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Peridot
Steve is a jeweler who specializes in rare gems. He's a rare gem himself for the 1950s, a bachelor with a certain reputation. Nate, his best friend and business partner, has never had that sort of reputation, so when Steve gets the call that Nate was caught in establishment that caters more to his type, he goes home to see what's up.
Nate's got problems of his own, as well as the most supportive and nosy family a man could ask for. He has things he wants to tell Steve, but will society allow it to happen? Parhelion's Peridot is the tale of an unconventional romance in a very conventional time, full of laughs, tears, and ultimately, friendship.
Words: 14355
Nate's got problems of his own, as well as the most supportive and nosy family a man could ask for. He has things he wants to tell Steve, but will society allow it to happen? Parhelion's Peridot is the tale of an unconventional romance in a very conventional time, full of laughs, tears, and ultimately, friendship.
Words: 14355
34 pages, ebook
First published August 26, 2006
58 people want to read
About the author
Lucius Parhelion
32 books22 followersLucius Parhelion writes both free and published works. His free original work is found here:
http://www.e-fic.com/sundog/original....
and his fan fiction is on Archive of Our Own here:
http://archiveofourown.org/users/Parh...
He is also listed on Goodreads as Parhelion:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
This author is very private - he does not use social media or include an "about the author" blurb on his books.
http://www.e-fic.com/sundog/original....
and his fan fiction is on Archive of Our Own here:
http://archiveofourown.org/users/Parh...
He is also listed on Goodreads as Parhelion:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
This author is very private - he does not use social media or include an "about the author" blurb on his books.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 24, 2011
This was a beautiful story of love and friendship. Told in the first person, it has a depth that I haven't seen in a story lately. Steve Corvey and Nate Jowlett grew up together so when Steve's father dies leaving his Jewelry business to Steve, Nate goes to the Gemological Institute. The two men become business partners. When Nate's wife leaves him, Steve is there for to comfort him even if it means pity sex. I absolutely loved the characters on Steve and Nate who showed that love transcends everything. I recommend this short yet touching story to anyone that has a best friend they treasure.
May 21, 2010
I’ve read a lot of gay short stories since I started in this game, and not many stand out, sad to say, I do have favourites that I return to… but that’s another story…. It generally takes something like a Saki short story to stick in my head.
So the discovery of this little gem (pun not intended but unable to avoid) was a nice surprise. I had no idea who Parhelion is, never heard of him/her before, so I had no expectations going into the story – I read it because it was marginally “historical” being set in the 1950’s but actually that wasn’t obvious in the slightest, as it turned out it was being told in flashback. There’s not much actual sense of historical context – other than the masquerade that gay men had to live under (but then, they still do) but once I’d read a couple of pages I didn’t particularly care.
Basically, it’s the story of Steve Corvey, who – although he has aspirations to cut loose and travel the world – is forced through circumstances to take over his father’s jewellery store in a small town in California, and becomes entangled with an extraordinary extended family called the Jowletts and ends up staying in the small town. He takes on and sponsors a young man called Nate – who he admits that he does not feel attracted to at all – but who over the years becomes his best friend and eventually his business partner. Having a partner enables Steve to travel and to indulge in sexual activities he’s unable to do in his small town. So when in Burma on a buying trip/sexual holiday he gets a call that Nate’s in trouble, he flies home to do what he can to help, unaware that the trip will change his life.
I can’t say more than that, but please, if you haven’t read this, I highly recommend it. It’s well written, thoughtful, unexpected and has a real resonance that will (should) hang with you for days after you’ve read it.
The only thing that disappointed me was that at 14,500 words it’s just too short. There is material in this for a full-scale novel, there’s so much richness and back story half hinted at – and the Jowletts alone could easily fill a book by themselves.
However despite the truly TRULY awful cover, this little tale is reminiscent of “Winter of our Discontent” by Steinbeck and as that’s one of my favourite books of all time, that’s a big thumbs up for me. If you like your homoerotica to be tinged with angst and internalisation, then you’ll love this.
So the discovery of this little gem (pun not intended but unable to avoid) was a nice surprise. I had no idea who Parhelion is, never heard of him/her before, so I had no expectations going into the story – I read it because it was marginally “historical” being set in the 1950’s but actually that wasn’t obvious in the slightest, as it turned out it was being told in flashback. There’s not much actual sense of historical context – other than the masquerade that gay men had to live under (but then, they still do) but once I’d read a couple of pages I didn’t particularly care.
Basically, it’s the story of Steve Corvey, who – although he has aspirations to cut loose and travel the world – is forced through circumstances to take over his father’s jewellery store in a small town in California, and becomes entangled with an extraordinary extended family called the Jowletts and ends up staying in the small town. He takes on and sponsors a young man called Nate – who he admits that he does not feel attracted to at all – but who over the years becomes his best friend and eventually his business partner. Having a partner enables Steve to travel and to indulge in sexual activities he’s unable to do in his small town. So when in Burma on a buying trip/sexual holiday he gets a call that Nate’s in trouble, he flies home to do what he can to help, unaware that the trip will change his life.
I can’t say more than that, but please, if you haven’t read this, I highly recommend it. It’s well written, thoughtful, unexpected and has a real resonance that will (should) hang with you for days after you’ve read it.
The only thing that disappointed me was that at 14,500 words it’s just too short. There is material in this for a full-scale novel, there’s so much richness and back story half hinted at – and the Jowletts alone could easily fill a book by themselves.
However despite the truly TRULY awful cover, this little tale is reminiscent of “Winter of our Discontent” by Steinbeck and as that’s one of my favourite books of all time, that’s a big thumbs up for me. If you like your homoerotica to be tinged with angst and internalisation, then you’ll love this.
October 29, 2009
Peridot is not a long book, but its plot is complex and engaging -- and best of all, surprising. Love does not always take us in the directions we plan, no matter how much we might want it to do so. If you are up for a book that's a little off the beaten path, where the obvious happy ever after ending isn't going to happen -- you'll want to get Peridot.
July 29, 2010
This was a beautiful and enjoyable read.
July 29, 2011
Erastes has written a great review of this story, so I won't repeat what she says.
More than anything, Parhelion has captured the expectations and possibilities available to gay men in the 50's. Remember, sodomy was still illegal in those days. Gay men were reviled as an entity even though individuals may have been accepted by their friends. You know the attitude: "Joe's okay but gay guys in general freak me out."
The same could have been said of black people and muslims in later years.
Some gay men did form lasting relationships, but these were usually in the sophisticated echelons of society in large cities, not in rural US or any country for that matter.
Most gay men never expected to be able to live traditional monogamous lives, so they accepted what they could.
More than anything, Parhelion has captured the expectations and possibilities available to gay men in the 50's. Remember, sodomy was still illegal in those days. Gay men were reviled as an entity even though individuals may have been accepted by their friends. You know the attitude: "Joe's okay but gay guys in general freak me out."
The same could have been said of black people and muslims in later years.
Some gay men did form lasting relationships, but these were usually in the sophisticated echelons of society in large cities, not in rural US or any country for that matter.
Most gay men never expected to be able to live traditional monogamous lives, so they accepted what they could.
July 9, 2011
Lovely. Sigh. Not a romance in the classic sense but romantic nonetheless.
Aftertaste: Bittersweet.
Aftertaste: Bittersweet.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews