It's an exciting day in the Empire!
SR has posted the first chapter of Gabriel's Redemption on his website.
The anticipated release of the third book in the Gabriel series may be six months away, but we'll certainly have something to keep us occupied in the meantime.
What were your impressions?
What new questions are already driving you crazy?
Will be the Professor become even more sexy now that he's a married man? (I vote Hell, Yes)
Let's get the discussion going and see where it takes us...
21 comments:
To say that today was torturous would be an understatement. Living in the UK I couldn't get to read Chapter 1 until 5pm, if I was home from work by then that is.
Catching up on the impending reveal at lunchtime, it took some for me to concentrate in the afternoon.
I got home just after 5pm.......and WOW!! The kids wanted their tea as well, so burnt sausages it was!!
SR has opened a "Pandora's Box" of delights and fears. From the first line I connected with Gabriel and Julia, again...and boy! how much I had missed them.
SR's writing is magical though. The poetry, mystery, wanting more in what he writes has you hooked from the off. The sensuality of this wondrous, special relationship between "Dante" and his "Beatrice" is mesmerising. The vision and impact it has on you is nothing I've felt in anyone else's writing.
Some of the speculations of what could be in the book were straight away brought to the forefront. Family? We know they will make great parents, but when & how will they go about it. Will Julia be ready or will Gabriel put more pressure on her?
Open a "Pandora's Box" and you open a box of more questions, more speculation, more intrigue and a lot of scratching of heads!!
Twelve noon couldn't come fast enough for me. I kept looking at the clock. All I can say is SR didn't disappoint us with his captivating, sensual & spellbinding chapter 1. He has conjured up Hephaestus to work her treachery on our minds.
I see problems arising as far as Julia's reluctance to start a family because of her budding career. It'll be interesting to find out what his chances are getting the operation reversed. She has certainly changed from an insecure, albeit intelligent young woman to a mature and focused academic. Frankly, I don't know how Julianne can think straight with a husband who is as hot as Gabriel. I was surprised to learn SR will be gifting us with Chapter 2 at some point.He is so amazing. I don't know of another more gracious author than he.It's why we all love him.
Does anyone else,other than me, fear something might happen to Julianne? I keep having a feeling of trepidation when it comes to her. I hope I'm way off base.
I have to admit, Ellie, that line when Julianne said "I've almost outlived Beatrice..." got to me.
I took great pause there, but then again I was always worried something would happen to her because of Simon.
Oh My Gosh!!! What would that do to Gabriel?? His past is still haunting him, he is just about forgiving himself for Maia & Paulina.....That could break him, I don't want to think about it!!!
I have so many scenario's going through my head now. Will he press Julia into parenthood & then...God Forbid anything should happen to her as a result of that, a tragedy.....No! I'm not going to think that way.
I haven't had time to go back for a second (third, fourth, fifth, etc) reading yet, but need to make some time for that.
I tend to find that discussing SR's writing with others and going through several re-reads usually reveals quite a bit.
Well, let's remember, the name of this book is Redemption. That has me thinking a child(ren) for sure, after he had such a hard time with the loss of Maia. Then he still has this "need" (if you will) for redemption over the sad turn her mother's life took. Maybe deep down in his mind, not mine! So, there is a possibility that something could happen to Julia where he "saves" her.
~Katrina~
I am holding out for that Redemption. It doesn't mean there won't be curve balls along the way though. I trust SR to take us where he wants us to go. I want them to be able to have a family but Julia isn't ready yet. She does want to focus on her career. Gabriel just wants to get the reversal done to see if it is possible. I still wish for a baby and an adoption. They still have time to make the family happen. I'm intrigued more by where their academic conflicts may take them, by what demons from his past are going to arise and what secrets about his family will come up. I can't wait to see Kathrine again in Oxford and I hope there is an HEA for Paul and some accountability for whichever nemesis rear's their head. Christa I hope gets hers (smacks her) And I do of course look forward to how the Professor woos his Julia. :-) Thanks for stopping by!
I love this opening chapter. It made me realize how much I've missed SR's writing. He's set up so many possibilities for what can happen in "Gabriel's Redemption."
I'm also very curious about how professional/academic issues might come between them. Julia is just starting out in her career and by all accounts is brilliant. Gabriel is too, of course, but even he's admitted he's lost some of the fire he once had for his research. Julia grew so much in "Gabriel's Rapture;" she learned to stand up for herself and to see her own worth very clearly. I wonder how that will come into play during this next part of their story.
I'd also love to see them with a family. For one thing, I think it would go a long way to soothe the guilt, loss and pain in their respective pasts. I think they've both grown enough to make good parents. But I'd also love to see Gabriel with a baby and toddler. I'd pay good money to read a scene when he changes his first diaper. :)
As I posted on SR's blog, it was a wonderful opening. A scene-setter and a hint of things to come. Every story needs conflict, and I'm sure SR will provide it in spades. The last thing we'd want to see is a sort of 'Gabriel lite.'
The maturation of Julia will be interesting to follow. However, both she and Gabriel have their individual vulnerabilities. I'd like to see them form a unified front and see off all threats - ultimately settling with their own child (adopted or not).
However, we mustn't second-guess. SR is the master of their destiny. It's up to us to read and cheer on our favourite couple.
Sheila xx
But I love second-guessing! LOL
Granted I'm usually wrong, but I always found it was great fun to speculate and discuss different possibilities. I've met some wonderful people in discussions such as this one and have some incredible memories as a result.
I'm going to make time for a slow re-read this evening. It's amazing how many details pop out at you, This is one of the best things about SR's writing.
Well,my first reading was just to enjoy Gabriel's return to my living room. Now that I've done *several* rereads...I think we are so in for a bumpy ride. You know how I love to look for the SRisms, and they are there even in the first chapter!!
As much as Gabriel loves Julia, I think the green monster of jealousy is going to surface. Gabriel is used to being "The Professor." Now that Julia is holding her own? His ego is in big trouble. That could effect the relationship somewhat. (Yes, we know that professors can be pretentious bastards when the mood strikes, right???) lolol
And that subtle little reference to Paradise Lost.... hmm. That doesn't bode well.
Gabriel's been itching for a child since the Christmas liturgy in Rapture. So I think he will try to have the little tubes tied up again (at Temple, please God!!!) but it won't work. And he will keep pushing Julia, who is not ready to be a parent yet. I predict an adoption.
Stuff (bad stuff) is going to surface about Julia's mom and Gabriel's mother and father. Not sure what, but something that will shake them up.
I feel sure that SR will give us the HEA but not before he has us biting our nails down to the knuckles. Don't forget the "Redemption" part of the title. Something *really big* will happen before Gabriel finds his grace. I have the tissue boxes ready. I've learned my lesson from Rapture -- I cry a lot thru these books!! :)
Hey Ellie-- Something happening to Julia? Yes, I think so, too. And I also think that something really traumatic will be revealed about her when she lived with her mother.... something with the mom's boyfriends...something she never told Gabriel...
Did I say about no second guessing? So I lied ;) I'm wondering whether whatever Gabriel uncovers about his biological parents has a bearing on Julia's mother's many liaisons … Machiavellian? Moi?
I'm unsure as to the ways and means but maybe it's something which could potentially blow G and J apart (mirroring Dante and Beatrice/Abelard and Heloise's separations)
Yes, like Terry, I think there'll be a HEA but not before G and J have to come through fire. And a little Gabriel/la would be their ultimate reward
Sheila x
I loved the chapter.Missed Gabriel and Julia so much! Seems like Julia is going to be neglecting Gabriel's "needs".I assume that it had been 4 days since they last made love.Julia will get more busy and I think that will create problems.I absolutely loved it when Gabriel said "I want to plant my child here".How sexy is that!? I worry that there will be a lot of angst on this story but it will end happy :)
I've been thinking about Julianne's hesitation to become a mother and realized how much I could relate to it.
I did not have the easiest childhood and was never someone who opted to babysit for others during my teen years. When my husband and I were married, I told him I wanted to wait at least 10 years before we started a family. We'd dated all through high school and college so although our engagement was a long one, we were still very young when we were married. There was no need to rush into having a family and I wasn't entirely sure if children would be in my future.
Naturally, fate had other plans in store for me. We learned shortly after our first wedding anniversary that a baby was on the way and I spent much of that pregnancy worrying about how the poor child had been given a mother who was no where near ready to become a parent.
Mercifully, by the time our son was born, my feelings had altered considerably. I hope the same will happen for Julianne when her time comes (as I'm convinced it will). Gabriel is absolutely correct in his assertion that she will make a wonderful mother and I have no doubts having a child with Gabriel would make Julia's life complete.
There are certainly interesting times ahead for Gabriel and Julia. Their love for each other notwithstanding, they are at different phases in their careers and lives and it is bound to make the adjustment into a marriage a bit tense.
I always thought it would be intriquing if when Gabriel investigated his late, and wealthy father, he found out Christian Grey is his half-brother. The father had a reputation of being a womanizer. This would bring both families together for fireworks better than the 4th of July!Just thought I throw that into the mix for a laugh. ;)
That's an interesting perspective, Jenn. I think we've seen Julia mature thru the first two books,and now she's got what she always wanted -- a loving marriage to her Dante, and a potential PhD from Harvard. The problem (I think)is that getting a PhD is torturous -- your life is not your own. The way Gabriel (or SR) described Gabriel's time at Harvard is real. Gabriel seems to have forgotten (or minimized in his mind) how difficult that time was for him.
If she's anxious about having a baby in a new marriage, in the middle (or start, really) of her doctorate, it's understandable. And that age difference Gabriel was so worried about seems to working in reverse here. He's the one who seems more eager to try for a baby. He's really morphed, too.
I'm pretty convinced there will be a baby, just based on what happens after the wedding in the crypt. The question is when, and how it will all play out.
Ellie,
I like the way you think and I hope I have a front row seat to that family reunion.
*taps chin*
Jenn
All we need now is for Gideon Cross to be another potential half-sibling for Gabriel and we have a triumvirate :D
Ellie.....
Gabriel could find out that Darth Vader is his real father!! :D
Sorry, bad sense of humour! x
The possibilities are endless when you unleash your imagination. ;)
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