YA LGBT Books discussion

This thread is for discussion of the book Seidman by James Erich. Feel free to discuss the book or related topics and post reviews. This thread may contain spoilers, so if you haven't read the book yet, proceed at your own risk. I look forward to discussing this with the group.

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I hope you all enjoy it! I'd love to chat with you about it, hear any criticism, and answer any questions anyone has.

Just starting this, but I'm enjoying the feel of the opening scene. Something different from the YA I've been reading recently.

Finished the book - my review:

One of the biggest strengths of this young-adult historical/paranormal story is the authenticity of the unusual setting - the life of a gay boy growing to manhood in Viking Iceland. Kol is gifted with magical abilities which lead to his apprenticeship to a local seið-woman — a sorceress. This gets him away from the rough life on his father's farm, and brings him into the household of a boy he is becoming attracted to, Thorbrand. However being gay is not accepted, especially for a boy like Thorbrand who will become a Chief. And times are changing, as the religion of the White Christ, with its hatred of sorcery, is moving into that part of the world. Becoming a sorcerer is no longer a safe path to an honored profession.

This book kept me intrigued and turning the pages. I was caught up in the life of Kol, his adventures in the community of sorcerers, and his hidden romance with a boy whose status was going to make it difficult to give them a happy ending. There is adventure here, and loss, and magic that is well-portrayed and integrated into the religion and setting. Occasionally, the wonderful details of place and time while creating atmosphere also slowed the story just a bit, and Kol's reserve made some of the gut-wrenching things he went through less emotional, but I enjoyed this. Overall, Seidman is well-written, unusual, and well worth the read.

Thanks for the feedback, Kaje! I've heard others say that Kol is a bit too reserved. I suppose that's my own love of rationality coming through -- I tend to write characters who weigh things intellectually, rather than react viscerally.

It fits with his character, I think - he seems real. But it does mean that the reader doesn't get sucked deep into the whirlpool of emotion that could happen with the fire and some of the other personal changes. Some readers will prefer that. I'm an angst-junkie so I like to go a little more emotional.

I also modeled the characters after they types of characters you find in Norse Sagas. They tend to be very laconic and fatalistic.

In one of my favorite scenes (though I can't recall the details, at the moment), a bunch of people are sitting in a longhouse, when the moonlight shines in and makes a certain pattern on the wall. Someone tells the host, "This is an omen! It means that you will die, if you leave the house tonight."

The host replies, "If that is my fate, then so be it." And he walks outside. I don't even think he has a reason to go outside. He's just stubborn.

He get's killed, of course.

James wrote: "I also modeled the characters after they types of characters you find in Norse Sagas. They tend to be very laconic and fatalistic.

In one of my favorite scenes (though I can't recall the detail..."

LOL - yeah, I've seen that kind of fatalism in Nordic characters.

I loved this book. I was recently on a panel at DragonCon called "GLBTQ in YA", and recommended it to the audience. It is definitely one of my favorites.

I saw that DragonCon was having a couple of GLBT panels. Was there much interest?

The room for the YA GLBTQ panel was packed. Lots of audience participation.

Tracy wrote: "The room for the YA GLBTQ panel was packed. Lots of audience participation."

Excellent - that's good to hear.

Tracy wrote: "I loved this book. I was recently on a panel at DragonCon called "GLBTQ in YA", and recommended it to the audience. It is definitely one of my favorites."

I'm glad you liked it, Tracy!