Review: The Rifter Part 10: His Holy Bones

Well here it is, finally, the last part of this tremendous serialised novel, The Rifter.  Part ten, as you may imagine, is packed through with action, adventure, love, tragedy, betrayal, ruined hope and ultimately an ending which, although is classed as 'happy' still leaves you with a lot to think about.  All whilst drawing together the strands of the story to a cohesive and satisfying conclusion.

Part ten begins where part nine left off.  Ravishan is injured, possibly fatally, and John divides his time between wanting to be close to Ravishan, and his duties as the newly revealed Rifter.  Some of those duties lie in managing to convince the kahlirash’im, that he is just as much human as he is god whilst also coming to terms with his god-like abilities. Other duties involve repairing the damage that he inflicted on Vundomu as well as dealing practically and emotionally with the knowledge of how many people died when he stormed the tower in order to save Ravishan.  This meant that much of the first part of the book is relatively quiet, showing us the healer and nurturer that John will become as he gets older, and how he can use his abilities for good.  That doesn't mean there isn't action too, as we find out the circumstances which surround Ravishan's death in a scene I found immensely shocking, and which suddenly made John's initial reaction to the appearance of Kahlil in the future make a lot more sense. We also find out what happened to Laurie in Umbhra’ibaye. One thing I've loved about reading this book as a serial is the way that I suddenly get these 'lightbulb' moments about things that I've puzzled over a bit in previous parts of the book.

The second half of this part then moves forward into the future and picks up where we left Kahlil in part seven.  He's been captured by Laurie and is now being held as bait. Kahlil knows that John will come for him and that when John does, Laurie will kill him. Yet he's trapped, unable to move, terribly injured and guarded by Laurie's hungry bones. Rescue is in the form of a complete surprise and I found the remainder of the book a strange mix of heartwarming and heartbreaking. This was especially true for the character of Laurie who I found difficult to figure out in book seven. I couldn't see why she hated John so much, but things become so much clearer here.

Like much of the entire novel, this part focuses on the choices that John makes and the consequences of his actions. John has some difficult choices to make here and has to face the consequences of his past actions. He has strong emotional ties to Laurie, and knows that he has somehow failed her, but he also realises that his reluctance to 'deal' with her in the past has caused the loss of many lives. Even right at the end, when John knows what must be done, he wavers between giving Laurie what she wants and doing what he knows is right. Even I felt some compassion for Laurie at the end, knowing how much she had lost and that it had driven her quite mad. The confrontation between John and Laurie towards the end of this part was filled with much sorrow and recrimination but was also a fitting conclusion to their troubled relationship. It made me quite sad to remember the happy, dippy Laurie from part one and compare her to what she is at the end. Very sad, actually.

John too has come a long way from the College student he was in part one, and even in this last section we are shown how much he has grown, matured and changed in his time in Basawar.  I liked that John has learned strict self control, that his impetuous actions in the past have made him more careful and less likely to fly into a destructive temper. The John we see at the end of the book is a true leader, one who looks to others first before his own needs. I liked him a great deal.

Another thing I really liked about this final part was the way that the present and past were resolved. I'm not going to go too much into specifics because that would spoil things, but the loose thread involving Ravishan in the past and Khalil in the future is brought together in a most pleasing way.

I finished this final part feeling a little bereft that it was all over. The book has brought me so much pleasure over the last 10 months that I'm sorry that it couldn't continue on for a few more months more at least! However, all good things come to an end, and this was a marvellous conclusion to what has been a simply stunning piece of fantasy writing. If you haven't started reading this book yet then I urge you to begin now. It's a long book, yes, but it's a wholly rewarding read.  It's also not an easy read, and definitely not for those of you who are squeamish because some of the violence in the book is quite graphic.  It is a book for those who love dark fantasy and want to read a complex, intricate novel with a huge cast of characters, but which retains at its core a heartfelt romance.

I said in my review of part 1 that I would wait until this last review before I grade the whole book.  Really, though, there is no grade that I can put on this because 5 stars seems so inadequate.  It's definitely worthy of the grade DIK because I shall be re-reading this many times in the future.

Buy this book HERE.

Review: The Rifter Part 9: The Iron Temple by Ginn Hale

Things are really starting to hot up now in this penultimate part of The Rifter. The story stays with John all the way through as he adapts to his new name of Jath'ibaye and attempts to use his Rifter powers to aid the Fai'daum in their fight.  The story opens with John and a small band of Fai'daum rebels who have learned that the Ushiri priests are capturing suspected witches and imprisoning them. Even more horrifying is when it is discovered that the women are being raped in an attempt to increase the numbers of the Ushiri.  When the daughter of an influential man is taken, the whole city of Giza is in uproar and John and the Fai'daum take advantage of this to attempt a rescue.  Meanwhile, further south Ravishan and Ji are fighting a battle of their own.

There were a couple of things which struck me in particular about part 9. Firstly, the focus of the story has narrowed considerably from part 8. In the previous part the story was busy with rich description and the introduction of many new secondary characters.  In this part we focus on John and a small band of Fai'daum rebels, led by Lafi'shir, and there is less in terms of lengthy description of setting and more in terms of dialogue and action.  I found this much easier to keep track of who was who as each of the men have distinct personalities and attributes. Each man or pair of men spends a specific amount of time with John so that by the end I felt as though I knew them as well as John does.  This also allowed a rather sweet romance sub-plot to strike up between two of the men and provided some much needed emotional relief from some of the heavier violence that permeates this story (I'll talk more on that later).  Relief was also found through the camaraderie between the men, which again seeks to bring everything down to a much personal level for John. These are no longer faceless rebels or a huge mass of people living together underground, but rather people who John is growing to respect and like a great deal.  I have a feeling this is going to important in the last part of the book.

Secondly, this part is almost non stop action scenes with only a few small quieter scenes to break up the tense and often horrific action.  Here we see just what a destructive force is inside John as he, seemingly without thought, kills and maims to reach his own, and the Fai'daum's, goals.  John's knowledge that he cannot be killed not only shows him his immortality, but it also makes him less caring of the mortality of others, in particular those who work for the priests or carry out their evil deeds.  This is such a great contrast to both the John we see at the beginning of the book and the Jathi'baye from the sections set in the future, that it's a little disconcerting to read.  The John here is black and white in his ideas of what constitutes right and wrong and anyone who doesn't fit with his view deserves all they get - even former friends.  Having said that, I can see that it is also necessary to see this side of John.  For us to understand the Jathi'baye of the future we need to know what led that gentle John from the start of the book to unleash his powers upon Basawar.  It's almost frightening to see just how out of control John becomes as this part draws to a close, and yet it is still in keeping with the man we know will do anything to save those he loves.

A word of warning, there's a lot of violence in this part of the book, much of it done to John, and it's rather gruesome in its description in places.  Don't let that put you off though because after the quieter and more descriptive foundations laid in part 8, part 9 comes as a whirlwind of action which gripped me from the start.  The final part is only a few weeks away and in some ways I'm dreading it.  It not only means the end of a book I've thoroughly enjoyed, but it's also going to be quite emotional and perhaps terrible in some of the things that are going to happen.  Mostly though, in my mind is a couple of questions: Will John ever get back to Earth and does that even matter now?  We shall see.

You can either buy this ninth part - and then any of the other parts - separately for $3.99 each, or buy the whole book at $29.95 and each month the new part will be sent to you via email. More information about this and the buy now page can be found HERE.

Short Stories by Josephine Myles

Today is Jo's final day here at DIK and many thanks to her for saving my lazy arse filling in for me!  Today Jo is talking about something very close to my heart. The humble short story:

Short Stories

I know many readers aren’t that into short stories and much prefer sinking their teeth into an epic novel, but I absolutely adore them. Thanks to Jen and Tam setting up Brief Encounters Reviews, I now have a source of great reviews to help me choose my next m/m short story. I’m going to use their definition of a short story as being anything up to 20,000 words, which includes the whole spectrum from drabbles (100 words exactly) to novelettes.

Here are my top six reasons why short stories rock:

They’re quick to read

This is a huge bonus for me, as a busy mum and writer. Back when I had plentiful free time, I used to lose whole days devouring huge, brick-like novels, including lengthy fantasy series and classics like War and Peace. However, these days I generally only find the odd half hour at either end of the day to read, so I tend to lose track of where I am in a longer work. I really appreciate being able to finish a story in one sitting – or at least within a few days of starting it so I haven’t forgotten how it started by the time I reach the end.

They’re often free (or very cheap)

Okay, I know that the prices publishers charge can seem like a rip-off when compared to novel length stories, but the canny reader can find scores of free self-published short story ebooks out there – just try browsing the freebies at Smashwords and All Romance eBooks. And if you’re willing to read online, many publishers and writers have free shorts on their websites too.
I do buy individual short stories, but I also go for anthologies as they’re a great source of cheap short stories – the price per story is usually less than a dollar. There are also huge numbers of $0.99 short stories available on Amazon – usually self-published.

They’re great for sampling new authors

I’ve found plenty of new favourite authors through reading shorts in anthologies, and some new friends as well! This is why I think it’s so important that shorts are carefully drafted and edited – for me, they’re often the first (and possibly only) chance an author will get to hook me in. If I love someone’s short story I will always buy something longer by them.
They’re sexy

I have to admit, I won’t often buy novels that are pure erotica as I find it can get quite tiresome if the whole plot is sex, and there’s no guarantee of a happy ending. However, I’m perfectly happy to read erotica in short story format.

They force writers to get to the heart of the story

With a limited word count, writers don’t tend to include so much of the pointless filler scenes, convoluted backstory and info-dumps that can plague longer, poorly edited m/m novels (especially from certain publishers, who shall remain nameless). I’m not saying all shorts are perfect and I’ve certainly read a few duds in my time, but I think that writers tend to focus more carefully on their words when they have a limited number of them to make an impression. They’re also far less likely to lose sight of the central thrust of the story.

Another thing that consistently delights me when authors get it right, is the beautiful simplicity of a well-crafted short story. I love the fact that a story can be set entirely in one scene, or one location, or within a strictly limited time frame. Many of my favourite tv series episodes and plays are set in one location and unfold in real time, so perhaps it’s no coincidence that I love it when short stories do this too.

They let writers and readers experiment

There are plenty of sub-genres, tropes and themes out there that don’t grab me so much and I’d be wary of reading at novel length (including, but not limited to, dark fantasy, high fantasy, hardcore BDSM, kidnapping, space opera, vampires and shifters), but that I’m perfectly willing to sample in a short story. Similarly, I’m not all that interested in reading long novels that are either angst-fests or super-fluffy (I prefer a more nuanced mix), but I can handle shorts at either extreme.

Other things writers might experiment with in shorts, but which might become tiresome at novel length, are unconventional points of view (second person, for instance), present tense narration, dialogue only, and highly unsympathetic narrators. I can’t cope with being inside the head of a character I don’t like for a whole novel, but I’ll go with it for a short.
There are also shorts out there dealing with all kinds of kinks that don’t often make it to longer novels, including cross-dressing heroes. God, I’d love to see more of those at novel length!

***

So those are my top six reasons for reading short stories. What do you all reckon? Do you read many shorts, and if so, what are your reasons for doing so? And those who don’t care for shorts, I’d love to know why!

Oh yes, and if you want to read any of my short stories for free, you can find links to downloadable ebooks here, and the free reads on my website here.

The Inexperienced Hero by Josephine Myles

Are any of you fans of the inexperienced hero? I’m not necessarily talking about virgins (although I’m happy to include them here), but those guys who’ve either never had a relationship before, or are entering into a new type of relationship for them. I’ve realised I really enjoy reading and writing these types of heroes, as there’s so much scope for conflict and character development as they negotiate their way through the minefield of a brand new relationship.

The virgin hero

I’ve got to admit, I don’t find enough of these as I’d like within m/m romance. Perhaps it’s because it’s hard to imagine someone getting it completely right the first time around, so no matter how beautiful the love story between two heroes in their early twenties, the realistic part of me doesn’t always hold a huge amount of hope for their HEA. I say this having recently written a novella featuring two young university student heroes, one of whom was a virgin at the start. I believe in their HEA, though – I have to!

Of course, you do occasionally find characters who stay virgins for longer (yes, it does happen), but the author needs to work extra hard to make the reasons for this convincing. Perhaps a past traumatic sexual experience if it’s a darker story, or maybe they’re just workaholics or painfully shy.

What’s more likely in m/m romance, is to find a hero who’s had sexual encounters with women, but is still a virgin when it comes to same-sex encounters. It takes skill to make a gay for you or out for you storyline work, but I really appreciate them when they do. Not only does this character have the fun of discovering what goes where in the bedroom, but they have to face the world as a gay man for the first time. They also get to find out all the ways in which sharing a relationship with a man is different to doing so with a woman.

Okay, I know men and women probably more similar than we are different, but I still think hormones have a lot to answer for. Testosterone is great for action and single-minded purpose, but it doesn’t necessarily help with compromise and domestic harmony. I’m just sayin’...

The never-had-a-boyfriend hero

These ones are great fun to write, because they can be as experienced as you like in the bedroom, but they’ve never before found anyone they wanted to settle down with. Watching them discover the trials and joys of having a life-partner can be by turns amusing, angsty and heart-warming. This was one of my favourite things about writing Dan in Barging In – he might have had boundless experience in terms of shagging his way around the world, but he didn’t have the first clue about how to behave as a boyfriend.

Of course, this type of character can be extremely angsty if their reasons for not having settled down are because of previous traumatic experiences, such as being abused or betrayed. I’m not quite so keen on these kinds of darker stories, but I know a lot of readers adore them.

The novice hero

These guys will have had regular relationships before, but are entering into a new kind of relationship for the first time. An awful lot of BDSM novels have one of the characters (usually a submissive) as a novice being initiated into a D/s relationship. I think this works really well for readers who are unfamiliar with these kinds of relationships, as it gives them an outsider’s view of a new world. They can share the novice hero’s new impressions, and are given the explanations they need to make sense of the power dynamics that a more experienced practitioner would take for granted. In many BDSM novels this is all the conflict you need – or all that the author sees fit to include, at any rate.

Alternatively, you can have someone who’s experienced as a Dom or sub, but is entering into a 24/7 Master/slave relationship for the first time. These books can be absolutely fascinating, but only ring true when they’re written by authors who’ve done their research diligently or lived the lifestyle themselves.

Ménage relationships are another great testing ground for the novice hero. Indeed, in many of these set-ups all three characters are entering into a ménage for the first time. Again, there is ample grounds for interpersonal conflict simply from the dynamics of three men trying to work out how to make this work – especially when it’s a form of relationship much of the outside world condemns. Not only do you have all the deliciousness of three guys in bed together, but you have three guys fighting over the duvet and who gets to sleep in the middle.

***

Those are some of my favourite kinds of inexperienced heroes in m/m, but perhaps you can think of more? Do you have any favourite novels to share that feature any of these types of hero? Alternatively, do you prefer your heroes to have plenty of previous relationship experience, and if so, why?

Please share!

Waving Hello to Josephine Myles

For my final two days at DIK I'm going to stop being controversial and hand some of my time over to my good friend and all round brilliant author, Josephine Myles.  Firstly for today here's a quick intro followed by a post about Inexperienced Heroes.  Over to you, Jo!


Hi there, Josephine Myles here – Jo, if you want less of a mouthful. Jen has very kindly let me take over the blog for today and tomorrow, so I’ll be lounging around and sharing some of my thoughts about inexperienced heroes in m/m romance and why I love short stories. I hope you’ll share your thoughts on those with me!

I’ve been writing m/m for the last couple of years and have had numerous short stories published, but my first novel didn’t come out until last month. Barging In is a contemporary m/m erotic romance set on the canal near Bath, and it allowed me to indulge my love of flawed heroes and narrowboats. Here’s the blurb and a short n’ sexy excerpt to kick things off:

Blurb:

When the boat's a rockin’, don't come knockin’!

Out-and-proud travel writer Dan Taylor can’t steer a boat to save his life, but that doesn’t stop him from accepting an assignment to write up a narrowboat holiday. Instead of a change of pace from city life, though, the canal seems dull as ditchwater. Until he crashes into the boat of a half-naked, tattooed, pierced man whose rugged, penniless appearance is at odds with a posh accent.

Still smarting from past betrayal, Robin Hamilton’s “closet” is his narrowboat, his refuge from outrageous, provocative men like Dan. Yet he can’t seem to stop himself from rescuing the hopelessly out-of-place city boy from one scrape after another. Until he finds himself giving in to reluctant attraction, even considering a brief, harmless fling.

After all, in less than a week, Dan’s going back to his London diet of casual hook-ups and friends with benefits.

Determined not to fall in love, both men dive into one week of indulgence…only to find themselves drawn deep into an undertow of escalating intimacy and emotional intensity. Troubled waters neither of them expected…or wanted.

Product Warning:

Contains one lovable tart, one posh boy gone feral, rough sex, alfresco sex, vile strawberry flavoured condoms, intimate body piercings, red thermal long-johns, erotic woodchopping, an errant cat, a few colourful characters you wouldn't touch with a bargepole, and plenty of messing about on the river.

Excerpt:

It was dark under the trees. As Robin waited for his vision to adjust, he concentrated on listening. There was a faint splashing sound off to his right, and he waited until Dan was finished before clearing his throat.

“Dan?”

A dark shape detached itself from the shadows and moved towards him. The next thing he knew, arms were snaking around his waist and he felt warm breath on his cheek.

“Robin? I hope that’s you.” Dan’s voice was low and seductive, but he held himself back as if expecting Robin to make the first move.

“It’s me,” Robin whispered, not trusting his voice to stay steady. All he could concentrate on was the press of Dan’s warm body against his, the scent rising from him, sweet and heady. His hands rose of their own accord, pulling Dan’s head closer as he closed in for a kiss.

Dan tasted of lager and marijuana, with that underlying sweetness Robin remembered from before. He moaned into Dan’s mouth, growing hard so fast it was painful. He grabbed hold of Dan’s arse and pulled him in tight, willing him to feel how much he wanted him. Dan responded by grinding his hips, and their erections rubbed together with an intense friction. Made Robin want to rip Dan’s clothes off and have him on the damp leaf litter.

But Dan had his own ideas, and Robin found himself stumbling backwards as Dan broke off the kiss and pushed him, his fall broken by a tree trunk. He panted, slightly winded by the unexpected blow. That was uncalled for! But then Dan slid a cool hand down the front of his trousers, and all other thoughts fled.

“Oh! This is a pleasant surprise,” Dan said, fingering Robin’s Prince Albert piercing in a way that made him whimper and push into Dan’s hand. “I think I’d better get a closer look.”

And when Dan sank down, unzipped Robin’s fly and exposed his aching prick to the cold night air, Robin needed the support of the tree behind him. Dan’s hot breath against the head of his cock made his knees buckle as he trembled with anticipation.

But Dan seemed determined to tease him, nuzzling, licking and touching him so gently it was an exquisite torture. Dan paid special attention to the piercing, and the way the ring moved under his tongue sent jolts of pleasure racing through Robin’s body. He gasped, his hands clawing at the bark. He had to stop himself from grabbing Dan’s hair and thrusting into his mouth. He wasn’t going to be that needy. He wasn’t that desperate. He wasn’t.

When Dan finally enveloped him in the moist heat of his mouth, Robin had to bite down on his hand to prevent a howl escaping. The relief that the torture was over barely registered—now he had to concentrate on not coming too fast. To hold back, to make it last. No matter how good. And oh, it was good. Dan knew what he was doing, taking him deep and making happy noises like Robin’s dick was the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted.

***

Barging In is available from Samhain Publishing, Amazon, and all good online bookstores.


Author bio:

English through and through, Josephine Myles is addicted to tea and busy cultivating a reputation for eccentricity. She writes gay erotica and romance, but finds the erotica keeps cuddling up to the romance, and the romance keeps corrupting the erotica. Jo blames her rebellious muse but he never listens to her anyway, no matter how much she threatens him with a big stick. She’s beginning to suspect he enjoys it.

For more about her published stories, regular blog posts and saucy free reads, please visit Jo’s website.

Heroes Who Cheat

Infidelity in a hero is a tricky topic, isn't it? And one that many readers just cannot stand to read about, to the extent that they DNF any book with a hint of infidelity. This has always been the case but recently I've seen a bit of an upsurge in general outrage over infidelity on sites such as Good Reads. I've read comments where people have outright condemned a whole book, no matter how well written, because one of the characters has cheated on the other. I've had readers email me to check whether there is any infidelity in a book I have reviewed because they wouldn't read it if there was, even if I had given the book a glowing review.

I've come to the conclusion that I must be a person of dubious morals because I'm willing to give a cheating character the benefit of the doubt and would never dismiss an entire book based on the flaws of one character. Yes, even one who is unfaithful. Now that doesn't mean to say that I condone infidelity, and certainly if a hero consistently cheats on the other hero/heroine throughout the book then I wouldn't like that man very much - indeed a man like that would be more akin to villain material than hero. I would also question why the person being cheated on would keep standing for that behaviour from their lover. However, there are occasions in a book when I enjoy an infidelity storyline because they often show a significant character growth, and I'm also very partial to a flawed character who makes mistakes.

This is the crux of the matter really: Is the infidelity a mistake, a product of a flaw in a character which needs to be addressed and resolved for love to flourish? If it is, then I'm willing to set aside any reservations and see where the book takes me.

Another thing to consider is the definition of what cheating is. This varies from person to person as can be seen from the following example:

I read a m/m romance book recently which a few people called a 'cheating book'. Now, I have to admit, I was scratching my head a little over why people felt it was a cheating book because I couldn't remember there being any cheating in it! Then I remembered the following scene: To set the scene, the hero is a man who in the past was used to sleeping around a lot. He meets another guy whilst on holiday and they spend a week together, promising afterwards to keep seeing each other long distance. Whilst back at home the hero is lonely, plus he and his lover have argued. He goes out with his friend with whom he used to have a 'friends with benefits' relationship, gets completely plastered and they end up at his friend's flat, kissing and getting naked. However, before the deed takes place, the hero comes to his senses and puts the brakes on.

Depending on your definition of cheating, then hero could be a cheater or not. The way I saw it was that the hero's natural inclination when going out was to pick up a guy and have sex and so the temptation, when back in his regular life away from the long distance lover, is to do what he's always done, especially when there was bad feeling between them at that time. The fact that he didn't go through with it, meant that he didn't cheat - therefore he had overcome his essentially flawed nature. However, I know that many of you will read that description and say that because he kissed and got half naked with someone other than the hero, then he is a big, fat cheater and deserves to be condemned as such.

Interesting, huh?

What I will say is that there has to be a reason why a hero cheats for it to be effective in a book, and it either has to further the plot or show us something of the character of the cheater. One of the most controversial cheaters I've come across in m/m romance is Jake Riordan from the Adrien English books by Josh Lanyon. Jake cheats on Adrien and his wife but still manages to remain sympathetic in my eyes because the author shows how much of a mess he is. The emotional fallout from his actions are what drives the romantic narrative and keeps me reading. I know not everyone agrees with me on this matter!

One final thing to say is that for me to truly forgive a cheater there must be a significant amount of grovelling done by the person who cheats towards the person cheated on. Preferable on their knees or prostrate on the floor with promises of endless chocolate/back rubs/blow jobs. Also once the cheating is done and all has been forgiven, then that will be it. The hero remains faithful to their dying day. Unless, of course the other hero/heroine suggests bringing a third into their bed, which is a different matter entirely!

Do you agree with me? Are you one of those readers who cannot tolerate any hint of cheating in your romance, or are you like me and have a certain fluidity when it comes to this theme? Do tell.

Review: The Rifter Part 8: The Silent City by Ginn Hale

Reviewing the eighth part of this serialised novel is going to tax my reviewing skills a little! The book itself is the same number of pages as usual (each serial is about 130-150 pages) but this part, more than any other has a focus on setting the scene and consolidating information, rather than there being anything concrete in terms of dramatically furthering the plot. In fact I can probably give you the entire plot of part eight in one sentence: John and Ravishan join the Fai'daum and learn of their ways.

The story picks up straight on from part seven. John and Ravishan are now outlaws, and after being discovered by a band of Fai'daum rebels accompany them to their hideout - a huge city built underground. John uses his time there to try and control his increasingly erratic powers as he trains with Ji. As the part draws to a conclusion the Fai'daum are preparing themselves for battle, and John in particular is hoping to be able to rescue Loshai from Umbhra’ibaye.

As I said earlier, much of this part of the book is used to show the reader the world of the Fai'daum and for us to understand their goals and intentions in waging war on the priests such as those John trained with in Rathal'pesha. We meet characters that we have met before such as Saimura and Ji, but most of the characters in this part are new to us. It seems a strange thing to be introduced to so many new people so late on in the book, but I have a feeling that the key to understanding the future happenings in the book resides with knowing the goals and objectives of the Fai'daum. After all, Jath'ibaye in the future sections of the book allies himself with the Fai'daum and it is here that we see the beginnings of that alliance.

This part also continues to show us the depth of love and attraction felt between John and Ravishan, but also emphasises some of the differences in their temperament. There's a side to Ravishan in this part which aligns more with what we see in Kahlil in the parts set in the future, showing us that they may be on different time lines but are still the same person overall. John's wish for peace wars with the cruelty he experiences in the harsh world of Basawar, and some of the most heartfelt and poignant sections of this book were when John thinks of Nayeshi (or Earth) and longs to return.

An ongoing theme of the sections set in this timeline is that of John's discovery that he is the Rifter and his fight against his powers and his nature. This is given more space to explore here too. John's fear that his power should be discovered and used for ill is ever present, and yet it's becoming increasingly difficult to hide who he is to those who spend much time with him, especially Ravishan. One of my favourite scenes in this part comes towards the end and shows not only John's desire to hide his powers but the increasing suspicion of others towards his ability to heal so quickly. It will be interesting to see how this all comes to a head in the next part.

Above all though, Part eight shows us the depth of imagination of this author. Each time we move to a different setting the wealth of detail amazes me. The underground city of the Fai'daum is shown to us in all its vivid richness. The people, no matter how incidental, are well drawn and realistic. There might not be a lot of action in this section but I was still engrossed in the lives of the Fai'daum and their preparations for war. I get the impression that this eighth part of The Rifter is the deep breath or calm before the storm. All the pieces are slotting into place and I'm looking forward to seeing how everything comes together in the final two parts of the book.

You can either buy this eighth part - and then any of the other parts - separately for $3.99 each, or buy the whole book at $29.95 and each month the new part will be sent to you via email. More information about this and the buy now page can be found HERE.

Review: The Rifter Part 7: Enemies and Shadows by Ginn Hale

Like the previous part in this serialised novel, part 7 has a quiet, reflective feel about it at first. Much of the action happens towards the end and before that the story deals with the tricky politics surrounding the possible imminent war between Jath’ibaye and the Gaun'im of Southern Basawar. Much of the plot is taken up with discussion and intrigue, and whilst this meant that the action was slow, I was still immersed in the story because there's a constant tension. This tension gave the tone of writing an uneasy feel as Kahlil and Jath’ibaye strive to find a way to avert war or face the possibility of mass slaughter.

One of the beauties of this book is the way that dialogue is used to further the plot and that is certainly the case in this section which is taken mostly from Kahlil's point of view. He's a good observer of people, having spent most of his life observing John grow up, and this seeps into the way he views people and body language. Sometimes this is slightly humourous - for example as he watches Hirran use her feminine charms on the one of the Gaun'im noblemen - and sometimes it's deadly as he waits for the right moment to kill. We find out a lot about Kahlil in this section, especially about what he has been forced to do in his role as The Kahlil. This leads to comparisons with Ravishan, especially when we see Ravishan's innocence about the world when compared to Kahlil's world-weariness.

Towards the end of the section, in a scene which is both terrifying and compelling, the action is ramped up to maximum. This 'heart in your throat' moment shows us the versatility of Ginn Hale as an author in directing the pace, in this case from quiet intrigue to all out action and horror. About 20 pages before the end the action ends on a chilling note leaving the reader with a cliff hanger when we are suddenly thrown back in time to be with John and Ravishan. I have to admit I let out a wail of protest at this point and felt severely disgruntled! It wasn't long before I adjusted to John's point of view though, and if I have to be honest, I like John's point of view more than Kahlil's so once I got over the shock I settled into the narrative of John and Ravishan's escape from John's attempted murder on the Holy Road. It was interesting to see the contrast here between the earnest love of Ravishan for John when compared the the more mature feelings that Kahlil and Jath’ibaye have for each other. Both are passionate but the naivety of Ravishan seems almost painful next to Kahlil now that we've spent the last 200 or so pages in his head.

In the final 20 pages the pace again shifts to quiet moments between John and Ravishan which leaves the section on an emotional, rather than action based high. As a reader, I already know much of what is going to happen between them now because we have been told of Ravishan and John's future during the parts from Kahlil's point of view, and I wonder how much more of John's point of view can be sustained without repeating what we already know. However, I've trusted this author so far to deliver a tightly plotted story and I'm sure I won't be disappointed. With only 3 more parts to go, things surely must start to move towards what promises to be an exciting dénouement and I'm very much looking forward to the events in part 8.

You can either buy this seventh part - and then any of the other parts - separately for $3.99 each, or buy the whole book at $29.95 and each month the new part will be sent to you via email. More information about this and the buy now page can be found HERE.

Review: The Rifter Part 6: Broken Fortress by Ginn Hale

Warning: This review contains a number of spoilers for the previous parts of The Rifter.

After all the excitement of part five of this serialised novel, which ended on a heart-stopping cliff-hanger, this sixth part seems at first a little, well, dull in comparison. In actual fact that turned out not to be the case, as the quietness of the first few pages soon begins to build in intensity. It's a different feel, both in pace and tone, from the previous 300 pages, and at first I was frustrated at the change of pace because I wanted to know how things would work out for John and Ravishan. As it is, we get to find out some of their story within the memories of Kahlil and Jath’ibaye, some of which were tender reminders of their romance and some which were much darker. It also answered a few questions for me over Jath’ibaye's initial reaction to Kahlil when he sees him in part 2.

The book can be divided roughly into two themes. Firstly there is Kahlil's struggle with the knowledge of who he was and who he is. His changing memories cause him great consternation as does the knowledge that he is both Kahlil, who was sent to Nayeshi and spent years observing John from the coldness of grey space, and also Ravishan, who met John as a young man and fell in love. During the book there is a consolidation and affirmation of those feelings which led to a number of very romantic scenes. My one criticism, or maybe, again, it was more of a frustration, was that I really wanted to know Jath’ibaye's thoughts during the first half of this book. This is possibly because I'd just spent the last 300 pages in John's head and the switch to Kahlil then denied me John's voice. This frustration lessened as the book continued as I settled back into Kahlil's narrative, and also because of some of the events which happen later in the book.

The second theme is that of the coming war between Jath’ibaye's country of Vundomu and the counties of the South ruled by various Gaun'im. The political discussions and the rising tensions added to the interest, but the main attraction for me was in the threat from Fakiri and what he and his Lady are trying to achieve in the Northern lands once occupied by Rashal'pesha. We discover a number of chilling revelations about this and I am now very much anticipating the direction that the story is heading with Fakiri.

In and around these two main themes the author continues to add to the world of Basawar, the character of Jath’ibaye as Rifter, the role of the Kahlil and life at Vundomu. We are introduced to new characters who help and hinder our heroes, and whose allegiances could easily change given a change in circumstance. The development of even minor characters and the way their thoughts and concerns are shown, creates vivid characterisation in even the most minor of roles. It is this masterful showing of character, along with the many thoughtful touches which seek to add even more layers onto the personalities of Kahlil and Jath’ibaye, which leaves me in awe of this author's talent.

I've been deliberately vague in some of my references in this review, simply because I don't want to take away anyone's pleasure by accidentally spoiling this book. Despite its slow start, and my initial frustrations, the way the the plot built, layer upon layer, through the book kept my interest and left me anticipating the coming events. We may be on the downward slope in terms of numbers of books left in this serialisation, but the story is in no way slowing down. Instead we are being pulled inevitably towards both disaster and victory; death and new life. I'm very much looking forward to what is coming in book seven.

You can either buy this sixth part - and then any of the other parts - separately for $3.99 each, or buy the whole book at $29.95 and each month the new part will be sent to you via email. More information about this and the buy now page can be found HERE.

Review: The Rifter Part 5: The Holy Road by Ginn Hale

We're half way through this serialised novel now, and things are really hotting up!  Like Part 4, this section focuses entirely on John and his time at Rathal’pesha.  The story has once again jumped ahead in time, and is now a year on from Part 4.  It's the harvest fair and Ravishan has drank himself into a stupor over what he knows he has to do come sundown.  This year, instead of burning a witch, they have captured a Fai’daum rebel and, like last year, it's Ravishan's job to light the bonfire to burn the man.  Things don't go to plan though and the events that follow set off a chain reaction which leads to tragedy.

The Holy Road is a book of startling realisations.  As is fitting for the middle of a book, it features a number of 'turning points' for the characters.  For most of the book things have been simmering between John and Usman Dayyid, and it is here that things come to a head in a most unexpected way.  The implications of that then filter through the rest of this section, affecting not just John, but several other characters too.  Another turning point is in the relationship between John and Ravishan as they find a measure of freedom to be with each other.  The section where they are exploring the Southern city of Nurjimi, and marvelling at some of the differences between it and the dour repressiveness of Amura’taye, was my favourite part of the book.  It was a shame then that this proved to be the calm before the storm.  Finally, there is a turning point for Ravishan, who travels south to take part in the ceremony which will make him the Kahlil which will mean that finally John, Bill and Laurie can travel back to Earth.  Each turning point proved to be an emotional roller coaster as I was taken through a number of highs and lows, from utter shock and disbelief through to happiness and pride.

Alongside these turning points, and intertwined through the story is John's growing realisation of just how powerful he is.  This is explored in an exciting action scene and in quieter more desperate times.  John's realisation that he is the Rifter hasn't really been tested in previous books but that certainly changes in this book.  We are also given more information about the Rifter mythology, and how that will affect John in the future.  The implications for John who wields so much power are given some space to develop, and it is both wondrous and frightening for John.

Another aspect which worked well for me is the continuing world-building of the setting.  The religious and political situation in Basawar is always in the background during these stories and things are building to a breaking point.  The situation with the Fai’daum, the petty squabbles of the different priests and the treatment of the poorer, despised classes are all slowly coming to a head in what promises to be quite an explosive act of rebellion.  I am already anticipating the effect this will have on the oppressive religious regime as well as marvelling at how the author is managing to keep so many balls in the air, yet still have the space to provide what is turning out to be a satisfying romance sub-plot.

One final aspect which is slowly starting to work out through the series is the effect that John is having on the situation in Basawar and the characters that we see in the future sections with Kahlil.  I have to admit that books and stories which mess about with time can be confusing.  As this book progresses, I can now see how some of the effects that Kahlil feels when he gets thrown forward in time are a direct result of things that have happened in book 5.  As a result I went back and re-read parts some of the earlier books, as things slowly start to begin to make a little more sense.  It's all rather clever and leaves me rather in awe of Ginn Hale's storytelling prowess!

This section ends on a huge cliff hanger, one which I may have to wait awhile to be resolved.  Kahlil in the future has taken a back seat for nearly 300 pages now, and I suspect he will be back in Part 6.  I shall have to be patient!  I'm just overwhelmed by the sheer breadth that this story has taken so far and amazed by the journey I'm being taken on through the characters of John and Kahlil.  This is fantasy writing at its very best and I urge you, if you are a fantasy fan and haven't started this series yet, to go and buy it now.

You can either buy this fifth part - and then any of the other parts - separately for $3.99 each, or buy the whole book at $29.95 and each month the new part will be sent to you via email. More information about this and the buy now page can be found HERE.

More Appreciation

Yesterday I gave all the bloggers and reviewers out there a big hug for all their hard work reading and reviewing books for the rest of us.

But what about the other side of things, the authors who produce such wonderful books for us to read?  Well I could spend ages talking about my favourite authors and what they mean to me, but I don't have to because the lovely Kassa and Kris have already done it.

For the last two years these ladies have organised an author appreciation blog crawl which this year took place during the month of June.  All sorts of different blogs and bloggers took part and if you have a bit of time over this holiday weekend, then I'd recommend you follow the crawl and see the diverse number of authors who have been featured.  Click HERE for a full list.

I've enjoyed my time on the island again, and it's with regret that I shed the bikini (in the privacy of my own hut) and don the clothes needed for the cooler climate of Britain.  At least the sun's shining today!

Have a great holiday weekend to all whether it's because of Canada Day or Independence Day.  Spare a thought for me when I'm grafting away at work on Monday, won't you? :)

With a Little Help From my Friends

Yesterday I wrote about the A-Z reading Challenge that I'm doing at the moment. As part of that I'm choosing books which have been on my TBR pile for a long time, sometimes over 2 years.  I thought it would be fun to put a little bit in my A-Z Challenge reviews about why I bought the books.  This hasn't been as easy as I thought it would be because sometimes it's difficult to remember what made you click that 'add to basket' button.  However, after much wracking of brains I could pretty much come up with what drew me to that book in the first place.

Now there have been various reasons why I bought these books.  Sometimes it's been because I read an author interview, or met the author; sometimes it's been because I just saw the blurb and thought it sounded great; sometimes it's been because the book was free in a give-away or publisher promotion.  However, the single biggest reason for me buying one of these books seems to be because it was recommended by another blogger, either in a review, or a post like this one, or in general discussion in comments, or at Good Reads or on Twitter.

It made me realise how much I depend on my blogging friends who run review sites or comment on blogs for my book recommendations.  What would I do without you guys, huh?  Well, apart from having fewer books and a lighter purse!  If it wasn't for my friends who share my love of m/m romance I would be floundering in the dark when it came to book buying.

So today I just want to give you all a big hug and thank you for being such great enablers!  For reading books, sharing your views and providing me with great recommendations. I feel all teary-eyed just thinking about you all.  Sometimes I feel that reviewers are a bit of an under-appreciated bunch of people, unless of course we're giving out 5 stars :), but I appreciate the work that you do and the time spent doing it.  After all, the 300+ books on my TBR pile says you must be doing something right!

Reading Challenges

Up until recently I've never taken part in one of the myriad of reading challenges that there are around and about in blogworld.  I have a few reasons for this but the main one is that my life is already crazy-busy as it is with many demands on my time. I run my own blog at Well Read, another review site with Tam, Brief Encounters reviews where we review m/m romance short stories and I also guest review at Reviews by Jessewave and Three Dollar Bill Reviews.  This means I've always got at least two books and 5 short stories a week which I HAVE to read if I'm going to keep up with my blogging commitments.  Crazy, huh?  Just as crazy as some of you out there who run blogs, I expect.  So after all that why would anyone want to then impose further on their reading by taking part in reading challenges? It certainly left me scratching my head.

Until recently.

Something odd happened to me a few weeks ago, which links a little with what Lesley blogged about on Monday. I got bored with reading.  I still kept up my reviewing commitments but when I did get the opportunity to choose something from my own personal TBR pile, all I got was a case of the blahs.  Nothing appealed.  I've got about 300 ebooks on my TBR pile and I didn't fancy reading any of them.  I still wanted to read m/m romance but I think I was just so overwhelmed by the size of the TBR pile, I didn't know where to start.

It was at that point that I noticed my blogging mates Lily and Tam were doing a challenge that Lily had made up called the A-Z Challenge.  This basically entails choosing a book from your TBR pile beginning with A, reading it and posting a short review on your blog, then you move onto B etc.  For some reason this challenge appealed to me - maybe because it's so systematic - and so I decided to give it a go with the added twist that I would choose the book which has been on my TBR pile the longest that began with the right letter.  I began with After Anna by Theda Black and haven't looked back since.

The main benefit for me of taking part in the challenge it that it has rejuvenated my reading. I now look forward to choosing the next book in the challenge and I get a little frustrated when I have all my pesky reviewing reading to do first!  I'm currently up to N - Nikolai by Angelia Sparrow - and really enjoying it.  Another benefit is that I'm shifting the older books from my TBR pile and remembering why I bought them in the first place.  It's all been great fun!

I don't think this means I'm going to start taking part in all the reading challenges out there, but this one certainly worked for me.  How about you? Have you been taking part in a challenge that revitalised your reading, or have you found them to be just another chore or commitment you wish you hadn't decided to take part in?

Review: The Rifter Part 4: Witches' Blood by Ginn Hale

Part four of The Rifter takes on a different structure to the previous two parts.  Instead of an equal focus between John and Kahlil, the book concentrates solely on John and his time in the monestary at Rathal'pesha.  This part of the story follows John for about 18 months as he tries to devote his time to helping out in the infirmary by 'taking on' the injuries of the ushiri'im when they attempt to travel through gray space, and by aiding Hann'yu in the day to day tasks in the infirmary.

There are several plot threads which we follow during these 140 odd pages.  The first thread is that of John's relationship with Ravishan.  Their forbidden feelings for each other grow despite both of them knowing the consequences should they be caught.  The moments they get with each other are snatched and furtive which lends a sadness to the romance, whilst also allowing the reader to see just how erotic a forbidden brush of fingers can be or a stolen hug.  It is in this theme where we see all of John's frustrations over his time in Basawar as compared to his previous life on Earth, and this frustration spills into other aspects of this part too.

Another theme is that of John's powers and their slow discovery by those around him.  Sometimes this is for good effect, such as when Ravishan discovers that John's 'gift' can aid him with gray space, but most of the time there is danger for John every time something new is discovered about him.  This theme is intertwined with that of John's growing horror of the way that witches are treated in Basawar, especially in the North where religion has such a grip on the populace.  This makes it even more imperative that John hide his powers in case he too is outed as a witch.  The way that John has to tread carefully with everything he says and does meant that the atmosphere in this part was tense and sombre.  There were several fraught filled moments, such as when John discovers he had a bad reaction to poison known to particularly affect witches, or the way that he can manipulate gray space, which brought me to the edge of my seat as I read on to see how this would be viewed by others.

One final theme which is explored in part four is John's growing animosity towards Ushman Dayyid, the man in charge of the ushiri'im.  Dayyid is suspicious of John and treats him with a malicious intent at all times.  Meanwhile, John's feelings for Dayyid are growing from a sullen annoyance to all out hatred.  This animosity between them is growing in intensity to the extent that it will go one of two ways: Either Dayyid will push John too far and he will end up doing something he later regrets; or the pair will end up having to set aside their differences and work together during a crisis.  I strongly suspect the former, but this author is nothing but surprising so we'll see!

I have to say that, apart from the first part of the series, this has to be my favourite part so far.  There's a sense of impending doom slowly filtering through the narrative which sends a shiver down my spine and made me very frustrated when I got the end of the part because I wanted to read on and find out more!  John's complexity as a character constantly develops and he is already a very changed man from the college student we meet in part one.  The descriptions of the city combine bleakness at the povety and the irrational religious fervour of the residents with the opulence of the richer aristocracy and the more temperant views of the intellectual Hann'yu.  This is not an easy read with some gruesome and macabre descriptions but I was hooked through the whole of part four and can't wait to read part five.

You can either buy this fourth part - and then any of the other parts - separately for $3.99 each, or buy the whole book at $29.95 and each month the new part will be sent to you via email. More information about this and the buy now page can be found HERE.

Review: The Rifter Part 3: Black Blades by Ginn Hale

*Warning: It will be impossible for me to discuss this third part of The Rifter without giving away spoilers for parts 1 & 2!*

I've decided that it's quite an odd experience to review a serialised novel, especially this third part.  This is mainly because the book has reached a point where many of the major players have been introduced, the scene has been set and the pieces are slowly moving around the board.  In many ways this third part is very similar to part two in its structure.  The first half of the book follows directly on from part two and concerns Kyle/Kahlil and is set in the future Basawar after the Rifter has destroyed the North.  At the end of part two, Kahlil discovered an assassination plot against a warlord from the North, Jath’ibaye and this third part begins as Kahlil attempts to thwart this assassination. During this time Jath’ibaye and Kahlil meet, an event which has consequences for Kahlil. It was this part which was full of action and suspense as Kahlil travels the city looking for ways to help Jath’ibaye.

The second half of this serial moves twenty nine years into the past and deal with John as he describes the daily life of the monastery at Rathal’pesha where he's been living for about a year now. This section is used to feed the reader a set of information about the priests, the trainees and also some of the history of Basawar, including the religious figure of Parfir and the origins of the Rifter. As such, this meant that this part was slower moving and more focused on dialogue and character interaction that the section with Kahlil. It is heavy with information which will be useful to us as the book progresses, so whilst my attention drifted a little, I was aware of the importance of some of the facts given to us. That didn't mean that this section contains no action altogether, but just that the tension is provided by conflict amongst the priests and John's own worries over his future and that of his friends, rather than the more aggressive and nervous suspense in the section with Kahlil.

One thing I am enjoying with this book is seeing the links between the two separate times. One example of this is when Kahlil is thinking of one of the rumours that he hears about Jath’ibaye's eating habits and the fact that he likes strongly flavoured food usually eaten by peasants, rather than the more refined food of the Basawar nobility. Then in the next section we find out exactly why that is. Every time I come across these links it makes me smile, especially as they often seem to be just the odd whimsical fact, not important to the overall story but there as a flavour to the characterisation. It's little touches like these that remind me how good the writing is, and how complex the two worlds are.

Any niggles I have with the story stem from it being a month since I read the second part. The author has created an elaborate hierarchy of the both the nobility of Basawar and the priests at Rathal’pesha, and I found myself a little lost at times about who ranked higher than who and how people were related to each other. There is a glossary attached to the end of the part which explains it all, but it's difficult to swap back and forth like that with an ebook.

Overall, this third part continues to build and expand slowly on what has come before. Each strand of the story is slowly knitting together before moving off in another direction, only to form with another strand. I'm enjoying experiencing this masterful interweaving, and the monthly gaps between parts only highlights the efficiency of the world building in all its complexities. Bring on part four - I can't wait!

You can either buy this third part - and then any subsequent parts - separately for $3.99 each, or buy the whole book at $29.95 and each month the new part will be sent to you via email. More information about this and the buy now page can be found HERE.

Review: The Rifter Part 2: Servants of the Crossed Arrows by Ginn Hale

*Warning: It will be impossible for me to discuss this second part of The Rifter without giving away spoilers for part 1!*

After the excitement of Part One of this serialised novel (reviewed HERE) things begin to settle into what looks like a duel storyline for our two heroes. The first story tales up about two thirds of this 140-odd page second part and follows John as he seeks a way to get him and his two companions, Laurie and Bill, into the city of Amura’taye where he hopes to locate a key to get them back to Earth. In order to do this John becomes embroiled in a fight between rebels and a convoy of soldiers who are conveying a boy who wishes to become a priest in Amura’taye. The second story follows Kahlil who is struggling with his lack of memory and has become a mercenary. Whilst working undercover he discovers a plot to kill a prominent war-lord from the North, Jath’ibaye, and is startled when it becomes clear that he may not be the only man to be able to manipulate gray space.

As you would expect this second part builds on what has come previously. More than that, it also starts to expand the setting away from the waste lands of Basawar and into the civilisation of Amura’taye. With this change of setting comes a switch in the importance of the characters as Bill and Laurie begin to fade a little into the background and newer characters such as the soldier, Pivan; the Lady Boursim and her son Fikiri come to the forefront. With this change of focus in character comes a move away from the survival plot of earlier in the book to one of political intrigue as John gets drawn into life in Amura’taye. This was a quieter part of the book, especially after a heart-in-your-mouth battle scene at the beginning of the second part, where the foundations are being laid for later in the book. As with the beginnings of all good books it is difficult for John to know who to trust in this strange political landscape and there are many characters who could be either a friend or enemy for him. This doesn't mean these scenes were dull, because they weren't, but their relevance to the story as a whole is a mystery as yet and it remains to be seem how much of this is important for John as the book progresses. One interesting thing to note is the way that John's decisions are starting to change the course of history. It's very subtle but as we move into the second story involving Kahlil we can see the effect these ripples cause in the future.

The section with Kahlil is shorter than the events with John, and is almost like another beginning to the book. Kahlil has somehow been thrown nearly thirty years into the future. Thus tendrils of links are made between the two stories as we are fed bits and pieces of information that Kahlil is able to glean about past events and we meet characters who appear alongside John in the first half - who are now much older. Like the first section involving John, this part was heavily political in tone as, again, the foundations are laid for later in the book. I have to say that I found this section much slower moving than the first part and my interest began to wane a little. However, this part ends with a shocking revelation which certainly regained my attention and left me clamouring for more in part three.

Overall, this second part of The Rifter was a quieter and more complex affair than part one. The complexity is good as it shows how the different layers of the story are being built. A slight niggle that came out of this is the proliferation of unusual place and character names and I have to admit getting a little lost at times, especially in the system of honourifics and titles and in particular those which used apostrophes. The handy glossary at the back will be fine for those who can easily switch to the back few pages to look things up, but were not so handy for me on my book reader. However, that was just a slight niggle in a story which is slowly gaining momentum and promises to deliver an intricate, multi-layered plot as we move into part three. My only complaint is having to wait another month to read the next part!

You can either buy this second part - and then any subsequent parts - separately for $3.99 each, or buy the whole book at $29.95 and each month the new part will be sent to you via email. More information about this and the buy now page can be found HERE.

Pondering about Names Part 3

Well, my three days at DIK are drawing to a close and today I'm going to be a little more serious about names.

One thing I've noticed about reading m/m books in particular is that there are often names that I have never come across in my daily life in the UK.  Names like Javiar, Angelo, Esterban, Pablo, etc, etc.  You see the link here?  Yes, these are all Hispanic names, and as the Hispanic population in the UK is next to nothing, we just don't get those sort of names here.  Yet these names crop up an awful lot in m/m romance because the Hispanic population of the USA is very large.

What we do have are a large number of Muslim, Sikh and Hindu people.  In fact, did you know that one of the top ten baby boys names in the UK for 2009 is Mohammed?  I live near the city of Bradford which has a very large Asian population (and by Asian I mean Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi, not Oriental) and in my time as a teacher I came across many unusual names such as Afsad, Said, Amar, Aktar, Kumar, Tariq, etc, etc.  And yet, there are very few m/m books which feature Asian men with Asian names - unless they are historicals set in the Middle East.

Now there may be a few reasons for this:

1. There isn't such a large population of Asians in the USA and therefore writers don't put them in their books.

2. Islam is a bit of a no-go area for m/m romance - in which case what about Hinduism or Sihkism?

Breaking off here to mention that there is an interesting storyline going on in EastEnders (a British soap opera) at the moment where a married Muslim man - Sayed - is having a gay love affair with another man.  There are lots of issues around this, especially to do with infidelity, but also because he is Muslim.  I don't watch EastEnders (far too depressing for me) but I have been keeping an eye on this storyline through the media.

3. Asian names are confusing and difficult to know how to sound out.  It doesn't seem to stop authors using Oriental names which can be just as difficult to know how to pronounce.

4. Asian men are just not too attractive to us lily white westerners.  Erm... really?

OK, I admit that last point was only there so I could show some seriously sexy pics of Asian men :).

And now I've completely lost the thread of what I was saying.....um......oh yes!  Asian names.

So do you think that authors ought to write more Indian or Pakistani men into their books?  Is it the names and the association with Islam that puts off authors?  More and more there are books set in the UK, where there is a large Asian population, and although I can think of a few stories where secondary characters have been Asian, I can only think of one short story by GS Wiley where one of the main heroes was Asian.  Or maybe I have a bad memory and you can point out a few I may have missed.

Pondering About Names Part 2

So yesterday I was wondering whether it was just me who associated hair colour with names - and YAY!  It isn't!  I'm not the only weird one out there :).

Today, I want to look at something which is probably cross-cultural and that is the use of nerdy or dorky names for a hero.  You see, I think what constitutes a nerdy name in the UK doesn't always translate as nerdy to those in the US/Canada.  Thus sometimes I will read a book and my heart sinks slightly when I realise that an author has given a nerdy name to their beefy Alpha hero.  It just seems wrong somehow.

For example, take the name Colin.  Now I know that these two guys are nothing like nerdy or dorky:

Kevin is also considered a bit of a nerdy name, as is Nigel, or Graham, or Dwayne.

Now let me stress here that there isn't actually anything wrong with these names, just that in the UK they have certain associations to nerdiness.  Mind you if the nerdy guy named Adrian looked like this I wouldn't be complaining!

So do any of these names translate to nerdy names in the US or Canada.  Do you have different nerdy names that aren't considered nerdy or dorky in the UK.  Let me know and we'll compare notes!

Pondering about Names Part 1

Names are very personal things aren't they?  People can get all huffy if their name is mocked or when they end up being accidentally named the same as some foolish public figure.  Over the next three days, I'm going to take a relatively light-hearted look at some of the names that authors give to their heroes and see whether some of the things that I like or which bother me about names is the same as the dear readers of this blog.

But first....

Is it just me, or do other people associate hair colour with names?

I have this thing about the name Simon.  In my head all Simons have blond hair and so whenever I read a book where the hero is called Simon he will have blond hair in my imagination.  I'm not quite why this is but maybe I was influenced in my early teen years by this man:

Anyway, this means that no matter how many times an author will tell me in their book that their Simon has brown or red hair, in my mind it is always a golden blond colour.  Weird, huh?

Conversely, Adams are always brunets.  Always.  Again, I'm not sure why but it could be something to do with this fellow:

Maybe I'm just a strange, strange lady but those two names in particular always give me a clear mental picture of hair colour - and those names only.  No other names have this effect on me.

Am I the only odd-ball out there who links certain names with hair colour?  Please tell me it isn't so or I'll have to go and hide under a rock in shame :).

Review: The Rifter Part 1: The Shattered Gates by Ginn Hale

Now here's something new.  A serialised novel in ten parts being issued once a month by Blind Eye Books.  My interest was already aroused by that idea alone, but then when you add into the equation that the serialised book is written by the frankly quite astounding Ginn Hale, I knew this would be something I would want to read.  I wasn't wrong.

It's a bit odd to review the first part of a serialised novel.  The book has been divided roughly into 100 pages per issue and so this first part is the opening section to what is going to be a 1,000 page book.  Obviously, it's going to end as a cliff hanger and obviously this first part is going to contain a lot of scenes setting up the world building and characters who are to play the important roles within the book.  I suppose what I need to be looking at during this review is the effectiveness of this part as the opening to a novel.  So here goes!

Blind Eye Books publishes fantasy/spec fiction novels so that should give you an idea of what type of book The Rifter is.  It's a dark fantasy set in two worlds.  There is the modern day world of America where we meet our hero John and his friends Bill and Laurie, and there is the world of Basawar where our other hero Kahlil (or Kyle) originates from.  Kahlil has the ability to travel between these worlds and has been sent on a special mission to America for reasons we are told about as the opening progresses.  The narrative alternates between John and Kahlil and so gives us background and insight into both characters, their thoughts and the reasons they act as they do.  I did find Kahlil a little confusing at first, especially when he is in Basawar at the beginning of this first part and on the whole I felt more settled and sympathetic with the character of John.  John is a geology grad student who gets inadvertently pulled into the story (like all good fantasy heroes) and then has to make the best of situation beyond his control.  I liked John, especially that he was scientifically minded but also had a strange affinity with the planet.  I look forward to seeing where the author takes this character and develops some of the abilities we are given teasing hints about in this first part.

Another thing I liked about the story is that it currently only focuses on five characters (and a dog).  This allows the reader to concentrate on what will be the main protagonists in the tale and be drawn into their different characters and relationships.  It also meant that some time could be devoted to the world building, which was complex but not overwhelming without also having to keep track of too many characters.  The setting of Basawar is similar enough to Earth so that things are not so strange, but contains significant differences which affect the characters.  This familiarity eases the reader into the world building and it wasn't long before I was immersed into the world that the author had created and eager to discover further differences that will affect the characters.  As the first part draws to a close, the setting is beginning to widen and I don't think it will be long before more characters are introduced, plus the possibility of politics and intrigue into the plot.  I can see especially that there is going to be a lot of change and growth in John and his friends and I am looking forward to seeing how their relationship deepens, or otherwise, as their friendship is tested.  The author has also gone the extra mile of creating a whole new language in the world of Basawar, and those who find these thing fun and amusing have a glossary of terms to peruse.

Overall, this was a pretty terrific opening to what looks like it may well be a complex and spellbinding fantasy novel.  Strong on character and imaginative in setting, it nevertheless contains a slowly unfolding plot which has already grasped my attention.  I think the hardest thing for me with this serialisation is going to be waiting impatiently for the next instalment!  I urge all fantasy fans out there to give this serialisation a go.  I don't think you will regret it.

A note on how you can purchase this serialisation:  You can either buy the first part - and then any subsequent parts - separately for $3.99 each, or buy the whole book at $29.95 and each month the new part will be sent to you via email.  More information about this and the buy now page can be found HERE.