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Wraeththu Histories #1
The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure
Hailed as "a literary fantasist of outstanding power and originality" by Michael Moorcock, Storm Constantine is one of the most exciting and innovative fantasy writers of her generation.
A tale of intrigue and betrayal, bloodshed and pleasure, dark and dangerous supernatural forces, ardent and consuming passions, The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure is a thrilling new chapter in a compelling fantasy epic.
The author of many acclaimed works of science fiction and fantasy, Constantine is best known for her daring, stylish and provocative Wraeththu trilogy ( The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit, The Bewitchments of Love and Hate, The Fulfilments of Fate and Desire ). The series, which chronicled the rise of a new race of seductive androgynous beings with awesome powers, was hailed as a modern fantasy masterpiece, winning an avid international following of devoted readers.
Now, with The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure , Storm Constantine returns once again to the saga of the Wraeththu with a new epic that reveals previously unknown truths about the origins of these remarkable beings.
Long before the Wraeththu assumed total mastery of the Earth and dominion over the dwindling remnants of the human race, they were a wild and passionate people, living in scattered tribes, worshiping strange gods, increasing their numbers by transmuting humans into their own kind. But all that changed on a festival night that surpassed all others, a night when the world changed forever and the Wraeththu began to realize their awesome potential.
It was a time when the archmage Thiede wove the strands of Wraeththu destiny. When two young Wraeththu hara came together to produce a miraculous new life. When Pellaz, a brash and reckless young leader, rose from destruction to take his place in Wraeththu history. And a child called Lileem found a path of passion and power that led to unknown worlds of mystery.
A tale of intrigue and betrayal, bloodshed and pleasure, dark and dangerous supernatural forces, ardent and consuming passions, The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure is a thrilling new chapter in a compelling fantasy epic.
The author of many acclaimed works of science fiction and fantasy, Constantine is best known for her daring, stylish and provocative Wraeththu trilogy ( The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit, The Bewitchments of Love and Hate, The Fulfilments of Fate and Desire ). The series, which chronicled the rise of a new race of seductive androgynous beings with awesome powers, was hailed as a modern fantasy masterpiece, winning an avid international following of devoted readers.
Now, with The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure , Storm Constantine returns once again to the saga of the Wraeththu with a new epic that reveals previously unknown truths about the origins of these remarkable beings.
Long before the Wraeththu assumed total mastery of the Earth and dominion over the dwindling remnants of the human race, they were a wild and passionate people, living in scattered tribes, worshiping strange gods, increasing their numbers by transmuting humans into their own kind. But all that changed on a festival night that surpassed all others, a night when the world changed forever and the Wraeththu began to realize their awesome potential.
It was a time when the archmage Thiede wove the strands of Wraeththu destiny. When two young Wraeththu hara came together to produce a miraculous new life. When Pellaz, a brash and reckless young leader, rose from destruction to take his place in Wraeththu history. And a child called Lileem found a path of passion and power that led to unknown worlds of mystery.
496 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
22 people are currently reading
625 people want to read
About the author
Storm Constantine
144 books503 followersStorm Constantine was a British science fiction and fantasy author, primarily known for her Wraeththu series.
Since the late 1980s she wrote more than 20 novels, plus several non-fiction books. She is featured in the Goth Bible and is often included in discussions of alternative sexuality and gender in science fiction and fantasy; many of her novels include same-sex relationships or hermaphrodites or other twists of gender. Magic, mysticism and ancient legends (like the Grigori) also figure strongly in her works.
In 2003 she launched Immanion Press, based out of Stafford, England. The publishing company publishes not only her own works but those of new writers, as well as well-known genre writers, mainly from the UK.
Since the late 1980s she wrote more than 20 novels, plus several non-fiction books. She is featured in the Goth Bible and is often included in discussions of alternative sexuality and gender in science fiction and fantasy; many of her novels include same-sex relationships or hermaphrodites or other twists of gender. Magic, mysticism and ancient legends (like the Grigori) also figure strongly in her works.
In 2003 she launched Immanion Press, based out of Stafford, England. The publishing company publishes not only her own works but those of new writers, as well as well-known genre writers, mainly from the UK.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
May 15, 2010
The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure fleshes out much detail of the original Wraeththu trilogy. I tells the story of Flick after he left Salrock to find what happened to Pell's family and tells the stories of Pell's siblings.
Much more detail is given about the 'science' of Wraeththu physiology, their origins and the nature of Wraeththuian Sex 'Magic'. The nature of the Kamagrians is explored in detail. A Pagan bent is prominent in this new trilogy, hinted at in the original.
Much had been made of Storm's Gothic fiction. But, I consider this a misnomer, at least as applied to the Wraeththu series. I find the world to be very positive and compelling, one in which I long to be a part. There is certainly romance, good and evil, but I do not find the horror, death, decay and such, that are such a part of Gothic fiction and subculture. White and beauty is much more a part of its world than black and ugly insanity. In simple terms it is about the fall of one civilization and the struggles of the rise of another. Its politics are timeless.
Much more detail is given about the 'science' of Wraeththu physiology, their origins and the nature of Wraeththuian Sex 'Magic'. The nature of the Kamagrians is explored in detail. A Pagan bent is prominent in this new trilogy, hinted at in the original.
Much had been made of Storm's Gothic fiction. But, I consider this a misnomer, at least as applied to the Wraeththu series. I find the world to be very positive and compelling, one in which I long to be a part. There is certainly romance, good and evil, but I do not find the horror, death, decay and such, that are such a part of Gothic fiction and subculture. White and beauty is much more a part of its world than black and ugly insanity. In simple terms it is about the fall of one civilization and the struggles of the rise of another. Its politics are timeless.
January 8, 2016
I read Wraeththu and enjoyed it so I was looking forward to this series as well. Unfortunately, half-way through I found myself wondering why I was reading the book. I didn't find myself caring about any of the characters. There didn't seem to be anything happening that was holding my interest. I found I just didn't care. By the end of the book none of that had changed. The book is a well written walk through a very imaginative world. But I never found myself relating to any of the characters. I was disappointed.
June 24, 2015
Storm Constantine is one of those rare authors who can do absolutely NO wrong in my eyes. If she were to write a phone directory, it would still be all kinds of dark, delicious awesomeness. Okay, so the fact that she's also a huge Fields of the Nephilim fan is also very cool as well. I mean, there aren't a whole lot of us out there, lol.
I've been a fan of her Wraeththu saga for ages so it was nice to revisit these androgynous beings and immerse myself once more in their politics and beliefs. Cal, Pell, Thiede, Flick, Seel and the other Wraeththu are not just characters, but like old friends. With this book, it definitely helps to have read the original trilogy before starting this one simply because the events in The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure are from the point of view of not the main characters, but ones whom Cal and Pell came across and influenced in some deep way. There are also new characters and beings introduced as Thiede weaves the various hara together into what he hopes will be the beginnings of a newer and more enlightened age. And I have to give Ms. Costantine huge kudos for having lead characters of color in her dystopia (something too many authors fail to do which is all kinds of problematic). Pell and his siblings are all Latino. There are also har of other ethnic groups who've formed various tribes.
This is the kind of fantasy one just gets lost in, and that's always the best kind, right?
I've been a fan of her Wraeththu saga for ages so it was nice to revisit these androgynous beings and immerse myself once more in their politics and beliefs. Cal, Pell, Thiede, Flick, Seel and the other Wraeththu are not just characters, but like old friends. With this book, it definitely helps to have read the original trilogy before starting this one simply because the events in The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure are from the point of view of not the main characters, but ones whom Cal and Pell came across and influenced in some deep way. There are also new characters and beings introduced as Thiede weaves the various hara together into what he hopes will be the beginnings of a newer and more enlightened age. And I have to give Ms. Costantine huge kudos for having lead characters of color in her dystopia (something too many authors fail to do which is all kinds of problematic). Pell and his siblings are all Latino. There are also har of other ethnic groups who've formed various tribes.
This is the kind of fantasy one just gets lost in, and that's always the best kind, right?
May 7, 2020
If you have NOT read the original Wreaththu doorstopper and are picking up this book as your very first introduction to the Wreaththu world, I hope you listen to my advice. PUT THIS BOOK DOWN. GET THE ORIGINAL WREATHTHU TRILOGY. Read it. This book will wait for you and be here when you are done.
As a huge fan of the original, of course I had to read this one as well. For die-hard fans, I do recommend it. It was enjoyable. As a writer, I knew the author had their work cut out for them (exactly as they described in the prologue.) The original books were so BRIGHT-EYED. What an act to follow! Especially after so much time had passed. It was wonderful to have the old friends back (and some new ones). And I know it is not supposed to be a comparison, but who can help but compare? Some will like this more, some the other: personally, I felt the first-person approach of the other book (and following behind one character for a novella length) worked better for me and was more immersive than the 3rd person and switching around that this book did. I also felt some characters (like Ulaume, Mima, and to some degree, Lileem) were not quite done justice for. :/)
All in all though, a good read (BUT READ THE ORIGINAL FIRST IF YOU HAVN'T YET).
As a huge fan of the original, of course I had to read this one as well. For die-hard fans, I do recommend it. It was enjoyable. As a writer, I knew the author had their work cut out for them (exactly as they described in the prologue.) The original books were so BRIGHT-EYED. What an act to follow! Especially after so much time had passed. It was wonderful to have the old friends back (and some new ones). And I know it is not supposed to be a comparison, but who can help but compare? Some will like this more, some the other: personally, I felt the first-person approach of the other book (and following behind one character for a novella length) worked better for me and was more immersive than the 3rd person and switching around that this book did. I also felt some characters (like Ulaume, Mima, and to some degree, Lileem) were not quite done justice for. :/)
All in all though, a good read (BUT READ THE ORIGINAL FIRST IF YOU HAVN'T YET).
February 3, 2016
The first book in the Wraeththu Histories trilogy and fourth Wraeththu novel, this book is a rehash of events from the first three books, but told from different points of view. We see the world of the Wraeththu through the eyes of Flick, Seel, Lileem, Ulaume, Mima, and a few others. The result is a disjointed, emotionally-uninvolved story that covers very little new ground and frankly didn't need to be written.
The narration of this book wraps up just before the end of book 3, but it's obvious what's going to happen, since the story has already been told. There is no way to build suspense. Also, besides establishing a couple of new relationships (that weren't as fleshed out as they should have been due to the constant POV switches), no relevant information is revealed except about the Kamagrian. Did a whole book need to be written about them? I never liked the idea in the first place. Why create hermaphroditic characters just to introduce "male" and "female" hermaphrodites? Doesn't that make them not hermaphrodites at all, in the end? I feel like it's only reinforcing the gender binary instead of breaking it down.
The amount of time devoted to magic in this book also didn't appeal to me, especially . I can't appreciate how this act could create a portal through reality to an alternate universe. This was the idea that basically carried the book, since the rest was just a retelling of already-known events, and it was a really dumb idea. It's only my love of the Wraeththu world that earned this one three stars.
The narration of this book wraps up just before the end of book 3, but it's obvious what's going to happen, since the story has already been told. There is no way to build suspense. Also, besides establishing a couple of new relationships (that weren't as fleshed out as they should have been due to the constant POV switches), no relevant information is revealed except about the Kamagrian. Did a whole book need to be written about them? I never liked the idea in the first place. Why create hermaphroditic characters just to introduce "male" and "female" hermaphrodites? Doesn't that make them not hermaphrodites at all, in the end? I feel like it's only reinforcing the gender binary instead of breaking it down.
The amount of time devoted to magic in this book also didn't appeal to me, especially . I can't appreciate how this act could create a portal through reality to an alternate universe. This was the idea that basically carried the book, since the rest was just a retelling of already-known events, and it was a really dumb idea. It's only my love of the Wraeththu world that earned this one three stars.
December 7, 2013
The book was better than I had anticipated. Like the original books ("Wraeththu" collection), the story didn't have a conventional straightforward plot as such, but a chain of events: stuff happening to the characters and the characters doing stuff. This time the chain of events was more easy to follow and also made more sense. I'd say this book is better than the originals.
I found I cared about the main characters more. They were different and distinct people and I could understand their actions and motives at least most of the time, though not always. The characters' dialogue still felt a little weak. They spoke more naturally but didn't seem to have their own unique voices.
The mysticism, magic and gods don't fit very well with my preference for scientific explanations and solutions, but I do still enjoy the presented mysteries. I liked it when the characters got philosophical about the mysteries and explained things. I would have liked it to happen more often, even.
I found I cared about the main characters more. They were different and distinct people and I could understand their actions and motives at least most of the time, though not always. The characters' dialogue still felt a little weak. They spoke more naturally but didn't seem to have their own unique voices.
The mysticism, magic and gods don't fit very well with my preference for scientific explanations and solutions, but I do still enjoy the presented mysteries. I liked it when the characters got philosophical about the mysteries and explained things. I would have liked it to happen more often, even.
May 21, 2015
Storm Constantine easily pulls the reader into this strange world by use of strong, realistic, fleshed out characters and complex conflict. Her writing is brilliant. It's a thought provoking yet enjoyable and entertaining read. I highly recommend The Wraiths of Will and pleasure.
June 18, 2012
This serie gives u a better vieuw of who and what the Wraethu are, the storyline is alsow great, these books are one of my faves ever!
May 22, 2017
Rating: 3* of five
Wraeththu as a concept strikes me now as not terribly gay. At the time I read this, maybe I thought it was on a par with Ethan of Athos as social commentary, but now it feels forced and slightly silly to me.
Wraeththu as a concept strikes me now as not terribly gay. At the time I read this, maybe I thought it was on a par with Ethan of Athos as social commentary, but now it feels forced and slightly silly to me.
September 3, 2020
I liked this story and I like Storm Constantine's writing, however, this fantasy novel had none of the passion and allure of the previous Wraeththu trilogy. I read the first book while traveling and was so captivated by it that I had to search out vol. 2, while abroad. I understand that the author has "backed-off" from her previous prose sensuality. The book looses some of it's uniqueness as a result. The time-line shifts are also somewhat jarring as is the manner in which she shifts into a previously unintroduced theme. As with all trilogies, this one ends on the promise of the next book. Though curious, I doubt I will read vol. 2 of this series.
October 10, 2019
Next time someone mentions Le Guin’s Left Hand of Darkness, I’m going to refer them to Constantine. If you like androgyny/gender bending speculative fiction this is very well written and strange.
May 28, 2025
wasn't expecting to like it as much as i did, especially because i hadn't read the originally trilogy, but i was definitely pleasantly surprised and will now go back and read the original books!
at first i was a bit worried about getting confused with terminology, but constantine did a fine job of making this book accessible to new readers. this is perhaps because wraeththu was far less different from human society (and human concepts of gender) than i would have hoped... one of the characters in the book does kinda point this out (), so it seems like the author was at least somewhat aware of this failing, but that did disappoint me a bit.
the end also felt like a bit of a let down, neither tense enough for me to desperately want to read what happens next nor concluded enough to make me satisfied with how things were at the present.
at first i was a bit worried about getting confused with terminology, but constantine did a fine job of making this book accessible to new readers. this is perhaps because wraeththu was far less different from human society (and human concepts of gender) than i would have hoped... one of the characters in the book does kinda point this out (), so it seems like the author was at least somewhat aware of this failing, but that did disappoint me a bit.
the end also felt like a bit of a let down, neither tense enough for me to desperately want to read what happens next nor concluded enough to make me satisfied with how things were at the present.
May 23, 2019
What a great followup
This book pulls together any loose ends or secrets left by the original trilogy while introducing new and wonderful characters in this future earth where humans are no more. Storm Constantine did it again with this remarkable book. I am looking forward to the next and will be saddened at the end of this trilogy.
This book pulls together any loose ends or secrets left by the original trilogy while introducing new and wonderful characters in this future earth where humans are no more. Storm Constantine did it again with this remarkable book. I am looking forward to the next and will be saddened at the end of this trilogy.
January 11, 2020
Characters only had surface level emotions/ motivations. A lot of the time it seemed like they were only doing or feeling something because the author said so. That said, it does make you think about sociological and anthropological aspects of our cultures. Over all it left me with a weird slightly uncomfortable feeling that I wouldn't mind more of.
May 20, 2018
the characters are wonderfully developed and I was delighted by the consistency of the world and the plot. would I read the others in the series? probably not because this book alone was quite involving, but I don't regret the time spent.
April 17, 2020
In the near future, humanity is being exterminated by the Wraethu, an artificially created offshoot race. Two young Wraethu travel through a rift in space-time to a far future library, to uncover the mystery of their origin and stop the persecution.
Want to read
July 19, 2020elibrary
June 4, 2025
I love this book, I love this series, but I won't lie...I liked the first trilogy more.
December 3, 2010
This is the first book in the second Wraeththu trilogy by Storm Constantine
Again, I'm really blown away by her beautiful writing style and the characters I keep falling in love with. This book actually is timed between the second and third in the first trilogy. It is very much the story of the secondary characters in that trilogy. You would think initially that would belabor the story, or at best be "Ground Hog's Day" ad nauseum. It works splendidly. I found myself very grateful not only for the fill-in of detail to the original story, but her deft ability to draw the reader into several characters at once. It's awfully hard to choose a side in her writing, which is the whole point of androgyny anyway. There is no side.
This one really shows the struggles that the incepted Wraeththu have in contrast to those of the pure-born Wraeththu. Only males can be Wraeththu, usually boys or teens. Their inception involves exposure to Wraeththu blood, after which they are no longer human but hermaphroditic forms of perfection, for the most part. Eventually certain castes of the race could reproduce. For many of the young men who were incepted, they are still very much trapped in their masculine personas and their feminine virtues are suppressed, out of fear of them and discomfort with them. The ones that are pure-born don't struggle with that as much, especially if they conceive and bear life. Tthey are more accepting of their feminine. It's very interesting, cos I can see how in the depiction of sexual balance in how the main characters live in first trilogy the reader could easily feel it is just another literary projection of a masculine dominance. But she shows the characters struggling with that too. They know they aren't purely masculine. The Wraeththu don't know who they are yet, and are afraid they will destroy themselves before they can find out.
Oddly the 'women' in the book go through the same thing with regard to their masculine virtues. How familiar.
Interesting to observe how the voice of the feminine evolves in this trilogy. It's very fitting and artful for Constantine to allow it to emerge and shape now. She has an excellent grasp of how her characters grow and evolve and how to "teach" the reader much in the same way to remain included in the lack of sexual polarity she's created. I find that as I enter into the second book of the second trilogy, I don't bring any thoughts of them being human or a gender at all. It's really wonderful and shaped my worldview really well.
Apart from physical androgyny, there is also the presentation of nonpolarized "will," meaning, her presentation of the storyline is so artful that the reader learns in a very well timed succession WHY the characters make the decisions that they do, their true motivations and inner events, that you really can't judge any of them as right or wrong, good or bad. You see the whole picture. That is not an easy style to write, and I admire her for that.
Again, I'm really blown away by her beautiful writing style and the characters I keep falling in love with. This book actually is timed between the second and third in the first trilogy. It is very much the story of the secondary characters in that trilogy. You would think initially that would belabor the story, or at best be "Ground Hog's Day" ad nauseum. It works splendidly. I found myself very grateful not only for the fill-in of detail to the original story, but her deft ability to draw the reader into several characters at once. It's awfully hard to choose a side in her writing, which is the whole point of androgyny anyway. There is no side.
This one really shows the struggles that the incepted Wraeththu have in contrast to those of the pure-born Wraeththu. Only males can be Wraeththu, usually boys or teens. Their inception involves exposure to Wraeththu blood, after which they are no longer human but hermaphroditic forms of perfection, for the most part. Eventually certain castes of the race could reproduce. For many of the young men who were incepted, they are still very much trapped in their masculine personas and their feminine virtues are suppressed, out of fear of them and discomfort with them. The ones that are pure-born don't struggle with that as much, especially if they conceive and bear life. Tthey are more accepting of their feminine. It's very interesting, cos I can see how in the depiction of sexual balance in how the main characters live in first trilogy the reader could easily feel it is just another literary projection of a masculine dominance. But she shows the characters struggling with that too. They know they aren't purely masculine. The Wraeththu don't know who they are yet, and are afraid they will destroy themselves before they can find out.
Oddly the 'women' in the book go through the same thing with regard to their masculine virtues. How familiar.
Interesting to observe how the voice of the feminine evolves in this trilogy. It's very fitting and artful for Constantine to allow it to emerge and shape now. She has an excellent grasp of how her characters grow and evolve and how to "teach" the reader much in the same way to remain included in the lack of sexual polarity she's created. I find that as I enter into the second book of the second trilogy, I don't bring any thoughts of them being human or a gender at all. It's really wonderful and shaped my worldview really well.
Apart from physical androgyny, there is also the presentation of nonpolarized "will," meaning, her presentation of the storyline is so artful that the reader learns in a very well timed succession WHY the characters make the decisions that they do, their true motivations and inner events, that you really can't judge any of them as right or wrong, good or bad. You see the whole picture. That is not an easy style to write, and I admire her for that.
November 3, 2012
Not quite as mind-blowing as the original trilogy, but still terrific
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 9/10
PROS:
- The world-building in this series is amazing: detailed, beautifully written, and unique. Constantine is particularly good at using concrete descriptions to bring abstract ideas to life.
- Events related in this volume serve to illuminate incidents and characters introduced in the original Wraeththu trilogy. When I read the trilogy, I wished on numerous occasions that I could see more of what happened between certain characters, and in many cases, that background information I craved is present in this book.
- There are a couple of teasers at the very end of the third book that suggest an entire world separate from but related to that of Wraeththu. Those teasers are, much to my delight, developed (and even focused on) in this volume.
- In spite of the magnificence of the story idea and Constantine’s actual writing, my favorite thing about the Wraeththu series is the characters--especially the romantic relationships they form with one another. There are several new relationships in this book, one of which involves a character I liked very much in the original series.
CONS:
- This volume is told in third person, whereas each of the original stories is narrated from a different character’s perspective. The plus side of the third-person POV here is that we get to see a lot of different characters’ experiences, which gives the story a broader scope than the original Wraeththu stories have. The down side is that this story doesn’t feel as intimate as the earlier ones, because the comments we’re prone to are those of a removed, omniscient narrator rather than a character who’s actually participating in the action.
- I thought the story was a little slow at first. It took almost a hundred pages for me to get really interested in it, even though I already knew and liked one of the main characters from the previous stories.
Overall comments: I think if you’ve read the original trilogy, this is a must-read as a follow-up. The background it provides for several of the main characters is wonderful, as is the expansion upon ideas only briefly touched upon in the first books. If you haven’t read the original books, the story here is probably engaging enough to catch your attention; however, you’ll be missing out on much of the emotional impact of the events related in this volume.
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 9/10
PROS:
- The world-building in this series is amazing: detailed, beautifully written, and unique. Constantine is particularly good at using concrete descriptions to bring abstract ideas to life.
- Events related in this volume serve to illuminate incidents and characters introduced in the original Wraeththu trilogy. When I read the trilogy, I wished on numerous occasions that I could see more of what happened between certain characters, and in many cases, that background information I craved is present in this book.
- There are a couple of teasers at the very end of the third book that suggest an entire world separate from but related to that of Wraeththu. Those teasers are, much to my delight, developed (and even focused on) in this volume.
- In spite of the magnificence of the story idea and Constantine’s actual writing, my favorite thing about the Wraeththu series is the characters--especially the romantic relationships they form with one another. There are several new relationships in this book, one of which involves a character I liked very much in the original series.
CONS:
- This volume is told in third person, whereas each of the original stories is narrated from a different character’s perspective. The plus side of the third-person POV here is that we get to see a lot of different characters’ experiences, which gives the story a broader scope than the original Wraeththu stories have. The down side is that this story doesn’t feel as intimate as the earlier ones, because the comments we’re prone to are those of a removed, omniscient narrator rather than a character who’s actually participating in the action.
- I thought the story was a little slow at first. It took almost a hundred pages for me to get really interested in it, even though I already knew and liked one of the main characters from the previous stories.
Overall comments: I think if you’ve read the original trilogy, this is a must-read as a follow-up. The background it provides for several of the main characters is wonderful, as is the expansion upon ideas only briefly touched upon in the first books. If you haven’t read the original books, the story here is probably engaging enough to catch your attention; however, you’ll be missing out on much of the emotional impact of the events related in this volume.
March 24, 2015
I am possibly the worst Storm Constantine fan ever, because I have to admit that I’m yet to read all her books (at time of writing).This is mostly due to the fact that it’s only during the past few years (thanks to the advent of digital publishing) that it has become easy to lay hands on her work all the way out here in South Africa. But I admit my consumption of the Wraeththu Mythos books has been gradual; not only do I not want to rush to get to the end, but I also wish to revisit some of the other authors who had such a massive impact on me during my formative years.
Anyhoo, The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure is the first of the second trilogy, and it is exactly as the name suggests – a somewhat historical account of all the events that occurred behind the scenes in the first trilogy. Also, the biggest difference is that Storm abandons her expected first-person account in exchange for a third-person viewpoint that occasionally flirts with third-person omniscient. Under normal circumstances omniscient storytelling annoys the everloving crap out of me, but Storm is happily one of the few authors I’ve encountered who understands how to employ this narrative style well.
If you’re yet to encounter any of Storm’s Wraeththu stories, do yourself a favour and read in chronological order. The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure is jam-packed to the gills with spoilers.
However, if you wondered about certain key secondary characters, like Seel, Ulaume, Flick, and a number of others who make brief but enigmatic appearances in the first trilogy, you’ll have so much backstory that explains just about everything. Granted, the storytelling is condensed, and Storm does engage in a fair amount of narrative summary, and so long as you keep in mind that this book is intended to fill in the gaps behind the scenes that took place around about the time of Pell and Cal’s catastrophic separation, Orien’s fate and Cal’s eventual arrival in Roselane, you’ll be good.
For me, this book is a veritable goldmine, since I write for the expanded Wraeththu Mythos – so these chunks of history are vital knowledge for me, even if this is more a collection of key individual experiences fleshing out what is in actuality an extended travelogue. And, if you wanted to know more about the Kamagrian, you’re in the right place.
But hush now… I’ve said enough already...
Anyhoo, The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure is the first of the second trilogy, and it is exactly as the name suggests – a somewhat historical account of all the events that occurred behind the scenes in the first trilogy. Also, the biggest difference is that Storm abandons her expected first-person account in exchange for a third-person viewpoint that occasionally flirts with third-person omniscient. Under normal circumstances omniscient storytelling annoys the everloving crap out of me, but Storm is happily one of the few authors I’ve encountered who understands how to employ this narrative style well.
If you’re yet to encounter any of Storm’s Wraeththu stories, do yourself a favour and read in chronological order. The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure is jam-packed to the gills with spoilers.
However, if you wondered about certain key secondary characters, like Seel, Ulaume, Flick, and a number of others who make brief but enigmatic appearances in the first trilogy, you’ll have so much backstory that explains just about everything. Granted, the storytelling is condensed, and Storm does engage in a fair amount of narrative summary, and so long as you keep in mind that this book is intended to fill in the gaps behind the scenes that took place around about the time of Pell and Cal’s catastrophic separation, Orien’s fate and Cal’s eventual arrival in Roselane, you’ll be good.
For me, this book is a veritable goldmine, since I write for the expanded Wraeththu Mythos – so these chunks of history are vital knowledge for me, even if this is more a collection of key individual experiences fleshing out what is in actuality an extended travelogue. And, if you wanted to know more about the Kamagrian, you’re in the right place.
But hush now… I’ve said enough already...
January 13, 2013
I love the way this author can start a book with a new main character, making me go, "Ugh, again? I want to go back to Pellaz/Swift/Cal/any of the previous protagonists who I've gotten to know and love and want to hear more from!" And then Storm Constantine smiles in a mysterious and knowing way, and before long, I am totally enthralled with this new headspace and can't imagine having anyone else telling me the story. So whatever disappointments you might feel in the beginning, if you've trusted the author so far, trust her one more time. (Personally, I can't fathom the courage and creativity it takes to delve into a side character and bring them to life as a POV character.)
Her painfully beautiful way of expressing her characters' thoughts hasn't changed. I was in tears within the first few chapters, reliving in a sentence the tragedies from the earlier the books as if they'd just happened. That alone makes this book an automatic win for me.
Like the first series, there were explanations that didn't fulfill my own subjective needs, and some places where I felt like things were being stretched too far in order to make them fit. Hence the reluctantly lower rating. But overall, the book is satisfying in surprising ways. The story starts in time with the middle of Enchantments and runs alongside it almost to the end of Fulfillments (making me want to reread the originals even more) in a nice reintroduction to the original tale, adding new perspectives that I never even realized I wanted. Unlike a lot of follow-ups, I think this one was more than a superficial revisit, it is truly an addition to the world she invented, and well worth it.
Her painfully beautiful way of expressing her characters' thoughts hasn't changed. I was in tears within the first few chapters, reliving in a sentence the tragedies from the earlier the books as if they'd just happened. That alone makes this book an automatic win for me.
Like the first series, there were explanations that didn't fulfill my own subjective needs, and some places where I felt like things were being stretched too far in order to make them fit. Hence the reluctantly lower rating. But overall, the book is satisfying in surprising ways. The story starts in time with the middle of Enchantments and runs alongside it almost to the end of Fulfillments (making me want to reread the originals even more) in a nice reintroduction to the original tale, adding new perspectives that I never even realized I wanted. Unlike a lot of follow-ups, I think this one was more than a superficial revisit, it is truly an addition to the world she invented, and well worth it.
March 29, 2014
I read the first trilogy "Wraethu" by Storm Constantine some time ago, so I had forgotten quite a lot of what happened in those 3 books. I had also sort of forgotten just how good a writer Storm Constantine is, but was soon reminded as I started to read "The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure". This book takes place between the 2nd and 3rd books of the Wraethu trilogy. We are reacquainted with some of the characters from those books and new characters are introduced as well. I thought this book was wonderful. I wasn't as confused about the Wraethu and hars, etc. as I was in the first series. I'm not sure if it was explained better or if I just understood it better because I had read the first trilogy previously. I thought the relationships between the various characters were very well done. The author does a great job of making the reader care about the characters. I liked the pace of the story. There were some parts of the story where several years pass, but this was done seamlessly, in my opinion and I didn't feel as though the author rushed any part of the story. The passage of years without writing every moment of them was done with great effect.
I should mention that this book is tagged as M/M, but it really isn't because the main characters are really hermaphroditic, although the har think of themselves as being male for the most part.
I thought this book was a really fast read. No parts of the novel seemed slow to me. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy. The author did a great job in world building a world in which humans are no longer in existence or very few of them exist anymore, actually.
I should mention that this book is tagged as M/M, but it really isn't because the main characters are really hermaphroditic, although the har think of themselves as being male for the most part.
I thought this book was a really fast read. No parts of the novel seemed slow to me. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy. The author did a great job in world building a world in which humans are no longer in existence or very few of them exist anymore, actually.
May 31, 2024
This delighted me as a fan of past novels, past characters while introducing wonderful new characters, fleshing out more of this world. Past tragedies turned into story; experienced by Seel, Orien, Wraxlian, Pellaz, Cobweb, Thiede; especially Flick, Ulaume, and Mima. This was in many ways Flick and Ulaume’s story. Flick was the closest thing to an everyhar Wraeththu has produced and wishes to be everyhar, but grand destiny has a way of interfering with this. Ulaume begins as a seductive villain, intent on winding his wickedness around Pellaz, but his own wisdom and power take him in a different direction. He reveals a surprising soft side when he finds an abandoned harling in the desert. This is Lileem, whom most believe to be har, but she was born Kamagrian. Curious enough to ask questions many aren’t brave enough, she’s more than happy to seize the destiny Flick avoids, finding her own place within it. Lileem ends up bringing Mima, Flick, Ulaume, and Mima’s brother Terez together in unexpected ways, impacting the worlds of Wraeththu and Kamagrian in ways that shake it to the core.
This novel explored the consequences of the previous three books; developing and enriching the characters caught within them. Benevolent individuals showed a more sinister side while more sinsister ones revealed benevolent traits. Truths tentatively propped up previously were questioned, opening the world up to more potential. Storm Constantine has taken an already excellent series and raised it to a new level.
This novel explored the consequences of the previous three books; developing and enriching the characters caught within them. Benevolent individuals showed a more sinister side while more sinsister ones revealed benevolent traits. Truths tentatively propped up previously were questioned, opening the world up to more potential. Storm Constantine has taken an already excellent series and raised it to a new level.
October 12, 2015
Well that was different. I'm not really sure what to rate this as three or four stars I guess. I can't say I loved this book and I can't say that I'm ambivalent about it either. It took me a while to get through it since it wasn't a easy read for me. The book felt very dry to me and I was never very sure what kind of story the book was trying to tell. It wasn't a romance even though there are certainly many pairs or couple or couples that break up. It wasn't a political intrigue book either since the story was wrapped up in the characters and their lives. Even by the end I wasn't sure what the purpose of the story was.
The world building was different and certainly something I haven't read before. But it also felt incomplete to me and left me confused at times. This might be because I haven't read the other series in the universe. Yet even though I didn't understand everything that was happening and wasn't thrilled with the writing style I still felt myself drawn into the story. I wanted to know what was going to happen to the characters and how they were all going to be drawn together. I didn't want to put the book down even though there were a lot of things that didn't agree with me.
The world building was different and certainly something I haven't read before. But it also felt incomplete to me and left me confused at times. This might be because I haven't read the other series in the universe. Yet even though I didn't understand everything that was happening and wasn't thrilled with the writing style I still felt myself drawn into the story. I wanted to know what was going to happen to the characters and how they were all going to be drawn together. I didn't want to put the book down even though there were a lot of things that didn't agree with me.
April 1, 2016
I haven't read the original Wrathethu series for, oh, apparently 20 years, so I had forgotten a lot, but knew I wanted to spend more time in their world (I lent my book to a very good friend and he hasn't returned it yet). I don't read e-books so it is difficult to get hold of Storm Constantine books and I was delighted to come across this one. It's been on my to read list for years!
Despite not remembering the previous story clearly, I remembered the world and characters and loved the details and extra explanations in this book. I found that the passage of time was very varied and the first section seemed to be a book by itself, the part following was more measured and thoughtful, less emotional, but just as good. This book has reminded me how much I enjoy the author. I was totally besotted with the Grigori trilogy, not just because I love the Fields of the Nephilim and have found much worth in everything I've read by the author, but the world of the Wrathethu feels like coming home. I hope I find some more of these at a price I can pay.
Despite not remembering the previous story clearly, I remembered the world and characters and loved the details and extra explanations in this book. I found that the passage of time was very varied and the first section seemed to be a book by itself, the part following was more measured and thoughtful, less emotional, but just as good. This book has reminded me how much I enjoy the author. I was totally besotted with the Grigori trilogy, not just because I love the Fields of the Nephilim and have found much worth in everything I've read by the author, but the world of the Wrathethu feels like coming home. I hope I find some more of these at a price I can pay.
December 21, 2020
I loved this book! I thought it would deviate a lot from the main story but no! Once again the author manages to perfectly blend all the different stories of every character.
I got so excited in the chapters where characters reunite, it's like a freaking telenovela!
I loved that we get to see more of the origin and history of Wraeththu , and how the characters explore the possibilities of their bodies and minds.
At first, I thought it was a bit weird because the first three books are written in first person narrative from the point of view of just one character throughout each of the books, this one is written in third person and uses the points of view of different characters. At first, it was confusing because there are some new characters but after that I got used to it and even found it more interesting because it gives a broader scope of the story.
I got so excited in the chapters where characters reunite, it's like a freaking telenovela!
I loved that we get to see more of the origin and history of Wraeththu , and how the characters explore the possibilities of their bodies and minds.
At first, I thought it was a bit weird because the first three books are written in first person narrative from the point of view of just one character throughout each of the books, this one is written in third person and uses the points of view of different characters. At first, it was confusing because there are some new characters but after that I got used to it and even found it more interesting because it gives a broader scope of the story.
August 7, 2019
I came across this book at my local library and was immediately drawn in by the cover and the title. After reading it and the rest of the "Wraeththu Histories", I was surprised when I found out that this was the second trilogy! I immediately went and bought the first set, and found it easier to read after reading the histories set first. I feel as if If I had read the original set before, it wouldn't have been as enjoyable as going back to it, because it expanded on my knowledge of the characters - so read the second series first! That said, this has to be one of most intriguing stories I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Storm Constantine's world does wonders for the readers imagination; it's lush, dark, disturbing, wonderfully sensual and magical - all the things dark fantasy should be. I genuinely felt as if it was a world I'd love to be a part of. Bravo, my Queen, bravo.
August 9, 2011
This book has overturned everything I thought I knew about what fantasy could do. Usually concernted about good and evil and personal virtue, Storm Constantine has turned fantasy into a potently charged social commmentary by the simple act of making her main characters, the Wraeththu, humanity's successors, an androgynous hermaphroditic race - a very sexual race and a very tribal race. This story is about identity and belonging, about cruelty and ostracism. It's about finding one's place in a strange world and finding the ones you love. If you like your fantasy gritty, or are looking for something that is outside of what you know then I highly recommend this.
September 7, 2011
A book whose strength lies in invention, its characters and the exploration of each. Looking back after having read it, I can see a variety of places where it dragged into characters sitting around brooding, and I can see how that could cause the impetus of the book -and the interest of the reader- to slow, but for me, it was an enjoyable read. I don't read vampire fiction. I read it because the first few pages promised it to be a well written and engaging book, and it was. 3 stars seems low, but out of ten I'd give it a 7. Its far above most books in the "vampire" genre out there (and it also has some interesting and colorful sex scenes, and intriguing world mythology goings on)
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