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The Savage Land #1
Frontiers
The year is 1797. John Chapman, an impulsive young man and a sexual outlaw, forsaken in the bitter winter of the Allegheny Plateau, clings to his one tenuous dream: to claim a future in the Western outpost. Unarmed and near death, Chapman is on the brink of giving up when an unexpected rescue changes his course in life forever, and he discovers the true meaning of survival.
The mysterious savior is Daniel McQuay, a loner whose overpowering bond with Chapman is as shifting as a shadow, as dark as the prairie tale he spins for the impressionable young man. For Chapman, McQuay's story of a deranged killer clings to his transient soul like a nightmare, tracking him further south and into the safe haven of a gentle Indian woman named Gwennie. His journey also takes him into the intimate deliverance of Palmer, a brash but irresistibly innocent seventeen-year-old settler.
As the three adventurers carve a new life out of the endless wilderness, they face the ultimate enemy -- man -- in a life-and-death struggle that unfolds in the shadow of a legendary and avenging evil.
The mysterious savior is Daniel McQuay, a loner whose overpowering bond with Chapman is as shifting as a shadow, as dark as the prairie tale he spins for the impressionable young man. For Chapman, McQuay's story of a deranged killer clings to his transient soul like a nightmare, tracking him further south and into the safe haven of a gentle Indian woman named Gwennie. His journey also takes him into the intimate deliverance of Palmer, a brash but irresistibly innocent seventeen-year-old settler.
As the three adventurers carve a new life out of the endless wilderness, they face the ultimate enemy -- man -- in a life-and-death struggle that unfolds in the shadow of a legendary and avenging evil.
311 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
2 people are currently reading
136 people want to read
About the author
Michael Jensen
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I am an author, editor, and lover of all things dark chocolate. My books of gay historical fiction include two series, The Drowning World, which is set in 5500 B.C., and The Savage Land, which takes place on the American frontier. Man & Monster, the second book in The Savage Land series, was a Lambda Award Finalist (under the title Firelands).
I also co-founded AfterElton.com, which covered pop culture for gay and bisexual men, and eventually became one of the largest and most influential LGBT websites on the internet. In 2006, AfterElton.com was sold to MTV/Viacom. As editor, I interviewed hundreds of writers, directors, and actors, breaking numerous stories and advancing the issue of LGBT visibility in Hollywood. I also created the Big Gay Fiction Giveaway, which helped tens of thousands of readers find great new voices in MM fiction.
My preferred genres are historical fiction (which I write) and science fiction (which I'm not scientific enough to write, so I just read). I assume this says something about how I view the present, as I apparently seem to eager to escape it!
I live in Seattle, WA with my husband, writer Brent Hartinger, the author of the amazing Russel Middlebrook series that started with Geography Club and has continued on through the The Futon Years. I love hearing from readers so don't be shy about getting in touch.
I am an author, editor, and lover of all things dark chocolate. My books of gay historical fiction include two series, The Drowning World, which is set in 5500 B.C., and The Savage Land, which takes place on the American frontier. Man & Monster, the second book in The Savage Land series, was a Lambda Award Finalist (under the title Firelands).
I also co-founded AfterElton.com, which covered pop culture for gay and bisexual men, and eventually became one of the largest and most influential LGBT websites on the internet. In 2006, AfterElton.com was sold to MTV/Viacom. As editor, I interviewed hundreds of writers, directors, and actors, breaking numerous stories and advancing the issue of LGBT visibility in Hollywood. I also created the Big Gay Fiction Giveaway, which helped tens of thousands of readers find great new voices in MM fiction.
My preferred genres are historical fiction (which I write) and science fiction (which I'm not scientific enough to write, so I just read). I assume this says something about how I view the present, as I apparently seem to eager to escape it!
I live in Seattle, WA with my husband, writer Brent Hartinger, the author of the amazing Russel Middlebrook series that started with Geography Club and has continued on through the The Futon Years. I love hearing from readers so don't be shy about getting in touch.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 30, 2017
Gay Pioneer Fiction. Much like 2/3 of male/female marriages end in divorce, 2/3 of the male/male relationships in this book end in death and/or sexual assault. Just so you know what you're signing up for.
John Chapman -- likes sex with men, dislikes his past, would be a woobie if he had a discernible personality -- makes the Worst Pioneer Ever. I've seen better survival skills in a dozen classic YA novels where kids get stranded in the mountains for whatever reason -- plane crash, orphan, pilgrim, orphaned pilgrim -- and have to live off the land and kill things with a pocket knife.
The characters are dull. The story's improbable. The text is riddled with historically appropriate hatred of pretty much everyone who isn't white. Lots of marginalized people are killed. For a pioneer narrative, there's little to no detail about pioneering. But the sex is hot.
Two stars...the sex is hot?
John Chapman -- likes sex with men, dislikes his past, would be a woobie if he had a discernible personality -- makes the Worst Pioneer Ever. I've seen better survival skills in a dozen classic YA novels where kids get stranded in the mountains for whatever reason -- plane crash, orphan, pilgrim, orphaned pilgrim -- and have to live off the land and kill things with a pocket knife.
The characters are dull. The story's improbable. The text is riddled with historically appropriate hatred of pretty much everyone who isn't white. Lots of marginalized people are killed. For a pioneer narrative, there's little to no detail about pioneering. But the sex is hot.
Two stars...the sex is hot?
Read
January 29, 2017Sometime ago a friend told me he loved Western Romance, and I thought, how many chance he will have to read them? If I think really hard, I probably come out with two, three titles. At the time I didn’t know about Frontiers; I found about it in the top 10 list Brent Hartinger compiled for my LiveJournal, and I immediately added it to my wish list; I was not sure about it, not knowing about it before, I had a little doubt that maybe the novel was too “heavy”, I like historical, but sincerely, I don’t like when they are too heavy on details, making the read more a challenge than a pleasure. But Michael Jensen is also the partner of Brent Hartinger, and so this romance outside the romance was a point more the pro list to buy it.
The book is a good historical, and above all a good Western romance; if we are true with us, Western romance is the “light” subgenre of the Historical romance, and so the risk to be “boring” is less, and Frontiers is not boring at all. It’s a mix of drama and romance, the drama part makes the novel realistic; it’s not an easy life for the people living on the Frontier at the end of the XVIII century, and both side, white men and Native Americans. All the story is centred around John Chapman, apparently a lucky man, but Lady Fortune does strange tricks; John seems to be always on the run, first from his family, then from expectations he is not willing to meet, and now even from the law: he was seen with his lover, and English Officer, and so he is double a traitor, to the Law of God as sodomite, and to the Law of his country, sleeping with an Englishman.
John runs away once more time, and he ends up literally lost in a snowstorm and right on the doorstep of Daniel, a strange hunter, who first seems to don’t like so much strangers, and John in particular, and then teaches him how to survive. But Daniel’s love borders in obsession, and John has to find his own way, and another run is there for him. This time he ends up in Franklin, a settler town in the middle of nowhere, but even here John finds a possible partner, Palmer, a 17 years old boy (don’t worry, John is only 24) who, on the contrary of his townsfolk, is able to appreciate and respect the nature around him.
Colin, the English Officer, Daniel, the rough hunter, and Palmer, the young settler, represent different type of love and lover. In order of appearance, develops also John’s involvement; don’t get me wrong, in a way or the other, John loves them all, but only with Palmer he will realize what true love is. The novel was also acclaimed like a good erotica: indeed, it has more sexy scenes than other mainstream novels, but don’t worry, the sex is never gratuitous, and it always serves the story, not the way around.
Another point that let me perplexed reading the blurb, and that in the end was better than expected, is Gwennie’s character, the Native American woman who will help John settle down with his new life; I’m sincere, I was a little worried that John had to “settle down” also in the other meaning of the words, and that Gwennie was his “historical” beard. Maybe she will be, and maybe the author sometime hinted at that, but she is not part of the emotional development of John: one thing he is sure and doesn’t change, is his strong belief that he prefers men to women, and he has to deal with it, on the good and the bad.
The author neither saves to the reader the dark side of that part of History, and I think he is by the Native Americans side, and also by that of Nature. Almost all the worst episodes, if not all, are by the hand of the white men, and I don’t doubt that they are not fantasies, but unfortunately only retelling of what really happened.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0671027212/?...
The book is a good historical, and above all a good Western romance; if we are true with us, Western romance is the “light” subgenre of the Historical romance, and so the risk to be “boring” is less, and Frontiers is not boring at all. It’s a mix of drama and romance, the drama part makes the novel realistic; it’s not an easy life for the people living on the Frontier at the end of the XVIII century, and both side, white men and Native Americans. All the story is centred around John Chapman, apparently a lucky man, but Lady Fortune does strange tricks; John seems to be always on the run, first from his family, then from expectations he is not willing to meet, and now even from the law: he was seen with his lover, and English Officer, and so he is double a traitor, to the Law of God as sodomite, and to the Law of his country, sleeping with an Englishman.
John runs away once more time, and he ends up literally lost in a snowstorm and right on the doorstep of Daniel, a strange hunter, who first seems to don’t like so much strangers, and John in particular, and then teaches him how to survive. But Daniel’s love borders in obsession, and John has to find his own way, and another run is there for him. This time he ends up in Franklin, a settler town in the middle of nowhere, but even here John finds a possible partner, Palmer, a 17 years old boy (don’t worry, John is only 24) who, on the contrary of his townsfolk, is able to appreciate and respect the nature around him.
Colin, the English Officer, Daniel, the rough hunter, and Palmer, the young settler, represent different type of love and lover. In order of appearance, develops also John’s involvement; don’t get me wrong, in a way or the other, John loves them all, but only with Palmer he will realize what true love is. The novel was also acclaimed like a good erotica: indeed, it has more sexy scenes than other mainstream novels, but don’t worry, the sex is never gratuitous, and it always serves the story, not the way around.
Another point that let me perplexed reading the blurb, and that in the end was better than expected, is Gwennie’s character, the Native American woman who will help John settle down with his new life; I’m sincere, I was a little worried that John had to “settle down” also in the other meaning of the words, and that Gwennie was his “historical” beard. Maybe she will be, and maybe the author sometime hinted at that, but she is not part of the emotional development of John: one thing he is sure and doesn’t change, is his strong belief that he prefers men to women, and he has to deal with it, on the good and the bad.
The author neither saves to the reader the dark side of that part of History, and I think he is by the Native Americans side, and also by that of Nature. Almost all the worst episodes, if not all, are by the hand of the white men, and I don’t doubt that they are not fantasies, but unfortunately only retelling of what really happened.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0671027212/?...
March 4, 2017
I received a copy of the book from the author and this is the first book by him that I have read.
There were times I had to force myself to continue. The pain and horror that John faced were almost more than any person could survive. The courage that grew in him over the course of the story was comparable to those soldiers must develop during extended periods of time in battle.
I have read many historical novels about settling the American West but this tale will remain as one of the most honest portrayal, alongside 'The Last of the Mohicans.'
While reading this book and watching the ABC documentary 'When We Rise' this week, I kept making comparisons. Fighting for the right to survive continues. We still have a long way to go...
There were times I had to force myself to continue. The pain and horror that John faced were almost more than any person could survive. The courage that grew in him over the course of the story was comparable to those soldiers must develop during extended periods of time in battle.
I have read many historical novels about settling the American West but this tale will remain as one of the most honest portrayal, alongside 'The Last of the Mohicans.'
While reading this book and watching the ABC documentary 'When We Rise' this week, I kept making comparisons. Fighting for the right to survive continues. We still have a long way to go...
January 29, 2017
Not unreadable but painfully slow and empty. John Chapman's life story is boring. His existential crisis of why he is like he is and why he runs away is interesting and put in context of the time. But.. so boring in a way. The villain of the tale is not credible and I had nicknamed him "Jason" by the end. Nothing is solved at the end of the story, Chapman still likes men and has a live-in young lover but the world hasn't changed, it's still 1777 The author leaves everything in some kind of stasis after a explosive climax. A stasis that is not in any way believable or satisfying. Barely 2 stars.
January 23, 2023
Κατά κύριο λόγο θρίλερ, αλλά και ιστορικό μυθιστόρημα, ρομάντσο και gay erotica, το σίγουρο είναι πως ο συγγραφέας έχει την ικανότητα να φτιάχνει ευφυώς λεπτομερείς εικόνες της βίας στη φύση και της βίας των ανθρώπων, ενώ σαν buldibgsroman ο τρόπος που παραθέτει εισαγωγικά σε κάθε κεφάλαιο στιγμές των παιδικών ή νεανικών του χρόνων για να τις συσχετίσει με τον παρόν του δείχνει τον ρόλο της συνειδητοποίησης ως εργαλείο της ωριμότητας και της ανεξαρτησίας και κάθε ένα από αυτά τα εισαγωγικά κείμενα είναι πανέμορφο.
Για το βιβλίο ένιωσα ένα μάγκωμα στον τρόπο που το θριλερικό και το ρομαντικό στοιχείο εξελίσσονται. όπως παρατήρησαν και πολλοί είναι αναπόδραστα παρούσα η ηθική και συνειδησιακή κατάσταση των τελών του 20ου αιώνα, η οποία πλαισιώνει μια ιστορία για το 1798/98. Η καταπίεση των γυναικών, τα εγκλήματα ενάντια στα λοατκια άτομα, στους Ινδιάνους, στη φύση, το ματωμένο αποτύπωμα των λευκών αποίκων και της θρησκείας πάνω στην αμερικανική γη, ακόμα και οι γυναικοκτονίες σχολιάζονται στην πορεία των ηρώων του βιβλίου, Τζον Τσάπμαν, Πάλμερ Μπάξτερ, Γκουένι και Ζακ Γκριφιθ, οι οποίοι/ες, ωστόσο, είναι δυνατοί και τους συμπαθείς, όσο κι αν νιώθεις πως είναι μάλλον σημερινοί άνθρωποι.
Η αρχή του βιβλίου είναι καθηλωτική, η συνέχεια έχει έναν ερεθιστικό ερωτισμό, ώσπου ενδίδει στο καθαρό erotica. Είναι σίγουρα μια ιστορία του πως να είναι κανείς ανυποχώρητα ο εαυτός του σε έναν βίαιο κόσμο, αλλά και μια ιστορία που αποκαλύπτει τον αληθινό τρόμο πίσω από το χτίσιμο της σημερινής καπιταλιστικής Αμερικής. Ένα οικοδόμημα γεμάτο αίμα.
Παρότι αφήνει κάτι ανικανοποίητο είναι πάντα ένα εξαιρετικά καλογραμμένο βιβλίο επιβίωσης, με δυναμικές παραθέσεις της σκληρότητας και της αδικίας, συχνά ιδιαίτερα ατμοσφαιρικό και όμορφο.
Για το βιβλίο ένιωσα ένα μάγκωμα στον τρόπο που το θριλερικό και το ρομαντικό στοιχείο εξελίσσονται. όπως παρατήρησαν και πολλοί είναι αναπόδραστα παρούσα η ηθική και συνειδησιακή κατάσταση των τελών του 20ου αιώνα, η οποία πλαισιώνει μια ιστορία για το 1798/98. Η καταπίεση των γυναικών, τα εγκλήματα ενάντια στα λοατκια άτομα, στους Ινδιάνους, στη φύση, το ματωμένο αποτύπωμα των λευκών αποίκων και της θρησκείας πάνω στην αμερικανική γη, ακόμα και οι γυναικοκτονίες σχολιάζονται στην πορεία των ηρώων του βιβλίου, Τζον Τσάπμαν, Πάλμερ Μπάξτερ, Γκουένι και Ζακ Γκριφιθ, οι οποίοι/ες, ωστόσο, είναι δυνατοί και τους συμπαθείς, όσο κι αν νιώθεις πως είναι μάλλον σημερινοί άνθρωποι.
Η αρχή του βιβλίου είναι καθηλωτική, η συνέχεια έχει έναν ερεθιστικό ερωτισμό, ώσπου ενδίδει στο καθαρό erotica. Είναι σίγουρα μια ιστορία του πως να είναι κανείς ανυποχώρητα ο εαυτός του σε έναν βίαιο κόσμο, αλλά και μια ιστορία που αποκαλύπτει τον αληθινό τρόμο πίσω από το χτίσιμο της σημερινής καπιταλιστικής Αμερικής. Ένα οικοδόμημα γεμάτο αίμα.
Παρότι αφήνει κάτι ανικανοποίητο είναι πάντα ένα εξαιρετικά καλογραμμένο βιβλίο επιβίωσης, με δυναμικές παραθέσεις της σκληρότητας και της αδικίας, συχνά ιδιαίτερα ατμοσφαιρικό και όμορφο.
May 30, 2022
Three and a half stars: I first read Jensen's Firelands, which I much prefer to this tale. This one is okay, but I felt the plot would have been enough in itself sticking with just the struggles of a gay frontiersman dealing with his sexuality in that sort of environment. The introduction of the menace and drawn out conclusion marred an otherwise interesting story.
April 11, 2020
Truly scary in parts.
March 10, 2013
SlashReaders: So I finished reading Frontiers By Michael Jensen. He's the same guy who wrote Firelands which I actually read first even though it really comes after Frontiers. Which I didn't know until after however they both work a separate novel so you don't really have to read them in order. (Oh when trying to find a copy of the cover for this book to post with this I found this link that seems to have a lot of stuff on various slash novels for those interested in finding and or reading other slash books. I don't have the time to go through it right now but I look forward to doing so later as I have read a lot of the books on here and looked at some of the others!)
I think that I liked Frontiers better than Fireland's though both were fairly good. Frontiers came across as being slightly more believable and it felt as if the author was more in the time period than the second one did. The second book felt a little more forced than this one did, and the dialogue didn't become as stilted in places in this one.
Overall I enjoyed it, it was a fun fairly quick read though I wish there was more of it. In terms of the two books being together. The two stories don't really lead one into the other one. The second one deals with the same character's, however the end of the first one leaves a lot of space and time and setting differences between the two. SO much so that I spent a good deal of time trying to find a book that went between them. However, I can't find anything else by the author that might fit between the two.
However apparently there isn't anything between them which is a little disappointing because I think it would be nice to see how Palmer and Chapman develop past this book. Before you get to the end of Firelands which is just depressing. Yeah not going to give that way.
The end!
I think that I liked Frontiers better than Fireland's though both were fairly good. Frontiers came across as being slightly more believable and it felt as if the author was more in the time period than the second one did. The second book felt a little more forced than this one did, and the dialogue didn't become as stilted in places in this one.
Overall I enjoyed it, it was a fun fairly quick read though I wish there was more of it. In terms of the two books being together. The two stories don't really lead one into the other one. The second one deals with the same character's, however the end of the first one leaves a lot of space and time and setting differences between the two. SO much so that I spent a good deal of time trying to find a book that went between them. However, I can't find anything else by the author that might fit between the two.
However apparently there isn't anything between them which is a little disappointing because I think it would be nice to see how Palmer and Chapman develop past this book. Before you get to the end of Firelands which is just depressing. Yeah not going to give that way.
The end!
December 15, 2012
Yay non-romance-genre historical fiction about a gay character! Alas, the plot is rather flat, oddly paced and a bit contrived, and although the writing is fairly good, every so often there are words in characters' mouths that just don't belong - and why on earth does everyone constantly call each other by name in nearly every line of dialogue?
The sex is moderately hot, although first-person explicit sex scenes make me cringe a little. Also, this reads so much like m/m original slash fiction that I was surprised to see the author is actually male.
I actually got this book from the library on the strength of 'Johnny Appleseed' being one of the keywords. But it's really nothing to do with the historical Johnny Appleseed, other than a few details of his life being used. (I know a lot more about apples and Johnny Appleseed after having read The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World...)
Two and a half stars, but I'm rounding up to three simply because this is a significantly better book than the one I just finished and gave two stars!
The sex is moderately hot, although first-person explicit sex scenes make me cringe a little. Also, this reads so much like m/m original slash fiction that I was surprised to see the author is actually male.
I actually got this book from the library on the strength of 'Johnny Appleseed' being one of the keywords. But it's really nothing to do with the historical Johnny Appleseed, other than a few details of his life being used. (I know a lot more about apples and Johnny Appleseed after having read The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World...)
Two and a half stars, but I'm rounding up to three simply because this is a significantly better book than the one I just finished and gave two stars!
March 21, 2008
I met the author on his first book tour, and amazingly enough it was in Boise! This was Michael's first novel, and it was a very good read. It's not good literature, but it is a great start for this writer.
In essence, this is a very fanciful take on the story of Johnny Appleseed. There is little historical fact in the book, but the broad outline of the hero, John Chapman, is taken from his real life. Of course no one knows if Johnny Applesee was homosexual or not, and certainly little enough is known of the details of his life.
This is a tale of the new frontier after the settling of the colonies and war for Independence. The hero is a man who flees his fiance in the East to take his chances on the frontier. It is also the tale of his sexual awakening, and of his meeting with his future love. It is richly detailed and easy to read, and some of the sex--although not pornographic in the least--is really hot!
In essence, this is a very fanciful take on the story of Johnny Appleseed. There is little historical fact in the book, but the broad outline of the hero, John Chapman, is taken from his real life. Of course no one knows if Johnny Applesee was homosexual or not, and certainly little enough is known of the details of his life.
This is a tale of the new frontier after the settling of the colonies and war for Independence. The hero is a man who flees his fiance in the East to take his chances on the frontier. It is also the tale of his sexual awakening, and of his meeting with his future love. It is richly detailed and easy to read, and some of the sex--although not pornographic in the least--is really hot!
January 21, 2008
Finished reading. I really enjoyed it. I love being able to get so into a book that I keep picking it up to read during times I normally wouldn't.
I had picked up another book by this author last month, but just couldn't get into it and it was horrible, in my opinion. Turns out, it was the sequel to this one! The characters from this book had yet to appear by the time I gave up. Looks like I need to pick it up and give it another go...or at least to skim it. I want to know the futures of these two guys!
And this guy is the partner of one of my favorite Young Adult authors, which is the only reason I decided to give him a look-see.
307 Pages
I had picked up another book by this author last month, but just couldn't get into it and it was horrible, in my opinion. Turns out, it was the sequel to this one! The characters from this book had yet to appear by the time I gave up. Looks like I need to pick it up and give it another go...or at least to skim it. I want to know the futures of these two guys!
And this guy is the partner of one of my favorite Young Adult authors, which is the only reason I decided to give him a look-see.
307 Pages
February 3, 2017
The description of the landscape and the historical detail saved this from being a Mills and Boone number. The transference of 20th century attitudes about homosexuality into 18th century minds jus didn't come off at all and at some points to say that was forced would be kind. It looked like the sex was just what I am sure it was grafted in for reader titillation and to gain a particular audience. Maybe worth the effort for the beach but not worth the money which could have been spent on something better. There were some patches where I was enjoying this book and others where it was "ya gotta be kidding me." As for the effusive cover notes so much rubbish!
August 15, 2007
A wonderful read
September 6, 2008
Here is the link to my review on
Speak Its Name
Three and a half stars
Speak Its Name
Three and a half stars
March 13, 2024
It's been ages since I read this, but I remember it being grittier than a lot of the m/m romance, but still providing that sense of connection that I look for.
October 4, 2009
Interesting book with well-drawn characters. Liked it much better than the follow-up
April 18, 2010
Great read!
July 20, 2010
Another scary book by Jensen. For some reason I didn't warm to this as much as I did to Firelands, though, which is the 2nd book.
January 6, 2011
This was an interesting western with great atmosphere.
January 22, 2020
I have previously read this story; however, it has been revised as Man & Beast so I am going to read it again. 😀🥃
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews