Links Archive: In Fiction
For each subcategory on the Want More? page, only one to two links will be on the active page. All others will take up residence here in their respective categories as they drop. Links are in reverse chronological order, with the newer links at the top of the category.
5 September 2011
"Scorpion" by Aleksandr Voinov is a dark and gritty gay fantasy novel out from Dreamspinner Press, available in ebook and print format.
You learn your wisest lessons from your enemies. Assuming, of course, you survive the encounter.
The blurb, from the author's website, here:
Kendras is a casualty of war: injured, penniless, and quite possibly the last surviving member of the only family he's ever known—the elite fighting force known as the Scorpions. When a steel-eyed stranger offers him medicine and shelter in exchange for submission and a secret task, Kendras has no choice but to accept. He is a Scorpion; he’ll do whatever it takes to survive.
But his true goal is to rebuild the Scorpions. Neither Steel’s possessive nature nor Kendras’s shattered foot can keep him from finding the last of his brothers... or the mysterious leader of the Scorpions, a man who held Kendras’s heart long before Steel tried to take it for himself. The goal is simple, the situation anything but. To rescue his leader and escape from Steel for good, Kendras must fight through a morass of politics and intrigue, where enemies are allies and even allies have hidden agendas.
You learn your wisest lessons from your enemies. Assuming, of course, you survive the encounter.
The blurb, from the author's website, here:
Kendras is a casualty of war: injured, penniless, and quite possibly the last surviving member of the only family he's ever known—the elite fighting force known as the Scorpions. When a steel-eyed stranger offers him medicine and shelter in exchange for submission and a secret task, Kendras has no choice but to accept. He is a Scorpion; he’ll do whatever it takes to survive.
But his true goal is to rebuild the Scorpions. Neither Steel’s possessive nature nor Kendras’s shattered foot can keep him from finding the last of his brothers... or the mysterious leader of the Scorpions, a man who held Kendras’s heart long before Steel tried to take it for himself. The goal is simple, the situation anything but. To rescue his leader and escape from Steel for good, Kendras must fight through a morass of politics and intrigue, where enemies are allies and even allies have hidden agendas.
29 August 2011
Come take a walk on the wild side for a gay soldier story this week. Faintly reminiscent of an old movie, the stellar classic (and one of the best romances ever) "Enemy Mine", here's Soldier Mine (Book One of the Thresl Chronicles) by Amber Kell. A twist on science fiction, with an alien race of shifters, it has a solid rating on GoodReads.
Here's the pitch: When Kreslan is attacked in the cargo hold, he bonds with a shapeshifting beast who turns out to be the reincarnated leader of an entire planet. Will Kreslan be willing to give up an ordinary man to partner with an extraordinary creature who just happens to hold Kres' heart in his possessive claws?
And because it's a grabber, here's part of the excerpt from the publisher's website:
"Just who I wanted to see."
Kreslan Piers didn't need to look to know who had sneaked up behind him in the hall. Barley Tankis's voice haunted his dreams. The bastard had made it his mission in life to bother Kres since basic training. Unfortunately, Barley's father was the admiral of the fleet, so complaining about Tankis's behavior never produced any results. Kres had learned that lesson the hard way and had a scar on his arm to show for his efforts.
"Hello, Barley." Kres reluctantly turned to meet his nemesis.
"Hello, faggot," Barley sneered. If his usual expression wasn't so unpleasant, the tall blond could have been considered handsome with his wide shoulders and icy blue eyes. Unfortunately, it didn't take much digging to find the vast ugliness that lay beneath the surface.
"What do you want?" Kres had just gotten off sixteen hours of guard duty because one of his co-workers had come down with a cold. He could barely keep his eyes open. He didn't need to put up with Barley's crap on top of everything else. He wanted a few hours of sleep and then to go to the bar and grab a willing bedmate for a few hours of stress reducing sex. Hell, at this point he was so desperate he was even willing to consider a woman.
"I talked to Sergeant Wallace, and he agreed that you should guard the creatures tonight."
Kres's stomach churned over Barley's smug expression.
Shit. So much for stress reduction.
Even though he knew it was pointless, he offered a token protest. "I can't guard them tonight. I just got off sixteen hours. I'm going to get some food, then go to sleep."
Fuck, he needed sleep.
"So I should go back and tell the sergeant you're ignoring a direct order?" Barley's cold eyes glowed with malice.
Anger pulsed through Kres. He knew he was powerless. "One of these days you're going to get what's coming to you," Kres said.
He had to believe that. It was the only thing that kept him from punching Barley in the face and getting court-martialed.
With a final glare at Barley, Kres turned and headed towards the cargo bay.
"Enjoy your shift." Barley's mocking laughter followed him down the hall.
Kres wished he could get away with punching the bastard again, but the last time he'd ended up in the brig for three days while Barley roamed free. Kres had learned his lesson. He only did things to Barley when he knew he could get away with them.
Sergeant Wallace gave him a cool look when he arrived. "Took you long enough to get here."
"I came as soon as I heard you wanted me on guard duty, Sergeant. I just got off a double shift." Kres didn't bother to hide the annoyance in his voice. His feet hurt, his back ached, and he longed for his hard cot of a bed with a fierce need.
"Then you shouldn't have volunteered for this one," the sergeant barked at him.
"I didn't, Sergeant," Kres said through gritted teeth.
"Are you saying Barley is a liar?"
How he longed to say yes.
"I would never say that, Sergeant. But then, as I didn't volunteer and Barley said you insisted I do this watch, I'll let you make the judgment call."
The older man gave him a long, considering gaze. "I like Admiral Tankis. Too bad his son is a prick. Unfortunately, because you were volunteered, I let my other guard go. I'm going to need you to take this shift, Soldier, and then I'll make sure Barley takes the next three."
The thought of Barley watching animals for one evening much less three drained away most of Kres's anger. "I'll do my duty."
The older man slapped him on the back almost knocking the wind out of him. "I knew I could count on you. You're a good man, Piers."
Read the rest of the excerpt, or buy your copy for $4.99, here at Silver Publishing's page.
Here's the pitch: When Kreslan is attacked in the cargo hold, he bonds with a shapeshifting beast who turns out to be the reincarnated leader of an entire planet. Will Kreslan be willing to give up an ordinary man to partner with an extraordinary creature who just happens to hold Kres' heart in his possessive claws?
And because it's a grabber, here's part of the excerpt from the publisher's website:
"Just who I wanted to see."
Kreslan Piers didn't need to look to know who had sneaked up behind him in the hall. Barley Tankis's voice haunted his dreams. The bastard had made it his mission in life to bother Kres since basic training. Unfortunately, Barley's father was the admiral of the fleet, so complaining about Tankis's behavior never produced any results. Kres had learned that lesson the hard way and had a scar on his arm to show for his efforts.
"Hello, Barley." Kres reluctantly turned to meet his nemesis.
"Hello, faggot," Barley sneered. If his usual expression wasn't so unpleasant, the tall blond could have been considered handsome with his wide shoulders and icy blue eyes. Unfortunately, it didn't take much digging to find the vast ugliness that lay beneath the surface.
"What do you want?" Kres had just gotten off sixteen hours of guard duty because one of his co-workers had come down with a cold. He could barely keep his eyes open. He didn't need to put up with Barley's crap on top of everything else. He wanted a few hours of sleep and then to go to the bar and grab a willing bedmate for a few hours of stress reducing sex. Hell, at this point he was so desperate he was even willing to consider a woman.
"I talked to Sergeant Wallace, and he agreed that you should guard the creatures tonight."
Kres's stomach churned over Barley's smug expression.
Shit. So much for stress reduction.
Even though he knew it was pointless, he offered a token protest. "I can't guard them tonight. I just got off sixteen hours. I'm going to get some food, then go to sleep."
Fuck, he needed sleep.
"So I should go back and tell the sergeant you're ignoring a direct order?" Barley's cold eyes glowed with malice.
Anger pulsed through Kres. He knew he was powerless. "One of these days you're going to get what's coming to you," Kres said.
He had to believe that. It was the only thing that kept him from punching Barley in the face and getting court-martialed.
With a final glare at Barley, Kres turned and headed towards the cargo bay.
"Enjoy your shift." Barley's mocking laughter followed him down the hall.
Kres wished he could get away with punching the bastard again, but the last time he'd ended up in the brig for three days while Barley roamed free. Kres had learned his lesson. He only did things to Barley when he knew he could get away with them.
Sergeant Wallace gave him a cool look when he arrived. "Took you long enough to get here."
"I came as soon as I heard you wanted me on guard duty, Sergeant. I just got off a double shift." Kres didn't bother to hide the annoyance in his voice. His feet hurt, his back ached, and he longed for his hard cot of a bed with a fierce need.
"Then you shouldn't have volunteered for this one," the sergeant barked at him.
"I didn't, Sergeant," Kres said through gritted teeth.
"Are you saying Barley is a liar?"
How he longed to say yes.
"I would never say that, Sergeant. But then, as I didn't volunteer and Barley said you insisted I do this watch, I'll let you make the judgment call."
The older man gave him a long, considering gaze. "I like Admiral Tankis. Too bad his son is a prick. Unfortunately, because you were volunteered, I let my other guard go. I'm going to need you to take this shift, Soldier, and then I'll make sure Barley takes the next three."
The thought of Barley watching animals for one evening much less three drained away most of Kres's anger. "I'll do my duty."
The older man slapped him on the back almost knocking the wind out of him. "I knew I could count on you. You're a good man, Piers."
Read the rest of the excerpt, or buy your copy for $4.99, here at Silver Publishing's page.
22 August 2011
“Moffie” by Andre’ Carl van der Merwe. The blurb: From a very young age Nicholas van der Swart realises he is different. Try as he may, he cannot live up to the macho image expected of him by his family, by his heritage. At the age of 19 he is conscripted into the South African army and finds his every sensibility offended by a system close to its demise, and yet still in full force.
Published by Europa Editions.
Check out Alan Chin’s review for more about this riveting, dark tale of a gay soldier.
The author’s story behind the novel: The book Moffie (a derogatory Afrikaans term for a gay man) is a result of my need to make sense of the madness around me while I was doing compulsory military service in South Africa during the 1980’s. I had nowhere to turn for help or understanding - not to my parents, my Church or my friends; the Government had even criminalized homosexuality – and so it was my diary that saved my sanity. I documented my suffering, which was also that of so many others; our anguish at having to hide behind a façade, our desperation of wanting to escape or sublimate an inescapable orientation. Read more at the author’s website: http://www.andrecarlvandermerwe.com
Published by Europa Editions.
Check out Alan Chin’s review for more about this riveting, dark tale of a gay soldier.
The author’s story behind the novel: The book Moffie (a derogatory Afrikaans term for a gay man) is a result of my need to make sense of the madness around me while I was doing compulsory military service in South Africa during the 1980’s. I had nowhere to turn for help or understanding - not to my parents, my Church or my friends; the Government had even criminalized homosexuality – and so it was my diary that saved my sanity. I documented my suffering, which was also that of so many others; our anguish at having to hide behind a façade, our desperation of wanting to escape or sublimate an inescapable orientation. Read more at the author’s website: http://www.andrecarlvandermerwe.com
15 August 2011
"The Soldier & the State Trooper" by Cherie Noel. Though I've not read this one just yet, I'll give props by default to any romance writer who dabbles with military characters -- when they've got military background. Ms. Noel has that. And a very strong rating on Goodreads for this one, as well, considering it's an August 5th release!
Available from MLR Books.
The blurb, from Goodreads:
Career soldier Christie Collins figured out early that love could be lost in the blink of an eye, leaving an empty place that was just another pothole on life’s rocky road. The detours of sudden single fatherhood and a nosy best friend who won’t let even death stop her from interfering in every date leave Christie convinced that finding a partner is next to impossible.
State Trooper Robert Lindstrom catches Christie speeding along the stretch of highway he patrols and a routine traffic stop turns into love lights flashing and instant attraction for these two men in uniform. It looks like smooth sailing to their happily ever after until an unexpected deployment sends Christie into danger. Can their love survive both bombs and the betrayal of Christie by his closest comrade in arms?
Available from MLR Books.
The blurb, from Goodreads:
Career soldier Christie Collins figured out early that love could be lost in the blink of an eye, leaving an empty place that was just another pothole on life’s rocky road. The detours of sudden single fatherhood and a nosy best friend who won’t let even death stop her from interfering in every date leave Christie convinced that finding a partner is next to impossible.
State Trooper Robert Lindstrom catches Christie speeding along the stretch of highway he patrols and a routine traffic stop turns into love lights flashing and instant attraction for these two men in uniform. It looks like smooth sailing to their happily ever after until an unexpected deployment sends Christie into danger. Can their love survive both bombs and the betrayal of Christie by his closest comrade in arms?
8 August 2011
“Quick to the Hunt” by Cameron Dane.
Dane is one of my favorites for emotionally intense characters. Her stories are largely character-driven and they always have such depth. Her Hawkins Ranch series runs the gamut from het romance to menage, to m/m -- the latter is where this one falls. This one isn’t for the faint of heart, but Dane’s books rarely are, actually.
The blurb: War veteran Hunter Tennison returns home physically and emotionally scarred. Unable to bear feeling anything, Hunter uses pain to quiet the chaos and to keep his emotions from destroying him. Hunter dare not risk falling in love. He can’t let anyone get close enough to see the violence inside him.
In business and relationships, Alexander Quick is practical and rational. The first time Alex looks into Hunter’s eyes, he sees the damaged soul within, and adamantly tells himself not to get involved. Too many things could go haywire with a volatile man like Hunter, and Alex doesn’t enter into relationships where he cannot predict the outcome.
Then Alex learns his dearest friend and mentor is ill. The news sends him reeling. Alex suddenly sees his life isn’t as perfect as he thought. An ache for something real and meaningful stirs in Alex, and Hunter’s broken soul draws him in like a beacon on the blackest night.
Two men, one running like hell from love and the other opening himself to the emotion for the first time, collide. Hunter and Alex begin a darkly sexual relationship bound to explode. In the aftermath, can Alex make Hunter believe their love is powerful enough to heal his scars?
Get it straight from Loose ID, here.
Dane is one of my favorites for emotionally intense characters. Her stories are largely character-driven and they always have such depth. Her Hawkins Ranch series runs the gamut from het romance to menage, to m/m -- the latter is where this one falls. This one isn’t for the faint of heart, but Dane’s books rarely are, actually.
The blurb: War veteran Hunter Tennison returns home physically and emotionally scarred. Unable to bear feeling anything, Hunter uses pain to quiet the chaos and to keep his emotions from destroying him. Hunter dare not risk falling in love. He can’t let anyone get close enough to see the violence inside him.
In business and relationships, Alexander Quick is practical and rational. The first time Alex looks into Hunter’s eyes, he sees the damaged soul within, and adamantly tells himself not to get involved. Too many things could go haywire with a volatile man like Hunter, and Alex doesn’t enter into relationships where he cannot predict the outcome.
Then Alex learns his dearest friend and mentor is ill. The news sends him reeling. Alex suddenly sees his life isn’t as perfect as he thought. An ache for something real and meaningful stirs in Alex, and Hunter’s broken soul draws him in like a beacon on the blackest night.
Two men, one running like hell from love and the other opening himself to the emotion for the first time, collide. Hunter and Alex begin a darkly sexual relationship bound to explode. In the aftermath, can Alex make Hunter believe their love is powerful enough to heal his scars?
Get it straight from Loose ID, here.
1 August 2011
One cannot create a catalog of gay soldierporn fiction without including the epic saga of Dan and Vadim in Special Forces. The million-word series was co-written by Aleksandr Voinov and Marquesate and chronicles a span of twenty-five years in the lives of a British SAS and a Soviet Spetsnaz who meet in Afghanistan during the USSR's 1980 invasion.
All three 'acts' of the series, Soldiers, Mercenaries, and Veterans are available for download in PDF format free of charge. They're also available for purchase in paperback format. If you're looking for a read that'll suck you in and keep you busy for a week straight to end your summer vacation with a bang, this is the one to grab.
