After an astronaut crashes, he finds himself in a rejuvenated body on a Waterworld. He also finds that he is surrounded with souls from many different eras and an alien being that died on Earth in the future. Immediately captured by a ruling group, the astronaut finds himself leading a group fighting for freedom. Also the soul of Nero Claudius has found its way to Riverworld and wants to resume his role as Emperor.—John Sacksteder
Hale, an American astronaut dies and is reincarnated with other persons who have lived throughout all of human history and end up on a mysterious planet called 'Riverworld'. The humans are left to their own devices and create tribal fiefdoms and succumb to brutal wars and raids. A mysterious race of hooded 'beings' oversee them - sometimes intervening, but their motives are unknown. Anyone who has ever lived and died on Earth comes here rather than 'the afterlife', even an extra-terrestrial called Monat, who had the unfortunate luck of dying on planet Earth in 2039. Hale leads a revolt and joins with others on a large boat to explore this mysterious new world.