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Blood Ladders #1
An Heir to Thorns and Steel
Morgan Locke, university student, has been hiding his debilitating illness with fair enough success when two unlikely emissaries arrive bearing the news that he is prince to a nation of creatures out of folklore. Ridiculous! And yet, if magic exists...could it heal him? The ensuing journey will resurrect the forgotten griefs of history, and before it's over, all the world will be remade by thorns and steel.... Book 1 of the Blood Ladders trilogy, an epic fantasy with sociopathic elves, vampiric genets, and the philosophy students mixed up in the lot.
376 pages, Paperback
First published June 27, 2015
45 people are currently reading
178 people want to read
About the author
M.C.A. Hogarth
145 books387 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 - 30 of 36 reviews
December 16, 2015
I gave this up at 65%, because I just wasn't up for the cruelty.
I'll be honest: one reason I bought it was because of a review on Amazon by someone who really disliked how the main character had to deal with his chronic illness day after day after day. Well, that's how chronic illness works. It's hard, every day. And if that had been the only, or even the main, source of suffering in the book, I think I would have enjoyed the story. It's a fresh world; the editing is good (just one homonym error: "dowsing" for "dousing"); I liked the characters. There's not enough representation of disability in fiction, and I cheer on anyone who attempts it.
Unfortunately, there's another enormous source of suffering: the cruelty of the elves. Now, I can cope with books that have cruel antagonists, as long as the author doesn't linger over descriptions of the cruelty. A quick sketch will do to establish that they're cruel and that my sympathies will be against them. I don't need the details.
This author lingers over the cruelty, and so I bailed out. It's a pity, because everything else was working for me.
I'll be honest: one reason I bought it was because of a review on Amazon by someone who really disliked how the main character had to deal with his chronic illness day after day after day. Well, that's how chronic illness works. It's hard, every day. And if that had been the only, or even the main, source of suffering in the book, I think I would have enjoyed the story. It's a fresh world; the editing is good (just one homonym error: "dowsing" for "dousing"); I liked the characters. There's not enough representation of disability in fiction, and I cheer on anyone who attempts it.
Unfortunately, there's another enormous source of suffering: the cruelty of the elves. Now, I can cope with books that have cruel antagonists, as long as the author doesn't linger over descriptions of the cruelty. A quick sketch will do to establish that they're cruel and that my sympathies will be against them. I don't need the details.
This author lingers over the cruelty, and so I bailed out. It's a pity, because everything else was working for me.
November 8, 2019
4 Stars
Review:
This is a high fantasy story about Morgan, a university student studying folklore and living with a disability that causes daily seizures, among other symptoms. Around the same time that his symptoms start worsening, he discovers the existence of elves, and, if the creatures that showed up in his house are to be believed, he himself might be an elf and a prince. Hoping to find a cure for his illness, he goes with them to the land of the elves. From there, he's given a quest, and he gets further entangled in elf politics.
I really enjoyed this story! The beginning was slow (more on that below), but I got hooked as it went on. There were some unique things, and the portrayal of the elves and their society was interesting. They were beautiful and otherworldly and immortal and cruel, and some of the individual elves were intriguing, like Sedetnet (I have no idea how to spell that because I listened to the audio) and the way he used dice to make decisions just to escape boredom and add some unpredictability to his immortally long life.
I enjoy the writing too. It was kind of like that old-timey, eloquent writing, but still easily understandable.
Morgan was a great character. He loved learning. He loved stories. At first I thought he was kind of pompous, but that feeling went away the further I got into the book, and I found him to be determined, compassionate, and humble. He just wanted to be independent and live the same kind of life healthy people could. As the book went on, I think he became more able to roll with the punches and take things in stride. There were a few things he handled maybe a little too easily to be believable, but that wasn't a big deal to me.
Speaking of Morgan, the chronic illness he had was not a real one (it had a fantasy-related cause), but it was one of the most realistic depictions of chronic illness I've ever read about. His illness is nothing like the one I have, but I could still relate to some of the emotional aspects and how much it impacted his life. It wasn't the happy, inspirational depiction you often find in media, but I think this kind of depiction is important too. And it's not like he was portrayed in a negative way---he went on this whole adventure. Normally I don't like storylines in which a character's illness turns out to be a fantasy thing and there's going to be a magical cure available to them, but I felt like it worked here, especially since the illness was portrayed so well.
While I'm on this topic, I'll say that there was a lot of description of Morgan's symptoms and pain, and from the standpoint of story pacing, it did slow things down in the beginning, and there were long stretches where not that much actually happened. However, from the standpoint of putting the reader in the characters shoes, I thought it was great. It really showed you just how much his life was affected by it. I also think it was necessary for the reader to understand how bad it was in order to understand the seemingly impulsive decision he made to go to the elves. Anyway, I wasn't bothered by it, and the pain/seizure episodes were mentioned with less and less detail as the book went on.
