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Dash and Dingo: In Search of the Tasmanian Tiger
Stodgy British archivist Henry Percival-Smythe slaves away in the dusty basement of Ealing College in 1934, the only bright spot in his life his obsession with a strange Australian mammal, the thylacine. It has been hunted to the edge of extinction, and Henry would love nothing more than to help the rare creature survive.
Then a human whirlwind spins through his door. Jack "Dingo" Chambers is also on the hunt for the so-called "Tasmanian Tiger," although his reasons are far more altruistic. Banding together, Dingo and the newly nicknamed Dash travel halfwaytd around the globe in their quest to save the thylacine from becoming a footnote in the pages of biological history.
Then a human whirlwind spins through his door. Jack "Dingo" Chambers is also on the hunt for the so-called "Tasmanian Tiger," although his reasons are far more altruistic. Banding together, Dingo and the newly nicknamed Dash travel halfwaytd around the globe in their quest to save the thylacine from becoming a footnote in the pages of biological history.
347 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2009
9 people are currently reading
446 people want to read
About the author
Catt Ford
33 books205 followersCatt Ford lives in front of the computer monitor, in another world where her imaginary gay friends obey her every command.
She likes cats, chocolate, swing dancing, sleeping, Monty Python, Aussie friends, being silly, spinning other realities with words, and sea glass. She dislikes caterpillars, cigarette smoke, and rude people who think the F-word (as in faggot, or bundle of sticks) is acceptable.
A frustrated perfectionist, she comforts herself with the legend about the weavers of Persian rugs always including one mistake so as not to anger the gods, although she has no need to include a mistake on purpose. One always slips through. Writing fiction has filled a need for clever conversations, only possible when one is in control of both sides, and erotic romances, where everything for the most part turns out happily ever after.
Visit Catt's blog at http://catt-ford.livejournal.com/.
She likes cats, chocolate, swing dancing, sleeping, Monty Python, Aussie friends, being silly, spinning other realities with words, and sea glass. She dislikes caterpillars, cigarette smoke, and rude people who think the F-word (as in faggot, or bundle of sticks) is acceptable.
A frustrated perfectionist, she comforts herself with the legend about the weavers of Persian rugs always including one mistake so as not to anger the gods, although she has no need to include a mistake on purpose. One always slips through. Writing fiction has filled a need for clever conversations, only possible when one is in control of both sides, and erotic romances, where everything for the most part turns out happily ever after.
Visit Catt's blog at http://catt-ford.livejournal.com/.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
December 6, 2015
starts out beautifully. devolves into a smokin' hot mess by 30 percent and the rest is simply appalling.
June 4, 2011
I wanted to like this book more than I did, but I found that, far too often, just as it was getting good, it hit me between the eyes with yet another predictable m/m trope.
One of the major successes of this novel is the focus on the Tasmanian tiger. Far too often, authors who do research to this extent feel the need to crib every single note they have on the subject into their work, and it begins to read more like a Wikipedia article than a novel. Ford and Kennedy avoid this completely: it is clear they know their stuff, but the information is seamlessly integrated into the narrative.
Similarly, they have succeeded in crafting some very engaging characters. I would give a special nod to the women in this book, none of whom are major presences, yet all of whom feel like fully-formed and realized figures in the story. This attention to detail serves the authors extremely well.
When the wheels fall off, though, is when they bump into three core problems:
The antagonist is a mustache-twirling, cape-wearing, malevolent, sadistic jerk. His motives are only ever unclear at best, his behaviour is often inconsistent, and the net effect is to drag the novel down while all the air gets sucked out of the plot so that the authors can telegraph just how Big And Bad And Evil this guy is. On more than one occasion I was tempted to skip pages in order to get around these scenes.
Secondly, and this is related to the first problem, the protagaonists aren't just good, they're good by 2011-era standards. They have 2011-era moralities, they have 2011-era understandings of the world, they have 2011-era vocabularies and attitudes (a 1936-era Australian asking for a "flashlight" instead of a torch? A Brit from the same era accepting full and unquestioning personal responsibility for all the evils of colonialism?), and for all intents and purposes these sections of the book may as well be set in 2011 as well.
Finally, Dash in particular is always "just so". Initially we are presented with a bookish, quiet, ninety-pound weakling, but we later learn that he has any number of vital and important skills which he has secretly honed and were never mentioned until the point in the book at which they prove useful. Opportunities for Dash to grow and develop as a character are completely wasted: instead of learning new talents and discovering things about himself, we get a few vague lines about his backstory and off we go.
If this book develops into a series--and I think it perhaps should--there will be opportunities to deal with these problems. It is possible to write engaging villains without straying into pantomime stereotypes. It is possible to write protagonists who remain good people without being shining beacons of 2011-era understandings of the world. And so on.
The authors clearly have the technical chops, and a blessed ability to write coherent, interesting characters, to pull it off. I wish them the best.
One of the major successes of this novel is the focus on the Tasmanian tiger. Far too often, authors who do research to this extent feel the need to crib every single note they have on the subject into their work, and it begins to read more like a Wikipedia article than a novel. Ford and Kennedy avoid this completely: it is clear they know their stuff, but the information is seamlessly integrated into the narrative.
Similarly, they have succeeded in crafting some very engaging characters. I would give a special nod to the women in this book, none of whom are major presences, yet all of whom feel like fully-formed and realized figures in the story. This attention to detail serves the authors extremely well.
When the wheels fall off, though, is when they bump into three core problems:
The antagonist is a mustache-twirling, cape-wearing, malevolent, sadistic jerk. His motives are only ever unclear at best, his behaviour is often inconsistent, and the net effect is to drag the novel down while all the air gets sucked out of the plot so that the authors can telegraph just how Big And Bad And Evil this guy is. On more than one occasion I was tempted to skip pages in order to get around these scenes.
Secondly, and this is related to the first problem, the protagaonists aren't just good, they're good by 2011-era standards. They have 2011-era moralities, they have 2011-era understandings of the world, they have 2011-era vocabularies and attitudes (a 1936-era Australian asking for a "flashlight" instead of a torch? A Brit from the same era accepting full and unquestioning personal responsibility for all the evils of colonialism?), and for all intents and purposes these sections of the book may as well be set in 2011 as well.
Finally, Dash in particular is always "just so". Initially we are presented with a bookish, quiet, ninety-pound weakling, but we later learn that he has any number of vital and important skills which he has secretly honed and were never mentioned until the point in the book at which they prove useful. Opportunities for Dash to grow and develop as a character are completely wasted: instead of learning new talents and discovering things about himself, we get a few vague lines about his backstory and off we go.
If this book develops into a series--and I think it perhaps should--there will be opportunities to deal with these problems. It is possible to write engaging villains without straying into pantomime stereotypes. It is possible to write protagonists who remain good people without being shining beacons of 2011-era understandings of the world. And so on.
The authors clearly have the technical chops, and a blessed ability to write coherent, interesting characters, to pull it off. I wish them the best.
June 23, 2010
Dash & Dingo: In Search of the Tasmanian Tiger by Catt Ford & Sean Kennedy – This book really plays into my secret fantasy where Indiana Jones decides he’s through with women and while traveling through Missouri, sweeps me up into one his adventures and I live happily ever after surrounded by antiquities and Harrison Ford. Dash & Dingo doesn’t actually follow that plot line, but it does quite successfully fulfill my adventure fantasy where a charismatic, hot man runs off into the wild to save – something. Plus Dingo has a sexy Aussie accent! It was very easy for me to settle into the shoes of Dash and pretend it was me getting swept away while hopping from one continent to another. I thought Dash & Dingo was a great adventure and a whole lot of fun.
From my post, The Inside Reader on Elisa Rolle's Reviews & Ramblings -
http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/98440
From my post, The Inside Reader on Elisa Rolle's Reviews & Ramblings -
http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/98440
December 28, 2014
Simple review:
Yes, I loved this book, I really did ;)
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I so want to read more of that genre!!
Yes, I loved this book, I really did ;)
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
I so want to read more of that genre!!
July 16, 2012
4.5 stars. I am a TOTAL SUCKER for adventure romance, especially in the m/m genre, and this book successfully hit all my buttons. Compelling characters, engaging story, ADVENTURE, lush setting--just overall a very enjoyable read.
The authors did a great job on both the historical 1930’s setting, and also with describing all the places. You really felt the humidity as they traipsed around in the forests of Tasmania. Everything was very easy to imagine, and you just get swept up in the story.
Henry aka “Dash” and Dingo were very interesting, likeable, and sympathetic characters, and it was a lot of fun to watch their developing chemistry and relationship. The majority of the POV is from Henry’s perspective, but you also get perspective from Dingo, which was a nice balance since even though he is so cheery and forthright, he doesn’t always readily reveal his feelings, so it was nice to get a peek inside his thoughts.
The villain is pretty villainy, which felt a little over-the-top near the end, but overall, it fed into the grand “Adventure” and classic feel of the story.
There was more romance and sexy times than I was expecting. (I’m not complaining at all.) I think my expectation was that it would be more “classic,” so a lot of stuff would be alluded to or “off-screen,” but not so! It was a nice change to have a robust romantic factor along with the “Adventure!”
I also really appreciated that as the characters were swept up in their cause to help save the Tasmanian Tiger, I too felt swept up in it. I hadn’t really thought about the Tasmanian Tiger since Scott Westerfeld’s YA steampunk Leviathan series (also very recommended) so it was really neat to learn more about the animal. Both Dash and Dingo’s feelings and hopes to save them from extinction were very palpable, and it was easy to sympathize with their struggle (and it made me want to go look up more information afterwards.)
Overall, I thought it was a really fun read, and I wish (or hope) there are more like this, since again, total sucker for this action-adventure-romance part of the genre, and this book felt like a total quality addition to it. Very recommended if you’re looking for a historical adventure m/m romance.
The authors did a great job on both the historical 1930’s setting, and also with describing all the places. You really felt the humidity as they traipsed around in the forests of Tasmania. Everything was very easy to imagine, and you just get swept up in the story.
Henry aka “Dash” and Dingo were very interesting, likeable, and sympathetic characters, and it was a lot of fun to watch their developing chemistry and relationship. The majority of the POV is from Henry’s perspective, but you also get perspective from Dingo, which was a nice balance since even though he is so cheery and forthright, he doesn’t always readily reveal his feelings, so it was nice to get a peek inside his thoughts.
The villain is pretty villainy, which felt a little over-the-top near the end, but overall, it fed into the grand “Adventure” and classic feel of the story.
There was more romance and sexy times than I was expecting. (I’m not complaining at all.) I think my expectation was that it would be more “classic,” so a lot of stuff would be alluded to or “off-screen,” but not so! It was a nice change to have a robust romantic factor along with the “Adventure!”
I also really appreciated that as the characters were swept up in their cause to help save the Tasmanian Tiger, I too felt swept up in it. I hadn’t really thought about the Tasmanian Tiger since Scott Westerfeld’s YA steampunk Leviathan series (also very recommended) so it was really neat to learn more about the animal. Both Dash and Dingo’s feelings and hopes to save them from extinction were very palpable, and it was easy to sympathize with their struggle (and it made me want to go look up more information afterwards.)
Overall, I thought it was a really fun read, and I wish (or hope) there are more like this, since again, total sucker for this action-adventure-romance part of the genre, and this book felt like a total quality addition to it. Very recommended if you’re looking for a historical adventure m/m romance.
January 24, 2013
DEVASTATED!
What a great story! Devastated? Yes, I'm devastated that I've finished this novel and there is no sequal. Dingo and Dash, although historical characters (1930's)became my friends within the first few chapters. I read "T&D's" a couple of years ago, downloaded "Tigerland" a couple of weeks ago and decided to download this novel two days ago.
I was initially (after reading "Tigers and Devils") put off downloading "Dash & Dingo" due to negative reviews and the fact that the novel is a collaboration between two authors (how does that work?)...Wish I'd gone with my instincts two years ago and downloaded this story then.
This is adventure in the tradition of "Raiders of the Lost Arc," however I actually learned something whilst reading. I googled "Thylacine", "Aborigine", "Tasmania" etc and learned more about our Empirialistic history than I did at school.
A great read. Certain aspects are not to my taste, the descriptive sex paragraphs....I appreciate many readers enjoy this genre because of the graphic sex, but I really feel that this could be left to my imagination, especially with writing as strong as this and a story as gripping as this. Titilation was just that....Titilation and served no purpose to the story's progression. 5 x stars, and please write a sequal guys.
What a great story! Devastated? Yes, I'm devastated that I've finished this novel and there is no sequal. Dingo and Dash, although historical characters (1930's)became my friends within the first few chapters. I read "T&D's" a couple of years ago, downloaded "Tigerland" a couple of weeks ago and decided to download this novel two days ago.
I was initially (after reading "Tigers and Devils") put off downloading "Dash & Dingo" due to negative reviews and the fact that the novel is a collaboration between two authors (how does that work?)...Wish I'd gone with my instincts two years ago and downloaded this story then.
This is adventure in the tradition of "Raiders of the Lost Arc," however I actually learned something whilst reading. I googled "Thylacine", "Aborigine", "Tasmania" etc and learned more about our Empirialistic history than I did at school.
A great read. Certain aspects are not to my taste, the descriptive sex paragraphs....I appreciate many readers enjoy this genre because of the graphic sex, but I really feel that this could be left to my imagination, especially with writing as strong as this and a story as gripping as this. Titilation was just that....Titilation and served no purpose to the story's progression. 5 x stars, and please write a sequal guys.
July 9, 2012
And here I thought adventure was dead. Convinced, was I, that it had died at some point while I was in high school or something, too busy with other things to notice its quiet demise and mourn the loss of a childhood friend. But I am happy to report that it is alive and well! Found here in the wilds of Tasmania, adventure takes the form of this lovely dual-authored novel about two men in the 1930s trying to save the thylacine, otherwise known as the Tasmanian tiger. It's thoroughbred adventure, too, not some pale imitation; with dashing heroes (literally dashing - I mean they dash around a lot and one of them is even called Dash), a nobel cause, exotic scenery, a sexy romance, a faint whiff of the unexplained and an honest-to-god villain. It was really funny too, and very well-written. How have I not read this book before? Anyway, I'm glad that's been amended. Though some might find it trite, I really enjoyed it. These two would be great in a series.
January 1, 2014
This is a great adventure story centred on a hunt for the Tasmanian Tiger. Apparently the last known Tasmanian Tiger died in captivity in 1936 in Hobart Zoo, Tasmania. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vqCCI1ZF7o
This story set in 1934 has two characters - Dash (Henry Percival-Smythe) and Dingo (Jack Chambers) hunting for the tiger in the wilds of Tasmania.
Dash is kind of introvert, quiet, sometimes a bit unsure of himself and devoted to his work as an archivist in London. He is obsessed with the Tasmanian Tiger and jumps at the chance of taking part in an expedition to find one.
Dingo is an Aussie. He is extrovert, loud and quite courageous. He is everything that Dash isn't but he also has a heart of gold, a family who accept him for who he is, friends all over the world and a pile of ex lovers. Dash is someone who knows everyone but he also has enemies.
Hodges is the sneaky, spiteful enemy who for some reason wants to scupper Dingo's expedition (boo hiss).
I enjoyed this story. There are still organisations that are searching for the Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger) which adds to the fabric and imagination of this story.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-15...
It kind of makes it magical and It left me feeling that I too would like to see the Tasmanian Tiger (weird mix between a tiger and a dog), and go trekking in the Tasmanian bush to find it.
The book is quite long but it isn't boring. The story starts by introducing Dash and his somewhat mundane life in London. Things change for him when he meets Dingo and before he knows it his adventure begins!! Flying through Europe to Bankok amongst the sacks of mail in a postal service air plane he begins to feel attracted to Dingo. As the two men share living space together and develop real camaraderie this attraction blossoms. A short stop in Australia provides time for Dash to meet Dingo's family and have a brush with their enemy. Then the two explorers sail to Tasmania and eventually love blossoms.
It is a great book. Not only does Dash have the courage to hunt for the tiger, he also has the courage to explore himself and allow himself freedom and of course part of this freedom is Dingo.
I liked the combination of adventure, mystery and romance. It is the kind of story that you need to spend time with and journey with the characters. I took my time with this story so I could journey along with Dash and Dingo. A very satisfying story, well written, amusing and engaging.
did-not-finish
January 25, 2024DNF @ 31%. No rating.
This wasn't my cup of tea. I didn't like Dash, there were lots of historical inaccuracies and the action plotlines were written in an OOT style that wasn't my thing.
I was very excited about this book because it combines a setting (Australia) with a time period (1930s) that's rarely done in historical romance. Plus, the geek/jock dynamic of the MCs and the whole adventure thing made the story stand out and seem interesting. Unfortunately, the execution wasn't what I was hoping for.
My biggest problem was Dash. He was hypocritical, arrogant and his personality was constantly changing, depending on what the authors wanted him to do. During one scene, he'd hate his nickname but during the next, he'd be happily embracing it. He's shy and very formal in one scene, then he's throwing around witty comebacks and being physically affectionate with Dingo. Maybe these odd switches back and forth were because the book was written by two people, but it left me confused as to what kind of person Dash is and what his character arc is supposed to be. In addition, he had some Gary Stu qualities that annoyed me. Despite him not having any experience and very little knowledge about the adventure he's going to go on, he constantly acts like he knows more than the people around him. He would jump to stupid conclusions about situations he knows nothing about, then get angry because of those conclusions and then he'd sulk if others point out that a) he's wrong and b) his outrage was uncalled for. Because Dash seemed very full of himself, it didn't seem like he respected Dingo or any of Dingo's knowledge or abilities. As a result, Dash's attraction to Dingo felt purely sexual and there was zero chemistry between them.
Because I disliked Dash, I also found myself constantly asking a question that basically destroys the entire premise of the book: if there are people in Australia who have spent decades dealing with the Tasmanian Tiger, why on earth do they need a random library clerk from England with zero relevant experience going on a mission to save the tigers? It made no sense whatsoever.
Dingo was a better character but he and his family were too much for me. They're all very, VERY loud at all times. They were lovely people but they were constantly shouting and roaring with laughter. I guess kudos to the authors for making the family come to life so vividly because I felt exhausted by Dingo's presence most of the time, never mind when more than one member of his family was around.
I also hated the many historical inaccuracies that made this book feel like it was set in a contemporary setting rather than 1936. All characters spoke and acted in modern ways that didn't fit with the time period they were supposed to live in. For example, Dingo freely makes crude sex jokes in front of his parents and Dash has no problems standing around in his bedroom with Dingo while Dash is in his underwear. The constant physical affection between Dash and Dingo also irritated me because it might have been sweet in other contexts, but it was absurd for a story taking place in the late 1930s to involve the MCs frequently hugging and linking arms while they walk somewhere.
Lastly, the adventure aspect had a strong OOT pulp fiction/Indiana Jones feel to it that didn't work for me. The villain is a complete caricature with no clear motivations behind being evil except just being evil and his actions were ridiculous and over the top. . Everything about this was absurd and it's not the type of thing that I enjoy.
Based on reviews, the OOT action stuff continues, the villain remains a hollow caricature and Dash and Dingo's so-called romance quickly turns into a smut fest where they're screwing all the time. In other words - it's not my thing and I'm going to move on.
This wasn't my cup of tea. I didn't like Dash, there were lots of historical inaccuracies and the action plotlines were written in an OOT style that wasn't my thing.
I was very excited about this book because it combines a setting (Australia) with a time period (1930s) that's rarely done in historical romance. Plus, the geek/jock dynamic of the MCs and the whole adventure thing made the story stand out and seem interesting. Unfortunately, the execution wasn't what I was hoping for.
My biggest problem was Dash. He was hypocritical, arrogant and his personality was constantly changing, depending on what the authors wanted him to do. During one scene, he'd hate his nickname but during the next, he'd be happily embracing it. He's shy and very formal in one scene, then he's throwing around witty comebacks and being physically affectionate with Dingo. Maybe these odd switches back and forth were because the book was written by two people, but it left me confused as to what kind of person Dash is and what his character arc is supposed to be. In addition, he had some Gary Stu qualities that annoyed me. Despite him not having any experience and very little knowledge about the adventure he's going to go on, he constantly acts like he knows more than the people around him. He would jump to stupid conclusions about situations he knows nothing about, then get angry because of those conclusions and then he'd sulk if others point out that a) he's wrong and b) his outrage was uncalled for. Because Dash seemed very full of himself, it didn't seem like he respected Dingo or any of Dingo's knowledge or abilities. As a result, Dash's attraction to Dingo felt purely sexual and there was zero chemistry between them.
Because I disliked Dash, I also found myself constantly asking a question that basically destroys the entire premise of the book: if there are people in Australia who have spent decades dealing with the Tasmanian Tiger, why on earth do they need a random library clerk from England with zero relevant experience going on a mission to save the tigers? It made no sense whatsoever.
Dingo was a better character but he and his family were too much for me. They're all very, VERY loud at all times. They were lovely people but they were constantly shouting and roaring with laughter. I guess kudos to the authors for making the family come to life so vividly because I felt exhausted by Dingo's presence most of the time, never mind when more than one member of his family was around.
I also hated the many historical inaccuracies that made this book feel like it was set in a contemporary setting rather than 1936. All characters spoke and acted in modern ways that didn't fit with the time period they were supposed to live in. For example, Dingo freely makes crude sex jokes in front of his parents and Dash has no problems standing around in his bedroom with Dingo while Dash is in his underwear. The constant physical affection between Dash and Dingo also irritated me because it might have been sweet in other contexts, but it was absurd for a story taking place in the late 1930s to involve the MCs frequently hugging and linking arms while they walk somewhere.
Lastly, the adventure aspect had a strong OOT pulp fiction/Indiana Jones feel to it that didn't work for me. The villain is a complete caricature with no clear motivations behind being evil except just being evil and his actions were ridiculous and over the top. . Everything about this was absurd and it's not the type of thing that I enjoy.
Based on reviews, the OOT action stuff continues, the villain remains a hollow caricature and Dash and Dingo's so-called romance quickly turns into a smut fest where they're screwing all the time. In other words - it's not my thing and I'm going to move on.
April 3, 2010
Although I try not to read reviews prior to writing my own, in this information sharing age it’s hard to avoid all mention. So when I –finally- sat down to read Dash & Dingo (released Sept ’09!), I knew it had been generally praised from all quarters and hailed as greatness. So many reviewers, readers, and authors really really loved it. About halfway through I was wondering if it was just me or perhaps I wasn’t in the right mood since I struggled with this book quite a bit. I found the pace sluggish and choppy. Some parts were quick, engaging, and zipped along incredibly fast while others labored and I kept putting the book down. The flipping point of view didn’t help and made me question why Dingo’s point of view was included at all since it offered almost nothing to the story or character. What did come through was the incredibly unique and eye catching story with some incredible descriptions and charming, memorable characters.
The plot is memorable even as it evokes many other adventurer themed stories. Stodgy, up tight academic Henry (soon to be nicknamed Dash) joins free spirited Dingo on a trek through the Tasmanian jungle to find a famous, almost extinct animal. Along the way they encounter a typical villain, some harrowing close calls, and fall in love. Yet their adventures aren’t over as in classic Indiana Jones style, the hat wearing duo are going to be off on new crusades in the near future.
On the one hand the plot is very similar to many others yet it felt fresh and interesting. The characters are very memorable with their antics and snappy dialogue and thus the trip from England to Tasmania and through the jungle is sometimes very absorbing. Sometimes however this drags and is kind of boring. The descriptions of the jungle and the history of the famed tiger they are hunting are interesting while offering something to the reader that stands out. The jungle setting is especially vibrant with sounds, sights, tastes, and a respect for the setting that helps parts of the story come alive. The pace unfortunately tends to be choppy with very small spurts of action followed by lengthy internal musings and mundane jungle trekking as the cycle repeats itself.
Part of this problem is that the story slows considerably once they’re in Tasmania. Here Henry finally gives into his longing for Dingo and he obsesses about sex with Dingo for almost 100 pages. There is a lot of sex in this book and some of it is incredibly hot (dream sequence) while some of it feels repetitive. The two have sex almost every night and it’s depicted in the story and while walking during the day Henry is obsessed with Dingo’s ass and has sex on the mind constantly. Some of this is totally understandable as the tight reign on Henry’s emotions is unraveled in the jungle, yet I definitely wanted Henry to stop his sexual obsessing and focus on something else. Since he’s the main narrator, all the internal musing on sex, sex, sex got old for me with too many sex scenes in those 100 pages instead of spread out over the entire course of the book.
Unfortunately while all of this is happening there is a pretty standard villain side story occurring at the same time. I’m not sure why this is added but perhaps it’s meant to keep the tension high since the villain is very flat and his motives are ridiculous and unexplained. The resolution with the villain Hodges boarders on absurd and the few explanations are incredibly weak and nonsensical. In fact the story struggles to even come up with a good reason for this villain and ultimately drags the ending on for way too long to include random scenes from cronies for some reason I couldn’t tell. The ending especially could have been much shorter and some scenes could have been edited out.
Another problem is the point of view switching. For the majority of the story Henry is the main narrator but every so often the story offers Dingo’s point of view. Yet during these scenes, the POV switches back and forth from Henry to Dingo sentence to sentence. This isn’t confusing or bothersome so much as it makes me wonder why Dingo’s POV is offered at all. Since many of Dingo’s motivations and thoughts are kept hidden to keep many aspects a mystery, his point of view didn’t really offer much to the story or the character. In fact the majority of his characterization comes from Henry’s perspective as he observes Dingo and his actions.
The characters for the most part are very well developed and interesting. Henry and Dingo are both very memorable with Dingo’s large personality and Henry’s quieter, stubborn nature. Both men change somewhat out in the jungle as Henry becomes pretty dominant and out spoken while Dingo is contrite. Although these two could easily have been caricatures, the story skillfully keeps them delightful and interesting. Dingo perhaps needs to grow more in the next book since he remains in the confines of an over the top, outlandish guide somewhat but I’m confident he’ll become a complex character in the next offering. Henry also seems to have room to grow with the changes evident at the end of the book and creates great potential for this duo in future stories.
Overall I struggled with the pace and some aspects of the plot even while I liked the characters quite a bit. The memorable story and unique writing voice is enjoyable just as the characters fairly leap off the page with their quirky and delightful flaws. I clearly had more issues and problems with the book then oh, just about anyone, so I’d take what I say with a hefty grain of salt. Sean Kennedy is one of my favorite authors so I’ll definitely continue with the series and the majority of readers rated this book very high so perhaps the problems didn’t really bother them. Given that, pretty sure it's just me and I'm sad since I like these authors a lot. Be sure to check this out and decide for yourself.
The plot is memorable even as it evokes many other adventurer themed stories. Stodgy, up tight academic Henry (soon to be nicknamed Dash) joins free spirited Dingo on a trek through the Tasmanian jungle to find a famous, almost extinct animal. Along the way they encounter a typical villain, some harrowing close calls, and fall in love. Yet their adventures aren’t over as in classic Indiana Jones style, the hat wearing duo are going to be off on new crusades in the near future.
On the one hand the plot is very similar to many others yet it felt fresh and interesting. The characters are very memorable with their antics and snappy dialogue and thus the trip from England to Tasmania and through the jungle is sometimes very absorbing. Sometimes however this drags and is kind of boring. The descriptions of the jungle and the history of the famed tiger they are hunting are interesting while offering something to the reader that stands out. The jungle setting is especially vibrant with sounds, sights, tastes, and a respect for the setting that helps parts of the story come alive. The pace unfortunately tends to be choppy with very small spurts of action followed by lengthy internal musings and mundane jungle trekking as the cycle repeats itself.
Part of this problem is that the story slows considerably once they’re in Tasmania. Here Henry finally gives into his longing for Dingo and he obsesses about sex with Dingo for almost 100 pages. There is a lot of sex in this book and some of it is incredibly hot (dream sequence) while some of it feels repetitive. The two have sex almost every night and it’s depicted in the story and while walking during the day Henry is obsessed with Dingo’s ass and has sex on the mind constantly. Some of this is totally understandable as the tight reign on Henry’s emotions is unraveled in the jungle, yet I definitely wanted Henry to stop his sexual obsessing and focus on something else. Since he’s the main narrator, all the internal musing on sex, sex, sex got old for me with too many sex scenes in those 100 pages instead of spread out over the entire course of the book.
Unfortunately while all of this is happening there is a pretty standard villain side story occurring at the same time. I’m not sure why this is added but perhaps it’s meant to keep the tension high since the villain is very flat and his motives are ridiculous and unexplained. The resolution with the villain Hodges boarders on absurd and the few explanations are incredibly weak and nonsensical. In fact the story struggles to even come up with a good reason for this villain and ultimately drags the ending on for way too long to include random scenes from cronies for some reason I couldn’t tell. The ending especially could have been much shorter and some scenes could have been edited out.
Another problem is the point of view switching. For the majority of the story Henry is the main narrator but every so often the story offers Dingo’s point of view. Yet during these scenes, the POV switches back and forth from Henry to Dingo sentence to sentence. This isn’t confusing or bothersome so much as it makes me wonder why Dingo’s POV is offered at all. Since many of Dingo’s motivations and thoughts are kept hidden to keep many aspects a mystery, his point of view didn’t really offer much to the story or the character. In fact the majority of his characterization comes from Henry’s perspective as he observes Dingo and his actions.
The characters for the most part are very well developed and interesting. Henry and Dingo are both very memorable with Dingo’s large personality and Henry’s quieter, stubborn nature. Both men change somewhat out in the jungle as Henry becomes pretty dominant and out spoken while Dingo is contrite. Although these two could easily have been caricatures, the story skillfully keeps them delightful and interesting. Dingo perhaps needs to grow more in the next book since he remains in the confines of an over the top, outlandish guide somewhat but I’m confident he’ll become a complex character in the next offering. Henry also seems to have room to grow with the changes evident at the end of the book and creates great potential for this duo in future stories.
Overall I struggled with the pace and some aspects of the plot even while I liked the characters quite a bit. The memorable story and unique writing voice is enjoyable just as the characters fairly leap off the page with their quirky and delightful flaws. I clearly had more issues and problems with the book then oh, just about anyone, so I’d take what I say with a hefty grain of salt. Sean Kennedy is one of my favorite authors so I’ll definitely continue with the series and the majority of readers rated this book very high so perhaps the problems didn’t really bother them. Given that, pretty sure it's just me and I'm sad since I like these authors a lot. Be sure to check this out and decide for yourself.
June 9, 2010
I don’t like reading at my PC much, and I often start an ebook for SIN with a feeling of dread- especially when one is – like Dash and Dingo – over 300 pages. But I was immediately pleasantly surprised by being drawn in, and it was not until my eyes started to get tired that I realised I was 100 pages in and enjoying myself immensely.
Let me just comment on the cover. It’s great. There’s no two ways about it. So what that it doesn’t yell “gay romance”? A woman holding an apple doesn’t scream Vampire Romance either. It’s a good cover and for my money, one I’m more than happy to put on my shelf, read it on the bus.
I’ve been discussing recently with other gay fiction authors and we often say that what seems to be missing is “adventures with gay protagonists” rather than books just concentrating on the romance. This certainly fits the adventure bill – it’s a real boy’s own adventure, a Saturday morning film-club book, a delicious blend of gay romance, Rider Haggard and Indiana Jones with a fair smattering of humour thrown in.
In an netshell Henry (Dash) Percival-Smythe is a stuffy professor who’s never been on a field trip, who is whisked off to the Antipodes by brash typical ocker Aussie. Romance and adventure ensues.
Sean Kennedy is a true-blue Aussie, I believe, and that shows. Dingo may be a little bit of a stereotype, but he’s a stereotype that does exist, as real-life characters such as Steve Irwin ably prove. I love the way Dingo takes the piss out of everything and everyone, from the head of Henry’s department–calling him Lardarse–to moaning about the warm English beer.
Dash, too, is priceless. Stuffy stiff upper lip professor one minute, over-excited public schoolboy the next.
The authors don’t skimp on detail just to skip ahead–the men need to get from England to Australia, and research has gone into doing this feat in the 1930′s. It was still primarily a sea voyage, and flying wasn’t the direct connect it is today. Too many books don’t take this kind of thing into consideration, having horses travel 100 miles a day or a train travel a thousand. Remember Kevin Costner’s famous boast that he could walk from Dover to Nottingham in a day? Well this book doesn’t do that.
Similarly there’s no rush with the plot. Because this is “proper novel size” (300 or so pages) the plot is not rushed at all, nor is the romantic entanglement. Time is spent getting to know Dingo’s family, all well written, and reminding me of a mixture of Kath and Kin bred with The Sullivans, and all of it “proper” Aussie. So many gay romances have the characters thinking only with their cocks from the moment they spy their soon-to-be partner, and we are spared this, and we are given time as the plot unwinds.
One thing I really appreciated was the imperfect sex–God alone knows there’s enough mutually switching studs with simultaneous ejeculations, and they never ever come too soon. Bravo to this book for having sexually deprived men behave like they probably would.
Once or twice I had the impression of being thumped over the head with too many facts a la Dan Brown style, and a few facts proved to be wrong – but they won’t spoil the experience, not unless you are nitpicky like me (and I only looked this stuff up because the facts were presented.)
A couple of general things niggled at me, being English: Scotch whisky spelled with an e, the ubiquitous ‘gotten’, mentions of sidewalks, and Henry’s father being called James Percival-Smythe III which is a rather American way of naming people, but nothing I couldn’t gloss over in the sheer fun of reading about these people. But perhaps to make a note that next time a Britpicking is clearly needed. There was also a propensity for beginning paragraphs with a name, which I hope the writers can root out in future collaborations, as it’s an easy vice to fall into. There are one of two places where the POV wobbles too, we seem to start a new scene in one POV and it turns out not to be so.
But there are some really nice touches, a strainer for the tea for example. A tiny thing, but a detail that proves the writer is thinking about that they put on the page. And with any good collaboration–Jamie Craig being another excellent example–it’s impossible to tell who wrote which part.
Anyone who loves Rider Haggard, Crocodile Dundee or Indiana Jones will have a blast with this book. Anyone who doesn’t know the sad history of the thylacine will find this a fascinating and instructive read; (personally, I don’t think the Tasmanian Tiger is extinct–there have been sightings, and even films of this amazing creature, and I’m sure we’ll see it again.) And I also hope very much that we see Dash and Dingo again, because for my money they’ve leapt right to the forefront of gay adventure/romance fame. No, it’s not perfect, but it’s a bloody great try and I didn’t want it to end, and that bumps it up from a 4½ star to a five.
Let me just comment on the cover. It’s great. There’s no two ways about it. So what that it doesn’t yell “gay romance”? A woman holding an apple doesn’t scream Vampire Romance either. It’s a good cover and for my money, one I’m more than happy to put on my shelf, read it on the bus.
I’ve been discussing recently with other gay fiction authors and we often say that what seems to be missing is “adventures with gay protagonists” rather than books just concentrating on the romance. This certainly fits the adventure bill – it’s a real boy’s own adventure, a Saturday morning film-club book, a delicious blend of gay romance, Rider Haggard and Indiana Jones with a fair smattering of humour thrown in.
In an netshell Henry (Dash) Percival-Smythe is a stuffy professor who’s never been on a field trip, who is whisked off to the Antipodes by brash typical ocker Aussie. Romance and adventure ensues.
Sean Kennedy is a true-blue Aussie, I believe, and that shows. Dingo may be a little bit of a stereotype, but he’s a stereotype that does exist, as real-life characters such as Steve Irwin ably prove. I love the way Dingo takes the piss out of everything and everyone, from the head of Henry’s department–calling him Lardarse–to moaning about the warm English beer.
Dash, too, is priceless. Stuffy stiff upper lip professor one minute, over-excited public schoolboy the next.
The authors don’t skimp on detail just to skip ahead–the men need to get from England to Australia, and research has gone into doing this feat in the 1930′s. It was still primarily a sea voyage, and flying wasn’t the direct connect it is today. Too many books don’t take this kind of thing into consideration, having horses travel 100 miles a day or a train travel a thousand. Remember Kevin Costner’s famous boast that he could walk from Dover to Nottingham in a day? Well this book doesn’t do that.
Similarly there’s no rush with the plot. Because this is “proper novel size” (300 or so pages) the plot is not rushed at all, nor is the romantic entanglement. Time is spent getting to know Dingo’s family, all well written, and reminding me of a mixture of Kath and Kin bred with The Sullivans, and all of it “proper” Aussie. So many gay romances have the characters thinking only with their cocks from the moment they spy their soon-to-be partner, and we are spared this, and we are given time as the plot unwinds.
One thing I really appreciated was the imperfect sex–God alone knows there’s enough mutually switching studs with simultaneous ejeculations, and they never ever come too soon. Bravo to this book for having sexually deprived men behave like they probably would.
Once or twice I had the impression of being thumped over the head with too many facts a la Dan Brown style, and a few facts proved to be wrong – but they won’t spoil the experience, not unless you are nitpicky like me (and I only looked this stuff up because the facts were presented.)
A couple of general things niggled at me, being English: Scotch whisky spelled with an e, the ubiquitous ‘gotten’, mentions of sidewalks, and Henry’s father being called James Percival-Smythe III which is a rather American way of naming people, but nothing I couldn’t gloss over in the sheer fun of reading about these people. But perhaps to make a note that next time a Britpicking is clearly needed. There was also a propensity for beginning paragraphs with a name, which I hope the writers can root out in future collaborations, as it’s an easy vice to fall into. There are one of two places where the POV wobbles too, we seem to start a new scene in one POV and it turns out not to be so.
But there are some really nice touches, a strainer for the tea for example. A tiny thing, but a detail that proves the writer is thinking about that they put on the page. And with any good collaboration–Jamie Craig being another excellent example–it’s impossible to tell who wrote which part.
Anyone who loves Rider Haggard, Crocodile Dundee or Indiana Jones will have a blast with this book. Anyone who doesn’t know the sad history of the thylacine will find this a fascinating and instructive read; (personally, I don’t think the Tasmanian Tiger is extinct–there have been sightings, and even films of this amazing creature, and I’m sure we’ll see it again.) And I also hope very much that we see Dash and Dingo again, because for my money they’ve leapt right to the forefront of gay adventure/romance fame. No, it’s not perfect, but it’s a bloody great try and I didn’t want it to end, and that bumps it up from a 4½ star to a five.
April 25, 2011
I enjoyed this book. The beginning was a bit slow, but when the real adventure began, it became really compelling. I also found that the Australian setting was very intriguing and since I was not aware of the history of the thylacine, apart from some trivia reminiscence, I appreciated that the authors wrote their book around this very specific subject.
The sensitivity of the characters to the fate of the animals was quite modern, maybe even a bit too modern. I guess that there were people that in the 1930s were pioneers for environmental problems, but I often found myself questioning about the open mentality of the majority of the characters of the book, since they are also very tolerant of homosexuality, which was a criminal offense at the time (I guess in Australia too), and their consideration for the culture of the native people of Australia.
Dash and Dingo were fun to read, because they are polar opposites in a sense, but they have the passion for the Tasmanian tiger in common. I was not very convinced by Dingo's words that he had wanted Dash from the first moment he set his eyes on him, because it seemed to imply that he had fallen in love quite quickly with the geeky Englishman. It was probably more attraction that love, but Dingo is a man of great passions and instincts, so it could have happened. The story is almost all in Dash's point of view, except for a few pages here and there and I must confess it irritated me a bit. I like when the changes of the point of view create a rhythm, but these sudden changes seemed more like a quick way for the author to make a point or convey an emotion, by-passing the problem of having just one narrator.
I think there wasn't enough conflict. Since the relationship between the protagonists soon becomes a love story, with moments of lust and tenderness that I loved very much - so no conflict here - I was expecting something more tense regarding the confrontation with the bad guy. On one hand, I thought Hodges' motivations were too "shallow", this personal grudge was childish given the extent of Hodge's hate for the Chamberses. I was expecting the scorn of an unrequited love, even if Hodge's harsh words for the "unnatural" relationship between Dash and Dingo was maybe the signal of something more. On the other hand I think that Hodges appeared quite out of the blue on the main couple's heels, and there was no real chase. I was expecting ambush after ambush, I wanted angst at least in that part of the story, but the confrontation with the bad guy was resolved in one chapter. I like to be worried about the characters of the book for a long time to be able to care for them. While I enjoyed Dash and Dingo together and the humor of some situations, I couldn't really connect with them.
I enjoyed this book because it was a bit different from the books I usually read and it was really entertaining and I'm looking forward to the sequel, I'd like to read more of Dash and Dingo in the Australian wild.
The sensitivity of the characters to the fate of the animals was quite modern, maybe even a bit too modern. I guess that there were people that in the 1930s were pioneers for environmental problems, but I often found myself questioning about the open mentality of the majority of the characters of the book, since they are also very tolerant of homosexuality, which was a criminal offense at the time (I guess in Australia too), and their consideration for the culture of the native people of Australia.
Dash and Dingo were fun to read, because they are polar opposites in a sense, but they have the passion for the Tasmanian tiger in common. I was not very convinced by Dingo's words that he had wanted Dash from the first moment he set his eyes on him, because it seemed to imply that he had fallen in love quite quickly with the geeky Englishman. It was probably more attraction that love, but Dingo is a man of great passions and instincts, so it could have happened. The story is almost all in Dash's point of view, except for a few pages here and there and I must confess it irritated me a bit. I like when the changes of the point of view create a rhythm, but these sudden changes seemed more like a quick way for the author to make a point or convey an emotion, by-passing the problem of having just one narrator.
I think there wasn't enough conflict. Since the relationship between the protagonists soon becomes a love story, with moments of lust and tenderness that I loved very much - so no conflict here - I was expecting something more tense regarding the confrontation with the bad guy. On one hand, I thought Hodges' motivations were too "shallow", this personal grudge was childish given the extent of Hodge's hate for the Chamberses. I was expecting the scorn of an unrequited love, even if Hodge's harsh words for the "unnatural" relationship between Dash and Dingo was maybe the signal of something more. On the other hand I think that Hodges appeared quite out of the blue on the main couple's heels, and there was no real chase. I was expecting ambush after ambush, I wanted angst at least in that part of the story, but the confrontation with the bad guy was resolved in one chapter. I like to be worried about the characters of the book for a long time to be able to care for them. While I enjoyed Dash and Dingo together and the humor of some situations, I couldn't really connect with them.
I enjoyed this book because it was a bit different from the books I usually read and it was really entertaining and I'm looking forward to the sequel, I'd like to read more of Dash and Dingo in the Australian wild.
February 6, 2010
Took me a little while to get past the first few pages, but when I did, I was hooked! A really warm story, plus it made me think about an area of history I knew nothing about.
August 19, 2011
Ok, where's the sequel?
January 30, 2017
** 4.5 Stars **
What a very entertaining Adventure Romance novel. I simply just adore Dash and Dingo ♥ I want a sequel!!!
What a very entertaining Adventure Romance novel. I simply just adore Dash and Dingo ♥ I want a sequel!!!
October 3, 2015
This was a fun read. That's not to say it's funny--although it was at points--but that the story was really enjoyable. It was kind of like the gay version of Indian Jones. It kept me enthralled right up and past the last page. The story was believable and different. It was interesting to learn about the tiger, Tasmania, and Australia 100 years ago. There was action and adventure, danger and true peril, and it was so, so, so sweet. There was excellent sexual tension but also romantic tension. Plus, a small chunk of it takes place in the suburb of Mebourne where my sister lives!
The characters were wonderful and distinct individuals. Their motivations mostly made sense and I liked the people I was supposed to like and didn't like the ones I wasn't. There was some stereotyping, though. The Aboriginal Australian (I'm sorry, the book said that isn't PC, but I didn't know what else to use. If you know, please say so in the comments so I can amend this review.)
The men acted like adults, handling arguments like grown men for the most part. Once Dash walks away in anger, and he second guesses their relationship thinking Dingo was using him, but he realizes he may have made a mistake quite quicky, that Dingo did care, so he turned back.
There was a little head hopping and a little omniscient narrator, but it wasn't very common. There were a few problems, but they weren't many. One was that someone "moved up to the stern" of a boat. Ummm.
The biggest problem, though, was inserting too many 21st centurey sensitivities into a book from acompletely different era. I can accept that an academic might not like guns, but to have people in a rural area in 1936 not wanting the kids to be around guns is ridiculous. The kids would have guns in their hands early on to learn how to both hint and protect themselves. On top of that, at least one of the MCs hates zoos because of how the animals needed to run free, etc., again a very modern Western World idea. (I hate zoos, too, even though I know some do a lot of work with saving species nearing extinction, etc.)
Another was that an Englishman was horrified that someone let a ten year old drink some beer once. That was ridiculous to me. He might not approve but there still wasn't a drinking age in many places in Europe. In my lifetime, kids drank in Ireland and France. Watered down but still.
Yet another was that Dash was way too comfortable with being casual and presumptious regarding his clothing for British man in 1935. He was too undressed for a British person, especially when he was in someone else's home. He walked to an external bathroom in his underwear. I wouldn't expect a guest of mine to do that now if I'd only just met them. He also walked down to breakfast in bare feet. Again, that's almost weirder him walking into someone else's kitchen to get food for himself.
Other reviewers have mentioned the attitudes toward equality were also too forward thinking but I disagree. By this time, the US had finished it's civil war over slave ownership and the slaves had been freed. There were other countries going through a similar thing, too, including one island in Indonesia, I think, where the slaves themselves revolted and won.
A couple of little items:
Moss grows thickest on the south side of trees in the Southern Hemisphere not the north. There was too much sex, but least the scenes were short so I didn't have too much time to be annoyed by the interruptions in the story.
Overall, I loved the story and I want a sequel. There isn't one, and probably won't ever be, so , which is annoying.
But overall, this book was wonderful 5 stars easily.
The characters were wonderful and distinct individuals. Their motivations mostly made sense and I liked the people I was supposed to like and didn't like the ones I wasn't. There was some stereotyping, though. The Aboriginal Australian (I'm sorry, the book said that isn't PC, but I didn't know what else to use. If you know, please say so in the comments so I can amend this review.)
The men acted like adults, handling arguments like grown men for the most part. Once Dash walks away in anger, and he second guesses their relationship thinking Dingo was using him, but he realizes he may have made a mistake quite quicky, that Dingo did care, so he turned back.
There was a little head hopping and a little omniscient narrator, but it wasn't very common. There were a few problems, but they weren't many. One was that someone "moved up to the stern" of a boat. Ummm.
The biggest problem, though, was inserting too many 21st centurey sensitivities into a book from acompletely different era. I can accept that an academic might not like guns, but to have people in a rural area in 1936 not wanting the kids to be around guns is ridiculous. The kids would have guns in their hands early on to learn how to both hint and protect themselves. On top of that, at least one of the MCs hates zoos because of how the animals needed to run free, etc., again a very modern Western World idea. (I hate zoos, too, even though I know some do a lot of work with saving species nearing extinction, etc.)
Another was that an Englishman was horrified that someone let a ten year old drink some beer once. That was ridiculous to me. He might not approve but there still wasn't a drinking age in many places in Europe. In my lifetime, kids drank in Ireland and France. Watered down but still.
Yet another was that Dash was way too comfortable with being casual and presumptious regarding his clothing for British man in 1935. He was too undressed for a British person, especially when he was in someone else's home. He walked to an external bathroom in his underwear. I wouldn't expect a guest of mine to do that now if I'd only just met them. He also walked down to breakfast in bare feet. Again, that's almost weirder him walking into someone else's kitchen to get food for himself.
Other reviewers have mentioned the attitudes toward equality were also too forward thinking but I disagree. By this time, the US had finished it's civil war over slave ownership and the slaves had been freed. There were other countries going through a similar thing, too, including one island in Indonesia, I think, where the slaves themselves revolted and won.
A couple of little items:
Moss grows thickest on the south side of trees in the Southern Hemisphere not the north. There was too much sex, but least the scenes were short so I didn't have too much time to be annoyed by the interruptions in the story.
Overall, I loved the story and I want a sequel. There isn't one, and probably won't ever be, so , which is annoying.
But overall, this book was wonderful 5 stars easily.
January 22, 2010
In 1934 Henry Percival-Smythe spends most of his time tucked away at Ealing College studying the almost extinct thylacine. A shy and rarely seen creature that has been hunted to the brink of extinction, the thylacine fires Henry’s imagination and he becomes obsessed with cataloging what is left of this strange and unusual animal. When he is given the chance to go into the wilds of Australia and actually see the tiger he is apprehensive and excited. But, in order to do this he has to travel with charismatic Jack “Dingo” Chambers. While on the journey Henry discovers there is more to himself than dusty, old academia and that he not only has a passion for conservation, but also his wayward and wild Australian guide.
Henry was such a great character. He was rather uptight, sheltered and kinda geeky, and considering the time period I felt he was well drawn. His reticent nature was a great foil for Dingo’s brash temperament and this clash made for great tension. Each finding their way, learning about each other and how to deal with their feelings and as a result much late night reading for me.
The story itself was interesting and part of that was the era it is set in. I sometimes wish there were a few more books written about the 20’s and 30’s in the genre. There is huge potential for that whole forbidden love trope! That the majority of the book is also set in the Antipodes was a huge plus. I think I’ve made mutterings before, about how most published work I read is set in the northern hemisphere. This book felt very familiar and the use of language, setting and over all feel was very entertaining as a reader from this part of the world.
I did feel that Dingo’s family treated his sexuality with incredible acceptance considering the it was set in the 30’s and this required a leap of faith on the readers part. However, as it is fiction and it did not stick out unduly it was not a huge problem. The only other thing I felt could have been tighter were a few of the latter chapters, I got a little impatient with all the ferreting around in the bush. I am an impatient bint though, so that might have just been me and thinking that those boys needed a shower after all that sweaty… hiking.
After reading books from both Catt Ford and Sean Kennedy this year, I felt that both their strengths were very apparent within the book. It was erotic (ZOMG – dream sequence at Dingo’s parents house O-O. Naughty!) and was reasonably faithful to the era it was set in, the world building was vivid, with maybe just the odd bit of mysticism and angst to round it out.
A delightful read with much heart and something quite unique. Move over Indiana!
Check it out here at Dreamspinner Press and ARe.
http://sharrow.wordpress.com/2009/10/...
Henry was such a great character. He was rather uptight, sheltered and kinda geeky, and considering the time period I felt he was well drawn. His reticent nature was a great foil for Dingo’s brash temperament and this clash made for great tension. Each finding their way, learning about each other and how to deal with their feelings and as a result much late night reading for me.
The story itself was interesting and part of that was the era it is set in. I sometimes wish there were a few more books written about the 20’s and 30’s in the genre. There is huge potential for that whole forbidden love trope! That the majority of the book is also set in the Antipodes was a huge plus. I think I’ve made mutterings before, about how most published work I read is set in the northern hemisphere. This book felt very familiar and the use of language, setting and over all feel was very entertaining as a reader from this part of the world.
I did feel that Dingo’s family treated his sexuality with incredible acceptance considering the it was set in the 30’s and this required a leap of faith on the readers part. However, as it is fiction and it did not stick out unduly it was not a huge problem. The only other thing I felt could have been tighter were a few of the latter chapters, I got a little impatient with all the ferreting around in the bush. I am an impatient bint though, so that might have just been me and thinking that those boys needed a shower after all that sweaty… hiking.
After reading books from both Catt Ford and Sean Kennedy this year, I felt that both their strengths were very apparent within the book. It was erotic (ZOMG – dream sequence at Dingo’s parents house O-O. Naughty!) and was reasonably faithful to the era it was set in, the world building was vivid, with maybe just the odd bit of mysticism and angst to round it out.
A delightful read with much heart and something quite unique. Move over Indiana!
Check it out here at Dreamspinner Press and ARe.
http://sharrow.wordpress.com/2009/10/...
January 30, 2015
Historical M/M romance set in 1934 about a nerdy researcher and an Indian Jones type adventurer who find love while searching for the lost "Tasmanian Tiger".
I recently read Whyborne and Griffin, Books 1-3: Widdershins, Threshold, and Stormhaven and Necropolis so I was hoping to find another book similar with a clueless smart geek finding sweet sweet love with a hot hunky muscle-bound guy.
Henry Percival-Smythe is our geeky introverted only child to a rich distant English family. So he doesn't really start living until the hot sexy very loud, Mr. Jack "Dingo" Chambers barges into his quiet boring life and kidnaps him from Ealing College, England and takes him to finally search out the elusive (perhaps already extinct) the Australian mammal, the thylacine aka Tasmanian Tiger.
There is some serious violence and death threats while our intrepid adventurers are deep in the wilderness. Although there is no clear HEA, they are clearly going to find some way to be together by the end of the story. The anti-colonization ideas are a little heavy handed at times, it does endears the reader to the indigenous characters that we meet as well as stays very respectful to the native culture.
I prefered the Whyborne and Griffin, Books 1-3: Widdershins, Threshold, and Stormhaven series, but this was still well written and the characters were interesting and loveable.
310 pages and large format paperback book
3 stars
I recently read Whyborne and Griffin, Books 1-3: Widdershins, Threshold, and Stormhaven and Necropolis so I was hoping to find another book similar with a clueless smart geek finding sweet sweet love with a hot hunky muscle-bound guy.
Henry Percival-Smythe is our geeky introverted only child to a rich distant English family. So he doesn't really start living until the hot sexy very loud, Mr. Jack "Dingo" Chambers barges into his quiet boring life and kidnaps him from Ealing College, England and takes him to finally search out the elusive (perhaps already extinct) the Australian mammal, the thylacine aka Tasmanian Tiger.
There is some serious violence and death threats while our intrepid adventurers are deep in the wilderness. Although there is no clear HEA, they are clearly going to find some way to be together by the end of the story. The anti-colonization ideas are a little heavy handed at times, it does endears the reader to the indigenous characters that we meet as well as stays very respectful to the native culture.
I prefered the Whyborne and Griffin, Books 1-3: Widdershins, Threshold, and Stormhaven series, but this was still well written and the characters were interesting and loveable.
310 pages and large format paperback book
3 stars
August 11, 2015
I enjoyed this story full of adventure, action, suspens. I like the two main characters but Dash is my favorite. He is passionate, but appears a little ingenuous, shy and “stuck”. But during their adventure, he reveals another aspect of his personality: he is very smart, cautious but adventurous. He has some useful skills, knows how to adapt himself to new situations, bounce back quickly and dares to try new experiences.
This book raises interesting topics about how the Aborigines were treated by the colonial people and also about this same colonials’ responsibility for the extinction of certain animal species as the thylacine… Unfortunately that’s still an actual issue in certain parts of the world!
This book raises interesting topics about how the Aborigines were treated by the colonial people and also about this same colonials’ responsibility for the extinction of certain animal species as the thylacine… Unfortunately that’s still an actual issue in certain parts of the world!
December 15, 2013
Very reminiscent of Bozza's Butterfly Hunter and almost as sleep-inducing. Was expecting much more from Catt Ford.
September 23, 2013
I really enjoyed this adventure romance story by Sean Kennedy and Catt Ford. I have read other works from both authors and was happy to find the elements of their writing that I enjoy on this story.
I loved the historical, cultural and conservationist aspect of this story. I like reading historical books as I love to be transported to previous times and how life was lived back then. Ford and Kennedy did a great job at painting the setting of the late 1930's on this story. I enjoyed reading about life in Australia and Tasmania back in those days. It was also interesting to contrast Dash's life in London with that of Dingo in Australia. But perhaps what I liked the most was the conservationist message in this book. After completing it I have found myself looking at images and video of the Tasmanian Tiger online wondering if really this animal could be surviving while hiding in the deep Tasmanian rainforest. I also looked up a bit about the laws that drove the Tasmanian Tigers to extinction and wondered what could drive people to want to make an animal disappear completely from this world.
For the romance aspect I enjoyed the slow and tender development of Dash and Dingo's relationship. I am also glad that both Dash and Dingo are able to find supportive family and friends.
I loved the historical, cultural and conservationist aspect of this story. I like reading historical books as I love to be transported to previous times and how life was lived back then. Ford and Kennedy did a great job at painting the setting of the late 1930's on this story. I enjoyed reading about life in Australia and Tasmania back in those days. It was also interesting to contrast Dash's life in London with that of Dingo in Australia. But perhaps what I liked the most was the conservationist message in this book. After completing it I have found myself looking at images and video of the Tasmanian Tiger online wondering if really this animal could be surviving while hiding in the deep Tasmanian rainforest. I also looked up a bit about the laws that drove the Tasmanian Tigers to extinction and wondered what could drive people to want to make an animal disappear completely from this world.
For the romance aspect I enjoyed the slow and tender development of Dash and Dingo's relationship. I am also glad that both Dash and Dingo are able to find supportive family and friends.
November 19, 2014
Where to start?
I adored Sean Kennedy's previous outings with Tigers and Devils and then the follow up Tigerland, so decided to try another novel involving the same author. This book was co written with Catt Ford, who I haven't read before. I have to say Dash and Dingo didn't really gel with me. I felt the plot was a bit weak, when trying to build up the villain of the piece Hodges. Hodges just didn't feel menacing enough to me. This meant that the ending to his part in the story felt anti climatic.
I missed Kennedy's characteristic humour from the other two books I've read and thus the humour which was in the book felt kind of forced to me. I really wanted to like the story, but felt I didn't connect with either Dingo or Dash. Thus not invested in their story it was a real struggle to get to the end of the book.
The book was told large from Dash's POV, just there were jarring instances where we had Dingo's POV. When Dingo's POV was inserted it didn't fit with the flow of the novel, as it Dingo's POV could be in the middle of a paragraph which had started off from Dash's POV.
It was just an okay read for me. If there is a sequel I won't be reading it.
I adored Sean Kennedy's previous outings with Tigers and Devils and then the follow up Tigerland, so decided to try another novel involving the same author. This book was co written with Catt Ford, who I haven't read before. I have to say Dash and Dingo didn't really gel with me. I felt the plot was a bit weak, when trying to build up the villain of the piece Hodges. Hodges just didn't feel menacing enough to me. This meant that the ending to his part in the story felt anti climatic.
I missed Kennedy's characteristic humour from the other two books I've read and thus the humour which was in the book felt kind of forced to me. I really wanted to like the story, but felt I didn't connect with either Dingo or Dash. Thus not invested in their story it was a real struggle to get to the end of the book.
The book was told large from Dash's POV, just there were jarring instances where we had Dingo's POV. When Dingo's POV was inserted it didn't fit with the flow of the novel, as it Dingo's POV could be in the middle of a paragraph which had started off from Dash's POV.
It was just an okay read for me. If there is a sequel I won't be reading it.
May 28, 2013
This was a fantastic adventure with a hot romance mixed in. Dash, aka Henry Percival-Smythe, was an archivist with a college which his wealthy and titled father supported. His passion was the Tasmanian Tiger and when Jack Chambers, aka Dingo, shows up with a proposal to search for the famed tiger, Dash agrees to undertake the adventure on behalf of the college.
What happens is that Dash's life is turned inside out and upside down and he learns more about himself than he had ever believed. Dingo and Dash fall in love while on their adventure. We get to see the wilds of Tasmania and the majesty of the outback. Although we are reading an m/m romance, we have an opportunity to learn more about the Aborigines and the tigers since the authors have been very respectful in relaying historical details of both.
I really enjoyed this story and thankfully the ending promised further adventure for the couple. Both authors together were a great mix and I hope we get to see enjoy those future adventures with this couple some day.
What happens is that Dash's life is turned inside out and upside down and he learns more about himself than he had ever believed. Dingo and Dash fall in love while on their adventure. We get to see the wilds of Tasmania and the majesty of the outback. Although we are reading an m/m romance, we have an opportunity to learn more about the Aborigines and the tigers since the authors have been very respectful in relaying historical details of both.
I really enjoyed this story and thankfully the ending promised further adventure for the couple. Both authors together were a great mix and I hope we get to see enjoy those future adventures with this couple some day.
September 29, 2009
This is a conservationist story set in the 1930s and as far as I can tell done very authentically, (disregarding the american spellings they have obviously had to use). It addresses a lot of issues to do with colonisation that are pertinent to other countries as well as Australia.
The relationship between the protagonists is satisfying although those who are looking for an HEA might be disappointed. It seems safe to say they have one, but it and the bedroom/tent scenes are delivered in a fairly low key way. More descriptive than the fade to black of 'Tigers and Devils' but not the raison d'être of the story. That definitely belongs to the Tasmanian Tigers, and I for one am left hoping- no doubt futilely - that just maybe there is a little colony holding their own deep in the Tasmanian bush.
The relationship between the protagonists is satisfying although those who are looking for an HEA might be disappointed. It seems safe to say they have one, but it and the bedroom/tent scenes are delivered in a fairly low key way. More descriptive than the fade to black of 'Tigers and Devils' but not the raison d'être of the story. That definitely belongs to the Tasmanian Tigers, and I for one am left hoping- no doubt futilely - that just maybe there is a little colony holding their own deep in the Tasmanian bush.
July 5, 2011
Because I was not familiar with the Tasmania Tiger, before I began reading this book I went to Google to find a photograph. Not only was there a photograph but there was also a YouTube video of old film footage of the last known Thylacine. I watched the video and I’m not sure that was such a good idea because the vision of that poor creature living in such deplorable conditions coloured my reading experience. I found I could not condone Henry Percival-Smythe’s plans for the Thylacine. Thank goodness Dingo’s influence eventually transformed Henry into the much more likeable Dash!
I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure and getting to know the MCs as well as a fine cast of secondary characters. I would welcome reading the next adventure for Dash and Dingo!
p.s. - loved the little homage to T&D! ;)
I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure and getting to know the MCs as well as a fine cast of secondary characters. I would welcome reading the next adventure for Dash and Dingo!
p.s. - loved the little homage to T&D! ;)
August 11, 2015
This book had me quite in a tizzy. It is not my normal genre so I have been pushing myself to read things that may not be my "usual" cup of tea so to speak. I joined the buddy group to push myself to make sure that I read this book and (heard it had good scavenger hunt points) but I truly believe that you may have to be in the right frame of mind to read some things to get full enjoyment. I rated this as I did since the book isn't my thing but it is very well written and it is a great overall story. I just guess the historical setting is not for me. I have read these authors before and will definitely read more. I'm not sure even if I would have liked it better if the ending was what I wanted.
May 4, 2016
God, but I have had this on my tbr forever. I honestly don't know what has stopped me from reading it. I love the authors, and I adore just about anything set in Australia and New Zealand, so this should have been right up my alley. And it was. It was a great story, with plenty of peril and plenty of romance. The bad guy was a bit over the top for me, and I never did quite buy the explanation for his behavior. Granted, 'crazy' villains have never really been my thing. But that was the only real complaint I have about this.
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
October 9, 2013
oh! i love this line so so much , i've read it about 5 times just to savor it a bit longer before continuing with the book :p
This book is definitely one of my favorits , it was so ORIGINAL! & exciting (kept me reading in the dark , all night long :p)
This book is definitely one of my favorits , it was so ORIGINAL! & exciting (kept me reading in the dark , all night long :p)
August 30, 2015
A fun, adventurous and slow-burning romance with a little intrigue and environmental awareness thrown in.
I'm not sure the environmental themes were sold on me. It's a rather simplistic look at overhunting and the endangerment of wildlife species. But then, if we were to go into the nitty gritty details, there wouldn't be much room for romance.
The romance was a little low-key in this book which still worked for me. I like all the read-between-the-lines imagined heat stories
I'm not sure the environmental themes were sold on me. It's a rather simplistic look at overhunting and the endangerment of wildlife species. But then, if we were to go into the nitty gritty details, there wouldn't be much room for romance.
The romance was a little low-key in this book which still worked for me. I like all the read-between-the-lines imagined heat stories
June 12, 2012
I wish we had half stars. I don't think this is quite a four star for me, but it's not as low as a three star either.
This is a fun historical adventure (1930s Australia). Think Indiana Jones only with extinct animals and poachers instead of artifacts and Nazis. Oh and the hot man love too.
Also. This book me a bit sad, because I so want to see a Tasmanian Tiger. And I can't.
Recommended!
This is a fun historical adventure (1930s Australia). Think Indiana Jones only with extinct animals and poachers instead of artifacts and Nazis. Oh and the hot man love too.
Also. This book me a bit sad, because I so want to see a Tasmanian Tiger. And I can't.
Recommended!
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