Kings Rising (The Captive Prince Trilogy)

Re-read the earlier books in prep for release of Kings Rising. Read it in two days and I've been re-reading sections since. Can we get Nikandros' story please? The ease of his longstanding friendship with Damianos was one of my favorite things.

Overall a great trilogy that I'll never tire of pulling out time and time again. Brava to Ms. Pacat.

By far the better of the three book series. However, I was disappointed with the ending. This story more chronicled the loved developing between Damen and Laurent but the ending left me wanting more. An epilogue? Something on how they ruled their kingdoms. Did they meet up in the neutral place. They never pronounced their love for each other, but I guess it was apparent with their actions toward the other. Just wanted more at the end.

This is an incredibly satisfying end to a wonderful trilogy. After waiting for so long, I had many expectations and predictions before reading, and every single one of them was met. This gives us all the answers we need, and adds unexpected moments between Laurent and Damen that I hardly dreamt we would get. I have read through the book twice, and I adore it. I do think I like Prince's Gambit the best of the three, but it's very close.

After I had followed this series for years, Kings Rising was a completely satisfactory conclusion. Many long-term series run the risk of increasing the reader's anticipation until it is too great, and then the conclusion cannot hope to meet expectations. That did not happen for me. And yet still, at the end when I turned the last page, I wanted to keep reading.

"Leave them wanting more." It is a delicate balance to be able to both fulfill a reader and leave the reader eager for more. Just as C.S. Pacat delicately balanced wonderfully complex characters in a multi-front battle of wills, so too did she balance the needs of the reader, ever mindful of all the angles to craft an incredible story.

Thank you, C.S. Pacat, for all of your work and effort on this series, and congratulations on your successful publishing. Whatever you write, I will read.

I loved the story. I loved Damen's devotion to Laurent - forever his servant, OMG the scene under the tree during the trip to Kingsmeet where Damen wets a cloth and use it to cool down Laurent's skin...
I loved seeing Laurent surrender, acknowledge his feelings for Damen, look him in the eyes and call him "Damianos", "Damen" during sex.

I also loved Jokaste a lot. Just like I loved Nicaise. They are both survivors. Not "moral' people, but they know about love and loyalty and it forced my respect, even as I deplored their willingness to "compromise".

I wish I had learned more about the Regent, more about Kastor. Somehow, although they are at the heart of the political intrigues, they also feel like simple "plot enablers," especially Kastor. After all that he made Damen go through, they only have one tiny scene together near the end. Come on, I wanted more! I've imagined so many things about Kastor, how he would justify his actions, what he would say to the accusations... Come on. But I guess that's what fanfic is for: if you love a book and you want something explored more in depth, you can always do it via fanfic.

I once read a fanfic that explored how Laurent would have been had Auguste not died and the Regent not taken over the kingdom. And to my supreme delight, I saw a glimpse of this Laurent in Kings Rising. Damen summed it up in one sentence: "... Laurent alongside him, making barbed remarks in public, and in private, newly tender."

A review is not an exhaustive list of everything one has to say about a book, so I'll just stop here, but before I do, two things:

"A kingdom, or this" How Damen answers this question in book 2 and in book 3 differs, and gosh, it moved me. It's the moment in the book where my heart broke. The moment of truth.

The "Charls" episode: One underestimated quality of Laurent is his great humour. He hasn't had many reasons to smile since his brother died, he is cold and calculating by necessity, but nobody loves a good joke more than him, especially when it's laced with danger.

Okay, now it's the real end.

How do I even start a review to a book that's... practically made me speechless? I couldn't have asked more from the third installment of this perfectly crafted series. It has the political intrigue, the double-dealing, the moments of pure joy and frustration just like the first two, all coming together in an ending that left me beside myself, sobbing, because it was so perfect. What a marvelous, tumultuous ride.

I'm sad because it's the end. I'm sad because I won't get to see any more new adventures of Laurent and Damen, because they are such great characters and their love was so hard-earned. To know I can pick up the series and read it as many times as I want, to fulfill that need for Damen's loyalty and Laurent's guarded vulnerability, makes me happy, and I'm so incredibly thankful for that.

This series is a gift. Read it. You have to. Don't judge the book on this inelegant review, because no review can justify just how breathtaking this series is.

Buy it. Read it. You'll thank yourself.

There are many times when I finish a series and think: that could have been wonderful and wasn't.

Not so with Kings Rising.

If you haven't already read the first two books, you're missing out. Go do that first. Then, make yourself wait a few months for anticipation to make the sweeten the pleasure of staying up all night reading the last book in the series -- only then will you really savor how the author pulled each narrative string together.

It's rare to find M/M romance with so much storytelling power. But more than simply a story well-told, this author has found a way to do the impossible: let the reader engage a world that is both well-built, Full of unexpected twists and turns, and fully believable. If there were more than five stars available, I would give the all.

And gladly.

More than five stars. I have mad love for this series, and this book in particular. It was everything I had expected, tons of stuff I had never expected, and more than I could have asked for. <3

Brilliant!

After waiting years for the conclusion to this amazing trilogy, I was worried the final book couldn't possibly live up to the high expectations set up by the first two. Not only did it meet those expectations, it surpassed them.

Captive Prince and Prince's Gambit created a world that engaged the imagination, filled with unexpected twists and hidden layers, with complex characters that you actually really care about. Kings Rising brings their journeys to a satisfying end, answering questions and giving Damen and Laurent a chance to come full circle and be the men they helped each other become.

I have waited for this book for a long time. It is finally here and it did not disappoint.

There is so much to love about this book. I do not say this lightly (I am myself a writer and picky about what I read.) These books are extremely well-paced with in-depth character intrigue. The biased narrator, Damen, is immediately likable from book one all the way through the ending of book three. The strength of his character holds the books together as a seamless narrative, a story of political intrigue but more, a heartfelt love story that won't let up. He is probably one of my favorite fictional characters OF ALL TIME, and he is his most impressive when he is matched by Laurent. Their scenes together sizzle. The charisma of them is unmatched. (I must clarify, also, that the "enemies as lovers" theme is a weakness of mine.)

I could give a list of my favorite scenes but it would go on and on. But one of my favorite lines which gripped me by the throat is simply this one: "I think if I gave you my heart, you would treat it tenderly." Damen says this to Laurent, and I choked when I read it.

This final book of the trilogy delivers everything I hoped for to satisfy my craving for scenes that did not happen, but I wanted to see, in books one and two. The hard-won happy ending is terrific.

I cannot recommend this book, and the entire trilogy, highly enough!

Endings are difficult, no doubt, but there was so much of this that felt rushed and flat out missing. I'm happy to have read it but disappointed by all it could/should have been and wasn't. Three years of waiting and I still feel like I am left wondering. I don't know what to say. I guess I'll look forward to the fan fiction.

A fitting end to the best M/M trilogy I have ever read. My heart ran the Kentucky Derby from the beginning to the end (especially the end!). The characters further development within themselves and through their relationship was incredible. A more than satisfying read.

C. S. Pacat is a superhero! I cannot wait to read what comes next!

For those who enjoy intrigue and exciting plot twists, this series is a winner. The characters are thoroughly developed too. Their journey is one I'm so glad to have been a part of. These characters and this story is one that will stay with me, and I'll be rereading in the future...my true test of a good book!

I first didn't know what to think of this trilogy.
But as it progressed, I felt attached to the characters and felt that I could understand them.
It was so beautiful that it broke my heart. Laurent is my favorite. I'd recommend this book to anyone.

I think what I loved most about this book was that, as brilliant a mind as Laurent is, as masterful a warrior and commander as Damen is, ultimately this was not a matter of two great men taking down the Regent (and Kastor, to a lesser extent).

What took him down was a lifetime of selfish choices and arrogance and small cruelties against people he didn't consider a threat. Against a naive brother and a vulnerable nephew. Against an archer--easily dispatched. Against a poor boy turned pet. Against a noble boy turned pawn--survived by a servile father and a vengeful mother. Against a slave who gained the ear of a prince. Against an ambassador--disdained for her gender. There are only so many people that you can use and abuse before the ground erodes beneath your feet.

Laurent and Damen are strong and determined and GOOD, and I take nothing away from their role, but ultimately I'm glad that this series was not just a four-way game of chess; it was the groundswell of many people, great and small, deciding where they stand and where their loyalties lie.

As gratifying as I hoped it would be and well worth the wait.

Kings Rising Fulfilling a Trilogy

Picking up exactly where Pacat left us in Captive Prince: Volume Two at Ravenel, we are swept into the whirlwind of action, intrigue and romance at a stallion’s pace. Feeding into his archetype, Damen is as gallant as ever as he continues to trust blindly the ever shifting equation of Laurent. Readers better make sure they are secure in the saddle as the pages don’t just engage in this installment – they grip. I read this in a frenzy - heart pounding, butterflies fluttering - and after closing the last page, I had to come down from the “high” of this epic ending for a few days.

Indeed this might be the most successful third installment in a trilogy that I have ever read. When I read Captive Prince: Volume One, I wasn’t sure this was going to be “my thing” – but it’s ending made it appear that all the pieces to the puzzle were starting to fit together. It grabbed me. So I grabbed Volume II. Volume II then rearranged all the pieces on the board making me realize that the puzzle in Volume I was not the picture I had thought. Kings Rising stepped in and went and rearranged all the pieces in Volume I, AGAIN, that I thought Volume II had made fit, into one cohesive beautiful work. Leaving me in awe for being so blind from the start.

After I closed Kings Rising, I went and reread Volume I as if seeing it for the first time – seriously, after finishing Kings Rising, Volumes I & II became new books to me. As if I had originally read them in the dark and someone finally turned on the light.

And a big surprise - I laughed while reading this third and final installment more than I expected. The cheeky humor is wittiness at its best. I raged at the villains. I longed for sweet kisses and gentle understanding for our heroes. I even sniffled at the epic man-pain. And when it all came together to a most fitting close, I felt the satisfaction of a battle long won.

I had questioned for the past three years, if during this wait for the third installment, my imagination would ruin it with my own head canons or if I had set my expectations too high for Pacat to ever meet. I didn’t. Kings Rising is a success.

The Captive Prince Series – Beautiful by Design

Captive Prince is a trilogy in perfect symmetry. In symmetry from start to finish across the map of their fictional world. In symmetry in story arc and character fate. In symmetry in design and layout – even much of the wording is reflected back on itself. The first half of the trilogy is like looking at the negative of a photograph, while the second half is the photograph coming into focus.

Pacat masters the power of the prose throughout the trilogy. Pacat’s talent at multi-layering meaning in the prose continues to be exquisite. Sentence structure kept simple, word choice and phrasing deliberate. There is not a single line that is boring or mundane. Every word is relevant and wording is key. And as I mentioned in my review of the first two volumes – watch for the symbols in objects and color. The novel details are threaded through all three volumes.

An underlying commentary is just beneath the surface. This is the story about the victim of abuse - and also about a man who was victim to his ignorance of it. This is a story about two princes who must fight for their thrones to become the kings they were born to be. This is a story about learning to trust based on instinct rather than deed and that maybe what is least trustworthy are your own perceptions. And threaded through it all is a subtle commentary on what it means to be a slave - literally and figuratively. That being free of restraints doesn’t mean we are free of constraints. And that despite the free agents we perceive ourselves to be, the only choices we really have are what we are slaves to. For whether we be kings or queens or anything in between we are all slaves to our hearts.

This series is not without its flaws as none of us are, but the brilliance of the work as a whole outshines any imperfections. To the readers who own the original Gatto books: Jokaste’s hair color is …?

I don’t know how many times I will reread these books over my life-time. But I do know that I will reread them. They will be entertaining every time. And I won’t be surprised in the least if in future reads I continue to fit another piece into the puzzle that I didn’t even know I was missing.

C.S. Pacat

The Captive Prince series documents something readers not often get to witness. It documents the evolution of a writer and the launching of their career. C.S. Pacat (formerly S.U. Pacat, formerly Freece) started posting chapters of a slave fic as a free work in progress on LiveJournal. She started writing as many of us do – alone and inspired, on our own dime. As her audience grew, she interacted with them and her skill grew with the work. Then Penguin handed her a paycheck and a support team and her work became pristine. The opening chapters of Volume I will always be not quite as polished as the closing ones of Kings Rising. And I appreciate that. Over the course of this series, Pacat wrote alone, wrote with an audience and wrote professionally. For those who stumbled upon this WIP on LiveJournal a number of years ago, it’s not just Damen and Laurent’s end point that we are in awe of – it is Pacat’s as well.

For many of us with LiveJournal or Archive of Own accounts and the like, Pacat’s success tied with Captive Prince’s represents hope, achievement and recognition. Many of us who have LJ and AO3 accounts have backgrounds in fandom – which is often perceived as a tawdry start, even if our original works demonstrate otherwise. Pacat started as one of us. Once in awhile online writing communities need a shout out. Her acknowledgment of her roots with us and continued interaction with fans that she cultivated from the start to fans that are just now finding the series, is one of her most endearing attributes (besides this totally awesome series she wrote).

With the Captive Prince series fast becoming a cult classic, my biggest fear for her currently is that she will never out do herself. Is it possible for her to continue to draft works as profound as this series? Does she need to or is the fan base secure? She has achieved writing a series as smart as her inspiration to do so – Dorothy Dunnett’s The Game of Kings. Ending it here at the zenith of the series might be a smart move, but maybe capitalizing on the momentum already established with the series and – like Dunnett – adding more volumes to this verse might be the smarter way to cut it. Either way do not fear, it has already been revealed that three short stories from the Captive Prince world will be released – so at least not all is said and done.

"The symmetry that ruled both their lives had brought them here, at the end of their journey."

Kings Rising was the very first book added to my “TBR” when I joined Goodreads in 2013. Captive Prince Volume I was my first ever book featuring an M/M pairing. The series introduced me to a whole genre – and I’ve gained much from that genre - friends, books, hours spent in a blissful escape and many more spent discussing them. I thank Ms. Pacat for this stunning series and the creation of two heroes I adore. Though, it is Damen that I would ride off into the sunset with any day, it is Laurent who deserves him.

Part of my review comes from a 3 year wait, watching update after update about the first two books covers changing several times, tips and tricks to writing, contests, etc. I think, for the wait, it really was underwhelming. If I'm going to wait 3 years, I'd love for perfection.

What I got was... something. The tender scenes between Laurant and Damen were nice. Some of the story was interesting (although really, truly, thoroughly predictable). There was a lot of mundane monologue that you can skim and won't miss anything. There wasn't much if any character development in this one.

It gives you the ending you deserve after such a grueling process, but man. It was really missing the charm of the first two. As a seriously obsessed fangirl of the first two, I just am not sure about this one.

Warning: ******SPOILERS*****Like many, I have been waiting for this book for years. It was an excruciating wait. This book had everything I liked about the first two books. Her characters are complex and three dimensional. She creates the perfect tension between Laurant and Damon....cringe worthily good! The only thing I did not like about the book was the ending. After everything, after all the plotting and manipulating, that is how it ends? It made no sense. Damon walking into the palace, like that would actually accomplish anything. I don't understand the trial at all. Why have it? Just kill Laurant. The throne was the Reagents anyways. I just didn't buy the ending of how it all played out. The council all of a sudden takes the word of the physician. Why do they suddenly believe his story and just like that switch their allegiance? They didn't believe Laurant or Damon...but now that the physician gave his story (which could have been made up) everything makes sense and they now realize they were in the wrong. I thought that was extremely weak. Also, Kastor and the Reagent had the command of the palace and the guards....the fact that they were so easily defeated was unbelievable. My last thing to nit pick are the white guards up on the mountain where you can't harm anybody. Why did they listen to the Reagent like he was their sworn King? Why didn't Damon just say who he was....He is the king? That scene made no sense. They never explained why Laurant was planning to go with his Uncle in the first place. I get that he went in the end to save Damon, but what was he going to accomplish by going with his Uncle when Damon was not going to be harmed? I really did enjoy the book....but I expected so much more. It was wrapped up too neatly. The motivations of some of the characters started to lose me and Kastor and the Reagent were thrown off their thrones too easily. I didn't buy it. I wanted a battle and more plotting and outmaneuvering. But....No.....they pretty much just walked into the palace and took their thrones back. Are you kidding me...after everything...thats it? One last thing. Why was the Reagent practically ruling Achilles? He had is entire council there and was holding court like it was his kingdom? What was Kastor thinking or doing during all this? It was still Akielos and Kastor should have had way more men compared to a couple of guards that the Regeant brought. Did I miss something? I don't get how Kastor was so easily swept aside. The Reagent was acting like it was his palace and his court and not an honored guest. Ok, I'm done. I just had to get that off my chest. I do not want my rant to sound like this is a bad book or that I did not like it. I am just so invested in these characters and the world, that I was really thrown when the way it played out didn't seem real or plausable. Pacat is a terrific writer and I would recommend this series to anyone. Laurant and Damon are some of my all time favorite literary characters. The end was sloppy in my opinion, which is disappointing because the first two were superbly executed. In the first two, every action and motivation was accounted for. In this one...not so much.

Much like Elana Giacon, who gave this book one star, I loved books 1 and 2, but this one, although okay, wasn't anywhere near the levels of the first two books. I took a day of vacation to read it and once I finished, thought I would re-read my favorite parts. Unfortunately, there really weren't any of those. There wasn't the snappy dialog and brilliant planning of the previous volumes and, although I liked "milkmaid" skin of Laurent and a few other phrases, the book just didn't thrill me. Even as straightforward as Daemon was, he should have realized what had happened between Laurent and his uncle in book 2. Both Laurent and Daemon were made into superheroes in terms of fighting and the ending reminded me of the ending of a TV movie. I fear the more I think about this book (and the obvious plot holes and lack of snappy dialog) the more disappointed I will be. I'll also note the general debauchery level was tamed down to nearly nothing, if readers care about that.

While I mostly enjoyed the book, there were too many things that made me cringe: sometimes Damen or Laurent behaved stupidly, plot holes, plot devices that felt cheap and convenient: like meeting Charls, the whole thing with Jocaste, etc.
The ending felt very rushed. This book needed an epilogue. I would have loved to know how people of their kingdoms reacted to the kings' relationship.
Overall, a great trilogy with a rather unsatisfying, rushed ending.I hope the author writes an epilogue.

I have read several two and three star reviews, and I agree that this book is so underwhelming. I too waited three years for this book. I always reread a series, and I waited until mid-January to reread the first two books. They are great. The second book is my favorite. The intricate plot and the slow development of Laurent and Damen's relationship was an example of terrific writing and storytelling. This third book was not even close to the first two. There was no witty dialogue, no mastermind planning. I am happy that C.S. Pacat got the high-profile contract to write this book, but whatever advice she got, I don't think served her well. I waited three years for a book that failed on so many levels. I'm sorry this was the finished product. This was a beloved series with interesting characters, they unfortunately we're missing in this book. What I want is a "do-over". Give us the final book we crave! Usually book 2 in a trilogy is the weakest, here it's book 3. So disappointed. Gave it 2 stars for my affection towards the two MC.

I loved the first two books, but I was disappointed by this third and final book. Although the story is entangling, it seems implausible most of the times. But the main issue is that the story is not fully developed, it seems just a first draft, too hurried, it jumps from one event to another. It doesn't even have an epilogue! It has a core, but it lacks all the details.

Dear Author,
First of all I would like to compliment you on book 1 and 2 of this saga, because they not only were written exceptionally well, they also bespoke of an acute, detail/oriented, forward/thinking mind. Unfortunately, these are also the reasons behind my poor rating: while your writing ability remains intact, the carefully planned strategies you had shown us in the past two books quite simply disappear, and are replaced by sheer luck.
Chapter two: Laurent wakes up bound to a chair in the prison cells of Fontaine and the only thing we are told is that there was an ambush and that Laurent does not want to think about what happened to his men. How is this possible Miss Pacat? We leave Laurent at the end of book two with 120 riders that have just demonstrated their worth at Hellay and are ready to fight to take Fortaine, to suddenly find out, without any explanation, that said strong contingent has not only been ambushed and defeated (how? by a stronger contingent? If so, whose men where those?), but that Laurent, when he saw his men being attacked and understood he might loose, did not even try to send a messenger to Damen to inform him. But let us suspend our judgment for a minute and concentrate on Laurent, bound to that chair, with his right shoulder dislocated and with the hilt of a knife protruding from it: ladies and gentlemen, prepare yourselves for a miracle: Laurent manages to pick up a heavy oak chair and swing it with enough force to stun and later kill Govert. Now, I am not a medical doctor, but this whole scene seems a bit far fetched to me, and more appropriate to a Rambo/like film. Miss Pacat however has not finished: Laurent is now free, while Guion is confined inside the cell, and the author presents the situation as if it were Laurent the one with the upper hand. But let us reflect one minute: we were told that the Prince of Vere was tied to a chair in the cells of Fortaine, which means that he actually was inside Fortaine, which means that, even if he managed to escape his cell he still is, alone and hurt, inside the enemy’s fortress, and I do not suppose that an enemy fortress is quite that easy to escape from. Moreover Laurent’s threat to leave Guion inside the cell is supposedly enough to convince him to cooperate, but there are two main problems with this scenario: if the master of the keep suddenly disappears I do believe that his people would search for him, and they would presumably search the whole keep, and the cells are part of it, so it would be quite impossible not to find him. Secondly, let us imagine we are Guion: Laurent threatens us and we are scared enough to accept his conditions... But as soon as Laurent let us out from that cell our best interest would be to renege our deal and to kill him: he is alone in our keep, where the men are loyal to us and his uncle would reward us for it, while helping Laurent would only cause us problems, so Guion’s sudden choice to help the Prince of Vere does not truly make sense.
Chapter three: who are the prince’s men camped outside Fortaine? Are they what remains of Laurent’s forces after they were ambushed? Are they Fortaine keep’s men that became the prince’s men when Guion shifted his loyalties? Or are they part of the Regent’s army, sent to help Guion ambush Laurent’s forces? And, if so, why has their commander suddenly decided to abandon the Regent? Just because Guion said so?
Chapter four: Laurent bargains with Damen. This is where Laurent’s personality goes from rational and calculating to emotional: the prince needs Damen’s help to win the war, and he decides the best way to do that is to reveal to his would be ally how he used and manipulated him, and then to threaten him. The author would have us believe that a man like Laurent, instead of using Damen’s feelings to further his own goals, decides to unload his resentment and bitterness right when a united front would be most important.
Chapter seven: the banner men of Delpha are called to pledge themselves to fight alongside Damen, and one of them is worried that Vere could have undue influence over Akieos due to the fact that Laurent and Damen are lovers. Laurent is able to assuage Barieus’ fears telling him that one would be ice/cold to sleep with one’s brother’s killer, so basically denying the accusation. A few chapters later however Laurent and Damen are discovered by an akielon soldier while in bed together, and inexplicably nobody is surprised or angered by this, especially the Veretians show no reaction to the fact that their leader is bedding the prince/killer, alias he who is probably the most hated man in the whole country. Nobody questions Laurent’s decision or leadership, nobody worries about Damen’s possible influence over him.
Chapter nine: the games. Miss Pacat, I do understand the need to make the lead character stronger and better than everybody else, but there is no need to make him super/human. Not only in chapter two Damen, like a perfect killing machine, seems almost able to win the fight all by himself, but now he is even able to catch a flying spear with his bare hand, and than, not satisfied enough with that, he is able to throw it ”over the full, impossible length of the field, to thunk into the target alongside Laurent’s spear...”. Bravo Terminator!
Let us talk about Makedon now: there are no shadows of gray with his character, in fact at first he hates all things Veretian, and then, after Laurent’s skill at okton and at drinking he does a 180 turn and suddenly he behaves warmly towards the prince and speaks to him ”as he might with a favoured nephew a bit slow at learning”. This seems a bit far fetched to me and not an appropriate reflection of reality, exactly like a teetotaler like Laurent suddenly able not only to drink a lot, but to maintain control and best an usual drinker to a game.
Furthermore, during the discussion about tactics Laurent is completely silent... What a change from the prince we met in the second book, that stayed awake long hours at night to discuss precisely tactics with Damen.!
Chapter thirteen: after their night together Damen and Laurent talk together and Laurent describes his plans and contingencies, and this makes Damen quite happy because he sees it as a way for the prince to be open with him. But at Kingsmeet, later on, we discover that Laurent had decided from the beginning to give himself up to his uncle in exchange for the child, so when Laurent spoke with Damen either he lied to him or omitted the truth. In any case this shows a lack of trust between the two and results in a situation in which Laurent (the supposed strategist), is completely at the mercy of his uncle and it befalls Damen to think of a way to free him.
Chapter seventeen to the end: here lies my main problem with the book, in fact what happens in these three chapters is pure, unaltered, sheer luck and not the forward thinking, the complicated strategies, Miss Pacat has enthralled us with in the previous books. First problem: Damien decides to come alone to Ios and to surrender himself to the regent. This leads to his being brought in front of the Veretian council, where Laurent is being tried: Damen is lucky, because nothing guaranteed this particular outcome, which in fact clearly benefits only him, and neither his half/brother or the regent (usually quite smart), that could have, for example, kept him in a cell to deal with later at their own convenience. In chapter eighteen we discover Damen's great plan is to call Guion to the stand, which results in utter disaster, until we find out that Laurent’s plan had been all along to have Guion’s wife testify: so now the author suggests that Laurent planned this whole situation, presumably to save the day, but only a few pages later we find out that Laurent brought Loyse simply to clear Damen’s name. How in the world does this make sense? Laurent's great plan would be this: in case Damen is as stupid as me, and decides to simply give himself up like a sacrificial lamb, I will make sure to bring a witness to testify his innocence, except that this will not help him at all, because the minute Damen decided to give himself up to the regent and to Kastor he was dead, regardless of the council’s decision, and I refuse to believe that a mind like Laurent did not understand this. The only possible explanation is that Laurent has transformed himself into a besotted fool, which is truly a shame, because in this case means that love, instead of making him stronger, has simply reduced his intellectual faculties. But now comes the best part: Damen, the loyal brute we all know and love, has a moment of brilliance and makes a connection nobody, not even Laurent (our resident genius) had been able to do before: there is somebody else in that group able to testify against the regent: again sheer luck. But this is not simply luck, this is the ”Deus ex/machina” one would expect from a playwrighter, something spectacular and unexpected, able to solve any problem and guarantee an total victory for our heroes, without any planning needed. There is only one problem with this kind of device: you need to suspend belief, you need not question how it happened, because soon as you do that, you realize it is completely unbelievable. Does the author truly want us to believe that miraculously Damen made that connection and that the man with all the answers is right there, ready to speak and with a very convenient letter that he brought with him, just in case something like this were to happen? And why has this man not spoken before (for example with Laurent)? And if Damen had not called him out, would he not have spoken on his own? And how many probabilities were there that this mysterious man, of all the people it could be (Jord, for example), is precisely the doctor, the right man in the right place? Again I repeat: sheer luck.
Finally, one last inaccuracy: Laurent has been bound with his hands behind his back for hours and hours, but a few minutes after being freed he is able to fight with a sword and to defeat a seasoned fighter like Kastor.

Dear author, I am truly sorry, because you are a gifted writer and I cannot but ask myself how and why this whole débacle happened. As I do not personally know you (a shame because I would like to compliment you on the idea behind this saga and on the first two books, that were absolutely exceptional and breath/taking), the only thing I can say that changed between the first two books and the third is the publisher, Penguin, and I wonder if, and how, this might have had an impact on your work.
I wish you the best and hope you will continue your writing career, because a talent like yours rarely present itself. Please forgive me if my review was in any way offensive to you, I assure you this was not the intention but unfortunately when one has to criticize something the line between constructive critique and attack is not always that clear.

Kings Rising: Captive Prince Book Three (The Captive Prince Trilogy) by Pacat, C. S.(February 2, 2016) Paperback - C. S. Pacat

Damianos of Akielos has returned.

His identity now revealed, Damen must face his master Prince Laurent as Damianos of Akielos, the man Laurent has sworn to kill.

On the brink of a momentous battle, the future of both their countries hangs in the balance. In the south, Kastor's forces are massing. In the north, the Regent's armies are mobilising for war. Damen's only hope of reclaiming his throne is to fight together with Laurent against their usurpers.

Forced into an uneasy alliance the two princes journey deep into Akielos, where they face their most dangerous opposition yet. But even if the fragile trust they have built survives the revelation of Damen's identity - can it stand against the Regent's final, deadly play for the throne?

***

My Review:
I'm confused... beyond confused... I am lost with a map and no sense of direction.

Where are these extra characters coming from? How did the captivity happen? Who's army is it outside?

The easy solution ending was too easy and didn't really make a whole lot of sense.

I'm not sure if I just forgot all the previous plot or what but I spent most of the book being completely lost.

I think its time that I go back and re read this trilogy from the beginning because I don't know what happened in this book because I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS BOOK.

My Rating:
3 Stars

Reviewed By:
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews

Booklikes: [...]
Goodreads: [...]
Twitter: [...]
Google Plus: [...]
Blogger: [...]
Pinterest: [...]
the store: https://www.the store.com/gp/profile/A4S8JJMA33F2B?ie=UTF8&ref_=sv_ys_3

Disclaimer:
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews received a print copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.

Source:
A print copy was provided by Berkley Publishing

Note:
If any of Krissys Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful [...] or let me know what you think! Thank you!

Laurent knows Damen’s identity. Damianos doesn’t need to hide. Everyone knows and he’s got an Akielon army waiting for him. Damen is… relieved. He isn’t happy, but he’s relieved he’s no longer a slave. He’s got what he wanted. Then the politics start. Kastor and the Regent are still plotting against Laurent and Damen. Invariably, the Regent is always a disturbingly chilling 10 steps ahead. Because of course he is. What with him being pure evil. The Crown Prince of Vere and the rightful King of Akielos form an alliance. They are effective. They’re also really in love with each other and have no clue how to get past what they think they should be hurt about. Damen can’t get over his guilt, but he doesn’t have a lot of choices as they’re being manipulated into a showdown. What they need to do, is not fall into the traps set by the Regent. Unfortunately, the Regent has set a lot of traps.

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this series and these books. The love story between Laurent and Damen is riveting. Seriously. I picked up the first book and wasn’t done until I put down the third book 5 days later. I couldn’t stop. And the flip side of that is I sent a lot of messages to friends detailing the things I felt to be plot holes, poor characterization, and even horrible choices of lube. Please, don’t break something to get to the oil inside. There will be shards of broken crockery/glass in the oil. That would be a poor life choice.

I felt the Regent was possibly one of the worst villains I’ve read in years. I didn’t find him at all compelling as he’s unmitigated evil. He’s like the big ball of black energy from The Fifth Element and Kastor is Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg inviting him in. The Regent does everything he can to steal Vere from Laurent, and we learn he’s also in the process of stealing Akielos. On top of all that he rapes children. There is no room for a moral dilemma with a character this evil. There is also less room for our heroes to be nuanced or have their own shades or streaks of grey. The Regent had to be stopped by any means necessary. End of story. I did like that both Laurent and Damen grappled with their own feelings of guilt in regards to each other, but at no point did they have to accept in each other something that just wasn’t right. Everything was justifiable, whether or not we knew it at the time.

So, throughout the series we’re both told and shown Laurent wins people’s hearts and minds. There are people who have hitched their wagon to the Regent, to be sure, but Laurent not only has the banner of the Crown Prince, he’s beautiful and can work a crowd like nobody’s business. As Laurent and Damen conquer the lands on either side of the border between Vere and Akielos we see this happen again and again. Laurent’s personality and their combined military might are an unstoppable force. Suddenly, the Regent is in Akielos. All this time the Regent has undercut Laurent by saying he’s in league with the Akielons. Then the Regent goes to Akielos. Laurent can’t go back to the Veretian capital and take control because the Regent’s loyalists are there. But Laurent wins everyone over wherever he goes. But the loyalists are in the capital. But Laurent wins everyone over. Yeah, that’s a big plot hole. Anyway, this move drives Laurent and Damen further into the Regent’s plans. Because the Regent knows everything. Until he doesn’t and then he’s executed for treason. Just like that. And that sudden change takes place over the course of about ten pages. I can’t really stress enough how disappointed I was by the characterization of the Regent and how it impacted the story. One thing I can say about the plot hole that drives Laurent and Damen into Akielos, I certainly didn’t see it coming.

So, I’ve complained and picked at things. I could go on, but I want to talk about what kept me reading. Laurent and Damen were fascinating. Damen’s need to protect his tormentor was interesting to see develop. Laurent’s reluctance to show vulnerability to the man who changed the course of his life for the worse was painful and beautiful. To see that both men needed to adopt traits of the other to become effective and fully rounded leaders was pretty cool. They completed each other. I actually found myself resenting they were stuck in a book with what I felt to be a ludicrous villain and mediocre world building. I don’t think I really cared that I predicted the big reveals of this book back in book one. Well, yes I did care, but, ultimately it was like a scenic drive when you know your final destination. It was still scenic.

Read these books. No, I’ve not rated any of them very high, and my reviews spend a lot of time picking them apart, but you need to read them. Really! I feel Laurent and Damen’s relationship makes everything worth it. Like a big family dinner and you know you’re only going to like one dish you’re served but you go anyway and just gorge on that one thing while you side eye the mashed turnips. (Yes, I just compared the books to a scenic drive and now a family dinner. I will use all the analogies, thank you!) I think it’s pretty obvious I had problems with the series, but I also think it’s pretty obvious I loved Laurent and Damen.

I don't think there's anything I can say about this book that I haven't already said about the previous ones. This series has seriously impressed me, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. I didn't want to put any of the books down once I picked them up.

Much like the others, this one had the same eloquent writing, the complex, consistent, amazingly well-written characters, and the intricate plot involving so many different plans and troops and battles and nations and places but still somehow staying focused on the characters and not getting convoluted or confusing.

The main difference in this book versus the others was that the romance finally happened! Yeah, there was a sex scene in Book 2, and Damen had feelings, but it wasn't a relationship, and Laurent's feelings were still a bit of a mystery. I loved all the scenes between Damen and Laurent in this book though. They were so filled with tension because of how they still weren't sure if they could trust each other and were still struggling with the idea of having feelings for someone they felt like they should hate. Seeing Laurent's actions and reactions and words in those scenes was the best because he was such a complex, hard-to-crack character who was usually so iron-willed and in control and shielded.

Speaking of Laurent, I felt for him so much in this book after getting to know him and his life more. I really wanted to give him a hug and make his life and his past better and tell him that he doesn't always have to be so rigid and shielded anymore. The poor guy, half his life has been spent trying to counter his uncle's shady plans, he's been alone and hasn't had anyone he could trust and be close to since Auguste died, he's kept everything to himself... I felt so much sympathy for him. And some things (that I suspected) were revealed in this book that definitely explained some of his behaviors.

And oh! There were some fantastic scenes that still stand out to me, like the epic okton, and the whole Charls thing that had me cracking up so much.

So yeah, this was just a fantastic, gripping, well-written series, and I am so glad I finally read it!

[If you want to fangirl over fan art with me, I included some links on my blog!]

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight (link in profile)

Once in a while, I stumble in front of a series like this one. An absolute gem of a read that makes me all fluffy inside just thinking about it. This is one of those books. After I finished it, I just wanted to shove it in front of somebody and tell everyone to read it. I loved this book so much and I don’t think this review will be able to express the extend of how much I loved it.

This has become one of my favorite series ever. I’ve re-read it multiple times and listened to the audiobooks. I wasn’t expecting this when I began reading the first book. It was great, and it just got better and better with each installment. It was a beautiful tale that was so much more than I expected. I loved the world the author has built and all the characters in it. I was so invested in the relationship, and the slow build was absolutely perfect. It broke my heart and mended it back again. It was extremely satisfying when everything finally came into place, but the ending was a bit abrupt. I wanted to spend more time with these characters.

It’s one of those unforgettable stories that just leaves you wanting for more even after the story’s finished. I had the biggest book hangover after finishing the last book. I don’t know if I can ever find other novels that will give me the same kind of feels. I’ve read the short stories, and while peeking into the characters’ lives was great, it just wasn’t nearly enough. In another reality, I’d kidnap the author and force her to write more. Needless to say, I highly recommend this series. It may not be for everyone because of some sensitive subjects that it deals with, but for me, this is everything that I am seeking in a book. YOU HAVE TO READ THIS!

This review is for the full trilogy (haven't yet read any of the post-ending short stories). I was not in the 'fandom' in advance and came in very green, knowing only that there were folks rabidly anticipated the release of this third book. I waited so that when I started reading, all three would be available. Kindle is good for instant gratification. Well, I sure was gratified! I haven't gotten caught up in palace intrigue like this since watching the gone-too-soon Kings on television. What delicious intrigue and so many plot twists that I just want to bow down to the author. Seriously, brava! And it all holds together like the most intricate tapestry. The love scenes are lovely and so earned -- I don't want to spoil anyone who perhaps is looking at reviews in this third part to see if they want to begin -- so I will just say despite being a slow build, this *is* a deeply emotional love story and a tale of double redemption, growth and the overcoming of horrible experiences to come out stronger. If you like your couple joining up in a way that feels supportive and real and makes your heart squeeze in your chest, then these novels are for you. The ending did satisfy and yes, left me wanting more. But that is only a compliment. The first book made me wonder if I'd ultimately like it because not all characters were what one would call likeable. But I am so glad that I stuck with it -- because by book two it's so addictive that I understand now the excitement of readers upon publication of this book. There is a small POV cheat in this book in two places. I admit that is the only thing I could quibble over because Damen's unreliable narration was a like a study in how to do that right. Yet, when a book satisfies this deeply, little quibbles mean nothing. So glad I found these. I will add one final spoiler here for those who really want to know how a love story ends (I do usually) .... [spoiler space]

Story does have a happy ending with both major characters together.

There are so many things I could say about this wonderful trilogy (and don’t forget to read the two epilogue short stories). For one, I was excited to find it in a brick-and-mortar store. I enjoy the slave-master trope, and this one was one of the most enjoyable I have read. Enemies to lovers, and no end to political intrigue, deception, and betrayal. This is not a light, fluffy romance (though it does have a happy ending). It is a heavy read, so if you’re looking for a warm, fuzzy read, then skip this one. If, however, you like detail, intrigue, and angst, then pick up the Captive Prince trilogy now.
The series is well-written, and the characters complex, with even the side characters being well-developed. I loved the “slow burn” of their romance, and when they finally get together, it is worth ever suspense. Both Damen and Laurent are likeable. Laurent…oh gosh. I wanted in his head so badly. There was a revelation about the Regent concerning Laurent that I had started to suspect, but having it confirmed…I had to set the book down for a few minutes. But the emotions this series provokes is further proof of a brilliant story.

The ending was a bit abrupt, and I wished the two epilogue short stories had been included, but even so, it is a happy ending. So, despite all the angst, fear not. It is a HEA. I do feel like there could be more, in part because I WANT there to be more, and also because there are bound to be stories as the world adapts to the changes.

The Captive Prince is an unforgettable series, and highly recommended.

I had to wait three weeks longer to read this book because the book didn't arrive on time and I was once again reminded why I defer starting a new series until the last book is already out. I'm really terrible at waiting ;) Luckily I read the first two books only a month ago. I would have died had I read them years ago like some of you.

But now that I've finished it let me tell you that I looooved this trilogy !!!
Right now I feel a little bit like watching the movie The Sixth Sense. You know, where you're blind-sided by the ending because everything is in plain view the whole time but you just weren't able to grasp the hints while watching?
That's how I feel about these books and Laurent's scheming and chess-player-like mind. Back then I watched the movie a second time right away because I just couldn't believe that I'd missed all those clues.
Don't worry, in the book there isn't one thing left unanswered and you won't be left dissatisfied. But I think when reading the series a second time one can really appreciate the effort the author made to portray Laurent's shrewd mind. It couldn't have been easy to keep up with all these puzzle pieces and to fit them together so seamlessly at the end. I seriously believe if I was to re-read part I and II right away they would become whole new books to me for I would now be able to see the light.

If asked which MC I liked more I would have to say Laurent. Damen is strong and sweet and a true romantic at heart. But Laurent is compelling. You have to spend time with him to get to know him but even then he'll let you see only what he wishes you to see. He's lethal, strong-minded, smart and oddly honest in his cold-heartedness. He's suffered a great deal but didn't cower. He learned, adapted, and came out stronger. And in the end, he was willing to risk it all...

Even though there are no "I love you's" spoken out loud it is clear as day how both men feel about each other. Throughout the series, it's a slow burn at its finest. It was a beautiful thing to watch Laurent letting his guard down around Damen, how they became closer and more intimate with each other towards the end, and how they learned reading and understanding the other man, trusting each other.

I haven't felt so invested in characters often and I was totally drawn into the story. The characters are 100% believable, the plot is consistent, the words are beautiful and full of meaning. A wonderful trilogy if you want to escape RL for a few hours and immerse yourself in a world full of politics, intrigues, cruelty; but also friendship, trust, and love. A definite re-read !!

Kings Rising by C.S. Pacat is the 3rd book in her Captive Prince trilogy. When I started this trilogy, I did not know what to expect, though the description sounded very good. I was also one of the lucky ones who did not have to wait a few years for the final book, as I read all three together. At the start of the first book, The Captive Prince, I worried as it was dark, and what our hero, Damen had to go through was mortifying. Damen having been forced into slavery, betrayed by his family to another country, and answering to his master, Prince Laurent. However, once I was a third way through, there was no turning back. I loved Damen and Laurent, who was the villain of the early part, but that slowly changed. I loved The Captive Prince, and the second book, Prince’s Gambit, and loved Damen and Laurent. I was totally hooked and couldn’t wait to read the final book, Kings Rising.

In Kings Rising, Damen is now revealed to be Damianos, of Akielos, who had killed Laurent’s brother years before. Damen was working closely with Laurent to win a war developing that will make Laurent the rightful King of Vere, and bring Damen back to Akielos to fight for his rightful throne. Now that Laurent knows who he is, will the friendship and love they have developed turn them into enemies?

I do not want to give spoilers, and so much happens in this book that had some surprises, reveals, which had us holding our breaths throughout. Kings Rising was such an exciting, exhilarating story that I could not put the book down, as I had to know how this would end. Would both Damen and Laurent survive? Would they allow their growing love continue? Would they ever be Kings?

C.S. Pacat wrote a wonderful, tense, exciting, mindboggling story with a romance that blew us away. I do not read much M/M romances, but this one with all the bad and beautiful was so well done. Damen and Laurent were so different, but so right. The last half of the book was so exciting, intense, filled with danger, suspense, and right to the end we feared for the lives of those we loved. Bravo to Pacat for giving us such an awesome and perfect finish to this fabulous trilogy.

Kings Rising was one of my most anticipated books for 2016 and it has lived up to its promise.

The story picks up in the middle of a scene. At the end of the previous book, Prince's Gambit, Damen had been left in charge of a Veretian fort. His true identity as the Akielon prince had been revealed thanks to the arrival of an Akielon army. Kings Rising opens with the Veretian response to this announcement. Needless to say, it's a tense and action-packed beginning.

Prince Laurent is absent for this response, being away with most of his forces as they attempt to capture another fort. He, too, gets an action-packed beginning--a little too much so, for me. Being keen to find out how the story ended, I'd not taken the time to reread the previous books before starting on Kings Rising. It took a little time for me to orient myself and the beginning of Laurent's story made this harder because it doesn't follow straight on from his last appearance, as it does with Damen. Needless to say, the book doesn't stand on its own and I'd recommend at least skimming through the last chapter of Prince's Gambit before starting on Kings Rising if it has been a while between books.

Although there's a reasonably large cast, the focus is kept very tightly on Damen and Laurent. There might be kingdoms and countless lives at stake, but the core of the story is their relationship. With Damen's identity now revealed, the pair must get to know each other for who they really are. The weight of the past is very present but at the same time they're forced to start over. This gives the book a very satisfying emotional arc that almost broke my heart in places; it's a book with all the feels.

Not only must Damen and Laurent start over, but now that Damen is the rightful king of Akielos instead of a slave their customary ways of relating to each other become inappropriate. The gap between their public relationship and their private one makes for some fantastic tension. I especially enjoyed the way it proves quite a struggle for Damen; the occasions where he slips up make for some poignant moments.

Throughout the story, the spectre of the Regent looms over them. This was so wonderfully handled. The Regent himself is only present for two scenes towards the end, and yet his presence infects the rest of the story. Most of the characters behave in ways that reveal his influence, making him a threat without even needing to be present.

The ending has a wonderfully poetic symmetry... but I won't spoil it for you.

Overall, Kings Rising is a brilliant conclusion to the Captive Prince trilogy and one I highly recommend.

-----------------------
"You were born to rule as I was."
-----------------------

A captivating (heh, see what I did there?) end of the series!

The first half of the book was a bit frustrating, since Laurent was a jerk. LOL But he was just being Laurent, and also trying to emotionally protect himself at the same time leading a resistance fight against his uncle, the Regent.

-----------------------
“You’ve spent a morning with him and you’re warning me off. Just wait,’ said Damen, ‘until you’ve spent a full day with him.’
‘You mean that he improves with time?’
‘Not exactly,’ said Damen.”
-----------------------

I appreciate the difference between this book and the two previous. In the first and second Laurent's royalty and his rule (or lack of rule due to his uncle) was in focus, while in the third one, accurately named "King's Rising", it's Damen who is revealed as Damianos, the true hair to Akielos. He is given back his royal status, and is treated as such. I liked that there were two princes who both were kings-to-be in this.

----------------------
"A kingdom or this."
----------------------

There were scenes that broke my heart, and warmed my heart, made my heart beat, and scenes that made me laugh.

The sword fight with Laurent and Damen was a high point. There's so much push and pull between them, and for so many reasons. I love their dilemma, but attraction at the same time.

The end was nail-biting tension. It ended rather abruptly, there were several loose ends I'd have liked to get the answer to, like how they would go from where the story ended, but I will say the ending is definitely HEA, I just didn't get to read about it, just imagine it for myself.

-----------------------
“I think if I gave you my heart, you would treat it tenderly.”
-----------------------

I know there's a short called The Summer Palace, which is an epilogue of sorts. I'm reading it next.

I am totally in love with Laurent and Damen!
Do yourself a favor and check out all the beautiful fanart out there too.

Ooh, guys! I am truly intimidated by this attempt to review this. I am afraid I won't be able to do it justice.

There are so many wonderful things about this series which I've talked about before when I reviewed the first two books, but the truth is Kings Rising is even better. It's like touching live wire. Powerful, visceral, stomach churning, mesmerising.

Damianos is larger than life, noble, impossible not to admire. Laurent is one hell of an anti-hero, diabolical, magnetic. I've been fascinated with anti-heroes all my life, but this particular brand is very popular in anime culture. Ai No Kusabi, anyone? Anyway, there is nothing quite like two very strong, wilful individuals falling for each other and fighting it all the way.

Add to it, superb, glorious fights which made me want to scream "This is Sparta!" and incredible love scenes, the electric dialogues and fantastic plot twists, and I was in reading heaven. In fact, I am still high on Kings Rising and planning on re-reading the whole series in a little bit it was so delicious.

If Captive Prince laid down the groundwork for the political manoeuvring, and Prince's Gambit brought that play to the boiling point, and I include into it the building tension between Damen and Laurent, and getting to know both characters strengths and weaknesses, showing them working together on the battlefield, then from that point onward Kings Rising is the unravelling of the plans and feelings.

Whatever you were hoping for in the previous two books, - it will happen. For better or for worse. And it will blow your mind. I can not be less than cryptic because I want you to experience all twists and turns of the plot for yourselves without my spoilers. So, read it, experience the book hangover afterwards, come back and comment. I want you to enjoy it and suffer with me. Read this series, peeps. It's one of a kind.

How to end a trilogy: just like Ms Pacat does! The brilliant end for a fantastic collection! She really outdid herself in this novel, coming to the completion of a wonderful story leaving no lose ends. This book brought me to that dilemma "I want to finish it but I don't want to finish it" and I can honestly say that Damen and Laurent became one of my favourite M/M couples of all time.

Picking up from the grand finale and cliffhanger of Prince's Gambit, Damen and Laurent don't have a moment to recover. Intrigue is taken to another level, constant interference and betrayal as both King and Prince fight their way to win back their thrones. As Vere and Akielos unite against a common enemy, the two royals struggle with attraction and feelings for each other. Will they fall into the plot that could end both their lives and their kingdoms? Shocking twists, heart-stopping revelations and a finale that will leave your heart pounding!

I really raced through the pages of this volume, much like I did with the others. The third book is twice action-packed than the other two books combined and the fast-paced story-line didn't allow me to stop reading until the very end. It was very gratifying to see justice done and to see beloved characters have a great ending.

Okay okay, I admit that I warmed up to Laurent a bit, but just a bit! I really saw the development of his character along the trilogy and in the end it made a big difference. One of the things that made the difference is that Damen didn't back down no matter how much and what means Laurent used to push him away. What he needed was really someone that could see behind all the walls he built around himself, all the defences and truly listen to that he has to say.

Amazing end, even though I would have liked another chapter with more details on Damen and Laurent maybe a few months later after the alliance was made. But still, it's a trilogy that I will keep recommending over and over again for a very long time. I hope that Ms Pacat will write again soon, because a talent like that needs to be on the spotlight more often than not!

Unlike many readers of this book, I waited for the final book to come out before spending 3 days to complete the whole series. While I think book 1 and 2 are breathtaking and nearly perfect, I am very disappointed at book 3. Since elena Giacon has already summarized many plot holes, I only want to mention two mind-boggling issues about the plot in this final book of the trilogy.

First is Laurent's changing of heart towards Damen at Fortaine after Charcy, I too, like many readers, find it disconcerting. If Laurent had always known Damen's true identity, there was absolutely no reason for Laurent to behave this way at this point. I think Laurent could have only acted this way if he had just found out who Damen truly was after Guion's confession at Fortaine. Therefore he would have felt angry towards his uncle, vengeful towards Damen, and ashamed about what he had done. These feelings would war with the feelings he developed for Damen in book 2. It would make sense that he wanted to hide his hurt from Damen whom at this point he viewed as an enemy yet his only hope to win against his uncle. However if Laurent had always known Damen was Damianos it would be very hard to explain why in book 1 Laurent saved Damen' life and agreed to the border duty - basically trading his own life for Damen's. Yes, Damen saved him once, but was it reason enough to sacrifice himself for his brother's killer? And this was before the two of them became close through the military campaign in book 2. Doubts such as this bothered me, because I loved books 1&2 and I didn't want the weakness of the plot in book 3 affecting my opinion about the previous two books.

The second issue I had was before Kingsmeet when Laurent sought out Jokaste secretly and clarified for us that the baby might very well not be Damen's. Why didn't Laurent reveal this to Damen and stop Damen from going to the Kingsmeet? In fact, if Jokaste still had feelings for Damen and her treacherous behavior in book 1 was only to keep Damen alive, why would she hold the child against Deman now? None of these make any sense. It seemed that the only reason Deman didn't want to fight the Regent with his army was the child. Without the child in the mix, Damen and Laurent could have fought their battles with their superior military forces instead of going with a "convoluted" plot. Considering Kingsmeet makes nearly half of the book 3, this major plot hole should have been spotted and fixed.

As mentioned, I loved the first two books, so much so that I don't want to look too deep into the numerous flaws in book 3. If you have already read the first two books, and have gained some ideas about the ending in book 3 through reviews, I suggest you forego this one and save yourself the headache and heartache.

5 stars for books 1&2, but 1.5 stars for the book 3.

"'How can you trust me, after what your own brother did to you?'
'Because he was false,' said Damen, 'and you are true. I have never known a truer man.'
He said, into the stillness, 'I think if I gave you my heart, you would treat it tenderly.'"

If you go into this book thinking because it's the last book in the trilogy, C.S. Pacat will go easy on us...You're mistaken. She brings it all, And like in the other books; Every emotion will be played with. And then some.

Just like with the other two books, I can't put into words how amazing this book is. Absolutely mind blowing. How every piece of the puzzle comes together beautifully, perfectly. It's so smartly plotted. So f.. ing smart. How every move, every breath is calculated. *BOOM* Mind. Blowing.

Politics and power are a huge part of the conclusion to these books. I mean, they were a big part of each book from the beginning, it's the motives behind so much that has happened since book one but here it's definitely front and center It was intriguing, addicting and had me on the edge of my seat.

"'There was a man I was supposed to meet.
He's got all these ideas about honour and fair play, and he tries to keep me from doing the wrong thing. But he's not here right now.
Unfortunately for you.'"

I think what makes this trilogy so addicting - apart from the growing relationship between Damen and Laurent - is that it's not typical and it's not safe. The relationship included actually; it was never safe. Are they? Aren't they? Do they like each other at all?
But the rest of it too, you just never knew who or what to trust! You just never seen the bigger picture until C.S. Pacat was ready to show it to you. And that was very addicting.

Throughout these books I definitely questioned from time to time if I could class them as romance but then I get to this book and I wonder how I could ever think that?!? Because GAH! This relationship is the most complicated I've ever read. It is built on betrayal and deep hatred like you've never seen. Their relationship was orchestrated to be used as a pawn in a much bigger game but I can't deny this is seriously one of the most epic, the ultimate love story I've ever read. There's just something about these two that will hook you, destroy and ruin you completely and you will love every second of it.

"'I would court you,'said Damen, 'with all the grace and the courtesy that you deserve.'
He undid the first lace on Laurent's shirt, and the fabric began to open, a glimpse of the hollow of his throat. Laurent's lips were parted, his breath hardly stirring.
Damen said 'There'd be no lies between us.'
He opened the second lace, felt the low throb of his own pulse, the warmth of Laurent's skin as his fingers moved to the third.
'We'd have time,' Damen said, 'to be together.'
And in the warm flame light, he lifted his hand and cupped Laurent's cheek, and then leaned in, and kissed him on the lips, gently."

If I keep writing this review I'mma become a blubbering mess. I am missing them SO HARD. I'm devastated to say goodbye.

Angsty, heart stopping, all the feels, betrayal, secrets, revelations, calculated moves, things you just did not see coming and a love so epic that it will ruin you in all ways imaginable.

Yeah, I'd say these books are worth it all.

To keep order, Damen had to allow his identity to be revealed. Now that the men know who he is, he must claim his place as Damien, rightful king of Akelios. And he can safely assume his budding relationship with Laurent, rightful king of Vere, will be destroyed by this revelation.

But Damen and Laurent need to put their relationship issues aside. There are bigger problems that need their attention. Laurent's uncle, the Regent, is still set on claiming the throne of Vere for himself. And his alliance with Damen's brother, who wrongfully claimed the crown in Akelios, gives Damen all the more reason to help Laurent.

The path before them won't be an easy one. Their armies are sworn enemies. Damen killed Laurent's brother. And Laurent kept Damen as a slave. Any alliance between the two of them is likely to be rife with dissent and dysfunction. If they can manage to find a way to work together, they might not only achieve their respective birthrights but also get back to the place they were in before Damen's truth was revealed.

Even a king can hold out hope, no?

--

I remember finishing the second book in this series. The cliffhanger ending caused me to literally scream out loud. It was one of the most wonderful and frustrating endings of a book that I've ever read. So I was so excited to pick this one up and see how the story continued.

Overall, this is a very fitting conclusion to the trilogy. So many of the questions are answered and gaps are filled. And some of the things that readers didn't even know to question are explained. The twists and turns are in line with what someone who read the first two books would expect.

If you were one of the many peeps who got sucked into the world of Captive Prince, you'll know just how anticipated this long awaited ending to the trilogy has been. Having just re-read the previous volumes again, as catch up, I remember now exactly why Damen and Laurent’s story—which originated in the world of fan fiction—has become so iconic for its many besotted fans (raises hand!)

So the ultimate question is...

Was King's Rising worth the wait and did it match up to expectations?

Well, that’s always a personal observation, but, for me if you base that question on sheer enjoyment, an intense love of certain characters, and just how freaking enthralling it all was? Then the answer is a big fat resounding YES, YES,YES!

Right from the first page, I couldn't put this down. I didn't want to stop reading for anything (including eating and sleeping!) and when I'd finally shut my Kindle, I actually felt strangely bereft.

It’s a week or so later and I'm still missing Laurent and Damen!

The complexities of this series are legion and there was a hell of a lot to wrap up, with only a finite amount of pages in which to do it. So, if I was reviewing with my sensible head on and it came down to discussing and dissecting the final volume in minutia, I’ll be honest.

In retrospect could I have picked a few holes in some of King’s Risings plot twists and character actions? Yep. I probably could.

Did I want to? F*** no! Because you know what? Truth is I want to be transported from the mundanity of 'Real Life', and this trilogy did exactly that! The whole thing simply blew me away with its inventiveness, intriguingly exciting plot and magnetic characters, taking my life over for three whole days; and I loved every heart thumping minute spent immersed in its pages! At the end of the day this is fantasy fiction and if getting the story to the place it needs to be means employing a little poetic license here and there. So what! I'm certainly not going to get the hump over that!

Reading the trilogy back to back was the ultimate reading experience for me. Not only because both it's previously enticing endings left me panting for more, but because seeing the whole Machiavellian plot unfold in its entirety…from its attention grabbing start in Captive Prince, to the lip smackingly satisfying denouement in King's Rising…was a thing of beauty.

Every cunningly thought out move and countermove made by its tricky protagonists, elaborately and intricately plotted ...every shock revelation and reveal; breath hitching ...and every deliciously choreographed, sexually tense encounter between its two main protags, a sensual pulse raising dance of deceit and desire.

The Captive Prince Trilogy is most certainly one of the best things I've ever read in M/M and is firmly planted in my top three all time favourite reads. I wanted an all out emotionally charged, exciting, complex read and that’s exactly what I got!

A tale with its beginning, middle and end just happening to unfold seamlessly over three volumes, overall Captive Prince has been one of my platinum star reads and that's why, despite its odd moments of 'artistic freedom', King’s Rising still gets its full five stars from yours truly.

C.S. Pacat, I. Am. Undone!...or was that Mr Darcy? Haha...whatever! I'm still all of a doodah over Damen and love struck with Laurent!

Highly recommended and much loved by this reader.

Reviewed by Macky for Sinfully Gay Romance Book Reviews

You absolutely must read this series. Oh, wait. You must read it IN ORDER. When you read it, that is. Because there is no question, you MUST read it. I had never heard of the author before picking up the first book, but what began as whispers in the M/M community soon became a resounding gong of praise for the books that were once an internet phenomenon but are now traditionally published.

For those who haven't read any of the books, crown Prince of Akielos, Damianos, was captured by his elder half-brother's guard, chained and sent as a sexual slave to Crown Prince of Vere, Laurent, under the pseudonym "Damen". Vere and Akielos have had a truce since Damianos struck down Laurent's elder brother in battle, and Laurent swears he will kill Damianos. Damen must keep his identity hidden to preserve his life, escape, and claim his throne, now that his father has died. That's rather difficult because Laurent--while he wants little to do with Damen--is unwilling to release him. Further, Laurent is in a difficult spot, his uncle the Regent king, seems to want to remain on the throne, and is willing to sacrifice Laurent in border patrol in order to cement his own reign.

As the book opens, Damen's true name has been revealed in the company of Akielian troops and he takes control of a fort, prepares to battle the Regent's army and command his smaller garrison win against awful odds. His commanders believe that Laurent is using him, and their worry is great considering the unconscionable issue of Damen, their king, being a slave to a prince--no matter how frigid all believe Laurent to be. Will Laurent try to kill Damen now that he knows his identity? It'sa real feal that Damen suffers--especially as the months of living together and campaining have brought a particular closeness to Damen and Laurent--one that Damen is loathe to sever. One that endangers Damen's alliances with his own generals, and causes the Veretians to balk, as well.

It was an amazing set of political gymnastics keeping the combined forces of Veretians and Akielians together, and just when it seems they will win back their thrones the full treachery of both Damen's brother and the Regent of Vere becomes known. I wasn't shocked, as I fully expected those revelations--due to excellent foreshadowing--but the manner of revelation springs yet another trap that threaten both Damen and Laurent with execution. The machinations were amazing, and kept the pace incredibly taut. Further, the love story between Damen and Laurent is not easy. They must work at it, and build it, just as with their alliances. It is a quiet affair, because there is so much scrutiny, and yet it is packed with sexual tension, longing, loss and satisfaction. That said, it's not terrifyingly graphic, so those who are not fans of same-sex pairing do not need to shun the books. In the whole three-book series, I bet there are less than 10 pages of actual sex (that's 1% of the page volume...)

As a series, this is one I'd enjoy again and again. The storytelling is superb, and the resolution is hopeful and mostly happy.

4.5 rounded up.

WOW, this was a really wonderful conclusion. So frequently conclusions are a little disappointing, but I thought this did a really fabulous job wrapping everything up, and gave a believably hopeful ending!

So, first off, Laurent knew!! I kept going back and forth on it, and it totally makes sense that he knew all along, but still! Loved the change in his and Damen's relationship with the reveal, and OMG drunk!Laurent was too freaking adorable.

I felt so much for Damen, completely in over his head and trying to deal with his feelings for Laurent and be a leader and king. I honestly thought Laurent would hold out for longer than he did, and I was most pleased when they came back together. God, and when Laurent commanded his slave to get him water and Damen got up...that gave me a lot of feels.

Again, this is a minor thing, and totally personal, but I had kind of hoped we'd see an evolution of their sexual dynamic and we *almost* did at the end, but it was like, half a page. IDK, it was hot and meaningful and sweet etc. but as much as I wanted to be SO INTO IT, it ended up feeling a bit repetitive and expected. Which, I get most people won't think, and it's really not a big deal in the scheme of things.

Really not a fan of the baby storyline, though it totally made sense. Thrilled how that turned out, and surprised by Jocasta's motivations. Laurent is too damn smart. And kind.

OH, and the ending! The symmetry! The scene where everything was revealed was really satisfying, and then Damen taking on his brother and Laurent stepping in! I do with we'd maybe gotten another chapter or two after that final showdown though. It sort of felt like ending a book right after the climax instead of giving us a few chapters of wrap up. Again, not a bad ending, but just one or two more chapters to really wrap things up wouldn't have been unwelcome.

But, loved how the author tied up all the loose threads, and Laurent and Damen's hopeful ending was perfect. Also, big fan of Damen saying he's going to abolish slavery in his country. That satisfied my comments from the first book regarding his uneven opinions on slavery/slaves. :D

Definitely a really fascinating series, and I wish I could have lived longer in this world! Expertly crafted plot, wonderful world-building, fascinating multi-faceted characters, and two gorgeously complex leads with some seriously fabulous chemistry. Glad I gave this one a shot (and extra glad I decided to wait until the third book was already out, because I would have died waiting for the conclusion!)

Very satisfying ending to this wonderful trilogy. Character driven, the plot's sole purpose is to drive the characters to expose emotions and rethink their once thought unmovable resolve. Foreshadowing plays out throughout all three books and come together in the back half of the third book wonderfully. Readers ride mainly from Damen's point of view, with the occasional tease of Laurent's on-goings on the side. The beauty in this fact is, we, Damen and the reader, find ourselves flustered in trying to figure out what he could be planning or thinking. Laurent is both open and mysterious at the same time, and as the third book unfolds you will find your suspicions from the previous two books being answered with care. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this! TO CHARLS AND HIS COUSIN, CHARLS!

Reviewed by Annie and posted at Under The Covers Book Blog

Fans have been eagerly awaiting for the last installment of the Captive Prince trilogy. C.S. Pacat created an obsession when she paired together Laurent and Damen, two men who couldn’t be different from one another. Damen is a warrior, forced into slavery for a man whose brother he killed. On the other hand, Laurent is powerful in his own right, always thinking, always devising a plan in that clever mind of his. One can never truly know what is going on in that head of his. Despite the fact that death separates them, there’s a constant pull between them that neither can resist. While Laurent continues to play his games, Damen tries his best to figure out if he has be trusted.

Pacat spends most of the book going over details that most Fantasy novels do. With the political aspects of this world, there’s plenty to explore. There’s games. Lots of mind games to keep you guessing. The uncertainty of whether or not Damen can be the leader he needs to be creates a thread of tension throughout the entire novel. And to make matters worse, readers will still be wondering where does Laurent stand in all this. Will he be an enemy standing in his way?

If you’re new to this series you can probably see that I’m making an effort to stay away from spoilers. With a series like this one, it’s better to read on your own. I will say though that this series is not for everyone. It involves violence, slavery. Even rape so if you know that’s not for you, it might be best to stay away. However, I do think this story is a special one. And I think that’s mainly due to the two male heroes who bring this story to life.

I will speak briefly about something that annoyed me about this book. I don’t know why but the writing in this one seemed less eloquent and choppy. In the very beginning, I had a hard time getting back into the world because of the order of certain words. This is a Fantasy novel so Pacat does what most other Fantasy authors do as well. They tend to drag out the tension until the very last minute, hitting you hard in the last third of the novel until you can barely breathe. It makes to a thrilling ride but I found the build up to be too drawn out. Maybe I just wanted more Damen and Laurent but you can’t hang me for wanting that, can you? Nevertheless, I don’t think fans of this series will be disappointed with the conclusion to this epic saga.

Since following the original edition of the story during the days of "freece", I was excited for Pacat-sensei to have the opportunity to be published and was naturally anxious to read the third and final volume. After much waiting and staring wistfully at my wishlist, I was at last able to acquire a copy from my local library. I couldn't put it down for the first twenty-four hours, and only just because I had other things to do and a job to attend that didn't offer much in the way of free time.

The story itself was, as with the first two, beautiful and artfully written. The culmination of all Laurent's strategizing and Damen's charisma had me once again at the edge of my seat, and vacillating between disappointment and exhilaration as I tried to predict the outcome of their confrontations. There isn't a doubt in my mind that I will be purchasing both editions of the trilogy as soon as my wallet permits, and will be rereading them many times in the years to come.

This series started out as a really challenging and interesting read in that it established a highly problematic world with problematic characters. The relationship between Damen and Laurent is full of tension, both negative and positive. That tension is what keeps this series alive. In this book the tension is just off balance. For the first third of the novel the protagonists are alone together for about 4 times. I feel a disconnect which is disconcerting in a novel that depends on the relationship. Although the ending is satisfactory I felt that it didn't adequately address many of the problems between Damen and Laurent. More than that I felt that Laurent's change of character was much too sudden. Overall it was a quick read but it left me wanting more.

5 (I LOVED this book so much) stars!

Trilogies scare me, because I have been let down by book 3 more often than not. Every bad ending I have read in a trilogy was just redeemed with this book. I can honestly say each book was better than the previous in this series, IMO!

We start out with action and nerves right away with Damen's true identity being revealed. We go from that to possible double crossing and the action never slowed from there. I had thought Damen and Laurent's relationship probably peaked in book 2...boy, was I wrong! The relationship between these two was the primary focus of this one and after the slow burn we have endured throughout I can say the wait was worth it! My love for Laurent was solidified. Don't get me wrong, I love Damen too, but Laurent has that mysteriousness and frosty demeanor that I love. Some may say that the ending was a too tidy and a little too rushed, but I think with the growth that these two had throughout, it was highly possible and probable. They became almost unstoppable. Brains and braun :) I highly recommend this series.

I'm going to write just one review here for the whole series. I read all three in very short succession. Surprising considering the first had more sex than I am strictly comfortable reading, especially considering that most, if not all sexual practices going on in the background (and in one case the foreground) of the first book were nonconsensual. But the sexual activity dropped considerably in the second and third books, and the majority of the novels were just as focused on political intrigue, clever twists, and planned machinations between characters as it was on the growing relationship between the two main characters. They constantly had me shocked and surprised. The chemistry between the main characters in the second two books is what really made this series for me. I enjoyed every interaction. The ending was perfect; good, satisfactory writing.
I love these books, but I won't be recommending them to real life friends because I'm embarrassed by all the gay sex. But maybe my internet friends.

This book/series is AMAZING!!!! I absolutely love Laurent and Damen. Their chemistry is wonderful. All of the obstacles they overcame plus their past history made their love story all the better. This was definitely my favorite in the series. So much happened in this book!!! I loved the entire journey. I'm so glad i stumbled onto this series three years ago. The wait was definitely worth it! I recommend for everyone to re-read the first two before going into this book. The third book starts right were the second ends. This was one of my favorite series ever <3

This was good and if I wasn't comparing it to the first two I might have ended it happier than I did. I did not feel it was as tightly plotted as the previous ones, especially the second, and I felt...I felt what I think is the hand of the big, traditional publishing house in it. For example, one of the things Pacat was criticized for in the first novels was not critically engaging with the subject of slavery and in this one she went to great and I thought artificial lengths to say slavery is bad. Of course it is, but the world as developed and the story as progressing did not often lend itself to changes of opinion on the matter. It felt like a concession to make the world more palatable to a wider. And to a large degree I felt this in the whole tone of the novel, like someone had polished the edges off, where it had been those contours I most appreciated in the previous books.

There were also just too many convenient occurrences that saved lives and last minute remembrances or mysteries figured out, such that maters basically resolved themselves. So, I end this novel torn between still enjoying it (I still love the characters and there is some genuine humor in it) and being a bit disappointed that it didn't stand up to expectations.

Note: borrowed from library

So, in all fairness, it's been a while since I've read the first two books. So some things might have gotten a little jumbled in the gap, because I don't remember every single scene that they were referencing. Fortunately, I remembered how book two ended, as this one picks up directly afterward.

And by directly, I mean directly.

This was an immensely satisfying conclusion to a great series. I really appreciated a few scenes in the middle in which, in the middle of all this angst and turmoil and revolution, Pacat took the time for some light-hearted scenes of absolutely comedy and character friction. It was a lovely light moment (and a few of the lighter moments between Damen and Laurent--yes, there are some! Finally!).

If anyone gets like I did and worries about whether or not Damen and Laurent can even find themselves a happy ending, the answer is yes, I promise a happy ending. Is it entirely realistic? Eh. That's arguable, I suppose, but it made me happy, so I don't find myself overly bothered.

Kings Rising picks up right where Prince's Gambit ends. Damen is now among his people of Akielos and the men of Vere who were under his command are outraged that they've been following "the prince killer" in battle. However, with the arrival of the Akielos men, it's time for Damen and those willing to fight to take a stand against the Regent of Vere and help Laurent claim his rightful place as king. Except things don't go quite as planned and before you know it you are left scrambling trying to figure out what just happened and what is in store for Damen, Laurent, and their people.

*Stands and applauds* Now THAT was an amazing ending to a trilogy. Like I said from day one of Captive Prince, I wasn't sure I would fully enjoy this trilogy given the fact that I don't read much fantasy or m/m romance. However, Pacat has made me a fan of both... as long as she write it, of course. The sexual tension was on point, the sex scenes were steam worthy without overdoing it, the politics of war and lands weren't as boring as I fought they'd be, and the whole story was beautifully done that in the end I was left wanting more. More time inside Damen's head, more time discovering the different layers of Laurent, and more time just being in their world. Ugh, I think I have a book hangover.

Speaking of point of views, for the entire trilogy we were in Damen's POV but we do get a glimpse from Laurent's side. It's not a whole heck of a lot and at first I thought I knew why the author showed us Laurent's side... and then I had no freaking clue because what I thought was going to happen, didn't. All of a sudden I found myself as lost and confused as Damen and it didn't make much sense because I was there with Laurent, I read his inner-most thoughts, and yet I didn't understand what was happening with him when we jump back into Damen's POV. That is how complex Laurent is. I said it multiple times before, this trilogy is a chess match and Laurent is the King of the game. He schools his emotion, he keeps everyone at a distance, he keeps the readers guessing, and yet towards the end of it all, Damen knows exactly what he's up to. Me, I hadn't the faintest idea until it was all laid out for me.

The romance between these two characters is not something that happens overnight. It's is slow building. Extremely slow. After all, Damen is Laurent's slave. A slave he had whipped nearly to death just because. Laurent hates the Akielos people. He finds them barbaric and the fact that their crowned prince Damianos killed his older brother when he was just a boy really doesn't help matters either. So, it takes a really long time for them to establish any sort of relationship. It was a huge tease leading up to it but I loved every second of it.

"I hated you," said Laurent. "I hated you so badly I thought I'd choke on it. If my uncle hadn't stopped me, I would have killed you. And then you saved my life, and every time I needed you, you were there, and I hated you for that, too."

The Captive Prince trilogy snuck up on me. I wasn't expecting to be so captivated by the story. I wound up finishing it within a week. All three books within five days. That is how deep I was into the story. I don't tend to like slow plots but I loved this one. The slowness of it was necessary. Even knowing how the books ends, I KNOW I missed things. So much is going on behind the foreground that you really need to pay attention to what's said and what's going on in order to keep up.

A must-read for any LGBT/Q fantasy nerds - such as myself. It may be most appealing to gay men, however I think it's important to 'see' things from someone else's perspective. Avoid being a jaded heterosexual who thinks "gays are just confused". The major advantage for this series is that all three books are extremely exciting; definite page-turners. The romantic relationship between the two main characters is dramatic (NO DOUBT!) but not hyperbolically. Each character is fleshed out, with realistic motivations. The bitter history between these two kings is the major roadblock in the way of true love. Damen having killed Laurent's older brother during a battle, as well as the long and tumultuous history between their two countries, seeks to keep these boys from coming together. It's just riveting. The slow build-up of tension between Damen and Laurent. Damen's fervent pining for this light-haired, light-skinned prince. Just do yourself a favor - read these books! You won't regret it.

To wait for a long 3 years before the release of the (hopefully) final chapter of Captive Prince, I would have to say that I was disappointed that Pacat's skillful portrayal of wits and cunning moves were not fully display in this book. Unlike the first two books that kept readers surprised at the twists, this book had less.

What this book did have more was the intimacy between the two male leads, which brought this book lower to the level of other bad-plots erotic M/M ebooks. Well, not all the way down but it did feel like this book sacrifice the 'dignity' of the story-telling.

It still feels like the author was avoiding any plot that would involve grand battles, to be safe and keep the story, revolving between the few characters only, just like in Book 1 and 2. Yes, there was one at the beginning of Book 3, but more were expected. The display at the friendly show-off games between the two troops were unnecessary. It felt like this was thrown in, just to stretch the length of the book.

I was expecting more. However, I could still accept this book, although after the first two, I would say that this book did not really deliver.

I loved this series and wanted to love this book. But I didn't. The plot went off the rails and the characterization suffered for it. There were thing in this book that were still beautiful and fun, but it was all in all a disappointing end to a great series.

What a conclusion! So spectacular and action packed! I will admit some twists caught me off guard, although--trying to avoid spoilers here-- I didn't expect that twist hinted at in the end of the second book to actually be true! That totally changed how I view the events of first two books!
The ending was maybe a bit abrupt for me but I'm always hungry for more. Highly recommend!!

Just as emotional, as exciting and unusual as I hoped it would be! I'm giddy with happiness right now, the emotions just overwhelm me - maybe later I'll be able to write more coherent comment. I loved this book, it was perfect, Laurent and Damen are so complex... one of my most favorite couples, I'll never forget them and I look forward to reading about them again.

The third and final chapter in the Captive Prince story is finally here. Be still my heart from the eagerness and excitement I felt to pick it up and start reading. Things were left on that ominous cliffhanger at the end of book two. I liked that the book provided a map and a cast of characters at the beginning to reacquaint me since it has been a while since I was in the Captive Prince world. But then I dived in for an epic battle, a heart-stopping long time coming confrontation, a shocking twist, and oh so much more of all the things I love about this series.

This is a three-part story and as such, it really needs to be taken in order. Its a long epic journey and no part is to be missed along the way. Decadent, diverse, full of intrigue, slow build character and relationship development, and a whole encompassing breath-taking story.

I anticipated this one so much that I forgot to prepare myself for the fact that this was it- the beginning of the end. What an amazing story!

Normally, I would summarize the story, but the spoilers start right away and I don't wish to diminish anyone's pleasure. Let's just say that all that the reader anticipates is well worth the wait. Damen and Laurent never lose the tension that has been there all along. Laurent plays his deep game and Damen works to understand and decide if Laurent can be trusted. Meanwhile, Damen's brother and the Verentian Regent work to hold the thrones they usurped. Can Damen come into his own and be the king he needs to be? Will Laurent's plots see them to victory or be one more enemy Damen must defeat?

It was all so very exciting. And that ending... I don't think I even breathed in that final fourth of the book. Wow! Reveal after reveal and of course danger and excitement.
Though the end was the one part I was left mildly dissatisfied. I think I would have been dissatisfied no matter what, but this one did leave me needing a bit more of a peacetime scene after all that has gone on before. This was the big end and I guess I wanted a tapering off.

All in all, strong finish to the end. I want to go back and experience the whole thing over again. I highly recommend this trilogy for M/M Fantasy Romance lovers who like the Capture/captive trope.

My thanks to Penguin Group for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I reread one and two before this came out, and the five stars is for the whole series. I wish it hadn't ended so abruptly, and it wasn't as good as the first two books, but this was still a really special reader experience. I almost can't believe it's finally out! It feels like I was waiting for this book for years.

I absolutely loved this book. I am a little surprised at the negative feedback and I wonder if people are just frustrated with the time it took to come out. I enjoyed the characters and plot as much as I did in the first two books. I wish there had been an epilogue. The ending felt a little sudden and an epilogue to wrap everything up would have helped complete the book. Despite this, I still think this is a five star book.

OH MY GOD It's over :( But it was so perfect. Like, I loved it. The writing to these books is just so beautiful, and the characters! I love 'em (and hate 'em, but I love my babies). A beautiful ending to a fantastic trilogy. Now, gimme my epilogue :D

3.5-4 stars

My ratings of the full series:
1. Captive Prince = 3 stars
2. Prince's Gambit = 3 stars
3. Kings Rising = 3.5-4 stars

So I've been in the minority when it comes to this trilogy. So many people love it but I always found myself thinking differently. I enjoyed this final book a lot more than the first two. Mostly because I rarely skimmed when reading this one, but books 1 and 2 I skimmed A LOT. And I realized this book was different because I felt they actually got to the point fairly quickly throughout this book, whereas the other previous books felt tedious with political intrigue (which to be completely honest, is not my cup of tea).

Others have said what was revealed in this book was super obvious from the beginning of the series, but I liked that the author gave a definite answer to these questions, rather than leave us guessing. I also felt we saw a totally different side of Laurent, and this is what I was waiting for the entire series and why I liked this third one so much more. He felt one dimensional to me in the other books (even though it was obvious he wasn't). Pacat was able to explore more sides of him in this final volume and I loved it. I wish it had been that way the whole series.

Now that the series is done I may go back and reread from the beginning. See if the ending gives me a different perception on the events in the earlier books. But, since political plots are not my cuppa I may not go back. We will see.

I can understand the hype about these books and while they were not so epic for me, I recognize the talent and originality this author brings to the genre. I look forward to more from her in the future.

The ending this amazing series deserved - I LOVED Kings Rising! Laurent will go down in literary history as one of most complex characters ever. His and Damen's story unfolds layer after layer and plot twist after plot twist. For fantasy fans, romance fans, LGBTQ fans, and everyone in between. I can't fangirl enough about this OTP ship! And C. S. Pacat's writing is just incredible - a talent to watch for sure.

it has that perfect ending "everybody lives happily ever after" that depending eending on what you enjoy in books could either be a let down or the best thing ever. its still a must read i really loved the charcters and the plot was good. the third book is the only book that i would complain about in this trilogy.

This book deserves all the praise it has been receiving. A satisfying ending to a beatiful series. I seriously can't laud over it enough. If the main romance was F/M, then this series would be one of the biggest and most profitble out there. It's a shame that most people won't get to experience these masterpieces because of their blinding prejudice. This book is just so wonderful.

This third book of the trilogy did not disappoint at all. Complex character development, at least of the protagonists, combined with ever-shifting alliances, made it irresistable. Full of angst, but believable--I gulped it down in a day, and now regret it, because what shall I read now that will be half as absorbing?

I read this book months ago, but Kings Rising is the climatic (pun intended) end to the Captive Prince trilogy and any pre release talk was punishable by...I don't know, but I wasn't going to chance it. I will keep this spoiler free because everyone has been waiting to find out how this story plays out. Kings Rising is definitely worth the wait and if you've read the first two books, RUN and get this one cause...*slaps hands over mouth*

The story is told from Damen (Prince Damianos of Akielos) POV. He was raised by a loving father, the king. The people of his kingdom are sexually modest and treat their slaves with reverence. It was his naive and trusting nature that made him susceptible to the treachery of his brother. Even though he was put through humiliating and awful circumstances, as a slave to the Prince of Vere, he never forgot who he was or compromised his principals. Just an all around great guy. His polar opposite is Laurent, the Prince of Vere. He is now one of my all time favorite fictional characters. Laurent was raised in an environment of corruption and betrayal. The one person he could trust and love, his brother, was killed in battle. Left at such a young age to fend for himself, he had to rely on intelligence and cunning to survive.

Watching Laurent battled his desire to trust and let Damen in was heart-wrenching. The feels! This trilogy will forever be on my favorite shelf. I can count the number of books I've reread on one hand...but I will be revisiting this one again.

This series gets a rating I've only given once before 10 "my little cinnamon roll" Sheep!

I'm disappointed. I've waited so much for this book and then I had to skip pages about descriptions of forts, lands, unknown landlords that did have nothing to do with the development of the story. It became a show of writing abilities that we didn't need. We already knew C.S. Pacat is good at writing, I guess she should just choose better the object of her writing.