Customer Reviews

The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Wraeththu are the new supreme race. Makind's time is over and what takes there place is an improved version of humanity. Set in a fictional world that resonates with a warning of what may happen to mankind if we continue along our path; this book serves as entertainment as well as a warning.
Let's start with the weaknesses of this book because there are plenty of them. The first is the aimless narrative of the story. Much of the book follows two characters that wonder from place to place in an obtuse search for knowledge and the Wraeththu version of Zion. As a corollary to this problem there are whole pages that are dedicated to the philosophical ramblings of the narrator that do nothing to further the plot. But with all these shortcomings the author succeeds in creating a very good book.
What makes this book great is the characters. This new race that the author has defined is all we want to be. They are strong, smart, sensual, and near immortal. With an exacting elegance the author portrays this new race as the epitome of humanity, what mankind could have achieved but failed to do.
I feel that this book is a success despite some strange choices the author made. The choice I question most is the fact that this new race is populated solely by mankind's gay males. I feel this stretches the boundary of credibility and dilutes the ideal of the Wraththu, that of a pure sexuality that is not blinded by gender or orientation. Perhaps the author was trying for a political statement, but I feel it is unnecessary.

The first part of Storm Constantine's fantasy epic Wraeththu trilogy establishes how it all started.

Pellaz is very young, just thirteen years, living a typically isolated homestead existence for the difficult times man is now experiencing, when Cal, a handsome stranger, makes a call; Pell recognises something special in Cal, and is tempted by Cal's offer to take him away. So Pell makes contact with widely rumoured and feared Wraeththu. The Wraeththu prove to be not quite as bad as rumoured, at least not all, but a new race born from a mutation and which can incept new members. There is neither male nor female; perhaps they could be described hermaphrodite or androgynous, they are the perfect combination of male and female; the complete person. But to external appearances they are male, and they are remarkably good looking, even beautiful, some exceedingly so. They of course mate male with male, and can be either father of hostling (mother) or vice versa.

We follow Pell as he joins other Wraeththu, and is himself incepted, and as he rises through the different levels of Wraeththu; Pell is clearly someone special. But the course he must follow to attain his full potential is difficult and fraught with danger. Cal and Pell travel together, and are devoted to each other, but will their love be able to withstand all the problems ahead.

They encounter various other Wraeththu in different tribes, and we gradually gain a greater understanding of the complexity of this new race. Some of those we meet are dangerous, even sinister, others, such as Cobweb, are delightful.

It all makes for an exciting, moving and magical tale. The characterisation is very good, and Constantine Storm has clearly put a great deal of thought into the creation of the Wraeththu, considering all aspects of their physical, mental, and magical make up, along with a complex caste system. First class.

The first part of Storm Constantine's fantasy epic Wraeththu trilogy establishes how it all started.

Pellaz is very young, just thirteen years, living a typically isolated homestead existence for the difficult times man is now experiencing, when Cal, a handsome stranger, makes a call; Pell recognises something special in Cal, and is tempted by Cal's offer to take him away. So Pell makes contact with widely rumoured and feared Wraeththu. The Wraeththu prove to be not quite as bad as rumoured, at least not all, but a new race born from a mutation and which can incept new members. There is neither male nor female; perhaps they could be described hermaphrodite or androgynous, they are the perfect combination of male and female; the complete person. But to external appearances they are male, and they are remarkably good looking, even beautiful, some exceedingly so. They of course mate male with male, and can be either father of hostling (mother) or vice versa.

We follow Pell as he joins other Wraeththu, and is himself incepted, and as he rises through the different levels of Wraeththu; Pell is clearly someone special. But the course he must follow to attain his full potential is difficult and fraught with danger. Cal and Pell travel together, and are devoted to each other, but will their love be able to withstand all the problems ahead.

They encounter various other Wraeththu in different tribes, and we gradually gain a greater understanding of the complexity of this new race. Some of those we meet are dangerous, even sinister, others, such as Cobweb, are delightful.

It all makes for an exciting, moving and magical tale. The characterisation is very good, and Constantine Storm has clearly put a great deal of thought into the creation of the Wraeththu, considering all aspects of their physical, mental, and magical make up, along with a complex caste system. First class.

Storm Constantine, The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit (Tor, 1987)

It took me a very, very long time to get through this first novel in Storm Constantine's celebrated Wraeththu trilogy, mostly because the first hundred pages (in the omnibus edition I'm reading from, the book encompasses 213pp.) are dreadfully slow, giving not a hint of the action prophesied in the jacket copy. This book introduces us to Pellaz, whom (I'm assuming) is the major player in the rest of the trilogy, and guides us through his conversion from human to wraeththu (a species of superhuman which, we are told, came into being through spontaneous genetic mutation). And, yes, that's pretty much it. The second half offers us a bit of conflict now and again, between humans and wraeththu, or between warring wraeththu tribes, but ti seem that for the real action, we have to wait for book two.

That said, the glacial pace of this book gives us a great deal of time to know Pellaz and those around him. These characters are exquisitely drawn, fully-fleshed, and we get to know a great deal of detail about them. I'll withhold final judgment about the book until I see what Constantine does with these characters in the next two books, but as a standalone title, I have to say I wasn't as impressed as I expected to be, given the number of people I know who speak about this trilogy in hushed, reverent tones. ** ½