Ice, Wind and Fire

by Mel Keegan

Book by Keegan, Mel

Genres: M M Romance, Gay, Mystery

224 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1990

About the author

A self-confessed science fiction and fantasy devotee, Keegan is known for novels across a wide range of subjects, from the historical to the future action-adventure. Mel lives in South Australia with an eccentric family and a variety of pets.

Every Mel Keegan book is strong on gay or bisexual heroes (also, often, on gay villains), and some of these heroes are the most delicious in fiction: Jarrat and Stone from the NARC series, Bill Ryan and Jim Hale from The Deceivers, Neil Travers and Curtis Marin from Hellgate, and many more unforgettable characters. Because Mel's books feature the same sex relationships, the partnership at the core of each book is integral: this is the relationship driving the story, and it can be very powerful indeed.

Reviews

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

SlashReader: I read Mel Keenga's 'Storm Tide' back to back with 'Ice, Wind, and Fire', both books were an enjoyable read. However I found that the character's in 'Ice, Wind, and Fire' came across as being somewhat more realistic than, Sean and Rob from 'Storm Tide'.

One of the things that appealed to me about this book was the Hardy Boy aspect of it. Only where the Hardy Boy's are all grown up and there is nothing platonic between them. Lol, there was even a guy who's last name was Hardey in the book... Spelled differently but it amused me, unfortunately he had to go and die and I liked him. He didn't have much of a chance to become a big character before he kicked the bucket.

I've enjoyed reading Mel Keegan's work over the years. I have updated versions of many of his books though this is not one of them. What I like most about Keegan's work, is that he has a way of combing plot, good characters and fun sex scenes all into one book. Too many authors focus on one or the other to the detriment of their work. All in all, 'Ice, Wind, and Fire' is a fun book to read all the way around.

[PaperMoon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure what the 'ice' from the title refers to (perhaps illicit substances?), but there was certainly destructive winds and out of control fires to be found within the fast paced action-adventure plot, told from Alex Connor's POV, and in a blend of hard-boiled detective thriller and Hardy-Boys style. There's also planes, fast-car chase action and escapades involving boats. The bad guys are just that - nasty pieces of work, with not much character shading and no redeeming features.

MCs Alex and Greg are uncompromisingly gay but professionally discreet, with their M-M action sufficiently graphic but not into an overblown, over-talked romantic manner. Most of their backstory is smartly dispensed with within the first chapter before the author briskly takes the plot to Jamaica, with quite a lot of historico-socio-political information provided amidst all the death, drugs, mayhem and sexual violence thrown at the MCs. Previous books by this author has been hit and miss for me - this one proved a solid 3 star read.

[Christa · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I was reading this, I had to keep reminding myself that this was written 20 years ago. It was funny, snarky, sexy, horrifying, sad and wonderful. I liked both Alex and Greg as both professional and private partners. They just had this "real" quality about them and a wonderful romance.

There was so much going on with this book: journalist "get to the truth", vacation, murder, smugglers, drug runners, young boys sold for sex, new friends, corrupt cops, diamonds and the list goes on and on. But not once did I feel like one story line "topped" another and each one of them was resolved quite well and built upon each other to deliver a fantastic story.

If I had to pick one thing that kept if from being 5 stars for me was the abrupt ending. We were left with a horrific act and the book just ended.......yeah, if I was reading the book (and not my iPad) I would have thrown it across the room.

[Becky Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent book, with an exciting adventure plot and great characters with a lot of depth. There's a real sense of the history Alex and Greg have together, both as work and personal partners. They don't only make a good couple they make a good team. Though definitely of its time in many of the themes that come up, the book never feels dated. It moves along at a good pace and the writing feels very fresh.

I got this book in a swap and would probably never have come across it otherwise, so I'm very glad I did - thanks, Jenre! Now to go see if there are Mel Keegan books on Kindle...

[Lillian Francis]

I much prefer the paperback cover.

[Martyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

As other reviewers have said, it's like the gay equivalent of the Hardy Boys - and I'm not sure that that's a good thing because I have outgrown the Hardy Boys. I found this adventure a bit overly long and repetitive and tedious. None of the numerous sex scenes atoned for the length. They too were repetitive. I also felt annoyed that about three quarters of the way in we were suddenly told that both the heroes had eight-inch cocks, and I had to ask, a) why had we not been told that notable fact right at the start? and b) why did they both have to be so unrealistically large on top of already being presented as pretty much perfect? And it made all the sex scenes we had already had feel unrealistic or deceptively portrayed - it couldn't have been easy or comfortable for them to do all that they managed to do in the bedroom if they both had such big members to contend with, which wouldn't have fitted comfortably or easily into any of their bodily orifices. If the book had any value at all it was perhaps in describing social attitudes towards homosexualily in Jamaica at the time. But other than that it does feel like a very trivial piece of work. Fun for some perhaps - for older teenagers who haven't yet grown out of the Hardy Boys - but personally I found it boring.