On the run after finding the last of his friends dead, magician Quinn is trying to get away from the Emperor's assasins. One of those assasins, Bram, is a cut above the rest, and manages to catch up to Quinn just in time to see the man's magic at work, stepping right through a mirror with him. Quinn slips through Bram's grasp, but soon comes back into reach. Even then Bram can't bring himself to kill the magic user, and finds himself chosing to go on the run, and help Quinn when they find more magic users on the run. Can they stay alive, and find happiness together?
Sunshine and light breezes, the scent of sea-drenched skin, dewed-grass under foot. Cowboy hats, tuxedos, painted on jeans. Blue eyes, grey eyes, green eyes, crinkled at the edges eyes. Snow, rain, wind. Love in the morning. Love in the afternoon. Love in the evening. The sole of a man's foot, a working man's hands, a strong back, the curve of an ass.
These are a few of Mike's favorite things.
Want to know more? Read Mike's books, most days his characters feel more real to him than he does.
Not much plot, not much inter-personal conflict. Quinn is a neat character but falls into the typical absent-minded, unbearably cute twink that Mike Shade is often known for. Bram ... well, not much is given about him, certainly not enough for me to get a good feel for his character or who he was as a person. Pretty much from the very first few words, he's simply "Quinn's protector/lover."
The magics involving the mirrors was awesome, and I greatly wish it had been gone into more detail, a few notes clarified. For instance, Quinn repeatedly says he can't use a broken mirror ... and yet at times he does. Or the refugees have. And, do all mages have the innate ability to use mirrors, or is it something Quinn is just a specialist at? And what was up with the one sorcerer who was actually *helping* the Emperor? Was he a traitor, brainwashed, threatened ... what?
Basic sex and more sex, with just a hint of action to keep it from being a repetitive in-bed-all-the-time PWP.