What do you think?
Rate this book
World of Tiers #3
A Private Cosmos
COVER It was a world of tiers and layers –the Amerind level, the Garden of Eden level, the Talanac, the Atlantean– a universe of green skies and fabled beasts. And it was all the playground of the Lord Jadawin, with transgravitational gates to the other levels and other worlds. But now those gates were being sabotaged to permit the entry of an invading force of "Bellers" –human bodies housing the transferred minds of rebel Lords. They sought two total domination of every Lord's private cosmos, and the life of Kickaha the Trickster, who knew too much...
158 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1967
6 people are currently reading
491 people want to read
About the author
Philip José Farmer
593 books887 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
February 17, 2018
Metaphorosis Reviews
1.5 stars
Summary:
The creator of the world of tiers is missing, and his sometime pal Kickaha sets out to find him for his own purposes, having adventures along the way.
Review:
Kickaha (aka Paul Janus Finegan) as Philip Jose Farmer notes, is a thinly disguised alternate self who has by now become the focus of the series. He’s a relatively amoral trickster-type, constantly getting into scrapes, but escaping through native cleverness and charm. He’s not, unfortunately, likable or credible.
The situation isn’t helped by Farmer’s fairly impractical teleportation mechanism – pairs of match metal arcs. It doesn’t make much sense, and Farmer essentially recognizes this, allowing the once-rare arcs to multiply without regard for logic. At certain points, the action was unclear enough that I lost track of what was happening, but didn’t particularly care. All in all, a haphazard and uninteresting sequel.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
1.5 stars
Summary:
The creator of the world of tiers is missing, and his sometime pal Kickaha sets out to find him for his own purposes, having adventures along the way.
Review:
Kickaha (aka Paul Janus Finegan) as Philip Jose Farmer notes, is a thinly disguised alternate self who has by now become the focus of the series. He’s a relatively amoral trickster-type, constantly getting into scrapes, but escaping through native cleverness and charm. He’s not, unfortunately, likable or credible.
The situation isn’t helped by Farmer’s fairly impractical teleportation mechanism – pairs of match metal arcs. It doesn’t make much sense, and Farmer essentially recognizes this, allowing the once-rare arcs to multiply without regard for logic. At certain points, the action was unclear enough that I lost track of what was happening, but didn’t particularly care. All in all, a haphazard and uninteresting sequel.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 4, 2018
I liked the first two books in the World of Tiers series, so I read this one. The protagonist is no where to be found, and his buddy, Kickaha, from the first book and no where to be seen in the second book, is the protagonist. That was bad enough, but then the mishmash of adventures with no real story point was a real let down. Finally, the insult to end all insults was the cliffhanger at the end to force me to go out and buy book three.
October 23, 2014
Not quite as good as the first two books. This one features Kickaha as the hero. Lots of action - almost too much. It's a bit confusing & I caught a couple of story line snafus. Nothing terrible, but it just wasn't as thoughtful or well written as the previous two.
September 21, 2024
6/10
The main story is a rather breathless chase around the tiered world created by one of the Lords and now belonging to Wolff/Jadawin, the home of the hero of this story, Kickaha (a transported Earthling). He is beset by enemies on every side, some who are inhabitants of this world and others who are invaders. This is 60’s pulp scifi; I’m reading this series as a dive into the classic past of the genre.
The main story is a rather breathless chase around the tiered world created by one of the Lords and now belonging to Wolff/Jadawin, the home of the hero of this story, Kickaha (a transported Earthling). He is beset by enemies on every side, some who are inhabitants of this world and others who are invaders. This is 60’s pulp scifi; I’m reading this series as a dive into the classic past of the genre.
October 13, 2014
I started this instead of Harlan Coben because it and #4 in the Tiers series just arrived at the library for me. It's a special commemorative hard-bound edition from 1981 with an intro from PJF. For all that there have been many typos already! Also... PJF says that he "updated" the text(i.e. changed) for this edition. I trust that the changes are for the better. I'll never know of course!
Moving along slowly due to work shifts in the evening. I'll be able to get along more tomorrow night. So far it's all pretty entertaining and imaginative but also a bit... typical. Lots of action as Kickaha is pursued by bad guys and is endlessly resourceful(of course). A new villain has emerged - the Black Bellers. Pretty nasty, though Kickaha hasn't actually met one yet. They've been described to him by Anana, sister of Jadawin/ Wolff. The typos continue unabated...
Moving along in this pursuit/escape adventure. Interesting to contemplate the contrasting characters of Wolff(straight-arrow and Kickaha(invincible trickster). Obviously PJF likes and identifies with Kickaha more/better. He's kind of the James Bond type. I figured out that this adventure is happening at the same time as book #2. That's why no Kickaha in that book nor Wolff in this book - so far.
And now finished in a blizzard of confusing action. Kickaha and Anana are headed for Earth in pursuit of the last Beller - maybe the last, we'll see. This book wasn't as good as the first two. More imagination was expressed in those in the descriptions of the Lord's creations. There was some of that here, including some reproduction of Barsoom, but mostly it was a pursuit and battle epic. Lots of casualties of course!
- 2.75* rounds up to 3*
Moving along slowly due to work shifts in the evening. I'll be able to get along more tomorrow night. So far it's all pretty entertaining and imaginative but also a bit... typical. Lots of action as Kickaha is pursued by bad guys and is endlessly resourceful(of course). A new villain has emerged - the Black Bellers. Pretty nasty, though Kickaha hasn't actually met one yet. They've been described to him by Anana, sister of Jadawin/ Wolff. The typos continue unabated...
Moving along in this pursuit/escape adventure. Interesting to contemplate the contrasting characters of Wolff(straight-arrow and Kickaha(invincible trickster). Obviously PJF likes and identifies with Kickaha more/better. He's kind of the James Bond type. I figured out that this adventure is happening at the same time as book #2. That's why no Kickaha in that book nor Wolff in this book - so far.
And now finished in a blizzard of confusing action. Kickaha and Anana are headed for Earth in pursuit of the last Beller - maybe the last, we'll see. This book wasn't as good as the first two. More imagination was expressed in those in the descriptions of the Lord's creations. There was some of that here, including some reproduction of Barsoom, but mostly it was a pursuit and battle epic. Lots of casualties of course!
- 2.75* rounds up to 3*
November 29, 2019
While Wolff is out on a family outing, he entrusts the care of his universe to a man whose primary credentials are banging a harpy. Unsurprisingly, things turn to shit.
In A Private Cosmos (keeping up the series' traditions of grandiose titles that have nothing to do with the plot) the world of Tiers are invaded by the Black Bellers, a villain every bit as stupid as they sound. Turns out Lord Scientists wanted to create a device for transferring consciousness from one body to another, which took the form of a black bell. Then these devices somehow gained consciousness and fought an apocalyptic war against the Lords, which caused the decline of their civilisation. Seeing how the Bellers within their bells are limited to sitting there looking menacing, and within a different body die just as easily as anyone else, this is about as convincing as you would expect.
The entire story takes place within the World of Tiers, and primarily the Amerindian level, so we lose the primary drawcard of the previous two books -- the wonky setting. To make things worse Kickaha as a character is harder to bear than Wolff. Moralising and convoluted mechanics are replaced with arrogance and dumb luck. At no point does it feel like Kickaha is winning on his own merits, and not because the plot demands it. And he so desperately wants to be loved, it's sickening.
In A Private Cosmos (keeping up the series' traditions of grandiose titles that have nothing to do with the plot) the world of Tiers are invaded by the Black Bellers, a villain every bit as stupid as they sound. Turns out Lord Scientists wanted to create a device for transferring consciousness from one body to another, which took the form of a black bell. Then these devices somehow gained consciousness and fought an apocalyptic war against the Lords, which caused the decline of their civilisation. Seeing how the Bellers within their bells are limited to sitting there looking menacing, and within a different body die just as easily as anyone else, this is about as convincing as you would expect.
The entire story takes place within the World of Tiers, and primarily the Amerindian level, so we lose the primary drawcard of the previous two books -- the wonky setting. To make things worse Kickaha as a character is harder to bear than Wolff. Moralising and convoluted mechanics are replaced with arrogance and dumb luck. At no point does it feel like Kickaha is winning on his own merits, and not because the plot demands it. And he so desperately wants to be loved, it's sickening.
December 31, 2020
Well, this was refreshing after Ulysses: A book describing alien worlds constructed along unknown-to-this-universe-architectures, beings unlike and yet like us, complex actions through space, and all way more comprehensible than 1903 Dublin as described by Joyce.
But I digress.
When I started this book, I was full of enthusiasm, because this is...#3? I think?...in the series but like most series from this time period, they don't assume you've read every one, so it's a nice, standalone story.
In this case, an American ("Kickaha") has "gone native" in an Amerind universe, beloved of some Great Plains tribes and hated by the monstrous centaurs, who finds himself the target of a sinister multi-universe plot by artificial (or are they?) life forms that are invading bodies and taking things over.
It's good fun, with invading German armies clashing against Amerinds, harpies, and some "lordy beings", but by the end I actually felt like I was missing out because I had started with book 3, and the ending has a lot of name-dropping that was less meaningful to me than it might have been. But it was good enough to make me willing to seek out the rest of the series.
A good reading end to 2020!
But I digress.
When I started this book, I was full of enthusiasm, because this is...#3? I think?...in the series but like most series from this time period, they don't assume you've read every one, so it's a nice, standalone story.
In this case, an American ("Kickaha") has "gone native" in an Amerind universe, beloved of some Great Plains tribes and hated by the monstrous centaurs, who finds himself the target of a sinister multi-universe plot by artificial (or are they?) life forms that are invading bodies and taking things over.
It's good fun, with invading German armies clashing against Amerinds, harpies, and some "lordy beings", but by the end I actually felt like I was missing out because I had started with book 3, and the ending has a lot of name-dropping that was less meaningful to me than it might have been. But it was good enough to make me willing to seek out the rest of the series.
A good reading end to 2020!
January 18, 2025
As with the first book in this series, multiple readings call for a score of four stars but that is a generous score.
This third book of the series is a frantic mess of chases, fights, captures, and escapes, with little or no plot. It’s also written in a rather leaden style full of exposition, but that might be the French translation I read it in. This volume concentrates on the irritatingly indestructible sidekick from the first volume rather than the hero of that opening episode.
Nevertheless, as with the first read some forty years ago now, I remain struck by the transport rings and the centaurs, as mentioned in my comments on the first book.
Of the rest, there’s not much of interest despite wild psychedelic imagination, although I now notice a formidably prescient description of warfare by drone that seems exactly like the events in the current wars in Ukraine or in Gaza, where remote operated drones have been extensively used to kill otherwise hidden enemies. This was written in 1969, when such technology and tactics were indeed science fiction, but are now thriller style fact.
Although the French edition is on Goodreads, it doesn’t include the number of pages, so I’m commenting against an English edition to add to my page tally.
This third book of the series is a frantic mess of chases, fights, captures, and escapes, with little or no plot. It’s also written in a rather leaden style full of exposition, but that might be the French translation I read it in. This volume concentrates on the irritatingly indestructible sidekick from the first volume rather than the hero of that opening episode.
Nevertheless, as with the first read some forty years ago now, I remain struck by the transport rings and the centaurs, as mentioned in my comments on the first book.
Of the rest, there’s not much of interest despite wild psychedelic imagination, although I now notice a formidably prescient description of warfare by drone that seems exactly like the events in the current wars in Ukraine or in Gaza, where remote operated drones have been extensively used to kill otherwise hidden enemies. This was written in 1969, when such technology and tactics were indeed science fiction, but are now thriller style fact.
Although the French edition is on Goodreads, it doesn’t include the number of pages, so I’m commenting against an English edition to add to my page tally.
January 17, 2026
Apparently, I read the 2nd one of this series a while back... it didn't even remotely ring a bell... so that's who much of an impression it left.
This one the main character, Kickaha, is basically running away from everyone and trying to figure out what happened to the 'Lords' that created all the worlds. Turns out a robot expiriment gone wrong is the problem (isn't it always?) and there are these guys that they were trying to use to transfer their brains to other bodies that turned out to be sentient and took over their bodies instead.
Like the other one (now that I'm looked at it) it involves the main character going through a bunch of daring escapes and traversing through different worlds, including one created to be Burrough's Barsoom (without the sentients), that was pretty fun.
This book also features the most amazing luxury prison in the history of literature.. 24 rooms (all connected with one way portals and 80 feet under ground) with a workshop, swimming pool, Gym, etc. it was something!
Now I'm wondering if the dregs of my sci fi pile has a couple other of the books in this series!
This one the main character, Kickaha, is basically running away from everyone and trying to figure out what happened to the 'Lords' that created all the worlds. Turns out a robot expiriment gone wrong is the problem (isn't it always?) and there are these guys that they were trying to use to transfer their brains to other bodies that turned out to be sentient and took over their bodies instead.
Like the other one (now that I'm looked at it) it involves the main character going through a bunch of daring escapes and traversing through different worlds, including one created to be Burrough's Barsoom (without the sentients), that was pretty fun.
This book also features the most amazing luxury prison in the history of literature.. 24 rooms (all connected with one way portals and 80 feet under ground) with a workshop, swimming pool, Gym, etc. it was something!
Now I'm wondering if the dregs of my sci fi pile has a couple other of the books in this series!
January 3, 2019
As with the previous two books in this series ("Maker Of Universes" and "Gates of Creation"), I read Philip Jose Farmer's 1968 novel "A Private Cosmos" as part of "The World of Tiers Volume One: The Maker of Universes, The Gates of Creation, and A Private Cosmos" (much cheaper than this version and available for the Kindle). On the plus side, there's just a skosh more "plot" and a tad less travelogue. On the negative side, what plot that exists is predicated on something I just can't see as being possible: a group of beings gate into Wolff's palace and use its resources. In general, it reads pretty much the same as the earlier books: pulp science fiction somewhat reminiscent of Edgar Rice Burroughs, though not as good. The biggest change is that the protagonist is Kickaha instead of Wolff (the story occurs while Wolff is stuck in the events of the previous book). I'm rating it at a Pretty Bad 2 stars out of 5.
July 23, 2017
Philip Jose Farmer lets his imagination run wild in these stories. The adventure is pure pulp and over the top. The hero is a braggart and able to walk the talk. A Private Cosmos is the first one in the series, at least to my mind that leaves on a cliff-hanger. I thought the first two in the series were almost stand-alones, but this one leads the reader right into the next, "Behind The Walls of Terra". I don't usually, in fact almost never, read a series back to back style. So I will return to the World of Tiers at some time in the near future.
September 27, 2025
The third book by Philip José Farmer it was different in comparison with the first 2 books but it was engaging and kept me on the edge of my seat.
Now we are following Kickaha in his adventure to defend the world of Wolff- Jadawin because the bellers are invading their world. The bellers are a kind of entity (with consciousness) they can be transferred from one body to another body by a bell shaped device placed on the head. The bellers were created by the Lords but are now turning against the Lords. Kickaha gets the help of another Lord called Anana (Wolff's sister).
Now we are following Kickaha in his adventure to defend the world of Wolff- Jadawin because the bellers are invading their world. The bellers are a kind of entity (with consciousness) they can be transferred from one body to another body by a bell shaped device placed on the head. The bellers were created by the Lords but are now turning against the Lords. Kickaha gets the help of another Lord called Anana (Wolff's sister).
May 2, 2018
More pulp claptrap from PJF. Slightly better written than the first two books. (That’s not saying much.) Here, almost every being on the planet wants our hero dead. Yet he manages to evade them all! And even manages to kill all the bad guys! Amazing that Zelazny found the inspiration for Amber in this silliness.
For PJF fans and sci-fi historians only. And maybe pre-teens.
My eBook edition came with the first three chapters of book 4: Behind the Walls of Terra. It wasn’t bad! Clearly PJF prose is getting better as he goes along!
For PJF fans and sci-fi historians only. And maybe pre-teens.
My eBook edition came with the first three chapters of book 4: Behind the Walls of Terra. It wasn’t bad! Clearly PJF prose is getting better as he goes along!
February 24, 2023
Top. Nach dem surrealen zweiten Buch ist dieses Buch wieder fast so gut und spannend wie das Allererste. Erneut gibt es eine Verfolgungsjagd durch alle Ebenen. Diese ist spannend und kurzweilig. Zwar wiederholen sich zum dritten Mal bekannte Muster und Abläufe, doch sind diese so interessant und abwechslungsreich, so dass man als Leser gespannt dranbleibt. Erschienen ist das 208 Seiten lange Buch 1980 und im Orignal 1968.
November 12, 2020
The action in this book doesn't let up for a minute. It's fast-paced and barely gives the reader a chance to catch their breath. However, the change in narrator from Wolff to Kickaha, who has a slightly more flexible morality, shall we say, serves to highlight some of the more problematic elements in the tale.
November 25, 2022
A portal fantasy with artificial worlds, populated with creatures from fantasy, created by a super-powered technologically advanced family who sometimes ally with but largely loathe each other - this series is one of Zelazny's major inspirations for his Chronicles of Amber.
The flavor of these lie closer to pulp adventure than Zelazny's tales but is just as fantastical.
The flavor of these lie closer to pulp adventure than Zelazny's tales but is just as fantastical.
September 22, 2017
Another great Farmer novel. The third in the Tiers series. Highly entertaining as are most of Farmer's books. Now on to the fourth in the series.
November 18, 2022
I enjoyed this book more than the first two; however, the protagonist's attitude towards women is somewhat dated.
December 13, 2024
Again just an awesome book ! Action through and through ! Book 4 here we come !
September 7, 2020
I wasn't too excited about where the second book in this series went, so I had my doubts about how much I would like this. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised. This is a much better book. The protagonist shifts from the previous Robert Wolff to his friend Kikaha. The pacing is unrelenting throughout most of the book. Interesting sci fi and fantasy elements combined. The worlds are populated with centaurs, animal stampedes, Indians, laser guns, teleportation to exotic worlds, and a whole lot of violence. If I could complain about anything, it would be that not enough personality is given to any of the secondary characters. But that's just not the way that Farmer writes. I have read quite a few of his books and there is very little characterization in any of them outside the protagonist. Reading previous books in the series is not required, but it does help set up this chapter in the Tiers series.
August 1, 2015
A Private Cosmos, Philip Jose Farmer
I remember why I zipped through these "World of Tiers" novels when I was younger. They are all action and are short, short, short compared to most books today. This one was around 185 pages.
There's no Wolff in this outing. If any recall from "The Gates of Creation" Wolff... well to avoid spoilers, is "detained" and isn't immediately coming back to the World of Tiers, where he has, unknown to Kickaha, "left him in charge".
Kickaha, one of our favorite "World of Tiers" (multi)characters is on about his own business when he finds himself the object of the manhunt of the "universe". That, by itself, is only a minor shock. He is supposed to be buddies with “Wolff”, the Lord in charge around those parts. But Kickaha doesn't know he is supposed to be "in charge".
The people who are all hunting him, while not unusual in the “hunting of him” by itself, are however, from the wrong worlds... or tiers in this particular world/universe. This is a shock. For the sake of easing the review reader's understanding, it is to Kickaha as if he were in the Aztec capitol in the heyday of the Aztecs, and King Arthur's knights and armies suddenly appeared in full armor, lances, and chain mail intent on Kickaha's capture and/or demise.
Like in the days of these 'series', you could probably pick up this 3rd book in the World of Tiers series and you would be fine reading it as an independent novel. You would not be as enriched, but you would not be denied an exciting story, from start to ending. And that's pretty much what you get with this novel.
Metaphorically, you step car #43 (A Private Cosmos) with Richard Petty (who would be Philip Jose Farmer in this metaphor) and Petty would put the pedal to the metal. Metaphorically, there are some pit stops, but racing along as you will be in with those expert racing skills of Petty/Farmer, you won't really notice the pit stops. There is one consolation..., you're a passenger. So you actually can take a deep breath and admire the scenery if your racing heart allows it.
“Bellers” are the “nasties” in this outing. You'll need to read to understand. The plot is similar to the invasion of the body snatchers. You know what kind of tension that scenario gives people.
Bad news.... no ebook, no audio. I was able to pick up a hardback of World of Tiers (the first 5 novels) for very reasonable, so there is that at least. Happy adventures..., next stop, Terra Firma (aka Earth), in “Behind the Walls of Terra.
I remember why I zipped through these "World of Tiers" novels when I was younger. They are all action and are short, short, short compared to most books today. This one was around 185 pages.
There's no Wolff in this outing. If any recall from "The Gates of Creation" Wolff... well to avoid spoilers, is "detained" and isn't immediately coming back to the World of Tiers, where he has, unknown to Kickaha, "left him in charge".
Kickaha, one of our favorite "World of Tiers" (multi)characters is on about his own business when he finds himself the object of the manhunt of the "universe". That, by itself, is only a minor shock. He is supposed to be buddies with “Wolff”, the Lord in charge around those parts. But Kickaha doesn't know he is supposed to be "in charge".
The people who are all hunting him, while not unusual in the “hunting of him” by itself, are however, from the wrong worlds... or tiers in this particular world/universe. This is a shock. For the sake of easing the review reader's understanding, it is to Kickaha as if he were in the Aztec capitol in the heyday of the Aztecs, and King Arthur's knights and armies suddenly appeared in full armor, lances, and chain mail intent on Kickaha's capture and/or demise.
Like in the days of these 'series', you could probably pick up this 3rd book in the World of Tiers series and you would be fine reading it as an independent novel. You would not be as enriched, but you would not be denied an exciting story, from start to ending. And that's pretty much what you get with this novel.
Metaphorically, you step car #43 (A Private Cosmos) with Richard Petty (who would be Philip Jose Farmer in this metaphor) and Petty would put the pedal to the metal. Metaphorically, there are some pit stops, but racing along as you will be in with those expert racing skills of Petty/Farmer, you won't really notice the pit stops. There is one consolation..., you're a passenger. So you actually can take a deep breath and admire the scenery if your racing heart allows it.
“Bellers” are the “nasties” in this outing. You'll need to read to understand. The plot is similar to the invasion of the body snatchers. You know what kind of tension that scenario gives people.
Bad news.... no ebook, no audio. I was able to pick up a hardback of World of Tiers (the first 5 novels) for very reasonable, so there is that at least. Happy adventures..., next stop, Terra Firma (aka Earth), in “Behind the Walls of Terra.
November 29, 2013
Read this initially as a teenager about 30 years ago and just re-read now. Still very good but realize it is not as good as the first two in the series were. This time Wolff's best friend, Kickaha, is the protagonist. He works with Wolff's sister, Anana, to battle the Bellers. Well written but not as absorbing as the previous two.
August 2, 2014
This covered a lot of familiar ground from the first 2 books, but I enjoyed it. There was one great sequence that reminded me of Edgar Rice Burroughs's Mars stories, which Farmer leapt out and confirmed as a deliberate design in the following few chapters, and ran with it to hilarious and fantastic places. This ended on a note that made me excited to read the next one.
Read
July 1, 2020Another in the series. a little like Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat, Kickaha is one of the breed of invincible everymen who can survive anything anywhere by just using their wits.
Not much in the way of character development or stylish prose, but an engaging story and characters, and for me these books are hard to put down.
I enjoy them.
Not much in the way of character development or stylish prose, but an engaging story and characters, and for me these books are hard to put down.
I enjoy them.
June 12, 2009
this is one of the first five books in the World of Tiers series and is an absolutely wonderful series.
September 6, 2010
Page turner! Loved this series
March 11, 2011
Worse than the first 2 but still good enough
August 20, 2011
loved it years ago. Teenage boy stuff as I WAS
January 13, 2012
Grade C-. Book T3.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews