The Shades of Time and Memory – Storm Constantine

May 6, 2007 at 12:01 pm (Androgyny, Fiction)

The Shades of Time and Memory: The Second Book of the Wraeththu Histories
Storm Constantine
Tor Books, 2005
448 pages

The second book of a trilogy has the toughest job, I think. The first book is the one that gets to introduce the setting and characters, while the third is the one to wrap it all up. The second book, though, has the task of fitting it all together. Shades accomplishes this quite nicely.

New characters as well as old are brought in to flesh out the world of Wraeththu. A leftover group of Uigenna, the Freyhallans who are descended from Norse humans, and others are brought in to join Pellaz, Cal, Caeru and other better-known main characters. Once again we’re treated to seeing how the various har develop as the story continues–there are no flat, emotionless beings here.

At first, some of the threads of story may seem to have no connection whatsoever. However, Constantine is skilled at taking these and weaving them together, so that by the end of the book we’re curious to see just what happens next and how it’ll all turn out.

Shades is an excellent bridge, neither being too long and boring, nor too hastily sketched out. It thrives in the role of second book, and is a wonderful addition to any sci-fi/fantasy fan’s shelf.

Five pawprints out of five.

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The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure – Storm Constantine

May 6, 2007 at 11:52 am (Androgyny, Fiction)

The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure: The First Book of the Wraeththu Histories
Storm Constantine
Tor Books, 2004
496 pages

This book continues the story of Wraeththu, Constantine’s first trilogy surrounding magical androynous hermaphrodites in a post-Apocalyptic world. Years after she wrote the first trilogy, she returns to this complex realm to weave more mythos.

There’s a definite difference in quality of writing between this series and the previous. This isn’t bad; it’s not a matter of one being better than the other. However, the feel of her writing has matured, adn doesn’t have quite as many rough edges as the original trilogy does.

As with the first time, though, we’re brought back into a world of well-developed characters and even better stories. There’s more information on the Parazha, a second group of hermaphroditic beings who sprung from women instead of men, and we get to see the development of hara who were relatively minor players in the first trilogy come into their own. Ulaume, who had a rather small, negative part in Wraeththu, ends up becoming quite a different person through the adoption of Lileem, an abandoned harling. Flick leaves Saltrock and is oenof the first hara to work with the Dehara, the gods of Wraeththu, through shamanic experiences in the desert. And there are some very unexpected twists and turns to the tale beyond even these.

I really enjoyed getting back into Storm’s writing, especially as Wraeththu is a favorite of mine. Highly, highly recommended for a good read.

Five pawprints out of five.

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Wraeththu – Storm Constantine

May 6, 2007 at 11:43 am (Androgyny, Fiction)

Wraeththu
Storm Constantine
Orb Books, 1993
800 pages

This was my first introduction to Storm Constantine’s dark fantasy/sci-fi works. “Wraeththu” contains the first trilogy, The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit, The Bewitchments of Love and Hate, and The Fulfilments of Fate and Desire.

Set in a post-Apocalyptic near-future, the stories are centered around the growth of Wraeththu, a species that mutated from huamnity. Wraeththu are hermaphroditic, and in a unique twist they develop from the male of humanity rather than the female, as some other authors have done. Seemingly immortal, they struggle both with their own natures and with overcoming the mistakes of humanity before them.

Each book is told in first person; the first tells the story of Pellaz, a young man taken away by Wraeththu and incepted (made into one), and what befalls him from there. Swift, one of the first second-generation Wraeththu (born rather than incepted), tells the second story, while Calanthe, a key character in the first two, rounds out the trilogy with the third.

Constantine has a wonderfully rich writing style. She’s adept at weaving together complex characters and a believable setting, and while her stories aren’t packed full of action, they more than make up for it in storytelling. This isn’t the kind of book that resembles a Hollywood movie; rather, it draws you into the tale and makes you want to see what decisions the characters will make next. Constantine also works a good bit of subtle occultism into the world of Wraeththu, both in ritual practices and in philosophy.

If you’re tired of fluff fantasy and want something with a little more meat to it, pick up this excellent introduction to Storm Constantine’s works.

Five pawprints out of five.

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The Firebringer Trilogy – Meredith Ann Pierce

May 6, 2007 at 11:30 am (Fiction, Mythology, Otherkin)

The Firebringer Trilogy (The Birth of the Firebringer, Dark Moon, Son of Summer Stars)
Meredith Ann Pierce
Various publishers and formats

I first read the first book of this trilogy when I was about 7 or 8. Of all the early delvings into fantasy fiction, this one stuck with me the most. It wasn’t until years later that the entire trilogy came back into print, and I was able to read the second two books. I also discovered that I was far from the only grown-up who was delighted to find these YA books available again.

Yes, it’s about unicorns, dragons, gryphons and wyverns. However, these are not fluffy little pastel beings. The unicorns are fierce warriors out on the plains, with sharp cloven hooves and razor-edged spiral horns. Characters die in the series, and the dangers are made very clear.

There is, of course, a prophecy involving the main character, Jan, the prince-to-be of the herd. The twists and turns of the story, though, lead him in some very interesting directions. For YA lit, this trilogy gets quite complex story-wise, and the characters show definite development and growth.

What I find particularly interesting in a pagan sense is the religions of the various herds of unicorns. For example, Jan’s herd does a circle dance every full moon to Alma, the mother of all, and there is a yearly pilgrimage to the sacred spring across the plains in the unicorns’ ancestral home, now overrun by wyverns. Additionally, Pierce gets into some really interesting ideas on spirituality in her writing as the story develops.

I won’t spoil the rest of the story for you; needless to say, this isn’t your average unicorn story.

Five hoofprints out of five.

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Love is the Bond – M.R. Sellars

May 6, 2007 at 11:19 am (Fiction, Wicca and Witchcraft)

Love is the Bond: A Rowan Gant Investigation
M.R. Sellars
E.M.A. Mysteries, 2005
346 pages

This is the latest Rowan Gant novel by Sellars–and is it good!!!! He’s got a good balance of psychic phenomena and mundane sleuthing this time, and it was a really well-paced work.

There are a couple of new elements; the killer in this book misuses elements of Voodoo (don’t worry–the misuse is made quite distinct from proper use). In addition, there’s a flavoring of BDSM to the story; it’s not as bad as some squicked-out reviewers have made it, and leads me to wonder where this series is going to go.

The ending is a hell of a cliffhanger, more maddeningthan any other. When the next book “All Acts of Pleasure” comes out, which should be soon, I’m picking it up ASAP!

Overall, I really enjoyed this series, and I’m glad there’ll be more to it! Highly recommended for esoteric mystery fiction, and a good, quick read to rest your brain from research and other such things.

Five pawprints out of five.

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Crone’s Moon – M.R. Sellars

May 6, 2007 at 11:17 am (Fiction, Wicca and Witchcraft)

Crone’s Moon: A Rowan Gant Investigation
M.R. Sellars
E.M.A. Mysteries, 2004
332 pages

I’ve really, really been enjoying this series! In this latest Rowan Gant book, Sellars opens the story with almost immediate action–a kidnapping, to which Rowan and his cop friend Ben are both witnesses.

This book is probably the best blend thus far of action and downtime. The pace is quick, and there are some new twists in the storyline. There are a couple of hints dropped about several of the characters, too, that I can’t wait to see develop further.

There’s more of the psychic activity, too, and exploration of the firsthand experiences of Rowan–and, this time, Felicity–as they both fall into the well of the Otherworld. The whole “Oh my gods, (insert name here), you almost died from reliving someone else’s death psychically!” thing is getting a little old, adn sometimes I admit I did sort of flip through a few sections just because I figured that whoever it was that was having the seizure would get pulled out by the other one. But Sellars does a good job of conveying the anxiety and the desperation of the characters as the story unfolds, and the insistent pull of the Otherworld. I am kind of hoping, though, that later books rely less on the psychic seizures as a plot thickener, as after a while they all start running together. I’d also like to see more focus on clues about the perps, as in the first book, rather than having everything hinge on the seizures.

Still, the story itself is great, and it was a real page-turner–I couldn’t put the book down as I neared the end, and stayed glued to the pages all the way through. I’ve already started “Love Is the Bond”, and it’s already pulling me in–I only tore myself away long enough to write this review!

Four pawprints out of five.

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Perfect Trust – M.R. Sellars

May 6, 2007 at 11:15 am (Fiction, Wicca and Witchcraft)

Perfect Trust: A Rowan Gant Investigation
M.R. Sellars
E.M.A. Mysteries, 2002
369 pages

This is the third of the Rowan Gant series. It’s different from the first two; there’s more psychology and high weirdness, and less action. It took me til about 2/3 of the way through the book to really get into it, but it was worth it.

It’s fun getting into a character’s head–in this case, Rowan–and seeing just how close to insanity he can get without falling over the edge–or knowing the reason.

The thing I’ve learned, though, with mysteries in general, is to pay attention to detail. I won’t say anything more than that. But with this one, everything snapped into focus within the last couple of chapters. There’s one detail that’ll throw you for a loop, though!

Overall, another good book! Not as easy for me to read as the others, but still, worth the money.

Five pawprints out of five.

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Never Burn a Witch – M.R. Sellars

May 6, 2007 at 11:11 am (Fiction, Wicca and Witchcraft)

Never Burn a Witch: A Rowan Gant Investigation
M.R. Sellars
Willowtree Press, 2001
412 pages

Sellars’ mystery series takes a few new twists in this second book. Once again we have a serial killer, but this time s/he’s targeting pagans in the St. Louis area. Worse yet, whoever it is has decided that The Malleus Maleficarum is holy writ.

As before, Sellars gives us good views of who his characters are as people–and how they deal with increasing weirdness, such as the stigmata-like wound on Rowan’s arm that resembles the same symbol the killer leaves at the scenes, and Rowan’s increasing detachment from reality and into the alternate world of the spirits of the murder victims. These details rather push the limit of the realism of Wicca presented in the book, but it still beats flying fireballs and physical portals into the Otherworld.

Sellars leaves us with a cliffhanger of an ending, which of course led me to run and get the next book from the shelf so I could find out just what happens next. I’m really enjoying this series thus far, and I’m glad to have a good series of fiction to relax with.

Five pawprints out of five.

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Harm None – M.R. Sellars

May 6, 2007 at 11:08 am (Fiction, Wicca and Witchcraft)

Harm None: A Rowan Gant Investigation
M.R. Sellars
Willowtree Press, 2000
380 pages

My husband, Taylor, turned me on to Sellars’ works last year. I had the good fortune of meeting Mr. Sellars at the fall ’06 Gathering of the Tribes in Virginia, and between that and Taylor’s insistence I decided to take a break from all the nonfiction. Good choice!

I really enjoyed how Sellars wove Wicca with real-life situations. Rowan, the protagonist of this book, is a solitary Wiccan (at least at the time of the story) with his wife, Felicity, who is also Wiccan. (I suppose you could have a coven of two.) Anyway, there’s no huge fireworks–no fireballs, or flying through the air, or anything like that. The magic that does happen manifests itself primarily psychologically though to someone sensitive enough a strong piece of magic can manifest itself through a physical reaction. So pretty realistic.

The story itself is good P.R. for Wiccans in general. You have the stereotypically feared human sacrifice (though not carried out in a stereotypical fashion) and the locals automatically pointing to witches. Enter Rowan, who is an open spokesperson for the Wiccan religion. In this book, Sellars uses the character of Rowan to dispel some of the common myths about Wicca, which is a definite boon as plenty of non-Wiccans are sure to pick this one up.

In addition, the characters are human–even the cops. Everybody has something to them below the surface, or at least that potential. Some characters, no doubt, will be explored further in the series, but I really like Sellars’ ability to create people in his story. He also does a wonderful job of causing the “whodunit” needle to point to a number of suspects, rather than focusing on the chasing down of one.

Highly, highly recommended for a good, fast read on a Saturday afternoon, or something fun to take with you to work for breaktime–or any time else you want a well-written, entertaining read.

Five pawprints out of five.

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The Old Power Returns – Morven Westfield

April 30, 2007 at 1:49 pm (Fiction, Otherkin, Wicca and Witchcraft)

The Old Power Returns
Morven Westfield
Harvest Shadows, forthcoming June 2007
312 pages

Generally I’m not a huge fan of fiction, but I had the opportunity to read this particular novel over a weekend while flying cross country. And I do have to say it’s pretty good!

Set in the early 1980s, “The Old Power Returns” features Wiccans, psychics, and vampires, just as its prequel, “Darksome Thirst”, did. An added geek feature is the collection of references to circa 1980 computer technology that pepper the story.

It took me a little while to get into the story, partly because there were a lot of references in the first couple of chapters to events from the first book in the series. However, with some reading it wasn’t too difficult to get at least some idea of the events leading up to this book, though not enough to spoil the promised fun of “Darksome Thirst”, which is now on my wish list.

Westfield does a great job of writing a story that drew me in. There were plenty of interesting twists in the action; Frederick the vampire was one of my favorite characters (and one of the more unique bad guys I’ve seen created). However, all of them were well-rounded and distinct.

I think I only really have two small quibbles about this book (and don’t let them deter you!). One is that the book could have used a bit more editing. There were parts that were a bit wordy, or where the author used a particular phrase in two consecutive sentences. Also, the overall message of “Wiccans are good, not evil” got a bit tedious and heavy-handed. I realize that there are still plenty of misconceptions about neopaganism in general, but the traits of Wicca might have been worked more smoothly into the text rather than mini-essays presented as dialogue. Still, the effort is appreciated, and the info itself was pretty accurate.

Overall I found this to be an engaging read once I figured out the backstory. It may start a little slow, but “The Old Power Returns” is a great page-turner by the end!

Four and a half pawprints out of five.

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