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Keeper of the Land #1
Unicorn's Peril
The discovery of a wounded unicorn on his father's farm sparks a series of events Logan couldn't even fathom in his wildest dreams. Through this unicorn, he is confronted with sexual suggestion, magic and the promise of power. Logan and his brother Blake are quickly plunged into a world consumed by greed, lust and revenge. A world dominated by an ancient war between the unicorns and the centaurs. Can Blake save his brother from the unicorn's grasp before it's too late? Or more importantly, can Logan see what is happening to him as he is subjected to more and more unicorn magic?
257 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2010
5 people are currently reading
215 people want to read
About the author
Mark Alders
57 books211 followersI live in Melbourne, Victoria, in the land of Oz. According to my own Teenage mis-adventures, I am just an ordinary guy with a penis which likes to get me into trouble…a lot. I’ve seduced trees, copulated with watermelons, and had nice old ladies pick ants off my naked body. Yep, that’s me. Mark Alders. All round nice guy and with my brain firmly in my pants, exactly where it belongs!
So what about the here and now? Well, I am a mild, mannered post office worker by day. I have a mortgage to pay and a partner named Lee who I have been with for *cough* twenty one years *cough.* At night, my muse, the bitch, forces me into bondage and makes me sit at my computer and type out stories about men having sex with each other…all the time…over and over…in varying degrees of WTF, too!
I mean, I have stories out there about alien spiders needing humans to nourish their eggs, red-skinned aliens whose balls glow when they are sexually excited, beings who cock dock with their victims to drain them of their life force, and a young man who discovers puberty is just the start of his problems as he comes into ‘magolescence’ on his eighteenth birthday and his penis turns into a snake!
Ah, the life of a story teller. The fun never ends.
So what about the here and now? Well, I am a mild, mannered post office worker by day. I have a mortgage to pay and a partner named Lee who I have been with for *cough* twenty one years *cough.* At night, my muse, the bitch, forces me into bondage and makes me sit at my computer and type out stories about men having sex with each other…all the time…over and over…in varying degrees of WTF, too!
I mean, I have stories out there about alien spiders needing humans to nourish their eggs, red-skinned aliens whose balls glow when they are sexually excited, beings who cock dock with their victims to drain them of their life force, and a young man who discovers puberty is just the start of his problems as he comes into ‘magolescence’ on his eighteenth birthday and his penis turns into a snake!
Ah, the life of a story teller. The fun never ends.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 28, 2011
01/18/13: Revised rating after a couple of years of reading m/m: from 4 to 3.
It's almost impossible to write a review without spoiling the book because there are so many things happening and everything changes page after page. You never know who the bad guys and the good guys are and you will find yourself changing sides and questioning your loyalties constantly.
One of the things I like in a book is when it takes me back to the reads of my early teen years. There was nothing erotic in them, while here the sexual charged moments are important to explain the way the world created by the author works. There was a lot of adventure, exotic settings, magic and a slightly dark undertone that gave a menacing atmosphere to the whole book (and that later translated into my love for horrors, but I couldn't know it then) and I found all these elements in this story.
I want to speak about one of the characters of the book, the unitaur (half unicorn, half centaur) Keallan. He's raw, there's no other way to describe him, and it surprised me how my feelings went from loathing to concern to love for him. He does nothing to win the sympathies of the people around him and the sympathies of the readers, but he slowly gets under everybody's skin in a positive way and in the end he is the only one you can't help rooting for.
I really enjoyed this book. It's probably not perfect, and there were a few moments which were quite disturbing for me (that's why it's not a full 5-star rating), but it carried me away for a few hours and that's what I was really asking for.
It's almost impossible to write a review without spoiling the book because there are so many things happening and everything changes page after page. You never know who the bad guys and the good guys are and you will find yourself changing sides and questioning your loyalties constantly.
One of the things I like in a book is when it takes me back to the reads of my early teen years. There was nothing erotic in them, while here the sexual charged moments are important to explain the way the world created by the author works. There was a lot of adventure, exotic settings, magic and a slightly dark undertone that gave a menacing atmosphere to the whole book (and that later translated into my love for horrors, but I couldn't know it then) and I found all these elements in this story.
I want to speak about one of the characters of the book, the unitaur (half unicorn, half centaur) Keallan. He's raw, there's no other way to describe him, and it surprised me how my feelings went from loathing to concern to love for him. He does nothing to win the sympathies of the people around him and the sympathies of the readers, but he slowly gets under everybody's skin in a positive way and in the end he is the only one you can't help rooting for.
I really enjoyed this book. It's probably not perfect, and there were a few moments which were quite disturbing for me (that's why it's not a full 5-star rating), but it carried me away for a few hours and that's what I was really asking for.
September 6, 2015
Wonderful story. I'm an emotional person so I'm sooooo glad no one was with me to watch me read this. (I get teased enough.) Ughh, what to say without giving anything away. The characters came so alive to me. They are real, not perfect or black and white characters that you see so often in books. They all have good and bad to them. Even your villains aren't clear cut which just makes them more believable. Now to wait for the second book.
November 19, 2010
I give this 4.5 stars. For a bit in the beginning it seemed that there was so much going on I felt a somewhat lost. There's 4 groups of characters with different agendas; the centaurs, the unicorns, the keepers, and the council. Lots of mistruths, magic and secrets. Obviously, the more you read, the more it's all understood. Oh and quite a bit of very creative hot sex!!
There's some strange goings-on on that farm!!
There's some strange goings-on on that farm!!
October 2, 2010
Wow once again Mark rocked my world. Bringing me into his unicorn world. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading. I couldn't tell who was good or who was bad. I wouldn't do the book justice if I tried to tell you what it was about. There's so much going on, you just have to read it. It made me angry, sad, scared and of course I cried. I mean the whole book had my heart going. I love the way Mark writes he pulls you in and keeps you in until the book is over, then makes you want more. So glad this is book 1 and there will be more. I Can't wait for the next book to come out:-)
April 4, 2011
There's things I liked about this book and there's things I didn't like about it. Overall, it's a good book but there's definitely some elements in it that aren't suitable for certain people. For instance, there's mild bestiality and mild incest in it. So, forewarning on that.
I liked a majority of the characters. Jack was my favorite and Keallan was my second favorite. Ferran and Savannah were nice, too, but I really, really hated Logan and Aidenock. Aidenock was a douche bag and Logan just didn't appeal to me at all. I know he was under Aidenock's spell and everything but I still didn't like him when he was out of the spell. I loved Keallan and Jack. It's really hard for me not to love a character like Keallan because of what he's been through and the way he looks and Jack helping Keallan and taking the time to push through Keallan's walls to reach his heart even with everything Keallan did to Jack made him my favorite character.
I will be honest and say that this was a four star read for me because I did like the story but it took me so long to get into. I'm talking more than a third of the way in is when it finally dragged me in. This is because Logan and Aidenock annoyed me so much that I couldn't get into the story because of them since almost the whole beginning is about them. When Jack died, though, is when I had to take away another star because that's ultimately when the story started to have less appeal to me and sadly, I was glad it happened towards the end because otherwise I wouldn't have finished it. With Jack dead, I didn't like how it ended at all. I just wanted to scream at all of them and tell them how they could have fixed the problem without all the extra fuss and maybe Jack would have lived.
But aside from that, I was still left with a bunch of questions. Like, what's so special about that particular land and why does it need a Keeper? What is the Keeper supposed to do, anyway? What qualifies someone as a Keeper? Can just any human, or creature, be one? So, while the fantasy was good, there isn't much information on Keepers and since Jack was my favorite character, Keallan my second favorite, I'd like to know these things especially since there are three Keepers now.... I was also kinda disappointed this wasn't a romance since I was under the impression it was going to be (or maybe that was just me that thought that?) but the only romance in it was of a het couple :-( I love my fantasy but I love my m/m romance more and I thought this was going to be both but I was wrong :-/
Overall, this will most likely appeal to fantasy lovers but not to m/m lovers. It was a good book but had I known there were no romance, I probably would have stayed clear of it.
I liked a majority of the characters. Jack was my favorite and Keallan was my second favorite. Ferran and Savannah were nice, too, but I really, really hated Logan and Aidenock. Aidenock was a douche bag and Logan just didn't appeal to me at all. I know he was under Aidenock's spell and everything but I still didn't like him when he was out of the spell. I loved Keallan and Jack. It's really hard for me not to love a character like Keallan because of what he's been through and the way he looks and Jack helping Keallan and taking the time to push through Keallan's walls to reach his heart even with everything Keallan did to Jack made him my favorite character.
I will be honest and say that this was a four star read for me because I did like the story but it took me so long to get into. I'm talking more than a third of the way in is when it finally dragged me in. This is because Logan and Aidenock annoyed me so much that I couldn't get into the story because of them since almost the whole beginning is about them. When Jack died, though, is when I had to take away another star because that's ultimately when the story started to have less appeal to me and sadly, I was glad it happened towards the end because otherwise I wouldn't have finished it. With Jack dead, I didn't like how it ended at all. I just wanted to scream at all of them and tell them how they could have fixed the problem without all the extra fuss and maybe Jack would have lived.
But aside from that, I was still left with a bunch of questions. Like, what's so special about that particular land and why does it need a Keeper? What is the Keeper supposed to do, anyway? What qualifies someone as a Keeper? Can just any human, or creature, be one? So, while the fantasy was good, there isn't much information on Keepers and since Jack was my favorite character, Keallan my second favorite, I'd like to know these things especially since there are three Keepers now.... I was also kinda disappointed this wasn't a romance since I was under the impression it was going to be (or maybe that was just me that thought that?) but the only romance in it was of a het couple :-( I love my fantasy but I love my m/m romance more and I thought this was going to be both but I was wrong :-/
Overall, this will most likely appeal to fantasy lovers but not to m/m lovers. It was a good book but had I known there were no romance, I probably would have stayed clear of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2011
This is hard to review. On one hand it was a very original, interesting fantasy book that kept me guessing from one moment to the next, but on the other hand it didn't have any real romance in it and the sex was just WEIRD (and not in a good way!) which is why I have given it 3 stars rather than 4. In some ways this story was more about the love between family and friends than it was about romantic love as sex in it seemed to symbolise the transfer of power and was often used (in bizarre scenarios) to manipulate rather than to show affection and feeling.
The start of the book was a bit confusing to me and it was difficult to figure out whose side I wanted to be on (unicorn vs. centaur vs. unitaur!). However, one character I really loved throughout was Keallan with his brash ways that hid his vulnerabilities and insecurities. I also really enjoyed the centaur couple, Ferran and Savannah.
Overall, I think that Mark Alders is a really talented writer with a vivid imagination who has written a completely unique story with this first book in the "Keeper of the Land" series. I am not sure it was entirely to my tastes; however, I have a couple of Mark's other books (The Nourisher and Shadows of the Mind) to read as part of a challenge I am doing so I have plenty more opportunities to be drawn further into his world!
The start of the book was a bit confusing to me and it was difficult to figure out whose side I wanted to be on (unicorn vs. centaur vs. unitaur!). However, one character I really loved throughout was Keallan with his brash ways that hid his vulnerabilities and insecurities. I also really enjoyed the centaur couple, Ferran and Savannah.
Overall, I think that Mark Alders is a really talented writer with a vivid imagination who has written a completely unique story with this first book in the "Keeper of the Land" series. I am not sure it was entirely to my tastes; however, I have a couple of Mark's other books (The Nourisher and Shadows of the Mind) to read as part of a challenge I am doing so I have plenty more opportunities to be drawn further into his world!
October 6, 2010
Logan and Blake live on the sheep ranch with their Father, Jack. Logan finds Aidenock, a wounded unicorn and takes it back home to the stable to tend only to be ensnared by the unicorn’s magic and made a familiar.
Blake, unaware of the danger that his brother is in, is stopped by the centaurs and “asked” for medical aid. Blinded by the urgings of Aidenock, Logan attaches Blake starting a series of events that will either destroy a family or bring them together.
I really had to take a couple of days to think about this book before I sat down to write this. Great reads illicit emotions and reactions from the readers. There is no ho-humm ing through it. For me, the stronger the connection the more I value what I am reading.
Unicorn’s Peril made my laugh and smile in some places, but also apprehensive, angry, horrified and even an “ewe” here and there. You think you know who to root for and then you have to step back and look at the whole picture again and again because not all is what it seems. Logan has secrets, Blake has secrets, Jack has secrets, Aidenock has secrets. There is greed, love, power struggles, insanity, loyalty, manipulation, lies and loss. There are also lessons on beauty and ugliness, love and forgiveness, acceptance and rejection. I loved that they all have flaws and that there was no single champion but I especially enjoyed that with all of the polite and proper speech of all the characters there was one, *smile* Keullan who soothed me with his snarky, sailor cussing. (Made me laugh every time.) Needless to say, I loved this book.
Blake, unaware of the danger that his brother is in, is stopped by the centaurs and “asked” for medical aid. Blinded by the urgings of Aidenock, Logan attaches Blake starting a series of events that will either destroy a family or bring them together.
I really had to take a couple of days to think about this book before I sat down to write this. Great reads illicit emotions and reactions from the readers. There is no ho-humm ing through it. For me, the stronger the connection the more I value what I am reading.
Unicorn’s Peril made my laugh and smile in some places, but also apprehensive, angry, horrified and even an “ewe” here and there. You think you know who to root for and then you have to step back and look at the whole picture again and again because not all is what it seems. Logan has secrets, Blake has secrets, Jack has secrets, Aidenock has secrets. There is greed, love, power struggles, insanity, loyalty, manipulation, lies and loss. There are also lessons on beauty and ugliness, love and forgiveness, acceptance and rejection. I loved that they all have flaws and that there was no single champion but I especially enjoyed that with all of the polite and proper speech of all the characters there was one, *smile* Keullan who soothed me with his snarky, sailor cussing. (Made me laugh every time.) Needless to say, I loved this book.
February 28, 2011
Nooo, ew, gross! That are the words that come in to my mind after reading this book. If you read the description, nothing can compare you for what you will eventually read. It first starts with a unicorn who turns out to be a real pervert. I can actually live with that, although some of the things he did after just a couple of pages in the book made me sick. But it didn't stop there. The author made a unicorn rape a horse. That was it for me. That's when I stopped reading. That's too sick in my mind.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2011
Mark Alders created a wonderful world with unicorns and centaurs. This book is full of action and you will not want to put it down. I am glad that I have the second book on hand to continue. Can't wait so see what else happens.
September 10, 2011
This book had no business being as hot as it was.
I never realized how much I crave creativity in my M/M until I read this one. This is not for the lighthearted-there is sex between a unicorn and a human, as well as a sex scene between a unicorn and a horse. If this is not your thing, I wouldn't recommend this.
If you do give it a chance, there is a lot to like here. The plot is far more complex than your average romance novel, which is a major plus, and the setting is fantastic, with all sorts of intriguing species populating it and a well defined (and sexy) system of magic.
The only real knock it gets from is that I found the main character too passive and rather weak. Everything else was superb.
I never realized how much I crave creativity in my M/M until I read this one. This is not for the lighthearted-there is sex between a unicorn and a human, as well as a sex scene between a unicorn and a horse. If this is not your thing, I wouldn't recommend this.
If you do give it a chance, there is a lot to like here. The plot is far more complex than your average romance novel, which is a major plus, and the setting is fantastic, with all sorts of intriguing species populating it and a well defined (and sexy) system of magic.
The only real knock it gets from is that I found the main character too passive and rather weak. Everything else was superb.
March 10, 2011
Wow, just wow. I still do not know what to say ... but my childhood dreams of unicorns are really destroyed!! So confusing in the beginning, who is the good guy and who the bad, one fast-paced action scene after the other. Lots of magic, lies and unusual sex scenes!! Maybe a bit too much happening in the beginning and that is my reason for 4 and not 5 stars.
Mr Alders, you created a world I never would have guessed or dreamed of... I mean ... bad unicorns? I absolutely want to read the next one in the series!
Mr Alders, you created a world I never would have guessed or dreamed of... I mean ... bad unicorns? I absolutely want to read the next one in the series!
April 14, 2011
It took me a long time to read this one. I had to keep putting it down because it was intense in a lot of places. This book really challenged my ideas of fantasy creatures (as was mark's intention, I think). I don't think I'll ever read about unicorns again without shuddering a little. This is not a love story. Don't buy it if that's what you're after. But if you're after an excellent fantasy novel with an engaging storyline, fascinating characters with great erotic undertones, this is an excellent choice.
August 4, 2015
I wish that I would have read some reviews before reading this book. It was a struggle for me to keep interested and I just kept at it until I finished. There were a lot of times I just did not want to pick up the book or read anymore, but I kept thinking it would get better. Nope! I have book 2, But I'm not going to read it. I admit I like HEAs, this was't anywhere close to even a HFN, for any of the characters. I'm giving this 3 stars as the world building was great, and I just kept hoping for some happiness for the characters.
February 24, 2011
I had a little trouble with this story at first because Unicorns in my mind are good. In this story he gave the Unicorn a bit of a twist. The book really felt like reading a fantasy book first and a M&M romance book second.
Since my first love of books were fantasy books I truely enjoyed the book. It was a bonus having the M&M romance.
Since my first love of books were fantasy books I truely enjoyed the book. It was a bonus having the M&M romance.
April 30, 2013
This book was just too weird and honestly disgusting for me. A unicorn licking all over a human and the guy getting of on that... Really? Disgusting. I thought this was a human romance story, but apparently the author likes beastiality. To top it off NONE of the characters were likable. Pass...
June 14, 2016
Um...So not for me. I was a little confused most of the time reading this and the sex was...well weird. Not kinky my usual weird just weird.
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