| Author |
Title/Series |
Reviews, Comments |
|
|
|
| Graeme Aitken |
Vanity
Fierce |
Comments by Catharine: The truth is that all three of his novels are excellently plotted and structured, but the slashy stuff is really only in this one, the second one. Set in a mythical ancient China, part of the plot revolves around Moon Boy, the world's foremost expert on sound, and an amazingly beautiful man who will hop into bed with any other male, but turns out to be much more than that at the end.. |
| Agustin Gomez-Arcos |
The
Carnivorous Lamb |
Trompke: It's about two young brothers in Spain
who develop a deep, loving, incestuous relationship. Despite the
squick potential of incest, the story is beautifully told and quite romantic. |
| Laura Argiri |
God
in Flight |
God in Flight portrays an illicit relationship between
two men--a young Greek professor and his student--who meet at Yale University
in the 1880s. |
| Gail Van Asten |
Charlemagne's
Champion |
Comments by Ladonna: UST - rather than slash, heh,
but oooh, so good. Roland/Oliver UST, can't - be beat. Puts
a magical spin on the Song of Roland, absolutely excellent. |
| Robin Wayne Bailey |
Shadowdance |
Comments by Jane: (T)he hero is a lovely youth
who has been crippled from birth and raised as a foundling by a kindly
woodcutter.
A witch bespells him so he can walk for the first time
in his life, but only from sundown to sunup, and the catch is that he has
to dance at least once during the night or the spell will be broken. But
if other people see him dance (and of course, she didn't warn him about
this part) it wakens their darkest desires.
Very homoerotic overtones, and undertones, and just plain
tones. He acquires a male companion part-way thru the book, and the way
those two are always -touching- each other (even prior to recognizing their
mutual attraction) is very very hot, not to mention totally endearing.
The companion knows about the gift/curse, and of course is dying to see
his friend dance, but can't. There's one scene where our hero is dancing
at night with his best friend *tied to a tree and blindfolded* (!!!) that's
just.... well, WOOF! |
| Robin Wayne Bailey |
Brothers
of the Dragon
Flames
of the Dragon
Triumph
of the Dragon |
Comments by Kari: Robert Polo, young martial artist,
enters the darkly fantastic world of Palenoc, accompanied by his brother,
Eric, to find his lover, Scott Silver, who he thought was dead... |
| Robin Wayne Bailey |
Enchanter |
Comments by Kari: A light, fun fantasy tale of
a young wizard trying to find an ancient evil, accompanied by his loyal
friend. The relationship between Anesi and his best friend, Fidget, is
very close and there is the delightful appearance of the gay dragon, Chuck
(who flirts constantly with the hero) and a bunch of other gay dragons
who like to hang out a dragons' leather bar... |
| Clive Barker |
Imajica |
Comments by Ladonna: Oooh. This is the best
thing he's ever written. Everything after it has been CRAP, mind
you, but this is an utterly fabulous book! Magic, parallel worlds,
skeery creatures, the works--the main male character is in an interesting
love triangle with a woman he was obsessed with in the past (and gets over)
and the mystif he calls from another world--a shapechanging hermaphrodite,
Pie'o'pah. Interesting onstage sex, hee, but again, it's the love
that develops between Furie and Pie that makes the story. |
| Don Bassingwaite |
Such
Pain |
Comments by Kari: For anyone who loves slash and
the World of Darkness: Mage, a must! Aaron Barry, the mage protaganist,
is a flagrant womanizer, but he has repressed his desires for other men,
which has resulted in a nasty hobgoblin. This is complicated by his growing
feelings, for one of the other protaganists, a young hustler named Stefan,
with a mysterious past and a dangerous mage endeavouring to control him... |
| Don Bassingwaite |
Pomegranates
Full and Fine |
Comments by Kari: More slashy World of Darkness
fic, vampires, mages, and changelings, oh my! Tango, Aaron's friend from
"Such Pain" turns out to be a nocker! She has an adventure of her own when
her pooka pal, Riley is kidnapped! Tango ends up trying to foil a
Nephandi plot, rescue Riley, and plan the changelings' Highsummer festival,
her only ally a Sabbat vampire, who is involved with the bad guys up to
her fangs. Lots of slashiness, male and female. Don't worry if you're unfamilar
with the World of Darkness, things are explained quickly and concisely. |
| Louis Bayard |
Fool's
Errand |
A novel that had me in stitches. Set in modern Washington
DC, and following a man's quest for the perfect man he never really got
a chance to meet, this is a whimsical story with fun, engaging characters
that you swear were modeled after people you know or are related to. Rat
infestations, potted plant thievery, car break-ins, and a couch-potato
father that just. won't. leave. are among the obstacles Patrick faces on
his "fool's errand". |
| Anne Bishop |
Black Jewels Trilogy:
Daughter
of the Blood
Heir
to the Shadows
Queen
of Darkness |
Comments by Juli: Although little of it is slash,
this series has lots of sexual overtones. Lots and lots, probably
the only mainstream fiction I've seen where a main character wears a cock
ring throughout the whole first novel. I've exclusively been reading
the scifi/fantasy genre for almost 20 years and had become dissatisfied
with a lot of the stuff on the market, but this series totally blew me
away. Well drawn characters, lots of emotional connection between
the main protagonists, and an inventive use of magic/special powers.
I will add a warning, though: this series is NOT for the
faint of heart or the easily squicked. Although it's not as big on
the gore or violence as Laurell Hamilton's stuff, Anne Bishop is not afraid
to torture her characters. In fact, where sex is concerned, this
series makes Laurell Hamilton's work seem downright prudish. |
| Christopher Bram |
Notorious Dr August His Real Life and Crimes |
Recommended by Wes |
| Patricia Briggs |
Dragon Bones
Dragon Blood |
comments by Lizard: This is *SO* slashy I almost couldn't
believe it. I was glued the whole way through. a) plot handled deftly and
well. things kept happening and I kept trying to figure out what'd happen
next. b) watching the two male protagonists develop a relationship. (sure,
at the end, one says 'I love you like a brother', but by that point, I
was all about the "He's in denial!")
By the end, I could really believe that they loved each
other, but were doing the "I love you man, like a brother, really" thing
out of unwillingness to be hurt. well-crafted trust issues on both sides. |
| Poppy Z. Brite |
Drawing
Blood
Lost
Souls
Exquisite
Corpse |
Comments by Ladonna: Anything that woman does is
going to be homoerotic, heh... For some delicious, graphic sex, check
out Drawing Blood, a new take on an old theme, namely the haunted house;
her vampire novel, Lost Souls, also has its moments, and for hot graphic
torture and sex, there's Exquisite Corpse, a serial killer story. |
| Marion Zimmer Bradley |
The
Heritage of Hastur
Sharra's
Exile |
Comments by Kari: Part fantasy, part sci fi, an
epic battle of titanic, psionic proportions! One of the plotlines is a
beautiful young prince trying to come to terms with his role as a psionic
nobleman and falling in love with another boy. Another concerns the fall
of the antagonist, Dyan Ardais, a libertine lover of young boys who isn't
always ethical in his amours, but has a certain nobility and strength about
him despite it, and is both a friend and an enemy to the young prince... |
| Lois McMaster Bujold |
Ethan
of Athos |
Summary by Naszie:
Ethan lives on the isolated all-male planet, Athos.
Despite the unsuitability of his immature partner, Ethan has been diligently
trying to earn the right to have a son. It seems Ethan will never
be a father, until he is told will be granted fatherhood if he successfully
manages a trip off-planet to retrieve new genetic material for their "reproduction
centers" in the form of cultures of ovarian tissue, and new male settlers.
Off-planet, Ethan is perplexed at the vehement refusals
to his attempts to recruit new (male) settlers. All alone in the
big, bad universe, he hooks up with a *gulp* _female_ mercenary who keeps
him out of trouble. Well, she tries to, anyway - somehow they end up embroiled
in interplanetary espionage, assassination attempts, and ownership of a
large quantity of newts.
All this ruckus seems to have originated with a mysterious
young man named Terrence Cee, who is wanted by the governments of at least
two multi-planet empires. Although naive and inexperienced, somehow
Ethan's basic decency wins the day, and he returns home with some interesting
new ideas. Most importantly, he returns with a new settler, Terrence,
who wants fatherhood just as much as Ethan does, for his own reasons.
No overt sex scenes, but an entire planet of gay men,
and main character who finds heterosexuality a disturbing perversion.
:) |
| Lolah Burford |
Edward
Edward |
A haunting tale of a strange romance between a worldly
and dissolute man, James Noel Holland, Earl of Tyne, and the golden-haired
young Edward, his ward--or perhaps his son. Homosexuality, sadomasochism,
and incest are elements in their relationship--and so are affection, love,
and the saving quality of grace.
I can not imagine how I could have forgotten the beautiful
writing. There are passages that simply moved me to tears, and the
conversations are full of witty bon mots. And how could I have forgotten
what wonderfully realized characters Holland and Edward are. Holland says
things like, "I am one of those few who do not mind hurting the ones they
love." And Edward, offering the comfort of his body to the Earl at
Christmas, tells Holland that he does not wish to resume the affair,
but "a gift is all the more precious because one does not wish
to give it away. |
| William S. Burroughs |
Naked
Lunch |
Recommended by LaConstance |
| Orson Scott Card |
Songmaster |
Comments by Kari: The tale of a beautiful young
singer's life in a sci fi autocracy. The autocrat has been enchanted by
the protaganist ever since he was a child and isn't too pleased when he
has a homoerotic relationship with another boy.... |
| Jacqueline Carey |
Kushiel's Dart
Kushiel's Chosen
Kushiel's Avatar |
Comments by Mary: The main character is Phedre no Delaunay.
Two demigods rule Phedre: Naamah, for sensual love; and Kushiel, for sado-masochistic pain. Phedre is marked by "Kushiel's Dart" as an anguisette, one who takes pleasure from pain. She lives in the kingdom of Terre D'Ange, a land founded by fallen angels. In this land, the supreme command of their God is "Love as Thou Wilt", and there are 13 houses of courtesans, each with a different attitude towards sex, from joy to elegance to mysticism, and even S&M, who support this commandment. These three books are full of deeply sensual images, set in a kingdom where sexual orientation does not matter AT ALL.
I highly recommend these books, if you are looking for something that will absorb you for hours and draw you into the plot so much that you make time that you can't really afford to read more of it.
|
Storm Constantine |
Wraeththu |
Comments by Ladonna: Incredible and incredibly
strange. The premise is post-apocalyptic--a race of hermaphrodites
spring up and slowly take over, beginning as human males who receive an
infusion of Wraeththu blood and become hermaphrodites as well. There's
magic and true love and adventure and really odd sex. It's actually
a trilogy, but these days it's easier to find the trade paperback that
collects all three. |
| Storm Constantine |
The
Thorn Boy |
Comments by Nora: "The Thorn Boy," takes place
in a fantasy realm that's a bit of a cross between ancient Persia, ancient
China, and whatever fantasies exist in the average female mind.
The book is very short---only 108 pages. Easy day-reading.
But be sure to read it where no one will notice or care about you blushing
or turning several pages back to re-read them. The sexual relationships
between the characters are not glossed over, and in several cases are described
very graphically (particularly the beautiful scene in Phasmagore, the temple
devoted to erotic worship of the Cossic goddess). This is the same
sensual, gorgeous prose that made me a Constantine fan with the "Wraeththu"
series, and which seemed to have vanished in her more recent books---Wraeththu
fans, it's back. ^_^ So this one is highly recommended. |
| Storm Constantine |
The GrigoriTrilogy
Scenting
Hallowed Blood
Stalking
Tender Prey |
. |
| Storm Constantine |
Sea
Dragon Heir
The
Crown of Silence |
Comments by Kari:These two books introduce the reader
to a intricate fantasy world, full of complex characters, intrigue, extremely
sensual depictions of magic, and intense same-sex romance and chemistry!
What happens when two young noblemen and close friends are drawn apart
as they serve a dark empire? What happens when one of the young man becomes
sexually involved with a handsome, depraved prince and the other young
man falls in love with a prince's beautiful and manipulitive mystic/kept
boy? Answer, one of them becomes a monster and the other becomes a mage!
Both end up facing the consequences of what they've become as they are
embroiled in web of princes' intrigue, witches' schemes, and magical quests.
Excellent books, both of them, with absolutely no weak characters. A must
read! |
| Catherine Cooke |
The Winged Assasin
Realm of Gods
The Crimson Goddess
|
Jay: The story of a young man who is suppose to become the mate of the Goddess but instead falls in love with the prince he's suppose to sacrifice. |
| John Payton Cooke |
Out for Blood
|
Jay: The story of a young gay man who gets turned into a vampire and his adventures as he trys to stop someone who out hunting vampires. Some interesting sex scenes in this one. |
| William Corlett |
Now
and Then |
A touching novel about a man, and how his experiences
as a boy shaped his life. The book toggles back and forth between
"Now", the man's life, and "Then", the boy he was. The novel can
be both funny and heartbreaking in places. There are explicit sex
scenes between the 15 year old protagonist and his 16 year old seducer.
I loved this book.... it was very moving and thought provoking. |
| William Corlett |
Two
Gentlemen Sharing |
A lighthearted comedy about two men moving in together
in rural England. Touching moments between the two men, hilarious
moments between the outsiders and the villagers. |
| Stephanie Cowell |
The Players: A Novel of the Young Shakespeare |
rec'd by Nancy: The tale of Shakespeare's life, with no holds barred. Cowell deftly explores the most intimate niches of the Bard's development as both man and playwright, as well as delving into his affair with the mysterious "dark lady" and tumultuous passion for the Earl of Southampton. This is too excellent a play on the legend of Shakespeare and the mystery of his Sonnets to resist. |
N.A. Diaman,
Susan Frank |
Private
Nation |
Private Nation follows the sexual and spiritual adventures
of two young men of different races and classes who meet and form a life-long
bond. |
| John Domini |
Laugh Kookaberry
(part of Tales by
Moonlight II anthology) |
Comments by Ladonna: *THIS ONE IS A MUST!*
It's only a short story, but every single time I've read it, I've cried
at the ending cos it's so BEAUTIFUL, not cos it's sad. A pair of
demons run into an interesting problem with the damned after Judgement
Day has come and gone. Not at all graphic, but the LOVE...oh man,
it's GORGEOUS. |
| Emma Donoghue |
Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins
| f/f rec'd by Madeleine: a group of fairy tale retellings with f/f erotic hints. They aren't present in all the stories, but definitely in a good number of them do.
|
| David Drake |
Hammer's
Slammers |
Comments by Ladonna: Another slash tease--the supercool
sniper, Joachim, is flamboyantly gay and devoted to Hammer, who he can't
have, sniff...and I think he's only in the first book anyway, which sucks,
cos he was my fave character, heh... |
| Diane Duane |
The Door Into Fire
The Door Into Shadow
The Door Into Sunset |
Comments by MJ: All super - solid fantasy, great characters
and elegant magic. Highly recommended! |
| Kate Elliot |
Jaran & Jahar series |
Comments by Ladonna: The main male character, Ilya
Bakhtiian, is apparently bi, with a skeleton in the closet by name of Vasil
Veselov. In the, hmm, 3rd? 4th? book there's a scene between Ilya,
Tess, and Vasil, not particularly explicit, but on-camera. There's
also, as I recall, a subplot with Yevgeny and a traveling actor.
The first book is the best of the lot, in my opinion, because it just gets
too BIG after a while--too many characters to keep track of and to care
for personally. But the first book is fantastic. |
| Jane S. Fancher |
Groundties trilogy:
Groundties
Uplink
Harmonies of the Net |
Comments by Crys: Even moure slashy than her [Dance of
the Ring] series. It is sadly out of print, but the author recently
got the reprint rights back and is working on a prequel, so I have hopes
it will be reissued. One of the things I love about it is that the
homoeroticism is basically taken for granted, rather than being a source
of angst, because there are *plenty* of other sources for angst between
the two main (bisexual male) characters. |
| Jane S. Fancher |
Dance of the Ring Series:
Ring
of Lightning
Ring
of Intrigue
Ring
of Destiny |
Three brothers, the last of a dynastic ruling family,
struggle to maintain their country's way of life, while paving the
way for an inconceivable future. A mysterious young stranger enters
their lives and stirs the waves of change. Contains some very provocative
sexual twists, and heart-breaking revelations. |
| David Feintuch |
The
Still |
Comments by Paula: (it's) about a boy king who can't
have sex with women or he loses his magical power.So his best friend becomes
his lover. I have to warn you that the protaganist has to mature into a
hero and a king. His hormones make him very much the vicious brat for quite
a bit in the book. |
| David Feintuch |
The
King |
Sequel to The Still, not yet reviewed. |
| Lynn Flewelling |
Nightrunner series:
Luck
in the Shadows
Stalking
Darkness
Traitor's
Moon |
Comments: Good storylines, engaging characters,
Relationships are multi-dimensional and fun to read about.
Slashiness factor: The first two books focus on
the adventure, with occasional mentions of their feelings for each other.
Traitor's Moon gets into their relationship more, and though it never gets
past PG-13, it's much more satisfying than the other two. Lets hope
the trend continues in the third |
| E.M. Forster |
Maurice |
rec'd by Nancy: This is the classic slash novel, and written by one of the greatest
literary minds of the 19th century (and technically the 20th). It follows
the life of the Englishman, Maurice, as he attempts to establish his
identity as a homosexual in the face of early 20th-C conventions. Between
his love for and betrayal by his friend Clive, and his emerging passion for
the unassuming Alex, Forster presents one of the most pure and candid
renditions of the human condition as I've ever encountered. Beautiful. |
| Brandon Fox |
Apprenticed
to Pleasure
Conjuring
the Flesh
Sex
Rites |
Comments by Robin: This reads like a long slash
story. There are some annoying phrases that turn up again and again, like
a lot of slash writers are guilty of, but the sex is HOT!! And you can
really picture these beautiful boys in it. It's set sort of as a period
piece, in a world where there are wizards and magicians. Dark magic is
created by the energy from pain, and good magic is created from the energy
from pleasure. The good guys go through sex rituals and never age (all
the guys are at a physical age of 19-23 forever <g>) and they get their
magical power from intense orgasm. The bad guys torture people and get
their power from their victims' pain. These books are a bit campy, but
they are an intensely enjoyable read. Great sex, no details are spared.
My comments - the first two books are worth buying for
the porn, but you can skip the last one. |
| Blain Fraina |
King of Cats |
Comments: King of Cats, A Life in Five Novellas, is a fascinating read. The main character, Jimmy, is introduced in the first novella,
and we discover his character as we would peel away layers of an onion. The more the reader gets to know, the more the reader wants to know.
There's abuse, manipulation, casual sex, not-so-casual sex; not all the sex is "sexy", and clearly it's not supposed to be. I'm not sure I'd call it slash;
I'm not sure I'd call it a gay novel, but it's most certainly worth reading. |
| Valerie J. Freriech |
Becoming
Human |
Comments by Ladonna: not graphic, but the main
character, a clone, is bi and his eventual owner is gay. Really interesting
book, angsty as hell! |
| Diana Gabaldon |
Outlander
Series |
Comments by Beth: even though the main characters
are a m/f couple, there's some decent slash content in it. She's
even written a short story for an e-publisher involving a character from
that series that is slash (without any actual sex, but hey, at least it's
some progress.). |
| Heather Gladney |
Teot's
War and Bloodstorm |
The relationship between Naga Teot and the Lord Caladrunan,
to whom he had sworn the Great Oath, is certainly one of the most
intense bond I have read anywhere. I hesitate to call it love, though
both profess to it without any shame, but it's an emotion so harsh and
abrasive that only Naga and Caladrunan could survive it. It's the kind
of relationship where Caladrunan could calmly instruct his men to kill
Naga after he dies, because he knows that Naga would go mad from his death. |
| Philippa Gregory |
Earthly Joys |
rec'd by Nancy: A tale of the Stewart dynasty, as told
through the eyes of John Tradescant, gardener to the finest houses in
England. Tradescant's life takes him through the last years of Elizabeth's
reign, through the homoerotic whirlwind of James I's court, and finally to
the service of the Duke of Buckingham, with whom Tradescant falls deeply in
love. The love story between these two characters is turbulent and
ultimately doomed, but there is such a sense of purity to Tradescant's
devotion to the Duke that it had me weeping by the end. |
| Jim Grimsley |
Comfort
and Joy |
The relationship between a young doctor and a hospital
administrator - who is both HIV positive and a hemophiliac - evolves over
the course of a series of Christmas holidays. A very simply told tale of
love, pain and the sacrifices one makes, that'll leave you singing carols
whatever the season. |
| Jim Grimsley |
Winter
Birds |
A companion piece to the above mentioned Comfort and
Joy, this offers more insight into Dan's life growing up in the impoverished
Deep South. Told in the 2nd Person/Present POV, this is a thought provoking
novel of the depths of a child's imagination and the resiliancy of the
human spirit. {not so much a "gay" novel, as it deals mostly with a small
child, but like I said, it embellishes on the story of Dan, from Grimsley's
book Comfort & Joy, and is an incredible read). |
| Jim Grimsley |
Dream
Boy |
Two boys in a rural southern community fall in love,
in spite of the hardships they face at home and within themselves. Prepare
to be swept along into a dreamlike narrative about first love and loss.
I will warn you, though - have a Kleenex handy. |
Jim Grimsley
Doug Beekman |
Kirith
Kirin |
Comments by Lee: Beautiful fantasy novel about
a youth,Jessex, who gets called to join the court of the Red King, Kirith
Kirin and finally becomes a great sorceror. Loads of angst and sexual tension
before they declare their love for each other. Immortals, gods, mages,
magical creatures. And written in POV of protagonist. |
| Doug Guinan |
California
Screaming |
Recommended by LaConstance |
| Allan Gurganus |
Plays Well With Others |
rec'd by Nancy: A charming, funny book about a
group of gay friends caught in the midst of tragedy in 1980's Manhattan. The
narrator is an absolute prize, and the book's voice just sings. |
| Laurel
K. Hamilton |
Anita Blake,
Vampire Hunter (series) |
Comments by ResQ: Very nice angst and lots of sexy
guys... (un)dead and unhuman thru and thru. And, just for those of
us who want to be the little female spitfire getting fought over by ever-so-sexy
guys... Anita is Amazing! |
| Jane Hamilton |
The Short History of a Prince |
rec'd by Nancy: A beautiful,
passionately-told story about Wally, a man looking back on his days as a
ballet dancer and a boy helplessly in love with his best friend. The novel
cuts between the 1970's and 90's, as Wally attempts to make sense of his old
life and come to terms with how it will shape his future, or if he'll let
it. The prose is honest and precise, the story is intricately entwined about
the past and present, and Jane Hamilton is a master at catching the violent
range of human emotion. Both heartbreaking and uplifting. |
| Elizabeth Hand |
Waking
the Moon |
Comments by Kate Bolin: An old goddess returns
to Earth through a college girl and ancient secret sects have to stop her
via her former lovers. F/F relationships, and the most gorgeously
genderbending male character in a long while. Sumptuous story-telling at
its finest. |
| Elizabeth Hand |
Black
Light |
Comments by Kate Bolin: Another old god, the same
secret sect, and even *more* genderbending in this tale of Dionysus during
the era of Andy W
arhol and Iggy Pop. |
| Elizabeth Hand |
Glimmering |
Comments by Kate Bolin: Hand's science fiction
story about the end of the millennium. Openly gay characters, including
a world-weary HIV-positive editor, his former lover, a mori artist, focused
on death and chaos, and a christian rock singer being introduced to the
big bad world. |
| Elizabeth Hand |
Winterlong |
Comments by Kate Bolin: Post-apocalyptic science
fiction involving courtesans, science experiments, and old archetypes returning.
More openly gay characters and plenty of genderbending. |
| Joseph Hansen |
Dave Brandstetter mystery series
Fadeout
Skinflick
Brandstetter
& Others
Obedience
The
Boy Who Was Buried This Morning
Little
Dog Laughed
A
Country of Old Men
etc.. |
Comments by Angie: They feature Dave Brandstetter,
a gay insurance claims investigator. The books are very hard-boiled,
noirish, Chandleresque. Brandstetter reminds me very much of a gay
Phillip Marlowe! The ones I've read, Fadeout and Death Claims, feature
no explicit sex, but lovely angst (Dave's lover of 20 years has just died
at the beginning of Fadeout) and are wonderfully written. Gay themes
predominate. The mystery aspect is very strong; you have to read
carefully to keep up with all the twists and turns of the storylines. |
| Steven Harper |
Dreamer: A Novel of the Silent Empire
Nightmare: A Novel of the Silent Empire |
Comments by semirhage: Both are pretty good sci-fi stories,
and while the story does not revolve around the slash, it's still there. I love both the books, and he has a third book
coming out in the fall, I think I've read them about as many times as I've read the Black Jewels Trilogy, and thats quite alot.
|
| Patricia Highsmith |
The Talented Mr. Ripley |
rec'd by Nancy: Even if you didn't like
the movie, the book should still be on your list of things to read.
Highsmith is the master of suspense fiction, and possesses an amazing subtle
hand when it comes to slash. |
| Robin Hobbs |
The Farseer trilogy:
Assassin's Apprentice
Royal Assassin
Assassin's Quest |
rec'd by Madeleine: Fitz(Chivalry) is the bastard son of King-in-Waiting Chivalry, given over to his uncle Verity after his father abdicates. Verity hands him over to the king (Shrewd) who then hands him over to Burrich (Chilvary's best friend) and Chade. That's where the handing over stops ^_^ Chade (Shrewd's older, bastard brother) trains Fitz to be an assassin, and tries to shield him from Regal, Fitz's youngest uncle by Shrewd's second queen...Fitz befriends the Fool - an albino boy...and by the third book their is so much tension and slashy undertones, you wonder if Fitz can *really* be that stupid.
|
| Robin Hobbs |
The Tawny Man trilogy:
Fool's Errand
Golden Fool
Fool's Fate |
rec'd by Madeleine: Starts 15 years after [Assassin's Quest], Fitz is being reclusive in a small hut somewhere in Buck, visited ocassionally by Starling (minstrel character also in AQ) and raising Hap - his foster son (Starling dumped him there one day for Fitz to look after). Then Starling takes Hap away to visit fairs and Chade pays a visit. Hap comes back, goes away again to raise money for his apprenticeship and the Fool pays a visit. The Fool starts being slashy again, and Fitz keeps being stupid. Until Golden Fool, where certain things get revealed. (You might want to read The Liveship Traders Trilogy - Ship of Magic, Mad Ship, and Ship of Destiny - as it makes some things clearer in The Tawny Man. It's not completely necessary, however, as you can get by without them.)
|
| Cecelia Holland |
Jerusalem |
Recommended by Wes |
| Tanya Huff |
Quarters series:
Sing
the Four Quarters
The
Quartered Sea
Fifth
Quarter
No
Quarter |
. |
| Tanya Huff |
Fire's
Stone |
Interesting tale about a thief who meets up with a Prince |
| Tanya Huff |
Blood
Debt
Blood
Trail
Blood
Price
Blood
Lines
Blood
Pact |
Comments by Minuet: They're fabulous reads and
feature a bisexual vampire living in Toronto who is the bastard son of
Henry VIII and who makes a modern living writing romance novels--because,
when you've been around for 450 years, you learn a little something about
romance. Tremendous fun to read, and each book is a take on a classic
horror type--demons, werewolves, mummies, Frankenstein (this one is far
and away the creepiest of the five books), and ghosts. |
Barry Hughart |
The Story Of The Stone |
Comments by semirhage: Both are pretty good sci-fi stories,
and while the story does not revolve around the slash, it's still there. I love both the books, and he has a third book
coming out in the fall, I think I've read them about as many times as I've read the Black Jewels Trilogy, and thats quite alot.
|
| Gary Jennings |
Raptor |
rec'd by Nichol: ...is the tale of Thorn, an Ostrogoth who happens to be a hermaphrodite (!). Thorn has a very sensual nature and takes many male and female lovers, including another hermaphrodite. But Thorn's true love, King Theodoric, remains elusive. Very sexually graphic and emotionally intense.
|
| Michael Jensen |
Frontiers |
Laughably bad--it's supposed to be a cowboy novel, but
these characters don't resemble cowboys anymore than I do. |
| Kij Johnson |
The Fox Woman |
rec'd by Nichol: It's about a kitsune (fox spirit) in medieval Japan who falls in love with a human man. She uses magic to transform herself and her fox family into humans and bewitch the man into loving her. There's a very sexy scene about half-way through where the man seduces the kitsune's (now human) brother. A beautifully told tale about obsession, love and poetry.
|
| Guy Gavriel Kay |
The Lions of Al-Rassan |
Recommended by Wes |
| Mel Keegan |
Death's
Head
Equinox |
Comments by Lianne, science fiction, published by the
Gay Men's Press in the UK, and while the first is not as good as the second,
it does establish the two characters, get them together and give them an
empathic, unbreakable bond. Equinox, especially, is fantastic, with m/m
sex, a good plot and an interesting universe. |
| Joe Keenan |
Blue
Heaven |
Comments by Black Rose: Hysterical book if you're
looking for a bit of comedy mixed in with your slash. No graphic scenes,
but the two main guys are rather enderingly cute. At the start of
the book they aren't a couple - they were *formerly* a couple. And now
one of them has 'straightened out' and is going to get married to this
girl, and would his former lover please stand as best man? Except
that neither he nor the girl actually have any interest in each other,
but instead got together to scam their respective families out of as much
money and gifts as they possibly can. Former gay lover turned best man
tries to be the voice of reason as the schemes get progressively more insane...
it's got a very british humor dry tongue-in-cheek tone to it, which I found
absolutely hysterical. |
| Elizabeth Knox |
The
Vintner's Luck |
Comments by Minuet: One of the most lyrical and
beautifully written "love" stories that I have read in recent years.
(It also includes a really interesting take on the nature of God.)
A young vintner gets drunk, falls down a hill, and is saved from harm by
an angel--a very beautiful male angel named Xas. I won't tell you
much more, except to say that they agree to meet on that same night every
year for the rest of the vintner's life. |
| Krandall Kraus |
Love's
Last Chance |
Kylia: First in a serious of mysteries starring
the same characters, Nigel Love and Nicky Borja. The story is told
entirely in Nigel's POV.
Nigel is about 45 and Nicky is 31. Both men have
lost their life partners to HIV, and are themselves positive, though showing
no symptoms. They meet accidentally at a mutual friend's villa in
Tuscany.
Nigel has been in a depression since Lyle, his lifepartner,
died over two years previous. However, Nicky won't allow him to wallow
in self pity. The two get together, and are soon caught in the middle
of a murder mystery.
My comments: Starts out well enough, but their relationship
becomes hard to swallow, no pun intended. |
| Ellen Kushner |
Swordspoint
The Fall of the Kings |
Comments by Minuet: There are no graphic sex scenes
between the protagonists, Richard and Alec, but there is a palpable erotic
charge to their conversations in bed. Fall of the Kings is the sequel. |
| Mercedes
Lackey |
A
Knight of Ghosts and
Shadows
Summoned
to Tourney |
Comments by Jane St. Clair: (Contains threesomes)
Slightly silly fantasy novels about elves in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
When I was a kid, I thought they'd come up with a really interesting and
unique relationship thing. Now I suspect they had genuine slash tendencies
and were only held back by the content restrictions on mass-market fantasy. |
| Mercedes
Lackey |
The Mage Wars
The
Black Gryphon
The
White Gryphon
The
Silver Gryphon |
Comments by Angel: This series focuses on a variety
of characters but again sexual relations are on the side and not a key
focus of the book. |
| Mercedes
Lackey |
The Heralds of Valdemar
Arrows
of the Queen
Arrow's
Flight
Arrow's
Fall |
Comments by Angel: This series only mentions off
hand any relations...the books focus on Talia who eventually lifebonds
to Dirk. |
| Mercedes
Lackey |
The Last Herald-Mage
Magic's
Pawn
Magic's
Promise
Magic's
Price |
Comments by Loretta: Beautiful story though I don't
really recommend the second one.
Comments by Jane: the m/m relationship is crucial
to the plot, -is- the plot, actually. This was just about her best, as
far as I'm concerned - beautiful young men and angst gaLORE! |
| Mercedes
Lackey |
The Storm Mage |
Comments by Angel: the Storm mage series is slightly
slashy in that several of the characters, well as least four, are involved
in m/m relationships with lots of angst and jealousy :) |
| David Leavitt |
Family Dancing,
The Lost Language of Crane,
The Marble Quilt,
The Page Turner,
Martin Bauman |
rec'd by Nancy: . These are only the tip
of the iceberg. Leavitt is probably one of the most prominent and consistent
voices in gay fiction we have, and everything he's every done is worth
reading. I recommend "The Lost Language of Crane", "The Page Turner" and
"Martin Bauman" in particular, as they are all violently moving books. |
| Tanith Lee |
Night's
Master
Death's
Master |
Overt m/m relationship in Night's Master, heavy UST in
Death's Master. Plot & characters entrancing, but archaic language
style can be irritating. |
| Peter Lefcourt |
The
Dreyfus Affair |
Comments by Robin: This book is WONDERFUL! It's
hysterical and so absorbing. It's about a white shortstop who falls in
love with his black second baseman. It's so clever. Not much sex, but I
simply adore this book. It's about the hypocrisy of major league baseball
and the often redneck owners. It's got some very wicked humor in it, and
is a great read. I didn't think I'd like it, but I ended up reading it
in a few hours, then reading it again. There are rumors that they're going
to make a movie of it and that Ben Affleck is the choice to star in it,
with Taye Diggs as the shortstop. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this
rumor materializes!
Comments by Trin: What Robin said! *grin* |
| Ursula LeGuin |
The
Left Hand
of
Darkness
ReIssue
edition |
Comments by Glass Houses: Nebula & Hugo Award
Winner. A human male is sent to the planet Gethen. Gethenians
are largely androgynous - except when they go into their sexual cycle called
kemmer. In kemmer, they can be either male or female; the mother
of several children may be the father of several others. Our human
protagonist is used to putting male and female labels on people and actions,
so as he grows to love a Gethenian, he refers to "him" as a "he" -- thus
the slashy factor. By creating the world of Gethen, LeGuin postulates
what society would be like if there was no fixed concept of gender.
Would there be war? Technological innovation? What might family
structure be like? There are no social or occupational roles based
on gender, no "division of humanity into stronger and weaker halves." Don't
let this put you off, however, as this is also very much a story about
forbidden love. |
| Robin Lippincott |
Mr.Dalloway |
Recommended by Wes |
| Karin Lowachee |
Warchild |
Comments by Nadine: it's full of slash potential (between almost every central male character) and her writing style is vague enough to allow readers to choose an interpretation of actions or events.
|
| Elizabeth A. Lynn |
The
Sardonyx Net |
Comments by Ladonna: some slashy torture moments
between the main male character and the brother of the main female character.
An interesting book all in all, but I coulda done with more of those slashy
torture scenes, chuckle... |
| Elizabeth A. Lynn |
Dragon's
Winter |
Comments by Tracy: a lovely tale of two royal brothers
who feud over a land and a hereditary power, with the young lover of the
"good" brother caught in the middle...no real sex to speak of (except one
scene that I thought was so touching in the lover's reaction to being loved
again), but a genuinely enjoyable read. |
| Elizabeth Lynn |
The Dancers of Arun |
Recommended by Wes |
| Thomas Mann |
Death
in Venice |
Comments by Hana Jolly: It's considered somewhat
of a classic, and revolves around an old writer who falls in love with
a beautiful young boy named Tadzio. It's all basically platonic (no sex,
sorry:) but the descriptions of Tadzio are breathtaking. |
| George R.R. Martin |
A Song of Ice and Fire:
A Game of Thrones,
A Clash of Kings,
A Storm of Sword,
A Feast for Crows, |
rec'd by Nichol: ...has several bisexual, gay, and lesbian characters, but the slashy stuff only really shows up in the third book.
|
| Mas-Zine |
Issue 1:
Juxian Tang, The Darker Side
Issue 2:
Bishonen in Peril, The Yaoi Con Edition
Issue 3:
Strappado De Luxe
Issue 4:
"Walking the Plank", The Pirates
Issue 5:
The Wicked Ones! |
A publication featuring original, Dark M/M Love Stories. |
| Susan R. Matthews |
Inquisitor trilogy:
Exchange
of Hostages
Prisoner
of Conscience
Hour
of Judgement |
Comments by Jennifer/Gail: dark & heavy stuff,
well written. She got her start in Blake's 7 fanfic. This is her
own sf universe.
Comments by Minuet: The first book in this series--"An
Exchange of Hostages"--is extraordinary. Andrej and Joslire are amazing
characters. The second book is interesting, the third less so.
Warning: The torture scenes, while relatively infrequent, are very
unpleasant to read. |
| Maria McCann |
As Meat Loves Salt |
rec'd by Nichol: A full-bodied and compelling novel set during the English Civil War. The narrator Jacob Cullen is a soldier in Cromwell's army who is hiding dark secrets -- among them his erotic fixation on Ferris, a fellow soldier. A very intense, disturbing, sexy book.
|
| Gordon Merrick |
Lord
Won't Mind
One
for the Gods
Forth
into Light |
Comments by Trinity--Set in the 50s, written in the 70s,
a story about two gorgeous-looking men who fall into love/lust with each
other. Quite explicit. I tried to like the protagonists, but
I hated these guys, more and more with every turn of the page. |
| Janet Morris |
Thieves' World Series:
Beyond
Sanctuary
Beyond
the Veil
Beyond
Wizardwall |
No Comments yet |
| Timothy Murphy |
Getting Off Clean |
Recommended by Wes |
| George Nadar |
Chrome |
comments by Jacynthe: It's a sci-fi tale, published
in '78, so the tech is bit off. The main characters, Chrome and Vortex,
are *very* open in their sexuality. What makes this book interesting
is that while sexual orientation poses no boundaries in this futuristic
society, there are considerable obstacles that they have to overcome.
The smut factor is grand. (Nude massage scenes.
Sex in a swimming pool. Sex just about everywhere, actually.)
Chrome was supposed to be part of a trilogy, but the other
two books never materialized. |
| Charles Nelson |
The
Boy Who Picked the Bullets |
Trompke: I've recommended it to any number of my
gay friends and they've all liked it. No coming-out, no angst due
to gayness, very matter-of-fact treatment of gay men. The sex is
explicit, but not overly so. There are no descriptions of anything
that most reasonably sensitive persons would find distasteful |
| Joseph Olshan |
Nightswimmer |
Comments by Robin: a *fantastic* book. It's about
a gay man whose lover disappeared nightswimming in the ocean like 10 years
earlier, and it haunts him, preventing him from remaining in a stable,
loving relationship, which he wants. But he doesn't know if his lover died
or if it was his cruel way of leaving him, and so he has all sorts of issues.
That book is so absorbing. And it reads in a strange way like a mystery.
If you want some decent sex with characters you really
care about and a story that really stays with you, this is it. It's the
best gay story I've ever read, and one of the best stories I've read over
all. Can't recommend it highly enough. |
| Jamie O'Neill |
At Swim, Two Boys |
rec'd by Nancy: A powerful Irish book that has
nothing to do with the Potato Famine. *g* "At Swim" tells the
heart-wrenching story of Jim and Doyler, two boys in love during the Irish
uprising against Britain in 1916. The book looks much more intimidating than
it as, as despite its length it is a furiously quick read. The prose reads
remarkably like James Joyce, too, and with no less intensity; it's a
beautiful book for both slash and Ireland, and it just sucks you in. I could
not say better things about this book, so read it! Run! |
| Fiona Patton |
The
Stone Prince
The
Painter Knight
The
Granite Shield
The Golden Sword |
comments: It was difficult to wade through her
wordy prose and abundant titles. Good story, just not my favorite
writing style. |
| Diana
L. Paxson |
The Jewels of Westria series:
Lady
of Light
Lady
of Darkness
Silverhair
the Wanderer
The
Earthstone
The
Sea Star
The
Wind Crystal
The
Jewel of Fire |
Comments by Kari: This series is as much about
the villain as it is about the hero, I really felt for this guy! Caolin
is beautiful, clever, accomplished, Seneschal of the kingdom of Westria,
and is head over heels in love with King Jehan, who made love to him and
carelessly forgot him. This rejection leads to Caolin pursuing the black
arts and becoming a powerful evil sorcerer. It falls to Jehan's son, Julian
to save the land of Westria from Caolin and eventually, to save Caolin
from himself. Julian is in love with the heroine, Raina, but he also has
a male lover, his elegant cousin, Robert. I always thought Julian was a
bit sweet on his other cousin, a golden-haired boy named Frederic, who
is originally very close to Julian, but gets caught up in his career as
a mage... |
| Thomas Hal Phillips |
The Bitterweed Path |
Recommended by Wes |
| Ricardo Pinto |
The
Chosen
The Standing Dead |
Comments by Nora: Not to my taste---too full of
Aztec-ish human sacrifice, upper-class-as-gods, torture, and political
intrigue. But it also features a main character described as a "jade-eyed
beauty", whose lover is a lot more witty and interesting than he is (but
unfortunately confined to the latter 75 pages or so). |
| Reynolds Price |
The Great Circle Trilogy
The
Surface of Earth
The
Source of Light
The
Promise of Rest. |
comments by Trompke: The story follows three generations
of Mayfields from the beginning of the 20th century or so to almost the
end of the century. Not overtly sexual, the thread of Price's unstated
homosexuality runs through the generations. |
| Annie Proulx |
Brokeback Mountain
(found in Close
Range) |
A cowboy fic about a couple of young, straight, hard-luck
rodeo riders who fall in love with each other one summer in a lonely sheep
camp. Lots of angst, some subtly handled sex, and real tragedy. Found
in her book "Close Range" |
| James Purdy |
Narrow Rooms
In a Shallow Grave
Malcolm |
Recommended by Wes |
| Mary Renault |
The
Charioteer |
Review by Nancy: Already rec'd, but nowhere near
sufficiently enough! I don't think I've ever met a Renault I didn't like,
but "Charioteer" is my favourite. The story follows the life of Laurie, a
British officer confined to a hospital ward for the duration of the second
World War. It is there, however, that he develops a sweet and chaste love
for Andrew, an orderly; and at the other end of the scale is his confused
and unstable passion for Ralph, a former schoolmate he is reunited with
during the war. Renault has such a knack for conveying the unsteadiness of
Laurie's feelings and his complicated desires, but she does it with such
brutal clarity that the book rather hits you over the head at times (in a
good way, of course). I find it impressive that she can shape the many
complexities of her main character into such a powerful, identifiable force,
all of it completely under her control; you will, too. |
| Mary Renault |
The
Persian Boy |
Comments: This is the story of Alexander the Great,
as told through the eyes of his pleasure boy, Bagoas. A well written
tale; very engaging.
Slashiness factor: Good emotional angst.
Bagoas pines after Alexander, is jealous of Hephestion, and of anyone else
who has Alexander's attention. Frustratingly vague in physical descriptions.
You know painful stuff and pleasurable stuff is going on, but she gives
no clue as to what they might be. |
| Mary Renault |
The
Last of the Wine |
Alexis, a young Athenian of good family, reaches manhood
during the last phases of the Peloponnesian war. He meets Lysis, a youth
influenced by Socrates, and their relationship develops. |
| Mary Renault |
Fire from Heaven |
|
| Anne Rice |
Cry
to Heaven |
Review by Emu: A gorgeous and sexy tale set in
eighteenth century Italy, in the world of the Castrati.
Guido's impoverished parents gave him to the conservatorio,
where he was castrated when he was six years old. He fell in love with
the music, devoting himself to composing the perfect aria.
Tonio was raised to nobility, bred to carry the family
name, but on the cusp of adolesence, was abducted and castrated. Guido
took him under his wing.
The story follows Tonio as he learns to deal with his
burgeoning sexuality, his anger and overriding shame, even as he works
with Guido for glory on the stage.
This book really makes the musical scene come alive. It
is worth reading just for all the politics and bitchiness of the audience
factions. But the really important stuff: Rice writes yummy gay sex scenes
and wonderful secondary characters. Guido and Tonio are beautifully filled
out and conflicted and angsty. A thoroughly enjoyable read, and certainly
worth storing on a bedside shelf. |
| Anne Rice |
Sleeping
Beauty Trilogy |
Comments by Trar: ...pretty standard but most of
her books have wonderful angst and m/m content, though the trilogy is the
only series she wrote that doesn't favor the "fade to black" annoyances. |
| Anne
Rice |
Vampire series |
. |
| Anne Rice |
Feast
of All Saints |
comments by Loretta: It's not as slashy as her
other stuff (no gay sex at all) but there is a wonderful angsty relationship
between the main character and an older man. It's an historical novel
set in early? 1800's new Orleans, about a community of free colored people. |
| Christopher Rice |
A Density of Souls,
The Snow Garden,
|
rec'd by Nancy: Living
proof that bad writing skips a generation in the Rice family, Christopher
provides a refreshing alternative to his mother's much darker tales of the
vampires -- in fact, he doesn't write about vampires at all, and seems to
have abandoned any traces of Anne's complex, florid prose. Rice is almost
like Patricia Highsmith in reverse, writing overtly gay themes with a
somewhat subtler eye for suspense. "Density" was a great read, considering
it was his debut; "Snow Garden" is more practiced and very nearly perfect. |
| Alex Sanchez |
Rainbow Boys |
Recommended by Wes |
| Melissa Scott |
Trouble
and Her Friends |
Comments by Ladonna: It's got a lesbian main character,
and while I couldn't really get into it, I suppose it's about par for the
course with today's cyberpunk, sniffle...cyberpunk is DEAD, waaaah...well,
except for Jeff Noon--Vurt has a bit of slashiness at the end, but it's
just a tease, sigh...
Comments by Terraplane: Personally, I thought Trouble
And Her Friends was slashier than that - it's a gunslinger story, with
all the homoeroticism that implies (think Gunfight at the OK Corral) -
but that's me. Most of Scott's work is queer-themed anyway, particularly
Burning Bright, Shadow Man, and Night Sky Mine. |
Melissa Scott
Lisa Barnett |
Point
of Hopes
Point
of Dreams |
Comments by Loretta: there's no actual m/m couples
in this one but the two main characters definitely have something going
on. It's set in a world were everyone is bisexual(and there are some minor
homosexual couples) it's still a really good book and hopefully in the
next one the two main guys will finally get together ;) |
| Will Self |
Dorian |
rec'd by Nancy: A devious, too-funny rendition of Wilde's "The
Picture of Dorian Gray". It follows the same plot, but transposes it into
the mutch edgier world of 1980's Britain, and with stunning results. It's
rather a bit more brutal than the original, but no less fantastic. Self has
a biting prose that'll have you alternating between cringing and rolling on
the floor with laughter. |
| Peter Shaffer |
Five Finger Excercise (a play) |
Comments by Ladonna: reaaaaally big slash tease.
UST, I'd say, between the son and the tutor. Wonderful. (This
is the guy who wrote "Equus" and "Amadeus," so you know it's good!)
He has another play, forgot the name, about the fellows who visit the gypsy
fortuneteller--also slashy. |
| Delia Sherman |
Through
A Brazen Mirror |
Recommended by the infamous LaConstance |
| Thomas Burnett Swann |
How Are the Mighty Fallen |
Comments by May: I'm sure many of you recall the
biblical story of David and Jonathan. Thomas Burnett Swann's 'How
Are the Mighty Fallen' takes these characters and places them in a fantasy
setting. In this world, Israelites and Philistines co-exist with
sirens, cyclopes and other mythological creatures (a favorite subject for
Swann). He does an excellent job of weaving fantasy and biblical elements
together.
There are no scenes that would be considered 'R' or 'NC-17',
but Swann still manages to convey the depth of love between David and Jonathan.
I only had a few complaints: David seemed a wee bit callous about the effect
his marriage to Michal (Jonathan's sister) would have on her brother; near
the end, the story moves too quickly (there's a gap of several years);
the book is too short (160 pages). |
| Judith Tarr |
Avaryan
Rising : The Hall of the King..(etc)
Arrows of the Sun
Spear
of Heaven |
. |
| Vincent Virga |
Gaywyck |
. |
| Katie Waitman |
The
Merro Tree |
comments by Minuet: (the story) involves a same-sex,
cross-species relationship between a gifted human artist and a great big
ol' snake-like thingy (insert your own double intendre here) named Thissizz...at
least, I think that's how you spell it. It's a heck of a lot sexier
than it sounds, and it's a pretty entertaining story, if you don't mind
a little preaching about the nature of art and the evils of censorship. |
| Alice Walker |
The
Color Purple
Possessing
the Secret Of Joy |
Strong f/f relationship between Celie and Shug Avery. |
| Patricia
Nell Warren |
The
Beauty Queen
The
Front Runner
The
Wild Man |
Beautifully written books about modern-day gay relationships,
their ups and downs. Beauty Queen: about a gay father is conflicted when
his beautiful Republican daughter becomes a very anti-gay politician.
The Front Runner: set in the 70s, an exploration of the relationship between
two gay men in the world of athletics. The Wild Man: a macho bullfighter
falls in love with a peasant during Franco's rule in Spain. All well
written, quite excellent, highly recommended. |
| Wayward
Books |
Camera Shy
Silk and Feather
Perfect Hope
The Sorcerer's Web
Paper Flowers
Perfect Trust
Kind Hearts
The Larton Chronicles |
M/M novels written by fans, many of whom are turning
professional for the first time. A new book is published every three
months. |
| Michelle West |
The Sun Sword Series:
The Broken Crown
The Uncrowned King
The Shining Court
Sea of Sorrows
The Riven Shield
The Sun Sword |
rec'd by Madeleine: has some awfully slashy moments between a whole bunch of characters (especially between Kallandras and Celleriant...between Kallandras and almost anyone, actually). Wonderfully written, and the romance remains in the background if mentioned at all. Also nice, long reads.
|
Frank Yerby |
Goat
Song |
NOT recommended by May: Just in case anyone here was
looking for this book, I would like to spare you the disappointment (not
to mention anger) I experienced after reading it. Don't bother to
read it unless you want to end up ranting at the author. I'm not
even sure if he's alive (the book was published in 1967). Suffice
it to say that this book is homophobic in the extreme. |
| Marguerite Yourcenar |
Memoirs
of Hadrian |
Comments by Trompke: That's a beautiful novel about
the relationship between the Emperor Hadrian and the beautiful boy, Antinous.
Based on historical fact, and as much a meditation on history as an historical
novel.
My comments: rather uninspiring. |