Traitor to the Living (1973) is a science fiction novel by American writer Philip José Farmer. The story follows Herald Childe, a private detective, who is also the lead character in two earlier Farmer novels published as pornography by Essex House.[1] In this non-erotic novel, the lead character is clearly Herald Childe, but it follows the events of a never-written third book which left Childe amnesiac.

Traitor to the Living
First edition cover
AuthorPhilip José Farmer
Cover artistHans Ulrich & Ute Osterwalder
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
SeriesHerald Childe
GenreScience fiction
PublisherBallantine Books
Publication date
1973
Media typePrint
ISBN0-345-23613-0
OCLC2210396
Preceded byBlown: or Sketches Among the Ruins of My Mind 
Followed byImage of the Beast 

Reception edit

Lester del Rey found the novel to be "fascinating, and a good adventure thriller."[2] Edgar L. Chapman described it as "a novel of serious intrigue, quite conventional in its treatment of sex", but faulted it because it "not only lacks humor, but does not create much suspense either."[3]

References edit

  1. ^ "Farmer, Philip Jose", The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, St. Martin's, 1995
  2. ^ "Reading Room", If, April 1974, p.42
  3. ^ Edgar L. Chapman, The Magic Labyrinth of Philip Jose Farmer, Whitehall, 1984, p.29

Sources edit