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Featured Story: Meta


Renee Stevens

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Being the start of a new week, Monday's are also a good time to take a look at some of the different stories that can be found on Gay Authors. With so many great works, it can be easy to overlook one and Monday's provide an opportunity for us to help make one of them stand out and maybe catch your interest. Today, we're bringing you a review by Timothy M. of JohnAR's story "Meta." Enjoy!


by



Author

 

Reviewer: Timothy M
Status: Complete
Word Count: 101,276

 

Sometimes a writer defines a new genre, and everyone else has to take their creation into account. Anyone writing about robots must decide whether to comply with Asimov’s rules, writers of fantasy or magic will be measured with Tolkien, Rowling and a few others, and anyone doing gay (wolf) shifter stories cannot ignore Rob Colton. The visions and the worlds these signature writers manufacture are so compelling they set a standard for the particular genre.

 

Thus, if you’re writing gay shifters, particularly wolves, you can either run with the type casting Rob Colton sets up, of the dominant Alpha male finding his mate (whether human or wolf), who is often smaller, weaker and definitely a complete bottom. Or you can decide to break away from the mold and do something different. Both choices can be found at GA, and this review is about the most epic norm-breaking story I’ve come across so far.

 

JohnAR’s Meta series actually spans several genres and is probably even more in opposition to Twilight than Timber Pack. Though I guess JAR does stay within some traditions. :lol: We get vampires as arch-enemies of werewolves, all living in secret amongst clueless humans. There are the usual pack dynamics of Alpha, Beta, Enforcers and so on, plus also a clever college nerd with an unhappy family background.

 

However, one reason Meta fascinates me is JAR’s unconventional ways of solving various problems I’ve always had with ‘traditional’ werewolf/vampire stories. First of all, the fact normal dominant Alpha behavior is sort of obsolete in the modern world and can bring trouble on your pack. JAR’s answer to this Gordian knot is brilliant and obvious – after you’re told. For once it’s brain over brawn.

 

Secondly, JAR’s wolves are much more like real wolves than humans. Genetically based instincts and smells affect them profoundly and even rule them, and if you judge their behavior by human standards you’ll get it wrong. In a real wolf pack only the alpha female has cubs (by the alpha male of course), and JAR’s werewolves have their own traditional version of a breeding based hierarchy. Since this cannot hold for gay wolves, something else has to be devised. JAR’s solution for the Inner Circle of his Meta pack will probably be considered perverted by most of his readers. The biologically imperative loyalty demand is certainly weird and hard to accept – for a human.

 

Thirdly, there is no biting and turning, and that goes for vampires too. JAR’s vampires arise and behave in ways which are more believable and scary than most stories. But interestingly some of them can actually breed with normal humans. As can JAR’s wolves – or at least they seem to attract plenty of sexual interest from human females as well as wolf bitches. At times to an uncomfortable degree for gay wolves.

 

Apart from the supernatural stuff the most fascinating feature of Meta is the main character, Colt. He is the nerdy genius with issues and he also has somewhat kinky sexual interests - almost obsessions. Be prepared to feel annoyed and shocked, but at least he judges himself as relentlessly as he does his surroundings, be it fellow students, teachers, or relatives. Some of the most delightful moments in the first book are Colt sparring with his business class lecturer. I’m quite intelligent myself, but Colt is in a league of his own, and I’m in awe of him – and by extension his ‘creator’.

 

In case I haven’t scared you off yet, let me conclude with a few warnings. Only the first two books of the Meta series are complete, and the third began posting in January 2015, but I know several more are being written. In addition, he recently began teasing us with his Meta Prompt series. JAR loves cliff hangers, obscure hints, confusing and provoking his readers, making fun of gay stereotypes and romances (especially those favored by women), and – as mentioned – being contrary to shifter story norms. He and Colt are into non-conventional but possessive relationships, hot sex with more than a hint of D/s, and hunky but non-hairy guys with lots of muscles. Preferably Marines.

 

I dare you to try out Meta, and I know JAR would welcome you ranting at his stories in reviews or the story forum. But please be aware this is not a challenge to be taken by soft-hearted, vanilla-loving believers in soul-mates and hetero-normative relations. So don’t blame me if you come away shaken and disturbed.

 

Story Forum (beware spoilers) http://www.gayauthors.org/forums/topic/39601-meta-wolf-meta-origins/

Category: Fiction Genres: Mystery, Romance Tags: Young Adult, Vampire, Were-creatures, Menage, Fetish Rating: Mature

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Whilst Rob Colton is certainly good at what he does, I am not sure he, or anyone else on GA, can be compared to Asimov or Tolkien... that's like comparing a chocolate bar and a four course dinner and saying they fulfill the same function.

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I didn't mean to compare them as writers. I only meant to imply that they in each their field set a certain standard - or maybe set up genre rules is a better description.

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  • Site Administrator

It sounds like an interesting story. I'll have to add it to the 'read' list.  :)

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  • Site Administrator

 Please remember, reviews are supposed to have some impartial standard when done on random work, but when it comes to these, reviewers are sharing their thoughts--and usually love of--a story they enjoy on the site. Some might not agree with the view of the story, but that in no way should reflect on the reader's right to share their thoughts with the author and other readers. 

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I like Rob Colton's werewolf stories very much. I do believe though, that when mentioning genre defining writing about werewolves on GA, Sasha Distan cannot be left out of the conversation. If anyone is unfamiliar with Born Wolf, my advice: immediately go read the story. It was an incredibly nuanced piece of writing, while at the same time setting down very defined parameters of the laws and social life of shifters—and what happens when you fall outside of the norm.

 

Timothy, you lay out a convincing reason to begin reading JohnAR's Meta.

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You're quite right Ron and in fact Sasha is one of the writers I was thinking of when I talked about writers breaking away from the mold. Born Wolf is definitely one of my favorites in the way it sets up a credible shifter universe.

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I love the work of John, Sasha and Rob. Very different stories and styles of writing. Fascinating that you can have such different takes on the same theme.

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The first M/M shifter stories I read were Rob Colton's.  Then Sasha's.  They were a wonderful introduction to the genre.  Then, I found Meta.  I was/am fascinated by JAR's take on it.  I have been reading since the beginning and have a love/hate relationship with the cliffhangers that he uses, lol! While I am a pretty new member, I do highly recommend these stories.

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While I have read the works of many authors here on GA; be it Rob Colton, Sasha Distan, Cia, Comicality, Mark Arbour and so many others that I won't list them all. I have to say it was after I had finished the second book of the Meta series and desperately waiting for the start of book three, that I decided to create an account on GA so that I could write reviews on JAR's storyline. Of course I am not one to be shocked by anything he writes and actually find it to be a representation of my preferences, but the style in which he writes and the wittiness of his story development make me come back to him every week. I have come to look upon it as a date with my tablet on Saturday morning after I awake to read the latest development in the story. His cliffhangers are both a torture and and a passion; his hint drops and story twists both offer a good challenge and allow your mind's eye and imagination to roam free. His promise of quite a few more books in the Meta series just add to the future potential for entertainment and tells me I won't be left hanging. I could go on about many more reasons why I love JAR's story, but I will just say: read the first few chapters of this story and make your own mind, but I am sure you will love it!

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First, I would like to express my gratitude to all my ‘MetaReaders’ for their unwavering loyalty despite devilish cliff hangers, sadistic twists and the strange concoction of main characters; to the hosts of GA for creating such a fertile space even for off-the-beat stories like mine; and to an ever-diligent and insightful Tim, whose review and preference for blonds make me blush.

Meta is/was/will continue to be written to put a contrarian point of view into the world; where tall and masculine doesn’t have to be hairy, the strong doesn’t have to be top, the small doesn’t have to be helpless in need for a white (or dark) knight, the good isn’t always sweetly good and the bad has a valid reason for being bad; where ‘not talked about’ power dynamics manifest themselves conceptually and physically; and where true love – which we all seek – shows itself in many, often easily to miss disguises and sometimes in irritating ways – all off the ‘normal’ or ‘mainstream’ path.

Meta is not and isn’t supposed to be a ‘normal’ story; not a normal M/M romance with one soul mate forever, not a normal wereshifter story where the big alphas dominate the small helpless, not a normal fairy tale where evil and good are blatantly obvious, not a normal ‘gay’ story where all the gay characters are so lovy-dovy-cute and good and kind and adorable that my stomach starts to revolt. It is supposed to be out-of-the-box; and irritatingly so. This is one of the reasons why the characters – in many ways stereotypical (the nerd, the loyal enforcer, the uncaring parents, the scheming villain) – have needs and behaviors that don’t fit their stereotype at all (the nerd is bossy, the enforcer submissive, the uncaring parents chosen to shape something special, and villain … well that you shall read for yourself). None of them behaves ‘normally.’

For me ‘normal’ is boring; not unique, not special, not bringing the world further by discourse, but trying desperately to fit in – mostly at the expense of one’s true needs.

For all those (but mostly for myself) I wrote Meta and will write it to the bitter end (book 7). And for all others: feel free to diss it, feel free to challenge it … all of that is great. In the end I’m like Colt in that respect: all of that is better than being ignored.

In case you would like to continue this conversation feel free to drop me a mail (MetaWolf@gmx.com). When MetaWolf 4 (MetaBattles) will be published I will also open a new forum to enable maximum ranting.

JohnAR

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