями на грецькі міфи.
October 20, 2017
Disappointing, largely because I remember enjoying this book so much in middle school. Reading it now, I can't get past the poor characterization and the growing sense that this whole series is just fantasy fulfillment for a middle-aged white guy. (How did this not annoy me as a teen girl?) The world-building is the best part; the World of Tiers is fascinating. I remember reading eagerly for the adventure, the challenging puzzles, and the wit and cleverness of Kickaha - but so far, I'm 100 pages in and that just hasn't happened. I'm giving up before they get to the Lord's palace. Sigh!
August 8, 2022
A quick adventure that doesn't hold up in modern times. Written like a campy planet of the apes adventure.
The tiered worlds itself is a good idea but was lacking the elements to take it anywhere meaningful for me
The tiered worlds itself is a good idea but was lacking the elements to take it anywhere meaningful for me
September 18, 2022
3.0. Lectura fácil y rápida. Trama lineal clásica. Personajes y mundo muy poco desarrollados. Acción sin tensión. Emocionalmente muy plana. No te metes en la historia en ningún momento. Más fantasía que ciencia ficción. Para introducirse en el género, sin mayores pretensiones.
November 1, 2018
It was an interesting book, but the reader is thrown into the adventure extremely quickly, and it ends just as abruptly which was disconcerting to say the least.
October 21, 2023
Mostly just external conflict, and being shuffled from one set piece to the next. Unexpected chapter with overt racism.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2024
Relectura de uno de los primeros libros de SF, mas bien fantasia, que leí. No le bajo la puntuación a 3 porque su primera lectura me dejo flipando(que joven era).
Farmer es un constructor de mundos como no hay igual, para mi no hay ninguna duda. En 300 pág recorres un mundo cuya superficie es mas grande que nuestra Tierra. Hay batallas con centauros, caballeros teutónicos, zebrillas, dríades, esclavistas. De todo un poco. Que mas quereis!
Farmer es un constructor de mundos como no hay igual, para mi no hay ninguna duda. En 300 pág recorres un mundo cuya superficie es mas grande que nuestra Tierra. Hay batallas con centauros, caballeros teutónicos, zebrillas, dríades, esclavistas. De todo un poco. Que mas quereis!
April 15, 2021
If you're looking for a nuanced, subtle, anguished anti-hero, this isn't it. What we have here is a brash, macho, confident everyman-turned-superman who stomps through his adventure like Jack Reacher meets Flash Gordon.
Still, for the inner 12-year-old who loved Flash Gordon, and the wildly politically INcorrect world that gave rise to heroes like him and Buck Rogers and such, this is glorious, over-the-top fun.
Still, for the inner 12-year-old who loved Flash Gordon, and the wildly politically INcorrect world that gave rise to heroes like him and Buck Rogers and such, this is glorious, over-the-top fun.
February 22, 2021
Philip José Farmer foi um escritor estadunidense de ficção científica agraciado várias vezes com os prêmios Hugo e Nebula. Sua produção foi extensa, com vários livros traduzidos para o português, sendo um autor que conquistou uma parcela de fãs no Brasil ainda que esteja esquecido pelas editoras. O Apêndice N recomenda toda obra do autor, mas cita especificamente a série World of Tiers (Mundo de níveis numa tradução livre). O ponto de partida ideal então para conhecer o autor é o primeiro livro The Maker of Universes (O criador de universos na tradução da editora Livros do Brasil).
A história começa com um protagonista incomum, Robert Wolff é um sujeito de meia idade em um casamento infeliz. Um dia, ao visitar uma casa para comprar, é atraído pelo som de uma trombeta até um armário que possui um portal aberto para um mundo fantástico, nele vislumbra um homem que depois descobrimos ser o enganador Kickaha, sendo atacado por estranhas criaturas (uma cena que é retratada na capa de várias versões) e antes que o portal se feche ele joga a trombeta para Wolff. A partir dai, ele resolve abandonar a vida ordinária dos subúrbios para adentrar nesse mundo em busca de aventuras.
Mas o mais interessante do livro é justamente a criação de mundo então acho melhor começar falando sobre isso do que da história em si. Lordes extremamente poderosos e entediados, criam seus próprios cosmos privados utilizando tecnologia incrivelmente avançada e agem como deuses mesquinhos para seus habitantes. A trama se passa em um planeta plano com grandes massas de terra sobrepostas uma acima da outra, como uma torre de babel, onde cada planalto possui habitantes, fauna e flora próprias, formando assim “mundos” diferentes interligados, sendo possível viajar de um nível para outro escalando vastos monólitos de pedra, ainda que isso seja proibido pelo Lorde. Os níveis são:
- Okéanos: O nível mais inferior é uma espécie de paraíso habitado por criaturas fantásticas, pessoas abduzidas da Grécia antiga e alteradas para serem parte animal (faunos, sereias, zebrilas, etc). Aqui eles são imortais e habitam sem preocupações, com a comida e bebida abundante retiradas de cornucópias diretamente das árvores. É uma vida idílica tirando a visita ocasional do Lorde para “brincar” com eles, e que quando encolerizado ou desgostoso pode matar seus moradores (ou coisa pior).
- Ameríndia: Esse nível é uma espécie américa do norte antes da chegada do homem branco, ocupada por diversas tribos nativas e versões gigantes de animais (como lobos atrozes/dire wolves). Suas vastas planícies são dominadas por tribos de centauros devoradores de homens.
- Drachenlândia: Essa “terra dos dragões” teve seus habitantes retirados principalmente da Alemanha do século XIII, formando um emaranhado de baronatos independentes. Uma grande quantidades de judeus alemães também foi trazida, e formaram o estado de Ydshe, com suas próprias ordens de cavalaria. Existem também comerciantes árabes e uma região de selvas nas periferias junto aos limites do mundo. É o cenário medieval clássico com castelos, templários, justas e dragões.
- Atlantis: Esse nível é o menos descrito do livro, o nome sugere que os habitantes foram retirados da lendária cidade afundada, e realmente parecem ter recriado uma sociedade igualmente lendária. Um dos regentes, porém, desafia os designíos do Lorde e começa a construir um grande templo cada vez mais alto, almejando atingir, em sua loucura, seu palácio. O castigo vem na forma de um cataclismo climático. Os protagonistas encontram então todo esse mundo devastado.
- Palácio do Lorde: Uma fortaleza inexpugnável repleta de armadilhas, uma masmorra digna da Tumba dos Horrores. Ela guarda inúmeras maravilhas como geradores de tempestades e laboratórios genéticos responsáveis por criar as inúmeras aberrações encontradas nos mundos inferiores. Daqui o Lorde observa e controla sua criação.
Voltando a história do livro, Wolff aparece inicialmente em Okéanos e as propriedades desse mundo restauram sua juventude e vigor. Ele acaba se apaixonando por Chryseis, uma bela mulher de pele dourada com listras de tigre e olhos verdes com pupilas de gato. Sua captura pelos horripilantes gworls, seres deformados equivalente aos orcs de outros cenários, que também levam a corneta capaz de abrir portais entre os mundos, faz com que Wolff parta em aventuras nos outros níveis.
O caminho para cada nível é sempre cheio de perigos, logo na primeira escalada ele se reencontra com Kickaha, preso na toca da harpia Podarge. Esta talvez seja a melhor personagem do livro, uma humana de incrível beleza que teve seu cérebro transportado para o de uma criatura horripilante pelo caprichoso Lorde. E agora apesar de ser um monstro terrível, seu ódio contra o criador desse mundo de níveis pode torná-la uma aliada poderosa.
Kickaha também merece uma explicação mais aprofundada. Ele é um terráqueo que originalmente se chamava Paul Janus Finnegan (mesmas iniciais do nome do autor), e está nesse planeta de níveis há cerca de 20 anos, tenho estabelecido uma presença em cada mundo. Ele se descreve como o ardiloso, criador de fantasias e realidades, um moscardo que tira o sono do Lorde. Ele vai além e diz “Sou mais rápido que homens mais fortes do que eu, e mais forte que aqueles são mais rápidos. Tenho poucas lealdades mas essas são inquebrantáveis! Sou o queridinho das mulheres e lágrimas são derramadas depois que eu parto na noite como um fantasma de cabeça vermelha” (tradução livre já que esse trecho está suprimido na edição em português). Note como ele praticamente se descreve como um personagem de RPG, com valores altos de Força, Destreza e Carisma! Será que descrições como essa estavam na mente de Gygax quando ele desenvolveu os atributos do Dungeons and Dragons?
É fácil entender como esse livro pode ter influenciado na criação do D&D, trata-se de uma aventura com uma pegada bem pulp ala John Carter de Marte, e essa coisa de pegar cenários e culturas desconexas e misturar tudo para criar um cenário de campanha está presente no DNA do RPG. No mundo de Mystara, por exemplo, temos nativos americanos vizinhos a uma república renascentista.
Inúmeros monstros citados no livro encontram-se no Monster Manual como centauros, sereias, harpias e as versões gigantescas dos animais (dire animals), o que não quer dizer tanto já que são seres relativamente comuns na mitologia e em outros livros do Apêndice. Porém, uma criatura que com certeza veio daqui é o simpático Axe beck (traduzido como Bico-de-machado), um tipo de avestruz pré-histórico, que apesar de ser meio obscuro pelo menos comprova que Gygax estava com a série World of Tiers na cabeça quando escreveu o Livro dos Monstros.
Outro detalhe interessante que percebi foi um diálogo entre os protagonistas sobre conseguirem viajar mais rápido se estiverem “unencumbered” (algo como sem sobrepeso) que os leva a retirarem as armaduras. Sei que essa regra de “encumbrance” provavelmente teve origem nos “jogos de guerra”, mas acho significativo que os heróis usem exatamente esse termo e no mesmo contexto que depois foi incluído nas regras.
Infelizmente, como diversas obras do Apêndice N, The Maker of Universes tem problemas com relação a representação feminina e de minorias. As mulheres são retratadas como objetos de desejo (ou por sua ausência de atrativos) e existe uma toda uma cena onde “selvagens” atacam os protagonistas, sendo descritos como “negroides”. O livro foi publicado em 1965 em meio ao movimento dos direitos civis americanos, e esperava que um escritor de ficção científica estivesse um pouco a frente do seu tempo. ´suspiro...`
Apesar disso, trata-se de um livro divertido que comprovadamente influenciou a criação do Dungeons and Dragons então vale a leitura se você está procurando uma aventura descompromissada com uma impressionante criação de mundo.
Notas finais:
- Existe um RPG francês de 1995 baseado nessa série com introdução do próprio Philip José Farmer chamado Thoan. É realmente estranho que não tenha saído em inglês ou que nenhuma outra editora tenha feito uma adaptação desse cenário.
- Em 1984, Tom Moldvay, o editor de uma das primeiras versões do D&D, lançou Lords of Creation, praticamente um jogo não oficial de World of Tiers, onde os personagens em determinado momento ficavam tão poderosos que viram Lordes da Criação, sendo capazes de criar seus próprios universos. É considerado um joia desconhecida dos RPGs.
- Os escritores brasileiros Carlos Orsi e Otávio Aragão chegaram a publicar um conto em uma antologia de histórias inspiradas na obra de Farmer. E Orsi junto com Luiz Felipe Vasques fizeram inclusive uma entrevista com ele.
A história começa com um protagonista incomum, Robert Wolff é um sujeito de meia idade em um casamento infeliz. Um dia, ao visitar uma casa para comprar, é atraído pelo som de uma trombeta até um armário que possui um portal aberto para um mundo fantástico, nele vislumbra um homem que depois descobrimos ser o enganador Kickaha, sendo atacado por estranhas criaturas (uma cena que é retratada na capa de várias versões) e antes que o portal se feche ele joga a trombeta para Wolff. A partir dai, ele resolve abandonar a vida ordinária dos subúrbios para adentrar nesse mundo em busca de aventuras.
Mas o mais interessante do livro é justamente a criação de mundo então acho melhor começar falando sobre isso do que da história em si. Lordes extremamente poderosos e entediados, criam seus próprios cosmos privados utilizando tecnologia incrivelmente avançada e agem como deuses mesquinhos para seus habitantes. A trama se passa em um planeta plano com grandes massas de terra sobrepostas uma acima da outra, como uma torre de babel, onde cada planalto possui habitantes, fauna e flora próprias, formando assim “mundos” diferentes interligados, sendo possível viajar de um nível para outro escalando vastos monólitos de pedra, ainda que isso seja proibido pelo Lorde. Os níveis são:
- Okéanos: O nível mais inferior é uma espécie de paraíso habitado por criaturas fantásticas, pessoas abduzidas da Grécia antiga e alteradas para serem parte animal (faunos, sereias, zebrilas, etc). Aqui eles são imortais e habitam sem preocupações, com a comida e bebida abundante retiradas de cornucópias diretamente das árvores. É uma vida idílica tirando a visita ocasional do Lorde para “brincar” com eles, e que quando encolerizado ou desgostoso pode matar seus moradores (ou coisa pior).
- Ameríndia: Esse nível é uma espécie américa do norte antes da chegada do homem branco, ocupada por diversas tribos nativas e versões gigantes de animais (como lobos atrozes/dire wolves). Suas vastas planícies são dominadas por tribos de centauros devoradores de homens.
- Drachenlândia: Essa “terra dos dragões” teve seus habitantes retirados principalmente da Alemanha do século XIII, formando um emaranhado de baronatos independentes. Uma grande quantidades de judeus alemães também foi trazida, e formaram o estado de Ydshe, com suas próprias ordens de cavalaria. Existem também comerciantes árabes e uma região de selvas nas periferias junto aos limites do mundo. É o cenário medieval clássico com castelos, templários, justas e dragões.
- Atlantis: Esse nível é o menos descrito do livro, o nome sugere que os habitantes foram retirados da lendária cidade afundada, e realmente parecem ter recriado uma sociedade igualmente lendária. Um dos regentes, porém, desafia os designíos do Lorde e começa a construir um grande templo cada vez mais alto, almejando atingir, em sua loucura, seu palácio. O castigo vem na forma de um cataclismo climático. Os protagonistas encontram então todo esse mundo devastado.
- Palácio do Lorde: Uma fortaleza inexpugnável repleta de armadilhas, uma masmorra digna da Tumba dos Horrores. Ela guarda inúmeras maravilhas como geradores de tempestades e laboratórios genéticos responsáveis por criar as inúmeras aberrações encontradas nos mundos inferiores. Daqui o Lorde observa e controla sua criação.
Voltando a história do livro, Wolff aparece inicialmente em Okéanos e as propriedades desse mundo restauram sua juventude e vigor. Ele acaba se apaixonando por Chryseis, uma bela mulher de pele dourada com listras de tigre e olhos verdes com pupilas de gato. Sua captura pelos horripilantes gworls, seres deformados equivalente aos orcs de outros cenários, que também levam a corneta capaz de abrir portais entre os mundos, faz com que Wolff parta em aventuras nos outros níveis.
O caminho para cada nível é sempre cheio de perigos, logo na primeira escalada ele se reencontra com Kickaha, preso na toca da harpia Podarge. Esta talvez seja a melhor personagem do livro, uma humana de incrível beleza que teve seu cérebro transportado para o de uma criatura horripilante pelo caprichoso Lorde. E agora apesar de ser um monstro terrível, seu ódio contra o criador desse mundo de níveis pode torná-la uma aliada poderosa.
Kickaha também merece uma explicação mais aprofundada. Ele é um terráqueo que originalmente se chamava Paul Janus Finnegan (mesmas iniciais do nome do autor), e está nesse planeta de níveis há cerca de 20 anos, tenho estabelecido uma presença em cada mundo. Ele se descreve como o ardiloso, criador de fantasias e realidades, um moscardo que tira o sono do Lorde. Ele vai além e diz “Sou mais rápido que homens mais fortes do que eu, e mais forte que aqueles são mais rápidos. Tenho poucas lealdades mas essas são inquebrantáveis! Sou o queridinho das mulheres e lágrimas são derramadas depois que eu parto na noite como um fantasma de cabeça vermelha” (tradução livre já que esse trecho está suprimido na edição em português). Note como ele praticamente se descreve como um personagem de RPG, com valores altos de Força, Destreza e Carisma! Será que descrições como essa estavam na mente de Gygax quando ele desenvolveu os atributos do Dungeons and Dragons?
É fácil entender como esse livro pode ter influenciado na criação do D&D, trata-se de uma aventura com uma pegada bem pulp ala John Carter de Marte, e essa coisa de pegar cenários e culturas desconexas e misturar tudo para criar um cenário de campanha está presente no DNA do RPG. No mundo de Mystara, por exemplo, temos nativos americanos vizinhos a uma república renascentista.
Inúmeros monstros citados no livro encontram-se no Monster Manual como centauros, sereias, harpias e as versões gigantescas dos animais (dire animals), o que não quer dizer tanto já que são seres relativamente comuns na mitologia e em outros livros do Apêndice. Porém, uma criatura que com certeza veio daqui é o simpático Axe beck (traduzido como Bico-de-machado), um tipo de avestruz pré-histórico, que apesar de ser meio obscuro pelo menos comprova que Gygax estava com a série World of Tiers na cabeça quando escreveu o Livro dos Monstros.