All three 'acts' of the series, Soldiers, Mercenaries, and Veterans are available for download in PDF format free of charge. They're also available for purchase in paperback format. If you're looking for a read that'll suck you in and keep you busy for a week straight to end your summer vacation with a bang, this is the one to grab.
25 July 2011
One of the better gay “soldier” stories out there—and by an all-around quality writer—“Counterpoint” has more to it than just the war/military aspect. There’s the slave angle, the redefining of “elf” and even a touchy exploration of …racism, jingoism? Not sure how one would describe it. Prejudice, certainly. Any way you look at Rachel Haimowitz’s writing, though, you won’t be disappointed. She’s hands-down a story-teller you won’t want to miss. Available in ebook for $9.99, print for $14.95 from Guiltless Pleasure Publishing.
The blurb: It is the twilight of mankind. Depleted by generations of war with a dark race, the human kingdoms and their ancient alliance stand on the brink of extinction. The outlands are soaked with the blood of the fallen. The midlands are rotting with decadence and despair.
Elfkind, estranged by past crimes, watches and waits for nature to run its course.
And then the two collide.
Ayden's life has long been guided by two emotions: love for his sister, and hatred of all things human. When he's captured in battle, he must for his sister's sake swallow his pride and endure slavery in the service of a human prince. To his dismay, this close-up view of his enemy is nothing like he expected. Now curiosity and contempt make a battlefield of his soul, even as he struggles to pick up the pieces of his shattered worldview.
Freyrik Farr, Crown Prince of Farr Province, finds his new elven prisoner puzzling. He's always known elves to be beautiful and dangerous, but never has one affected him as deeply as Ayden. Can his life of service to his people leave room for this attraction? Dancing on a dagger's edge between duty and high treason, Freyrik discovers that some choices can change a life, and some an entire world.
Between prejudice, politics, pride, and survival, Ayden and Freyrik must carve a new path, no matter how daunting. For nothing less than the fate of both their peoples rests on the power of their perseverance -- and their love.
The blurb: It is the twilight of mankind. Depleted by generations of war with a dark race, the human kingdoms and their ancient alliance stand on the brink of extinction. The outlands are soaked with the blood of the fallen. The midlands are rotting with decadence and despair.
Elfkind, estranged by past crimes, watches and waits for nature to run its course.
And then the two collide.
Ayden's life has long been guided by two emotions: love for his sister, and hatred of all things human. When he's captured in battle, he must for his sister's sake swallow his pride and endure slavery in the service of a human prince. To his dismay, this close-up view of his enemy is nothing like he expected. Now curiosity and contempt make a battlefield of his soul, even as he struggles to pick up the pieces of his shattered worldview.
Freyrik Farr, Crown Prince of Farr Province, finds his new elven prisoner puzzling. He's always known elves to be beautiful and dangerous, but never has one affected him as deeply as Ayden. Can his life of service to his people leave room for this attraction? Dancing on a dagger's edge between duty and high treason, Freyrik discovers that some choices can change a life, and some an entire world.
Between prejudice, politics, pride, and survival, Ayden and Freyrik must carve a new path, no matter how daunting. For nothing less than the fate of both their peoples rests on the power of their perseverance -- and their love.
18 July 2011
“One More Soldier” by Marie Sexton. The highly emotional story of a young man trying to live a lifetime in two weeks before he’s deployed to an active combat zone. From the blurb: A beautifully told tale of love and loss told from the viewpoint of a deeply closeted gay man at the very beginning of the American Gay and Lesbian Rights movement. At $3.99, a steal directly from the publisher.
“Khyber Run” by Amber Green. This one’s less romance and more action. Set in the modern-day, war-ravaged Afghanistan, it tells the story of a band of Marine scout-snipers hunting down a deserter who killed one of their own. Support your soldierporn authors, grab it for $6.99 direct from the publisher!
“Khyber Run” by Amber Green. This one’s less romance and more action. Set in the modern-day, war-ravaged Afghanistan, it tells the story of a band of Marine scout-snipers hunting down a deserter who killed one of their own. Support your soldierporn authors, grab it for $6.99 direct from the publisher!
11 July 2011
"The Soldier of Raetia (Valerian's Legion)" by Heather Domin. Hey, it doesn't have a bodice-ripper cover! That means for $4.00, it's worth the risk, right? The blurb: Rome, 10BC. New soldier Manilus Dardanus is sent to apprentice under General Cassius Valerian in the hope of securing a military sponsorship. Dardanus is idealistic and naive, Valerian brusque and restrained - but each soon discovers the other is not what he expected. In the legion Dardanus finds purpose and strength; in Dardanus, Valerian finds hope. This bond will be tested on the northern frontier, as Valerian and Dardanus each realize the true nature of their connection just as war and betrayal threaten to end it - and possibly their lives.
4 July 2011
“Muffled Drum” by Erastes, available July 4th. At 43k words, not a tome but a perfect holiday reading length. $3.59 from the publisher, which gets the author the biggest kickback. (Support and encourage your #soldierporn authors, good ones are hard to come by!)
The blurb:
They met in a port-side tavern, their lust-filled moments stolen from days of marching and madness. After eighteen months, Captain Rudolph von Ratzlaff and First Lieutenant Mathias Hofmann have decided to run away from everything they hold dear. Resigning their commissions is social suicide, but there's no other choice. Someone will eventually see Rudolph's partiality toward Mathias.
Now their plans have gone horribly awry... When Mathias goes to Rudolph's tent after their last battle, his lover looks at him without a hint of recognition. Mathias can hardly believe the man he knew is gone. He wants to fill in so many of Rudolph's missing memories, but the doctor says a shock could result in permanent damage. The pain of seeing Rudolph on a daily basis, when Rudolph doesn't remember their love, is excruciating. Now Mathias must decide whether he wants to fight for the man he loves or forget him completely...
The blurb:
They met in a port-side tavern, their lust-filled moments stolen from days of marching and madness. After eighteen months, Captain Rudolph von Ratzlaff and First Lieutenant Mathias Hofmann have decided to run away from everything they hold dear. Resigning their commissions is social suicide, but there's no other choice. Someone will eventually see Rudolph's partiality toward Mathias.
Now their plans have gone horribly awry... When Mathias goes to Rudolph's tent after their last battle, his lover looks at him without a hint of recognition. Mathias can hardly believe the man he knew is gone. He wants to fill in so many of Rudolph's missing memories, but the doctor says a shock could result in permanent damage. The pain of seeing Rudolph on a daily basis, when Rudolph doesn't remember their love, is excruciating. Now Mathias must decide whether he wants to fight for the man he loves or forget him completely...
27 June 2011
This week’s gay soldier fiction selection is a futuristic science fiction story that stretches the conceptual definition of “soldier” a little bit. Warfare is warfare, though, and the art of war doesn’t truly change even if the battlefield looks slightly different. Manna Francis’ Administration series begins with “Mind Fuck,” available in both paperback and free from her website as well. An excerpt from the blurb: There are no bad guys or good guys. There are only better guys and worse guys. One of the worse guys is Val Toreth. In a world in which torture is a legitimate part of the investigative process, he works for the Investigation and Interrogation Division, where his colleagues can be more dangerous than the criminals he investigates. Read the rest of it here.
M/M romance powerhouses Laura Baumbach, Josh Lanyon, and Z.A. Maxfield contributed stories to the anthology, ”Because Of The Brave.” The collection of stories honors the men who’ve served in the military beneath the burden of the DADT policy. Read short blurbs of the individual stories here on Goodreads.
M/M romance powerhouses Laura Baumbach, Josh Lanyon, and Z.A. Maxfield contributed stories to the anthology, ”Because Of The Brave.” The collection of stories honors the men who’ve served in the military beneath the burden of the DADT policy. Read short blurbs of the individual stories here on Goodreads.
20 June 2011
Short story titled "Soldier Boy" by J. M. Snyder. In the jungles of Vietnam, First Lieutenant Stu Willis met Private Richmond Patterson and fell hard for the new recruit. Their brief romance burned bright, but the very war that brought them together finally tore them apart. This isn't the happy-ever-after you're looking for, but it is one of the best stories I've written to date. So consider yourself warned. Under 5k in length, on sale for $1.39. For an excerpt from the book or to buy it, check out JMS Books.
