A Feast Unknown

Farmer likes to shock,and several of his novels-- this one and "Image of The Beast"-- are his paean to extreme violence and sex in a pulp-fiction setting. If you're open-minded, though, you'll really enjoy this (slightly twisted) Tarzan/Doc Savage story ripped from the deepest recesses of Farmer's id. A familiarity with the two characters is recommedned, though not necessary-- Farmer wrote bios of both Doc Savage and Tarzan, and clearly loves them dearly. This novel is an exorcism of all the repression in those novels: does Doc EVER get laid?? No! And though Tarzan kills scores, hundreds of enemies in his novels, is he ever depicted as revelling in his happy homicide?? NO! Here we get to see the dark and nasty sides of our heroes, and Farmer clearly loved writing about their most sexual and sadistic exploits. Most people will go along for the ride and enjoy Farmer's prank-- but a few will blush a deep crimson and take offense. By now, you know which camp you're in, surely....

The Feast Unknown by Philip Jose Farmer may not be everybody's cup of tea. There is a lot of graphic descriptions of both violence and male arousal. Yet if the reader is open-minded enough to get past these, this is a well crafted adventure novel by one of the masters of the field. The novel pits Farmer's versions of Tarzan and Doc Savage against each other in a fight to the death over the secret of eternal life. Farmer calls these foes Lord Grandrith and Doc Caliban, and tells the story from the point of view of Grandrith. Also, it turns out there is another secret these two share that they must discover before they kill each other. There are enough explosions, deaths, and dismemberments for a summer Hollywood adventure blockbuster, but Farmer has added a strange twist to the story that makes this risky material for the screen. As the novel opens, Grandrith finds that he becomes physically aroused to the point of climax whenever he kills someone. This is very distracting for him, as he must outwit his most deadly enemies while his body is being drawn towards other feelings. This is difficult material to handle and Farmer does it superbly, and with a touch of humor, while keeping the excitement level high. Leave it to the creator of Riverworld to invent such a fantastic story line and carry it off superbly from beginning to end. Is this the original slash fiction (fan writings involving fancied romantic liaisons between fictional male companions)? Most articles about slash trace it back to 1970s fan fiction depicting romantic adventures between Star Trek's Kirk and Spock. A Feast Unknown was first published in 1969, a date that precedes the earliest dating for slash so far. However, regardless of whether this novel has anything to do with slash fiction, it is a great work on its own terms that was certainly groundbreaking at the time and can still be controversial to this day.

Hang on to your seats for a tale unlike any Tarzan or Doc Savage story you've ever read. And SAVAGE is the word for Farmer's very controversial take on two beloved pulp fiction heroes. Theres plenty of action and spectacle familiar to adventure fans, but Farmer gives it all a gut-wrenching edge by pulling out all the stops on violent emotions and very explicit sex. All of this is wrapped together with an intricate storyline that'll keep you turning the pages. Stay away if you can't stand to see your favorite heroes portrayed with a style that will hit you like a hot poker in the eye. Otherwise, it's a great adventure taken to a level very few authors dare to try for. Try it if you dare

I have seldom found better imaginative prose than Farmer displays. The story is riveting in its primal intensity. Mr. Farmer has taken two of pulp fiction's greatest heros and given them new life. He has done so in a way that their creators would have been shocked to see. If you have read the adventures of Tarzan or Doc Savage, you must read this book

This book grabs you in a delicate place and won't let go until you put it down. Farmer speculates on what the famous 'Apeman' might have really been like if he had the moral sensibilities of an animal and the physique of a superman, and the result is pretty raw. Don't pick this up if you are easily offended. Do pick it up if you love alternatives to the established