Group Review: Love in the Land of Blood and Bones (The Triple Towers #2) by James Cox

They are no longer heroes...

The survivors of the Great End were on the brink of death. Three towers were built with the last of the government’s money and power. The wealthiest survivors were given residents within the Triple Towers. A wall of steel was constructed to surround them.

Lorn is now exiled to over that wall and his lover Kallen courageously follows. Kallen knows the dangers and violence that awaits them. He managed to survive a terrifying childhood in the wastrel camps. It’s not just the sand that threatens their love: old enemies, former lovers and the traitor from the triple towers returns.

Can they find love in the land of blood and bones? (Warnings:m/m sex, sex toys, bondage, menage sex (MMM)

Oh James Cox, how do we love thee, let us count the ways. . . .

• We love thee for your epic sentences, long, short and in between
• For your dedication to the invention of magical sexual devices that this world can only dream of
• Because you eschew the need for pants while honing your craft
• Our only regret is that we don’t live across from you and have high powered binoculars

While that last line is totally disturbing, the rest is completely true. Breann, Lorix and I got together in the clubhouse to read and review the latest installment of The Triple Towers Series, Love in the Land of Blood and Bones. I daresay we have another winner on our hands for the love of cock! (that actually makes sense, trust me) .
Read on . . .

Words from Mama B:

3.5 Hearts

The second book picks up right where the first one left off and we're thrown right back into Kallen and Lorn's adventure.

James Cox does a great job creating a dystopian, futuristic world. He did this without the descriptions being too wordy or confusing, it all blended perfectly with the dialogue and plot.

The sex. *sigh* I wish I could say I loved it, but I didn't. It felt like it was forced in the story. In book 1, the erotic sex worked for me. Now in book 2, when I'm even more invested in the characters and plot-happenings, I felt like it got in the way of a great sci-fi story. Of course, they were well-written and hot, but for me it bogged down all the other good stuff that's going on in this trilogy.

Because of Kallen and Lorn's banishment they had to rely on each other for everything. Their relationship really moved forward and I could feel all their feels. I can't wait to see where they go from here in book 3! Not to mention that we're left with yet another mini-cliffy!
*stalks James Cox for book 3*

And I'm totally gonna say this all the time: "For the love of cock!"

Lorix, from o'er the pond:

4 Hearts

I'd really like my review just to be chocolate flavoured come, but I'm not sure I can justify 4 hearts for that. *listens to the cries of 'you surely can' from chocoholics the world over*  Okay, so I probably could but I feel I should mention more. The best things about these books, while there is no doubt that they are hot as all hell in the s-eeee-x-y times department (it says something when the author has to write nekkid), they also have a great little fantasy story to them as well.

Before I found M/M, fantasy was the mainstay of my literary diet, so I really appreciate this. ^^^ Reading B's review - I liked the nooky that was happening BUT I can see her point. I think James Cox could write a full length fantasy/sci-fi novel worthy of the greats, a fantasy novel with some hot-sex as a sideline, rather than a hot-sex novel with fantasy as a sideline. That is in no way dissing this book, or any hot 'n' sexy books, because I LOVED it. It's just a roundabout way of saying, JC does fantasy really well!!

So - what do I want more of?

All of it really. Come on JC - pants off, get writing. ;)


Me (Ann/Peachy):

4.5 Hearts

GodDAMMMIT I love this series. Love in the Land of Blood and Bones is the second in the Triple Towers series and continues the story of Kallen and Lorn. The story picks up where Heart of a Hero leaves off, which I’m not going to talk about specifically because if you haven’t read that one yet (well, get crackin’ for crying out loud!), that would be a big ol’ spoiler. But let’s just say, shit got real and everything the guys know has changed, for Lorn especially. And while everything has changed, the boys remain the same and I loved them just as hard this time around.

One of my favorite things about this couple is their banter. Kallen is witty, sassy and even with all the pain he’s been through he manages to keep his humor and his confidence intact. Lorn is a true military hero with a protective streak a mile wide and a soft heart for Kallen. The whole conversation about dick poetry made me laugh out loud. I could really feel their connection and love through all their interactions.

There are enemies all around and with no one to trust the anxiety level gets ratcheted up pretty well. We do get some more back story about Kallen’s “family” in Rohan and Raymond. We find out what really happened to Raymond and that Kallen still has an ally in Rohan. There was a western rough justice feel to the adventures and I loved that. It was dirty (literally & figuratively), gritty (ditto) and exciting. Questions from book one were answered and a new journey is embarked on that will lead to book 3 (which I can. not. wait for thankyouverymuch).

As per James Cox’s M.O., the sex in this one is smokin’ hot. Being that Kallen and Lorn are an established couple now, there is an added sweetness to it that I liked a lot. There should be some sort of award from mythical sex toys that James Cox invents in this series as well. In Heart of a Hero we were introduced to flavor shots for tasty cum and in Love in the Land of Blood and Bones we get to read about Kallen, Lorn and the Tranquility Wand. Lorn is nothing if not prepared in savings his pennies to buy a Wand built for two. He’s a hopeful romantic and that was $ well spent and paid off in spades. As Kallen says, “That is the best invention in the fucking world.”

Also per James Cox’s M.O., there were quote-worthy lines aplenty and there were a few I couldn’t decide if I wanted to attempt to work them into daily conversation or stitch them on a pillow. Offerings like:

“Tame the beast, love.”

“For the love of cock!” – My personal favorite, can’t you just picture it on a pillow?

“You’re alive, and your dick is still intact. I’d say that’s a good day.”

“If you’d stop staring at my dick a minute, you’d see more pants.”

You see, Kallen really loves Lorn’s dick.

So, now anxiously awaiting story 3 as I don’t think I’ll ever get enough Kallen and Lorn, they are way too entertaining and appealing and the stories are a great escape into something fun and exciting.

a copy of this book was provided by the author for an honest review