Book Reviews

Book Blurb

When Gray Fox sets out by canoe to visit Elk Horn, his childhood friend and secret crush, mysterious forces strand him on a terrifying hunk of ebony rock known as Black Island. During the dark, cold night, a strangely androgynous being seduces the young virgin. In the midst of his passion, the creature shifts into a comely youth, shocking the naïve young man. He can hardly wait to tell Elk Horn about the experience. But does he dare?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2016 Daily Dose package “A Walk on the Wild Side”.

Book Review

Firmly based in Native American legends, thinking, and perspective, ‘Shifter” is a unique story that provides both entertainment and a thought-provoking idea about shifting. In this story, it is the kind of transformation I have only read about very rarely – that of changing genders. It is written much like a fable and has the “moral” at the end of the story to go with it. I think it’s a very refreshing interpretation of what shifting means and I am very glad this story is part of the 2016 Daily Dose collection. It’s definitely a “Walk on the Wild Side”!

Gray Fox is eighteen and on his way to visit Elk Horn, the childhood friend who moved away two years previously. But on his way across the lake, a strange mist makes it impossible for him to continue the trip in his canoe, and strands him on Black Island. An androgynous creature that initially appears as a woman seduces Fox, and when she changes into a young man in the middle of their activities, Fox is far less shocked than he believes he should be. He finds he likes being intimate with a young man, and it makes him rethink his relationship with his friend, Elk. What follows is the sweet, sometimes funny, beginning of an entirely different relationship between Fox and Elk than either of them would have thought possible were it not for the mysterious gender shifter.

If you like fables with human main characters, if you enjoy exploring the legends of different cultures, and if you’re looking for a creative, thought-provoking read, then you will probably like this short story.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Short Story, 19 pages/4873 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	01-June-2016
Price	$1.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/shifter-by-mark-wildyr-7164-b