Nightshade Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Well, actually... IIRC just about EVERYONE in those stories was half-naked... men, women, giant 4-armed martians... the only ones I remember sometimes being clothed were usually evil cultists... most often bent on doing bad things to the afore mentioned half-naked green princess. yeah... more princesses than Disneyland... mind you, there were a whole lotta princes too. Just as a pedantic note, I do have to note that when talking about Burroughs proper, the princesses were red, not green; the green martians were the big, savage four-armed types. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agentorange Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Some examples of the genre went beyond 'sexist'. The Gor series, by John Norman for instance. I managed the first couple of Gor books without to much trouble...but then they went downhill fast. Every book beyond that seemed to dwell at great length on why women could only find fulfillment in life by being whipped to within half an inch of their lives, humiliated over and over again and then spending the rest of their lives as sexual playthings for men. You couldn't help but feel that Mr Norman had, ah...issues Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason D Posted December 18, 2007 Author Share Posted December 18, 2007 You couldn't help but feel that Mr Norman had, ah...issues I read some appallingly bad fantasy fiction when I was in junior high and high school, and even then I recognized that Norman had some serious issues that dwarfed the fantasy setting entirely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badcat Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Yes, the first three I read in high school and enjoyed, although I remember getting a little disturbed with Priest-Kings. Then I bought the next two on leave from the Navy to read and could not get into them...I guess I had passed some sort of threshold where I could no longer get past the nasty background attitudes. I have never read the first ones again, so I really don't have a good handle to what extent they are 'infected' with the slave/S&M side of the stories. It does seem that the first one at least might have something to offer a setting of 'interplanetary' romance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drohem Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 The only good thing about the Gor series was the cover art. :thumb: Quote BRP Ze 32/420 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agentorange Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 The only good thing about the Gor series was the cover art. :thumb: There was a certain amount of, um, pulchtritude on display wasn't there ? The thing that gets me about the Gor books is they went on for, what, 30, 35 books ?. Mind boggling enough to write that much sadistic, wish fullfillment drivel, but people must of bought them. However, we drift and so....... :focus: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Mitchell Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 I haven't seen C. L. Moore mentioned yet. Her "Northwest of Earth" stories offer all the requisite sword-and-planet elements, but also add broad crimson swathes of horror. Every time Northwest turns around, he stumbles into another temple to a Hideous Abnormality from Beyond Time and Space. . .or else stumbles across a dimensional threshhold to an Abnormal Realm that is Hideously Beyond Time and Space. A few of Clark Ashton Smith's "scienti-fiction" tales hit this theme, too, notably "Vulthoom," "The Dweller in the Gulf," and "The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis." So, I hope there will be some options for extra doses of horror along with all the flashing steel and swooning princesses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason D Posted December 18, 2007 Author Share Posted December 18, 2007 I haven't seen C. L. Moore mentioned yet. Her "Northwest of Earth" stories offer all the requisite sword-and-planet elements, but also add broad crimson swathes of horror. Every time Northwest turns around, he stumbles into another temple to a Hideous Abnormality from Beyond Time and Space. . .or else stumbles across a dimensional threshhold to an Abnormal Realm that is Hideously Beyond Time and Space. A few of Clark Ashton Smith's "scienti-fiction" tales hit this theme, too, notably "Vulthoom," "The Dweller in the Gulf," and "The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis." So, I hope there will be some options for extra doses of horror along with all the flashing steel and swooning princesses! Both authors are on my list of sources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atgxtg Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Maybe my RQ sould has been contaminated, but the more I read about BRP Interplanetary the more I think, "Gee, this would be a great sorucebook for Spirirt of the Century." Quote Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason D Posted December 18, 2007 Author Share Posted December 18, 2007 Maybe my RQ sould has been contaminated, but the more I read about BRP Interplanetary the more I think, "Gee, this would be a great sorucebook for Spirirt of the Century." It originally was an concept for a Michael Kane book for Stormbringer. I'd been hoping to do it a while ago, but relations between Moorcock and Chaosium soured and then the EC license went to Mongoose. I contemplated it as a sourcebook for SotC, and even contacted the Evil Hat guys, but the notion of finishing BRP and going to go work on another unrelated project when BRP needs support the most... I couldn't do that in all conscience. Also, BRP is now, and has always been, my favorite system. I'd like to see the BRP line flourish, and contributing to it is the best thing I can do to help that along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rurik Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 If the source book does well do you see continuing to support the setting with supplements like detailed setting books(for a single planet or even region), scenarios, or a campaign? Quote Help kill a Trollkin here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simlasa Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 Just as a pedantic note, I do have to note that when talking about Burroughs proper, the princesses were red, not green; the green martians were the big, savage four-armed types. Just so you know, I know that... I just like the idea of green princesses... probably because of the Orion slave girls in Star Trek. Not that I see a need to add Cthulhu to everything... but one thing I've always wondered about was what the rest of the universe was up to in the background of Lovecraft's stories... there is a suggestion of a lot of varied races out there who are more or less aware of each other. Lot of very strange stuff that might melt the brain of the average neophyte... but once gotten used to I picture something kind of like the Dreamland stories (The Silver Key, Unknown Kadath) spread out across cold and uncaring space. None of Lovecrafts aliens seemed to travel in 'spaceships'. I don't know of any stories or games that have focused on that setting, with seems like it would be a kind of space-horror-fantasy. I know that sort of thing isn't the focus of Interplanetary, but I can't imagine being able to resist dropping in some suggestion of that Dunsany/Smith/Lovecraft element... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AikiGhost Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 Some examples of the genre went beyond 'sexist'. The Gor series, by John Norman for instance. Isn't Gor just a type of BDSM setup nowadays? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Twig Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 I never read any planetary romance books and actually never even heard of it until this thread. So I decided to check it out. Gor actually made me curious because people were panning it, but after some research I can see why. :shocked: I think I will pass on Gor. I did find A Princess of Mars on-line for free at thefreelibrary.com. I am on chapter 8 and it is a fun read so far. Burroughs died in 1950, so it has been more than fifty years. I guess the copyright has expired? Edgar Rice Burroughs: A Princess of Mars: List of contents - Free Online Library Quote The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts. Bertrand Russell (1872 - 1970) 30/420 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaira Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 Princess of Mars et al are classics, particularly the first three books (including Gods of Mars and Warlord of Mars). I join Carl Sagan in doubtless being one of the many thousands who spent their early teens gazing arms outstretched at Mars and wishing to be taken up to Barsoom...! (I guess in my case strictly speaking that would entail a life of getting kidnapped by evil scientists and slobbering monsters and wearing a chainmail bikini (if that...), but I suppose at that age you don't think about it over much... ). Although ERB's plots in both the Mars and Venus books tend to be basically the same (Princess or close family member gets kidnapped, hero has to go and save them from BEM), I still find them marvellously evocative and rollicking great fun. There's been talk of a movie for absolutely yonks - there are even some scene rough sketches from a projected 70's film that never materialised somewhere out there on the web. Plus I believe there are renewed discussions for a John Carter movie in the next few years - though I wouldn't hold my breath ;-) Quote "The Worm Within" - the first novel for The Chronicles of Future Earth, coming 2013 from Chaosium, Inc. Website: http://sarahnewtonwriter.com | Twitter: @SarahJNewton | Facebook: TheChroniclesOfFutureEarth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simlasa Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 Interesting how the women-folk seem to always get kidnapped early in these storis and don't show up again until close to the end... leaving plenty of time for the male characters to hang out together shirtless and admire each others 'thews'... inevitably getting into wrestling matches and flexing contests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seneschal Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 I've enjoyed both the Mars and the Venus novels of Burroughs. But I think I like Carson Napier a little more than John Carter. He's a more human, fallible hero rather than a miniature god of war. Napier is more fun because he has to break a sweat to beat the bad guys and save the princess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tal Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 Will there be options other than the defalt 1920's setting? will there be touches of horror? Quote 141/420 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrad Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 In the space hazards and spot rules sections is there anything that I could use in a space opera game? Quote http://www.basicrps.com/core/BRP_quick_start.pdf A sense of humour and an imagination go a long way in roleplaying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PK Games Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 Interesting how the women-folk seem to always get kidnapped early in these storis and don't show up again until close to the end... leaving plenty of time for the male characters to hang out together shirtless and admire each others 'thews'... inevitably getting into wrestling matches and flexing contests. Ah yes the lost ERB novella. Brokeback Barsoom! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason D Posted January 9, 2008 Author Share Posted January 9, 2008 In the space hazards and spot rules sections is there anything that I could use in a space opera game? I'll let you know when I get further along in the writing. It really depends on how much opera you're allowing in your space opera. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason D Posted January 10, 2008 Author Share Posted January 10, 2008 For fans of the genre, this seems relevant: paizo.com - Store / Paizo Products / Planet Stories Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaira Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 For fans of the genre, this seems relevant: paizo.com - Store / Paizo Products / Planet Stories I saw the Paizo ad this morning too and thought of Interplanetary - there look to be some cracking stories there, and quite a few I'd never heard of. I didn't know anything about Moorcock's Mars stuff, for example, nor had I heard of Northwest of Earth - two omissions I'll be remedying shortly! Quote "The Worm Within" - the first novel for The Chronicles of Future Earth, coming 2013 from Chaosium, Inc. Website: http://sarahnewtonwriter.com | Twitter: @SarahJNewton | Facebook: TheChroniclesOfFutureEarth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emryys Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 For fans of the genre, this seems relevant: paizo.com - Store / Paizo Products / Planet Stories Looks interesting... I wonder if they'll be available at a LFGS... Quote Play BRP oline at... iCON - VGT Virtual Gaming Table Convention - March 08 ...it's free! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tal Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Amazon has them available. Quote 141/420 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.