“Going Down” is set in an extremely fascinating fantasy world, the novella deeply complex and completely immersive. The story is oppressive and moody in the beginning, written with a realistic distressing honesty. Yet we’re given that kind of hope that is always prevalent in the incredible perseverance of the human spirit. As Einan's focal point shifts, the mood of the story lightens to reflect the easing of Einan's pain giving us a strong sense of healing. The sensual awareness between the men was very subtle, the emphasis of the story more on their friendship than a sexual relationship. The writing style gently emanates an embracing warmth, while the story is filled with the insightful messages of generosity and compassion. The author intelligently weaves in the social commentary without burdening this beautiful story.


Ann in my opinion is an exceptional storyteller who was able to draw me into this captivating fantasy world. Einan and Thalem’s story has found an enduring place in my heart. Highly recommended.

Those who come to this story expecting erotica, or even romance, will probably be disappointed. Don’t let the m/m tag or the (unintentional?) double entendre in the title mislead you. Those who have read Ann Somerville’s fiction will know that she tends towards plot-heavy novels in which the romance is a secondary, yet important element. This story goes one step further. The romance is almost an afterthought, and for that reason feels somewhat tacked-on. The real story here is about friendship, about community, and about two damaged souls who must learn to trust themselves and each other in order to recover from their respective traumas.


This story takes place in the universe already established in the author’s previous fiction, and the paranormal abilities exhibited by some of the inhabitants are central to the plot. These men are not ‘superheroes’, however. They are flawed, damaged, ultimately ordinary people whose special abilities are as much a burden as a gift.


This is very much Einan’s story. His gift of ‘empathy’ has been damaged by the horrific event he has witnessed, and we find him simply trying to survive in a world he finds almost unbearable. Some will recognise this as a sensitive and accurate depiction of post-traumatic stress disorder, with all the disturbing imagery that entails. Yet Einan’s compulsion to help people remains, and on one of his nightly excursions he meets Thalem, a taciturn carpenter who is wrestling with demons of his own. Of necessity, Einan’s character is introspective, and since the story is told from his point of view, this means that the other characters are more sketchily drawn than they might otherwise be. Unfortunately Thalem, with his reticent nature, particularly suffers from this. But Einan himself is a sympathetic if somewhat unreliable narrator, and I did enjoy the surprisingly practical and motherly priestess who provides help and comfort to both men.


If you like your m/m romance to deal with more than sex, this story provides a satisfying morsel, and I for one would like to see more of these characters.

I read this story with relish and deep admiration. It's a story of the healing power of perseverance and friendship. It's not mushy, or sexy, or sentimental, but it kept me reading, resenting every blink of my eyes. When I finished reading, I scrolled right back to the beginning and read it again.

Read my longer review here: http://leebenoit.livejournal.com/12665.html

I've read nearly all the other Periter books by the same author, so I'm coming to this work with a bit of a bias. But if you just ran across her work today, and are curious but don't want to plunk down too much time, settle down with Going Down for an hour or so. It's a nice, gentle, filling read-- perfect for when you just want some rest.


And if you've read some of the other works in this universe, this is definitely one to add to the list. It fits nicely into the Pindone arc, adds some more background to Somerville's already richly detailed world. The characters in this story are carefully drawn, and the plot, while not overly involved or complex, is exactly what it needs to be.


On top of everything else, the author is donating the proceeds she gets from the story to charity-- Doctors Without Borders, if I remember correctly. The donation is worth the story, and the story is more than worth the donation. Hope you give it a try, and hope everyone that reads it enjoys it as much as I did.

I thoroughly enjoyed Going Down, a story that is both about the developing friendship and love between two damaged men, and about the universal struggle to find meaning and hope in the aftermath of tragedy. The characters are fully developed, and their pain and attempts at healing are realistic. It's not an easy journey for either of them, but the reader is never left feeling that it is a hopeless one.

Set in the fantasy world of Periter, this is a story of two men's struggles to overcome the horrors in their pasts and regain hope for the future.



Ann Somerville's deft hand has created a story supported by depth and rock-solid writing, and highlighted by engaging dialog and captivating characters.

A fantastic read, I highly recommend it.

Going Down is a story setting in a parallel universe that reminds me an east asian country, similar to India or Indonesia. It's a poor world, without machine or comfort, but it could be also a modern today world in a poor country.

Einan is a trained doctor who worked for the Corps, but being also an empath, he has somewhat absorbed all the sorrow he has seen and now he is unable to control all the emotions working in him. So he has found shelter in a big city working as dishwasher, but by night he roams the poor district trying to find solace for his pain.

During one of his without ending walkings he meets Thalem, a big man with a big heart but also with the heart full of guiltiness. He has committed a crime for which he has paid in front of the law, but he feels as he hasn't paid in front of gods. And so he lives for bring help to the poor souls.

Einan first feels a connection with Thalem that it's not sexual, but step by step his feelings change and will become something important if both men could overcome pain and sense of guilt.

Going Down is a very complex and deep story. It's hardly a romance, even if there is a blossoming story between Einan and Thalem, but sex is not part of it. Full of feeling and a sense of peace and the belief that men can change the world if only one starts.

All proceeds from this book are going to Medicins sans Frontieres and I think the book is plenty worthy his small price.

An excellent sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal novella that is extremely entertaining *and* has a lot to say about the human condition, pain, healing, and the power of friends and families, traditional or not. Superb read!