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Dojo Boys #2
Dragon and Crow 1
This two volume fast paced pulp yaoi novel is an adventure filled journey with many twists and turns involving love struck men, martial arts, dancing, casinos, hotels, an amazing Manhattan loft, the NPA, the FBI, the Yakuza and a healthy dose of graphic smex.
In this Volume One, we meet twenty-three year old graphic artist Michael Black, a Native American student of Shotokan karate and learn of how his life gets turned upside down and inside out by a mysterious stranger whom ambushes him at the dojo he attends, one evening.
Note: This is Part One of a 2-part story.
Publisher's Note: This book contains sexual content, explicit language and situations that some readers may find objectionable: male/male sexual practices.
Genres: Yaoi, Boy's Love, M/M Romance, Gay
In this Volume One, we meet twenty-three year old graphic artist Michael Black, a Native American student of Shotokan karate and learn of how his life gets turned upside down and inside out by a mysterious stranger whom ambushes him at the dojo he attends, one evening.
Note: This is Part One of a 2-part story.
Publisher's Note: This book contains sexual content, explicit language and situations that some readers may find objectionable: male/male sexual practices.
Genres: Yaoi, Boy's Love, M/M Romance, Gay
248 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 11, 2012
124 people want to read
About the author
Alex A. Akira
6 books43 followersLets see,
I'm introverted, college educated; I like animals, but have no pets.
I study metaphysics, I practice Martial arts and run alot. I design accessories, giftware and other stuff to make a living.
I paint, draw and am currently trying to get used to my new Wacom create tablet.
My favorite food: Sashimi, my favorite desert: Dark Chocolate.
I'm Native American, have a significant other whom is my lifemate and without whom, well, let's just say I really really love him.
Okay, that's about it, oh yeah, I've got a thing for crows...
And I write yaoi, boy's love, m/m romance stories, helps me work out the stuff I struggle with as a result of my weird childhood.
I'm introverted, college educated; I like animals, but have no pets.
I study metaphysics, I practice Martial arts and run alot. I design accessories, giftware and other stuff to make a living.
I paint, draw and am currently trying to get used to my new Wacom create tablet.
My favorite food: Sashimi, my favorite desert: Dark Chocolate.
I'm Native American, have a significant other whom is my lifemate and without whom, well, let's just say I really really love him.
Okay, that's about it, oh yeah, I've got a thing for crows...
And I write yaoi, boy's love, m/m romance stories, helps me work out the stuff I struggle with as a result of my weird childhood.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 8, 2012
To all of you yaoi lovers, I found the right book for you. For those of you who are completely lost and wondering what the hell that is, yaoi focuses on homoerotic male relationships that are usually written by female authors. It is more commonly known as Boys' Love. You should also know that yaoi novels usually take more than one novel to complete. Basically, if you want to know the ending, you will have to buy both volumes of this novel. I must also warn you that this novel is self published. So, there will be a few typos, but nothing major. Now, with that said, this novel is really fast paced and well written.
When I tell you well written, I’m basically saying that Alex A. Akira does an outstanding job when describing the characters and everything around them. To some, this may take away from the plot, but in reality, this is a work of art written in words. You can perfectly picture every single thing throughout the novel and that reminded me a young and talented woman who became famous because she wrote several novels that included a young wizard. Their genre may be different, but their execution or writing style is almost the same.
Now, back to the novel, the love story in this novel revolves around Michael Black and Kiyoshi Kimura. They both come from very troublesome pasts. I love Michael and Kiyoshi together since they bring out the best out of each other. Somehow they seem to balance each other off perfectly well. Michael comes from family whose family members mysteriously die due to unknown or tragic circumstances. By the young age of fifteen, he was left all alone and to fend for himself. Kiyoshi, on the other hand, is a very unique character since he suffers from multiple personality disorders. My heart broke when I found out what led to his current state. His past is tragic and very sad. Without giving away too much of the plot, Kiyoshi is basically three persons in one and the NPA (National Police Association of Japan) is looking for one of his personalities. It is up to Michael and Ichiro (Kiyoshi’s cousin and Michael’s Sensei) to hide and save him from them. I will recommend this novel to all the yaoi lovers out there and to anyone who wants to try something new and fresh.
When I tell you well written, I’m basically saying that Alex A. Akira does an outstanding job when describing the characters and everything around them. To some, this may take away from the plot, but in reality, this is a work of art written in words. You can perfectly picture every single thing throughout the novel and that reminded me a young and talented woman who became famous because she wrote several novels that included a young wizard. Their genre may be different, but their execution or writing style is almost the same.
Now, back to the novel, the love story in this novel revolves around Michael Black and Kiyoshi Kimura. They both come from very troublesome pasts. I love Michael and Kiyoshi together since they bring out the best out of each other. Somehow they seem to balance each other off perfectly well. Michael comes from family whose family members mysteriously die due to unknown or tragic circumstances. By the young age of fifteen, he was left all alone and to fend for himself. Kiyoshi, on the other hand, is a very unique character since he suffers from multiple personality disorders. My heart broke when I found out what led to his current state. His past is tragic and very sad. Without giving away too much of the plot, Kiyoshi is basically three persons in one and the NPA (National Police Association of Japan) is looking for one of his personalities. It is up to Michael and Ichiro (Kiyoshi’s cousin and Michael’s Sensei) to hide and save him from them. I will recommend this novel to all the yaoi lovers out there and to anyone who wants to try something new and fresh.
May 10, 2013
3.75 stars
Michael Black is looking forward to getting his brown belt, something he has worked hard to achieve. With a past filled with loss and pain and with no family of his own, he's tired of playing the field and longs to find someone to love. Although he entertains thoughts of a relationship with his Sensei, Ichiro, he believes that his crush is unrequited so he doesn't pursuit it and only takes part in meaningless hook-ups.
Then one night while at the dojo he encounters the stranger that will change his life. The stranger turns out to be Ichiro's cousin, Kiyoshi. Suddenly drawn to the lithe, handsome stranger Michael agrees to help out his sensei in keeping the stranger safe while he is visiting. However, Michael can't help but to act on his attraction and ends up not only opening his door to the stranger but also opening his heart.
I had met Michael and Kiyoshi previously when I read The Italian Connection 2 and I was looking forward to reading their story.
This is the second set of stories I have read from Alex A. Akira and it was everything I've come to expect from him. The author has the ability to draw me into the story from the very beginning keeping riveted throughout and then leaving me wanting more from these character when the story has reached its end. I enjoyed the complexity of the characters, the action packed scenes and the sizzling-hot sex scenes.
I loved Kiyoshi's vulnerability and admired how far he'd come in life. And Michael? Well he was adorable as he constantly fought his attraction to Kiyoshi. I did enjoy how they got together and how their connection grew as the story progressed. Their doubts and hesitations felt real and even though I am not usually a fan of the whole insta-love scenario, but I believe it fits this story well. I think that the best part of the story was how Michael and Kiyoshi both longed to be loved and how fiercely attracted to each other these two were.
I could tell you more, but the fun was in discovering the details as they were revealed. All in all, Dragon & Crow Volume 1 was a fun, hot read that had me reaching for the next volume as soon as I read the last page.
I received this title from the author in exchange of my honest opinion.
Michael Black is looking forward to getting his brown belt, something he has worked hard to achieve. With a past filled with loss and pain and with no family of his own, he's tired of playing the field and longs to find someone to love. Although he entertains thoughts of a relationship with his Sensei, Ichiro, he believes that his crush is unrequited so he doesn't pursuit it and only takes part in meaningless hook-ups.
Then one night while at the dojo he encounters the stranger that will change his life. The stranger turns out to be Ichiro's cousin, Kiyoshi. Suddenly drawn to the lithe, handsome stranger Michael agrees to help out his sensei in keeping the stranger safe while he is visiting. However, Michael can't help but to act on his attraction and ends up not only opening his door to the stranger but also opening his heart.
I had met Michael and Kiyoshi previously when I read The Italian Connection 2 and I was looking forward to reading their story.
This is the second set of stories I have read from Alex A. Akira and it was everything I've come to expect from him. The author has the ability to draw me into the story from the very beginning keeping riveted throughout and then leaving me wanting more from these character when the story has reached its end. I enjoyed the complexity of the characters, the action packed scenes and the sizzling-hot sex scenes.
I loved Kiyoshi's vulnerability and admired how far he'd come in life. And Michael? Well he was adorable as he constantly fought his attraction to Kiyoshi. I did enjoy how they got together and how their connection grew as the story progressed. Their doubts and hesitations felt real and even though I am not usually a fan of the whole insta-love scenario, but I believe it fits this story well. I think that the best part of the story was how Michael and Kiyoshi both longed to be loved and how fiercely attracted to each other these two were.
