CHEVALIER (Romanus book 2)Written by:
Narrated by:
Length: 3 hrs and 37 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Fireman Mason James thought finding out he is a Romanus—a rare class of gargoyle—would be the surprise of a lifetime, but he’s proven wrong when he discovers he is the son of a comte and goji nobility. But his newly discovered family doesn’t think his gargoyle lover, Luc, is good enough for a goji of Mason’s stature—how could a warrior ever be? But despite the Moreaus’ uncertainty and elitism, they are Mason’s only chance to unravel the mystery behind his mother’s death, find a solution for the class divide that might separate him from Luc, and discover what it truly means to be a Romanus.Buy links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon Audio | Audible | iTunes
Tams gives this one 5 Stars for both the story and the narration...
"Love me some Gargoyles!"
Would
you consider the audio edition of Chevalier to be better than the print version?
I
didn't read this one, only listened, but I can't imagine anything Mary Calmes
writes NOT being good!
What
was one of the most memorable moments of Chevalier?
When
Mason comes to the realization that instead of pushing, he needs to be pulling.
Which scene was your favorite?
The pool house
If you could rename Chevalier, what would
you call it?
I don't like this question, there is
nothing wrong with the title the Author gave the story.
Any additional comments?
A lot has happened in the year since Fire
Fighter Mason James learned he is not only a Gargoyle, but a Romanus. He is
treasured among the Gargoyles, someone that can bridge the gap between
Gargoyles and the dead because he can see them, hear them, communicate with
them. He also found a boyfriend at the same time he learned of his Gargoyle
status, Luc Toussiant, who is a Leon which translate to a guard or guardian in
the race of Gargoyles. Mason has spent the past year keeping Luc at arms
length, fearing moving too fast. When his birth family shows up on his
doorstep, basically demanding Mason accompany them back to France to meet his
father and claim his birthright... Mason is less than pleased, but he complies.
His and Luc's relationship will be put to the test as will Mason's abilities,
and so much more than their relationship is challenged by the family Mason
doesn't want.
What an amazing series this has turned out to be. I sincerely hope that we get Finn's story soon. Back to Chevalier though. The threat in this installment of the series may seem less severe than the whack job in Romanus, but it is actually way more dangerous. I am so engrossed in the relationship between Mason and Luc and how it continues to grow and evolve. Mason finally comes to the realization that Luc is not only all he wants, he's all he needs. There is also a point in this story where Luc goes off the deep end a bit, very dramatic and suspenseful, and I loved how it played out. Mason was the only one that could reach him, and even in the height of the anger and confusion that had a strangle hold on Luc, he was able to recognize the bond with Mason.
Greg Tremblay is, in my humble opinion, one of the best narrators ever. He has an army of accents, tones and nuances in his voice and regardless of how many characters are in a story, he manages to give everyone their own voice and truly bring the Author's words to life. One of my favorite lines in the book is when Mason's recently revealed brother tells Mason he'll be at Luc's mercy (can't really elaborate on that without spoilers) and Mason responds... "Oh... God, I hope so." ... it's the way Tremblay delivers this one line, just five words. It holds so much emotion that it stands out and commands your attention.
Definitely a must listen as are any books that Tremblay voices and/or Calmes pens. Start with Romanus though, or you'll be lost.
What an amazing series this has turned out to be. I sincerely hope that we get Finn's story soon. Back to Chevalier though. The threat in this installment of the series may seem less severe than the whack job in Romanus, but it is actually way more dangerous. I am so engrossed in the relationship between Mason and Luc and how it continues to grow and evolve. Mason finally comes to the realization that Luc is not only all he wants, he's all he needs. There is also a point in this story where Luc goes off the deep end a bit, very dramatic and suspenseful, and I loved how it played out. Mason was the only one that could reach him, and even in the height of the anger and confusion that had a strangle hold on Luc, he was able to recognize the bond with Mason.
