Gabriel's Inferno (Gabriel, Book 1) [Paperback]

Sylvain Reynard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 19, 2011

"Gabriel's Inferno" -- semi-finalist for Best Romance in the 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards "This is not only one of the best debut books this year, but Reynard is one of the best new authors this year. 5 stars." - Donna of Offbeat Vagabond "It's not very often that I am left so affected by a book, but this one took me on a roller coaster ride of emotions ... This novel is thought provoking, entertaining and beautiful. 5 stars." - Nix of Scorching Book Reviews "This is one of the most romantic and sensual stories I have read ...the words he writes will sing to you. 5 stars." - JJ of JJ iReads "I was seduced, entranced, and completely satisfied ...The narrator, and its characters were equally charming and sinful. 5 stars." - Tigris Eden's Garden of Books Enigmatic and sexy, Professor Gabriel Emerson is a well respected Dante specialist by day, but by night he devotes himself to an uninhibited life of pleasure. He uses his notorious good looks and sophisticated charm to gratify his every whim, but is secretly tortured by his dark past and consumed by the profound belief that he is beyond all hope of redemption. When the sweet and innocent Julia Mitchell enrolls as his graduate student, his attraction and mysterious connection to her not only jeopardizes his career, but sends him on a journey in which his past and his present collide. An intriguing and sinful exploration of seduction, forbidden love and redemption, "Gabriel's Inferno" is a captivating and wildly passionate tale of one man's escape from his own personal hell as he tries to earn the impossible...forgiveness and love.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sylvain Reynard is a Canadian writer with an interest in Renaissance art and culture and an inordinate attachment to the city of Florence. (Parenthetically, it should be noted that the snarky narrator of Gabriel’s Inferno was contracted to write this biographical description, and he can attest that SR is, in fact, real, and has an enviable collection of argyle socks.)

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 518 pages
• Publisher: Omnific Publishing; 1ST edition (April 19, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9781936305629
• ISBN-13: 978-1936305629
• ASIN: 1936305623
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1,287 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #97,658 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am honoured to have been a Semifinalist for Best Author in the 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards and for my novel to have been a Semifinalist for Best Romance.

I'm interested in the way literature can help us explore aspects of the human condition - particularly suffering, sex, love, faith, and redemption. My favourite stories are those in which a character takes a journey, either a physical journey to a new and exciting place, or a personal journey in which he or she learns something about himself/herself.

I'm also interested in how aesthetic elements such as art, architecture, and music can be used to tell a story or to illuminate the traits of a particular character. In my writing, I combine all of these elements with the themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the transformative power of goodness.

I try to use my platform as an author to raise awareness about the following charities: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation, WorldVision, Alex's Lemonade Stand, and Covenant House. For more information, see my Twitter account.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

(What's this?)

#87 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Contemporary

#90 in Books > Romance > Contemporary

#87 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Contemporary

#90 in Books > Romance > Contemporary

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

448 of 483 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The antidote for Fifty Shades of Grey April 5, 2012

By Florence

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

My guilty pleasure lately has been crappy self published "contemporary romance" ebooks. Like falling for a dumb jock or a bad boy, my relationship with books like "Beautiful Disaster" and "Fifty Shades of Grey" was embarrassing and degrading. I always inevitably felt guilty afterward, and I resolved to find a book that would appeal both to my intelligence and my heart.

Enter "Gabriel's Inferno."

Like a good lover, this book is thoughtful, deliberate and profound. Each character is nuanced, and each moment is strategically delivered. I'll spare the plot summary since several other reviewers did a great job at it, but I will say that it's been a long time since I read a book that was so well organized. Scenes that seem inconsequential reappear as important background later in the book, and each peripheral story line is elaborately folded into the bigger picture. This book is absolutely exquisite.

Julianne is an intriguing heroine, because she is the anti-Bella, anti-Katniss of the major blockbuster dichotomy. She is neither vapid and ungrateful, nor aloof and merciless. She does not adhere to the idea that a woman must either be a damsel in distress or a dragon lady. Julianne is something entirely different - she is broken and rebuilding. I normally despise meekness (in fictional characters and in real people), but I found her timid nature endearing, because beneath it was the soul of a lion. She knew how to choose her battles, and when she chose to let loose, she knew how to leave a mark. The best summation of her character was the scene when Christa screamed insults at her, and Julianne refused to lower herself by responding in kind. Her restraint, along with the fact that she loved Gabriel from afar for six years, produced the most beautiful tension between strength and patience that I have ever seen in a protagonist.

To say that this book has deeply affected me is an understatement. My daughter will grow up in a world full of contemporary books that teach horrible lessons about what love is supposed to look like. I don't want her anywhere near that codependent Twilight crap. I will, however, gladly let her read Gabriel's Inferno when she's old enough to understand what being broken and finding redemption through love can mean.

If "Fifty Shades of Grey" is considered mom porn, then "Gabriel's Inferno" is Thinking Woman Porn.

163 of 179 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read but NOT for the casual romance reader! July 26, 2011

By RoloPoloBooks

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

A friend asked me to read Gabriel's Inferno because she was looking for a second opinion. I knew a bit about the plot based on the blurb on Amazon and what my friend told me but I was in no way prepared for how good this book really is. Gabriel's Inferno is not for the fainthearted as it a very, very dark romance that will leave the reader feeling on edge throughout.
As a reader, I am drawn to books that are character driven and this novel is one of the strongest I have come across in quite some time. Reynard's male characters elicited strong responses from me from the very beginning and continued to do so throughout. For example, there's Paul the fellow graduate student who always made me feel a little creeped out and in need of shower after reading scenes which required his presence. And then of course, there is Gabriel who, on the one hand is a total rat bastard and on the other is just so completely compassionate and caring. Gabriel is by far the strongest, most damaged, and most fascinating character in this book. To the world, Gabriel is a buttoned down professor who specializes in the works of Dante and favors bow ties and expensive suits. Then there's the other Gabriel, the man with passions that run deep and inhibitions that are virtually nonexistent who has a taste for fine food, fine wine, and morally ambiguous women.
Gabriel's story alone would be enough to keep the casual reader interested but for those looking for more substance, meet Julia. Julia is the only female character of significance in this novel and like the male characters she elicited a very strong response from me. Unfortunately that response was not always a good one. Julia takes pathetic to a whole new level and while I certainly appreciate that she has had a very difficult life she's got to get over it and move on. I frequently found Julia's "I'm so pitiful I can't do anything" routine a bit tiresome. But then there are her other moments, those few and far between times when Julia snaps the tether and unleashes all of her anger and frustration. Those moments are golden and reveal to the reader exactly what Julia is made of.
When the lives of Julia and Gabriel begin to intersect, first in the classroom and then elsewhere, things get even darker. You see, both Julia and Gabriel have painful secrets and painful pasts that they would very much prefer stay secret and stay in the past. But that would not make for a good novel and so the stories of their lives, both separately and together begin to unravel in what is a fairly twisted plot. With each new chapter is another revelation and many of them the reader will not see coming. As Julia and Gabriel are facing and dealing with their personal demons, they are also dealing with their growing attraction to one another. The reader is almost always uncertain of the outcome of this novel and that feeling of uncertainty adds to the drama and to the anticipation of finding out what comes next.
The bottom line: if you're a casual romance reader looking for a quick and easy read then this book is definitely not for you. Gabriel's Inferno is a lengthy read with an overwhelming sense of darkness that takes frequent trips into the world and works of Dante. This is my kind of romance! Reynard has crafted a novel that reads smoothly and beautifully all the while dealing with topics that are often uncomfortable yet intriguing. My only disappointment with this book is the knowledge that the story of Julia and Gabriel is not over and will continue on in future novels. Normally I would be very excited to see good, strong characters live to fight another day but Gabriel's Inferno is a complete read for me; it ended quite satisfactorily and is strong enough to stand on its own as a single novel and not a first-in-a series book.

84 of 92 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Gabriel's Inferno February 7, 2012

By Dapperdy2

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

While I tend to shy away from overly dark and dramatic romances, I had a hard time putting this one down. And, for those who are curious, I have not read the Divine Comedy and am only somewhat familiar with the basic plot.

What I liked:

- The author's diction and structure. I found myself occasionally needing to look up words, language translations, references, etc. For once, I didn't feel like my IQ dropped a few points by reading a romance novel.
- The unveiling of the story. I was very impressed with the way the book started out, where the reader's knowledge of what was going on is very limited. There were so many questions going through my mind that refused to allow me to put the book down until I figured everything out. While I was not as impressed as I hoped to be once that happened, I very much enjoyed the ride.
- The cultural parallels. This book felt like it was researched thoroughly and painstakingly planned. There were so many references and parallels to art, music, and literature, and I am fairly confident that I only uncovered a small percentage, based on the fact that I never read the Divine Comedy.

What I didn't like:

- The length. This book was very long - almost unnecessarily so. Some descriptions or internal monologues went on for pages and pages, when they didn't seem necessary. There is one love scene in particular that I was hoping to be dazzled by after waiting for it for so long, but it kept going and going and going for so long that I got bored. I never thought I would say this, but sometimes for these scenes, shorter and sweeter is better.
- Julianne's/Beatrice's pedestal. I enjoyed the book immensely up until about 2/3 - 3/4 of the way through. Gabriel placed her so high on a pedestal in the way he spoke, acted, etc., that it almost became nauseating. Maybe it's just my personal preference in the dynamic between a man and a woman. Somehow, though, I get the feeling that this might be somehow related to the author's perception of Dante and Beatrice's relationship, but maybe I'm wrong.

In looking at some of these reviews, I noticed that some of them are saying this book is fan fiction of the Twilight series. I never would have guessed. I haven't done any research to figure out if it is true, but I can see how the male leads and female leads are similar in a very basic way (male leads = tortured soul; female leads = innocent). For me, though, that is where the similarities end. The style of writing, the parallels aforementioned, and the plot are not the same. To be quite honest, both Stephenie Meyer and Sylvain Reynard based their works on literary masterpieces, but I liked Reynard's method better.

**My advice to anyone considering reading this would be that this book is not for the dabblers, who just want a quick, happy love story. This book is dark, complex and a bit heavy at times. Also, do not be distracted by the fact that it is Twilight fan fiction. Give the book a chance before you judge.