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William Tenn
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Of Men and Monsters Mass Market Paperback – 1 Jan. 1981

by william-tenn (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars 92 ratings
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  1. Print length
    251 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    TRAFALGAR SQUARE +
  4. Publication date
    1 Jan. 1981
  5. ISBN-10
    0345295234
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0345295231
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ TRAFALGAR SQUARE +
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 1 Jan. 1981
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 251 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0345295234
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0345295231
  • Item weight ‏ : ‎ 142 g
  • Best Sellers Rank: 2,514 in Dystopian
  • Customer reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 92 ratings

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William Tenn

William Tenn

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
92 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book enjoyable, with one describing it as a fantastic old school sci-fi book. They appreciate its thought-provoking content, particularly its engaging premise.

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8 customers mention ‘Enjoyment’8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable, with one describing it as a fantastic old school sci-fi book.

"This is an fantastic old school sci-fi book, overlooked by history...." Read more

"...Like all good satires, the ending is bizarre but at the same time believable, given the circumstances described...." Read more

"...I absolutely loved this. Some works just seem to hit a perfect note as this did with me...." Read more

"This is a nice little book, a future primitive tale that is actually a satire on humanity and our inflated view of ourselves. Sounds boring?..." Read more

4 customers mention ‘Thought provoking’4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking with a great premise, and one customer describes it as fascinating.

"Great premise, started off well but the idiomatic language and the risible female characterisation turned me totally off...." Read more

"...attempts to hit back at 'the monsters' in a very unusual but engaging way, and hit has a wonderfully twisted but satisfying conclusion...." Read more

"An entertaining book with thought provoking subject matter well worth a read for any SF fan . Personally id like to see a film made but that's just me" Read more

"Throughly enjoyed. Quite an insight considering it was written in 1968...." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 April 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This is an fantastic old school sci-fi book, overlooked by history. The narrative has the earth having been colonised centuries earlier by monstrous giant aliens, who came to earth and because of their technology and sheer size brushed humanity aside. Humans now live in the walls of their homes as vermin, stealing from their larders and being no more than a nuisance.

    It follows humanity's petty struggles and its pathetic attempts to hit back at 'the monsters' in a very unusual but engaging way, and hit has a wonderfully twisted but satisfying conclusion. Would recommend!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • humanitysdarkerside
    4.0 out of 5 stars Deserves being called a classic
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 April 2013
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    "Of Men and Monsters" is another novel that belongs in the classic category. It's not very difficult to see that William Tenn likes to turn things upside down. He is considered one of the foremost satirists of his generation and he is very good at making me think about mankind in a different way. Like all good satires, the ending is bizarre but at the same time believable, given the circumstances described. I've seen that others have found the book hilarious, but I can't say that I did. To me, "Of Men and Monsters" was more thoughtfully funny.

    I couldn't help thinking of Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men" (one of the most beautifully written books I've read) when I read the title. "Of Men and Monsters" is Tenn's only full-length novel. I read it one reading, not wanting to put it down. These old-timers were excellent writers.

    In "Of Men and Monsters" the earth has been conquered by gigantic aliens (monsters). Humans have become vermin, living in the walls of the houses of these monsters living like mice, rats and cockroaches off the spoils of the monsters. One of the tribes of men calls itself Mankind. In Mankind lives a boy (soon to be man) called Eric the Only (single child). As part of his initiation as a man, Eric needs to go out into the Monster territory. As his journey progresses he finds betrayal, adventure and love.

    People are treated pretty much as we treat our own lab animals. Experiment on them or kill them. Tenn also makes fun of the way people behave when their beliefs self-images are challenged. We pretty much see people behaving as people would, and there really is nothing funnier than that.
    One person found this helpful
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  • amak
    5.0 out of 5 stars My favourite book I have read this year and highly recommended.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 December 2012
    Verified Purchase
    I had never read any William Tenn before that I remember, although short fiction often flies by without the authors name being registered, but I have now added this name to my favourite authors list on the strength of this one w Orkney. I absolutely loved this. Some works just seem to hit a perfect note as this did with me. I am going to tell you nothing about it so don't look here for a plot review. If I could forget having read a book and get to read it again I would choose this one. So until I find another to please me more, and believe me I read a lot of SF, this is my current favourite.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Tony Fryer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Science Fiction
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 April 2023
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    Absolute stone-cold classic. This kind of thing has been done many times before and since. This is possibly the best.
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  • Jason
    4.0 out of 5 stars Rats in the Walls
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 April 2013
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    This is a nice little book, a future primitive tale that is actually a satire on humanity and our inflated view of ourselves. Sounds boring? It's not.

    After being invaded by an alien species, what's left of humanity lives by becoming scavengers, literally rats in the walls. Despite this, they still dream of striking back and becoming the rulers of Earth once more.

    The book explores the alien Earth through the eyes of Eric the Only, a newly-initiated male in the tribe of Mankind (all 128 of them). As well as living under the alien's dominion, he has to survive political and religious conflict among what's left of humanity.

    It's not a large book, but it didn't need to be to tell its story. Unlike some, I don't a sequel was necessary, there was no doubt of what humanity's destiny would be.

    I'm glad this one has been resurrected by the SF Masterworks imprint; it deserves to be read again and remembered.
    One person found this helpful
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  • PRESTON WAREHAM
    3.0 out of 5 stars So so sci-fi ish simple story.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 31 July 2021
    Nice book. Nothing too exciting to shout about but fairly good read.
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  • A. M. Warman
    5.0 out of 5 stars brilliant
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 July 2012
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    An entertaining book with thought provoking subject matter well worth a read for any SF fan . Personally id like to see a film made but that's just me
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Paul de Vissec
    4.0 out of 5 stars A classic
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 November 2014
    Verified Purchase
    As most of the other reviewers so far have written, it is a nice book.

    I had read years ago Part I of the story, which appeared with the title "The Men In The Walls" in "Monsters - Isaac Asimov's Wonderful Worlds of Science Fiction - 8" (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asimov-Al-Eds-Monsters-Signet/dp/0451154118/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1416671153&sr=8-8&keywords=monsters+asimov%27s). It had a hanging ending, and left me wanting to read me from William Tenn.

    When I realized a few weeks ago that the story was in fact longer, I ordered "Of Men and Monsters".

    Part II is longer than Part I, but not so interesting. The plot is slightly weaker, and the end, as another reviewer pointed out, is a bit disappointing, and again a bit of a hanging ending.

    Nevertheless, "Of Men and Monsters" is a quite enjoyable book, and I agree with the reviewer who called it a classic.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • jpf
    4.0 out of 5 stars Wirklich gut - Spannend und lustig wenn auch am Schluß etwas platt
    Reviewed in Germany on 11 August 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Eine nette kleine Satire. Es macht viel Spaß das zu Lesen und es ist sogar recht spannend. Das Ende ist allerdings ein klein wenig platt, der Witz darin ist etwas abgestanden. Dennoch - es lohnt!
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  • frsLVI
    5.0 out of 5 stars It's the book I was Looking For.
    Reviewed in the United States on 10 July 2023
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    The right book in excellent condition. One of the first Science Fiction books I read as a child.
    Always stuck in my mind.
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  • M. J. Rumpf
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book
    Reviewed in the United States on 3 June 2014
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    What if Earth was attacked by creatures with advanced technology that obliterated our world? What if people were forced to live in the walls of the homes of these “monsters” like, well, bugs? These are the questions William Tenn uses to springboard “Of Men & Monsters” and consider what might happen if humans were knocked down a couple of pegs on the dominant species list. How would we rationalize what we’ve done to each other, to the very world around us, if we were no longer on top? Written in 1968, the questions and concerns of our human-centric culture still ring true in this sci-fi gem about people, their societies and the need to forget dogma and think independently. Our survival depends on it.
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  • Michael Valdivielso
    5.0 out of 5 stars Rats, cockroachs and men.
    Reviewed in the United States on 29 July 2005
    Verified Purchase
    Eric was one of the tribe of Mankind. 128 people who lived together under the feet of the Monsters. 128 people who hated anybody outside their tribe. Strangers, outsiders, wild men, none of them could be trusted.

    Yet Mankind one day planned to push the Monsters off the planet, the planet Earth, which the Monsters had invaded so many years ago. Yet how would they do this? With Ancestor-Science which had failed against the Monsters? Or with Alien-Science which they could not understand? Or did they need to try something new?

    On top of that is the infighting, between those who have power and those who did not. Men fought men, plotted against their own leaders and made themselves allies of other tribes.

    A amazing ending yet also a delightful and realistic one. WOW.
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  • A. D. Turner
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great memory from 1967
    Reviewed in the United States on 10 May 2012
    Verified Purchase
    I first read this book in 1967. The opening line is what hooked me on the story. I forgot the name of the book and the author for many years and just recently decided if I could find that book that was so interesting so many years ago. After a few searches the book was found offered on Amazon.com. A very interesting account of humans dealing with a take over of Earth by huge aliens.
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