I could tell you more, but the fun was in discovering the details as they were revealed. All in all, Dragon & Crow Volume 1 was a fun, hot read that had me reaching for the next volume as soon as I read the last page.
I received this title from the author in exchange of my honest opinion.
August 7, 2012
2.5 stars
The Good: You know, I liked the premise of this... it’s based around a family-owned Shotokan dojo and some of it’s young martial artist hot-shots. There is one cool smack-down in the dojo at the beginning of the story. There are elements of mystery, Yakuza drama, and an enigmatic MC with multiple personality disorder. Now that was interesting... and, oh...LOVE the cover!
The Bad: This is only my second yaoi read if you count Derekica Snake’s Cake, and just like that book I have to say I struggled a lot with the awkward writing style. Add to that all the different characters to keep track of and one of them with three personalities! Ack! While I did find Kiyoshi/Hikaru/non-Hikaru, Ichiro, Masato, and Michael’s backstories interesting, it was hard work keeping track of who was who and what happened to whom where.
The Ugly: I found myself continually gnashing my teeth over sentence structure, mis-used and missing words, and weird grammar -- the author’s curious and frequent use of ‘whom’ as a subjective pronoun stopped me cold every time. What I don’t know is whether the awkward delivery is distinctive to the genre or what... Is this the yaoi way? And why do even the simplest actions and thought processes need to be catalogued in excruciating detail? There’s just too much telling and not enough showin’ goin’ on. C’mon, these are dojo boys people! Where’s all the action-smackshin?
The Good: You know, I liked the premise of this... it’s based around a family-owned Shotokan dojo and some of it’s young martial artist hot-shots. There is one cool smack-down in the dojo at the beginning of the story. There are elements of mystery, Yakuza drama, and an enigmatic MC with multiple personality disorder. Now that was interesting... and, oh...LOVE the cover!
The Bad: This is only my second yaoi read if you count Derekica Snake’s Cake, and just like that book I have to say I struggled a lot with the awkward writing style. Add to that all the different characters to keep track of and one of them with three personalities! Ack! While I did find Kiyoshi/Hikaru/non-Hikaru, Ichiro, Masato, and Michael’s backstories interesting, it was hard work keeping track of who was who and what happened to whom where.
The Ugly: I found myself continually gnashing my teeth over sentence structure, mis-used and missing words, and weird grammar -- the author’s curious and frequent use of ‘whom’ as a subjective pronoun stopped me cold every time. What I don’t know is whether the awkward delivery is distinctive to the genre or what... Is this the yaoi way? And why do even the simplest actions and thought processes need to be catalogued in excruciating detail? There’s just too much telling and not enough showin’ goin’ on. C’mon, these are dojo boys people! Where’s all the action-smackshin?
June 23, 2015
To recount the action of Dragon & Crow (2 vols.) in just a few words: Kyoshi, now a teenager once attacked as a young boy, returns to wreak vengeance on those who caused his anguish. The nature of the attack, and the consequences for the child and the adult he becomes, are complex and heart-wrenching. The story of the Dragon (Kyoshi) and the Crow (Michael) is the story of how two strong and unusual young men work together to bring about justice and to forge a strong bond of love.
While bowing to tradition in this two-novel set, I think Akira also knocks yaoi back a bit on its arse. Dragon and Crow is not just a formulaic ballet of male-male love, but a scintillating study in multiple personalities, brutal action, harsh criminal mentalities, and complex human motivations. Akira somehow manages to balance all these strands and even play them against each other almost to the breaking point. In so doing, he has created a fine work of real characters trying to survive in a nerve-rattling story line.
The characters themselves are definitely a cut above the ordinary. These boys Michael and Kiyoshi are beautiful bishonen, yes. But beyond their physical attractiveness, they are striking and memorable. Michael Black is a green-eyed native American with a very troubled past and a maturity beyond his early twenties. His beloved Kiyoshi is especially remarkable, he of at least three distinct personalities at war with each other and with Michael. The love-lust / seme-uke conflict between these two—indeed, among “all” of them— is breathtaking, a joy to read.
And there is a second set of lovers, the detective Masato and the sensei Ichiro. Circumstances bring them together after a decade of losing each other, and their slow and tense return to each other’s arms is both poignant and sensuous.
Akira is blessed with an eye and a vocabulary for sensuous detail … of color and texture, of touch and smell and taste, of sexual need. No matter how often the lovers explore each other, each scene plays out so uniquely that the reader feels goosebumps, as though each new time is the first time. Difficult to do. Bravo, Alex!
The language, the sensuous play of boys on boys, the intricate plot arc, the tumultuous rush of events to an exhilarating finish … all of it swept me from page to page and ended with my enthusiastic fist pump. I give this wonderful set of books a rousing five stars, for the way Alex Akira has settled under my skin and made me itch to read more and more of his Dojo Boys—and his not-so-boyish lovers too. As a reviewer of some note might say … scintillating, unique, sensual!
While bowing to tradition in this two-novel set, I think Akira also knocks yaoi back a bit on its arse. Dragon and Crow is not just a formulaic ballet of male-male love, but a scintillating study in multiple personalities, brutal action, harsh criminal mentalities, and complex human motivations. Akira somehow manages to balance all these strands and even play them against each other almost to the breaking point. In so doing, he has created a fine work of real characters trying to survive in a nerve-rattling story line.
The characters themselves are definitely a cut above the ordinary. These boys Michael and Kiyoshi are beautiful bishonen, yes. But beyond their physical attractiveness, they are striking and memorable. Michael Black is a green-eyed native American with a very troubled past and a maturity beyond his early twenties. His beloved Kiyoshi is especially remarkable, he of at least three distinct personalities at war with each other and with Michael. The love-lust / seme-uke conflict between these two—indeed, among “all” of them— is breathtaking, a joy to read.
And there is a second set of lovers, the detective Masato and the sensei Ichiro. Circumstances bring them together after a decade of losing each other, and their slow and tense return to each other’s arms is both poignant and sensuous.
Akira is blessed with an eye and a vocabulary for sensuous detail … of color and texture, of touch and smell and taste, of sexual need. No matter how often the lovers explore each other, each scene plays out so uniquely that the reader feels goosebumps, as though each new time is the first time. Difficult to do. Bravo, Alex!
The language, the sensuous play of boys on boys, the intricate plot arc, the tumultuous rush of events to an exhilarating finish … all of it swept me from page to page and ended with my enthusiastic fist pump. I give this wonderful set of books a rousing five stars, for the way Alex Akira has settled under my skin and made me itch to read more and more of his Dojo Boys—and his not-so-boyish lovers too. As a reviewer of some note might say … scintillating, unique, sensual!
July 30, 2012
I'll have to post this review also for the second book because they need to be read in line!
I really, really enjoyed the two Dragon & Crow books or let's say the whole Dragon & Crow story very much. Good thing, they were released at the same time or I'd have gnawed my nails off waiting after the first one. ;-)
It was a very captivating read, very diverse, never a dull moment and very well written - all of it ;-)! I even got quite emotional at times but I will not put in spoilers here. The whole story has much more substance than one would expect from a yaoi-labeled book. The author really does have a gift, weaving an intricate and thrilling storyline and I hope to read much more of Alex A. Akira's work in the future.
For readers who like yaoi and prefer their yaoi with substance and well thought out characters - is that an oxymoron? ;-) - you should definitely give this story a go and if you need any more encouragement: look at the price!
P.S.: In order to have the whole story rounded up and get a little more insight into the past of two of the main characters I recommend to first read "Dojo Boys: The First Misunderstanding" as a prologue.
I really, really enjoyed the two Dragon & Crow books or let's say the whole Dragon & Crow story very much. Good thing, they were released at the same time or I'd have gnawed my nails off waiting after the first one. ;-)
It was a very captivating read, very diverse, never a dull moment and very well written - all of it ;-)! I even got quite emotional at times but I will not put in spoilers here. The whole story has much more substance than one would expect from a yaoi-labeled book. The author really does have a gift, weaving an intricate and thrilling storyline and I hope to read much more of Alex A. Akira's work in the future.
For readers who like yaoi and prefer their yaoi with substance and well thought out characters - is that an oxymoron? ;-) - you should definitely give this story a go and if you need any more encouragement: look at the price!
P.S.: In order to have the whole story rounded up and get a little more insight into the past of two of the main characters I recommend to first read "Dojo Boys: The First Misunderstanding" as a prologue.
August 11, 2012
Dojo Boys: Dragon and Crow is an engaging read, recommended to me by respected author and friend, Andrew Ashling. Alex Akira has written a complex story of romance, abuse and lives of Dojo training. The first of a two book series, Dragon and Crow is an entanglement of dance, karate, crime detective, child abuse and revenge, all played out within a complexity of character(s).
Alex does a respectable and believable job of developing a very complex, multi-personality character which the story revolves around. This group of personalities, especially, are real and affectionate, while creating lots of drama.
The editing is a bit of a challenge. The use of “whom” rather than who, throughout drove me a little bonkers, but it certainly will not stop me from reading the second half of the story, which I just downloaded to my Kindle.
Alex does a respectable and believable job of developing a very complex, multi-personality character which the story revolves around. This group of personalities, especially, are real and affectionate, while creating lots of drama.
The editing is a bit of a challenge. The use of “whom” rather than who, throughout drove me a little bonkers, but it certainly will not stop me from reading the second half of the story, which I just downloaded to my Kindle.
January 29, 2016
Heart racing and hands clammy. I'm not even at the gym. So much smexy action that makes my head swoon with "oh".
I'll provide a better review once I've calmed down and finished the book. For now, I'm just enjoying.
The writing really gets you pumping.
I'll provide a better review once I've calmed down and finished the book. For now, I'm just enjoying.
The writing really gets you pumping.
July 16, 2012
I have to say it is a very good book. It is fast paced, and the love story was great. I loved the main Characters a lot. I am now reading the second book. It was a very enjoyable read.
July 2, 2015
Original Post: Blog Tour, eARC Review, Excerpt & #Giveaway: Dragon & Crow 1 (Dojo Boys #2) by Alex. A. Akira
Review by: multitaskingmomma
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
One of my guilty pleasures is to read yaoi. Why? Because only a handful can grab my attention and when they do, I really, really enjoy them. Thing is, this can be a difficult genre for those unused to it. It can be a trudging read if written badly. Fortunately for Dojo Boys, it was well written, though on the heavy side. Why? Well, the author went a little technical in some areas. Having said that, the technicalities were what made this a very interesting and surprisingly fast read. If I sound conflicted, yes it is true. Then again, that is the yaio style I am used to.
There is a huge cast of characters and as I was only given this volume, it took me some time to get through it without actually going back to the first book for reference. Again, another surprising fact about this read, I really did not need that first book, although this is not a stand alone project. Project is the word I use for this is ongoing and will keep on going. That is the yaoi style. Again. For those not ready, get ready.
Let's talk about Kiyoshi. He suffers from a personality disorder which, in lay man's terms, is like Sybil. What led to his disorder can be disturbing to read but does set the basis for who and what he is. Despite his problem, his seeming vulnerability, he is a man who the authorities are looking for. Problem is, which of his characters or personalities are they to find when they finally catch on?
Michael is an orphan who struggled to get his life somewhere. Currently, he is seeking to gain his brown belt and falls for the enigmatic Kiyoshi. Reading through, I wondered which character he was really in love with as Kiyoshis is literally, three in one, with the three battling it out with each other and loving Michael in their own way. Kind of confusing, very confusing in fact, but also quite enlightening.
As the Kiyoshi and Michael romance blooms, the plot thickens and the mysteries deepen. As confounded I found myself at times, it was not difficult to continue reading simply because of the way this story was told. Now, grammar nazis, there are a lot of errors I encountered but I turned a blind eye to them because of the whole story. I love this and do hope it gets a proper editor sometime to clean it up. Because of the obvious cross-eyed wonders in typos and grammar, I dropped a star. But look, it's still a four, which means, yes, it was a really, really great read.
Review by: multitaskingmomma
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
One of my guilty pleasures is to read yaoi. Why? Because only a handful can grab my attention and when they do, I really, really enjoy them. Thing is, this can be a difficult genre for those unused to it. It can be a trudging read if written badly. Fortunately for Dojo Boys, it was well written, though on the heavy side. Why? Well, the author went a little technical in some areas. Having said that, the technicalities were what made this a very interesting and surprisingly fast read. If I sound conflicted, yes it is true. Then again, that is the yaio style I am used to.
There is a huge cast of characters and as I was only given this volume, it took me some time to get through it without actually going back to the first book for reference. Again, another surprising fact about this read, I really did not need that first book, although this is not a stand alone project. Project is the word I use for this is ongoing and will keep on going. That is the yaoi style. Again. For those not ready, get ready.
Let's talk about Kiyoshi. He suffers from a personality disorder which, in lay man's terms, is like Sybil. What led to his disorder can be disturbing to read but does set the basis for who and what he is. Despite his problem, his seeming vulnerability, he is a man who the authorities are looking for. Problem is, which of his characters or personalities are they to find when they finally catch on?
Michael is an orphan who struggled to get his life somewhere. Currently, he is seeking to gain his brown belt and falls for the enigmatic Kiyoshi. Reading through, I wondered which character he was really in love with as Kiyoshis is literally, three in one, with the three battling it out with each other and loving Michael in their own way. Kind of confusing, very confusing in fact, but also quite enlightening.
As the Kiyoshi and Michael romance blooms, the plot thickens and the mysteries deepen. As confounded I found myself at times, it was not difficult to continue reading simply because of the way this story was told. Now, grammar nazis, there are a lot of errors I encountered but I turned a blind eye to them because of the whole story. I love this and do hope it gets a proper editor sometime to clean it up. Because of the obvious cross-eyed wonders in typos and grammar, I dropped a star. But look, it's still a four, which means, yes, it was a really, really great read.
August 28, 2013
Twenty-three year old Michael Black is about to have his life turned upside-down by Kiyoshi - the quiet, shy young man his Sensei Ichiro has left in his charge. Kiyoshi has a secret, however, in the form of multiple personalities. Michael finds himself falling for Kiyoshi - but can Michael learn to love all of him, including the tragic past that left Kiyoshi this way?
If you've read any of Akira's other novels, you know you're in for a yaoi novel with all the tropes. While there was less over-the-top action in this novel Akira's Italian Connection novels, the tragic backstory and Big Misunderstanding were here in full, leaving us with a love interest to feel somewhat sorry for and a cliffhanger that leads into the next novel. Be aware that these books are not stand-alone, and if you read one you'll need the other to complete it.
It took me a while to get through this book. It's not light on introspection, and Michael questions every move he makes towards Kiyoshi. The sex scenes are hot, yet I found myself wanting to move forward with the plot. Dragon and Crow moves very slowly towards a somewhat predictable ending. Yet I can't say the characters didn't charm me. Michael is torn between love for Ichiro and love for Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi is torn between his disparate personalities, and Ichiro is torn between Michael and what is best for Kiyoshi. All care for one another and all are undecided which is the best way to go about it. It's nice to read about good people who genuinely want to do the best for one another.
I caught a few errors, and the writing style is somewhat awkward at times, yet there's a certain charm to this novel that led me to its completion. If you enjoy yaoi manga, or if you're just looking for something a little different to typical m/m romance, Dragon and Crow may be for you, but its style and reliance on tropes won't attract everyone.
This review was cross-posted to Infinite Love.
If you've read any of Akira's other novels, you know you're in for a yaoi novel with all the tropes. While there was less over-the-top action in this novel Akira's Italian Connection novels, the tragic backstory and Big Misunderstanding were here in full, leaving us with a love interest to feel somewhat sorry for and a cliffhanger that leads into the next novel. Be aware that these books are not stand-alone, and if you read one you'll need the other to complete it.
It took me a while to get through this book. It's not light on introspection, and Michael questions every move he makes towards Kiyoshi. The sex scenes are hot, yet I found myself wanting to move forward with the plot. Dragon and Crow moves very slowly towards a somewhat predictable ending. Yet I can't say the characters didn't charm me. Michael is torn between love for Ichiro and love for Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi is torn between his disparate personalities, and Ichiro is torn between Michael and what is best for Kiyoshi. All care for one another and all are undecided which is the best way to go about it. It's nice to read about good people who genuinely want to do the best for one another.
I caught a few errors, and the writing style is somewhat awkward at times, yet there's a certain charm to this novel that led me to its completion. If you enjoy yaoi manga, or if you're just looking for something a little different to typical m/m romance, Dragon and Crow may be for you, but its style and reliance on tropes won't attract everyone.
This review was cross-posted to Infinite Love.
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December 29, 2013I have never been an excerpt of Yaoi, cause, as for fanfiction, my background is not that but “classical” romances; I have read Yaoi at the beginning, cause, at the time there wasn’t much choice, but then truly Yaoi romances remained an exception in the majority of new releases. So take my saying on this novel with this preamble: I think this was a quite interesting Yaoi novel, where the author tried to mix western and eastern approaches without betraying one or the other side.
Michael Black represents the western side, a former foster kid with a juvie record, he was presented with an option: joining a dojo and learning martial arts or doing time in prison; of course the choice was obvious. Sure maybe his character was a little over the line, but again, from my experience that is pretty common in Yaoi novel, exaggerating the characteristics, both physical than not, is part of the package. Michael is, after all, a good boy, not a nerd, but neither a very impressive character.
Kiyoshi Kimura aka Hikaru Nakamura is a 19 years old Japanese-korean boy too old for his own age; a past involving abuse and psychological issues, he has a split personality, the cute dancer Kiyoshi and the tough fighter Hikaru. Both personality have a distinct behavior and they cohabit inside the same body. Both agree they want Michael, and perhaps that is the only thing which they agree.
Maybe the point where this novel withdraws the most from an ordinary Yaoi novel is that there are no distincitive seme or uke, or perhaps, seme and uke are molten together inside Kiyoshi/ Hikaru.
Big warning to the reader, as clearly stated this is volume 1 in a 2 books series, and it’s likely recommended to read both books to be able to close the cycle of the story.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EP6LB8U/?...
Michael Black represents the western side, a former foster kid with a juvie record, he was presented with an option: joining a dojo and learning martial arts or doing time in prison; of course the choice was obvious. Sure maybe his character was a little over the line, but again, from my experience that is pretty common in Yaoi novel, exaggerating the characteristics, both physical than not, is part of the package. Michael is, after all, a good boy, not a nerd, but neither a very impressive character.
Kiyoshi Kimura aka Hikaru Nakamura is a 19 years old Japanese-korean boy too old for his own age; a past involving abuse and psychological issues, he has a split personality, the cute dancer Kiyoshi and the tough fighter Hikaru. Both personality have a distinct behavior and they cohabit inside the same body. Both agree they want Michael, and perhaps that is the only thing which they agree.
Maybe the point where this novel withdraws the most from an ordinary Yaoi novel is that there are no distincitive seme or uke, or perhaps, seme and uke are molten together inside Kiyoshi/ Hikaru.
Big warning to the reader, as clearly stated this is volume 1 in a 2 books series, and it’s likely recommended to read both books to be able to close the cycle of the story.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EP6LB8U/?...
April 4, 2016
I'm actually shocked that I didn't leave a written review for this book earlier. Perhaps I didn't feel entitled because I helped edit the 2015 version and felt too close to it. Regardless, I rated it 5* and it deserves a review.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading (and editing) D&C1 and 2. I loved the Yaoi style--lots of action, over-the-top drama, and hot, hot young men. The plot moves along at a quick pace and although believability is a stretch at times--it's yaoi after all--in the context of the story, the plot makes total sense. I felt an immediate affinity for both MCs: I fell in love with Michael and was actually a bit in awe of Kiyoshi--he was pretty much a superhero. Both characters had an arresting mix of strength and vulnerability.
D&C1 sucked me right into the intrigue and romance. After reading D&C1, I immediately had to start D&C2 and read that to the end too before I could start the editing process.
Alex's writing style is refreshing and original. The plot moves along at a quick pace while still adding mood and setting details in almost poetic prose.
Highly recommend for fans of yaoi and anyone who likes an adrenaline rush, twisted plot, smoldering sex scenes, and heartbreak with an HEA.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading (and editing) D&C1 and 2. I loved the Yaoi style--lots of action, over-the-top drama, and hot, hot young men. The plot moves along at a quick pace and although believability is a stretch at times--it's yaoi after all--in the context of the story, the plot makes total sense. I felt an immediate affinity for both MCs: I fell in love with Michael and was actually a bit in awe of Kiyoshi--he was pretty much a superhero. Both characters had an arresting mix of strength and vulnerability.
D&C1 sucked me right into the intrigue and romance. After reading D&C1, I immediately had to start D&C2 and read that to the end too before I could start the editing process.
Alex's writing style is refreshing and original. The plot moves along at a quick pace while still adding mood and setting details in almost poetic prose.
Highly recommend for fans of yaoi and anyone who likes an adrenaline rush, twisted plot, smoldering sex scenes, and heartbreak with an HEA.
September 19, 2012
I have no words. It's so unfuckingbelievable it is that good. I love beautiful Asian kick-ass gay men! That's all I can say. My brain is dead.
November 1, 2012
great story,curious what happens next :D
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