The Quest for Fire
The Quest for Fire (French: La Guerre du feu, literally The War of Fire) is a 1911 Belgian fantasy novel by "J.-H. Rosny", the pseudonym of two brothers; the author was actually the elder of the two, Joseph Henri Honoré Boex (1856–1940).[1] It was first published in English in an abridged edition in 1967.[2]
 First US edition | |
| Author | J.-H. Rosny |
|---|---|
| Original title | La Guerre du feu |
| Translator | H Talbott |
| Illustrator | J. O. Bercher |
| Country | Belgium |
| Language | French |
| Genre | Historical, Prehistoric fiction, Adventure novel, Fantasy |
| Publisher | Pantheon Books (US) |
Publication date | 1911 |
Published in English | 1967 |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| ISBN | 0-14-006434-6 (UK Eng. trans.) & ISBN 0-345-30067-X (US Eng. trans.) |
| OCLC | 10813236 |
It was adapted into the critically acclaimed 1981 film Quest for Fire starring Ron Perlman. The film is not a faithful adaptation of the book.
Setting
The Quest for Fire takes place in 100,000 BC in Europe. The fauna of this period is omnipresent, including mammoths, cave lions, aurochs, cave bears, saber-toothed cats, giant elks and saiga antelopes. Several humanoid ethnicities live alongside animals: the Ulams (Neandertal-like hunters-gatherers who worship the fire and are able to ally themselves with beasts), the Wahs (people without shoulders from marshes), the Blue-Haired Men (huge four-handed simians with a bluish fur), the Men-Eaters (bestial cannibals) and the Red Dwarfs (extremely warmongering and xenophobic pygmies).
References
- According to the dust jacket of a 1967 edition it was the older brother of the Rosny brothers who was author.
- "The Quest for Fire: A Novel of Prehistoric Times (review)". Kirkus Reviews. April 1, 1967. Retrieved 13 October 2020.