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Queer as Folk #1
Every Nine Seconds
Flashback to 1989 with your favorite characters from Queer as Folk in this novel from the Queer as Folk book series, based on the record-breaking Showtime series hailed as "wonderful" (Newsweek), in which Brian Kinney and Michael Novotny must get through high school, dealing with bullies, secret crushes, and their emerging sexualities.
On the eve of Brian Kinney's eighteenth birthday, he and his best friend, Michael Novotny, celebrate a bond that could link them forever if their future paths don't separate them for good. In a few short weeks Brian, the seductive soccer star, will leave for college, where he'll be free to explore the adult pursuits in which he's only dabbled in high school. Michael is destined for a more sedate life in community college while living at home with his eccentric mom. But before their lives diverge, a hot new club will open, they'll go to the prom "stag" together, and family strife will turn their world upside down. Brian and Michael still have some unforgettable times to share before graduation ushers in the next stages of their lives.
On the eve of Brian Kinney's eighteenth birthday, he and his best friend, Michael Novotny, celebrate a bond that could link them forever if their future paths don't separate them for good. In a few short weeks Brian, the seductive soccer star, will leave for college, where he'll be free to explore the adult pursuits in which he's only dabbled in high school. Michael is destined for a more sedate life in community college while living at home with his eccentric mom. But before their lives diverge, a hot new club will open, they'll go to the prom "stag" together, and family strife will turn their world upside down. Brian and Michael still have some unforgettable times to share before graduation ushers in the next stages of their lives.
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 4, 2003
10 people are currently reading
218 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
February 7, 2021
Sup. I'm studying so i don't have time to read and review shit but i kinda wanted to know if this shit that finally arrived today is good or garbage. Read it while watching Dark Phoenix *not as bad as people made me think it would be it* so it's a really fast read.
Why the fuck did they put a Justin appearance in this? Also am i the only one who didn't really care about Brian and Justin's relationship?
Expensive fanfiction. For what it is it's fine. Giving this a 4 instead of a 3 because FUUUCK i miss the show.
January 24, 2017
just like the tv series. bold. and yeah.
January 16, 2009
uugh, why does Goodreads look ugly? Hope they are just updating something *worrys*
Anyway, I picked up a few of the books based on the Showtime series Queer as Folk. Had them sitting on my bookshelf for a bit and, after picking up season 1 a little bit ago, the boys from the show started calling my name and I've missed them (I'm not crazy, really!). This book tells of Brian and Michael as they are into their last year of high school and graduation with college on the horizon.
I wasn't really expecting much out of this book, and I was plesantly surprised. Tons of laugh out loud moments (startled a coworker yesterday, then I had to try to explain what I was reading--oops).
This loses a star from me for the sex, strangely enough. Too many cringe-worthy metaphores, like 'cupping the round globes of his ass'. I think fanfiction as spoiled me for well-written smut. Oh, and I could totally tell that the book was written by a guy, from some of the descriptions.
I really want to read the next book, which I think takes place right after this one--or a few months after, but I have a library book that I need to read. Or attempt to read. I feel like being picky with it so I can return it and dive into the next book!
**Popping by to add that I love Brian and Michael's relationship or lack there of and really wish it would have gone differently on the show...but then I think of Justin and Ben and how much I really liked them lol.
Anyway, I picked up a few of the books based on the Showtime series Queer as Folk. Had them sitting on my bookshelf for a bit and, after picking up season 1 a little bit ago, the boys from the show started calling my name and I've missed them (I'm not crazy, really!). This book tells of Brian and Michael as they are into their last year of high school and graduation with college on the horizon.
I wasn't really expecting much out of this book, and I was plesantly surprised. Tons of laugh out loud moments (startled a coworker yesterday, then I had to try to explain what I was reading--oops).
This loses a star from me for the sex, strangely enough. Too many cringe-worthy metaphores, like 'cupping the round globes of his ass'. I think fanfiction as spoiled me for well-written smut. Oh, and I could totally tell that the book was written by a guy, from some of the descriptions.
I really want to read the next book, which I think takes place right after this one--or a few months after, but I have a library book that I need to read. Or attempt to read. I feel like being picky with it so I can return it and dive into the next book!
**Popping by to add that I love Brian and Michael's relationship or lack there of and really wish it would have gone differently on the show...but then I think of Justin and Ben and how much I really liked them lol.
May 23, 2018
#22 A book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist
They just rolled a whole bunch of stuff from the show in here, didn't they? 4 year-old Justin in the liquor store? Name dropping Q-Mart? The grand opening of Babylon? Just put every little thing in there to show that you know what you're talking about and try to link everything together like a pretty little package.
Sorry, I just thought it was ridiculous that Justin was in the book when it was supposed to be just about Brian and Michael. All I want out of life is Brian and Michael. All I ever wanted from the show from the very beginning was Brian and Michael. And I never got it. Except in my dreams. And fanfiction.
UGH, WHY, BRIAN? WHY?!?!?!
"Dear Michael,
Remember, with you, it's real. With everyone else, it's
just all about sex.
Love,
Brian"
*ugly crying*
They just rolled a whole bunch of stuff from the show in here, didn't they? 4 year-old Justin in the liquor store? Name dropping Q-Mart? The grand opening of Babylon? Just put every little thing in there to show that you know what you're talking about and try to link everything together like a pretty little package.
Sorry, I just thought it was ridiculous that Justin was in the book when it was supposed to be just about Brian and Michael. All I want out of life is Brian and Michael. All I ever wanted from the show from the very beginning was Brian and Michael. And I never got it. Except in my dreams. And fanfiction.
UGH, WHY, BRIAN? WHY?!?!?!
"Dear Michael,
Remember, with you, it's real. With everyone else, it's
just all about sex.
Love,
Brian"
*ugly crying*
November 17, 2022
"Dear Michael, Remember, with you, it's real. With everyone else, it's just all about sex."
Every Nine Seconds is the first of a trilogy of prequel stories about Brian Kinney and Michael Novotny, two of the leads of the iconic TV show Queer as Folk. In this novel, the two boys are just about to graduate from high school and they are dealing with growing up and all that comes with ending a big period of your life and moving on to the next one.
I love the show Queer as Folk. It's great. When I found this book in a used book store, I was baffled cause I had never known there were novels about these characters, and even though I did not expect this book to be fabulous, I did pick it up out of curiosity to see how Michael and Brian, two characters I know well and care about, were like as teens. My expectations were proven correct: the book is not great and the writing is often quite clumsy and there were some really strange and off-putting wording choices made, especially during sex scenes. I will never recover from having to read about Michael's, and I quote, "hardening joystick". The book also didn't have a strong plot at all. I did not expect much from this book, so I was not disappointed nor did I actively dislike my reading experience, it was just very meh in terms of writing and plotting.
There were things I liked in the book, though. I thought Michael, Brian and Debbie all felt true to their characters in the show, and I enjoyed the easter eggs and references to the show. Seeing Michael gift Brian his iconic seashell bracelet was nice, and it was quite cool seeing Brian and Michael visit Babylon for the first time, a place which we know from the show will define a huge chunk of their later life. Michael and Brian's relationship also felt authentic to the show: it's close, loving, protective, but there's also a hint of an uncomfortable obsession there.
One small thing I also enjoyed was how the book had an emphasis on the music the characters heard in clubs or cars, and the songs they listened to. One of the best things about the TV show is its iconic soundtrack, so those mentions in the novel were a nice nod to the show's emphasis on its music.
I will not be reading the later books in this trilogy, as this was not anything special, mind-blowing or brilliant, but I don't regret reading this - it did have some nice moments.
Every Nine Seconds is the first of a trilogy of prequel stories about Brian Kinney and Michael Novotny, two of the leads of the iconic TV show Queer as Folk. In this novel, the two boys are just about to graduate from high school and they are dealing with growing up and all that comes with ending a big period of your life and moving on to the next one.
I love the show Queer as Folk. It's great. When I found this book in a used book store, I was baffled cause I had never known there were novels about these characters, and even though I did not expect this book to be fabulous, I did pick it up out of curiosity to see how Michael and Brian, two characters I know well and care about, were like as teens. My expectations were proven correct: the book is not great and the writing is often quite clumsy and there were some really strange and off-putting wording choices made, especially during sex scenes. I will never recover from having to read about Michael's, and I quote, "hardening joystick". The book also didn't have a strong plot at all. I did not expect much from this book, so I was not disappointed nor did I actively dislike my reading experience, it was just very meh in terms of writing and plotting.
There were things I liked in the book, though. I thought Michael, Brian and Debbie all felt true to their characters in the show, and I enjoyed the easter eggs and references to the show. Seeing Michael gift Brian his iconic seashell bracelet was nice, and it was quite cool seeing Brian and Michael visit Babylon for the first time, a place which we know from the show will define a huge chunk of their later life. Michael and Brian's relationship also felt authentic to the show: it's close, loving, protective, but there's also a hint of an uncomfortable obsession there.
One small thing I also enjoyed was how the book had an emphasis on the music the characters heard in clubs or cars, and the songs they listened to. One of the best things about the TV show is its iconic soundtrack, so those mentions in the novel were a nice nod to the show's emphasis on its music.
I will not be reading the later books in this trilogy, as this was not anything special, mind-blowing or brilliant, but I don't regret reading this - it did have some nice moments.
September 20, 2020
This was a very fun read. It's the first of three in the series. It starts eight minutes before Brian's 18th birthday and he's spending the night at Michael's, as he does many nights. The story takes place eleven years before the Showtime series starts. The time span is about three weeks, ending the night of or the day after their high school graduation. Brian's off to college on a soccer scholarship in a few days and Michael doesn't know if they'll remain friends since they won't see each other much.
The author captured all the main characters (Michael, Debbie, Brian and both parents) personalities and got the dialogue down pat, so true to what they'd have said on the show. The story played out like TV episodes and I loved visualizing Michael and Brian as they spoke. We see, even as teens, Michael's longing for Brian. I didn't like at all that a four-year-old Justin and his mother had a brief part in this. The age for Justin has him two years older than he would have been at the time anyway, as there's a twelve year difference between him and Brian, not fourteen.
This has a few explicit sex scenes, all but one with Michael, with the last one being between Brian and his soccer coach, Gary, who's in his late twenties, who he's been "active" with for some time, and I like that he was in this.
May 7, 2018
Reading Challenge 2018 - Pinterest: book you own but haven't read. This novel, based on the Showtime series, fills in the blanks where the series did not. Michael Novotny and Brian Kinney are best friends in high school and about to graduate. They learn so much about each other and about life. Getting fake IDs to go to the opening of a new club, Babylon, discovering where they belong in the world, and finally getting ready to say goodbye as each heads off to college.
April 21, 2019
Nice little book that's a prelude to QAF (US), the TV series.
It shows Michael and Brian during highschool, starting to feel more comfortable with their sexuality and growing a bit more mature and a bit more close. There are also a ton of sexually explicit scenes (even more than the TV show).
It definitely has the feeling of the show. It made me look forward to watch it again!
It shows Michael and Brian during highschool, starting to feel more comfortable with their sexuality and growing a bit more mature and a bit more close. There are also a ton of sexually explicit scenes (even more than the TV show).
It definitely has the feeling of the show. It made me look forward to watch it again!
November 27, 2020
A very good quick read, and I think it’s good as a stand alone without seeing the show. I’m excited to read the next two. I love Michael and I love how he loves, without spoiling anything I’ll just say that.
September 30, 2020
Very well written story of Brian and Michael at the end of the high school years before the Showtime series. Very true to the characters
April 7, 2021
Surprisingly good novelization from the TV series. I wish more had been written.
February 8, 2026
This book introduced me to the TV show US version and I'm still very thankful to the author.
December 28, 2015
Per quanto mi riguarda un completo fallimento. Non solo ho trovato Brian profondamente OOC, ma il libro di per sé era semplicemente ridicolo (esempio: la scena del picnic studentesco in cui giocano al gioco della bottiglia). Non pensavo che avrei mai potuto disprezzare qualcosa legato a qaf ma in questo caso sembra proprio che io mi debba ricredere. Avrei voluto qualche scena in cui ci si soffermava sul rapporto di Brian e di Gary/Mr.Palmer/il coach, ma niente. Non mi è sembrato che volessero mantenere una apparenza di mistero, penso invece che non abbiamo pensato davvero al rapporto e che abbiamo scritto e pubblicato questo libro solo per far entrare più soldi, non impegnandosi neanche. Per tutto il libro abbiamo ridicole scene Brian/Michael in cui effettivamente non succede niente. Dopodiché vediamo i Kinney ma anche qui non succede niente. L'unico punto di questo libro sembra essere Andy aka un personaggio che abbiamo inventato per far vedere che anche Michael può piacere ma che faremo finire lo stesso a letto con Brian perché non sa tenerselo nei pantaloni. Spero che gli altri due migliorino, qui decisamente manca qualcosa. O meglio dire tutto (a partire da una trama e da uno studio dei personaggi).
July 13, 2013
A good prequel book to the Queer as Folk US series. The book was well written and stayed with the characters story-lines very well for the most part. In one chapter it had me slightly shocked, as I hope it will for anyone else who has watched the Queer as Folk US series. I do however find it a tad odd that a lot of the story-lines were predictable, you knew how they were going to play out long before they actually happened; this did weaken the book as I would have liked something a little more surprising.
The book did help to fill in the blanks of the Kinney household, though I found the portrayal of Claire quite odd and did not match the series.
Overall the book is worthy of reading, but don't expect it to be breathtaking.
The book did help to fill in the blanks of the Kinney household, though I found the portrayal of Claire quite odd and did not match the series.
Overall the book is worthy of reading, but don't expect it to be breathtaking.
February 7, 2010
people try and try to compare this book to the series, and there really is no comparison. as with any movie or tv show that is made into a book, you really have to take each as they are. If you compare too much you won't enjoy anything about it. I thought it was a great way to learn more about Brian and Michael as they were growing up and trying to figure themselves out. I thought it was super easy to read and I love QAF so i was pleased with the book. Of course I feel that alot of it could have been better but I still loved it. If you are a fan of the show, must read!
November 1, 2014
I thought this was a nice thing to read when you've seen the whole QAF series. The idea was good, a sort of prequel to the real thing but dear god, I'm still laughing at the sex scenes. I totally lost it over the "hardening joystick" and it didn't get any better after that. All in all, the whole thing wasn't worth the time or money, some facts are wrong as well and the chance meeting of little Justin and Brian at the liquor store was just plain out stupid.
So. I'd say read it just for the laugh and then go back to watching the TV show.
So. I'd say read it just for the laugh and then go back to watching the TV show.
November 1, 2012
This is probably more of a two star, but for what it was (trashy entertainment) it was good.
Fans of the show may be put off by some of the continuity errors, but considering this was written two years before the show ended, I think most of the mistakes are forgiveable. The author gets the complicated relationship between Brian and Michael right, while hilariously getting characteristics about each wrong.
Overall, not the worse tie in novel I've ever read, but far from the best.
Fans of the show may be put off by some of the continuity errors, but considering this was written two years before the show ended, I think most of the mistakes are forgiveable. The author gets the complicated relationship between Brian and Michael right, while hilariously getting characteristics about each wrong.
Overall, not the worse tie in novel I've ever read, but far from the best.
July 11, 2014
Nothing can compete with the show, but after finishing the series this was obviously my next move. There were a few minor details that irked me because they didn't line up with the show, and the writing was just okay but I would recommend it anyway for any fan of Queer as Folk. For me, the most genuine part of the book was the last two pages with Michael and Brian's yearbook entries.
April 27, 2016
I feel like this book tried too hard to shove in references from the TV show instead of trying to tell a comprehensive story. Every time a wink-nod came up (example: 7-year-old Justin in the State Store???) it felt awkward and forced. The book came into its own near the end, but by then it's kind of too little, too late.
August 4, 2016
Enjoyable "prequel" of sorts featuring a handful of character from the landmark Showtime series, Queer as Folk. It may not be the best written book out there, but it is quite enjoyable. I tore through it and I'm usually a slow reader. This book is like better written and slightly more sophisticated fan fiction. And it's not exactly shy when it comes to the "love" scenes.
August 13, 2007
Brian and Michael during their senior year in high school. If you're a fan of the show, you'd prolly wanna read it. Very light read. It's really just like you're watching the show.
April 16, 2008
Oh my god, the horror. It's smutty fluff garbage, basically published fanfic (complete with typos and atrocious grammar), and totally enjoyable beach reading.
May 24, 2012
An awesome extension of/prequel to the show! I was pleasantly surprised to find the characters written so well in character. The best part was definitely Brian's high school graduation prank!
September 1, 2013
An essential for those that have watched the show.
March 24, 2007
A gay man's harlequin romance novel.
January 26, 2009
cute for what it was
June 27, 2009
Love the show. The book was just ok. I suppose there is no way to put that show into a novel.
April 10, 2017
Wow. Just Wow. As a huge fan of the show, i figured a prequel book showing teenage Brian & Mikey would feel like fan fiction but this book is one of the best I've ever read. This book found ways to incorporate little things from the show, and tie them in. It felt like an episode itself, and that is so rare with books like this. Any fan of QAF should give this book a read!
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews