The Star Rover

by Jack London

Book Overview

The Star Rover is the story of San Quentin death-row inmate Darrell Standing, who escapes the horror of prison life--and long stretches in a straitjacket--by withdrawing into vivid dreams of past lives, including incarnations as a French nobleman and an Englishman in medieval Korea. Based on the life and imprisonment of Jack London's friend Ed Morrell, this is one of the author's most complex and original works. As Lorenzo Carcaterra argues in his...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812970047
• ISBN13: 9780812970043
• Release Date: November 2003
• Publisher: Modern Library
• Length: 261 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

The Star Rover

The Star Rover is unknown compared to Londons other works but this is an amazing book. A straight jacketed prisoner is brutalized and basicly left in the dark in solitary confinement, wills himself to learn astral projection, and relives past lives from previous incarnations. Very unique book that is unlike anything else Jack London wrote. Although the theme of struggle, defiance, strength of spirit and willpower are one of the main themes in The Star Rover as in most of Londons other work, but even that aspect is different in the sense that the main character achieves his victory by giving up and willing himself to leave this existence. You will find no bigger lover of Jack London than me but even though this is very different than anything else he has written I hold it in just as high regard and consider it a classic. Besides recomending this to fans of Londons work I would recomend this to someone into science fiction, or anybody interested in astral projection, meditation or shamanism.

21st Century Software Manual

What many people don't realize is that Jack London's STAR ROVER is actually a slightly fictionalized version of a book called THE 25th Man, by a man named Ed Morrell. Ed Morrell is The Man who spent over 15 years in San Quentin Prison and over five years in solitary confinement, mostly restrained in a modified strait jacket. Ed Morrell was faced with two options. First he could simply go slowly insane or he could learn to escape the physical confines of his body. What Mr. Morrell did, I believe, many people will be able to do by the end of this Century. Star Rover, is in fact, a detailed software manual for use with the human mind. And the woman who Jack London hired to travel and take notes from Mr. Morrell was the very child which Ed used to visit during his out of body travels. Eventually she became Mrs. Morrell and they settled at 7164 Vine Street in Hollywood, California and Ed lived to the ripe old age of 78. What I can't understand is why hasn't the MOVIE been produced yet???

Six Stars

This is a brilliant, beautiful novel. The idea of escape from a reality of suffering is presented to the reader through wonderful short stories that are layered within the theme of a prisoner condemned to death. Particularly those who are interested in Eastern philosophy will enjoy this immensely. The rest will simply read a masterpiece. I will never forget it.

this book is one of best that i have read

yo quiero tener este libro en español. este libro se llama originalmente the jacket, en español la camisa de fuerza.I want have this book in spanish , too can produce a good traduction.

London's beliefs about dreaming, freedom and redemption

It makes me very sad that only a few people knows about this book. It tells the story of a man who finds himself in prison. He is trapped in a madman's shirt, in order to confess facts he knew nothing about. Obliged to pass days and nights without being able to move a single muscle, living in complete darkness inside special punishment cells, he manages to avoid getting nuts and yet bravely resists his tortures' will. Developing a way of traveling with his mind, he escapes from all human suffering and still has the chance to watch his actions of past lives, finally understanding how most of his present beliefs and flaws had been built.This is a tale about FREEDOM and REDEMPTION! It makes you firmly believe that free spirits are unbeatable and that we can dream no matter how life is. For anybody who is familiar with London's deep feelings about life and dreaming and freedom, I must say that this is his best book ever. A glimpse of the deepest beliefs of a great writer who left us so soon. A MUST!!!