I started this book and couldn't put it down..The main character is admirable and strong. The theme is thought provoking and includes romance, mystery and intrigue. I highly recommend it.

When I first read the publisher's description of this novel, I was afraid it would be depressing, but it's not. It's a great story about an unforgettable set of characters whose voices kept returning to me after I finished it. And the future world seems so possible . . . as if it's just a heartbeat away. A great read, and a fast one. Highly recomended!

Once again Louise Marley presents us with a timely subject and nudges us to consider the possible outcome of fanaticism. The Maquisarde begins with an act of terror which is so easy to identify with after 9/11! Ebriel Serique is a fully-realized character who leads us through an emotional journey of loss, grief, rage, and finally a search for justice. Underlying all of Ms. Marley's stories, as in this one, is the reminder of how precious a resource are our children. A good, thought-provoking read!

I have to say that this trilogy has definitely become one of my favorite reads. I've shared it with several of my friends, and we all agree that this is a well-developed book that leaves you wanting more. You will be driven to go out and get all three books. I re-read them whenever I have time. This novel was well written and I loved the way the characters develop. Go out and get the book!

I could hardly wait for Sing the Warmth to come out, and now that I've read it, can barely wait for the next one. These novels make the perfect vacation read, in case you just can't put down your book to go to sleep! The characters live in your mind, and you can hardly wait to discover what happens next.

Great! I couldn't put this one down. A must-read for anyone who can read, escpecially science-fiction and fantasy fans

Readers just discovering this trilogy are lucky, because they can buy them all at one time--but beware, you may be up all night reading them. Sira's destiny is such an exciting one--a most satisfying conclusion to the three books.

This book proves that Louise Marley is a true writer. From the opening paragraph to the last sentence, you are enthralled in the world of Nevya. The wonderful charcters and amazing setting are weaved together with expert craftmanship. If you are ever looking to read a great book, I would definitely read Receive the Gift.

I've read the trilogy three times now, and although I really enjoy the books, the flaws bother me. (1) physical details that don't add up and (2) lack of plot & character complexity.

Just to mention a couple of the physical problems: what are they eating? It is not possible to grow enough food in greenhouses to support a population (even with meat). What is pollenating those plants? The author should have created a couple of native root/nut staples.

Another problem, the characters are constantly melting snow in their mouths to drink. No one experienced in severe cold climates does this. It takes too many calories and drops your body temperature. Which brings up another thing - where are the real cold adaptations: double doors, quilted clothes, stove beds.

I thought the book was amazing, couldn't put it down. being a musician, i found it intriguing how Louise Marley wove musical concepts into the plot. I've now read the whole trilogy 3 times over, and still love it!

Sira's quest for belonging was extraordinary especially when she was out alone in freezing temperatures on the ice planet. Nevya itself was a world worth reading about. All of the excitment, adventure and drama represented in the book makes Louise Marley an aspiring writer. I'm looking forward to reading more of her books.

I picked this up at the library on a whim and found I couldn't put it down. Other reviewers have covered the plot summary, so I won't elaborate on that. I will say that the powerful emotions evoked by the darkly realistic tale kept me awake and thinking. Midway through the book, the events play out somewhat predictably, but the focus of the book is, rightly, not so much about the plot as it is about making the reader think. A powerful story, it reminds one of how women have been treated throughout the ages, first as property and later, as lesser citizens until today, when such repression still occurs in parts of the world. Yet it's such a well-written book that I'd recommend it even to the non-feminists among us. It's a story of one woman, one character who fights against her world in order to change it. The author has fashioned a masterly portrayal of the protagonist that will be remembered by the reader long after the book has been put down.

First; I must say I really, really love Louise Marley's writing. It has such feeling. She can capture the physical sounds, scents, tastes of a strange world so well. (Her wonderful Trilogy Sing the Light, Warmth, and Receive the Gift is out of print which is sad because it's an excellent set of sci fi novels. )

I hurried to get Irustan as soon as it hit the shelves. I wasn't so enamoured with it as with the Trilogy. While it is written well, and frankly I couldn't put it down, I questioned the actions of the protagonists (I won't say what they did, I don't want to create a spoiler for anyone reading this) but even though the women in the book are oppressed, I don't think they had the right to do what they did. However, the leader does accept punishment for her actions.

Irustan is of course drawn from cultures on Earth that oppress women (similar to Tepper's Singer from the Sea) Even with this derivation, however, there is a lot of originality. However it is not as original as Atwood's Handmaid's Tale nor Tepper's Singer from the Sea.

Should you read it? Yes, because Marley is a fresh, welcome new science fiction writer of great talent. Is it her best work? I think not.

This is a story you will not be able to put down, and certainly it will stay in your mind when you are not reading it. It is science fiction/fantasy that has multiple layers and can lead to some deep questions. The parallels to the Middle East cannot be avoided; but the story is so well crafted, that is not a distraction. Surprises emerge when you think you have the characters and plot figured out. And the characters are so well developed, you really get to understand them. I thought Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" and Walker's "Possessing the Secret of Joy" were the most wrenching books on the repression of women in parts of the world, but Marley is masterful in this book. I can highly recommend this novel and this author. Don't miss "The Glass Harmonica" as well.

Louise Marley has proven herself again! An author who has established herself in the genres of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Marley has now added a touch of historical fiction to the mix. The Glass Harmonica combines an expertise in music and medicine with future and past worlds that are meticulously developed. The two characters, Eilish and Erin, are compelling...and the addition of real historical characters such as Ben Franklin and Mozart makes this a convincing and insistant read. Brava!

Louise Marley's novel tells two parallel stories. One begins in 1761 and concerns a young orphan named Eilish Eam, who earns her keep by playing music on water-filled glasses for passersby on the streets of one of London's poorer districts, until she is discovered by Dr. Benjamin Franklin. Impressed with her talent, he offers her a proper place to stay in exchange for her services in developing and playing his own similar invention, which he calls his glass armonica.

The other, which occurs in 2018, follows Erin Rushton, a professional musician whose specialty is an instrument that evolved from Franklin's original device. Erin's brother, the composer of much of her repertoire, is undergoing experimental sound therapy to correct a neurological disorder, and her glass harmonica may provide the key.

The tales run concurrently in roughly alternating chapters, converging when each character glimpses or feels the ghostly presence of the other. Erin wonders if she is losing her mind, since the harmonica is rumored to induce madness in sensitive individuals. She also finds herself becoming romantically involved with her brother's doctor.

THE GLASS HARMONICA is an uncommon mix of historical fantasy and science fiction drama. I found the chapters set in the past more interesting, and it seems that the author may have as well; Eilish's world is described in rich detail while Erin's feels slightly underdeveloped. I'm not sure that setting the latter in the future was necessary at all. Most of the technological advances are superficial, and the relevant ones could have easily been worked into the present day.

While the story is not quite complex enough to warrant the book's page count, and the ending is somewhat contrived, I was thoroughly absorbed in the tale. I recommend it especially if music and musicians are one of your literary fetishes.

This book, written in Louise Marley's impeccable style, is a lovely tale of mystery, musical history, family responsibility and romance Two young girls both of exceptional talent are connected across time by the instrument called "glass armonica". One girl lives in the 21st century and one in the l9th century. Each has the responsibility of a young brother. The story involves the strong emotional ties to their music and to their brothers which draws them to communicate across the years. Ms. Marley has researched carefully the history of the glass harmonica and Benjamin Franklin's part in developing the instrument This is a lovely book for ages l5 and up . Tuck it into your bag to take along on your next trip. You won't regret it.

Very informative and thought provoking. a must have for specialists in the field! you wont be wasting your money