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Green Labyrinth #1
The Owl Prince
Only twenty-nine, Darius Lucilius is a war hero and charismatic military commander. When he is sent to conquer the island of Hibernia and add it to the Roman Empire’s territories, he expects to be home within a year. But the strange Celtic tribes who dwell within Hibernia’s forests are not easily subdued.
After Darius’s fort is destroyed by an enemy tribe, his life is saved by Fionn, a mysterious Celtic warrior hiding more than one secret. Darius finds himself drawn to the beautiful, deadly, and mercurial Fionn, even as Rome’s fortunes in Hibernia grow increasingly dire.
Now trapped in the haunting, ancient wilderness he sought to conquer, can Darius place his trust in an enemy of Rome as two worlds collide and thousands of lives hang in the balance?
Set in Ancient Ireland, The Owl Prince is perfect for fans of Captive Prince and The Magpie Lord.
After Darius’s fort is destroyed by an enemy tribe, his life is saved by Fionn, a mysterious Celtic warrior hiding more than one secret. Darius finds himself drawn to the beautiful, deadly, and mercurial Fionn, even as Rome’s fortunes in Hibernia grow increasingly dire.
Now trapped in the haunting, ancient wilderness he sought to conquer, can Darius place his trust in an enemy of Rome as two worlds collide and thousands of lives hang in the balance?
Set in Ancient Ireland, The Owl Prince is perfect for fans of Captive Prince and The Magpie Lord.
204 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 21, 2019
8 people are currently reading
436 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 5, 2020
Oookay, I completely overlooked that this is a continuous plot in a series of novels. So I'm gonna get book 2 right away and continue!!
But first, let me put in a good word for book 1, because I evilly posted some sarcastic comments about it in the beginning when I mistook it for a cheap orgy plot.
It is not that. Far from it.
But you gotta forgive me here. It was kinda confusing at the beginning.
Or rather: A guy from Sicily in 82 A.D.
Darius, Commander of the Roman leagues invading Hibernia (aka Ireland) under Agricola is just about to devise his latest plan how to convince the Celtic tribes living in the forests of Hibernia to join the Roman Empire, when he suddenly finds himself in a full on orgy with the other officers and soldiers at their settlement by the eastern coast.
And I mean, everyone fucks everyone.
The scene was so out of place in an otherwise extremely well written historical piece that I was this close to skipping the book altogether, but I didn't. And what a great decision it was.
You may ask: Ireland was never part of the Roman Empire, right?
Well, here's why. The Romans were too busy having lots of gay sex, so they never got much conquering done.
LOL, sorry. Evil quip. I couldn't resist.
Anyway, there's an explanation for what clouded the senses of our dear Romans in this story, making them easy prey for a Celtic attack that cost most of the Romans their lives.
Darius, however, is horribly wounded but spared, because one of the Celts sees something in him that makes him save the commander's life and nurse him back to health deep in the Hibernian woods.
The key questions of this book are:
Who is the handsome white haired young Celtic warrior who has an otherworldly ability to fight and seems to carry secrets much larger than anything the plain Sicilian officer could ever fathom?
And why does he save and protect Darius?
You see, Darius and our strange friend don't speak the same language and cannot communicate, even though they spend a lot of time together in this book.
It's an incredibly interesting set-up, which - and I feel the need to state this clearly - does have a supernatural side to it, so you need to be prepared for that.
I really, really grew to like Darius, our bisexual Roman hero who feels a weird connection to his alluring enemy/savior. Darius is a great leader who is able to manage people well, even if he isn't a skilled fighter himself.
I also liked the fact that he has a - kind of - lover among his men, so it isn't a straightforward romance with clearly defined boundaries. I absolutely enjoyed the realism of his interactions even if he finds himself in a fantasy type of setting whenever he leaves his Roman zone of comfort.
And gosh, I love the way his lover calls him 'Dari'.
And while it's hard to give any spoilers since we barely get any answers in this book anyway, I will leave it to that and move on to the next book immediately as we're getting a pretty cruel cliffhanger here.
The Owl Prince is definitely a great surprise for me and I hope you will be able to cope with the weird start and give the story a chance to unfold. The story-telling is spectacular after all.
5 stars and a favorite!
But first, let me put in a good word for book 1, because I evilly posted some sarcastic comments about it in the beginning when I mistook it for a cheap orgy plot.
It is not that. Far from it.
But you gotta forgive me here. It was kinda confusing at the beginning.
Or rather: A guy from Sicily in 82 A.D.
Darius, Commander of the Roman leagues invading Hibernia (aka Ireland) under Agricola is just about to devise his latest plan how to convince the Celtic tribes living in the forests of Hibernia to join the Roman Empire, when he suddenly finds himself in a full on orgy with the other officers and soldiers at their settlement by the eastern coast.
And I mean, everyone fucks everyone.
The scene was so out of place in an otherwise extremely well written historical piece that I was this close to skipping the book altogether, but I didn't. And what a great decision it was.
You may ask: Ireland was never part of the Roman Empire, right?
Well, here's why. The Romans were too busy having lots of gay sex, so they never got much conquering done.
LOL, sorry. Evil quip. I couldn't resist.
Anyway, there's an explanation for what clouded the senses of our dear Romans in this story, making them easy prey for a Celtic attack that cost most of the Romans their lives.
Darius, however, is horribly wounded but spared, because one of the Celts sees something in him that makes him save the commander's life and nurse him back to health deep in the Hibernian woods.
The key questions of this book are:
Who is the handsome white haired young Celtic warrior who has an otherworldly ability to fight and seems to carry secrets much larger than anything the plain Sicilian officer could ever fathom?
And why does he save and protect Darius?
You see, Darius and our strange friend don't speak the same language and cannot communicate, even though they spend a lot of time together in this book.
It's an incredibly interesting set-up, which - and I feel the need to state this clearly - does have a supernatural side to it, so you need to be prepared for that.
I really, really grew to like Darius, our bisexual Roman hero who feels a weird connection to his alluring enemy/savior. Darius is a great leader who is able to manage people well, even if he isn't a skilled fighter himself.
I also liked the fact that he has a - kind of - lover among his men, so it isn't a straightforward romance with clearly defined boundaries. I absolutely enjoyed the realism of his interactions even if he finds himself in a fantasy type of setting whenever he leaves his Roman zone of comfort.
And gosh, I love the way his lover calls him 'Dari'.
And while it's hard to give any spoilers since we barely get any answers in this book anyway, I will leave it to that and move on to the next book immediately as we're getting a pretty cruel cliffhanger here.
The Owl Prince is definitely a great surprise for me and I hope you will be able to cope with the weird start and give the story a chance to unfold. The story-telling is spectacular after all.
5 stars and a favorite!
May 19, 2023
THIS WAS EPIC!!! I'm so overwhelmed by what I just read that I can barely put my thoughts together and since the first book ends ON A CLIFFHANGER, I want to dive right into the second book but I wanted to gush about this masterpiece first. I can't believe more people haven't read this and that people aren't talking about it constantly. A huge thank you to u/Chiara D'Agosto who recommended I try this because I might have never come across it otherwise.
Please, please, PLEASE don't be put off by the fact that the Roman military decides to engage in a random, massive orgy at the start of the story. Also, don't be put off by the strange sounding book title. Both of these things have deeply layered, complex meanings behind them and after you understand what's really happening, you'll do what I did - you'll sit back and re-consider that orgy and the title and you'll be in awe at what an incredible storyteller this author is. I'm not kidding! Please, please believe me.
(because of how layered and incredible the storytelling in this book is, I won't be discussing any magic-related plot points in detail (even under the spoiler tag) because all of it needs to be experienced blindly to fully be appreciated)
Based on historical fact, the Romans never conquered Ireland (called Hibernia at the time). In fact, there's no evidence that the Romans ever set foot on Hibernia and there's plenty of debate over why. But the author of this series decided to take an alternative history approach by asking the question: what would happen if the Romans did try to invade Hibernia but were unsuccessful? Why would this powerful army fail to conquer this little island while the rest of Britannia (ie mainland UK) was conquered? The answer to these questions is what this series is all about and it's an epic tale of history, romance, magic and incredible storytelling that weaves all of these elements together.
Darius is a Roman Commander who rose through the ranks based on his ability to negotiate, strategize and being a good people person. Here's a quote from him that perfectly sums him up:
"There is, ultimately, only one way to kill a man and unlimited ways to degrade his humanity. Duty may force me to the former but nothing will compel me to the latter. For in doing so, I would degrade my own soul."
Everybody likes and respects him and he's a very intelligent man, even if he's not the best with a sword or a bow. He's leading the front wave of the Roman's invasion of Hibernia and things seem to be going as normal and he's pretty much taking his time, counting down the last year of his deployment before he can go back home to Sicily. What he doesn't realize is that conquering Hibernia is a completely different kettle of fish than Britannia was and his entire life is about to change.
Fionn is...special. Saying what Fionn exactly is would be a massive spoiler so I won't say but on the surface, Fionn is a brutally efficient Celtic assassin, who belongs to one of the many Celtic tribes inhabiting Hibernia at the time. When Darius and Fionn come together, it's a beautiful example of an enemies to lovers romance with a lot of things that I love. It was sweet and interesting and it's exactly the type of enemies to lovers progression I like.
AND THEN!!! And then, the author decides play time is over and it's time for things to get weird and epic. Because you see, the situation with the orgy at the beginning is . Saying more would be a massive spoiler but you'll probably do what I did and nearly fall of your chair when you realize what that orgy situation is actually about. So having that incredible sequence start the story means it was no surprise to me when the author fully dives back into weaving amazing fantasy elements into the tentative relationship dynamic that Darius and Fionn had settled into.
What I especially loved about the magical elements was that the author fully leans into the strong connections to the natural world that the Celts had. Every bit of magic is closely tied with nature, particularly the forest. Even better, none of it was the generic magic stuff that I've seen a million times. You can see the dozens of inspirations that the author took from all over the place (mythology from different cultures (ex. sirens), fairytales like Hansel and Gretel, ideas from Lord Of The Rings etc) and combined them to create unique, creepy and absolutely amazing bits of magic that kept me on the edge of my seat.
My favorite example? The . Wow, wow, WOW!! Talk about mind fuckery!! Don't worry if you . The way that entire sequence was done was incredible! The desperate attempt by Darius and readers to understand what's happening made the situation so tense and creepy and every time I thought I understood what was happening, another layer of weirdness gets added. Then there's the casual way in which Fionn offers a single sentence of explanation and it's like a bomb that gets dropped in the middle of everything because it changes how Darius (and I) perceive everything that happened.
What makes the fantasy elements even better is that the story is purely from Darius' POV. The man isn't stupid. Give him a regiment of soldiers, send him into the middle of nowhere and he'll conquer all the nearby villages with as little bloodshed as possible, build a new fort, build roads leading in all directions and establish re-supply and trade routes and he'll do it all relatively quickly and easily. But put him in a situation where he's dealing with complex, ancient magic that doesn't follow any of the logic he's accustomed to and his confusion, annoyance and fear were very realistic. Even better is that I (and I assume most readers) were always in step with Darius. At the beginning when Darius starts noticing weird things happening with Fionn and the forest in general, he demands Fionn answer his questions. Like why did Fionn save him and what Fionn exactly is. And I got as frustrated and annoyed with Fionn as Darius did when Fionn keeps brushing off the questions, insisting that Darius wouldn't understand any of his answers so he's not going to bother supplying any. What's amazing is as the story progresses, things get weirder and more complicated instead of becoming more understandable and I ended up feeling like Darius did: creeped out and wanting to GTFO of Hibernia and back to an environment I fully understood and was comfortable in. When Darius finds himself back at one of the Roman forts on the coast of Hibernia near the end, I felt as relieved as he did. Darius has this great quote near the end that sums up what he's gone through:
'Hibernia was not their world. It was a world of monsters and demons, and Darius couldn't begin to guess at the consequences they would face in trying to wrest from them this green island and place it into the Empire's cold, logical grasp.'
By the end of the story, I was a suspicious, nervous wreck, just like Darius. Every time a leaf rustled in the breeze, I would think it's somebody or something sneaking up on him. I was suspicious of every single person at the Roman fort, scrutinizing what everybody was doing and saying and I would mentally yell at Darius to go question everybody and lock everything down because Darius and I both knew that more mind fuckery was coming but we didn't know from where and what form it would take. And even though Darius and I both caught signs of the before others did, neither of us realized that there was actually more than one and once again, the Romans are left scrambling around, at the mercy of the 'brainless barbarians' who they've come to 'conquer'. The cliffhanger at the end was both epic and also well deserved by the Romans and readers because it feels like we were all idiots to expect anything less from the Celts and the author.
Connected to the fantasy elements: I loved how the author dealt with Roman vs Celtic culture. The author doesn't try to demonize either culture or hold one up as being superior to the other. Through the actions of people from both sides and conversations between Darius and Fionn, the author makes the point that both cultures have good practices and bad ones; they have fair beliefs and unfair ones. And then there are the many situations where the two cultures have different approaches to situations but neither are better than the other. I loved this nuanced exploration of these complex topics. At its heart, this story is about two men coming together from very different cultures and trying to find a way forward while not compromising either of their principles.
Did I also mention the story is funny? Because it has so many hilarious situations. My favorite one was when . It's just one example of the hilarious situations that the author includes which perfectly fits the scenario that Fionn and Darius find themselves in.
I loved every single thing in this story, including the smaller things:
+ The Roman side characters who play a minor role at the beginning and the end but who I still adored because they're great characters.
+ The little signs the author sprinkled throughout about who Fionn really is (not in a physical sense but in a...cultural(?) sense).
+ The many remaining questions that Fionn never did answer (like why he saved Darius).
+ Single-child Darius' heartbreaking history of losing his father (who raised him as a single parent) while Darius was far away on a campaign in Gaul.
+ Fionn's interesting and antagonistic relationship with his father and his siblings.
If the historical setting and the incorporation of magic into that setting appeals to you, I highly recommend you give this story a try. The author isn't just an amazing writer but an absolutely incredible storyteller and I'm going to dive into book 2 immediately.
(Content Warning: )
Please, please, PLEASE don't be put off by the fact that the Roman military decides to engage in a random, massive orgy at the start of the story. Also, don't be put off by the strange sounding book title. Both of these things have deeply layered, complex meanings behind them and after you understand what's really happening, you'll do what I did - you'll sit back and re-consider that orgy and the title and you'll be in awe at what an incredible storyteller this author is. I'm not kidding! Please, please believe me.
(because of how layered and incredible the storytelling in this book is, I won't be discussing any magic-related plot points in detail (even under the spoiler tag) because all of it needs to be experienced blindly to fully be appreciated)
Based on historical fact, the Romans never conquered Ireland (called Hibernia at the time). In fact, there's no evidence that the Romans ever set foot on Hibernia and there's plenty of debate over why. But the author of this series decided to take an alternative history approach by asking the question: what would happen if the Romans did try to invade Hibernia but were unsuccessful? Why would this powerful army fail to conquer this little island while the rest of Britannia (ie mainland UK) was conquered? The answer to these questions is what this series is all about and it's an epic tale of history, romance, magic and incredible storytelling that weaves all of these elements together.
Darius is a Roman Commander who rose through the ranks based on his ability to negotiate, strategize and being a good people person. Here's a quote from him that perfectly sums him up:
"There is, ultimately, only one way to kill a man and unlimited ways to degrade his humanity. Duty may force me to the former but nothing will compel me to the latter. For in doing so, I would degrade my own soul."
Everybody likes and respects him and he's a very intelligent man, even if he's not the best with a sword or a bow. He's leading the front wave of the Roman's invasion of Hibernia and things seem to be going as normal and he's pretty much taking his time, counting down the last year of his deployment before he can go back home to Sicily. What he doesn't realize is that conquering Hibernia is a completely different kettle of fish than Britannia was and his entire life is about to change.
Fionn is...special. Saying what Fionn exactly is would be a massive spoiler so I won't say but on the surface, Fionn is a brutally efficient Celtic assassin, who belongs to one of the many Celtic tribes inhabiting Hibernia at the time. When Darius and Fionn come together, it's a beautiful example of an enemies to lovers romance with a lot of things that I love. It was sweet and interesting and it's exactly the type of enemies to lovers progression I like.
AND THEN!!! And then, the author decides play time is over and it's time for things to get weird and epic. Because you see, the situation with the orgy at the beginning is . Saying more would be a massive spoiler but you'll probably do what I did and nearly fall of your chair when you realize what that orgy situation is actually about. So having that incredible sequence start the story means it was no surprise to me when the author fully dives back into weaving amazing fantasy elements into the tentative relationship dynamic that Darius and Fionn had settled into.
What I especially loved about the magical elements was that the author fully leans into the strong connections to the natural world that the Celts had. Every bit of magic is closely tied with nature, particularly the forest. Even better, none of it was the generic magic stuff that I've seen a million times. You can see the dozens of inspirations that the author took from all over the place (mythology from different cultures (ex. sirens), fairytales like Hansel and Gretel, ideas from Lord Of The Rings etc) and combined them to create unique, creepy and absolutely amazing bits of magic that kept me on the edge of my seat.
My favorite example? The . Wow, wow, WOW!! Talk about mind fuckery!! Don't worry if you . The way that entire sequence was done was incredible! The desperate attempt by Darius and readers to understand what's happening made the situation so tense and creepy and every time I thought I understood what was happening, another layer of weirdness gets added. Then there's the casual way in which Fionn offers a single sentence of explanation and it's like a bomb that gets dropped in the middle of everything because it changes how Darius (and I) perceive everything that happened.
What makes the fantasy elements even better is that the story is purely from Darius' POV. The man isn't stupid. Give him a regiment of soldiers, send him into the middle of nowhere and he'll conquer all the nearby villages with as little bloodshed as possible, build a new fort, build roads leading in all directions and establish re-supply and trade routes and he'll do it all relatively quickly and easily. But put him in a situation where he's dealing with complex, ancient magic that doesn't follow any of the logic he's accustomed to and his confusion, annoyance and fear were very realistic. Even better is that I (and I assume most readers) were always in step with Darius. At the beginning when Darius starts noticing weird things happening with Fionn and the forest in general, he demands Fionn answer his questions. Like why did Fionn save him and what Fionn exactly is. And I got as frustrated and annoyed with Fionn as Darius did when Fionn keeps brushing off the questions, insisting that Darius wouldn't understand any of his answers so he's not going to bother supplying any. What's amazing is as the story progresses, things get weirder and more complicated instead of becoming more understandable and I ended up feeling like Darius did: creeped out and wanting to GTFO of Hibernia and back to an environment I fully understood and was comfortable in. When Darius finds himself back at one of the Roman forts on the coast of Hibernia near the end, I felt as relieved as he did. Darius has this great quote near the end that sums up what he's gone through:
'Hibernia was not their world. It was a world of monsters and demons, and Darius couldn't begin to guess at the consequences they would face in trying to wrest from them this green island and place it into the Empire's cold, logical grasp.'
By the end of the story, I was a suspicious, nervous wreck, just like Darius. Every time a leaf rustled in the breeze, I would think it's somebody or something sneaking up on him. I was suspicious of every single person at the Roman fort, scrutinizing what everybody was doing and saying and I would mentally yell at Darius to go question everybody and lock everything down because Darius and I both knew that more mind fuckery was coming but we didn't know from where and what form it would take. And even though Darius and I both caught signs of the before others did, neither of us realized that there was actually more than one and once again, the Romans are left scrambling around, at the mercy of the 'brainless barbarians' who they've come to 'conquer'. The cliffhanger at the end was both epic and also well deserved by the Romans and readers because it feels like we were all idiots to expect anything less from the Celts and the author.
Connected to the fantasy elements: I loved how the author dealt with Roman vs Celtic culture. The author doesn't try to demonize either culture or hold one up as being superior to the other. Through the actions of people from both sides and conversations between Darius and Fionn, the author makes the point that both cultures have good practices and bad ones; they have fair beliefs and unfair ones. And then there are the many situations where the two cultures have different approaches to situations but neither are better than the other. I loved this nuanced exploration of these complex topics. At its heart, this story is about two men coming together from very different cultures and trying to find a way forward while not compromising either of their principles.
Did I also mention the story is funny? Because it has so many hilarious situations. My favorite one was when . It's just one example of the hilarious situations that the author includes which perfectly fits the scenario that Fionn and Darius find themselves in.
I loved every single thing in this story, including the smaller things:
+ The Roman side characters who play a minor role at the beginning and the end but who I still adored because they're great characters.
+ The little signs the author sprinkled throughout about who Fionn really is (not in a physical sense but in a...cultural(?) sense).
+ The many remaining questions that Fionn never did answer (like why he saved Darius).
+ Single-child Darius' heartbreaking history of losing his father (who raised him as a single parent) while Darius was far away on a campaign in Gaul.
+ Fionn's interesting and antagonistic relationship with his father and his siblings.
If the historical setting and the incorporation of magic into that setting appeals to you, I highly recommend you give this story a try. The author isn't just an amazing writer but an absolutely incredible storyteller and I'm going to dive into book 2 immediately.
(Content Warning: )
June 13, 2021
I just finished this and maybe I should let it sit for a bit before I review, but knowing myself I wouldn't so I'm gonna try and tackle it. But wow do I need to process this. This is a very well-written but strange book, in a sense that I can't really categorize it.
You see, it starts with Rome and the Celts at battle at one of their outposts, so I got the sense this would be a military/war book with some romance maybe. Well... some parts of it yes.
But then after a... lets just say strange scene, but which is very much part of the plot (even if it doesn't seem like it at first); the story takes a turn and it was almost like a fairytale/folktale (there was definitely a part that I think might be a retelling of some dark Grimm story)
I enjoyed it very much.
This is the first part of the story, it has an open ending. Book 2 should be interesting. :)
*See my tags for some possible enticement. :)
**note: the blurb mentions Captive Prince and The Magpie Lord (what?). The only thing that makes me think it's similar to those, because of the enemies to lovers trope, but to me the vibe of this book is more like Silk & Steel by Ariana Nash (except that I dnf-ed that one, so.) Or I could mention Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh for some similar content, though the style of that book is way different.
You see, it starts with Rome and the Celts at battle at one of their outposts, so I got the sense this would be a military/war book with some romance maybe. Well... some parts of it yes.
But then after a... lets just say strange scene, but which is very much part of the plot (even if it doesn't seem like it at first); the story takes a turn and it was almost like a fairytale/folktale (there was definitely a part that I think might be a retelling of some dark Grimm story)
I enjoyed it very much.
This is the first part of the story, it has an open ending. Book 2 should be interesting. :)
*See my tags for some possible enticement. :)
**note: the blurb mentions Captive Prince and The Magpie Lord (what?). The only thing that makes me think it's similar to those, because of the enemies to lovers trope, but to me the vibe of this book is more like Silk & Steel by Ariana Nash (except that I dnf-ed that one, so.) Or I could mention Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh for some similar content, though the style of that book is way different.
April 3, 2020
M-M action romance set in an alternate universe 2nd century? whereby Roman troops are making incursions into tribal Ireland (Hibernia). The action is fast-paced and sometimes brutal, the resisting native Celts are deadly & cunning, with the Roman response seemingly futile in response. Thrown in a hefty dose of supernatural magic and beings ... and this proved an enjoyable read. With no HEA/HFN ending, I'm now having to investigate the next book in the series to see what happens next to Darius and Fionn.
September 10, 2021
So, in the blurb for this book, it states that readers who enjoyed Captive Prince and The Magpie Lord would enjoy this series too. And that feels almost like personal baiting, because those are some of my favourite things just ever.
It's set during a fictional Roman incursion into what is now Ireland, and the central character is a Roman commander who suffers a series of misadventures and ends up being nursed by an otherworldly enemy soldier. Cue enemies to lovers - another thing I am obsessed with.
I really enjoyed this book, I think it's very underrated. It starts off a bit weirdly, a bit porny (you'll understand when you read it) but the story quickly evolves into a fast-paced, sexy, action-packed narrative that left me breathless to see where it was going. I'm already onto the next.
It's set during a fictional Roman incursion into what is now Ireland, and the central character is a Roman commander who suffers a series of misadventures and ends up being nursed by an otherworldly enemy soldier. Cue enemies to lovers - another thing I am obsessed with.
I really enjoyed this book, I think it's very underrated. It starts off a bit weirdly, a bit porny (you'll understand when you read it) but the story quickly evolves into a fast-paced, sexy, action-packed narrative that left me breathless to see where it was going. I'm already onto the next.
February 4, 2021
This was certainly a pleasant surprise. I am so glad that the second book is out so I can go start reading it right away. I love the world, characters, and plot . I looking forward to reading more of Darius and Fionn. Also, i like Marcus too .
December 1, 2019
Well written, with interesting plot, some suspense, some mm action.
Be aware of cliff-hangers at the end of first and second books
Highly recommended
Be aware of cliff-hangers at the end of first and second books
Highly recommended
April 26, 2021
5 stars
Loved loved loved it!
But the third book isn't available yet!!!😫😫 The second book ends on a cliffhanger so i really wish I had waited... so frustrating!!
Loved loved loved it!
But the third book isn't available yet!!!😫😫 The second book ends on a cliffhanger so i really wish I had waited... so frustrating!!
June 27, 2021
3.5 stars
October 28, 2021
At first, I thought the writing was neat—I still think that, somehow—but then it became boring and in the second half of the book I had to fight myself to keep going. The other reviews say it’s fast paced, but boy did I wish that was true.
Darius was boring as well. He’s a commander, but he can’t fight, he can’t swim, he can’t navigate, he can’t shoot. He’s good at talking and he’s good at fucking, but it doesn’t strike me as enough for his title and the high opinion everyone has of him. I couldn’t even see his smart mind if I have to be honest.
I also despised Marcus with my whole heart, and that definitely didn’t help me go through the book.
Maybe it’s me, my expectations were too high—I mean, the blurb says it’s similar to Captive Prince, but that’s not true, is it? And it wasn’t even that bad, but let’s say I’m not dying to read the next one just yet.
Darius was boring as well. He’s a commander, but he can’t fight, he can’t swim, he can’t navigate, he can’t shoot. He’s good at talking and he’s good at fucking, but it doesn’t strike me as enough for his title and the high opinion everyone has of him. I couldn’t even see his smart mind if I have to be honest.
I also despised Marcus with my whole heart, and that definitely didn’t help me go through the book.
Maybe it’s me, my expectations were too high—I mean, the blurb says it’s similar to Captive Prince, but that’s not true, is it? And it wasn’t even that bad, but let’s say I’m not dying to read the next one just yet.
October 17, 2025
Accidentally finished reading this in one night. RIP my sleep schedule.
After a very ‘ interesting’ start, the book kept taking turns I didn’t anticipate at all. I will read the sequel for sure.
After a very ‘ interesting’ start, the book kept taking turns I didn’t anticipate at all. I will read the sequel for sure.
December 8, 2019
This was a nice quick read. I've been looking for more queer genre fiction, with varying degrees of success, and this was a good one. It was fast paced and lots of fun (although a bit sex-heavy for my tastes) and I found myself getting sucked in to the story and the romance. I do enjoy a good ol' forbidden love! I felt like it ended quite abruptly in the middle of the action, but I'm willing to forgive that for a debut author publishing, I assume, independently on Kindle.
December 26, 2019
Fantastic!!! I love Fionn so much and the chemistry between the two mains is off the charts !
April 6, 2020
Great book, loved it all the way throughout and after finishing the second book I can safely say I’m going to lose my mind waiting for the next one. Any fans of captive prince will love this.
December 24, 2020
More Than a Stroll Through The Forest
I was not really sure about this one from beginning to end because although I was set up for an historical fling I did not realize it was also partly centered in an alternate universe--not my thing.
However, author Alex Faure kept me interested despite some very violent scenes because the central character, Darius, is so perfectly drawn that I could not help but hope that the Owl Prince himself, silver-eyed bleached-like blond superman sprite Fionn might turn out to be more than a shifter.
We shall see in the next couple of books, but I will wait for a while to recover from this one which is quite a stroll in the forests of Ireland with all the attendant banshees and such.
I was not really sure about this one from beginning to end because although I was set up for an historical fling I did not realize it was also partly centered in an alternate universe--not my thing.
However, author Alex Faure kept me interested despite some very violent scenes because the central character, Darius, is so perfectly drawn that I could not help but hope that the Owl Prince himself, silver-eyed bleached-like blond superman sprite Fionn might turn out to be more than a shifter.
We shall see in the next couple of books, but I will wait for a while to recover from this one which is quite a stroll in the forests of Ireland with all the attendant banshees and such.
December 27, 2022
5 stars of immersive, wonderful storytelling. Ok, the orgy was a surprise, but it makes sense as you go on. I loved the solidity of the characters, Roman Darius who is the honey-tongued commander of the doomed fort, mythic Fionn who is otherworldly, fey and the owl prince, and all the others too, especially Marcus. The story is well crafted, fast-paced and the relationships all so well done- particularly Darius and Fionn. I read it in my Kindle but I’m buying the paperback.
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February 15, 20222.5 Stars
January 10, 2022
Hm. I wasn't sure I'd like this, but I did, despite where it ends. It's very well written (with only one minor action fail, remarkable in a novel length work), but it ends amid a hard fight, the tale incomplete. All three books are out, however, so yay finding it late in the game.
I like the timeframe for Darius, our point of view character, to have his life upended and his view of the world permanently altered by the strange assassin who is more than he seems. I also like that Darius doesn't up and change everything on a whim, either. I liked the relatively short chapters, and all the strangeness is intriguing, and I am of a mind with the whole colonizer challenge that Darius is forced to face in various ways. I will probably read the next book, so the author did their job.
I like the timeframe for Darius, our point of view character, to have his life upended and his view of the world permanently altered by the strange assassin who is more than he seems. I also like that Darius doesn't up and change everything on a whim, either. I liked the relatively short chapters, and all the strangeness is intriguing, and I am of a mind with the whole colonizer challenge that Darius is forced to face in various ways. I will probably read the next book, so the author did their job.
January 2, 2021
Beautifully crafted, written, a pure verdant novel hued with olive groves and a bleak Hibernian sea. Sumptuous prose in which I found myself lost. I'm not usually one for historical fiction, and military life has never piqued my interest, but Faure has written an engaging and thrilling read with both. I can't wait to start book two ASAP!
April 29, 2021
4,5 🌟 Para quem ama príncipe cativo e os livros da Ariana Nash, vai amar esse livro aqui também!
Amei como o romance foi fofo, como a história é bem contada, o mundo bem escrito, as criaturas diferentes, assim como os próprios protagonistas que são completamente diferentes um do outro mas que conseguiram entrar em simbiose.
Indo agora mesmo ler o 2 livro e esperando ansiosamente para o 3.
Amei como o romance foi fofo, como a história é bem contada, o mundo bem escrito, as criaturas diferentes, assim como os próprios protagonistas que são completamente diferentes um do outro mas que conseguiram entrar em simbiose.
Indo agora mesmo ler o 2 livro e esperando ansiosamente para o 3.
April 9, 2020
Loved the book. Loved the characters. I found myself engaged with the story all the way through
July 12, 2021
in love with this.
need more.
need more.
June 25, 2024
I really liked this book and the following in the series. I was quite surprised to see ancient Rome meet the realm of the feys, since I had forgotten what I had read in the reviews. I'm not a big fan of fantasy but it kind of works here, because this side of the story is not overwhelming.
I really liked the writing style, the setting and the characters. The romance is just perfect. The plot is quite interesting too with a few surprises as early as in the beginning. The book is well balanced.
My only reservations are about the end, that is definitely too abrupt, in a way that you really must read the next book in the series right away.
This book is not perfect. Reading some chapters, you can feel that the author had some specific ideas and that the story was built to accommodate them. That's not bad in itself because the story is still tight and flows quite well, but maybe a better editing would have inserted these ideas a little bit better.
I'm unfortunately not convinced that the fantasy side of the story was really necessary. It's key to one chapter, but otherwise it doesn't really bring much other than a poetic side (as well as in the two following books).
I couldn't drop the book after the first chapters and I read the two others in a row. It's very close to a 5* rating.
I really liked the writing style, the setting and the characters. The romance is just perfect. The plot is quite interesting too with a few surprises as early as in the beginning. The book is well balanced.
My only reservations are about the end, that is definitely too abrupt, in a way that you really must read the next book in the series right away.
This book is not perfect. Reading some chapters, you can feel that the author had some specific ideas and that the story was built to accommodate them. That's not bad in itself because the story is still tight and flows quite well, but maybe a better editing would have inserted these ideas a little bit better.
I'm unfortunately not convinced that the fantasy side of the story was really necessary. It's key to one chapter, but otherwise it doesn't really bring much other than a poetic side (as well as in the two following books).
I couldn't drop the book after the first chapters and I read the two others in a row. It's very close to a 5* rating.
May 22, 2025
Not sure where to put this novel if in fantasy or in historical with magic. The magic is not the problem, it is just that it feels a bit all over the place (especially the sex magic at the start). The plot is generally interesting, and I do enjoy Roman era (even with fantasy), but I could not get behind the chemistry between the characters and the whiplash of history vs fantasy. Also, one thing my old ancestors were obsessed with top/bottom... the Romans had a LOT of insults for men who bottomed, for example, but the protagonist here seems the most progressive guy ever.
September 26, 2021
Very evocative setting and an unusual creature lover but plot isn't strong enough for me to go further with the series. Especially since the non-five star GR ratings describe politics and melodrama in a way that hints they're standing in place of a strong plot.
February 4, 2022
3.5 I liked the story a lot and am very intrigued. Exactly what I was looking for in a book (historical/ fantasy/ romance). About to read the next one
May 22, 2022
very strange but good? great even. that was fun to read. i want to know what happens next
October 13, 2023
Now, that's what I call enemies-to-lovers. And a cliffhanger ending to make you scream.
February 16, 2025
I wish we could’ve got a book about Marcus instead.
May 21, 2022
Really intrigue characters and a great start to the story.
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