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Book Reviews

Review: ‘Ruby: Lost & Found’ by M. D. Grimm

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Title: Ruby: Lost & Found Author: M. D. Grimm Genre: Fantasy LGBTQ+ Category: MM Romance Publisher: Amazon Pages: 237 Blurb Lord Morgorth is a dark mage on the planet Karishian. He’s considered a villain by his peers and relishes the title, having embraced the role earlier in his life. However, not all of his actions are necessarily villainous. Despite owning several of the Stones of Power—gemstones infused with powerful magick—he doesn’t use them, preferring to keep them hidden away and out of destructive, power-hungry hands. He hates them more than anything. So when a sorcerer gets a hold of a … Read more

Review: “In Pain and Blood” by Aldrea Alien

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In Pain and Blood

Title: In Pain and Blood Series: Spellster Series Book 1 Author: Aldrea Alien Genre: epic fantasy LGBTQ+ Category: m/m, cis Publisher: Thardrandian Publications Pages/Word Count: 740 pages/309000 words It’s a standalone story and first in a series of standalones. Blurb It wasn’t meant to be like this. Dylan’s life in the spellster tower has everything he should want: magical knowledge, safety from the King’s Hounds and frequent clandestine affairs with women. All at the cost of his freedom. So when the chance to leave the tower—even as a leashed weapon for the King’s Army—arises, he seizes it. When his first scouting … Read more

Review: The Vampire’s Protege

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The Vampire's Protege

Title: The Vampire’s Protege Author: Damian Serbu Genre: Paranormal/Horror LGBTQ+ Category: Gay/MM Publisher: NineStar Press Pages: 367 Blurb: A sinister vampire offers Charon a choice he can’t refuse: play a deadly game of winner takes all, losers die. Charon relishes the competition and molds himself into a sexy vampire who defies vampire law, savoring his power and embracing the role of villain. He also loves surrounding himself with hot young men. But when an alluring vampire stalks him and threatens to turn him into the Vampire Council unless he helps with a seemingly impossible task, will Charon risk his perfectly … Read more

REVIEW: Safety Protocols for Human Holidays, by Angel Martinez

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Safety Protocols For Human Holidays

As a security officer on an interspecies ship, Growlan Raskli’s experienced in heading off species-specific aberrant behaviors in order to keep the peace. But when her captain asks her to find out what’s bothering their sole human crew member, Raskli’s out of her depths. She hardly knows anything about humans and she’s not a psych doctor. Something’s definitely upset Human Jen, something to do with human holidays. The more time Raskli spends studying humans and interacting with the intriguing Human Jen, the more personal the assignment becomes. Determined to lift the dark cloud from Human Jen, Raskli will do whatever … Read more

Review: “Skin” by Christian Baines

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Skin

Title: Skin Author: Christian Baines Genre: Horror, Fantasy LGBTQ+ Category: Gay Publisher: Bold Strokes Books Word Count: 45,000 Blurb: Kyle, a young newcomer to New Orleans, is haunted by the memory of his first lover, brutally murdered just outside the French Quarter. Marc, a young Quarter hustler, is haunted by an eccentric spirit that shares his dreams, and by the handsome but vicious lover who shares his bed. When the barrier between these men comes down, it will prove thinner than the veil between the living and the dead…or between justice and revenge. Review by Andrew: Baines’ slim novel Skin … Read more

Boogieman in Lavender – Wilde Stories 2017

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Jeff Baker

Yes, there’s a gay version of Ronald Reagan in here, in one of the stories of Lethe Press’ Wilde Stories. The alternate history version of the former President is only one of the surprises in the 2017 edition of the year’s best gay speculative fiction edited by Steve Berman. “Frost,” by ‘Nathan Burgoine borrows from “Frosty the Snowman” but in subtle ways (the mention of the broomstick was worth a smile!) and adds another origin story, as well as a poignant statement about the nature of magical transformations. “Where’s The Rest Of Me?” by Matthew Cheney (the aforementioned alternate Ronald … Read more

REVIEW: What If the Moon Didn’t Exist? and What If The Earth Had Two Moons?

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Neil F. Comins

QSF’s own Jim Comer reviews two great books for sci fi world builders. Worldbuilding for writers and gamers means not only making imaginary worlds, but having a working knowledge of the laws by which worlds are built and operate. Knowledge of science is necessary in order for worlds to make any kind of sense. But one of the confusing parts of discussing worldbuilding is the lack of a convenient jargon. Referring to a ‘wet Mars’ or a ‘cold Venus’ is only so useful; the fictional (“M-type”, in Star Trek, or the six-digit planetary profiles from the RPG Traveller)jargons have the … Read more

“Guardian” by Carole Cummings

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Guardian

Title: Guardian Series: Aisling #1 Author: Carole Cummings Genre: Gay Fantasy Publisher: DSP Publications Pages: 270 Blurb As he pursues a man who is not what he seems, Constable Dallin Brayden learns the lines between enemy and ally, truth and deception, and conscience and obedience are not only blurred, but malleable. Constable Dallin Brayden knows who he is, what he’s about, and he doesn’t believe in Fate. “Wilfred Calder” has no idea who he is or what he’s about, and he’s been running from Fate for as long as he can remember. When Wil flees after witnessing a murder, it’s … Read more

Review: “The Stark Divide” by J. Scott Coatsworth

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Title: The Stark Divide Series: Liminal Sky Book #1 Author: J. Scott Coatsworth Genre: LGBTQ+ Science Fantasy Publisher: DSP Publications Pages: 284 Blurb Some stories are epic. The Earth is in a state of collapse, with wars breaking out over resources and an environment pushed to the edge by human greed. Three living generation ships have been built with a combination of genetic mastery, artificial intelligence, technology, and raw materials harvested from the asteroid belt. This is the story of one of them—43 Ariadne, or Forever, as her inhabitants call her—a living world that carries the remaining hopes of humanity, … Read more

Review: “Heathens” by Jonah Bergan

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Heathens-tn

Title: Heathens Author: Jonah Bergan Genre: YA Gay Science Fiction Publisher: Amazon Pages: 540 Blurb Well it finally happened. The world ended. It didn’t happen the way anyone expected it would. No nukes, no pandemics, just a whole lot of rage and a whole lot of violence. None of us saw it coming. There were plenty of clues, but none of us figured it out in time. The real kicker is, I’m pretty sure someone planned it. I’m pretty sure someone did it on purpose. I’m Holden. I survived. You won’t like my story. That’s too bad, because your world’s … Read more