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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
Rounded up.
Demas returns to her fictional Antiquity, this time with the first book in a trilogy, and it's just as good as her previous books, with rich, believable characters and wonderful dialogue. The story is entirely from the point of view of Damiskos, an invalid Pseuchaian soldier, and starts out as a kind of ancient "Greek" house party, with a group of unexpected guests with an agenda of their own. Also at this house party is a nervous Boukossian and his Zashian eunuch slave Varazda (or Pharastes, as the Pseuchaians call him).
The uncomfortable house party quickly degenerates into something worse, and Damiskos and Varazda join forces to try and salvage the situation -- and fall in love while they're doing it.
Spoilers below.
The theme of the book is quite political, and I loved it. Pseuchaian culture is tolerant of same-sex love, and the largest city states Pheme and Boukos are multicultural melting pots, and Boukos even has a trade agreement with the eastern Kingdom of Zash. But the troublesome group of guests at the isolated villa are philosophy students with fascist ideas of masculine and cultural "purity", and they want to "make Pheme great again" by fomenting a new war between Pheme and Zash. They are so blinded by their own sense of superiority that they don't realise who the real Boukossian agent sent to stop them is (spoiler: he is in fact not a slave), and kill the wrong man. In the end they are thwarted by a lame ex-soldier, a group of women, several of whom are slaves, and a Zashian eunuch, which is extremely satisfying.
The other theme is, of course, gender. Varazda is a person who has had his gender forcibly and irrevocably altered, which sets him apart from both men and women, which is an interesting position for a modern person interested in gender-fluidity. Varazda is to all intents and purposes non-binary. This doesn't matter to Damiskos at all -- he is attracted to both men and women, but above all he is attracted to Varazda the person. He has also spent a lot of time in Zash and doesn't see Zashians as either degenerate or exotic.
Demas is so far pretty much alone in the historical romance world when it comes to featuring a eunuch as a main character, and this is the second time she does so. Varazda is a very different character from Bedar in One Night in Boukos, though.
Having been cut and made into a slave, he has a certain amount of baggage, but Damiskos, who suffers from his own brand of PTSD, has a keen understanding of it, and a strong wish to do things right. The careful romance between Varazda and Damiskos is delicately handled, with a lot of warmth and sensitivity, and they also talk to each other like adults, which is immensely refreshing.
Slavery was of course a normal thing in Antiquity, which is not quite the same thing as natural, and not all people in this story think so, either. I think of it as a parallel to modern-day gender inequality, where women continue to do most of the unpaid work in our society, and get lower pay than men for the paid work they do. Most people in the western world think that this is neither fair nor desirable, and still nobody is really doing very much to change it. Unions aren't, governments aren't, employers most certainly aren't. And yes, some people actually claim that it's natural for women to do the unpaid work for other people.
The ending is a tenuous HFN, and I really hope we get to see these two characters again in the next book, even if we have to wait until next year to find out.
Demas returns to her fictional Antiquity, this time with the first book in a trilogy, and it's just as good as her previous books, with rich, believable characters and wonderful dialogue. The story is entirely from the point of view of Damiskos, an invalid Pseuchaian soldier, and starts out as a kind of ancient "Greek" house party, with a group of unexpected guests with an agenda of their own. Also at this house party is a nervous Boukossian and his Zashian eunuch slave Varazda (or Pharastes, as the Pseuchaians call him).
The uncomfortable house party quickly degenerates into something worse, and Damiskos and Varazda join forces to try and salvage the situation -- and fall in love while they're doing it.
Spoilers below.
The theme of the book is quite political, and I loved it. Pseuchaian culture is tolerant of same-sex love, and the largest city states Pheme and Boukos are multicultural melting pots, and Boukos even has a trade agreement with the eastern Kingdom of Zash. But the troublesome group of guests at the isolated villa are philosophy students with fascist ideas of masculine and cultural "purity", and they want to "make Pheme great again" by fomenting a new war between Pheme and Zash. They are so blinded by their own sense of superiority that they don't realise who the real Boukossian agent sent to stop them is (spoiler: he is in fact not a slave), and kill the wrong man. In the end they are thwarted by a lame ex-soldier, a group of women, several of whom are slaves, and a Zashian eunuch, which is extremely satisfying.
The other theme is, of course, gender. Varazda is a person who has had his gender forcibly and irrevocably altered, which sets him apart from both men and women, which is an interesting position for a modern person interested in gender-fluidity. Varazda is to all intents and purposes non-binary. This doesn't matter to Damiskos at all -- he is attracted to both men and women, but above all he is attracted to Varazda the person. He has also spent a lot of time in Zash and doesn't see Zashians as either degenerate or exotic.
Demas is so far pretty much alone in the historical romance world when it comes to featuring a eunuch as a main character, and this is the second time she does so. Varazda is a very different character from Bedar in One Night in Boukos, though.
Having been cut and made into a slave, he has a certain amount of baggage, but Damiskos, who suffers from his own brand of PTSD, has a keen understanding of it, and a strong wish to do things right. The careful romance between Varazda and Damiskos is delicately handled, with a lot of warmth and sensitivity, and they also talk to each other like adults, which is immensely refreshing.
Slavery was of course a normal thing in Antiquity, which is not quite the same thing as natural, and not all people in this story think so, either. I think of it as a parallel to modern-day gender inequality, where women continue to do most of the unpaid work in our society, and get lower pay than men for the paid work they do. Most people in the western world think that this is neither fair nor desirable, and still nobody is really doing very much to change it. Unions aren't, governments aren't, employers most certainly aren't. And yes, some people actually claim that it's natural for women to do the unpaid work for other people.
The ending is a tenuous HFN, and I really hope we get to see these two characters again in the next book, even if we have to wait until next year to find out.
Light, refreshing and enjoyable. A great balance of romance and drama with some fantastic well-rounded characters - really intrigued to see what comes in this trilogy!
A thoroughly solid read. It took me a little while to get a bead on the main characters - what their personalities and angles were - but once I was about a third of the way in I was caught up and powered through.
I liked the solid world-building, competence porn (people being good at things! It’s attractive!) and the way the banter and relationship developed.
The main mystery seemed a little convoluted, and I wished that it was maybe a either simpler or a more complex whodunnit. I also would have liked a bit more comeuppance at the end for some truly unlikeable characters!
I also wish the book had been paced a little better - there were some long, VERY detailed espionage scenes dragging down the middle (less exciting than you’d think) and I would have adored more time at the end with the happy couple.
I enjoyed this read enough to check into the author’s other books, and will look forward to the next in the series.
I liked the solid world-building, competence porn (people being good at things! It’s attractive!) and the way the banter and relationship developed.
The main mystery seemed a little convoluted, and I wished that it was maybe a either simpler or a more complex whodunnit. I also would have liked a bit more comeuppance at the end for some truly unlikeable characters!
I also wish the book had been paced a little better - there were some long, VERY detailed espionage scenes dragging down the middle (less exciting than you’d think) and I would have adored more time at the end with the happy couple.
I enjoyed this read enough to check into the author’s other books, and will look forward to the next in the series.
I'm torn between 2 and 3 stars.
I loved Damiskos and Varazda relationship a lot but the plot bored me to no end. If it wasn't for these two amazing characters I would have dnf the book.
I loved Damiskos and Varazda relationship a lot but the plot bored me to no end. If it wasn't for these two amazing characters I would have dnf the book.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
Very pleased to discover this new author.
ETA: the two books by Demas remind me of Gillian Bradshaw’s books.
ETA: the two books by Demas remind me of Gillian Bradshaw’s books.
Yeah, this was a really lovely queer romance (cis guy/nonbinary-genderfluid guy) with some low-key action and suspense. Think The Persian Boy but just way more chill, with no agonizing love triangles or extended military campaigns or MCs dying tragically, and more explicit and consensual sex, and a great lesbian buddy for one of the MCs. I'm starting the sequel right now.
adventurous
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I grabbed Sword Dance on a whim after seeing it advertised on Facebook. I’ve always had a desperate weak spot for the Ancient Mediterranean World and an alt-history version of it with romance and intrigue thrown in called to me. Sometimes my whims lead me in terrible directions, but with Sword Dance, my intuition didn’t fail me. I loved basically every word of this book. It was sweet, intriguing, well-paced, and also surprisingly funny.
The main characters were unique and well-written, never falling too firmly into any archetype. The two of them played off each other and the action around them well, never failing to entertain. Sometimes Damiskos is a little too infatuated with Varazda, dwelling on the dancer’s beauty and unique appearance; it’s not unbelievable that he feels so strongly, but I do feel the reader accesses those feelings a little too often.
Sometimes, Damiskos’s attraction to him leans into Varazda’s exoticness more than I’d like; the book even acknowledges that on some level. It never turns into flat out fetishism or othering of the character, though, and I hope it never does. It’s refreshing to see a character like Varazda have a purpose and a personality. The author also gets major points for having characters who discuss their sexual likes and dislikes with partners who actually respect those boundaries.
This book is a romance, but it didn’t isolate itself to that genre. This book also tackles political intrigue, espionage, foreign relations, and civil rights, sometimes subtle, sometimes less so.
The plot of Sword Dance moved at a quick clip, taking place over a short (though not very relaxing) vacation at a seaside villa. As the world around them falls into chaos and bloated political idealism, Damiskos and Varazda scheme to keep themselves and each other above the rising tide of danger. The supporting characters, though not always likable, are mostly fleshed out, although some of them, especially the philosophy students, do come across as caricatures. The book also has an expansive cast of supporting and background characters, so it’s understandable that not all of them are fully developed.
The ending is not a happily-ever-after, which is to be expected, as there are other books due out in the series, but it does leave room for one someday, somewhere down the road. I’m really hoping these two find their way to it. I can’t say too much without giving away the plot, but Varazda proves so much more complex and unique than his initial introduction suggests. I’m already awaiting the second installment.
The main characters were unique and well-written, never falling too firmly into any archetype. The two of them played off each other and the action around them well, never failing to entertain. Sometimes Damiskos is a little too infatuated with Varazda, dwelling on the dancer’s beauty and unique appearance; it’s not unbelievable that he feels so strongly, but I do feel the reader accesses those feelings a little too often.
Sometimes, Damiskos’s attraction to him leans into Varazda’s exoticness more than I’d like; the book even acknowledges that on some level. It never turns into flat out fetishism or othering of the character, though, and I hope it never does. It’s refreshing to see a character like Varazda have a purpose and a personality. The author also gets major points for having characters who discuss their sexual likes and dislikes with partners who actually respect those boundaries.
This book is a romance, but it didn’t isolate itself to that genre. This book also tackles political intrigue, espionage, foreign relations, and civil rights, sometimes subtle, sometimes less so.
The plot of Sword Dance moved at a quick clip, taking place over a short (though not very relaxing) vacation at a seaside villa. As the world around them falls into chaos and bloated political idealism, Damiskos and Varazda scheme to keep themselves and each other above the rising tide of danger. The supporting characters, though not always likable, are mostly fleshed out, although some of them, especially the philosophy students, do come across as caricatures. The book also has an expansive cast of supporting and background characters, so it’s understandable that not all of them are fully developed.
The ending is not a happily-ever-after, which is to be expected, as there are other books due out in the series, but it does leave room for one someday, somewhere down the road. I’m really hoping these two find their way to it. I can’t say too much without giving away the plot, but Varazda proves so much more complex and unique than his initial introduction suggests. I’m already awaiting the second installment.
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Very, very cool. The romance was great and so was the action (not the sexy kind but that now that I'm on it yes that was great too)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Murder