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Sauntering Vaguely Downward
Dylan Rojers is excited about Dragon*Con—a huge convention in Atlanta celebrating pop culture, science fiction, and fantasy—but he and his last-minute roommate, Brendan Stone, get off on the wrong foot. It seems that every time they manage a tentative truce, something happens to set them back, and by their second day at the convention, both think there’s no way they can get along. But maybe Dylan and Brendan have more in common than they thought. Once they start talking, the sparks that were starting arguments ignite a different sort of passion. Through the four fabulous days of parties, shopping in the Dealers Room, costume parades, and discussion panels, Dylan and Brendan grow ever closer. There’s just one they live in different cities, and Dragon*Con doesn’t last forever. Will Dylan and Brendan risk a long-distance romance or is a lasting relationship just one more all-too-brief fantasy?
202 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 30, 2011
118 people want to read
About the author
Nessa L. Warin
11 books46 followersNessa L. Warin lives in southwestern Ohio with a cat who graciously allows her to pay all the bills and demands pampering on a regular basis. She enjoys wine tastings and travel, and can easily get lost in science fiction or fantasy stories. She's a true geek, enjoys costuming, and can be found dressed up at at least one Renaissance festival and fantasy convention each year. When she's not having fun, Nessa works in Corporate America coordinating the production and mailing of marketing materials and wishing she had more time to write.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 30, 2011
3.5 stars
It's a nice story about two men meeting at Dragon*Con. While I'm not big on fantasy (or Gaiman or Pratchett) or the whole costume play, I have to admit that the whole setting of Dragon*Con is VERY interesting. From her biography, Ms. Warin participates a lot in this type of convention so the setting is well-written.
As for the story, I enjoy it ... even if the alternate view switch sometimes throw me a little bit (especially since both are using 3rd POV). I'm not really sure about the alcohol influence during Dylan and Brendan's first encounter, but it's not like they both deny their feelings in the morning after *shrugs*.
Again, it's nice. The extra 0.5 stars is for the Dragon*Con setting.
It's a nice story about two men meeting at Dragon*Con. While I'm not big on fantasy (or Gaiman or Pratchett) or the whole costume play, I have to admit that the whole setting of Dragon*Con is VERY interesting. From her biography, Ms. Warin participates a lot in this type of convention so the setting is well-written.
As for the story, I enjoy it ... even if the alternate view switch sometimes throw me a little bit (especially since both are using 3rd POV). I'm not really sure about the alcohol influence during Dylan and Brendan's first encounter, but it's not like they both deny their feelings in the morning after *shrugs*.
Again, it's nice. The extra 0.5 stars is for the Dragon*Con setting.
November 14, 2011
Dylan is in Atlanta for Dragon*Con, the annual convention in Atlanta for all things scifi/fantasy/geek/fanboy/girl, but his long time roommate Eric cannot make it at the last minute. Frustrated, he advertised on the boards for someone at the last minute to split the cost of the room with him. Since he plans on being at events, panels, parties and all the general merriment to be had at the long Labor Day weekend event, maybe he will luck into someone who won't piss him off too badly.
Brendan also has his long time roomie Nate also bail on him at the last minute. He too doesn't really want to foot the hotel bill by himself, and when he runs across Dylan's ad, he jumps at the chance to find a roommate.
Unfortunately, Dylan is a bit...anal...about having his schedule adhered to and being on time, and when Brendan is late meeting him on Thursday at 2:30 pm exactly, the two don't start off on the best footing. Never mind that Brendan has to deal with a late plane, the world's busiest airport, Atlanta mass transit and traffic - Dragon*Con waits for no man!
Such a shame too, because Dylan is immediately attracted to Brendan. Too bad the guy isn't gay...and the convention will be over soon and Dylan will be back in New York.
And Brendan thinks Dylan is an ass, but a cute ass. Too bad he isn't gay...and the convention will be over and Brendan will be back in New York.
Will these two guys manage to find some common ground, or will they let an opportunity for something good saunter on southward?
Being an Atlanta native and having been to one of the early early early Dragon*Cons back when dinosaurs walked the earth, I had very high hopes and expectations for this book. And I have to say, I was very happily surprised. Ms. Warin has crafted a fun and entertaining story about two guys who meet under unlikely circumstances and manage to fall into something pretty special.
What I really liked about this book is how the two characters slowly came around over the course of a long weekend, recognized that the setting could be affecting their interactions and judgement, and yet decided to take a chance on love anyway. What started out as the opportunity for just a little weekend fun (and what guy doesn't want to carpe THAT diem) managed to grow over the course of five days into both men wanting to see where it might go.
There was an easiness to the writing of these characters that doesn't show itself often. The fact that both held back initially from expressing their feelings, not wanting to name what was happening and jinx what they felt, was very true to the characters. It sometimes is so easy to compromise the integrity of the characters to move the story along, but I found Ms. Warin wielding a deft hand here, letting the relationship unfold as it should and having the emotional connection dictate the flow and action.
Since the setting required the story take place, at least initially, within the five days of Dragon*Con, the build was slow and sweet. At first, I had some qualms over how much alcohol fueled some of the action, especially with Brendan. But it in no way was outside of the actions that I think would have happened anyway, and didn't compromise the characters or the flow of the story.
Overall, I was impressed with the sweetness of the feelings between these two men and the way they slowly decided to open their hearts to each other. The evolution of the relationship was nicely done. And the epilogue, the nice cherry on this very sweet sundae.
Job well done.
Tom
Brendan also has his long time roomie Nate also bail on him at the last minute. He too doesn't really want to foot the hotel bill by himself, and when he runs across Dylan's ad, he jumps at the chance to find a roommate.
Unfortunately, Dylan is a bit...anal...about having his schedule adhered to and being on time, and when Brendan is late meeting him on Thursday at 2:30 pm exactly, the two don't start off on the best footing. Never mind that Brendan has to deal with a late plane, the world's busiest airport, Atlanta mass transit and traffic - Dragon*Con waits for no man!
Such a shame too, because Dylan is immediately attracted to Brendan. Too bad the guy isn't gay...and the convention will be over soon and Dylan will be back in New York.
And Brendan thinks Dylan is an ass, but a cute ass. Too bad he isn't gay...and the convention will be over and Brendan will be back in New York.
Will these two guys manage to find some common ground, or will they let an opportunity for something good saunter on southward?
Being an Atlanta native and having been to one of the early early early Dragon*Cons back when dinosaurs walked the earth, I had very high hopes and expectations for this book. And I have to say, I was very happily surprised. Ms. Warin has crafted a fun and entertaining story about two guys who meet under unlikely circumstances and manage to fall into something pretty special.
What I really liked about this book is how the two characters slowly came around over the course of a long weekend, recognized that the setting could be affecting their interactions and judgement, and yet decided to take a chance on love anyway. What started out as the opportunity for just a little weekend fun (and what guy doesn't want to carpe THAT diem) managed to grow over the course of five days into both men wanting to see where it might go.
There was an easiness to the writing of these characters that doesn't show itself often. The fact that both held back initially from expressing their feelings, not wanting to name what was happening and jinx what they felt, was very true to the characters. It sometimes is so easy to compromise the integrity of the characters to move the story along, but I found Ms. Warin wielding a deft hand here, letting the relationship unfold as it should and having the emotional connection dictate the flow and action.
Since the setting required the story take place, at least initially, within the five days of Dragon*Con, the build was slow and sweet. At first, I had some qualms over how much alcohol fueled some of the action, especially with Brendan. But it in no way was outside of the actions that I think would have happened anyway, and didn't compromise the characters or the flow of the story.
Overall, I was impressed with the sweetness of the feelings between these two men and the way they slowly decided to open their hearts to each other. The evolution of the relationship was nicely done. And the epilogue, the nice cherry on this very sweet sundae.
Job well done.
Tom
November 25, 2011
My friend won this on first reads enjoyed it so thoroughly that I had to read it. I really enjoyed this story, the slow leisurely way the two fell in love was nice. This was no cliché where template characters fall in lust have a fight and get back together in love. This was a believable meeting of two people stumbling their way into friendship and love.
October 3, 2015
(Note: the whole book is written in present tense. While I don't mind that much, I didn't see the point at all, and I kind of need a reason for a story to be written that way. If you hate present tense, you probably want to avoid this book.),
2.5 stars
While the book had a lot of great moments, there were a number of things that really hindered the likeability for me.
First off, I want to say that there were some good things. I really appreciated the attempt at realism. There were places where not-perfect things happened and one would say something along the lines of, "This isn't a movie," although I could have done without the statement. Dylan was a complete ass at first, and it took me a while to warm up to him, but his reaction to the beginning situations were realistic.
I also definitely felt like I was at a fantasy convention (called a con). After a few chapters, the writing was good, although the sentence structure started off awkward. For example:
That was a huge problem. There was just too much detail and repeating of the same things over and over. The descriptions were way too long.. It's obvious that the author has gone to Dragoncon many times and absolutely loves it. But it's equally obvious that she lacks perspective on how much most people would enjoy it. The detail was too much even for me, and I've been to two SF/Fantasy cons. I found it distancing because I couldn't relate to the characters at all. Their obsession with fandom was over the top and their judgment was odd.
Like when they both were concerned that they might not have brought enough costumes because they would be out of place and judged. My experience was that there were as many people not in costumes as were in them, and I saw plenty of the same costumes more than once. My first year, I didn't even know we were supposed to wear costumes, and my second year, we just wore H's on our foreheads indicating a hologram from Red Dwarf. Plenty of people are not comfortable dressing up and many people only go to a con once in their lifetime. So this way of thinking felt out of touch to me and did in other parts of the book as well. A good example of this:
And these guys didn't feel like adults. They felt at most college-age kids who don't have careers or real world lives but at least one of them is thirty two. They didn't even really act like men; they acted like teenage girls. For example
There were just too many unnecessary characters and it was hard to keep them straight. Both had a bunch of friends at the con that showed up several times and I couldn't keep track of who was whose friend, who was partnered with whom, etc. All these characters were unnecessary to the storyline and half could have been cut out while still accomplishing the same things. All of the people were sweet and likeable, at least, especially two of the women, Dylan's friends I think, Sabrina being one of them. They were actually more distinct than either of the MCs who were very similar. I was told of differences, such as one being rather shy or that one needed to plan everything, but I was rarely shown.
When there were differences, they didn't even fit the right character. Like one character flies plans ahead all the time while the other flies by the seat of his pants. Yet the one who has to plan everything is the one who says, (medium spoiler) . That makes no sense to me.
Their reactions were all off. At one point, (minor spoiler)
Another time reactions were off were after the MCs kiss for the first time. They kiss one night and it fades to black and then (minor spoiler) . I think the whole fade to black thing—which happened frequently at weird moments—was to end on a cute note, but it felt random.
Other things that I really disliked included how they kept drinking before getting intimate, like they needed it to feel free enough. That just didn't feel like they cared about one another like they supposedly did, and drinking and sex are very dangerous together. There was also excessive brand-name dropping, which must be terribly annoying for non-Americans as it was irritating enough to me.
More importantly, perhaps, was that there was no way this was written by a gay person. There was no conception of safety. This was written five years ago, and that was a long time ago in terms of acceptance. They're at a con with drunk people from all over the country, and probably the world, and they're walking around with their arms around the other's waists. (Although there was one point in which they're concerned about holding hands in public that took place after the scene with the arms and waists.)
Overall, if this had been half the length, or even 2/3rds, I would have rated it a star higher, but as it stands, this is a 2.5 star read. I'm rounding up because it was very sweet and the con was well described.
2.5 stars
While the book had a lot of great moments, there were a number of things that really hindered the likeability for me.
First off, I want to say that there were some good things. I really appreciated the attempt at realism. There were places where not-perfect things happened and one would say something along the lines of, "This isn't a movie," although I could have done without the statement. Dylan was a complete ass at first, and it took me a while to warm up to him, but his reaction to the beginning situations were realistic.
I also definitely felt like I was at a fantasy convention (called a con). After a few chapters, the writing was good, although the sentence structure started off awkward. For example:
"When the doors to the elevator Brendan finally managed to catch open on eleven…"But there was more that wasn't good such as the fact that there really wasn't any plot. The point was simply to get through this "weekend" of five days, and enjoy the con while falling in love. Kudos to the author for trying to avoid the instalove thing even though the book took place in such a short time. She really did the best she could with giving us a happy ending within the framework of the book. The epilogue helped, although it went on too long, like the rest of the book.
That was a huge problem. There was just too much detail and repeating of the same things over and over. The descriptions were way too long.. It's obvious that the author has gone to Dragoncon many times and absolutely loves it. But it's equally obvious that she lacks perspective on how much most people would enjoy it. The detail was too much even for me, and I've been to two SF/Fantasy cons. I found it distancing because I couldn't relate to the characters at all. Their obsession with fandom was over the top and their judgment was odd.
Like when they both were concerned that they might not have brought enough costumes because they would be out of place and judged. My experience was that there were as many people not in costumes as were in them, and I saw plenty of the same costumes more than once. My first year, I didn't even know we were supposed to wear costumes, and my second year, we just wore H's on our foreheads indicating a hologram from Red Dwarf. Plenty of people are not comfortable dressing up and many people only go to a con once in their lifetime. So this way of thinking felt out of touch to me and did in other parts of the book as well. A good example of this:
"There were some pictures that Dylan would loe to have on his walls along with a few that he's sure his mother and sister would love as well, despite not being all that into fantasy art. The pictures are just so incredibly gorgeous that he can't imagine anyone not liking them."Sometimes an author could have a character say such a thing and the reader know that it's just indicative of the character. That didn't happen here. There was no doubt in my mind that the author felt this way about some of the art as well. Most of my friends are tech geeks who love science fiction and fantasy, who even play D&D on occasion. None save one like fantasy art, let alone want to put it on the wall. I can't imagine anyone outside of fantasy/SF-dom that would even consider it more than, "Oh. That's nice, dear." Putting it on our walls was something that we might have done in college, right next to our rock posters, but not as adults with mainstream lives.
And these guys didn't feel like adults. They felt at most college-age kids who don't have careers or real world lives but at least one of them is thirty two. They didn't even really act like men; they acted like teenage girls. For example
"He's fully engrossed in the slew of celebrity and news tweets that have gone up since that morning—and thinking that he really needs to follow more people he knows in real life…"They're always worried about how the other one thinks about them, particularly about what they're wearing. MC1 will worry about whether the other MC talked to someone about MC1 and what MC2 thinks about MC1.
There were just too many unnecessary characters and it was hard to keep them straight. Both had a bunch of friends at the con that showed up several times and I couldn't keep track of who was whose friend, who was partnered with whom, etc. All these characters were unnecessary to the storyline and half could have been cut out while still accomplishing the same things. All of the people were sweet and likeable, at least, especially two of the women, Dylan's friends I think, Sabrina being one of them. They were actually more distinct than either of the MCs who were very similar. I was told of differences, such as one being rather shy or that one needed to plan everything, but I was rarely shown.
When there were differences, they didn't even fit the right character. Like one character flies plans ahead all the time while the other flies by the seat of his pants. Yet the one who has to plan everything is the one who says, (medium spoiler) . That makes no sense to me.
Their reactions were all off. At one point, (minor spoiler)
Another time reactions were off were after the MCs kiss for the first time. They kiss one night and it fades to black and then (minor spoiler) . I think the whole fade to black thing—which happened frequently at weird moments—was to end on a cute note, but it felt random.
Other things that I really disliked included how they kept drinking before getting intimate, like they needed it to feel free enough. That just didn't feel like they cared about one another like they supposedly did, and drinking and sex are very dangerous together. There was also excessive brand-name dropping, which must be terribly annoying for non-Americans as it was irritating enough to me.
More importantly, perhaps, was that there was no way this was written by a gay person. There was no conception of safety. This was written five years ago, and that was a long time ago in terms of acceptance. They're at a con with drunk people from all over the country, and probably the world, and they're walking around with their arms around the other's waists. (Although there was one point in which they're concerned about holding hands in public that took place after the scene with the arms and waists.)
Overall, if this had been half the length, or even 2/3rds, I would have rated it a star higher, but as it stands, this is a 2.5 star read. I'm rounding up because it was very sweet and the con was well described.
November 28, 2011
Dragon*con, for those of us who don't go, sounds like the most event-packed weekend ever, with panels, demonstrations, live action role playing, and cosplay, and probably another sixty things I don't even know about, so why can't a couple of guys fall in love?
Brendan and Dylan connected on line, strictly to share a hotel room, after both their usual companions backed out of coming. It's not just economics, though it sounded expensive; Brendan's wonderful buddy cancelled the hotel room too. Knowing each other only by their on line handles and not expecting to have to hang out together for anything other than some drunken snoring and struggling into costumes, they start off badly, and have to struggle from "gee this guy is a jerk" to "he's a kind of hot jerk" to "he's not a jerk, really."
The story is told in the present tense, which brings the story along in a moment-by-moment way over the course of the five day con. Brendan and Dylan have a full complement of con-going friends, who add their two cents in from time to time on the budding relationship. They vary from wryly amused to downright intrusive, but are all accepting to supportive, and add greatly to the con's festivity. The group costume sequence had everyone together, letting Brendan and Dylan see how the friends might blend. Without interference from a few of them, this relationship might not have gotten off the ground.
Brendan and Dylan have these few days to decide if they want to pursue a relationship beyond the con, which is a fantastical step out of real life as it is. While I'm all pleased for them finding both happiness with each other and a glorious time at the con, I can't say that there was a fascinating story to go along with the revelation. The conflicts that they experienced on the way to couplehood are the standard progression of finding out a little about one another, finding out they are both gay, and from then on it's logistics. Once they've gotten into bed, it's very little more than amusing anecdotes. One section where a small misunderstanding threatened to turn into a bigger misunderstanding, it got talked out and resolved in a matter of paragraphs. The biggest conflict seemed to be an argument over the superiority and relative contributions of Neil Gaiman vs. Terry Pratchett in Good Omens.
Adding to the slightly extra work of reading a present tense story, the characters' names are similar enough that it's not entirely effortless to keep them straight. Since they've stepped out of their usual lives, little of those details follow them to the con making the characters blur just a bit more. One does metalwork, the other does leather, neither does his craft on stage, nor shows his work this time, blurring them further. We don't even find out that Brendan is thirty-two until nearly the end of the book. The author has stated that this was originally a real person slash story, so it may be that getting identifying details out has resulted in these homogenous characters; the voices are very similar once Dylan gets over his initial snit.
Sauntering Vaguely Downwards reads a lot like a friend's accounting of a good time in a far-away place; it was a wonderful vacation but it's a little short on plot.
Brendan and Dylan connected on line, strictly to share a hotel room, after both their usual companions backed out of coming. It's not just economics, though it sounded expensive; Brendan's wonderful buddy cancelled the hotel room too. Knowing each other only by their on line handles and not expecting to have to hang out together for anything other than some drunken snoring and struggling into costumes, they start off badly, and have to struggle from "gee this guy is a jerk" to "he's a kind of hot jerk" to "he's not a jerk, really."
The story is told in the present tense, which brings the story along in a moment-by-moment way over the course of the five day con. Brendan and Dylan have a full complement of con-going friends, who add their two cents in from time to time on the budding relationship. They vary from wryly amused to downright intrusive, but are all accepting to supportive, and add greatly to the con's festivity. The group costume sequence had everyone together, letting Brendan and Dylan see how the friends might blend. Without interference from a few of them, this relationship might not have gotten off the ground.
Brendan and Dylan have these few days to decide if they want to pursue a relationship beyond the con, which is a fantastical step out of real life as it is. While I'm all pleased for them finding both happiness with each other and a glorious time at the con, I can't say that there was a fascinating story to go along with the revelation. The conflicts that they experienced on the way to couplehood are the standard progression of finding out a little about one another, finding out they are both gay, and from then on it's logistics. Once they've gotten into bed, it's very little more than amusing anecdotes. One section where a small misunderstanding threatened to turn into a bigger misunderstanding, it got talked out and resolved in a matter of paragraphs. The biggest conflict seemed to be an argument over the superiority and relative contributions of Neil Gaiman vs. Terry Pratchett in Good Omens.
Adding to the slightly extra work of reading a present tense story, the characters' names are similar enough that it's not entirely effortless to keep them straight. Since they've stepped out of their usual lives, little of those details follow them to the con making the characters blur just a bit more. One does metalwork, the other does leather, neither does his craft on stage, nor shows his work this time, blurring them further. We don't even find out that Brendan is thirty-two until nearly the end of the book. The author has stated that this was originally a real person slash story, so it may be that getting identifying details out has resulted in these homogenous characters; the voices are very similar once Dylan gets over his initial snit.
Sauntering Vaguely Downwards reads a lot like a friend's accounting of a good time in a far-away place; it was a wonderful vacation but it's a little short on plot.
February 5, 2012
Sauntering Vaguely Downward, by Nessa L. Warin, is a book about falling in love at a science fiction convention. It is a story that is, itself, in love with science fiction conventions. Sauntering is also an M/M romance. Last, but not least, the title is an homage to the science fiction genre. It's a reference to the demon Crowley in Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's masterpiece, Good Omens. For anyone who has attended a lot of cons, this story is sweet, fun and touching.
Dragon*Con is a five-day extravaganza of a con that takes place every Labor Day weekend in downtown Atlanta. It spreads across three major hotels and overwhelms them. The hotels don't just sell out, they've learned not to bother letting mundanes book rooms, because unsuspecting mundanes and fen just don't mix well at big cons. I've personally been there and done that, and the t-shirts are generally very messy.
Sauntering Vaguely Downward starts out with a "meet-cute" that is actually pretty common at cons. Dylan Rojers and Brendan Stone have arranged to room together at the Con, but they've never met in person. In their case, it's because their usual con roommates have bailed for this con, and in Brendan's case, his roommate also cancelled their room. Dragon*Con sells out months in advance, even with three major hotels.
They need to check-in for the Con and get their attendance badges as early as possible, because the badge check-in line is going to be incredibly long later in the afternoon. But Dylan is on time and Brendan is late. And hasn't called. Brendan's plane arrived late, and he just didn't think about it. So when he finally does arrive, they're both pissed at each other, and they get started off on the wrong foot. Both figure that it doesn't matter, they each have friends they were planning to spend time with that they only see at cons, and they've split the cost of the room, so it's all okay.
But it might be better than okay. Brendan and Dylan are both gay, but at the beginning, neither of them knows that about the other. And they have no friends in common, so it takes a while for the light to dawn. Especially since they start out way too annoyed with each other to find any common ground. At first they only thing they have in common is the Con itself, and a mutual love of the book Good Omens, except that Dylan thinks Terry Pratchett wrote the best parts, and Brendan is certain that Neil Gaiman did. This is almost as bad as the Mac/PC debate.
But Dragon*Con works its magic, and with the assistance of their friends, along with too much unidentified alcohol at a room party, they do manage to find out that they are very interested in each other, in spite of the somewhat rocky beginning. But the problem with Con romances is that the Con always ends. Is their five-day romance just part of the magic of the Con? And if it is, how will they make it in the real world of long-distance relationships?
Escape Rating C+: I enjoyed this book because I know what it's like to be at a con. It brought back some pretty fond memories. On the other hand, I could easily see that for someone who didn't have that experience, a lot of this would seem like an in-joke that they didn't get. And even for me, the story went on too long. I know Dragon*Con lasts five days, but the story dragged at bit toward the end.
The experience of coming to a con, having a roommate you've never met, falling in love (or lust) at the con, wondering if it's real or just con magic--that story is universal. It's happening to someone, somewhere this weekend, at a con near you.
Dragon*Con is a five-day extravaganza of a con that takes place every Labor Day weekend in downtown Atlanta. It spreads across three major hotels and overwhelms them. The hotels don't just sell out, they've learned not to bother letting mundanes book rooms, because unsuspecting mundanes and fen just don't mix well at big cons. I've personally been there and done that, and the t-shirts are generally very messy.
Sauntering Vaguely Downward starts out with a "meet-cute" that is actually pretty common at cons. Dylan Rojers and Brendan Stone have arranged to room together at the Con, but they've never met in person. In their case, it's because their usual con roommates have bailed for this con, and in Brendan's case, his roommate also cancelled their room. Dragon*Con sells out months in advance, even with three major hotels.
They need to check-in for the Con and get their attendance badges as early as possible, because the badge check-in line is going to be incredibly long later in the afternoon. But Dylan is on time and Brendan is late. And hasn't called. Brendan's plane arrived late, and he just didn't think about it. So when he finally does arrive, they're both pissed at each other, and they get started off on the wrong foot. Both figure that it doesn't matter, they each have friends they were planning to spend time with that they only see at cons, and they've split the cost of the room, so it's all okay.
But it might be better than okay. Brendan and Dylan are both gay, but at the beginning, neither of them knows that about the other. And they have no friends in common, so it takes a while for the light to dawn. Especially since they start out way too annoyed with each other to find any common ground. At first they only thing they have in common is the Con itself, and a mutual love of the book Good Omens, except that Dylan thinks Terry Pratchett wrote the best parts, and Brendan is certain that Neil Gaiman did. This is almost as bad as the Mac/PC debate.
But Dragon*Con works its magic, and with the assistance of their friends, along with too much unidentified alcohol at a room party, they do manage to find out that they are very interested in each other, in spite of the somewhat rocky beginning. But the problem with Con romances is that the Con always ends. Is their five-day romance just part of the magic of the Con? And if it is, how will they make it in the real world of long-distance relationships?
Escape Rating C+: I enjoyed this book because I know what it's like to be at a con. It brought back some pretty fond memories. On the other hand, I could easily see that for someone who didn't have that experience, a lot of this would seem like an in-joke that they didn't get. And even for me, the story went on too long. I know Dragon*Con lasts five days, but the story dragged at bit toward the end.
The experience of coming to a con, having a roommate you've never met, falling in love (or lust) at the con, wondering if it's real or just con magic--that story is universal. It's happening to someone, somewhere this weekend, at a con near you.
January 5, 2012
Reviewed By: Marissa
Review Copy Provided By: ARC Net Galley
I’ve never participated in anything even remotely similar to Dragon*Con so I wasn’t really sure about this book. The idea of a couple of sci-fi geeks coming together isn’t on my top ten. However, once I began reading, I couldn’t seem to put the reader down. Dragon*Con is merely a background for the fear and trepidation these men face as they confront their feelings for each other.
