Storm Constantine

[rune]

And I've just bought Sea Dragon Heir. I will try to read this soon as well.

I really enjoyed this book, it was the first I'd read by this author

 

[Rosemary]

I really enjoyed this book, it was the first I'd read by this author

That's great, rune. I think you will enjoy the other books as well. I have put them on my list 'of books to get' for my bookcase. I really liked the style of writing and the storylines were very good. Hopefully I shall be able to find them in a 2nd hand bookshop, as I have too many 'new' books to buy first.

 

[rune]

I'm about 100 pages into the Wraeththu Omnibus by this author. It's probably one of the most unusual fantasy books I've read and I think it could well be considered a cross genre as there is a sci-fi element too.

The relationships between characters are unusual. Despite the Wraeththu species suppose to be both male/female gender, the author refers to them as 'he' so the physical relationships are between men. There's no graphic scenes, but there is an underlying sexual theme.
Makes it a little confusing when trying to see the characters and follow the story.

 

[Seanie]

Has anyone else read the Magravandias Chronicals?

I found book one (Sea Dragon Heir) to be a bit disturbing at times so i had to push myself to go on with it, but i think i'm still learning to appreciate the less fluffy side of fantasy...

I'v just started book 2 (The crown of Silence), i'm only up to chapter 5 & i'm allready liking it more than book one, i'm finding it hard to put down rather than hard to continue, but i couldnt tell you why...

 

[Ash59]

Anyone who can have a hero called 'Resonance Jeopardy' is OK by me..
Actually i've read a few of her books and i find her pretty captivating..The 'Wraethu' books, 'Aleph', 'Calentura' and 'Monstrous Regiment' are well worth checkin' out.

 

[rune]

Has anyone else read the Magravandias Chronicals?

I found book one (Sea Dragon Heir) to be a bit disturbing at times so i had to push myself to go on with it, but i think i'm still learning to appreciate the less fluffy side of fantasy...

I'v just started book 2 (The crown of Silence), i'm only up to chapter 5 & i'm allready liking it more than book one, i'm finding it hard to put down rather than hard to continue, but i couldnt tell you why...

Ive read book one and quite enjoyed it, though it was some time ago. Ive yet to get the 2nd book, her works tend to be out of stock quite a lot

 

[Talysia]

I haven't read any of these yet, but I'll be sure to keep my eyes open for them.

 

[Faceless Woman]

Sea Dragon Heir was pretty good, in spite of being almost as obsessed with twincest as GRRM. Haven't been able to find anything else, though.

Monstrous Regiment? Are you sure? Maybe it's a reused title, but pTerry definitely has one by that name.

 

[j d worthington]

Yep. She has one by that title:

Storm Constantine - Summary Bibliography

Though hers is The Monstrous Regiment (1990), whereas his is Monstrous Regiment (2003). The title could even be a nod to Storm, for that matter.

 

[Ash59]

The Monstrous Regiment is, i believe, an old quote referring to women. I think it might have been St Augustine, but i may well be wrong

 

[j d worthington]

Can't recall that from Augustine (though it's been a good 28 years since I last read any), but quite likely. Certainly it was used by John Knox:

The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women 1558

 

[Ash59]

Can't recall that from Augustine (though it's been a good 28 years since I last read any), but quite likely. Certainly it was used by John Knox:

The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women 1558

You are quite right my friend. My wife who shares a nation with the vile John Knox- though she is not at all dour, cuffed me on the back of the head not long after i made the post and corrected me.
I cannot think where i got St Augustine from. I apologise for my ignorance.

 

[j d worthington]

The connection may be that Knox takes some of his cues from Augustine; and in fact, if you try looking up the phrase, the brief descriptive snippets from the articles put Knox and Augustine in very close proximity.

 

[Faceless Woman]

Highly informative. Ta.

I found books two and three of the Magravindian. Love 'em. So dark, so cold, so very human.

 

[Lirineth]

I found Storm Constantine’s book by accident, literally, I was stuck at home with a broken ankle that took 5 months, 6 screws and 2 metal plates to heal. Thank God my computer was all right and although slow the Internet helped me to ‘get out’, and so as I said I found her books. The first one I read was the first Wraeththu Trilogy, and I have to admit that I really enjoyed it to the point that every time somebody asks for a suggestion on what to read, I always recommend it. Then I read the second trilogy and of course I also loved it. Sadly, for me and those that like her work so much, I don’t think we will ever see the third trilogy. The reason for liking these two trilogies so much is because she managed to evelop the new/old twist of gender issues in a dynamic way. I could not put the books down.

The best part (at least for me) is that when I read the books I didn’t have a clue as to what to expect, so when the gender/sex/violence/fantasy started to unravel it was a great treat. And of course because I liked her books so much I also read her other books The Magravandis Trilogy was great as well as The Grigori Trilogy. But there is one little book that will always be one of my all time favourites together with the two Wraeththu Trilogies and is The Thorn Boy. The book is quite short, but its very moving and, funny enough, is one of those books that you know that will never have a follow up, but even though I loved it.

I don’t know if Storm is her real name of her nome de plume, but if you translate to Spanish is tormenta, and for what I read when the first trilogy was published it caused quite a ‘storm’ because in those days gender issues were not so easily accepted as they are today. Although even today writers treat this subject with a lot of circumspection and there are very few who will expand or really go for it, to the extent that very, but very seldom gay relationships have a ‘happy ending’, maybe that’s also why I like her books, although it must be said that the Whraeththu trilogies do not deal with such an issue, after all hermaphrodites cannot be classified as gay, don’t you think?

 

[j d worthington]

Two points: According to the sources I've seen -- yes, Storm is her real name. As for whether or not hermaphrodites can be classified as gay -- that depends on what sort of symbolism they are designed to convey. I've seen stories where, yes, that was what was intended; others where it was not.

Now, as for more on her work, you might look here for information:

The Official Storm Constantine Web Site

Enjoy!