Firelands : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: It felt like a Scooby Doo Mystery
Review: Let me just start of by saying how much I enjoyed Jensen's first book, "Frontiers." It was offered to me as a selection from my long since defunct gay book group. I was a bit leery because it had two half naked man hugging on the cover. That did not really impress me, and could not very well be good literature. Well I read it in only a few days, and I loved it. The book was a cross between a good old fashion historical romance novel and a murder mystery, with some sex thrown in to make this gay themed book a very fun read. Jensen also did his homework on the time period to insure that the book had a really authentic feel of the end of the1700's. Everything from the descriptions of the clothing, the food they ate and the dialog seemed very realistic to me.

"Firelands" is the sequel to "Frontiers," but really does not live up to it predecessor. Jenson's writing style is still smooth, but attention to detail that kept the first book so interesting just did not seem to be there. The dialog was very inconsistent; switching from the way folks may have spoken during that time period, to very modern speech of today. I found this lack of continuity very distracting, and really took away from the main theme of the story.

Actually, the main theme, if there was one, was pretty was pretty confusing. The book could not really decide if it was about romance, coming out of the closet in an age of relative innocence, supernatural thriller, tawdry sex book or a mystery novel. All of the elements were present, but they did not really for an extremely cohesive story. Also, the story lack the eroticism that first book really captured. The sex scenes in this book were just that, two men having sex as apposed the first book where you really wanted to beat off while you read about men exploring their erotic desires.

Half way through the book I know who the killer had to be and why they were out for blood, but I was not really sure how they pulled it off. When the entire plot was reviled I felt a bit disappointed about the ending, and a bit relieved that I had actually finished the novel. It felt like a Scooby Doo Mystery with a smattering of morality, sex and drama mixed in to make it more interesting. I am not knocking Scooby Doo by any stretch of the imagination. You always knew that the ghost was not real; old man Jenkins was under the rubber mask, and when Fred or Velma pulled it off when the Sheriff finally made it to the "haunted" mansion where the whole plot is reviled.

It is a good read if your not looking for you typical gay themed fiction. There are no rich self-absorbed hard-bodied gay men looking to get laid every five minutes. It is more like a M. Night Shyamalan's PG-13 version of "Little House on the Prairie."



Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT BOOK!
Review: A couple people have given this book one or two stars. Did they read the same book as I?! This was a fantastic book, even better than Frontiers (which I liked a lot!). Just goes to show...no accounting for taste.

Rating:
Summary: Good quick read
Review: I am an avid reader of gay fiction and I enjoyed this book because it was different from others that I have read. Firelands is a quick read with lots of plot twists - some more believable than others. Just how often can one person be stabbed, frozen, assaulted, etc. and still survive? So if you are looking for a good book to cuddle up with, read one. But if you are looking for something in any way challenging, leave this one on the shelves.

Rating:
Summary: Page-turner that will keep you up late.
Review: I have caught myself referring to Firelands as a "beach read," if for no other reason that it is a fun page-turner of the sort that thrills and chills without requiring the patience for literary fiction. But "beach read" is not a phrase that does justice to the palpable sense of place Jensen creates in this meticulously researched historical novel set on the icy Ohio frontier in 1799. It does, however, hit the nail on the head as far as the hot sex goes. Jensen effectively weaves Native American mythology, American history, and the love that dare not speak its name into both the fallibility and hidden strength of the humans trying to survive in extreme conditions. Jensen does not shy away from portraying the desperate acts that desperate people commit when they are truly afraid. Yet throughout, the story is warmed by friendships formed and lovers connecting in spite of the harshness of the environment.

Rating:
Summary: Give Me More Books By Michael Jensen!
Review: I love the stories written by this author. FRONTIERS was just great & so is FIRELANDS. Others have written a synopsis of the story, so I won't go through it all again, but it is a compulsive read. I couldn't put it down! Please, Mr. Jensen, give us more of this type of historical fiction...I'll be waiting...

Rating:
Summary: People seem either to love it or hate it----I loved it!
Review: I was curious about this book because I saw such divergent opinions of it here. I very much enjoyed FRONTIERS, finding Jensen to be a capable author with a sure hand in terms of writing accurate historical fiction. This new novel picks up the story of John Chapman and his lover as subplot, while the main plot is about Cole Seaver, a lonely, but fairly capable outdoorsman. What he finds when he gets near the frontier town of Hugh's Lick is creepy--mostly horror and somewhat mysterious.

This book is not meant to be gay romance. This is historical fiction with horror overtones and gay characters - actually "Outsider" characters what with the Indian element - dealing with it. If there is any lacking in the book, it's that it cries out to be longer, more fleshed out, but in terms of the narrative flow, wow! I was engrossed, and I read it all in one sitting. There are deaths and dismemberments, power-mad townspeople, weird stuff going on, and a plot that rolls along quite nicely.

If you liked M. Night Shyamalan's latest movie, THE VILLAGE, then you will probably like this. But if you're expecting Alan Hollinghurst (one end of the spectrum) or Dave Benbow (the other end, then you are in the wrong genre.

I give this story high marks because 1) I loved it, 2) it is very well-written, whether you like this genre or not, and 3) how many historically accurate gay frontier novels are there out there? Precious few, that's how many.

I look forward to the 3rd book in this series where Jensen can further work with his themes of frontier alienatation, fear, the harsh reality of the late 1800s, and the prospect of loss in a cold and grievous environment. There are so many directions he can go with the characters who are left! I can't wait to read where he takes them.


Rating:
Summary: As good as Frontiers! Great second novel!!
Review: If you enjoyed Frontiers as much as I did, you will definitely enjoy Firelands. It is a well thought out, well researched novel, so I tip my hat to Mr. Jensen. I couldn't stop reading it until I was done. Thoroughly enjoyable. Keep up the good work!

Rating:
Summary: Are you kidding?
Review: Is this what gay fiction has to offer? I picked this book up for several reasons. I love horror, I love lost-in-the-woods books, and I loved the idea of combining a gay theme on those. The cover looked creepy, and there were a couple seconds when I was creeped out during the book. I have been looking for good gay literature, and I am sadly finding thus far that while my gay brothers and sisters excel in most of the art forms, it appears writing is not one of them. I felt like I was reading a fifteen-year boy's attempt to write a scary story and deal with his own reluctance of coming out. Does every gay themed book have to be about how awkward a homosexual person feels coming out and the struggle around it? I've been through it, and while it is a life changing experience, I would like it to read something gay-theme a little deeper. The writing was choppy, very little character development. He somehow managed to combine the awkwardness of a gay teen with the stereotypical 1950's man together in one person that did not set as believable. After the first initial creeped out feeling, I realized within the first few chapters what was going on and hoped I was wrong. Sure enough, it ended exactly where I prayed he wouldn't go. I won't spoil the book, but how many times can that ending be done, and there is no better way to ruin a scary story than the way he did. I almost feel bad for being so harsh. Most of what I have read about the author makes me want to like his books, he seems like a nice man. I wish him the best, and I hope he grows in his story telling ability. It is obvious he has something to say, he is just not sure how.

Rating:
Summary: Everyone Should Have a Pakim
Review: Michael Jensen's fine story of mysticism, love, and duty is one of the most enjoyable reads I've had this year. Firelands provided enough twists to keep me interested and reading, but enough clues for a satisfying ending. I finished the book with a contented sigh and a smile. It's Jensen's characters, though, that make this book. The secondary characters, including John Chapman, are well developed. But it's Cole and Pakim and their senses of honor and love that are at the core of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed Cole's slow realization of his sexuality. The love scenes in this book reach into the characters' souls and will strike a chord with readers.

Rating:
Summary: This one is a real corker---don't miss it!
Review: This was a terrific book, full of all sorts of mystery and creepy stuff. Not only did it keep my full attention far into the night, but I didn't want it to end. People who are saying that this is "lame" don't get that this is a kind of cross-genre horror historical,which is not something that's been done in gay literature. It's not a romance, it's not meant to be War and Peace. It is an adventure horror type book that gets increasingly gripping and frightening until you get so far into it you can't quit until you find out what will happen to Cole Seaver.

Gripping, gritty, and great! This book was really a corker!