Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Death of a Pirate King by Josh Lanyon

TITLE: Death of a Pirate King
AUTHOR: Josh Lanyon
PUBLISHER: Loose Id
LENGTH: Novel (roughly 73k)
GENRE: Gay mystery romance
COST: $7.99

Adrien English is back, though it’s taken two years for another murder to distract him. The charismatic Hollywood star Paul Kane has optioned his first book for a film, but when the financial backer takes a nosedive into his soup at a dinner party right next to Adrien, everything Adrien has come to hope for in his life changes. Because the cop called in to lead the investigation is none other than Jake Riordan…

Reviewing an installment in an ongoing series is hard, but when you’re emotionally invested in the characters, it raises a lot of questions on whether or not you’re actually being objective. Am I overlooking flaws because I love the character so much? Am I more forgiving? I can’t tell you whether or not my opinion on the latest Adrien English story falls prey to these pitfalls. All I know is that I spent the entire time reading it alternately miserable because of the cascade of emotions it evoked, and exhilarated to rush through to the next chapter. I love Adrien to pieces, so when he’s a wreck, and angry, and worried, I am, too. That is the magic of these stories.

I’m not ashamed to say I loathed Jake at the end of the previous book. I thought – and still do – that his behavior toward Adrien bordered on condescending and abusive. Not that Adrien is perfect, but it’s hard to watch someone you care about being jerked around. Which is what Jake was doing. Yes, I know it was about his own fears, his own phobias, but that doesn’t mean I have to like that he was acting out on Adrien. So going into this book, straight away, I have anger issues toward Jake. Am I thrilled Adrien is with Guy? Eh. I was just happy Adrien wasn’t with Jake anymore. My anger issues compounded as the book progressed, too, as Adrien finds out – very early, so it’s not really a spoiler – that Jake has been involved with Paul Kane. I felt betrayed, much like Adrien did, and constant exposure to Jake exacerbates those feelings.

But here’s the thing, and this is indicative of Lanyon’s talent for alchemy. This book is as much about Jake as it is about Adrien, in ways I can’t explain without spoiling people (go back and think about the title when you’re done with it). By the time I finished reading, I had resolution. Reaching the end was like taking a long, shuddering breath. I was able to take everything I knew, and everything I learned, and create something new and manageable. Do I love Jake? No. I don’t think I’ll ever love Jake. But I don’t hate him, which for how strong my feelings were going into the story says a lot.

It’s a roller coaster. That’s all there is to it. For me, because the emotions are so tangled and often explosive, the mystery actually suffers. I wasn’t surprised by the outcome – it felt telegraphed quite early, actually – and certain sections felt sketchy, like racing through something that had to be done in order to get to the good stuff. But the impact of the book for me rested with Adrien, not with the murder. He has come so far since the first book – harder, less patient, and yet more fragile than he’s ever been. Like blown glass, deceptively strong only to shatter with one wrong touch. I’m dying to see where he goes to next. Lanyon’s prose is leaner than it’s ever been, his characters richer, and if maybe I didn’t laugh as much in this one as I have in others, that’s purely a reaction to the emotional tempest created here. I'm invested. And I'm not ashamed to admit it.

Readability

9/10 – Spare and tight prose makes for a compulsive read.

Hero #1

10/10 – Adrien breaks my heart.

Hero #2

7/10 – Last book, this would have been a 2. Maybe even a 1. The fact that Jake now gets a 7? Should tell you something.

Entertainment value

9/10 – A roller coaster of emotions

World building

9/10 – Lanyon’s leaner prose focuses on the intangible to the occasional exclusion of detail I might have wanted.

TOTAL:

44/50

9 comments:

Josh Lanyon said...

I’m dying to see where he goes to next. Lanyon’s prose is leaner than it’s ever been, his characters richer, and if maybe I didn’t laugh as much in this one as I have in others, that’s purely a reaction to the emotional tempest created here. I'm invested. And I'm not ashamed to admit it.

See, right here? This makes the review for me. This tells me I did my job correctly.

Thank you. I do always appreciate your reviews, but this one means more because I knew your feelings going in. I hope I'm as successful with other readers who feel as you did.

lisabea said...

But here’s the thing, and this is indicative of Lanyon’s talent for alchemy. This book is as much about Jake as it is about Adrien, in ways I can’t explain without spoiling people (go back and think about the title when you’re done with it). By the time I finished reading, I had resolution. Reaching the end was like taking a long, shuddering breath.

He crafted it masterfully. And he never tipped his hand, or gave too much away. So. Well. Done.

And Adrien broke my heart, too.

Joely Skye said...

I love Adrien. But I love Jake too, so it's interesting to read your review. (The character I thoroughly dislike—actually came close to hating this book—is Guy. Though I think Lanyon is very deft with Guy's characterization.)

I thought this was a terrific book. The mystery totally worked for me even if I pegged the bag guy right away. I wanted to know the how and why. (Whereas I wasn't so fond of the occult mystery.)

I read this right on the heels of The Hell You Say which was kind of cool.

Book Utopia Mom said...

Josh - I hope others who might not like Jake as much understand him better after reading this. And it feels really weird being a Jake advocate in that regard after how much I actively disliked him before, lol.

Lisabea - The fact that I was still furious with Jake 2/3's of the way through the story is just more proof Josh didn't let on at all how things were going to go. And then it all made perfect sense, especially knowing the characters as we do.

Joely - I wasn't a big fan of Guy before but I do feel sorry for him in this one. I think his feelings for Adrien are genuine, but we're seeing over a year of frustration of not being able to get to Adrien the way he wants to coming into play. I think I was too wrapped up in all of Adrien's angst to really care that much about the mystery, to be honest. Seriously, I was a wreck. My best friend was very relieved to stop getting "ohmigod" messages when I was reading. :)

Joely Skye said...

Uh, that's bad guy, not bag guy!

Joely Skye said...

I thought I might feel sorry for Guy this book. Among other things last book, I didn't think very highly of his relationship with Peter.

But this book, there's more than one scene where Adrien is trying to appease Guy. And while I think this says something about Adrien's feelings for Jake, I think it also says something about Guy. Though I take your point about a year of frustration.

And, yes, Adrien's angst was a rollercoaster ride!

Teddy Pig said...

I’m not ashamed to say I loathed Jake at the end of the previous book. I thought – and still do – that his behavior toward Adrien bordered on condescending and abusive.

Yes yes yes and yes.
I was so over Jake by the end of the last book and hoped Adrien would move the hell on.

About Guy... Total rebound dude. Add in what happened in this book and wow wow wow. I was even more happy I ignored their interactions.

Seems Adrien ignored a lot of things too.

Which brings us to...

Do I love Jake? No. I don’t think I’ll ever love Jake. But I don’t hate him, which for how strong my feelings were going into the story says a lot.

I don't trust him even now. Period. I will never love the guy. Why does Adrien still trust him with everything we found out and gone through in these books?

I shook my head. "Not really. He never lied to me. I just didn't ask the questions I didn't want to know the answers to."

This line! This one line in the whole book struck me... (I ain't giving too much away I hope) It left me so conflicted about Adrien. I mean, he admits to ignoring the truth and we see how he ignores the stuff with guy and?

THIS seems so broken about him.
Here is this really intelligent and observant nice guy admitting he is afraid of the truth.

Is he gonna change this way of dealing with relationships?

jessewave said...

Glad to see that you're no longer a Jake hater *g*. He's been my favourite in the series ever since I started reading the books because I realized that the character had to be authentic. As for Adrien, he said he never asked the burning questions because he was afraid of the answers.

Just goes to show what a terrific writer Josh is if he made you do a 180 in one book *chuckle*

Book Utopia Mom said...

Teddy - I don't think I completely trust Jake, either. I certainly empathize more with him, and while I am more willing to consider him and Adrien trying to work something out, he's still going to have to actually work. I can't just forget what happened before unfortunately, and I hope Adrien wouldn't completely either. But the line you point out is incredibly telling. In so many ways.

Wave - A 180? Um...how about a 90 degree turn instead? ;) I still don't love Jake which is what I would think a 180 would be. But I'm more tolerant, I think. And I have a little more respect for him than I did before. But yeah, the fact that Josh got me feeling anything but intense dislike for the character is pure testimony to his talent. :)