The Hienama: A Story of the Sulh
A novella.
When Jassenah har Sulh arrives in the Wraeththu town of Jesith to train magically with the famous hienama Ysobi, he's unprepared for the effect this har will have on him. Ysobi opens Jassenah's mind to the potential that hara can reach for and in doing so, also opens his heart. Just as it seems Jassenah has achieved his heart's desire, a new student arrives, in the form of Gesaril, a damaged young creature with mysteries lurking in his past. The magic of both the unseen world and that of harish emotions conspire to destroy Jassenah's idyllic life, until he feels he's forced to stoop to equally cruel methods to salvage his happiness. But at what cost?
The Hienama is a rich and deeply erotic tale of the Wraeththu Mythos, set in the magical land of Alba Sulh. It's a story of hara who live on the land and in the wake of human passing are trying to establish communities. They strive to cast off human limitations but sometimes this task proves difficult, especially when it involves matters of the heart, when all the dark anxieties and jealousy of their previous human condition can rise to torment them.
This story is the first in a series of Wraeththu novellas planned by Storm Constantine, involving the hermaphrodite race who comes to replace humanity, first explored in her seminal trilogies: The Wraeththu Chronicles and The Wraeththu Histories.
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Storm Constantine
Storm Constantine (1956–2021) was a British science fiction and fantasy author, primarily known for her Wraeththu series, which began as one trilogy but has spawned many subsequent works. Beginning in the 1980s, Constantine's short stories appeared in dozens of genre fiction magazines and anthologies. She was the author of over 30 published novels and non-fiction books (often examining issues of sex and gender), plus numerous other publications, including magical grimoires. Her debut novel, The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit, was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award, and subsequently her work was nominated for the British Science Fiction Award, the British Fantasy Award, the Locus Award, and the Otherwise Award. In addition to her work as a writer, Constantine headed Immanion Press, an independent publishing company she founded in 2003 with the express purpose of publishing her own back catalog as well as works of other niche fiction and non-fiction writers.
Wraeththu Mythos
Wraeththu Mythos consists of 5 total books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
Related series Wraeththu Chronicles
Related series Wraeththu Histories
