“I tilted my head, bared my teeth and drove them into his wrist. An angry spurt of crimson blood erupted from the puncture. He howled, clutching his wounded wrist and staring down at me in horror. My mouth was wet with his blood again as a wicked snarl curled my lips.” – Christian Baines, The Beast Without
WITH the Arcadia Trust series, Baines has crafted a distinctive urban fantasy setting, seamlessly integrating chilling supernatural horror elements and the beauty and complexity of gay romance, adding depth and emotional resonance to the queer-themed storylines.
Baines provides a powerful “own-voice” quality to his work. This element of gay/queer authenticity makes the series feel fresh and invigorating, avoiding any sense of the work being didactic or reading as formulaic gay romance—even vampire-themed romance, a trope revisited time and again since the days of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. From Anne Rice’s Interview With the Vampire to L.J. Smith’s The Vampire Diaries to my own novel, The Night Belongs To Lovers (plug!), we keep returning for more! The author has provided a compelling justification to take action this time and dive into his series! It’s just that good!
The Beast Without
Reylan is the epitome of a wealthy, handsome vampire in Sydney, often feeding off companions from Oxford Street’s gay bars.
However, when a companion is killed by Jorgas, a volatile young werewolf, Reylan halts his indulgent lifestyle to help a mysterious alliance of supernatural beings track the beast.
As Jorgas pursues him, their relationship grows complicated, and when Reylan tastes Jorgas’ blood, long-buried desires are suddenly awakened. What unfolds between them may be more dangerous than any rival predator lurking in the dark.
The author provides familiar elements like known real-world locations, recognizable relationship tropes, and classic paranormal creatures (vampires, werewolves, shifters, etc.). Yet, these otherworldly beings have been beautifully transformed into distinct and original creatures, each exhibiting unique characteristics and traits that set them apart from others’ work in this multi-layered supernatural genre. Baines provides his readers an immersive, fully conceptualized, compelling, and accessible narrative.
This urban paranormal gay romance series opens with The Beast Without, a seductive and, at times, bloody and ferocious novel where we are introduced to the enigmatic vampire Reylan and his tormented lover, the werewolf Jorgas. This debut installment masterfully sets a dark and chilling tone—an exhilarating blend of terror and emotional intensity which runs throughout the entire series to the final novel, Tears of Time. As each novel’s narrative unfolds, a rich tapestry of paranormal characters emerges, unveiling intricate layers of conflict, intrigue, and complex, diverse personalities.
Reylan dislikes being referred to as a vampire, as he finds it insulting. He is a Blood Shade, a unique species that feeds on blood. In this world, vampires are considered fiction and urban legends, while Blood Shades are the real deal, hiding in plain sight. Reylan is old and experienced, possessing his own sense of morality and prioritizing his well-being above all else.
Narcissistic? Okay, yes, but Baines has us question our view on supernatural survival behaviour versus conventional human perception of overt self-interest. Although he’s not a cold-blooded killer, Reylan will not hesitate to kill when he believes it’s necessary for sustenance or safety. It’s far more complex than a discussion of morality vs immorality—it’s one of supernatural ordinances vs human-centric propriety.
It’s vampire psycho-sexual dynamics to the nth degree.
The Orchard of Flesh
Reylan’s last assignment for The Arcadia Trust brought a rebellious human servant into his home and a volatile werewolf lover, Jorgas, into his life. Reluctant to risk his immortality again, Reylan, the self-reliant Blood Shade—or, as the outside world calls them, vampires—faces a new threat as humans are abducted from a dangerous part of town.
To prevent a war among Sydney’s supernatural factions, Reylan must navigate the complications posed by Jorgas’ ambitious father while striving to maintain peace at home and in his lover’s troubled heart.
Baines possesses an extraordinary gift for crafting supernatural beings who feel strikingly real, evoking a spectrum of beauty and anguish that sets them apart from humanity. Whether dynamically powerful, breathtakingly beautiful or tragically emotionally (and even psychologically) flawed, these characters exist in a realm far removed from human conventions—not only in their emotive responses but also in their moral compass.
