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The Haunted Maze
Still in his twenties, Percy Callendar is one of the richest men in the world. In an attempt to find the future love of his life—and because he likes to have fun—he builds the ultimate haunted house and assembles a select group of men to go through it.
Sage Donovan, owner of a fledgling IT company, is the seventh applicant to receive an invitation. He figures completing the maze—something no one has done yet—will guarantee fame and maybe fortune, and he immediately accepts despite having a little problem with anxiety.
Witches, spiders, ghosts and ghouls are the least Sage has to deal with, because before the night is over, he will face his deepest fear, changing his life and Percy’s forever.
Sage Donovan, owner of a fledgling IT company, is the seventh applicant to receive an invitation. He figures completing the maze—something no one has done yet—will guarantee fame and maybe fortune, and he immediately accepts despite having a little problem with anxiety.
Witches, spiders, ghosts and ghouls are the least Sage has to deal with, because before the night is over, he will face his deepest fear, changing his life and Percy’s forever.
- GenresM M Romance
75 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2014
2 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Theo Fenraven
32 books75 followersTheo Fenraven happily lives in south Florida, where it is hot and sunny much of the year.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 1, 2014
For me, this was a fun as heck diversion from real life. I made the mistake of picking it up kind of late and then couldn’t put it down until 2:00 a.m. when I was at the worst possible place to put it down. So, my first word of advice is, make sure you have time to read when you pick up The Haunted Maze. It’s not a long story, but trust me, once Sage enters the Maze, you aren’t putting this puppy down.
Sage is one of six men hand-picked by Percy, a young, wealthy, gay man in search of a romantic connection. A bit eccentric in nature, Percy has constructed an entire mansion - built solely for the purpose of acting as a test of character for those six men. It is a haunted house unlike any other, built to test their individual fears and weaknesses. While we don’t see the other contestants, we learn that none so far have finished. We also learn that Sage has some anxiety issues he will need to face while in the Maze.
Sage owns a struggling business with his transgender roommate, Ross. While none of the six men chosen to attempt the Maze know why they’ve been chosen, or what, if any, prize is in store for those that complete it, Sage decides any publicity can only help his business and possibly there is a monetary prize, since Percy is well-known for his wealth. Sage is immediately likeable in that he’s just an “everyman” type of guy. He’s not hideous, but he’s not gay-model handsome either. He’s a hard-working geek who’s doing whatever it takes to keep his business above water.
Sage’s trek through the Maze itself is exciting. I love all things Halloween and I miss going through the local haunted houses. This house, though, is not like any haunted house I’ve ever been through, but it sure would be cool as heck if someone could really build one! I felt as if I were going room to room with Sage. There were times I laughed along with him, but most times I found myself nervously awaiting what was around the next corner or behind the next door. No spoilers here, but most likely, something you aren’t too comfortable with will be in one of those rooms. The intercom-interactions between Sage (in the Maze) and Percy (in the Control Room) are cute as heck and you can feel the mutual respect and chemistry building between them.
Percy comes off initially as cold and businesslike, which is not unexpected. He’s a twenty-something gazillionaire known for his lavender contacts and Armani suits. But once Sage enters the Maze, Percy is intrigued and impressed and his stiff demeanor starts slipping. That process is a joy to “watch”. The ‘Percy’ that Sage eventually meets, in a sweet “halftime” scene, is a more hipster version in glasses and jeans. This is my favorite part of the story.
No one writes those first few moments between characters like Theo Fenraven. He always manages to nail that mood when people first meet – that careful mix of personal questions, defensiveness, nervous humor – and then that moment when both characters realize ‘this is someone I’d like to get to know.’ It’s a dance we’ve all danced in our lives, but it’s not an easy one to write well. Theo does it better than anyone and I always look forward to the dialog between his MCs the first time.
But, alas, Sage’s “break” can’t last forever. When he re-enters The Maze, the story takes a dramatic turn. Again, no spoilers, other than to say, it’s here that Sage will face his biggest demons.
In every review of a Fenraven book, I usually include a bunch of awesomely-written quotes, but all the ones I have highlighted would, in some way, give away something about the maze and I don’t want to do that. Suffice it to say, I absolutely adore anything and everything Theo Fenraven writes. No one else can paint a picture for me with such clean, concise prose. Theo always leaves me wanting more. The Haunted Maze is no different. This is my only complaint. I want more, more, more of Sage and Percy’s story. (Please?)
Oh, and no doubt you’re wondering if Sage makes it through the Maze. Sorry - you’ll just have to grab the book to find out for yourself!
Sage is one of six men hand-picked by Percy, a young, wealthy, gay man in search of a romantic connection. A bit eccentric in nature, Percy has constructed an entire mansion - built solely for the purpose of acting as a test of character for those six men. It is a haunted house unlike any other, built to test their individual fears and weaknesses. While we don’t see the other contestants, we learn that none so far have finished. We also learn that Sage has some anxiety issues he will need to face while in the Maze.
Sage owns a struggling business with his transgender roommate, Ross. While none of the six men chosen to attempt the Maze know why they’ve been chosen, or what, if any, prize is in store for those that complete it, Sage decides any publicity can only help his business and possibly there is a monetary prize, since Percy is well-known for his wealth. Sage is immediately likeable in that he’s just an “everyman” type of guy. He’s not hideous, but he’s not gay-model handsome either. He’s a hard-working geek who’s doing whatever it takes to keep his business above water.
Sage’s trek through the Maze itself is exciting. I love all things Halloween and I miss going through the local haunted houses. This house, though, is not like any haunted house I’ve ever been through, but it sure would be cool as heck if someone could really build one! I felt as if I were going room to room with Sage. There were times I laughed along with him, but most times I found myself nervously awaiting what was around the next corner or behind the next door. No spoilers here, but most likely, something you aren’t too comfortable with will be in one of those rooms. The intercom-interactions between Sage (in the Maze) and Percy (in the Control Room) are cute as heck and you can feel the mutual respect and chemistry building between them.
Percy comes off initially as cold and businesslike, which is not unexpected. He’s a twenty-something gazillionaire known for his lavender contacts and Armani suits. But once Sage enters the Maze, Percy is intrigued and impressed and his stiff demeanor starts slipping. That process is a joy to “watch”. The ‘Percy’ that Sage eventually meets, in a sweet “halftime” scene, is a more hipster version in glasses and jeans. This is my favorite part of the story.
No one writes those first few moments between characters like Theo Fenraven. He always manages to nail that mood when people first meet – that careful mix of personal questions, defensiveness, nervous humor – and then that moment when both characters realize ‘this is someone I’d like to get to know.’ It’s a dance we’ve all danced in our lives, but it’s not an easy one to write well. Theo does it better than anyone and I always look forward to the dialog between his MCs the first time.
But, alas, Sage’s “break” can’t last forever. When he re-enters The Maze, the story takes a dramatic turn. Again, no spoilers, other than to say, it’s here that Sage will face his biggest demons.
In every review of a Fenraven book, I usually include a bunch of awesomely-written quotes, but all the ones I have highlighted would, in some way, give away something about the maze and I don’t want to do that. Suffice it to say, I absolutely adore anything and everything Theo Fenraven writes. No one else can paint a picture for me with such clean, concise prose. Theo always leaves me wanting more. The Haunted Maze is no different. This is my only complaint. I want more, more, more of Sage and Percy’s story. (Please?)
Oh, and no doubt you’re wondering if Sage makes it through the Maze. Sorry - you’ll just have to grab the book to find out for yourself!
November 2, 2014
I'm going to start off with saying, if The Bachelor was like The Haunted Maze I'd actually watch it! What a clever, witty, and marvelous novella by Theo Fenraven. I loved Sage so much. I think it's because he's easy to relate too and signifies the majority of people. Percy is what we all want for Christmas when we grow up LMAO! Rich, handsome, classy. Percy starts off as your typical billionaire business man and Sage starts off as your typical NILLionaire for me as the story developed THEY developed. As much as I loved Percy's Maze idea and was thoroughly entertained, it scared the bejesus out of me at times. I wasn't scared ALL the time I actually laughed and smiled quite a lot and the anticipation throughout the story is built to perfection. I really LOVED this story. It might seem like it's geared toward Halloween but I could read this anytime. I loved it and was sad when it ended because I wanted more! I'm greedy that way :D Theo doesn't disappoint with his stories and The Haunted Maze is no exception. Marvelous work by a very talented author.
November 11, 2014
I'm a tad late for Halloween, but really enjoyed this one from Fen. 4.5 stars from me.
Percy Callendar, one of the richest and most reclusive young men in the world is lonely and decides it's time to find himself a companion, but wants to set an exacting challenge for the man he plans to spend the rest of his life with, so he builds an amazing maze in California, complete with special effects and all sorts of stuff, which the 12 challengers will have to fight their way through. This part reminded me of the test that the contestants in the Harry Potter film, the Goblet of Fire, had to face...except for the dragons and possible death of course, but knights of old boldly went forth on quests, and that's just what the 12 chosen men had to do with Percy's maze.
Sage Donovan, computer coder and owner of his own small business in Chicago, gets an invite to participate in Percy's challenge (and here I imagined the golden ticket from Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory), and is 'persuaded' to do it by his close friend Ross. Sage is fed up of working all the hours that God sends just to keep his business going, but it's a friendly little business, with a close-knit group of employees and he loves it.
Has anyone made it through the maze?? What trials lie within?? What is Percy Callendar really like?? Discover all this and more in this story. Thanks Fen.
Percy Callendar, one of the richest and most reclusive young men in the world is lonely and decides it's time to find himself a companion, but wants to set an exacting challenge for the man he plans to spend the rest of his life with, so he builds an amazing maze in California, complete with special effects and all sorts of stuff, which the 12 challengers will have to fight their way through. This part reminded me of the test that the contestants in the Harry Potter film, the Goblet of Fire, had to face...except for the dragons and possible death of course, but knights of old boldly went forth on quests, and that's just what the 12 chosen men had to do with Percy's maze.
Sage Donovan, computer coder and owner of his own small business in Chicago, gets an invite to participate in Percy's challenge (and here I imagined the golden ticket from Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory), and is 'persuaded' to do it by his close friend Ross. Sage is fed up of working all the hours that God sends just to keep his business going, but it's a friendly little business, with a close-knit group of employees and he loves it.
Has anyone made it through the maze?? What trials lie within?? What is Percy Callendar really like?? Discover all this and more in this story. Thanks Fen.
November 2, 2014
They say good things are worth waiting for. I’m not the most patient of creatures and waiting for Amazon to get their act together and release ‘The Haunted Maze’ was very frustrating, but...I have to admit it, well worth the wait in the end. Talk about building anticipation...
Theo Fenraven amazes me. Every time I start one of his books I find myself diving into something completely new. This author doesn’t repeat himself, he flirts with genres and then moves on to the next one, always flexing his artistic muscles and pushing himself and the reader to extend their boundaries. Of course the amazing aspect of this flexing is not so much that he does it, but that he not only gets away with it but manages to own each of the genres he tackles as well as put his personal spin on it.
It’s hard not to fall for Sage. He’s presented as an honest, good and reliable young man who wants to do and be the best he can be. His perseverance when faced with his deepest fear was described so well I almost experienced his anxiety as well as his determination to overcome it.
I wasn’t entirely sure what to think or make of Percy. His scheme is, of course, utter madness and yet there is something sweet and almost innocent about his hope and belief he might find a man who will love him in the middle of a haunted house.
The same is true for Richard, Percy’s lawyer and friend. I couldn’t quite pinpoint him. Like Percy he sounds impersonal and ‘big business’ a lot of the time. And yet there are these gestures and casual remarks suggesting both men might be basically good. This of course makes the characters more interesting and realistic. While having a clear cut distinction between sympathetic and despicable characters can make a story easy to read, it rarely makes a book or the characters in it fascinating. And if Percy and his haunted house are to be described as anything, fascinating would be the word to use.
Once Sage enters the Maze the story blew me away. The various scenes, the different kinds of horror and the puzzles he has to solve were all cleverly thought out and presented so well it was possible to visualize the creatures and monsters. Sage’s internal conflicts as a result of rationally knowing everything he sees and experiences is fake and the very real fear he experiences regardless, was recognisable and made him all the more realistic. His internal dialogue as well as the comments he makes to Percy, who he knows is observing him, added a wonderful touch of humour to the story and put a smile on my face on more than one occasion.
I loved how Theo Fenraven managed to portray a burgeoning relationship between two characters who spend most of their time apart from each other. Initially the only interaction between Percy and Sage takes place without face to face contact, through short conversations over the intercom. And yet, despite the lack of direct contact the reader is in no doubt these two men are getting to know and appreciate each other more with each new horror Sage faces.
I really don’t want to say anything else about the story. Exactly what imaginative horrors Sage runs into and how he deals with them should be a surprise to the reader. The same is true for what happens when Percy’s carefully laid plans are thrown into turmoil. Reading this book is very close to visiting a haunted house. The reader, like Sage, has no idea what to expect next. Each turn of the page may bring a new surprise or shock, just like turning each corner in a haunted house would bring you face to face with something else to make you startle and scream. Very well done, Mr. Fenraven.
The Haunted Maze, despite its title, is a love story, be it that we only get to see the very early stages of the romance. In most books that would result in me wishing the story had been longer. The Haunted Maze didn’t leave me feeling disappointed though. By the time the story ended I’d seen enough of Sage and Percy to believe it was possible for them to be something special together. This was one book in which how they got to that point was far more interesting than what might happen afterwards could ever be.
As always – and I do seem to reflect on this in every review of books by this author - the writing in The Haunted Maze is breathtaking and awe-inspiring. I’ll never understand how Theo Fenraven manages to create such vivid pictures with so few, yet very carefully chosen, words. Reading his books is pure reading delight for me and I can’t wait to see what he’ll be coming up with next.
Theo Fenraven amazes me. Every time I start one of his books I find myself diving into something completely new. This author doesn’t repeat himself, he flirts with genres and then moves on to the next one, always flexing his artistic muscles and pushing himself and the reader to extend their boundaries. Of course the amazing aspect of this flexing is not so much that he does it, but that he not only gets away with it but manages to own each of the genres he tackles as well as put his personal spin on it.
It’s hard not to fall for Sage. He’s presented as an honest, good and reliable young man who wants to do and be the best he can be. His perseverance when faced with his deepest fear was described so well I almost experienced his anxiety as well as his determination to overcome it.
I wasn’t entirely sure what to think or make of Percy. His scheme is, of course, utter madness and yet there is something sweet and almost innocent about his hope and belief he might find a man who will love him in the middle of a haunted house.
The same is true for Richard, Percy’s lawyer and friend. I couldn’t quite pinpoint him. Like Percy he sounds impersonal and ‘big business’ a lot of the time. And yet there are these gestures and casual remarks suggesting both men might be basically good. This of course makes the characters more interesting and realistic. While having a clear cut distinction between sympathetic and despicable characters can make a story easy to read, it rarely makes a book or the characters in it fascinating. And if Percy and his haunted house are to be described as anything, fascinating would be the word to use.
Once Sage enters the Maze the story blew me away. The various scenes, the different kinds of horror and the puzzles he has to solve were all cleverly thought out and presented so well it was possible to visualize the creatures and monsters. Sage’s internal conflicts as a result of rationally knowing everything he sees and experiences is fake and the very real fear he experiences regardless, was recognisable and made him all the more realistic. His internal dialogue as well as the comments he makes to Percy, who he knows is observing him, added a wonderful touch of humour to the story and put a smile on my face on more than one occasion.
I loved how Theo Fenraven managed to portray a burgeoning relationship between two characters who spend most of their time apart from each other. Initially the only interaction between Percy and Sage takes place without face to face contact, through short conversations over the intercom. And yet, despite the lack of direct contact the reader is in no doubt these two men are getting to know and appreciate each other more with each new horror Sage faces.
I really don’t want to say anything else about the story. Exactly what imaginative horrors Sage runs into and how he deals with them should be a surprise to the reader. The same is true for what happens when Percy’s carefully laid plans are thrown into turmoil. Reading this book is very close to visiting a haunted house. The reader, like Sage, has no idea what to expect next. Each turn of the page may bring a new surprise or shock, just like turning each corner in a haunted house would bring you face to face with something else to make you startle and scream. Very well done, Mr. Fenraven.
The Haunted Maze, despite its title, is a love story, be it that we only get to see the very early stages of the romance. In most books that would result in me wishing the story had been longer. The Haunted Maze didn’t leave me feeling disappointed though. By the time the story ended I’d seen enough of Sage and Percy to believe it was possible for them to be something special together. This was one book in which how they got to that point was far more interesting than what might happen afterwards could ever be.
As always – and I do seem to reflect on this in every review of books by this author - the writing in The Haunted Maze is breathtaking and awe-inspiring. I’ll never understand how Theo Fenraven manages to create such vivid pictures with so few, yet very carefully chosen, words. Reading his books is pure reading delight for me and I can’t wait to see what he’ll be coming up with next.
September 23, 2021
This was a fun short. I liked the premise and the characters but the ending was pretty weak.
November 4, 2014
First off, I'm going to quote a fellow reviewer, Meredith King, "if The Bachelor was like The Haunted Maze I'd actually watch it!" If I hadn't seen her review I don't think I would have made the connection of the two, but it's not only true but it sums up this story better than I could ever imagine.
Percy Callendar comes across as your typical billionaire spending his wealth on what appears to be an frivolous extravagance of a house. We quickly learn what motivates this spending spree and although it seems a bit over the top, we eventually see more of Percy's heart through his inner monologues as well as his interactions with Sage and his Richard, Percy's lawyer and friend. Of course, when we meet Sage Donovan, at face value he is the epitome of Percy's opposite. But as Sage finally begins his turn in Percy's maze, it becomes pretty obvious that not only is there an instant connection between them but that they aren't as different as we originally thought, with the exception of their bank accounts.
And as I have often said, I'm a fan of longer stories versus short story/novellas. My love of lengthy tales often causes me to dock 1/2 a bookmark off my rating but Theo Fenraven's story is unigue and intriguing enough that I just can't deny it deserves the whole 5 bookmark rating. This is only the second book of Theo's that I've read but it definitely won't be my last.
Percy Callendar comes across as your typical billionaire spending his wealth on what appears to be an frivolous extravagance of a house. We quickly learn what motivates this spending spree and although it seems a bit over the top, we eventually see more of Percy's heart through his inner monologues as well as his interactions with Sage and his Richard, Percy's lawyer and friend. Of course, when we meet Sage Donovan, at face value he is the epitome of Percy's opposite. But as Sage finally begins his turn in Percy's maze, it becomes pretty obvious that not only is there an instant connection between them but that they aren't as different as we originally thought, with the exception of their bank accounts.
And as I have often said, I'm a fan of longer stories versus short story/novellas. My love of lengthy tales often causes me to dock 1/2 a bookmark off my rating but Theo Fenraven's story is unigue and intriguing enough that I just can't deny it deserves the whole 5 bookmark rating. This is only the second book of Theo's that I've read but it definitely won't be my last.
November 5, 2014
Great read. I loved Sage, Percy, Ross. I hope to see more of them.
November 4, 2014
Loved this spooky but fun book! I want 3 sequels omg. It's Halloween themed but can be read at any time, really. So good!
October 7, 2021
I didn’t get the point of the book & the feud ex machina ending seemed really tacked on.
January 29, 2015
I first became aware of Theo Fenraven through his comments on a blog we both follow. When I learned that he was a writer, I looked into his work. I've now read almost everything he has written, and when he posted on his own blog that his most recent work of fiction, The Haunted Maze, was available to purchase, I did exactly that. This work is shorter than a novel, more of a novella, but more than a short story. As always with Fenraven's writing, the characters come to life, and prove to be people (men) I would like to know and consider friends. Not a mystery, nor a true romance, with no sexual activity and only brief nudity, The Haunted Maze is a good story, well told, and fun to read.
October 27, 2015
3.5*
An unusual method of finding a life partner - Percy builds a haunted house! It does sound more like a series of rooms based on the best of action adventure and horror movies - and quite good fun too.
The book is in three parts really - The set up of Percy building his house and Sage getting his invite, followed by the actual running of the maze and then the aftermath of the rescue.
I did enjoy the middle section in the maze and the impact of the earthquake. Where it didn't work so well for me was the ending with Sage and Percy tentatively starting on their relationship - it seemed a bit to easy for the end of the book.
I did like it.
An unusual method of finding a life partner - Percy builds a haunted house! It does sound more like a series of rooms based on the best of action adventure and horror movies - and quite good fun too.
The book is in three parts really - The set up of Percy building his house and Sage getting his invite, followed by the actual running of the maze and then the aftermath of the rescue.
I did enjoy the middle section in the maze and the impact of the earthquake. Where it didn't work so well for me was the ending with Sage and Percy tentatively starting on their relationship - it seemed a bit to easy for the end of the book.
I did like it.
January 22, 2015
4.5 stars
November 18, 2015
3.5 stars funny and haunted MM romance.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews