“Bone Rider” by J. Fally

Genre: MM Urban Science Fiction

Length: Novel

WHEN THE main characters in a novel are a cowboy, a Russian, and an alien, you know it’s going to be awesome.

McClane is a highly sophisticated piece of alien bionic technology, called “bone riders”, and is self aware. In order to save himself from what he feels will be his destruction, he crash lands his spaceship on Earth, and invades a truck driver’s body to stay safe.

Riley Cooper is on the run from his mob boyfriend–ex boyfriend–and he really didn’t need another complication in his life. But McClane shows up anyway. Now they are both on the run from the US Government and the Russian mob.

There are many wonderful things to say about this novel. I loved the gritty syntax, I loved the main characters—even McClane had quite the personality for a piece of alien technology, and I loved how the novel was action-packed. My favorite parts orbited around the relationship between McClane (yes, he chose his name after the Die Hard movies) and Riley, and how they bonded throughout the novel.

At first, Riley didn’t appreciate McClane hijacking his body, and he was afraid of him. Understandably so, when McClane basically forced himself through Riley’s throat while he was on the side of the road trying to see what was wrong with his truck. And that experience wasn’t sunshine and rainbows, I can assure you. They had words, and Riley pretty much freaked the fuck out. There were negotiations and boundaries. But after some time, they grew used to each other, and began to trust. McClane is sort of kinky for an alien weapon, and used his wiles to convince Riley to like him more. That was super interesting.

They became closer as their fates twined, and the relationship solidified. Even though McClane hadn’t met Riley’s Russian boyfriend, he started to develop feelings for him through their shared memory, and they become more of one mind.

Truly fascinating dynamic. I’ve read quite a few “two people in one body” stories and even “two people who can join telepathically” stories, but this was probably my favorite. I know I labeled this work as a MM, but I’m not certain it is. Yeah, Riley and McClane get sort of intimate, and I think at first they are two different people, but the sex was…mostly in their heads? It was sort of with one body? Yes, the book is sexual, but it really didn’t strike me as Erotica or even a Romance, even though it could be argued that McClane and Riley have a romance with each other. It’s weird—cool—but weird. If you aren’t the sexy time type, and/or you just like to read Gay Science Fiction/Thriller, I think you’d do okay with this. Like I said, the sex was…cooly weird.

It seems like J. Fally is relatively new to the genre, but I’ll be keeping an eye out to see what else she publishes. Cheers.

Beth Brock is a reviewer for DSP and QSF.  She enjoys reading, writing, running, family and food, and fills her life with bent bunk.  She especially loves to discuss LGBTQ+ literature. Her website is http://www.bethbrockbooks.com. You can find her on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/BethBrockBooks.

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