Reviewed by Elizabetta

TITLE: Consort – The House of Silence

SERIES: The House of Silence, book #3

AUTHOR: JA Jaken

PUBLISHER: Forbidden Fiction

LENGTH: 406 pages

BLURB:

Genre(s): Gothic, Gay, Thriller, BDSM, Romance

The House of Silence is an elite male bordello presided over by the infamous Master Charon Marque. On the surface, the business of the House is straightforward enough, but its carefully constructed veneer of innocence is threatened when a friend from Charon’s youth arrives with an urgent request for assistance: one of the local cabals is overreaching its boundaries, gobbling up disproportionate amounts of territory and capital outside of its means. The House’s unique resources are called upon once again to investigate the mystery as Charon and his boys are caught up in a web of intrigue, peril, and sensuality that may end up costing them their lives. (M/M)

REVIEW:

I have so been looking forward to this third book in the House of Silence series. I loved the first two.  A story set in an exclusive male brothel with lots of hot guys who know just how to get their kink on? What’s not to like? But, that second book, Ricochet, is a hard act to follow— there was so much delicious mayhem in that one, so much great coming together of kinky sex, dark secrets, political intrigue, and nicely-paced action/adventure.

The title is interesting… I’m guessing it alludes to much of Consort being about Reiji Kendo, who is also featured on the book cover. He’s one of my favorites of the rent boys, mostly because he’s a punk-ass, street-urchin, martial-artist aficionado, and I like that about him. But, Reiji doesn’t get to kick nearly enough ass in this one to suit me. It’s mostly about his developing relationship with Charon. I like that, too, sure. Reiji as consort to the sexy, urbane, mysterious brothel owner… they make a very different kind of couple. But this rendering errs on the side of relationship angst versus ninja action and I just need more of that.

The story gets a very, very slow start, the first fifty percent of it is mostly telling how all our brothel-babes are safely back in the house after the excesses of book two. We get more recounting of who they are/ where they’re from/ what they’re about, etc. So, rehashing of stuff already covered in the first two books.

And, there’s a lot of ‘something-is-not-quite-right’ type dialogue. The lads are twitchy, they keep asking each other, ‘what’s wrong?’. We’re kept on tenterhooks

waiting for all hell to break loose again.

About half-way in (say, whaaat?!!) we find out what’s up, but then… well, it’s nothing really new or momentous, in my opinion. I don’t think I’m spoilering anything by saying it’s all about those family gangs, the cabals, up to their dirty tricks with their crafty agents jostling for power. More of that.

Which is fine, but those dangerous cabals get short shrift in the story, the infighting just seems surface, and the action is very reminiscent of what we saw in book two. Maybe it’s due to my great expectations that I find myself underwhelmed and a little disappointed with Consort.

Recap:

Book one Exodus; sets up the characters and world, and we got lots of luscious sex-play

Book two, Ricochet; some great action and mayhem; with gang infighting, and peril to the rent-boys and their brothel house. The tension builds.

Book three, Consort; is about how a brothel can be the nexus of sex and political intrigue; lots of kinky play between the rent-boys and their lecherous customers (warnings: knife, blood & needle play; sounding). Okay, here’s one I especially liked: a tie-em-up/tie-em-down scene with Tam and Monet, a new, very twisty customer…

“Poor, abused boy. I’m being so mean to you, aren’t I?”… Surprised by the suddenness of the penetration, Tam lifted his hips and gasped… “Please,” he said… his body was screaming at him for release now. He was starting to shake from it, like a junkie who couldn’t get his fix; he was such a shameless, brazen whore. “Please.”

Oh yeah, the bedroom action sizzles, but, sorry, the outside action kinda fizzles.

Kinky scenes = 4.5 stars

Action/adventure/intrigue = 2.5 stars

Final rating = 3.5 stars

RATING:

BUY LINKS: Forbidden Fiction Amazon