Loves Landscapes Roundup #4

I feel like I’ve been marking all the stories as being moderate or less that that, which I also feel is a bit unfair. I don’t want to give anyone the impression that I’m not entirely enjoying all of these stories, because I love them. I love that they exist, and I love that so many people have taken the time and effort to write something for free, and something that also (in its own way) supports a cause that everyone of us (well, me and the authors anyway, not sure about you) holds dear. I love that I can come home from a crappy day at work and curl up with a currently endless stream of gay fiction, and know that I’m not alone in loving it.

I also love that there’s such a huge spread of quality in the stories, which might seem weird because I’m so picky with what I read, but it’s not because it means that there’s less regulation in who gets in to write a Thing, and new authors get a chance to be seen, and get support from new fans, and get experience, which is what all authors need (including myself).

So don’t think for a moment that I’m not loving every moment even of the stories I don’t love as much as I love the others.

I would also like to mention that I’ve overall found that more of these stories are worth reading than the ones I read last year, when I think I skipped at least half for poor quality. Perhaps I’m just more determined this year, but it’s encouraging somehow.

I would also like to note that I’ve started putting in links for the best best stories–the ones that you should go read right away. But for the others, here is so you can find them.

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Ashes of Life by Andrew Q Gordon: It started well, but then devolved into mediocrity when the characters spent all their time being bleedingly, cloyingly perfect for each other.

William’s Whimsy by Susan Beck: sweet, slightly odd. Had a few disappointing moments, but overall worth a read.

Until the Bitter End by L.L. Bucknor: A tale of interracial love. Decent, though perhaps not fantastic– which I am running out of ways to say uniquely for each story. Not sure what that could mean, but it seems significant.

Zippadacious by AR Noble: Despite our shared initials, I did not find this AR’s work to be worth finishing. Although I did hit 50%, when my usual give up point seems to be 30%. Take that as you will.

In Your Veins by S.J. Eller: Somewhat improbably sweet, but not outside the bounds of reality. Otherwise decent.

Randy’s Ghost by William Tate: Hmm. Time travel, which is always iffy, and here was awfully scatterbrained. Plus there was way to much angsty fatalism. It was only a little better than okay.

Science and Fiction by Ray Van Fox and Jordan S. Brock: Finally one worth the time spent reading it! And a bit more besides! It is a bit heavy on the technobabble, but the focus is on the sweet romance between the absent minded scientist, and the military medic who finds him in the woods, so I didn’t mind the technobabble, even when it got out of hand.