Fence: Disarmed

I came into the world of Fence through the comic published by BOOM! Studios, and while I enjoyed it for a bit, I eventually stopped getting it, as the stories started to feel redundant.  However, when the first novel, Striking Distance, came out, I decided to give it a try.  I enjoyed it somewhat, so figured the second novel wouldn't be too bad, and I picked it up when it came out.  It has taken me some time to finally sit down and read it (the book was published in May 2021), but read it I finally did.  And, sad to say, this will definitely be my last foray into the world of the boys at Kings Row fencing academy.  

Disarmed picks up not long after the first novel ended.  Nicholas and Seiji have become friends, despite Seiji's superior, off-standish manner.  Harvard and Aiden are in an awkward place because they "faux" dated, which ended up a disaster, since they each secretly harbor feelings for the other but are too afraid to say anything.  Aiden has gone to the extreme, chasing after every guy on campus, leaving Harvard to pine after a young man that apparently wants nothing to do with him; meanwhile, Aiden is trying to drown out the sorry he feels from Harvard having told him it was a mistake to try dating and that the worst thing they could ever do is be with one another.  So, when the Coach tells them of the opportunity to train at an elite school in France, it becomes one huge cluster-&*$%!

Author Sarah Rees Brennan has a feel for the characters, and from what I can tell (I have no knowledge myself, so I can't say for sure), she has the necessary knowledge to write about fencing.  But the problem I have with this book is that the entire 350 pages are spent describing how Harvard and Aiden are pining for one another, but they are too afraid to tell the other how they feel - and after the first few chapters, it really starts to become boring.  You keep hoping something will break in their story, but it's just the same hesitations, the same heart-break, the same "He just doesn't want me and I need to accept it" woe-is-me scenes over and over and over.  Quite frankly, the only thing that carried me through this book were the chapters on Nicholas and Seiji.  

 

Nicholas' vibrant, never-give-up spirit and the affect it has on Seiji was fun to read.  Seiji, the way too serious fencer whose entire life revolves around fencing and being the best there is having to constantly be around the novice fencer, Nicholas, and try to train him, made for an engaging story.  You get to see the cracks in Seiji's set ways as he finds ways to help Nicholas, even when he himself can't understand why he's doing what he does.  What is amusing is that his father clearly understands the situation, even though Seiji is under the misguided belief that his father only cares about his business and can't be bothered to be involved in Seiji's life.  These two develop an even stronger friendship and understanding of each other throughout their adventure in France, and it's apparent that sooner or later these two young men will wake up and realize the attraction they have for one another.  This part of the book was very well written, perfectly paced, and, as I said, the most enjoyable portion of the book.

Brennan does bring in some side characters - such as young Bobby, the silent Dante, the nervous Eugene (who gets sidelined from the training), the yearning Arune, and the one who spells trouble for both Nicholas and Seiji - one very talented, very boastful, and very connected Jesse Coste - who happens to not only be Seiji's former training partner from his previous school, but he's also secretly Nicholas' half-brother (of which, only Nicholas is aware!).  

With the recent surge of teen gay romance shows that are streaming (i.e. Love, Victor, Heartstoppers, etc.), I'm surprised this one has not yet been picked up for a television series on one of the streaming networks.  It certainly has the 90210-style drama and it would be the right age group.  But, alas, it won't be for me to know, as this will be my closing chapter on the world of Fence (although, I haven't seen any future books listed yet, so it may be everyone's final chapter.....)  I certainly wish the author well if she does continue with the series.

RATING:  5 extra breakfast rolls out of 10 for at least making Nicholas and Seiji's friendship an engaging story to carry me through the book!

Fence: Striking Distance

Fence is a comic book series published by BOOM! Studios - it is about a group of students at an all-boys academy where fencing is the sport everyone is talking about.  There is a new student at the school - Nicholas Cox - who is a bit rough around the edges and is there on a scholarship (unlike the rest of the boys, who are all trust-fund, rich kids who are there at mommy and daddy's expense!).  The comic series does delve into the world of fencing, and it's clear the author of that series, C.S. Pacat, is familiar with (or least did considerable research into) the world of fencing.  But the comic is more about the relationships of these boys, their conflicting personalities, and their competition with each other and other schools.  I enjoyed the comic series, so when I saw that a prose novel was advertised, I knew I was going to pick it up.

Fence: Striking Distance is a novel by Sarah Rees Brennan, a name that is not familiar to me.  I'm not aware of other works she may have written, but I do have to say - she captured Pacat's characters very nicely.  Each of the main characters - Harvard (the captain), Aiden (the looker), Seiji (the serious one), and Nicholas (the wildcard) - reads pretty much the same as the do in the comic, which makes for a great read!  The supporting cast is there - Eugene, Bobby and others - but they are not integral to the story, as Striking Distance is definitely about the main four.

Brennan provides alternating points-of-view to tell the story, shifting from Aiden to Harvard to Nicholas to Seiji, back and forth, so that each character not only gets equal time, but also so that the reader can get inside each of their heads and hearts to see exactly what they are thinking and feeling.  While I am not exactly fond of this type of storytelling when it comes to the Hardy Boys' current series, I must admit that it works pretty well here.  By the end of the book, the reader has a strong feel for each of the characters, and you end up finding yourself rooting for each of them (although, let's face reality - this is basically a soap opera set at a fencing school, so there will always be drama, and just when you think something will get resolved, a monkey wrench gets thrown into the works....).

Surprisingly, the plot of this book has very little to do with fencing and more to do with friendship, teamwork, and building relationships.  There is an obvious subplot for a fencing championship that is building in the background, and perhaps Brennan is planning that for a future story.  For now, though, it's all about the characters, their interactions with one another, and their relationships.

For Nicholas, it's all about fitting in.  He is the fish-out-of-water character, being a lower class member of society that is trying to fit in at a school full of rich kids.  And while he certainly is not refined, the other members of the team, as well as their coach, all recognize his potential and skill, and his roommate (Seiji) is the one person who Nicholas thinks could potentially be his best friend - something he has never had in his life!

For Seiji, it's all about coming to terms with the fact that he left his prior academy, which from all indications, was a much better school with a much better fencing team.  But Seiji does not want to live under anyone's shadow, and that's what he was doing at the other school.  He is determined to show everyone he is the best, particularly his parents.  Nicholas, however, has created a conundrum for Seiji, as he doesn't know how to react to someone who is not structured like he is.  Perhaps this whole idea of "friendship" could change things for them.  After all, how far is Seiji willing to go to protect his "friend."

For Aiden, it's all about Aiden.  He can have any boy he wants (and usually does), but he never goes on a second date with any of them.  He rarely shows up at the fencing matches, only when he is scheduled to be in it.  He's an excellent fencer, but he seems to have no time for anyone other than himself.  The coach is determined to do that by using the one thing that Aiden does care about - Harvard.  Aiden could never imagine losing his best friend - while secretly wishing that one day they could be so much more (not that he could ever tell Harvard that!).

For Harvard, it's all about leading by example.  He wants to encourage his teammates, to build them up and watch them succeed.  He wants the best for everyone, and will always go out of his way to help others.  The only problem is, he seems to neglect himself.  So, when the coach encourages him to go out on a date, he finally gives it a chance.  After one date with a girl, he realizes that may not be for him, so he goes out on a date with a boy ... and suddenly his entire world changes, and with it, his relationship with Aiden is put to the ultimate test!

Four boys, four stories, all intertwined and building upon one another.  By the end of the book, all four boys learn more about themselves and each other, and they discover that maybe - just maybe! - they might actually have a chance at being a winning team!  Striking Distance was an enjoyable read, worth the time spent, and I'll definitely be picking up the next book in the series when it comes out.

RATING:  9 broken watches out of 10 for giving us a well-written, character-driven story that doesn't focus too much on the angst, but provides plenty of fun and drama to enjoy!