Cam *tactile seeker*'s Reviews > Captive Prince
Captive Prince (Captive Prince, #1)
by
*2,5 stars*
It'll be forever remembered as Cockblocking Prince.
This is a typical case of "don't judge the book by its Goodreads' tags."
Meh. Mah. Bah. Mhm.
Think about a way to convey boredom and perplexity through your language - whatever it is - and you'll have the perfect vocabulary to describe the beautiful incomplete: Captive Prince.
The Premise: Set in a fantastical past, an undetermined period of time that clearly resembles ancient Greece or Rome, there are two powerful Countries contending the supremacy on the known world: Akielos and Vere. Akielos' legitimate heir to the throne, Damianos is betrayed by his half-brother after their father's (and current king) death and sent to Vere, the arch-enemy kingdom, as a gift to its sole prince, Laurent. His role? To serve as a pleasure slave...
I know, right? You read "BDSM", "M/M", "Romance", "pleasure slave in a foreign and hostile Country" and you know you're going to love it.
You start envisioning every sort of plot developing, from the two of them falling in love at first sight, to having sex in a ultra-white stucco-textured walls decorated with frescoes (can we say affreschi?), columns on each side of the bed and a selection of fresh fruit and snacks to indulge in.
THAT was my idea of "M/M Erotica". But where was the Erotica part? Hell, there wasn't even a single kiss! Moreover, Damen claims to be heterosexual. He finds Laurent attractive only because he's blonde with blue eyes.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t care if a book doesn’t have sex or love scenes. But I expect it to entertain me in that way if it is presented to be something extremely erotic.
I personally consider Damen to be a great character: a warrior in his Country, not just a prince, he's proud and courageous, with a strong sense of justice and morality. He rebels against Vere's "barbaric" slave system, when he sees a child kept for sexual purposes. He never succumbs to his enemies' violence and insults. He can't reveal his true identity, or he'll be killed and that makes the plot always thrilling.
I don't even think Laurent, Vere's prince, is that bad. Kind of spoiled and with tyrannic tendencies, his "angelic" beauty is often presented as a contrast to his often insane behaviour. He's a lunatic and would probably deserve to be spanked once in a while, but there's clearly good in him, even if it is well hidden under layers of clothing. And for a prince with a pleasure slave, he's pretty modest.
So my ideas and fantasies starts to tumble one by one, and the worst is that the more I read, the more I think something big (no pun intended) is about to happen: they're in Laurent's rooms - he's probably going to ask Damen to undress him and kiss him. They bathe together - one of them is about to touch the other and say something nice. Nope, they keep hating each other and plotting against each other for almost the entire length of the book and it gets exhausting.
The palace conspiracies are interesting enough and keeps you glued to the book. It's definitely the reason why I didn't "DNF" it before.
The secondary characters are well crafted and REALLY multi-dimensional.
And the writing is remarkably good. The author did a great job at creating the perfect decadent, oppressive atmosphere of Vere and its royal court.
I just couldn't like it.
Yes, I feel like crying, because Captive Prince was my first book of 2014 and I wanted to like it, needed to. But what can I do about it? Freaking nothing.
Will I read the second one? Probably. I need to know how these two are going to get together because for now they might as well be brothers.
Buddy Read with La-Lionne.
Let the fun begin, Jurgita!
by

*2,5 stars*
It'll be forever remembered as Cockblocking Prince.
This is a typical case of "don't judge the book by its Goodreads' tags."
Meh. Mah. Bah. Mhm.
Think about a way to convey boredom and perplexity through your language - whatever it is - and you'll have the perfect vocabulary to describe the beautiful incomplete: Captive Prince.
The Premise: Set in a fantastical past, an undetermined period of time that clearly resembles ancient Greece or Rome, there are two powerful Countries contending the supremacy on the known world: Akielos and Vere. Akielos' legitimate heir to the throne, Damianos is betrayed by his half-brother after their father's (and current king) death and sent to Vere, the arch-enemy kingdom, as a gift to its sole prince, Laurent. His role? To serve as a pleasure slave...

I know, right? You read "BDSM", "M/M", "Romance", "pleasure slave in a foreign and hostile Country" and you know you're going to love it.
You start envisioning every sort of plot developing, from the two of them falling in love at first sight, to having sex in a ultra-white stucco-textured walls decorated with frescoes (can we say affreschi?), columns on each side of the bed and a selection of fresh fruit and snacks to indulge in.

THAT was my idea of "M/M Erotica". But where was the Erotica part? Hell, there wasn't even a single kiss! Moreover, Damen claims to be heterosexual. He finds Laurent attractive only because he's blonde with blue eyes.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t care if a book doesn’t have sex or love scenes. But I expect it to entertain me in that way if it is presented to be something extremely erotic.
I personally consider Damen to be a great character: a warrior in his Country, not just a prince, he's proud and courageous, with a strong sense of justice and morality. He rebels against Vere's "barbaric" slave system, when he sees a child kept for sexual purposes. He never succumbs to his enemies' violence and insults. He can't reveal his true identity, or he'll be killed and that makes the plot always thrilling.
I don't even think Laurent, Vere's prince, is that bad. Kind of spoiled and with tyrannic tendencies, his "angelic" beauty is often presented as a contrast to his often insane behaviour. He's a lunatic and would probably deserve to be spanked once in a while, but there's clearly good in him, even if it is well hidden under layers of clothing. And for a prince with a pleasure slave, he's pretty modest.
So my ideas and fantasies starts to tumble one by one, and the worst is that the more I read, the more I think something big (no pun intended) is about to happen: they're in Laurent's rooms - he's probably going to ask Damen to undress him and kiss him. They bathe together - one of them is about to touch the other and say something nice. Nope, they keep hating each other and plotting against each other for almost the entire length of the book and it gets exhausting.

The palace conspiracies are interesting enough and keeps you glued to the book. It's definitely the reason why I didn't "DNF" it before.
The secondary characters are well crafted and REALLY multi-dimensional.
And the writing is remarkably good. The author did a great job at creating the perfect decadent, oppressive atmosphere of Vere and its royal court.
I just couldn't like it.

Yes, I feel like crying, because Captive Prince was my first book of 2014 and I wanted to like it, needed to. But what can I do about it? Freaking nothing.
Will I read the second one? Probably. I need to know how these two are going to get together because for now they might as well be brothers.
Buddy Read with La-Lionne.
Let the fun begin, Jurgita!

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Reading Progress
March 27, 2013
– Shelved
June 9, 2013
– Shelved as:
dying-to-read
August 1, 2013
–
Started Reading
August 16, 2013
– Shelved as:
to-read
November 7, 2013
– Shelved as:
mm-yaoi
December 14, 2013
–
4.0%
"Sexy princes, evil brothers, conspiracies and betrayals, Greek names... LOVE IT."
December 14, 2013
–
10.0%
""He doesn't look much like a pet" said the taller of the two men.\n "You heard. He's a bed slave from Akielos," said the other.\n "You think the Prince f***s him? Sceptically.\n "More like the other way around".\n "Pretty sweet orders for a bed slave".\n \n
"

December 15, 2013
–
23.0%
December 26, 2013
–
41.0%
"This was really going to happen. Damen gripped the metalwork of the bower, his wrists cuffed to it above his head.\n He was going to be pleasured for a Veretian audience.\n \n
"

December 28, 2013
–
62.0%
January 1, 2014
–
70.0%
"The story became interesting a while ago, but now it's definitely engaging."
January 8, 2014
–
100.0%
January 8, 2014
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-37 of 37 (37 new)
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message 1:
by
La-Lionne
(new)
-
rated it 1 star
Dec 14, 2013 01:24AM

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Ahahah, thank you very much. ;)
P.S. Is your profile pic taken from Inuyasha?

Ahahah, thank you very much. ;)
P.S. Is your profile pic taken from Inuyasha?"
Yes it is! It's Sesshomaru ;) I think I spelled his name wrong lol

I study Japanese and I'm kind of a nerd, that's why I know it. ;P

I did. Total waste of time. I'll rename it "Cockblocking Prince"."
BWAH-HA-HA!!! I'm really looking forward to your review on this one, Cam! ;)

I did. Total waste of time. I'll rename it "Cockblocking Prince"."
BWAH-HA-HA!!! I'm really looking forward to your review on this one, Cam! ;)"
Thank you David, I'll make it as entertaining as I can. ;P

So, they didn't even kiss?"
No, Jurgita. It was such a disappointment!
Damen started feeling something for Laurent - attraction, basically - but the second one kept behaving like an annoying brat until the end.
The child becomes one the most important characters of the story, apparently.

So, they didn't even kiss?"
No, Jurgita. It was such a disappointment!
Damen started feeling something for Laurent - attraction, basically - but the second..."
What child are you referring to? Is it that boy who was at the gathering, or was there another kid?

So, they didn't even kiss?"
No, Jurgita. It was such a disappointment!
Damen started feeling something for Laurent - attraction, basically - bu..."
Yep, that boy at the gathering.
He's an important character in the story.

So, they didn't even kiss?"
No, Jurgita. It was such a disappointment!
Damen started feeling something for Laurent - attracti..."
That's strange, that he became so important. I made it to 30-something% and he was mentioned in only two sentences. I would never have guessed it.

So, they didn't even kiss?"
No, Jurgita. It was such a disappointment!
Damen started feeling something for Lauren..."
I know and I hoped he had disappeared from the plot, too.
But he reappeared more and more and in the end, we found out why he was so important.
Still, I couldn't stomach the idea of a 13-year-old little boy being a sexual slave. Moreover, they kept telling him that he was changing and entering puberty and that his "master" would've abandoned him for that reason. Bleah.

So, they didn't even kiss?"
No, Jurgita. It was such a disappointment!
Damen started feeling so..."
What kind of book is this? That's not the turn I imagine this story taking.
I don't know how it ended, because I didn't finish, but from what you've said, it sounds like the story took a complete 180 degree turn. What the hell?

So, they didn't even kiss?"
No, Jurgita. It was such a disappointment!
Damen starte..."
Since you have no idea what happened, here's what you missed in the book: (view spoiler)

So, they didn't even kiss?"
No, Jurgita. It was such a disappoint..."
Good god, so much drama. So where does this leave Laurent? Is he a good guy or a bad guy in all of this?
I thought he was a freak and a pedophile by default. He stood by and did nothing while those sort of things were happening under his roof.

So, they didn't even kiss?"
No, Jurgita. It was such ..."
Well, he's very ambiguous. He doesn't have a lover, doesn't want Damen in his bed. He's like, asexual.
I think he doesn't care about the child condition, because in Vere the sexual slaves can be that young and maybe he's used to seeing children so little treated as slaves. The child is even angry at Damen because he refused to have sex with him.

So, they didn't even kiss?"
No, Jur..."
What? No comment :-D.

So, they didn't even kis..."
Yeah. Didn't like that at all.
I think I'll read the second one, though, because there's a war coming and I'm curious to see if Damen makes it back home.
But it won't be soon.

LOL, thanks darling.
message 26:
by
David - proud Gleeman in Branwen's adventuring party
(last edited Jan 09, 2014 02:44AM)
(new)

"I don't even think Laurent, Vere's prince, is that bad. Kind of spoiled and with tyrannic tendencies, his "angelic" beauty is often presented as a contrast to his often insane behaviour. He's a lunatic and would probably deserve to be spanked once in a while, but there's clearly good in him, even if it is well hidden under layers of clothing" - I dunno why, but this character analysis made me think of Moriarty from the BBC's "Sherlock" series...he may look harmless on the outside, but his sheer lunacy and intensity make him far more intimidating than even the most muscle-bound body-builder!
"Nope, they keep hating each other and plotting against each other for almost the entire length of the book and it gets exhausting." - Yikes...not sure why some authors think "DON'T give the audience what it wants" is the way to go :(
"Yes, I feel like crying, because Captive Prince was my first book of 2014 and I wanted to like it, needed to. But what can I do about it? Freaking nothing." - Sorry your 2014 reading list started with a whimper instead of a bang, Cam! Hope your next book is much more satisfying.
Awesome review, Cam!!!

I haven't watched "Sherlock", but a dear friend of mine keeps recommending it to me periodically and I think it's time to give it a chance. Besides, I LOVE Benedict's Cumberbatch's voice!
What you said is absolutely true: Laurent looks harmless. He's very young, with perfect pale skin and fair-haired. He looks delicate and sophisticated. So much, that Damen, our warrior prince, is convinced that he could never defend himself against those of the court who'd do anything to eliminate him. What he has, though, is a strong personality, even charismatic and authoritative and that scares and appeals people the most.
The contrast between his "harmless" physical appearance and ability to fight, both physically and intellectually, makes him extremely interesting as a character.
I hope my next book (Lolita, probably) leaves me more satisfied.
Thank you so much for your kind words, David, I'm glad you liked my review! ;)

As a side note... gotta turn into full fangirl mode now because OMFG you have got to watch Sherlock!! My BF and several other people kept pushing it at me and I wouldn't listen, until I caught it while BF was doing a re-watch in preparation for the third season and yeah... I'm now just another hopelessly devoted Sherlock fan, suffering cold sweats and horrid withdrawals until the next episode. And just when I thought I couldn't love Benedict Cumberbatch more! I thought I had maxed out after watching him in Star Trek. ;)

As a side note... gotta turn into full fangirl mode now because OMFG you have got to w..."
Thank you, dear.
It really wasn't what I had expected, but you should probably give it a chance anyway, because it really depends on personal tastes.
I never tell friends not to read something, because what didn't convince me might make them fall completely in love. Who knows?!
And oh god, this is so hilarious! We should probably listen to our boyfriends/friends more!
I love Benedict, I can't really imagine him being even more perfect than her already is! Sherlock will probably kill me. ;P

Thank you! Your status updates were super-hilarious (and super-true!).

Thank you! Your status updates were super-hilarious (and super-true!)."
Have you started already the second book? I'm on start right now, but to tell the truth, I'm not sure about the whole story, not my world, and the beginning (4%) is far from my masterpiece-expectations.

Thank you! Your status updates were super-hilarious (and super-true!)."
Have you started already the second book? I'm on start ri..."
Actually no.
I'm BR'ing Lolita with La-Lionne at the moment and have other 4 books in my "currently-reading" shelf, but will probably start it next month, though now that I'm reading your first thoughts about the book, I'm not that convinced anymore. ;P

Thank you! Your status updates were super-hilarious (and super-true!)."
Have you started already the second bo..."
The writing is better, even at 6% I can say it, but it is the same story and the same characters that I didn't like in the first book and it's not easy to develope suddenly sympathy with them...:(

Thank you! Your status updates were super-hilarious (and super-true!)."
Have you started already t..."
Ah, it sucks.
I expected it to be different from the very beginning, but if it is only the continuation of where the first one ended, I don't want to feel frustrated again.
It has to change, and quickly. I'm not saying that they have to have sex immediately, but at least start showing they feel physical attraction towards the other. How can it be a M/M otherwise?!