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Shadow Fray #1
Shadow Fray
Shadow Round One
Family is worth fighting for—and family doesn’t always mean blood.
No one knows what calamity poisoned the earth and decimated the human population, but living close to the toxic ground means illness and death. Justin is determined to keep his twin sister and younger brother from that fate—no matter what he has to do. To earn enough to keep his family safe in a high-rise, Justin enlists in a deadly sport called Shadow Fray. He quickly finds himself in over his head, especially when he is scheduled to face the most dangerous player.
Hale—who competes as Black Jim—knows he won’t be on top forever, despite his skills. He fights for a better life for his daughter, but his time is running out as Shadow Fray becomes increasingly lethal. Something about the newest fighter intrigues him, but does he dare defy his masters to investigate? Justin and Hale will clash in the ring, while beyond it the powerful elite and the crumbling world seem determined to keep them apart. If they can find common ground, they might have a chance to fight for their futures.
Family is worth fighting for—and family doesn’t always mean blood.
No one knows what calamity poisoned the earth and decimated the human population, but living close to the toxic ground means illness and death. Justin is determined to keep his twin sister and younger brother from that fate—no matter what he has to do. To earn enough to keep his family safe in a high-rise, Justin enlists in a deadly sport called Shadow Fray. He quickly finds himself in over his head, especially when he is scheduled to face the most dangerous player.
Hale—who competes as Black Jim—knows he won’t be on top forever, despite his skills. He fights for a better life for his daughter, but his time is running out as Shadow Fray becomes increasingly lethal. Something about the newest fighter intrigues him, but does he dare defy his masters to investigate? Justin and Hale will clash in the ring, while beyond it the powerful elite and the crumbling world seem determined to keep them apart. If they can find common ground, they might have a chance to fight for their futures.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 30, 2017
2 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Bradley Lloyd
2 books8 followersBradley Lloyd is a Chicago-born author who studied Creative Writing at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He was raised in a conservative religious household but became aware of his sexuality at a very young age—about the same age he learned of his ancestry to Hans Christian Andersen. Inspired by this knowledge, writing became an outlet that helped him cope with inner conflicts and bullying.
Of course, he was no angel and occasionally used his storytelling powers for evil. He once convinced the neighborhood children that gnomes had been real before all being turned into lawn ornaments.
Later, these experiences lead him to work with middle-school students. Now a teacher in the inner city, he shares his love of writing with a captive audience of kids, who are thrilled with true(ish) tales of their haunted school building.
Interestingly, his favorite UFC fighter and former world champion was a student at his school, and when Brad is not reading or writing, you might find him hosting the next UFC pay-per-view event party. His dreams of becoming an ultimate fighter are realized vicariously through his stories and video games.
Brad is happily married to a wonderful husband. Their tenth anniversary was also the day same-sex marriage became legal, and they were couple number seven at the courthouse.
You can read more of Brad’s (free) tales on his website BradleyLloyd.com, check him out on Medium, follow IMBradleyLloyd on Facebook and Twitter, or e-mail him directly at IMBradleyLloyd@BradleyLloyd.com
Of course, he was no angel and occasionally used his storytelling powers for evil. He once convinced the neighborhood children that gnomes had been real before all being turned into lawn ornaments.
Later, these experiences lead him to work with middle-school students. Now a teacher in the inner city, he shares his love of writing with a captive audience of kids, who are thrilled with true(ish) tales of their haunted school building.
Interestingly, his favorite UFC fighter and former world champion was a student at his school, and when Brad is not reading or writing, you might find him hosting the next UFC pay-per-view event party. His dreams of becoming an ultimate fighter are realized vicariously through his stories and video games.
Brad is happily married to a wonderful husband. Their tenth anniversary was also the day same-sex marriage became legal, and they were couple number seven at the courthouse.
You can read more of Brad’s (free) tales on his website BradleyLloyd.com, check him out on Medium, follow IMBradleyLloyd on Facebook and Twitter, or e-mail him directly at IMBradleyLloyd@BradleyLloyd.com
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 9, 2017
Tag Team Review with JL!
3.5 Hearts
This post-apocalyptic world Lloyd has created is rife with possibilities. I interpreted it as a cautionary tale involving multiple current sociopolitical happenings and where they could lead if left unchecked. Earth’s soil has been poisoned so much so that most live in high rises (risers). Those that cannot afford to live in the risers will likely succumb to the sickness from being a "groundling", so there’s a very distinct socioeconomic strata at play which aligns with the risers. Modern day big businesses e.g. Exxon and Dupont seemingly run this futuristic America, though I do think there is a mafia element at work as well. Chicago is the center of this redefined America where privacy is at a premium; drones monitor everyone and everything. Women are in short supply, so much so that they’ve been given carte blanche in protecting themselves without legal ramifications. It’s the blatant and aggressive homophobia that I had the most trouble with especially when paired with the almost elevated status of trans and something called "unis". I’m still not sure what unis are exactly aside from being infertile, so I’m guessing that means they have a uterus. I'm also guessing this will factor more heavily into this series as it progresses. There are a lot of things I liked about this world, but the homophobia didn’t logically make sense when put into the context of a world with fewer women. I’m probably overthinking it but I kept getting hung up on that. I suppose, it does make the relationship between Justin and Hale all the more exciting owing to its inherent tabooness, so there is that.
Both are underground fighters in something called the Shadow Fray. Hale is at the top of his game and a legend. Justin is younger and new to the Fray. His idol has always been Hale, so there's a bit of hero worship going on, but Hale seems just as taken by Justin's raw talent. I'm still questioning how this whole thing can or has sustained itself. Everyone knows about it since the fights are posted on the interwebs and big money is involved, so I'm wondering why the secrecy? Unless... it's just more exciting that way? Which admittedly does have a certain appeal.
If you're averse to fighting and violence you’ll probably want to skip this one. The fight sequences are detailed and graphic. Actually, Lloyd’s writing style in general is very detailed. At times I thought the details slowed the pacing, becoming repetitive or redundant, but others times I found them fresh and entertaining. The tricky thing about a first novel in a series is trying to decipher what could be relevant as the series progresses and there’s still quite a bit that’s unresolved. I have a thousand possibilities running around in my head about these characters, the trajectory of this story, how the Shadow Fray will evolve and how Hale and Justin will fare, so I will be reading the next one to see if I'm even in the neighborhood.
I’m not really in love with either of these characters yet, but I do have a good sense of who Justin is and what’s important to him. Hale less so despite being given both of their perspectives. Though its clear both are lonely and feel increasingly isolated in this society where people largely stay in the shadows, eschewing human interaction. The secondary characters, especially Charlie, are all varying degrees of captivating and well drawn except the elusive Shadow Masters. Who are they? Gah! So many questions.
What I was pleasantly surprised by was the amount of romance, tension building and chemistry between Hale and Justin. There’s a slight age difference (13 yrs) with Hale being the more experienced of the two, slightly more aggressive and surprisingly romantic. He’s almost schmoopy which was so dichotomous and unexpected that I found it kind of adorable. They are well matched and have laid a good foundation for a long-lasting relationship, though I foresee some hiccups along the way since Justin is less comfortable with his newfound same-sex attraction and, y'know, they can get in BIG TIME trouble for being together. Can't be all smooth sailing. What fun is that?
Besides I they need some makeup sex because the chemistry between them is enough to power all of Chicago and when it reached critical mass…
Word. I need some more of that, please. There is something really hot about the whole fighters fighting then fucking thing, isn't there? PRAISE BE!!!!!!!
I waffled between 3-4 Hearts for three days so I’m calling it 3.5 for now. Once the series is complete I reserve the right to revise my rating.
Recommended for of post-apocalyptic/dystopian and fighter fans.
An ARC was provided.
3.5 Hearts
This post-apocalyptic world Lloyd has created is rife with possibilities. I interpreted it as a cautionary tale involving multiple current sociopolitical happenings and where they could lead if left unchecked. Earth’s soil has been poisoned so much so that most live in high rises (risers). Those that cannot afford to live in the risers will likely succumb to the sickness from being a "groundling", so there’s a very distinct socioeconomic strata at play which aligns with the risers. Modern day big businesses e.g. Exxon and Dupont seemingly run this futuristic America, though I do think there is a mafia element at work as well. Chicago is the center of this redefined America where privacy is at a premium; drones monitor everyone and everything. Women are in short supply, so much so that they’ve been given carte blanche in protecting themselves without legal ramifications. It’s the blatant and aggressive homophobia that I had the most trouble with especially when paired with the almost elevated status of trans and something called "unis". I’m still not sure what unis are exactly aside from being infertile, so I’m guessing that means they have a uterus. I'm also guessing this will factor more heavily into this series as it progresses. There are a lot of things I liked about this world, but the homophobia didn’t logically make sense when put into the context of a world with fewer women. I’m probably overthinking it but I kept getting hung up on that. I suppose, it does make the relationship between Justin and Hale all the more exciting owing to its inherent tabooness, so there is that.
Both are underground fighters in something called the Shadow Fray. Hale is at the top of his game and a legend. Justin is younger and new to the Fray. His idol has always been Hale, so there's a bit of hero worship going on, but Hale seems just as taken by Justin's raw talent. I'm still questioning how this whole thing can or has sustained itself. Everyone knows about it since the fights are posted on the interwebs and big money is involved, so I'm wondering why the secrecy? Unless... it's just more exciting that way? Which admittedly does have a certain appeal.
If you're averse to fighting and violence you’ll probably want to skip this one. The fight sequences are detailed and graphic. Actually, Lloyd’s writing style in general is very detailed. At times I thought the details slowed the pacing, becoming repetitive or redundant, but others times I found them fresh and entertaining. The tricky thing about a first novel in a series is trying to decipher what could be relevant as the series progresses and there’s still quite a bit that’s unresolved. I have a thousand possibilities running around in my head about these characters, the trajectory of this story, how the Shadow Fray will evolve and how Hale and Justin will fare, so I will be reading the next one to see if I'm even in the neighborhood.
I’m not really in love with either of these characters yet, but I do have a good sense of who Justin is and what’s important to him. Hale less so despite being given both of their perspectives. Though its clear both are lonely and feel increasingly isolated in this society where people largely stay in the shadows, eschewing human interaction. The secondary characters, especially Charlie, are all varying degrees of captivating and well drawn except the elusive Shadow Masters. Who are they? Gah! So many questions.
What I was pleasantly surprised by was the amount of romance, tension building and chemistry between Hale and Justin. There’s a slight age difference (13 yrs) with Hale being the more experienced of the two, slightly more aggressive and surprisingly romantic. He’s almost schmoopy which was so dichotomous and unexpected that I found it kind of adorable. They are well matched and have laid a good foundation for a long-lasting relationship, though I foresee some hiccups along the way since Justin is less comfortable with his newfound same-sex attraction and, y'know, they can get in BIG TIME trouble for being together. Can't be all smooth sailing. What fun is that?
Besides I they need some makeup sex because the chemistry between them is enough to power all of Chicago and when it reached critical mass…
Word. I need some more of that, please. There is something really hot about the whole fighters fighting then fucking thing, isn't there? PRAISE BE!!!!!!!
I waffled between 3-4 Hearts for three days so I’m calling it 3.5 for now. Once the series is complete I reserve the right to revise my rating.
Recommended for of post-apocalyptic/dystopian and fighter fans.
An ARC was provided.
June 3, 2017
Tag Team Review with Cupcake
3.75 hearts. A promising start to the series.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading this. Was it going to be a dark, depressing read riddled with angst? Or would it be a high-octane thrill ride, keeping me at the edge of my seat with nail-biting intensity? Surprisingly, it was neither. Instead, I got an emotional tale of survival and perseverance, of love and family, of loneliness and discovery, of romance and love.
Set in a future where the planet has been ravaged by a series of catastrophic events and the population has been reduced to a seventh of what it is today by a superflu (what they call the Thinning), the story starts out a bit gritty. The denizens of the world now have to live up off the ground to avoid the sickness that still lingers even a hundred years after the Thinning. Men now outnumber women and the fertility rate is almost nil. Though they still have technology, like cell phones and the internet, there is no development of it. The Arts and creativity seem to be lost as people tend to prefer movies, television shows and music from the “Old World”, clinging to the past and not looking to the future. It seemed pretty bleak. The only ‘new’ thing in the world is the Shadow Fray, illegal fights between anonymous brawlers that are held in secret locations and recorded for internet viewing.
Though I had a hard time getting into the story initially, I ended up enjoying this debut by Mr. Lloyd. Even with the post-apocalyptic setting and all the danger and intrigue, the story was more character driven than anything. I got a real sense of who the characters truly were and I liked what I saw of them. They stayed true to their characters too. Justin, only twenty-three, was forced to grow up too fast when his mother died and he had to become the provider and caregiver to his twin sister and baby brother. Though he is responsible and can be depended on, he still acts like a twenty-three-year-old, wearing his heart on his sleeve and lashing out when his emotions get the best of him. Hale, being thirteen years older, was a bit more jaded and cocksure, what you would expect from a man who’s been around the block more than a few times. Hale may seem stoic and sometimes come off as selfish and a bit of an asshole, but beneath it all hides vulnerability, loneliness and metric fuck-ton of guilt. Their personalities complemented each other, though, and they fit well together as a couple. My favorite thing about them besides their fights, which, let’s be honest here, was more foreplay than anything, was they actually talked to each other. Oh, Justin tried to be a martyr and push Hale away to ‘save’ him but Hale wasn’t having any of that nonsense. There was no Big Misunderstanding. They talked their shit out instead and I loved it. Communication is so sexy!
I do wish the world building was a bit more detailed though. I never could get a true sense of exactly how this world works and I questioned quite a few things, like, why hasn’t anyone figured out what happened to the ground to make it so toxic? Why haven’t they tried to fix it? Why does everyone seem so apathetic about cleaning up the environment so they no longer have to fear the ground-sickness? Why does everyone cling to the past instead of looking to the future? Hopefully, my questions will be answered in future installments of the series, of which I have no doubt there will be as the story ended on a bit of a cliffhanger.
In spite of the aforementioned issues, I have been drawn into this world and I am eager to read more of Justin and Hale’s story. This first book shows that the series has the potential to become an epic saga and I, for one, can’t wait to see how it all turns out.
3.75 hearts. A promising start to the series.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading this. Was it going to be a dark, depressing read riddled with angst? Or would it be a high-octane thrill ride, keeping me at the edge of my seat with nail-biting intensity? Surprisingly, it was neither. Instead, I got an emotional tale of survival and perseverance, of love and family, of loneliness and discovery, of romance and love.
Set in a future where the planet has been ravaged by a series of catastrophic events and the population has been reduced to a seventh of what it is today by a superflu (what they call the Thinning), the story starts out a bit gritty. The denizens of the world now have to live up off the ground to avoid the sickness that still lingers even a hundred years after the Thinning. Men now outnumber women and the fertility rate is almost nil. Though they still have technology, like cell phones and the internet, there is no development of it. The Arts and creativity seem to be lost as people tend to prefer movies, television shows and music from the “Old World”, clinging to the past and not looking to the future. It seemed pretty bleak. The only ‘new’ thing in the world is the Shadow Fray, illegal fights between anonymous brawlers that are held in secret locations and recorded for internet viewing.
Though I had a hard time getting into the story initially, I ended up enjoying this debut by Mr. Lloyd. Even with the post-apocalyptic setting and all the danger and intrigue, the story was more character driven than anything. I got a real sense of who the characters truly were and I liked what I saw of them. They stayed true to their characters too. Justin, only twenty-three, was forced to grow up too fast when his mother died and he had to become the provider and caregiver to his twin sister and baby brother. Though he is responsible and can be depended on, he still acts like a twenty-three-year-old, wearing his heart on his sleeve and lashing out when his emotions get the best of him. Hale, being thirteen years older, was a bit more jaded and cocksure, what you would expect from a man who’s been around the block more than a few times. Hale may seem stoic and sometimes come off as selfish and a bit of an asshole, but beneath it all hides vulnerability, loneliness and metric fuck-ton of guilt. Their personalities complemented each other, though, and they fit well together as a couple. My favorite thing about them besides their fights, which, let’s be honest here, was more foreplay than anything, was they actually talked to each other. Oh, Justin tried to be a martyr and push Hale away to ‘save’ him but Hale wasn’t having any of that nonsense. There was no Big Misunderstanding. They talked their shit out instead and I loved it. Communication is so sexy!
I do wish the world building was a bit more detailed though. I never could get a true sense of exactly how this world works and I questioned quite a few things, like, why hasn’t anyone figured out what happened to the ground to make it so toxic? Why haven’t they tried to fix it? Why does everyone seem so apathetic about cleaning up the environment so they no longer have to fear the ground-sickness? Why does everyone cling to the past instead of looking to the future? Hopefully, my questions will be answered in future installments of the series, of which I have no doubt there will be as the story ended on a bit of a cliffhanger.
In spite of the aforementioned issues, I have been drawn into this world and I am eager to read more of Justin and Hale’s story. This first book shows that the series has the potential to become an epic saga and I, for one, can’t wait to see how it all turns out.
June 1, 2017
3.5 Stars
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher. This has not influenced my review.*
As the blurb suggests, this was a gritty, fight-filled dystopian with a pretty strong focus on the romance. I liked the gritty feel of the world, and I do enjoy romance, so I was glad the book lived up to the blurb in that way.
As for the rest, it wasn't bad, but it felt like (and was, from what I understand) the author's first book. There was some showing but also some telling, and it got repetitive at times, especially in Justin's thoughts. Dialogue sometimes seemed too direct and forward, and characters just knew and perceived too much. There was sometimes too much description of side characters who didn't seem important. The main characters were a little underdeveloped. Info about the world and backstory didn't always flow well with the narrative. The world-building was spotty. But none of these issues were extreme, and the only reason I pointed out the first book thing was to say that I think the author has potential to improve; I'd be willing to read more books that he writes.
And I do have to give credit where credit is due and say that the sex scene was one of the most realistic, imperfect---but still sexy---first-time sex scenes I've ever read. (Well, technically it wasn't the first for either, but it was the first time with another man for both.) I, for one, appreciate realistic sex scenes. Hale was kind of a jerk as a top though. He didn't do anything without consent, but he was impatient and seemed to care more about his pleasure than Justin's discomfort. I'd love to see him bottom in Book 2 just to see him get his comeuppance since, as he said himself, turnabout's fair play ;-)
I also thought the flirting between the two men was fun. The innuendos were so lame and obvious that I couldn't help but smile because, I mean, that was realistic too. I'm pretty sure that's exactly what innuendos sound like---really clever when you're the one saying them and you're in the moment flirting with someone, but actually really lame in reality lol.
The scene when they first met made me smile too because Justin reacted the way I imagine a fangirl would react to their favorite celebrity (which was essentially what the meeting was).
So overall, the writing, world-building, and character development were maybe not as good as they could've been, but they weren't bad either, I liked the gritty feel of the world, I appreciated the realistic sex scene, some of the scenes made me smile, and I think the author and story have potential!
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes gritty dystopian, hand-to-hand fight scenes, and M/M romance.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher. This has not influenced my review.*
As the blurb suggests, this was a gritty, fight-filled dystopian with a pretty strong focus on the romance. I liked the gritty feel of the world, and I do enjoy romance, so I was glad the book lived up to the blurb in that way.
As for the rest, it wasn't bad, but it felt like (and was, from what I understand) the author's first book. There was some showing but also some telling, and it got repetitive at times, especially in Justin's thoughts. Dialogue sometimes seemed too direct and forward, and characters just knew and perceived too much. There was sometimes too much description of side characters who didn't seem important. The main characters were a little underdeveloped. Info about the world and backstory didn't always flow well with the narrative. The world-building was spotty. But none of these issues were extreme, and the only reason I pointed out the first book thing was to say that I think the author has potential to improve; I'd be willing to read more books that he writes.
And I do have to give credit where credit is due and say that the sex scene was one of the most realistic, imperfect---but still sexy---first-time sex scenes I've ever read. (Well, technically it wasn't the first for either, but it was the first time with another man for both.) I, for one, appreciate realistic sex scenes. Hale was kind of a jerk as a top though. He didn't do anything without consent, but he was impatient and seemed to care more about his pleasure than Justin's discomfort. I'd love to see him bottom in Book 2 just to see him get his comeuppance since, as he said himself, turnabout's fair play ;-)
I also thought the flirting between the two men was fun. The innuendos were so lame and obvious that I couldn't help but smile because, I mean, that was realistic too. I'm pretty sure that's exactly what innuendos sound like---really clever when you're the one saying them and you're in the moment flirting with someone, but actually really lame in reality lol.
The scene when they first met made me smile too because Justin reacted the way I imagine a fangirl would react to their favorite celebrity (which was essentially what the meeting was).
So overall, the writing, world-building, and character development were maybe not as good as they could've been, but they weren't bad either, I liked the gritty feel of the world, I appreciated the realistic sex scene, some of the scenes made me smile, and I think the author and story have potential!
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes gritty dystopian, hand-to-hand fight scenes, and M/M romance.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
July 5, 2017
3.5 Stars
This one was a little tough for me to get into in the beginning. I'm really not a fan of unnecessary violence. I don't like boxing/MMA etc in my tv life and I'm not a huge fan of it in the written either. With the opening of this story being so much about the actual fights in the Fray, there were a few too many details for me to really love it. Once Hale and Justin finally met though, well then I was on board. The chemistry between them was crazy and the mystery of how everything works has me seriously intrigued. I absolutely adored Charlie and I love how much Gin cares about her brother. Hale is so sweet with his daughter too. I wasn't sure at first if I'd want to read the second book in this series, but now I'm left hanging and definitely curious for more. Really great debut novel even if not everything was my personal cup of tea.
This one was a little tough for me to get into in the beginning. I'm really not a fan of unnecessary violence. I don't like boxing/MMA etc in my tv life and I'm not a huge fan of it in the written either. With the opening of this story being so much about the actual fights in the Fray, there were a few too many details for me to really love it. Once Hale and Justin finally met though, well then I was on board. The chemistry between them was crazy and the mystery of how everything works has me seriously intrigued. I absolutely adored Charlie and I love how much Gin cares about her brother. Hale is so sweet with his daughter too. I wasn't sure at first if I'd want to read the second book in this series, but now I'm left hanging and definitely curious for more. Really great debut novel even if not everything was my personal cup of tea.
May 30, 2017
Gritty science fiction meets one of my favorite tropes, enemies to lovers, and the incredible pacing coupled with a slow burn romance gives this story a delicious heat. Set in the grungy backdrop of a future Earth, our protagonists are underground fighters, but in a figurative sense, not literal. The soil and air are poisoned, and everyone who wants some sort of reasonable life expectancy lives above ground. Men are becoming sterile, while the birthrate of women plummets.
The politics and plot of this work are stellar. Instead of enslaving women, as you’d think our history would suggest the future ‘us’ would do if ovaries became endangered, their society gave women more rights and protections under the law than men, to protect them but also give them a better quality of life. That being said, there’s still sexism and there’s a major culture push for everyone to have as many healthy babies as possible, even though it seems Earth is doomed.
Justin lives with his sister and his differently-abled brother, trying to scrape up enough to send his brother to a special school. His sister’s status is higher than his, so when he gets into trouble with the cage fights he’s doing for money on the side, she has to bail him out. These events eventually lead to Justin being set up to take the fall in an extremely harrowing shadow fray match against one of the best underground fighters in the world, Black Jim.
Black Jim, or Hale, may be one of the best fighters there is, but in the current political climate his life isn’t easy. His daughter can’t live with him, because it’s a risky business, and even though his handler tries to protect him, Hale has people watching and coordinating his every move. It surprises everyone, including Hale, when he takes a shine to the new kid on the block, Justin.
There weren’t any plot surprises for me, but I enjoyed the fast pacing and rough diction, and while I also enjoyed the history and the snatches of politics, part of me was having a hard time visualizing the shape and feel of the world. Nothing was too strange or alien. It reminded me a bit of a less crazy (and, obviously, gayer) version of The Hunger Games.
There were quite a few gay issues explored. Both Justin and Hale kept some aspects of their sexuality hidden from society, and at one point, Hale hired a transwoman sex worker. There were quite a few transwomen in the world, and part of me understood that being the case because ciswomen were rarer, so being (or being with) a transwoman was seen as a necessary piece of society. I could speculate on whether or not Justin and Hale were gay or bisexual, but I don’t think that mattered. I do think Hale took advantage of transwomen being more accepted. He could get away with lying with a transwoman under the public eye, to an extent.
Another issue explored was the control the government had on male reproduction. Women seemed to be freer to sleep around while men were frowned upon if they had sex with other men… which I’m thinking would mean about seventy-five percent of the population isn’t getting their needs met. Is that an excuse for some of the violence and nastiness we see as the result of that? No. But it is thought provoking.
On the downside of things, I wasn’t particularly invested in either Hale or Justin, but I was interested in Justin’s sister. I was kinda curious how she could sustain that haughty attitude and get her bro out of trouble one way, but she was still living barely above ground and wasn’t able to improve their lives much. Not only that, she seems pretty sexually carefree, considering procreation should be a big deal. It made me curious how that all rolled down, politically and scientifically, but we don’t get much of an explanation besides class discrimination. What would happen to a woman in that society if they didn’t want to have children?
So many questions, but I have a feeling this ride isn’t over yet. Buckle up!
Reviewed by Ben for The Novel Approach
The politics and plot of this work are stellar. Instead of enslaving women, as you’d think our history would suggest the future ‘us’ would do if ovaries became endangered, their society gave women more rights and protections under the law than men, to protect them but also give them a better quality of life. That being said, there’s still sexism and there’s a major culture push for everyone to have as many healthy babies as possible, even though it seems Earth is doomed.
Justin lives with his sister and his differently-abled brother, trying to scrape up enough to send his brother to a special school. His sister’s status is higher than his, so when he gets into trouble with the cage fights he’s doing for money on the side, she has to bail him out. These events eventually lead to Justin being set up to take the fall in an extremely harrowing shadow fray match against one of the best underground fighters in the world, Black Jim.
Black Jim, or Hale, may be one of the best fighters there is, but in the current political climate his life isn’t easy. His daughter can’t live with him, because it’s a risky business, and even though his handler tries to protect him, Hale has people watching and coordinating his every move. It surprises everyone, including Hale, when he takes a shine to the new kid on the block, Justin.
There weren’t any plot surprises for me, but I enjoyed the fast pacing and rough diction, and while I also enjoyed the history and the snatches of politics, part of me was having a hard time visualizing the shape and feel of the world. Nothing was too strange or alien. It reminded me a bit of a less crazy (and, obviously, gayer) version of The Hunger Games.
There were quite a few gay issues explored. Both Justin and Hale kept some aspects of their sexuality hidden from society, and at one point, Hale hired a transwoman sex worker. There were quite a few transwomen in the world, and part of me understood that being the case because ciswomen were rarer, so being (or being with) a transwoman was seen as a necessary piece of society. I could speculate on whether or not Justin and Hale were gay or bisexual, but I don’t think that mattered. I do think Hale took advantage of transwomen being more accepted. He could get away with lying with a transwoman under the public eye, to an extent.
Another issue explored was the control the government had on male reproduction. Women seemed to be freer to sleep around while men were frowned upon if they had sex with other men… which I’m thinking would mean about seventy-five percent of the population isn’t getting their needs met. Is that an excuse for some of the violence and nastiness we see as the result of that? No. But it is thought provoking.
On the downside of things, I wasn’t particularly invested in either Hale or Justin, but I was interested in Justin’s sister. I was kinda curious how she could sustain that haughty attitude and get her bro out of trouble one way, but she was still living barely above ground and wasn’t able to improve their lives much. Not only that, she seems pretty sexually carefree, considering procreation should be a big deal. It made me curious how that all rolled down, politically and scientifically, but we don’t get much of an explanation besides class discrimination. What would happen to a woman in that society if they didn’t want to have children?
So many questions, but I have a feeling this ride isn’t over yet. Buckle up!
Reviewed by Ben for The Novel Approach
May 16, 2017
4 STARS
LINK TO BLOG http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/...
RELEASE DATE MAY 30, 2017
Review:
Shadow Fray is book one of a new dystopian style series and also the name of a new craze that’s been gathering momentum over the last few years on new earth. It also makes for the basis of the main storyline, Shadow Frays are brutal, no holds barred hand to hand combat fights. There is however strict regulations to these highly illegal fights and one unusual one, there is no crowd whatsoever. Only the two fighters and their respective handlers know the location of the new arena where the fight will occur. No killing to the death is permitted and absolutely no weapons. They do however have up to fifty camera’s recording their every move from every angle possible, streaming to the internet.
The novel is set one hundred years after what the new world now refer to as the thinning. One hundred years ago Earth had been ravaged by plague after a flu pandemic, which also included a huge rise in the ocean levels. No one has bothered to figure out exactly what happened or if they did, the remaining population hasn’t been informed. Everyone might be immune to all the diseases now but whatever caused it to happen also poisoned the very earth and turned it toxic.
People very quickly learnt that it was no longer viable to live on the ground in homes as ground sickness began turning people crazy and it eventually kills them. So everyone lives in high rise apartments and old skyscrapers. They’ve determined that if you manage to keep off the ground for twelve hours out of the day that you won’t get sick. This goes for pregnant women too, women are revered as there is substantially less women than men, but fertility rates are very low. Homosexuality is now illegal again and if caught it’s a literal death sentence as you’re labelled a non-breeder. I initially found this quite ridiculous but the author makes it work somehow.
Bradley Lloyd hasn’t made this book all about fighting and has also managed to incorporate a great balance of powerful family values. Family is not blood relatives in this world for everyone. Then he’s thrown in action, suspense, mystique and romance to produce a very well written book with excellent characters and intriguing sub-plots. They are all pulled together really well and it makes for a good read. I must admit I was expecting a variation on fight club but I was proven wrong very quickly.
As the old cities of New York and LA are no longer, the remainder of what was once The US is now run by Chicago in the Mid-West. The Great Lakes are considered the cleanest water supply in the world now. Although Chicago is running the country, the new government has way too many weaponised drones there too keep the peace so somewhere nearby is needed for these fights or Fray’s to take place. Although they happen all over the country the focal point for them is in Milwaukee. Which is also not too far from Chicago and known as Bruise City or Killwaukee.
People who survived and had knowledge of any form of tech, managed to pass on what they knew to keep transport running, from motorcycles, cars, trucks and trains. They also managed to keep the infrastructure of mobile phones up and running, old TV shows broadcasting, internet and electricity. Food is grown in specialised factories and the upper class or uppers have made their buildings one hundred percent self sufficient. Some of these people are also known as shutters. They have literally shut themselves in their building for life.
It’s a hard world though and work is scarce, if you lose your job you lose your home and livelihood. You’re then thrown into the streets and slowly succumb to ground sickness. Everyone is literally fighting for their lives both literally and figuratively now. A select few Shadow Fray fighters are driven into it to help keep their families future secure. Its now the most popular past time. A nasty incident during the opening fight scene looks like it might have changed the game forever. The online stats come rolling in and it reaches five hundred thousand hits, which is equal to half of the worlds remaining population.
This book revolves around two families and establishes a solid base for book one of a series. It’s very well written and has laid a solid foundation to easily keep building from. The main storyline and some of its sub-plots come together wonderfully and result in a medium sized cliffhanger, which I personally don’t like but I think it’s OK to do for a first novel.
**ARC supplied by the publisher in return for an honest review.**
LINK TO BLOG http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/...
RELEASE DATE MAY 30, 2017
Review:
Shadow Fray is book one of a new dystopian style series and also the name of a new craze that’s been gathering momentum over the last few years on new earth. It also makes for the basis of the main storyline, Shadow Frays are brutal, no holds barred hand to hand combat fights. There is however strict regulations to these highly illegal fights and one unusual one, there is no crowd whatsoever. Only the two fighters and their respective handlers know the location of the new arena where the fight will occur. No killing to the death is permitted and absolutely no weapons. They do however have up to fifty camera’s recording their every move from every angle possible, streaming to the internet.
The novel is set one hundred years after what the new world now refer to as the thinning. One hundred years ago Earth had been ravaged by plague after a flu pandemic, which also included a huge rise in the ocean levels. No one has bothered to figure out exactly what happened or if they did, the remaining population hasn’t been informed. Everyone might be immune to all the diseases now but whatever caused it to happen also poisoned the very earth and turned it toxic.
People very quickly learnt that it was no longer viable to live on the ground in homes as ground sickness began turning people crazy and it eventually kills them. So everyone lives in high rise apartments and old skyscrapers. They’ve determined that if you manage to keep off the ground for twelve hours out of the day that you won’t get sick. This goes for pregnant women too, women are revered as there is substantially less women than men, but fertility rates are very low. Homosexuality is now illegal again and if caught it’s a literal death sentence as you’re labelled a non-breeder. I initially found this quite ridiculous but the author makes it work somehow.
Bradley Lloyd hasn’t made this book all about fighting and has also managed to incorporate a great balance of powerful family values. Family is not blood relatives in this world for everyone. Then he’s thrown in action, suspense, mystique and romance to produce a very well written book with excellent characters and intriguing sub-plots. They are all pulled together really well and it makes for a good read. I must admit I was expecting a variation on fight club but I was proven wrong very quickly.
As the old cities of New York and LA are no longer, the remainder of what was once The US is now run by Chicago in the Mid-West. The Great Lakes are considered the cleanest water supply in the world now. Although Chicago is running the country, the new government has way too many weaponised drones there too keep the peace so somewhere nearby is needed for these fights or Fray’s to take place. Although they happen all over the country the focal point for them is in Milwaukee. Which is also not too far from Chicago and known as Bruise City or Killwaukee.
People who survived and had knowledge of any form of tech, managed to pass on what they knew to keep transport running, from motorcycles, cars, trucks and trains. They also managed to keep the infrastructure of mobile phones up and running, old TV shows broadcasting, internet and electricity. Food is grown in specialised factories and the upper class or uppers have made their buildings one hundred percent self sufficient. Some of these people are also known as shutters. They have literally shut themselves in their building for life.
It’s a hard world though and work is scarce, if you lose your job you lose your home and livelihood. You’re then thrown into the streets and slowly succumb to ground sickness. Everyone is literally fighting for their lives both literally and figuratively now. A select few Shadow Fray fighters are driven into it to help keep their families future secure. Its now the most popular past time. A nasty incident during the opening fight scene looks like it might have changed the game forever. The online stats come rolling in and it reaches five hundred thousand hits, which is equal to half of the worlds remaining population.
This book revolves around two families and establishes a solid base for book one of a series. It’s very well written and has laid a solid foundation to easily keep building from. The main storyline and some of its sub-plots come together wonderfully and result in a medium sized cliffhanger, which I personally don’t like but I think it’s OK to do for a first novel.
**ARC supplied by the publisher in return for an honest review.**
June 10, 2017
This is ot the normal type of book I read. Set in a future MidWest.
Justin looks after his litle brother and twin sister, and to help make ends meet he figts in the Shadow Fray.
In his second fight he meets Black Jim and after the fight Black Jim is left thinking anout Justin and trying to find him.
This book is a long build up. The MCs dont meet properly until around 60% and sex happens much, much later.
I liked the build up here. The back stories of both MCs.
The book ends at a good spot and then you realize that this is book one and book 2 isnt out yet.
I am going to add that the fight scenes are a little gory but its about life at that time.
Interesting. I will certainly read more.
Justin looks after his litle brother and twin sister, and to help make ends meet he figts in the Shadow Fray.
In his second fight he meets Black Jim and after the fight Black Jim is left thinking anout Justin and trying to find him.
This book is a long build up. The MCs dont meet properly until around 60% and sex happens much, much later.
I liked the build up here. The back stories of both MCs.
The book ends at a good spot and then you realize that this is book one and book 2 isnt out yet.
I am going to add that the fight scenes are a little gory but its about life at that time.
Interesting. I will certainly read more.
June 18, 2017
Interesting. I thought the vividness of the world was outstanding - like ours, but not. There were a lot of teasers - a lot of unexplained things. I'm not sure how all the characters play a role (or not) and I'm still not really clear on certain plot points. This had the sexiest fight-then-sex scene I've ever read. I was all up into that business.
May 31, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.25 stars
To be perfectly blunt, I was almost dissatisfied with how this book played out. There are a lot of independent elements at work in the plot. There’s the dystopian world that actively affects the life and circumstances of our MCs: Justin and family are just barely able to make ends meet, Black Jim (aka Hale) lives in relative luxury. There’s the secret world of the Shadow Fray. No one officially recognizes this institution, but there are fights in various locations that are filmed and broadcast; given the illicit nature of the “sport,” however, participants must keep low profiles—if the physical damage they receive during fights makes them identifiable to the public at large, these contestants run the risk of some form of punishment. There’s the romance that sparks between Justin and Hale. There’s both Justin’s and Hale’s individual spheres of influence (friends, family), which are distinctly lower- and upper-class respectively.
Of all of these various elements, only the love story really achieves a satisfactory wrap-up (if not out-right conclusion) by the end of the story. The others are all given much on-page attention and fleshed out, but how or why they are significant isn’t made clear enough. When I consider these elements through a quasi-Vito Russo* lens, I’m left questioning what the importance is of Justin’s younger brother Charlie and Hale’s daughter. By the end of this book, I was also perplexed with the stigma attached to being gay in this world. Justin makes it clear being gay is “bad” while at the same time explaining that the number of females able to conceive children is dwindling ever lower. If there was any justification for stigmatizing men for loving other men because women can’t bear children, I totally missed it. It does add a little drama and suspense to Justin and Hale’s budding relationship, but the fact that they are the top two Shadow Fray fighters and being together even as friends is apparently against all the rules gives plenty of (more deserved, I say) suspense than this seemingly arbitrary social “norm.”
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
3.25 stars
To be perfectly blunt, I was almost dissatisfied with how this book played out. There are a lot of independent elements at work in the plot. There’s the dystopian world that actively affects the life and circumstances of our MCs: Justin and family are just barely able to make ends meet, Black Jim (aka Hale) lives in relative luxury. There’s the secret world of the Shadow Fray. No one officially recognizes this institution, but there are fights in various locations that are filmed and broadcast; given the illicit nature of the “sport,” however, participants must keep low profiles—if the physical damage they receive during fights makes them identifiable to the public at large, these contestants run the risk of some form of punishment. There’s the romance that sparks between Justin and Hale. There’s both Justin’s and Hale’s individual spheres of influence (friends, family), which are distinctly lower- and upper-class respectively.
Of all of these various elements, only the love story really achieves a satisfactory wrap-up (if not out-right conclusion) by the end of the story. The others are all given much on-page attention and fleshed out, but how or why they are significant isn’t made clear enough. When I consider these elements through a quasi-Vito Russo* lens, I’m left questioning what the importance is of Justin’s younger brother Charlie and Hale’s daughter. By the end of this book, I was also perplexed with the stigma attached to being gay in this world. Justin makes it clear being gay is “bad” while at the same time explaining that the number of females able to conceive children is dwindling ever lower. If there was any justification for stigmatizing men for loving other men because women can’t bear children, I totally missed it. It does add a little drama and suspense to Justin and Hale’s budding relationship, but the fact that they are the top two Shadow Fray fighters and being together even as friends is apparently against all the rules gives plenty of (more deserved, I say) suspense than this seemingly arbitrary social “norm.”
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
July 25, 2017
3.5 stars
July 9, 2017
Review can be read at It's About The Book
This book starts off so raw and violent. Think illegal televised Fight Club in a world where disease has ravaged the human race. Women of birthing age are rare. Babies aren’t born often any longer. Your time on the ground must be limited because of fear of exposure to toxins. The higher you are in your building the better off you are. Both physically and socially. Everyone spies on everyone for money or power. All Justin has in the world are his brother and sister. He would do anything for them. Including fighting for money. Even if it would mean him being arrested.
Hale is the biggest name in the underground fights known as the Frey. He makes good money and loves to fight but things are catching up to him. It’s getting harder to keep his real life and his secret life separate. Hale has a daughter who is being raised by his best friend. She doesn’t know he’s her dad. Things in the Frey have just turned a corner. Someone is maneuvering things and breaking the rules for ratings.
I didn’t realize this was going to be a series when I picked it up. Totally my fault. I think that affected how I felt about the book however. I kept waiting for something big to happen that never came. For the guys to find their way out of the mess they’re in. There’s certainly anticipation of what will come next. Will they be found out? The build up to the next Frey. Who is behind it all? What do they know about Justin? Why are they targeting Hale? So many things I wanted to know. Then the book just ends. I’m not always a fan of cliffhangers and this one really isn’t I guess. It just stops. Again. I didn’t realize this was a series and expected some resolution to all the questions raised in the book. Days later I’m fine with it. Right after I finished not so much. The first half of the story is setting up the world building and the situation the MCs are currently in. Then the second half is about Justin and Hale getting to know each and give into their lust for each other. Which of course develops into feelings. They both like the intensity of fighting and having someone overpower them. Justin hasn’t ever been with another man so he’s hesitant to give into what they’re feeling. While I was drawn into the story parts of it did crawl. Things are changing for the guys. Justin was desperate and made a deal with the devil in his handler. Now he realizes he needs help getting out of his current predicament. Hale offers him help but he’s just a fighter himself. A mostly anonymous one. Or so he thought. The ones with the real power are the “Uppers”. Someone has plans for them. The guys are just pawns in their games. I think that was the best part of this book for me. There’s a feeling of fear and paranoia that lingers throughout the book. The way it’s written keeps you on edge. I’ll definitely be reading the next book. I need to know things! Basically I would recommend this book but if you don’t like cliffhangers or need resolution maybe wait for the next book to come out.
This book starts off so raw and violent. Think illegal televised Fight Club in a world where disease has ravaged the human race. Women of birthing age are rare. Babies aren’t born often any longer. Your time on the ground must be limited because of fear of exposure to toxins. The higher you are in your building the better off you are. Both physically and socially. Everyone spies on everyone for money or power. All Justin has in the world are his brother and sister. He would do anything for them. Including fighting for money. Even if it would mean him being arrested.
Hale is the biggest name in the underground fights known as the Frey. He makes good money and loves to fight but things are catching up to him. It’s getting harder to keep his real life and his secret life separate. Hale has a daughter who is being raised by his best friend. She doesn’t know he’s her dad. Things in the Frey have just turned a corner. Someone is maneuvering things and breaking the rules for ratings.
I didn’t realize this was going to be a series when I picked it up. Totally my fault. I think that affected how I felt about the book however. I kept waiting for something big to happen that never came. For the guys to find their way out of the mess they’re in. There’s certainly anticipation of what will come next. Will they be found out? The build up to the next Frey. Who is behind it all? What do they know about Justin? Why are they targeting Hale? So many things I wanted to know. Then the book just ends. I’m not always a fan of cliffhangers and this one really isn’t I guess. It just stops. Again. I didn’t realize this was a series and expected some resolution to all the questions raised in the book. Days later I’m fine with it. Right after I finished not so much. The first half of the story is setting up the world building and the situation the MCs are currently in. Then the second half is about Justin and Hale getting to know each and give into their lust for each other. Which of course develops into feelings. They both like the intensity of fighting and having someone overpower them. Justin hasn’t ever been with another man so he’s hesitant to give into what they’re feeling. While I was drawn into the story parts of it did crawl. Things are changing for the guys. Justin was desperate and made a deal with the devil in his handler. Now he realizes he needs help getting out of his current predicament. Hale offers him help but he’s just a fighter himself. A mostly anonymous one. Or so he thought. The ones with the real power are the “Uppers”. Someone has plans for them. The guys are just pawns in their games. I think that was the best part of this book for me. There’s a feeling of fear and paranoia that lingers throughout the book. The way it’s written keeps you on edge. I’ll definitely be reading the next book. I need to know things! Basically I would recommend this book but if you don’t like cliffhangers or need resolution maybe wait for the next book to come out.
November 28, 2017
This was a tale of two novels for me.
The first half of the book reads like an intriguing and well-developed dystopian future. The earth has been poisoned (literally) and the only way to survive is living above the ground in high rises and scrounging for whatever work can be found.
One of the only forms of entertainment is illegal fights called Shadow Fray. The fighters only learn days in advance where and when they'll be fighting but never who they're fighting until the moment they step in the ring. The combatants wear masks to disguise their true identities and the fights are televised online and are over as quickly as possible before the cops can show up to make arrests.
In the midst of this we meet Hale, a seasoned fighter at the top of his game with a daughter to protect. And then there's Justin, an up-and-comer with a baby brother and twin sister to take care of. Hale knows he only has limited time left in the Fray and Justin is only beginning his journey in the ring. The two men are drawn to each other, initially respecting one another's talents and eventually more.
Bradley Lloyd creates a deeply intense world where brutality is admired and survival means making the hard choices. He explores the idea of family: those we are born with and those we make, and the lengths we'll go to protect the ones we love. With power and precision we're invited into a world where the line between cruelty and pain blurs with that of love and sex. There's no kink, no safe words here. Just the eroticism that comes from two sweaty bodies beating the crap out of each to see who'll be the last man standing. Think the TV show Spartacus without the accents.
Then we come to the second half of the book where Hale discover's Justin's true identity and the plot from the first half is practically abandoned and we slip into a comfortable, standard m/m book. While there's nothing wrong with m/m and Lloyd does write some candid and incredibly hot scenes, it feels like a completely different novel from the first half of the book. I wanted to learn more. To know more about this world. To get deeper into the Shadow Fray and the mysterious group behind the games. Instead we had longing glances and a rather protracted first kiss and the obligatory first penetration.
Again -- it's all well done. It's all sweaty and sexy and everything you'd want it to be. It just doesn't seem to fit with the first half. And that's a shame because the first half really stands out as something unique in the world of gay genre fiction.
I'll be back for more. Lloyd's a solid writer. He's a good world builder and has some intriguing themes he's exploring. It's just next time, I'll know better what to expect.
The first half of the book reads like an intriguing and well-developed dystopian future. The earth has been poisoned (literally) and the only way to survive is living above the ground in high rises and scrounging for whatever work can be found.
One of the only forms of entertainment is illegal fights called Shadow Fray. The fighters only learn days in advance where and when they'll be fighting but never who they're fighting until the moment they step in the ring. The combatants wear masks to disguise their true identities and the fights are televised online and are over as quickly as possible before the cops can show up to make arrests.
In the midst of this we meet Hale, a seasoned fighter at the top of his game with a daughter to protect. And then there's Justin, an up-and-comer with a baby brother and twin sister to take care of. Hale knows he only has limited time left in the Fray and Justin is only beginning his journey in the ring. The two men are drawn to each other, initially respecting one another's talents and eventually more.
Bradley Lloyd creates a deeply intense world where brutality is admired and survival means making the hard choices. He explores the idea of family: those we are born with and those we make, and the lengths we'll go to protect the ones we love. With power and precision we're invited into a world where the line between cruelty and pain blurs with that of love and sex. There's no kink, no safe words here. Just the eroticism that comes from two sweaty bodies beating the crap out of each to see who'll be the last man standing. Think the TV show Spartacus without the accents.
Then we come to the second half of the book where Hale discover's Justin's true identity and the plot from the first half is practically abandoned and we slip into a comfortable, standard m/m book. While there's nothing wrong with m/m and Lloyd does write some candid and incredibly hot scenes, it feels like a completely different novel from the first half of the book. I wanted to learn more. To know more about this world. To get deeper into the Shadow Fray and the mysterious group behind the games. Instead we had longing glances and a rather protracted first kiss and the obligatory first penetration.
Again -- it's all well done. It's all sweaty and sexy and everything you'd want it to be. It just doesn't seem to fit with the first half. And that's a shame because the first half really stands out as something unique in the world of gay genre fiction.
I'll be back for more. Lloyd's a solid writer. He's a good world builder and has some intriguing themes he's exploring. It's just next time, I'll know better what to expect.
May 29, 2017
A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words review
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
For the full review visit http://wp.me/p220KL-aFj on 5/30
From that review: " Shadow Fray (Shadow Fray: Round One) by Bradley Lloyd is a terrific story. It's just the sort of book that gets me thinking on so many levels and that's due primarily to the excellent world building here. Lloyd has created a future earth where a catastrophic event, now called The Thinning, has raised the water levels globally, sinking all coastal cities and lands, shattering governments, technologies and making the ground so toxic that anyone who lives on the surface slowly dies, succumbing to a madness and "ground sickness". Those left, reformed into inland cities, mainly Chicago where the government is centered. People live in the high rises left, the higher the floor the better (and the wealthier the people).
Some technologies were saved from the "before times", so internet, mobile phones, TV (using only the old tapes of shows and movies stored, nothing new has been produced except Shadow Fray games, more on that soon), cars, trucks and even trains are running. Farms are run again by the large companies like Exxon and DuPont on raised buildings and guarded by drones, as it everything else. Some people (the Shutters) never leave their condos, the idea being make your living area and building self sufficient..."
For all our reviews, author interviews and other things books, visit us at http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords...
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
For the full review visit http://wp.me/p220KL-aFj on 5/30
From that review: " Shadow Fray (Shadow Fray: Round One) by Bradley Lloyd is a terrific story. It's just the sort of book that gets me thinking on so many levels and that's due primarily to the excellent world building here. Lloyd has created a future earth where a catastrophic event, now called The Thinning, has raised the water levels globally, sinking all coastal cities and lands, shattering governments, technologies and making the ground so toxic that anyone who lives on the surface slowly dies, succumbing to a madness and "ground sickness". Those left, reformed into inland cities, mainly Chicago where the government is centered. People live in the high rises left, the higher the floor the better (and the wealthier the people).
Some technologies were saved from the "before times", so internet, mobile phones, TV (using only the old tapes of shows and movies stored, nothing new has been produced except Shadow Fray games, more on that soon), cars, trucks and even trains are running. Farms are run again by the large companies like Exxon and DuPont on raised buildings and guarded by drones, as it everything else. Some people (the Shutters) never leave their condos, the idea being make your living area and building self sufficient..."
For all our reviews, author interviews and other things books, visit us at http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords...
June 28, 2017
WOW! This book is hard to rate and the review is even harder to write... *headdesk*
This was an extremely well-written story with more sub-plots than I have ever encountered in a book before... not sure if this will be a good thing or a bad thing as the series continues. And, I am not sure that I will continue with the series...
Sad to say, Charlie was my favorite character in the story and I would love to see how he plays into the future of all of the adults in the book! I found, strangely enough, that the storyline bored me... yes, there were a few scenes that grabbed me and my eyes would pop open and then... off I would drift again! This is through no fault of the author... I am just not a huge fan of the whole "fight scene" and as an older woman, I have a tendency to stay away from sports in any form... and even though the Fray is darker and dirtier than sports of today (public ones, at any rate) it is still a sport with spectators that keep demanding more and more no matter how wrong it is... yeah, not my cup of tea. But, I am sure that it works for many others and for them this would be an excellent read!
Even though I would like to give this story 4-stars, I just can't justify it... this is a 5-star read! I guess this is a case of even though I didn't love it, I certainly could appreciate the excellence of the finished product! Job well done Mr. Lloyd and I hope that in the future, Charlie will make the rest of the series worth waiting for and worth reading! ;D
This was an extremely well-written story with more sub-plots than I have ever encountered in a book before... not sure if this will be a good thing or a bad thing as the series continues. And, I am not sure that I will continue with the series...
Sad to say, Charlie was my favorite character in the story and I would love to see how he plays into the future of all of the adults in the book! I found, strangely enough, that the storyline bored me... yes, there were a few scenes that grabbed me and my eyes would pop open and then... off I would drift again! This is through no fault of the author... I am just not a huge fan of the whole "fight scene" and as an older woman, I have a tendency to stay away from sports in any form... and even though the Fray is darker and dirtier than sports of today (public ones, at any rate) it is still a sport with spectators that keep demanding more and more no matter how wrong it is... yeah, not my cup of tea. But, I am sure that it works for many others and for them this would be an excellent read!
Even though I would like to give this story 4-stars, I just can't justify it... this is a 5-star read! I guess this is a case of even though I didn't love it, I certainly could appreciate the excellence of the finished product! Job well done Mr. Lloyd and I hope that in the future, Charlie will make the rest of the series worth waiting for and worth reading! ;D
July 9, 2017
The dystopian world that Bradley Lloyd has created in Shadow Fray is one of the best that I’ve come across. The theme of family and what these men will do to protect theirs is one that anyone can relate to, and is a perfect contrast to the cold, paranoid world they live in.
I really didn’t want this book to end. The characters here are fully-realized, and by the end, I knew that I had to know what was next for Justin and Hale, so I’m glad that there will be more coming. The fight scenes had me on the edge of my seat, the suspense was palpable, and the sex scenes were the sort of hot, smoldering scenes that you want in a book with this much sexual tension.
You really can’t go wrong with this book. It's action-packed and erotic as hell. Highly recommended.
I really didn’t want this book to end. The characters here are fully-realized, and by the end, I knew that I had to know what was next for Justin and Hale, so I’m glad that there will be more coming. The fight scenes had me on the edge of my seat, the suspense was palpable, and the sex scenes were the sort of hot, smoldering scenes that you want in a book with this much sexual tension.
You really can’t go wrong with this book. It's action-packed and erotic as hell. Highly recommended.
June 29, 2017
I like Dystopia. This one is well done. The world is well drawn out. The violence of the fights wasn't glossed over.
This might not be considered a cliff hanger, but I'm left with more questions than anything.
What's going to happen at the fight?
How are they going to end up getting together with so many obstacles?
What about scarecrow?
What about the families.
What, what, what!
Guess I'll have to get in line for book 2.
This might not be considered a cliff hanger, but I'm left with more questions than anything.
What's going to happen at the fight?
How are they going to end up getting together with so many obstacles?
What about scarecrow?
What about the families.
What, what, what!
Guess I'll have to get in line for book 2.
June 30, 2017
I so enjoyed the world building and characters in this book! The romance is definitely secondary to the dystopian world and character building but still enjoyable. I BETTER get more in this series--and sooner the better!
May 30, 2017
I love this author, so I'm really excited that this is finally out! The world is great, and BL's writing is so well done. Plus I love the characters. I'll try to paraphrase without any spoilers, but the two main characters--Justin and Hale--are really hot. Full disclosure--I'm totally on Team Hale. The star-crossed, forbidden romance between these two characters pulls at you even when you are taking a break from reading the book. BL sets up a slow burn between Justin and Hale that runs throughout the book, but leaves the reader totally satisfied in the end. The plot is interesting too. This definitely is book 1 of the series, but what I really like is that it feels complete at the end, while also creating a cliff-hanger of sorts for the next book. I'm not a MMA enthusiast, but the Shadow Fray is so intriguing, and the fight scenes are exciting--they're realistic and brutal, but not gory. The combination of action, romance, and a flat-out brilliant world makes this my top recommendation for a great summer read.
November 28, 2017
Good god yes!!!
Love everything about this book!!! I have to say though the best part about this ahem...steamy...novel is the fantastic pacing. So many m/m authors rush to gratuitous sex at the cost of that oh so yummy slow burn. Lloyd takes his time introducing you to his characters, building investment in the reader's heart and...well loins. OK OK I'm thirsting hard over these two, but in all seriousness, the main and secondary characters are well developed/multifaceted. This is a fascinating and unique take on the usual dystopian m/m fare. No pressure on the second book, but if it could just materialize on my Kindle tomorrow, that would be cool too.
Love everything about this book!!! I have to say though the best part about this ahem...steamy...novel is the fantastic pacing. So many m/m authors rush to gratuitous sex at the cost of that oh so yummy slow burn. Lloyd takes his time introducing you to his characters, building investment in the reader's heart and...well loins. OK OK I'm thirsting hard over these two, but in all seriousness, the main and secondary characters are well developed/multifaceted. This is a fascinating and unique take on the usual dystopian m/m fare. No pressure on the second book, but if it could just materialize on my Kindle tomorrow, that would be cool too.
June 24, 2017
Gritty Urban Science Fiction and one of my favorite tropes, enemies to lovers! The pacing was incredible, the fights were intense, and there was thoughtful worldbuilding. All in all, I recommend this first book in what is sure to be a page-gripping series.
April 19, 2017
Full review is coming at :
OptimuMM - Home of MM Book Reviews
OptimuMM - Home of MM Book Reviews
July 24, 2017
Shadow Fray was hands down one of the best books I've read in recent memory.
Lloyd does an outstanding job with the fight scenes, you can tell by his reading and description in the fights he knows what he's talking about and is very driven to make sure it's accurate. The fight scenes are easy to follow, which is a difficult task with how MMA fighting goes. However, the way Lloyd wrote the fights made it very easy to know everything that was going on, instead of wondering how that leg or arm got where it was, the detail is impenetrable.
The 2 main characters are fantastically described, no details are left out from Justin, nor Hale, and I mean none (Team Hale all the way). The romance in the book is just as well written as the fights, and are filled with firey passion. The physical romances are also written with extraordinary detail, which is also well appreciated by myself as a reader. The book isn't all about the hot and heavy either, those scenes are flowed into wonderfully, they don't feel forced or plugged, whatsoever.
I'm very excited to continue reading this series, the end of the book leaves you with a lot of questions, but at the same time doesn't make it feel like there was any holes in the story. It's an extremely satisfying read altogether, and I'm anticipating an even better sequel.
Get this book, if you haven't already!
Lloyd does an outstanding job with the fight scenes, you can tell by his reading and description in the fights he knows what he's talking about and is very driven to make sure it's accurate. The fight scenes are easy to follow, which is a difficult task with how MMA fighting goes. However, the way Lloyd wrote the fights made it very easy to know everything that was going on, instead of wondering how that leg or arm got where it was, the detail is impenetrable.
The 2 main characters are fantastically described, no details are left out from Justin, nor Hale, and I mean none (Team Hale all the way). The romance in the book is just as well written as the fights, and are filled with firey passion. The physical romances are also written with extraordinary detail, which is also well appreciated by myself as a reader. The book isn't all about the hot and heavy either, those scenes are flowed into wonderfully, they don't feel forced or plugged, whatsoever.
I'm very excited to continue reading this series, the end of the book leaves you with a lot of questions, but at the same time doesn't make it feel like there was any holes in the story. It's an extremely satisfying read altogether, and I'm anticipating an even better sequel.
Get this book, if you haven't already!
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