A Brother's Price [Mass Market Paperback]

Wen Spencer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 5, 2005

In a world where males are rarely born, they've become a commodity-traded and sold like property. Jerin Whistler has come of age for marriage and his handsome features have come to the attention of the royal princesses. But such attentions can be dangerous-especially as Jerin uncovers the dark mysteries the royal family is hiding.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Spencer continues to amaze, cranking up both suspense and wonder. -- Julie E. Czerneda

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 310 pages
• Publisher: Roc (July 5, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451460383
• ISBN-13: 978-0451460387
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (66 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #897,523 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

116 of 120 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast moving and re-readable; a whole world and a good story, July 7, 2005

By 

L. Runkle (Cedar Rapids, IA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Brother's Price (Mass Market Paperback)

Jerin is nearly sixteen, and soon his sisters will sell him off to other women as a husband so they, too, can buy a husband. But while his slightly older sisters neglect their duty, he helps his younger sisters save an injured princess.

The story starts there, and never stops moving forward. Jerin has been raised unconventionally for his world. He reads, writes, and knows self-defense as well as tactics and strategy. His kind heart and bravery stand him in good stead as he faces moral and physical danger, and overcomes it.

Other reviews have focused on the astonishing world-building Wen Spencer did for A Brother's Price, and then get caught up in the political and moral implications of the world, rather than seeing the story as a very fun tale with a resourceful young hero. Because they disagree with the politics of the story, they have marked the tale lower. It seems to me that this story was written as a reaction to some of the "feminist utopia" fiction that was written in the 1970s and 1980s. It's not so much a "nurture determines all" world as it is a world where everyone is human, with human ambitions, frailties, and gifts.

Although the prose isn't as jewel-like as the Ukiah Oregon books, I still intend to keep this book, and re-read it many times. The story is a rollicking adventure story with a plucky young thing, determined to protect both his new family and his birth family.

105 of 110 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars She put me through some changes, man!, July 7, 2005

By 

Walt Boyes "Walt Boyes" (Aurora IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Brother's Price (Mass Market Paperback)

Wen Spencer, the innovative author of Tinker and the Alien Taste series, has once again rung changes on the historical bodice ripper plot of the family daughter sold to enhance the family fortune.

In this case, the female roles are reversed, with men being the protected and virginal ones, and the women serving as soldiers, butchers, bakers, candlestick makers and rulers. Spencer is so matter-of-fact with the milieu that we are left with questions only after the story is over. Why is the ratio of women to men so skewed? How did these women create a society like this, with approximately early 19th century tech?

Wen's writing is so good that you don't really start asking those questions while you are reading the book. Like time bombs they only occur to you afterward. Wen invokes a nearly indestructible willing suspension of disbelief, and does it so easily that it is hardly noticeable.

I'm looking forward to a sequel. Please let there be a sequel.

Walt Boyes, the Bananaslug. at Baen's Bar

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scary place for a guy, but D * * N interesting., July 7, 2005

By 

T. Brennan "SF Addict" (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Brother's Price (Mass Market Paperback)

I thought this an original and thoughtful novel. The concept of a female dominated society with a shortage of males was intriguing to me, because of the realism. Many people (both female and male) have voiced the opinion that if only women were in charge of the world, the world would be a far better place. Obviously the author of this book, doesn't buy that concept. The world portrayed in this novel is as screwed up as any male dominated society in our own history. What with brothers being sold to multiple wives or worse being sold to a slave brothel (called a crib in this book).

With many novels I tend to imagine myself in the settings that are portrayed, NOT WITH THIS ONE. I'm a guy, living in that world sounds like a d**n scary thing to do. I enjoyed the book, but wouldn't want to live there. I hope that this is the first of a series. I would really like the author to explore the relationships between countries and the impact that the female/male ratio has on those political relationships.

The technological level portrayed in the books seems to be a mix of American West (Post Civil War) and the Civil War period. The author seems to present the fabled fast draw skill of the American West as being a necessary skill of her Queensland soldier in the novel. It might be that in her envisioned world, more emphasis is placed on the warrior attribute (the lone fighter), than the idea of organized and disciplined soldiers. As I said earlier, I hope there are more explorations into this world.