roen

Definitely agree on the Tales of the City series - they're wonderful - easily some of the best books I've ever read, whether with gay characters or not. Don't forget the two more recent sequels about Michael and Mary Ann.

Also, if you enjoy fantasy, check out the trilogy "The Last Herald Mage" by Mercedes Lackey. Typically I'm not a big fan of hers (too many typos), but this trilogy could almost have been written by someone else. The main character is gay, and the three novels are really good. Whopper of an ending.

On the young adult front, Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan or Geography Club by Brent Hartinger were both sweet, if maybe a little forgettable.

If you want something saucier, check out the Mitch Mitchell mysteries by James Lear - fun vintage settings, cute mysteries, and man, can he write some hot saucy :). I wasn't as impressed with the few other books he's written, though - the characters were quite unlikeable and the plots, without the mystery, were dull.

I'd love to know what everyone else recommends too - it's always tricky finding good gay fiction that isn't either really heavy and melodramatic or poorly written.

This was an interesting thread to read through, and I think it is a great resource for newbies looking for some opinions, so I'll add mine in.

Background:

I've done three regular cruises with my family (one of which I brought my partner along on) and one Atlantis cruise (the 2010 Caribbean) (also brought my partner).

I'm 30ish, he's 40ish - I'm more outgoing and love dancing, he's more a beer/comic book/chill kind of guy. Neither one of us "party" at all (I don't even drink), and we're also not in a free-for-all open relationship. I'm also very snuggly - lots of hugs and kisses :).

I'm out everywhere at home - work/family/friends; he's out everywhere but work. We live in Detroit, which isn't super-gay (i.e. it certainly isn't San Fran), but also isn't oppressive or scary. We have a pride fest, and gay bars, and so on.

I love to be on the ocean, which is the main reason I love cruising, and he likes ships and tranquility, which is why he likes it.

My Gay Charter vs. Straight Cruise Opinion:

I LOVED the charter (Atlantis). I agree with whoever said it feels like gay camp - there's a joy and a warmth that suffuses the entire experience. I loved cuddling on lounge chairs with my partner, snuggling and watching sunsets, eating together without feeling awkward... I'm not a shy or tense person, but it was amazing how comfortable the environment is by comparison to day-to-day life in the "straight" world. Obviously your mileage will vary.

I wasn't necessarily uncomfortable on the regular cruises - it was more like a regular day in the real world; a little bit guarded, but no major tension. I didn't experience any hostility or even rudeness, and chatted with lots of straight people & crew. But it was nothing like the calm joy that happened on the gay charter. Maybe this would be less noticeable if you live in a really gay or progressive area - not sure. To us, though, it made a massive difference.

Also, regarding the crowd, floating bathhouses, party boys, circuit queens, and all the other labels you can slap on, I didn't encounter any of that. There were older guys, younger guys, hot guys, average guys, friendly guys, cranky guys - the whole gamut. And people watching and random conversations were probably my favorite activities. Sex was there in the sauna and in the darkest part of the front of the ship late at night, but that's it. I didn't see ANYTHING on board anywhere else that was anywhere near the inappropriate things I saw on the straight cruises (gag). And flirting was obviously there too, but it was all harmless, and very warm.

We didn't hit a lot of the shows (I like to be outside, being from snowy Detroit - sunshine/fresh air is at a premium), and even STILL I thought it was amazingly worth the price over a regular cruise - the feeling was that wonderful.

For 2012 we'll be trying out RSVP for two reasons - 1, the music wasn't my taste on Atlantis - I didn't dance much b/c it was pretty circuity, and 2, the Royal Caribbean "ships" are huge floating malls - yuck. No interaction with the ocean anywhere.

I don't really feel like you get to experience destinations by cruising to them, so I don't plan cruises around ports - it's too rushed and touristy. So I can see regular cruises being more appealing to those who like to spend time off of the ship.

We were both really depressed for a couple weeks after we got back, because we missed the environment that much. It really is something special compared to a trip on a traditional cruise, but, like anything, depends a lot on how your attitude is and what your tastes run to. I wouldn't do another cruise on a regular cruise line, though, unless it was a big family vacation. The two trips were absolute worlds apart for me.