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kaylove3's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
river24's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5/5
They believe that the stories and histories of the people who live here are valuable and important and worthy of being remembered.
This was an absolute blast! I have never had so much fun or laughed so hard whilst reading a book! Alexandra Rowland is so skilled at writing such a vast array of emotions and such different, yet equally enjoyable and compelling, stories!
I loved A Taste of Gold and Iron unfathomable amounts, which is also set in this world, but Running Close to the Wind takes place in a completely different location and has an incredibly different, more light-hearted, tone. I adore both of these books for wildly different reasons. It is such a talent to be able to write across different subgenres and different tones like Rowland has done across only these two books (I am yet to read their other works).
The first thing I have to say, that I so eloquently wrote down in my notes, is: PIRATES! Literally what more could you ask for than a fun, rambunctious, goofy bunch of queer pirates? I can think of nothing better! The whole cast is so lively and vibrant, every single one of the characters we meet along the way have such bold and memorable personalities. They're all so much fun to read about! (That truly is the word of this review, fun, it perfectly encapsulates every thought I had whilst reading!)
One of its comp titles is Our Flag Means Death and if you like OFMD please read this, I beg you, you will absolutely love it! (And if you don't like OFMD... what's wrong with you?)
There's something so freeing about reading about pirates (or watching a show with pirates) even if it's romanticised for all our viewing pleasure; they're outcasts, criminals, people who cannot exist in society, and so they find escape on the seas. This particularly resonates with people from a whole host of marginalised identities and is why pirate stories like these are so important, pirates stories where the main characters are disabled and BIPOC and queer and genderqueer, and of so many varying situations which make their participation in society so much harder and therefore the pirate's life at sea so much more freeing. And this emotion, even in a story as hilarious and whimsical as this one, still punctuates each movement and really adds to our love and affection for the characters.
It is by far the funniest book I've ever read, I was absolutely crying with laughter. It's just hilarious and so silly in the best possible way! As with anything humour-related in books, it will of course be quite subjective as to whether or not you'll like this type of humour, but I think it's incredibly funny and I think most others will think the same. I just kept bursting out laughing!
I don't even know how to begin summing up my thoughts about this book, I just feel such an overwhelming sense of love for it. I had the best time reading it and eagerly await reading it all over again (you're all so lucky, getting to experience it for the first time)! The characters were phenomenal, they had so much personality and wit and joviality. I also loved that we navigated more complex situations in their relationships and guarded emotions; for all its humour, this book was never one note, it still had a whole lot to say. The plot was so much FUN from beginning to end, it's so hard to put down, I just wanted to read and read and read!
My favourite out of context moment is: glowing blue dogs. Come back to this and tell me your favourite absolutely bonkers moment once you've read it!
I wholeheartedly recommend this story, it is the most fun you will have reading anything! And as I so eloquently already said: PIRATES!
Here we are—for now, for at least today. Here we are, as splendid as we can manage, because we might not be here tomorrow, because we won the right to do what we are doing on the tip of a blade—and because they should know, all those people out there in the world, that we were here and proud and free and that they couldn't and can't do a thing to stop us.
Thank you Tor for an arc in exchange for an honest review. (Seriously, thank you!)
They believe that the stories and histories of the people who live here are valuable and important and worthy of being remembered.
This was an absolute blast! I have never had so much fun or laughed so hard whilst reading a book! Alexandra Rowland is so skilled at writing such a vast array of emotions and such different, yet equally enjoyable and compelling, stories!
I loved A Taste of Gold and Iron unfathomable amounts, which is also set in this world, but Running Close to the Wind takes place in a completely different location and has an incredibly different, more light-hearted, tone. I adore both of these books for wildly different reasons. It is such a talent to be able to write across different subgenres and different tones like Rowland has done across only these two books (I am yet to read their other works).
The first thing I have to say, that I so eloquently wrote down in my notes, is: PIRATES! Literally what more could you ask for than a fun, rambunctious, goofy bunch of queer pirates? I can think of nothing better! The whole cast is so lively and vibrant, every single one of the characters we meet along the way have such bold and memorable personalities. They're all so much fun to read about! (That truly is the word of this review, fun, it perfectly encapsulates every thought I had whilst reading!)
One of its comp titles is Our Flag Means Death and if you like OFMD please read this, I beg you, you will absolutely love it! (And if you don't like OFMD... what's wrong with you?)
There's something so freeing about reading about pirates (or watching a show with pirates) even if it's romanticised for all our viewing pleasure; they're outcasts, criminals, people who cannot exist in society, and so they find escape on the seas. This particularly resonates with people from a whole host of marginalised identities and is why pirate stories like these are so important, pirates stories where the main characters are disabled and BIPOC and queer and genderqueer, and of so many varying situations which make their participation in society so much harder and therefore the pirate's life at sea so much more freeing. And this emotion, even in a story as hilarious and whimsical as this one, still punctuates each movement and really adds to our love and affection for the characters.
It is by far the funniest book I've ever read, I was absolutely crying with laughter. It's just hilarious and so silly in the best possible way! As with anything humour-related in books, it will of course be quite subjective as to whether or not you'll like this type of humour, but I think it's incredibly funny and I think most others will think the same. I just kept bursting out laughing!
I don't even know how to begin summing up my thoughts about this book, I just feel such an overwhelming sense of love for it. I had the best time reading it and eagerly await reading it all over again (you're all so lucky, getting to experience it for the first time)! The characters were phenomenal, they had so much personality and wit and joviality. I also loved that we navigated more complex situations in their relationships and guarded emotions; for all its humour, this book was never one note, it still had a whole lot to say. The plot was so much FUN from beginning to end, it's so hard to put down, I just wanted to read and read and read!
My favourite out of context moment is: glowing blue dogs. Come back to this and tell me your favourite absolutely bonkers moment once you've read it!
I wholeheartedly recommend this story, it is the most fun you will have reading anything! And as I so eloquently already said: PIRATES!
Here we are—for now, for at least today. Here we are, as splendid as we can manage, because we might not be here tomorrow, because we won the right to do what we are doing on the tip of a blade—and because they should know, all those people out there in the world, that we were here and proud and free and that they couldn't and can't do a thing to stop us.
Thank you Tor for an arc in exchange for an honest review. (Seriously, thank you!)
zr_reviews's review
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
4.5
Before beginning I would like to thank NetGalley and Tor for a copy of this book!
A nautical novel, brimming with sexual comedy. I wasn't quite sure what I expected after reading Rowland's last book, it certainly wasn't this, but I absolutely loved it. Not only did I find myself giggling during the book, but I was also pleasantly surprised by how shockingly poignant it was.
While the setting was lovely, as was the amazing representation always found in Rowland's books, my favourite part was the characters. Despite many layers of well-timed (and poorly-timed) sexual jokes, I grew really fond of the characters. Avra, and his relationship with Teveri in particular, was simultaneously abused and incredibly realistic. I am not quite sure how Rowland achieved it, but it was a pleasure to read. Julian was such a fun character too; a sexually mischievous monk who has taken a vow of celibacy? In theory, it's amusing, in practice it is hilarious. My only critique would be that the plot was not as polished as I would have liked. I felt it was cut a little short and was a little clunky, but when jamming in as many jokes about genitals as possible, the plot is bound to not be perfect.
Nonetheless, it was an amazing read that I will undoubtedly recommend to anyone I come in contact with for the foreseeable future. As long as they do not mind sex jokes.
A nautical novel, brimming with sexual comedy. I wasn't quite sure what I expected after reading Rowland's last book, it certainly wasn't this, but I absolutely loved it. Not only did I find myself giggling during the book, but I was also pleasantly surprised by how shockingly poignant it was.
While the setting was lovely, as was the amazing representation always found in Rowland's books, my favourite part was the characters. Despite many layers of well-timed (and poorly-timed) sexual jokes, I grew really fond of the characters. Avra, and his relationship with Teveri in particular, was simultaneously abused and incredibly realistic. I am not quite sure how Rowland achieved it, but it was a pleasure to read. Julian was such a fun character too; a sexually mischievous monk who has taken a vow of celibacy? In theory, it's amusing, in practice it is hilarious. My only critique would be that the plot was not as polished as I would have liked. I felt it was cut a little short and was a little clunky, but when jamming in as many jokes about genitals as possible, the plot is bound to not be perfect.
Nonetheless, it was an amazing read that I will undoubtedly recommend to anyone I come in contact with for the foreseeable future. As long as they do not mind sex jokes.
biblionerdrflxn's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
***Thank you to Tordotcom for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***
Running Close to the Wind was one of the stupidest books I've ever read, and I loved every minute of my time with it. The humor had me cackling from start to finish, but be warned that it is extremely over the top. I'm sure some people will find it to be grating, but I enjoyed the wackiness of it all and the vibrancy of the different personalities. The writing was easy to follow and filled with ridiculous and delightful dialogue. Although, things did get repetitive at times with many phrases getting re-used over and over for comedic effect.
The premise of Running Close to the Wind was a fairly simple one. A former spy stole an important secret and needed to figure out how to find a buyer for it without getting himself killed. So, he turned to his pirate captain ex for help after he stumbled back into their life by accident. Hilarious hijinks ensue, including glowing blue dogs, horny sea serpents, and the most important cake competition EVER. I never would have thought pirate adventures and cake competitions would be combined in a story, but this book managed to not only make it happen but also have it feel like something all pirates would do.
Running Close to the Wind was horny AF. This book and its characters were obsessed with sex. The text was full of euphemisms and jokes about all sorts of horny topics, and I thought it all worked so well. All the joking aside, there wasn't much actual sex happening in the story, much to the chagrin of certain characters. The few times there was some action didn't include much explicit description, which honestly worked well for this book. Both the characters and readers were tantalizingly toyed with for dramatic effect. People looking for something super steamy might be disappointed, though. I just wish we'd actually gotten to read the sexy song about Tev's spooky dildos. lol.
Running Close to the Wind had some great characters. Avra was the definition of a bisexual disaster. He got by on good luck and fast talking, most of the time at least, but he was also incredibly flighty, hungry for attention, and incessantly horny. He was a self-proclaimed 'silly little slut,' but I also found him to be quite lovable, smart, and hilarious. His ex-lover Tev, on the other hand, was a total grump. Their dynamic was adorable and fun, with Avra pretty much annoying Tev into loving him back. Tev's captains log, which were included at the end of chapters, were extremely funny and showed just how much they cared for Avra, in their own way, of course.
There are so many other great things about Running Close to the Wind, including the hot monk turned pirate who was a total tease throughout the story and just wanted to make the world a better place. I also loved Avra's relationships with the citizens of the Isle of Lost Souls and his entire found family. His story of finding a place and people to call home was a heartwarming one. Alongside all of the hilarious jokes was a story with a great heart and a fun adventure. I cannot recommend it enough. Therefore, I give Running Close to the Wind a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Running Close to the Wind was one of the stupidest books I've ever read, and I loved every minute of my time with it. The humor had me cackling from start to finish, but be warned that it is extremely over the top. I'm sure some people will find it to be grating, but I enjoyed the wackiness of it all and the vibrancy of the different personalities. The writing was easy to follow and filled with ridiculous and delightful dialogue. Although, things did get repetitive at times with many phrases getting re-used over and over for comedic effect.
The premise of Running Close to the Wind was a fairly simple one. A former spy stole an important secret and needed to figure out how to find a buyer for it without getting himself killed. So, he turned to his pirate captain ex for help after he stumbled back into their life by accident. Hilarious hijinks ensue, including glowing blue dogs, horny sea serpents, and the most important cake competition EVER. I never would have thought pirate adventures and cake competitions would be combined in a story, but this book managed to not only make it happen but also have it feel like something all pirates would do.
Running Close to the Wind was horny AF. This book and its characters were obsessed with sex. The text was full of euphemisms and jokes about all sorts of horny topics, and I thought it all worked so well. All the joking aside, there wasn't much actual sex happening in the story, much to the chagrin of certain characters. The few times there was some action didn't include much explicit description, which honestly worked well for this book. Both the characters and readers were tantalizingly toyed with for dramatic effect. People looking for something super steamy might be disappointed, though. I just wish we'd actually gotten to read the sexy song about Tev's spooky dildos. lol.
Running Close to the Wind had some great characters. Avra was the definition of a bisexual disaster. He got by on good luck and fast talking, most of the time at least, but he was also incredibly flighty, hungry for attention, and incessantly horny. He was a self-proclaimed 'silly little slut,' but I also found him to be quite lovable, smart, and hilarious. His ex-lover Tev, on the other hand, was a total grump. Their dynamic was adorable and fun, with Avra pretty much annoying Tev into loving him back. Tev's captains log, which were included at the end of chapters, were extremely funny and showed just how much they cared for Avra, in their own way, of course.
There are so many other great things about Running Close to the Wind, including the hot monk turned pirate who was a total tease throughout the story and just wanted to make the world a better place. I also loved Avra's relationships with the citizens of the Isle of Lost Souls and his entire found family. His story of finding a place and people to call home was a heartwarming one. Alongside all of the hilarious jokes was a story with a great heart and a fun adventure. I cannot recommend it enough. Therefore, I give Running Close to the Wind a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
kevinscorner's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Running Close to the Wind is a queer fantasy comedy by Alexandra Rowland set in the same world as her fantastic queer fantasy romance A Taste of Gold and Iron. It follows ex-spy Avra as he accidentally on purpose steals a priceless secret. He flees on a pirate ship captained by his on-again, off-again lover Teveri. They hatch a plot to sell the secret to the highest bidder on the black market, but they must first unravel the secret with the help of handsome scholar monk Julian whose vow of celibacy is an inconvenient complication.
This is an odd, odd book and a vast departure from the tone and storytelling of A Taste of Iron and Gold. It can certainly be read as a standalone. This is foremost a pirate fantasy comedy with the sheer amount of jokes, ridiculous characters/situations, and all around buffoonery. This book is very unserious, has no antagonist, and plays a lot of the plot for laughs. There’s storythreads involving getting into the sexy monk’s pants whose past sexual escapades has forced him into a vow of celibacy, escaping sea serpents and catching glowing blue dogs, and smack-talking a cake-baking competition.
Avra, our main protagonist, is a horny little man in his mid-30s who is blessed with luck. He leans into his personality of horniness and patheticness but with a lot of heart if you can overlook that feeling of watching a trainwreck of a person. Honestly, he would be so exhausting if he weren’t so entertaining instead. He is in love (or lust) with nonbinary Tev, and you can tell that there’s real feelings of friendship if not love between them. They are also competing with each other on who will get to break Julian’s vow of celibacy in a series of increasingly hilarious teasing exchanges. Yes, a lot (and I mean A LOT) of the humor is surprisingly sexual, but it is actually mostly just teasing because the limited amount of sex was all closed door. There’s a hint of possible polyamory, but the book ends before it happens.
Running Close to the Wind is chaotic fun in fantasy book form.
*Thank you to Pan Macmillan for the eARC via NetGalley
*Thank you to Pan Macmillan for the eARC via NetGalley
kishab's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I’ve heard Running close to the wind described as a queer, pirate adventure novel and that grabbed my attention immediately, but it was a bit different to what I was expecting. First, the narrator did an amazing job with all the character voices and accents. They were all lively and distinct and I really enjoyed the entire narration, it definitely added to the zany atmosphere of the story. Overall the story is very chaotic and many times I had to go back and read the description to see where the story was supposed to be going. I still had a fun time but the story can be a little hard to follow at times. I really liked all the characters though, I could picture them clearly and they were all well thought out. I know this is based in the same world as one of the authors other series, I haven’t read it but I still understood the world so I don’t think it’s required to read first. This is very silly and fun, a great one to read if you’re looking to add some levity to your reading list
Thanks to NetGalley, RB Media and Alexandra Rowland for this ALC
ros_lanta's review against another edition
Unfortunately this was a DNF at 77 pages.
Having loved A Taste of Gold and Iron, I really hoped I would enjoy another book set in the same universe (despite it being based around pirates which I don't usually like). Unfortunately this just didn't work for me. It's completely different from ATOGAI in tone, premise and characters, and I suspect may appeal predominantly to a different kind of reader.
I would suggest giving this book a try of you are a fan of irreverent, comic fantasy. It is genuinely funny; even though I wasn't enjoying the book I still laughed out loud multiple times. You do also need to be a reader who does not mind reading unlikeable or annoying main characters.
It's well written and easy to read and I'm sure there are people who will love this book, sadly I am just not one of them.
Having loved A Taste of Gold and Iron, I really hoped I would enjoy another book set in the same universe (despite it being based around pirates which I don't usually like). Unfortunately this just didn't work for me. It's completely different from ATOGAI in tone, premise and characters, and I suspect may appeal predominantly to a different kind of reader.
I would suggest giving this book a try of you are a fan of irreverent, comic fantasy. It is genuinely funny; even though I wasn't enjoying the book I still laughed out loud multiple times. You do also need to be a reader who does not mind reading unlikeable or annoying main characters.
It's well written and easy to read and I'm sure there are people who will love this book, sadly I am just not one of them.