Status
Available
Publication
Camas, Wash. : Cheyenne Publishing, ©2006, 2009.
Description
Royal Navy Series: Book One An officer, a gentleman... and a sodomite. The first two earn him honor and respect, the third may cost him his life. David Archer realizes how hopeless his attraction to his fellow midshipman is from the moment a newly-arrived William Marshall challenges a sexually abusive shipmate to a duel - and shoots him dead. To Marshall, the Navy is his one chance to move beyond his humble beginnings. While others spend shore leave carousing, he curls up with a navigation text. When they and their captain are abducted, Archer and Marshall become pawns in a renegade's sadistic game. To protect the man he loves, David Archer chooses to face his own demons of past abuse returned in a different form. When Marshall learns of Archer's sacrifice, he discovers what he feels for Davy runs stronger and deeper than friendship. He's in love, for the first time in his life, and he wants to know all about this new emotion. But first they must escape. Only then will they find out if they can preserve their love without losing their lives.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Jenson_AKA_DL
This book came highly recommended to me for both the plot and the love story involved. Although I don't usually read gay romances (this would be the first) I have recently found that I do like historical romances and I like to think I have an open mind so I decided to give "Ransom" a try.
I will say
What William Marshall is unaware of is the fact that David Archer has been in love with him for years, ever since William killed in a duel a man who had abused David and other young men under his command. David has no hope that William could ever have reciprocating feelings for him and given the penalty should his affection ever be revealed, David contents himself with being William's friend. However, while they are held for ransom Adrian's threats against William spur David into making a painful sacrifice for the protection of his fellow officers. When William discovers by accident what David is suffering on his behalf he finds that not only does he greatly admire his friend and fellow shipman, but that his feelings are more than friendship.
I had thought, knowing how much detail of this book is given to the historical/nautical theme, that I might get a little bored. This did not happen. The "romance" part of this book does not really get introduced until a little over halfway through but the writing, storyline and excellent characterization more than carries the book in a most satisfying fashion. I never had the feeling I was waiting for something more interesting to happen. The romance wasn't tawdry or sickly sweet and although some of the scenes did get a bit graphic towards the end of the book, which I did feel a little uncomfortable with (but that's just me), overall I have to say I really, really enjoyed this story. I found William and David to be very likable characters and am considering reading the sequel to this book, "Winds of Change".
I will say
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that in comparison with many romances I've read lately this one had a far more detailed storyline than most. Basically this book tells the tale of three British Navel Officers who have just returned from claiming two French vessels as war prizes. While waiting for their ship to be repaired the Captain takes his two top officers Lt. William Marshall and acting Lt. David Archer to a meeting. On route to the meeting the three of them are kidnapped by a nefarious pirate named Adrian with a history of kidnapping and holding people for ransom. This pirate is familiar with the financial holdings of the captain and has concluded that he can get an astronomical price for him and his two officers. While the captain is kept separate from his lieutenants Adrian does his best to drive a wedge of distrust through the three officers.What William Marshall is unaware of is the fact that David Archer has been in love with him for years, ever since William killed in a duel a man who had abused David and other young men under his command. David has no hope that William could ever have reciprocating feelings for him and given the penalty should his affection ever be revealed, David contents himself with being William's friend. However, while they are held for ransom Adrian's threats against William spur David into making a painful sacrifice for the protection of his fellow officers. When William discovers by accident what David is suffering on his behalf he finds that not only does he greatly admire his friend and fellow shipman, but that his feelings are more than friendship.
I had thought, knowing how much detail of this book is given to the historical/nautical theme, that I might get a little bored. This did not happen. The "romance" part of this book does not really get introduced until a little over halfway through but the writing, storyline and excellent characterization more than carries the book in a most satisfying fashion. I never had the feeling I was waiting for something more interesting to happen. The romance wasn't tawdry or sickly sweet and although some of the scenes did get a bit graphic towards the end of the book, which I did feel a little uncomfortable with (but that's just me), overall I have to say I really, really enjoyed this story. I found William and David to be very likable characters and am considering reading the sequel to this book, "Winds of Change".
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LibraryThing member jshillingford
When I saw this was billed as a "romance," I was a little skeptical. Turns out I was right--this was so much more! First and foremost, this is an adventure story about three British Naval Officers kidnapped by pirates and their efforts to escape. Set in 1796, it is written more as historical
One reviewer noted that he expected this to be more explicit and then it hit him on the head. This is true, but don't think you'll be bored waiting for that to happen The story is exciting and well-written. The sex is tasteful and touching. There is also a mystery about the identity of the pirate captain. Our heroes (all three!) examine evidence, and collect clues much like sleuths. All this keeps the reader involved. Buy this!
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fiction. Interspersed throughout the story are "log entries" from the acting commander of their ship while he searches for them. It's obvious Rowan did her research here - the story is chock full of historical deatils and facts that make the setting come to life. Secondary is the developing relationship between the two junior officers, Will and Davy. However, it's not just thrown in. These extraordinary circumstances have brought out their feelings, but what can be the result? What they desire is a hanging offense. And, how will this effect their escape attempts once Will discovers how Davy has been protecting him? These questions propel the plot as well as the romance. One reviewer noted that he expected this to be more explicit and then it hit him on the head. This is true, but don't think you'll be bored waiting for that to happen The story is exciting and well-written. The sex is tasteful and touching. There is also a mystery about the identity of the pirate captain. Our heroes (all three!) examine evidence, and collect clues much like sleuths. All this keeps the reader involved. Buy this!
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LibraryThing member Alexthelesser
Historical M/MDavy Archer is a midshipman on the HMS Calypso, an up and coming young officer who hides a secret that could get him hanged. He is in love with Lieutenant William Marshall. The two have even become friends, but Davy dare not risk Will's ever knowing it is more than that. But when the
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two officers, with their Captain, are kidnapped by pirates, the torment they both suffer, their imprisonment and patient plans for escape bring them so inextricably together that neither can deny the love between them. Keeping what they've found, however, may be almost more difficult than escaping and taking over the pirate ship.One of the joys of this book is that it's really hard to summarize the plot in a few lines. There is so much to enjoy. The plot on its own is a real page turner, and I adored the way that Davy grew over the course of the book from being something of a born victim to a character who was strong and sure of himself. I loved the historical background. The Navy is a glamorous thing in itself, and here you could almost smell the tar and sailcloth and gunpowder, and feel that you were in the presence of men like Nelson. (As an aside, I think I've fallen in love with Captain Smith!) Will and Davy are both in their own ways so admirable and likable, and their plans so ingenious that I was cheering them on all the way. And the build up of both friendship and sexual tension between them was so well done that the sex when it came was infinitely sweeter because you had to wait for it.Even if you don't have any interest in the Age of Sail, you can read this as a wonderful adventure and love story, but if you do, then this is a must read. (I have this one in paperback myself for frequent re-reads.) Show Less
LibraryThing member Zehavit_Lamasu
RANSOM by Lee Rowan promised to be everything I ever dreamed of. Sail boats and pirates and men in naval uniform who fall in love and have to keep their affair secret. It had the potential for much angst and guilt with promises of secret past and tormented souls.
For some reason I felt it fell short
True the situation merritted all of that - our heroes : A tomented officer with a past of sexual abuse (gasp! In a gay historical romance - WHY I NEVER!) and his dashing comander whome he is secretly in love with are kidnapped by pirates and have to make their escape. Tormented officer is chosen by pirate captain as a bed catamite and dashing comander finds he is equally in love. Lust blossoms in the brig as they slowly plot their escape.
And that is the problem. SLOWLY is the leading word here. There is only so much you can achieve in terms of adventure when you restrict your story environment to a sloop. I am not a maritime expert myself beyond the "PHUWAR! TOP SAILS *HUMPS MAIN MAST*" reaction (I blame the Onedin Line and my dad obssesion of building models of tall ships) but even I know that boats by nature - GO SOMWHERE. Most of the story was happening in a cell or in the Pirate captain quaters with occasional excursions to another cell and up on deck for some flogging...which was the highlight of the book for me because it led to some healing and comforting and smex by virtue of its angst inducing qualities.
I also didn't like the villain. You might think that it is normal not to like the bad guy but it isn't for me. I like my villains entertaining. Either total vicious bastards that compel you by facinating you with the inventiveness of their cruelty or rogues who are insane but somehow likable through their chaotic lack of control. They need to scare me. I wasn't scared. I thought the Pirate was a vein little peackock who talked too much and never allowed us to see just HOW he molested his prey. It was all glossed over and left me feeling that the writer didn't really like the character either which made him unconvincing.
His crew wasn't much better. By the time the escape and rescue happened I was wondering if they can buckle their shoes on their own because some of the lame stories that our heros fed them wouldn't convince a seven year old...it was all rushed and botched.
In contrast the two main characters are TOO good. They seem to have no flow apart from over sensitivity and lack of confidence.
It isn't a BAD book - it simply could have been more. I wasn't left with a feeling of satisfaction by the end of it but I know some people loved it because they recomended it too me. I just wasn't gripped. it may have been well researched but I would have prefered a few historical flaws and more escapism and drama.
For some reason I felt it fell short
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for me. It had all these things but it just failed to move me. I guess it wasn't escapist enough. When you talk to me about pirates whether they be the good guys or the villains - I want some swashbuckling, some furious adventures and a good dose of gratuitus and un-eddited violence to go with my grog. I didn't feel like I got it.True the situation merritted all of that - our heroes : A tomented officer with a past of sexual abuse (gasp! In a gay historical romance - WHY I NEVER!) and his dashing comander whome he is secretly in love with are kidnapped by pirates and have to make their escape. Tormented officer is chosen by pirate captain as a bed catamite and dashing comander finds he is equally in love. Lust blossoms in the brig as they slowly plot their escape.
And that is the problem. SLOWLY is the leading word here. There is only so much you can achieve in terms of adventure when you restrict your story environment to a sloop. I am not a maritime expert myself beyond the "PHUWAR! TOP SAILS *HUMPS MAIN MAST*" reaction (I blame the Onedin Line and my dad obssesion of building models of tall ships) but even I know that boats by nature - GO SOMWHERE. Most of the story was happening in a cell or in the Pirate captain quaters with occasional excursions to another cell and up on deck for some flogging...which was the highlight of the book for me because it led to some healing and comforting and smex by virtue of its angst inducing qualities.
I also didn't like the villain. You might think that it is normal not to like the bad guy but it isn't for me. I like my villains entertaining. Either total vicious bastards that compel you by facinating you with the inventiveness of their cruelty or rogues who are insane but somehow likable through their chaotic lack of control. They need to scare me. I wasn't scared. I thought the Pirate was a vein little peackock who talked too much and never allowed us to see just HOW he molested his prey. It was all glossed over and left me feeling that the writer didn't really like the character either which made him unconvincing.
His crew wasn't much better. By the time the escape and rescue happened I was wondering if they can buckle their shoes on their own because some of the lame stories that our heros fed them wouldn't convince a seven year old...it was all rushed and botched.
In contrast the two main characters are TOO good. They seem to have no flow apart from over sensitivity and lack of confidence.
It isn't a BAD book - it simply could have been more. I wasn't left with a feeling of satisfaction by the end of it but I know some people loved it because they recomended it too me. I just wasn't gripped. it may have been well researched but I would have prefered a few historical flaws and more escapism and drama.
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LibraryThing member narwhaltortellini
I bumped this book up on my reading list when I found out that one of the few (sane) people who didn't love A Strong And Sudden Thaw really liked this book. Though less aimed at my particular interests, it is better than Thaw, but I guess I'm not as impressed. Sadly T_T
I can't believe I'm saying
Really, that's the feel of most of the book. Competently written, nothing too interesting. Nothing too bad. But of course, 'nothing too bad,' can be a real compliment in this genre, sometimes. The characters weren't completely void of personality, but they were pretty bland. The supporting characters are very weak, but the main characters are the focus anyway. Unfortunately, while they had more personality than the others, they didn't really have any particularly interesting traits or quirks. Through the beginning, I had a terrible time keeping who was talking straight, continually having to remind myself which name went with which character, as their actions and dialogue didn't much hint at the answer. When the lower self-esteem of one of them becomes more apparent, I was finally able to keep them straight, but it was a token difference. They're just both terribly good, slightly snarky, talented people. The only time there's much sexual tension is a few paragraphs before any of teh pr0n starts.
Almost all of the book is spent with the characters locked in a cell together. None of the small revelations about their situation or their captors make it much more interesting. They sit around, and plot escape, every once in a while coming across something that might help. You'd think that'd mean it's more about a psychological battle then, and it is more of that than anything else, but it's nothing spectacular on that area, either.
All the same, there's nothing really eye-roll inducing. I imagine the easier-to-please types (and I mean that in a positive way ^^ ...this time ^_^) would be quite happy with this book. At first I was even thinking about keeping it on my shelf, but I think I'll release it... Will probably be better appreciated somewhere else.
Though it did certainly surprise me with a smile every once in a while:
"We're giving you a razor, but you 'ave to put it back out before we opens the door."
"They're afraid we'll leap out and shave them, " Marshall said.
****
By that point they were playing chess on a board they'd drawn with a bit of chalk Archer had found in his pocket. Pawns, single stalks, were no trouble, but the other chessmen tended to fall to pieces. This element of unpredictability made the game more interesting.
****
"There. I'm sneering. Think it's repulsive enough?"
"Davy, it's pitch-black in here."
"Well, I can't sneer any louder."
I can't believe I'm saying
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this, but the pr0n scenes were actually the best part of this book. Not that they were terribly interesting or creative, but they were competently written, and that's more than you can say for a lot of pr0n scenes, methinks.Really, that's the feel of most of the book. Competently written, nothing too interesting. Nothing too bad. But of course, 'nothing too bad,' can be a real compliment in this genre, sometimes. The characters weren't completely void of personality, but they were pretty bland. The supporting characters are very weak, but the main characters are the focus anyway. Unfortunately, while they had more personality than the others, they didn't really have any particularly interesting traits or quirks. Through the beginning, I had a terrible time keeping who was talking straight, continually having to remind myself which name went with which character, as their actions and dialogue didn't much hint at the answer. When the lower self-esteem of one of them becomes more apparent, I was finally able to keep them straight, but it was a token difference. They're just both terribly good, slightly snarky, talented people. The only time there's much sexual tension is a few paragraphs before any of teh pr0n starts.
Almost all of the book is spent with the characters locked in a cell together. None of the small revelations about their situation or their captors make it much more interesting. They sit around, and plot escape, every once in a while coming across something that might help. You'd think that'd mean it's more about a psychological battle then, and it is more of that than anything else, but it's nothing spectacular on that area, either.
All the same, there's nothing really eye-roll inducing. I imagine the easier-to-please types (and I mean that in a positive way ^^ ...this time ^_^) would be quite happy with this book. At first I was even thinking about keeping it on my shelf, but I think I'll release it... Will probably be better appreciated somewhere else.
Though it did certainly surprise me with a smile every once in a while:
"We're giving you a razor, but you 'ave to put it back out before we opens the door."
"They're afraid we'll leap out and shave them, " Marshall said.
****
By that point they were playing chess on a board they'd drawn with a bit of chalk Archer had found in his pocket. Pawns, single stalks, were no trouble, but the other chessmen tended to fall to pieces. This element of unpredictability made the game more interesting.
****
"There. I'm sneering. Think it's repulsive enough?"
"Davy, it's pitch-black in here."
"Well, I can't sneer any louder."
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LibraryThing member silversurfer
Loved this first novel in the series. The main two characters are Navy men aboard a ship that pulls into port for repairs. They have been friends for a long time, neither knowing how they really feel about each other. A kidnapping by Pirates ensues, which propels the plot into acts of survival for
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these two men. Rich in detail, this historical gay romance held my interest until the end. Show Less
LibraryThing member mitabird
Ransom was really good, but I found some of the parts regarding the planning of their escape and the ship terminologies boring. However, I absolutely loved the relationship between Will and Davy. Davy has been in love with Will for a few years now, but didn't want to do anything to ruin their
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friendship. When they are captured, along with their Captain, for ransom, things start to get a little dicey. The kidnapper was a very sadistic man who threatened to geld Will to get Davy to voluntarily sleep with him. Because this book is set in the 1700's, Davy had to keep quiet about what was happening to him. If it came out, he could be kicked out of the Navy or worse, hung for sodomy. During a nightmare Davy was having, he and Will become intimate. This intimacy actually helps Davy endure the kidnapper's attentions and opens the door to one of the sweetest romances I have read in a long time. There was passion, love and tenderness between them and it was a refreshing change to the usual conflicts that potential couples face. This is a story that I definitely recommend. Show Less
Awards
Eppie Awards (Winner — 2007)
Language
Original publication date
1st Edition (Print and eBook) published by Linden Bay Romance, LLC, 2006 2nd Edition (Print) published by Cheyenne Publishing, 2009 2nd Edition (eBook) published by Bristlecone Pine Press, 2009
Physical description
302 p.; 8.5 inches
ISBN
097977733X / 9780979777332
Local notes
OCLC = 6