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The House of Silence #1
Exodus
The House of Silence is an elite male bordello catering to the obscenely rich. No matter how extreme or mundane the fantasy, the House of Silence is rumored to serve. Master Charon employs a group of versatile, beautiful young men–some lewd, some innocent, many with tragic pasts and hidden secrets of their own–who depend on him for safety. This volatile mix erupts when danger threatens. (Novel - 101,000 words. Volume 2 is also available. M/M+ bdsm.)
283 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 27, 2012
3 people are currently reading
449 people want to read
About the author
J.A. Jaken
31 books105 followersJ.A. Jaken has been writing homoerotic fiction for more than ten years. She got her start in the profession writing slash fanfiction, where she has published numerous stories under the pen-name Rushlight. Over the years she has written erotic short stories and novels in genres ranging from science fiction/fantasy to gothic horror to modern detective mysteries.
She realized at a young age that she was attracted to the darker side of life in the fictional stories she felt compelled to write. She feels there is something enormously satisfying about putting a character through intense physical and emotional hardship, and then carrying him or her through out the other side. She believes that is the main reason why she tends to write stories with a darker edge to them. Characters are the most interesting when they've had all of the baggage, all of their many masks, stripped away from them and they're left with nothing but the purest core of who and what they are.
Outside of writing, her interests include studying foreign languages, riding horses, practicing martial arts, and collecting medieval weaponry. She speaks a little bit of French, a little bit of American Sign Language, a little bit of Japanese, but she's not really fluent in any of them (although she's trying!). She's endlessly fascinated by just about everything she sees around her and is constantly looking for new ways to learn and improve her knowledge of the world.
She realized at a young age that she was attracted to the darker side of life in the fictional stories she felt compelled to write. She feels there is something enormously satisfying about putting a character through intense physical and emotional hardship, and then carrying him or her through out the other side. She believes that is the main reason why she tends to write stories with a darker edge to them. Characters are the most interesting when they've had all of the baggage, all of their many masks, stripped away from them and they're left with nothing but the purest core of who and what they are.
Outside of writing, her interests include studying foreign languages, riding horses, practicing martial arts, and collecting medieval weaponry. She speaks a little bit of French, a little bit of American Sign Language, a little bit of Japanese, but she's not really fluent in any of them (although she's trying!). She's endlessly fascinated by just about everything she sees around her and is constantly looking for new ways to learn and improve her knowledge of the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
June 30, 2013
Wow! Can we say that The House of Silence books were the surprise of the year for me?
Considering the covers and the setting, a male bordello, I shamefacedly admit that I just assumed these books would be mostly smutty. In reality, the author takes you on a fantastically-written journey to an alternate reality of old-worldly grandeur, in which an opulent brothel with secret passageways is home to beautiful young men and their charismatic, but mysterious master, Charon Marque. The latter has an unnerving knack for matching his extremely wealthy clients with the perfect companion for the night and runs the place smoothly. Until one of his rent boys is threatened, the governments of two countries get involved and even the majestic House no longer offers protection...
You will get lured into the story expertly, when Ander Delacroix, a Lord still mourning the death of his wife, casts his eyes upon the House for the first time. Ander is astonished when he receives an invitation to the exclusive bordello. Although he is not the man to indulge himself in senseless pleasures, the invitation haunts him. And when finally he hesitantly enters the House, with sweaty hands and a pounding heart, you, too, will get sucked into the seductive world inside the House and the lives of its occupants.
"So tell me, Lord Delacroix." Marque sat down in the chair across from him and leaned back comfortably, taking a sip from his own drink. "What is it The House of Silence can do for you this evening"?
Ander swirled the drink in his hand absently, listening to the way the ice clinked against the sides of the glass. "I..." The heat that rose in his face at the question was profoundly annoying. "I'm not sure." Marque observed him carefully for a moment, as if taking a measure of him. (...)
"Let me explain to you what we do here." Marque's gaze was intent. "We are in the business of fulfilling fantasies, of answering the deepest wishes of a man's soul -- even," he said with a small smile, "those that our guests might not be aware of themselves."
One of the issues I had with another book by this author, Pathfinder, was that Jaken has a way of creating intriguing characters. That hardly qualifies as a flaw, I know! But when most of those characters are simply meant to stay on the periphery, while you're dying to get to know them, it can be somewhat frustrating.
Therefore, the set up of The House of Silence works beautifully. The story alternates between several rent boys and their clients. Since the number one house rule is to never talk about someone's past, head-hopping is the perfect way to learn more about the tragedies and ambitions hidden behind the pretty faces of the boys that choose to sell themselves and the men who long for them. Starting with Ander, who introduces us to the vulnerable Danny in a surprisingly tender love scene. Via Danny we meet the other rent boys: Tam (rumor has it he is the estranged son of a filthy rich Lord), spitfire Reiji, who struggles with an unrequited love, and the brooding gypsy Vincent, whose eye-patch is lasting proof of a terrible past he refuses to talk about. And then there's my personal favorite: the sadistic client Aburon. Who may or may not be who he pretends to be...
The beating continued until Vincent staggered under one of the blows with a broken sob, clinging hard to the bedposts to steady himself as he pitched forward. "That's enough, I think," Aburon said thoughtfully. It wasn't enough, damn it. It never was. (...)
When a few moments passed and nothing happened, he raised his gaze reluctantly to see the other man staring down at him with a probing expression. "Why do you need this so much?" Aburon said. Vincent pressed his lips together and looked away. Providing answers to those kinds of questions wasn't a part of what he was getting paid to do this evening.
Aburon smiled slightly. "Keep your secrets, then." His thumb traced the edge of Vincent's cheekbone, wiping away the tears that dampened the skin there. "We all have them, don't we?"
Now I'm someone who believes that too much sex can be a bad thing. It tends to get repetitive and in the way of the actual plot. So it's only a testament to Jaken's excellent writing and imagination that, however The House of Silence has sex scenes in abundance, I was never bored! If I would have to point out something that I wish had been different, I'd mention the voices of the characters. They could have been more distinct, their personalities more unique.
Anyway, let's move on to a few practical details. Book one and two should actually be considered one book. The second book is far more plot-driven: the occupants of the House are dragged into a suspenseful and angsty journey to keep a loved one alive. The first book mostly focuses on creating the sensual, slightly Goth atmosphere and introducing the characters via erotic and downright dark 'n dirty scenes. The plot doesn't kickstart until the last third of the book and ends on a cliffhanger.
Please note the content warnings: there's a scene in one of the first chapters that some readers might find hard to handle. Without going into too much detail, it involves an inexperienced rent boy, sadistic clients and dub/non con. Despite it being a bit unnerving, this scene serves a purpose: it will remind you of the dangers of the profession these boys are in. Something that becomes awfully clear later on... Other than that, you may encounter a scene that includes sounding (I keep screaming this is a personal 'hard limit' for me, but hey, I lived to tell) and a few deliciously intense bdsm scenes. Uhu!
Gah! It's downright ridiculous that these fun, suspenseful and erotic books aren't more popular. Y'all are missing out, ha!
I'm forever grateful to the Goodreads friends that pressured me into reading Jaken's work (Kyn and Eebee<3). She is definitely on my hot-list from now on. And guess what? She's currently working on the third book in this series.
Hell yeah baby!
For daily giveaways, author interviews and reviews, please check out:
Considering the covers and the setting, a male bordello, I shamefacedly admit that I just assumed these books would be mostly smutty. In reality, the author takes you on a fantastically-written journey to an alternate reality of old-worldly grandeur, in which an opulent brothel with secret passageways is home to beautiful young men and their charismatic, but mysterious master, Charon Marque. The latter has an unnerving knack for matching his extremely wealthy clients with the perfect companion for the night and runs the place smoothly. Until one of his rent boys is threatened, the governments of two countries get involved and even the majestic House no longer offers protection...
You will get lured into the story expertly, when Ander Delacroix, a Lord still mourning the death of his wife, casts his eyes upon the House for the first time. Ander is astonished when he receives an invitation to the exclusive bordello. Although he is not the man to indulge himself in senseless pleasures, the invitation haunts him. And when finally he hesitantly enters the House, with sweaty hands and a pounding heart, you, too, will get sucked into the seductive world inside the House and the lives of its occupants.
"So tell me, Lord Delacroix." Marque sat down in the chair across from him and leaned back comfortably, taking a sip from his own drink. "What is it The House of Silence can do for you this evening"?
Ander swirled the drink in his hand absently, listening to the way the ice clinked against the sides of the glass. "I..." The heat that rose in his face at the question was profoundly annoying. "I'm not sure." Marque observed him carefully for a moment, as if taking a measure of him. (...)
"Let me explain to you what we do here." Marque's gaze was intent. "We are in the business of fulfilling fantasies, of answering the deepest wishes of a man's soul -- even," he said with a small smile, "those that our guests might not be aware of themselves."
One of the issues I had with another book by this author, Pathfinder, was that Jaken has a way of creating intriguing characters. That hardly qualifies as a flaw, I know! But when most of those characters are simply meant to stay on the periphery, while you're dying to get to know them, it can be somewhat frustrating.
Therefore, the set up of The House of Silence works beautifully. The story alternates between several rent boys and their clients. Since the number one house rule is to never talk about someone's past, head-hopping is the perfect way to learn more about the tragedies and ambitions hidden behind the pretty faces of the boys that choose to sell themselves and the men who long for them. Starting with Ander, who introduces us to the vulnerable Danny in a surprisingly tender love scene. Via Danny we meet the other rent boys: Tam (rumor has it he is the estranged son of a filthy rich Lord), spitfire Reiji, who struggles with an unrequited love, and the brooding gypsy Vincent, whose eye-patch is lasting proof of a terrible past he refuses to talk about. And then there's my personal favorite: the sadistic client Aburon. Who may or may not be who he pretends to be...
The beating continued until Vincent staggered under one of the blows with a broken sob, clinging hard to the bedposts to steady himself as he pitched forward. "That's enough, I think," Aburon said thoughtfully. It wasn't enough, damn it. It never was. (...)
When a few moments passed and nothing happened, he raised his gaze reluctantly to see the other man staring down at him with a probing expression. "Why do you need this so much?" Aburon said. Vincent pressed his lips together and looked away. Providing answers to those kinds of questions wasn't a part of what he was getting paid to do this evening.
Aburon smiled slightly. "Keep your secrets, then." His thumb traced the edge of Vincent's cheekbone, wiping away the tears that dampened the skin there. "We all have them, don't we?"
Now I'm someone who believes that too much sex can be a bad thing. It tends to get repetitive and in the way of the actual plot. So it's only a testament to Jaken's excellent writing and imagination that, however The House of Silence has sex scenes in abundance, I was never bored! If I would have to point out something that I wish had been different, I'd mention the voices of the characters. They could have been more distinct, their personalities more unique.
Anyway, let's move on to a few practical details. Book one and two should actually be considered one book. The second book is far more plot-driven: the occupants of the House are dragged into a suspenseful and angsty journey to keep a loved one alive. The first book mostly focuses on creating the sensual, slightly Goth atmosphere and introducing the characters via erotic and downright dark 'n dirty scenes. The plot doesn't kickstart until the last third of the book and ends on a cliffhanger.
Please note the content warnings: there's a scene in one of the first chapters that some readers might find hard to handle. Without going into too much detail, it involves an inexperienced rent boy, sadistic clients and dub/non con. Despite it being a bit unnerving, this scene serves a purpose: it will remind you of the dangers of the profession these boys are in. Something that becomes awfully clear later on... Other than that, you may encounter a scene that includes sounding (I keep screaming this is a personal 'hard limit' for me, but hey, I lived to tell) and a few deliciously intense bdsm scenes. Uhu!
Gah! It's downright ridiculous that these fun, suspenseful and erotic books aren't more popular. Y'all are missing out, ha!
I'm forever grateful to the Goodreads friends that pressured me into reading Jaken's work (Kyn and Eebee<3). She is definitely on my hot-list from now on. And guess what? She's currently working on the third book in this series.
Hell yeah baby!
For daily giveaways, author interviews and reviews, please check out:
June 4, 2015
That's the end?
Seriously, an orgy is not a conclusion. There are so many character arcs in this story that it's head-spinning. Just when you start to feel the beginnings of a connection, you get thrown into the next character's head. It's disconcerting and annoying. Lost count of how many, I think 5-6 MCs and again as many secondary characters. It gives you a sense of a lot, but tells you little.
There's no resolution--of anything. I understand series arcs and how there are cliffhangers that take one along through the stories, but this is like a giant story someone just hacked the first 25% off and published it. So structurally, the story pissed me off. I like the characters a lot, in fact, they remind me of Teahouse, but without the awesome illustrations. I'm invested in the characters, but the roulette-style story telling means I'm not going to read book #2 in the series.
Favorite quote:
Seriously, an orgy is not a conclusion. There are so many character arcs in this story that it's head-spinning. Just when you start to feel the beginnings of a connection, you get thrown into the next character's head. It's disconcerting and annoying. Lost count of how many, I think 5-6 MCs and again as many secondary characters. It gives you a sense of a lot, but tells you little.
There's no resolution--of anything. I understand series arcs and how there are cliffhangers that take one along through the stories, but this is like a giant story someone just hacked the first 25% off and published it. So structurally, the story pissed me off. I like the characters a lot, in fact, they remind me of Teahouse, but without the awesome illustrations. I'm invested in the characters, but the roulette-style story telling means I'm not going to read book #2 in the series.
Favorite quote:
"Besides, the problem with bought men is that they seldom stay bought. I prefer my obstacles out in the open where I can see them.”
September 22, 2025
Compelling cast of characters + emerging plot + spicy AF. IM SOLD. Not a typical romance. Set in an elite bordello in an old-world style alternative universe following the stories of quite a few intriguing house Companions as well as guests. Multiple POV. There are many varied relationships and sex scenes depicted on page so if one isn’t for you then maybe the next one will be 🤷🏻♀️.
This definitely won’t be for everyone but I was feeling stagnant with all the usual tropes (and craving some filth after all the YA I’ve read this month 🤭) and this has been refreshingly different.
Very much the first book in a series this sets the scene of the House of Silence and introduces many of the characters by way of some fairly filthy sex scenes. But as things progress the dots start connecting and suddenly I found the characters and plot luring me, right in time for it to end! To be continued in volume 2…
Heed content warnings - these are brothel workers engaging in sex that is definitely not with their soul mates, no exclusivity, multiple partners at times, varying degrees of enjoyment had, creative uses of objects, unsafe BDSM and darker sexual themes.
This definitely won’t be for everyone but I was feeling stagnant with all the usual tropes (and craving some filth after all the YA I’ve read this month 🤭) and this has been refreshingly different.
Very much the first book in a series this sets the scene of the House of Silence and introduces many of the characters by way of some fairly filthy sex scenes. But as things progress the dots start connecting and suddenly I found the characters and plot luring me, right in time for it to end! To be continued in volume 2…
Heed content warnings - these are brothel workers engaging in sex that is definitely not with their soul mates, no exclusivity, multiple partners at times, varying degrees of enjoyment had, creative uses of objects, unsafe BDSM and darker sexual themes.
September 27, 2015
4.5 stars
This is great fun romance/erotica. In this alt-uni world the very wealthy can indulge themselves in legalized houses of prostitution such as the singular and exclusive, House of Silence (HOS) which caters to men only; or they can have their own all-male, personal harems. Male on male loving abounds and we get lots of in-house 'action' and even an orgy.
The story centers around four rent boys: Danny, Tam, Vincent, and Reiji who work for Charon, the enigmatic owner of the HOS. The story alternates between these central characters (and their major clients). The boys are talented and dedicated to their work but each has his tragic past. One such past comes to the HOS upsetting the smooth and efficient brothel Charon operates. The in-house intrigues are upset by outside politics that threaten one rent-boy in particular and the HOS in general. The unfolding mystery is well done and suspenseful.
The writing style is a bit formal -- this is advertised as a gothic romance but the world is modern in every way. Also, be warned, this does not wrap up cleanly, the suspense continues with a sequel which I will be diving into immediately. Because of the cliff-hanger ending, I'm giving this 4.5 stars but have to round up 'cause it's so well done. Highly recommended!
August 19, 2016
I didn't think I’d like this as much as I did, but I got sucked into the world of The House of Silence. The story is set in an alternate universe where we follow the rent boys of an elite bordello. It is well-written and intriguing. I was instantly drawn in to the world and lives of the House of Silence. The vivid descriptions set the tone of the book beautifully.
Here we meet Danny, Vincent, Tam, and Reiji. They all have unique personalities and a past that won’t let them go. I’m not sure when it happened, but each of these guys slowly got me to care for them.
The book starts off almost like a “day in the life” of a rent boy. The POV’s constantly change; we hear from each of the rent boys and sometimes from a couple of the prominent clients, namely Ander and Aburon. I’m not a big fan of POV shifts, but I think it completely works in this book. At first, I was put off by the format, but then as I read on, I realized how much I was learning about each of the characters. Danny is shy, sweet, and gentle. Tam is friendly and always there to help someone, while Reiji has a bit of a temper and is quick to fly off the handle (I heart him). Then there’s Vincent. He’s a submissive masochist that has an air of sadness constantly surrounding him. Oh, how I love Vincent.
Now onto Charon Marque, the master of The House of Silent. I have very mixed feelings about him. He’s a bit of a contradiction. He is a business man through and through. He always has his head in the books and his eye on the bottom line. He is also portrayed as putting the safety of his boys above everything else. He protects them and has a knack of setting up the clients with the perfect companion. He takes his responsibility extremely seriously. He supposedly values his boys. This point is drilled home throughout the book. All his boys trust him and there's a feeling with them, that above all else they want to make Charon happy and proud. Now here’s my problem: This disappointed me and now I'll always question where Charon will draw the line.
The plot really doesn't get going until about 65%. The political intrigue and the suspense gets kicked into high gear, and we follow the MC’s while they try to protect one of their own.
My only other complaint was sex fest at the end of the book. Most of the sex in the book had a purpose. It told us who the characters were, and built-up their stories, but the last 10% of the book was a throwaway. The only moment that held any consequence was what occurred with Reiji. Other than that it was a waste.
For the most part I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to see what happens to everyone, especially my Vincent!
Warning: There is a lot of sex and some of it is dub/non con. This is NOT a romance.
Here we meet Danny, Vincent, Tam, and Reiji. They all have unique personalities and a past that won’t let them go. I’m not sure when it happened, but each of these guys slowly got me to care for them.
The book starts off almost like a “day in the life” of a rent boy. The POV’s constantly change; we hear from each of the rent boys and sometimes from a couple of the prominent clients, namely Ander and Aburon. I’m not a big fan of POV shifts, but I think it completely works in this book. At first, I was put off by the format, but then as I read on, I realized how much I was learning about each of the characters. Danny is shy, sweet, and gentle. Tam is friendly and always there to help someone, while Reiji has a bit of a temper and is quick to fly off the handle (I heart him). Then there’s Vincent. He’s a submissive masochist that has an air of sadness constantly surrounding him. Oh, how I love Vincent.
Now onto Charon Marque, the master of The House of Silent. I have very mixed feelings about him. He’s a bit of a contradiction. He is a business man through and through. He always has his head in the books and his eye on the bottom line. He is also portrayed as putting the safety of his boys above everything else. He protects them and has a knack of setting up the clients with the perfect companion. He takes his responsibility extremely seriously. He supposedly values his boys. This point is drilled home throughout the book. All his boys trust him and there's a feeling with them, that above all else they want to make Charon happy and proud. Now here’s my problem: This disappointed me and now I'll always question where Charon will draw the line.
The plot really doesn't get going until about 65%. The political intrigue and the suspense gets kicked into high gear, and we follow the MC’s while they try to protect one of their own.
My only other complaint was sex fest at the end of the book. Most of the sex in the book had a purpose. It told us who the characters were, and built-up their stories, but the last 10% of the book was a throwaway. The only moment that held any consequence was what occurred with Reiji. Other than that it was a waste.
For the most part I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to see what happens to everyone, especially my Vincent!
Warning: There is a lot of sex and some of it is dub/non con. This is NOT a romance.
August 12, 2012
I just finished reading this book and really enjoyed it.
Given that the main setting is in a brothel, a person might assume that the book is sex scene after sex scene without a lot of plot or story, but the assumption would be wrong.
The characters are well developed and very interesting. Jaken does a nice job of giving up a little information about each character to make the reader interested in them, but she maintains some mystery about them as well. The sex scenes however are erotic and well written. I also like the way she develops each of the men who work in the brothel-how they react to their jobs, how they feel about their jobs, and the things they enjoy or find difficult. A sort of behind the scenes peek into how the whores really feel.
I found myself caring about each of the characters and what happens to them, and also wanting to know more about them.
Jaken mixes in some mystery and a little bit of action and adventure as the story unfolds.
