2009-12-29

reviews_and_ramblings: (Default)
2009-12-29 01:20 am

The Fire Inside by Julia Talbot

Even if this is an adventure plot, neither Nick or Ty, the two main characters, are exactly the adventure heroes. Ty is a 23 years old man who looks and behaves more like a boy; it’s not that he is dumb or naïve, it’s simply that he is basically an innocent, like he hasn’t yet lived all the years he has. There is a void in Ty’s life, from when he left his foster home, probable at 18, to when he literally bumped into Nick, probably knowing what happened in between, it would help to understand better Ty, but all of that is lost in Ty’s memory, and Ty’s mind is not exactly an organized archive, so retrieve the information is almost impossible.

On the other side there is Nick, that should be the protector of Ty, the big and strong man… only that Nick seems more a day-after-day hero, one that resolves one problem at time, and who hasn’t a big plan in mind. Neither being Ty’s protector was his choice, Ty appears in his life and he suddenly realizes that he can’t the boy go, that they are bounded by something bigger that neither of them knows.

Yes, there is the danger outside, but the most interesting thing is to see Ty and Nick’s interaction, and how they story evolves always remaining sweet. Ty and Nick have sex, but sex is more like comfort and sharing than need and desire; sex is like a warm blanket, sex is like having something in common, sex is light and funny, nothing serious. For this reason, sex is also “innocent”, heavy petting and nothing more; at first it seems incongruous, even if Ty is more like a teenager than a grown man, he is 23 years old, so nothing prevents Nick (that is only 29, so not much older) to have sex with him, but in the end, it seems not right. Ty needs sex to survive, and so, in a way, maintaining it in a lighter level, takes off heaviness to something that heavy should be not.

Nick and Ty are really two lovely characters, pretty and cute, more like puppies in love than really grown men, but probably this is their strength. Along their story there is also that of Devon and Aidan, with Aidan that, in particular, is a really interesting possible hero. Those two men are not fully developed in this story, and maybe the author is considering to give them their own story.

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2084

Amazon Kindle: The Fire Inside

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle


Cover Art by Rose Lenoir
reviews_and_ramblings: (Default)
2009-12-29 01:20 am

The Fire Inside by Julia Talbot

Even if this is an adventure plot, neither Nick or Ty, the two main characters, are exactly the adventure heroes. Ty is a 23 years old man who looks and behaves more like a boy; it’s not that he is dumb or naïve, it’s simply that he is basically an innocent, like he hasn’t yet lived all the years he has. There is a void in Ty’s life, from when he left his foster home, probable at 18, to when he literally bumped into Nick, probably knowing what happened in between, it would help to understand better Ty, but all of that is lost in Ty’s memory, and Ty’s mind is not exactly an organized archive, so retrieve the information is almost impossible.

On the other side there is Nick, that should be the protector of Ty, the big and strong man… only that Nick seems more a day-after-day hero, one that resolves one problem at time, and who hasn’t a big plan in mind. Neither being Ty’s protector was his choice, Ty appears in his life and he suddenly realizes that he can’t the boy go, that they are bounded by something bigger that neither of them knows.

Yes, there is the danger outside, but the most interesting thing is to see Ty and Nick’s interaction, and how they story evolves always remaining sweet. Ty and Nick have sex, but sex is more like comfort and sharing than need and desire; sex is like a warm blanket, sex is like having something in common, sex is light and funny, nothing serious. For this reason, sex is also “innocent”, heavy petting and nothing more; at first it seems incongruous, even if Ty is more like a teenager than a grown man, he is 23 years old, so nothing prevents Nick (that is only 29, so not much older) to have sex with him, but in the end, it seems not right. Ty needs sex to survive, and so, in a way, maintaining it in a lighter level, takes off heaviness to something that heavy should be not.

Nick and Ty are really two lovely characters, pretty and cute, more like puppies in love than really grown men, but probably this is their strength. Along their story there is also that of Devon and Aidan, with Aidan that, in particular, is a really interesting possible hero. Those two men are not fully developed in this story, and maybe the author is considering to give them their own story.

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2084

Amazon Kindle: The Fire Inside

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle


Cover Art by Rose Lenoir
reviews_and_ramblings: (Default)
2009-12-29 11:30 am

Behind the Cover: Larry Roibal

Larry has been trained as a traditional artist, studying at the prestigious Parsons School of Design, New York, and Parsons in Paris, France, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in 1982. He has been a working illustrator ever since, creating over five hundred book covers (without ever missing a deadline) for publishers, including Avon, Berkeley, Harlequin, Pocket, and Silhouette Books.This early and continued success has not led to complacency. A tenacious work ethic and passion for learning have led him to continue his studies at The Art Students League, The School of Visual Arts, and Ducret School of Art.



more pics )

Today Larry's commercial illustrations are created digitally. He has combined his knowledge of traditional painting, drawing, human anatomy, and picture making, with the technologies of today. It's this unique level of education and experience, not easily obtained, that he brings to each new assignment.

Larry is a proud member of the Society of Illustrators, where his work has been displayed. Larry's work was one of forty pieces commemorating the 9/11 tragedy selected to hang in the lobby of the United Nations. This past year his work was also recognized by the Romance Writers of America for Best Cover Art featured on a Long Contemporary Novel, and was awarded the 2002 ARTemis Award.

Larry resides in New Jersey, just a short thirty-minute train ride from midtown Manhattan, with his wife, and their two children.

http://www.roibal.net/
reviews_and_ramblings: (Default)
2009-12-29 11:30 am

Behind the Cover: Larry Roibal

Larry has been trained as a traditional artist, studying at the prestigious Parsons School of Design, New York, and Parsons in Paris, France, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in 1982. He has been a working illustrator ever since, creating over five hundred book covers (without ever missing a deadline) for publishers, including Avon, Berkeley, Harlequin, Pocket, and Silhouette Books.This early and continued success has not led to complacency. A tenacious work ethic and passion for learning have led him to continue his studies at The Art Students League, The School of Visual Arts, and Ducret School of Art.



more pics )

Today Larry's commercial illustrations are created digitally. He has combined his knowledge of traditional painting, drawing, human anatomy, and picture making, with the technologies of today. It's this unique level of education and experience, not easily obtained, that he brings to each new assignment.

Larry is a proud member of the Society of Illustrators, where his work has been displayed. Larry's work was one of forty pieces commemorating the 9/11 tragedy selected to hang in the lobby of the United Nations. This past year his work was also recognized by the Romance Writers of America for Best Cover Art featured on a Long Contemporary Novel, and was awarded the 2002 ARTemis Award.

Larry resides in New Jersey, just a short thirty-minute train ride from midtown Manhattan, with his wife, and their two children.

http://www.roibal.net/