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Wraeththu #1-3
Wraeththu
In this powerful and elegant story set in a future Earth very different from our own, a new kind of human has evolved to challenge the dominion of Homo sapiens. This new breed is stronger, smarter, and far more beautiful than their parent race, and are endowed with psychic as well as physical gifts. They are destined to supplant humanity as we know it, but humanity won't die without a struggle.
Here at last in a single volume are all three of Constantine's Wraeththu trilogy: The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit, The Bewitchments of Love and Hate, and The Fulfilments of Fate and Desire.
Here at last in a single volume are all three of Constantine's Wraeththu trilogy: The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit, The Bewitchments of Love and Hate, and The Fulfilments of Fate and Desire.
800 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 1993
99 people are currently reading
3054 people want to read
About the author
Storm Constantine
142books503followersStorm Constantine was a British science fiction and fantasy author, primarily known for her Wraeththu series.
Since the late 1980s she wrote more than 20 novels, plus several non-fiction books. She is featured in the Goth Bible and is often included in discussions of alternative sexuality and gender in science fiction and fantasy; many of her novels include same-sex relationships or hermaphrodites or other twists of gender. Magic, mysticism and ancient legends (like the Grigori) also figure strongly in her works.
In 2003 she launched Immanion Press, based out of Stafford, England. The publishing company publishes not only her own works but those of new writers, as well as well-known genre writers, mainly from the UK.
Since the late 1980s she wrote more than 20 novels, plus several non-fiction books. She is featured in the Goth Bible and is often included in discussions of alternative sexuality and gender in science fiction and fantasy; many of her novels include same-sex relationships or hermaphrodites or other twists of gender. Magic, mysticism and ancient legends (like the Grigori) also figure strongly in her works.
In 2003 she launched Immanion Press, based out of Stafford, England. The publishing company publishes not only her own works but those of new writers, as well as well-known genre writers, mainly from the UK.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
June 29, 2012
There's really not a whole lot of good about these books. While the premise itself is compelling, its execution is nonsensical and offensive. The plot is meandering at best, and the characters are mewling, saccharine things with haphazard and inconsistent characterizations. The writing style itself is dry with a lot of strangely placed commas, and while Constantine's dialogue has improved to "serviceable" by the end of the third book, it remains stilted and unconvincing.
I picked up the text out of curiosity; I wanted to know how it would play with gender. Which, um, it ... actually doesn't. The Wraeththu are basically dudes with flowerparts instead of pensises, and gender is a strictly binary concept where most of the more female-gendered Wraeththu are looked down on, insulted, and essentially written off. Indeed, all three narrators are described as androgynous (but still manly!) dudes with a few tacked-on passages about how there is ~female~ in all of us/something about crying/water/moon/darkness/whatever. The actual women in the book are few and far between and mostly serve the purpose of the slightly melancholy but wise guides for the spiritual journeys of the Wraeththu, and no lady is ever allowed to express even a shred of bitterness about their eminent genocide.
You would think in a trilogy a lot would happen, but it's mostly just a lot of the aforementioned spiritual journeying. The narrator of the first book, Pell, finally achieves his Important Political Office only for the book to end and switch to the perspective of Swift who achieves his Important Political Office only for the book to end and switch to Cal who, you guessed it, spends the entire text struggling with psychological demons in the most unfathomably boring way possible only to achieve his Important Political Office. There's no sense of urgency or movement to the plot, and what's more, Constantine neatly skims over any of the interesting political intrigue in order to have her characters angst about their insipid lives some more. By the end of it no one has really accomplished anything of note, and the seeds of what might be an interesting story have been sown. It really felt like a very boring set of prequels rather than a trilogy with a plot.
The characters that move the plot are similarly uninspiring. There's something repellent about each of the main characters, though Swift is by far the most palatable. Personalities change drastically and then snap right back to how they used to be, and some characters grow and develop but never in a terribly organic way. Cal is the most baffling culprit, who is sadistic but also a big softie but also a cynical jerk but also likes to have serious aruna (which is ... magic sex? but not really magical sex which is something else) with people but also admits to having "violated" a lot of people in the past and wants to go to Immanion but also never wanted to go to Immanion and so on. Also the constantly shifting romantic entanglements are tiring and at times absurd. The whole thing makes for, overall, a very dull package.
Really, I think the work is pretty seriously dated in regards to its ideology/theoretical underpinnings and maybe I'm being too harsh in that regard, but then again I'm not sure I particularly care. On the whole, the series reads as a meandering pseudo-philosophical piece of slash fiction written by someone who didn't what to dead with the existence of women, full stop. A pretty torturous read, all told.
I picked up the text out of curiosity; I wanted to know how it would play with gender. Which, um, it ... actually doesn't. The Wraeththu are basically dudes with flowerparts instead of pensises, and gender is a strictly binary concept where most of the more female-gendered Wraeththu are looked down on, insulted, and essentially written off. Indeed, all three narrators are described as androgynous (but still manly!) dudes with a few tacked-on passages about how there is ~female~ in all of us/something about crying/water/moon/darkness/whatever. The actual women in the book are few and far between and mostly serve the purpose of the slightly melancholy but wise guides for the spiritual journeys of the Wraeththu, and no lady is ever allowed to express even a shred of bitterness about their eminent genocide.
You would think in a trilogy a lot would happen, but it's mostly just a lot of the aforementioned spiritual journeying. The narrator of the first book, Pell, finally achieves his Important Political Office only for the book to end and switch to the perspective of Swift who achieves his Important Political Office only for the book to end and switch to Cal who, you guessed it, spends the entire text struggling with psychological demons in the most unfathomably boring way possible only to achieve his Important Political Office. There's no sense of urgency or movement to the plot, and what's more, Constantine neatly skims over any of the interesting political intrigue in order to have her characters angst about their insipid lives some more. By the end of it no one has really accomplished anything of note, and the seeds of what might be an interesting story have been sown. It really felt like a very boring set of prequels rather than a trilogy with a plot.
The characters that move the plot are similarly uninspiring. There's something repellent about each of the main characters, though Swift is by far the most palatable. Personalities change drastically and then snap right back to how they used to be, and some characters grow and develop but never in a terribly organic way. Cal is the most baffling culprit, who is sadistic but also a big softie but also a cynical jerk but also likes to have serious aruna (which is ... magic sex? but not really magical sex which is something else) with people but also admits to having "violated" a lot of people in the past and wants to go to Immanion but also never wanted to go to Immanion and so on. Also the constantly shifting romantic entanglements are tiring and at times absurd. The whole thing makes for, overall, a very dull package.
Really, I think the work is pretty seriously dated in regards to its ideology/theoretical underpinnings and maybe I'm being too harsh in that regard, but then again I'm not sure I particularly care. On the whole, the series reads as a meandering pseudo-philosophical piece of slash fiction written by someone who didn't what to dead with the existence of women, full stop. A pretty torturous read, all told.
March 7, 2013
I wanted to like these books, really I did. The poetic writing style, the atrocious dialogue, the strange and enticing premise, it all seemed so right!
Pellaz is a great main character, he goes through so much hardship but remains himself through and through. He has a great personality, the most realistic of all the characters, and I really enjoyed listening to his story.
Constantine has a tendency to throw a lot of pretty words and phrases together that are, in the end, just empty phrases. One of those, "Time was so fleeting, moving quickly on into the unknown, yet it was slow and agonizing, holding us all captive in..." (continue this for a full paragraph)
Yes, time exists, and it moves on. Can you? Because I would like to.
But the ultimate destroyer is the nightmare of a character that is Cal. Let me sum him up for you (and spare you the torment).
Spoilers and harsh words ahead, so beware.
BEGIN RANT
END RANT.
Needless to say, as much as I loved Pellaz and would love to see what happens with him, I cannot continue because if I read one more sentence about Cal that doesn't involve him being dismembered, I will cry.
(Please, someone who's read them all somehow magically, please tell me he is dismembered or tortured or SOMETHING!)
To her credit, Constantine created an engrossing, intricate world full of possibility and diversity in the ever-repeating genre that is dystopian fantasy.
And then did nothing with it.
But them some perty words you got there, Constantine! Just wish you put them to better use...
Pellaz is a great main character, he goes through so much hardship but remains himself through and through. He has a great personality, the most realistic of all the characters, and I really enjoyed listening to his story.
Constantine has a tendency to throw a lot of pretty words and phrases together that are, in the end, just empty phrases. One of those, "Time was so fleeting, moving quickly on into the unknown, yet it was slow and agonizing, holding us all captive in..." (continue this for a full paragraph)
Yes, time exists, and it moves on. Can you? Because I would like to.
But the ultimate destroyer is the nightmare of a character that is Cal. Let me sum him up for you (and spare you the torment).
Spoilers and harsh words ahead, so beware.
BEGIN RANT
END RANT.
Needless to say, as much as I loved Pellaz and would love to see what happens with him, I cannot continue because if I read one more sentence about Cal that doesn't involve him being dismembered, I will cry.
(Please, someone who's read them all somehow magically, please tell me he is dismembered or tortured or SOMETHING!)
To her credit, Constantine created an engrossing, intricate world full of possibility and diversity in the ever-repeating genre that is dystopian fantasy.
And then did nothing with it.
But them some perty words you got there, Constantine! Just wish you put them to better use...
March 6, 2018
This book is great brain candy for me. Except for the scope of the epic (at 774 pages, not counting appendices...) it's a great quick read you don't have to think too much about. Of the books, I would have to say that the second is probably my favorite because it deals with a character that is born into the world after the Wraethu have taken over and remolded the world.
It's postapocalyptic punk with queer romance and magic thrown in. Some of the new language Constantine creates is spot on. The caste systems, city and character names, and tribe definitions are fantastic. Just the mental exercise of carving up known continents into new tribal areas is one of the reasons I love re-reading this brick of literature. However some of the language made me laugh:
"These people were used to concealment. To them it was something powerful and secret and forbidden to reveal themselves. There is a word for it: 'veyeila' that is untranslatable to anyone who is not Froia."
...veyeila is untranslatable? You took the world veil and added extra vowels. Say it out loud. Look at it. I can translate that.
Fortunately the new language is more on than off, and that's the only real example I can think of that really threw me out of the book entirely.
Love it or hate it, you have to acknowledge that there is a lot of sex magic in this book. On average, once every 25-50 pages. At least. Sometimes 3 or 4 scenes within 10 pages. If you're uncomfortable with it, let me reassure you that it is mostly short, abstractly described enough that you don't have time to say "Wait, again?!" and then the story quickly moves on. Constantine takes it as read that sex is a big part of the culture of these people and as such mentions it often without dwelling on it in too lavish terms.
In the third book one of the characters actually works at a brothel, and I commend Constantine's use of that time to make it one of the most chaste parts of the books. The sexual act there is culturally insignificant and twisted and thus doesn't even merit a mention. Well done.
Love triangles abound. For example, A sleeps with B, who is the consort of C. B wants A to have his babies, but A isn't comfortable with that. A leaves but comes back later, only to sleep with D, the son of B and C. D is supposed to be promised to E, but scorns him in favor of A. Who also ends up sleeping with C (who is the parent of D). A, D, and E all hook up later on, and things sort of go on from there.
This is not a book to be read by people who take themselves too seriously. It is a book that HBO should make into a movie series as soon as possible, because it's just too pretty not to be visual at some point.
All in all, a really fun read. So much fun that I spent money on and now own the sequel.
It's postapocalyptic punk with queer romance and magic thrown in. Some of the new language Constantine creates is spot on. The caste systems, city and character names, and tribe definitions are fantastic. Just the mental exercise of carving up known continents into new tribal areas is one of the reasons I love re-reading this brick of literature. However some of the language made me laugh:
"These people were used to concealment. To them it was something powerful and secret and forbidden to reveal themselves. There is a word for it: 'veyeila' that is untranslatable to anyone who is not Froia."
...veyeila is untranslatable? You took the world veil and added extra vowels. Say it out loud. Look at it. I can translate that.
Fortunately the new language is more on than off, and that's the only real example I can think of that really threw me out of the book entirely.
Love it or hate it, you have to acknowledge that there is a lot of sex magic in this book. On average, once every 25-50 pages. At least. Sometimes 3 or 4 scenes within 10 pages. If you're uncomfortable with it, let me reassure you that it is mostly short, abstractly described enough that you don't have time to say "Wait, again?!" and then the story quickly moves on. Constantine takes it as read that sex is a big part of the culture of these people and as such mentions it often without dwelling on it in too lavish terms.
In the third book one of the characters actually works at a brothel, and I commend Constantine's use of that time to make it one of the most chaste parts of the books. The sexual act there is culturally insignificant and twisted and thus doesn't even merit a mention. Well done.
Love triangles abound. For example, A sleeps with B, who is the consort of C. B wants A to have his babies, but A isn't comfortable with that. A leaves but comes back later, only to sleep with D, the son of B and C. D is supposed to be promised to E, but scorns him in favor of A. Who also ends up sleeping with C (who is the parent of D). A, D, and E all hook up later on, and things sort of go on from there.
This is not a book to be read by people who take themselves too seriously. It is a book that HBO should make into a movie series as soon as possible, because it's just too pretty not to be visual at some point.
All in all, a really fun read. So much fun that I spent money on and now own the sequel.
January 19, 2013
I'm re-reading this series.
It's wonderful. I'm glad a friend recommended it to me. Best thing about this series is how the characters change and evolve over the decades.
At least most of them, as you will find out if you read this book.
This book is about evolution, the evolution of a mystical, hermaphroditic race. Constantine creates a fascinating assortment of characters, especially Calanthe, who change, grow, suffer and learn as these stories progress.
My favourite one would be Calanthe's story, but it's also fascinating to see the world through the eyes of the innocent Pellez as he goes from being a human boy to a Har. The second book is in the perspective of a Harling, the first generation to be born from Hara who never thought they'd find themselves able to bear children. You see the world through his somewhat alien eyes and see how he adapts to change.
The third book is the best. It's about Calanthe, who is a dynamic character, my favourite in the book.
I definitely recommend reading this book if you like stories about gender issues, or books with rather well done mystical sex scenes. The only problem with this book is the language does get thick and decadent at times, but it's a delightful decadence that goes well with good music and perhaps wine.
Read it again in 2013. It's still so GOOD! I love this book so much. And read the next series too. So much CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!
It's wonderful. I'm glad a friend recommended it to me. Best thing about this series is how the characters change and evolve over the decades.
At least most of them, as you will find out if you read this book.
This book is about evolution, the evolution of a mystical, hermaphroditic race. Constantine creates a fascinating assortment of characters, especially Calanthe, who change, grow, suffer and learn as these stories progress.
My favourite one would be Calanthe's story, but it's also fascinating to see the world through the eyes of the innocent Pellez as he goes from being a human boy to a Har. The second book is in the perspective of a Harling, the first generation to be born from Hara who never thought they'd find themselves able to bear children. You see the world through his somewhat alien eyes and see how he adapts to change.
The third book is the best. It's about Calanthe, who is a dynamic character, my favourite in the book.
I definitely recommend reading this book if you like stories about gender issues, or books with rather well done mystical sex scenes. The only problem with this book is the language does get thick and decadent at times, but it's a delightful decadence that goes well with good music and perhaps wine.
Read it again in 2013. It's still so GOOD! I love this book so much. And read the next series too. So much CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!
August 13, 2011
Storm Constantine is not for everyone. And the "Wraeththu" series seems to invoke one of two reactions: either you hate them or you love them. I'm one of those people in the latter category.
As a fan of Constantine's works, I have read nearly every novel she's written, but the three books which make up the "Wraeththu" series were the first, and remain my favorite. What's so admirable about these books?
1) Her characterization. Constantine is a master at making the characters real. You care about them. When they suffer, you feel it. When they triumph, you cheer for them.
2) Gender-bending. This series often gets tagged as "gay" fantasy when the characters are actually hermaphrodites. Granted, those who become hara (the name the hermaphrodites give themselves), were originally human males (and many of them exhibit traditional male sensibilities), so you can certainly read them as gay men if you want to. Personally I find the hara's struggle to come to terms with their new female aspects more interesting than thinking of them in terms of being slightly-modified gay men.
3) Personally, I found them entertaining. If you have inner fangirl (or fanboy?), these books are like candy.
Although I love this series, they are by no means perfect books. Part of the reason is probably because Constantine was still a rather young author when she wrote them. The writing style in her follow-up trilogy (the Wraeththu Histories), written more than ten years later, is a lot more polished, but it all starts here.
I also recommend Constantine's .
As a fan of Constantine's works, I have read nearly every novel she's written, but the three books which make up the "Wraeththu" series were the first, and remain my favorite. What's so admirable about these books?
1) Her characterization. Constantine is a master at making the characters real. You care about them. When they suffer, you feel it. When they triumph, you cheer for them.
2) Gender-bending. This series often gets tagged as "gay" fantasy when the characters are actually hermaphrodites. Granted, those who become hara (the name the hermaphrodites give themselves), were originally human males (and many of them exhibit traditional male sensibilities), so you can certainly read them as gay men if you want to. Personally I find the hara's struggle to come to terms with their new female aspects more interesting than thinking of them in terms of being slightly-modified gay men.
3) Personally, I found them entertaining. If you have inner fangirl (or fanboy?), these books are like candy.
Although I love this series, they are by no means perfect books. Part of the reason is probably because Constantine was still a rather young author when she wrote them. The writing style in her follow-up trilogy (the Wraeththu Histories), written more than ten years later, is a lot more polished, but it all starts here.
I also recommend Constantine's .
January 10, 2024
This is my second review of this book--- because hell, it deserves two. I technically finished this book last year, except for the last chapter (today). But I am happy to start the year with this book, especially as on the Eve of January first, I shook my partner awake (he has also read this book and knows the details) and in a post-champagne haze in the middle of my best-friend's darkened living room, started rambling to him about how this book was really a grand extended metaphor regarding the trans experience...
For some strange reason, the entirety of this large book, I kept pronouncing the name 'Wreaththu' like rhyming with 'Chuthulu'... *coughs* Anyway.
=====
Wreathuthu are a new breed who began by incepting only the best, brightest and most beautiful teenage human boys. Once the boys (and it can only be boys) are turned, their body changes--they become 'the strongest part of women and the weakest part of men.' Wreathuthu do not age as humans do, they are more hearty, they are immune to most disease and poisons--they have a rigid tribe and caste system. Older, higher-ranking members teach and advance the younger to learn all manners of mind control and healing techniques. Wary of love, that dangerous and volatile human emotion, the race eschews it and though members can pair off, sexual congress is encouraged in a non-monogamous way to promote closeness and even to create magic. All members are capable of both giving seed or 'hosting' a Wreathuthu child... The process, so much less involved than human conception, means neither party need be so long burdened with the 'hosting'...
====
The body has improved, the mind has improved, the gender roles have relaxed, blurred and at times, become entirely erased, but of course, even with their improvements, Wreathuthu are not perfect. The book is divided into three smaller ones, narrated in turn by Pell (Pellaz) Swift and Cal (Calanthe). Two are incepted Wreathuthu who still faintly remember their human years, one is a pure-born--none are immune to the gamut of emotions: fear, rage, helplessness, self-doubt, longing; pride, despair and even love.
For some strange reason, the entirety of this large book, I kept pronouncing the name 'Wreaththu' like rhyming with 'Chuthulu'... *coughs* Anyway.
=====
Wreathuthu are a new breed who began by incepting only the best, brightest and most beautiful teenage human boys. Once the boys (and it can only be boys) are turned, their body changes--they become 'the strongest part of women and the weakest part of men.' Wreathuthu do not age as humans do, they are more hearty, they are immune to most disease and poisons--they have a rigid tribe and caste system. Older, higher-ranking members teach and advance the younger to learn all manners of mind control and healing techniques. Wary of love, that dangerous and volatile human emotion, the race eschews it and though members can pair off, sexual congress is encouraged in a non-monogamous way to promote closeness and even to create magic. All members are capable of both giving seed or 'hosting' a Wreathuthu child... The process, so much less involved than human conception, means neither party need be so long burdened with the 'hosting'...
====
The body has improved, the mind has improved, the gender roles have relaxed, blurred and at times, become entirely erased, but of course, even with their improvements, Wreathuthu are not perfect. The book is divided into three smaller ones, narrated in turn by Pell (Pellaz) Swift and Cal (Calanthe). Two are incepted Wreathuthu who still faintly remember their human years, one is a pure-born--none are immune to the gamut of emotions: fear, rage, helplessness, self-doubt, longing; pride, despair and even love.
January 19, 2012
The Gay "Lord of the Rings", written for adults. Not for everyone, these books are an acquired taste. The writing style tends to the gothic.
Post-apocalyptic world with a new race born to replace human beings. These new creatures are hermaphrodites, and can choose the gender they want to exercise when having sex, in essence making women irrelevant to survival of the species.
The need for the new species is based on the fact that gender differences caused the end of civilization. Yet, the books are proof that even though the new beings don't have a defined gender, personality determines how they behave and there's still a gender divide in the new society. This story is a treatise on human behavior, carried out by non-humans. Genius!
A book that makes me think, superbly developed characters that stay with me as friends (or enemies), a story that grabs me and does not let go. All the requirements for a five-star read. Highly recommended.
Post-apocalyptic world with a new race born to replace human beings. These new creatures are hermaphrodites, and can choose the gender they want to exercise when having sex, in essence making women irrelevant to survival of the species.
The need for the new species is based on the fact that gender differences caused the end of civilization. Yet, the books are proof that even though the new beings don't have a defined gender, personality determines how they behave and there's still a gender divide in the new society. This story is a treatise on human behavior, carried out by non-humans. Genius!
A book that makes me think, superbly developed characters that stay with me as friends (or enemies), a story that grabs me and does not let go. All the requirements for a five-star read. Highly recommended.
July 2, 2019
See my drag queen book review at:
While I recognize there may be some issues with these novels, I'm still giving it 5 stars as these books really had an impact on me when they were first published. In sum, if you want to entertain a vision of the world taken over by horny goth twinks, you will probably love this trilogy.
While I recognize there may be some issues with these novels, I'm still giving it 5 stars as these books really had an impact on me when they were first published. In sum, if you want to entertain a vision of the world taken over by horny goth twinks, you will probably love this trilogy.
October 16, 2011
(Re-posted from )
So whenever I think about how "good" a book is there always appears in my mind a spectrum. On one end we have PLOT and on the other end there is CHARACTER. I feel like the books that could most objectively be called "the best" fall right smack in the middle of these two things, a perfect mix of plot and characters. But to be honest the books I love best tend to be way unbalanced, in favour of the character side of things. Objectively I can admit that these books might not be the most expertly crafted, but I care not at all. It's characters or GTFO for me folks, all the way.
Storm Constantine's Wreaththu trilogy (read by me in a convenient omnibus version) was the perfect example of this. Most of the reviews I see of these three books (that aren't dealing with the role playing game that has apparently been developed around them) complain that the plot is a bit lacking. And they're right. I can see that they're right. Do I care? Not really. Because dude, I dug these books.
The premise that at some point in the future humanity has began to evolve intoa higher form called wraeththu. Wraththu are beautiful and awesome and just, like, so totally superior to mankind in every single way. Or so they like to think of themselves. Really the wraeththu are just as flawed as man is, just in slightly different ways. The blurb of the omnibus edition made out like these books would deal with mankind's struggle not to be replaced. Which was crazy misleading, because there is no struggle. Mankind has lost. It is the final twilight of man. Really the books deal with the the establishment of wraththu society, and how the new race struggles to find it's own identity without falling into the same behaviors that ruined mankind.
The three books span a decent amount of time, and when we start out the wraeththu are little more than separate waring tribes, and by the end we see that civilizations start to form. This isn't the point to the books and mostly happens in the background, but it's pretty cool to see the subtle evolution.
I will say that the fact they were written in the 80s shows like crazy. The apololyptic wasteland of the first book just screams early nineties, mad max/tank girl, and the extended ruminations of gender read as dated to me. But still interesting. The wraeththu are both male and female, and they either start of as male humans and are "turned" to wreaththu, or, later in the series, pure wraththu babies start being born. The contrast in how turned and born wraththu dealt with gender was fascinating.
You'll note I still really haven't talked about plot. It's not fair to say that there is no plot, because there is! Book 1 deals with turned wraeththu Pelaz, who is being groomed by a higher being to be the supreme emporer of the world. The only problem is Pelaz' unforturnate choice of lover, Cal. Of the three books this was my least favourite, as Pelaz is a fairy cold and removed protagonist. It's not terrible though, but the final two volumes are worlds better.
Book two, and my favorite, revolves around born wraeththu Swift. It's basically a coming of age tale, and I'm a sucker for the coming of age tale. And it's a really good one. Swift's father is just a little bit evil (but still painfully sympathetic to the reader), and his hostling (mother, basically) is just a little bit batshit insane, and poor Swift is one of the first pure wraeththu babies to be born, so it's not like he has anyone to tell him what to expect as he grows up.
The last book focus' on Cal, who continues to be the spanner in the works of many a well laid plan, as he fights against his inevitable destiny. Cal is. Well. Cal is Cal. Beautiful and sharp and funny and more than a little bit broken. This is the only book he narrates, but he appears across all three and it was a delight to watch how our understanding of him grows as we see him from first Pelaz's point of view, and then Swift's, and then finally his own.
Really, if you're going to read these books, you're going to do it for the characters. They're beautifully written, sympathetic and consistent. The plot? I mean, yeah, it's there. But the endings get wrapped up way too easily (more often than not by using the power of magical wreaththu sex. No really), but the flaws in plotting do not at all detract from these books. Assuming you love characters as much as I do, that is.
So whenever I think about how "good" a book is there always appears in my mind a spectrum. On one end we have PLOT and on the other end there is CHARACTER. I feel like the books that could most objectively be called "the best" fall right smack in the middle of these two things, a perfect mix of plot and characters. But to be honest the books I love best tend to be way unbalanced, in favour of the character side of things. Objectively I can admit that these books might not be the most expertly crafted, but I care not at all. It's characters or GTFO for me folks, all the way.
Storm Constantine's Wreaththu trilogy (read by me in a convenient omnibus version) was the perfect example of this. Most of the reviews I see of these three books (that aren't dealing with the role playing game that has apparently been developed around them) complain that the plot is a bit lacking. And they're right. I can see that they're right. Do I care? Not really. Because dude, I dug these books.
The premise that at some point in the future humanity has began to evolve intoa higher form called wraeththu. Wraththu are beautiful and awesome and just, like, so totally superior to mankind in every single way. Or so they like to think of themselves. Really the wraeththu are just as flawed as man is, just in slightly different ways. The blurb of the omnibus edition made out like these books would deal with mankind's struggle not to be replaced. Which was crazy misleading, because there is no struggle. Mankind has lost. It is the final twilight of man. Really the books deal with the the establishment of wraththu society, and how the new race struggles to find it's own identity without falling into the same behaviors that ruined mankind.
The three books span a decent amount of time, and when we start out the wraeththu are little more than separate waring tribes, and by the end we see that civilizations start to form. This isn't the point to the books and mostly happens in the background, but it's pretty cool to see the subtle evolution.
I will say that the fact they were written in the 80s shows like crazy. The apololyptic wasteland of the first book just screams early nineties, mad max/tank girl, and the extended ruminations of gender read as dated to me. But still interesting. The wraeththu are both male and female, and they either start of as male humans and are "turned" to wreaththu, or, later in the series, pure wraththu babies start being born. The contrast in how turned and born wraththu dealt with gender was fascinating.
You'll note I still really haven't talked about plot. It's not fair to say that there is no plot, because there is! Book 1 deals with turned wraeththu Pelaz, who is being groomed by a higher being to be the supreme emporer of the world. The only problem is Pelaz' unforturnate choice of lover, Cal. Of the three books this was my least favourite, as Pelaz is a fairy cold and removed protagonist. It's not terrible though, but the final two volumes are worlds better.
Book two, and my favorite, revolves around born wraeththu Swift. It's basically a coming of age tale, and I'm a sucker for the coming of age tale. And it's a really good one. Swift's father is just a little bit evil (but still painfully sympathetic to the reader), and his hostling (mother, basically) is just a little bit batshit insane, and poor Swift is one of the first pure wraeththu babies to be born, so it's not like he has anyone to tell him what to expect as he grows up.
The last book focus' on Cal, who continues to be the spanner in the works of many a well laid plan, as he fights against his inevitable destiny. Cal is. Well. Cal is Cal. Beautiful and sharp and funny and more than a little bit broken. This is the only book he narrates, but he appears across all three and it was a delight to watch how our understanding of him grows as we see him from first Pelaz's point of view, and then Swift's, and then finally his own.
Really, if you're going to read these books, you're going to do it for the characters. They're beautifully written, sympathetic and consistent. The plot? I mean, yeah, it's there. But the endings get wrapped up way too easily (more often than not by using the power of magical wreaththu sex. No really), but the flaws in plotting do not at all detract from these books. Assuming you love characters as much as I do, that is.
April 12, 2022
A classic fantasy trilogy that I remember thoroughly enjoying when it originally appeared. Twenty years later, this trilogy is probably still a fantastic read.
These books are very hard to find, and I wish I’d kept my copies, since I remember loving them at the time. Men who get pregnant! It was revolutionary and cutting edge science fiction. I wonder what I would think of these books now?
I moved, and gave these books away. I've been looking for them ever since.
These books are very hard to find, and I wish I’d kept my copies, since I remember loving them at the time. Men who get pregnant! It was revolutionary and cutting edge science fiction. I wonder what I would think of these books now?
I moved, and gave these books away. I've been looking for them ever since.
September 15, 2010
Today the theme for BBAW is Forgotten Treasure. I wouldnt say That Wraeththu by Storm Constantine was a "forgotten" treasure, but I'm sure a great many readers aren't familiar with it. The cover shown here is from the collected Omnibus edition. There are three books in the series:
The Enchantments Of Flesh and Spirit
The Bewitchments of Love and Hate
The Fulfilments of Fate and Desire
Here is a little about the book from the Good Reads site:
In this powerful and elegant story set in a future Earth very different from our own, a new kind of human has evolved to challenge the dominion of Homo sapiens. This new breed is stronger, smarter, and far more beautiful than their parent race, and are endowed with psychic as well as physical gifts. They are destined to supplant humanity as we know it, but humanity won't die without a struggle.Here at last in a single volume are all three of Constantine's Wraeththu trilogy: The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit, The Bewitchments of Love and Hate, and The Fulfilments of Fate and Desire.
Now there is something I must express here. In this future, the majority of Wraeththu are male. Males that have, through evolutionary necessity have the power to procreate. I say this becase Wraeththu has many stories of love, but they are between men. This book has been recognized by many Gay an Lesbian literay communities.
I want to let prospective readers who may not be comfortable with these situations know in advance. I HOPE, this would not disuade anyone from reading it.
Book One is narrated by Pellaz.He is a young boy living on a small farm with his family. They have heard many rumours about the Wraeththu and are suprised when one comes to there small farm. It is Cal. Pellaz is enthralled with him he feels emotions and desires he never thought possible. He runs away with Cal, on a Journey that will end with him being turned into a Wraeththu and so much more. This volume is beautiful and interesting we are introduced to the community of these strange beautiful beings alon with the politics of the Wraeththu community.
Book Two is narrated by Swift. He is a youngling or Har, who lives with his father and hostling who birthed him, Cobweb. Swift is a very intersting character and we se a diferent aspect of the Wraeththu world. Though Swift's father is active in the political world Swift is not effected by it much. He ives a quiet , pampered life. Then Cal shows up at his family's doorstep. Cal is reeling from the events of book one and is at Swifts house to lick his wounds and take advantage of the former affections Swifts father still holds for Cal. Swift's life is continually uphended due to Cal's affects on his family. Swift's chilhood also ends as he and his magics are needed for a battle that is raging betwen the humans and the Wraeththu.
I lovd this volume! Swift is one of my favorite characters, it is also very interesting to see Cal described through another characters eyes.
In Book Three we finally get the narrative voice of Cal. He has faced his demons and now moves on to the Wraeththu capital to reclaim Pellaz. Cal is such a great character! He is the trixter, the Stormbringer, his original deceptions have driven Pellaz away but Cal decides to face his demons and Pellaz once more. It is an amazing climax to a great triology that I look forward to rereading. Storm Constantine has created a marvelous universe and a wonderful cast of characters. Lovers of fantasy and magic will love this series.
The Enchantments Of Flesh and Spirit
The Bewitchments of Love and Hate
The Fulfilments of Fate and Desire
Here is a little about the book from the Good Reads site:
In this powerful and elegant story set in a future Earth very different from our own, a new kind of human has evolved to challenge the dominion of Homo sapiens. This new breed is stronger, smarter, and far more beautiful than their parent race, and are endowed with psychic as well as physical gifts. They are destined to supplant humanity as we know it, but humanity won't die without a struggle.Here at last in a single volume are all three of Constantine's Wraeththu trilogy: The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit, The Bewitchments of Love and Hate, and The Fulfilments of Fate and Desire.
Now there is something I must express here. In this future, the majority of Wraeththu are male. Males that have, through evolutionary necessity have the power to procreate. I say this becase Wraeththu has many stories of love, but they are between men. This book has been recognized by many Gay an Lesbian literay communities.
I want to let prospective readers who may not be comfortable with these situations know in advance. I HOPE, this would not disuade anyone from reading it.
Book One is narrated by Pellaz.He is a young boy living on a small farm with his family. They have heard many rumours about the Wraeththu and are suprised when one comes to there small farm. It is Cal. Pellaz is enthralled with him he feels emotions and desires he never thought possible. He runs away with Cal, on a Journey that will end with him being turned into a Wraeththu and so much more. This volume is beautiful and interesting we are introduced to the community of these strange beautiful beings alon with the politics of the Wraeththu community.
Book Two is narrated by Swift. He is a youngling or Har, who lives with his father and hostling who birthed him, Cobweb. Swift is a very intersting character and we se a diferent aspect of the Wraeththu world. Though Swift's father is active in the political world Swift is not effected by it much. He ives a quiet , pampered life. Then Cal shows up at his family's doorstep. Cal is reeling from the events of book one and is at Swifts house to lick his wounds and take advantage of the former affections Swifts father still holds for Cal. Swift's life is continually uphended due to Cal's affects on his family. Swift's chilhood also ends as he and his magics are needed for a battle that is raging betwen the humans and the Wraeththu.
I lovd this volume! Swift is one of my favorite characters, it is also very interesting to see Cal described through another characters eyes.
In Book Three we finally get the narrative voice of Cal. He has faced his demons and now moves on to the Wraeththu capital to reclaim Pellaz. Cal is such a great character! He is the trixter, the Stormbringer, his original deceptions have driven Pellaz away but Cal decides to face his demons and Pellaz once more. It is an amazing climax to a great triology that I look forward to rereading. Storm Constantine has created a marvelous universe and a wonderful cast of characters. Lovers of fantasy and magic will love this series.
November 3, 2012
One of the most phenomenal stories I’ve ever read
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 10/10
PROS:
- The depth of the world-building is incredible. In fact, there were times, especially in the first 100 pages, when I became pretty lost because many of the things the characters� conversations referred to were completely foreign to me. Throughout the book, I couldn’t read more than a couple of pages before something original and unique came up in the story--a character trait, an element of the setting, a ritual, etc.--and I had to pause to consider it.
- The writing is very, very good: lyrical and poetic and beautiful. Constantine uses a wide variety of unusual words to create an exotic tone, and the book has a somber, contemplative feel to it, with numerous references to things that would happen to the characters many years later, after the specific instances related in the story.
- There are so many interesting characters in these stories, and all of them are unbelievably strong. Some are pathetic in their selfishness and adherence to fading ways of life, but they each have their own strength, some quiet and reflective, and others loud and brash and strident. The majority of the main characters undergo major transformations, all of which are fabulously depicted.
- Each of the three books in this bound volume is told from a different perspective, and I found each point of view more intriguing than the last. The narrators� voices not only evolve as they mature and experience the triumphs and disappointments of their lives, but also remain unique enough that their narrative voices are easily distinguishable from one another’s.
CON:
- At times, the sadness of the characters became so prevalent that I succumbed to bouts of mild depression while reading because I was identifying so closely with their struggles (particularly their romantic struggles). Not every relationship that I wanted to end happily did, and some that did took a LONG time to wind up that way.
Overall comments: For some reason, I stalled about halfway through the first volume and sort of had to force myself to continue reading. I am SO glad I did, though; this is simply a fantastic story. The idea is so intriguing, the characters so complex, and the entire fictional world so mystical and enthralling that I envy those people who have yet to read Wraeththu and still have its discovery in their future. This book has affected me in a way that few others have, ever.
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 10/10
PROS:
- The depth of the world-building is incredible. In fact, there were times, especially in the first 100 pages, when I became pretty lost because many of the things the characters� conversations referred to were completely foreign to me. Throughout the book, I couldn’t read more than a couple of pages before something original and unique came up in the story--a character trait, an element of the setting, a ritual, etc.--and I had to pause to consider it.
- The writing is very, very good: lyrical and poetic and beautiful. Constantine uses a wide variety of unusual words to create an exotic tone, and the book has a somber, contemplative feel to it, with numerous references to things that would happen to the characters many years later, after the specific instances related in the story.
- There are so many interesting characters in these stories, and all of them are unbelievably strong. Some are pathetic in their selfishness and adherence to fading ways of life, but they each have their own strength, some quiet and reflective, and others loud and brash and strident. The majority of the main characters undergo major transformations, all of which are fabulously depicted.
- Each of the three books in this bound volume is told from a different perspective, and I found each point of view more intriguing than the last. The narrators� voices not only evolve as they mature and experience the triumphs and disappointments of their lives, but also remain unique enough that their narrative voices are easily distinguishable from one another’s.
CON:
- At times, the sadness of the characters became so prevalent that I succumbed to bouts of mild depression while reading because I was identifying so closely with their struggles (particularly their romantic struggles). Not every relationship that I wanted to end happily did, and some that did took a LONG time to wind up that way.
Overall comments: For some reason, I stalled about halfway through the first volume and sort of had to force myself to continue reading. I am SO glad I did, though; this is simply a fantastic story. The idea is so intriguing, the characters so complex, and the entire fictional world so mystical and enthralling that I envy those people who have yet to read Wraeththu and still have its discovery in their future. This book has affected me in a way that few others have, ever.
November 30, 2012
When I was younger, probably up to the age of sixteen. I read avidly, and lived with every character I read about, no matter how boring, or how badly written the book. When I turned seventeen I went through a change. It became increasingly hard for me to visualise what I was reading about, or feel anything about it. If anything I read even more avidly, but it was all a blur. This apathy leaked over into my daily life, and I began to find everything tasteless and predictable.
This book changed all that. As soon as I started reading it, it began haunting me. It was a world combined out of everything I'd ever found enchanting, mysterious, and dangerous, in life, or in fiction. I literally couldn't put it down, and I don't often say that. I usually don't put books down, but normally this is a matter of discipline, not compulsion.
After I finished it I lent it to a friend of mine, who read it happily enough, but I was scandalized when she dubbed it a "gay fantasy." "Sacrilege!" I wanted to scream, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
One of the things I found so compelling about it was that it was definitely NOT a "Gay Fantasy," even though, the uninitiated, may see it as such. It was so much more subtle and profound than that.
For me, this book was amazing, because it transcended the usual limitations of high fantasy and low fantasy. It was older than ancient, and more futuristic than the apocalypse. It was desolate, mysterious, and filled with yearning, and solace. It evoked atmospheres of Egypt, the Inca, and even India, while never seeming to draw obviously from any of these traditions. It simply wasn't earthly, and yet it captured every scrap of magic, I've ever experienced on earth.
After such a rave review, I should probably point out, that the other books in the Wraeththu series are really only for die hard fans. This one stands out as unique and noble. The others, begin to flag, and become predictable, but if you really like this one, such volumes as May also inspire.
This book changed all that. As soon as I started reading it, it began haunting me. It was a world combined out of everything I'd ever found enchanting, mysterious, and dangerous, in life, or in fiction. I literally couldn't put it down, and I don't often say that. I usually don't put books down, but normally this is a matter of discipline, not compulsion.
After I finished it I lent it to a friend of mine, who read it happily enough, but I was scandalized when she dubbed it a "gay fantasy." "Sacrilege!" I wanted to scream, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
One of the things I found so compelling about it was that it was definitely NOT a "Gay Fantasy," even though, the uninitiated, may see it as such. It was so much more subtle and profound than that.
For me, this book was amazing, because it transcended the usual limitations of high fantasy and low fantasy. It was older than ancient, and more futuristic than the apocalypse. It was desolate, mysterious, and filled with yearning, and solace. It evoked atmospheres of Egypt, the Inca, and even India, while never seeming to draw obviously from any of these traditions. It simply wasn't earthly, and yet it captured every scrap of magic, I've ever experienced on earth.
After such a rave review, I should probably point out, that the other books in the Wraeththu series are really only for die hard fans. This one stands out as unique and noble. The others, begin to flag, and become predictable, but if you really like this one, such volumes as May also inspire.
October 11, 2010
This book is why I love goodreads. It's not in my library. If I'd seen it in a bookshop the cover and the back blurb would not have caught my interest. But because it kept appearing in lists on goodreads that other books I enjoyed were on, I noticed it, read reviews on goodreads and decided to read the book. And really enjoyed it. Like I found and enjoyed before this one. I think my days of aimlessly wandering the library isles, after finishing up all the books of yet another writer, to find something new to pique my interest are over. And I hope that there is much less default crap in my reading future because of that.
So what about this book? One of the weirder scifi ideas out there, and for me, that is good, since I have read so many of them, some of the more standard ones blur together by now. In this one the human race dies out by human men evolving into hermaphroditic beings with psychic powers and sex magic. See, I am not likely to forget that concept anytime soon or start mixing it up with all the other hermaphroditic scifi I've read (my experience being limited to one secondary character in and other books in the Vorkosigan saga). The 3 books in this volume deal with the period of transition, for one of the 'guys' telling the story going from boy to Wreaththu, for the young new race trying to figure out what their society should be like and on a side tangent for the earth as humans become scarce and the Wraeththu multiply (yes, they give birth too). Interesting struggle and it makes for good reading. [
So what about this book? One of the weirder scifi ideas out there, and for me, that is good, since I have read so many of them, some of the more standard ones blur together by now. In this one the human race dies out by human men evolving into hermaphroditic beings with psychic powers and sex magic. See, I am not likely to forget that concept anytime soon or start mixing it up with all the other hermaphroditic scifi I've read (my experience being limited to one secondary character in and other books in the Vorkosigan saga). The 3 books in this volume deal with the period of transition, for one of the 'guys' telling the story going from boy to Wreaththu, for the young new race trying to figure out what their society should be like and on a side tangent for the earth as humans become scarce and the Wraeththu multiply (yes, they give birth too). Interesting struggle and it makes for good reading. [
January 19, 2011
Well, perhaps 'finished' isn't the word I'd use. Maybe something more along the lines of "abandoned". lol I got maybe a third of the way through the first novel and my brain exploded. David Bowie popped up in my mind a lot, and so did Kings of Leon. When all you can hear in your mind is "your sex is on fire" when you look at the cover, it's time to bench that read and perhaps try something new. Just until the compulsion wears off. ^_^ I imagine fans of Storm Constantine will demand blood satisfaction for my insolence, but hey, they'll have to get in line like everyone else.
April 6, 2015
Full disclosure: I read the entirety of the collection's first book, "The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit" and some (I would say most) of the second.
Oh man, Wraeththu. Let's talk about Wraeththu.
When I was younger, I saw this book all the time when browsing the science-fiction section of Barnes & Noble. It called out with its bizarre cover art and weird title (it looks like Cthulhu, so it must be Lovecraftian, right?), and every time I'd put it back on the shelf after checking a description on the back that even preteen me could read between the lines and realize: this book is about gay people. Shudder. Anyway, now that I'm older (and mature enough to not find the idea of two dudes kissing gross - what an asshole I was) I actively seek out LGBT sci-fi, and I started thinking about Wraeththu again. I wonder what that weird-ass book was like? Surely it couldn't be as bad as I imagined?
Well, Constantine's Wraeththu novels are definitely the kind of books that would've blown the mind of eleven-year-old Greg. That said, they're not exactly good.
Storm Constantine (who by the way is a gothy-looking British lady, not the Native American chieftain I always imagined) has come up with an interesting conceit: the world of men is in a slow, cold war with a new species on the fringe of society called Wraeththu. Rumors about them abound; some swear they're just a confederation of street gangs bent on revolution, some people think they're radioactive mutants. A young man living out in the boonies named Pellaz finds himself obsessed with finding out everything he can about the enigmatic creatures, and when a strange wounded man named Cal arrives at his parents' farm claiming to be one of these fantastic monsters in disguise, Pellaz runs away from home, accompanying Cal on a journey to beome Wraeththu himself and understand his nascent sexuality. This part of the book is actually cool and good - I liked Pellaz's transition from snarky brat to world-weary traveler, and the first 1/3rd of the book (which ends with Pellaz undergoing the arcane rituals to become a Wraeththu himself) make everything sound really creepy and mysterious. It's what comes after that poses problems.
Make no mistake: the back of the book might call them hermaphrodites, but 'Wraeththu' is totally code for 'fabulous gay man'. Every Wraeththu Pell meets is impossibly suave and beautiful, with perfect skin and long hair like an anime bishounen. The way they dress causes Constantine to overuse the word 'diaphenous' like no other author I've ever read. All of them, particularly Cal, detest the "female essence" within them and enhance their innerselves via sex magic and magic sex (two completely different things, by the way) through "aruna," which involves putting your Wraeththu genitals (which look like a magic penis flower) into another Wraeththu's genitals like those things the Na'vi have in Avatar. It's as strange as it sounds.
None of this is actually a problem for me; I've read Delany for chrissakes (the really bad Delany, mind). It's that the rest of the book breaks down like this:
1) Pell and Cal wander into another town
2) A hunky, diaphenous Wraeththu wants tohave passionate gay sex 'share aruna' with Cal/Pell
3) They do, it makes Pell/Cal jealous, they fight about it for a bit
4) They make up and move onto another town
Calling it plotless would be generous. Neither character seems to have any real motivation: Pell wants to become a higher-level Wraeththu until he suddenly doesn't, he wants to meet someone who treats him better than Cal until he doesn't. Cal wants to wander around until he finds the legendary Wraeththu city of Immanion, for reasons we're never given, Until he doesn't. Until he does. If you think the characters are inconsistent, you should read the goddamn dialog: characters spend whole PARAGRAPHS conversing in prose flowery enough to leave a Tolkien elf going "okay, you're overdoing it a little" then turn around and say "That's bullshit, you're just lazy as fuck" like it ain't no thing. Even the setting can't decide whether its the 1960's or 20XX.
I got to the second book in the trilogy, discovered it to be the exact same odyssey-of-sexual-self-discovery plot as the first, read most of it, and decided the rest of the book just wasn't for me. There's lots of great queer science-fiction out there, but Wraeththu isn't it. Sometimes your eleven year-old self had the right idea all along.
Oh man, Wraeththu. Let's talk about Wraeththu.
When I was younger, I saw this book all the time when browsing the science-fiction section of Barnes & Noble. It called out with its bizarre cover art and weird title (it looks like Cthulhu, so it must be Lovecraftian, right?), and every time I'd put it back on the shelf after checking a description on the back that even preteen me could read between the lines and realize: this book is about gay people. Shudder. Anyway, now that I'm older (and mature enough to not find the idea of two dudes kissing gross - what an asshole I was) I actively seek out LGBT sci-fi, and I started thinking about Wraeththu again. I wonder what that weird-ass book was like? Surely it couldn't be as bad as I imagined?
Well, Constantine's Wraeththu novels are definitely the kind of books that would've blown the mind of eleven-year-old Greg. That said, they're not exactly good.
Storm Constantine (who by the way is a gothy-looking British lady, not the Native American chieftain I always imagined) has come up with an interesting conceit: the world of men is in a slow, cold war with a new species on the fringe of society called Wraeththu. Rumors about them abound; some swear they're just a confederation of street gangs bent on revolution, some people think they're radioactive mutants. A young man living out in the boonies named Pellaz finds himself obsessed with finding out everything he can about the enigmatic creatures, and when a strange wounded man named Cal arrives at his parents' farm claiming to be one of these fantastic monsters in disguise, Pellaz runs away from home, accompanying Cal on a journey to beome Wraeththu himself and understand his nascent sexuality. This part of the book is actually cool and good - I liked Pellaz's transition from snarky brat to world-weary traveler, and the first 1/3rd of the book (which ends with Pellaz undergoing the arcane rituals to become a Wraeththu himself) make everything sound really creepy and mysterious. It's what comes after that poses problems.
Make no mistake: the back of the book might call them hermaphrodites, but 'Wraeththu' is totally code for 'fabulous gay man'. Every Wraeththu Pell meets is impossibly suave and beautiful, with perfect skin and long hair like an anime bishounen. The way they dress causes Constantine to overuse the word 'diaphenous' like no other author I've ever read. All of them, particularly Cal, detest the "female essence" within them and enhance their innerselves via sex magic and magic sex (two completely different things, by the way) through "aruna," which involves putting your Wraeththu genitals (which look like a magic penis flower) into another Wraeththu's genitals like those things the Na'vi have in Avatar. It's as strange as it sounds.
None of this is actually a problem for me; I've read Delany for chrissakes (the really bad Delany, mind). It's that the rest of the book breaks down like this:
1) Pell and Cal wander into another town
2) A hunky, diaphenous Wraeththu wants to
3) They do, it makes Pell/Cal jealous, they fight about it for a bit
4) They make up and move onto another town
Calling it plotless would be generous. Neither character seems to have any real motivation: Pell wants to become a higher-level Wraeththu until he suddenly doesn't, he wants to meet someone who treats him better than Cal until he doesn't. Cal wants to wander around until he finds the legendary Wraeththu city of Immanion, for reasons we're never given, Until he doesn't. Until he does. If you think the characters are inconsistent, you should read the goddamn dialog: characters spend whole PARAGRAPHS conversing in prose flowery enough to leave a Tolkien elf going "okay, you're overdoing it a little" then turn around and say "That's bullshit, you're just lazy as fuck" like it ain't no thing. Even the setting can't decide whether its the 1960's or 20XX.
I got to the second book in the trilogy, discovered it to be the exact same odyssey-of-sexual-self-discovery plot as the first, read most of it, and decided the rest of the book just wasn't for me. There's lots of great queer science-fiction out there, but Wraeththu isn't it. Sometimes your eleven year-old self had the right idea all along.
August 12, 2011
SUM: The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit: We follow the journey of young Pellaz, picked up by Calanthe and incepted into the ranks of the Wraeththu. Pell is driven by a strange urge to elevate in caste as quickly as possible, hence his travels with Cal around Megalithica, until Pell is taken out by (of all beings) a human woman. And yet, Pell's journey is of course not over yet. Theide, the first Wraeththu, gives him a new body and makes him Tigron of all the Wraeththu, setting him up to rule in Almagabra in Phoanica.
The Bewitchments of Love and Hate: Swift, son of Terzian of the Varrs, tells his story. Swift is fast friends with Cal, who has invaded his home and taken over from Cobweb as Terzian's favorite. Swift watches Cal battle with his inner demons and memories, eventually breaking free from his shell enough to accompany Swift south, where they meet the Gelaming, who plan to take over Megalithica. Swift is taken up by Theide to be ruler of Megalithica.
The Fulfillments of Fate and Desire: Finally, we get Cal's story. Cal travels alone, always trying to escape the feeling that he's being followed, and watched. He spends some time in a brothel as a whore, victim to the strange clientale that visit the house. He helps Panthera escape, traveling to Panthera's home and continuing his journey from there (bringing Panthera with him as far as Almagabra, where Cal of course leaves him for Pell). Cal discovers a female race of beings quite like the Wraeththu, and plays a key part in Theide's ascension so that Cal can take his place at Pell's side as Tigron, making the earthly triad with the Tigrana Rue, and the heavenly triad with Theide up above. As above, so below.
REV: I absolutely love this book. The premise behind it is amazing, and the mythology and detail are stunning. I think Cal is probably everyone's favorite character, or at least is made to be such, and that's why it's so satisfying to leave his story until the end of the trilogy, and to see what haunts him, and how he deals with his former mistakes. Definitely not a typical romance, but Wraeththu holds in it enough cynical elements to keep my logical mind satisfied, and enough love and loyalty to put at ease any romantic heart.
The Bewitchments of Love and Hate: Swift, son of Terzian of the Varrs, tells his story. Swift is fast friends with Cal, who has invaded his home and taken over from Cobweb as Terzian's favorite. Swift watches Cal battle with his inner demons and memories, eventually breaking free from his shell enough to accompany Swift south, where they meet the Gelaming, who plan to take over Megalithica. Swift is taken up by Theide to be ruler of Megalithica.
The Fulfillments of Fate and Desire: Finally, we get Cal's story. Cal travels alone, always trying to escape the feeling that he's being followed, and watched. He spends some time in a brothel as a whore, victim to the strange clientale that visit the house. He helps Panthera escape, traveling to Panthera's home and continuing his journey from there (bringing Panthera with him as far as Almagabra, where Cal of course leaves him for Pell). Cal discovers a female race of beings quite like the Wraeththu, and plays a key part in Theide's ascension so that Cal can take his place at Pell's side as Tigron, making the earthly triad with the Tigrana Rue, and the heavenly triad with Theide up above. As above, so below.
REV: I absolutely love this book. The premise behind it is amazing, and the mythology and detail are stunning. I think Cal is probably everyone's favorite character, or at least is made to be such, and that's why it's so satisfying to leave his story until the end of the trilogy, and to see what haunts him, and how he deals with his former mistakes. Definitely not a typical romance, but Wraeththu holds in it enough cynical elements to keep my logical mind satisfied, and enough love and loyalty to put at ease any romantic heart.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2020
What a journey. Never did I ever imagine that this would take me 3 years to read, but life certainly kept getting in the way, as it does.
Reading this was incredibly enlightening and encouraging. Reading something that is so absolutely up my alley made me realize that there is a place out there for the stories I enjoy creating. I love fiction that is queer, and mind bending, and unafraid to be unique and sometimes weird.
I remember sharing my story ideas and characters with people as a kid, as a teen, and even up to now as an adult and having people scoff and exchange judging glances at one another. I suppose what I'm saying is that reading this gave me the courage to tell the stories I want to tell, and to do it bravely.
But enough about me. What I adore about this series is that it isn't Tolkien based, or based on some other long established tradition. Storm Constantine was creative enough to just go wild and dream to her hearts content, making up anything and everything that was interesting to her. As a fan of fantasy, I've grown tired of the exhaustive list of titles that are endlessly repackaging Middle-Earth and its races and characters.
The characters in Wraeththu are fresh, complicated, and compelling! And the biology of the different species and races present is detailed, well thought out, and deeply fascinating to me. And the world is breathtakingly bizarre and mystical in equal parts. Each tribe of the Wraeththu people were so vastly different in culture and sensibility, and each city, town or village they inhabited were vibrant and encapsulated a sense of alien wonder.
There was the odd moments here or there that reminds me that it was written in the 80s, such as ideas surrounding sexuality and gender that are outdated by today's standards. But nothing that offended me, or bothered me enough to remove a star from my rating. The brilliance far outweighed its miniscule dated moments.
Fantasy is a genre where anything and everything is possible, and this trilogy is a perfect reminder of how beautiful it can be to truly let one's imagination run wild and tell a story that has never been told before.
Reading this was incredibly enlightening and encouraging. Reading something that is so absolutely up my alley made me realize that there is a place out there for the stories I enjoy creating. I love fiction that is queer, and mind bending, and unafraid to be unique and sometimes weird.
I remember sharing my story ideas and characters with people as a kid, as a teen, and even up to now as an adult and having people scoff and exchange judging glances at one another. I suppose what I'm saying is that reading this gave me the courage to tell the stories I want to tell, and to do it bravely.
But enough about me. What I adore about this series is that it isn't Tolkien based, or based on some other long established tradition. Storm Constantine was creative enough to just go wild and dream to her hearts content, making up anything and everything that was interesting to her. As a fan of fantasy, I've grown tired of the exhaustive list of titles that are endlessly repackaging Middle-Earth and its races and characters.
The characters in Wraeththu are fresh, complicated, and compelling! And the biology of the different species and races present is detailed, well thought out, and deeply fascinating to me. And the world is breathtakingly bizarre and mystical in equal parts. Each tribe of the Wraeththu people were so vastly different in culture and sensibility, and each city, town or village they inhabited were vibrant and encapsulated a sense of alien wonder.
There was the odd moments here or there that reminds me that it was written in the 80s, such as ideas surrounding sexuality and gender that are outdated by today's standards. But nothing that offended me, or bothered me enough to remove a star from my rating. The brilliance far outweighed its miniscule dated moments.
Fantasy is a genre where anything and everything is possible, and this trilogy is a perfect reminder of how beautiful it can be to truly let one's imagination run wild and tell a story that has never been told before.
March 3, 2009
this book has taken me longer to get through than almost anything else i've ever read, and it's not just because of the size. constantine's prose is extremely heavy-handed, and it often gets in the way of his story-- which, after all is said and done, was not a bad one. the plot he put his characters through was pretty interesting, but so often it was impossible to see the shape of that plot because of the way the story was told. the entire first volume of the trilogy is mostly exposition, which the reader doesn't discover until midway through the second volume-- the strongest one in my opinion. swift's story is interesting, well-told, and moves along both his own plot and that of the entire trilogy.
the last volume was something of a let-down; it resolved the major conflict but in a very predictable way, and in the end it was not very exciting. the world creation was very good; it would have been better if constantine had made it clearer that this was a futuristic ersion of our earth, but as a whole it was very detailed, and he did a good job of communicating his vision of the setting through the story.
i would not recommend this book to anyone who is short on time; after spending almost a month slogging through it, i am a little disappointed in the end result-- i'm glad i persevered through it, but the end was not emotionally satisfying, which a book of this size must be in order to be worth the effort involved in reading it.
the last volume was something of a let-down; it resolved the major conflict but in a very predictable way, and in the end it was not very exciting. the world creation was very good; it would have been better if constantine had made it clearer that this was a futuristic ersion of our earth, but as a whole it was very detailed, and he did a good job of communicating his vision of the setting through the story.
i would not recommend this book to anyone who is short on time; after spending almost a month slogging through it, i am a little disappointed in the end result-- i'm glad i persevered through it, but the end was not emotionally satisfying, which a book of this size must be in order to be worth the effort involved in reading it.
October 17, 2012
God, I don't even know where to start with this one. I picked it up on a very high recommendation and if you only read one book on this list this may be the one to go with. It is the only book I haven't been able to fully classify as science fiction or fantasy because it is neither and it is both. It has so many different themes packed into it that it was easy to become absolutely entranced by it. The main theme, if I can indeed pin one down, is that of gender and gender roles which, as you know, is something very,very rarely touched upon in the male dominated science fiction genre. If I may be so bold, I would say that while reading this I must have felt as those who read Tolkien or Clark for the first time, it was so different than anything I had ever read, but yet absolutely amazing. Sadly, the first novel in this series (it's now sold in a large omnibus) was published in 1987 and yet 25 years later it is still one of the only books tackling this subject. I believe it may be one of those things that is almost too much to handle for most people and while we have progressed as a nation and a society, many people are still unable to read about the blurring of gender roles into one, but I think it will become huge when it does take off. For now I recommend Wraeththu to everyone, just for the eye opening experience.
More reviews and recommendations at
More reviews and recommendations at
February 20, 2011
Ratings:
Writing Style: ****
Flow:****
Entertainment:
Characterization:
Sex:
Outcome:
I was simply entranced by this strange and different world � the dawn of a new race stumbling through its magical and violent beginnings in hopes that they evolve and learn from mankind’s mistakes. Storm’s characters are haunting and three dimensional and the world she creates is simply stunning.
Her writing style can lean toward the gothic, rich and descriptive. Her writing is very gothic, sometimes too much and sometimes not enough. But always true to her characters.
I read the Omnibus - Wraeththu. This combines the first three books into one 800 page epic novel. Each book is told in memoir form, first person. And each has its own distinct voice.
At the center and background of this trilogy is Cal, a man turned Wraeththu. He weaves the stories together. “The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit� is the story of Pellaz, a newly incepted Wraeththu. “The Bewitchments of Love and Hate� is the story of Swift, a pure born har. And “The Fulfillments of Fate and Desire� is the culmination of Cal's journey - for better or worse.
I adore these books. And simply can not wait to continue on in the next trilogy in the Wraeththu series.
Writing Style: ****
Flow:****
Entertainment:
Characterization:
Sex:
Outcome:
I was simply entranced by this strange and different world � the dawn of a new race stumbling through its magical and violent beginnings in hopes that they evolve and learn from mankind’s mistakes. Storm’s characters are haunting and three dimensional and the world she creates is simply stunning.
Her writing style can lean toward the gothic, rich and descriptive. Her writing is very gothic, sometimes too much and sometimes not enough. But always true to her characters.
I read the Omnibus - Wraeththu. This combines the first three books into one 800 page epic novel. Each book is told in memoir form, first person. And each has its own distinct voice.
At the center and background of this trilogy is Cal, a man turned Wraeththu. He weaves the stories together. “The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit� is the story of Pellaz, a newly incepted Wraeththu. “The Bewitchments of Love and Hate� is the story of Swift, a pure born har. And “The Fulfillments of Fate and Desire� is the culmination of Cal's journey - for better or worse.
I adore these books. And simply can not wait to continue on in the next trilogy in the Wraeththu series.
December 19, 2012
I read this book when it was new, years ago and I still remember it vividly, which is normally a great thing, that your characters and stories are remembered. HOWEVER, the jury is still out over a decade later if I liked it or if I read something that was written on a LSD trip. I know I didn't like the break up of the sections written in first person between three different characters. The Biology/Physiology is well, laughable. That could have certainly undergone some more research to make a more believable mutation of bodies. I'm usually a real big fan of anything LGBT friendly but I think this falls somewhere in the realm of "Tries to write believable MPREG and fails". I'd only recommend this if you want to suspend everything biologically possible and read a weird twisted tale of confusing politics without much point.
It's certainly memorable, but not quite sure if it's for the right or wrong reasons.
It's certainly memorable, but not quite sure if it's for the right or wrong reasons.
April 24, 2011
This trilogy was amazingly haunting, beautifully written. At times it was incredibly hard to put the book down and at other times, I had to put it aside because the emotions and the whole mood of the book was almost too much. The characters were so well written that they stayed with me throughout the day as I was reading the trilogy. Each and every character throughout the book was so alive and unforgettable. You couldn't help but laugh and cry with them, hope with them, grieve with them, root for them. This trilogy was like nothing I have ever read before. The synopsis really did not prepare me for the intense ride Storm Constantine brought this particular reader on. I feel these books have sucked in a new fan, and I'll be reading the histories of Wraeththu and any books that come after pertaining to this series. It has left me wanting so much more.
February 4, 2008
I am usually not into the fantasy genre. My friend suggested this book to me, and basically made me read it. Thank God she did! This book is absolutely stunning. It deals with some big ideals, mainly the need for both male and female in the world, but it's a gorgeous story. I became so attached to the characters that I actually sometimes found myself talking out loud to them as I read (not in a needing prozac kind of way, but in a 'Oh Cal, why would you do that?' kind of way). Because of my love of the characters, I wasn't crazy about the ending. And when you invest in reading 800+ pages, I think you deserve a great ending. I highly recommend this book, even if you're like me and aren't usually into the fantasy genre.
July 16, 2009
Another post-apocalyptic, Earth-and-everything-as-you-know-it-have-changed sci-fi/fantasy; with the small twist that all the women have died, and all the men are now gay sorcerers.
Take that as you will.
The language was excellent, though the prose was heavy-handed; the concept was fascinating, though the theme was trite and repetitive.
I'm over-simplifying what is a very layered and complicated book/series that takes itself very seriously. I also acknowledge that some people like this very much. I appreciate all that. I'm just not one of those people who particularly enjoyed.
Take that as you will.
Take that as you will.
The language was excellent, though the prose was heavy-handed; the concept was fascinating, though the theme was trite and repetitive.
I'm over-simplifying what is a very layered and complicated book/series that takes itself very seriously. I also acknowledge that some people like this very much. I appreciate all that. I'm just not one of those people who particularly enjoyed.
Take that as you will.
July 6, 2021
Wraeththu by Storm Constantine
Ok goths and queers, you *have* to read this trilogy! Storm Constantine was an amazing Goth British writer who worked with one of my other faves, Tanith Lee, and created so many works of fantasy and sci fi in the 80s and beyond. She also used to work with bands back in the day and you can tell her characters are modeled on the people she used to hang out with—androgynous queer goths. I first read this trilogy when it was released as an omnibus in the 90s and it’s haunted my dreams ever since.
Imagine a world in a not-too-distant future, when mankind has burned itself and the planet out and a new mutant race of androgynous lost boys-esque psychics decides to remake the world in its image. Everyone is super hot and super flamboyant. It’s a coming of age, western, buddy comedy, hero’s journey type of deal and the world building is FANTASTIC. Constantine introduces all of these different realms and cultures and paints their dress, customs, and cities in minute glory. There’s a new type of sex called aruna that’s used for magic and psychic things. Everyone has new parts. What would a new world look like if we could learn from history and try to build a better one?
Constantine passed away unfortunately in 2020, but before she did was also able to revisit the world of Wraeththu with a new trilogy in 2018…I’ll be reading that one soon!
CW: Sexual assault off all kinds, murder, torture, abuse
Ok goths and queers, you *have* to read this trilogy! Storm Constantine was an amazing Goth British writer who worked with one of my other faves, Tanith Lee, and created so many works of fantasy and sci fi in the 80s and beyond. She also used to work with bands back in the day and you can tell her characters are modeled on the people she used to hang out with—androgynous queer goths. I first read this trilogy when it was released as an omnibus in the 90s and it’s haunted my dreams ever since.
Imagine a world in a not-too-distant future, when mankind has burned itself and the planet out and a new mutant race of androgynous lost boys-esque psychics decides to remake the world in its image. Everyone is super hot and super flamboyant. It’s a coming of age, western, buddy comedy, hero’s journey type of deal and the world building is FANTASTIC. Constantine introduces all of these different realms and cultures and paints their dress, customs, and cities in minute glory. There’s a new type of sex called aruna that’s used for magic and psychic things. Everyone has new parts. What would a new world look like if we could learn from history and try to build a better one?
Constantine passed away unfortunately in 2020, but before she did was also able to revisit the world of Wraeththu with a new trilogy in 2018…I’ll be reading that one soon!
CW: Sexual assault off all kinds, murder, torture, abuse
October 21, 2024
“I was nearly sick with fright as his face loomed above me, satanic with shadows. I closed my eyes and felt his breath upon me. I expected a vast vampiric drain on my lungs, pain of some kind. I felt his lips, dry and firm, touch my own. His tongue like a thread of fire touched my teeth. He called it a sharing of breath. My arms curled around his back, which was hardened with stress and muscle. He called it a sharing of breath. Where I came from, we called it a kiss.�
This was a very unique and cozy read. I don’t believe I could explain it to anyone, it just has to be experienced. I loved it! Thanks for the recommendation Alex! 🖤
This was a very unique and cozy read. I don’t believe I could explain it to anyone, it just has to be experienced. I loved it! Thanks for the recommendation Alex! 🖤
June 27, 2020
Wraeththu by Storm Constantine has an intriguing premise featuring a new type of humanity that has evolved in Earth's future that will replace Homo sapiens as the dominant species. They have masculine and feminine traits and have some psychic and magical abilities. People can either be born Wraeththu (pronounced Ray-thoo) or you can undergo the magical rituals to ascend to Wraeththu. Pellaz is one of those second types. I was actually quite interested in following Pellaz's spiritual journey into the world of the har (what the Wraeththu call themselves) and becoming one himself, especially in book one in this collected trilogy. I was glad to see that there is a glossary since there a so many new words that Constantine introduces in this series. I probably just should've stopped there though because afterwards it all starts to go downhill. To be honest, there's not a whole lot of plot to this trilogy and the dialogue is a bit of a nightmare at times. 213 pages was fine for the first book, but 800 pages for the whole trilogy is really pushing it to its limits. I was especially intrigued by how this story would discuss gender, but that was a colossal disappointment and don't get me started on everything to do with aruna. Then there's Cal who went from being okay I guess to a figure I totally hated. I definitely should have just stopped after I completed book one (The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit), and just skipped book two (The Bewitchments of Love and Hate) and book three (The Fulfillments of Fate and Desire) all together.
July 16, 2019
This book caused me a lot of grief when I first came across it in my teens. Grief as in the book and its setting was so wonderfully written, but while Storm has a way with words, some of her characters got me so depressed that I refused to read the second book in the trilogy (or merely skipped it until recently).
Let's start from the beginning.
Book 1
The most intriguing book since it explores the origins of Wraeththu from the eyes of Pell, a stunningly beautiful peasant boy, living in a desert far, far away from the wretchedness of the desolated cities in what used to be the United States of America (set in a dystopian future, kinda MaxMaxish). Where he lives is so isolated that he and his family only hear bits of what's happening from travellers who've left those cities for an uncertain future.
One thing they all warn though is that a strange something has corrupted beautiful young boys back in those cities and they have now evolved into something not really human but a mixture of male and female (what we, the readers, find out are Wraeththu later on). The travellers warn Pell and his family that those troubled boys might even pass by the desert and kidnap them, which they laugh off...until it does happen in the form of a beguiling blond wanderer named Calanthe.
Book 2: Told in the POV of Swift, the son of Terzian and Cobweb.
This book was painful to read. Storm is such a powerful writer that she managed to make me cry over the mistreatment of beautiful Cobweb, Terzian's consort and the mother (hostling) of Swift. I skipped this story when I was younger because when I found out that Cal came back and both he and Terzian humiliated Cobweb just to get into Cal's pants, I just wished them both dead.
I only managed to fully read it nearly 15 years later and it's still painful to digest but at least I got over the trauma (still not over my hatred for Terzian though). Won’t spoil it much for you but it’s kinda depressing to find out that other hars were torturing their own kind for power and conquest.
Book 3: Told in the POV of Cal, who now has to redeem himself in order to make his way back to Pell.
The most irritating book of all because I loathed Cal with a vengeance (which took me years to get over). This chronicles his journey to redemption and the numerous challenges he had to overcome after he finally, FINALLY accepted that he needs to get over his bullshit to reach his destiny: Pell. However, this book had more lost souls falling in love with Cal again.
So yeah, it took me over 10 years to properly read the book because of one character - Cal. Motherfucking Calanthe, who is beloved or lusted over by all. When reading the books you'd probably think Cal is the most attractive har in the whole of Wraeththu because everyone wants to instantly sleep with him or fall in love with him *gag*. (I kinda saw the appeal after I saw the 2018 cover of "The Fulfilments of Fate and Desire" where we can picture how Cal actually looks like but come on).
I still don't understand Storm's obsession with Cal to make him so godlike that every being who came across him or his luscious bod obsessed over him too. Kinda reminded me of those Mary Stu/Gary Stu/Sailor Moon type of character that is irresistible to all (which was a shame because there were so many brilliant characters in the whole book that should have been fleshed out more).
I, for one, loved Pell so was glad that his character is more fleshed out in the second trilogy of the Wraeththu mythos. Good thing is that Cal does redeem himself in my eyes, particularly the second book called "The Shades of Time and Memory"; a brilliant read!
Let's start from the beginning.
Book 1
The most intriguing book since it explores the origins of Wraeththu from the eyes of Pell, a stunningly beautiful peasant boy, living in a desert far, far away from the wretchedness of the desolated cities in what used to be the United States of America (set in a dystopian future, kinda MaxMaxish). Where he lives is so isolated that he and his family only hear bits of what's happening from travellers who've left those cities for an uncertain future.
One thing they all warn though is that a strange something has corrupted beautiful young boys back in those cities and they have now evolved into something not really human but a mixture of male and female (what we, the readers, find out are Wraeththu later on). The travellers warn Pell and his family that those troubled boys might even pass by the desert and kidnap them, which they laugh off...until it does happen in the form of a beguiling blond wanderer named Calanthe.
Book 2: Told in the POV of Swift, the son of Terzian and Cobweb.
This book was painful to read. Storm is such a powerful writer that she managed to make me cry over the mistreatment of beautiful Cobweb, Terzian's consort and the mother (hostling) of Swift. I skipped this story when I was younger because when I found out that Cal came back and both he and Terzian humiliated Cobweb just to get into Cal's pants, I just wished them both dead.
I only managed to fully read it nearly 15 years later and it's still painful to digest but at least I got over the trauma (still not over my hatred for Terzian though). Won’t spoil it much for you but it’s kinda depressing to find out that other hars were torturing their own kind for power and conquest.
Book 3: Told in the POV of Cal, who now has to redeem himself in order to make his way back to Pell.
The most irritating book of all because I loathed Cal with a vengeance (which took me years to get over). This chronicles his journey to redemption and the numerous challenges he had to overcome after he finally, FINALLY accepted that he needs to get over his bullshit to reach his destiny: Pell. However, this book had more lost souls falling in love with Cal again.
So yeah, it took me over 10 years to properly read the book because of one character - Cal. Motherfucking Calanthe, who is beloved or lusted over by all. When reading the books you'd probably think Cal is the most attractive har in the whole of Wraeththu because everyone wants to instantly sleep with him or fall in love with him *gag*. (I kinda saw the appeal after I saw the 2018 cover of "The Fulfilments of Fate and Desire" where we can picture how Cal actually looks like but come on).
I still don't understand Storm's obsession with Cal to make him so godlike that every being who came across him or his luscious bod obsessed over him too. Kinda reminded me of those Mary Stu/Gary Stu/Sailor Moon type of character that is irresistible to all (which was a shame because there were so many brilliant characters in the whole book that should have been fleshed out more).
I, for one, loved Pell so was glad that his character is more fleshed out in the second trilogy of the Wraeththu mythos. Good thing is that Cal does redeem himself in my eyes, particularly the second book called "The Shades of Time and Memory"; a brilliant read!
October 4, 2009
What can I say about this book? Ah! It took me long, very long to get through it, because the first book had not ended too well -or should I said, had a confusing ending (was it happy or sad...?), and I'm a sucker for happy endings.
I think I'll start by pointing out I truly did like this book. Had a hard time deciding between four and five stars- I wanted four and a half, really.
The story on itself was great, fantastic in writing, the setting- not really something completely new and out of the ordinary, but interesting to read; the characters were all very interesting and deeply thought, though I could only get myself to truly care for two, and they were not even the main characters.
I was very interested at the subject of hermaphrodites, though I must say, I got a little tired of being told each har they met was super pretty and perfect- yes, we get it, all har are beautiful and perfect!
I didn't really fancy the whole pregnancy thing, perhaps because I still saw them as very male-like, and as such, it all reeked of "mpreg".
Two things threw me off the book, but I guess in the overall, they weren't so annoying that it made me dislike it entirely. (I mean, I did read it through and liked it plenty, after all)
The first was that the Wraeththu were a "very sexual race" which means, put plainly, "I love YOU, but I'll have sex with just about everyone I come across."
Sorry, but I like my romance romantic and faithful.
The second was the reiteration of the ambiguous endings.
Were they happy? Were they sad? I can't decide!! It's driving me insane! The second book was the one that ended the best, and the third book, gosh, guess it should have been a happy ending, yet it was sad in a way. Ah, bittersweet, like life itself, I guess? I find myself torn to think on whether I enjoyed the ending... In a way, I think I didn't, I feel it should've developed a bit differently- I feel Calanthe should have said, "to hell! Pell, I love you, but it can't be." and started a whole new life.
Ah well, I enjoyed the book, overall; though I had some visualization problems.
I think I'll start by pointing out I truly did like this book. Had a hard time deciding between four and five stars- I wanted four and a half, really.
The story on itself was great, fantastic in writing, the setting- not really something completely new and out of the ordinary, but interesting to read; the characters were all very interesting and deeply thought, though I could only get myself to truly care for two, and they were not even the main characters.
I was very interested at the subject of hermaphrodites, though I must say, I got a little tired of being told each har they met was super pretty and perfect- yes, we get it, all har are beautiful and perfect!
I didn't really fancy the whole pregnancy thing, perhaps because I still saw them as very male-like, and as such, it all reeked of "mpreg".
Two things threw me off the book, but I guess in the overall, they weren't so annoying that it made me dislike it entirely. (I mean, I did read it through and liked it plenty, after all)
The first was that the Wraeththu were a "very sexual race" which means, put plainly, "I love YOU, but I'll have sex with just about everyone I come across."
Sorry, but I like my romance romantic and faithful.
The second was the reiteration of the ambiguous endings.
Were they happy? Were they sad? I can't decide!! It's driving me insane! The second book was the one that ended the best, and the third book, gosh, guess it should have been a happy ending, yet it was sad in a way. Ah, bittersweet, like life itself, I guess? I find myself torn to think on whether I enjoyed the ending... In a way, I think I didn't, I feel it should've developed a bit differently- I feel Calanthe should have said, "to hell! Pell, I love you, but it can't be." and started a whole new life.
Ah well, I enjoyed the book, overall; though I had some visualization problems.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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