Raptor (book)
Encyclopedia
Raptor is a 1993 historical novel
written by Gary Jennings
.
and takes on the name, "Thorn the Mannamavi", "a being uninhibited by conscience, compassion, remorse- a being as implacably amoral as the juika-bloth and every other raptor on this earth." Thorn discovers his sexuality rather unorthodoxly during his early teens. After he is banished from both a monastery and, later, a convent, he travels throughout the dying Roman Empire
on a quest to meet his fellow Ostrogoths (even though it was never confirmed that Thorn was an Ostrogoth
; he simply assumed it by reaching several logical conclusions), meeting several characters; among the most crucial to the storyline: Theodoric
and the retired Roman legionary-turned-woodsman Wyrd, with whom he forms close friendships.
Thorn lives his life chiefly as a man but can easily pass for a woman (he is beardless, has shoulder-length hair, and is relatively small-statured), and he uses this ambiguity for his own benefit. Throughout his life, Thorn conducts affairs with both men and women.
The novel treats actual historical events, the fall of the Western Roman Empire
and Theodoric's assassination of Odoacer
among them. Taking place in most of western Europe (the British Isles and Spain notably excepted), the story has an international feel, heightened by the appearance of several characters from different cultures (not only Romans and Goths but also Greeks, Celts, Huns, Jews and Syrians appear).
As is typical in Gary Jennings
's novels, the plot is developed with historical detail (including extensive use of Gothic words, which the narrator calls "The Old Language") supplemented by graphic violence and bizarre sexual situations. Again typically, the story not only spans virtually the central character's entire life but also has a recurring theme: those whom Thorn loves, die.
Historical novel
According to Encyclopædia Britannica, a historical novel is-Development:An early example of historical prose fiction is Luó Guànzhōng's 14th century Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which covers one of the most important periods of Chinese history and left a lasting impact on Chinese culture.The...
written by Gary Jennings
Gary Jennings
Gary Jennings was an American author who wrote children's and adult novels. In 1980, after the successful novel Aztec, he specialized in writing adult historical fiction novels.-Biography:...
.
Plot summary
Raptor is an historical novel set in the late fifth and early sixth centuries. It purports to be the memoirs of an Ostrogoth, Thorn, who has a secret: he is a hermaphroditeHermaphrodite
In biology, a hermaphrodite is an organism that has reproductive organs normally associated with both male and female sexes.Many taxonomic groups of animals do not have separate sexes. In these groups, hermaphroditism is a normal condition, enabling a form of sexual reproduction in which both...
and takes on the name, "Thorn the Mannamavi", "a being uninhibited by conscience, compassion, remorse- a being as implacably amoral as the juika-bloth and every other raptor on this earth." Thorn discovers his sexuality rather unorthodoxly during his early teens. After he is banished from both a monastery and, later, a convent, he travels throughout the dying Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
on a quest to meet his fellow Ostrogoths (even though it was never confirmed that Thorn was an Ostrogoth
Ostrogoth
The Ostrogoths were a branch of the Goths , a Germanic tribe who developed a vast empire north of the Black Sea in the 3rd century AD and, in the late 5th century, under Theodoric the Great, established a Kingdom in Italy....
; he simply assumed it by reaching several logical conclusions), meeting several characters; among the most crucial to the storyline: Theodoric
Theodoric the Great
Theodoric the Great was king of the Ostrogoths , ruler of Italy , regent of the Visigoths , and a viceroy of the Eastern Roman Empire...
and the retired Roman legionary-turned-woodsman Wyrd, with whom he forms close friendships.
Thorn lives his life chiefly as a man but can easily pass for a woman (he is beardless, has shoulder-length hair, and is relatively small-statured), and he uses this ambiguity for his own benefit. Throughout his life, Thorn conducts affairs with both men and women.
