Publisher:
Changeling
Press
Published: April, 2014
BIN: 06917-02228
|
Genre: Paranormal, Erotic Romance,
M/M
|
Book
Format: E-book
Obtained
via: Publisher
Reviewed
by: Helena Stone, helenastone63@gmail.com
Rating:
4-
Elijah Burrows leads a secluded life. Banished by his well-known and
influential parents after he came out to them, he lives alone and kills the
time playing video games. His latest game, DungeonCrawl, is fast becoming his
favourite. Just when he’s getting into his stride in the game a thunderstorm
hits and knocks out all the power. Frustrated Elijah walks out of his door only
to discover that his whole world has changed. Gone are the suburbs where he’s
supposed to be living and instead he finds himself in a log cabin in the middle
of a forest.
It isn’t long before Elijah realises that he’s somehow found his way
into his favourite game. Not only that, in this world - Timiria - he’s known as
Elian Surgis, the name he picked for his avatar. Things get even more exciting
when he discovers that in this world he has a lover - Sarin Eckhert -and an
important mission.
Of course dealing with real threats face to face is a far cry from
controlling an avatar with a keyboard and mouse. But Elijah has found a world where
he’s accepted as he is, where he has a lover and a goal in life. He may be in
mortal danger, but Elijah is happier than he has been for a very long time.
I liked the idea behind this story. A fervent gamer ending up in his
favourite game and having to figure out how to survive and deal with his new
world and all the unfamiliar things he encounters there, is an interesting,
although not very original, premise. Which makes it a shame that Timiria,
wasn’t really described in any detail. In fact, that lack of detail was true
for everything and everybody in this story. I didn’t get a feeling for Elijah,
Sarin, the world they inhabit, their enemies or their allies. Potentially big
and shocking revelations are mentioned in passing and hardly reflected upon and
dangerous situations resolved with incredible ease.
Of course this is only the first instalment in a series and it is quite
possible that Timiria and the characters inhabiting it will be expanded upon in
future stories. But I can’t help feeling that a first book in a series should
be captivating enough to hook a reader. By the end of that first story the
reader should be invested in it, the characters and the world. And while I do
feel mildly curious about where this story might go next, I don’t feel compelled
to read on. And that’s a shame because, like I said, I liked all the ideas I
came across in this book and know that if they’d been fleshed out a little bit
more I might well have ended up hooked. As it is this is a take it or leave it
book for me; if I come across the next instalment I will more than likely read
it. I can’t see myself going out of my way trying to find it though.
This is an objective review
and not an endorsement of this book.
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