Good boy on boy books
Jan. 24th, 2007 09:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
maderrSince Sammie, I, and various others are always bitching about the general suckage of what is being published these days.
Mordred, Bastard Son by Douglas Clegg is by and far my top favorite slash book. It's a cool retelling of a story I generally dislike, the men are men and insanely hot, and I am utterly fucking furious he's wasting time with Vamypricon and not writing me more Mordred!!!! GIVE BOOK NOW CLEGG.
Ransom by Lee Rowan took me by surprise. The greatest part about this book? It takes a premise that usually sucks hardcore and does it the way it should be done. It is awesome. I love this book. I bought it thinking that like so many others it would probably suck. It wound up kicking ass. I think I am safe in saying that![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
skylark97 and my darling jolena agree with me. If you're going to buy a slash book, I would go with this one. It's solid, the chars are cool, and the sex when it gets to that point is hot and even cute.
The Back Passage by James Lear is about twenty kinds of hiliarious. The main char is such a boyslut, but he's cute and funny and tries so very hard to be a sherlock holmes. It's an endearing book, though the number of times he gets laid could rival some of my erotica ebooks. It works, though. The story doesn't take itself seriously at all and that's the best part of it.
The Price of Temptation and Discreet Young Gentlemen by M.J. Pearson were another surprise. The covers are NWS at all, but the stories are solid. I liked the second one more than the first, but I'm definitely pleased I have both (or had, I think Beej has one and I just send Sammikins the other...my porn collections vanish as soon as I get them, I swear. I should probably just buy all of these again. Start buying two of everyting, one for the shelves and one for the mail, hee). Anyway, her books can't be taken out in public for the atrocious covers but the content is solid. Regency boy love, amusingly and cutely told, what is not to adore?
Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan. You can't go wrong with his stuff. He's cute and sweet. Skylark is still a fellow fangirl, I think. I'm not usually for contemp stuff - there are some good ones out there, speaking of Skylark she has sent me some I need to return - but Levithan's stuff I do like. It treads close to preachy/lecturing, but never quite hits that. He's written a few books by now, but BMB will always be my fav.
Geography Club and The Order of the Poison Oak by Brent Hartinger are both cute books. They're more contemp stuff I don't often read, but Sky sent them to me and I liked them both. Highschool kids learning who they are, how to manage, growing up, screwing up, and most importantly things ending well. So hard to find in contemp stuff. I get so sick of people dying, breaking up, blah blah blah.
Latter Days by C.Jay Cox and T. Fabris is solid as both book and movie. I have both, am not sorry to own them. They're angsty, cute, and do the whole religion/self conflict without being annoying.
In the erotica section, these three aren't bad. Of the torquere books I've read, they're on the supremely short list of books that did not disappoint. Sadly, of that list, they're the only ones in print. I have both eformats and the bound versions, if anyone wants to gank or borrow (and I really wish they'd put the Rossi books out in print *sigh*). An Agreement Among Gentlmen by Chris Owen is a hot and pretty threesome, eventually. Historical Obsessions is a set of stories, all of them fine though Gentleman of Substance is my favorite. Rain and Whiskey by B.A. Tortuga is another contemp, this time a beach bum and a former football player. After gettng burned reading the Jumping sequel, I flat out refuse to buy any more sequels to my favorites. But for any that might care, R & W does have a sequel. I have a bunch of torquere ebooks, and a few more in print, but these are the ones I most often reread.
Speaking of Torquere ebooks, Scarlet and the White Wolf and Mariner's Luck by Kirby Crow are both excellent books. I wish T would put out more stuff like this. Maybe I'm too picky, but I love this is a full on story and that I care about the characters and am dying to know how all will finally play out. It's not as awesome and splendid and hot as Mordred, but if they put it in print I would buy. Def looking forward to the third one.
Torquere in general is a mixed bag. I've read nearly everything they've put out, and there is some I love, some I hate, some I really hate because they had so much potential and totally let me down. If there's one you wonder about, just ask. I'd lay'em all out but this post would go on forever.
Lastly, Looking For It by Michael Thomas Ford was another gamble I took. It's not too bad -- various chars, which I like, and the main pairing is a bartender and a priest. Pretty good, esp. for a contemp novel.
That's all for now, I think.
Sammikins yells at me for buying crap, and I don't deny I deserved to be yelled at, but if I wasn't willing to buy crap I wouldn't have found half of these were actually worth something.
On an end note, if you're going to spend money, my three top recs are Mordred, Ransom, and Discreet Young Gentlemen.
Mordred, Bastard Son by Douglas Clegg is by and far my top favorite slash book. It's a cool retelling of a story I generally dislike, the men are men and insanely hot, and I am utterly fucking furious he's wasting time with Vamypricon and not writing me more Mordred!!!! GIVE BOOK NOW CLEGG.
Ransom by Lee Rowan took me by surprise. The greatest part about this book? It takes a premise that usually sucks hardcore and does it the way it should be done. It is awesome. I love this book. I bought it thinking that like so many others it would probably suck. It wound up kicking ass. I think I am safe in saying that
skylark97 and my darling jolena agree with me. If you're going to buy a slash book, I would go with this one. It's solid, the chars are cool, and the sex when it gets to that point is hot and even cute.The Back Passage by James Lear is about twenty kinds of hiliarious. The main char is such a boyslut, but he's cute and funny and tries so very hard to be a sherlock holmes. It's an endearing book, though the number of times he gets laid could rival some of my erotica ebooks. It works, though. The story doesn't take itself seriously at all and that's the best part of it.
The Price of Temptation and Discreet Young Gentlemen by M.J. Pearson were another surprise. The covers are NWS at all, but the stories are solid. I liked the second one more than the first, but I'm definitely pleased I have both (or had, I think Beej has one and I just send Sammikins the other...my porn collections vanish as soon as I get them, I swear. I should probably just buy all of these again. Start buying two of everyting, one for the shelves and one for the mail, hee). Anyway, her books can't be taken out in public for the atrocious covers but the content is solid. Regency boy love, amusingly and cutely told, what is not to adore?
Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan. You can't go wrong with his stuff. He's cute and sweet. Skylark is still a fellow fangirl, I think. I'm not usually for contemp stuff - there are some good ones out there, speaking of Skylark she has sent me some I need to return - but Levithan's stuff I do like. It treads close to preachy/lecturing, but never quite hits that. He's written a few books by now, but BMB will always be my fav.
Geography Club and The Order of the Poison Oak by Brent Hartinger are both cute books. They're more contemp stuff I don't often read, but Sky sent them to me and I liked them both. Highschool kids learning who they are, how to manage, growing up, screwing up, and most importantly things ending well. So hard to find in contemp stuff. I get so sick of people dying, breaking up, blah blah blah.
Latter Days by C.Jay Cox and T. Fabris is solid as both book and movie. I have both, am not sorry to own them. They're angsty, cute, and do the whole religion/self conflict without being annoying.
In the erotica section, these three aren't bad. Of the torquere books I've read, they're on the supremely short list of books that did not disappoint. Sadly, of that list, they're the only ones in print. I have both eformats and the bound versions, if anyone wants to gank or borrow (and I really wish they'd put the Rossi books out in print *sigh*). An Agreement Among Gentlmen by Chris Owen is a hot and pretty threesome, eventually. Historical Obsessions is a set of stories, all of them fine though Gentleman of Substance is my favorite. Rain and Whiskey by B.A. Tortuga is another contemp, this time a beach bum and a former football player. After gettng burned reading the Jumping sequel, I flat out refuse to buy any more sequels to my favorites. But for any that might care, R & W does have a sequel. I have a bunch of torquere ebooks, and a few more in print, but these are the ones I most often reread.
Speaking of Torquere ebooks, Scarlet and the White Wolf and Mariner's Luck by Kirby Crow are both excellent books. I wish T would put out more stuff like this. Maybe I'm too picky, but I love this is a full on story and that I care about the characters and am dying to know how all will finally play out. It's not as awesome and splendid and hot as Mordred, but if they put it in print I would buy. Def looking forward to the third one.
Torquere in general is a mixed bag. I've read nearly everything they've put out, and there is some I love, some I hate, some I really hate because they had so much potential and totally let me down. If there's one you wonder about, just ask. I'd lay'em all out but this post would go on forever.
Lastly, Looking For It by Michael Thomas Ford was another gamble I took. It's not too bad -- various chars, which I like, and the main pairing is a bartender and a priest. Pretty good, esp. for a contemp novel.
That's all for now, I think.
Sammikins yells at me for buying crap, and I don't deny I deserved to be yelled at, but if I wasn't willing to buy crap I wouldn't have found half of these were actually worth something.
On an end note, if you're going to spend money, my three top recs are Mordred, Ransom, and Discreet Young Gentlemen.
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Date: 2007-01-25 02:46 am (UTC)Though, I agree about Rain and Whiskey (didn't know it had sequel; didn't know it needed one) and Gentleman of Substance. I don't know the others, though (or any of the historical obsession ones except Gentleman. You shall have to educate me.
Mayhap I shall have to spoil myself once my loans are all finally caught up...
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Date: 2007-01-25 02:48 am (UTC)*hearts*
I think I am safe in saying that skylark97 and my darling jolena agree with me.
I can't speak for Jolena, but I loved it. *tackle glomps* ^_____^ La! Poor Davy. *huggles him*
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Date: 2007-01-25 02:54 am (UTC)That does look good. Shall have to buy Friday
<<<333
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Date: 2007-01-25 05:38 am (UTC)Argh. I need another raise to support the habit. Then, I need a long vacation in order to indulge in said habit. XD
^_^;;
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Date: 2007-01-25 11:21 am (UTC)Awesomeness.
Amen to that. And my health insurance went up, so I have less to play with than ever
The world needs to leave us alone with our pretty written words more often.
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Date: 2007-01-25 01:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-25 03:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-25 11:20 am (UTC)Stores like that very rarely carry the books I'm seeking.
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Date: 2007-01-25 03:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-25 11:20 am (UTC)I've seen the sequel to that pop up on my amazon page and was never certain of them. Shall check them out ^__^
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Date: 2007-01-25 03:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-25 03:43 am (UTC)Thanks for the recs! I actually had the Mordred and Prince of Temptation on my wishlist after you mentioned them before; think I need to get off my ass and actually PURCHASE them o_o; And prob'ly several others you listed. I've always been leery of actually buying the gay novels I find online, never sure if they're actually any GOOD.
And yes, Latter Days was badass *_*
*runs off to buy happyboipr0n*
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Date: 2007-01-25 05:06 am (UTC)The only thing I've ever read on Torquere is Chris Owen's 911. Have you read that one? I quite enjoyed it, always wanted to chat with someone about it, but no one else I know has read it.
Torquere, man, have always wanted to download more of their books, but, eh. Maybe some time.
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Date: 2007-01-25 11:19 am (UTC)Buying on line is usually cheaper, though not always.
911 I do like. I think it gets a little ridiculous with the drug thing later on, but overall I am fond of it.
I have nearly everything, as I said. Lemme know which ones you'd like to try, and I shall send'em to you.
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Date: 2007-01-25 03:08 pm (UTC)But actually yesterday I was contemplating buying Sleeping Stone by Alexa Smith, so if you've read that one and think it's good I'll definitely go snatch it up.
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Date: 2007-01-25 06:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-25 11:17 am (UTC)I have not, and I most certainly shall now ^__^ Thankee!
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Date: 2007-01-25 01:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-28 04:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-25 09:38 am (UTC)Timothy James Beck writes real world gay fiction of pretty good quality, too.
The Night We Met by Rob Byrnes is a very nice, entertaining comedy I would recommend as well.
Could you please tell us more about Chris Owen? I have a weak spot for threeway relationships, especially well written.
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Date: 2007-01-25 11:16 am (UTC)I will look all those up ^__^ Thanks for pointing me towards them.
Chris Owen...I like Bareback, 911, and An Agreement Among Gentlmen. Gemini isn't bad, though it doesn't stick in my mind as well. The rest of what he (she? I have no idea...) has put out I'm not a huge fan of, though that's not to say it's necessarilly bad. I flat out refuse to read the sequel to Bareback - it sounds to me like an obvious and pathetic attempt to make money, not stay true to the chars.
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Date: 2007-01-25 01:23 pm (UTC)Much love for that story just for the twin-sest
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Date: 2007-01-25 02:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-25 01:18 pm (UTC)Still trying to get my hands on a copy of 'The Back Passage'. Everyone's been telling me it's a good book. I just haven't been able to scrape together the pennies to pick it up yet.
Torquere press is my downfall. I buy a lot of their things in e-book format, and then find that I have to run out and try to get print copies. It's nice when I just want some well written smut.
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Date: 2007-01-25 01:57 pm (UTC)And I second the rec for Almost Like Being In Love by Steve Kluger. Much, much love for that book. <3 As well as Drawing Blood by Poppy Z. Brite, if you're into (or at least don't mind) horrorish stuff. And just to be safe ... The Nightrunner Series by Lynn Flewelling, though you probably already read that one. XP
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Date: 2007-01-26 03:48 am (UTC)Woah, woah, hold the phone. By this do you mean you've written erotica ebooks? And if so, where can I buy them? All that I've found of yours so far is what you have here in eljay and on your site with the fairy taleness. Perhaps I must needs dig deeper...
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Date: 2007-01-26 10:41 am (UTC)Whoops. No, I have written any. I just meant those in my collection ^^;;
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Date: 2007-01-26 12:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-26 01:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 05:52 am (UTC)You might want to check out this site--they offer free books in trade for reviews.
http://www.gottawritenetwork.com/gwnreviewclipboard.html
Ransom is still up there (in download form), as are the two anthologies that have my stories in them, Heroes Unwrapped (Will/Davy's first Christmas together) and "Witches Night," which is a 'traditional' m/f story.
Please drop by my lj if you have a chance. I'm holding a contest (an information-gathering exercise for a panel presentation) and the prize is a download of the new book, Sail Away, a trilogy featuring 3 different stories about the Ransom characters. It's the 1/5/07 post. (Response was slow, so I extended the deadline.)
Thanks again, glad you enjoyed my book!
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Date: 2007-01-28 11:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-31 05:21 pm (UTC)i'm also dying to read mordred though it looks like i'll have to order it, since they never seem to have it in store.
also, a rec of my own, though it's a rather long book- how long has this been going on? by ethan mordden is really good. it's sort of a chronicle of gay life in the states from about 1950 into the 90s, so a lot of reality and less whimsy, but it follows the lives of about ten people through those years and the characters are really well developed and very real. my roommate is reading it now, and she really likes it. just thought i'd pass it along.
sorry to be so long winded. ^^;;
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Date: 2007-02-02 05:59 am (UTC)I really appreciate the recs ( and your writing ofcourse), I think I've read about everything you recced but the few I haven't seemed to be good suggestions.
and iff you were wondering about a good book perhaps you should try The Persian Boy by Mary Renault, it's a personal favourite
Thank you
Date: 2007-02-09 11:08 am (UTC)Wish I could. Thanks for enjoying the first book. Mordred will have a bit of a tumultuous adventure when he's in the city, after his fairly sheltered life of the Broceliande forest.
Thank you for enjoying it and for telling people about it. Maybe this will help nudge a publisher in the right direction. If I ran the world, you'd have that second book in your hands by now.
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Date: 2007-02-16 05:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-21 05:38 pm (UTC)I'll also look elsewhere, but we don't have many options for buying international books, Modred already cost me 13 euros,...*hope is worth it*
P.s. Now that you almost finished Lost Gods, what will you be focusing on? Embrace, Lord Ent.? have you already figured out the entire plot for Embrace or is still in progress??*curious*