Title: Scarred
Author: J M Snyder
Genre: m/m romance/fiction
Print length: 118 pages
Publication date: July 11, 2011
Rating: Five Stars
Blurb: Biker gangs known as regulators rule the streets of a war-torn city with hate and pain -- their cruelty is etched into every inch of Dae's battered body. He has never known anything but hurt from the hands of men ... until he meets Coby.
When the new regulator rides into town and takes an interest in him, Dae is unwilling to believe that anyone who is a regulator can be a gentle, caring lover.
Is Coby strong enough to protect Dae and his sister Delia when there's hell to pay in the form of McBane?
Review:
Before I do anything else, I have to take on a 'con' by another reviewer. It stated that Cody was not very realistic as a leader of a gang of regulators. That his gentleness with Dae is at odds with his persona of a man who is supposed to be ruthless. And I have to disagree with this assertion.
I've had the benefit (although I've rarely called it that) of growing up in an actual war zone. Something eerily close to the post-apocalyptic setting of this novel. After all, there is no civility in any given war zone and the men with the biggest guns always get what they want, no matter what side they're on. I've seen the most gentle men turn ruthless and cruel. Extraordinary circumstances can not only change people but bring forth something in them that no one knew existed. We know nothing of Cody's life before he became a leader of the gang, but I had no issues believing him to be a good man twisted by the times and the circumstances. A man who was strong enough to don an armor and a mask that would enable him to survive and come out on top.
This will for survival is actually something they have very much in common, Cody and Dae. Except that Dae, by some toss of the dice, had ended up a play toy of a truly ruthless man, all because he had to protect his sister by any means necessary. In this, his bravery surpasses Cody's, even as he's slowly sinking into hopelessness as a result of his sacrifice.
This was a short novel but by no means lacking. Starkly simple, it tells the story from Dae's perspective, a story that is both horrifying and full of hope. He relates his past misfortunes in a frighteningly direct tone that varies from numbness to despair. I found the sentence structure intoxicating, leading you from a moment to moment, from past to present and back. The fear is so real you can taste it; Dae's helplessness, his disgust with what he's become, it was all written so skillfully that the details will make your hackles rise. The setting for the story is far from elaborate, which is another testament to the writer's ability. To place such a story and such characters in a small space is quite an accomplishment. Delia is so well drawn that you can see her, gypsy-like, her terror and frustrated fury coloring the pages. She trusts no one, and in this post war world, it's hard to blame her. Even though she pieces Dae back together each time, she can not comprehend the full scope of the damage that is being done to him. Dae's burden is his own to carry, and it is so vast that one kind word, one gentle touch is enough to break him.
This novel is not for everyone. If you're looking for a light and airy read, if you have issues with violence or rape, this is not a novel for you. This is a tense, blunt story, full of suffering and dread. When it didn't have me on the edge of my seat, it made the back of my throat burn.
I rarely ever give five stars in this genre. I find most romance novels, whether they be m/m, m/f, or f/f, to be sloppy. This deserves all of the five stars and more.
I've had the benefit (although I've rarely called it that) of growing up in an actual war zone. Something eerily close to the post-apocalyptic setting of this novel. After all, there is no civility in any given war zone and the men with the biggest guns always get what they want, no matter what side they're on. I've seen the most gentle men turn ruthless and cruel. Extraordinary circumstances can not only change people but bring forth something in them that no one knew existed. We know nothing of Cody's life before he became a leader of the gang, but I had no issues believing him to be a good man twisted by the times and the circumstances. A man who was strong enough to don an armor and a mask that would enable him to survive and come out on top.
This will for survival is actually something they have very much in common, Cody and Dae. Except that Dae, by some toss of the dice, had ended up a play toy of a truly ruthless man, all because he had to protect his sister by any means necessary. In this, his bravery surpasses Cody's, even as he's slowly sinking into hopelessness as a result of his sacrifice.
This was a short novel but by no means lacking. Starkly simple, it tells the story from Dae's perspective, a story that is both horrifying and full of hope. He relates his past misfortunes in a frighteningly direct tone that varies from numbness to despair. I found the sentence structure intoxicating, leading you from a moment to moment, from past to present and back. The fear is so real you can taste it; Dae's helplessness, his disgust with what he's become, it was all written so skillfully that the details will make your hackles rise. The setting for the story is far from elaborate, which is another testament to the writer's ability. To place such a story and such characters in a small space is quite an accomplishment. Delia is so well drawn that you can see her, gypsy-like, her terror and frustrated fury coloring the pages. She trusts no one, and in this post war world, it's hard to blame her. Even though she pieces Dae back together each time, she can not comprehend the full scope of the damage that is being done to him. Dae's burden is his own to carry, and it is so vast that one kind word, one gentle touch is enough to break him.
This novel is not for everyone. If you're looking for a light and airy read, if you have issues with violence or rape, this is not a novel for you. This is a tense, blunt story, full of suffering and dread. When it didn't have me on the edge of my seat, it made the back of my throat burn.
I rarely ever give five stars in this genre. I find most romance novels, whether they be m/m, m/f, or f/f, to be sloppy. This deserves all of the five stars and more.
Buy it from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Scarred-ebook/dp/B005CBJ3VE/ref=cm_cr-mr-img
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