Out of Bounds

Rating:
Summary: Can't believe this is the first book to do this..
Review: But it does it really well. I've been waiting for someone to write a book that is, so to speak "gay," but doesn't pander and make the whole book about gay stereotypes. It's well-written, fun, unapologetically gay fiction. I can't say enough good things about it. The authors have created a cast of well-developed characters and set them loose in the world of New York City and professional basketball. It was a great take on a very interesting subject...it left me wanting a sequel.

Rating:
Summary: Out of Bounds
Review: Great read for anyone, male/female gay/straight sports fanatics/or not -- it was a total page turner. Great development of the characters, fantastic NYC vibe -- definitely left you wanting more. Wonderful insight into what no doubt is a pertinent topic today. I was sad there wasn't more to read!

Rating:
Summary: Out of Bounds
Review: Great read for anyone, male/female gay/straight sports fanatics/or not -- it was a total page turner. Great development of the characters, fantastic NYC vibe -- definitely left you wanting more. Wonderful insight into what no doubt is a pertinent topic today. I was sad there wasn't more to read!

Rating:
Summary: This book is terrible
Review: I like a romance as well as anyone. I not only don't require books be brilliantly written to enjoy them, I don't LIKE literary fiction, or books where the writing is more important than the story. But this book is so badly written that it distracts from the story. If you want a book about gay men in professional sports, read "The Dreyfuss Affair." This particular book is really dreadful, and doesn't even have any good sex scenes to recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Come Out, Come Out, Whoever You Are
Review: Matt Walker is a seldom used shooting guard for the New York Knicks, however, as the novel begins, that is about to change. Anthony Michaels, the hotshot, signed out of high school. hoops star, is not playing up to his potential, and Matt is getting more and more court time, proving to the coach that he should be the starter. At the same time his star is beginning to rise, Matt attends a fund raiser for his old private high school, where he makes sure to run into Reese Gibbons, the socially outcast editor of their classes' yearbook, and someone he knows to be gay. Reese is now a columnist for the "Village Voice" where he covers popular culture from a gay perspective. Reese has had a desperate crush on Matt since they were class mates, and much to his surprise, Matt has a crush on him now.

Reese is a well known Queer-around-town, and Matt is a closet basketball star so, even though they fall deeply in love with one another, there are extremely serious issues threatening their relationship. Reese must accept the fact that Matt refuses to publicly acknowledge his homosexuality, even though Reese has always felt it important for gay celebrities to be open about, who they are. In the past, Reese has attempted to out gay celebrities in his column, but now he tries desperately to see the situation from the celebrity's (Matt's) point of view. Needless to say, Reese feels like a hypocrite, but he loves Matt enough to swallow his principles.

As Matt becomes a bigger presence on the team, his media popularity surges. Rumors about his sexuality begin to spread, and Matt pushes his relationship with Reese further into the closet, causing additional stress on them both. Finally the, "New York Post", quoting an anonymous source on the Knicks, outs Matt, and all hell breaks loose. Matt, in a high state of panic, pushes Reese to his limit. Will their relationship survive?

This is a very tight, well written book. The characters feel real and the often gut-wrenching situations, in which they find themselves, instill genuine empathy. The novel painstakingly explores all the ramifications of coming out, while still playing as a professional athlete, showing all the ups and downs imaginable. I anxiously turned every page wondering what was going to happen next. OUT OF BOUNDS was a total pleasure from cover to cover, or should I say court to court?

Rating:
Summary: Not your uncle's gay novel
Review: Out of Bounds grabbed me from the very beginning and didn't let go. With its rapid pacing and clear writing, it was a perfect story to read for the upcoming basketball season. The characters were vividly brought to life, and I heard their own voices sooner than many other books I've read.

But if' you're looking for a Kensington-esque gay novel, this isn't your book. There are no rich boys pining away over the new hot, brilliant boy next door. There are no over-the-top story lines where everyone ends up laughing at a dinner party over another's fall from grace. This reads as a realistic take on a gay man's struggle to deal with a closeted boyfriend, and a gay man's struggle to come out of the closet and into the limelight.

I thoroughly enjoyed Out of Bounds and look forward to reading another story from these two writers.

Rating:
Summary: A timely idea
Review: This book definitely is timely. When everyone in the media is talking about the possibilities of a professional gay athlete, or when athletes are getting in trouble for making comments about certain groups. This book takes a fun, though serious look at the issue...though not from the usual biographical viewpoint.

The story kept me entertained and the racy sections even had me looking over my shoulder to make sure people weren't reading along. A great vacation read!

Rating:
Summary: cool idea
Review: This is a great, fun read. Instead of the usual biographical takes on the subject, this is fresh new fictional look at what it would be like for a professional athelete to deal with having to come out.