Captive Prince (The Captive Prince Trilogy)

I used to read a lot of slash fiction online, but haven't done so in the past eight years or so.. I'm sorry that I missed Captive Prince the first time around, when it was originally published in serial form on Livejournal. It's still available free online, but I bought both volumes in ebook format after reading the first chapter - this first-time author is most definitely worthy of your support!

Yes, the overwhelming 5-star reviews are REAL! This is an amazing story, the best I've read in a while. The characters are full and vividly portrayed. The tension between the two main characters, Damen and Laurent, is so finely done. The politics and intrigue of the relationship between the two kingdoms, Vere and Akielos, will keep you interested, even for those not normally drawn to political/historical thrillers. Here and there I felt that the writing could have been tightened up a bit, but overall, the writing is eloquent and erudite. I would say that the writing brings together the style and feel of Mary Renault (Fire from Heaven/Persian Boy) and Peter Hopkirk (The Great Game [non-fiction about 19th century Afghanistan]) mixed with a healthy dose of adult slash.

Bravo! I'm eagerly waiting for the third volume in this series.

The plot of this book is something I have never read before and love ever minute of. The characters, circumstances, and development of the story have captivated me thoroughly. A fine addition to my library.

I started reading when it was posted on livejournal and I was drawn in instantly! It may seem like a cliché trope ridden premise but S.U. Pacat is able to turn it on it's head into a rich fantasy world with clever intrigue and thoughtful world building.

Great book with use of strong vocabulary and nice flow. The character development is strong, and I'm wondering how I'll come to like Laurent as I suspect I will (he's certainly quite the protagonist so far). I'm hooked.

This book should come with a trigger warning: There is a lot of rape and uncomfortable situations. In fact, I don't think there is consensual sex once within the entire book, and there are some uncomfortable implications about slaves enjoying being pleasure slaves that I wasn't totally ok with--if they're a slave, no matter how doting the master may be, it doesn't make it ok, and that doesn't seem to be entirely clear in the book. That being said, I couldn't put this book down. The story is captivating, and it is unlike anything I've ever read before. Honestly, I never expected it. At times it made me uncomfortable, but the characters are complex, and they only grow throughout the series. In fact, I think the second book is much better than the first one, and once I read one I quickly plowed through the entire series. This book is truly unique, a compelling plot with a good romance, and if you're looking for something to challenge your expectations of the usual fantastical war-plot this book certainly does that!

There is something very charismatic about the characters themselves, I'll grant you that. The storyline itself has been traversed many times before, and if you've read any medieval or renaissance era bodice rippers, you will recognize the familiar themes of violence, sexual depravity, and other savageries. I'll give the author points for attempting some original world-building, ableit some of it trite. There's a recognizable plot hole distraction wherein one country seeks only same sex partners for a reason that never quite makes sense, and the overuse of obscure terminology and phrasing that seems intent on trumpeting the author's (self-declared) intelligence rather than building momentum for the story's natural flow. And that is this book's (and its successor's) problem: the entire swath would benefit from a ruthless editor. There's a gem here, waiting to break free from the convoluted prose and unnecessary exposition. Unfortunately, it's so mired in ostentation and pretension, it might as well be one of those wagon wheels mired in the muck of a medieval road.

Loved this story. The author has created a whole world that is very detailed and thought out. The main characters, Damen and Laurent, are complex and deep. I really appreciate a new sort of adventure/love story and can't wait for the next volumes to come out to see how the story plays out.

I hated giving Captive Prince anything but a five star review since the story is fantastic but I felt like I had to because the ebook itself frustrated me so much.

Unfortunately, the ebook didn't keep any of the scene breaks that signaled a change between one scene to another (usually done with either several lines space between paragraphs or some kind of visual spacer like a line of dots). This made reading the story straight through very confusing and annoying since it made me think I was missing pages several times or that the ebook must have downloaded incorrectly.

Every time it happened, it would completely destroy the flow of the story and jar me right out of that head space where you forget that you're reading a book. It was really annoying and eventually I just gave up and reread the originally posted version online instead.

It's amazing how something as small as scene breaks can make all the difference and i can easily see how this could convince someone new to reading the story to just put it down and never pick it up again.

A friend recommended Captive Prince Vol. 1-2. I'm so glad she did or I would have missed these books altogether.

The subject matter of a prince being sold into slavery to an enemy kingdom so he cannot take the throne is a definite plus for me. But even for those not into captive/slave fiction, this book still offers good solid writing and amazing characterizations that play out slow reveals of character secrets and vulnerabilities that make it a page turner.

When I read, I want good characters and solid character building. The author does such a good job in that arena, while also building the tension and chemistry between two main characters who have every right to want to kill each other, but instead slowly come to admire and respect each other's respective strengths. Though the characters are very opposite in some ways, they are alike in more. Both are princes who were groomed to rule. Both have had to face duplicitousness and deception and betrayal within their own ranks. Now one is the "owner" of the other. The awkwardness and humiliation of that is later overshadowed by a growing dependency they develop for each other, including carefully and artfully set up scenarios where they must save each other's lives to survive. Though born enemies, each needs the other to attain his goal, one to ascend the throne alive, the other to escape back to his home kingdom

The set up is compelling to say the least, and ingenius. Seemingly invulnerable characters slowly show vulnerabilities but without ever breaking character. The build up of their relationship is slow and steady. There is no sex between them in the first novel but unlike another reviewer stated, it is not a disappointment because we know there are 2 more books (the third coming soon, I hope.) Knowing this in advance, I did not expect much to be resolved in this first volume, which is why I bought both volumes at once and why I can still give this volume a 5 star even if it's not the complete story. There is no secret here that this is a trilogy. And if you fall in love with the characters as I have, you will not begrudge buying more books about these guys. In fact, I am thrilled that there is more to read. I didn't want this first book to end, and when it did, knowing there are two more is a great feeling.

This review contains big plot spoilers and plot guessing (shame on me), and should be considered as a review for books one and two.

First off, because I like to be upfront where I got/purchased a book, I read both books in this series on LiveJournal first. Why? Because a recent reviewer abandoned the first story. I noticed when I received my Goodreads email.

Of course an abandonment always makes me curious when so many others shove a five star rating on the same book. Curiosity led me to look at the store reviews, especially the bad ones, and then I found a mention that the entire first novel was over on LJ and off I went. To be honest, the title did not encourage me to want to read (because it sounded like an erotica novel) and nor did the sample. When it all comes down to it, bad or good, the reviews never help me decide. It's the sample.

The sample wasn't all that great. I didn't get enough clues to know if the book would be worthwhile. Rather, I was given a bad impression. But I was still curious and so began reading on LJ.

So why the four star? Well, I knocked off a star for the sample. I should probably knock off another for poor punctuation in the LJ versions, but perhaps the author fixed those in the eBook; I don't know. Doesn't matter really. I gave the four star for the remaining content after the poor beginning.

Why do I feel the beginning is poor? We have a prince who is assaulted, coming out of a sound sleep to witness his sex slave butchered before his eyes and then he is beaten, chained and placed in the slave quarters prior to becoming a slave to an enemy prince.

What are his reactions? Anger. Sure. Fear...? Well, the impression is dim. Panic? Dim again. Murderous outrage? Ok, sure. There was that. Caution? Too much, probably, considering there should have been more panic. Shock? Not enough shown. Denial? Yeah, but it was naive, a bit too naive since the POV character (and there is only one for this story) didn't show the shock necessary to make it plausible. Basically what I'm saying here is that the first chapters glossed the reality of the captive prince's situation. Panic is mentioned. Naivety is mentioned. But did I feel it like one does when fully engaged with a character? No, not really.

But perhaps the writer had good reason to do it. Perhaps the story would have been too grim if the more realistic aspects were shown. This is a prince--raised to believe he was all but sacrosanct--getting torn from his bed and having a full social reversal. He becomes a nobody, a slave, a sex slave. There should have been a hell of a lot more emotional upheaval, but I didn't see any real depths emotionally until after the sample, when the captive confronts the possibility of a violent rape. Actually, just a bit before, he confronts that someone inserted an oiled finger into him to prepare him. His absolute unthinking shock was the first intimation of realism for me.

Oh, yeah. Not much sex in the first novel, btw. There is some groping and a semi-faked rape. This is not an erotica novel. And there's why the title put me off. I didn't want to read an erotica novel. Most of those have no plot. I like plot. This story has plot and not much sex at all, though it doesn't shy away from sexuality.

For me, the story is very worth reading for what follows the sample. Get underneath the politics and the warfare in this story, and you find love at the roots, a false love, a fetish that pretended love, and there at the end of that love, the broken young man who still hasn't fully accepted a rejection that occurred because of a change in his body. He grew up. And now he is unloved.

Now place this burden on a man destined to be a king and you have what I feel is a really engaging story, a very human story, and I really do want to read to the end to see Laurent rise above his early trauma and win at everything he sets his mind to.

I have to give major kudos to this author. Captive Prince is a non-magical fantasy world in which the pedophilia is realistic (but not at all graphic). Pacat nailed the details of pedophilia that truly ruin lives, the details that haunt a victim long afterward. The author has, in this series, grasped the depths of what a victim goes through who was seduced to love his victimizer, and also the depths of manipulation and control a pedophile levies on his victims. And it's all set in a world where few question the rights of high born men who do this, yet the story questions it very thoroughly.

Four stars for book one. Five for book two. Highly recommended.

P.S. Purchased as an ebook after.

I was not aware there was a lot of rape featured in this book. The writing was good, but the content was just not for me. I should mention that I only read the first 3 chapters because of the content, so maybe it gets better

I was honestly distraught by how much I enjoyed it. Read with caution, and if you can get past the early graphic scenes, then throw caution to the wind as you fall for the characters and Pacat's excellent prose.

So I should preface this review by saying that I read the "Captive Prince" series (or at least the first two books which had been out at the time) when they were first written on LiveJournal/Wordpress. And I adored them. I was caught up in the political intrigue and the burgeoning romance and the emotional conflict between the two main characters. But then I was left with the cliffhanger at the end of Book 2 and had to wait probably a good 5-6 years or so before finding the finished series here. And in that time I've grown up, my tastes have matured, and I have to say I actually hate this series now, which rather upsets me since I remember the series so fondly from my first reading.

As other readers have noted, this book is written extremely simply with only a few fancy words thrown in here and there. After just finishing the "Lord of the White Hell"/"Champion of the Scarlet Wolf" series by Ginn Hale, a series written primarily for young adults and with MUCH better world building, plot, characterization and likeability, I could barely even get through Pacat's first book again. I actually had to put the book down after reading the terrible prologue because it was just so frustratingly simple, rushed, and non-engaging.

I also have a to admit I have a hatred for the trope of the "bad-but-not-bad character" who is only the way he is because of terrible things that happened to them in their past. In Captive Prince we have to suffer through all of Laurent's crap with not-so-subtle hints at what his deplorable uncle did to him when he was young. Yes, we get it, you're all emotionally stunted and have body issues because of your past but that doesn't automatically make you sympathetic and justify all of the deplorable things you do to others. Honestly, I can suspend my disbelief in "non-con" romances, but only up to a point, and this series just goes way beyond my tolerance/believability level.

There's Damen who, as others have noted, is insufferable in his unwillingness to adapt to his present situation--and in his incomprehensible emotional attraction to Laurent. Perhaps the series could have been better if the author had actually shifted POV between the two characters rather than only describing events through Damen's experiences because what we have now is an entire first book that is nothing but enslavement, rape, torture, angst, and really nothing else. There's no real world building, no real character development, no real connection between the two characters.

I know one can get swept up in the titillation of how "depraved" the actions in the book are and I know these types of books aren't generally meant to win any literary awards... but still, there are SO MANY more books out there deserving of the attention. I bought the whole series together out of nostalgia and wanting to finally finish the series after so many years but I deeply regret it now--same with buying the whole Twilight series in hardcover. In fact, I kind of associate both series similarly in my mind: both seem so deep and emotionally connecting when you're young or don't have much experience with their respective genres, but once you branch out more and read more, better titles, you get to experience so many better, beautiful worlds, stories, and characters. Then, coming back to something like this it just feels too simple, lacking too much, and severely aggravating because it has garnered so much attention when the better stories have not. It is frustrating too because you can now see these old stories had the potential to be something much better than they turned out to be.

I first read this series shortly after entering college and right after reading the "Twilight" series. At the time I loved both. But as I and my tastes have matured and I've had time to reflect on them, both series leave a terrible taste in my mouth. I have a feeling this series got big by focusing on rape/slavery/humiliation, which mainstream audiences associate with BDSM culture. (Streamlined) BDSM culture has recently become popular via the "50 Shades of Grey series" and so I feel Penguin (really, Penguin?) snatched up the title to cash in on this craze for M/M romance readers.

Again, I used to love this series and I can understand the sentiments of those who do. But I do implore you to branch out and read better books. One book that basically has the same kind of story as Captive Prince is Kate Sherwood's "Sacrati." This is only one book so is more digestible but even then it manages to develop likable characters, entangle them in life-threatening intrigue, enrapture them in some graphic sex scenes, and unleash them upon a much more developed historical-fantasy world. And, if you want something a little less graphic and much more emotionally-engaging then I would suggest anything by Ginn Hale, James Erich, or Astrid Amara. They deserve much more attention for their much more finely-crafted novels.

OK, that was a lot to get off my chest... I didn't really want to bash this series but being so disappointed in something you used to adore is not a pleasant feeling. But I do want to say that I respect C.S. Pacat for following through on her dream project and I really hope she improves upon herself with her future works!

Definitely, this is an adult novel with graphic scenes of inhumane treatment, explicit sexual servitude, and brutal behavior. Fortunately, despite some distasteful, unpleasant events in the story, the author adeptly doesn't over dwell or beats the reader over the head. Actually, if you look at the context it all fits within this particular time frame and culture. Immediately, I would have put the book away if it only was a cover for soft porn. However, this book does flow avoiding the pitfalls of too much or not enough. I'm ready to go on to Volume 2. My rating is a 3.5. It was interesting at the end of the story the author gives us an additional perk at how a slave(Erasmus) was trained and than saved by a fellow slave from death.Personally, I'd prefer more of the main story at the end.

I have generally liked new dominion stories where the main character is either the new owner or the one encaptured. The author did a great job explaining the situation and to prevent this from becoming a Stockholm Syndrome moment.

Though the main character finds his new owner, Prince of another region, attractive he nevers tries or wants to be with him sexually. Then the constant mention that the main character preferred women, with the exception of some occassions is what really made me enjoy reading. I liked the idea that he was a man's man who indulged with whoever, but had a distinct preference.

What I did not like about this book was mainly based off of preference. The first non-substantial element is that the description of every character, to me, was creepy. Half of the people were very skinny and mentioned as having boy bodies not fully developed. Then it was commented how almost every single person was very pale, and the book references their paleness several times. Nothing about these people seemed remotely attractive when you're left picturing ghosts or zombies with blond or red hair.

The second issue was that the nemesis kingdom lived in a society where a man and woman would never have physical relations and you should be ashamed if you do. And then if you get married, you are required to, though you will probably still have men to sleep with. I get that the nation is supposed to seem like everyone is gay/lesbian (as the main female has a muscular female warrior as a pet) but the way it was interpreted...seems weird. Why then would the females engage in watching men forcefully mating or watching a blow job if they were not actually interested?

The book gets better towards the ending, when the nemesis prince actually shows an ounce of likability. But the fantasy stopped for me half-way through. Unfortunately will not be reading the rest of the trilogy.

I suppose I should preface this with the books I’d read prior to this series. For someone as literarily inclined as me, I tend to get used to one author’s tone of voice and style, making the shift from one to another more than a little jarring. That said, the books I’d chanced across before this one in particular consisted of Patrick Rothfuss’s Kingkiller Chronicles (books one and two), Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Margaret Atwood’s Alias Grace. All of these books possess a poetic sense of scenery, a fluidity of movement, and above all, a controlled grace only a well-weathered writer can subtly wield within their work.

I’m prefacing this review with all this because I feel it’d be unfair to the author of Captive Prince if I didn’t. CS Pacat’s novel is no doubt her first attempt at writing a series, and for taking that plunge through internet forums is impressive. However, the novel is not deserving of the gilded reviews it’s been receiving.

For one thing, the book is lacking in imagery. Or, rather, maintained imagery. Short, curt descriptions of areas can be found, yes, but then never touched upon; whereas in character description, movement, and dialogue, the scene unfolds and becomes more clear. It reads like a first draft in this respect, leaving the reader’s vision clouded where a scene begins, gives clarity once a scene has reached its peak, only to cloud the reader’s view just before the end, leaving them disoriented and lost. If the entirety of the novel had been lacking in description, I probably wouldn’t be as irritable about this writing style, but the point is that this was supposed to be ready for publication, polished, and strong. And instead, it reads like a fanfic written by a sleep deprived teenager.

Which brings me to the second item: world building. There’s no introduction to the world Damen and Laurent’s kingdoms reside in. No build of the general area, no map to guide the reader, not even a name to call the lands. Just terms thrown here and there and a list of characters and places in the front of the book the author assumed would be interesting enough for their audience to give a lick of attention to. It’s lazy writing at best, poor world building at worst, and confusing to read. In fact, there’s no development of the kingdoms in contrast to one another, just name dropping, a horrific glimpse into Vere’s preferred choice of entertainment, and the simple fact that Damen’s rooms in the castle are “ornate”.

Ugh.

Which leads into my third issue with this novel. A large part of this tale is the treatment of the slaves, namely Damen and his fellow Akielos countrymen. Damen’s dragged to and fro, pampered, and treated like a play thing. With some floral text, this could be rounded out into a far clearer list of events, even go into further development of the character, and perhaps, god forbid, give a glimpse into the societal differences of Vere and Akielos. But no, instead, we get a lot of bland sentences, movement, and above all, no character build aside from Damen going from being completely livid to taking a few beatings and deciding perhaps he’s been playing this wrong...only to contradict himself damn near instantly.
But then Pacat introduces Erasmus from the Akielos slave batch that’d been sent along with him and shows there’s abuse in their treatment as well. Only it isn’t described until a chapter after Damen realizes this, and even with that, it’s briefly. Which is poor writing and, once again, confusing to the reader. In this respect, the plotline feels flat, bored, and somehow still supported by the interesting cast of characters, all of whom seem despicable in some sense. Laurent is a spoiled prince who was most likely molested by his Uncle, is frigid and cold to everyone, and carries himself like he has a death wish. Damen is a prince sold into slavery by his usurper brother who just wants to get home but can’t seem to adapt for the life of him. King Ribald is a pedofilic man who brokered a treaty with Akielos, a treaty he’s shown defending against Laurent many a time, only to turn and attempt to murder his nephew in such a way that would give cause to war between Vere and the very kingdom he’d only just brokered a treaty with...which is quite possibly the most convoluted plan around. More irritatingly we have the King’s child whore, Nicais, who only adds to the overall cringe-worthy and angering tone of the book.

And I’m not even touching upon just how noncon riddled this book is. I went into this in the hopes of gaining context for all the beautiful fan art I’d been seeing online and came out of it feeling completely betrayed not only because of the near constant abuse mention and rape, but also because of the poor writing, the fact this somehow had raving reviews not just on Goodreads, but also on the store and Barnes & Noble, and the lack of warning in the summary (or even relevance to the story??). It was listed as a Mature Romance, yet there’s a considerable lack of romance and far too much nonconsensual sex and abuse to even leave one feeling as though this tale will end well for anyone in the cast.

TL;DR, Don’t read this book if you’re expecting good writing, development, and have issues with graphic depictions/mention of rape, pedophilia, abuse, and violence. Don’t read this book if you’re looking for romance. Don’t read this book if you’re looking for porn.

I was disappointed. The politics and intrigue were interesting, but the author treats the topics of slavery, rape and pedophilia too lightly for my taste. They aren't glorified, but they're transparent devices for reader gratification or calling out a character as good/evil. I didn't mind Damen, but I found Laurent to be a cliche "dark" love interest, whom we're supposed to forgive for his cruelty because of his traumatic past. The writing wasn't poor but didn't stand out. I found the characters' emotional reactions shallow and one-note. Damen's always angry, Laurent's always sour. I wish I could recommend this as a beach read because there are interesting elements, but the blase attitude toward very serious subject matter has put me off for good.

I think there may be a decent story here underneath the over-sexualized prose and disappointing writing style. This book could use a good editor. I am going to read the second book but I wouldn't recommend this one to anyone I know.

Well, that was weird.
It wasn't the worst book ever written, but it wasn't the best either.
The only thing good about this book is that it's a fast read. I read it in like few hours. And you know why? Because there is no plot WHATSOEVER! Seriously, no plot.
Damen, the MC, gets snatched by his overly ambitious brother and his power hungry mistress and is given to a prince of other country as a slave.
Laurent (the Prince with capital P) is a psycho douchebag, he beats Damen to an inch of his life, orders for him to be raped (yeah, boys and girls, forced oral sex is still rape), treats him worse than a dog. And yet, people still ship them.
Damen is beaing mistreated, tortured amost killed. And still people SHIP them.
I don't really have words for that.
One of the reviewers said (I'm sorry, I can't find her review to give her proper credit, but if you do, please tell me!) that "Shipping Laurent and Damon is the equivalent of shipping a Nazi concentration camp guard with a Jewish prisoner". Truer words have never been spoken.

Let me say one thing very clear. Rape isn't sexy. Slavery isn't sexy. Corporeal punishment isn't sexy.
This book glamourizes all of those things. You remember my review of "Stolen" by Lucy Christopher? That book glamourized stalking and kidnapping and tells you that Stockholm syndrome is love. This one is pretty much the same.
I'm sure (and I'm willing to bet money on it) that in the other two books of this trilogy we'll learn that Laurent is not just a psycho, but he's kind deep down inside, that he had horrible things happen to him and that's why now he's a douche, that he has his country interest at heart, that he wasn't really taught how to love, blah blah, blah.
If you know me, you know that I'm a sucker for characters like that. But even I have some boundries.
One of my biggest bookish pet peeves is explainimg douchebaggery by hard childhood or love disappointments. Nothing explains and justifies being an abusive, possesive jerk.

But enough with "the plot" (ha, ha ha, hilariuous). The worldboulding is very poor. We get names of the countries and that's all. There is nothing really innovative.
The way the author writes annoys the crap out of me. I'm pretty good with English language, but it got really annoying when I had to use the dictionary at almost every page. At some point I just shrugged and stopped checking.
The Author seems to be so in love with words that she feels it's beneath her to use words as mere mortals do. (Ppurtenances, peripatetic, damascened, febrile, machicolation, afroth, corrugated).

I picked up this book because of two reasons;
1. The hype (even though I should know better after Raven Boys)
2. LGBT relationship (yeah, "relationship" is a bit of a strech in this case).
I was gravely disappointed in both cases. First of all I don't really get the hype because the book is pretty bad. Second of all, I can't even.

If the book 2 won't pick up I will be pissed.

I bought this book because of all the great reviews I saw on Instagram and how much other people seemed to love it. After reading the first 40 or so pages I was disgusted that I gave this author a dime of my money. I tried to keep reading hoping all the sexual imagery was going to lead to a plot somewhere but when the author alluded to one of the main characters having to rape a child I had to put it down before I lost my dinner. I have never been so disgusted with a piece of "literature" in my life! Rape is not entertainment in any form and no one should profit from the idea that it might be acceptable.

I... couldn't believe this book was so popular. This is hardly the first, or last, time that a book with such a huge following will put me off but, still. Ah, Captive Prince let me down right from the very start--I had such high hopes for it based on the raving reviews many of my friends had given it. Sometimes, hype is attached to books that just don't do it for me and that is fine. We all have different things. Taste is, as they say, subjective.

But. But. But.

I felt very different about this one. Hm. Hm. Was the writing good? Sure. I'd say so. Yes, it was quite good in the way that makes me think the author has more stories to offer us at a higher quality. Emotion was there and the dialogue was pretty decent. It just wasn't my cup of tea and in all the promise it held, it fell flat and tripped over itself too many times to count. I remember within the first few chapters, I'd cringed so much, I had this bad feeling in my gut about this novel and frankly, it never went away or lessoned as the pages went by. I almost DNF it which I can't remember the last time I did that.

I found this book to be an odd mix-match of harmfully offensive plots, which somehow turned lackluster paired with strange-and-slightly lazy world building, and a few dozen other things in between. I thought there were some decent qualities of the book and perhaps didn't see all the good, but overall Captive Prince was not worth my time or my money. I feel like I did the time I picked up Fifty Shades of Grey; ready for this whirlwind romance that has captivated many but came away feeling decidedly disgruntled and frankly uncomfortable.

And I almost never say that. I am almost never put off by literature but this was one of those books that I could simply not find the appeal in. Like, at all. At. All. I wanted more for the characters and to be less... offended or disturbed in its pages. I've read better but I suppose I've also read worse. Perhaps I've missed something in the way the story flows--in this and its sequels--but this just wasn't for me on nearly any level.

Ouch. I am sure I am going to get hate for this--have mercy!

For me this book was not that great this books puts to much focus on homosexuality and sex with slaves and I’m a straight so this Homosexuality stuff was not for me and the main part the story moves really slow and first like couple of pages are really fast paced after that story becomes dull and after that its only sex sex and sex. I would totally not recommend this book to anyone

I don't think I had read the blurb or even a single review for this book before I read it, which is strange for me. I guess I made my decision based on random things I'd heard and general recommendations and, like, the title. It turned out, however, that I had the complete wrong idea about this book; I thought it would be a dark slave/master romance/erotica---which, aside from the dark part, I don't even usually like, so why exactly did I think this would be my kind of book?---but that wasn't what it was like at all.

The series did have a romance that started out as slave/master, but it wasn't some immediate jump from one to the other in a Stockholm Syndrome sort of way. In fact, there was zero romance in Book 1 and only a kind of potential romance in Book 2 (even though you know what's going to happen from the start). Plus, the slave thing was terrible but in a believable sort of way rather than being ridiculously extreme the way I was expecting it to be considering books tend to err on the extreme side of things and considering I have read so much worse in other books [hidden spoiler can be found in my review on my blog or Goodreads].

Ok, yes, the general debauchery and sexual abuse in the palace was excessive (so don't go into this book expecting something clean), but even that was written in a way that kind of didn't seem overdone? I guess I was able to believe that the nation of Vere, or at least those living in the palace, were just like that and that it was all normal to them. I mean, all the nations had sex slaves or pets, so if I could believe that, it wasn't much more of a stretch to believe they treated them horribly and made them "perform" in arenas and whatnot in Vere.

As for the things I liked about the book (since everything I've said so far was kind of just explanation)...

I loved the writing. It was so eloquent. I learned a lot of new words, but it never felt like the author went crazy with a thesaurus. The writing matched the story and Damen's character perfectly and was just a pleasure to read.

And speaking of Damen, he was another thing I loved. He was actually smart, did what he needed to, kept quiet sometimes even when people were goading him, didn't get bent out of shape over comparatively little things, etc. He kept his eyes on the goal, which was to escape and get back to his nation. And it was actually understandable the few times when he did mouth off or object or stop cooperating. I couldn't blame him because I probably would've done the same. I was also really glad that he didn't excuse Laurent's cruelty just because Laurent sometimes did something nice. He knew that Laurent was manipulative and only did things when he had something to gain from it. He didn't let himself be drawn in by Laurent's charms. I told you, no Stockholm Syndrome here.

Laurent was a well-written character too. Not a likeable person (well, I loved him by the end of the series, but that's not what this review is about), but good as a character. Cold and cruel and manipulative and ridiculously smart.

So overall, I was really surprised by this book and didn't want to put it down once I started. I was completely drawn in by the eloquent writing and the complex characters!

Rating: 4 Stars

Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight (link in profile)

C.S. Pacat does with CAPTIVE PRINCE what the bodice rippers of yore did with historical romance, the differences being that (1) this is a fantasy novel and not historical (and not really a romance) and (2) it is about two men. Apart from that, the structure is eerily similar to bodice rippers, from the plot to the role that the characters play to the way sex is used within the story. Damianos was prince of Akielos until his half-brother staged a coup and gave Damianos to the enemy country of Vere as a gift-slave for lolz. Damianos, now called Damen, finds himself the position of a sociopathic prince named Laurent who is busy fighting power struggles of his own with the Regent, his uncle. Vere is an utterly cutthroat court with courtiers stabbing each other in the back, and an utterly depraved view on relationships, with a society that appears to be structured almost entirely around rape: rape as punishment, rape as entertainment, rape as a means of showing power or getting what you want ... there is a lot of rape. Bertrice Small would totally write this story.

