The Green Odyssey

by Philip José Farmer

The Green Odyssey has been called "rollicking science-fiction adventure," "uproarious," "swashbuckling," and "sheer fun," and described by science-fiction critic Sam Moskowitz as "filled with engaging humor." The adventure begins when Alan Green arranges passage on a "wind roller," a sailing vessel of the plains, by dazzling the captain with a financial scheme that offers rich profits to overcome his reluctance to help a fugitive. Setting "sale" with the captain, Green thinks he's escaped from his dominating wife--but he's wrong. Throw in pirates, floating islands, and a black cat-goddess with a taste for beer, picked up after shipwreck on one of the wandering Islands of the Xurdimur, and you have the recipe for science-fantasy adventure as irresistible as Riverworld itself. Newly designed and typeset in a modern 6-by-9-inch format by Waking Lion Press.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Ebooks, Speculative Fiction

157 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1957

About the author

Philip 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.

Reviews

[Metodi Markov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Дебютната новела на Филип Джози Фармър се оказа много приятна за прочит!

Космическият кораб на който пътува морския биолог Алън Грийн се разбива на непозната планета, обитавана от деградирало човешко общество. Той бързо е заробен от местните и се оправя в живота както му падне - към момента на разказа е успял да се издигне до съмнителната чест да е любовник на жената на местния дук. Доста противоречива и тежка задача, но той няма избор.

Докато един ден, пътуващ през безкрайните прерии покриващи планетата търговски принц не донася вестта, за двама пришълци появили се от небето. Те са незабавно пленени и обявени за демони в този съседен град-държава от местните свещеници и ще бъдат изгорени след известно време живи…

Очакват го много приключения и опасности, в опита му да ги спаси и да достигне с тях отново звездите!

Моята оценка - 3,5*.

[Иван Величков · Rating 5 out of 5]

Със сигурност оценката е завишена, но такива приключенско-космически фантастики мога да ги ям като череши. И точно като тях имат топлия сладък вкус на детство.
Одисеята на Грийн е първият публикуван роман на Фармър и определено е заявка за десетките пълп фантастики с религиозен и сексуален уклон, които ще последват изпод перото му, за да върнат научната фантастика в руслото на праведната литература.
Още от тук апостериори се вижда влиянието на Фармър върху десетки последващи го фантасти.
Ама за книжката:
Алън Грийн е биолог попаднал на регресирала до диващина планета, каквото както разбираме има много из галактиката. Взет в робство и принуден да бъде консорт на някаква местна дукеса, Алън дочува за кацнал космически кораб в далечен град. С доста усилия успява да се измъкне и предприема пътешествие на колесен ветроход из безкрайните равнини на планетата. Целта е ясна и без изненада ще бъде постигната.
В първата половина имаме доста смели разсъждения относно космическа експанзия случила се векове преди нашето време, както и няколко морални въпроса, които, макар че ще е кощунство да сравнявам тази развлекателна фантастика с "Трудно е да бъдеш бог" все пак са от подобно естество.
Втората част е чисто приключение, което включва и няколко обрата тип бог от машината, но без да са дразнещи.
Финалът е задоволителен и дава някой симпатични обяснения за естеството на планетата и мистериите с които Грийн се сблъсква по пътя.
Фармър още от тук успява да изгради нетипично силен за времето и жанра си женски образ, което за мен винаги е било плюс.
Чете се за ден, което също е плюс за този формат.

[Ignacio · Rating 2 out of 5]

Aventura pulp clara heredera de Burroughs con héroe terrestre en un planeta del que se decide a escapar. Tiene cosillas cautivadoras que siempre molan del pulp (la navegación por un inmenso océano de hierba, una secuencia bastante cafre con unos caníbales) y otras que no hay por donde coger (la desnortada relación con su familia en el planeta; la presencia de un gato que resuelve situaciones). Su carácter pionero, siempre a valorar, se reivindica en retazos de lo que después veríamos en Qué difícil es ser Dios (la descripción de la sociedad alienígena medieval, la suciedad, los olores), El planeta de la aventura (el sentido de la peripecia, la interacción con tecnologías alienígenas) o la parte marina de Las espadas de Lankhmar (hasta el naufragio). Pero tampoco se me ha hecho vibrante (como esos otros libros). En general, es muy planita, particularmente cuando se lanza el planteamiento y la resolución del misterio detrás del planeta. Sin duda muy por detrás de otros relatos del mismo pelo de Farmer merecidamente más conocidos, anteriores (Los amantes) y posteriores (El mundo del río, mucho más enigmática). Polvoriento.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Green Odyssey was published in 1957 and was Farmer's first published novel. It's the story of a shipwrecked spaceman, Green, in the far future who's on a lost-colony planet that's fallen far back in knowledge and technology. He's enslaved but gets married to a nice lady, becomes the sex toy of the queen, and then hears about another spaceship that's landed far away, and he resolves to find his way to it and escape, abandon his family, and return to galactic civilization. He's not a nice or likable character. The world over which he makes his odyssey is very imaginative; great sailing ships with huge roller-wheels are the mode of transport, always trying to stay a step ahead of the bands of savage barbarian cannibals and the mysterious giant lawn mowers. The ending is a bit of a let-down; it's much too fast, unconvincing, and simple. The world itself is very cleverly and imaginatively described, though, and makes it a worthwhile read. I listened to a very well done LibriVox performance.

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Green Odyssey is about Alan Green (get it? Alan Green? Green Odyssey?), an Earth man stranded on a primitive world that's largely a giant, level grassy plain. He has a nagging wife and a side job as the gigolo for a pretty but unwashed Duchess. When he gets wind of a ship crashing near a far away city, he sees his ticket home.

The book is largely a journey, with Green as a passenger on one of the wheeled wooden ships. Along the way, he encounters crazy creatures, leftover tech from an ancient race, and a little cat he named Lady Luck.

While I enjoyed The Green Odyssey most of the time, it wasn't up to the standards of the other PJF books I've read. The main character wasn't all that likeable and not very believable at times. You can definitely tell it's one of PJF's early stories. It lacks the polish of the later ones.

[Snakes · Rating 1 out of 5]

A downward spiral. Started at maybe three stars then slid to two and then went roaring into even less. I’ll admit I must’ve been influenced by another review I read stating this book was “hilarious”. Only in the sense of hilariously stupid. If the book was campy it might’ve salvaged a star; however, the book takes itself seriously in all respects. It’s supposed to be hardcore science fiction but only manages a juvenile corniness. Therefore, it’s one-star. I didn’t like it.

[Ronald Wilcox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Farmer’s first novel. Interesting premise of an Earth man stranded on a planet previously colonized ages ago by other Terrans but is enslaved and tries to escape. Planet is a huge plain of grass with occasional roving or stationary islands. Not bad for a debut novel but his later writings are much better (of course). Good first try at interesting world creating.

[St-Michel · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I recently picked up some oldies: Farmer, Pohl, Norman, and this one I picked up rather curious by the cover. Now the only other thing I've ever read by Farmer was Venus on the Halfshell, you know, the one "supposedly" written by Kilgore Trout, and I had like that book, so why not? It seemed like a good gamble, and it was. It's been a while since I've read something that was truly out there (not in the "out there" out there sense, but in a sci-fi/fantasy sense). I think what immediately struck me with this book was the confusion of sci-fi vs. fantasy...what is it? Well, yea, it's a sci-fi but it seems so entrenched in fantasy roots, which really grabbed me all the way to the end. I think the other thing that really grabbed me was the fact that the world was so different. After having read so many books with these cookie-cutter worlds, it's was quite refreshing to see something completely out of the ordinary and as mysteriously unusual as the world found here.

This book has given me enough reason to hunt down more of Farmer's library.

[Harriet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pulpy 1950s sci-fi! I tried really hard not to let the title or the synopsis influence me but I kept finding similarities between Alan Green, a shipwrecked Earthman, and Odysseus, a shipwrecked Greek. They're both wily survivors who occasionally mess up (sometimes humorously). I liked the first half of the book better, because of the descriptions about the world and society where Green landed. The latter half seemed rather predictable to me, but the action might satisfy adventure readers.

[Marciealana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book shows a bit of its age in gender roles and stereotypes. Regardless, it's a fairly well constructed novel of a far flung future where the empire of man has risen, fallen, and risen again. The story takes place from the view of a man of a technological society stuck on a back water planet for a number of years.

[Ernest Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A swashbuckling, mind-blowing space opera that still manages to come off as original sixty years after it's original publication.

[James Hoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid three and a half stars.

This starts off quickly, set in a richly detailed medieval-type city, on a planet still at this stage. Farmer takes the time to build a convincing environment, full of meticulous tidbits and interesting characters.

Alan Green, the titular character, is an Earthman, trapped on planet for years after the starship he was on malfunctioned and he was forced there by lifeboat. He has been enslaved as concubine to the local duchess of the court. Now he learns that two other earthmen have arrived in a distant city, where they have been captured as "demons". He must find away to escape his slavery, and reach the other earthmen before they are killed, which is far easier said than done.

All in all, a nice little planetary adventure. If you enjoy the work of Leigh Brackett, Edgar Rice Burroughs, or L. Sprague Decamp, or fun 50s SF, chances are you will like this.

The first part, which takes place in the two cities are excellent; each of them is nicely done. There is, however, a slight dropoff as he journeys across the plains to the other city. It's readable enough, just not as rich in elaborate details which make planetary adventures so appealing. The wonders discovered in this part only barely touched on, revealing just enough to move the plot along. This was slightlywewell. disappointing. The end is more than a bit rushed, but satisfying.

I will say the characterizations are above average for the period as well.

It's far from perfect--the prose varies from good to a bit cheesy at times, but for the most part, very readable for what it is. Recommended if you're looking for a good fun, read. Above average adventure SF.

[Tommy Verhaegen · Rating 5 out of 5]

De cover is op-en-top scifi maar heef totaal niets met het verhaal te maken.
Dit is het eerste boek van Philip José Farmer en meteen ook zijn grootste hit, ook al heeft hij nog een enorme stapel geweldige andere boeken geschreven.
Een gestrande reiziger vertrekt op een groots avontuur op zoek naar redding. Maar ondanks alle goede intenties loopt het toch helemaal anders dan verwacht. Het speelt zich af op een verre planeet en dan nog voornamelijk op en rond een enorme grasvlakte. Het boek zit vol humor, aktie en spanning. En een vleug romantiek van het mannelijke branieachtige type.
Psychologisch is enkel het hoofdkarakter goed uitgewerkt, de andere bereiken slechts sporadisch de nodige diepgang.
Ik heb dit vele jaren mijn beste scifi boek gevonden en telkens ik het herlees (zowel in het nederlands als het engels), genieet ik er weer van.
Wokeness: nul komma niks.

[Ty Matthews]

Absolutely entertaining and capturing from the get go! The visual imagery was just cinematic! And to show how strange the culture difference between our planet and their is just think of the kissing culture and how unsuitable it'd be to be in our screens.

Also it was somewhat funny how though higher and less barbaric and sexist the modern terrestrial live is dreamed by the author he can't hide the 50s in the protagonist. Partly explainable by the long stay in such extreme conditions. All in all highly enjoyable and more.

I read the original -not reprint. And the flaking covers and occasional underlinings by a Finnish nerd from the 60s, teaching himself English just so, filled me with some weird mixture of awe. I take what I may from this this nerd heritage I came to by coincidence and no relation. Salvaging and digging through a skip as more and more interesting things came by.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty straight forward sci-fi adventure of a man stranded on an alien world doing his best to survive amongst the unstable political situation and get off the planet by basically wheeling and dealing.
Nothing wildly memorable, but a nice pulp adventure feel to it.

[colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

read 10.01.86

[JoAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a hard time putting this one down. What a great sci-fi story!

[John Tetteroo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Zwerfeilanden in het groen is een der eerste SF romans van PJ Farmer. Het is overigens meer een fantasyroman in de setting van een vreemde planeet, want het feit dat de hoofdpersoon een gestrande ruimtereiziger is voegt aan het verhaal niet zo heel veel toe. Als we in het verhaal vallen is hij al lekker geintegreerd in het middeleeuws ogende hertogdom. Hij is de minnaar van de Hertogin, heeft een voorname slavin als vrouw die overigens zelf bij de hertog en een prins en bij onze hoofdpersoon in totaal vier kinderen gebaard heeft en hij broedt op een plan om een gestrande ruimteverkenner te vorderen zodat hij de planeet kan verlaten.

Dit alles natuurlijk uit welbegrepen eigenbelang, want al kijken de kinderen naar hem op, onze hoofdpersoon voelt zich zelfs nog niet verantwoordelijk voor zijn eigen kind. Zijn vluchtplannen hebben alleen betrekking op hemzelf en als zijn vrouw hem uit pure liefde en koppigheid gewoon volgt op zijn vlucht is hij niet te beroerd om haar voor alles op te laten draaien. Zelfs als twee van haar kinderen smartelijk omkomen, blijft onze held onaangedaan en heeft alleen maar oog voor zijn eigen hachje.

Dit zou grappig wezen als het een satire betrof, maar het is de schrijver klaarblijkelijk ernst, want van enige doorschemerende ironie is geen sprake en onze hoofdpersoon is aan het einde van het verhaal nog steeds geen zier veranderd. Om te spreken met een van de bijpersonen in deze roman, ik heb te doen met zijn vrouw. Aan het eind van de roman hebben we niets geleerd en geen verandering doorgemaakt. Niemand is wijzer, beter of verstandiger geworden, we hebben de actie alleen een paar duizend mijl verplaatst.

In zekere zin is het jammer, want de wereld waarop het verhaal zich afspeelt is een enigmatische planeet. Alle bergen en dalen zijn uitgevlakt, begroeid met gras dat gemaaid wordt door millienia oude automatische grasmaaiers in de vorm van zwevende eilanden. De mensen wonen of in steden op gestrande eilanden of ze varen op zeilvlotten voorzien van vele wielen en grote zeilen als ware het een groene oceaan. De bouwers van de eilanden blijven een raadsel waar onze hoofdpersoon, diepzinnig als hij is, alweer niets over weet te melden of te speculeren, maar simpelweg de vruchten van plukt. Een gemiste kans in mijn ogen.

Toch twee sterren want de actie en het decor zijn dusdanig levendig beschreven dat ik bleef doorlezen in de hoop dat onze hoofdpersonen uiteindelijk ook op dat levendige niveau zouden uitkomen. Teleurgesteld stelde ik vast dat onze hoofdpersoon zijn familie gewoon in de kou laat staan en er met een raket vandoor spurt, terwijl wij nada weten over wat er dan zo belangrijk is dat hij er naar terug moet, anders dan een goede nachtrust en sterk verbeterde hygiene. Ik hoop dat de zak met ruimte verkenner en al in een zon gestort is en dat zijn vrouw en kinderen nog lang en gelukkig leven met een waardiger en betrouwbaarder rolmodel als (stief) vader)

[Phil Giunta · Rating 3 out of 5]

After crash landing on a primitive and barbaric planet, Earth astronaut Alan Green becomes a slave to the Duke of Tropat and paramour to the duke's termagant wife, all while married to a gorgeous slave woman named Amra. Green has one daughter with Amra, but her other three children are each from different "owners" who bought and sold her over the years.

When Green learns that two Earthmen recently landed near the distant city of Estorya and were taken prisoner as "demons," he strikes a deal with a trader, Miran, to hide aboard his ship on his next voyage across the vast, grassy plain of Xurdimur. For on this world, boats travel not only by sea, but also over land using a series of large wheels.

It is Green's plan to free the imprisoned Earthmen before they are executed during an upcoming festival, then return with them to Earth aboard their ship.

After a perilous escape from the duke and duchess, Green disguises himself as a monk and boards Miran's ship—only to be confronted by Amra and her children, who he had planned to leave behind for they would never be able to adapt to life on Earth.

During their trek across Xurdimur, Miran cleverly evades an attack by pirates, but a day or two later, his ship collides with one of the fabled roaming islands that levitate across the plains of their own volition. Many of Miran's crew are killed in the crash. Most of the survivors are slaughtered shortly after by the savage cannibals inhabiting the island. Although wounded, Green evades capture, but is separated from Amra and the children. He soon learns that they were imprisoned by the natives.

No sooner does he rescue them than Green encounters a disheveled Miran who also survived the collision. In the middle of the night, they manage to steal a smaller boat from the island and continue across the plain to Estorya. Will Green be able to liberate his fellow Earthmen before Miran betrays him to the authorities? Will their ship be undamaged and able to depart this godforsaken world and if so, will there be enough room for Amra and the children?

The Green Odyssey was Philip José Farmer's first novel-length publication and is more fantasy-adventure than science fiction. While the setting has a few unique elements, the characters are two-dimensional. Overall, the story is reminiscent of the Barsoom novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs and seemed to be a precursor to Jack Vance's Planet of Adventure series in which an Earth astronaut named Adam Reith crash lands on a barbaric alien world named Tschai and after acquiring several companions, ventures off across the planet to find the means to return to Earth.

[Carl Alves · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Green Odyssey is a bit of a mixed bag. At times, it’s a fun adventure story set on a different planet, but with the sensibilities of a swashbuckling pirate novel. On the other hand, the writing was lacking for the most part and the characterization was pretty weak.

Alan Green is an Earth man who found his way onto a distant planet that is about the 15th century equivalent of Earth in terms of technology and culture. When he learns that astronauts from Earth have landed on the planet and have been taken prisoner, he sees this as an opportunity to get off the planet. Alan is a really poor character. He’s hard to like because he has no problem abandoning his wife and child to leave the planet. His attitude toward his family and also the people of the planet make him not particularly likeable. I never found myself rooting for Alan.

There were some fun action adventure elements to the novel, filled with cannibals, escapes from difficult situations, floating islands, rocket ships, etc. It’s written at a good pace and for the most part is a fun novel. The quality of the writing is a bit underwhelming, but the world building is very strong. So, in the end, it was a decent novel, but not one that stands out.

Carl Alves – author of Reconquest Mother Earth

[Christopher Schmehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Farmer tells a far-out tale of a shipwrecked space traveler from future Earth. Alan Green crashes on an undiscovered planet where he is swiftly enslaved and thrust into the workforce. As the book begins, Green has moved up from the drudge work to assistant palace steward. He is caught between the amorous desires of the beautiful but obtuse Duchess Zuni and his wife in the slave housing projects, Amra. He and Amra love each other. Despite this, he dreams of escaping the pre-industrial world and returning to his life as a scientist.
When merchant captain, Miran, speaks of a landed ship in another city with two survivors, Green schemes to meet his fellow Earthmen. He plans and plots and embarks on a dangerous odyssey to reach them.
You have to read it to believe it.
This book was almost impossible to put down. Green is an interesting character. He definitely has a few quirks. The plot moves along at a swift pace from adventure to setback to reprieve to adventure. Surprises. Mysteries. Great read!

[Lukerik · Rating 2 out of 5]

A simple adventure story. Man must get from point A to point B to survive.

There are some nice touches and enjoyable sequences. Lots of elements that recur in Farmer’s later books are here, just not handled as well, and themes are not properly developed. Like a lot of Farmer’s stories the hero is from a technological civilisation and is trapped in a non-technological one. Much of it reads more like fantasy than science fiction. I’ve not read the old pulps, Burroughs and what-not, but would not be surprised if they’ve covered a lot of this ground before. There’s also a problem with an uneven tone. It keeps going jocular in a book that isn’t funny.

It’ll keep you occupied for a couple of hours, but I would not recommend this as anyone’s first introduction to Farmer. Try Maker of Universes or To Your Scattered Bodies Go.

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book form Philip Jose Farmer and the first of his that I have read, in this new quest to read his works. This dates back to the dim distant past of 1957 so it comes in at now sixty one years of age, and in some ways it feels like a book that is close to the age pension age.
It was OK but nothing that truly grabbed me, what I did like was that it didn't waste a lot of time on extraneous prose but told the story in a succinct manner, it was well told, but again not something you would rush out to get or bang on to others about. Average, but being it was the beginning of his career there may be brilliance ahead! Think positive!!

[Isabel (kittiwake)]

For the thousandth time Green wondered at this strange planet where the only large animals were men, dogs, grass cats, a small deer and a very small equine. In fact, there was a paucity of any variety of animal life, except for the surprisingly large number of birds. It was this scarcity of horses and oxen, he supposed, that helped perpetuate slavery. Man and dog had to provide most of the labor.

[Michael Philliber · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Science Fiction, it was quite fun. The underpinnings the author's agnosticism and scientism become clear rather quickly. The story flows well and the reader will not want to put it down.

The LibriVox audio addition, read my Mark Nelson, is a pleasure. Obviously Nelson enjoys his reading, is clear in his enunciation, and has a voice that makes it easy on the ears. I recommend the book.

[Stuart Pike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great, straight adventure story. It also has many of the ingredients which would feature in Farmer's later stories: an irrepressible hero escaping from seemingly impossible to escape situations, speculations on linguistic themes, strange religions, advanced technology, unknown antecedents and breakneck pace.

[Dustin M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3* + 0,5* Bonus, weil der Protagonist eine schwarze Katze adoptiert und sie "Lady Luck" nennt.

Alles in allem ein erfrischendes Retro-Science-Fantasy-Abenteuer für Zwischendurch. Die 50er-Jahre-Mentalität bricht hier und da durch und Charakterisierung und Worldbuilding sind eher Leichtgewichte. Dafür hat das Ganze kein Gramm unnötiges Fett auf den Rippen und tut genau das, was es soll.

[Giordano Lannaioli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deserves to be read, this from Farmer is a nice one. I guess it's the first one he wrote but i may be wrong. it's very easy and simple, it's quite fast book, characters are nice and you feel something for them while you read it.
Read it.

[Old Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story, really enjoyed it. Something new and something different.
Although I didn't realise how old the book was until I finished it. Made a refreshing change to the zombie/time travel/dystopian trash that constitutes current so called sci fi.

[JohnnyV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again a second reading for this one (Dont seem to find the reread option entry here on goodreads) anyway... Liked it this turn around as well, my only remark would be that in the end part of the story it all goes a bit to fast and you are leaving the table still hungry...