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The Kingdom of Ura #5
Monstrous
Where There's Smoke
Lester Phillips, otherwise an average mine worker, begins having visions of where precious minerals and Artefacts are located. His premonitions attract the attention of two less-than-friendly wizards. He must escape the clutches of the pair of them in order to save his life, those of his loved ones, and his compatriots—all as a monster stalks the mines as well.
Where The Heart Is
Trystan Sinclair loses his parents in a snowstorm at the age of eighteen. Now, years later, another monster of a blizzard strikes, and his husband goes missing. Trystan is determined to find his beloved, and get to the root of the ungodly storm that threatens the Hinterlands.
By The Horns
Mather Masters is supposed to get a fae power on his sixteenth birthday, but he unexpectedly transfigures into a faerie instead. Hooves, horns and a tail, he doesn’t think he’s the prettiest picture. In fact, he thinks he looks like a monster. But when Mather’s power gets stolen and used for ill purpose, it’s up to him to regain it, horns and all.
Prometheus
Francois de la Fontaine’s brother was drowned years prior by a monster, and an innocent woman hanged for the crime. But now a new monster aims to strike again, and Francois and his companions must disarm and get to the bottom of the threat, before another innocent life is lost.
Lester Phillips, otherwise an average mine worker, begins having visions of where precious minerals and Artefacts are located. His premonitions attract the attention of two less-than-friendly wizards. He must escape the clutches of the pair of them in order to save his life, those of his loved ones, and his compatriots—all as a monster stalks the mines as well.
Where The Heart Is
Trystan Sinclair loses his parents in a snowstorm at the age of eighteen. Now, years later, another monster of a blizzard strikes, and his husband goes missing. Trystan is determined to find his beloved, and get to the root of the ungodly storm that threatens the Hinterlands.
By The Horns
Mather Masters is supposed to get a fae power on his sixteenth birthday, but he unexpectedly transfigures into a faerie instead. Hooves, horns and a tail, he doesn’t think he’s the prettiest picture. In fact, he thinks he looks like a monster. But when Mather’s power gets stolen and used for ill purpose, it’s up to him to regain it, horns and all.
Prometheus
Francois de la Fontaine’s brother was drowned years prior by a monster, and an innocent woman hanged for the crime. But now a new monster aims to strike again, and Francois and his companions must disarm and get to the bottom of the threat, before another innocent life is lost.
461 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2024
5 people want to read
About the author
Gio Peters
11 books15 followersGio is an avid reader, his favourite genres being fantasy as well as Victorian classics. He combines these two genres in his debut series The Kingdom of Ura, which is a fantasy series set in the equivalent of Victorian/Edwardian era England. He wishes to see more LGBTQIA+ representation in literature, fantasy novels especially, hence the Kingdom of Ura is queer positive, specifically for bisexual and gay men.
He is a mental health advocate, animal lover (yes a vegetarian) and obtained his postgrad in English from the University of Cape Town.
He is a mental health advocate, animal lover (yes a vegetarian) and obtained his postgrad in English from the University of Cape Town.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 23, 2024
Wow, this series is truly a gem and Monstrous might be my favourite so far.
4 stories, all happening in the same universe - the magical Kingdom of Ura- inspired by literature classics set in the same historical period. Loved it!
I was mostly hooked with the first and third stories, but the forth one too, was a great ending to the book.
4 main characters, facing misterious and fantastic adventures involving monstrous creatures, and queer romantic subplots.
As usual, I love Gio's writing, the book structured with dates like journal entries. I can feel here just as well as the rest of the series, that the book carries a great work of historical research, literary background, glossary collection, world building.
Amazing job again and I can't wait for the next story.
4 stories, all happening in the same universe - the magical Kingdom of Ura- inspired by literature classics set in the same historical period. Loved it!
I was mostly hooked with the first and third stories, but the forth one too, was a great ending to the book.
4 main characters, facing misterious and fantastic adventures involving monstrous creatures, and queer romantic subplots.
As usual, I love Gio's writing, the book structured with dates like journal entries. I can feel here just as well as the rest of the series, that the book carries a great work of historical research, literary background, glossary collection, world building.
Amazing job again and I can't wait for the next story.
August 17, 2024
Gio Peters’ Monstrous is a captivating collection of short stories set in the enchanting Kingdom of Ura. Each tale centers on a protagonist who faces a unique challenge, from Lester Phillips, a miner with prophetic visions, to Trystan Sinclair, who braves a monstrous blizzard to find his missing husband. Mather Masters’ transformation into a faerie and Francois de la Fontaine’s quest to avenge his brother’s death both add rich layers to this fantastical world.
What makes Monstrous stand out is its deep exploration of identity, particularly through its LGBTQ+ characters. Peters skillfully weaves themes of discrimination, love, and self-acceptance into each story, creating a narrative that is both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant. The world-building is vivid, the prose enchanting, and the characters unforgettable.
A must-read for fans of inclusive fantasy, Monstrous is a beautifully written journey that challenges conventional notions of what it means to be human—or monstrous. Gio Peters delivers a powerful, engaging addition to the Kingdom of Ura series, making this book a standout in modern fantasy literature.
What makes Monstrous stand out is its deep exploration of identity, particularly through its LGBTQ+ characters. Peters skillfully weaves themes of discrimination, love, and self-acceptance into each story, creating a narrative that is both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant. The world-building is vivid, the prose enchanting, and the characters unforgettable.
A must-read for fans of inclusive fantasy, Monstrous is a beautifully written journey that challenges conventional notions of what it means to be human—or monstrous. Gio Peters delivers a powerful, engaging addition to the Kingdom of Ura series, making this book a standout in modern fantasy literature.
July 22, 2024
A very good read. The shorter stories worked well and were tied together superbly by your themes discussing what it means to be a person or monster, discrimination and fetishisation, and those whom we love and/or trust. Really, really, REALLY well done. There were bountiful tie-ins to previous books in the Kingdom of Ura series, environmental storytelling that captured the context behind the storytelling, and well-put discussions themes of love, sex, identity, and mental health. Readers looking for spicy romance in their fantasy, and lore in their characters’ relationships will enjoy this collection of short stories – the Kingdom of Ura series offers a fantastical world of witches and wizards, fauns and fae, bundled up in a queer positive conversation that brings in fantasy, English literary classics, and philosophy, and ‘Monstrous’ is no exception. A splendid addition to the series – I’d recommend a read if you haven’t already!
April 12, 2024
Another delightful novel from Gio Peters!
The characters are so engaging and pull into their stories right from the start. These are the type of characters that you would love to meet and be friends with. They are all good strong characters just living their lives but find out strong they are really and even turn into heroes. The characters are also LBGTQ and are so interesting and have amazing love stories and romantic scenes.
Set in the Kingdom of Ur in times long ago, they descriptions are beautifully written and paint vivid word pictures that make you feel like you are there. The stories have witches, wizards, monsters, creatures and magic you never dreamed of.
This is such a fun read and very enjoyable. I would highly recommend this book to everyone.
I don't want to give any spoilers so you will just have to get a copy and read it for yourself.
The characters are so engaging and pull into their stories right from the start. These are the type of characters that you would love to meet and be friends with. They are all good strong characters just living their lives but find out strong they are really and even turn into heroes. The characters are also LBGTQ and are so interesting and have amazing love stories and romantic scenes.
Set in the Kingdom of Ur in times long ago, they descriptions are beautifully written and paint vivid word pictures that make you feel like you are there. The stories have witches, wizards, monsters, creatures and magic you never dreamed of.
This is such a fun read and very enjoyable. I would highly recommend this book to everyone.
I don't want to give any spoilers so you will just have to get a copy and read it for yourself.
September 10, 2024
This was the first book that I read by Gio and I must admit that he has now gained a fan!
The fact that Monstrous is split into four standalone stories immediately caught my attention and I was hooked from the first few pages.
Gio masterfully crafted these four stories of love, self acceptance and friendship. The stories are packed with engaging dialogues that keep them flowing. The descriptions and world building are captivating, truly painting a picture right in front of your eyes.
Through these four stories I fell in love with the Kingdom of Ura, the cities that were explored and the palpable magic that filled them.
I loved all of the four stories, each of them for a different reason, but my absolute favorite was the story of Mather (story 3).
Let me know which one will be your favorite!
The fact that Monstrous is split into four standalone stories immediately caught my attention and I was hooked from the first few pages.
Gio masterfully crafted these four stories of love, self acceptance and friendship. The stories are packed with engaging dialogues that keep them flowing. The descriptions and world building are captivating, truly painting a picture right in front of your eyes.
Through these four stories I fell in love with the Kingdom of Ura, the cities that were explored and the palpable magic that filled them.
I loved all of the four stories, each of them for a different reason, but my absolute favorite was the story of Mather (story 3).
Let me know which one will be your favorite!
April 12, 2025
DNF 2% at “I kissed her breast, down to her navel, and latched onto some cunny.” 🤢🤮 absolutely not
I already wasn’t feeling it with the stiff dialogue and awkward phrasings like “despite not never having the need to indulge in gossip” (or is that a typo for “not ever”?) and “The surface’s bounty, no matter how insipid, is preferable to the world’s dark underbelly.“ (he just works in a mine because the pay is good, calm down lady).
I should have stopped when the hetero sex scene started with “Her breasts fell gracefully” followed by “wet nethers” and then possibly the grossest word in the English language. Shit like this is why I prefer MM. going to go find some brain bleach I guess
I already wasn’t feeling it with the stiff dialogue and awkward phrasings like “despite not never having the need to indulge in gossip” (or is that a typo for “not ever”?) and “The surface’s bounty, no matter how insipid, is preferable to the world’s dark underbelly.“ (he just works in a mine because the pay is good, calm down lady).
I should have stopped when the hetero sex scene started with “Her breasts fell gracefully” followed by “wet nethers” and then possibly the grossest word in the English language. Shit like this is why I prefer MM. going to go find some brain bleach I guess
May 14, 2024
"Monstrous" by Gio Peters is an extraordinary journey into a world where magic and humanity collide. As a BIPOC reader, I felt a deep appreciation for the diverse characters and the nuanced exploration of sexuality. The story is rich with emotional depth and compelling characters, making it a standout read. Gio Peters' ability to weave complex relationships and magical elements into a cohesive and engaging narrative is truly remarkable. This book captivated me from start to finish, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fresh and inclusive perspective in fantasy literature.
August 28, 2024
A very readable collection of stories set within a well-developed fantasy world and linked via the supporting character, Grant Porter, a moon witch of great note. Monstrous continually asks the reader to re-evaluate whether concepts such as good/evil, humane/inhumane, virtue and heroism are as clear and defined as we would have them be.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews