Rating:  Summary: Let's See the Sequel! Review: I enjoyed it very much, although at times I thought the verbage, internal and otherwise, a bit too contemporary. I was encouraged to read the book by a recommendation on a film star fan site, so naturally I read it with casting in mind. My recommendation: as John, British actor Rupert Graves (but definitely NOT Hugh Grant); as Gwennie, Anglo-Indian actress Rita Wolf; as Palmer, Heath Ledger; and as Daniel/Zach, Rufus Sewell.
Rating:  Summary: Not very good Review: I realize there's always a need for gay-positive novels. But unfortunately, this is merely a silly, shallow gay-themed Harlequin romance. It's ineptly written, the characters are poorly drawn and even the "historical" aspects have been better covered by other authors. Sure, it will mindlessly kill a couple of hours. But you'd be better off -- and better entertained -- discovering more innovative authors.
Rating:  Summary: GO GET IT TODAY! Review: I'd love to wax poetically or give some scholarly treatise about this book because it certainly deserves that. Instead, I'll tell you what you really need to know, YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED! YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN ONCE YOU START READING IT! It was the most intriguing and fun story (not to mention sexy) I've read in a while. I bought three more copies to send to friends. It's that good. It reminds me of reading Vonnegut, in that, you think you're going to read some wierd, wild romp and laugh your brains out (and you do), but the next thing you know, he's got you wanting to save the human race and be as good a person as the characters. You will get to caring about these characters and want to know what happens to them next. So, hurry up and write Part II, Mr. Jensen.
Rating:  Summary: Excellent and Ambitious Review: What a wonderul read! FRONTIERS is an emotionally and erotically charged novel. The narrative is excellent and quite ambitious, since most of it takes place in colonial America (before "gay," "queer," or "homosexuality," were constructed); Michael Jensen obviously did his research. Because the imagery and setting is so real, readers can easily empathize with the experiences of the main character, John Chapman. This isn't a cheap, get-off-quickly dime novel; it's actual literature that places gay sensibility and eroticism to the forefront. FRONTIERS, I think, sets the precedent for other gay novels to come. I anxiously await Jensen's next installment. (The cover for the paperback version is hot!)
Rating:  Summary: The Best Book Available Dealing with Gay/Lesbian Issues Review: I am an avid reader and have read many gay/lesbian books but none that come close to what 'Frontiers' has to offer. This story is not a merely sexual experience but a very intriguing story with suspense and mystery that makes it a book that you cannot put down until the very end. When you have finished it you find yourself feeling like the characters are personal friends of yours' and want to keep in touch with their everyday adventures. I have to say that it is one of the best books I've read in sometime and I read at least 80 books a year. A MUST read
Rating:  Summary: A light read about life in the Frontiers Review: The different thing about Jensen's book than other "life-in-the-frontier" novels, is that the main character was considered a sexual outlaw. We follow the story of John Chapman, after he ran away from his hometown to a new life in the frontiers, and how, along the way, he had to endure numerous problems in his personal and love life. At times, it seems that Jensen indulged himself in exploring Chapman's mood too elaborately, dragging the story too long. The pace picks up towards the end considerably - I shouldn't reveal the plot, but let's just say it's almost like "Terminator" in 1800's setting! Overall, it's a light pleasant read (with some good bits in the middle).
Rating:  Summary: A good, but flawed, first effort. Review: As a history buff, who also happens to be gay, I was really excited to read this story. You just don't see alot of historical gay fiction. Jensen's effective in getting us to care about the main character and in the man he comes to love. His descriptions of life on the frontier, for the most part, rang true with me. Some portions of the book, however, don't connect. While the time is well after the American Revolution in 1791, he links the plot line to references of the French & Indian War 40 years before and it's confusing. At the very beginning of the novel, the main character is inside the office of the commander of a fort and it's so cold he can see his breath. A page later, he emerges in the warm sun of August. Can the confines of a log fort be that cold on a warm summer day? Inconsistencies like this, while minor, were somewhat annoying. The climatic action at the end was unbelievable. Still, I cheer Jensen (a flight attendant, by day) for his first effort and hope he tries again.
Rating:  Summary: Gritty, clear-eyed historical fiction Review: Frontiers is a page-turning thriller, a gay romance novel, and a well-researched historical fiction all rolled into one. Its worth reading just for the adventure and fun of it. . .there is even steamy sex!I enjoyed the novel more, though, on another level. I was moved by Michael Jensen's gritty, clear-eyed presentation of the so often romanticized and sugar-coated settling of the west-"How the West was Won," et al. What settlers perceived and preached as a taming of the wilderness, was in reality its destruction--both of the land and the people already living there. To my mind, Jensen shows us a picture closer to what the reality of the frontier must have been. The novel's protagonist, John Chapman, has confronted the disconnect between his culture's myths (about being a man and a gay man, for example) and his own experiences. This allows him to see beyond its other myths-about nature, Indians, women and religion-and to search for the truth, or at least to begin to create a new, "truer" myth. By the end of the novel, Chapman has begun to carve out a place of sanity, safety and love for himself-a home in the frontier of his own culture as well as his country. Perhaps he is on his way to becoming a prophet. . . I wanted the book to continue, not just to find out "what happens next," but to learn from Chapman (and Jensen) how one person can live a good life and find beauty against such odds and amidst such ugliness. I am looking forward to reading more.
Rating:  Summary: I really wanted to like this book..... Review: but I didn't! I read this book after the author contacted me. He had read my Amazon review of John Rechys' CITY OF NIGHT and wanted me to read his book also. Of course, I was honored. I really found it difficult to believe anything in this book. And oh, how I tried. It's supposed to be a period piece. But, the voices of the characters are like they are alive in our time rather than 200+ years ago. I was really very hungry for something I thought it was going to be. Unfortunately, it didn't deliver. Of course, this is just my opinion. Thank you for reading my review.
Rating:  Summary: The feel of "Cold Mountain"...only better! Review: Wonderful story, engaging characters, and a profound sense of life on the frontier! I'm hooked, Mr. Jensen. More, please!
|