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Double Bound: a novel |
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Author:
Nick Nolan
By BookSurge Publishing
Average Customer Rating: 
List Price: $12.99
Our Price: $12.99
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Product Description
A lavish resort with Pentagon-worthy security is rising on a Brazilian island. Because of Katharine Tyler's investment there, her nephew Jeremy journeys with his lover Carlo Martinez, and former Marine Arthur Blauefee, to assess the resort's progress. But their visit is anything but safe-because when all seems well, they are swept into the clutches of a charming trickster, sensual temptation, kidnapping, murder, and an unexpected double-cross, with Aunt Katharine playing puppet master before getting tangled in her own strings. Although DOUBLE BOUND features the characters from the award-winning novel STRINGS ATTACHED, this is Arthur's story: his heartbreaking youth, his precarious years as a gay US Marine, then his treacherous journey to Brazil-where he is challenged to heroism, while agonizing between love and duty and his crippling personal demons. DOUBLE BOUND-when turning away from the truth only winds tighter the restraints of greed, of unspoken longing, and of lives unfulfilled.
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Fascinating storytelling with shades of Pedro Almodovar, 2008-11-24
Nick Nolan's sequel to "Strings Attached" delivers on telling a great story that continues Jeremy, Carlo and Arthur's evolution, and surpasses the prequel with film-worthy suspense, bizarre adventure, and emotional conflict.
Nolan's fast-paced writing and deft gift for description are well implemented; this is another well thought out page-turner with just enough descriptive texture and nuance to bring the settings to life. The favelas of Rio - and the characters who inhabit them - were frightening, magical, and beautifully surreal-and still show up in my dreams.
Arthur's challenging past and personal conflicts were especially relatable elements of the story. I easily identified with the character's torment, strength, and tenderness.
"Double Bound" is an imaginative, sometimes dark, and sensually satisfying read that brings to mind movies like "Matador" and "Law of Desire"-two great films by Pedro Almodovar. I keep thinking that Almodovar - with his fantastic vision and flair for melodrama - would be the ideal filmmaker to take this story to the big screen. Let's hope someone sends him a copy.
Gay fiction, schmay fiction!, 2008-11-11
I'm one of those readers who finds an author, and - if I like him/her - I'll read everything that they write until I'm disappointed. Patterson, Flemming, King, etc., etc. Nothing complicated. I, simply, like to be entertained. A year ago, a dear friend turned me on to this Nick Nolan guy and to his first book - Strings Attached. Although he felt obliged to "warn" me that I would be reading "gay fiction", I bought a copy, opened the box from Amazon, and didn't put the book down again until it was finished. I sat there a while trying to figure out why the book was listed as "gay fiction". OK, OK.......there IS an obvious gay bent to the story line but to pigeon-hole the work as solely "gay", does not do Mr. Nolan justice. The story and characters are incredibly well developed and thoughtful. The story line is a nail-biter in every sense of the cliché.
Nolan's latest is every bit as insightful as Strings Attached. Double Bound is another example of wonderful fiction - straight, gay, black, white, polka-dotted, plaid - whatever! Although one may have a tendency to characterize this as a sequel, I prefer to think of it as a continuing saga as well as trip a couple of layers deeper into the tangle of a very intricate plot-line that is every bit as tense and compelling as that unveiled in book number one.
I understand that work number three is currently in development. One more success and Nolan achieves the literary equivalent of the "hat trick". To readers who are fans of story that is unpredictable, plot twists that are not gratuitous and characters that are believable and still remain interesting - Nolan is your guy! In a nutshell - he is just plain talented. So.......gay, schmay..........Read him. You won't be disappointed!
The second coming, 2008-11-03
The Amos Lassen review accurately presents the story line. I would like to add to his review how impressively the book is crafted. Mr. Nolan's debut novel, "Strings Attached" was beautifully put together and this, his second novel, is markedly more so. After reading both books you become certain that Mr. Nolan will soon be collecting literary awards.
He's managed to make his book breathe of his settings, especially the part in Brazil. His incidental characters are as richly drawn as the main characters. In short, you are intensely connected to the events, people and places, a total immersion if you will. All authors aim for this and Mr. Nolan has succeeded so well the story stays with you and resonates with your own experiences.
I especially appreciated that the love scenes were actual "love" scenes. Mr. Nolan let us inside the hearts and minds of the characters before they occurred. That made the beauty, the passion, and the depth he brought to them credible and soul-satisfying.
"Double Bound" is a remarkable book, fully deserving a place on your bookshelf.
Not Facing the Truth, 2008-10-30
Nolan, Nick. "Double Bound", 2008.
Not Facing the Truth
Amos Lassen
I first came across Nick Nolan by reading his book "Strings Attached" and it tugged at me for a long time. I have been waiting for a new book from him and when "Double Bound" came, I cancelled classes, turned off the phone and sat down for what I expected to be a fascinating read and I was right. "Double Bound" is one of those books that is not easily forgotten. For me, at least, there is something about the new breed of gay authors that pulls me in. I can't quite put my finger on what it is but these young writers represent the changing of the guard and they seem to have a sense of vibrancy about them. Of course the topics that are written about now are different. We no longer lead unhappy lives isolated from the mainstream and our characters are no longer suicidal and/or miserable. With our acceptance into society, we see gay literature disappearing altogether with just literature taking its place. However we must keep in mind that acceptance does not connote uniformity and Nick Nolan shows us that so well.
In "Double Bound" we move to a resort on a Brazilian island that is nearing completion. It is to be a tropical destination with luxurious suites, wonderful casinos and a deep water marina. Above everything else, it will be secure, so secure in fact that it is to be as safe as the Pentagon.
Our main character, Jeremy Tyler is handsome and because of his family's investment in the resort, his aunt, Katherine Tyler sends him and his lover, Carlos Martinez to check on the progress of the undertaking. Accompanying the two men is former Marine and bodyguard, Arthur Blauefee. They are to meet with the owner of the island and report back. It just so happens that what is to be a glamorous trip for Jeremy and Carlos turns out to be not only the opposite but extremely insecure.
When the guys arrive in Brazil, they spend quite a night in Rio. The next day they arrive at the island where they meet Dom Fabiano, the charismatic owner of the place. The building has been going as planned and everything is lush and fabulous. The security seems to be in place and all appears to be going as planned. Carlos feels that he can return to Rio to search for a long-lost cousin and he leaves Jeremy and Arthur in the security of the island. Carlos finds his cousin in the slums of Rio as Jeremy and Arthur frolic on the beaches of the island. Involved in all of this is a cult of blood, insurance fraud, a double-cross which was totally unexpected and the involvement of the United States Department of State. Even Aunt Katherine becomes involved. To say anymore would destroy your reading pleasure so let me just say that you will be biting your nails as you attempt to make sense of what is going on. I do not mean that negatively. Nolan has managed to give us everything in very clear terms and with beautiful prose. His ability to build characters is amazing and the plot moves along swiftly with great suspense.
"Double Bound" deals with truth and greed in ways that I have not read before and the book is enlightening. Other themes handled equally well are the nature of silence as it deals with desire and lives that are unfulfilled. This is the kind of read that will haunt you as aside from being a great story, it deals with problems that many of us face as we deal with life.
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9781439207253
ISBN: 1439207259
Label: BookSurge Publishing
Manufacturer: BookSurge Publishing
Number Of Pages: 340
Publication Date: 2008-10-22
Publisher: BookSurge Publishing
Release Date: 2008-10-22
Studio: BookSurge Publishing |
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