The conflict between Dylan and Brendan was at times amusing and at times heartbreaking. They are attracted to each other from first sight, but their first meeting ends up with each in a huff. Their second meeting goes a little bit better. They’ve apologized to each other for earlier and, since Brandon is a little drunk, he’s having problems getting undressed.
He’s with fellow geeks, anyway, and most of them are almost as smart as he is, if not smarter.
They’re all smarter than he is tonight. He’s pretty sure most of them can figure out how to take off their shoes.
Dylan flops back down on his bed, lying the right way this time, and rolls onto his side to look at Brendan, who has lifted his feet into the air and is again tugging at his shoes. “You all right, man?”
Brendan turns his head to the side and grins. He likes this kinder Dylan much better than the one who met him earlier today. “My shoes are stuck on my feet.” He tugs ineffectively on the shoelaces again, but they simply dangle down over his face.
“Dude.”
It’s not long before their differences don’t seem to matter so much and the arguments become moments of passion. But the passion is also broken up by periods of doubt – How can I feel this way when we’ve only known each other for a few days? Does he feel the same way I do? Is this just a Dragon*Con fling for him? What if he says this is real but when we go home I never hear from him again?
While Dylan and Brendan do have their differences, more often than not they share the same thoughts and ideas. A very sweet moment comes when they both create similar gifts for each other before leaving Dragon*Con.
And the sex? It manages to range from sloppy first kisses (where costume makeup is smeared everywhere) to passionate, hot and steamy (where sheets need to be changed daily). Very well written scenes that brought me into the room and had me sweating right along with Dylan and Brendan.
The idea of two diverse people propelled together by a love of one thing is nothing new, but it is intriguing and I’m happy I had the opportunity to read Sauntering Vaguely Downward. Of all romance novels I’ve read over the years, this could possibly be the most probable of actually occurring. (In fact, the author’s note states that, while this is a work of fiction, most of the events really did happen. Which events, she doesn’t reference.)
I only wish the author had explained their screen names - binkysrider719 and dontbelieve31. While they might be obvious to scif-fi fans, I have no idea what they mean and am more than a little curious.
Favorite Quote:“So you’re really planning on keeping me, then?”
“As long as I can manage it.”
Review Copy Provided By: ARC Net Galley
I’ve never participated in anything even remotely similar to Dragon*Con so I wasn’t really sure about this book. The idea of a couple of sci-fi geeks coming together isn’t on my top ten. However, once I began reading, I couldn’t seem to put the reader down. Dragon*Con is merely a background for the fear and trepidation these men face as they confront their feelings for each other.
The conflict between Dylan and Brendan was at times amusing and at times heartbreaking. They are attracted to each other from first sight, but their first meeting ends up with each in a huff. Their second meeting goes a little bit better. They’ve apologized to each other for earlier and, since Brandon is a little drunk, he’s having problems getting undressed.
He’s with fellow geeks, anyway, and most of them are almost as smart as he is, if not smarter.
They’re all smarter than he is tonight. He’s pretty sure most of them can figure out how to take off their shoes.
Dylan flops back down on his bed, lying the right way this time, and rolls onto his side to look at Brendan, who has lifted his feet into the air and is again tugging at his shoes. “You all right, man?”
Brendan turns his head to the side and grins. He likes this kinder Dylan much better than the one who met him earlier today. “My shoes are stuck on my feet.” He tugs ineffectively on the shoelaces again, but they simply dangle down over his face.
“Dude.”
It’s not long before their differences don’t seem to matter so much and the arguments become moments of passion. But the passion is also broken up by periods of doubt – How can I feel this way when we’ve only known each other for a few days? Does he feel the same way I do? Is this just a Dragon*Con fling for him? What if he says this is real but when we go home I never hear from him again?
While Dylan and Brendan do have their differences, more often than not they share the same thoughts and ideas. A very sweet moment comes when they both create similar gifts for each other before leaving Dragon*Con.
And the sex? It manages to range from sloppy first kisses (where costume makeup is smeared everywhere) to passionate, hot and steamy (where sheets need to be changed daily). Very well written scenes that brought me into the room and had me sweating right along with Dylan and Brendan.
The idea of two diverse people propelled together by a love of one thing is nothing new, but it is intriguing and I’m happy I had the opportunity to read Sauntering Vaguely Downward. Of all romance novels I’ve read over the years, this could possibly be the most probable of actually occurring. (In fact, the author’s note states that, while this is a work of fiction, most of the events really did happen. Which events, she doesn’t reference.)
I only wish the author had explained their screen names - binkysrider719 and dontbelieve31. While they might be obvious to scif-fi fans, I have no idea what they mean and am more than a little curious.
Favorite Quote:“So you’re really planning on keeping me, then?”
“As long as I can manage it.”
January 15, 2012
Bitch Factor 10 rating-- 4.2
note: I received this ARC of SVD through NetGalley for review
Sauntering Vaguely Downward is a sweet love story about two convention-going geeks who make a love connection at Dragon*Con. For the uninitiated, Dragon*Con is the "largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film in the universe!"-- or so says their website (http://www.dragoncon.org/). I have a friend who has attended Dragon*Con in the past, so I was already familiar with the conference, and I do have a desire to attend in the future. Yeah, I'm geeky like that!
I think that it is very fortuitous that our main characters Dylan and Brendan are able to find each other, especially given all the distractions of a four-day, full-on CosPlay-mageddon. Personally, I've never hooked up at a conference or convention-- and believe me, I've tried! At least these two have some interests in common-- particularly being fanboys of the works of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (to which the title subtly refers). The small conflict there is in this love story has to do with whether or not these guys can sustain a relationship once Dragon*Con has ended--especially given that they each live 4+ hours away in RL (real life, for you non-virtual-world people). You'll have to read for yourself to see if Dylan and Brendan work things out.
Ok, this is not a book for everyone, but if you're the kind of geeky person who plans out your con makeup, wardrobe and sick days months way in advance, then Sauntering Vaguely Downward is the aw-cute, gay romance book for you!
Ps. I'm glad I didn't see the cover before downloading this one, because that would have deterred me from reading this-- yeah, yeah, book by it's cover, etc. etc.
note: I received this ARC of SVD through NetGalley for review
Sauntering Vaguely Downward is a sweet love story about two convention-going geeks who make a love connection at Dragon*Con. For the uninitiated, Dragon*Con is the "largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film in the universe!"-- or so says their website (http://www.dragoncon.org/). I have a friend who has attended Dragon*Con in the past, so I was already familiar with the conference, and I do have a desire to attend in the future. Yeah, I'm geeky like that!
I think that it is very fortuitous that our main characters Dylan and Brendan are able to find each other, especially given all the distractions of a four-day, full-on CosPlay-mageddon. Personally, I've never hooked up at a conference or convention-- and believe me, I've tried! At least these two have some interests in common-- particularly being fanboys of the works of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (to which the title subtly refers). The small conflict there is in this love story has to do with whether or not these guys can sustain a relationship once Dragon*Con has ended--especially given that they each live 4+ hours away in RL (real life, for you non-virtual-world people). You'll have to read for yourself to see if Dylan and Brendan work things out.
Ok, this is not a book for everyone, but if you're the kind of geeky person who plans out your con makeup, wardrobe and sick days months way in advance, then Sauntering Vaguely Downward is the aw-cute, gay romance book for you!
Ps. I'm glad I didn't see the cover before downloading this one, because that would have deterred me from reading this-- yeah, yeah, book by it's cover, etc. etc.
December 14, 2011
This book was reviewed for Musings of a bookworm
This is what the book is about.
Dylan Rojers is excited about Dragon*Con—a huge convention in Atlanta celebrating pop culture, science fiction, and fantasy—but he and his last-minute roommate, Brendan Stone, get off on the wrong foot. It seems that every time they manage a tentative truce, something happens to set them back, and by their second day at the convention, both think there’s no way they can get along.
But maybe Dylan and Brendan have more in common than they thought. Once they start talking, the sparks that were starting arguments ignite a different sort of passion. Through the four fabulous days of parties, shopping in the Dealers Room, costume parades, and discussion panels, Dylan and Brendan grow ever closer. There’s just one problem: they live in different cities, and Dragon*Con doesn’t last forever. Will Dylan and Brendan risk a long-distance romance or is a lasting relationship just one more all-too-brief fantasy.
This is what I thought about it.
I didn't do to well with this one.
I just didn't connect with the characters and I found the writing style didn't make it any easier. The characterisation is good but I just wanted to slap them.
Don't get me wrong I think I am a bit of a geek but these men were like teenagers and that's just plain annoying. I only get a few pages in before I got fed up and stopped reading so maybe it gets better but for me it goes on the could not finish pile.
This is what the book is about.
Dylan Rojers is excited about Dragon*Con—a huge convention in Atlanta celebrating pop culture, science fiction, and fantasy—but he and his last-minute roommate, Brendan Stone, get off on the wrong foot. It seems that every time they manage a tentative truce, something happens to set them back, and by their second day at the convention, both think there’s no way they can get along.
But maybe Dylan and Brendan have more in common than they thought. Once they start talking, the sparks that were starting arguments ignite a different sort of passion. Through the four fabulous days of parties, shopping in the Dealers Room, costume parades, and discussion panels, Dylan and Brendan grow ever closer. There’s just one problem: they live in different cities, and Dragon*Con doesn’t last forever. Will Dylan and Brendan risk a long-distance romance or is a lasting relationship just one more all-too-brief fantasy.
This is what I thought about it.
I didn't do to well with this one.
I just didn't connect with the characters and I found the writing style didn't make it any easier. The characterisation is good but I just wanted to slap them.
Don't get me wrong I think I am a bit of a geek but these men were like teenagers and that's just plain annoying. I only get a few pages in before I got fed up and stopped reading so maybe it gets better but for me it goes on the could not finish pile.
January 14, 2013
I was a bit surprised not to like this book, as I'd previously read To Dream Perchance to Live - a sci-fi novel - and loved it.
This was about a very different subject: it's a contemporary love story set in a hotel at a conference - DragonCon.
It started off quite well, but I soon found the main characters were behaving far younger than their age. OK, adults who go to these conferences might be considered, by the unkind, to be immature. I know that's not the case, so it's no reason for the men's adolescent behaviour here.
The writing style seemed somewhat breathless and disorganised, as did the plot (at least to me), and I found myself becoming more and more impatient with it.
I gave up about halfway through. I'd persevered longer than I often do if a book isn't working for me, because I really, really wanted it to get better so I could finish the story, but sadly it hadn't by then, and I have many excellently reviewed books in my to-read pile so I did not waste any more time on it.
I will give Nessa L. Warin's writing another go, on the strength of her previous book, but I am disappointed.
I've given it 2 stars (well, 1.5 rounded up really) as the premise was a good one. It could have been a good novel with some tighter editing and perhaps a bit of beta reading, I think.
This was about a very different subject: it's a contemporary love story set in a hotel at a conference - DragonCon.
It started off quite well, but I soon found the main characters were behaving far younger than their age. OK, adults who go to these conferences might be considered, by the unkind, to be immature. I know that's not the case, so it's no reason for the men's adolescent behaviour here.
The writing style seemed somewhat breathless and disorganised, as did the plot (at least to me), and I found myself becoming more and more impatient with it.
I gave up about halfway through. I'd persevered longer than I often do if a book isn't working for me, because I really, really wanted it to get better so I could finish the story, but sadly it hadn't by then, and I have many excellently reviewed books in my to-read pile so I did not waste any more time on it.
I will give Nessa L. Warin's writing another go, on the strength of her previous book, but I am disappointed.
I've given it 2 stars (well, 1.5 rounded up really) as the premise was a good one. It could have been a good novel with some tighter editing and perhaps a bit of beta reading, I think.
November 15, 2011
I received this book free through the Goodreads First Reads program.
I really enjoyed this books. Both main characters are interesting, and well drawn. Their romance is sweet and honest without many of the worlds collide clichés that are so common these days. I like the balance of power between the two, and the fact that neither feels the need to dominate the other to prove some sort of "manhood" is a nice change of pace. The supporting characters are colorful, and feel like real people instead of cardboard cuts outs put in to either support or hinder the main character's love.
I think the setting was one of my favorite aspects. I've never been to Dragon*Con, but I've been to some anime cons, and I love how well the author manages to capture the thrill of being at a con, and translates that into the character’s connection. It was more than just a backdrop, it was an integral part of the story, and I appreciated that.
I really enjoyed this books. Both main characters are interesting, and well drawn. Their romance is sweet and honest without many of the worlds collide clichés that are so common these days. I like the balance of power between the two, and the fact that neither feels the need to dominate the other to prove some sort of "manhood" is a nice change of pace. The supporting characters are colorful, and feel like real people instead of cardboard cuts outs put in to either support or hinder the main character's love.
I think the setting was one of my favorite aspects. I've never been to Dragon*Con, but I've been to some anime cons, and I love how well the author manages to capture the thrill of being at a con, and translates that into the character’s connection. It was more than just a backdrop, it was an integral part of the story, and I appreciated that.
December 20, 2011
A nice, angst free story about two 30isch men, forced to room together at Dragon*Con, and discover love.
I would have liked to see more of the relationship development between the end of the Convention and the epilogue.
I found the Dragon*Con setting interesting, which set the story apart from a lot of others.
I would have liked to see more of the relationship development between the end of the Convention and the epilogue.
I found the Dragon*Con setting interesting, which set the story apart from a lot of others.
October 29, 2016
There were moments when I felt like this was an ode to Dragon*Con than anything else. And while that's not necessarily a bad thing, it did make it more difficult to really connect to the story. The timing was also a challenge--the pacing is a bit choppy throughout and there are jumps in time that I found hard to follow. And the relationship seemed to jump around a bit too. Overall, this probably could have been 20-30 pages shorter and hit its target more effectively. It really just seemed to drag at points throughout the book.
November 26, 2012
Cute read. Conventions are a great setting, although I'm not sure it was utilized to its fullest potential here. I would have liked to get to know the MCs better instead of spending so much time trying to keep up with all the secondary characters. I also was surprised to realise how old the MCs were. They came across as much younger.
January 28, 2012
A title that's an allusion to Good Omens?! I think I'd want to read it for that alone. The fact that the blurb sounds good too is a bonus.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
October 14, 2011
Review to come.
November 27, 2011
It sounded cute and I really wanted to like it, but it was boring ...
nah
July 12, 2012Too many pages for a blurb so simple.
Oh well.
Oh well.
Want to read
December 8, 2011I probably never will read this, it doesn't seem my cuppa. But!! It does get a "best title" nomination, for referencing my favorite novel. Well done, Warin, well done.
August 5, 2012
Sweet and cute story. I read it when it was fanfiction and adored it. This version is enjoyable too.
October 26, 2012
Thought there might be a follow up with Eric & Nate. Don't see one, though.
November 14, 2012
Dreamspinner freebie
As a long term Pratchett fan I loved the character references and enoyed the story but but I just didn't find it easy to get to grips with the tense it was written in
As a long term Pratchett fan I loved the character references and enoyed the story but but I just didn't find it easy to get to grips with the tense it was written in
December 28, 2013
I loved the concept, and it was very (VERY) well developed. In the end, the Dragon*Con is just a excuse for a fantastic and epic story :)
August 18, 2014
3.5 stars
Read
May 11, 2014I read this when it was fanfic. I wouldn't buy it as a book.
July 7, 2017
Why can't I ever find a gay boyfriend when I go to cons? Hmmpf.
Only problem I had with this was where Brendan ate... Chick-fil-A, no no. Have you not heard what they do? Tsk tsk.
Only problem I had with this was where Brendan ate... Chick-fil-A, no no. Have you not heard what they do? Tsk tsk.
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