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Del Fantasma #4
Undertow
Derek Meredith lost his lover of ten years, Tad Archer, in a boating accident. Four months later, anonymous phone calls lead him to a weathered bar on the coast, where he runs into an old friend named Kellen who has, in his own words, found something Derek has lost.
Kellen and Derek are both members of a mythical race of sea creatures known as merrows. Friends earlier in life, Kellen had loved Derek from childhood, but a wanderlust filled Derek's heart, leading him to seek life on the shore among humans. Tad was the reason he'd left the ocean behind, and Kellen has never managed to move beyond that rejection.
Back in Derek's life again, Kellen offers him an "indecent proposal" -- a night of passion between the merrows for the return of his lover. But complications arise, among them the fact that without his talisman, an item linking his blood with the sea, Derek is unable to return to the ocean and rescue Tad.
His talisman was given to his lover on their tenth anniversary as a symbol of his love; in exchange, Tad gave him a gold ring. The metal holds mystical properties for those with merrish blood, and Derek hopes that the power of love that resides in the band might be enough to help him rescue his lover ... without having to succumb to Kellen's sordid desires in the process.
Kellen and Derek are both members of a mythical race of sea creatures known as merrows. Friends earlier in life, Kellen had loved Derek from childhood, but a wanderlust filled Derek's heart, leading him to seek life on the shore among humans. Tad was the reason he'd left the ocean behind, and Kellen has never managed to move beyond that rejection.
Back in Derek's life again, Kellen offers him an "indecent proposal" -- a night of passion between the merrows for the return of his lover. But complications arise, among them the fact that without his talisman, an item linking his blood with the sea, Derek is unable to return to the ocean and rescue Tad.
His talisman was given to his lover on their tenth anniversary as a symbol of his love; in exchange, Tad gave him a gold ring. The metal holds mystical properties for those with merrish blood, and Derek hopes that the power of love that resides in the band might be enough to help him rescue his lover ... without having to succumb to Kellen's sordid desires in the process.
120 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2007
97 people want to read
About the author
J.M. Snyder
301 books567 followersAn author of gay erotic/romantic fiction, J.M. Snyder began in self-publishing and worked with Amber Allure, Aspen Mountain, eXcessica, and Torquere Presses.
Snyder's highly erotic short gay fiction has been published online at Amazon Shorts, Eros Monthly, Ruthie's Club, and Tit-Elation, as well as in anthologies by Alyson Books, Aspen Mountain, Cleis Press, eXcessica Publishing, Lethe Press, and Ravenous Romance.
In 2010, Snyder founded JMS Books LLC, a royalty-paying queer small press that publishes in both electronic and print format. For more information on newest releases and submission guidelines, please visit JMS Books LLC online.
Snyder's highly erotic short gay fiction has been published online at Amazon Shorts, Eros Monthly, Ruthie's Club, and Tit-Elation, as well as in anthologies by Alyson Books, Aspen Mountain, Cleis Press, eXcessica Publishing, Lethe Press, and Ravenous Romance.
In 2010, Snyder founded JMS Books LLC, a royalty-paying queer small press that publishes in both electronic and print format. For more information on newest releases and submission guidelines, please visit JMS Books LLC online.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 23, 2011
Undertow tells the story of Derek Meredith and Tad Archer’s life together. Derek is a member of a hidden race of sea-dwelling creatures called merrows. He abandons his life in the ocean to become human and live with his lover, Tad.
Snyder tells Undertow in flashbacks from Derek’s perspective. Derek spends much of the story in grief over the loss of Tad, the victim of a tragic drowning accident. Derek moves through his days in pain and sorrow. Not much of the story occurs in the present, since the focus is on Derek and Tad’s relationship and the life they shared together. Current action focuses on the interaction between Derek and Kellen and involves anger and a great deal of sexual tension.
Kellen, a fellow merrow and childhood friend, is the other main character in Undertow. Kellen is bitter and angry over the desertion of Derek, his childhood friend and lover. Kellen meets Derek to let him know that he can bring Tad back to him. He will give Derek the secret to recover Tad, but the knowledge will cost him dearly. Kellen wants to teach his friend a lesson about love and desertion.
I found the story of sea creatures living beyond the eyesight of humans interesting. Some of the language Snyder uses in Undertow is quite lyrical. Undertow is a dark tale about the cost of not honoring those who love you, even when you can’t love them back. Undertow is worth 3 stars.
Review originally appeared on Queer Magazine Online
Snyder tells Undertow in flashbacks from Derek’s perspective. Derek spends much of the story in grief over the loss of Tad, the victim of a tragic drowning accident. Derek moves through his days in pain and sorrow. Not much of the story occurs in the present, since the focus is on Derek and Tad’s relationship and the life they shared together. Current action focuses on the interaction between Derek and Kellen and involves anger and a great deal of sexual tension.
Kellen, a fellow merrow and childhood friend, is the other main character in Undertow. Kellen is bitter and angry over the desertion of Derek, his childhood friend and lover. Kellen meets Derek to let him know that he can bring Tad back to him. He will give Derek the secret to recover Tad, but the knowledge will cost him dearly. Kellen wants to teach his friend a lesson about love and desertion.
I found the story of sea creatures living beyond the eyesight of humans interesting. Some of the language Snyder uses in Undertow is quite lyrical. Undertow is a dark tale about the cost of not honoring those who love you, even when you can’t love them back. Undertow is worth 3 stars.
Review originally appeared on Queer Magazine Online
January 3, 2009
Undertow is J.M. Snyder’s contribution to the Del Fantasma Series. The Del Fantasma is a bar where all manner of paranormal happenings seem to occur and the Undertow is a drink they serve there. In Undertow we are introduced to Derek and Kellen a pair of merrows raised in a pod off the point of Loma Vista. A merrow being more human and less mermaid are able to live in the cresting waves of the ocean as well as take to land...
For the entire review please go to the Best Paranormal & Urban Fantasy Review site on the web, Bitten By Books for the review of Undertow in it's entirety. You won't be sorry.
For the entire review please go to the Best Paranormal & Urban Fantasy Review site on the web, Bitten By Books for the review of Undertow in it's entirety. You won't be sorry.
March 14, 2013
This was a very interesting read. I hadn't read a summary before I started on it, so it was a bit of a surprise. But everything seemed to fit and was believable. The author was brilliant at setting moods and I loved the overall feel of the book. It's one of those ones where you think you know where it is heading, but have no idea of how, then you start to doubt a happy ending at all! - not going to spoil it. But give it a read, it can be done in a single sitting!
March 6, 2011
This is a dark, romantic, almost brooding love story. About love, loss and what someone would do to get that lost love back again. How cruel, how disparate, how compassionate we are when we want something. I wanted to know Tad but I understand why he was written the way he was. This is really about Derek and Kellen.
June 24, 2009
This is my book so I'm not going to write a review.
March 3, 2011
I can't publish my review here yet. Check upcoming issues of Icarus magazine for my review!
January 2, 2012
Really like this one.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews