Cancer: Penny Candles

Boys of the Zodiac #4

by Vivien Dean

Two men separated by chance must build their futures, without letting the past destroy them...

In the year 2184, the U.S. is divided. Half the country has moved on with the rest of the world, while in middle America, the survivors of the terrorist biological attack that split the country struggle just to stay alive. Though a century has passed, few people brave going behind the borders meant to contain the danger. Even the privatized military is reluctant to do so.

But that doesn’t stop recently discharged Sullivan Eberle. Only one thing drives him anymore—the need to find Raphael Hamada. He doesn’t know why; he only knows he must. If that means a lifetime behind the borders, then so be it.

Rafe Hamada ran away from the real world when he was still a kid. The last thing he wants is to be found, especially by a soldier who can’t even tell him why it was so important to locate him in the first place. He’d like nothing more than for Sullivan to leave, but turning his back on a man alone and friendless is against everything Rafe stands for...

Genres: Gay / Futuristic / Interracial / Multicultural / Series

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Futuristic, Gay, Military Fiction

164 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 27, 2010

About the author

Vivien Dean has had a lifetime love affair with stories. A multi-published author, her books have been EPPIE finalists, Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Nominees, and readers favorites. After spending her twenties and early thirties traveling, she has finally settled down and currently resides in northern California with her British husband and two children.

Reviews

[Tam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've had this forever and finally read it. I enjoy the futuristic/dystopian story, although I would have liked a bit more background about how the world came to be. Sullivan is a genetically engineered soldier who is released because of a serious head injury. He finds the name of a man in his luggage and sets out to find him, not knowing where the guy lives or why he's going. Wandering around in the "uncivilized" part of the US he stumbles upon Rafe. Soldiers are not looked up favourably, but Rafe trusts him and Sullivan settles into an uneasy peace in the small town.

It seems Rafe and his mother escaped the "safe" part of the country when he was a child and have been living in fear of the soldiers finding them, and his mother fears Sullivan has an ulterior motive. FINALLY it all comes to light who sent Sullivan (he has no memory due to brain injury). When the real soldiers show up, they have to find a way to keep Rafe safe.

I liked Sullivan and the fact that he was a soldier who was now completely lost and seemed to go against type. He was more submissive than you would expect, but when it came time to deal with a crisis, his training came to the front. He was very sweet. It was just the world it was set in, why they were at war, who was fighting, etc. that had me looking for a bit more background to explain the world.

[Lexi Ander · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

I really enjoyed this futuristic sci-fi world. After his retirement from the military, Sullivan crosses the border into mid America to deliver a message. He doesn't know where he is going. He doesn't know who gave him the message. He doesn't know who the message is for. He only knows that it is important, urgent and that the person the message is for is going to change his life.

I loved how the relationship between Rafe and Sullivan unfolded. My heart broke for Sullivan whose hopes and dreams were very simple and very complex. You couldn't help but want him to find happiness.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story sets in 2184, where the country is divided between inside and outside the border. Sullivan is a Strike soldier, discharged after being injured -- now he only has one purpose, to travel and find a man by the name of Raphael Hamada. Sullivan doesn't know why, he only has the name on a paper after he is out of the hospital, and he doesn't even have a clue who gives the paper to him. But that name gives him something to go on. Until he arrives in a town oustide the border, and meets Raphael -- Rafe -- Hamada, and learns he might never want to leave.

I think the story is beautiful. I love futuristic stories -- and Ms. Dean develops an intriguing but not unfamiliar world in this. It's really wonderful to see how Sullivan develops from this quiet intense guy (due to his head injury) to someone who does anything to protect his loved ones. There is a sense of mystery on why Sullivan is given the paper in the first place, and it's wrapped up nicely. The people of Chadwick is also great support of characters.

[Kate McDougall Sackler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet futuristic romance between a soldier and a civilian who should have been a soldier. It didn’t have anything to do with the zodiac or being a cancer, so that was a bit confusing. All the feels.
Zodiac reading challenge-cancer

[Bookbee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[Kobie · Rating 4 out of 5]

well written and interesting. read in 2020 during the pandemic and the dystopian setting didn't feel quite so dystopian.

[Zuyuan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little disappointed with how the story unraveled to the end. The main characters were rather bland and even I can't say that the reason behind mystery was predictable but because the hints came late in the story, not that they're complicated or anything. The background set in futuristic world nevertheless vaguely described. I'm not very much impress by this book.

[Nightcolors · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.