This book review was part of a podcast discussion.
Listen to the episode here.
Darion grew up in Oregon in the home of his adoptive parents, Carol and Rick. Lately he’s been dreaming of a mysterious woman imprisoned in a dark dungeon, and the birthmark on his hand is growing… and glowing. After a discussion with his boss and friend Tony, Darion’s parents whisk him away through a portal to the land of Nav’aria, where Darion is a prince.
His biological parents sent him away at birth to protect him from his great-uncle, who usurped the throne from Darion’s grandfather and plunged the world into a civil war. Now “Emperor” Narco fights to keep his empire with the help of a race of monsters called Rav’arians. True king Vikarus and his army fight to free his kingdom and his wife from the tyrant.
Sometimes the writing was confusing when describing the passage of time. Examples include how long Darion has been having those dreams (I’m still not sure how long) and the time spent in Nav’aria. It seemed like days at most, but the text then said weeks had passed.
Darion bothered me. At first, he was a loner, an outsider without any friends, but when presented the opportunity to befriend a peasant boy he is training with, he ignores him. He even said to himself, “I am the prince, after all.” He really let his title go to his head. He gets a little better, but he’s still a bit full of himself.
The villain Narco was the first-born son but, his younger brother had the birthmark that made him the heir. He was a momma’s boy with daddy issues and was continually described as ugly, pock-marked, with scars down his face. At one point, Narco thinks about his mother and how he wanted his relationship with her to be… closer… and then he compares his captive queen to his mother, both full bodied real women, not at all like the child he just raped. He then proceeds to rape the child again, all the while thinking of the queen.
The first half seems like a feel-good story about a boy learning he is a prince from a magical land going to meet his parents for the first time. He meets centaurs and unicorns and discovers magic. Then the book gets dark. There’s torture, death, rape, and a mighty cliffhanger at the end. [is the cliffhanger satisfying? Frustrating? “Mighty” is too neutral.]
Minnesota
Caty Willis works a boring day job, but in downtime fancies herself an artist and writer. She loves reading, especially fantasy, and dreams of opening a bookstore one day. Follow her on Twitter @shimmybook.
