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Cover of If I Pay Thee Not in Gold

If I Pay Thee Not in Gold

Mercedes Lackey;Piers Anthony (1993)

SubgenreHigh Fantasy
Age groupAdult 18+
Content ratingPG-13
Pages (Standard (250-400))
Setting
CSM age16

Content levels

ViolenceModerate
Sexual contentModerate
LanguageMild

Heroine archetypes

SorceressReluctant Heroine

Protagonist archetypes

Reluctant Hero

Synopsis

In the Age of the Mazonians women rule through magic—and men suffer what they must. Magical creations only last for a single day (magical food is great for dieting), but that is quite long enough for casting a giant wet blanket (if you're feeling kind) over a would be rampaging male—or a block of granite (if you're not). No uppity males in Mazonia indeed! But then as now some people rise above what they've been taught. One such is Xylina; somehow she has always understood that being of the wrong gender, or even lacking magical power, is no reason for stripping a human being of dignity. How ironic, then, that the Queen has ordained in order to avoid execution Xylina must use her magic to publicly conquer the most glorious male Mazonia has ever seen—and how doubly so that together he and Xylina will transform their world.

Tags

Social CommentaryGender PoliticsRomanceMagical Realism