John
Charles (IGW editor and reviewer) 
reviews featured title by Antonio Marquez The Hunt: Winter in July
Wet Nightmares, Wet Dreams, edited by Michael Huxley
The Tropic of Murder by Lev Raphael
 The Hunt II: Winter in July by Antonio Marquez ISBN 1-4140-2291-3 A crime drama about a mass murderer stalking the gay community in Denver, the story leaps out with the protagonist, Tony’s own anguish and grief. His lover was one of “The Butcher’s” latest victims. Tony has vowed to find The Butcher and bring him to justice in what has become a personal pursuit; when Guy, Tony’s lover was murdered, Tony’s world ended, and the only thing keeping his life going is his desire to end The Butcher’s. While this book could use some editing to polish the grammar and tighten the flow, the reader is involved until the very end with the storyline. Tony’s single-minded and dogged pursuit is aided by Bobby, a sympathetic new friend. Assigned to the case, Police Sergeant Lorrayne Lobato, who has also lost a family member to The Butcher, tries to rein in Tony’s vigilante-style justice. The city of Denver is a backdrop for the story, and Marquez uses it well, in addition to creating a dark mood for much of the time with thunder, lightening, and driving rain. While most readers have grown accustomed to the somewhat formulaic red herrings and false leads in crime dramas, both on-screen and in writing, the final surprise ending, the “who dunnit,” may still come as a surprise, yet one that makes perfect sense and is completely plausible. Bobby, who appears in the book’s first pages, is an integral part of the story and is involved throughout. The reader, of course, wants to see if grief-stricken, broken-hearted Tony will be able to respond to Bobby. Looking past the book’s minor problems, for a good crime drama with a very good surprise ending, Antonio Marquez’s “The Hunt, Winter in July,” is recommended. |
 Wet Nightmares, Wet DreamsEdited by Michael Huxley Star Books ISBN 1-891855-39-5 This collection of short pieces of “literotica” assembled by Michael Huxley is different from the usual gay erotica, whether in short story or full-length fiction form. Huxley, in fact, spells out in his introduction the guidelines he set down when calling for submissions for this book. He was looking for “literotic dreamscapes,” pieces of short fiction with homoerotic elements and dreamlike qualities. He lists (for the reader) the 12 “clichés to avoid” that he set down for the writers who submitted their work for inclusion. Some referred to describing body parts and functions in clichéd ways; no “rock hard’s,” or references to “how many inches,” and things of that nature. But more telling were some of Huxley’s other instructions regarding Things to Avoid. “Not developing characters… beyond their sexual desirability or function”; “Operating on the premise that, because you are writing erotica, you will never win the Pulitzer Prize”; and “Never underestimate the intelligence of even the horniest reader,” are some of Huxley’s more revealing instructions (for the reader) that he gave (to prospective writers). Huxley states that he “held fast to [his] conviction that there need be no reason why male homoerotica cannot achieve the status of a viable literary genre,” and that he “leaves [whether he succeeded] for the reader to decide.” In this reader’s opinion, Huxley’s collection does, indeed, succeed in meeting his own guidelines. The stories are all (for the most part) thought-provoking pieces of literature, with definite homoerotic elements, but one is struck repeatedly with the quality of the writing, and the imaginative and varied themes. Most (but not all) do “blur the line between waking and dreaming states,” which is what Huxley wanted for this collection. Included are a few selections of poetry (“The Succuboy,” and “Boywetdream Vigil Revery,” stand out), a few avant-garde pieces, and one work in play form. Some of the pieces are quite dark, some violent. Several are beautifully romantic. All are homoerotic. Is this collection a one-handed read? The short answer is yes, but to leave it at that would be doing this collection a real disservice. The stories assembled in “Wet Nightmares, Wet Dreams,” are homoerotic, one-handed reads, but they are much more than that; they are short works of fiction that leave an impact, more because of their literary quality, than their homoeroticism. One remembers the stories much more than which ones were the most erotic. This collection is highly recommended for those looking for a one-handed read that also offers the highest caliber in writing quality and original story ideas. |
 Tropic of
Murderby Lev Raphael Perseverance Press ISBN 1-880284-68-5 Lev Raphael’s “Tropic of Murder, is a well-crafted, engaging mystery, set on the fictitious Club Med island of “Serenity.” The crime is murder, but the book’s mood is light and often humorous. Nick Hoffman is a member of the State University of Michigan’s faculty. He reluctantly agrees to help one of the graduate students in his department investigate his suspicions regarding his wealthy family and their alleged ties to crime. As Nick’s job at the University undergoes a reorganization and political shakedown, Nick and his partner, Stefan, also a faculty member, decide to flee the Michigan winter and their academia-driven misery. Their plan for a March Club Med vacation is suddenly pushed up to that week, when Stefan announces that he’s rearranged their plans. Serenity proves to be a bit of a misnomer for this particular island. Under the thin veneer of sun, sand, good food and drink, Nick discovers that the timing of his trip and the change of plans wasn’t happenstance. While seeking to escape from the unpleasantries at the University, he and Stefan find themselves involved in even deeper and more ominous goings on. When Nick uncovers ties between the island’s events and those at the University that he’d tried to leave behind, he finds himself and Stefan investigating a murder that took place right there in the middle of Serenity. Raphael leads the reader on a winding path with a collection of wealthy and eccentric characters. Although the protagonists, Nick and Stefan are lovers, this can’t really be called a gay-themed mystery. That Nick and Stefan are partners is mentioned in passing, and plays no role in the story in any crucial way. “Tropic of Murder,” is a quick read from the outset, with a plot that’s intricate enough and yet not overly so, keeping the reader’s attention until the end. |