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The Moreva of Astoreth

Roxanne Bland (Goodreads Author)

4.04 · Rating details · 48 ratings · 39 reviews

In the service of the Goddess…

Moreva Tehi, gifted scientist and the spoiled, stubborn and headstrong granddaughter of Astoreth, the Devi Goddess of Love, deliberately misses Ohra-Namtar, the compulsory and holiest rite of the Great Pantheon of Gods.

For her sin, Astoreth banishes her for a year from her beloved urban desert home to tend Her spaceship landing beacon in ...more

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Paperback, 452 pages

Published November 1st 2015 by Blackrose Press

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Jan 13, 2021 Richard Dominguez rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: giveaways, 300-to-500, books-i-own, fantasy-paranormal, sci-fi, reviewed, romance

"As the spiritual leader and commander of the military garrison stationed at the Syren territory, Tehi (who was sent to Syren as punishment for her transgression) must stay one step ahead of the cunning machinations of her second in command. But there is one who poses an even greater threat to her future—one who will lead her into the dangerous realm of forbidden love, setting them both on a course that can only lead to damnation and death."
The Moreva of Astoreth by Roxanne Bland is a fantastic, "As the spiritual leader and commander of the military garrison stationed at the Syren territory, Tehi (who was sent to Syren as punishment for her transgression) must stay one step ahead of the cunning machinations of her second in command. But there is one who poses an even greater threat to her future—one who will lead her into the dangerous realm of forbidden love, setting them both on a course that can only lead to damnation and death."
The Moreva of Astoreth by Roxanne Bland is a fantastic, fun fantasy that doesn't disappoint.
I want to start with Ms Bland's skill at creating a world that is complete in every detail and so visually descriptive it is very easy to be able to see it in all it's beauty and mystery. The author does a very skillful job of visually moving you through the world only adding visual points that add to the overall feel of the story. Never so much detail as to confuse or numb the reader and always just enough to intrigue the reader into wanting more.
The standout point for me are the characters, rich with attitudes and multilayered, the characters are strong enough to carry the reader through what is no less a well written story line. Moreva Tehi is a marvelous character with so much depth that layers continue to peal back throughout the story revealing a new facet to her. She is always fresh and growing containing all the flaws and potential that make her an interesting character. I personally kept wanting to know what she would do next. Watching her go from irresponsible, head strong child to a mature, smart thinking and caring woman was a great pleasure for me.
The story line is strong and creative, a mix of Sci-fi fantasy whose side story is a well done romance that is not pushy at all. I really enjoyed learning about the Syren along with the narrator. From culture to language, in this manner Ms Bland brings the reader (what I have seen few writers do) interactively into the story. By the time I was finished reading the book I was sure I could pass the citizenship exam for Syren. I think this was instrumental in giving the story a sense of reality or familiarity that made it that much better.
The Moreva of Astoreth is not short on twist and turns as the story is crafted to keep the reader guessing, but never feeling lost or confused. The ending is well done and completes the story, both within the story line and the development of the characters.
This is a fantastic story, at an excellent pace, that moves smoothly from start to finish. A welcome addition to the shelf of fans in several genres and of almost any age. ...more

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Jun 08, 2017 C.E. Clayton rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, book-review-requests, science-fantasy

“The Moreva of Asteroth” is an interesting blend of science-fantasy where we are presented to a whole new galaxy occupied by blue skinned, white haired “gods”, and the humanoid people who worship them. Our main character is a rather arrogant scientist who is also a spiritual leader to the haoki, the lesser race that worships the main characters’, Tehi, grandmother. But her disdain for these people lands her in trouble, and Tehi finds herself banished to a kind of wasteland where she is tasked wi “The Moreva of Asteroth” is an interesting blend of science-fantasy where we are presented to a whole new galaxy occupied by blue skinned, white haired “gods”, and the humanoid people who worship them. Our main character is a rather arrogant scientist who is also a spiritual leader to the haoki, the lesser race that worships the main characters’, Tehi, grandmother. But her disdain for these people lands her in trouble, and Tehi finds herself banished to a kind of wasteland where she is tasked with learning about compassion for the hakoi, but that is far from the only thing she’ll discover. Like I said, a really interesting concept! Bland has clearly spent a lot of time thinking about her new world and crafting its language and the lands her characters inhabit. And yet…. I still struggled with this book.

