City Falcon (Falcon, #2) By Feliz Faber

BevS

A very unusual book....totally out of my usual comfort zone....but so glad I read it 4.5 stars and a

Mark Bowman is an officer with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police (PAPD) in 1994....Mark hides a dreadful secret....he's gay, and as he knows to his Uncle's cost, gays are not treated well by the police.

Hunter Devereaux works with the 'Falconry against Birdstrike' project, which the Port Authority are trialling at the airport to reduce the number of planes damaged by birds flying into the engines, and to keep the runways free of nuisance birds. Hunter is out but not proud....he has learned to his cost too that it's better to keep things close to your chest; having said that, as a result of what's happened to him in the past, he no longer lives his life to anyone else's rules but his own. He is a falconer and one of the group caring for a number of birds involved in the project.

This story is told from Mark's POV. He first meets Hunter when one day he sees a man in the airport carrying a falcon as if it were a carry-on bag. Mark quickly becomes fascinated by the birds and equally attracted to the man. They develop a relationship but whereas Hunter is confident and now lives his life unafraid of what others may think, Mark is petrified of what his sexuality could cost him....so what if he's never felt this happy before....it's easier and safer to stay in the closet, and not risk his career. But as Mark quickly learns, he will have to decide whether his own happiness or his career is the most important thing in his life as Hunter will not be around indefinitely.

Most of this book concerns Mark's journey to self-acceptance, Hunter is very much a secondary character (I didn't know at the time, but there is prequel novella which details Hunter's story, and what he had to go through in much more detail 'Desert Falcon'), and exists really in this story as Mark's love interest. It has to be said that Hunter is older than Mark, but so much more mature. Most of the time Mark comes across as an immature, repressed, unhappy person, ashamed of who he is, Hunter is very happy in his own skin.

Mark was an interesting character. and very believable. He did sometimes get on my nerves....he was so afraid that everything he did or said might be construed as gay, but I really felt for him and understood where he was coming from....even though I didn't always like what he did or said. As he knew from his Uncle's experience, the fears he had about his career were well founded, and nothing was going to be easy. I won't go into detail about what happens throughout the book....you'll have to read it for yourself, but I was rooting for him just as much I was rooting for Hunter....they deserved a happy ending, but it certainly wasn't going to be a smooth ride. I believe their happily ever after would take time and hard work, not so much because they have issues as a couple but because Mark was left dealing with some heavy stuff at work, so for me (hopefully) a sequel makes perfect sense.

The whole falconry aspect of the plot was fascinating and detailed enough to make it interesting but not boring.

Lady*M

4.75 stars

I don't remember when was the last time I've read the book where author's affection for her characters came across so clearly, even when they did stupid, hurtful things. And I don't remember when it was the last time I liked author's writing style so much - it's clear like a spring water and it washes over you smoothly and refreshingly and still has the lyrical tone I liked so much in Desert Falcon.

Mark's struggle to come to terms with who he is and simply try to find a place for himself in the world was painful to read about. It isn't hard to sympathize with him, not just considering the time period the book deals with, but because all his experiences connected to his sexuality were bad: his father abused him (even before he came out to his family), his fellow officers ostracized his gay uncle and his partner, even their doctor treated them like dirt. The homophobic colleagues don't help his situation either. But, it was also hard to read how he treated Hunter when the blinding, bone-deep fear overwhelmed him. Just think - even today, thousands, millions of people all around the world still live with that kind of fear. If that's not heartbreaking, I don't know what is. But, this all made the ending and Mark's exchange with his superior in particular that much more satisfying, because it showed not only that there are people who will support him, but also that, once he made up his mind, he was dedicated to his choices 100%.

And, then, there are birds - beautiful, exciting creatures. It was great to once again peek into the world of falconers thanks to Hunter and mercurial Greg (who was a brilliant character). While I was reading the novel, I couldn't help thinking that this was the one thing people actually did right - since this program was a reality. It was exciting to think that people are after all capable of learning. We are not. The falcons apparently got fired by JFK because - guess what? - they cost too much. The marksmen who kill the birds are cheaper. *headdesk* *deep breath*

Back on the book. I fell in love with Hunter while reading Desert Falcon and he is the same beautiful, rich soul he was. Sad, but also capable of experiencing beauty, happiness, love. Only this time we get to see him through someone else's eyes and we can see how unaccustomed he is to the western behavior, how he sometimes forgets that not everyone is a scientist so he comes across as arrogant. It is to author's credit that you can actually see the wealth of emotions and thoughts beneath his surface. But, I admit it, this is also the only reason why I didn't give the book all 5 stars. It has nothing to do with author's skill - this might actually be one of the best books published this year - but I wanted the access to Hunter's head again and I was missing it until the last page of the book.

I wrote this long-winded review to tell you to read this book because it's beautiful and definite rereading material and to start the cheering band which will hassle Feliz for MORE! More Hunter (and Mark), more falconry and more books, in general. *evil grin*

And this is how I see the beautiful Iman:

Cat

There are so many things I liked about this book that I hope I won't forget to name them all. :-)

WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD!

This book was a delight to read; it was totally engaging and moved at the exactly right pace for me. There was no jumping in bed at an early point, which is a big plus for me, even though the attraction between the protagonists was acknowledged from the very beginning. Even though the book was about Hunter and Mark's relationship, the author took her time to deal with Mark's personal issues, with the job Hunter and Greg were doing with the falcons, and with the environmental issues concerning homosexuality at the beginning of the nineties.

While Mark wasn't exactly the most sympathetic character and there were times when I would have gladly slapped him, it was hard not to feel sorry for him. Mark is the perfect example of what a bigoted society and surroundings can achieve when a young homosexual man finds himself in the middle of it from his early childhood on. In the end, I think that readers are going to sympathise with Mark because until Hunter came along, Mark has never had a positive experience as far as his sexuality was concerned (except maybe the kiss he experienced as a kid between his uncle and his partner). In Hunter's face, Mark couldn't have had found a better lover that would be able to deliver all the patience and understanding Mark needed to reach his breaking point, make peace with who he is, and fight for his right to love whoever he wants.

I enjoyed the additional information the book provided, i.e. the use of falcons against bird strikes on airports - something I personally have never thought about, even though it's obviously a problem. It's a very different and fascinating topic, and it's enough to read the book in order to learn a lot about it.

The most charismatic character in the book was, without any doubt, the falconer Hunter, whom we already met in the prequel
Desert Falcon. I was quite surprised this book was entirely from Mark's POV, as the prequel was all about Hunter, and here he remains kinda mysterious, which is even more underlined by his appearance - Mark seems to have an unhealthy obsession with Hunter's hair. ;-) Having read the prequel, I can say I see where Hunter's immense patience with Mark comes from; still, I was glad to see his control slip at the end - not only because Mark totally got what he deserved, but because Hunter finally decided to show Mark that he had to consider the dignity of another human being before acting, which was something Mark often forgot during his journey.

The book ended kinda abruptly, so let's hope for another sequel. ;-)

Highly recommended.

Simsala

Everything I dreamed and fantasized about after reading
Desert Falcon...and the wonderful touch more.
Highly recommended!

After reading City Falcon I went into a research-frenzy,looking for the falcon-project on Kennedy Airport,falconry and falcons in general and I found this beautiful picture.

Bilder hochladen
Peregrine-Falcon On Brooklyn Bridge,NYC

Td

It's very rare that I'll write about the story itself always paranoid I'll give spoilers away. I merely try to write a few words about whether or not I liked the book and give a brief reason why. I struggled with how to rate and what to write about this book so much so I had to sleep on it and I'm still struggling.

I loved this book. I think that's where I'm having a hard time. I just want to go on and on about everything I loved about it and that would take way too long. The story took hold from the very first page and throughout I didn't skip or skim through a thing. The characters were amazing to me, they felt so real and brought out all different types of emotions. Their conversation and banter were fun. Their romance steamy but not overwhelming. I found the whole falconry thing and even the life of a PAPD Officer fascinating. All elements detailed, interwoven and balanced nicely. At one point I began to mark quotes, passages, whole paragraphs and made myself stop when it began to get out of hand.

Even Mark I loved. As much as the guy made me grumble and growl, as much as he frustrated me and made me want to hurt him, I understood his struggles and wanted him to get past them. I felt awful for Hunter but I saw it as he's kind of been there done that type of thing so he has a better handle on who he is and what he wants now. Mark needed to go through what he went through and I cheered for him even thought he disappointed me more than once. From all the quotes part of this one did stick out Hunter telling Mark: "I don't need us to to walk around holding hands or kiss in front of everybody. But being closeted is one thing. Being ashamed of what you are is something else entirely." Yes, Hunter, I agree.

So why the struggle with the rating? As much as I loved this book, the end left me a bit cold. I was so wrapped up into the story, didn't realize where I was at and then it was over. It felt rushed and for me the payoff wasn't worth the emotional investment. Will there be some sort of continuation to this? It would make a major difference to know if there is. I would love to read more about them. Regardless, I am so there with whatever this author comes out with. One for me to keep and eye on for sure.

MLE

At first I wasn’t sure how I’d like this story I was a bit frustrated with Mark, and how he treated Hunter until I remembered this story is set in 1994, and his fears were much more real, and the danger more immediate in those days especially considering his family history. I liked Mark, and even though I understand why he acted the way he did it was still hard to read in parts. I really liked Hunter. He was a strong, likeable character, and I respect him for his actions later in the story. The secondary characters were well drawn, and felt like they belonged to that time period, for better or worse. The falcons added a lot to the story, and I really enjoyed learning more about falconry. I also appreciated how AIDS worked into the story. Even though I was young during the worst of it, I went to a fairly progressive public school (VERY progressive) compared to some, and were taught about AIDS from a fairly young age. The fear, and the hatred that fear caused is something that should not be forgotten. It’s nice to see authors are still writing about it in a honest way. Some of the drama felt a little over the top, and I felt like the ending came a bit too abruptly. I would have liked to read more about what happens after the end. It felt like I needed a bit more to feel fully invested in the story. Not a lot, but another chapter would have made the ending feel a bit more natural, and more complete. I'm hoping that maybe there is more in the works. I want to know what the fallout from this story is, and how it affects both Nick and Hunter.

Kaje Harper

4.5 stars. I had to read this book twice. The first time, I was distracted, because I had read
Desert Falcon first and I spent the initial third of my read looking for Hunter's viewpoint to show up. It never did, because this isn't Hunter's book as much as it is Mark's. So I took a breath, and reread it as a stand-alone. And found an excellent closeted cop coming-out-for-you novel. Mark is a police officer at JFK airport, deeply in the closet and planning to stay there, until he catches sight of a man crossing the terminal with a falcon perched on his fist. From his first encounter with Hunter, he is off balance and falling. The writing was excellent, the story well-plotted and fascinating especially in the details of the airport setting and the falconry. Mark's journey through fear and discovery had me alternately cheering him and wanting to smack him - he became that real to me. Hunter remains a little bit of an enigma here, since he is never the POV character and is seen only through Mark's eyes. And I wasn't quite convinced what it was that Hunter saw in Mark at first (aside from the obvious). But the relationship grew on me. In retrospect, I think I would choose to read this book first and then Desert Falcon despite being opposite to the chronology. The relationship from Mark's POV followed by the deep reveal on Hunter's character would work really well. A recommended read.

Sofia

Liked reading about the falcons and learning about falconry and its particular use in this story – (based on a true story).

The writing and me did not click together very well so although I appreciated the story itself and the issues it examines I could not empathise. Anyway I still continued reading as, as I said, the story is good.

A Saker Falcon

Ami

I first read the short story,
Desert Falcon, before I did this one. I was a bit surprised when after a couple of chapters, I realized that City Falcon had Mark Bowman as main narrator, instead of the falconer Hunter Devereaux, who was the main narrator in the short story. I thought this would be his story.

However, I understand why Ms. Faber puts Mark in the front seat -- in a sense he is a "troubled" man. Mark is not only closeted but he also feels ashamed of being gay. He has temper issues, easily gets annoyed or angry. It makes more sense that this story comes from him, as readers can be with him through the "development" of his character.

Truthfully, I think Mark is an ass. However, his asshole-ness is still within my patient limit. I do think he needs to do more groveling, though. The last scene sort of giving him a free-pass for that. Hunter, on the other hand, comes differently from the man I read in Desert Falcon. For me, at least, it feels like he's been having a character surgery. He seems a bit more needy, somehow. I do wish that we have some scenes from his point of view, because without his voice being told, Hunter becomes a bit boring for me.

I do love the whole world of falconry. It's unique and exciting. I also love that Ms. Faber uses true events of the world of falconry as well as some background information in the end.

It's an engaging story, albeit having a main character that's a bit of an ass :). I would love to have more stories in this field of expertise ...

Vio

This was just beautiful, Hunter man I loved him all that emotion hiding underneath that tough exterior when all he wanted was to be loved. I so wanted to hug him and tell him the bad was over, nothing but good for you now, he was wonderful. The falcons were exciting and the scientific experiment about them was detailed and thoroughly researched, they truly are regal and lovely birds.

The writing is fabulous, I was totally immersed in the feelings and thoughts of Hunter and Mark, you could just feel them deep down. One awesome read highly recommended for everyone. I would love to read more please!

Snowtulip

This is a story that builds slowly, but captures you completely. After reading Faber's short story about Hunter, I wanted to see if he ends up with his HEA. I often wanted to strangle Mark, but I think this was because of my prior compassion toward Hunter. I was also completely captured by the birds (the secondary story dedicated to that project), I laughed when Hunter was giving the genus of the birds instead of the common name, because I often get that same frustrated "just say it in english" look as well. This was a sweet read about making decisions to live life fully, a great read.

Katharina

This is a really good book, well written, quite unusual, I loved that it was based on a real event, and it got me really interested in falconry. All of these points are definitely on the plus side of the story. It still took me about 5 months to read it.

I broke this off at about half way through, mainly because I grew insanely impatient. Now, I have to admit, that at that time I'd read a little bit too much for my own good and growing impatient with a story or with characters wasn't exactly an isolated thing - there are still several books on my shelf that I started, broke off, and at some point would like to try again. So, it's partly my fault. But it's also partly the fault of Mark Bowman. I do understand his reasons for staying in the closet given the situation he is in. I do understand his fear for change. I do. That doesn't mean I didn't want to kick his ass.
Because what I did not understand and simply couldn't tolerate anymore after a while was the extend of his paranoia, his inability or at least unwillingness to change anything about his situation, no matter how obviously miserable he was in it, and the fact that he allowed his own confusion and inner conflict to really hurt a person he likes. A person who definitely has had enough sadness and hurt and denial to last for a lifetime already. And a person he strings along anyway with his hot and cold attitude. I really felt for Hunter there.
Hunter, on the other hand, is just an awesome character. He's... amazing. I totally fell in love with him in this book. He's genuine, and honest, and fierce, and has so many layers.

The funny thing was that even after an almost five months break I could start reading again at the point I stopped the last time and was instantly back in the story. There was almost nothing I had to reread - it was just all there again. And that is definitely a good sign for me. And I absolutely enjoyed reading the second half. Probably because the impatience didn't have as much time to build ;-D but also because it is simply a great book. So, yes, I'd recommend it, but maybe don't read it when you're in a somewhat impatient mood to begin with :-D

Eden Winters

To properly review this story I needed to break it into sections:

The romance: Feliz Faber created a literary tango. The dancers meet and circle each other, assessing. They come together and step away, only to come together again, watching each other with wary eyes. They meet in fiery passion (no pun intended, based on a scene near they end), then part in opposite directions, utlimately to surrender and end the dance in each other's arms. The intimacy is scorching hot, passionate, believable, and beautiful.

The story and plot: The details were perfect while handled with a light touch. This wasn't an info overload, but still, once I'd finished the book, I was amazed by how much I'd learned. This writer did her research. Bravo.

The characters: Mark is so real and easy to emphasize with, particularly as he's haunted by the memories of what happened when his beloved uncle came out. He's Joe Average, someone I could very much relate to. Ever since reading Desert Falcon, I've waited for Hunter to get his HEA. You don't have to read Desert Falcom to be fully engaged in City Falcon, but it defintely added to my enjoyment to understand Hunter going into the tale, his background and his reasoning, especially in light of his cultural differences, a product of his travels.

The secondary characters: Three dimensional and fully realized, the secondary characters were a treat, particularly Greg and Evie. And though they were never actually "in" the story, except in Mark's memories, Uncle Harry and his partner touched my heart. With a debut novel this fantastic, I look forward to what this author has coming next.

Highly, highly recommended.

Don Bradshaw

City Falcon was a very well written and well researched book. I take my hat off to you Ms Faber. Mark Bowman is an officer with the New York Port Authority who is so far back in the closet that he can barely breathe. He grabs anonymous sex in clubs and hates the emptiness afterward. The beautifully graceful falconer, Hunter Devereaux, walks into Mark's life and starts messing with his tidy closeted life. The attraction between the two men is there from the beginning but I enjoyed how Mark's emotions were drawn out. Just when it seemed that Mark and Hunter would become a couple, the fear of being an outed policeman sent Mark running. Ms Faber did a terrific job in creating both Hunter and Mark along with the secondary characters. The story just pulled me in from page one. Reading Desert Falcon first is not necessary but it does help by giving insight into Hunter's character with his forced closeted life in Kuwait. The story of the falconers was intriguing even without the romance. I heartily recommend this book to any romantic out there.

Calathea

It's the wonderful tale of the developing relationship between two strong characters on the detailed backdrop of falconry on the JFK airport. I loved that we got to see the two heroes acting in their respective profession. We did not only get told that Mark's a PAPD officer but got to see what his daily work is like. Same with falconry.
As for the characters: they are human, the real thing, they struggle, fall, struggle again and have to work for their HFN.
My only niggle is the bit too slow (for my taste) build up. All the real action (emotionally speaking) took place in the last 20 percent. And I wish I knew a bit more about their HFN/HEA. There are so many questions about how they are going to live after the last page that Feliz simply has to write a second part. :-))

Yvonne

4.5 Stars i'd vaguely heard stories before of the use of falconry to chase away gulls & other birds that were hazardous to airplanes at takeoffs and landings. This topic is expanded upon in this story when Port authority officer Mark Bowman is shocked to run into a falcon & her very attractive handler, Hunter Devereaux, in the midst of a crowded airport. The traditional story of a closeted Mark fighting his attraction is woven quite nicely with the bits that we learn about the project and about falcons.

The story takes place during the 90's when there really was a program like this in place. I believe the time frame was also chosen due to the extreme changes in airport security since 9/11. Several incidents at the airport highlight this fact as Mark spends a great deal of time chasing customs violators and volatile incidents. These incidents would have had different consequences if it happened in today's world.

Against this background, we learn more about Mark, his increasing interest in Hunter & his conflicted feelings & fears about being outed to his friends and on the job. This is really Mark's story as we stay strictly to his point of view. In a sense this does make Hunter seem a more distant character as you're not 100 percent clear on what's going on with him. I did feel, however, that Mark's progress with his relationship with Hunter is done in a fairly realistic manner & I felt their emotional connection.

There's been a lot of complaints lately about books in this genre & how they're sloppily written and edited. You will not run across that problem with this book. It's very cleanly written story. Despite the drama at the end, this is not a melodramatic story. I think the last incident was just placing an exclamation point on the purpose of the falconry program. The ending is however, a bit abrupt even if optimistic about the future for Mark & Hunter. Perhaps a sequel will be written. Either way I do recommend as this was an interesting story.

rameau

I've been waffling over the rating of this book for few days now and I still can't quite decide. It's somewhere between three and four stars, but my reasons for either rating are very different.

There's the actual romance between Mark, a very much closeted gay cop, and Hunter, tired-to-hide out-and-proud falconer. There's the attraction, the yielding to it, and the battle for secrecy.

Then there's the setting, year 1994, JFK airport, and the falconry field test to clear the runways of birds - all which are based in real events.

Of these two, the picture and the frame, I found myself loving the frame more.

We get to know the characters intimately, both of their personal histories and the choices that have carried them to this point in time. We found out how and why Hunter is so open and why Mark can't even considering coming out to his coworkers.

Unfortunately, their mutual attraction is reduced to them considering each other the most beautiful man they've ever seen and the romance itself dissolves into gratuitous erotica. They're stronger characters apart than they're together.

Although the author clearly put an effort into it, I was eleven years old in 1994 and I can't really comment on how accurate the backdrop is, but I do remember learning basic CPR in school few years later. I was taught to use one breath for five chest compressions. It's been only recently that they've started to recommend two breaths for every fifteen compressions (when at least two rescuers are present). Fifteen years after Mark was diligently reviving an elderly heart-attack victim with these new guidelines in mind.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Zenharley

It's worthwhile to read the lead-up novella, "Desert Falcon" before starting this one. Not that one couldn't read this novel without the other, but knowing more of Hunter's backstory, and getting into his head a bit, really deepens the enjoyment. It would have been nice to get his POV occasionally in this story as well, but the story was really more about Mark's journey, so hearing it from Mark's POV is understandable. While sometimes painful to watch, the slow unfolding of Mark's emotional self-awareness is the backbone of the book.

*** MILD SPOILERS BELOW ***

The secondary characters were also memorable. One has to feel sympathy for Evie, and while her sudden good fortune at the end of the story is welcome, it seemed a bit tacked-on. Greg was all over the map, and at times his passion for the project, and his protective streak for Hunter, bled over into fairly spectacular displays of temper. Not unbelievable, just unexpected.

As in the previous story, the sense of place is immediate and visceral. Details of the airport, and the falconer's station in particular, are woven so seamlessly into the narrative that one feels transported into the scene. The writing is clear, uncluttered, and confident. The ending was satisfying, although it dropped off rather suddenly -- perhaps this signals a potential sequel? A continuation of Mark and Hunter's story could only be a good thing. Definitely recommended.

Val Kovalin

Just for fun, 6-word plot: Closeted cop falls for freespirited falconer. I enjoyed
Desert Falcon tremendously for its unique location and character. This novel builds on all the strengths of that story and showcases the full complexity of Hunter's personality which has been tempered and refined by his tragic past. Within the longer space of a novel, Hunter comes across as more of a free-spirit and a sexy, vibrant person who knows what he wants. Mark is the more conflicted (though Hunter is conflicted as well about secrecy, which is understandable considering his past), but he still is a very likable, relatable man. His own past and family dynamics are complex, believable, and very much an influence on his present actions. I'm especially impressed by the research that went into this novel -- the falconry and the setting of NYC and the airport. It's completely vivid for three-dimensional escapism and it is woven beautifully into the action. And it's just so unusual! I've never read a novel with this type of background before. This novel doesn't have the rushed, unfinished feeling that m/m can have. Everything is supported and the pacing is smooth, unhurried, but compelling. The sex scenes are hot, too, especially that first one! Highly recommended.

Zuyuan

Just decent read til around 20 pages before the end, though I think that the main character acted too much liked drama queen for my taste.

But the Concorde? Really? Possibly (and it really happened due to the history) but not a little bit too dramatic (which I know it's an intention but why added in and dragged the whole story down?) , plus that unreasonable, lonesome heroic act... really ridiculous if I have a said, lets alone the cut-short ending. Big bomb happened but didn't lead anything to anywhere cept the reunion of two heroes. It's pretty a futile attempt.

So now it's only left me very frustrated after over 200 pages reading.

Antonella

3.5

Definitely above average.

The writing is good, the obviously extensive research gave an original background to the story, but ''City Falcon'' doesn't reach the heights of ''Desert Falcon'' IMO. On the negative side: there is a kind of instant attraction between the two MC which is never explained, too much drama in the last part of the novel, the end comes quite rushed.

LenaLena

From about a third of the way in I expected a grand hospital reunion at some point. Which is apparently the only way gay men ever get to realize they can't live without each other. So then it ended with a grand hospital reunion. It does not make me happy that I was right.

TT

Great book, the story was good, the sex was hot and the falconry aspects really grabbed my interest. But the ending was abrupt and i don't think Mark should have been forgiven so easily. Will check out more books by this author but i will be proceeding with caution...

Cole Riann

Coming August 26

Read it!

Mackenzie

GUH.

...............and that's pretty much the only reaction I have for it right now.

Kidding, kidding... I couldn't possibly leave this book without a glowing review, seeing as I enjoyed it immensely. In fact, is there such a thing as enjoying a book TOO much? Well, if there is, that's exactly what happened to me. And it then became a case of me trying to read SLOWER because I didn't want the book to end. The first time I tried to read it, earlier this month, covered three chapters and I decided to stop because I just knew it was going to be one of those stories that would get me addicted, so I took a break in order to savor the story. I promised myself that I would read only a handful of chapters every week so that this e-book would last for at least a month. This is officially the only m/m story that I spent more than a few days on!

I honestly don't even know where to begin, though. Or maybe it would be wise to start by point out that I've never read an m/m story that features falconers (or any kind of bird handlers) as main characters. That in itself wins this e-book major points for originality. Then there's the tie-in with real life events (of the Concorde crash in the mid '90s which I actually remembered) and I was just so amazed by the way Ms. Faber built up the entire story to lead up to that major event. I didn't see it coming so I was gobsmacked when I reached the end. I couldn't get over just how awesome and intense the last third of the book was.

I'm going to be honest here and say that I usually dislike stories where one half of the main couple is in the closet. I'm very sorry but Josh Lanyon's Adrien English series completely traumatized me for such stories because it really bothered me how cruel Jake Riordan's actions seemed at times. I also recently reviewed a Kate McMurray story and expressed my heartbreak over one of the closeted characters. So when I read about how the main character in this book, Mark Bowman, is in the closet, I almost didn't read it at all. For some reason, though - or maybe it was the falcons that drew me - I didn't abandon it and steeled myself for a read.

I was rewarded for my determination to get over my own squicks in the later parts of the book when Mark came out in the one of the best coming-out scenes in an m/m book ever.

Seriously, that coming out scene alone had me whooping and hollering as if I was cheering for my favorite football (soccer, that is) team in a stadium full of people. (In actuality, it was around 2 AM and the only other creature around was my cat, who naturally gave me the stink eye as I acted like an insane cat owner.) But, GUH. If any book wants to have in the closet characters, it better have an amazing coming out scene like the one in this book.

The writing itself is flawless. It brings to mind the kind of easy flow that Marie Sexton's stories have. There's a bit of awkwardness whenever Hunter Deveraux, the fresh-off-the-Middle-East falconer, is around but of course that's part of the story. This is a man who's been living for so long abroad that he feels like an alien in his own country (a feeling that I can easily relate to as I feel this way 110% of the time--yet another reason for me to be utterly sympathetic toward the characters and the story as a whole) so he has to sound awkward. But that makes him so adorable that I just couldn't help but wish that he stays awkward forever.

The tension between Mark and Hunter is also palpable, although it's not all about the UST (in this case, can I just say Libby Drew still manages to write the best UST-filled stories for me? I'm not exactly comparing both of them but it needs to be said that the best kind of UST that I enjoy reading in m/m stories come from Libby's stories.) There's also another of tension, mostly between Mark and Hunter's mentor Greg, as well as Mark and his co-workers, from whom he has to hide his true self from. That tension gives the otherwise straightforward, linear story a whole lot of substance and it was sheer joy to read, especially when the tension finally erupted in huge sparkles of emotions at the climax. (What can I say, I'm a sucker for this kind of things!)

At the end of it, I wanted to cry. Very badly. Because even after stalling for so long, I still haven't had my fill of Hunter and Mark and the falcons. I want their story to continue. I ended up blabbing to myself, "There will be a sequel, right? There HAS TO BE a sequel, yes? OH DEAR LORD, PLEASE LET THERE BE A SEQUEL!" (Ms. Feliz Faber, if you're reading this... I am begging you to please write a sequel.) It's not that I don't find the ending fulfilling and conclusive, but I just could. Not. Let. Go!

I'm still feeling euphoric over the story even until now. I probably sound like a deranged person writing all of this down. I probably waxed more lyrical about it than the story deserved but... it's just so lovely that I can't help myself!

Lastly, no, I don't want to become a falconer - it's not inspiration in that way - but now... I kind of want to date a falconer. Seriously. Where can I find and subsequently have dinner with one?

Brie

Originally posted at
Romance Around the Corner

I was intrigued by this book’s description and mostly by the fact that one of the heroes was a mysterious falconer. The love story seemed like it would be fascinating and a bit dramatic and I was also curious to read about falconry. I’m very happy I did because the book ended up being interesting in every aspect, from the love story to the setting.

Mark Bowman is a PAPD officer working at JFK Airport when one day he sees a man carrying a falcon as if it were a carry-on bag. When he confronts him he learns that his name is Hunter Devereaux and that he is working in a project that uses falcons to keep the airport free of other birds that may cause damages to the planes and even potential accidents. Mark quickly becomes fascinated by the birds and equally attracted to the man. They develop a relationship but whereas Hunter is confident and wants to live his life unafraid of what others may think, Mark is afraid of what his sexuality could cost him, so even though Mark has never felt this happy before, he won’t jeopardize his career by coming out. Mark would have to decide what’s more important to him and do it quickly since Hunter might not stay long enough to find out the answer.

This book is told in first person from Mark’s perspective and it reads as his book. Yes, the book is a love story but it’s also about Mark’s journey to self-acceptance where Hunter plays more of a secondary role as his love interest and he doesn’t have much of a story arc. Hunter is perfectly defined and at a place where is obvious that his life-changing experiences happened off-camera. I wasn’t aware while reading the book that a prequel novella about Hunter already existed, but it really doesn’t matter because we do get Hunter’s backstory in this book, and to be honest, I don’t want to hear that tale again nor see him go through it. I would have loved to see into Hunter’s head though; he was a fascinating character and much more mature than Mark. Sometimes I wasn’t even sure why he was so attracted to Mark and I felt like this hurt the book, but as I said the story was Mark’s and that’s where the main focus is.

Mark was an interesting character. He was repressed, unhappy, immature, ashamed and scared and he acted accordingly. This might sound like a bad thing but it was far from it. I found his character quite real and even though he got on my nerves I liked him very much. As I said before, his road to happiness wasn’t easy and he had to overcome his insecurities to get there, the thing was that his fears were well-founded and I could understand where he was coming from. My problem was that the book takes place during a couple of months but I think he needed more time to make his newfound maturity more believable to me. I was rooting for him just as much I was rooting for Hunter, but I think he needed more time to come into his senses instead of just having an epiphany near the end. I believe their happily ever after was definitely a given but that it would take time and hard work, not so much because they have issues as a couple but because Mark was left dealing with some heavy stuff at work. This is one of those books were a sequel makes perfect sense.

The book takes place in 1994 and is based in some true events. The whole falconry aspect of the plot was fascinating and detailed enough to make it interesting but not boring. I also liked the note at the end where Feliz explains a little bit more about bird strikes in airports, the costs that it has and the different and unsuccessful measures authorities took to deal with it until they got to falconry which ended being the best solution. After reading the book I had a pretty accurate knowledge of how hard these people work and how passionate they are, so it was a plus learning about all of this.

Overall it was an interesting book with a unique setting. The love story was passionate and the characters likeable, it took me a bit to get into it at first and I had some issues with it but nothing too bad to deter my enjoyment of the book. If you like m/m romances then go for it because this is a good addition to the genre.

Note: ARC provided by NetGalley for review purposes.

Alex

Overall
I picked up this book because falcons, falconry, and falconers all interest me. (I have plans for Desert Falcon, but was hesitant because it's a Bittersweet Dream.) In that regard, I was not disappointed in the least. From my knowledge, Faber did an excellent job correctly portraying the art of falconry (although I'd been told the oils from the hand can damage the oils on a falcon's feathers, so contact shouldn't be made, but that may be depending on who you talk to). I liked the falconry, the characters, and the general environment that Faber created. (Also, 1994...that's going to be a historical novel soon!)

Even though I liked this book, it won't be for everyone. It's not fast moving, and while there are moments of intense emotions, it's not a wild ride in that regard either. There are some wonderful paralleled construction between the falconry project and sexuality, and the men act like classic 1990s' men, which was fitting (and not over the top). Mark is, overall, a good guy, but he has some issues, specifically with having to deal with his sexuality in that time in America, which leads him to blow up over minor things. His struggle with his sexuality in that time period (and his unwillingness to come out) is the focus of the story, and I think it was handled well with the climax, the confrontation, and the falling action.

Strengths
While I didn't realize it until after I'd finished, there is some well-worked parallel story telling between the acceptance of falconry at the airport to handle the gull problem, and the acceptance of homosexuality by society. It's not a perfect match, but there is definitely the struggle to get something "strange" accepted by people who "don't really understand" the point.

I liked the characters because they all felt very real to me. No one was perfect, but they weren't bad people either. Even the antagonists of the story were just ignorant or close-minded, not really evil or vindictive. Most of the mess is made by Mark because of his--substantiated--fear of what would happen if he would come out, although his partner Sean is also a source of conflict as the main force of negativity toward gays in the story, which reinforces Mark's need to keep hidden and some of his behaviors toward Hunter.

The falconry was well explained, and handled in such a way that it didn't dump information and overwhelm/bore the reader, nor did it have an expectation of knowledge, aside from minor words that the reader can easily get from context. Though, I must admit I do have an interest in falconry, so I may have a slight bias.

Weaknesses
This is not a high-intensity book, it's not action packed or overly emotional. Although the characters, their interaction, and their emotions are important, they aren't overwhelming either. This wasn't a story that grabbed me and held on. However, if you're looking for a low-key, mellow read that is rather educational and feels real, then this may be a good pick.

One other minor niggle is that the end seems to happen extremely quickly and then stop. While I can understand the author's choice not to continue any further, I felt something less abrupt would have been appreciated.

Requested this book for review.
Be sure to check out my other reviews
on my blog.

Plainbrownwrapper

I enjoyed this book, although not as much as either
Desert Falcon or
Thorns. That doesn't make this a bad book, though. It only means that while good, this book was more of a typical romance, while the other two both were very good and also unusual for the genre (Desert Falcon shouldn't even be considered a romance, even though it's romantic in tone).

Faber seems to have a knack for creating interesting characters and settings. First it was an American falconer living in the mideast, then jockeys and reporters on a racing farm in France, and now that same American falconer and an airport cop involved with a falcon-assisted bird strike mitigation program (keeping birds away from runways to avoid collisions with airplanes). Never quite what you might expect in a romance novel.

And that knack extends to Faber's characters. MC Hunter is always a bit of an enigma in this book, especially since the narration is 1st person from MC Mark's perspective. Hunter is reticent and obviously shaped by his experiences in the mideast (read Desert Falcon for his back story). Although he doesn't always say much, he is obviously willing to give up nearly everything for someone he loves -- and has done so in the past. MC Mark, on the other hand, simply doesn't deserve Hunter. Sure, Mark is a Good Guy for the most part -- and we should cut him some slack due to the setting of the story. This is a "period" piece, set in the mid-1990s, when institutionalized homophobia was much worse than it is today (thanks in part to AIDS hysteria), so the strength of his fears is at least partially understandable. However, I never felt that Mark fully redeemed himself, even at the end, because .

Overall, this is an entertaining and intelligently written story. I can trust Faber to do her research and make her settings sing with authentic details -- and I'm convinced that she has personal experience with both raptors and horses (from Thorns). I'm giving this one an easy 4 stars.

Kerry sullivan

This book was reviewed for
Musings of a bookworm

The synopsis
New York, 1994
What on earth is a live falcon doing in the middle of JFK airport? The answer to this question brings PAPD officer Mark Bowman face to face with falconer Hunter Devereaux, right in the middle of a fascinating field experiment using falcons to keep runways free of nuisance birds. The falcons are intriguing, but it’s arrogant, out-and-proud Hunter himself who really rubs Mark the right kind of wrong. Too bad Mark can’t act on the attraction: he’s deeply in the closet, and since he wants to keep his job, that’s where he's determined to stay.

However, every time their paths cross, Hunter gets a little deeper under Mark’s skin, until Mark can’t deny his feelings any longer. Giving in to his desire makes Mark happier than he can remember being, but Hunter isn't willing to hide their relationship forever. If they’re going to make a life together work, something has to give. Someday soon Mark will have to choose, or life will make the choice for him before he’s ready for it.

My review
I found this story fascinating as I remember sexuality being openly discriminated against. I remember having to hide my sexual orientation so it resonated deeply with me. The story was emotionally charged and painted a very realistic picture of the time and was beautifully executed. For me though it ended to abruptly and let me wanting to know what happened next and in turn loosing some points for me because up until the end I was totally engaged with the story so was left disappointed by the end. Having said that I would still read the book again because the journey was worth it.

Title	:	City Falcon (Falcon, #2)
Author	:	Feliz Faber
Rating	:
ISBN	:	1613720998
ISBN-10	:	9781613720998
Language	:	English
Format Type	:	ebook
Number of Pages	:	240
Publication	:	First published August 25, 2011

City Falcon (Falcon, #2) by Feliz Faber

City Falcon (Falcon, #2) Reviews

City Falcon (Falcon, #2) Reviews

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