Paperback, 400 pages
Published Oct. 15, 2015 by Dreamspinner Press.
I will admit that this book is full of completely juvenile humor and is written for "young adults", but I loved it either way. It will not be for everyone.
A Fantasy comedy obviously meant for young men who fit some of the contemporary urban gay stereotypes.
The jokes had me laughing out loud several times. The realistic perspective of sex that's still too uncommon in m/m romances was gratifying (although—note—it's not especially erotic despite the plethora of sexual references and would've been overly uncomfortable if it had been especially erotic with the YA tone).
Cons: Shitty political commentary, apathetic violence of the wizard (apprentice), insistence that the Darks as dangerously out of control more than the main characters are when that's not how they're shown, and homogeneity of most of the characters' personalities increasingly bother me as I think about them.
However, focusing too much on negatives would be missing the value of the story.
It's funny and stuffed with subtle subversions of old fantasy tropes. But this novel is also about real-world survival. This is a book about …
A Fantasy comedy obviously meant for young men who fit some of the contemporary urban gay stereotypes.
The jokes had me laughing out loud several times. The realistic perspective of sex that's still too uncommon in m/m romances was gratifying (although—note—it's not especially erotic despite the plethora of sexual references and would've been overly uncomfortable if it had been especially erotic with the YA tone).
Cons: Shitty political commentary, apathetic violence of the wizard (apprentice), insistence that the Darks as dangerously out of control more than the main characters are when that's not how they're shown, and homogeneity of most of the characters' personalities increasingly bother me as I think about them.
However, focusing too much on negatives would be missing the value of the story.
It's funny and stuffed with subtle subversions of old fantasy tropes. But this novel is also about real-world survival. This is a book about gay empowerment.
This is needed for more of its intended audience to survive in our world.
Totally not a writing style I'm used to -and worth sticking with for being hysterically funny.
One of the best books I have read in years.
Brilliantly funny, with a touching heart, and almost lyrical pacing. I used my Kindle highlighting feature more than I have for any other books.
If this is ever made into a movie Ron Funches MUST play Gary the hornless, gay unicorn!
I am almost afraid to recommend this to some of my bitchier friends. There is too much good material in here.