The friend and family relationships in this book were great too. They were so deep and meaningful. These were characters who weren't afraid of their feelings or afraid to feel deeply for others, especially Morgan.
I listened to the audiobook for this, and I loved the narration by Philip Battley. It sounded natural, it had just the right amount of emotion, and the narrator had a nice voice and accent.
Overall, this book started slow, but for good reason, and I was hooked by the end. These elves and their society were fascinating, the disability was realistically portrayed, the characters were interesting, and I look forward to continuing!
Trigger warning:
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes high fantasy, magic, characters with disabilities, and compassionate characters.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
This is a high fantasy story about Morgan, a university student studying folklore and living with a disability that causes daily seizures, among other symptoms. Around the same time that his symptoms start worsening, he discovers the existence of elves, and, if the creatures that showed up in his house are to be believed, he himself might be an elf and a prince. Hoping to find a cure for his illness, he goes with them to the land of the elves. From there, he's given a quest, and he gets further entangled in elf politics.
I really enjoyed this story! The beginning was slow (more on that below), but I got hooked as it went on. There were some unique things, and the portrayal of the elves and their society was interesting. They were beautiful and otherworldly and immortal and cruel, and some of the individual elves were intriguing, like Sedetnet (I have no idea how to spell that because I listened to the audio) and the way he used dice to make decisions just to escape boredom and add some unpredictability to his immortally long life.
I enjoy the writing too. It was kind of like that old-timey, eloquent writing, but still easily understandable.
Morgan was a great character. He loved learning. He loved stories. At first I thought he was kind of pompous, but that feeling went away the further I got into the book, and I found him to be determined, compassionate, and humble. He just wanted to be independent and live the same kind of life healthy people could. As the book went on, I think he became more able to roll with the punches and take things in stride. There were a few things he handled maybe a little too easily to be believable, but that wasn't a big deal to me.
Speaking of Morgan, the chronic illness he had was not a real one (it had a fantasy-related cause), but it was one of the most realistic depictions of chronic illness I've ever read about. His illness is nothing like the one I have, but I could still relate to some of the emotional aspects and how much it impacted his life. It wasn't the happy, inspirational depiction you often find in media, but I think this kind of depiction is important too. And it's not like he was portrayed in a negative way---he went on this whole adventure. Normally I don't like storylines in which a character's illness turns out to be a fantasy thing and there's going to be a magical cure available to them, but I felt like it worked here, especially since the illness was portrayed so well.
While I'm on this topic, I'll say that there was a lot of description of Morgan's symptoms and pain, and from the standpoint of story pacing, it did slow things down in the beginning, and there were long stretches where not that much actually happened. However, from the standpoint of putting the reader in the characters shoes, I thought it was great. It really showed you just how much his life was affected by it. I also think it was necessary for the reader to understand how bad it was in order to understand the seemingly impulsive decision he made to go to the elves. Anyway, I wasn't bothered by it, and the pain/seizure episodes were mentioned with less and less detail as the book went on.
The friend and family relationships in this book were great too. They were so deep and meaningful. These were characters who weren't afraid of their feelings or afraid to feel deeply for others, especially Morgan.
I listened to the audiobook for this, and I loved the narration by Philip Battley. It sounded natural, it had just the right amount of emotion, and the narrator had a nice voice and accent.
Overall, this book started slow, but for good reason, and I was hooked by the end. These elves and their society were fascinating, the disability was realistically portrayed, the characters were interesting, and I look forward to continuing!
Trigger warning:
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes high fantasy, magic, characters with disabilities, and compassionate characters.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
July 7, 2025
Morgan Locke, a university student studying folklore, has been hiding a mysterious, debilitating illness from everyone but his family his whole life. He's been reasonably successful about it thus far, but his seizures and nausea are becoming more frequent and ill-timed. It isn't contagious, but he's still worried it will cost him his friends, including Ivy, a fellow student on whom he has a bit of a crush.
Then two little creatures called genets, Kelu and Almond, show up at his home and tell him that he's a long-lost elven prince. To Morgan, elves are beings of folklore, but then again the genets shouldn't be real either, and there they are. In the hope of finding a cure for his illness, Morgan goes with Kelu and Almond and finds himself in a dangerous world of elves who see everyone else as beneath them and little more than slaves.
I wouldn't really say that this was an enjoyable book - there were too many instances of Morgan dealing with the horrible symptoms of his chronic illness, and the elvish world was, in general, too awful, filled with slavery, pain, and torture - but it was at least interesting. There were, thankfully, a few elves here and there who weren't completely terrible, and Morgan eventually found a few allies.
While most of Morgan's human friends seemed decent enough, I wasn't impressed by Ivy at all. From what I can remember, the last time Morgan saw her in this book was just before he'd been overtaken by seizures and vomiting. When he was conscious again, she was nowhere to be found, which I took to mean that she'd abandoned him to potentially die in a puddle of his own vomit. Granted, he hadn't told her yet that he had a chronic illness, but you don't just leave a friend who's in that kind of condition to fend for themselves. If Morgan does end up paired off with someone, hopefully it's not her.
All in all, this isn't shaping up to be one of my more beloved of Hogarth's series, but I'm at least interested to see where things go.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
Then two little creatures called genets, Kelu and Almond, show up at his home and tell him that he's a long-lost elven prince. To Morgan, elves are beings of folklore, but then again the genets shouldn't be real either, and there they are. In the hope of finding a cure for his illness, Morgan goes with Kelu and Almond and finds himself in a dangerous world of elves who see everyone else as beneath them and little more than slaves.
I wouldn't really say that this was an enjoyable book - there were too many instances of Morgan dealing with the horrible symptoms of his chronic illness, and the elvish world was, in general, too awful, filled with slavery, pain, and torture - but it was at least interesting. There were, thankfully, a few elves here and there who weren't completely terrible, and Morgan eventually found a few allies.
While most of Morgan's human friends seemed decent enough, I wasn't impressed by Ivy at all. From what I can remember, the last time Morgan saw her in this book was just before he'd been overtaken by seizures and vomiting. When he was conscious again, she was nowhere to be found, which I took to mean that she'd abandoned him to potentially die in a puddle of his own vomit. Granted, he hadn't told her yet that he had a chronic illness, but you don't just leave a friend who's in that kind of condition to fend for themselves. If Morgan does end up paired off with someone, hopefully it's not her.
All in all, this isn't shaping up to be one of my more beloved of Hogarth's series, but I'm at least interested to see where things go.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
August 6, 2015
An Heir to Thorns and Steel is an interesting book, though it suffers from being a prelude to a series and from an obvious lack of editing*.
The setting is original, clashing (very american) post-revolutionary politics and fairy tales through Victorian gothic novels and quite a bit of anime. Not an usual mix. The plot, though, as the main character makes sure we know, is pretty folktale-ish. A traditional fantasy, in which our hero is a lost prince, heir to a kingdom of unimaginable magics and, of course, incredible corruption. If you’ve read a few of those, you know how they go.
Morgan, though, is an interesting, complex character. That is a mixed blessing, as it mostly shows how the secondary characters are simple sketches, lacking the rich inner life he projects. This lack of complexity, of course, might be explained by he author’s unexpected** use of first person point of view. Reading the character’s pain in first person is pretty effective as means to make the readers care, but it also robs us from plenty of details, like descriptions of places and people, as well as moods and inner thoughts of secondary characters, which would have been far more interesting in the long run.
Asides from the main character, there’s not much to go on. The antagonists are evil for evil’s sake, the setting is a world of two territories that don’t seem to be aware of each other (to the point of elves being relegated to legend among humans), despite the fact that there’s commerce between them and that the general technology level seems to be on par with 18th century Europe.
In sum, an interesting premise, though it lacks polishing.
* Which is common in self-published books and shall not be brought up again.
** Usually, secondary world fantasy stories take a third person approach, not only to allow for multiple points of view, but also to be able to describe the scenery and setting without sounding like meditation.
The setting is original, clashing (very american) post-revolutionary politics and fairy tales through Victorian gothic novels and quite a bit of anime. Not an usual mix. The plot, though, as the main character makes sure we know, is pretty folktale-ish. A traditional fantasy, in which our hero is a lost prince, heir to a kingdom of unimaginable magics and, of course, incredible corruption. If you’ve read a few of those, you know how they go.
Morgan, though, is an interesting, complex character. That is a mixed blessing, as it mostly shows how the secondary characters are simple sketches, lacking the rich inner life he projects. This lack of complexity, of course, might be explained by he author’s unexpected** use of first person point of view. Reading the character’s pain in first person is pretty effective as means to make the readers care, but it also robs us from plenty of details, like descriptions of places and people, as well as moods and inner thoughts of secondary characters, which would have been far more interesting in the long run.
Asides from the main character, there’s not much to go on. The antagonists are evil for evil’s sake, the setting is a world of two territories that don’t seem to be aware of each other (to the point of elves being relegated to legend among humans), despite the fact that there’s commerce between them and that the general technology level seems to be on par with 18th century Europe.
In sum, an interesting premise, though it lacks polishing.
* Which is common in self-published books and shall not be brought up again.
** Usually, secondary world fantasy stories take a third person approach, not only to allow for multiple points of view, but also to be able to describe the scenery and setting without sounding like meditation.
November 2, 2015
This book somehow manages to feel like a portal fantasy despite being entirely secondary-world...the university 19th century-ish setting of the first section felt entirely removed from the more feudal setting of the last two thirds or so, and the transition gave me a little bit of whiplash. I'm also not sure that I believe the elves could be totally unknown to humans when their archipelago is not that far away -- there's even trade with the humans!
The fairy-tale plot was interesting enough, though I felt curiously unmoored while reading. I'm not sure if I wasn't going slowly enough but certain passages -- especially during Morgan's episodes or when magic was being used -- seemed so abstract that I couldn't quite follow what was actually, physically happening. And since Morgan has quite a lot of episodes, this means I felt like I was missing things most of the time.
And then there's the blood and gore and sexual stuff. I know going in that a Hogarth book is going to push my boundaries, but for some reason this one just squicked me out -- even more than Even the Wingless, which is quite a dark and violent book.
The characterizations of the elves is quite interesting for its exploration of the true consequences of immortality, but they were so depraved that I didn't much enjoy reading about them. And the characterization of and relationship with the genets just makes me feel odd. (It's like a perversion of the Eldritch/Tam relationship in the Pelted setting).
I'm curious as to how everything will work out for Morgan and co., but I'm frankly not sure that I'll enjoy the process of finding out.
The fairy-tale plot was interesting enough, though I felt curiously unmoored while reading. I'm not sure if I wasn't going slowly enough but certain passages -- especially during Morgan's episodes or when magic was being used -- seemed so abstract that I couldn't quite follow what was actually, physically happening. And since Morgan has quite a lot of episodes, this means I felt like I was missing things most of the time.
And then there's the blood and gore and sexual stuff. I know going in that a Hogarth book is going to push my boundaries, but for some reason this one just squicked me out -- even more than Even the Wingless, which is quite a dark and violent book.
The characterizations of the elves is quite interesting for its exploration of the true consequences of immortality, but they were so depraved that I didn't much enjoy reading about them. And the characterization of and relationship with the genets just makes me feel odd. (It's like a perversion of the Eldritch/Tam relationship in the Pelted setting).
I'm curious as to how everything will work out for Morgan and co., but I'm frankly not sure that I'll enjoy the process of finding out.
June 10, 2019
I listened to narrated version by Philip Battley - he's a very good narrator.
This is my first experience with Hogarth, who apparently has quite a following. She writes well, and clearly, and this story is reasonably unique - a disabled university student in an alternate regency England with magic - who finds out his disability is due to a connection with elves and magic and demons.
The CONSTANT repetition of daily pain, vomiting and seizures of the main character, Morgan Locke, who is otherwise quite sympathetic, is a DOWNSIDE. There is a LOT of sadism, and it is somewhat sexual in nature, though not explicit.
The only other character with a personality is a magical creature, Kalu. I have the sense this will be remedied in the second volume. I would listen if I got it inexpensively, but wouldn't try hard otherwise.
This is my first experience with Hogarth, who apparently has quite a following. She writes well, and clearly, and this story is reasonably unique - a disabled university student in an alternate regency England with magic - who finds out his disability is due to a connection with elves and magic and demons.
The CONSTANT repetition of daily pain, vomiting and seizures of the main character, Morgan Locke, who is otherwise quite sympathetic, is a DOWNSIDE. There is a LOT of sadism, and it is somewhat sexual in nature, though not explicit.
The only other character with a personality is a magical creature, Kalu. I have the sense this will be remedied in the second volume. I would listen if I got it inexpensively, but wouldn't try hard otherwise.
December 22, 2018
Like all of Hogarth's books that I've read so far this contained enough unsettling (and occasionally downright horrifying) content that I don't think I could recommend it casually. It's beautifully written though, and I'm eager to read the next one to find out what happens, so if I know someone well enough I will definitely be shoving this book at them.
May 10, 2017
What started off feeling like almost a Regency novel, became something else. Not a bad thing. But it introduced a world where people denied the past, to start anew.... until the past started to pick at our characters. Full of amiable characters and witty banter, this is a very non-treaditional fantasy story.
February 19, 2018
I thought this was okay but not as engaging as the author's sci-fi series.
July 3, 2019
Well done all around. I enjoyed the fae lore, as well as the strong political feelings of the MC who had to re-examine those feelings and his willingness to do so. It definitely left me wanting to jump right in to the next, which I'm going to do right now.
April 1, 2017
I finished this after having put it down for many months.
It was not my cup of tea.
The author's work in general is not my cup of tea. I was impressed with the setup and the free sample and honestly bought the book before I realized who had written it, and then when it went... how it went, it was too late.
It's not terrible or anything. The writing is elegant (honestly kind of too elegant after a while; it's like so much thick draped velvet and gets a bit ridiculous) and elements of the plot are intriguing, but... but look, it comes off like a teenage girl is writing it. There's a weird juxtaposition of "mature, adult" things (sex, drug addiction, gore, rape) with an extremely melodramatic and maudlin style of storytelling. Everything is high drama, fraught with fainting, weeping and moaning, instant and overwhelming romantic love, bodice-rending and chestbeating tragedy. It's just SILLY, and hard to relate to anyone or take them seriously.
Also uh, it gives off the uncomfortable feeling – and the more of the author's work I read the more I get it – that someone is getting off to this. Specifically to swooning woobie elves, tragic and putupon sex slaves, ...and furries. And if someone is, that's fine, but I am not that someone, which makes it just uncomfortable and weird.
It was not my cup of tea.
The author's work in general is not my cup of tea. I was impressed with the setup and the free sample and honestly bought the book before I realized who had written it, and then when it went... how it went, it was too late.
It's not terrible or anything. The writing is elegant (honestly kind of too elegant after a while; it's like so much thick draped velvet and gets a bit ridiculous) and elements of the plot are intriguing, but... but look, it comes off like a teenage girl is writing it. There's a weird juxtaposition of "mature, adult" things (sex, drug addiction, gore, rape) with an extremely melodramatic and maudlin style of storytelling. Everything is high drama, fraught with fainting, weeping and moaning, instant and overwhelming romantic love, bodice-rending and chestbeating tragedy. It's just SILLY, and hard to relate to anyone or take them seriously.
Also uh, it gives off the uncomfortable feeling – and the more of the author's work I read the more I get it – that someone is getting off to this. Specifically to swooning woobie elves, tragic and putupon sex slaves, ...and furries. And if someone is, that's fine, but I am not that someone, which makes it just uncomfortable and weird.
July 31, 2016
This book filled a need I didn't realize I had. I really appreciated being able to read a fantasy in which the protagonist is a scholar and suffers from debilitating pain and illness. When you have a chronic illness, often your world shrinks. Morgan Locke was experiencing that at the start of Heir, and then he received his invitation to the hero's journey. Part of his transformation involved using strengths that he had developed while dealing with his illness. I found that very inspiring.
Aside from that, the story is beautifully written, edited, and formatted. Characters are well developed, and I would have a hard time choosing a favorite. The story evoked a wide range of emotions--some scenes were achingly beautiful and filled me with longing, some were truly horrifying, some made me cry. The dialogue often made me laugh. As in much of Hogarth's work, philosophical questions often drive the plot.
I'm very much looking forward to the subsequent books in the Blood Ladders Trilogy, and I'm delighted that I won't have to wait to read them!
Aside from that, the story is beautifully written, edited, and formatted. Characters are well developed, and I would have a hard time choosing a favorite. The story evoked a wide range of emotions--some scenes were achingly beautiful and filled me with longing, some were truly horrifying, some made me cry. The dialogue often made me laugh. As in much of Hogarth's work, philosophical questions often drive the plot.
I'm very much looking forward to the subsequent books in the Blood Ladders Trilogy, and I'm delighted that I won't have to wait to read them!
September 3, 2015
Angels and demons...and elves?
For those of you whom read this book well, the beginning is agonizing in its slow staging- which I am not convinced was really necessary. Furthermore, in reading you will realize the slow agony is almost as bad as the main character detailing his own pain...repeatedly. If however you can hang in there to get two-thirds through, you will find a fascinating and wholly original magical world with surprising depth. The author mixes wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony of the once mythic race of elves against their God given duty to protect the world from evil. Our hero is tasked to fix the race or die trying before it's too late. Along the way, he finds hope in that he is not alone.
For those of you whom read this book well, the beginning is agonizing in its slow staging- which I am not convinced was really necessary. Furthermore, in reading you will realize the slow agony is almost as bad as the main character detailing his own pain...repeatedly. If however you can hang in there to get two-thirds through, you will find a fascinating and wholly original magical world with surprising depth. The author mixes wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony of the once mythic race of elves against their God given duty to protect the world from evil. Our hero is tasked to fix the race or die trying before it's too late. Along the way, he finds hope in that he is not alone.
October 5, 2015
Raw, gory and vulgar and painful
Grad student researching elves in folklore finds out he is an elf, but elves are more like vampires here, and there are demons trying to tear the world apart and elves are supposed to stop them, except only the king and prince can stop them. However, the king has been missing, and the prince of the elves thinks he is a human grad student. Aha.
Oh, and he is cursed to have pain and seizures and immortality and human-like compassion. What do you know, growing up with humans kept him from wanting to kill, torture, and dominate every non-elf he met. Yay.
Yet, there's magical raping. And rending limb from limb. And what might be real rape. And nudity. And torture with these things. I do not like these. Badbadbad.
Grad student researching elves in folklore finds out he is an elf, but elves are more like vampires here, and there are demons trying to tear the world apart and elves are supposed to stop them, except only the king and prince can stop them. However, the king has been missing, and the prince of the elves thinks he is a human grad student. Aha.
Oh, and he is cursed to have pain and seizures and immortality and human-like compassion. What do you know, growing up with humans kept him from wanting to kill, torture, and dominate every non-elf he met. Yay.
Yet, there's magical raping. And rending limb from limb. And what might be real rape. And nudity. And torture with these things. I do not like these. Badbadbad.
June 3, 2017
A Favorite Series
Fantasy takes off when the very human scholar, Morgan Locke attempts to continue his research into Folklore and Mythology despite crippling seizures. Of course elves, demons, dragons and angels don't really exsist, but represent knowledge imparted through stories. Boy, is he wrong. And maybe Morgan isn't who he thinks either.
Absolutely great start to a series that features a hero on the edge. Hogarth always come up with unique universes and stories as her damaged hero's and heroines struggle both with themselves and the impossible tasks that they are subjected to. Book one of three.
Fantasy takes off when the very human scholar, Morgan Locke attempts to continue his research into Folklore and Mythology despite crippling seizures. Of course elves, demons, dragons and angels don't really exsist, but represent knowledge imparted through stories. Boy, is he wrong. And maybe Morgan isn't who he thinks either.
Absolutely great start to a series that features a hero on the edge. Hogarth always come up with unique universes and stories as her damaged hero's and heroines struggle both with themselves and the impossible tasks that they are subjected to. Book one of three.
May 2, 2016
3.75 stars. There are several moment when the characters lapse into conversation that would have been better served by more active interaction rather than a static exchange of philosophies. Also, the "disguise" scene at the inn made me really uncomfortable-- I spent the rest of the book thinking about how needlessly tarnished his reputation would be back home, even though what bystanders believed wasn't true. I wish there had been another choice to move the storyline forward because I couldn't look past that particular plot device for several chapters and almost put the book down because of it.
July 24, 2015
I've never really known a main character like Morgan Locke. For one it's quite rare to see a protagonist with such a debilitating illness as his, and this adds a lot of depth to his character.
The world is pretty special too and well thought out (a few inconsistencies perhaps with how widespread knowledge of the elves are).
And can I have a genet? Those things are utterly adorable.
The world is pretty special too and well thought out (a few inconsistencies perhaps with how widespread knowledge of the elves are).
And can I have a genet? Those things are utterly adorable.
September 5, 2015
This book is not a thrill-ride. Nor is it a romance. It is a slow, steady building, like water dripping into a cup. That's not to say there are not moments of horror, of joy, or dread and battle. Just that they all gain momentum until they pull you with them, inexorable to the end.
I cannot wait to read book 2!
I cannot wait to read book 2!
August 29, 2017
Having spent as much time as I have in Hogarth's Pelted universe, stepping outside of it--no matter how sure I am of her talent--is a little unnerving. The Blood Ladders trilogy is definitely not the Peltedverse, and AN HEIR TO THORNS AND STEEL is book one of Morgan Locke's adventure into worlds he truly never believed to be completely real.
Morgan Locke is a student at Leigh University, studying philosophy and ancient legends. It's a prestigious school, and not one where any type of weakness is to be tolerated--which is problematic, because Morgan has suffered from intense chronic pain and seizures for most of his life. For the time being, he knows what pattern they follow and has managed to keep his friends and teachers in the dark as to his condition, but as it progressively gets worse...it becomes harder and harder to explain away. So when a curious twist of fate accompanied by two incredibly unlikely messengers comes by with a chance to turn his entire world upside down and maybe...just maybe...bring him a tiny amount of relief, it's a hard-pressed battle for Morgan to take the risk and jump into the unknown and likely unreal...or stay with the devil he knows.
Now, having not lived with chronic pain, I can't speak to the level of agony Morgan goes through. The attacks are constant and debilitating, and the amount of the book they consume truly emphasizes how much of Morgan's life has been chewed up by this. Others I've seen say that it slows the plot down, and I'd argue that it does--and it should. Morgan's entire life has been weighed down by this; it wouldn't make any literary sense to see time flying by. I've lived my whole life with someone with chronic pain, and I can absolutely believe every moment that Morgan endures. It also allows me to celebrate with him in the moments he is free of the pain.
I'm truly baffled by some of the reviews I've seen for this book. I will say that yes, there is a level of depravity in the elves that is truly unsettling, and it does border on a level of uncomfortable that makes me want to put the book down. But that's the point. We're supposed to see the dark sides along with the light, and it's certainly true that Kelu spends more than enough time telling Morgan how awful the elves are. And yes, their relationship with the genets is equally unsettling. Often times, relationships (and I use the term lightly) like this are.
Nothing about this book is meant to be easy. Morgan's life is a struggle, the balance between worlds is a struggle...and all in all, this is a very thought-provoking book with a brilliant world in the making. It's a smart book which will make you hope you have a dictionary nearby. It's a touching book which can have you laughing one moment and in tears the next. It's a perfect example of Hogarth's brilliant storytelling, and it is absolutely recommended. These are real characters who you will form real relationships to, and at the last page you will already be reaching for the next book.
Rating: **** (Recommended)
Morgan Locke is a student at Leigh University, studying philosophy and ancient legends. It's a prestigious school, and not one where any type of weakness is to be tolerated--which is problematic, because Morgan has suffered from intense chronic pain and seizures for most of his life. For the time being, he knows what pattern they follow and has managed to keep his friends and teachers in the dark as to his condition, but as it progressively gets worse...it becomes harder and harder to explain away. So when a curious twist of fate accompanied by two incredibly unlikely messengers comes by with a chance to turn his entire world upside down and maybe...just maybe...bring him a tiny amount of relief, it's a hard-pressed battle for Morgan to take the risk and jump into the unknown and likely unreal...or stay with the devil he knows.
Now, having not lived with chronic pain, I can't speak to the level of agony Morgan goes through. The attacks are constant and debilitating, and the amount of the book they consume truly emphasizes how much of Morgan's life has been chewed up by this. Others I've seen say that it slows the plot down, and I'd argue that it does--and it should. Morgan's entire life has been weighed down by this; it wouldn't make any literary sense to see time flying by. I've lived my whole life with someone with chronic pain, and I can absolutely believe every moment that Morgan endures. It also allows me to celebrate with him in the moments he is free of the pain.
I'm truly baffled by some of the reviews I've seen for this book. I will say that yes, there is a level of depravity in the elves that is truly unsettling, and it does border on a level of uncomfortable that makes me want to put the book down. But that's the point. We're supposed to see the dark sides along with the light, and it's certainly true that Kelu spends more than enough time telling Morgan how awful the elves are. And yes, their relationship with the genets is equally unsettling. Often times, relationships (and I use the term lightly) like this are.
Nothing about this book is meant to be easy. Morgan's life is a struggle, the balance between worlds is a struggle...and all in all, this is a very thought-provoking book with a brilliant world in the making. It's a smart book which will make you hope you have a dictionary nearby. It's a touching book which can have you laughing one moment and in tears the next. It's a perfect example of Hogarth's brilliant storytelling, and it is absolutely recommended. These are real characters who you will form real relationships to, and at the last page you will already be reaching for the next book.
Rating: **** (Recommended)
August 29, 2019
I write this with a heavy heart, because I have absolutely loved and eaten up everything that has come out of this author with regards to her world of the Jokka.
This book was a slog to get through, propelled only by my sadistic tendency to want to finish a book I start no matter what, unless it is really bad. Many commentors have mentioned the incessant descriptions of seizures slowing down the plot, and I completely agree with those.
Here is the biggest thing I have a problem with, though. Many on here note that there is a lot of cruelty. Also, the really messed up and creepy relationships between master and slaves (and I'm talking about the protagonists here). I agree with that too. Those are not necessarily deal-breakers for me though. A gritty world is a gritty world, and I appreciate authors who are unrepentant in their commitment to realism, which often includes these very uncomfortable things. But this world is anything but realistic. There is very little inter-protagonist conflict. Once the author has decided someone is good, they all seem to get along just swimmingly. The reverse is true to the extent we can see of the villains. Good guys = all kumbayahing together. Bad guys = irredeemably sadistic together. Okay, there is some tell of some bad guys trying to take out other presumably bad guys, but generally most of the present inter elven conflict comes between all the evil blood-flags and our two "good elves" + POV protagonist.
I can enjoy those type of buddy stories too, actually. But in that light, the cruelty and super sketchiness of the genet/POV protagonist relationship seems just tacked on.
Also, kinda a turn off is the female characters. 1st was peripheral and useless to the plot. 2nd was a part of that irredeemable evil cohort and seen for all of two pages (which is a shame because given the hints of what she did, there was much more opportunity to explore her character and be evil, but interesting), and every other female we meet was one of those genets: genetically bred to be hopelessly loyal to their masters (Genets of Gor, basically). One genet is a bit tsurundere, but don't worry, she too, by the end, is hopelessly loyal to the POV protagonist on the basis of his incredible goodness. I miss the nuance this author has employed in the past in her works with the Jokka.
This book was a slog to get through, propelled only by my sadistic tendency to want to finish a book I start no matter what, unless it is really bad. Many commentors have mentioned the incessant descriptions of seizures slowing down the plot, and I completely agree with those.
Here is the biggest thing I have a problem with, though. Many on here note that there is a lot of cruelty. Also, the really messed up and creepy relationships between master and slaves (and I'm talking about the protagonists here). I agree with that too. Those are not necessarily deal-breakers for me though. A gritty world is a gritty world, and I appreciate authors who are unrepentant in their commitment to realism, which often includes these very uncomfortable things. But this world is anything but realistic. There is very little inter-protagonist conflict. Once the author has decided someone is good, they all seem to get along just swimmingly. The reverse is true to the extent we can see of the villains. Good guys = all kumbayahing together. Bad guys = irredeemably sadistic together. Okay, there is some tell of some bad guys trying to take out other presumably bad guys, but generally most of the present inter elven conflict comes between all the evil blood-flags and our two "good elves" + POV protagonist.
I can enjoy those type of buddy stories too, actually. But in that light, the cruelty and super sketchiness of the genet/POV protagonist relationship seems just tacked on.
Also, kinda a turn off is the female characters. 1st was peripheral and useless to the plot. 2nd was a part of that irredeemable evil cohort and seen for all of two pages (which is a shame because given the hints of what she did, there was much more opportunity to explore her character and be evil, but interesting), and every other female we meet was one of those genets: genetically bred to be hopelessly loyal to their masters (Genets of Gor, basically). One genet is a bit tsurundere, but don't worry, she too, by the end, is hopelessly loyal to the POV protagonist on the basis of his incredible goodness. I miss the nuance this author has employed in the past in her works with the Jokka.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2020
Hogarth is a solid writer, and I've enjoyed her other works a great deal, but this one wasn't quite for me. The disparate elements (vaguely Regency-ish university in a secondary world; vampiric elves in an isolated island chain a shockingly short sea voyage from the Regency university; a slave race of furries; some very odd ... romance?) never quite gelled for me into a coherent whole. Please note! I am not saying one can't take an odd mish-mash of elements and make them work together, but the two worlds, mundane and fantastic, never felt like they had any relation to each other; Morgan's "real world" experience was not germane to the revelations of the hidden, fantastical one. Also, the elves and their society is horrifying (deliberately, I have no doubt) and founded on horrors, and it was just honestly pretty gross. I read Sarah Monette's Doctrine of Labyrinths series, which had some equally squicky content, but the advantage to that series is that she front-loads all the really horrible stuff, so once you're through it you can just enjoy the story. Here it's pretty much nonstop gruesomeness once our hero protagonist narrator reaches the magical elf kingdom, and ... look, honestly, it was all just pretty off-putting. I finished, but I'm not sufficiently invested in the characters or the story to go on to book 2.
September 19, 2021
I was delighted to find out about this series, as I'm a great fan of M.C.A. Hogarth. I devoured this book quickly and have started the next.
I hope it's not a significant spoiler to say that the protagonist and POV character has a rough time of it. In the hands of a less skilled storyteller, I would have found it wearing to read of his experiences.
The plot, characterization and worldbuilding are very well intertwined.
I hope it's not a significant spoiler to say that the protagonist and POV character has a rough time of it. In the hands of a less skilled storyteller, I would have found it wearing to read of his experiences.
The plot, characterization and worldbuilding are very well intertwined.
April 19, 2023
Riveting
What an extraordinary tale, such tiny twists in the idea of fairytales to generate such an enthralling world! To remain spoiler free, I can't talk in any details, because the story is rooted in surprises unveiled. I can say that I was initially captured by the vivid, realistic, beautiful portrayal of life with chronic illness. And now, as that character has evolved so enormously... What next? I can't wait to find out.
What an extraordinary tale, such tiny twists in the idea of fairytales to generate such an enthralling world! To remain spoiler free, I can't talk in any details, because the story is rooted in surprises unveiled. I can say that I was initially captured by the vivid, realistic, beautiful portrayal of life with chronic illness. And now, as that character has evolved so enormously... What next? I can't wait to find out.
December 24, 2017
Teamwork and an Unlikely Hero
The cover artwork initially put me off but I was very glad that I decided to read this book as I found it difficult to put down. The characters are well crafted and it has humour, pathos, excitement, danger and a few twists and turns that come out of nowhere. Already have the second book ready to go.
The cover artwork initially put me off but I was very glad that I decided to read this book as I found it difficult to put down. The characters are well crafted and it has humour, pathos, excitement, danger and a few twists and turns that come out of nowhere. Already have the second book ready to go.
June 30, 2019
Audiobook - Narrated by Philip Battley
Acquired via Chirp.
A fabulous tale with equally fabulous narration. The fantasy was fresh and no-holds-barred. I liked it so much I also picked up the trilogy in ebook format.
Acquired via Chirp.
A fabulous tale with equally fabulous narration. The fantasy was fresh and no-holds-barred. I liked it so much I also picked up the trilogy in ebook format.
November 9, 2021
A "Fairy tale"
This is a rather dark story of Morgan Locke's emotional and physical journey from "human" scholar to Prince of the Elves. It took a long time to ramp up, so felt slow for a while. No it is picking up and I'm interested to see where it goes.
This is a rather dark story of Morgan Locke's emotional and physical journey from "human" scholar to Prince of the Elves. It took a long time to ramp up, so felt slow for a while. No it is picking up and I'm interested to see where it goes.
October 22, 2018
This is a difficult book to read. The portrayal of chronic illness is just too accurate, and the underlying mythology is intensely bleak.
August 1, 2020
maybe 4.5 stars. I wasn't sure what to expect going in, but I really enjoyed this book.
December 31, 2019
First book series I have read by M.C.A. and I must say it was a good experience. The series was interesting and while it started slow, I would suggest reading all three books.
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