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Who needs men? a novel
First edition hardcover with unclipped dust jacket in very good condition. Jacket is discoloured and edges are creased and nicked. Page block is marked and board edges, corners and spine ends are lightly bumped. Boards, pages and text are clear and unmarked throughout. LW
192 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 1972
2 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Edmund Cooper
100 books45 followersExcerpted from wikipedia:
Edmund Cooper was born in Marple, near Stockport in Cheshire on April 30, 1926. He served in the Merchant Navy towards the end of the Second World War. After World War II, he trained as a teacher and began to publish short stories. His first novel, Deadly Image
(later republished as The Uncertain Midnight) was completed in 1957 and published in 1958. A 1956 short story, Brain Child, was adapted as the movie The Invisible Boy (1957).
In 1969 The Uncertain Midnight was adapted for Swiss television, in French. At the height of his popularity, in the 1970s, he began to review science fiction for the Sunday Times and continued to do so until his death in 1982.
Apart from the website mentioned above there was another Edmund Cooper website full of information about the author and his publications.
Known Pseudonyms:
Richard Avery
George Kinley
Martin Lester
Broderick Quain
Edmund Cooper was born in Marple, near Stockport in Cheshire on April 30, 1926. He served in the Merchant Navy towards the end of the Second World War. After World War II, he trained as a teacher and began to publish short stories. His first novel, Deadly Image
(later republished as The Uncertain Midnight) was completed in 1957 and published in 1958. A 1956 short story, Brain Child, was adapted as the movie The Invisible Boy (1957).In 1969 The Uncertain Midnight was adapted for Swiss television, in French. At the height of his popularity, in the 1970s, he began to review science fiction for the Sunday Times and continued to do so until his death in 1982.
Apart from the website mentioned above there was another Edmund Cooper website full of information about the author and his publications.
Known Pseudonyms:
Richard Avery
George Kinley
Martin Lester
Broderick Quain
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 12, 2024
Although tragic, with a sad ending, Cooper gives a unique vision of the relationship between a man and a woman, of all the facets it can have to reach fulfillment, and oversees to produce a truly unforgettable romance.
I can honestly say that it was one of the most feminist works I had the opportunity to read.
That's for all these reasons and more.
I can honestly say that it was one of the most feminist works I had the opportunity to read.
That's for all these reasons and more.
January 1, 2011
Don't think I'm going to finish this one. An entirely female society, with men treated as dangerous animals and hunted to the verge of extinction might have been an interesting read if you didn't get a big sign flashing "AUTHOR'S MESSAGE" every other sentence.
The author thinks that an entirely female society is a stupid idea that couldn't work, and therefore depicts a female society that doesn't really work, and in which women are secretly gagging for the touch of a strong man, despite all the lesbian sex orgies they indulge in at the drop of a hat.
Although there are touches that suggest that Cooper might be a good writer, this is basically a rant disguised as a novel.
The author thinks that an entirely female society is a stupid idea that couldn't work, and therefore depicts a female society that doesn't really work, and in which women are secretly gagging for the touch of a strong man, despite all the lesbian sex orgies they indulge in at the drop of a hat.
Although there are touches that suggest that Cooper might be a good writer, this is basically a rant disguised as a novel.
June 7, 2025
The most interesting part of reading this book was reading the reviews. You either love it or hate it and in my humble opinion all are loving or hating for the wrong reasons - allow me to be obnoxious and hear me out.
This novel, which I explain a bit more later, is in my opinion a warning about ISM. What is ISM? Is Machism and Feminism. You may say, how dare you, young sir? Is woman rights bad? which I would answer, they are as important as men rights.
Machism is something has happened through centuries and it was view "as normal". Men go to wars, men provide, women take care of child. In the last 50 years woman's rights have risen - rightly so - but with rise another thing called feminism - which in the beginning was identical as women rights but , nowadays in 2025 has become as toxic as machism. It no longer represent equality (on rights) but become superiority as machism was before. I know that some become offended - as this reviewers said - but thank the lords I live in a free nation.
Allow me to explain the book before I continue why this book is important nowadays. So basically we are in 2500's and women no longer wanted to be subject to men so they rebelled and become the superior beings. BTW, this book was written in 1972, after they "become" aware that they didn't need men for anything since they could conceived in vitro. So a rebellion happened and most men were killed. Nowadays the only men that exist are in the wild (Highlands - Scotland). At some point they say that exist around 30 thousand pigs (men) while in UK there are around 3 million women.
So the story follows Rura , a young woman of 20 who has just recently made a training to be a exterminator - basically a men-exterminator. They live around the hadrian wall or something lik that and venture north to killmen pigs. In the beginning you can think "Here we go again a man shitting on women" yes it can be read like that but as the story progress you get to understand that he will shit on men as well - that's why I say this book is against both forms of ISM's.
But before you talk about RAPE's let me just add the following, both men or women RAPE on this novel. Female rape on other Female (the author calls it dominator or something akin to that) and male rape on female (on these in-vitro women not "real" born women that live with men). The only criticism I can find on this situation is about Rura. So basically she is raped by a couple of men then she is "given" to the leader of a colony and she basically is subject to somekind of Stockholm syndrome and falls for this man. This man didn't rape her but is quite "manly" with her. I can see this as a problematic view BUT BUT lets be real. There are all kind of men and women out there - who the fuck knows how everyone portray. Some may enjoy this kind of relation , I believe the majority no.
In the end I do believe this book is just a warning of how things may happen - a bit ridicule of course - if we let ISM's control our society. And today we are on a brink of a culture war between LEFT and RIGHT about WESTERN and EASTERN cultures, of Immigration, of sex, of gender etc.
Some passages that may Ire some readers:
"Rura presented herself dutifully and dance twice with Kayt and twice with Jolan. She must have been in a totally passive mood because both Kayt and Jolan assumed the role of aggressor"
"Often we can get rid of this homosexual nonsense the have been taught, pretty damn fast. Your society has brainwashed them into thinking that Lesbian love is the greatest, but their bodies know different. And their bodies learn very quickly." - "...you can't burn biology"
90/100
Two books by him with high ratings. Ah
This novel, which I explain a bit more later, is in my opinion a warning about ISM. What is ISM? Is Machism and Feminism. You may say, how dare you, young sir? Is woman rights bad? which I would answer, they are as important as men rights.
Machism is something has happened through centuries and it was view "as normal". Men go to wars, men provide, women take care of child. In the last 50 years woman's rights have risen - rightly so - but with rise another thing called feminism - which in the beginning was identical as women rights but , nowadays in 2025 has become as toxic as machism. It no longer represent equality (on rights) but become superiority as machism was before. I know that some become offended - as this reviewers said - but thank the lords I live in a free nation.
Allow me to explain the book before I continue why this book is important nowadays. So basically we are in 2500's and women no longer wanted to be subject to men so they rebelled and become the superior beings. BTW, this book was written in 1972, after they "become" aware that they didn't need men for anything since they could conceived in vitro. So a rebellion happened and most men were killed. Nowadays the only men that exist are in the wild (Highlands - Scotland). At some point they say that exist around 30 thousand pigs (men) while in UK there are around 3 million women.
So the story follows Rura , a young woman of 20 who has just recently made a training to be a exterminator - basically a men-exterminator. They live around the hadrian wall or something lik that and venture north to kill
But before you talk about RAPE's let me just add the following, both men or women RAPE on this novel. Female rape on other Female (the author calls it dominator or something akin to that) and male rape on female (on these in-vitro women not "real" born women that live with men). The only criticism I can find on this situation is about Rura. So basically she is raped by a couple of men then she is "given" to the leader of a colony and she basically is subject to somekind of Stockholm syndrome and falls for this man. This man didn't rape her but is quite "manly" with her. I can see this as a problematic view BUT BUT lets be real. There are all kind of men and women out there - who the fuck knows how everyone portray. Some may enjoy this kind of relation , I believe the majority no.
In the end I do believe this book is just a warning of how things may happen - a bit ridicule of course - if we let ISM's control our society. And today we are on a brink of a culture war between LEFT and RIGHT about WESTERN and EASTERN cultures, of Immigration, of sex, of gender etc.
Some passages that may Ire some readers:
"Rura presented herself dutifully and dance twice with Kayt and twice with Jolan. She must have been in a totally passive mood because both Kayt and Jolan assumed the role of aggressor"
"Often we can get rid of this homosexual nonsense the have been taught, pretty damn fast. Your society has brainwashed them into thinking that Lesbian love is the greatest, but their bodies know different. And their bodies learn very quickly." - "...you can't burn biology"
90/100
Two books by him with high ratings. Ah
May 31, 2016
Not a very good book. It feels like there's supposed to be a political statement in here, but I'm just not sure what it is, but whatever Cooper's trying to say, it's definitely outdated. Rura, the female character, ends up only wanting to exist to be "a sex object, something possessed. To be a fulfilled woman, something to be cherished and protected." So that stuff is really hard to swallow. The male hero, a wildling type character who lives in the Scottish Highlands—takes Rura in and makes her his woman—is also not very likable. He occasionally says something that sounds profound, but there's a lot of you're "a hellbitch" and other things. But more than the sprinkles of outdated sexism and not very likable characters, the characters also happen to not be that interesting. Unlike Cooper's first novel, All Fool's Day, this one doesn't have intriguing characters to go along with the unique premise (though the premise in this one too is a problem. I never bought that women would one day want to kill all men just because they can produce children without men).
So overall, not a very good read. The writing is decent, and the sci-fi elements are woven in well enough that it kept me reading to the end, but just barely.
So overall, not a very good read. The writing is decent, and the sci-fi elements are woven in well enough that it kept me reading to the end, but just barely.
October 31, 2015
"Abra o brande, querida, abra o brande". E que todas as divindades universais tenham piedade de quem ler isso até o final.
January 4, 2022
I bought this book years ago in a 10 paperbacks for 1 euro sale. One of my new year resolutions was to start making a dent into my tbr stack and sell all the books I don't want to reread.
This book might end up getting burned instead.
What I thought would be a interesting and slightly campy read ended up being horrifyingly nausiating instead.
The idea that women hold the power and are hunting down the last men to kill them is an interesting trope. I actually liked that the main character was conflicted about killing the men and asking questions. Then came the rape scenes and the 180 turn in behavior...now the women were seen as evil.
Just...no!
A far better alternative to this book is The Power which was an excellent read.
This book might end up getting burned instead.
What I thought would be a interesting and slightly campy read ended up being horrifyingly nausiating instead.
The idea that women hold the power and are hunting down the last men to kill them is an interesting trope. I actually liked that the main character was conflicted about killing the men and asking questions. Then came the rape scenes and the 180 turn in behavior...now the women were seen as evil.
Just...no!
A far better alternative to this book is The Power which was an excellent read.
August 29, 2020
I read this back when I was in junior high. What I remember from it is endless misogynistic, homophobic blithering and disturbing rape/violence themes. (I am not sure how I managed to read this book all the way through. Possibly it was because the book was so short.) I've avoided his works at the used bookstore ever since.
February 7, 2017
The beginning of this book felt like a Valerie Solanis fever dream and (not suprisingly) degraded into unreadable garbage.
October 1, 2019
Good book. I really enjoyed it.
August 24, 2020
Who Needs Men?
According to this book, women.
According to this book, women.
December 17, 2025
Not his best book. At times a bit cringe.
Apparently a woman can start to enjoy gang rape if she just lets herself go. And don’t worry, she will be up for a bit of carnal loving from her man the next day, even if she was a virgin before the gang rape. Thank god there was no lingering impact. Boys will be boys and all that.
A woman raised to hate men falls instantly in love with the first man she sees despite the fact that he is dirty, unshaven, unshowered, uneducated and everything she isn’t. I know opposites attract but not like this. Not even at the sub-conscious level, where Cooper believes, nature overrides all else.
Apart from the silly adolescent perspective of the male-female dynamic, the whole premise of this doesn’t quite work for me either. Men are violent thugs who started all of history’s wars, so the women started a war against them and won? Huh? They won a war against the experts of war? Hmmm.
Apparently a woman can start to enjoy gang rape if she just lets herself go. And don’t worry, she will be up for a bit of carnal loving from her man the next day, even if she was a virgin before the gang rape. Thank god there was no lingering impact. Boys will be boys and all that.
A woman raised to hate men falls instantly in love with the first man she sees despite the fact that he is dirty, unshaven, unshowered, uneducated and everything she isn’t. I know opposites attract but not like this. Not even at the sub-conscious level, where Cooper believes, nature overrides all else.
Apart from the silly adolescent perspective of the male-female dynamic, the whole premise of this doesn’t quite work for me either. Men are violent thugs who started all of history’s wars, so the women started a war against them and won? Huh? They won a war against the experts of war? Hmmm.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2020
Um romance distópico situado no longínquo século XXV, no qual a sociedade é composta na sua quase-totalidade por mulheres que se produzem ou por reprodução assexuada ou por partenogénese. Elas enfrentam alguns "rebeldes" masculinos que se escondem nas terras remotas e inóspitas da Escócia.
A protagonista, Rura, faz parte das chamadas exterminadoras, encarregadas com a exterminação dos poucos homens restantes na Grã Bretanha. Um dia, ela passa a se defrontar com sentimentos heréticos.
O livro explora uma interessante hipótese do que poderia se produzir se vivêssemos sob uma ginecrocracia andrófoba. O enredo, no entanto, é pouco mais do que medíocre.
A protagonista, Rura, faz parte das chamadas exterminadoras, encarregadas com a exterminação dos poucos homens restantes na Grã Bretanha. Um dia, ela passa a se defrontar com sentimentos heréticos.
O livro explora uma interessante hipótese do que poderia se produzir se vivêssemos sob uma ginecrocracia andrófoba. O enredo, no entanto, é pouco mais do que medíocre.
August 16, 2024
Rura is a clone, part of the elite extermination force looking to kill all remaining men. She lives in technologically advanced London, splitting her time between having lesbian orgies and going on raids to the highlands where the last remaining men are hanging out. But something is missing. After 1 Scottish guy kills all her mates, she decides to jack it all in and seek out this mysterious highlander, so she can have the one thing she has been missing - babies.
Not quite the most sexist sci fi book I have ever read, but then I have read some Gor novels. Like rubbernecking an unfolding car crash as you see how bad it can get.
Not quite the most sexist sci fi book I have ever read, but then I have read some Gor novels. Like rubbernecking an unfolding car crash as you see how bad it can get.
August 24, 2021
What the actual- what WAS that??? An all female society, a bunch of strong woman warriors, but once the main character is gang raped by a bunch of guys she realizes what her real purpose is, to serve men! This book is blatantly misogynistic and homophobic, plus it paints rape in a good light. STEER CLEAR.
September 18, 2025
This is probably Edmund Cooper's most divisive work. Some of the ideas in here are reprehensible nonsense. If I were a woman I'd be livid. But it's still a good novel, whatever you think about Cooper's sexist views. I can't give it less than three stars because that would be a lie.
Read
September 18, 2021BOY did this age poorly
October 12, 2025
Published in 1972 when I was just barely 14 years old, Edmund Cooper's audacious and sexually charged novel, Who Needs Men, was unlike anything I had ever read before. It described love and sex and death in ways I couldn't have imagined. Now, it seems to tread a fine line between audacity and misogyny. It describes a future society where women have taken over and men are superfluous, good only to be hunted down for sport and exterminated like some wild vermin. But Cooper argues that despite men's failings, which are repeatedly highlighted, there is much to celebrate in the differences that complement men and women. The heroine of the story, Rura Alexandra, 20 years old and a new Exterminator, sets out to wipe out the last of the men, living wild in the Highlands of Scotland. But she is captured and somehow falls in love with the chief of her captors, and her life is changed forever. This novel would make a great film, and it's a wonder that nobody saw fit to make it happen. I find Cooper's prose so descriptive that it is easy to picture this new world that he has created. Although time has overtaken many of Cooper's ideas, it's still a great story, and an enjoyable, if guilty, pleasure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2017
Edmund Cooper does love to invent Post Apocalyptic worlds of Britain in most of his stories. This is one of my favourite E.C. novels along with All Fools Day.
According to a magazine article, I read about him just prior to his death, he said he managed to upset a few feminists with this story. This dystopian Britain of the future is one of Females ruling the world and the few men left alive are hunted in the Highlands.
It's all pulp sci-fi and I read it back in the late 70s. It's rather cheesy but hey! I was a sixteen year old just going to work at the time. If Ed Cooper was trying to have a go at feminists and I think he probably was, then it was very exaggerated. However, the story was rather good and I suppose I must be a little weird for liking it so. Well worth reading if you enjoy dystopian style stories.
The Last Days of Thunder Child
According to a magazine article, I read about him just prior to his death, he said he managed to upset a few feminists with this story. This dystopian Britain of the future is one of Females ruling the world and the few men left alive are hunted in the Highlands.
It's all pulp sci-fi and I read it back in the late 70s. It's rather cheesy but hey! I was a sixteen year old just going to work at the time. If Ed Cooper was trying to have a go at feminists and I think he probably was, then it was very exaggerated. However, the story was rather good and I suppose I must be a little weird for liking it so. Well worth reading if you enjoy dystopian style stories.
The Last Days of Thunder Child
October 7, 2008
Picked this one up at the same junk store on Morse near Ashland in Chicago that had his The Slaves of Space. This one was even worse and I resolved to avoid Cooper thereafter.
March 30, 2011
The epitome of 'pulp fiction', but there's always been something about this book. (yes I am weird). Would make a brilliant film, though they'd probably cut all the sex out.
September 16, 2012
As a teenage boy in the '80s I enjoyed this. Somehow I don't think I would enjoy it so much now.
November 8, 2014
1981 grade D-
aka Gender Genocide
aka Gender Genocide
January 4, 2015
A very interesting concept and one that I am eager to explore more into.The book was well written and had me on tenterhooks at the end.
March 14, 2022
Damn sister this book did NOT age well. All the homophobia and sexism and rape romanticizing make me want to unread it. I wish I could. But i guess the 70s were different times huh?!
November 30, 2012
Excellent easy read, classic quality 70's SciFi.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews