What do you think?
Rate this book
Potomac University #2
Covenant
Who will be the first to break?
ADRIAN is on a mission to heal himself from his emotional wounds. Though he is fresh off the “burning sands” of Beta Chi Phi, he suddenly finds himself alone. He sets himself to the task of reconciling with his parents while forging his own path as a newly “out” man on campus – no easy feat when some fraternity brothers still harbor animosity toward him.
ISAIAH is struggling to redefine himself. He is a student, basketball player, and boyfriend to a beautiful young lady. But who does he want to be? Isaiah’s friendship with Adrian awakens new feelings within him – feelings that are both exciting and terrifying.
Over the course of one summer these two men are united as friends - and more. What happens between them is kept secret, even from their closest friends. As they cross each other’s paths on the close-knit campus, they both long to finish what they started during that long, humid summer. Still, they made a promise...
ADRIAN is on a mission to heal himself from his emotional wounds. Though he is fresh off the “burning sands” of Beta Chi Phi, he suddenly finds himself alone. He sets himself to the task of reconciling with his parents while forging his own path as a newly “out” man on campus – no easy feat when some fraternity brothers still harbor animosity toward him.
ISAIAH is struggling to redefine himself. He is a student, basketball player, and boyfriend to a beautiful young lady. But who does he want to be? Isaiah’s friendship with Adrian awakens new feelings within him – feelings that are both exciting and terrifying.
Over the course of one summer these two men are united as friends - and more. What happens between them is kept secret, even from their closest friends. As they cross each other’s paths on the close-knit campus, they both long to finish what they started during that long, humid summer. Still, they made a promise...
- GenresM M RomanceLGBT
240 pages
First published October 28, 2011
4 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
About the author
Rashid Darden
14 books95 followersRashid Darden is an award-winning novelist of the urban LGBT experience, a seasoned leader of black fraternal movements, and a professional educator in alternative schools. He is local to the District of Columbia and Conway, North Carolina.
His books include the Potomac University Series: Lazarus, Covenant, and Epiphany; Yours in the Bond (Men of Beta, Volume I); the Dark Nation Series: Birth of a Dark Nation and Children of Fury; the anthology Time; and The Life and Death of Savion Cortez, a volume of poetry. His short story “Smith & Jones: Young Americans” was first published in 47 – 16 : Short Fiction and Poetry Inspired by David Bowie (Volume I). In 2017, Rashid’s play “Message from ‘The Legba’” was selected as a winner of the OutWrite DC and Theatre Prometheus One Page Play Competition. It was staged in 2018. Rashid won the Elite 25 Award in Literature from Clik Magazine in 2006.
Rashid believes wholeheartedly in living an authentic, intersectional life at all times. He is an out, black gay man who has experienced chaos and order, wealth and poverty, urban bustle, and rural peace. He brings to his novels as well as his own life a sense of thoughtful disruption. Ultimately, he believes in the principles of everyday brotherhood—that is, the parts of ourselves which keep us connected to one another in meaningful ways.
His books include the Potomac University Series: Lazarus, Covenant, and Epiphany; Yours in the Bond (Men of Beta, Volume I); the Dark Nation Series: Birth of a Dark Nation and Children of Fury; the anthology Time; and The Life and Death of Savion Cortez, a volume of poetry. His short story “Smith & Jones: Young Americans” was first published in 47 – 16 : Short Fiction and Poetry Inspired by David Bowie (Volume I). In 2017, Rashid’s play “Message from ‘The Legba’” was selected as a winner of the OutWrite DC and Theatre Prometheus One Page Play Competition. It was staged in 2018. Rashid won the Elite 25 Award in Literature from Clik Magazine in 2006.
Rashid believes wholeheartedly in living an authentic, intersectional life at all times. He is an out, black gay man who has experienced chaos and order, wealth and poverty, urban bustle, and rural peace. He brings to his novels as well as his own life a sense of thoughtful disruption. Ultimately, he believes in the principles of everyday brotherhood—that is, the parts of ourselves which keep us connected to one another in meaningful ways.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 29, 2012
Author Rashid Darden betters himself considerably with Covenant, the sequel to his debut novel Lazarus. In a story that is sweet and sexy, poignant and though-provoking, funny and sad, the author skillfully continues the journey of our young and affable now-out-of-the-closet hero and narrator Adrian Collins as he traverses college life, fraternal brotherhood, family reconciliations, the pain of lost love and the joy of new love.
Adrian, now a sophomore and still healing from his break up with Savion, the handsome Latino poet we met in Lazarus, seems to be handling his business on campus well. He befriends other gay and lesbian schoolmates with dignity, and his frat brothers, for the most part, accept him and his sexuality, although he suffers an on-campus assault by a vicious homophobe, from which a very special friend rescues him.
His on-campus and fraternity challenges are rather lightweight this time around, including a cursory dissertation on the cruelty of hazing. But Adrian’s efforts to straighten out his relationship with a mother who seems to value his scholastic achievements over the bond most sons share with their mom, and a father who attempts to re-enter his life after a twelve-year absence, gives this tight short novel much heft.
However, the book’s great emotional daring-do is Adrian’s relationship with campus basketball star Isaiah, a gorgeous hunk Adrian’s had a crush on since his freshman year. Their friendship, a lesson in brotherhood, is simply beautiful. As we watch their relationship evolve into something much more, something both secretly desire, we admire how they both respect a covenant of restraint I suspect precious few of us are capable of maintaining.
This time around not much really happens plot-wise, and that’s perfectly okay. Most of the action is internal, lifting the story emotionally, even jerking tears with lovely human insights and personal discoveries.
Even the sex scenes are romantic and touching, although they still manage to engender considerable steam, especially a tryst that ends up in a shower.
That the author has chosen to let Adrian tell his tale nonlinearly is another plus. Adrian is a good guy facing a life whose complications any reader can empathize with. As we seldom see the segments of our life stories in chronological order, Adrian too shares with us in the order dictated not by time and place, but by the emotional highs and lows of his heart, constantly trying to make some sense of young manhood and the wonderful frustrating mumble jumble that colors the coming of age process and love’s baffling conundrums.
Covenant is a very sweet ride, simply and touchingly told, and although nitpicker me would have liked a slightly stronger ending, Mr. Darden reminded me of something I’ve always believed, and that is that love truly does conquer all.
Adrian, now a sophomore and still healing from his break up with Savion, the handsome Latino poet we met in Lazarus, seems to be handling his business on campus well. He befriends other gay and lesbian schoolmates with dignity, and his frat brothers, for the most part, accept him and his sexuality, although he suffers an on-campus assault by a vicious homophobe, from which a very special friend rescues him.
His on-campus and fraternity challenges are rather lightweight this time around, including a cursory dissertation on the cruelty of hazing. But Adrian’s efforts to straighten out his relationship with a mother who seems to value his scholastic achievements over the bond most sons share with their mom, and a father who attempts to re-enter his life after a twelve-year absence, gives this tight short novel much heft.
However, the book’s great emotional daring-do is Adrian’s relationship with campus basketball star Isaiah, a gorgeous hunk Adrian’s had a crush on since his freshman year. Their friendship, a lesson in brotherhood, is simply beautiful. As we watch their relationship evolve into something much more, something both secretly desire, we admire how they both respect a covenant of restraint I suspect precious few of us are capable of maintaining.
This time around not much really happens plot-wise, and that’s perfectly okay. Most of the action is internal, lifting the story emotionally, even jerking tears with lovely human insights and personal discoveries.
Even the sex scenes are romantic and touching, although they still manage to engender considerable steam, especially a tryst that ends up in a shower.
That the author has chosen to let Adrian tell his tale nonlinearly is another plus. Adrian is a good guy facing a life whose complications any reader can empathize with. As we seldom see the segments of our life stories in chronological order, Adrian too shares with us in the order dictated not by time and place, but by the emotional highs and lows of his heart, constantly trying to make some sense of young manhood and the wonderful frustrating mumble jumble that colors the coming of age process and love’s baffling conundrums.
Covenant is a very sweet ride, simply and touchingly told, and although nitpicker me would have liked a slightly stronger ending, Mr. Darden reminded me of something I’ve always believed, and that is that love truly does conquer all.
April 27, 2012
I love the way the author weaved the past and the present in telling the story of Adrian and Isaiah's relationship. The flashbacks were easy to follow and I really appreciated how he managed to incorporate the themes of hazing, gay bashing, and the "down low" brother perception. I think the author was fair in developing the character introduced in his previous work and I'm looking forward to reading his next work.
February 11, 2021
Rashid Darden's follow-up book to his debut Lazarus is an enjoyable and thought-provoking read.
It's construction is more complex than Lazarus, as Covenant moves backwards and forwards in time. We join Adrian as he returns to Potomac University, but we flash back to the summer he spent getting close to his roommate.
The book effortlessly jumps between the two time periods, detailing his current time on campus, trying to figure out where he stands with his roommate, who is struggling with his sexuality and what it means for his future, and jumping back to the summer they spent together, where it becomes more evident that Adrian's roommate has a decision to make. Darden is deft with his handling of time - many authors struggle trying to keep the timeline of a book understandable to the readers, but Darden handles the flashbacks easily, not just in orienting the reader, but in choosing when and how to make the leaps backwards and forwards. The story itself is always moving forward very skilfully, despite the leaps back in time. I really enjoyed that the portions set in the summer always seemed to move the fall story ahead, as you learn piece by piece what has brought everyone to the point they are at.
Covenant also delves into matters within Adrian's fraternity, Beta Chi Phi, and his conflict with a brother who doesn't accept him. Darden does a great job showing the gamut of reactions to Adrian being an out gay man on campus and as part of a fraternity. Adrian's new relationships with some other gay and lesbian minority students expand his support beyond his longtime friends, but his fraternity brother's reaction is a reminder than Adrian's journey is not easy or simple, despite the support he has from the friends closest to him.
The book brings up some issues I'm hoping to see expanded on in the third book, Epiphany, such as Mohammmed's feelings toward the pledging process they were put through, and Adrian learning his father frowns upon their method of pledging. The set up of potential conflict in the third book is enticing.
Overall, Covenant is a great read which carries on Adrian's story, while introducing us to some new characters, while others are expanded upon. It is a must-read for those who have read and enjoyed Lazarus.
It's construction is more complex than Lazarus, as Covenant moves backwards and forwards in time. We join Adrian as he returns to Potomac University, but we flash back to the summer he spent getting close to his roommate.
The book effortlessly jumps between the two time periods, detailing his current time on campus, trying to figure out where he stands with his roommate, who is struggling with his sexuality and what it means for his future, and jumping back to the summer they spent together, where it becomes more evident that Adrian's roommate has a decision to make. Darden is deft with his handling of time - many authors struggle trying to keep the timeline of a book understandable to the readers, but Darden handles the flashbacks easily, not just in orienting the reader, but in choosing when and how to make the leaps backwards and forwards. The story itself is always moving forward very skilfully, despite the leaps back in time. I really enjoyed that the portions set in the summer always seemed to move the fall story ahead, as you learn piece by piece what has brought everyone to the point they are at.
Covenant also delves into matters within Adrian's fraternity, Beta Chi Phi, and his conflict with a brother who doesn't accept him. Darden does a great job showing the gamut of reactions to Adrian being an out gay man on campus and as part of a fraternity. Adrian's new relationships with some other gay and lesbian minority students expand his support beyond his longtime friends, but his fraternity brother's reaction is a reminder than Adrian's journey is not easy or simple, despite the support he has from the friends closest to him.
The book brings up some issues I'm hoping to see expanded on in the third book, Epiphany, such as Mohammmed's feelings toward the pledging process they were put through, and Adrian learning his father frowns upon their method of pledging. The set up of potential conflict in the third book is enticing.
Overall, Covenant is a great read which carries on Adrian's story, while introducing us to some new characters, while others are expanded upon. It is a must-read for those who have read and enjoyed Lazarus.
May 4, 2024
the Pact is crazy
I enjoy the way Rashid paints in the canvas with his words. Beautiful. I am looking for more of his work. I red this in two days
I enjoy the way Rashid paints in the canvas with his words. Beautiful. I am looking for more of his work. I red this in two days
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews