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The trio of scientists had been ordered to survey the planet's flora, fauna and mineral resources, and from the very beginning of their mission everything they observed led to one startling conclusion-the mysterious world was virtually identical with the Earth of the Paleocene period, 70,000,000 years ago at the very dawn of the age of mammals! Their names were Cal, Veg, and Aquilon, the most resourceful-and rebellious-of Earth's explorers, and with them came four alien companions, the mantas. Strange flying beings, half-animal, half-fungus, the mantas possessed the keenest senses of any creatures in the universe, a gift which immediately saved the mission from complete disaster.Detecting strong vibrations coming from a great distance, the mantas warned the humans, and Cal realized that it could mean only one an earthquake-one large enough to produce a tidal wave that would totally inundate the small island where they had set up camp. Veg, the strongest member of the team, constructed a crude sailing raft, and the party put out to sea to escape the doomed island. It was the beginning of an incredible series of adventures which would lead them to discoveries as momentous as they were deadly. Sailing for weeks, the raft took them to a region vastly different from the island they had left behind. And when a brachiosaurus, supposedly extinct in the Paleocene period, nearly swamped the raft, they knew they had reached an area of priceless scientific value-an isolated enclave of the Cretaceous period where the full spectrum of the golden age of reptiles was present! But just as incredible as the dinosaurs was another creature they were soon to meet-Orn, a man-sized bird who belonged to the most advanced species ever to develop on this world. Unsurpassed racial memory enabled Orn's mind to reach millions of years into the past, and it was his presence that led the three humans and the mantas to open revolt. Determined to prevent man's destructive exploitation of this world, they must pit themselves not only against the creatures they wish to save from extinction, but also against the all-consuming greed of Earth's powerful authorities. As rich in scientific detail as it is in breathtaking excitement, Orn is a masterwork of the imagination and a tribute to the creative genius of Piers Anthony.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1970
5 people are currently reading
798 people want to read
About the author
Piers Anthony
442 books4,219 followersThough he spent the first four years of his life in England, Piers never returned to live in his country of birth after moving to Spain and immigrated to America at age six. After graduating with a B.A. from Goddard College, he married one of his fellow students and and spent fifteen years in an assortment of professions before he began writing fiction full-time.
Piers is a self-proclaimed environmentalist and lives on a tree farm in Florida with his wife. They have two grown daughters.
Piers is a self-proclaimed environmentalist and lives on a tree farm in Florida with his wife. They have two grown daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
October 24, 2025
Orn is the second book of Anthony's trilogy about Man and Manta, which all have titles that start with the letter O and that get shorter as they go along. (The first was Omnivore and the third was Ox.) I read this one first (the SF book club edition with the cool Frank Frazetta dinosaur cover) and liked it well enough to find the first one. In Orn, the three socially inept and sexually fixated people who were introduced in the first book, having recently left the planet of fungus and bringing a Manta friend along, are sent to a planet of dinosaurs to see if it's ripe for colonial exploitation. The setting is once again very well drawn, and the moral and ethical implications of human interference are thoughtfully explored. There's plenty of action and adventure as well. Anthony was a fine writer of serious science fiction who later chose to write lots and lots of humorous fantasy instead. Orn was serialized in Ted White's Amazing SF magazine July - September of 1970 (with cool interior illustrations by Michael Wm. Kaluta) before the book club edition the following year. It's a fun book; dinosaurs are cool!
September 9, 2017
("Flintstones, meet the Flintstones...")
Couldn't help but think that maybe the three protagonists were uniquely well-suited for their environment in this book. Had no idea it was part two of a trilogy when I picked it up - it doesn't have the clearest launch out of the gate - but it stands on its own well enough.
In other news, does Piers Anthony seem a wee bit sexist to anyone else?
Couldn't help but think that maybe the three protagonists were uniquely well-suited for their environment in this book. Had no idea it was part two of a trilogy when I picked it up - it doesn't have the clearest launch out of the gate - but it stands on its own well enough.
In other news, does Piers Anthony seem a wee bit sexist to anyone else?
April 19, 2014
Orn is actually much better than the first book in the Of Man and Manta series (Omnivore). (It could actually be read as a stand-alone novel.) Orn is a planetary romance about a group of explorers (three humans and four alien Mantas) sent to a world resembling Earth in the Paleocene era. The book is well-paced. For this book Anthony goes back to a more traditional narrative structure, avoiding a lot of the narrative issues that plagued Omnivore. While there are frequent changes in point of view, these serve to develop the characters and move the story along.
The characters are compelling, especially the title character Orn. Ironically, Orn, a large bird, is more subtly drawn than the humans, who are fairly broad types. (Kudos to Anthony for avoid the stereotype of vegetarians as scrawny weaklings.) Much of the drama in the book is character-based and generally the actions ring true. One challenge in reading this book is that the attitudes around sex and gender reflect the time the book was written (late 1960's). The portrayal of the female characters can sometimes be cringe-inducing. Aquilon is the stereotypical emotional female and Ornette is seen only through Orn. As this book is nearly forty years old I was able to be charitable, but this would be inexcusable in a more recent book.
The world-building is good, even if some sections feel like a kid's book on paleontology. I can't quite tell if Anthony is showing his work or just wants to be very clear that Cal (one of the humans) is pedantic. The understanding of dinosaurs and Paleocene birds and mammals is out-of-date (as Anthony admits in his afterward) but he clearly did his research and tried to be accurate. From the point of view of 2014, the story works better if you treat the world like Burrough's Barsoom (fantasy even at the time it was written) than like Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars. Cal's pedantry aside, Anthony does avoid world-builder's syndrome. You may be given too much detail, but you are only given details about things that matter to the characters and the story.
On the whole, a fun story and better than the first part of the trilogy. I intent to read the last book of the trilogy. Unfortunately, the trilogy is early Piers Anthony (pre-Xanth) and as such may be challenging to find. I recommend either a good used book store or Interlibrary Loan. (Amazon as a last resort.)
The characters are compelling, especially the title character Orn. Ironically, Orn, a large bird, is more subtly drawn than the humans, who are fairly broad types. (Kudos to Anthony for avoid the stereotype of vegetarians as scrawny weaklings.) Much of the drama in the book is character-based and generally the actions ring true. One challenge in reading this book is that the attitudes around sex and gender reflect the time the book was written (late 1960's). The portrayal of the female characters can sometimes be cringe-inducing. Aquilon is the stereotypical emotional female and Ornette is seen only through Orn. As this book is nearly forty years old I was able to be charitable, but this would be inexcusable in a more recent book.
The world-building is good, even if some sections feel like a kid's book on paleontology. I can't quite tell if Anthony is showing his work or just wants to be very clear that Cal (one of the humans) is pedantic. The understanding of dinosaurs and Paleocene birds and mammals is out-of-date (as Anthony admits in his afterward) but he clearly did his research and tried to be accurate. From the point of view of 2014, the story works better if you treat the world like Burrough's Barsoom (fantasy even at the time it was written) than like Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars. Cal's pedantry aside, Anthony does avoid world-builder's syndrome. You may be given too much detail, but you are only given details about things that matter to the characters and the story.
On the whole, a fun story and better than the first part of the trilogy. I intent to read the last book of the trilogy. Unfortunately, the trilogy is early Piers Anthony (pre-Xanth) and as such may be challenging to find. I recommend either a good used book store or Interlibrary Loan. (Amazon as a last resort.)
June 16, 2009
My second favorite Anthony book, after Battle Circle. This was before his stage of writing funny fantasy, which drove me away from Anthony's work.
February 27, 2022
Overall, this book would probably be most enjoyed by kids aged 3-7 who are in their dinosaur phase. The only problem with using this book that way is the periodic dirty old man commentary by the narrator (aka Piers Anthony) about the lead female character that would need to be skipped or explained to those 3-7 year olds. That said, the last 3 pages was a pretty impressive musing on the implications of infinite parallel, but different, worlds that brought this back into 3-star territory for me. I’ve got to read “OX” to finish the trilogy but will read something else first to wash the dinosaur flavor out of my mouth.
January 8, 2022
As I said, in the reviews of the other two books (Omnivore and Ox), I read these books in my late teens and everything I thought I read was completely different from this current re-read. I am a big fan of Piers Anthony and there is another series or two that I read and need to re-read.
I enjoy this series of man and manta. Now add in a bird from the dinosaur age and its struggle to survive. A dimension to explore and of course, an earth government that wants to exploit what is discovered. Its another fine mess!
I enjoy this series of man and manta. Now add in a bird from the dinosaur age and its struggle to survive. A dimension to explore and of course, an earth government that wants to exploit what is discovered. Its another fine mess!
May 15, 2013
Orn is the second book in the 'Of Man and Manta' trilogy, following on directly from the first book in which a trio of unlikely human explorers were stranded on a planet with an ecology based on fungoid life forms. In 'Orn' the humans are dispatched through a portal to an apparently primitive, Earth like planet to explore and report on its suitability for colonization. They are accompanied by a group of Mantas - the intelligent fungi from the first book that fulfil the carnivore role in their particular ecology. They quickly realise that the world they are on is either the Earth of 65 million years ago, complete with Palaeolithic creatures and an enclave of Cretaceous era dinosaurs, or stranger still it may be a parallel world. Alternating with their story of exploration and discovery is the tale of Orn, a large, intelligent bird creature and his struggle to survive and breed.
This is a fascinating book, dealing with ecology and evolution in great detail as well as the more esoteric subjects of parallel universes. It will certainly be of interest to anyone wanting to know more about natural selection or Palaeolithic flora and fauna. The flaws lie in the unsubtle and stereotypical characterisations of the three human protagonists and the love triangle between them. The resolution feels a little forced, echoing the events of the first book, but perhaps it is the curse of the second book in a trilogy striking again.
This is a fascinating book, dealing with ecology and evolution in great detail as well as the more esoteric subjects of parallel universes. It will certainly be of interest to anyone wanting to know more about natural selection or Palaeolithic flora and fauna. The flaws lie in the unsubtle and stereotypical characterisations of the three human protagonists and the love triangle between them. The resolution feels a little forced, echoing the events of the first book, but perhaps it is the curse of the second book in a trilogy striking again.
March 18, 2014
Orn is the second book in the Of Man and Manta trilogy by Piers Anthony. Veg, Aquillon, Cal, and the mantas are sent on an expedition to a world that is very similar to Paleocene Earth.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. Anthony gives great descriptions of Paleo Earth complete with flora and fauna. The characters encounter an isolated enclave where a population of dinosaurs have survived through the Cretaceous. Some of the dinosaurs are described in depth, which I found quite interesting.
On the way the expedition group meets up with a bird they call Orn. Orn, himself, is a main character in the book and adds an intriguing dimension to the story. The characters also have to grapple with tough moral dilemmas that I think makes for a stronger story.
While Anthony's science is a bit outdated in a few areas, I would still consider this an excellent hard science fiction novel set in pre-historic times.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. Anthony gives great descriptions of Paleo Earth complete with flora and fauna. The characters encounter an isolated enclave where a population of dinosaurs have survived through the Cretaceous. Some of the dinosaurs are described in depth, which I found quite interesting.
On the way the expedition group meets up with a bird they call Orn. Orn, himself, is a main character in the book and adds an intriguing dimension to the story. The characters also have to grapple with tough moral dilemmas that I think makes for a stronger story.
While Anthony's science is a bit outdated in a few areas, I would still consider this an excellent hard science fiction novel set in pre-historic times.
July 28, 2011
I loved Orn, and I loved the ethical dilemma presented by this book in the triology. The 3 human characters wrestle with whether or not to make a report that the world they are on would be suitable for humans. Hence the humans (omnivores) would come in and destroy the world, complete with dinosaurs and other interesting Cretaceous creatures. Again, the nerd in me loved all of the evolution talk and animal classification, though it might be a bit dense to someone else.
January 1, 2015
A long, hard read. Very in depth about the end of the dinosaur era of earth. Went into as much detail about certain dinosaurs as the previous book did with fungus.
Interesting shifts between the three human characters.
Interesting shifts between the three human characters.
May 24, 2014
The story was great and kept my attention. The ending hurt since the author's views on how humans treat the earth are spot on. There is no protection for pristine areas. I hope mankind grows smart enough to realize how little is left.
July 12, 2010
Orn by Piers Anthony (1971)
February 20, 2011
Grade B+. Book O2.
May 25, 2012
Young adult 10-15
June 19, 2012
Book two in a thrilling trilogy, this book opens the doorways of alternity even further as a trio of misfits faces a planet where the rules on earth simply do not apply.
July 13, 2017
I read this book in a bit longer than 2.5 hours, faster than I might otherwise have finished it, had I not set out to read it all in one sitting. I've gotten too used to multitasking and not focusing for very long. I'd have taken a lot longer to finish a Piers Anthony book usually. He's so pathologically misogynist, and this book is rather dated, a sort of romp through the Paleozoic epoc with an intelligent, giant bird involved, using science from the 60's, so very early plate tectonics and really shaky phylogenetics. The dated science and sexist tones would have led to my dragging this book on for weeks, most likely, if I wasn't set on reading it all at once. It starts out badly, too, with a scene early in the book where the humans are ascending from a depth of 200ft below sea level, which bugged me after watching lots of deep sea exploration livestreams this summer. That's deep enough that they'd need specialized equipment to keep from dying, but they don't seem nearly well enough equipped to survive the scene.
I must admit though that Piers Anthony is good at writing non-humanoid aliens. If he just gave up trying to include human women in his books he'd be a lot easier to read. In this one, the lead female human is not too bad, with a lot of initiative and ability, so in that sense she's a decent character. But, if she is curious about stuff, she is described as having feminine curiosity, as if it's a bad trait, and every so often she agonizes over which of her two male companions she'll take as her mate, as if she needs a mate. It's like the author knew how to write a good character, but could not resist the urge to take jabs at women, as if they are a whole different species from men, a sort of knee-jerk reaction that kicks in in spite of his knowing it sucks and drags his books down.
I did like the fungoid aliens, the mantas, though, and that the intelligent bird scenes are done through the non-human perspective of the birds. The plot was fun, and while the science is very dated, it's good for a book published in 1971.
I must admit though that Piers Anthony is good at writing non-humanoid aliens. If he just gave up trying to include human women in his books he'd be a lot easier to read. In this one, the lead female human is not too bad, with a lot of initiative and ability, so in that sense she's a decent character. But, if she is curious about stuff, she is described as having feminine curiosity, as if it's a bad trait, and every so often she agonizes over which of her two male companions she'll take as her mate, as if she needs a mate. It's like the author knew how to write a good character, but could not resist the urge to take jabs at women, as if they are a whole different species from men, a sort of knee-jerk reaction that kicks in in spite of his knowing it sucks and drags his books down.
I did like the fungoid aliens, the mantas, though, and that the intelligent bird scenes are done through the non-human perspective of the birds. The plot was fun, and while the science is very dated, it's good for a book published in 1971.
April 1, 2023
The three misanthropes from Omnivore along with their mushroom friends are banished from Earth after nearly destroying all life there and sent to...Earth. Or Earth from 65 million years ago, right after the fall of the dinosaurs and the rise of mammals. They do some exploring and find the Savage Land. They go sailing, stab a veggiesaurus in the tail, and fight over whether or not to destroy the planet. And there are earthquakes and volcanoes and sharks.
The planet is already occupied by a semi-sentient terror bird. It has a kind of racial memory which serves as intellect and we follow its life story as well. It meets up with the humans and they interact.
It's a good travel story with sufficient action. The three humans are still psychologically crippled and annoying. The terror bird is actually quite interesting and the best character in the book. One fun fact is that in 1970 the giant dinosaur killing asteroid theory was not as widely accepted as it is today, and Anthony feels the need to explain how the dinosaurs might have died off using other strange theories. Like that they are extinct because they didn't like flowers.
The planet is already occupied by a semi-sentient terror bird. It has a kind of racial memory which serves as intellect and we follow its life story as well. It meets up with the humans and they interact.
It's a good travel story with sufficient action. The three humans are still psychologically crippled and annoying. The terror bird is actually quite interesting and the best character in the book. One fun fact is that in 1970 the giant dinosaur killing asteroid theory was not as widely accepted as it is today, and Anthony feels the need to explain how the dinosaurs might have died off using other strange theories. Like that they are extinct because they didn't like flowers.
October 12, 2022
I didn't read Omnivore, but if the reviews are anything to go bye, I dodged a bullet. Orn was disappointing--while the descriptions of the fauna and flora are excellent, and paint a vivid picture of the world of Paleo, ultimately I was left hanging at the end. The plot is largely that our protagonists find themselves on this Earthlike world with dinosaurs. As they explore it, we have the perspective of an intelligent, flightless bird named Orn. In typical Piers Anthony style, the female character is incredible sexualized without purpose, which left a bad taste in my mouth. Had Anne McCaffrey written this story, I would have enjoyed it immensely more.
April 20, 2023
Orn is the second book in the trilogy.
We find cal aquilion and veg on a new planet called paleo. With the manti.
Giant hovering eyes with a mouth.
Orn is a bird living on the planet.
That is like earth 65 million years ago.
With dinosaurs and earth quakes and valcanos.
As orn desperately mates there egg is saved by aquilion.
Cal battles a tyrannosaurs rex.
Veg builds a boat.
The manti if they die spread spores of fungi.
Aquilion saves the egg then the government shows up with flame throwers to torch the place.
Y did the dinosaurs die off?
Y would a dominant species lose there land?
Strong discussion that continental drift
Changed the environment.
We find cal aquilion and veg on a new planet called paleo. With the manti.
Giant hovering eyes with a mouth.
Orn is a bird living on the planet.
That is like earth 65 million years ago.
With dinosaurs and earth quakes and valcanos.
As orn desperately mates there egg is saved by aquilion.
Cal battles a tyrannosaurs rex.
Veg builds a boat.
The manti if they die spread spores of fungi.
Aquilion saves the egg then the government shows up with flame throwers to torch the place.
Y did the dinosaurs die off?
Y would a dominant species lose there land?
Strong discussion that continental drift
Changed the environment.
October 8, 2021
Superior in every way to the occasionally muddled Omnivore. There's a real story here - or two rather - as our awkward human love triangle and the eponymous bird have definitely interesting times before their inevitable meeting. Among these dual narratives is a fair bit of explication on paleontology and ecology, almost to where it becomes textbook-like.
Like other reviewers have mentioned, there's a bit of nascent voyeurism toward Aquilon, the sole female of the trio.
Like other reviewers have mentioned, there's a bit of nascent voyeurism toward Aquilon, the sole female of the trio.
May 3, 2020
This is probably the most unique book I have ever read and I have read a lot of books! I don't think there is a way to describe this book. It is evolution both forwards and backwards at the same time. I was left with my mouth hanging open, probably longer than I'd like to admit. This is the second book in a series. I haven't read the others, but this can be read solo for sure. Stands alone.
May 4, 2020
This book struggles to hold its focus and grip more than did its predecessor "Omnivore." At times the plot seems forced, though that somewhat reflects the character status as prisoners, and lacks the continuity of Book 1, which benefitted from tighter parameters. The dinosaur theories, while advanced for the time, now seem dated... but perhaps theory cycles will turn again.
Read
January 12, 2022Gonna have to take a DNF on this one. There is nothing wrong with it per se and I like the set up but the execution leaves so much do be desired without being bad per se but just...impossible for me to continue on with.
April 6, 2023
Book got a lot better in the second half. Realized halfway through that this was a book of a series and that these characters already had a story to them. It was a good premise but a slow start without knowing context.
May 27, 2025
Alternate Earth or parallel universe of Planet Earth from the Paleocene and Cretaceous periods. Humans and alien fungoid mantas and paleocene flightless birds must help each other and get along together.
Read
June 6, 2019Not for me
November 27, 2021
I'm so glad I picked up this series in a second-hand bookshop inspired by the covers.
Smart & eminently readable science fiction!
Smart & eminently readable science fiction!
December 21, 2021
-Gregory Kerkman
November 12, 2023
A bit hard to get into at first, but held my attention later. A lot of references to the first book that I did not read, so a bit lost at times.
March 14, 2025
The trio of scientists had been ordered to survey the planet's flora, fauna and mineral resources, and from the very beginning of their mission everything they observed led to one startling conclusion-the mysterious world was virtually identical with the Earth of the Paleocene period, 70,000,000 years ago at the very dawn of the age of mammals! Their names were Cal, Veg, and Aquilon, the most resourceful-and rebellious-of Earth's explorers, and with them came four alien companions, the mantas. Strange flying beings, half-animal, half-fungus, the mantas possessed the keenest senses of any creatures in the universe, a gift which immediately saved the mission from complete disaster. Detecting strong vibrations coming from a great distance, the mantas warned the humans, and Cal realized that it could mean only one thing: an earthquake-one large enough to produce a tidal wave that would totally inundate the small island where they had set up camp. Veg, the strongest member of the team, constructed a crude sailing raft, and the party put out to sea to escape the doomed island. It was the beginning of an incredible series of adventures which would lead them to discoveries as momentous as they were deadly. Sailing for weeks, the raft took them to a region vastly different from the island they had left behind. And when a brachiosaurus, supposedly extinct in the Paleocene period, nearly swamped the raft, they knew they had reached an area of priceless scientific value-an isolated enclave of the Cretaceous period where the full spectrum of the golden age of reptiles was present! But just as incredible as the dinosaurs was another creature they were soon to meet-Orn, a man-sized bird who belonged to the most advanced species ever to develop on this world. Unsurpassed racial memory enabled Orn's mind to reach millions of years into the past, and it was his presence that led the three humans and the mantas to open revolt. Determined to prevent man's destructive exploitation of this world, they must pit themselves not only against the creatures they wish to save from extinction, but also against the all-consuming greed of Earth's powerful authorities. As rich in scientific detail as it is in breathtaking excitement, Orn is a masterwork of the imagination and a tribute to the creative genius of Piers Anthony.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews