Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion
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May Read 2011: Three Wrong Turns in the Desert
Emanuela ~Zstyx~ wrote: "I hope it'll be kindled sooner or later. Thanks for trying :)"
I hope the entire series will be ... I really want to read them all.
@Blaine D. If you ever feel like selling your copy, I'm here :D
I hope the entire series will be ... I really want to read them all.
@Blaine D. If you ever feel like selling your copy, I'm here :D
Emanuela ~Zstyx~ wrote: "I bought a book from bookdepository.uk once, but it only works through the Adobe Digital Edition software. Do you use calibre to convert? Because if you manage, I can try to convert to Mobi."Excuse my french, but ADE is a bitch to convert.
I'm about halfway through, and having a rip-roaring time, but like Merith, Anne, and Josh, I do have some nitpicks. It's the editor in me. I can so rarely leave my mental red pen behind when I stop work for the day.
Anne wrote: "Excuse my french, but ADE is a bitch to convert."Lol. Noted.
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Yup!!! I am currently writing the June Challenge and waiting for June challenge chat. It's going to be a busy night for me. lol.
Good morning all. I'm a Manhattan dweller and woke early. So here is my 'early bird' May *book report*. (Neil, if you are with us today, there is a question for you at the end.)Three Wrong Turns in the Desert
This book is an exciting plot-driven m/m adventure-romance from Neil Plakcy. I read this story for the first time in December 2010, right after discovering Neil's work with GayLife.Com, and had no hesitation in seconding its nomination for our May Read.
The many settings - from the teeming streets in Tunis, the Bar Mamounia, Liam's house; to the never ending stops on the trek across the steamy Sahara - are so colorfully and completely described that the reader is easily transported wherever the author wants them to be.
The 2 main characters - Aidan and Liam - are very different from each other in manner and background, and yet, as we see the story progress, so well-suited for each other. The evolution of their relationship is brilliantly delineated by Neil with just the right mix of romance and hot, hot sex!
As I said at the start, this is an exciting plot-driven story, and there is plenty of it, as A & L make their way across the desert to deliver an account # and password to the Tuareg tribe. No need to explain more. This is, after all, not a review for people who haven't read the book.
So - with colorful settings, engaging MC's, and a well-written plot, are there any problems in this book? For me there are two: 1) when the plot shifted from the Tuareg delivery to fighting anti-terrorists, including the use of anthrax, the focus abruptly changed, and that took me right out of the story; 2) the sudden appearance of Blake at Liam's house was completely out of character with how he had been described thoughout. I did not believe for one moment that he wanted Aidan back for any reason, nor could I imagine that he would inconvenience himself to the point of making that long trip from Philadelphia to Tunis.
These issues aside, TWTITD was a more enjoyable read the second time around. I knew all the surprises, and could concentrate on the rhythm of the writing. Neil Plakcy is an intelligent and articulate writer. He has told a satisfying story that works equally well in either the romance or adventure genres, with a generous, but not overwhelming, dollop of mind-melting, smokin' sex, just enough to remind us why we picked up the book in the first place! :)
Having already consumed Dancing with the Tide, I eagerly await the 3rd installment in the lives of Aidan and Liam.
Hello Neil. This is my question:
How could you put nipple rings on gorgeous Liam in that smoldering shower scene and then never mention them again?
It seems as though he removed them some time afterwards and never put them back in. If that is true surely Aidan would have asked about them, since you had him enjoying looking at them so much when he first saw Liam in the shower.
The first time I read the story I waited and waited for those damn nipple rings to reappear, or for Aidan to ask about them. Any response is appreciated. Thanks.
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I want to start off by saying I LOVED this book! Sure, I had a few minor issues with it, but I think that's normal with most books. Over all, yes, I would read it again.
Neil has a way with words, descriptions, especially places. I felt like I was really there. Literally, like I'd stepped through the wardrobe door to Narnia and ended up in the Middle East instead. And, not only that, but the way he does it is subtle. He doesn't just plop a paragraph description of sand in there wherever he feels like it, because that wouldn't work at all. It's all interwoven with the plot and the dialog, and the sex, and everything. lol.
I think for me, my biggest problem with it was that things seemed a little too easy. They kept managing to escape, and people were too willing to help them out even when they didn't know them. That seemed a little far fetched. But, it was something I could overlook at the same time, to enjoy the story, even if I was always wondering when someone was going to be kidnapped or held at serious knifebpoint.
Speaking of the knife... when he bought the knife, I knew it would come back later on, as it should, and did. But I expected Aiden to be the one to weild it to save either his life, or Liam's or both, not to hand it off to open a box. I'm hoping it comes back in a later book and Aiden is using it to protect himself.
Even so, the sequel is on my to-read list for sure!
Jordan S. wrote: "Well, I guess I'll get the ball rolling then!I want to start off by saying I LOVED this book! Sure, I had a few minor issues with it, but I think that's normal with most books. Over all, yes, I..."
I agree with most of your point, Jordan, especially about its easy-ness. Everything seems to flow too smoothly to be entirely believable, but strangely I enjoy it. Many books have over the top complications and surprises, and sometimes can get too violent.
This is a very enjoyable book. A comfort read when you don't want anything too complicated or angsty.
By the way, have I mentioned that LIAM IS HOT! OMG, OUTDOOR SHOWER! I wantz more!
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I LOVED the ending for that. I wanted him to see how much his ex had changed and that he wasn't welcome in Aiden's life anymore. Sweet justice. It was like seeing Aiden sucker punch him right in the gut... or the nuts.
Having just finished Dancing with the Tide and enjoying it immensely, I am so glad our review of TWTitD started this weekend. I really loved this story. It grabbed you from the start and kept you reading like a good story should. Both Liam and Aidan were wonderfully drawn, you got a clear picture of who they were and how they'd react in just about any given situation. I loved Aidan's seeming vulnerability and the strengths he displayed throughout the story, and in such clever ways. Liam held a different kind of strength; he seemed to be rather confused on what to do and how to really feel about Aidan.
I had a couple of disbelieving moments reading the book, but nothing so strong that it threw me out of the story. Though, I have to say the callous way Liam approached adding anthrax to the air system, having the potential to harm hundreds, even allies and friends and not just the terrorist/terrorists in training, was totally appalling. Yes, it was a method to achieve the necessary results but the waste and potential lack of containment was foolishness of the highest order. You don't just drop that kind of thing and expect a handful of pills to fix it all up in a week.
And, as Susan mentioned, Blake showing up at Liam's door at the end of the story was rather bizarre. I wouldn't have thought it of him, the way he'd been described by Aidan. It felt like it was there only as a chance for Aidan to shove his good fortune in Blake's face - an 'I don't need you' moment. Which fits Aidan's personality, but it wasn't necessary for the story.
I was more surprised that it was Aidan who first suggested to infect the camp through the air circulation. It threw me out of the story. I didn't think he had that ruthlessness in him. Liam, yes, I can believe that. He's ruthless enough to use Aidan at their first meeting even though he must have known that he would drag him into a dangerous situation, and he must have encountered similar situations when he was still a Navy Seal.
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Plus, I don't remember Aiden checking email while on the journey or towards the end either.
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I don't know. Really, he could probably go either way on the issue. But, personally, I was glad to see him in the end, just because Aiden talked about him so much, I think.
On another note, I would have liked to see more scenes from Liam's POV. I felt like that was lacking, just a little. About halfway through I was wondering how he really felt about Aiden, and then I got that POV, but it would have been nice to get that a little sooner, to know he was actually falling for him and unable to say why.
Jordan S. wrote: "I was glad to see him in the end, just because Aidan talked about him so much, I think. "I actually like it in stories when an ex-AH gets his, especially in this case for the way he treated Aidan, only to find out that Aidan was much better off without him. I also thought that having Blake show up contrite (if only because he lost his house-warmer), was so totally Aidan putting paid to Blake.
I would have liked to see more scenes from Liam's POV.
Have you read the second book yet? It's totally in Aidan's POV, but you still get how Liam feels for Aidan... even if Aidan sometimes forgets.
Hi Everyone!I absolutely loved this book. It is not often that we get an action packed adventure that keeps intrigue and content flowing so smoothly. One of my favorite aspects of the book was the sense of place...I always felt I was in North Africa, Neil's writing kept me there throughout the book.
I think the ending with Blake was fitting. I don't think he missed Aidan as a person, but a caretaker for his life. So I'm glad Aidan got his final say.
Looking forward to book three :)
Snowtulip wrote: "Hi Everyone!I absolutely loved this book. It is not often that we get an action packed adventure that keeps intrigue and content flowing so smoothly. One of my favorite aspects of the book was ..."
Yes, the sense of place is one of the best things about this book! I want to visit Tunisia! :D
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I agree. I think Neil does some of the most skilfull insertion of local color I've read. It's really well done, never generic, never guidebookish, it's germane to the story.
He also does a good job with food, which I suppose is all part of that, but it's often overlooked.
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I think -- personal preference here -- it would have been better saved for a later book in the series. Because it's kind of wasted in this one. But maybe Neil didn't know he was doing a series at the time?
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I really like what Neil was trying to do here -- we don't see it a lot in m/m fiction. That clear character arc of Aiden who has essentially lost himself in his desire to hang onto an unhealthy relationship, and how he rediscovers that person through his adventures with Liam.
That's classic Romancing the Stone stuff -- it's great.
I admit I didn't quite follow *why* Aiden had so desperately wanted to hang onto that relationship with Blake, and nothing I saw in Blake clarified that for me. But that's no big deal. We've all known people in relationships like that.
I had a couple of disbelieving moments reading the book, but nothing so strong that it threw me out of the story. Though, I have to say the callous way Liam approached adding anthrax to the air system, having the potential to harm hundreds, even allies and friends and not just the terrorist/terrorists in training, was totally appalling. Yes, it was a method to achieve the necessary results but the waste and potential lack of containment was foolishness of the highest order. You don't just drop that kind of thing and expect a handful of pills to fix it all up in a week.
Yes, that was a huh moment for me. Also, just a little thing, but the way Aiden casually walks away from the dog he was feeding. I mean, nothing else was practical, and, in fact, I was expecting the dog to be killed as a convenient way to get rid of it, but since the dog was -- I assumed -- in there to show a soft, humane side of Aiden, the fact that he didn't give it a second thought was another huh moment.
I'm not one of those crazy cat types who won't forgive an author for killing an animal in a story.
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Speaking of email, the fact that Aiden had not tried to set up any kind of email account so that people could contact him -- like his prospective employer -- was pretty unrealistic. There were a couple of little things like that. I think it gets back to the convenience issue, Jordan was talking about. Problems were, perhaps, too easily solved -- it's not a big complaint though because it's all in keeping with the Boys Own Adventure tone of the story. It's light-hearted and for fun.
Oh! Which reminds me. I thought the chapter titles -- so reminiscent of those old adventure stories -- were great. Very fun.
Josh wrote: "Yes, that was a huh moment for me. Also, just a little thing, but the way Aiden casually walks away from the dog he was feeding. I mean, nothing else was practical, and, in fact, I was expecting the dog to be killed as a convenient way to get rid of it, but since the dog was -- I assumed -- in there to show a soft, humane side of Aiden, the fact that he didn't give it a second thought was another huh moment.I'm not one of those crazy cat types who won't forgive an author for killing an animal in a story. "
Some cats and dogs in 3rd world countries CAN be self-sufficient though. Most of them are not caught by animal controls and since Tunisia is a Moslem country, the dogs are safe from people who want to eat them. (unlike here, but that's another story...)
Killing an animal needlessly IS a deal breaker for me in liking a character.
Josh wrote: "I thought the chapter titles -- so reminiscent of those old adventure stories -- were great. Very fun. "He carries this into the second book as well. I love it when chapters are titled so cleverly - giving hints at what the chapter will continue, even if it's tongue-in-cheek.
Josh wrote: "I admit I didn't quite follow *why* Aiden had so desperately wanted to hang onto that relationship with Blake, and nothing I saw in Blake clarified that for me. But that's no big deal. We've all known people in relationships like that. "I wondered why it took 11 years for Aidan to wake up. But, sometimes it does take time to get out of that sort of fugue. What I did wonder is how anyone, even someone suffering from heartache, could run off to that sort of foreign county - one where your very nature would get you killed. It seemed rather over-the-top foolhardy. Though it gave the illusion of Aidan running off to join the "French Foreign Legion".
Forgot we were discussing this book today :OP I loved this one it was sexy and sweet...the Aiden/Blake thing was puzzling...and I got a little tired of hearing about him after a while...and yes Romancing the Stone is a great comparison :O)
Merith wrote: "Josh wrote: "I admit I didn't quite follow *why* Aiden had so desperately wanted to hang onto that relationship with Blake, and nothing I saw in Blake clarified that for me. But that's no big deal...."*snorts* Iam not surprised. My best friend was confused if she should leave her asshole boyfriend who commanded her to go to work when she was still in a hospital. They've been in a relationship for 6 years. Compared to him, Blake was an angel.
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I liked the characters, I thought the setting and sense of place was brilliant, the plot was well-paced and neatly constructed...the whole thing was very much in keeping with the two blends of genre: romance and action-adventure.
I personally -- and this is simply personal preference -- felt that Aiden fell for Liam too fast. And Liam was declaring love too fast. But this has more to do with my choices in storytelling and what I like to read than a U R doin' it Rong!
The only real criticism I had was the tendency to tell rather than show and the abundance of exposition.
We spend a lot of time being told what Aiden is thinking but (for me) it was coming from a slightly distant third person POV rather than the close third that puts us right inside the character's head.
Also there were a lot of scenes that I felt should have been built out rather than told to us almost in passing:
"He was stunned to discover, after he jumped out, that he had landed not on Liam but on the pharmacist's assistant. Aidan got a good look at his face, and then he wriggled out of Aidan's grasp and ran away."
:-D That seemed a bit brisk even for someone like me who's known for brevity.
Now in fairness we do get plenty of scenes that *are* built out, but in an action adventure I prefer the focus to stay largely on the action and adventure.
Also, I could have done without quite so many sex scenes, but I realize that this is me and not the reaction most readers are going to have. So nobody take my advice on that one.
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I know. It's not the choice he made (there wasn't any other) it was the total lack of emotion. Not that I wanted to see him sobbing over a stray dog. Just...why was that dog in there if not to show a soft side?
I'm no doubt over thinking the dog. :-D
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Now THERE'S something I'd like to read. PC Wren meets m/m romance.
Josh wrote: "Also, I could have done without quite so many sex scenes, but I realize that this is me and not the reaction most readers are going to have. So nobody take my advice on that one. "Actually, I think that this is one thing that plagues the genre far too much. I could do with less sex in my books. Your reaction isn't the only one. I just wish there was something we could do about it.
Josh wrote: "I enjoyed this very much. It's exactly the kind of rollicking, sexy adventure that I wish we saw a bit more of in this genre. I liked the characters, I thought the setting and sense of place wa..."
Book 2 has even more sex scenes than the 1st. That's why I prefer the 1st.
I really enjoyed the sense of place, too. I tend to get bored and skim when there's a lot of description, but that wasn't an issue for me at all in this book.And I agree that Blake showing up at Liam's door seemed out of character. If Aidan and Liam had been sent back to New Jersey to recover with Liam's family, or to a military hospital in Maryland or Virginia, I could see Blake showing up there. (Bitching about the inconvenience all the way.) But traveling all the way to Tunisia seemed unlikely. Blake was't a complete monster-- he had reason to be seriously concerned about Aidan's wellbeing, and was relieved to find him in one piece. He's just too self-centered to go that far out of his way for someone else.
Cleon wrote: "Book 2 has even more sex scenes than the 1st. That's why I prefer the 1st. "You know, I didn't notice it so much in the second book. Maybe it's because I've gotten to the point of skimming sex scenes as habit. But, the scene that just about made me want to toss the book (figuratively, since it was on my eReader), was when Liam demanded Aidan make noise to put the 'boys' to shame.
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I confess I skimmed them all. That's no comment on Neil's writing. I now do that pretty much universally.
Josh wrote: "was when Liam demanded Aidan make noise to put the 'boys' to shame. I confess I skimmed them all. That's no comment on Neil's writing. I now do that pretty much universally."
Me too. I very rarely read sex scenes now.
I did notice that the penetration scenes featured more pain and less lube than most of the genre.
Cleon wrote: "Josh wrote: "was when Liam demanded Aidan make noise to put the 'boys' to shame. I confess I skimmed them all. That's no comment on Neil's writing. I now do that pretty much universally."
Me too..."
There have been a few scenes in other books that I love, but they have more to do with emotional connection than physical titillation. I would much rather read a book cover to cover without any sex, mention of hard-ons or orgasms.
In fact, it's becoming so trite to read about a man popping an instant boner whenever a hot guy walks into the room. I want to start keeping tally on how many times that happens in certain books.
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I'm fortunate that my editor is willing to find a compromise between what I can write and what LI can accept. Samhain and Carina are both more flexible on the sex scenes, although if it makes sense, they'll push for more -- and if it makes sense, I usually am not going to fight it.
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Though, Josh, I think you're right, about how fast they fall for each other, especially now that I know this is a series, which I didn't realize at first.
And the dog, yeah, he was kind of heartless just leaving it out there, but what else was he going to do with it, I guess? It's not like he could take it with him, or like he could talk to his neighbors and ask them to take the dog. I wanted him to take the dog with him though, even though I knew it wouldn't be easy. That's the dog lover in me!
Josh wrote: "Loose Id is a publisher that pushes for more sex scenes. Their marketing folks feel convinced that that's primary for the readers, and I guess they should know.I'm fortunate that my editor is w..."
There are a few writers I'll read sex scenes from these days, and you are one of them. You have written some of the best, most character connecting scenes I have ever read.
When I've mentioned this explosion of sex, sex everywhere to other writers, they all say the same thing - publishers push for it. Publishers state the readers demand it. I just wish that more than a small handful of stories would be published with less sex and more story. It's getting to where reading sex on every other page seem like random hook-ups in the back alley of a bar. No connection, no involvement, no investment.
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No wonder people think gay fiction is synonomous with erotica.
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Though, Josh, I think you're right, about how fast they fall for each other, especially now that ..."
It's *absolutely* the right and logical choice. There's nothing else he could have done. I just wanted to see something more than that casual...he sure hoped someone else would adopt it.
:-D
Another dog lover here. But so's Neil! That's what cracked me up about it.
Can't say I've managed to finish this book yet, but it did remind me of an old childhood favorite, Desmond Bagley's Flyaway. It's also set in North Africa, an action thriller amongst the Tuarag. Haven't read it again as an adult, although I read it very often as a teenager.
Looking back, I'm sure even Bagley (a niche thriller writer) was surprised how well the book came out -- just a wonderful, coherent whole with terrific main characters, superb action and unforgettable setting.
No romance, zero sex, but a guys-bonding story that feels more genuinely a story about men than most of the m/m genre that I've read.
I wish my copy were closer than the 18,000 miles between us currently, as I'd really like to read it again and see how it holds up through adult eyes.
I really enjoyed this one. I think everything I had an opinion on has pretty much been brought up already. I confess, I wish I had access to Google most of the time while I was reading. I wanted to see what the Tunisian desert looked like or find out what each piece of clothing or food was. The descriptive writing pulled me in, but the setting was so unfamiliar to me that I felt like I needed visuals to put the puzzle together sometimes.
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I also have to blame the editor for one mistake that ruined an extremely romantic moment for me. The sentence was written "Liam wrapped his arms around Liam" and I did a double take and had to reread it to understand it, and then the mood was ruined. Anywhere else in the story, I could have passed it off a little easier, but this was like THE moment between them that I'd waited for, and BAM! It was ruined. *sigh*
Q&A with Josh Lanyon
Books mentioned in this topic
Primal Red (other topics)Lessons in Love (other topics)
Lessons in Love (other topics)
Lessons in Love (other topics)
Not bad for 12 detectives, I thought (even if they're bound in one book) :) ..."
Huh? I only see one new for 66.51£ (O_o) and used for 33+ £. And this is before shipping. I'll search other sellers
"
I was shocked when I read that price, so I've been browsing and they've really gone up in price since I bought it in October. Although the German Amazon had the lowest price (about 21Euros), but not in stock ... at the moment.
*sigh*