Come This Way — V.J. Banis / Victor J. Banis

Victor J. Banis's Come This Way is a unique collection spanning nearly a half century of a prodigious literary outpouring that includes 150 published books and scores of shorter works. It's unique as well in the breadth and variety of the material presented, ranging from the mysticism of "The Emerald Mountain" (a metaphysical gay mystery, which may be an entirely new genre) to the pathos of "The Girls"; from the gothic horror of "In Passing" to the whimsy of "An Apple a Day"; from the humor of "The Story of God as History's First Trannie" (a satirical look at ancient Goddess worship) to a chilling glimpse of a future world ruled by religious hypocrisy in "Jesus Days," an excerpt from the novel Angel Land, to be published in 2007 by Regal Crest. Gay and lesbian love, young and old love, innocent and ribald love, and love won, lost, and sought for in vain. "It doesn't matter what the question is, Alex, the answer is always love." Like his contemporaries, Ann Bannon and Marijane Meaker, many of Victor's early novels featured lesbian themes. "The Countess Arrives" is from his first published novel, The Affairs of Gloria (1964), in which the lesbian romance occasioned a landmark federal obscenity trial resulting in greater, not fewer, opportunities for gay and lesbian writers. The author's courage then - and now - has made him a cult icon in GLBT publishing circles. Victor J. Banis has been hailed as "a national treasure," "an American hero," "one of the Grand Old Men of gay writing," and the "Godfather of modern gay popular fiction." What is readily apparent on reading this collection is that he is a master storyteller, still at the top of his game." ~Lori L. Lake