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The Open Arms of the Sea
Fleeing the guilts of his youth, Lieutenant Leslie Deacon has escaped to hide in the army and the vast rock deserts of a scorched and war-ravaged Aden . Adoo rebels hurl grenades from the shadows and a hard-pressed British Army is struggling to keep order and control. When the Adoo bring the war inside the city, a new guerrilla warfare is needed to keep the rebels at bay and the garrison and its civilians safe. Into this fearful, threatened city comes the adventurer Clemmie Ross and the charismatic Captain Villiers. Deacon's world of duty, honour, courage and love begins to explode and fragment about him. In Aden's scorched deserts and bombed streets, duty only brings death, and honour offers no reward. Only through love will Deacon find peace. All he has to do is find it.
322 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 6, 2014
DNF at 50 %. 2 stars. Review posted April 6, 2014
The first paragraph...beautiful:
The writing was good but my low rating reflects my BOREDOM.
I loved the cover and the title and saw the list Best Gay Military and I was like "Hell yes, count me in!" In fact, it was unavoidable to take a trip down memory lane because Special Forces: Soldiers Part I -Director's Cut is on the same list. Friendly heads up, lovers of the SF epic should go into it with realistic expectations. The Open Arms of the Sea is nothing, and I mean nothing, like Special Forces.
I will not go into details, though. I mean what can I review anyway? Proper words elude me because I was simply bored out of my ever lovin' mind. Like I mentioned in one of my updates, Deacon ogling a couple sweaty soldiers and feeling guilty won't hold my interest. There wasn't much going on and while I'm perfectly fine with a clean read I really, really need some kind of relationship development but there wasn't anything remotely close to that going on either.
This was a total bust. Well, onwards…
P.S. I wonder over and over again why authors don't hire professional editors who really command a foreign language. The French translations were not correct. A little example: a l'eglise = à l'église.
The first paragraph...beautiful:
The writing was good but my low rating reflects my BOREDOM.
I loved the cover and the title and saw the list Best Gay Military and I was like "Hell yes, count me in!" In fact, it was unavoidable to take a trip down memory lane because Special Forces: Soldiers Part I -Director's Cut is on the same list. Friendly heads up, lovers of the SF epic should go into it with realistic expectations. The Open Arms of the Sea is nothing, and I mean nothing, like Special Forces.
I will not go into details, though. I mean what can I review anyway? Proper words elude me because I was simply bored out of my ever lovin' mind. Like I mentioned in one of my updates, Deacon ogling a couple sweaty soldiers and feeling guilty won't hold my interest. There wasn't much going on and while I'm perfectly fine with a clean read I really, really need some kind of relationship development but there wasn't anything remotely close to that going on either.
This was a total bust. Well, onwards…
P.S. I wonder over and over again why authors don't hire professional editors who really command a foreign language. The French translations were not correct. A little example: a l'eglise = à l'église.
November 5, 2012
Took a chance on this unknown-to-me author, but within the first few pages the quality of the writing totally sucked me in. The pacing was controlled and steady, the setting incredibly vivid and evocative, and the characters believable and engaging (even the ones you want to slap upside the head a few times.) Insta-love and hot sex it is not, but those who enjoy subtlety and a slow build will be enthralled. The juxtaposition of British high manners with the casual brutality of the military was horrifyingly believable -- picture Merchant Ivory meets Apocalypse Now. The only reason it didn't get a solid 5 rating is the tease of a slight ambiguity at a critical point(to say more would be spoilerish.) Sequel, please!
March 20, 2016
Despite the blurb, this is not really a love story - it's the story of the emotional awakening of a gay man in a little-remembered corner of war. Deacon is in the British forces in Aden, in the Middle East (Yemen) in the 1960s. There is a gay romantic theme present, but it's quiet, understated. Until the end, love is present as a shading of color washed between the stronger lines of the rest of the story. And the ending is ambiguous.
The story opens with Deacon commanding a small unit of troops in the heat and desert around Aden. The British are fighting a gradually escalating conflict against local guerrilla forces, whose goal is to win autonomy from the British protectorate. While the Yanks in Vietnam fight the first TV war, with all its familiar moral issues, this is a quieter, less-known conflict. But that doesn't mean it doesn't have its own moral ambiguities. Deacon wrestles with his conscience amid civilian casualties, wealthy officers, men careless of those under them, and a range of malice, grift, and privilege.
As the story opens, Deacon is still a man who retains some kind of innocence, an ideal of service not yet worn thin by reality. His life is empty other than his duty to his command and his men. He has a good group of soldiers, particularly Corporal Lockett who is adept at both scrounging and organizing, and who seems to find a way to smooth Deacon's life out in a myriad of small ways.
Then Deacon is recruited into a special command, led by a charismatic officer. Tom Villiers is brilliant on the shooting range, respected by high command, confident and friendly. He offers Deacon a chance at something that might be more effective than routine patrols, while not separating him from his men for more than the occasional operation.
The story is slow, interesting, wonderfully atmospheric. Under the clean, unemotional rendering of Deacon's point of view are lurking shadows that made me pause and hold my breath now and then, as events and people begin to strip Deacon of both his innocence and his isolation. The seeds are being set for what will be a losing war, not unlike a dry, mannered, desert version of Vietnam. And that never bodes well for a military hero.
The ending is... slightly unsatisfactory to a reader fond of certainties and comfort. It's ambiguous, with the possibility but not the confirmation of a HFN. I would dearly love a sequel, although with a 2012 publication date I'm not holding my breath. Without the sequel, the ending is challenging. But I can imagine, if I choose, that the guilty will face retribution and that Deacon will find his reward. In the space between what is written and "the end" there is room for me to play out a variety of happiness for characters I came to slowly adore.
The story opens with Deacon commanding a small unit of troops in the heat and desert around Aden. The British are fighting a gradually escalating conflict against local guerrilla forces, whose goal is to win autonomy from the British protectorate. While the Yanks in Vietnam fight the first TV war, with all its familiar moral issues, this is a quieter, less-known conflict. But that doesn't mean it doesn't have its own moral ambiguities. Deacon wrestles with his conscience amid civilian casualties, wealthy officers, men careless of those under them, and a range of malice, grift, and privilege.
As the story opens, Deacon is still a man who retains some kind of innocence, an ideal of service not yet worn thin by reality. His life is empty other than his duty to his command and his men. He has a good group of soldiers, particularly Corporal Lockett who is adept at both scrounging and organizing, and who seems to find a way to smooth Deacon's life out in a myriad of small ways.
Then Deacon is recruited into a special command, led by a charismatic officer. Tom Villiers is brilliant on the shooting range, respected by high command, confident and friendly. He offers Deacon a chance at something that might be more effective than routine patrols, while not separating him from his men for more than the occasional operation.
The story is slow, interesting, wonderfully atmospheric. Under the clean, unemotional rendering of Deacon's point of view are lurking shadows that made me pause and hold my breath now and then, as events and people begin to strip Deacon of both his innocence and his isolation. The seeds are being set for what will be a losing war, not unlike a dry, mannered, desert version of Vietnam. And that never bodes well for a military hero.
The ending is... slightly unsatisfactory to a reader fond of certainties and comfort. It's ambiguous, with the possibility but not the confirmation of a HFN. I would dearly love a sequel, although with a 2012 publication date I'm not holding my breath. Without the sequel, the ending is challenging. But I can imagine, if I choose, that the guilty will face retribution and that Deacon will find his reward. In the space between what is written and "the end" there is room for me to play out a variety of happiness for characters I came to slowly adore.
March 31, 2014
The time: mid-1960s.
The place: Aden (now Yemen).
The context: a small British war which I’d not heard of before! Wikipedia (I know, I know…) outlines the Aden Emergency as “…an insurgency against the British Crown forces in the British controlled territories of South Arabia which now form part of the Yemen. [Beginning] on 10 December 1963 with the throwing of a grenade at a gathering of British officials at Aden Airport …the emergency escalated in 1967 and hastened the end of British rule in the territory which had begun in 1839. On 30 November 1967, British forces withdrew and the independent People's Republic of South Yemen was proclaimed.”
The hero/protagonist: Lt ‘Harry’ Deacon stoically tries to keep morale up for his band of men, whether guarding checkpoints, unloading supplies, patrolling city streets or taking part in covert military action. Deacon has run away from scandal back in UK by joining the armed forces. The army, his men, his superiors and his duty to crown and country has become his entire world – and it has become a confining, lonely existence for him indeed.
Deacon is constantly put into his place by bully-boy superiors who never let him forget his Croydon sociological roots and his lack of higher education. Local population insurgents (the Adoo) have taken their battle for independence into the British troop barely-controlled city precincts and Deacon tries hard not to let the daily mortar bombings, grenade attacks grind him down. The ‘enemy’ has become harder to spot amongst the civilian population and danger lurks everywhere. The author does an incredible job with providing the war atmosphere and for giving amazing scenic descriptions of local places, buildings, businesses, watering holes etc.
The secondary characters: Two characters are introduced into Deacon’s regimented and stark world – lovely Clemmie Ross (brigadier’s daughter) and dashing dare-devil Captain Villiers (who possess charm, physical allure and charismatic magnetism by the bucketload). Deacon is attracted to both in different ways and their friendship, influence and relational demands crack open Deacon’s tightly controlled emotional prison and thrusts him onto a social and career pathway from which he will not be able to return. Will his trust and friendship be betrayed? Can he trust anyone with his darkest secrets from his former life – remember this is the British armed forces in the mid-1960’s (around the same time setting as Elliott Mackle's Captain Joe Harding books).
Aiding Deacon in his troop management, Corporal David Lockett is Deacon’s resourceful, ebullient, long-suffering and terminally cheerful aide-de-camp. I LOVE Lockett’s character – he ranks as my current favorite character for my 2014 readings. Lockett’s quips, insights, army grape-vine gossip, witty asides, know-how for social graces and fashion tips … all add much needed levity, humour and serve as foil against the increasingly darker backdrop of mounting violence and senseless killings.
The author does not pull back from the brutality of war – torture, revenge killings and retaliations, disregard for civilian casualties. Deacon becomes increasingly unsettled by the British Army’s methods for ‘keeping the peace’, and especially once he’s been recruited to join an ‘elite’ strike-force group within the regular army troops for ‘guerrilla warfare’. Will his sense of personal integrity and human decency survive all that he’s required to do and to turn a blind eye toward?
For those who love the Captain Harding books or Marquesate & Vashtan’s magnificent Afghanistan war-romance saga – this book will suit you down to a tee. A suitably thrilling sequence of dangerous events lead toward an explosive and totally unexpected ending (one which can be interpreted differently by individual readers). Not everyone will be pleased but I found it courageous, inspiring and satisfying, and would very much love a sequel (like many other fans of the book). I’m still thinking about Deacon and Lockett and Clemmie and Chi a day after finishing the book. Bravo to Dorgan for a superb book which captured my attention and imagination.
Oh and the title comes from the lyrics of the Righteous Brothers’ Unchained Melody – one of my more favourite tunes!
The place: Aden (now Yemen).
The context: a small British war which I’d not heard of before! Wikipedia (I know, I know…) outlines the Aden Emergency as “…an insurgency against the British Crown forces in the British controlled territories of South Arabia which now form part of the Yemen. [Beginning] on 10 December 1963 with the throwing of a grenade at a gathering of British officials at Aden Airport …the emergency escalated in 1967 and hastened the end of British rule in the territory which had begun in 1839. On 30 November 1967, British forces withdrew and the independent People's Republic of South Yemen was proclaimed.”
The hero/protagonist: Lt ‘Harry’ Deacon stoically tries to keep morale up for his band of men, whether guarding checkpoints, unloading supplies, patrolling city streets or taking part in covert military action. Deacon has run away from scandal back in UK by joining the armed forces. The army, his men, his superiors and his duty to crown and country has become his entire world – and it has become a confining, lonely existence for him indeed.
Deacon is constantly put into his place by bully-boy superiors who never let him forget his Croydon sociological roots and his lack of higher education. Local population insurgents (the Adoo) have taken their battle for independence into the British troop barely-controlled city precincts and Deacon tries hard not to let the daily mortar bombings, grenade attacks grind him down. The ‘enemy’ has become harder to spot amongst the civilian population and danger lurks everywhere. The author does an incredible job with providing the war atmosphere and for giving amazing scenic descriptions of local places, buildings, businesses, watering holes etc.
The secondary characters: Two characters are introduced into Deacon’s regimented and stark world – lovely Clemmie Ross (brigadier’s daughter) and dashing dare-devil Captain Villiers (who possess charm, physical allure and charismatic magnetism by the bucketload). Deacon is attracted to both in different ways and their friendship, influence and relational demands crack open Deacon’s tightly controlled emotional prison and thrusts him onto a social and career pathway from which he will not be able to return. Will his trust and friendship be betrayed? Can he trust anyone with his darkest secrets from his former life – remember this is the British armed forces in the mid-1960’s (around the same time setting as Elliott Mackle's Captain Joe Harding books).
Aiding Deacon in his troop management, Corporal David Lockett is Deacon’s resourceful, ebullient, long-suffering and terminally cheerful aide-de-camp. I LOVE Lockett’s character – he ranks as my current favorite character for my 2014 readings. Lockett’s quips, insights, army grape-vine gossip, witty asides, know-how for social graces and fashion tips … all add much needed levity, humour and serve as foil against the increasingly darker backdrop of mounting violence and senseless killings.
The author does not pull back from the brutality of war – torture, revenge killings and retaliations, disregard for civilian casualties. Deacon becomes increasingly unsettled by the British Army’s methods for ‘keeping the peace’, and especially once he’s been recruited to join an ‘elite’ strike-force group within the regular army troops for ‘guerrilla warfare’. Will his sense of personal integrity and human decency survive all that he’s required to do and to turn a blind eye toward?
For those who love the Captain Harding books or Marquesate & Vashtan’s magnificent Afghanistan war-romance saga – this book will suit you down to a tee. A suitably thrilling sequence of dangerous events lead toward an explosive and totally unexpected ending (one which can be interpreted differently by individual readers). Not everyone will be pleased but I found it courageous, inspiring and satisfying, and would very much love a sequel (like many other fans of the book). I’m still thinking about Deacon and Lockett and Clemmie and Chi a day after finishing the book. Bravo to Dorgan for a superb book which captured my attention and imagination.
Oh and the title comes from the lyrics of the Righteous Brothers’ Unchained Melody – one of my more favourite tunes!
February 8, 2013
I picked up this book only because it received three nominations in the 2012 mm group award nominations, and I am slowly making my way though the entire list of nominees in the hope of finding new authors to add to my list. This novel seemed like it might be too dark from the description and I almost decided to skip it. I am so very glad that I did not. This was an excellently written novel about war and courage and human relationships. As a debut novel, it is astonishing. I was so caught up by the characters and the unfolding relationship that I can't help hoping for a sequel, even though the ambiguous ending is beautifully done. Shallow self wants to see the bad guy get his comeuppance and the heroes get their reward, while the English major is content. (Shallow self is winning the battle, though, because she just wants MORE, greedy thing that she is.)
June 27, 2019
This is one bloody brilliant book.
But it's not a romance. If you go in there expecting a romance you will be disappointed. BUT - that doesn't mean it's not a love-story. Because it is, in a way. In a very understated, thoroughly British way.
Leaving all that aside it's a book about people in one of many forgotten wars, about eroded hope and lost innocence, friendship and betrayal and how sometimes those things can be linked inextricably to one another.
Good grief, listen to me waxing poetically.
So, IMHO interesting if not always likeable characters, beautiful, dense prose and a deftly plotted story.
The ending is... open to interpretation and I choose to read it as - there is a future. And seriously, honestly, I would love to read a sequel of this. I really would.
But it's not a romance. If you go in there expecting a romance you will be disappointed. BUT - that doesn't mean it's not a love-story. Because it is, in a way. In a very understated, thoroughly British way.
Leaving all that aside it's a book about people in one of many forgotten wars, about eroded hope and lost innocence, friendship and betrayal and how sometimes those things can be linked inextricably to one another.
Good grief, listen to me waxing poetically.
So, IMHO interesting if not always likeable characters, beautiful, dense prose and a deftly plotted story.
The ending is... open to interpretation and I choose to read it as - there is a future. And seriously, honestly, I would love to read a sequel of this. I really would.
March 3, 2017
What a marvellous, thought provoking book this is. It casts quite a spell. Mr Dorgan has a gift for creating the mood of a scene, for bringing it to life with small details which are the hooks on which larger issues hang. There's a genius for descriptive images at work here. Wickedly funny when one least expects it, and brutally real. And then there are the richly complex characters: even those who make only fleeting appearances are almost never straight out of central casting (those that are, I suspect are that way quite deliberately). It's the sort of book that has layers of carefully constructed meaning that I suspect I'll enjoy pondering for quite a while.
December 16, 2022
I really enjoyed this book however ignore the blurb calling it a love story. It’s not and if that’s what you are looking for you’ll be disappointed.
The author was able to really set an atmospheric backdrop and wonderful characterization.
The pacing of the first half was leisurely which I enjoyed but I can see where others might find it slow.
I will look forward to more stories from this author.
The author was able to really set an atmospheric backdrop and wonderful characterization.
The pacing of the first half was leisurely which I enjoyed but I can see where others might find it slow.
I will look forward to more stories from this author.
November 17, 2015
Wow. Sublime. I think this is tattooed on my brain. Or my heart.
What a beautiful book. Not a romance, but achingly romantic.
Gorgeous writing completely in service to the story.
The evocation of time and place feels utterly real and so vivid. I had no idea that pukka sahib thing was still alive so late in the British Empire. And I feel like I just spent six weeks in Southern Arabia.
I can only compare this to Mary Renault's The Charioteer and Adam Fitzroy's Make Do and Mend. Or Elliott Mackle's Captain Harding books. But those are truly romances and this probably belongs with the great books about war and soldiering that I haven't read. At the same time it evokes very specifically the experience of being gay in the sixties, the yearning and hiding and lying to save your skin.
Bravo, Mr. Dorgan. Hoping for much more from your pen.
What a beautiful book. Not a romance, but achingly romantic.
Gorgeous writing completely in service to the story.
The evocation of time and place feels utterly real and so vivid. I had no idea that pukka sahib thing was still alive so late in the British Empire. And I feel like I just spent six weeks in Southern Arabia.
I can only compare this to Mary Renault's The Charioteer and Adam Fitzroy's Make Do and Mend. Or Elliott Mackle's Captain Harding books. But those are truly romances and this probably belongs with the great books about war and soldiering that I haven't read. At the same time it evokes very specifically the experience of being gay in the sixties, the yearning and hiding and lying to save your skin.
Bravo, Mr. Dorgan. Hoping for much more from your pen.
April 8, 2014
This is a very good book. Intelligent, quietly understated writing that nevertheless packs a powerful punch. I would like to read more from Jasper Dorgan.
At times, the story's hard to read. The portrayal of war in a hostile environment is gritty and realistic. I didn't want to see the way some British officers behaved, because their brutality and lack of humanity was difficult to understand. Throughout all of this, Deacon's sense of decency shines through. I fell in love with him, just like I imagine Lockett did.
The ambiguous ending left me pondering. Is it possible to have a sequel? I really hope so.
At times, the story's hard to read. The portrayal of war in a hostile environment is gritty and realistic. I didn't want to see the way some British officers behaved, because their brutality and lack of humanity was difficult to understand. Throughout all of this, Deacon's sense of decency shines through. I fell in love with him, just like I imagine Lockett did.
The ambiguous ending left me pondering. Is it possible to have a sequel? I really hope so.
April 17, 2013
This is not a romance and there is absolutely no closure. But I loved it.
November 19, 2013
This book was a great read! I liked it because it was so different from everything else I've read in the MM genre. First no sex (which I was worried might stifle the book but actually made no difference). Second no HEA, and depending on how you view the ending...well I'll leave that to the readers mind and not spoil anything. This isn't what I'd expect from a "MM romance" novel and you know what? I loved it! So refreshing.
I loved how it read, I could feel the boredom that the characters were experiencing at time. The humour in places helped lift the book, which was typical irreverent squaddie/soldier humour. It reminded me of the film Jarhead in that respect. Though the book was definitely a british affair. Only the British could have high tea in the middle of a war zone (well at least in this time period they could!)
As previous reviews have said, Lockett shouldn't be missed, he's funny, more intelligent than he let on and very much "clued up" about the comings and goings.
I really hope there is a sequel (and that I'm wrong about my interpretation of the ending!) as I want to see these two characters develop further. Also I'd like to know what happens to the secondary characters like Chi and Major Villiers.
All in all highly recommended read!
I loved how it read, I could feel the boredom that the characters were experiencing at time. The humour in places helped lift the book, which was typical irreverent squaddie/soldier humour. It reminded me of the film Jarhead in that respect. Though the book was definitely a british affair. Only the British could have high tea in the middle of a war zone (well at least in this time period they could!)
As previous reviews have said, Lockett shouldn't be missed, he's funny, more intelligent than he let on and very much "clued up" about the comings and goings.
I really hope there is a sequel (and that I'm wrong about my interpretation of the ending!) as I want to see these two characters develop further. Also I'd like to know what happens to the secondary characters like Chi and Major Villiers.
All in all highly recommended read!
March 10, 2015
Wow. That was one emotional read. Excellent writing - I'd read this author again anytime.
I've come back to extend this review because it deserves better than the few words I originally gave it. Sometimes I read a book and I like it well enough at the time, but ask me a month or so later any of the finer details of it - and probably most of them are lost to me. I read a lot of pleasant books that blend in together.
But some books stand OUT - they have characters that I won't be forgetting, those are my 'keeper books' and this is one of those books. Even the secondary characters won't leave my mind, and because they are so fully fleshed out in the book, I can even imagine a future for them after this story ends - I feel I know their characters that well - and that takes excellent writing. This isn't necessarily an 'easy' book to read - but it's worth it. I really DO recommend this one.
I've come back to extend this review because it deserves better than the few words I originally gave it. Sometimes I read a book and I like it well enough at the time, but ask me a month or so later any of the finer details of it - and probably most of them are lost to me. I read a lot of pleasant books that blend in together.
But some books stand OUT - they have characters that I won't be forgetting, those are my 'keeper books' and this is one of those books. Even the secondary characters won't leave my mind, and because they are so fully fleshed out in the book, I can even imagine a future for them after this story ends - I feel I know their characters that well - and that takes excellent writing. This isn't necessarily an 'easy' book to read - but it's worth it. I really DO recommend this one.
February 9, 2016
Excellent book, ending very abrupt. Not at all a romance, really, but an interesting war story showing the pitfalls of treating warfare as a game, among other things.
January 31, 2016
Raw, factual, sad, yet able to pass you a fair share of distinctive humour so fitting there there´s nothing else you could replace it with in the book. And exactly the humour is like a silver tread showing itself from time to time – at the right moment – to make it all bearable for them.
The book shares just hints of certain facts and personality traits with a reader – but still hinting enough so you´d know or at least suspect.
God, I have to say I usually don´t like this type of books - the ones where there´s literally no "easy" part of the book. Not to mention it doesn´t look like that it´s ever gonna be better. There´s always at least an undercurrent whispering of bad even at times of "fun" which makes it not just funny. Each sentence reminds you of what they have to continually deal with.
But somehow I honestly couldn´t stop reading it. I´d say this book is one of those you cannot leave unfinished. It just force you to read on. Because even though you may not like what´s happenning in the book, the book itself is not bad by any means.
Tip for you? If you´re thinking about just flipping through the book don´t you ever skip a page with Lockett (you´d miss the main source of fun there.:) - gotta love the guy.
Now I know I said quite a list of things that might "scare you off" from reading it...Don´t leave it without giving it a try, though. Don´t be deterred! Because the book well deserves it and can give you a lot in exchange.
For me: unforgettable.
The book shares just hints of certain facts and personality traits with a reader – but still hinting enough so you´d know or at least suspect.
God, I have to say I usually don´t like this type of books - the ones where there´s literally no "easy" part of the book. Not to mention it doesn´t look like that it´s ever gonna be better. There´s always at least an undercurrent whispering of bad even at times of "fun" which makes it not just funny. Each sentence reminds you of what they have to continually deal with.
But somehow I honestly couldn´t stop reading it. I´d say this book is one of those you cannot leave unfinished. It just force you to read on. Because even though you may not like what´s happenning in the book, the book itself is not bad by any means.
Tip for you? If you´re thinking about just flipping through the book don´t you ever skip a page with Lockett (you´d miss the main source of fun there.:) - gotta love the guy.
Now I know I said quite a list of things that might "scare you off" from reading it...Don´t leave it without giving it a try, though. Don´t be deterred! Because the book well deserves it and can give you a lot in exchange.
For me: unforgettable.
January 12, 2013
I was given this book for christmas, not the type of book I would normally have chosen to read. I started the book 2 days ago and from the start I was hooked, all the charactors and places are all described so well you feel you are out there with them. My favorite character apart from deacon was corporal Lockett, it is the type of book that I would love to read again and again. please note this is not chick-lit it is definately a boo for all to read. looking forward to the next one Jasper.
May 15, 2020
Fantastic writing. This stands out from so many LGBT stories, due to the depth of its setting and plotting. It's not an LGBT book, it's a good, rich novel, that has an LGBT subplot and protagonist. The setting is so well done I could practically feel the sand between my toes, and I love that I learned something too. I'd never even heard of the war in Aden and British involvement there. This book made me go and read it up. Was the writer ever there, or military? It feels like he might have been.
April 16, 2018
beautifully written, reminded me of EM Forster.
July 29, 2025
Finally, a book that stays with me for a while after I’ve read it. Just like the first time, after rereading it over the last few days, I kept thinking about the main characters. That, to me, is the sign of a good book.
And once again I ask myself: why is this not more widely known? I suppose I could have helped by writing an enthusiastic review right away, instead of waiting two years...
I liked the fact that Deacon becomes more and more critical of the war and of the casual cruelty and indifference of the higher ranks toward the suffering of civilians and prisoners.
I also loved Lockett and his humor – and the basic human decency both characters share.
In that respect, they reminded me a bit of Joseph Hansen’s Dave Brandstetter.
The ending was kind of perfect – and even more so after I read Jasper Dorgan's comment below this excellent review by Kaje Harper: . The author clarified this even further in another comment:
This is not a love story, but there is a relationship.
For context on the real events related to the final days of British rule in Yemen (then Aden), see:
- this article by Mark Seddon (2004):
“The Shadow of Eden – Torture, rebellion, repression: the story of the British army in the Middle East. Only this was 40 years ago”
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/m...
- the 15-page Amnesty International Aden Report from December 1966, which includes a list of torture methods used by the British Army and details of 7 individual cases:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/wp-content...
Content warnings: violence, torture
In fact the Amnesty International Aden Report should carry a warning too, as is sadly the case with many recent AI reports.
And once again I ask myself: why is this not more widely known? I suppose I could have helped by writing an enthusiastic review right away, instead of waiting two years...
I liked the fact that Deacon becomes more and more critical of the war and of the casual cruelty and indifference of the higher ranks toward the suffering of civilians and prisoners.
I also loved Lockett and his humor – and the basic human decency both characters share.
In that respect, they reminded me a bit of Joseph Hansen’s Dave Brandstetter.
