Venus On the Half Shell

by Philip José Farmer

Book Overview

Simon Wagstaff narrowly escapes the Deluge that destroys Earth when he happens upon an abandoned spaceship. A man without a planet, he gains immortality from an elixir drunk during an interlude with a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0440061490
• ISBN13: 9780440061496
• Release Date: February 1975
• Publisher: Dell Books
• Length: 204 Pages
• Weight: 0.28 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Possibly the greatest SCI-Fi book of all times, sort of.

Gawd, I loved this book. In my younger days, I probably read it more times than a preacher reads the Bible. (Used paperbacks only!) The author uses the pen name Kilgore Trout, which is a character from several Kurt Vonnegut novels. (Philip Jose Farmer did it as a send up of Vonnegut, so he used the Kilgor Trout name.) It is very much like Vonnegut describes books by Kilgore Trout -- science fiction materpieces which combine great humor and great wisdom which are truly multi-level masterpieces of sarcasm directed at the human condition and our greatest institutions. It is also very silly. (See Douglas Adams "Hitchikers' Guide to the Galaxy for similar deranged sci-fi humor!) The basic story is of the life and travels of our hero, Simon Wagstaff, the Space Wanderer. He is the last surviving human being, after the Earth gets destroyed in a second Great Flood, which was caused by an alien race which goes around the universe cleaning planets. Their schedule had them clean planets every 10,000 years, but they made a mistake and came back after only 4,000. At the time of the flood, the Space Wanderer is on top of the reconstituted Sphynx in Egypt. (When they rebuilt the Sphynx, they used the face of someone famous because they did not know what the original looked like.) Simon Wagstaff escapes in a Chinese Space Junk, which just happens to float by. Unfortunately, the controls are in Chinese, which makes it difficult to fly. It should be noted that the ship is shaped like a giant flying dildo, consisting of a long cylindrical body with two bulbous engine pods at the back. It flys on 69X drive, which taps into the energy of living suns in another universe, and makes a screaming sound as it gets close to its peak speed of 69 times the speed of light! On one of the first planets he stops on, he drinks an elixer which gives him virtual immortality. He takes on board an almost human android. She was programmed to be the perfect woman: intelligent; loves sex in all forms; beautiful; sensitive; giving; etc. (I wonder if she was a good cook!?!) After about a thousand years, they get tired of each other and go separate ways. (Even the most perfect relationship with the most beautiful woman gets tiring after a while!) He hops from inhabited planet to inhabited planet asking the ultimate question, "Why did God create man just to suffer and die?" This question makes him somewhat unpopular. Some of the planets he visits are as follows: -- He goes to a planet inhabited by critters which look like car tires. The leader of a pack grows white-walls. -- He goes to a planet where the laws are so strictly followed that everyone eventually ends up in jail on life sentences. -- He travels to a planet where he treks across a desert which is almost impossible to cross to meet a wise sage, who is so wise that no one ever returns, presumably in order to soak up his wisdom. Instead, the sage turns out to be cannibal, who murders and eats all o

Kilgore Trout Lives!

This is one of those books we hear whispered rumors about for years. Just when you assume that it does not, and never did exist, you stumble across an actual copy while browsing in an out-of-the-way shop. There are some that will tell you that Kilgore Trout doesn't exist- don't listen to them. These are the same naysayers that will tell you that Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Illuminati do not exist. The book itself tells the cosmic myth of The Space Wanderer, who roams the universe seeking the answer to the Ultimate Question: "Why are we created only to suffer and die?" Through adventures on many planets over many years he finally finds his answer. Fittingly, it is the last sentence of the narrative. I was strongly reminded of Doug Adams's _A Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy_ while reading this classic. Then I checked the date of publication- I am pretty sure that this is where Adams got the idea. One more instance of Kilgore Trout being shafted by life....

Venus on the Half Shell was written by Philip Jose Farmer

Hi, I just wanted to try and set some people strait on who was/is the author of Venus on the Half Shell. It was written by Philip Jose Farmer under the name of Kilgore Trout. Trout was a character of Kurt Vonnegut and so many people think it was written by Vonnegut. If you liked Venus, please try any of Farmers 6o sum books. They are all written with the same excitement, adventure, and humor.

Religion and Science Whow What a Concept

I don't know if Kilgore Trout is still writing or even alive but his view or life's questions are refreshing and very thought provoking in at least the fact that Religion and Politics loose perspective in any culture and Science has no parallel to either. Science and sentience and religion are linked as well as evolution and god. This book encompasses both philosophys and brings meaning to more than both. I enjoyed reading it and would strongly hope that in this day it will be brought back into print. We need a very clear mind to face the next milennium and this story is one that can put life and the universe in perspective. He was before his time and should be grouped with Heinlan, Douglas Adams, and Kurt Vonegut. If you can get a copy either at your local library or at a used bookstore do so. It is well worth reading for a mature or even young soul. Brain candy for us old folks.

Like all of Farmers works, this is a masterpeice...

Like all of Farmers works, this is a masterpeice of the imagination. I was lucky enough to find a first printing copy of this book written as Kilgore Trout in a small used bookstore in Rockland Maine, way down in the basement. It cost me a whole dollar. It is now safely resting with the other 60 or so books I have by Mr. Farmer. I am also excited to say that Mr. Farmer was so kind in signing this and a few other books for me. Vesun on the Half Shelf, like all of his works, transports you to a better time or place (or at least a more exciting time or place). Thank you for being you Mr. Farmer.