To Your Scattered Bodies Go

Written by Philip Jose Farmer

Narrated by Paul Hecht

All those who ever lived on Earth have found themselves resurrected—healthy, young, and naked as newborns—on the grassy banks of a mighty river, in a world unknown. Miraculously provided with food, but with no clues to the meaning of their strange new afterlife, billions of people from every period of Earth's history—and prehistory—must start again.

Sir Richard Francis Burton would be the first to glimpse the incredible way-station, a link between worlds. This forbidden sight would spur the renowned 19thcentury explorer to uncover the truth. Along with a remarkable group of compatriots, including Alice Liddell Hargreaves (the Victorian girl who was the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland), an English-speaking Neanderthal, a WWII Holocaust survivor, and a wise extraterrestrial, Burton sets sail on the magnificent river. His mission: to confront humankind's mysterious benefactors, and learn the true purpose—innocent or evil—of the Riverworld …

Winner of the Hugo Award

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 18, 2008
• ISBN: 9781436121156

Philip Jose Farmer

Philip José Farmer (1918–2009) was born in North Terre Haute, Indiana, and grew up in Peoria, Illinois. A voracious reader, Farmer decided in the fourth grade that he wanted to be a writer. For a number of years he worked as a technical writer to pay the bills, but science fiction allowed him to apply his knowledge and passion for history, anthropology, and the other sciences to works of mind-boggling originality and scope. His first published novella, “The Lovers” (1952), earned him the Hugo Award for best new author. He won a second Hugo and was nominated for the Nebula Award for the 1967 novella “Riders of the Purple Wage,” a prophetic literary satire about a futuristic, cradle-to-grave welfare state. His best-known works include the Riverworld books, the World of Tiers series, the Dayworld Trilogy, and literary pastiches of such fictional pulp characters as Tarzan and Sherlock Holmes. He was one of the first writers to take these characters and their origin stories and mold them into wholly new works. His short fiction is also highly regarded. In 2001, Farmer won the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement and was named Grand Master by the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America.

Reviews for To Your Scattered Bodies Go

[lisamaria_c · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the opening novel in Farmer's Riverworld and was a fantastic read. I just cracked open the book and hours later I blink having reached the last page--so smooth style and page turner. This was written in 1971 but didn't read as dated, aside from that time's Environmental Doom Fad(tm). The premise is fantastical: every humanoid being born on the Earth from Homo Erectus to early 21st Century Homo Sapiens to alien visitors, about 35 billion of them, is resurrected along the banks of a river that runs millions of miles through an alien planet. This might sound like a fantasy, but is very much science-fiction with a scientific rationale and a mysterious purpose. All this is seen through the point of view of Sir Richard Burton, not the actor, but the 19th Century British explorer and linguist. There are other characters prominent in the story, fictional and historical, including Kazz, a Neanderthal, and Monat, an alien from Tau Ceti who died on Earth. One of the fictional ones is an obvious stand-in for the author himself: Peter Jairus Frigate, born in 1918, the same year as Philip Jose Farmer. That character is a fan of Burton and knows much about his life, even if not blind to his faults. Obviously true of Farmer--because Burton is rendered in a way that is rounded, fascinating, and obviously well-researched as are many of the other characters we meet. This novel certainly makes me want to read more of the Riverworld series--not all the threads are tied up at the end and I want to find out what happens!

[karlstar_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book of the famous Riverworld series. It starts with what was a unique premise at the time - a famous adventurer from Earth's past wakes up in a room full of thousands or millions of dead bodies, connected to a large machine of some type (The Matrix, anyone?). Waking up later, he and countless others find themselves reincarnated on Riverworld, by no one knows who, or why. Only a few souls realize they are reincarnated and prisoners of some alien intelligence, and seek to find out why. This is a creative, well written and fascinating book. A science fiction classic that is well worth reading.

[Zorro's Mama · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It really picked up steam toward the end but for the most part it was a pretty xenophobic and misogynistic read. It really hasn't aged well.

[aarondesk · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting concepts of what would happen if different cultures where suddenly thrown together. Plot revolves around a flawed character and his attempt to understand it all.

[yvensong_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What a wonderful and creative storyline! I really enjoyed the imaginative way Farmer brought together notables from Earth's history in the creation of a new world.

[drmaf-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Bit different to how I remembered it from years ago, but still a great piece of writing. I have to applaud Farmer's choice of a relatively minor historical character like Richard Burton as his protagonist, instead of more obvious (and predictable) figure.Burton is thoroughly believable as the he-man adventurer who nevertheless is a perceptive (and radical) thinker. Great and original book - just the concept of a vast world-encircling riverbank peopled by everyone who has ever lived is still one of the most original and fascinating ideas in sf. Dated a bit (2008 must have seemed so far in the future when Farmer wrote it), but still a captivating story.

[bcquinnsmom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

First, a word of warning: do NOT expect to know the answers to the questions you're going to have by the end of this book. They aren't there. So if you read this book, get to the end of it and say "this stinks! There's no resolution! I hate this book," don't say I didn't warn you! The book isn't about finding the answers...it's the journey that counts. And if by the end of the book you don't have any questions, you need to go back and read it again because your curiousity should be absolutely on fire!Second, if you are a hardcore Christian, this book just might bother you enough because of the subjects it deals with. Remember: it's Fiction!This novel is the first of the Riverworld Series, in which the reader is introduced to the Riverworld, so called because its main feature is a continuous river that doesn't seem to end. The main character is a real character, here in his fictional garb, the explorer Sir Richard Burton. One moment, he's laying in the arms of his wife, dying; the next moment, he's floating among countless numbers of sleeping people, the only one awake until he sees a canoe with strange markings floating toward him, carrying humans in it, who put him back to sleep. Shortly thereafter, he wakes up, buck naked, his mustache (his pride and joy) gone, along with all of his hair in fact, with only a cylinder attached to him. As he awakens, he realizes there are others there as well, all in the same condition. Eventually he comes to realize that they have all at some point, died, either before him or after him. All told, every single human being that ever lived on the Earth at any moment in its history are there in the Riverworld, resurrected, it seems. At first the main problems are seeking shelter and safety; afterwards, Burton is not content to simply accept his fate, but the explorer in him wants to get a boat onto the river and follow it wherever it leads and to see what lies beyond. What he finds is not pretty: it seems that people are just repeating their old bad human-nature habits. His real quest, however, is to find the who, the how and the why behind this massive resurrection.I guess what amazed me about this book was the idea that humans are humans no matter what the situation, time, place, whatever. And while I didn't always like Burton's character, the author did an amazing job with the creation of this guy. I cannot wait to read the rest of the books in the series, although I've heard that none of them can top this one. I have to say that this is probably true, considering how well done this book was.I would recommend it to sci-fi readers who aren't in to all the techno aspects of sf; this is more like a fantasy type thing. Also, if you are a reader interested in the questions of the soul as spirit or physical entity, you might also be interested.

[snukes-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

What a Man book. The characters and plot were so full of testosterone and male chauvinism that sometimes it was very difficult not to roll my eyes. Don't get me wrong - there's a place for that just the same as there's a place in this world for Chic Lit, but apparently I wasn't expecting it. I picked this book up because it said "Hugo" on it (though not, it turns out, for this particular book - just for the author) and I'll read pretty much anything that's won a Hugo.



For all the overwhelming man-focus, I did enjoy the story. The premise - everyone from all of human history being resurrected along the shores of one apparently endless river - was fascinating, and Farmer's ideas on how humanity would cope/acquit themselves in such a situation are quite intriguing, probably accurate, and for that, a little depressing. The constant warring, fighting, struggling for power, followed inevitably by death and resurrection got a little tedious, but upon reading the conclusion, I'm much intrigued to find out what happens next.

[gwendydd · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

The description of this book sounded intriguing, and I figured that since it won a Hugo, it must be good. Well, it isn't. The premise is certainly interesting: all humans are simultaneously resurrected on a different planet, all given young and healthy bodies, food and basic necessities. People from different time periods are all thrown in together, so people from totally different times and places suddenly meet and must deal with their extraordinary new circumstances together.This is a fascinating premise. However, the writing is incredibly dull and unimaginative. The descriptive passages are very scientific and dull, the dialog is stilted, and the narrative is just a list of events. The idea of following the resurrection of Richard Burton is fascinating, but he's a pretty dull character (well, all of the characters are dull). I didn't find him at all believable - his attitudes were way too modern. The story is told in painstakingly boring detail in places, and then all of a sudden years go by in a sentence or two. The plot revolves around the mystery of how and why everyone is resurrected. Burton can be an asshole in his quest to find out why. The whole question is never satisfactorily resolved, and the book just kindof randomly ends when Farmer got tired of writing it (or so it seems). I assume that the rest of the books in the series provide more answers, but I have no interest in reading them.Is there anything good to say about the book? Well, the premise is certainly fascinating, but that's about all that I can say.

[phaga_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great book and a great idea. I read this in one night. I believe there is a sequel as well. Can't wait to check that out.

[kevlarrelic · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not so much of a good story as it is a good science fiction story. What I mean is that the character development is slightly weak, but the world in which every earthling who has ever lived has been simultaneously resurrected and the main character's search to understand what has happened, is fascinating. Read this book if you like the premise, as I did. If not, you might be better off skipping this one entirely. But if the premise does strike your fancy, you are in for an astounding read.

[willowcove · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another unique tale. Quite enjoyable. 

[bibleblaster · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Plays with some interesting ideas on theology, morality, and (not surprisingly) the afterlife, as characters find themselves transported to "Riverworld" after they die. But why? That's the question. It's a little clunky, in the way that stories tied together to make a novel can be (think Foundation). While it doesn't have quite the grand sweep of Foundation, it is another classic science fiction series and I will most likely read more. (For Lost fans, I would also put this one--along with Philip Dick's A Maze of Death--on the reading list of possible influences on the show...)

[James · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Overall the premise was interesting but the plot could have been constructed s bit better. It was slow for a while but picked up in the end.

[MK Spurrier · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thought this book was unique and enchanting! It was a page-turner for me. I definitely want to read the rest of the series.

[bragan_8 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In a strange landscape of plains and hills, along the banks of a seemingly endless river, every person who has ever lived on Earth has been mysteriously resurrected in a new, young, and healthy body. It's an afterlife of some kind, but not one that any religion ever anticipated.Out of all the human beings who have ever lived, the novel chooses to focus on Richard Burton, a nineteenth century Englishman known, among other things, for his extensive travels and his language skills. And Burton is determined to find out what the secrets behind this place are if he has to sail all the way to the end of the river to do it.It's a fantastic, mind-blowing, absolutely compelling premise. So I can sort of understand why this is so highly regarded. But I find what Farmer does with it incredibly frustrating. There's just really not much development of anything. I want a really close-up look at how people react to and adapt to this weird new reality, how their societies and their philosophies and their ways of relating to each other slowly evolve, but that's all dealt with very shallowly, if at all. Mostly we're told things rather than being shown them, and that's true on every scale, from human relationships to the rise and fall of mini-civilizations. We're shown a very little bit of the first few days after the resurrection, then there's a month-long time jump while Burton and his new friends build a boat, then there's a jump of well over a year while they explore the river, an expedition we get to see almost none of. Farmer seems way, way more interested in the details of Burton's life than in this amazing new setting he's created, and, while I'm sure Burton is a very interesting guy, given the choice between debates over whether he was or wasn't an anti-Semite vs. a travelog featuring a trip down a million-mile river with all of human history colliding and mutating along its banks, I know which one I'd rather hear about.In the end, there aren't any definite answers to the question of what the heck is going on here, just partial explanations and hints, which I'm sure are more fully explored in later volumes. But, while this one certainly piqued my interest, I doubt I'm going to continue on with the series unless someone can convince me that it changes its focus enough to be less frustrating for me.

[regularguy5mb · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was one of those who, unfortunately, saw the movie first. Even without reading the book, I knew it was both a serious departure and disappointment. For one, the movie puts Burton as the villain and some war photographer as the hero in a really contrived fight over a girl.Now let's look at the book, the incredible, fantastic book by Philip Jose Farmer.Richard Francis Burton, writer and adventurer, a real-life challenger of the unknown, wakes up in a strange place after dying an old man, young and strapped to some form of bed, floating in a nothingness surrounded by others in the exact same position. Suddenly, he awakens again on the side of a river along with hundreds of others, bald and naked. He soon learns that the people are from various eras of Earth's history, lived their lives fully, passed, then found themselves here.Thus begins one of the greatest science fiction epic adventure stories ever written. Burton sets out to find the makers of this "river world" and find out exactly what they want of him. Along the way, he makes some friends, makes some enemies, fights some battles, and meets some of histories most fascinating individuals. It amazes me that after two attempts, a descent movie has yet to be made (although it would certainly work better as a television series, I mean, book one would make up at least three seasons alone).I'll admit, it took a little while to get me hooked, the start is a bit slow; but once I was hooked, I was completely, absolutely IN. This has got a Tolkien feel of travel and adventure to it that makes it worth reading whether you're a fan of sci-fi or not.

[altheaann · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Usually, the Hugo Awards are a good recommendation for entertaining literature.
Not in this case. I really don't understand how this book could have been given an award of any kind. Were there NO other sf novels published in 1971?
Farmer uses historical figures as his characters as an excuse to not bother writing any characterization of any kind. Every character in the novel is completely two-dimensional. It's pretty hard to make such an interesting and multi-dimensional character as the historical Richard Burton dull and flat - but Farmer manages it.
Moreover, the book is offensively, insidiously sexist. By which I don't mean that, in the grand tradition of adventure stories, that lusty buxom babes abound! (if only!) Rather, I mean that not one female character in the book displays any initiative, independence, or intelligence. Men regard them as property, and women's only instinct seems to be to find a male "protector." The stereotypes of women as "prude," "nag," or "whore" are found in abundance. Women are only an accessory to a man, to be admired physically, used sexually, and then tired of.
Here's one direct quote: "She was the product of her society - like all women, she was what men had made her."
One cannot excuse this attitude in writing as being a product of its time - check out what Ursula LeGuin was publishing in the late 60's and early 70's!
Sexist stereotypes are not the only ones found... they're practically incidental to the ethnic and cultural stereotypes! In a world supposedly populated with people of all cultures, time periods, and places, everything seems to run in a remarkably Eurocentric manner. To regard cigars as a universal luxury item is particularly bemusing.
Still, all this would be excusable, if only the story was fun, exciting and interesting. Not so. For such a short (222p.) novel, the plot was inexcusably meandering and dull. I fell asleep on it last night, and finished it this afternoon out of some sort of sense of obligation.

I think I'll be sending the copy of World of Tiers on my to-read shelf straight to the recycle bin.

[bruce_deming_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was an adventurous book. I don't like to go into the story line and spoil it, many others do give summaries.

It was a book written with skill and cleverness and imagination that kept my interest and made me wish to find if the hero would solve the problem of the new world he landed in. The new world is primitive and violent as was similar to the real world person Richard Francis Burton's.

Very entertaining read. Not something one would want to live himself in reality though.

It is the first book in a trilogy so progress is made but many questions remain which I suspect will be found in the subsequent stories.

[suzemo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is my guilty pleasure book, and I won’t be dissuaded from my love for it.

Once upon a time, 25ish years ago, I was a kid struggling. My mom had just died, and we were learning to cope with life. My dad’s new wife (or girlfriend, I can’t remember what she was back then) got a box from one of those old book-of-the-month clubs. When the box was opened, there were two books - The Hobbit and To Your Scattered Bodies Go. I was a kid that read everything I could get my hands on, and no one was interested in these books, so they gave them to me. And so, To Your Scattered Bodies Go became the first sci-fi book I had ever read (I’ll let you figure out what the first fantasy book was)..

I absolutely adored that book when I first read it. And I read it repeatedly. There was something awesome and different about reading about a world outside of this world’s known possibilities that could be used to create something different. This kind of writing had no bounds at all, and you could use limitless worlds to explore whatever you wanted.

And I’ve always loved that about sci-fi, and still do.

I was nervous re-reading this book (I haven’t read it for nearly 20 years), because now that I’m older, wiser, and more importantly - more critical, I thought the Suck Fairy would have taken over the book. I also assumed she brought her BFF, the Sexist Fairy as well.

And they were there, but not enough to really destroy the book for me. Is it the masterpiece I thought it was as a kid? Probably not... but I can’t seem to un-love a book that brought me to an entire genre and way of thinking.

Back to the actual review:

The book has a great premise: What if everyone who had ever lived were resurrected to live together? Well, not everyone - Anyone under the age of five didn’t make the cut. Everyone resurrected in perfect health, with their 25 year old bodies. No diseases, genetic, viral, or otherwise. No pesky bugs or predatory animals. We all live in a great river valley, with all of our (physical) needs met and provided for us.

Apparently, some time in the future, an alien race (or just us, really advanced) created a planet with an endlessly long river for this ultimate social experiment. They never really get into why this was done (apparently we need to correct ourselves/make amends/etc), or how it was done. With a science-light explanation (science did it, but no details), we avoid any fantastical or religious arguments.

Our protagonist is Sir Richard Burton, probably one of the greatest adventurers ever documented. Larger than life, he is a great character to use for this story because he was an ethnologist that studies many cultures, and a polyglot who spoke many languages. He could either talk to people with languages he already knew or figure out the language and get through cultural barriers as well.

PJF seemingly inserts himself into the story as “Peter J Frigate” a 20th century sci-fi writer with a serious man-crush on Burton. There are some other auxiliary characters as well, a prehistoric man, a future-alien (which accidentally actually causes the end of the species in 2008) and others.

This book is a bit on the misogynistic side, keeping heteronormative and sexist values (seriously, the supply grails come with lipstick). It’s all about the white man, all the time. Women are only around to be raped, have sex with, be “protected”, etc. The women just don’t do much at all, but I don’t expect a lot of an old white male author that is clearly a product of his time. It’s not an excuse, I just can’t get bent out of shape about it. It’s an old book. It’s my guilty pleasure. I still love it.

[conniejo_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I wasn't prepared for this. Tons of interesting ideas, though I was bummed the novel ended where it did. I'll definitely continue the series.Loved the idea of humanity being resurrected after death in a foreign land, and I loved that Richard Burton, the original Most Interesting Man in the World. Also a great candidate for main character, since he was fluent in many languages and knew of many others, and humanity speaks different tongues.Just... tons of good ideas. What happens when the truly evil people from throughout history are resurrected? What happens to religious viewpoints? And what are the current limitations of the body, and what is the world they live in?I love that it's a short book full of questions, and so satisfying to read as Burton (again, I still can't believe he's the main character) explores everything you're wondering about yourself.

[radaghast_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the most original science fiction novels I've read. It starts with a seemingly ridiculous question: What if every (or nearly every) person who ever lived were suddenly placed on a massive planet? And more importantly, why would anyone do this? Farmer answers with an unexpected and brilliant story.

[tadad_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I wasn't able to summon the enthusiasm for this book that so many other people seemed to find. I was never able to get into the flow, finding it choppy and awkward. The plot premise (every person who ever lived resurrected simultaneously on a different planet) allowed quite a bit scope. There was a huge opportunity to make all kinds of comparisons between different cultures and times, but it never really happened.To this day, I find it astonishing that this beat Zelazny's Jack of Shadows...a book I'd recommend to any science fiction or fantasy fan...for the Hugo. 

[andersonden · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My first "Riverworld" book. A fun concept - you can tell Farmer did quite a bit of historical research for his main character and it's great watching to see how he has different historical figures relate to each other and to more "ordinary" people.

[ahs7wolfy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Richard Francis Burton finds himself resurrected along with the rest of humanity in a strange alien place. Brought back in the prime of life he awakes on the banks of a mighty river. After settling nearby with a group of others, which include Alice Hargreaves, Burton gets the desire to go find the source of the river and explore some more to see if he can discover why they’ve been brought back.I wasn’t really aware who the main character was prior to reading this book, which is the first of the Riverworld series, but that didn’t hinder as you learn of some of his previous exploits from other people. The story moves along at quite a fast pace but this detracts somewhat from the development of subsidiary characters with the reader only really getting to know Burton. I enjoyed the premise of the story and the examination of humanity but this book is very much of its time and allowances for that are needed.

[lyn0s0soussi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A fascinating alternative look at "Heaven" and the afterlife... I have yet to understand the connection between the hero of the piece and a certain World War II criminal, but perhaps it will become clear in later books... A very good read, another all time favourite.

[comfypants · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fast, exciting read, with a clever premise. It's remarkably similar to the TV show Lost (right down to the lack of a satisfactory conclusion), except that instead of a handful of people finding themselves on a mysterious island, it's billions of people finding themselves on a mysterious planet.

[pgiunta_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Shortly after his death in 1890, British explorer, linguist, and writer Richard Francis Burton reawakens in a massive chamber filled with bodies suspended in mid-air. He is then confronted by men in a flying craft who fire upon him, knocking him unconscious.Burton and many others from the chamber are revived, hairless and naked, along the shores of a massive river in what at first appears to be paradise. Although for some, it does not resemble the afterlife as described by their religious doctrine.It is soon learned that they had been resurrected from different eras of Earth's history from Neanderthal through the 21st century—including an extraterrestrial from Tau Ceti who died on Earth in 2008.Each is equipped with a container, later called a “grail,” tethered to his or her wrist. As they explore this pastoral land, noticably devoid of animal and insect life, the people discover large rocks every few miles. These "grailstones" provide supplies including many of the familiar foods and beverages of Earth as well as cigarettes, marijuana, and a “dream gum” that induces everything from hallucinations to loss of sexual inhibitions. For mutual protection, Burton forms a group consisting of a Neanderthal who calls himself Kazz, a 20th century science fiction writer named Peter Frigate, the famous Victorian-era aristocrat Alice Liddell-Hargreaves, and Monat, the alien from Tau Ceti.Eventually, Burton and his group build a crude sailboat and make their way down the river until, after a lengthy battle, they are captured and brought into a village ruled by none other than former Nazi leader Hermann Göring and Tullus Hostilius, the third King of Rome. Burton leads a successful escape from the village during which, Göring is killed—albeit temporarily. Almost everyone who dies on the river world is eventually resurrected elsewhere.More importantly, Burton and company capture an agent of the “Ethicals,” the scientifically advanced beings who modified the planet onto which they resurrected millons of Earth’s dead. However, the man commits suicide before providing any helpful information.Burton, now a target of the Ethicals, continues his quest to uncover their true motives—even if he has to die nearly a thousand deaths to do so.To Your Scattered Bodies Go (1971) is the first book in Philip Jose Farmer's groundbreaking magnum opus Riverworld saga, which continued with The Fabulous Riverboat (1971), The Dark Design (1977), The Magic Labrynth (1980), Gods of Riverworld (1983), River of Eternity (1983) and a few anthologies.  Each book introduces true  figures from Earth history including Richard Francis Burton, Alice Hargreaves, Samuel Clemens, Tom Mix, Mozart, Cyrano de Bergerac, Jack London, Marcellin Marbot, King John of England, Baron Lothar Siegfried von Richthofen, and others.No science fiction reader's journey should be considered complete without a journey to Farmer's Riverworld.

[pdxwoman_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Read at least once &/or recommend selectively. A decent read or a “have to read staple”.Farmer's Riverworld saga is based on an interesting premise: all the people who ever lived on Earth, from all geographic locales and all times, are resurrected, young, naked and hairless, and find themselves on the shores of a river millions of miles long.Farmer throws an interesting assortment of famous people into the 5-book Riverworld saga; "To Your Scattered Bodies Go" features the infamous Herman Goring, and the British adventurer, Sir Richard Burton.While the interaction of the historical figures held my attention, the characters are relatively unappealing. The premise, and the mystery behind it, is what makes the book worth reading; there is something fascinating about the interaction of so many strong personalities from different time periods.I'd recommend the book to science fiction fans, and to history buffs who appreciate "fake" tales of historical figures.

[samsattler · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

All of us, I think, can recall a handful of books that to this day seem to mark a particular period in our lives. Often, as the decades go by, we find ourselves taking those books with us as we move from place to place. For instance, I still have the paperback copy of Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle that I paid sixty cents for in a Nashville bus station during my Army basic training in nearby Ft. Campbell, KY, in early 1968. Its pages are brown and a little brittle now, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. Philip Jose Farmer’s To Your Scattered Bodies Go is another of those books for me. I did not discover this 1971 novel (and Philip Jose Farmer) until 1983 when I paid $2.95 for a twenty-third printing of the paperback version of the novel. As you can see, the price of a relatively thin paperback had gone up considerably in the fifteen years separating publication of these two books. I’ve read each of them at least three times now, so I’ve definitely gotten my money’s worth out of them.The main character in To Your Scattered Bodies Go is the nineteenth century explorer Richard Burton, a man who one morning wakes up naked on the banks of a river he has never before seen. Burton, though, is not the only confused person waking up in that same condition:“Everywhere on the plain were unclothed bald-headed human beings, spaced about six feet apart. Most were still on their backs and gazing into the sky. Others were beginning to stir, to look around, or even sitting up.”That quote, from page 13 of the novel, hooked me, and it was off to the races when I learned that To Your Scattered Bodies Go was just the first book in Farmer’s “Riverworld novels.” Perhaps the best thing about coming to a series as late as I came to this one is not having to wait at least a year between new books, and I took full advantage of my tardiness. This first book in the series sees Burton aligning himself with men and women he feels he can trust to travel with him up and down the river while he tries to figure out why every human being who has ever lived has been resurrected at the same time somewhere along the banks of this ten-million-mile-long nameless river. One of the first to join Burton’s new “family” is Alice Hargreaves, who in her first life was the inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s 1865 novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Among others taken in by Burton are a primitive cave man and an alien who died on Earth while in the processing of killing off the entire human race. After Burton discovers a group of “Ethicals” who seem to be responsible for this unexpected afterlife, he wants answers. If they are not gods, how did they manage to resurrect everyone? Is the human race being given a second chance to find heaven? Or is this all just an experiment run by the Ethicals to record the history and customs of the entire human race? Are the Ethicals amused at how humans are reacting to their resurrection? Whatever they are up to, Burton wants some answers – and he is determined to get them no matter how many times he has to kill his new arch-enemy Herman Goring. Bottom Line: To Your Scattered Bodies Go beautifully sets up the rest of the Riverworld books. As the book ends, Burton understands just enough about his situation to get himself into even more trouble by trying to find the river’s source – where he believes he will find the home-base of the Ethicals themselves and all the answers he so desperately wants. And, in book two, The Fabulous Riverboat, Burton teams up with just the man to get him further up the river: the resurrected young Mark Twain. Let the fun begin.