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Kings Rising

(Captive Prince #3)

C.S. Pacat (Goodreads Author)

4.45 · Rating details · 37,574 ratings · 5,148 reviews

Damianos of Akielos has returned.

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

On the brink of a momentous battle, the future of both their countries hangs in the balance. In the south, Kastor's forces are massing. In the north, the Regent's armies are mobilising for war. Damen's only ho

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Kindle Edition, 368 pages

Published February 2nd 2016 by e-penguin

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Dec 21, 2012 Kat rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: glbt, m-m, mindblowingly-well-written, political-intrigues, adventure, all-nighters, heartwarming, lingers-in-the-mind, bouts-of-fangirl-craziness, buddy-read

I didn't think it possible, but Pacat has outdone herself. I literally finished this book 2 minutes ago and I'm breathless and flushed, and my heart pounds too fast. Don't expect a cool and collected review from me yet, for now I'll just go with: epic conclusion to a magnificent series.

Review probably to come. :')

Update 9/7/15:

Aaaaaand we have an anticipation increasing blurb! And according to Penguin CP 3 will be 384 pages.:D

Update 6/26/15:

Official publication date for CP 3: 02-02-2016.

I'm ...more

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Feb 02, 2016 Claudia Ramírez rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016, i-ship-them, favorites, top-2016

CRYING FOREVER TEARS OF JOY. OMG.

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Jan 30, 2016 Victoria Schwab rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

DAMN NEAR PERFECT.

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Jul 03, 2017 Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

”To gain everything and lose everything in the space of a moment. That is the fate of all princes destined for the throne.”

I. N. T. E. N. S. E.!!!

If I had to describe “King’s Rising” with one word it most certainly would be this one! This book was so damn freaking intense the tension was physically palpable in the air. It dripped from every single page, it consumed me, made me feel uncomfortable, giddy and so excited I could barely keep it in.
Gosh this was actually so damn intense it will t ...more

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Feb 03, 2016 Jackeli08 rated it did not like it · review of another edition

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

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

Elena Giacon

P.S. I beg your pardon for any grammatical mistakes, as an Italian I do often have troubles with English grammar... ...more

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Jul 10, 2017 Candace rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: listened-to-audio-version, dangerous-hero-themed-books-read, forbidden-romance

Like earlier books in this series, 'Kings Rising' had my rapt attention from beginning to end. This book was action-packed and full of emotion. It broke my heart, only to piece it back together slowly. I loved every minute!

This book sees both Damen and Laurent fighting to reclaim their kingdoms. Despite their differences, the two are forced into a tenuous alliance. They need one another, if either of them hopes to succeed. This makes for plenty of emotional highs and lows along the way as the tw Like earlier books in this series, 'Kings Rising' had my rapt attention from beginning to end. This book was action-packed and full of emotion. It broke my heart, only to piece it back together slowly. I loved every minute!

This book sees both Damen and Laurent fighting to reclaim their kingdoms. Despite their differences, the two are forced into a tenuous alliance. They need one another, if either of them hopes to succeed. This makes for plenty of emotional highs and lows along the way as the two attempt to navigate through their new realities. In many ways, the tables have turned. At the same time, so much remains unchanged.

Finally, all of Damen's secrets are out in the open. No longer does he live in fear of what will happen when Laurent finds out who he really is. Instead, he now lives with his wrath. If he thought that Laurent would be angry, he was right.

To say that I found this a little hypocritical is putting it mildly. I kept thinking, "where does Laurent get off?" After all, Damen was his slave by force. Of course he would keep a secret like that. What did he expect him to do, tell his captor his true identity and face certain death?

That feeling only grew stronger as Laurent revealed some secrets of his own. I mean, where did he get off being so self-righteous? It seemed to me that Damen was played, yet again. If anything, Laurent proved, once again, to be one of the most manipulative characters that I've ever encountered.

Even so, I cannot deny that I absolutely loved this book. Every interaction between Damen and Laurent was like a delicious little drop of heaven for me. I spent the moments between their encounters holding my breath, waiting for their next interaction. It was pathetic really, but I have no shame.

In the end, I was left feeling quite satisfied. I wasn't sure that these two would ever get there, but they eventually get some peace. I'm not a big fan of M/M romances generally, but I absolutely loved this series. It was heartfelt and sexy, with plenty of action along the way. The characters and storyline were well-developed and engaging. I would definitely recommend this series to others.

Check out more of my reviews at www.bookadddicthaven.com ...more

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Feb 06, 2016 Navessa added it · review of another edition

Shelves: strong-themes, 2016, believe-the-hype, all-the-feels, fantasy, lgbtqia, divisive-characters, kindle-2016

No rating. For now. Up until the 80% mark this was five stars all the way. But that ending...

I feel like I should add more here, so I will. If I were forced to rate this now, based on the series as a whole, this would be a solid four stars. I guess what I'm saying is don't let this review concern you or keep you from reading these books. This ending is perfectly satisfactory. For most books. But after the level of brilliance in the second one in this series, it just can't compare. It was too nea ...more

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Jul 29, 2016 Judith rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to Judith by: ravngirl

Shelves: m-m, not-what-i-was-expecting-at-all, slow-burn, couldn-t-wait-to-read, delicious-sexual-tension, fav-m-m-couples, historical, enemies-to-lovers, sensual, br-with-andrea

It's official....Laurent and Damen are up there as one of my favourite M/M couples.This series was everything I hoped it would be and this book is definitely the best in the series.....

First thing,a MASSIVE thank you to Em for lending me this series.The price definitely put me off.
I really can't explain how much I loved this story.So,with 3 books in the series it's the ultimate slow burn.
Enemies to lovers that's so compelling and captivating.The scene setting was beautiful,the characters(while n ...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Rachel rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m, historical, slave-fic, favorites

No one can nail an ending these days.

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Oct 04, 2019 • Lindsey Dahling • rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

BUT...BUT.......I DON’T WANT IT TO BE OVER.

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH MY LIFE NOW?!

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Feb 08, 2013 Julio Genao added it · review of another edition

i... don't quite know what just happened, but i'm pretty sure it happened directly to my face.

description

review to come, after i've consulted my cats.

...and a healthcare professional. ...more

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Apr 21, 2015 wesley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: effeminate-characters, fantasy, enemies-to-lovers, historical-romance, well-written, dark

Disclaimer: This is a combined review of all three books because I had to read everything in one go; else, I wouldn’t survive.

My first thought after I slightly recovered (heavy emphasis on ‘slightly’) from the Captive Prince magic was, “This deserves a movie series!”

And, “Why isn’t there a movie series yet?”

Deviantart by: chiihun

Because no series is this vividly detailed yet deceptively good. From the onset, Pacat had created this intricate web – so perfectly woven and exquisitely

Disclaimer: This is a combined review of all three books because I had to read everything in one go; else, I wouldn’t survive.

My first thought after I slightly recovered (heavy emphasis on ‘slightly’) from the Captive Prince magic was, “This deserves a movie series!”

And, “Why isn’t there a movie series yet?”

Deviantart by: chiihun

Because no series is this vividly detailed yet deceptively good. From the onset, Pacat had created this intricate web – so perfectly woven and exquisitely crafted that you just can’t help but admire it, touch it and before you know it, you’ve been spun in her web, entangling you in silken beauty.

Pacat is a master story teller. Every word, phrase, sentence is purposeful and relevant. Every metaphor, symbolism, and foreshadowing amplified yet subdued. Pacat reinvents the rules of storytelling. Her brand is hers and hers alone.

I love every character she has introduced in each book. Each one, distinct and memorable. In each book, Pacat brought forth new flavors to old and new characters alike. No character stayed dormant with each one continuously evolving and growing along with the story.

Damen and Laurent’s relationship arc was perfectly crafted. In the first half of the series, I was unsure of the romance, because nothing is absolute with Pacat. But I admire how she cultivated their romance such that it stayed more as an undercurrent rather than a raging torrent. When the dam finally broke, all the push and pull of anticipation had been worth it. Straightforward, honest Damen and cold, cunning Laurent – the perfect opposition; Fire and Ice. Until the end, the tension between the two never wavered. These characters alone have added an extra layer to an already gripping and intriguing storyline.