Outro detalhe interessante que percebi foi um diálogo entre os protagonistas sobre conseguirem viajar mais rápido se estiverem “unencumbered” (algo como sem sobrepeso) que os leva a retirarem as armaduras. Sei que essa regra de “encumbrance” provavelmente teve origem nos “jogos de guerra”, mas acho significativo que os heróis usem exatamente esse termo e no mesmo contexto que depois foi incluído nas regras.
Infelizmente, como diversas obras do Apêndice N, The Maker of Universes tem problemas com relação a representação feminina e de minorias. As mulheres são retratadas como objetos de desejo (ou por sua ausência de atrativos) e existe uma toda uma cena onde “selvagens” atacam os protagonistas, sendo descritos como “negroides”. O livro foi publicado em 1965 em meio ao movimento dos direitos civis americanos, e esperava que um escritor de ficção científica estivesse um pouco a frente do seu tempo. ´suspiro...`
Apesar disso, trata-se de um livro divertido que comprovadamente influenciou a criação do Dungeons and Dragons então vale a leitura se você está procurando uma aventura descompromissada com uma impressionante criação de mundo.
Notas finais:
- Existe um RPG francês de 1995 baseado nessa série com introdução do próprio Philip José Farmer chamado Thoan. É realmente estranho que não tenha saído em inglês ou que nenhuma outra editora tenha feito uma adaptação desse cenário.
- Em 1984, Tom Moldvay, o editor de uma das primeiras versões do D&D, lançou Lords of Creation, praticamente um jogo não oficial de World of Tiers, onde os personagens em determinado momento ficavam tão poderosos que viram Lordes da Criação, sendo capazes de criar seus próprios universos. É considerado um joia desconhecida dos RPGs.
- Os escritores brasileiros Carlos Orsi e Otávio Aragão chegaram a publicar um conto em uma antologia de histórias inspiradas na obra de Farmer. E Orsi junto com Luiz Felipe Vasques fizeram inclusive uma entrevista com ele.
December 4, 2014
I didn't really like the book, it seemed very dated, but it was possibly ahead of its time when it came out. However, it fails to hold my interest because it focuses on fighting and adventuring instead of characterization.
Some random thoughts:
It contains fight scenes that make my eyes glaze over. The bits with the creature where they mention the Lord reminded me of The Island of Doctor Moreau.
The people stealing from the lord by sneaking into his palace and getting the dimension hopping device reminded me of Jack and the Beanstalk.
The book really starts to loses me when it goes into the fighting tribes and slave traders- then we're no longer in scifi pulp but maybe something like those old pulps where someone adventures in Africa. (Haven't read any of those personally )
Then there's some nonsense with medieval knights, and I am not particularly amused, then for the finale I imagine the cheesiest, campiest sort of 1970s scifi flick- the Prisoner meets Planet of the Apes meets Star Trek meets, monkeys fighting robots with cheesy control panels, with Lords with rivalries like in Doctor Who! I know those things actually post date the novel- in fact checking quickly, the original series of Star Trek premiered in 1966, this book came out in 1965, for example, one could imagine this book is ahead of its time, but today I find it very, very dated.
(He also has a sort of artificial world,used later in more famous books like Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C Clarke, but he doesn't really seem to try to imagine it as an artificial planet with its own ecology the way a hard science fiction author would)
Some random thoughts:
It contains fight scenes that make my eyes glaze over. The bits with the creature where they mention the Lord reminded me of The Island of Doctor Moreau.
The people stealing from the lord by sneaking into his palace and getting the dimension hopping device reminded me of Jack and the Beanstalk.
The book really starts to loses me when it goes into the fighting tribes and slave traders- then we're no longer in scifi pulp but maybe something like those old pulps where someone adventures in Africa. (Haven't read any of those personally )
Then there's some nonsense with medieval knights, and I am not particularly amused, then for the finale I imagine the cheesiest, campiest sort of 1970s scifi flick- the Prisoner meets Planet of the Apes meets Star Trek meets, monkeys fighting robots with cheesy control panels, with Lords with rivalries like in Doctor Who! I know those things actually post date the novel- in fact checking quickly, the original series of Star Trek premiered in 1966, this book came out in 1965, for example, one could imagine this book is ahead of its time, but today I find it very, very dated.
(He also has a sort of artificial world,used later in more famous books like Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C Clarke, but he doesn't really seem to try to imagine it as an artificial planet with its own ecology the way a hard science fiction author would)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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