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Thrace
Welcome to the planet Gielgud, crossroads of the galaxy, where the indigenous species has three eyes, a tail - and no gender.
Welcome to the city of Thrace; travellers of all kinds wander through here. Most are just looking for a good time, free of the restrictions of their own cultures, but some of them have a more specific agenda in mind.
And welcome to JJ's bar, where all genders and those who are genderless are welcome. This is where adventures tend to start ...
Welcome to the city of Thrace; travellers of all kinds wander through here. Most are just looking for a good time, free of the restrictions of their own cultures, but some of them have a more specific agenda in mind.
And welcome to JJ's bar, where all genders and those who are genderless are welcome. This is where adventures tend to start ...
- GenresM M Romance
174 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2010
25 people want to read
About the author
Penelope Friday
41 books11 followersPenelope Friday has been fascinated with the Regency Period since she discovered Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer in her teens, and she is a regular contributor to Jane Austen’s Regency World. She is also a speaker and writer on sexuality and disability, both separately and the intersection of the two, including presentations and contributions to NHS and Channel 4. She lives in Kent, England.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 25, 2011
Thrace is a collection of unique short stories with an interesting mystery to each. The setting is futuristic/science fiction on a planet where humans have taken over. So much so the indigenous species called Tsygons are treated like second class citizens, at best. The three short stories are all well written and engaging. The collection is listed as M/no-gender alien and that’s certainly true. The Tsygons are gender neutral, although the writing gives them masculine overtones so I doubt anyone will be bothered. Instead the focus on the setting, mystery, and emotion of the various characters truly carries these stories.
The first is Let Tsygons Be Tsygons where a young new semi-mediaid (kind of like a nurse) has just landed in the city of Thrace. With Jed’s checkered past, he was lucky to get a job anywhere although the concrete planet would not have been his choice. V367L is the Tsygon working with Jed and the two soon become embroiled in a mystery. Tsygons are coming up sick and Jed and V think someone is experimenting on them. Together the two enlist the help of a brilliant researcher and put a stop to the cruel activities.
This short story is the perfect opener as it’s not only the longest story but it gives the setting and most background for the world. The concrete world and superior attitudes of the humans come across clearly. There is a slight bias to the stories, which show the unfairness of the Tsygon’s treatment and the horrible treatment by humans. This will definitely make you feel bad about being human but the point is more to show how antiquated and unjust such behavior is. The language used is established as well with the Tsygons referred to entirely with gender neutral pronouns. Those not familiar with this language may stumble a bit at the beginning but then it’s easy to follow the hir and zie pronouns.
After the resolution to the mystery and the hope of blossoming affection between V and Jed, the collection takes a shift with Electric High. Here a bartender at the local pick up joint JJ, a place playing a role in the previous story, now gets involved with a sexy human that wanders into the Tsygon bar. Unfortunately Zach isn’t telling Rayme everything and what is not said threatens their relationship. This is a romance between two humans and perhaps the most recognizable to readers not familiar with sci-fi settings. The writing seamlessly blends the unusual and new with familiar elements and concepts. The result is a slick story with great characters and an intriguing ending.
The final touch to the collection is An Equal Opportunity Murderer. This pairs crime investigators, one human and one tsygon, together as they investigate a killing spree. EOM is perhaps the weakest of the collection and that’s more personal choice than anything. I didn’t quite believe the explanation of events surrounding the perpetrator and thought many of the circumstances were too pat. However the mystery is interesting and fast paced with good characterization. The established nature of the two main characters makes their connection almost immediately romantic. Some of their conversations seem to be out of the blue and I didn’t quite follow the dialogue thread. However, this is the most active mystery and likely to appeal to fans for the fast pace.
Overall this collection is a well written and engaging foray into science fiction. The concepts are familiar but with a fresh, new edge. There are very few editing or copyright mistakes which is rather impressive with the number of gender neutral pronouns and new language used. The clean, solid writing focuses equally on showing and telling, which may not be to all readers’ taste but the quick pace and engaging narrative is likely to help soothe any problems. The compelling world building offers enough details to capture any wandering attention. I think this collection will appeal first to science fiction fans but also m/m readers looking for something different.
The first is Let Tsygons Be Tsygons where a young new semi-mediaid (kind of like a nurse) has just landed in the city of Thrace. With Jed’s checkered past, he was lucky to get a job anywhere although the concrete planet would not have been his choice. V367L is the Tsygon working with Jed and the two soon become embroiled in a mystery. Tsygons are coming up sick and Jed and V think someone is experimenting on them. Together the two enlist the help of a brilliant researcher and put a stop to the cruel activities.
This short story is the perfect opener as it’s not only the longest story but it gives the setting and most background for the world. The concrete world and superior attitudes of the humans come across clearly. There is a slight bias to the stories, which show the unfairness of the Tsygon’s treatment and the horrible treatment by humans. This will definitely make you feel bad about being human but the point is more to show how antiquated and unjust such behavior is. The language used is established as well with the Tsygons referred to entirely with gender neutral pronouns. Those not familiar with this language may stumble a bit at the beginning but then it’s easy to follow the hir and zie pronouns.
After the resolution to the mystery and the hope of blossoming affection between V and Jed, the collection takes a shift with Electric High. Here a bartender at the local pick up joint JJ, a place playing a role in the previous story, now gets involved with a sexy human that wanders into the Tsygon bar. Unfortunately Zach isn’t telling Rayme everything and what is not said threatens their relationship. This is a romance between two humans and perhaps the most recognizable to readers not familiar with sci-fi settings. The writing seamlessly blends the unusual and new with familiar elements and concepts. The result is a slick story with great characters and an intriguing ending.
The final touch to the collection is An Equal Opportunity Murderer. This pairs crime investigators, one human and one tsygon, together as they investigate a killing spree. EOM is perhaps the weakest of the collection and that’s more personal choice than anything. I didn’t quite believe the explanation of events surrounding the perpetrator and thought many of the circumstances were too pat. However the mystery is interesting and fast paced with good characterization. The established nature of the two main characters makes their connection almost immediately romantic. Some of their conversations seem to be out of the blue and I didn’t quite follow the dialogue thread. However, this is the most active mystery and likely to appeal to fans for the fast pace.
Overall this collection is a well written and engaging foray into science fiction. The concepts are familiar but with a fresh, new edge. There are very few editing or copyright mistakes which is rather impressive with the number of gender neutral pronouns and new language used. The clean, solid writing focuses equally on showing and telling, which may not be to all readers’ taste but the quick pace and engaging narrative is likely to help soothe any problems. The compelling world building offers enough details to capture any wandering attention. I think this collection will appeal first to science fiction fans but also m/m readers looking for something different.
November 24, 2010
Actually a 4.5.
This was an excellent read. Three stories in one book, all centred around the concrete city of Thrace. A really intriguing concept that was written incredibly well. I wish that the third story had been slightly longer, that was my only bugbear! I adore the created race, the Tsygons, ebony skinned with no specific gender, and the most awesome tails (which I found incredibly erotic!). The human interaction was hopeful and sad at the same time, we are depicted as a race of people who care little for the needs or the indigenous race... just like our real past then! Cross race sexual interaction is really well handled, and gah...did I mention the tail???
Would love more stories set on this planet, with these characters, i want to know so much more...
This was an excellent read. Three stories in one book, all centred around the concrete city of Thrace. A really intriguing concept that was written incredibly well. I wish that the third story had been slightly longer, that was my only bugbear! I adore the created race, the Tsygons, ebony skinned with no specific gender, and the most awesome tails (which I found incredibly erotic!). The human interaction was hopeful and sad at the same time, we are depicted as a race of people who care little for the needs or the indigenous race... just like our real past then! Cross race sexual interaction is really well handled, and gah...did I mention the tail???
Would love more stories set on this planet, with these characters, i want to know so much more...
August 17, 2018
This was a very good little trio of stories. I liked the world-building and definitely found the primary alien species Tsygons fascinating, and was kind of glad to see the humans NOT being the heroes of the story for a change. They're the jerks of the story, as humans - or a certain percentage of humans - have been since time immemorial. I enjoyed the dynamics between the human protagonists and their alien co-protagonists, how the relationships grew and evolved through the course of the stories. Excellent writing. I highly recommend giving it a read.
Read
March 6, 2011Let Tsygons Be Tsygons: In this novella Peneleope Friday plans out the setting for all the anthology. Gielgud is a futuristic space galaxy where terrans (humans from planet earth) built colonies. Thrace is the capital city of Gielgud. Jed is a just graduate doctor who has to find a place where to do his internee years and since he is not exactly “elite” the only place he finds is a clinic in Thrace, a clinic that supposedly should care both of humans than aliens.
What probably irked me a lot, and I’m sure the author did that consciously, is that the “aliens” are not aliens at all; it’s humans who went on their land, and it’s not that Tsygons are different, they are who they are, and it’s not humans who have to accept them, it’s Tsygons who should agree to humans on their planet. In a way or the other, as usual racism takes over and Tsygons become the aliens: they have 3 eyes, a tail, and no-sex. That is probably the second point I liked of the story: this is not really a gay romance since Jed, human and man, falls in love for V367L, nickname “V”, who is no man or woman, zie is V.
If you are thinking this will be a kinky story of sex between different species, forget it; the love story between Jed and V is almost innocent, kisses and cuddles, and the only little kink is the V’s tail that has to be placed in the contest. Indeed the story is more about the concept of acceptance and breed ethic than a love story, but this is not something that diminishes the fascination I felt for the futuristic world Penelope Friday built.
Electric High: As in the previous novella the author didn’t indulge in the kinky factor, and told basically a sci-fiction story with ethics, in this second novella she told a very ordinary love story. Rayme is a bartender in a Tsygon pick-up bar and he is gay. He has also no issue at all to have intra-species relationships and so he could be well a candidate to fall in love with an alien, but the author decided to give him an old fashioned affair with another human, Zeth, a patron of the joint. The following story is as ordinary as it can be, long night where Zeth waits for Rayme’s shift to end and long morning spent in bed. The only trouble to their story is again very ordinary and simple, Zeth is not so generous with info on his life and job, and Rayme realizes he has fallen in love with a complete stranger.
An Equal Opportunity Murderer: And as if the author heard my previous comment in the last novella she explores the sexual side of interracial relationships between humans and aliens, and this time she gives us details. The plot about two fellow case workers, the futuristic word for cops, one human one alien, investigating on a strange series of murders, moves soon on their private relationship. Nick is wondering how he fell in love with X7612 “X”; Nick is bisexual, so it’s not that he has nothing against the idea of having a love affair with a man, but what troubles Nick is that he cannot really assign a gender to X, in a way Nick needs to categorize his feelings, and X is unsettling him.
I really liked how the author welcomed the readers into this strange world, leading them step by step until the final stage, into the bedroom.
http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/12...
What probably irked me a lot, and I’m sure the author did that consciously, is that the “aliens” are not aliens at all; it’s humans who went on their land, and it’s not that Tsygons are different, they are who they are, and it’s not humans who have to accept them, it’s Tsygons who should agree to humans on their planet. In a way or the other, as usual racism takes over and Tsygons become the aliens: they have 3 eyes, a tail, and no-sex. That is probably the second point I liked of the story: this is not really a gay romance since Jed, human and man, falls in love for V367L, nickname “V”, who is no man or woman, zie is V.
If you are thinking this will be a kinky story of sex between different species, forget it; the love story between Jed and V is almost innocent, kisses and cuddles, and the only little kink is the V’s tail that has to be placed in the contest. Indeed the story is more about the concept of acceptance and breed ethic than a love story, but this is not something that diminishes the fascination I felt for the futuristic world Penelope Friday built.
Electric High: As in the previous novella the author didn’t indulge in the kinky factor, and told basically a sci-fiction story with ethics, in this second novella she told a very ordinary love story. Rayme is a bartender in a Tsygon pick-up bar and he is gay. He has also no issue at all to have intra-species relationships and so he could be well a candidate to fall in love with an alien, but the author decided to give him an old fashioned affair with another human, Zeth, a patron of the joint. The following story is as ordinary as it can be, long night where Zeth waits for Rayme’s shift to end and long morning spent in bed. The only trouble to their story is again very ordinary and simple, Zeth is not so generous with info on his life and job, and Rayme realizes he has fallen in love with a complete stranger.
An Equal Opportunity Murderer: And as if the author heard my previous comment in the last novella she explores the sexual side of interracial relationships between humans and aliens, and this time she gives us details. The plot about two fellow case workers, the futuristic word for cops, one human one alien, investigating on a strange series of murders, moves soon on their private relationship. Nick is wondering how he fell in love with X7612 “X”; Nick is bisexual, so it’s not that he has nothing against the idea of having a love affair with a man, but what troubles Nick is that he cannot really assign a gender to X, in a way Nick needs to categorize his feelings, and X is unsettling him.
I really liked how the author welcomed the readers into this strange world, leading them step by step until the final stage, into the bedroom.
http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/12...
November 21, 2010
Thrace is an interesting collection of 3 short stories - Let Tsygons Be Tsygons, Electric High and An Equal Opportunity Murderer - that are linked by both their setting and their themes.
All 3 stories are set on the alien world of Thrace, a concrete jungle with an atmosphere poisonous to humans. As the closest inhabitable planet to Earth, however, it has proven to be a natural target for . . . well, let's call it colonization. Humans have largely taken over the world, placing the native Tsygons - three eyed, dark skinned, genderless aliens with tails - in a subservient state, leading to the shared theme of racism amongst the stories.
Definitely an interesting read, even if it doesn't make us feel too good about ourselves as a race.
All 3 stories are set on the alien world of Thrace, a concrete jungle with an atmosphere poisonous to humans. As the closest inhabitable planet to Earth, however, it has proven to be a natural target for . . . well, let's call it colonization. Humans have largely taken over the world, placing the native Tsygons - three eyed, dark skinned, genderless aliens with tails - in a subservient state, leading to the shared theme of racism amongst the stories.
Definitely an interesting read, even if it doesn't make us feel too good about ourselves as a race.
November 10, 2010
3.5 star. This book is actually three short stories in one book. The first book being the longest also because of the world building explanations. All are mystery type stories which I like and combined with the sci-fi setting it is really nice.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews