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A.J. Demas

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Something Human Kindle Edition

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

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They met on a battlefield and saved each other’s lives. It’s not the way enemies-to-lovers usually works.

Adares comes from a civilization of democracy and indoor plumbing. Rus belongs to a tribe of tattooed, semi-nomadic horse-breeders. They meet in the aftermath of battle, when Rus saves Adares’s life, and Adares returns the favour. As they shelter in an abandoned temple, a friendship neither of them could have imagined grows into a mutual attraction.

But Rus, whose people abhor love between men, is bound by an oath of celibacy, and Adares has a secret of his own that he cannot share. With their people poised for a long and bitter conflict, it seems too much to hope that these two men could turn their fleeting happiness into something lasting. Unless, of course, the relationship between them changes the course of their people’s history altogether.

Something Human is a standalone m/m romance set in an imaginary ancient world, about two people bridging a cultural divide with the help of great sex, pedantic discussions about the gods, and bad jokes about standing stones.

Print length

278 pages
Language

English
Sticky notes

On Kindle Scribe
Publication date

August 25, 2018
File size

2513 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Demas's prose is sharp and evocative, her writing humane and deeply felt. Something Human is measured, thoughtful, atmospheric--and ultimately triumphant." - Liz Bourke, Tor.com
"The complications and predicaments all feel excruciating because the world is built up with such effortless skill, I never questioned any of the circumstances that pull and push the characters." - Duke Duke Goose
"Demas created two unique civilizations, and I am in awe of how richly layered they are." - You Have Your Hands Full

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07GLLWQMW
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sexton's Cottage (August 25, 2018)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 25, 2018
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 2513 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 278 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #342,943 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #775 in Ancient World Historical Romance (Kindle Store)
- #909 in Ancient World Historical Romance (Books)
- #4,714 in Gay Fiction

Customer Reviews:
379

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A.J. Demas

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

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

Twitter: @ajdemaswriter

Website: ajdemas.com

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

379 global ratings

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Michael Holland

Fascinating Romance Set in an Ancient Greek Fantasy World

Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2020

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Adares, the young archon of Tios, seems doomed to die of thirst and starvation on the battlefield outside of the city he only recently was elected ruler of. He’s not seriously hurt but he’s trapped under his horse and the ruins of a seige cart. Just as he is pretty much resigned to his fate, he’s pulled out of his predicament by Rus, a young priest-warrior from the attacking Luth tribe. Rus’ leg was pierced by a poison arrow and has been left to die on the battlefield. Fortunately, Adares knows how to treat Rus’ wound, so together they limp to a nearby deserted temple where Adares finds the antidote and returns the favor of saving Rus. It’s the start of a relationship that can’t possibly last.

“Something Human” is set in the same fantasy world based on ancient Greece as Sword Dance. Adares is from the “civilized” Phemian culture which is the dominant power in the area. The Luth tribe seems to be a mix of Thracian and Minoan cultures, with perhaps a smattering of northern European paganism. The inspirations may be been a bit of a mish-mash, but it’s all woven together quite well to paint a vivid picture of an imaginary ancient culture that’s relatable enough to understand and believe.

Both Rus and Adares are very well defined and believable characters. Having already read “Sword Dance”, Adares easily fits the mold of a Phemian (read: ancient Greek) citizen, high born and with a deeply ingrained sense of honor. To Adares, Rus is one of the many “barbarians” that he must win over, or conquer, but while the Luth have a very different culture from the Pheme, Rus is definitely not a barbarian and is constantly surprising Adares with his knowledge. The two characters play off each other very well, which makes the growing attraction between them quite real and natural.

The book has quite an interesting structure. Without giving too much away, it appears to end, in a classic tragedy form, in the middle. But of course it doesn’t end there yet it’s still not clear how our two heroes can reunite and overcome the cultural differences that separate them.

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Gabriella West

Wonderful work by an author who's new to me

Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2022

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I thought this novel was beautifully done. I was particularly impressed by the slow revelation of the secret about Adares's status, because I truly did not get it! I felt more like Rus in personality, and loved him. I thought they were both drawn very well, the suspense was great, the writing was elegant and sexy at appropriate times. The battle and action scenes were well done, felt real.

I assume this is considered historical fantasy. It's not a genre I read much, but I was delighted. (Couple small caveats: I think the title is odd and the cover image could be much better. I sympathize because I have never spent lots of money on covers in my own work... but a re-do of the cover at least would help sales perk up, I am sure.) Bottom line, very enjoyable. And I'd like to read more of the author's work.

Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2022

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3.5 stars rounded up.
Like a few other reviewers, I just didn’t experience “the feels” that most of the 4 and 5 star reviewers gushed about. For the most part, this was well written and showed great imagination. Giving each of the MCs their own Part of the story - Part I: Adares, Part II: Rus - instead of the traditional alternating POV chapters, was an interesting approach. However, I found myself to be rather bored for long stretches at a time as things were being told about what happened or was happening, rather than the two getting on with their romance. I also felt that all of the tribal group names got to be a bit confusing and I was never quite sure of who is who. The Luth were pretty straight forward, but the Phemians were another thing. Was Pseuchaian the same as Phemian? Are they part of the Kossoths? It was interesting that the Luth were viewed as barbarians buy the more civilized Phemians, but yet the Phemians believed in slavery.
I did like the epilogue. It was a very nice and sweet closure to the story.

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Amazon Customer

Great romance in the same world as the Sword Dancer trilogy

Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2023

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I really enjoyed this return to the world of the Sword Dancer trilogy. The characters were likeable, the story easy to follow, and the setting was, as always, well thought out and intriguing.

Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2019

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I absolutely adored this gem of a historical romance. 'Something Human' goes straight onto my shelf of top 5 romances of 2018.

I found the writing to be simply superb. Both main characters and their world came alive in the eerily quiet dramatic first scene. I loved the attention to detail when it came to mannerisms and speech pattern of each of them, since they came from two different cultures. And I loved the strategic planning that clearly went into the story arc even more, as more crucial details about them are gradually revealed, expertly woven into the plot timed just right, delivering unsuspected twists and turns.

I was also a fan of the unusual dual POV—the first half of the book we get Adares as the narrator, and then it shifts over to Rus during the second half.

The love story itself was both sweet and tender, hot and steamy. Adares is such a dreamboat of a man, and Rus an appealing mix of sharp mind, bravery and vulnerability. The book ends with a HEA, but I have to say I'm happy to have the extended epilogue on hand to read next, courtesy of the author's twitter post. I'm simply not ready to let go of these two darlings.

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Top reviews from other countries

Chiara

One of the best reads recently!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 28, 2020

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I absolutely freaking adored this!!
I came to this book after finishing another one of this author, which I enjoyed, but this one was just soooo much better in any way possible, I'm delighted. I am actually a bit sad that it has ended, but it was ages since I felt the need to force myself to stop reading just because I wanted the story to last a little bit longer. That's how good this book is.
The worldbuilding I came to love in "Sword Dance" here is even more alive, vivid, the imagery and the descriptions are just... there. I could see everything: the woods, the bullfighting, the blood, the decorations on the Luth's halls, the contrast between Rus's pale skin and his blue tattoos.
Nothing really happens in this story. It's a character-driven novel that is made mostly by these two men talking and getting to know each other, and each other's culture.
One thing that I particularly enjoyed about this, is that usually when I read a romance novel, especially a MM one, is that I manage to "fall in love" only with one of the MCs. In this case, I started off loving Rus from Adares' perspective, but then I was totally and completely swooned by Adares in the second part of the book! The author was just so good in making me see him through Rus's eyes, that it felt natural.
I appreciated so much all the discussion about culture, religion, they always felt very real, and I especially liked how they related to Rus.
A great read, I wish there could be more for me to read, and I'm sure I'll open this up again!

One person found this helpful

Client Amazon

Best romance in a long, long time

Reviewed in France on December 30, 2018

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J'ai a-do-ré. I LOVED IT.

I found the journey in Adares' and Rus' minds very comfortable- like they were long-time friends who had a thought process similar to mine. I loved the romance itself, the building connection (yay! it wasn't insta-love! yay, they are seriously talking about their respective countries and customs- I must be dreaming!) but also the worldbuilding, that felt so much more than the usual worldbuilding-filler that everyone skips. I loved that it was obviously based on European and Mediterranean history, and yet an original world. For me Something Human had a much greater evocative power than most romance or fantasy books...

One person found this helpful

Caitlíona

Beautifully written

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 5, 2020

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I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author succeeded in creating a completely believable ‘ancient’ world containing two opposing cultures. It is, however, the two leading characters who are the greatest joy to read about. It is their fundamental decency, despite their differences, that make them so attractive to each other and to the reader. This is a book full of warmth, humour and love. Descriptions are exceptionally well done. I could easily imagine the room in the temple or the mountains and valleys of Rus’s home. And the flower-covered meadow, formerly the battleground, was a particularly evocative touch. I, too, would like to hear what becomes of these two men in their future life in Tios. I see diplomacy and other ups and downs in their future. Warmest congratulations to A.J. Demas. This book is a triumph. More please!

Jaspercat123

A charming, beautiful novel of love coming from extraordinary circumstances.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 1, 2020

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Well, what a fantastic novel! I bought this book on a whim because I usually prefer contemporary novels but I’m so glad I took the leap. Beautifully written, it’s lyrical and magical. The prose flows effortlessly making Adares and Rus leap from the page and bringing their clash-of-opposites love story to life. The exquisitely detailed world in which the action takes place is familiar yet different to the classical Mediterranean cultures the author has used as inspiration. This is one book that I will read and read again, I adored it.

Frog Prince

Wonderful!!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 11, 2018

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I don't usually do reviews but I wanted to for this gem. I loved it from the start, I read it all in one sitting,which kept me up til 5am! I would genuinely recommend this book.

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