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Masters & Makers #4
Lies the Prince
From the dangers of the Forest, to the dangers of the Imperial Court.
Following the struggle against the Whalebone King, Princess Safina and the delegation from Upper Down arrive upon the glittering Island of Sanctos – the centre of the Sanctian Empire. With three generations of princes and princesses jostling for power and influence, Saffie finds herself entangled in a web of lies, deceit and murder. Her betrothed Prince Arturo has become the aide to the notorious Francesco, an untameable and debauched prince; while Crown Prince Mikel has taken his own family into the formidable White Tower to be free from the clutches of Emperor Antonio.
Falling into this web of clashing rivalries, Walter has one purpose – to buy time for Upper Down to prepare itself for the Emperor’s inevitable rejection of the treaty. The longer he can hold out, the better, but with the myriad temptations on offer in the imperial capital, his worst enemy is himself.
Can a friendship forged in the realm of the Whalebone King survive the cynical politics of Sanctos, or will self-preservation and naked ambition corrupt Saffie and Walter’s attempts to save all that they love?
Following the struggle against the Whalebone King, Princess Safina and the delegation from Upper Down arrive upon the glittering Island of Sanctos – the centre of the Sanctian Empire. With three generations of princes and princesses jostling for power and influence, Saffie finds herself entangled in a web of lies, deceit and murder. Her betrothed Prince Arturo has become the aide to the notorious Francesco, an untameable and debauched prince; while Crown Prince Mikel has taken his own family into the formidable White Tower to be free from the clutches of Emperor Antonio.
Falling into this web of clashing rivalries, Walter has one purpose – to buy time for Upper Down to prepare itself for the Emperor’s inevitable rejection of the treaty. The longer he can hold out, the better, but with the myriad temptations on offer in the imperial capital, his worst enemy is himself.
Can a friendship forged in the realm of the Whalebone King survive the cynical politics of Sanctos, or will self-preservation and naked ambition corrupt Saffie and Walter’s attempts to save all that they love?
520 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 30, 2025
110 people are currently reading
4 people want to read
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Christopher Mitchell
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I love deserts, which is too bad as I live in Scotland, but the mountains, glens and lochs more than make up for it. My other love is Greek Tragedy, especially Euripides, and I also read history, science, fantasy, and pretty much anything about the Beatles…
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About Me
I love deserts, which is too bad as I live in Scotland, but the mountains, glens and lochs more than make up for it. My other love is Greek Tragedy, especially Euripides, and I also read history, science, fantasy, and pretty much anything about the Beatles…
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I would love to hear from you by email or through any of the social media options below:
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 26, 2025
Palace intrigue. A look into the inner workings of Sanctos. Lots of surprises.
May 30, 2025
Lies the Prince takes up where The Whalebone King left off. The story is well written and will grab your interest - and keep it going - from the start. Lies the Prince advances the adventure nicely. Definitely a compelling read.
Abigone and her companions head off to parts unknown and out of the story (temporarily, I hope). Meanwhile Walter, Saffie and their group end up in the heart of the Sanctian Empire. Right from page one, you know that things are not going to go well for these folks.
I'm not implying that any part of what happens is predictable. Far from it. Good intentions aside, Walter is tempted again and again with the abundance of alcohol and it doesn't take much tempting before he is once again deep in his cups. His fellow Mountain Rangers are continually challenged to keep Walter focused on his objectives and out of too much trouble while also facing their own problems. Saffie must come to grips with her impending arranged marriage while struggling to keep her secrets from Emperor Antonio and the rest of her family.
Lies the Prince is filled with action, intrigue, lies, deceptions, hidden motives and some very brutal scenes. I found myself liking certain characters in one chapter and then disliking them immensely in the next - back and forth. There are no innocents in this story and although the ending is (somewhat) satisfying, readers should not expect a "happily-ever-after" ending. I guess this could be described as a 'grim dark' epic fantasy. I cannot come close to imagining where the story will take us next. Where ever it takes us, I am looking forward to reading it. Well done!
Abigone and her companions head off to parts unknown and out of the story (temporarily, I hope). Meanwhile Walter, Saffie and their group end up in the heart of the Sanctian Empire. Right from page one, you know that things are not going to go well for these folks.
I'm not implying that any part of what happens is predictable. Far from it. Good intentions aside, Walter is tempted again and again with the abundance of alcohol and it doesn't take much tempting before he is once again deep in his cups. His fellow Mountain Rangers are continually challenged to keep Walter focused on his objectives and out of too much trouble while also facing their own problems. Saffie must come to grips with her impending arranged marriage while struggling to keep her secrets from Emperor Antonio and the rest of her family.
Lies the Prince is filled with action, intrigue, lies, deceptions, hidden motives and some very brutal scenes. I found myself liking certain characters in one chapter and then disliking them immensely in the next - back and forth. There are no innocents in this story and although the ending is (somewhat) satisfying, readers should not expect a "happily-ever-after" ending. I guess this could be described as a 'grim dark' epic fantasy. I cannot come close to imagining where the story will take us next. Where ever it takes us, I am looking forward to reading it. Well done!
May 29, 2025
This book picks up with all of the group with Walter headed to Sanctos. The Mountain Rangers are welcomed by the emperor's son and heir and they stay at his residence. Saffie heads back to her family at a different residence. We learn a lot about the imperial family and this book is a bit different with all of the political maneuvering. It takes the stage front and center and then you sprinkle in a bunch of side stories directly related to all of the politics. Sanctos is not safe for the mountain rangers and only time will tell if the emperor will grant their treaty a signature or not. So many things happening in this book that it would be hard to describe without spoiling it. I am really excited for the next book as I feel like all of the setup has been done. I hope we get back to Abigail and Denny and the other students as well!! Highly recommended!
May 29, 2025
A banging read.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 May 2025
This series by Christopher Mitchell improves with each instalment.
The protagonists are now familiar but their personalities continue to grow and caring for favourites can bring upset and sorrow.
The author has a tremendous talent for imbuing all the characters with very human traits and it’s easy to identify with both heroes and villains.
One can envisage the Masters and Makers saga being turned into a very expensive Netflix series!
Let’s hope so!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 May 2025
This series by Christopher Mitchell improves with each instalment.
The protagonists are now familiar but their personalities continue to grow and caring for favourites can bring upset and sorrow.
The author has a tremendous talent for imbuing all the characters with very human traits and it’s easy to identify with both heroes and villains.
One can envisage the Masters and Makers saga being turned into a very expensive Netflix series!
Let’s hope so!
May 29, 2025
The series continues with lots of intrigue and power changes. The Emperor makes dramatic changes that affect his kingdom... he moves lots of chess pieces whilst everyone wonders what's going on. Chris is in his element writing this new series which has lots of twists and turns
My mind boggles as to where this is going as it's rare that the end of each book is what one expects. Beautifully written.
My mind boggles as to where this is going as it's rare that the end of each book is what one expects. Beautifully written.
June 6, 2025
Another great chapter in the Masters & Makers series from Christopher Mitchell,
I have read every book I could find by this author, all of the Magelands saga, (can’t wait for the next book to be released) and now loving this saga. Christopher’s character development is so great I feel I know them. Dragons, people, all of them. It’s so easy to get immersed in his worlds. I’m dreading the final books in both these sagas. But then again I can just read them all again!
I have read every book I could find by this author, all of the Magelands saga, (can’t wait for the next book to be released) and now loving this saga. Christopher’s character development is so great I feel I know them. Dragons, people, all of them. It’s so easy to get immersed in his worlds. I’m dreading the final books in both these sagas. But then again I can just read them all again!
June 7, 2025
Another brilliant book from Christopher Mitchell. I loved all the Magelands books and I didn't see how he would be able to write another series as engaging as I found those; but he has! Lies the Prince, the 4th book in the Masters & Makers series, is fast paced, exciting, surprising and in places shocking. A great read - I thoroughly recommend it - and once again I was left at the end, longing to be able to read the next in the series!
May 29, 2025
The political intrigue, secrets, and surprises kept me thoroughly enthralled. Wonderfully written, I was totally engrossed from start to finish. A little different from the other books in the series, but equally as gripping and a welcome insight into life in Sanctos with its ruthless leaders. Walter and his rangers enter the lion’s den.
July 20, 2025
Brilliant
Brilliant yet another great series l just can't get enough of Christopher books and looking forward to the next book
Brilliant yet another great series l just can't get enough of Christopher books and looking forward to the next book
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews