Counterparts by Marcus Herzig

[Ulysses]

Counterparts
BY Marcus Herzig
Published by the author, 2017
Four stars

What if the happy ending comes first?

I loved this. Sophisticated YA with proud gay teens as the main characters – supported by parents and friends. This is a story in which the fact of being gay is secondary to the startling plot arc, complete with a gut-wrenching twist.

Taylor Young is out, proud, and a handful. He is way too smart for his school, and his parents know the difference between misbehavior and intellectual arrogance. He is a kid who is as kind-hearted as he is impatient with fools. When, leaving the principal’s office, Taylor spots a tall, slender redhead with his mother waiting outside the door, he is instantly stricken. When he learns about Bradley Carson’s mysterious past, he is further intrigued.

What follows is not at all what I expected. While Counterparts is in some ways a quietly epic love story, it is also, and more significantly, a sci-fi thriller, in which the thrill is so low-key as to go almost unnoticed until the critical moment when it hits you in the gut. Yeah, I know that’s confusing. Herzig builds his narrative carefully, developing on separate-but-intertwined paths Taylor and Brad’s relationship and the scientific project that comes to obsess them.

I did not give it a fifth star because, in my opinion, there is a single flaw in the logic of the story that diminishes the impact of the twist. I could be wrong, and I adored everything else about the book. The author clearly made this “mistake” on purpose – and maybe what I felt to be a misstep was intentional and calculated to pull me into the author’s scheme. After all, I was in tears at the end, and can’t imagine what more the author could have wanted.

I think I need to read more of Herzig’s work.

[Cameron]

Hello. My name is Lee Golden and I write under the pseudonym of Cameron DeCessna. After reading your last post, I wanted to introduce myself and make you aware of my published books.
I am a gay male writer who specializes in gay fiction of several sub-genres: Gay Coming of Age stories, Supernatural mysteries with a gay protagonist and recently, my first Gay Romance. I will soon add a number of books that would fall under the sub-genre, Sci-Fi & Fantasy with a gay twist.
First published, back in 2018 was my Jordan Dare Trilogy. The three-book-set consists of Jordan Dare and the Kidnapped Ghost, Jordan Dare and the Tolchester Ghost and Jordan Dare and the Captive Spirit. So far, my three Dare novels have met with positive reader approval and all enjoy a 5-star rating. First, a little bit more about the Dare books:
These three novels feature a gay protagonist who, since the age of thirteen, has been able to see and speak with recently departed or murdered gay men and teens that, for some reason are unable to “move on”. His ability leads to one adventure after another as he helps to solve murders, right wrongs and help the deceased settle their earthly affairs. Even though Jordan is gay, the books contain no graphic sexual content. His preference does affect how he deals with the gay spirits sent to him by some unknown entity, however. By the end of the third book, Jordan learns more about his mentor and discovers an alternate world in which he has a greater destiny to fulfill, thus setting the stage for other stand-alone Jordan Dare novels. The books also introduce a new fantasy world of myth and magic called The Weir. That world will be featured in upcoming novels I plan to release soon. The Jordan Dare series is written for all readers, twelve and up, and has no adult-only content.
I have a number of other gay-oriented books you may find of interest, as well. Last fall, I released a more sexually explicit coming-of-age novel, Clay Parker: Growing Up Gay in 1953 that has become my best-selling book. It’s the story of a fourteen-year-old boy confused by his feelings, thoughts, and dreams as he reaches adolescence and finds his sexual interests are for other teenage boys. But it's 1953, a time of conservatism and rigid family and moral values. To top off Clay's problems, he's an orphan forced to live with an abusive aunt and uncle who openly show their distaste for the lad who was severely burned when a house fire killed his mother, father, and younger brother. They would be the last persons he could turn to, to help him cope with his alien feelings. This is the story of Clay's troubles, trials, and final triumph as he strives to find a family who will love him after he is forced to run away from home after a severe beating by his drunken uncle. The book contains graphic sexual descriptions that would not be suitable for children under thirteen, although it would be highly recommended reading for gay teens to raise their awareness of the struggles of adolescent gay boys in earlier times. Clay Parker is more sexually graphic. Clay Parker: Growing up Gay in 1953, is the first of several gay, coming-of-age stories I plan to release in the next 24 months.
My fifth novel, Two Souls Forever One, is my first adult gay romance novel and was just released in March of 2019. It’s set in Jacksonville, Florida in the early 1980s when public perceptions of gay couples were still uncertain and controversial. It is the story of two men in their early twenties, Chris Walker, and Walt Bower who have both always been, shy, ashamed and secretive about their true natures. It’s the story of how not only Chris and Walt find love but how their example helps two other shy teenagers eventually find their soul mates by following the lead of their mentors. It is a humorous, uplifting and warm story of two couples whose souls become entwined by the power of love. The book contains some adult content but would be suitable for older teenagers, especially gay teens. Look for my books at Amazon/Kindle Publishing.