Holly, Emma - Prince of Ice

[oyceter]

Apparently this is set in an alterna-Victorian era in which humans coexist with yama, only the humans did not find out until recently. The yama have much more advanced technology (the yamaweb, for one), but they aren't supposed to feel emotions. But because of that, human chi is irresistible to them, but the effects of feeding on human chi during sex is added emotions.

Sadly, very little of this plays into this book, which I think is the second set in the world.

Xishi is the daughter of a dishonored yamish family; she doesn't know, but she's also the daughter of the emperor. She grew up with Corum, the heir to the Midarri family, but when the two got too close, she was sent off to become a pillow girl.

In addition to all the human-yama complexities, royal yama also have this thing in which they can only mate and conceive with their genetic ideal (their bodies have figured some way of recognizing this). Men go into heat once a month; outside of that time, they can't ejaculate. This usually means that royal yama are married to people they don't necessarily love.

Unsurprisingly, Xishi and Corum are genetic mates, which causes a lot of problems, since he's a royal yama and she's a lower-class rohn (as far as she knows).

That's most of the plot that's in the book between the sex. I wish there were actually much more of the world, since I would like a romance about two people who are in love but genetically mated to other people, or some combination in which True Love and Wonderful Orgasms are not intertwined.

Also, there's some plot in which Corum is defective as a yama in that he feels emotion, as does Xishi, since she's a quarter human. However, this would be much more effective if Holly didn't keep saying yama felt no emotion and completely failing to show it. Anger and fear and sadness and etc. all count as emotions! Also, even though she says Xishi smiles much more, all the people Xishi is friends with seem to exhibit a great deal of emotion and friendliness.

Because of this, it felt like there was absolutely no conflict between Corum and Xishi. They just fell into bed, had awesome sex, had a few minor tiffs, and then went off to have magical babies and live happily ever after. I also have some issues with the sort of Chinese-ness of the yama, but then, all the other worldbuilding makes no sense either.

All in all, I felt the premise had a lot of promise and it completely fell flat on execution. This would have been much more interesting as a feminist sf/f work.

Comments

[octopedingenue]

In 100 years it will be out of copyright and open to textual poaching! And we'll be safe in our cyborg bodies.

[oyceter]

Yeah, this world should have fic! Lots of crack fic!

[estara.livejournal.com]

I still think of the three books in the series (of which I've read two so far), the first one sets it up best http://www.amazon.com/Demons-Daughter-Tales-Demon-World/dp/0425199185/ ,(but you get less of a yama viewpoint), as a bit of a mystery (you always get sex with Emma Holly, she started out in erotic romance with the major hero always the girl).

[oyceter]

Yeah, I am guessing this doesn't have quite as much worldbuilding, but it's still frustrating to have questions like that of genetic mates vs. love matches raised and to not go somewhere with them!

Also, yeah, I know about Holly's start in erotic romance, but I still want some character to go with the erotic scenes. Xishi and Corum just don't feel like people to me.

[estara.livejournal.com]

You're right about that in that particular book. I was sort of trying to induce you to give her world and her another chance. I think they're her strongest worldbuilding books.

[oracne.livejournal.com]

I still laugh about the eccentricities of the male royal yama's Equipment.

[oyceter]

OMG YES!!!