Reading this series can be likened to watching an exclusive game of chess. Every move is well thought of, every twist a revelation. It’s a steadily building series where strategy is key and can either end with a king’s checkmate or both kings on a stalemate. But you have to reach the end to find out. *wink*

...more

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Feb 06, 2016 Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ added it · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-i-root-for, 2016-reads, dark, fave-characters, lgbtqia-m-m

► No rating so far, possibly forever. I AM TOO CONFUSED.

Involvement : I just binge read the three books in two days. I'm pretty sure that it speaks for itself. If not, DUH, these books are more addictive than Nutella.

Exhilaration : You can't even imagine how deep I fell for Laurent. Give me a tortured, complex end borderline psycho heart, I'll be intrigued. Add a twisted and convoluted mind, I'll lose my breathe. Make him genuinely smile and I'll love him forever. God, how he made me la ...more

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Dec 24, 2017 destiny ♡⚔♡ [howling libraries] rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: diverse-reads, owned-physical, otp, fantasy, owned-ebooks, lgbtqiap, the-best-of-the-best, audio, owned-audio, enemies-to-lovers

#1 Captive Prince ★★★★★
#2 Prince's Gambit ★★★★★
#3 King's Rising ★★★★★

Spoilers ahead for the first two books!

A kingdom, or this.

#1 Captive Prince ★★★★★
#2 Prince's Gambit ★★★★★
#3 King's Rising ★★★★★

Spoilers ahead for the first two books!

A kingdom, or this.

Holy hell. I was not ready for this series to end. What I wouldn't give for a fourth book, even if it was just full of domestic fluff and precious, tender little moments. I would pay good money for a limitless supply of Laurent's wicked snark and Damen's kindness. When I began this series, I never could have guessed that it would mean so much to me. I expected a fun, dramatic romance, but I got so much more. I got politics, betrayal, war, and one of the most phenomenal slow burns I’ve ever seen in my life. C. S. Pacat has fully perfected the enemies-to-lovers trope, and I’m not sure that I’ll ever see it done better than it was in these books.

There was a warmth in his chest whenever he looked at Laurent. He didn't look often for that reason.

In the beginning of the book, we watch Damen and Laurent forced into yet another stand-off, and the distance is so incredibly bittersweet. My heart ached so many times in such a short span of this story, because the longing that Damen feels is described in breathtaking detail. Pacat’s capability for writing angst and turmoil shone in this final installment, but along with it, came her incredible knack for writing tenderness and care. I found myself wanting to tab entire pages, just so I could easily come back and reread them whenever I need a pick-me-up. ❤️

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

Out of everything in this series, though, nothing took me off guard as much as the way I would grow to cherish sweet, vicious little Laurent. He is a twisted, conniving, brilliant young man, but his cleverness is unmatched and his kindnesses are so subtle and hidden that they mean all the more for it. I distinctly remember saying, while reading the first book, that I couldn’t fathom ever appreciating his character, and I was so wrong. Laurent is one of the best examples of three-dimensional writing I have ever seen, and he and Damen alike will always hold a special place in my heart for how real they feel.

“I have not the means to defend against this.”

...more

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May 26, 2018 jessica rated it really liked it · review of another edition

i really dont want to spoil anything but i am beyond happy with the conclusion of this trilogy. which rarely ever happens - usually i lose interest as a series progresses, but this was the opposite for me - it only got better! i enjoyed how the story was wrapped up nicely (not without a few twists here and there) and loved that everything fell into place for the better. the ending was a little abrupt in my opinion (which left me wanting more), and i still believe all three books should have been ...more

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Sep 24, 2015 Simona B rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2000, in-english

One of my favourite series ever, one of the most touching and intense love stories I've ever read. It has and will always hold an exclusive place in my heart.

“Hello, lover.”

Let it be known that the Captive Prince series is something beautiful, precious, heady and spectacular. I want the whole world to read this, and people, I'm going to do it. I'm going to rave about this series so much that everyone will end up reading it just to shut me up.
(I won't stop even then, though.)

I have already s ...more

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Mar 03, 2015 Val ⚓️ Shameless Non-Snowflake ⚓️ marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Holy.

Shit.

That moment when you JUST finish book 2 and want to jump into book 3, only to discover it's not out yet???!!!

Oh, the horror.

description

...more

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Jan 17, 2017 TheCrazyWorldOfABookLover rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, i-m-not-crying-you-re-crying, mind-fucking-blown

‘Laurent of Vere. They say you’re frigid. They say you rebuff all your suitors, that no man has been good enough to prise your legs apart. I believe you thought it would be brutish and physical, and maybe a part of you even wanted it that way. But you and I both know that Damen does not make love like that. He took you slowly. He kissed you until you started to want it.’

Laurent said, ‘Don’t stop on my account.’

‘You let him undress you. You let him put his hands on you. They say you hat

...more

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Jan 25, 2013 Midnight rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016

After reading this final installment, I didn't feel like writing a review because I realized I had very little nice to say about it. The writing itself is great, as far as style goes and there was not a moment where I felt bored. It sure kept me at the edge of my seat, however, not in a good way. Most of the book, I've found myself frustrated, hastily reading to reach a point where my hopes would be fulfilled and I could go, "Yes! Finally justice!" Alas, that moment never came. I have to say, th ...more

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Dec 05, 2019 sarah rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: all-time-favs, read-2019, my-reviews

Dear Santa,

my 2019 wishlist
1. world peace
2. a niffler
3. a solid 7 more books in this series

sincerely, a now emotionally unstable Sarah

But honestly, this series grew exponentially better with each book, and I would give my first born child for just a few more books so I can see Damen and Laurent thrive.

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Sep 26, 2017 Shile rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: book-boyfriend, mm, made-me-smile-laugh, favourite-couple, unforgettable, 2017, all-time-favorites, 2019, fantasy, lgbtqiap

Re-Read March 2019

I was clearly asleep when i rated this book 4.5 stars. After the best giant buddy (re) read, i have seen the errors of my rating.

Bumping it up to:

7+++++++ STAN stars

description

This series is so good i can't even express how good it is.. I can't EVEN!!!!

description

The Characterization and character development is out of this world.

The story - every word written in this series has a meaning and a deeper meaning.

The world building and everything else in this series.

description

The MC's - Damen and Laurent, they ...more

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Aug 20, 2018 Jessi ♥️ H. Vojsk rated it really liked it · review of another edition

“I would court you, with all the grace and courtesy that you deserve.”

Story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For centuries wars were won this way - two countries fighting for one cause - to destroy their real enemies.
War is caused by several things but the most common is the hunger for power.
If you get a taste of it there is a craving, a longing that destroys your soul.
It makes you ruthless, makes you lose your loyalty and makes you forget that there is something other than power - like family or love.
Being betra ...more

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Mar 30, 2018 The Girl Murdered by Her TBR rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-fiction, series, romance, glbt, ebooks

WHAT THE FUCK. WHAT THE FUCK. WHAT THE FUCK. WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK!!!!
THAT'S IT??? ARE YOU SERIOUS? WHHHHHYYYYYY!!!!

...more

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Aug 21, 2020 Rachel (LoverofTBR) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: forbidden-love, mm-romance, rom-completed-series, hate-to-love, reread, dark-romance, fantasy

Rating
5 ‘A kingdom or this?’ – ‘It was one kingdom, once.’ 🌟

Notes
BR with the darling Saint Monique! Thank you for being such an amazing reading buddy and for being patient with my messages that are just mostly me screaming about our babies 🙈 I fully believe that this series wouldn’t be what it is for me if I didn’t have you to gush about our kingly babies with! 🧡💙🧡💙

Now, fanart of our kingly babies to bless everyone’s eyes:

Song Recommendation
Ye Tune Kya Kiya with English translation! ...more

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Feb 01, 2016 LenaLena rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, mm

The first third of this book was 5 stars. Laurent and Damen as we've come to know and love them. Laurent with his mind like a nest of scorpions, juxtaposed by straightforward and honorable Damen, who can read him so well. It's dramatic, it's complicated and it's heart warming, this first third. In the second third the niggles of doubt started to set in. I honestly don't mind suspending disbelieve in a romantic fantasy novel, but it was starting to get strained. Both men are crowding into superhe The first third of this book was 5 stars. Laurent and Damen as we've come to know and love them. Laurent with his mind like a nest of scorpions, juxtaposed by straightforward and honorable Damen, who can read him so well. It's dramatic, it's complicated and it's heart warming, this first third. In the second third the niggles of doubt started to set in. I honestly don't mind suspending disbelieve in a romantic fantasy novel, but it was starting to get strained. Both men are crowding into superhero territory and -beyond a certain rah!rah! appeal- I didn't like that it started to eat away at the complexity of the story that was being told.

(view spoiler)

It is the last third of the book where I could not help but be disappointed. It seemed to me that by insisting on a conventional romance novel ending, crimes were committed against the characterization of both the MCs and the supporting cast, against the wonderful complexity of the plot and to the series setup as a whole. All of a sudden Laurent becomes dumb, Damen becomes oblivious, the Regent incapable and Kastor, who was never really in the books in the first place, could have been replaced by a card board cutout when he first lays eyes on his brother again after his betrayal. I had expected much more deviousness from Jokaste too, after all, she had been described as the female equivalent of Laurent. The reader is presented with a lot of hand-wavy solutions, that lean way too heavy on luck and coincidence, and that just don't hold up to any scrutiny.

(view spoiler)

The only reason for this deviation from the style of the former 2.5 books that I can come with is that Laurent needed to be molded into a more conventional romance novel type hero(ine?) willing to self sacrifice for Lurve. In the process, his cunning and abrasiveness get dialed down from 'ruthless' to 'quirky'. Personally, I found that a bit insulting to his character. I would have much preferred more battles (which I am normally not a fan of) and tactical planning and double dealing than this simplistic scheme with the fluffy outcome.

Still worth reading, but volume 2 remains by far the best. ...more

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Sep 05, 2017 Shin Mon Thway rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: cs-pacat, favorites, fantasy-world, hardcore-sex, master-slave-mm, fantasy-world-romance, book-boyfriends, all-time-favorites, alternative-universe-mm, angst-intense

Reread: 13th June 2018

Can I just say I'm simply drunk on love for these two? As amazing as ever! Seriously, the greatest trilogy of all time when it comes to MM romance. If you still haven't this one, you are seriously missing out! You know why I love rereading my favorite books? Because you always realize new things, new depths of emotions the characters develop for reach other and new perspectives. I saw more of Laurent's way of thinking and unspoken words this time I reread. He really is a so ...more

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Feb 21, 2019 Hayley ☾ (TheVillainousReader) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: reread-worthy, favorites, romance, 2019, boys-who-love-boys, dark

I'm sorry, the old Hayley can't come to the phone right now. Why? Oh, 'cause she's dead!

C.S. Pacat destroyed me. I am in ruins. What is life after finishing the Captive Prince trilogy?

I don’t know and I honestly don’t know if I want to find out.

Should we list some of the evidence that supports the claim that this series made me borderline insane?

1. I lived off Girl Scout cookies and minimal social interactions while reading this. I couldn’t fathom communicating with my boyfriend let alone bein ...more

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Jul 17, 2013 Trisha Harrington rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, series-with-same-mc-s, favorites, military, royalty-nobility, 5-stars, favorite-couples, why-is-this-not-out-yet, wait-will-fuckin-kill-me, captive-prince

OMG. I finally read it!

And it was amazing!

And perfect!

And now I'm going to die from happiness.
...more

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Aug 22, 2017 Maria✦❋Steamy Reads Blog❋✦ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, m-m

➦I've been meaning to read this trilogy for a long time and now, finally, I've read all three books back to back. This will be a quick review of the trilogy as a whole.

➦My overall impression was positive. But I was surprised by a couple of things. I've expected this fantasy to have, well, more fantasy?

➦This felt a bit like... like... Game of Thrones pumped full of testosterone and minus the dragons. Or magic. Ok, forget it, it wasn't like GoT. But there was a battle for the throne (or two) and i ...more

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Feb 11, 2016 April (Aprilius Maximus) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016

Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge Notes:
- 6. The highest rated book on your TBR

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About C.S. Pacat

C.S. Pacat

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C.S. Pacat is a Melbourne writer. Her first series the Captive Prince trilogy began its life as an original web serial. Self-published in 2013 to critical and commercial success and acclaim, the Captive Prince trilogy was acquired by Penguin, and will be published worldwide in 2015.