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Revenant
Would you sell your soul for the find of a lifetime? Could you give up your life for love? On Santorini, vampires are more than folklore - and the workers on Jack Hunter's archaeological dig know the body he's found is meant to stay buried. But Jack isn't one for superstition. Despite the warnings, he takes the skeleton to his house for safekeeping. There, he finds a mysterious letter from a man named Belas, offering directions to a site of great importance in return for a small favour: his blood. Belas is a vrykolakas, the most feared and dangerous of all Greek vampires. Millennia ago, the island's high priest sacrificed his family to calm the rage of the volcano. Belas committed suicide to ensure that his spirit would remain restless, thereby cursing the high priest to suffer a similar fate. But the priest escaped to Crete, and as a vampire cannot cross salt water, Belas has been waiting four thousand years to exact his vengeance. Now he intends Jack to be the agent of his revenge. Warning, this title contains the following: m/m sex.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
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May 14, 2009At the beginning of the twenty century, Jack is a young Englishman in Santorini; he is following a dig near a church and he makes a stunning discovery: the tomb of a man; the burial seems to be prehistoric, but there are remains from all over the age, till the last, an eighteen century coin. The peasants are murmuring of evil, the tomb was not in a holy place, and the body was chained. But Jack is not a man who can be scared by superstition, and so he takes with him the skeleton, actually freeing it from its "eternal" rest.
Then Jack begins to receive strange letters from a man named Belas, a man who promises to Jack fame and fortune in exchange of very little from him: his blood.
The story now resembles a bit the myth of Eros and Psyche, with Eros pretending by his spouse that she never looks at him when he visits her at night. Belas asks to Jack to wait for him at night, blindfolded and naked, ready to satisfy Belas' desires. But probably Belas also satisfies Jack's desires, since the sexual attention of Belas are not unwelcomed by Jack. And even when Jack realizes that Belas is killing people in the village, he can't blame the man who is searching his vengeance; in the contrary, Jack offers himself as weapon for Belas' vengeance.
But then enters Gabriel, a young doctor. Gabriel fancies Jack, and he is convinced that Jack is suffering from madness... Belas is not real, it's a figment of Jack's mind, and what Jack imputes to Belas, in reality are Jack's actions... who is right? Is it possible that this is not a paranormal event, but only the oddity of an ill mind?
The story is very well written; it's a very good mix of paranormal and historical, letting the reader wondering till the end about the true nature of the tale. In the end Jack is only a man with a deep need of love, a need he brings with him since he was a child, a need that he tries to fulfill in everyway... Belas, Gabriel, are only tools for his trìhirst of love.
Belas could be real and if he is real, he is a man who has suffered for so long that his mind is cloudy with pain; if he isn't real, he is only the true nature of Jack, the passionate and outspoken man who Jack has never had the courage to be.
Gabriel is the man who bears the sin of his fathers. He is not a bad man, but he is too avid of fame; probably he, in a way, really loves Jack, but he is not the man who can save Jack, he is not enough strong.
At almost 300 pages, Revenant is an historical / paranormal / mystery romance... all genre are mixed together in a very good way.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1599984199/?...
Then Jack begins to receive strange letters from a man named Belas, a man who promises to Jack fame and fortune in exchange of very little from him: his blood.
The story now resembles a bit the myth of Eros and Psyche, with Eros pretending by his spouse that she never looks at him when he visits her at night. Belas asks to Jack to wait for him at night, blindfolded and naked, ready to satisfy Belas' desires. But probably Belas also satisfies Jack's desires, since the sexual attention of Belas are not unwelcomed by Jack. And even when Jack realizes that Belas is killing people in the village, he can't blame the man who is searching his vengeance; in the contrary, Jack offers himself as weapon for Belas' vengeance.
But then enters Gabriel, a young doctor. Gabriel fancies Jack, and he is convinced that Jack is suffering from madness... Belas is not real, it's a figment of Jack's mind, and what Jack imputes to Belas, in reality are Jack's actions... who is right? Is it possible that this is not a paranormal event, but only the oddity of an ill mind?
The story is very well written; it's a very good mix of paranormal and historical, letting the reader wondering till the end about the true nature of the tale. In the end Jack is only a man with a deep need of love, a need he brings with him since he was a child, a need that he tries to fulfill in everyway... Belas, Gabriel, are only tools for his trìhirst of love.
Belas could be real and if he is real, he is a man who has suffered for so long that his mind is cloudy with pain; if he isn't real, he is only the true nature of Jack, the passionate and outspoken man who Jack has never had the courage to be.
Gabriel is the man who bears the sin of his fathers. He is not a bad man, but he is too avid of fame; probably he, in a way, really loves Jack, but he is not the man who can save Jack, he is not enough strong.
At almost 300 pages, Revenant is an historical / paranormal / mystery romance... all genre are mixed together in a very good way.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1599984199/?...
August 9, 2012
1.5 stars
To me, this read like a m/m version of a tame Harlequin Romance. It was one of my first forays into the genre but I still felt misled by the blurb and even somewhat the excerpt. I suffered numerous mental pauses, thinking "Huh?" and "Are you kidding me?"
I may give it another chance at some point to see if I enjoy more now that I've immersed myself in this particular genre. But with my ever growing TBR stack, it could be some time before it happens.
To me, this read like a m/m version of a tame Harlequin Romance. It was one of my first forays into the genre but I still felt misled by the blurb and even somewhat the excerpt. I suffered numerous mental pauses, thinking "Huh?" and "Are you kidding me?"
I may give it another chance at some point to see if I enjoy more now that I've immersed myself in this particular genre. But with my ever growing TBR stack, it could be some time before it happens.
November 17, 2019
I like this book /in theory/. It has a lot of elements that I enjoy, but the payoff just didn’t hit the way I would’ve liked.
Mostly it’s harmless, and actually a very interesting read. I liked the world building, I liked the characters that lived in this world. I had fun with Jack and Belas’ Dynamic. The way the story was told almost reminded me of the bits I’ve read of Dracula (which, yeah okay irony) in the sort of “normal guy starts having real crazy shit happening to him” kin of way.
Where I had issues, and it seems like this is the general consensus, is with the ending. It was getting really interesting, when the doctor said he believed Belas was all in Jack’s head I was like “wait no” and it had me actually second-guessing myself for a second. I wanted to know if the book was really gonna flip on us like that. And, yeah I guessed who the ‘antagonist’ was the second we met him, but the reveals were still nice.
But then the actual ending. I get it, ambiguous and all that, but like, how did Jack become a revenant/vampire? Did Belas curse him too, because I couldn’t figure him wanting vangance against anyone (unless you count Gabriel, which defeats the purpose of him even doing it?) Also, I’m a little stressed that we never got an actual reason for the coughing blood. Was it actually TB the whole time, because Jack was the only person who still thought that. Idk, I’m not one for these kinds of endings, but besides that I enjoyed the book.
Mostly it’s harmless, and actually a very interesting read. I liked the world building, I liked the characters that lived in this world. I had fun with Jack and Belas’ Dynamic. The way the story was told almost reminded me of the bits I’ve read of Dracula (which, yeah okay irony) in the sort of “normal guy starts having real crazy shit happening to him” kin of way.
Where I had issues, and it seems like this is the general consensus, is with the ending. It was getting really interesting, when the doctor said he believed Belas was all in Jack’s head I was like “wait no” and it had me actually second-guessing myself for a second. I wanted to know if the book was really gonna flip on us like that. And, yeah I guessed who the ‘antagonist’ was the second we met him, but the reveals were still nice.
But then the actual ending. I get it, ambiguous and all that, but like, how did Jack become a revenant/vampire? Did Belas curse him too, because I couldn’t figure him wanting vangance against anyone (unless you count Gabriel, which defeats the purpose of him even doing it?) Also, I’m a little stressed that we never got an actual reason for the coughing blood. Was it actually TB the whole time, because Jack was the only person who still thought that. Idk, I’m not one for these kinds of endings, but besides that I enjoyed the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2017
It's a well-written story with unconventional romance, just a little sex, and a rather abrupt and ambiguous ending. The pace was slow, the language was too modern for a story set in 1905, and I only got a glimpse of the promised excavation sites and no explanation for the MC's sickness.
July 8, 2010
It's been a while since I read this book, but I loved it. The writing was beautiful and all of the descriptions made me feel as if I were there. The characters were great, and there were times I wasn't sure if Belas was real or Jack was just going mad. The ending left me a little confused until I went back and reread it, and then I was pleased with how it ended. Really beautiful writing, and not your typical m/m story. I bought it as an ebook and then just had to have it on my shelf as well.
September 1, 2010
I'm not done yet, but so far I am SO into it. Its an excellent mix of history and (haha rhyming) mystery. The characters are developed well with superb personalities and ways of thinking that pull you into them. READ if you have not. *Grins*
*cries out in pain*
Oh that ending it was terrible , clever but terrible. They didnt have makeup sex, he didn't say he loved him. The didnt make any kind of intimate contact it just made me sad...
*cries out in pain*
Oh that ending it was terrible , clever but terrible. They didnt have makeup sex, he didn't say he loved him. The didnt make any kind of intimate contact it just made me sad...
February 20, 2011
The book is acually quite well written and very interesting BUT the ending left me quite confused, depressed and disapointed. Well since a revenant is an angry spirit one has to consider a happy end a bit of a problem. So really I cannot give it high marks but if you like historical, comlicated, somewhat dark, gay paranormal novels, thats your book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2011
An absorbing but not an easy read. The style is quite formal and old-fashioned to fit the time and place of the book. Some beautiful descriptions and strong scene-setting, but at times quite emotionally detached. That didn't bother me too much but if you're expecting a romance, this doesn't have your usual HEA!
August 6, 2011
I truly enjoyed this mysterious book. The plot was pulling and really well written. I loved it, but I have to admit, I don't understand the end fully, even so wow what a pulling story! Okay sex scenes could have been hotter and better, but okay. Both main characters were interesting and real. Recommended story!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews