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Sebastian the Great
Inspired by Les Miserables and The Cider House Rules, this serious coming-of-age story of a Jesus loving gay teen athlete will take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions— from laughter to crying and back again.
The contemplative author, Scylar Tyberius, has crafted a story so compelling that you will truly understand the harsh reality of teen life once one's sexuality is revealed. But when the journey is over, you will be left with a feeling that all is well with the world. You will wish that you lived in the world of SEBASTIAN THE GREAT!
If he would have lived in the ancient world, he would have been the very model for some Greek or Roman statue-- his natural beauty, physical strength, and athletic prowess are unparalleled. All his young life he had been the mighty, mighty Sebastian Slugger — indomitable conqueror of all he had ever attempted, invincible defender of all his friends and siblings.
He is the undefeated quarterback of his school's football team as well as the out-the-field home run slugger and no-hitter pitcher of their baseball team. At thirteen, he virtually adopts the thirteen year old frail son of a prisoner convicted of the nearly fatal beating of a gay man. Sebastian raises the boy to be strong and athletic.
When Sebastian is not repairing the homes of his elderly "Foster Grands" or building go-carts and guitars for the kids in the cancer ward of the hospital, his free time is spent shuffling between coaching his teammates and daily skinny-dipping parties in the moat-like swimming pool, which he constructed, surrounding their three story ranch home.
Sebastian's presence was known to confound, confuse, bewilder, and baffle chicks; a peculiar amalgamation of the aromas of perfumes in the shampoo and conditioners provided by his sister combined with his own unique natural fragrance proved causation. His extreme physical beauty obviously contributed to the total effect. Girls often struggled with an overwhelming urge to ravish the boy on the spot. But although his brother and friends have been engaging in sexual relationships with multiple girlfriends since shortly after puberty, Sebastian, the most sought after boy of them all, has remained chaste. Then six weeks shy of his eighteenth birthday he finally falls in love head-over-heels-- with the seventeen year old, stigmata enhanced, rough and tumble Baby Boy Skater Punk, Rafe, a pilot with whom he has begun a small airplane building project.
When Sebastian finally reveals his sexual orientation to the priest in the confessional, all hell breaks loose, and his life begins a runaway roller coaster ride which casts him down into extreme depths of depression induced by the twisted, warped sense of morality of bigots only to be lifted over and over by the display of love from his family and friends who must shield him psychologically long enough to restore Sebastian The Great-- because even the mighty can be broken! In order to survive, he must come to understand the advice of his loved ones to "Live for the Lovers, Not the Haters!"
When fate ultimately hurtles him toward superstardom as a singer in a rock band, a character quirk of his brother, Josey, compels Sebastian to make difficult decisions which could negatively affect many lives. Will he make the right decisions? What are the right decisions? "Why is growing up so difficult?
The contemplative author, Scylar Tyberius, has crafted a story so compelling that you will truly understand the harsh reality of teen life once one's sexuality is revealed. But when the journey is over, you will be left with a feeling that all is well with the world. You will wish that you lived in the world of SEBASTIAN THE GREAT!
If he would have lived in the ancient world, he would have been the very model for some Greek or Roman statue-- his natural beauty, physical strength, and athletic prowess are unparalleled. All his young life he had been the mighty, mighty Sebastian Slugger — indomitable conqueror of all he had ever attempted, invincible defender of all his friends and siblings.
He is the undefeated quarterback of his school's football team as well as the out-the-field home run slugger and no-hitter pitcher of their baseball team. At thirteen, he virtually adopts the thirteen year old frail son of a prisoner convicted of the nearly fatal beating of a gay man. Sebastian raises the boy to be strong and athletic.
When Sebastian is not repairing the homes of his elderly "Foster Grands" or building go-carts and guitars for the kids in the cancer ward of the hospital, his free time is spent shuffling between coaching his teammates and daily skinny-dipping parties in the moat-like swimming pool, which he constructed, surrounding their three story ranch home.
Sebastian's presence was known to confound, confuse, bewilder, and baffle chicks; a peculiar amalgamation of the aromas of perfumes in the shampoo and conditioners provided by his sister combined with his own unique natural fragrance proved causation. His extreme physical beauty obviously contributed to the total effect. Girls often struggled with an overwhelming urge to ravish the boy on the spot. But although his brother and friends have been engaging in sexual relationships with multiple girlfriends since shortly after puberty, Sebastian, the most sought after boy of them all, has remained chaste. Then six weeks shy of his eighteenth birthday he finally falls in love head-over-heels-- with the seventeen year old, stigmata enhanced, rough and tumble Baby Boy Skater Punk, Rafe, a pilot with whom he has begun a small airplane building project.
When Sebastian finally reveals his sexual orientation to the priest in the confessional, all hell breaks loose, and his life begins a runaway roller coaster ride which casts him down into extreme depths of depression induced by the twisted, warped sense of morality of bigots only to be lifted over and over by the display of love from his family and friends who must shield him psychologically long enough to restore Sebastian The Great-- because even the mighty can be broken! In order to survive, he must come to understand the advice of his loved ones to "Live for the Lovers, Not the Haters!"
When fate ultimately hurtles him toward superstardom as a singer in a rock band, a character quirk of his brother, Josey, compels Sebastian to make difficult decisions which could negatively affect many lives. Will he make the right decisions? What are the right decisions? "Why is growing up so difficult?
- GenresM M RomanceFiction
306 pages, Paperback
First published September 30, 2011
4 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
About the author
Scylar Tyberius
1 book15 followersSebastian The Great is Scylar's first novel.
The book is dedicated to those who have taken their own lives out of a sense of desperation that they could never live their lives in peace and harmony with the world.
All proceeds from the sales of Sebastian The Great will be donated to The Trevor Project.
Live for the lovers, not the haters.
The book is dedicated to those who have taken their own lives out of a sense of desperation that they could never live their lives in peace and harmony with the world.
All proceeds from the sales of Sebastian The Great will be donated to The Trevor Project.
Live for the lovers, not the haters.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 13, 2022
This is a coming of age story of an unbelievably perfect boy who discovers as a teen that he is gay and falls in love with a boy who has just moved to the area. We see the inner struggles that he goes thru when he is still trying to admit it to himself and to the boy he is in love with. You also see the reaction of those he later comes out to. Some, those that are closest to him, are very accepting and others not so much. And some are very aggressive and angry as if its their business who he's in love with. Its very easy to get pulled into their teen drama as well as the very grown up struggles of bigotry and ignorance of some of those he comes into contact with.
With that being said Sebastian had the feel of being too good to be true. I understand the reasoning for this but at the same time some of his abilities went far beyond the norm. And there was a scene early on when one of his friends committed suicide that I thought was lacking. More should have occured there, no once called the police or ambulance but I won't elaborate due to spoilers.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It gives a good look into the feelings someone goes thru when they are exploring their sexuality and finding out its not what they anticipated. Ian kept saying "Why can't I be normal?" but really what is normal for one is not someone elses normal and he comes to understand this. Ian also finds out he has alot of obstacles and there are alot of haters in the world, luckily he has an equally wonderful support system which makes a huge difference. Many aren't so lucky.
With that being said Sebastian had the feel of being too good to be true. I understand the reasoning for this but at the same time some of his abilities went far beyond the norm. And there was a scene early on when one of his friends committed suicide that I thought was lacking. More should have occured there, no once called the police or ambulance but I won't elaborate due to spoilers.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It gives a good look into the feelings someone goes thru when they are exploring their sexuality and finding out its not what they anticipated. Ian kept saying "Why can't I be normal?" but really what is normal for one is not someone elses normal and he comes to understand this. Ian also finds out he has alot of obstacles and there are alot of haters in the world, luckily he has an equally wonderful support system which makes a huge difference. Many aren't so lucky.
October 7, 2011
Sebastian The Great has all the right ingredients. Some great characters, story with some umph.. Morals aplenty and some great usage of the English language to convey the story. The first 1/2 of the book is very much getting to know your characters, setting the story and setting the tone.. The second 1/2 is ALL about the emotional roller coaster that a good story runs with.
My cutting deal for missing the 5th star was the speed at which the book ended I felt that it was all wrapped up to quickly and maybe a little messy. If Scylar is going to do a sequel then I might consider it back up. Otherwise I think that the development though out the book is good.
This book comes with a 14+ rating, and it does convert into a good read for most kids at that age group and above. I think anyone with a kid who enjoys reading and might be confronting the whole coming out issue, whether it be themselves or a friend, will be able to take something away from this book. If your an adult and like coming of age stories then this one will take you on the ride.
Scylar's first foray into writing is a bloody good read.
My cutting deal for missing the 5th star was the speed at which the book ended I felt that it was all wrapped up to quickly and maybe a little messy. If Scylar is going to do a sequel then I might consider it back up. Otherwise I think that the development though out the book is good.
This book comes with a 14+ rating, and it does convert into a good read for most kids at that age group and above. I think anyone with a kid who enjoys reading and might be confronting the whole coming out issue, whether it be themselves or a friend, will be able to take something away from this book. If your an adult and like coming of age stories then this one will take you on the ride.
Scylar's first foray into writing is a bloody good read.
November 25, 2011
I got swept up in this book. I love how it tells other people that gays are not always the stereotypical flamboyant types we see in the movies. It opens people's eyes & minds. I wanna know more. We never got Rafe's opinion on the big surprise at the end. Live for the lovers, not for the haters. What a great motto to live by. Because it is true, so is the key to happiness. With love you become invisible & really it's all you will ever need in life.
December 13, 2012
I think this is quite possibly the best book I have ever read. I loved how the point of view switched around between all of the main characters. I was a little disappointed at the end of the book where we didn't see any other point of view except for Ian's, but I can understand why it was written that way. I really want there to be a second book telling what happens later in their lives.