I like bodice rippers, so reading CAPTIVE PRINCE was kind of like a modern throwback to that style of writing. Pacat's writing is seriously #WritingGoals. Seriously, she writes in this really fancy and beautifully opulent way, and I even learned a new word ("marmoreal"). Which was good, because I felt like it lent a certain respect to the content; had this been written in a trashier way, I think I might have disliked the book more. It's pretty obvious from Damianos's reactions that he thinks that Vere is a messed-up place. I did balk at the pedophilia (underage preteen slaves and hints at someone being sexually molested) and the corporeal punishment and the mistreatment of animals (horses). These are things that I sometimes have difficulty reading about in fiction. But luckily, Pacat didn't go into too much detail. The rape scenes were very unpleasant, though - especially the gladiatorial rape games that the Veretians like to play, involving wrestling matches where the loser gets raped - but again, these seemed to speak more to the corruption of a society that is slowly falling into ruin as it's blinded by its own glittering bacchanalia, and not just writing shock horror for the sake of writing shock horror. At least in my opinion. I'm sure people will disagree. Some of my friends hated this book with a passion because of the things I mentioned, and I totally respect that.

What makes this book great - apart from the lovely writing - is Damianos. It's hard not to root for him. His bewilderment and fear and anger in the beginning are so poignant. And then, his determination to survive - even if it costs him his dignity and his honor. He's a very strong character with a strong sense of right and wrong. You want him to survive this nightmare court so he can go back to Akielos and kick his brother's butt. But survival is not easy - and that's where another thing I liked comes in: the court intrigue. Court intrigue is one of those things that automatically gets me interested in a book, and here it is done really well. I'm a sucker for scheming character, and the secondary characters are all total schemers, especially Nicaise and Ancel.

Laurent isn't really much of a love interest in this book. He's brutal and mean. He reminds me of the heroes in Rosemary Rogers, Marilyn Harris, and Patricia Hagan bodice rippers in the sense that he's virtually indistinguishable from the villains of the story, except for hints of vulnerability and a slight interest in the hero in this case that borders on outright disdain. He is incredibly cruel to Damen: whipping him almost death, drugging him and then entering him in the gladiatorial rape arena, forcing him to receive oral sex from another slave while a crowd of people watch. There's hints of why he is the way he is, cold and brutal and utterly repulsed by human contact, but that doesn't make it easy to stomach or at all excusable. I know he's the love interest because I've seen the spoilers and the fan art, so I can only hope that Laurent scales the mountains of heavens themselves in order to win Damen over once he gets it into his thick skull that he likes the man, because man, does he have a lot to atone for.

My edition also had a short story called THE TRAINING OF ERASMUS. I side-eyed the short story at first but decided to read it, and it was actually good. It's a prequel to CAPTIVE PRINCE about Erasmus and how he became a slave and then, after that, how he was brought to Vere. This also has an open-ended sort of ending that leaves it up to interpretation why he was removed from his royal duties. Was it cold-hearted scheming borne of jealousy? Or mercy cloaked in the guise of betrayal?

Overall, this was pretty good. Much better than I'd expected. I'm probably going to keep my copy because her writing is so amazing and I want to have it on reference as an example of how to string words together prettily. The content on the other hand is brutally dark and unless you are a fan of bodice rippers or are not particularly bothered by sexual violence, I would not recommend this to the faint of heart. Even if the book does not go into detail, it is still not an easy read.

4 to 4.5 out of 5 stars

I didn't know anything about this book before picking it up but someone I knew had mentioned it and the idea sounded interesting so I found a copy and read it.

I will be honest, I laughed not far into this story and proclaimed to my friend "I have apparently gotten a hold of one of those published fanfiction books!" and then described what I was reading in terms of whatever fandom pairing I wanted that easily fit the standard for this type of work. Apparently a Google search informs me that it really is original work, but anyone who has read fanfiction will note the similarities in style to just about anything you can pull up from fandom sharing sites. Especially in wording as I see it often enough in other works that it seems like the authour is only capable of using the same set of descriptive words, especially when it comes to anything sexy.

It is also because of this that there is a lot of predictability to what happens. Basically I spent most of the series going "I've read this all 100 times before" that nothing really stood out to me as particularly interesting or unique. I read the series as I would any fanfic: a fun, somewhat guilty pleasure that I will likely forget about soon after.

Damen's half-brother decides to make a play for the throne by killing their father, staging Damen's death, and shipping him off to a foreign country that they are just shy of being at war with. Worse than that, Damen's been selected to be the Vere's prince slave. You see, that's bad because Damen killed Laurent's brother in battle. Thankfully, Laurent doesn't know his true identity but that doesn't stop him from humiliating and torturing Damen every chance he gets due to his hatred of the Akielos people. Pretty soon, Damen finds himself needing to play along as being the civil slave in the hopes of escaping and returning to his homelands.

Captive Prince is a rather slow read. There's not a lot of suspense, adventure, or action. Think of Captive Prince like a chess match. Every piece is laid out and every move as a purpose even if you don't know what it is at first. You get little spurts of suspense or action here and there but Captive Prince really seemed like it was more or less setting the readers up to the world and the characters that the author created. With that being said, I wasn't bored one bit. There was no unnecessary drama, no over-dramatic scenes, and no major information dumps. Instead the author acclimates you to their world slowly and in doing so you start to immerse yourself in their world.

While this is a story that deals with male on male relations primarily due to the fact that the people of Vere view children born out of wedlock and not of noble lineage to be a huge no-no and means to be shunned. Instead of accidents happening, the nobles tend to stick to slaves or seek company from the same sex as to not accidentally end up with complications in their life. While I don't fully grasp this concept, it at least brought to life why so many men were walking around with male slaves.

While there isn't a lot of action in this book, there is a lot that goes on that was a bit uncomfortable. There's a "performance" that the nobles put on where their slaves grapple and fight. The end result of this fight is to have one dominate the other male fighter and "mount" him for the enjoyment of the crowd. Yeah, you read that correctly. Thankfully we only have to read about this once but trust me, once was more than enough for me. Not to mention that because they are but mere slaves, the nobles can pimp them out to other nobles, or even pair them off with another slave as to offer entertainment while they discuss business while watching the "performance" unfold. The whole thing was just demented and wrong. So, while there wasn't a lot of action going on, there was a lot of power-plays and pieces being put into place.

Captive Prince was a really enjoyable read. I don't tend to read m/m or books with a slow building plot. However, the author was able to grab my attention and hold onto it the entire time. I'm already clamoring to read the next book in the trilogy.

Absolutely brilliant! It was impossible to stop reading, impossible to drawn in the story, even if I developed a pet-hatred for a number of characters. But first things first, I want to congratulate Ms C.S Pacat for the wonderful novel, the setting and the characters.

The novel starts with the handsome prince of Akielos, Damen, who is betrayed by his brother Kastor, stripped of his title and sent as a pleasure slave to the enemy nation of Vere. His life becomes even more difficult when he meets the spoiled, manipulative prince Laurent, known for his coldness and difficult temper. If Damen was convinced that the Veretian court was full of liars and people without honour, his vision only darkens when he becomes the target of the Prince's anger and hatred. When Damen finds himself in the middle of a power game for the throne, he must join forces with Laurent if he ever hopes to save his country while keeping his identity a secret.

I became completely addicted to this novel and finished it in two days. The plot is brilliant, the descriptions are incredible, the writing style flows very nicely and the pace of the story-line didn't allow me to grow bored for even a second. Only compliments! I think the best word is definitely "Captivating". I developed a hatred for Laurent and I think it's impossible to like him. He acts has a spoiled brat, cruel to those who defy him but at the same time, I have to admit, he acts with care. I have the feeling that he had a traumatic childhood and his coldness and detachment have something to do with that. I really liked Erasmus. He is the representation of purity and innocence even with his background and painful experiences. It was impossible not to grow attached to him.

Don't hesitate in buying this novel, not even for a second. It's a fresh M/M story unlike any other that you have read so far that you'll grow addicted to. Definitely worth the 5 stars!

I finally bit the bullet after spending an hour looking through the fan art shared in a reviewer. OMG! Now I know why this series is so popular. I started reading at 11.30pm after finishing a book, thinking I might just wanna have a little tease of what this is all about. In the end, I read till 4am.

There are lot of wrongness in this book that is totally deprave and not for the faint of heart. One of the hero is a total villain in the beginning and questionable during the end. But seeing that this is sorta a historical fantasy, it just work and I'm not really bothered by it. However, I do appreciate that this book isn't very graphic when it comes to all the abuses.

There isn't any romance per se, but I find myself captivated by every interaction between Damen and Laurent. Not missing any gesture or words spoken, looking for all the hidden meaning behind their mask of indifference and rebelliousness.

Very pleasantly surprised by this book--I'd been hearing a lot of good things/buzz on this book in the BL fan communities and came to this expecting it to be a satisfyingly feels-y and steamy read, but little more. However, CAPTIVE PRINCE is much more properly a full-on high fantasy novel with lush writing, solidly conceived world-building, and fascinating court intrigue that happens to embrace overt male-male sexuality as a normal and mainstream part of the world, rather in the way that Ellen Kushner's famous SWORDSPOINT did. What holds this novel apart is that it caters unabashedly (though not trashily) to the female gaze and puts its very well-written alpha male protag in situations where he is objectified/vulnerable in ways that no mainstream fantasy novel would ever dare to, and forces him to figure out how to deal with it. It makes for very compelling drama and character development, both in terms of gender role subversion and in the more straightforward warrior-prince-learns-how-to-deal-with-deadly-court-intrigue/foreign-cultural-norms way.

The writing, as I mentioned, is SO MUCH STRONGER and more mature/richer than anything I've read in this fledgling genre of original slash/BL fiction, which tend to be more romance novel-level. CAPTIVE PRINCE, despite its titillating-sounding premise and title, is anything but trashy, guilty pleasure romance. It is, instead, a true slow-burn romance built on legitimately pulling two very different and mutually suspicious-of-each-other characters together into something real. My one complaint (that the slow burn is VERY slow for a romance story) isn't even a complaint I can fully make because I fully understand why these two characters would realistically need as much time as they do to make the not-insignificant progress they do by the first novel's end. But it IS a lot less progress than feels wholly satisfying in a relationship novel (see Carol Berg's phenomenal TRANSFORMATION for a relationship that starts off its characters arguably even further apart and brings them completely and legitimately together emotionally in just 700 or so pages--so it CAN be done!), which is the only reason my rating for this novel loses one star.

That said, I thoroughly enjoyed and was impressed by this novel and am utterly on-board and ready to continue Damen and Laurent's story as they make their way toward something true and worthwhile.

I'll start by saying that I had never heard of this series til my fiancee put it in my hand. As a writer myself, I am insanely picky when it comes to books. That being said, I liked it well enough. It was entertaining and the world was interesting. I think what brings it down for me is the sense that it thinks a lot of itself, and that a lot of people apparently loved it before it was published. Hype can give you expectations, and in my case, they were only somewhat met.

On the one hand, the writing is simple, minus the odd moment in which random essay-words seem to have been shoehorned in as if to make it sound more cultured. For a book about a world where slavery is glamorized, it does an all right job challenging your perspective without crossing too far over the line. In most places. The framing is good, but the pace can be all over the place, starting right from page one. If certain fetishes aren't your bag, a few moments might make you uncomfortable, and the repeated use of the word "rape" may give you a cringe or two. And there is a hyper-focus on the political aspect, which--while fascinating for me--might bore some readers to tears. I suspect that will only become more prominent as the series goes.

What I did enjoy were the major characters. Damen is immediately endearing. Determined but not stupid, proud but not arrogant, it's easy to sympathize with him, and I found myself solidly on his side most of the time. He has a few moments of trying to play the hero--with mixed results--but his good intentions crossed with the sheer fearlessness of his will him away from being a cliche. By contrast, Laurent is enjoyably cold and relentless, if not a little played up as being "the ice queen" by both the narration and every character with a mouth. Though the source of his issues is spelled out between the lines, his behavior is believable for someone of his position. It's even refreshing, compared to what this genre usually presents. There are moments where the tension between the two of them practically crackles, and the balance between intrigue and hatred is carefully maintained. To me, that much was reason enough to finish the book. Other smaller characters were unique enough to be memorable. While some of them are stock character tropes, there are only a few.

All in all, if the summary looks good to you, give it a shot--but be prepared. There's no closure here. 70% of the text is characters giving monologues, and describing rooms. Sex is fleeting and not overly graphic, the violence visceral but brief. Otherwise, if you're tired of the same old top/bottom dynamic, you may enjoy this. Just be ready to buy the other books.

What started out as a book that shocked and disgusted me turned out to be really really good and surprising. I went into this book knowing absolutely nothing about it other than that there was some M/M romance aspect. When that quickly turned out to not be the case I looked it up to sort of orientate myself with the story and was shocked to see trigger warnings for rape and pedophilia. Luckily there wasn’t anything that was TOO explicitly depicted but the undertones are still there which I could see being shocking to people not knowing what to expect (like I was.)

As for Laurent: I’ve seen a lot of people say oh he’s so awful I don’t know what could possibly redeem him at this point.. the thing with Laurent is that he’s awful because he has to be. I think at this point it’s clear that he’s been through similar experiences that the character Nicaise is currently going through and that’s probably manifested, along with the death of people close to him, that have contributed to why he is the way he is. Also as we see the way the regents inner cunning begins to unfold, along with the way people at court gossip and scheme against each other you can tell that he’s probably had to train himself to be this way in order to protect himself.

I liked that there were quite a few twists that surprised me, and I’m anxious to see what they’ll get into now that they’re basically headed off to get assassinated. I bet it’ll be Govart that’s been given the task..

4.5 stars!

First thing I have to say about this book is that you absolutely HAVE TO have an open mind. If you don't have an open mind and put your own morals aside, well then there's a pretty big chance you won't like this book at all. Will probably hate it...

Now with that being said...

HOLYFUCFHJGHKJHGKHGMK.
<------- Me trying to gather my thoughts and emotions for this book.
Yeah it's not going to happen.

'A golden prince was easy to love if you did not have to watch him picking wings off flies.'

This book had me on edge, it shocked me and it hooked me completely.
I loved the characters. I hated them. I tried to understand what was impossible to understand. I was taken out of my comfort zone yet it pulled me in more. I'm positively becoming addicted.

Damen - I both loved and respected him. Betrayed. Thrust into the hands of the enemy. Stripped of everything he was and yet his honor shone through, his character really shone when he had nothing. He's a warrior through and through. My love for his character never wavered.

Laurent- Talk about a guy that plays with a girls emotions. Dang! He is cruel. Evil. Unpredictable. Cold.
Well, I think he is?? Yep. You read that right. I still don't freaking know. He is a damn mystery. So complex. A character like Laurent is what shows an author's immense talent - when the reader can't decide how they feel about a character. When I should hate him, I do hate him. But do I really hate him? I'm kind of obsessed with him now because I need to know everything. Every reasoning. How does he actually feel? Is he actually that cold? What does he actually know? What's his plan? Does he have one?
Because for the first time I have zero understanding of a character.

The relationship between these two was hate. I'm sure the love is somewhere... Deep, deep, deep down. Lol! But while their relationship is built on hate and cruelty and hostility, there are actually some funny moments between the two which gives me hope for these two!

By the end of this book I TRUST NO ONE. I'm intrigued. I'm obsessive. I have no clue what's going to happen. I'm afraid to find out and at the same time NEEDING to find out.
The reason I think I put this off for so long is I knew from reviews the romance element was pretty non existent in book one and it was. But the writing, the plot and the world building is so addicting. But if I don't get at least a meaningful kiss in book two I might cry. Not even kidding.

Now off to book two I go.

P.s. I'm so happy for Erasmus!! I loved him.

Prince Damen is the heir to the throne of Akielos when he is betrayed by his half brother and sold into slavery. Humiliated, determined to survive, Damen is now stripped of his identity and all who he is and sent to the rival country, Vere, as a pleasure slave. But when the prince of that country, Laurent, buys him, Damen finds him manipulative, beautiful and deadly. The worst of the Court of Vere. But there is more to Laurent than meets the eye and political machinations play out, it will take both Damon and his new master, Laurent, working together to survive this deadly game. But for Damen, he has one rule- never betray who he really is because if the prince new just who he bought well then Damen’s life will be forfeit.

CAPTIVE PRINCE is not for the faint of heart. It’s dark, deadly and full of twists and turns that leave you gasping in the end. This new to me author first wrote this book as a serial story but I was thrilled to see it come out in paperback. Book one is the introduction to Damen and Laurent’s story. The author does an amazing job in creating unique and complex characters that literally step off the pages. They are extremely enjoyable and you can’t help but fall in love with them. The writing is tight, story moves at a nice pace and the reader will get caught up in the world C.S. Pacat has created. The main characters at first hate one another. You can’t help but become enamored by Damen’s predicament, Laurent’s deft weaving around the Vere Court and both their will to survive to live another day. The characters are where the heart of this trilogy is at. They are well written, complex and deftly showing their vulnerabilities but never breaking character. There is no sex in this first volume, which wasn’t much of a hardship as we got to know the characters, their flaws and more.

This is a carefully plotted book. CAPTIVE PRINCE weaves its way around the reader as they flip the pages, getting lost within its pages as you followed Damen and Laurent’s adventures. The ending is not cut and dried and I found I had to know how these two unlikely of characters fared in book two. If you enjoy a dark fantasy story that is full of characters that make you hum with pleasure and events that leave you breathless, then you will enjoy CAPTIVE PRINCE. There are scenes that had me cringing in horror as I flipped the pages of CAPTIVE PRINCE. This is a story that will leave you breathless, eager for more and the cliff hanger ending, well lets just say you are going to want book two right after you finish book one, just to see where these fabulous characters go. I highly recommend it and hope you can take a chance on CAPTIVE PRINCE like I did. You won’t be disappointed.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

I'm a passionate reader but The Captive and The Prince brought out the “crazy” in me according to me family. The evil laughter that would burst out of me sporadically while reading, couldn't be helped. When I read a book with a plot that is so well executed, and a book that is THIS good, I get excited. I was completely lost in this story and the world C.S. Pacat has created.

“He was not inclined to believe that cruelty delivered with one hand was redeemed by a caress from the other.”

When Prince Damianos AKA Damen, the rightful heir to the throne of Akielos, is betrayed by his brother, everyone believes he is dead. He is sent to Vere as a slave and straight into the hands of Laurent, the heir to the throne of Vere. Not good. At all. Laurent, it seems, is an evil man. The villain of this story? Maybe.

“A golden prince was easy to love if you did not have to watch him picking the wings off flies.”

Laurent, you beautiful, diabolical, brilliant bastard....

At 30% I HATED you. With a ******** passion.

At 50% I loved to hate you.

At 80% I hated that I was starting to love you...a little.

By the end...I own that ****...I love you. Villain or not. You're an enigma and I can't wait for all of the revelations that I know are coming.

The character development is absolutely BRILLIANT. When an author can change my mind about a man like Laurent, then they have weaved some kind of magic. And this is only the first book! I'm convinced that by the end of this series C.S. Pacat will have me believing that Laurent is a ******* saint, despite all the terrible things he has done. Okay, maybe not a saint but hopefully you know what I mean. Like I said...magic.

Damen is an honorable man. That's the best way I can describe him. The things that he sees in Vere, the violence and debauchery are almost too much for him to bear. But he's a fighter. He is strong and not easily broken. And it becomes clear by the end of this book that as much as Damen wants to hate Laurent...things aren't as black and white as they may seem.

“And what did it mean, to be a prince, if he did not strive to protect those weaker than himself?”

When I read the last page, I nicknamed this book “the little trigger-happy masterpiece”. The world and the people are brutal, depraved and violent. I won't deny that there are scenes that are difficult to read, BUT everything felt integral to the plot and world-building. To understand these characters and how hard they will have to fight, I think it was necessary to know what they were up against.

“Learning the words of an enemy was as important as learning the words of a friend.”

For anyone going into this for the romance, just know that you won't get that in this first book. Throughout most of the story Laurent and Damen hate each other. By the end, you can feel that it's building towards something, but this is going to be a long journey for these characters to get to a place where they can trust each other enough for any kind of love to grow.

Honestly, this is one of the BEST books I've read in a long time. I'm a huge fan of m/m, but I don't read a lot of fantasy novels. I am SO happy I stepped outside of my comfort zone and read it. I have to go dive into book two now!

I started reading this book for free online, and have now bought the two volumes, because such a good new writer should be supported. This is "Game of Thrones"- quality, and the fact that the main relationships are between men means that this risks to be categorised as a sub-genre only. Yet this series - there is a third volume in the works - should not be seen at all like some kind of "Fifty Shades" in costume and among men; it is so very much better in quality of writing, plotting, world building; and the two main characters are absolutely fascinating. The author tricks us, the readers, many times: we are surprised time and again by his heroes' unexpected strengths or failings; by the intricacies of the plots they face; and ultimately by what they discover about one another. This is written from a single point of view only, that of the title's captive prince, and he is enough of an unreliable narrator to make him into an interesting, occasionably fallible human being we very much care for. His antagonist is a brilliant creation, a cold thinker we learn very slowly to understand. The series is an impressive achievement and I'll be waiting for the next book!

This is actually a solid 3-star read for me, but I gave it a bonus star because I'm really intrigued for what's to come. Going into this, I thought this was a M/M romance, but there is actually no romance yet. This felt more like an introduction to the characters, the world, and to establish the players (there are many and most I stumbled through pronunciation of their names). It's fantasy, but not too far out there to be distracting. Damen and Laurant have chemistry for sure, but right now it feels like they're circling each other and testing boundaries. I spent most of the book on edge yelling, "Kiss him already!!!"

All that being said, when I get the chance to read, I read big chunks at a time so the author definitely caught my attention. The biggest annoyance was how much I had to pull up a dictionary app because some of the words are just outside my knowledge realm...too many years since grad school I guess lol! An intriguing start, glad I have the second book on hand so I can start right.

Captive Prince: Volume One (Captive Prince #1) by C.S. Pacat

Damen is a warrior hero to his people, and the truthful heir to the throne of Akielos, but when his half brother seizes power, Damen is captured, stripped of his identity and sent to serve the prince of an enemy nation as a pleasure slave.
Beautiful, manipulative and deadly, his new master Prince Laurent epitomizes the worst of the court at Vere. But in the lethal political web of the Veretian court, nothing is as it seems, and when Damen finds himself caught up in a play for the throne, he must work together with Laurent to survive and save his country.
For Damen, there is just one rule: never, ever reveal his true identity. Because the one man Damen needs is the one man who has more reason to hate him than anyone else..

My Review:
It took me longer to finish this book than I thought it would. How to rate and review Captive Prince? Um... It's hard to say whether I really liked it or really didn't because there was an even amount of yays and nays on my checklist of pros and cons. I have to give credit to the author for creating a story that reads close to Anne Rice's Sleeping Beauty series as far as the sex and brutality but on the other end I felt like I was watching random stuff happening just on the outskirts of a porno with the possibility of a romantic interlude but without the leading stars to fill the spot.
The writing itself was slightly poetic but on the other hand it felt as if it might have been missing something?
That might be just me not quite being pulled into the surroundings although I'm not sure there were surroundings half the time since half of the details that typically draw me into the books world didn't feel like they were present. It takes talent to create and bring life to such brutal characters but I wish we had gotten to explore more emotional depth. I was really drawn in but I also wanted more.
I get its the first installment of the trilogy but as the initial start up I thought there should have been more to bring me in. Because it is just the first book I do want to read the other two since I want to see where the author takes it but I was disappointed with so much disconnect between myself and the story I hope that issue is resolved in book two.

My Ratings:
3 Stars

Reviewed By:
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews
http://kkmalott.booklikes.com/

Anyone who adores the world of Slave fic in m/m—*Waving hands frantically and shouting ME!ME!ME!*—will already know how definitive this series has become within the genre. A classic ‘forced into slavery against his will’ premise, Captive Prince is a delicious, intricately plotted story and character lead saga, overflowing with the sort of intrigue, political manipulations and double dealings that would do Machievelli himself proud!

How everything is explained, how the plot weaves sneakily around its protagonists, and how each conniving character interacts with their peers, is something that needs to be discovered and savored for oneself, but I will say that nothing or nobody plays true to form as this intensely plotted storyline twists and turns at the drop of a sex slaves barely there tunic!

In a universe where pleasure slavery is the accepted norm amongst its royalty and nobility, after the sudden death of his father, Prince Damianos of Akielos is forcibly overthrown then gifted as a pet (by his sly, ambitious half brother Kastor) to enemy prince in waiting: Laurent of Vere. True heir to the throne Damen is violently thrown from one seething web of deceit, slap bang into the middle of another duplicitous power struggle playing out in the royal courts of Vere, delivered straight into the hands of a detached, calculating younger man whose hatred of Prince Damianos is nothing short of legendary!

It’s the ultimate humiliation for Damen, whose rebellious attempts to fight and escape his captor are stymied at every turn…with atrocious results. As you can probably guess, nothing is made easy for our tormented hero.

Romance is NOT the order of the day at this stage of the game, so any sex that takes place is pretty perfunctory; its inclusion mainly there to show how the pleasure slave dynamics work in this particular universe. In fact there are no sexual encounters at all between the two MC’s yet Ms Pacat still manages to convey a strong aura of simmering UST and a perverse anti-attraction and sensuality between these two complex men, who literally hate each other with a passion, to the point that you just know this relationship is going to develop into something quite remarkable!

Perhaps that's it? Their passionate, albeit negative, connection so palpable it reinforces the idiom of there being a fine line dividing love from hate. Not sure how but CS Pacat still had me tingling each time Laurent and Damen appeared on page together, despite most of their interactions being confrontational and at times merciless and intentionally cruel. It’s hard to explain just how she manages to put that across.

Aside from Damen and Erasmus—a sweet, submissive pleasure slave who gets unwittingly drawn into the scheming—there are not many likable characters yet they wormed their way under my skin in ways I can't explain. Once again I found myself strangely drawn to, and fascinated by Nicaise. A beautiful thirteen year old, spoilt, brattish slave boy whose unconscionable start in life as an underage sexual pet has made him into the sly and manipulative little shit he appears to be.

Odious on the surface, multi layered, deep and far older in his ways than his age should allow; Nicaise embodies the perversity of the slave world he's been born into and I'm certain there’s far more than meets the eye to his intentions and interactions with Laurent, who is surprisingly tolerant of his underhandedness.

Which brings me to the man himself! Cruel, indolent and frigid, his treatment of Damen is vicious and both Damen, and we as readers are constantly on edge; dreading the moment he discovers the slave he ruthlessly uses as a political tool and relentlessly abuses in the process, is actually the man who's fuelled his hatred for years!

Apparently hard hearted and colder than a polar ice cap, he’s the complete antithesis of the expected romantic hero-slash-love interest we’re used to and I know I should hate him but...well....yeah...read and garner your own feelings about Laurent!

So does he find out in this book? Well....you'll have to become a Captive Prince Junkie like moi to find out, cos I'm keeping schtum on that tasty little morsel of info.

Yes, I too can be heartless and cruel! Muahahaha...

Anyway, don't expect any insta lovey dovey moments at this stage in their unconventional relationship, but be prepared to become utterly glued to an exciting, provocative, intoxicating slave drama I reckon gives the machinations and twisted plots of Game of Thrones a damn good run for its money!

There's rape, torture, sexual deviancy and violence but it's all integral to its power play style plot so if you're not averse to darker story telling and love a forced slave/master, enemies to lovers dynamic, then I really can't recommend this amazing trilogy highly enough! I swear after volume one's irresistible 'to be continued' ending you'll be itching to jump straight into volume two....something I'm off to do as catch up, so that I can finally get around to the long awaited, concluding, instalment I've been salivating for over the last three years! Watch this space for review number two. ;)

Reading this again has only reinforced why I'm such a fan of this sub genre. Sheer slave fic bliss!

Reviewed by Macky for Sinfully Gay Romance Book Reviews

Damen thought he knew his brother Kastor. Then Kastor enslaved him and gave him to their enemy. Damen, being the rightful heir to the throne of Akielos, was in Kastor’s way. Now, Damen is the property of the Crown Prince of Vere, Laurent. Laurent appears to be everything Damen is not, they are even opposite physically. Luckily for Damen, Laurent is unaware his new slave is the rightful heir to the Akielon throne, as Laurent has a vicious hatred for Damianos. Damianos killed Laurent’s older brother Auguste, the Veretians then lost the war. So, Laurent has issues. Damen doesn’t understand them. Damen can’t figure out how Laurent works. Damen is disgusted with Veretian court life and politics. No one’s motives are apparent, everything is plans within plans. Laurent and his Uncle, the Regent, are constantly trying to outmaneuver each other. Damen just wants to get back to Akielos. The gossip he hears about the goings on there is not very good. Coupled with the things he learns in the Veretian court, Damen has finally begun to understand his only hope of saving Akielos and its people lie in saving Laurent.

This story is fascinating, and I want to know more. The writing? Yeah, that’s not so good. Personally, I just wasn’t a huge fan of the tone of the prose. At times it felt a bit pompous, to me. Occasionally phrases or word choices would make me laugh aloud. Not in the good way. Objectively, some of this is just flat out a disaster. There were sentences with no main verb, just all modals and clauses. Penguin’s name is on this. There are missing words, and once or twice I found myself channeling Inigo Montoya and thinking, “I do not think that means what you think it means.”

And now after all that complaining about the quality of the writing I’m going to tell you I think you should read this book because the story is compelling. Damen is well and truly trapped in this situation, and has to become the same type of devious thinker as his half-brother Kastor and his owner Laurent. This is a really important thing. Mark well and remember. We know comparatively little about Laurent. We know he hates his Uncle. We know he hates Damianos for killing his brother. We know Laurent is setting himself up as the opposite of almost everything that happens at the Veretian court, all while being aloof and rather cold. Even Laurent’s own men have mixed feelings toward him. They respect him yet don’t understand his motivations at all. I have a hypothesis about Laurent. If I’m right it’s going to open a giant can of worms for Damen.

This compelling character drama is taking place in a backdrop that’s… kind of mediocre. Vere is pretty much France. The overwhelming majority of the book takes place in Vere, what little we see of Akielos makes it look a bit like Greece. In terms of world building, Vere and Akielos are barely described. What are their trade goods? No clue. What are the religious differences? No clue. There seems to be no religion at all in the stories. These are pre-industrial societies with no apparent religion. Vere and Akielos are fighting over land and the reader knows nothing about why. Is it especially fertile or resource rich? Is there great cultural significance for either country? None of this is explained.

I am a firm believer story trumps craft. I want to know about Damen and Laurent’s stories. I’m willing to read half formed societies and half formed sentences to find out what happens.

This was recommended to me even before this current form of publication and it sounded fantastic. I didn't have an opportunity to read it until now. I loved the idea of getting in while it was newly published and this edition comes with a bonus short story too. This fantasy 'captive' romance story started off grabbing my attention from the start and I read it in one sitting. It was exciting, full of intrigue and the twists were just the kind to make me hold my breath a few times. The romance is just a hint at this point (since they are still enemies that makes sense and all) and I love that this story is so all encompassing in its strengths that I barely noticed or cared.

The story starts out with Damen, Warrior Hero and Crowned Prince, ready to take his deceased father's throne, but in steady his half-brother stages a coup and Damen has been enslaved and sent to his mortal enemies as a gift to their prince, Laurent. Laurent is cold, calculating and brutal, but Damen doesn't break. He is set on escape and returning to his homeland to take his rightful place.

Things get complicated when he learns that Laurent and his regent uncle are in a silent battle for the Verian throne and the ramifications affect even Damen's country who is an ally. Or so he thought until he learns of the unstableness there and the Verians plans to exploit this. Damen has to figure out what to do in the best interests of himself and his people. The political intrigue going on affect his plans and he has to learn to understand how these people think even as they use him for their own needs. Neither Laurent or his uncle know who Laurent's slave really is and he must keep it that way. No one can be trusted and everyone has their own agenda.

This opening story in the trilogy did a good job of setting the table and getting things going. The characters and plot are amazingly complex. Damen is the narrator and he is a straight forward man of honor who has been dropped into a viper's pit. While he is a slave and has been stripped of his human rights as a result, I loved that it didn't emasculate him or break his will. He has to learn to be subtle, but he shines very brightly. The intrigue is fantastic. I enjoyed trying to figure out what was going on and who was doing what even behind the scenes. Laurent is an exciting mystery at this point. He's playing a deep game that has Damen learning to re-assess his original opinion about the younger prince. There is an underlying sexual tension between these two that is just being hinted to at this point and I love it.

Can't wait to get on with part two of the story. As this was recommended to me, I will whole-heartedly recommend this one to M/M Fantasy Romance fans.

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

So to be honest I've read this "story" before, heir to the throne gets sold into slavery by younger brother. It's not the first book I've read that started out like that. I'm sure it won't be the last. To be honest, the first half of the story really was a chore to read. There was a lot of character setup and building the world they lived in but very little plot moving. There was very little to really hold my interest and want me to keep turning the page. Now the second half of the book got much better as the relationship between Damen, the slave prince, and Laurent, the master prince, starts to build and things start happening to move the plot along.

I enjoyed the style of writing. The characters are believable and a real depth to them, though some of their motivations are still unclear. Some of the plot I found to be a bit predictable but I'll wait and see where things go in the next book. There are no intimate sexual encounters in this book but there is some explicit sexual content. Some of which provide brief, non-detailed descriptions of both rape and sexual abuse of both adults and minors so this is not for everyone.

I'm hoping the momentum built up in the last half of this book carries over into the next.

Damianos (known as Damen) is the real heir to the throne of Akielos. But Damen is captured when his half-brother Kastor seizes power, stripped of his identity and sent to serve the prince of an enemy nation as a pleasure slave. Prince Laurent of Vere is beautiful, manipulative and deadly, and takes the gift as an insult.

‘A golden prince was easy to love if you did not have to watch him picking wings off flies.’

But Damen soon learns that nothing is as it seems in the Veretian court, and finds himself working with Laurent. Damen has to be careful: he would be in great danger if he was to reveal his true identity.

This is the first instalment of the Captive Prince trilogy by Ms Pacat, set in a medieval-style fantasy world with gay heroes. It is a brutal world: slavery, rape, forced submission. Sex is both weapon and pleasure, it’s explicit and confronting. And yet, somehow, there was enough story to keep my interest. While Damen bides his time until he can escape, he is drawn to the mysterious (but untouchable) Laurent.

The story unfolds, with a number of twists and turns. Details are important. By the end of ‘Captive Prince’, I knew I had to keep reading. I wanted to know how it would end, despite the fact that this particular world felt so very alien to me. So I picked up ‘Prince’s Gambit’ straightaway.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

So you may have seen a lot of hype on the interwebs surrounding this series … that’s actually how it landed on my radar. I admit I’m coming to the party a bit late, but sometimes that’s the best way to do it because with the arrival of the final book, I don’t need to wait to get the full story.
I feel like I’m going to be in the minority here by saying this, but I thought it was okay. And maybe this is the downfall to seeing all the hype and fanfare… It’s possible that I set my expectations higher than they typically would have been had I just randomly picked up this title on my own.
I’m not saying that I didn’t enjoy this, because I did… I thought the story was intriguing and the writing was really well done, but I have to be honest, I wasn’t blown away by either. At least not in a way that I would be shoving this book in the hands of every person I’ve met. And for sure this book isn’t for everyone due to the violence, which some may find they can’t stomach.

Where I struggled here was with the world that Pacat has created. There are a ton of characters, and I quite often found myself struggling to remember who was who and what their allegiance was and you’re basically thrown right into the story from page one which, while providing some interesting action, doesn’t provide any basis for why these things were happening, so while I found the politics interesting, it didn’t help that I was being introduced to all these characters who I didn’t understand.

I was really intrigued by the idea of this story and Damen’s situation is incredibly interesting. His predicament provided a lot of tension and his dynamic with Laurent was definitely a big part of the reason I read this so fast. Let me just say that if you are expecting any kind of romance here, turn right on around. That is definitely not something you’re going to get with this story, and while I enjoy the dynamic between Laurent and Damen, I also struggled with it, because part of me wanted some kind of connection between them. Laurent has his reasons for disliking Damen and vice versa, but what they have is about 99% hate and 1% uncertainty.

While this story is mostly Damen’s story, you also learn that Laurent has his own story to tell. I hope in the coming books we get to understand him a bit better. He seems the kind of guy who is always 2-3 steps ahead of everyone else, but his demeanor was at times frustrating. I’m hoping in the next books we get to know him and connect a bit better with him because he’s a big part of this story.

Overall, a good read and a series that I will absolutely continue. The schemes and plots and wondering who was going to make a move and for what reasons definitely has me interested in what’s going to happen next, and I’m definitely intrigued in the relationship that I hope develops between Damen and Laurent.

Thank you to BERKLEY and Netgalley for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say – this book exceeded my expectations. To be honest, I was expecting a whole lot of debauchery and very little plot. Boy was I wrong! I loved everything about this story. I didn’t feel like any of the sex in Captive Prince was gratuitous. Most of it was meant to highlight how different Damen’s homeland was from Vere or to establish how cold Laurent’s character is. Though I suspect he is just a stone un-turned. I like that what we did see played into the bigger picture. This author took the time to really allow feelings to develop between the characters that go beyond lust. I am especially interested in learning more about Laurent’s past. I think there are significant events we aren’t aware of that have shaped him into the man he’s become. We’re being led somewhere explosive, and I love this uneasy alliance between Damen and Laurent. But when it comes to favorites - I like Damen’s character. I love his loyalty to his people, and that though he is in a terrible situation of his own, it’s them he thinks about and barters for. He thinks things through and is so cautious about his timing. I’m also intrigued by several of the side characters in this one. They all seem to have their own agendas, particularly Nicaise. His character is throwing me for a loop. I have no idea what his end game is!

Clearly there are ‘sides’ in this book. Laurent and Damen are at odds, and they view each other’s countries as being barbaric. Though both communities are pretty salacious, each one thinks the other is worse. It makes me wonder where things will end up. Will one of them turn their back on their country, or will they unite? I’m interested to see how this all comes about. Captive Prince is one of those tales where there are a lot of little things happening that you don’t think much about, until they all come together into something much bigger. Obviously there’s so much more to tell, but I think it ended in a good place and set us up nicely for whatever is next. I am thrilled to see what is in store over the next two installments!

Wendy and I did a Group Review for this on Badass Book Reviews.

I have a tendency to just dive into books without knowing anything about them other than what the cover looks like. The Captive Prince was one of them. Sometimes it's just nice to go into a book with no expectations. Not going to lie, in the beginning I wasn't quite sure if I was going to like it, but I carried on and what I found was an interesting story of deception, rivalries, and survival.

Let's start with why I was hesitant in the beginning. Mostly it had to do with the presentation of information. For a story that takes place in a different world, there needs to be world building and it needs to be done in a way that your readers can grasp. Pacat just kind of threw it all out there. World, people, plot...all of this came within the first chapter without any buildup. Yes, there was a prologue which drew me in. And yes, there was a character log at the beginning, but having to turn to the front and then back to where I was in the book was time consuming and I still couldn't remember who everyone was.

What I liked was the how this wasn't a love story. This is a story about a Prince who wants his kingdom back and the way he has to side with one enemy in order to get it. These were strong, interesting characters and I could never guess where they were going to go next. While I'm not a huge fan of sex slave story lines and public humiliations, the story wasn't weighed down with them and I was able to stay in the story.

This isn't normally the style of book that I read but I liked the complexity of it and how different it was for me. Basically, how do you know you don't like it if you don't try it? And this, I ended up liking. I am invested in Damen and want to know how his story plays out. On to the next one...

Under no circumstances would I recommend this series, as it:

1. Promotes an abusive relationship between master and slave wherein consent cannot exist (and in which one party arranges for sexual assault on the other) as a romantic subplot;

2. Attempts to establish a "cultural taboo" against having children out of wedlock that is somehow circumvented by having same-sex body slaves (but not consensual same-sex relationships with people over whom they do not have power, which is not explained);

3. Gleefully describes gladiatorial matches in which the loser is raped;

4. Is rife with racist undertones, with some examples being a tribe of hedonistic warrior women drugging men for sex and the (again, very problematic) dynamic between the main characters - the white, blond lord, Laurent, and his dark-skinned body slave, Damen, including a scene involving men beating and whipping Damen nearly to death on Laurent's orders;

5. Largely ignores the existence of women as anything other than prostitutes, slaves, or hedonists

I read both this book and the sequel, and I regret having read either. If this series hadn't been recommended to me, I would never have picked it up. I wish it had never been recommended to me.

The first book is good. It's not great -- it's not bad because the plotline is VERY interesting. But it was just good to me because there is high content of non-con and abuse (which is a little triggering) which can be used as a shock factor -- and also something that can link to something later in the plot line -- but I wish I was warned before reading into it with my hopes up. I saw that people on tumblr were raving all about it, so I grew excited. I think the hype is bigger than the actual book.

The characters are interesting so far, but details like describing the main character's appearance should be first priority. A friend of mine had to tell me what color Damon's hair was since it's described in the SECOND book. I just feel like it would have been a successful story if it was just one or two books. Not three 200-300 page books.

It's a very good story, but I have to give it a 3 because rape, non-con, and missing descriptions as well as a few writing slip ups.

Stopped after the first few pages because the spelling and grammatical errors were driving me nuts. I mean, the prose itself was lacking, but I might have pushed further if the basics of spelling and grammar were being followed. There are way too many good books out there to waste time with an author who can't be bothered to fix errors, or have someone more knowledgeable fix them.

Captive Prince Volume I by C.S. Pascat is a story that is part fantasy and part historical (I think). Set in the city of Vere, the book begins with a military coup the ends up with Damen otherwise known as Prince Damianos of Akielos being given to neighboring and enemy Prince Laurent of Vere as a slave. To say that it feels like you’ve been dropped mid scene with the opening words is an understatement. From the very beginning the aura of political intrigue is present, if not overwhelming at times.

Through the interaction of the first characters we’re introduced to, we understand that Damen’s brother has killed their father, the king, and ascended to the throne as the rightful heir … now that Damen has been disposed of. Drugged and abused, and also chained and imprisoned, Damen arrives in enemy territory confused and intent on escape.

There is much world building that needs to be established in order to give the reader a real feel for the setting, building that leaves a bit to be desired. I found myself often confused and had to continually flip the pages to figure out who was who. With little to no backstory at the beginning, it was difficult to follow they why’s and how’s of what was going on. As the story progressed, I was able to get a feel for the motivations of the main characters as well as the plot of the book.

If you are looking for romance, or even some erotic romance, this is not the book for you. Laurent is cold, calculating, and almost evil, and Damen is definitely not at all interested in pleasure, forced or otherwise. These two can barely stand to be in the same room with one another, let alone have any chemistry whatsoever. This is only Book One of a trilogy so maybe the relationship will progress into something romantic, but as this book ends, I don’t see how. I don’t always have to, or even enjoy, sex in the books I read, but I do need to see a connection at the very least and in this book, I just didn’t feel it.

I did enjoy the political intrigue … to a point. Once I was able to discern who was who and belonged to which kingdom, I was engaged. C.S. Pacat’s writing is solid, and I found myself not wanting to stop until I knew how the book would end because I was interested to see how things played out. If you enjoy worlds full of palaces and kingdoms and battles and servants, then give Captive Prince a try.

Since I mostly read Contemporary, I decided to step away from my normal reading genre because I thought Captive Prince sounded interesting and different, and the Goodreads reviews were great. I'm not gonna lie, I'm blown away by how much I enjoyed this book! This book is difficult to describe. It's not a romance, however I can definitely envision a love affair blossoming. I did find it strangely erotic at times, but not overly erotic. The best description I can come up with is it's Game of Thrones meets Captive in the Dark. <-- I bet that throws you for a loop, huh?!

Going into the Captive Prince I was worried with its' setting it would be hard to grasp with tons of strange names and places. However, that was not the case. The writing was very eloquent and flowed beautifully. The author builds a fantastical world that she naturally eases readers in to as smoothly as spreading butter on hot toast. I had no trouble with who or what or where because it was extremely well written. It was an excellent balance of both plot and character development.

'And what did it mean, to be a prince, if he did not strive to protect those weaker than himself?'

The main character, Damen, is enslaved to an enemy kingdom far, far away from his homeland. In the kingdom a hedonistic society resides where not much of anything is taboo or frowned upon. Having a pet slave is the norm for courtiers of the palace. Damen is trying to find an escape before his true identity can be discovered. The relationship building between Damen and his captor, Laurent, was enthralling. I wanted Damen to both get away and stay held by Laurent. I really enjoyed their dynamic together and I can't wait to see where the author takes their journey.

I'm so very happy I stepped out of my comfort zone and gave this book a chance, and I hope other readers will as well. I loved the action and adventure and the erotism. The author's writing is top-notch, and I know in the future I will pick up anything she writes because it was just that good!

I wasn't planning re-reading this series, but I couldn't help it. Still as good as the first time, maybe even better because now I know how it ends. I love how Pacat wove the events of the series. Everything makes perfect sense.

I'll admit this book might trigger some readers and that the violence might turn off some people. I get that and understand it, but the violence, even some of Laurent's actions play a huge part in the final book, Kings Rising. Laurent is a product of his time and we know that in old times all the things that happen in this book were happening in the courts on daily basis. Rape and pedophilia were common in the courts. I admire the way that Pacat wrote about those hard topics. Readers who feel uncomfortable with those topics may have a hard time reading the book, but if you pass the first third of the book and later you read the sequel you'll find that the sequel pays off and that the heavy themes of the first book give place to an intricate plot of consipiracies and a struggle to power that will keep you reading at night.

Captive prince is slow-burn romance, I wouldn't even call it a romance until perhaps the last half of the second book, but the sexual tension from Laurent and Damian is enough to carry the series. I have read this series twice and keep re-reading my favorite parts.

I wish I could write a coherent review, but I'm still in awe with the writing, the setting and the characters. I hold Laurent in a very special place in my heart and I can't wait to read more of Pacat.

What an interesting, fresh and unique book this was. It reeled me in, even when I felt a little confused towards the beginning, trying to find my feet in these strange lands.

I spent much of the book enjoying getting into Damon's head a little and generally disliking every single other character that presented themselves within the covers. General life in Vere was so different in social construct to any fantasy-historical type book I've read before and the issues of sexuality were difficult to fathom at first until explanations emerged. Damon's captor, Laurent is the ultimate snake in the grass and I couldn't stand him yet wanted to see some small piece of integrity in the man; there was little.

I feel that there is much potential for the next two books ahead, I'm interested and hoping for some battle and the political intrigue should be excellent if it continues as book one has started.

Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.

Not necessarily the kind of story that would have normally grabbed me, but I've been hearing people rave about it for years. Since the final book just came out, I figured I'd finally give these a go!

Overall, I'm quite intrigued by this one! The world-building is well-done, the characters are all intricate and fascinating, and I really like the layered politics. I'm really enjoying the dynamic between Laurent and Damen, and the slow build feels incredibly appropriate and realistic for the story. Laurent was fabulously cold, which just makes me extra curious to see all of those layers removed.

I did feel that Damen's feelings and opinions about slaves seemed inconsistent, though maybe that will be explained in later books?

I really enjoyed the book, but I do feel like a lot was set up, and not a lot was actually explained. I know it's a trilogy, so I'm sure I'll get my answers, but still a little aggravating.

I read the free, online version of Captive Prince last year. I adored it. It was, hands down, one of the top ten books I read last year. The writing is divine - especially as the book progresses - and the story! Oh, it is marvelous, addictive, the kind of book that will knock you out and then suck you under and then - beware the cliffhangers! - leave you desperate for more.

Sometimes, after a spate of books that are good but not quite good enough, I'll start wondering if I've lost the ability to be transported by a story. I'll think it's my fault. And then something like Captive Prince will come along and set the world right again.

Captive Prince is, indeed, the story of a captive prince: Damen. He's a Prince Charming type. Noble, goodhearted, gifted in manly pursuits like swordplay and military strategy. He's heir to the throne of Akeilos but, on the heels of his father's death, his bastard half-brother seizes the throne and sells Damen across the seas as a slave.

Damen ends up at the court of the Rabatian Prince, Laurent. Laurent is everything that Damen is not. He's devious, intellectual, distrustful, capricious, sly. At first he seems spoiled, petulant, and vicious - not just at first, really. But while Damen is an open book, Laurent is a maze, hard to know, hard to understand, hard to love (though eventually all three are inevitable).

Laurent is not a kind master to Damen; and, in fact, the early chapters are exquisite precisely because Damen and Laurent hate one another so much. But there's an openness and guilelessness about Damen that's deeply endearing, and his slavery forces him through a kind of culture clash. Damen pays attention. He listens. He begins to understand the Rabatians, and soon finds himself in the strange, unexpected position of defending Laurent. Faults and all.

I won't spoil the rest. Thus far, however, this is a story perfectly told. I mean, if you like this sort of tale - the power disparity, two opposites who fall in love through a world of pain - this is about as good as it gets.

**This story contains a dark subject matter and may not be for everyone.**

This story drew me in immediately! I'm not sure exactly what it was that I was expecting but what I received completely blew me out of the water.

Imagine waking up, a Prince next in line for the throne, to armed guards taking you captive. Going from prince of one country to a slave of a prince in a country who has been an enemy of your own forever. That is exactly the situation that Damen finds himself in and the person who has the most reason to hate and kill him is the very one he may have to count if he is to survive.

Prince Laurent, a gorgeous, manipulative spider has no reason to trust that the new king's present is anything more than a slight. Surrounded by wealth and treachery he finds that his new pet just may be his only ally.

Pacat paints a vivid picture of a world full of beauty and treacherous spiders. This first installment of the Captive Prince Trilogy will hook you from beginning til end! I cannot wait to see what awaits this unlikely pair and to see how the rest of the story will unfold.

*** I was given a copy of this book by the publisher ***

First, I must admit that I am a sucker for the hot guys in distress genre, and this book fits the bill. Laurent does feel like a bitchy woman, which I would have preferred to see in that roll (someone I could identify with heheh). But to my surprise I was totally fine with it, even the gay sex (that usually does not excite me). Laurent was bitchier than any woman I have run into in fiction of a similar roll, and that was, as Damen said it once - "delightful". I thought the writing was sophisticated, and while the political intrigue was not as exciting as the rest of it, it was necessary to understand the environment.

I loved it. Read it twice. Would love to see a TV series based on this book, and would also love to get recommendations for similar books.

Damen is heir to the throne of Akielos but when his half brother seizes power and sells him off to another kingdom as a slave, he fears all might be lost for him and his people. Laurent is a prince set to rule soon and take over his uncle acting as Regent if plots to kill him don't take him first. Damen becomes a slave in Laurent's court, hiding who he is until he can form a plan to get back to his kingdom where he is presumed dead. Damen hides who he is from everyone but trying to be a slave when he was once a prince in a kingdom where slaves are treated horribly is trying at best. This was a very short story since it is just book one but enough of the plot is laid out for the reader to become fully invested in all the characters. The paperback also has an additional exclusive short story and several pages of the second book which I will be continuing with. I'm interested to see where Damen and Laurent's relationship takes them and if they will begin to trust each other since both their lives are in danger and what will happen when Laurent finds out the real identity of Damen.

I'm not sure why straight (or bisexual) girls find violent and angsty m/m couples so hot. They just love fetishizing male gay pain...someone should write an in-depth essay about that. I can't believe this wasn't just a story on AO3, it reads exactly like slave or noncon fanfiction.

If Damen was a woman this book series would be torn apart all the time and Laurent would be seen as the disgusting abuser he is. I read the whole trilogy hoping it would get better, but it doesn't.

Don't waste your time on this trash. Read something where the main couple isn't an abuser and his victim.

P.S. Contrary to popular belief: Laurent DOES in fact rape Damen in this book. It's oral rape by proxy.

I picked this up on a random rec from someone on Tumblr and holy god, am I so glad I did! While it's subject matter can get pretty dark (and might be trigger-y for some there's abuse of minors and nonconsexual sexual situations, as well as physical violence) I absolutely adored the complex situation and characters. Damen and Laurent both leapt off the page, as did the fantasy settings and both secondary and tertiary characters. I was so enthralled by everything that as soon as I finished book 1, I immediately got book 2. Then book 3. Within 24 hours, I had read the whole trilogy and my only regret is that it's over!

4.25 Twisted Political Stars!

A medieval feel had me flipping the ever twisting words. I wanted to devour this one in a single sitting. The only problem I had was the point of view. The characters almost didn't click with me, yet the writing demanded I continue. The unique setting and story was ever-changing with betrayal and mystery. I want more! I need retribution. Revenge. And definitely some nasty forbidden hate sex. Wouldn't that be AMAZING! Nothing like sleeping with the enemy.

This is a gem of a book. It is one that after you read it, you would want to read it again. For those who dislike historicals, then this is not the book for you.

The basic storyline is Prince Damen is taken captive in his household by his half-brother. He is stripped of his identity and given to his enemies as a slave. He must find a way back to his land of Akielos to overthrow his brother, but at court of his enemies, Vere, all is not as it appears. There is a power struggle going on that has been brewing for several years. You can’t trust anyone and everyone is in it for themselves. The only person who Damen can align himself with is a person who hates everything about the Akielon people and a person who serves as Damen’s master, Prince Laurent.

What is so great about this book is the story itself. It is very detailed, the flow of the story is exciting and the characters are written beautifully. You instantly bond with Damen and his situation. He is the heir to the throne and a soldier. When his father dies he is overpowered by supporters of his brother. Though he craves his freedom, his is truly concerned about his countrymen and needs to get back. He is a very strong character not only in strength but in mind as well. He is rash at times when pushed to his limits, but he goes along with being the prince’s “pet” in order to ultimately succeed in his goal of running away. The only problem is the prince himself. When Damen thinks he gets an idea about how the prince operates, the prince does something to throw him off course.

Prince Laurent is also a fantastic character. When you are first introduced to him you get the impression he is a cruel and evil character, but as the book goes on you don’t really see him act differently but you get more of an understanding why he is that way. Laurent was 14 when he watched his father and brother die on the battlefield against the Akielon. He was then left in the company of his pedophile uncle who has control over the kingdom until Laurent reaches the age of 21. The entire Vere court is corrupt, but from an outsiders eye it does not appear that way. Laurent is calculating, but he is also kind to those who follow him. He tries to assist those in his kingdom, but he must also maintain a cold exterior because he doesn’t have anyone who he can truly trust. One false move will cost him his life and those who count on him.

The other characters are well crafted which makes the entire story blossom. As a reader you find yourself thinking about which characters to trust and which ones are truly villains. Overall the book was an exciting tale of betrayal, adventure and survival.

NOTE: This review is for CAPTIVE PRINCE as a stand alone book and does not include any subsequent parts.

When I saw that Berkley was rereleasing Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat, an award-winning LGBTQ title, I checked Goodreads and saw glowing reviews. So I picked up the title for review, thinking it was a m/m fantasy romance, but what I found was something a bit different.

After losing their King, the citizens of Akielos believe his heir, Prince Damianos. is also dead. However, Damianos was actually captured and tortured by his half-brother, Kastor, and subsequently made into the slave Damen and given as a gift to the Prince of Vere, Laurent.

Laurent will be of age to rule his kingdom in ten months, but it appears that there may be some who don’t want this spoiled boy as ruler. Laurent holds a grudge against new ally Akielos because of his brother’s death in the recent war. If Damen ever hopes to return home, he must never allow any Veretians discover his hidden identity.

While it took a bit for me to get into the story, I eventually became engrossed in the political machinations within both the Akielos and Vere territories. Although the story is told from the first person point-of-view of Damen, his was not the character I found most interesting. The author does a wonderful job presenting one side of Laurent, only to twist it wholly. Laurent is multi-faceted and truly interesting, and as the book progresses, we see more and more of his hidden layers.

However, just when I was finally engaged and enjoying the interactions between Laurent and Damen and the politics of the story, the book just ends. I don’t mean it ended on a cliffhanger. This book literally ends in the middle of the story without finishing the plot. It is not a standalone book, and for this, I am very disappointed. I believe those that gave the book such high marks were able to read the subsequent part/s with this book.

Additionally, this book is NOT a romance at all, and it remains to be seen if it ever will be. While there is an abundance of sexual situations, it is in context of the times and customs of the peoples. In both kingdoms, it is convention to have slaves or “pets” for sexual purposes, and same-sex relationships are not taboo. For example, in Vere, having a child out of wedlock is one of the most disgraceful actions one can suffer, so unmarried nobles only have intercourse with partners of the same sex.

In the end, I have mixed feelings about Captive Prince. While the abundance of sex for the sake of sex at the beginning made for slower reading, I eventually came to enjoy the political subterfuge and the story of two rival princes. However, the lack of romance and the fact that at the 85% mark, the book just ends in the middle of the story, without finishing any part of the plot, disappointed me greatly. Captive Prince is not a standalone book, and therefore is difficult to rate. I am planning on reading the next story because I want to find out what happens, but I am disappointed that Berkley chose not to put the books together as one, or make more clear that the books are part of a whole.

My Rating: C+ Liked It, but I had issues

There is no sex in this volume, and yet it is sizzling. And you are constantly being surprised by the characters and the plot. I am reminded of Neil Gaiman's advice on how to read Gene Wolfe:

1) Trust the text implicitly. The answers are in there.

2) Do not trust the text farther than you can throw it, if that far. [snip]

3) Reread. It's better the second time. It will be even better the third time. [snip]

At the risk of spoiling the koan experience, here's how I understand that advice. Wolfe and Pacat are authors who NEVER lie. When you find out later that you were wrong about everything, you never feel tricked because you remember all the clues that were left. On the other hand, you can't believe everything the narrator tells you. The Captive Prince is not very good at lying, but he certainly doesn't know everything that's going on!

BTW, I hated Gene Wolfe. I love The Captive Prince.

Damen, Prince of Akelios, knows that someday he will be a great king. He has proven to be popular with his people and has all the trappings of a great leader. But when his half-brother takes the thrown as part of a violent coup, Damen is resigned to a much different fate. He is given as a slave to Prince Laurent, the incorrigible heir to the thrown of neighboring (and rival) Vere. Damen finds himself in a dangerous predicament due to Laurent's nature and the political climate of Vere. But what's even more of a risk is that Laurent blames Damen for the death of his brother, making it clear he can never allow his true identity to become known.

This is an extremely well-written and engaging story--I had a very hard time putting it down while I was reading. The character development and world building is superb and it is so easy to become invested in the lives of these characters. There's a great deal of suspense here as well, not only because of Damen's position but also between Laurent and his uncle, and Laurent and many other members of the court. I definitely give this a very high recommendation.

My Goodreads & Twitters feeds are FULL of this series, so of course I had to follow trend and pick it up. I was pleasantly surprised. I can't say I loved it, but I sure did like it. And that's an accomplishment because slave romances are not my thing. I find them uncomfortable and rarely erotic.

I liked the clash of cultures. I liked that there isn't any sort of insta-love. Heck, these two don't even like each-other. Slow burn is an understatement for the romantic element of this book. I liked the subtitles at play between the other characters. There are some truly heartbreaking moments here, but they aren't all overt and in your face. I appreciated that. It is a cliffhanger, which sucks, but I happily give this two thumbs up. I'll be looking for the sequels.

Note: borrowed from library

~Reviewed by ANN & posted at Under the Covers Book Blog

Pacat takes something that I love - M/M Romance and puts her spin on it so that it becomes this living, breathing thing. The first thing you notice when you start reading Volume One is the rich details. Pacat does not skim anything. A story that is not for the faint of heart, CAPTIVE PRINCE takes on the notion of slavery and puts it front and center. Let me warn you now, it's graphic and sometimes unpleasant, but nevertheless you become so attuned to Damen's character that you cannot bare to look away.

Damen is a warrior of his own kind. As the rightful heir to his kingdom, he has been stripped of his identity when his half brother gains control and is sent to their enemies' territory to become his slave. A chilling thought, that but once again, the writing hook you in. I also think the big reason why readers become so entranced by this book is because it's told through the eyes of Damen. We see some vulnerability, yet Damen never really backs down through it all. Strength and power are all relative when it comes to this fantasy world. I think if this story were told from a different perspective, it wouldn't hold the same appeal and it definitely wouldn't be so entertaining.

Prince Laurent is desperate to break Damen. Seeking revenge for his brother's death, Laurent doesn't simply want an eye for an eye. He wants Damen to suffer. Now I know you're wondering if there could be a HEA. That has yet to be determined in this volume. But I can tell you that there are traces of a romance blooming. It's not clear at first. In fact, you may think the opposite when they first meet, but Pacat lays details that are there if you look closely enough. For this alone, I'm willing to read on to find out.

It's been awhile since I've read a good fantasy book and this is what it is. Pacat weaves an intricate world filled with politics and unknown lands yet to be discovered. Rich descriptions bring this world to life and page by page, Pacat makes a fictional fantasy world feel real for readers. If you're not reading for its characters, then read it for its worldbuilding. This is truly an extraordinary book!

Favourite Quote:

"A golden prince was easy to love if you did not have to watch him picking wings off flies."

I like the love-hate chemistry between Laurent and Damen. So irritating and yet so irresistible. At times, I did wish there were more details to some plots but as the story continued, I forgot the flaws and was engaged to know more. Clever twist to the whole drama-play. Many a time I kept forgetting that Laurent was a young adult, not supposed to be that matured. But perhaps I was wrong?

I could complain about the lack of sex scenes in this book but some scenes were so steamy, I felt they were done tastefully to tease the readers for what would be coming next. Naughty, but tastefully naughty effort by the author.

You know those books that nag you in the mind to when you are free for a while - the ones that nag you to come back to reading them, instead of watching tv or surfing the net? This is one of those books for me.

I'm one of those people who has to try to figure out the plot I cant just simply enjoy the story. In saying that this trilogy kept me puzzled the entire time and I loved it! Beautiful writing and story telling. The last couple of chapters in book three had me so nervous waiting to see how they were going to turn everything around. Only complaint was hearing the reader pronounce Laurent while listening to the book. His name is said so often that the pronunciation was annoying lol!

I started this book many times, but couldn't quite get into it. It came highly recommended, so I gave it a last chance. Finally, I made it through the entire story.

It was slow going, too much detail distracted from the story, but I did enjoy some parts of it. I know others adore this story, it's just not for me and won't continue with the series.

Instead of ascending to the throne of Akielos, Prince Damon is banished to Vere as a slave. In book one of Captive Prince Trilogy, C. S. Pacat introduces us to a society where sex slaves are known as "pets" in the Royal Court.

As a gift to Prince Laurent of Vere, Damon's true identity is hidden. Over time, he somewhat gains the Prince's trust and enjoys some privileges.

Thank you GoodReads for the book

This book is, bar none, the most disgusting thing I've ever read. Literally the only things that got me through to the end were the insistence from a friend that I would love it and the waning hope that the last two-thirds, latter half, last quarter would be less repulsive than what came before it. No such luck. After watching Laurent brutalize and humiliate our protagonist for no other reason than knowing he could, plot events and Damen's Stockholm'd narrative have conspired to force me as a reader to empathize with a character who I have absolutely no respect nor affection for. Why do I hate him so much? Because one's experiences can explain but never ever excuse one's cruel actions. Laurent's characterization is in blatant opposition to the idea that we, as people, can rise above our experiences and find kindness to spite hatred. And while I have the vague idea that this is the author's intention, learning to do so should not require the utterly undeserved sacrifice of Damen, who Laurent has abused and violated for his own vicious satisfaction.

I will never read the sequels, nor willingly read anything else written by an author who clearly expects me to forgive rape, verbal, and physical abuse perpetrated on a powerless party by the party that has absolute power over him.

When I first started this book, I didn't really know what I was getting into. I picked it as a recently-downloaded ebook for an 8 hour train ride back from visiting a friend and figured, what the heck. Why not? Little did I know that I'd quickly go from wondering why I'd picked this book to read to wondering why I would ever pick another book again.

The novel follows the story of Prince Damianos of Akielos after an uprising occurs. He's shipped off to the enemy land of Vere where he's held captive as a slave to the crown prince, Laurent. Damianos, known as Damen in his slave name, has to keep his identity a secret to the lands of Vere, lest he lose his head. That's the general summary, but that definitely isn't what drew me in when I decided to read this book. I'd heard of the book from a friend of mine, who insisted that it was worth the read, and despite the intrigue I found at the summary, had I picked this book up in any other scenario, I don't think that I would have given it the same chance that I did thanks to the recommendation.

In terms of the book itself, I found it a little bit slow at first. Initially when I was reading it, I found myself stopping and wondering if it was worth it, but that doubt was easily wiped away. A lot of the confusion was due to keeping up with all the names and places that the book throws at you early on, but once you start learning how they all connect, it's easy to keep track of them and everything becomes focused on the plot.

My favourite parts of the book are nestled in the dialogue. Laurent's quick, witty words and Damen's biting refusal to play along with the rules of his new home show that there is so much more behind these characters than what meets the eye. Not only are the main characters a treat, but each and every character they interact with has such a distinct personality that they easily reflect the way that humans inherently are. From shy and quiet Erastmus to bold but young Nikandros, the pets of Vere all have their own intricacies to them, and their owners are just as intriguing. There's not a single character that comes to mind that's boring or bland when you read through Captive Prince, and that's exactly what I look for when it comes to novels.

Not only that, but the author's depiction of the scenery of the world is truly amazing. The way C.S. Pascat describes the intricacies of Vere and how they compare to the land of Akelios where Damen hails from is breathtaking, and she uses an immense amount of vocabulary to provide the readers with the best picture possible so you can fully immerse yourself in the book. I found myself losing track of the train that I was on because I was so sure that I was in the palace of Vere, experiencing everything that Damen was.

Everything about this book had me completely hooked on it, and after the first few chapters, I didn't want to put it down. I'd finished the entire thing on the train and started the second one before I'd even arrived home, and trust me, once I was back in my hometown, I didn't want to sleep because all I wanted was to keep reading. If you're looking for an enticing start of a series with witty characters, lush scenery, and a thrilling plot, Captive Prince is definitely the place to start!

Loved the Character growth and development. The plot is carefully plotted in such a way to force Damian and even Laurent to make decisions they wouldn't normally make. Character driven with lots of romance suspense building in a surprising way. I look forward to reading the next installment and seeing how the Author continues to push and pull the characters into one another.

And I'm a tough judge, trust me! Simply having male characters interested in one another does not constitute a good story to me! I expect them to be just as complex, deep and flawed as the millions of stories out there that employ nothing but straight characters. To me it shouldn't be the main focus of the story, but it should bolster it, it should make sense, it should be believable and well thought out.

I've never read a book with a character like Laurent in it before. He is one of the most consistently created and deeply complex characters I've ever read. I absolutely love him! He makes this whole story unique and the author does such a good job with him! I'm not a fan of feminine gay men, or of them seeming overly virtuous, they should be just as flawed an unique as other characters. These characters truly are! Damen is also a very strong character with realistic reactions, strong morals, and conflicting desires.

I believe everything in this story. Nothing seems contrived or forced, no plot developments pop up for the sake of the story, they are all well thought out. The mystery behind everything is well crafter and drives the story; it's not an afterthought that follows behind copious amounts of gay sex. Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of keeping sex in the books, on the page. I do not like it to be gratuitous and I don't like when it isn't built up to. The plot should drive the story and sex should be like the cherry on top, certainly a plot device in some situations, but it should seem like the book was written around them

The author of this book is amazing and I am sincerely looking forward other stories from her!

This book owned me today, completely owned me.

I just have to give S. U. Pacat a huge round of applause. I was 100% drawn into "Captive Prince". It is going to be hard to write a review of just Volume 1 because I read them back to back like a rabid fan-girl so I'll just review them together. It was like my eyes were glued to my phone today. I wouldn't and couldn't stop reading.

I won't rehash the plot because the overview doesn't sound terribly interesting or new. It is the masterful, smart writing that sets this book apart. The writing is so crisp and fan-freaking-tastic that it gives each word the power that it is due. Details sing in all the right ways.

The way the author portrayed Laurent in the beginning made me think I could never sympathize with him. It is through truly skilled writing that little facts play out just as they should over time and reveal Laurent's character in new lights. We learn hard truths along with Damen and I felt my point of view morphing as his did. I was entwined with Damen and felt deeply connected to his story and his emotional and physical journey.

The book is a study in deception and human emotion. It grips you until the very end. Book 1 set the stage for book 2, which just brings everything to a head. There are no missteps. It is like a ballet dance of words, and I don't think I'm being too complementary or over-exaggerating. Book 3 will be my most anticipated release of next year (if that is when it will come out)!

Though there are a lot of sexual references, which may turn off some readers, I still found this to be a very good romantic fantasy. Normally I shy away from M/M romance novels as 99% of them are just basically p@rn with little actual romance/storyline. Not so with this book. It was full of political intrigue and interesting, well-developed characters. Intimate scenes were very tastefully done. Definitely highly recommend the series.

I had gotten bored of novels, what with all their unnecessarily drawn out descriptions and irrelevant details. There would always be that boring drudge in the beginning of introducing the characters, giving you an overview of their daily lives, and THEN you get into the meat of the plot. I didn't have the time or interest to sit through all of that, which is why I'm out-of-my-mind ecstatic that I happened to stumble over this series. The characters are raw, realistic, and relatable--but the most satisfying part about that is that C.S. Pacat doesn't lay it out for you; she makes you stand alongside the characters and meet them as you would a new friend. You have that preliminary image of who they are, what they might be like, how they might act, and then you're either right about some things and surprised about the others, all the while immersed in the thrill of figuring out the intense politic power feud, rooting for the characters who have now come to be people you care about.

I have finished the first and second books in this trilogy (dying for the finale), and let me tell you: this is a series to be reread over, and over, and over again. C.S. Pacat's immense planning and thought put into this series (if you read some of her interviews, you'll get more insight) unravels itself into a magical experience once you reread the series. The first read-through will make your heart crash into the waves, but the second and subsequent read-throughs will have you more than breathless. The revelations and insights on the characters after you've known them changes the story's perspective entirely, and most of all, there will be the exclamation of, "THAT'S WHY HE DID IT," whereas in the preliminary introduction to the novel, you would probably have neglected that minute detail as a mere "description" of the character's rough personality.

Read it. It'd be a pity if you don't like it as much as all of us who praise the gods about this series, but it would never hurt for you to give it a chance and realize you love it just as much.

This is NOT a good stand alone book ..if I would have known that the story was so incomplete I would have waited to
buy the three books together at a better price
Book one ends SO abruptly and the first person view of the character means the story moves very slowly
as a side note ,many of the reviews written about this book were better than the book itself
I do not recommend this

Reading the book description I was not really sold on the book. I am not into books about war and kings etc. However, with all the rave reviews and the low price I decided to give this a shot.

OMG, I am so glad I did. Yes there is a lot of court intrigue but this book is so much more. Nothing is as it seems and one action taken will have consequences more than 100 pages later when you least expect it. I gasp so many freaking times in this book. I adore Damien and Laurent. At first you think Laurent is horrid but as more things are revealed you realize his is playing a deadly game where, again NOTHING is as it seems. Remember this. I cannot wait for the third book in this trilogy to be finished!

For the price, this is one dense book. Not because it's too long (it's not at all), but because once the action starts (and it starts immediately) you're kept on the edge of your seat the whole time. A lot happens. The characters are never flat, and their development is expertly done. I hate when there's some evil side character as plot device who's really just annoying because they're 2D. Here, the evil and treachery are delicious. LOL Especially Laurent! I *heart* him. He's my perfect machiavellian ice prince, though I wouldn't trust him any further than I could throw him. I love the sharp and witty exchanges the characters have. So...great dialogue, lovely use of language, richly detailed world, tight plotting, delicious tension (sexual and otherwise). Oh, how I love intrigue. I'm so glad my best friend made me read this and introduced me to S.U. Pacat's writing. I'm off to read the next installment and look forward to more of her work!

I wouldn't really recommend this book. The characters are pretty unlikeable and the relationships were shallow. The protagonist Damen comes off as more pheasant than Prince and Laurent is just awful. I wish I hadn't bought it. It was disjointed as a story and it had very little male on male romance or sex for a book about slaves.

I grabbed this thinking it was an lgbt bodice-ripper and got a lot more story than I bargained for. Pacat has really created an intricate and involved world with a lot more depth than her "Captive prince/pleasure slave" summary even hints at. The Character relationships are slow building and complex and the storyline is intriguing. It should also be noted that Pacat has avoided or deftly subverted a load of the more tired and over used Romantic Tropes to keep the pacing and plot twists fresh and unexpected. The politics are complex, the enemies are subtle and skilled, and this is less a romance novel than a story with heroes whom happen to be falling in love.

(I started reading Vol I in the doctors office after work this afternoon. I just finished vol II and I'm only going to sleep because vol III isn't out yet.)

Edit: Volume I & II flow together like a break in chapters rather than two separate books. To get the full impact of Pacat's pacing and story telling they should be read as a single novel.

I love it! Captive Prince is full of action, intrigue, and sexual tension. The story begins with a coup that results in the enslavement of Prince Damen. The new king gifts the prince to a rival prince as a bed slave. There are so many things that can go wrong for him, which makes the book extremely suspenseful. There was not much in the way of sex, but I'm hoping to see more of that in the books to come. I'm so glad that book two is out there and I have a feeling I'll be impatiently awaiting the third installment of this series.

Third read: July 24th, 2015

Man, you have no idea how jealous I am towards anyone who can still experience what it feels like to read this series for the first time. Only Captive Prince makes me feel this way... what a strong feeling.

Also, I found this INCREDIBLE song inspired by the story and everything inside it: What You Want (Captive Prince song) by Arielle. It brought tears to my eyes.

PS. I've never read a book three times before... so many firsts with this series.

As a long time fan of M/M fantasy and fanfiction, I very much enjoyed this book and the sequels.

The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is that the cultural use of underaged slaves I found to be unpleasant. It wasnt graphic or detailed but it existed and it made me uncomfortable. I'd have preferred it if the author had made all the slave characters at least 16 or 17 and not ventured into the use of children for sex.

Other than that, I loved the characters, the development of the relationship and the twists and turns of the plot. Well worth the money.

Oh man, this was an intense ride from page 1. I finished both this and Prince's Gambit in less than 24 hours. Damen and Laurent are such wonderful departures from the romantic trope of "big brutish fighter" and "small, intelligent plotter" that they kept catching me off guard. There is a LOT of triggering content (including rape and torture), so this series is definitely not for everyone. There are also characters who AREN'T villains that have differing opinions on slavery and consent. So, some readers seem to have taken that to mean that the author is somehow promoting rape and slavery. But if you read the book, you'll find that's not the case at all.

The story is so beautifully written that I have a difficult time putting into words just how much I enjoyed this book and the sequel. I'm so lucky I'm not one of the fans that has been following this since it's live journal days in 2006 because I couldn't stand the wait for the final book (which will be released in February!).

This book was recommended to me by a friend. I had no idea what it was about or what an amazing story I was in for. The writing is gorgeous and lush and so snarky. The characters are complex as hell and the stakes are so high. I was completely hooked! For a pretty dark story, there were so many spots of humor, too. I can't wait to see how the rest of the series unfolds.

This is book not a romance, although by the end of book three it might very well be an Enemy to lovers romance, but that remains to be seen. Book 1 of Captive Prince is about the power struggles of two kingdoms and internal political intrigue that seek to destroy the true heirs to each thrown. Wonderfully written with fully thought out world building and characters that are three dimensional. All characters are important especially side characters. Don't skim or skip pages but allow yourself to become fully immersed in the world S U Pacat has created.

I never write reviews, but this book deserves an additional five star rating on its page. I initially learned about it during a discussion on the emergence of an "original slashfic" genre - books that are technically romance novels, with original characters and plots, but follow the tropes of slash fanfiction.

I was intrigued, and then obsessed, and then finished the first book in two sittings.

So, before I marathon onto the second volume, I must pause to give my accolades. Character development is excellent and subtle, many intense/uncomfortable issues are touched upon and dealt with VERY tactfully (pausing here to mention that this being said, it is obviously master/slave so if you aren't ok with at least dubcon you may want to stay clear or proceed with caution), and the worldbuilding is realistic and gripping.

And now, onto book two.

This is a good read for fans of yaoi/mm romance. However despite what other reviews claim, I do not find this book to be written well or contain a particularly grappling plot. It's mediocre in every way, but a satisfying read all the same.

This series has completely wrecked my life in the best way. It is in my top five series. I love the relationship development between Damen and Laurent, I love the political mastermind that Laurent is, and the kind hearted Damen. Pacat created something very special with this novel. It is packed full of difficult topics to read up, such as slavery, contracted prostitution, rape, and pedophilia. But the two main characters are good men who you will fall in love with. The world is amazing, the characters even more so. Read this novel. Now.

I read this book on a long car ride at my sister's insistence on her Kindle, and wow, I couldn't stop flipping the pages! Every time I had to put the Kindle down I was dying to go back and read Captive Prince. And when I was nearing the end of the book, I read as slowly as possible because I didn't want it to end.

The characters are amazing and so human in their hopes and flaws and prejudice. Damen doesn't see Laurent and falls in love with him, or in lust with him. This story is so gripping because you're taken on a journey with Damen as his opinions on his surroundings change and he's forced to observe Laurent in a new light. I absolutely love them both, and the mystery behind Laurent is superbly crafted: you're given a little about him but never enough. And he's cruel; you want to hate him but you don't. Well, you're reading from Damen's point of view so maybe it's supposed to be that way.

If you're even considering reading Captive Prince just a little, just do it. Get a sample and just read it, I promise you won't hate it.

Have loved this story for ages, and am so glad to finally get the published version! The story is unique, the personalities wonderfully realized, and I still enjoy re-reading it from beginning to end. If I had a complaint, it's that I wish there had been a few more extras for those of us coughing up the dough for a dead-tree version, but that's a nitpick, really.

I've just read Part 1 & 2 back to back. Having read a number of spoiler-free reviews, I had a good idea what to expect. Still, it was a pleasant surprise especially after getting through the more disturbing aspects of the early story.
First off: this is NOT a bdsm or D/s book. I'm not sure where that's coming from but I suppose a cursory glance at the title and description could make one think it.
Second: This is world-building and political machinations, the mental workings of a king-to-be. The fact that this author could write Laurent honestly, knowing how we'd hate him, and then slowly make us look again was truly impressive.
I was surprised more than once which doesn't often happen, and the cliffhanger is a doozy. Can't wait for book 3.

This is my second time buying this book! I originally got one from the author before she was being officially published. It's everything I love! Complex plot and characters, sexual tension, wonderful new worlds, and fainting cultures. I honestly can't praise this book enough!!!

Surprisingly engaging with interesting characters and a captivating story! I fell in love with these series quite easily although I do have to say that it's not everyone's cup of tea particularly because of some of the themes it deals with. In my opinion it was an engaging read from start to finish and I can only say that the writing style and character development get even better as the story goes on throughout the next two books. It's definitely a series that I will hold close to my heart :)

I started reading this when it was still free online and I was intrigued then, but I didn't have time to finish reading it with school and all, so I bookmarked it. Quite awhile later I went back and found that the author had found a publisher and it was no longer online. I got the book yesterday and finished it all in one day. It was so good! Really, this book is nothing like the poorly written, in your face erotica the rest of the genre is stuffed with-this is actually well written and the plot is well done. I'm so pleased a story like this can be well written, exciting, and popular too. I NEED to buy the second book now, but I'm hesitant to finish it before the third book is done, because I know I'm going to want to jump right into it. Just read the story, you will love it.

I am definitely intrigued! Court politics, slaves/pets, words used as weapons, court spies, and a Crown Prince I just can't quite figure out (so intrigued by Laurent.) Promising start to the series, ready for book 2!

If you like fantasy, read these. If you like erotica, read these. If you want a MASTERCLASS in show-don't-tell, read these. If you like fan fiction but you're frustrated by the quality of writing, buy this right now.

Seriously sexy, character-driven, slow-burn romance and political intrigue historical/fantasy worldbuilding and seriously. Read it.

I've always been a sucker for the "enemies-to friends-to lovers" type of relationship development and this is one of the best I've seen. The court politics are fun and the overall plot is interesting with lots of seedy characters and battles but the romance is the real star. Damen is earnest, Laurent is complicated and I fell in love with them both.

A well-written, detailed world; characters one grows to care about very quickly, though sometimes in the "love to hate" sense. It is worth hanging in there for the entire book; in fact, I suspect this really ought to have been the first of three parts of a longer book, as the other two in this trilogy are not best read as stand-alone books. Overall, worth your time.

I firmly believe that it is harmful to the LGBTQ community, too. It is everything homophobic bigots claim about gay men: "that they choose to be gay, that they are pedophiles, and that they are perverted." This book is unacceptable and by far the worst book I have ever read!
When representing a community that is marginalized, authors have a responsibility to be careful how they represent that community. This author failed completely.
This book made me so angry I'm considering burning it. That's how much I hate this book!

Add to that some horrible writing, and you get a book that's nothing more than insulting, hurtful garbage.

Amazing reading. The first few chapters are harder to get through, but the amazing world building is astonishing detailed. The author, in true online writer fashion, has a list of tags of what you should expect in her page.

That out of the way, I should say that I have recommended this book to pretty much every friend. You cannot help but to care about the characters and be in that world with them.

I found this delightful and easy to read. The setting was intriguing and felt fully thought out without belaboured. The plot is mostly court intrigue through the eyes of a narrative who cannot see all that is going on. Getting to read through the narration is fantastic.

Do not buy this book or anything from this author - when I purchased it the blurb assured the final book to be out within a few months - now a year later they are re-releasing all three books at triple the price. We kindle users need to send a message to the store, publishers and authors!!

This was an online read that has since been released as an ebook. It is a good read that is a part one so has an open ending that is not a cliff hanger. I was captivated by the characters and storyline. Even the world building was so good I felt I was there with them.

Well written, griping, wonderful story. I had to buy the second volume immediately and the wait for the end of the trilogy is going to be agony!
The main characters have a depth to them that is the mark of a great author and the plot grabs you and won't let go.
Really a must read.

Not as spectacular as I thought it would be based on other reviews. Readable but rather boring really. The 2 main characters that I thought were going to fall in love with each other are enemies and hate each other. The ending doesn't even give any clue that they might end up together or not in book 2. Still trying to decide if I want to continue on. Really disappointed more than anything.

I'll be honest. This story is very stressful. There are awful people and awful situations, yet somehow, we come out rooting for characters we thought we'd hate. A complex world of betrayal and unexpected alliances. I thought I would hate it, but the truth is quite the contrary.

One of the most disgusting, vile books I have ever read, and I read a lot of books in this genre. Rape, depravity, torture, pedophilia, and no redeeming characters whatsoever. I won't read this series or anything else by this author ever again.

I picked up this book and its sequel at the local library on the strength of all the good reviews they were getting. I have read novels in this genre before and enjoyed many of them; I can't say the same about these. Fortunately I can explain my dislike without having to venture too far into spoiler territory. (One significant spoiler follows; it comes with its own warning so you can skip it if you like.)

Ok, let's start with the setting. We have ancient Greece mashed up against medievalish France, which is disconcerting (as are some of the place names; 'Aquitart' made me laugh out loud). Slavery is widespread, and everyone seems to be completely obsessed with sex, up to and then far past the point of ridiculousness. If you're having a diplomatic difficulty with another country, just whip out a (possibly very young) sex slave as a gift and all will be well. Slow day at court? Some naked wrestling followed by public rape will take care of that! The sex-crazed atmosphere smothers any potential that may have existed to introduce actual political issues to the story, beyond the big question of whether or not the two countries will go to war -- and even that ends up being botched. [Spoiler warning! Skip the rest of this paragraph if you haven't read books 1 and 2 yet, but plan to.] Laurent, Prince of France, tries to solve his familial difficulties at the end of the second novel by inviting the Greeks to invade. Good job there, Laurent. No possible way an invasion and occupation could go wrong.

So much for the setting and plot. I think what really made the books annoying to me, as opposed to simply forgettable, was the character of Laurent. He is transparently meant to be a clone of Francis Crawford, the hero of Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond chronicles (a series you should definitely take time to read if you haven't). Dunnett was a brilliant author and Lymond a brilliant character. In Ms. Pacat's hands, he becomes a slave-owning, sadistic nitwit who can't outsmart his thug of an uncle. I am not impressed. I know they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but I'm not at all sure that holds true here.

I suppose if you're looking for mindless, sex- and violence-saturated entertainment, these books will help you kill a couple hours. If you're after something with a little more substance to it, you'll need to look elsewhere.

This was an amazing series with compelling characters and plots that kept you racing along until the finish. I absolutely adored it and high recommend it to anyone who enjoys world building and romance and plot twists.

This night be one of my least favorite books ever. There's nothing worthwhile about it. Laurent is disgusting, Damen is boring and an idiot, and there are two women in the entire book, neither of whom are important.
I can't imagine the series improves after this, and I don't intend to find out.

I saw all these wonderful reviews and just knew I had to *have* this book.

So I bought it. And started to read. Five pages in, I quit.

I honestly cannot comment on the plot. I didn't get far enough. The writing style stopped me dead.

I think I must be an unusual Yaoi fan. Sure, a good plot is a good plot. But what I really look for are characters I care for - and decent writing.

I guess this writing is 'decent'. (Didn't spot any spelling or grammatical errors.) But there is constant over-use of the same word (or some slight variation) in the same paragraph.

(Admittedly, a pet peeve. Maybe others don't mind it so much.)

When I read books I start with the premise that the author understands the need for it to have a beginning, a middle and an end. I bought this book on the basis of the reviews. Shame on me.

There are many problems here. There is nothing new to the plot of this book. There is no grandeur or sweeping vision. It does nothing to move the reader emotionally nor to push its genre forward with a new idea or clever twist. Worst of all, it has no end. When you close your book with an ending so clearly contrived (and I do mean contrived), it means you either don't have good enough control of your writing or you are trying to get the reader to purchase the next installment. If it is the former then I suggest you continue to write fan fiction until you improve. If it is the latter, then you give up the right to be called an author and must move to the name, "shill" instead. I have nothing against people making a living by the written word. But when you do it at the expense of both the reader's time and money, shame on you.

I have better things to do with my time and so does this author. To the author I would say, "If you feel you have a great story arc in you, then I recommend you spend a little more time with the masters starting with Tolken, Eddings, Jordan or Martin before you try again." If you simply just want to write for money, then buyers beware.

I waltzed into believing this was a straight romance, as this is where the book lay on the shelf.....well, I wasn't as pleased or enthralled as to the content. The details were missing on the initial summary.......hmmm. Story line was written well but frankly I am not an advocate for this style and am very angry at myself for selecting a novel without researching on the web.

If you are seeking a sensual or even plausible romance move on. Not only are the characters of this book horribly written and described, but their personalities broader on narcissistic, sociopathic, sadistic and psychotic. There is no true measure of a D and s relationship but it's basically nothing more then some poor bastard getting the s*** beat out of him for dozens of chapters. The main characters are horrible. There is no sign of underlining affection or understanding and what's worse is the book lacks all sense of sensuality and sexuality. It is like the author wanted to write gay fiction and the only concept they had was an overly steroid jock mentality of two men cock fighting. I wasn't even past chapter three before I was already skipping pages of needless detail and redundant high school angst. This gay romance was clearly written by a straight woman who has spent absolutely no time in the gay community. I want my three dollars and five hours back.