Which is your favorite

[ericcoleman]

I'e been delving into my past, going back and re-reading some of my favorite books, mostly SF and Fantasy. One of the things that I really dearly love are what I call displaced earthman books. Probably the best known example is the John Carter Of Mars books by Edgar Rice Burroughs. My favorite is the Carson Of Venus books by ERB. What I like best about him is that he isn't some perfect specimen of humanity. While brilliant, he's a screwup, and still is the hero.

So, is there anyone else out there who loves this sub-genre, and if so what are your favorites?

Comments

[ericcoleman]

Carson Of Venus and John Carter Of Mars, (and an argument could be made even for The Doomsday Book, but I would argue against it) are displaced earthman books, Martian Chronicles is straight up SF.

I could see an argument made for MC, but it's lacking the displacement factor for me and the adventure factor. The reasoning being someone who has to go and co-exist in a completely alien world. We're talking more high adventure sort of books, which is really not the point of The Martian Chronicles. Let me give a longer list to see if this makes more sense as I may just not be being clear.

JC of Mars
C of Venus
Lin Carter's Callisto and Green Star books (great cheese both of them)
Vance's Tschai - Planet Of Adventure books
The Gor books (even though I can't stand them)

[mike46.livejournal.com]

Michael Moorcock did a series as well, Kane of Old Mars, which was basically JC of Mars, with a smidge most sci-fi thrown into the mix.

[ericcoleman]

Ya know, it's sitting right here on my desk (and is the series that got me interested in SF and Fantasy several 100 years ago) so you think I could put that on the list ... but NOOOOOOO, I spaced it.

[mike46.livejournal.com]

It's not as good as ERB, but I like it better than Lin Carter.

The first 3 Gor books were good ... I've reread 'The Priest Kings of Gor' probably 10 times now. For some reason I just love that one.

[ericcoleman]

I like the Kane books better than I like John Carter, but not as much as I like Carson. I love the Jandar books, just cause they're great cheese.

[mike46.livejournal.com]

Change 'most' to 'more'...

[ericcoleman]

Did already

[bammba-m.livejournal.com]

i guess i'm confused on what you're looking for. does something like hitchhiker's guide count? or is that a comedy? or is it straight up SF/F? Is the Discworld series then out because no one in the series is really out-of-their-element?

So would Buck Rogers count? Would Flash Gordon be out because Flash was so perfect? How about Planet of the Apes?

Am i on the right track here? Current (or "current-like") time person put into alternate world/time/reality? (Well, excepting that i seem to be mentioning mostly movies instead of books.)

[ericcoleman]

HHGTTG could fall under this category. Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon definitely, especially the Buck comic strips (which I love), and I could see arguments for Planet Of The Apes absolutely.

[bammba-m.livejournal.com]

Then i think "Expecting Someone Taller" would be near the top of my list. i'm having a difficult time coming up with books in this genre, most of what i read is straight up SF/F.

I would also count "Long Dark Teatime of the Soul" but I can see how it might not strictly qualify.

[ericcoleman]

Oh, and the "perfect" thing isn't a genre killer, just a preference. I got tired of the teenage power trip "greatest swordsman who ever lived" thing that is prevalent in these sorts of books, but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't read a book that had that sort of character in it.

[barondave.livejournal.com]

I'll agree that MC is allegory, science fiction at it's finest, and not skiffy, the fun adventure stuff. People like to read about themselves, so even humans on other planets are really about humans on Earth.

You're looking for books that feature 1) brawn rather than brains and 2) Earthikins who can't go home again, at least until the end of the novel/series.

The first five Gor novels are okay (esp. if you're a young male for whom females are an alien species), and the third one, Priest Kings of God is actually good sf. Once the cycle was completed, he pandered to his horny audience. Soft pore corn comes to skiffy!

I knew Lin Carter, but read very few of his books. On the other hand, I met Vance once and love his work. When I find a copy of The Demon Prince I'm going to read all five in the series.

How about Planet of the Apes, book not movie (though the first movie might fit)? As above Tunnel In The Sky is one of those. Clarke's A Fall of Moondust though that may be too brainy for your category. Galactic Derelict and other Norton. Maybe even Niven's Ringworld. These aren't sword-swishing bodice-rippers, but they have Terrans who can't get home and have to fight for survival. Well, maybe not the Clarke...

[ericcoleman]

I'm re-reading the Demon Prince novels again right now. One of my favorite bunches of books ever.

And brainy doesn't disqualify a book, but the sort of books I am talking about tend to be ... well ... just a little stoopid.

I think that Ringworld would fit, and it is something I need to get around to at some point.