Perry Rhodan
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Perry Rhodan is a German sience fiction universe, established by Karl H. Scheer and Walter Ernstling, in a time when German sience fiction novelwriters had to use stupid american pseudonyms to be sucessfull (Walter Ernstling as Clark Darlton, Winfried Scholtz as W.W. Shols,...).
The first novel was published on September 8th, 1961. Now, nearly 40 years later, the series has become the world's biggest Sience Fiction story.
In 1984, the team celebrated reaching 1 billion (1.000.000.000) sold books. Meanwhile 12 authors are working full time, there are more than 2000 regular issues, additional 400 paperback and 60 hardcover novels, a spin off series, and much more. It alltogether takes about 18 meters in the bookshelf, and even as plain, unformated text, it would not fit on two CD-ROM's. And there is new stuff coming every week.
Perry Rhodan is currently also published in Japan, France, the Nederlands, Brazilia, United States, and Slovakia.
When landing as first man on the moon, Perry Rhodan finds there an alien Spaceship. Using the new technology he unifies mankind making them number one race in the galaxy. (What else should a human (American) hero do in his freetime?)
But soon the storyline leaves the typical "exploring and conquering new worlds" - theme, unveiling a fascinating metaphysical description of the structure of the universe.
Beside this, Perry Rhodan gives long and detailed information on future technologie (not just this star trek technobabel) and alien societies, big spaceship battles, and much more.
Heavily discussed are also several parallels between PR and Star Trek. The BORG for example have been described very similar (and decades earlier) in Perry Rhodan.
The first novel was published on September 8th, 1961. Now, nearly 40 years later, the series has become the world's biggest Sience Fiction story.
In 1984, the team celebrated reaching 1 billion (1.000.000.000) sold books. Meanwhile 12 authors are working full time, there are more than 2000 regular issues, additional 400 paperback and 60 hardcover novels, a spin off series, and much more. It alltogether takes about 18 meters in the bookshelf, and even as plain, unformated text, it would not fit on two CD-ROM's. And there is new stuff coming every week.
Perry Rhodan is currently also published in Japan, France, the Nederlands, Brazilia, United States, and Slovakia.
When landing as first man on the moon, Perry Rhodan finds there an alien Spaceship. Using the new technology he unifies mankind making them number one race in the galaxy. (What else should a human (American) hero do in his freetime?)
But soon the storyline leaves the typical "exploring and conquering new worlds" - theme, unveiling a fascinating metaphysical description of the structure of the universe.
Beside this, Perry Rhodan gives long and detailed information on future technologie (not just this star trek technobabel) and alien societies, big spaceship battles, and much more.
Heavily discussed are also several parallels between PR and Star Trek. The BORG for example have been described very similar (and decades earlier) in Perry Rhodan.
