The Book of Ptath - A.E. Van Vogt Book Review

Enter a review
of your own!

Other books by
author A.E. Van Vogt

"The Book of Ptath"
Message Board

Review Summaries

"THE BOOK OF PTATH is a fantasy novel published in 1943. The setting is Earth, 200 millions years from now. Peter Holworth wakes up in a state of amnesia. Little by little, he remembers that he's died in a battle during WWII and remarks that a second personality is living now in his body. In fact, a being named Ptath, is trapped in Holworth's body. Ptath had decided a long time ago to be incarnated in the body of a series of common people in order to learn empathy, a feeling that could help him rule his country Gonwonlane. But, during Ptath's absence, a being named Ineznia has seized the reins of power and begun a hunt in order to catch a still weak Ptath. Both have the ability to leave their carnal body and secretly pass from people to people by squatting their mind. Soon, as Ptath is recovering, a huge battle is in the air, involving the armed forces of the three continents."
Daniel Staebler, Resident A.E. Van Vogt Scholar

Click above for the new Obama Girl Parody video!

Overall Review

Our unique search engine breaks down books and movies into dozens of literary elements, all of which are searchable.

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 20%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 40%

Tone of book - very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - part earth & part fantasy world
Lifeform altered? Yes
Kind of alteration: - Under control of magical being
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - infantry soldier
Age: - 20's-30's
Has magical/special powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character: - can change shapes - mind control - teleportation
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - healthy but a geeky weakling

Main Adversary
Identity: - Female
Age: - long-lived adults
Profession/status: - religious figure
Has magical powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - can change shapes - mind control - teleportation
Eccentric: Yes - obsessed
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - throughout most of the book.
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
Earth setting: - distant future
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How much dialogue? - significantly more descript than dialog

Most similar books by Gordonator ranking
Top Dog by Jerry Jay Carroll
The Merchant of Death - Pendragon 1 by D.J. MacHale
Dragon's Pawn by Carol Dennis
Going Pear Shaped by Dennis Ellis Quinn
Sub Specie Aeternitatis by S. Amalia

Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

Try our new Star Wars & Star Trek puzzle pictures! Click here

Advertise with us
Feedback
Star Wars Revenge of the Sith plot spoilers
Hobbits
The politics game
The lawyer game

3 Book search options!
1) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
2) Detailed book search
(click here) or

3) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot below!

Animal Story

Clones

Coming of age

Cultural problems, alien culture

Explore/1st contact/ enviro story

Family relations

GIANT monster(s)

Horror story?

Inner Struggle

Lifeform altered?

Mental/magical powers focus

Parody

Political power play

Religious overtones?

Repressive society story

Robots, Computers, VR

Romance

Spying & Investigations

Tech./$$$/Info hunt

Time Travel story?

Training/Apprent.

War or Invasion

Games:
Trivia Masters!

Rescue your favorite
scifi characters from
slavery!

Talk to your favorite
scifi characters!

Eating New Yorkers
Computer Game

Pomeranians

Most recent TV & Movie discussions:

A Boy and His Dog: A Boy and His Dog 10/10/2008 3:56:33 PM

Blade Runner: Blade Runner 9/30/2008 11:13:46 PM

Blade Runner: Was Harrison Ford on Tranquilizers or an Actor's Strike When Filming Blade Runner? 9/20/2008 3:18:54 AM

Doctor Who: Who was the best companion? 9/18/2008 6:59:25 AM

Clash of the Titans: Clash of the Titans 9/7/2008 3:53:28 AM

Star Trek Enterprise: T'Pol shows her nude butt on Enterprise! 9/2/2008 3:20:24 AM

Star Trek Enterprise: Jolene Blalock on T'Pol and Star Trek Enterprise 9/2/2008 3:12:39 AM

Star Trek Enterprise: Is T'Pol supposed to be a Vulcan lesbian? 9/2/2008 3:02:45 AM

Charmed: How can Phoebe Halliwell get an abortion? 8/29/2008 10:02:34 PM

Alien Hunter : Alien Hunter 8/28/2008 1:25:23 PM

Newest slaves:
Mara Jade 3:44:10 PM
Princess Leia 3:41:55 PM
Queen Amidala/Padme (Natalie Portman) 3:39:24 PM
Sandra Buttock (Bullock) 3:34:49 PM
Denise Richards 3:32:53 PM
Sharon Stone 3:30:59 PM
Jennifer Loves Todoitt (Love Hewitt) 3:26:43 PM
Catherine Bell (JAG) 3:23:25 PM
Kirsten Dunce (Dunst) 3:20:56 PM
Bo Derek 3:16:47 PM
All slaves
(click here)

Celebrity interviews:
President George W. Bush 6:32:00 PM
Jan-Michael Vincent 2:16:51 PM
Captain Kathryn Janeway 3:47:46 PM
Jack ONeill (Richard Dean Anderson) 1:39:22 PM
Jennifer Aniston (Friends) 5:01:07 PM
All celebrities
(click here)