Captive Prince » Series Review

What if a lion and panther met in the jungle?  There might be some vicious spats at first, but you know those big cats would wind up feeling admiration for the other.  Because although they're intensely different creatures, each is a remarkable beast in his own way...

Damianos, Prince of Akielos, is a hero to his countrymen.  He's famous for his defeat of Auguste, the heir of a rival kingdom, on the field of battle. His skill in combat is unparalleled, and his future kingship will continue a noble legacy of generations.

But despite his grandeur, Damianos has a soft and loyal heart.  So when his own brother moves to betray him, Damianos doesn't see it coming.  Forced into slavery, 'Damen' is gifted to Laurent, the younger brother of Auguste, the very man Damen is famed for slaying.

Thus begins an epic tale of war, politics, and power.

I began this series because it comes very highly rated.  And I would have stopped at book one, if not for the encouragement of other reviewers.  You see, reading book one in this series, Captive Prince, was terrible.  The writing itself was very skilled; it wasn't an issue of quality.  The problem was, the content was utterly horrific — slavery, rape, and pedophilia are depicted unflinchingly and with excruciating detail. I wanted to pitch the book away from me and scrub my brain.

Regardless of the depravity, you do get the sense, while reading, that foundations are being laid and that great events are brewing, about to boil over.  And, indeed, in book two, matters culminate in a way that is truly spectacular writing. Really, I can't praise book two, Prince's Gambit, enough. It will go down as one of the best fantasies that I've had the joy of reading.

Book three, Kings Rising, continues the momentum of Prince's Gambit.  I won't say that it was a perfectly stunning conclusion, but it left me very happy overall.

Perhaps the thing I loved most about this series was the characterization, which was incredibly rich, for both major and minor players.  Damen, or Damianos, 'Prince-Killer,' is our narrator, and my favorite character.  He's not unlike a classical hero — an Achilles or an Alexander. Damen's arc throughout the series was wonderful and distinct.

You get the sense that before his enslavement, Damen lived life as a bit of a simple jock.  Despite having a very big heart, he's been unable to put it to good purpose.  After being put through the ringer of book one, however, Damen blooms into a powerful man with strongly empathetic feelings. Because of this, he's able to befriend and love Laurent, who is so damaged by life and circumstance, that he's become an icy and unpleasant person.

Oh yes, and how could I finish this review without mentioning the romance?  Readers, it was scorching.  Whoa, Nelly. In regards to M/M romance, I haven't read anything else yet in the genre that compares to this eroticism. C. S. Pacat knows when to get wordy and when to get crude. Moreover, so much of the characters' individual journeys are at play when they're having sex; it makes the encounters so much more than 'hot scenes.'  It bears saying again — I've never read explicit writing quite of this caliber. And if that's the hook that drives you to pick up this series, good!

So, have you read this series yet?  Heard of it?  It's so exciting when you find an amazing piece of writing, not by keeping up with mainstream media and journalism, but by following bloggers and internet reviewers. The Captive Prince series is special like that — a wonderful and subtle surprise.