Gay/LGBTQ2IA etc. Series or Stand Alone

[Swank]

To clarify, I do not read books with lesbian or sapphic vibes. Similarly, I do not read books with trans MCs.

This does not sound like you're actually seeking LGBTQ2IA fiction, but solely gay fiction written by (gay) men.

 

[Rodders]

Edmund Cooper’s “Who Needs Men” and “Five to Twelve” revolved around societies dominated by females. They main character was a straight man, but the culture in both were Lesbian. It Very much reflects the sexual attitude of the time, in the sense that the man and woman do fall on love. I think but both were decent stories though.

 

[Phyrebrat]

To be honest, it seems like you’re putting the cart before the horse; isn’t it a case of finding authors who write relationships the way you want them, as opposed to holding the author’s sexuality responsible for their gifts as a writer?

I’d find an author you like and read all their stuff. Chances are whilst doing this you’ll come across similar styles from others, too.

Have you asked this on Reddit?

 

[The Big Peat]

I'd like to suggest The Bone Ships series by RJ Barker. The MC is male, but not explicitly gay, but the society they live in forbids men and women from sex except in certain circumstances so m-m and f-f relationships are more common. This is mainly an aside in the worldbuilding because there's no romance at all in the series (at least the first 2 books, I haven't finished the series yet).

Not a bad shout. For my money, another man had a crush on the MC in book 1.

A somewhat tangential inclusion is David Gemmell's Quest for Lost Heroes, which features a gay couple (but they're far from the focus).

Also Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Klay & Cavalier, if considered fantasy.

edit: And forgot CM Caplan's Swords in the Street, which I think is actually the strongest recommendation I've got for the OP yet.

 

[Bick]

A lot of good stories don't need romance in them.
Was Richard Hannay gay or straight or alphabet in The 39 steps?
It wouldn't have changed the gripping yarn at all

Hannay was straight, for the record. Though I appreciate your point was a generic one, and it doesn’t matter.

 

[vanye]

Mecedes Lackey: Magic‘s Pawn. There‘s two direct follow-ups that are of equal quality.

I‘ll ad a caveat, though. I read a lot of her stuff when I was younger. Today I find most of it a bit meh. Too much emotional drama. And a decidedly YA feel to it. Give me adventure over romance any time!

 

[Danny McG]

Hannay was straight, for the record. Though I appreciate your point was a generic one, and it doesn’t matter.

It shouldn't matter in any story, if you wanna write Romance then by all means go for it, but if you wanna write Sci-Fi then leave the boring tripe out

 

[The Big Peat]

It shouldn't matter in any story, if you wanna write Romance then by all means go for it, but if you wanna write Sci-Fi then leave the boring tripe out

 

[Brian G Turner]

It shouldn't matter in any story, if you wanna write Romance then by all means go for it, but if you wanna write Sci-Fi then leave the boring tripe out

Constructive contribution to the thread again.

 

[Rodders]

I think it's more to do with representation than story, which I think is important.

 

[Swank]

I think it's more to do with representation than story, which I think is important.

It's sometimes mind-boggling who needs/gets representation and who doesn't. Every country has communities of repressed people, but some of those repressed people get a lot of 'coverage', and some get near zero. There is a fashion to these things.

 

[Brian G Turner]

It's sometimes mind-boggling who needs/gets representation and who doesn't. Every country has communities of repressed people, but some of those repressed people get a lot of 'coverage', and some get near zero. There is a fashion to these things.

Just a reminder we're talking about specific book recommendations, not speculating on social politics thanks.

 

[worldofmutes]

A Romantic here. Or aromantic or whatever.
I like to just let it happen. I don’t believe in chivalry or anything like that.

 

[worldofmutes]

Aromatic

 

[Danny McG]

Aromatic

Doesn't that mean you smell nice?

 

[Seeking]

What does the plus + sign (like Mouse put at the end) signify then?

as someone else wrote, max inclusivity.

This does not sound like you're actually seeking LGBTQ2IA fiction, but solely gay fiction written by (gay) men.

I'm not and I am. True, I am seeking voiced aligned with how I identify (which isn't gay but is closest and easiest) and have asked for suggestions that focus on male identified authors. Also true, I am not certain of my own beliefs and experience with past author's to rule out future voices that i'm unaware of. I left the field a bit grey to encourage being surprised. That said, I don't want to read about lesbian or trans MCs though I have read books by said identified author's in the past. I suppose my suspension of disbelief is lopsided.

 

[Seeking]

Not a bad shout. For my money, another man had a crush on the MC in book 1.

A somewhat tangential inclusion is David Gemmell's Quest for Lost Heroes, which features a gay couple (but they're far from the focus).

Also Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Klay & Cavalier, if considered fantasy.

edit: And forgot CM Caplan's Swords in the Street, which I think is actually the strongest recommendation I've got for the OP yet.

I shall endeavour to find your recommendations.

 

[Seeking]

To be honest, it seems like you’re putting the cart before the horse; isn’t it a case of finding authors who write relationships the way you want them, as opposed to holding the author’s sexuality responsible for their gifts as a writer?

I’d find an author you like and read all their stuff. Chances are whilst doing this you’ll come across similar styles from others, too.

Have you asked this on Reddit?

I don't think sexuality is responsible for their gifts as a writer, I've loathed a few recent reads written by men about men who love or have sex with other men. I do however appreciate the insider perspective. I find it sneaky when straight, white female writers obfuscate their names to appear male (which, you know women building their own careers is amazing but still). I also find that these books written by women are not designed to appeal to men, they are written to appeal to other straight women. I feel a disconnect when I read them and I don't believe it is prejudice. There are several articles I'd love to post that better voice and illustrate my desperate thoughts. Am I allowed to post link to websites?

Gender Of Novelists In Gay Fiction: Does It Matter?

A good book is a good book, regardless of who wrote it. But in gay fiction, if you're calling yourself a gay man, you really should be a gay man. Gender does matter. But, then again, I'm just a writer. What do <em>you</em> think?

www.huffpost.com

A Gay Male Author On The “Debate” On Whether Women Should Be “Allowed” to Write Gay Male Fiction (I am admittedly more rigid than the authur)

Why Are So Many Gay Romance Novels Written By Straight Women? - Electric Literature

Stay out of my queer romance, Sharon

electricliterature.com

You Won’t Believe What Happened When These M/M Authors Were Interviewed

Unless you’re familiar with the intertwining threads of internalized sexism and fetishization. Then you’ll totally believe it, because this is just another day in RomLand. I’m too…

loveinthemargins.com

https://www.reddit.com/r/romancelandia/comments/n70qhf

(read the alexis hall bit on drag; if it is of note, I don't like drag either)

My frustration has layers.

 

[Swank]

I also find that these books written by women are not designed to appeal to men, they are written to appeal to other straight women. I feel a disconnect when I read them and I don't believe it is prejudice.

That's a bold statement, especially when removed from the specific context of romance.

 

[worldofmutes]

That's a bold statement, especially when removed from the specific context of romance.

That rings very true for me actually.
I don’t read the fluffy books!