Great book and I highly recommend it, however if you are choosing to buy this book, I strongly recommend you purchase the second book in the series at the same time, because the first book ends on a cliffhanger.
Given that the main setting is in a brothel, a person might assume that the book is sex scene after sex scene without a lot of plot or story, but the assumption would be wrong.
The characters are well developed and very interesting. Jaken does a nice job of giving up a little information about each character to make the reader interested in them, but she maintains some mystery about them as well. The sex scenes however are erotic and well written. I also like the way she develops each of the men who work in the brothel-how they react to their jobs, how they feel about their jobs, and the things they enjoy or find difficult. A sort of behind the scenes peek into how the whores really feel.
I found myself caring about each of the characters and what happens to them, and also wanting to know more about them.
Jaken mixes in some mystery and a little bit of action and adventure as the story unfolds.
Great book and I highly recommend it, however if you are choosing to buy this book, I strongly recommend you purchase the second book in the series at the same time, because the first book ends on a cliffhanger.
June 1, 2013
I don't like this and I am quite surprised that it has such good ratings.
The BDSM is too heavy here for me - and it includes a rape scene, real rape. That is not sexy. And the whole idea of prostitutes involved in BDSM games as slaves and victims rubbed me the wrong way. I don't have any experiences IRL with this kind of "play", but find it extremely uncomfortable to read in this constellation. It contradicts most of the ideas of submission for me - if you have to submit, because it is your job, even though you don't like pain, or you get raped because none of your three "customers" gives you a safe word or respects you or any limits you have - that is so not sexy.
The BDSM is too heavy here for me - and it includes a rape scene, real rape. That is not sexy. And the whole idea of prostitutes involved in BDSM games as slaves and victims rubbed me the wrong way. I don't have any experiences IRL with this kind of "play", but find it extremely uncomfortable to read in this constellation. It contradicts most of the ideas of submission for me - if you have to submit, because it is your job, even though you don't like pain, or you get raped because none of your three "customers" gives you a safe word or respects you or any limits you have - that is so not sexy.
September 2, 2016
This was too heavy on the orgies and meaningless sex and too light on personal relationships for me. Read like an online fic where you need a sex scene in each posted chapter. The bits with relationships were good: poor Reiji! At heart I'm a very traditional girl, and I wanted the characters to pair off, not hook up with four concubines. Maybe I'll get this in book 2.
Thank you very much to my lovely official secret santa Denise for gifting me this: I've wanted to read it for ages.
Thank you very much to my lovely official secret santa Denise for gifting me this: I've wanted to read it for ages.
Read
May 3, 2012House of Silence I and II really need to be read together as they form one complete story. This volume has background, a lot of sex, and some plot build-up. Volume II is very plot driven, has suspense, some sex, and a resolution.
January 27, 2013
This book is part 1 of 2, which probably should just be one book. There is a plot that will be resolved in book 2. A gay whorehouse, in a technologically modern country where prostitution is legal, nobility rule, and slums exist. Much of the book is dedicated to erotica with little purpose. The first half is introducing the characters through sex scenes. There is a mystery about who or what founded this brothel and why? That will be resolved in book 2. Book 1... they're under attack by their benefactors because one of the prostitutes was a witness to a crime by a rival nation's leader who wants him back. The owner of the brothel is very protective of his boys and goes on the run with them. I guess you could say these are spoilers, but that is pretty much all the plot this book has. To learn more, you have to read the next part.
Which I will.
Also, the erotica is very fun, often dark/BDSM.
Which I will.
Also, the erotica is very fun, often dark/BDSM.
October 5, 2013
Wow....what a way to end a book! This was volume 1 of the series. It was basically in depth insight into each of the major characters. You are introduced to several boys who are employed by Charon at the House of Silence. And we get to experience several clients through their eyes. You really get the feel of the House.
Charon remains pretty much a mystery through the book, but I think there is a lot to come for him in the rest of the series.
There really isn't a "story" to follow until the end of the book and no romance really.....lots of hot sex though! This felt more like a "getting to know you" book. I could be wrong, but I see more romance coming.
Every time I would be reading about an encounter, I would start to think...ooh I really like them together ....they would switch partners and I would change my mind!
I agree with Day-Thief, Vincent and Aburon are my favorite couple! I think there will be more to come from Aburon as well.
Charon remains pretty much a mystery through the book, but I think there is a lot to come for him in the rest of the series.
There really isn't a "story" to follow until the end of the book and no romance really.....lots of hot sex though! This felt more like a "getting to know you" book. I could be wrong, but I see more romance coming.
Every time I would be reading about an encounter, I would start to think...ooh I really like them together ....they would switch partners and I would change my mind!
I agree with Day-Thief, Vincent and Aburon are my favorite couple! I think there will be more to come from Aburon as well.
November 15, 2013
3.5 stars. Well-written and unusual AU story about an all-male bordello. Told from 8-9 POV’s, the story flowed surprisingly well. Getting to know the rentboys and clients in the first half of the book worked better for me then all the unnecessary drama/mystery/action of the second half. Plus, this leaves off on a cliffhanger.
April 3, 2015
I accidently deleted my review, so I'll just say that it was quite a good erotic romance/suspense story, well written and edited, great character development. Wished for more detailed world building. A strong showing for a first book in a new series. Highly recommended!
August 5, 2013
Holding the review (and the possible fifth star) until I've read the second book. It's good so far though. :)
May 19, 2015
I don't usually like books like this but I found this quite intriguing but the final scene was a bit too much
September 13, 2012
4.5 - I don't like doing half stars because there is no way to represent them, but in this case, it applies.
I found myself quite taken with this story. It's a bit gothic, with tragic backgrounds, hidden identities, sinister machinations, classism, racism, and even large, richly appointed mansions. There's also adventure, humor, human interest and, of course, seriously intense sex. I had minor issues but I think those are personal tastes and no reflection upon the story itself.
I liked it enough to immediately buy the second part and read it ahead of everything else!
I found myself quite taken with this story. It's a bit gothic, with tragic backgrounds, hidden identities, sinister machinations, classism, racism, and even large, richly appointed mansions. There's also adventure, humor, human interest and, of course, seriously intense sex. I had minor issues but I think those are personal tastes and no reflection upon the story itself.
I liked it enough to immediately buy the second part and read it ahead of everything else!
February 7, 2017
I'm rounding up on this book simply because it was very well written. My issues are with the pacing (too slow for me) and the cliffhanger. I appreciate the way the author developed the characters and the plot, everything was established purposefully with clear intent. It is a vast story and I honestly would have preferred it just to have been one really long book. The way the author leads up to the cliffhanger was just too obvious.
I might revise after reading the next in the series, but right now I feel a little cheated.
I might revise after reading the next in the series, but right now I feel a little cheated.
May 3, 2014
I want to get this very large pet peeve of mine out of the way first and foremost before I get to literally anything else about this book: Charon, the master of the titular House of Silence, claims to value his employees' safety and consent, and there is a ton of emphasis throughout this series about how he's the "good" kind of bordello owner who's always looking out for his boys and who the boys can depend on, blah blah etc.
With that in mind, it's incredibly outrageous that there are two scenes in this book alone -- not just one, but two scenes -- where Charon allows clients to unambiguously rape his employees. And nope, I'm not referring to the scene that was only alluded-to through dialogue and vague flashbacks and that Charon himself freely admits was a mistake that he holds himself responsible for, an unforgivable failure on his part to protect his charges. I'm talking about a scene where , and I'm also talking about later on when . The latter of these two scenes, mind you, occurs in a crowded room with various onlookers, including Charon himself, who is busy narrating to us that he won't allow any of his boys to be harmed while one of his boys is currently being harmed right in front of him. Oh wait, but the boy had done something Charon didn't like, so Charon apparently decided that being publicly molested ought to teach him to know better in the future. Yeeeeah.
Look, let me be perfectly clear: the scenes were hot. You won't hear any complaints from me about getting darker content than what I'd expected; I do love me some abused boys and predatory tops and coercive relations, and JA Jaken is superb at crafting these interactions. But, real talk, I've gotten to be very nitpicky about this depiction in particular because a surprisingly large number of BDSM writers can't seem to help falling into this habit: don't tell me rape ain't rape when it's obviously rape.
It's even further preposterous because, like I mentioned, the fact that a client once got out of hand and hurt a boy during a session is a huge, storyline-relevant burden for Charon that he deeply regrets. So why is nothing mentioned of the fact that he still allows the same thing to occasionally happen? We're told constantly, explicitly, and specifically that safe and consensual sex -- even during the raunchiest and kinkiest sessions -- is an ironclad rule for this establishment and its owner, but we're still shown multiple examples disproving this. And the fact that none of the characters take particular umbrage at these instances, whether it's the boys or Charon himself, makes it seem like the writer isn't even aware of how hypocritical it is.
You can't have this guy be some sort of ultimate overprotective father figure who takes pride in keeping his boys safe...and then, at the same time, have him be the sort of shrewd game-master who tries to teach them harsh lessons through forced sex. He can be one or the other, and I'd be totally down to read about either Charon the harsh implacable taskmaster or Charon the watchful circumspect guardian. But he can't be both. And it's not as if being that shady guy who finds it acceptable to force his boys into those situations would all of a sudden make him badly characterized in and of itself, but you just can't have it both ways.
Whew. What a load.
So, to totally switch gears now, how is the rest of the book apart from that admittedly long-winded complaint? Pretty good, to be honest. Some folks might feel disgruntled because this book is merely Part 1 of a two-part storyline and stops rather abruptly with no sense of finesse or closure whatsoever, but I do genuinely urge you to read both books for the whole rewarding experience that they have to offer. And "The House of Silence" has quite a lot to offer.
The character work of this series is quite delightful; along with her ferociously satisfying writing of kinky scenes, I've always found Jaken's take on her characters to be a highlight of these books. I may not have been impressed by Charon, true, but he's just one of a litany of very interesting, very detailed host of whores, clients, cops, and villains that occupy this book. Not all these characters are likable, even the ones that were probably meant to be likable...but at the end of the day I don't think I'd change a thing about them. Much like the premise of the House of Silence itself, with such a diverse selection of protagonists to choose from, it's unlikely that you won't find at least one or two to your liking.
The other thing to recommend about this series is the world itself, which is an intriguing blend of aristocratic dichotomies, violent politics, and deviously-crafted eroticism. I find myself rolling my eyes and skipping a lot of so-called kinky books out there nowadays, out of sheer exasperation at their lack of creativity. The entire boundless stretches of imagination and your own mind are open for any writer to explore, and yet ninety percent of what we end up with are the exact same stories that everyone else is telling, in the exact same settings, with the exact same character dynamics. On the flip side, sometimes writers go too far into making things so..."original"...that it just ends up as something alien and abstruse, with weird terms and concepts and actions that just aren't very relatable or exciting.
The House of Silence finds the happy balance between those two extremes with a world that's just fictive and imaginative enough to let you know that the writer is making full use of their imagination, but just grounded enough so that it's still rather recognizable and relatable. The plot gets notably labyrinthine once it gets the plot ball rolling, but it never lets us forget about the characters and personalities involved in all these schemes and dangers, so everything is still quite straightforward to follow.
All in all, The House of Silence is the sort of fiction I wish we had more of, with a writer making full use of the tools at their disposal to craft a really engaging and sexy world that just begs for further exploration.
Just, y'know, let's make sure it depicts things as things actually are and not as it seems to think things are.
With that in mind, it's incredibly outrageous that there are two scenes in this book alone -- not just one, but two scenes -- where Charon allows clients to unambiguously rape his employees. And nope, I'm not referring to the scene that was only alluded-to through dialogue and vague flashbacks and that Charon himself freely admits was a mistake that he holds himself responsible for, an unforgivable failure on his part to protect his charges. I'm talking about a scene where , and I'm also talking about later on when . The latter of these two scenes, mind you, occurs in a crowded room with various onlookers, including Charon himself, who is busy narrating to us that he won't allow any of his boys to be harmed while one of his boys is currently being harmed right in front of him. Oh wait, but the boy had done something Charon didn't like, so Charon apparently decided that being publicly molested ought to teach him to know better in the future. Yeeeeah.
Look, let me be perfectly clear: the scenes were hot. You won't hear any complaints from me about getting darker content than what I'd expected; I do love me some abused boys and predatory tops and coercive relations, and JA Jaken is superb at crafting these interactions. But, real talk, I've gotten to be very nitpicky about this depiction in particular because a surprisingly large number of BDSM writers can't seem to help falling into this habit: don't tell me rape ain't rape when it's obviously rape.
It's even further preposterous because, like I mentioned, the fact that a client once got out of hand and hurt a boy during a session is a huge, storyline-relevant burden for Charon that he deeply regrets. So why is nothing mentioned of the fact that he still allows the same thing to occasionally happen? We're told constantly, explicitly, and specifically that safe and consensual sex -- even during the raunchiest and kinkiest sessions -- is an ironclad rule for this establishment and its owner, but we're still shown multiple examples disproving this. And the fact that none of the characters take particular umbrage at these instances, whether it's the boys or Charon himself, makes it seem like the writer isn't even aware of how hypocritical it is.
You can't have this guy be some sort of ultimate overprotective father figure who takes pride in keeping his boys safe...and then, at the same time, have him be the sort of shrewd game-master who tries to teach them harsh lessons through forced sex. He can be one or the other, and I'd be totally down to read about either Charon the harsh implacable taskmaster or Charon the watchful circumspect guardian. But he can't be both. And it's not as if being that shady guy who finds it acceptable to force his boys into those situations would all of a sudden make him badly characterized in and of itself, but you just can't have it both ways.
Whew. What a load.
So, to totally switch gears now, how is the rest of the book apart from that admittedly long-winded complaint? Pretty good, to be honest. Some folks might feel disgruntled because this book is merely Part 1 of a two-part storyline and stops rather abruptly with no sense of finesse or closure whatsoever, but I do genuinely urge you to read both books for the whole rewarding experience that they have to offer. And "The House of Silence" has quite a lot to offer.
The character work of this series is quite delightful; along with her ferociously satisfying writing of kinky scenes, I've always found Jaken's take on her characters to be a highlight of these books. I may not have been impressed by Charon, true, but he's just one of a litany of very interesting, very detailed host of whores, clients, cops, and villains that occupy this book. Not all these characters are likable, even the ones that were probably meant to be likable...but at the end of the day I don't think I'd change a thing about them. Much like the premise of the House of Silence itself, with such a diverse selection of protagonists to choose from, it's unlikely that you won't find at least one or two to your liking.
The other thing to recommend about this series is the world itself, which is an intriguing blend of aristocratic dichotomies, violent politics, and deviously-crafted eroticism. I find myself rolling my eyes and skipping a lot of so-called kinky books out there nowadays, out of sheer exasperation at their lack of creativity. The entire boundless stretches of imagination and your own mind are open for any writer to explore, and yet ninety percent of what we end up with are the exact same stories that everyone else is telling, in the exact same settings, with the exact same character dynamics. On the flip side, sometimes writers go too far into making things so..."original"...that it just ends up as something alien and abstruse, with weird terms and concepts and actions that just aren't very relatable or exciting.
The House of Silence finds the happy balance between those two extremes with a world that's just fictive and imaginative enough to let you know that the writer is making full use of their imagination, but just grounded enough so that it's still rather recognizable and relatable. The plot gets notably labyrinthine once it gets the plot ball rolling, but it never lets us forget about the characters and personalities involved in all these schemes and dangers, so everything is still quite straightforward to follow.
All in all, The House of Silence is the sort of fiction I wish we had more of, with a writer making full use of the tools at their disposal to craft a really engaging and sexy world that just begs for further exploration.
Just, y'know, let's make sure it depicts things as things actually are and not as it seems to think things are.
September 24, 2013
What a ride!
After the first few chapters, I had to stop for a cuddly baby werewolf tale just to sooth my frayed nerves. Not many books can do that to me.
And was I expecting it? Of course not. Just like sweet naive Danny, the newest whore in the House, I had no idea: "given all the choices in the world, I wouldn't choose to be anywhere else." Oh Danny, just you wait and see what dear Charon Marque has in store for you...
The things I liked: When the book introduced a set of diverse characters, I was elated! For once a book that doesn't center around the usual couple and a parade of secondary characters that no one is seriously interested in, least of all the author. Also, with so many eligible boys and clients, I soon started a guessing game of who might fall in love with whom. The writing was fine, too, if a bit rough around the edges, and the characterization was very well done! I liked most of the characters (especially Vincent & Aburon - mmh) and their smutty dealings with each other.
But my appreciation soon turned into apprehension. I had to realize once again that I'm not a huge fan of short stories and shifting POVs. I like to have at least one character leading me through the story. Instead, the book gave the impression of a soap opera. A sex-filled deprived soap, mind you, but sadly lacking in flow (and romance!) nevertheless.
My biggest problem, however, was the hypocritical way Marque, the adored owner of the brothel, treats his "boys" and rationalizes his actions. This whole talk about how he sees his boys as family and wants to be their guardian? Total bullshit IMO, if you let a boy . Even that would have been fine with me if the author had exposed this kind of thinking. But the abused later calling it one of Marque's "little surprises" and being proud to have gained Marque's trust and Marque going on and on about his "family"? That didn't sit well with me at all. In the end, like so often in m/m, all our heroes have nothing but good intentions. Ugh.
I also had a minor niggle with the world building (the story is set in an alternate universe): I would have appreciated a description of the social norms in this society. Every guy seemed to be into gay sex without questions asked, at the same time one of the boys left his family because he wasn't accepted there.
Oh, and I absolutely agree with Kate about the killer scene at the end.
All of the above of course didn't prevent me from jumping right into the 2nd book, especially since the story finally unfolds.
December 17, 2013
A fascinating read with an ensemble cast.
Taking place in a male brothel, this book features a wide cast of characters. With an ensemble cast, it takes time to build up the story and introduce each of the characters.
It's a delicate balance to keep the reader interested and still allow the characters time to be known. The pacing of the story is a little too slow in the first half of the book.
There's a lot of sex scenes (as expected in a whorehouse!) with a PWP feel. The book does eventually reveal more depth to the characters and this drew me back in.
The story does pick up in the latter half and became more exciting once the intrigue makes itself known. I find myself quite eager to read the next volume.
Taking place in a male brothel, this book features a wide cast of characters. With an ensemble cast, it takes time to build up the story and introduce each of the characters.
It's a delicate balance to keep the reader interested and still allow the characters time to be known. The pacing of the story is a little too slow in the first half of the book.
There's a lot of sex scenes (as expected in a whorehouse!) with a PWP feel. The book does eventually reveal more depth to the characters and this drew me back in.
The story does pick up in the latter half and became more exciting once the intrigue makes itself known. I find myself quite eager to read the next volume.
May 1, 2015
This first book started out with it seemed random sex scenes with various house boys with a little bit of background on them so we get to know them. Each section changes the POV to a new boy or client so we get to see how they feel about the house, their job, and the people around them. Slowly these scene come together and a plot begins to form. It was a rather interesting way to get to know the characters but a little off putting as well. I also didn't really like the world building going on in this book. I wish that they either would have stuck the world in the past or made it modern day with prostitution being legal. This made up world with territories, nobility, and then modern law just seems like a needless complication.
January 26, 2015
If you like M/M fiction with not only scorchingly hot sex but also an intriguing plot, then you'll love this book. It's the first of three in a series. I've been putting off starting the series because the third book isn't available yet, but a prequel with the 'interviews' of several of the main characters just came out and I couldn't resist any longer.
There's a lot of sex in this book - it's about a bordello after all - and I was afraid it would get overwhelming and monotonous. There is just enough plot mixed in with the sex to move things along and keep it interesting. I finished book 1 today and started right in with book 2. I only hope that book 3 will be available soon!
There's a lot of sex in this book - it's about a bordello after all - and I was afraid it would get overwhelming and monotonous. There is just enough plot mixed in with the sex to move things along and keep it interesting. I finished book 1 today and started right in with book 2. I only hope that book 3 will be available soon!
Read
July 1, 20135 Stars
Please read review at The Blog of Sid Love
Please read review at The Blog of Sid Love
dnf
October 24, 2013DNF'ed at 30%.
No romance and too dark, depressing, uninteresting. *sigh*
No romance and too dark, depressing, uninteresting. *sigh*
October 23, 2013
This book may have made me have the most drastically polar opposite reactions to different sections of any book I’ve read. The first part was absolutely a 2 bordering on 1 star read, but the second half once the action really started was much closer to a 4 star for me.
Well we have quite the cast of characters in this house of debauchery. The House of Silence is an elite male bordello servicing the rich and powerful.
Master Charon Marque – the head of our household. He’s collected this ragtag group of boys together and provides them the protection and care to thrive. He loves them all and refuses to indulge in their many and varied charms.
Danny – The sweetheart of the house. One of the newer boys, but he still manages to blush so sweetly almost appearing virginal most of the time.
Reiji – Been around for years, raised on the streets and among the gangs. He’s studied martial arts for years and is always jonesing for a fight. He’s also desperately pining over Charon.
Tam – Eldest son and heir to one of the most powerful men around he left home and ignores his family and their disdain for his homosexuality. The most versatile of the boys he reads his clients well and can generally please just about anyone.
Vincent – A gypsy by birth he barely managed to survive the assault on this family. It left him blinded in one eye and he’s developed a need for pain. Despite it all though there’s a quite sweetness to his soul and his love of music.
Lord Ander – Trying to finally escape from under the pain of his wife’s death he’s found himself a patron of the House of Silence on a few occasions now. He’s lost himself in the arms of both Danny and Tam and discovered things about himself he never expected.
Officer Brand – With a passion for the police force and fighting to uncover the dirty secrets of the House. He is unwilling to let corruption go and has a strong moral code, even if the boys of the house do tempt him unbearably.
Phoebe – Charon’s head of security. She’s fiercely loyal to Charon and the house and will do anything to protect them all.
And that rounds out the full cast of our main characters. Of course there’s still all the security types and the other boys of the house. This novel reminded me very strongly of Teahouse. I’m not a big fan of the bordello locations and the free wheeling sex. I usually want a lot more romance than anything else in my books. I think that’s why I liked “Teahouse” despite its location. I really felt like there were some honest feelings developing between characters.
The first half of this book has none of that. Instead you stumble through an introduction to our cast of characters all framed around a series of their sexual encounters, not all of them pleasant. I’m ok with non-con/dub-con most of the time usually because there’s some romantic interest that’s going to make it all better. That’s really not the case here, especially with Danny. I REALLY didn’t like that scene. The BDSM sections with Vincent didn’t bother me because it really felt like it was something he needed and that his main patron (whom I’m very curious to find out more about) seemed to really care about him as well. Frankly the whole first half felt like a very long-winded introduction and really didn’t seem to affect much of anything else. You could have chopped that down dramatically and affected the story not one wit.
And here’s where things get interesting for me…I quite enjoyed the story once it got going. Once Charon stood up to our evil forces to protect Vincent I was hooked. I loved the “corruption” of our innocent police officer Brand into the arms of the bordello types. Of course since they are the innocent parties he’s on the right side. I loved the fact that the group on the run was a mix of the boys and the patrons. There’s so many little subplots here that I want to know more about. Who is Vincent’s main patron really? How are they going to get away from having to turn Vincent over? What is the real power structure here? Who is Charon really?
In the end I’m torn…I don’t know if I want to read the sequel because I found a bunch of the sex to be either really pointlessly placed (just there to make this erotica and have as much sex as humanly possible in the novel…aka huge, mondo orgy to end the book) or objectionably over the top non con/dub con. Right at the end though I was starting to get invested in these characters and hoping that some real emotions might truly being developed. I’m especially curious about Reiji’s feelings for Charon and how Charon really feels about it all. If this book started focusing on the plot and less on the sex, they might actually have my full blown attention. I like the complicated plot potential. :D
I'm marking this book as PWP considering how much sex there is in this book that has absolutely nothing to do with the story. Frankly there's only a chunk of the story that has any sort of plot at all and while I hope it amounts to more, it's not all that much yet.
Well we have quite the cast of characters in this house of debauchery. The House of Silence is an elite male bordello servicing the rich and powerful.
Master Charon Marque – the head of our household. He’s collected this ragtag group of boys together and provides them the protection and care to thrive. He loves them all and refuses to indulge in their many and varied charms.
Danny – The sweetheart of the house. One of the newer boys, but he still manages to blush so sweetly almost appearing virginal most of the time.
Reiji – Been around for years, raised on the streets and among the gangs. He’s studied martial arts for years and is always jonesing for a fight. He’s also desperately pining over Charon.
Tam – Eldest son and heir to one of the most powerful men around he left home and ignores his family and their disdain for his homosexuality. The most versatile of the boys he reads his clients well and can generally please just about anyone.
Vincent – A gypsy by birth he barely managed to survive the assault on this family. It left him blinded in one eye and he’s developed a need for pain. Despite it all though there’s a quite sweetness to his soul and his love of music.
Lord Ander – Trying to finally escape from under the pain of his wife’s death he’s found himself a patron of the House of Silence on a few occasions now. He’s lost himself in the arms of both Danny and Tam and discovered things about himself he never expected.
Officer Brand – With a passion for the police force and fighting to uncover the dirty secrets of the House. He is unwilling to let corruption go and has a strong moral code, even if the boys of the house do tempt him unbearably.
Phoebe – Charon’s head of security. She’s fiercely loyal to Charon and the house and will do anything to protect them all.
And that rounds out the full cast of our main characters. Of course there’s still all the security types and the other boys of the house. This novel reminded me very strongly of Teahouse. I’m not a big fan of the bordello locations and the free wheeling sex. I usually want a lot more romance than anything else in my books. I think that’s why I liked “Teahouse” despite its location. I really felt like there were some honest feelings developing between characters.
The first half of this book has none of that. Instead you stumble through an introduction to our cast of characters all framed around a series of their sexual encounters, not all of them pleasant. I’m ok with non-con/dub-con most of the time usually because there’s some romantic interest that’s going to make it all better. That’s really not the case here, especially with Danny. I REALLY didn’t like that scene. The BDSM sections with Vincent didn’t bother me because it really felt like it was something he needed and that his main patron (whom I’m very curious to find out more about) seemed to really care about him as well. Frankly the whole first half felt like a very long-winded introduction and really didn’t seem to affect much of anything else. You could have chopped that down dramatically and affected the story not one wit.
And here’s where things get interesting for me…I quite enjoyed the story once it got going. Once Charon stood up to our evil forces to protect Vincent I was hooked. I loved the “corruption” of our innocent police officer Brand into the arms of the bordello types. Of course since they are the innocent parties he’s on the right side. I loved the fact that the group on the run was a mix of the boys and the patrons. There’s so many little subplots here that I want to know more about. Who is Vincent’s main patron really? How are they going to get away from having to turn Vincent over? What is the real power structure here? Who is Charon really?
In the end I’m torn…I don’t know if I want to read the sequel because I found a bunch of the sex to be either really pointlessly placed (just there to make this erotica and have as much sex as humanly possible in the novel…aka huge, mondo orgy to end the book) or objectionably over the top non con/dub con. Right at the end though I was starting to get invested in these characters and hoping that some real emotions might truly being developed. I’m especially curious about Reiji’s feelings for Charon and how Charon really feels about it all. If this book started focusing on the plot and less on the sex, they might actually have my full blown attention. I like the complicated plot potential. :D
I'm marking this book as PWP considering how much sex there is in this book that has absolutely nothing to do with the story. Frankly there's only a chunk of the story that has any sort of plot at all and while I hope it amounts to more, it's not all that much yet.
May 21, 2014
"There was something to be said for winter. The all-encompassing quiet of it, the darkness, the way it wrapped around the woods like a blanket, fog frozen in delicate filigree paterns on the bare limbs of trees. All of that blemishless white covering the hills like a shroud--as if the land weren't merely sleeping, but dead, and the world were holding its breath in silent mourning."
This was an interesting read. It is NOT a romance. I'd rate this three and a half stars. It's well-written, compelling and the characters are finely drawn (though giving a Japanese character red hair without any sort of reasonable explanation was a total face-palm moment (I deducted half a star for that). The only way that makes sense is for it to be dyed that way, but this was never even hinted at. There's also a dose of political intrigue, and thankfully NO genderfail. The additional political intrigue gave this book some serious meat, though I had no idea concerning the setting. Normally I don't mind being dumped into a strange world, but there's usually information revealed within the narrative. My guess is that it's some sort of alternative universe.
To be brutally honest, the sex scenes (save for the finale) read very cold and clinical to me. That's not a bad thing because we're talking about male prostitutes and their clients. It's a job, and that's the frame of reference I approached each vignette from. Even the heavy sadism scene between Vincent and a regular client named Francois lacked that certain something due to the fact that it was hard to feel an emotional connection between these two. I couldn't keep the chuckle from my mouth at the name of the lead character, House of Silence brothel-keeper Charon Marque. It's the literary maven in me. He was a fascinating character--part businessman, part father figure, part psychologist. He might have treated his "boys" with dignity and respect, but he also made some decisions that reminded me that he was still a brothel owner. The young men who worked for him--Tam, Danny, Vincent and Reiji--had their own backstories and their own crosses to bear. They work at the House of Silence of their own volition, but each comes from a background of tragedy/pain. It would be nice to read a story in which a working boy just likes sex and wants to get paid to have it. Tragedy tropes are not always my favorite.
Don't get me wrong, I've read quite a few courtesan/client fall in love stories (mostly m/m because too many het romance readers ascribe to a double-standard when it comes to female courtesans) but those stories are one-on-one and I get to know each character, become invested in the success of their relationship.
I plan to read the next book in the series, but not just yet.
This was an interesting read. It is NOT a romance. I'd rate this three and a half stars. It's well-written, compelling and the characters are finely drawn (though giving a Japanese character red hair without any sort of reasonable explanation was a total face-palm moment (I deducted half a star for that). The only way that makes sense is for it to be dyed that way, but this was never even hinted at. There's also a dose of political intrigue, and thankfully NO genderfail. The additional political intrigue gave this book some serious meat, though I had no idea concerning the setting. Normally I don't mind being dumped into a strange world, but there's usually information revealed within the narrative. My guess is that it's some sort of alternative universe.
To be brutally honest, the sex scenes (save for the finale) read very cold and clinical to me. That's not a bad thing because we're talking about male prostitutes and their clients. It's a job, and that's the frame of reference I approached each vignette from. Even the heavy sadism scene between Vincent and a regular client named Francois lacked that certain something due to the fact that it was hard to feel an emotional connection between these two. I couldn't keep the chuckle from my mouth at the name of the lead character, House of Silence brothel-keeper Charon Marque. It's the literary maven in me. He was a fascinating character--part businessman, part father figure, part psychologist. He might have treated his "boys" with dignity and respect, but he also made some decisions that reminded me that he was still a brothel owner. The young men who worked for him--Tam, Danny, Vincent and Reiji--had their own backstories and their own crosses to bear. They work at the House of Silence of their own volition, but each comes from a background of tragedy/pain. It would be nice to read a story in which a working boy just likes sex and wants to get paid to have it. Tragedy tropes are not always my favorite.
Don't get me wrong, I've read quite a few courtesan/client fall in love stories (mostly m/m because too many het romance readers ascribe to a double-standard when it comes to female courtesans) but those stories are one-on-one and I get to know each character, become invested in the success of their relationship.
I plan to read the next book in the series, but not just yet.
March 18, 2017
Satisfies my inner perv!
Very intriguing story, set in an alternate reality, sort of steampunkish. Modern amenities with a Victorianesque flavor. My favorite scenes were Aburon, the sadist, and Vincent who revels in submission and masochism. The BDSM is moderate IMO. Lord Ander and Tam are an intriguing pair, as are Danny, and Brand, the police officer. Reiji suffers from unrequited love for Charon, their employer and protector. The sudden danger from unscrupulous Lords and politicians gives a dose of suspense. Can't wait to read the second part.
Adding more to this review: this is only part one. I do think both volumes would have been better as a single book. The world building occurs over the course of both volumes. It's not neatly served up at the beginning. Yes, the scene with Danny is disturbing. It does tie into the whole running a bordello for wealthy, powerful men scenario. I think Charon reads what the boys are capable of handling quite well. It's fiction people! It works for this story. If you're too squeamish, read something else. If rape scenes trigger you, don't read this. There's not just black and white in this, as Brand learns.
Very intriguing story, set in an alternate reality, sort of steampunkish. Modern amenities with a Victorianesque flavor. My favorite scenes were Aburon, the sadist, and Vincent who revels in submission and masochism. The BDSM is moderate IMO. Lord Ander and Tam are an intriguing pair, as are Danny, and Brand, the police officer. Reiji suffers from unrequited love for Charon, their employer and protector. The sudden danger from unscrupulous Lords and politicians gives a dose of suspense. Can't wait to read the second part.
Adding more to this review: this is only part one. I do think both volumes would have been better as a single book. The world building occurs over the course of both volumes. It's not neatly served up at the beginning. Yes, the scene with Danny is disturbing. It does tie into the whole running a bordello for wealthy, powerful men scenario. I think Charon reads what the boys are capable of handling quite well. It's fiction people! It works for this story. If you're too squeamish, read something else. If rape scenes trigger you, don't read this. There's not just black and white in this, as Brand learns.
July 17, 2016
An interesting book that starts out as one thing and ends as something else entirely. What starts out as a smex book ends with a mystery and characters on the run (and a cliffhanger). The House of Silence is a bordello run by Charon and contains a cast of characters, all with hidden histories. The chapters switch between the characters so you get to see the point of view of the main people. Parts of it are a little intense and there is some strong non-con content, but I was invested enough in the characters to push past what are usually pretty hard limits for me. There is a book in two parts (book two starts literally hours after the first one ends) that could have easily been one book.
June 4, 2017
I would give this 3.5 of 5 stars. The writing is very good and the characters are very interesting. It moved a little sluggishly for me in the beginning as we got to know the characters rather gradually in the context of their day-to-day lives. And there are a lot of characters, so it was a bit difficult to keep them all straight as the story is told in their alternating viewpoints. It wasn't until 2/3 into the book that the action/plot-driven element kicked in and even then it was a bit of a cliffhanger ending. All in all it was an enjoyable read, but I'm undecided at the moment as to whether I will continue with the rest of the books.
June 15, 2016
Entertaining , though at some point I started reading only a few chapters at a time. Too many characters for such a short story. The story has no ending and is continued in a second volume. Possibly as a marketing strategy to encourage the reader to buy the next volume. I think those readers who didn't enjoy this book most feel double cheated for not even being given a complete story for their money.
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