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Raptor (novel)

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33: 213:'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. 277:
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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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).
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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.
263:. 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. 229:
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.
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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.
236:). 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). 161:
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
256:. 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". 243:, 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. 302: 389: 178:; he simply assumed it by reaching several logical conclusions), meeting several characters; among the most crucial to the storyline: 124: 54: 394: 58: 105: 266:
Gudinand - Thorn's first male lover. Roughly around 18 years of age. Meets him during his travels in Helvetia (modern-day
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Velox - Thorn's trusty horse. Given to him as a reward for rescuing the grandson of a Roman official from a band of
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Brother Peter - a Burgundian monk. Sexually abuses young Thorn while working with him in the monastery's kitchen.
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Amalamena - Theodoric's sister. Is one of the few people in Thorn's life who becomes aware of his secret.
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and the retired Roman legionary-turned-woodsman Wyrd, with whom he forms close friendships.
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Livia - the young daughter of a Roman miner living in The Place of Echoes (near
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Veleda - Thorn's female alter ego, which Thorn uses to his advantage.
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soldiers on 4 September AD 476, and Theodoric's assassination of
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monastery and, later, a convent, he travels throughout the dying
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Juika Bloth (Gothic for "I fight for blood") - Thorn's pet
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The novel treats actual historical events, the fall of the
174:(even though it was never confirmed that Thorn was an 273:
Sister Deidamia - a nun. Thorn's first female lover.
137:1993 historical novel written by Gary Jennings 296: 8: 61:. Unsourced material may be challenged and 303: 289: 281: 125:Learn how and when to remove this message 7: 59:adding citations to reliable sources 25: 31: 170:on a quest to meet his fellow 1: 411: 390:Novels set in ancient Rome 319: 261:short-toed snake eagle 395:Novels about intersex 325:Sow the Seeds of Hemp 193:, the deposition of 191:Western Roman Empire 55:improve this article 241:Theodoric the Great 74:"Raptor" novel 195:Romulus Augustulus 385:Historical novels 367: 366: 209:As is typical in 135: 134: 127: 109: 16:(Redirected from 402: 305: 298: 291: 282: 147:historical novel 130: 123: 119: 116: 110: 108: 67: 35: 27: 21: 410: 409: 405: 404: 403: 401: 400: 399: 370: 369: 368: 363: 315: 309: 239:Thiuda - later 219: 159: 138: 131: 120: 114: 111: 68: 66: 52: 36: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 408: 406: 398: 397: 392: 387: 382: 372: 371: 365: 364: 362: 361: 353: 345: 337: 329: 320: 317: 316: 310: 308: 307: 300: 293: 285: 279: 278: 274: 271: 264: 257: 250: 247: 244: 237: 230: 226: 223: 218: 215: 158: 155: 136: 133: 132: 39: 37: 30: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 407: 396: 393: 391: 388: 386: 383: 381: 378: 377: 375: 359: 358: 354: 351: 350: 346: 343: 342: 341:The Journeyer 338: 335: 334: 330: 327: 326: 322: 321: 318: 314: 313:Gary Jennings 306: 301: 299: 294: 292: 287: 286: 283: 275: 272: 269: 265: 262: 258: 255: 251: 248: 245: 242: 238: 235: 231: 227: 224: 221: 220: 216: 214: 212: 211:Gary Jennings 207: 204: 200: 196: 192: 187: 183: 181: 177: 173: 169: 164: 163:hermaphrodite 156: 154: 152: 151:Gary Jennings 148: 144: 143: 129: 126: 118: 115:December 2009 107: 104: 100: 97: 93: 90: 86: 83: 79: 76: –  75: 71: 70:Find sources: 64: 60: 56: 50: 49: 45: 40:This article 38: 34: 29: 28: 19: 18:Raptor (book) 356: 355: 347: 339: 331: 323: 208: 188: 184: 168:Roman Empire 160: 157:Plot summary 141: 140: 139: 121: 112: 102: 95: 88: 81: 69: 53:Please help 41: 380:1993 novels 268:Switzerland 149:written by 374:Categories 217:Characters 172:Ostrogoths 145:is a 1993 85:newspapers 311:Works by 180:Theodoric 176:Ostrogoth 42:does not 234:Salzburg 349:Spangle 203:Odoacer 199:Scirian 99:scholar 63:removed 48:sources 360:(1993) 357:Raptor 352:(1987) 344:(1984) 336:(1980) 328:(1976) 142:Raptor 101:  94:  87:  80:  72:  333:Aztec 106:JSTOR 92:books 254:Huns 78:news 46:any 44:cite 197:by 57:by 376:: 270:). 153:. 304:e 297:t 290:v 128:) 122:( 117:) 113:( 103:· 96:· 89:· 82:· 65:. 51:. 20:)

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Raptor (book)

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historical novel
Gary Jennings
hermaphrodite
Roman Empire
Ostrogoths
Ostrogoth
Theodoric
Western Roman Empire
Romulus Augustulus
Scirian
Odoacer
Gary Jennings
Salzburg
Theodoric the Great
Huns
short-toed snake eagle

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