Paleolithica by Nando Gray Review

Paleolithica by Nando Gray by Nando Gray | Amazon | Goodreads | My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Blurb

FALL IN LOVE WITH HISTORY.
A PLOT-DRIVEN M/M ROMANCE ADVENTURE FROM A TIME BEFORE…

Entin has never belonged. His tribe had never accepted him. And so, when the raid began and his village erupted in flames, he froze. Now, abducted and far from home, he must confront his past to survive the future. He’s never known war, yet now the threat of combat is the only thing that might ensure his freedom and survival. Flung into a culture foreign to him and forced to rely on a young man near his age for survival, he’s destined to make choices he never dreamed of to reclaim his freedom…

Cascade knew duty. It compelled him. And so it had been his designs that allowed the raids to be possible. But he also knew honor. And a part of him had always resisted the path his tribe traveled. As he dragged his captive toward Mountainhome, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread about what awaited them. The Wolves were coming. And he feared none of them were ready for the terror the ancient legends warned of…

Fall in Love with History as you confront the terrors of our past. Fight for love as two unlikely heroes come into their own. Adventure abounds around every corner, from the Mastodon-filled plains of the seacoast to treacherous predators and sacred mountaintops. Be forced to compromise to survive and ultimately discover that sometimes the strongest bonds are those forged in fire …

Run.
You’re being hunted.

236 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2024

Premise of Paleolithica

Paleolithica by Nando Gray is one of the most unique MM romances I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. Set in a Paleolithic society in what we later learn is the Pacific Northwest, Paleolithica follows the life of Entin and Cascade (foreshadowing with his name) as their tribes clash. Entin, along with other tribe members, become captives. Their captors conscript them into combat against an almost mythical enemy known as the Wolves.

Entin

Entin is different. Somehow his tribe picks up on his differences from childhood. Unlike other boys, he does not learn to hunt, to use weapons, or to fight. Instead, he is begrudgingly taught tasks women usually perform, like identifying helpful plants and fungus for foraging, weaving, etc. His tribe shuns him, and Entin grows up without love, comfort, or a sense of belonging. It’s never explained exactly how his tribe knows Entin is different, but his early life, as hard as it is for him, prepares him for his adventures in a way that turns out to be good.

Cascade’s Tribe

Cascade’s tribe uses bolas and other tactics Entin’s tribe is unprepared for so they are easily defeated. Cascade is said to have created many of the weapons and strategies that his tribe uses, and he is the beloved son of the tribe leader. So his life has been different than Entin’s, he is a well-loved member of his tribe, his tribe leader is respected as a great leader, and Cascade’s wisdom is listened to and valued.

Captor/Captive in the Paleolithic Era

When Entin’s tribe is attacked by this different tribe, Entin along with others like his friend Aeil are taken captive. Entin is guarded by Cascade. His face is masked and his arms and legs bound. Then Cascade drags Entin along behind him on a sled, likely a travois of some kind, back to their tribal lands in the mountains. It’s slow going. Cascade speaks to Entin and they discover their languages are mutually intelligible so they can communicate. Cascade tells Entin he will not be harmed if he goes along with them. A moment passes between the two men, and Entin feels like he can trust Cascade. Cascade feeds Entin by hand, something the tribe does to increase trust between captives.

Paleolithic Subterfuge and Disaster

A real bond forms between them when disaster strikes, both natural and not. The two men are separated from the tribe. They fend for themselves. Their survival depends on it. Feelings start to develop quickly after that. Cascade’s tribe does not see Entin’s differences as bad, and Cascade shows him how it could be if the way he is naturally isn’t seen as something to be shameful about. They are intimate, something Entin has never experienced before. His feelings overwhelm him. They bond quickly, over trauma and the need for survival, and by the time they make it back to Cascade’s tribal lands, they are no longer, at least to themselves, captive and captor, but lovers.

Paleolithica: Strengths

This book instantly transports the reader to the Paleolithic period. I was afraid it would be difficult to imagine an MM romance in such ancient times. It wasn’t. At all. Everything is so natural and frankly lovely. Entin and Cascade fall in love. Love is eternal and forever, those emotions were the same then as they are now. It made me feel connected to ancient people to know that. In short, the setting and the premise work so well in Paleolithica, it blew me away.

Strong writing sets up the tribal system and belief system so there are minimal info dumps. I never felt pulled out of the immersion to think, now would a caveman really think like that? No, I believed it all, fully immersed and believing everything.

Their explanations for everything happening around them were believable, their belief system had supernatural and organic vibes that seemed totally legit. I could 100% believe people living in that time would see the world the way Entin and Cascade’s people do. I don’t have any idea how much anthropologists actually know about the belief system of paleolithic societies, so I might be wrong, but it seems like the author did their homework and really jumped into the minds of the people of this time.

As I write this, I feel even more strongly that this book is one of the most unique mm romances I’ve ever read. Nando Gray did a really great job.

Weaknesses in Paleolithica

Please note there aren’t many weaknesses in this story. These are mostly personal gripes. I disliked that Entin’s twin, someone thought long dead, came back into his life but in the worst way. That was sad to me because Entin never got any love as a kind and then his sister turns out to be bad. I also didn’t like the MF sex scenes because in general, I don’t like reading MF sex scenes. But these gripes are not anything wrong with the story, they just didn’t hit the notes I like books to hit.

Overall Takeaway

Read Paleolithica by Nando Gray! It’s so cool! I cannot recommend it highly enough!

MM Book Reviews

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