Is there any substantial adventure fiction, 20K words or more, in which a eunuch or nullo is the hero?

Hardball (imported) wrote: Sun Nov 27, 2022 11:02 pm Is there any substantial adventure fiction, 20K words or more, in which a eunuch or nullo is the hero?

Of course have!

For example, I love long stories...

(I hope you know how to use the "Fiction Archive" library).

In mainstream literature, or on our Fiction Archive?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Persian_Boy is about Bagoas, a boy captured, sold into slavery, and castrated, who was bought by the Persian King Darius III and later became property of and the lover of Alexander the Great after he defeated Darius III. The story is told from the perspective of Bagoas.

A couple of books come to mind. One might not be called adventure fiction, but it is well written; I enjoyed it. It is described as "historical fantasy", featuring a castrato singer and a woman who is a duchess or something. "Masks and Shadows" by Stephanie Burgis.

Another one I have but haven't read yet is one of a series of mysteries that take place during Roman Empire times. It is a "John the Eunuch Mystery" by Mary Reed and Eric Mayer...apparently there is a series of these. I look forward to reading it.

"River God", first book in the ancient Egypt series by Wilbur Smith. Apart from being a long and very readable tale, the emasculation scene is quite graphic

Anne Rice with Cry to Heaven.

A young man has his younger brother, who is a bit old for it - but not pubescent - castrated, so as to get the boy out of the picture so that he can inherit the family fortune. The boy is taken in by the Castrato Headmaster (I think) of a music school, where hi-jinks and adventure ensue. The boy comes to terms with what has happened to him. Other Castrati come and go. Years go by. Concerts, fame, boyfriends, girlfriends. Plot twist, and then they ____________.

The End

Elizabeth mentioned the "John the Eunuch" series of mystery novels set in the Byzantine Empire. It is an on-going series with 12 novels so far:

Reed, Mary & Eric Mayer. (2000 - ?). John the Eunuch series of mystery novels. Scottsdale, AZ: Poisoned Pen Press.

This is an on-going series of novels set in 6th century Byzantium. The central character is John the Eunuch, chamberlain to the Emperor Justinian. Beginning with the tenth volume in the series, the series name is changed to “John the Lord Chamberlain Series”. Already published are

One for Sorrow (2000)

Two for Joy (2000)

Three for a Letter (2001)

Four for a Boy (2005)

Five for Silver (2004)

Six for Gold (2005)

Seven for a Secret (2008)

Eight for Eternity (2012)

Nine for the Devil (2012)

John the Lord Chamberlain Series

Ten for Dying (2014)

Murder in Megara (2015)

An Empire for Ravens (2018)

Charlie Jewett has publshed three novels that originally appeared in serial form on the Eunuch Archive. (He has more stories on the Archive and more published that may be the ones from here, though I haven't checked). Interestingly, Amazon has listed the three novels with a eunuch protagonist under Young Adult fiction!

Jewett, Charlie. (2000). Blood Brothers (a novel). Atlanta: Misty Mountain Books. 373 pp.

Jewett, Charlie. (2002). The Commitment (a novel). n.p.: 1st Books.

Jewett, Charlie. (2003). Some Through the Fire (a novel). Baltimore, MD: PublishAmerica.

JesusA (imported) wrote: Wed Nov 30, 2022 12:39 pm Charlie Jewett has publshed three novels that originally appeared in serial form on the Eunuch Archive. (He has more stories on the Archive and more published that may be the ones from here, though I haven't checked). Interestingly, Amazon has listed the three novels with a eunuch protagonist under Young Adult fiction!

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Now there is a name I've not seen in ages. I seem to remember 'ole Charlie himself was castrated in the mid to late 1990's. I've not heard from him since about the time he wrote these books. I actually met him online before the EA was a thing. I found him in an old Usenet group, probably in 1996. I found out he lived nearby a place I was getting ready to move to then, but I never actually got to meet him.