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Wraeththu Mythos #2
The Hienama: A Story of the Sulh
When Jassenah har Sulh arrives in the Wraeththu town of Jesith to train magically with the famous hienama Ysobi, he's unprepared for the effect this har will have on him. Ysobi opens Jassenah's mind to the potential that hara can reach for and in doing so, also opens his heart. Just as it seems Jassenah has achieved his heart's desire, a new student arrives, in the form of Gesaril, a damaged young creature with mysteries lurking in his past. The magic of both the unseen world and that of harish emotions conspire to destroy Jassenah's idyllic life, until he feels he's forced to stoop to equally cruel methods to salvage his happiness. But at what cost? The Hienama is a rich and deeply erotic tale of the Wraeththu, set in the magical land of Alba Sulh. This is not a story of great leaders who affect the destiny of all, but simply that of hara who live on the land and in the wake of human passing are trying to establish communities. They strive to cast off human limitations but sometimes this task proves difficult, especially when it involves matters of the heart, when all the dark anxieties and jealousy of their previous human condition can rise to torment them. This story is the first in a series of Wraeththu novellas planned by Storm Constantine, involving the hermaphrodite race who comes to replace humanity, first explored in her seminal trilogies: The Wraeththu Chronicles and The Wraeththu Histories.
179 pages, Hardcover
First published January 31, 2005
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124 people want to read
About the author
Storm Constantine
144 books502 followersStorm Constantine was a British science fiction and fantasy author, primarily known for her Wraeththu series.
Since the late 1980s she wrote more than 20 novels, plus several non-fiction books. She is featured in the Goth Bible and is often included in discussions of alternative sexuality and gender in science fiction and fantasy; many of her novels include same-sex relationships or hermaphrodites or other twists of gender. Magic, mysticism and ancient legends (like the Grigori) also figure strongly in her works.
In 2003 she launched Immanion Press, based out of Stafford, England. The publishing company publishes not only her own works but those of new writers, as well as well-known genre writers, mainly from the UK.
Since the late 1980s she wrote more than 20 novels, plus several non-fiction books. She is featured in the Goth Bible and is often included in discussions of alternative sexuality and gender in science fiction and fantasy; many of her novels include same-sex relationships or hermaphrodites or other twists of gender. Magic, mysticism and ancient legends (like the Grigori) also figure strongly in her works.
In 2003 she launched Immanion Press, based out of Stafford, England. The publishing company publishes not only her own works but those of new writers, as well as well-known genre writers, mainly from the UK.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 17, 2011
I was expecting a book about the spiritual growth of a har and thought that we would be seeing more of the rituals and abilities that come with it. Not exactly what happened. The beginning of the story was okay, and I hoped that it was going to continue to get better, but then I found myself reading a story about some sort of twisted love triangle (square?). The main characters were fine until everyone just turned so...female. I felt like they were a bunch of bickering girls who were not at all unlike humans, who they claim to be superior to. I don't know; kind of disappointing, but I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it since I finished the book in a matter of hours, so an extra star for that.
April 12, 2018
I enjoyed this book, but it is a little different from what I expected. There is no intrigue or mystery of the world, but just tangled relationship among characters.
March 12, 2018
I don't think that I could ever get enough of the Wraeththu! This little interlude kind of story has one problem: way too short that I finished it in a day!
July 15, 2012
First up a word of warning to all manly men and/or anti-gay fanatics who may be reading this: this book is not for you!
If, however, you know what slash fiction is and think Alistair and Zev would be hot together there is a good chance you will like this book as well as Miss Constantine’s other Wraeththu works.
While most of her previous books in the Wraeththu setting are a combination of intense character studies and deep mysticism, in this book Miss Constantine focuses completely on her characters and the rich mystic lore of her creation takes a backseat only showing through in some minor events but without her sometimes lengthy explanations of what works how and why.
The narration style she has picked for this book seems a bit peculiar at first. The story is told in the first person in a very personal way. It feels like you are reading a long letter addressed to you or maybe even listen to someone tell you his story. The further you get into the book the more this style grows on you though as it gives great depth to the protagonist and allows a unique and sometimes interestingly wrong view on the other characters.
Jass, the character who tells his story, is a very real and believable person who is far from perfect and Constantine manages to let him tell his story in a way that allows the reader to notice the flaws in his reasoning and even to foresee his mistakes but still makes them seem perfectly sane decisions to Jass himself.
The plot itself is simple. Basically it is just a classical love triangle spiced with jealousy and some magic. It is the way that the story is told that makes it unique and very touching. It also has just the right length with no unnecessary sidetracks crammed in just to fill more pages.
Basically my only gripe with this book is the fact that it is way to expensive for the content it provides. A meagre 158 pages in a rather large script are not enough for 19,90€.
If, however, you know what slash fiction is and think Alistair and Zev would be hot together there is a good chance you will like this book as well as Miss Constantine’s other Wraeththu works.
While most of her previous books in the Wraeththu setting are a combination of intense character studies and deep mysticism, in this book Miss Constantine focuses completely on her characters and the rich mystic lore of her creation takes a backseat only showing through in some minor events but without her sometimes lengthy explanations of what works how and why.
The narration style she has picked for this book seems a bit peculiar at first. The story is told in the first person in a very personal way. It feels like you are reading a long letter addressed to you or maybe even listen to someone tell you his story. The further you get into the book the more this style grows on you though as it gives great depth to the protagonist and allows a unique and sometimes interestingly wrong view on the other characters.
Jass, the character who tells his story, is a very real and believable person who is far from perfect and Constantine manages to let him tell his story in a way that allows the reader to notice the flaws in his reasoning and even to foresee his mistakes but still makes them seem perfectly sane decisions to Jass himself.
The plot itself is simple. Basically it is just a classical love triangle spiced with jealousy and some magic. It is the way that the story is told that makes it unique and very touching. It also has just the right length with no unnecessary sidetracks crammed in just to fill more pages.
Basically my only gripe with this book is the fact that it is way to expensive for the content it provides. A meagre 158 pages in a rather large script are not enough for 19,90€.
June 22, 2015
I enjoyed this book that takes place in the world of Wraethus. The characters in this book are different than in the previous books. I liked the main plot about Jassenah and Isobi. I think this book shows that the hars of Wraethu really still have so many of the same flaws as humans did, at least as far as having trouble with relationships with other hars. I liked Isobi at the beginning of the book, but lost some of my kind feelings toward him by the end of the book. I'm glad that there is a sequel.
June 26, 2012
when I had learner there were more hara books I got so excited butthen I read it.... Storm didn't make me feelforthecharacters like she did with pell and moon. I found this ending to be anticlimatic and habit lame. very disapointing
April 2, 2016
Dayum! That was intense. Also it went in a COMPLETELY different direction than I was expecting o_O I was expecting another run-of-the-mill (but enjoyable) "forbidden love" story. I actually rate this four and a half stars.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews