Yargo

Yargo is a science fiction romance novel written by Jacqueline Susann in the 1950s and published posthumously in 1979. The book combines elements of interplanetary adventure with romantic storytelling, marking a departure from Susann's usual contemporary fiction. The plot centers on Janet Cooper, a woman from New Jersey who experiences an alien abduction by beings from the distant planet Yargo. The advanced Yargonian civilization introduces Janet to their world and culture, leading to an unexpected romantic connection. The manuscript remained unpublished for over two decades after its completion in 1956, only coming to light when it was discovered in an agent's filing cabinet after Susann's death in 1975. Bantam Books published the novel with an initial print run of 1.3 million copies. The novel explores themes of human emotion versus logic, the nature of love, and the contrast between earthly passions and cold rationality. These elements are set against a backdrop of 1950s science fiction concepts and social perspectives.

Readers found Yargo to be a departure from Susann's usual style, with many noting it feels like a rough draft rather than a polished novel. The science fiction romance plot drew comparisons to pulp magazines of the 1950s. Readers appreciated: - The campy, B-movie style storytelling - Elements that prefigured later sci-fi romance novels - The uniqueness compared to Susann's other works Common criticisms: - Underdeveloped characters - Simplistic, repetitive writing - Plot holes and inconsistencies - "Reads like a teenager's fantasy" - Goodreads reviewer Ratings: Goodreads: 3.0/5 (126 ratings) Amazon: 3.2/5 (12 ratings) Several readers noted the book feels like an early manuscript that wasn't ready for publication. One Amazon reviewer called it "a fascinating misfire from an author trying something completely different." The limited number of reviews and ratings suggests the book remains one of Susann's more obscure works.

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🌟 Jacqueline Susann wrote Yargo in 1956, long before her breakout novel Valley of the Dolls, but it wasn't published until 1979, five years after her death. 🌟 Despite being known for scandalous contemporary novels, Susann was an amateur astronomer who spent nights studying the stars from her Manhattan apartment terrace. 🌟 The book's 1950s setting coincided with the height of UFO phenomena in American culture, influenced by numerous reported sightings and the famous Roswell incident of 1947. 🌟 Many themes in Yargo mirror the post-war era's anxieties about technology and automation, reflecting society's fear of becoming emotionally detached like the advanced alien civilization portrayed in the novel. 🌟 The protagonist Janet Cooper's journey from New Jersey to space parallels Susann's own transition from small-town actress to Manhattan-based writer, showcasing her personal connection to themes of transformation and discovery.