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Triad Blood #2
Triad Soul
The law of three is three vampires for a coterie, three demons for a pack, and three wizards for a coven. Those alone or in pairs are vulnerable to the rest. Luc, Anders, and Curtis—vampire, demon, and wizard—sidestepped tradition by binding themselves together.
When something starts brutally killing demons in Ottawa, the three find themselves once again moving among the powers who rule the city from the shadows—this time working with them to try to stop the killings before chaos and blood rule the streets.
Hunting a killer who seems to leave no trace behind, the triad are forced to work with allies they don’t dare trust, powers they barely understand, and for the good of those they already know to be corrupt.
When something starts brutally killing demons in Ottawa, the three find themselves once again moving among the powers who rule the city from the shadows—this time working with them to try to stop the killings before chaos and blood rule the streets.
Hunting a killer who seems to leave no trace behind, the triad are forced to work with allies they don’t dare trust, powers they barely understand, and for the good of those they already know to be corrupt.
315 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2017
5 people are currently reading
174 people want to read
About the author
'Nathan Burgoine
50 books463 followers'Nathan Burgoine grew up a reader and studied literature in university while making a living as a bookseller. His first published short story was "Heart" in the collection Fool for Love: New Gay Fiction. Since then, he has had dozens of short stories published, and despite being "the tall queer guy who writes mosly shorter queer fictions" novels have happened between the novellas and short stories.
A cat lover, 'Nathan managed to fall in love and marry Daniel, who is a confirmed dog person. Their ongoing "cat or dog?" détente ended with the rescue and adoption of huskies. They live in Ottawa, Canada, where socialized health care and gay marriage have yet to cause the sky to cave in.
You can find 'Nathan on the web at nathanburgoine.com.
A cat lover, 'Nathan managed to fall in love and marry Daniel, who is a confirmed dog person. Their ongoing "cat or dog?" détente ended with the rescue and adoption of huskies. They live in Ottawa, Canada, where socialized health care and gay marriage have yet to cause the sky to cave in.
You can find 'Nathan on the web at nathanburgoine.com.
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May 23, 2023Edit: May 25th, 2021: Bold Strokes Books is having an "It's Raining Men!" sale on their webstore, with select titles 20% off until May 26th, 2021 at 11:59pm EDT. This includes 'Triad Soul'!
This will take you right to 'Triad Soul' on their webstore.
Hello! It's me, the author, being all authory.
So, Triad Soul launches in June, and I hope y'all enjoy the second novel/sixth outing with the Triad guys (I know that's a bit confusing. They appeared first in a short story, Three and then three more times in short story collections before Triad Blood, but I promise you don't need to read those short fictions first, though if you like gay supernatural erotica, well, there are four short stories with the fellas).
So. Triad Soul. This time they face off against hairy beasties, villainy, the very Families themselves, and Valentine's Day.
That said, if you’re a librarian, a bookseller, a book reviewer, or otherwise book-biz person, you can now request Triad Soul through NetGalley. If you don’t know what NetGalley is, it’s basically a way for authors and publishers to garner some noise pre-release. The e-version of the books is listed there a bit early, in hopes that reviewers and librarians and booksellers might find the next thing they’d love to hand-sell, recommend, or otherwise chat about. It’s a good site, Bront.
For the readers, if you want Triad Soul in your hands as soon as possible (and bless you if that’s you), the best option is to hop on over to the Bold Strokes Books website. You see, Bold Strokes makes all the titles available at the beginning of the month. So come June 1st, Triad Soul is available. It ships. If you’ve pre-ordered an e-book? It downloads. Ka-pow! You have demon, wizard, and vampire goodness in your hot little hand, two weeks ahead of everyone else.
Also, Anders approves of your give-it-to-me-now lifestyle.
And as always—thank you.
This will take you right to 'Triad Soul' on their webstore.
Hello! It's me, the author, being all authory.
So, Triad Soul launches in June, and I hope y'all enjoy the second novel/sixth outing with the Triad guys (I know that's a bit confusing. They appeared first in a short story, Three and then three more times in short story collections before Triad Blood, but I promise you don't need to read those short fictions first, though if you like gay supernatural erotica, well, there are four short stories with the fellas).
So. Triad Soul. This time they face off against hairy beasties, villainy, the very Families themselves, and Valentine's Day.
That said, if you’re a librarian, a bookseller, a book reviewer, or otherwise book-biz person, you can now request Triad Soul through NetGalley. If you don’t know what NetGalley is, it’s basically a way for authors and publishers to garner some noise pre-release. The e-version of the books is listed there a bit early, in hopes that reviewers and librarians and booksellers might find the next thing they’d love to hand-sell, recommend, or otherwise chat about. It’s a good site, Bront.
For the readers, if you want Triad Soul in your hands as soon as possible (and bless you if that’s you), the best option is to hop on over to the Bold Strokes Books website. You see, Bold Strokes makes all the titles available at the beginning of the month. So come June 1st, Triad Soul is available. It ships. If you’ve pre-ordered an e-book? It downloads. Ka-pow! You have demon, wizard, and vampire goodness in your hot little hand, two weeks ahead of everyone else.
Also, Anders approves of your give-it-to-me-now lifestyle.
And as always—thank you.
August 27, 2017
4.5 stars, I loved it. To be honest, prior to this I've read 2 outstanding books by Nathan Burgoine, and I was afraid this one wouldn't be as good. You know, it happens, can't knock it out of the park every time. I'm happy to say that so far, he sure can!
This story has everything, interesting, very individual characters, all with their own fears, insecurities and complications. The writing is great, clean and sharp. The plot is excellent, grabbing your attention and keeping it. I love the para-creatures and the society as it's shown and events in the story unfold. I'm dumbfounded that more people aren't reading this because it's pretty amazing.
I especially love the MCs, Curtis, the young wizard, Anders, the demon and Luc, the vampire. These three, against the rules and expectations of their society, have formed their own triad, a magical group for protection and power. To the great displeasure of many, as no one knows exactly what will come from their unusual blending. This has made them somewhat of a target, so they have to be always a bit on guard. Well, more so than usual. In their world you always have to be on guard.
A dead demon turns up in the city of Ottawa. The shocking thing about it is that there's a body at all, because demons turn to ash when they die. That, and the condition of the body, lead authorities to conclude that magic has to be involved. The heads of the magical families *who are completely shady and very hostile to the coterie Curtis, Luc and Anders have formed* approach the three to investigate the murder. The varied talents the triad possesses gives them an advantage the wizards alone would not have, as well as the fact that the Families don't trust anyone, including each other.
If you're looking for lots of sexytimes, you won't find it here. The book has very little sex or romance and it's not at all explicit. While I might pout a little bit over that *I mean, who wouldn't*, the story genuinely doesn't need it, I never felt that anything is lacking. There is a definite relationship between Curtis, Anders and Luc that is developing as they find their way through their unusual arrangement, and the bond of power between them that grows stronger. But like any relationship, there are fears and worries and things to be worked out. And none of this is the focus of the story, the para-crime they're attempting to solve and their evolving status in the city is. And that's more than ok..
I sincerely hope that this author plans to continue this world because I'm completely captivated by it and our triad and I'm so looking forward to *hopefully* reading more.
This story has everything, interesting, very individual characters, all with their own fears, insecurities and complications. The writing is great, clean and sharp. The plot is excellent, grabbing your attention and keeping it. I love the para-creatures and the society as it's shown and events in the story unfold. I'm dumbfounded that more people aren't reading this because it's pretty amazing.
I especially love the MCs, Curtis, the young wizard, Anders, the demon and Luc, the vampire. These three, against the rules and expectations of their society, have formed their own triad, a magical group for protection and power. To the great displeasure of many, as no one knows exactly what will come from their unusual blending. This has made them somewhat of a target, so they have to be always a bit on guard. Well, more so than usual. In their world you always have to be on guard.
A dead demon turns up in the city of Ottawa. The shocking thing about it is that there's a body at all, because demons turn to ash when they die. That, and the condition of the body, lead authorities to conclude that magic has to be involved. The heads of the magical families *who are completely shady and very hostile to the coterie Curtis, Luc and Anders have formed* approach the three to investigate the murder. The varied talents the triad possesses gives them an advantage the wizards alone would not have, as well as the fact that the Families don't trust anyone, including each other.
If you're looking for lots of sexytimes, you won't find it here. The book has very little sex or romance and it's not at all explicit. While I might pout a little bit over that *I mean, who wouldn't*, the story genuinely doesn't need it, I never felt that anything is lacking. There is a definite relationship between Curtis, Anders and Luc that is developing as they find their way through their unusual arrangement, and the bond of power between them that grows stronger. But like any relationship, there are fears and worries and things to be worked out. And none of this is the focus of the story, the para-crime they're attempting to solve and their evolving status in the city is. And that's more than ok..
I sincerely hope that this author plans to continue this world because I'm completely captivated by it and our triad and I'm so looking forward to *hopefully* reading more.
February 16, 2023
(3.75/5) My feelings on this one were a little more mixed than ‘Triad Blood’, but I still very much enjoyed it.
The best bit continues to be the magical mysteries and the creative use of lore. Here we learn, for example, that not only do werewolves exist but some of them can use wizard magic because werewolves and humans have historically interbred – which makes sense because both those powersets (unlike, say, vampirism) are genetically transmitted. And I loved seeing my favorite nerdy wizard Curtis (backed up by Luc and Anders) doing magical CSI work to try and figure out who the skin-snatching serial killer is. I’d also been wondering how Luc would handle being Duc of the Ottowa vampires. He’s very competent at politics, it turns out – though the fact that everyone hated the last leader doesn’t hurt! And Anders gets a few chances to show that he does have a brain under the dude-bro meathead persona he projects, so that was nice.
The relationships between the main characters also continue to develop in a very cute way. The “fast but slow” nature of this might frustrate some readers. For example, Curtis has been living with and sleeping with Luc and Anders for quite some time, they’ve saved each other’s lives multiple times, they’re building a house together…and he’s still anxious about saying “I love you” to them. However, for their unusual situation, the pattern does kind of make sense. And it is clear to the reader that Anders and Luc have a ton of affection for Curtis (and a growing amount for each other), even if the wizard is a tad insecure about it.
Those looking for spice should be aware that there is only one sex scene in this one. I don’t mind that, because I really like the way Burgoine not only puts plot first but also utilizes smut scenes for character development – and includes realistic details like condom usage and why you shouldn’t fall asleep without brushing your teeth if there’s any chance you might want to kiss someone in the morning. This one was no exception. However, I do think the belated-Valentines-celebration epilogue could have been a natural place to give the people more of what they want in that regard – just saying!
Burgoine continues to write really competent, interesting women (especially by the standards of media focused on male platonic or romantic relationships)…which makes it a little frustrating that they don’t get more page time! However, the female members of the group of young wizards who defy their family politics to meet up for “craft night” (LOL) play a more important role in this story than they did in ‘Triad Blood’. So I’m hoping the werewolf lady who is both a respected druid and a PhD-holding wildlife biologist makes a reappearance in later installments, because that’s so frickin’ cool!
The first real minus is probably just a personal taste thing: Too much focus on how hot Anders and other hyper-masculine characters are. Obviously other readers will disagree, but since out of the trio he’s the one who’s 100% not my type, personally I wish there’d been more POV switches with regard to who’s looking lustfully at who.
The other minus is that the writing feels a little more first-draft-like than I remember from the earlier installments, especially in the dialogue sections. Not bad, but unpolished. Of course, that impression could be coming from having read several things with really pretty prose immediately before this!
To finish with another positive, though: This series (unlike, say “Harry Potter”) is very much pro changing-shitty-magical-society-rules, but also realistic about how that is a slow process that requires solidarity/coalition building. And if you think it’s weird that I brought that up regarding this very-much-adult fantasy…this volume in particular makes me think the author has been following the critical re-examination of HP. Not only do we have this “change is good” theme, and the real antagonists typically being those at the top of each magical group, but we get to see here intersections with normal-world prejudices. For instance, there’s a character who is picked on by the wizard Families for not only having an Orphan (AKA “mudblood”) ancestor, but for being mixed-race as well. Also, I like how calling them “the Families” conjures up mafia associations as well as their eugenicsy thinking, because that’s exactly what they are like!
The ending definitely teases a sequel, and I am here for it.
The best bit continues to be the magical mysteries and the creative use of lore. Here we learn, for example, that not only do werewolves exist but some of them can use wizard magic because werewolves and humans have historically interbred – which makes sense because both those powersets (unlike, say, vampirism) are genetically transmitted. And I loved seeing my favorite nerdy wizard Curtis (backed up by Luc and Anders) doing magical CSI work to try and figure out who the skin-snatching serial killer is. I’d also been wondering how Luc would handle being Duc of the Ottowa vampires. He’s very competent at politics, it turns out – though the fact that everyone hated the last leader doesn’t hurt! And Anders gets a few chances to show that he does have a brain under the dude-bro meathead persona he projects, so that was nice.
The relationships between the main characters also continue to develop in a very cute way. The “fast but slow” nature of this might frustrate some readers. For example, Curtis has been living with and sleeping with Luc and Anders for quite some time, they’ve saved each other’s lives multiple times, they’re building a house together…and he’s still anxious about saying “I love you” to them. However, for their unusual situation, the pattern does kind of make sense. And it is clear to the reader that Anders and Luc have a ton of affection for Curtis (and a growing amount for each other), even if the wizard is a tad insecure about it.
Those looking for spice should be aware that there is only one sex scene in this one. I don’t mind that, because I really like the way Burgoine not only puts plot first but also utilizes smut scenes for character development – and includes realistic details like condom usage and why you shouldn’t fall asleep without brushing your teeth if there’s any chance you might want to kiss someone in the morning. This one was no exception. However, I do think the belated-Valentines-celebration epilogue could have been a natural place to give the people more of what they want in that regard – just saying!
Burgoine continues to write really competent, interesting women (especially by the standards of media focused on male platonic or romantic relationships)…which makes it a little frustrating that they don’t get more page time! However, the female members of the group of young wizards who defy their family politics to meet up for “craft night” (LOL) play a more important role in this story than they did in ‘Triad Blood’. So I’m hoping the werewolf lady who is both a respected druid and a PhD-holding wildlife biologist makes a reappearance in later installments, because that’s so frickin’ cool!
The first real minus is probably just a personal taste thing: Too much focus on how hot Anders and other hyper-masculine characters are. Obviously other readers will disagree, but since out of the trio he’s the one who’s 100% not my type, personally I wish there’d been more POV switches with regard to who’s looking lustfully at who.
The other minus is that the writing feels a little more first-draft-like than I remember from the earlier installments, especially in the dialogue sections. Not bad, but unpolished. Of course, that impression could be coming from having read several things with really pretty prose immediately before this!
To finish with another positive, though: This series (unlike, say “Harry Potter”) is very much pro changing-shitty-magical-society-rules, but also realistic about how that is a slow process that requires solidarity/coalition building. And if you think it’s weird that I brought that up regarding this very-much-adult fantasy…this volume in particular makes me think the author has been following the critical re-examination of HP. Not only do we have this “change is good” theme, and the real antagonists typically being those at the top of each magical group, but we get to see here intersections with normal-world prejudices. For instance, there’s a character who is picked on by the wizard Families for not only having an Orphan (AKA “mudblood”) ancestor, but for being mixed-race as well. Also, I like how calling them “the Families” conjures up mafia associations as well as their eugenicsy thinking, because that’s exactly what they are like!
The ending definitely teases a sequel, and I am here for it.
May 25, 2018
„Luc, Anders, and Curtis—vampire, demon, and wizard—sidestepped tradition by binding themselves together.“
Without this sentence in the book synopsis I would have been completely lost. Even with it I struggled to keep the characters and names straight.
Minimal to no set-up or world building. All the characters felt the same. The magic kept reminding me of other UF or PNR I have read. Same old, same old, read this many, many times over.
Everybody else seems to like this, but it is not for me, DNF at 24%, 2 not very sparkly stars.
In a galaxy far, far away I received this free e-copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review, thank you! Sorry that it took me so long. Too many books, too little time. I will try to do better.
Without this sentence in the book synopsis I would have been completely lost. Even with it I struggled to keep the characters and names straight.
Minimal to no set-up or world building. All the characters felt the same. The magic kept reminding me of other UF or PNR I have read. Same old, same old, read this many, many times over.
Everybody else seems to like this, but it is not for me, DNF at 24%, 2 not very sparkly stars.
In a galaxy far, far away I received this free e-copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review, thank you! Sorry that it took me so long. Too many books, too little time. I will try to do better.
July 9, 2017
3,5 Stars
I liked the second book even better than the first part.
Our trio is investigating a mysterious murderer, which turns out to be more and more complicated as the story unfolds. I had my suspicious who might be the bad guy, but with so much magic even I was perplexed at some point.
I liked the way their search went- they didn't just miraculously found the answers they were looking for, but put their minds together, it was fun to see them think and work together as one.
There are side character and that's what they are- on the side, I enjoy it when there isn't too much focus on the minor characters and at some point you wonder why you read about those people.
/ although Mann, the poetry teacher has my interest, I hope to see more of him in the next book too/.
The Families still sit on their high and mighty thrones, although I kind of like them.
Speaking of the characters- Luc is still my favorite one.
" I am your Duc, Luc Lanteigne. Ottawa and much of the area around is mine under the terms of the lignage, as ordered by la reine"
Every time he appeared I felt like pouring myself a glass of wine and listening to whatever he had to say.
Like- come on, I can have a conversation about wine. Hell, I will even learn French if I have to for him.
It's very untypical of me to be so excited about a character/ a vampire at that, as I am not fond of vampire stories / , so dear Nathan Burgoine- please give us more Luc. I really want to see him...more emotional and less untouchable? /I know it will happen, it's there, that's not just my wishful thinking, right? :) /
Curtis finally asked the important question at the end of the book, and with that our boys have a long way to go ahead of them.
So I will patiently wait for the next part. With a glass of wine in my hand.
**Copy kindly provided by NetGalley in exchange of an honest review**
I liked the second book even better than the first part.
Our trio is investigating a mysterious murderer, which turns out to be more and more complicated as the story unfolds. I had my suspicious who might be the bad guy, but with so much magic even I was perplexed at some point.
I liked the way their search went- they didn't just miraculously found the answers they were looking for, but put their minds together, it was fun to see them think and work together as one.
There are side character and that's what they are- on the side, I enjoy it when there isn't too much focus on the minor characters and at some point you wonder why you read about those people.
/ although Mann, the poetry teacher has my interest, I hope to see more of him in the next book too/.
The Families still sit on their high and mighty thrones, although I kind of like them.
Speaking of the characters- Luc is still my favorite one.
" I am your Duc, Luc Lanteigne. Ottawa and much of the area around is mine under the terms of the lignage, as ordered by la reine"
Every time he appeared I felt like pouring myself a glass of wine and listening to whatever he had to say.
Like- come on, I can have a conversation about wine. Hell, I will even learn French if I have to for him.
It's very untypical of me to be so excited about a character/ a vampire at that, as I am not fond of vampire stories / , so dear Nathan Burgoine- please give us more Luc. I really want to see him...more emotional and less untouchable? /I know it will happen, it's there, that's not just my wishful thinking, right? :) /
Curtis finally asked the important question at the end of the book, and with that our boys have a long way to go ahead of them.
So I will patiently wait for the next part. With a glass of wine in my hand.
**Copy kindly provided by NetGalley in exchange of an honest review**
September 27, 2017
I am having so much fun in this series. I always enjoy learning along with and watching characters discover things about themselves, about other characters, about things in their world that can have great impact on their lives.
It all makes me feel like I'm demon-vamp-wizard deep in the thing. Woop!
As much as I enjoyed the first book, Triad Blood, this is an even better story, introducing more characters that all have important roles in this supernatural mystery, and giving us moarrrr about brilliant and brave Curtis, snarky and loyal Anders (my spirit demon, thank you very much), and super strong and innovative Luc.
The personality of each of these people continues to reveal itself, sharing more with us and each other. This whole arrangement, their talents, and the powers they provide are all still new. These guys are still learning how to navigate amongst each other, especially when it comes to emotions and, dare we say, the possibility of love.
Course, one thing about which they're well past the discovery stage is the unquestionable protective drive they feel towards each other.
Oh and yeah, one other thing: their sexual chemistry. Uh huh. In any combo of two or all three, they know how to properly tease, entice, and seduce one another, whatever one's mood or needs in that moment.
Q: Anders’s gripped Curtis’s thigh again, giving him another squeeze. “You still got those camo pants?”
Curtis shifted in his seat. The heat the demon put out was somehow comforting and distracting all at the same time, especially when Anders’s hand had inched a bit closer to the inside of Curtis’s thigh. “I’m driving,” Curtis said. His voice cracked a bit, though, which defeated the stern tone he was going for.
“When we get home,” Anders said. “You put on the pants, and I’ll drive, soldier.”
“You’re insatiable.” Then he grinned. “I like that about you.”/Q
Thas right, we learn more about them than just their demony, vampy, wizardy ways.
For as much as we get in the way of sexy times, the story focuses on the changes happening in this world, the upheaval it causes at both the communal and personal levels. Secrets are kept and revealed. Old ways are ignored and obliterated in favor of a new order or two, or ten. Friendships and family bonds are deepened and tested. All while a killer is having their way, seemingly unstoppable.
I. Gobbled. It. Up. And tried desperately to make it last as long as possible at the same time.
Burgoine's prose travels along at varying speeds, matching the tone of whatever scene is afoot. He's especially good at building full out action, raising the heat and risk and adrenaline, making it difficult to anticipate how it'll all turn out. In other words, he gets the heart a-racing. And I love it!
There are spots where another set of eyes would have likely cut some unnecessary double uses of the same word in a single sentence, or caught a missing letter or word here and there. But, for me, those technicalities don't really hold a demony deuces wild to all that I've described here, along with well-paced meaningful dialogue, a buncha supernatural delish, and emotional consequences grounded by these characters and their struggles.
Oh and the the humor. Anders is especially guilty of making me cackle and snort. Apropos considering his status as my spirit demon, as already noted.
Q: “So we do this,” Anders said.
Curtis smiled at him. “Lie,” he said again.
“Lie.” Luc nodded.
“See?” Anders said. “I have ideas.”/Q
That's a wee amuse-bouche, for I refuse to give away any additional morsels, snacks, and piled high dinner plates of the funnies.
Given the place where things leave off at the end of this yarn, the as of now title of the next book in this series is 10000000% accurate, as well as excitement inducing: "Triad Magic". Bring it on!
It all makes me feel like I'm demon-vamp-wizard deep in the thing. Woop!
As much as I enjoyed the first book, Triad Blood, this is an even better story, introducing more characters that all have important roles in this supernatural mystery, and giving us moarrrr about brilliant and brave Curtis, snarky and loyal Anders (my spirit demon, thank you very much), and super strong and innovative Luc.
The personality of each of these people continues to reveal itself, sharing more with us and each other. This whole arrangement, their talents, and the powers they provide are all still new. These guys are still learning how to navigate amongst each other, especially when it comes to emotions and, dare we say, the possibility of love.
Course, one thing about which they're well past the discovery stage is the unquestionable protective drive they feel towards each other.
Oh and yeah, one other thing: their sexual chemistry. Uh huh. In any combo of two or all three, they know how to properly tease, entice, and seduce one another, whatever one's mood or needs in that moment.
Q: Anders’s gripped Curtis’s thigh again, giving him another squeeze. “You still got those camo pants?”
Curtis shifted in his seat. The heat the demon put out was somehow comforting and distracting all at the same time, especially when Anders’s hand had inched a bit closer to the inside of Curtis’s thigh. “I’m driving,” Curtis said. His voice cracked a bit, though, which defeated the stern tone he was going for.
“When we get home,” Anders said. “You put on the pants, and I’ll drive, soldier.”
“You’re insatiable.” Then he grinned. “I like that about you.”/Q
Thas right, we learn more about them than just their demony, vampy, wizardy ways.
For as much as we get in the way of sexy times, the story focuses on the changes happening in this world, the upheaval it causes at both the communal and personal levels. Secrets are kept and revealed. Old ways are ignored and obliterated in favor of a new order or two, or ten. Friendships and family bonds are deepened and tested. All while a killer is having their way, seemingly unstoppable.
I. Gobbled. It. Up. And tried desperately to make it last as long as possible at the same time.
Burgoine's prose travels along at varying speeds, matching the tone of whatever scene is afoot. He's especially good at building full out action, raising the heat and risk and adrenaline, making it difficult to anticipate how it'll all turn out. In other words, he gets the heart a-racing. And I love it!
There are spots where another set of eyes would have likely cut some unnecessary double uses of the same word in a single sentence, or caught a missing letter or word here and there. But, for me, those technicalities don't really hold a demony deuces wild to all that I've described here, along with well-paced meaningful dialogue, a buncha supernatural delish, and emotional consequences grounded by these characters and their struggles.
Oh and the the humor. Anders is especially guilty of making me cackle and snort. Apropos considering his status as my spirit demon, as already noted.
Q: “So we do this,” Anders said.
Curtis smiled at him. “Lie,” he said again.
“Lie.” Luc nodded.
“See?” Anders said. “I have ideas.”/Q
That's a wee amuse-bouche, for I refuse to give away any additional morsels, snacks, and piled high dinner plates of the funnies.
Given the place where things leave off at the end of this yarn, the as of now title of the next book in this series is 10000000% accurate, as well as excitement inducing: "Triad Magic". Bring it on!
September 2, 2023
'Nathan Burgoine's unikely Ottawa trio continue to delight. Demands close reading at times to keep track of the rapidly shifting politics and large cast of characters, but for those who like a detailed urban fantasy mythos, I can't recommend highly enough.
June 17, 2017
Love Luc, Anders, and Curtis. Love their triad. Can't wait for book 3. Want to turn this into a tv series. Yummy paranormal mystery with sexy gay men. XO author 'Nathan Burgoine.
Read
June 29, 2017There've been a lot of reviews for this up already, so I'm going to keep this short and sweet. Read the book in less than a day. Loved it. Now and again had a few moments where I really had to think back to Triad Blood but for me, that just encourages me to read *it* again.
Fell in love with Curtis again. Not only for his geekness but just his personality. (The Nineteen scene killed me!) Got to see what seemed like more of Anders this time around and for that, I was really happy. And watching Luc settle in to his role and reveal more about his past was a definite treat.
Which brings me around to my feelings about the book. Saw one review that (kinda-but-not-quite) complained on the lack of (let's be frank here) sexy times between the triad. Personally, the shower scene pushed my buttons, but that's just me. I kept that review in mind while I read and came to the conclusion I did with "Lavender Menace," that while it's true the triad featured very heavily in erotic short fiction, their *novels* are not erotica. They're fiction. More actiony in the first one and this one is a whodunit and they just happen to have a bit of sex happening here and there because that's what happens in life. Personally, I was happy to see the boys playing on their strengths and coming into their own in various ways. They took us along for the ride, encouraging us to cheer their victories and worry along with them when the bad things happened. And of course, the ending just opens up a whole other kettle of worms and begs the question of "What's next?"
In conclusion, totally fangirling again. Picked up the book and didn't put it down until I was done. Loved it for the character development and the expansion of the world and I totally look forward to seeing where the triad, and everyone around them, goes next.
Fell in love with Curtis again. Not only for his geekness but just his personality. (The Nineteen scene killed me!) Got to see what seemed like more of Anders this time around and for that, I was really happy. And watching Luc settle in to his role and reveal more about his past was a definite treat.
Which brings me around to my feelings about the book. Saw one review that (kinda-but-not-quite) complained on the lack of (let's be frank here) sexy times between the triad. Personally, the shower scene pushed my buttons, but that's just me. I kept that review in mind while I read and came to the conclusion I did with "Lavender Menace," that while it's true the triad featured very heavily in erotic short fiction, their *novels* are not erotica. They're fiction. More actiony in the first one and this one is a whodunit and they just happen to have a bit of sex happening here and there because that's what happens in life. Personally, I was happy to see the boys playing on their strengths and coming into their own in various ways. They took us along for the ride, encouraging us to cheer their victories and worry along with them when the bad things happened. And of course, the ending just opens up a whole other kettle of worms and begs the question of "What's next?"
In conclusion, totally fangirling again. Picked up the book and didn't put it down until I was done. Loved it for the character development and the expansion of the world and I totally look forward to seeing where the triad, and everyone around them, goes next.
September 21, 2021
So if you love urban fantasy you're going to love this.
I did not get to read the first in the series, so after this I'm going to back peddle and read the first one second.
If it's as good as this one then I'm in for a real treat.
The three main characters team up to solve a mystery. It's weird because I didn't think a vampire, a demon and a wizard could work together. But hey, the author proved me wrong. It works and it works very very well.
It's a great read. My advice give it a go but maybe start at the beginning.
Enjoy!
I did not get to read the first in the series, so after this I'm going to back peddle and read the first one second.
If it's as good as this one then I'm in for a real treat.
The three main characters team up to solve a mystery. It's weird because I didn't think a vampire, a demon and a wizard could work together. But hey, the author proved me wrong. It works and it works very very well.
It's a great read. My advice give it a go but maybe start at the beginning.
Enjoy!
June 8, 2017
I need more...please?
If you read my review for 'Triad Blood' than you'll remember that I freakin' loved that book, it was awesome and I pretty much devoured it. Well I'm happy to say 'Triad Soul' book #2 in this series is every bit as good.
While the first book focused on the Triad that Anders, Curtis and Luc had formed as well as saw them face their first challenge as they battled Renard the Duc of the Ottawa vampires (it's the title they give to the local head vamp) resulting in this position passing on to Luc, even though it wasn't Luc who actually defeated Renard...well not directly our boys are keeping that a secret so that Luc can assume the title of Duc...that's right he's now Duc Luc or Ducky as Anders calls him...I love Anders, he's pretty awesome in my eyes.
Anyways, Anders, Curtis and Luc are working out as a Triad sure they're still finding their way in this new relationship and sometimes Anders and Luc tend to be a little overly protective of Curtis, there's still a definite bond of friendship and trust forming and maybe something a little stronger and all this is great until...yeah, dead bodies start turning up which wouldn't be as troublesome as it is, if the bodies weren't dying under less than normal circumstances and maybe not quite so grisly would be nice too.
It's when the heads of the families (the local witch's covens) step in and ask for their help that their investigation really kicks into high gear and as the body count grows the evidence seems to get more and more confusing.
It's going to take everything they've got as a Triad for them to solve this one and a bit of help from some friends and even some who are less than friends.
I loved the mystery in this one it. I was kept guessing right up until the end just about the time I thought I had things all figured out the author would throw me just enough of a curve to get me second guessing things and it wasn't until the very end that things were revealed and while I came close I didn't quite get the it all figured out.
I have to admit part of the charm of this series for me it definitely the setting...see those pretty buildings on the cover...those are the parliament buildings in Ottawa the nations capital and on a personal level it makes me happy to not only read a book that is set in such a beautiful Canadian city but to see a piece of Canada's heritage featured so beautifully on the cover...what can I say 'I'm a dork' about stuff like this.
While the sex and steam is still fairly low key in this story, it's definitely there and it's growing. While Curtis may be all in on this Anders and Luc are a little slower in stepping up but I have faith in this group and I'm more than ready to see what the author has in store for them.
*******************
An ARC of 'Triad Soul' was graciously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you read my review for 'Triad Blood' than you'll remember that I freakin' loved that book, it was awesome and I pretty much devoured it. Well I'm happy to say 'Triad Soul' book #2 in this series is every bit as good.
While the first book focused on the Triad that Anders, Curtis and Luc had formed as well as saw them face their first challenge as they battled Renard the Duc of the Ottawa vampires (it's the title they give to the local head vamp) resulting in this position passing on to Luc, even though it wasn't Luc who actually defeated Renard...well not directly our boys are keeping that a secret so that Luc can assume the title of Duc...that's right he's now Duc Luc or Ducky as Anders calls him...I love Anders, he's pretty awesome in my eyes.
Anyways, Anders, Curtis and Luc are working out as a Triad sure they're still finding their way in this new relationship and sometimes Anders and Luc tend to be a little overly protective of Curtis, there's still a definite bond of friendship and trust forming and maybe something a little stronger and all this is great until...yeah, dead bodies start turning up which wouldn't be as troublesome as it is, if the bodies weren't dying under less than normal circumstances and maybe not quite so grisly would be nice too.
It's when the heads of the families (the local witch's covens) step in and ask for their help that their investigation really kicks into high gear and as the body count grows the evidence seems to get more and more confusing.
It's going to take everything they've got as a Triad for them to solve this one and a bit of help from some friends and even some who are less than friends.
I loved the mystery in this one it. I was kept guessing right up until the end just about the time I thought I had things all figured out the author would throw me just enough of a curve to get me second guessing things and it wasn't until the very end that things were revealed and while I came close I didn't quite get the it all figured out.
I have to admit part of the charm of this series for me it definitely the setting...see those pretty buildings on the cover...those are the parliament buildings in Ottawa the nations capital and on a personal level it makes me happy to not only read a book that is set in such a beautiful Canadian city but to see a piece of Canada's heritage featured so beautifully on the cover...what can I say 'I'm a dork' about stuff like this.
While the sex and steam is still fairly low key in this story, it's definitely there and it's growing. While Curtis may be all in on this Anders and Luc are a little slower in stepping up but I have faith in this group and I'm more than ready to see what the author has in store for them.
*******************
An ARC of 'Triad Soul' was graciously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 15, 2017
A mystery with three different, bonded supernatural MCs? Sign me up!
Triad Soul was the follow up to Nathan Burgoine’s Triad Blood. In Soul, we see a more firmly established bonded triad between Curtis, the magician, Luc, the vampire, and Liam, the demon. I enjoyed seeing the radically different personalities of the MCs interact and play off one another whilst they worked together to solve a string of murders that threatened the precarious balance of power between the different supernatural communities in the city of Ottowa.
I must confess that I have a crush on Liam, the lust demon. That's why I felt disappointed that I didn't see more of his lusty personality, or behavior in this installment. He's an incubus, show me the goods! True, this book was a thriller that happened to have a trio of gay protagonists, not necessarily a romance novel, but I felt little of that magic that so intrigued me in the first book in the series.
Lack of explicit action aside, the mystery that propelled this story forward held my attention throughout the book. While the first book focused on the vampire coteries, here Burgoine brought us into the make-up and politics of the magical families. Interestingly enough, the insight we glean from Curtis’s POV from interacting with the younger generation of the magical families read like a YA novel. I'm not sure if this was intentional or not, but the writing style decreased the stakes for me in the novel as a whole.
I missed the paranormal connection between the triad. Yes, there were touches of it. Hints of what might happen if Curtis released his full power while renewing their bond at the full moon, but I wanted more.
I wanted more, and I hope that I get it in the next book. That being said, I very much enjoyed this book
**I received a copy of this eBook from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
Triad Soul was the follow up to Nathan Burgoine’s Triad Blood. In Soul, we see a more firmly established bonded triad between Curtis, the magician, Luc, the vampire, and Liam, the demon. I enjoyed seeing the radically different personalities of the MCs interact and play off one another whilst they worked together to solve a string of murders that threatened the precarious balance of power between the different supernatural communities in the city of Ottowa.
I must confess that I have a crush on Liam, the lust demon. That's why I felt disappointed that I didn't see more of his lusty personality, or behavior in this installment. He's an incubus, show me the goods! True, this book was a thriller that happened to have a trio of gay protagonists, not necessarily a romance novel, but I felt little of that magic that so intrigued me in the first book in the series.
Lack of explicit action aside, the mystery that propelled this story forward held my attention throughout the book. While the first book focused on the vampire coteries, here Burgoine brought us into the make-up and politics of the magical families. Interestingly enough, the insight we glean from Curtis’s POV from interacting with the younger generation of the magical families read like a YA novel. I'm not sure if this was intentional or not, but the writing style decreased the stakes for me in the novel as a whole.
I missed the paranormal connection between the triad. Yes, there were touches of it. Hints of what might happen if Curtis released his full power while renewing their bond at the full moon, but I wanted more.
I wanted more, and I hope that I get it in the next book. That being said, I very much enjoyed this book
**I received a copy of this eBook from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
December 18, 2024
I just can't believe how much I'm enjoying this series. This one even had a mystery where I didn't figure out the "bad guy" in the first five minutes! The only bad part is that there isn't another one for me to read right this second.
September 24, 2023
I'm really enjoying this series following three gay men (wizard, vampire and demon) in a sort of polyamorist relationship together (it's complicated... there is magic involved). This book though focuses more on the mystery they are solving then on the relationships, though those are thematized too, not just in the focus most of the time. The mystery was pretty great, which is why I'm not going to really talk about it. I had a hunch and it was right, and I figured some of the things out, but... it was overall very satisfying and well written (meaning you can absolutely read this series for other elements apart from the romance-y bits, actually you might be disappointed with this installment if you read it for the romance-y bits...).
It seemed to me that this book focused on Anders a lot, which... I'm not complaining about because some of the bits were hilarious:
And as an incubus he's also in an interesting predicament where he's literally unable to be monogamous (unless he wants to kill his partner). Which makes for some emotionally charged scenes:
We also get small signs of Anders-Luc relationship changing bit by bit, which I'm so here for, because their relationship in Triad Blood wasn't what I was expecting from Three. They have a sort of rivals to lovers dynamic going on which I would love to see finally unfold and there were signs in this book that we might actually expect that!
But yeah, we saw Luc mostly politicking in this one, which I liked but I could have used more interaction between him and Curtis.
Curtis is obviously the best, I don't think I have to dwell on that for long...
What's kind of surprising to me is how fine I am with the cast of characters being almost fully male. I guess it might be because most of them are gay or otherwise queer, but... yeah. Mackenzie reappears in this book and we also get to see more of Rebekah who turned out to be such an interesting character and I hope we'll see more of her in the next book. We also get to shortly meet werewolf druid, which... yeah, why wasn't she a bigger part of the story again?
One thing though, really pissed me off. And it's such a small detail, that seriously. But... I'm actually kind of upset about it?
It's the "Ms. Rhedey-" Luc started again.
"It's Doctor." scene.
I mean, at this point Luc knows she has a PhD. he thinks about it few sentences before this happens and he still doesn't use her title?! First, it's out of character for Luc who should be good with people and politicking. And second, what is the point of this?! Yes, people "forget" to use titles when talking with women A LOT. That is a thing that happens and it fucking sucks. What was the point here since it didn't serve any commentary?
I'm really enjoying the series and will definitely read the third full book in the series when it comes out next year! I also still have one short-story left from this world, so... I want to remedy that one soon too.
It seemed to me that this book focused on Anders a lot, which... I'm not complaining about because some of the bits were hilarious:
He remembered Curtis's comment about seducing an army base and made a mental note to figure out where the closest barracks might be.
And as an incubus he's also in an interesting predicament where he's literally unable to be monogamous (unless he wants to kill his partner). Which makes for some emotionally charged scenes:
Anders grabbed their cups, following him to the sink.
"Hey," he said. Curtis paused, turning. Anders leaned down and kissed him.
Curtis blushed. "What was that for?"
If I could, it would be you, Anders thought.
We also get small signs of Anders-Luc relationship changing bit by bit, which I'm so here for, because their relationship in Triad Blood wasn't what I was expecting from Three. They have a sort of rivals to lovers dynamic going on which I would love to see finally unfold and there were signs in this book that we might actually expect that!
But yeah, we saw Luc mostly politicking in this one, which I liked but I could have used more interaction between him and Curtis.
Curtis is obviously the best, I don't think I have to dwell on that for long...
What's kind of surprising to me is how fine I am with the cast of characters being almost fully male. I guess it might be because most of them are gay or otherwise queer, but... yeah. Mackenzie reappears in this book and we also get to see more of Rebekah who turned out to be such an interesting character and I hope we'll see more of her in the next book. We also get to shortly meet werewolf druid, which... yeah, why wasn't she a bigger part of the story again?
One thing though, really pissed me off. And it's such a small detail, that seriously. But... I'm actually kind of upset about it?
It's the "Ms. Rhedey-" Luc started again.
"It's Doctor." scene.
I mean, at this point Luc knows she has a PhD. he thinks about it few sentences before this happens and he still doesn't use her title?! First, it's out of character for Luc who should be good with people and politicking. And second, what is the point of this?! Yes, people "forget" to use titles when talking with women A LOT. That is a thing that happens and it fucking sucks. What was the point here since it didn't serve any commentary?
I'm really enjoying the series and will definitely read the third full book in the series when it comes out next year! I also still have one short-story left from this world, so... I want to remedy that one soon too.
June 20, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
Triad Soul is the second book in the Triad Blood series and it is one that I am thoroughly enjoying. Once again I think ‘Nathan Burgoine really excels at creating a fascinating and unique supernatural world full of interesting politics. In this story we delve deeper into the lore of the wizards, demons, and vampires. Between Luc, Anders, and Curtis, we get a window into each of these groups and it is all quite well done. We are also introduced to the werewolves here and it was interesting to see this new supernatural group explored. While the first book focused a lot on the vampires, this one goes deeper into the wizarding world and the leadership of the five Families that oversee the community. There are a lot of politics involved as these groups jostle for position and control. Once again Burgoine makes this political maneuvering interesting and accessible, rather than convoluted, and I was really drawn into the world. I particularly enjoyed seeing more of Curtis’ group of fellow young wizards who represent each of the Families and kind of end around the politics of their older generations to work together and learn from one another.
The mystery element here is nicely twisty and well developed. I didn’t guess who was behind it all, and yet it still all makes sense when we get the big reveal. There are a lot of clever elements here as the guys work to uncover what is really going on, bringing us into politics, magic, and an interesting investigation. So I think the suspense intertwines nicely here with the larger supernatural world building.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
Triad Soul is the second book in the Triad Blood series and it is one that I am thoroughly enjoying. Once again I think ‘Nathan Burgoine really excels at creating a fascinating and unique supernatural world full of interesting politics. In this story we delve deeper into the lore of the wizards, demons, and vampires. Between Luc, Anders, and Curtis, we get a window into each of these groups and it is all quite well done. We are also introduced to the werewolves here and it was interesting to see this new supernatural group explored. While the first book focused a lot on the vampires, this one goes deeper into the wizarding world and the leadership of the five Families that oversee the community. There are a lot of politics involved as these groups jostle for position and control. Once again Burgoine makes this political maneuvering interesting and accessible, rather than convoluted, and I was really drawn into the world. I particularly enjoyed seeing more of Curtis’ group of fellow young wizards who represent each of the Families and kind of end around the politics of their older generations to work together and learn from one another.
The mystery element here is nicely twisty and well developed. I didn’t guess who was behind it all, and yet it still all makes sense when we get the big reveal. There are a lot of clever elements here as the guys work to uncover what is really going on, bringing us into politics, magic, and an interesting investigation. So I think the suspense intertwines nicely here with the larger supernatural world building.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
August 19, 2017
I'm really hoping this becomes a triptych with these characters. This one felt like it was trying to spend more time with the demon and away from the wizard (I don't think it was entirely successful, but it felt like there was an attempt made) and I really like that development. It gives me hope that the next book will expand on that idea.
I also loved the inclusion of people of color and a really obvious example of racism that goes with that. (In my head, Andres was always mixed, so I really appreciated explicitly saying, "this is a black woman")
I know these aren't a romance series, and I'm completely happy with the fact that Catherine characters having sex is included, and that's it's a central part of the character/story arc—the sex that's included helps to make the characters more real and helps to drive the story. A wonderful way to include sex in a story that isn't about sex.
Two things I'm not so keen on are:
Pretty much the default for the demons is that they are succubi/incubi. There are references to other kinds of demons (furies, muses, etc.) but unless specifically stated, demon=sex demon. But, I'm not writing them so I'll take what I can get.
Luc is specifically mentioned as not being perfectly coiffed/manicured in his appearance. For a character who's been established as this being a defining characteristic, I would expect that to be indicative of something. Maybe it will show up in a later book, maybe it was an attempt at making the character more relatable, but to have it pointed out seemed like it was important and then it turned out not to be. But really, at this point in being really picky.
All in all, it was a fun airplane read.
I also loved the inclusion of people of color and a really obvious example of racism that goes with that. (In my head, Andres was always mixed, so I really appreciated explicitly saying, "this is a black woman")
I know these aren't a romance series, and I'm completely happy with the fact that Catherine characters having sex is included, and that's it's a central part of the character/story arc—the sex that's included helps to make the characters more real and helps to drive the story. A wonderful way to include sex in a story that isn't about sex.
Two things I'm not so keen on are:
Pretty much the default for the demons is that they are succubi/incubi. There are references to other kinds of demons (furies, muses, etc.) but unless specifically stated, demon=sex demon. But, I'm not writing them so I'll take what I can get.
Luc is specifically mentioned as not being perfectly coiffed/manicured in his appearance. For a character who's been established as this being a defining characteristic, I would expect that to be indicative of something. Maybe it will show up in a later book, maybe it was an attempt at making the character more relatable, but to have it pointed out seemed like it was important and then it turned out not to be. But really, at this point in being really picky.
All in all, it was a fun airplane read.
June 8, 2017
4 Stars
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.*
This was the second book in the series, and it was just as much fun as the first.
One of the best things is that—you know how when you read a book with multiple POVs, there’s usually one that’s your favorite, and you spend all the time in other POVs just wanting to get back to them? Well, in this series, I enjoy all three POVs (the three characters in the triad) equally. Probably because each character is so likeable. They’re each fun and unique in their own way.
I also, once again, loved the intricacy of the supernatural world, how the magic/supernatural stuff worked, the dynamic between the different species, the politics/hierarchy among each species, etc. It’s well thought-out but always explained in a way that’s understandable.
The mystery was also good and really used all those supernatural intricacies I just mentioned. And I hadn’t guessed who the murderer was, so it kept me stumped.
I am also SO glad Curtis finally asked Luc and Anders what their relationship is because I literally spent the whole book trying to figure that out since it was clear that Curtis had feelings for Luc and Anders and they for him. So there wasn’t any official romance, but there was one M/M sex scene and definitely some potential romance for the series.
Overall, this was a fun, enjoyable book with likeable characters, and I look forward to seeing more of them (and maybe even some romance) in the next one!
Recommended For:
Fans of Book 1 in 'Nathan Burgoine's Triad Blood series. Anyone who likes M/M(/M) urban fantasy, vampires, incubi, wizards, likeable characters, and fun books.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.*
This was the second book in the series, and it was just as much fun as the first.
One of the best things is that—you know how when you read a book with multiple POVs, there’s usually one that’s your favorite, and you spend all the time in other POVs just wanting to get back to them? Well, in this series, I enjoy all three POVs (the three characters in the triad) equally. Probably because each character is so likeable. They’re each fun and unique in their own way.
I also, once again, loved the intricacy of the supernatural world, how the magic/supernatural stuff worked, the dynamic between the different species, the politics/hierarchy among each species, etc. It’s well thought-out but always explained in a way that’s understandable.
The mystery was also good and really used all those supernatural intricacies I just mentioned. And I hadn’t guessed who the murderer was, so it kept me stumped.
I am also SO glad Curtis finally asked Luc and Anders what their relationship is because I literally spent the whole book trying to figure that out since it was clear that Curtis had feelings for Luc and Anders and they for him. So there wasn’t any official romance, but there was one M/M sex scene and definitely some potential romance for the series.
Overall, this was a fun, enjoyable book with likeable characters, and I look forward to seeing more of them (and maybe even some romance) in the next one!
Recommended For:
Fans of Book 1 in 'Nathan Burgoine's Triad Blood series. Anyone who likes M/M(/M) urban fantasy, vampires, incubi, wizards, likeable characters, and fun books.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
October 2, 2017
The Boys are Back in Town:
Curtis, Anders, and Luc are back for a second round in ‘Nathan Burgoine’s Triad series. This time they’re trying to figure out why the bodies of dead demons keep popping up (something both physically and supernaturally impossible) and, more importantly, who’s killing them. More of a mystery than the first novel, Triad Soul has the trio racing across Ottawa to find the killer before they can attack again.
While the whodunit was fun and I had the satisfaction of guessing what was going on (OK, OK, I had a fleeting thought about a single clue, but I’m claiming total credit on that one) it was the continued development of the mythos that kept me hooked through to the end.
I’m not sure if Burgoine had all the ‘rules’ of his magic figured out from the get-go, or if he keeps developing them as needed. Either way, he’s proven to be incredibly adept at it and consistent with how magic and the supernatural work in Ottawa. His rules make sense both individually and collectively as they continue to be revealed -- something not every author easily achieves in fantasy and urban fantasy.
The other thing that really pulled me in is the characters (no big surprise in a Burgoine novel). Not just Anders, Luc, and Curtis, all of whom I’m growing to appreciate more and more with each novel -- but the secondary characters. Some were flushed out from the first novel while others were new, but Burgoine gave each one of them unique life and motivation. Even when he’s writing scenes with talking heads (you know the kind I’m talking about) who could easily blend into nothing more than mush, Burgoine is gifted at making each one of them an individual with their own goals. It was also fun to see at least one, if not two, fellow authors make cameos in the book (and gave me pause to wonder what exactly Burgoine fantasizes about during his long days spent writing…).
The Triad series continues to entertain and surprise. Triad Soul is a worthy sequel. If you like your urban fantasy rich with character and fast on plot, this one’s for you.
Curtis, Anders, and Luc are back for a second round in ‘Nathan Burgoine’s Triad series. This time they’re trying to figure out why the bodies of dead demons keep popping up (something both physically and supernaturally impossible) and, more importantly, who’s killing them. More of a mystery than the first novel, Triad Soul has the trio racing across Ottawa to find the killer before they can attack again.
While the whodunit was fun and I had the satisfaction of guessing what was going on (OK, OK, I had a fleeting thought about a single clue, but I’m claiming total credit on that one) it was the continued development of the mythos that kept me hooked through to the end.
I’m not sure if Burgoine had all the ‘rules’ of his magic figured out from the get-go, or if he keeps developing them as needed. Either way, he’s proven to be incredibly adept at it and consistent with how magic and the supernatural work in Ottawa. His rules make sense both individually and collectively as they continue to be revealed -- something not every author easily achieves in fantasy and urban fantasy.
The other thing that really pulled me in is the characters (no big surprise in a Burgoine novel). Not just Anders, Luc, and Curtis, all of whom I’m growing to appreciate more and more with each novel -- but the secondary characters. Some were flushed out from the first novel while others were new, but Burgoine gave each one of them unique life and motivation. Even when he’s writing scenes with talking heads (you know the kind I’m talking about) who could easily blend into nothing more than mush, Burgoine is gifted at making each one of them an individual with their own goals. It was also fun to see at least one, if not two, fellow authors make cameos in the book (and gave me pause to wonder what exactly Burgoine fantasizes about during his long days spent writing…).
The Triad series continues to entertain and surprise. Triad Soul is a worthy sequel. If you like your urban fantasy rich with character and fast on plot, this one’s for you.
September 14, 2025
so glad werewolves were introduced wooooooo. needed them so bad. love this series. all 3 just are so cohesive and work so well together and I love how some nerdy white guy (curtis) is basically the leader. like anders the freakin hunk of sex and luc who's literally in charge of all the vampires in Ottawa like defer to his leadership and opinion. i felt a bit more confused in this book, i think just because there was literally just so many layers and people involved and the magic was way more convoluted. i dont try to keep up with the minor specifics like what exactly the difference is between a sorcerer or a druid or a witch or what the fuck ever, close enough. i hate that stupid little flirty shit between david and curtis, boy cut that shit out. wondering what the tea between david and anders is hmmmmm. cracking up when in both books they have mentioned curtis' hybrid care like a million times. not much sex (one sex scene) but when there is, ITS GOOD!!!! the chemistry between anders and curtis and him wanting curtis to be able to let go and covering his mouth so his words dont unintentionally carry magical meaning like so beautiful. FINALLY THERE'S SOME DAMN TENSION BETWEEN ANDERS AND LUC. in #3 they better all fuck each other, not just fuck curtis together. ' "You've never been more fuckable than you are right now," Anders said. "Merci," Luc said. ' Just like with the fight with renard in #1, the fall of Wheeler happened fairly quickly, like ended in a blink of an eye. This fight was also very quick, at least with renard it was long and arduous. Literally Luc just trick shot, unfroze anders, and anders snapped his neck in the span of like 2 seconds. I had a hard time keeping track of the family names especially. The Mitchells and the stirlings etc and the people in each family and at the end, I didn't even remember who wheeler was. The whole magic part was cool, cutting off the skin to transform into that creature, goated idea. omg and the little dom/sub relationship anders has with the professor!! ok cray! the ending.... bitch please. dont piss me off except you already damn did. UGH. anders and luc surprise curtis with a damn fancy valentines dinner and you have the audacity to be like *puppy eyes* what are we? bitch what. AND on top of that, literally not letting them respond and tell you they are literally obsessed with you and now i have to wait for #3 for them to say it out loud and i guess be an official throuple instead of just a magical triad????? so unsatisfying and unnecessary.
Quotes:
- ' "It takes effort to heal," Ander said. His chest ached dully, a gnawing emptiness that would only be filled by drawing on lust in whatever way he could. In other words? He was horny as fuck and had the mother of all morning wood. '
- ' Anders released a wave of allure shown the hall ahead of him. Like heat escaping his skin, he felt it brush over the man at the door, who turned to note their approach. The man's pupils widened and his shoulders loosened, but his gaze didnt travel over Ander's body. Not even a little bi, then. Just like the bartenders. Where were all the damn bisexuals in the city? '
- ' "Werewolf again," Anders said. "Not a local pack wolf," Matthew said, giving him another dark look. The kid certainly had a soft spot for werewolves. Maybe he was a furry. '
- ' Luc looked like he belonged on the cover of a romance novel, and Curtis was pretty sure he'd consent to being Luc's kidnapped pregnant princess mistress bride or whatever else Luc wanted, if Luc kept smiling when he asked. '
Quotes:
- ' "It takes effort to heal," Ander said. His chest ached dully, a gnawing emptiness that would only be filled by drawing on lust in whatever way he could. In other words? He was horny as fuck and had the mother of all morning wood. '
- ' Anders released a wave of allure shown the hall ahead of him. Like heat escaping his skin, he felt it brush over the man at the door, who turned to note their approach. The man's pupils widened and his shoulders loosened, but his gaze didnt travel over Ander's body. Not even a little bi, then. Just like the bartenders. Where were all the damn bisexuals in the city? '
- ' "Werewolf again," Anders said. "Not a local pack wolf," Matthew said, giving him another dark look. The kid certainly had a soft spot for werewolves. Maybe he was a furry. '
- ' Luc looked like he belonged on the cover of a romance novel, and Curtis was pretty sure he'd consent to being Luc's kidnapped pregnant princess mistress bride or whatever else Luc wanted, if Luc kept smiling when he asked. '
November 21, 2021
Triad Soul
By ‘Nathan Burgoine
Published by Bold Strokes Books, 2017
Five stars
In this second part of his triad series, Burgoine pushes deeper into the fascinating world he creates. In the author’s fictional version of Ottawa, Canada, paranormal creatures seem to exist in the human world, trying mostly to maintain order within their paranormal communities while not interfering with the world around them.
The action is centered around the titular Triad—an unorthodox bonding among a vampire (Luc), a wizard (Curtis) and a demon (Anders). Outcast within their respective communities for being gay, these three men are not boyfriends, but far more than just friends. Each of them has their species’ powers, but their triad augments their gifts, which both keeps them safe and brings them to the attention of the larger paranormal subgroups from which they have been excluded.
What is particularly affecting about this book’s narrative is its exploration of the increasingly complex relationship among these three men. What began as a hook-up has grown into something like a family, and as the story unfolds, the heightened feelings that Curtis has toward his two triad-mates takes on a central importance. Neither Luc, with his need for human blood, nor Anders, who draws on the energy of lust for his necessary soul-energy, is designed for fidelity or long-term romance. Curtis, a college-age human wizard, wants love the way any human man would. Moreover, he is more powerful than the average wizard, and thus of even more interest to the wizard Families who rejected him and murdered his parents.
Paranormal life in Ottawa becomes more unsettled with the discovery of a demon corpse in a wooded part of the city. The fact that there is a body at all—since demon usually turn to ash upon death—is as disturbing as the fact that the killing seems to have been done by a werewolf—the most elusive and hidden population within the paranormal world.
Luc, Curtis and Anders find themselves called upon by the wizard Families to assist in solving the mystery, and through their intelligence and skill begin to uncover something that frightens all of the paranormal folks. With the demons, wizards, vampires and werewolves all upset about the rising body count, all eyes turn to the Triad to figure things out.
Burgoine is a marvelous writer. His sense of place and character brings a feeling of realism and emotional plausibility to an outlandish story. The Triad ceases to be three paranormal beings, but three familiar guys, each with his quirks and talents, working as a team to make their city a safer place for everyone. The Triad’s compassion for the world and fondness for each other is as important as their magical abilities. Their relationship is what sets them apart—and above, frankly—the rest of their paranormal peers.
How can you not love a demon who bitches about the cold of a Canadian winter—and a powerful wizard who never quite has the right clothes? Luc, an elegant and ancient vampire, in his new position as “duc” of the Ottawa vampire community, finds that he surprises his newly-won subjects simply by being diplomatic and considerate. In a community long dominated by cruelty and selfishness, the nice guy looks not like a fool, but a hero.
The gruesome mystery at the heart of the plot is exciting and well carried out; but it is the ongoing personality of the Triad that carries us forward into the next book. I very much look forward to book 3 in this Triad series.
By ‘Nathan Burgoine
Published by Bold Strokes Books, 2017
Five stars
In this second part of his triad series, Burgoine pushes deeper into the fascinating world he creates. In the author’s fictional version of Ottawa, Canada, paranormal creatures seem to exist in the human world, trying mostly to maintain order within their paranormal communities while not interfering with the world around them.
The action is centered around the titular Triad—an unorthodox bonding among a vampire (Luc), a wizard (Curtis) and a demon (Anders). Outcast within their respective communities for being gay, these three men are not boyfriends, but far more than just friends. Each of them has their species’ powers, but their triad augments their gifts, which both keeps them safe and brings them to the attention of the larger paranormal subgroups from which they have been excluded.
What is particularly affecting about this book’s narrative is its exploration of the increasingly complex relationship among these three men. What began as a hook-up has grown into something like a family, and as the story unfolds, the heightened feelings that Curtis has toward his two triad-mates takes on a central importance. Neither Luc, with his need for human blood, nor Anders, who draws on the energy of lust for his necessary soul-energy, is designed for fidelity or long-term romance. Curtis, a college-age human wizard, wants love the way any human man would. Moreover, he is more powerful than the average wizard, and thus of even more interest to the wizard Families who rejected him and murdered his parents.
Paranormal life in Ottawa becomes more unsettled with the discovery of a demon corpse in a wooded part of the city. The fact that there is a body at all—since demon usually turn to ash upon death—is as disturbing as the fact that the killing seems to have been done by a werewolf—the most elusive and hidden population within the paranormal world.
Luc, Curtis and Anders find themselves called upon by the wizard Families to assist in solving the mystery, and through their intelligence and skill begin to uncover something that frightens all of the paranormal folks. With the demons, wizards, vampires and werewolves all upset about the rising body count, all eyes turn to the Triad to figure things out.
Burgoine is a marvelous writer. His sense of place and character brings a feeling of realism and emotional plausibility to an outlandish story. The Triad ceases to be three paranormal beings, but three familiar guys, each with his quirks and talents, working as a team to make their city a safer place for everyone. The Triad’s compassion for the world and fondness for each other is as important as their magical abilities. Their relationship is what sets them apart—and above, frankly—the rest of their paranormal peers.
How can you not love a demon who bitches about the cold of a Canadian winter—and a powerful wizard who never quite has the right clothes? Luc, an elegant and ancient vampire, in his new position as “duc” of the Ottawa vampire community, finds that he surprises his newly-won subjects simply by being diplomatic and considerate. In a community long dominated by cruelty and selfishness, the nice guy looks not like a fool, but a hero.
The gruesome mystery at the heart of the plot is exciting and well carried out; but it is the ongoing personality of the Triad that carries us forward into the next book. I very much look forward to book 3 in this Triad series.
October 4, 2017
When I finished "Triad Blood" I was very hopeful there would be another book featuring the characters. I was thrilled beyond belief when I heard about "Triad Soul." I waited somewhat patiently for the book to arrive and convinced my book club to read "Triad Blood" in the meantime. I was so pleased when I was finally able to start reading Soul.
All this to say my expectations were high. I have never been disappointed by Burgoine's work....I have yet to read any of his short stories or novellas and not be pleased when finished. Soul was no exception. I enjoyed this so much I have agonized for almost a month before writing this review because I knew it wouldn't convey how much I loved this book. It doesn't seem enough to say, "This book is fantastic! Read it now! The only excuse for not reading it now is that you haven't read the first one yet. (And there is no excuse for that, get reading bub!)"
The interactions between the main characters are wonderful, and Burgoine does an excellent job of making them believable and engaging. You will fall in love with these guys without a doubt. Burgoine doesn't skimp with the secondary characters either. You will find yourself hoping there will be short stories or novellas featuring many of the secondary characters.
There are many things to love about this book. The Firefly references, the plot twists, and world building. The only thing I didn't like is the realization that now I have to wait for the third book. (And that it took me FOREVER to figure out the naming scheme of the books.)
So do yourself a favor and start this series. I don't think you will regret it.
All this to say my expectations were high. I have never been disappointed by Burgoine's work....I have yet to read any of his short stories or novellas and not be pleased when finished. Soul was no exception. I enjoyed this so much I have agonized for almost a month before writing this review because I knew it wouldn't convey how much I loved this book. It doesn't seem enough to say, "This book is fantastic! Read it now! The only excuse for not reading it now is that you haven't read the first one yet. (And there is no excuse for that, get reading bub!)"
The interactions between the main characters are wonderful, and Burgoine does an excellent job of making them believable and engaging. You will fall in love with these guys without a doubt. Burgoine doesn't skimp with the secondary characters either. You will find yourself hoping there will be short stories or novellas featuring many of the secondary characters.
There are many things to love about this book. The Firefly references, the plot twists, and world building. The only thing I didn't like is the realization that now I have to wait for the third book. (And that it took me FOREVER to figure out the naming scheme of the books.)
So do yourself a favor and start this series. I don't think you will regret it.
July 11, 2017
4.5/5.0 Loved the second book of this series! Excellent mystery with an exciting resolution. The characters continue to grow, and the overall story arc is moving forward beautifully. Of the three main characters, Curtis continues to be the focus, while an aura of mystery still surrounds Luc and Anders. There's more to those two! I find that Anders is still my favorite character.
I'm a fan of the writing, the author, and the series. Looking forward to the next installment.
I'm a fan of the writing, the author, and the series. Looking forward to the next installment.
October 26, 2017
I really enjoyed Triad Blood but I totally loved Triad Soul. The rhythm of the story was fantastic and I was glued to the book. And again, some things (usually said or done by Anders) had me howling with laughter. The geeky Easter eggs are gold, too. (Demon in a Jayne hat!)
BOOK THREE NOW, PLEASE!
BOOK THREE NOW, PLEASE!
November 12, 2017
Ok I love urban fantasy and I love novels with gay protagonists, when the two genres meet well let's just say the results ranges from dear gawd no to bleh. This is not that, this is awesome worldbuilding, interesting rounded characters and a believable plot. Where the sex is not added on but actually drives the plot forward. So yeah, write faster dammit
December 23, 2017
Another great novel by Nathan Burgoine. Much like the other books within this series, Triad Soul could be read as a stand alone, but is a wonderful addition to the series. I look forward to the continuation of this series because the characters are fully realized and the plot is always intriguing.
July 22, 2018
A Worthy Sequel
A great return to this triad of queer super naturals and the world around them. Another mystery, and the cast of supporting characters gets bigger, with some great personalities.
A great return to this triad of queer super naturals and the world around them. Another mystery, and the cast of supporting characters gets bigger, with some great personalities.
September 9, 2023
I wasn't sure for awhile there if this would please me, but the end justified ignoring the less than stellar editing. I'm going to read #3 when it comes out, and hope it's on a par with the author's current work.
May 21, 2017
I love these boys! Such fun to spend some in this well thought out, richly imagined world. Sweet, funny and thrilling adventure.
May 27, 2018
This is a fabulous follow-up to Triad Blood. All of the key characters are all the more engaging as we continue to get to know them better. A very believable and exciting alternate Ottawa universe, with some very adorable in jokes for locals, and plenty of adventure, intrigue and magic for everyone.
April 26, 2020
I am loving this series, and I cannot wait for more!
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