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False Colors
1762, The Georgian Age of Sail: For his first command, John Cavendish is given a ship—the HMS Meteor—and a crew, both in need of repair and discipline. He’s determined to make a success of their first mission, and hopes the well-liked lieutenant Aelfstan Donwell will stand by his side as he leads his new crew into battle: stopping the slave trade off the coast of Algiers.
Alfie knows their mission is futile, and that their superiors back in England will use the demise of this crew as impetus for war with the Ottoman Empire. But the darker secret he keeps is his growing attraction for his commanding officer—a secret punishable by death.
With the arrival of his former captain—and lover—on the scene of the disastrous mission, Alfie is torn between the security of his past and the uncertain promise of a future with the straight-laced John.
Against a backdrop of war, intrigue, and personal betrayal, the high seas will carry these men through dangerous waters from England to Africa to the West Indies in search of a safe harbor.
333 pages, Paperback
First published April 11, 2009
23 people are currently reading
1,227 people want to read
About the author
Alex Beecroft
42Ìýbooks296ÌýfollowersSpaceships and galaxy spanning empires, conversations with angels, viking villages, haunted mansions and forbidden love in the Age of Sail... I love a good strong plot in an exotic setting, with characters you can admire, and a happy ending.
If you make a venn diagram of genres, including historical, fantasy, gay romance and mystery, I occupy the space in the middle where they overlap.
~
BTW, if you're thinking my reviews on here are a bit mean, most of the books I really enjoy will get a 4 star. I am saving 5 stars for books I find genuinely life changing. 4 is still "this was really really good, you should read it." 5 is "OMG, my mind is blown and my life will never be the same again."
If you make a venn diagram of genres, including historical, fantasy, gay romance and mystery, I occupy the space in the middle where they overlap.
~
BTW, if you're thinking my reviews on here are a bit mean, most of the books I really enjoy will get a 4 star. I am saving 5 stars for books I find genuinely life changing. 4 is still "this was really really good, you should read it." 5 is "OMG, my mind is blown and my life will never be the same again."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
March 12, 2014
harlequin blue.
a him and her book review special.
her: how is your little beecroft book, then?
him: horseshit
her: ha!
him: bunch of historical detail on a harlequin coat hanger
her: do not belittle the harlequin. those things got me through grade nine.
him: the heaving bosoms. the trembling hands. i want to kill myself
her: men have bosoms.
him: well, they're all over the place in this one. haven't seen so much "heaving bosom" since a perdue chicken truck overturned on the cross bronx expressway
her: *snort*
him: trembling and shuddering every 4 pages. when they're not being blown clean off by cannons to starboard. and don't get me started on the quivering legs and the near-fainting and the sighing and the stabbing of palms with one's own fingernails, because OMG THE FEELINGS
her: they wouldn't dare.
him: they would. in this universe, photons are sentient enough to ooze obsequiously into a man's palm, and desire haz a flavor. it tastes like copper. obviously.
her: that sounds like horseshit.
him: OMG THAT'S WHAT *I* SAID
her: two minds; one bosom.
a him and her book review special.
her: how is your little beecroft book, then?
him: horseshit
her: ha!
him: bunch of historical detail on a harlequin coat hanger
her: do not belittle the harlequin. those things got me through grade nine.
him: the heaving bosoms. the trembling hands. i want to kill myself
her: men have bosoms.
him: well, they're all over the place in this one. haven't seen so much "heaving bosom" since a perdue chicken truck overturned on the cross bronx expressway
her: *snort*
him: trembling and shuddering every 4 pages. when they're not being blown clean off by cannons to starboard. and don't get me started on the quivering legs and the near-fainting and the sighing and the stabbing of palms with one's own fingernails, because OMG THE FEELINGS
her: they wouldn't dare.
him: they would. in this universe, photons are sentient enough to ooze obsequiously into a man's palm, and desire haz a flavor. it tastes like copper. obviously.
her: that sounds like horseshit.
him: OMG THAT'S WHAT *I* SAID
her: two minds; one bosom.
January 18, 2016
First off, I have to say that I've never read anything in this genre before. And by "this" genre I mean age-of-sail historical fiction. It's possible that this title isn't something that a novitiate to the genre should read, however, it's where I started.
Just to get the facts straight though, this isn't romance. There are romantic elements throughout the story but if you're looking for some hot sexy men getting it on, then look elsewhere. Tacking on "An M/M Romance" to the front cover is pure marketing at its best.
I have to say that the first half of this book made my brain numb with all the nautical terms. I don't think I'm completely ignorant of these things, but there were full sentences where I had no idea what the words meant. You'd think you'd at least be able to figure out what's going on from the context, but no, I was stumped most of the time, and I had to just read on and hope that I'd understand eventually. I suppose I could have looked up the words but I just didn't care enough. You're basically thrown into the seafaring world headfirst and the author assumes you'll understand, and this was frustrating.
In the middle of the book the two main characters tried to find just about every possible horrible situation they could get into that would keep them away from each other. Whether it was one being captured and tortured, the other getting gravely wounded, then the other one being captured and tortured, both men finding sexual gratification with other men, the court martial of one of them for being gay, or when they somehow ended up on the Titanic. That last bit is a joke, but only marginally so.
Finally, another thing that I had a problem with were all the gruesome bits. I wasn't expecting people being strung up with their arms behind their back so their shoulders "ground out of their sockets," or how the people being burned alive were trying to escape their cages and had their fingers chopped off. The part that really made me upset was the 9 year old boy that drowned when he went back to save his pet bird when the ship hit an iceberg and the lower quarters filled with water. And of course we had to have descriptions of how all the livestock had drowned. And then the part when they were visiting the people with the plague in the hospital (yellow fever, I think) and the officers kept getting puked on. It would be interesting to count how many times human excrement, urine, and other bodily fluids are mentioned, because I'm sure the results are staggering.
And then there was the sexual encounter with the man with the rotting tooth ... ::shudders::
So I have to say that I didn't enjoy this book all that much. If I could, I'd give it 1-1/2 stars because it wasn't the absolute worst thing I've ever read. Maybe it was too "real" for me and it didn't have enough fluff in it, but if a book has the word romance on the cover, I'm expecting at least some romance before I get to the last chapter.
I can't say that I'd never read something from this author again, but I'll definitely think twice.
Just to get the facts straight though, this isn't romance. There are romantic elements throughout the story but if you're looking for some hot sexy men getting it on, then look elsewhere. Tacking on "An M/M Romance" to the front cover is pure marketing at its best.
I have to say that the first half of this book made my brain numb with all the nautical terms. I don't think I'm completely ignorant of these things, but there were full sentences where I had no idea what the words meant. You'd think you'd at least be able to figure out what's going on from the context, but no, I was stumped most of the time, and I had to just read on and hope that I'd understand eventually. I suppose I could have looked up the words but I just didn't care enough. You're basically thrown into the seafaring world headfirst and the author assumes you'll understand, and this was frustrating.
In the middle of the book the two main characters tried to find just about every possible horrible situation they could get into that would keep them away from each other. Whether it was one being captured and tortured, the other getting gravely wounded, then the other one being captured and tortured, both men finding sexual gratification with other men, the court martial of one of them for being gay, or when they somehow ended up on the Titanic. That last bit is a joke, but only marginally so.
Finally, another thing that I had a problem with were all the gruesome bits. I wasn't expecting people being strung up with their arms behind their back so their shoulders "ground out of their sockets," or how the people being burned alive were trying to escape their cages and had their fingers chopped off. The part that really made me upset was the 9 year old boy that drowned when he went back to save his pet bird when the ship hit an iceberg and the lower quarters filled with water. And of course we had to have descriptions of how all the livestock had drowned. And then the part when they were visiting the people with the plague in the hospital (yellow fever, I think) and the officers kept getting puked on. It would be interesting to count how many times human excrement, urine, and other bodily fluids are mentioned, because I'm sure the results are staggering.
And then there was the sexual encounter with the man with the rotting tooth ... ::shudders::
So I have to say that I didn't enjoy this book all that much. If I could, I'd give it 1-1/2 stars because it wasn't the absolute worst thing I've ever read. Maybe it was too "real" for me and it didn't have enough fluff in it, but if a book has the word romance on the cover, I'm expecting at least some romance before I get to the last chapter.
I can't say that I'd never read something from this author again, but I'll definitely think twice.
April 26, 2022
I pulled this off my TBR because I've been watching too much OFMD and I wanted 18th century gay pirates in book form. And I fully admit that that's my bad, because we're talking basic failure of due diligence. 18th century, check; gay, check; pirates, nope. Or at least not the good kind. Definitely, definitely not the good kind. And tonally, this book is about as far from the generous, joyous, funny, empathetic OFMD as it is possible to get: it goes hard for the pining, but in an angst-ridden way. Nothing wrong with that, and probably the vibe I should have expected, but not what I was going for.
Inability to read the blurb aside, though, I really wanted to like this. It was clear pretty early that my expectations and the actual book were in misalignment, but I think I managed to course-correct and take the book as-is rather than as-I-wanted. Unfortunately, it just did not work for me in some pretty fundamental ways:
1) Racist and homophobic language. This book was published in 2009, and I suspect/ hope things have changed since then in terms of how authors of historicals deal with offensive language. Because I feel like nowadays when characters are using racist, homophobic, misogynist, etc language in dialogue, this is less the author saying "look at me being historically accurate with my characters' offensive terminology" and more "this character is an asshole and that's why I'm putting this filth in their mouth." In other words, writing offensive language into a text is (again, I hope) less about some idea of verisimilitude and more about signalling something about a character (either to set up a redemption journey or to demonstrate their irredeemability). That is not the case here. There is really offensive language use throughout, and not even or only in dialogue -- it's also just used descriptively in the narration. And call me a snowflake, whatever (I'm special, cold, and fluttery! None of these things bother me!), but I just get kind of taken aback when unnamed characters are just casually described using really racist (or sexist or homophobic) terms, for no apparent reason other than to give us that authentic feeling of historical racism/sexism/homophobia. This is a YMMV thing, obviously, but I think as a reader I'm just over the whole "historical authenticity = making people the absolute WORST" equation. Thanks, but no thanks.
2) Really very graphic descriptions of torture, like, my god. Here I am being all special, cold, and fluttery again, but page after page of extremely graphic on-page torture is . . . yeah, no. Again, YMMV. It's not like the torture was being done for shits and giggles; there was lasting trauma in both MCs owing to the torture they (separately) endured. But this was just way too torture-tastic for sensitive little me.
3) The miscommunication trope. Also known as my least favorite of all the tropes, except possibly "incredibly annoying family that we're supposed think is adorable and not borderline emotionally abusive" and, of course, fake pregnancy/miracle baby. (Yeah, this review is one big tangent. Sorry.) Anyway. Miscommunication. Look, miscommunication happens! Done well, it can be really effective. But I hate, HATE the whole miscommunication-based-on-one-character-actively-not-correcting-the-mistake-because-REASONS thing. Which is the case here. The one MC pulls strings at great cost to himself to literally save the life of the other; the one whose life is saved, not aware of the string-pulling or costs, blames the other MC for abandoning him in his time of need; the string-puller, instead of being like, "hey, I actually saved your ass, you're welcome" instead decides he must not say anything because (honor? doesn't want the other dude to feel obligated? he just likes to suffer?) -- and this goes on for chapter after chapter, where they're both miserable and being horrible to each other and suffering for ABSOLUTELY NO REASON. I admit that I ended up just skimming to the end because I couldn't take it anymore. And then when the one MC finally finds out what the other did for him, he . . . shows up dead drunk at the dude's house, and then they shag, and then all's well. That was literally it! There was no conversation or acknowledgment of the stupid dumb miscommunication that the last 20 percent of the book was devoted to! This does not inspire me as to their HEA!
Tl; dr: this is actually a really well-written (uh, offensive language aside) book that would probably have worked great for me if I was a fundamentally different person. Ho hum.
Inability to read the blurb aside, though, I really wanted to like this. It was clear pretty early that my expectations and the actual book were in misalignment, but I think I managed to course-correct and take the book as-is rather than as-I-wanted. Unfortunately, it just did not work for me in some pretty fundamental ways:
1) Racist and homophobic language. This book was published in 2009, and I suspect/ hope things have changed since then in terms of how authors of historicals deal with offensive language. Because I feel like nowadays when characters are using racist, homophobic, misogynist, etc language in dialogue, this is less the author saying "look at me being historically accurate with my characters' offensive terminology" and more "this character is an asshole and that's why I'm putting this filth in their mouth." In other words, writing offensive language into a text is (again, I hope) less about some idea of verisimilitude and more about signalling something about a character (either to set up a redemption journey or to demonstrate their irredeemability). That is not the case here. There is really offensive language use throughout, and not even or only in dialogue -- it's also just used descriptively in the narration. And call me a snowflake, whatever (I'm special, cold, and fluttery! None of these things bother me!), but I just get kind of taken aback when unnamed characters are just casually described using really racist (or sexist or homophobic) terms, for no apparent reason other than to give us that authentic feeling of historical racism/sexism/homophobia. This is a YMMV thing, obviously, but I think as a reader I'm just over the whole "historical authenticity = making people the absolute WORST" equation. Thanks, but no thanks.
2) Really very graphic descriptions of torture, like, my god. Here I am being all special, cold, and fluttery again, but page after page of extremely graphic on-page torture is . . . yeah, no. Again, YMMV. It's not like the torture was being done for shits and giggles; there was lasting trauma in both MCs owing to the torture they (separately) endured. But this was just way too torture-tastic for sensitive little me.
3) The miscommunication trope. Also known as my least favorite of all the tropes, except possibly "incredibly annoying family that we're supposed think is adorable and not borderline emotionally abusive" and, of course, fake pregnancy/miracle baby. (Yeah, this review is one big tangent. Sorry.) Anyway. Miscommunication. Look, miscommunication happens! Done well, it can be really effective. But I hate, HATE the whole miscommunication-based-on-one-character-actively-not-correcting-the-mistake-because-REASONS thing. Which is the case here. The one MC pulls strings at great cost to himself to literally save the life of the other; the one whose life is saved, not aware of the string-pulling or costs, blames the other MC for abandoning him in his time of need; the string-puller, instead of being like, "hey, I actually saved your ass, you're welcome" instead decides he must not say anything because (honor? doesn't want the other dude to feel obligated? he just likes to suffer?) -- and this goes on for chapter after chapter, where they're both miserable and being horrible to each other and suffering for ABSOLUTELY NO REASON. I admit that I ended up just skimming to the end because I couldn't take it anymore. And then when the one MC finally finds out what the other did for him, he . . . shows up dead drunk at the dude's house, and then they shag, and then all's well. That was literally it! There was no conversation or acknowledgment of the stupid dumb miscommunication that the last 20 percent of the book was devoted to! This does not inspire me as to their HEA!
Tl; dr: this is actually a really well-written (uh, offensive language aside) book that would probably have worked great for me if I was a fundamentally different person. Ho hum.
February 1, 2014
This is my second Alex Beecroft book, the first being Blessed Isle. Both books are historical maritime/nautical or Age of Sail. I had not heard of that as a genre before Alex Beecroft. No matter what the label, False Colors is a wonderful book.
The writing is -
Beautiful
Brutal
Historic and factual - I want realistic writing. Not creative licence taken so that it would be akin to some contemporary gay romp on the Georgian high seas. I don't want BS instead of real LGBT period writing. Thank you to Ms Beecroft for being honest in her writing
It is -
Action packed
Well researched
Gut-wrenchingly sad at times
Romantic
Frustratingly real, these are men of their times. Yes, there was a lack of communication for multiple reason, including who was involved and what the consequences could be; hanging is none to pleasant to face. Who do you trust implicitly? They were actually out in small ships doing amazing things, fighting for honour, country and for the love of the sea and their career. The main protagonists suffered torture and abuse, unbelievable elements and politics. They also had to deal with what today would be PTSD
Multi-layered. Even the title is amazing in this regard - for the tactic and for the heart
In depth review at On Top Down Under Book Reviews -
The writing is -
Beautiful
Brutal
Historic and factual - I want realistic writing. Not creative licence taken so that it would be akin to some contemporary gay romp on the Georgian high seas. I don't want BS instead of real LGBT period writing. Thank you to Ms Beecroft for being honest in her writing
It is -
Action packed
Well researched
Gut-wrenchingly sad at times
Romantic
Frustratingly real, these are men of their times. Yes, there was a lack of communication for multiple reason, including who was involved and what the consequences could be; hanging is none to pleasant to face. Who do you trust implicitly? They were actually out in small ships doing amazing things, fighting for honour, country and for the love of the sea and their career. The main protagonists suffered torture and abuse, unbelievable elements and politics. They also had to deal with what today would be PTSD
Multi-layered. Even the title is amazing in this regard - for the tactic and for the heart
In depth review at On Top Down Under Book Reviews -
December 30, 2009
I picked up a copy of Alex Beecroft’s False Colors last night at my local Barnes and Noble, just so I could buy it in that crucial first week–even though I didn’t plan to read it until I had a little more time on my hands. This book got a straight A from Dear Author (and if you read them, you know how stingy they are with the A grades).
I glanced at the first page. . . . Gosh. And then the second, and the third. Before I knew it, I had stayed up to finish the whole thing. It was that good. It was truly brilliant.
This is a book set in the Age of Sail. The writing is exquisite; the romance is lovely; the research is meticulous; and the action is nonstop. It breaks your heart and then keeps going on. This book does not shy from any of the harsh realities of life at sea in 1762–nor does it dance around the heart of the problem that the protagonists have: In 1762, their love is forbidden, because both characters are male.
I have not read much m/m romance (and this is romance, not erotica or even erotic romance, and can I say how much I hate that "gay" gets conflated with "erotica"?–the sex scenes are tasteful and far less explicit than you’d find in a corresponding historical, including mine), but it turns out, I really do read romances just to see characters fall in love. I absolutely adored this book. This is one of the best books that I read in 2009.
I glanced at the first page. . . . Gosh. And then the second, and the third. Before I knew it, I had stayed up to finish the whole thing. It was that good. It was truly brilliant.
This is a book set in the Age of Sail. The writing is exquisite; the romance is lovely; the research is meticulous; and the action is nonstop. It breaks your heart and then keeps going on. This book does not shy from any of the harsh realities of life at sea in 1762–nor does it dance around the heart of the problem that the protagonists have: In 1762, their love is forbidden, because both characters are male.
I have not read much m/m romance (and this is romance, not erotica or even erotic romance, and can I say how much I hate that "gay" gets conflated with "erotica"?–the sex scenes are tasteful and far less explicit than you’d find in a corresponding historical, including mine), but it turns out, I really do read romances just to see characters fall in love. I absolutely adored this book. This is one of the best books that I read in 2009.
April 9, 2010
As my first foray into gay historical romance I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but was not disappointed by False Colours. The novel is beautifully written and well researched, with a wealth of authentic historical detail that just leaps off the page. At times this is very gritty and downright disturbing (think kissing someone with a mouthful of rotten teeth!), but it really adds to the texture of the novel.
The two main characters are both flawed but lovable, and I was rooting for them right from the beginning. It's a long and difficult journey for them, though, so if you're expecting a novel riddled with explicit erotic encounters you'll be sorely disappointed. That's not to say that the sex, when it appears, isn't beautifully written, but it's very much there to serve the plot rather than the plot having been thrown together around a bunch of sex scenes (which seems to be the case with some m/m romances).
In short, I read this book in two days, finding it really hard to put down; and at the same time as enjoying a well crafted romance, I also learned a lot about the age of sail. Highly recommended for the more discerning m/m romance reader!
The two main characters are both flawed but lovable, and I was rooting for them right from the beginning. It's a long and difficult journey for them, though, so if you're expecting a novel riddled with explicit erotic encounters you'll be sorely disappointed. That's not to say that the sex, when it appears, isn't beautifully written, but it's very much there to serve the plot rather than the plot having been thrown together around a bunch of sex scenes (which seems to be the case with some m/m romances).
In short, I read this book in two days, finding it really hard to put down; and at the same time as enjoying a well crafted romance, I also learned a lot about the age of sail. Highly recommended for the more discerning m/m romance reader!
January 26, 2017
Even though I read this three years ago, it's still my favorite in the Age of Sail genre.
Great life-like characters struggling with their feelings and identity in a world where a same-sex relation was punished by death.
I totally recommend this one!
And since I am having troubles recalling the details of the plot, I think I need to re-read this at some point ;-)
5 stars!
Great life-like characters struggling with their feelings and identity in a world where a same-sex relation was punished by death.
I totally recommend this one!
And since I am having troubles recalling the details of the plot, I think I need to re-read this at some point ;-)
5 stars!
November 4, 2013
What a fantastic book this was. False Colors is an historical nautical wartime adventure set during the 1700's with a forbidden romance/love story. It was sometimes brutal, there was torture and a fair bit of gore as you would expect of the times, but it was also heartbreaking. John and Alfie feared to show their emotions for one another due to the dire consequences if they were caught. There isn't a lot of MM sex, it's more of a slow burner, but well worth a read if you like an epic adventure. I would have given it 5 stars but felt the ending was a bit rushed, I could have done with a little bit more!
July 27, 2020
Stunning
If Hollywood had the courage this would be a movie. A tour de force of a novel that sweeps you away into the world of tall ships and dark waters.
Unflinching in its honesty. Brave in its subject matter. Furiously hopeful. I loved everything about it and every breath I breathed in this novel.
If Hollywood had the courage this would be a movie. A tour de force of a novel that sweeps you away into the world of tall ships and dark waters.
Unflinching in its honesty. Brave in its subject matter. Furiously hopeful. I loved everything about it and every breath I breathed in this novel.
August 4, 2009
Age-of-sail historical fiction is specific genre of literature and when woman write if for other women it is something, which I missed long time ago as huge fan of this genre. The action is there no sex dears, yes there is some but it would go easily without it and that big it is after lot of tension and finding each other feelings and the way how to make it out and be safe. Yes, there is nearly one man hanging because of some accusation. Naval action is so thick and steamy with lot of swashbuckling and cannon firing. The torturing of main characters seemed to be great hobby of the author, however all was somehow fitting in the plot. 1760s was not happy time for gay men in navy. Alfie was handsome and utterly in to the men with broken heart who found man of his heart yet again, but the huge obstacle was there like man of his heart was shocked to the death when he found out about Alfie. Bad move. However John Cavendish soon found out that his so called moral purity and lack of interest in women was somehow intention and Alfie Donwell was chance of his life. The chance was almost tortured to the death, fucked by former superior to the mattress, nearly hanged for sodomy, nearly froze to the death. Love is not simple. However the main is an adventure and romance is spice of it.
December 23, 2010
This is one of the best gay romances I've ever read. I couldn't put the book down!
May 21, 2015
I enjoyed this a lot. The storyline was exactly the kind of thing I like, set in the military, forbidden love, a long slow build-up to them actually managing to get together. Sometimes getting close to it, and yet something stops them taking the next step, whether that something is from inside or outside.
I found the central characters both interesting and sympathetic, and the supporting characters were interesting too. There's no obvious single black-hearted villain in the piece. Even those who are antagonistic to the heroes aren't moustache twirling bad guys, they've all got shades of grey and complex motivations. That's good as I think the central conflict is of the "man against society" type. John and Alfie can't be together because of the culture they live in. They risk disgrace, even death if exposed. And the story doesn't shy away from showing us the consequences of that, for them and others.
The feel for the times is very good. There's obviously a lot of research behind it, giving the story a denseness and rich texture. And it doesn't pull any punches in depicting the more grim and gruesome aspects of the era, especially for men in military service. In that aspect it reminds me of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series where the background has the same texture and authenticity.
A dramatic, sometimes dark and always engrossing story.
I found the central characters both interesting and sympathetic, and the supporting characters were interesting too. There's no obvious single black-hearted villain in the piece. Even those who are antagonistic to the heroes aren't moustache twirling bad guys, they've all got shades of grey and complex motivations. That's good as I think the central conflict is of the "man against society" type. John and Alfie can't be together because of the culture they live in. They risk disgrace, even death if exposed. And the story doesn't shy away from showing us the consequences of that, for them and others.
The feel for the times is very good. There's obviously a lot of research behind it, giving the story a denseness and rich texture. And it doesn't pull any punches in depicting the more grim and gruesome aspects of the era, especially for men in military service. In that aspect it reminds me of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series where the background has the same texture and authenticity.
A dramatic, sometimes dark and always engrossing story.
April 3, 2010
This was an amazing read and could be listed as classic literature as easily as it is a m/m romance.
August 1, 2020
[Special thanks to Martin for recommending the book to me]
This is the first time I've even heard of the term 'Age of Sail', which was the time period the novel was based on. I'm not typically a fan of historical fiction as it's redolent of the history lessons I used to take in school. You can now tell that history was never something I enjoy, hah.
There were a large number of sailing/nautical terms which I'm not familiar with and it certainly got too technical for me often. I skimmed through those parts and was still able to enjoy most of the story.
The whole book feels more like a collection of mini adventure stories that Alfie and John experience in their sailing life. The writing is good and I was mostly enrapt while reading this book. There was one particular chapter which was much more violent and intense than the rest, which I could totally do away with.
Both Alfie and John was not particularly likeable for me at the start, but I've come to like them as I read on. The romance between them is a peculiar one, and it did not take the centre stage for this story. It was also a little exasperating to read about near the end of the book. I was actually a little disappointed on how to get together in the end, because they were somewhat . There were some great moments between them but it seemed to always get ruined at the last minute.
Overall, this story has been a pleasant surprise to pick up, albeit some of its flaws. The romance didn't quite live to its full potential. However, it's certainly worth a read for me.
4.5 Stars!
This is the first time I've even heard of the term 'Age of Sail', which was the time period the novel was based on. I'm not typically a fan of historical fiction as it's redolent of the history lessons I used to take in school. You can now tell that history was never something I enjoy, hah.
There were a large number of sailing/nautical terms which I'm not familiar with and it certainly got too technical for me often. I skimmed through those parts and was still able to enjoy most of the story.
The whole book feels more like a collection of mini adventure stories that Alfie and John experience in their sailing life. The writing is good and I was mostly enrapt while reading this book. There was one particular chapter which was much more violent and intense than the rest, which I could totally do away with.
Both Alfie and John was not particularly likeable for me at the start, but I've come to like them as I read on. The romance between them is a peculiar one, and it did not take the centre stage for this story. It was also a little exasperating to read about near the end of the book. I was actually a little disappointed on how to get together in the end, because they were somewhat . There were some great moments between them but it seemed to always get ruined at the last minute.
Overall, this story has been a pleasant surprise to pick up, albeit some of its flaws. The romance didn't quite live to its full potential. However, it's certainly worth a read for me.
4.5 Stars!
June 5, 2013
Loved this story! What an exciting trip! Don't approach this book thinking it's just some man-lurve erotica. Not even close. It was actually quite the nautical adventure that realistically depicted life of navy officers during wartime in the 1700s, with the added spice of a forbidden and dangerous developing love affair.
The romance was an uber slow burn with a lot of glitches, which includes one of the hero's Quaker upbringing and his struggle with his beliefs and what he feels. Done very respectfully and not preachy--some of my favorite parts of the story. There was the added tension of man-on-man relations being punishable by death during the time (that's always a mood killer) with some good ol' OM competition thrown in for good measure.
But like in all good adventures, there were viscious bad guys, unspeakable horrors, some heartbreakingly sad moments and scenes that just split your face smiling.
I love when I finish a book and still feel the whoosh from the ride. Everything was just right on. Definitely a keeper.
The romance was an uber slow burn with a lot of glitches, which includes one of the hero's Quaker upbringing and his struggle with his beliefs and what he feels. Done very respectfully and not preachy--some of my favorite parts of the story. There was the added tension of man-on-man relations being punishable by death during the time (that's always a mood killer) with some good ol' OM competition thrown in for good measure.
But like in all good adventures, there were viscious bad guys, unspeakable horrors, some heartbreakingly sad moments and scenes that just split your face smiling.
I love when I finish a book and still feel the whoosh from the ride. Everything was just right on. Definitely a keeper.
April 18, 2016
This is an intense story set in the age of sail, with a lot of period flavor. There is a long, slow and bumpy road to a relationship, since while Alfie is self-aware and knows what his attraction to his Captain is about, John is both unaware and thoroughly indoctrinated in the homophobia of his times. He doesn't recognize or know what to do with moments of attraction. And even as he gradually works it out, events intervene. The main characters face not just disgrace but execution if their affection for each other is found out, but plenty of other events will try to kill them too.
I liked the misunderstandings, the separations, the role that Alfie's past lover and Captain plays as he comes back into their lives. There was a bit too much egregious horrific treatment for my taste, and then too little aftermath of that trauma. It didn't quite ring true, given all they suffered. But it was a fast-moving book with an action-packed plot and a very appealing pair of characters.
I liked the misunderstandings, the separations, the role that Alfie's past lover and Captain plays as he comes back into their lives. There was a bit too much egregious horrific treatment for my taste, and then too little aftermath of that trauma. It didn't quite ring true, given all they suffered. But it was a fast-moving book with an action-packed plot and a very appealing pair of characters.
November 5, 2012
I'm not a man. I'm not homosexual. I don't like reading historical fiction.
But I really enjoyed this book! :)
But I really enjoyed this book! :)
May 8, 2023
2.5 rounded down, because I'm feeling cranky
Slowest burn ever--
last 3 pages--with lots of
high seas homophobes.
Slowest burn ever--
last 3 pages--with lots of
high seas homophobes.
August 4, 2021
A "bomb ketch" is wooden naval ship that has a mortar, which is a cannon-like weapon that fires ballistics in a high arch straight into my gut because wow I don't think I was prepared for this book.
John Cavendish has no time to bask in the thrill of being a newly minted captain before he finds out he's being sent on a suicide mission. He's given a crew that is mostly made up of the castoffs of other ships, and one Lieutenant Alfie Donwell, a man whose entire motivation for signing up for Cavendish's S.S. Meteor is to delight in his captain's beauty. Donwell can tell that Cavendish is gay and is hoping to ignite a romance, but Cavendish, who was raised in a tempestuous household by a Quaker mom and a scapegrace father, has strict ideals about sexual morality. He's dismayed to discover that he's been able to easily avoid temptation not because of his upstanding character, but because temptation has never quite looked like Donwell before.
Like the sea, this book is rough and both characters endure incredible violence and cruelty each time they're separated. Violence and pain lurk with every auxiliary character: children killed at sea, desperate pirates, and a noose for buggery that seems to have Donwell's name on it.
Even though the first part of the book has a lot to do with slavery (their suicide mission is to disrupt slavers), and the latter is mostly set in Jamaica in 1762, the book barely depicts it. Its grim acceptance of it as a reality of the time and setting was preferable to giving it the treatment, but I think the book could have done better here. John was raised by a Quaker, one of the most stridently abolitionist religions of the time, so it would have been fully in character for him to have a moral opposition to slavery.
John Cavendish has no time to bask in the thrill of being a newly minted captain before he finds out he's being sent on a suicide mission. He's given a crew that is mostly made up of the castoffs of other ships, and one Lieutenant Alfie Donwell, a man whose entire motivation for signing up for Cavendish's S.S. Meteor is to delight in his captain's beauty. Donwell can tell that Cavendish is gay and is hoping to ignite a romance, but Cavendish, who was raised in a tempestuous household by a Quaker mom and a scapegrace father, has strict ideals about sexual morality. He's dismayed to discover that he's been able to easily avoid temptation not because of his upstanding character, but because temptation has never quite looked like Donwell before.
Like the sea, this book is rough and both characters endure incredible violence and cruelty each time they're separated. Violence and pain lurk with every auxiliary character: children killed at sea, desperate pirates, and a noose for buggery that seems to have Donwell's name on it.
Even though the first part of the book has a lot to do with slavery (their suicide mission is to disrupt slavers), and the latter is mostly set in Jamaica in 1762, the book barely depicts it. Its grim acceptance of it as a reality of the time and setting was preferable to giving it the treatment, but I think the book could have done better here. John was raised by a Quaker, one of the most stridently abolitionist religions of the time, so it would have been fully in character for him to have a moral opposition to slavery.
December 31, 2013
False Colors: An M/M Romance Barnes and Noble did a feature on their internal newsletter about a new publishing house that will be putting out m/m romance novels. Of course, I could not resist reading one.
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Now obviously, with this cover, this book is only for the brave to read in public. But then that is a hazard of most romance novels: they advertise what they are about fully on the cover.But minus all of that...I enjoyed this book a lot. It is a typical romance plot. Boy meets boy. Boy is confused, intrigued by boy, boy and boy fight because they are both pigheaded and dumb and don't know how to communicate. Then the spend the entire book, loving and hating each other at the time time..until the end when..finally! They kiss and do a bit more. So it may be two men...but the basics of romance books stay the same. One thing that was different was the struggle both men had with the sexuality and what it meant in the time they grew up in. In this period of time, being homosexual meant death...literally. So the writer did not shy away from the self--hatred, denial and conflict these men grappled with. This was viewed as a sickness, a disease to be cured and gay people the worst kind of people. So the love these two men shared was the ultimate of forbidden love. I felt like these issues were dealt with carefully and honestly and it added depth to this romance.I liked both characters...even when they were being dumb and frustrating me. My only complaint would be that while the ending was satisfying and open-ending given what they would have to deal with from then one...I found it a bit rushed. I would have liked to linger about it some more. But all in all a good read...that made you think.
Ìý
Now obviously, with this cover, this book is only for the brave to read in public. But then that is a hazard of most romance novels: they advertise what they are about fully on the cover.But minus all of that...I enjoyed this book a lot. It is a typical romance plot. Boy meets boy. Boy is confused, intrigued by boy, boy and boy fight because they are both pigheaded and dumb and don't know how to communicate. Then the spend the entire book, loving and hating each other at the time time..until the end when..finally! They kiss and do a bit more. So it may be two men...but the basics of romance books stay the same. One thing that was different was the struggle both men had with the sexuality and what it meant in the time they grew up in. In this period of time, being homosexual meant death...literally. So the writer did not shy away from the self--hatred, denial and conflict these men grappled with. This was viewed as a sickness, a disease to be cured and gay people the worst kind of people. So the love these two men shared was the ultimate of forbidden love. I felt like these issues were dealt with carefully and honestly and it added depth to this romance.I liked both characters...even when they were being dumb and frustrating me. My only complaint would be that while the ending was satisfying and open-ending given what they would have to deal with from then one...I found it a bit rushed. I would have liked to linger about it some more. But all in all a good read...that made you think.
May 11, 2009
If you loved Horatio Hornblower and Master & Commander, you must read this book! I got this book in a give-away from the fabulous Courtney Milan. I was curious about the combo of a M/M romance in a historical setting. I loved Queer as Folk and have watched many LGBT movies, but this was my first time reading a romance with an M/M romance as the central relationship. However, the first thing that struck me wasn't the nature of the relationship--it was how rich and real the setting was. I totally felt like I had been plunked down in a surround-sound version of Horatio Hornblower. The characters are equally rich and engaging, and by the time I figured out who was meant for whom, I was so enchanted by both heroes that I was ready to invest in their HEA. This book would have gotten 5 stars from me if I were more into the sailing history part of the book. I was way more interested in the characters, and I wanted more time with them. If you like movies and books set at sea (this is set in the 1700s with lots of tall ships and pirates and sails and fights), you should read this book even if you don't usually read romance. The M/M aspect is very subtle, very "Brokeback Mountain."
July 16, 2012
This book is a gay version of "Horatio Hornblower," and a not very good one. I found it very disjointed to read. You're plunged from one scene to the next with very little preparation. Important events just seem to happen. I also felt that the whole romance thing aboard a small 18th Century vessel was really improbable. For a captain and his first mate to be bunking in the same cabin is just too ridiculous.
This is a perfect example of an author writing about something they knew little about. There are SOOO many nautical terms, but there is no credibility behind them. It's just like they are thrown in so you will think you're reading about naval stuff. I had a hard time believing in a sergeant. There is no office of sergeant in the navy...unless they are assigned there, which I never felt was made clear.
I know this book has gotten pretty good reviews from lots of people, but then again, most of those give good reviews to everything.
This is a perfect example of an author writing about something they knew little about. There are SOOO many nautical terms, but there is no credibility behind them. It's just like they are thrown in so you will think you're reading about naval stuff. I had a hard time believing in a sergeant. There is no office of sergeant in the navy...unless they are assigned there, which I never felt was made clear.
I know this book has gotten pretty good reviews from lots of people, but then again, most of those give good reviews to everything.
May 5, 2012
It's a shame really, 'cause I do love the 18th century, ships and the marine, and men love, and I liked Beecroft's "Captain's Surrender". But I just couldn't get into this, maybe it's just the book in the beginning but it's really boring and un-interesting and the main character seems... boring as well. Maybe I read it in the wrong mood, so I keep it in my put aside for now shelf so that I maybe try it out again, sometime in the future.
April 22, 2022
I was not sure, what to expect from this book - and maybe that helped me appreciate it. If I had gone in expecting a full m/m romance, I might have been disappointed. Not to say that it doesn't have a strong romance plot - it really does. It covers the relationship between Alfie and John over the course of about 1.5 to 2 years. They meet when John gets to captain his first ship and Alfie is his Lieutenant. At that time Alfie knows he's as gay as they come but John is so deeply rooted in the strictes church doctrines he even thinks music is a sin. To go from there to a hea ... it makes sense that this takes a lot of time.
In my opinion "False Colors" is foremost a historical age of sail-novel with a strong m/m lovestory. I enjoeyed the historical part, all the political intrigues of the time, the desciptions of life on a ship or in Jamaica or as a prisoner of pirates and later in the arctic. I even enjoyed all the sailing stuff of which there really was a lot. It all made sense to me. Some of the desciptions were cruel and brutal - but again that also made sense to me. Life must have been cruel and brutal.
I did like the characters. I liked the MCs - in the first half I prefered Alfie and in the second half I prefered John, but I really liked them both. I liked even the third love interest (no, it's not a m/m/m - it takes a long time for them to really get together so there is someone else in that time). I also liked the supporting characters, like Lady Lisburn, Mrs Shaw and Admiral Rodney (like is a bit strong in his case but he was interesting).
Overall I really enjoyed this excurse into a slightly different setting and can very easily imagine to read another book by Alex Beecroft - even an age of sail story.
In my opinion "False Colors" is foremost a historical age of sail-novel with a strong m/m lovestory. I enjoeyed the historical part, all the political intrigues of the time, the desciptions of life on a ship or in Jamaica or as a prisoner of pirates and later in the arctic. I even enjoyed all the sailing stuff of which there really was a lot. It all made sense to me. Some of the desciptions were cruel and brutal - but again that also made sense to me. Life must have been cruel and brutal.
I did like the characters. I liked the MCs - in the first half I prefered Alfie and in the second half I prefered John, but I really liked them both. I liked even the third love interest (no, it's not a m/m/m - it takes a long time for them to really get together so there is someone else in that time). I also liked the supporting characters, like Lady Lisburn, Mrs Shaw and Admiral Rodney (like is a bit strong in his case but he was interesting).
Overall I really enjoyed this excurse into a slightly different setting and can very easily imagine to read another book by Alex Beecroft - even an age of sail story.
November 4, 2020
What a lovely tale of forbidden love. Marvelous historical detail, life aboard a Royal Navy ship of the Georgian times, the sweltering heat of Jamaica, the threat of pirates and tropical diseases, the chill and dangers of the Arctic - it all serves to magnify this potent attraction between the protagonists. The narrative, however accurately dark at times, alternates with moments of hope and healing, restoring our faith in compassion and humanity in a world capable of immense cruelty. Well worth reading, for the wonderful emotional ride and great insight. Such high stakes take m/m historical romance to another level, and the threats associated play out very vividly in this narrative. Overall, though, the mood is hopeful despite the trials. It still amazes me how some female authors (Beecroft, Diana Gabaldon, CS Pacat) are able to describe relationships and intimacy between two men so realistically. Alex Beecroft has also mastered the art of sympathetic villains.
November 6, 2016
This books suffers from being miscategorized. As a gay romance novel set on the High Seas, it was disappointingly void of throbbing yards and breaching tight holes. As a Nautical Adventure book starring gay characters, this book was (mostly) entertaining.
It could have used more of the wit and humor found in the Aubrey/Maturin books or in the Hornblower books - and a lot less of gay angsting. I'M SO SICK OF GAY ANGST. I would have loved just a good adventure romp with lots of guilt-free sex.
It could have used more of the wit and humor found in the Aubrey/Maturin books or in the Hornblower books - and a lot less of gay angsting. I'M SO SICK OF GAY ANGST. I would have loved just a good adventure romp with lots of guilt-free sex.
September 6, 2015
Definitely not an erotic romance, but two men struggling against their feelings, their upbringing and the homophobia present at that time. This is not a story for the faint-hearted, what the two men go through before their HFN is pretty horrific and the reader is not spared the detail. I enjoyed all the nautical terms and references ( even though I get seasick in the bathtub)and I felt each shudder and dip as the ships sailed the oceans. I will definitely read more from this author.
October 3, 2010
This one's more of a 4.5 for me. It's my first historical British navy book, so kudos for a well-told and researched novel. Interesting and bull-headed characters, lots of angst (my favorite flavor), some fun battles and rescues. Romance or not, it still kept me up way too late to see how the two heroes would eventually figure out how to be together in such a rigid society.
October 25, 2015
2009 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention (5* from at least 1 judge)
July 14, 2012
Rating: 4.5* of five
Somehow or another, I've never written a review of this Age-of-Sail tale. Must fix that soon.
Somehow or another, I've never written a review of this Age-of-Sail tale. Must fix that soon.
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