Jeff Mann

I read this book as part of a challenge called 'Pushing Boundaries'. Well I'll have to admit that it definitely fit! This truly was stretching what I feel comfortable reading, but having said that I did enjoy the book. It was extremely well written and drew me into the story and the characters.

Did I like the rape or the violence that was rather graphically described here? No, not really. But it wasn't all about that. There was also the other side of the coin shown; caring, concern and show more tenderness. Not by the same person, but that's what made the book work in the end.

While this is not a story I'm likely to revisit I must admit that I I'm glad that I did 'push my boundaries' and read it. show less

This was a cute book. I imagine I would have connected with it more when I was the same age as the protagonists and not out, so I definitely would recommend this book for young queers - especially young queers who may feel intimidated or alienated by the queer community as seen in the media, which is usually flamboyant and always overwhelmingly urban. There are a lot of narratives that involve young queers who suffer in the middle of nowhere and then life improves when they go to the big show more city to find themselves. What I like about this book is that, while there is a "big city" with an open-minded university and queer community, our protagonist Travis is always thinking about getting land in the country and settling down with a farm outside of the city. I also really like that this story doesn't wrap-up. We don't really know what happens with Travis and Mike after the events of the book, and I think that adds to the charm of it.
I can't say I really like the way the dialogue was written...I got tired of hearing about Mike's "scrumptious butt" after a while, and there was something stilted about how the characters spoke to each other that I didn't really like, but overall, this was a lovely story. show less

Jeff Mann isn’t shy in using a rough imaginary to set his stories, whereas they are in XIX century American frontier, or in XVIII century Scotland, but even amidst the blood and sweat, and tears, you can find the tenderness of two men loving each other.

Angus and Derek are like two halves of the same apple, they were brought up together, Derek the laird’s son, and Angus his second hand, his protector, the one who has to give up his life in case to protect Derek. And he will do. But not show more only for a born duty, but also cause Angus is deeply in love with Derek and they call each other such, “lover”. The same night Angus is killed, Derek is turned into a vampire, in a ceremony that mixes love and death, sex and rape; yes, it’s rape, even if Derek will enjoy the act, he clearly didn’t want it, he was still mourning the loss of his half soul. That is the tenderness amidst the violence, a Derek in search of vengeance who is asking his sire to not have sex with him, cause, yes, he is in mourn, and he needs the time to heal.

The first story, the making of Derek, is probably the longer, taking half the book; after that we follow Derek in the centuries to come, up until modern time, with Derek paired with an husbear, Matt; not being familiar with the bear culture, it was the first time I “met” a bear bottom: it’s not really a term to describe their preferred sexual position, cause, as Derek said, they switch sometime, but it’s more to describe Matt’s playful attitude, something that remains with him way longer his young age, cause, in the end, Matt is more than 40, but nevertheless, still a bear bottom.

I didn’t really understand the decision of Derek to not turn Matt, they seem happy together. What I can think is that, deep down, Derek is still in love with Angus, a man that was totally opposite to Matt, in a way, Matt is to Derek, what Derek was to Angus, and so Derek needs someone different than Matt, someone who can be to him what Angus was. Still, deep down, I’m hoping he will change mind.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1590213939/?tag=elimyrevandra-20 show less

Found this book much harder going that the other one I've read by this author. The rape and captivity of one of the main characters I found to be just too brutal and a little scary. Just not my cuppa tea. The characters and how the story developed was not dissimilar to Purgatory: A Novel of the Civil War, which was recently published by the author. I think in Purgatory though, the actions of the captor sat more easily with me. In Fog, 'Al' just plain creeped me out. While it was well show more written, this one was not for me - hence the one star. Content just did not appeal. show less