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Fallowtide #3
Heartskein
The day is finally here! For as long as he could remember, Vasiht'h planned on starting a family, a plan that surviving the war only made more urgent. The temple on Anseahla has summoned him at last to pick up his new kits, an errand he decides will be an excellent opportunity to have some alone-time with his partner, Jahir. But his partner is now an imperial prince-consort, and Vasiht'h himself has more responsibilities than he anticipated, and it isn't long before their private getaway turns into a huge production. And that's before the children join the party! But becoming a father is only one of the changes that Vasiht'h must accept as he moves into this newest phase of his life. For the longest time he's thought of himself as living in an Eldritch shadow. If he wants to thrive--if he wants to lead his contingent of Glaseah to a fuller life themselves--he has to accept that sometimes a supporting role is just an excuse to stay out of the limelight.... Heartskein is a cozy science fiction novel and returns to the dreamhealers in their new roles as powers in the new Eldritch Jahir is now a married man and a prince, and Vasiht'h an administrator, a lord, and a father! But no matter what changes, some things stay the like a bond of love stronger than wars and unconquered by time. Come unwind, and meet the babies!
249 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 16, 2020
33 people are currently reading
30 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 - 22 of 22 reviews
December 1, 2022
A lovely addition to the series. As always I only wish it were longer! I love spending time with these characters and watching them grow.
March 2, 2020
Heart filling and heart warming.
If you haven't read any of M C Hogarth's books , go back and read the beginnings. It is worth every word. These stories are worth buying and introducing others to. They may not look like us , but their stories, pains and triumphs resonate . Please write more!
If you haven't read any of M C Hogarth's books , go back and read the beginnings. It is worth every word. These stories are worth buying and introducing others to. They may not look like us , but their stories, pains and triumphs resonate . Please write more!
March 19, 2020
Love & Joy
From the moment I discovered Jahir and Vasiht'h, I fell head over heels for them. This story centered on Vasiht'h's beginnings as a parent is full of love and joy, as the extended family greets its three newest members.
From the moment I discovered Jahir and Vasiht'h, I fell head over heels for them. This story centered on Vasiht'h's beginnings as a parent is full of love and joy, as the extended family greets its three newest members.
March 13, 2020
I enjoyed this book, much more than the last one. We were back to the two characters I liked, with them expanding their families. However, along with Vasiht'h getting three kits, there are vague allusions to two(?) children of Jahir being grown in vitro (?). No information on what happened with Jahir's children, it would have finished the book better had it included that. Perhaps the author is saving that for another book.
February 22, 2020
Have enjoyed every book of Hogarth's I've read, and this one is no exception, but Heartskein didn't work quite as well for me as most of her others. The warmth mixed with clear-eyed pragmatism I like is still there, and Jahir and Vasiht'h are a delight as usual, but there's a notably increased sense of religiosity that doesn't quite work for me. There's always been a sense of spirituality I like in the peltedverse, and Hogarth always takes the religion of her characters seriously in a way many SF writers fail to do so (to their detriment), but here we've almost got the sense of Jahir and Vasiht'h as divinely inspired heroes. For me as a non-religious reader, that was a step too far, though it may work perfectly well for others. As I said, still enjoyed the book, and very much looking forward to the next steps in the peltedverse, just not quite top tier Hogarth for mine.
May 5, 2020
Light and sweet.
Unfortunately, as someone reading this in short stolen moments of time while not juggling a screaming baby, I had major problems suspending my disbelief during all the baby scenes — oh, look how well behaved they are! Hardly a peep! We can totally take these three newborns out to the market and they’ll sleep peacefully the whole way! — ARGH.
I know the Pelted universe is supposed to be semi-utopic, but reading all about The Amazing Adventures of Perfect Parents in this time of quarantine is... striking a bit of a nerve right now. I know that’s entirely on me, and that I should separate fiction from the environment, but I’m failing hard on this one.
But, uh, aside from that, it was another perfectly nice installment of the series. Maybe I’ll get more out of it someday when I have a little more distance from the subject matter.
Unfortunately, as someone reading this in short stolen moments of time while not juggling a screaming baby, I had major problems suspending my disbelief during all the baby scenes — oh, look how well behaved they are! Hardly a peep! We can totally take these three newborns out to the market and they’ll sleep peacefully the whole way! — ARGH.
I know the Pelted universe is supposed to be semi-utopic, but reading all about The Amazing Adventures of Perfect Parents in this time of quarantine is... striking a bit of a nerve right now. I know that’s entirely on me, and that I should separate fiction from the environment, but I’m failing hard on this one.
But, uh, aside from that, it was another perfectly nice installment of the series. Maybe I’ll get more out of it someday when I have a little more distance from the subject matter.
September 5, 2020
So much pain, so little hope.
The promised children to form the high point of this story, but they are barely there - more referenced than present. The rest of this novella is a bridge between the stories past, and the stories yet to come. And those stories... they are not hopeful stories. For an author who so heavily borrows from Star Trek lore, the author seems to have missed the hope in the future that Star Trek embodies.
I was happy to see Jahir and Vasiht’h again, but I was not pleased to see where they had been in the meantime.
The promised children to form the high point of this story, but they are barely there - more referenced than present. The rest of this novella is a bridge between the stories past, and the stories yet to come. And those stories... they are not hopeful stories. For an author who so heavily borrows from Star Trek lore, the author seems to have missed the hope in the future that Star Trek embodies.
I was happy to see Jahir and Vasiht’h again, but I was not pleased to see where they had been in the meantime.
July 2, 2020
Oh, I'm so sad...
I am at the end of the books I have. I think now I wait for publication of the next book. I've been spoiled by binge reading of all previously published books. Now I am caught up with the author.
This really is a great series. It's so imaginative yet believable. I can't wait for the next installment to the series!
Thank you M.C.A. I've enjoyed every page!
I am at the end of the books I have. I think now I wait for publication of the next book. I've been spoiled by binge reading of all previously published books. Now I am caught up with the author.
This really is a great series. It's so imaginative yet believable. I can't wait for the next installment to the series!
Thank you M.C.A. I've enjoyed every page!
September 17, 2020
Another delightful story featuring Jahir and Vasiht'h. They travel to Vasiht'h's homeworld to pick up his children and have some adventures and more personal growth on the way. This one is more about the Glaseah and the development of his mind powers, although quite a lot about Jahir as well. Very enjoyable.
February 15, 2023
Excellent "cozy" sci fi adventure
I'm not excited about the introduction of The Divine as a reality beyond a religious faith, but I love the characters enough to continue their adventures. Some questions are answered, but even more questions arise. Val remains a fantastic character who deserves more story time. And the Guardkin are just awesome.
I'm not excited about the introduction of The Divine as a reality beyond a religious faith, but I love the characters enough to continue their adventures. Some questions are answered, but even more questions arise. Val remains a fantastic character who deserves more story time. And the Guardkin are just awesome.
October 3, 2025
I just read Heartskein, and I absolutely love it. I had to look up a few words, but books that make you learn are always good. <3
The moment where Vasiht'h goes before the crowd and talks about his own loss was beyond beautiful, and I want to find ways to do that too. And the expansion of the mind talents, both in him an Jahir, were amazing. <3
The moment where Vasiht'h goes before the crowd and talks about his own loss was beyond beautiful, and I want to find ways to do that too. And the expansion of the mind talents, both in him an Jahir, were amazing. <3
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2020
An excellent read! Follows two of my all time heros on a mission of extreme importance - the collection of their children. Develops further the timeline. Really enjoyed the time spent under a nice warm blanket with multiple cups of hot chocolate!
January 20, 2021
A lovely story beautifully told, full of the thrill of characters being Really Good At Stuff. (And yes, the wish-fulfillment fantasy of Newborn Care With Mindreading.) It does need what came before to make sense, I think. (In other words, don't start here.)
September 7, 2021
A Family Affair
Babies, divine providence families coming together. So much love and joy in this novel. I know someday the Author will need to move on from this series, though I'm saddened at the thought of it. Not soon, I hope.
Babies, divine providence families coming together. So much love and joy in this novel. I know someday the Author will need to move on from this series, though I'm saddened at the thought of it. Not soon, I hope.
October 26, 2023
Ok, but...
I took a star off because of the biological impossibility. Wings on a centaur? Has she ever seen a bird skeleton? Wings take up room! I do like her characters so I put up with it.
I took a star off because of the biological impossibility. Wings on a centaur? Has she ever seen a bird skeleton? Wings take up room! I do like her characters so I put up with it.
Read
March 5, 2020Faith Family and three baby kits
Word art at its finest. Novels often are boring and fiction shallow but high fantasy blended with science fiction is sublime and lovely.
Word art at its finest. Novels often are boring and fiction shallow but high fantasy blended with science fiction is sublime and lovely.
Read
March 9, 2020Book deals with two of the main characters that I love in the series. It’s a wonderful little story. I can’t wait to see what comes next. I love this family it’s so unique and different.
December 28, 2020
Lovely and uncomplicated/complicated at the same time, not one for readers new to the series though.
January 11, 2022
Third in the miniseries
This blossomed and covered things I had wondered about.
It was not only shout the kits but also about growing mindpowers.
This blossomed and covered things I had wondered about.
It was not only shout the kits but also about growing mindpowers.
August 16, 2022
Brilliant! More of this series please!
July 10, 2023
A Pilgrimage Processing Among Defining Points
I once read Samuel Johnson’s “The Three Princes of Serendib” which he wrote as an exercise to show that a book needed no plotting or planning, but that it could move forward on chance occurrences of a fortuitous nature. That was a somewhat boring book, partially because the three princes were boring characters. The lovable protagonists of this book advance on a series of visits to stations where they learn more about themselves and their future growth and delight each other and us with their new strengths and shared insights.
It is fun to travel with them in the trip to get Vasiht’h’s three new children, and many more actors and agents for the planet’s progression into sentient civilization.
I once read Samuel Johnson’s “The Three Princes of Serendib” which he wrote as an exercise to show that a book needed no plotting or planning, but that it could move forward on chance occurrences of a fortuitous nature. That was a somewhat boring book, partially because the three princes were boring characters. The lovable protagonists of this book advance on a series of visits to stations where they learn more about themselves and their future growth and delight each other and us with their new strengths and shared insights.
It is fun to travel with them in the trip to get Vasiht’h’s three new children, and many more actors and agents for the planet’s progression into sentient civilization.
April 20, 2025
Catching up on a series I read a while back. Actually, this skips over several novels, since they’re tangled with the other plot the author writes in this universe, and I don’t feel like reading it. It shall have to remain a mystery how Jahir and Vasiht'h got from being practicing xenopsychologists living on a space station to being noble rulers on the planet of space elves.
This is one of those fluffy, slow-paced novels where not much happens. I find them soothing in small doses, but your mileage may vary. Vasiht'h is summoned back to his home planet to pick up his newly temple-born children. Meanwhile, both Vasiht'h and Jahir struggle with their new responsibilities and powers– as well as Vasiht'h’s affectionate but meddlesome family.
It’s lovely to see a proper qpr in fiction, and especially interesting as we get to explore how Jahir navigates both his marriage and his partnership. However, this is a weirdly and persistently religious book, which I find offputting, even if it’s about an imaginary religion. A soothing read regardless. I don’t think there’s that much more plot for Hogarth to explore, but if she wrote it I’d read it.
This is one of those fluffy, slow-paced novels where not much happens. I find them soothing in small doses, but your mileage may vary. Vasiht'h is summoned back to his home planet to pick up his newly temple-born children. Meanwhile, both Vasiht'h and Jahir struggle with their new responsibilities and powers– as well as Vasiht'h’s affectionate but meddlesome family.
It’s lovely to see a proper qpr in fiction, and especially interesting as we get to explore how Jahir navigates both his marriage and his partnership. However, this is a weirdly and persistently religious book, which I find offputting, even if it’s about an imaginary religion. A soothing read regardless. I don’t think there’s that much more plot for Hogarth to explore, but if she wrote it I’d read it.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews