Space Opera Fans discussion

The December 2025 Reader Pick is Mindtouch by M.C.A. Hogarth. Please use this thread to post questions, comments, and reviews, at any time.

Official description:

Seersana University is worlds-renowned for its xenopsychology program, producing the Alliance's finest therapists, psychiatric nurses and alien researchers. When Jahir, one of the rare and reclusive Eldritch espers, arrives on campus, he's unprepared for the challenges of a vast and multicultural society... but fortunately, second-year student Vasiht'h is willing to take him under his wing. Will the two win past their troubles and doubts and see the potential for a once-in-a-lifetime partnership?

Book 1 of the Dreamhealers Duology.

I have enjoyed rereading this book several times, and remember enough about it to join the discussion even before I reread it, which I plan to do in December. The official description calls this part of a duology, and yes the first two books are a tight story arc, but it’s grown into a series with the books set on the space station being mostly case studies of dream healing various patients, and the books set on the Eldritch home world being mostly darker with more action.

In this first book, we see Jahir struggling with heavier gravity than his home planet and being bombarded at times mentally due to accidental touches. There is also joy in learning about the multicultural aspects of the university, and making friends. The second book of the duology is darker, with Jahir working in a hospital setting (and patients don’t always survive).

A bit irrationally, the illustration on the cover of this one would normally have turned me off totally. But as its our chosen book, and I enjoyed her novel Earthrise, I'll be giving this one a try in December - but I'm planning to do that in audio book format.

Teresa and Caitlin are coming back to it as re-reads; is anyone else like me and reading it for the first time?

I read it last year and enjoyed it!

I’m starting my reread now.

I've now bought the audio book, but haven't started it yet.

I am trying to avoid spoilers. I love the story Vasiht’h told of how the Glaseah got their black and white coats.

In general, this book is mostly a gentle read, with bits of world building scattered through, and lots of dealing with a new culture and much different level of technology. From memory there are painful scenes but no fighting.

Chapter 15 is where Jahir gives himself “a headache attempting to contemplate the logistics of a multi-world holiday system”. Apparently on Seersana a lot of those from other planets celebrate their particular end-of-winter holidays during Seersana’s end-of-winter instead of matching their home world. And New Year is celebrated from the standard calendar which doesn’t match any other planet.

I’m not finding much to discuss that wouldn’t be spoilers. In general, I really care about the characters and their struggles, and not just the two main characters. The friendship growing between Jahir and Vasiht’h adds another complete dimension to the story.

I looked up my reading history and this is my fourth time reading this book.

That's an impressive re-reading statistic Teresa; what book holds your record for the number of times read?

That kind is stat is hard to determine. One of the contenders is Mirabile by Janet Kagan which I’ve read 7 times as ebook, and I don’t know how many times as paperback. I’d read it every year or two, and my first time was back in the late 1990s I think.

One thing that annoys me in this book: the author consistently uses “raveled” to mean the mindline formed, as in the opposite of unraveled. Dictionary definition says it means untangled or frayed, so same as unraveled. Yes it’s a weird word.

And finished. I highly recommend this book.

I’m going to hold off on rereading Mindline until the January group reads are chosen.

Teresa wrote: "And finished. I highly recommend this book.

I’m going to hold off on rereading Mindline until the January group reads are chosen."

Sounds good Teresa - and hopefully I'll get through the audio book by then.

I just finished my reread last night and this book was as good as I remembered. What’s impressive to me is the mileage Hogarth gets out of a cozy book where there are none of the usual big, sci-fi stakes: the world of Seersana and the Alliance isn’t going to end or be changed forever if Jahir and Vasith’t don’t attain their goals; but their friendship and personal paths through life will be changed, and the author made me care every bit as much about that.

I will definitely be rereading Mindline to follow this up, regardless of whether it’s chosen for January.

I also found myself craving kerinne —the rich cream and cinnamon drink in the story—as I read, and lo and behold my Kindle copy has a recipe for kerinne in the back matter!

I’m going to whip it up one of these cold winter evenings. Has anyone made this, and how did you find it?