A review by carmadillobear
Sword Dance by A.J. Demas

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

urgh this was rly good. romance set in an alt-historical Classic Mediterranean world. the setting was great, the subplot of espionage, theft and murder full of tension and action, but most of all i love the two main characters here - Damikos, a disabled ex-soldier, serious and clumsy with his words, and Varazda, a prickly and mysterious eunuch with his own agenda. i think the beginning was a bit slow and wasn't super gripping, but once things kicked off they kicked off. the novel i think strikes a good balance of touching on some heavy topics - gender, slavery, war and ptsd, while still being a fun and lovely read. two strangers stuck in a house of hostile parties who have to work together to survive but then fall in love. what could be better than this my dudes. 4.5/5 stars