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A.J. Demas

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Sword Dance Kindle Edition

by A.J. Demas (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.5 575 ratings

Book 1 of 3: Sword Dance

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Five years ago, Damiskos’s brilliant military career was cut short, leaving him with a permanent disability and scars that are not all physical. Adrift and still grieving, he tries to find meaning in an unsatisfying job.

Work takes him to the remote seaside villa of an old friend, where, among an odd assortment of guests, he meets the eunuch sword-dancer Varazda. Enigmatic and beautiful but distinctly prickly, Varazda is the antithesis of the straightforward and serious Damiskos. Yet as they keep getting in each other’s way at the villa, their mutual dislike is complicated by a spark of undeniable attraction.

Then the villa’s guests begin to reveal their true characters and motives—no one here is what they seem—and Damiskos finds himself at the centre of a bizarre web of espionage, theft, and assassination. Varazda may need Damiskos’s help, but not as much as Damiskos, finally awakening to a new sense of life and purpose, needs Varazda.

Sword Dance is the first book in the Sword Dance trilogy, an m/nb romance set in an imaginary ancient world, with murderous philosophy students, sex acts named after fruit, and love blossoming in the midst of mayhem.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Damiskos and Varazda are something of an odd couple and for the first half of the book, they tend to spar with one another more often than not. The romance comes later and works because of exactly who these characters are and the absolute acceptance they have for one another." - Joyfully Jay

"This book is an expert performance on that delicate tight rope walk of the "pretend lovers" trope. Where the reason they're pretending to be involved is believable, the stakes are too high to risk anyone discovering the deception, and, critically, there is a spark of real attraction that both parties are afraid to explore - at least at first." - Duke Duke Goose

"I loved basically every word of this book. It was sweet, intriguing, well-paced, and also surprisingly funny." - Queer Scifi

"Absolutely delightful romance set in AJ Demas' alt-Mediterranean Classical world, with a house party, a retired soldier, a hot eunuch sword dancer/spy, and a conspiracy afoot." - KJ Charles

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07VPDNCRG
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sexton's Cottage (July 31, 2019)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 31, 2019
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 4292 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 305 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #440,169 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #931 in Ancient World Historical Romance (Kindle Store)
- #1,113 in Ancient World Historical Romance (Books)
- #11,160 in Gay Romance

Customer Reviews:
4.5 575 ratings

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A.J. Demas

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A.J. Demas writes about love and imaginary politics in a fictional ancient Mediterranean world. She has been making up stories since she was a little girl but only recently discovered the romance genre. She lives in Ontario, Canada, with her husband and cute daughter.

For free short stories and snippets set in the world of A.J.'s novels, sign up for the Fragments Club newsletter: ajdemas.com/list/

Twitter: @ajdemaswriter

Website: ajdemas.com

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Amazon Customer

Great characters

Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2019

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I really enjoyed this one... I was expecting something pleasant and fluffy to pass the time, but was amazed by how much I loved it. A compelling story, but the authors true gift was the characters. They were believable, engaging, and complex, with great chemistry. I finished the book wanting more, and enthusiastically read everything else the author had to offer. I desperately hope we get a sequel.

I loved the use of active, affirmative consent. Usually in romance genre books, consent is glossed over or assumed (or if the author is "woke" you're bludgeoned with the script of a 10th grade sex ed textbook). Somehow, the author makes affirmative consent sexy, like dirty talk. It's delightful, refreshing and surprisingly realistic.

I also really liked how the book handled some pretty heavy topics; always with dignity and a refusal to fetishize trauma.

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Michael Holland

Well-Constructed Ancient Greek/Roman Fantasy

Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2020

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Damiskos is a retired army officer working for the quartermaster corps, since his parents spent the family fortune and the army doesn’t pay much in the way of retirement. He’s been sent to a seaside villa to negotiate the purchase of fish sauce from the owner, who happens to be an old friend from the capital city. It’s supposed to be a bit of a vacation, but on arrival he finds the house filled with philosophy students, and a businessman from a neighboring island-state who also has a captivating eunuch slave, Varazda. It soon becomes clear that there’s a lot more going on that a weekend house party, and Damiskos doesn’t like being in the middle of it.

“Sword Dance” is set in a fantasy world loosely based on ancient Greece, with island states that share a common culture upholding Hellenic ideals, and with an uneasy relationship with a very different culture on the far off mainland, called Zash. Damiskos served in Zash and knows the country where slaves such as Varazda are still common well. While fascinated by the young slave’s beauty, Damiskos can’t help being repulsed by what was done to him in the name of providing pleasure to the elite.

The story is told through Damiskos’ point of view, so we get to know Varazda through him. The eunuch doesn’t act like a slave, and both he and his master are clearly hiding secrets. As everything starts to unravel, Damiskos becomes more and more attracted to Varazda, and it becomes increasingly clear that they will have to work together to get out of the situation they find themselves in.

I suppose one could compare this story to the classic Mary Renault book The Persian Boy, but the story line is entirely different. However, if you’re familiar with the setting of the old book, then the culture in which this book is set will be very familiar. Varazda, with henna tattoos and colorful clothes, is definitely very Persian-like. He is, perhaps, the most interesting character of the book. Realistically depicting someone in his position in historical settings without sounding too anachronistic is quite difficult, but I think it’s pulled off really well. There are some interesting points raised about the position of someone who is no longer really male, yet not female, that are very relevant today. I’m definitely looking forward to finding out more about Varazda in later books of this series.

Damiskos is an interesting character in his own right, but in many ways he’s more of a foil for the other characters. The ex soldier is the solid dependable everyman who has seen a lot of the world compared to the exotic Varazda, the ivory tower philosopher, and the volatile students. Damiskos is very earnest, as observed by many of the other characters, and his treatment of Varazda as he comes to terms with his attraction to the eunuch is very interesting to watch. While romance of a sort does blossom, this is very much not a romance story, where the relationship will go is left up in the air at the end of this book.

4 people found this helpful

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Elke

Compelling Romance with Amazing Characters in Fascinating Fictional Setting

Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2019

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I LOVED Sword Dance to pieces!
Without book two and three available yet, the only way I could deal with the utter loss I felt after having finished, was to start reading another book of this gem of an author. I even paced myself because I didn’t want the story to end. A. J. Demas' writing is impeccable. It is that sort of style you hardly even notice, that good and beautiful.
Set in the same fictional ancient world of her previously published novels, devoted fans applaud the author's world building craft. True that, but the fictional world wouldn’t come to life without compelling and heart-warming characters. I loved both main characters from the spot and fell for them hard. I enjoyed the intellectual conversations between the house guests and the intrigue and mystery that was about to unfold. While I am not per se a fan of the newish sub-genre “suspense romance”, Sword Dance would even fit that category in the best possible way. And despite being fictional (or because of it), the story is also highly relevant with striking parallels to our society and political environments.
I can hardly wait to learn more about Damiskos and Varazda’s next adventures (and blossoming romance) because book one, while not ending on a cliff hanger, didn’t really come to a satisfying and fulfilling ending either. It is barely a HFN and that only because we know there will be more to this story.
I will re-read Sword Dance again in a little while and will pre-order the other two books in the series as soon as they become available. If you enjoy reading an intelligent and unusual m/m romance, do yourself a favor and get started with Sword Dance.

10 people found this helpful

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Hibkei

Two of my favourite characters!

Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2022

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A.J. Demas creates magic with this world she's created. This is the third book I've read set in this world and every time there's wonderfully intriguing characters to root for and fall in love with. Damiskos and Varazda were no exception.

This fully realised fictional world is stellar, each country unique and distinct even though this story only takes place in one of them. There's political intrigue, students of philosophy, a permanently injured former soldier and a mystery of a sword dancing eunuch in the midst of a house party at a cliffside summer villa. Glorious!

The romance here takes it's time as we follow along the layers of this story but it's oh so perfect and worth it. There's pain, there's trauma, fearlessness, hope, love. In turns funny, sad, heavy and light, Sword Dance is a beautifully balanced story and I can't wait for more.

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AmazonReader

Loved it!

Reviewed in Canada on July 20, 2021

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I think the author loves the Captive Prince series as much as I do!! Damiskos is totally Damen and there are versions of Nicaise and Nikandros. But I loved it. The author has a lovely way with words and Varazda is a star.

florkow

Wonderful mix of fantasy old Greece, adventure and love

Reviewed in Germany on November 6, 2021

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Both heroes feel real, their love not a stale copy of a copy of a woman writing male relations, but fresh and sweet, and sexy too. And the adventure is well drawn, supporting characters strong and unique. Good reading!

cw

This writer goes from strength to strength

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 22, 2019

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While her previous two books were great, this one feels like a massive step forward in her maturity as a writer. She has really come into her voice and woven a spectacular story with compelling characters, a believable and immersive world and a suspenseful plot.
Her previous two books, wonderful as they are, have large sections which didn't really move the relationship between the main protagonists forward as fully as they could have done. In Sword Dance, their interaction and understanding of each other is centre stage and provides a really fulfilling story. I love her work!

4 people found this helpful

Cathy H

Unrest in the countryside

Reviewed in Germany on September 7, 2022

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Interesting world. Names sound Greek, the architecture sounds a little more Roman. And the far away land of Zash reminds me a bit of Persia, maybe the hanging gardens of Babylon made an indirect appearance?

Damiskos, the main character, is a likeable fellow. Former soldier, not a terribly exciting job, gets sent to the countryside to make a deal about buying fish sauce for the troops. Fishy things start to happen, not just sauce-related.

“Terza’s head, what a lot of ghastly people Nione seemed to have gathered around herself. Did he really have to stay out the week?“

Apparently he did. If Agatha Christie had ever written Fantasy, this is probably what it would have looked like. The requisite body might or might not have turned up. Damiskos gets support from unexpected quarters and has to pretend to be romantically inclined to towards the sword-dancing eunuch. Things do not go as planned. Do they ever?

Thrown in were some rather odd philosophers, some violence, a little not too graphic sex and various shenanigans. I liked the underhanded humour. Oh yes, and there were some serious topics woven into the narrative, about gender identity, equal rights, racism, power over and perception of others—nicely done.

This is not quick, the pace is rather sedate. Damiskos and the story take their time. It is well plotted though.

The world has potential for some more sweeping stories and there are two more books in this series. Recommended, if you are looking for a relaxed mystery with some action, light humour and a little m/m romance.

Chiara

Loved it!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 26, 2020

Verified Purchase

What a great read!
I absolutely loved the setting and the worldbuilding: as a classicist, all I could see were parallels with Greek history (the Greek-Persian divide, the cultural differences, the wars, the free-cities...) but everything was told with a great deal of originality and cleverness, and I appreciated it even more this way than if it were a "real" historical novel! I could see how much research and care went into it, to create this original, gorgeous setting. It was just great (and I loved THE NAMES for everyone/everything. They were so fitting).
I absolutely adored Varazda. I could say so much about him, but he moved me, made me laugh at times, but at the end of this first book of the trilogy, he left me with something that I rarely feel for a book character: respect. Of all the tale told, Varazda and his story left me feeling the utmost respect for him, and the way his character was built made me care so much about his future (and his past!) that I just want the whole thing told now.
Damiskos was really cute, don't get me wrong. I really like his seriousness, his carefulness, the sweet way in which he's always so attentive, and when he [questioned himself on whether his fancy for Varazda was maybe dictated by some sort of unconscious feticism of his mutilation, he definitively won my heart over. It was beautiful to read this (hide spoiler)]. The love scenes between them were sweet and fully intended for character and relationship building, which I appreciate. Also they didn't linger too much on the "I'm a eunuch" physical side of it but made it mostly psychological which again, I really liked.
The political plot was not the most brilliant, and it unfolded in an awkward way sometimes, so that's why 4 stars. I wish it had been just a tad different someplaces, wider spread maybe? But I will save my final judgment on that at the end of the trilogy.
I absolutely adored all the terms of the gender discussion around Varazda, the way he was described, and what he had to say.

I really really really want book two now. Like, a lot.

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Sword Dance Kindle Edition

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