Greg Tremblay is, in my humble opinion, one of the best narrators ever. He has an army of accents, tones and nuances in his voice and regardless of how many characters are in a story, he manages to give everyone their own voice and truly bring the Author's words to life. One of my favorite lines in the book is when Mason's recently revealed brother tells Mason he'll be at Luc's mercy (can't really elaborate on that without spoilers) and Mason responds... "Oh... God, I hope so." ... it's the way Tremblay delivers this one line, just five words. It holds so much emotion that it stands out and commands your attention.
Definitely a must listen as are any books that Tremblay voices and/or Calmes pens. Start with Romanus though, or you'll be lost.
Excerpt:
IT WAS a cold and surprisingly wet instead of snowy January night that left the asphalt covered by a slick sheen of ice. It made keeping the wide ass of the tiller truck where it belonged near impossible at high speed. We were lucky to get to the scene in one piece.
Even though we weren’t battling a fire, the captain still required us to suit up. He didn’t want us to get cut up by branches, so it was pants and jackets, helmets, and even face guards. It made sense with what we were doing. What didn’t make sense was us being there to begin with.
I think the people who reported the whereabouts of the body called us instead of the cops because between the two, police or fire, we had the ladder to get up to the body. It was the whole kitten stuck in a tree thing. Firemen got pets down from trees, so a corpse qualified as well. All I knew was it was a gory mess I could have gone my whole life without seeing.
By all accounts, the man had been hang gliding when his equipment failed and he crashed. All of his limbs were broken and twisted at some grotesque angle, impaled by the branches, which in a fall from considerable height had become wooden harpoons into soft flesh. It wasn’t the gore but the sight of the poor bastard’s neck twisted around 180 degrees that made me grateful I’d skipped dinner.
“Jesus, Ty, be careful,” I growled at the guy to the left of me on the platform when he bumped me again, the second time even harder than the first. If I hadn’t kept my balance, he would have knocked me right off the hydraulic lift hovering more than seventy-five feet off the ground. Goddamn rookie. Urgency I respected, but not eager-beaver showboating—especially for a corpse that was just a retrieval job.
“Fuck you, Mace,” he snarled at me. “I’m being just as care—”
“The fuck you are!” I barked. The point was moot as I watched the rookie sail out of the basket into space only seconds later, after leaning out too far.
Of my two choices to grab—the hotshot rookie or the corpse—it was an easy decision. Firemen saved lives, even annoying ones. Tamping down my anger, I lunged for Tyler Cantrell, managing to catch his hand before he plummeted to a waiting death some three stories down.
Time slowed. I heard the cracking of the branches and watched as the blood-soaked body sank through the canopy and out of my view. I yelled for everyone to take cover instead of crying out in pain as I felt my left shoulder wrench violently from its socket when I flipped out of the bucket. My flailing right hand somehow managed to find a hold, saving us both from the concrete below.
I heard yells from underneath us as the platform shuddered and slowly begin to lower.
“Fuck me,” Tyler cried out, trying to reach for the bottom of the basket, but dangling too far beneath it to get a grip on anything but my wrist and arm. “Don’t let go, Mace!”
Like I would let him go. The guy was a fucking idiot for not watching what he was doing in the first place, but good or bad, the job made us brothers. I closed my eyes, ignoring the stretch on my tendons that threatened to give way because of Tyler’s 175 pounds, and concentrated on keeping my grip. There was still enough equipment below that if the fall didn’t cripple us, the gear on the ground damn well would.
What felt like hours blessedly wasn’t longer than a few agonizing minutes that caused me to break out in a sweat. The second I felt hands on my legs, I let go of the thin metal rail I’d been holding on to.
It was a fast tumble down as I was lowered roughly to the ground.
“Goddamnit!” Captain Ryers yelled, and when I opened my eyes, he was standing over me. “What the fuck were you thinking?”
...nothing but happily every afters.
Mary Calmes lives in Lexington, Kentucky, with her husband and two children and loves all the seasons except summer. She graduated from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, with a bachelor's degree in English literature. Due to the fact that it is English lit and not English grammar, do not ask her to point out a clause for you, as it will so not happen. She loves writing, becoming immersed in the process, and falling into the work. She can even tell you what her characters smell like. She loves buying books and going to conventions to meet her fans.
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Loved the story and am glad to hear the narration was pretty darn good.
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