History Literature / Riverworld

There was also a {{GURPS}} setting adapting the novels (copies of it were given to the writers of the anthology stories as references), a video game and two adaptations on Creator/{{Syfy}}. Aside from the basic concepts, neither had much to do with the original.

There was also a {{GURPS}} setting adapting the novels (copies of it were given to the writers of the anthology stories as references), a video game and two adaptations on the SyFy Channel. Aside from the basic concepts, neither had much to do with the original.

The SciFiChannel made two pilots for a possible television series -- one in 2003, the other in 2010.

* GeniusBruiser: Joe Miller is an 800 lb prehistoric "titanthrop" who is the most fearsome warrior in the series. He is also capable of matching wits with his best friend [[MarkTwain Samuel Clemens]] and with {{Cyrano de Bergerac}}.

* UsefulNotes/EsperantoTheUniversalLanguage

* HeyItsThatGuy: For ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'' fans -- Helo and Gaeta.
** For the 2010 adaptation, [[Series/{{Highlander}} Methos]] is Sir Richard Francis Burton.

** Sir Richard Burton was British. This is an American adaptation. [[EvilBrit What else could you expect?]]

* ActualPacifist: Many of the Second Chancers

* HeyItsThatGuy: For ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|Reimagined}}'' fans -- Helo and Gaeta.

* MetalPoorPlanet: The Riverworld was designed this way to help the human race concentrate on spiritual things. [[spoiler: Until a meteor hits.]]

* TheAtoner: Goring

* TooDumbToLive: Dan in the 2010 movie, to the point where you can't really disagree with Pizarro's later comment that he finds Americans rather arrogant. Seriously, what kind of moron walks up to a bunch of heavily armed conquistadors, hellbent on flaunting their law degree at them?

* RelationshipWritingFumble: Matt has more chemistry with Tomoe than his ''actual'' love interest, mostly due to Jessie having very little screentime that aren't flashbacks.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Burton comes across as this, since he's basically right about the [[CrapsackWorld Riverworld]] being a [[GladiatorGames giant game]] for someone else's amusement and no-one ever really gives a valid counterargument as to exactly why they ''should'' save it?

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Burton unintentionally comes across as this, since no-one ever really gives a valid counterargument as to exactly why they ''should'' save the [[CrapsackWorld Riverworld?]]

* BuryYourGays: Averted in the 2010 adaptation, where two of the main characters are a gay couple, but survive through the entire story. Played straight as well, since technically they died within the first ten minutes.

* BuryYourGays: Averted; in the 2010 adaptation two of the main characters are a gay couple, but they don't die. They can't die! They do spend all their time running around looking for each other after each not-quite-death though.

''Riverworld'' is a novel series by Creator/PhilipJoseFarmer detailing the adventures of humanity in a world reshaped into one long a river-valley. All humans that have ever been born are mysteriously restored to life with a body in its prime, and left to live in this world. There are no ores to make tools more advanced than Paleolithic, so humans are incapable of getting to the other side of the mountains that block the sides of the river. Humans that are killed awaken the next day somewhere else on the river.

There was also a {{GURPS}} setting adapting the novels (copies of it were given to the writers of the anthology stories as references), and two adaptations on the SyFy Channel. Aside from the basic concepts, neither had much to do with the original.

* HeyItsThatGuy: For ''BattlestarGalactica'' fans -- Helo and Gaeta.

* DidNotDoTheResearch: Tomoe Gozen uses a two-blade fighting style developed hundreds of years after her death. Possibly a reference to novels about her by Jessica Amanda Salmonson.

* GladiatorGames: (2003) Nero is captured and placed in the arena to fight to the death. Unfortunately he's in his element (a case of DidNotDoTheResearch as Nero entered the arena to race chariots) and not only quickly defeats his opponent, but also the local BigBad, [[YouKillItYouBoughtIt taking his throne]]. In the 2010 movie Burton thinks this is the true purpose of Riverworld.

* ArmyOfTheAges: Nearly any military force in the ''{{Riverworld}}'' books is this trope, by nature of the series.