Original slash, set in a city dominated by the Inquisition, which focuses its wrath (and its corruption) on Prodigals, descendants of demons/fallen angels. Belimai is a Prodigal with an unusual talent and an addiction to painkillers brought on by earlier torture by the Inquisition; Harper is the Inquisitor who needs his help to save Harper’s sister. They fight crime! The worldbuilding is intriguing but a tad underdeveloped for my taste, like the romance, but I could see trying Hale again. ( )

http://fantasycafe.blogspot.com/2009/... ( )

As I am currently in a steampunk-reading mood, I sought out this hard-to-find book. While I found nothing steampunky about it, I found it to be quite the gem. I love the gritty demon-filled world Hale has created. The demons (referred to as "unnatural men") are subjugated by the church, which is all-powerful. As I fell in love with Captain Will Harper (is that a hero's name, or what?!!) I could hardly put the book down and read it in one long marathon. ( )

In general, the book was good. However, there were a few problems that prevented me from rating it higher. First, is the structure of the story. There are two main sections of the book that read more like separate novellas than one continuous story. The beginning is in first person, and the second half is in third. This division detracted from the flow of the story for me. Another problem was that the secondary characters who could have seemingly been very interesting were ill-defined. Really my complaint on this point is that I wanted the book to be longer, so that I could know more about the backgrounds of all the characters. Finally, the ending was awkward and abrupt. Yes, there is an epilogue that tries to wrap up all the loose ends, but it didn't quite work for me. The epilogue switches back to first person also, so I was actually confused for a couple of paragraphs as to what exactly was going on. Sadly with a bit more development and a better structure, the book could have been great; the plot itself, the characters, and the environment that the author created all had lots of potential. ( )

http://rainbow-reviews.com/?p=1131 ( )

Excellent idea/premise, not the best execution. (Some of the phrases/words just didn't match up with the setting, which threw me out of the world.) ( )

Did you ever finish a book only to feel sad that you can never again open it anew and discover its delights for the very first time? Rarely if ever, I'm sure. Well for me, Wicked Gentlemen is one of those books.

And I am completely envious of any lover of dark fantasy and/or gay romance who has yet to crack the spine on this gem.

First time novelist Ginn Hale has created a world so tangible, so complete, that I felt as if I could smell, see, taste and feel everything right along with her characters. The basic premise, an alternate reality (resembling a gaslit, Victorian England) wherein a corrupt theocracy has called up the descendants of ancient Biblical demons (Prodigals) with promises of redemption only to ghettoize and oppress them, comments on a number of modern day social ills but never comes across as obviously didactic or preachy. In addition it has a complex plot, part mystery and part thriller, that's never short on nailbiting moments. But for me the most enjoyable aspects of the story were the two amazingly complex, yet subtly drawn, protagonists and the tender love story that develops between them. With her characters, Hale never hits a false note. She shows, never tells - meaning that one learns about the tortured, drug-addicted Prodigal, Belimai Sykes, and reserved priest/police captain, William Harper, from their actions, rather than a lot heavy handed exposition. They can be infuriating as often as they are endearing, but these contradictions only make them seem, like everything else in the book, utterly real.

And they're sexy, too.

This is a wonderful novel. I hope that positive word-of-mouth continues to bring it the legion of fans it deserves. ( )

In an alternative reality where the Inquisition rules and ostracized demons known as Prodigals live in the dark corners of the city someone is committing murder and someone else is covering it up. Belimai Sykes knows better than almost any Prodigal how important it is to stay out of the grasp of the Inquisition. Despite this, when Captain William Harper comes to him asking for his assistance in investigating the disappearance of his sister and the coinciding Prodigal murders, Belimai finds himself intrigued enough to give the case a shot. What he ultimately discovers could either lead to his complete destruction at the hands of the Inquisition or his salvation from a most unexpected source.

This book was not much at all what I thought it would be. Basically this is two stories in one book. The first story is told from Belimai's point of view. He is a demon and an addict who dreads having anyone get close to him while simultaneously craving the companionship of another being. He is certainly an intriguing contradiction in characteristics and I really enjoyed getting inside his head. The second story gives us insight into Captain William Harper as he investigates the murder of a child and discovers a horrible cover-up. I found Harper to be as interesting as Belimai, although for very different reasons. He is too serious to lighten his point of view with sarcastic witticisms, but at the same time he is dedicated not only to the ones he loves, but to his very strong sense of what is right and what cannot be tolerated.

Although I think the book description implies a very homoerotic overtone to the book, for the most part the stories more involved murder, mystery and justification of crime and punishment then of the relationship between the characters. This did serve to make the interaction between the leads more appealing to me for not being as "in your face". Even though Belimai and Harper become involved early on in the story, there is only one scene near the end that highlights the physical relationship between the two. This is in no way a frilly, flowery romance and actually, if I were to compare this book to any I've read in the past, the Harry Dresden books would be closest I can think of.

I really enjoyed this book a lot. The writing was straightforward and had just the right amount of description without being tedious or overly grotesque. I'd highly suggest this story to people who enjoy urban fantasies and murder mysteries. ( )

This book consists of two closely connected novellas, set in an early industrial fantasy world. They take place in a very urban capital, and has a gritty gothic feel, although there is no steampunk as the quote on the cover suggests.
The language is poetic and powerfull, dwelling on the visual.
Without going into too much detail, the world and the characters place in it is described, and the necessary background deftly presented as part of the narrative.
The stories follow the development of the relationship between a Captain of the Inquisition and a Prodigal, as they deal with a series of murders, and a corrupt Inquisition. This is a world where the Inquisition holds absolute power, and the Prodigals - the princes of hell who ascented to earth and accepted baptism - are degraded to secondary citizens, confined to the Capital and Hells Below, unable to be acceptedit in polite society without hiding their race. Being tortured with scripture and blessed water by the Inquisition for the least infractions.
The first book - Mr. Sykes and the Firefly - is narrated by Belimai Sykes, a junkie Prodigal - or demon - making a living as a P.I. of sorts. He is hired by the relatives of a disappeared woman to help them find her. Along with WIlliam Harper, the missing womans stepbrother and a Captain of the Inquisition, Belimai investigates. The investigation leads them to a grisly serial killing of Prodigals, and into each others beds.
The second book - Captain Harper and the Sixty Second Circle - is told in the tirds person, from the point of view of William Harper. It takes place shortly after the first book, and deals with the danger of a corrupt Inquisition to both Belimai and William, when William discovers a murder his superior wishes blamed on someone else. The development of their relationship is deftly handled, and intrinsic to the plot.
There are a few inconsistencies in the internal logic of the stories, but they are beautifully executed, and the separation in two novellas works wonderfully with the resolution of the separate plots and the differences in narrative styles, and it showcases the gothic setting beautifully. ( )

http://zehavit-lamasu.livejournal.com... ( )

I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would after reading just a few pages. Well, I liked the writing style a lot from the start, I just had a hard time understanding the times that were being lived in the book, and how demons came to live among us, and how they ended up not being the stereotypical evil and all that. Once I understood the world of the book, I enjoyed the storyline very much. It was very unique. I'd love to see more with these characters in this world in the future.

Ah, I have such fondness for this book. The blurb on the front describes it as a "gothic, steampunk fairy tale" and that pretty much hits all of my pleasure points right away. This is the archetypal example of the kind of genre I like best, so I guess I'm biased because I would have liked it even if the story had turned out terrible. Which it didn't.

Wicked Gentlemen is the story of a dark, corrupt city that has a population of Prodigals (descendants of fallen angels who later repented), and a tyrannical Inquisition. Enter Belimai Sykes, who has felt too often the rough hand of the Inquisition. Belimai is a Prodigal, a drug addict, and a wonderful narrator for the first part of the book. He meets William Harper, a self-contained captain of the Inquisition who is searching for his kidnapped sister.

Belimai and Harper strike up a tentative working relationship. What's delightful is that the two are so different from each other and so willing to snark. And of course, there is the violence, the politics, and the slow, developing romance. My only quibble is that I wish the book had been longer. 222 pages didn't seem enough compared to the obvious thought Hale put into developing her world. ( )

This is a really good book. The setting is a Victorian-era fantasy-place in which religion rules. Demons came to the surface for redemption and their ancestors live like second-class citzens.

The book is separated into two parts-- each half told from each main character's point of view. Each half is like a stand-alone mystery. Both tales are fast-paced and entertaining. Though there is a romance between the two characters, I liked that it was never sappy or overtly emotional. I really enjoyed reading this one. ( )

"Wicked Gentlemen" is a delight! Hale has put a fantasy twist on a classical historical setting, The Inquisition. During that time in actual history, Roman Catholic zealots persecuted, tortured and killed many people in an effort to “find the truth” (forcefully convert those who didn’t believe) and root out “heresy.” It was a shocking time in history, and as such, it is a dark but appropriate setting for this story.

Generations ago, the priests of the Inquisition convinced the Lords of Hell to embrace salvation. The descendants of those demon lords are called Prodigals, and they are a heavily persecuted minority easily identified by their black fingernails and unusual eye color. Forbidden to leave the Capital city, or use their demon abilities, they are packed into the Prodigal ghetto called Hells Below. The Inquisition priests are the only law enforcement and use brutal methods to keep the Prodigals in line. One such Prodigal is Belimai Sykes. He was taken by the priests and forced to “confess.” During these interrogations, they addicted him to ophorium, and broke his spirit in the process. William Harper is an Inquisition Captain, who comes to Belimai for help in finding his sister – known for her Prodigal sympathies. She disappeared after many Prodigals turned up mutilated and murdered. This unlikely pair will face dangerous obstacles, and uncover horrifying truths in their investigation. And though they know society will never allow it, they are drawn to each other….

Hale’s debut is astonishing and extremely well written. This is one of those rare books that stays with you long after you've finished the last page. The book flowed smoothly, with a lot of action and great dialog. Belimai’s sly comments and secretive nature capture a reader, while Harper’s deep desire for justice and happiness are all too real. These two men are so well developed, they come completely to life. They are deeply flawed people, who you can’t help but feel for. Their relationship isn’t instantaneous – it builds with each chapter as the two become more entwined in the case, and each other. There is sex, but it isn’t gratuitous, or graphic. In fact, those moments are revealing and touching as the two men try to find a moment of bliss in their dark world. The mystery of the missing sister and the murdered Prodigals is intricate, with surprising twists that keep a reader guessing what will happen next. Though the ending felt a little rushed, with everything coming to a climax in the last chapter, it was very satisfying. Hale has left room for a sequel, which I can only hope comes to be. I want to spend more time with Prodigals. Highly recommended. ( )