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Her Instruments #2
Rose Point
Reese is only just getting used to running the Earthrise in the black-and with an Eldritch in her crew-when a trip to a colony world gives rise to a whole new problem: Hirianthial is showing powers that even the Eldritch rarely have, and that only in legend. He badly needs training, support and advice, and the only place he can find them is... at home. To see the world of the Eldritch is a once in a lifetime opportunity, a thing of fantasies and rumor. And to finally meet the Eldritch Queen, the author of so many of Reese's windfalls! You'd have to twist her arm to get her to admit it, but Reese can't wait to go. But a court out of fantasy and a breathtaking land aren't enough compensation when they come packaged with a rabidly hostile species whose world is falling apart. The last thing they want any part of is some mortal interloper. Is Reese ready for the Eldritch world? Better to ask: are they ready for her?
420 pages, Paperback
First published October 7, 2013
78 people are currently reading
262 people want to read
About the author
M.C.A. Hogarth
145 books386 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 - 30 of 76 reviews
August 16, 2020
● Bloody Shrimping Hell this Series is So Bloody Shrimping Awesome We Just Cannot Stop Reading Buddy Read (BSHtSiSBSAWJCSRBR™) with my Dearest of Wives and our Favorite Stalker, over at the MacHalo Mansion ●
Okay, so I wasn't even going to write a crappy non review for this slightly glorious book, because as soon as I turned the last page, I was hit by the pernicious Gimme the Next Instalment NOW or Else I Will Start Severing Fluffy Bunnies Heads to Use Them as Living Room Ornaments Virus (GtNINoEIWSSFBHtUTsLROV™). I was feeling kinda like this:
Which is pretty close to my usual mental state, but still. I wasn't quite fit to write one of my fascinatingly fascinating non reviews when I put the book down, so I didn't. And now I'm still not fit to write it, but will anyway. Because I'm adventurous like that. You won't get more than a Crappy Non Check List, though. Because I'm almost done reading book 3 in this series right now , and ever so slightly excited about it , and not feeling quite right in the head and experiencing weird feelings of cuteness and sweetness and swooning over first kisses and oh bloody shrimping hell what the fish is wrong with me HALP my Comely Branchiopoda! HALP! ← that last sentence here? I never wrote it. You have to stop drinking, my Lovely Arthropods. You keep imagining things when you're inebriated. It's not good for your mental health, you know.
Okay, I'm not sure what the point of the previous paragraph was supposed to be, but you're probably just as clueless to its purpose as I am, so all is good. Now let's do the Crappy Non Check List Thing (CNCLT™), shall we?
Sooooo, to get an idea of what Rose point is like, take the slightly glorious world-building, wondrous characterization, scrumptious diversity and Generally Luscious Everything (GLE™) from the previous instalment in this series and add:
✔ Positively marvelous character growth. Damn it all to shrimpy hell, this series really is going to be the death of nefarious little me. I mean, I loved Reese when she was slightly standoffish and ahuge pain in the ass and it turns out I'm lurving her even more now that she's becoming friendlier and sometimes good-humored *shudders* and seems to be growing an amicable, potentially cordial heart *shuddering intensifies* I am slightly dismayed by this appalling display of humanity on my part. And a little outraged, too. And quite put out.
✔ Antiquated space elves customs and politics, complete with ancient feudal system, rejection of all technology and xenophobia. Such a delightful world to live in.
✔ Hahaha dialogues. Okay so those were featured in book 1 as well, but you know my motto:slaughtering rehashing never hurts.
✔ Hair dangles (don't ask. Just know that they always save the day.)
✔ Genetically engineered stuff.
✔ Asshole horses. Because yes, all horses are assholes (just ask Shanti.) Besides, their fur clog ducts. And they can't help with ship maintenance. So QED and stuff.
✔ Polyamorous cat twins with liberal sexual practices. Da bomb they are. Definitely doing the Poof! Gone Harem! (PGH™) on the whole Harat-Shar species.
✔ Rapist bastards and treacherous assholes you want to skewer and chop and slice and cut and torture and lynch and behead and feed to the crustaceans. And then hold a party to celebrate how deliciously slow, horrible, painful, agonizing and excruciating their horrendously unpleasant deaths were.
✔ A Flitzbe with a sense of humor. What? Don't know what a Flitzbe is? That's so sad, my Little Barnacles. Your life really has no meaning.
✔ Hair cutting à la Samson. Didn't quite work out the way it was supposed to, did it now, you vile @§%&$@ ?! HA.
✔ Humans as one of the lowliest species in the universe. Quite deliciously refreshing that is.
✔ Telepathic mass murder, YAY!
So you add all of this slightly awesome stuff together, and you get your little self a slightly glorious little book. And you know what makes it even more gloriouser, my Lovely Arthropods? ☢ rehashing alert ☢ The underlying themes in the story: overcoming prejudice, learning tolerance, accepting cultural, racial and social differences…They kinda sorta resonate with what's happening in some parts of our lovely world today, do they not, my Pulchritudinous Barnacled Bunch?
Oh, and before I forget: this book is bloody shrimping enjoyable. This book is bloody shrimping entertaining. And this book is bloody shrimping fun. Ergo, I thank thee kindly, M.C.A. Hogarth.
» And the moral of this Why Can't this World Be Real I Want to Move There and Build a Harat-Shar Harem Crappy Non Review (WCtWBRIWtMTaBaHSHCNR™) is: multifariousness is the mostest coolest thing there is. You are most welcome.
» And the other moral of this WCtWBRIWtMTaBaHSHCNR™ is: I shall slightly unfriend those of you Tiny Decapods who haven't yet started reading this series in 3, 2, 1…But hey, no pressure.
· Book 1: Earthrise ★★★★
· Book 3: Laisrathera ★★★★★
· Book 4: A Rose Point Holiday ★★★★
Okay, so I wasn't even going to write a crappy non review for this slightly glorious book, because as soon as I turned the last page, I was hit by the pernicious Gimme the Next Instalment NOW or Else I Will Start Severing Fluffy Bunnies Heads to Use Them as Living Room Ornaments Virus (GtNINoEIWSSFBHtUTsLROV™). I was feeling kinda like this:
Which is pretty close to my usual mental state, but still. I wasn't quite fit to write one of my fascinatingly fascinating non reviews when I put the book down, so I didn't. And now I'm still not fit to write it, but will anyway. Because I'm adventurous like that. You won't get more than a Crappy Non Check List, though. Because I'm almost done reading book 3 in this series right now , and ever so slightly excited about it , and not feeling quite right in the head and experiencing weird feelings of cuteness and sweetness and swooning over first kisses and oh bloody shrimping hell what the fish is wrong with me HALP my Comely Branchiopoda! HALP! ← that last sentence here? I never wrote it. You have to stop drinking, my Lovely Arthropods. You keep imagining things when you're inebriated. It's not good for your mental health, you know.
Okay, I'm not sure what the point of the previous paragraph was supposed to be, but you're probably just as clueless to its purpose as I am, so all is good. Now let's do the Crappy Non Check List Thing (CNCLT™), shall we?
Sooooo, to get an idea of what Rose point is like, take the slightly glorious world-building, wondrous characterization, scrumptious diversity and Generally Luscious Everything (GLE™) from the previous instalment in this series and add:
✔ Positively marvelous character growth. Damn it all to shrimpy hell, this series really is going to be the death of nefarious little me. I mean, I loved Reese when she was slightly standoffish and a
✔ Antiquated space elves customs and politics, complete with ancient feudal system, rejection of all technology and xenophobia. Such a delightful world to live in.
✔ Hahaha dialogues. Okay so those were featured in book 1 as well, but you know my motto:
✔ Hair dangles (don't ask. Just know that they always save the day.)
✔ Genetically engineered stuff.
✔ Asshole horses. Because yes, all horses are assholes (just ask Shanti.) Besides, their fur clog ducts. And they can't help with ship maintenance. So QED and stuff.
✔ Polyamorous cat twins with liberal sexual practices. Da bomb they are. Definitely doing the Poof! Gone Harem! (PGH™) on the whole Harat-Shar species.
✔ Rapist bastards and treacherous assholes you want to skewer and chop and slice and cut and torture and lynch and behead and feed to the crustaceans. And then hold a party to celebrate how deliciously slow, horrible, painful, agonizing and excruciating their horrendously unpleasant deaths were.
✔ A Flitzbe with a sense of humor. What? Don't know what a Flitzbe is? That's so sad, my Little Barnacles. Your life really has no meaning.
✔ Hair cutting à la Samson. Didn't quite work out the way it was supposed to, did it now, you vile @§%&$@ ?! HA.
✔ Humans as one of the lowliest species in the universe. Quite deliciously refreshing that is.
✔ Telepathic mass murder, YAY!
So you add all of this slightly awesome stuff together, and you get your little self a slightly glorious little book. And you know what makes it even more gloriouser, my Lovely Arthropods? ☢ rehashing alert ☢ The underlying themes in the story: overcoming prejudice, learning tolerance, accepting cultural, racial and social differences…They kinda sorta resonate with what's happening in some parts of our lovely world today, do they not, my Pulchritudinous Barnacled Bunch?
Oh, and before I forget: this book is bloody shrimping enjoyable. This book is bloody shrimping entertaining. And this book is bloody shrimping fun. Ergo, I thank thee kindly, M.C.A. Hogarth.
» And the moral of this Why Can't this World Be Real I Want to Move There and Build a Harat-Shar Harem Crappy Non Review (WCtWBRIWtMTaBaHSHCNR™) is: multifariousness is the mostest coolest thing there is. You are most welcome.
» And the other moral of this WCtWBRIWtMTaBaHSHCNR™ is: I shall slightly unfriend those of you Tiny Decapods who haven't yet started reading this series in 3, 2, 1…But hey, no pressure.
· Book 1: Earthrise ★★★★
· Book 3: Laisrathera ★★★★★
· Book 4: A Rose Point Holiday ★★★★
April 2, 2017
*** 4 ***
A buddy read with the wonderful MacHalo Freaks! We love Elves in space:-)
This was different. I am not even sure what category I should shelve it under, so I went with Sci-fi Fantasy, since it is a space Opera with genetically engineered creatures, most of them derivative of Humans and Animals, and few from Humans and Fae folks from the fairytales. One of those legendary races are the elusive and mysterious Eldridge. They are so rare and their mythology so vague, that they have become a primary target for the Dragon Slavers who want to find, enslave and subjugate their world. And they have targeted a specific Eldridge, the one who travels with the human Captain Reese and her crew of cat people, a Phenix and a centaur-like feline scientist. Let's not forget the pet sized plant like entity who switches color depending on mood and can act as a calming influence on everyone around... I want a Flitzby so bad!!!!
So, after visiting a horse-raising Humans on a Faraway planet, a bad experience brings on some unexpected and unwanted telepathic abilities for the Eldridge and the whole crew heads up for the hidden Eldridge Planet. Little do they know about the political machinations and powerplay going on in court and how they will be used as a spark to start a planetary revolution in which the planet and our crew will have to make alliances and embark on a flight for their lives...
This series is very imaginative and the creatures absolutely stunning! This being the second book, it reads much better and more cohesively, the story building in layers and ending on a cliffhanger which is forcing me to start the next book right away!!! Speaking of, what am I doing still writing??? I have volume 3 to read!!!
Now I wish you all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come!!!
A buddy read with the wonderful MacHalo Freaks! We love Elves in space:-)
This was different. I am not even sure what category I should shelve it under, so I went with Sci-fi Fantasy, since it is a space Opera with genetically engineered creatures, most of them derivative of Humans and Animals, and few from Humans and Fae folks from the fairytales. One of those legendary races are the elusive and mysterious Eldridge. They are so rare and their mythology so vague, that they have become a primary target for the Dragon Slavers who want to find, enslave and subjugate their world. And they have targeted a specific Eldridge, the one who travels with the human Captain Reese and her crew of cat people, a Phenix and a centaur-like feline scientist. Let's not forget the pet sized plant like entity who switches color depending on mood and can act as a calming influence on everyone around... I want a Flitzby so bad!!!!
So, after visiting a horse-raising Humans on a Faraway planet, a bad experience brings on some unexpected and unwanted telepathic abilities for the Eldridge and the whole crew heads up for the hidden Eldridge Planet. Little do they know about the political machinations and powerplay going on in court and how they will be used as a spark to start a planetary revolution in which the planet and our crew will have to make alliances and embark on a flight for their lives...
This series is very imaginative and the creatures absolutely stunning! This being the second book, it reads much better and more cohesively, the story building in layers and ending on a cliffhanger which is forcing me to start the next book right away!!! Speaking of, what am I doing still writing??? I have volume 3 to read!!!
Now I wish you all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come!!!
April 23, 2015
Still doing happy dances!
Okay, now I can craft a fairly coherent review.
Intrepid if sometimes unlucky space captain Reese Eddings is now operating her ship, The Earthrise, in the free and clear thanks to the generosity of the mysterious Eldritch queen. But adventure and danger are never far behind. Moreover, her personal Eldritch Hirianthial (I so heart him) is starting to exhibit psi powers that were once thought of as legend, and he's not ready for them.
What's a freebooting trader crew comprised of two tigraines, a killer phoenix, a centaur-like sapien who likes baking apple pies and a empathetic furball to do? Head to the mysterious Eldritch homeworld of course? Are the tradition-bound Eldritch ready for Reese and her "mortal" crew?
There's something intriguing about the heroine having to rescue the hero, and I like it. Hirianthial is far from weak, though he definitely gets wounded a lot. It's just there are so many layers to his strength and he realizes over his people's very long lifespan that his powers must be tempered and honed carefully. Not to mention the amount of guilt and strong sense of duty he carries. Yet, being around Reese and her wonderfully motley crew is beginning to change him.
And the romantic tension between Reese and Hirianthial is definitely palpable, but like a slow burn. These two unlikely people have a lot of personal growth to do and scars to heal, but their relationship feels organic. It's not the raison d'etre.
Again, love the covers. Love all the diversity and love how the characters and story are just as important as the space-operatics. Off to read Laisrathera.
Okay, now I can craft a fairly coherent review.
Intrepid if sometimes unlucky space captain Reese Eddings is now operating her ship, The Earthrise, in the free and clear thanks to the generosity of the mysterious Eldritch queen. But adventure and danger are never far behind. Moreover, her personal Eldritch Hirianthial (I so heart him) is starting to exhibit psi powers that were once thought of as legend, and he's not ready for them.
What's a freebooting trader crew comprised of two tigraines, a killer phoenix, a centaur-like sapien who likes baking apple pies and a empathetic furball to do? Head to the mysterious Eldritch homeworld of course? Are the tradition-bound Eldritch ready for Reese and her "mortal" crew?
There's something intriguing about the heroine having to rescue the hero, and I like it. Hirianthial is far from weak, though he definitely gets wounded a lot. It's just there are so many layers to his strength and he realizes over his people's very long lifespan that his powers must be tempered and honed carefully. Not to mention the amount of guilt and strong sense of duty he carries. Yet, being around Reese and her wonderfully motley crew is beginning to change him.
And the romantic tension between Reese and Hirianthial is definitely palpable, but like a slow burn. These two unlikely people have a lot of personal growth to do and scars to heal, but their relationship feels organic. It's not the raison d'etre.
Again, love the covers. Love all the diversity and love how the characters and story are just as important as the space-operatics. Off to read Laisrathera.
April 15, 2017
In the second instalment of Her Instruments we move from a science fiction to more of a fantasy setting. After Hirianthial gets himself he develops some abilities that spook him into returning to his homeworld. Even though Reese pretends to dislike him and tries to chase him from her ship when it really counts she makes everything in her power to help him and remains at his side. In her case actions really speak louder than words and are the reason why she has such loyal friends despite her prickly personality. We end up on the Eldrich homeworld which is stuck in the middle ages and it seems it's by choice. No wonder Hirianthial ran away!
Soon enough Reese and her crew are neck deep in political maneuvering while Hirianthial has to not only deal with his newfound abilities but also face his past and all the pain associated with his homeworld. I really liked the Eldrich Queen and her determination to lead her people to a better future.
I really liked this book and would recommend it to all my friends!
Soon enough Reese and her crew are neck deep in political maneuvering while Hirianthial has to not only deal with his newfound abilities but also face his past and all the pain associated with his homeworld. I really liked the Eldrich Queen and her determination to lead her people to a better future.
I really liked this book and would recommend it to all my friends!
April 13, 2017
Great follow-up to book one! Review to come at some point in time :)
June 7, 2015
Could be a bit spoilery, beware.
Kickass heroine falls in love with one of Tolkien's elves, rescues and follows him home, when he needs some help after horrible things happen to him during a kidnapping (tentative non-con warning in a very non-graphic way).
No, not really. But in stretches it felt a bit like that. Although my elf looks a bit more Benedict Cumberbatch than Orlando Bloom.
Actually, despite this being Sci-Fi, it does have more of a classic fantasy feel to it than anything else, being mostly set "dirtside" on a planet with a feudal society and low technology level.
You definitely should read Earthrise first, before delving into this. It will make the team dynamics of our intrepid crew more plausible and enjoyable. They don't get as much time on the page as in the first book. Here the story mostly revolves around Hirianthial, life and politics on the Eldritch planet and then around Reese. The UST between those two amps up some more and I really hope it will get resolved in the third book of this trilogy, otherwise I will pull my hair out. The really, really bad guys finally show their face in this installment as well and I am biting my nails to find out what happens next.
Great adventure yarn, great characters, good plot. It has been a while since an author sucked me into her world this hard and fast. Great stuff, M.C.A. Hogarth, keep going!
Kickass heroine falls in love with one of Tolkien's elves, rescues and follows him home, when he needs some help after horrible things happen to him during a kidnapping (tentative non-con warning in a very non-graphic way).
No, not really. But in stretches it felt a bit like that. Although my elf looks a bit more Benedict Cumberbatch than Orlando Bloom.
Actually, despite this being Sci-Fi, it does have more of a classic fantasy feel to it than anything else, being mostly set "dirtside" on a planet with a feudal society and low technology level.
You definitely should read Earthrise first, before delving into this. It will make the team dynamics of our intrepid crew more plausible and enjoyable. They don't get as much time on the page as in the first book. Here the story mostly revolves around Hirianthial, life and politics on the Eldritch planet and then around Reese. The UST between those two amps up some more and I really hope it will get resolved in the third book of this trilogy, otherwise I will pull my hair out. The really, really bad guys finally show their face in this installment as well and I am biting my nails to find out what happens next.
Great adventure yarn, great characters, good plot. It has been a while since an author sucked me into her world this hard and fast. Great stuff, M.C.A. Hogarth, keep going!
December 31, 2023
This second volume in the Her Instruments series takes a turn I didn't predict, and I liked it--the change from a strictly ship-based adventure to what's effectively an alien encounter story. Reese is still a little too prickly for comfort, though--it's hard to explain.
Anyway, the Eldritch are interesting, and I can't remember if it was this book or the third that got me thinking about space elves and how the Eldritch have those snobbish attitudes because they started as intentional isolationists. Except they screwed absolutely everything up with regard to where they settled and how they feed themselves, so they have no basis for their snobbery--and what makes the book interesting is seeing how individual Eldritch respond to learning just how precarious their lives are.
Anyway, the Eldritch are interesting, and I can't remember if it was this book or the third that got me thinking about space elves and how the Eldritch have those snobbish attitudes because they started as intentional isolationists. Except they screwed absolutely everything up with regard to where they settled and how they feed themselves, so they have no basis for their snobbery--and what makes the book interesting is seeing how individual Eldritch respond to learning just how precarious their lives are.
December 4, 2015
4.75 stars. There were scenes that could have used more sensory detail. I won't reveal which ones due to spoiler content, but at the very times when I wanted to know more about what was going on, the information I was looking for was only alluded to. Otherwise, I continue to enjoy this series and have already started the next book.
August 24, 2018
Overall, I think this was a much stronger book than Earthrise- there's a stronger throughline for the story when a speculative trade trip to an out of the way planet lands the crew in the middle of a civil war, and then they go from the frying pan into the fire when they journey to the Eldritch home world to get Hirianthial some desperately needed tuition for his esper abilities and get caught up in politics that might just be another civil war on a far worse scale. Big political changes near the end nicely set up for the next book.
Besides the plot feeling less like a fixup of unrelated stories, the characterization feels more solid (though most of the crew still doesn't feel more than sketched out to me). I liked the slow changes in Reese's character, though I would have liked them better if there wasn't a neon sign pointing at look!! how much she's changed!! every fifty pages or so- Hirianthial changed as well, but he didn't get that as much, and I'm not sure how much was the book and how much was reviewers that seem to really dislike Reese for some reason but sometimes I felt like Reese's character was a problem to be solved in a way Hirianthial wasn't, despite their changes often mirroring each other.
Big trigger warning for sexual assault about halfway through the first section (the book isn't split into chapters)- to spoiler with a little more detail for those who need it, this is a male aggressor assaulting Hirianthial. Also content note for incest between the Harat-Shar siblings on the crew which is still present and normalized as well, and characters talk about their expected future children.
Besides the plot feeling less like a fixup of unrelated stories, the characterization feels more solid (though most of the crew still doesn't feel more than sketched out to me). I liked the slow changes in Reese's character, though I would have liked them better if there wasn't a neon sign pointing at look!! how much she's changed!! every fifty pages or so- Hirianthial changed as well, but he didn't get that as much, and I'm not sure how much was the book and how much was reviewers that seem to really dislike Reese for some reason but sometimes I felt like Reese's character was a problem to be solved in a way Hirianthial wasn't, despite their changes often mirroring each other.
Big trigger warning for sexual assault about halfway through the first section (the book isn't split into chapters)- to spoiler with a little more detail for those who need it, this is a male aggressor assaulting Hirianthial. Also content note for incest between the Harat-Shar siblings on the crew which is still present and normalized as well, and characters talk about their expected future children.
April 16, 2018
The second book in the Her Instruments series by M.C.A. Hogarth. The story picks up about a year after the first book. Reese goes to a remote colony in hopes of doing some business but gets caught up in their troubles and Hirianthial is kidnapped once again. During this he discovers he has some powers he didn't know about and needs to seek counsel from his people. Reese realizes this and contacts her benefactor.
I liked it for the most part but hated that it ended in a cliffhanger. The good news is that the next book has already been published and I did not have to wait for it.
I liked it for the most part but hated that it ended in a cliffhanger. The good news is that the next book has already been published and I did not have to wait for it.
December 19, 2017
Wonderful second book to the series and I loved it. With a number of twists and turns I couldn't put it down. The characters become even more lovable and the action keeps you guessing. Smooth transitions and a brilliantly constructed universe that makes you want to dive in head first. Can't wait to read the next book. Highly recommend this to anyone who loves adventure, humour, sci-fi and fantasy!
August 30, 2018
I really enjoyed this title. The creativity was wonderful and unique. It did get a little wordy in some instances but it still had a good pace and plot. I’m glad I stumbled across these books.
August 29, 2024
intricate space elf courtship rituals did not disappoint🗡️🪭
October 13, 2015
I have to admit I'm a little disheartened to say that I didn't enjoy Rose Point as much as Earthrise. There are a lot of contributing factors, though. The writing style employed by Ms. Hogarth continues to be stellar (hardy har har, I'm so funny), but where Rose Point stumbles is in the choice of the story, not in the characters themselves or the writing quality.
The first book is packed with action and forward movement. This one slogs a lot due to her decision to make this story about Hirianthial (whose ridiculously long name has me calling him Hiri-kun from henceforth until Doomsday) returning to his home planet after a frightening ability develops after he was captured, tortured, drugged, and nearly sexually assaulted by slavers. Sounds interesting, right? Well, that's the thing. It is and it isn't. The idea has plenty of merit, and it allows a great amount of character development for him and Reese, which is the focal point of the series. However, this is where I personally feel that Ms. Hogarth fell into one of the easy traps in high fantasy novels: getting stuck in the worldbuilding lore. About 70% of the story is about bureaucratic etiquette and political moves by the Eldritch society. It's boring. Really, really boring. It's kind of like watching a really pretty C-Span. All of these long discussions about what can be done in Eldritch society is scarily reminiscent of the Star Wars prequels, where we have all the potential for great conflict and action but all we're seeing is people sitting in semi-circles discussing trade federations and congress acts. I skimmed half of the novel as a result, only stopping to read the meaty bits between Reese and Hiri-kun's slow relationship development.
Another issue is the crew also gets pushed aside. They were instrumental in Earthrise, but here they are kind of just window dressings to bounce ideas off of and they don't get to do much. They fade into the background quite easily and it's sad because they brought a lot of energy to the first book.
However, this is a common trap that can happen in a trilogy, or simply in the first few books if this is in fact an ongoing series. The soggy second book is hard to avoid, because the first book is where you start spinning the plates, but the second book is where you have to keep the plates spinning, whereas the third book is the finale where you take them off the poles. It's damned HARD to keep spinning those plates, man. It's the same reason everyone keeps nitpicking Age of Ultron to death in comparison to The Avengers: it's just difficult to keep a story going without introducing too many things and bogging down the story, even if it's accidental or the author took on something too large to handle.
I also find myself frustrated that we don't quite learn more about Reese as I was anticipating. When I first read the synopsis for this book, I was ecstatic because it made it sound like we were going to get deep introspection from Reese as she tries to adapt to Hiri-kun's alien and often heartless culture, but unfortunately Reese is still very much a closed book kind of character. Her actions do characterize her in terms of her finally softening up and not being such a tsundere around Hiri-kun, and that's great (SERIOUSLY SHE HUGS HIM WHEN SHE FINDS HIM IN THAT TENT AND THEN THEY HOLD HANDS LATER AND IHGKSDFLSKDNFLDS) but I still don't think we KNOW who Reese is and how her character arc is forming.
On the plus side, we learn a lot about Hiri-kun, and he does in fact have a great story to tell. He's the strongest character by far, so much so that I kind of think we almost got a bait-and-switch focus with this novel because it's definitely about him, not Reese and the crew, whereas the first book was about Reese, Hiri-kun, and most of the crew.
I still like the nakama aspect of the crew standing up for Hiri-kun and reminding him that they won't give up on him. It's very grounded and sweet and likable. I still really like him as a character, enough that even though I was disappointed by this novel, I intend to try the next one to see if Ms. Hogarth can rein in her focus this time.
This book can be quite frustrating, honestly, even though the good stuff is still there. I think the third book will be the deciding factor of if I do in fact like this franchise, because I'm starting to see a lot of repetition, especially since Hiri-kun has been captured as many times as frickin' Princess Peach. Fingers crossed that the books get back on track.
The first book is packed with action and forward movement. This one slogs a lot due to her decision to make this story about Hirianthial (whose ridiculously long name has me calling him Hiri-kun from henceforth until Doomsday) returning to his home planet after a frightening ability develops after he was captured, tortured, drugged, and nearly sexually assaulted by slavers. Sounds interesting, right? Well, that's the thing. It is and it isn't. The idea has plenty of merit, and it allows a great amount of character development for him and Reese, which is the focal point of the series. However, this is where I personally feel that Ms. Hogarth fell into one of the easy traps in high fantasy novels: getting stuck in the worldbuilding lore. About 70% of the story is about bureaucratic etiquette and political moves by the Eldritch society. It's boring. Really, really boring. It's kind of like watching a really pretty C-Span. All of these long discussions about what can be done in Eldritch society is scarily reminiscent of the Star Wars prequels, where we have all the potential for great conflict and action but all we're seeing is people sitting in semi-circles discussing trade federations and congress acts. I skimmed half of the novel as a result, only stopping to read the meaty bits between Reese and Hiri-kun's slow relationship development.
Another issue is the crew also gets pushed aside. They were instrumental in Earthrise, but here they are kind of just window dressings to bounce ideas off of and they don't get to do much. They fade into the background quite easily and it's sad because they brought a lot of energy to the first book.
However, this is a common trap that can happen in a trilogy, or simply in the first few books if this is in fact an ongoing series. The soggy second book is hard to avoid, because the first book is where you start spinning the plates, but the second book is where you have to keep the plates spinning, whereas the third book is the finale where you take them off the poles. It's damned HARD to keep spinning those plates, man. It's the same reason everyone keeps nitpicking Age of Ultron to death in comparison to The Avengers: it's just difficult to keep a story going without introducing too many things and bogging down the story, even if it's accidental or the author took on something too large to handle.
I also find myself frustrated that we don't quite learn more about Reese as I was anticipating. When I first read the synopsis for this book, I was ecstatic because it made it sound like we were going to get deep introspection from Reese as she tries to adapt to Hiri-kun's alien and often heartless culture, but unfortunately Reese is still very much a closed book kind of character. Her actions do characterize her in terms of her finally softening up and not being such a tsundere around Hiri-kun, and that's great (SERIOUSLY SHE HUGS HIM WHEN SHE FINDS HIM IN THAT TENT AND THEN THEY HOLD HANDS LATER AND IHGKSDFLSKDNFLDS) but I still don't think we KNOW who Reese is and how her character arc is forming.
On the plus side, we learn a lot about Hiri-kun, and he does in fact have a great story to tell. He's the strongest character by far, so much so that I kind of think we almost got a bait-and-switch focus with this novel because it's definitely about him, not Reese and the crew, whereas the first book was about Reese, Hiri-kun, and most of the crew.
I still like the nakama aspect of the crew standing up for Hiri-kun and reminding him that they won't give up on him. It's very grounded and sweet and likable. I still really like him as a character, enough that even though I was disappointed by this novel, I intend to try the next one to see if Ms. Hogarth can rein in her focus this time.
This book can be quite frustrating, honestly, even though the good stuff is still there. I think the third book will be the deciding factor of if I do in fact like this franchise, because I'm starting to see a lot of repetition, especially since Hiri-kun has been captured as many times as frickin' Princess Peach. Fingers crossed that the books get back on track.
July 13, 2018
This begins and finishes with big action sequences. In fact, the final action ends much like The Empire Strikes back with our heroes dispersed in all directions to strive in their diverse ways for the common good. In the middle we're introduced to a planet-bound adventure, in fact to the Eldritch planet and their society.
One of the things that made me snicker is the way Hogarth keeps edging space opera into romance novel territory only to jerk us away from it again. Very mild spoiler:
I was fascinated by the way Hogarth also reversed roles in several key ways, including sexual victimization and the aftermath. It all works in this space opera but Hogarth is a smart cookie and gives us more to think about than we realize on a cursory glance.
One of the things that made me snicker is the way Hogarth keeps edging space opera into romance novel territory only to jerk us away from it again. Very mild spoiler:
I was fascinated by the way Hogarth also reversed roles in several key ways, including sexual victimization and the aftermath. It all works in this space opera but Hogarth is a smart cookie and gives us more to think about than we realize on a cursory glance.
June 27, 2015
I don't love cliff-hangar endings, but the rest was good. I can't have the last one, however, until I finish the thing I've been putting off for about 5 weeks. I don't even trust myself enough to buy it and have it waiting for me!
June 11, 2017
Reese's crew now includes an Eldritch supercargo, because a healer role would have resulted in a conflict of interest between the need to defend the ship and healer vows taken. The beginning of the book takes place among nomads and horsebreeders on Harat Shar, and Hirianthial finally seems less of a drippy liability - at least until he discovers new powers that nearly destroy him (again) and require he learn to control them on his home planet . I was beginning to get a bit tired of watching him totter from one mishap after another. Fortuitously on his home planet he is very much more in charge.
The Eldritch world has very few inhabitants and is run by women. Men are, at best, a kind of body guard. At worst they are reduced to sperm donors. Why a male would want to live there I cannot work out. Also, what is it with the love for feudal societies in fantasy - there is no way I would set foot on a planet like the Eldritch home planet. I wonder whether it is easier to make unusual or rebel characters stand out when the imagined society is rule bound, excessively formal/rigid and technology is scarce - technology can be a great equaliser and empower people. Who would care much about someone bringing an outsider into the country in our current world - it just wouldn't be a story against a current background. Perhaps feudal backdrops are necessary for contrast, to facitate a plot and to enable growth.
I struggled a bit with my suspense of disbelief - how would a planetary economy work with such a huge trade deficit (just about everything needs to be imported)? Where does the feudal lord's 'wealth' come from? How would evolution produce an elf like creature from a human gene pool (even with extreme genetic drift), when life spans are thousands of years, and offspring exceedingly rare? There just isn't enough time. And these questions don't even touch on esp, 'well drives', and so on. No effort is made to explain (or even pseudo explain) any of this.
On the upside, there is plenty of action on different planets, and continued character development means Reese is becoming more likeable. Then again, the good brother - evil brother theme could have been done more subtly - I thought this was very cliched. It was good to have expanding roles for some of the quieter crew members (the phoenix). I would have preferred platonic friendship over romance, because it leaves options open for future adventures. With Reese being accepted as a vassal and given a ruined castle as her own, this all looks too much like an apple pie ending for my taste. Still I will read the next book.
The Eldritch world has very few inhabitants and is run by women. Men are, at best, a kind of body guard. At worst they are reduced to sperm donors. Why a male would want to live there I cannot work out. Also, what is it with the love for feudal societies in fantasy - there is no way I would set foot on a planet like the Eldritch home planet. I wonder whether it is easier to make unusual or rebel characters stand out when the imagined society is rule bound, excessively formal/rigid and technology is scarce - technology can be a great equaliser and empower people. Who would care much about someone bringing an outsider into the country in our current world - it just wouldn't be a story against a current background. Perhaps feudal backdrops are necessary for contrast, to facitate a plot and to enable growth.
I struggled a bit with my suspense of disbelief - how would a planetary economy work with such a huge trade deficit (just about everything needs to be imported)? Where does the feudal lord's 'wealth' come from? How would evolution produce an elf like creature from a human gene pool (even with extreme genetic drift), when life spans are thousands of years, and offspring exceedingly rare? There just isn't enough time. And these questions don't even touch on esp, 'well drives', and so on. No effort is made to explain (or even pseudo explain) any of this.
On the upside, there is plenty of action on different planets, and continued character development means Reese is becoming more likeable. Then again, the good brother - evil brother theme could have been done more subtly - I thought this was very cliched. It was good to have expanding roles for some of the quieter crew members (the phoenix). I would have preferred platonic friendship over romance, because it leaves options open for future adventures. With Reese being accepted as a vassal and given a ruined castle as her own, this all looks too much like an apple pie ending for my taste. Still I will read the next book.
November 23, 2020
To be perfectly frank, Rose Point isn’t anywhere near as good as Earthrise.
At least, it’s a completely different experience, and I feel like it let me down in my expectations. The first book was all about live aboard a merchant ship, drifting through space in search of adventure. There were pirates, there was action, there were lasers, and the law got involved.
This one starts off on a random planet in a random system, with the crew negotiating trade agreements for horses and wine. Yawn, right?
Something bad happens and they flee. Okay, getting better. A short sojourn on a space station, and then it’s off to the Eldritch homeworld, where they spend most of the book.
And said Eldritch homeworld is hardly what I’d consider “action-packed”. It’s full of political intrigue and espionage... which is fine, and was interesting in its own way. It just wasn’t what I expected.
It’s a real slow burner, and frequently confusing. You’ll go through pages and pages without really understanding what’s going on. I mean, the title’s meaning is only revealed around 85% in, and even then I didn’t feel like it was as spectacular as it could’ve been.
Another thing that hurts is the long chapters. The first book had them too, and they kinda bugged me there, but there was at least enough action to keep me interested. These chapters are 400-500 on-screen pages long sometimes, so you never have time to put the book down and reflect on what you’ve just read. It just drones on and on.
Having said all this, the ending picks up nicely, and is full of promise. I’d love to see how those promises get kept, and I know what to expect now, so I think I’ll be reading the next instalment in this series.
Click here to find out where you can get your hands on a copy: https://books2read.com/u/bWPGLM
* Note: That's an affiliate link, so if you click through to a store and end up buying anything, I might earn a commission from your purchase.
At least, it’s a completely different experience, and I feel like it let me down in my expectations. The first book was all about live aboard a merchant ship, drifting through space in search of adventure. There were pirates, there was action, there were lasers, and the law got involved.
This one starts off on a random planet in a random system, with the crew negotiating trade agreements for horses and wine. Yawn, right?
Something bad happens and they flee. Okay, getting better. A short sojourn on a space station, and then it’s off to the Eldritch homeworld, where they spend most of the book.
And said Eldritch homeworld is hardly what I’d consider “action-packed”. It’s full of political intrigue and espionage... which is fine, and was interesting in its own way. It just wasn’t what I expected.
It’s a real slow burner, and frequently confusing. You’ll go through pages and pages without really understanding what’s going on. I mean, the title’s meaning is only revealed around 85% in, and even then I didn’t feel like it was as spectacular as it could’ve been.
Another thing that hurts is the long chapters. The first book had them too, and they kinda bugged me there, but there was at least enough action to keep me interested. These chapters are 400-500 on-screen pages long sometimes, so you never have time to put the book down and reflect on what you’ve just read. It just drones on and on.
Having said all this, the ending picks up nicely, and is full of promise. I’d love to see how those promises get kept, and I know what to expect now, so I think I’ll be reading the next instalment in this series.
Click here to find out where you can get your hands on a copy: https://books2read.com/u/bWPGLM
* Note: That's an affiliate link, so if you click through to a store and end up buying anything, I might earn a commission from your purchase.
July 13, 2020
This is the second book in Hogarth's "Her Instruments" sequence, one of several story-arcs set in her Pelted Universe. I read and loved several books from another of those story-arcs, the Dreamhealers arc, earlier this summer. While I enjoyed much of this book, I didn't come close to loving it. I don't want to make a series of negative remarks about a book that I (mostly) enjoyed, especially given that I've loved other works by the same author, but I will name my single biggest difficulty with it. Spoiler ahead. Rather than recommending this book, I'd instead highly recommend trying Hogarth's "Mindtouch," first in the Dreamhealers sequence, a quiet book that moved me greatly.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
October 24, 2020
I dived straight into this after
Earthrise
and just like
Earthrise
, i really enjoyed it.
This time we go off around the galaxy with our intrepid crew starting with a strange planet that breeds horses where Hirianthial is kidnapped (again) and because of complications from that we then have to go to the world of the Eldritch where we begin to find out what they're all about and why they're so secretive. Yes folks, lots of secrets, Queens, castles, nefarious plots and everything needed to spice it all up. It seems the Queen has big plans for Reese, but are Reese and the crew ready for the world of the Eldritch and is the world of the Eldritch ready for Reese and the crew?
All good stuff. These are big long books that really give value for money and, without pause, i'm diving straight into Laisrathera .
