Plastic comb-o
Barbarella
She's so fine
Pro-genetic
You electric
Barbarella
She's all mine
My pretty pretty pretty pretty Barbarella
Duran Duran ~ Electric Barbarella
Hey guys! LBea and TPig are at it again! Today we are reviewing Evangeline Anderson ~ Broken Boundaries from Ellora's Cave.TPIG: WOW! Uh, I don't know LBea... I am so sorry! I love love loved this idea of mixing Top Gun and Starship Troopers after reading the blurb. Not only did I immediately buy it but I made you buy it as well.
LBEA: Do tell. 2 am, I finally shut my computer off. ::yawn:: I had fun cuz I read with you.
TPIG: Now... UGH! I am not so sure I did the right thing here. I feel like I got to see the promising setup destroyed by some of the most common issues I find with M/M stories these days. Maybe you can help me understand or get over my foibles here.
LBea: Moi? Uh. Have we met? I'll do my best, das bear pork. ::puts on good cop hat:: What's the name of this book? "Gay Ender's Game in Space?" Serves that a-hole Orsen Scott Card right. In your FACE!
(sorry)
SO our story begins...
...at a star fleet academy far far away where young horny recruits have all been lured into fighting the icky lobsters from space. The strapping youngsters enlist thinking that they will be gunners. They're going to be TOP GUNNERS (swordfight!!!).
~~~MAJOR SPOILERS~~FYI~~~
TPig: My problems started with how in-your-face BAD HOMO this story got right up front. The supposedly straight main character Chaz does not really "discover" anything about his new job or his new partner as much as he gets it shoved in his face right from the beginning.
Like this scene...
“I said, you’re a faggot, Ferron,” the leader of the cadets shouted again and his three supporters gave scared hoots of laughter.So there is no tantalizing discovery and very little personal reaction
“Heard you the first time, Burns,” the tall cadet drawled. His graceful, easy movements spoke of coiled energy waiting to lash out at the right time. “There’s no need to shout.”
“All you Needlers are faggots.” The leader, who had skull-cut pale blond hair and bulging china-blue eyes, was still shouting even though the object of his fear wasn’t three feet from him. “Go on, Ferron, deny it.” ~ Page 10
and growth from his figuring out what is going on through his own efforts to understand as he comes to terms with what is expected of him and frankly you keep wondering why Chaz never puts two and two together and walks the fuck out of this "bad touch" situation if he considers himself straight and maybe file a sexual harassment complaint with HR on his way out the door back to mummy and daddy's. Instead it starts romanticizing coercion and bullying.LBea: This is pretty much a standard EA storyline. Lots of homophobia and stereotype reaffirmations, a closeted bad guy & the "it's so wrong but it feels so right" mojo she generally nails-- so she's able to jump right in because her audience knows the drill.
Although just once I'd like to see a character that's not 'gay for you and only you'. She works that 'it's wrong to be gay' sentiment too often. I no likey.
TPig: Oh and then there was the other problem I had right off the bat.
Like in this scene...
A dozen options went through his head, asking for a transfer, sending his parents an info-vid and letting them know what really went on at the Academy, hell, he could even call one of those tell-all news shows and help them do an exposé on the place.TPIG: HUH? WHY ARE THEY STUCK? WHY?
Except…except did he really think none of that had ever been tried before? Surely he wasn’t the first new recruit to find himself in this situation. Hell, the Academy had even covered up the death of one of their students. Chaz hadn’t heard a thing about Sabine’s death either by word of mouth or on the news-vids before he had signed his paperwork and he was pretty sure that if he got killed in the line of duty, no one would hear about his death either.No, like it or not, his new partner was right. They were stuck in this situation and he was going to have to learn to live with it. But that didn’t mean he didn’t want to punch Ferron’s arrogant face in. The bastard! ~ Page 28
LBea: Because the only way to save the world from
TPIG: Well OK LBea, EA does supposedly explain this for our benefit..
Chaz shrugged sullenly. “I don’t know. I guess they’ll drop me and get you a new partner. Isn’t that what you want? Someone who knows what he’s doing? Someone who’s not an ‘idiot’?”
“No!” Ferron exploded, raising his voice at last. He ran a hand through his long black hair distractedly and took a deep breath, obviously forcing himself to calm down. “Look, Brighton, I don’t think you understand the process here. The tests the Academy does are very specific. They don’t just pair up two cadets because they happen to be available. The personality characteristics have to align exactly.”**
“So—what does that mean?” Chaz asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
“It means I’ve been waiting for you for months.” Ferron’s voice was an irritated growl. “It means that after Sabi—after my old partner died,I never thought I’d find anyone again that I could feel—I mean anyone who matched me. I couldn’t believe it when they told me they had someone to fly with me again.” ~ Page 60
TPIG: But LBea at the end of the book the Admiral himself makes it clear that they mix and match these Needle Fighter Pilots all the time.
The day before graduation, the Admiral of the Fleet himself came to the Academy to meet them. He offered Ferron a commission of the highest order on the spot and told Chaz that a similar spot would be waiting for him when he graduated. He even brought a new partner along for Ferron, a tall, handsome gunner named Paul Jorgensen with light brown hair and knowing hazel eyes. Jorgensen’s own pilot had recently left the Fleet, leaving him stranded and in need of a new partner, the Admiral explained. And even though Ferron was fresh out of the Academy, he couldn’t think of a better match for one of his best gunners. ~ Page 145TPIG: So really Chaz just comes off in this book like the biggest TSTL idiot being fed a line of crap that I guess makes it OK-- so he deserves this abuse.
LBea: I know that part really threw me. How many people can you be 'exactly' aligned with?
TPIG: Guess what else? We see everything in this story from his perspective but I hated Chaz right from the start.
LBea: Admittedly he was a hard protag to like. True he was having problems as a 'latent'. But I agree that Chaz was a numbnut. I have to say, however, that until the fight against the lobster hive (!), I was getting into the story, you know, because it was so familiar to me. Youngsters (think college) in their military school (not very militaristic, but still...) and Chaz is, in classic EA style, fighting his attraction.
TPIG: Oh and then this is Sci-fi Romance right? Well in my opinion it should attempt to make some sort of Sci-fi sense and yet the ship simulators we spend most of our time in the book in do not have an exact replica of the much touted neural net-- which is the whole reason these Needle Fighter Pilots have to be Fags. So it's all a bunch of let's pretend!
LBea: That neural net would have been AWESOME if used early, right?
TPIG: Hell yes! It might have softened some of this coercion and bullying of Chaz to get him to do gay things with Ferron if the forced dehumanizing merge of the neural net made them need physical intimacy afterwards. The whole sex in space thing was just so silly though. Who the hell can focus while getting fucked?
Ferron laughed softly in his ear. “It’s addictive, isn’t it? Unfortunately, it’s also expensive. Between fuel to launch the Needle and the crew to cycle it up and break it down after every flight, it costs the taxpayers back home a cool two million credits for every little joy ride you and I take out here in the deep dark. So you can see why they limit us to once a week.” ~ Page 120
TPIG: So the people in charge of all this expensive equipment and training think it's a good idea I guess to drop them nude into a real ship with the real neural net that merges their brains and freak them the hell out with the actual experience and watch them blow themselves up or something. I just did not get it. Would actually having to be in each others brain not have cut the back and forth drama crap so to speak with all the "I'm not gay. Yes, you are!" and got us into the meat of the story better than constantly relying on Ferron to coerce and force Chaz into doing those gay things he hated?
LBea: Uh well that's her rap, id'n it? I mean you and I have read quite a few of her books together (is this 5?) and that's her shtick. Coercion and shame. And later, the suicidal save.
TPIG: I am not even hitting the huge story problems I had with the "gay romance". I mean unless everyone out there thinks rape is "romance". Because this book not only threatens Chaz with rape once by the main villain. Oh no, Ferron then actually goes on to rape Chaz after that sealing the deal on my problems with this story.
LBea/Good Cop: Uh. Crap. I had the same response...so...yeah...
"It’s for a good cause,” Ferron reminded him, his breath hot on the back of Chaz’s neck.“Don’t give me that shit,” Chaz said, trying to feel angry instead of scared. “This isn’t some charity here—this is my ass we’re talking about. This is you fucking me and you promised you wouldn’t.”TPIG: Oh great, I love seeing BDSM shown as non-consensual sexual abuse. That is so healthy! Then there is the gay stereotypes like the thin lithe queeny Landrews who attacks Chaz constantly for being a "latent" homosexual.
“Unless you asked me or our lives depended on it,” Ferron reminded him. Then his voice got quiet. “Please, Chaz…won’t you ask me?”
“No,” Chaz said again, feeling like his heart was in his mouth.
“Please, Ferron, I don’t want it to be like this my first time. I just…I still don’t feel ready. Can’t we do this without you…without you fucking me?”
“If it was just the final exam, I would agree not to,” Ferron said softly. “But it’s a hell of a lot more than that, Green Eyes. And you know it.” His voice became suddenly deeper and there was a tone in it
Chaz couldn’t quite understand—regret maybe?
“Look, Ferron—” he began but the older cadet cut him off.
“Spread your legs, Brighton,” he said and there was a steely note of command in his voice Chaz knew he wouldn’t be able to disobey. “Get ready to be fucked.”
“Ferron, please…” Chaz protested but he already knew it was useless. ~ Page 135
Again I ask...WHY?
Was this to help us understand and sympathize with these oppressed gay guys? Because they still live in a world that hates gay people. Was this to bring home the fact that the military itself hates gay people and hides their contributions and involvement but uses their talents to fly their Fighters?
LBea: I'm pretty uncomfortable with the level of gay bashing and 'gay is wrong' sentiment by every character in this book. Chaz insists that he's not homophobic, which is fine, but he never shows that, he tells it. So I didn't actually believe him.
These 'gay for you' stories are popular, though, so folks who enjoy this kind of storyline will probably enjoy it.
TPIG: Was the only point of this annoying stereotyped character to have the competitive blow job scene? Yes folks, I said "competitive blow job scene".
Landrews widened his eyes dramatically. “Who said anything about the simulators, latent boy? I’m challenging you to a suck-off.” He dropped to his knees in front of Sanderson and began unzipping his partner’s tight black uniform. “First one to make their partner come wins.” ~ Page 83TPIG: It just came across for me this book had too many villains and too much coercion and way too much rape and not enough Sci-fi gee whiz or military regimental discipline crap or even failing all that how about some emotional logic and character development to make me believe Chaz suddenly turns gay from being in close quarters and then raped by Ferron. The whole concept reminds me way way too much of that Anne McCaffrey "tent peg quote" for comfort. It bothers me that people
think that stuff is true.
Maybe it's all me LBea. (LBea: IT'S NOT!!) Like someone recently said maybe I deal in drama and maybe that is what I am bringing into this review... my own personal values and personal drama that is not meshing with what M/M is all about.
LBea: But that's what reading is all about, sweetie, and why we review together--different perspectives. We sometimes disagree, but this time, I had the same response. I wanted more sci fi, less anti gay sentiment...I don't mind a little coaxing and shame and coercion (a smidge) but I draw the line at rape by the hero. I'm also on record as saying that suicide attempts that are thwarted by the love interest piss me off as well. I'm trying to be the good cop, here, and it's difficult.
TPIG: Maybe other people want this LBea. Maybe I should not be so bothered they want to read "gay romances" with rape scenes because the sex is so hot when a guy uses violence with his dick on another guy.
They don't care if there are no reasonable emotional responses or if there are stereotypes used. They don't want the writer to explain how one moment the main character is straight and the next he is gay and in "real love" with another man just because they had sex. Maybe it is my problem that I don't get how this "romance" is any better than rape porn.
Lbea: So it missed the mark for us, you're right, TPig.
TPIG: I just don't know LBea. I can't argue with the fact this stuff sells like hot cakes. Who am I to speak out against this when everyone constantly buys it and promotes it? I mean people make excuses and tell me to get over it and that this is just Gay Romance written by women, for women all the time. Maybe just being a Gay Man means I am wrong and they are right. I don't know but it is so disappointing to me.
My thumb is way down on this one.
::LBea hangs up good cop hat:: Me too, TPIG. If I put aside the coercion fantasy, which seems to be a big seller for some reason, I can pinpoint two major dysfunctions that I find unacceptable for this reader. First: The Alpha attempts suicide and the beta saves him. No. EA has used this plot device before--mental illness is not romantic. It's a poor man's redemption. But the biggest sin in this book? The Alpha has non-consensual sex with the beta. It crossed my personal line in the sand. Period. I suspended my disbelief up to that point, but rape is wrong. There is no justification for his actions. And the hero didn't HAVE to do it. He did if for his own flipping glorification. Help was on the way. Thumbs down.
27 comments:
Gay space lobsters and pigs in space. :D
I do like the competitive blow job scene. heh.
Wow. O_o I was looking at this book because I read a short excerpt which had me thinking, "Cool. Starship troopers and stuff. I like." But I hesitated.
::Not Quite Blatant Promo Coming Now::
I have a m/m/f science fiction coming out next month (April 22) called Tomorrow. And it deals with a)military heroes and b)a reluctant hero. And I have a sex scene in which one of the heroes is sort of taken advantage of a bit. But I hope I've established that he does have feelings already for the other hero, and that his reluctance has to do with the punishments and repurcussions within the military complex for their association and not because he's homophobic.
I do not like force or coercion in any of my romances, m/m or m/f. I do not find this romantic or sexy. This was a problem I had with a lot of romances from the seventies and eighties. These heroines were getting raped by the heroes and then falling in love with them. That is a total WTF situation for me, and a guaranteed DNF.
On a lighter note, I loved, loved, loved the photos. My husband and I were laughing so hard we cried over Kirk and Spock, and the cat and dog. Classics. You always find the good ones, lb.
Congrats on the Kindle bestsellerdom! You deserve it.
I just don't know LBea. I can't argue with the fact this stuff sells like hot cakes. Who am I to speak out against this when everyone constantly buys it and promotes it?
Never underestimate who you are educating and speaking to. So, you know, don't stop doin' what you both are doin'. K?
Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.
Albert Einstein
The problem with this book is that it was marketed as M/M Romance. It is NOT M/M Romance; it's Hardcore Yaoi.
BB will likely offend and upset many readers looking for traditional m/m romance. Yaoi readers will love it though. EA totally nailed the yaoi format here. It reads just like a hard yaoi manga. Non-con is common in yaoi. And as one yaoi author said to me in a Twitter conversation a few days ago, "Ah but it's never truly non-con in yaoi. The uke always wants it. ;)"
You just have to know your audience. EC gets a big fat FAIL for marketing this book as m/m romance. It's a kick-ass hard yaoi story, not a romance.
OMFG, I cannot stop laughing at that bad touch picture. snerk. That red dude is total pubic louse. Ew.
I felt right perky when I saw the beginning of this - Starship Troupers and Top Gun sounds like my kinda book. Being each others Wingman and nasty bugs. Yay! But, cannot say that gay for you does it for me all that much and no thanks on the whole rape and mental illness plot devices.
Nice review and I love the passion and insight you both bring to this. Do I sound a bit wanky? Yep. But, it's true. Is good. Do it more.
This was a problem I had with a lot of romances from the seventies and eighties.
This is what I kept thinking when I read this story. Was she trying to bring back the 70s/80s feel and forgot that was the bad part of romance?
It is NOT M/M Romance; it's Hardcore Yaoi.
I am no expert but this did not read like Yaoi so I did not pick up that was what the author wanted.
My favorite Japanese Bear artist, Gengoroh Tagame (That is bears like in hairy muscley dudes from Japan. Surprised me too!) does some really over the top violent stories that probably fall into this category but it is labeled with appropriate porn type warnings. He does not consider them romantic though.
Katiebabs~It must be a big favorite because there's one in The Assignment and twice in Pledge Slave the wee beta has to perform before an audience. FYI I liked a lot of things about Pledge Slave...ahem.
Sam~I can't WAIT to read your sci fi book. As I stated, a little coaxing and shameful longings? Jeeze--it's the foundation of romance, really. The ward and the guardian, boss and the secretary, nurse and the doctor...iz all gud. Hey I'm writing an older/younger neighbor book (of course it's the alpha who is feeling so ashamed..) and utilizing that tension is vital. Otherwise, it's all politically correct bedtime stories and that's a snoozer.
Thanks for the nice...I bet I'm number 48.
Rosie~So what your saying is: keep on keeping it real. (omg I sound like Randy Jackson). Will do. And Tpig emailed me and was all: You have to read this. Go buy it. I'll wait here til you get back. I want your opinion.
I love reading with friends. This is why I blog.
Amber~LMAO. You always pull a rabbit outta that hat of yours.
Our. Book. Comes. Out. Soon!!!
JenB~I hear you on that. And as far as I can see it: EC let her down. Because I'm not really a yaoi kinda gal. This looks and smells and sounds just like the real deal. So I have to read this as an m/m novel; not yaoi.
Sarah~The internets tantalize me with its marvelous photos of Captain Kirk. WIN!
I think you should read it. I'd be very interested in your take on this.
I'm sure das piggie would review more; it's not him, it's me. I can't keep up!
TPig~Gengoroh Tagame
Definitely not romance. Hello!
Rosie--EEP you're. I've not had a full cuppa yet. Oopsie.
Jen B mentioned on her blog there is some forced seductions in this one? have to say I never read an M/M with forced sex.
tres interessant review. merci to both of you. I don't think I'd be too comfortable with the whole 'i'm not gaaaayyy, ok mebbe just for you...if you MAKE me' thang.
btw, "fuel to launch the Needle" just made me laugh. Am I perverse? *ahem*
Sula...Yes. You are perverse. Heh. I kept calling them Needle Dicks...so, uh, we're obviously a pair.
KB-I kept thinking about that damned conversation at RWA!!
LBea,
I also agree that it's ok to use some alpha/beta dynamics to spice things up.
I think you and I both thought the only real problem with Pledge Slave was the "suicide is just another way to say I love you" plot device.
Oh the convo about how readers want more forced seductions?
But you did make some good points, because in the hands of a good writer it can work. I think a good example of this is After the Fire by Linda Howard.
TPig~It was the same storyline--gay for you. And there were a lot of weird unnecessary things about the story. But, uh, I gave it a NosePicker because I felt that the sexual dynamic was blazing.
KB~I mentioned this to G yesterday and he (only romance he's ever read was Kushiel's Dart) said: that guy better redeem himself.
My entire stand on that conversation was that in the hands of a good writer, I'm willing to believe anything. Iz true.
Look, I'll say it, I'm a fan of the forced seduction, if it's written in a way that is credible within the confines of the story. Now, before everyone jumps all over me, I GET that it's un-PC, and that it's practically rape, but I believe that there are times it works for the story. I do think partially because I started reading romance in the early 80s, it's always worked for me. Maybe that makes me a bad person, but that's neither here nor there.
The fact is, the excerpt that you pulled from the book up there reads like straight rape. And that gets an icky face from me. I don't mind domination, I don't mind the alpha/beta dynamic, but I totally believe in the right to say no, and if I read that excerpt correctly, Chaz says no FOUR times, and the last sentence reads, "Chaz protested but he already knew it was useless." That doesn't read like there's any consent whatsoever there. Does he end up being all "Yes, yes!"? And his capitulation believable?
Kati~I'm a product of the same generation. I've said again and again, a good author can make me believe anything, challenge my thinking, and push my boundaries. I love books that do that. Look at Lola Dances!
But this IS different. He was devastated by the act of betrayal, although, of course, he had a mind blowing,shattering, screaming orgasm as he saved the planet from certain doom. Whatever. To me, having read and enjoyed probably the same books you did, this crossed the line.
Wow, this sounds like it would have *cough* broken some of my boundaries (Sorry, couldn't help myself). I'm not a huge fan of "gay for you"--though I've read quite a few very good "not ready to admit I was gay until I met you." (Is that the same thing?) And I agree with you about suicide not being romantic. But mainly for me in romance, rape=FAIL. Period. Instant DNF. And to be honest, I'm not all that cracked up about "dubious consent" or forced seduction, etc. either. But these are just my personal preferences...I'm certainly not going to tell anyone else what to enjoy. :)
However, I'm curious (and this is not me being a jerk, I just really don't know)...does this stuff really sell like hot cakes? Really? I remember you (Lbea) saying on your review of The Assignment (I think? It's the only story of EA's I've ever read, but it was a while ago) that everyone loves that story and I was like...seriously? Seriously? SERIOUSLY? Maybe it's just me...it's probably just me, right? The whole overwhelming shame/self-loathing thing just doesn't do it for me, I guess.
And okay, I know it's probably supposed to look like a shadow but am I the only who wondered WHERE THE HELL HIS ASS CRACK IS???? (Heh)
Did my comment disappear on its own or is this a cosmic sign (or a Lisabea sigh) that I was putting my foot in my mouth again?
Amber--Your comment from yesterday? It's there!
And still funny.
Dakota--That is an important question? Where the hell IS his ass crack?
Re: The Assignment. I hear a lot of readers who love love love that book. Often, because it was their first. But. There are a few of us that do not love it. Different strokes.
I think to piggieback on what JenB said, it almost sounds like the forced submission was intended to be "not really forced" when the protag realizes that he really is gay, yada ya. I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment on this, LBea and TPig - I just don't see how things like this (meaning the brutal coersion) is somehow okay if the protag realizes it's what he really wanted all along.
No one *wants* to be raped - rapees certainly never ask for it.
I also hesitated on getting this one when it came out - it sounded really good, but I just wasn't completely sold. Thanks for the review guys!
but, but, but wasn't it a case of 'I'm in ur arse, saving the world'??
lin
p.s. loved the review
I looked at this one because the blurb looked interesting but I passed. After reading this I'm so glad I did. Forced seduction/rape does not make good reading for me. I hate it. And frankly I'm not a fan of the gay for you plot line either. But that's just me.
I love when you two do reviews together! Keep up the good work! :)
I'm the worst sucker for gay-for-you stories so no matter what I hear I'll have to read this book anyway :). Just to make sure, though, I didn't read your review because I know it would probably put me off. I'm curious enough that I'll come to read it in full once I've read the book myself to see how our opinions compare :D.
I am way late to this party, but having just finished the book, I need to vent.
I didn't like the rape scene either, but it was Chaz's reactions that really annoyed me more than anything. If you're faced with a choice between (a) watching your entire civilization destroyed by the lobster people or (b) taking one up the butt for the team and you choose (a) just to prove that you're Not Gay At All, well, then, you're really TSTL. If you accept the rather silly premise of Buttsex to Save The World, then Chaz's reaction is beyond dumb- I'm sure military people have had to do worse in the line of duty.
Also, how dangerous can the lobster people possibly be if they fall for the same trick that destroyed their army the last time around?
Post a Comment