- Paperback: 800 pages
- Publisher: St Martin's Press; 1st Orb Ed edition (1 Nov 1993)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0312890001
- ISBN-13: 978-0312890001
- Product Dimensions: 20.9 x 14.1 x 5.3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 57,354 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Review
"The mood and language are elaborately woven, the style verging occasionally on the Victorian Gothic, with a decadence just short of the frenzied works of Poe. Storm Constantine is a tremendously impressive novelist." --"Locus"
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a well-written fantasy tale with many trappings of SF -- a post-apocalyptic world, etc. -- and a depth of feeling so often lacking in the genre. Storm's prose style is so unique that it alone can make these books enthralling.
A reminder: the subject material of these books can cause some consternation for those with provincial outlooks on transgenderal relationships and hermaphrodism -- but it can also forge quite an affinity for these books for those who, through lifestyle or open-mindedness, don't mind a bit of fun with gender and sexual crossovers.
As the series unfolds, you'll discover these books are an exploration of human feelings using Wraeththu as a sort of foil: supposedly, hara (plural of "har") are above petty human emotions like love and hate that, they say, helped bring about Man's downfall. In reality, Wraeththu are no more immune from emotions than we ourselves, and the (forbidden?) love that develops between Cal and Pellaz becomes a driving force throughout the series. Of course, complications arise: Other characters fall in love with Pell and Cal and they develop (mostly fleeting) outside interests in turn....but at heart, this is a tale about love that knows no bounds, not even death.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This work of Storm Constantine is pure genius. Not only do you lose hope for the future of Humanity, you get a glimpse of its own self-wrought demise. This futurestic end to humans leads to the dawning of a new race. They are Wraeththu, beings of dual sexuality and adepts at mystical forces through sexual/blood magic.
The first book in Wraeththu starts off with th life of a young farm boy, Pelaz. He becomes entangled in the destiny of all wraeththu through the connivings of a powerful being. His ultimate destiny is not garnered until the last book, yet his travels with Cal prove entreating.
The following book in Wraeththu comes form the viewpoint of Swift. Swift is a young wraeththu introduced in the first book to Pelaz. His destiny has also been guided by powers "above". His destiny is one of a wraeththu pure born into this world not even knowing what humans are. Swift learns that the world has not changed so much from human to wraeththu control. He becomes a leader in the end after traveling with Cal.
The final book in Wraeththu tells the story of Cal the Wanderer. Calanthe, insted of Cal in the previous books, eloquentely and grusomely recites the tale of his existance through a diary. Cal's story makes the epics of Pelaz and Swift look like a walk in the park.
The whole genre ofScience-Fiction and Fantasy takes on a whole new meaning in Wraeththu. You'll not only take a glimpse at a possible future, but also delve into the natures of magic, sexuality, and humanity. A wonderful book that will promote Storm Constantine as the J. R. R. Tolkien and Mary Shelley of today!
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
In an alternate reality, something has happened to humanity. Nuclear war,pollution, degradation...and amid the waste a new mysterious terrific mutation:the Wraeththu. Pell has heard terrible things about them, but he doubts they'll come to his farm to take him away.
Then, the unknown arrives, a traveler:"I am Cal", he says.
So begins one of the most original, intriguing and fascinating fantasy series of all-times. Humanity evolves in the Wraeththu race, hermaphroditic beings of intriguing beauty, some cruel and savage, some enlightened and righteous. Storm Constantine unravel magnificently the history and the personalities of the main charachters (Pell the innocent whose inception has been pre-ordained by higher powers, Cal the har whit a past,fascinating trickster whit which everyone falls in love, Cobweb the strange intriguing sorcerous beauty married to the tyrant Terzian,Swift their ambiguous son) while describing the evolution of Wraeththu society from caos to civilization. Uncannily magic, the story revolves essentially around the love of Calanthe and Pell, separated dramatically to fulfill the plans of the shamanic Thiede.Cal shall return to Pell, after an initiatic voyage that will bring him in contact whit many Wraeththu tribes whose bizarre and diverse costumes and cities Storm describes whit the skill of a Jack Vance.Fantastic that his story is, there is in some moments an uncannily resemblance to recent
Then, the unknown arrives, a traveler:"I am Cal", he says.
So begins one of the most original, intriguing and fascinating fantasy series of all-times. Humanity evolves in the Wraeththu race, hermaphroditic beings of intriguing beauty, some cruel and savage, some enlightened and righteous. Storm Constantine unravel magnificently the history and the personalities of the main charachters (Pell the innocent whose inception has been pre-ordained by higher powers, Cal the har whit a past,fascinating trickster whit which everyone falls in love, Cobweb the strange intriguing sorcerous beauty married to the tyrant Terzian,Swift their ambiguous son) while describing the evolution of Wraeththu society from caos to civilization. Uncannily magic, the story revolves essentially around the love of Calanthe and Pell, separated dramatically to fulfill the plans of the shamanic Thiede.Cal shall return to Pell, after an initiatic voyage that will bring him in contact whit many Wraeththu tribes whose bizarre and diverse costumes and cities Storm describes whit the skill of a Jack Vance.Fantastic that his story is, there is in some moments an uncannily resemblance to recent
history. The Hegemony of Immanion debating whether the righteous Gelaming should attack the cruel Varrs will ring some bell...
In conclusion, this is one of the best literary achievement of the fantastic genre. It is at the same level of Asimov's Foundation (and the skirmish between Pellaz and Ashmael and the political debates have some Asimovian flavor), Tolkien's Lord of The Ring (the evil Ponclast's city Fulminir recalls vaguely Mordor, The Gelaming recall the High Elves) and Clive Barker's Imajica (where there is an androgyne tribe, the Eurhetemec, and their mystif Pie oh-Pah seems a Nahir-Nuri Wraeththu)
Read it, it's worth it!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Back to the 80-ties
Brilliant stories, still very readable three decades after they've been written. Enjoyed the characters and decors, romantic and dramatic, well done. Read more
Published 18 months ago by AudreyNetherlands
You'll understand when you're older
A collection of three books, Storm Constantine's Wraeththu omnibus is a heady mixture. It's a post-apocalyptic tale of mankind and its descendants in a world seriously altered... Read more
Published 22 months ago by S. Bentley
Engaging and imaginative
This is a highly imaginative, well written, colourful, fantasy novel. The characters are engrossing and you find yourself journeying with them through the story. Read more
Published on 9 Dec 2009 by K.L. Knight
Storm in a teacup
Having read 'Stylish Apocalypse' by Val Gough (in 'Imagining Apocalypse': D. Seed (ed)), I read the Wraeththu Trilogy with much anticipation. Read more
Published on 17 Aug 2006 by Lee A. Fox
A wonderful fantasy novel
Stylish and enthralling...this novel satisfies on all counts.
The prose is stunning and the plot well woven.
Highly recomended!
The prose is stunning and the plot well woven.
Highly recomended!
Published on 15 July 2006 by Ghost
A stunning, incredible masterpiece!
This is an incredible series, Constantine's prose is always stunning and enthralling and as for the plot and premise, it's just breathtaking. Read more
Published on 11 May 2001
TOTALY BRILLIANT!
I READ THESE BOOKS IN THE LATE EIGHTIES, THEY ARE STILL AS GOOD NOW AS THEY WERE THEN. STORM CONSTANTINE CLEVERLY HIDES HER GENDER,AS I WAS NOT SURE IF THE BOOK WAS WRITEN BY A... Read more
Published on 7 July 2000
Beautiful, sensual, exotic
I'm just coming to the end of this trilogy and have slowed my reading as I don't want to finish it, I'm enjoying it so much! Read more
Published on 27 Jan 2000 by njr@olswang.co.uk
Recommended, a great read!
I first read these books years ago as seperate volumes and then spent years trying to find somewhere that sold them. Thanks to Amazon I have the trilogy! Read more
Published on 19 Jan 2000
The best trilogy ever written!!!!
I first read these books about 10 years ago, and have read them again and again since then!! If you like Storm Constantine's writing, then I suggest you also read 'Burying the... Read more
Published on 19 Oct 1999
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