Review - Schooled by the Scientist by Drake LaMarque

Note: This series is very much designed to be read in order. If you haven't read the first two books, then this review may contain spoilers.

Cedric, along with his three lovers and the rest of the crew of the Devil's Whore, is still on the run from the cult that wants to use Cedric to bring a powerful and malevolent being into this world from another dimension. Only, it seems that the being is making itself known even without the cult's help, giving Cedric enormous powers. It all seems hopeless, but Gabriel, Dante and Oliver all seem determined to find a way to get Cedric out of the predicament.

This installment of the Gentleman's Bounty series picks up right where the previous book, Vampire's Indulgence, left off, with Cedric once again having narrowly escaped the clutches of the Cult of the Unknowable Way, with a little help from his lovers. Like all the books in this series, as well as the one before it, “Schooled by the Scientist” is set in an ever-so-slightly over the top fantasy world of Caribbean pirates, witches, vampires, sea monsters and assorted other fantasy creatures. They're fun reads that call for a total suspension of disbelief.

The character of Cedric remains at the heart of the story. The young man, who starts out as a bit of a feckless youth, has several introspective moments in this book. With all he's been through he begins to ponder his self-worth. It's a bit of an irony that Cedric is on the verge of “finding himself” just as he's about to be swallowed by an unspeakable evil from another dimension.

Gabriel, Dante and Oliver remain Cedric's steadfast protectors and lovers. Each of them seems to bring something unique to the relationship, which is probably why this polyamarous group seems to work so well, almost like a gestalt. It is somewhat curious that the vampire Dante seems to be the one with the most compassion for Cedric, but then this series likes to turn some common tropes on their ear. As the title suggests, the focus of this installment is somewhat on Oliver, but all the characters play key parts in the story.

“Schooled by the Scientist” is available from Amazon.