I won’t spoil anything in the story, but needless to say, there was A LOT going on. Everything from Tehi overcoming her own prejudices, trying to find a cure for a deadly disease, introducing and showcasing a new religion, love and romance, classism, identity altering epiphanies, and all on top of Tehi trying to stay one step ahead of those who would see her punished, or even executed, for her beliefs and failures. One or two of those plot lines would have been enough for one book, but using all of them meant there was always something going on, or there should have been. But the repetitive style of the writing had me really close to DNFing this book on several occasions.

We are told everything about Tehi’s days. Literally everything. We are told step by step how Tehi puts on her clothes, takes off her clothes, prepares the Temple, and conducts her experiments…. At first, I thought that maybe there was a reason for giving the reader all these steps, like there was some greater significance to all of it, but as I kept reading, I realized there wasn’t. And every single time Tehi dresses or checks the time, or eats, we are told step by step how she does this, and it just slows everything down and creates a ton of unnecessary filler between the action, plot, and sub-plots. It became such a struggle sometimes to get through the book because of how much time was spent on just the act of dressing alone, which is a shame, for the plot beneath all of that was interesting!

Had that been the only issue, I might have been more lenient with my rating, but I struggled with the characters, as well. Outside of the grandfatherly healer, Hyme, I had a hard time connecting with Tehi or Teger. The romance between the characters never felt real to me, and neither did their sudden desire for each other. There was just very little substance to them, and when there were moments of passion, they seemed to come at times that did not make sense, which pulled me even farther away from the love story Bland was creating.

I also struggled with the huge epiphany that Tehi receives, and how easily she seemed to go along with it. Everything she knows, or thinks she knows as a fact, are turned upside down, and in the same chapter, she gets over it. Then, in the very next chapter, all the other obstacles facing the characters get wrapped up very … neatly. Given the rest of the pacing, this—oddly enough—felt so rushed, that it came off as unbelievable to me. All of the crucial elements of the book came in the last few chapters but by then, I was already burnt out so I never experienced the reaction Bland was hoping to evoke in her readers when Tehi learns the truth, nor when she goes home to face her “godly” grandmother. Which is a shame, because that could have been such an impactful moment.

Ultimately, this book just wasn’t for me. The pacing was too slow for my tastes, and I couldn’t connect to the characters. I struggled with keeping track of the new ways of telling time and measurements that are presented to the reader in the index (which on a Kindle are hard to go back to for reference). I couldn’t grasp the religion, especially the religious garb and practices—which had an odd BDSM feel that didn’t really seem to fit…. Hopefully, if other editions come out for the novel similar to all the alternate covers, the repetitive descriptions of all the mundane activities are removed so the pacing stays much more steady, and the book doesn’t take so long to get through. Like I said, Bland crafts a truly interesting world which addresses so many topics and throws a lot of conflict at her main characters, it just gets lost in all the unnecessary data, and the lackluster characters left me feeling rather ambivalent about the whole experience. So this is a 2.5 star rating for me though I can see why others would enjoy it. And thank you to the author for providing me a review copy! ...more

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Jan 04, 2021 Kay Smillie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi

This is a new version of the book which I first read in 2016. I admit to being a wee bit apprehensive when authors update something that I felt was almost perfect as it was. I needn't have worried though, after all this is Roxanne Bland I'm talking about, IAOTP's Top Fantasy & Science Fiction Author of 2019. Even so, still a very underrated author in my eyes.

The front cover has been changed to show main characters, Moreva Tehi and Laerd Teger (in all his manly :) glory). I'm very pleased to see This is a new version of the book which I first read in 2016. I admit to being a wee bit apprehensive when authors update something that I felt was almost perfect as it was. I needn't have worried though, after all this is Roxanne Bland I'm talking about, IAOTP's Top Fantasy & Science Fiction Author of 2019. Even so, still a very underrated author in my eyes.

The front cover has been changed to show main characters, Moreva Tehi and Laerd Teger (in all his manly :) glory). I'm very pleased to see that Tehi still sticks out like a sore thumb, being blue with white hair. The story has been tightened up, so there are no superfluous words here. Moreva Tehi undertakes a momentous metamorphosis during the story, from the spoiled, bigoted and selfish grandchild of Astoreth, the Devi Goddess of Love, on arrival, to... Read it for yourself and find out.

Apart from a very well-written, enjoyable storyline that will grab you from the first page, there are a lot of things to think about: organised religion, including sexual rites (which is why Tehi was abruptly dispatched to Mjor in the Syrian Perritory for refusing to officiate at and perform in a large and important ceremony); sex as part of the joy of love; sex as perceived abuse, what may seem abusive to one person could be part of another's tradition by choice; racism and bigotry; heroism and compassion; animal vivisection; self-identity in wearing masks and not hiding behind them; overcoming your own prejudices to become a better person; and trying to find a cure for a deadly disease that does not affect your own people, but undertaking this, at first, for purely selfish reasons.

I really enjoy books that have challenging issues for the characters, and this book is full of them. However, the things that I loved the most between these pages were Hyme and Tehi being healers and willingly sharing their own wisdom with each other, putting their heads together when it was required. They made medicines by hand from gathered plant life, and had a total understanding of what each substance could do in terms of healing, and more. I found this aspect clever and very true to life. It felt real to me.

Overall, this was an easy to read book with twists and turns that will keep you on your toes and zooming through the pages. I loved it, and I'm a very happy bunny that it is the first in a series. Can't wait for number two!

I chose an early copy of this which I voluntarily read and honestly reviewed. All opinions are my own. After reading, I preordered the book. ...more

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Dec 29, 2020 Carole rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

If you are looking for an intricately created world with deeply defined characters interwoven within the threads of bigotry, class status and so much more then this is the book for you!
No insta love or gratuitous sex populate these pages just a well written story that had me captivated from beginning to end.

There is also a glossary of the Syrenese and Devian language included in the book, thank goodness as I would have been a little lost without it for reference.

The story revolves around main ch ...more

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Nov 22, 2015 Dana Burkey rated it it was amazing

I am so glad I decided to pick up this book today! That's right...today! I bought the book this morning and have not stopped to even come up for air until now! It was just so exciting and fun to read that I did not want to put it down. I think that in itself shows that this book is worth a read. I don't always rush through books like this, so when I do it is for sure earned!

Well, I think that really kept me going while reading this book was Moreva! Her character is just kind of annoying at the b ...more

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May 15, 2018 Melanie S rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: alien, arc, sci-fi, romance, 2018

Outstanding SF and great love story too

Marvelous! I couldn't put this book down! The Moreva of Astoreth is the engrossing tale of young mixed-breed Moreva Tehi, whose grandmother is a ruling goddess, Astoreth. Her family connections and her mixed blood make her a social outcast. Her independent, inquisitive and rebellious nature gets her into trouble repeatedly, until her grandmother exiles her as punishment. The day she arrives in the Syrenese village of Mjor, her education in the realities of ...more

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May 31, 2018 Michelle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The Moreva of Astoreth is a fantastic new world I got to explore. A lovely blend of ancient history and sci-fi. Moreva the narrator is punished for disobeying her grandmother the goddess Astoreth. She is sent into exile in a “backwater” colony. It is the complete opposite of everything she is familiar with and she is forced to adapt not only her habits but her way of thinking. In the beginning the Moreva seems self centered and childish but throughout the book we see her views changing and her g ...more

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Feb 07, 2016 Aly rated it liked it

This book was ok for me. It seemed a little long for my taste. I think in some parts of this book it was a bit repetitive. I didn't enjoy this book like I wanted to. For me, it was just ok. * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review* ...more

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Jan 17, 2021 Sadie Forsythe rated it it was ok · review of another edition

2.5

I really wanted to like this book. If anyone has been paying attention to the sci-fi romance genre over the last few years, there are an awful lot of hulking, male, blue aliens. (I even wrote a whole blog post about it once.) It was notable to see the blue alien as the female for a change. Plus, I could see that the author was trying hard to subvert some literary tropes and social norms that I love seeing subverted. Unfortunately, I don't think she was wholly successful. Here's an example.

The 2.5

I really wanted to like this book. If anyone has been paying attention to the sci-fi romance genre over the last few years, there are an awful lot of hulking, male, blue aliens. (I even wrote a whole blog post about it once.) It was notable to see the blue alien as the female for a change. Plus, I could see that the author was trying hard to subvert some literary tropes and social norms that I love seeing subverted. Unfortunately, I don't think she was wholly successful. Here's an example.

The main character is a priestess and her vestments are what many today would consider the clothing of prostitutes (tight, short dresses, corsets, garters, high heels and a riding crop). One of the regular religious ceremonies is an orgy. This could have been written to empower women in both their clothing choice and their sexuality. I think it maybe was even supposed to. Unfortunately, Bland then created a main character who hated the rite, showing her to panic and try and fight her way out of her obligated orgies. Thereby undermining any empowerment she may have created and reducing the character again to a woman performing unwanted sexual acts, i.e. The Whore.

As a side note: no reason is given for this particular choice of religious uniform (other than that the goddess liked it) and, since there are both male and female Moreva, I couldn't help but wonder if the male Moreva also wore corsets, short/tight dresses, garters, and high heals and were the epicenter of 20+ person orgies. It's never discussed, but I rather hope so.

My main complaint however is that there is barely a story here. We're told the main character is horribly bigoted. The plot is supposed to hinge on it. But we never see it. In fact, she befriends one of the people she's supposedly so bigoted against almost immediately and treats him as an equal, submitting herself to his instruction and offering her assistance from almost the moment they meet. I never felt her bigotry, but I was told about it regularly. Similarly, the reader is subjected to several context-less dream sequences in which she symbolically fights said bigotry, but we never see her making real world changes to her behavior (as it never appeared bigoted to start with). And lastly, the romance comes out of no where. The reader is told about it, but I didn't feel it develop even a little bit. There's a predictable twist at the end and then it all wraps up almost miraculously.

All in all, I felt that despite good intentions and even an interesting idea for a world, the whole thing just never developed into anything I enjoyed spending time with. I was honestly bored most of the times. The writing is perfectly readable though, and I had no issue with the editing (even though I read an ARC). I think I'd be willing to give a Bland book another chance. She can obviously write, but this particular book wasn't a winner for me. ...more

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Aug 30, 2017 Leigh Holland rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The Moreva of Astoreth by Roxanne Bland, 454 pages, Blackrose Press 1st Edition, November 3rd 2015, Genre: Science Fiction/Romance. Warning: May Contain Spoilers.

Review by Leigh Holland.

    I have a confession to make. I don’t believe in most ancient alien theories, the works of Zechariah Sitchin, or most of the theories proposed in “Chariots of the Gods”. However, I love the idea behind all of it. I’m a fan of Stargate. What if the gods of old, such as the Anunnaki, really did come from the hea The Moreva of Astoreth by Roxanne Bland, 454 pages, Blackrose Press 1st Edition, November 3rd 2015, Genre: Science Fiction/Romance. Warning: May Contain Spoilers.

Review by Leigh Holland.

    I have a confession to make. I don’t believe in most ancient alien theories, the works of Zechariah Sitchin, or most of the theories proposed in “Chariots of the Gods”. However, I love the idea behind all of it. I’m a fan of Stargate. What if the gods of old, such as the Anunnaki, really did come from the heavens, literally? What if they weren’t gods at all but advanced aliens? What if they did breeding experiments on primates to create humans? What if they taught humans farming, warfare, pottery, and smithing? In short, what if mythology was fact?
    Roxanne Bland shows us the world of the Anunnaki gods, their descendants, and the humanoid hakoi of other planets they claim to have created. The gods are about power and control, using their part-hakoi, part-Anunnaki children and grandchildren to keep the hakoi satisfied using religious rites. These descendants are the Morev, a priestly class. Astoreth is the goddess of love. Her favorite Moreva and grandchild, Tehi, misses services. Astoreth punishes her by assigning her to a post as Moreva on a “backwater” hakoi village called Mjor. Tehi does as she’s told, but sneaks her lab equipment along so she can continue working on the cure for the hakoi disease, red fever. While on Mjor as Moreva, she befriends Hyme, the local hakoi healer, and is irritated by the village’s leader or “Laerd”, Teger. As time passes, she learns to respect the hakoi, falls in love, and narrowly dodges trouble at several turns. The only element that I didn’t care for was the repetition of her daily meals, scheduled services, etc. to the degree they were repeated. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book.
    My favorite characters were Tehi and Teger. Tehi starts off with flaws, but overcomes them as the story unfolds. She is dedicated to healing the sick and willing to risk her neck for others. As a priestess of the goddess of love, she explores the meaning and nature of love at different points in the story. Teger is direct and determined. Once he makes up his mind about something, there is no dissuading him. He’s supportive of Tehi but isn’t afraid to challenge her when he thinks she is wrong. He teaches her about identity, love, and self-love.
    This book is a romance taking place within a science fiction milieu. If you enjoy both romance and science fiction, you’ll love this novel. ...more

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Jan 20, 2021 Book Reviewer rated it really liked it

For a beautiful mix of romance and science fiction, look no further than Roxanne Bland’s The Moreva of Asteroth. It follows the tale of Moreva Tehi, the granddaughter of Devi goddess Asteroth. Told through her own perspective, this story tells us of Tehi’s bigotry and open disdain for those she perceives to be of a lesser race. However, as we read from chapter to chapter, we see a change in her disposition. Things especially start to change when she is banished and forced to live in a far-away l For a beautiful mix of romance and science fiction, look no further than Roxanne Bland’s The Moreva of Asteroth. It follows the tale of Moreva Tehi, the granddaughter of Devi goddess Asteroth. Told through her own perspective, this story tells us of Tehi’s bigotry and open disdain for those she perceives to be of a lesser race. However, as we read from chapter to chapter, we see a change in her disposition. Things especially start to change when she is banished and forced to live in a far-away land among the common laborers she so despises; the hakoi. In the process, she finds love; an unexpected twist in the storyline.

While this book has a lot of details about Tehi’s supernatural powers and scientific exploits, it doesn’t overwhelm us with information. The author has a unique way of bringing to life Tehi’s experiences, making it seem like we are living through her, discovering things with her, one step at a time. Moreover, we get a front-row seat into her complicated love life; her constant struggle between her growing romantic desires and trying to keep her vow of loyalty to Astoreth. But as much as love is a major theme in this story, there are also other themes running concurrently. For one, there is a major emphasis on the need for belonging, especially in the main character’s life. Throughout the narrative, she feels like she doesn’t quite fit anywhere and is constantly plagued by a feeling of loneliness. Fortunately, this is resolved with the onset of genuine love. Another major theme is obviously prejudice and bias. Over and over again, we see how Tehi looks down on the hakoi and how some of the hakoi are biased against her. Ultimately, it becomes clear that a lot of the rules and assigned ways of life of the people of Asteroth are based purely on prejudice.

But if there is one thing that I really love about this book, it has to be the fact that its prose is light and very easy to read. Additionally, its plot is solid and its dialogue gripping. If you’re looking for something with witty comebacks and strong-willed characters, this is it. I also have to applaud the author’s creativity in creating an alternate world that’s imaginative and has its own languages. The Moreva of Astoreth possess an emotional depth that few science fiction adventure stories do, and this is why I highly recommend this book. ...more

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May 08, 2018 Scott rated it liked it · review of another edition

Ok this review for me is hard. I did not particularly like this book. But it was My own fault. I picked this book based on the cover thinking it was going to be another science fiction book. Well it wasn't if anything id classify it as a romance novel that takes place in an alternate universe. With that said it was a well written well developed novel. A bit long and not much action. It centers on the main character's growth. Lots of romance and lovemaking in this book but it was not graphic.
I ...more

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Aug 01, 2017 Angela rated it really liked it · review of another edition

First, I do agree that the artwork needs a re-do! It might turn potential readers away, but that’s just my own opinion. Some others may love it.

I love that Moreva, the main character, is a healer. She was completely spoiled her entire life and has a bit of a know-it-all attitude going on, but she’s an amazing healer who works hard researching for this cure. She’s a rule breaker, and got booted from her house via grandma, but that’s when we get transported to the Hakoi Village. This place is drea ...more

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Jan 06, 2021 Brittany rated it did not like it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 24, 2017 Pegboard rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Roxanne Blend delights us with young Moreva Tehi, who has been dedicated to work in the temple of the great Astoreth, her grandmother. As a punishment for her bigotry, Tehi is sent to a remote planet for a year as a punishment. Syren Perritory is by far the worst place Tehi would like to be. She feels her work on the red virus should take precedence over everything else.

Tehi wasn’t given a manual about the planet, its history, or protocols. She cannot understand why the village leader instantly ...more

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Aug 01, 2017 Kristen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this interesting blend of science fiction and sort of greek god fantasy. If you are into the geek world and the stories they tell then this is totally for you. The blend of these different genres I cannot say I come across too often so it definitely provided the opportunity for new stories lines.

I found the character Tehi super interesting. While I do not find a whole like of depth or deep meaning within the characters. I can see her being someone many people can relate too. Wh ...more

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Aug 01, 2017 Noel Diem rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Roxanne Bland is definitely anything but in The Moreva of Astoreh, a gripping fantasy story that had me turning the pages repeatedly, even when I should have been doing something else. As a fan of fantasy stories since I was a child (Thank you JK Rowling), I am always eager to find something that attracts my attention. This is certainly a book that did just that, with a few hiccups here and there.

Since it is fantasy, there are a few portions that were difficult to work through or understand. The ...more

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Jan 17, 2021 Dianna rated it it was amazing

Tehi was looked down upon her whole life because of her heritage. But she was also a spoiled brat because of who her grandmother was. But even that didn’t prevent her from being exiled to a remote village where her whole world is changed. This was a great book about having to look deep within yourself and accept all of what you are. Then having the strength to continue when you find out all is not as it seems and being brave to go for what your heart desires.

I received a free copy of this book v ...more

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Jul 21, 2017 Jimmy Jefferson rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A fantasy story of dark mystery and sci-fi

This is a good story that encompasses a combination of sci-fi and fantasy. This is a good story line and holds the readers attention pretty well. The Author does a good job of character development and creating an alternate world from an active imagination. Enjoyed the book and would recommend to those who like sci-fi and fantasy stories.

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Sep 13, 2016 Kat rated it it was ok · review of another edition

*** Gifted in exchange for an honest review ***
I give this story 2.5 stars, there is a good storyline in this book, it just needs a better editing team to get rid of the repetitive monotone and highlight to the author where she needs to input more information where it is required.

I quite like sci fi, I was contacted via my blog, no cover or links to the book sent, and as you will see from the blurb not much is given in the way of information, other than to compare it to known published sci-fi au ...more

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Feb 05, 2018 Ben Serna-grey rated it liked it · review of another edition

A decent 400 page book wearing the clothes of a mediocre 480 page book, bogged down by endless cataloging of minutiae and horrible cover art.

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Jan 06, 2021 Reader03 rated it really liked it

Interesting story line with enjoyable main characters and plenty of danger and dialogue as well. I received a copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.

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Aug 18, 2016 Tony Parsons rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

2,500 yrs. ago the Devi battled with the Syrenese.
Goddess Astoreth (grandmother, Love) is not happy with Moreva Tehi (granddaughter, healer, scientist/researcher, priestess, narrator, Devi, hakoi, morev).
Sex with your own kind is a gimme.
She did not celebrate Ohra (holy rites).
Moreva main goal is the find an antidote to eradicate the red fever.
For her punishment Moreva is sent to Astoreth-69 (Syren Perritory). There she will take up various military leadership roles, administer punishment as w ...more

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Dec 17, 2015 Don Sloan rated it it was amazing

Moreva is a fascinating fantasy/sci-fi novel about a young girl of mixed race -- morev and hakoi -- who must learn to deal with her conflicting emotions about her heritage while exiled to a faraway outpost. It is, as the book's description claims, classic world-building, truly in the tradition of some of the greatest authors in the genre.

Morva Tehi is sent to Astoreth-69 in the Syren Perritory to become a minor goddess, doling out ritualistic canings to the bare backs of the men who attend her f Moreva is a fascinating fantasy/sci-fi novel about a young girl of mixed race -- morev and hakoi -- who must learn to deal with her conflicting emotions about her heritage while exiled to a faraway outpost. It is, as the book's description claims, classic world-building, truly in the tradition of some of the greatest authors in the genre.

Morva Tehi is sent to Astoreth-69 in the Syren Perritory to become a minor goddess, doling out ritualistic canings to the bare backs of the men who attend her fetishistic worship services. Once an arhu (one month), however, she must endure a bizarre sexual ritual administered by the troops -- men and women -- and she must work hard to find an acceptable equanimity about the practice. After all, that's part of the assignment.

In the meantime, she works as a healer, and as a researcher, trying to find a cure for the dreaded red fever. She's assisted by her only friend on the planet, another healer named Hyme and, in a begrudging way, Laerd Teger, Chief of Mjor. But it's a funny thing about Teger. Though he's gruff with her, she feels -- well, an unmistakable attraction to him.

"It was his eyes that intrigued me most. All the hakoi I'd ever known had brown eyes. His eyes were blue, like the stars, and just as cold."

The rules-aversive Tehi survives an attack by a vicious, rutting ura during an unauthorized hunt outside the village for herbs, and becomes a local celebrity after engineering the dramatic rescue of twenty trapped thalin miners. It's a welcome change from her previous status as the town pariah.

Then, the story turns unexpectedly -- and pleasantly -- romantic. Tehi dithers over what to wear to a late night tryst with Laerd Tager.

"I thought about wearing a uniform, but those clothes didn't belong to me, and I didn't want any reminders of the temple. 'I'll just have to go naked,' she muttered."

Unfortunately for Moreva Tehi, events begin taking a darker turn, but, with the help of the Laerd, she battles through, taking the reader on a non-stop rollercoaster of emotions. Do Tehi and Tager, now hopelessly in love, get to stay together when the Moreva's tour ends? Is she the winner in the headlong race to find a cure for red fever?

This well-written, superbly edited piece of fiction -- and its carefully rendered characters -- will remain with you long after you've finished it.

Five stars for Moreva, a fine work of spell-binding science fiction. The author's earlier novel, The Underground, deserves a read as well. Check it out here: http://amzn.to/1I9EUZx
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Oct 31, 2016 Majanka rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, science-fiction, book-tours, reviews-october-2016

Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/book-tou...

The Moreva of Astoreth is an interesting blend of fantasy and science fiction. For me, the only downside to the book would be the cover. I just don’t connect with it. I know a lot of fantasy authors like these kind of 3D renderings of characters – and granted, finding stock images or something for a character looking like Moreva, is impossible, but still. I would’ve preferred an illustration above the current graphic Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/book-tou...

The Moreva of Astoreth is an interesting blend of fantasy and science fiction. For me, the only downside to the book would be the cover. I just don’t connect with it. I know a lot of fantasy authors like these kind of 3D renderings of characters – and granted, finding stock images or something for a character looking like Moreva, is impossible, but still. I would’ve preferred an illustration above the current graphic on the cover.

That aside, they say don’t judge a book by its cover, and the contents of this book are pretty solid. The story goes like this: Moreva Tehi is the granddaughter of a powerful goddess. Because she refuses to do as the goddess says, she’s temporarily banished, and send to the far northern corner of the planet as punishment. There, she learns more about herself than she ever thought possible, tries to find a cure for the Red Fever tormenting her planet, and even falls in love.

A lot of things happen in the course of the book, but I don’t want to spoil them, so I kept the synopsis brief. Moreva is a strong character. At the beginning, she was quite annoying, and it felt like she was being rebellious just for the sake of it. But, as with all interesting characters, she changed and grew a lot throughout the book, and I started liking her more and more.

The author did a phenomenal job crafting worthy secondary characters too. Often, authors pour all their energy into crafting a well-rounded, three-dimensional main chareacter and then end up having boring, bland secondary characters. Here, the author obviously put a lot of effort into every single character, with strengths, weaknesses, and their very own personalities.

The world building was impressive too, especially since so much happens – and it all makes sense. Not once does the book venture into territory of the impossible – of course it’s fantasy so things that happen are impossible in real life, but I mean that it’s never impossible for the rules of this world.

It’s a truly impressive book. I would give it a 4 star rating, if not for the cover and for how the writing could be a little tighter in some places (for example, sometimes we do get a rather lengthy exposition of daily tasks that could be left out or shortened). But seriously, I really enjoyed this, and I think it would be a great read for every mature science fiction / fantasy fan. ...more

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Feb 26, 2016 Sarah-Jayne Briggs rated it really liked it

Shelves: goodreads-first-reads

(I received this book for free as part of Goodreads First Reads giveaways).

(This review may contain spoilers).

When I first saw this book, I was immediately drawn to the cover... and when I read the blurb (though it's hard to read on the print copy of the book), I was immediately interested... so when I won a copy of this book, I was very happy.

While there were some cliches during this book, such as tension between Tehi and Teger at first, I found this book fairly easy to read. I liked seeing the (I received this book for free as part of Goodreads First Reads giveaways).

(This review may contain spoilers).

When I first saw this book, I was immediately drawn to the cover... and when I read the blurb (though it's hard to read on the print copy of the book), I was immediately interested... so when I won a copy of this book, I was very happy.

While there were some cliches during this book, such as tension between Tehi and Teger at first, I found this book fairly easy to read. I liked seeing the evolution of Tehi's character through the course of the book and it was good to see that her work as a healer was so at odds with her contempt towards the other races.

As I read more of the book and learned more of the world Tehi and the others inhabited, I could actually understand why Tehi felt the way she did. A lot about their religion seemed dangerous (and it was good to get some explanations by the end of the book), but I felt the worst part was the non-consensual aspect... and I would have liked to see that accepted as being wrong, as I could tell how negatively it affected Tehi.

It was interesting to see how the hakoi's views of Tehi began to change. I liked the fact she was a healer first and foremost and that she was a strong person... strong enough to do what was right, even if it meant breaking the Protocol.

I would have liked a bit more background on the Moreva and their rituals. I didn't really understand the makeup masks and how the Moreva came into being. I did find it easy to empathise with Tehi's problems, both at the start and later on as she and Teger grew closer. While I didn't really like the almost immediate declarations of love, I did feel that their relationship seemed to evolve naturally.

I especially liked Tehi's friendship with Hyme and it was good to see them pooling their knowledge. It was also good to see that Tehi did have to fight and things didn't come easy for her... and as I learned more of her past, my empathy for her grew.

While there were occasions this book moved slowly, I did find it fairly easy to read and I'd be interested in seeing more of the world and the characters... particularly given what was revealed towards the end. ...more

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Nov 23, 2015 Allie rated it it was amazing

If you like your fantasy novels with a side of romance and a little sci-fi just to spice things up, you’ll absolutely love “The Moreva of Astoreth.” Our heroine, Moreva Tehi, falls from grace as the favorite granddaughter of the Devi goddess Astoreth, and is banished from Astoreth’s temple to a backwater village named Mjor where the Devi and their enemies, the hakoi, are perilously close to breaking their fragile peace.

All the characters, especially Moreva but also Hyme, the village healer, Kep ...more

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Dec 26, 2015 J C Steel rated it really liked it

The Moreva of Astoreth, by Roxanne Bland, is an epic science-fiction / fantasy, where the Devi and morev classes form a religious elite governing the hakoi in the name of the Devi Astoreth, Goddess of Love. Segregated by species and class boundaries, Moreva Tehi, grand-daughter of Astoreth, disdains and fears the local hakoi, bred by the Devi as workers and little more. Exiled for her avoidance to the far northern hakoi village of Syren, Tehi comes into contact with an entirely different type of ...more

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Nov 25, 2016 Kay Smillie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

What a great story. This book included everything you could possibly imagine:

Professional ethics; stereotypical male and female roles; sex as part of love, and sex as abuse; organised religion (including sexual rites with titivating clothing and a whip); the religion hiding a long-held secret; racism and hostility; rules and regulations; healing and wisdom; medicines made by hand from gathered plants, and the total understanding of what each plant does; self-identity with, and without, masks; he ...more

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Nov 04, 2016 Charlie Vasquez rated it liked it · review of another edition

The Moreva of Astoreth” was an interesting experience for me. On one hand the premise is very unique, well thought-out and executed, and the writing was excellent. But I felt that at times the dialogue with the characters felt sort of unnecessary, and there were some parts that I thought were slow/confusing/unbelievable. It took me awhile to get into it, but I will say that once I did I was hooked! Even though at times I felt a lack of focus with Tehi to really connect with and root for her, for ...more

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Roxanne Bland

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Award-winning author Roxanne Bland grew up in Washington, D.C., where she discovered strange and wonderful new worlds through her local public library and bookstores. These and other life experiences have convinced her that reality is highly overrated. To escape, she writes fantasy, science fiction, romance, and a few other genres, sometimes all rolled into the same book. She was named IAOTP's Top ...more