Our 2021 ERBFest continues at this year’s PulpFest with a very special panel called “Beyond the Farthest Star: A Classic Science Fiction Novel Restored.” Moderated by Henry G. Franke III, editor of The Burroughs Bibliophiles, the nonprofit literary society devoted to the life and works of Edgar Rice Burroughs, our panel features Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. Director of Publishing, Christopher Paul Carey, and Vice President of Operations, Cathy Mann Wilbanks.
Join Cathy, Chris, and Henry on Friday, August 20, at 3:35 PM for a discussion of BEYOND THE FARTHEST STAR, a science fiction novel started by Edgar Rice Burroughs in 1940. A new and restored edition will hopefully be released by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. in time for ERBFest 2021.
According to his introduction to TALES OF THREE PLANETS — the Canaveral Press edition of “Beyond the Farthest Star,” “Tangor Returns,” “The Resurrection of Jimber-Jaw,” and “The Wizard of Venus” — the late Richard Lupoff writes:
When Part I of BEYOND THE FARTHEST STAR appeared in an adventure magazine in 1941, it was obviously intended as the opening sequence of a science-fantasy adventure novel . . . or more likely, as the beginning of a whole new series of novels in the tradition of Burroughs’ Mars, Venus, and Pellucidar series.
Burroughs had worked out his imaginary planet of Poloda in great detail, so that, before transporting the heroic Tangor there, ERB had carefully determined the geography and astronomical relationships of the planet, had devised a Polodan language and alphabet, and had invented an entire social, political, and economic structure for the Polodans. He mapped the surface of the planet and charted the entire solar system of the star Omos, in which Poloda lies, far beyond the Globular Cluster NGC 7006, 450,000 light-years from Earth.
First published in the January 1942 issue of THE BLUE BOOK MAGAZINE, Edgar Rice Burroughs’ novella, “Beyond the Farthest Star,” concerns an American pilot who is about to die in a dogfight during the Second World War. Seconds from death on his home planet, he finds himself transported to the war-torn world of Poloda. Called Tangor, “from nowhere,” by the planet’s inhabitants, the pilot takes the side of the country of Unis in the war.
In his analysis of the BLUE BOOK story and its sequel, “Tangor Returns,” David A. Adams writes, “Although the 101-year-old war is a deplorable situation, the other side (the Kapars) turn out to be repressive of all human freedoms. In fact, it is an aggregate picture of the dictatorships in Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia in 1940 when the stories were written.”
After witnessing the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Burroughs set the Poloda series aside. Although he did not abandon fiction writing, the author volunteered to become a war correspondent. He was 66 when the United States entered the war, becoming the oldest war correspondent to serve in the Pacific theater.
Serving through the end of the war, Burroughs reported on troop activities and even took part in bombing runs. He returned to California following World War II and devoted himself to his family and business interests until his death on March 19, 1950. Unfortunately, he did not return to the star system of Omos and the world of Poloda.
“Beyond the Farthest Star: A Classic Science Fiction Novel Restored” is one of several panels and presentations that focus on Edgar Rice Burroughs and his work at this year’s PulpFest. We hope you’ll join us for the rest of our ERBFest programming: “The Amazing, Thrilling, and Fantastic Edgar Rice Burroughs” on Thursday, August 19, at 7:15 PM; “Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Unfinished Tales — Mars, Venus, Poloda, and Tarzan’s Africa” on Friday, August 20, at 3 PM; “The News from Tarzana: Thrilling Updates from Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.” on Friday, August 20, at 4 PM, and “Introducing Pulp’s Legacy of Adventure to a Younger Generation” on Saturday, August 21 at 8:50 PM. Topping things off is “A Barsoomian Bull Session,” hosted by Henry G. Franke III in the hotel’s lounge on Saturday, August 21, beginning at 11:00 PM. All these events are part of the ERBFest taking place at PulpFest 2021. There is no extra cost to attend our ERBFest activities.
The general public is welcome to attend our programming events. To learn more about our programming schedule, please click the Programming button at the top of this page.
For those who also want to enjoy our dealers’ room, you can join PulpFest by clicking the Registration button at the top of this page. And don’t forget to book a room at the DoubleTree. They’re going fast!
Edgar Rice Burroughs’ novella, “Beyond the Farthest Star” originally appeared in the January 1942 issue of THE BLUE BOOK MAGAZINE. Although the Burroughs tale is listed on the magazine’s cover, Herbert Morton Stoops’ cover painting is a patriotic naval scene inspired by the Second World War. Our featured image is Frank Frazetta’s cover painting for the 2021 Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. edition of BEYOND THE FARTHEST STAR: RESTORED EDITION. It was also used by Ace Books on the 1964 edition of the book. Frazetta painted a new cover illustration for the 1973 edition, also published by Ace Books. In addition to the title story, all editions of BEYOND THE FARTHEST STORE include “Tangor Returns.”
Cover art by Frank Frazetta featured on BEYOND THE FARTHEST STAR: RESTORED EDITION © 1964 Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Trademarks Beyond the Farthest Star™ and Edgar Rice Burroughs® owned by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. Associated logos, characters, names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks or registered trademarks of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. Used by Permission.
