Wraeththu [Paperback]

Storm Constantine (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: A Tom Doherty Associates Book (1991)
• ASIN: B001KWP8OU
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (84 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What speculative fiction can truly be, May 9, 2000

By 

J. Angus Macdonald "bibliovore" (Concord, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wraeththu (Paperback)

Years ago I read "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula LeGuin, one of the finest authors in the English language. I enjoyed the book very much, but the hemaphroditic race always struck me as so utterly masculine as to be unbelievable. Storm Constantine takes this theme (amongst others) and blows it sky-high delivering a tale of magic, power, Utopian and Dystopian visions of the future, and the fate of humankind.

This is a tale about a reality that has not happened yet. Humans and Wraeththu both react to a new world, sometimes well, sometimes poorly, sometimes with poetic vision, often from a position of self-interest. Cal, Pel, Cobweb, all the others are real, though eerie; they are utterly compelling, attractive to male and female alike. The sexual aspects of the book sometimes threaten to break loose wildly, only to be brought back under check as Storm shows there is more to life other than sex, even when one is defined by one's gender or sexual preferences.

The world has changed. Individuals attempt to adapt to this world, but many bring their troubles, pettiness, and fear along with them. The paradigm is gone; long live the new paradigm! But what will this be?

Above all, this is a work of linguistic beauty. Unlike so many authors, Storm Constantine really CAN write her way out of a paper bag. She has a way with words that may only be compared to the Romantics of the early 19th century and the Magical Realists of the 20th. Her words are evocative and resonate beyond their simple meanings. Sentences have texture, aroma, and age to them; these are words that move beyond dictionaries. To read her works is a delight, a voluptuous wrapping of cadence and suggestion. If you have no other reason why you would read this book, read it to learn how language may be crafted.

53 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating look at a possible future..., May 6, 2004

By 

Dawn Smoker (Mechanicsburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wraeththu (Paperback)

I highly recommend this book! Storm Constantine creates a fully believable world, filled with exotic cultures and even more exotic characters that you will come to love.

Wraeththu is told from first person perspective, which I enjoy, and is broken into three books. Each is told from the perspective of a very different character. First is Pellaz the innocent young man, who introduces us to Wraeththu culture even as he is introduced to it, himself. Next is Swift, a first generation Wraetthu with whom we see the upheaval and maturing of the Wraetthu culture, and learn further secrets of this strange new race. Finally it wraps up with Calanthe, the chaotic har who is the catalyst for most of the action in all three books. He brings the story to a very satisfying close.

A warning though, if you dislike sex in your books, there is a strong sexual element that is integral to the story. It is not graphic nor gratuitous, in my opinion, but it is definitely there and it is non-traditional. You will need an open mind to fully enjoy these books.

All I can say is that if you are looking for something different and good you will find it here!

39 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional, March 27, 2001

By 

Marion_A - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wraeththu (Paperback)

First of all, Wraeththu is no book common. In no regard. By any measure you put on it, it would still be outstanding. In theme, in language, in story and style. Storm Constantine has a way with words, despite a certain lack of action (although there is that, too) it never gets boring.

It also may not be to everybodys taste. Due to its sensual and sexual contents some people may find it hard to read. However, if those things don't bother you, or if you enjoy them, that is your book. I, for one, quite love it.

About the story, well, it is science fiction so far that it is set in future earth, however, it remains unknown in what future. It could be a different planet or entirely fantasy for all its references. Fact is, humankind is crumbling rather rapidly, and a mutation, the race of the Wraeththu, is taking its place. Wraeththu are stronger than men, more beautiful and posses a set of mental powers. They also solved the age-old problem of men and women in evolving into one gender, containing both. Storm has done a fine job with that idea. Since young men can be turned into Wraeththu, it seems obvious that they have a little of a identity problem, since bearing a child is not something they are used to! But it is not overdone, not boring. Despite first person, none ever gets whining about. Storms people are very strong, develloped to finest detail in such a way that the reader just can't resist them.

Those are three books. In the course of those three books, the rising of Wraeththu and the downfall of humankind, is followed as some kind of backdrop to the story. We see it develop from a small movement of some freaks into something that finally spans the whole of the world, leaving the barbarism of their early days slowly behind.

By the end of the second book we kind of figured that the real main character of that whole things is actually not Pellaz (first person in the first book) or Swift (second book), but a Wraeththu named Cal. He drops in and out of the first two books as he pleases and isn't in the front of the story much, but he is there, throwing a longer shadow than the rest. It is hard to know when it happens, but from a certain point, the reader finds himself in love with Cal, where he is in rather good company, everybody loves Cal, despite his lack of loveable attributes.

Anyway, thrid book, is first person Cal. It was delightful. Storm has adopted his way of speech for the book and keeps it up throughout most of it. Cal speaks cynical, passing judgement over human and wraeththu (and everybody els for that matter) alike with cool indifference. It should be impossible to write that character in first-person. Luckily, no-one told that to Storm and she just did it. Wonderful!

Gods, have I really written all that?

Finally, if you want an excepional read, wonderful written and not-so-common. Here is the book for you!