Man & Beast

What is the line that separates man from beast?

The year is 1797, and 24-year-old John Chapman is lost on the American frontier with winter falling fast. Near death, he stumbles upon a lone cabin, and the owner, a rugged but sexy frontiersman named Daniel McQuay, agrees to let John winter over.

John and Daniel quickly find themselves drawn to each other. But as the weeks turn into snowbound months, Daniel begins to change into someone brutish, and the line between man and beast disappears.

With the arrival of spring, John flees, eventually finding refuge in the company of a group of frontier outcasts, including a brash young settler named Palmer. But in the wilds of this savage land, love is not so easily tamed, and John soon finds himself calling upon the raging animal within him to save the man he loves.

Man & Beast, which The Advocate calls "equal parts romance novel and history lesson, heaped with sex and violence," is the first book in the Savage Lands, a series that celebrates the untold gay history of the American frontier. Man & Beast is for fans of Harper Fox, Jerry Cole, and Mary Renault, as well as anyone who enjoys pulse-pounding suspense and romance.

REVIEWS

"Besides an entertaining read, this praiseworthy period piece provides one of the few enduring thrills in contemporary gay literature--the erosion of the myth that American history was founded exclusively by heterosexuals."
-- The Advocate

"A breathtaking novel of American cultural and sexual history. This is a book for anyone who has ever wondered what same-sex passion might have been like in the age of 'romantic friendships.' [Man & Beast] is exciting and absorbing."
-- Michelangelo Signorile, author of Life Outside

"With [Man & Beast] we may be witnessing the creation of a new genre. Michael Jensen's well-researched book brings to life a pivotal period in U.S. history. He writes with passion, wit, and a heart as big as the continent."
-- Rebecca Brown, author of The Dogs and The Gifts of the Body

"Michael Jensen's [Man & Beast] has all the 'bells and whistles' of a deluxe adventure story: a racing narrative, high drama, vivid images, keen dialogue, even hot sex!
-- Walter Vatter, A Different Light Bookstore

"A fascinating tale about a fascinating character. The best books leave the reader wanting more, and [Man & Beast] begs for a sequel."
-- Outlines

"A fascinating period piece and a sexual bildungsroman that explores new literary terrain and will leave readers wanting more of Jensen's ingenious dialogue, complex characters, and finely detailed plot."
-- Bookshelf

(Man & Beast was previously published under the title Frontiers.)