Horse Tales by Vincent Diamond

Title: Horse Tales
Author: Vincent Diamond
Publisher: Smashwords
Length: Novella / 70 pages
Buy the book: Publisher

Blurb:

Horse Tales collects the best of Vincent Diamond’s horse-themed stories, including the brand-new “Holding the Reins.” These characters are gay men with real-life problems, desires, and loves–for each other and for the horses that dapple their days. Seven stories that pulse with heat and color and passion, Horse Tales are truly diamond chips from an author known for stellar writing.

Review:

Horse Tales is a collection of seven short stories, many published previously, and available together from Smashwords. For those fans of the author, many of these stories appeared in Diamond’s single author anthology “Rough Cut” with a few exceptions. Many of the stories link to one another with common characters or themes but the connective element is a love of horses and the various men surrounding them. The collection begins and ends with grief but there are strong threads of hope, love, and happiness that run through the stories. There are also numerous explicit sex scenes to please erotica fans that enjoy sex mixed with their romance. All together, Horse Tales is a mostly successful collection of stories that are pleasant enough to read but lack a real lasting impression.

The first four stories – Holding the Reins, Bruised, Back in the Saddle, and Horsing Around – feature Marcus and David. The story arc begins with Marcus’ grief over his dead lover to meeting a potential new partner in David, then the slow flirting to consummating their relationship and finally a glimpse at a happy ending. Although these are all the stories about this couple included in this collection, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more. Given the limitations of the short story format, the characterization of the two men never really materializes. I never really understood either David or Marcus even as they were attractive men going about their lives through hard work and hardship, grabbing hold of happiness as they could. I would have liked this arc better if the stories were combined into one fully fleshed out novel as each man has more depth and possibility than eventually shown.

That’s not to say the stories themselves aren’t small delights as the minimal prose helps to offer crisp characters with very classic definitions. The feel and texture of the horse farm setting is clearly conveyed and adds an interesting layer to the men and their courtship. I still would have liked to see an entire story dedicated to these men as the short stories together give a fuller look but they still jump in time and circumstance, leaving the reader yearning for the connecting scenes and developments. The alternating point of view in the stories helps to show the thoughts of both Marcus and David but I still feel disconnected and not fully invested in their romance and relationship. These four are a decent group of stories that offers something unique in the writing if not the situation and the men themselves.

From the connective stories of Marcus and David, the collection veers into a new couple – Steven and Conrad. Here the two are an established couple and the short story gives a glimpse into their life while on a brief vacation at the beach. Again these men are clearly part of a larger group of stories about them as their past history is hinted at but never explained with any depth. The scene is amusing and fun to read as the two navigate a ride on the beach while murmuring sexual innuendos to each other. Their relationship clearly has been tested by problems in the past and likely again in the future, but the deep thread of love and quiet hope permeates even the underlying tension and stress between the two. This is a couple you can imagine staying together long past the one scene shown.

The final two stories are set in the same world as the first four and even mention Marcus and his farm. The men in these final stories are very different from the previous ones. Here the first men is a blue collar working hard, long hours as a hauler who happens to meet up with a hustler on the road. Laughter and lust forge a connection while the final story is an older man remembering a lover many years past. The atmosphere to both stories feels more visceral and real even as it is slightly sad. The stories shine with the language and prose used, showing a connection between the men and a lingering impression of hope.

Overall the collection is very classic writing of the author’s and many fans will have read these stories previously. It’s never a hardship to re-read these offerings although I didn’t remember many of them. There are a few mistakes and errors included but easily over looked as the settings used are interesting and well crafted. Horse Tales is a very good introduction for those new to Diamond’s work and enjoy a glimpse at everyday men in an interesting setting.