The Gates of Creation
Philip José Farmer
247 pages
published in 1965

The Gates of Creation is the second in Farmer's World of Tiers series, which started with The Maker of Universes. Unlike that, this one does not actually take place on the World of Tiers, but nevermind. When I started reading these two books I had vague plans to reread the entire series, but after The Gates of Creation my appetite for more Farmer has been slaked. Easy and fun to read as these novels are, they do resemble cotton candy in that you alwas think you want more of it than you can actually stomach. I still started reading the third book in the series, but gave up about three chapters in... Will try again when I feel a new craving for something sweet and light to read.

In the previous book, Wolff had won his rightful place as the ruler of the World of Tiers and now lives happily on its topmost level with his wife, Chryseis, whom he had to rescue from the previous Lord in the last book. He wakes up to find a six-pointed star floating in his bedroom, one of the ancient symbols of the Lords, the people who had created all these universes. Worse, Chryseis is missing and it turns out she is kidnapped by his father, Urizen, who sent the six-pointed star as an invitation to come and win her back...

Wolff of course has no choice but to do so, easily finding the pocket universe where Urizen wants him, which turns out to be a universe of six worlds, with one central planet around which five secondary planets revolve. Each of these planets is a different kind of deadly trap, with Wolff has no other option but to try and move through all five worlds in search of an entrance to the central planet and Urizen's palace, if he wants to free his wife. Each planet will do its best to kill him and there's no guarantee there's even a portal to Urizen's palace on any of them...

Fortunately, Wolff is not the only of Urizen's children who has been taken prisoner by him. Seven other Lords have been caught, including his sister Vala, who he used to love once (incest clearly being no taboo to the Lords). Together they can form a common front, though every one of them knows each one of the others will have little qualms about betraying them if needed. Still, they have to work together to escape all of dear old dad's traps and take their revenge...

As I said, this novel does not actually take place on the World of Tiers, but in an altogether different pocket universe. This new universe is much less interesting, largely because the various worlds in it have to function as traps for Wolff and his companions to escape from. It has little of the attraction of the World of Tiers, which was like an adventure themepark for twelve year olds. Without its appeal, this novel is only half as fun as the first one was. It's still not a bad diversion, but certainly not essential to read.

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