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Post by Skye. on Mar 24, 2008 0:34:34 GMT 1
i liked Sugar Rush
i read it after i watched the series
i liked the book better
i think it was really good because it sort of embraced the whole confusion element of sexuality and experimental part of it aswell.
was good reading
^_^
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Post by Kiah[TH<3] on Mar 24, 2008 1:11:38 GMT 1
I love Sugar Rush. I read the book before the show came on TV, but still loved it. Both were amazingly funny but serious at the same time.
It made me comfy in my sexual mind, if ya get me...
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Post by HomosexualGuitar on Mar 24, 2008 15:10:11 GMT 1
Ack, Sugar Rush on TV I hated. It had nothing to do with the book AT ALL and made me cry =[ The book was really good but the show didn't follow it much at all.
Kraig-x
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Post by liz on May 17, 2008 6:23:25 GMT 1
I`ve just finished reading The Persian Boy by Mary Renault. It`s old, and not a weekend read! But if you like historic fiction at all then definately give this a try. It`s about Alexander the Great and Bagoas, the Persian slave, who became his lover, and eventually his trusted friend..
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Post by tokiohoteluk on May 17, 2008 7:42:01 GMT 1
The Persian Boy is hands down in the top 5 of my favourite all time novels. I love it so SO much.
I might read it again, actually, it's been a while. What did you think, Liz?
Claire
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Post by HomosexualGuitar on May 17, 2008 12:03:00 GMT 1
Never heard of it =P But i'm not overly fond of historical things so I don't think I would pick it up.
Anyone know any modern-ish ones?
Kraig-x
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Post by liz on May 17, 2008 15:26:36 GMT 1
I LOVED it Claire. ;D Historic fiction is my favourite type of book. but I`d been warned away from this one in the past. My uncle said it was `too overly romantic`. But I`ve always wanted to read it because Alexander ( and this relationship ) is one of my favourites from history.
So anyway, yeah, it was quite `full on` in places, but I think the fact that it was written from that point of view made it ok. And there was enough going on in the rest of the book to counteract it. To be honest, I`m not one for `romance`. I like historic novels overflowing with blood, guts and honour lol. BUT, I can honestly say that I got totally caught up in this love story! Considering when it was written, I like that it was just a love story - rather than a specifically `gay` love story, if that makes sense  ( Also, the author had me eating out of Bagoas`s hand by the first few pages!!! )
It reminded me of a relationship in Manda Scott`s Boudica books - but that wasn`t really explored because the slave boy was killed.
For me, there is a simple way to define wether a book is a great book, or a crap one. And it`s this simple - if I am there when reading it, if I can see, smell and hear what the characters see, smell and hear - then it`s a great book. If I cry and laugh with them - it`s a great book. If I can`t - it`s not worth reading. The Persian Boy, put to that test, is a GREAT book ;D
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Post by tokiohoteluk on May 17, 2008 19:08:12 GMT 1
Oooh, Liz, in that case, I recommend you read As Meat Loves Salt. Set in Civil War England, it's such an amazing novel for really feeling the horrors of the war. It's not all about the war though at all. The first half is war based, and the two protagonists meet as soldiers. They then leave the army and live in London, planning a back to basics hippy style colony, and it's about the trauma that brings.
Now, I'm a fan of love stories. I can't read romance novels or sugary sweet crap, but I like intense and passionate love stories and inevitably they leave me crying my eyes out and feeling like I just lost a lover. So As Meat Loves Salt, if you're anything like me, will rip your heart out, stomp all over it, make you feel like you're on a rollercoaster and want to throw up at the end. BUT, the journey is intense. And like The Persion Boy, it's not explicit, though it does have it's 'full on' moments.
I don't know if you've seen the movie 'Alexander', but that's based on Mary Renault's version of events in The Persian Boy. The main version of the movie isn't wonderful, BUT they released a 'final' or 'ultimate' cut or something and it's much better and it also expands the role of Bagoas in Alexander's life.
It's also worth noting that Mary Renault was the foremost researcher on Alexander and her novels are extremely historically accurate. She was a pretty amazing woman considering when those novels were written. I've seen a documentary on her and she's like my idol.
Historical gay fiction is my favourite genre - it's a shame there's not much of it! LOL.
Claire
EDIT: Have you picked up Fire from Heaven or The Funeral Games? I haven't read either. For some reason I started with The Persian Boy and then haven't been able to read the others just because I fell in love with Bagoas and I know he doesn't feature in the other two, even though Hephaistion is generally considered to be Alexander's soulmate type great love and FFH is supposed to tell that story too.
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Post by tokiohoteluk on May 17, 2008 19:21:15 GMT 1
Considering when it was written, I like that it was just a love story - rather than a specifically `gay` love story, if that makes sense That makes perfect sense! And that's exactly why my favourite books of the genre are the ones they are. I have noticed that my favourite 'gay' novels are written by women and this is exactly why. When gay men write, they write with a sense of duty to their sexuality, to make a statement and to analyse the difficulties, the conflicts and the pain of being a gay man. Anything from coming out, to first sexual experiences to dealing with issues surrounding HIV and AIDS. And they need to do that. Those are important issues that should be written about, they're enlightening for many people and they are informative and important for young gay teens. Women have the luxury of writing about gay men without that agenda. And that's why usually they make it a love story without the 'issues' of being a modern gay man and that's why women enjoy them more. Okay, I'll shut up now. I've spent too much time over the years analysing all this. LOL. Claire x |
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Post by liz on May 17, 2008 21:45:17 GMT 1
First of all, As Meat Loves Salt sounds like a book I`d love and I`ve actually sent a mail to my bookshop ( lol my bookshop - what I mean is, the awesome secondhand bookshop I always go to - they`ll get absolutely anything for you! ) and asked him to get / put me by a copy. So yeah, I`ll let you know what I think.
I have seen the final cut Alexander yes. In fact, it was that which made me decide I had to read The Persian Boy. Francisco Bosch was brilliant as Bagoas. ( I need a home help like him lol  ) I agree the film could have been better, but the Alexander / Bagoas relationship fascinated me, because it was the first time I`d seen it put to screen, after just reading about it.
I haven`t read the other two in the series - but I`m going too definately. Dunno what my uncle was on about, but I actually really liked her style of writing.
You should try the Boudica books Claire. I think you`d enjoy them - by Manda Scott. ( all the emotions you mentioned? These books will drag each of them out of you, one by one. And there`s one specific part, that, if you`ve bonded with her the way I did, will make you cry for a week! I actually felt as though I`d lost something personally and I went through a kind of mourning lol. But it had built up through out the first three books, so when this event happened - it was shocking. )
Kraig - sorry, I can`t think of any `modern` ones to reccomend. I`m a bit old fashioned when it comes to reading material
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Post by tokiohoteluk on May 17, 2008 23:09:04 GMT 1
I just ordered the first in the Boudica series since it comes so highly recommended!
Ahh, Francisco. <3 You know, I've been a big fan for years and my friend runs his fanclub/website, etc. I even have a gorgeous one of a kind signed photo. About 2 1/2 years ago I was supposed to see him dance in the Nutcracker and Alice in Wonderland and meet him after backstage, but he broke his foot and couldn't perform. Mega disappointment and as far as I know he hasn't performed professionally since. Poor Fran.
Still, lovely man.
As Meat Loves Salt overwhelms me with how amazing it is, yet it's not universally loved. It was sorely overlooked for prizes the year it came out, but it was at least recognised by The Economist as being prize worthy and they wrote a whole article wondering why it wasn't nominated for anything.
Claire
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Post by liz on May 17, 2008 23:23:12 GMT 1
Gosh I was only looking at his website last week and wondering what`s become of him! What a terrible shame that he was injured like that.  He`s such an incredible dancer! Admittedly I don`t know alot about him, but I`ve been a fan since I first saw him in Alexander. Just from internet stuff, and the website - he seems like such a nice guy. I hope he does some more acting sometime.
Can`t wait to hear what you think of Boudica ;D
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![Kiah[TH<3] Avatar](http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i77/VampsInNeedOfFangs/17thBirthday1293.jpg)
( Also, the author had me eating out of Bagoas`s hand by the first few pages!!! ) 
) I agree the film could have been better, but the Alexander / Bagoas relationship fascinated me, because it was the first time I`d seen it put to screen, after just reading about it. 
He`s such an incredible dancer! Admittedly I don`t know alot about him, but I`ve been a fan since I first saw him in Alexander. Just from internet stuff, and the website - he seems like such a nice guy. I hope he does some more acting sometime.