peter rietbergen

An excellent chapter. The dilemma it poses has shaped/blighted the careers of so many movie stars - and musicians, both popular and classical. And whilst most victims have been female, we know that male young hopefulss have had to deal with it, too - James Dean being an early example.

Excellent indeed. And please: do NOT make this the beginning of a long-drawn-out story. Its strength is - amongst its other qualities - that it leaves us to imagine what may happen next.

It's a strong story-teller who knows that the ending many of his readers desire is not necessarily the best one...

So many "dirty minds" on this site - or: following this story😉. Why cannot the 'moment' of G and M be a simple kiss - that leaves us, the readers, with the certainty that, beyond these pages, in RH's capable hands all will continue and be well?

you can sign your work, like Lippi: Iste perfecit opus! S0, all smile...

Looking forward to the way(s...) you'll manage the video chats...

Of course I did sense a "wrapping-up" coming up in this chapter. But a trip to Ireland? A complete surprise.

Eeven with the incest, I find myself slowly "succumbing" to the story - at least: to the characters and their emotions. In that sense, it is absolutely powerful. But... I find myself disliking the sex scenes, especially the first one between A and N. That specific one is - trite, full of the tropes that too much writing about gay sex adheres to; clichés that, in the end, do not convince. In this story, precisely because it is so convincing otherwise, they simply jar. Which is - a pity.

actually, I simply sit down the moment my prompt tells me there's anothe Hugill in the box - and leave everything till I've finished reading...

dear Robert, if I may. I'm not at all surprised by your position on the list, for you deserve it.

an interesting start. And yet... Now having read chapter One and Two, I would have loved the opposision to be more psychologically complex/interesting. I.e.: the younger man would have been the physically less 'outstanding' one, but yet ultimately the dominant of the two. The older one would be the very handsome, on the surface more successful et cetera person, who would yet turn out to be the submissive one. In chapter Two, I do not understand how/why Blake, who is a senior associate, working in a different depratment of the firm, as well as, according to his own saying, being in a position wherein "our roles barely overlap", would yet constantly meet a junior associate like S and, moreover, accept all these menial tasks. It simply does not ring true - if only because their colleagues would have noted - and remarked on - this very strange constellation.

Friendship? Romance?. While the sex is steaming, I see no friendship, and even less romance. It does not make the story itself less convincing, but the content characteristics in the heading do not describe it at all.

Kryptonite? No. Surrender and Possession. And, obviously, not an inkling of what real life will entail....

given that he really understood E's words, and the real meaning of them, he'll make a great bard: spinning endless tales that will uplift his audience simply because they need to believe them.

Deceptively cozy - that is, I think, one way to describe this story as it unfolds. For, obviously - as in all RH's stories - there are undercurrents of social and psychologcial problems, addressed in seemingly simple words and sentences, but revealing fo those readers who hope, who want to see specifically these issues dealt with - while, on that other level of the story, being allowed yet to indulge in the ups and downs, the small joys and mishaps of daily life. Thanks, Robert.

a good chapter, really fleshing out JV's enthusiasm and professionalism. Ominous, too, though, for of course W wants to destroy JV - and his own brother in the process?

Genius, or whiskey-drinker, or both: I do not care, as long as you continue writing like this...i

This dialogue is, actually, a real feat of psychological insight in the dynamics and intensity of real friendship. Bravo.

It is, increasingly, a clever, nay: very good mixture of The Canterbury Tales, the Decameron, set into a series of scenes with/of an almost cinematographic quality.

I'm glad the sex scene is as it is. So many authors decide they need to be detailedly graphic, and then take pages to do so, with every spasm, every drop, every: "Fuck, of fuck"... It reduces at least this reader to a state of utter boredom... Keep to your own style, describe feelings, rather than actions, and I'll keep following you.

there is a piece of text that is repeated, somewhere on the last pages. And correcting the typos would be useful...

Cleverly constructed, Ph: the Priest's question will allow you to extend the Bard's tale into any number of bawdy episodes, and will probably take us into any number of 'willing holes'.......

your command of words, pharses, situations is, really, a joy. As to the story; of course I'll continue to enjoy it, too.

well done, again. The prickliness in the conversation between B and D. But also: the slowly-growing acceptance of new realities.

Dame Maggie? Rowena, of course.