The novel treats actual historical events, the fall of the Western Roman Empire
Western Roman Empire
The Western Roman Empire was the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 285; the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly referred to today as the Byzantine Empire....
and Theodoric's assassination of Odoacer
Odoacer
Flavius Odoacer , also known as Flavius Odovacer, was the first King of Italy. His reign is commonly seen as marking the end of the Western Roman Empire. Though the real power in Italy was in his hands, he represented himself as the client of Julius Nepos and, after Nepos' death in 480, of the...
among them. Taking place in most of western Europe (the British Isles and Spain notably excepted), the story has an international feel, heightened by the appearance of several characters from different cultures (not only Romans and Goths but also Greeks, Celts, Huns, Jews and Syrians appear).
As is typical in Gary Jennings
Gary Jennings
Gary Jennings was an American author who wrote children's and adult novels. In 1980, after the successful novel Aztec, he specialized in writing adult historical fiction novels.-Biography:...
's novels, the plot is developed with historical detail (including extensive use of Gothic words, which the narrator calls "The Old Language") supplemented by graphic violence and bizarre sexual situations. Again typically, the story not only spans virtually the central character's entire life but also has a recurring theme: those whom Thorn loves, die.
Characters
- Dom Clement - the head of the monastery where Thorn was raised. Develops a liking for Thorn and teaches him to read and write. Reluctantly banishes Thorn from the monastery after a sexual scandal.
- Brother Peter - a Burgundian monk. Sexually abuses young Thorn while working with him in the monastery's kitchen.
- Wyrd - Known by his legionary colleagues as Caius Uiridus. A British Celt, from Cornwall. Served in the Roman legions, but after his retirement makes his living as a woodsman and fur-trader in the Alps. Encounters Thorn while he is wandering in the forest. Is cynical, foul-mouthed and is highly critical of Christianity. Initially treats Thorn with disdain, but later takes a liking to him and teaches him hunting and survival skills. Thorn eventually comes to look at him as a surrogate father.
- Livia - the young daughter of a Roman miner living in The Place of Echoes (near SalzburgSalzburg-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
). She seems attracted to Thorn but the feeling is not mutual, because of the difference in their ages (Thorn is around his late teens at the time, she is around ten). - Thiuda - later Theodoric the GreatTheodoric the GreatTheodoric the Great was king of the Ostrogoths , ruler of Italy , regent of the Visigoths , and a viceroy of the Eastern Roman Empire...
, King of the Ostrogoths. Meets Thorn while both are young adults. Is impressed by Thorn's inventiveness and cunning. He later promotes Thorn to be a marshal. - Amalamena - Theodoric's sister. Is one of the few people in Thorn's life who becomes aware of his secret.
- Veleda - Thorn's female alter ego, which Thorn uses to his advantage.
- Velox - Thorn's trusty horse. Given to him as a reward for rescuing the grandson of a Roman official from a band of HunsHunsThe Huns were a group of nomadic people who, appearing from east of the Volga River, migrated into Europe c. AD 370 and established the vast Hunnic Empire there. Since de Guignes linked them with the Xiongnu, who had been northern neighbours of China 300 years prior to the emergence of the Huns,...
. During the course of the book, Thorn retires Velox gracefully, then rides two generations of horses sired by Velox. Thorn also names these offspring "Velox". - Juika Bloth - Thorn's harrier eagle. Thorn teaches it to attack on command by simply whispering the word "slait" (Gothic for "kill"). Thorn never figures out whether his eagle is a male or female, which is a reflection of the main character.
- Gudinand - Thorn's first male lover. Roughly around 18 years of age. Meets him during his travels in Helvetia (modern-day SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
). - Sister Deidamia - a nun. Thorn's first female lover.
- Thor – a hermaphrodite whom Thorn encounters midway in his journeys. Except for their faces, both Thorn and Thor look like twins. Thor is a Visigoth who bears a scar on his back for having been unfaithful to his first male lover. The two initially create an insatiable sexual appetite for each other. Then Thorn learns how unscrupulous Thor is when he discovers that Thor had hanged Thorn's faithful woman servant Swanilda, who loved Thorn. At that point the raptor in Thorn takes over. Ultimately Thorn delivers Thor over to a group of Scythian tribeswomen (colloquially referred as "Amazons" by the locals), who sadistically take care of Thor.