Gay Fiction & Literature

A Book Review Blog

[gaylitreview]

【Dancer from the Dance: A Novel】by Andrew Holleran

Rating: 3/5

Medium length gay fiction (256 pages). Malone, a Yale graduate, forsook his career at the law firm to seek love amidst a culture of sexual fanaticism. Sutherland, a seasoned drag queen, spent most of his afternoons in the men’s room at the Grand Central station. They both lived a life of indulgence and danced every night until dawn. Yet they were not so sure what drove them to such lifestyle or what they were hoping to find in the end.

Generally regarded as the “Gay Gatsby”, Dancer from the Dance is inspired by the gay sub-culture in New York City and Fire Island during the 70s. It is a more accessible book (in terms of the writing style) than Larry Kramer’s Faggot (also published in 1978). Both authors examined and criticized the lifestyle of gay men during this unprecedented era of sexual liberty and free love. Holleran’s writing is beautiful, but the book is not meant to be a page-turner. It is rather long and descriptive. Recommended for literature fans.

Available in paperback on Amazon for $12.99

[gaylitreview]

【The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame: Master of Gay Erotic Manga】by Gengoroh Tagame, Chip Kidd (editor) & Graham Kolbeins (editor)

Rating: 5/5 (Favorites)

Kinky Bara comic from the most influential gay manga artist in Japan. The book is a collection of Tagame’s shorter and tamer stories. It is currently out of print and difficult to obtain, but English translations of selected work can be found online at various manga sites. Twink lovers are out of luck here, Tagame excels and specializes in drawing big hairy men with bulging muscles. This is a must-read for those who love bears and BDSM.

[gaylitreview]

【Boystown: Three Nick Nowak Mysteries】by Marshall Thornton

Rating: 4/5

Medium length gay detective fiction (241 pages). The first book in a long series (eleven have been published so far).

Nick Nowak was a Chicago police officer. In the early 80s, he left the force to start his own practice. Now working as a private detective, Nick is on track to unzip his pants more often than pulling out his sig sauer while on the job. The number of casual sexual contacts he’s had is at least twice the number of cases he has solved.

The book has a solid plot interlaced with abundant sexual contents such that it can be read both as a mystery and as an erotica. The writing style is raw and harsh and left no room for any sentiments. Romance readers who expect some level of emotional engagement should stay away from this one. It is a fast-paced read for those who enjoy crime-solving and quick-banging in one package.

Available on kindle for $6.99

[gaylitreview]

【Less】by Andrew Seam Greer

Rating: 4/5

Medium length gay fiction (272 pages). Arthur Less is about to turn 50. He has published three books in his life, each one less successful than the previous one. When he receives the dreaded wedding invitation from his ex-lover, Arthur decides it’s time to “run away” from his problems by going on a year-long international book tour.

Mr Greer’s subversive sense of humor gives voice to an aging white man whose life is turning into a string of humiliations. His youth, his lover and his mediocre writing career have all abandoned him as he rapidly approaches his 50th birthday. But is it really too late for Arthur? Could he still turn his life around? The author skillfully taps into Arthur’s past and current life events in an attempt to discover where happiness truly lies.

Highly recommended for those who loves Mark Merlis and Christopher Isherwood.

Available on kindle for $9.99

[gaylitreview]

【The Little Death】by Michael Nava

Rating: 4/5

Medium-length gay murder mystery (168 pages). Book one of the Henry Rios Mysteries (7 books total). Henry Rios, age 34, is a San Francisco public defender suffering from burnout. By chance, he became acquainted and involved with Hugh Paris, heir to the Paris fortune, old money amassed during the railway expansion. Hugh died under suspicious circumstances. Henry, out of a sense of loyalty, chose to investigate the death of his friend despite warnings from his legal peers.

Henry Rios is a lawyer, not a detective. He solves his case through legal procedure, not police work. The force behind Hugh’s murder is laid out at the beginning of the book and Henry’s job is to bring the guilty to justice by overcoming massive legal hurdles put in place by the murderer’s wealth and political power. The readers will hear about the intricacy of the legal system and the Paris family’s dark history. Highly recommended for mystery readers.

Available in paperback on Amazon for $9.98

[gaylitreview]

【A Single Man】by Christopher Isherwood

Rating: 5/5 (Favorites)

Medium-length gay fiction (192 pages). George is a middle-aged university professor living in Los Angeles in the 60s. After losing his lover to a car accident, George continues to inhabit the same house he shared with Jim and goes about his life in a semi-detached manner. He found suburban-living and perhaps living in general distasteful. His day starts in an ordinary house within an ordinary suburb. As he arrived on campus, he sees a large number of young people hurrying toward classes, preparing themselves for the future which means getting a job and having babies. As the day progresses, George makes peace with the world and its inhabitants until the curtains are drawn and he is once again claimed by sleep and unconsciousness.

The novel captures the life of a single man during a single day. Although loss (of loved ones, youth and the past) is a key plot element of the book, the author also makes the counter argument that perhaps there was never anything meaningful to be gained from existing in the first place. Consciousness is over-rated.

A film under the same title was made in 2009. It is directed by Tom Ford and stars Colin Firth. Although a great interpretation of Isherwood’s novel, the film did not capture George’s psychological states in its entirety. Many of George’s inner thoughts and monologues were left out or “lost in translation”. Therefore it is highly-recommended that one reads the book before viewing the film.

Available on Kindle for $9.99

[gaylitreview]

【Before Night Falls: A Memoir】by Reinaldo Arenas

Rating: 4/5

Medium-length autobiography by Cuban gay writer and exile Reinaldo Arenas (336 pages). Reinaldo was born in Cuba in 1943. Driven by poverty, he joined the Cuban revolution at the age of 15. After Fidel Castro took power, Reinaldo grew increasingly disenchanted with the system as many writers were persecuted for being “counterrevolutionary”. He was imprisoned as a result of his sexuality and defiant writing. After being released from jail, Reinaldo eventually left for United States along with 120,000 other Cubans during the 1980 Mariel boatlift event (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariel_boatlift).

A valuable text on the rise of a totalitarian government and life under such a regime. But the problem with reading any non-fiction written in anger or distress is that it is impossible to discern between truth and exaggeration. Throughout the book Reinaldo dished out many insults at his friends, fellow writers and family members. One could not help but question the authenticity of these personal accusations. Likewise, it is also not clear whether many of the sexual adventures the author claimed to have had were facts or fiction. The book is worth reading for its political content and vivid descriptions of life in Cuba, but you will have to thread through a lot of petty revenges, finger-pointing and queer drama.

The purpose of this review is not to discredit the author or undermine the importance of his work. However it is important to keep in mind that Before Night Falls is an outcry from someone who has been trapped and denied his basic rights; it is highly emotional and not meant to be neutral or objective.

Available in paperback on Amazon for $12.82. No kindle edition yet.

[gaylitreview]

【Like People in History】by Felice Picano

Rating: 5/5 (Favorites)

Full length gay fiction (528 pages).

Roger and Allistair are second cousins who resmeble each other in appearance. Both of them are gay, but the similarities end there. Allistair profited from his real estate business at an early age and went on to spend most of his adult life among fashionable societies in the States and Europe. He has ambiguous moral principles and often acts solely in self-interest giving little regard to the well-being of others. Roger is more of a 9-5er. Over the years he slowly worked his way up to become a well-recognized gay magazing editor and writer. The two cousins had a close but strained relationship due to a number of betrayals instigated by Allistair, including the breaking of Roger’s long-term relationship with his parter Matt Longuidice.

The book is told from Roger’s point of view and has non-linear narrative. Allistair is a very dramatic character. At first glance, he appears to be the ultimate villain, a treacherous scoundrel who deserves very little sympathy. But Picano artfully crafted the novel in such a way that eventually the readers are able to see Allistair in the same light that Roger saw him: the product and victim of a dysfunctional family.

The novel encapsulates a period of time in gay history that is filled with glitz, accomplishments and creative energies, all of which came to a grinding halt in the face of AIDS. It is truly a masterpiece that should not be missed.

Available in paperback on Amazon for $11.99, no kindle edition yet.

[gaylitreview]

【Surviving an American Gulag】by Edward C. Patterson

Rating: 4/5

Medium length gay fiction (230 pages). Private Winslow Gibbs was drafted in 1967 during the height of the Vietnam war. He is overweight, distraught and well on his way to becoming “Section-8 material”. After failing basic training at Fort Gordon, Georgia, Gibbs was reassigned to Special Training Unit One, a holding pen for the fat, the dreamy-eyed, the emotionally-challenged and the queers. Here the misfits either survive and go back to regular basic training, or they fail and be booted out the military under Section-8.

The book offers a unique perspective on army life in the 60s before the “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy. The story takes place during basic training, so you won’t see real combat or battle fields. After reading the book, one gets the impression that rather than acknowledging recruits who are different from others, the army’s solution is forcing everyone to abandon their identity and adhere to “acceptable” behavior.

Available on kindle for $4.99

[gaylitreview]

【Afterlife】by Paul Monette

Rating: 4/5

Medium length gay fiction (278 pages). Steven runs a travel agency in Los Angeles. Mark works as a Hollywood TV executive. Sonny is an aging jailbait. Dell is addicted to phone sex. These men came from vastly different backgrounds and they all share one thing in common: they are AIDS widowers, their lives converged on the 9th floor waiting room where their lovers died within the same week. Now they have regular get-togethers, mostly at Steven’s house, to trade latest T-cell counts and keep each other sane.

Afterlife is about men who have lost their partners to AIDS. Although symptom-free at the moment, all of them are positive and have no expectation to live beyond the next few years. Meanwhile, they are blessed with good health and have to go on living. If you have previously read Paul Monette’s biographical work, you will recognize the parallel between his personal life and his characters’ lives. It is not the easiest book to get into: Initially there is a large cast of characters and it’s difficult to distinguish who is who. In the second half of the book, the plot becomes much more focused and it is easy to grow attached to the two main characters (Steven and Mark). If you are struggling at the beginning, my advice is to skip Dell and Sonny’s plot lines and only follow the story line of Steven and Mark.

Available on kindle for $9.99

[gaylitreview]

【Mahu】by Neil S. Plakcy

Rating: 4/5

Medium Length gay detective fiction (352 pages). Kimo is a thirty-two-year old Hawaiian homicide detective. After a failed drug bust, Kimo went to the Rod and Reel Club, a Waikiki gay bar. He stumbled onto a dead body behind the alley while trying to dodge unwanted attentions. The murder case required more personal involvement than Kimo would have liked. What he found is that the process of coming out does not end when he tells people he is gay for the first time; it’s only the first step.

The Mahu books were published within the last ten years or so. Judging by the music references, the story took place in the 90s. Neil’s writing is crisp, descriptive and unornamented. In the story, most people Kimo interacts with are not homosexual, but they are no less interesting or three-dimensional than the main gay character.

Available on kindle for $8.99

[gaylitreview]

【Man about Town】by Mark Merlis

Rating: 4/5

Medium length gay fiction (372 pages). Joel Lingeman is a forty-five-year old congressional adviser. After a lengthy career within the Office of Legislative Analysis (OLA), Joel has reached his terminal position specializing in Medicare hospital reimbursement. When Sam, his partner of 15 years left him for someone else, Joel was partially glad to have his personal space back and was geniunely puzzled that the relationship had lasted as long as it did. Naturally Joel went back to the bar scene, but he had neither the skill nor appearance to attract potential suitors in a room full of topless twenty-something. Feeling defeated, Joel went home alone. As he sat in the living room, Joel recalled a swimsuit ad he saw during his youth and was suddenly inspired to find out what has become the model in the ad.

A witty and compelling read. The book followed Joel through his daily routines over the course of a few months after his breakup with Sam. Through Joel’s eyes, the readers get a humorous first-hand view of how democracy works (or doesn’t work). For the most part, Joel is neither happy nor unhappy with life. When he had time, he pondered the meaning of life and existence. As for whether he was able to find any answer by the end of the book, that is entirely up to interpretation.

Available on kindle for $7.99

[gaylitreview]

【The Sins of the Cities of the Plain】by Anonymous

Rating: 4/5 (if read episodically) Rating: 3/5 (if read in one setting)

Short-length classic gay erotica (120 pages). One sunny afternoon near Leicester Square, Mr. Cambon took notice of an effeminate young man with impressive “assets” sauntering about in front of him. It was soon agreed that not only the two would spend an evening together, but for the price of twenty pounds, the young man would gladly sell his life story to the gentleman so that it could be made into a book. Thus we are presented with the erotic adventures of young Jack Saul.

The most unusual things about this book is its publishing date: 1881. It is one of the first homosexual ponographic novels made available in the English language. As a matter of fact, the Victorian-era speech is highly amusing and stands in sharp contrast to the naughtiness of the content.

Most of Jack’s erotic encounters are light-hearted fun, and each episode brings new people into his life. Given its short length and historical significance, the Victorian relic is certainly worth taking a glance at. Speculations regarding who the real author is or whom the characters are based on can be found on the wikipedia page: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sins_of_the_Cities_of_the_Plain

Available on kindle for $0.99

[gaylitreview]

【Out in the Army: My Life as a Gay Soldier】by James Wharton

Rating: 3/5

Medium length gay autobiography (368 pages). James Wharton’s personal experience as one of the first openly gay men in the British army. During his decade-long military career (2003-2013), James first served as the queen’s guard in London where he came out to both the army and his family. He then completed a tour in southern Iraq. Upon on his return from war, James briefly attended training with Prince Harry in Canada and became a gay equality spokesperson on behalf of the British army.

Undoubtedly the author has a story worth telling, albeit the writing can use some polishing and stylization. Currently it resembles a hurriedly-written soldier’s log copy-pasted back to back. Non-British readers might also have trouble digesting all that enthusiasm when it comes to the royal family. On the other hand, it is very refreshing to read an encouraging and uplifting gay autobiography coming from a member of the newer generation who did not have to live through self-hatred and constant threat.

Available on kindle for $8.58

[gaylitreview]

【Leather Blues: A Novel of Leatherfolk】by Jack Fritscher 

 Rating: 4/5 

Short-length SM gay fiction (108 pages). A young man’s initiation into the leather brotherhood. Sixteen-year-old Denny got on a bike with a man-in-leather from out of town. Together they rode into the country and shared a moment of passion. Denny returned home that night knowing he had found what he’d been looking for all his life. Two years later, Denny met another man at the local hardware store. After spending some time together, his new companion introduced Denny to the other members of the “gang” and treated him to a night of extreme pleasure. 

Written in 1969 and published in the Drummer magazine under the alternate title “I’m curious”, Leather Blues is a highly graphic and fearless novel that quickly dives into the world of male bonding and “hard-balling mansex”. If you are interested in the biker gang/SM/leather subculture, Jack Fritscher is a highly regarded author and his book should be a non-brainer. 

Available on kindle for $2.99

[gaylitreview]

【Quatrefoil】by James Barr

Rating: 3/5 (the first half deserves a 5/5)

Medium length classic gay fiction (373 pages). Summer, 1946, Ensign Phillip Froelich was on his way to Seattle to await court martial following insubordination to his ex-commander. He accepted a lift from an older man whom he later found out to be Lieutenant Commander Tim Danelaw. The two men were drawn to each other from the moment they met, however, while Tim knew the reason behind it, Phillip was still in self-denial. As Phillip gradually rocognized his own “inclinations”, he was thrown into an emotional upheaval during which Commander Danelaw became the central pillar the boy was to lean on.

Originally published in 1950, this book has all the characteristics of gay fiction from that era; i.e., painful rationalization of homosexuality, extremely coded words for physical intimacy and a mandatory tragic ending. The writing itself is great and compensated for the above flaws. The novel is divided into two halves. The first part took place at the navy base in Seattle and the second part took place at Phillip’s home in Oklahoma.

Available on kindle for $3.82

[gaylitreview]

【Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story】by Paul Monette

Rating: 4/5

Medium length gay autobiography/memoir (306 pages). Winner of the 1992 National Book Award for nonfiction.

Paul Monette was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts in 1945. He attended the prestigious Phillips Academy on scholarship where he was keenly aware of the class division between himself and the wealthy classmates. He later attended Yale studying literature and poetry. Upon his graduation in 1967, Monette moved to Boston and taught writing at secondary schools before moving to the west coast with his partner Roger Horwitz in 1978.

Available on kindle for $9.99