But that’s not to say they don’t possess their own sense of morality. They navigate the complexities of both supernatural and othered existence with intellect, allowing them to manipulate their world’s rules and philosophical constructs. However, genuine human empathy remains elusive but is not entirely unknowable to these non-human species. This aspect is what makes the interpersonal relationships in these books so exciting.
I would advise readers to abandon preconceived notions about how paranormal entities ought to behave within “human” frameworks, and this includes sexual constructs and interpersonal skills. Baines exquisitely pens mesmerizing characters that defy narrative expectations, embodying the essence of beings that human paradigms cannot understand or represent easily.
While reading the series, I accepted Baines’ characters as enticing and fascinating, yet just as often dehumanizing in their approach to their reality, as far as these non-human species even comprehend this action as we, the human reader, do and recognize it when we see it. This departure from conventional norms is, I feel, what makes the series so intriguing and thrilling, offering a reinvigorated and unique perspective on the gay paranormal romance genre. However, it could become frustrating for readers looking for something specific, even expected, rather than being open to what Baines is presenting.
Sins of the Son
Abandoned by his werewolf lover, troubled Reylan longs to return to his previous vampiric lifestyle of blood and a bevy of beautiful boys. His plan seems solid until his first meal as a single man attempts to kill him.
Determined to save his young would-be assassin from the religious zealots who sent him, Reylan enlists the help of Iain Grieg, a charismatic priest with unsettling knowledge of the night’s secrets. Surrounded by conflicting agendas and an army fueled by hate, Reylan fights to secure his future, but he must learn to trust the enigmatic priest and confront past ghosts.
The Arcadia Trust series isn’t your typical M/M fair; I don’t consider this falling neatly into that genre. And I love that! This is gay/queer fiction first—robust LGBTQ storytelling—which includes a romance narrative. Once the preconceived notions of what romance is—ESPECIALLY gay/queer male sexual dynamics, even within a paranormal paradigm, it’s much easier to enjoy and appreciate what the author is endeavouring to do throughout this series.
The sexual component of the overarching series narrative is oftentimes more cerebral than physical. And when it gets physical, it is unconventional because there are aspects of aggression intermixed with the gay/queer sex, generally consensual. Baines also provides a well-crafted, thoughtful expression of asexuality that goes hand in hand with the aforementioned “cerebral nature” of romance and connection.
These complex notions of sex and violence, attraction and compulsion, and desire and necessity may initially pose a challenge for some readers to grasp. Yet, the unfolding drama around the characters in all four books in the series powerfully reinforces the concept of narrative diverseness in a genre that too often embraces complacency and anticipation of the expected.
Tears in Time
Since Reylan crossed the barrier between worlds to rescue his werewolf lover, Jorgas, nothing feels quite right upon their return. Faithful allies have vanished, and the places that once offered solace are now derelict, filled with shadows and inhabited by evil. How can Reylan find his friends, and who can he trust once—if— they’re found?
Has the world Reylan and Jorgas returned to destroyed the one they left behind? In this new reality, someone is playing a deadly game with time, and with them—and their fates are the ultimate prize.
Featuring spine-tingling and mind-bending plotlines that intricately weave together, the Arcadia Trust series by Christian Baines leads readers through a labyrinth of twists and turns, culminating in endings that are often utterly shocking. Some of these conclusions offer a glimmer of hope, leaving a sense of satisfaction and intrigue behind. Are there HEA endings? Or are they more HFN? Yes—or maybe? Read for yourselves!
The Arcadia Trust series masterfully blends queer horror with elements of sensuality and humour, exploring the complexities of identity, desire, and fear within a supernatural setting in an evocative and intriguing manner. For urban paranormal fiction, horror, and gay romance fans, I wholeheartedly recommend this well-crafted, thrilling series.
The Arcadia Trust series 
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