Wicked Gentlemen by Ginn Hale
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It’s been a while since I’ve been this excited about a novel, but Ginn Hale’s WICKED GENTLEMEN is utterly amazing. Since I know there’s a huge contingent of gay fantasy fiction fans out there, I wanted to post my Amazon review and a link for anyone looking for something a little dark, a lot romantic and entirely unique.
As I said in my own journal - the writing is lyrical. The "worldbuilding," utterly flawless. The characters, both major and minor, are subtle and believable. Great dialogue. Engaging, angsty love story and [a little bit of] hot sex.
All Hail, Ginn Hale *Five Stars*
Did you ever finish a book only to feel sad that you can never again open it anew and discover its delights for the very first time? Rarely if ever, I'm sure. Well for me, Wicked Gentlemen is one of those books.
And I am completely envious of any lover of dark fantasy and/or gay romance who has yet to crack the spine on this gem.
First time novelist Ginn Hale has created a world so tangible, so complete, that I felt as if I could smell, see, taste and feel everything right along with her characters. The basic premise, an alternate reality (resembling a gaslit, Victorian England) wherein a corrupt theocracy has called up the descendants of ancient Biblical demons (Prodigals) with promises of redemption only to ghettoize and oppress them, comments on a number of modern day social ills but never comes across as obviously didactic or preachy. In addition it has a complex plot, part mystery and part thriller, that's never short on nailbiting moments. But for me the most enjoyable aspects of the story were the two amazingly complex, yet subtly drawn, protagonists and the tender love story that develops between them. With her characters, Hale never hits a false note. She shows, never tells - meaning that one learns about the tortured, drug-addicted Prodigal, Belimai Sykes, and reserved priest/police captain, William Harper, from their actions, rather than a lot heavy handed exposition. They can be infuriating as often as they are endearing, but these contradictions only make them seem, like everything else in the book, utterly real.
And they're sexy, too.
This is a wonderful novel. I hope that positive word-of-mouth continues to bring it the legion of fans it deserves.
Here’s the link to the book on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Gentlemen-Ginn-Hale/dp/0978986113/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-7964662-3663963?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192555251&sr=8-1