What do you think?
Rate this book
Divinity
Martin Hayes has found the perfect job for a 200-year-old vampire. As the late-shift security guard for Spire Industries, he works and hunts by night and sleeps by day, hidden away in the unused cellar. Life is all so easy—nights bleeding away, weeks and months passing . . . until a new janitor disturbs the peace. Martin finds himself consumed by memories (or are they?) of red hair, freckled skin, and a man he knows but doesn't know.
Dylan Mesmer isn’t just a hot, freckled, red-haired janitor. He’s altogether too composed around Martin and never surprised by Martin’s supernatural abilities. In fact, he seems to have a few of his own. And why does he keep feeding Martin orange lollipops?
A healthy vampire has no use for candy, yet Martin cannot resist the lure. It seems he’s being baited, but to what end? And what about those visions that assail him whenever he thinks of Dylan? Their story is centuries old, but this time around, Dylan’s playing for nothing less than immortality. Eternal life—and eternal love, after a sort—is within his reach, but can he convince Martin to change his ways and commit? They may never find their way beyond the anger and the lies, but there's no denying the draw between them, and that's very much worth fighting for—even among themselves.
(Publisher's this title contains dubious consent and one non-explicit mention of non-consent.)
Dylan Mesmer isn’t just a hot, freckled, red-haired janitor. He’s altogether too composed around Martin and never surprised by Martin’s supernatural abilities. In fact, he seems to have a few of his own. And why does he keep feeding Martin orange lollipops?
A healthy vampire has no use for candy, yet Martin cannot resist the lure. It seems he’s being baited, but to what end? And what about those visions that assail him whenever he thinks of Dylan? Their story is centuries old, but this time around, Dylan’s playing for nothing less than immortality. Eternal life—and eternal love, after a sort—is within his reach, but can he convince Martin to change his ways and commit? They may never find their way beyond the anger and the lies, but there's no denying the draw between them, and that's very much worth fighting for—even among themselves.
(Publisher's this title contains dubious consent and one non-explicit mention of non-consent.)
40 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 12, 2011
1 person is currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Bryl R. Tyne
36 books97 followersBRYL R. TYNE is a wrangler by nature and a writer by choice. Balancing as many pronouns as hats, somewhere between the evil day job, editing, and helping a benevolent Sugar Daddy raise the last of seven kids, Bryl writes. Homoerotic romance is a favorite, but many of Bryl’s stories cross genres. Comedy, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-fi, even Westerns, Bryl writes them all.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 21, 2011
This was a snippet of a story...a glimpse of a tale that left me wanting more...more story...more back story...more, more, more. The story, Divinity, swirls around the spotty memory of a centuries old vampire, Martin, who has found the perfect job working as a nighttime security guard for an office building. His world is remarkably predictable and dull until a new janitor, Dylan, comes on the scene. Dylan, however, is more than meets the eye and Martin begins dreaming in a series of flashbacks that leave him twisted up in knots and more than a little in lust with Dylan. To top it all off, there is something addictive about those little orange lollipops Dylan keeps feeding him. To say more would be to give away the candy store, so to speak!
I like this author--while most of his work is too short for my liking, one cannot deny the depth of his characters, the imaginative story lines and the penchant he has for leaving us hanging with the words, "more, please" on our lips.
Tyne uses flashbacks surprisingly well to move his story along--and uncover important plot points and character flaws. However, occasionally those flashbacks left me puzzled---wanting to know just a bit more--wanting to go back and hear more of the very story they were flashing back to, wanting to stay there and see the story evolve.
But...this was just a taste...a tantalizing taste, a frustratingly tantalizing taste.
SO I am left, with a damn good little tale..two characters that I desperately want to know more about, want to see succeed, want to see fall in love most completely...BUT...my desires go unfulfilled. Oh dear Mr. Tyne--how you torture us so...
I like this author--while most of his work is too short for my liking, one cannot deny the depth of his characters, the imaginative story lines and the penchant he has for leaving us hanging with the words, "more, please" on our lips.
Tyne uses flashbacks surprisingly well to move his story along--and uncover important plot points and character flaws. However, occasionally those flashbacks left me puzzled---wanting to know just a bit more--wanting to go back and hear more of the very story they were flashing back to, wanting to stay there and see the story evolve.
But...this was just a taste...a tantalizing taste, a frustratingly tantalizing taste.
SO I am left, with a damn good little tale..two characters that I desperately want to know more about, want to see succeed, want to see fall in love most completely...BUT...my desires go unfulfilled. Oh dear Mr. Tyne--how you torture us so...
December 12, 2011
Rating: B-
Originally reviewed at Brief Encounters Reviews
Warning: this story contains one rape scene (non-graphic) and instances of dubious consent.
This is an angsty and unusual tale which didn’t quite deliver what I was expecting, but that kept me reading. The blurb’s mention of a security guard vampire being fed orange lollipops by a janitor had me intrigued from the start, and that motif was one of the most interesting things about the story. Why did Mesmer keep offering them to Martin, and what were they doing to him?
Divinity opens in the eighteenth century, showing us a carefree, mortal Martin cavorting with his lover Anton, before heading off to town for some food. Martin’s method of payment for the pigeon pie is likely to be off-putting to many readers, as it is made clear that despite his feelings for Anton, Martin has no qualms about giving Ferguson regular blowjobs in exchange for food. This is quickly followed by the attack from vampires when Martin is both raped and turned. Both these scenes were short and clearly not intended to titillate, but disturbing nevertheless. Also, I couldn’t work out if Martin genuinely had no money so had to pay for his food in that way, or if he just did it for kicks – the narrative was frustratingly vague in the matter.
The transition to the present day section of the narrative is dramatic, immediately throwing us into a scene where Martin comes to from his memories to find himself about to penetrate the new janitor. Martin is confused as to why he is there, and distressed at the idea he was about to have sex with someone while not in control of his own mind or body. It appears that snacking from the night janitors is a perk of the job for him, but that he usually does it down in the basement and has complete control over the situation, including how much they remember of the encounter. With Mesmer, it appears that the tables have been turned, and Martin can’t even read the man’s thoughts.
The setting for Divinity is limited to a fairly featureless office building during the night shift, the bland backdrop providing a stark contrast to the emotional turmoil and reluctant obsession Martin experiences as he stalks Mesmer on his round. To get an idea of how Martin’s internal confusion is portrayed, here’s a short snippet from one of his mysterious encounters with Mesmer:
These fragments of Martin’s thoughts bleed into the narrative constantly, giving it an intimate, almost claustrophobic feel at times. I very much enjoyed the author’s writing style, which is spare yet descriptive. If Martin had been given too much internal monologue I think I could easily have found him too much, but the glimpses given worked really well. I wouldn’t say Martin was an easy character to like, but he was compelling, which was enough to carry me with him on his journey.
Mesmer remains quite a mystery, even after the reveal. However, this is completely necessary to serve the needs of the story, and I found I didn’t mind not being able to get a grip on him. He does come across as quite a character even with his relatively few lines, and I liked him despite his manipulative, secretive behaviour. There’s a dark sense of humour at play in Mesmer too, which helps to lift the rather tense atmosphere at times.
Something that didn’t quite work for me was the world-building around the vampires. I assumed from the rape scene that Martin was turned into a vampire by being penetrated while being fed upon, as no other details were given. However, when Martin talks about regularly snacking on the other janitors and filling both his appetites, I realised this couldn’t be the case as he hadn’t been turning them. I can appreciate that a certain amount of mystery can be a good thing in a paranormal story like this, but at times I simply found elements confusing rather than intriguing.
Divinity is a fascinating story, and even better, the ending left me with a smile on my face which I really wasn’t expecting, given the dark atmosphere of the rest of the story. If you’re in the mood for something dark and mysterious, angsty and sexy, but with some quirky, dry humour then you may well enjoy it. The dubious morality of the two main characters mean it’s not going to be for everyone, but I applaud Bryl R. Tyne for writing something a bit different to your typical vampire story.
