Courtship Rite

Courtship Rite

Donald Kingsbury

#1935 of 8,085 books · #466 in Science Fiction

Shortlisted for the Hugo Award for Best Novel (1983) and the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (1983).

On the lost colony world of Geta, humans trapped for centuries on a hostile planet have developed a tribal, ritualistic society. Hoemei, Gaet, and Joesai maran-Kaiel are three sons of the former Prime Predictor of the Kaiel clan, sharing two wives between them and hoping to add a third to make a Six-marriage. Instead the new Prime Predictor orders them to marry the clanless Oelita, known as the Gentle Heretic, who preaches against the planet's ritual cannibalism. Reluctant and offended, the brothers court Oelita with the ancient Death Rite to force her to prove her worth as their spouse, though Oelita has no interest in marrying them. Around this courtship, the novel follows the priest-clans' struggle to expand their territory and attain dominance of the planet through new technology, propaganda, treachery, and the newly reintroduced concept of war.