M. C. A. Hogarth ([info]haikujaguar) wrote,
2011-09-14 09:29:00
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Story Available: Even the Wingless


Smashwords | Amazon US


What do I say about Wingless? It's nearly 500 pages of tension, violence and cruelty. It's got aliens. It's got dragons. It's got furries. It's got psychic space elves. It's got real slavery, not the happy-sexual-kind, and real heartbreak, and real culture clashes. It's probably the bloodiest book I've ever written, and that's taking Spots's kill count into account.

It's about love. And change. About the difference between service and slavery, and what price you're willing to pay to not renege on your duties. It's about redemption found at the end of incredible roads.

The Alliance has sent twelve ambassadors to the Chatcaavan Empire; all twelve returned early, defeated. None of their number have been successful at taking that brutal empire to task for their violations of the treaty. None have survived the vicious court of a race of winged shapechangers, one maintained by cruelty, savagery and torture.

Lisinthir Nase Galare is the Alliance's thirteenth emissary. A duelist, an esper and a prince of his people, he has been sent to bring an empire to heel. Will it destroy him, as it has his predecessors? Or can one man teach an empire to fear... and love?

This book has a lot of history. Notably, it was orphaned at Tor. I think that was the incident that ended my relationship with traditional publishing. I can talk about it in another post, for those of you interested in the story. But for now, here's a triumph: the book at last, having survived that orphanage.

I've mentioned the excerpts before, but here's another link to them:

     • The First Scene.
     • Lisinthir and the Emperor.

And here's the non-spoilery art, though of course you can go through the spoilery stuff at your leisure.
The Slave Queen's Regard--More of ItLisinthir's Throne Even the Wingless The Duellist


Note for those who like to know such things: this book contains M/M and M/F relationships, and features bi characters.

Is this the first book I'd recommend reading in the Pelted universe? Probably not. Is it typical of me? Not on the surface (I have already had jokes about the price representing a "I-don't-write-p0rn!" surtax, and yes, I find them funny!). But in the end Wingless is about culture, risks, relationships and salvation, and those are pretty typical themes for me.

That it also has a hot, fierce main character and dragons in it must be considered a lagniappe. -_-

You can pick up my other stories in print and in e-book form, including many free and 99-cent nibbles, at Smashwords and Amazon. If you like what you read, please drop back by and Like It or give it a few stars or a review. This one in particular will benefit from your help: people pay more attention to novel reviews than they do short stories. And as always, thank you, for helping to support this independent author. :)

(Several of you have already read it, so the comments on this post may contain spoilers.)



Stardancer Home.
Tags: alt publishing, e-books, story launch, writing

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  • 42 comments

[info]stryck

September 14 2011, 13:41:48 UTC 8 months ago

Let's see.. this was the second book I've read in the Pelted universe, after Alysha's Fall. Which, to be honest, has a lot of similar themes to it. Hrm.

I'm really waiting for stories with more Vasiht'h, though. But I suspect you know that already.

[info]haikujaguar

September 14 2011, 14:16:41 UTC 8 months ago

I was thinking earlier that it reminded me of AF in some ways! So I am glad I am not the only one.

There is a novella (very roughly drafted) that comes after Wingless, that does in fact involve Jahir and Vasiht'h. But really, I should keep posting case studies for them, and tidy up their novella first.

[info]stryck

September 14 2011, 16:09:05 UTC 8 months ago

Do Alysha and Lisinthir ever end up meeting? That might be a scary moment. O.O

[info]haikujaguar

8 months ago

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[info]stryck

8 months ago

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[info]haikujaguar

8 months ago

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[info]archangelbeth

8 months ago

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[info]haikujaguar

8 months ago

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[info]archangelbeth

8 months ago

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[info]dracosphynx

8 months ago

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[info]tabard

September 14 2011, 14:22:17 UTC 8 months ago

I gulped down about half of Wingless last night before I realized it was almost 2:30am. *sheepish grin*

So far it's intriguing, these dragons who seem by even the sound of their language to be a violent-natured race, and this ambassador trying from the start to figure his way through them rather than around.

[info]naamah_darling

September 14 2011, 14:34:20 UTC 8 months ago

I am really, really interested in this one, and I will pick it one up just as soon as I have a chance (i.e. money in paypal).

While I'm buying, which would you recommend someone read to introduce that universe?

[info]haikujaguar

September 14 2011, 14:38:35 UTC 8 months ago

*flips around*

Let's see. My writing page recommends "A Distant Sun" as the best introduction (Amazon and Smashwords), and in retrospect I think that's a pretty good choice.

There are some free stories up too: Tears is a sweet shortie, and if you're into the military SF line, there's "Stormfront," Amazon / Smashwords.

[info]naamah_darling

September 14 2011, 14:44:20 UTC 8 months ago

Excellent! Thank you kindly! I will make sure to review when I'm done reading!

[info]haikujaguar

8 months ago

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[info]arielstarshadow

September 14 2011, 14:43:58 UTC 8 months ago

I think you will LOVELOVELOVE this.

[info]naamah_darling

September 14 2011, 14:44:57 UTC 8 months ago

Oh, good. I'm thinking I will, too!

[info]arielstarshadow

September 14 2011, 14:43:17 UTC 8 months ago

Sitting in the Denver airport, waiting on a plane and typing on my phone. I suspect Lisinthir is pleased that this has finally gone "public," as it were. Will have to buy my copy when I get back, unless I can somehow make my netbook behave when I get to the hotel.

[info]haikujaguar

September 14 2011, 14:43:59 UTC 8 months ago

I'm not sure how he feels about it, to be honest.

I'm not sure how I feel about it, to be honest!

[info]arielstarshadow

September 14 2011, 14:49:31 UTC 8 months ago

Well, I still vividly recall some of the art on Stardancer. The one that particularly comes to mind is the gleefulness of you two upon hearing you'd gotten an agent. (And Oh! How far you've come since then!)

[info]haikujaguar

8 months ago

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[info]arielstarshadow

8 months ago

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[info]greylistening

8 months ago

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[info]haikujaguar

8 months ago

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[info]greylistening

8 months ago

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[info]eric_hinkle

September 14 2011, 16:51:27 UTC 8 months ago

It's got real slavery, not the happy-sexual-kind

This alone makes it sound different from far too many works I've seen of late, both fiction and gaming material. I hope this book sells very well!

[info]haikujaguar

September 14 2011, 18:56:09 UTC 8 months ago

We shall see, we shall see.

[info]greylistening

September 14 2011, 18:11:33 UTC 8 months ago

I read something else this morning that linked to Even the Wingless:

"Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death."

[info]haikujaguar

September 14 2011, 18:56:17 UTC 8 months ago

...!

[info]greylistening

September 14 2011, 22:42:03 UTC 8 months ago

Psalm 44:19

I always notice the beautiful, strange verses, about dragons and cherubim and walking on the wings of the wind.

[info]eric_hinkle

8 months ago

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[info]bootheel

8 months ago

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[info]eric_hinkle

8 months ago

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[info]greylistening

8 months ago

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[info]thedigitalkuri

September 14 2011, 23:15:52 UTC 8 months ago

This book is like a FEAST. I LOVE IT.

I'm ignoring comments because I'm only at the first presentation.

Thank you. <3

[info]greylistening

September 14 2011, 23:33:20 UTC 8 months ago

Thank you for linking to all the spoilery art. I've been leafing slowly through it. It makes clear just how *long* this story has been going on. All those years... even before I knew you.

[info]haikujaguar

September 14 2011, 23:44:44 UTC 8 months ago

I was thinking about this earlier, when responding to Stryck up there. That I have all these thickly interwoven stories: Alysha, Jahir and Vasiht'h, Lisinthir, Hirianthial and Reese... and that at long last, I get to bring everyone into this universe so they can soak into the patterns too.

[info]greylistening

September 15 2011, 14:39:30 UTC 8 months ago

Yes!

[info]lady_ravenlocke

September 17 2011, 18:10:11 UTC 8 months ago

I just finished this book, and posting the reviews with tears in my eyes. You've honestly outdone yourself with this piece, Lady Jaguar. I'm breathless.

The ending smacked me in the back of the head and left me wondering, though, if Lisinthir ever managed to recover from the culture shock of leaving Chatcaava again? His thread was the only one that didn't feel *quite* wrapped up to me.

Still, this was an amazing piece of work, and one I'll definitely be coming back to periodically, as well as recommending to friends!

[info]haikujaguar

September 17 2011, 19:32:55 UTC 8 months ago

Bless you for the review. It was wonderful! And you are the first... this weekend I was planning to do something special for the reviewers of the book, so you will be the first to get that special fun thing once I get it up. :)

As for the not-quite-wrapped-upness of Lisinthir's thread: your instincts are good! His story isn't over. Neither is the Emperor's, for that matter, or his Queen. We shall see them again, several times. :D

[info]lady_ravenlocke

September 18 2011, 05:37:27 UTC 8 months ago

With regards to the reviews: Yay! I feel honored to be the first to get to leave reviews on this piece. I've been intrigued since I saw the first bit of art, and this book totally didn't disappoint. I'm also very much looking forward to whatever goody you have in mind for your reviewers!

And as for the rest: Yay again! I can't wait to see them again. :D Also, good to know the instincts haven't led me astray!

Bless you for finally sharing this with me. It resonated with me on several levels, and has given me the inspiration to pick up my own novelling again. Thank you. :)

[info]lady_ravenlocke

September 18 2011, 05:59:34 UTC 8 months ago

Also, I posted about this to both of my journals, using a brief quote from your launch post (properly attributed and with a link). I hope that's all right!
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