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Father to the Stars
Contents:
· The Night of Light · na F&SF Jun ’57
· A Few Miles · nv F&SF Oct ’60
· Prometheus · na F&SF Mar ’61
· Father · na F&SF Jul ’55
· Attitudes · nv F&SF Oct ’53
· The Night of Light · na F&SF Jun ’57
· A Few Miles · nv F&SF Oct ’60
· Prometheus · na F&SF Mar ’61
· Father · na F&SF Jul ’55
· Attitudes · nv F&SF Oct ’53
319 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 1981
3 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
Philip José Farmer
592 books886 followersPhilip 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 19, 2021
I picked this up at the used bookstore thinking it was a novel. Well... don't make that mistake. It's a short story collection. That being said, the five stories all feature Father John Carmondy, an ex-criminal turned into a monk and later, a priest. Being a Philip Jose Farmer book, you expect it to be a bit goofy... it doesn't disappoint.
"The Night of Light," the opening story, is interesting. It introduces us to the crooked and struggling Carmondy in a bizarre situation. I haven't read much Farmer, but I know he gets weirder than this... but this is still odd for golden age sci-fi.
The next two, "A Few Miles" and "Prometheus," are the highlights of the book. They flow into each other, and they're the last ones written, and this is where Carmondy feels like the most cohesive characters. The story and concepts and themes are also better than anywhere else in the book. These two alone might get four stars from me.
"Father" was another good story, but our titular character feels more removed from the other stories here. Same with "Attitudes," the closer, which I feel was lackluster.
It's a fun little book of Golden Age sci-fi fun. I enjoyed it. My biggest issue is that the continuity isn't consistent. It isn't fair to expect Farmer to write a consistent character across five un-chronological stories written over a decade, but compared to other similar efforts like Laumer's Bolo series, it's jsut not as good. Still, I enjoyed it, and recommend it.
"The Night of Light," the opening story, is interesting. It introduces us to the crooked and struggling Carmondy in a bizarre situation. I haven't read much Farmer, but I know he gets weirder than this... but this is still odd for golden age sci-fi.
The next two, "A Few Miles" and "Prometheus," are the highlights of the book. They flow into each other, and they're the last ones written, and this is where Carmondy feels like the most cohesive characters. The story and concepts and themes are also better than anywhere else in the book. These two alone might get four stars from me.
"Father" was another good story, but our titular character feels more removed from the other stories here. Same with "Attitudes," the closer, which I feel was lackluster.
It's a fun little book of Golden Age sci-fi fun. I enjoyed it. My biggest issue is that the continuity isn't consistent. It isn't fair to expect Farmer to write a consistent character across five un-chronological stories written over a decade, but compared to other similar efforts like Laumer's Bolo series, it's jsut not as good. Still, I enjoyed it, and recommend it.
February 9, 2019
I've been saying for some years that C.S. Lewis's Space Trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet / Perelandra / That Hideous Strength is science fiction only if you accept what was doubtless Lewis's position, that theology is the queen of the sciences.
That's also pretty much true of this collection, despite some interesting contributions from biology and the spaceship on the cover. I was delighted to find that my interlibrary loan copy was in fact provided by the library of Conception Abbey and Seminary (in Missouri). I don't suppose the good monks endorse all of Farmer's implied positions, but I expect they believe he's asking some really good questions.
As do I.
That's also pretty much true of this collection, despite some interesting contributions from biology and the spaceship on the cover. I was delighted to find that my interlibrary loan copy was in fact provided by the library of Conception Abbey and Seminary (in Missouri). I don't suppose the good monks endorse all of Farmer's implied positions, but I expect they believe he's asking some really good questions.
As do I.
November 6, 2017
Best rating would have been 3.5, but as Goodreads allow no fractions, I give it 4. The reason for not giving it a full 4/5 rating from the start is that I only vaguely remember the story, so it wasn't that good to begin with.
March 15, 2025
A Collection of 5 stories all concerning the same main character, a "wayward" priest travelling the galaxy and having adventures.
The stories had several different "voices", being written over a fairly wide period of time between 1953 and 1961.
Overall - was OK.
The stories had several different "voices", being written over a fairly wide period of time between 1953 and 1961.
Overall - was OK.
did-not-finish-or-start
July 14, 2021DNS 7/14/2021
April 26, 2013
I'm not usually a fan of short story collections, and I didn't realize that this was what "Father to the Stars" was when I bought it, but I'm overly disappointed in it. Farmer remains one of my favorite sci-fi authors, and he brings his usual philosophical wonderings steeped in religion and sex to the table in this book.
As another reviewer said, it's a bit choppy, even for a short story collection. If you view each story as its own entity that only happens to be loosely connected to the others, then it's a good read. But don't go into it expecting cohesion between the parts.
A good read for lovers of pulp sci-fi.
As another reviewer said, it's a bit choppy, even for a short story collection. If you view each story as its own entity that only happens to be loosely connected to the others, then it's a good read. But don't go into it expecting cohesion between the parts.
A good read for lovers of pulp sci-fi.
February 12, 2022
Not one of Farmer's best.
Reads more like a series of episodes than one big story. Bit choppy.
The lead character, a laid back and slightly shifty monk who keeps getting caught up in big events is fun, but not a terribly memorable book.
Reads more like a series of episodes than one big story. Bit choppy.
The lead character, a laid back and slightly shifty monk who keeps getting caught up in big events is fun, but not a terribly memorable book.
May 15, 2013
Listened to "Attitudes".
November 16, 2014
1984 grade C
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews