Review: Lovely, Dark, Romantic
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 18, 2013
Joah Lanyon has created a rich, if very dark, story of fighter pilots in England. I have read Mary Renault's compelling "The Charioteer" multiple times. This story reminded me of that novel in feel and depth of character. Quite an achievement, in a short story. But this is not that novel (there is hot, real sex, for one thing). Bat and Cowboy have a relationship that starts abruptly and disturbingly, and continues that way - an integral part of their dangerous environment. They need each other but Bat fights it. Cowboy covers up most of his true feelings until his plan to win Bat begins to succeed. "Out of the Blue" feels a lot different from most of Josh Lanyon's tales. He didn't kill off either of his heroes, but I didn't feel certain that they would find Happily Ever After. More like they'd have short moments of love  ripped out of very little time before statistics finally rule. There were hints of a possible future and I'm hoping! Still, the odds of fighter pilot survival were truly small in those days.