Pagan Passions

by Randall Garrett, Laurence M. Janifer, Larry M. Harris (Pseudonym)

The Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Greece and Rome had returned to Earth -- with all their awesome powers intact. Overnight, Earth was transformed. War on any scale was outlawed, along with boom-and-bust economic cycles, and prudery. No change was more startling than the face of New York, where the Empire State Building became the Tower of Zeus. In this totally altered world, William Forrester is an acolyte of Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, and a teacher of history. Only Maya Wilson, one of his students and a worshipper of Venus, Goddess of Love, had a different sort of grading in mind. Maya is the first of the many Trials of Forrester, every bit as mighty and perilous as the Labors of Hercules. In love with Gerda Symes (like him, a devotee of Athena and a frequenter of the great Temple of Pallas Athena -- formerly known as the 42nd Street Library) and dedicated to the pleasures of the mind -- Forrester falls under the soft, compelling pressure of soft, compelling devotees of Venus and Bacchus. He's going to be in need of all the strength that he and his Goddess, the beautiful and intellectual Athena, can muster! Into this sensuous strife stride the Temple Myrmidons -- religious cops sworn to obey orders without question or hesitation -- with a pickup order for William Forrester. Where he is taken, what happens to him, and the truly fantastic discoveries he makes about himself and the Gods and Goddesses ... here are the ingredients that make up this science fiction novel of suspense, intrigue, mystery and danger!

Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Ebooks, Classics, Mythology, Erotica

132 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1956

About the author

Randall Garrett's full name was Gordon Randall Phillip David Garrett. For more information about him see https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?239

He was married to Vicki Ann Heydron

His pseudonyms include: Gordon Randall Garrett, Gordon Aghill, Grandal Barretton, Alexander Blade, Ralph Burke, Gordon Garrett, David Gordon, Richard Greer, Ivar Jorgenson, Darrel T. Langart, Blake MacKenzie, Jonathan Blake MacKenzie, Seaton Mckettrig, Clyde (T.) Mitchell, Mark Phillips (with Laurence Janifer), Robert Randall, Leonard G. Spencer, S.M. Tenneshaw, Gerald Vance.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pagan Passions was published in 1959 by the Galaxy/Beacon line as by Randall Garrett and Larry M. Harris, a pseudonym of Laurence M. Janifer. The Beacon books were marketed as borderline erotic, though there's nothing even slightly graphic about this one by more modern standards; it's what they used to call spicy, saucy, or bawdy. It's an amusing look at a twentieth century society in which the ancient Greek gods have returned and taken over. We learn they're actually aliens from a more advanced civilization, an idea which has been used quite a lot in the field, and the ending is rather weak. I enjoyed listening to a funny and well produced reading thanks to Librivox.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lot of fun. I got it for free on Amazon Kindle for my Droid phone. It may have been shocking at the time it was published, but it is a funny mystery, too, in a way. Why are the Greek Gods on Earth in the 20th Century? What a difference it makes to one's daily life. No wars. Humans in service to the Gods.

Forrester, a history professor and acolyte to the Goddess Athena, has women throwing themselves at him at an increasing clip. When he is chosen to become a demi-God for Bacchus, he has to put aside his distaste for their religion to serve. His reluctant participation in the bacchanal leads him again to question his "honor" at his new position.

[Bill Ramsell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite silly.

[Eric W · Rating 1 out of 5]

A local used book store had a shelf of old pulp fiction paperbacks, and I picked this one up on a whim. It was a reminder of why these pulp fiction stories are remembered more for their cover art than for the writing.

[Lisa H · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick read. Interesting idea but not very fleshed out. Also, the title and cover make it seem kind of racy, but there are true Greek myths racier than this story.

[Jared · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fun and frothy. It's about aliens who think they are ancient gods in modern day New York. If want some light and charming sf that's maybe a little dated, this book will delight.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining listening 🎶🔰

Another will written fantasy passion short story by Randall Garrett as the title suggests passion is what the Gods are about as Fosestter becomes part of the gods. I would recommend this novella to readers looking for something different. Enjoy the adventure of reading all kinds of novels and books 👍. 🏡🔰👒😴 2022

[CiCi · Rating 2 out of 5]

That was certainly different! It is a short story that is a really quick read. A great idea for the time, kind of silly and funny and definitely entertainig and I'm glad I read it on kindle and did not pay for it, lol. At least I learned what a Myrmidon was. 2.75 stars

[Malum · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting concept that the authors unfortunately don't do anything very interesting with.

[Ali · Rating 2 out of 5]

This felt like it had the potential to be really interesting but it kind of stuttered to a highly unsatisfactory conclusion leaving much unanswered and so little explored.

[Laurian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrible and just amazing.

[J. Boo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another in the "youth of the 1950s - 1960s couldn't trust ever-so-sexy sci-fi cover illustrations" series.

The Greek Gods returned sixty years ago and solved the world's problems. Sure, human development seems to have stopped, but that isn't much of a concern to either our lead character, a priest of Athena, or most others. But he is forced to start thinking about it when he is tapped to be the avatar of Dionysus.

Reasonably enjoyable, and Garrett/Janifer did keep me guessing. Some sexy situations, but no details, which surely must've disappointed the thirteen-year-old boys who got their hands on it.

What encouraged me to fill out a review, though, was recently noticing "THE GODS RETURN AND CAUSE TROUBLE" plot came back a few years ago in the form of James Lovegrove's Pantheon series - "Age of Zeus", "Age of Ra", etc. Never read these; I wonder how similar "Pagan Passions" is?

3/5. Freely available on Gutenberg, with racy cover included.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title and cover make this book look like a happier 50-shades version of a century earlier...
Even though the book was without doubt controversial back then, it doesn't come anywhere near explicity.

The story is very nicely paced. The writing style is pleasant and.. funny! The characters, especially the main character, had their own set of personality traits.

The storyline was interesting and entertaining, but the genre was.. yeah, what was the genre?
It started off with a typical shortstory telling style (lots of description and scenery clarification), then it was more romance and mystery and eventually a bit of scifi was the main genre. x'D
Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading this story, regardless of what the genre of the story should be called like! ;)

[B. Zedan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very silly future world where the gods have come back. In need of a substitute Dionysus, they rope lay acolyte William Forrester in as a demi-god. Being as he had been a lay acolyte of Athena, he' a little embarrassed by how well he gets into the orgy bit of being Bacchus.

Which, like, not very dirty scenes, but not "kiss and the screen goes dark" kind of stuff either. You get a nice impression of lots of enthusiastic touching before passions overwhelm into a fadeout. And! Then Forrester goes and finds a total secret the gods are hiding. Because he likes being Dionysus/Bacchus, but also has a personal sense of responsibility.

[Ri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not terrible--as pulp sci-fi/fantasy goes. The cover and title give the impression of a more explicit story than we get, but that might be just as well. It's short and there isn't so much a character development as giant leaps in the protagonist's abilities without too much delving into his psyche. And, again, I say that might be as well, because the psyche we see fluctuates between bland and bitter. Eh, it was free.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This ebook which can be found for free in multiple places is sort of a Mad Men meets the Greek Gods meets pulp SciFi. It is a relatively quick read given its short length but still drags a bit because it is a bit silly and you have to make an effort to keep reading.. Don't let the title scare you off - this is pretty mild mannered stuff. But, if you aren't a fan of old styled pulp SciFi you may want to avoid it even at the free price.

[Lynne - The Book Squirrel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok for a freebie.....but not sure about the ending, it didn't make sense at all!!

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off good but just lost me at the end 2.5 stars

[Jesse · Rating 2 out of 5]

It kinda ended abruptly, but was enjoyable enough while it lasted.

[Frank Shedd · Rating 4 out of 5]

very amusing the old greek gods have come back
and wreck havoc and in some ways make things better
for one guy anyway

[Lee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Crap!

[Maryam · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting

[NRH · Rating 4 out of 5]

More a novella than novel I thought this premise and execution attempted to be original and competently handled.

I enjoyed it for the coffee table / pulp novel it is.

[Ali Nazifpour · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is surprisingly good. The ideas are very interesting and it is worthy of a single read for entertainment.

[The Half-blood Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

The part I did enjoy here was the idea that gods are not definite immortal beings. They can be substituted. Someone becomes an avatar of the power, essence.

[Norman Howe]

Fantasy

[Gheeta · Rating 2 out of 5]

mildly intriguing concept. Glad it was just a free download.