The Backlot Gay Book Forum discussion

"The Last Grand Master" is at least the first in a saga...and I will surely read the next episode.

Having taken to these fantasy world-building epics, I do find that I enjoy so much about them, but often, as is the case here, can't quite let go and get caught up in the world thus created. I never embrace the fantasy, and always feel like I'm peeking in through a window, rather than actually being there.

The image of two man-loving heroes, one a mortal wizard and one a near-immortal Viking-like warrior, in a world where being drawn to men is no more than a hiccup in life, and riding on unicorns is the highest possible honor; appeals to me no end. In a sort of silly way. I mean really, gay wizard warriors on unicorn? Woo-hoo!

This book is by Andrew Gordon, so a man, but feels interestingly like it was written by a woman - the level of romance is high even for me, and while I'm sort of a sucker for it, it surprises me.

The narrative in this fairly long book is at times rambling and a little too much "tell" rather than "show." There is rather a lot of joyful gore, described a little too superficially, given its prominence. Something lacked "heft," and I apologize for not being able to articulate it better than that. Nicole Kimberling's "Sea of Stars" series had (for me) this narrative weight...

If you like this kind of novel, this is worth the effort. If fantasy is not your thing, I'm not sure this would be where I'd start.

Ulysses wrote: ""The Last Grand Master" is at least the first in a saga...and I will surely read the next episode.

Having taken to these fantasy world-building epics, I do find that I enjoy so much about them, b..."

I think I liked this book more than you Ulysses - I gave it four stars. I was quite taken up by the story-telling and enjoyed the world-building. In particular - I appreciated the detailing of how Farrell worked his magic.

The romance was a little insta-love for me though ... even if the 'cute-meet' in a violence setting can be termed 'god-ordained predestination' LOL. And as with some gay romances, there is that physical contrast between slight and small Farrell and big, manly, super-human powered Miceral.

Having been a Mercedes Lackey fan who loved the Valdemar heralds and their telepathic connections with their magical white horses (Vanyel was one of my favourite characters for a long time), I got caught up right away into the human-unicorn connections set-up in this tale. And just like other Lackey titles, there's Griffin characters in this tale too!

I would definitely get the next book in the series.

The highly technical, almost scientific descriptions of the magic and how Farrell worked it, were actually among my favorite things -- demystifying magic to make it just another element of human or world energy - It wasn't the story that didn't grab me, it was Gordon's writing style. I loved "The Purpose," but somehow the writing in this didn't suck me in. I hesitated to give three stars, but I think I'm too lavish...like our old school grades, A, B, C...I shouldn't be afraid to give "C" grades -- "Average" in America...