Her magic may be the only thing that can save a prince—and the Seven Kingdoms.
In a distant corner of the Seven Kingdoms, an ancient curse festers and grows, consuming everything in its path. Only one man can break it: Harkeld of Osgaard, a prince with mage’s blood in his veins. But Prince Harkeld has a bounty on his head—and assassins at his heels.
Innis is a gifted shapeshifter. Now she must do the forbidden: become a man. She must stand at Prince Harkeld’s side as his armsman, protecting and deceiving him.
But the deserts of Masse are more dangerous than the assassins hunting the prince. The curse has woken deadly creatures, and the magic Prince Harkeld loathes may be the only thing standing between him and death.
My thoughts:
A kind of light-ish fantasy. There wasn't really that much worldbuilding, fine there are different kingdoms and a sea, and one kingdom likes to conquer others..ok. Not what I call lots of worldbuilding. And the magic part, I guess it's hereditary? How do people get different powers? I do not know, I was not told. I was just told the bad kingdoms killed everyone with magic and another continent did not. Still, good.
The story then. A curse is making people into bloodthirsty beings. There is one way to stop it so the magic peeps comes to the bad kingdom to get a prince. The one prince who can stop it, then one who has magic. The judgmental idiot who judges before seeing facts, gods that one part that happened made me so mad. I would have beaten him to a bloody pulp. I could take the idiot things he said but that one part. Yes I do NOT like Harkeld.
The magicians, shapeshifters are a nice group. Innis is the one in focus, she is young and being built as Harkeld's love interest. She thinks he has hidden depths, and sure he has, just as he stops being an idiot. I liked his friend more.
Conclusion:
A lot of people are hunting for them.There is action and at the end I did want more. Sure I complained about stuff, but it was light and fun and I will read more. I almost finished in a day, that is good.
Oh I forgot, there is also this young boy fleeing for his life. And Harkeld's half sister who has to married a creep who is only there to have smexy times with her. Though I should not call it smexy times, it was marital rape. So she had it bad.
Cover
good
Paperback, 509 pages
Published January 25th 2011 by Solaris
The Cursed Kingdoms #1
Fantasy
own
Gah! Marital rape, I guess it happens especially in this setting. Savages!
ReplyDeleteShe had no saying in who she married, he was gross and old, and did what he wanted
DeleteHmmm not for me I think.
ReplyDeleteKaren @For What It's Worth
Can't read them all
DeleteSounds promising but flawed. Will you continue the series?
ReplyDeleteSure it was nothing to go wow over, but it was a fast read and good, so I will continue
DeleteLight and fun with good action does sound nice even if few issues
ReplyDeleteNice yes
DeleteMarital rape, yuck.
ReplyDeleteyuck indeed
DeleteMarital rape reminds me of GoT... Still, that book looks very good and a fun read for the week-end :)
ReplyDeleteThose were times
DeleteGlad you enjoyed it enough to continue, even if it wasn't perfect or very well fleshed out worldbuilding-wise.
ReplyDeleteSometimes a book can just be good, and not have that special thing
Delete0.0 *eats popcorn* Some Alien Jerry Springer stuff happening in this one!
ReplyDeleteLOL
DeleteNo so happy to hear about the marital rape....
ReplyDeleteThose were the times. I think in my country it was ok until the 90s to rape your wife
DeleteWas this YA fantasy? Because light-ish and not so good world building suggest that...
ReplyDeleteHA, diss on YA ;)
DeleteNah, adult. With the rape, drugs and death and all
Hm... don't think this one is for me. Not liking the marital rape which also sounds like they are passing it off as smexy times. :p Not liking the light-fantasy aspect either. Think I'll pass... Happy Friday!
ReplyDeleteOh no they are def not passing it off as smexy times. He has semxy times, she is mostly drugged out. It's not shown. Just oh now he walks into that room again
DeleteFRIDAY!!!!
ReplyDeleteFinally
DeleteProb not the one for me but glad you liked it enough to continue even with some bumps.
ReplyDeleteIt was ok :)
DeleteSometimes if the action and characters are good I don't mind a lighter fantasy
ReplyDeleteI can't really say I liked anyone that much
DeleteIt sounds nice and fun even if the worldbuilding isn't that rich. thanks for the discovery!
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteEw, marital rape? I don't really want to read about that... Too bad about execution, really, because the story obviously shows great promise. Oh, well. That's how it goes sometimes... Enjoy your weekend, Linda :)
ReplyDeleteIt was always behind a closed door and then everything was marital rape those days.
DeleteUhm. But world building is crucial to a fantasy novel, no?
ReplyDeleteYes, and sure others would not complain...
DeleteLight and fun fantasy is a good thing.
ReplyDelete