Customer Reviews

Wicked Gentlemen (Hells Below)

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Hale has put a fantasy twist on a classical historical setting, The Inquisition. During that time in actual history, Roman Catholic zealots persecuted, tortured and killed many people in an effort to "find the truth" (forcefully convert those who didn't believe) and root out "heresy." It was a shocking time in history, and as such, it is a dark but appropriate setting for this story.

Generations ago, the priests of the Inquisition convinced the Lords of Hell to embrace salvation. The descendants of those demon lords are called Prodigals, and they are a heavily persecuted minority easily identified by their black fingernails and unusual eye color. Forbidden to leave the Capital city, or use their demon abilities, they are packed into the Prodigal ghetto called Hells Below. The Inquisition priests are now the only law enforcement and use brutal methods to keep the Prodigals in line. One such Prodigal is Belimai Sykes. He was taken by the priests and forced to "confess." During these interrogations, they addicted him to ophorium, and broke his spirit in the process. William Harper is an Inquisition Captain, who comes to Belimai for help in finding his sister - known for her Prodigal sympathies. She disappeared after many Prodigals turned up mutilated and murdered. This unlikely pair will face dangerous obstacles, and uncover horrifying truths in their investigation. And though they know society will never allow it, they are drawn to each other....

Hale's debut is astonishing and extremely well written. The book flowed smoothly, with a lot of action and great dialog. Belimai's sly comments and secretive nature capture a reader, while Harper's deep desire for justice and happiness are all too real. These two men are so well developed, they come completely to life. They are deeply flawed people, who you can't help but feel for. Their relationship isn't instantaneous - it builds with each chapter as the two become more entwined in the case, and each other. There is sex, but it isn't gratuitous, or graphic. In fact, those moments are revealing and touching as the two men try to find a moment of bliss in their dark world. The mystery of the missing sister and the murdered Prodigals is intricate, with surprising twists that keep a reader guessing what will happen next. Though the ending felt a little rushed, with everything coming to a climax in the last chapter, it was very satisfying. Hale has left room for a sequel, which I can only hope comes to be. I want to spend more time with Prodigals.

This is one of those rare books that will stay with you long after you've finished the last page. Wicked Gentlemen is a delight!

This one transcends my expectation. If this is a debut, I am in awe of this writer's talents. She has created an amazing alternate world which is bleak, stark and disturbing, in which demons live among humans. The demons are the minority and the victims as they are despised and prosecuted in this twisted world.

Her 2 protagonists are most appealing. Belimai Sykes is a private investigator and a descendant of demons imbued with rare powers. He is also a drug junkie and in self exile. He may appear cold and indifferent with his scathing remarks but underneath he is one vulnerable, lonely and tortured man with a terrible past. His hiring by one Captain Harper set off a chain of events which nearly consumed both of them. Captain William Harper is an inquisitor belonging to a sort of priesthood in charge of upholding the law. Harper is an equally fascinating character with his strong sense of justice and quiet solid strength. Harper too has an unhappy past which left him "closed-up" and unable to express his feelings. Both men could not be more different. Yet from the day they met, they held mutual respect for one another which evolve from a one night stand to awkward yet committed lovers. Throughout the story they never utter the 3 words. Yet their love is credible and convincing as they slowly come to understand each other. Their few confrontations are such emotional and bittersweet moments.

The plot is highly original, fascinating, fast paced, exciting, with never a dull moment. There are twisted elements of religion here which add to the dark tone of the story. The story is divided into 2 parts. The first part is told through Belimai's intense and distinct narration. The second part is expressed from Harper's view point and just as effective and engrossing. I found myself holding my breath frequently and was glued to the book until the ending. And what a satisfying ending. If only there are more on these 2 characters. Read this. You will not be disappointed.

Did you ever finish a book only to feel sad that you can never again open it anew and discover its delights for the very first time? Rarely if ever, I'm sure. Well for me, Wicked Gentlemen is one of those books.

And I am completely envious of any lover of dark fantasy and/or gay romance who has yet to crack the spine on this gem.

First time novelist Ginn Hale has created a world so tangible, so complete, that I felt as if I could smell, see, taste and feel everything right along with her characters. The basic premise, an alternate reality (resembling a gaslit, Victorian England) wherein a corrupt theocracy has called up the descendants of ancient Biblical demons (Prodigals) with promises of redemption only to ghettoize and oppress them, comments on a number of modern day social ills but never comes across as obviously didactic or preachy. In addition it has a complex plot, part mystery and part thriller, that's never short on nailbiting moments. But for me the most enjoyable aspects of the story were the two amazingly complex, yet subtly drawn, protagonists and the tender love story that develops between them. With her characters, Hale never hits a false note. She shows, never tells - meaning that one learns about the tortured, drug-addicted Prodigal, Belimai Sykes, and reserved priest/police captain, William Harper, from their actions, rather than a lot heavy handed exposition. They can be infuriating as often as they are endearing, but these contradictions only make them seem, like everything else in the book, utterly real.

And they're sexy, too.

This is a wonderful novel. I hope that positive word-of-mouth continues to bring it the legion of fans it deserves.

It's been a long time since I've been moved to review something, but this book was something exquisitely special.

The author very skillfully gave us just enough information about this world where 'Prodigals' (descendents of fallen angels) roamed the earth--but thanks to mankind's predictable bigotry, never in actual freedom. I was not overwhelmed with 'world building' but I was intrigued by twisted Miltonian version of Victorian England, where the upright (and uptight) Inquisitors (priests/policemen) walked the gas-lighted streets above, and the Prodigals carved out an existance in the 'Hell's Below'. The love story between Bellamai (and isn't that a delicious name? I've been whispering it to myself all day as I read) and the young Inquisitor who hires him is pressurized with all of the things not said. Bellamai is perverse, prickly, almost paralyzed with self-loathing, and this makes his vulerability to his new lover just that much more poignant. William Harper has been hiding everything--from his sexuality to his love of the beautiful, supposedly damned 'Prodigals'--under his oppressive Inquisitor's cloak. His complete protectiveness towards Bellamai (and the very masculine refusal to talk about their relationship in any but the most sideways terms) made their moments of contact, of exposure, all the more beautiful.

This was a surprising and romantic book--and it will haunt me pleasantly for a wonderful, long time.

This multi-faceted gem of a book tells the fascinating tale of an alternate reality England in which the Inquisition is still in full swing, demons exist and are considered second class citizens, and a man of the cloth must seek out the help of one such creature to uncover the mystery behind some very grisly murders. Part murder mystery, part dark urban fantasy, and part gay romance, the author has deftly and seemlessly managed to combine multiple genres to create one hell of a story. This book is exciting, action-packed and sexy, and kept me guessing the whole way.

What I appreciate most about this book however, is the romance that developed between the two main characters and how greatly it differed from other books with this same subject matter. I've read dozens of books in the past in which gay characters would fall head-over-heels in love with each other at first sight, being all lovey-dovey and extremely irritating as well. In Wicked Gentlemen though, the relationship between Belimai and Harper is refreshingly saccharin-free and actually quite realistic, and rather than detract from the story (as is the case all too often in other gay romance books) it actually added to it.

There is alot of character development, and I really got a feel for all the characters and what they were going through. Belimai was definately my favorite though, and his sharp wit and caustic remarks had me cracking up. I can't possibly recommend this book highly enough, so you should definately check it out. I'm sure you'll love it as much as I have.

This isn't a perfect book. It's basically two sequential novellas with different plots but the same main characters. The first plot is thin, but interesting, the other more detailed. BUT the characters and world-building and atmosphere makes up for that. And if you like quick reads that you can't put down, this one is for you! Personally, I liked it so much that I wished it was a whole series of super-fat novels. That's why, despite the drawbacks, I loved it and had to give it more stars than I really should.

The world is an alternate Victorian-ish period (no Queen, but there is the city with its alleyways that Jack-the-Ripper would feel at home in). Rich lords and the powerful church holds sway. Law and order is kept by the black-uniformed Inquisitors, one of whom is Captain William Harper, who believes in justice. In the past the Church coaxed the Fallen Angels of Hell to repent and become part of society and their weakened descendants, called Prodigals, are ghettoized in Hells Below, bound by strict laws and stigmatized as demons--obviously distinguished by their black nails and odd-colored eyes. When Harper's sister, associated with a society sympathetic towards Prodigals, disappears, he knows he needs a demon to help him. Belimai Sykes, a bizarre, loner, drug-addicted Prodigal is hired as sort of Sherlock Holmes-like consulting detective. And that, of course, is the improbable beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Both adventures involve a lot of action, suspense, glimpses of the city and the lives of Prodigals and humans, and dark, evil characters and events. But it's the two main characters who are so fascinating that I could follow then anywhere and left me wishing to read many more tales about them.

First of all ignore the editorial blurb published in the book description: it gives a totally wrong impression about the book.

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In a time when fantasy books are usually long stretched shabbily written commonplace bores, "Wicked Gentlemen" impressed me for the extraordinary neatness of the author's writing.
The attempt is not a little conscious, of course, and there are paragraphs where the line between beautiful and gratuitous prose is nearly crossed.

Set in a alternate world very similar to a xix century London where an all-powerful religious police rules (following what suspisciously look like the precepts of the Bible) the story quickly suspends disbelief depicting a world realistic enough to make us take for granted that devils actually exist and have been willing to mingle with humans.

On second thought this is probably the novel's main flaw: it is impossible to logically accept the assumption that devils could be so silly as to be converted by human bigoted priests and as to accept to comply with human rules.

Nevertheless the books is a couple of hours read and entertaining enough:
plot and characters develop consistently and it is only after the last page that one begins to wonder: after a while I found myself agreeing with the more critical reviews.

The novel lacks strong character development; the relationship between the two main characters grows with such subdued hints that it nearly becomes uneventful. Melodrama is better avoided but, plainly spoken, I never could care a lot about the two main characters and this is one of the most fatal flaw in a -any- fantasy novel.
I must also agree with those who write that the author does not adequately handle the moral and social issues raised by her setting nor does she develop a satisfyingly complex plot.

The two main characters are explicitly gay: sex is referred to but never graphic.

Wicked Gentlemen is a different sort of fantasy than I'm used to. It is told in two sections, each separate stories in chronological order and each in the mind of a different character. Together they tell a story of forbidden love on two levels--doubly forbidden, if you will--of corruption, bigotry, fear, and religion.

Belimai Sykes is a descendant of ancient demons--or Prodigal. Sykes has a history with the Inquisition, a religious movement that uses any force necessary to get what it wants out of people, especially the Prodigals. Because of that history, Sykes doesn't trust any members of the Inquisition and has become a drug addict. But then Captain William Harper of the Inquisition shows up on his doorstep asking for his help. Harper is looking for his sister and the people behind several grisly murders and needs Sykes, abilities and all, to help him. And when Sykes agrees, he and Harper find out they've bitten off more than they can chew, and that their relationship might become something more than just business, which may bring more trouble than they're prepared to handle.

What's most interesting about this book is how it weaves the detective elements with unrelated issues. Sykes and Harper are both men, and in the world they live it is much like what this world is like in regards to gay relationships. Adding to that is the fact that Sykes is a demon, while Harper is a member of the highly religious Inquisition. Discrimination is certainly a theme here, on two levels, and Hale does a good job developing that so it affects the characters and the reader.

The characters--Sykes and Harper--are well developed throughout the book, which proves that someone doesn't need to write a 500-page monster to create compelling characters--if Philip K. Dick could do it, then so can the rest of us. Sykes goes through a transition with the help of Harper, but Harper goes through a transition of his own with the help of Sykes--although it should be noted that neither transition is at all intentional. I also really enjoyed the use of magic here: rather than flashy, it's controlled and select in the sense that not everyone has it--and those that do rarely abuse it either because they'll be hunted down and killed or because they just don't want to. Additionally, Hale has done a fantastic job developing this world, although there are some obvious limitations for such a short work. Hell's Below is dark and fascinating in the same way that something mysterious is. The Inquisition has all of the evil, violent elements I'd hoped for--an emotional impact for me when Syke's history was brought into the story. On the cover Wicked Gentlemen is described as steampunk, but it doesn't really have any of the elements of a steampunk novel, though it certainly has the same feel to it in its grittiness.

One thing that I felt was a little weak was how Hale did the ending. Instead of showing how all the bad guys get caught, etc. we're giving an epilogue style ending where everything has already happened and things are starting to right themselves. While I like that this is there, it makes me wonder what was happening when the truth finally got out because of Harper and Sykes. I think there is a lot to be told about this part of the story, particularly when you see who is actually involved in it. I would have liked to see what sort of threats come Harper's way, or what happens after that too. What other adventures do Harper and Sykes have? Perhaps this is just my desire for more rather than an actual complaint, though, and for a book that isn't 500 pages, you're going to want more, not because Wicked Gentlemen doesn't deliver, but because it gives you exactly what you want and once your literary thirst is quenched, you'll just want more.

Over all I was really impressed with this work. I like it when authors try to deal with issues of racism (in this case speciesism) and discrimination and issues of religion and how it can sometimes affect our lives, or try to control it, but without preaching or allowing it to control the story. Hale kept a good balance between the serious elements and humor and did a good job developing this world where demons live amongst humans, without overloading me on the worldbuilding. I hope to see more from Hale in this universe. There are some interesting characters here and plenty of good stories to be told. For being only 217-pages, this is an epic fantasy tale with the gritty, dark elements of urban fantasy and steampunk, the thrill and excitement of detective mysteries, and the intrigue of a quasi-alternate history tale.

This book was recommended to me by Amazon. They claimed it would go well with 'Luck in the Shadows' by Lynn Flewelling. And they were right - this book provided me with quite a few hours of very satisfactory reading. Well written, original, captivating, and (what was most important for me) - strangely alive.
However, those who object to slash probably should avoid this book.

Wicked Gentlemen reads more like a paranormal with a mystery and romance combined. Whatever genre this book falls into, Wicked Gentlemen exceeded all my expectations. It has a great atmospheric feel featuring the tortured character of Belimai Sykes. Belimai is a drug addicted demon called a Prodical who has been tortured ruthlessly by those who feel they are God's servants and have the right to condemn Beilmai's people. Wicked Gentlemen has many religious undertones that deal with the subject of persecution. The ones that are in charge of these atrocities are the true villains, not the Prodicals that are the creatures from Hell.

The first section of Wicked Gentlemen is from Belimai's first person point of view. He is a shell of man filled with despair and loathing. Because he is a Prodical, he is spat upon by society. He has scars all over his body from the Inquisitors. Inquisitors are the police who keep the Prodicals in line with torture and the possibility of death. They are also like priests and they make sure everyone obeys the rules. Prodicals live in the ghettos of Hells Below, a section in this alternate London universe. Prodicals look like humans except for their long black nails, different colored eyes and their aversion to the sunlight. They can also fly in the sky. Belimai resides in Hells Below, barely living day to day, overcome with his need to feed his ophorium addiction, which he injects into his arms with a syringe.

An Inquisition captain and his doctor brother-in-law come to Belimai for help. Captain William Harper's sister, Joan, who is married to the doctor, has gone missing. Joan was a member of the Good Commons Advocacy. This group worked for the rights of both woman and Prodicals alike. Harper thinks Belimai is the best person who can find Joan. Belimai accepts the job because he needs the money and he and Harper eventually become partners and loose themselves in the underbelly of Hells Below. Not only is Joan hiding a secret that could kill her, but Prodicals are being torture and murdered for some reason. No one seems to care about these creatures. It is up to Harper and Belimai to find the culprits involved.

Belimai finds himself caring for Harper, especially after they have a drunken one night stand with one another. Belimai tries to hide his feelings for the young captain. But it is difficult because Harper treats him with respect and seems to really like him. And when Belimai finds himself in great danger and is badly hurt, Harper is there to help him recover. Perhaps there is hope that two very different men, one for good, the other who welcomes the darkness, can be free to love one another without the fear of being ostracized or even worst, tortured and killed.

I have read countless M/M books, mainly those with a heavy romantic storyline. Wicked Gentlemen does have a romance but it is very subtle. There is one descriptive love scene, but other than that, this complicated relationship is shown through thoughts and actions. Belimai and Harper's feelings for one another keep you guessing till the very end. You know there is something between them but that is kept as more of an after thought as they navigate through this harsh world Ginn has invented.

Belimai is more dimensional than Harper because we are privy to his internal thoughts and emotions. He is so very tortured both in body and spirit due to what he is and the drugs he takes just so he can get through each day. Harper is the complete opposite of Belimai. I couldn't help but think of these two as yin and yang; light and dark; heaven and hell. Harper is Belimai's salvation. And Harper shows Belimai that he is worthy of his love and respect.

One scene that really caught my eye is when Belimai wants to see Harper's hands. Harper wears gloves through most of the book for a personal reason that will be unveiled by the end. Belimai seems obsessed with that body part because Harper's hands are so perfect and clean. Belimai's are unclean in every sense from the black nails that look like claws to the way he injects poison into his body. When Harper places his hands on Belimai, this poor creature of darkness feels cleansed and is given reconciliation for all his wickedness.

Wicked Gentlemen was a surprisingly good read. Ginn really handles religion and the good and evil aspect quite well. Harper and Belimai have great chemistry together not only as lovers, but as friends and partners. If this is what the future of Steampunk is, I may change my mind after all and give more books like Wicked Gentlemen a try.

Katiebabs