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The Moreva of Astoreth
In the service of the Goddess…
Moreva Tehi, gifted scientist and the spoiled, stubborn and headstrong granddaughter of Astoreth, the Devi Goddess of Love, deliberately misses Ohra-Namtar, the compulsory and holiest rite of the Great Pantheon of Gods.
For her sin, Astoreth banishes her for a year from her beloved urban desert home to tend Her spaceship landing beacon in the northern reaches of the Syren territory, a cold, dark, and wild place whose inhabitants are as untamed as the territory in which they live.
As the spiritual leader and commander of the military garrison stationed there, Tehi must stay one step ahead of the cunning machinations of her second in command. But there is one who poses an even greater threat to her future—one who will lead her into the dangerous realm of forbidden love, setting them both on a course that can only lead to damnation and death.
Moreva Tehi, gifted scientist and the spoiled, stubborn and headstrong granddaughter of Astoreth, the Devi Goddess of Love, deliberately misses Ohra-Namtar, the compulsory and holiest rite of the Great Pantheon of Gods.
For her sin, Astoreth banishes her for a year from her beloved urban desert home to tend Her spaceship landing beacon in the northern reaches of the Syren territory, a cold, dark, and wild place whose inhabitants are as untamed as the territory in which they live.
As the spiritual leader and commander of the military garrison stationed there, Tehi must stay one step ahead of the cunning machinations of her second in command. But there is one who poses an even greater threat to her future—one who will lead her into the dangerous realm of forbidden love, setting them both on a course that can only lead to damnation and death.
452 pages, Paperback
Published November 1, 2015
8 people are currently reading
504 people want to read
About the author
Roxanne Bland
5 books111 followersAward-winning author Roxanne Bland grew up in Washington, D.C., where she discovered strange and wonderful new worlds through her local public library and bookstores. These and other life experiences have convinced her that reality is highly overrated. To escape, she writes fantasy, science fiction, romance, and a few other genres, sometimes all rolled into the same book. She was named IAOTP's Top Fantasy & Science Fiction Author of the Year for 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
July 18, 2023
"As the spiritual leader and commander of the military garrison stationed at the Syren territory, Tehi (who was sent to Syren as punishment for her transgression) must stay one step ahead of the cunning machinations of her second in command. But there is one who poses an even greater threat to her future—one who will lead her into the dangerous realm of forbidden love, setting them both on a course that can only lead to damnation and death."
The Moreva of Astoreth by Roxanne Bland is a fantastic, fun fantasy that doesn't disappoint.
I want to start with Ms Bland's skill at creating a world that is complete in every detail and so visually descriptive it is very easy to be able to see it in all it's beauty and mystery. The author does a very skillful job of visually moving you through the world only adding visual points that add to the overall feel of the story. Never so much detail as to confuse or numb the reader and always just enough to intrigue the reader into wanting more.
The standout point for me are the characters, rich with attitudes and multilayered, the characters are strong enough to carry the reader through what is no less a well written story line. Moreva Tehi is a marvelous character with so much depth that layers continue to peal back throughout the story revealing a new facet to her. She is always fresh and growing containing all the flaws and potential that make her an interesting character. I personally kept wanting to know what she would do next. Watching her go from irresponsible, head strong child to a mature, smart thinking and caring woman was a great pleasure for me.
The story line is strong and creative, a mix of Sci-fi fantasy whose side story is a well done romance that is not pushy at all. I really enjoyed learning about the Syren along with the narrator. From culture to language, in this manner Ms Bland brings the reader (what I have seen few writers do) interactively into the story. By the time I was finished reading the book I was sure I could pass the citizenship exam for Syren. I think this was instrumental in giving the story a sense of reality or familiarity that made it that much better.
The Moreva of Astoreth is not short on twist and turns as the story is crafted to keep the reader guessing, but never feeling lost or confused. The ending is well done and completes the story, both within the story line and the development of the characters.
This is a fantastic story, at an excellent pace, that moves smoothly from start to finish. A welcome addition to the shelf of fans in several genres and of almost any age.
The Moreva of Astoreth by Roxanne Bland is a fantastic, fun fantasy that doesn't disappoint.
I want to start with Ms Bland's skill at creating a world that is complete in every detail and so visually descriptive it is very easy to be able to see it in all it's beauty and mystery. The author does a very skillful job of visually moving you through the world only adding visual points that add to the overall feel of the story. Never so much detail as to confuse or numb the reader and always just enough to intrigue the reader into wanting more.
The standout point for me are the characters, rich with attitudes and multilayered, the characters are strong enough to carry the reader through what is no less a well written story line. Moreva Tehi is a marvelous character with so much depth that layers continue to peal back throughout the story revealing a new facet to her. She is always fresh and growing containing all the flaws and potential that make her an interesting character. I personally kept wanting to know what she would do next. Watching her go from irresponsible, head strong child to a mature, smart thinking and caring woman was a great pleasure for me.
The story line is strong and creative, a mix of Sci-fi fantasy whose side story is a well done romance that is not pushy at all. I really enjoyed learning about the Syren along with the narrator. From culture to language, in this manner Ms Bland brings the reader (what I have seen few writers do) interactively into the story. By the time I was finished reading the book I was sure I could pass the citizenship exam for Syren. I think this was instrumental in giving the story a sense of reality or familiarity that made it that much better.
The Moreva of Astoreth is not short on twist and turns as the story is crafted to keep the reader guessing, but never feeling lost or confused. The ending is well done and completes the story, both within the story line and the development of the characters.
This is a fantastic story, at an excellent pace, that moves smoothly from start to finish. A welcome addition to the shelf of fans in several genres and of almost any age.
December 11, 2017
“The Moreva of Asteroth” is an interesting blend of science-fantasy where we are presented to a whole new galaxy occupied by blue skinned, white haired “gods”, and the humanoid people who worship them. Our main character is a rather arrogant scientist who is also a spiritual leader to the haoki, the lesser race that worships the main characters’, Tehi, grandmother. But her disdain for these people lands her in trouble, and Tehi finds herself banished to a kind of wasteland where she is tasked with learning about compassion for the hakoi, but that is far from the only thing she’ll discover. Like I said, a really interesting concept! Bland has clearly spent a lot of time thinking about her new world and crafting its language and the lands her characters inhabit. And yet…. I still struggled with this book.
I won’t spoil anything in the story, but needless to say, there was A LOT going on. Everything from Tehi overcoming her own prejudices, trying to find a cure for a deadly disease, introducing and showcasing a new religion, love and romance, classism, identity altering epiphanies, and all on top of Tehi trying to stay one step ahead of those who would see her punished, or even executed, for her beliefs and failures. One or two of those plot lines would have been enough for one book, but using all of them meant there was always something going on, or there should have been. But the repetitive style of the writing had me really close to DNFing this book on several occasions.
We are told everything about Tehi’s days. Literally everything. We are told step by step how Tehi puts on her clothes, takes off her clothes, prepares the Temple, and conducts her experiments…. At first, I thought that maybe there was a reason for giving the reader all these steps, like there was some greater significance to all of it, but as I kept reading, I realized there wasn’t. And every single time Tehi dresses or checks the time, or eats, we are told step by step how she does this, and it just slows everything down and creates a ton of unnecessary filler between the action, plot, and sub-plots. It became such a struggle sometimes to get through the book because of how much time was spent on just the act of dressing alone, which is a shame, for the plot beneath all of that was interesting!
Had that been the only issue, I might have been more lenient with my rating, but I struggled with the characters, as well. Outside of the grandfatherly healer, Hyme, I had a hard time connecting with Tehi or Teger. The romance between the characters never felt real to me, and neither did their sudden desire for each other. There was just very little substance to them, and when there were moments of passion, they seemed to come at times that did not make sense, which pulled me even farther away from the love story Bland was creating.
I also struggled with the huge epiphany that Tehi receives, and how easily she seemed to go along with it. Everything she knows, or thinks she knows as a fact, are turned upside down, and in the same chapter, she gets over it. Then, in the very next chapter, all the other obstacles facing the characters get wrapped up very … neatly. Given the rest of the pacing, this—oddly enough—felt so rushed, that it came off as unbelievable to me. All of the crucial elements of the book came in the last few chapters but by then, I was already burnt out so I never experienced the reaction Bland was hoping to evoke in her readers when Tehi learns the truth, nor when she goes home to face her “godly” grandmother. Which is a shame, because that could have been such an impactful moment.
Ultimately, this book just wasn’t for me. The pacing was too slow for my tastes, and I couldn’t connect to the characters. I struggled with keeping track of the new ways of telling time and measurements that are presented to the reader in the index (which on a Kindle are hard to go back to for reference). I couldn’t grasp the religion, especially the religious garb and practices—which had an odd BDSM feel that didn’t really seem to fit…. Hopefully, if other editions come out for the novel similar to all the alternate covers, the repetitive descriptions of all the mundane activities are removed so the pacing stays much more steady, and the book doesn’t take so long to get through. Like I said, Bland crafts a truly interesting world which addresses so many topics and throws a lot of conflict at her main characters, it just gets lost in all the unnecessary data, and the lackluster characters left me feeling rather ambivalent about the whole experience. So this is a 2.5 star rating for me though I can see why others would enjoy it. And thank you to the author for providing me a review copy!
I won’t spoil anything in the story, but needless to say, there was A LOT going on. Everything from Tehi overcoming her own prejudices, trying to find a cure for a deadly disease, introducing and showcasing a new religion, love and romance, classism, identity altering epiphanies, and all on top of Tehi trying to stay one step ahead of those who would see her punished, or even executed, for her beliefs and failures. One or two of those plot lines would have been enough for one book, but using all of them meant there was always something going on, or there should have been. But the repetitive style of the writing had me really close to DNFing this book on several occasions.
We are told everything about Tehi’s days. Literally everything. We are told step by step how Tehi puts on her clothes, takes off her clothes, prepares the Temple, and conducts her experiments…. At first, I thought that maybe there was a reason for giving the reader all these steps, like there was some greater significance to all of it, but as I kept reading, I realized there wasn’t. And every single time Tehi dresses or checks the time, or eats, we are told step by step how she does this, and it just slows everything down and creates a ton of unnecessary filler between the action, plot, and sub-plots. It became such a struggle sometimes to get through the book because of how much time was spent on just the act of dressing alone, which is a shame, for the plot beneath all of that was interesting!
Had that been the only issue, I might have been more lenient with my rating, but I struggled with the characters, as well. Outside of the grandfatherly healer, Hyme, I had a hard time connecting with Tehi or Teger. The romance between the characters never felt real to me, and neither did their sudden desire for each other. There was just very little substance to them, and when there were moments of passion, they seemed to come at times that did not make sense, which pulled me even farther away from the love story Bland was creating.
I also struggled with the huge epiphany that Tehi receives, and how easily she seemed to go along with it. Everything she knows, or thinks she knows as a fact, are turned upside down, and in the same chapter, she gets over it. Then, in the very next chapter, all the other obstacles facing the characters get wrapped up very … neatly. Given the rest of the pacing, this—oddly enough—felt so rushed, that it came off as unbelievable to me. All of the crucial elements of the book came in the last few chapters but by then, I was already burnt out so I never experienced the reaction Bland was hoping to evoke in her readers when Tehi learns the truth, nor when she goes home to face her “godly” grandmother. Which is a shame, because that could have been such an impactful moment.
Ultimately, this book just wasn’t for me. The pacing was too slow for my tastes, and I couldn’t connect to the characters. I struggled with keeping track of the new ways of telling time and measurements that are presented to the reader in the index (which on a Kindle are hard to go back to for reference). I couldn’t grasp the religion, especially the religious garb and practices—which had an odd BDSM feel that didn’t really seem to fit…. Hopefully, if other editions come out for the novel similar to all the alternate covers, the repetitive descriptions of all the mundane activities are removed so the pacing stays much more steady, and the book doesn’t take so long to get through. Like I said, Bland crafts a truly interesting world which addresses so many topics and throws a lot of conflict at her main characters, it just gets lost in all the unnecessary data, and the lackluster characters left me feeling rather ambivalent about the whole experience. So this is a 2.5 star rating for me though I can see why others would enjoy it. And thank you to the author for providing me a review copy!
January 4, 2021
This is a new version of the book which I first read in 2016. I admit to being a wee bit apprehensive when authors update something that I felt was almost perfect as it was. I needn't have worried though, after all this is Roxanne Bland I'm talking about, IAOTP's Top Fantasy & Science Fiction Author of 2019. Even so, still a very underrated author in my eyes.
The front cover has been changed to show main characters, Moreva Tehi and Laerd Teger (in all his manly :) glory). I'm very pleased to see that Tehi still sticks out like a sore thumb, being blue with white hair. The story has been tightened up, so there are no superfluous words here. Moreva Tehi undertakes a momentous metamorphosis during the story, from the spoiled, bigoted and selfish grandchild of Astoreth, the Devi Goddess of Love, on arrival, to... Read it for yourself and find out.
Apart from a very well-written, enjoyable storyline that will grab you from the first page, there are a lot of things to think about: organised religion, including sexual rites (which is why Tehi was abruptly dispatched to Mjor in the Syrian Perritory for refusing to officiate at and perform in a large and important ceremony); sex as part of the joy of love; sex as perceived abuse, what may seem abusive to one person could be part of another's tradition by choice; racism and bigotry; heroism and compassion; animal vivisection; self-identity in wearing masks and not hiding behind them; overcoming your own prejudices to become a better person; and trying to find a cure for a deadly disease that does not affect your own people, but undertaking this, at first, for purely selfish reasons.
I really enjoy books that have challenging issues for the characters, and this book is full of them. However, the things that I loved the most between these pages were Hyme and Tehi being healers and willingly sharing their own wisdom with each other, putting their heads together when it was required. They made medicines by hand from gathered plant life, and had a total understanding of what each substance could do in terms of healing, and more. I found this aspect clever and very true to life. It felt real to me.
Overall, this was an easy to read book with twists and turns that will keep you on your toes and zooming through the pages. I loved it, and I'm a very happy bunny that it is the first in a series. Can't wait for number two!
I chose an early copy of this which I voluntarily read and honestly reviewed. All opinions are my own. After reading, I preordered the book.
The front cover has been changed to show main characters, Moreva Tehi and Laerd Teger (in all his manly :) glory). I'm very pleased to see that Tehi still sticks out like a sore thumb, being blue with white hair. The story has been tightened up, so there are no superfluous words here. Moreva Tehi undertakes a momentous metamorphosis during the story, from the spoiled, bigoted and selfish grandchild of Astoreth, the Devi Goddess of Love, on arrival, to... Read it for yourself and find out.
Apart from a very well-written, enjoyable storyline that will grab you from the first page, there are a lot of things to think about: organised religion, including sexual rites (which is why Tehi was abruptly dispatched to Mjor in the Syrian Perritory for refusing to officiate at and perform in a large and important ceremony); sex as part of the joy of love; sex as perceived abuse, what may seem abusive to one person could be part of another's tradition by choice; racism and bigotry; heroism and compassion; animal vivisection; self-identity in wearing masks and not hiding behind them; overcoming your own prejudices to become a better person; and trying to find a cure for a deadly disease that does not affect your own people, but undertaking this, at first, for purely selfish reasons.
I really enjoy books that have challenging issues for the characters, and this book is full of them. However, the things that I loved the most between these pages were Hyme and Tehi being healers and willingly sharing their own wisdom with each other, putting their heads together when it was required. They made medicines by hand from gathered plant life, and had a total understanding of what each substance could do in terms of healing, and more. I found this aspect clever and very true to life. It felt real to me.
Overall, this was an easy to read book with twists and turns that will keep you on your toes and zooming through the pages. I loved it, and I'm a very happy bunny that it is the first in a series. Can't wait for number two!
I chose an early copy of this which I voluntarily read and honestly reviewed. All opinions are my own. After reading, I preordered the book.
December 29, 2020
If you are looking for an intricately created world with deeply defined characters interwoven within the threads of bigotry, class status and so much more then this is the book for you!
No insta love or gratuitous sex populate these pages just a well written story that had me captivated from beginning to end.
There is also a glossary of the Syrenese and Devian language included in the book, thank goodness as I would have been a little lost without it for reference.
The story revolves around main character Moreva Tehi an acolyte in the É (Temple) who has been banished to the outpost of Mjor for failing to attend a holiest of religious rites of her people.
I was fascinated watching as this young women learned to love, accept others for who they are and not what she perceives them to be, and along the way being faced with some hard truths about the basis of her religion and what she believed her people to be in the hierarchy of this world.
Lared Teger, chief of Mjor opens her eyes to a number of those truths and their feelings for each other develop and grow over the course of days and weeks.
This book is not a fast read; it should be entered into slowly and savored for all its outstanding world building, character interactions, and spectacular story. Highly recommended!
HEA
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
No insta love or gratuitous sex populate these pages just a well written story that had me captivated from beginning to end.
There is also a glossary of the Syrenese and Devian language included in the book, thank goodness as I would have been a little lost without it for reference.
The story revolves around main character Moreva Tehi an acolyte in the É (Temple) who has been banished to the outpost of Mjor for failing to attend a holiest of religious rites of her people.
I was fascinated watching as this young women learned to love, accept others for who they are and not what she perceives them to be, and along the way being faced with some hard truths about the basis of her religion and what she believed her people to be in the hierarchy of this world.
Lared Teger, chief of Mjor opens her eyes to a number of those truths and their feelings for each other develop and grow over the course of days and weeks.
This book is not a fast read; it should be entered into slowly and savored for all its outstanding world building, character interactions, and spectacular story. Highly recommended!
HEA
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 2, 2021
I just loved this story.
The characters are well thought out and developed not to mention the incredible story and world building.
This is a definite must read for any sc-fi romance lover. The story really manages to keep you engaged while it moves at a great pace.
The characters are well thought out and developed not to mention the incredible story and world building.
This is a definite must read for any sc-fi romance lover. The story really manages to keep you engaged while it moves at a great pace.
May 15, 2018
Outstanding SF and great love story too
Marvelous! I couldn't put this book down! The Moreva of Astoreth is the engrossing tale of young mixed-breed Moreva Tehi, whose grandmother is a ruling goddess, Astoreth. Her family connections and her mixed blood make her a social outcast. Her independent, inquisitive and rebellious nature gets her into trouble repeatedly, until her grandmother exiles her as punishment. The day she arrives in the Syrenese village of Mjor, her education in the realities of life begins. She faces the native population's racism - and her own. She learns (the hard way) that the gods are not universally beloved, or even believed. She discovers the truth about love, even as she experiences it fully for the first time. This book is so much more than (clean) romance, it's also a coming-of-age story, and a parable about the healing and transformative nature of love in all its forms. The story, told only from the Moreva's POV, reveals much about the Moreva herself. Other characters are seen only through her eyes, so that we gain understanding in bits and pieces, as the Moreva herself does. Roxanne Bland is a methodical and meticulous world-builder, and creates a rich history and culture that captivates and enrages at the same time. The result is an intimate, almost diary-like memoir filled with emotion and maturing grace. I thank eBook Discovery for the ARC, and I'm pleased to say that I freely and independently give The Moreva of Astoreth a well-deserved five stars.
Marvelous! I couldn't put this book down! The Moreva of Astoreth is the engrossing tale of young mixed-breed Moreva Tehi, whose grandmother is a ruling goddess, Astoreth. Her family connections and her mixed blood make her a social outcast. Her independent, inquisitive and rebellious nature gets her into trouble repeatedly, until her grandmother exiles her as punishment. The day she arrives in the Syrenese village of Mjor, her education in the realities of life begins. She faces the native population's racism - and her own. She learns (the hard way) that the gods are not universally beloved, or even believed. She discovers the truth about love, even as she experiences it fully for the first time. This book is so much more than (clean) romance, it's also a coming-of-age story, and a parable about the healing and transformative nature of love in all its forms. The story, told only from the Moreva's POV, reveals much about the Moreva herself. Other characters are seen only through her eyes, so that we gain understanding in bits and pieces, as the Moreva herself does. Roxanne Bland is a methodical and meticulous world-builder, and creates a rich history and culture that captivates and enrages at the same time. The result is an intimate, almost diary-like memoir filled with emotion and maturing grace. I thank eBook Discovery for the ARC, and I'm pleased to say that I freely and independently give The Moreva of Astoreth a well-deserved five stars.
June 1, 2018
The Moreva of Astoreth is a fantastic new world I got to explore. A lovely blend of ancient history and sci-fi. Moreva the narrator is punished for disobeying her grandmother the goddess Astoreth. She is sent into exile in a “backwater” colony. It is the complete opposite of everything she is familiar with and she is forced to adapt not only her habits but her way of thinking. In the beginning the Moreva seems self centered and childish but throughout the book we see her views changing and her growing as she is exposed to new people and forced to confront some hard truths about herself. On top of all that there is a touch of a romance as well. An excellent bonus! Great world building, great characters, great story what more can you ask for? Highly recommend!! I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
February 7, 2016
This book was ok for me. It seemed a little long for my taste. I think in some parts of this book it was a bit repetitive. I didn't enjoy this book like I wanted to. For me, it was just ok. * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
January 17, 2021
2.5
I really wanted to like this book. If anyone has been paying attention to the sci-fi romance genre over the last few years, there are an awful lot of hulking, male, blue aliens. (I even wrote a whole blog post about it once.) It was notable to see the blue alien as the female for a change. Plus, I could see that the author was trying hard to subvert some literary tropes and social norms that I love seeing subverted. Unfortunately, I don't think she was wholly successful. Here's an example.
The main character is a priestess and her vestments are what many today would consider the clothing of prostitutes (tight, short dresses, corsets, garters, high heels and a riding crop). One of the regular religious ceremonies is an orgy. This could have been written to empower women in both their clothing choice and their sexuality. I think it maybe was even supposed to. Unfortunately, Bland then created a main character who hated the rite, showing her to panic and try and fight her way out of her obligated orgies. Thereby undermining any empowerment she may have created and reducing the character again to a woman performing unwanted sexual acts, i.e. The Whore.
As a side note: no reason is given for this particular choice of religious uniform (other than that the goddess liked it) and, since there are both male and female Moreva, I couldn't help but wonder if the male Moreva also wore corsets, short/tight dresses, garters, and high heals and were the epicenter of 20+ person orgies. It's never discussed, but I rather hope so.
My main complaint however is that there is barely a story here. We're told the main character is horribly bigoted. The plot is supposed to hinge on it. But we never see it. In fact, she befriends one of the people she's supposedly so bigoted against almost immediately and treats him as an equal, submitting herself to his instruction and offering her assistance from almost the moment they meet. I never felt her bigotry, but I was told about it regularly. Similarly, the reader is subjected to several context-less dream sequences in which she symbolically fights said bigotry, but we never see her making real world changes to her behavior (as it never appeared bigoted to start with). And lastly, the romance comes out of no where. The reader is told about it, but I didn't feel it develop even a little bit. There's a predictable twist at the end and then it all wraps up almost miraculously.
All in all, I felt that despite good intentions and even an interesting idea for a world, the whole thing just never developed into anything I enjoyed spending time with. I was honestly bored most of the times. The writing is perfectly readable though, and I had no issue with the editing (even though I read an ARC). I think I'd be willing to give a Bland book another chance. She can obviously write, but this particular book wasn't a winner for me.
I really wanted to like this book. If anyone has been paying attention to the sci-fi romance genre over the last few years, there are an awful lot of hulking, male, blue aliens. (I even wrote a whole blog post about it once.) It was notable to see the blue alien as the female for a change. Plus, I could see that the author was trying hard to subvert some literary tropes and social norms that I love seeing subverted. Unfortunately, I don't think she was wholly successful. Here's an example.
The main character is a priestess and her vestments are what many today would consider the clothing of prostitutes (tight, short dresses, corsets, garters, high heels and a riding crop). One of the regular religious ceremonies is an orgy. This could have been written to empower women in both their clothing choice and their sexuality. I think it maybe was even supposed to. Unfortunately, Bland then created a main character who hated the rite, showing her to panic and try and fight her way out of her obligated orgies. Thereby undermining any empowerment she may have created and reducing the character again to a woman performing unwanted sexual acts, i.e. The Whore.
As a side note: no reason is given for this particular choice of religious uniform (other than that the goddess liked it) and, since there are both male and female Moreva, I couldn't help but wonder if the male Moreva also wore corsets, short/tight dresses, garters, and high heals and were the epicenter of 20+ person orgies. It's never discussed, but I rather hope so.
My main complaint however is that there is barely a story here. We're told the main character is horribly bigoted. The plot is supposed to hinge on it. But we never see it. In fact, she befriends one of the people she's supposedly so bigoted against almost immediately and treats him as an equal, submitting herself to his instruction and offering her assistance from almost the moment they meet. I never felt her bigotry, but I was told about it regularly. Similarly, the reader is subjected to several context-less dream sequences in which she symbolically fights said bigotry, but we never see her making real world changes to her behavior (as it never appeared bigoted to start with). And lastly, the romance comes out of no where. The reader is told about it, but I didn't feel it develop even a little bit. There's a predictable twist at the end and then it all wraps up almost miraculously.
All in all, I felt that despite good intentions and even an interesting idea for a world, the whole thing just never developed into anything I enjoyed spending time with. I was honestly bored most of the times. The writing is perfectly readable though, and I had no issue with the editing (even though I read an ARC). I think I'd be willing to give a Bland book another chance. She can obviously write, but this particular book wasn't a winner for me.
August 31, 2017
The Moreva of Astoreth by Roxanne Bland, 454 pages, Blackrose Press 1st Edition, November 3rd 2015, Genre: Science Fiction/Romance. Warning: May Contain Spoilers.
Review by Leigh Holland.
I have a confession to make. I don’t believe in most ancient alien theories, the works of Zechariah Sitchin, or most of the theories proposed in “Chariots of the Gods”. However, I love the idea behind all of it. I’m a fan of Stargate. What if the gods of old, such as the Anunnaki, really did come from the heavens, literally? What if they weren’t gods at all but advanced aliens? What if they did breeding experiments on primates to create humans? What if they taught humans farming, warfare, pottery, and smithing? In short, what if mythology was fact?
Roxanne Bland shows us the world of the Anunnaki gods, their descendants, and the humanoid hakoi of other planets they claim to have created. The gods are about power and control, using their part-hakoi, part-Anunnaki children and grandchildren to keep the hakoi satisfied using religious rites. These descendants are the Morev, a priestly class. Astoreth is the goddess of love. Her favorite Moreva and grandchild, Tehi, misses services. Astoreth punishes her by assigning her to a post as Moreva on a “backwater” hakoi village called Mjor. Tehi does as she’s told, but sneaks her lab equipment along so she can continue working on the cure for the hakoi disease, red fever. While on Mjor as Moreva, she befriends Hyme, the local hakoi healer, and is irritated by the village’s leader or “Laerd”, Teger. As time passes, she learns to respect the hakoi, falls in love, and narrowly dodges trouble at several turns. The only element that I didn’t care for was the repetition of her daily meals, scheduled services, etc. to the degree they were repeated. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book.
My favorite characters were Tehi and Teger. Tehi starts off with flaws, but overcomes them as the story unfolds. She is dedicated to healing the sick and willing to risk her neck for others. As a priestess of the goddess of love, she explores the meaning and nature of love at different points in the story. Teger is direct and determined. Once he makes up his mind about something, there is no dissuading him. He’s supportive of Tehi but isn’t afraid to challenge her when he thinks she is wrong. He teaches her about identity, love, and self-love.
This book is a romance taking place within a science fiction milieu. If you enjoy both romance and science fiction, you’ll love this novel.
Review by Leigh Holland.
I have a confession to make. I don’t believe in most ancient alien theories, the works of Zechariah Sitchin, or most of the theories proposed in “Chariots of the Gods”. However, I love the idea behind all of it. I’m a fan of Stargate. What if the gods of old, such as the Anunnaki, really did come from the heavens, literally? What if they weren’t gods at all but advanced aliens? What if they did breeding experiments on primates to create humans? What if they taught humans farming, warfare, pottery, and smithing? In short, what if mythology was fact?
Roxanne Bland shows us the world of the Anunnaki gods, their descendants, and the humanoid hakoi of other planets they claim to have created. The gods are about power and control, using their part-hakoi, part-Anunnaki children and grandchildren to keep the hakoi satisfied using religious rites. These descendants are the Morev, a priestly class. Astoreth is the goddess of love. Her favorite Moreva and grandchild, Tehi, misses services. Astoreth punishes her by assigning her to a post as Moreva on a “backwater” hakoi village called Mjor. Tehi does as she’s told, but sneaks her lab equipment along so she can continue working on the cure for the hakoi disease, red fever. While on Mjor as Moreva, she befriends Hyme, the local hakoi healer, and is irritated by the village’s leader or “Laerd”, Teger. As time passes, she learns to respect the hakoi, falls in love, and narrowly dodges trouble at several turns. The only element that I didn’t care for was the repetition of her daily meals, scheduled services, etc. to the degree they were repeated. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book.
My favorite characters were Tehi and Teger. Tehi starts off with flaws, but overcomes them as the story unfolds. She is dedicated to healing the sick and willing to risk her neck for others. As a priestess of the goddess of love, she explores the meaning and nature of love at different points in the story. Teger is direct and determined. Once he makes up his mind about something, there is no dissuading him. He’s supportive of Tehi but isn’t afraid to challenge her when he thinks she is wrong. He teaches her about identity, love, and self-love.
This book is a romance taking place within a science fiction milieu. If you enjoy both romance and science fiction, you’ll love this novel.
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January 23, 2021This is a science fiction story about a young woman who needs an attitude adjustment where others are concerned. Her opinion that others are beneath her is strongly flawed and based on her place in society based on her religious beliefs. She considers the native people of the outpost where she has been sent to be of lower intelligence and possibly not a hygienic group which is not true. She chooses not to learn the language because it is unimportant to her. Yet she is shown that not everyone thinks her people are so great either. They dislike her for what they know of her people. This story is a learning curve of making a friend outside your group based on similar interest not just DNA. Also love may not be where you expected it to be. I had some trouble with some of the religious rituals since it would seem she did not enjoy doing them due to their sexual nature and this in part was the reason she was forced to take this assignment on another planet. This is a story that takes time to read and the author created a glossary to help with some of the words. There is also some confusion of her priestess role and the wardrobe, since the priest before her was a male. With that being said I enjoyed this worldly story where you get to watch a person grow from their sheltered, ignorant ways to a more understanding view of others and why they are the way that they are.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 6, 2021
3.4 Stars
Well-done but not likeable
I have to respect the writing craft here, although I was put off by the 1st person POV, single narrative. Nevertheless it was a great choice because you get that suspenseful unreliable narrator. And boy is this a doozy!
The narrator is arrogant, spoiled, racist, self-centered brat who happens to be an alien priestess/minor diety. I really couldn't stand her. But through her perspective, the world and story unfold realistically. And they are all very alien, which is a rare thing even in science fiction that features aliens.
I love very non-human aliens! The story's protagonist casually refers to her 2 hearts, psychic powers, advanced technology, and difference from the servant class, which is a created race. And despite her disdain for them, she's actually mixed herself. So, does she hate herself?
Yes. But of course she doesn't realize that! The story and characters are culturally and emotionally realistic. That's the complex part. Unfortunately, the priestess's life just doesn't interact much with... ANY PEOPLE, so all the interesting social and political complexity doesn't show. What is she concerned about? The daily drudgery of her religious duties alternating with her personal interest in sciencing. Sigh. So we get several simple interactions and a lot more alien lab procedure. Ugh.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Well-done but not likeable
I have to respect the writing craft here, although I was put off by the 1st person POV, single narrative. Nevertheless it was a great choice because you get that suspenseful unreliable narrator. And boy is this a doozy!
The narrator is arrogant, spoiled, racist, self-centered brat who happens to be an alien priestess/minor diety. I really couldn't stand her. But through her perspective, the world and story unfold realistically. And they are all very alien, which is a rare thing even in science fiction that features aliens.
I love very non-human aliens! The story's protagonist casually refers to her 2 hearts, psychic powers, advanced technology, and difference from the servant class, which is a created race. And despite her disdain for them, she's actually mixed herself. So, does she hate herself?
Yes. But of course she doesn't realize that! The story and characters are culturally and emotionally realistic. That's the complex part. Unfortunately, the priestess's life just doesn't interact much with... ANY PEOPLE, so all the interesting social and political complexity doesn't show. What is she concerned about? The daily drudgery of her religious duties alternating with her personal interest in sciencing. Sigh. So we get several simple interactions and a lot more alien lab procedure. Ugh.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 8, 2018
Ok this review for me is hard. I did not particularly like this book. But it was My own fault. I picked this book based on the cover thinking it was going to be another science fiction book. Well it wasn't if anything id classify it as a romance novel that takes place in an alternate universe. With that said it was a well written well developed novel. A bit long and not much action. It centers on the main character's growth. Lots of romance and lovemaking in this book but it was not graphic.
I did find one thing that was extremely off putting with this book and the author even addressed the issue in the preface of the book. She has changed both time, and distance measurements in the book and replaced it with something of her own creation . So unless you are reading this as a paperback you feel the urge to flip back and forth to where she enplanes what each unit represents and on an e reader this is just a pain.
So in conclusion this was a well written mildly entertaining romance novel . I probably would not read anything else written by Mrs Bland.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.
I did find one thing that was extremely off putting with this book and the author even addressed the issue in the preface of the book. She has changed both time, and distance measurements in the book and replaced it with something of her own creation . So unless you are reading this as a paperback you feel the urge to flip back and forth to where she enplanes what each unit represents and on an e reader this is just a pain.
So in conclusion this was a well written mildly entertaining romance novel . I probably would not read anything else written by Mrs Bland.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.
August 22, 2017
First, I do agree that the artwork needs a re-do! It might turn potential readers away, but that’s just my own opinion. Some others may love it.
I love that Moreva, the main character, is a healer. She was completely spoiled her entire life and has a bit of a know-it-all attitude going on, but she’s an amazing healer who works hard researching for this cure. She’s a rule breaker, and got booted from her house via grandma, but that’s when we get transported to the Hakoi Village. This place is dreamy and magical.
The author is clearly very creative and does a fantastic job of really bringing alive the characters and the universe. You can expect adventure, romance, sci-fi, and a little bit of everything, really. A part of me was a little dreadful when I saw the length of the book, but I blew through it pretty quickly. I definitely didn’t want it to end, which is always a good sign of a GREAT read! (I would appreciate seeing this turned into a video game, too! How cool would that be!)
I love that Moreva, the main character, is a healer. She was completely spoiled her entire life and has a bit of a know-it-all attitude going on, but she’s an amazing healer who works hard researching for this cure. She’s a rule breaker, and got booted from her house via grandma, but that’s when we get transported to the Hakoi Village. This place is dreamy and magical.
The author is clearly very creative and does a fantastic job of really bringing alive the characters and the universe. You can expect adventure, romance, sci-fi, and a little bit of everything, really. A part of me was a little dreadful when I saw the length of the book, but I blew through it pretty quickly. I definitely didn’t want it to end, which is always a good sign of a GREAT read! (I would appreciate seeing this turned into a video game, too! How cool would that be!)
January 6, 2021
I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I gave up on this book at around 50%. The main character is infuriating and makes poor decisions constantly. A lot of the conflict she deals with regarding her religion is vague or doesn't make sense. As well as the conflict she has with a different race of people. She comes across as ignorant and very unlikable which is strange for a romance. The amount of made up terms that are peppered throughout the book don't do any favors for the reader and only create confusion and annoyance. A sci-fi story does not need made up words to be a good sci-fi. More detail on surroundings and less detail on the main character's daily habits would have helped. The love interest is so bland and one-dimensional that I did not care at all about him or his relationship to the heroine. The dialog was awkward and the steamy scenes were very boring. Overall, I was very disappointed with this book. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
I gave up on this book at around 50%. The main character is infuriating and makes poor decisions constantly. A lot of the conflict she deals with regarding her religion is vague or doesn't make sense. As well as the conflict she has with a different race of people. She comes across as ignorant and very unlikable which is strange for a romance. The amount of made up terms that are peppered throughout the book don't do any favors for the reader and only create confusion and annoyance. A sci-fi story does not need made up words to be a good sci-fi. More detail on surroundings and less detail on the main character's daily habits would have helped. The love interest is so bland and one-dimensional that I did not care at all about him or his relationship to the heroine. The dialog was awkward and the steamy scenes were very boring. Overall, I was very disappointed with this book. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2017
Roxanne Blend delights us with young Moreva Tehi, who has been dedicated to work in the temple of the great Astoreth, her grandmother. As a punishment for her bigotry, Tehi is sent to a remote planet for a year as a punishment. Syren Perritory is by far the worst place Tehi would like to be. She feels her work on the red virus should take precedence over everything else.
Tehi wasn’t given a manual about the planet, its history, or protocols. She cannot understand why the village leader instantly dislikes her and uses any chance he can to ruffle her feathers. As a superior breed there is a lot of mutual distrust, then she has to deal with a stalker. She takes all this in stride, but realizes she can handle the visions that become reality. If Tehi does not overcome her hatred before the last time she has to face the black bird she could be killed instead of just clawed. And how will her relationship with Teger end?
Tehi wasn’t given a manual about the planet, its history, or protocols. She cannot understand why the village leader instantly dislikes her and uses any chance he can to ruffle her feathers. As a superior breed there is a lot of mutual distrust, then she has to deal with a stalker. She takes all this in stride, but realizes she can handle the visions that become reality. If Tehi does not overcome her hatred before the last time she has to face the black bird she could be killed instead of just clawed. And how will her relationship with Teger end?
August 1, 2017
I really enjoyed this interesting blend of science fiction and sort of greek god fantasy. If you are into the geek world and the stories they tell then this is totally for you. The blend of these different genres I cannot say I come across too often so it definitely provided the opportunity for new stories lines.
I found the character Tehi super interesting. While I do not find a whole like of depth or deep meaning within the characters. I can see her being someone many people can relate too. Which helps accommodate for those loving to analyze stories.
Lastly, I have to say the cover threw me off. It was certainly the first thing I noticed when I first checked it out. I also realize a number of other people commented on it too, so I just wanted to confirm that the cover and writing are very unrelated. The cover seemed like a bad 80’s sci-fi movie at first. The writing is so not that.
I found the character Tehi super interesting. While I do not find a whole like of depth or deep meaning within the characters. I can see her being someone many people can relate too. Which helps accommodate for those loving to analyze stories.
Lastly, I have to say the cover threw me off. It was certainly the first thing I noticed when I first checked it out. I also realize a number of other people commented on it too, so I just wanted to confirm that the cover and writing are very unrelated. The cover seemed like a bad 80’s sci-fi movie at first. The writing is so not that.
August 1, 2017
Roxanne Bland is definitely anything but in The Moreva of Astoreh, a gripping fantasy story that had me turning the pages repeatedly, even when I should have been doing something else. As a fan of fantasy stories since I was a child (Thank you JK Rowling), I am always eager to find something that attracts my attention. This is certainly a book that did just that, with a few hiccups here and there.
Since it is fantasy, there are a few portions that were difficult to work through or understand. There was also a bit of darkness in the story that I personally was a little creeped out by as it isn't my usual fare. The opening lines are chilling and throughout the entire book, you will find lines that keep you reading. The editing was quite good as well.
Note that this is certainly an adult story filled with images and words that children may not appreciate. Still, it reads like a fantastical story that everyone will love.
Since it is fantasy, there are a few portions that were difficult to work through or understand. There was also a bit of darkness in the story that I personally was a little creeped out by as it isn't my usual fare. The opening lines are chilling and throughout the entire book, you will find lines that keep you reading. The editing was quite good as well.
Note that this is certainly an adult story filled with images and words that children may not appreciate. Still, it reads like a fantastical story that everyone will love.
January 17, 2021
Tehi was looked down upon her whole life because of her heritage. But she was also a spoiled brat because of who her grandmother was. But even that didn’t prevent her from being exiled to a remote village where her whole world is changed. This was a great book about having to look deep within yourself and accept all of what you are. Then having the strength to continue when you find out all is not as it seems and being brave to go for what your heart desires.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 21, 2017
A fantasy story of dark mystery and sci-fi
This is a good story that encompasses a combination of sci-fi and fantasy. This is a good story line and holds the readers attention pretty well. The Author does a good job of character development and creating an alternate world from an active imagination. Enjoyed the book and would recommend to those who like sci-fi and fantasy stories.
This is a good story that encompasses a combination of sci-fi and fantasy. This is a good story line and holds the readers attention pretty well. The Author does a good job of character development and creating an alternate world from an active imagination. Enjoyed the book and would recommend to those who like sci-fi and fantasy stories.
March 1, 2021
We met the characters, learned about the world and ins and outs of this world.. then Roxanne Bland builds on both the characters, their relationships, and the drama and suspense. It's a fabulous and action-packed story.
The relationships are well crafted and really pull you in. The characters are so well written. They are my favorite part of this book.
Roxanne Bland has created a magical piece of writing, I LOVED IT! Want more!
The relationships are well crafted and really pull you in. The characters are so well written. They are my favorite part of this book.
Roxanne Bland has created a magical piece of writing, I LOVED IT! Want more!
September 15, 2022
Ok so yes the story was engaging and well written but can we talk about the vailed bdsm, gang rape and gods who really shouldn’t be.
My over arching take away is that the apparent love god is a psychopath and borderline Stockholm rapist not so much the love story.
The ending was rushed especially with how long the book built up to its very obvious twist.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
My over arching take away is that the apparent love god is a psychopath and borderline Stockholm rapist not so much the love story.
The ending was rushed especially with how long the book built up to its very obvious twist.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 14, 2016
*** Gifted in exchange for an honest review ***
I give this story 2.5 stars, there is a good storyline in this book, it just needs a better editing team to get rid of the repetitive monotone and highlight to the author where she needs to input more information where it is required.
I quite like sci fi, I was contacted via my blog, no cover or links to the book sent, and as you will see from the blurb not much is given in the way of information, other than to compare it to known published sci-fi authors, I have read Anne McCaffrey when I was younger, so that is why I agreed to read this book.
IF I had been sent a cover, I would have probably said no up front, as I DO JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER... now some will say the cover is good (sorry no offence to those who do, but I don't) it looks like someone spent a while in a computer game rendering this cover - but it looks horrible ( in my opinion at least).
but I guess it does give you an idea of what this story is about - a blue-faced, red-clad, white-haired, face-painted (she has a mask that does it daily!) alien figure on the cover of The Moreva of Astoreth shows how most of the story is spent on boring scientific geekiness that bored me to sleep. I had to keep going back to this book, I was going to give up, but when the Moreva begins to spend more time with the healer Hyme and Teger the Laird of the village, it gave me the push to see where the author was taking this. I liked the two male characters much more than the spoilt whinging Te
But I am afraid that although I enjoyed the basic storyline, as I said just now there are lots that need to be cut and then stuff that needed more explanation/back story such as the very weird rituals and practices with no backstory to explain why this was so.
Also to base the story on known languages then to add words, seems irrelevant to me, why not just make up a whole language - OR NOT, ok weird worlds and character names I can get, BUT why did we need different times, volumes, weight and distance???????
Also - this is shelved on amazon as a romance and there are no warnings about the heavily sexual rituals that the character has to deliver. So be aware that this story has some scenes that involve rape.
with the writing/language used in the book, if you are going to write about a different world with different languages and meanings, you need to think as a reader and give a glossary for a reader to access - preferably at the beginning of a book where its easily seen. Although the Author adds a note about the time, distance and volumes, I can't understand why she did not consider to explain other crucial things such as the gods and goddesses and their laws/rituals, which although are sometimes explained in the book in the narration, the book did not hold my attention nor did any of these facts sink in - other than that the goddess has a kinky side and expects her granddaughter to be the vessel for group orgies ( I could not get over this, and it was basically a rape scene as Tehi, the main character, even though she is a Moreva, she feels violated every time.
The story is told in Moreva’s POV and I would groan as I turned another page to find her daily routine mentioned yet again. The cycle contained, getting dressed, breakfast, working in the lab with Hyme, of which sometimes it was interesting when the characters were discussing emotions or differences in cultures, but potions and the routine of an experiment was just too much for me and I would switch off yet again.
her whole day would be spelt out, from beginning to end with the reader is told rather than being able to feel the character.
And I mean every step from waking then getting ready with the makeup tattoos from programmed masks that sprayed waterproof makeup in different designs to each skimpy outfit and whip, kinky heals etc ???? Each meal and service given to the soldiers that mann the tower.
This made the book harder to read until about half way through. I did not like the love interest created between the Laird and Tehi, it was too predictable, he hated her kind but felt explicitly drawn to her it was a typical plot romance trope.
The use of an unknown language that the reader is not given an explanation for was another gripe.
I did like the way the author wrote how the attitude of the Hakoi villagers to Tehi was hostile and and how both eventually overcame their preconceived ideas. Where the story started to grab my attention was when she went against everything she was drilled to believe in to help the villagers and that was when their attitude changed towards her too, as this is where a character/situation is relatable.
The Moreva Tehi character hates that she is a hybrid of the Devi, Morev and Hakoi, and this Hakoi side is the part she hates, she has been bullied and seen lesser because of this and having to service the Hakoi soldiers in the orgy rituals, she finds abhorrent. I couldn't understand how the character had been able to do these rituals constantly with such revulsion, then after getting to know the villagers could get over this just like that.
The other issue I had was the convenience of the ending and a miraculous lab creation to solve her problem.
It seems so readers loved this book just as it was, but not for me, you may think different, and you can try the sample and see for yourself.
I give this story 2.5 stars, there is a good storyline in this book, it just needs a better editing team to get rid of the repetitive monotone and highlight to the author where she needs to input more information where it is required.
I quite like sci fi, I was contacted via my blog, no cover or links to the book sent, and as you will see from the blurb not much is given in the way of information, other than to compare it to known published sci-fi authors, I have read Anne McCaffrey when I was younger, so that is why I agreed to read this book.
IF I had been sent a cover, I would have probably said no up front, as I DO JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER... now some will say the cover is good (sorry no offence to those who do, but I don't) it looks like someone spent a while in a computer game rendering this cover - but it looks horrible ( in my opinion at least).
but I guess it does give you an idea of what this story is about - a blue-faced, red-clad, white-haired, face-painted (she has a mask that does it daily!) alien figure on the cover of The Moreva of Astoreth shows how most of the story is spent on boring scientific geekiness that bored me to sleep. I had to keep going back to this book, I was going to give up, but when the Moreva begins to spend more time with the healer Hyme and Teger the Laird of the village, it gave me the push to see where the author was taking this. I liked the two male characters much more than the spoilt whinging Te
But I am afraid that although I enjoyed the basic storyline, as I said just now there are lots that need to be cut and then stuff that needed more explanation/back story such as the very weird rituals and practices with no backstory to explain why this was so.
Also to base the story on known languages then to add words, seems irrelevant to me, why not just make up a whole language - OR NOT, ok weird worlds and character names I can get, BUT why did we need different times, volumes, weight and distance???????
Also - this is shelved on amazon as a romance and there are no warnings about the heavily sexual rituals that the character has to deliver. So be aware that this story has some scenes that involve rape.
with the writing/language used in the book, if you are going to write about a different world with different languages and meanings, you need to think as a reader and give a glossary for a reader to access - preferably at the beginning of a book where its easily seen. Although the Author adds a note about the time, distance and volumes, I can't understand why she did not consider to explain other crucial things such as the gods and goddesses and their laws/rituals, which although are sometimes explained in the book in the narration, the book did not hold my attention nor did any of these facts sink in - other than that the goddess has a kinky side and expects her granddaughter to be the vessel for group orgies ( I could not get over this, and it was basically a rape scene as Tehi, the main character, even though she is a Moreva, she feels violated every time.
The story is told in Moreva’s POV and I would groan as I turned another page to find her daily routine mentioned yet again. The cycle contained, getting dressed, breakfast, working in the lab with Hyme, of which sometimes it was interesting when the characters were discussing emotions or differences in cultures, but potions and the routine of an experiment was just too much for me and I would switch off yet again.
her whole day would be spelt out, from beginning to end with the reader is told rather than being able to feel the character.
And I mean every step from waking then getting ready with the makeup tattoos from programmed masks that sprayed waterproof makeup in different designs to each skimpy outfit and whip, kinky heals etc ???? Each meal and service given to the soldiers that mann the tower.
This made the book harder to read until about half way through. I did not like the love interest created between the Laird and Tehi, it was too predictable, he hated her kind but felt explicitly drawn to her it was a typical plot romance trope.
The use of an unknown language that the reader is not given an explanation for was another gripe.
I did like the way the author wrote how the attitude of the Hakoi villagers to Tehi was hostile and and how both eventually overcame their preconceived ideas. Where the story started to grab my attention was when she went against everything she was drilled to believe in to help the villagers and that was when their attitude changed towards her too, as this is where a character/situation is relatable.
The Moreva Tehi character hates that she is a hybrid of the Devi, Morev and Hakoi, and this Hakoi side is the part she hates, she has been bullied and seen lesser because of this and having to service the Hakoi soldiers in the orgy rituals, she finds abhorrent. I couldn't understand how the character had been able to do these rituals constantly with such revulsion, then after getting to know the villagers could get over this just like that.
The other issue I had was the convenience of the ending and a miraculous lab creation to solve her problem.
It seems so readers loved this book just as it was, but not for me, you may think different, and you can try the sample and see for yourself.
March 2, 2021
Roxanne Bland was really able to transport her reader into the world she created.
I loved how much this book kept me on my toes while reading. It’s action packed, there is always something major going on. It was hard to catch a breath!
I loved the them of finding oneself, coming to terms with inner issues and learning to overcome and adapt.
I loved how much this book kept me on my toes while reading. It’s action packed, there is always something major going on. It was hard to catch a breath!
I loved the them of finding oneself, coming to terms with inner issues and learning to overcome and adapt.
March 3, 2021
The entertainment level is so high with this one.
We start with getting to know the world and the characters. Bland does a great job of making sure the reader understands without them being bogged down with info.
Once this one takes off, it doesn’t let up. It’s high octane and full of so much action, romance, and drama along the way.
Fast Paced, yet smoothly written. I Loved It!
We start with getting to know the world and the characters. Bland does a great job of making sure the reader understands without them being bogged down with info.
Once this one takes off, it doesn’t let up. It’s high octane and full of so much action, romance, and drama along the way.
Fast Paced, yet smoothly written. I Loved It!
January 26, 2021
I got this book thru an ARC, Advanced Review Copy with an honest review given freely.
I thought this was a good book as the storyline was great and the charceter were fantastic. Would read more from this author.
I thought this was a good book as the storyline was great and the charceter were fantastic. Would read more from this author.
November 13, 2023
I liked this book because it has a bit of everything. I like how you follow Moreva's life while she is exiled by Astoreth. But while she is in Mjor, her life is a rollercoaster, and she gets to experience a life she didn't have with Astoreth.
February 5, 2018
A decent 400 page book wearing the clothes of a mediocre 480 page book, bogged down by endless cataloging of minutiae and horrible cover art.
January 7, 2021
Interesting story line with enjoyable main characters and plenty of danger and dialogue as well. I received a copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 18, 2016
2,500 yrs. ago the Devi battled with the Syrenese.
Goddess Astoreth (grandmother, Love) is not happy with Moreva Tehi (granddaughter, healer, scientist/researcher, priestess, narrator, Devi, hakoi, morev).
Sex with your own kind is a gimme.
She did not celebrate Ohra (holy rites).
Moreva main goal is the find an antidote to eradicate the red fever.
For her punishment Moreva is sent to Astoreth-69 (Syren Perritory). There she will take up various military leadership roles, administer punishment as well as act in religious practices (Ohra) in the Temple.
Eresh greeted her when she landed.
Hyme (Healer) is her only real friend. He runs an apothecary & is quite the horticulturist.
Chief Laerd Teger (Mjor) does not have much use for her & they clash all the time.
Later Muts were guarding the gate Moreva forgetting the Protocol must save a bunch of miners lives who were caught in an explosion.
Chief Laerd Teger (Mjor) had a talk with her.
A Hologram from Goddess Astoreth came through also.
Kepton Yose had assisted Moreva.
What kind of favors was Chief Laerd Teger asking Moreva for?
What are Hert Harst, & Prag Harst up to?
What is going on with Chief Laerd Teger &Moreva?
What is the Circus?
What were Mannen Harst & Prag Harst speaking too Chief Laerd Teger about?
What is the other experiment Moreva Tehi (alskling) working on?
Will Moreva Tehi find a cure for the red fever that was caused by the Devi?
What is Goddess Astoreth final decision on Moreva Tehi?
Warning: This book is for adults only & contains extreme violent or graphic adult content or profanity &/or sexually explicit scenarios. It may be offensive to some readers.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written sci-fi book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great (erotic fantasy, dystopian, Utopia) movie, animated cartoon, or better yet a paid-per-view mini TV series. To be continued? There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; MakingConnections; Blackrose Press; paperback book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Goddess Astoreth (grandmother, Love) is not happy with Moreva Tehi (granddaughter, healer, scientist/researcher, priestess, narrator, Devi, hakoi, morev).
Sex with your own kind is a gimme.
She did not celebrate Ohra (holy rites).
Moreva main goal is the find an antidote to eradicate the red fever.
For her punishment Moreva is sent to Astoreth-69 (Syren Perritory). There she will take up various military leadership roles, administer punishment as well as act in religious practices (Ohra) in the Temple.
Eresh greeted her when she landed.
Hyme (Healer) is her only real friend. He runs an apothecary & is quite the horticulturist.
Chief Laerd Teger (Mjor) does not have much use for her & they clash all the time.
Later Muts were guarding the gate Moreva forgetting the Protocol must save a bunch of miners lives who were caught in an explosion.
Chief Laerd Teger (Mjor) had a talk with her.
A Hologram from Goddess Astoreth came through also.
Kepton Yose had assisted Moreva.
What kind of favors was Chief Laerd Teger asking Moreva for?
What are Hert Harst, & Prag Harst up to?
What is going on with Chief Laerd Teger &Moreva?
What is the Circus?
What were Mannen Harst & Prag Harst speaking too Chief Laerd Teger about?
What is the other experiment Moreva Tehi (alskling) working on?
Will Moreva Tehi find a cure for the red fever that was caused by the Devi?
What is Goddess Astoreth final decision on Moreva Tehi?
Warning: This book is for adults only & contains extreme violent or graphic adult content or profanity &/or sexually explicit scenarios. It may be offensive to some readers.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written sci-fi book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great (erotic fantasy, dystopian, Utopia) movie, animated cartoon, or better yet a paid-per-view mini TV series. To be continued? There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; MakingConnections; Blackrose Press; paperback book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
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