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Prince of Silk and Thorns
Prince Alar is notorious... and tormented.
The prince's decadence is as famous as his extraordinary beauty. Rumor holds that he murdered his own brother to get one step closer to the throne. Some believe him to be the son of a fallen angel. But beneath his icy exterior, the prince burns with secret guilt... and untapped passion.
Farm boy Garin is innocent... and reckless.
Garin is shocked when Prince Alar rides into his village and demands that the young men strip for his inspection... so he can select one as his new slave! To protect his brother, Garin volunteers, leaving his peaceful village-- and his innocence-- behind. But even naked and chained, he is no helpless victim.
At the palace, Garin discovers a new world of decadent sex, dangerous intrigue, and devastating passion. But from the moment the arrogant prince puts a collar around Garin's throat and claims him as his own, the men are bound together in more ways than one.
From sadistic sex games to tender caretaking, from erotic awakenings to a deadly gladiatorial match, their journey together pushes both men to their physical and emotional limits... and beyond.
A novel of the passion that consumes, the love that sustains, and the ties that bind.
This erotic romance is intended for mature readers. It contains graphic scenes of gay sex and gay BDSM.
"Prince of Silk and Thorns" was originally published in serialized form under the title of "The Prince's Defiant Slave." It contains the complete text of the series, but has been corrected and revised, and some new scenes have been added.
The prince's decadence is as famous as his extraordinary beauty. Rumor holds that he murdered his own brother to get one step closer to the throne. Some believe him to be the son of a fallen angel. But beneath his icy exterior, the prince burns with secret guilt... and untapped passion.
Farm boy Garin is innocent... and reckless.
Garin is shocked when Prince Alar rides into his village and demands that the young men strip for his inspection... so he can select one as his new slave! To protect his brother, Garin volunteers, leaving his peaceful village-- and his innocence-- behind. But even naked and chained, he is no helpless victim.
At the palace, Garin discovers a new world of decadent sex, dangerous intrigue, and devastating passion. But from the moment the arrogant prince puts a collar around Garin's throat and claims him as his own, the men are bound together in more ways than one.
From sadistic sex games to tender caretaking, from erotic awakenings to a deadly gladiatorial match, their journey together pushes both men to their physical and emotional limits... and beyond.
A novel of the passion that consumes, the love that sustains, and the ties that bind.
This erotic romance is intended for mature readers. It contains graphic scenes of gay sex and gay BDSM.
"Prince of Silk and Thorns" was originally published in serialized form under the title of "The Prince's Defiant Slave." It contains the complete text of the series, but has been corrected and revised, and some new scenes have been added.
280 pages, ebook
First published August 4, 2013
31 people are currently reading
362 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
August 27, 2017
*** 3 Stars ***
A very crazy mixed bag with a tad bit of BDSM, slave/master dynamic, evil monarchs, a touch of fantasy and lots of debauchery all wrapped up in a historical tale.
The story was scorching hot.
My negatives:
.)The MC's seem to get attached too fast for my liking as I'm not a fan of insta-love.
.)I wish it was shorter. It was way too long for my taste.
Summing it up, it was a light, easy and very hot read.
Available on KU
A very crazy mixed bag with a tad bit of BDSM, slave/master dynamic, evil monarchs, a touch of fantasy and lots of debauchery all wrapped up in a historical tale.
The story was scorching hot.
My negatives:
.)The MC's seem to get attached too fast for my liking as I'm not a fan of insta-love.
.)I wish it was shorter. It was way too long for my taste.
Summing it up, it was a light, easy and very hot read.
Available on KU
March 20, 2014
If you only read the first of the five in this miniseries then your assumptions are all wrong.
After getting the first of the series free and reading it, I was expecting a wildly different story than what it ended up being. Broken down into five segments the first two are dramatically different in tone resembling Rice's Beauty series with an arrogant, cruel disassociated prince terrorizing an innocent. Let's just say that by the end of the story there is a dramatic shift.
The change allowed for more depth of character and plot development with court intrigue and machiavellian scheming. There's still some smexy times, but the dub-con and non-con is dialed back. I liked it. The end started to feel a little to much like reading a summary as it was compressed to get to the end the author desired. I started skimming bits to be honest. Other than that, a decent diversion.
After getting the first of the series free and reading it, I was expecting a wildly different story than what it ended up being. Broken down into five segments the first two are dramatically different in tone resembling Rice's Beauty series with an arrogant, cruel disassociated prince terrorizing an innocent. Let's just say that by the end of the story there is a dramatic shift.
The change allowed for more depth of character and plot development with court intrigue and machiavellian scheming. There's still some smexy times, but the dub-con and non-con is dialed back. I liked it. The end started to feel a little to much like reading a summary as it was compressed to get to the end the author desired. I started skimming bits to be honest. Other than that, a decent diversion.
May 3, 2019
I don't think I ever would have read this book if it hadn't been for a challenge. So it was a nice surprise that I actually liked this story a lot. Yes, I definitely could have forgone the humiliation and torture (though those were kept relatively light and short) but the story contained so much more good elements. There were intrigues at the palast, fights, pain and grief. A medicus's work, the relief of self dicovery and foremost the lovely romance between prince Alar and his slave, the innocent but quite reckless farm boy Garin.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
August 23, 2013
Review written for Hearts on Fire Reviews
I will start by saying this didn’t turn out to be nearly as dark as I was expecting. Things happen very quickly with Prince Alar, appearing as a total bastard, and forcing young farm boy, Garin, into slavery. Before doing so, he humiliates and uses Garin roughly before his village and the brother Garin has taken the place of in an attempt to save him from the same fate. All is not as it seems however.
Right away, Garin is shamed by the events and the impulses he has in wanting to be the Prince’s plaything. Homosexuality is somewhat frowned upon by the villagers, which doesn’t help his feelings of the same, some of which he had been experiencing for some time.
Once they are back to the castle, things start to become a little clearer. There is much politicking and intrigue at foot, and while the Prince must act indifferent, Garin feels there is more to it. There were some forced sexual scenes and whippings, but none of them were overly horrific given the results and surroundings.
There are many rumors abound regarding the Prince, one of which being that his mother was a fallen angel. So, there is a tiny bit of paranormal factor involved here. As time passes, Alar and Garin work together to save each other in different ways, their loyalty and feelings towards each other growing along the way. I really enjoyed this aspect of the story.
There is mystery and intrigue surrounding the death of Alar’s brother, those who take over the throne and how Alar attempts to get it back. I found this to be quite an enjoyable fantasy read.
January 11, 2016
There are no real living angels in this story. Do not expect one.
The book is very heavy on sex and all kinds of deadly injuries and prolonged recoveries. Nothing wrong with any of it, just not favorites of mine. A star off for that. The first few chapters seem to be a rough draft. Another star off for that.
But if you're brave enough to rough it out, go ahead and read, you might be pleasantly surprised in the end. The story and the writing improved greatly after the fight during the hunt, the characters started acting, thinking and talking like people and not broken records skipping tracks. I stopped trying to figure out what was going on and why and started to enjoy the story at the same time as I came to like both Alar and Garin enough to care for them and the future of Navarra.
3.5 stars and wish I could give it more, but not in the current state of editing disaster.
The book is very heavy on sex and all kinds of deadly injuries and prolonged recoveries. Nothing wrong with any of it, just not favorites of mine. A star off for that. The first few chapters seem to be a rough draft. Another star off for that.
But if you're brave enough to rough it out, go ahead and read, you might be pleasantly surprised in the end. The story and the writing improved greatly after the fight during the hunt, the characters started acting, thinking and talking like people and not broken records skipping tracks. I stopped trying to figure out what was going on and why and started to enjoy the story at the same time as I came to like both Alar and Garin enough to care for them and the future of Navarra.
3.5 stars and wish I could give it more, but not in the current state of editing disaster.
August 13, 2016
This book kinda snuck up on me. Early on I had it pegged as mostly porn - the writing is fairly simple and it is on the smutty side. But there's a story there as well, and the further I read, the better the story got, and the writing seemed to me to get better and better in the second half of the book too.
This is not really a darkfic, so much as an adventure story, with a slave, fallen angels, a militant church, and a prince battling for his crown against evil usurpers. Good fun, and very enjoyable.
This is not really a darkfic, so much as an adventure story, with a slave, fallen angels, a militant church, and a prince battling for his crown against evil usurpers. Good fun, and very enjoyable.
January 10, 2018
I am not a huge fan of BDSM, but still, the blurb for this sounded so interesting, I had to give it a try and I was not (completely) disappointed. In the beginning, the story took some getting used to it, but very fast I was hooked and before I even realized I was at 65% and it was in the middle of the night... (as Caipi pointed out, sleep is overrated anyhow, so that was quite okay).
What was not okay, unfortunately, was the fact, that when almost everything was sorted out, the story took another turn, and another and yet another.
It was too much, adding another fight and another injury and another long suffering and a lot of explanations before we finally got to the end.
This was so fast paced at the beginning, it was disappointing that it really dragged towards the end.
This was still good, but it could have been outstanding, so for me, there was a little disappointment at the end, I still liked it, I probably would even recommend it, instead of the 5 star read it could have been, this ended as a 3.5 to 4 star story in my rating.
What was not okay, unfortunately, was the fact, that when almost everything was sorted out, the story took another turn, and another and yet another.
It was too much, adding another fight and another injury and another long suffering and a lot of explanations before we finally got to the end.
This was so fast paced at the beginning, it was disappointing that it really dragged towards the end.
This was still good, but it could have been outstanding, so for me, there was a little disappointment at the end, I still liked it, I probably would even recommend it, instead of the 5 star read it could have been, this ended as a 3.5 to 4 star story in my rating.
January 7, 2014
Fans of deviant sex and fantasy mixed together may enjoy this m/m fantasy. This story is difficult to categorize because it blurs all the lines. There are children of fallen angels, sexual slavery and political intrigue. Is this a fantasy or paranormal? Does it matter? Prince Alar is a royal who abuses his power by enslaving people in his kingdom. In his latest ride through the country side, he spies upon farmboy Garin and seizes him to be his latest sexual conquest.
From a BDSM perspective, there is very little here. The BDSM is light with restraints, gag and a blindfold between Alar and Garin. The other parts aren't really what I consider BDSM. If this was a non-con sex slave story with TPE and sexual training for Garin, then maybe. Maybe it would be classified as BDSM Fantasy. It isn't. What happens here is plain old torture and rape. Even then, it's mild. Let's put the caveat that it takes a lot to make me think it's a dark book. This book is not dark. It's pretty standard and not too different in violence found in books like Game of Thrones. A humiliating whipping does not constitute BDSM. For readers who believe this is the case, they are confused about BDSM. I can't actually classify this as BDSM but more an erotic awakening journey for Garin.
What is good about this book is the character building. Ms. Dare does a good job of creating the anti-hero, Price Alar. He's this evil villain with a purpose. As the reader learns more about him, he becomes quite likeable and even admirable. Garin seems to be this dumb peasant who is a liability. He is not. His loyalty and courage surpasses expectations. Ms. Dare does a good job of creating him with more layers that originally meets the eye. The first third of the book is very slow. It could stand with a bit of editing to help move the story along. Once the reader passes the halfway mark, the plot of the story becomes clear. More action occurs and there are more reveals which helps enhance the story.
The world Ms. Dare creates is interesting. This notion of fallen angels and how they relate to humans is different. The interpretation of how the angels live their life before they fall is also intriguing. Readers may be curious to learn more about this world. Perhaps Ms. Dare would create a little prequel about Alar's mother, the fallen angel. If the reader could learn the hardships she faced every day before she chose to fall, it would be fabulous. Basically, a day in the life of a warrior angel is a fascinating look. Then if the reader is exposed to her choices and ultimately her sacrifice, it could be quite poignant. Sometimes the best stories are bittersweet endings. Still, in this story, it's a happily ever after with a lovely resolution. It's quite the sweet romance between a prince and his pauper. Recommended for m/m lovers who root for the underdog and fall for an anti-hero with good intentions.
*provided by BDSM Book Reviews
From a BDSM perspective, there is very little here. The BDSM is light with restraints, gag and a blindfold between Alar and Garin. The other parts aren't really what I consider BDSM. If this was a non-con sex slave story with TPE and sexual training for Garin, then maybe. Maybe it would be classified as BDSM Fantasy. It isn't. What happens here is plain old torture and rape. Even then, it's mild. Let's put the caveat that it takes a lot to make me think it's a dark book. This book is not dark. It's pretty standard and not too different in violence found in books like Game of Thrones. A humiliating whipping does not constitute BDSM. For readers who believe this is the case, they are confused about BDSM. I can't actually classify this as BDSM but more an erotic awakening journey for Garin.
What is good about this book is the character building. Ms. Dare does a good job of creating the anti-hero, Price Alar. He's this evil villain with a purpose. As the reader learns more about him, he becomes quite likeable and even admirable. Garin seems to be this dumb peasant who is a liability. He is not. His loyalty and courage surpasses expectations. Ms. Dare does a good job of creating him with more layers that originally meets the eye. The first third of the book is very slow. It could stand with a bit of editing to help move the story along. Once the reader passes the halfway mark, the plot of the story becomes clear. More action occurs and there are more reveals which helps enhance the story.
The world Ms. Dare creates is interesting. This notion of fallen angels and how they relate to humans is different. The interpretation of how the angels live their life before they fall is also intriguing. Readers may be curious to learn more about this world. Perhaps Ms. Dare would create a little prequel about Alar's mother, the fallen angel. If the reader could learn the hardships she faced every day before she chose to fall, it would be fabulous. Basically, a day in the life of a warrior angel is a fascinating look. Then if the reader is exposed to her choices and ultimately her sacrifice, it could be quite poignant. Sometimes the best stories are bittersweet endings. Still, in this story, it's a happily ever after with a lovely resolution. It's quite the sweet romance between a prince and his pauper. Recommended for m/m lovers who root for the underdog and fall for an anti-hero with good intentions.
*provided by BDSM Book Reviews
November 24, 2013
This was almost a DNF for me. There’s so much pain, suffering, violence, violations, and humiliation here that I barely got past the first chapter. In fact, it’s probably not a good thing when at the end of that chapter you feel one hero should grow a set and the other to die a gruesome death. On the day the main characters–prince Alar and farmboy Garin–meet, Garin is whipped twice, orally raped once, anally raped three times (once by fingers, twice times by cock), and humiliated and debased in front of hundreds of people. Oh, and did I mention in the morning he used to be a virgin? This, to me at least, does not read sexy or even erotic. The warning about mature content should definitely be heeded.
But… there is an actual story here–if you get past the first three chapters. There’s palace intrigue, of course, but the best parts of the book were when the two men were on the run, healing from wounds, and actually alone, forced to interact with one another. In those sections, the story shined and the characters deepened, becoming more than their initial impression (which I imagine a lot of people disliking). The journey through the land is one I enjoyed the most, when both men could stretch their legs, find allies, and also had to learn how to work together. The palace sections were the least interesting to me, same old, same old.
The first couple of chapters are so full of violence and rapes that it took me a moment to notice the plot had actually begun to form. By the time the hunt started, I was immersed into the story. I still did not care much for the characters, but I guess I learned to have a sort of fondness for them. The religious backdrop here has significance because as the son of a fallen angel, Alar has unusual appearance and special abilities. But do not worry, as these are small matters, and they do not make this a superhero story. In fact, if anything, his blood heritage makes Alar more vulnerable, not less.
The story is given to us from Garin’s first person point of view only, and that was definitely one of the major drawbacks of this story. Sure, I get wanting to keep a character mysterious. But since Alar presented himself as such a cruel individual, his point of view was sorely missed here. In order to like him, I needed to know how he saw the world, how he felt about Garin, and what motivated him–and I didn’t get those things until much too late in the story. Ms. Dare might wish to add another perspective in future stories, especially if the character needing it is so vile and horrid.
It seems the palace slave subgenre is not for me. Or at least this story wasn’t. I’m sure other readers will find this exciting (I did, at times) and even erotic (sorry, pass). Overall, there was just too much violence, sexual and otherwise, for me to enjoy this fully. The emotional scenes were great, and the writing shows the full spectrum of sensory experiences. Garin learns to find his strength and Alar learns to let someone in. So, in the end–if you can get past the dark BDSM etc.–this is an average fantasy story about a prince and his farmboy caught in a struggle for the throne. You be the judge.
But… there is an actual story here–if you get past the first three chapters. There’s palace intrigue, of course, but the best parts of the book were when the two men were on the run, healing from wounds, and actually alone, forced to interact with one another. In those sections, the story shined and the characters deepened, becoming more than their initial impression (which I imagine a lot of people disliking). The journey through the land is one I enjoyed the most, when both men could stretch their legs, find allies, and also had to learn how to work together. The palace sections were the least interesting to me, same old, same old.
The first couple of chapters are so full of violence and rapes that it took me a moment to notice the plot had actually begun to form. By the time the hunt started, I was immersed into the story. I still did not care much for the characters, but I guess I learned to have a sort of fondness for them. The religious backdrop here has significance because as the son of a fallen angel, Alar has unusual appearance and special abilities. But do not worry, as these are small matters, and they do not make this a superhero story. In fact, if anything, his blood heritage makes Alar more vulnerable, not less.
The story is given to us from Garin’s first person point of view only, and that was definitely one of the major drawbacks of this story. Sure, I get wanting to keep a character mysterious. But since Alar presented himself as such a cruel individual, his point of view was sorely missed here. In order to like him, I needed to know how he saw the world, how he felt about Garin, and what motivated him–and I didn’t get those things until much too late in the story. Ms. Dare might wish to add another perspective in future stories, especially if the character needing it is so vile and horrid.
It seems the palace slave subgenre is not for me. Or at least this story wasn’t. I’m sure other readers will find this exciting (I did, at times) and even erotic (sorry, pass). Overall, there was just too much violence, sexual and otherwise, for me to enjoy this fully. The emotional scenes were great, and the writing shows the full spectrum of sensory experiences. Garin learns to find his strength and Alar learns to let someone in. So, in the end–if you can get past the dark BDSM etc.–this is an average fantasy story about a prince and his farmboy caught in a struggle for the throne. You be the judge.
September 5, 2016
I actually tried the first 5% of this story, but I think it was plenty enough to come to the conclusion that this story is not for me as during that time we already say how one hero orally rapes the second hero in front of his entire village and his younger brother, humiliates him to no end and makes the second hero his slave... Am I really supposed to like this?? Yeah, no, I don't think so. This story is definitely not for me.
Want to read
March 18, 2014Big price drop for the next two weeks at Amazon US to $0.99!!! :) 3/18/14
April 11, 2019
This was quite an amazing read. It had a bit of everything but it all meshed so well. The characters were nicely rounded and the story was intriguing even if a bit basic. The ending was a little rushed and the climax of the story was pretty mellow for all the build up. But it was good.
Definitely recommend this book. I wish we'd had more of how the prince came to be and act like that, and exactly when Selsudo died so we could have a frame of reference since I thought the bad guys waited way too long to strike. And that Duke guy, did he ever love the prince? Why did they have to kill Selsudo and wait if they were planning to kill the prince anyway? Wouldn't it have been easier to just kill them both together? It didn't seem like the Duke was trying that hard to win over the prince so what was his plan after killing Selsudo and being a jerk to the prince? During the torture it seemed like the Duke wanted the prince but when they met again he was all too ready to kill him. Again, that could have been that rushed ending feel I got. But other than that it was a good read.
Definitely recommend this book. I wish we'd had more of how the prince came to be and act like that, and exactly when Selsudo died so we could have a frame of reference since I thought the bad guys waited way too long to strike. And that Duke guy, did he ever love the prince? Why did they have to kill Selsudo and wait if they were planning to kill the prince anyway? Wouldn't it have been easier to just kill them both together? It didn't seem like the Duke was trying that hard to win over the prince so what was his plan after killing Selsudo and being a jerk to the prince? During the torture it seemed like the Duke wanted the prince but when they met again he was all too ready to kill him. Again, that could have been that rushed ending feel I got. But other than that it was a good read.
August 4, 2025
One of my favorite reads this year! I only read this for the Spicy MM Slave/master vibe and wasn't expecting anything amazing. OMG! This was well-written epic fantasy with great character arcs, tons of humorous moments where I laughed out loud, twist & turns, revelations of a character's motivation that you didn't see coming, a really sweet romance, and a happy ending (in more ways than one). I didn't want it to end!
Trigger warnings: violence, sex slavery (non-con, dub-con), torture (a whipping scene and a poisoning scene), but if you can role with those you will not be disappointed with how truly amazing this book is!
Trigger warnings: violence, sex slavery (non-con, dub-con), torture (a whipping scene and a poisoning scene), but if you can role with those you will not be disappointed with how truly amazing this book is!
December 17, 2024
DNF @ 28%.
It’s simply not holding my interest. I think Garin particularly dull.
It’s simply not holding my interest. I think Garin particularly dull.
August 20, 2013
3.5 Stars
One of them lost his innocence early and has had the weight of the world on his shoulders. The other had to grow up early as well from his boyhood, yet retained his innocence and naiveté.
The first wears a mask of cruelty to hide his pain and guilt. The second bares all his emotions on his face, recklessly defying wrongs.
One is a Prince, Heir to the Crown, the other a mere peasant with a lost freedom to be enslaved on a whim.
This story begins in a strong and a sensational way. Prince Alar, rumored to be cruel beyond belief, arrives in a small village and demands a slave. The ignorant boys and men do not resist even as they do not understand how such thing can happen. All succumb to the Prince’s whim, but one. Garin is a man who has never left his village, has never known anything else. The fact that his brother might be hurt or taken away from him spurs him to be reckless, defy the Royal Herald and almost talk back to the Prince himself. For his foolishness he’s made a slave. For his reckless ways he’s humiliated and wronged, yet he cannot come to regret his decision, for if not for that, he’d never be able to get so close to the Price, who looks like a Fallen Angel.
It is a weird relationship that bounds Prince and slave in this book. All the humiliation that Garin suffers in the hands of the Prince and his Court are somehow erased in the minute little things the Prince does for him in the privacy of their rooms. While his master seems cruel and talks to and for him in the most uncaring way, behind closed doors there is the subtle slip of a caring soul. And while Garin is still reeling from the abrupt change in his life, the intrigues and plots never cease in the Court, with Garin finding himself unknowingly right in the middle of it all. Played like a pawn in a chess game he is forced to think fast and grow from a farm boy to a man determined to serve and protect a master uprooted him from his safety.
Yes, this book is quite dramatic in a way. The intensity that colors it never fades and throughout the story in underlined by it. Hurt, pain, guilt, betrayals and deadly plots, all top by fabulous erotic scenes that do not lack in sensuality even when utterly brutal, this is a book that enthralled me and bound me to its shackles till the very sweet end.
I must say that there were parts that I didn’t quite liked, or rather left me a bit cold. After the assassination attempt to Prince Alar came his capture and that was followed by a forced public humiliation scene that made no sense to me. Other than it was a vessel for the changing roles between Alar and Garin I did not see the meaning of that scene, the logic behind it. There were other parts as well that could easily been erased and leave the storyline in better order, with the purpose of the story flowing smother than the hitches that those little unreasonable scenes caused. There were also some typographic errors that seemed glaring and disturbing to me, making me recoil from the haze of the story and think that the book needed a bit more polishing before it was published, and that did not bode well for my concentration. I hate it when it’s ripped from the story in such a crude way.
Nevertheless, when I step aside from my little fits and look at the grand picture I must admit, and gladly so, that this was a fascinating book for me. I loved all its cruelty and brutal scenes. I loved the hot sexual ones too, a bit too much sometimes. A bit of warning to you who attempt to dive through these pages, there are some heavy passages here, some brutal punishing scenes, forced intercourse and even one mf scene, that while not so graphic it’s still there. There is also one scene that contains more than two people and might offend some readers’ sensitivities. But if you have the stomach for some dark fantasy (well not THAT dark) and some lovely intrigue and some perversely hot sex, this is a challenging enough book for you.
I dare you to read it! One thing is certain if you do; you’ll either looove it or completely hate it. ;)
One of them lost his innocence early and has had the weight of the world on his shoulders. The other had to grow up early as well from his boyhood, yet retained his innocence and naiveté.
The first wears a mask of cruelty to hide his pain and guilt. The second bares all his emotions on his face, recklessly defying wrongs.
One is a Prince, Heir to the Crown, the other a mere peasant with a lost freedom to be enslaved on a whim.
This story begins in a strong and a sensational way. Prince Alar, rumored to be cruel beyond belief, arrives in a small village and demands a slave. The ignorant boys and men do not resist even as they do not understand how such thing can happen. All succumb to the Prince’s whim, but one. Garin is a man who has never left his village, has never known anything else. The fact that his brother might be hurt or taken away from him spurs him to be reckless, defy the Royal Herald and almost talk back to the Prince himself. For his foolishness he’s made a slave. For his reckless ways he’s humiliated and wronged, yet he cannot come to regret his decision, for if not for that, he’d never be able to get so close to the Price, who looks like a Fallen Angel.
It is a weird relationship that bounds Prince and slave in this book. All the humiliation that Garin suffers in the hands of the Prince and his Court are somehow erased in the minute little things the Prince does for him in the privacy of their rooms. While his master seems cruel and talks to and for him in the most uncaring way, behind closed doors there is the subtle slip of a caring soul. And while Garin is still reeling from the abrupt change in his life, the intrigues and plots never cease in the Court, with Garin finding himself unknowingly right in the middle of it all. Played like a pawn in a chess game he is forced to think fast and grow from a farm boy to a man determined to serve and protect a master uprooted him from his safety.
Yes, this book is quite dramatic in a way. The intensity that colors it never fades and throughout the story in underlined by it. Hurt, pain, guilt, betrayals and deadly plots, all top by fabulous erotic scenes that do not lack in sensuality even when utterly brutal, this is a book that enthralled me and bound me to its shackles till the very sweet end.
I must say that there were parts that I didn’t quite liked, or rather left me a bit cold. After the assassination attempt to Prince Alar came his capture and that was followed by a forced public humiliation scene that made no sense to me. Other than it was a vessel for the changing roles between Alar and Garin I did not see the meaning of that scene, the logic behind it. There were other parts as well that could easily been erased and leave the storyline in better order, with the purpose of the story flowing smother than the hitches that those little unreasonable scenes caused. There were also some typographic errors that seemed glaring and disturbing to me, making me recoil from the haze of the story and think that the book needed a bit more polishing before it was published, and that did not bode well for my concentration. I hate it when it’s ripped from the story in such a crude way.
Nevertheless, when I step aside from my little fits and look at the grand picture I must admit, and gladly so, that this was a fascinating book for me. I loved all its cruelty and brutal scenes. I loved the hot sexual ones too, a bit too much sometimes. A bit of warning to you who attempt to dive through these pages, there are some heavy passages here, some brutal punishing scenes, forced intercourse and even one mf scene, that while not so graphic it’s still there. There is also one scene that contains more than two people and might offend some readers’ sensitivities. But if you have the stomach for some dark fantasy (well not THAT dark) and some lovely intrigue and some perversely hot sex, this is a challenging enough book for you.
I dare you to read it! One thing is certain if you do; you’ll either looove it or completely hate it. ;)
July 19, 2018
First I have to say that this wasn't really as dark as the blurb lead me to believe. Alar,the prince, shows up in Garin's village looking for a new slave (boy toy) & initially looks to Garin's brother but ends up picking Garin as his new slave. He also ends up humiliating Garin in front of his entire village by using him, but it turns out that Garin likes it. You see Garin likes boys not girls but homosexuality is frowned on in his village so he knows he will never be with who he wants to be with if he stays. Once they arrive back at the castle, things all go crazy. There are assassination attempts, assassinations, whippings, rape, torture, secrets unveiled and along the way, love. These two were perfect for each other. Oh and the sex was smoking hot.
Re-read 9/17, loved it as much the second time around as I did the first time.
Re-read 7/18, No matter how many times I read this story, I love it every single time.
Re-read 9/17, loved it as much the second time around as I did the first time.
Re-read 7/18, No matter how many times I read this story, I love it every single time.
April 6, 2014
This was a nice fantasy/slave story that I picked up as either a free or really cheap read. Unlike a lot of free reads, it was well edited, so kudos to the author for that! The plot was interesting with court intrigue and political machinations/assassinations, though there were certainly some deus ex machina moments that frustrated me. The story started out with insta-love of Garin for the prince (totally unrealistic since the prince was publicly humiliating him and taking him into a life of slavery at the time), but the gradual change in their relationship afterwards was a little more believable. I find this book more erotica than romance, which I believe is how it was described in the blurb, so there is plenty of sex, and elements of D/s and some bondage, but nothing to scare the average vanilla reader (which is me!)
September 6, 2016
3.75 stars
Dare is a skilled writer. Overall, the editing was well above average in this genre with only a very few technical faux pas. Solid world building. Great storyline and plot. Way too much sex and I didn't care for the BDSM edge...the short MF sex scene squicked me out. No girly bits in my MM romance, thank you very much. And good lord, did they have too spend so much time being at death's door?
Dare is a skilled writer. Overall, the editing was well above average in this genre with only a very few technical faux pas. Solid world building. Great storyline and plot. Way too much sex and I didn't care for the BDSM edge...the short MF sex scene squicked me out. No girly bits in my MM romance, thank you very much. And good lord, did they have too spend so much time being at death's door?
May 19, 2023
4.5 stars
Garin is innocently working in the fields in his village when a royal page comes and has all the village men between the ages of 18-25 line up. They are being viewed to become a slave for the prince. The prince in question makes an appearance and chooses Garin. Garin goes along with it, because he wants adventure, and knows that part of what he will be required to do will be to service the prince. Since that isn't allowed in his village, Garin is excited to experience it without repercussions. Alar is not all that he seems, nor is the palace, as intrigue and power plays abound. Garin quickly becomes allied with his prince, even though the prince doesn't appear to treat him well. But things change when the prince is almost killed, and Garin starts to learn what is really going on, while falling harder for Alar.
Okay, where did this little gem come from? It doesn't have a lot of ratings, but it is so well written. There is fantasy, BDSM, a lot of sex, dub-con, etc, etc, but the world and the characters are so alive and believable. Garin and Alar in particular form such a connection that some of the things that happened really made an impact. The story ends as it should, with happiness for all involved, and I loved the journey.
Garin is innocently working in the fields in his village when a royal page comes and has all the village men between the ages of 18-25 line up. They are being viewed to become a slave for the prince. The prince in question makes an appearance and chooses Garin. Garin goes along with it, because he wants adventure, and knows that part of what he will be required to do will be to service the prince. Since that isn't allowed in his village, Garin is excited to experience it without repercussions. Alar is not all that he seems, nor is the palace, as intrigue and power plays abound. Garin quickly becomes allied with his prince, even though the prince doesn't appear to treat him well. But things change when the prince is almost killed, and Garin starts to learn what is really going on, while falling harder for Alar.
Okay, where did this little gem come from? It doesn't have a lot of ratings, but it is so well written. There is fantasy, BDSM, a lot of sex, dub-con, etc, etc, but the world and the characters are so alive and believable. Garin and Alar in particular form such a connection that some of the things that happened really made an impact. The story ends as it should, with happiness for all involved, and I loved the journey.
June 2, 2019
I don't quite know what to think of this book. I didn't manage to find what type of book it is exactly. I feel like the author neither.
The start what that of a dark mm kind of novel, with a clear master/slave relationship in building, the slave clearly pining for his master early on. However, this stuck for around 40 pages and then, I was lost. Insta-love for a start. Then political intrigues. No more master / slave realtionship but still bits of BDSM. Angels. Some fantasy subplot. Assassination attempts. Lots of cheesy lines. And on, and on.
I couldn't get attached to the characters and I felt like Garin was really lacking in depth and fell wayyyy too fast both in acceptance of his slavery and in love with Alar.
However all this mess was balanced with the realy pleasant writing and the few scorching hot scenes between those two;
Overall not a bad mm but clearly less than I was hoping for.
The start what that of a dark mm kind of novel, with a clear master/slave relationship in building, the slave clearly pining for his master early on. However, this stuck for around 40 pages and then, I was lost. Insta-love for a start. Then political intrigues. No more master / slave realtionship but still bits of BDSM. Angels. Some fantasy subplot. Assassination attempts. Lots of cheesy lines. And on, and on.
I couldn't get attached to the characters and I felt like Garin was really lacking in depth and fell wayyyy too fast both in acceptance of his slavery and in love with Alar.
However all this mess was balanced with the realy pleasant writing and the few scorching hot scenes between those two;
Overall not a bad mm but clearly less than I was hoping for.
April 5, 2021
4 maybe even 4.25 stars!? I actually gave up on this book after the first 1/4 since it seemed to be some ridiculously plotted erotica. All the situations seemed like something out of a bad porn movie. But somewhere after the prince got hurt the characters started to have real believable emotions and somehow I cried twice reading this ridiculous book. And TBH I was relieved some of the torture ended up being like more bad porn since I liked the MCs too much to imagine their suffering.
August 1, 2017
Why did I take so long to read this?!?
Really enjoyed the world building here and the realness of the story. After everything Alar and Garin went through, it is nice that they finally get their HEA.
Really enjoyed the world building here and the realness of the story. After everything Alar and Garin went through, it is nice that they finally get their HEA.
April 9, 2023
Omigod, I loved this. Master slave is a favorite of mine. There were some issues with the indent being to far in, and the grammar wasn't always the best, but this story yanked me in and wouldn't let me go. These two were perfect. I wish there was a sequel :(
February 15, 2019
it was cute and well written. a page turner
September 26, 2020
4.5 stars
I enjoyed this tale. It had political intrigue, a brawny slave, an angelic prince, betrayal, loyalty, a secret baby, assassins, fights, and sex - lots of kinky sex.
I enjoyed this tale. It had political intrigue, a brawny slave, an angelic prince, betrayal, loyalty, a secret baby, assassins, fights, and sex - lots of kinky sex.
October 14, 2022
I wish there was a seqel
January 5, 2023
Where has this been all my life. I wish there was a sequel 🥺
January 15, 2023
I freaking loved this!!
July 26, 2016
Palace Intrigue, Corruption, and Love
I pleasantly surprised by this story. The synopsis I read led me to believe it would be a little different. I was so drawn in by the first page that I couldn't put it down. This is the old "Love is where you least expect it" and under some of harshest circumstances. I fell in love with the peasant/farm boy, Garin, immediately. I came to love Prince Alar as his true self was revealed.
Prince Alar went to the villages looking for a slave. There he found Garin. Martin's fight to save his younger brother from being noticed and taken made the Prince humiliate him in front of his village and then in front of the palace city. The Prince was awful to Garin but hesitated to let others do the same.
During a hunt for a boar, the Prince took off on his own and Garin manages to follow him. It turned out to be an ambush by assassins. Garin tried to distract some of them but put his own life in danger. The Prince ran to intervene and was stabbed through the chest. Garin was able to find a cave where they could hide and tend to the Prince's wounds. At one point, when the Prince was unconscious due to his fever, Garin realized he could just leave but re also realized he had come to have feelings for the Prince and could never abandon him.
After the Prince recovers, mostly, they take off to find out what is happening at the palace. Prince Alar's stepbrothers, Danel, has claimed the throne with a deceitful Lord by his side. The Prince tells Garin he has plans in case this should happen and they head off. But once again they are ambushed. They are knocked out by darts. When they awaken they are chained to a wall in the palace dungeon. See, King Danel has a problem. He can't prove to anyone that he is the rightful heir without the Royal Seal. The Prince refuses to tell them and they go about trying to force it out of him. The last thing they try is to put Alar against Garin in fight to the death. Alar does stab Garin and they are left alone so that Alar may try to ease Garin's death. This the chance Alar has waited for and takes a secret passage to get them out. He figured since he healed from a similar wound then Garin could too. But Alar has Angel's blood in his veins, (I'm not saying why or how) so that is probably why he healed. Garin is not so lucky and he can't heal the wound or fight the infection. Garin does make it (again not telling why or how). They do manage to find allies. Prince Alar must go back to the palace and obtain the Royal Seal. He does but not without grave injury. Garin is in love with Alar and has told him so. He thought he could live with the fact that Alar cared for him but couldn't live a peasant. On Alar's death bed he confesses to Garin that he does love him. Garin knows he can not survive if he loses Alar and makes him vow to hold on. But when it becomes obvious that Alar will not make it and has been suffering for days, Garin releases him from his vow and offers to help Alar die if he wishes. Alar vows he will hold on anyway.
Since this is an HEA we know that Alar lives. But he also names an heir, of his bloodline, and abdicates his throne. I left out all the juicy stuff on purpose. Read it for yourself and find out all the gory and not so gory details. You won't regret it!
I pleasantly surprised by this story. The synopsis I read led me to believe it would be a little different. I was so drawn in by the first page that I couldn't put it down. This is the old "Love is where you least expect it" and under some of harshest circumstances. I fell in love with the peasant/farm boy, Garin, immediately. I came to love Prince Alar as his true self was revealed.
Prince Alar went to the villages looking for a slave. There he found Garin. Martin's fight to save his younger brother from being noticed and taken made the Prince humiliate him in front of his village and then in front of the palace city. The Prince was awful to Garin but hesitated to let others do the same.
During a hunt for a boar, the Prince took off on his own and Garin manages to follow him. It turned out to be an ambush by assassins. Garin tried to distract some of them but put his own life in danger. The Prince ran to intervene and was stabbed through the chest. Garin was able to find a cave where they could hide and tend to the Prince's wounds. At one point, when the Prince was unconscious due to his fever, Garin realized he could just leave but re also realized he had come to have feelings for the Prince and could never abandon him.
After the Prince recovers, mostly, they take off to find out what is happening at the palace. Prince Alar's stepbrothers, Danel, has claimed the throne with a deceitful Lord by his side. The Prince tells Garin he has plans in case this should happen and they head off. But once again they are ambushed. They are knocked out by darts. When they awaken they are chained to a wall in the palace dungeon. See, King Danel has a problem. He can't prove to anyone that he is the rightful heir without the Royal Seal. The Prince refuses to tell them and they go about trying to force it out of him. The last thing they try is to put Alar against Garin in fight to the death. Alar does stab Garin and they are left alone so that Alar may try to ease Garin's death. This the chance Alar has waited for and takes a secret passage to get them out. He figured since he healed from a similar wound then Garin could too. But Alar has Angel's blood in his veins, (I'm not saying why or how) so that is probably why he healed. Garin is not so lucky and he can't heal the wound or fight the infection. Garin does make it (again not telling why or how). They do manage to find allies. Prince Alar must go back to the palace and obtain the Royal Seal. He does but not without grave injury. Garin is in love with Alar and has told him so. He thought he could live with the fact that Alar cared for him but couldn't live a peasant. On Alar's death bed he confesses to Garin that he does love him. Garin knows he can not survive if he loses Alar and makes him vow to hold on. But when it becomes obvious that Alar will not make it and has been suffering for days, Garin releases him from his vow and offers to help Alar die if he wishes. Alar vows he will hold on anyway.
Since this is an HEA we know that Alar lives. But he also names an heir, of his bloodline, and abdicates his throne. I left out all the juicy stuff on purpose. Read it for yourself and find out all the gory and not so gory details. You won't regret it!
November 4, 2013
Wasnt sure what I thought it was going to be when I first started reading it. But wow, very interesting. Debauchery
at its finest. Automatically I didnt like the Prince... of course, but you will have to take a close look at him. The old
saying dont judge a book by its cover, is in play here. What a dark man the Prince is, always watching and never
letting his guard down. Then you have the sweet farm boy Garin his reckless protection of his own young brother
but him direct eye sight of the Prince.
A Prince that is rumored to be visicous even killing his own brother. The Prince has a new slave!! Poor Garin
gathers himself to experience a world he hasnt a clue about. You can almost hear the oohhh and the ahhs as Garin
sees the life he is now apart of.
Prince of Silk and Thorns has court intrigue that reviles King Henry VIII or Queen Elizbeth I, that made the book a
great read in itself. You got to love intrigue. Always listening for clues, always watching for the dagger in your back.
A hunting trip is more than a hunting trip and not only is Garins world tilted, but so is the Princes.
As Garin takes care of the Prince though the Princes fevered thoughts, he finds more than just the the Prince. Garin
will see the Prince as no one else has. The non emotional, rough dont care attitude of the Prince, is it just a facade?
Can the Prince not care for the farm boy slave, as the rest of the royal house shares the Princes' new toy? Gather
around the court my friends and enjoy the decadence that reminded me of the Beauty Series, walk into the word
that Ms Dare spins for you. Enjoy
Review by Daria
**Free copy provided for an honest review**
For more reviews visit welovekink(dot)com
at its finest. Automatically I didnt like the Prince... of course, but you will have to take a close look at him. The old
saying dont judge a book by its cover, is in play here. What a dark man the Prince is, always watching and never
letting his guard down. Then you have the sweet farm boy Garin his reckless protection of his own young brother
but him direct eye sight of the Prince.
A Prince that is rumored to be visicous even killing his own brother. The Prince has a new slave!! Poor Garin
gathers himself to experience a world he hasnt a clue about. You can almost hear the oohhh and the ahhs as Garin
sees the life he is now apart of.
Prince of Silk and Thorns has court intrigue that reviles King Henry VIII or Queen Elizbeth I, that made the book a
great read in itself. You got to love intrigue. Always listening for clues, always watching for the dagger in your back.
A hunting trip is more than a hunting trip and not only is Garins world tilted, but so is the Princes.
As Garin takes care of the Prince though the Princes fevered thoughts, he finds more than just the the Prince. Garin
will see the Prince as no one else has. The non emotional, rough dont care attitude of the Prince, is it just a facade?
Can the Prince not care for the farm boy slave, as the rest of the royal house shares the Princes' new toy? Gather
around the court my friends and enjoy the decadence that reminded me of the Beauty Series, walk into the word
that Ms Dare spins for you. Enjoy
Review by Daria
**Free copy provided for an honest review**
For more reviews visit welovekink(dot)com
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews