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Princes' Game #3
Amulet Rampant
A Tryst turned Training... and a Desperate Flight
In an effort to stop a war and hold the Thorn Throne, the Chatcaavan Emperor has embarked on the bloody subjugation of the rebels who are tearing the Empire apart to serve their ambitions. He has left the palace in the hands of the newly christened Queen Ransomed and encircled her with his allies.
One of them is a traitor.
All the lessons the Queen has learned—in personhood, in agency, in courage—may not be enough to equip her for the challenges before her. Nor is she the only one facing a revelation that could shatter worlds: Lisinthir Nase Galare, newly returned to the Alliance, has invited his cousin to their promised assignation, and discovered by accident a weapon that could turn the tide of history.
Book Three of the Princes' Game begins with a tryst and ends with a clarion call to battle. How many will answer the call? And will they see the end of the conflict unchanged?
The war is waiting.
Contains violence and (many) adult situations.
Even the Wingless (Princes' Game 1)
Some Things Transcend (Princes' Game 2)
Amulet Rampant (Princes' Game 3)
Only the Open (Princes' Game 4)
In an effort to stop a war and hold the Thorn Throne, the Chatcaavan Emperor has embarked on the bloody subjugation of the rebels who are tearing the Empire apart to serve their ambitions. He has left the palace in the hands of the newly christened Queen Ransomed and encircled her with his allies.
One of them is a traitor.
All the lessons the Queen has learned—in personhood, in agency, in courage—may not be enough to equip her for the challenges before her. Nor is she the only one facing a revelation that could shatter worlds: Lisinthir Nase Galare, newly returned to the Alliance, has invited his cousin to their promised assignation, and discovered by accident a weapon that could turn the tide of history.
Book Three of the Princes' Game begins with a tryst and ends with a clarion call to battle. How many will answer the call? And will they see the end of the conflict unchanged?
The war is waiting.
Contains violence and (many) adult situations.
Even the Wingless (Princes' Game 1)
Some Things Transcend (Princes' Game 2)
Amulet Rampant (Princes' Game 3)
Only the Open (Princes' Game 4)
450 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 8, 2016
18 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
M.C.A. Hogarth
145 books386 followersDaughter of two Cuban political exiles, M.C.A. Hogarth was born a foreigner in the American melting pot and has had a fascination for the gaps in cultures and the bridges that span them ever since. She has been many things—-web database architect, product manager, technical writer and massage therapist—-but is currently a full-time parent, artist, writer and anthropologist to aliens, both human and otherwise.
Her fiction has variously been recommended for a Nebula, a finalist for the Spectrum, placed on the secondary Tiptree reading list and chosen for two best-of anthologies; her art has appeared in RPGs, magazines and on book covers.
Her fiction has variously been recommended for a Nebula, a finalist for the Spectrum, placed on the secondary Tiptree reading list and chosen for two best-of anthologies; her art has appeared in RPGs, magazines and on book covers.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 23, 2019
A step up from the previous books in this series. Hogarth's strengths, I feel, are in practical worldbuilding (especially at the daily life level) and in compelling character relationships, and both are in evidence here, with a nice arc of growing intimacy between Jahir and Lisinthir and character development for Vasiht'h and the Chatcaavan Queen Ransomed as well. I felt it was a weakness that the physical relationship between Jahir and Lisinthir was loaded with Transcendence and fraught with Great Import throughout though- it didn't honestly feel any healthier a relationship with sex than the self-denial that Jahir previously practiced (and I still feel like that whole plotline rather came out of nowhere and isn't well-grounded at all in chronological earlier books in realistic experiences of sexuality, especially closeted queer sexuality.)
February 8, 2016
Disclaimer: I was an advanced reader for this book, but I purchased my own copy.
For fans of Hogarth's work, this book continues what was started in Some Things Transcend, weaving together the Dreamhealers' universe with the Princes' Game series. This book takes place over a relatively short time span, covering Jahir's visit to Lisinthir and the activities of the Slave Queen in the Chatcaavan Empire during the same time period.
I found this book to be utterly magnificent. I laughed, I cried because I was sad, I got so overwhelmed with happy emotion I cried too, I got to see all my favorite Eldritch on the same page, meet new (and important) Eldritch, we see the return and triumph of several old favorites, and emotionally, this is Hogarth's finest work to date. She aims high and sticks the landing perfectly. I need to read it a few more times to be sure, but I legitimately think this may be my favorite book in the Pelted universe so far. It has incredible depth. Micah obviously put a tremendous amount of work into the background of this work, and her growth as a writer shows. I spent the last hundred pages or so with my hand over my mouth from the sheer weight and feeling of everything there. This is so, so good.
Fair warning: it's not pastoral, although it does beg the question of whether it's possible to write "pastoral" in an urban setting; the evocative descriptions and beautiful language make you feel this book from the inside out. And this book also isn't a racing crazy, edge of your chair adventure like Her Instruments or Princes' Game #1 and #2. But somehow, in being neither of those things, this book manages to be its own thing entirely, like the space between breaths. By being different, it allows itself to tackle problems and ethical dilemmas and makes room for character growth that would not be possible in any other setting but this one.
Some vague spoilers for general book content, none for plot endings:
If you ship Jahir and Lisinthir, or you just love Lisinthir, this book is your new best friend. The emotional intimacy between these two characters is ASTOUNDINGLY well written, astoundingly well executed, and astoundingly real. Your heart will pound. You'll laugh. You'll probably cry. Most of this book is Jahir and Lisinthir being unapologetically, uncompromisingly themselves, and LEARNING to be themselves, and I found it exquisite in every conceivable way. And you may need to put the book down and find a fainting couch for several of the sex scenes. You've been warned. I probably sound like a teenage girl, but, well, those of you who know Lisinthir know that he kind of does that to you unintentionally.
Vasiht'h is present on the edges of this book, but if you're reading it for him, I suspect you'll be a little disappointed. He anchors some of the most important moments and his time away from Jahir is necessary for BOTH of them to grow, but if you're used to all Jahir and Vasiht'h, all the time, and looking for that here, it's not quite as present.
The Chatcaavan plot line was, for me, a tad less exciting than the Jahir/Lisinthir plot line, but I have to be totally honest, review readers, I have been shipping that since before Some Things Transcend put them on the page together, so forgive me for my distraction. The Slave Queen is excellent. Her new supporting characters along with some old favorites broach some massive ethical questions and cultural norms. There is, alas, not nearly as much of the Emperor as I would have liked, but he's absent for important reasons. You'll really, really like this actualized version of The Slave Queen we started to see towards the end of Wingless.
The supporting cast is beyond delightful. Laniis is back! We finally get to spend some real time with Sediryl (MY GIRL), who is magnificent, as always. Sehvi is here, for those of you who loved her as much as I did, and just as much of a grounding, amazing force as ever. Liolesa is Liolesa. (What else could I possibly say.)
And, frankly, I would argue that the setting is one of the most magnificent characters of this book: Hogarth paints the world where Jahir and Lisinthir are in broad strokes and beautiful, evocative language. It's sci-fi at its finest, turning imagination into art and making a reality of things we as readers had only thought of before, and the imagery is simply stunning.
That said, despite all the positives above: here are some reasons you may not like this book and may want to give it a pass.
1. Jahir is with (in a romantic and sexual sense) Lisinthir. In my opinion, this in no way diminishes his relationship with Vasiht'h; their dialogue and relationship is a cornerstone of the novel that grounds it firmly. But if you want to stay in the world where, well, it's not complicated, I would recommend waiting for Dreamhealers' 3.
2. There is violence in this book. I would categorize it as less violent in general than the later books in Her Instruments and if you've made it through Wingless and Transcend, I highly doubt you'll have issues here, but there is definitely some nasty stuff going down. (The Chaatcava are involved, were you anticipating otherwise?)
3. The very big one: there is very, very kinky sex. If you're really not into R rated things, you are going to be skimming an awful lot of this book. That said: the sex scenes are done elegantly and with poise, they feel necessary to the character growth of Jahir and Lisinthir, and there is not a single word misplaced. Everything works. Everything makes sense. Everything is astoundingly hot, and, at least for me, this is not a type of kink I am particularly into even reading about, but I thoroughly enjoyed every word. But the emotional connection makes it. That said: the R rating is... well deserved.
For fans of Hogarth's work, this book continues what was started in Some Things Transcend, weaving together the Dreamhealers' universe with the Princes' Game series. This book takes place over a relatively short time span, covering Jahir's visit to Lisinthir and the activities of the Slave Queen in the Chatcaavan Empire during the same time period.
I found this book to be utterly magnificent. I laughed, I cried because I was sad, I got so overwhelmed with happy emotion I cried too, I got to see all my favorite Eldritch on the same page, meet new (and important) Eldritch, we see the return and triumph of several old favorites, and emotionally, this is Hogarth's finest work to date. She aims high and sticks the landing perfectly. I need to read it a few more times to be sure, but I legitimately think this may be my favorite book in the Pelted universe so far. It has incredible depth. Micah obviously put a tremendous amount of work into the background of this work, and her growth as a writer shows. I spent the last hundred pages or so with my hand over my mouth from the sheer weight and feeling of everything there. This is so, so good.
Fair warning: it's not pastoral, although it does beg the question of whether it's possible to write "pastoral" in an urban setting; the evocative descriptions and beautiful language make you feel this book from the inside out. And this book also isn't a racing crazy, edge of your chair adventure like Her Instruments or Princes' Game #1 and #2. But somehow, in being neither of those things, this book manages to be its own thing entirely, like the space between breaths. By being different, it allows itself to tackle problems and ethical dilemmas and makes room for character growth that would not be possible in any other setting but this one.
Some vague spoilers for general book content, none for plot endings:
If you ship Jahir and Lisinthir, or you just love Lisinthir, this book is your new best friend. The emotional intimacy between these two characters is ASTOUNDINGLY well written, astoundingly well executed, and astoundingly real. Your heart will pound. You'll laugh. You'll probably cry. Most of this book is Jahir and Lisinthir being unapologetically, uncompromisingly themselves, and LEARNING to be themselves, and I found it exquisite in every conceivable way. And you may need to put the book down and find a fainting couch for several of the sex scenes. You've been warned. I probably sound like a teenage girl, but, well, those of you who know Lisinthir know that he kind of does that to you unintentionally.
Vasiht'h is present on the edges of this book, but if you're reading it for him, I suspect you'll be a little disappointed. He anchors some of the most important moments and his time away from Jahir is necessary for BOTH of them to grow, but if you're used to all Jahir and Vasiht'h, all the time, and looking for that here, it's not quite as present.
The Chatcaavan plot line was, for me, a tad less exciting than the Jahir/Lisinthir plot line, but I have to be totally honest, review readers, I have been shipping that since before Some Things Transcend put them on the page together, so forgive me for my distraction. The Slave Queen is excellent. Her new supporting characters along with some old favorites broach some massive ethical questions and cultural norms. There is, alas, not nearly as much of the Emperor as I would have liked, but he's absent for important reasons. You'll really, really like this actualized version of The Slave Queen we started to see towards the end of Wingless.
The supporting cast is beyond delightful. Laniis is back! We finally get to spend some real time with Sediryl (MY GIRL), who is magnificent, as always. Sehvi is here, for those of you who loved her as much as I did, and just as much of a grounding, amazing force as ever. Liolesa is Liolesa. (What else could I possibly say.)
And, frankly, I would argue that the setting is one of the most magnificent characters of this book: Hogarth paints the world where Jahir and Lisinthir are in broad strokes and beautiful, evocative language. It's sci-fi at its finest, turning imagination into art and making a reality of things we as readers had only thought of before, and the imagery is simply stunning.
That said, despite all the positives above: here are some reasons you may not like this book and may want to give it a pass.
1. Jahir is with (in a romantic and sexual sense) Lisinthir. In my opinion, this in no way diminishes his relationship with Vasiht'h; their dialogue and relationship is a cornerstone of the novel that grounds it firmly. But if you want to stay in the world where, well, it's not complicated, I would recommend waiting for Dreamhealers' 3.
2. There is violence in this book. I would categorize it as less violent in general than the later books in Her Instruments and if you've made it through Wingless and Transcend, I highly doubt you'll have issues here, but there is definitely some nasty stuff going down. (The Chaatcava are involved, were you anticipating otherwise?)
3. The very big one: there is very, very kinky sex. If you're really not into R rated things, you are going to be skimming an awful lot of this book. That said: the sex scenes are done elegantly and with poise, they feel necessary to the character growth of Jahir and Lisinthir, and there is not a single word misplaced. Everything works. Everything makes sense. Everything is astoundingly hot, and, at least for me, this is not a type of kink I am particularly into even reading about, but I thoroughly enjoyed every word. But the emotional connection makes it. That said: the R rating is... well deserved.
January 10, 2017
Not my favorite, but still good.
The various storylines in this book were fascinating and I enjoyed a lot of it, but because the Queen's storyline, Laniis' storyline, and the Glaseah storylines were so interesting, it felt like a disproportionate amount of time was spent on Jahir's education. I found myself skimming those parts a lot, looking for more of the other storylines.
Part of that was personal taste though, and I would still recommend the book.
The various storylines in this book were fascinating and I enjoyed a lot of it, but because the Queen's storyline, Laniis' storyline, and the Glaseah storylines were so interesting, it felt like a disproportionate amount of time was spent on Jahir's education. I found myself skimming those parts a lot, looking for more of the other storylines.
Part of that was personal taste though, and I would still recommend the book.
March 13, 2023
This one is one of my favourites. Jahir is lovely as ever, and his relationship with Lisinthir cute and heartwarming. I preferred them over the slave queen, but I was surprised to like her story line as well.
So, for sheer enjoyment, I give it 5 stars. I should warn you, though, it ends with a cliff hanger of sorts.
So, for sheer enjoyment, I give it 5 stars. I should warn you, though, it ends with a cliff hanger of sorts.
August 25, 2017
It took me until Chapter 11 to see the pattern, but once I spotted it I was somewhat reconciled with what was a difficult read until then. This book is a mirror image of the first book, in which emotionally scarred and spiritually homeless Ambassador Lisinthir submits to brutal torture, endures multiple vicious sexual assaults and humiliation in an attempt to subtly manipulate the Chatcaavan Emperor to revise his opinion of the Alliance and thus to prevent a war. Ultimately, Lisinthir 's stoicism in the face of this brutal challenge, his compassion for the Emperor's Slave Queen, his intelligence combined with strategic use of his ability to sense the emotion of those he touches wins the Emperor's respect and ultimately his love. Lisinthir himself falls in love with the reformed Emperor and the Queen.
Spoilers next.
Transformation and coercion are major themes in this series. In book 1, the Chatcaavan Emperor and his Slave Queen are transformed by Lisinthir, but Lisinthir himself also changes and grows as a person. In this third book, Lisinthir transforms his cousin Jahir from a scared, naive, and uptight pacifist into a libidinous fighter. This takes place during a two week initiation of the more than willing Jahir into S&M practices by the experienced and dominant Lisinthir. At the end Jahir claims this is what he always wanted - a direct parallel to book 1. Lisinthir himself is also changed by this experience - he softens and lowers his guard. The two books are flips ides of a coin. In the first Lisinthir is the recipient, in the second he is the agent.
Spoilers finished.
Once I spotted the symmetry I was much more reconciled with this book - I appreciate good structure, careful planning, and long story arches. The characterisation of the key players in this series is definitely superior and I am very impressed with the author's writing. The use of a very wide range of vocabulary meant I had to look up a couple of words. Nevertheless I have a few frustrations (apart from the fact that I am not at all into the practices described here).
My issue is that nearly two thirds of this book are devoted to describing two laborious internal journeys, brought about in the bedroom. If you are looking for anything other than bedroom action, this is not the book for you. The other thing is I dislike superpowers. The present a simplistic solution to complex problems - Marvel territory. I feel this book is almost like a folly. It does not advance the plot much and should either have been compressed into a chapter or two and merged with Volume 4, or alternatively it could have been its own, standalone, S&M sci-fi erotica novel (which I would not have bought).
Spoilers next.
Transformation and coercion are major themes in this series. In book 1, the Chatcaavan Emperor and his Slave Queen are transformed by Lisinthir, but Lisinthir himself also changes and grows as a person. In this third book, Lisinthir transforms his cousin Jahir from a scared, naive, and uptight pacifist into a libidinous fighter. This takes place during a two week initiation of the more than willing Jahir into S&M practices by the experienced and dominant Lisinthir. At the end Jahir claims this is what he always wanted - a direct parallel to book 1. Lisinthir himself is also changed by this experience - he softens and lowers his guard. The two books are flips ides of a coin. In the first Lisinthir is the recipient, in the second he is the agent.
Spoilers finished.
Once I spotted the symmetry I was much more reconciled with this book - I appreciate good structure, careful planning, and long story arches. The characterisation of the key players in this series is definitely superior and I am very impressed with the author's writing. The use of a very wide range of vocabulary meant I had to look up a couple of words. Nevertheless I have a few frustrations (apart from the fact that I am not at all into the practices described here).
My issue is that nearly two thirds of this book are devoted to describing two laborious internal journeys, brought about in the bedroom. If you are looking for anything other than bedroom action, this is not the book for you. The other thing is I dislike superpowers. The present a simplistic solution to complex problems - Marvel territory. I feel this book is almost like a folly. It does not advance the plot much and should either have been compressed into a chapter or two and merged with Volume 4, or alternatively it could have been its own, standalone, S&M sci-fi erotica novel (which I would not have bought).
August 12, 2025
Disclaimer: I was an advanced reader for this book, but I purchased my own copy.
For fans of Hogarth's work, this book continues what was started in Some Things Transcend, weaving together the Dreamhealers' universe with the Princes' Game series. This book takes place over a relatively short time span, covering Jahir's visit to Lisinthir and the activities of the Slave Queen in the Chatcaavan Empire during the same time period.
I found this book to be utterly magnificent. I laughed, I cried because I was sad, I got so overwhelmed with happy emotion I cried too, I got to see all my favorite Eldritch on the same page, meet new (and important) Eldritch, we see the return and triumph of several old favorites, and emotionally, this is Hogarth's finest work to date. She aims high and sticks the landing perfectly. I need to read it a few more times to be sure, but I legitimately think this may be my favorite book in the Pelted universe so far. It has incredible depth. Micah obviously put a tremendous amount of work into the background of this work, and her growth as a writer shows. I spent the last hundred pages or so with my hand over my mouth from the sheer weight and feeling of everything there. This is so, so good.
Fair warning: it's not pastoral, although it does beg the question of whether it's possible to write "pastoral" in an urban setting; the evocative descriptions and beautiful language make you feel this book from the inside out. And this book also isn't a racing crazy, edge of your chair adventure like Her Instruments or Princes' Game #1 and #2. But somehow, in being neither of those things, this book manages to be its own thing entirely, like the space between breaths. By being different, it allows itself to tackle problems and ethical dilemmas and makes room for character growth that would not be possible in any other setting but this one.
Some vague spoilers for general book content, none for plot endings:
If you ship Jahir and Lisinthir, or you just love Lisinthir, this book is your new best friend. The emotional intimacy between these two characters is ASTOUNDINGLY well written, astoundingly well executed, and astoundingly real. Your heart will pound. You'll laugh. You'll probably cry. Most of this book is Jahir and Lisinthir being unapologetically, uncompromisingly themselves, and LEARNING to be themselves, and I found it exquisite in every conceivable way. And you may need to put the book down and find a fainting couch for several of the sex scenes. You've been warned. I probably sound like a teenage girl, but, well, those of you who know Lisinthir know that he kind of does that to you unintentionally.
Vasiht'h is present on the edges of this book, but if you're reading it for him, I suspect you'll be a little disappointed. He anchors some of the most important moments and his time away from Jahir is necessary for BOTH of them to grow, but if you're used to all Jahir and Vasiht'h, all the time, and looking for that here, it's not quite as present.
The Chatcaavan plot line was, for me, a tad less exciting than the Jahir/Lisinthir plot line, but I have to be totally honest, review readers, I have been shipping that since before Some Things Transcend put them on the page together, so forgive me for my distraction. The Slave Queen is excellent. Her new supporting characters along with some old favorites broach some massive ethical questions and cultural norms. There is, alas, not nearly as much of the Emperor as I would have liked, but he's absent for important reasons. You'll really, really like this actualized version of The Slave Queen we started to see towards the end of Wingless.
The supporting cast is beyond delightful. Laniis is back! We finally get to spend some real time with Sediryl (MY GIRL), who is magnificent, as always. Sehvi is here, for those of you who loved her as much as I did, and just as much of a grounding, amazing force as ever. Liolesa is Liolesa. (What else could I possibly say.)
And, frankly, I would argue that the setting is one of the most magnificent characters of this book: Hogarth paints the world where Jahir and Lisinthir are in broad strokes and beautiful, evocative language. It's sci-fi at its finest, turning imagination into art and making a reality of things we as readers had only thought of before, and the imagery is simply stunning.
That said, despite all the positives above: here are some reasons you may not like this book and may want to give it a pass.
1. Jahir is with (in a romantic and sexual sense) Lisinthir. In my opinion, this in no way diminishes his relationship with Vasiht'h; their dialogue and relationship is a cornerstone of the novel that grounds it firmly. But if you want to stay in the world where, well, it's not complicated, I would recommend waiting for Dreamhealers' 3.
2. There is violence in this book. I would categorize it as less violent in general than the later books in Her Instruments and if you've made it through Wingless and Transcend, I highly doubt you'll have issues here, but there is definitely some nasty stuff going down. (The Chaatcava are involved, were you anticipating otherwise?)
3. The very big one: there is very, very kinky sex. If you're really not into R rated things, you are going to be skimming an awful lot of this book. That said: the sex scenes are done elegantly and with poise, they feel necessary to the character growth of Jahir and Lisinthir, and there is not a single word misplaced. Everything works. Everything makes sense. Everything is astoundingly hot, and, at least for me, this is not a type of kink I am particularly into even reading about, but I thoroughly enjoyed every word. But the emotional connection makes it. That said: the R rating is... well deserved.
For fans of Hogarth's work, this book continues what was started in Some Things Transcend, weaving together the Dreamhealers' universe with the Princes' Game series. This book takes place over a relatively short time span, covering Jahir's visit to Lisinthir and the activities of the Slave Queen in the Chatcaavan Empire during the same time period.
I found this book to be utterly magnificent. I laughed, I cried because I was sad, I got so overwhelmed with happy emotion I cried too, I got to see all my favorite Eldritch on the same page, meet new (and important) Eldritch, we see the return and triumph of several old favorites, and emotionally, this is Hogarth's finest work to date. She aims high and sticks the landing perfectly. I need to read it a few more times to be sure, but I legitimately think this may be my favorite book in the Pelted universe so far. It has incredible depth. Micah obviously put a tremendous amount of work into the background of this work, and her growth as a writer shows. I spent the last hundred pages or so with my hand over my mouth from the sheer weight and feeling of everything there. This is so, so good.
Fair warning: it's not pastoral, although it does beg the question of whether it's possible to write "pastoral" in an urban setting; the evocative descriptions and beautiful language make you feel this book from the inside out. And this book also isn't a racing crazy, edge of your chair adventure like Her Instruments or Princes' Game #1 and #2. But somehow, in being neither of those things, this book manages to be its own thing entirely, like the space between breaths. By being different, it allows itself to tackle problems and ethical dilemmas and makes room for character growth that would not be possible in any other setting but this one.
Some vague spoilers for general book content, none for plot endings:
If you ship Jahir and Lisinthir, or you just love Lisinthir, this book is your new best friend. The emotional intimacy between these two characters is ASTOUNDINGLY well written, astoundingly well executed, and astoundingly real. Your heart will pound. You'll laugh. You'll probably cry. Most of this book is Jahir and Lisinthir being unapologetically, uncompromisingly themselves, and LEARNING to be themselves, and I found it exquisite in every conceivable way. And you may need to put the book down and find a fainting couch for several of the sex scenes. You've been warned. I probably sound like a teenage girl, but, well, those of you who know Lisinthir know that he kind of does that to you unintentionally.
Vasiht'h is present on the edges of this book, but if you're reading it for him, I suspect you'll be a little disappointed. He anchors some of the most important moments and his time away from Jahir is necessary for BOTH of them to grow, but if you're used to all Jahir and Vasiht'h, all the time, and looking for that here, it's not quite as present.
The Chatcaavan plot line was, for me, a tad less exciting than the Jahir/Lisinthir plot line, but I have to be totally honest, review readers, I have been shipping that since before Some Things Transcend put them on the page together, so forgive me for my distraction. The Slave Queen is excellent. Her new supporting characters along with some old favorites broach some massive ethical questions and cultural norms. There is, alas, not nearly as much of the Emperor as I would have liked, but he's absent for important reasons. You'll really, really like this actualized version of The Slave Queen we started to see towards the end of Wingless.
The supporting cast is beyond delightful. Laniis is back! We finally get to spend some real time with Sediryl (MY GIRL), who is magnificent, as always. Sehvi is here, for those of you who loved her as much as I did, and just as much of a grounding, amazing force as ever. Liolesa is Liolesa. (What else could I possibly say.)
And, frankly, I would argue that the setting is one of the most magnificent characters of this book: Hogarth paints the world where Jahir and Lisinthir are in broad strokes and beautiful, evocative language. It's sci-fi at its finest, turning imagination into art and making a reality of things we as readers had only thought of before, and the imagery is simply stunning.
That said, despite all the positives above: here are some reasons you may not like this book and may want to give it a pass.
1. Jahir is with (in a romantic and sexual sense) Lisinthir. In my opinion, this in no way diminishes his relationship with Vasiht'h; their dialogue and relationship is a cornerstone of the novel that grounds it firmly. But if you want to stay in the world where, well, it's not complicated, I would recommend waiting for Dreamhealers' 3.
2. There is violence in this book. I would categorize it as less violent in general than the later books in Her Instruments and if you've made it through Wingless and Transcend, I highly doubt you'll have issues here, but there is definitely some nasty stuff going down. (The Chaatcava are involved, were you anticipating otherwise?)
3. The very big one: there is very, very kinky sex. If you're really not into R rated things, you are going to be skimming an awful lot of this book. That said: the sex scenes are done elegantly and with poise, they feel necessary to the character growth of Jahir and Lisinthir, and there is not a single word misplaced. Everything works. Everything makes sense. Everything is astoundingly hot, and, at least for me, this is not a type of kink I am particularly into even reading about, but I thoroughly enjoyed every word. But the emotional connection makes it. That said: the R rating is... well deserved.
July 26, 2020
This book belongs takes place in Hogarth's Pelted Universe, a science fiction setting with many different sentient species in which the author has written a number of story arcs. This book is the third in the Princes' Game arc, and two of its point-of-view characters come from the Dreamhealers arc. As such, I would not recommend it as an entry point into Hogarth's work. (For anyone looking for softly moving science fiction, I would highly recommend "Mindtouch," the opening installment in the Dreamhealers arc.)
The perspective shifts between half a dozen point-of-view characters. Unsurprisingly, some of these held my attention better than others, as has been my experience with other books that use many points of view, from George R. R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" to most of James S. A. Corey's Expanse books. In this instance, I found Jahir and Lisinthir's intertwined sections the most compelling, and Vasiht'h's sections the most enjoyable, the latter reminding me of the tone of the Dreamhealers arc.
My enjoyment depended heavily on my attachment to the characters. Vasiht'h's thread was comparatively humdrum, yet he is a favorite of mine and I liked every bit of it, whereas the Slave Queen's thread held me less well. Had the whole book centered on Vasiht'h, I would likely have given it four or five stars, even if very little happened. As it is, I'd rate the book somewhere between 3 stars and 3.5 stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
The perspective shifts between half a dozen point-of-view characters. Unsurprisingly, some of these held my attention better than others, as has been my experience with other books that use many points of view, from George R. R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" to most of James S. A. Corey's Expanse books. In this instance, I found Jahir and Lisinthir's intertwined sections the most compelling, and Vasiht'h's sections the most enjoyable, the latter reminding me of the tone of the Dreamhealers arc.
My enjoyment depended heavily on my attachment to the characters. Vasiht'h's thread was comparatively humdrum, yet he is a favorite of mine and I liked every bit of it, whereas the Slave Queen's thread held me less well. Had the whole book centered on Vasiht'h, I would likely have given it four or five stars, even if very little happened. As it is, I'd rate the book somewhere between 3 stars and 3.5 stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
March 31, 2018
How does one write a book where you're entirely engrossed and you don't realize how fast you're reading?
Hogarth is a master at narrative traction, keeping you turning the pages until the end. Lisinthir Nase Galare is magnetic as ever, and evolved into the kind of character where you feel somewhat better like someone's in charge whenever he hits the page.
There are many things to like about this book: a sex ed without being too explicit; the new characters introduced in the Throneworld are an utter delight; the return of old friends from book One has me in utter glee, and glimpses of the very strong women the author has built is engrossing. I can't rave about how much I liked this book that I immediately went and one-clicked the next one so hard...
Hogarth is a master at narrative traction, keeping you turning the pages until the end. Lisinthir Nase Galare is magnetic as ever, and evolved into the kind of character where you feel somewhat better like someone's in charge whenever he hits the page.
There are many things to like about this book: a sex ed without being too explicit; the new characters introduced in the Throneworld are an utter delight; the return of old friends from book One has me in utter glee, and glimpses of the very strong women the author has built is engrossing. I can't rave about how much I liked this book that I immediately went and one-clicked the next one so hard...
September 1, 2020
To be perfectly clear, the only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is because I personally get limited enjoyment from the in-depth depiction of male-male S&M. That said, the relationship between Jahir & Lisinthir is brilliantly and empathically shown. Both characters develop in a natural extension, and their paths braid together in ways I would never have foreseen back when I first read Mindtouch.
Vasiht'h in turn finally sets his paws on his path to family, and takes no guff from his big brother.
The Queen Ransomed fully blossoms into her own agency, and it is beautiful despite the cost.
Vasiht'h in turn finally sets his paws on his path to family, and takes no guff from his big brother.
The Queen Ransomed fully blossoms into her own agency, and it is beautiful despite the cost.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2021
The Emperor leaves his throne to subdue rebellion, the sounding Second usurps his position. This affects ppl both in the Empie and in the Alliance. Jamie learns more about himself as does the Slave Queen. Its an enjoyable book, you are warned at the start that there are adult themes. The author once again demonstrates her understanding of the darker side of human nature
July 29, 2021
An Awakening
The writing is like beautiful poetry. This novel focuses on Lisinthir & Jahir's personal growth, the Chatcaavan Queen's attempts to help the Emperor enact change in the Empire and Vasiht'h's visit to his home world to start the process to have offspring.
The writing is like beautiful poetry. This novel focuses on Lisinthir & Jahir's personal growth, the Chatcaavan Queen's attempts to help the Emperor enact change in the Empire and Vasiht'h's visit to his home world to start the process to have offspring.
October 28, 2020
A middle series book, moving pieces into place for the later part of the series. Interesting but not what I was interested in.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2024
In one sense this is a fully character driven interlude, but some potentially key items seem to be getting put in place. I find myself deeply invested in the characters which is where I want to be.
June 17, 2016
Yup, it’s everyone’s favorite time again: time for Rion reviewing one of Micah’s books. Now, for the observant reader, you’ll remember my review of Some Things Transcend, the second book in the Princes’ Game series. This is book 3, and one I was a bit concerned about. I had some reservations about TRANSCEND, and I wasn’t sure how AMULET was going to clear them up.
But, as always, I trusted Hogarth’s deft hand, and she did not let me down.
The princes in question, Lisinthir Nase Galare and Jahir Seni Galare, have finally returned from their encounters regarding the Chatcaavan Empire, and not necessarily all for the better. Lisinthir is clinging to life, all the while waiting for the word that he can return to the Emperor and his Queen Ransomed. Jahir, meanwhile, has had his entire world shaken…and may be called into a war he has no desire to fight, particularly with Vasiht’h decidedly not being made for the battle either.
Battle fears aside, Jahir’s notion of himself and what he is capable of are shaken as well, something which Lisinthir has told Jahir he will assist with when they are both ready. However, ready is something Jahir’s not entirely sure he knows how to recognize…or if he’s willing to do such. And of course, above all of their heads lies to impending war between the Empire, and anyone who chooses to get in their way–or lands there anyway.
I’ve often joked with Micah, saying that if I were to be anyone in the Pelted universe, I’d likely be an Eldritch who’d spent too much time among the Harat-Shar: someone who is very reserved physically, often to a fault, but picked up enough of the people why lived around to have the desires deep with in them, and not know what to do with them, nor how to act on them if they wanted. What I see now is that I don’t need to be that–I empathize immensely with Jahir. We don’t have the same issues precisely (there’s no Sediryl in my life, and I don’t come from an entire race of people who discourage physical contact, for starters) but I see a large quantity of myself in him.
This realization, this connection to Jahir…this explains everything to me. This explains why I found TRANSCEND so uncomfortable–because it made Jahir uncomfortable. It put him far outside his comfort zone and left him with little to no choice on the matter. Lisinthir is a forceful person, more so directly from the jaws of the dragons, and Jahir is not used to force. He is not comfortable with force. And thus, seeing a loved character–seeing an image of myself in a twisted mirror–put the entire book on edge for me.
So in AMULET, as Jahir comes into himself–truly discovers who he is and that what he believed himself to be is not quite the travesty he feared–it eased me back into the characters. Even with the strange and somewhat terrifying revelations that he and Lisinthir come to, it is a book of acceptance of self–for Jahir, for Lisinthir, and for Vasiht’h. (Didn’t think I’d forgotten about him, did you? Far from! Vasiht’h’s plotline with Sehvi and her family is one I’m most excited about! I love Jahir and Vasiht’h more than pretty much anything else in the Pelted canon.)
I must admit, determining the cause of my discomfort and having it relieved was one of the best things I could have gotten from this book. It was disquieting, to say the least, after seeing so much of Hogarth’s work fill me with such joy (even the darker books; I find joy in the writing itself) and then to find this book–filled with my favorite characters–and have it make me wrinkle my nose. Now I can look back and see it for what it was: a perfect immersion of reader into character, so perfectly meshed that the reader couldn’t even see it. (Perhaps Jahir’s powers reach through the pages…?)
In addition to all of this (so many plot lines!) there is of course the on-going troubles in the Empire. The Emperor gone to the lines of battle, the Slave Queen-made-Queen Ransomed left with only a new weapon in the Knife…and a dangerous move for a female in the Empire to make looming over them all. I won’t go into details for fear of spoilers, but it’s fascinating to see the workings of the Empire from the position of the Queen.
AMULET ends on a dramatic cliffhanger, one that makes me glad that I’ve recently learned of Book 4 in the series, which just came out on Monday. You can expect a review of Only the Open sometime in the nearish future. I have only the highest of hopes for the rest of the series.
Rating: ***** – Highest Recommendation
But, as always, I trusted Hogarth’s deft hand, and she did not let me down.
The princes in question, Lisinthir Nase Galare and Jahir Seni Galare, have finally returned from their encounters regarding the Chatcaavan Empire, and not necessarily all for the better. Lisinthir is clinging to life, all the while waiting for the word that he can return to the Emperor and his Queen Ransomed. Jahir, meanwhile, has had his entire world shaken…and may be called into a war he has no desire to fight, particularly with Vasiht’h decidedly not being made for the battle either.
Battle fears aside, Jahir’s notion of himself and what he is capable of are shaken as well, something which Lisinthir has told Jahir he will assist with when they are both ready. However, ready is something Jahir’s not entirely sure he knows how to recognize…or if he’s willing to do such. And of course, above all of their heads lies to impending war between the Empire, and anyone who chooses to get in their way–or lands there anyway.
I’ve often joked with Micah, saying that if I were to be anyone in the Pelted universe, I’d likely be an Eldritch who’d spent too much time among the Harat-Shar: someone who is very reserved physically, often to a fault, but picked up enough of the people why lived around to have the desires deep with in them, and not know what to do with them, nor how to act on them if they wanted. What I see now is that I don’t need to be that–I empathize immensely with Jahir. We don’t have the same issues precisely (there’s no Sediryl in my life, and I don’t come from an entire race of people who discourage physical contact, for starters) but I see a large quantity of myself in him.
This realization, this connection to Jahir…this explains everything to me. This explains why I found TRANSCEND so uncomfortable–because it made Jahir uncomfortable. It put him far outside his comfort zone and left him with little to no choice on the matter. Lisinthir is a forceful person, more so directly from the jaws of the dragons, and Jahir is not used to force. He is not comfortable with force. And thus, seeing a loved character–seeing an image of myself in a twisted mirror–put the entire book on edge for me.
So in AMULET, as Jahir comes into himself–truly discovers who he is and that what he believed himself to be is not quite the travesty he feared–it eased me back into the characters. Even with the strange and somewhat terrifying revelations that he and Lisinthir come to, it is a book of acceptance of self–for Jahir, for Lisinthir, and for Vasiht’h. (Didn’t think I’d forgotten about him, did you? Far from! Vasiht’h’s plotline with Sehvi and her family is one I’m most excited about! I love Jahir and Vasiht’h more than pretty much anything else in the Pelted canon.)
I must admit, determining the cause of my discomfort and having it relieved was one of the best things I could have gotten from this book. It was disquieting, to say the least, after seeing so much of Hogarth’s work fill me with such joy (even the darker books; I find joy in the writing itself) and then to find this book–filled with my favorite characters–and have it make me wrinkle my nose. Now I can look back and see it for what it was: a perfect immersion of reader into character, so perfectly meshed that the reader couldn’t even see it. (Perhaps Jahir’s powers reach through the pages…?)
In addition to all of this (so many plot lines!) there is of course the on-going troubles in the Empire. The Emperor gone to the lines of battle, the Slave Queen-made-Queen Ransomed left with only a new weapon in the Knife…and a dangerous move for a female in the Empire to make looming over them all. I won’t go into details for fear of spoilers, but it’s fascinating to see the workings of the Empire from the position of the Queen.
AMULET ends on a dramatic cliffhanger, one that makes me glad that I’ve recently learned of Book 4 in the series, which just came out on Monday. You can expect a review of Only the Open sometime in the nearish future. I have only the highest of hopes for the rest of the series.
Rating: ***** – Highest Recommendation
June 23, 2017
The more explicit activities in this series are not to my personal tastes, but I continue to follow it because of the developing relationships between such disparate species and cultures. I've enjoyed watching characters who are alien to each other bridge the gaps between their very different experiences and confronting truths about themselves in the process.
Edit: Once I read further into the series, I realized the purpose behind a lot of the scenes that initially disturbed me in Book 3. I would really love to be a fly on the wall during M.C.A. Hogarth's plotting sessions.
Edit: Once I read further into the series, I realized the purpose behind a lot of the scenes that initially disturbed me in Book 3. I would really love to be a fly on the wall during M.C.A. Hogarth's plotting sessions.
June 26, 2016
Another wonderful addition to the series as a whole. The universe is expanded further and the glories of the Alliance are given center stage for this book. I cannot say it enough: I love this universe and getting in depth information by way of demonstration is a joy that is without words.
This book delves further into one of my favorite parts of the previous book: the interplay of Lisinthir and Jahir. The depth that is continuously added to these characters is nothing short of gorgeous and it leaves the reader in the perfect position to be weaved into the story with the rest of the supporting elements. I had a distinct difficulty with putting the book down, and the only disappointment I found was when I had finished it.
This book delves further into one of my favorite parts of the previous book: the interplay of Lisinthir and Jahir. The depth that is continuously added to these characters is nothing short of gorgeous and it leaves the reader in the perfect position to be weaved into the story with the rest of the supporting elements. I had a distinct difficulty with putting the book down, and the only disappointment I found was when I had finished it.
February 12, 2016
I shouldn't be as grateful as I am that nobody got raped in this book.
But M.C.A. Hogarth seems to have a major thing for characters getting raped, either to spur character growth, or to prove how eeeeevil the villain is. And every time she does so, I twitch and go, "Why?'
But yes. Despite a lot of very violent sex, and other injuries, there is no rape. I guess that's a benefit?
But M.C.A. Hogarth seems to have a major thing for characters getting raped, either to spur character growth, or to prove how eeeeevil the villain is. And every time she does so, I twitch and go, "Why?'
But yes. Despite a lot of very violent sex, and other injuries, there is no rape. I guess that's a benefit?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2024
Not my favourite. I liked a great deal of it but it ends on a dark note, which always knocks it down for me. I’m also really not into BDSM at all, so those bits were not my cup of tea. I did enjoy seeing character growth across the board.
Read
June 29, 2017Was definitely different I didnt feel that this book was as entertaining, too much sex for me I'm not homophobic but its not something I would have chosen to read about.
The game does seem exciting and good but I not sure if I want to read another book of hers for a while.
The game does seem exciting and good but I not sure if I want to read another book of hers for a while.
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