The third body : a novel

by Sam Dann, Carlos Ochagavia

ALL WAS FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR-
AND THIS WAS BOTH

The time was the twenty-fourth century A.D. The conflict between men and women begun in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries long since had flowered into naked hatred and complete separation. Now both sexes had their own nations, each a passionate enemy of the other. Now sexual pleasure was taboo, and the act of coupling for reproduction was part of a contest for domination/with death to the loser.

In this no-holds-barred struggle, would man prove to be the master of creation? Would the female of the species prove to be more deadly than the male?

And what would be the fate of the man and the woman who dared commit the ultimate obscenity, the most unspeakable four-letter word of all love

255 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Sam Dann had a long career as a writer for radio, stage, and television, and taught visual and dramatic writing as an adjunct professor at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University. He was also the author of two novels, Goodbye, Karl Erich and The Third Body.

Reviews

[Andrew Walls · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although some of the prose is well phrased, fundamental assumptions make the storyline incredible (and not in a good way). A basic premise of the book involves separation into societies based on gender. This might be acceptable but then the author assumes that both societies would function in pretty much the same way and does not explore the variations that might emerge from a female versus male society. In contrast, Sherri Tepper's "The Gate Into Women's Country" explores these nuances and makes for a far better story.

[BeerDiablo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Even if it was mildly entertaining pulp story when it came out, this is now outdated. Imagining it as a drive-in/B movie farce, ala "Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death" made plowing through this predictable book easier. For a buck plus shipping, there's little to complain about.