Subject: Review of MORE THAN FIRE by Philip Jose Farmer

From: [email-masked] (Ken Cox)
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 1994 15:18:32 GMT

MORE THAN FIRE
Philip Jose Farmer
A review by Ken Cox

I should start this review by noting that I am a completist -- once
I start a series, I just have to finish it.  In this case, the series
is Philip Jose Farmer's "World of Tiers", which I started long ago.
I enjoyed the first books.  Maybe it had something to do with being
eight years old.   However, either my tastes have changed radically
or Farmer's writing has deteriorated badly, because I didn't like
_More Than Fire_.  (I suppose I could find out which by re-reading
one of the earlier novels, but I'm not sure I want to ruin my fond
though faint memories.)

Let me start with the good points.  _More Than Fire_ is billed as the
last novel in the "World of Tiers" series, and it does manage to tidy
up all the loose ends from the earlier books.  Kickaha, the hero,
manages to conquer his enemies, recover his lost artifacts, save the
Earth from total destruction (twice), clear up all the mysteries, and
save the woman he loves from a fate worse than death, all in a mere
300 pages.

If that sounds a bit sarcastic, it was meant to.  The style of _More
Than Fire_ was one of the things that I disliked.  It's so -- what
word do I want -- _pulp_, like reading a "Thrilling Wonder Stories
of the Thirties" collection.  _More Than Fire_ is like some sort of
horrible parody of that genre, with the worst part being that Farmer
apparently doesn't realize it.

Part of this, of course, might be because this is the last novel and
Farmer had to finish everything.  In that case, though, he should
have planned ahead a little better.  Through the first half of the
novel he introduces new characters, new mysteries, new planets, and
even a few new alien menaces threatening the Earth.  Then, as if he
suddenly read the publisher's blurb ("The thrilling conclusion to the
World of Tiers saga!") he begins getting rid of these new elements.
This mostly involves killing the new characters in rapid succession,
though he does find time in between for the old characters to have
quick conversations where all the loose ends from the earlier books
are tied up.

Overall evaluation:  A real disappointment.  If you have some good
memories of the World of Tiers, or of any of Farmer's other work, you
might want to avoid this novel.  If (like me) you just have to finish
the series, try to borrow a copy.

%T More Than Fire
%A Philip Jose Farmer
%I Tor Books (A Tom Doherty Associates Book)
%C New York
%D 1993
%G ISBN 0-312-85280-0
%P 304pp
%O hardcover, US$20.95

Ken Cox
[email-masked]