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On Wings, Rising (2008)

by Ann Somerville(Favorite Author)

3.44 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

1605042056 (ISBN13: 9781605042053)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Samhain Publishing

series

Encounters

review 1: Dinun is an outsider in his village. Even though he is gay, he still contributed to is village, fathering some kids. The mother of his children did not want to have a husband, but wanted children. They have a good relationship(friendship). Dinun goes out to gather items that he could use or trade to help support his family. He lives on a planet that Angels live. They are a beautiful race. They are covered with soft white feathers, with a 'regular' human face. They have sharp teeth and live in tiny clusters. They believe in Polyamory. Though, some Angels do believe that there is one 'special' person above the others. They live in the wild but are interested in the 'humans'. Many of the humans have some Angel DNA in their genes. Many generations ago, the human po... moreluation was dwindling down and they learned to incorporate Angel DNA to help save there race. Though, experimenting or using Angel DNA is now outlawed in present day.While Dinun is out on one of his gatherings, he meets Moon. Moon is a Angel and is badly injuried. It is the first time Dinun has met a real Angel, but is attracted to him right off the bat. Moon heals very fast and is anxious. Angels communicate telepathically and is able to speak with Dinun using this method. Dinun learns that Moon's child was taken from him and is desperate to find him. In Angel culture, when a baby is born, the males take their babies and live in seclusion from the females. They find out that there are humans who are kidnapping the babies and with the help of others, go to rescue them. While reading this book, you learn about the human and Angel cultures, how in some ways there are similar but in other ways they are not.Moon and Dinun have many obstacles as they fall in love. They have to race against time if they want to save their babies in time.
review 2: One of the things I’ve come to expect in reading Ann Somerville’s works is that as an author she never goes for the obvious, for the stereotypes of character and plot that plague any genre, not just the m/m romance genre. I am happy to say that Somerville once again takes us on an enjoyable journey down the road less often taken with the charming, touching and completely entertaining On Wings, Rising.On the world of Quarn, we are introduced to Dinun, an everyman who is, perhaps, a little less ordinary than he actually believes. Somewhat of an outsider in his village because of his choice of lifestyle, Dinun is content with his life as a fossicker, his relationship with his “wife” and his playful relationship with his “little tax reliefs,” the children he and his wife have had to avoid the crushing taxes placed upon the unmarried. The marriage is one of convenience for both parties, one that is very business like, and while Dinun would prefer sex and a relationship with a another man, he never broods about it, accepting his life as it is and supplementing with the occasional secret encounter with other men in the village, men who are open to using him but give little back in return. In short, Dinun is an even tempered man who is not dissatisfied with his life, but knows that there is something—that special connection—missing.As the story starts, Dinun is off on his seasonal fossicking sojourn with his trusty beast of burden, Almi. Having drawn one of the less desirable routes in the town’s lottery, Dinun decides to venture off the main road, taking a path that may contain more finds, as the road most often traveled has been pretty well picked over through the years. His instincts are good and though his early finds won’t cover all his expenses, it’s a good start. Dinun pitches camp and then, with the nosy nature of Almi lending a hand, discovers something astonishing. An almost mythical creature, an Angel, lying wounded in the underbrush.These Angels aren’t your average mythological beings. These Angels have sharp teeth, dark skin, luxurious fur and communicate only by a form of telepathy. Dinun tends to the angel’s wounds, learns that his name is Moon, and that his child (and the children of other angels) have been stolen in a brutal attack by off-worlders for some unknown reason. Dinun vows to help Moon find his child, and as the angel recovers, the two come to know and trust one another. Dinun learns of the unique society and laws of Moon’s race and, quite innocently, he also discovers their sexual playfulness. Slowly a bond develops and once Moon fully recovers, Dinun is introduced to the angel population and helps to develop and lead a plan to rescue the stolen children.There is a lot of dimension that Somerville has woven into this novella, most of it extremely subtle, but the result is a very dimensional world and characters. With an angel, it could have an easy trap to fall into to make Moon this almost ethereal creature, one of goodness and light. Instead, Somerville gives us a very flesh and blood character, full of anger and sadness and dreams. And for a moment, Somerville even makes us dislike him. Given that the genre dictates certain things, we know generally how this moment will resolve itself, but still, Somerville gives us such great empathy with Dinun that we can’t help but stamp our feet a little and go “How can Moon do that!”Likewise, Dinun is extremely well-drawn. Yes, his village does look down upon him somewhat for his orientation and the relationship with his wife does seem unfulfilling, but Dinun accepts his life. He never turns his desire for something more into angst over his situation. His wants and needs live in him, but never do they consume him.Also, I have to say, Somerville does several very nice things in building Dinun’s village and his relationship with the other villagers. She does not make his orientation the sole possible reason for the other villager’s skewed perspective of him. Somerville early on alludes that this world is far more tolerant of “alternative lifestyles” than our world is; it just so happens that Dinun is the only “gay” man in the village and he had the nerve to take on profession that is, essentially, an oversaturated market.“…some of them kind of thought I was muscling in on their territory.”The result is that, while we may not have the warm and fuzzies about the villagers and their disdain for Dinun, neither do we hate them. They aren’t reduced to cardboard villains or villagers running with torches to drive the gays out of their town. Like anyone, their dislike of Dinun is likely colored by multiple things, sexuality being only one of the possible influences. So, the homophobia in his village is a fact but it is not overwhelming. Wisely, this is something that Dinun keeps in mind. He’s not naïve about his situation, but neither is he willing to lump everyone together into one hate-boat. He keeps his perspective. Frankly it’s refreshing that the homophobia present is never allowed to become oppressive or the focus of the piece.Another aspect of the village that I enjoyed is the sense of community Somerville builds in. Despite the villager’s disdain—whatever its origin—toward Dinun, they come to his aid when help is needed in the battle for the angels’ children. Though we really spend very little time in this novella in Dinun’s village, we get a very clear picture of it being a community in the truest sense of the word, one where people look out for one another despite of—and perhaps even because of—their differences.Now, when the villagers do come to Dinun’s aid, Somerville gives us some nice conflict in the character Jenke, a man who has absolutely no great fondness for Dinun. We’re given hints of its origin—hubris on Jenke’s part, a perceived power-struggle between the two, an Alpha-male sensibility in Jenke’s personality. There are a number of possibilities and Somerville takes a turn that keeps the character from becoming a mere plot-device and turns him into a real human being. Somerville gives similar depth to other minor characters, from the other angel’s in Moon’s community to Dinun’s wife. Never can you pin down their motivations to just one thing. There’s always a multitude of influences on their character and desires. That is very, very nicely done.But the crux of this story is the relationship between Dinun and Moon. It really is wonderfully romantic without once dipping into syrupy sweetness or cliché. It’s an honest-to-god get-to-know-one-another out of which the sex develops naturally. Both characters are intrigued by the differences they find in the other. People can have to different reactions to “different” people. Fear or fascination. Somerville gives both Dinun and Moon a fascination with their differences without ever slipping into a clichéd “celebration of diversity” or exoticism of another race. They are different, but so very much the same, but it is done very subtly. And since both are interested in each other—and treat each other—as more than exotic specimens, each character learns something from the other, something applicable to their own lives. As for the sex…well, Somerville has always surprised me how very erotic she can make sex with furred creatures (see my review of I Was an Alien Cat Toy on Uniquely Pleasurable), and this is no exception. The sex is very erotic and playful; yet it remains appropriately restrained. It doesn’t over power the novel or the relationship of the characters. It just the right amount and very arousing.In the end, what we as readers get for our money is a really enjoyable, futuristic adventure, some pretty hot sex, a wonderfully romantic yet realistic tone, and characters which begin the novella one way and actually grow throughout the story, learning something about themselves. First and foremost, it’s an extremely well-written, stylish adventure, but underneath it all is a story about family, honor, community, growth and love, for others and for oneself. less

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