Wife-Stealing Time

Novelette by R. Garcia y Robertson

Sequel to SinBad the Sand Sailor and after this I'll be looking forward to more SinBad stories in the future.

Wife-Stealing time is when the Crow of Mars allow their men to kidnap away from their husbands any married women they've slept with over the past year. Pretty Bottom doesn't want to be stolen, but has had quite enough of her husband, so of course she ends up with SinBad. Then they have to save a vegan lion-hunting party.

Trades some of the first story's manic energy for more comedy and a bit more sex, but this one still moves fast. An adventure story much more to my taste, staying more in one place instead of always in transit. The ending was a little out-of-nowhere, but that isn't a problem in this story. Despite liking it better, I'm still only giving this one a 3.5 out of 5.

SinBad the Sand Sailor

Novelette by R. Garcia y Robertson

SinBad smuggles antibiotics on the planet Barsoom, which has very little law enforcement besides a strict prohibition on advanced weaponry; swords and crossbows must suffice, despite GPS, solar powered wings, and a space elevator. He finds a prostitute on a dune, apparently fallen from an airship, and pulpy adventures ensue.

Fun, exciting adventure story, with a little implied comedy (SinBad is guilty of such horrendous crimes as "cohabiting with known lesbians"), but not much to it beyond that. There are some good twists, and the whole thing moves along remarkably fast. The main appeal to the story is nostalgia for older readers, and the concept itself of updating pulp adventure for plausibility in a modern SF frame, rather than the surreal crap paying homage. It succeeds at this, but I'd have liked to see a bit more... depth. 3.5 out of 5.