The Lightning-Struck Heart

by TJ Klune

Paperback, 431 pages

Published Nov. 13, 2019 by BOATK Books.

ISBN:: 978-1-7340862-6-3

(3 reviews)

Once upon a time, in an alleyway in the slums of the City of Lockes, a young and somewhat lonely boy named Sam Haversford turns a group of teenage douchebags into stone completely by accident.

Of course, this catches the attention of a higher power, and Sam's pulled from the only world he knows to become an apprentice to the king's wizard, Morgan of Shadows.

When Sam's 14, he enters the Dark Woods and returns with Gary, the hornless gay unicorn, and a half-giant named Tiggy, earning the moniker Sam of Wilds.

At 15, Sam learns what love truly is when a new knight arrives at the castle - Knight Ryan Foxheart, the dreamiest dream to have ever been dreamed.

Naturally, it all goes to hell when Ryan dates the reprehensible Prince Justin, Sam can't control his magic, a sexually aggressive dragon kidnaps the prince, and the king sends them …

Once upon a time, in an alleyway in the slums of the City of Lockes, a young and somewhat lonely boy named Sam Haversford turns a group of teenage douchebags into stone completely by accident.

Of course, this catches the attention of a higher power, and Sam's pulled from the only world he knows to become an apprentice to the king's wizard, Morgan of Shadows.

When Sam's 14, he enters the Dark Woods and returns with Gary, the hornless gay unicorn, and a half-giant named Tiggy, earning the moniker Sam of Wilds.

At 15, Sam learns what love truly is when a new knight arrives at the castle - Knight Ryan Foxheart, the dreamiest dream to have ever been dreamed.

Naturally, it all goes to hell when Ryan dates the reprehensible Prince Justin, Sam can't control his magic, a sexually aggressive dragon kidnaps the prince, and the king sends them on an epic quest to save Ryan's boyfriend, all while Sam falls more in love with someone he can never have.

Or, so he thinks.

2 editions

IzaBetizua@paperjale.eus reviewed The Lightning-Struck Heart by TJ Klune (Tales from Verania, #1)

Kar kar

5 stars

Fantasiazko mundu oso bitxia pertsonaia bereziez gainezka. LGBTQ kideei zuzendutako lehenetariko liburu izan da niretzat, eta gustora.

Oso barregarria da gay amodiozko istorio bat izateko. Sexu broma ugari egiten dira, eta gehiegikeriak ondo neurtuak daude. Fetitxeak eta gustu bitxiak harro azaleratzen dira, erruki ala lotsa sentitu behar izan gabe.

Egia da gazte-joera gehiegi izan ditzakela (furry lagun batek hori "tumblr writing" bezala deskribatu zigun eta arrazoia eman behar izan genion), baina erromantzearen garapena nahiko organikoa da. Bereziki, protagonistaren magia egiteko ahalmenarekin lotuta dago eta horrek ezinezkotasun puntu bat ematen dio.

Normalean mundu baztertzaile batek ezartzen du Romeo eta Julieta erako egoera hori, baina kasu honetan ez; mundua justu kontrakoa da, guztiz inklusiboa, non erregeak berak gay ezkontzak hitzartzen dituen, non poligamia erlazioak egiten diren eta non azalpeko munduko negozioak emakume trans mardul batek eramaten dituen. Eta hala ere protagonistak (eta bere crush-ak ere) gerturatzeko arazoak izateko moldatzen dira.

Bitxi-bitxia eta …

Fantasiazko mundu oso bitxia pertsonaia bereziez gainezka. LGBTQ kideei zuzendutako lehenetariko liburu izan da niretzat, eta gustora.

Bitxi-bitxia eta izugarri barregarria.

cliftonmr reviewed The lightning-struck heart by TJ Klune

Review

5 stars

I will admit that this book is full of completely juvenile humor and is written for "young adults", but I loved it either way. It will not be for everyone.

aspirit@books.theunseen.city reviewed The Lightning-Struck Heart by TJ Klune (Tales from Verania, #1)

Feels like a mix of THE LAST UNICORN, Terry Pratchett, and gay teens' fanfic

4 stars

A Fantasy comedy obviously meant for young men who fit some of the contemporary urban gay stereotypes.

The jokes had me laughing out loud several times. The realistic perspective of sex that's still too uncommon in m/m romances was gratifying (although—note—it's not especially erotic despite the plethora of sexual references and would've been overly uncomfortable if it had been especially erotic with the YA tone).

Cons: Shitty political commentary, apathetic violence of the wizard (apprentice), insistence that the Darks as dangerously out of control more than the main characters are when that's not how they're shown, and homogeneity of most of the characters' personalities increasingly bother me as I think about them.

However, focusing too much on negatives would be missing the value of the story.

It's funny and stuffed with subtle subversions of old fantasy tropes. But this novel is also about real-world survival. This is a book about …

A Fantasy comedy obviously meant for young men who fit some of the contemporary urban gay stereotypes.

However, focusing too much on negatives would be missing the value of the story.

It's funny and stuffed with subtle subversions of old fantasy tropes. But this novel is also about real-world survival. This is a book about gay empowerment.

This is needed for more of its intended audience to survive in our world.