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Enigma #1
Enigma
Troubled residents come and go at the Care House where River Caulfield is a caregiver, working towards fulfilling his dream of becoming a nurse. When Silver arrives, a patient found on a roadside near death after suffering terrible abuse, River finds his previous personal detachment is compromised. Seeking to help the mysterious and enigmatic young man locked inside his own mind and memories, River finds his professionalism slipping as Silver begins to open up and live again.
But as their relationship begins to blossom, the roots of Silver's past abuse and the abuser who forced him into such a mental state sends forth new shoots of darkness enveloping them in dangers threatening not only Silver's sanity, but their very lives. With River's devotion and help, will Silver finally be able to break away from his past? The answer lies in the words of a priest, a painting and a long walk through a churchyard harbouring the secrets of the enigma that is Silver.
Words: 102946 (approximate)
But as their relationship begins to blossom, the roots of Silver's past abuse and the abuser who forced him into such a mental state sends forth new shoots of darkness enveloping them in dangers threatening not only Silver's sanity, but their very lives. With River's devotion and help, will Silver finally be able to break away from his past? The answer lies in the words of a priest, a painting and a long walk through a churchyard harbouring the secrets of the enigma that is Silver.
Words: 102946 (approximate)
309 pages, ebook
First published December 3, 2011
3 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
Nephylim
19 books56 followersBorn into a poor but loving mining family in the United Kingdom, Cheryl grew up in the beautiful and history rich South Wales Valleys, becoming the first in her family to attend university. Practicing law, as a family lawyer for over twenty years allowed Cheryl to learn more about human nature at its worst and best moments, and develop empathy and a view of life not limited by social standing or background.
Tapping into the heritage of her people that throughout Earth's ages welcomed the wandering bard into the hearts of their villages as keepers of lore,Cheryl trained as a Druid and brings the richness of her Celtic past and spiritual training to elevate her writing. Since a child, Cheryl has been fascinated with other worlds, which exist within and alongside her own and has reveled in creating worlds and characters for others to enjoy.
Despite lack of family support, Cheryl continued writing privately and eventually found the Gay Authors website. With the positive response and a warm welcome received, she found the confidence to pursue her passion to a greater degree. Feeling gay fiction was a woefully neglected corner of the market where readers were all too often presented as limited to erotica, Cheryl strives to write quality gay fiction where sex and sexuality is not the central premise. Instead, concentration is given to character and narrative development through storytelling that goes beyond the physical.
Cheryl still resides in Wales, UK, and enjoys writing, reading, art, and taking part in medieval reenactments.
Tapping into the heritage of her people that throughout Earth's ages welcomed the wandering bard into the hearts of their villages as keepers of lore,Cheryl trained as a Druid and brings the richness of her Celtic past and spiritual training to elevate her writing. Since a child, Cheryl has been fascinated with other worlds, which exist within and alongside her own and has reveled in creating worlds and characters for others to enjoy.
Despite lack of family support, Cheryl continued writing privately and eventually found the Gay Authors website. With the positive response and a warm welcome received, she found the confidence to pursue her passion to a greater degree. Feeling gay fiction was a woefully neglected corner of the market where readers were all too often presented as limited to erotica, Cheryl strives to write quality gay fiction where sex and sexuality is not the central premise. Instead, concentration is given to character and narrative development through storytelling that goes beyond the physical.
Cheryl still resides in Wales, UK, and enjoys writing, reading, art, and taking part in medieval reenactments.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 24, 2013
3.5 stars
This is a dark tale of sexual slavery, where boys from age 12 to 14 are abducted, trained and sold to the highest bidder. Most of the details of the training, and the life they are forced to endure, are not explicit, and are generally in the form of one person recounting it to another. Yet despite the lack of specifics, there is definitely enough there to be disturbing. There is one graphic scene that takes place later in the book, occurring after the slave has escaped.
But mostly, this is a book of survival, and staying true to oneself despite the pain, abuse and degradation one is forced to endure. It is a tale of hope, healing and love, but none of it is easy.
There are a few editing errors throughout the story, and the pacing does tend to be uneven in places. At times, I felt I was being told the story rather than being showed, so there is an intermittent sense of distance too. Yet overall, the basic plot was good, and is why I rounded up rather than down.
This is a dark tale of sexual slavery, where boys from age 12 to 14 are abducted, trained and sold to the highest bidder. Most of the details of the training, and the life they are forced to endure, are not explicit, and are generally in the form of one person recounting it to another. Yet despite the lack of specifics, there is definitely enough there to be disturbing. There is one graphic scene that takes place later in the book, occurring after the slave has escaped.
But mostly, this is a book of survival, and staying true to oneself despite the pain, abuse and degradation one is forced to endure. It is a tale of hope, healing and love, but none of it is easy.
There are a few editing errors throughout the story, and the pacing does tend to be uneven in places. At times, I felt I was being told the story rather than being showed, so there is an intermittent sense of distance too. Yet overall, the basic plot was good, and is why I rounded up rather than down.
March 13, 2012
*** 4.5 ***
In three words this book is mind-numbing, heart shattering and a complete anxiety inducer. I say this in all a positive manner. Well perhaps for me but not for most.
Warning: It's not for you if you have been in a seriously abused or traumatic situation. I think, no, I know you have to be fully emotionally in tact prior to reading this. If you can then you are reading one explosively damn good story.
The story is told in first person by River himself, through his eyes, his words and his experience of the whole situation since his first meeting Silver.
Silver, a boy kidnapped and torn from the life he once knew to be tortured daily, beaten and abused constantly as the story will eventually reveal as Silver with the caring and friendship of River, will soon reveal itself, being groomed to being a slave.
It's still fresh in my mind a story I read a few weeks back of boy being taken and used, abused and so forth that perhaps that's maybe why I was still very sensitive and open emotionally when reading this one.
When River who is the psychologist on Silver's case when he's first admitted to the home in which River works at, he's only a shell of himself after being left for dead on the side of the road, battered severely, left comatose and found by a passerby. Silver, against all odds comes through it, but not unscathed. He retreats into himself and it's left to River to pull him back to the living which his love, friendship and devotion.
Do you think this is what the whole story is about? Think again. There's going to be so many moments, twists and turns that I kid you not when I tell you I had to break away for a few moments when my anxiety levels started to kick up and I thought an attack was going to kick in. You become so in tune to Silver through River's words and the author's writing that you'll not be able to put this book down very easily and you will not forget it for months to come. I know I won't. I'm now haunted to the core by their story.
I honestly give kudos to Nephylim, the author for one hellova intense read. I would also have given this a complete 5, but was deterred by the visible word errs and missing little words that I hate to admit I get anal about.
At the end of the story Nephylim mentions a book 2 coming soon and Heaven forbid I have every intention of being one of the first to pick it up. Hopefully the wait won't be long in coming!
In three words this book is mind-numbing, heart shattering and a complete anxiety inducer. I say this in all a positive manner. Well perhaps for me but not for most.
Warning: It's not for you if you have been in a seriously abused or traumatic situation. I think, no, I know you have to be fully emotionally in tact prior to reading this. If you can then you are reading one explosively damn good story.
The story is told in first person by River himself, through his eyes, his words and his experience of the whole situation since his first meeting Silver.
Silver, a boy kidnapped and torn from the life he once knew to be tortured daily, beaten and abused constantly as the story will eventually reveal as Silver with the caring and friendship of River, will soon reveal itself, being groomed to being a slave.
It's still fresh in my mind a story I read a few weeks back of boy being taken and used, abused and so forth that perhaps that's maybe why I was still very sensitive and open emotionally when reading this one.
When River who is the psychologist on Silver's case when he's first admitted to the home in which River works at, he's only a shell of himself after being left for dead on the side of the road, battered severely, left comatose and found by a passerby. Silver, against all odds comes through it, but not unscathed. He retreats into himself and it's left to River to pull him back to the living which his love, friendship and devotion.
Do you think this is what the whole story is about? Think again. There's going to be so many moments, twists and turns that I kid you not when I tell you I had to break away for a few moments when my anxiety levels started to kick up and I thought an attack was going to kick in. You become so in tune to Silver through River's words and the author's writing that you'll not be able to put this book down very easily and you will not forget it for months to come. I know I won't. I'm now haunted to the core by their story.
I honestly give kudos to Nephylim, the author for one hellova intense read. I would also have given this a complete 5, but was deterred by the visible word errs and missing little words that I hate to admit I get anal about.
At the end of the story Nephylim mentions a book 2 coming soon and Heaven forbid I have every intention of being one of the first to pick it up. Hopefully the wait won't be long in coming!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2014
I loved this story. It is very emotional and deeply romantic as well as being traumatic. The characters are well drawn and easy to picture and love. Be prepared for a roller coaster ride, but one which will give you great pleasure in the end. Nephylim manages to constantly surprise one with the twists and turns that the tale takes so one is never sure quite what is going to happen next.
There are aspects to the story that address issues of social concern. I was so drawn in that it made me dig into the background to slavery today and discover just how real this whole issue is. It is quite shocking to discover that everything that Nephylim writes is not just a mere figment of imagination but a real possibility.
I believe this is a story that will change your ideas if you will read it with an open mind. If you are a person that is easily shocked or traumatized then I don't recommend this to you. This is not a book for the faint-hearted but a strong read for someone prepared to wrestle with issues and to be open to change. Are you up for the challenge?
There are aspects to the story that address issues of social concern. I was so drawn in that it made me dig into the background to slavery today and discover just how real this whole issue is. It is quite shocking to discover that everything that Nephylim writes is not just a mere figment of imagination but a real possibility.
I believe this is a story that will change your ideas if you will read it with an open mind. If you are a person that is easily shocked or traumatized then I don't recommend this to you. This is not a book for the faint-hearted but a strong read for someone prepared to wrestle with issues and to be open to change. Are you up for the challenge?
March 22, 2012
I was slightly fearful to start this story.
Nephylim has been a writer I have been looking up to for a few years now and after taking a break from her writing for a while (getting lost in my own works and other things with life) I was afraid that she might not be as good as I remember her to be :)
I wish I could give a 4,5 which is what I really wanted to give but I'll have to make do with 4 and say that the last 0.5 she deserves but I won't be able to show.
The reason it's a 4,5 and not a 5 star is because of a few spots of ambiguous writing which confused me and a few spots of awkward language.
The story was gripping and so sad.
I'm usually not one for reading stories about people with a lost memory since it often ends up that people they used to know try to get them to hoop up with others than their lover and they won't know because they don't remember until they do. Not that interesting.
Silver can't remember his past at first, not because of some condition but because he wills himself not to remember, so bad even that he is no more than a shell of what he is as a person. Until River becomes his carer. River is able to open up Silvers heart and get him out of his hiding spot in his mind. But everything comes with a price of course, and Nephylim is very good at showing what the price to pay is for a beautiful young man.
I'm looking forward to the second book of them :)
Nephylim has been a writer I have been looking up to for a few years now and after taking a break from her writing for a while (getting lost in my own works and other things with life) I was afraid that she might not be as good as I remember her to be :)
I wish I could give a 4,5 which is what I really wanted to give but I'll have to make do with 4 and say that the last 0.5 she deserves but I won't be able to show.
The reason it's a 4,5 and not a 5 star is because of a few spots of ambiguous writing which confused me and a few spots of awkward language.
The story was gripping and so sad.
I'm usually not one for reading stories about people with a lost memory since it often ends up that people they used to know try to get them to hoop up with others than their lover and they won't know because they don't remember until they do. Not that interesting.
Silver can't remember his past at first, not because of some condition but because he wills himself not to remember, so bad even that he is no more than a shell of what he is as a person. Until River becomes his carer. River is able to open up Silvers heart and get him out of his hiding spot in his mind. But everything comes with a price of course, and Nephylim is very good at showing what the price to pay is for a beautiful young man.
I'm looking forward to the second book of them :)
June 24, 2013
The story had a lot of potential, but the writing style seemed very immature to me, but maybe it was the angle from which it was told. Second person may be the term for it, always in present tense. It was really repetitive too. If I had to read one more time how 'beautiful' Silver was I was going to scream.
Really, each character just seemed stereotypical caricatures, especially the gay ones, in a way I just found so effeminate and cloying. One of the main characters, River, I actually disliked because he abused his position as a care-giver, and I don't care what explanation given, or what attraction he felt for his charge Silver. And the bad guys were so bad and abusive, again total stereotype heavily pressed.
I am critiquing the characters and descriptions, their behaviors and things, but again I think the story line itself could have been a good one, but the players themselves were just so unlikeable and unreal, I couldn't like the work as a whole.
Really, each character just seemed stereotypical caricatures, especially the gay ones, in a way I just found so effeminate and cloying. One of the main characters, River, I actually disliked because he abused his position as a care-giver, and I don't care what explanation given, or what attraction he felt for his charge Silver. And the bad guys were so bad and abusive, again total stereotype heavily pressed.
I am critiquing the characters and descriptions, their behaviors and things, but again I think the story line itself could have been a good one, but the players themselves were just so unlikeable and unreal, I couldn't like the work as a whole.
January 5, 2017
4 to 4.5 stars from me. It flowed well. Was very engaging. Although, by the end I kept thinking "will this book never end?" I think it was dragged out too far past the action scenes at the end. It was almost all psychoanalysis. It was emotionally exhausting, so I'm not going to rush out and get the next one yet.
April 1, 2017
-Originally reviewed for Prism Book Alliance-
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
If I could give this book a separate rating just for suspense, it’d get 5 stars. The mystery begins on the first page and is sustained in some form across 100,000 words – including a major shift of setting at the halfway mark. Even in the spots where the writing faltered, I felt engaged in the story and what would happen next.
Otherwise, Enigma is a solid B. There are a few inconsistencies and dropped details, but nothing so careless as to really distract a reader (IMO), and Silver is an interesting MC thanks to the circumstances of his illness. I found River to be an acceptable protagonist, if somewhat heavy-handed with the flowery praise; the supporting characters speak in a much more natural way, and Julia is a delight.
That said, those of you who are sensitive to abuse themes should steer very clear of this title. There’s unfortunately no getting around them here even if the rest of the premise interests you.
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
If I could give this book a separate rating just for suspense, it’d get 5 stars. The mystery begins on the first page and is sustained in some form across 100,000 words – including a major shift of setting at the halfway mark. Even in the spots where the writing faltered, I felt engaged in the story and what would happen next.
Otherwise, Enigma is a solid B. There are a few inconsistencies and dropped details, but nothing so careless as to really distract a reader (IMO), and Silver is an interesting MC thanks to the circumstances of his illness. I found River to be an acceptable protagonist, if somewhat heavy-handed with the flowery praise; the supporting characters speak in a much more natural way, and Julia is a delight.
That said, those of you who are sensitive to abuse themes should steer very clear of this title. There’s unfortunately no getting around them here even if the rest of the premise interests you.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews