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Urban Shaman
New York City cop Miguel Rassin's life is going downhill fast. He's got a spotty record from the Army, a one-night stand who won't go away, and a flock of reporters trying to crucify him for shooting a civilian waving a toy pistol. Now kids are turning up missing in the Bronx, and he's partnered with by-the-book Detective Rob Jackson, a man with problems of his own. Their first suspect is a local shaman, Nikolai Adelman, who is either the strangest holy man ever or a con working his own angle.
Miguel's trying to navigate a baffling case that has more questions than answers, caught between a surprising physical desire for Nikolai and his new partner's suspicions about a shaman who claims supernatural forces are at work. Miguel has always tried to avoid relationships out of guilt and fear, but Nikolai sees the darkness in Miguel's heart—and the fortitude Miguel has hidden deep inside, a strength that will help him solve the case and reclaim his life.
Miguel's trying to navigate a baffling case that has more questions than answers, caught between a surprising physical desire for Nikolai and his new partner's suspicions about a shaman who claims supernatural forces are at work. Miguel has always tried to avoid relationships out of guilt and fear, but Nikolai sees the darkness in Miguel's heart—and the fortitude Miguel has hidden deep inside, a strength that will help him solve the case and reclaim his life.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 12, 2010
11 people are currently reading
372 people want to read
About the author
Lyn Gala
47 books1,166 followersLynsey "Lyn" Gala started writing in the back of her science notebook in third grade and hasn’t stopped since. Westerns starring men with shady pasts gave way to science fiction with questionable protagonists which eventually gave in to any story with a morally ambiguous character. Even the purest heroes have pain and loss and darkness in their hearts, and that’s where she likes to find her stories. Her characters seek to better themselves and find the happy ending (or happier anyway), but it’s writing the struggle that inspires her muse. When she isn’t writing, Lyn Gala teaches in New Mexico.
She first cut her teeth on fanfic: gen, slash, het, and femslash. She prefers to focus on plot: mysteries and monsters and disasters, oh my, but sex can and does happen. Some of her stories focus on power exchange, bondage or bdsm. In her worlds, tops and bottoms are all mature, consenting adults. In fact, stories where they aren't squick her badly, so don't expect to find abuse stories in her journal.
She first cut her teeth on fanfic: gen, slash, het, and femslash. She prefers to focus on plot: mysteries and monsters and disasters, oh my, but sex can and does happen. Some of her stories focus on power exchange, bondage or bdsm. In her worlds, tops and bottoms are all mature, consenting adults. In fact, stories where they aren't squick her badly, so don't expect to find abuse stories in her journal.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
April 13, 2010
3.5 Stars
Well....it's long and involved and a very good story. However, I think gay fiction is a more apt description than gay erotic romance.
There were several men revolving around Miguel that made me unsure of just who was going to end up paired together for a good portion of the beginning of the book.
Charlie, the one night stand comes and goes quickly and Rob, his new police partner is difficult to like at the best of times. I didn't have to wait long to rule him out as the potential sexual partner. Plus, the picture on the cover paired Miguel and Nicolai. So, I was pretty sure it was going to be Miguel and Nicolai but there was really no sexual chemistry between them for 90% of the book.
The only sex and real talk of any kind of coupledom in the book comes in the last 30 pages of the 265 pages of the book and it's kinda unsatisfying. 5 pages out of 265 just seems more like an add in to make it "erotic" than anything else. I mean, after such an investment I expected more of a solid payoff. And I really, really didn't like the ending when Nicolai tries to explain to a grieving mother what happened.
For all the drama and revelations that Miguel goes through and for having so many missing kids the ending was abrupt and completely not resolved. Not in the manner any police force would accept, including Rob. However, although Rob is around almost as much as Nicolai, we don't see him again in the last 40 pages of the book or so and it seems odd to just end without any closure there.
Finally, some of the things that Miguel flashbacks to as a part of his time in the army and the way he allowed a terrible problem to be resolved is disturbing and the mystery of the missing kids has a child molestation scenario.
It's an absorbing and well written book with interesting underlying theme that I have not encountered before. I found that portion very fascinating.
Well....it's long and involved and a very good story. However, I think gay fiction is a more apt description than gay erotic romance.
There were several men revolving around Miguel that made me unsure of just who was going to end up paired together for a good portion of the beginning of the book.
Charlie, the one night stand comes and goes quickly and Rob, his new police partner is difficult to like at the best of times. I didn't have to wait long to rule him out as the potential sexual partner. Plus, the picture on the cover paired Miguel and Nicolai. So, I was pretty sure it was going to be Miguel and Nicolai but there was really no sexual chemistry between them for 90% of the book.
The only sex and real talk of any kind of coupledom in the book comes in the last 30 pages of the 265 pages of the book and it's kinda unsatisfying. 5 pages out of 265 just seems more like an add in to make it "erotic" than anything else. I mean, after such an investment I expected more of a solid payoff. And I really, really didn't like the ending when Nicolai tries to explain to a grieving mother what happened.
For all the drama and revelations that Miguel goes through and for having so many missing kids the ending was abrupt and completely not resolved. Not in the manner any police force would accept, including Rob. However, although Rob is around almost as much as Nicolai, we don't see him again in the last 40 pages of the book or so and it seems odd to just end without any closure there.
Finally, some of the things that Miguel flashbacks to as a part of his time in the army and the way he allowed a terrible problem to be resolved is disturbing and the mystery of the missing kids has a child molestation scenario.
It's an absorbing and well written book with interesting underlying theme that I have not encountered before. I found that portion very fascinating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2015
Lyn Gala is one of my friend’s favorite authors – unfortunately she also writes in genres that I don’t particularly enjoy, namely sci-fi, sometimes with BDSM content. This is one of the big reasons why, so far, I have only read one published contemporary book of hers. Currently, I am in a phase of trying to read older releases of MM books, and I stumbled onto this one (digging deep to my ‘unread’ folder in my computer *haha*). Skimming some reviews I saw that this has no BDSM content (yes!) and offered a combination of supernatural, urban fantasy, and mystery. Come to mama!!
The story follows Miguel Rassin’s perspective as he is involved in a case of missing kids on Tremont, in a Bronx neighborhood where the people distrust cops and are unwilling to cooperate even a little bit with the police’s attempts to find the kids. In the center of the community, however, is a doctor who is considered as their shaman. Nikolai Adelman might be the strangest person Miguel ever encountered, and he couldn’t understand the fact that Nikolai seems to be befriended and respected by his own Captain. Miguel’s partner, Rob, suspects that Nikolai is pulling a con and that the shaman has something to do with the missing children. Especially when he is starting to sprout nonsensical brou-ha-ha like magic and spirits. However, Miguel couldn’t escape the fact that he seemed to be drawn towards Nikolai.
I found the story to be fascinating – basically due to the interaction and interconnection between Miguel and the rest of the people through Nikolai. Nikolai confuses Miguel but intrigues him at the same time. I wholeheartedly enjoyed the way that Nikolai talked about magic, shamanism, the way of the world … heck, even when he is trying to analyze Miguel’s emotional pain. He is weird, and he is frustrating, but because of that I found Nikolai amusing. Which is probably the key element for me through the whole story because it is written solely from Miguel’s perspective. But because of that, I walked along the journey with Miguel, and at the same time I could also observed Miguel, as he slowly opened his mind from being a complete skeptic into someone who realizes that there might be something unexplainable in the universe he lives in. For me, that was one hell of a journey.
My friend – who ended up disliking this book – told me that she didn’t like the way that the people acted around the cops. How they seemed to stall the police investigation. However, for me, I actually found that another entertaining aspect. To be honest, I am not exactly a huge fan of authority. I’m not saying that I want to create riots and anarchy (I’m NOT that rebellious *lol*) but for me, respect is something that must be earned and not simply because of one’s title or role. Because of that, I enjoyed how the people made the detectives work harder to make them cooperate. In that aspect, Miguel is able to at least talk to them because he is willing to hear what Nikolai was saying about the community dynamic, even if he doesn’t necessarily believe in it, which earns their trust.
I found the rest of the characters to be engaging as well – this includes Miguel’s harsh partner, Rob. Miguel calls Rob “a sledgehammer” – he might not be racist or homophobic, he just hates people (especially those he deems as stupid) in general. Rob doesn’t back away from “verbal evisceration or humiliation” if he feels that it will yield the most results. But at the same time, Miguel also learns that Rob will never stab people in the back. His way of confrontation is honest and in your face. I found Rob to be a uniquely refreshing character.
I found the conclusion of the story to be rather sad, though. I understand that it fits with the whole magic and supernatural aspect, but I wish that it could be solved in a different way. I also thought that the ending felt somewhat rushed. I wanted more pages to tidy up things a little bit.
By the way, this book lacks in the romance department – our MCs don’t even share a kiss until about 88% and there is only one sexual content; even that one scene is only brief frottage rather than anal penetration. So consider this a reader’s advisory for those who prefer to have heavy romance and/or smut substance. However, if you’re not particularly adamant about that, and ready to dive into a character-driven storyline with a mix of mystery as well as shamanism/magic/supernatural as well as race/community dynamic, then by all means, give Urban Shaman a try.
The story follows Miguel Rassin’s perspective as he is involved in a case of missing kids on Tremont, in a Bronx neighborhood where the people distrust cops and are unwilling to cooperate even a little bit with the police’s attempts to find the kids. In the center of the community, however, is a doctor who is considered as their shaman. Nikolai Adelman might be the strangest person Miguel ever encountered, and he couldn’t understand the fact that Nikolai seems to be befriended and respected by his own Captain. Miguel’s partner, Rob, suspects that Nikolai is pulling a con and that the shaman has something to do with the missing children. Especially when he is starting to sprout nonsensical brou-ha-ha like magic and spirits. However, Miguel couldn’t escape the fact that he seemed to be drawn towards Nikolai.
I found the story to be fascinating – basically due to the interaction and interconnection between Miguel and the rest of the people through Nikolai. Nikolai confuses Miguel but intrigues him at the same time. I wholeheartedly enjoyed the way that Nikolai talked about magic, shamanism, the way of the world … heck, even when he is trying to analyze Miguel’s emotional pain. He is weird, and he is frustrating, but because of that I found Nikolai amusing. Which is probably the key element for me through the whole story because it is written solely from Miguel’s perspective. But because of that, I walked along the journey with Miguel, and at the same time I could also observed Miguel, as he slowly opened his mind from being a complete skeptic into someone who realizes that there might be something unexplainable in the universe he lives in. For me, that was one hell of a journey.
My friend – who ended up disliking this book – told me that she didn’t like the way that the people acted around the cops. How they seemed to stall the police investigation. However, for me, I actually found that another entertaining aspect. To be honest, I am not exactly a huge fan of authority. I’m not saying that I want to create riots and anarchy (I’m NOT that rebellious *lol*) but for me, respect is something that must be earned and not simply because of one’s title or role. Because of that, I enjoyed how the people made the detectives work harder to make them cooperate. In that aspect, Miguel is able to at least talk to them because he is willing to hear what Nikolai was saying about the community dynamic, even if he doesn’t necessarily believe in it, which earns their trust.
I found the rest of the characters to be engaging as well – this includes Miguel’s harsh partner, Rob. Miguel calls Rob “a sledgehammer” – he might not be racist or homophobic, he just hates people (especially those he deems as stupid) in general. Rob doesn’t back away from “verbal evisceration or humiliation” if he feels that it will yield the most results. But at the same time, Miguel also learns that Rob will never stab people in the back. His way of confrontation is honest and in your face. I found Rob to be a uniquely refreshing character.
I found the conclusion of the story to be rather sad, though. I understand that it fits with the whole magic and supernatural aspect, but I wish that it could be solved in a different way. I also thought that the ending felt somewhat rushed. I wanted more pages to tidy up things a little bit.
By the way, this book lacks in the romance department – our MCs don’t even share a kiss until about 88% and there is only one sexual content; even that one scene is only brief frottage rather than anal penetration. So consider this a reader’s advisory for those who prefer to have heavy romance and/or smut substance. However, if you’re not particularly adamant about that, and ready to dive into a character-driven storyline with a mix of mystery as well as shamanism/magic/supernatural as well as race/community dynamic, then by all means, give Urban Shaman a try.
October 24, 2015
3.5, rounding up to 4.
Very well written, but the tags are misleading, even tho there is a mystery, there is a paranormal angle, there is military and flashbacks of combat and the bombing, there is also a romance, but just the beginning of it. All of these bits and pieces, even Nikolai, are in the book for Miguel and Miguel alone.
This book is a character study. It's all about Miguel and his spiritual and emotional healing and journey. At the end of the book Miguel evolves, which has a direct impact on his relationship with Nikolai. And that's where the book ends.
A huge minus for me was the use of Yiddish. Sure, there is a glossary in the end, but flipping pages back and forth is a nuisance. All the author needed to do was to tell us that Nikolai's speech is peppered with Yiddish proverbs and expressions. I honestly don't know a single person (a non English speaker) who would speak such a weird mixture of English and their native language. Saying something that no one understands is like talking to yourself. It defeats the purpose of a conversation where multiple people are involved, not to mention it's plain rude. A star off for that.
Very well written, but the tags are misleading, even tho there is a mystery, there is a paranormal angle, there is military and flashbacks of combat and the bombing, there is also a romance, but just the beginning of it. All of these bits and pieces, even Nikolai, are in the book for Miguel and Miguel alone.
This book is a character study. It's all about Miguel and his spiritual and emotional healing and journey. At the end of the book Miguel evolves, which has a direct impact on his relationship with Nikolai. And that's where the book ends.
A huge minus for me was the use of Yiddish. Sure, there is a glossary in the end, but flipping pages back and forth is a nuisance. All the author needed to do was to tell us that Nikolai's speech is peppered with Yiddish proverbs and expressions. I honestly don't know a single person (a non English speaker) who would speak such a weird mixture of English and their native language. Saying something that no one understands is like talking to yourself. It defeats the purpose of a conversation where multiple people are involved, not to mention it's plain rude. A star off for that.
November 29, 2013
An interesting pair of MCs come together here. Miguel is a New York City cop, trying to come back from having shot a man who was armed only with a realistic toy gun. He is being hounded by the media, and is dealing with his own guilt for both that incident, and past experiences in the military. Nikolai Adelman is a local shaman, de facto guardian of the poor community in which he lives, whose Jewish and anthropology backgrounds flavor his speech and outlook.
The men meet over the case of several missing children in the community. They antagonize each other at first, but gradually come to see that each has strengths that the other lacks. The urban fantasy aspect of the story gradually builds, as Miguel moves further toward a forced belief in things unseen. Solving the case of the missing children will turn out to require both of them working together.
I really liked Miguel, and the flavor of his relationship with Nikolai. I had a bit of a harder time getting a handle on Nikolai, as my perception of his age, abilities and personality seemed unstable. It felt almost like he'd taken on a persona that was a camouflage, larger than life, but it remained with him through to the end. The mystery solution was interesting, and not pat, although perhaps a bit abrupt and unsatisfying in the end. I really like Miguel's interactions with his police partner, Rob, learning to see beneath his bulldozer approach to truth and justice. No BDSM in this book, and little sex - it's a slow-building paranormal romance wrapped in a police procedural plot more than a mystery.
The men meet over the case of several missing children in the community. They antagonize each other at first, but gradually come to see that each has strengths that the other lacks. The urban fantasy aspect of the story gradually builds, as Miguel moves further toward a forced belief in things unseen. Solving the case of the missing children will turn out to require both of them working together.
I really liked Miguel, and the flavor of his relationship with Nikolai. I had a bit of a harder time getting a handle on Nikolai, as my perception of his age, abilities and personality seemed unstable. It felt almost like he'd taken on a persona that was a camouflage, larger than life, but it remained with him through to the end. The mystery solution was interesting, and not pat, although perhaps a bit abrupt and unsatisfying in the end. I really like Miguel's interactions with his police partner, Rob, learning to see beneath his bulldozer approach to truth and justice. No BDSM in this book, and little sex - it's a slow-building paranormal romance wrapped in a police procedural plot more than a mystery.
May 7, 2010
4.5 stars
Urban Shaman is a breath of fresh air in the m/m genre. The story is fabulously unique, immediately engaging, and very interesting despite the heavy mysticism and philosophy leanings. It isn’t really a romance though and it definitely isn’t an erotic romance. There are hints of romance but the story is really about relationships in general in a vivid urban setting. The writing and depth of characterization carries the story from start to finish and there are a few very mild hanging threads at the end. If you’re looking for a great book with well defined characters, a fascinating topic, a dash of mystery, a dash of romance, and a graphic urban setting, hopefully you’ll love this as much as I did.
The story starts off with the kidnapping of a young child in NYC. Miguel Rassin is a cop with a bad history in the community and he’s partnered with a hard nosed, take no prisoners detective to investigate the disappearances. With seven children missing, the community is scared and not talking leaving Miguel and his partner frustrated and anxious. The community is watched over by a local shaman, Nikolai Adleman. Nikolai seems totally out of place with his contradictory appearance, confusing way of speaking, and complete belief in magic, but he’s just as determined to find the missing children. When Miguel is ordered to listen to Nikolai instead of dismissing him as insane rambling, Miguel slowly finds that maybe all of Nikolai’s talk of magic and shaman rites is not so crazy.
The plot is character driven with the missing children mystery as the vehicle to look at different relationships between people. The resolution to the police case is actually one of the weaker aspects and is resolved in part by police work and in part with mysticism. But the resolution is almost not important by that point and just a way to close up that loose thread. Really the story is a study and look at how people relate to each through the eyes of a total skeptic, Miguel, as he views a complete believer Nikolai. The story follows Miguel’s third person point of view as he sees those around him from his by the book, bull in a china shop partner to the community with drug dealers and poor tenants and finally Nikolai in all his confusing and intriguing glory.
Miguel is really wonderful as a cop with a past. He had a traumatic end to his military career and is plagued with endless guilt, shame, and anger at the events that happened around him in Iraq. He’s angry at his own fellow soldiers who took advantage of the people and actually identifies with a young child suicide bomber. He feels a lot of guilt and shame at siding with the child and his feelings are a complicated, intricate mix. He also is dealing with severe negative backlash from a recent shooting incident which he was cleared for but the media won’t let die. Miguel is a total skeptic and frequently wonders if Nikolai is a conman, on drugs, mentally unbalanced, or simply touched in the head. His slow discovery of understanding the man, who he is and why he does what he does forms the real driving force of the story.
This understanding is really fascinating and it ties in a wealth of topics. Nikolai is a genuine believer and practitioner of magic. He calls himself the shaman of the tribe, his community. He is also very complicated and wonderfully interesting as he understands the dark side just as well as the light. He doesn’t consider himself a good person but he knows he’s a good shaman. He can help people but often in ways that leave him battered and unpopular. Despite this, his community comes together to help him and protect him. Everyone from the drug dealers to the religious respect Nikolai and his abilities and the story shows Miguel slowly starting to understand why. Their relationship is often tense and uncomfortable when their views clash, yet a mutual respect forms that eventually leads to romance.
The issues brought up from mysticism to religion, philosophy, community dynamics, race relations, and more are all incredibly well handled and never seem to preach or teach. Instead it feels more like a glimpse into a community with all its ups and downs, the relationships people have with each other as they revolve around the characters of Nikolai and Miguel. Nikolai is a very intelligent, capable man that makes some surprising choices. I found myself on the same journey as Miguel, since I can’t say I believe in magic, so I really loved watching Nikolai explain – in his totally confusing, circular way of talking – why he believes so deeply. All the while Miguel is trying to figure out if Nikolai should be locked up or treated like a treasure. I will say some of these conversations felt repetitive a little long winded, but thankfully there are only a few like that.
Unfortunately for all the wonderful things going on in this story, it’s a little weak on the romance aspect. In fact the slow friendship forming between Miguel and Nikolai for the space of the story never feels romantic for the most part until the very end. By this, the last 30 pages of the book get slightly romantic with one brief sex scene. It’s also not a very explicit scene with some minor frottage so those who go into this wanting an erotic romance may be disappointed. I personally didn’t mind and found the story fascinating on a lot of levels, although I would have liked the romance to be clearer earlier. There are also a few minor threads not entirely closed.
This is not a paranormal story but a contemporary that talks about magic in the world. It has an incredibly vivid, gritty urban NY setting that leaps off the page. Combined with the wonderful characters, truly intriguing and interesting story, and solid writing delivers a book that stands out as totally unique and really refreshing. It has a lot of complexity that even this long winded review can’t do justice to but it’s not hard to read and actually pages fly by very quickly. The relationship between Nikolai and Miguel and the characters themselves are easily some of the most interesting I’ve read in the genre and would recommend that based on that alone. But it’s still a great story I think readers will like. Considering the publisher, I think most people will assume more erotic romance content than actually there so if you know going into the story it’s a very small part, hopefully no one will be surprised and disappointed.
Urban Shaman is a breath of fresh air in the m/m genre. The story is fabulously unique, immediately engaging, and very interesting despite the heavy mysticism and philosophy leanings. It isn’t really a romance though and it definitely isn’t an erotic romance. There are hints of romance but the story is really about relationships in general in a vivid urban setting. The writing and depth of characterization carries the story from start to finish and there are a few very mild hanging threads at the end. If you’re looking for a great book with well defined characters, a fascinating topic, a dash of mystery, a dash of romance, and a graphic urban setting, hopefully you’ll love this as much as I did.
The story starts off with the kidnapping of a young child in NYC. Miguel Rassin is a cop with a bad history in the community and he’s partnered with a hard nosed, take no prisoners detective to investigate the disappearances. With seven children missing, the community is scared and not talking leaving Miguel and his partner frustrated and anxious. The community is watched over by a local shaman, Nikolai Adleman. Nikolai seems totally out of place with his contradictory appearance, confusing way of speaking, and complete belief in magic, but he’s just as determined to find the missing children. When Miguel is ordered to listen to Nikolai instead of dismissing him as insane rambling, Miguel slowly finds that maybe all of Nikolai’s talk of magic and shaman rites is not so crazy.
The plot is character driven with the missing children mystery as the vehicle to look at different relationships between people. The resolution to the police case is actually one of the weaker aspects and is resolved in part by police work and in part with mysticism. But the resolution is almost not important by that point and just a way to close up that loose thread. Really the story is a study and look at how people relate to each through the eyes of a total skeptic, Miguel, as he views a complete believer Nikolai. The story follows Miguel’s third person point of view as he sees those around him from his by the book, bull in a china shop partner to the community with drug dealers and poor tenants and finally Nikolai in all his confusing and intriguing glory.
Miguel is really wonderful as a cop with a past. He had a traumatic end to his military career and is plagued with endless guilt, shame, and anger at the events that happened around him in Iraq. He’s angry at his own fellow soldiers who took advantage of the people and actually identifies with a young child suicide bomber. He feels a lot of guilt and shame at siding with the child and his feelings are a complicated, intricate mix. He also is dealing with severe negative backlash from a recent shooting incident which he was cleared for but the media won’t let die. Miguel is a total skeptic and frequently wonders if Nikolai is a conman, on drugs, mentally unbalanced, or simply touched in the head. His slow discovery of understanding the man, who he is and why he does what he does forms the real driving force of the story.
This understanding is really fascinating and it ties in a wealth of topics. Nikolai is a genuine believer and practitioner of magic. He calls himself the shaman of the tribe, his community. He is also very complicated and wonderfully interesting as he understands the dark side just as well as the light. He doesn’t consider himself a good person but he knows he’s a good shaman. He can help people but often in ways that leave him battered and unpopular. Despite this, his community comes together to help him and protect him. Everyone from the drug dealers to the religious respect Nikolai and his abilities and the story shows Miguel slowly starting to understand why. Their relationship is often tense and uncomfortable when their views clash, yet a mutual respect forms that eventually leads to romance.
The issues brought up from mysticism to religion, philosophy, community dynamics, race relations, and more are all incredibly well handled and never seem to preach or teach. Instead it feels more like a glimpse into a community with all its ups and downs, the relationships people have with each other as they revolve around the characters of Nikolai and Miguel. Nikolai is a very intelligent, capable man that makes some surprising choices. I found myself on the same journey as Miguel, since I can’t say I believe in magic, so I really loved watching Nikolai explain – in his totally confusing, circular way of talking – why he believes so deeply. All the while Miguel is trying to figure out if Nikolai should be locked up or treated like a treasure. I will say some of these conversations felt repetitive a little long winded, but thankfully there are only a few like that.
Unfortunately for all the wonderful things going on in this story, it’s a little weak on the romance aspect. In fact the slow friendship forming between Miguel and Nikolai for the space of the story never feels romantic for the most part until the very end. By this, the last 30 pages of the book get slightly romantic with one brief sex scene. It’s also not a very explicit scene with some minor frottage so those who go into this wanting an erotic romance may be disappointed. I personally didn’t mind and found the story fascinating on a lot of levels, although I would have liked the romance to be clearer earlier. There are also a few minor threads not entirely closed.
This is not a paranormal story but a contemporary that talks about magic in the world. It has an incredibly vivid, gritty urban NY setting that leaps off the page. Combined with the wonderful characters, truly intriguing and interesting story, and solid writing delivers a book that stands out as totally unique and really refreshing. It has a lot of complexity that even this long winded review can’t do justice to but it’s not hard to read and actually pages fly by very quickly. The relationship between Nikolai and Miguel and the characters themselves are easily some of the most interesting I’ve read in the genre and would recommend that based on that alone. But it’s still a great story I think readers will like. Considering the publisher, I think most people will assume more erotic romance content than actually there so if you know going into the story it’s a very small part, hopefully no one will be surprised and disappointed.
May 28, 2022
This book was weird, and I'm not talking about the shaman/supernatural stuff. I had a really hard time getting a read on Nikolai the shaman's actual personality. He was all over the place, and it's something the MC struggles to understand as well. He spends the whole book confused about Nikolai's personality, but then bam, they end up together anyway? Like at the very end of the book and I'm supposed to both care and believe that Miguel suddenly wants a relationship for the first time ever with this guy he thought was a total freak five minutes ago?? The end?
The turning point for the MC is supposed to be his belief that Nikolai the shaman is well-intentioned instead of the con artist he's halfway believed him to be for most of the book. (As a reader, it's pretty clear he's well-intentioned from the beginning and that Miguel is just being a suspicious cop.) It's not even a bad characterization of the shaman, honestly. I have known actual people like this, who just aren't fully rooted in our physical reality, and they really are just hard to know, even if you feel generally positive toward them. They don't make good romance novel MCs, though, and that was only half of Miguel's problem with him anyway.
Also, these cops do very much exist in our exact physical reality. This is a modern NY police department, and the MC's detective partner is the most no-nonsense cop character you have ever met. How am I supposed to buy that this woo-woo supernatural case would just be accepted as fact and written around in the case files in a way that makes any damn sense??! They talk a lot about making sure everything's handled in a way that will allow a conviction for any human beings involved, but I don’t see how that’s even possible when a , which there is just no way in hell the detective partner actually believes. It's just weird! To be clear, I feel sure I've read and enjoyed many similar real-world cops run into supernatural element novels, so it's not the setup that's the problem. It's the execution that's bananas. I think this may be my first true miss by the author, but it seems to be the year for it :)
The turning point for the MC is supposed to be his belief that Nikolai the shaman is well-intentioned instead of the con artist he's halfway believed him to be for most of the book. (As a reader, it's pretty clear he's well-intentioned from the beginning and that Miguel is just being a suspicious cop.) It's not even a bad characterization of the shaman, honestly. I have known actual people like this, who just aren't fully rooted in our physical reality, and they really are just hard to know, even if you feel generally positive toward them. They don't make good romance novel MCs, though, and that was only half of Miguel's problem with him anyway.
Also, these cops do very much exist in our exact physical reality. This is a modern NY police department, and the MC's detective partner is the most no-nonsense cop character you have ever met. How am I supposed to buy that this woo-woo supernatural case would just be accepted as fact and written around in the case files in a way that makes any damn sense??! They talk a lot about making sure everything's handled in a way that will allow a conviction for any human beings involved, but I don’t see how that’s even possible when a , which there is just no way in hell the detective partner actually believes. It's just weird! To be clear, I feel sure I've read and enjoyed many similar real-world cops run into supernatural element novels, so it's not the setup that's the problem. It's the execution that's bananas. I think this may be my first true miss by the author, but it seems to be the year for it :)
May 21, 2015
Really interesting characters. I feel like they have a lot more to say. Nikolai has a strong and unique 'voice'. Loads of shamanistic lingo and Jewish idioms and sayings that might put some readers off. But he appealed to me and Miguel was the kind of quiet noble hero that I like. The mystery and police procedural aspects were well done within the usual confines of a romance novel.
June 27, 2011
This novel surprised me - quite different from my expectations but intriguing just the same.
Nikolai - the urban shaman - is a complex character with mannerisms that attract but also leave you wishing that you could smack some common sense into him. He is mystical, annoying, confusing, meddling, empathic, courageous, vulnerable, and has conversations that seemingly go off on straying tangents but ultimately reveal the truth. He becomes involved in a missing children's investigation and meets Miguel, one of the detectives handling the case. Miguel is also a complex character. He initially appears as somewhat distant with little emotional invovement in the people around him. As the investigation develops, he is revealed to be a deeply wounded (physically and emotionally) man who has been betrayed in the past by those who should have been supporting him. His interaction with Nikolai starts in confusion and ends in total truth - the journey healing in many ways for both the main characters and for those around them.
This really is not an erotic romance but it is almost a mystical romance - for the characters anyway! There is very little sexual tension and indeed, there is only one mild sex scene. It is a crime investigation novel that is partnered with a magical/mystical/paranormal investigation and has romance added almost as an afterthought. At times it moved a little slowly when the emphasis was on Nikolai's nearly indecipherable explanations of shamanism, but the world building and depth of character balanced it for me. Overall I liked this novel but don't read it expecting to read an erotic romance!
Nikolai - the urban shaman - is a complex character with mannerisms that attract but also leave you wishing that you could smack some common sense into him. He is mystical, annoying, confusing, meddling, empathic, courageous, vulnerable, and has conversations that seemingly go off on straying tangents but ultimately reveal the truth. He becomes involved in a missing children's investigation and meets Miguel, one of the detectives handling the case. Miguel is also a complex character. He initially appears as somewhat distant with little emotional invovement in the people around him. As the investigation develops, he is revealed to be a deeply wounded (physically and emotionally) man who has been betrayed in the past by those who should have been supporting him. His interaction with Nikolai starts in confusion and ends in total truth - the journey healing in many ways for both the main characters and for those around them.
This really is not an erotic romance but it is almost a mystical romance - for the characters anyway! There is very little sexual tension and indeed, there is only one mild sex scene. It is a crime investigation novel that is partnered with a magical/mystical/paranormal investigation and has romance added almost as an afterthought. At times it moved a little slowly when the emphasis was on Nikolai's nearly indecipherable explanations of shamanism, but the world building and depth of character balanced it for me. Overall I liked this novel but don't read it expecting to read an erotic romance!
July 23, 2015
3.5 Stars. It was a good story but I had a hard time really liking the characters until the very end. The use of Yiddish (especially entire sentences) really threw me off. There is a glossary at the end of the book but since I was reading an eBook it didn't help during the story. I did appreciate it though (Oh, that's what that meant!)
I would recommend Urban Shaman. I enjoyed it but I just couldn't round up to 4 stars.
I would recommend Urban Shaman. I enjoyed it but I just couldn't round up to 4 stars.
April 3, 2019
Very mixed feeling, even confused feelings. The first half of the book dragged tremendously. Nikolai is so confusing and no spark of chemistry between the two. In fact, Nikolai felt very flat personality wise through the beginning. But the last half was like a switch was pressed and suddenly it was there. I really enjoyed the last half of the book. Just wished the beginning had not dragged for me.
July 21, 2020
Miguel is a cop who hasn't made any friends in the press after he shot a man who aimed a toy gun at him. He's put on a case of a missing child in a rough neighborhood and partnered with Rob Jackson, a rough, no nonsense guy that no one wants to partner with because he turned in his former dirty partner. When they arrive at the tenements, they realize that there are actually 7 missing children and this case just got important. Helping the families and trying to get in on the investigation, is Nikolai Adelman, a college professor of sociocultural anthropology and the local village shaman. Miguel isn't sold on the magic Nikolai believes in and is actually suspicious of him, but he's also intrigued with the strange man. And Nikolai is equally intrigued by Miguel who he claims "exists on the spirit plane" They end up working together, with Rob (who is NOT a fan of Nikolai) in order to figure out what happened to the missing children.
Reading a couple reviews from this, I didn't have super high expectations, but found myself pleasantly surprised. There isn't a huge focus on the romance and if anything this is slow burn. Nikolai and Miguel sort of settle into friendship and understanding and don't really do much drooling over each other or anything. It's only around the 80-90% mark that the two start getting a bit sexual, but it's still not super passionate or with lots of chemistry. The love is definitely there though, so that sort of drives it. As a suspense, I very much enjoyed this - especially since it's what's driving the plot (that and figuring out who and what Nikolai is). This is kinda more police procedural, but with a little bit of action going on. What really surprised me is how aspects of this story hit me right in the feels. I mean, whoa. When Miguel faces down the wife of the man he shot - that had me choking up a bit. And just Miguel's desperation and feeling like he doesn't belong and the horror of what he went through and did in Iraq...all of it combined to make him a really interesting character. Nikolai too for that matter. Kinda digging this author right now. Thankfully she's on hoopla!
Reading a couple reviews from this, I didn't have super high expectations, but found myself pleasantly surprised. There isn't a huge focus on the romance and if anything this is slow burn. Nikolai and Miguel sort of settle into friendship and understanding and don't really do much drooling over each other or anything. It's only around the 80-90% mark that the two start getting a bit sexual, but it's still not super passionate or with lots of chemistry. The love is definitely there though, so that sort of drives it. As a suspense, I very much enjoyed this - especially since it's what's driving the plot (that and figuring out who and what Nikolai is). This is kinda more police procedural, but with a little bit of action going on. What really surprised me is how aspects of this story hit me right in the feels. I mean, whoa. When Miguel faces down the wife of the man he shot - that had me choking up a bit. And just Miguel's desperation and feeling like he doesn't belong and the horror of what he went through and did in Iraq...all of it combined to make him a really interesting character. Nikolai too for that matter. Kinda digging this author right now. Thankfully she's on hoopla!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2016
I liked this. A lot of the time in the beginning you are not sure just what Nikolai is smoking, but as the story unfolds and the M-word comes into light, you can see that he is not as crazy as you think he is. He is still a bit nuts, though. Likable but crazy.
Miguel is also pretty cool. Loved his backstory, and the way he seems to have a good head on his shoulders even when the world starts to make less and less sense.
My only real complaint about this book is that there is not a sequel. Which sucks, because I want to know more about these guys. And Rob--though that might just be because I want someone to slap him, several times, for his own good.
Miguel is also pretty cool. Loved his backstory, and the way he seems to have a good head on his shoulders even when the world starts to make less and less sense.
My only real complaint about this book is that there is not a sequel. Which sucks, because I want to know more about these guys. And Rob--though that might just be because I want someone to slap him, several times, for his own good.
June 6, 2011
An unusual murder mystery, dealing with two men attempting to find out why children are disappearing from the streets of a poverty-stricken city neighborhood, populated mostly with immigrants. The answer to the mystery was surprising and I'm still unsure whether I liked it, but I would say that it's appropriate to the story.
The relationship between the detective and the neighborhood shaman who end up working together on the case develops slowly and tentatively, and I found it very sweet. One of the better books I've read in the past year.
The relationship between the detective and the neighborhood shaman who end up working together on the case develops slowly and tentatively, and I found it very sweet. One of the better books I've read in the past year.
February 7, 2016
So, this took me a bit by surprise. I kept waiting throughout the book for the romance to start. And to occupy at least half the interest of the book. Which it did not. It was the opposite, actually. I didn't really pay attention to the mystery and supernatural element because it wasn't believable to me (and frankly, I must not have paid must attention because I can hardly remember what is was). The police work was more dead ends than anything else. Detective Rob Jackson was an a***ole too much of the time to actually warm up to him when he shown signs of decency. Nikolai Adelman spoke too much in Jewish (and other languages) phrases (and it was only at the end that I realised there was a glossary available) and didn't really impress me.
So.. don't know. Nothing stood out from this. Nothing to grab me and make me like it. Just 2 stars.
So.. don't know. Nothing stood out from this. Nothing to grab me and make me like it. Just 2 stars.
March 30, 2019
I'm really not sure what to rate this book as. In some ways I enjoyed simply watching Miguel trying to figure out what to think of Nikolai. I also loved Miguel's character and backstory. Miguel trying to navigate the case and his life was interesting especially when Nikolai and Rob were thrown into his life. But at the same time this book seemed to drag. The mystery/magic blend really didn't interest me and Nikolai and Miguel don't have a lot of chemistry or a romantic vibe going on throughout most of the book.
September 7, 2018
Way, way too much tell and not enough show. Annoyingly repetitive declarations (I am a Shaman!). Use of a foreign language interspersed with English that unceremoniously shoves the reader out of the story constantly. Yes, I really liked Miguel, Nikolai, and Rob. I loved the urban fantasy aspect of the story, the mythology, the fascinating character backstories, and the colorful distrustful neighborhood. But the sheer verbosity of the narrative, and the aforementioned issues, mostly negated my enjoyment of the story.
April 10, 2019
Different. At the beginning wondered if I should DNF but I persisted and at the end enjoyed the book. Miguel's partner Rob was a character that I disliked at first but he grew on me. Would have liked a sequel. Very little sex.
July 3, 2015
Note: I’m going to come right out and say it. I’ve reviewed Lyn Gala before—because she’s absolutely phenomenal. So this review is going to be totally bias. You’ve been warned. (Okay, I’m sort of joking about this review being a complete fangirl moment. Sort of.)
Detective Miguel Rassin, the precinct’s biggest troublemaker, knows he’s being punished when he gets paired with the precinct’s biggest asshole, Detective Rob Jackson. In an act of either complete brilliance or desperation (or both), the captain blesses the duo with the most sensitive case in this part of New York. Kids are missing and presumed dead, the streets aren’t safe, and you could cut the tension between the residents and the cops with a knife. Not only that, but the captain’s friend, a local shaman, is involved. Nikolai Adelman is the only lead anyone has concerning the missing kids, but he’s not talking. At least, not in a language that Rassin or Jackson can understand. In order to solve this case, and with Jackson guarding his back, Rassin allows himself to get sucked into Adelman’s mysticism, and his better understanding of the shaman changes their lives forever.
This is technically a Mystery, but rather than being a good old fashioned who-done-it, it’s more of the X-Files sort of mystery. The plot isn’t convoluted, but the spiritual odyssey and transformation of the characters are fascinating. My favorite parts concerned the character development. Rassin really grows as a person, and each character was so unique and interesting and believable. They felt real to me. Their joy was my joy. Their pain was my pain.
I’ve mentioned that this was a Gay Urban Paranormal. I didn’t say anything about romance, and I didn’t mention it was explicit. But it is both romantic and slightly explicit, so if you’re into that, no worries. But if you’re not into explicit romances, then I think you’d still enjoy this book. The plot would have remained unchanged if there wasn’t any romantic chemistry between Rassin and Adelman, and the explicit scene isn’t overpowering in any way. I classified it as gay, because while gayness isn’t a super huge part of the novel, there are a few contemporary gay issues explored. Rassin is closeted, but he’s not fooling anyone, and he works on shedding some of his hangups and issues over this throughout the novel.
Check it out, and check out some of Gala’s other works too. Gala has something for everyone. You can’t go wrong.
----------------
B. A. Brock is a reviewer for DSP and QSF. He enjoys reading, writing, running, family and food, and fills his life with bent bunk. He especially loves to discuss LGBTQ+ literature. His website is http://www.babrockbooks.com.
Dreamspinner Press–Where Dreams Come True… International publishers of quality gay romantic fiction since 2007. http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
DSP Publications–Off the Beaten Path. Worth the Journey. http://www.dsppublications.com
Harmony Ink Press–LGBTQ+ Young Adult Fiction. http://www.harmonyinkpress.com
Detective Miguel Rassin, the precinct’s biggest troublemaker, knows he’s being punished when he gets paired with the precinct’s biggest asshole, Detective Rob Jackson. In an act of either complete brilliance or desperation (or both), the captain blesses the duo with the most sensitive case in this part of New York. Kids are missing and presumed dead, the streets aren’t safe, and you could cut the tension between the residents and the cops with a knife. Not only that, but the captain’s friend, a local shaman, is involved. Nikolai Adelman is the only lead anyone has concerning the missing kids, but he’s not talking. At least, not in a language that Rassin or Jackson can understand. In order to solve this case, and with Jackson guarding his back, Rassin allows himself to get sucked into Adelman’s mysticism, and his better understanding of the shaman changes their lives forever.
This is technically a Mystery, but rather than being a good old fashioned who-done-it, it’s more of the X-Files sort of mystery. The plot isn’t convoluted, but the spiritual odyssey and transformation of the characters are fascinating. My favorite parts concerned the character development. Rassin really grows as a person, and each character was so unique and interesting and believable. They felt real to me. Their joy was my joy. Their pain was my pain.
I’ve mentioned that this was a Gay Urban Paranormal. I didn’t say anything about romance, and I didn’t mention it was explicit. But it is both romantic and slightly explicit, so if you’re into that, no worries. But if you’re not into explicit romances, then I think you’d still enjoy this book. The plot would have remained unchanged if there wasn’t any romantic chemistry between Rassin and Adelman, and the explicit scene isn’t overpowering in any way. I classified it as gay, because while gayness isn’t a super huge part of the novel, there are a few contemporary gay issues explored. Rassin is closeted, but he’s not fooling anyone, and he works on shedding some of his hangups and issues over this throughout the novel.
Check it out, and check out some of Gala’s other works too. Gala has something for everyone. You can’t go wrong.
----------------
B. A. Brock is a reviewer for DSP and QSF. He enjoys reading, writing, running, family and food, and fills his life with bent bunk. He especially loves to discuss LGBTQ+ literature. His website is http://www.babrockbooks.com.
Dreamspinner Press–Where Dreams Come True… International publishers of quality gay romantic fiction since 2007. http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
DSP Publications–Off the Beaten Path. Worth the Journey. http://www.dsppublications.com
Harmony Ink Press–LGBTQ+ Young Adult Fiction. http://www.harmonyinkpress.com
June 12, 2015
Length: 90,880 words
POV: Third Limited
Kisses: 5+ Kisses—Loved it. You loved the book and would highly recommend it.
“Urban Shaman” is written completely from Miguel’s POV. Miguel has a strong sense of what is right and wrong, and a lack of tact, which often doesn’t endear him to others. After what happened during his last posting in the army, and shooting the civillian, he’s close to burning out. And then a kid goes missing.
I fell in love with Miguel very quickly. A wounded warrior in all senses of the term, he’s trying so hard to make a difference, regardless of the fact that the press and public hate him. He agrees to work with Rob, even though the man is more like a “sledgehammer” (yes, I’m quoting) and almost always puts witnesses offside, because it seems like the only way he’ll be able to work on the case without press interference. And while they both suspect Nikolai’s a con artist, Miguel is willing to accept the possibility that Nikolai actually cares for the small community he’s adopted.
Ms Gala writes wonderfully complex characters, and the crime investigation is both realistic and riveting. Rob Jackson more than just a side character, he adds to the story, and Nikolai is a wonderfully complicated man whose diverse parts add up to an intriguing whole.
When I finished “Urban Shaman”, all I could think was “WOW!” I was so stunned I actually sat still for a moment to take stock. I’d give this book more than five kisses if I could, although there is a slight possibility I am biased, since I have read and loved “Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts”, “Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities”, “Turrbulence”, “Drift”, and “Long, Lonely Howl”. I must admit, though, that I found The Monsters Below (from the “Making Contact” anthology), and “Desert World: Allegiences” a bit too depressing (The Monsters Below was well-written and more in the vein of classic sci-fi), so maybe not.
I believe any lover of crime or suspense will enjoy this story greatly, regardless of whether they enjoy paranormal or urban fantasy or not. As with most of Ms Gala’s books, this is a story of personal discovery with a gripping plot.
Another great story. Thank you, Ms Gala, and please, please keep on writing.
POV: Third Limited
Kisses: 5+ Kisses—Loved it. You loved the book and would highly recommend it.
“Urban Shaman” is written completely from Miguel’s POV. Miguel has a strong sense of what is right and wrong, and a lack of tact, which often doesn’t endear him to others. After what happened during his last posting in the army, and shooting the civillian, he’s close to burning out. And then a kid goes missing.
I fell in love with Miguel very quickly. A wounded warrior in all senses of the term, he’s trying so hard to make a difference, regardless of the fact that the press and public hate him. He agrees to work with Rob, even though the man is more like a “sledgehammer” (yes, I’m quoting) and almost always puts witnesses offside, because it seems like the only way he’ll be able to work on the case without press interference. And while they both suspect Nikolai’s a con artist, Miguel is willing to accept the possibility that Nikolai actually cares for the small community he’s adopted.
Ms Gala writes wonderfully complex characters, and the crime investigation is both realistic and riveting. Rob Jackson more than just a side character, he adds to the story, and Nikolai is a wonderfully complicated man whose diverse parts add up to an intriguing whole.
When I finished “Urban Shaman”, all I could think was “WOW!” I was so stunned I actually sat still for a moment to take stock. I’d give this book more than five kisses if I could, although there is a slight possibility I am biased, since I have read and loved “Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts”, “Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities”, “Turrbulence”, “Drift”, and “Long, Lonely Howl”. I must admit, though, that I found The Monsters Below (from the “Making Contact” anthology), and “Desert World: Allegiences” a bit too depressing (The Monsters Below was well-written and more in the vein of classic sci-fi), so maybe not.
I believe any lover of crime or suspense will enjoy this story greatly, regardless of whether they enjoy paranormal or urban fantasy or not. As with most of Ms Gala’s books, this is a story of personal discovery with a gripping plot.
Another great story. Thank you, Ms Gala, and please, please keep on writing.
April 26, 2010
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. From the "urban" point of view, it is gritty and raw-edged, with a believable sense of place. Plot-wise, it is a police procedural, with a rather heartbreaking crime at the core. The "shaman" aspect wove the mystical elements into the story in a way that made them integral to the story and not jarring. These elements were introduced gradually and only very gradually accepted by the protagonist, a cop with some very hard edges. The Shaman himself was a compelling character. A Jew turned native mystic with a penchant for expressing himself in Yiddish aphorisms and being terrifyingly trusting in bad circumstances, he is funny, engaging, secretive and likely to drive the protagonist insane all at once. A most unique character. The cop himself has a dark history that slowly unwinds. The relationship unfolds slowly, developing toward, not from, sex, which works both contextually and for the development of the characters.
I took away a star because I felt the ending of the book was a bit abrupt and left a lot of strings hanging, even after the central mystery was more or less solved. The slow-growing relationship between the cop and the Shaman was a long way from any closure, as were elements of the stories of both characters and also the relationship between the cop and his hard-nosed, straight, by-the-book partner. Honestly, I would not be at all surprised to see a sequel, or even a series of them, so the loose threads may very well have been intentional, although I felt this particular story could have been brought to a close more neatly. If it proves to be the case that there are sequel(s), I would definitely follow the story to see where those loose threads lead.
I took away a star because I felt the ending of the book was a bit abrupt and left a lot of strings hanging, even after the central mystery was more or less solved. The slow-growing relationship between the cop and the Shaman was a long way from any closure, as were elements of the stories of both characters and also the relationship between the cop and his hard-nosed, straight, by-the-book partner. Honestly, I would not be at all surprised to see a sequel, or even a series of them, so the loose threads may very well have been intentional, although I felt this particular story could have been brought to a close more neatly. If it proves to be the case that there are sequel(s), I would definitely follow the story to see where those loose threads lead.
April 7, 2019
Superb, perfectly paced storytelling. This police procedural, a case of serial abduction of children, has its setting in a multicultural Bronx slum that includes one surpassingly eccentric community figure, the anthropologist Nikolai, an apostate Jew, who despite his oddities has somehow managed to earn respect as the local shaman.
Nikolai also manages (eventually) to earn the respect of Miguel, our highly sympathetic main character, a police detective with a harrowing past, whose single POV carries the story. Initially, Miguel regards Nikolai with grave suspicion, which is not without cause. But then ensues the intriguing and often humorous developments by which in the course of investigating the kidnappings the two men (oh so gradually and haltingly) achieve rapprochement…and more.
As befits the extraordinary situation and the obstructing psychosocial barriers, this is a slow-burn romance, which for quite a long time is not at all burning. Nevertheless, the interaction of these two guys is so entertaining in its own right that I a total M/M addict was not at all impatient, but rather completely content to wait and watch till the two guys finally got there. In the denouement there’s passion enough to beautifully suit this exceptional tale. Five stars.
Nikolai also manages (eventually) to earn the respect of Miguel, our highly sympathetic main character, a police detective with a harrowing past, whose single POV carries the story. Initially, Miguel regards Nikolai with grave suspicion, which is not without cause. But then ensues the intriguing and often humorous developments by which in the course of investigating the kidnappings the two men (oh so gradually and haltingly) achieve rapprochement…and more.
As befits the extraordinary situation and the obstructing psychosocial barriers, this is a slow-burn romance, which for quite a long time is not at all burning. Nevertheless, the interaction of these two guys is so entertaining in its own right that I a total M/M addict was not at all impatient, but rather completely content to wait and watch till the two guys finally got there. In the denouement there’s passion enough to beautifully suit this exceptional tale. Five stars.
December 9, 2011
I wanted to like this book more than I did. And frankly it's all Nikolai's fault. He came off as a caricature and he always felt vaguely false to me. Even the ending, felt unreal. As though he would never have allowed himself to be with Miguel. The yiddish phrases were also taken a bit to far. It felt like at least one a page he had to roll out with one. Also- It seemed odd for him to cling to Jewish culture after having consumed himself with mysticism and mythological folk hero magic. I mean, his story would have felt more real with references to Baba Yaga than with the Oys. He did say he was studying in Russia right? The mythology referenced seemed more like African or Aboriginal (as in the taking of energies from spirits or humans/ in his case an animal during his transition to Shaman) rather than Jewish mysticism. I could easily be wrong on that, but I guess it just didn't feel convincingly portrayed by the author and so it felt forced. It wasn't that it was bad, I just never got into it and almost put the book down a few times.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2011
2.5 stars
People are not going to love me but I hoped that Nikolai was the killer. He annoyed me so much.
Question: If Nikolail was an impure Jewish because of one of his ancestor...how come his parents were able to be married? Nobody searched for them but because it's served the story it's happened to Nikolai?
Love Miguel.
But my preferred personages was Rob.
The ending? Not a good one. A cop that say "they had the best ending they could have", wrong! How can they be sure they were going to be raped and killed? Because of spirits??? And what happen next? They don't have the bodies, no killer, nothing. The police's not going to let go just because.
People are not going to love me but I hoped that Nikolai was the killer. He annoyed me so much.
Question: If Nikolail was an impure Jewish because of one of his ancestor...how come his parents were able to be married? Nobody searched for them but because it's served the story it's happened to Nikolai?
Love Miguel.
But my preferred personages was Rob.
The ending? Not a good one. A cop that say "they had the best ending they could have", wrong! How can they be sure they were going to be raped and killed? Because of spirits??? And what happen next? They don't have the bodies, no killer, nothing. The police's not going to let go just because.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2015
From the blurb, I expected to enjoy this much more than I did but i was kinda bored. I didn't see any chemistry between the MCs and wasn't sure what the attraction was.
And normally, I adore Yiddish. The way the word sounds conveys the emotion of what the word means. It's one of my favorite languages but, here, the Yiddish felt overused and not natural. It kept jarring me out of the story; it felt like overkill.
And normally, I adore Yiddish. The way the word sounds conveys the emotion of what the word means. It's one of my favorite languages but, here, the Yiddish felt overused and not natural. It kept jarring me out of the story; it felt like overkill.
December 6, 2013
I really, really wanted to like this, because I've been on a Lyn Gala kick lately, and a lot of people recommend this book, and compare her other titles to it. Not a terrible read, but not nearly as interesting as "Fettered" or "Mountain Prey". Not a lot of sex, which is okay, but not what I expect from this writer's books, and I never entirely felt the relationship between the MC's.
July 27, 2017
3.9 stars rounded up. Lyn Gala is a new to me author since I very rarely venture into sci-fi territory. Yet this story certainly impressed me. The writing style was smooth and refreshingly unusual, with a solid plot and complex characters. The romance was a bit too marginal for my liking, but I enjoyed the slow burn relationship.
January 8, 2017
Very different from the other books of this author's I've read but still enjoyable. I loved the ex-Jew Shaman Nikolai so much and seeing him from a cynical cop's point of view was fantastic. Very low heat factor in this book, but a HFN ending so left me pleased. I'm wondering if this duo will team up again, I certainly hope so.
August 31, 2019
4.25 Stars
Forgot to mark this as "Read" when I was on vacation; I hate when that happens.
Another book I bought forever ago and never got around to and now it's making me re-think my life choices! I've seriously got to go through my external drives and update GR with the books I've got just sitting there, waiting for me from so long ago. (This one wasn't even on my TBR!)
Forgot to mark this as "Read" when I was on vacation; I hate when that happens.
Another book I bought forever ago and never got around to and now it's making me re-think my life choices! I've seriously got to go through my external drives and update GR with the books I've got just sitting there, waiting for me from so long ago. (This one wasn't even on my TBR!)
August 24, 2011
Overall it's a decent read. But I was bothered with the Shaman's things. felt force and not very good handled. At many points, the difficult aspects were easily described as 'it's about Shaman' which pretty annoying.
December 19, 2013
3.5 stars, rounding up to 4 stars because it was a very engaging story
I deducted 0.5 stars because there needed to be a bit more of a romance. I hoped for a slow build-up of romance, but it was horribly snail paced (if there was any at all) and then a bit too fast.
I deducted 0.5 stars because there needed to be a bit more of a romance. I hoped for a slow build-up of romance, but it was horribly snail paced (if there was any at all) and then a bit too fast.
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