Review: The Autumn Lands by J. Scott Coatsworth #GayScifi #MMRomance

TITLE:  The Autumn Lands

AUTHOR:  J. Scott Coatsworth

PUBLISHER:  Mischief Corner Books

LENGTH:  121 Pages

BLURB:

Jerrith is running. Kissed by an elf, he can’t remain in his hometown of Althos anymore. Not that he wanted to stay.

Caspian still hasn’t figured out why he kissed Jerrith, but he’s running too. Since he was exiled from the Autumn Lands, his past has been hazy, and his future uncertain.

But when a stray memory brings things into focus, the two decide to run toward something together. What they uncover will change how they see the world, and themselves, forever.

REVIEW:

The Autumn Lands begins with a kiss—one that leads to serious consequences for both Jerrith and Caspian. Jerrith is an average guy, but Caspian is and elf who has lost his wings. As Caspian’s memories start to come back, he realizes that Jerrith is his destiny and kissing him was what led to his downfall. Jerrith and Caspian set off to the Autumn lands to set things straight, but when they arrive there is a surprise waiting for them.

Though there was no sex in this book I loved the relationship between Jerrith and Caspian. They were meant to be together so everything just felt right for them. Though their journey was dangerous, they were both cast out by their people, so they had nothing to lose and everything to gain. I especially liked it when Caspian’s former lover comes into play, since Jerrith’s jealousy seemed to strengthen their relationship. Though the romance aspect was sweet, I think the most notable part of this book was the world building. In the beginning, the world appeared almost like a Middle Ages setting, but as they learn more about their circumstances, it becomes clear that they are on another planet. So the effect was that it started out seeming like fantasy, but by the end it was definitely Sci-fi. Though I loved the world the author created, I at times became a little overwhelmed. This may have been due to the fact that Caspian is remembering everything little by little and sharing it with Jerrith along the way. So the reader is learning about the universe along with the main characters. Despite having to back paddle a little to keep up, I understood enough about their situation that I thoroughly enjoyed the ending.

This is the first thing I’ve read from J. Scott Coatsworth, but I look forward to reading more. I recommend this book to anyone who likes M/M Sci-fi, Adventure, Dark Fantasy, and Sweet M/M Romance.

RATING: I liked it!

DARK ARTS CATEGORIES:

Dark M/M Fantasy, Dark M/M Romance, Hate Crime

BUY LINKS: 

Mischief Corner Books | Amazon | ARe

Bookstrand | iBooks | Kobo

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Scott has been writing since elementary school, when he and won a University of Arizona writing contest in 4th grade for his first sci fi story (with illustrations!). He finished his first novel in his mid twenties, but after seeing it rejected by ten publishers, he gave up on writing for a while.

Over the ensuing years, he came back to it periodically, but it never stuck. Then one day, he was complaining to Mark, his husband, early last year about how he had been derailed yet again by the death of a family member, and Mark said to him “the only one stopping you from writing is you.”

Since then, Scott has gone back to writing in a big way, finishing more than a dozen short stories – some new, some that he had started years before – and seeing his first sale. He’s embarking on a new trilogy, and also runs the Queer Sci Fi (http://www.queerscifi.com) site, a support group for writers of gay sci fi, fantasy, and supernatural fiction.

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