Title: The Copper Horse: Fear
Series: The Copper Horse #1
Author: K.A. Merikan
Genre: Dystopian-Steampunk / BDSM / Forced Seduction / Pony-Play
Length: Novel (217 pages)
ISBN: 9781627570695
Publisher: Storm Moon Press (March 7th, 2014)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3~3.5Hearts
Reviewer: Thommie
Blurb:Discontented with his state of existence and with his own secret and self-destructive attraction to men, Reuben, the son of a baker, is convinced to engage in an act of rebellion against his father. But when his compatriot betrays him, Reuben awakens to shackles, a filthy dungeon, and the knowledge that he is going to be forced to battle captive zombies for the entertainment of the Bylondon underworld.
When he’s claimed, instead, by a powerful and stunning member of Bylondon’s ruling family, Reuben is willing to serve in whatever way ensures that he’ll see another day, even if that means training to become the perfect human horse. Erik is a kind master, and one that Reuben thinks he could grow to love… but the power of his shame and his self-hate rise up inside him, threatening to tear him away from the love—and the lifestyle—that he could never have brought himself to openly desire.
Purchase Link: http://www.stormmoonpress.com/books/The-Copper-Horse-Fear.aspx
Review: This is definitely not a book for everyone; you need to have a taste for this genre to appreciate it. While very well written, refined and polished, and with a stunning cover, this book is shocking in more ways than I could have imagined. Now don’t misunderstand me, I do love pony play and anything that comes within this genre, hence I was astonished to be shocked by this book in first place. That stated I liked it and honestly can’t wait for the sequel to come; it feels like the story has just begun.
Ste in the 20th century – London, this is a mix of Post-apocalyptic / Steampunk novel. The world is plagued by the zombies and a wall separated London from the horrors outside. Life has changed dramatically making the poor people’s life even harsher that it already was. There are no close relationships between people and everyone is dead set about his own survival.
Reuben is the son of a baker in the slums of London. Throughout his entire life he’s been orally abused by his father, called a good-for-nothing creature, although his work is nonstop. He knows that he’s not specialized in anything but being not appreciated even by his only family that is still alive has taken its toll on Reuben. In addition, his craving for men heightens his shame and sense on unworthiness even more.
Dead set to leave his unbearable life behind Reuben naively trusts a “friend” and sets for Bylondon, a city outside London’s walls where London’s laws don’t reach and his father’s abuse will be forgotten. Betrayed, sold into slavery, and set to fight into a pit with zombies where a gruesome death awaits, he is saved by a man whose madness he can’t even begin to imagine.
On one hand, he owns his life to Eric, but at what cost?
So in the era this book is set, the act of loving between two men is not only frowned upon, it is actually a death sentence inside the walls of London. Reuben’s character suffers greatly from shame (not only fear) of his depraved longings. How he dealt with it before he became Eric’s plaything? Why he simply teased men similar to him, in order to cause their anger/attack and pretend to be forced into that action. It is a twisted way of thinking and acting, longing something so much to cause someone to attack you and brutalize you, yet this was not what shocked me at all. Everything up until Reuben set foot into Eric’s household was completely understandable, even as it was wrapped in layer upon layer of pain, abuse and dark cravings.
Reuben (from now on called Copper), even finds his new life as a sex slave for Eric convenient as he doesn’t have to admit he likes men, he’s only being forced into this situation that he can’t change. Even as he is astounded by Eric’s depravity, even as he rebels against the treatment as a horse, aka an animal, Copper still revels in his new life. After the initial, brutal charge of fear and emotions going on a roller coaster of highs and lows, Copper finally settles into this life. Fear still lingers but for the most part, he forgets it.
Okay, so what shocked me was to abrupt change of moods Eric had. He would be gentle and caring and literally spoiling his “pet”, but with the slightest, and I do mean slightest misbehaviour or refusal from Copper, Eric would take a 180 degree turn and become a freakish cold-hearted sadist, only to recover immediately once Copper apologized. This character still has me reeling. It is safe to say that it’s the first time I’m reading a book I like without caring or understanding one of the characters. I still feel chills when Eric’s behavior comes to mind. I understand where his reaction stemmed from, but it was such a powerful emotion that of fear, it not only colored the read, it not only affected Copper, but it managed to reach me as a reader too, and that was something I could not shed off of me even as the novel came to an end. Eric’s unpredictability was astonishing, and if this was the authors’ goal, well mission accomplished.
As for Copper himself, he confused me a lot. Yes, it was in his disposition to like and settle into this life from the start on, but I feel as if it all happened way, way too fast, considering the tremendous fear he suffered up until the very last word of this novel. I not only couldn’t believe it, but felt quite odd reading it too. It quite frankly unnerved me to the point I couldn’t relax my mind and enjoy the read while this shift occurred.
However, as I stated in the beginning, I liked this book a lot, and the end left me wanting more. It wasn’t a cliffhanger exactly, no, the main story of this installment was well and truly well done, but it managed to intrigue and entice me for more. I want to read Copper and Eric’s whole story, I want it now, and I want to once again let myself fall into the dark, murky waters of this world.
This novel is highly recommended to the fans of the genre.