Glitterland

Spires, Book 1

By: Alexis Hall

Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton

Length: 6 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

Ash Winters is barely holding on, near drowning in his own darkness and fear. He lives a gray shadow of a life, sullen and cynical, unable to remember hope or happiness - much less the distant, fading glitterball of love. It has to be a sick joke of the universe that he finds himself hooked up with good-humored Essex boy Darian Taylor, a wannabe model in a sparkly jacket and a fake tan. Darian may not be an intellectual giant, but he's hysterically funny, and he's got the courage to challenge Ash to live again.

Just being able to laugh is extraordinary enough to Ash. Loving may be a gift he can't bear to accept, even if his denial breaks the biggest heart he's ever known.

©2013, 2016 Riptide Publishing (P)2016 Hedgehog Inc Productions

Glitterland Sparkles and Shines, and I Was Wowed

Coming in to this audiobook, I already loved Glitterland, which I had read in ebook before. It's a smart, humane, emotionally honest, entertaining story. We experience it through Ash, the writer A.A. Winters, who has mental health issues, among them bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety. The story starts out right at the start of an episode he has after a certain hook-up. We see him at, not his worst, but certainly not his best, where he calls up his friend/former lover, Niall, who's had to literally save his life before and is pressed into picking Ash up. It's a bold move to start off a romance with that scene. Neither man comes off very well (though only one is one-half of the main couple) and it is not a light start, but it's perfect, pulling the reader in and giving us insight already into these characters and their story.

Next we're introduced to the other half of the romantic pairing. Ash is struck by the look of a man on the dance floor at another friend's stag night, a man whose silver epaulets, among other things, catch his eye. "He was a ridiculous creature. A vulgar, glittering pirate of a man, all jewellery and fake tan, gold glinting in his ears, on his fingers and round his wrists. His dark hair gleamed with product and had been painstakingly teased into a quiff, that defied taste, reason, and gravity. And I couldn't stop looking at him." And that's when we first meet Darian, the wannabe model out of Essex, whose bright smile and brighter clothing, charms his way into a hook-up with the very opposite Ash.

What follows next is a strange courtship, with the open, big-hearted, self-identified shallow Darian seeing something amazing in the dark, struggling, often caustic Ash. It's never supposed to be something for Ash, but he can't help but be drawn to thoughts and then action when it comes to Darian. And Darian, while seeming less complicated than Ash, has a boldness and backbone that pushes these two together as much as Ash's inability to stay away. These two opposites bring a unique equality to their relationship that's wonderful to watch.

There is no straight shot to a happily ever after, a thing maybe that can't even be hoped for, for these two. There are complications and misunderstandings and some may wonder how things could ever be patched up again, but that's the power of Alexis Hall's writing here. Things do come together, in their perfectly imperfect way, and it's real, and it's beautiful. There were tears and sniffling from them and me by the end.

When I said at the beginning that I already loved Glitterland, it was a shallow love compared to how I feel about it now that I've experienced it through Nicholas Boulton's stunning narration. This was the first audiobook of his I've read, and I was absolutely blown away. No way, NO WAY, was I listening to just one person who sounds, as Darian proclaims about Ash, "Omigod, you talk like the Queen. Are you in parliament?" and then also as Darian, with his Essex accent who says things like "There you go, babes. That was ahwight, wunit." (Direct quote from the book.) And it wasn't just the accents that Nicholas does, it's the emotion and personality of each person and line that shine. I wish I could pull little samples to include because there are so many brilliant moments throughout where it's so pitch perfect as to feel like I was actually eavesdropping instead of listening to a performance. Just top shelf the whole way through, and I can't recommend the experience enough.

Great story, ridiculously amazing narration

“Why, in all the vastness of the world, did a sparkly idiot from Essex make me feel alive?”

So, this is my first romance where both of the main characters are male. I'm not going to lie, I don't think I would have read/listened to this if it hadn't been narrated by Nicholas Boulton, who is my very favorite narrator (no surprise that he is nothing short of brilliant in this story (that Essex accent!) Needless to say, I am so glad that I did.

Aside from the ridiculously amazing narration, I was surprised how much I liked the story… how well written it was. The author conveyed the relationship between Ash, a bitter bi-polar writer and Dorian, the “glittering pirate” model from Essex with such poetic vulnerability. I just loved both of them and how well they complimented each other- uptight, messed up Ash and beautiful, carefree Dorian. It was an erotic *cue blushing* heart- warming, funny, soul- laid- bare kind of book.

Why did I wait so long to read this?!!

Would you listen to Glitterland again? Why?

Absolutely! This is the first time in I can't remember when that I have wanted to reread a book right away.

Which character – as performed by Nicholas Boulton – was your favorite?

All, excellent job

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed so much. I teared up some.

Any additional comments?

I am in love with this book. I've been seeing it around for awhile, but I just never took the time to check it out for myself. I'm beyond thankful that I finally did.

I didn't realize that it would be so funny. I laughed a lot. Ash's dry since of humor is in sync with mine. He's like my book character soul mate. He and a friend are having a moment. He says, "Look, I need to stop having this heart-to-heart before I throw up. My heart gets claustrophobic." That's so perfect that I'm going to have to borrow it, haha.

There's a serious side to the story as well. I had a bit of teariness. Ash is dealing with mental health issues. It's a constant struggle.

Darian handles him so well. He hops right through those defenses. They're total opposites and absolutely the one for each other. Darian is such a sweetie and easily works his way into your heart.

I read so much that I don't often take the time to return to a story, but I'm certain I will with this one.

This recording is a gem - Highly recommended!

I took my time with this, allowing myself only small amounts each day, savoring each morsel because I really didn't want it to ever end :)

This recording is a gem, a beautiful rendition of a beautiful, and for me, much beloved book, perfectly capturing all the humor & pathos & sheer delight of the original. Nicholas Boulton's voice is pure velvety-dark gorgeousness. And what he does with these characters is far more than just "creative reading". This is voice acting in the truest sense of the word; Boulton performs these roles as movingly and effectively as he might do on any stage or screen.

He does a dead-on perfect Ash in every mood, and his Darian is particularly endearing. When Boulton speaks you realize Yes!, that's exactly how Ash sounds, how Darian sounds! It's like he reaches right into your head to capture what you imagined but could never quite "hear" - only now you can. And he gets the Essex-speak just right, yet there's no difficulty understanding a word. Boulton does simply stand-out work with every character. His Chloe & Nanny Dot are remarkable, there's not the slightest hint of silliness you might expect from a man trying to read in a woman's voice, it's just . . . perfect, can't come up with another word for it :)

Audio books, to my mind, are best used as an enhancement, a deepening & sharpening, a signal-boosting, if you will, of the reading experience, rather than a replacement of it.

I used to say an audio book is the next best thing to having a movie made of a book you love. But now I'm kind of thinking audio books may actually be better. With the right voice actor & production, good audio books like this one can accomplish what I feel movies should aspire to but rarely manage: They can be the ultimate expression of a book. They can illuminate the text, bringing out it's essence as a dash of salt or spice can do with food. And they can bring the story & characters to life in a way that feels movingly 3-dimensional. The only thing missing is the visuals, but I guess you can't have everything :)

A good audio book gives you new ways to enjoy something you already love. The best ones reveal the story and characters to you in fresh ways. This recording does both. I highly recommend :)

Narrator nails the accents!

What made the experience of listening to Glitterland the most enjoyable?

The Narrator captures the Main Character's interior life so well and his Essex accent of the other MC is so delightful. I listened to this audio book in nearly one sitting, in a near dream state of rapture. The story of these two unlikely men finding love together is a pure delight and the burden of class in Britain is made clear. I adored this story and I will be listening to this story again very soon--Narrator Nicholas Boulton is swoon-worthy!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Glitterland?

The first few times you hear Ash and Darian exchange dialogue--their accents are so different and Darian is so sweet and funny. A Delight!

Have you listened to any of Nicholas Boulton’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but I will be searching him out right away!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Not your average Notting Hill!

Any additional comments?

This is a beautiful slice of Oxbridge meets Essex and finds Romance after much travail.

Wow

This has to be the most enjoyable romance I have read/listened to in like two years. I love the characters and the narration was perfection- it really made the characters come to life. Especially since I had no idea what an Essex accent should sound like. I love that mental illness was part of this story. As someone who suffers from depression- Ash's anxieties and daily struggles really struck a cord with me. I found him to be a very brave and relatable character and I enjoyed every moment of this story. If you like m/m romance, do yourself a favor and buy this one. You won't regret it.

Absolutely sublime!

Nicholas Boulton brings Alexis Hall's characters to life. His narration elevates an already wonderful story into something truly wonderful. Glitterland is an excellent book and an even better audiobook. You won't regret spending a single minute with Hall's characters. This was a joy to listen to.

Beautiful and Brilliant!

What made the experience of listening to Glitterland the most enjoyable?

Nicholas Boulton -- need I say more?

What other book might you compare Glitterland to and why?

There were several moments when the beautiful poetry of Alexis Hall's descriptions and prose brought to mind the book, "Written on the Body" by Jeanette Winterson.

What about Nicholas Boulton’s performance did you like?

Nicholas Boulton's performance is breathtaking and epic. He made Alexis Hall's amazing story an HD experience for the ears. He is an amazing actor-narrator. The emotion he brought to Hall's story and characters made this story unforgettable. His performance made this story so heart achingly real that at times I had to stop what i was doing and sit down. He made me feel Ash's heart pain and desperation down to my marrow. The way his voice broke at moments took my breath away.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed, cried, and at times felt my heart soar. I loved the honest and vulnerable view given of relationships with all its ugly lows, soaring highs, and lovely middles. It made my cynical heart flutter with hope.

Any additional comments?

Beautiful and brilliant. I'll admit that at first glance, I was a little apprehensive with the same sex romance, but the story description and the fact that Nicholas Boulton is the narrator inspired me to give this book a whirl. And I'm so happy that I did. This is one of the best books I've heard this year. The writing and narration are brilliant. The love story in this book is absolutely lovely.

If you listen to audio books you will want to get this one!

I had not read this before, so listening to it was amazing. The characters just pulled me in. Ash broke my heart and Darian was simply beautiful. The words Alexis writes are gorgeous.

Nicholas brought these characters to life for me so much.

I read Glitterland Aftermath after and I have to say listening to this story brings it to a whole other level. And I heard their voices while reading it, which was fantastic. 😃

Mr. Hall writes well

A good writer can string words together to create suspense, drama, comedy, mystery, romance, and horror into lyrics, instead of common prose. And, "Glitterland" demonstrates that Alexis Hall is a very good writer. A master of English dialects, wise in word choices, and alliteratively delightful, Mr. Hall spins a dramatic (perhaps sometimes overly dramatic) romance that I voluntarily bundled myself in. This story does describe the darkness of mental illness and should not be read or listened to by someone with current thoughts of hurting themselves. It is excellent for those that have healed from self-harming ideation, because it depicts life and love after such an event.

Brilliant!

If you could sum up Glitterland in three words, what would they be?

Hilarious, Emotional, Satisfying.

What did you like best about this story?

The wonderful writing and characters, the wit and the understanding shown of Ash's condition, and of course, the lovely Darian!

What about Nicholas Boulton’s performance did you like?

Nicholas Boulton is the God of voices! I have NEVER heard a more beautifully gifted performer, ever. I have over a hundred Audio books and many voiced by Nicholas.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

WHO NEEDS A FILM?

With this narrator you actually see the story as you listen and I wouldn't want the story spoilt by miscasting and bad direction as happens nowadays. Readers are readers, after all, and do have imagination.

Any additional comments?

This is just an experience no one should miss. What a writer!

Brilliant story - fantastic narration

Would you consider the audio edition of Glitterland to be better than the print version?

Whilst I loved the book, there is just something about hearing the characters brought to life that adds that little bit extra - Nicholas Boulton absolutely nails the narration, both in terms of bringing the characters to life but also acting out the story so it's less about listening to Glitterland and more about living it.

What other book might you compare Glitterland to, and why?

Hmm - don't think I have read anything that quite compares. It's a romantic, honest, endearing, yet sometimes serious book, and without doubt the funniest one I have ever read.

Have you listened to any of Nicholas Boulton’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No, but I will definitely take a look. His take on Darian was like Michael Caine crossed with Rylan Clark and hit the nail on the head.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Hell yes!

Shame I can’t give it 6*

Every time I listen to this book/performance, I enjoy it more. The writing is rich and thought provoking - I have had to look up quite a few of them - Danaïdes and sybarite, for example. Alexis Hall’s descriptive writing is joyous to me - the fodder of much visual imagery for me.

His writing is funny and his sense of humour wry - it makes me laugh out loud in public.

As for Nicholas Boulton’s narration - it is “totes amazin”. He captures the essence of the characters so brilliantly that I feel that I know them and I can picture them perfectly. His voice is mellifluous- I could listen to it for hours.

I am full of praise for both the book and it’s narration. They are entrancing, humorous, respectful but not shy of mental illness and thoroughly entertaining.

Recommended listening.

WONDERFUL

This story was a revelation. The author and the model.One with the ability to hurt ,with the need to learn life skills,the other with endless kindness and Joy. The Gap that is perceived to be insurmountable ,the love story was wonderfully written. I loved the believability of the characters. I couldn't put it down and will miss them a little.

Perfect in every way

Lovely story made even more entertaining by the narration. I completely recommend this audio book

Great listen

This author seems to always write great books, and this is no exception. I probably enjoy some of the other books by this author even more, but that’s only because they’re fantastic, whereas this one is great.

The story of a Bi-Polar Writer & his Glitter Pirate

I loved this story which made me both laugh & cry in parts. Ash & Darian are total opposites but yet are truly a great match. Nicholas Boulton narrated superbly and brought the story to life. I listened to this in almost one sitting as I was so interested to hear what happened next. I would highly recommend this book.

10 Glitter Pirate stars for each category....

If there is a better UK narrator out there, then I honestly don't know who that is, Nicholas Boulton is just completely and utterly amazing [and now that I know Audible have bought the rights to the Charm of Magpies series by KJ Charles, WHO ELSE could possibly do justice to the characters of Lucien Vaudrey, Stephen Day and Mr Merrick?? I can only hope and pray that Audible come to the same conclusion....].

When I first read this book in 2013, I a) couldn't stop laughing, b) stop blubbing and c) stop gushing and recommending it to all and sundry...luckily, other readers seemed to adore it too. 😍 Alexis Hall went straight onto my Creme de la Creme shelf on Goodreads with this, his first story...in fact, I also created a Brilliant Writing/Wordsmith shelf specifically for him. 😊

One of the best I've heard

What an amazing audiobook. Nicholas Boulton has to be one of the best narrators I've ever listened to. So versatile, not one mistake with the different character voices. And the story!!! Funny, quirky and so engaging. I spent extra hours at work just so I could listen to it.

A surprising gem

If you could sum up Glitterland in three words, what would they be?

Raw emotion, beautiful

What was one of the most memorable moments of Glitterland?

The honestly of the writer in his characterisation of Ash when he looked into his flawed self after the Oxford wedding

What about Nicholas Boulton’s performance did you like?

Nicholas Boulton (along with Alex Wyndham) are my go-to narrators. They are the crème de la crème of male narration. Utterly superb voices. I chose this book specifically because he was reading it, and was an absolute gem (not my normal read) but so glad that I did

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were many, too many to mention

Any additional comments?

I looked through the audio library for Nicholas' narration, having heard him read many of Laura Kinsales. Glitterland was a departure for me, and by no means my normal read. To say that I enjoyed it immensely is as understatement. The writing was exquisite, an absolute joy to listen to. The story was full of searing, raw emotion for subjects (gay and bipolar) that I don't know much about. A wonderful book, highly recommended. Once again, Nicholas smashed it.