The Bridge of Lost Desire

About “The Bridge of Lost Desire”

The Bridge of Lost Desire is the fourth volume in the Return to Neveryon series by Samuel R. Delany. The book contains three long tales that explore the life of Gorgik the Liberator, a man who was taken as a slave as a child, later led a slave revolt, and became a minister of state before abolishing slavery. The stories are told from different perspectives: one through Gorgik's own eyes, another through the lens of rumor and desire, and a third that presents him as a collection of facts. The series as a whole is a science fiction and fantasy narrative set in a fictional empire, with each story contributing to the larger history of Gorgik. The series was originally published in four volumes between 1979 and 1987.