Lovers and Beloveds

Sep 28, 2010 A.M. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, fantasy, historical, review-copies

Prophecies, magic, curses and Gods — Lovers and Beloveds has all the trappings of a strong coming-of-age fantasy novel. It offers an impressive depth and breadth in terms of world-building, mixing hints of Victorian aristocracy with Ancient Greek religion to create a compelling, evocative setting. But most of all it offers an intimate view into the daily lives of those who have shaped and will shape the Kingdom of Tremont, intertwining the history of Temmin’s ancestors with his current experienc...more Prophecies, magic, curses and Gods — Lovers and Beloveds has all the trappings of a strong coming-of-age fantasy novel. It offers an impressive depth and breadth in terms of world-building, mixing hints of Victorian aristocracy with Ancient Greek religion to create a compelling, evocative setting. But most of all it offers an intimate view into the daily lives of those who have shaped and will shape the Kingdom of Tremont, intertwining the history of Temmin’s ancestors with his current experiences at court.

This dual narrative — jumping between present times and Temmin’s ancestors – is part of what makes the story so addictive. Lovers and Beloveds is in part a character study of Temmin and his formal training as Heir, but there is a larger story at play, too, which only becomes evident through the parallels between Temmin’s behaviour and his ancestor’s mistakes. Much of this revolves around religious, moral and sexual themes, in which Temmin is largely innocent and ignorant — and while the sex is often explicit and occasionally non-consensual, it is handled gracefully and is crucial to the plot.

But what is perhaps most striking is that both setting and cast have received equal care and attention; the Prince and his companions are as vivid in my mind as the city itself. Temmin is a believable teenager, awkward, petulant, trying hard to do what is right but often distracted by what is tempting. The strong bench of supporting characters are also well-developed, with histories of their own. My personal favourite is Teacher, a dark mysterious figure bound by magic to obey the King’s commands.

Perhaps my only nitpick is that the beginning is a little slow, but certainly history buffs would enjoy the scene-setting, and as soon as Prince Temmin arrives in the royal capital, the novel becomes highly engrossing.

In sum, the story is highly polished and delightfully told — if you love history and strong characters, and aren’t afraid of sex, then this is a book for you.(less)

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Jul 19, 2012 Myth rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sampled, fantasy-sci-fi

At the moment I don't really know how to respond to this book, since I sampled it. The sample on Nook was 200 pages and through all those pages I didn't feel pulled into the world. The writing was inconsistent and often times not that great, which bothered me far more than I thought it would. I've learned if I'm going to try to read indie books I'm going to have to lower my standards a bit.

The premise of this book is still interesting to me, but I felt like it dragged on and continually picked u...more

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Feb 28, 2012 Heidi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-to-lend, read2011, fantasy

It turns out that this author, recommended by friend Bonnie, is someone I have met from our circle of friends. I just didn't know her pseudonym. This has no effect on my review. This is one of those rare books woven with complexities, great writing, competent world-building, and a story line that leaves me wanting to read more, though this first in a series did have a completed story. I didn't realize it when I bought it, but it is also explicit, with very well-written sex scenes.

I hesitate to c...more

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Jan 14, 2011 Jan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, fantasy, indie, z-2010, fantasy-romance

Lovers and Beloveds is the coming of age story of Temmin, next in line for the throne of Tremont, intertwined with tales from a Magic Book called An Intimate History of The Greater Kingdom (which gave the series its name).

This book was first serialized online, and when I started reading that version, I could never get past the first chapters because Temmin annoyed the heck out of me. Not that he's a very annoying character, but because he's a very typical spoiled male teenager, and I just don't...more

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May 23, 2013 Quincy Frazier rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 21, 2012 Larry rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle

As a disclaimer, I read Lovers and Beloveds because I know the author through a different context. I've also recently read the first two "Fifty Shades" novels. I won't repeat what other reviewers have said about the story line. Instead, I will focus on what this is: A coming of age story set in a mildly fantasy mythos that would be targeted to teens, except that most teens probably won't be allowed to read it due to the explicit (and excellent) sex scenes. I say mildly fantasy because it deviate...more

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Nov 23, 2010 Grace Krispy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Temmin has grown up sheltered from the world, living a blissful life in the idyllic countryside at Whithorse Estates with his mother and his faithful servant. But all good things must come to an end; Tremmin is heir to the Tremontine throne, and must move to the Keep to learn his father's ways and prepare himself for his inevitable future. It is at the Keep where Temmin begins to question who he is and who he will become. Is he a ruthless ruler, like his father, who will stop at nothing to get w...more Temmin has grown up sheltered from the world, living a blissful life in the idyllic countryside at Whithorse Estates with his mother and his faithful servant. But all good things must come to an end; Tremmin is heir to the Tremontine throne, and must move to the Keep to learn his father's ways and prepare himself for his inevitable future. It is at the Keep where Temmin begins to question who he is and who he will become. Is he a ruthless ruler, like his father, who will stop at nothing to get what -and who- he wants? Or is he a caring man who will make thoughtful choices and begin to harness some of the long-forgotten magic of the kingdom? Helping him on his journey of self- discovery is Teacher, a mentor to the royal family who has hundreds of years of experience under his belt, and has long since given up on any heir displaying magical ability. Slowly, Temmin finds himself pulled in two directions. He must decide whether to follow his father's footsteps and become the man his father expects, or if he should let himself be drawn into the seductive ways of the temple of enlightenment. He's discovering that his future truly isn't preordained, and that he alone is responsible for his choices.

Beautifully written and edited, MeiLin Miranda has created a rich fantasy world where magic still exists for the rare few, and sex is a cherished and godly endeavor. Although I do enjoy many types of fantasy, I have to admit I'm not a huge fan of fantasy with heavy erotic content, as a rule. That being said, the details and the flow of this story were superb. With fluid writing and nicely-developed characters, the story shines through. Sex becomes an integral part of the conflict of the story; the struggle of power- longing and restraint, duty and desire.

The author cleverly uses a legend from the Tremont family history to mirror Temmin's own sexual awakening. Teacher uses this story in pieces as part of the teaching process, and the author uses this story to mirror Tremmin's own emotions, and help move his journey along. Vividly drawn details show this fantasy world to be a land on the verge of exciting, and unalterable, change. The relationships between the characters are complex and intricately woven, and they pull you right along with Temmin.

If you are a fan of well-written fantasy stories with a strong sexual element, then this book comes strongly recommended. Some may find the erotic details a little too much, but the fluid and intriguing story makes it worth the read.

4.5 /5 stars @ MotherLode blog(less)

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Nov 09, 2010 Liviu rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010_release_read, review_fbc, genre-fantasy, read_2010, t1_recommended_2010, series_dropped

I will add some fast scattered comments for now and have more later and a full FBC review in a week or so which I will c/p here.

The J. Carey comparisons are apt - I would say the aptest of several books claiming such; Lovers and Beloveds is somewhat more explicit but in the same tasteful vein as there and it posits a world where Gods' embodiments - including the erotic one in dual male/female manifestation - play an important role in society.

The novel starts slow and a bit on the raw side but...more I will add some fast scattered comments for now and have more later and a full FBC review in a week or so which I will c/p here.

The J. Carey comparisons are apt - I would say the aptest of several books claiming such; Lovers and Beloveds is somewhat more explicit but in the same tasteful vein as there and it posits a world where Gods' embodiments - including the erotic one in dual male/female manifestation - play an important role in society.

The novel starts slow and a bit on the raw side but it picks up considerably after a while; it ultimately depends on the character of Temmin and while he becomes quite interesting by the end of the novel, readers have to put up with a lot of silliness and even dullness before; not a bad prince as they go, but still spoiled and naive which makes for the worst combination sometimes.

Also the emotional distance of 3rd person narration works against the book to some extent - one huge reason the Kushiel books are so good (still my #1 fantasy of all time) is the immediacy of first person narration and i do not get why authors are afraid to use it in books like this where the extra pov's are superfluous and could be worked around; i saw recent books using 1srt person combined with 3rd person snippeting and that also would be better imho

The secondary story that Temmin sees in the magic book of the subtitle (Intimate...) is cliched and predictable, so a bit overlong as a subthread but it works as a morality tale/history lesson and I guess it may play a role in later world building expansion.

The writing is excellent and helps smooth some of the issues mentioned above, while the world building is pretty good, a little bit sketchy but not with great flaws, just incomplete and I expect continuing volumes to expand it. The characters develop and show a lot of nuance after a while, so I urge everyone to give this book a little time to develop from its somewhat raw beginning

All in all the series has extremely great promise so I am very interested in the sequel, while Lovers and Beloveds (A+) is one of the best indies (more or less debut as the book has been expanded a lot from its first edition) I've read this year. If you are a fan of Jacqueline Carey I would definitely urge you to try this one and as mentioned give it a bit to settle down and of course I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in beautifully written fantasy of intrigue and eroticism and who is not afraid of some explicitness.(less)

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Nov 03, 2010 Kayla rated it 5 of 5 stars

There is really no proper way to describe this short of "Fantastic". Sincerely. This is easily my most favorite erotic novel now. And believe me, I've read quite a few of them. I'll admit that I was really wary of the story when I read the description - the description just honestly sounded a little dry. I promise, though, it really isn't.

It's available in tons of formats in different places. Here, you can pick it up for Kindle as well as a paperback book. The price difference is huge between t...more There is really no proper way to describe this short of "Fantastic". Sincerely. This is easily my most favorite erotic novel now. And believe me, I've read quite a few of them. I'll admit that I was really wary of the story when I read the description - the description just honestly sounded a little dry. I promise, though, it really isn't.

It's available in tons of formats in different places. Here, you can pick it up for Kindle as well as a paperback book. The price difference is huge between the two, and really, the e-book format is easy enough to read. I read it in Kindle format, and it was extremely easy to read - nothing wrong with the formatting. However, since I finished the book, I actually want to purchase the print edition just to collect - it was honestly that amazing. I'm dying for book two.

The story is a bit soft on the sex but huge on the plot. It's basically like reading a "normal" book - except the entire point of the book happens to focus on sex and a sexual universe. A lot of the sexual action would be considered "bisexual" since the main character likes both men and women, and most characters in the novel seem to be sexually open as well.

The plot is pretty easy to describe without the seeming use of politics that the description gives: Basically, we follow a young boy (an Heir to the King) who just turned 18 and is now doing his official studies to be King. His mother has sheltered him, and he's also, surprisingly, a virgin - which is unheard of in the land. The boy meets some of the "sex gods" of the land and wants to be with them instantly - it turns out, the only way for them to be his first time is for him to pledge into the religion. The King is against the religion. This leads to some "thwarts" of getting the Prince devirginized. Also, the book's studies take him back in time to learn about his ancestors which is where most of the sexual action takes place.

While the plot doesn't sound amazing, I promise, it is. It's the universe that makes it so great. The friends the Prince makes/has, the betrayals, the slight politics behind it all, and following the Prince from an immature little boy to where he matures throughout the book to act more like a man. The sex is hot and usually includes two (or more) characters which is always a treat. One of my favorite scenes? The "ceremony" of their sex holiday is a holiday where the Gods personify two people and the two people have sex in public while others stand in a circle and watch - and it's considered a blessing to be in the circle. From there, everyone goes off in their own ways to "bliss" others. It's just an amazing ideal. Along with that, there's magic curses that cause uncontrollable sexual desires - it's just all-around an amazing story.

Would I recommend it? Yes, Yes, YES! The ebook costs less than a cup of coffee - this book (which took me over 7 hours to read, so it's easily worth the time) is well-written, captivating, light on the sex, but amazingly heavy on a gorgeous, sexual atmosphere, and just downright perfect. I'm dying for the next book. Dying. If you pick any book to introduce you the Kindle (or erotic literature), make it this one. Just download the Sample and see if you get hooked. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.(less)

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May 25, 2011 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Lovers and Beloveds is the first of a series, An Intimate History of the Greater Kingdom. When I received the book and read a little about it, I thought it was going to be a fantasy/steampunk kind of mix, and I was not even in the ball park! It is at it's core a fantasy novel, with an erotic theme. While the eroticism does play a major part in the story, there is so much more to it than that. The characters and the world in which they lived were equally well-developed and that balanced the eroti...more

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Dec 16, 2010 Literary rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book surprised me. I didn't expect to be drawn into an erotic fantastical story like this one, but I was. When it ended, I wanted to know more ... What happened during Temmin's two years and two days as a Supplicant? What was the result of Teacher finally knowing that 'it was time?' What happened to Mattie and the guy that helped her when she twisted her ankle? There's so many questions that I have that I want to read the second book in the series (hint hint MeiLin!!!). =)

Reading Lovers an...more

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May 19, 2011 Frida Fantastic (book blogger) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks-speculative-fiction, speculative-fiction

“If the women were so important, why aren’t they in the histories?” -Prince Temmin

If George R. R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series captures the gritty realism of medieval history, Lovers and Beloveds reveals the intimate and personal dynamics of power in aristocracies. It weaves together a rich multi-layered story that explores how sex and power shape history and individual destiny—sharing a perspective that’s beyond the “men, swords, and thrones” (capital H) history that’s often seen in fan...more “If the women were so important, why aren’t they in the histories?” -Prince Temmin

If George R. R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series captures the gritty realism of medieval history, Lovers and Beloveds reveals the intimate and personal dynamics of power in aristocracies. It weaves together a rich multi-layered story that explores how sex and power shape history and individual destiny—sharing a perspective that’s beyond the “men, swords, and thrones” (capital H) history that’s often seen in fantasy.

It follows Temmin coming of age as he gains a fuller understanding of the responsibilities that he holds with his privilege. He learns about intimacy and dominance from court servants, religious figures, and an ancestor’s curse. What is coercion, trust, and consent? How would he rule differently from previous rulers?

The prose is lush and beautiful, which perfectly reflects the aristocratic steampunk world that Temmin lives in. The setting is fascinating and could be described as a fusion of Victorian England with Classical Greece. The narrative draws you in quickly and immerses you in life in the royal court. The characters of various classes are fleshed out with interactions that are full of wit and colour. Since sex is an important theme in the work, it’s heavy on the erotica, but it’s woven well into the plot and setting that none of it feels excessive. Also, it doesn’t hurt to have plenty of fetish fuel to go around.

Since most of the conflict revolves around Temmin’s personal development, it does follow a spoiled royal heir for over 400 pages, which understandably may not be for everyone. But I found him to be so well characterized and endearing that none of that mattered to me. I find it refreshing to see characters that are such a clear product of their upbringing and personal history. Regarding the world-building, there are some words mentioned that’s only explained in a glossary, but it’s a minor nitpick that wouldn’t affect your enjoyment of this book.

This is an intelligent, insightful, and beautiful fantasy novel. I highly recommend Lovers and Beloveds. The term “fantasy erotica” can’t describe the depth of this work. Even if you don’t think this subgenre is for you, I urge you to read the sample anyway and see if it draws you in. I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Note: a free review copy was provided by the author(less)

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Sep 15, 2012 Caleb Blake rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads

Cross-posted from Papyrus Independent Author Reviews. (http://papyrus.calebblake.net/2012/09/15/lovers-and-beloveds-by-meilin-miranda/)

Temmin is the heir to the throne of Tremont, about to turn 18 and enter into manhood, and is still a virgin. That last detail might not seem so important - just a small item which might lead to an entertaining coming-of-age dalliance in an otherwise straightforward fantasy novel filled with kings and queens, intrigue and violence. However, in "Lovers and Beloveds...more Cross-posted from Papyrus Independent Author Reviews. (http://papyrus.calebblake.net/2012/09/15/lovers-and-beloveds-by-meilin-miranda/)

Temmin is the heir to the throne of Tremont, about to turn 18 and enter into manhood, and is still a virgin. That last detail might not seem so important - just a small item which might lead to an entertaining coming-of-age dalliance in an otherwise straightforward fantasy novel filled with kings and queens, intrigue and violence. However, in "Lovers and Beloveds", Temmin's virginity is key to the story.

Welcome to Tremont, a kingdom with nobility (the haves) and peasants (the have-nots) and a full compliment of gods and goddesses - including Nerr and Neya, the Lovers. And this is where our hero comes in. After meeting Allis, the "Embodiment" of Neya, Temmin is quite obviously besotted and sets upon a path to become a supplicant at the Lovers' temple. Actually, that pretty much wraps up the plot of this story. However, what I'm not doing justice to is the work the author has done to create an interesting society where sexuality is largely embraced and even worshipped in all its forms.

So let's discuss the sexuality in "Lovers and Beloveds". It's unavoidable in this case as the majority of the text either deals with sex scenes, discussing sex or thinking about sex. Firstly, only those "of age" need apply to read this book. Secondly, if you don't like explicit sex scenes, you will not like this book. Thirdly, if you are fairly narrow in your interpretation of what acceptable sexuality should be in literature, you will not like this book. However, if you like explicit sex scenes between men and women, and men and men, and women and women, trios, groups and even displays of public sex on religious holidays, there might be something in this book for you. Let me rephrase that - buy this book, you'll probably love it.

I'm not personally motivated to read a book with a "by the numbers" exploration of every facet of sexuality imaginable (which I have to say this book felt a little like at times). So it was going to be difficult for this story to make a lasting favourable impression on me. So was there anything here I liked? Luckily, there was.

I actually liked the way sexuality was integrated into the society and religion of Tremont. Even if the cynic in me thinks of it as a convenient device to legitimise a sextravaganza, I have to admit that it was very clever all the same. It even had me imagining what my own society might be like if sexuality was embraced in the same way. Additionally, I quite liked the characters in the book. Temmin himself was quite dim in many ways, but remained lovable throughout. It was hard to think ill of him learning about his future responsibilities as king while also trying to learn about himself and what kind of man he wanted to be. He's also surrounded by some interesting characters: the enigmatic Teacher, the loyal Jenks, even his obstructive father, Harsin. They all added colour and flavour to the story.

Some of the problems I had with the novel included the teaching of Temmin via a magical storybook. Through this device, We follow the narration of a piece of early Tremontine history. I think this magical book is going to be an undercurrent for the series, but I'm not entirely sure how the story of a woman cursed with the unyielding desire to have sex with any man who wants her forms any part of an education for Temmin. To me, the book merely fulfils the author's need to tell a saucy tale within a saucy tale. Less problematic was the fact that there are some mysteries that don't get revealed by the end of the first book. Why is it important for Temmin not to know that Jenks is actually Colonel Jenks - will he ever find out? What is the real story behind the Teacher and the Traveler Queen? And are we going to get more intrigue and story in the next volume, or are we going to spend the whole book trapped inside Temmin's sexual awakening?

Unfortunately for me, although I'd love to know the answer to some of those questions as there really are some intriguing elements to "Lovers and Beloveds", I just don't think I have the stamina for another multi-sexual Karma Sutra. I applaud the work that has gone into it and I know the sophistication of its telling will find an appreciative audience. If you feel like you could be the target audience, there really is no need to wait.(less)

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Sep 25, 2010 Erinn Streeter added it · review of another edition

Move over, Jacqueline Carey. There's a new author in town.

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Feb 16, 2012 Najela rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read this off and on since 2007 as a web serial, but I could never seem to catch up. So imagine my surprise 5 years later when the author is running a kickstarter campaign for book two. This story is so much more cohesive than the web serial I remember reading back then. I'm blown away by the amazing world building and it's one of my favorite parts of the novel. The main character, Temmin, is a bit annoying and naive, but I'm interested in seeing him become a great king. The author did some co...more

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Sep 15, 2011 Stephanie Morrow rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was incredibly disappointed with this book, but I suppose it was my own fault. I had read reviews that claimed if you were a fan of Jacqueline Carey then you'd certainly find no fault - and boy was I wrong. The best part of this book was the inspirational authors note at the end, and I suppose that made it worth it.

If you're looking for a book that reads like an awkward sexual encounter all the way through, then you'll enjoy this one. However, it lacks all of the class and elegance that I fou...more

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MeiLin Miranda I want to thank you for two things: Finishing it when you didn't like it; and telling me *why* you didn't like it as opposed to leaving a drive-by two...more
Sep 16, 2011 09:30am

Stephanie Morrow MeiLin wrote: "I want to thank you for two things: Finishing it when you didn't like it; and telling me *why* you didn't like it as opposed to leaving...more
Sep 16, 2011 05:17pm

MeiLin Miranda Omigosh, I'm so very sorry that happened. I'm afraid that's my fault; I linked it on twitter with a note saying, finally, the bad review I've been wai...more
Sep 16, 2011 06:52pm

Jan 25, 2013 Kevinlynn Kubli rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The road to the throne is never easy. For Prince Temmin, the decisions he makes on the way could make, or break the very foundation on which the kingdom stands.

The book is well written with plenty of character development from all major and minor characters.
I can honestly say no character in this book is a waste, including the unnamed stable hands. Each major and minor character adds to show and intensify Temmin's inner conflict.

The secondary story helps Temmin's character grow and develop in w...more

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Sep 28, 2011 TheFountainPenDiva rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-books-purchased

Firstly, comparisons to Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel series are cosmetic at best--there's sex, gods, erotic rituals and prophecies--but at least Lovers and Beloveds doesn't read like bad fanfiction (unlike a certain author whom for the life of me seems to be incredibly popular in the paranormal romance genre in spite of having blatantly ripped off Anne Bishop and Laurell K. Hamilton). MeiLin Miranda has actually crafted a well-thought out fantasy of love, lust and politics with a hint of steampunk...more

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Jan 05, 2012 Valerie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people looking for something smutty

Shelves: ebooks, read-in-2012

I bought this book because it was recommended over at LiveJournal for something similar to the Kushiel series by Jacqueline Carey. I fully admit: when it opened up with the main character, Prince Temmin, drunkingly assaulting a girl, I closed it and didn't touch it for months - it actually made me feel queasy. However, since I recently got a new e-reader, I loaded this up and decided to give it another go.

This is a study of sexual nature, with a fantastical background. One of the biggest themes...more

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Sep 16, 2011 Mary Grace rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Lovers and Beloved was submitted to me by Miranda for review and I accepted it knowing that it is erotic in nature. I said erotic because most part of the book did evolve around the sexual elements but it was not consumed by it. It is a fantasy novel which is shockingly realistic in nature which is rare for fantasy books.

Lovers and beloved is the first book in a series. A quick fact about this book - it was solely funded by her readers so that was a big factor why I got intrigued. I mean think a...more

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Dec 28, 2010 Keryl Raist rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: indie-book-review

A while back an email popped up in my inbox requesting I read Lovers and Beloveds for review. I did my usual routine of checking the book out, looking at it's reviews, reading the back page copy, and bits and pieces of text. It looked good. My initial impression was steampunk erotic fantasy. It sounded right up my alley.

Then another interesting factoid hit my radar; it was groupfunded, a major plus. If that term means nothing to you, prepare to learn. Groupfunding is a technique where you get a...more A while back an email popped up in my inbox requesting I read Lovers and Beloveds for review. I did my usual routine of checking the book out, looking at it's reviews, reading the back page copy, and bits and pieces of text. It looked good. My initial impression was steampunk erotic fantasy. It sounded right up my alley.

Then another interesting factoid hit my radar; it was groupfunded, a major plus. If that term means nothing to you, prepare to learn. Groupfunding is a technique where you get a bunch of people to give you money to pay for you to do your project. Call it modern day patronage. On a practical level that means this book was good enough, in the bits and pieces released by the author, to get total strangers to give her money to hire an editor, artist, etc. While total money generated is not a definitive ruler for a book's quality, I've waded through a lot of self-published fiction that no one in their right mind would buy, let alone decide to patronize. I was thrilled to get into this book.

It turns out my initial impressions of Lovers and Beloveds was off, but not in a bad way. It is a coming of age tale wrapped around a story of sexual domination (a story within the story writing technique is used to good effect in this book) exploring how the one story furthers the other. It's a tale of a young man preparing for his eventual kinghood and the paths he may take to get there.

It is set in a fantasy land with an 1890's-1910ish technology level. But the technology is just in the background. To call it steampunk would be similar to calling Sherlock Holmes steampunk, sure it's the right era, but to do so misses the point of steampunk.

It is erotica: coming of age, realpolitik, intelligently crafted with layers and story lines beyond the sex, and wrapped up in the sexual politics of what it means to be a man or a woman erotica. As such, if you don't happen to enjoy reading explicit sex or sexual violence, just put the book down and head for the next one on your list. Assuming such reading does not bother you, go get a copy, you'll be well rewarded.

Lovers and Beloveds uses erotic sex as a vehicle to explore the paths of power and the relationships of dominance and privilege. All things a boy needs to learn to become a man who will be a king. The sex is well written, very hot, and it's easy to see why the main character, Temmin, finds himself aroused and dismayed by that arousal when seeing the main character of the inner story raped.

I think calling this book fantasy might be a bit misleading. There is magic in this world, but it's use is minimal. My guess is that in later books in the series it will become important, (perhaps there will be a magical coming of age in the next book?) but for the opening book it's just sort of there. Really, this reads more like historical fiction than fantasy. Take out the few brief magic bits, and this could very easily be set in a fictionalized 1890's Colonial India or Hong Kong.

Temmin reads as a genuine young man. He's spoiled but trying to be a good person. He can be self-absorbed and whiny, but he's an eighteen-year-old who just had his world turned upside down. He's earned his whininess, and there's something wrong with a person who isn't self absorbed when his entire reality shifts. Basically, the fact that he is annoying on occasion is entirely in character and should the annoying bits be removed, he wouldn't read true.

The writing is tight. Scenes flow from one to the next with no major issues. If there were grammar errors, I didn't notice them. Dialog and voice may not be exceptional, but they were more than competent and worked with the characters. I never found myself thinking, "There's no way Temmin (or any other character) would say that!" There are bits where as a reader I found myself wondering why we were meeting certain characters and plot lines, but the quality of the rest of the story and knowing this is book one of a series makes me think they are the seeds of future plot points. The story within the story may have been a bit longer than strictly necessary, but that's my own personal taste (I tend to skim epic battle scenes), and for all I know in the next book the bits I thought were long may be vitally important.

I look forward to seeing how Temmin will mature into his future. (less)

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May 15, 2011 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: erotic-fantasy, gods-n-goddesses, alternate_world, 4-and-5-star, ipbr-recommended-read, reviewed

Temmin is Prince of Tremont and Heir to the throne. He has grown up with his mother, the Queen, far from the King's residence in a sheltered environment. Now that he is turning eighteen, he must return to court and start his training to one day become the next King.

Once there, he meets Issak and Allis Obby, the Embodiments of the God Nerr and Goddess Neya of the Lover's Temple. He is infatuated with them and wants to become a Supplicant to the Lover's Temple. Not so much out of piety but because...more Temmin is Prince of Tremont and Heir to the throne. He has grown up with his mother, the Queen, far from the King's residence in a sheltered environment. Now that he is turning eighteen, he must return to court and start his training to one day become the next King.

Once there, he meets Issak and Allis Obby, the Embodiments of the God Nerr and Goddess Neya of the Lover's Temple. He is infatuated with them and wants to become a Supplicant to the Lover's Temple. Not so much out of piety but because he wants Issak and Allis. This plan is not popular with the King due to the prophecy that says if this were to happen, prosperity would come to the people. Sounds good, eh? Well, not when the King believes that prosperity for commoners means downfall for the royal line. Should Temmin follow his desire or his duty?

While Temmin struggles with his choices, he has to adjust to his new, more formal life at The Keep, dodge assassins, avoid the annoying prat, Lord Fennows, who has come to live at The Keep, deal with the servants' love lives, and escape the machinations of the King to keep him out of the Lovers Temple. He gets an unexpected ally in Teacher, the immortal advisor and tutor to all the Kings of Tremont. Teacher shows him the Intimate History of the Greater Kingdom. This is a story within the story that has parallels to Temmin's experiences.

Temmin starts out a bit whiny and spoiled, but you see him grow through his experiences and the choices he has to make. Though he could act a little naive at times, he also showed a tendency toward compassion, protectiveness, and loyalty. He loves his sisters and is protective of them even though they do annoy him at times. He also shows kindness to the servants. These qualities made Temmin a very likable character to me. He seemed to be good at heart and wanted to do the right thing. There are a number of interesting secondary characters too.

There is magic in this world, but it has been diminished. The magic that was once wielded by the King and his line is now mostly in the hands of Teacher. The reason for this was explained briefly, but I would like to have learned a little more about how this occurred. When Teacher shows Temmin the Intimate History of the Greater Kingdom (and I do mean show...falling into a book takes on a more literal meaning with Teacher) we see the magic of the past. This story unfolds slowly throughout the book.

The ending seemed a bit abrupt to me. I turned the page and was surprised that it had ended. There are definitely open story lines to be continued, so don't expect everything to be neatly tied up at the end. I don't know how many books are planned for this series but I get the sense that it will be a fairly long saga. There was at least one story thread that seemed to disappear -- the assassins and their attempts to kill Temmin -- that I suspect will come back into play in upcoming books.

Miranda has created an interesting world that is not bogged down in excessive world-building details. There are enough similarities to our own world to make a connection, but also enough differences to give you that "we're not in Kansas anymore" feeling. I've noticed this book is tagged as steampunk, but other than it taking place in a pre-industrial age and a steam engine being one of the primary modes of travel, I don't really see anything steampunk about this story. This world is also polytheistic; there are several gods and goddesses that people can choose to worship. Each one has its own Temple, with the Lover's Temple being the one of choice for Temmin. You can probably guess what goes on in this Temple.

This book is often compared to Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel series. I haven't read that series so I can't say for sure, but I understand the gist of it and I think it may be a good comparison. Like Carey's books, there is a significant erotic element to this story. Lovers and Beloveds is not a romance and you won't get an HEA. I would consider it more an alternate world fantasy with strong erotic elements. I don't feel the sex is gratuitous. It supports the story rather than the other way around. However, some of the erotic elements may be uncomfortable for some readers. Be prepared for dubious consent/rape, menage, anal, m/m, light bdsm and elements of incest.

The beginning of the book was a wee bit slow for me but it didn't take long to pick up. I thought the narrative and dialogue flowed well. It was also edited well, which made it a delightfully smooth read. This book was crowd funded, which means enough people enjoyed the initial drafts and believed in the author's ability to deliver a good story that they were willing to donate money so the author could get it professionally polished with editing and cover art. If you are inclined to read a fantasy saga with a strong erotic theme, I would recommend giving this book a try. I look forward to Temmin's continuing saga.

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Jan 05, 2012 Bruce Williams rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow. The first word that came to my mind reading this book (and merely a few pages in) was "courageous." The author isn't afraid to tackle the taboo, and it's obvious she's not going for cheap thrills, either. I found the themes thoughtful, the world detailed and well-illustrated, and the characters delightfully flawed (and often descriptively so). If you're a bit prudish or close-minded, this isn't the book for you -- if you're not, it's a great example of honest, "don't skip the good bits" sto...more

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May 22, 2011 Kara-karina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Let me rave and rave and rave about this book... It's 4am and I just finished reading. It's an amazing and rich and wonderful story, so vivid that I practically could see it in front of my eyes.
It's a story of coming of age and personal development, of love and duty and fairy-tales and understanding what you truly want. It touched me, and I can not wait to read what's next. I hope Meilin Miranda will be noticed and contracted for many more books to come.

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Jul 05, 2012 Kara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, kindle-book, 2012-books

I think I'd give this book 3.5 stars, really. It was good, but not exceptional. I also thought it was a stand-alone, but clearly it is not.

I enjoyed the world building and the characters, but I didn't feel drawn in the way I'd expected. Still, if you like fantasy with a strong erotic element, this is the book for you.

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May 24, 2012 Shadowstorm Norwicca rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: erotica-challenge, fantasy, erotica, reading-romance, bdsm-challenge, paranormal

Where do I start? This book was amazing, tantalizing, passionate, well written and over all one of the best erotic paranormal romance book I read in a while. From the beginning I was pulled into the story and even at the end I wanted more. This author wrote with such insight and it was shown through the words. I loved the prince and his struggle to find his way in life, family, love, magic, and sex. I truly loved this book and recommend it.

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Jul 25, 2011 Sift Book Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: john

The story is well-written and reasonably complex, displaying the politics of the Kingdom very well. As with any good new-world novel, it introduces the reader to the world gently, explaining new terms and concepts when it's necessary, with nary an info-dump or awkward explanation to be found. It's largely thanks to the main character, who's relatively ignorant of much of the world, so as he learns, the reader does.

See the in-depth review at Sift: http://www.siftreviews.com/2011/07/lo...

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Dec 26, 2011 M.K. Hobson rated it 5 of 5 stars

LOVERS AND BELOVEDS is one of my favorite recent reads. Vivid characters, lyrical prose, crisp narrative, a beautifully detailed and richly ornamented world ... I can't wait for the next one!

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Nov 09, 2010 Crazyredhead17 rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is an awesome story set in a fascinatingly different but very real feeling world. I can't wait for the next book to come out!

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Oct 30, 2010 Lori Whitwam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-traditional

A stunning trip into a rich fantasy world, where bits of various cultures co-exist, magic abounds, eroticism has power, and empires are won and lost.

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Lovers and Beloveds (An Intimate History of the Greater Kingdom #1)

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