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The Wind Whales of Ishmael

3.42 of 5 stars 3.42 · rating details · 103 ratings · 12 reviews

Ishmael, lone survivor of the doomed whaling ship Pequod, falls through a rift in time and space to a future Earth—an Earth of blood-sucking vegetation and a blood-red sun, of barren canyons where once the Pacific Ocean roared.
Here too there are whales to hunt—but whales that soar through a dark blue sky....

Hugo Award-winner Philip José Farmer has spun a fascinating tale o...more

Paperback, 160 pages

Published January 1st 1979 by Ace (first published 1971)

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Apr 25, 2013 Daniel Burton rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, classic, genre-blender

Even if you've never read it, almost every reader know the story of Moby-Dick. Opening with "Call me Ishmael[,]" Hermann Melville's novel is the tale of the white whale and obsessed Captain Ahab's quest to kill it, a hunt that does not end well for anyone. Only Ishmael, the narrator, survives to put the story down, drifting on the coffin of his bunkmate, Queequeg.

And that's where Philip José Farmer begins The Wind Whales of Ishmael. As he floats adrift, Ishmael finds himself falling out of our t...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Jeffery rated it 4 of 5 stars

I haven’t read a whole lot of the late Philip Jose Farmer’s vast output. I’ve read through Riverworld twice, and I’m familiar with his Wold Newton alternate literary history. I’ve always heard that the World of Tiers was his high point, so I’ve been promising myself to read those in the near future. I’ve always taken him to be a high concept writer – I mean, it doesn’t get much bigger than resurrecting the entire human race along the banks of a world-spanning river, right? So when I picked up a...more I haven’t read a whole lot of the late Philip Jose Farmer’s vast output. I’ve read through Riverworld twice, and I’m familiar with his Wold Newton alternate literary history. I’ve always heard that the World of Tiers was his high point, so I’ve been promising myself to read those in the near future. I’ve always taken him to be a high concept writer – I mean, it doesn’t get much bigger than resurrecting the entire human race along the banks of a world-spanning river, right? So when I picked up a copy of The Wind Whales of Ishmael, saw that it was the Ishmael from Melville’s Moby Dick, I had to read it. Had to.

Being a fan of Melville’s masterpiece, I couldn’t wait to see how Farmer would continue Ishmael’s story, let alone plop him into the middle of a science fiction story. I was honestly expecting to read a tale of the Wold Newton family. For those not familiar with the concept, it’s basically a linking of a vast array of literary characters (Tarzan, Doc Savage and Sherlock Holmes, just to name a few) to the meteor strike in Wold Newton, England in the late 1700’s. Even though it wasn’t a part of that universe, the story was a wild, exhilarating ride. It picks up right after Ishmael’s rescue by the Rachel at the end of Moby Dick. Five pages later – bam – Farmer has him a billion years or so in the future, trying to not only stay alive, but also to understand what’s going on around him.

As I was reading, and after I’d determined this wasn’t part of the Wold Newton universe, I kept trying to figure out why have Ishmael as a character. He could have created any other John Carter-style hero fit the bill. Brave guy from our world transported to a strange world, becomes a hero, saves the known world, marries the princess – how many times have you read that? I guess if you wanted to, the comparison between the setting here and Jack Vance’s Dying Earth are pretty evident. There’s no super-science or sorcery here, but the alien landscape and the ever-present bloated, red sun is. Farmer, however, is not copying anyone. His fading earth has regressed. Cities are isolated and rivals, and people “fish” the skies in boats that are not too unfamiliar to the protagonist’s time. Then it struck me, why Ishmael? John Carter types are doers. Ishmael is a scholar, a thinker, an observer. We see this future earth in some detail through his eyes, we speculate about its origins with him, and by the end, we will have pondered the follies of Captain Ahab battle with the white whale to identify the nature of mankind’s ultimate enemy.

Do you have to have read Melville to get it? Definitely not. The astute reader will understand Ishmael in the end. Does it help? Definitely. There are references to Queequeg and his coffin, Ahab, even Typee. That was just like icing on the cake for this reader. In the end, there’s even a Moby Dick equivalen. From start to finish, The Wind Whales of Ishmael is an exciting, fun read.
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May 09, 2013 Monique Snyman rated it 4 of 5 stars

Before you read The Wind Whales of Ishmael by Philip Jose Farmer, it’s probably best to dust off your copy of Moby-Dick by Herman Melville, in order to understand where this book is coming from. The protagonist, Ishmael, is the lone survivor of the Pequod and as he floats adrift Ishmael finds himself falling out of our time and into the distant future where things are no longer the same. The Earth has blood-sucking vegetation and a blood-red sun, there are barren canyons where the Pacific Ocean...more Before you read The Wind Whales of Ishmael by Philip Jose Farmer, it’s probably best to dust off your copy of Moby-Dick by Herman Melville, in order to understand where this book is coming from. The protagonist, Ishmael, is the lone survivor of the Pequod and as he floats adrift Ishmael finds himself falling out of our time and into the distant future where things are no longer the same. The Earth has blood-sucking vegetation and a blood-red sun, there are barren canyons where the Pacific Ocean once roared! Oceans have nearly evaporated completely and man finds himself in air balloons hunting the leviathans of the air. However, if Ishmael thought his adventures are over, he has another thing coming, because they take to the heavens in a pursuit of a beast that is more fearsome and deadly than he has ever known… Screw Moby-Dick! Moby-Dick was simply child’s play in comparison to what’s in store for our dear Ishmael…

The Wind Whales of Ishmael by Jose Farmer is a fantastic, alternate reality that will keep you on the edge of your seat from the beginning to the very end. In a lot of ways this is a steampunk novel in a sci-fi world, before steampunk even existed as a genre, so it’s definitely somewhat of an intriguing read, yet for many it will be a little bit outdated as far as pure sci-fi goes. Nevertheless, Farmer has an excellent ability to pull the reader into the story and when it comes to defining what a word-smith is, well Farmer definitely convinced me, even though The Wind Whales of Ishmael is a little short. Not to mention that the editing is first class, the formatting is adequate and the cover is just absolutely gorgeous!

First published in 1971, Titan Books has acquired the rights to republish this novel and better it in my opinion. Farmerphiles all over the world may be doing flips of ecstasy due to this new print run, which has a foreword by Michael Croteau and an afterword by Danny Adams, and people who are not familiar with Philip Jose Farmer will find The Wind Whales of Ishmael an excellent introductory novel to his work. So it’s definitely worth a look if you’re aching to get your hands on a true and proper science fiction novel that will take your breath away.

Of course, I would be lying if I said that the book was without fault. Here and there it becomes plainly obvious that the novel was written in a whole other era, back in the 1970′s when science fiction was still somewhat localized – if that’s the right word to use – and at times you wonder whether it is worth stepping back in time just to fast-forward yourself to a place that doesn’t seem to thrill readers as much anymore. Science-fiction has grown as a genre to include different sub-genres, which mainly pushes the boundaries of the final frontier, instead of staying on Earth. It’s difficult to imagine, and I could go on for hours explaining my side of the argument, but frankly when you just need a good read that isn’t long and which will help you reminisce about when the genre was young and pure, The Wind Whales of Ishmael is perfect.

So, the verdict? Well, Farmerphiles will adore this re-published version and science-fiction nuts will have a splendid time on a rainy day. It’s a good book to familiarize yourself with the author and Titan did a really good job when they breathed new life into the Grand Master Novel Series.

(Review originally posted at http://www.killeraphrodite.com/2013/0... )(less)

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Mar 03, 2011 Velvetink rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sf-fantasy, z-1960-s

Really liked it when I read it growing up. Have to read it again to comment though.

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Mar 31, 2008 J.P. rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: adventurous readers, Melville fans

Well, I've got to give Philip Jose Farmer points for creativity, if nothing else. In THE WIND WHALES OF ISHMAEL, the guy creates a world in the relatively brief space of 157 pages. He breathes new life into a classic character (Ishmael, from MOBY DICK). At the tail-end of this book, he even brews up a good old-fashioned adventure. But somehow, the overall effect here is. . .sadly pear-shaped.

Long story made short: Farmer's story picks up where Melville's left off. Ishmael, having survived Ahab's...more Well, I've got to give Philip Jose Farmer points for creativity, if nothing else. In THE WIND WHALES OF ISHMAEL, the guy creates a world in the relatively brief space of 157 pages. He breathes new life into a classic character (Ishmael, from MOBY DICK). At the tail-end of this book, he even brews up a good old-fashioned adventure. But somehow, the overall effect here is. . .sadly pear-shaped.

Long story made short: Farmer's story picks up where Melville's left off. Ishmael, having survived Ahab's mad quest for the white whale, is headed home on the good ship Rachel. But somehow, the Rachel slips through some kind of worm-hole in time. Sea level has dropped hundreds of feet below its present level. The moon is closer to the earth. Whales have sprouted wings and taken to the skies, where they are pursued by whalers in flying ships. Much of the remaining wildlife likewise resides in the skies. The Rachel literally falls from the sky, crushing a sky-ship and killing all on board both vessels---except two.

Those two are Ishmael and a woman named Namalee. Namalee takes up with Ishmael and teaches him her language and the ways of her people. Ishmael takes up with Namalee's people, whose city has been destroyed by a rival city; those foreign invaders have stolen Namalee's people's sacred idols. Ishmael leads Namalee and a band of her people to this other city in an attempt to steal back their sacred idols. There's a great swipe-and-chase involving a "Stone Beast" and an ensuing airship battle. Namalee and Ishmael become lovers. Ishmael declares that the two rival peoples should unite as one. The end.

If my review seems a bit. . .rushed, it's because THE WIND WHALES OF ISHMAEL reads like a "rushed" novel. Farmer has crammed 10 pounds of info into a 5-pound bag. He describes wondrous characters, creatures and places at a breakneck pace. Some are merely alluded to and never mentioned again. He takes a truly intriguing character, Namalee, and develops her back-story to a fascinating point---then shoehorns her into a stereotypical 'damsel-in-distress' role and leaves her there. I know one has to suspend disbelief with fantasy fiction, just go with the flow. But this book doesn't have a flow---it has white water rapids. At times, I felt overcome by a storm of information.

THE WIND WHALES OF ISHMAEL is an almost schizophrenic book. The first half mirrors the glacial pace of Melville's novel. Then, around page 100 or so, the speed picks up with the 'stealing back the idols' segment. It's almost as if someone spliced a few chapters of an Edgar Rice Burroughs pulp serial into the middle of MOBY DICK. The result is a bizarre hybrid---not unpleasant, but not wholly satisfying, either.

My two main criticisms are pacing and content. I believe this book could've been improved drastically if Farmer had doubled its length, taken a bit more time to fully explore the world he created in it. Either that, or he should've left out some of the myriads of details he stuffed between these two covers. Closer focus on Namalee and Ishmael as a couple would've been better, too.

Philip Jose Farmer is rightfully known as a visionary among science fantasy writers. But vision requires focus and structure. this novel doesn't have those things. Farmer has written a shelf full of s-f classics. THE WIND WHALES OF ISHMAEL is not one of them.

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May 17, 2013 Emily Jo rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, fiction

I wasn't certain whether I'd enjoy it, but this science fiction "sequel" to Moby-Dick was fairly fascinating, in terms of the idea regarding the fate of the planet when the Sun expands. Parts were, of course, unbelievable, and there could have been more detail in others, but overall it was very interesting and kept me reading.

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Jan 22, 2012 Tom Bechtel rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I first started reading this book I thought to myself, "This guy is on acid or something just as wicked". But after reading it, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and still occasionally replay of some of the events that took place in this book. Wildly imaginative and fun adaption/abstraction of Moby Dick.

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Jan 30, 2013 Hojaplateada rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Muy clásico de CF de planeta raro con cosas raras. Interesante.

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Jan 27, 2012 David Blecher marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: f-sf

Timestop!

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Aug 30, 2007 Trina rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: science fiction buffs

"Science fiction's incredible sequel to Moby Dick" I was glad to have read a book of by dad's. He raved about it but it was too sci-fi for me. The description of the sailing terms was a little too much. I wish my dad was living in order for me to discuss it with him.

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Nov 23, 2012 Jon Thysell rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Starts as a reasonable sci-fi extension of Moby Dick- then transforms into a typical PJF story, not bad, but could have been a fine short story in it's own right, without any connection to Moby Dick.

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May 21, 2012 Jose Miguel Gonzalez rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: aventuras, ciencia-ficcion, fantastica

Por algún motivo echaba de menos la ciencia ficción fuera de la lógica cercana... mundos extraterrestres, seres imposibles, probabilidades extrañas... me ha gustado mucho este libro.

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May 14, 2013 Mark balson rated it 3 of 5 stars

May 10, 2013 Nerine Dorman marked it as to-read

May 06, 2013 Daisy rated it 5 of 5 stars

May 05, 2013 Troy Rodgers rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: steampunk

Apr 25, 2013 Stephanie marked it as to-read

Shelves: d

Apr 22, 2013 André marked it as considering

Apr 11, 2013 Charles Fractional rated it 5 of 5 stars

Apr 09, 2013 Gavin marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: 200-or-less-pages

Apr 07, 2013 Nikko marked it as to-read

Apr 07, 2013 Ted rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Apr 06, 2013 Glenn Nevill rated it 5 of 5 stars

Apr 06, 2013 Christopher Carey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Apr 04, 2013 Rick rated it 5 of 5 stars

Apr 04, 2013 Kelly marked it as to-read

Mar 31, 2013 Lane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mar 26, 2013 Justin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: cedar

Mar 25, 2013 Robert Garrard added it

Mar 16, 2013 Meghan added it

Shelves: dad-s

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About Philip José Farmer

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 th...more

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To Your Scattered Bodies Go (Riverworld, #1)

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