Customer Reviews

Five Married Men

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Normally I would give this book 2 stars, even though I dislike giving any up-and-coming gay or bi author a negative review. This one gets "graded on the curve" and gets a slightly better rating because it so deeply takes on the issue of bisexuality and has several scenes where the men discuss the dilemma of loving (and enjoying sex with) their wives, while also desiring other men. In this respect, the book hits that nail right on the head.

It's the story of a married man who confesses his sexual attraction to his best friend, who luckily has mutual feelings (what are the odds?). Eventually they find three others and become a circle of five married men who have occasional orgies. My gripe here is that it was a bit too easy to find these men, and the focus of all their sexual energies is on the youngest guy.

The scenes with these men and their wives are interesting and well-done, and the author did a good job of making all five men and their lives distinct. However, I had some difficulty with the last part of the book, in which the plot--which heretofore had mostly consisted of discussions over meals--evolved into a raucous adventure story with a wild ending. There were a few things that bugged me, too--like the repeated statement of sexual arousal being ignited by "the smell of a man" (what's that? Aqua Velva? Sweat?) and a few misspellings, the main one being "Senior" for "Senor."

It's absolutely worth it to read it if you want to read fiction about bisexuality--because there is so little in existence. And the sex scenes should satisfy even the hardest-core erotic reader.

But I wish a good editor had been involved in the process, for three reasons. 1. To tighten the plot and provide scenic variety (there are only so many times you can endure two characters sitting down to talk over meals). 2. To reduce the wild shifts in viewpoint. 3. To tone down the numerous crazy dramatic occurrences at the end.

It's not often I'm pulled into a novel I can't put down. This story stayed on my mind from the moment I started until I read the last word. I was pulled into the emotions of the characters and was involved in their daily lives as they ventured further into a secret world of lies and deceit, and very powerful physical attraction. It's a must read for men who feel this attraction to other men, for women who may be involved with them, or anyone who appreciates the many forms of love and human emotion.

David is a contractor. His best friend, James, is also his lawyer. They're happily married and have been best friends for fifteen years. When David, after reaching wits-end with the demons inside, decides to confide in James, he learns his feelings for James are mutual. Their lives are forever changed. After intially resisting the temptation of their mutual attraction, they give in to it, and eventually get involved with three other married men. Over the course of the summer, five successful, masculine, happily married men form a secret life apart from their careers and marriages, all the while trying to convince themselves they can live down the guilt. I kept turning the pages to find out if they really could.

Though I'm a "straight" male, and though I was at odds with David and James when they deceived their wives, I found myself caught up in their feelings for each other. Obviously love can manifest in many forms, and must be expressed. When two men love each other this much, despite their love for a woman and the need for a traditional married life, David and James caused me to recognize the breadth and many facets of the human condition.

I highly recommend Five Married Men for anyone who appreciates thoughtfully written, character driven stories about the power of love. This book had an affect on me. While reflecting on my past relationships with other men, I wondered if somewhere in my subconscious there might have been unrecognized motives. No . . . it was just the book. Let's have more, Mr. Brant.

The author wrote a moving and challenging novel here. Should bisexuals marry? is the question he poses. I wasn't convinced that at least one of the five men involved wasn't actually gay, rather than bisexual, but that's another issue. Marriage in our society involves two, and only two, people making a commitment to be life partners with each other only. A bisexual marrying someone of either sex is denying him/herself the physical and emotional fulfillment of one of the sexes. The implication of this book is that a bisexual person is denying him/herself a basic part of his/her self by making such a commitment. That's a disturbing conclusion not only for the "straight" world but also for the gay one as well. After reading this novel, I can see why gays (and straights) should be leery of entering into a "permanent relationship" with a bisexual, since it may not be possible for a single individual to satisfy his/her sexual and emotional needs.

To be sure, the book is well written, the characters appealing (both the men and their wives, and Tim is sheer dynamite!). Most of the action is credible, though the scenes in Mexico stretch the imagination and credulity more than a little bit. The ending will blow you away. It is not always a fun read; in fact, it is quite disturbing in more than one way, and intentionally so (I think). But if you are looking for a serious treatment of bisexuality and its implictions and possible consequences for all involved, and if you are not afraid to read something serious (rather than escapist), you will not be disappointed in this book.

This book will take you to a place that most people do not want to venture into whether a woman or a man and not just married women or men. It will allow you to understand to some degree how your deepest desires when acted upon no matter how much pleasure and peace they give can still cause more pain than you can ever imagine to the ones you love even though you consider it separate from your every day life. This story was well written and will have you questioning who is right and who is wrong in this situation. The question is 'How much are you willing to lose to gain what your body craves after years of denial'? Will it be worth it in the end?

This is another great book written by Martin Brant and more than worth the read. You won't be able to put it down until you read the last page. A very good read for both sexes.

Five Married Men is first-rate literary entertainment, and much more. If you are looking for summer reading that grabs your attention, this is it. This novel has believably likable characters, intricate plot development, romance, sex, drama, suspense, humor, and action. There's something for everyone.

More importantly for me, Five Married Men is an honest discussion of male bisexuality. As a bisexual married man who has just recently come out of the closet, I found this book heart-breaking in its accurate portrayal of the challenges that face men like me and their wives. I can't say how much Martin Brant writes from experience, from thorough research, or from an incredible imagination. But I can say, from MY experience, that his fictional characters are as real as the men I've met in support groups, chat groups, and bars. The emotional conflicts, the clandestine meeting arrangements, the fear of discovery that are described in the book are happening all around us every day.

Male bisexuality is marginalized in this country. Today's pop psychologists tell us that there is no such thing as a bisexual man. Even the GLBT community struggles to understand us. It's high time a book like Five Married Men was published. Maybe it will start some discussions that are overdue. Believe me, there are a lot more bisexual men walking around than you can imagine. If we all came out of the closet at once, the whole gay/straight dichotomy would go the way of the dinosaur.

Don't think for a minute that this book is all gloomy and depressing. It is also very provocative. Because Mr. Brant develops the characters so well, the sex scenes are much steamier than typical gay or straight erotica. If the text doesn't turn you on, you'll at least feel empathy for the lovers.

Five Married Men is a novel that reassures bisexual men they are not alone, and educates the rest of society.

I enjoyed the initial relationship between the two married men who are finally compelled to confess their intense feelings for each other. Their characters are portrayed as honorable, honest men with no wish to betray the wives they love, yet they can no longer deny their need for a man's loving. When they draw in other married men who are similarly compelled to accept their hidden selves, the author begins to send mixed messages. Giving in to their bisexual needs brings great suffering to the characters, yet the author also dispenses brutal emotional punishment to a woman who cannot accept her husband's bisexuality. Perhaps the author wishes to portray the mixed reality of bisexuality, but the book ultimately disturbs more than it enlightens or entertains. The ending is a big "ick" factor that left this reader believing the author doesn't know what he wants to say.

I found this book after reading the review, Martin Brant wrote for Dennis Schleicher. Forbidden Love with a Married Man: E-mail Diaries Then I realized that Dennis, also reviewed 'Five Married Men' which prompted me to order it immediately. Although I am not one for fiction. I found much truth and reality in what the author writes about. The story felt like a biography, which captivated my interests as I could relate with the characters denying emotional and physical satisfaction. I should know as I did this for 20 years of my life. Well-done on painting a true life scenario.

I would like to know more about the author and how he was inspired. Do Martin Brant & Dennis Schleicher know each other? If so, they could both co-author a book together, that would eventually land on the big screen.

Martin Brant deserves credit for writing so openly and explicitly about the lives of bisexual men struggling to reconcile their desires with the conventions of society and the lives they've already created for themselves. It raises timely, frank, and oft-neglected questions about sexuality, masculinity,and monogamy. For those issues, it is worth reading. I was, however, disappointed in the novel as a whole. The plot more than strained credibility with a couple of wildly bizarre subplots involving vigilante-style justice and an unbelievable "adventure" in the jungles of Mexico. Also, the writing style was sometimes awkward and would have benefitted from a good editor. That said, this is a fun, sexy, and thought-provoking novel about a serious topic that isn't often explored with such candor. Recommended.

Sept 19th 2010

"Five Married Men" is well written, the characters appealing as both the men and their wives are dynamite. The scenes in Mexico stretch our very own imagination as it makes us think? The ending will blow you away as I see this as a must read for any married Gay man.

Martin Brant is a brilliant writer as this is what he had to say about my own memoir; "Forbidden Love with a Married Man: E-mail Diaries."

"I've always believed a gay man should never get involved with a married man--it's a recipe for heartache. There is only so much a married man can give of himself, and this is extremely unfair to his lover, especially when the married man keeps promising more in the future. Couple this with the certainty of guilt, and you'll find every experience, no matter how blissful, is shadowed. Truth is romantic love is not often powerful enough to wrench a man away from his wife and family and the life he has known for many years. But we're human and these kinds of affairs happen, and this one is wonderfully illustrated in every detail in Denis Schleicher's book. Until now, I would have never expected anyone to bare the most private and intimate details of a personal relationship; but he does. We see two men instantaneously smitten with each other, and we are allowed to read a long exchange of e-mails that reveals their desperate need for a male companion. No matter what you think of the author's writing style or his lifestyle or his material priorities, you will like him and will appreciate what he is trying to accomplish with this book. I like him for his integrity, his honesty and his naiveté: my reason for rating his title five stars." -Author Martin Brant

Thank You Martin as I sill believing your work in four years later!!!

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Customers buy this book with Five Married Men: Second Edition by Martin Brant

Loved the book, it keeps your interest paper by page.

I have to say the ending made me cry.

but all in all well worth the read.