Golden Deer Pub Community Forums

This may be too precise but...

Can someone recommend a mystery novel that involves [s]sexy[/s] over the board psychotic men? I prefer the protagonist to be male, but eh, FEMALE could work too as long as she doesn't piss me off too much. As in she gets raped constantly, etc, etc.

If not, lol, then...I guess I'm looking for a good mystery book. Something to like put me on the edge. I long for that feeling again.

Kino, if it's okay with you, I'll continue our conversation in the general writing thread, where it seems to fit better, don't you think?

In other news, I started reading Havemercy last night.

OHMYGOD. ;__;

Some thoughts:
[spoiler]
I guess each writer wrote two characters; I was impressed right away at the distinct tone and style present in each viewpoint, helping to immediately set a feel for the different main characters. With that many different perspectives changing pretty rapidly from the beginning of the book, I had wondered how they'd get the reader familiarized, and this helped.

This is clearly a very "character-driven" story and the authors are evidently natural character writers. The story has been nuanced, psychological, intimate. Two stories, I guess I should say, as the Royston-Hal narrative and the Thom-Rook narrative not only follow different plots, but a different pace and quality.

Even now I want to read more; I didn't expect to feel that way in the first few pages, because the action, as it were, seems light. And again, it's entirely interpersonal, with no flying spells or monster fights in sight, so I think it snuck up on me.

The opening was terrific; Royston's voice obviated the tendency to spell everything out, leaving me wondering just what had put him in the situation he was in, and how exactly it would be "dealt" with. I can't resist gay shit. And so I was hooked rather deftly.

I thought there'd be more cinematic action, but I'm not displeased. My favorite aspect so far is the romance, which is . . . . aaaahhhhh.

On the characters:

HAL
Hal is JUST. ADORABLE. <3 I wasn't sure how young he was supposed to be for several chapters, but the vagueness worked to let his emotional maturity and experience show through. He's naive but sensitively aware, and so unguarded that it almost hurts to read. Everything about him made me empathize with him right away. I was anxious to see how he'd respond to Royston's feelings, or when he'd become aware of them. It was done admirably, I think. The bond building between them was direct but surprisingly subtle and believable. It helps that he seems to echo exactly how I would have felt in such a situation.

ROYSTON
Royston is classily written with a pronounced character. What's not to like? He's witty but world-weary, scandalous but with couth. He seems catlike, alluring, unpredictable, and just cynical enough to make perfect sense. The romance budding between him and Hal gets right to the heart of him, and I can just imagine all that happened with Arlemagne prince without the authors really having described any of it. He's a sarcastic, charismatic gay man who doesn't seem to quite know what he wants or how to find it, and I just love it.

THOM
Ah, Thom. I feel bad for him. Of course, I'm compelled to see what the story is between him and Rook. I'm not sure what the escalation of their relationship will be, but I want to see it resolved. He strikes me as meek, unassuming, and really in over his poor head. Not arrogant at all, though I get the sense that the text is supposed to imply that he is. I find myself wondering if he's gay, too. I just read a part where he seems to be asserting himself a bit more in his story, so we'll see what happens.

ROOK
Rook feels to me like . . . a challenge to the reader. Like the author is saying: "Hey. Stick with this character." His story with Thom starts right off with strong tension, and rightly so, because now I have to know what happens. Rook, frankly, is an ass. Not a sexy, stylish one that you kind of like despite his ragged edge. Rather a bully. A frustrated, angry bully. His narration seems a bit guarded, too. I don't know if there are hints of it in the text or if it's just mean, but I have an impression like I ought to feel so bad for him, and oh-he's-not-such-a-villain, he's had it hard, etc. I mean, I don't. But, this gives me the interesting thought: more or less, Rook is the antagonist of this story, or at least with him an Thom. As far as the reader's perspective goes, I think. And that's fascinating, if at least because of his being one of the main perspectives. I say he seems guarded because of this defensive note to his inner dialogue, and it's perfectly in character. I don't mean to say that it's a bad thing or a flaw in the writing. It sheds the exact right light on him, resulting in his passages feeling like him and not either author's point of view on him. Well done.
[/spoiler]
I can't wait to read more. Thanks for the winner, Kino!

I'm not sure which of your library to recommend for you next, but I'm liking browsing through your list of books. Immediately, I think to myself that I need to read the New Three Minute Meditator!

You Can Heal Your Life also looks quite good. In fact, your list seems filled with books about cooking, meditation, fiction, and writing. How does your library end up seeming so similar to what mine would be?

And I hope you don't mind if I pick your list for ideas. How to Enjoy Writing: A Book of Aid and Comfort also sounds like a good read. So many books I need to get.

EDIT: I could recommend French Women Don't Get Fat. I found a lot of enjoyment in this book and it was one of the most comprehensive, cohesive looks at how to eat for health and happiness that I have ever read.

Finished Lords and Ladies. Felt a bit teary eyed at all of those parts involving what could've happened between Weatherwax and Ridcully for some reason.

It's part of the Discworld series, originally it was a satire of fantasy, but later on it's more a Fantasy with comedic elements. Full of laughs, moments, and the occasional sad scene.

Neat tidbit in light of the recent conversations: the second follow-up book to Havemercy, called Dragon Soul, [hide]has a character that is a transgender woman - post-transition, I believe[/hide].

Really? I don't remember that from Dragon Soul at all.

@Havemercy

Ahhh so glad you're liking it! I'd have more to say, but I just got back from vacation... so I'm a bit brain-scrambled. I'm biting my tongue a bit until you finish, so I won't spoil anything.

But I will say: [hide]I can't recall if they say Hal's age explicitly, but I assumed he was around 19/20 when I read it.[/hide]