Title: Everyday Spectres: Curse of the Gianes
Author: A.M. Riley
Published in April 2007 by Buy Torquere Press
Genre: Gay Erotic Fantasy
ISBN: 1-60370-004-7
"It is one thing to curse, it is another thing entirely to BE cursed..." *my thought on curses.*
Lyre of the Gianes is feeling rather cursed at this moment. Sent off into the world of humans, a world in which he familiar to the chagrin of the rest of his kind, made him a valuable commodity. It also made him a shunned being unless and until someone wanted something. Well, again he has been called to enter the human world outside The Grove, and find a lost or "stolen" Gianes named Maeebsef. Lyre was familiar with the human world, had suffered from his interaction with a human male named Joseph whom he loved to distraction. The love they shared broke rules, caused Lyre to be shunned, and ended with the all too human death of the beloved Joseph at an all too young an age. Lyre still grappled with his sorrow, his shame, his feelings of hurt and the haunting of his soul. Little did he know this new encounter with the mortal world would take him over and beyond anything he has known, for never before has Lyre had to face his ghosts...
O'Grady is in a world of hurt. There is one thing a Banshee knows well, negative feeling. He deals with it on a daily basis, works to overcome it, works to use it to protect those of his clan. Negative emotion, the whole comprised of the pain, sorrow, grief, and fear of everyday life are routine, and for O'Grady the world only got brighter when Maeebsef came into his sphere. The young Gianes, blonde, violet-eyed and hungry for life was his savior, but O'Grady knows there is a problem. He loves Maeebsef with all his heart, but the hunger is rising, and he is not enough to fill Maeebsef's needs. When O'Grady is faced with Lyre, the Gianes sent to take the young Maeebsef back to The Grove, he is outraged, hurt, devastated beyond belief, then angered far beyond anything he has ever known. Adding insult to injury, he found Lyre with a human. Seamus Brady, O'Grady's clansman, a human under his care, one whom he must protect, is vulnerable to Lyre. For O'Grady it is the ultimate challenge because he now fears no only for Maeebsef, but also for the fragile human life who seems to me somehow magically endowed...
Seamus Brady has to be going nuts, truly and sincerely off his ever-lovin' rocker. He has been fighting to get back on the street after the death of his partner and sometimes lover Riley. The last meeting with the department psychiatrist got him the go-ahead to return to work, and that suits him just fine. He is still determined to run down Riley's killer, but there are plenty of roadblocks in his way. One is the disappearance of a prime suspect/witness who seems to have just disappeared, and to make matters worse, no one appears to have seen him but Seamus. Well, he knows what he knows and who he saw, and he is determined to get to the bottom of things. Unfortunately for him, things are a bit squirrelly because he is not dealing with the mortal world. Much to Seamus' disbelief, there are actually magical beings, he found that out after stumbling into their midst, actually using their entrance into a local pub called O'Neils. If things could go from bad to worse, they did when Seamus' suspect actually walks into the place and tells him to stay away from his new found friend and possible lover, another "cop" named Lyre...
When the world of human and fey come into contact, when love is involved and the rules are broken and sphere’s breached, then unusual things happen, strange sights are seen. O’Grady and Maeebsef realize only one recourse, one road presents itself, and that is to find Lyre, and get Maeebsef help for his problem. Of course it means a separation for him and Maeebsef, and he is not happy about this, but is beholden to Lyre for his reports and the news he so badly needs about his lover. Meanwhile, Seamus has all of the Folk revved up, and in a drunken fit at O’Neils, he issues a challenge to the fey Folk to be good citizens of the human world in which they have chosen to reside. Not realizing the effect his words, then his apparent disappointment with the Fey Folk has had, Seamus leaves the bar, goes out alone into the night, to continue the search for his partner’s murderer. The effects on the Folk, on O’Grady, and on Lyre will be long lasting, and for Seamus, bring some unexpected rewards.
A.M Riley has created a delightful world where love is not a dirty word, love between men is not out of the norm. Love is real, but some look on it as a curse. The facts of the case presented are clear, concise, and in the end, the story is one that will fascinate and enchant the heart of every romance lover. The men of this world love unashamedly, have their own fears and prejudices to overcome, and new loves to find, and do it all with style and aplomb. The Folk are charming, and you meet a great assortment including a house brownie who resides with Seamus and keeps house for him, and whom Seamus takes very good care of albeit it unwittingly. These small glimpses into Seamus’ life give O’Grady and Lyre an insight into the man, his character, and his ability to see the unseen.
Fanciful, love-filled, and truly a unique experience, Everyday Spectres: Curse of the Gianes is a read you won’t want to miss. For those of you who are squeamish about gay romance, this may not be for you, but the tale is fanciful, and a delightful read for those of a more open mind, and who truly enjoy all genres of romance. Available from Torquere Press, Everyday Spectres: Curse of the Gianes is truly an interesting and wonderful trip through the lives of human and fey alike. Meeting the interesting characters is enough for the basic tale, but the strength of the players, the trials and tribulations they go through to find and hold their loves, and the depth of the book keep one glued to the end. This is a well crafted tale you won’t want to miss. Thanks to you, A.M Riley, for such a great read.
Yours in good reading,
Rose!
A. M. Riley's Website Bio Interview Review Buy EveryDay Spectres: Curse of the Gianes
Buy Torquere Press Books
