Dec. 17th, 2010

reviews_and_ramblings: (Default)
Show me the books he loves and I shall know the man far better than through mortal friends - Silas Weir Mitchell

Xavier Axelson is a new author to me, but from his choices of reading and the bio he sent me, I bet he will become so a name among the LGBT readers. I like my serial The Inside Reader since it gives to readers the chance to know better "notorious" authors, but also new authors, both among who is compiling the list than who is listed as a favorite author. So please welcome Xavier and his list.

Xavier Axelson's Inside Reader List

1. Richard Adams - Watership Down. I first became aware of Watership Down as a very young boy. It came on television once a year as a “special” and I cannot tell you how many times I ran home from a friend’s house to not miss a minute of it. It wasn’t until I was 10 or so that I was able to locate the book. When I did, I felt as if a great treasure had been handed to me. I found it at an old bookstore while on summer vacation, went immediately into my room, and started reading. Never mind the beach; I had this incredible book to immerse myself in. Richard Adams changed my life as a reader and writer.

Watership Down is an epic battle between good and evil, loss and redemption, about home and the battle to protect it. It is wise, frightening, and lovely. He created a complete language, a world, and a mythology; a feat not many writers can do. Never mind that the book is about rabbits. He also painted nature as cruel and kind, forgiving and despondent and how man will indeed not stop until he has spoiled it.

The dialogue is sharp, insightful, and utterly delicious. I hang on his every word and must admit right now that I have read Watership Down at least 7 times and will probably read it 10 more. His research into the world of rabbits was obviously a painstaking process and I am grateful for his efforts. This book made me believe in the power of fiction and inspired me to write, better still, it continues to inspire me to write.


Paperback: 476 pages
Publisher: Scribner (November 1, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0743277708
ISBN-13: 978-0743277709
Amazon: Watership Down: A Novel

A phenomenal worldwide bestseller for over thirty years, Richard Adams's Watership Down is a timeless classic and one of the most beloved novels of all time. Set in England's Downs, a once idyllic rural landscape, this stirring tale of adventure, courage and survival follows a band of very special creatures on their flight from the intrusion of man and the certain destruction of their home. Led by a stouthearted pair of brothers, they journey forth from their native Sandleford Warren through the harrowing trials posed by predators and adversaries, to a mysterious promised land and a more perfect society.

2. Peter S. Beagle - The Last Unicorn. I could cry every time I mention this book. It touches me in such a profound way that it’s almost mystical. This book was out of print for the longest time, and again I must admit I came across it as a cartoon in the early 80’s and didn’t get a copy until I stole and ancient edition from the high school library.

Peter Beagle is a master storyteller. He infuses a sense of dread and pending doom with beauty and innocence here, that is almost uncanny. His deft skill at witty and luscious dialogue, his creation of a world where butterflies talk, and wizards can conjure Robin Hood is a delight. The Unicorn becomes something all together real and tragic; you ache for her and fear for her. I get chills just thinking about how great this story is. Don’t believe me? Just ask any one of the million of zealous fans that also lay claim to the power and beauty of this book.


Hardcover: 152 pages
Publisher: Idea & Design Works Llc (January 25, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1600108512
ISBN-13: 978-1600108518
Amazon: The Last Unicorn

Whimsical. Lyrical. Poignant. Adapted for the first time from the acclaimed and beloved novel by Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn is a tale for any age about the wonders of magic, the power of love, and the tragedy of loss. The unicorn, alone in her enchanted wood, discovers that she may be the last of her kind. Reluctant at first, she sets out on a journey to find her fellow unicorns, even if it means facing the terrifying anger of the Red Bull and malignant evil of the king who wields his power. Adapted by Peter B. Gillis and lushly illustrated by Renae De Liz and Ray Dillon.

Read more... )



About Xavier Axelson: Xavier Axelson is a writer of erotica who has worked in the adult industry for over 15 years. During this time, he has assisted countless people with exploring their healthy sexual needs, questions, and lifestyles. He first lectured at a college regarding sexual health at the age of 19.

He has trained as a dungeon master, worked for a notorious Hollywood Madame as a consultant and as a talent agent for the adult film industry.

Presently he works for a leader in the sexual technology industry where he helps people daily with tips, advice, and guidance on how to have a more satisfying sexual life, no matter what the preference, kink, or interest.
He has several degrees in fields such as communications, library technology, and literature.

Christmas Eve at The Powers That Be Cafe by Xavier Axelson
Publisher: Silver Publishing (December 12, 2010)
Publisher Link: http://silverpublishing.info/product_book_info/new-release-c-1/christmas-eve-at-the-powers-that-be-cafe-p-148
Amazon Kindle: Christmas Eve at The Powers That Be Cafe

It is Christmas Eve 1943 at The Powers That Be Café and Nat, the lonely café owner, does what he can to offer some warmth and comfort for families and lovers to say goodbye to soldiers who heading into battle. When he finds Kent, a G.I. far from home, outside his back door, he offers him a hot meal, a place to rest and some much-needed comfort. In return, the two men find themselves passionately entangled in taboo lusts and something deeper that neither of them expected...love.

reviews_and_ramblings: (Default)
Having just read a book by the same author, I’m surprise how much different this one is, more sweet and romantic than the previous one, and oddily enough, considering the plot, not so much about the sex but more about the love.

Andy is a former English soldier with a lot of scars, in his body but even more in his soul. He has not a bad life, he is living in Northern England, Yorkshire, in a pig farm: he is quiet and content, two things he immensily needs after his experience in Afghanistan. When his friends buy him a kiss from a young porn star during a charity event, Andy is at first embarassed, but then also affascinated by Luke: the younger man is nice and kind, he seems to not notice Andy’s scars and they have a quick chat. If not for Luke going away with Andy’s jacket, there would be no chance for them to meet again.

Luke is still young in an ordinary life, but not so young for the role of the twink in the porn movies industry. He has to take a decision and soon; while in the north for a one day job, he decides to pay a visit to Andy, and he spends some days with the man and Craig, Andy’s teenager nephew. It’s not that Luke is consciously searching for a comfortable place where to lie down, but I think that he likes Andy’s genuinity, and above all his kindness. Both men think they are not good for each other, Andy thinks his scars and country lifestyle are of no attraction for a young man like Luke, who is used to live in London and having an exciting life; Luke is convinced that a good man like Andy would not want to have anything to do with a former porn star.

What surprised me was that, while in the previous book I read by this author the sex was one of the main point of the story, and also the reason why the two men in that story where first together, here where the sex is also the main job of one of the two main characters, strangely enough is not the reason that glue them together. Maybe since Andy wants to prove to Luke that he is not like all the other men who get close to him, or maybe since Luke wants to prove to Andy that their story is more important than any of his previous experience, the sex arrives quite later in the story. And strangely enough, since the author had the reader wait for so long, I was expecting for it to be something “huge”, like a long and carefully prepared sex scene, and instead it was rather quick and in a public toilette! That made me smile, really, it was a proof of two things for me: that indead this romance is written by a man, and that he is writing of something he knows.

It’s really a long story, with a well planned plot and with well rounded characters; not only Andy and Luke, but also all the supporting characters, a pletora of different gay characters, like the two couples, Paddy and Tom, and Donnie and Sam, Andy’s young nephew, Craig, and so on. All of them are described with enough details to give the reader an idea of their role, but not so much to divert the attention from the main characters, that are Luke and Andy.

I also liked the trick the author used here and there to maintain the tension at an high level: somethine he stopped a chapter just after reaching a revelatory moment, to then starting the chapter after apparently changing the matter; the reader had to read some paragraph before finding how the previous chapter was really concluded.

http://www.jms-books.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=143

Buy Here

Amazon: Surface Tension

Amazon Kindle: Surface Tension

Reading List:



http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading_list&view=elisa.rolle
reviews_and_ramblings: (Default)
Having just read a book by the same author, I’m surprise how much different this one is, more sweet and romantic than the previous one, and oddily enough, considering the plot, not so much about the sex but more about the love.

Andy is a former English soldier with a lot of scars, in his body but even more in his soul. He has not a bad life, he is living in Northern England, Yorkshire, in a pig farm: he is quiet and content, two things he immensily needs after his experience in Afghanistan. When his friends buy him a kiss from a young porn star during a charity event, Andy is at first embarassed, but then also affascinated by Luke: the younger man is nice and kind, he seems to not notice Andy’s scars and they have a quick chat. If not for Luke going away with Andy’s jacket, there would be no chance for them to meet again.

Luke is still young in an ordinary life, but not so young for the role of the twink in the porn movies industry. He has to take a decision and soon; while in the north for a one day job, he decides to pay a visit to Andy, and he spends some days with the man and Craig, Andy’s teenager nephew. It’s not that Luke is consciously searching for a comfortable place where to lie down, but I think that he likes Andy’s genuinity, and above all his kindness. Both men think they are not good for each other, Andy thinks his scars and country lifestyle are of no attraction for a young man like Luke, who is used to live in London and having an exciting life; Luke is convinced that a good man like Andy would not want to have anything to do with a former porn star.

What surprised me was that, while in the previous book I read by this author the sex was one of the main point of the story, and also the reason why the two men in that story where first together, here where the sex is also the main job of one of the two main characters, strangely enough is not the reason that glue them together. Maybe since Andy wants to prove to Luke that he is not like all the other men who get close to him, or maybe since Luke wants to prove to Andy that their story is more important than any of his previous experience, the sex arrives quite later in the story. And strangely enough, since the author had the reader wait for so long, I was expecting for it to be something “huge”, like a long and carefully prepared sex scene, and instead it was rather quick and in a public toilette! That made me smile, really, it was a proof of two things for me: that indead this romance is written by a man, and that he is writing of something he knows.

It’s really a long story, with a well planned plot and with well rounded characters; not only Andy and Luke, but also all the supporting characters, a pletora of different gay characters, like the two couples, Paddy and Tom, and Donnie and Sam, Andy’s young nephew, Craig, and so on. All of them are described with enough details to give the reader an idea of their role, but not so much to divert the attention from the main characters, that are Luke and Andy.

I also liked the trick the author used here and there to maintain the tension at an high level: somethine he stopped a chapter just after reaching a revelatory moment, to then starting the chapter after apparently changing the matter; the reader had to read some paragraph before finding how the previous chapter was really concluded.

http://www.jms-books.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=143

Buy Here

Amazon: Surface Tension

Amazon Kindle: Surface Tension

Reading List:



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

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