The Fabulous Riverboat

infobox Book |
name = The Fabulous Riverboat
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Philip José Farmer
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series = Riverworld
genre = Science Fiction
publisher = Putnam Publishing Group
release_date = 1971
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Hardcover & Paperback)
pages =
isbn = ISBN 0853911975
preceded_by = To Your Scattered Bodies Go, 1971
followed_by = The Dark Design, 1977

"The Fabulous Riverboat" is a science fiction novel, the second book in the Riverworld series by Philip José Farmer.

Parts of the novel were originally published in "If" magazine as "The Felled Star" (1967) and "The Fabulous Riverboat" (1971).

Overview

Departing from the plot of "To Your Scattered Bodies Go", the first novel, "The Fabulous Riverboat" follows the efforts of Samuel Clemens to find a way to build a riverboat on the metal poor Riverworld. In the process he must confront a tenth century Viking, make friends with a member of another hominid species, and makes an uneasy alliance with King John Lackland.

Plot

The book begins about twenty years after humanity was resurrected, with Sam Clemens traveling as a member of the crew of a Viking longboat. The boat is captained by Eric Bloodaxe, who is notable for having an axe made of metal. On the metal-poor Riverworld, where even a few ounces of metal is a treasure, this is a rarity. Clemens and Bloodaxe have allied in order to find the source of this metal. Clemens is accompanied on his quest by a gigantic prehistoric hominid whom he has named Joe Miller. Miller, despite being very cordial, and talking with a lisp, is a fearsome warrior because of his size and serves to protect Clemens from Bloodaxe's crew.

Early on it is revealed that, before the start of the novel, Clemens was contacted by a mysterious being whom he named X. X claimed to be a member of the beings who were responsible for resurrection, although he disagreed with their goals. He was aware of Clemens desire to build a metal riverboat, and assured the author that the metal needed to realise this dream could be found upriver. Ever since, Clemens has been traveling to find this metal. He is also motivated in his quest by his desire to be reunited with his terrestrial wife, Livy, and one of his common activities is to scan the banks of the river with a telescope in the vain hope of catching sight of her.

As the ship travels along the river, a meteor streaks across the sky and impacts the ground somewhere upriver. This sends a ferocious tidal wave shooting down the river, which scours the banks clear of people and vegetation and which destroys most of the watercraft in the area. Clemens survives, mostly due to luck and the Viking's seamanship skills, although he receives a cruel fright when a body washes up on deck and it turns out to be his long lost wife. She had been in the area but will now be resurrected thousands of miles from him.

In the wake of the tidal wave the crew of the ship, and all other survivors in the region, are put to sleep by a strange fog. When they awake the valley has been restored to a pristine condition even though less than a day has passed. Clemens quickly realizes that the meteor likely contains a source of metal and the crew sets out to look for it. They are soon joined by German aviator Lothar von Richthofen, a World War One ace and brother of the famous Red Baron. Lothar becomes a trusted ally of Clemens and an additional ally against Bloodaxe.

When the crew reaches the area where the meteor fell, they find a new group of resurrectees who have formed a nascent kingdom. The crew quickly kill the leaders and assume control of the region for themselves. They begin mining the metal from the meteorite. However, Clemens does not trust Bloodaxe, and has his co-leader assassinated.

As more metal is exhumed from the ground the technology level of the area begins to rise. Firearms are reintroduced, for example. A good portion of the central part of the book deals with Clemens diplomatic efforts to arrange for the resources he needs. While the meteorite is rich in nickel and iron he needs other materials to manufacture modern conveniences and needs trees for even basic smelting. To get these resources he must trade much of his metal to neighboring kingdoms. Many of these kingdoms eye his own kingdom jealously and Clemens is constantly on guard lest he be invaded and his precious mine taken from him. Of particular concern is a neighboring kingdom lead by the English King John Lackland. Eventually King John and another kingdom team up to invade Clemens' land. However, Clemens makes a deal with King John to united their lands. John betrays his one-time ally and forms the nation of Parolando with Clemens.

As production begins on the boat, Clemens, ever suspicious of King John, receives a rude personal shock when his wife shows up in the company of Cyrano de Bergerac. In the intervening years Livy has become Cyrano's lover. When the Frenchman, who is noted as one of the best swordsmen in the world, had heard of a kingdom with metal, he became obsessed with traveling there in order to obtain a proper sword. Despite his discomfort with the situation, Clemens quickly warms to Cyrano, and the Frenchman becomes part of Clemens' inner circle.

Diplomatic problems continue for Parolando, most notably with nearby "Soul City" a primarily black kingdom founded by a black nationalist. Demanding ever increasing payments for its resources, Soul City eventually attacks Parolando, almost conquering the nation until Clemens dynamites a dam, sending a wave of water to sweep his enemies into the river.

Despite such setbacks, Clemens builds his riverboat, a side paddle wheeler which the people, against his wishes, name the "Mark Twain". However, on the day of its christening, King John betrays Clemens and steals the ship. As the boat steams away, Clemens vows to build an even bigger and better boat and to exact revenge on King John.