Willaful Review: Unnatural Selection by Ann Somerville
Saturday, October 27, 2012Posted in: willaful reviews
Tags:Ann Somerville, m/m, romance, science fiction
Sensuality rating: Steamy
Police Constable Nick Guthrie is a vampire — or as he prefers, a “vee” — in a world in which that doesn’t mean a whole lot. No superhuman strength or supernatural powers– just embarrassing fangs that most vees have capped, the need for a liquid diet, and immunity from disease. For him, it’s just one more reason to throw himself into work and give up on having a social life. Even the delightful and persistent biologist Dr. Anton Marber finds it hard to tempt him into anything more than one nighters.
But of course the outside world reacts unpredictably to real life vampires in their midst, even though their condition is a medical one, induced in hospitals to save people who would otherwise die. Some bizarrely worship them, some fear them. And when the vampires happen to be gay, as Nick is, that fear and hatred can be exponential.
This compact novella combines mystery, science fiction and romance in one tightly written package. I liked how the world building came organically, without info dumping; the mystery is not as developed as it might be in a longer story, but strongly intersects with the other themes of the book.
Of course for me the romance was the most important aspect, and I loved seeing the formation of Nick and Anton’s relationship, from comfortable banter to tenderness. This was my favorite scene, after a harrowing experience for Nick:
‘I’m sorry.’
‘No. It was him. All him.’
‘I’m not apologising. I’m sorry you’re hurting.’ He kissed my forehead. ‘What can I do? Or not do?’
‘Hold me. And don’t be evil.’
I felt like I’d lived that scene with my own love, with those very words, when the ugliness of the world was too much for me to bear.
I give Unnatural Selection four stars, and am very much looking forward to the next books in the series, which also feature Nick and Anton. You can buy it in ebook format only, from Amazon here, from Barnes and Noble here or at Smashwords. The ebook had some font-changing issues, of the kind you tend to see from Smashwords, but is otherwise free from obvious errors.
Review copy won from an author giveaway. I know the author of this book on Twitter.
Anon76
November 4
10:04 pm
@Lori:
Yeah, I had a great time yesterday bantering, truth be told.
What I think it actually boils down to is the battle going on at Good Reads, or whatever it’s called.
Juvenile shite seeping out to infect rational conversations and reviews at other sites.
Anon76
November 4
10:11 pm
P.S Alan (just because I can’t help myself, too fun to prove you wrong)
I’m techno challenged. My computer is old and on it’s last leg. I use a Tracfone. I’ve never had a Twitter account and only have a Facebook account so I can communicate with my brother in Afghanistan.
“Sorry who am I?
Classic projection Ann.”
willaful
November 5
12:14 am
@Ann Moss: I’m not at all surprised that you understood whatever whack thing “Alan” think he’s doing, since you have exactly the same IP address.
willaful
November 5
12:17 am
And speaking as the keeper of the IPs, I’m pretty sure Anon76 and Ann don’t even live on the same continent. Not that I ever thought they were the same.
Alan Dice
November 5
3:18 am
Expect more revelations soon. Ann Somerville and victims alike. Those of you who actually are not Ann, be wary.
Be wary of me. I may be another malicious liar, just like Ann. I stand by the evidence.
When Ann started her “don’t shite…” parable, it was obvious. This was the first major slip of the mask.
Other phrases that follow have her DNA all over them.
Yet it was her reluctance to name me that seals the proof. How could she? Unless she had indeed confronted me before? She couldn’t name me because that would expose who she was.
That’s case proved. Ann Somerville, as has been long suspected, uses Sock Puppets.
Ann Somerville
November 5
3:43 am
“Ann Somerville, as has been long suspected, uses Sock Puppets.”
Actually, no, I don’t. I’m perfectly happy to stand by my professional name and take my licks.
You, however….
“I’m not at all surprised that you understood whatever whack thing “Alan” think he’s doing, since you have exactly the same IP address. ”
I am shocked and amazed. Truly.
Willaful
November 5
4:48 am
@Alan Dice: I don’t know where Karens stands on blocking IP addresses, but anything further I see from yours is going to the trash.
Anna Karenina
November 5
6:36 am
Alan Dice said:
>>Those of you who actually are not Ann, be wary.<<
To be Ann, or not to be Ann? That is the question.
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of Alan Dice,
Or to post words against his sea of inanity?
What to do? What to do?
As one who has been accused of being a sock puppeteer extraordinaire, I can only laugh at the turmoil and chaos that must exist inside the heads of those who see sock puppets around every corner and in every post that uses words that someone else in the world used. Gasp! The audacity.
I was once told on Amazon that my use of the word "biscuit" proved that I was doing something dastardly! What has the humble biscuit come to? Or the humble review?
Anon76
November 5
3:07 pm
@Ann Somerville:
Hey, Anne. Nice to meet you.
You’ve got yourself a real “interesting” follower. If just once the person would have commented on why he/she disliked the book, rather than you, I might have let it go.
Nah, that’s a lie. I was pissed because the initial post also questioned Willaful’s judgement as a reader/reviewer. The delicious round of craziness that ensued was just icing on the cake.
Anon76
November 5
3:16 pm
@Anna Karenina:
“To be Ann, or not to be Ann? That is the question.
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of Alan Dice,
Or to post words against his sea of inanity?”
Well done!
I’m still waiting on this team of experts who will prove to one and all I am Ann or one of her minions.
And this latest bit from Alan was precious:
“Yet it was her reluctance to name me that seals the proof. How could she? Unless she had indeed confronted me before? She couldn’t name me because that would expose who she was.”
Really?
Anon76
November 5
3:27 pm
@Willaful:
And lastly, Willaful, I’m truly sorry I hijacked your post. I just found Alan’s initial post so relevant in regards to the Fan-AntiFan phenomenon going on right now.
Sad to say, but it reminds me of the whole Crips versus Bloods thing.
Ann Somerville
November 6
12:00 am
“but it reminds me of the whole Crips versus Bloods thing.”
Actually, it’s not interfan warfare, but one in a long series of trying to suppress the speech of strong women. If ‘Alan’ is who I suspect he is, then he’s done this before, for the same reason – to shut up a woman with a strong voice who’s criticised him and failed to back down in face of his threats.
Which only makes him pathetic as well as a thug.
This creep is riding on the coattails of STGRB but he was a thug long before that site ever appeared.
Iola
November 6
6:13 am
@Ann Somerville:
Actually, in his initial post, he accused you of using glove puppets. He can’t even get the terminology right. (Unless you do kinky things with gloves in m/m fiction?)
Anon76
November 6
8:43 am
@Iola:
And don’t forget the Ann Moss post of:
“Give them enough string and they hang themselves.”
Dougie Brimson
November 7
4:14 pm
Oh this is excellent. So now I’m the one using fake names…
I’ll say one thing for you Ms Somervile, your obsession with me really is quite hilarious. Then again, I suppose you amateur’s have to aspire to something.
Anyway, to whoever moderates this forum please feel free to publish the IP addresses of those involved including mine which you will note will be very different from the others who have posted as despite Ms Someviles assertions (or possibly hopes) we are not the same people. The poor grubby little soul really doesn’t understand how staggeringly average a writer she is which is of course, why people don’t buy her books.
I’ll expect an apology for the inference in due course.
Anon76
November 7
4:47 pm
Ummm, Dougie, could you please reference the post on here that named you, whoever you are? I’ve gone through the posts three times now and can’t find you being called out.
Anon76
November 7
4:54 pm
@Dougie Brimson:
And as to the site owners publishing IP addresses of the people commenting on this thread…really?
I’ve lost words for the moment at the level of stupidity expressed in that request. “Gimme the dirt on them so I can stalk them,” is what it reads to me.
Dougie Brimson
November 7
5:22 pm
Take a look at Somervile’s blog. She accuses me on there. but it’s worth a look anyway as it’s quite hilarious if not a little sad.
Anon76
November 7
5:26 pm
And again, your posting here has what relevance? You weren’t named here, so what is your agenda?
willaful
November 7
5:28 pm
I believe people are entitled to a reasonable amount of privacy when they post to a blog. I am not publishing or sharing IP addresses, just as I would hope no one would do that to me.
However, I have had it up to here with this thread. Any further comments that don’t actually relate to the book or review are going to the trash.
cs
November 11
7:00 pm
Wow!
Anyway, thanks for the review. I actually bought the book based on this review. I’ve started reading it and I love it so far. So thanks Ann for a well written book. Plus cheers for the offer you had on.
willaful
November 11
8:45 pm
@cs: Thank you! I’m always slightly unnerved when someone makes purchasing decisions because of one of my reviews, albeit flattered. I’m glad you’ve enjoying it.
cs
November 12
1:16 am
@willaful: I think it’s a real testament to your review. I don’t like vampire books and I rarely buy books based of a review. I am enjoying it immensely so thank you for not only bringing this book to my attention, but also for reviewing an M/M book.
FD
November 14
11:33 pm
Oh good gravy, what a weirdo. I don’t read much m/m tbh, but on the strength of the review and the amusing author response to the weirdo I guess I’ll have to pick it up. (n.b. even for the purposes of solidarity, I wouldn’t read it if the review had been terrible.)
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