The Flying Sorcerers

by Larry Niven and David Gerrold

Book Overview

This funny and insightful science fiction classic introduces Shoogar, the greatest wizard ever known in his village. His spells can strike terror in the hearts of even his most powerful enemies. But... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345253078
• ISBN13: 9780345253071
• Release Date: February 1977
• Publisher: Del Rey Books
• Length: 316 Pages
• Weight: 0.38 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Mostly entertaining but...

While entertaining to listen to with the clashes between Shoogar and Lant against Purple in a "magic" versus science and tech showdown, you can definitely tell that this story is dated. This book would have made an excellent novella but after awhile it drags a bit, mostly because I kept getting annoyed at the way women are portrayed in this book (very demeaning and pretty much equaling them to brainless slaves only good for breeding). So, to break it down. I enjoyed the clashing between Purple and Shoogar, the very quick evolution of currency, mass production, and electricity to the society because Purple needed a way to get back to his mother ship (even if it brought downsides like theft). There are plenty of entertaining bits with that. I rate that part 4 stars. The parts with the women and their constant being degraded and not even having names, while still "loving" their husbands who beat them and hobble them was awful. Even with the uprising to get names and the astonishment that the women can do the same jobs (proving they have the brains) was not fun. I rate that a 1 star However, the narrator did a great job and he is not to blame for the story material. He was fun to listen to. So he gets 5 stars. That brings my total to about 3 and 1/2 stars for the book. It could have been excellent, except for the parts with the women.

Fine work

This book is really a great work if you realize what it is, comical sci-fi. And it is not a Niven story but a Gerrold one, if you liked The Trouble With Tribbles episode of Star Trek then this for you.To dananbethany> It's a pun, As a mauve. Asimov.

An overlooked treasure

This is one of the funniest SF books out there. I've got an old tattered copy, and I will order the new edition when it comes out. The book is full of cultural, SF and fandom references. Some might be a little dated (for example, the symbol of the sheep, the horned box, is a reference to a TV with antenna, and how many people have seen one of THOSE lately?), but overall, this book holds up very well.To answer another reviewer's question would be a spoiler, but anyone who wishes to know who Purple was based on can email me at my nickname at hotmail.

A wonderful romp

I picked this up (or it was loaned to me) because I was tickled by the title. It's a very entertaining story about a technologically advanced traveller's visit to a fairly primitive world, narrated by one of the primitives. It's an hilarious treatment of Clarke's Law in action, and a colossal pun near the end will delight long-time SF readers enormously. This is definitely a 'G'-rated title in my book.

Shade of purple-gray

Will someone please figure out how to keep Gerrold's books in print? Especially this one. Easily one of the most entertaining mixed-genre Fantasy/SF novels ever written, it is also one of the hardest to find. It's not exactly like Asprin or Xanth but ... if you go for that, or for cleverly funny Fantasy/SF in general, put this book on your list. Well worth looking for.

Fun, Fun, & More Fun

I read this book about 15 years ago and found it nothing but fun. Niven plays with the reader as well as the characters in the book. I have just found this book (out of stock) and await shipment so that I can visit this world again. I gave my first copy away and regret it. Not real science fiction but just loads of fun.