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Clockwork Pirate
Alex hid his unnatural attraction to men for many years. That changes when the pirate Beche takes Alex after capturing his ship. At first Alex believes his fate is death and the only question a matter of how he might die. However, the longer he is on the ship, the more he realizes that Beche hates the world because it is unfair in ways Alex never understood. As Alex begins to respect this strong, independent man, Alex’s dormant desires begin to reassert themselves.
Beche hates the titled classes and their government enforcers. They might have outlawed slavery on paper, but they never came to the islands to free him or his family. Since his skin is black, society has little respect for him. Beche expects no more of this latest captive, but soon Beche begins to realize that Alex is a naïve and beautiful man who values family and struggles with his own place in society. That poses an even larger problem because Beche does not want to send Alex back to a world that will mistreat him, but he has no place for a lord on a ship full of pirates.
Beche hates the titled classes and their government enforcers. They might have outlawed slavery on paper, but they never came to the islands to free him or his family. Since his skin is black, society has little respect for him. Beche expects no more of this latest captive, but soon Beche begins to realize that Alex is a naïve and beautiful man who values family and struggles with his own place in society. That poses an even larger problem because Beche does not want to send Alex back to a world that will mistreat him, but he has no place for a lord on a ship full of pirates.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 2, 2015
12 people are currently reading
360 people want to read
About the author
Lyn Gala
47 books1,166 followersLynsey "Lyn" Gala started writing in the back of her science notebook in third grade and hasn’t stopped since. Westerns starring men with shady pasts gave way to science fiction with questionable protagonists which eventually gave in to any story with a morally ambiguous character. Even the purest heroes have pain and loss and darkness in their hearts, and that’s where she likes to find her stories. Her characters seek to better themselves and find the happy ending (or happier anyway), but it’s writing the struggle that inspires her muse. When she isn’t writing, Lyn Gala teaches in New Mexico.
She first cut her teeth on fanfic: gen, slash, het, and femslash. She prefers to focus on plot: mysteries and monsters and disasters, oh my, but sex can and does happen. Some of her stories focus on power exchange, bondage or bdsm. In her worlds, tops and bottoms are all mature, consenting adults. In fact, stories where they aren't squick her badly, so don't expect to find abuse stories in her journal.
She first cut her teeth on fanfic: gen, slash, het, and femslash. She prefers to focus on plot: mysteries and monsters and disasters, oh my, but sex can and does happen. Some of her stories focus on power exchange, bondage or bdsm. In her worlds, tops and bottoms are all mature, consenting adults. In fact, stories where they aren't squick her badly, so don't expect to find abuse stories in her journal.
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March 10, 2015
Playing by their rules and winning.
Profit on the high seas is still a challenge even in the time of airships. Pirates marauding for a share of the wealth being moved along the Golden Triangle. Merchants maximizing their take and investors protecting their positions. Alex attempts to protect his family's much needed income by journeying with the cargo.
Captured. Alexander, Margrave of Mergau's world catastrophically changes when he's taken for ransom. Alex's naiveté is swept away as he grows both personally and his awareness of the world at play. As the spare, he was never trained to be margrave or march lord, and his perceived weaknesses has him shunted to the corners. The lives of all involved are permanently altered.
Beche and Alex are night/day, ying/yang, and fire/water. Neither is prepared for the other though Beche's upbringing and beliefs are far more tolerant. I liked that this didn't rush. Plot driven, the romance was sweet and an underlying thread, but never drove the story. Beche's discussion of love and its various manifestations was quite lovely.
Still!!! Pirates, high seas and danger. Swashbuckling with a dose of reality. Life was not easy. Soft got crushed. And whipping was a common form of feedback in many situations--British naval men weren't called lobsterbacks because of their uniforms, but because of their scarring.
The discussion of African slavery is never easy, and the blunt portrayal of conscripted convict servitude as the new slavery in a post Proclamation time eases the guilt and underscores the truth about the South's economy as fundamentally unsustainable, the desperate, cruel grasping to maintain the plantation system which originated with indentured servitude. *See the Bacon Rebellion to understand how early America adopted its preference for appalling racial based slavery.
The supporting cast of secondary characters are fabulous. Fun, feisty vignettes unto themselves. Philla, eldest and bred to lead until her male siblings came to chance-- interesting twist on primogeniture. Aster, Alex's contriver sister who is a master tinker and the interesting nod to Tesla--hell yeah, that's sexy. Manuel, Fabrice, and Beche are all victims of the plantation system. Different voices about the same problem and the burden they carry from it.
Things are not always as they seem and certainly never as simple. As the characters overcome their prejudices and first impressions, they begin to understand the other's motivations. There is an ongoing discussion of gender (and some racial) politics and how the arbitrary rules are dysfunctional and fail to recognize the inherent motivations of people that have nothing to with the wrapping and everything to do with their being.
Anyway, I'll spare everyone my views on how monotheistic religions set up inflexible binaries that do nothing but damage, propagate intolerance, and unravel under logic. This is a cleverly wrought discussion of a difficult subject. And Hallelujah! Interracial romance that completely ignores stereotypes and tropes. My first impression and rating of this story was 4 stars, but as I thought more about it and wrote this review I can't in good conscience give it less than 5 stars because it is that valuable to me. Intelligent entertainment without didacticism.
Overall, a pathos argument about complexity and fluidity, in which the desperate need to catalog and box things leads to failure, inefficiency, and torture.
Favorite quote:
~~A copy was provided to me for a No Glitter Blown review~~
~~~Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews~~~~
Profit on the high seas is still a challenge even in the time of airships. Pirates marauding for a share of the wealth being moved along the Golden Triangle. Merchants maximizing their take and investors protecting their positions. Alex attempts to protect his family's much needed income by journeying with the cargo.
Captured. Alexander, Margrave of Mergau's world catastrophically changes when he's taken for ransom. Alex's naiveté is swept away as he grows both personally and his awareness of the world at play. As the spare, he was never trained to be margrave or march lord, and his perceived weaknesses has him shunted to the corners. The lives of all involved are permanently altered.
Beche and Alex are night/day, ying/yang, and fire/water. Neither is prepared for the other though Beche's upbringing and beliefs are far more tolerant. I liked that this didn't rush. Plot driven, the romance was sweet and an underlying thread, but never drove the story. Beche's discussion of love and its various manifestations was quite lovely.
Still!!! Pirates, high seas and danger. Swashbuckling with a dose of reality. Life was not easy. Soft got crushed. And whipping was a common form of feedback in many situations--British naval men weren't called lobsterbacks because of their uniforms, but because of their scarring.
The discussion of African slavery is never easy, and the blunt portrayal of conscripted convict servitude as the new slavery in a post Proclamation time eases the guilt and underscores the truth about the South's economy as fundamentally unsustainable, the desperate, cruel grasping to maintain the plantation system which originated with indentured servitude. *See the Bacon Rebellion to understand how early America adopted its preference for appalling racial based slavery.
The supporting cast of secondary characters are fabulous. Fun, feisty vignettes unto themselves. Philla, eldest and bred to lead until her male siblings came to chance-- interesting twist on primogeniture. Aster, Alex's contriver sister who is a master tinker and the interesting nod to Tesla--hell yeah, that's sexy. Manuel, Fabrice, and Beche are all victims of the plantation system. Different voices about the same problem and the burden they carry from it.
Things are not always as they seem and certainly never as simple. As the characters overcome their prejudices and first impressions, they begin to understand the other's motivations. There is an ongoing discussion of gender (and some racial) politics and how the arbitrary rules are dysfunctional and fail to recognize the inherent motivations of people that have nothing to with the wrapping and everything to do with their being.
Anyway, I'll spare everyone my views on how monotheistic religions set up inflexible binaries that do nothing but damage, propagate intolerance, and unravel under logic. This is a cleverly wrought discussion of a difficult subject. And Hallelujah! Interracial romance that completely ignores stereotypes and tropes. My first impression and rating of this story was 4 stars, but as I thought more about it and wrote this review I can't in good conscience give it less than 5 stars because it is that valuable to me. Intelligent entertainment without didacticism.
Overall, a pathos argument about complexity and fluidity, in which the desperate need to catalog and box things leads to failure, inefficiency, and torture.
Favorite quote:
“He will need you later, and he will need to look into your eyes without seeing a reflection of his sins cast back at him."
~~A copy was provided to me for a No Glitter Blown review~~
~~~Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews~~~~
April 15, 2015
Clockwork Pirate is everything I love about steampunk and LG-great gadgets, wildly creative and fantastic characterization. I'm almost starstruck with her range; she's conquered sci-fi, contemporary and now steampunk. If that's not enough to sell you, try this on for size: GFY and a virgin AND interracial AND AND PIRATES! That concoction right there is full of win. The gift that keeps on giving, I tell ya.
The fact that LG chose an interracial relationship in post Civil War America and that she didn't shy away from the race relations topic made it more compelling somehow. Contemporary issues were deftly woven into a steampunk setting with an injection of swashbuckling adventure all working together to make the experience absorbing.
Beche is a product of oppression, yet he wasn't depicted as bitter or vengeful, but judged people individually and has an enormous capacity to forgive which spoke volumes about his character to me. His first mate also happens to be the man who wielded a whip against him at the behest of his monstrous father, and Beche considers him family. I'm not sure most could conjure up the ability to forgive to that extent. Make no mistake though, Beche is a pirate captain and capable of ruthlessness, which is how he meets and captures Alex.
"He is so gentle I fear the world will treat him badly."
Alex is tenderhearted and loyal. He sacrifices himself to save his sisters and his crew then finds himself disturbingly attracted to his captor. You see, Alex's father subjected him to aversion therapy for his urning nature, so the hurt runs deep. What I enjoyed most about Alex's character was the dichotomy. He could easily be mistaken as delicate, but he's got a core of steel. He's not worldly by any means despite his margrave title, and he's somehow managed to retain an almost childlike naivete. His sisters, however, do not share these qualities and they both make for entertaining secondary characters.
"Why would you lie with a man? They're rough and unpleasant." She sat up a little straighter. "Of course, I do not include you in that judgment, but really? A man?" Aster appeared more bewildered than accusatory, and the fear in Alex's chest eased some.
The writing is classic LG. The story is nicely paced, low angst with great characters, enough sexy times to quicken a pulse and outstanding world building. What I found in equal parts puzzling and amusing was the gender labeling thing. I didn't know what to make of it, but, frankly, I found I didn't care because I was enjoying the ride so much.
Cool gadgets are cool.
If LG decided to expand on this book, I would read more from this world.
If steampunk isn't your thing, it's not overpowering. If steampunk is your thing, get on this already!
A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2015
Lyn Gala has written some of my very favorite stories, including Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts and Turbulence. This book is a steampunk historical fantasy, (with no BDSM) and a slow-burn romance, with pirates.
Alex, a young nobleman who is trying to keep his family's finances afloat, is supervising the transport of a cargo overseas to market, when his ship is boarded by pirates. Thinking fast, Alex is able to throw a partial wrench in the pirates' plans, but ends up taken hostage by Beche, the pirate captain. Once onboard the pirate ship, they both face a dilemma. The captain hasn't quite figured out what he wants to do with his prize, since Alex's family has no money for a ransom. His crew would be happy to take their past hurts out on Alex, but Beche does know that he's not willing to see the young, soft nobleman handed over for vengeance.
I liked Beche a lot - he had an interesting past, a unique if sometimes questionable philosophy, and almost enough hardness to plausibly hold his position. Alex was a bit more difficult to connect with, seeming remarkably naive for a man of his age and one who had become head of his family. His passive personality made him less interesting. The emotional/romantic connection between the two men felt fast and a bit inexplicable, especially given Beche's past heterosexuality, and the explanation he gives to convince himself grated on me a bit.
I liked the secondary characters almost more than the MCs. Manuel, Beche's second in command, had the edge Beche needed, and a fascinating conflicted viewpoint. Alex's sisters were great, and their difficulties with, and solutions for, their social positions were interesting. I loved the strong, unique and colorful women in the story. The steampunk setting was imaginative, although it got slightly short shrift, due to much of the story being confined to the romance isolated onboard Beche's ship. I'd love to have seen more development of the world-building and the chance to watch the characters operating within the larger society. This felt a little superficial, perhaps because the romance didn't absorb my attention as much as usual.
Lyn Gala's writing style always makes for smooth, pleasurable reading. I just didn't get absorbed into this one as deeply as some of her other work, but she remains an auto-buy author for me.
Alex, a young nobleman who is trying to keep his family's finances afloat, is supervising the transport of a cargo overseas to market, when his ship is boarded by pirates. Thinking fast, Alex is able to throw a partial wrench in the pirates' plans, but ends up taken hostage by Beche, the pirate captain. Once onboard the pirate ship, they both face a dilemma. The captain hasn't quite figured out what he wants to do with his prize, since Alex's family has no money for a ransom. His crew would be happy to take their past hurts out on Alex, but Beche does know that he's not willing to see the young, soft nobleman handed over for vengeance.
I liked Beche a lot - he had an interesting past, a unique if sometimes questionable philosophy, and almost enough hardness to plausibly hold his position. Alex was a bit more difficult to connect with, seeming remarkably naive for a man of his age and one who had become head of his family. His passive personality made him less interesting. The emotional/romantic connection between the two men felt fast and a bit inexplicable, especially given Beche's past heterosexuality, and the explanation he gives to convince himself grated on me a bit.
I liked the secondary characters almost more than the MCs. Manuel, Beche's second in command, had the edge Beche needed, and a fascinating conflicted viewpoint. Alex's sisters were great, and their difficulties with, and solutions for, their social positions were interesting. I loved the strong, unique and colorful women in the story. The steampunk setting was imaginative, although it got slightly short shrift, due to much of the story being confined to the romance isolated onboard Beche's ship. I'd love to have seen more development of the world-building and the chance to watch the characters operating within the larger society. This felt a little superficial, perhaps because the romance didn't absorb my attention as much as usual.
Lyn Gala's writing style always makes for smooth, pleasurable reading. I just didn't get absorbed into this one as deeply as some of her other work, but she remains an auto-buy author for me.
February 10, 2015
3.5, rounded up because I love how Lyn Gala writes, even if I have issues with the story.
The positives:
I loved Alex and Beche. Alex was so confounding and Beche was intrigued. Their interactions were wonderfully entertaining. The secondary characters also added a lot of color to the story. Philla, Aster, Manuel, Fabrice, even Albert...they all made this story even better.
The steam punk element was well done and I was impressed by all the inventions, the creative details that were shared. I also appreciated how the pirates weren't sanitized. Complex men; violent, but also funny and even loving.
All these positives were tempered by the not so postives:
I was put off by the way issues of racism and misogyny were handled. It felt too simplistic and like I was being hammered with how evil white men were. I'm not explaining this very well, but that part of the story felt heavy handed to me.* I wish those themes had been handled as subtly as the humor, which was delightful :)
My other complaint...there wasn't much in the way of sexy times in this story. Beche and Alex were hot together and I wanted more. Also, even though it was understandable considering his past, Alex's sexual innocence was a little over the top. At least he enjoyed it :)
I'm still considering Beche's philosophy on souls and gender, so I won't comment on that right now.
Overall, I enjoyed Clockwork Pirate. The writing flowed beautifully, the characters kept me entertained and invested in their story, and the steam punk added an interesting element. Even with the not so positives I mentioned, I'd read this again.
*I realize my beloved Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts and Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities both had a similar theme, but it wasn't so overpowering in those stories.
The positives:
I loved Alex and Beche. Alex was so confounding and Beche was intrigued. Their interactions were wonderfully entertaining. The secondary characters also added a lot of color to the story. Philla, Aster, Manuel, Fabrice, even Albert...they all made this story even better.
The steam punk element was well done and I was impressed by all the inventions, the creative details that were shared. I also appreciated how the pirates weren't sanitized. Complex men; violent, but also funny and even loving.
All these positives were tempered by the not so postives:
I was put off by the way issues of racism and misogyny were handled. It felt too simplistic and like I was being hammered with how evil white men were. I'm not explaining this very well, but that part of the story felt heavy handed to me.* I wish those themes had been handled as subtly as the humor, which was delightful :)
My other complaint...there wasn't much in the way of sexy times in this story. Beche and Alex were hot together and I wanted more. Also, even though it was understandable considering his past, Alex's sexual innocence was a little over the top. At least he enjoyed it :)
I'm still considering Beche's philosophy on souls and gender, so I won't comment on that right now.
Overall, I enjoyed Clockwork Pirate. The writing flowed beautifully, the characters kept me entertained and invested in their story, and the steam punk added an interesting element. Even with the not so positives I mentioned, I'd read this again.
*I realize my beloved Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts and Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities both had a similar theme, but it wasn't so overpowering in those stories.
March 14, 2016
Steampunk is not one of my usual genres but that may change. Clockwork Pirate was my second maybe third foray into this genre as well as the writings of this author and I have enjoyed both a great deal. I loved the world building that this author did as well as the character development.
The google definition for the term 'steampunk' is a genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery rather than advanced technology. But what makes this genre so different for me is what the author does with that basic definition and in this case the author chose to take us into the world of pirates. 'Clockwork Pirate' is set in the 1890s and while there are a number of things in this story that didn't exist in the 1890s of our world there are also a number of issues that did. Things such as racial discrimination, gender discrimination, class distinctions that allowed for abuse of power and privilege by the upper class of society and needless to say discrimination based on an individual's sexual orientation. These were not pretty times especially if you were not a male of the upper class with both money and title and even that had it's own challenges and demands creating another type of hell for the individual.
I loved all the gizmos and gadgets created by Beche's friend, Fabrice, and Alex's sister, Aster. I was filled with glee as Philla, Alex's other sister plotted to control her life and be the master of her own destiny and in the end to give that to Alex as well. Most of all I enjoyed watching Beche and Alex go from adversaries to lovers willing to risk it all for the safety of each other and those they care about.
Ms Gala has given us a collection of uniquely interesting characters who have come together largely through circumstances beyond their control and have found that they have more common bonds than they realized. Throughout this story relationships grow and change shifting from enemies to friends, sometimes even lovers. At the end of it all we have an unusual collection of allies working together to give themselves a world where they have more control of their lives than society would otherwise allow.
'Clockwork Pirate' is a swashbuckler, a romance, an adventure and a unique look at what can happen when people are able to see beyond preconceived notions and societal ideals to the heart of a person.
4.5 stars rounded down to 4 here on GR because they still haven't found their 1/2 stars.
The google definition for the term 'steampunk' is a genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery rather than advanced technology. But what makes this genre so different for me is what the author does with that basic definition and in this case the author chose to take us into the world of pirates. 'Clockwork Pirate' is set in the 1890s and while there are a number of things in this story that didn't exist in the 1890s of our world there are also a number of issues that did. Things such as racial discrimination, gender discrimination, class distinctions that allowed for abuse of power and privilege by the upper class of society and needless to say discrimination based on an individual's sexual orientation. These were not pretty times especially if you were not a male of the upper class with both money and title and even that had it's own challenges and demands creating another type of hell for the individual.
I loved all the gizmos and gadgets created by Beche's friend, Fabrice, and Alex's sister, Aster. I was filled with glee as Philla, Alex's other sister plotted to control her life and be the master of her own destiny and in the end to give that to Alex as well. Most of all I enjoyed watching Beche and Alex go from adversaries to lovers willing to risk it all for the safety of each other and those they care about.
Ms Gala has given us a collection of uniquely interesting characters who have come together largely through circumstances beyond their control and have found that they have more common bonds than they realized. Throughout this story relationships grow and change shifting from enemies to friends, sometimes even lovers. At the end of it all we have an unusual collection of allies working together to give themselves a world where they have more control of their lives than society would otherwise allow.
'Clockwork Pirate' is a swashbuckler, a romance, an adventure and a unique look at what can happen when people are able to see beyond preconceived notions and societal ideals to the heart of a person.
4.5 stars rounded down to 4 here on GR because they still haven't found their 1/2 stars.
February 5, 2015
I was reading this as I've been in bed all day with the flu (caught it from my visiting sister, errrgh). Miserable and will go to sleep right now.
But first, I read this because of course, gay pirates! And so I enjoyed it pleasantly enough. I think most people will enjoy this rather well :) I just couldn't help comparing to one of my favorite stories ever with gay pirates,Brethren, which is the absolutely BEST and I totally recommend. But I understand people will be daunted by the length (though I finished in 2 days because I didn't want to put it down).
I really, really enjoyed the first half which focused on Alex's capture by Beche and his pirate crew. I loved the whole captor/prisoner dynamic-the tension between Alex and Beche, between him and the pirate crew. I wanted the rest of the story to be on their developing captor/prisoner relationship and more exciting pirating stuff. With Alex the aristocrat being thrown into the pirate life and slowly becoming part of them, ect. Basically, I was expecting this to be like Brethren....x) So, totally my own fault in having the wrong expectations.
Instead, the second half started involving more of the steampunk aspect by revolving around a rescue attempt with . Plus the relationship between Beche and Alex developed very quickly after that. I kind of needed them to have more positive interactions in order to really believe the it-was-always-love revelation. But considering the story, I tried to just go with the flow. So with all that, the second half didn't grab me as much.
In the end.....3.8 stars? Again, I expect most people who love Lyn Gala or are looking for their gay pirates fix will find this story thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable. And I did for most of it, despite niggles in the 2nd half. Just don't mind me, I'm just feeling sick and crabby...
But first, I read this because of course, gay pirates! And so I enjoyed it pleasantly enough. I think most people will enjoy this rather well :) I just couldn't help comparing to one of my favorite stories ever with gay pirates,Brethren, which is the absolutely BEST and I totally recommend. But I understand people will be daunted by the length (though I finished in 2 days because I didn't want to put it down).
I really, really enjoyed the first half which focused on Alex's capture by Beche and his pirate crew. I loved the whole captor/prisoner dynamic-the tension between Alex and Beche, between him and the pirate crew. I wanted the rest of the story to be on their developing captor/prisoner relationship and more exciting pirating stuff. With Alex the aristocrat being thrown into the pirate life and slowly becoming part of them, ect. Basically, I was expecting this to be like Brethren....x) So, totally my own fault in having the wrong expectations.
Instead, the second half started involving more of the steampunk aspect by revolving around a rescue attempt with . Plus the relationship between Beche and Alex developed very quickly after that. I kind of needed them to have more positive interactions in order to really believe the it-was-always-love revelation. But considering the story, I tried to just go with the flow. So with all that, the second half didn't grab me as much.
In the end.....3.8 stars? Again, I expect most people who love Lyn Gala or are looking for their gay pirates fix will find this story thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable. And I did for most of it, despite niggles in the 2nd half. Just don't mind me, I'm just feeling sick and crabby...
July 9, 2016
3.5 stars
Quite a satisfying tale of a margrave being captured by a swashbuckling African pirate. I admit, I felt it was rather dragging at places, though. Plus Beche's discussion about the man/woman's soul and body was a little too much (= strange) for my taste. However, the characters were alive within these pages from Alex, Beche, to the secondary characters of the ship crews as well as Alex's sisters. The relationship built-up, from the time when Alex was first captured to the very end, was fulfilling.
In addition, I had to give props to Lyn Gala for creating COMPETENT and RESOURCEFUL women here. I have enough of women being portrayed as bitchy or villain-y in M/M romance or the big obstacle for the men to get their true love.
Quite a satisfying tale of a margrave being captured by a swashbuckling African pirate. I admit, I felt it was rather dragging at places, though. Plus Beche's discussion about the man/woman's soul and body was a little too much (= strange) for my taste. However, the characters were alive within these pages from Alex, Beche, to the secondary characters of the ship crews as well as Alex's sisters. The relationship built-up, from the time when Alex was first captured to the very end, was fulfilling.
In addition, I had to give props to Lyn Gala for creating COMPETENT and RESOURCEFUL women here. I have enough of women being portrayed as bitchy or villain-y in M/M romance or the big obstacle for the men to get their true love.
May 6, 2015
Well...I don't know what to say...I was literary blown away by this book!!!
It's hard to point out what I liked the most and why you should read it...Believe me,this book has so many layers that I'm truly confused where to start.But lets start from secondary characters who are extremely well developed,but not to the point that you feel like MCs page-time suffers because of it and you will love them all - Alex's sisters,of whom one is genius inventor and lesbian and the other one is cunning and fierce as any man. Then there are Beche's fellow pirates,Fabrice and Manuel,and Beche himself...you will feel brotherly love between these men and you will sympathize with them and what they've been through and you will understand why they chose to be pirates and you will love them for it!
Storyline of this book followed the pattern that I love the most - build anticipation for half of the book when it reaches its peak and after that point everything cools off so when you reach the end everything is nicely wrapped and there are no loose ends. So in the first half,expect to see how Alex struggles with his life on the pirate ship and how relationship between him and Beach slowly develops. And then hard choices must be made,but our MCs manage to overcome all obstacles thrown in their way with help of the amazing people aforementioned.
Sadly,I must say,this book was weaker when it comes to romance considering its length,and unfortunately,even weaker on some man on man action,but if you read the book (WHICH I STRONGLY RECOMMEND) you will see that's justified...Alex experienced pretty ugly things because of his affection toward men,so it's understandable he's afraid,confused and awkward when it comes to physical interaction.
The only thing I didn't like was the fact that Lilian (Beach's dead wife) was mentioned too much. He compared Alex to her too much (and on too many levels - you'll understand),and it was really irritating at one point. And that is the very reason why I almost always avoid those kind of stories,no matter how intrigued I am by the story. Call me hopeless romantic,but I love when MCs are each other's first great love. But not even that managed to deter me from reading - THIS BOOK WAS JUST THAT GOOD .......so..........
..........READ IT!!!!.........
It's hard to point out what I liked the most and why you should read it...Believe me,this book has so many layers that I'm truly confused where to start.But lets start from secondary characters who are extremely well developed,but not to the point that you feel like MCs page-time suffers because of it and you will love them all - Alex's sisters,of whom one is genius inventor and lesbian and the other one is cunning and fierce as any man. Then there are Beche's fellow pirates,Fabrice and Manuel,and Beche himself...you will feel brotherly love between these men and you will sympathize with them and what they've been through and you will understand why they chose to be pirates and you will love them for it!
Storyline of this book followed the pattern that I love the most - build anticipation for half of the book when it reaches its peak and after that point everything cools off so when you reach the end everything is nicely wrapped and there are no loose ends. So in the first half,expect to see how Alex struggles with his life on the pirate ship and how relationship between him and Beach slowly develops. And then hard choices must be made,but our MCs manage to overcome all obstacles thrown in their way with help of the amazing people aforementioned.
Sadly,I must say,this book was weaker when it comes to romance considering its length,and unfortunately,even weaker on some man on man action,but if you read the book (WHICH I STRONGLY RECOMMEND) you will see that's justified...Alex experienced pretty ugly things because of his affection toward men,so it's understandable he's afraid,confused and awkward when it comes to physical interaction.
The only thing I didn't like was the fact that Lilian (Beach's dead wife) was mentioned too much. He compared Alex to her too much (and on too many levels - you'll understand),and it was really irritating at one point. And that is the very reason why I almost always avoid those kind of stories,no matter how intrigued I am by the story. Call me hopeless romantic,but I love when MCs are each other's first great love. But not even that managed to deter me from reading - THIS BOOK WAS JUST THAT GOOD .......so..........
..........READ IT!!!!.........
Want to read
April 14, 2015Completely missed that there's a new Lyn out, woop!
October 15, 2018
Lyn Gala is a totally underrated author. This book was fantastic. A really different kind of pirate book set in a steampunk world. I expected to get the usually captive falls for his captor plot - the MCs are Beche, a pirate, and Alex, the "lordling" he captures when Alex's ship is taken and while they certainly fall for each other, it was not a Stockholm type situation at all. The MCs are multifaceted and complex and there's adventure and a really sloooow-burn romance and some fantastic secondary characters -- I'd read a book about Alex's sisters in a heartbeat. And I loved how everything worked out in the end. Just wonderful!
March 17, 2015
4.5 stars. This tale surprised me, leading me down the garden path into fascinating unknowns. This is no simple sex romp between a nobleman and a pirate, but a mesmerizing steampunk pirate story that challenges the way you view humanity, sexuality, and the world at large. While I personally hoped for greater sensuality in Beche and Alex’s relationship, the strength of the story came from the respect and trust that built between the two men.
Read the full review at Joyfully Jay.
Read the full review at Joyfully Jay.
March 1, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this read. The characters were likeable, the world-building interesting and well-executed, and the plot unpredictable. I particularly liked how the different perception of gender roles held by various characters wove into the narrative. Yet another unique and absorbing contribution to the m/m genre by Ms. Gala.
February 22, 2015
This book gets huge brownie points for dealing with issues such as women's inheritance rights, gender and racial discrimination, slavery and medical treatments to cure homosexuality in a steampunk Victorian world with two male protagonists. Add in that I quite enjoyed having a PoC with some non-western beliefs about gender and sexuality and you have a winner for me.
December 3, 2015
While this is a good steampunk pirate tale, there are more than a few social issues addressed as well; Slavery, class division, women's rights, trans-sexuality, and homosexuality. It got a bit much. However, I still found it to be a well crafted story with interesting characters and contrivances.
September 4, 2016
Excellent steampunk!
May 7, 2025
4-⭐
This story explores a lot of things about culture and humanity like Lyn Gala always does. There are interesting aspects about gender here, and while some of them are in conflict with the modern base of us defining our own identities, I feel they work in a more historical context, and no one's single view of gender is presented as "the correct one".
I like steampunk but actually found the ingenuity of Aster's contraptions quite implausible. While they're definitely not the only thing where one should suspend their disbelief, I was sort of surprised how much I needed to.
There was also some morally strange things here. While they mostly suit the characters, I just got some of the feeling I get with stories of heroes who kill a bunch of henchmen happily, and then go suddenly all noble and merciful with the big evil boss, who in my opinion is usually the one most "deserving" of death. (This is not really a reference to the events in the end but just the general feeling of how the characters are ready to hurt people or not.)
The writing itself is always good, the characters are wonderfully imperfect, and I did enjoy Beche as MC. It's a bit sad how refreshing historical Black MCs feel. Why are there so few of them?
This is not masterpiece like Claimings series and some other stories, but even being probably the worst Lyn Gala book I've read, it's still pretty damn good. I also found the sexual bits very different from her other books, but they were quite lovely, and a bit funny too.
This story explores a lot of things about culture and humanity like Lyn Gala always does. There are interesting aspects about gender here, and while some of them are in conflict with the modern base of us defining our own identities, I feel they work in a more historical context, and no one's single view of gender is presented as "the correct one".
I like steampunk but actually found the ingenuity of Aster's contraptions quite implausible. While they're definitely not the only thing where one should suspend their disbelief, I was sort of surprised how much I needed to.
There was also some morally strange things here. While they mostly suit the characters, I just got some of the feeling I get with stories of heroes who kill a bunch of henchmen happily, and then go suddenly all noble and merciful with the big evil boss, who in my opinion is usually the one most "deserving" of death. (This is not really a reference to the events in the end but just the general feeling of how the characters are ready to hurt people or not.)
The writing itself is always good, the characters are wonderfully imperfect, and I did enjoy Beche as MC. It's a bit sad how refreshing historical Black MCs feel. Why are there so few of them?
This is not masterpiece like Claimings series and some other stories, but even being probably the worst Lyn Gala book I've read, it's still pretty damn good. I also found the sexual bits very different from her other books, but they were quite lovely, and a bit funny too.
February 28, 2015
Review can be read at It's About The Book
Sadly I didn’t love this one. I enjoy steampunk and have enjoyed books from this author but this one just didn’t click for me. To me this read as more of a historical romance with hints of steampunk. Which happened to be the most interesting parts in my opinion. I do like historical romance so that would have been fine for me if I’d bought into the romance at all. I just never felt it.
Alex is kidnapped after his ship is taken over by a group of pirates led by Beche. Luckily Beche sees something good and intersting in Alex because him and his men do not like Lords or anybody holding titles in society. In this world there is still prejudice for skin color and women aren’t equal. People without titles are at the mercy of those who have it. Some men of power abuse it. The men aboard the ship have all escaped a terrible situation and have revenge in mind when they capture Lords. Alex learns some tough lessons aboard the ship and starts to see just how cruel the world can really be. That the things he knows back in his civilized life aren’t true. It’s an awakening of sorts for Alex. Freedom to be who he really is may mean leaving his family behind.
I never really understood what Beche saw in Alex. I know I was told in the book that he’s got this very kind heart and a unique way of thinking but it never really resonated with me. It’s that telling and seeing thing that had a disconnect. I saw him freaking out a lot and his character frankly annoyed me for a good portion of the book. Beche was pretty interesting until he started his weird speeches about souls which I still don’t really understand. A soft sweet soul means he’s a woman in a man’s body? Huh? Men are only hard? I don’t know if that was just his way of justifying with himself why he was attracted to Alex but for me it was out there and a little offensive. Especially since Beche had a very high opinion of woman in general.
The most interesting characters were the secondary ones. The sisters and their political struggle would make a fascinating read. The sisters were great. Aster is brilliant and I’d have loved to spend some time with her and the ship’s inventor together. Manuel was another one who intrigued me. He’s by no means a good guy but I like it when that line gets sketchy. You like him because he’s honest and loyal to Beche but he’s also done some truly awful things. And would do some of them again if need be.
I just didn’t like any part of this really. The romance just kind of was there one minute. You know it’s probably coming but getting there is supposed to be more satisfying than I found this. I barely cared if they got together or not. The secondary characters kept this from being a total miss for me. Alex was like a huge buzz kill for any hope I had for this couple and Beche’s weird moments kind of turned me off him as well. I just couldn’t get into this one. I may have DNF’d it if I didn’t need to review it.
Sadly I didn’t love this one. I enjoy steampunk and have enjoyed books from this author but this one just didn’t click for me. To me this read as more of a historical romance with hints of steampunk. Which happened to be the most interesting parts in my opinion. I do like historical romance so that would have been fine for me if I’d bought into the romance at all. I just never felt it.
Alex is kidnapped after his ship is taken over by a group of pirates led by Beche. Luckily Beche sees something good and intersting in Alex because him and his men do not like Lords or anybody holding titles in society. In this world there is still prejudice for skin color and women aren’t equal. People without titles are at the mercy of those who have it. Some men of power abuse it. The men aboard the ship have all escaped a terrible situation and have revenge in mind when they capture Lords. Alex learns some tough lessons aboard the ship and starts to see just how cruel the world can really be. That the things he knows back in his civilized life aren’t true. It’s an awakening of sorts for Alex. Freedom to be who he really is may mean leaving his family behind.
I never really understood what Beche saw in Alex. I know I was told in the book that he’s got this very kind heart and a unique way of thinking but it never really resonated with me. It’s that telling and seeing thing that had a disconnect. I saw him freaking out a lot and his character frankly annoyed me for a good portion of the book. Beche was pretty interesting until he started his weird speeches about souls which I still don’t really understand. A soft sweet soul means he’s a woman in a man’s body? Huh? Men are only hard? I don’t know if that was just his way of justifying with himself why he was attracted to Alex but for me it was out there and a little offensive. Especially since Beche had a very high opinion of woman in general.
The most interesting characters were the secondary ones. The sisters and their political struggle would make a fascinating read. The sisters were great. Aster is brilliant and I’d have loved to spend some time with her and the ship’s inventor together. Manuel was another one who intrigued me. He’s by no means a good guy but I like it when that line gets sketchy. You like him because he’s honest and loyal to Beche but he’s also done some truly awful things. And would do some of them again if need be.
I just didn’t like any part of this really. The romance just kind of was there one minute. You know it’s probably coming but getting there is supposed to be more satisfying than I found this. I barely cared if they got together or not. The secondary characters kept this from being a total miss for me. Alex was like a huge buzz kill for any hope I had for this couple and Beche’s weird moments kind of turned me off him as well. I just couldn’t get into this one. I may have DNF’d it if I didn’t need to review it.
July 29, 2020
**grm** (probably some spoilers)
I really liked this book, but I wish there was more romance. I'm not saying that romance wasn't there, but I wanted more scene btw Alex and Beche and an epilogue about them not Philla. The Lady was a smart woman and thanks to her plan, her brother and the pirate will finally be able to have the life they desired, together, but I wanted Alex to be the one to fight and achieve this for him and his lover, not his sister. Alex grew up a lot during the year on Beche's ship and we saw his character change and grow, and I really liked him, but sometimes his personality missed something, and same I could say for Beche. They were hot and cute together, and sure we didn't see a lot of smut, but I dind't mind it and I actually understood why there weren't many sex scenes. Both of them weren't ready yet for more, Alex because his father had tried to cure him from being gay and had kinda traumatized the poor young lord, and Beche because never really thought he would feel this kind of attraction to another man. They were both young one 26 and the other barely 2 years older, and I'm sure they will have plenty of time to be together that way. The thing that made me roll my eyes a bit, were mostly in the first chapters or middle of the book. I didn't like how Beche believed that the soul of a woman was hiding in Alex and that for this reason he tried to treat him like a woman, he didn't understand that he was offending Alex and only when the mangrave became really angry he changed his way of talking, but for sure he still believed that, probably until the end of the book. Another thing I didn't like was how sometimes Alex's personality was one of a brave and smart man, and some other time he seemed an unsure scared puppy, he was way stronger than that, he had survived a lot, and I wish we could have seen more that brave side.
I also wanted to know more about the secondary chars and what they will do now, but like I said, the epilogue was short and all from Lady Philla's POV. We only know that she will try to find a woman for her sister Aster, someone that will love her sister and that will have a fake marriage with Alex. Not a bad idea, but I wish Beche and Alex were the ones to tell us so and maybe to show us more about their lives together.
Ps= I used the tag "both never with a man", but I'm not 100% sure Beche didn't sleep with a man, his way of talking let me believe he never did. And for the people that dont't like M/F in and M/M book, be aware that in the past Beche was married and that Alex was forced by the doctor that tried to "cure" him, to sleep with women(prostitutes).
I really liked this book, but I wish there was more romance. I'm not saying that romance wasn't there, but I wanted more scene btw Alex and Beche and an epilogue about them not Philla. The Lady was a smart woman and thanks to her plan, her brother and the pirate will finally be able to have the life they desired, together, but I wanted Alex to be the one to fight and achieve this for him and his lover, not his sister. Alex grew up a lot during the year on Beche's ship and we saw his character change and grow, and I really liked him, but sometimes his personality missed something, and same I could say for Beche. They were hot and cute together, and sure we didn't see a lot of smut, but I dind't mind it and I actually understood why there weren't many sex scenes. Both of them weren't ready yet for more, Alex because his father had tried to cure him from being gay and had kinda traumatized the poor young lord, and Beche because never really thought he would feel this kind of attraction to another man. They were both young one 26 and the other barely 2 years older, and I'm sure they will have plenty of time to be together that way. The thing that made me roll my eyes a bit, were mostly in the first chapters or middle of the book. I didn't like how Beche believed that the soul of a woman was hiding in Alex and that for this reason he tried to treat him like a woman, he didn't understand that he was offending Alex and only when the mangrave became really angry he changed his way of talking, but for sure he still believed that, probably until the end of the book. Another thing I didn't like was how sometimes Alex's personality was one of a brave and smart man, and some other time he seemed an unsure scared puppy, he was way stronger than that, he had survived a lot, and I wish we could have seen more that brave side.
I also wanted to know more about the secondary chars and what they will do now, but like I said, the epilogue was short and all from Lady Philla's POV. We only know that she will try to find a woman for her sister Aster, someone that will love her sister and that will have a fake marriage with Alex. Not a bad idea, but I wish Beche and Alex were the ones to tell us so and maybe to show us more about their lives together.
Ps= I used the tag "both never with a man", but I'm not 100% sure Beche didn't sleep with a man, his way of talking let me believe he never did. And for the people that dont't like M/F in and M/M book, be aware that in the past Beche was married and that Alex was forced by the doctor that tried to "cure" him, to sleep with women(prostitutes).
September 8, 2015
I truly love/d the series Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts and decided to give this story a chance.
It isn't my typical type of story. In fact, this is my first 'steampunk'. I can also see this somewhat historical, with her own twist to it. Overall, I liked the story. It was refreshing to read something a bit different even without all the sex. I was hesitant to tag sweet no sex shelf on this story, but I might later. The furthest they got was hand/blowjobs.
Alex is the youngest son of a noble family(one that is on the verge of being penniless due to his father and grandfather). He is a Margrave(which is High ranking in status) but he isn't like other high class people. He doesn't put himself up on a pedestal and expect the lower classes to bow down to him. He doesn't see them as animals or slaves. He sees them as people. People who are married, who have children, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers.
He also has been working really hard at suppressing his 'sinful' ways-- his attraction to men. He has been 'brainwashed' to think of it as evil and bad.
Beche is half-black and half-white. His mother was a slave who was raped by the landowner and created him. But it doesn't matter. People judge him by his skin tone, which is black. He and others banded together and became pirates, and they all loathe nobility. They are all the same and he doesn't feel bad about stealing from them and killing them. That is until he meets Alex.
Alex who didn't cower and hide when his ship was attacked by Beche and his crew. Alex who didn't offer up his crew for safety. He worked a deal, where only he'd be taken and his crew would be left alone(and they wouldn't come back for them). It piques Beche's interest. He decided to keep Alex around.
They are opposites but similar too. Neither of them are what the other expected and as time goes by, their relationship shifts to something more.
I enjoyed reading about them and their progress. I liked Alex's sisters and meeting them. The ending was good as we finally watched them both come to terms that they like one another on a romantic level and I love how his sister/s came to help figure out a HFN ending for them.
One thing is I would have enjoyed reading an epilogue with them. But the story does lead off to another book, if the author felt like continuing it on a never story line(and hopefully still have Alex and Beche in it.)
It isn't my typical type of story. In fact, this is my first 'steampunk'. I can also see this somewhat historical, with her own twist to it. Overall, I liked the story. It was refreshing to read something a bit different even without all the sex. I was hesitant to tag sweet no sex shelf on this story, but I might later. The furthest they got was hand/blowjobs.
Alex is the youngest son of a noble family(one that is on the verge of being penniless due to his father and grandfather). He is a Margrave(which is High ranking in status) but he isn't like other high class people. He doesn't put himself up on a pedestal and expect the lower classes to bow down to him. He doesn't see them as animals or slaves. He sees them as people. People who are married, who have children, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers.
He also has been working really hard at suppressing his 'sinful' ways-- his attraction to men. He has been 'brainwashed' to think of it as evil and bad.
Beche is half-black and half-white. His mother was a slave who was raped by the landowner and created him. But it doesn't matter. People judge him by his skin tone, which is black. He and others banded together and became pirates, and they all loathe nobility. They are all the same and he doesn't feel bad about stealing from them and killing them. That is until he meets Alex.
Alex who didn't cower and hide when his ship was attacked by Beche and his crew. Alex who didn't offer up his crew for safety. He worked a deal, where only he'd be taken and his crew would be left alone(and they wouldn't come back for them). It piques Beche's interest. He decided to keep Alex around.
They are opposites but similar too. Neither of them are what the other expected and as time goes by, their relationship shifts to something more.
I enjoyed reading about them and their progress. I liked Alex's sisters and meeting them. The ending was good as we finally watched them both come to terms that they like one another on a romantic level and I love how his sister/s came to help figure out a HFN ending for them.
One thing is I would have enjoyed reading an epilogue with them. But the story does lead off to another book, if the author felt like continuing it on a never story line(and hopefully still have Alex and Beche in it.)
March 17, 2015
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
This tale surprised me, leading me down the garden path into fascinating unknowns. This is no simple sex romp between a nobleman and a pirate, but a mesmerizing steampunk pirate story that challenges the way you view humanity, sexuality, and the world at large.
Alex has an inner duality, shy and silent, and yet willful and opinionated. His father put him through hell when he learned of Alex’s homosexuality. Because of it, he is innocent about a lot of things. But with Beche at his side, challenging him at every step, Alex learns to be brave and to take his first steps into the real world as the man he was always meant to be.
Beche is simpler in many ways, yet way more complex. A former slave who fought for his freedom from brutal hardships, he’s learned to get respect by being a feared pirate. Alex shows him a different course without meaning to. Beche believes that Alex has a woman’s soul in a man’s body, subsequently explaining and justifying his own growing feelings for Alex.
Most of this book is dialogue and long conversations about humanity, sexual identity, ethics, honor, etc. This becomes almost a social study of this fictional, historical steampunk world. This is also a sweet romance, rather than erotica. There are only a few sex scenes, with no anal sex or penetration. I was expecting more sensuality and sex. But mostly the plot is fraught with action and adventure when Beche is apprehended and the plans the others devise to get him free.
Read Susan’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
This tale surprised me, leading me down the garden path into fascinating unknowns. This is no simple sex romp between a nobleman and a pirate, but a mesmerizing steampunk pirate story that challenges the way you view humanity, sexuality, and the world at large.
Alex has an inner duality, shy and silent, and yet willful and opinionated. His father put him through hell when he learned of Alex’s homosexuality. Because of it, he is innocent about a lot of things. But with Beche at his side, challenging him at every step, Alex learns to be brave and to take his first steps into the real world as the man he was always meant to be.
Beche is simpler in many ways, yet way more complex. A former slave who fought for his freedom from brutal hardships, he’s learned to get respect by being a feared pirate. Alex shows him a different course without meaning to. Beche believes that Alex has a woman’s soul in a man’s body, subsequently explaining and justifying his own growing feelings for Alex.
Most of this book is dialogue and long conversations about humanity, sexual identity, ethics, honor, etc. This becomes almost a social study of this fictional, historical steampunk world. This is also a sweet romance, rather than erotica. There are only a few sex scenes, with no anal sex or penetration. I was expecting more sensuality and sex. But mostly the plot is fraught with action and adventure when Beche is apprehended and the plans the others devise to get him free.
Read Susan’s review in its entirety here.
March 30, 2015
3.5 stars
This was a unique story done in a steampunk setting. Alex is a lord of a crumbling home/business. Their tobacco shipments keep getting stolen so he decides to go on the ship with the current one. What he doesn't plan on is getting taken captive by pirates. Fortunately for Alex he gets taken by a pirate who is drawn to him. Beche is a little more honorable than most pirates and he realizes there is something about Alex's gentleness and kindness that appeals to him. Soon Beche's life is at stake and it's up to Alex to save him.
I liked the unique setting this story was set in. The mix of pirates and machinery was really interesting and well done. What a cool world the author set up. I liked both of the main characters. They were very different from each other but you could understand what it was that drew them to each other. The author didn't water down Beche's pirate character. He was a guy who did bad things but he also had a side that loved and cared for his friends and his shipmates. These two were really sweet together. My only complaint was that I would have liked to see them get together a little sooner in the story. This was a very slow burn relationship and there were no sexy times until close to the end of the book.
All in all I found this to be a really creative and different type of story. If you like steampunk you will definately enjoy this. If you haven't tried this genre before this is a great story to start with.
This was a unique story done in a steampunk setting. Alex is a lord of a crumbling home/business. Their tobacco shipments keep getting stolen so he decides to go on the ship with the current one. What he doesn't plan on is getting taken captive by pirates. Fortunately for Alex he gets taken by a pirate who is drawn to him. Beche is a little more honorable than most pirates and he realizes there is something about Alex's gentleness and kindness that appeals to him. Soon Beche's life is at stake and it's up to Alex to save him.
I liked the unique setting this story was set in. The mix of pirates and machinery was really interesting and well done. What a cool world the author set up. I liked both of the main characters. They were very different from each other but you could understand what it was that drew them to each other. The author didn't water down Beche's pirate character. He was a guy who did bad things but he also had a side that loved and cared for his friends and his shipmates. These two were really sweet together. My only complaint was that I would have liked to see them get together a little sooner in the story. This was a very slow burn relationship and there were no sexy times until close to the end of the book.
All in all I found this to be a really creative and different type of story. If you like steampunk you will definately enjoy this. If you haven't tried this genre before this is a great story to start with.
March 24, 2015
In Claimings, Lyn Gala focused on submission and wrote an amazing book, in this book the focus is on male/female - what makes a man a man, a woman a woman - can a man have the soul of a woman? Is a gentle man a real man? This book was thought provoking as well as being a great pirate adventure story. I thoroughly enjoyed it and stayed up way too late last night because I couldn't put it down.
Read
March 17, 2016An overall fun read, but I felt it got bogged down in the end, post-climax. I ended up not finishing around 80-something percent.
November 17, 2015
Five stars for this awesome combination of plot, characters, world building, and hot M/M romance! FULL REVIEW: http://thetbrpile.weebly.com/reviews/...
March 23, 2021
Tw: period typical homophobia, internalized homophobia, references to past conversion therapy, racism
Wonderful characters, fantastic plot, and, as always, a spectacular ending. I can always count on Lyn Gala to deliver a delightful story. The only thing I regret is waiting so long to read this book.
Wonderful characters, fantastic plot, and, as always, a spectacular ending. I can always count on Lyn Gala to deliver a delightful story. The only thing I regret is waiting so long to read this book.
March 24, 2016
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
This is the first steampunk novel I have ever read. It’s a genre I didn’t know much about and had no strong feelings about either way. However, I am a HUGE Lyn Gala fan, especially of her MM Sci-Fi romances, so I was more than happy to give the genre a try. Because of all of this, I cannot even begin to comment as to whether or not Clockwork Pirate is consistent with the steampunk genre because I have nothing to compare it to. What I can say is that I finally understood what it is as the descriptions of Aster’s contrivances enabled me to relate it to the Will Smith movie The Wild Wild West. Eureka! Finally a frame of reference. What I can say about the book is that it is consistent with the previous books of Ms. Gala’s that I have read and so I absolutely loved it.
I quite enjoyed the combination of the lorded class, high seas pirates, and astonishing inventions, even if it was all coupled with the prejudices, severely limited civil rights, and slavery consistent with what I am assuming to be the intended time setting of the 1800s. Much like Beche, I found Alex’s behavior to be uncharacteristic of the British aristocracy. His quick thinking allowed him to activate his sister Aster’s lock changing mechanisms, thus giving him a position from which to negotiate the freedom… of his crew. Alex’s unexpected behavior intrigued Beche enough that he spared Alex’s life. Although it caused Alex some distress, I enjoyed watching Beche come to terms with Alex’s gentle nature and found the womanly spirit discussion quite humorous and apt. What I found extremely intriguing was that while Beche had never before considered being with a man, he did not deny that he was drawn to Alex’s nature. Even though Beche did not fight his attraction for Alex, he did not push it either. Rather he allowed Alex to come to terms with the belief that his father’s “cure” was no longer effective and that there was nothing wrong with a man lying with another man, especially aboard the pirate ship. It is because of this that we are well into the book before there is any sexual intimacy between Beche and Alex and it does not occur until Beche is confident that it is what Alex truly wants. And it’s hot.
Aside from the well-crafted romance aspect of Clockwork Pirate, Ms. Gala does a fantastic job of creating a cast of characters that make up Alex’s family (by blood) and Beche’s family (by choice). Even though Alex’s presence on the pirate ship gradually shifts from captive to unofficial crew, the fact remains that he is being held and the author maintains a serious tone for that portion of the novel. However, when Alex’s sisters reappear in the novel, Ms. Gala infuses hope and humor into the storyline, which serves as subtle cue that Alex’s say over his life has been returned to him and she subsequently lightens the storyline accordingly. I loved Alex’s sisters – Philla for her strength of character and Aster for her intelligence – and I would love, love, love to see Ms. Gala write a sequel or two to this novel to give them their own stories, as well as Fabrice and Manuel. Will I continue to read steampunk? I don’t know. But if Ms. Gala writes it, it’s an automatic yes for me.
This is the first steampunk novel I have ever read. It’s a genre I didn’t know much about and had no strong feelings about either way. However, I am a HUGE Lyn Gala fan, especially of her MM Sci-Fi romances, so I was more than happy to give the genre a try. Because of all of this, I cannot even begin to comment as to whether or not Clockwork Pirate is consistent with the steampunk genre because I have nothing to compare it to. What I can say is that I finally understood what it is as the descriptions of Aster’s contrivances enabled me to relate it to the Will Smith movie The Wild Wild West. Eureka! Finally a frame of reference. What I can say about the book is that it is consistent with the previous books of Ms. Gala’s that I have read and so I absolutely loved it.
I quite enjoyed the combination of the lorded class, high seas pirates, and astonishing inventions, even if it was all coupled with the prejudices, severely limited civil rights, and slavery consistent with what I am assuming to be the intended time setting of the 1800s. Much like Beche, I found Alex’s behavior to be uncharacteristic of the British aristocracy. His quick thinking allowed him to activate his sister Aster’s lock changing mechanisms, thus giving him a position from which to negotiate the freedom… of his crew. Alex’s unexpected behavior intrigued Beche enough that he spared Alex’s life. Although it caused Alex some distress, I enjoyed watching Beche come to terms with Alex’s gentle nature and found the womanly spirit discussion quite humorous and apt. What I found extremely intriguing was that while Beche had never before considered being with a man, he did not deny that he was drawn to Alex’s nature. Even though Beche did not fight his attraction for Alex, he did not push it either. Rather he allowed Alex to come to terms with the belief that his father’s “cure” was no longer effective and that there was nothing wrong with a man lying with another man, especially aboard the pirate ship. It is because of this that we are well into the book before there is any sexual intimacy between Beche and Alex and it does not occur until Beche is confident that it is what Alex truly wants. And it’s hot.
Aside from the well-crafted romance aspect of Clockwork Pirate, Ms. Gala does a fantastic job of creating a cast of characters that make up Alex’s family (by blood) and Beche’s family (by choice). Even though Alex’s presence on the pirate ship gradually shifts from captive to unofficial crew, the fact remains that he is being held and the author maintains a serious tone for that portion of the novel. However, when Alex’s sisters reappear in the novel, Ms. Gala infuses hope and humor into the storyline, which serves as subtle cue that Alex’s say over his life has been returned to him and she subsequently lightens the storyline accordingly. I loved Alex’s sisters – Philla for her strength of character and Aster for her intelligence – and I would love, love, love to see Ms. Gala write a sequel or two to this novel to give them their own stories, as well as Fabrice and Manuel. Will I continue to read steampunk? I don’t know. But if Ms. Gala writes it, it’s an automatic yes for me.
October 25, 2016
Interesting idea but it didn't pan out as I expected so it only gets 2 stars.
I wanted my pirate to be rough and merciless. I wanted adventures on the high seas forcing my heroes to look beyond the appearance and find strength in their bond. But Alex was too soft and so was Beche.
The steampunk elements were nicely woven into the story but I have little experience in the matter to say how good it is or isn't on the whole. Overall, for me, this wasn't one of Lyn Gala's best works but I have plenty others to try.
I wanted my pirate to be rough and merciless. I wanted adventures on the high seas forcing my heroes to look beyond the appearance and find strength in their bond. But Alex was too soft and so was Beche.
The steampunk elements were nicely woven into the story but I have little experience in the matter to say how good it is or isn't on the whole. Overall, for me, this wasn't one of Lyn Gala's best works but I have plenty others to try.
April 11, 2015
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this. I had no idea what Steampunk was and even after consulting Google, I wasn't terribly enlightened. But Lyn Gala doesn't write anything bad and I jumped in. And plowed through it in less than a day. I'm still not sure I can expound on what Steampunk is but I thoroughly enjoyed the book. She managed to cover a lot of ground in this book - Victorian economics, politics and law, women's rights, the nature and gender of souls, Steampunk, anti-gay "cures," and pirates, not to mention a beautiful romance between two unlikely men - and everything came together in a coherent package that's a great read. If you are looking for a book dripping with hot sex, this isn't it. There's a little "steam" between them but I never missed it. The pacing is perfect, not too many historical details to wade through but just enough to set the period. Lots of action and drama interwoven, along with bit of humor. LG certainly did her research - and now I know what a matelotage is.
My advise is not to let the Steampunk label deter you. This is a refreshingly unique book that's a great read with delightful characters.
My advise is not to let the Steampunk label deter you. This is a refreshingly unique book that's a great read with delightful characters.
March 13, 2015
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
Set in an era where taboo abound, Ms. Gala set up an interracial gay love story that feels natural. The progression of the main characters felt real, though a little unsettling at times. I found myself more drawn to the Captain out of all the characters has he has a strong will as do I. I think the surprise for more than anything was the sisters, the bigger one being the older sister, she is a character I would love to see a book written about. Well written story that doesn’t focus on the erotica to move the plotline forward, with a cast of witty characters that I would love to see in other books. A very enjoyable read.
Set in an era where taboo abound, Ms. Gala set up an interracial gay love story that feels natural. The progression of the main characters felt real, though a little unsettling at times. I found myself more drawn to the Captain out of all the characters has he has a strong will as do I. I think the surprise for more than anything was the sisters, the bigger one being the older sister, she is a character I would love to see a book written about. Well written story that doesn’t focus on the erotica to move the plotline forward, with a cast of witty characters that I would love to see in other books. A very enjoyable read.
March 15, 2015
Книга меня разочаровала.
Стимпанк? Скорее просто исторический роман с намеками на стимпанк. И все эти технологические описания и разговоры только утомляли, так как кроме дополнительной информативной нагрузки ничего не несли.
Роман? В описанном общении между героями я не увидела ни страсти, ни предпосылок для зарождения романтических чувств. Дружба да, но не более. И вдруг бац! - под конец книги любовь и страсть в разнообразии. Так сказал автор, и все.
Слишком много разговоров. Одно и тоже мусолится из главы в главу. Очень утомительно (в отличие от разговоров с хвостатым инопланетянином, где это было интересно и по делу).
Главные герои не вызывают симпатии. Лорд со своими тонкими чувствами, и пират со странными идеями о разделении людей на нежных и жестких, на мужские и женские души и необходимости союза противоположностей.
Странно и скучно.
Стимпанк? Скорее просто исторический роман с намеками на стимпанк. И все эти технологические описания и разговоры только утомляли, так как кроме дополнительной информативной нагрузки ничего не несли.
Роман? В описанном общении между героями я не увидела ни страсти, ни предпосылок для зарождения романтических чувств. Дружба да, но не более. И вдруг бац! - под конец книги любовь и страсть в разнообразии. Так сказал автор, и все.
Слишком много разговоров. Одно и тоже мусолится из главы в главу. Очень утомительно (в отличие от разговоров с хвостатым инопланетянином, где это было интересно и по делу).
Главные герои не вызывают симпатии. Лорд со своими тонкими чувствами, и пират со странными идеями о разделении людей на нежных и жестких, на мужские и женские души и необходимости союза противоположностей.
Странно и скучно.
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