To Your Scattered Bodies Go, Riverworld Saga, Book 1

By: Philip José Farmer

Narrated by: Paul Hecht

Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

All those who ever lived on Earth have found themselves resurrected—healthy, young, and naked as newborns—on the grassy banks of a mighty river, in a world unknown. Miraculously provided with food, but with no clues to the meaning of their strange new afterlife, billions of people from every period of Earth's history—and prehistory—must start again.

Sir Richard Francis Burton would be the first to glimpse the incredible way-station, a link between worlds. This forbidden sight would spur the renowned 19th century explorer to uncover the truth.

Along with a remarkable group of compatriots, including Alice Liddell Hargreaves (the Victorian girl who was the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland), an English-speaking Neanderthal, a WWII Holocaust survivor, and a wise extraterrestrial, Burton sets sail on the magnificent river. His mission: to confront humankind's mysterious benefactors, and learn the true purpose—innocent or evil—of the Riverworld....

Winner of the Hugo Award

©1971 Philip José Farmer (P)2000 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

• Hugo Award, Best Novel, 1972

"One of the most imaginative worlds in science fiction." (Booklist)

Riverworld!

I first read this book quite a few years ago. The concept was certainly intriguing--everyone you know or know of from your lifetime or history is resurrected along the banks of a river that makes the Amazon look like spring runoff. I really enjoyed Sir Richard Francis Burton as the protagonist through the series and enjoyed appearances by other characters like Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain) and Hermann Goering. How everyone reacts to conditions both more advanced that they had known during life and also more primitive makes for an excellent series.
I hope that we get the rest of these books in the near future and that the World of Tiers series comes about, too.

A product of it's time for sure

For the most part, a pretty solid story. The overt misogyny not only of the main character, but of the small things the narrator implies made it tough to finish though. Unsure if I'll pick up the rest of the series, if I do it'll be with credits.

Good, original story

This is an interesting story with themes of dystopia and immortality. The only reason I don't give a 5 star rating is I am not compelled to go on in the series. One book is enough for now.

Sort Of, kind of liked it.

Really very silly at times yet oddly interesting.
May have to continue onto the fabulous riverboat. Maybe.

Worthwhile and Ecclectic

A strange but well-mixed blend of genres that makes for an excellent read. A very interesting commentary on the effect contemporary culture has on society, morality, and the individual.

Well thought out and original story.

As a vehicle for a challenge presented to everyone who has ever lived…and some who haven’t! Riverworld is far ahead of all others. And who better to lead the way but the true life action hero (fir better or worse) Sir Richard Burton•••and I don’t mean the actor!

Did not enjoy this book because it was very depres

Very repressing subject. Would not recommend it to anyone. The characters were not relatable. Book is too long.

Interesting premise But lacking somehow

I chose this book for a couple of Reasons. It had very good reviews on good reads and I thought that the premise sounded very interesting.
However it turned out to be only mildly interesting because of the execution of the idea.
I can't put my finger on What the problem was but I only kept Reading because I had already purchased the second volume in the series.

I was completely enthralled.

After he died, the famous 19th century explorer Sir Richard Francis Burton wasn???t surprised to find that what the Christian priests had taught about the Resurrection wasn???t true. But he was totally bewildered by what actually happened. He woke up young, hairless, naked, and turning in midair (as if on a spit) in the middle of 37 billion other young, hairless, naked and rotating humans. Soon after waking, the bodies ??? all the people over the age of five who had ever lived ??? plunged to the ground and began their new lives together in a giant river valley... Is this Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, or is it some huge social experiment being run by aliens? Most of the humans, happy that their basic needs are being met, are content to just be living again. Some people see this as an opportunity to seize the power and wealth that they had, or never obtained, on Earth. But Sir Richard just wants to know what???s going on. He seems to be the only person who got a glimpse behind the scenes of their new home and, not only does he resent being manipulated, but his curiosity is insatiable. So, he and a few companions set out to explore the Riverworld and, they hope, to discover the source of the river and find some answers. Richard Francis Burton, a fascinating and scandalous man in real life, is the perfect character to explore the Riverworld. Philip Jose Farmer???s depiction of Burton, and several other real historical figures, is superb, though occasionally teachy when Farmer periodically interjects an encyclopedic-sounding aside about a character???s life. It???s hilarious to watch Burton learn about 20th-century history and interact with some of its denizens. The best aspect of TYSBG is its original premise ??? the idea of all of humanity spread out, generally in chronological order, along a giant river which can be traveled, like a human timeline.TYSBG, written in 1971, is creative, exciting, fast-paced, and totally absorbing. I was completely enthralled.

New world for me

I enjoyed being in a new world of writing. not usually for me. narration great