Dusk Peterson

Biography

Dusk Peterson writes historical speculative fiction: Arthurian-inspired mythic historical fantasy, gaslamp alternate history, and retrofuture science fiction. Amidst dangerous events, love often occurs in the stories: family affection, friendship, platonic life-companionships, and romance (f/m and m/m). Visit duskpeterson.com for serials, series resources, e-book previews, and notices of new releases.

Where to find Dusk Peterson online

Series

Chronicles of the Great Peninsula
Chronicles of the Great Peninsula presents an epic tale of gods, adventure, friendship, romance, and betrayal. ¶ Koretia, Emor, and Daxis were all founded on the same day, but as the centuries have passed, the Three Lands of the Great Peninsula have become increasingly divided by religion, government, and culture. If a god were to appear in the Three Lands, would his appearance bring an end to the fighting between nations? Or would he merely help to spark an inferno of war? ¶ While tensions mount, friendship and romance bloom. ¶ A cycle of historical speculative fiction series about a battle between cultures, Chronicles of the Great Peninsula is set at a time when a centuries-old civilization is in danger of being destroyed. The cycle is inspired by conflicts between cultures during late antiquity.
Turn-of-the-Century Toughs
Honored seven times in the Rainbow Awards for LGBTA literature, Turn-of-the-Century Toughs presents an epic tale of adventure, friendship, romance, and class struggles. ¶ Turn-of-the-Century Toughs is a cycle of historical speculative fiction series about disreputable men on the margins of society, and the men and women who love them. Set in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as well as in a future that never existed, the novels and stories take place in an alternative version of America that was settled by inhabitants of the Old World in ancient times. ¶ Now the Midcoast nations of this world have reached a turning point: the old order is about to be overthrown. Brought together in friendship and romance by the danger of rising events, the people of the Midcoast nations must learn to adjust to a new world.

Books

Law Links: Novel and Side Stories (The Three Lands)
Series: Chronicles of the Great Peninsula, 1. Price: $9.99 USD. Words: 183,350. Language: English. Published: March 1, 2024 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Epic, Fiction » Fantasy » Historical
Few events are more thrilling in a young man's life than a blood feud between two villages. Or so Adrian thought. Torn between affection toward his father and worship of his peace-loving priest, Adrian finds himself caught between two incompatible visions of his duty to the gods. Then the Jackal God sends Adrian a message that will disrupt his world and send him fleeing to a new and perilous life.
God of Vengeance (The Three Lands)
Series: Chronicles of the Great Peninsula, 0.5. Price: Free! Words: 31,230. Language: English. Published: May 30, 2023 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Epic, Fiction » Fantasy » Historical
He has pledged himself to the god of death. He doesn't realize what that means. . . . When a feud turns deadly, Adrian must choose between the ideals of his tutor and the orders of his father. The choice seems simple at first. But Adrian does not yet realize that the god to whom Adrian has pledged his service has his own plans.
The Awakening (Dungeon Guards, Volume 1)
Series: Turn-of-the-Century Toughs, 6.0. Price: $7.99 USD. Words: 98,120. Language: English. Published: August 31, 2021 . Categories: Fiction » Romance » LGBTQ+ » Gay, Fiction » Alternative history
Barrett Boyd has awakened from death to a new and baffling life. He knows that he is a guard in the queendom's royal prison, the Eternal Dungeon. But why do the prisoners matters so much to him? Who are these other guards who appear to have claims over him? And how will he survive while he finds his new place in this world? . . . From the award-winning series cycle Turn-of-the-Century Toughs.
Hell's Messenger (Life Prison, Volume 2)
Series: Turn-of-the-Century Toughs, 8. Price: $7.99 USD. Words: 121,820. Language: English. Published: August 24, 2019 . Categories: Fiction » LGBTQ+ » Gay, Fiction » Fantasy » Historical
It had seemed for a while that the plan would work: a bold conspiracy by a group of idealistic prisoners and sympathetic guards to stop abuse at Mercy Prison. Then betrayal occurs, and Tyrrell finds himself in a new life prison, with new rules to be learned. No longer is he in a position of leadership; now he is surrounded by men who question his most fundamental values.
Breached Boundaries (The Three Lands)
Series: Chronicles of the Great Peninsula, 4. Price: $7.99 USD. Words: 249,700. Language: English. Published: August 17, 2019 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Historical, Fiction » Romance » Fantasy
The boundaries of rank declare that Serva can be a princess or she can be a slave. But for the bastard daughter of the King of Daxis, life is not that simple. When a simmering war bubbles to the surface, Serva must choose where her loyalties lie. She must also solve the mystery of an imprisoned spy's past, and of her own future.
Death Mask (The Three Lands)
Series: Chronicles of the Great Peninsula, 2. Price: $7.99 USD. Words: 151,390. Language: English. Published: June 15, 2019 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Historical, Fiction » Fantasy » Epic
For eighteen years, he has survived in an army unit where few soldiers live more than two or three years. Now he finds himself in circumstances where his life is a living hell. Soldiers, spies, slaves, rebels, assassins, gods, and men who set out to break him . . . Will the soldier who defied death find that life is too great a challenge?
Blood Vow (The Three Lands)
Series: Chronicles of the Great Peninsula, 3. Price: $7.99 USD. Words: 126,270. Language: English. Published: October 31, 2017 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Historical, Fiction » Fantasy » Epic
He has taken a blood vow to the Jackal God to bring freedom to his land by killing Koretia's greatest enemy. But what will he do when the enemy becomes his friend?
Sweet Blood (The Eternal Dungeon, Volume 5)
Series: Turn-of-the-Century Toughs, 5.0. Price: $7.99 USD. Words: 186,320. Language: English. Published: August 31, 2017 . Categories: Fiction » LGBTQ+ » Gay, Fiction » Alternative history
The Eternal Dungeon has been split by a civil war, with the division marked by a quarrel between two Seekers (torturers) whose faithfulness to each other has already become legendary. Into this explosive situation arrives a new Seeker, one who is determined to see that past evils do not continue in the dungeon. But can he keep control of himself when assigned a prisoner who falls in love with him?
On Guard (The Eternal Dungeon, Volume 4)
Series: Turn-of-the-Century Toughs, 4.0. Price: $7.99 USD. Words: 94,210. Language: English. Published: May 9, 2016 . Categories: Fiction » LGBTQ+ » Gay, Fiction » Mystery & detective » Historical
The ties forged between the noble-minded Eternal Dungeon and an abusive foreign dungeon have set off an unpredictable chain of horrific events. Caught in the middle of the struggle are Barrett Boyd and Seward Sobel, loyal guards who will find themselves questioning their most fundamental beliefs about the royal prison's ideals.
The Balance (The Eternal Dungeon, Volume 3)
Series: Turn-of-the-Century Toughs, 3.0. Price: $7.99 USD. Words: 98,680. Language: English. Published: April 11, 2016 . Categories: Fiction » LGBTQ+ » Gay, Fiction » Romance » Action/adventure
The Seekers of the Eternal Dungeon have always expressed contempt toward the Hidden Dungeon in the neighboring kingdom of Vovim, whose torturers abuse prisoners without restraint. But the balance between mercy and hell is not so clear as might be thought, and now that balance is about to tip. Only the strength of love will determine the paths of two Seekers whose fortunes are bound together.
Transformation (The Eternal Dungeon, Volume 2)
Series: Turn-of-the-Century Toughs, 2.0. Price: $7.99 USD. Words: 121,970. Language: English. Published: March 28, 2016 . Categories: Fiction » LGBTQ+ » Gay, Fiction » Romance » Action/adventure
The Eternal Dungeon, a royal prison where criminals are transformed, has lost its leadership. The duty of returning the dungeon to normal falls on two Seekers (torturers). One Seeker is struggling to understand why an old love affair continues to gnaw at him. The other Seeker is faced with his greatest challenge: whether to risk the man who is most precious to him in order to save his own abuser.
Rebirth (The Eternal Dungeon, Volume 1)
Series: Turn-of-the-Century Toughs, 1.0. Price: $7.99 USD. Words: 140,210. Language: English. Published: February 22, 2016 . Categories: Fiction » LGBTQ+ » Gay, Fiction » Romance » Action/adventure
Elsdon Taylor, a prisoner accused of committing a terrible murder. Layle Smith, a torturer with a terrible past. Their meeting appears certain to bring out the worst in both men. Yet neither man is quite what he appears. As the prisoner and his torturer begin to be drawn toward each other, the ripple effects of their meeting will have a powerful impact on other inhabitants of the Eternal Dungeon.
Mercy's Prisoner (Life Prison, Volume 1)
Series: Turn-of-the-Century Toughs, 7. Price: $7.99 USD. Words: 94,480. Language: English. Published: August 27, 2014 . Categories: Fiction » LGBTQ+ » Gay, Fiction » Fantasy » Historical
A cold-hearted murderer. A vicious abuser. A young man hiding a shameful secret. A bewildered immigrant. A pure-minded spy. All of these men have found their appointed places at Mercy Prison, where it is easy to tell who your enemies are. But a new visitor to Mercy is about to challenge decades-old customs. Now these men's worst enemies may be hiding behind masks...and so may their closest allies.
Whipster (Michael's House)
Series: Turn-of-the-Century Toughs, 9. Price: $7.99 USD. Words: 87,400. Language: English. Published: June 2, 2012 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Historical, Fiction » LGBTQ+ » Gay
Michael is an ex-prostitute, which means that nobody in polite society wants anything to do with him. He believes the only way to help other male prostitutes is to make their working conditions bearable. His friend Janus is an upper-class gentleman who believes his duty to the gods requires him to fight against sexual immorality. Now Michael wants Janus to help him run a house of prostitution.
The Breaking (The Eternal Dungeon)
Series: Turn-of-the-Century Toughs, 0.5. Price: Free! Words: 45,850. Language: English. Published: August 14, 2010 . Categories: Fiction » LGBTQ+ » Gay, Fiction » Romance » Suspense
(4.00 from 2 reviews)
The prisoner knew that the Eternal Dungeon was a place where suspected criminals were broken by torture, and he was prepared to hold out against any methods used against him – except the method he could not anticipate. . . . A winner of the Rainbow Awards for LGBTA literature, this suspenseful novella is the introductory story for the alternate history series The Eternal Dungeon.

Dusk Peterson's tag cloud

alternate history    ancient fantasy    asexual    asexual fiction    asexual romance    asexuality    bisexual protagonist    blood brothers    blood feuds    classical fantasy    coming of age fantasy    disabled queer    edwardian era    emperors    epic fantasy    fantasy omnibus    fantasy romance    friendship    friendship fiction    gaslamp    gay adventure    gay adventure fiction    gay alternate history    gay amnesia    gay crime fiction    gay crime romance    gay crime stories    gay dungeon    gay fantasy    gay fiction    gay historical    gay historical fantasy    gay historical fiction    gay jail    gay love    gay mysteries    gay mystery    gay police    gay police procedurals    gay prison    gay prison romance    gay prisoners    gay romance    gay sci fi    gay science fiction    gay scifi    gay suspense    gay victorians    goddesses    gods    high historical fantasy    historical fantasy    historical high fantasy    lgbt historical fiction    lgbt sci fi    lgbt science fiction    malemale    medieval fantasy    mm crime fiction    mm fiction    mm romance    mythic    mythic fantasy    mythopoeia    myths    new adult fantasy    prison gay    prisoners    progressive era    prostitutes    prostitution    queer historical fiction    queer sci fi    queer scifi    roman empire    roman fantasy    roman legion fantasy    roman slaves    romantic fantasy    romantic friendship    slave fiction    slaves    slaves fiction    spies    spy fantasy    spy fiction   

Dusk Peterson's favorite authors on Smashwords

Cordelia Kingsbridge
Latest book: A Chip and a Chair.
Published March 11, 2019.
Dani Alexander
Latest book: Shattered Glass.
Published January 31, 2012. (4.71 from 7 reviews)

Smashwords book reviews by Dusk Peterson

  • Smashwords Style Guide on Aug. 05, 2011

    I appreciate that the style guide provides so much useful information, and that it is refined periodically. It has gotten a lot better in the two years since I first read it. However, I agree with what L. Frank Turovich says: "I think the guide would be much improved if the steps were more layered in organization. I know I don't want to wade through page after page looking for that one specific step I need to remember, then read through several long paragraphs for the exact info I need." His suggestions for how to layer each step are terrific.
  • Shattered Glass on Feb. 22, 2016
    (no rating)
    I originally picked up this novel at Scribd one bedtime because (1) I'd seen the cover occasionally at Amazon and (2) the author has the domain name slashfiction.org, which I figured was a good sign. Upon opening the novel, I discovered that the first scene consists of a guy in a restaurant getting distracted from his phone call because the busboy is wearing bunny slippers. "Oh, good," I said to myself. "Best sleeping aid ever." I was only a little off. What I should have said was, "Wittiest novel ever." I haven't laughed so much since I read "Three Men in a Boat" as a teen. The novel is also angsty as heck. Dark humor is my favorite sweet-and-sour dish. The mystery in the novel was a bit hard to follow, but I hardly noticed, because I was too sucked in by the colorful characters. They include a millionaire cop, a male prostitute with a mysterious past, a high-powered attorney, another high-powered attorney who is a spurned fiancee (bad combo), a Russian mobster mother, an Albanian mobster mother, a genius teenager who's bipolar, a leather bartender who wears hot pink chaps, and a mangy cat who steals the scene in the middle of a suspense sequence.
  • Children of the Star: The Complete Trilogy on Dec. 26, 2021

    Best known for her Newbery Honor book "Enchantress of the Stars" (which has recently been reprinted), Ms. Engdahl deepened her exploration of that novel's themes in "Children of the Star." Although the trilogy's literary style can be prosaic at times, "Children of the Star" has so much that I enjoy in a story: friendship, romance, mentoring, rebellion, imprisonment, religion, science, sociology, oodles of ethical dilemmas, and some of the best plot twists I've ever encountered. Do *not* do as I did and spoiler the first novel by reading the blurbs for the last two novels before you start the series. Back in February 1979, when I was fifteen, I read the first two novels in this series. Then a major snowstorm hit, and I had a week off from school, so I read the novels again. In college, I got up the nerve to send a fan letter to Sylvia Engdahl; she kindly took the time to answer, informing me that there was now a third volume in the series. I promptly bought it. Years later, I discovered Ms. Engdahl's website and found that the trilogy had been updated and released as a single volume, "Children of the Star." And now the trilogy is available as a self-published e-book, reasonably priced. I hope it will reach a new generation of readers.