Wings by J.C. Owens

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Without doubt I have a kink for winged men, I don’t know maybe it’s like a phallic symbol, more beautiful and big the wings are and more beautiful and bit the… well, it’s not necessary to continue.

Anyway, joke aside, I really have a special eye everytime I see a picture of an angel, and if the angel has also male feature, it’s even better: the fragility of the wings against the masculinity of the body is something that really draws me. And so is for a story, gives me wings and you make me happy.

In Wings I have not only one but two winged heroes. In a fantasy medieval setting, two breed are at war; the little Melanians, bronzed skin and colourful wings, against the tall and pale Nazarians with the white wings. Among the Melanians, Anyar always felt not at ease, he is bigger than them and plus he has longer and deep black wings, almost too big for his lithe body. He is a bit of a black duckling.

Anyar is in love with Tanyan, chief commander of the royal guards and heir to the throne, and to be near him he became a guard himself. Anyar has not really the attitude to be a soldier, and truth be told, he doesn’t even feel the sacred hate for the Nazarians as he should. Au contraire, when he has the chance to see them, he even feels attractions for the tall men. And here maybe the reader understands that Anyar’s love for Tanyan is more a worshipping thing, and maybe the first sexual impulses of a very young man, it’s not really true and deep love.

Vanyae is a Nazarian prince, and he is on a diplomatic mission on regard of his father. That is the official reason, the unofficial one is to kidnap Tanyan to have him as pawn. When Vanyae sees Anyar, he decides to add an hostage to the scene, and obviously Anyar will be his personal slave. Even if Vanyae is gentle, on his own way, with Anyar, the first sex scene borders a bit on a rape, Anyar is really the image of a sacrificial lamb spread on Vanyae’s bed. But at least, time after time, Anyar arrives to crave Vanyae’s touch. In the end, Vanyae becomes the swan prince (he has even the white feathers…) that will swept away Anyar from his status of black duckling.

Anyar is a really particular character, he is strong in his weakness. Anyar, as I said before, has not the soul of a warrior, he is more a lover. So, even if the reader sometime would have liked for him to be stronger, and more rebellious, it’s not really something that would have gone with his character. Anyar conquers people not with a sword, but with liquid and imploring eyes, and his last sacrificial act is really in line with his character, making him a martyr.

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Amazon Kindle: Wings

Reading List:

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Cover Art by Anne Cain

Comments

Cover

[(Anonymous)]

What a beautiful cover!

Re: Cover

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

Yes, really. I love the soft allure. Elisa