Originally reviewed at Brief Encounters Reviews
Warning: this story contains one rape scene (non-graphic) and instances of dubious consent.
This is an angsty and unusual tale which didn’t quite deliver what I was expecting, but that kept me reading. The blurb’s mention of a security guard vampire being fed orange lollipops by a janitor had me intrigued from the start, and that motif was one of the most interesting things about the story. Why did Mesmer keep offering them to Martin, and what were they doing to him?
Divinity opens in the eighteenth century, showing us a carefree, mortal Martin cavorting with his lover Anton, before heading off to town for some food. Martin’s method of payment for the pigeon pie is likely to be off-putting to many readers, as it is made clear that despite his feelings for Anton, Martin has no qualms about giving Ferguson regular blowjobs in exchange for food. This is quickly followed by the attack from vampires when Martin is both raped and turned. Both these scenes were short and clearly not intended to titillate, but disturbing nevertheless. Also, I couldn’t work out if Martin genuinely had no money so had to pay for his food in that way, or if he just did it for kicks – the narrative was frustratingly vague in the matter.
The transition to the present day section of the narrative is dramatic, immediately throwing us into a scene where Martin comes to from his memories to find himself about to penetrate the new janitor. Martin is confused as to why he is there, and distressed at the idea he was about to have sex with someone while not in control of his own mind or body. It appears that snacking from the night janitors is a perk of the job for him, but that he usually does it down in the basement and has complete control over the situation, including how much they remember of the encounter. With Mesmer, it appears that the tables have been turned, and Martin can’t even read the man’s thoughts.
The setting for Divinity is limited to a fairly featureless office building during the night shift, the bland backdrop providing a stark contrast to the emotional turmoil and reluctant obsession Martin experiences as he stalks Mesmer on his round. To get an idea of how Martin’s internal confusion is portrayed, here’s a short snippet from one of his mysterious encounters with Mesmer:
His arms were wrapped around Mesmer just as tightly as Mesmer’s were wrapped around him, and they stood that way, face to face, locked in a stare that took Martin back, far back, to a place that was always just out of reach.
Hands sought his naked arse. Arse? He hadn’t used that word in at least a hundred years. He broke away from the hypnotic gaze long enough to realize he was standing in a second-floor storage room in the Spire building. What’s going on?
These fragments of Martin’s thoughts bleed into the narrative constantly, giving it an intimate, almost claustrophobic feel at times. I very much enjoyed the author’s writing style, which is spare yet descriptive. If Martin had been given too much internal monologue I think I could easily have found him too much, but the glimpses given worked really well. I wouldn’t say Martin was an easy character to like, but he was compelling, which was enough to carry me with him on his journey.
Mesmer remains quite a mystery, even after the reveal. However, this is completely necessary to serve the needs of the story, and I found I didn’t mind not being able to get a grip on him. He does come across as quite a character even with his relatively few lines, and I liked him despite his manipulative, secretive behaviour. There’s a dark sense of humour at play in Mesmer too, which helps to lift the rather tense atmosphere at times.
Something that didn’t quite work for me was the world-building around the vampires. I assumed from the rape scene that Martin was turned into a vampire by being penetrated while being fed upon, as no other details were given. However, when Martin talks about regularly snacking on the other janitors and filling both his appetites, I realised this couldn’t be the case as he hadn’t been turning them. I can appreciate that a certain amount of mystery can be a good thing in a paranormal story like this, but at times I simply found elements confusing rather than intriguing.
Divinity is a fascinating story, and even better, the ending left me with a smile on my face which I really wasn’t expecting, given the dark atmosphere of the rest of the story. If you’re in the mood for something dark and mysterious, angsty and sexy, but with some quirky, dry humour then you may well enjoy it. The dubious morality of the two main characters mean it’s not going to be for everyone, but I applaud Bryl R. Tyne for writing something a bit different to your typical vampire story.
January 1, 2012
This review was originally posted on my blog Joyfully Jay.
Martin Hayes has the perfect job for a vampire. He is a night security guard, leaving him time to hunt and work at night and sleep during the day. But for the last month he has been plagued by the new night janitor Dylan Mesmer. Something about Dylan just makes him crazy and he finds himself inexplicably drawn to the man and his ever present orange tootsie pops. Not to mention his bright orange hair and all over freckles.
Martin knows something is going on with Dylan but can't quite figure out what. He has never liked candy before, yet he can't seem to stay away from the orange suckers. Martin is also suddenly having memories of his past before being turned, something he has never been able to remember. He starts to have flashbacks to a man in his past who was important to him, but can't quite put all the pieces together. Martin knows the Dylan is manipulating him in some way, but he still can't quite resist him.
This story is interesting in that it jumps back and forth between Martin's past immediately before and after becoming a vampire, and his present with Dylan. As a reader we understand much more about what is going on than Martin does because he doesn't remember his past and often doesn't remember his dreams. So we are learning about a man in his past and how he impacted Martin before he does. I enjoyed these flashbacks because I thought they really moved the story forward and help to draw the links between Martin's past and present that he really needs to accept. I found the present day pieces a bit slower actually. It seemed to take a while for anything to really happen in the modern day story. For a while it seemed like a lot of Martin wanting Dylan but not willing to act on it and not much actually happening. I would have liked to see a bit more momentum here.
Overall I found it an enjoyable story, however. I was really intrigued by the way the past and the present tied together and thought Martin's backstory was really interesting. I wasn't really sure what to expect from Dylan and I was surprised by some of the mysteries that surrounded him. I loved the orange tootsie pops and poor Martin's exasperation about why he suddenly craved them so badly. And as a freckly redhead myself, I couldn't quite resist Dylan! This is my first story by Tyne but I will definitely check out this author's work in the future.
Martin Hayes has the perfect job for a vampire. He is a night security guard, leaving him time to hunt and work at night and sleep during the day. But for the last month he has been plagued by the new night janitor Dylan Mesmer. Something about Dylan just makes him crazy and he finds himself inexplicably drawn to the man and his ever present orange tootsie pops. Not to mention his bright orange hair and all over freckles.
Martin knows something is going on with Dylan but can't quite figure out what. He has never liked candy before, yet he can't seem to stay away from the orange suckers. Martin is also suddenly having memories of his past before being turned, something he has never been able to remember. He starts to have flashbacks to a man in his past who was important to him, but can't quite put all the pieces together. Martin knows the Dylan is manipulating him in some way, but he still can't quite resist him.
This story is interesting in that it jumps back and forth between Martin's past immediately before and after becoming a vampire, and his present with Dylan. As a reader we understand much more about what is going on than Martin does because he doesn't remember his past and often doesn't remember his dreams. So we are learning about a man in his past and how he impacted Martin before he does. I enjoyed these flashbacks because I thought they really moved the story forward and help to draw the links between Martin's past and present that he really needs to accept. I found the present day pieces a bit slower actually. It seemed to take a while for anything to really happen in the modern day story. For a while it seemed like a lot of Martin wanting Dylan but not willing to act on it and not much actually happening. I would have liked to see a bit more momentum here.
Overall I found it an enjoyable story, however. I was really intrigued by the way the past and the present tied together and thought Martin's backstory was really interesting. I wasn't really sure what to expect from Dylan and I was surprised by some of the mysteries that surrounded him. I loved the orange tootsie pops and poor Martin's exasperation about why he suddenly craved them so badly. And as a freckly redhead myself, I couldn't quite resist Dylan! This is my first story by Tyne but I will definitely check out this author's work in the future.
November 27, 2011
Do weird vampires dream of orange candy?
I don't read vampire stories, so I have no reference what they usually are, but this one was weird, but also funny.
Divinity is well written (and I learned at least five new English words) and the characters are interesting, but somehow the whole was just too weird for me. I cannot really place my finger on the weirdness, but if you are familiar with Philip K Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? then you have some kind of clue to what kind of weirdness I'm talking about. Kinder sort, but still this is not your Stephenie Meyer kind of vampire story.
Then there is the humour - is it unintentional, a misunderstanding on my part (especially when other reviewers describe this story as angsty)? Decide yourself:
He would borrow the first strong young man who happened across this lonely alleyway. Had to be a strong one; Martin hated when his meals died on him.
Divinity is really short. The promising beginning paves way for a longer journey, so the shortness and abrupt ending does disappoint.
3,5 stars
I don't read vampire stories, so I have no reference what they usually are, but this one was weird, but also funny.
Divinity is well written (and I learned at least five new English words) and the characters are interesting, but somehow the whole was just too weird for me. I cannot really place my finger on the weirdness, but if you are familiar with Philip K Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? then you have some kind of clue to what kind of weirdness I'm talking about. Kinder sort, but still this is not your Stephenie Meyer kind of vampire story.
Then there is the humour - is it unintentional, a misunderstanding on my part (especially when other reviewers describe this story as angsty)? Decide yourself:
He would borrow the first strong young man who happened across this lonely alleyway. Had to be a strong one; Martin hated when his meals died on him.
Divinity is really short. The promising beginning paves way for a longer journey, so the shortness and abrupt ending does disappoint.
3,5 stars
November 18, 2011
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Very well written short story (it didn't feel short while reading it) about a commitment shy vampire and his current co-worker who seems to be weaving some sort of spell on him (with lollipops!).
Not sure if these are considered spoilers, but just in case;
Very well written short story (it didn't feel short while reading it) about a commitment shy vampire and his current co-worker who seems to be weaving some sort of spell on him (with lollipops!).
Not sure if these are considered spoilers, but just in case;
December 30, 2011
This one actually gets 3.5 stars from me. It was shorter than I wanted it to be and felt more HFN than HEA, but only just barely HFN. It seems like Martin is still fighting against their attraction at the end, even though he gave in to what Dylan wanted. I don't know... I just felt still unsettled at the end. I liked the story though. Dylan was fun to watch, freckles and all. Mischievous imp is a good description for him. =)
May 21, 2013
We've often heard it said that love is eternal. What do you believe? Is it possible for love to weather every storm, ride every wave? Can it survive forever? Even through several lifetimes? Martin Hayes of 'Divinity' by Bryl R. Tyne is a vampire and therefore will exist forever. Martin contemplates the possibility of love being eternal and, the consequences thereof, when he encounters Dylan and realizes that their love has survived, not just through their lifetimes together, but through several more lifetimes.
Martin Hayes is an odd sort, even for a vampire. He satisfies his blood lust, but not to the point of turning his victims; Martin does this not because of moral standards, but because he doesn't want to be responsible for them afterward. He exists in oblivion, obligated to no one and trying hard to convince himself that it's how he wants it. Martin knows that he's not gaining anything, but thinks he has nothing to lose either. But that's where he's wrong. There's a lot to be lost that he's not even aware of. Unless he faces his fear of commitment, which stems not from indifference, but from the feeling that he doesn't deserve to love and be loved so intensely, he'll lose his chance at eternal love forever.
I liked Dylan. He's a witch who does what he needs to do to be with Martin. Dylan loves Martin and will use whatever means possible to find him so they can be together forever. His tenacity and dedication to his quest, regardless of the odds or consequences, is commendable. I have little doubt that he will eventually get Martin to admit how he truly feels about Dylan and himself.
With his usual expertise, Bryl weaves a tale of foreboding and mystery. It's clever, entertaining, and spooky. Because the action jumps back and forth in time, and events shift between reality, memories, and dream sequences, I had to pay close attention to what I was reading for fear of missing something. Dylan and Martin belong together, even though Martin, through his own inadequacies, doesn't believe it. I highly recommend this story to anyone who likes mysterious and thoughtful stories about vampires, witches, and the awesome power of love to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. Thanks, Bryl, for another unique, thought provoking story.
Martin Hayes is an odd sort, even for a vampire. He satisfies his blood lust, but not to the point of turning his victims; Martin does this not because of moral standards, but because he doesn't want to be responsible for them afterward. He exists in oblivion, obligated to no one and trying hard to convince himself that it's how he wants it. Martin knows that he's not gaining anything, but thinks he has nothing to lose either. But that's where he's wrong. There's a lot to be lost that he's not even aware of. Unless he faces his fear of commitment, which stems not from indifference, but from the feeling that he doesn't deserve to love and be loved so intensely, he'll lose his chance at eternal love forever.
I liked Dylan. He's a witch who does what he needs to do to be with Martin. Dylan loves Martin and will use whatever means possible to find him so they can be together forever. His tenacity and dedication to his quest, regardless of the odds or consequences, is commendable. I have little doubt that he will eventually get Martin to admit how he truly feels about Dylan and himself.
With his usual expertise, Bryl weaves a tale of foreboding and mystery. It's clever, entertaining, and spooky. Because the action jumps back and forth in time, and events shift between reality, memories, and dream sequences, I had to pay close attention to what I was reading for fear of missing something. Dylan and Martin belong together, even though Martin, through his own inadequacies, doesn't believe it. I highly recommend this story to anyone who likes mysterious and thoughtful stories about vampires, witches, and the awesome power of love to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. Thanks, Bryl, for another unique, thought provoking story.
May 24, 2012
3.5 stars on this first read. I feel I have to re-read it.
This is an interesting, but also complicated story. The story begins in the past and shows Martin being turned into a vampire on his way to meet his lover, who mesmerizes him with his red hair and freckles. The turning makes Martin lose his memories, but it doesn't delete them completely. Flash-forward 200 years. Martin, now a night security guard, meets the janitor Dylan Mesmer and is enthralled by his red hair and freckles. The meeting steers attraction, but also makes re-emerge things of the past.
I wanted to lose myself in the story, but I was often confused because the author follows the confusion in Martin's thoughts, what he felt in the past after being turned and the strange feelings Dylan ignites in him. The past and present planes sometimes seem to merge in the narration and since the reader works with the story and understands what's going to happen, Martin's recollection adds an uncertainty that, instead of delaying the resolution, it becomes a puzzling layer.
I was fascinated by the story, but I couldn't really connect with the characters. I also feels it could be the beginning of a longer story, since there's a lot to be resolved at the end of the book and the two characters show too many interesting traits that weren't explored.
I appreciate the originality of the story, but I was too confused to really love it.
This is an interesting, but also complicated story. The story begins in the past and shows Martin being turned into a vampire on his way to meet his lover, who mesmerizes him with his red hair and freckles. The turning makes Martin lose his memories, but it doesn't delete them completely. Flash-forward 200 years. Martin, now a night security guard, meets the janitor Dylan Mesmer and is enthralled by his red hair and freckles. The meeting steers attraction, but also makes re-emerge things of the past.
I wanted to lose myself in the story, but I was often confused because the author follows the confusion in Martin's thoughts, what he felt in the past after being turned and the strange feelings Dylan ignites in him. The past and present planes sometimes seem to merge in the narration and since the reader works with the story and understands what's going to happen, Martin's recollection adds an uncertainty that, instead of delaying the resolution, it becomes a puzzling layer.
I was fascinated by the story, but I couldn't really connect with the characters. I also feels it could be the beginning of a longer story, since there's a lot to be resolved at the end of the book and the two characters show too many interesting traits that weren't explored.
I appreciate the originality of the story, but I was too confused to really love it.
June 7, 2012
I'm not quite sure how to rate this. I ended this book thinking what the hell is going on??!! I was so confused. Even re-reading it, I was still confused. I felt like the ending got cut off, incomplete. I had to re-read this book several times to understand parts of it. And there are still parts I'm iffy on. Things needed to be better explained. I understand the style of writing the author was aiming for but it didn't work out. It was okay, but not something I will keep.
2.5 stars
2.5 stars
March 9, 2012
I had to read this book twice as I didn't completely understand it the first time but I think that probably had as much to do with my tired, end-of-the-week brain as it did with the story!
December 11, 2011
Odd and confused storyline.
Read
August 30, 2012I'm not going to rate this short because I found myself skimming over most of it. I just couldn't get my mind engaged in the story. Maybe I will try it again sometime.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews