It is truly fascinating to learn about the story of a senior prince in this southern part of Central Java. I know very little about Mangkunegara I. Ricklefs' previous book, which I read about Mangkubumi and the division of Java, explains a little about Mangkunegara. While that book focused more on the history of the division of Java with Mangkubumi as the main actor, this book is a biography that portrays a military commander named Mangkunegara who also lived during the period of division and acquired the semi-autonomous Duchy of Mangkunegaran under Surakarta. There are two major parts that divide this book, namely the war of succession and the peaceful life that followed. Because Mangkunegara was a military figure, it is clear that the story of his war is detailed in this book. The rest is similar to the book Mangkubumi but with different actors. Ricklefs' language is always fluid and enjoyable. The introduction written by Peter Carey about M.C. Ricklefs in writing his last work and the twists and turns of publishing the Indonesian edition is also very interesting. Meanwhile, the epilogue describes the situation after Mangkunegara's death, which did not go smoothly for the palace and the region, which is still dominated by popular radical groups to this day. The use of the title Samber Nyawa, taken from the prince's posthumous title, always has a powerful effect. Interestingly, many Surakarta detachments still use the name Samber Nyawa.