Gothic Silk

Space relations;: A slightly Gothic interplanetary tale Customer Review: Wow! a sexy Sci fi thriller from a classical scholar.
This was published in 1971, and is a brilliant combination of economics, politics and dirty fighting. Not surprising really, since the author was in the OSS in Germany, when he wasn’t displaying flashes of lightning at Columbia, etc.
This is story about John Craig, a young man in the state department of the future, who is confidently looking forward to taking over from the secretary when he’s captured by slavers, then sold on the planet Kossar. His new master is the gorgeous Lady Morgan Sidney. Guess what terrible secret she and the planet Kossar are hiding? Will John ‘Smith’ be able to save her and the planet from themselves? Enjoy! In short, it would make a great movie without much need for special effects.
One of the greatest pleasures of the book is the excellent poetry (so very rare these days) the author puts in the mouth or hand of the hero. A great example is the short poem in both latin and english, from the medieval tradition. If you don’t read latin (I don’t), get someone to translate it for you (like my brother), or a simple latin dictionary to increase your appreciation of the author’s craftsmanship. It’s not critical to enjoying the story (which my brother did), but it helps round out the hero’s character.
The story is definitely more adult than nearly all sci-fi of the period. I’m almost tempted to believe the author wrote it because of a wager or challenge of some kind. In any case, we are all the richer for it.
My main criticism is the cover of the paperback, a multi level platform with ‘cities or towns’ on each level; it has nothing to do with the story; and it may explain the relative poor sales of the book. On the otherhand, maybe it was to be a blind, to protect the “racy” insides from innocent browsers or parents. Although I think Ian Fleming would probably have been disapointed by it.
Donald Barr may have written only a couple of scifi novels, but both are great masterpieces of each aspect of the genre.
Customer Review: Very good, even though a bit sci-fi dated
This is from back of the book:

On a distant planet in the distant future. When all the galaxies are colonized, John Craig, a young space diplomat, is captured by interplanetary pirates and sold into slavery. On Kossar, where boredom and absolute power have driven the rulers to a special kind of madness, Craig is auctioned off to the exquisite Lady Morgan Sidney, a beautiful, sensual woman. He soon makes his way from the hellish slave mines into her bed in the tower of her castle. And it is here, under the strange castle, that he finds the secret that may bring about the end of man in the galaxy…

sci fi thriller, latin dictionary, classical scholar, medieval tradition, john craig, short poem, lady morgan, brilliant combination, gorgeous lady, level platform, craftsmanship, wager, special effects, young man, state department, hero, pleasures, lightning, columbia, economics
sci fi thriller, latin dictionary, classical scholar, medieval tradition, john craig, short poem, lady morgan, brilliant combination, gorgeous lady, level platform, craftsmanship, wager, special effects, young man, state department, hero, pleasures, lightning, columbia, economics