# Non-creepy eunichs in fantasy fiction **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 23, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-creepy-eunichs-in-fantasy-fiction/490501 "2009-03-23T20:56:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-creepy-eunichs-in-fantasy-fiction/490501/1 "2009-03-23T20:56:16Z")
I’ve noticed that, in general, fictional eunichs (am I spelling that right?) tend to be creepy, or evil, or both. (Or treated as walking furniture, but I’m talking about developed characters). I’m thinking of Varys from ASOIAF right now, but there are tons of others like him. I can only think of one sympathetic eunich character I’ve ever read: Sazed, from Brandon Sanderson’s _Mistborn_. I’m guessing that male writers feel uncomfortable getting into the head of a man who has lost his nards. Are there any other sympathetic eunichs out there? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-creepy-eunichs-in-fantasy-fiction/490501/2 "2009-03-23T21:11:34Z")
The main character of Mary Renault’s “The Persian Boy” (who was a historical character). Zheng He (also a historical character) shows up in Kim Stanley Robinson’s “The Years of Rice and Salt”. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-creepy-eunichs-in-fantasy-fiction/490501/3 "2009-03-23T21:19:36Z")
In terms of fictional people, Barsymes in Harry Turtledove’s Krispos series is a sympathetic character. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-creepy-eunichs-in-fantasy-fiction/490501/4 "2009-03-23T21:21:59Z")
Raoul in The PHantom of Manhattan had a war injury that resulted in the removal of his testicles but kept every thng else intact. He is a sympathic character. Unfotunately, the book is absolutely, unbelievably bad. Frederick Forsyth should have done better. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-creepy-eunichs-in-fantasy-fiction/490501/5 "2009-03-23T21:39:19Z")
Can’t remember the book, I _believe_ it was a collection of historical setting detective stories, but there was a byzantine imperial eunich that was investigating a murder in the imperial palace, he was pretty cool. I think that there is at least one eunich in the Belisarius series of novels also. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-creepy-eunichs-in-fantasy-fiction/490501/6 "2009-03-23T21:56:54Z")
In _Tombs of Atuan_ there is a eunuch who acts as a guardian and sort of kind of just a little bit foster-parent to the young Tenar. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-creepy-eunichs-in-fantasy-fiction/490501/7 "2009-03-23T22:31:07Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Can’t remember the book, I _believe_ it was a collection of historical setting detective stories, but there was a byzantine imperial eunich that was investigating a murder in the imperial palace, he was pretty cool. Mary Reed and Eric Mayer’s “John the Eunuch” series. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-creepy-eunichs-in-fantasy-fiction/490501/8 "2009-03-23T22:36:55Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > In _Tombs of Atuan_ there is a eunuch who acts as a guardian and sort of kind of just a little bit foster-parent to the young Tenar. True as far as it goes, but Manan qualifies as creepy to me, especially by the end of the book, when he is turned against Tenar by the fear and hatred of her rival priestess, and nearly kills Sparrowhawk to set her free ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-creepy-eunichs-in-fantasy-fiction/490501/9 "2009-03-23T22:58:47Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Mary Reed and Eric Mayer’s “John the Eunuch” series. I may have to hunt them down =) I just remmebered this one, it was interesting as I was sewing a few patches to go on a friends byzantine outfit. if memory serves it hinged upon worshiping mithras or something=) ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-creepy-eunichs-in-fantasy-fiction/490501/10 "2009-03-23T23:27:57Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > I think that there is at least one eunich in the Belisarius series of novels also. Narses. A rather cool character, but fairly villainous. > [@](#): > > “It’s quite a nasty poison,” remarked Narses cheerfully. “Utterly paralyzing, for all the pain. Deadly, too. After a time.” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-creepy-eunichs-in-fantasy-fiction/490501/11 "2009-03-24T01:03:51Z")
Are we restricting this to _good_ fiction? Because every single one of the male characters in Piers Anthony’s _Battle Circle_ is emasculated in some way or another: One’s physically castrated, one was rendered sterile by excessive radiation exposure, another eventually ends up rendered impotent by implants intended to turn him into the ultimate warrior, and the last is psychologically impotent. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-creepy-eunichs-in-fantasy-fiction/490501/12 "2009-03-24T01:16:00Z")
Guy Gavriel Kay’s _[Tigana](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tigana)_. Sorry; my copy is in storage or I’d look up the name of the character. I love his writing, me. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-creepy-eunichs-in-fantasy-fiction/490501/13 "2009-03-24T16:18:23Z")
The lead character in Frederick Pohl’s _Man Plus_. There was the sentry in Michael Moorcock’s “The Dreaming City”. He was mainly cannon-fodder, though, so he wasn’t onstage long enough to do anything creepy.