First published in 1963, Planet Of The Apes spawned a global media franchise including several television remakes and an Oscar®-nominated film. This stunning new edition from The Folio Society returns Pierre Boulle’s story to its literary roots with the definitive translation by Xan Fielding.
Set on the idyllic-looking planet of Soros, the story follows three astronauts who leave Earth in the year 2500. Initially ecstatic to find a lush biosphere with human inhabitants, Ulysse and his fellow travellers are shocked to discover that the pathetic human population is ruled by an intellectually superior civilisation of apes. The apes are cultured, educated and technologically advanced… yet they hunt humans for sport, subject them to scientific experiments and keep them in captivity.
Accompanying the story is a specially commissioned introduction by world-renowned primatologist Frans de Waal, who unpicks the unnerving reality of Boulle’s moral allegory within our own world.
These terrifying scenes are electrified by David de las Heras’ bold and dramatic artwork. This new edition includes a total of seven incredible illustrations that inject the reader even further into Boulle’s dark narrative. Beautifully bound and slipcased with a gorilla in military attire on the binding, this is the ultimate edition of Pierre Boulle’s seminal classic.
In an introduction written exclusively for The Folio Society edition, Frans de Waal writes:
“Apart from an attack on human superiority, the book’s main purpose seems to be to broach ethical dilemmas related to the human–animal divide. We conduct experiments on animals to develop medical advances, and also hunt and eat them. Both habits are challenged by Boulle by reversing the roles between us and other species. There is, for example, the scene where human bodies are laid out after the hunt, while a photographer captures successful gorilla hunters with a foot proudly placed on the corpses, or female gorillas striking graceful poses next to the trophies, showing off their decorated hats.”
The Folio Society edition of Pierre Boulle’s Planet Of The Apes, translated by Xan Fielding, introduced by Frans de Waal and illustrated by David de las Heras, is available exclusively from www.FolioSociety.com
This article was originally posted on SciFiNow
