Captive Prince (Captive Prince, #1) in Captivated

Dec 05, 2012 Sun rated it it was amazing

OBSESSED. <-me.

Captive Prince (Vol. 1) took the sharpest hook it could find and dug it deep into me and just pulled me along wherever it wanted to go.

The writing: phenomenal
The world-building: detailed & fascinating
The characters: deliciously layered
The story: political intrigue and mind-fuckery at its best

I was in a mild haze of confusion some of the time…there are a LOT of characters and countries and deceptive alliances and loyalties. But, if you just play along, it all starts to make sense a ...more

85 likes · Like · see review

Aug 28, 2013 Argona rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-buddy-read, all-time-favorites, reviewed, royals, dark, favorite-fantasy-series, medieval-fantasy, fantasy, political-games, high-fantasy

This is a trilogy, an amazing unique trilogy that I am officially addicted to. I have read only two books so far but I have no doubt that the third book will be just as good! These books are greatly written. Characters are complex and well-thought with many hidden layers to discover and enjoy. The plot grips you from the very first pages of the very first book and simply refuses to let go. This story is brutally beautiful and full of surprises. Are you a fan of court politics and games? Then you This is a trilogy, an amazing unique trilogy that I am officially addicted to. I have read only two books so far but I have no doubt that the third book will be just as good! These books are greatly written. Characters are complex and well-thought with many hidden layers to discover and enjoy. The plot grips you from the very first pages of the very first book and simply refuses to let go. This story is brutally beautiful and full of surprises. Are you a fan of court politics and games? Then you HAVE to try this!

The story is told from the eyes of Damen. I have read quite a number of stories that are told from the eyes of the captive but this...this was something else. All I needed was a couple of pages to completely fall in love with Damen and his sweet naive personality. Seeing the book's world and characters from his eyes is one of the reasons the story is so captivating. He is big, strong, honorable and kind at heart. He is born to be a leader, to be a king. And yet he is forced into slavery because of these good traits that he possesses. His honest and straightforward character is too easily deceived and as a result, he is forced into a journey that turns his world upside down. He is known for his fighting skills in the battleground but now he has to learn an entirely different version of fighting in an entirely different battleground.

Thus comes Laurent. The little beautiful cunning mastermind. The antihero that I totally didn't like at the beginning and totally fell in love with as the story progressed. He is unpredictable, devious, mysterious and very very beautiful. An evil angel or a beautiful Serpent! These descriptions all fit him perfectly. I don't want to spoil anything so I won't go into details of his character. I really enjoyed discovering his thoughts and intentions layer by layer. He and Damen together make this series unique and amazing.

In the world of M/M romance, the slave is usually a sweet little beauty and the master is a handsome physically stronger male. That's what I was looking for when I started this book and as you can guess by now, I was surprised when I realized that's not the case in here. I felt disappointment at first but then I kept reading and fell in love with this wonderful new experience. Both the characters and the plot contribute to the sheer awesomeness of this series. The damn plot! The secrets...the twists...the many hidden layers! There is a reason this book climbed the ladder so fast. It's not too much hype and all that. It simply deserves the publicity and support! We need more series like this in M/M romance genre.

5 stars? Not nearly enough! I love it and I love the author for writing this wonderful story and for sharing it. I want more...so much more! My heart is officially captured. I strongly recommend this amazing and memorable series. If you like M/M romance, this is a must-read!
...more

34 likes · Like · see review

Jul 06, 2011 Briar rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: ultimate-best, romance, bi-bi-bi, historical, popsugar-challenge-2020, mm-or-gay-rep, re-read, 5-star, queer-adult, best-of-2015

Damen is such a sassy bitch

Reread: April 2020
Reread: June 2019
Reread: November 2018
Reread: April 2016
Reread: October 2015
Reread: August 2012
Read: July 2011
_____________________
Rereading my favourite series ever and it's a buddy read with the lovely Steffy!! 💕 ...more

26 likes · Like · see review

Mar 23, 2012 DayDreamer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: want-more, lgbtqa, angst, absofuckinglutely-nuts, why-yes-i-am-sapiosexual, reviewed-or-kinda, favourites, stayed-up-all-night, again-and-again-and-again, no-such-thing-as-enough

To get what you want, you have to know exactly how much you are willing to give up.

I want inside Laurent's head. I want it so badly!

(view spoiler) ...more

19 likes · Like · see review

Dec 12, 2012 Fani *loves angst* rated it it was amazing

Shelves: keepers-romance, m-m, starcrossed-lovers, sf-fantasy, abduction, emotional, enemies-to-lovers, cliffhanger-ending, freebie, 6-stars

Holy crap, that was fantastic! One of the best books I read this year, this is a mixture of epic fantasy and m/m romance, the kind of which I've never read before. I have to say that for the most part of the book, the fantasy is the book's main focus, while the romance steadily but very slowly builds until the end of book 2, which is the last book published. Book 3 is to follow at some point, only I don't know when and unfortunately, book 2 ends with a huge cliffhanger:(

Damen, short for Damianos Holy crap, that was fantastic! One of the best books I read this year, this is a mixture of epic fantasy and m/m romance, the kind of which I've never read before. I have to say that for the most part of the book, the fantasy is the book's main focus, while the romance steadily but very slowly builds until the end of book 2, which is the last book published. Book 3 is to follow at some point, only I don't know when and unfortunately, book 2 ends with a huge cliffhanger:(

Damen, short for Damianos, is given as a slave to Laurent, the prince of Rabat who stands to become king in about ten months, as soon as he becomes 21 years old. Till then, his uncle is Regent and holds the throne for him. Damen himself, is the prince and heir of Akielon, who the night that his father dies, is declared dead by his own brother and sent to Rabat as an anonymous slave, so that his brother can steal the throne from him.

Laurent hates Akielons with a vengeance, since their prince Damianos killed his own brother six years ago, thus winning the war. He takes out all this hatred on his new slave, which he has publicly humiliated and beaten to death. But Damen proves hard to kill and when in a sudden twist of fate, he provides an unexpected but valuable service to Laurent, it becomes the turning point for their relationship. Laurent starts to wonder about who his slave is, his fighting abilities, his expert knowledge of all things military, his keen intellect and is willing to listen to him, even if he doesn't trust him anymore than he did before. Damen himself, is as determined as ever to escape Rabat and return back to Akielon and claim his throne, but to do so, he has to stay close to Laurent for the time being, concealing his true identity. Laurent, with his exquisite beauty, his frigid nature, his astonishing self-control, his magnificent mind and twisted way of thinking, fascinates Damen who has never met anyone like him, and he starts to respect him even if he doesn't like him more than he originally did. It slowly becomes apparent however, to them as well as to the reader, that they must combine their forces if they're to survive the treacherous politics of the Rabatian court and win what each of them wants, even if their alliance is a tentative and mistrustful one.

The first 3-5 chapters emphasize on the depravity of the Rabatian court and the masters/slaves protocol, making me think this would be another smutty bdsm read with no depth or plot whatsoever, but that isn't what this story is about. In fact, sex scenes are minimal and not detailed at all, while the twists and turns of the plot kept me up awake two nights in a row as one revelation succeeded the other with no warning. If you like court politics, intelligent heroes and villains, war manoeuvres, sword fights, unexpected twists, action and adventure galore, this is the book to read. And it's free! What more can you ask? Oh yeah, and the sexual tension between Laurent and Damen is off the charts:) Those two may take a while to like each other, but their attraction is palpable and creates an exquisite tension, that won't let you put it down before you're over. And then you'll be crying with me, for not having the third book on hand to see how it will all end:)

Laurent:

Damen:

Verdict: Amazing fantasy, wonderful character building (Laurent is such a bastard at the beginning of the book that you can't believe any author is going to redeem him eventually, but this one did), and an engaging plot that will stay with you long after you're finished. Highly recommended!

URL: http://freece.livejournal.com/35519.html ...more

11 likes · Like · see review

Apr 29, 2011 Mel rated it it was amazing

Shelves: m-m, on-line-fiction, fan-freakin-tastic, favorites, e-book, free-stuff, wip

Damnit. When I started this I didn't realize it was a WIP. I hate WIPs. No, let me rephrase: I hate good WIPs. So I hate this book. It grabbed me right off the bat and sucked me in. I'm hopelessly lost in the intrigue and the tension and the political plays and personal vendettas and all the secrets that need to be uncovered.
I'll probably hate next book even more.
Damnit.

4,5 stars ...more

10 likes · Like · see review

Aug 12, 2011 Jenn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, fantasy-world-building, m-m, 5-stars-are-not-enough, free-fiction, slave-bsdm, wip

So amazing! One of my favorites, but unfortunately the wait for updates is torture. The writing is on point.

10 likes · Like · see review

Jun 02, 2012 Fangtasia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

July 15th ETA: Finished!

Superbly written, fascinating characters, with a plot more tangled than a plate of spaghetti, now I know why I should have waited for this story to be finished before starting it.

This first installment in the story masterfully establishes the main characters, setting, and plot points. It ends at a logical break, because there are to be major changes in location and (finally!) some action. There is no ending, as such. Just a transition, like episodes in a TV mini-series.

I ...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Jul 05, 2012 Maygirl7 rated it it was amazing

Shelves: m-m, keeper, fantasy, gay-free-online, kindle, worth-re-reading, all-time-favorite

Second reading. Still loved it and gripped me tight but not as much as first time? Definitely noticed that the reveal moments that made me gasp the first time didn't work the second time around though hardly surprising. This time it was in paperback. I think it definitely made a difference in the experience. ...more

8 likes · Like · see review

Jun 02, 2013 Monica rated it it was amazing

This book was picked by Snowtuplip, my Scavenger Hunt teammate. She said I would either love her or hate her. STulip, I love you. But I have to admit I thought I was going to hate her, because I tend to avoid reading books with dub-consent, humiliation and abuse content. While there was content concerning some of the slaves ages that made me uncomfortable, it wasn't enough to turn me off reading the rest of the book.

Captive Prince is the first book in a series of three books. Only two are out no ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Apr 08, 2013 Punk rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: queer, ebook

SLAVE FICTION. The warrior prince of Akielos has been betrayed by his brother, and now, collared and oiled, Damen's to be given to the enemy nation of Vere—and its haughty crown prince—to serve as a pleasure slave. Damen, needless to say, is not down with this.

OMG, I loved this so much. It was one in the morning and my cat, who spends twenty-three hours a day sleeping, woke up and raised his head, all like, Uh, isn't it bedtime? Why are you still reading? Change makes me uncomfortable. And I pet SLAVE FICTION. The warrior prince of Akielos has been betrayed by his brother, and now, collared and oiled, Damen's to be given to the enemy nation of Vere—and its haughty crown prince—to serve as a pleasure slave. Damen, needless to say, is not down with this.

OMG, I loved this so much. It was one in the morning and my cat, who spends twenty-three hours a day sleeping, woke up and raised his head, all like, Uh, isn't it bedtime? Why are you still reading? Change makes me uncomfortable. And I petted his little head and ignored him because assassins! sword play!! sex drugs in the wine!!!

Laurent is so tense and calculating and there's clearly about fifteen foot-pounds of stuff going on in his head at any moment, and we don't even know the half of it. He's a beautiful clam, and I just want to pry him open, but Damen hasn't really caught on yet that there's more to him because he's too busy being angry about being enslaved, which I agree is a bummer, but I have all this longing and nowhere to put it. Damen's angry and impulsive and really bad at being a slave. He hates Laurent and desperately wants his freedom, but he also wants to protect his country and his people, and he has to stay where he is in order to do that. It's all so deliciously frustrating, but I like that the story's taking its time. You can't rush into these master/slave romances because you know that shit's not sustainable.

It's just they make such a good team, and I'm desperate for them to realize that. Heart emoji.

Now for the rape. This book comes with a trigger warning for an entire rainbow of non-con. In most cases it wasn't graphic or exploitive, and it didn't seem designed to titillate, which, depending on your tastes, could be a good or bad thing. If anything it felt dispassionate, and most of it happens to people other than our protagonist(s).

My edition also came with a bonus short story "The Training of Erasmus," which is an ode to submission that has a nice little twist to it and helps to fill out this universe.

Five stars—mainly because I was so excited to be reading it. There's no real sense of closure when you get to the end, but it's a really good start and since I have the second book right here I can pick it up right away. Recommended if you like ~~SLAVE FICTION~~ hot guys suspiciously circling each other, palace intrigue, sulky princes, and shifting loyalties. Mind the trigger warning.

eBook: I bought an epub with DRM from Kobo. I wasn't a fan of the margins, but it has a cover and no major problems. ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Oct 03, 2010 MsMiz (Tina) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: glbt-all

4.5 stars

3 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2013 peanut•m&ms rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, z-kindle, fantasy, m-m, military, abuse, historical

Fantastic. Just fantastic.

2 likes · Like · see review

Jun 01, 2013 Claudia the Night Owl rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: review, devoured-it, can-t-get-enough, enemies-to-lovers, backstabbed, abduction, m-m

This was really good, good enough for me to have read it in one sitting and end up with only three hours of sleep. Okay so Captive Prince is about a prince named Damianos who is betrayed by his older brother and sent to a rival kingdom as a pleasure slave where he is given to the frigid prince of that land, Laurent. After a rough and painful start the two come to get along. After seeing how the slaves from his land are being mistreated Damen bargains with Laurent to help them and later when ther ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Sep 29, 2012 Oshun rated it it was amazing

It's addictive. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jan 24, 2013 Abi Walton rated it really liked it

Shelves: history, lgbt

I was pleasantly surprised as i had this book on my To read shelf for a long time and was reluctant to buy it because i wasn't sure. Anyway so glad i did get it in the end the book has had me captured from the moment i began to read it. Pacat creates a world that is sexy and menacing but also in control so that you are hidden from the worst of the actions that are taking place in the kingdom. I really want to see Damon and Laurent become closer as in this book they are at odds.

...more

Like · see review