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Princes' Game #4
Only the Open
Greed. Power. Cruelty. These have been the watchwords by which Chatcaava of lesser means have been ruled for generations, and even the most valuable among them, the Slave Queen, has lived the whole of her life beneath their yoke. Only one male in all the Empire is beyond those depredations…
…or was.
The Exalted Emperor of the Chatcaavan Empire was willing to be changed by the lessons he learned from the mouth—and hands—of an alien, but that willingness left him vulnerable to his own predatory peers. When the males he entrusted to help him reform the court betray him, he has no choice but to flee. But what lessons will he learn in exile? And can they prevent the implosion of an Empire that is already ripping itself apart?
In this, Book 4 of the Princes' Game series, Lisinthir, the Queen Ransomed, Jahir and Vasiht’h, Sediryl, and their host of Pelted allies have thrown themselves into the fray to prevent a catastrophic war. But none of their efforts will matter if they cannot save the male who alone can save them all.
Contains violence and 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)
…or was.
The Exalted Emperor of the Chatcaavan Empire was willing to be changed by the lessons he learned from the mouth—and hands—of an alien, but that willingness left him vulnerable to his own predatory peers. When the males he entrusted to help him reform the court betray him, he has no choice but to flee. But what lessons will he learn in exile? And can they prevent the implosion of an Empire that is already ripping itself apart?
In this, Book 4 of the Princes' Game series, Lisinthir, the Queen Ransomed, Jahir and Vasiht’h, Sediryl, and their host of Pelted allies have thrown themselves into the fray to prevent a catastrophic war. But none of their efforts will matter if they cannot save the male who alone can save them all.
Contains violence and 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)
466 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 2, 2016
9 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
M.C.A. Hogarth
145 books385 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 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 23, 2019
This sub-series in this fictional universe has always been subtextually Christian, occasionally overtly so in the way it handles righteous suffering and sacrifice in Even the Wingless. This book had some moments but it shares the same weaknesses as that one for me, as someone not emotionally grounded in that theology I am ambivalent about and often uncomfortable with how suffering- especially rape, especially rape of men by other men which is a pattern across a lot of Hogarth's work- is used as a catalyst or transformative act, and with how this book uses enslavement in a similar way. The spiritually transformative aspects of suffering often serve to divert from the actual harm and trauma of the situations these characters go through, which come and go as the plot demands or can be mostly magically healed with future technology. The binary between "evil people who commit atrocities and must be killed off without remorse" and "good people who commit atrocities but feel bad and promise not to do again, and are totally forgiven and let go" feels facile and easy, especially if the reader is meant to believe that the system really is that bad.
March 16, 2023
Again a great book. The various characters are great, the different story lines engaging. In the end we focus on one of them. And yes, there's quite a bit of serendipity, everybody happening to be at a location where they are able to influence events. There is a lot of luck that probably needs to be attributed to the various deities, but fine, let's do that, it didn't bother me. It helps to have the story move along without too much frustration. It's very easily digestible. Aside from the first book, which I didn't like very much, this series is turning out great. I do hope Jahir will get to exercise his skills as a therapist in one of the coming books. So far, it seems Lisinthir is doing more of that than the actual therapists.
Oh, and is it really bad of me that I think the emperor sort of deserved this? I had trouble warming to him in the previous books, despite his remorse, because he didn't seem to be suffering much because of it. Now, he has a better understanding of what he did, and it shows in his spirits.
Oh, and is it really bad of me that I think the emperor sort of deserved this? I had trouble warming to him in the previous books, despite his remorse, because he didn't seem to be suffering much because of it. Now, he has a better understanding of what he did, and it shows in his spirits.
March 23, 2018
I've never claimed that my reviews are objective, and here is the proof. A flawed book that I loved so completely that the thought of giving it less than five stars never crossed my mind.
I've enjoyed the way each subsequent book in this series opens up a little more, bringing in my space and more characters since its claustrophobic start in Even the Wingless, but I think the author struggles a little with balancing the differing storylines. We see that here in the way all the plots bar Lisinithir's are abandoned by the second half of the book, and speaking of Lisinithir I think it can no longer be denied that he is crossing into firm Mary-Sue territory.
I think every single character in this book is rendered speechless by his dazzling brilliance at least once, from old friends to ones he's just met. He is barely challenged by anything in the whole book, partly because he solves problems with his wit and his blades while barely breaking a sweat, but also because the plot bends in his favour; coincidences trail behind him, creating too-easy solutions for his obstacles. Even the Wingless nearly broke Lisinthir, physically and mentally, but he achieves similar goals in a matter of days in Only the Open.
Hefty flaws, but the five-star rating was never in doubt. I loved every second of this book. The prose continues to be among the finest I have ever read, and the character arc of a character I won't name for spoilers had me gasping in shock. At the end of the day a perfectly structured plot is not what I'm invested in this series for, it's the nuanced and deep exploration of redemption and guilt, of hope and strength and power, and love. I'm here for Lisinthir, who maybe is growing too perfect, but is never anything less than entertaining, and who I will follow until this thing is done.
I've enjoyed the way each subsequent book in this series opens up a little more, bringing in my space and more characters since its claustrophobic start in Even the Wingless, but I think the author struggles a little with balancing the differing storylines. We see that here in the way all the plots bar Lisinithir's are abandoned by the second half of the book, and speaking of Lisinithir I think it can no longer be denied that he is crossing into firm Mary-Sue territory.
I think every single character in this book is rendered speechless by his dazzling brilliance at least once, from old friends to ones he's just met. He is barely challenged by anything in the whole book, partly because he solves problems with his wit and his blades while barely breaking a sweat, but also because the plot bends in his favour; coincidences trail behind him, creating too-easy solutions for his obstacles. Even the Wingless nearly broke Lisinthir, physically and mentally, but he achieves similar goals in a matter of days in Only the Open.
Hefty flaws, but the five-star rating was never in doubt. I loved every second of this book. The prose continues to be among the finest I have ever read, and the character arc of a character I won't name for spoilers had me gasping in shock. At the end of the day a perfectly structured plot is not what I'm invested in this series for, it's the nuanced and deep exploration of redemption and guilt, of hope and strength and power, and love. I'm here for Lisinthir, who maybe is growing too perfect, but is never anything less than entertaining, and who I will follow until this thing is done.
October 11, 2018
Exciting and compelling
My favorite book in the series so far. I adore the Emperor and the tension; the revelations and the way people change in response to trauma- and the understanding of the things they’ve done. The characters are unique and compelling. Quality.
My favorite book in the series so far. I adore the Emperor and the tension; the revelations and the way people change in response to trauma- and the understanding of the things they’ve done. The characters are unique and compelling. Quality.
December 30, 2020
Reading this series inspired me to re-download Mass Effect Andromeda because I became nostalgic for all the cute and not so cute alien races it contains. Also by book 4, I just could no longer take this series' protagonist, Lisinthir, seriously as by this point he reminded me of nothing else but a player-insert video game lead who's there for me to identify with and feel good about myself. In book 1, Lisinthir still seemed capable of making mistakes, still struggled, doubted himself, misjudged things and situations etc. You were kept on your toes waiting for what will happen, watched with baited breath how the Emperor will react to Lisinthir's daring schemes, sympathized with his attempts to help the Slave Queen emancipate herself, shuddered at all the reminders of his mental and physical trials and his substance addiction.
By book 4, the excellent set-up of the first novel, the character-driven narrative that keeps testing and challenging you just as the Chatcaava court tests Lisinthir, it all turns into a predictable joke. By this point, Lisinthir has tried and succeeded at all his romance options (by choosing aggressive, teasing and compassionate on the dialogue tree with the Emperor, Jahir and Slave Queen, respectively) and still he has time to teach harem owners how to have enjoyable sex with their harem pets; he has unlocked all the advanced perks (he can change appearance, read and control minds at a distance, he is a master duelist with any weapon, his charisma has peaked at maximum points ...) It's boring to read about him now, guess what will happen when he tries to hunt a dangerous beast he has never even seen before? He bests all the other hunters familiar with the beast. Guess what will happen when he rescues one of his lovers from days of brutal sexual abuse? The lover gets a good night's sleep and then jumps into Lisinthir's bed because he just cannot resist Lisinthir - no one can. I kept reading for the Emperor, but had to just put the book down and sigh when he started singing Christian hymns. The Plato's ideas reference in book 1 was subtle enough, but the author just couldn't resist spelling out the Moses parallel for the denser of us here. Is this what the rest of the series is going to be about? Imperfect people becoming perfect (sometimes it just takes a good hard barbed cock in one's anus for one to finally see clearly ...?), asking for consent before touching, asking for consent before speaking to one another, tiptoeing perfectly within the limits of political correctness, being cute and flirty and never wrong, always so careful not to trigger any adverse reaction in the reader, engaging in perfectly managed hardcore BDSM and saving the universe on alternating weekends? I have no desire to continue.
I was misled to believe this was going to be something else entirely, not a polyamorous furry-fantasy Christian propaganda with fade-to-black scenes of hardcore sex for Tumblr readers ... ("but Lisinthir always asks for consent which makes him very non-problematic, see?")
By book 4, the excellent set-up of the first novel, the character-driven narrative that keeps testing and challenging you just as the Chatcaava court tests Lisinthir, it all turns into a predictable joke. By this point, Lisinthir has tried and succeeded at all his romance options (by choosing aggressive, teasing and compassionate on the dialogue tree with the Emperor, Jahir and Slave Queen, respectively) and still he has time to teach harem owners how to have enjoyable sex with their harem pets; he has unlocked all the advanced perks (he can change appearance, read and control minds at a distance, he is a master duelist with any weapon, his charisma has peaked at maximum points ...) It's boring to read about him now, guess what will happen when he tries to hunt a dangerous beast he has never even seen before? He bests all the other hunters familiar with the beast. Guess what will happen when he rescues one of his lovers from days of brutal sexual abuse? The lover gets a good night's sleep and then jumps into Lisinthir's bed because he just cannot resist Lisinthir - no one can. I kept reading for the Emperor, but had to just put the book down and sigh when he started singing Christian hymns. The Plato's ideas reference in book 1 was subtle enough, but the author just couldn't resist spelling out the Moses parallel for the denser of us here. Is this what the rest of the series is going to be about? Imperfect people becoming perfect (sometimes it just takes a good hard barbed cock in one's anus for one to finally see clearly ...?), asking for consent before touching, asking for consent before speaking to one another, tiptoeing perfectly within the limits of political correctness, being cute and flirty and never wrong, always so careful not to trigger any adverse reaction in the reader, engaging in perfectly managed hardcore BDSM and saving the universe on alternating weekends? I have no desire to continue.
I was misled to believe this was going to be something else entirely, not a polyamorous furry-fantasy Christian propaganda with fade-to-black scenes of hardcore sex for Tumblr readers ... ("but Lisinthir always asks for consent which makes him very non-problematic, see?")
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2020
This is the fourth book in the Princes' Game series, one of several series set in Hogarth's Pelted Universe, a science fiction setting with many different sentient species. It has at least eight point-of-view characters, two of whom are the central figures in a separate story arc in the Pelted Universe (the Dreamhealers series). If you have never read any of Hogarth's work, then, unsurprisingly, I don't recommend jumping in here at book four.
Many authors write in a variety of different modes, such as switching between fantasy and science fiction. Hogarth is unusual in writing fiction of widely different sensibilities set in a single fictional universe. Inevitably, some readers, myself among them, will prefer one style over another. This book belongs to Hogarth's Princes' Game sequence, a sequence which includes some very dark material.
Spoilers ahead. While I enjoyed "Only the Open," I didn't love it as I do the Dreamhealers books.
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).
Many authors write in a variety of different modes, such as switching between fantasy and science fiction. Hogarth is unusual in writing fiction of widely different sensibilities set in a single fictional universe. Inevitably, some readers, myself among them, will prefer one style over another. This book belongs to Hogarth's Princes' Game sequence, a sequence which includes some very dark material.
Spoilers ahead. While I enjoyed "Only the Open," I didn't love it as I do the Dreamhealers books.
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).
December 4, 2018
Despite myself, I’m... actually kind of enjoying where the arc of this series is headed. Only the Open is not without its faults — — but I can see how it’s setting the stage for later books, and I’m intrigued.
I appreciated the chance to see more Chatcaavan perspectives from beyond the Thoneworld: rather than “all males are vicious psychopaths”, we start seeing that it’s actually more like a two-track system — there are those who want to fight and backstab their way up the social hierarchy, and a quiet mass of others who opt out of the power games and just try to live their lives.
I wish we knew more about how the society reached such an extreme state in the first place, but I assume we’ll learn more about that soon. To me the “why” behind the collapse of a society is always more interesting than the “how”, and while this story flirts along the edges of both questions, it hasn’t really tackled either head-on... yet, at least.
The political ‘end-of-empire’ and religious overtones can get a little heavy-handed at times, but mostly it makes me wish I could take the author out for coffee and a chat: it’s clear there’s a lot more deep thinking there than what made it onto the page, and I’d love to dig into it further.
I appreciated the chance to see more Chatcaavan perspectives from beyond the Thoneworld: rather than “all males are vicious psychopaths”, we start seeing that it’s actually more like a two-track system — there are those who want to fight and backstab their way up the social hierarchy, and a quiet mass of others who opt out of the power games and just try to live their lives.
