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A Different Drum
The elegant, if a bit effeminate Lucien, head of the old family, had received with open arms, listening to... A DIFFERENT DRUM. He said it was because he had divided his loyalties in the war, and hated no one, but was that why he wanted to get his hands on them so desperately...
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1967
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 21, 2016
I have always loved the cover to this book "THEY HEARD THE COMPELLING CALL OF... A DIFFERENT DRUM!" - I bought it as a postcard years ago and always wanted to get my hands on an actual copy but original gay pulp costs a fortune on eBay. I managed to recently buy a reasonably priced one, and it is a very interesting piece of gay lit history even though it is definitely a product of its time. Some of the purple prose can be a little offputting, but it must have been a relief to buy a book in which gay men said they loved each other and showed affection and actually still lived by the end of the book. I want to try and build up my gay pulp collection whenever my wallet can allow it.
June 10, 2011
Of all sleaze fiction, gay pulps have probably received the most notice. I've seen the argument made many times that gay sleaze helped to constitute or solidify early gay-positive culture, and though I'm skeptical about cause-and-effect assertions, certainly a book like A Different Drum presents a fascinating and sensitive take on gay sexual politics. Unfortunately, the better pre-Stonewall gay pulps are not easily or cheaply obtainable, for the most part. Those published by Greenleaf/Corinth have the best writing and the most striking covers -- a happy coincidence in most ways, but one that effectively limits access to the books. The difficulty of access may partially explain why there most writing about gay sleaze is really insubstantial, often amounting to a run-through of collectible titles with a few sentences summarizing each. So A Different Drum becomes simply a book about a Union officer sleeping with subordinates during the Civil War.
Well, it is that, but moreover it is a book about gay love and loss. "Love, their kind of love, never lasted." The book starts with Major Josh Turner remembering his initiation into twilit love, a reminiscence that takes up over half the book. Josh is sexually inexperienced but does not understand his own homosexuality. His assistant Derek, a confirmed queer, takes him under his wing and teaches him how men make love to men. It is all very sweet, sometimes edging into saccharine, and a lot of the dialogue is obviously directed at the reader as well as the protagonist. Josh falls in love with Derek, and tells him so, only to be rejected. Derek has another lover fighting elsewhere, and after the war they plan to get together again. Josh gradually overcomes this rejection, realizing that the semi-secret love of men for men is impermanent. He sees some advantages to the brief but intimate love he shares with his fellows, though he never forgets Derek. By chance, he meets Derek's lover, who informs him that Derek died in battle. The two are united by shared loss.
Well, it is that, but moreover it is a book about gay love and loss. "Love, their kind of love, never lasted." The book starts with Major Josh Turner remembering his initiation into twilit love, a reminiscence that takes up over half the book. Josh is sexually inexperienced but does not understand his own homosexuality. His assistant Derek, a confirmed queer, takes him under his wing and teaches him how men make love to men. It is all very sweet, sometimes edging into saccharine, and a lot of the dialogue is obviously directed at the reader as well as the protagonist. Josh falls in love with Derek, and tells him so, only to be rejected. Derek has another lover fighting elsewhere, and after the war they plan to get together again. Josh gradually overcomes this rejection, realizing that the semi-secret love of men for men is impermanent. He sees some advantages to the brief but intimate love he shares with his fellows, though he never forgets Derek. By chance, he meets Derek's lover, who informs him that Derek died in battle. The two are united by shared loss.
March 22, 2024
I love the cover of the book. The story itself...
Major Josh Turner of the Union army made it to the ripe old age of thirty before realizing he's gay. That stains credulity for me. Anyway, he falls in love with his lieutenant who can't return his love as he already has a man. That doesn't stop the bonking though and the two eventually meet a father and son who show them a good time. There's some really distasteful stuff about a slave and then the book suddenly skips forward a year.
I can't tell you what happens from there without spoiling the story (you are reading this book for the story, right?), but rest assured there's plenty of Civil War man-on-man action. The action was too poetically described for my taste.
I get the feeling the author had a longer tale to tell, but had to trim it to fit the short length Greenleaf Classics allowed. In the end it's sort of mediocre mess of a book, which is probably all it's fair to expect from a gay erotic pulp novel.
Major Josh Turner of the Union army made it to the ripe old age of thirty before realizing he's gay. That stains credulity for me. Anyway, he falls in love with his lieutenant who can't return his love as he already has a man. That doesn't stop the bonking though and the two eventually meet a father and son who show them a good time. There's some really distasteful stuff about a slave and then the book suddenly skips forward a year.
I can't tell you what happens from there without spoiling the story (you are reading this book for the story, right?), but rest assured there's plenty of Civil War man-on-man action. The action was too poetically described for my taste.
I get the feeling the author had a longer tale to tell, but had to trim it to fit the short length Greenleaf Classics allowed. In the end it's sort of mediocre mess of a book, which is probably all it's fair to expect from a gay erotic pulp novel.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews