Seed

by M Bonneau

The war between the elves of the Crimson Forest and the orcish kingdom of Seven Falls has raged for decades with heavy losses on both sides. Dregu, King of the orcs, lost his father to the war when he was a young boy, and he is determined to end the conflict, no matter the cost. When his delegation meets with the elf Lord Tanyth for peace talks, he hopes only for a way to save his people.

Instead, he finds... her. A half-elf half-human bastard, betrayed by her own people and imprisoned in Tanyth's dungeons for five years, Melori has survived through sheer force of will, determined to complete a sacred quest or die trying. When Dregu sees her fiery spirit, he knows he must save her.

And he must take her for himself.

But their common enemy has no intention of allowing peace. Tanyth is determined to build an empire, and conquering the orcs is his first step. As Dregu and Melori grow closer, forming a tentative bond that blossoms into love, the final battle in their conflict grows closer as well. Kingdoms lie on the line, evil and greed gain power around them, and the seed of dark magic hidden inside Melori seeks a way out. Destiny has plans for all of them, from which none will escape.

As the elders say, the blade of destiny cuts sharper than any knife.

(Welcome to Destiny's Edge, a high fantasy romance series set in a D&D-inspired world of epic adventure and ancient magic. If you like "chosen one" stories about cinnamon roll soft-Dom orcs and the dangerous death-touched women they fall for, then you've come to the right place. "Seed" is a romance with a guaranteed HEA and dark fantasy elements that may disturb some readers. For a complete list of content warnings, please visit the author's website at mbonneau.com. Seriously, please check the CWs. There's some very heavy ones.)

401 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 28, 2024

Reviews

[expertbooksmuggler · Rating 1 out of 5]

Seed is described as a high fantasy orc romance with a soft dom cinnamon roll MMC and traumatized FMC and a sexy bad guy. The author’s note explicitly states that this book is NOT a dark romance despite the heavy content, which includes the following:

Torture/maiming, physical/mental abuse, starvation, rape, consensual simulated rape, racial/species prejudice as political propaganda, killing/butchering of animals, general blood/gore. The content warning section was actually quite nice in this book as it tells you when to stop and start reading to avoid specific scenes. However, I do not feel that the content warnings or descriptions of the book adequately cover the content. Heavy spoilers (AND TRIGGERING TOPICS) below.

I'd also recommend watching this TikTok before reading the rest of this review: https://www.tiktok.com/@michael.labor...


In this book our FMC Melori is kept prisoner by Tannyth, a presumptuous would-be king who enjoys raping and torturing Melori as vengeance for her betrayal of him. She is a half-breed and he mutilates her for this purpose as well. Yes, that term is used five times in this book.

He loved his knives. She could see the pleasure in his eyes when he pressed them to her skin, the sharp blades sinking into her flesh as if it were butter. Perhaps next he'd work her like a slave for a week or throw her to his soldiers to slake their lusts.

Fairly early on in this book, Dregu (our orc king MMC) arrives at Tannyth’s stronghold to make an alliance for safe passage and is intrigued by Melori. Thus, the premise of our book begins. How can Dregu keep Melori safe from this genocidal, tyrannical ruler who has slaughtered so many orcs? Why, he can pretend to be the rapist barbarian that the elves paint him as!

"If you meant no, you wouldn't be wet," he gritted out and she sobbed at the filthy words, tears streaking across her cheeks and soaking the pillow as she tightened her thighs around him, terrified at the slickness between her legs, the way her body had betrayed her when she'd expected to feel nothing but loathing. Yet she still strained towards him, her legs tangled around his in the sheets as she tried to push away his hand and draw in a full breath.

However, he coerces Melori into this consensual simulated sex to appease the king. There isn’t much simulated about their encounter aside from them being clothed as he ruts into her and makes her legs twitch in ‘unwelcome pleasure.’

This is a common theme throughout the book- Dregu and Melori ‘fake’ her suffering at the hands of Dregu by having him actually hit and bruise her (one situation in which she was not made aware of before it happened) and then Dregu is wracked with guilt and must be comforted by Melori.

Dregu bent her over the bed, pressing her face into the sheets so he wouldn't have to see the betrayal in her eyes, and slapped her arse over and over, the skin from her lower back to her thighs reddening with each spank. She shrieked into the bed, fighting his hold. After a minute, he pulled back. She slipped to her knees on the floor, her shoulders shaking as she cried, her fingers fisted in the blankets. He couldn't tell if her tears were real or for show. He didn't want to know at the moment.

Not too long after this simulated sex scene, Melori is gang raped by Tannyth’s soldiers in a scene that is truly horrifying and does not remotely belong in a book that is marketed like this one is. What makes it worse is that it appears that this gang rape scene was used to explain how Dregu fit inside Melori when he whisks her off from this assault and has sex with her at her request. Again, Dregu is wracked with guilt and Melori must comfort him.

This all happens within the first seven chapters of the book aka before we’ve even hit the 30% mark. By the 50% mark Dregu has taken Melori away with Tannyth’s permission and against Melori’s wishes. He informs her that she is his mate and if she runs he will hunt her down and they are married once Melori accepts this.

What is frustrating to me here is how during this time that they’re traveling back to his kingdom they have sex with no issue and no real prep, but then suddenly Dregu is afraid to kill her with his giant cock? And that he is having sex with someone who is essentially his prisoner as she has made it clear she wants to escape to resume her ‘fate’. The fate is a set of flimsy assumptions Melori has made about a vision from the goddess that provided no instruction on what she was supposed to do.

Regarding the Orcs, as mentioned they are considered barbaric, savage rapists and used as bed time stories to warn elvish children against them. There is a lot of language surrounding them as being these simple and violent brutes that is handled by… what feels like overcompensation. Perhaps that was what cinnamon roll was supposed to mean? Despite that overcompensation, they also participate in bloodsport and have a strange ritual regarding snow apes:

"You must become a full member of the royal family." He took his blue fur cloak down from its hook. "Blue fur from the snow apes is worn by only the King and those he deems worthy. Those chosen for the honor must kill an ape, skin it, and don the cloak in a ceremony before the people. We must show the people that I honor you above all others. Then, you will not only be my mate, you will truly be their leader." He grinned at her. "I think you're ready."

"It has a similar meaning to the wedding. You are born anew. I cannot assist you during the rite. You must kill the ape alone, carry it to the city alone. The ceremony will be in the arena on the edge of Stonerath, where you'll skin the beast. You stand naked under the stars and wear its bloody skin to show that you've accepted a new life as the people's leader, and the elders offer prayers to the Gods to bless your rule and lend you their wisdom."

At one point in this book, we meet an orc chief and his human wife. After the chief yells at his wife to eat, Melori stands up to him and this is the explaination:

Edit: I can’t seem to put the image in so https://imgur.com/a/6C1bCmu

Aside from these issues, there is also a distinct lack of worldbuilding and character development. The magic system has no real explanation at all and the characters feel hollow. We learn SO LITTLE about them for the vast majority of the book. We’re constantly told Melori is xyz, but we don’t really SEE these things about her.

There is also the issue that Tannyth is given a redemption arc. Yes, the genodical racist who tortured, assaulted, and starved his ex-partner for five years is going to be REDEEMED!

"You will live a long life, but not an easy one," she told him. "You will be shunned and mocked, and then you will be forgotten. You will struggle alone. You will not rest your head in any bed for more than one night. You will wander. You will seek. And when you have learned what you must learn..." She leaned close with a wide, sharp-toothed smile, whispering through the eerie silence of the frozen battlefield. "I bless you with this fate, Tanyth, for one day, you will not be beyond hope." She rested her hand on his head, closing her eyes and tilting her face to the sky.

"But Tanyth?" Dregu asked. "How will the world be brought to order by sparing him?" "I don't think we will ever know," she answered. "But he has a purpose to fulfill, as do all of us."

What concerns me is that Melori is likely going to play a larger part in his redemption arc as turns out she is a SPY for her father and Tannyth found out. I sincerely hope that her betrayal isn't used to redeem him, but...

I’ll likely do a longer video review for my Patrons because there is just so much wrong with this book.

[Christina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not at ALL What I expected (in a bad way)

What I thought I was getting: An orc romance with a soft dom cinnamon roll, mysterious FMC, yummy villain
What I got instead: A mismarketed, deeply problematic novel rife with ableism, racism, and a rape apologist storyline, accompanied by flat characters that I couldn't connect with and shoddy world building.

Firstly, the author states clearly in the Authors Note at the beginning that this isn't dark romance, it just has heavy content. Next, they follow this with a list of content warnings that are straight up out of a dark romance novel including simulated SA and a gang rape...I'm sorry What? A romance novel with heavy content of this nature is a dark romance by definition.
Though as I read the entire first third of the book, it came off more as torture porn as ordered by the evil elf king villain because SO MUCH was unnecessary and didn't really contribute to the storyline at all. Like he kept her for 5 YEARS and just treated her like a slave and did anything and everything unspeakable to try and break her spirit.

Regarding racism: The entire premise seems to be elves are racist (speciesist?) And orcs are more civilized. This kind of goes out the window when the orc king directly plays into stereotypes to appease the elf king villain and scare him, to include simulating SA on the FMC?
Also, those of mixed species are regularly referred to as and refer to themselves as "half-breeds" and talk about how they're looked down upon by the elves.
Main evil elf king Tanyth, cuts off Melori's (FMC) tips of her ears because she is half elf half human. Then later we find out Melori's dad, elf king #2 Aymer, regularly impregnated human women because he's fascinated with them and wants basically an army of his children who will serve him. The whole thing gave plantation owner vibes.
Lastly, there is this odd ritual the orcs have that to be counted as royalty, they must hunt, carry back to the city, skin, and wear the skin of a SNOW ape. Of all animals, an ape? And an ape with a name associated with white at that.
Overall it felt like this book was trying to hard to overcompensate for racial stereotypes that orc novels are prone to, that it did a full 360° turn back into being an extremely racially charged novel, with even more stereotypes.

Regarding ableism: Multiple times in the book ableistic remarks are made in regards to deaf people. Toward the beginning Tanyth asks Melori if she's deaf when she isn't answering him and asks if he should cut off the rest of her ears.
Later, when Melori and Dregu are meeting with an orc chieftain he yells short commands at his wife and then tells them they have to yell at her because she's deaf or can see their lips. If she can read lips, why give one word commands and treat her as lesser?

Regarding Rape Apologist: So we know by now Tanyth is a bad dude, a VERY BAD, no morals, dude who kept Melori locked up for 5 years wherein he tortured her, treated her like a slave, raped her, had others rape her, and even had an on page gang rape scene of her he ordered in this book. Well, turns out, this turdhead irredeemable piece of human garbage is getting a redemption arc because at the end of this book he's told he is "not without hope". The author has also confirmed he will be redeemed on their socials. Allowing a redemption arc for this character after all the pain he caused is inexcusable. Some people don't deserve redemption arcs and that trope should be gatekept.

Now that the problematic elements are out of the way, let's get to the basics.

Characters: Flat.
Melori, who we should be interested in, we know nothing about until last part of the book. Her Goddess powers feel rushed and out of place. Perhaps if certain elements of the books were dropped and this part of the storyline more emphasized it would be more palatable.
Dregu is supposed to be a cinnamon roll, but literally never gives these vibes as he simulated SA on Melori and kidnaps her, then magically falls in love. Truly unbelievable.
Tanyth is a villain through and through without a single redeemable quality other than he is "hot".

Worldbuilding: Magic system is never really discussed in depth so it's confusing, Landscape scenes read like world building.

I will include my highlights and notes as I read for more context.

I cannot in good conscious recommend this book to anyone until it undergoes a major overhaul.

[Janessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You are worthy," he breathed against her skin, "and you are mine, and anyone who looks at you with less than awe in their eyes will answer to me."

‘He kissed her, tasting of tears, his lips trembling as he wept. He kissed her as if he drew his very breath from her, and she kissed him back, her soul breaking open, the shattered pieces of her knitting themselves back together in the warm embrace of his arms. "My love," he murmured against her lips. "My love, my love, my love." ‘

My heart breaks for the low reviews on this book. I completely understand the first part of the book especially is VERY dark and has scenes that are hard to stomach. But the author is honest and transparent about what the content is and even exactly what pages where the worst of it is so you can skip THAT scene. In no way is Dregu, the MMC, ever a villain or complicit in what is going on. He is such a sweetheart cinnamon roll of a love interest and only ever treats Melori with respect and wants her consent at all times. And the majority of the book is spent on their relationship outside of her captivity. There is so much more to Melori’s story than being a victim.

The writing is very beautiful, as well. I loved the descriptions of the world and learning about the orcs and their stronghold. Melori was such a strong character and I loved seeing her find her strength and power again after all she had been through.

As for the villain’s “redemption” arc… I don’t know what the author has planned in the future for him. She said herself in the afterword that “My journey as a survivor continues beyond this book, and it is a painful truth that the justice and forgiveness we seek and give in fiction often bears no similarity to the reality of our world.” Which I think is very well said and bears thinking about when reviewing a book like this.

I purchased a hard copy after reading the kindle version because I loved it so much. But please do your research before picking up this book. The light completely outshines the darkness for me, but that may not be the case for you.

[Heather Phink · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book a struggle to get through. First of all it is really dark even though the author swears it’s not a dark romamce. The “simulated sa” was hard to get through as it was but the next scene was a extremely graphic and detailed gang rape and in my opinion didn’t help the story in anyway we already understood the man in question who ordered the gang rape was a bad man. Then there’s the racist aspect saying you understand there is a racist aspect and then continuing to write it as a white author was hard for me especially given the history or orcs being being taken from the black community. The words used in the book were problematic and several of the things in the book seemed ableist. I only finished the book so I could give the book a proper review since many seem to think you can’t leave a review for a book you didn’t finish so I did. The writing wasn’t bad it was the racism, the ableism, the GRAPHIC sa, it’s the author mismarketing this book, and to top it all off it’s the fact that the man who beats, SA’s, tortures, and the plan who orders a vicious SA is getting a redemption arc. Yes you heard that right a REDEMPTION for a rapist. If that is not the most rape apologetic thing I have ever heard I don’t know what is. There is kidnapping which also is not listed in the triggers. If you plan to add trigger warnings do it right. This book in my personal opinion is horrible. I am shocked at the things in this book and as an avid reader of fantasy this was a disappointment. Not worth the time or energy.

[Elisa Llewellyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

a sweeping campaign of adventure

Tanyth has held Melori prisoner for five years. He’s a weak-minded Elven king, to Melori’s half-elf betrayer. Yet nothing is what it seems, as Dregu soon discovers during “peace talks” held in Tanyth’s palace. Dregu is no fool, yet as Orc king his responsibility is greater than freeing the half-elf prisoner who’s captivated him with her strength of will.

So listen, at 20% into the book Dregu was already dropping L-bombs, but I’m not even mad at it. It’s so fitting with his character. And the fact Melori is only able to play lip-service at objecting yo his overtures is telling. These two didn’t stand a chance fighting the inevitable pull between them. Which is just as well, considering EVERYTHING ELSE left for them to overcome.

I love that the Orcs are fearsome, yet live by an iron-clad code of honor. I love that Melori is such a bad*ss, yet SHE’s terrified of Dregu when she first encounters him. When truly, she's the scariest MFer in the land - or will be - just as soon as she figures out exactly what her mission is to be. Super secretive, mystical birthrights, amirite?

I can't wait yo read the next book, which unfortunately will be a while coming, yet.

[Felicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the world! I would have loved even more of the world building. It sounds so beautiful, especially the Orcs lands. I loved the relationship between Dregu and Melori and how they grow together. There are some dark elements between the two but I do agree that this is a dark fantasy but maybe a grey romance? Not exactly a dark romance. I hope to see more from this word!!

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listen, this is a hard book to get through. You definitely need to read the TW's. The author gives really good detail of where to skip if you need to. I did skip those two bits and I don't think it harmed the read.

This is dark fantasy, so knowing that going in, I knew it was going to have dark moments, and it does. But the world building is fantastic and I enjoyed it overall.

[Cammy]

DNFing @ 75% because according to other reviews the villain is getting a freaking REDEMPTION ARC in the future instead of dying slowly and painfully for his unspeakable crimes. FUUUUCK THAT. He literally held the heroine prisoner for 5 years, SAing her, having her group SA’d, beating, scarring, starving her. There is no redemption for that. No point in wasting my time.

[Gildergreen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Day 184,747 of begging nonblack people to stop writing orcs. For those unaware, including and especially this author, it's important to recognize that "trope subversion" does not mean "doing the trope to the worst possible extent but at least I know I'm doing it 😉"

[Brigid Finn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written monster fantasy with gorgeous world building. Engaging and complex characters who overcome quite a bit of adversity to be together. Fairly high heat. I already can’t wait for the next book in this series.

[Sirena Suculenta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!