Philip José Farmer's Ancient Opar/Khokarsa Series

[Jason Aiken]

I'm a huge fan of Philip José Farmer's pseudo-sword and sorcery series set in Ancient Africa. Since Farmer's passing, Christopher Paul Carey has carried on the series based off Farmer's notes.

This is one of the best kept secrets in classic fantasy IMO. I don't think he gets nearly the recognition it deserves. It can be read if you haven't picked up an Edgar Rice Burroughs Tarzan novel or a H. Rider Haggard novel. You can read them as a self-contained series all of their own.

I describe Ancient Opar/Khokarsa as Farmer's Hyborian Age, but with a more anthropological background. It's set in the year 10,000 B.C. where Africa has two joined inland seas.

For more info check out the links below.


Explore the World of Lost Khokarsa Website: pjfarmer.com/khokarsa/khokarsa.htm

The Khokarsa Series via Christopher Paul Carey's website: cpcarey.com/site/the-khokarsa-series/


The Ancient Opar/Khokarsa Series

Hadon of Ancient Opar by Philip José Farmer: www.amazon.com/Hadon-Ancient-Opar-Khokarsa-Prehistory/dp/1781162956/

Flight to Opar by Philip José Farmer: www.amazon.com/Flight-Opar-Khokarsa-2-Restored/dp/099056732X/

The Song of Kwasin by Philip José Farmer & Christopher Paul Carey: www.amazon.com/Song-Kwasin-Khokarsa-3/dp/0990567362

Hadon, King of Opar by Christopher Paul Carey: meteorhousepress.com/hadon-king-of-opar/

Blood of Ancient Opar by Christoper Paul Carey: meteorhousepress.com/blood-of-ancient-opar/


Tie-ins

"A Kick in the Side" by Christopher Paul Carey: meteorhousepress.com/the-worlds-of-philip-jose-farmer-1-protean-dimensions/

Kwasin & the Bear God by Philip José Farmer & Christopher Paul Carey: www.amazon.com/Song-Kwasin-Khokarsa-3/dp/0990567362


The Khokarsa Series Prequels

Time's Last Gift by Philip José Farmer: www.amazon.com/Times-Newton-Prehistory-Universe-Novel/dp/0857689657/

Allan and the Ice-Gods by H. Rider Haggard: www.amazon.com/Allan-Quatermain-Gods-Rider-Haggard/dp/158715708X/

Exiles of Kho by Christopher Paul Carey: www.amazon.com/Exiles-Philip-Jose-Farmers-Khokarsa-ebook/dp/B00HX7LURA/


Related


Heritage of the Flaming God by Frank J. Brueckel and John Harwood: www.elvis-history-blog.com/flaming-god.html

[deuce]

Great post, Jason. I was thinking about restarting this thread.

I totally agree. This is a great series. I think Carey is doing a fine job carrying on the legacy.

For those who haven't read it, I would call it "Edgar Rice Burroughs' Hyborian Age" (as told by Philip Jose Farmer), since Farmer did his damnedest to create a plausible prehistory for the Tarzan novels. There are numerous easter eggs there for any knowledgeable ERB fan.

Hadon is a cool hero. We meet him as a young man heading to the big city. Once there, he kicks ass and gets caught up in intrigues, just like a young Conan. Hadon is a little more level-headed, but he doesn't take crap. We also meet his cousin, Kwasin, who is a total bad-ass and a shade crazy. Farmer noted a little bit of a resemblance to Conan, but to me, PJF was using Hercules as the main inspiration. If Hercules was a real man, he probably was much like Kwasin. He stars in the novel, The Song of Kwasin (as in, "the saga of Kwasin").

Once again, I urge anyone who loves traditional adventure, where the heroes aren't weasels or back-stabbing scum, to check out this series.

[deuce]

Here's a spot-on review of The Song of Kwasin:

paperback-perils.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-song-of-kwasin-philip-jose-farmer.html

As I've said, just about any Burroughs or Robert E. Howard fan would have a blast reading this book. Kwasin definitely does his share of wenching and slaying. With Kwasin, you get a little bit of Conan, a little bit of Samson and a whole lot of Hercules. I mean that in a totally good way. I now believe there is one scene in particular that Philip Jose Farmer intended as an homage to REH's The Scarlet Citadel.

Go on! Go buy it!  

 

[Jason Aiken]

If you already have Philip José Farmer's Hadon of Ancient Opar and Flight to Opar, now is the time to buy the conclusion to the original Ancient Opar/Khokarsa trilogy.

The Song of Kwasin by Philip José Farmer and Christopher Paul Carey is now on sale at a nice discount on Amazon: www.amazon.com/gp/product/0990567362

This is the conclusion to Farmer's original Ancient Opar/Khokarsa trilogy and is well worth a read. S&S fans will love it.

[Jason Aiken]

The price of The Song of Kwasin went up a little bit, but now it's fallen back to the all-time low price of $14.97.

If you're interested in hearing more about the book, check out my interview with co-author Christopher Paul Carey:

[deuce]

Great Black Gate post by Carey about the Opar/Khokarsa series:

www.blackgate.com/2012/06/15/christopher-paul-carey-on-philip-jose-farmer%E2%80%99s-world-of-khokarsa/

[Jason Aiken]

Apr 7, 2016 13:18:17 GMT -5 deuce said:

Great Black Gate post by Carey about the Opar/Khokarsa series:

www.blackgate.com/2012/06/15/christopher-paul-carey-on-philip-jose-farmer%E2%80%99s-world-of-khokarsa/

Right on, Deuce! Exiles of Kho is a great book. Chris brought in elements from Farmer's retelling of Rosny's Ironcastle, too.

Speaking of Christopher Paul Carey, the sequel to Hadon, King of Opar has been announced and is available for preorder: Blood of Ancient Opar

meteorhousepress.com/2016/04/07/announcing-blood-of-ancient-opar/

[Jason Aiken]

As a thanks for everyone preordering Blood of Ancient Opar, Christopher Paul Carey has posted some rare audio of Philip José Farmer announcing the Ancient Opar series at the fourteenth annual Dum-Dum convention in honor of Edgar Rice Burroughs, September 1, 1973.

cpcarey.com/site/2016/04/11/audio-philip-jose-farmer-announcing-the-ancient-opar-series/

[deuce]

Christotopher Paul Carey reads excerpts from Exiles of Kho and The Song of Kwasin (Pulpfest 2012):


pulpcrazy.com/?p=333 

[deuce]

Excellent review of Gods of Opar:


sfcrowsnest.org.uk/gods-of-opar-tales-of-lost-khokarsa-by-philip-jose-farmer-and-christopher-paul-carey-book-review/

[deuce]

Feb 25, 2016 18:04:30 GMT -5 deuce said:

Here's a spot-on review of The Song of Kwasin:

paperback-perils.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-song-of-kwasin-philip-jose-farmer.html

As I've said, just about any Burroughs or Robert E. Howard fan would have a blast reading this book. Kwasin definitely does his share of wenching and slaying. With Kwasin, you get a little bit of Conan, a little bit of Samson and a whole lot of Hercules. I mean that in a totally good way. I now believe there is one scene in particular that Philip Jose Farmer intended as an homage to REH's The Scarlet Citadel.

A fun vid from Christopher Paul Carey showing all the cool stuff to be found in the new edition of The Song of Kwasin:

[Jason Aiken]

pulpcrazy.com/podcast/150.mp3


Christopher Paul Carey joins me in discussing his latest novella, Blood of Ancient Opar. This is the latest installment of Philip José Farmer's Ancient Opar series and is a must read for all fans of Opar. Today (6/15/2016) is the last day to preorder the book at meteorhousepress.com/blood-of-ancient-opar/ and have your name in the acknowledgments. You can preorder after 6/15/2016, but it's highly recommend you preorder now if you want to guarantee yourself a copy.

Links:

Purchase Blood of Ancient Opar: meteorhousepress.com/blood-of-ancient-opar/

Previous Discussions with Christopher Paul Carey on Ancient Opar: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuJQWW7HwryGrGGcaBlImOFOJpjO-xO3K

Christopher Paul Carey Website: cpcarey.com

Christopher Paul Carey Twitter: twitter.com/cpcarey

Explore the World of Lost Khokarsa: www.pjfarmer.com/khokarsa/khokarsa.htm

The Official Philip José Farmer Website: pjfarmer.com

[Jason Aiken]

Deuce has written a nice review of THE SONG OF KWASIN by Philip José Farmer and Christopher Paul Carey on Amazon - www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R6VSOPHJBKC6U/

The paperback edition of the novel is on sale right now for less than $8.00. Cover price is $22.00. Not at a bad deal to read the climax of Farmer's original Ancient Opar series.

[deuce]

Jun 15, 2016 17:29:17 GMT -5 Jason Aiken said:

pulpcrazy.com/podcast/150.mp3


Christopher Paul Carey joins me in discussing his latest novella, Blood of Ancient Opar. This is the latest installment of Philip José Farmer's Ancient Opar series and is a must read for all fans of Opar. Today (6/15/2016) is the last day to preorder the book at meteorhousepress.com/blood-of-ancient-opar/ and have your name in the acknowledgments. You can preorder after 6/15/2016, but it's highly recommend you preorder now if you want to guarantee yourself a copy.

Links:

Purchase Blood of Ancient Opar: meteorhousepress.com/blood-of-ancient-opar/

Previous Discussions with Christopher Paul Carey on Ancient Opar: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuJQWW7HwryGrGGcaBlImOFOJpjO-xO3K

Christopher Paul Carey Website: cpcarey.com

Christopher Paul Carey Twitter: twitter.com/cpcarey

Explore the World of Lost Khokarsa: www.pjfarmer.com/khokarsa/khokarsa.htm

The Official Philip José Farmer Website: pjfarmer.com

Hey Jason!  Somehow, I thought I'd listened to this, but hadn't. Really good interview. I'll be getting this book and Hadon, King of Opar shortly and really look forward to reading them.

I hope that the alternate plotline (written by Farmer) for "Kwasin" that Chistopher Paul Carey mentioned is published sometime. CPC's future "Foundation of Kor" trilogy based on H. Rider Haggard sounds great.  Many people may not realize that Farmer included the city of Kor on his original Opar map from the '70s (it's on the farthest south edge). On a final note, it appears that Philip Jose Farmer intended his "Wentisuh" to become the Zu-Vendis of HRH's Allen Quatermain (an novel that REH loved).  


I can't recommend this series enough.

[Jason Aiken]

Thanks, Deuce. Glad you enjoyed the episode. You're in for a treat with HKOO and BOAO

Yeah the HRH novels are especially fun to read after reading the Khokarsa series. She, She and Allan, Allan Quatermain, Nada the Lily, and especially Allan and the Ice Gods all tie into Khokarsa.