This time we go off around the galaxy with our intrepid crew starting with a strange planet that breeds horses where Hirianthial is kidnapped (again) and because of complications from that we then have to go to the world of the Eldritch where we begin to find out what they're all about and why they're so secretive. Yes folks, lots of secrets, Queens, castles, nefarious plots and everything needed to spice it all up. It seems the Queen has big plans for Reese, but are Reese and the crew ready for the world of the Eldritch and is the world of the Eldritch ready for Reese and the crew?
All good stuff. These are big long books that really give value for money and, without pause, i'm diving straight into Laisrathera .
April 6, 2018
M.C.A. Hogarth books are not to be undertaken lightly. She will draw you in, sometimes against your will, with her intensely complicated character building until you have no other recourse but to get all the books and read them until the early hours of the morning. The first book in this series was a mixed bag for me, I enjoyed the characters around the protagonist but did not like or understand her. But I trusted Ms. Hogarth and was rewarded with this book, where the layers begin to peel from Reese and she becomes less of an unpleasant cipher and, therefore, much more compelling. I remain suspect of the obvious romantic endgame, but the rest of the story, well, the rest of the story makes the journey worthwhile.
May 27, 2017
I have read so few 5-star novels in recent years, that I seriously sometimes have felt I have become too brutal in my criticism. I've even begun to just rate anything that is on a level with Harry Potter with 5 stars, even though I consider it purely young adult.
But this series deserves every one of those 5 stars. The personalities are deeply explored and filled with surprises; the worlds they occupy are well built, unusual, and again ... deeply explored and filled with surprises.
It is my fervent hope that i will some day be invited back to see how they have progressed. These worlds and the people in them have become beloved friends who I hope to be invited to visit again!
But this series deserves every one of those 5 stars. The personalities are deeply explored and filled with surprises; the worlds they occupy are well built, unusual, and again ... deeply explored and filled with surprises.
It is my fervent hope that i will some day be invited back to see how they have progressed. These worlds and the people in them have become beloved friends who I hope to be invited to visit again!
June 20, 2017
Solid 4 from me. It was a good book with plenty of character development for Reese and Hiranthial. It was a bit jarring the contrast between outer space and the new setting in this book but I enjoyed it. I feel it had less action which made me dock a point but it kinda redeemed itself near the end. I really like how both books so far have had a full story but leave you wanting more despite Rose Point having a more obvious "to be continued" sense of urgency with its ending.
I also read this book in like 4-6 hours? I didn't sleep >.< I couldn't stop reading.
I also read this book in like 4-6 hours? I didn't sleep >.< I couldn't stop reading.
December 6, 2023
The inner self
The story picks up as the crew goes along to help their friend find help for his new mental abilities. The inner self comes into in play as they come to terms with their own hopes for a future, a home and acceptance on a new world. They face rejection fear in the world full of xenophobes, yet they still stay together as a family as a crew just does not let you down on the adventure side lots of new folks and leaves you hanging can’t wait till the next chapter can’t wait till the next book a real joy to read.
The story picks up as the crew goes along to help their friend find help for his new mental abilities. The inner self comes into in play as they come to terms with their own hopes for a future, a home and acceptance on a new world. They face rejection fear in the world full of xenophobes, yet they still stay together as a family as a crew just does not let you down on the adventure side lots of new folks and leaves you hanging can’t wait till the next chapter can’t wait till the next book a real joy to read.
September 11, 2017
I love the characters in this series so much. They are all so brilliant and different. I loved getting to deal with Reese agoraphobia (or is it claustrophobia? lol Inside joke.) and getting to see how the crew has changed since we last saw them. I will admit, the series plot seems to be going in a direction I never really expected, so that's kind of cool, too.
October 26, 2017
Great book 2
I really enjoyed reading MCA Hogarth's follow up to book 1 (Earthrise). A grest follow up to an interesting characters in her Pelted Universe traveling in space. Intriguing exploration of major cultural misuderstandings with the creatures from the cold night planet. Thanks again MCA.
I really enjoyed reading MCA Hogarth's follow up to book 1 (Earthrise). A grest follow up to an interesting characters in her Pelted Universe traveling in space. Intriguing exploration of major cultural misuderstandings with the creatures from the cold night planet. Thanks again MCA.
July 12, 2018
Argh! A cliffhanger! 😕
First book was really good but now I'm fully invested in this world. This is not just a smashup of Firefly and Darkover, it's a world in its own right. Very complex, smart, clever, compelling.
Must find he next two so I can keep reading. There's a rescue to be accomplished!
First book was really good but now I'm fully invested in this world. This is not just a smashup of Firefly and Darkover, it's a world in its own right. Very complex, smart, clever, compelling.
Must find he next two so I can keep reading. There's a rescue to be accomplished!
September 8, 2018
The character interactions are both the meat and the tasty dressing of this science fiction / fantasy series. There's a fine collection of engaging people of many species here, such that I don't mind that they are mostly animal-folk and space elves. This second in the series does lack a real ending though, which makes me mark it down a little.
January 12, 2019
4.5*
I could not wait to move onto the next book. This book was nothing fance but it was just pure goodness. Learning of "new" worlds and beings. The characters have a great camaraderie. Just like you would in a small fun office. No complicated wording. Very easy reading. It's almost like you are eavesdropping on their lives. Had to go to the next book.
I could not wait to move onto the next book. This book was nothing fance but it was just pure goodness. Learning of "new" worlds and beings. The characters have a great camaraderie. Just like you would in a small fun office. No complicated wording. Very easy reading. It's almost like you are eavesdropping on their lives. Had to go to the next book.
November 13, 2019
I'm really enjoying this story, in spite of it taking most of the first book to get used to the narrator. Also, while I didn't like the MC much at all in the first book I found that she grew quite well and dialed the bitchy mood way back in this installment.
I'm going to jump right into the third.
I'm going to jump right into the third.
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