The Prince of the Dead

by A.J. Mitchell

A journey from looting imperial corpses to commanding legions of the dead

Orphaned at a young age and forced to live off petty crimes, seventeen year old Ronan Riviera did what was necessary to survive. Ronan’s induction into an underground criminal organization is the first form of stability that he has ever known. Strongly desiring to prove his value in any way he can, Ronan accepts the lowly position of a battlefield scavenger. While looting valuables off the most recent victims of the imperial war, the scavenging party is attacked and brutally overwhelmed. But just before Ronan joins the corpses that he was pilfering, a haunting ability awakens deep within Ronan. He discovers he can see and command the spirits of the dead.
This mysterious power brings Ronan into the middle of an imperial plot to unleash a terrible chaotic energy that will surely destroy everything. It falls to Ronan and his friends, both alive and dead, to put a stop to this madness.
Ronan is no longer just a criminal recruit. He has become the Prince of the Dead.

427 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 2, 2024

Reviews

[Jeramie Michell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prince of the Dead is an interesting and engaging read. The characters are fun and engaging. They grow and develop in a believable and engaging way throughout the book. Each main character feels like a person, with their own personalities and motivations. The plot flows well, with some interesting and unexpected twists and turns. The author makes good use of foreshadowing to hint at what is to come, and there are things in the plot suddenly click in a very satisficing way. The worldbuilding is fascinating, and the author does a great job of giving you enough information so that things make sense, but also leaving enough mysteries to leave you wanting to know more. I particularly liked the magic system, an want to know more about the various planes that the magic of this world comes form. The book does contain some fairly strong religious subtext, and at least part of the plot does revolve around a characters coming to faith. These parts are well written and make sense in the plot of the story, I mention them only so that readers are aware going in. Overall, the Prince of the Dead is a fun, well written, and engaging story by a promising new author, that I would recommend to other readers.

[Elyce Darcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot. Overall I was very invested in the story line and couldn't wait to find out what was to become of the characters. There were some good twists that kept me guessing, I love a book where I can't guess what will happen next.

[Paige Hamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting storyline that kept me engaged even when I was reading while up in the middle of the night with my newborn! The fantasy elements were new and interesting but didn’t lose me by being too confusing to follow. Worth the read!

[Dan Brouwer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good word-building, character development, and pacing. The author skillfully wove together multiple plot threads, and brought together a diverse cast of characters (and otherworldly beings) that really kept me engaged. Ronan's journey ultimately leads him to truths much bigger than himself and the world he inhabits. I hope there will be more to come in this series!