Size Doesn't Matter!

Look at this cover, would ya? So hot sexy. I noticed that Josh Lanyon's new e-book was available a week early over at Loose-id, and beepbeepzipTANG! I whipped out the old mastercard (shhhh. DO NOT tell G) and read it in one sitting. I can't help myself. I'm weak. He's my favorite m/m author and an auto buy. Yay for Josh!

But, er, he may be less than thrilled with my post title.

Dangerous Ground is a little story that packs a great, walloping punch. At 109 pages (a bargain at $4.99, IMHO), I'm tellin' ya, t'was verra, verra nice.

Josh admits that this book is his version of a m/m action adventure inspired by the old BBC series The Professionals. However, Lisabea has never seen The Professionals and is too lazy to Google it. Sue me. I get the picture though. It's that buddy/buddy/bestfriend/partners fighting the good fight for life, liberty and the pursuit of a world where openly gay cops can sink into a hot tub, slick bodies dripping, bubbles hiding what lies just beneath the surface, as they grope, wrestle, and grasp each others...

But I digress.

Will and Taylor are on (what I would only call a vacation in HELL. NOT a camper. NO.) a vacation at the tail end of Taylor's convalescence. Shot in the chest in the line of duty, during a surprising moment of hesitation, Taylor is about to go back to work. But first the partners must try to come to terms with the shooting and rebuild their damaged relationship. Taylor is angry with Will for coddling him, aware that he still needs some support, and resentful over the loss of trust in their professional relationship. To complicate things, he's in love with Will. And Will, having once turned down the drunken advances of his best friend, doesn't want to ruin their strong partnership. What a ding dong. I mean, IT'S ALREADY RUINED.

Will sprang onto the wing, reaching a hand down for Taylor, and with a grimace, Taylor accepted his help, vaulting up beside him. The wing bobbed beneath their weight, and Will steadied him, hands on Taylor’s waist for an instant.

Taylor moved away. Not that he minded Will’s hands on him -- there was nothing he’d have liked more than Will’s hands on him -- but this had nothing to do with attraction and everything to do with lack of confidence. A lack of confidence in Taylor being able to look after himself. Not that Will had said so, but it was clear to Taylor -- and maybe it was clear to Will too, which might explain what the hell they were doing up in the High Sierras one week before Taylor was officially due to start back at work.

Because if they couldn’t figure this out -- get past it -- they were through as a team. Regardless of the fact that so far no one had admitted there was even a problem.

I love Will. He's such a fucking man. You know what I mean? Strong. Firm. Decisive. Taciturn. Slow to anger. Frugal with his smiles. Obtuse. He stupidly thinks that by saying "No." Everything will go back to normal. It's obvious from the get go that he returns Taylor's feelings. He's pissed at Taylor for getting himself shot and he's burdened with guilt. Also, he's a fine looking camper.

And Taylor? Presented as rash, a bit hot headed, and physically not up to his usual standards, he's one troubled Alpha. He's that combination I cannot resist: resourceful grittiness mixed with sass and humor. He's my boy. Taylor has clarity about what's going on in a way that the more grounded, controlled Will doesn't. I love that about Taylor. He recognizes that things will never be the same. They can either be partners in every sense, or not at all.

What a great story! There's so much conflict. We have the internal conflict of these two men struggling with their physical differences, with their equality (alpha/alpha), loss of confidence, anger, desire, trust. And then the external forces come into play. When the two recover 2 million dollars and stash it, things really begin to pick up. At odds with each other, they traipse through those mountains with a united purpose, even as their already frayed relationship unravels. Yippee ki-yay!

Now ladies, I know what you want. When the boys slip into that natural spring hot tub whassit, HELLO! The dynamic between our Alpha men(s) as they grapple for control is smoking, sizzling hot. Thank goodness that fire was water resistant! We never forget for a moment during this scene what's at play, but da-yum, Will takes that Taylor fully. Oh. My. My.

Will trembled with the effort of holding motionless, but Taylor could feel his heart thundering behind his own, and any fear that he was alone in this, that he had relinquished too much for too little, faded. He winced -- wriggled, trying to accommodate that thick rigidity. Water was not enough of a lubricant. What had they been thinking?

“Are you okay?” Will sounded hoarse. He rocked against Taylor -- stopped himself -- then rocked again like he just couldn’t help it. “Say…something.”

To his astonishment, Taylor heard himself whimper. A helpless little submissive sound -- and he nudged his ass against Will’s groin in clear invitation.

Of course things take a phe-nom-e-nal turn for the worse. Will and Taylor have to work together in order to come out alive. YAY! I actually prefer the action in this story to that of The Dark Horse (although, I love that book for other reasons). 109 pages! I never thought: I want more. I couldn't put it down. This nifty m/m action adventure satisfied me. Heh.

But the writing. I mean, the story is excellent, but the writing is soooo clean. I sometimes refer to a story as "tight" but, dang, this gives new meaning to the term. He wastes nothing, giving every word and detail weight.I adore the use of the word ground through out the story. Dangerous ground. Uneven ground. Ground to cover. Firmer ground. Higher ground. Solid ground. Man oh man. He uses this with such direction. It's simple and is indicative of his ability to lead the reader to a conclusion without cramming it down our throats.

Finally ( I have a lot to say, ok?) I need to talk about unity. It's the other tool in his shed I've noticed in these novellas. Everything happens in the space of just a few days, with few characters, and in a contained environment. Intentional? I haven't a clue. But I will venture to guess someone as clever as Mr. Lanyon (heh) is using all his tricks when he delivers a story to us. And why wouldn't he? He's the m/m how to guy! I understand why his books are used in English 101 classes.

And My God, the review is almost as long as the damn book....Is that a good sign or a bad one? I believe I'm gushing. ::eek::

Thumbs Up. Fucking A.

PS: This story will be part of the Hostage Anthology from MLR Press.