September 25, 2011
Honestly, I don't know where to begin. Having requested the book through the Goodreads First Reads program after reading the blurb listing the influences of Les Miserables and The Cider House Rules, I am completely aghast. Instead of well-formed literature, Sebastian the Great is a ridiculous story of a "perfect" boy who discovers he's gay. Don't get me wrong, that's a fine storyline, in theory. This particular execution is a marathon away from any type of credibility or realism. Compounded with the constant disruption of prose to not use any profanity, even when the language is being used by characters in the book. He Who Must Not Be Named worked for Harry Potter - "a vile synonym for homosexuals" does not work for Tyberius. I have a feeling even Jesus would cringe at such overly conscientious censorship.
Disclosure: The above book was provided to me by Alexander's Phalanx Publishing through the Goodreads First Reads program. The opinions are all my own.
Disclosure: The above book was provided to me by Alexander's Phalanx Publishing through the Goodreads First Reads program. The opinions are all my own.
March 28, 2014
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
First off, let me start with the positives. I loved the concept of the plot. Also, the author is very descriptive and it's easy to see what is being described and to feel almost as if you are there. Ok, now the negatives. I did not like this book. I didn't give it 1 star because there were portions that kept me entertained and like I said, I like the concept of the plot. However, reading this book was like watching a soap opera on steroids. I have never even seen a novella as over the top dramatic and exaggerated as this book is. I literally laughed out loud a few times followed by an audible "come on you've got to be kidding me." The details of this boys life are so unrealistic that it is impossible to connect with any of the characters.
First off, let me start with the positives. I loved the concept of the plot. Also, the author is very descriptive and it's easy to see what is being described and to feel almost as if you are there. Ok, now the negatives. I did not like this book. I didn't give it 1 star because there were portions that kept me entertained and like I said, I like the concept of the plot. However, reading this book was like watching a soap opera on steroids. I have never even seen a novella as over the top dramatic and exaggerated as this book is. I literally laughed out loud a few times followed by an audible "come on you've got to be kidding me." The details of this boys life are so unrealistic that it is impossible to connect with any of the characters.
August 17, 2013
I graciously received a signed copy of this book due to first reads giveaway.
I liked this book. It is about a teen boy coming to terms with his sexuality. A couple of things did keep me from rating this higher: I am pretty sure that youth know who they are attracted to before the age of seventeen. I knew I liked boys since first grade, it doesn't take until adulthood for someone to finally be sexually attracted to someone. Also, the teens in this book are all sex-crazed naked lunatics! Where did this author grow up that kids just go running around naked around each other 24/7 and kids are having sex with three people in a row. I realize that kids these days are more sexually charged, but come on, not like this.
Otherwise this is a good book for any reader.
I liked this book. It is about a teen boy coming to terms with his sexuality. A couple of things did keep me from rating this higher: I am pretty sure that youth know who they are attracted to before the age of seventeen. I knew I liked boys since first grade, it doesn't take until adulthood for someone to finally be sexually attracted to someone. Also, the teens in this book are all sex-crazed naked lunatics! Where did this author grow up that kids just go running around naked around each other 24/7 and kids are having sex with three people in a row. I realize that kids these days are more sexually charged, but come on, not like this.
Otherwise this is a good book for any reader.
March 13, 2012
I won this book here on GoodReads and it sounded really great. It started off very bizarre, panned out a tiny bit then stayed in fantasy land. If you like a story with a hero that is practically flawless (except for the flaw the author try to demonstrate as a flaw, I don't agree with), then its a great story. But ultimately, it didn't keep my interest for long periods of time and I got bored with how "perfect" Sebastian is in everyone's minds. The family dynamic was whack to say the least. It kinds grossed me out. But on a good note, the author is very descriptive so I was able to easily envision everything I read....
December 18, 2011
I applaud the authors ideals. The thought of a book to break stereotypes and exist without profanity is a wonderful concept. Unfortunately it didn't hold my interest the whole way through. The hints to the missing profanity were too pointed and the main character was quickly built up to be something almost super human, to the point where I can't see how young people could relate to him. That said though, most of the side characters were delightful. The writing style is descriptive and holds the characters well. Even though this first work wasn't to my taste I will be keeping an eye on his books in the future to watch how the writing grows.^_^
September 14, 2011
This story is about boys finding their sexual preference as they are becoming men. A lot of the story describes the intimate relationships that they have while growing up. I felt more of the story should be on the purpose of why the book was written and not talking about how beautiful and shapely someone is and their extreme desire for that. It also describes the criticisms and hardships of their chosen lifestyle and their mental anquish of dealing with society taboos.
October 10, 2011
This story is geared to0ward a younger crowd. It tells of a boy who does everything for everyone,is loved by everyone and who falls in love with another boy, prompting him to reveal his sexuality. The fears of a teen at being shunned by those who love him and a strong message of religion and love permeate the story. This would be a good story for gay teens since the messages are strong ones and reinforce that being who you are is okay.
October 3, 2011
I won this book in Goodreads First Reads giveaways. This is about a supposed "perfect" boy finding that he is gay and coming out. It's real life taken a bit top far to the extreme but it gets the job done and was an enjoyable read.
Want to read
August 19, 2011I won this on Goodreads. I received my copy on August 19.
October 27, 2011
This book slightly disturbed me, however i did manage to finish it.
Read
June 24, 2012Review to come shortly
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews