The First Person

Unlike my character list phobia, which I know virtually to the day when I got over it. I'm not entirely sure when I got over my problems with the first person narration. But I do know it was down to one book.

For the longest time I would only read third person. If I read a blurb and found on opening the book it was written in first, that book would automatically go back on the shelf in the book store. I'm not entirely sure what I was frightened of - that I wouldn't be able to relate to the character's experiences, that I didn't want to get that closely involved with the action and plot? But whatever the reason, at the time, it was a big no-no.

Then I picked up that book, the book that changes your perspective on things, the book that makes you re-evaluate your prejudices. The book with the first line that's like a hook, the book where you no longer care that it's written in first person because you want to know how the story ends.

There are some men who enter a woman's life and screw it up forever. Joseph Morelli did this to me - not forever, but periodically.

Just like that, I became a fan of Stephanie Plum and a whole new world of book reading opened up to me because I no longer restricted myself to reading third person only.

Now I'm the first to admit that the later books in the series, haven't lived up to the first few. But that's often the case. And if I'd never picked up One For The Money, it would probably have taken me a helluva lot longer to develop a love for urban fantasy - where so many of the books are written in first person.

I wanted to post here about how I cringe now when I read certain Amazon reviews. There's one Amazon review in particular where a reviewer gave one star to a book written in first person, they hadn't read the book (they actually stated this in the review) just opened it, seen it was written in first person and decided they hated it. I believe there was also the comment that books written in the first person should come with a warning on the covers, presumably to stop innocent readers being drawn to the dark side. It makes me wonder if I was ever that bad...I hope not.

So do you have any favourite first person books? Was there a particular first person story that broke you of third person dependency? Please let me know in the comments. :)

The Character List

So, today I'm going to tell the story of how I got over my fear/prejudice/book hangup about the character list.

I think the reason I used to avoid books which started with character lists was that I just didn't think I'd be able to follow a story which required a three page list at the beginning. And I don't think I understood why an author should feel the need to list - third pageboy in the House of Denmark*, as a character I might be remotely interested in.

Anyway, it happened in 2003 - yes I can be that specific. I was a big fan of the Stephanie Plum novels and Janet Evanovich was in London doing a panel at Crimescene. She was doing a conversation panel with Lindsey Davis. Now I admit - to my shame - that at this point I had never heard of Lindsey Davis or the Falco novels. BUT - Lindsey Davis was so good in the panel, and made her books and characters sound so interesting, that I decided at the book signing afterwards I'd look at her book and if I thought I'd like it, I'd buy it and ask her to sign it.

So I go into this area the Crimescene people have cordoned off, where they have the latest books from Lindsey and Janet, and I pick up The Accusers and open it.

OMG, the first page is a character list. :(

I'm really disappointed, because I wanted to find out about this character Falco. Then I read the list, (a little of which I've excerpted below).

M. Didius Falco - a principled informer (who needs the money)
Helena Justina - the guardian of his ethics
Julia Junilla and Sosia Favonia - their children (never ill; never naughty; never loud)

And I'm smiling - and that's only from reading the character list. How good is the book going to be, if the character list is making me grin? And my book hang-up is defeated. I'm not saying I suddenly like all books with character lists, but I have never since that time rejected a book solely because it had a character list. To prove my point, this year I bought Game of Thrones which has an ennooooorrrmous character list - though it's conveniently located at the back of a book in an appendix.

To finish the story I will just mention, that The Accusers is the 14th book in the Falco series, so before I actually got round to reading it, I had to buy and read the 13 previous books. But it was well worth it and it remains one of my favourite series. For anyone not familiar with the series and wondering at the strange names, it's set in Ancient Rome.

So - do you have any books that you'd recommend even though they come with a staggering amount of characters. Or are there books you've been discouraged from reading because you thought you wouldn't be able to keep up with the cast. Please let me know in the comments.


* - another made-up book. :)

Book Hangups

I was originally going to title this post - The Bits of Books That Scare You - but that was a bit of a mouthful, so I decided to make it a little more compact. Though this post is really about the things that when you've found a book in the bookstore and have read a fantastic blurb, make you want to scream when you open the cover and discover all is not as you thought it would be. Kind of like if a dead spider fell out when you flicked to page 1.

The things that have you putting a book back on the shelf faster than Usain Bolt can do the 100m (actually probably faster than that).

I'm the first person to admit that I have quite a few hang-ups/prejudices when it comes to book buying. Some of them I've overcome - the first person narrator I've come to love - others I just can't let go of, no matter how hard I keep trying - present tense narration for example, leaves me feeling like my brain's draining out of my ears.

So, please excuse me if this post and those of the next two days, seem like a little bit of a moan. But I hope that in the comments you'll share some of your hangups, whether you've got over them yet, are still trying or have given up.

Ten years ago, I was reading a lot more books that I am today - probably why I currently have such a large TBR pile. It wasn't unusual for me to buy ten or eleven books every weekend. And I needed to have some kind of elimination policy because I used to browse so quickly. If I didn't have some kind of selection process I could have easily gone to twenty or thirty books.

So some of the reasons I'd discard a book were:-

1. First Person Narration - I don't want to get into the characters head. What if I can't identify with them? How will I enjoy the story?

2. Glossary over 5 pages long. I don't mind a short glossary especially if the book is written in a dialect that I'm not familiar with. But please, if your heroine is called Clodpeppa*, don't try and persuade me that it should be pronounced Chloe, she's always going to be Clod-pepper to me.

3. Character list over 3 pages long. Eeeekkk! Generally I can remember hero, heroine, villain and a few secondary characters. I think one of the scariest and most intimidating things a reader can be faced with is a loooooonnnnng character list.

4. Books written in the present tense. I have read books in the present tense, but I always seem to read them with my brain constantly saying there's something not quite right here. I don't know if it's being used to reading books in the past tense, but this is one hang-up I've never managed to get over.

In my two remaining posts I'll be talking about two of my hangups and the books that helped me get over them.

* - I should add here that Clodpeppa is a made-up heroine. Lol. I'm sure there are plenty of heroines and heroes that fit this description though. Love to hear about your pronunciation quibbles in the comments too.

And the Winner is....

Just before I announce who won the copy of Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews. I wanted to say thank you to everyone who commented on my posts over the last couple of days. I really am stuck in a reading rut and was getting a tad disheartened (as reading is something I love) so I'm glad I a)am not alone in feeling this way every so often and b) now have some ideas on how to change my reading habits.

The winner of the book is

SidneyKay

who was the 8th poster who (hopefully) wanted to join in the giveaway and who wasn't me. The number chosen by random.org was 8 from 13. I've sent you an e-mail so please check your spam if it doesn't show up.

And fingers crossed, the next time it's my turn to post on the blog I'll have much more fun-filled book themed posts to share with you.

A Change of Genre

So yesterday, I posted that a change of genre might be in order.

But which genre to change to?

In my reading life I have tried - category romance, historical romance, horror, science fiction, m/m romance, urban fantasy, crime, suspense.

Maybe the reason I'm suffering from reading fatigue now is because I have a tendency to glom*, and glom big. Not just authors but genres too. Maybe I've just overindulged to the point where I've made myself sick.

If I wanted to change to a new genre which would I pick?

True Crime - I find about as appealing as the prospect of having bamboo splinters pushed under my fingernails.

Chick Lit - (see comment next to True Crime).

Fantasy - Feels like too big of a commitment. I mean, there are some long series in urban fantasy but at least they're made up of normal sized books and not doorstops. (Though I have a little confession to make here, I have just bought Game of Thrones, but only after I started to go into withdrawal after the series ended. This may be the start of something.)

Steam Punk - I admit I do find this genre quite appealing. Anyone have recommendations?

Surely there are lots of other genres out there for me to try? And failing that aren't there any brilliant new urban fantasy authors for me to discover?

However, having seriously thought about the main cause of my reading fatigue. I fear that actually the fact is that I've just let my TBR pile get far too big to cope with. And I'm more than a little bit overwhelmed at the prospect of the number of books I need to read to get it under control. So any tips on that would be most welcome - as I'm sure I'm not the only one in that boat.

Don't forget if you make a comment on this thread, your name will go into the draw for a copy of Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews. Winner to be chosen by random number at random.org and announced on Wednesday.

* - as an aside, does anyone have a definition of glom, as it refers to reading? The ones at dictionary.com don't seem to, so I'm assuming it's a new use of the word or else I'm using completely the wrong word.

When Addiction Fades...

My 'About Me' on my blog says - I am a voracious reader and book addict.

However, recently I'm starting to feel that might no longer be the case. I have a horrifying confession to make.

Hello, my name's Lesley and I'm a former book addict. :(

It used to be the thing that as soon as I finished one book I had to start reading the next immediately. Now I can sometimes go for days at a time without reading a page.

I hope they don't kick me off the Island.

This is an addiction that I don't want to break...so what to do? In the case of any other addiction I'd be looking for something stronger or taking more of what I'm addicted to. But that doesn't really apply in this situation.

Maybe it's a case of genre fatigue? I have been reading urban fantasy for a very long time, it's probably the genre to which I have been most faithful. But I think that's for a very good reason - when it's written well, I think it's the best genre there is (IMO of course).

Maybe it's the case that the books in my TBR pile have started to feel a little interchangeable - whether it's a persecuted band of vampires, or a persecuted pack of werewolves, or a persecuted coven of witches...yawn. There doesn't feel like there's an incentive to pick up anything off the shelf.

(I'm not saying that I haven't got original stuff on my TBR pile - there is some really good stuff there - Stacia Kane's Downside Ghosts, Seanan McGuire's October Daye - but it feels like such a small amount of it).

Maybe it's the case that I need to take a break from reading for a while? And come back to it, fresh and eager. To be honest it could just be a lack of enthusiasm. But if that's the case - Why do I feel like this? Why isn't there something out there to inspire me to read and read a lot?

Am I the only person who feels like this, or just the only person who feels like this at the moment? Does anyone have any suggestions for breaking out of this reading fatigue? Have you gone through it yourself? Do you think it's on the increase, and if so why?

I have a copy of Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews to give to one commenter who posts either on this thread or my Tuesday thread. Winner to be chosen by random number at random.org and announced on Wednesday.

I'm Just a Soul Whose Intentions Are Good...

...or maybe not.

So onto the most interesting group. The misunderstood monsters. The ones who are out of place, out of time, out of sync.

When I was very young, we had a kind of tradition in our house. On Sundays we'd have a big roast dinner and then we'd watch the Sunday afternoon movie.

For a lot of people in the UK this will probably be quite familiar. The Sunday afternoon films had a kind of theme. One thing I remember is that there were a lot of westerns. I think by the time I was ten I'd seen most of the John Wayne western catalogue. Also lots of musicals. And The Great Escape, Zulu, The Towering Inferno, The Wizard of OZ and The Poseidon Adventure seemed to be shown on a monthly if not fortnightly basis.

Anyhoo, one afternoon when I was four or five we sat down to watch the Sunday afternoon movie. It was the 1933 version of King Kong. At the end of the movie I was hysterical and banned from ever watching that movie again. I think if my five year old self had been in charge of writing the film, somehow King Kong would have got away.

That experience has left me with something of a soft spot for the misunderstood monster.

King Kong didn't do anything but be King Kong. It was the circumstances he was put in that made him a monster. And I think this is what makes "monsters" such interesting characters to me.

What is it that makes someone or something a monster? Is it their actions? Or is it how they are perceived? Is it who they really are? Or who they want you to think they are? I think these characters are actually rare. If they're not the two dimensional bad guy who gets killed off in the final chaper then often they end up redeemed or reformed.

Does anyone have any favourite misunderstood monsters? Or recommendations for complex, morally dubious characters. Or failing that any favourite Sunday afternoon films?

The Monster Under the Bed...

...or hiding in the closet.

The monsters in todays post are the scary ones. The ones that have you pulling the blankets over your head and pretending you're invisible.

Now I guess some people might expect to find Daleks here, I know for a lot of people they would seem to be the ideal choice. A race of creatures that have eradicated their emotions and are only interested in destroying anything that isn't them. But for some reason I've always had a soft spot for the Daleks, maybe it has somthing to do with watching Dr. Who in the seventies as a kid?

For me, there is only one scary monster that fits the bill. It seems impossible to even think of another.



The creatures from the Alien quadrology are the monsters that you can't reason with and that's what makes them scary. (They also have this incredible ability to jump out of the one place that you're not expecting them to.) If you're backed into a corner, there's no way you're going to be able to talk your way out of it. I think that's quite a rare thing. Not necessarily something you'd want to read about or watch all the time. I think the reason it works with the aliens is that it's their nature. They are not inherently evil creatures, (though it's clear they have a cold intelligence), they are just going through their life cycle.

The thing I like about the aliens from Alien, is that they have an awful elegance to them. Even while they're stalking across the screen, you can't take your eyes off them. I think this is what's missing from a lot of the vampires that are currently about. (And I think it's what the writers of True Blood have got right).

Frankenstein's monster had a similar unstoppable quality, but there was also the tragedy of his lost humanity, which perhaps makes him fit more easily with tomorrows monsters.

So does anyone have any scary monsters that can compete with the alien? Or do you prefer your monsters to have some chink in their armour? Are there any scary monsters in fiction that you'd recommend?

Here be...

Desert islands have nice white sandy beaches, lots of heroes and cocktails by the sea as you watch the sun go down. But if there's one other thing that islands have - think Skull Island, the Island of Dr. Moreau, even the island on Lost - it's monsters. Now no one likes to think that the Desert Island has monsters but let's face it, it probably does.

What I find interesting about the word monster is how it has multiple meanings. How it can be applied to everything from an enormous tentacled squid to a cold blooded serial killer. How it can refer to size, attitude, endeavour or crime. And how it's often applied to people or things that aren't well understood.

I think there should be more monsters in fiction. Telling stories is one of the ways we deal with our fears. I think too often we have taken that fear factor away and we have done that by domesticating the monsters. And when we do that, they aren't as interesting or complex. (Over the next three days if anyone has any monster recommendations please include them in the comments. They don't have to be hairy, scaly or furry. Vampires and werewolves that actually behave like vampires and werewolves, witches that aren't like Glinda the Good, Fae that really do steal children and swap them for changelings).

To get back to todays post, the monsters I'm going to be talking about are of the creature feature variety. And I've split my monsters into three broad groups and over the next three days I'll be sharing my favourites with you.

We'll start off with the most deceptive group.


The Cute Monsters

These are the guys who lure you in with a false sense of security - think the Gremlins before the transformation. Sure they're fluffy, but forget one of the rules and you've got one heck of a mess on your hands.

But that's not the monster I'm picking for the cute category.



Oh yes, you're completely immune Spock. (The other thing I love about this clip is Kirk's first few lines, if you didn't know it was from the actual series you'd think it was a parody).

Tribbles are the ultimate cute monsters. You start out with one and before you know it you've got thousands. I think my favourite thing about tribbles is that they are the mortal enemies of the Klingon empire. But, not only have they evolved to be an incredible ecological pest (a fact that only Klingons seem to realise) as the only things they do are eat and reproduce; they've taken cuteness to a whole new level. They are soooo cute that most humanoid species are unable to kill them.

So does anyone have any cute monster favourites? Or do you prefer to think that the monsters are all happily living on the other side of the island?

The Odd Couple

I think one of the reasons I get so frustrated, annoyed and angry when one half of the Romeo and Juliet couple dies (see Monday's post) is because usually they've had a real struggle to get to the point where they can be together.

One of my favourite tropes is opposites attract. I like seeing how two disparate individuals, resolve their differences (or not) and forge a life together. I appreciate that this can be a harder story to write than - one of them dies, and the one that's left ends up with someone more suitable. But I think it's a story I'd rather read.

So, some of my favourite odd couples.


Adrien English and Jake Riordan

Now I haven't read to the end of the series yet - so my fingers are in my ears as regards spoilers lalalalalalalal - but Adrien and Jake are one of my favourite couples. To say they travel a rocky road would be an understatement. Adrien is a gay bookseller, out to his friends and family, whilst Jake is a cop who is firmly in the closet. It would seem that everything is against them but you can feel the chemistry between them on every page they appear together. And whilst part of you might think that Adrien deserves better, I have to admit that I can't help rooting for the two of them.


Kate Daniels and Curran Lennart

(Embarrassed:- I had to look up Curran's surname, I guess I'm used to thinking of him as Curran, The Beast Lord). This is another relationship that on paper just doesn't seem feasible. Kate Daniels - Mercenary, Agent of the Order, in a relationship with Curran - Lord of the Beasts - in some ways their purposes are diametrically opposed (especially in the early books). If you asked me to give an example of an alpha/alpha relationship, Kate and Curran would be in the top three. Neither of them will back down in an argument and sparks fly whenever they're together. It would probably be easier for them to walk away from each other but somehow they keep coming back together.


Clayton and Elena Danvers

Another alpha couple and one of the other two of my top three (please don't anyone ask who the third is, lol). This is a relationship that really has gone through the ultimate low. When Clayton bit Elena with the thought of turning her into a werewolf and making her his mate, he betrayed everything between them. How do you get over a betrayal that big? But that's the whole story of Bitten and Stolen. Forgiveness isn't easy but it is possible to come out on the other side.


I think sometimes of when Josh Lanyon, Ilona Andrews and Kelley Armstrong were writing these relationships. Would it have been easier to kill off Jake, Curran or Clay? Was there a point when the stories were being written that the characters really did dodge a bullet.* Maybe sometimes the brave path to take is to kill a character off, but personally I think I'd rather read about the struggle.

* it's really bugging me, because I know there is a sci-fi/fantasy series out there where a character was going to be killed off in ep 5 or 6 but it never quite happened. And I can't for the life of me remember which series it was. (Hopefully nothing too embarrassing :) )

Poking the Hornet's Nest - (Or Why I Hate Romeo and Juliet)

Okay I have to start this post by saying the above is a bit of a fib. I don't hate Romeo and Juliet. I love Shakespeare and R&J, along with Macbeth, Twelfth Night and Much Ado About Nothing are perhaps my favourite plays.*

However, I hate how whenever a main protagonist (meaning the hero or heroine) is killed at the end of a romance novel (a novel that has been marketed as a romance), R&J are used as a justification.

I have a number of issues.

1) Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy not a romance. They are a tragic romantic couple. In Shakespearean tragedy issues are resolved at the end of the play through death. In Shakespearean comedy issues are resolved through marriage. Therefore I don't think it's too bid of a stretch to say that modern romance has more in common with the comedy plays.

2) Romeo and Juliet were teenagers who took their own lives. They didn't know any better. It gets on my wick when these characters are used as justification by readers, authors, publishers etc for the death of the hero/heroine at the hands of the antagonist.

3) We're being real. Well go and be real in some other genre. If I want real I'll turn on the six o'clock news.

Now I am not saying that characters shouldn't die. That's frankly ridiculous. But what I hate is when a book is written as a romance, sold as a romance, marketed as a romance, read as a romance with a hero and heroine and developing relationship, and then in the last few pages...kaboom!

You know...that doesn't make me appreciate what a great book it was, or how great the writer is, it just leaves me feeling manipulated and getting a small amount of joy from the sound the book made as it hit the wall.

I have read books where characters died, but I knew going in that something terrible was going to happen. In two of my DIK books, the main characters died. But I didn't pick them up thinking I was going to get a fairytale ending. And I waited until I was in the right frame of mind to go on that emotional rollercoaster.

One of the things I'm happy about is that Urban Fantasy has finally come to the point or is coming to the point where it's being marketed as Urban Fantasy. Hopefully we're seeing the last of UF appearing on bookshop shelves with PNR along its spine. I read UF I expect the possibility that characters may die. I read PNR I expect the hero and heroine to make it through to the last page.


* - I also have to say I realize that this post is unlikely to change your point of view, if you don't agree with me, I doubt I'll change your mind. But I needed to get this off my chest.

Unforgettable Scenes

LesleyW standing in for Kristie J. :( Get well wishes winging their way to you Kristie, I hope that you're feeling better soon.

I've been thinking a little bit recently about unforgettable scenes. A good movie example is the waterfall scene in Last of the Mohicans. Hawkeye telling Cora - 'Stay alive! I WILL find you.' Just writing that sends chills up my spine. To be honest, the rest of the movie was a bit MEH for me. I'm not a huge Daniel Day Lewis fan, or a fan of historical movies. But it's worth watching just for that scene. It has to rank as one of the top five most romantic moments in movie history. (Well one of mine anyway).

The good thing about movies is that they're visual. (Duh!) If you can remember a scene, you can generally remember the actors, which means you can look it up on imdb.com when you've forgotten which movie a particular scene came from.

Unfortunately you can't do the same with books. You have to cross your fingers and hope that when your memory is fallible someone else who's read the same book will be able to remind you of the title.

I have a scene from a book - kind of erotic - hmmm I wonder why this particular scene got stuck in my head? The hero and heroine have been served oysters. The heroine isn't keen but the hero persuades her to give them a try, and when she swallows one he licks up her throat in the opposite direction. To be honest it's got to the point where I'm not sure if I dreamed this - lol, if only more of my dreams were like that. The rest of the book is a complete blank to me, but this one scene sticks in my head.

Of course there are standout scenes from unforgettable books. One of my favourite scenes from a recent book is Curran's discovery that Kate has been in his gym in Magic Bleeds. I think I've possibly worn a permanent groove in the spine. That's just my favourite scene in a book that has many standout scenes.

I'll also include in my unforgettable scenes, any love scene from the earlier Linda Howard contemporaries. Perhaps there's a bit of a trend here? For LH I'll just say - waterfall, ladies room and french is my second language. I'm sure anyone who's read the books will know exactly what I mean. :)

So can anyone put me out of my misery and let me know which book the oyster scene is from...pleeeease. Does anyone else have a scene from a forgotten book stuck in their head or does this only happen to me? What about standout scenes - any that completely made the book for you?

Enter the Demon

So, we've castrated the vampire and domesticated the werewolf, where do we look for a suitably scary antagonist for our urban fantasy heroine.

Enter the Demon.

I think in recent years there's been an increase in the number of books which have demons as protagonists - Stacia Kane's Megan Chase series and Jenna Black's Morgan Kingsley series immediately spring to mind.

You have to admit it's pretty hard to make a demon fluffy, though I'm sure that won't stop some from trying.

Do we even have to try the alley test? Really if there are demons on the loose why are you even outside your house at night? Surely you're inside with all the entrances salted.

And where there are demons you find Angels. Now I think Angels have been around for a lot longer - Sharon Shinn, Faith Hunter, Nalini Singh - all have series which feature arch/angels. And you wouldn't be in the alley if angels were abroad either. It's often made clear that to look at an angel for too long comes with fatal results.

So what's the attraction.

Demons are unrestrained desire - want, take, have. They have a social structure, always trying to increase the status of their own position.

Angels on the other hand are generally more cold, logical. The attraction lies in seeing what's beneath the facade.

Hang on.

Doesn't this sound familiar?

Demon = werewolf.
Angel = vampire.

Is it only the attraction of the new which beats out the comfort of the familiar? If werewolves and vampires are treated with the respect for what they are, is there a need to raise the stakes? Or does exploring the angel and demon mythos allow us an insight into something new?

Do you like seeing angels and demons as protagonists? Or would you rather see more traditional and well written werewolf and vampire characters? I must admit after writing this post I'm desperate to get my hands on the second in the Nalini Singh Guild Hunter series currently in my TBR pile.

Werewolves - Sit, Stay, Lie Down

So (continuining from yesterdays post), where there are vampires you often find werewolves. Now I think on the whole they have come out of the romance and urban fantasy jungle with a lot more of their dignity intact. But in some cases there is, I fear, less ravening creature of the night and more misunderstood cocker spaniel.

So let's head back to that alley (again - why are you here? Didn't you know the first rule of self defence is not to be in a dangerous place to begin with?)when at the other end 'your' werewolf appears.

Do you:-

a) Run...away of course, but he'll catch you anyway.
b) Freeze, it's pointless to run, maybe he hasn't noticed you. Pointless to freeze as well 'cause he's definitely smelled you.
c) Whip out your gun filled with silver bullets, because of course, we all have access to those.
d) Run...towards the werewolf because he knows that you're the true bonded love of his life.

Stop! Imagine instead that you are running towards the lion that's just escaped from the local zoo. No...not some kind of shifter lion, an actual lion. Are you still running toward it? :)

There's a reason why humans shouldn't integrate into werewolf packs, or if they do it should never be comfortable, easy or safe. A werewolf is every wild instinct unrestrained, unleashed, out of control - that's why they usually live in a strict social structure.

So, some recommended werewolves...not tamed puppies.

I'm always going to come to Bitten by Kelley Armstrong first. It was my introduction to the genre. In it, Clay knows that Elena could never be in his life as a human. So, he chooses to bite her even though there is no record of a woman surviving the bite - not comfortable, easy or safe. There are consequences in their relationship for years to come.

Another brilliant take on werewolf/shifter society is the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. Not only does she tackle werewolves but there's also a hyena troupe - their social structures and behaviour are completely different. Again, not comfortable, easy or safe.

The Mercedes Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. Mercedes is a coyote shifter brought up by werewolves. How she integrates herself into their society and finds a place for herself is a major part of the books. It's a huge influence on how she deals with situations and follows her into her life after the pack. Shall I say it again? NCEoS.

Any other recommended werewolf stories? Preferably not cute and fluffy ones. Or do you prefer vampires? Do you think there should be cute and fluffy werewolf stories? Is there an exception that proves the rule?

Vampires - Better Off (Un)Dead?

Every so often in the media and the blogosphere there'll be a headline :-

The Vampire Genre is Over!

I know given the recent hype over Twilight it may be hard to believe (lol), but there's nothing like familiarity to breed contempt.

I have to say though, it's not something I can ever see happening. Vampires have been around in one form or another for a very long time. I think they're here to stay.

However, what I will be happy to see the back of is the emo vampire, the castrated version of the creature of the night - a vampire more suited to staring moodily out of a moonlit window, yearning for the lost days of its humanity, angsting about how terrible his life is. Really? I think someone's missing the point. (Yep, I'm not really a fan of the overly romantic vampire).

Let's check - you're walking along a dark alley at night (first of all - What are you thinking!) when at the other end 'your' vampire appears. Do you:-

a) Run...away of course, but he'll catch you anyway.
b) Freeze, it's pointless to run, maybe he hasn't noticed you.
c) Whip out your cross/stake/holy water - the only reason you'd be walking through a dark alley at night is because you're a vampire hunter.
d) Run...towards the vampire because your true love will save him!?

Remember, this is a creature who exists solely to feed on your blood. He is going to rip out your throat. Forget the romanticized version and try to imagine that it IS a predator waiting for you. Forget Edward think Eric (True Blood version). Okay...you should be running away from the vampire. :)

The perfect vampire for me is a burning cauldron of sexuality repressed underneath a layer of cold logic and indifference - think volcano within a glacier.

I'm not saying that I don't think it's possible to reinvent the genre, turn it on its head. The vampires in Ilona Andrews, Kate Daniel's series take it in a completely different direction, the vampires are de-evolved humans who immediately bring the word skitter to mind. (I doubt they spend any time moodily staring anywhere).

So, my favourite vampires.

Lynn Viehl's Darkyn. Yes, perhaps they are a little broody, but there should always be an exception that proves the rule.

Jonathan Varga from Jordan Castillo Price's Hemovore.

D.B.Reynold's Vampire Lords - a modern feudal vampire.

The vampires from Patricia Brigg's Mercy Thompson series. The scene of the vampire with his death filmed eyes crawling after Mercy is one that stays with you.

The early BDB books by J.R.Ward, the early Anita Blake books.

So are you still in love with vampire genre? Or is it better off dead? And if you still love it, who are your favourite vamps?

Unlikely Heroes - The Short(er) Hero

To ask the question - Why aren't there more short heroes? - seems kind of redundant. The answer seems obvious, there aren't more short heroes because there's a perception that readers don't want to read them. But is that just a 'trap' that publishers and authors have fallen into? If there are no books which feature short heroes how can we read about them anyway? Hopefully I'll convince you to take the plunge with at least one short hero.

Okay, if we're talking short heroes there's one that you can't get away without mentioning - Miles Vorkosigan. Actually, if you've never read the Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold it's one that I recommend highly, (whether or not you like short heroes or science fiction) I don't think it's a coincidence that two of the 188 books chosen for the island are from the series.

As Ekaterine Vorsoisson says of Miles:-

“He’s not so short,” said Ekaterin defensively. “He’s just… concentrated.”

Which is an excellent way to describe him. Before Sam Adama (Caprica) lectured William on the virtues of sticking with a decision once made, Miles had already learnt the method of forward momentum - once you start in a direction you keep going. Everything may be going to hell around you but you keep going. Of course this method is far from foolproof as disastrous consequences were to show in Memory.

Before I get too carried away I better first explain why Miles is short - for those who don't know. Whilst Miles's mother was pregnant she was the victim of a poison gas attack, Miles is born with brittle bones and his growth is stunted. However, what he lacks in stature he makes up for with a personality so huge and a charisma so magnetic that he is (usually) able to get himself out of whatever catastrophe he's landed himself in.

One of the things I love about him is that his mouth is often five minutes ahead of his brain, and perhaps gets him into as much trouble as it gets him out of. I think if he hadn't had his personal obstacles to overcome he would have been a different character - either content to rest on his laurels because he wouldn't have felt the need to push himself so hard, or hated by everyone because he was so good at everything.

The series follows his whole life from birth to marriage. And my favourite sequence in the series is - Brothers in Arms, Mirror Dance, Memory, Komarr, A Civil Campaign - which I think of as Miles's life going to hell and coming out again the other side. What's interesting about Brothers in Arms is that we meet Mark - another short hero who I always envisage as being played by Oliver Platt in any screen version. I'm sure there are other Vorkosigan fans out there.

Is Miles the only short hero I can come up with? No, though he is the most memorable. I'd also recommend Valentin Jaus the Darkyn hero of Twilight Fall by Lynn Viehl - though he is introduced in an earlier book - Private Demon. In Private Demon he didn't get the girl and we had to wait another four books before he'd have a story of his own.

And I'll just mention that unlike the film version the Wolverine in the X-Men comic books is 5 foot 3, three inches shorter than Jean Grey.

I feel like I'm missing someone, so are there any other short(er) heroes out there that are worth reading? Or do you prefer your heroes to be over six foot. Does it matter? I think it's easy to say - no it doesn't but when faced with the choice in the bookshop which story do you buy?

Unlikely Heroes - The Antihero

Today and tomorrow I'm going to try and persuade you to break away from Tall, Dark and Handsome - just once, give it a go. Now I only have time to cover two types of hero, so I'm plumping for the antihero and the short(er) hero. Today is the turn of the antihero.

So before I get lots of comments about - 'I love bad boys' - :), I'm going to clarify. I love bad boys myself, my favourite probably being the reformed rake (lol) but here I'm talking about a true antihero. A character who at the end of the book hasn't had a miraculous change of heart and become nice to small children and fluffy kittens. These are heroes who (usually) because of the environment in which they were raised or because of the society in which they live, have had to develop a streak of ruthlessness that goes bone deep.

Whilst I was thinking about this post I was reminded of a comment I read once in a review for Susan R. Matthews Prisoner of Conscience. I'm paraphrasing here because it was a while ago, but the comment just stuck in my head. Of the male protagonist, the reviewer wrote - "You can tell he's the hero because he doesn't sodomize his valet." The anti-hero is sometimes the best of the worst, and that comment kind of sums it up.

I think anti-heroes are difficult characters to pull off because the author has to make us believe in their complexity. We have to believe that while they love their hero/heroine, they are also capable of acts of great cruelty. We (as readers) need to be able to understand their reasons for behaving as they do, we have to be able to empathise with them on some level. They are not the villain - there's usually something greater: a bigger evil, a dystopian society, an ingrained way of coping with an uncopable situation - but they are far from being the fair prince riding in on his white charger to save the day. Equally important we have to be able to believe that their hero/heroine loves them and we need to be able to understand how that is possible.

So, some examples. :)

Daemon Sadi of the Black Jewel books by Anne Bishop. Probably the most heroic of my anti-hero picks. But there's a reason why his nickname is 'The Sadist'. He's lived in a dystopian society for thousands of years, waiting for the Queen who will save them all. You never doubt that he loves Jaenelle but he never loses his ruthless edge. He's perhaps the easiest anti-hero to like, because you never doubt that the people he punishes probably deserved it.

Unlike the next hero.

Stefanos of the Sundered Quadrology by Michelle Sagara West. The First of the Dark Sundered, Stefanos is not human. And is perhaps the only 'hero' I know of who tortured the heroine to find out how she 'works'. He does some reprehensible things but we understand why he does them. To try and comprehend him as if he were a human being, would be wrong, it would be like trying to understand the motivations of a scorpion. However, Michelle Sagara West writes him so well that we understand why he does the things he does, that even as he tries to cage the only happiness he's known, that in fact he's destroying it. (It's a little cheat to include Stefanos here, because he is 'redeemed' at the very end, but for four books he is, I think, the darkest antihero I've read).

And finally, I don't think my posting on DIK would be complete if I didn't mention Toreth of the Administration Series by Manna Francis. You can't expect me to go three days and not mention it. Sociopath, interrogator, torturer for the State, yet one of the most interesting and complex characters I've ever read. Incapable of saying 'I love you'. However, as you read through the books, personally I don't doubt that he cares more for Keir Warrick than he has for any other person. And that if anybody hurt Warrick, Toreth would have absolutely no hesitation in ripping their limbs off.

So any anti-heroes to recommend? Or are you anti anti-hero?

Tall, Dark and Cliched?

Having posted here in the past about beta heroes, and more recently on my blog about balding heroes; over the next couple of days I'll be writing about a couple more hero types - the anti-hero and the short hero.

But first, I thought I'd ask the (probably rather obvious question) why is tall, dark and handsome so popular? Why do we embrace the cliche?

I think we have a checklist of things we like to see in a romantic hero.

• Tall
• Dark
• Interesting
• Kind to furry animals and small children
• Nice eyes
• Able to explain Schrodinger's equation (Is that just me? I have a thing for physicists, lol.)

However, if I'm honest, the most memorable heroes (for me) are the ones that have broken the mold - they've been flawed but have still succeeded. I think the older I get, the more I find I'm bored with tall, dark and handsome. The author that can write a quirky or unlikely hero and make me believe in and root for him is far more likely to sustain my interest as a reader.

Looking at my hero picks I think that this is clear.

John Matthew from the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. When we first meet him pre-transition he is a skinny, undernourished youth. Living in a vampire world where physical perfection is prized, he is mute, which immediately marks him as an outsider. But he forges a place for himself. (I'm ignoring the fact that he turned into something of a wanker in the last book).

Curran (Ilona Andrews - Magic series) and Raphael ( D.B.Reynolds - Vampires of America) - both pretty much a more traditional hero. However, they both take the meaning of arrogance to the extreme.

Jeremy Danvers (Kelley Armstrong Otherworld series) - He's the alpha werewolf, but for me he's the epitome of a beta hero.

Richard Tremayne (Lynn Viehl's Darkyn series) - Takes the idea of arrogance to a completely new level. Pursues his own agenda ruthlessly but I'm always left wanting to know more about him.

Duncan Reever (Stardoc Series) - Telepath and when we first met him, emotionally stunted (not the word I want to use but I can't think of a more explanatory one) and unable to communicate effectively with Cherijo.

It's seeing how the heroes overcome these flaws or the fact that they don't see them as a problem that really draws me in. So do you have any quirky or unlikely heroes to recommend? Or do you prefer tall, dark/blond and handsome?

Some M/M Faves

So I thought I'd end up my three days with a few m/m books that I've really enjoyed.

First up is A Strong and Sudden Thaw by R.W.Day. Set in a post-apocalyptic future following an Ice Age it tells the story of David and Callan. In a world where homosexuality is against the law their relationship will not have an easy path to follow. I love this story because at it's heart the relationship between David and Callan is beautifully realized.

"Please. That’s the most erotic word in the English language, you know."

The love scenes aren't graphic so I'd recommend this one as a first m/m if you wanted to put your toe in the water so to speak. :) It also has a kind of pioneer/old west feel to it as much of technology and history has been lost due to the ice age.

Next is Wicked Gentlemen by Ginn Hale. This is one of those books that I ordered not sure whether I'd like it or not. Almost ironically, it was more to do with the steampunk setting than the m/m content. It wasn't a genre I was familiar with. Wicked Gentlemen actually takes the form of two novellas. The first - Mr. Sykes and the Firefly - is told from the (first person) point of view of Belimai Sykes. Belimai is a Prodigal, a descendent of demons. A drug addict and investigator who is hired by Captain Harper (an Inquisitor) to help in the investigation of several murders.

The second novella - Captain Harper and the Sixty Second Circle - virtually carries on from where the first leaves off, but is told in third person point of view mainly from Captain Harper's perspective. What I love about Wicked Gentlemen is that you have two characters who by all rights (according to the world they inhabit) should never interact and yet they are attracted to each other despite this. I cannot think of any comparable story in a m/f romance. This is another good starting book for m/m.

Third - Zero at the Bone by Jane Seville. I only read this book a few months ago. But it is on my keeper shelf. When Jack Francisco returns to his safe house to find a hitman waiting for him, the last thing he expects is that the man won't go ahead with his assignment. But that's exactly what the man known as D proceeds to do. Instead the two of them end up on the run together, pursued by killers hired by the men who want Jack dead and other unknown enemies. I am a sucker for the strong, silent, sarcastic type.

...He sighed. "I'm starting to see words like 'accessory' and 'accomplice' floating around my head."
D barely reacted. "How about 'dead on arrival'? Ya like that better?"

This is a real opposites attract story and Jack and D are one of my favourite m/m couples. I hope there are more books to come featuring them.

Now, I could recommend m/m books all day but I'm kind of conscious we only have so much room on the blog. So my last recommendation will be Mindf*ck by Manna Francis. Now this is one I definitely don't recommend as your first foray into m/m. Book 1 in the Administration Series it details the beginning of the relationship between corporate executive Keir Warrick and para-investigator/torturer Val Toreth. To overly simplify - Warrick is a masochist and Toreth is a sociopathic sadist. Set in a future dystopian state, it's one of the most complex and fascinating stories I've read. Incredibly re-readable because you are constantly finding out new things about the characters (especially Toreth) which sheds light on their previous actions.

In Mindf*ck what you have is the beginnings of their relationship. It is well worth reading the following books in the series as you begin to see the psychology involved in their relationship.

So. Hope I've given you a couple of ideas if you hadn't read these books before. Or encouraged you to get Wicked Gentlemen off your TBR pile.

I'll just add here that I would also heartily recommend the Adrien English Series by Josh Lanyon as another good place to start in m/m. So many books and not enough space to write about them all. :)

And where does my m/m journey go from here? Well I'm currently learning about the joys of Yaoi. :)

M/M Via UF

I'm not sure I can tie it down to one specific moment when I suddenly thought - "I must try m/m" - though I will give it a go. :)

One thing I appreciated whilst reading urban fantasy / dark fantasy / science fiction, was that whilst the main relationship might be explored and develop over several books often there were other relationships explored alongside.

And every so often these minor relationships were m/m. If I had to pick out one sentence that was the definitive 'hook' that got me into m/m it would be:-

"Everything I have done," I heard him whisper, "I have done for you, my lord. Will you not do this one thing for me?"*

The only problem was that these relationships were usually romantic in the traditional sense (rather than romance) and therefore doomed.

So you'd read this wonderful sensitive, erotic love story and it would end:-

• with one of the protagonists dying


• with both of the protagonists dying


• with one protagonist in exile and the other dying


• with one protagonist in exile and the other who was bisexual doing the right thing and marrying the woman he was promised to


• with one protagonist in exile and the other remaining alone


• with both protagonists ending up with women (You know who I'm talking about I'll mention them by name later)

Not surprisingly I didn't find any of these endings particularly satisfying. I guess there was a part of me that still missed stories which focused more on a love story between two characters. However, I was in no hurry to meet Cinderella again.

In the end it was a combination of Kushiel's Dart which hooked me on this m/m thing and what ended up being the non-relationship between Butch and Vishous that finally got me to take the plunge into the m/m world. (Yes...I used the B and the V word).

Where should I start though?

I wish I could remember how I first ended up at Waves blog, or at Rain on the Roof, or at Jen's blog (now on hiatus) or Jenre's blog - Well Read. A series of happy coincidences I think. I lurked and asked for recommendations and finally chose my first forays into the m/m world.

A Strong and Sudden Thaw by R.W.Day
Wicked Gentlemen by Ginn Hale

(I think My Fair Captain was in there somewhere as well. :) Would these books disappoint and dissatisfy?

NO!

Lol.

I think I possibly made the best first two choices ever. Unlike the m/f romances I'd had problems with, these stories focussed on relationships between individuals - none of whom were billionaires, or incredibly amazingly talented at their jobs, or who had an amazingly incredible talent that the world desperately needed. They were just people, flawed individuals finding a home in each other.

Hey, I'm not denying that if one guy is hot, then two guys are hotter. But if hot sexin' was all it was about I'm pretty sure I'd get bored of the m/m genre pretty darn quick. And that doesn't look like happening any time soon. :)

Tomorrow I'll recommend some of my faves.

* - quote is taken from Kushiel's Dart, Alcuin to Delauney.