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Tremontaine #1.7
The Swan Ball
An Ugly Duckling attends the Swan Ball. Diane gets desperate.
Violent passions erupt at the Tremontaine Ball! A misunderstanding comes between Rafe and Will, while Micah threatens to expose Kaab's secret to her family. Diane's plans to salvage the Tremontaine name and fortune hang by a thread, and Kaab recognizes the locket sketched by Tess . . . in the last place she would have expected to see it.
This episode is brought to you by Joel Derfner, whose sparkling wit makes him the perfect party companion.
“The Swan Ball” 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
Violent passions erupt at the Tremontaine Ball! A misunderstanding comes between Rafe and Will, while Micah threatens to expose Kaab's secret to her family. Diane's plans to salvage the Tremontaine name and fortune hang by a thread, and Kaab recognizes the locket sketched by Tess . . . in the last place she would have expected to see it.
This episode is brought to you by Joel Derfner, whose sparkling wit makes him the perfect party companion.
“The Swan Ball” 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
45 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2015
1 person is currently reading
108 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 16, 2016
Mixed feelings about this episode... I'm never a big fan of dream sequences, and I also thought that the "recap and summary from an omniscient perspective" was unnecessary and too large a chunk of the chapter.
However, the ball of the title is an epic (and humorous) scene, which makes it all worthwhile.
However, the ball of the title is an epic (and humorous) scene, which makes it all worthwhile.
February 25, 2016
3.5 stars. The new parts that address the reader directly were jarring. But overall this episode moved the action along nicely.
December 9, 2015
I could've done without the authorial asides to the reader in this one.
January 7, 2016
I didn't quite like the mod of storytelling in this story, however the story as always is good
April 28, 2021
We continue with episode seven (Season One) of Tremontaine titled The Swan Ball written by Joel Derfner.
Violent passions erupt at the Tremontaine Ball! A misunderstanding comes between Rafe and Will, while Micah threatens to expose Kaab's secret to her family. Diane's plans to salvage the Tremontaine name and fortune hang by a thread, and Kaab recognizes the locket sketched by Tess . . . in the last place she would have expected to see it.
The creative choices Derfner made in the beginning (and end) of the story (to address the reader directly) were a bit jarring, but the goings on during the party itself were grand! Diane was splendid! So happy when she has a larger part in the story. There are many hilarious moments with a comedy capers style ending. The Duchess, however, was not amused. The politics of this series are so engaging, can't wait to dive into episode 8!
The narration is done by Sarah Mollo-Christensen ( Kaab, Micah, and Tess), 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
Violent passions erupt at the Tremontaine Ball! A misunderstanding comes between Rafe and Will, while Micah threatens to expose Kaab's secret to her family. Diane's plans to salvage the Tremontaine name and fortune hang by a thread, and Kaab recognizes the locket sketched by Tess . . . in the last place she would have expected to see it.
The creative choices Derfner made in the beginning (and end) of the story (to address the reader directly) were a bit jarring, but the goings on during the party itself were grand! Diane was splendid! So happy when she has a larger part in the story. There are many hilarious moments with a comedy capers style ending. The Duchess, however, was not amused. The politics of this series are so engaging, can't wait to dive into episode 8!
The narration is done by Sarah Mollo-Christensen ( Kaab, Micah, and Tess), 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
October 27, 2016
The beginning didn't work for me, but the rest of the chapter did, particularly by showcasing the Duchess and Kaab some more. The interactions and group scenes are growing ever more interesting. The relationships - progress and become more life-like, beyond just being sketched. My only complaint would be the fact that Micah seemed to be completely superfluous / artificially inserted into the action here, but perhaps there's supposed to be some payoff later.
I think I'm getting more and more into the mood / themes / character, though, so that's definitely a plus.
(I read the book courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)
I think I'm getting more and more into the mood / themes / character, though, so that's definitely a plus.
(I read the book courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)
September 21, 2020
I'm burning through all of Riverside this autumn.
What an incredible letdown of an episode following such an excellent setup in the previous ones. This one opens with a dream sequence, including a "Gotcha!" moment as the dreamer wakes up, segues into an incredibly stiff and drawn-out aside ("And now, dear reader, watch as...") which serves no purpose at all, and includes some incredibly clumsy foreshadowing to boot (in the vein of "Something will happen, soon, though I can't tell you what...").
The remainder of the episode is serviceable, but by that point I was having trouble paying attention. I can't believe that the much-anticipated Swan Ball was squandered in such a fashion. And on top of that, no real pay-off for a certain character sneaking into the event? For shame.
What an incredible letdown of an episode following such an excellent setup in the previous ones. This one opens with a dream sequence, including a "Gotcha!" moment as the dreamer wakes up, segues into an incredibly stiff and drawn-out aside ("And now, dear reader, watch as...") which serves no purpose at all, and includes some incredibly clumsy foreshadowing to boot (in the vein of "Something will happen, soon, though I can't tell you what...").
The remainder of the episode is serviceable, but by that point I was having trouble paying attention. I can't believe that the much-anticipated Swan Ball was squandered in such a fashion. And on top of that, no real pay-off for a certain character sneaking into the event? For shame.
November 19, 2018
Another horrible installment from Joel Derfner, the flow of 'The Swan Ball' was terrible, his writing style sucks compared to the other writers, he fumbled the dream sequence with the Duchess and just doesn't work with his writing style. The flow of his writing is like being behind someone driving that's on the gas, on the break and just drives you crazy.
One of the reason's for reading a serial series like this for me, is to discover new author's to read. I won't be bothering to read anything by him, hate his writing style it's boring, the sex scenes are plain awkward compared to how they are written in other installments and unfortunately will have to suffer through his writing.
The only good thing with the installment was the Duchess and Ixkaab meeting face to face, but felt like the Author forgot about Micah initially, then went back, created places to put her in the story and effected the flow of the storyline in 'The Swan Ball'.
One of the reason's for reading a serial series like this for me, is to discover new author's to read. I won't be bothering to read anything by him, hate his writing style it's boring, the sex scenes are plain awkward compared to how they are written in other installments and unfortunately will have to suffer through his writing.
The only good thing with the installment was the Duchess and Ixkaab meeting face to face, but felt like the Author forgot about Micah initially, then went back, created places to put her in the story and effected the flow of the storyline in 'The Swan Ball'.
June 15, 2017
I didn't like the style this installment was written in.
January 3, 2017
I love the ending of the ball.
March 8, 2022
I love this author’s chapters, the characters are witty and smart. But… I might drop this series after all. I just dislike Kaab more and more. And she is one of the three main characters, so I can’t just avoid her… even though it feels so silly, to drop an entire series because of one insufferable character. Sigh.
September 26, 2016
Grand balls in fiction don’t tend to go well for the hosts and hostesses. I am thinking of A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold, where everything that can go wrong for Miles does go wrong, so much so that my stomach hurt from laughing.
Things go very wrong here, but Joel Derfner – another author I am reading for the first time in these novellas --- uses an omniscient narrator and it stands out, clumsily, from the others of these novellas that employ a switching third person POV across a large cross section of characters. An insufferable old xenophobic guest insults Kaab and her family, who Lady Diane needs to hold up her shaky finances. (And Kaab's family no longer will have a monopoly on the chocolate trade.) This ball needed some butter bugs (a lot like cock roaches) with the Tremontaine family crest on them to escape. (That’s one of the things that happens in A Civil Campaign.) I read this on the Kindle.
Things go very wrong here, but Joel Derfner – another author I am reading for the first time in these novellas --- uses an omniscient narrator and it stands out, clumsily, from the others of these novellas that employ a switching third person POV across a large cross section of characters. An insufferable old xenophobic guest insults Kaab and her family, who Lady Diane needs to hold up her shaky finances. (And Kaab's family no longer will have a monopoly on the chocolate trade.) This ball needed some butter bugs (a lot like cock roaches) with the Tremontaine family crest on them to escape. (That’s one of the things that happens in A Civil Campaign.) I read this on the Kindle.
December 11, 2015
The Swan Ball!
The annual Tremontaine Swan Ball is not an event to be missed. Read to see whose plans pan out and whose go awry in this next excellent episode of Tremontaine.
The annual Tremontaine Swan Ball is not an event to be missed. Read to see whose plans pan out and whose go awry in this next excellent episode of Tremontaine.
Read
September 17, 2018Kaab I love you, Rafe, you're a little whiny bitch.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews