I agree with you about the emotions being understated and covert in Wicked Gentlemen. I loved that about it. I think it fits not only with Harper and Belimai’s characters but also with the fact that their romantic feelings for one another are forbidden and considered transgressive in their world (both because they are both male and because Belimai is a Prodigal and Harper an Inquisition Captain).

I also agree with you about liking the second novella better. I’m not sure it was because it was in third person — it may just have been because I really loved Harper. Mrs. Giggles has a review of Wicked Gentlemen up today. She gives it an 85 out of 100 and interestingly, says she preferred the first novella and thinks Hale writes better in first person. She finds Belimai more sympathetic when she has access to his POV thoughts in “Mr. Sykes and the Firefly,” and that was true for me to some degree too, but I actually enjoyed seeing him as a bit less sympathetic in “Captain Harper and the 60 Second Circle.” For me, getting Harper’s POV in the second novella was immensely satisfying, because he was such a mysterious figure in the first one.

Hale is very restrained in her writing–about the emotional aspects. She writes lush, gorgeous stuff about the world and environment, but the emotions are understated and covert. Which fits Belimai and Harper. B. doesn’t think about the things that are so important to him, if he can possibly help it–you get the impression that it’s because he’s afraid of losing them. H. is the same way. I think that may be the reason why I liked Harper’s story a little better. I think it was easier to show his character from the outside because even he didn’t stay in his insides very much. And I think Hale was more comfortable writing the love scene in the second story. I just liked the book and the world a lot, and would like to read more set in this universe.

I have a couple of other books from these comments on their way here (Turnskin, A Strong and Sudden Thaw) or already sitting on my TBR stack (Swordspoint).

I’ve got my fingers crossed that the big fantasy novel finds a publisher soon.

And I will send my impressions of the book…as soon as it arrives, and I read it, and I squeeze out some time to write them down. :)

Yes, please do, I would love to hear them. Good luck with New Blood, too. Is there an excerpt or book description posted somewhere? I couldn’t find them on your blog.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to reading it.

Have any of y’all read Ellen Kushner’s SWORDS OF RIVERSIDE (A 2-in-1 volume of the novels Swordspoint & The Privilege of the Sword) There’s a lovely m/m romance at the heart of these books–the books aren’t very fantastical fantasy. They’re more made-up historicals in a different universe, where once there Might have been Magic, but there isn’t any more.

I’m also interested in the steampunk elements of WG, because the book I’ve got coming out from TOR next spring will have some steampunk-ish elements to it. It’s more Victorian with magic, but there are also clankety monsters… (NEW BLOOD, March ‘09–please excuse the shameless plug–thank you)

And I will send my impressions of the book…as soon as it arrives, and I read it, and I squeeze out some time to write them down. :)

G