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One More Soldier
It is 1963. Being gay is a sin against God. And twenty-eight year old mechanic Will meets Bran for the first time.
Over the years a close bond forms between them despite the seventeen year age difference. Will teaches Bran to swim and helps him with homework. The years pass, Bran drops out of school and moves away.
Then Bran comes home. Can Will move past their age difference? And if he does, how can he keep Bran in 1970 America?
A beautifully told tale of love and loss told from the viewpoint of a deeply closeted gay man at the very beginning of the American Gay and Lesbian Rights movement.
This story also available in print in the anthology Ever After: The Collected Short Works of Marie Sexton.
Over the years a close bond forms between them despite the seventeen year age difference. Will teaches Bran to swim and helps him with homework. The years pass, Bran drops out of school and moves away.
Then Bran comes home. Can Will move past their age difference? And if he does, how can he keep Bran in 1970 America?
A beautifully told tale of love and loss told from the viewpoint of a deeply closeted gay man at the very beginning of the American Gay and Lesbian Rights movement.
This story also available in print in the anthology Ever After: The Collected Short Works of Marie Sexton.
69 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 14, 2010
20 people are currently reading
686 people want to read
About the author
Marie Sexton
71 books2,230 followersMarie Sexton lives in Colorado. She’s a fan of just about anything that involves muscular young men piling on top of each other. In particular, she loves the Denver Broncos and enjoys going to the games with her husband. Her imaginary friends often tag along. Marie has one daughter, two cats, and one dog, all of whom seem bent on destroying what remains of her sanity. She loves them anyway.
The absolute best way to stay up-to-date on my books is by joining my FB group. You can view livestreams about Oestend, Coda, and the Heretic Doms Club. I also give away books on a regular basis. NO DRAMA ALLOWED!!
Or, you might want to check out these pages:
Coda: Which book do I read first?
Find a book by trope or heat level.
Visit my website/blog at http://www.MarieSexton.net
The absolute best way to stay up-to-date on my books is by joining my FB group. You can view livestreams about Oestend, Coda, and the Heretic Doms Club. I also give away books on a regular basis. NO DRAMA ALLOWED!!
Or, you might want to check out these pages:
Coda: Which book do I read first?
Find a book by trope or heat level.
Visit my website/blog at http://www.MarieSexton.net
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March 12, 2018Fuck that!!!! Not rating this. I loved every minute of this book (like 5 stars liked) and then in the end...BOOM. I need my books to have a happy ending. And now I'm depressed. Fuck that.
September 27, 2011
God this book was beautiful, so tragic and emotional I don't think I have ever cried so much, Will and Bran perfect together a tender loving relationship that left me wondering why.....why did it have to finish with such a sad ending I was hoping in vain for a HEA that never came. Highly recommended one very moving love story that will stay with you for a long time!
July 6, 2020
Wow. That little book sure packed a punch.
It pains the romantic in me that it had to end that way. But in a way, that's the only way the book could have ended. Made it more compelling.
Well done.
It pains the romantic in me that it had to end that way. But in a way, that's the only way the book could have ended. Made it more compelling.
Well done.
Want to read
March 6, 2019Kindle freebie 3/6/19
February 16, 2012
This little novella surprised me. For some reason I had the preconception that it was by an English author, one that writes Age of Sail and so in that, I’ve obviously got my Marie’s muddled (sorry to both of you) so when I encountered a bitter-sweet (be warned) love story with a rather worrying start:
I first met Bran eight years ago. He was eleven years old.
I was twenty-eight.
But this is all right, actually, because you are supposed to feel that prickle of unease, because that’s exactly what the narrator is attempting to explain. Will, the narrator, is–if not entirely closeted, damned careful about what he does and where he does it It’s 1963 and Houston there wasn’t a lot of gay liberation going on. Hookups in discreet bars, blow jobs in cars–that’s the level of his companionship and he thinks himself lucky if he gets it once a week.
When he meets Bran–the eleven year old–it’s not at ALL in a sexual manner.
The young boy attaches himself to Will for a week or two as he’s new to the area and makes a nuisance of himself, but by the time school starts, Bran finds his own friends and their paths meet as rarely as you would expect people living in the same complex might meet. Bran does odd jobs for Will from time to time, taking in the mail when he’s out of town, that kind of thing. Then, when Bran leaves school before his senior year and takes up ranching, Will doesn’t see him at all for a few years.
It’s when Bran does return, changed out of all recognition, that the trouble starts, and the slightly unsettling beginning comes into its own. Bran is handsome, bronzed, muscled and entirely unrecognisable as that skinny and irritating kid that Will taught to swim and sometimes helped with homework. Will finds himself attracted to Bran, and it’s soon clear that Bran feels the same way and won’t take “no” for an answer.
Will is uncomfortable getting close to Bran, and he does fight it (not for terribly long, it has to be said, but it’s a short book!) and he has to try and see two Brans–a kid, and a grown up. Bran emphasises that he’s eighteen now but we hit the old bump in the road with that. It’s a sop to the publishing industry of 2012, and has no relevance to what was going on in the late 196os. Bran could have been 22 and it would have been every bit as illegal, after all.
The book could–were it not for Bran himself–be swept aside with a shrug that this is like many other coming of age/first time/friends becoming lovers books. There are many tropes that you could hang onto it. But don’t write it off and don’t be put off by the age difference. What the author does is something very clever–she shows the generation gap–not just between the ages of the protagonists, but the mental attitide of the protagonists.
It’s difficult to say more without spoiling the crux of the story, but Bran became (impressive for such a short novella) one of those characters that get under the skin and stay with you long after you’ve started to read something new.
By using Bran in this way, the author has shown the tide of gay liberation–although only the sussurating damp edges of the waves down in Houston–but he points with enthusiasm to the world beyond, sure that “things will change” in his youthful enthusiasm. It’s what happens at the end which gives the title its double-edged poignancy.
As I say–it’s bittersweet–and were this a longer novel and written in the 70′s it probably would be a gay classic today. It would be easy for this book to be entirely overlooked and I beg that you don’t allow that to happen. If you steel yourself for a non-romance ending I am quite sure you’ll be as impressed with this as I was. I shall snap up any further gay historicals Ms Sexton may come up with!
I first met Bran eight years ago. He was eleven years old.
I was twenty-eight.
But this is all right, actually, because you are supposed to feel that prickle of unease, because that’s exactly what the narrator is attempting to explain. Will, the narrator, is–if not entirely closeted, damned careful about what he does and where he does it It’s 1963 and Houston there wasn’t a lot of gay liberation going on. Hookups in discreet bars, blow jobs in cars–that’s the level of his companionship and he thinks himself lucky if he gets it once a week.
When he meets Bran–the eleven year old–it’s not at ALL in a sexual manner.
The young boy attaches himself to Will for a week or two as he’s new to the area and makes a nuisance of himself, but by the time school starts, Bran finds his own friends and their paths meet as rarely as you would expect people living in the same complex might meet. Bran does odd jobs for Will from time to time, taking in the mail when he’s out of town, that kind of thing. Then, when Bran leaves school before his senior year and takes up ranching, Will doesn’t see him at all for a few years.
It’s when Bran does return, changed out of all recognition, that the trouble starts, and the slightly unsettling beginning comes into its own. Bran is handsome, bronzed, muscled and entirely unrecognisable as that skinny and irritating kid that Will taught to swim and sometimes helped with homework. Will finds himself attracted to Bran, and it’s soon clear that Bran feels the same way and won’t take “no” for an answer.
Will is uncomfortable getting close to Bran, and he does fight it (not for terribly long, it has to be said, but it’s a short book!) and he has to try and see two Brans–a kid, and a grown up. Bran emphasises that he’s eighteen now but we hit the old bump in the road with that. It’s a sop to the publishing industry of 2012, and has no relevance to what was going on in the late 196os. Bran could have been 22 and it would have been every bit as illegal, after all.
The book could–were it not for Bran himself–be swept aside with a shrug that this is like many other coming of age/first time/friends becoming lovers books. There are many tropes that you could hang onto it. But don’t write it off and don’t be put off by the age difference. What the author does is something very clever–she shows the generation gap–not just between the ages of the protagonists, but the mental attitide of the protagonists.
It’s difficult to say more without spoiling the crux of the story, but Bran became (impressive for such a short novella) one of those characters that get under the skin and stay with you long after you’ve started to read something new.
By using Bran in this way, the author has shown the tide of gay liberation–although only the sussurating damp edges of the waves down in Houston–but he points with enthusiasm to the world beyond, sure that “things will change” in his youthful enthusiasm. It’s what happens at the end which gives the title its double-edged poignancy.
As I say–it’s bittersweet–and were this a longer novel and written in the 70′s it probably would be a gay classic today. It would be easy for this book to be entirely overlooked and I beg that you don’t allow that to happen. If you steel yourself for a non-romance ending I am quite sure you’ll be as impressed with this as I was. I shall snap up any further gay historicals Ms Sexton may come up with!
July 12, 2015
I love Marie Sexton's writing. This book is so bittersweet and it made me cry. Such a beautiful story about love and loss. It's a short story about a closeted gay man who falls in love with a young man he has known for years, right before that young man is sent off to war. It's powerful and sweet. Recommended read.
September 20, 2010
Marie Sexton, I don't even know you, so why did you have to break my heart? There are tears streaming down my face and my heart aches for Bran and for Will. What a hauntingly beautiful tale. This is going into my favorites, and I will proudly proclaim it a must read. I'm quite positive that I will never forget these two men or what they shared. Thank you, Ms. Sexton, for sharing this. It could not have been easy to write.
July 17, 2010
I loved this story. It made me think of Raymond Carver and that close narration, sparse and only essential prose and vivid imagery. I still have the sun-bleached swimming pool painted starkly across my brain. Sexton is passionate about character-driven story, and One More Soldier is no exception. And if you love a throwback, you will love the late sixties vibe
July 12, 2011
In this short, deceptively-simple story Marie Sexton takes the reader from joy to tears. The relationship felt completely real, and although I wish for the sake of the characters that it had ended differently, it rang true and almost necessary. The last paragraph sealed the story perfectly. Unless you insist on HEA, read this.
August 17, 2022
*spoiler ahead*
This was a short novella, but it packed a punch!
I haven't read a lot of books (yet) by Marie Sexton, but the ones I did read, were all amazing. I just love her writing, and she has interesting story's to share too.
This one starts off in the early 60's. Will is 28 when he meets 11-years old Bran for the first time. Bran lives with his mom and sister, and they become friends after Will teaches him how to swim. Fast forwarded to the early 70's. Bran has dropped out of school and left to work on a ranch. But then he returns - all muscles, handsome and flirty. And he wants Will.
It was beautiful to watch these men grow, to see how Will tries to fight their growing attraction (the age difference is one thing, the other one is that he's known Bran since he was a kid), and witness how Bran goes after what he wants, despite Will's refusal to give in. Bran's time is limited because he is drafted to leave for Vietnam.
It's not that I want to spoil how the story goes or ends, but for a lot of readers a hea is an important requirement, and that's something this book does not have. Even though I wished for Will and Bran to find their happy ever after, it also suited the story that they didn't.
For such a short story, it was an emotional read - sweet and tender, heartbreaking and just plain beautiful.
If it's no problem to you that the story does not end on a happy note, I highly recommend this well written novella.
This was a short novella, but it packed a punch!
I haven't read a lot of books (yet) by Marie Sexton, but the ones I did read, were all amazing. I just love her writing, and she has interesting story's to share too.
This one starts off in the early 60's. Will is 28 when he meets 11-years old Bran for the first time. Bran lives with his mom and sister, and they become friends after Will teaches him how to swim. Fast forwarded to the early 70's. Bran has dropped out of school and left to work on a ranch. But then he returns - all muscles, handsome and flirty. And he wants Will.
It was beautiful to watch these men grow, to see how Will tries to fight their growing attraction (the age difference is one thing, the other one is that he's known Bran since he was a kid), and witness how Bran goes after what he wants, despite Will's refusal to give in. Bran's time is limited because he is drafted to leave for Vietnam.
It's not that I want to spoil how the story goes or ends, but for a lot of readers a hea is an important requirement, and that's something this book does not have. Even though I wished for Will and Bran to find their happy ever after, it also suited the story that they didn't.
For such a short story, it was an emotional read - sweet and tender, heartbreaking and just plain beautiful.
If it's no problem to you that the story does not end on a happy note, I highly recommend this well written novella.
August 4, 2010
Seriously this review does contain spoilers. I can't help it, sorry.
This is a sweet short story. Will & Bran... I have no words. I love that they fell in love and that Bran got at least 2 weeks of wonderful in his life and I love that he gave Will hope. And as I got closer and closer to the end I dreaded what I knew was going to happen. And I cried. Then I took and hour before I sat down to write this review and I'm crying while I type.
I tend to avoid military stories for this very reason. I always cry. It's a subject that hits close to home. I cry every time I watch A League of their Own. Anytime I see a the military soldiers knock on a family door. Every time I see the soldiers folding the flag and giving it to parent, can't help it, I just cry. So I weeped. And my heart broke for the adorable kid that just barely got a touch of all life had to offer yet gave so much to someone who had given up on his own life.
Beautifully told.
This is a sweet short story. Will & Bran... I have no words. I love that they fell in love and that Bran got at least 2 weeks of wonderful in his life and I love that he gave Will hope. And as I got closer and closer to the end I dreaded what I knew was going to happen. And I cried. Then I took and hour before I sat down to write this review and I'm crying while I type.
I tend to avoid military stories for this very reason. I always cry. It's a subject that hits close to home. I cry every time I watch A League of their Own. Anytime I see a the military soldiers knock on a family door. Every time I see the soldiers folding the flag and giving it to parent, can't help it, I just cry. So I weeped. And my heart broke for the adorable kid that just barely got a touch of all life had to offer yet gave so much to someone who had given up on his own life.
Beautifully told.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2010
This was a very powerful and beautiful story. Amazingly written!
October 8, 2013
Gitte: One More Soldier is one of those stories, that despite being so short, every word counts and packs a punch. It was hard hitting, it touched upon a sensitive topic and it has incredible heart. I fell in complete book love, and reading it in one sitting, my emotions spiralled so quickly, I may have forgotten to breathe followed by the flood gates opening. Seriously Jenny, I think we just cried on the phone to each other when we finished, we couldn’t even talk right? An absolutely beautiful and heart felt story that leaves you thinking about the characters for days after, wanting to re-read it to see if anything has changed, hoping it has….GAH I’m sobbing writing this!
“I wished I was brave like him. I wished I was strong. I wished I could make a difference.” – Will
Jenny: The phrase “quality over quantity” couldn’t be more apt than in this story. What it lacks in numerous pages, it more than makes up for in execution and emotion. This story is told with so much realness and feeling that yes Gitte, talking about it afterwards on the phone was indeed emotional. The story is so flawlessly told and elicited such a high level of emotion from me. What an experience this story was.
“I worked with a black guy on the ranch. He was always talking about a ‘race war’. Well our people are fighting a war too….. There are men like us living their lives out in the open. Not hiding at all. Every single one of them is a soldier in our war.” -Bran
Gitte: Marie Sexton writes outstanding characters. They have such depth and you really feel you know them. I have to say I’m in awe at just what this Author can manage to convey in such few words. It truly was inspirational. I love this Author’s writing!! Don’t you agree Jenny?
Jenny: Absolutely Gitte. I admire any author who can draw a reader in, have you feel part of a story and have you experience such an intense level of feeling, awe is most definitely a perfect description of Marie Sexton’s writing talent.
Gitte: I actually don’t feel like there’s much we can say about this story without spoiling it other than the fact that it’s a must read for m/m readers. The emotion is intense and heartfelt as you’re taken on a journey with two brilliant characters that show love, devotion and courage in the face of so many social obstacles. It truly was beautiful, Bran and Will stole my heart!!
“It’s okay to be scared…” – Will
Jenny: There really isn’t anything we can add except to say this is an absolutel MUST READ for lovers of this genre. Intense, emotional, beautiful and heartbreaking with a message that bears repeating time and time again. So much emotion and richness in such a short story. Bran and Will. Special characters in a truly special story.
August 30, 2010
Will Constantinescu first meet Brannon "Bran" Nelson when Bran was 11 years old, and him 28 years old, as the kid moves into Will's apartment complex, back in 1963. During the years, Will befriends the kid, teaches him how to swim, teaches him with math. Then, seven years later, when Bran returns after spending a year in a ranch, Will realizes that Bran is no longer a skinny kid but an attractive young man. An attractive young man who seems determine to seduce him. First, Will tries to reject Bran, there is still 17-years-old gap between them and Will feels wrong and guilty in any sexual advances that he would do to Bran. But then Bran tells him tha he has been drafted, and he only has two weeks before he must starts his tour ... and he wants to start his life, starts something he has always wanted with Will.
Marie Sexton is one of my favorite authors. She hooked my heart with her Coda series. So when this was her last book that I had with me currently, I sort of postponed reading it 'cause I didn't want to say goodbye just yet with her story. That ... and the fact I sneaked into the ending. I must warn you that it was not an HEA ending. But the writing was superb, once again, and it was emotionally tender story; albeit rather short. However, the short length and the ending was the one that gave the effective punch to your solar plexus. For those who easily cry, then I guess prepare a Kleenex before start reading ...
Marie Sexton is one of my favorite authors. She hooked my heart with her Coda series. So when this was her last book that I had with me currently, I sort of postponed reading it 'cause I didn't want to say goodbye just yet with her story. That ... and the fact I sneaked into the ending. I must warn you that it was not an HEA ending. But the writing was superb, once again, and it was emotionally tender story; albeit rather short. However, the short length and the ending was the one that gave the effective punch to your solar plexus. For those who easily cry, then I guess prepare a Kleenex before start reading ...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2018
***5 tear jerking stars!
I never expected a short story could make me crying.
But it did.In the end, I cursed war.
I really hate war. Hate. Hate. Hate.
It took so many people from their family, their love ones.
Bran and Will should be happy together if...
If only.... *sob*
Just read this, but i won't promise you that you won't cry afterward.
"Don't say that!"
"--we both know I might not make it home--"
"Oh god."
"--and anything I want to do in my life, Will, I have to do it now."
I never expected a short story could make me crying.
But it did.In the end, I cursed war.
I really hate war. Hate. Hate. Hate.
It took so many people from their family, their love ones.
Bran and Will should be happy together if...
If only.... *sob*
Just read this, but i won't promise you that you won't cry afterward.
February 1, 2013
Tragic and beautiful, a sad story dealing with the harsh reality of life. Written with a great deal of empathy and tenderness Marie Sexton style.
October 9, 2013
A beautifully written and touching story about love and loss. I never expected to feel so emotionally attached to these characters in such a short time. I am quickly becoming a huge fan of Marie Sexton!
November 26, 2015
***** Sweet, well written, engaging, amazing love story !! This short story has the reader enthralled with the characters right away. A deep tale of yearning, time passing and the needs fulfilled. Mechanic Will spends time with 11 year old Bran, teaches him to swim, and they are unlikely friends. Time passes as Bran leaves to work a ranch for a year, and then comes back. Eventually at eighteen, Bran makes a flirtatious move toward Will, he declines, Bran persists, and only has two weeks before he's off to Vietnam. The men have their love affair, and it's amazing, exciting, and both men are in love. A tearful goodbye, and next, the heartbreak. What does Will do to honor his love's memory?
Highly recommend this short M/M romance. Beautifully written, a terrific read. ENJOY !!!.
Highly recommend this short M/M romance. Beautifully written, a terrific read. ENJOY !!!.
January 23, 2012
One of the most heartbreakingly beautiful stories I have ever read. A love story that plays out within the confines of the uncertainty of war - lovely in its innocence, raw in its passion, and staggering in its realism. It reminded me that the most unforgettable love stories are not always those with a HEA, but those that fall just short of one.
February 6, 2012
Oh my gah, Marie Sexton you just killed me! It was so short but this is testimony to amazing talent that you made me cry (loud sobs, thanks) with such a short story. I'm so heart broken but it was beautiful and simple. A must read.
February 19, 2018
Set in 1969, Bran and Will have two weeks before Bran goes to Vietnam. At only 60 pages, this bitterweet story moves quickly - too quickly - and I would love to get more of the story with Will moving to San Francisco and truly becoming, as Bran says, one more soldier:
Well our people are fighting a war too, Will. There are men like us living their lives out in the open. Not hiding at all. Every single one of them is a soldier in our war. When I get home I'm not hiding anymore either. I'm going to fight."
March 16, 2019
For me this is an excellent short story but as I was expecting a romance... well while it ends hopefully, it isn't a romance. I wish that the story had rolled forward after where it rested and we got to see the new life and new love.
However, Marie Sexton is such a talented writer and this is much a lovely character driven love story set in a moment in time perfectly with age difference during the Vietnam War and right after Stonewall.
However, Marie Sexton is such a talented writer and this is much a lovely character driven love story set in a moment in time perfectly with age difference during the Vietnam War and right after Stonewall.
March 27, 2018
I first read Marie Sexton’s One More Soldier back in July of 2010, and I suppose it’s a testament to some sort of masochistic streak that made me read it again when I saw the author mention the novella in a recent Facebook post. While any number of earlier publications in the gay romance category don’t stand up to the test of time—progress has happened, experience has informed who we are, tastes have evolved and awareness has been heightened—this beautiful little tragedy remains timeless and holds its own against other stories of its length, and, in some cases, exceeds them. It has always been, in my opinion, exemplary of what short storytelling can and should be, and it is every bit as poignant today as it was nearly eight years ago.
Sexton set out to tell a story that would grab readers by the heart, and she succeeded in spades. One More Soldier begins in Houston in 1963, with Will Constantinescu as narrator. Will is a twenty-eight-year-old man—still single at a time when the median marriage age was somewhere in the early 20s—who gets the opportunity just one day of the week to meet other men like him. And while it’s not emotionally gratifying, it’s all that many gay men had at the time. Meeting a chatty eleven-year-old boy, Brannon Nelson, at the pool in their apartment complex one afternoon was not at all what Will was expecting, let alone had the patience for, when he went for a swim to unwind after a hard day’s work, but the outcome of that meeting and its impact plays out over the course of seven years of Will helping Bran with homework, being the male role model in his life…until one day Will notices, much to his discomfort and shame, that Bran is not a little boy anymore.
Sexton takes a risk on what could have so easily been an off-putting relationship between Will and Bran, but instead handles it with a dexterity owed entirely to the single event that so many young men Bran’s age were subjected to in 1970. Bran has been drafted to serve in Vietnam, and in the two weeks he has left before he leaves for boot camp going hand-in-hand with the uncertainty of war—whether Bran will return whole, if he even returns at all—he initiates the evolution of his relationship with Will. Bran wants to live every single moment he can in case it’s the only chance he ever gets to be true to who he is and experience what it’s like to love someone and be loved in return.
The cautious optimism in this story is breathtaking and only adds to the magnitude of its final impact. The full force of the fear, the love, the hope that upon Bran’s return Will might follow him to San Francisco where they can fight a new fight for equality cannot be understated—and neither can the ending, when that fight for pride and equality earns just one more soldier.
I loved this novella so much the first time I read it. Experiencing it again has only proved that love was not misplaced. Among Sexton’s body of work, so much of which I’ve read and enjoyed, this little story stands out as a favorite for several reasons, not the least of which is the author’s commitment to tell a difficult and realistic story and not pull any punches to spare the reader’s feelings. If you’re willing to read with your heart and have it broken for the sake of first love, I can’t recommend this book enough.
Reviewed by Lisa at The Novel Approach
Sexton set out to tell a story that would grab readers by the heart, and she succeeded in spades. One More Soldier begins in Houston in 1963, with Will Constantinescu as narrator. Will is a twenty-eight-year-old man—still single at a time when the median marriage age was somewhere in the early 20s—who gets the opportunity just one day of the week to meet other men like him. And while it’s not emotionally gratifying, it’s all that many gay men had at the time. Meeting a chatty eleven-year-old boy, Brannon Nelson, at the pool in their apartment complex one afternoon was not at all what Will was expecting, let alone had the patience for, when he went for a swim to unwind after a hard day’s work, but the outcome of that meeting and its impact plays out over the course of seven years of Will helping Bran with homework, being the male role model in his life…until one day Will notices, much to his discomfort and shame, that Bran is not a little boy anymore.
Sexton takes a risk on what could have so easily been an off-putting relationship between Will and Bran, but instead handles it with a dexterity owed entirely to the single event that so many young men Bran’s age were subjected to in 1970. Bran has been drafted to serve in Vietnam, and in the two weeks he has left before he leaves for boot camp going hand-in-hand with the uncertainty of war—whether Bran will return whole, if he even returns at all—he initiates the evolution of his relationship with Will. Bran wants to live every single moment he can in case it’s the only chance he ever gets to be true to who he is and experience what it’s like to love someone and be loved in return.
The cautious optimism in this story is breathtaking and only adds to the magnitude of its final impact. The full force of the fear, the love, the hope that upon Bran’s return Will might follow him to San Francisco where they can fight a new fight for equality cannot be understated—and neither can the ending, when that fight for pride and equality earns just one more soldier.
I loved this novella so much the first time I read it. Experiencing it again has only proved that love was not misplaced. Among Sexton’s body of work, so much of which I’ve read and enjoyed, this little story stands out as a favorite for several reasons, not the least of which is the author’s commitment to tell a difficult and realistic story and not pull any punches to spare the reader’s feelings. If you’re willing to read with your heart and have it broken for the sake of first love, I can’t recommend this book enough.
Reviewed by Lisa at The Novel Approach
October 8, 2013
Jointly Reviewed on: http://totallybookedblog.com/2013/10/...
Gitte: One More Soldier is one of those stories, that despite being so short, every word counts and packs a punch. It was hard hitting, it touched upon a sensitive topic and it has incredible heart. I fell in complete book love, and reading it in one sitting, my emotions spiralled so quickly, I may have forgotten to breathe followed by the flood gates opening. Seriously Jenny, I think we just cried on the phone to each other when we finished, we couldn’t even talk right? An absolutely beautiful and heart felt story that leaves you thinking about the characters for days after, wanting to re-read it to see if anything has changed, hoping it has…GAH I’m sobbing writing this!
“I wished I was brave like him. I wished I was strong. I wished I could make a difference.” – Will
Jenny: The phrase “quality over quantity” couldn’t be more apt than in this story. What it lacks in numerous pages, it more than makes up for in execution and emotion. This story is told with so much realness and feeling that yes Gitte, talking about it afterwards on the phone was indeed emotional. The story is so flawlessly told and elicited such a high level of emotion from me. What an experience this story was.
“I worked with a black guy on the ranch. He was always talking about a ‘race war’. Well our people are fighting a war too….. There are men like us living their lives out in the open. Not hiding at all. Every single one of them is a soldier in our war.” -Bran
Gitte: Marie Sexton writes outstanding characters. They have such depth and you really feel you know them. I have to say I’m in awe at just what this Author can manage to convey in such few words. It truly was inspirational. I love this Author’s writing!! Don’t you agree Jenny?
Jenny: Absolutely Gitte. I admire any author who can draw a reader in, have you feel part of a story and have you experience such an intense level of feeling, awe is most definitely a perfect description of Marie Sexton’s writing talent.
Gitte: I actually don’t feel like there’s much we can say about this story without spoiling it other than the fact that it’s a must read for m/m readers. The emotion is intense and heartfelt as you’re taken on a journey with two brilliant characters that show love, devotion and courage in the face of so many social obstacles. It truly was beautiful, Bran and Will stole my heart!!
“It’s okay to be scared…” – Will
Jenny: There really isn’t anything we can add except to say this is an absolutel MUST READ for lovers of this genre. Intense, emotional, beautiful and heartbreaking with a message that bears repeating time and time again. So much emotion and richness in such a short story. Bran and Will. Special characters in a truly special story.
Gitte: One More Soldier is one of those stories, that despite being so short, every word counts and packs a punch. It was hard hitting, it touched upon a sensitive topic and it has incredible heart. I fell in complete book love, and reading it in one sitting, my emotions spiralled so quickly, I may have forgotten to breathe followed by the flood gates opening. Seriously Jenny, I think we just cried on the phone to each other when we finished, we couldn’t even talk right? An absolutely beautiful and heart felt story that leaves you thinking about the characters for days after, wanting to re-read it to see if anything has changed, hoping it has…GAH I’m sobbing writing this!
“I wished I was brave like him. I wished I was strong. I wished I could make a difference.” – Will
Jenny: The phrase “quality over quantity” couldn’t be more apt than in this story. What it lacks in numerous pages, it more than makes up for in execution and emotion. This story is told with so much realness and feeling that yes Gitte, talking about it afterwards on the phone was indeed emotional. The story is so flawlessly told and elicited such a high level of emotion from me. What an experience this story was.
“I worked with a black guy on the ranch. He was always talking about a ‘race war’. Well our people are fighting a war too….. There are men like us living their lives out in the open. Not hiding at all. Every single one of them is a soldier in our war.” -Bran
Gitte: Marie Sexton writes outstanding characters. They have such depth and you really feel you know them. I have to say I’m in awe at just what this Author can manage to convey in such few words. It truly was inspirational. I love this Author’s writing!! Don’t you agree Jenny?
Jenny: Absolutely Gitte. I admire any author who can draw a reader in, have you feel part of a story and have you experience such an intense level of feeling, awe is most definitely a perfect description of Marie Sexton’s writing talent.
Gitte: I actually don’t feel like there’s much we can say about this story without spoiling it other than the fact that it’s a must read for m/m readers. The emotion is intense and heartfelt as you’re taken on a journey with two brilliant characters that show love, devotion and courage in the face of so many social obstacles. It truly was beautiful, Bran and Will stole my heart!!
“It’s okay to be scared…” – Will
Jenny: There really isn’t anything we can add except to say this is an absolutel MUST READ for lovers of this genre. Intense, emotional, beautiful and heartbreaking with a message that bears repeating time and time again. So much emotion and richness in such a short story. Bran and Will. Special characters in a truly special story.
July 18, 2010
Although this story is 69 pages (double spaced at least), the quick tale packs a punch. I’m a fan of Sexton’s and once again she invokes emotion, sex, and a vivid setting even in the shortest amount of space. Although the story is set in the late 60’s, there are several contemporary parallels. The predictable ending still wrings a good bit of emotion, maybe a tear or two of more sensitive readers, and is well worth taking the time and few dollars to read.
Will first meets Bran as an eleven year old precocious kid unable to swim during the hot Texas summer. What starts as a whim turns into a genuine friendship between the older man and young child over the years until one day Will turns around and Bran is eighteen and quite grown up. The shift in thinking isn’t easy for Will and gets even harder when Will learns that Bran has been drafted and has two weeks before shipping out.
The story is very character driven, quite classically so for the author. It’s amazing that the story takes place entirely around an apartment complex pool with a few scenes in Will or Bran’s apartment. Yet, the pace and plot never seem repetitive, dull, or boring. Instead the searing heat of the summer mixes with the faint tang of chlorine and you can easily envision the day like so many others. The descriptive quality is minimal but still vivid and crisp. There’s no need for flowery prose, but the clean writing still evokes a lot of emotion.
The characters are well developed and extremely entertaining. I adored the precocious Bran as a young kid talking non-stop even with no one listening. Bran’s determination to make a change in the world and not to run from being drafted shows his personality in the making. He’s contrasted beautifully with Will, who is happy with the status quo. Or if not happy, he’s made peace with his life and accepted it for what it is, without strong motivation to really change. It takes Bran shaking up Will’s life to give him something to strive for, to work towards.
As I’ve said, this is a pretty short novella, yet it covers a lot. There is a lot of tension and drama but it remains low key. The tension is present but not overwhelming, even up to what I thought of as the inevitable ending. It’s honest and still romantic with some pretty sex erotica scenes. These few scenes could have easily taken over the short story but instead they enhance it and give the same wonder, gentle love, and hot passion that the characters seem to experience. The 1960’s setting actually feels very contemporary to me and this story with a minor change could have been set in current times, which is both fascinating and sad.
Some readers may not like the non-traditional ending but I think the story and characters will help with any qualms on that point. I easily recommend this story.
Will first meets Bran as an eleven year old precocious kid unable to swim during the hot Texas summer. What starts as a whim turns into a genuine friendship between the older man and young child over the years until one day Will turns around and Bran is eighteen and quite grown up. The shift in thinking isn’t easy for Will and gets even harder when Will learns that Bran has been drafted and has two weeks before shipping out.
The story is very character driven, quite classically so for the author. It’s amazing that the story takes place entirely around an apartment complex pool with a few scenes in Will or Bran’s apartment. Yet, the pace and plot never seem repetitive, dull, or boring. Instead the searing heat of the summer mixes with the faint tang of chlorine and you can easily envision the day like so many others. The descriptive quality is minimal but still vivid and crisp. There’s no need for flowery prose, but the clean writing still evokes a lot of emotion.
The characters are well developed and extremely entertaining. I adored the precocious Bran as a young kid talking non-stop even with no one listening. Bran’s determination to make a change in the world and not to run from being drafted shows his personality in the making. He’s contrasted beautifully with Will, who is happy with the status quo. Or if not happy, he’s made peace with his life and accepted it for what it is, without strong motivation to really change. It takes Bran shaking up Will’s life to give him something to strive for, to work towards.
As I’ve said, this is a pretty short novella, yet it covers a lot. There is a lot of tension and drama but it remains low key. The tension is present but not overwhelming, even up to what I thought of as the inevitable ending. It’s honest and still romantic with some pretty sex erotica scenes. These few scenes could have easily taken over the short story but instead they enhance it and give the same wonder, gentle love, and hot passion that the characters seem to experience. The 1960’s setting actually feels very contemporary to me and this story with a minor change could have been set in current times, which is both fascinating and sad.
Some readers may not like the non-traditional ending but I think the story and characters will help with any qualms on that point. I easily recommend this story.
September 18, 2011
This book is the very reason I don't watch military movies. Having served 11 years in the military, I have a strong affinity for the men and women in the service and reading their stories always gets me choked up whether they are happy or tragic. In this case, I knew it was coming and I almost didn't want to finish it because I knew I would be angry at the ending. While I understand why the story ended the way it did - I was still angry. Angry for wasted life and the extinguishing of a promising future for one young 18 year old man, and for love between two people.
I have to say, I was a bit creeped out about the fact that Will was almost like a surrogate father to Bran in the beginning and the huge age difference between them. It might have been easier to visualize for me if the man on the cover looked a bit more irresistible and didn't have such a creepy mustache...? But regardless, I was happy that Bran at least was able to have 2 weeks of happiness and 2 weeks of memories to bring with him to the front line.
I almost never give short stories 5 stars because there is usually not enough plot development, but this is maybe the only short story that I have given 5 stars to. It's probably better that this was a short story, because if Marie Sexton spent 200 pages describing a growing love before Bran is killed, I would've been even more upset at the end.
I have to say, I was a bit creeped out about the fact that Will was almost like a surrogate father to Bran in the beginning and the huge age difference between them. It might have been easier to visualize for me if the man on the cover looked a bit more irresistible and didn't have such a creepy mustache...? But regardless, I was happy that Bran at least was able to have 2 weeks of happiness and 2 weeks of memories to bring with him to the front line.
I almost never give short stories 5 stars because there is usually not enough plot development, but this is maybe the only short story that I have given 5 stars to. It's probably better that this was a short story, because if Marie Sexton spent 200 pages describing a growing love before Bran is killed, I would've been even more upset at the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2018
This is not exactly a feel good story but I loved it and if I cried a bit at the end - that's exactly how it should be.
And yes, I squirmed a bit at the beginning as well but it's a good book.
Highly recommended.
And free on Smashwords, so there is that.
And yes, I squirmed a bit at the beginning as well but it's a good book.
Highly recommended.
And free on Smashwords, so there is that.
September 4, 2012
I had lump in my throat and tears in my eyes while reading this beautiful story. Thank you Vio :)
August 8, 2020
quando in un racconto di poche pagine non manca nulla...
November 12, 2017
Well now...that was depressing.
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