Tartarus

Bad: longer than I expected and the intro is a bit slowGood: detailed character development, adventurous after the intro portionOverall: would recommend, might read again after a couple years so the surprises are surprising again!

*Reviewed by Mark for Sinfully Gay Romance Book Reviews ~ 4.5 Stars*Now this book was really a surprise for me. Why? Well, I usually don’t read anything on a fantasy basis, however as I like my historical stories then I couldn’t resist the premise of Greek gods, Titans, Olympians and all the myth and magic surrounding this. So yes, historical in the sense we have a super take on the Greek gods, monsters and legends; fantastical in the respect of myth, magic and underworlds.The imagery the author creates in the first few pages is breath-taking. I was already swept away on my mythical Greek trip but it doesn’t take long before we are pulled back to the present day. This gave the story for me a whole new facet when we think that the DNA of the Greek gods have been passed down through mortals for generations but those who possess the gifts of magic are totally oblivious too it at first.We meet Adrian and Annelise, two twins and both gay, the other fascinating thing I found that was worked into this book is the empathy that twins share. They almost have a sixth sense for what each other is feeling even when they are apart. Even today it is well reported that twins almost share a kind of empathy or telepathy with each other. Annelise has an art gallery and one of her recent exhibitions was for a local artist, Zack. Zack sees or recognises the latent power in Adrian and becomes integral in introducing him to and getting him to accept his powers. I loved the slow build up to all of this, you just know there is so much more to the eye than you think when you first meet Zack but what or who exactly is he and what does he see in Adrian? So from the offset we have the mysterious Zack but my goodness for a mature man he is certainly hot. This was something else that was very refreshing to read. We have mature gay characters, Adrian and Annelise are both 48 and Zack somewhat older with almost sixty. I love this as I don’t always have to read about buff 25 year olds and there is a certain eroticism from using mature characters that you don’t get from younger ones. I call it the Sean Connery syndrome, some men just get better with age!Anyway, Zack and Adrian are attracted to each other especially considering both have had a bit of a dry spell on the sex front. But whether this all goes well is up to how Adrian can accept who is when it is revealed to him by Zack and also accept who Zack really is. They don’t have a lot of time for romantic fuss because the Mother of Monsters, Echidna, has escaped from her prison, Tartarus and is now out to wreak havoc among the mortals. Again I loved how all this was juxtaposed, how the author brought Echidna back from the underworld to the present day. How the plot develops until the point is reached where Annelise is abducted by Echidna is brilliantly done. All the way I was left holding my breath about what comes next. Now it’s up to Zack and Adrian to enter the underworld to get her back. Again this is the type of fantasy that I can really get to grips with where past magic and myth is connected with the present day. How this is done I found pure genius and loved the whole idea of it. Then the fight begins in the underworld with all the imagery that the author conjures up makes it a joy to read.This book is pure entertainment from beginning to end without a single boring moment. It is plot driven and extremely light on the erotic but the few times Zack and Adrian do get it on then it is hot! This story treated me to a wonderful modern day Greek saga with all the legend, myth and magic to accompany it. A real page turner if ever there was one.

The first impression I got of this story was that it was a fantasy, because it begins with a vivid passage of mythology right from the start. But then, after that, I found myself introduced to our main character Adrian in modern-day Seattle. And engrossed in his squabbling with his slightly jaded sister Annelise. Neither of them seems to have found ‘the one’ (nor are they really looking), but they are really good at throwing insults at each other, as siblings do *grins*. So, basically, they are just making their way through life. As I read, I began to realize Adrian is actually an uninspired artist whose inspiration returned after some homoerotic dreams.After meeting the wood carving artist Zack, the story becomes even more interesting, and the reader is given a glimpse that this person is going to be a pivotal character, but not quite sure what role he is supposed to play, as he at first seems quite a bit older than Adrian. It was surprising to me that Adrian and his twin are 48 and Zach is 60, because many characters in the books I read are much younger. This might not appeal to every reader, but it was actually refreshing to me. And 12 years really isn’t that much age difference!Annelise, Adrian’s twin sister, happens to own a successful art gallery, and Adrian tends to fool around with art, until out of the blue he seems to get inspired by some visions and dreams full of Greek mythology, which vividly describe the war between the Olympians and the Titans. (I did wonder as to whether much of his inspiration came from toking on his marijuana vape as often as he does. Lol)Adrian and Annelise are both interesting characters. Adrian more so, as Annelise doesn’t seem to be chosen to get in touch with her Greek roots as much as Adrian.I also liked the friendship shown with the supporting characters throughout the story, as it helped move events along believably without it dragging out and seeming like it was all about Adrian.There is a bIt of blood and gore in the story, but it all ties in with the events rather well. The location of Seattle as well as the Island of Bainbridge make for a good dark, dreary, gloomy and wet atmosphere that only adds to the storyThe author must at the very least have the heart of an artist, that is, if he isn’t actually one, because, as an artist myself, much of his description vividly inspired me, and became so real I could see the various drawings and paintings in my mind’s eye very easily.This story is well paced, seems to be well researched and features a more mature couple than typical in most of today’s gay romance. This story, to me, was not exactly a romance, but more of an adventure/quest for our hero of the hour, Adrian. I could see it becoming the start of a series very easily, as it’s not your typical HEA, but more of an HFN for the characters.Great story! I definitely recommend the book for those that enjoy urban fantasy, want something a bit different, and especially if interested in Greek mythology.