Weight of a Gun II

by Gryvon (Contributor), Scarlet Blackwell (Contributor), Cornelia Grey (Contributor)

Everyone knows that guns are dangerous; they have long been a subject surrounded by controversy. Combine them with sex and you have a subject that is virtually taboo, but smoking hot. Our second gun kink anthology continues to push the envelope of combining sex and guns with three more stories hot enough to cause powder burns.

Continuing in the world of The Machinist, Avery Belfour and his captor/lover Lord Harrow now face the threat of The Inquisitor. But Harrow is very possessive of his prize and has no intention of turning Avery over without a fight.

Then, a routine black market bust goes wrong for Officer Caleb Baker. He ends up Playing With the Big Boys when the thieves get the drop on him and decide to have some fun with their new catch.

And finally, Cole Beauchamp is the greatest pistoleer of all time; he's also thoroughly unpleasant and has a habit of scaring away his assistants. But when he is sought out by a devotee with a love of guns that matches his own, Cole finds a new respect for Benjamin Pepperwhistle and the Fantabulous Circus of Wonders.

Genres: Anthologies, M M Romance, Dark

88 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 14, 2012

About the author

Gryvon is writer of things strange, fantastical, and queer. Her works span a wide range of tone, from dark paranormal thrillers to cozy romances. During the day, she works as professional code monkey with coworkers who think her far more innocent than she actually is. She's an avid gamer and all-around geek who spends a fair number of weekends running around (or LARPing) with people playing as vampires or werewolves.

She currently resides in Buffalo, NY with a menagerie of cats, rats, hamsters, and other small animals. Her other works, including a plethora of fanfiction, can be found at gryvon.com.

Reviews

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Average = 4.05 stars

I didn't read the 1st anthology, but I did read couple of the stories when they were released separately. Since this one has authors I loved (Scarlet, Cornelia) I didn't mind buying this. And boy, this one was good!

The Inquisitor (by Gryvon) - 3.75 stars
I didn't remember a lot from the first story, The Machinist -- I just remembered the gun play in the end was HOT -- but maybe I should do reread on that one (it was short anyway). Because the world-building in this one was pretty good -- there were MONSTERS!! -- and I was quite intrigued with Avery now. His background seemed to be more than meets the eye. I still loved his gun-kink (still pretty HOT). Then there was more into Harrow's mindset now and how he felt for Avery. I must reduce the stars because the story ended in a way that made me certain that this would be a working-in-progress series (I didn't like that kind of ending *pout*).

Playing With The Big Boys - 3.65 stars
A Scarlet's PWP, YAY!!! I got all giddy when the cop, Caleb, was captured by two big boys aaaand they decided to play some sexual torture on him. DE.LI.CI.OUS. My complain though, (which reduced this one from 4-stars) was that the big boys only used the gun on Caleb's shaft and mouth, but never really put the gun inside his ass. I also felt disappointed because Caleb was able to turn the table in the end, and fucked one of the bad guy without condom AND then fucked him with the gun. DARN!! I wanted Caleb to left the warehouse as the 'victim'. The twist in the end was kinda smart.

Benjamin Pepperwhistle and the Fantabulous Circus of Wonders - 4.75 stars
This One. THIS. ONE. OMFG!! *dies*

Cornelia Grey ROCKS my world. She deserves more exposure than what she has right now. She blew my mind from the moment I first read her story, Apples and Regret and Wasted Time in 2011, with her subtle and lyrical writing. This one, OH. GOD. This one was amazing, fabulous, INCREDIBLE. For a short story, this IS A DEFINITE WINNER. I am still speechless. It started, probably, a bit slow (thus the story wasn't perfect) ... but I was immediately intrigued with the world of "the Fantabulous Circus of Wonders". Cornelia painted this world wonderfully, that I wanted to be part of it, just to hang around with the elephant and lion.

Then, the gun play. OH. THE. GUN. PLAY. *dies thud!* It wasn't even a sexual thing. It was the kind of gun play you watched on circus. BUT OH GOD. ON FRICKIN' STAGE! It was so sensual, so VIVIDLY SENSUAL, I was all sweaty with anxiety and my skin felt tingly with sensation. Cornelia Grey just played me (and Benjamin) like a pro while we both waiting for Cole to fire those bullets. My mind was blown to smitheren by the beauty of this story.

This one? I could read over and over again just to savor it. This one is why I still believe in the power of short story. I simply can't stop raving about it.

Also check Lisa Henry's review, please...

[Emma Sea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this for Gryvon's The Inquisitor, the followup to the excellent The Machinist.

The sequel was . . . um . . . not what I was expecting.

The very 1970's lets-live-as-one-with-nature plot change surprised me, and Harrow's gone all lovely dovey *pouts*

Also, ends on a cliffie *eyeroll*

Scarlett Blackwell's story was a big disappointment. I had no connection with the characters and I thought it read like sub-standard Nifty fiction.

Luckily the book was redeemed for me by Cornelia Grey's Benjamin Pepperwhistle and the Fantabulous Circus of Wonders .

Sometimes authors talk about how their characters surprise them, how they felt they were channeling their characters, rather than creating them, as if there were crisscrossing dimensions and authors can tell us the real world from another plane of existence in the form of a fictional story in ours.

Stories like Grey's make me wish with my whole heart this were true. I want so much there to be a Benjamin and Cole who found each other, amidst the scents of black powder and gun oil.

Aimee, Ami, and Lisa: you guys were totally right!

[Lisa Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my! * fans self* Okay, lets talk men with guns.

The Inquisitor...3.5 stars

The world-building here is fascinating. The Inquisitor follows on from The Machinist, which was in the first Weight of a Gun volume. In it, we learn a little of Avery's background, a little more about the monsters that attack the human enclaves, and there is, naturally, some very hot scenes with gun play. I really like Avery as a character -- he's a fascinating man in a fascinating world.

Playing With the Big Boys...3.5 stars

Okay, I love me some Scarlet Blackwell, and here she delivers her specialty: hot alpha bastards taking what they want. In this case, they're taking Caleb Baker, a cop who stumbles across their smuggling operation. For some reason though, I didn't love this as much as I should have. Maybe I've reached saturation on dub-con at the moment, because this really should have pushed all my buttons in all the right ways. I think I would have liked to see some real character development though. The problem was, I never felt that Caleb was in actual physical danger, when -- holy crap, the things they were doing with guns, I should have.


Benjamin Pepperwhistle and the Fantabulous Circus of Wonders...5 stars

This is the one I was sure I'd hate. I figured it would be too cutesy or quirky or something...blame the title. But, wow, just wow. I loved this. Way to ramp up the sexual tension! This was actually the story where the least happened, sexually, but the pay off was well worth waiting for, for both Benjamin and me. The smell of the black powder, the sensation of bullets thudding into the wooden target that Benjamin is strapped to...the other stories were about people playing with guns and liking gun play, but this...this was on a whole different level. For the record, I don't like guns, but Benjamin sure did, and it was, literally, smoking hot.

The scene where Benjamin cums when Cole fires the last bullet -- fucking hell! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to fan myself some more.

[Simsala · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Inquisitor by Gryvon - 4 stars

The sequel to The Machinist and....oh no!....again an open end!
I really like Avery`s and Harrow`s story but now I have to wait for the sequel to the sequel...grrrrrrrrr...
I think this is as far as consent can go without getting destructive. Great fantasy/SF setting (at least in my book - I don`t have to deal with strange names and gizmos...), rough smut and the beasts were lovely as ever. One beast in particular was starting to show emotions - who would have thought.:)

Playing With the Big Boys by Scarlet Blackwell - 3,5 stars

Typical Blackwell-PWP.
Non-consent turns to grudgingly admitted consent through sheer lust.
Note:
Dear Caleb...denying Leon the condom? Who`s the criminal now...
Note, the second:
"Scalding flood"? Nope, just body temperature. Even Big Boys are just human after all.:)

Benjamin Pepperwhistle and the Fantabulous Circus of Wonders by Cornelia Grey - 5 stars

The allure of a deadly weapon...
Great storytelling, unbearable sexual tension. I`m a bit spellbound here...


Very good anthology - definitely recommended!

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stars: 3.5/5

Overall
This has some good stories, and for those more into gun kink, this will definitely be something to pick up. They are all well written and enjoyable, although some of the stories were lacking, which turned what could have been a fantastic anthology into an average one.

Though the cover makes up for that a little. Another gorgeous one.

The Inquisitor by Gryvon
Stars: 2.5/5
Note: I read "The Mechinist" in the previous anthology, but didn't remember any of it when reading this story. Even taking into consideration the previous story, I think most of my qualms still stand.

I feel like I'm missing something from this story. There is so much world building, and while it happens through character action, there is also a lot of unknowns that are never explained. The end resolution also feels incomplete, as if the lessons learned by Avery only had a minor purpose, when it feels like a grander scheme is in play. More points are raised and never really mentioned, and the title (and instigating element) seems secondary to much of the story.

I enjoyed the writing and everything that I saw here, but it felt like an incomplete story. There were too many elements left hanging and while a happy ending isn't completely necessary, this felt more like the opening chapter than a standalone. I want more--not just because I enjoyed it so much, but because it felt unfinished. I would have loved to have given this a higher star rank, but the ending was not enough of an ending to satisfy. Considering this is the second story of this type, it seems to be ongoing, but offers no indication when it'd be continued.

Playing With the Big Boys by Scarlet Blackwell
Stars:3/5
For readers sensitive to rape, this story may trigger, but despite the circumstances, the main characters enjoys what he's given, which kind of recalls the adage, "It's not rape if you like it." (Whether or not you agree with that is completely different.) This is very much the setup of a porn, and with the amount of smut going on, it feels like a porn. However, that's not a bad thing. This story relishes it's dirty, dirty place in the world and hopes to take the reader along with it down the path of pleasure.

I could never really sink into the story. It wasn't quite believable (again, the porn storyline) and the hints we're given about the ending, while I think were absolutely fitting and necessary, also had me hurrying through to find out if I was right. So yes, this story is unabashedly gun smut being gun smut. But it's well written, enjoyable, and very, very dirty. There are definitely some questionable morals in most of the characters, but the fact that the narrator enjoys everything so much makes it hard to be too annoyed at the circumstances.

Benjamin Pepperwhistle and the Fantabulous Circus of Wonders by Cornelia Grey
Stars: 5/5
Yum. This is a sexy, smoking hot piece that weaves in touches of humor and humanity that brings it all together. I loved the two main characters (one hard ass, one newbie) and the colorful people who surround them in rainbows of movement. While the plot is pretty much exactly what you expect, it delivers in every way you want it to. And maybe even a little more.

I think my only complaint (and it's minor) would be that we learn nothing about Pepperwhistle's life before he came to the circus. But that's mostly just reader curiosity, I think the hints and teases we're given are all that's needed for the story. After all, he's leaving all of that behind him and moving forward--there's no point dwelling on the past.

Another fantastic piece by Grey!

Received this book for review.
Be sure to check out my other reviews on my blog.

[Darien · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

I was really looking forward to read this one, because book one was so awesome I wanted to experience more gunplay. The amount of stories is significantly less than the first book, but not to worry the quality is still up to par. I wouldn't say I am blown away with this anthology, but it was still enjoyable.

The Inquisitor by Gryvon
First, I am always a fan of anything written by this author. Always dark and so wickedly erotic I am caught up in whatever world I am reading. The Inquisitor is the sequel to The Machinist that was apart of the Weight Of A Gun anthology (book 1). Where I found the first story to be quite good, The Inquisitor seals the deal for having my attention. Avery and Harrow's relationship is so complex, and with a shocking turn of events, I'm just wanting more from this world. The gunplay is raw and dirty, and these guys play it hard (I'm talking safety off).

Overall, I liked this one and I am impatiently waiting for the next instalment because I have lots more questions this time around.

Playing With the Big Boys by Scarlet Blackwell
Alright, I don't even know how I feel about this one. Caleb is a cop and about to bust some punk ass thieves (my description of the thieves) instead he is captured and becomes their sex toy. They tie him up, take the gun out and get all down and dirty with Caleb who likes to be in the drivers]’s seat but doesn't like to be driven (that was clearly a pun).

This is pretty much a PWP, because I consider it one giant sex scene. I like Scarlet Blackwell's writing but this one failed to "wow" me. I did like that a possible relationship could come of this, even though it started out non-con and impossibly crazy. I think the absurd factor kicked at the end of this one, I would have probably liked it more without the involvement Caleb's partner.

Benjamin Pepperwhistle and the Fantabulous Circus of Wonders by Cornelia Grey
Wowza! I was very iffy about this story when it started but then it became all kinds of fantabulous. Benjamin Pepperwhistle (what a name) wants to join the circus and he wants to work with world famous pistoleer Cole Beauchamp as his assistant. See, Benjamin likes guns he likes them a whole darn lot.

The gunplay in this one is different, and so sexy. Benjamin and Cole seem so destined even in such a few pages. I really like how Cornelia Grey writes and this is the second story by the author that has both surprised and captured me. Life in the Circus of Wonders is exhilarating and interesting, would love to read more about these characters.

Once again, SMP manages to put interesting stories in another anthology with authors who don't mind pushing things a bit. While not as awesome as book one Weight of A Gun II still delivers. Plus that cover is made of all kinds of awesome.

[Trix · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was better than Weight of a Gun.

The Inquisitor. The sequel to The Machinist was what brought me to this anthology. I was looking forward to reading more about Avery and Harrow. However, half the story focused on the shadowbeasts. Which wasn't a bad thing. I was quite impressed with them and the connection Avery made with them. That's isn't to say the little that was said of Avery and Harrow wasn't interesting. In The Machinist, there was some rough playing between the two. It made me cringe a bit and not like them as much. But with this new installment, we get to see some romance too, some gentle touches, some soft gazes and a more romantic feel to what they had. The ending was down right cruel. When is the next story coming out?

Playing With the Big Boys. Oh, what a decidedly wicked story. I so enjoyed watching Leon and Riley give Caleb the ride of his life. Partway into the story I realised where his police partner, Dennis, had run off to but it didn't detract from the pleasure of the story. There were toys, there was police equipment, there was role reversal, a reluctant participant and a threesome. What more could you ask? (Maybe a repeat XD)

Benjamin Pepperwhistle and the Fantabulous Circus of Wonders. I definitely enjoyed trailing after Benjamin. I may not feel the way he feels, cannot reach such a deep level but I still understood the passion and yearning he felt for guns (and then later on, Cole). It was all consuming and dazzling. Add to it the power switch in the last scene and it made for a very enticing reading. I would definitely want to read what else they could think of.

[LiveYourLife BuyTheBook · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

The Inquisitor, by Gryvon

I am so happy I got more from these guys! This is a continuation of the “The Machinist” in the first book of this Anthology. There has to be more coming with the way this one ended damn it! I’m loving the guys together. The plot just thickened. Who saw that coming? Not me! The sex is super hot. Rough and bordering on violent but they both love it. Avery is content and falling for Harrow. Harrow is absolutely falling for Avery even if it’s the last thing he wants to admit. I’m looking forward to Harrow going to get his man. It should be interesting watching him squirm with weighing his feelings for Avery versus what he will have to do to get him back. Bring on the next one!

The full review of all the stories can be found at Live Your Life, Buy The Book

[blub · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I really liked 2 of the 3 stories in the anthology, like the first one this one also revolves around a gun play theme. I'm not going to point fingers at which ones were the one I didn't or did like. All the stories are well written and have interesting story lines. I'm hoping Gryvon will write another installment for Avery and Harrow soon since readers were kind of left at a cliffhanger, what with Avery being taken away by his father.

[MsMiz (Tina)]

Just read the Machinist

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Inquisitor - 3 Stars


Playing With the Big Boys - 3.5 Stars


Benjamin Pepperwhistle and the Fantabulous Circus of Wonders - 4 stars