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The Wicked Stepbrother and Other Stories
Fairy tales. Prince Charming fights evil, wins the princess, lives happily ever after. Three sons, three wishes, witches, dragons, a quest, and happily ever after.
These stories are part of our cultural fabric. The stories change in retellings to reflect contemporary culture, such as Princess Charming, or heroes and heroines as people of color. In this collection, queer characters take center stage in stories that grew out of
What if the prince falls in love with Cinderella's gay stepbrother? What if Rumpelstiltskin doesn't really want the Queen's child but rather the King himself? What if Beauty and the Beast are two men?
These stories explore metaphors of magic and the magical, this time, with a gay perspective. What price must be paid for happily ever after? Duty or love? Is love worth great sacrifice? Once upon a time ...
These stories are part of our cultural fabric. The stories change in retellings to reflect contemporary culture, such as Princess Charming, or heroes and heroines as people of color. In this collection, queer characters take center stage in stories that grew out of
What if the prince falls in love with Cinderella's gay stepbrother? What if Rumpelstiltskin doesn't really want the Queen's child but rather the King himself? What if Beauty and the Beast are two men?
These stories explore metaphors of magic and the magical, this time, with a gay perspective. What price must be paid for happily ever after? Duty or love? Is love worth great sacrifice? Once upon a time ...
262 pages, Paperback
First published September 23, 2020
About the author
Warren Rochelle
15 books42 followersWarren Rochelle lives in Crozet, Virginia. He retired from teaching English at the University of Mary Washington in 2020. His short fiction and poetry have been published in such journals and anthologies as Icarus, North Carolina Literary Review, Forbidden Lines, Aboriginal Science Fiction, Collective Fallout, Queer Fish 2, Empty Oaks, Quantum Fairy Tales, Migration, Clarity, Innovation, The Silver Gryphon, Jaelle Her Book, Colonnades, and Graffiti, as well as the Asheville Poetry Review, GW Magazine, Crucible, The Charlotte Poetry Review, and Romance and Beyond. His short story, “The Golden Boy,” was a finalist for the 2004 Spectrum Award for Short Fiction.
Rochelle is the author of five novels. The Wild Boy (2001), Harvest of Changelings (2007), and The Called (2010),were all published by Golden Gryphon Press. The Werewolf and His Boy, originally published by Samhain Publishing in September 2016, was re-released from JMS Books in August 2020. His fifth novel, In Light’s Shadow, was published by JMS Books in September 2022. His first story collection, The Wicked Stepbrother and Other Stories was published by JMS Books in September 2020. His second collection, To Bring Him Home and Other Tales, was published in September 2021, by JMS Books. A third collection, The Great Forest and Other Love Stories was published by JMS Books in November 2024.
A stand-alone story, “Seagulls,” was released by JMS Books in September 2021.
A second stand-alone story, “Susurrus,” was published by JMS Books in November 2022
Rochelle is the author of five novels. The Wild Boy (2001), Harvest of Changelings (2007), and The Called (2010),were all published by Golden Gryphon Press. The Werewolf and His Boy, originally published by Samhain Publishing in September 2016, was re-released from JMS Books in August 2020. His fifth novel, In Light’s Shadow, was published by JMS Books in September 2022. His first story collection, The Wicked Stepbrother and Other Stories was published by JMS Books in September 2020. His second collection, To Bring Him Home and Other Tales, was published in September 2021, by JMS Books. A third collection, The Great Forest and Other Love Stories was published by JMS Books in November 2024.
A stand-alone story, “Seagulls,” was released by JMS Books in September 2021.
A second stand-alone story, “Susurrus,” was published by JMS Books in November 2022
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 4, 2021
This is a collection of fairytales and all of them are to be considered as set in the same universe as the timeline at the end of the book tells us explicitly.
This is not the first collection I read where fairytales turn darker and or gay-er. The author's take on the subject matter is letting reality intrude into the fabric of his tales, sometimes explicitly and sometimes indirectly by importing concepts such as homophobia, discriminatory laws and - yes - gay clubs.
This choice clashes with my personal dislike for (most) urban fantasies. I read fantasy (and fairytales) to escape, not to be reminded of my own reality.
But this is a matter of personal taste.
The real problem with this collection is that it often loses its focus. The author wants to create a fairytale world where the HEA is achieved after very real and very painful struggles and even then not entirely? Fine (not by me, but fine), but then characterization needs to be top notch, detailed without being invasive, and plot construction must flow without resorting to easy deus ex machina(s).
Beauty and the Beast is possibly the finest of them all, but Sherman's is not as a full-fledged, tridimentional character as the Beast. And it jars.
The Wicked Stepbrother is probably the most ambitious story (and the most ambitious character).
Don't get me wrong, it is decent, but, despite the clear efforts, Calum is not as deep as he should. And Aidan is oh-so-thin...
All in all, a good effort, well worth a read... but a revision might do it a lot of good either by going deeper with character development or by simply reinstating more "fairy" to the tales.
This is not the first collection I read where fairytales turn darker and or gay-er. The author's take on the subject matter is letting reality intrude into the fabric of his tales, sometimes explicitly and sometimes indirectly by importing concepts such as homophobia, discriminatory laws and - yes - gay clubs.
This choice clashes with my personal dislike for (most) urban fantasies. I read fantasy (and fairytales) to escape, not to be reminded of my own reality.
But this is a matter of personal taste.
The real problem with this collection is that it often loses its focus. The author wants to create a fairytale world where the HEA is achieved after very real and very painful struggles and even then not entirely? Fine (not by me, but fine), but then characterization needs to be top notch, detailed without being invasive, and plot construction must flow without resorting to easy deus ex machina(s).
Beauty and the Beast is possibly the finest of them all, but Sherman's is not as a full-fledged, tridimentional character as the Beast. And it jars.
The Wicked Stepbrother is probably the most ambitious story (and the most ambitious character).
Don't get me wrong, it is decent, but, despite the clear efforts, Calum is not as deep as he should. And Aidan is oh-so-thin...
All in all, a good effort, well worth a read... but a revision might do it a lot of good either by going deeper with character development or by simply reinstating more "fairy" to the tales.
November 19, 2020
Wicked Stepbrother
MMy Thoughts Confessions and Review:
I love a delightful surprise because at my age you do not get many. Especially in books!! Most especially in “retelling” stories. However, this compilation of fairy-tale retellings was so fresh and alive it thrummed with energy and its own rhythm and warmth, much like a human heart. So much so, after a while, you could feel it begin to beat in time with your own.
I love that while I was familiar with a couple of the retellings, like, Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast, it was the new take on Rumplestiltskin that stole my heart. I got swept away by the storytelling, the characters, and the friendship between Prince Killian and Caroline Rose.
There were also retellings on offer I was not familiar with that I want to investigate more. A couple of my favorites included the titled, “Feathers,” and “The Boy on McGee Street” (my absolute favorite). The last, a story of grief, loss, hopelessness, and finally of closure, acceptance, and hope for a new day. It is filled will all the emotions we all experience at least once in our lives. It gently reminds us that it is okay and acceptable to feel all we feel for a season of time. It also reminds us life is meant to be lived, so we should grieve while we need to, but not stay stuck in our grief…forever.
To my ultimate delight, the author did something rather special for the reader. At the end of the stories was a section titled, “Some Thoughts on Gay Retellings as Rhetorical Acts,” where the author discusses feminism in fairy tale retellings, and the importance of gay fairy-tale retellings. I enjoyed this part of the book just as much if not a smidge more than the stories themselves. You can tell just how much love, time, and research have gone into the stories from the articles written at the end of the works. Reading this bonus material enhanced my experience and overall enjoyment of this book.
Sharonica’s Logic: 4.50 perpetual-happily-ever-after-stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟. ✨
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Other Worlds Ink to read and review.
📚🌈📚
MMy Thoughts Confessions and Review:
I love a delightful surprise because at my age you do not get many. Especially in books!! Most especially in “retelling” stories. However, this compilation of fairy-tale retellings was so fresh and alive it thrummed with energy and its own rhythm and warmth, much like a human heart. So much so, after a while, you could feel it begin to beat in time with your own.
I love that while I was familiar with a couple of the retellings, like, Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast, it was the new take on Rumplestiltskin that stole my heart. I got swept away by the storytelling, the characters, and the friendship between Prince Killian and Caroline Rose.
There were also retellings on offer I was not familiar with that I want to investigate more. A couple of my favorites included the titled, “Feathers,” and “The Boy on McGee Street” (my absolute favorite). The last, a story of grief, loss, hopelessness, and finally of closure, acceptance, and hope for a new day. It is filled will all the emotions we all experience at least once in our lives. It gently reminds us that it is okay and acceptable to feel all we feel for a season of time. It also reminds us life is meant to be lived, so we should grieve while we need to, but not stay stuck in our grief…forever.
To my ultimate delight, the author did something rather special for the reader. At the end of the stories was a section titled, “Some Thoughts on Gay Retellings as Rhetorical Acts,” where the author discusses feminism in fairy tale retellings, and the importance of gay fairy-tale retellings. I enjoyed this part of the book just as much if not a smidge more than the stories themselves. You can tell just how much love, time, and research have gone into the stories from the articles written at the end of the works. Reading this bonus material enhanced my experience and overall enjoyment of this book.
Sharonica’s Logic: 4.50 perpetual-happily-ever-after-stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟. ✨
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Other Worlds Ink to read and review.
📚🌈📚
September 3, 2022
In his introduction to The Wicked Stepbrother and Other Stories, Warren Rochelle writes that he believes “love, in its myriad forms, is the most powerful force in the universe,” and it is that spirit that guides this collection of LGBTQ+ fairy tale retellings.
