High Couch of Silistra

I really wanted to like this book. When I requested it, the description deceived me into thinking this book was entirely what it isn’t.

First of all, I want to note that the author, Janet Morris, has a superb writing style. On top of that, she was pretty creative with a backstory and a “fantasy” setting. But realistically, it was just glorified rape porn. Which really, really shocked me. Because it comes out of nowhere, and once it starts, it seems like it never ends.

This book made me nauseous. I’ve only hated a select few books in my life, and this one now sits among them. The plot is about a woman who is essentially a prostitute, yet on another planet, in the future, and as a different species. It’s difficult to follow show more exactly what kind of world this place is in the beginning of the book. Anyway, she’s basically traveling from one place to another in search of her father, and along the way she is raped by literally every man she encounters. Anal rape, gang rape, and gay rape?? that they make her watch?? The book was offensive, and not only due to the rape, but because of the character. She doesn’t respect herself, she’s hardly fazed by all these men using her over and over again, and at certain points, even relishes in it.

The thing that may upset me the most is the reviews for this book. I just don’t understand. Although there are 5 stars reviews from men, there are several from women. Did we just read the same book? Am I the only one who went into this book not knowing it was essentially a sci-fi rape fantasy porno?

I don’t even think I can say anything more about this book, other than if you’re a woman, be wary. I’m still shocked it was actually written by a woman.

Again, I really wanted to like this book. And maybe if the whole plot didn’t surround around rape, it’d be a really good idea. But it’s just downright offensive.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. show less

This sword-and-planet yarn was the author's first novel, and given that its entire sub-genre tends to fall (at its best) into the "guilty pleasure" category, I think it's all right. I certainly liked it better than the Dray Prescott book (Warrior of Scorpio) which was my last reading in that field.

The sexual content is more explicit than Burroughs or Akers would deliver, and about comparable with Norman, although without the Gorean sadistic moralizing. In any case, it doesn't really rise to the level of erotica despite the protagonist's status as her homeworld's most celebrated courtesan-madame-sexual athelete.

The metaphysical positioning of the story seems to break with the Burroughs-Norman tradition of fraudulent cults fronting for show more alien gods. The main plot of Returning Creation--evidently the author's title for the book, restored in a later edition--is the quest undertaken by a semi-divine woman (the "creation" in question) to find her alien father. Most in her society are skeptical about the "seed-sower" legendry that identifies the god race to which her father seems to belong, but her experiences eventually vindicate the lore, and the story ends inconclusively with her accession to her heritage among her father's super-powerful people. Seeing that I have the sequels already in my possession, I expect to indulge my curiosity about where the author might take the narrative from that point. show less

Janet E. Morris’s High Couch of Silistra is Intense, Sex-Infused Fantasy for Thoughtful Readers

In 1977, an intellectual female author wrote a debut, fantasy/sci-fi novel featuring a heroine in a dystopic, alien world striving to discover her mysterious past & god-like ancestry; in 2015, her debut novel was reprinted. Some may assume I am referring to Tanith Lee who passed away recently; her 1975 debut The Birthgrave was reprinted in 1977 and this year which I just read/enjoyed/reviewed. However, I am referring to Janet Morris’s 1977 High Couch of Silistra; this reviews her ‘author’s cut’ version, coincidentally released this year. Janet Morris’s style is quite different that Lee’s, though fans of the Birthgrave would show more certainly devour High Couch.

Intense Sex: One would wrongly assume that High Couch of Silistra is a purely 1970-feminist-movement book; the role of sex, rape, and fertility is posited to make the reader tense. The protagonist Estri is a woman of Silistran origin (alien with human form) and most Silistran’s are reliant on humans to become impregnated, which is a rare event. The culture and expectations of purchased sex, often brutal but sometimes passionate, are constantly present. Somehow, Janet Morris manages to write all this erotic-infused adventure in an intellectual, almost dispassionate voice. This is not shallow romance/soft-pornography. Nor is High Couch of Silistra gratuitous whoring. This is mature-rated, engaging fantasy.

Tension: Without spoiling, note that characters watch their parents have intercourse, men rape other men, and woman lusting after men who abuse them. In real life, these situations would appall me. My test for rationalizing my comfort level and reading onward was: if Estri tolerated her predicaments, then so should I. The constant tension between the book’s acceptable behavior and today’s societal norms took me beyond reading the story. It made reading this more than adventure. It made me think. Janet Morris’s intent was to play with controversial sexual and societal themes; she delivered with Estri’s journey, full of codependent genders & races, an intricate alien world, and psychedelic magic.

Cover Art & Interview: In Janet Morris’s 2014 interview on Beauty in Weird Fiction she said that “Human extravagances and limitations are what, for me, Silistra is about, but it is not a series for the erotically-averse, or the intellectually timid.” As a reader/reviewer, I could not agree more with that self-assessment. In that interview she also noted her dislike of the 1977 cover art Boris Vallejo that depicted Estri with a brass bra and Gucci boots. For the author’s cut, she employed artist Roy Mauritsen who presented a more intellectual design for the Silsitra quartet by dividing the Dancing Maenad in (a Roman relief) over the four books (photo by Ana Belén Cantero Paz).

Genre & Theme: This futuristic, dystopian world has science-fiction elements (space/time travel, some technology), but leans toward fantasy (alien beasts with hybrid/mythological designs; sorcery like telepathy/mind reading; fighting that is melee/blade-focused). Ubiquitous themes of procreation, fertility, and “shaping” the world add depth.
The Silstra Quartet seriesThe series continues, the remaining three presumably to be released in the near future (since the covers are designed.) show less

A re-read.

I first read this book because my mom checked it out of the library for me. She knew I liked fantasy, and came home with a random selection of paperbacks... this was one of them. I was probably eleven or twelve? My mom was not a fan of 'trashy' books, and I read this with big eyes, hoping that she didn't decide to peek inside... Nope, she never did, and I got all the sequels out of the library later, too. She had absolutely no idea what she'd provided me with.

My five-star rating is taking that early experience into consideration. Is this a great work of literature? No. But it was certainly something that made a lasting impression on me. Going back to read it again, decades later, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it.

I show more remembered the basic story: Estri, a beautiful woman of the planet Silistra, is the High Couch of Astria - one of the most powerful people on the planet, and also a high-paid prostitute. Due to their difficulty in having children, Silistra has developed an interesting economic system. Promiscuous sexuality is expected, and status and power is centered around the 'wells' - brothels run and controlled by women. However, this is no 'feminist' paradise - a woman becomes a man's property if he manages to impregnate her. Childbearing is one of the most important social responsibilities on Silistra, symbolized by the twisted chain called the chald worn by all upstanding citizens - so it's a desired outcome.

Born into the Well system, Estri has no idea who her father is, but knows that he was an offworlder. When her mother dies, she lays an obligation on her to find her father. The book follows Estri on this quest. And along the way, Estri has a lot of sex. Of various kinds. A lot of it thoroughly non-consensual. With a great many different people.

On re-reading, the sex wasn't quite as graphically explicit as I'd remembered, but it was clear enough, and, really, just as racy as I'd thought it was. Some of the descriptions (especially of the outfits) were amusingly 1970's-tinged. I still found it enormously entertaining. Just keep in mind that this is primarily a sex-fantasy and only secondarily a sci-fi-fantasy. However, it doesn't allow the sex to get in the way of a good story either, or to 'dumb it down.' The mix works for me.

If you like 'Barbarella' - you'll probably like this series.

Many thanks to Perseid Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the newly released eBook. As always, my opinions are solely my own. show less

A nice quick fantastical SF story. The plot moves on at a nice pace and never over stays its welcome. The quick moving plot does leave a number of characters and situations unresolved. I was disappointed that the other books in the series are not available on the kindle.

Underwhelming......disappointing.......lame.

This was really more of a two star book but I am giving it one star to equalize the overall rating.....way too many unjustified 5 star ratings. I have to wonder if these people actually read this book or if they are part of the group of pseudo-intellectuals who pretend to read these type of books and write erroneous reviews of its quality and significance.

The characters - Not what I would call fleshed out.....paper thin and semi-one dimensional is a more accurate description.

The plot - Boring, slow and not one single thought or concept was introduced that was not already a trite redundancy.

The world building - Usually the best part of fantasy.....this world was really underdeveloped. Their show more societal structure, infrastructure, customs and traditions were poorly described or just not mentioned at all. To me, world building should consist of more than just inventing one new creature (a big cat with wings) and slapping new words onto already existing creatures ie: threx for horses, parr for hogs, denter for cattle, etc.

To put it succinctly........this book sucked. I would recommend it to people who don't like to read, because this book encourages a person to do anything else. Hmmm......I could clean the toilet or I could read (glances over at a copy of The High Couch of Silistra....)okay, cleaning the toilet it is! show less

I thought this was an overlong book with shallow characters unfortunately.
Maybe later novels in the series will be better.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Perseid Press via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.