The ending was kind of perfect – and even more so after I read Jasper Dorgan's comment below this excellent review by Kaje Harper: . The author clarified this even further in another comment:
This is not a love story, but there is a relationship.
For context on the real events related to the final days of British rule in Yemen (then Aden), see:
- this article by Mark Seddon (2004):
“The Shadow of Eden – Torture, rebellion, repression: the story of the British army in the Middle East. Only this was 40 years ago”
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/m...
- the 15-page Amnesty International Aden Report from December 1966, which includes a list of torture methods used by the British Army and details of 7 individual cases:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/wp-content...
Content warnings: violence, torture
In fact the Amnesty International Aden Report should carry a warning too, as is sadly the case with many recent AI reports.
February 25, 2018
This is a beautiful book. It is about British soldiers fighting in the 1960s in a doomed conflict (of which I’d knew nothing). The army is a British occupation force - very old school and institutionally racist and sexist.
Deacon, who resembles a young Michael Caine, is a low ranking officer, who didn't go to the right schools but who is regarded by his squad of soldiers with respect and esteem.
Lockett, his loyal corporal, is actually the real hero of the story even though he hero worships Deacon. It’s not a conventional romance - in fact it’s about unspoken love. I hope the author will eventually write a sequel. At least it’s good to hear that, despite the ambiguity at the end, the author intends a HEA for Deacon and Lockett.
Kaje Harper wrote a much better review than mine and it was that which convinced me to try this author. I’m so pleased I did
I urge other readers not to be put off by negative reviews about this being boring. It really isn’t. It’s a wonderful story.
Deacon, who resembles a young Michael Caine, is a low ranking officer, who didn't go to the right schools but who is regarded by his squad of soldiers with respect and esteem.
Lockett, his loyal corporal, is actually the real hero of the story even though he hero worships Deacon. It’s not a conventional romance - in fact it’s about unspoken love. I hope the author will eventually write a sequel. At least it’s good to hear that, despite the ambiguity at the end, the author intends a HEA for Deacon and Lockett.
Kaje Harper wrote a much better review than mine and it was that which convinced me to try this author. I’m so pleased I did
I urge other readers not to be put off by negative reviews about this being boring. It really isn’t. It’s a wonderful story.
January 16, 2024
A riveting war story punctured with realistic portrayals of pre-Stonewall closeted gay experience. On the assumption that this work was a stand-alone, I feel the last 3% or so of the book was rushed and offered little closure, particularly since it followed a climax that encompassed an intense action sequence and big character arc development. Editing also needs worked on: I spotted around ~10 spelling mistakes and while these weren't immersion-breaking they still undermined the story's depth by reminding me of the fact this was a self-published amateur work and not coming from prestige publication (which it definitely should have).
In 2016 under the review for this book from DearAuthro the author publicly shared the plan of this being the first in a trilogy so needless to say I'm invested in reading his later works in the series.
In 2016 under the review for this book from DearAuthro the author publicly shared the plan of this being the first in a trilogy so needless to say I'm invested in reading his later works in the series.
November 15, 2017
Leslie ‘Harry’ Deacon
I picked this book up because I was on a trip in the Sultanate of Oman and I like to relate my mm ‘candy’ reads to the places I visit. I could not find a book located in Oman but Yemen is close enough.
I really got caught in the story. The landscapes did echo to what I was seeing but most of all the writing is compelling and the characters are flawed, intense, real...
I could not put it down near the end and finished it around 4 in the morning. And then I had to start another one because I could not go to sleep like that...
This is an intense book. As I read in someone review: no insta-love, no hot sex... but such feelings, such depths!
No easy read but one that gives you characters to keep in your mind forever.
I picked this book up because I was on a trip in the Sultanate of Oman and I like to relate my mm ‘candy’ reads to the places I visit. I could not find a book located in Oman but Yemen is close enough.
I really got caught in the story. The landscapes did echo to what I was seeing but most of all the writing is compelling and the characters are flawed, intense, real...
I could not put it down near the end and finished it around 4 in the morning. And then I had to start another one because I could not go to sleep like that...
This is an intense book. As I read in someone review: no insta-love, no hot sex... but such feelings, such depths!
No easy read but one that gives you characters to keep in your mind forever.
June 2, 2022
This is a compelling, thought provoking, beautifully written novel. Many will find it a "slow burn", whereby each of the dramatis personae are carefully developed over time. The love that Corporal David Lockett has for Colonel Harry Deacon, who has clothed his homosexuality in denial, is revealed in the final pages of the novel. It will literally break your heart. Fortunately, all is well that ends well. Five stars that are well deserved.
Read
June 29, 2016As a pacifist, I detest war stories. But despite the book cover, this is not a war story; it is a love story, beautifully told, set amongst the folly of fading colonial values in the Aden Emergency of 1967.
Once I had started reading, I could not put this book down. I needed to know what would happen to the two wonderful central characters, Lieutenant Harry Deacon and his aide-de-camp Corporal David Lockett.
Deacon has joined the army to try to escape his guilty feelings of forbidden love back home. But he is only running away from himself, a futile endeavour that makes him hate himself, and hate his actions. It also makes him lonely. There are some marvellous descriptions of being in a crowded room and feeling utterly alien and alone.
He leads a small band of men, part of the British occupation of what was about to become the People’s Republic of South Yemen. Deacon is a compassionate leader, fiercely protecting his troops from the stupidity of senior ranks. He just about has it all under control, until the arrival of the dashing Captain Villiers and the beautiful Clemmie Rogers. Deacon is attracted to both in different ways and, as the Aden rebels bring their fight closer to the occupying British, Deacon’s world begins to fall apart.
Jasper Dorgan has created a protagonist who perfectly embodies the fear of being alone forever without hope. Through Deacon’s eyes, we see actions of horror, savagery and thoughtless destruction, justified by the British army chiefs through spurious rank and nobility. Dorgan portrays this world of madness using great wit and humour. Corporal Lockett has the best lines, and I wish that I had written them. As each character is introduced, they are given time to develop and live. They are fully rounded, with multiple dimensions making them real and vulnerable.
Jasper Dorgan is a poetic writer; this is his first book and I eagerly await his second.
Once I had started reading, I could not put this book down. I needed to know what would happen to the two wonderful central characters, Lieutenant Harry Deacon and his aide-de-camp Corporal David Lockett.
Deacon has joined the army to try to escape his guilty feelings of forbidden love back home. But he is only running away from himself, a futile endeavour that makes him hate himself, and hate his actions. It also makes him lonely. There are some marvellous descriptions of being in a crowded room and feeling utterly alien and alone.
He leads a small band of men, part of the British occupation of what was about to become the People’s Republic of South Yemen. Deacon is a compassionate leader, fiercely protecting his troops from the stupidity of senior ranks. He just about has it all under control, until the arrival of the dashing Captain Villiers and the beautiful Clemmie Rogers. Deacon is attracted to both in different ways and, as the Aden rebels bring their fight closer to the occupying British, Deacon’s world begins to fall apart.
Jasper Dorgan has created a protagonist who perfectly embodies the fear of being alone forever without hope. Through Deacon’s eyes, we see actions of horror, savagery and thoughtless destruction, justified by the British army chiefs through spurious rank and nobility. Dorgan portrays this world of madness using great wit and humour. Corporal Lockett has the best lines, and I wish that I had written them. As each character is introduced, they are given time to develop and live. They are fully rounded, with multiple dimensions making them real and vulnerable.
Jasper Dorgan is a poetic writer; this is his first book and I eagerly await his second.
October 13, 2013
3.5
This story had such an undercurrent of desolation. It completely permeated the book, that I really was feeling that there was no hope for Deacon to get out of these situations.
But I couldn't stop reading, I had to know how this man (that you know is a good and fair man) would help right the wrongs and just hope that he found a way out of his loneliness.
The secondary characters brought light and sadness to the story and were pivotal to the story. Lockett is such a great character, he kept the story line moving with his dry humor and loved him at the end.
This story had such an undercurrent of desolation. It completely permeated the book, that I really was feeling that there was no hope for Deacon to get out of these situations.
But I couldn't stop reading, I had to know how this man (that you know is a good and fair man) would help right the wrongs and just hope that he found a way out of his loneliness.
The secondary characters brought light and sadness to the story and were pivotal to the story. Lockett is such a great character, he kept the story line moving with his dry humor and loved him at the end.
December 11, 2014
Well done. Not a storybook, but a real slice of life as it was in 1965 Yemen. I learned a great deal about a war I never knew. One that may have planted the seeds of conflicts today. Amazing how much we don't know. Spoiler alert: the book is an exercise in hope that doesn't pay off in the traditional sense. At 97% I thought, "This will not end well." Against the odds I hoped, and lost. And yet, I enjoyed the book immensely.
Post-script: After reading other reviews, I have noticed there is more than one interpretation of the ending. Perhaps... perhaps... a second book?
Post-script: After reading other reviews, I have noticed there is more than one interpretation of the ending. Perhaps... perhaps... a second book?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2016
This book fucked me up. It was 100% not what I was expecting. It is something special and I would have given it 5 Stars, but I'm still fucking bitter over that ending. It couldn't have ended any other way and still be so unforgettable and meaningful, but that doesn't mean I have to fucking like it. But I love this book.
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