Published: Aug. 11, 2011
Words: 106,840 (approximate)
Language: English
ISBN: 9781466125513

Short description

Dylan wanted one last adventure before the burden of adulthood was thrust upon him. And to confront the man he hadn’t spoken to since their intimate night together. Stealing a boat with his faithful companion Kio, they begin their journey. Along the way, everything Dylan thought he knew about himself will be challenged, but if he survives, he stands to win the love he never dreamed possible.

Extended description

To set out into the world, to be surrounded by the unknown and become a stranger. Only then would he be free to reinvent himself. Or fall in love.

Dylan wanted one last adventure before the burden of adulthood was thrust upon him. And to confront the man he hadn’t spoken to since their intimate night together. Stealing a boat with his faithful companion Kio, their journey is cut short when they witness a brutal murder. A killer is loose in the Five Lands and attacking the most powerful families. Dylan—a potential target—seeks sanctuary from an unpredictable bodyguard named Tyjinn. Together they decide to turn the tables by hunting the killer down. Along the way, everything Dylan thought he knew about himself will be challenged, but if he survives, he stands to win the love he never dreamed possible.

The Cat in the Cradle is the first book in the Loka Legends series and features twenty-five original illustrations created by Andreas Bell, the author’s husband. (Read more) To set out into the world, to be surrounded by the unknown and become a stranger. Only then would he be free to reinvent himself. Or fall in love.

Dylan wanted one last adventure before the burden of adulthood was thrust upon him. And to confront the man he hadn’t spoken to since their intimate night together. Stealing a boat with his faithful companion Kio, their journey is cut short when they witness a brutal murder. A killer is loose in the Five Lands and attacking the most powerful families. Dylan—a potential target—seeks sanctuary from an unpredictable bodyguard named Tyjinn. Together they decide to turn the tables by hunting the killer down. Along the way, everything Dylan thought he knew about himself will be challenged, but if he survives, he stands to win the love he never dreamed possible.

The Cat in the Cradle is the first book in the Loka Legends series and features twenty-five original illustrations created by Andreas Bell, the author’s husband.

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5+ stars from BookWenches: "Mr. Bell's story combines youthful exuberance with mature humor, a fantastic adventure with political rhetoric, and an almost whimsical landscape with darkness and fear. I found this book to be fascinating and unusual and unexpectedly delightful, and I enjoyed every word of it."

From 3 AM and Reviews by Jesse Wave: "The Cat in the Cradle is an utterly delightful, whimsical fantasy filled with a creative imaginative plot, great characters, solid writing, and eye catching art work."

From Beyond Understanding says: "Many, many kudos to Jay Bell for writing such a riveting novel. I haven't read a book from cover to cover in one sitting for quite a while; The Cat in the Cradle, though, caused me to forget everything and just escape into a fantastical world full of magic and romance."
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Tags

romance, coming of age, lgbt, homosexual, fantasy, fantasy romance, gay romance, gay fantasy, mm romance, coming out, homosexual love, queer fiction, homosexual characters, gay art

Available ebook reading formats

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Epub (Apple iPad/iBooks, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, and most e-reading apps including Stanza, Aldiko, Adobe Digital Editions, others)	Buy	Download sample
PDF (good for reading on PC, or for home printing)	Buy	No sample available
LRF (Use only for older model Sony Readers that don't support .epub)	Buy	Download sample
Palm Doc (PDB) (for Palm reading devices)	Buy	Download sample

Reviews

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Review by: Kait on Nov. 14, 2011 :
Great YA book. The style reminds me of one a writer I liked as a kid: Pierce Anthony.
It's nice to have a story with gay characters with an intersting plot and this book fits the bill. If you like engaging characters, adventure and a trip back to your childhood, you should definitly read this book!
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Lena Grey on Sep. 07, 2011 :
Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my! a Chimera, a werewolf, and a Pegasus too. These were but a few a few of the creatures encountered by Dylan, the main character of 'The Cat in the Cradle' by Jay Bell on his fantastical quest to restore order to his world.

Jay Bell did a good job of presenting Dylan's progress from a spoiled older boy to that of a competent young man. With each achievement Dylan grew in stature, gradually became more responsible and decisive. An important development in Dylan's quest for autonomy was his decision to come out to the world and proclaim his love for Tyginn which laid the ground work for him to operate in complete honesty.

The plot was consistent, but at times it was difficult to maintain an even reading pace. Some sections were naturally slower because of all the important background information explaining the fantasy world; without it, the story would have made little sense. Like Dylan's journey toward manhood, the beginning of the story was a little stiff; but when things became exciting, it loosened up and began to fly by with me practically running to keep up with the action.

The imaginings in the story were inventive and unique—the five lands themselves, the animals, the gods, the religious beliefs were all very creative and consistent. Jay Bell pleasantly surprised me with some of his twists and turns in the tale. One concept I especially appreciated was Jay Bell's excellent use of colors to convey mood, emotion, temperament, and pace. It was quite effective, particularly in distinguishing between the 10 oligarchs. Using a specific color to denote each of their realms was brilliant. Considering the detailed information involved, I would never have been able to keep it straight without these associations.

The concept of a large, talking cat, particularly one with Kio's wit, delighted me. His perspective added to the story in a humorous and important way. He could say and do what humans dared not.

'The Cat in the Cradle' was an enjoyable fantasy adventure with unique characters whose personality quirks added both levity and intensity. Along with all of the magic, intrigue, suspense, and romance was an important moral lesson; as William Shakespeare wrote, 'Above all: To thine own self be true'. This is an excellent message not only for the YA readers for whom this story was written, but for us all.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

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