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Daron's Guitar Chronicles #1
Daron's Guitar Chronicles, Vol. 1
A slow burn romance between rock stars in the 1980s.
DARON is a young guitar player with a dream: to make it big like the guys he grew up idolizing—or at least to escape his homophobic family in new Jersey. He makes it to music school in Rhode Island, and the rock clubs of Boston beckon. But in 1986, in the era of AIDS, MTV, and "Just Say No" it's hard to succeed from the closet., especially when your lead singer is hell-bent on being outrageous.
ZIGGY is an art-school dropout who knows he’s destined for something bigger and better in life. He craves the spotlight, and he doesn't care how many hearts he has to break to get to the top. When he sees Daron playing guitar one day, he thinks he’s found his ticket to stardom.
He’s right.
Winner of the Rose & Bay Award for Crowdfunded Fiction!
"For me, Daron is one of those rare fictional characters that I have a hard time believing does not actually exist on the physical plane. He is just too real. Part of it is that Daron is only a couple of years older than me and the way the 80s are brought to life here reminds me very much of my own coming of the musical references, the language, the AIDS scare, the technology, the hair... Most of all, though, it is the fact that Daron is an extremely well written character. He grows and changes and engages." —Reviews by Jessewave/Gay Book Reviews
DARON is a young guitar player with a dream: to make it big like the guys he grew up idolizing—or at least to escape his homophobic family in new Jersey. He makes it to music school in Rhode Island, and the rock clubs of Boston beckon. But in 1986, in the era of AIDS, MTV, and "Just Say No" it's hard to succeed from the closet., especially when your lead singer is hell-bent on being outrageous.
ZIGGY is an art-school dropout who knows he’s destined for something bigger and better in life. He craves the spotlight, and he doesn't care how many hearts he has to break to get to the top. When he sees Daron playing guitar one day, he thinks he’s found his ticket to stardom.
He’s right.
Winner of the Rose & Bay Award for Crowdfunded Fiction!
"For me, Daron is one of those rare fictional characters that I have a hard time believing does not actually exist on the physical plane. He is just too real. Part of it is that Daron is only a couple of years older than me and the way the 80s are brought to life here reminds me very much of my own coming of the musical references, the language, the AIDS scare, the technology, the hair... Most of all, though, it is the fact that Daron is an extremely well written character. He grows and changes and engages." —Reviews by Jessewave/Gay Book Reviews
178 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 3, 2010
46 people are currently reading
1466 people want to read
About the author
Cecilia Tan
197 books588 followersSusie Bright says, "Cecilia Tan is simply one of the most important writers, editors, and innovators in contemporary American erotic literature." Since the publication of Telepaths Don't Need Safewords in 1992, she has been on the cutting edge of the erotic form, often combining elements of fantasy and science fiction in her work. She is also founder and editor of Circlet Press.
RT Book Reviews awarded her Career Achievement in Erotic Romance in 2015 and her novel Slow Surrender (Hachette/Forever, 2013) won the RT Reviewers Choice Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence from GRW in 2013. She has been publishing Daron's Guitar Chronicles as a web serial since 2009 and her Secrets of a Rock Star series (Taking the Lead, Wild Licks, Hard Rhythm) is published by Hachette/Forever. In 2018 Tor Books will launch her urban fantasy/paranormal series, The Vanished Chronicles. In her other life, Cecilia is also the editor of the Baseball Research Journal and publications director for SABR, the Society for American Baseball Research.
RT Book Reviews awarded her Career Achievement in Erotic Romance in 2015 and her novel Slow Surrender (Hachette/Forever, 2013) won the RT Reviewers Choice Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence from GRW in 2013. She has been publishing Daron's Guitar Chronicles as a web serial since 2009 and her Secrets of a Rock Star series (Taking the Lead, Wild Licks, Hard Rhythm) is published by Hachette/Forever. In 2018 Tor Books will launch her urban fantasy/paranormal series, The Vanished Chronicles. In her other life, Cecilia is also the editor of the Baseball Research Journal and publications director for SABR, the Society for American Baseball Research.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
September 18, 2015
Zeitgeist.
The sense of the eighties is tangible, from the smokey IHOP to the spandex wearing cover bands. The story is first person and is told exclusively from Daron's point of view. He keeps you close with the confidential tone while you travel with him.
This is a journey, and it is evocative and well paced. He doesn't rocket to stardom. This is the long haul of crappy gigs, subbing for band members, and eating when you can. Scrapping together and getting by.
Argh! The story ends twenty pages before the final count. I thought I had so much story left. Cliffhanger! This is a definite read the series book, not freestanding. But, DAMN! It was really good. I'm totally invested in following Daron on his quest for self-discovery and acceptance.
Favorite quote:
~A copy was provided by Netgalley and a review submitted~
The sense of the eighties is tangible, from the smokey IHOP to the spandex wearing cover bands. The story is first person and is told exclusively from Daron's point of view. He keeps you close with the confidential tone while you travel with him.
This is a journey, and it is evocative and well paced. He doesn't rocket to stardom. This is the long haul of crappy gigs, subbing for band members, and eating when you can. Scrapping together and getting by.
Argh! The story ends twenty pages before the final count. I thought I had so much story left. Cliffhanger! This is a definite read the series book, not freestanding. But, DAMN! It was really good. I'm totally invested in following Daron on his quest for self-discovery and acceptance.
Favorite quote:
If charisma was a magic spell, Ziggy was casting it far and wide.
~A copy was provided by Netgalley and a review submitted~
September 24, 2019
Take the word "chronicles" literally. This is the saga of one young man's life in professional music, extending now through more than 10 installments, each novel-sized. There is no strong HFN to each book, really, just ups and downs, successes and failures, friendship and difficulties, a little sex and drugs, and a whole lot of music.
Daron Marks is a song-writer and guitar player with enough talent to make it all the way to the top of the charts. He's also gay and in the closet, in the late 1980s as the saga opens. He has a few friends, and a drive to perform and see his music reach an audience. He had some early experience as a teen with a band led by a friend of his father's, but they left town and his relationship with his casually homophobic father is pretty sour. It's time to make his own way, and whether with another band, or creating his own, he has a musical voice that needs to be heard. But he's no lead singer to go solo. Finding the right people to create his vision is a challenge, and his business skills are pretty minimal.
This series is the story of a life. If you ever wished books didn't skip over chunks of time, or failed to show you what happened next, this is for you. If you love to see all the ins and outs of playing, and touring, and rehearsing, this is also for you. There is drama, but not melodrama, and much of it is low key, as Daron tries to figure out what he wants and needs from life. Frankly, he kind of sucks at figuring that out, but that's how life really goes.
Recommended for a great slice-of-life saga, but not if you need any kind of romantic or plot resolution at the end of an installment.
Daron Marks is a song-writer and guitar player with enough talent to make it all the way to the top of the charts. He's also gay and in the closet, in the late 1980s as the saga opens. He has a few friends, and a drive to perform and see his music reach an audience. He had some early experience as a teen with a band led by a friend of his father's, but they left town and his relationship with his casually homophobic father is pretty sour. It's time to make his own way, and whether with another band, or creating his own, he has a musical voice that needs to be heard. But he's no lead singer to go solo. Finding the right people to create his vision is a challenge, and his business skills are pretty minimal.
This series is the story of a life. If you ever wished books didn't skip over chunks of time, or failed to show you what happened next, this is for you. If you love to see all the ins and outs of playing, and touring, and rehearsing, this is also for you. There is drama, but not melodrama, and much of it is low key, as Daron tries to figure out what he wants and needs from life. Frankly, he kind of sucks at figuring that out, but that's how life really goes.
Recommended for a great slice-of-life saga, but not if you need any kind of romantic or plot resolution at the end of an installment.
February 26, 2017
*2.5 stars*
Part of a story.
For sure NOT romance, this is new adult gay fiction that takes place in the 80s.
While sections of the story were interesting, I struggled with the point of it all. It felt very ramble-y, without an end-goal. Very emo, very train-of-thought.
Kindle edition ends at about 70%, which is always annoying for me.
Read as part of my RT reading challenge, my quest to read new authors before the convention (https://www.rtconvention.com).
Part of a story.
For sure NOT romance, this is new adult gay fiction that takes place in the 80s.
While sections of the story were interesting, I struggled with the point of it all. It felt very ramble-y, without an end-goal. Very emo, very train-of-thought.
Kindle edition ends at about 70%, which is always annoying for me.
Read as part of my RT reading challenge, my quest to read new authors before the convention (https://www.rtconvention.com).
July 28, 2013
I'm broke and whoring myself out to poodle-hair bands [...] Oh, and by the way, I'm living a life of sin and perversion, too. Jeezus.
I think I might have fallen just a little bit in love with a guitar genius who could be classed as an emo of the 80's. I have no idea how this kid got under my skin, but he really did. Daron is filled with inner angst, insecurities, self doubt, self loathing, and loneliness and hiding in his closet behind his guitar and too long fringe. So how the hell did this sad git worm his way into my heart?!
It doesn't matter, he's there.
Daron's intimate matter of fact chronicles is a trip. You've just got to love the 80's, who doesn't? The lycra pants(with additional sock in crotch - lol), string vests, big hair, cassette players and David Lee Roth! Non-smokers where eccentric and we had pay phones on the wall and life was a mobiles free zone! Ahh good times...
I haven't a clue what direction this is going to take. I have an inkling who the love interest will be - but surely not, not him ... I mean ... really? Him?
My nostalgia is heightened by the music of the era. The author labels all the chapters with a song from the 70's or 80's. It's so good and so bad, but it makes me smile in remiss. I love how Daron plays his guitar, with affection and intimate emotions. The guy is a musical genius but seemingly oblivious of the fact - it endears me to him even more.
Let's see, so far I like it. 3.5 Stars and I'm rounding up.
Favorite Quote: "When you're hungry the first thing you swallow is pride."
October 5, 2018
3.7 Stars
Wasn't sure I was going to like this one as the story-telling aspect didn't appeal to me, but after a while I was completely absorbed into this tale. Unfortunately, "tale" & "telling" are two key words because so much of it was written that way instead of showing the reader the action. I loved the setting, loved the music theme (when I usually avoid those like the plague) and adored how the chapters were song titles...especially when the lyrics tied into what happened in the chapter. (I listened to this but I'm going to pull up the ebook version when I have a chance because I need to make a playlist of all the great tunes in this book!)
I did feel a little lost at first because it seems like I was dumped into the middle of a story already being detailed, but then there were enough references to fill in the blanks & build on what had come before. Of course, then there was a significant fast-forward to several years later, which again threw me off some.
It probably sounds like I didn't like the book, but I did...it just takes time to get used to the format. I'm hoping I'll be better prepared for the next one (when I get around to listening to it) and that I will appreciate how this isn't plot driven (or really character driven; the title is apropos as this is definitely written like a memoir of sorts).
Wasn't sure I was going to like this one as the story-telling aspect didn't appeal to me, but after a while I was completely absorbed into this tale. Unfortunately, "tale" & "telling" are two key words because so much of it was written that way instead of showing the reader the action. I loved the setting, loved the music theme (when I usually avoid those like the plague) and adored how the chapters were song titles...especially when the lyrics tied into what happened in the chapter. (I listened to this but I'm going to pull up the ebook version when I have a chance because I need to make a playlist of all the great tunes in this book!)
I did feel a little lost at first because it seems like I was dumped into the middle of a story already being detailed, but then there were enough references to fill in the blanks & build on what had come before. Of course, then there was a significant fast-forward to several years later, which again threw me off some.
It probably sounds like I didn't like the book, but I did...it just takes time to get used to the format. I'm hoping I'll be better prepared for the next one (when I get around to listening to it) and that I will appreciate how this isn't plot driven (or really character driven; the title is apropos as this is definitely written like a memoir of sorts).
February 5, 2012
How do you decide to read a book? It's just a curiosity, seriously, how do you decide, to read or not something?
I follow friends reviews, listen to friends recommendation and in some rare cases it's by chance.
This book is a example of something I cross by chance. Call it serendipity, fate, destiny anything... sometimes it happens.
So I saw this free kindle book and well, it's for free, so why don't try it?
I'm glad I did... because I start it, and couldn't stop before the end.
Another question: have you ever read a book and felt an immediate connection to the main character (and first person narrator)? Well, again I must admit it's rare. Who read many gay novels probably will say authors like Josh Lanyon, Jordan C Price, Aleksandr Voinov... well, Cecilia Tan is someone I really had never heard before and what a delight discover this writer! It's immediate, after just a few chapters I could heard and feel Daron (the main character) beside me, telling me his story. This book is all in first person narration and that will give you a quite amazing view of Daron.
Daron is young, just 19 and still completely lost. Don't read this book if you want to read about a man going to gay pride kissing his boyfriend/husband/partner on the streets. Daron don't want to be gay, and you will read it. He don't want it, but it's his true self... He can try, and will do his best to don't even tell you he like men, but it's clear. His struggling, his denial, it's part of his turmoil, and what made him unique to me.
I adore Daron, and I just want all the time to hug him and tell him he should not be afraid, he should let it go... live his life and be happy... but I can't. He is the only one talking, and you can't do less than hear it, trying to avoid tears, that is almost impossible to avoid.
It's a sad book? I don't think so, but it's neither a happy story. Daron don't know what is to be in love, he is just attracted to someone, and stop. He don't love men... he can't love men... or can?
Lovely story, about a lonely young man trying to find his place in this crazy world... his love for the music is his safe boat. What keep him sane, and what he is totally focus on.
Read it, knowing he will never be a whining narrator. He don't complain about his life... but he didn't proclaim happiness neither.
I can't say it's a story about a deep in closet gay man because in my eyes Daron is almost asexual. He will have the physiological need to sex... seems like that, and I'm not kidding. There is no romanticized view about it, so don't read it if you want an erotic story. Daron don't want to talk about it, and it's his world... and with his words you must know him... and you will not. I finish this book needing more, and knowing he can tell me more, and he must tell me more.
5 stars to this new writer to me (first book of Cecilia Tan I read). It's a book I would certainly recommend to all, not just to readers of gay story. Why? Simple, Daron fight to find his place in the world is so damn realistic he could be any of us...
Lovely... just in one word, I would describe this story, and the main character saying... lovely.
I follow friends reviews, listen to friends recommendation and in some rare cases it's by chance.
This book is a example of something I cross by chance. Call it serendipity, fate, destiny anything... sometimes it happens.
So I saw this free kindle book and well, it's for free, so why don't try it?
I'm glad I did... because I start it, and couldn't stop before the end.
Another question: have you ever read a book and felt an immediate connection to the main character (and first person narrator)? Well, again I must admit it's rare. Who read many gay novels probably will say authors like Josh Lanyon, Jordan C Price, Aleksandr Voinov... well, Cecilia Tan is someone I really had never heard before and what a delight discover this writer! It's immediate, after just a few chapters I could heard and feel Daron (the main character) beside me, telling me his story. This book is all in first person narration and that will give you a quite amazing view of Daron.
Daron is young, just 19 and still completely lost. Don't read this book if you want to read about a man going to gay pride kissing his boyfriend/husband/partner on the streets. Daron don't want to be gay, and you will read it. He don't want it, but it's his true self... He can try, and will do his best to don't even tell you he like men, but it's clear. His struggling, his denial, it's part of his turmoil, and what made him unique to me.
I adore Daron, and I just want all the time to hug him and tell him he should not be afraid, he should let it go... live his life and be happy... but I can't. He is the only one talking, and you can't do less than hear it, trying to avoid tears, that is almost impossible to avoid.
It's a sad book? I don't think so, but it's neither a happy story. Daron don't know what is to be in love, he is just attracted to someone, and stop. He don't love men... he can't love men... or can?
Lovely story, about a lonely young man trying to find his place in this crazy world... his love for the music is his safe boat. What keep him sane, and what he is totally focus on.
Read it, knowing he will never be a whining narrator. He don't complain about his life... but he didn't proclaim happiness neither.
I can't say it's a story about a deep in closet gay man because in my eyes Daron is almost asexual. He will have the physiological need to sex... seems like that, and I'm not kidding. There is no romanticized view about it, so don't read it if you want an erotic story. Daron don't want to talk about it, and it's his world... and with his words you must know him... and you will not. I finish this book needing more, and knowing he can tell me more, and he must tell me more.
5 stars to this new writer to me (first book of Cecilia Tan I read). It's a book I would certainly recommend to all, not just to readers of gay story. Why? Simple, Daron fight to find his place in the world is so damn realistic he could be any of us...
Lovely... just in one word, I would describe this story, and the main character saying... lovely.
March 23, 2014
I liked this. I did. Daron is a fascinating character in that he seems SO normal and someone that most readers can relate to in his experiences. The first book is always what I call 'The Set-up'. The author is giving us background info necessary, but not always super intriguing or exciting. The parts with Matthew were sad. Just sad, but I liked that I got to see the struggle Daron feels with coming in to his own. It's not just gay/lesbians that have a problem coming out. Even bisexuals worry about what others think of them. I don't know enough of Daron yet to say if he's strictly dicky yet, but I could relate to going along with the experiences and sexuality of the moments but putting a voice to them wasn't something he could handle. I've been there.
His attraction or obsession or even curiosity towards Ziggy fascinated me. Again, I've been there. I think sometimes you meet people who you relate to, bond with, etc. but they are just tipped a bit more towards what you are comfortable with being to the public. That's how I read their relationship thus far. Ziggy lives and breathes music but he's tilted more towards the attention, the rush, the spontaneous moments, whereas Daron is a bit more reserved and logical towards life. But he's comfortable at the moment where he's at. He's not comfortable with himself or his place in life. Being comfortable with your present actions and being comfortable with your place in life are different feelings, but I get that Ziggy's energy draws him in.
However, this had a lot of filler that dragged for me. That girl who constantly chased after Daron, while I get her 'place', she bored me to death. Remo, Digger, and Bart's love life...all that I get is the support to Daron, but the pace dragged for me in places.
The last 20%, though, was special and different enough from the rest of the book that I felt like I was finally reading the 'real' Daron. On to book 2!
His attraction or obsession or even curiosity towards Ziggy fascinated me. Again, I've been there. I think sometimes you meet people who you relate to, bond with, etc. but they are just tipped a bit more towards what you are comfortable with being to the public. That's how I read their relationship thus far. Ziggy lives and breathes music but he's tilted more towards the attention, the rush, the spontaneous moments, whereas Daron is a bit more reserved and logical towards life. But he's comfortable at the moment where he's at. He's not comfortable with himself or his place in life. Being comfortable with your present actions and being comfortable with your place in life are different feelings, but I get that Ziggy's energy draws him in.
However, this had a lot of filler that dragged for me. That girl who constantly chased after Daron, while I get her 'place', she bored me to death. Remo, Digger, and Bart's love life...all that I get is the support to Daron, but the pace dragged for me in places.
The last 20%, though, was special and different enough from the rest of the book that I felt like I was finally reading the 'real' Daron. On to book 2!
August 25, 2018
This is a collection blog-length chapters chronicling Daron's life in the early 80s, a closeted guitarist trying to make it big. It's a nice read and fairly short, but didn't inspire me to continue on with his adventures. The author has all his chronicles free on her website, but collections after this one are for sale.
July 24, 2016
*Review of the whole series (volume 1-7 so far)*
4,5 stars
Ok, wow! This is unusually good stuff. This is also very unusual stuff, which is exactly what makes it really, really good in it’s own, very unique way.
And it is really hard to rate.
The good things about this series are 5-star material, hands down. Five-star writing that tickled my brain, had a firm, faithful grasp on complicated emotional states, did not ONCE sell complex, interesting and very intelligent characters short, made me sit on the edge of my seat because I really, REALLY didn’t know what would happen next, offered thoughtful commentary on universal issues like family, friendship, creative expression, sex, attachment, self-acceptance and love.
But first and foremost it let these characters become good friends of mine.
You know the kinds of friends – the ones that shared adolescence and your early 20s with you, the weirdness, the entanglements, the fart-jokes, the hangovers, the intensity of all-night parties, the numerous crises and alcohol-induced soul-baring. The ones where you realize years later that you will never be able to establish this special kind of intimacy with people again that sharing these formative years brings with it.
Tan takes every one of these characters seriously and refuses to let them down, to let even one of them become card-board-cutouts. This might be due to the fact that we get to follow them in minutiae-detail over 7 long books (or an 7-year-ongoing online-series), which allows Tan and us to delve in really deep.
There are so many pitfalls here, so many tropes and storylines that could easily take a turn to clichée-ville - the Closet Case, the Manic Depressive Diva, the Narcissistic, Irascible Father, the Bad Boss of the Record Company, the Big Man Crushing the Creative Soul, the Drugs, the Groupies, the Sex, the Rock’n Roll – and not ONCE, not EVER does Cecilia Tan fall into any of these clichés.
But what really is special – and precious – about this is that we get to grow up and change with Daron. We kind of experience everything twice. Let me explain:
The first books have simultaneously both a numb, restricted and a immediately painful quality to them. Tan captures Daron stuck in anxious, repetitive thought patterns, in firm grasp of his uncontrollable dysfunctional coping mechanism with his internalized homophobia and his emotional trauma. A very perceptive 1st person POV of somebody with an anxiety disorder.
This is why volume 1 feels stand-offish and very slow - it is a set-up for very satisfying interpersonal development later on.
Then in volume 2 &3 life shocks Daron out of his shell, brilliant and heartrending, and from volume 4 forward we get to come along while he relives these perilious first years from a safer, more settled ground, analyzing what really happened to him and why, realizing his own faults and responsibilities in hindsight – and because he is such a brilliantly drawn, intelligent, perceptive character the hard-earned conclusions he comes to during volume 4-7 are utterly satisfying. And always a work in progress.
Guys, so you get the impossible here: the fictional narration of realistic emotional growth - as glacial as it is in real life at times, with sudden spurts in the aftermath of times of crisis.
Which leads us to the not so good stuff about this series that would rate around 2,5 stars - and might be a dealbreaker for a lot of people who are not as spellbound as I by Daron's inner world.
Glacial really means glacial. Really.
While Daron's fascinating interpersonal relationships always drive the main story arc in the background, there are endless fillers of side-show events. Endless.
Some of them are good as well, fleshing out his world, giving his story and the story of his friends depth and width. Others feel completely needless and patronizing, like a purposeful draaaaaaaaaaagging-out to fill space until we can return to what we're all, obviously, interested in (as in Ziggy :-). Those I skimmed. Skimmed, skimmed, skimmed.
That's why I probably would have abandoned the series if I would have read it in 2 short weekly installments over the years.
But the book format suited me well and the pay off was - and continues to be - worth it. So Volume 8 is already pre-ordered (out in Nov) - and I suspect will offer another, slightly overdue, growth spurt on Daron's end.
Oh, and a side note: Most pivotal sex-scenes are fade-to-black in the books, but if you donate any amount here Tan will send the explicit version to you. I loved them. You can feel that the scenes are not influenced by standard m/m sex-scene tropes and writing styles, that they are firmly rooted in Daron's well developed personality and emotional life and that Tan can write a good balance of gritty realistic and emotionally poignant, very much like her other erotica.
December 21, 2014
Really enjoyed this short volume detailing 19 year old Daron's progress in the 1980s music industry. Read this in one sitting, left me needing more..
'The next day was a gray wash from the moment I crawled into the shower onward. I stood there with the water running down around my ears and swore myself to celibacy. It seemed the only sensible option, the only possible way to avoid the self-loathing, the anxiety, the worst of the loneliness.'
'The next day was a gray wash from the moment I crawled into the shower onward. I stood there with the water running down around my ears and swore myself to celibacy. It seemed the only sensible option, the only possible way to avoid the self-loathing, the anxiety, the worst of the loneliness.'
October 29, 2013
Daron's Guitar Chronicles Volume 1 is the first in a series of stories about the life of Daron, a young nineteen year old musician growing up in the 1980's in the world of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll.
Check out the author, Cecilia Tan's video which tells a little about how this series of books came into being.
Ceclia Tan's YouTube
I actually listened so the audio version of this book and quite enjoyed the narration by Teddy Hamilton. His voice and inflections really seemed to suit the story and the character of Daron.
The story itself is part of a larger journey, and this book only covers a small part of Daron's life. In this first book, we are introduced to Daron and his struggles to find his path in life. With dysfunctional parents who he no longer really sees or talks to, he is out making it on his own. He is trying to get his band up and running while earning enough money to fund his college course. He is also struggling with his sexuality and everything that goes along with discovering who he really is and what he wants.
A large part of the story is taken up with Daron accepting a roadie gig with the band of a friend of his father's. As he travels the country he meets some interesting people and has some interesting encounters - from a couple of sexual exploits with men to being actively pursued by a girl also on the tour.
This is not a romance, this is a character driven tale that introduces Daron - he is sweet and insecure and a bit confused - and tempts the reader into the next book of the series where Daron's journey continues.
This is a relatively short book, at least I think it is. I have the Kindle version but listened to the Audio version which is just over 4 hours long (the audio versions always take much longer for me as my reading speed is heaps faster than the narration). But as usual it was a great way to spend my commute to work over a couple of days!
Get Daron's Guitar Chronicles Volume 1 from Amazon - it's FREE!
The audio version is only $1.99 from Audible.
I publish all my m/m reviews on my blog so if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place come visit at Because Two Men Are Better Than One!
Check out the author, Cecilia Tan's video which tells a little about how this series of books came into being.
Ceclia Tan's YouTube
I actually listened so the audio version of this book and quite enjoyed the narration by Teddy Hamilton. His voice and inflections really seemed to suit the story and the character of Daron.
The story itself is part of a larger journey, and this book only covers a small part of Daron's life. In this first book, we are introduced to Daron and his struggles to find his path in life. With dysfunctional parents who he no longer really sees or talks to, he is out making it on his own. He is trying to get his band up and running while earning enough money to fund his college course. He is also struggling with his sexuality and everything that goes along with discovering who he really is and what he wants.
A large part of the story is taken up with Daron accepting a roadie gig with the band of a friend of his father's. As he travels the country he meets some interesting people and has some interesting encounters - from a couple of sexual exploits with men to being actively pursued by a girl also on the tour.
This is not a romance, this is a character driven tale that introduces Daron - he is sweet and insecure and a bit confused - and tempts the reader into the next book of the series where Daron's journey continues.
This is a relatively short book, at least I think it is. I have the Kindle version but listened to the Audio version which is just over 4 hours long (the audio versions always take much longer for me as my reading speed is heaps faster than the narration). But as usual it was a great way to spend my commute to work over a couple of days!
Get Daron's Guitar Chronicles Volume 1 from Amazon - it's FREE!
The audio version is only $1.99 from Audible.
I publish all my m/m reviews on my blog so if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place come visit at Because Two Men Are Better Than One!
August 1, 2011
Daron is a fascinating character. Life's been hard for him, despite his talent, and despite some good stuff that happens to him, he gets dragged down into the dumps continuously. How can he not, he is 19, confused, lonely and in the closet. Life goes up and down for him, and the reader can't help but care.
So much that I had to buy the second volume for my kindle on the freeway between LA and San Diego, because Daron is not even close to a happy anything by the end of this book, whether it is FN or EA.
4.5 stars
So much that I had to buy the second volume for my kindle on the freeway between LA and San Diego, because Daron is not even close to a happy anything by the end of this book, whether it is FN or EA.
4.5 stars
June 7, 2012
This is a good story and something I will definitely continue. Daron is intriguing and I love the 80's music scene, so this was a fun read for me. However, I didn't really connect with Daron until 3/4 of the way through, possibly because his story is told in such a matter-of-fact style. The plot was a bit lacking in the excitement department but by the end I started to feel more from Daron and it left me wanting more.
March 17, 2013
Either this was longer that 92 pages or I was just really bored. I ended up skim reading most of it because I just couldn't get into it. I don't know why. The writing was fine but I just didn't give a crap after a while. Too drawn out for me.
January 22, 2016
I liked it. The writing style is engaging and fun. The plot meandered a bit, but it's the first in a series so NBD.
February 9, 2012
This was free, and pretty good...but it's part of a series and had no real ending so it demands that the reader buys the next book in the series to get any kind of closure. It wasn't really a surprise to me, that’s usually the reason for why the book is free in the first place, but some kind of ending would have been nice instead of "if you want to find out what happens next..." Yes, thank you, I do realize that the story will continue in the next book since it's named "volume 1" and the next book is named "volume 2"...I don't really need more clues than that. I probably will buy book 2 and 3 in the series at some point, because I liked the character and the story seems interesting enough even though it doesn’t have an actual “plot”. That will have to wait though because my book budget is $0 at the moment…
So, I said the book doesn’t really have a plot, and that is the truth. Its title contains the word ‘chronicles’, and I suppose that’s as close as you can get to describe the story. We follow Daron as he struggles to live for doing what he loves the most – play music. Sometimes that means playing in the streets for food money, sometimes in means whoring himself out to a crappy cover band, and sometimes it means doing the things he loves the most…writing songs and playing on stage in front of a big crowd. The crux of the story is that it starts out in the late 80’s, where the climate for being gay isn’t the same as it is today, and Daron is in the closet…desperate for love, but terrified of anyone finding out about his secret.
The language is…interesting. Most of the time it’s easy to read, but sometimes the first person narrative spins a bit out of control and throws you off a bit. It’s definitely personal though.
Daron is a fascinating character. He’s very set in his ways, but he’s got a strange and not entirely consistent personality. Sometimes he’s quick to pick a fight and voice his opinions, but most of the time he just passively waits for other people to make decisions for him. He’s afraid of rejection and afraid of conflicts. He’s a leader in his mind, but his actions usually make him a follower. Most of the time it is clear that it is the fear of his sexuality being outed that holds him back…and sometime in the future when I might read the rest of this story it will be interesting to see when/if he’s outed and what consequences that will have on his personality.
The sex scenes were also a bit inconsistent...most were fade-to-black, some were kind of explicit...none of them really that interesting though. There's no full-on love story or explored sexual relationship in this volume...I wonder what there is to expect from the sequels.
It was different. Mostly in a good way. If you’re interested…get it while it’s free and see for yourself if it’s worth buying the sequels!
So, I said the book doesn’t really have a plot, and that is the truth. Its title contains the word ‘chronicles’, and I suppose that’s as close as you can get to describe the story. We follow Daron as he struggles to live for doing what he loves the most – play music. Sometimes that means playing in the streets for food money, sometimes in means whoring himself out to a crappy cover band, and sometimes it means doing the things he loves the most…writing songs and playing on stage in front of a big crowd. The crux of the story is that it starts out in the late 80’s, where the climate for being gay isn’t the same as it is today, and Daron is in the closet…desperate for love, but terrified of anyone finding out about his secret.
The language is…interesting. Most of the time it’s easy to read, but sometimes the first person narrative spins a bit out of control and throws you off a bit. It’s definitely personal though.
Daron is a fascinating character. He’s very set in his ways, but he’s got a strange and not entirely consistent personality. Sometimes he’s quick to pick a fight and voice his opinions, but most of the time he just passively waits for other people to make decisions for him. He’s afraid of rejection and afraid of conflicts. He’s a leader in his mind, but his actions usually make him a follower. Most of the time it is clear that it is the fear of his sexuality being outed that holds him back…and sometime in the future when I might read the rest of this story it will be interesting to see when/if he’s outed and what consequences that will have on his personality.
The sex scenes were also a bit inconsistent...most were fade-to-black, some were kind of explicit...none of them really that interesting though. There's no full-on love story or explored sexual relationship in this volume...I wonder what there is to expect from the sequels.
It was different. Mostly in a good way. If you’re interested…get it while it’s free and see for yourself if it’s worth buying the sequels!
October 28, 2015
So while I really liked Daron's characters and how this book was set in the 80's. I honestly thought it was kind of slow and there was literally very little steam in this book. Now that is usually not a problem for me at all but when he does for a lack of better words hook up with someone it just fades the scene after that so you really do not get any details at all.
Now this book is about Daron from is POV. He starts of this book at nineteen and in a band he is also in the closet because back then it was not something you talked about at all.. You get your angst with this book too. So then it slowly it moves up through the years and I did find a lot of this book interesting. What it would be like to be in a band in the 80's and to be a gay man in that time.
So all together I did like this book but some parts did drag a little bit for me.
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
Now this book is about Daron from is POV. He starts of this book at nineteen and in a band he is also in the closet because back then it was not something you talked about at all.. You get your angst with this book too. So then it slowly it moves up through the years and I did find a lot of this book interesting. What it would be like to be in a band in the 80's and to be a gay man in that time.
So all together I did like this book but some parts did drag a little bit for me.
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
July 14, 2018
There are what? 5 or 6 of these and it's still on-going. I've been having so much fun reading them. If you are looking for a quick fix-forget it. If you are looking for a long, meandering journey, then these free-online chapters are for you.
They are especially fun if you grew up in Boston, going to the clubs etc that are mentioned here.
I am about half through with what she has posted and went ahead and read the last few paragraphs of the last post. Nope, not happy yet. Hopefully that is where she is going with this though.
They are especially fun if you grew up in Boston, going to the clubs etc that are mentioned here.
I am about half through with what she has posted and went ahead and read the last few paragraphs of the last post. Nope, not happy yet. Hopefully that is where she is going with this though.
January 26, 2016
Difficult to review this one, I enjoyed the story, but the writing style at times annoyed me.
Not sure why the sex scenes were so muted, seemed as if the author didn't really want to write anything graphic - so why try?
Despite these negatives though, I want to know what happens to Daron and his band, and whether he eventually does accept that he is gay.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Not sure why the sex scenes were so muted, seemed as if the author didn't really want to write anything graphic - so why try?
Despite these negatives though, I want to know what happens to Daron and his band, and whether he eventually does accept that he is gay.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 21, 2016
I like how complex Daron is. I have to remember that at the time 'gay' wasn't what it is now. Marriage equality and such. I already have book 2, just need 3-9. Looking forward to the rest of Daron's story.
Recommended!
Recommended!
May 30, 2012
Oh, oh. That's all. I love this so much, a realistic chronicle of Daron's life from boy to rock star, all set in the 1980s.
April 29, 2018
It was ok. I really had a lot of issues with it. I’m not really sure if my problem with the book had something to do with the fact that I listen to the audio book. I wonder if it would be any different if I’d read it instead but I don’t really think so since I had not much problems with the narration itself. I liked the narrator’s voice. I did found a little difficult to difference between the characters but in general the flow of the story was good.
What I didn’t liked was the plot. It seem like hardly anything was going to happen. I was expecting a lot more in the romance area and I was left disappointed. I think the biggest issue I had was how difficult it was for me to connect with any of Daron’s emotions. He just wasn’t a sympathetic character, which was a little surprising considering his back story that I felt like I couldn’t really understand that well.
I guess I wanted so much more from the story and I just couldn’t get it. It might have something to do with the fact that is a part of a series because it really felt unfinished. It surely doesn’t work as a standalone. I’m not really sure if I’ll be reading the next instalments in the series, maybe some other time with a different state of mind and maybe reading it instead of listening to it, but that won’t be happening soon.
What I didn’t liked was the plot. It seem like hardly anything was going to happen. I was expecting a lot more in the romance area and I was left disappointed. I think the biggest issue I had was how difficult it was for me to connect with any of Daron’s emotions. He just wasn’t a sympathetic character, which was a little surprising considering his back story that I felt like I couldn’t really understand that well.
I guess I wanted so much more from the story and I just couldn’t get it. It might have something to do with the fact that is a part of a series because it really felt unfinished. It surely doesn’t work as a standalone. I’m not really sure if I’ll be reading the next instalments in the series, maybe some other time with a different state of mind and maybe reading it instead of listening to it, but that won’t be happening soon.
May 11, 2017
I listened to this book because I love the author, Cecilia Tan, and the narrator, Teddy Hamilton. It was every bit as good as I knew it would be. The quirky characters are smart and interesting amidst the trials and tribulations of a young gay man finding out who he is and where he fits in a difficult world. This book gives good banter and I enjoyed the musical references throughout the story. As usual, with a Teddy Hamilton work, the narration is what moved this story from good to excellent .
June 3, 2020
So this took me a long time to get into, I was finally able to finish the book and just when it was getting somewhat better it ends. I knew there was more books but it just made no sense where this one ended. Not sure if I even want to continue with the books..
October 25, 2023
Free to grab on Amazon
1980s, rock n roll, coming of age, deep in the closet, sex (mostly fade-to-black)
I spoiled myself a little bit by checking out the reviews to find out who the love interest is, so now I'm intrigued by the romance subplot, but also a bit intimidated by the slow pace.
1980s, rock n roll, coming of age, deep in the closet, sex (mostly fade-to-black)
I spoiled myself a little bit by checking out the reviews to find out who the love interest is, so now I'm intrigued by the romance subplot, but also a bit intimidated by the slow pace.
October 27, 2024
Thank you to Goodreads for the free e-book.
I feel like the blurb for this book was talking about the series as a whole, because it felt like absolutely nothing happened in this book. I had to speed read through half of a chapter to move things along, none of the characters felt likable.
I feel like the blurb for this book was talking about the series as a whole, because it felt like absolutely nothing happened in this book. I had to speed read through half of a chapter to move things along, none of the characters felt likable.
could-not-finish
September 30, 2019CNF 2/10/17. Try again later. I think I own most of the series.
March 30, 2021
Pretty good.
March 14, 2024
3.5 stars
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