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Seth
Wood, Roy F.
249 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 5, 2011
A little sappy, romantic, and a little heavy on spirituality, but a good love story
April 16, 2022
“SWEETER FOR ME”
Roy F. Wood’s Seth, his only novel, published posthumously in 1987, a year after he was lost to AIDS, is a robust, romantic love story between two young men. Seth is set in the same area of rural Georgia as the stories in Wood’s Restless Rednecks: Gay Tales of the Changing South. An unattributed quote from a review of Seth that appears on the back cover of the book accurately describes the novel as “a combination of sweetness and big-shouldered masculinity without a trace of false bravado.”
Similar to the narrators and protagonists of Restless Rednecks, Keith Wilson and Seth Rawson, the main characters in Seth, are loners. In simplistic terms, Seth is the jock and Keith is the bookworm. They grow up together and develop an inseparable bond, both emotional and sexual, that neither one is willing to give up, no matter what obstacles may threaten it.
This quote is from Keith’s perspective: “Seth always had been around when Keith needed him. He was, in order: friend, brother, lover. . . Keith could not envision any life without Seth Rawson.“ This quote is from Seth’s point of view: “[Seth] knew all their lives he would have to reassure and reaffirm his love for Keith . . . Seth sensed both the depth and dependency of Keith’s love for him. He was willing to live with both.” An intriguing element in their relationship is that Keith likes it a little rough and Seth is more than happy to oblige.
Keith and Seth find that it isn’t easy to build a life together in their small town. Keith says to Seth: “I’m disgusted by the snickering and dirty jokes our love elicits. I’m willing to do everything I can to hasten the day we can walk freely, hand-in-hand, down any street in America without some bloody bastard thinking it’s something to laugh at!” When tragedy strikes, Keith, forced to become a fugitive from the law, embarks on a harrowing odyssey.
The only specific cultural reference in the novel is to a song by Joan Baez titled “Sweeter for Me.” This song plays an important role in the story. To say more would reveal spoilers.
Wood handles the longer type of narrative of a novel quite well. His pacing is well-nigh perfect. He keeps the reader in suspense with surprises at every turn. Seth is an absorbing read. It is a welcome alternative to all those big city novels about gay men.
Roy F. Wood’s Seth, his only novel, published posthumously in 1987, a year after he was lost to AIDS, is a robust, romantic love story between two young men. Seth is set in the same area of rural Georgia as the stories in Wood’s Restless Rednecks: Gay Tales of the Changing South. An unattributed quote from a review of Seth that appears on the back cover of the book accurately describes the novel as “a combination of sweetness and big-shouldered masculinity without a trace of false bravado.”
Similar to the narrators and protagonists of Restless Rednecks, Keith Wilson and Seth Rawson, the main characters in Seth, are loners. In simplistic terms, Seth is the jock and Keith is the bookworm. They grow up together and develop an inseparable bond, both emotional and sexual, that neither one is willing to give up, no matter what obstacles may threaten it.
This quote is from Keith’s perspective: “Seth always had been around when Keith needed him. He was, in order: friend, brother, lover. . . Keith could not envision any life without Seth Rawson.“ This quote is from Seth’s point of view: “[Seth] knew all their lives he would have to reassure and reaffirm his love for Keith . . . Seth sensed both the depth and dependency of Keith’s love for him. He was willing to live with both.” An intriguing element in their relationship is that Keith likes it a little rough and Seth is more than happy to oblige.
Keith and Seth find that it isn’t easy to build a life together in their small town. Keith says to Seth: “I’m disgusted by the snickering and dirty jokes our love elicits. I’m willing to do everything I can to hasten the day we can walk freely, hand-in-hand, down any street in America without some bloody bastard thinking it’s something to laugh at!” When tragedy strikes, Keith, forced to become a fugitive from the law, embarks on a harrowing odyssey.
The only specific cultural reference in the novel is to a song by Joan Baez titled “Sweeter for Me.” This song plays an important role in the story. To say more would reveal spoilers.
Wood handles the longer type of narrative of a novel quite well. His pacing is well-nigh perfect. He keeps the reader in suspense with surprises at every turn. Seth is an absorbing read. It is a welcome alternative to all those big city novels about gay men.
August 30, 2025
This book was a wonderful read. Roy F. Woods died of AIDS in 1986. Leaving us with a book of short stories as well as this highly enjoyable novel. It is about a pair of lover, Keith Wilson and Seth Rawson who meet as neighboring children and develop a strong bond and love in rural Georgia. This book takes a surprisingly suspenseful turn at about page 80. Oh, and then becomes more of an adventure and murder mystery. Enjoyed every minute of reading this excellent book with well, drawn characters and gave positivity in the face of enormous discrimination. I’m sorry this author passed away without leaving other books, but I did enjoy this one..
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews