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Dangerous Spirits #2
Red Devil
When Alexei seeks the help of a ghost to deal with a swaggering bully, he gets the strength and confidence he hopes for. If in the process he hurt his best friend Sol, well, he can make it up to the wolf later. Things get worse when the ghost, an old Siberian soldier, demands that Alexei give up his gay life, which Alexei fled his home country for. The young fox is resolved to send the ghost away — until his sister, left behind with their abusive parents, falls into mortal danger from which only the ghost can save her. Now Alexei must choose between living the life he risked everything to have and rescue his beloved Caterina from death...or worse.
280 pages, Paperback
First published January 17, 2013
6 people are currently reading
323 people want to read
About the author
Kyell Gold
66 books633 followersHi there! I am a writer of gay furry fiction--but you probably know that if you've seen my book listing here. I live in California with my husband Kit, and when I'm not writing, we like to go out to eat and watch movies. We travel a lot, too, mostly around the West Coast, but occasionally to the midwest and east.
I blog at http://www.kyellgold.com/wpblog about upcoming travel plans, upcoming books and news, general writing principles, gay rights, and whatever else seems interesting. And I co-host a podcast, called "Unsheathed," where we talk about the craft of writing and the furry fandom, sometimes at the same time.
If you have a question about any of the books, check the FAQ on my website and then ask away! :)
I blog at http://www.kyellgold.com/wpblog about upcoming travel plans, upcoming books and news, general writing principles, gay rights, and whatever else seems interesting. And I co-host a podcast, called "Unsheathed," where we talk about the craft of writing and the furry fandom, sometimes at the same time.
If you have a question about any of the books, check the FAQ on my website and then ask away! :)
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 29, 2014
Kyell Gold's Red Devil is a quick, engaging read that returns fans to the world of mystical drinks and animate spirits. Rather than continue with Sol, Red Devil follows Sol's best friend, Alexei, a Siberian fox drawn to Sol's past with Niki. The novel picks up when a new spirit is encountered and Alexei must decide what is most important to him: family or love. Like Green Fairy, Red Devil brings in history, which is done so well that Gold's world feels developed in both past and present. The spirit tells his tragic story, but it only adds to the story rather than digress with history lessons.
On its own, Red Devil is entertaining from start to finish, and fans of history, romance, or talking animal people will scarf it down; as a sequel to one of Kyell's big hits, Green Fairy, Red Devil is the sequel fans have been waiting for.
On its own, Red Devil is entertaining from start to finish, and fans of history, romance, or talking animal people will scarf it down; as a sequel to one of Kyell's big hits, Green Fairy, Red Devil is the sequel fans have been waiting for.
January 24, 2014
This is probably the most "Out there" book that Kyell Gold has even published in relation to supernatural events. I first began reading, hoping to see almost similar happenings to the last, but to my surprise, the way in which spirits acted were far from similar than the previous book. It drove home the fact that an older Siberian soldier may not feel the same as his more free spirited son might. Kyell Gold always finds a marvelous way of stringing together all the different ways a character can be pulled in terms of stress and hopes and exploits them all at the character's expense. I continued to wonder during the book if Alexei was going to be driven to near-suicide as Sol was in the previous book as a result from the stress and hopelessness he was being dragged through.
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Spoilers ahead :3
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I feel he left off the ending of the book with enough easily for me to want him to continue if he finds it possible. Not just from the spiritual happenings, but from the challenges each will no doubt find ahead in life. If he's to continue to pursue the current group (Sol, Alexei, Meg, and perhaps even Athos), there's really only one to have a sort of supernatural intervention left, being Meg. Though she doesn't appear to have much struggle right now, appearing sound in knowledge of who she is and what she knows. However, in the book she seemed stubborn to accept that any of it was supernatural, all was rationally explained, almost making me think she "doth protest too much", and it will come back to prove her wrong. As well, Alexei made a comment near the end of the book about how she has not yet solidified her way of life and thinking, which could foreshadow possible upsets she'll have, and thus, and opening for interference of the supernatural persuasion.