I wish we knew more about how the society reached such an extreme state in the first place, but I assume we’ll learn more about that soon. To me the “why” behind the collapse of a society is always more interesting than the “how”, and while this story flirts along the edges of both questions, it hasn’t really tackled either head-on... yet, at least.
The political ‘end-of-empire’ and religious overtones can get a little heavy-handed at times, but mostly it makes me wish I could take the author out for coffee and a chat: it’s clear there’s a lot more deep thinking there than what made it onto the page, and I’d love to dig into it further.
August 5, 2021
Pieces Scattered
Oh! My! God! So much took place in this novel and I'm afraid to ruin the plot for anyone who has recently taken up this amazing series. So many of our Allies, scattered & hoping to enact change. New, possible, allies coming to the fore. Sigh, I'm addicted and must continue.
Oh! My! God! So much took place in this novel and I'm afraid to ruin the plot for anyone who has recently taken up this amazing series. So many of our Allies, scattered & hoping to enact change. New, possible, allies coming to the fore. Sigh, I'm addicted and must continue.
July 26, 2020
Couldn't put it down
This series has it all. Great characters, that you come to care about; plot twists, love stories and passion. I highly recommend you read this series. Loving the adventure. Bravo M.C.A. Hogarth! Can't wait to read more!
This series has it all. Great characters, that you come to care about; plot twists, love stories and passion. I highly recommend you read this series. Loving the adventure. Bravo M.C.A. Hogarth! Can't wait to read more!
December 27, 2023
The pelted are a biologic impossibility.
That being said, you find yourself suspending your disbelief because you want it to be true. The book's plot moves the story along and is sufficiently moving to keep you glued to the page.
That being said, you find yourself suspending your disbelief because you want it to be true. The book's plot moves the story along and is sufficiently moving to keep you glued to the page.
May 6, 2024
A very compelling read with engaging characters and settings and a plethora of flaws which somehow don't actually reduce my enjoyment but they sure do exist..
January 29, 2023
Apart from disliking the violence in the Princes' Game books, including this one, the rest of the book is thoroughly engrossing and enjoyable. I'm looking forward to the next one!
August 25, 2017
I has been looking forward to this, especially since readers rated it highly. And while the book reads extremely well, and the author has plenty of talent, to me the attractive complexity of the protagonist Hogarth created has been gradually lost, ever since the discovery of his 'superpowers'. There is definitely a loss of dimensionality. Compared to the first book this is a bit on the Mary-Sue side, or perhaps like a well written Marvel comic. Too many handy co-incidences and a hero who no longer has any flaws and neither do his allies - it has all become too black and white for a great read. It even went a bit Christian at one point. There still isn't a complex, believable villain - that is a flaw. Therefore I rate this a good read (3.5).
June 25, 2016
Hogarth writes compelling stories, which is why I finished this. But what is this thing the author has with her characters getting raped? It seems like in every book she writes the protagonist gets raped, in order to demonstrate how evulz the antagonist is. I suppose at least it was not particularly explicit this time?
Learn a new trope. Please.
Learn a new trope. Please.
November 27, 2022
Another too dark for me, yet compelling entry in this series. These are easier to read on the second and subsequent times because knowing what’s coming makes the hard parts a lot easier to bear.
August 10, 2018
Wow. Where do I even start? I picked up this book right after finishing Amulet Rampant, but put it down for a quick break. Then I read the whole book in one day, which is saying something as to how difficult to put down this book was. I literally canceled my day.
In terms of plot advancement this book is packed with several storylines colliding, before it eventually focuses on one. I assume the rest will be tackled in the last two books. But pick this up for the incredible character development, brilliant writing, and the tension and traction throughout leaves you absolutely salivating to know what happens next.
This is a book mixed with fast action, quiet moments that add layers to characters, and plenty of revelation. I think this is my favorite book so far. It is not an easy book in terms of themes, keeping up with the previous books, but immensely necessary to the development of both story and character.
Hdkjshfkkajfj this is so good
In terms of plot advancement this book is packed with several storylines colliding, before it eventually focuses on one. I assume the rest will be tackled in the last two books. But pick this up for the incredible character development, brilliant writing, and the tension and traction throughout leaves you absolutely salivating to know what happens next.
This is a book mixed with fast action, quiet moments that add layers to characters, and plenty of revelation. I think this is my favorite book so far. It is not an easy book in terms of themes, keeping up with the previous books, but immensely necessary to the development of both story and character.
Hdkjshfkkajfj this is so good
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews