Rating: 
Summary: BEEN THERE, DONE THAT
Review: Everybody needs to live the wild life and get it out of there system. This is a great read just for that reason. It is an easy read with great characters. I especially loved the straight guy with all the great gay advice. Pick this one up. Its fun.
Rating: 
Summary: Desire for love, love of desire
Review: I can't believe that that this book is presently ranked at 3 and 1/2 stars. While I realized that it wouldn't be Kafka, it was a frightening book even for fluff. It actually makes the perfect companion for the more academic book "The Elusive Embrace". The idea of "desire for love, love of desire(lust)", which is explored in "The Elusive Embrace", is perfectly illustrated in this shallow tale of modern gay existence. It is nauseating how often the protagonists gloats that now, "cured" of AIDS, he is gorgeous and can be both object and subject of desire. He abandons his boyfriend, who had cared for him when he was sick, and embarks on a joyride of drugs and sex. While the nicely packaged ending sees the protagonist return to his old flame, it's sad that Harrison has to work out and buy new clothes in order to win back his old boyfriend. The book extols materialism and appearances over virtue and scoffs at the threat of AIDS.
Rating: 
Summary: The perfect "Before you go to Bed" Book
Review: I picked this book up at a bookstore, knowing that I needed something to read before I went to sleep. BOY was I up late with this one. This was a great read. The story was fun, interesting, and hard to put down. Definitely read this book before you go to bed. A++++++++
Rating:
Summary: Save your money. Return this book to the shelf.
Review: I was really disappointed with this novel. The characters were paper thin and the dialogue was so unrealistic, tedious and boring. The author spent a whole page having two characters discuss the ingredients of those GNC supplements. How boring. The plot was uneven but at the same time predictable. I won't pick up another Outland novel. I was half way through this book before I realized I had read one of the authors murder mysteries which was just as disjointed as this novel.
Rating:
Summary: Shallow and poorly written
Review: I was very dissapointed by what started off as an interesting premise. The characters are all self-centered, boorish, immature, and predictable. One friend described this book as "light and fluffy" while I say it's not worth wasting any time on.
Rating:
Summary: Shallow and poorly written
Review: I was very dissapointed by what started off as an interesting premise. The characters are all self-centered, boorish, immature, and predictable. One friend described this book as "light and fluffy" while I say it's not worth wasting any time on.
Rating:
Summary: A novel skewering how looks-oriented society can be
Review: John Eames is HIV positive, but thanks to his doctor, he's been given a new lease on life. The new cocktail has dropped his viral load to nearly invisible, and the steroids to counteract his low testosterone levels have certainly brought about a physical change. Unaccustomed to his new role as the Hottie Next Door, all the attention goes to his head, and he leaves his partner Harrison in order to explore his new body.
This novel focuses in on how looks-oriented and shallow the gay community can sometimes be. We all want the perfect body, the perfect look and the attention those can bring; John's character has those same insecurities, and when given the opportunity to taste that section fo gay culture, he jumps right in. But this new mindset changes him, brings out the worst in his personality. He becomes catty and judgemental of others' looks and gets involved with drugs. During this whole process, though, the novel also interjects with how important communication and mutual respect are in any relationship, and by the end, John has changed more than the steroids could ever have done. I like that the main character grew and changed.
The novel is fast-paced and well-written, and I feel it does a good job of getting into our insecurities about body image.
Rating:
Summary: A quiet surprise
Review: John is HIV+, and with the new drug cocktails and his new workout regiment, he's finding himself with a hot new look and attitude toward life. He and his boyfriend having a falling out, and John unleashes himself into the party culture. His boyfriend realizes he still wants John, and begins to change his own behavior in the hopes of getting John back. I didn't expect much from this romance novel, but I was pleasantly surprised to find how intelligent the commentary on gay culture is. Outland's book is a joyful, smart, fun read.
Rating:
Summary: Plain and simple yet entertaining and truthful
Review: Overall, I liked this book a lot. There are several notable things about it: 1. The plot. So much gay fiction fits into one of the standard plots, which include sexual awakenings, coming out, and someone dying of AIDS. The plot of this book covered a particular situation that I've never seen covered before. Although it's fiction, I'm sure many gay men have faced similar situations. 2. The honesty. The author tells it like it is, not the way things could be or should be. For better or worse, it's real. I found that extremely refreshing. 3. Entertainment. Although the book is relatively light and entertaining, it's by no means trashy or frivolous. So buy it already!
Rating:
Summary: Still Recommended After All These Years!
Review: This is an update to my previous review. I read this book two years ago, and in that time I have read a lot more gay fiction, and now have much more to compare to. I am happy to say that I still feel comfortable recommending this book. It's an easy little read with quite a bit of charm. I would also like to recommend Frontiers by Michael Jensen, Funny Boy by Shyam Selvadurai, and Dream Boy by Michael Grimsley. Below is the text from my previous review:I thought I was going to hate this book after reading the first 50 pages or so, but I wound up getting pulled into the plot anyway. I enjoyed the second half, as well as the ending, and a lot of it certainly does ring true (as hard as that is for us to admit!). The author does seem to suffer from "Cute Dialogue Syndrome" - "Our gym is full of queens like you, spending the gross national product of Peru every month on bodybuilding supplements." I am tired of writing where every response from a gay male is smart, snappy and witty! And at other times, the dialogue is just a bit unbelievable - when Brian asks John if he wants to see his cartoons, John responds, "I'd love to see them. I respect creativity, I wish I had some kind of gift." WHO TALKS LIKE THIS??!! Lastly, I just hated the "get in shape and dress better to keep your man" moral. But, there are some good insights into relationships, what's really important in life, and the powerful seducing forces of the fast life. No, this isn't a fabulously written, intellectually stimulating, ground-breaking novel. But it is a nice, fun little read with a few good little lessons. And I just kinda liked it.
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