Jesus on Mars
by Philip José Farmer
US $25 tpb/$60 hc
5.5×8.5, 320 pages
Trade Paperback
Limited Edition based on number of preorders
Paperback Art by Keith Howell
Richard Orme, Canadian astronaut and former Olympian, is confused. . .
As the captured leader of Earth’s first expedition to Mars, he is eager to learn just what game his Martian “hosts” are playing. The man in the golden orb that floats above their subterranean cities—is he really the historical Jesus? And if this “Jesus” returns to Earth, will history repeat itself? Orme does not know who to turn to in this strange, hollowed-out planet—not the alien and technologically advanced Krsh teachers, not the descendants of Jewish settlers on Mars, not the man they call Jesus, not even the beautiful Martian whose dangerous love so kindles his desires. . .
Originally only published in paperback (Pinnacle Books, 1979), Jesus on Mars, like last year’s first hardcover edition of The Stone God Awakens, is also thoroughly deserving of a first hardcover edition. This may be one of Farmer’s lesser-known novels but all who read it will marvel at the imagination and innovation of our favorite Grand Master. Who else but Farmer could conceive a tale where aliens and ancient Jews live in peace on Mars, under the watchful eye of a man they know as Jesus Christ.
Meteor House is proud to give Jesus on Mars the hardcover limited edition it deserves, with beautiful wraparound cover art, variant paperback art, and interior illustrations by the illustrious Keith Howell. This edition will also feature some amazing bonus material:
Hardcover Art by Keith Howell
- An introduction by psychologist, and long-time Farmer friend, Tracy Knight, ruminating on themes close to Farmer’s psyche—religion, immortality, and the quest for unknowable answers.
- An afterword by Meteor House art director and Farmer expert, Keith Howell, examining Farmer’s use of Trickster mythology and how this novel possibly exposes the greatest trickster of all time.
- A 26,000-word abridgment of the novel that Farmer prepared for publication in Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine. The story behind this failing to materialize, and how the abridgment came to be published in Riverworld War: The Suppressed Fiction of Philip José Farmer, is told in Farmer’s own words.
This book is available in a Trade Paperback and Signed Hardcover Limited Editions (signed by Keith Howell and Tracy Knight). The hardcover features a leatherette cover with gold foil stamping and custom printed endsheets—a high quality collectible in the tradition of Meteor House’s prior limited-edition hardcovers.
We’re taking preorders now and both editions will ship as early as June 2023. The print run of the hardcover will be determined by the number of preorders, so reserve your copy today!
Special Limited Time Preorder Pricing:
- Buy both for only $80 (plus a further discount with combined shipping) — Save $5 off the cover prices!
Important Note: If you preorder this book, and purchase any in-stock item at the same time (in the same shopping cart), we may either need to charge additional postage for separate shipments, or you may need to wait until June to have all the books shipped together. We’ll be in touch to discuss your options if this is the case.
About the Author
Philip José Farmer (1918–2009) was a three-time Hugo award winner and named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, capping a distinguished career of over fifty novels and one hundred short stories. He is best known for his Riverworld and World of Tiers series, the Dayworld series, and for the Wold Newton Family, which includes many recognizable characters such as Tarzan, Doc Savage, Nero Wolfe, and Sherlock Holmes. He has long been recognized as one of the foremost writers in the fields of science fiction and fantasy. Visit his official website at www.pjfarmer.com.