That being said, these are retellings of the classic fairy tales, not the Disney versions, and that means there’s a lot of darkness and sex to the stories, and happily-ever-afters do not come without pain and self-reflection. Mirrors, one of my favorite stories in the collection, is particularly dark, dealing with closeted love, suicide, and remorse, which makes the eventual discovery of love all the more poignant, while the title story, The Wicked Stepbrother, goes to some very dark, cruel places before finally allowing love to be recognized.
While I wasn’t so much a fan of the stories that brought the fairy tales into contemporary times, something about the contrast between magic and reality in Luck really worked for me, and I loved the interplay of Narnia/Middle Earth and North Carolina Weirdness in The Boy on McGee Street – and it’s last line is poetic perfection.
I was a bit disappointed that all of the retellings M/M queer, when the blurb mentioned Princess Charming and heroines as people of color, but in hindsight I realize that we me misreading context versus content, and it’s a minor quibble. This was a well-written collection that puts original twists on the stories and demonstrates real heart.
https://femledfantasy.home.blog/2020/...
That being said, these are retellings of the classic fairy tales, not the Disney versions, and that means there’s a lot of darkness and sex to the stories, and happily-ever-afters do not come without pain and self-reflection. Mirrors, one of my favorite stories in the collection, is particularly dark, dealing with closeted love, suicide, and remorse, which makes the eventual discovery of love all the more poignant, while the title story, The Wicked Stepbrother, goes to some very dark, cruel places before finally allowing love to be recognized.
While I wasn’t so much a fan of the stories that brought the fairy tales into contemporary times, something about the contrast between magic and reality in Luck really worked for me, and I loved the interplay of Narnia/Middle Earth and North Carolina Weirdness in The Boy on McGee Street – and it’s last line is poetic perfection.
I was a bit disappointed that all of the retellings M/M queer, when the blurb mentioned Princess Charming and heroines as people of color, but in hindsight I realize that we me misreading context versus content, and it’s a minor quibble. This was a well-written collection that puts original twists on the stories and demonstrates real heart.
https://femledfantasy.home.blog/2020/...
August 8, 2021
What I Think: The intro to this anthology was enough to make me plunge headlong ino it. A retelling of childhood classics set in a fantasy realm with all the queer characters I always craved. And for this, I sincerely thank you, Msr. Warren, for making some of my inner child’s dreams come true. Now, let’s hope I can actually select favorites. If I love them all, then its up in the air. Walk with me?
Finroc Macfinniel Silmaire: A gorgeous retelling involving a lesbian couple and a gay couple that should never have been separated. Warning! Rant Ahead: Can people just mind their business sometimes? I’m yet to see how what happens between 2 consenting adults and behind closed doors concerns anyone. Especially when you look around and real crimes, oppression, enslavement and a total absence of human rights are still the norm. How do all these negative people find the time to screw up their priorities? Between brain fog and my usual ‘head in the clouds’, I can barely... For the rest of this review, do go here - https://thequilleandlampe.wordpress.c...
Finroc Macfinniel Silmaire: A gorgeous retelling involving a lesbian couple and a gay couple that should never have been separated. Warning! Rant Ahead: Can people just mind their business sometimes? I’m yet to see how what happens between 2 consenting adults and behind closed doors concerns anyone. Especially when you look around and real crimes, oppression, enslavement and a total absence of human rights are still the norm. How do all these negative people find the time to screw up their priorities? Between brain fog and my usual ‘head in the clouds’, I can barely... For the rest of this review, do go here - https://thequilleandlampe.wordpress.c...
July 10, 2025
Noooooo! This left me feeling very very sad. The author had noted upfront that he was aiming for hopeful more so than happily ever after. He more or less achieved that, except there is sad hopeful versus happy hopeful. Each one of these stories ended on a rather melancholy note and we, the reader are expected to feel hopeful that our protagonists will eventually reach their HEA.
I enjoy reading gay reimaginings of fairytales, because, as noted, we didn’t get to see representations of ourselves geting our HEAs when we read the tales as children. The reworked gay versions should leave me feeling like being gay is seen as normal as any other relationship and that we deserve our HEA just like the original hetero characters. These stories had a darkness to them. Being queer was still treated harshly. People like to feel they are living a fairytale because of the immense joy. There was no joy to be found in these pages.
I enjoy reading gay reimaginings of fairytales, because, as noted, we didn’t get to see representations of ourselves geting our HEAs when we read the tales as children. The reworked gay versions should leave me feeling like being gay is seen as normal as any other relationship and that we deserve our HEA just like the original hetero characters. These stories had a darkness to them. Being queer was still treated harshly. People like to feel they are living a fairytale because of the immense joy. There was no joy to be found in these pages.
December 28, 2023
I have long been a fan of stories that are inspired by “traditional” and familiar fairy tales and folktales that have been reimagined by the author’s own visions, especially in ways that help me reflect on my own experiences and contemporary culture. So I was enchanted by these retellings with their queer main characters and gay perspectives. The author carefully crafted this fantasy world and provided a timeline in the back matter. His short essay and author’s note about gay retellings deepened my appreciation and understanding of this collection and I appreciate his bibliography of Works Cited and Consulted, as well as the excellent Suggested Other Readings.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews