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Tremontaine #1.3
Heavenly Bodies
Rafe and Kaab look for love in all the wrong places. Diane cuts a deal.
Rafe’s academic troubles grow worse, but he finds comfort in surprising places. When Micah plunges into mathematical calculations that threaten to expose trade secrets long held close by Kaab's people, Kaab must do some quick thinking of her own. Meanwhile, Diane seeks to involve the house Balam in her intrigues, and the river yields up a mystery of its own.
This episode is brought to you by Joel Derfner, who dials up the heat in our play of passions.
“Heavenly Bodies” continues the 13-part serial, Tremontaine , presented by Serial Box. This prequel to the cult classic Swordspoint is brought to you by the collaborative effort of a team of writers under the creative direction of Ellen Kushner herself.
Join the dance of swordplay and scandal, week after week, on Serial Box.com.
And don’t forget to share the love! If you’re enjoying Tremontaine, help us get the word out by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter and Tumblr, and telling your friends about us! We’d also love to hear what you think so please give us a review!
“Sharp blades and even sharper wits abound! Delicious new adventures await fans in this welcome return to the world of Swordspoint.”
– Jacqueline Carey, New York Times Bestselling author of the Kushiel’s Legacy series
“Lovely! Beneath a froth of silk and lace Tremontaine is finely muscled, rippling with skill and promise.”
– Nicola Griffith, author of Hild
“More Tremontaine stories? YESPLEASE. Tremontaine stories by some of my favorite, excellent writers? HELLA YESPLEASE. I can't wait to read them all! ”
– N. K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth Kingdom
“A pure delight full of sparkling characters that match equally dazzling wits and swords. If you've visited the world of Swordspoint before, you'll be delighted to return; if it's your first time, you'll be welcomed in style. I can't wait to read more myself!”
– Naomi Novaik, author of Uprooted
Rafe’s academic troubles grow worse, but he finds comfort in surprising places. When Micah plunges into mathematical calculations that threaten to expose trade secrets long held close by Kaab's people, Kaab must do some quick thinking of her own. Meanwhile, Diane seeks to involve the house Balam in her intrigues, and the river yields up a mystery of its own.
This episode is brought to you by Joel Derfner, who dials up the heat in our play of passions.
“Heavenly Bodies” continues the 13-part serial, Tremontaine , presented by Serial Box. This prequel to the cult classic Swordspoint is brought to you by the collaborative effort of a team of writers under the creative direction of Ellen Kushner herself.
Join the dance of swordplay and scandal, week after week, on Serial Box.com.
And don’t forget to share the love! If you’re enjoying Tremontaine, help us get the word out by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter and Tumblr, and telling your friends about us! We’d also love to hear what you think so please give us a review!
“Sharp blades and even sharper wits abound! Delicious new adventures await fans in this welcome return to the world of Swordspoint.”
– Jacqueline Carey, New York Times Bestselling author of the Kushiel’s Legacy series
“Lovely! Beneath a froth of silk and lace Tremontaine is finely muscled, rippling with skill and promise.”
– Nicola Griffith, author of Hild
“More Tremontaine stories? YESPLEASE. Tremontaine stories by some of my favorite, excellent writers? HELLA YESPLEASE. I can't wait to read them all! ”
– N. K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth Kingdom
“A pure delight full of sparkling characters that match equally dazzling wits and swords. If you've visited the world of Swordspoint before, you'll be delighted to return; if it's your first time, you'll be welcomed in style. I can't wait to read more myself!”
– Naomi Novaik, author of Uprooted
51 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 11, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 9, 2016
The third episode in this serial novel.
Looks like they recruited a gay male author to do the (first?) gay male sex scene! It was pretty hot, actually, if somewhat vague (keeping it R-rated?)
Going down to three stars, though, because, as I was afraid would happen in this kind of multi-author venture, there is some inconsistency.
However, quibbles aside, I still enjoyed it! On to the next!
Looks like they recruited a gay male author to do the (first?) gay male sex scene! It was pretty hot, actually, if somewhat vague (keeping it R-rated?)
Going down to three stars, though, because, as I was afraid would happen in this kind of multi-author venture, there is some inconsistency.
However, quibbles aside, I still enjoyed it! On to the next!
April 7, 2021
Onwards with season one, episode three of Tremontaine. Heavenly Bodies written by Joel Derfner.
Rafe’s academic troubles grow worse, but he finds comfort in surprising places. When Micah plunges into mathematical calculations that threaten to expose trade secrets long held close by Kaab's people, Kaab must do some quick thinking of her own. Meanwhile, Diane seeks to involve the house Balam in her intrigues, and the river yields up a mystery of its own.
As I get to know the characters and their world a bit better, I can see that the author imagines Kaab’s people (the Kinwiinik) to be like the Ancient Mayans from South America, Tremontaine is in the land of the North Sea people (or Xanamwiinik) which feels like Elizabethan England. I also think Micah, in the way she acts, is very much an autistic savant. I have a weakness for Kaab and Diane, but all characters are very interesting. We have our first sex scene (m/m) and I’m rooting for Kaab to get somewhere with Tess the Hand, but she has to get a hold of her first!
The narration is done by Sarah Mollo-Christensen (Kaab and Micah), Nick Sullivan (Rafe and William Tielman, Duke Tremontaine) and Katherine Kellgren (Diane, Duchess Tremontaine).
Available on Realm.
f/f, m/m, m/f it’s all very fluent and gay
Themes: sex, swordplay, scandal and hot chocolate!
5 Stars
Rafe’s academic troubles grow worse, but he finds comfort in surprising places. When Micah plunges into mathematical calculations that threaten to expose trade secrets long held close by Kaab's people, Kaab must do some quick thinking of her own. Meanwhile, Diane seeks to involve the house Balam in her intrigues, and the river yields up a mystery of its own.
As I get to know the characters and their world a bit better, I can see that the author imagines Kaab’s people (the Kinwiinik) to be like the Ancient Mayans from South America, Tremontaine is in the land of the North Sea people (or Xanamwiinik) which feels like Elizabethan England. I also think Micah, in the way she acts, is very much an autistic savant. I have a weakness for Kaab and Diane, but all characters are very interesting. We have our first sex scene (m/m) and I’m rooting for Kaab to get somewhere with Tess the Hand, but she has to get a hold of her first!
The narration is done by Sarah Mollo-Christensen (Kaab and Micah), Nick Sullivan (Rafe and William Tielman, Duke Tremontaine) and Katherine Kellgren (Diane, Duchess Tremontaine).
Available on Realm.
f/f, m/m, m/f it’s all very fluent and gay
Themes: sex, swordplay, scandal and hot chocolate!
5 Stars
April 28, 2018
This was my first read, also my last unless author Joel Derfner writes another installment in the series. One of the reason's for reading a serial series like this is to discover new author's to read and unfortunately found his writing to be boring.
Just found this not as good as the first two installments, the writing wasn't as good as either Kushner or Johnson, very boring at times, couldn't wait to finish it and seemed longer than 51 pages. Kept picking up reading several pages at a time.
Why bother to write a gay sex scene into the storyline, when your going to write the awkward mess that he wrote with Race and William and at least kept it like the first two installments did.
While I hated this installment, will definitely continue reading the serial, really like both Ixkaab and Micah characters the best.
Just found this not as good as the first two installments, the writing wasn't as good as either Kushner or Johnson, very boring at times, couldn't wait to finish it and seemed longer than 51 pages. Kept picking up reading several pages at a time.
Why bother to write a gay sex scene into the storyline, when your going to write the awkward mess that he wrote with Race and William and at least kept it like the first two installments did.
While I hated this installment, will definitely continue reading the serial, really like both Ixkaab and Micah characters the best.
December 28, 2016
The serial is taking off. I really like Micah.
November 14, 2015
A well-paced episode in this multi-author serial novel, and the ending made me wish episode 4 were available yesterday. The various plot threads are converging nicely: Micah's mathematical genius, Rafe's contempt for his stodgy professors, Diane's emerging plan to save the House of Tremontaine before anyone realizes what desperate straits it's in, and the shakier-than-it-looks hegemony of the trading house of Balam. On the quibble side, Rafe's obnoxiousness seems a bit excessive, even for a son of the nobility. I can't wait for him to figure out that Micah is a girl.
December 18, 2015
It was much better. Definitely more interesting and with some things actually happening.
September 19, 2020
I'm burning through the entire Riverside series this autumn.
A decent follow-up to episode two, but while the prose shines in places, I think perhaps it was a bit unexciting (sex scene notwithstanding) overall. The last few pages in particular felt more like a script meant for television rather than writing meant to stand on its own.
A decent follow-up to episode two, but while the prose shines in places, I think perhaps it was a bit unexciting (sex scene notwithstanding) overall. The last few pages in particular felt more like a script meant for television rather than writing meant to stand on its own.
February 12, 2022
Wonderful writing! Will and Rafe are sweet.
It’s a little odd how different the writing is in the episodes. The characters are so eloquent and well spoken here, but in previous episode they sounded childish and so odd. This one however matches Kushner’s style very well.
It’s a little odd how different the writing is in the episodes. The characters are so eloquent and well spoken here, but in previous episode they sounded childish and so odd. This one however matches Kushner’s style very well.
June 15, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyed this installment!
November 24, 2015
Tremontaine - episodes 3 and 4 More excellent storytelling in episodes 3 and 4 of Tremontaine, which comes as no great surprise - lots going on for everyone involved, but particularly for Rafe who gets a lot of action both in and out of bed.
In episode 3, 'Heavenly Bodies', we see Micah make a great step forward in mathematical terms and Kaab's realisation that her new friends' greater understanding of the world around them could spell disaster for her family's control of the chocolate trade. The Duchess is trying to get Kaab's family involved in whatever it is she's up to and Kaab takes the opportunity to be in there while it's being discussed, even if it gets her in trouble with her uncle afterwards.
Meanwhile in episode 4, 'A Wake in Riverside', Kaab discovers there's more to Riverside than she previously knew (particularly in terms of the luxuries to which those who live there have never been exposed) and also that one of the first people she encountered in the city has come to a bad end. Alongside this, Rafe really ought to learn never to mix business with pleasure and the Duke really ought to know better than to make arrangements to bring his lover into the same house as his wife, no matter how convenient this idea might be for himself.
I'm still listening to the audio version of these episodes and enjoying them very much - for those who are not tempted by the serial version, there will apparently be an omnibus edition or two available at the end of the run. And aren't the illustrations for each chapter fantastic? They're the work of an Australian artist, Kathleen Jennings.
In episode 3, 'Heavenly Bodies', we see Micah make a great step forward in mathematical terms and Kaab's realisation that her new friends' greater understanding of the world around them could spell disaster for her family's control of the chocolate trade. The Duchess is trying to get Kaab's family involved in whatever it is she's up to and Kaab takes the opportunity to be in there while it's being discussed, even if it gets her in trouble with her uncle afterwards.
Meanwhile in episode 4, 'A Wake in Riverside', Kaab discovers there's more to Riverside than she previously knew (particularly in terms of the luxuries to which those who live there have never been exposed) and also that one of the first people she encountered in the city has come to a bad end. Alongside this, Rafe really ought to learn never to mix business with pleasure and the Duke really ought to know better than to make arrangements to bring his lover into the same house as his wife, no matter how convenient this idea might be for himself.
I'm still listening to the audio version of these episodes and enjoying them very much - for those who are not tempted by the serial version, there will apparently be an omnibus edition or two available at the end of the run. And aren't the illustrations for each chapter fantastic? They're the work of an Australian artist, Kathleen Jennings.
September 24, 2016
“The duke had spent the better part of two decades not noticing things about his duchess, after all, and, unbeknownst to him, it had served him well. Alas, that the good fortunes of men do not always remain so.”
William and Rafe get together in this installment and it’s delightful. I am amused by math wiz, socially inept Micah, who dresses as a boy, so Rafe assumes she is one. Kaab is more observant and thinks Rafe is odd for not using the correct pronouns for Micah. Read on Kindle.
William and Rafe get together in this installment and it’s delightful. I am amused by math wiz, socially inept Micah, who dresses as a boy, so Rafe assumes she is one. Kaab is more observant and thinks Rafe is odd for not using the correct pronouns for Micah. Read on Kindle.
Want to Read
November 12, 2015I love this series so much. I love the stuffy old professors prattling on about the euclid and aristotle, and the iconoclastic students seeking to overthrow them but getting distracted by handsome men in tight pants, and the mayan spies who are very concerned that their technological dominance will come to an end.
November 11, 2015
Continued excellence
Now that the pieces are all on the board, the game can truly begin! We're starting to see who's who and what they want - now all that's left is to see who actually gets what they want.
Now that the pieces are all on the board, the game can truly begin! We're starting to see who's who and what they want - now all that's left is to see who actually gets what they want.
Read
November 3, 2015There's a slight air of exquisite corpse at times, and again not enough Diane or Micah, but I'm still all in.
November 12, 2015
I think I'll enjoy this story more once I've got all the 'episodes' and can read them back to back instead of one a week.
Read
January 22, 2016I feel a little weird calling these "finished" because they are so short, but there are no other options.
January 29, 2016
Things are heating up
Such intrigue. So sexy. So many characters to love.
This series is just getting more and more exciting. I could do with some chocolate now.
Such intrigue. So sexy. So many characters to love.
This series is just getting more and more exciting. I could do with some chocolate now.
Read
September 9, 2018On to the next as the fun continues!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews