Noble Metals

April 27, 2015
Science and romance collide in Witt's tale of love, lust, and ambition in the Klondike gold fields, where one prospector is looking for something far more precious. Dr. John Fauth needs a large supply of platinum if he is going to continue his research and save himself from becoming a laughingstock in front of his academic colleagues. He is joined by Robert Belton, a man whose gambling debts drive him into prostitutionâand John's bed. Witt handles the twists and turns of the tale deftly, and the steampunk tech fuses seamlessly with the historical setting, never overshadowing the plot. The "love conquers all" ending feels a touch pat: the barriers to John and Robert's relationship are never satisfactorily eliminated, and their happy-ever-after raises the question of how Witt will generate tension for sequels. The compelling narrative is let down by a rushed ending, but this is still an intriguing start to a series that shows promise.

June 1, 2014
In Witt's (Hostile Ground, 2014) latest gay romance, Dr. John Faust, professor and inventor, meets impoverished Robert, desperately working as a prostitute in Seattle, and attraction sparks. John is on his way to the gold fields of Alaska, though he is actually in need of platinum for his experiments. He knows, however, that where gold is found, other noble metals reside. He's invented a machine that can test the soil and tell specifically what metals are in it, a device that other prospectors would kill to get their hands on. After spending the night with trusting yet savvy Robert, whose brothers abandoned him, John decides to take him along on the arduous journey north. And it's a good thing that they've joined forces, because not only has John has been followed by thugs hired by a rival scientist to steal the machine, word has gotten out to the other prospectors, and they are all on his trail. Witt blends history and steampunk elements in this fast-paced, race-to-riches same-sex love story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)