In closing, I really hope he continues this series if possible without sacrificing quality(or at least perhaps write a small bit like with the short stories of his Argaea series). Though personally, I still find myself longing to see his continue the Argaea series with the character left off on, Volle's son(Yillon or Villon? I remember the brothers' names were similar x3), since there was still room open for events to happen between him and the Shadows, attempting to bring equality of species into a "backwards thinking town" and the resistance that will no doubt take place. I guess I just find myself longing for a little of that old fashioned action he used to make, the thrill that comes with reading parts when lives of dearest characters are on the line. Though he managed to capture some of that danger in this this book, it was not quite as immediate, not threatening as being kidnapped, tortured, or left in contempt of things still in the dark.
===
Spoilers ahead :3
===
I feel he left off the ending of the book with enough easily for me to want him to continue if he finds it possible. Not just from the spiritual happenings, but from the challenges each will no doubt find ahead in life. If he's to continue to pursue the current group (Sol, Alexei, Meg, and perhaps even Athos), there's really only one to have a sort of supernatural intervention left, being Meg. Though she doesn't appear to have much struggle right now, appearing sound in knowledge of who she is and what she knows. However, in the book she seemed stubborn to accept that any of it was supernatural, all was rationally explained, almost making me think she "doth protest too much", and it will come back to prove her wrong. As well, Alexei made a comment near the end of the book about how she has not yet solidified her way of life and thinking, which could foreshadow possible upsets she'll have, and thus, and opening for interference of the supernatural persuasion.
In closing, I really hope he continues this series if possible without sacrificing quality(or at least perhaps write a small bit like with the short stories of his Argaea series). Though personally, I still find myself longing to see his continue the Argaea series with the character left off on, Volle's son(Yillon or Villon? I remember the brothers' names were similar x3), since there was still room open for events to happen between him and the Shadows, attempting to bring equality of species into a "backwards thinking town" and the resistance that will no doubt take place. I guess I just find myself longing for a little of that old fashioned action he used to make, the thrill that comes with reading parts when lives of dearest characters are on the line. Though he managed to capture some of that danger in this this book, it was not quite as immediate, not threatening as being kidnapped, tortured, or left in contempt of things still in the dark.
February 3, 2014
I enjoyed this book a lot. I thought the pacing in the first 50 pages was a tad slow, but the book took off quickly after that. The interlocking narratives were really good, and they helped flesh out the different perspectives of the characters well. The things that happen to Alexi certainly challenge the character a lot, and it's interesting to see how he struggles to cope.
If you enjoyed the first book in the series, Green Fairy, you'll enjoy this book a lot. I would also recommend this series to anyone looking to read Kyell Gold's work that might be a bit nervous about the more adult aspects of his other books.
If you enjoyed the first book in the series, Green Fairy, you'll enjoy this book a lot. I would also recommend this series to anyone looking to read Kyell Gold's work that might be a bit nervous about the more adult aspects of his other books.
March 16, 2019
Starting off just a few months after Green Fairy, Red Devil brings the spotlight to Alexei, a young fox who fled from his abusive parents for a better life, one where he could be himself. However, this will prove to be harder than he thought as trouble begins to pile up, specially when his sister, back in his home country, writes about her desire to flee just like he did.
While Green Fairy dealt with a character who was fighting an internal battle with oneself, Alexei's struggles feel a lot more external, much more to do with social interactions and situations that are out of his control, out of his grasp. This helps the book differentiate from Green Fairy, as they both end up tackling some similar subjects here and there.
Alexei was a relatable character for any outsider. I really enjoyed the details on how he didn't understand certain words and how he kept switching between English and his mother tongue in his mind. As a non-native English speaker, this was adorable and made me feel empathetic for the fox. Sol also appears here as Alexei's best friend, and it is amusing to see him doing well, but not perfect. It reminds you that even after what he went through, he is still flawed, still a human being learning how to live.
The supernatural aspect comes back in a much more... lets say, assertive way. This was very much one of the most interesting parts of the book, and made me feel at times I was reading a horror novel. Kyell pulled off some amazing descriptions of the apparitions and the scenery that takes place during these. Plus, the sub-plot was more interesting to read than the first book, at least for me.
There is one part that I greatly enjoyed and for me it is absolutely the best part of this book, but it is a spoiler, you have been warned!
I still think that Green Fairy is superior, all things considered, but this is an amazing entry and one I enjoyed all the way throughout. The theme is just as grim as the first book was, making you root for the main character to beat the seemingly unbeatable adversity ahead of them. A tear-jerker of an ending, too, I deeply recommend for you to read it, though if you read the first one, I doubt you'll even need convincing in picking up this one.
While Green Fairy dealt with a character who was fighting an internal battle with oneself, Alexei's struggles feel a lot more external, much more to do with social interactions and situations that are out of his control, out of his grasp. This helps the book differentiate from Green Fairy, as they both end up tackling some similar subjects here and there.
Alexei was a relatable character for any outsider. I really enjoyed the details on how he didn't understand certain words and how he kept switching between English and his mother tongue in his mind. As a non-native English speaker, this was adorable and made me feel empathetic for the fox. Sol also appears here as Alexei's best friend, and it is amusing to see him doing well, but not perfect. It reminds you that even after what he went through, he is still flawed, still a human being learning how to live.
The supernatural aspect comes back in a much more... lets say, assertive way. This was very much one of the most interesting parts of the book, and made me feel at times I was reading a horror novel. Kyell pulled off some amazing descriptions of the apparitions and the scenery that takes place during these. Plus, the sub-plot was more interesting to read than the first book, at least for me.
There is one part that I greatly enjoyed and for me it is absolutely the best part of this book, but it is a spoiler, you have been warned!
I still think that Green Fairy is superior, all things considered, but this is an amazing entry and one I enjoyed all the way throughout. The theme is just as grim as the first book was, making you root for the main character to beat the seemingly unbeatable adversity ahead of them. A tear-jerker of an ending, too, I deeply recommend for you to read it, though if you read the first one, I doubt you'll even need convincing in picking up this one.
January 3, 2020
Normally, I'd have given this book three stars for reasons following:
-The story and the deeds undertook by the characters sometimes completely wouldn't make any reasonable sense, and, while I know that fiction often doesn't make sense at all, repetitively writing about the same things that eventually will bring nothing isn't a very good element of a book
-as said above, the book has too many descriptions of the inner turmoil of the protagonist, again, I'm perfectly aware that a book about one's sexuality requires this kind of inner soliloquy but when it becomes too redundant, it eventually turns out to be boring and unimportant
But all of this aside, this story of a young boy who's trying to come to grips with his past and sister is worth reading, maybe just for the sole purpose of gaining the view of somebody who's been mistreated and abused for most of their life. Also, the interwoven story of Konstantin the soldier is kind of a booster for the novel, mainly because it gives closer insight into the life of Niki and the reality in which he was brought up which, consecutively, creates continuity between Red Devil and its prequel.
So my only advice for Kyell here would be to try to avoid writing so much about inner intricacies and try to develop the plot a bit more because, after all, it's one of the most important conditions of a great book.
-The story and the deeds undertook by the characters sometimes completely wouldn't make any reasonable sense, and, while I know that fiction often doesn't make sense at all, repetitively writing about the same things that eventually will bring nothing isn't a very good element of a book
-as said above, the book has too many descriptions of the inner turmoil of the protagonist, again, I'm perfectly aware that a book about one's sexuality requires this kind of inner soliloquy but when it becomes too redundant, it eventually turns out to be boring and unimportant
But all of this aside, this story of a young boy who's trying to come to grips with his past and sister is worth reading, maybe just for the sole purpose of gaining the view of somebody who's been mistreated and abused for most of their life. Also, the interwoven story of Konstantin the soldier is kind of a booster for the novel, mainly because it gives closer insight into the life of Niki and the reality in which he was brought up which, consecutively, creates continuity between Red Devil and its prequel.
So my only advice for Kyell here would be to try to avoid writing so much about inner intricacies and try to develop the plot a bit more because, after all, it's one of the most important conditions of a great book.
January 30, 2025
another emotional rollercoaster, actually cried.
maybe i would have made the middle different but the end, holy shit
maybe i would have made the middle different but the end, holy shit
January 20, 2015
Huh.
Unexpected.
This is my first Kyell Gold novel, and no, I didn't read "The Green Fairy" first, though now I want to.
When I first read 'gay furries' I thought this would be a lark, mostly stupid fun, satire of the romance genre sort of novel. Nope. In fact, romance plays second fiddle to the main character's struggles, and these are serious struggles. There is no sex in this novel. In fact, would be fine giving it to a young adult reader who is struggling with sexual identity and acceptance as that is the main focus.
One of things I really like about this novel was the struggle with rejection that the main character faces. As someone who had more than their fair share of the awkward teen phase, that struck a cord with me. That part of the novel felt real, especially in that there are natural personality conflicts and misunderstandings without one character having to be so over the top evil they need a mustache to curl. That isn't to say there aren't jerks or bullies, but you can see what's motivating the bully, and it isn't a forced 'plot needs villain' but rather that this is how bullies behave.
The novel could use some tightening up. I was skimming through some of the letters and history narrative, and the plot/descriptions need a careful editor.
Normally I'm not a fan of ghost heavy books, but if I'm going to accept anthropomorphic characters, the rest isn't much of a leap. Given the universe presented, you either can suspend disbelief and enjoy the narrative or find a different book. Unresolved issues for me centered around 'what do they eat? fish? fish don't have feelings in this universe? who's getting milked for butter and cheese? they have hamburgers, so cows are regular cows? maybe? or is this allowed genocide?' Best not to let the mind wander overmuch.
While this is a three star read for me, it's still worth reading. As said, I think the novel is great for young adults, and it is unexpectedly good with strong emotional content.
Unexpected.
This is my first Kyell Gold novel, and no, I didn't read "The Green Fairy" first, though now I want to.
When I first read 'gay furries' I thought this would be a lark, mostly stupid fun, satire of the romance genre sort of novel. Nope. In fact, romance plays second fiddle to the main character's struggles, and these are serious struggles. There is no sex in this novel. In fact, would be fine giving it to a young adult reader who is struggling with sexual identity and acceptance as that is the main focus.
One of things I really like about this novel was the struggle with rejection that the main character faces. As someone who had more than their fair share of the awkward teen phase, that struck a cord with me. That part of the novel felt real, especially in that there are natural personality conflicts and misunderstandings without one character having to be so over the top evil they need a mustache to curl. That isn't to say there aren't jerks or bullies, but you can see what's motivating the bully, and it isn't a forced 'plot needs villain' but rather that this is how bullies behave.
The novel could use some tightening up. I was skimming through some of the letters and history narrative, and the plot/descriptions need a careful editor.
Normally I'm not a fan of ghost heavy books, but if I'm going to accept anthropomorphic characters, the rest isn't much of a leap. Given the universe presented, you either can suspend disbelief and enjoy the narrative or find a different book. Unresolved issues for me centered around 'what do they eat? fish? fish don't have feelings in this universe? who's getting milked for butter and cheese? they have hamburgers, so cows are regular cows? maybe? or is this allowed genocide?' Best not to let the mind wander overmuch.
While this is a three star read for me, it's still worth reading. As said, I think the novel is great for young adults, and it is unexpectedly good with strong emotional content.
May 12, 2014
Red Devil is a tough book to pin down. It takes elements of horror, supernatural thriller, romance, and young adult genres and doesn't really set itself in any of them.
The book is a normal Kyell book that fits well as a sequel to Green Fair and tells a wonderful set of stories. All plot threads are handled with nearly perfect timing, a skill Kyell already handled well in Green Fairy.
Several issues pervaded Red Devil, however. The book is a tad longer than needed, the descriptions are a bit excessive, the characters jump around in their motivations and attitudes some, and overall it can be hard to follow.
The book is difficult for me to rate as it had decent emotional impact, a strong and interesting message, and a willingness to tackle LGBT issues that are real problems and not character-inflated self-issues. It was exactly the book it needed to be. In many ways, it was more. But in some unusual ways, it was disappointingly less. I felt the book, like Alexsei, was too meek to reach out and grab its full potential. I felt like Kyell was holding back in some ways, or perhaps too focused on the writing itself to really tell the story as well as he could have.
Definitely read if you enjoyed Green Fairy, is my verdict. If you, like me, were similarly meh about Green Fairy, then approach this book aware of what I've said above.
The book is a normal Kyell book that fits well as a sequel to Green Fair and tells a wonderful set of stories. All plot threads are handled with nearly perfect timing, a skill Kyell already handled well in Green Fairy.
Several issues pervaded Red Devil, however. The book is a tad longer than needed, the descriptions are a bit excessive, the characters jump around in their motivations and attitudes some, and overall it can be hard to follow.
The book is difficult for me to rate as it had decent emotional impact, a strong and interesting message, and a willingness to tackle LGBT issues that are real problems and not character-inflated self-issues. It was exactly the book it needed to be. In many ways, it was more. But in some unusual ways, it was disappointingly less. I felt the book, like Alexsei, was too meek to reach out and grab its full potential. I felt like Kyell was holding back in some ways, or perhaps too focused on the writing itself to really tell the story as well as he could have.
Definitely read if you enjoyed Green Fairy, is my verdict. If you, like me, were similarly meh about Green Fairy, then approach this book aware of what I've said above.
April 29, 2016
What can I say about this book....
I would describe the previous book, "Green Fairy" as an emotional gut wrench. This book however is more like an emotional gut pierced-with-a-saber.
I would only say that I liked "Green Fairy" more only because I could relate to the character's struggle more, but to be fair what Alexei goes through in here is pretty extreme. In fact a lot of things are somewhat extreme in this novel compared to the last.
Unlike the last book, the supernatural element is much more active here. As a result, the world of the supernatural does end up losing a bit of its mysteriousness. But at the same time, its still compelling. Seriously, this was the fastest time I've ever spent reading a book, it's that gripping.
While I felt mostly satisfied at the resolution of "Green Fairy" and I didn't need a sequel (oh don't get me wrong, I still wanted a sequel), this book is way more bittersweet and even though the next and final book in the trilogy will focus on another character, I still really want to read it if just to check up on Alexei and Sol. Those poor kids have been through a hell of a lot...
I would describe the previous book, "Green Fairy" as an emotional gut wrench. This book however is more like an emotional gut pierced-with-a-saber.
I would only say that I liked "Green Fairy" more only because I could relate to the character's struggle more, but to be fair what Alexei goes through in here is pretty extreme. In fact a lot of things are somewhat extreme in this novel compared to the last.
Unlike the last book, the supernatural element is much more active here. As a result, the world of the supernatural does end up losing a bit of its mysteriousness. But at the same time, its still compelling. Seriously, this was the fastest time I've ever spent reading a book, it's that gripping.
While I felt mostly satisfied at the resolution of "Green Fairy" and I didn't need a sequel (oh don't get me wrong, I still wanted a sequel), this book is way more bittersweet and even though the next and final book in the trilogy will focus on another character, I still really want to read it if just to check up on Alexei and Sol. Those poor kids have been through a hell of a lot...
June 16, 2015
This one started off a little slowly, but the second half of the book was utterly brilliant.
It would have been so easy for Kyell Gold to fall into the trap of simply re-hashing the first book all over again, but thankfully he avoided this. Yes, the basic premise was pretty much the same, but there is enough different that it really feels like a continuation to the original story, rather than a re-telling of the same events.
At first I was a little sad we wouldn't be continuing with Sol's perspective, as I really enjoyed his character in Green Fairy, but Alexei is a charming replacement. If anything, I found myself enjoying his character more than Sol's.
It would have been so easy for Kyell Gold to fall into the trap of simply re-hashing the first book all over again, but thankfully he avoided this. Yes, the basic premise was pretty much the same, but there is enough different that it really feels like a continuation to the original story, rather than a re-telling of the same events.
At first I was a little sad we wouldn't be continuing with Sol's perspective, as I really enjoyed his character in Green Fairy, but Alexei is a charming replacement. If anything, I found myself enjoying his character more than Sol's.
June 5, 2015
I'm not much of an emotional man but for some reason Kyell Gold has a way of putting me from one emotional extreme to another and this book is no different. He does a wonderful job of making you hate and love, worry and rage, and at a couple points he even managed to squeeze a couple tears out of me. May he write a thousand more books so that I can enjoy each and every one of them.
March 12, 2016
This book was a brilliant sequel to Green Fairy, despite focusing on a different character. I think Sol and Nikki's story was told well, but Alexei (don't know how to spell it, i listened to an audiobook) has his story explored thoroughly and it was fantastic. Kyell Gold's writing skills shine even brighter in this sequel, and show his competence in delivering a remarkable story.
August 2, 2014
Due to supernatural circumstances, a teenager must decide whether or not he will give up his gay lifestyle in order to save his beloved sister's life. An unusual premise, to be sure, but Kyell Gold works it into a masterful and poignant emotional rollercoaster.
gave-up-on
July 29, 2014Just couldn't finish hence I left unrated. I just wasn't interested in the characters nor the Siberian allegory presented.
December 6, 2015
2014 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention (5* from at least 1 judge)
February 15, 2016
A bit weaker than the green one - let's see how it all resolves in #3 in this series.
December 31, 2014
Great sequel to a good book, and looking forward to the final installment.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews