The Pedlar and the Bandit King (Scarlet and the White Wolf, #1)

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The Pedlar and the Bandit King (Scarlet and the White Wolf #1)

3.83 of 5 stars 3.83 · rating details · 1,204 ratings · 95 reviews

Scarlet of Lysia is an honest peddler, a young merchant traveling the wild, undefended roads to support his aging parents. Liall, called the Wolf of Omara, is the handsome, world-weary chieftain of a tribe of bandits blocking a mountain road that Scarlet needs to cross. When Liall jokingly demands a carnal toll for the privilege, Scarlet refuses and an inventive battle of...more

ebook, 261 pages

Published 2006 by Torquere Press

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Jan 24, 2011 Harper rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of fantasy-romance

Shelves: m-m-romance, fantasy, gay-fiction, romance, books-i-own, favorites, read-in-2010

Years ago I read a fanfic for one of my favorite anime couples. It was a historical M/M romance and it might as well have been an original piece of fiction because the author took the characters to a whole new level. In this fanfic, which I’ll readily admit was probably the best I’ve read to date, the characters never shared any kind of physical intimacy, not even a kiss. Some people might lament the fact that there wasn’t any sex, but it was so well-written, the sexual tension so palpable, and...more Years ago I read a fanfic for one of my favorite anime couples. It was a historical M/M romance and it might as well have been an original piece of fiction because the author took the characters to a whole new level. In this fanfic, which I’ll readily admit was probably the best I’ve read to date, the characters never shared any kind of physical intimacy, not even a kiss. Some people might lament the fact that there wasn’t any sex, but it was so well-written, the sexual tension so palpable, and the will-they-or-won’t-they? anticipation so intense, that it sticks with me to this day.

Sadly, I feel like a lot of authors vastly underestimate the power of great sexual tension. Several of the M/M books I’ve read so far have been sex-driven, the threadbare plot merely an excuse to get to the next sex scene. I’m not a fan of PWP, so most of the time I don’t enjoy these books, no matter how hot the sex might be. I need something more substantial. Constant sex doesn’t create sexual tension, and in fact it detracts from it. And if I’m being honest, even though I absolutely love it when the sex adds to and enhances a story, I’d probably take a pair of characters with amazing sexual tension over a couple of characters mindlessly screwing each other every few pages any day of the week.

So the point of all of this rambling is that “Scarlet and the White Wolf,” or rather “The Pedlar and the Bandit King,” was like a breath of fresh air for me. There was no sex at all, but Kirby Crow did a great job establishing sexual tension between the main characters, Liall and Scarlet. I spent the whole book wanting it to happen, and even though it never did, I loved that anticipatory feeling. Maybe subconsciously I’m a masochist and I like to torture myself. I also enjoy cliffhangers, so who knows?

“Scarlet and the White Wolf” is an inventive retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood.” Scarlet is a young peddler who roams from city-to-city trying to sell his wares to help support his family, and Liall is the leader of a band of nomad Kasiri (gypsies). Scarlet is one of the Hilurin people, who are slowly being obliterated by Aralyrin raids. Liall and his bandits are blocking a mountain pass that Scarlet needs to cross in order to save time and avoid the dangers along the only alternate route. When he sees Scarlet, Liall immediately desires him. Instead of accepting one of Scarlet’s wares as payment, he demands a toll that Scarlet is unwilling to pay and so begins a battle of wills that starts off humorously, but eventually spirals out of control with a nearly catastrophic outcome.

I really liked Liall and Scarlet and the supporting characters. Crow did a great job with world-building, though I agree with another reviewer who said that a glossary of terms might have been useful. The story itself was lovely. The relationship built gradually on a foundation of sexual attraction and antagonism that eventually evolved into mutual respect, understanding, and affection. I thought the pacing was perfect and I like that Crow is developing their relationship slowly. I prefer this to when the characters immediately jump into bed with each other and are instantly in love. It’s just much more real and believable this way, and I can’t wait to read the second book in the trilogy to find out what happens between Scarlet and Liall next. I actually ordered the remaining two books earlier today, right after finishing this one, which is a sign of how much I enjoyed it. I definitely recommend this to fans of fantasy-romance, particularly for those who enjoy their romance on the sweeter side.
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Dec 06, 2011 Emanuela ~plastic duck~ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: rainbow-gay, glbt, fantasy, romance

There's a reason why I waited to read this book... I'm stupid!!!

I am probably loving this book a bit more than it's rationally justifiable, because there is something about the world Scarlet lives in that is eluding me and there are things about Scarlet's parents that weren't perfectly consistent, in my opinion, but when I re-read it, I will probably clear my head about it.

I can't let go of this picture of Scarlet in my mind, of this slender, beautiful, brave, confused young man in the red-coat...more There's a reason why I waited to read this book... I'm stupid!!!

I am probably loving this book a bit more than it's rationally justifiable, because there is something about the world Scarlet lives in that is eluding me and there are things about Scarlet's parents that weren't perfectly consistent, in my opinion, but when I re-read it, I will probably clear my head about it.

I can't let go of this picture of Scarlet in my mind, of this slender, beautiful, brave, confused young man in the red-coat, wearing out his socks and boots in walking, making small but significant trades, alone and proud in this cruel world, this rare and precious soul, reserved and chaste, but with a small flame of passion.

Liall, the White Wolf, is more mysterious. Even when the story is in his point of view, he hides his secrets. Like Scarlet's father says, he keeps them locked down in his heart and he might shatter anyone who tries to take a look at them. Scarlet inspires trust in him and Liall begins to open himself to the young pedlar, recognizing a fellow soul, or possibly a mated soul. I'm looking forward to learning more about Liall's past and the traditions of his land.

When Scarlet and Liall first meet, the Wolf tries to exact a kiss as toll to cross a mountain pass. For Liall the dare is just a joke to provoke the stern and pretty pedlar, but he doesn't take into consideration the problems it may cause to Scarlet. Scarlet is too proud to accept, also because he thinks Liall is a sort of brute, a thief and a bandit and in his seriousness, instead of laughing off the joke, he offends Liall. It was very interesting to see how they both regretted their behavior later, how the similar traits of their personality made them collide.

There is a building and unresolved sexual tension in the book and it made every casual brush and touch incredibly significant. The attraction Scarlet and Liall feel for each other frustrates them, but they both kindle it privately; Liall does it with melancholy and remorse, it's an attraction tinged and molded in his past; for Scarlet it's a promise for the future, a fearful aspiration he is afraid he'll regret to let go.

If you like your books steamy, it might not be the book for you, but if you like to be swept away to another place, read it!(less)

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Oct 22, 2012 Ilhem rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Pedlar and the Brigand King is a tale that succeeds in entertaining the reader with otherworldly adventures where deep characterization has no part to play, certainly, but which offers interesting characters who fulfil their function to mirror human weaknesses.

The author builds an extremely rich world of kingdoms and people I still need to become familiar with but I liked feeling slightly disoriented; it’s part of the game, after all!
I enjoyed the story that may be without big surprise but p...more

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May 09, 2013 Alex Alden rated it 2 of 5 stars

My goodness, this author is in love with info-dumps. You could have deleted 70% of this book and all that would have been left would have been story; it would have been a huge improvement. Every time something was starting to happen, some exciting event or interesting conversation, everything would grind to a halt so we could have 5 pages of info-dumping.

I wanted to like this book, I really did because I love fantasy and finding m/m fantasy that's half decent is so unbelievably hard. This was no...more

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Nov 11, 2012 Jaya rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: good, series, slashreaders

SlashReader:So this first book reminds me a lot of the last work I read by Ginn Hale (Lord of the White Hell Book 1 & 2). This book is not so much about two boys growing up as that one is though Scarlet borders on that from time to time. There is a similar other worldly feel to Crow's work, in that the setting is well done.

(view spoiler)...more

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Jan 27, 2013 Lilia Ford rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: high-fantasy, mm-fantasy-sci-fi

This is a very strong beginning to the series. The world-building is especially good, with an intriguing mix of races and cultures, and tons of political conflicts between them. I especially admired the movement between city, rural village and the gypsy like encampment. Scarlet and Liall are terrific as the leads. The series of encounters with Scarlet trying to evade Liall's toll was one of the more original and satisfying meet-cutes I've found in a fantasy series. The author creates a great ten...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thought the story in its self was really good; it wasn't smutty but more emotional. I get tired of reading these books where more the half of whets written is about sex and there isn't much depth to the characters. Scarlet and Liall are two very different people whose lives collide together from unfortunate circumstances. The character dynamic was refreshing as well. Normally when you have a pretty faced young boy with a strong tough rouge, the younger boy is meek, frail and tends to act like...more

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Dec 04, 2010 amelia cavendish rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: action, fiction, fantasy, gay-male, books-2010

I loved this book! The strapline is 'A romantic retelling of a classic fairytale...' in truth, the story only has one scene that comes from Little Red Riding Hood and of course, Scarlet wears a red coat but that's where the similarities end. Set on the southern continent of Nemerl, Scarlet makes his trade and supports his family, as a pedlar. He mets Liall the Wolf at a toll road, Liall and his band of bandits are holding. Liall asks for a kiss as the toll, Scarlet refuses and a battle of wills...more

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Oct 09, 2011 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, romance, paranormal-urban, 2011, e-book

Scarlet and the White Wolf, at the beginning was pretty boring and I couldn't get into it. There were used many new words without explanation, so it didn't help with understanding the story.

But then, something has changed. We got to know Liall and suddenly, also the main character, Scarlet has become different. I loved reading the banter between them and I impatiently waited to see how their story was going to end.

Overall, it's an interesting fantasy story (I won't say "well-written", because so...more

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May 20, 2010 Kez rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-books, genre-epic-fantasy, theme-gay-males

Different from the usual fantasy series, it was good to read a book where the main couple were homosexual but without the graphic erotica that seems to be a staple of all gay romance novels. Scarlet and the White Wolf falls more within the fantasy genre than the romance genre, although the writing does have that romance feel to it. The world of Nemerl is an interesting combination of races that feel almost like those of our own world and yet not. The Hilurin, like Scarlet, are almost an Hindu ty...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Jen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m-romance, myths-fairytales-legends, re-imaginings, sans-is-to-blame, paranormal-fantasy, series

3.5 stars

A creative retelling of "Little Red Riding Hood."

If you're not a fan of historicals, the prose will be boring to you, but I enjoyed it. I thought the writing was decent.

I LOVED Liall (the Wolf) - sexy and honorable. Scarlet was young, brash, proud, and even bratty at times, but he starts to grow up at the end.

There wasn't much to the plot, though. It was pretty much... Scarlet goes into the woods. Doesn't get past the bandits. Goes home, tries again. Someone gets thrashed in the woods...more

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Jan 04, 2012 Sue rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, favourite, read-and-to-re-read

The whole Scarlet and the White Wolf series is, without doubt, one of my favourites.
The world-building is excellent and the characters great. From page 1 I really loved Scarlet, and wanted to follow him wherever he went and whatever happened to him.
Lyall happens. And yeah, I love him too, but Scarlet is without doubt the character that talks to me most. I love his spirit, the fact that his race, the Hilurin, are small; that he is pretty rather than handsome as they're not a hairy race. He lacks...more

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Sep 19, 2011 Antonella rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I did like the two main characters, although they were now and then a bit stereotyped. The fact that in this first book they (view spoiler) is a positive point for me. I also liked the beautiful cover.

On the negative side:

- in general it is an easy read, easy equalling quite flat, in the plot and in the writing
- especially at the beginning, there are too many explanations, for ex. introducing a new word and immediately explaining what it is. Some of them one d...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 11, 2010 Alaina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m-fiction, fantasy

At times funny and at others tragic, this book marks the beginning of Scarlet, the young peddler's journey toward the realization and reconciliation of his own desires in the face of an insular, tradition-bound and dying culture. Marked for luck, and emboldened by the wilding, a sort of wanderlust, Scarlet does not know what he seeks in his constant movement along trade routes, only that he can't find it at home. When challenged to pay a demeaning toll by Liall, the white haired gypsy bandit, Sc...more

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Sep 06, 2010 Lexi Ander rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm-series, mm-sci-fi, novel, mm-fantasy

This was recommended to me for one of my reading challenges (Thanks Michael!).

I have to say that if it wasn't for the reading challenge it would have taken me longer to read. It started out kind of slow, and at times the writing was a little squirrelly. I think I really started to get into it the second time Scarlet tries to get by the toll road and then it grabbed me after the masquer so I didn't put it down until I had finished it. It really should have a glossary of terms and possibly a map....more

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Jan 11, 2013 Jax rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: queer-babies, kindle, all-the-feels, bamf-hero, can-we-say-otp, bluebird, m-m

This review and others can be found on my blog, Bluebird Books.

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I can honestly say that this book was quite a surprise and a perfect example of a hidden gem. Despite having been out for a few years now and the sharp increase in queer literature since its publication, Scarlet isn’t particularly popular. It’s one of those books that hides in the bowels of Amazon and Goodreads, loved by a few but unknown to most. And honestly, it’s a damn shame.

Scarlet and the White Wolf takes place in a fantasy w...more This review and others can be found on my blog, Bluebird Books.

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I can honestly say that this book was quite a surprise and a perfect example of a hidden gem. Despite having been out for a few years now and the sharp increase in queer literature since its publication, Scarlet isn’t particularly popular. It’s one of those books that hides in the bowels of Amazon and Goodreads, loved by a few but unknown to most. And honestly, it’s a damn shame.

Scarlet and the White Wolf takes place in a fantasy world that crosses some traits of Europe, the Middle East, and even in parts reminded me of northern Africa. While the terminology can take some getting used to, the dynamics of Scarlet’s world are refreshing. The baseline civil unrest and beginnings of war are fairly stereotypical to the genre, but I thought Scarlet belonging to a rapidly-diminishing indigenous group was well-done and an interesting twist; the interactions between the Hilurin and Aralyrin were realistic enough to keep me interested, and the hostility added good tension. Though the world did take some getting used to, I loved it, and it definitely kept me engaged. The shifting political power and rise of civil war, the taking over of indigenous land and the wiping out of the indigenous people, the varied economies, the religion, the danger of the road… it was all very exciting.

The world was colorful and fun, but the characters are definitely what brings Scarlet and the White Wolf to life. I absolutely adored the titular character, Scarlet of Lysia. He’s incredibly stubborn. When Liall, the “Wolf” who controls the pass Scarlet needs to pass, demands a kiss, Scarlet doesn’t give in and go along with it to make things easier. He keeps coming back and trying again, and again, and again. He even dresses up as an old woman to try to get past, and hides in the back of a family friend’s wagon another time. While a kiss doesn’t seem like a huge toll to pay, the Hilurin value purity before marriage (though not in a particularly slut-shaming way) and Scarlet is Hilurin through and through. Even though he’s homosexual and wonders about what it’s like to be with men, he sticks to his morals and traditions and beliefs. This, of course, drives Liall up the wall. Liall isn’t necessarily promiscuous, but he’s definitely not used to being denied what he wants and is just as stubborn as Scarlet. Every time Scarlet fails to get across the pass, Liall’s price goes up, as does the sexual tension.

And, oh God, the sexual tension. Kirby Crow does an absolutely fabulous job growing the sexual tension between Scarlet and Liall without resorting to smut and out-of-character behaviors. To be completely honest, there was nothing explicit at all; the closest this novel came to having sex in it was when one of the bad guys attempted to rape Scarlet (which, thankfully, was thwarted) and when Scarlet offered himself to Liall, who turned him down because he didn’t want a simple fling. I really respect books that can have as much sexual tension as Scarlet and the White Wolf without resorting to explicit sex.

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adore well-done explicit sex scenes and smut. As an author myself, I just know that sometimes sexual tension can be hard to build without the sex. So I have huge respect for authors that can make me want to mash the characters’ faces together and scream “NOW KISS” just through simple interactions and inherent personality traits and subtle attraction.

Were there problems I had with this book? Sure. There was a lot of emphasis put on the whore houses in the port cities that came off as foreshadowing, though nothing ever comes of it. Scarlet’s self-recognized love for Liall kind of comes out of nowhere; though the lust was pretty much always there, lust and love are, obviously, very different. I also found the age difference between Scarlet and Liall just a bit wonky; it’s never made clear exactly how old Liall is, and it’s suggested that he ages differently than Scarlet because of his race and the magicks of his homeland, but it’s also made clear that he’s much older than Scarlet as well as much more mature. Age differences can be very iffy because of the power dynamics of younger/older partners, though I didn’t think Liall took advantage of Scarlet’s youth at any point. Then, of course, is the attempted rape scene. I really hate when rape is used as a plot tool to push characters together, though Scarlet’s dangers on the road - including his possibility of being raped or enslaved - were emphasized through the whole novel, even before Liall comes into the picture, and the villain more or less tried to rape Scarlet because of his connection to Liall, as payback of sorts. I guess it had its place, it just irks me when rape is used as a plot device to help bond romantically-destined characters.

Overall though? I’d still highly recommend this book to anyone that loves queer fiction but isn’t ready for/isn’t comfortable with sexually explicit scenes. It’s a fairly short read, but enjoyable despite its flaws, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series, which is already on my Kindle and all ready to go.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Feb 03, 2012 MJ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: gay-fiction

I liked these books (the trilogy) to be honest. I did begin reading them with the knowledge that it wasn't going to be the best written piece of literature in the world, so I was prepared for the occasional grammatical error and typo.
That being said, the plot was decent and the love story was sweet with conflicts that, in my opinion, weren't too farfetched. The books are set in a fantasy world but the focus is on the relationship between the two main characters, so if you're looking for a book w...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Aoife rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, lgbt-characters

It took me a while to get into this book. First of all because the world-building, or perhaps rather the world-explaining isn't done too well. I very much wished that there had been a map or something like that because Crow throws a lots of names of places etc. at us and it's kind of hard to remember where what is, or just what is a country, what a city and what just a tiny village. This did get confusing at times, but I'm willing to forgive the author (more or less) as it's her second novel and...more

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May 16, 2012 Zaa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: beautiful-or-sexy-cover, with-kid-or-family, enemies-rivals-to-lovers, fairy-folk-retellings-or-modern, fav-couple-duo, fav-heroes, mm-fantasy-scifi, stockholm-syndrome-or-kinda, part-of-series-sequel-or-events

I loved the cover it is so beautiful, I think that is what drew me to the book at first. Then I was grabbed by the summary because this romantic and thrilling story is retelling of the classic fairy tale Little Red
Riding Hood. This re-imagined story will leave fans of fantasy and fairy tale enchanted by interactions and chemistry between two MC's - Scarlet and Liall. Let me tell you a bit of spoiler -- there wasn't any sex scene nor a single kiss in this book. But there many moments from all of...more

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Jan 03, 2011 Nikki rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbt, fantasy, fairytales

Scarlet and the White Wolf caught my attention when a review popped up on my feed because it's an LGBT retelling of a fairytale -- something I'm always interested in. That aspect is actually the least part of it: the references to the fairytale are there, in both obvious ways -- especially one particular scene -- and more subtly, with the themes/purpose of the fairytale playing out in the background. But there's also a lot of world-building.

In some ways, there's almost too much world-building. W...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Danni rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m-romance-read, mm-fantasy

I like how the author has based the book on a fairy tale, but also building a whole new world for the story.

This first book started a little slow with character introduction and the world building. It was actually mianly a build up for the continuing adventures of Scarlet and Liall the Wolf, and their romance. However it all got me interested enough to continue on to book 2 (and 3). I am actually very excited to continue.

I love how the author has managed to incorporate the little bits and pieces...more

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Mar 07, 2012 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Surprisingly light-hearted, considering the supposed backdrop of rape and genocide. The book read a little like a farce with a romance thrown in, and I really enjoyed it. If you focus too much on the genocide and rape, the tone is way off. But this book certainly doesn't start out about that. It just starts off as a bit of a riff on a fable and a coming-of-age story. By the end, the tone gets darker as reality sets in.

Overall, I was very pleased with this story. The editing was no better nor wo...more

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Jan 12, 2013 Nicole Trainor rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: liked-male-lead, surprised-me-being-so-good, scarlet-and-the-white-wolf

I was really surprised at how good this book was. It was a nice change of pace from the other indie authors I've read. I liked both Scarlet and Liall and how their relationship developed. My husband was laughing at all the sighing I was doing, because there was so much anticipation and build-up - and I mean that all in a good way. If you like gay romance, pretty boys kissing, and slow romances that ignite, you'll probably enjoy this. I liken reading this book to how I felt in The Age of Innocenc...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Arthur rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is a mixed bag for me. The world building is great. I feel as if we live there. The story is good. The characters are likable. Somewhat. While Scarlet is not exactly a damsel in distress, I couldn't shake the feeling that Scarlet of Lysia might as well be Scarlet O'Hara of Tara, Georgia, and Liall be Rhett Butler. Their interactions are almost identical: a fiery Scarlet, and somewhat arrogant Liall (Rhett). Just change 'he' into 'she' and 'his' into 'her', we will get another saga as i...more

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Feb 03, 2011 Lindsey rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who enjoys harmless m/m

Recommended to Lindsey by: Dana

Shelves: series, gay-lit, fantasy

I don't have that much to say about this one since it was fairly basic. But I enjoyed all the characters, even if I did find the acceptance of Peysho/Kio a bit odd and I liked the developing relationship between Scarlet and Liall. I was glad this was less focused on romance than I originally thought and more about characterization. I also enjoyed all the allusions to Little Red Riding Hood. Some were especially clever. (view spoiler)...more

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Feb 28, 2010 heardtheowl rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review is for the trilogy.

These were really enjoyable books.
Scarlet and Liall are wonderful characters and the supporting cast was amazing.
Scarlet is a pedlar and travels on foot, selling the wares his family makes. He can't seem to settle down and feels best when on the road.
Liall is from somewhere to the North, and although he is the leader of his band of gypsy-like people, no one there really knows him or of his past.
Neither of them could have known how their futures were to become entw...more

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May 29, 2012 Paisley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: do-me-your-majesty, mm-stories

I was really hoping that as I kept on reading this story I would like it more. I just didn't get into the way I do with some fantasy books.
I was trying to figure out why, and the best I can come up with is that I really didn't love the characters. They did grow on me some but not enough to get too emotionally invested in them like I often do. Overall, I do think the book is well written and the author worked hard to build up an interesting world for the characters - I just wished I would have l...more

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Feb 22, 2013 Erica Pike rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-other-world, challenge-book-bingo-2012-6, favorites, add-th

This book takes place in fantasy land, but without the goblins and elves, etc. There are a few different races of humans. Scarlet is a peddler and one of the few remaining people of his race. He has to cross a mountain pass to get to his next city, but there's a band of "Bledlanders" taking tolls of people passing through. The only other way to Scarlet's destination is very dangerous, so he has to get through this pass.

The Bledlanders are people of mixed races who are thieves and murderers. The...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Patricia - Lady with Books rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbt

There truly are no original plots anymore. Scarlet is a stubborn but handsome man that won’t back down from a challenge. Liall is a rouge with a secret heart of gold. Scarlet hates the arrogant Liall at first but then Liall does something to prove he’s more than he seems and Scarlet warms up to him. This is pretty much every love story ever. I pretty much expected that. But it’s interesting because under that overused premise lurks tidbits of a larger story and events that the characters are jus...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Jaylon rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this story, but I think I liked the "concept" of it better than the actual execution of it. I enjoyed the lack of sex and the humor and I loved that the main character was strong and unwavering and not a damsel in distress waiting to be validated by a man. I enjoyed the subtle flirtation, the fighting, the wit, and the power play between the two protagonists and I enjoyed that the story did not rush in development, though it packed a punch to be only 129 pages. HOWEVER, my only complai...more I enjoyed this story, but I think I liked the "concept" of it better than the actual execution of it. I enjoyed the lack of sex and the humor and I loved that the main character was strong and unwavering and not a damsel in distress waiting to be validated by a man. I enjoyed the subtle flirtation, the fighting, the wit, and the power play between the two protagonists and I enjoyed that the story did not rush in development, though it packed a punch to be only 129 pages. HOWEVER, my only complaint is one that I seem to have a lot lately in reading gay literature and one that I will probably be alone in feeling, but it was the ever-present element of bisexuality. I get bothered easily when I feel cheated by authors who are supposedly writing "gay lit" but then we have to endure sex with women or thoughts of it. I can't figure out if authors are doing this to play up the stereotype that a REAL masculine man likes both sexes, or if they feel that gay readers prefer the "straight man fantasy" instead two men who are just gay, or if the authors simply don't care enough to change it or support the notion that two gay men can be just as masculine together as a straight/bi man and a gay man can. I don't have any issues with bisexuality or sexual ambiguity or anything of that sort, but why can"t a "gay" story just be "gay"? I'm sure I'm ranting but this is a constant quibble of mine and it seems to be everywhere lately in gay literature and it irritates me. I don't like gay-for-you lit so maybe you can see where I am coming from with this one, though this story wasn't technically GFY. I was loving it and then the author kind of changed the dynamic when she casually mentioned that Liall was into women (even though it wasn't a big deal and he had not been having sex for a few months, though he had been with an occasional prostitute, which is another thing I detest in literature, but that's quite another story). Anyhow, I loved this plotline and it would have been absolutely perfect for me if the autrhor hadn't felt the need to assure us that Liall was into women or that he had slept with whores. I just honestly wished I had not had to think about it at all. It was a turn off. Strangely, I've learned that I get more satisfaction out of a story when the author makes NO (literally none at all) mention of the characters' sexual past or preferences. That way I can kind of pretend it is what I want it to be.....Oh, maybe this is a better example to express how I feel: flip the concept and think about if a heterosexual reader (who has absolutely no interest in gay literature) is reading a heterosexual romance novel and, out of nowhere, the author casually mentions that the main male character enjoys having sex with men. Now, the story up until then had nothing to do with that as it is about him and a female, so that tidbit really has no place in the story and it doesn't ever really come up again, but in the back of your mind you are always going to know it. So why, then, is it even there? What is the author really trying to say? The author simply could have deleted that one tidbit and it would not have taken anything away, yet its presence changes the dynamic of the story a little bit. This is just how I felt about it. I hope that makes some kind of sense to someone. Anyway, other than that, the story was good.(less)

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About Kirby Crow

Kirby Crow worked as an entertainment editor and ghostwriter for several years before happily giving it up to bake more brownies, read more yaoi, play more video games, and write her own novels.

Changing weather patterns, watering bans, and pesticides have unhappily forced her to give up growing roses, alas.

Her published novels are Prisoner of the Raven (historical romance, Torquere Press, 2005), S...more

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Books by Kirby Crow

Mariner's Luck (Scarlet and the White Wolf, #2)

The Land of Night (Scarlet and the White Wolf, #3)

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The Pedlar and the Bandit King (Scarlet and the White Wolf #1)

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