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Obsidian Throne #1
The Prince Without Sorrow
WELCOME TO THE RAN EMPIRE.
Where winged serpents fly through the skies.
Giant leopards prowl the earth.
And witches burn blue as they die.
Shakti is a witch, a mayakari trained to commune with nature and never to cause harm. But her people have been hunted by Emperor Adil’s brutal reign for decades. Will she betray their most sacred laws and choose violence to save them?
Prince Ashoka was raised by his father, the emperor, to rule the world with cruelty and fear. And yet he can’t even kill a deer and detests his father’s brutality. He must find a way to tear apart his father’s violent legacy before succumbing to it.
Together they are powerful.
But can the son of an oppressor and the oppressed fix a broken world?
Before they are crushed by it …
Where winged serpents fly through the skies.
Giant leopards prowl the earth.
And witches burn blue as they die.
Shakti is a witch, a mayakari trained to commune with nature and never to cause harm. But her people have been hunted by Emperor Adil’s brutal reign for decades. Will she betray their most sacred laws and choose violence to save them?
Prince Ashoka was raised by his father, the emperor, to rule the world with cruelty and fear. And yet he can’t even kill a deer and detests his father’s brutality. He must find a way to tear apart his father’s violent legacy before succumbing to it.
Together they are powerful.
But can the son of an oppressor and the oppressed fix a broken world?
Before they are crushed by it …
384 pages, Hardcover
First published March 18, 2025
130 people are currently reading
23042 people want to read
About the author
Maithree Wijesekara
2 books145 followersMaithree Wijesekara is an Australian-Sri Lankan writer based in Melbourne. Graduating with a Master’s degree in Dentistry in 2021, she splits her time between telling people to please brush their teeth, and writing stories inspired by the fantastical and the real world. When she isn’t writing, you can find her attempting to finish her never-ending TBR pile and ingesting unhealthy amounts of coffee. If given the chance, she will slip in a mention of her dearly departed Labrador during conversation.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 612 reviews
April 12, 2025
Hard nope, no thank you, not even maybe.
Reader, the following quotes are all taken from the prologue + first two chapters.
A mark of their livelihood? A livelihood is a job. But you’re talking about witches, and in this story, being a witch is not a job, it’s just something you are. What is meant here is something like ‘philosophy’ or maybe ‘calling’, not ‘job’.
What does this sentence mean? What are you saying? The powers of the mayakari (witches) keep an uneasy balance between fear and respect…when it comes to the mayakari? What are you talking about? I think you’re trying to say that the humans feel respect and fear, but the actual sentence you have written is nonsensical.
…so it’s upside down? The body is on top of the head. That’s not how humanoids work. What is happening?
Sorry, a complex what? A complex kill? Does one ‘conduct’ a kill now? I’m deeply sceptical that one ‘performs’ a kill, but I’m willing to let that one go. But ‘conduct’? Also what do you mean, doing a simple version of a thing means you can do a complex version of it? What?
Contempt. You can just say ‘contempt’.
I think you mean, expansion equals more power. More power equalling expansion doesn’t make sense without more of an explanation.
Scores of what? That’s not a thing. You can’t say ‘scores of ore’, like you can’t say ‘scores of gold’. You can say ‘a piece of ore’, like you can say ‘a piece of gold’. But ‘ore’ is an uncountable noun, you can’t say ‘an ore’, so you can’t say ‘scores of ore’ either.
‘As little’ was harmed as humanly possible.
Okay, I think the favourite comment is meant about Ashoka’s sibling, but it sounds like you’re saying Ashoka is the favourite and because of that his age is an excuse for something. ?
What royal decrees? Is there a law saying when he’s of age he can enter the councils? No? Then what are you talking about?
What you mean is: this innocent didn’t deserve to die.
What you’ve said is: this innocent didn’t deserve to be honoured for its death.
Tell me you’ve never been around livestock without telling me you’ve never been around livestock.
I’m pretty sure no one has ever said ‘this entire week’ this way. ‘You’re going to be doing chores for this entire week!’ No? No, because it sounds deeply incorrect, that’s not how people speak.
This is trying to talk about the character’s explosive temper, but that’s not what ‘penchant’ means. This makes it sound like she just likes exploding. Also, ‘explosiveness’ is deeply awful.
Plus Ashoka’s a stuck-up twit and Shakti is unlikeable in a very boring way. Winged snakes can’t save this story, not for me!
:edited 12/4/25 to elaborate on the ore thing, since for some reason people keep thinking I don’t know what ore is. The problem is the type of noun ore is, not that I don’t know what the word means.
Reader, the following quotes are all taken from the prologue + first two chapters.
They were women who used their power to maintain peace, not sow seeds of destruction, it was their code, a mark of their livelihood.
A mark of their livelihood? A livelihood is a job. But you’re talking about witches, and in this story, being a witch is not a job, it’s just something you are. What is meant here is something like ‘philosophy’ or maybe ‘calling’, not ‘job’.
powers humans were wary of, and had kept an uneasy balance between fear and respect when it came to the mayakari.
What does this sentence mean? What are you saying? The powers of the mayakari (witches) keep an uneasy balance between fear and respect…when it comes to the mayakari? What are you talking about? I think you’re trying to say that the humans feel respect and fear, but the actual sentence you have written is nonsensical.
A round pink body atop a round head
…so it’s upside down? The body is on top of the head. That’s not how humanoids work. What is happening?
performing a simple kill equated to having the aptitude to conduct a complex one.
Sorry, a complex what? A complex kill? Does one ‘conduct’ a kill now? I’m deeply sceptical that one ‘performs’ a kill, but I’m willing to let that one go. But ‘conduct’? Also what do you mean, doing a simple version of a thing means you can do a complex version of it? What?
It didn’t stop Ashoka from viewing his father with contemptuousness.
Contempt. You can just say ‘contempt’.
To Emperor Adil, more power meant expansion.
I think you mean, expansion equals more power. More power equalling expansion doesn’t make sense without more of an explanation.
scores of iron ore
Scores of what? That’s not a thing. You can’t say ‘scores of ore’, like you can’t say ‘scores of gold’. You can say ‘a piece of ore’, like you can say ‘a piece of gold’. But ‘ore’ is an uncountable noun, you can’t say ‘an ore’, so you can’t say ‘scores of ore’ either.
minor disturbances where little was harmed as humanly possible.
‘As little’ was harmed as humanly possible.
Clearly his age was just an excuse. What a privilege to be father’s favourite.
Okay, I think the favourite comment is meant about Ashoka’s sibling, but it sounds like you’re saying Ashoka is the favourite and because of that his age is an excuse for something. ?
Once he was of age, his father would not be able to argue against royal decrees.
What royal decrees? Is there a law saying when he’s of age he can enter the councils? No? Then what are you talking about?
An innocent requires a cremation it didn’t deserve.
What you mean is: this innocent didn’t deserve to die.
What you’ve said is: this innocent didn’t deserve to be honoured for its death.
the scent of water buffalo lingered even after they had been taken in for the night by the farmers. Or perhaps it was their droppings; Shakti couldn’t tell. They smelled the same.
Tell me you’ve never been around livestock without telling me you’ve never been around livestock.
‘Slip, and you’ll be helping smelt my weapons this entire week.’
I’m pretty sure no one has ever said ‘this entire week’ this way. ‘You’re going to be doing chores for this entire week!’ No? No, because it sounds deeply incorrect, that’s not how people speak.
her penchant for explosiveness was difficult to set aside.
This is trying to talk about the character’s explosive temper, but that’s not what ‘penchant’ means. This makes it sound like she just likes exploding. Also, ‘explosiveness’ is deeply awful.
Plus Ashoka’s a stuck-up twit and Shakti is unlikeable in a very boring way. Winged snakes can’t save this story, not for me!
:edited 12/4/25 to elaborate on the ore thing, since for some reason people keep thinking I don’t know what ore is. The problem is the type of noun ore is, not that I don’t know what the word means.
November 16, 2025
I did not enjoy reading this book.
The Prince Without Sorrow is set in a world where mayakari (witches) are persecuted endlessly and violently by an evil emperor. The story follows two main characters: Shakti and Ashoka. Shakti is a witch herself who comes into incredible powers that she wants to use to remove the unjust rulers in power, even if it requires violence. Ashoka is a pacifist prince, looked down upon by his father and siblings, deeply disgusted by this father's ways, who wants to show that violence is not the only or the best way to rule.
My biggest complaint is that there is no through-line to the book, no coherence. It sets up many interesting questions and dichotomies and then refuses to take a stance on them, leaving the whole book feeling confused.
The prologue sets up a world where witches are persecuted and burned at the stake, but despite this they hold tight to their morals and preach a very explicit lesson that violence is not the answer. I would say it was heavy-handed, except instead of coming back to this and doing something with it, its treated more as a vague plot point than as an interesting moral question.
This book also sets up the main characters as clear foils to each other from the get go; Shakti, who turns towards violence and away from the pacifist teachings of witches in order to get revenge, is a mirror to Ashoka and his firm desire to never do harm. At first I was very curious to know where the author was going with this, would one of them be proven wrong? Would they each learn that absolutes aren't the answer and strive to find a middle ground? Nope, its never really discussed and whatever lesson they were supposed to learn is muddy and confusing.
Again with persecuted witches who have the power to curse people but refuse to use it, Wijesekara asks the very interesting question about whether violence is ever justified. Is it fair for an oppressed people to rise up and fight for their rights with violence? If killing one person would save many more, should you do it? And again, I don't know what message the book is trying to make. Part of this problem stems from the world building - the witches are pacifists because they would accrue bad karma if they used their powers for harm. Personally, I think this weakens any discussion of morals. If it's the rules of magic holding you back and not your own moral compass, then are you a pacifist or a coward?
Other issues in no particular order
- the evil emperor is very one-dimensional. He hates witches, likes killing witches, and hates his son, that's it. It's kind of alluded to that he is a good emperor otherwise (mostly to suggest that other people would be worse) but there is no evidence one way or another that he was good at ruling or even well-liked by the people
- an "innocent" deer is killed and the character is so distraught they say it needs to be cremated because it didn't deserve to die, instead of I don't know, using the meat so that it's death isn't a waste? AND I CANT EVEN TELL IF THIS IS INTENTIONAL Is this supposed to be a hint to the reader than pacifism can be problematic at times or just a symbol of how committed this character is to doing no harm? Who can say
- Many clever metaphors but so awkwardly placed that they often took me out of the story
- No explanation for why Ashoka is so pacifist. It doesn't make sense to me why one character in the whole book is violently opposed to well, being violent.
- Everyone is so remarkably candid. Both good and bad characters hold nothing back and willing explain everything they know to anyone including enemies even when it is not in their best interests.
- The descriptions of magic feel out of place, like sudden textbook chapters popping up out of nowhere. New facts about the magic system also continue to pop up as they become relevant which means that I didn't ever feel like I had any grasp of the magic system because on the next page a new rule could be revealed
- The general setting felt like the TV Show Merlin, but not executed as well. Evil King who hates magic users and burns them at the stake, prince who is good and (eventually) wants to save the magic users, one magic user living and working in the palace under the nose of the king, etc
Okay I lied, these are in a particular order. Every issue listed in the bulleted list above, I noticed before I was 25% into the book. After finishing the book, I stand by all of them and also greatly regret not DNFing it at this point when I wanted to.
Onto more issues in the rest:
- This book overuses the word "innocent." At some point I'm not sure the author is using it correctly
- The characters feel like caricatures of pacifism and evil, very one dimensional and like they're repeating from a script of "how to be a pacifist"
- Too many of the book's major plot points are resolved by happy coincidences. One or two coincidences are fine, but when every major plot point happens because someone just happens to be in the right place, it all feels a little weak
- The main characters are obliviously naive. And terrible at subterfuge, it's like they're all allergic to lying even when it is the better option (or only option).
- There is no satisfaction in how conflict resolves, rather than the characters growing or changing to overcome problems, things are fixed by luck or undeserved power
- The title and cover have no relevance.
And a couple with spoilers:
Overall an unsatisfying and unenjoyable read. The only reason I am not giving it 1 stars is because it is the first book in a series and it's possible that later books might address the question of violence and pacifism better.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The Prince Without Sorrow is set in a world where mayakari (witches) are persecuted endlessly and violently by an evil emperor. The story follows two main characters: Shakti and Ashoka. Shakti is a witch herself who comes into incredible powers that she wants to use to remove the unjust rulers in power, even if it requires violence. Ashoka is a pacifist prince, looked down upon by his father and siblings, deeply disgusted by this father's ways, who wants to show that violence is not the only or the best way to rule.
My biggest complaint is that there is no through-line to the book, no coherence. It sets up many interesting questions and dichotomies and then refuses to take a stance on them, leaving the whole book feeling confused.
The prologue sets up a world where witches are persecuted and burned at the stake, but despite this they hold tight to their morals and preach a very explicit lesson that violence is not the answer. I would say it was heavy-handed, except instead of coming back to this and doing something with it, its treated more as a vague plot point than as an interesting moral question.
This book also sets up the main characters as clear foils to each other from the get go; Shakti, who turns towards violence and away from the pacifist teachings of witches in order to get revenge, is a mirror to Ashoka and his firm desire to never do harm. At first I was very curious to know where the author was going with this, would one of them be proven wrong? Would they each learn that absolutes aren't the answer and strive to find a middle ground? Nope, its never really discussed and whatever lesson they were supposed to learn is muddy and confusing.
Again with persecuted witches who have the power to curse people but refuse to use it, Wijesekara asks the very interesting question about whether violence is ever justified. Is it fair for an oppressed people to rise up and fight for their rights with violence? If killing one person would save many more, should you do it? And again, I don't know what message the book is trying to make. Part of this problem stems from the world building - the witches are pacifists because they would accrue bad karma if they used their powers for harm. Personally, I think this weakens any discussion of morals. If it's the rules of magic holding you back and not your own moral compass, then are you a pacifist or a coward?
Other issues in no particular order
- the evil emperor is very one-dimensional. He hates witches, likes killing witches, and hates his son, that's it. It's kind of alluded to that he is a good emperor otherwise (mostly to suggest that other people would be worse) but there is no evidence one way or another that he was good at ruling or even well-liked by the people
- an "innocent" deer is killed and the character is so distraught they say it needs to be cremated because it didn't deserve to die, instead of I don't know, using the meat so that it's death isn't a waste? AND I CANT EVEN TELL IF THIS IS INTENTIONAL Is this supposed to be a hint to the reader than pacifism can be problematic at times or just a symbol of how committed this character is to doing no harm? Who can say
- Many clever metaphors but so awkwardly placed that they often took me out of the story
- No explanation for why Ashoka is so pacifist. It doesn't make sense to me why one character in the whole book is violently opposed to well, being violent.
- Everyone is so remarkably candid. Both good and bad characters hold nothing back and willing explain everything they know to anyone including enemies even when it is not in their best interests.
- The descriptions of magic feel out of place, like sudden textbook chapters popping up out of nowhere. New facts about the magic system also continue to pop up as they become relevant which means that I didn't ever feel like I had any grasp of the magic system because on the next page a new rule could be revealed
- The general setting felt like the TV Show Merlin, but not executed as well. Evil King who hates magic users and burns them at the stake, prince who is good and (eventually) wants to save the magic users, one magic user living and working in the palace under the nose of the king, etc
Okay I lied, these are in a particular order. Every issue listed in the bulleted list above, I noticed before I was 25% into the book. After finishing the book, I stand by all of them and also greatly regret not DNFing it at this point when I wanted to.
Onto more issues in the rest:
- This book overuses the word "innocent." At some point I'm not sure the author is using it correctly
- The characters feel like caricatures of pacifism and evil, very one dimensional and like they're repeating from a script of "how to be a pacifist"
- Too many of the book's major plot points are resolved by happy coincidences. One or two coincidences are fine, but when every major plot point happens because someone just happens to be in the right place, it all feels a little weak
- The main characters are obliviously naive. And terrible at subterfuge, it's like they're all allergic to lying even when it is the better option (or only option).
- There is no satisfaction in how conflict resolves, rather than the characters growing or changing to overcome problems, things are fixed by luck or undeserved power
- The title and cover have no relevance.
And a couple with spoilers:
Overall an unsatisfying and unenjoyable read. The only reason I am not giving it 1 stars is because it is the first book in a series and it's possible that later books might address the question of violence and pacifism better.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
April 27, 2025
love me a book where the characters have no coherent plan and are just rolling with the punches and coming up with ideas on a complete whim
shakti is my beautiful no thoughts just vibes and acting on impulse 90% of the time main character and i am so here for it
buddy read w taha & robin
thank to you harper voyager for providing the copy in exchange for an honest review
full RTC
Bookstagram | Blog
shakti is my beautiful no thoughts just vibes and acting on impulse 90% of the time main character and i am so here for it
buddy read w taha & robin
thank to you harper voyager for providing the copy in exchange for an honest review
full RTC
Bookstagram | Blog
February 14, 2025
I liked it, but it also wasn't as memorable as I wanted it to be.
Plot: Shakti is a badass (persecuted) witch, and Ashoka a pacifist prince. Naturally their lives entangle.
Although not all that much? I expected there to me more interaction between the two, but this book is mainly focused on Ashoka and his sibling rivalry. I enjoyed it, but it was a little tiresome after a bit and Ashoka never felt properly fleshed out to me.
Shakti was a fantastic character, and I loved that she's a bit morally grey. She makes emotional decisions that are not always smart but are always justifiable. I appreciated that. If this book had followed her a little more and given her more chance to shine, I probably would have given an extra star.
The writing was decent enough for a debut, but I do feel it was a little flat. There's not a lot of emotional depth to the story besides hammering home the point of how badly the witches are treated.
I enjoyed it well enough, but I don't think there was enough in this one to get me to pick up the sequel.
*Buddy read with Juliette*
With thanks to Harper Collins for an ARC
Plot: Shakti is a badass (persecuted) witch, and Ashoka a pacifist prince. Naturally their lives entangle.
Although not all that much? I expected there to me more interaction between the two, but this book is mainly focused on Ashoka and his sibling rivalry. I enjoyed it, but it was a little tiresome after a bit and Ashoka never felt properly fleshed out to me.
Shakti was a fantastic character, and I loved that she's a bit morally grey. She makes emotional decisions that are not always smart but are always justifiable. I appreciated that. If this book had followed her a little more and given her more chance to shine, I probably would have given an extra star.
The writing was decent enough for a debut, but I do feel it was a little flat. There's not a lot of emotional depth to the story besides hammering home the point of how badly the witches are treated.
I enjoyed it well enough, but I don't think there was enough in this one to get me to pick up the sequel.
*Buddy read with Juliette*
With thanks to Harper Collins for an ARC
March 7, 2025
Shakti is one of the mayakari's, witches linked to the Nature Spirits and persecuted by Emperor Adil. And while the Emperor believes they are dangerous creatures, hell bent on humanities destruction that couldn't be the furtherest from the true as their one overriding tenant is to do no harm. However, after the Emperor himself burns Shakti's aunt at the stake right in front of her Shakti, in her grief, she crosses a line that she may never be able to come back from.
Ashoka is the youngest of Adil's children and viewed as the weakest. He adheres to the tenants of the mayakari and rebels against his father's bloodthirsty campaigns against them whenever and wherever he can. After his father dies unexpectedly and his cruel but stupid brother ascends The Obsidian Throne Ashoka knows that now is the time to truly stop his family's bloody legacy, but, will he lose is soul in the process?
This was truly excellent. And while as you can see I only gave it four stars (I'll explain why later) it was one of the best books I've read where the author has left it up to the reader to wholly interpret their characters actions. Is Shakti justified in her increasingly cruel vengeance against the Maurya family? Does the wholesale slaughter of her people justify literally pushing Aarya, Ashoka's older sister, to the brink of madness? And has she simply not made everything significantly worse? This goes the same for Ashoka, he holds on to beliefs for so long and while when he does finally snap the chain he keeps on his control is the death of one worth not just the lives of the many but the simple goodness in Ashoka? And will this cause him to follow the same path his father did, using the same justifications? Wijesekara does not answer these questions ever. She leaves the interpretation wholly up to the reader, and I found that to be absolutely brilliant. And I can promise you I changed my mind on whether or not the ends justified the means here several times throughout the book.
You've also got this nature vs. nuture thing going on to some extent. Shakti is raised to abhor violence but she rebels against that almost as soon as she's old enough to say "Fuck this noise". Whereas Ashoka is not only surrounded by it he is subject to it. So is Ashoka inherently good while Shakti is not? It's an interesting question for certain.
In terms of world building, pacing, etc, this was really well done as well. The magic systems were interesting, especially since we still have no idea what the collective means, how it works, why it even exists, etc. While it was not completely unique or original, I think it's a system that could be utilized more often. Carrying your ancestors around inside of your subconscious would definitely carry a pretty hefty price tag. The Minor and Great Spirits were reminiscent of Princess Mononoke, and I really loved that.
My one complaint was that I think Ashoka's absolute dedication to not cross his own moral boundaries to the point where he misses opportunities to undermine his cruel siblings happened way too often and for little things I believe he should have comprised on. He would have got his way faster (and this is clearly what I was talking about earlier in terms of its up to the reader to interpret), not to mention saved lives. And to be fair, there were many times it felt like the only reason he adhered to this strict moral code was simple spite, which, while totally valid, I think it went a bit too far.
I definitely recommend this one. It's one of those books that there is a distinct possibility that every character is the bad guy to a certain extent. For me, this is a reflection of how humanity truly is. Plus, as I've said a few times, it's up to the reader to make that determination, and that oddly feels like a heavy burden to bear for some fictional characters.
As always thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the eArc!
Ashoka is the youngest of Adil's children and viewed as the weakest. He adheres to the tenants of the mayakari and rebels against his father's bloodthirsty campaigns against them whenever and wherever he can. After his father dies unexpectedly and his cruel but stupid brother ascends The Obsidian Throne Ashoka knows that now is the time to truly stop his family's bloody legacy, but, will he lose is soul in the process?
This was truly excellent. And while as you can see I only gave it four stars (I'll explain why later) it was one of the best books I've read where the author has left it up to the reader to wholly interpret their characters actions. Is Shakti justified in her increasingly cruel vengeance against the Maurya family? Does the wholesale slaughter of her people justify literally pushing Aarya, Ashoka's older sister, to the brink of madness? And has she simply not made everything significantly worse? This goes the same for Ashoka, he holds on to beliefs for so long and while when he does finally snap the chain he keeps on his control is the death of one worth not just the lives of the many but the simple goodness in Ashoka? And will this cause him to follow the same path his father did, using the same justifications? Wijesekara does not answer these questions ever. She leaves the interpretation wholly up to the reader, and I found that to be absolutely brilliant. And I can promise you I changed my mind on whether or not the ends justified the means here several times throughout the book.
You've also got this nature vs. nuture thing going on to some extent. Shakti is raised to abhor violence but she rebels against that almost as soon as she's old enough to say "Fuck this noise". Whereas Ashoka is not only surrounded by it he is subject to it. So is Ashoka inherently good while Shakti is not? It's an interesting question for certain.
In terms of world building, pacing, etc, this was really well done as well. The magic systems were interesting, especially since we still have no idea what the collective means, how it works, why it even exists, etc. While it was not completely unique or original, I think it's a system that could be utilized more often. Carrying your ancestors around inside of your subconscious would definitely carry a pretty hefty price tag. The Minor and Great Spirits were reminiscent of Princess Mononoke, and I really loved that.
My one complaint was that I think Ashoka's absolute dedication to not cross his own moral boundaries to the point where he misses opportunities to undermine his cruel siblings happened way too often and for little things I believe he should have comprised on. He would have got his way faster (and this is clearly what I was talking about earlier in terms of its up to the reader to interpret), not to mention saved lives. And to be fair, there were many times it felt like the only reason he adhered to this strict moral code was simple spite, which, while totally valid, I think it went a bit too far.
I definitely recommend this one. It's one of those books that there is a distinct possibility that every character is the bad guy to a certain extent. For me, this is a reflection of how humanity truly is. Plus, as I've said a few times, it's up to the reader to make that determination, and that oddly feels like a heavy burden to bear for some fictional characters.
As always thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the eArc!
February 24, 2025
The Prince Without Sorrow
by Maithree Wijesekara
Obsidian Throne #1
Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Mar 18, 2025
Avon/Harper Voyager
Ages: 16+
Prince Ashoka is the third child of Emperor Adil Maurya, but he is nothing like his father and wants nothing to do with his father's bloodthirsty war against the pacifist witches, and is willing to suffer his father's insults by refusing to kill an innocent. After his father's death, the prince is sent to govern a land where nature spirits rage and where he hopes to put an end to his father's legacy.
After witnessing the burning of her aunt by the Emperor, Shakti goes against everything her aunt had taught her about being a witch and casts a curse, a curse that affected her. Knowing discovery would lead to torture before death, to undo the curse, she poses as a servant in the Emperor's palace.
While this story started off interesting as it talked about the witches and the Emperor portraying them as evil so everyone else would fear and kill them, and how Shakti retaliated, the reader both understands why she did it, but also feels the dread of losing innocents, but the story quickly started to fizz when the soft-hearted prince was introduced. He wasn't a bad character, but I felt he was a naive spoiled child instead of a young man living in a world of danger, who would rather die than kill another who is threatening to kill him, those he loves, or to provide food. Yeah, I get that he doesn't want to kill for pleasure as the rest of his family does, but...
I did like the plot and the characters' moral dilemmas, along with Shakti's situation, and what she was willing to do for family, the complete opposite of the prince. But I got bored with the rambling of the character's thoughts, and frustrated because all of the Emperor's kids (and himself) first names started with an 'A'. When they were all on the same page, it got confusing who was who, so I pretty much gave up at about halfway and started to skim.
Sure, I would like to know why the Emperor hated the witches so much, but after finishing the book, I have a few guesses, and I'm pretty confident I know where the story is going so I doubt I'll read the next book in the series.
2 Stars
by Maithree Wijesekara
Obsidian Throne #1
Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Mar 18, 2025
Avon/Harper Voyager
Ages: 16+
Prince Ashoka is the third child of Emperor Adil Maurya, but he is nothing like his father and wants nothing to do with his father's bloodthirsty war against the pacifist witches, and is willing to suffer his father's insults by refusing to kill an innocent. After his father's death, the prince is sent to govern a land where nature spirits rage and where he hopes to put an end to his father's legacy.
After witnessing the burning of her aunt by the Emperor, Shakti goes against everything her aunt had taught her about being a witch and casts a curse, a curse that affected her. Knowing discovery would lead to torture before death, to undo the curse, she poses as a servant in the Emperor's palace.
While this story started off interesting as it talked about the witches and the Emperor portraying them as evil so everyone else would fear and kill them, and how Shakti retaliated, the reader both understands why she did it, but also feels the dread of losing innocents, but the story quickly started to fizz when the soft-hearted prince was introduced. He wasn't a bad character, but I felt he was a naive spoiled child instead of a young man living in a world of danger, who would rather die than kill another who is threatening to kill him, those he loves, or to provide food. Yeah, I get that he doesn't want to kill for pleasure as the rest of his family does, but...
I did like the plot and the characters' moral dilemmas, along with Shakti's situation, and what she was willing to do for family, the complete opposite of the prince. But I got bored with the rambling of the character's thoughts, and frustrated because all of the Emperor's kids (and himself) first names started with an 'A'. When they were all on the same page, it got confusing who was who, so I pretty much gave up at about halfway and started to skim.
Sure, I would like to know why the Emperor hated the witches so much, but after finishing the book, I have a few guesses, and I'm pretty confident I know where the story is going so I doubt I'll read the next book in the series.
2 Stars
August 4, 2025
4 Stars
In classic me fashion, I’m going to veer in the opposite direction of popular Goodreads opinion and say I really enjoyed this fantasy debut by Australian-Sri Lankan author Maithree Wijesekara.
I’ll admit, I only picked this book up because I fell hard and fast for the gorgeous cover art (which edition, you ask? ALL OF THEM)! But I regret nothing, quickly finding myself immersed in this richly-drawn, Indian-inspired fantasy world, where witches (the mayakari) are feared and persecuted under the vicious and dictatorial rule of Emperor Adil Maurya.
The story is told in a dual-POV narrative, mainly following the emperor’s youngest son and staunch pacifist, Prince Ashoka, and Shakti, a young mayakari hell-bent on delivering personal vengeance against the royals who keep violently mistreating her people.
The whole thing had a real viper’s den vibe to it, with countless enemies to combat, on multiple fronts, that kept the plot moving at an engrossing pace.
It’s a story full of royal scheming, political intrigue, betrayal, and vengeance, where even the best of the “good guys” are marred by morally questionable decisions and actions, at an increasingly alarming rate, as the stakes drew higher.
As the first in a proclaimed trilogy, The Prince Without Sorrow felt like it was all about the scene-setting, the world-building, the character establishments, and the witches lore, with just the bare-bones beginnings of a potential queer love story, between the prince and his most loyal bodyguard. All of which, I expect to be expounded upon in the sequels, as the world-building expands, the stakes (and characters) shift and grow, and, hopefully, the romance blossoms.
At this point in the series, I’m definitely invested in the story and the characters—personally more invested in watching Prince Ashoka’s potential rise to power (hopefully not at the detriment of his moral standing), than I am in Shakti’s vengeance mission (which is a bit too filled with reckless decision-making for my liking).
All in all, this story didn’t read to me the way some of the more negative leaning reviews portrayed it. I’m so very glad I gave it a chance and I look forward to seeking out the sequels when the time comes.
***********************************
Audio Edition:
Although I predominantly read this book, about a third of the way through I gained access to the audiobook (via my library app) and I then spent a bit of time listening to the story, too. What I did hear, I absolutely loved. I thought narrators Aasiya Shah and Kishore Walker did a marvelous job of bringing Shakti and Ashoka (and all the other characters) to life through their engaging and passionate vocal performances.
In classic me fashion, I’m going to veer in the opposite direction of popular Goodreads opinion and say I really enjoyed this fantasy debut by Australian-Sri Lankan author Maithree Wijesekara.
I’ll admit, I only picked this book up because I fell hard and fast for the gorgeous cover art (which edition, you ask? ALL OF THEM)! But I regret nothing, quickly finding myself immersed in this richly-drawn, Indian-inspired fantasy world, where witches (the mayakari) are feared and persecuted under the vicious and dictatorial rule of Emperor Adil Maurya.
The story is told in a dual-POV narrative, mainly following the emperor’s youngest son and staunch pacifist, Prince Ashoka, and Shakti, a young mayakari hell-bent on delivering personal vengeance against the royals who keep violently mistreating her people.
The whole thing had a real viper’s den vibe to it, with countless enemies to combat, on multiple fronts, that kept the plot moving at an engrossing pace.
It’s a story full of royal scheming, political intrigue, betrayal, and vengeance, where even the best of the “good guys” are marred by morally questionable decisions and actions, at an increasingly alarming rate, as the stakes drew higher.
As the first in a proclaimed trilogy, The Prince Without Sorrow felt like it was all about the scene-setting, the world-building, the character establishments, and the witches lore, with just the bare-bones beginnings of a potential queer love story, between the prince and his most loyal bodyguard. All of which, I expect to be expounded upon in the sequels, as the world-building expands, the stakes (and characters) shift and grow, and, hopefully, the romance blossoms.
At this point in the series, I’m definitely invested in the story and the characters—personally more invested in watching Prince Ashoka’s potential rise to power (hopefully not at the detriment of his moral standing), than I am in Shakti’s vengeance mission (which is a bit too filled with reckless decision-making for my liking).
All in all, this story didn’t read to me the way some of the more negative leaning reviews portrayed it. I’m so very glad I gave it a chance and I look forward to seeking out the sequels when the time comes.
***********************************
Audio Edition:
Although I predominantly read this book, about a third of the way through I gained access to the audiobook (via my library app) and I then spent a bit of time listening to the story, too. What I did hear, I absolutely loved. I thought narrators Aasiya Shah and Kishore Walker did a marvelous job of bringing Shakti and Ashoka (and all the other characters) to life through their engaging and passionate vocal performances.
did-not-finish
April 7, 2025DNF @ 23%
Very dull. Reads like every other pop fantasy novel out there. A kingdom persecuting witches. A prince who doesn't want to become like his father. The revenge story plotline with the witch MC didn't grip me. The ancient India setting wasn't all that interesting either.
Oh well.
Very dull. Reads like every other pop fantasy novel out there. A kingdom persecuting witches. A prince who doesn't want to become like his father. The revenge story plotline with the witch MC didn't grip me. The ancient India setting wasn't all that interesting either.
Oh well.
June 16, 2025
I feel we didn't have that many Indian-inspired epic fantasies so far, not counting Tasha Suri. Would recommend for readers of crossover epic fantasies like City of Brass, Bone Shard Daughter or Stardust Thief. Also if you're looking for protagonists in their early 20s whose goals don't center a romance.
ARC review below:
Let's get the basics out of the way:
1. This is the first in a trilogy. It doesn't stand alone. It ends on a cliffhanger.
2. This is not a romantasy. There's no romance in this book. There are minor romantic feelings that aren't acted upon (so far). They're not between the 2 characters mentioned in the blurb.
3. This is not a gritty grimdark story. This is a YA/adult crossover epic fantasy veering more towards heroic / hopeful than grimdark.
4. The fact this book as of now has an average of 3.4 stars rating is criminal.
I had an eye on this book since I've seen the publisher's marketplace announcement. Evil witch & pacifist underdog prince? Sign me the heck up! However, my first worry was "is this gonna be another of those tropey no plot just vibes I-hate-you-but-can't-resist-you romantasy? if so, I don't wanna read it!" But hey, it surprised me the best way possible because it's the utter opposite of a romantasy! The protagonists might be immature (they're young, in their early 20s), but they don't run on "horny logic", that's for sure.
I feel the fantasy genre right now is so overrun with romantasy that a 2-pov blurb makes people think this is some grand enemies to lovers story. It is not. Ashoka and Shakti are political allies of convenience, but harbour no romantic feelings for one another. It makes me sad how this book has so many romance / romantasy tags here based on who knows what assumptions. There's literally no romance in this story. Ashoka has romantic feelings for another character, but out of fear and hesitation doesn't act on them. But really, can't people these days be allies or reluctant friends anymore? Everything needs to be about romance otherwise it's condemned?
This is a story of an extremely idealistic to a fault prince whose ideals are slowly eroded over time. I don't understand the reviews condemning the book just because he starts naive and a bit "stupid" / delusional. That's what the story is about. The corruption of unsustainable "purity" that doesn't withstand the clash with reality. That he could have afforded his lofty ideals when he was just an idle spare, last in line to the throne, but the moment he has to actually do things, he's forced into hard choices and all of them go against his initial morals. He's forced to pick a lesser evil, and due to that evolves over time. And this is only the 1st in a trilogy. Who knows, maybe in the end he will go full Darth Vader. The fall / corruption is only sweet if the character started really high and mighty, noble and pure.
It's also a story of oppressed witches who were supposed to "do no harm" (which tbh reminded me a bit of Forged by Blood where also mages were oppressed and also were supposed to be peaceful; sidenote I also enjoyed that book but most readers seemingly disliked it based on the ratings...) but how they can just lie down and die? In both cases of Ashoka and Shakti / Nayani there's the question: can you stick to a pacifist code in the face of a genocide?
Ashoka and Shakti are meant to be foils of each other. Shakti was taught pacifism and rejects it. Ashoka was taught the ruler should be brutal, but he rejects it and wishes for pacifism, for which he's mocked to be "weak" and "unsuitable to rule". But when his oath of pacifism breaks, this doesn't bring him respect, rather more mockery and hatred.
I felt the pace and tension was medium-burn, not too slow but also not very fast. Which is fitting for an epic fantasy where we need to learn the world, its politics, the magic and so forth. But it also didn't go into long worldbuilding tangents and there were regular reveals and mini-plot-twists. Halfway the story the protagonists get separated and have to work on their political goals apart. I was never bored with the story and never struggled to follow the plot.
The worldbuilding is lush and interesting, full of tropical flora and fauna, spirits small and big (the small ones reminded me of creatures from Princess Mononoke, the big ones usually take animal forms like a tiger or an elephant), we have flying winged serpents and rideable panthers, flowers, food, clothing and architecture mostly resembling India but we have chilli peppers and "frangipanis" that from what I've checked originate from America so it's more like a fantasy tropical world with Indian influences but not 1:1 historical India. And I'm not the person to obsess how fantasy authors can't have potatoes in their pseudo-medieval Europe; tbh I think this rule is stupid - it's fantasy, if the climate permits it, or other worldbuilding elements, go on and have your vanilla and cocoa alongside "old world" plants.
There's a certain amount of violence, blood and gruesome deaths but they always serve the plot and aren't over the top gratuitous. I'd say fairly standard for epic fantasy.
Representation:
MMC Ashoka is
FMC Shakti
Side character Aarya
All characters are South Asian coded / Brown-skinned.
I really enjoyed this entry installment in a trilogy and I'm really curious where the author takes the story next! I loved the worldbuilding, the queer representation that wasn't the focus of the story but rather "just existed", and a rare YA/adult crossover fantasy that doesn't center any romance. I love to see more of them - this one was definitely better than my last pick, The Serpent Called Mercy. A very competent debut. There were minor typos but I assume the ARCs are sent before the final proofread and these will be fixed in the release version.
I hesitated to request this ARC because the reviews were already around 3.5 when I considered it, but my, I would have missed this gem if I hesitated any longer. I'd give it 4.5 star rounded up, mostly because I hate cliffhanger endings but that's totally my fault I'm a lousy sequel reader and would rather have a standalone with series potential so I can leave fulfilled. Alas, that's no fault of the book or the author, series are viable and common in epic fantasy.
Also btw I love the UK cover and hate the US one. The UK one screams "epic fantasy" the US one with the deer... idk what's that supposed to be. It's weird. And the winged snake is super small while in the book they're huge. People ride on their backs. Anyway, putting the UK one on my review for aesthetic reasons. Also the beautiful spredged Waterstones edition is utterly stunning.
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC!
ARC review below:
Let's get the basics out of the way:
1. This is the first in a trilogy. It doesn't stand alone. It ends on a cliffhanger.
2. This is not a romantasy. There's no romance in this book. There are minor romantic feelings that aren't acted upon (so far). They're not between the 2 characters mentioned in the blurb.
3. This is not a gritty grimdark story. This is a YA/adult crossover epic fantasy veering more towards heroic / hopeful than grimdark.
4. The fact this book as of now has an average of 3.4 stars rating is criminal.
I had an eye on this book since I've seen the publisher's marketplace announcement. Evil witch & pacifist underdog prince? Sign me the heck up! However, my first worry was "is this gonna be another of those tropey no plot just vibes I-hate-you-but-can't-resist-you romantasy? if so, I don't wanna read it!" But hey, it surprised me the best way possible because it's the utter opposite of a romantasy! The protagonists might be immature (they're young, in their early 20s), but they don't run on "horny logic", that's for sure.
I feel the fantasy genre right now is so overrun with romantasy that a 2-pov blurb makes people think this is some grand enemies to lovers story. It is not. Ashoka and Shakti are political allies of convenience, but harbour no romantic feelings for one another. It makes me sad how this book has so many romance / romantasy tags here based on who knows what assumptions. There's literally no romance in this story. Ashoka has romantic feelings for another character, but out of fear and hesitation doesn't act on them. But really, can't people these days be allies or reluctant friends anymore? Everything needs to be about romance otherwise it's condemned?
This is a story of an extremely idealistic to a fault prince whose ideals are slowly eroded over time. I don't understand the reviews condemning the book just because he starts naive and a bit "stupid" / delusional. That's what the story is about. The corruption of unsustainable "purity" that doesn't withstand the clash with reality. That he could have afforded his lofty ideals when he was just an idle spare, last in line to the throne, but the moment he has to actually do things, he's forced into hard choices and all of them go against his initial morals. He's forced to pick a lesser evil, and due to that evolves over time. And this is only the 1st in a trilogy. Who knows, maybe in the end he will go full Darth Vader. The fall / corruption is only sweet if the character started really high and mighty, noble and pure.
It's also a story of oppressed witches who were supposed to "do no harm" (which tbh reminded me a bit of Forged by Blood where also mages were oppressed and also were supposed to be peaceful; sidenote I also enjoyed that book but most readers seemingly disliked it based on the ratings...) but how they can just lie down and die? In both cases of Ashoka and Shakti / Nayani there's the question: can you stick to a pacifist code in the face of a genocide?
Ashoka and Shakti are meant to be foils of each other. Shakti was taught pacifism and rejects it. Ashoka was taught the ruler should be brutal, but he rejects it and wishes for pacifism, for which he's mocked to be "weak" and "unsuitable to rule". But when his oath of pacifism breaks, this doesn't bring him respect, rather more mockery and hatred.
I felt the pace and tension was medium-burn, not too slow but also not very fast. Which is fitting for an epic fantasy where we need to learn the world, its politics, the magic and so forth. But it also didn't go into long worldbuilding tangents and there were regular reveals and mini-plot-twists. Halfway the story the protagonists get separated and have to work on their political goals apart. I was never bored with the story and never struggled to follow the plot.
The worldbuilding is lush and interesting, full of tropical flora and fauna, spirits small and big (the small ones reminded me of creatures from Princess Mononoke, the big ones usually take animal forms like a tiger or an elephant), we have flying winged serpents and rideable panthers, flowers, food, clothing and architecture mostly resembling India but we have chilli peppers and "frangipanis" that from what I've checked originate from America so it's more like a fantasy tropical world with Indian influences but not 1:1 historical India. And I'm not the person to obsess how fantasy authors can't have potatoes in their pseudo-medieval Europe; tbh I think this rule is stupid - it's fantasy, if the climate permits it, or other worldbuilding elements, go on and have your vanilla and cocoa alongside "old world" plants.
There's a certain amount of violence, blood and gruesome deaths but they always serve the plot and aren't over the top gratuitous. I'd say fairly standard for epic fantasy.
Representation:
MMC Ashoka is
FMC Shakti
Side character Aarya
All characters are South Asian coded / Brown-skinned.
I really enjoyed this entry installment in a trilogy and I'm really curious where the author takes the story next! I loved the worldbuilding, the queer representation that wasn't the focus of the story but rather "just existed", and a rare YA/adult crossover fantasy that doesn't center any romance. I love to see more of them - this one was definitely better than my last pick, The Serpent Called Mercy. A very competent debut. There were minor typos but I assume the ARCs are sent before the final proofread and these will be fixed in the release version.
I hesitated to request this ARC because the reviews were already around 3.5 when I considered it, but my, I would have missed this gem if I hesitated any longer. I'd give it 4.5 star rounded up, mostly because I hate cliffhanger endings but that's totally my fault I'm a lousy sequel reader and would rather have a standalone with series potential so I can leave fulfilled. Alas, that's no fault of the book or the author, series are viable and common in epic fantasy.
Also btw I love the UK cover and hate the US one. The UK one screams "epic fantasy" the US one with the deer... idk what's that supposed to be. It's weird. And the winged snake is super small while in the book they're huge. People ride on their backs. Anyway, putting the UK one on my review for aesthetic reasons. Also the beautiful spredged Waterstones edition is utterly stunning.
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC!
December 23, 2024
i love characters that take the phrase "don't think, just do" and embed it into their soul.
shakti and i are soul sisters, perhaps.
full rtc
thank you harper voyager for the arc and opportunity to read and review!
shakti and i are soul sisters, perhaps.
full rtc
thank you harper voyager for the arc and opportunity to read and review!
February 19, 2025
The Prince without Sorrow is just not an enjoyable book. The writing, while serviceable on the surface, is very surface-level and YA for what is supposed to be an adult fantasy book. The plot is largely based on convenience and coincidence rather than building any stakes. While one of the two story lines is at least interesting, the other character spends the entire book making a series of obviously bad decisions and then being surprised when there are consequences. This book is trying to deal with complex themes and, at times, feels like it might get close to having something interesting to say, but never gets there. I simply can't recommend this book. It is serviceable as a story, but everything unique is tries to achieve has been done better by the books it feels like it is trying to emulate.
This book takes place in an empire which is nearly single-minded devoted to stamping out witches under both order and legacy of Emperor Adil. The plot revolves around two characters: Prince Ashoka, the youngest son of Emperor Adil and a pacifist who wishes to end the burning of witches, and Shakti, a witch who stumbles into incredible power and mostly uses them to f*** around and find out. I do like the general premise of the book, in grappling with the complex dynamics of a pacifist group targeted by a militant government. It does raise some complex questions of group identity, advocacy, and the debate between a strict moral code and the needs of a revolution.
All in all, I felt that this book really lacked both verisimilitude and stakes. While fantasy books have some suspension of disbelief, in this book, characters simply act however will be quickest to get the plot development across, whether or not it fits their character. For example, an emperor devoted to devastating violence against witches is approached in a dream state by a witch with questions, and while this emperor is fully aware of what will happen, he answers every question with little more than a few weak insults. At the climax of the book, a big bad character just…knows things? And tells the character she is targeting all of her evil plans and how she plans on covering up those evil plans? Not only do characters break at random moments to serve the plot, but this is also the kind of book where problems just solve themselves. Shakti finds herself with strange new powers? That’s okay, a nature spirit will materialize out of the world and tell her everything she needs to know about them. There’s a mystery about an event that happened years ago? It's okay, Ashoka stumbles across the answer in his own literal garden. There’s no tension, no build up, and no problem solving. I never really felt like the characters were in danger. Everything just works out. Unfortunately, so much of this book is like this, and there just aren’t any particular high points to make a weaker plot worth it.
I have also seen other reviewers talk about the language used in this book. There’s too much metaphor used, and an awful lot of anachronistic language that can really break immersion. Normally, this stuff does not bother me much, but in this book, I did find the writing to be uninteresting and clunky. This book really would be better marketed as YA than as adult. It would take seldom few edits to make the subject matter YA-appropriate, and it would make the often-simplistic writing style and less immersive plot a bit more understandable.
One thing that I couldn’t shake while reading this book was its comparison to The Burning Kingdoms series. I am deeply against these surface comparisons to other books as a marketing strategy. Regardless of how good the book compared to book it is being held up against, it always leads readers to expect the book they already have read and thus diminishes what the book they’re actually reading is actually trying to do. That being said, this book feels like it was trying so hard to be The Jasmine Throne. Ignoring the on-the-nose note that this is the Obsidian Throne series, there’s just so much that feels like a YA attempt at replicating the feel series. Characters starting with strong ideals but facing corruption arcs, flowery metaphorical language, POV characters that are very rarely in the same room, a big bad who is mostly used to set characters on their corruption arcs and then fall away—it’s a lot. I don’t mean to call this book a rip-off or even to say that its intentional. My point is more that this comparison diminished my reading experience as I was often comparing it to a better-crafted series.
In the end, I’m giving this book 2. It's at least passable, and it’s a very quick and readable book. I do have hope that the author will be able to improve the plot as the series develops, but for now I would struggle to recommend the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
This book takes place in an empire which is nearly single-minded devoted to stamping out witches under both order and legacy of Emperor Adil. The plot revolves around two characters: Prince Ashoka, the youngest son of Emperor Adil and a pacifist who wishes to end the burning of witches, and Shakti, a witch who stumbles into incredible power and mostly uses them to f*** around and find out. I do like the general premise of the book, in grappling with the complex dynamics of a pacifist group targeted by a militant government. It does raise some complex questions of group identity, advocacy, and the debate between a strict moral code and the needs of a revolution.
All in all, I felt that this book really lacked both verisimilitude and stakes. While fantasy books have some suspension of disbelief, in this book, characters simply act however will be quickest to get the plot development across, whether or not it fits their character. For example, an emperor devoted to devastating violence against witches is approached in a dream state by a witch with questions, and while this emperor is fully aware of what will happen, he answers every question with little more than a few weak insults. At the climax of the book, a big bad character just…knows things? And tells the character she is targeting all of her evil plans and how she plans on covering up those evil plans? Not only do characters break at random moments to serve the plot, but this is also the kind of book where problems just solve themselves. Shakti finds herself with strange new powers? That’s okay, a nature spirit will materialize out of the world and tell her everything she needs to know about them. There’s a mystery about an event that happened years ago? It's okay, Ashoka stumbles across the answer in his own literal garden. There’s no tension, no build up, and no problem solving. I never really felt like the characters were in danger. Everything just works out. Unfortunately, so much of this book is like this, and there just aren’t any particular high points to make a weaker plot worth it.
I have also seen other reviewers talk about the language used in this book. There’s too much metaphor used, and an awful lot of anachronistic language that can really break immersion. Normally, this stuff does not bother me much, but in this book, I did find the writing to be uninteresting and clunky. This book really would be better marketed as YA than as adult. It would take seldom few edits to make the subject matter YA-appropriate, and it would make the often-simplistic writing style and less immersive plot a bit more understandable.
One thing that I couldn’t shake while reading this book was its comparison to The Burning Kingdoms series. I am deeply against these surface comparisons to other books as a marketing strategy. Regardless of how good the book compared to book it is being held up against, it always leads readers to expect the book they already have read and thus diminishes what the book they’re actually reading is actually trying to do. That being said, this book feels like it was trying so hard to be The Jasmine Throne. Ignoring the on-the-nose note that this is the Obsidian Throne series, there’s just so much that feels like a YA attempt at replicating the feel series. Characters starting with strong ideals but facing corruption arcs, flowery metaphorical language, POV characters that are very rarely in the same room, a big bad who is mostly used to set characters on their corruption arcs and then fall away—it’s a lot. I don’t mean to call this book a rip-off or even to say that its intentional. My point is more that this comparison diminished my reading experience as I was often comparing it to a better-crafted series.
In the end, I’m giving this book 2. It's at least passable, and it’s a very quick and readable book. I do have hope that the author will be able to improve the plot as the series develops, but for now I would struggle to recommend the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
June 22, 2025
Overview
🔪 Feuding Family, succession style
🇱🇰 Sri Lankan inspired world
🪄 Hunted witch oppression narrative
👑 Softboy prince
💔 No romance (yet?)
The Prince Without Sorrow seems to have been done dirty by reviewers, because I am P I C K Y and I thought it was a blast. A huge problem with the book is it explicitly billed as romantasy when there is literally no romance in it at all. I imagine the bait and switch did not all help it when readers walked in expecting a Crimson Moth narrative and instead got 'Jungle Succession'.
and YEP, I said it, Jungle Succession- and its what makes the book so damn fun.
Ashoka is the third son of a tyrant king, but he is a soft pacifist without a thirst for war and genocide like his father. His sister is a hawk for war and deeply vain, and his brother has a desire to wield power without really knowing what hes doing. Then their father is murdered and his brother becomes king, while he is not even listed in the inheritance.
Shakti is a witch born into a community of non violence, but unlike her friends and family who have become victims of a genocidal king using them as a scapegoat for the world's problems, she knows that violence is the damn answer, and infiltrates the royal family.
This is a deeply stupid book and ill start there. How does Ashoka develop his alternative worldview to his siblings and father? Why isnt the royal family on a higher alert for witches that they would let one ascend to power in their home immediately. Perhaps ultimately, these questions don't matter, because the rest of it is so damn good. This is a popcorn novel at its core. The writing is fine, but leans YA for an adult novel and probably could have easily slotted in as a YA. The Prince Without Sorrow isn't changing lives anytime soon, but again, it IS fun.
And why you ask? Half of the book focuses on Ashoka's insane succession style politics within his family. The least effective of those siblings ascends to the throne and now himself and his younger sister find themselves battling for power. Both of his siblings are....interesting and more than you would expect. They are villainous characters with a surprising amount of depth. Particularly for the sister character, I feel like the author borrowed a lot from ATLA's Azula, and though other characters we do get a lot of time with her so she feels like more than an obstacle despite being a really horrible person.
Ashoka himself started out as a tough read for me because he is so passive and obsessed with his code of no killing and I just find myself asking like- why? Why is this a value for you? What I didn't expect is that this would ultimately be framed negatively, and that a stronger element of the book is that violence is necessary for liberation. It was a lot easier to enjoy his character once I saw where they were going with him, and how his beliefs would be challenged over the story.
Shakti is cool and fun to follow, but her personality is a little less unique and shes a standard "bad bitch". THAT SAID, her actual plotline is a blast- and most of the time you are following her she is in the viper's den playing cat and mouse games with the evil royals and yeah, its VERY hard to not enjoy it.
It IS noted that this is a "romantasy" but no romance has happened, which means if there is...we get a slow burn. I am also thrilled for this!
I don't know why reviewers felt this book falls flat when some much grace is given to much worse books, because I was never bored and was very pleasantly surprised with the character development. The Prince Without Sorrow is worth your time, don't let the shitty ratings fool you.
🔪 Feuding Family, succession style
🇱🇰 Sri Lankan inspired world
🪄 Hunted witch oppression narrative
👑 Softboy prince
💔 No romance (yet?)
The Prince Without Sorrow seems to have been done dirty by reviewers, because I am P I C K Y and I thought it was a blast. A huge problem with the book is it explicitly billed as romantasy when there is literally no romance in it at all. I imagine the bait and switch did not all help it when readers walked in expecting a Crimson Moth narrative and instead got 'Jungle Succession'.
and YEP, I said it, Jungle Succession- and its what makes the book so damn fun.
Ashoka is the third son of a tyrant king, but he is a soft pacifist without a thirst for war and genocide like his father. His sister is a hawk for war and deeply vain, and his brother has a desire to wield power without really knowing what hes doing. Then their father is murdered and his brother becomes king, while he is not even listed in the inheritance.
Shakti is a witch born into a community of non violence, but unlike her friends and family who have become victims of a genocidal king using them as a scapegoat for the world's problems, she knows that violence is the damn answer, and infiltrates the royal family.
This is a deeply stupid book and ill start there. How does Ashoka develop his alternative worldview to his siblings and father? Why isnt the royal family on a higher alert for witches that they would let one ascend to power in their home immediately. Perhaps ultimately, these questions don't matter, because the rest of it is so damn good. This is a popcorn novel at its core. The writing is fine, but leans YA for an adult novel and probably could have easily slotted in as a YA. The Prince Without Sorrow isn't changing lives anytime soon, but again, it IS fun.
And why you ask? Half of the book focuses on Ashoka's insane succession style politics within his family. The least effective of those siblings ascends to the throne and now himself and his younger sister find themselves battling for power. Both of his siblings are....interesting and more than you would expect. They are villainous characters with a surprising amount of depth. Particularly for the sister character, I feel like the author borrowed a lot from ATLA's Azula, and though other characters we do get a lot of time with her so she feels like more than an obstacle despite being a really horrible person.
Ashoka himself started out as a tough read for me because he is so passive and obsessed with his code of no killing and I just find myself asking like- why? Why is this a value for you? What I didn't expect is that this would ultimately be framed negatively, and that a stronger element of the book is that violence is necessary for liberation. It was a lot easier to enjoy his character once I saw where they were going with him, and how his beliefs would be challenged over the story.
Shakti is cool and fun to follow, but her personality is a little less unique and shes a standard "bad bitch". THAT SAID, her actual plotline is a blast- and most of the time you are following her she is in the viper's den playing cat and mouse games with the evil royals and yeah, its VERY hard to not enjoy it.
It IS noted that this is a "romantasy" but no romance has happened, which means if there is...we get a slow burn. I am also thrilled for this!
I don't know why reviewers felt this book falls flat when some much grace is given to much worse books, because I was never bored and was very pleasantly surprised with the character development. The Prince Without Sorrow is worth your time, don't let the shitty ratings fool you.
June 6, 2025
A world-building masterpiece, The Prince Without Sorrow was an incredible read filled with whimsy and magic. While the characters are terribly flawed and a bit flighty, it made up for it with a really cool plot.
March 28, 2025
this was nice, very 50-50, in equal measure, there were things I liked and things I disliked
what i liked:
- female main character
- worldbuilding, very climatic and interesting, similar vibe to jasmine throne that I love
- no romance, I really enjoyed it, cus i assumed that characters whose pov we see will be involved with each other, because in 90% of the books that's the case, but surprisingly not here, they literally met once for like 10% of the book and not really overlapping later
- the ending was very interesting, i thought i won't pick up next book, but cus of that ending maybe i will
what i disliked
- male main character, he was so idealistic, he was just naive and lowkey irritating
- the plot was lowkey too slow in the middle and i was drifting off a little
- history of some things felt lacking and i would appriciate more insight
what i liked:
- female main character
- worldbuilding, very climatic and interesting, similar vibe to jasmine throne that I love
- no romance, I really enjoyed it, cus i assumed that characters whose pov we see will be involved with each other, because in 90% of the books that's the case, but surprisingly not here, they literally met once for like 10% of the book and not really overlapping later
- the ending was very interesting, i thought i won't pick up next book, but cus of that ending maybe i will
what i disliked
- male main character, he was so idealistic, he was just naive and lowkey irritating
- the plot was lowkey too slow in the middle and i was drifting off a little
- history of some things felt lacking and i would appriciate more insight
February 18, 2025
Thank you Netgalley! I was SO excited for this book, but unfortunately it’s just…a total mess. I feel genuinely bad for the author because there is *something* really great here—the worldbuilding is very interesting, I love the mayakari conceptually, and the thought behind what she’s trying to do is really compelling. Unfortunately, the execution wasn’t there. This reads like a draft and if it was just a draft it would be a good one, which just makes me all the more sad this is the state it’s being released to the public.
The characters are like interesting on the surface, but they are incredibly one-dimensional and confusing. Oftentimes, characters will make choices to advance the plot with zero logic behind why the character is acting that way. While I think Ashoka and Shakti are definitely the biggest victim in this, I constantly found myself a little confused with Aarya. I think Aarya is a very compelling character, but the respect she demands and the way she views others seem to pivot depending on what scene she’s in (ie she demands respect and values her status as a princess, but interacts with commoner Shakti in a very casual way.) I think humanizing a villain character is a cool idea and she reminds me a lot of Azula from Avatar the Last Airbender it’s just…flopping in execution. Conversely, if Arush wasn’t the emperor I would forget he existed. He is an important character, but he has the personality of a rock there’s just nothing there that makes him memorable or distinctive.
Beyond their inconsistency, instead of actually developing characters, they establish things about themselves by repeating them over and over. Not like the traits are being reinforced, like Ashoka has to repeat the same internal monologue about peace and not wanting to be like his father over and over again just in case we missed it the first time.
What really kills it for me is the plot. There is zero coherence to what’s going on in this book. Plot points are picked up and put down faster than I can figure out what’s going on and consequently every plot point ends up breezed over. I have finished the book and I confidently cannot tell you what the main plot line is. I can guess, but I don’t think it’s a good thing that you reader has to guess which plot line is the one actually going somewhere. Going back to I cannot believe the book is being released like this because I genuinely cannot. Genuinely it reads to me like the author was making up the plot as she wrote and then nobody ever went back to edit.
There is so much that could be good about this book, but not only is none of it allowed to shine, it all just gets overshadowed by the bad stuff.
The characters are like interesting on the surface, but they are incredibly one-dimensional and confusing. Oftentimes, characters will make choices to advance the plot with zero logic behind why the character is acting that way. While I think Ashoka and Shakti are definitely the biggest victim in this, I constantly found myself a little confused with Aarya. I think Aarya is a very compelling character, but the respect she demands and the way she views others seem to pivot depending on what scene she’s in (ie she demands respect and values her status as a princess, but interacts with commoner Shakti in a very casual way.) I think humanizing a villain character is a cool idea and she reminds me a lot of Azula from Avatar the Last Airbender it’s just…flopping in execution. Conversely, if Arush wasn’t the emperor I would forget he existed. He is an important character, but he has the personality of a rock there’s just nothing there that makes him memorable or distinctive.
Beyond their inconsistency, instead of actually developing characters, they establish things about themselves by repeating them over and over. Not like the traits are being reinforced, like Ashoka has to repeat the same internal monologue about peace and not wanting to be like his father over and over again just in case we missed it the first time.
What really kills it for me is the plot. There is zero coherence to what’s going on in this book. Plot points are picked up and put down faster than I can figure out what’s going on and consequently every plot point ends up breezed over. I have finished the book and I confidently cannot tell you what the main plot line is. I can guess, but I don’t think it’s a good thing that you reader has to guess which plot line is the one actually going somewhere. Going back to I cannot believe the book is being released like this because I genuinely cannot. Genuinely it reads to me like the author was making up the plot as she wrote and then nobody ever went back to edit.
There is so much that could be good about this book, but not only is none of it allowed to shine, it all just gets overshadowed by the bad stuff.
April 26, 2025
I was skeptical going into this because Goodreads had panned this but I really loved this promising start to an Indian-inspired fantasy trilogy. The writing style is admittedly a little flowery and wordy, but I didn't mind that because I found the characters and worldbuilding fascinating.
Prince Ashoka is third in line to the throne and his father is a bloodthirsty bigot on a rampage to kill mayakari, or witches. But the prince is a naive pacifist, not even able to kill a deer.
Shakti is a brash, reckless mayakari who has learned to fight and feels betrayed by their pacifist code as her family is getting slaughtered. She places a curse on the tyrant emperor and he dies, his consciousness ending up in her head.
I thought the romance would be between the two of them but instead there was an endearing slow-burn yearning between the prince and his guard, Rahil. Maybe they'll be a throuple in the next books, that would be fun.
What I loved is how Shakti and Ashoka were each very different in terms of their political ideals but they were forced to question their long-held beliefs in order to help people. It was interesting from a philosophy point of view to see each of them wrestle with their demons and how it changed them.
I also loved all the details about mayakari culture.
I'll be looking forward to the next book in this series.
Prince Ashoka is third in line to the throne and his father is a bloodthirsty bigot on a rampage to kill mayakari, or witches. But the prince is a naive pacifist, not even able to kill a deer.
Shakti is a brash, reckless mayakari who has learned to fight and feels betrayed by their pacifist code as her family is getting slaughtered. She places a curse on the tyrant emperor and he dies, his consciousness ending up in her head.
I thought the romance would be between the two of them but instead there was an endearing slow-burn yearning between the prince and his guard, Rahil. Maybe they'll be a throuple in the next books, that would be fun.
What I loved is how Shakti and Ashoka were each very different in terms of their political ideals but they were forced to question their long-held beliefs in order to help people. It was interesting from a philosophy point of view to see each of them wrestle with their demons and how it changed them.
I also loved all the details about mayakari culture.
I'll be looking forward to the next book in this series.
Want to read
November 10, 2024ARC received!! Thank you, Harper Voyager. This cover sold me, but I can't wait to dive into this story.
I hope it is just as stunning!
I hope it is just as stunning!
January 27, 2025
Wow ok so here’s a book in which the characters are running around with nary a thought in their heads and operating solely based on vibes and dreams. Was it a good time? Absolutely. Especially since I read it with @tahaslibrary and @robinn.l and we were hootin’ and hollerin’ as the chaos unfolded.
And what glorious, messy, unbridled chaos it was! This is a book about unexpected succession, siblings who kind of loathe one another, witches who just want to be left alone but are being murdered instead, Scooby Doo antics, and imaginary friends giving you questionable advice. Oh and definitely some queer vibes. Everyone is impulsive. Tagline for this one is honestly, ‘speak first, think later.’
I think I would have enjoyed this less alone, so thank goodness for an A+ buddy read. I’m locked in for that sequel and can’t wait to see if our characters develop critical thinking skills.
Thank you so much for sending me a copy of this one @harpervoyagerus
And what glorious, messy, unbridled chaos it was! This is a book about unexpected succession, siblings who kind of loathe one another, witches who just want to be left alone but are being murdered instead, Scooby Doo antics, and imaginary friends giving you questionable advice. Oh and definitely some queer vibes. Everyone is impulsive. Tagline for this one is honestly, ‘speak first, think later.’
I think I would have enjoyed this less alone, so thank goodness for an A+ buddy read. I’m locked in for that sequel and can’t wait to see if our characters develop critical thinking skills.
Thank you so much for sending me a copy of this one @harpervoyagerus
December 18, 2025
🐯One of my top December 2025 reads!
🐯One of the best fantasy books of 2025
💫Premise in my own words: In a world heavily inspired by Indian culture and religion, full of magical guardians of nature called Great Spirts and witches known as mayakari, the titular Prince Without Sorrow, Ashoka, must battle between his peace loving principles and the urge to make the world better no matter the violence involved. His path crosses with the witch Shakti who has a personal vendetta against the Emperor Adil, Ashoka’s father, for the bloody persecution of her usually pacifist people the mayakari. Ashoka’s inner and outer conflicts with his family who perpetuate violence against the mayakari dominate the book, along with a very very slow burn gay romance between Prince Ashoka and his bodyguard Rahil.
💫Review: An underrated gem
Marketed falsely as a romantasy, this is actually a magical political thriller. If you came here for “the spice” just put it down, this isn’t for you. However if you’re interested in Hinduism and Buddhism inspired world building in your fantasy worlds, hang on tight because Prince Without Sorrow has got you covered.
The majority of the book hinges on something very simple: for reasons yet unknown, Emperor Adil hates witches with the fire of a thousand suns and will stop at nothing to see them burn. Adil’s bloody campaign against witchcraft is what motivates every other character. Shakti who happens to be one of these mayakari witches takes this extremely personally and violates the laws and beliefs of her own people by enacting violence against Adil and his family. It’s a fascinating character study of becoming a monster to stop a monster.
Gentle and pious Ashoka who can’t even stand to eat meat without crying struggles with his father’s hateful tendencies, and he like Shakti, goes through a character arc about losing yourself in violence, even for a good cause. His siblings want to continue their father’s war, while Ashoka believes in peace. The sibling conflicts were a highlight for me, particularly with the sadistic middle child Aarya. It’s great stuff and I can’t do it justice without spoilers.
Sprinkled on top of all the political wheelings and dealings are Great Spirits, divine protectors of the forests and natural world. Princess Mononoke fans will find a lot to love in the surreal depictions of ghostly tigers and elephants. There’s a strong environmentalist message throughout the book about mankind destroying nature for money.
Ashoka’s romance with Rahil is just in the barest of beginnings even at the end of the book, so again I don’t know why this is marketed as a romantasy and the blurb on the back wrongfully made me and others assume Shakti and Ashoka would get together. I was VERY pleasantly surprised to learn that that’s not the case. Shakti has no romance in her plot whatsoever and Ashoka is just barely starting to know what he feels for Rahil is homosexual love. It’s so great to see canon LGBT characters in fantasy: Ashoka is gay, his sister Aarya is bisexual, some of the witches are lesbians. Theres some speculation Shakti is asexual or just not interested in romance right now because she’s got an empire to overthrow and I love that for her.
Prince Without Sorrow is rich and lush. It’s slow, taking its time to build the greater plot, but I foresee great things from this series and this author. I’m so glad I picked this up.
💫☆ Fun Factor 4/5
💫☆ Writing Style 4/5
💫☆ Characters 4/5 (A small cast we get to know very well)
💫☆ Plot 5/5
💫☆ Setting 4/5 (A fantasy India)
💫☆ Feels 3/5
💫☆ Romance 3/5 (a slow burn between two men)
💫☆ Spiciness 0/5 (not even kisses)
💫☆ Gore 3/5 (nothing too bad)
💫If this were a movie it'd be rated: PG13 for graphic violence, murder, war, misogyny
💫☆FOR FANS OF: Political fantasy with canon lgbt characters. Think of this as a diet Captive Prince that would be more suitable for a younger audience (14-18) while still very enjoyable for adults.
💫Ultimate verdict:⭐⭐⭐️⭐/5
💫☆☆☆Best Character Award goes to:☆☆☆ I’m really rooting for Ashoka and it’s gonna be a long af wait til March for book 2
The Obsidian Throne series ratings so far:
Book 1: Prince Without Sorrow ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book 2: Witch Without Memory [TBD with release March 2026]
Average rating for The Obsidian Throne: ⭐⭐⭐⭐️
🐯One of the best fantasy books of 2025
💫Premise in my own words: In a world heavily inspired by Indian culture and religion, full of magical guardians of nature called Great Spirts and witches known as mayakari, the titular Prince Without Sorrow, Ashoka, must battle between his peace loving principles and the urge to make the world better no matter the violence involved. His path crosses with the witch Shakti who has a personal vendetta against the Emperor Adil, Ashoka’s father, for the bloody persecution of her usually pacifist people the mayakari. Ashoka’s inner and outer conflicts with his family who perpetuate violence against the mayakari dominate the book, along with a very very slow burn gay romance between Prince Ashoka and his bodyguard Rahil.
💫Review: An underrated gem
Marketed falsely as a romantasy, this is actually a magical political thriller. If you came here for “the spice” just put it down, this isn’t for you. However if you’re interested in Hinduism and Buddhism inspired world building in your fantasy worlds, hang on tight because Prince Without Sorrow has got you covered.
The majority of the book hinges on something very simple: for reasons yet unknown, Emperor Adil hates witches with the fire of a thousand suns and will stop at nothing to see them burn. Adil’s bloody campaign against witchcraft is what motivates every other character. Shakti who happens to be one of these mayakari witches takes this extremely personally and violates the laws and beliefs of her own people by enacting violence against Adil and his family. It’s a fascinating character study of becoming a monster to stop a monster.
Gentle and pious Ashoka who can’t even stand to eat meat without crying struggles with his father’s hateful tendencies, and he like Shakti, goes through a character arc about losing yourself in violence, even for a good cause. His siblings want to continue their father’s war, while Ashoka believes in peace. The sibling conflicts were a highlight for me, particularly with the sadistic middle child Aarya. It’s great stuff and I can’t do it justice without spoilers.
Sprinkled on top of all the political wheelings and dealings are Great Spirits, divine protectors of the forests and natural world. Princess Mononoke fans will find a lot to love in the surreal depictions of ghostly tigers and elephants. There’s a strong environmentalist message throughout the book about mankind destroying nature for money.
Ashoka’s romance with Rahil is just in the barest of beginnings even at the end of the book, so again I don’t know why this is marketed as a romantasy and the blurb on the back wrongfully made me and others assume Shakti and Ashoka would get together. I was VERY pleasantly surprised to learn that that’s not the case. Shakti has no romance in her plot whatsoever and Ashoka is just barely starting to know what he feels for Rahil is homosexual love. It’s so great to see canon LGBT characters in fantasy: Ashoka is gay, his sister Aarya is bisexual, some of the witches are lesbians. Theres some speculation Shakti is asexual or just not interested in romance right now because she’s got an empire to overthrow and I love that for her.
Prince Without Sorrow is rich and lush. It’s slow, taking its time to build the greater plot, but I foresee great things from this series and this author. I’m so glad I picked this up.
💫☆ Fun Factor 4/5
💫☆ Writing Style 4/5
💫☆ Characters 4/5 (A small cast we get to know very well)
💫☆ Plot 5/5
💫☆ Setting 4/5 (A fantasy India)
💫☆ Feels 3/5
💫☆ Romance 3/5 (a slow burn between two men)
💫☆ Spiciness 0/5 (not even kisses)
💫☆ Gore 3/5 (nothing too bad)
💫If this were a movie it'd be rated: PG13 for graphic violence, murder, war, misogyny
💫☆FOR FANS OF: Political fantasy with canon lgbt characters. Think of this as a diet Captive Prince that would be more suitable for a younger audience (14-18) while still very enjoyable for adults.
💫Ultimate verdict:⭐⭐⭐️⭐/5
💫☆☆☆Best Character Award goes to:☆☆☆ I’m really rooting for Ashoka and it’s gonna be a long af wait til March for book 2
The Obsidian Throne series ratings so far:
Book 1: Prince Without Sorrow ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book 2: Witch Without Memory [TBD with release March 2026]
Average rating for The Obsidian Throne: ⭐⭐⭐⭐️
gave-up-on
October 18, 2024This book is a rough read to what promised to be an interesting fantasy world.
You have two protagonists on two different sides: a girl who's kind is being targeted for their magical powers, ; a guy who is too soft, kind, and supports these people while being the son of a man who is out to kill those magic users. The book begins where the girl watches her aunt get murdered by the boys father, she curses him and in turn it curses her. The curse has caused them to be linked via dreams, and there is a possibility of them remaining like this. She is told to seek out the boy to change this all.
I got to 20% before deciding not to go further. The writing was clunky, it didn't feel like the world, it's magic vs politics was conveyed with any sort of strength to the plot. The book felt torn between YA and adult in terms of prose and feel. The dialogue also was clunky and due to the half-baked world / magic building, it left me with confusion than understanding.
Power to those who enjoy it, I just couldn't get it.
Out of respect to the author I am refusing to rate it due to not finishing it.
You have two protagonists on two different sides: a girl who's kind is being targeted for their magical powers, ; a guy who is too soft, kind, and supports these people while being the son of a man who is out to kill those magic users. The book begins where the girl watches her aunt get murdered by the boys father, she curses him and in turn it curses her. The curse has caused them to be linked via dreams, and there is a possibility of them remaining like this. She is told to seek out the boy to change this all.
I got to 20% before deciding not to go further. The writing was clunky, it didn't feel like the world, it's magic vs politics was conveyed with any sort of strength to the plot. The book felt torn between YA and adult in terms of prose and feel. The dialogue also was clunky and due to the half-baked world / magic building, it left me with confusion than understanding.
Power to those who enjoy it, I just couldn't get it.
Out of respect to the author I am refusing to rate it due to not finishing it.
April 19, 2025
I was sent a complimentary review copy by Avon & Harper Voyager US through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. OUT NOW! This epic fantasy inspired by the Ancient Mauryan empire of India is a tragic, yet incredible tale of love, loss, and retribution about a witch, and a prince hellbent on revolution. 🧡🏹
First of all, compliments on the beautifully-illustrated cover! It intrigued me so much because the meaning behind it will never be understood unless you read it. I’m so excited that this is a trilogy! It was my very first south Asian fantasy ever, so the folkloric elements that played into the world-building and structure of the story were fresh and unique. Not only that but the queer rep was amazing, with one asexual female lead and one gay male lead. Witches have always fascinated me, but it was first time reading about the mayakari of Ancient India. This book is very plot-heavy, and leans toward the intricacies of the monarchy’s court politics. Told in two alternating, very slow-paced POVs, we ultimately see the story come together in the most beautiful way (absolutely worth it!).
I loved how this book doesn’t incline towards the romantasy genre, but is rather a high fantasy novel that discusses abuse, genocide, and the intergenerational trauma of ethnic cleansing. It focuses on the characters’ wrath, the yearning for freedom, and highlights that resistance is born from oppression and unlawful persecution. Additionally, the mayakari’s magic system was very interesting! I’m still looking forward to where the story is headed and the pacing was very slow which is why I understood why some readers might not have liked it. Thanks again to the lovely publisher for the complimentary copy!
First of all, compliments on the beautifully-illustrated cover! It intrigued me so much because the meaning behind it will never be understood unless you read it. I’m so excited that this is a trilogy! It was my very first south Asian fantasy ever, so the folkloric elements that played into the world-building and structure of the story were fresh and unique. Not only that but the queer rep was amazing, with one asexual female lead and one gay male lead. Witches have always fascinated me, but it was first time reading about the mayakari of Ancient India. This book is very plot-heavy, and leans toward the intricacies of the monarchy’s court politics. Told in two alternating, very slow-paced POVs, we ultimately see the story come together in the most beautiful way (absolutely worth it!).
I loved how this book doesn’t incline towards the romantasy genre, but is rather a high fantasy novel that discusses abuse, genocide, and the intergenerational trauma of ethnic cleansing. It focuses on the characters’ wrath, the yearning for freedom, and highlights that resistance is born from oppression and unlawful persecution. Additionally, the mayakari’s magic system was very interesting! I’m still looking forward to where the story is headed and the pacing was very slow which is why I understood why some readers might not have liked it. Thanks again to the lovely publisher for the complimentary copy!
May 9, 2025
The narrative is divided into alternating chapters of Shakti and of Prince Ashoka. Shakti is a mayakari (witch) in hiding seeking vengeance for the burning of her village. Prince Ashoka Maurya is a pacifist and a mayakari sympathizer, the son of the man responsible for the ruthless persecution and execution of the mayakari throughout the empire, Emperor Adil Maurya.
There is little to no romance, and the plot is centered around the main conflict of the murders of the mayakari, and the events leading to Shakti and Ashoka's discovery of power and its price.
I'm intrigued that this was inspired by Ancient India's Mauryan dynasty. I always am appreciative of fiction, including fantasy, in a historical setting (similar to The Familiar), it's often a fun way to learn a little bit about history which leads me to dig a little deeper into the subject. Not so coincidentally, the male MC shares the name of Ashoka the Great, who is widely considered as one of the greatest rulers in Ancient Indian history.
The title can be a bit confusing taken out of context, but somewhere in the text it was noted that "Ashoka" which is the male MC's name (who is a prince) literally means "without sorrow."
I'd really like to see where this goes, so I'm quite sure I will be continuing with the series!
TW: fire/burning, violence, murder, blood, graphic
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review!
There is little to no romance, and the plot is centered around the main conflict of the murders of the mayakari, and the events leading to Shakti and Ashoka's discovery of power and its price.
I'm intrigued that this was inspired by Ancient India's Mauryan dynasty. I always am appreciative of fiction, including fantasy, in a historical setting (similar to The Familiar), it's often a fun way to learn a little bit about history which leads me to dig a little deeper into the subject. Not so coincidentally, the male MC shares the name of Ashoka the Great, who is widely considered as one of the greatest rulers in Ancient Indian history.
The title can be a bit confusing taken out of context, but somewhere in the text it was noted that "Ashoka" which is the male MC's name (who is a prince) literally means "without sorrow."
I'd really like to see where this goes, so I'm quite sure I will be continuing with the series!
TW: fire/burning, violence, murder, blood, graphic
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review!
March 8, 2025
I think this had the potential to be a really interesting and complex start to an epic fantasy, but was ultimately underdeveloped. It has an interesting mythology, particularly the Great Spirits. I liked the exploration into imperialism and rebellion. It also has an interesting cast of characters. Ashoka was a great example of going against a legacy, while Shakti reveals how consuming revenge can be. Neither of them have any coherent plans, which was entertaining to read about but slightly disappointing.
While I did enjoy this book, I’ve really struggled to review it. I just found the writing to be quite clumpy. Parts of the book were very strong and intriguing; some were underdeveloped and lacked intensity. Certain aspects were solved a little too quickly, and characterisation felt rushed at times. The dialogue also had the same problem, which especially affected the natural flow of the conversation. Personally, it could have just done with more refinement in terms of pacing and larger impact.
Thank you to the publisher for my arc. All thoughts are my own.
Publishes; 27th March
While I did enjoy this book, I’ve really struggled to review it. I just found the writing to be quite clumpy. Parts of the book were very strong and intriguing; some were underdeveloped and lacked intensity. Certain aspects were solved a little too quickly, and characterisation felt rushed at times. The dialogue also had the same problem, which especially affected the natural flow of the conversation. Personally, it could have just done with more refinement in terms of pacing and larger impact.
Thank you to the publisher for my arc. All thoughts are my own.
Publishes; 27th March
March 31, 2025
2025 reads: 70/300
i received a digital review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
prince ashoka is the youngest son of the tyrannical emperor adil maurya, who has considered his son an outcast due to his rather pacifistic views. when the emperor suddenly dies, ashoka is sent to govern an annexed region terrorized by nature spirits. many believe he is doomed to fail, and ashoka has to work hard against becoming his father throughout this assignment.
shakti is a mayakari bound by a pacifist code, though she won’t let this stop her from getting revenge for the annihilation of her people at the emperor’s hands. she sets out to disguise herself as a maid and dismantle the monarchy by having the royals ruin each other.
i requested this after seeing so many people talking about it and being intrigued by the plot, and i’m so glad i did! this was such a cool fantasy dealing with themes of genocide, power, and revenge. i loved our main characters so much. as they had separate storylines, they didn’t interact much, and i thought that choice made sense for the book. overall, this was such a captivating book. i’m looking forward to the sequel!
i received a digital review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
prince ashoka is the youngest son of the tyrannical emperor adil maurya, who has considered his son an outcast due to his rather pacifistic views. when the emperor suddenly dies, ashoka is sent to govern an annexed region terrorized by nature spirits. many believe he is doomed to fail, and ashoka has to work hard against becoming his father throughout this assignment.
shakti is a mayakari bound by a pacifist code, though she won’t let this stop her from getting revenge for the annihilation of her people at the emperor’s hands. she sets out to disguise herself as a maid and dismantle the monarchy by having the royals ruin each other.
i requested this after seeing so many people talking about it and being intrigued by the plot, and i’m so glad i did! this was such a cool fantasy dealing with themes of genocide, power, and revenge. i loved our main characters so much. as they had separate storylines, they didn’t interact much, and i thought that choice made sense for the book. overall, this was such a captivating book. i’m looking forward to the sequel!
November 17, 2025
This was unfortunately a tough read to get into, but I really want to be fair in my judgement. The mythical creatures and spirits are interesting, as is the magic system and use of dreams for manipulation. However, the summary you can read is basically the majority of the novel? This story somehow manages to have a lot happen while coming off as meandering so slowly. There are truly important points trying to made, such as themes of grappling with pacifism vs taking a life in order to save many, but overall it fell flat in execution for me. As an aside, this is tagged so erroneously as a romance / romantasy. No way is this a romance - it’s just longing and suppressed feelings.
March 8, 2025
I know this was an ARC but come on where were the proof readers?
The world of the Ran Empire was such an exciting idea, based on Ancient India, I jumped straight in. Normally I don't like prologues but this drew me in and slowly I began to realise that my favourite character was the one that died day dot (SPOILER but this is also chapter one so...)
My main problems, other than the editing, was lack of thought beside the setting. Coming out of it can I really tell you what this book was about?
The story has two POVs that sound so intriguing side by side but end up being so similar it's boring. They have the same ideals and despite first being pacifists choose more violent means and for what? Where was the lesson? Where was the motivation? Sure the Prince wanted things but we never knew why, like his daddy issues play into it but it didn't feel fleshed out.
The writing was strange on a line level, other reviews highlighted this better than I can but it was weird.
I did like the witches but again found the lack of real human response odd. Okay their pacifists, but all of them? Seriously?
A book I hoped had all the vibes and fell short. Though I did like the hinting romance for the prince, I hope it works out for him in the future.
Also the language is so funny. Big words for no extra effect like half the characters would no way say these things? It was just unrealistic.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC
The world of the Ran Empire was such an exciting idea, based on Ancient India, I jumped straight in. Normally I don't like prologues but this drew me in and slowly I began to realise that my favourite character was the one that died day dot (SPOILER but this is also chapter one so...)
My main problems, other than the editing, was lack of thought beside the setting. Coming out of it can I really tell you what this book was about?
The story has two POVs that sound so intriguing side by side but end up being so similar it's boring. They have the same ideals and despite first being pacifists choose more violent means and for what? Where was the lesson? Where was the motivation? Sure the Prince wanted things but we never knew why, like his daddy issues play into it but it didn't feel fleshed out.
The writing was strange on a line level, other reviews highlighted this better than I can but it was weird.
I did like the witches but again found the lack of real human response odd. Okay their pacifists, but all of them? Seriously?
A book I hoped had all the vibes and fell short. Though I did like the hinting romance for the prince, I hope it works out for him in the future.
Also the language is so funny. Big words for no extra effect like half the characters would no way say these things? It was just unrealistic.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC
May 11, 2025
I WANT MORE ! This is a good introduction to a series. I'm really curious to see the choices the characters make going forward.
April 4, 2025
Review to come! 🔥
(FINAL REVIEW:)
This was a great fantasy inspired by the Maurya Empire of Ancient India. I loved the court politics, the two differing POVs, and the underlying message of taking care of the nature that we have. While there a few things that I had some lingering questions about, I still enjoyed the characters and the world Wijesekara built. 🌿
The story follows Shakti, a mayakari/nature witch, who is more driven by her need for vengeance than following the edicts of her people; and Ashoka, the youngest pacifist prince who struggles with his fury over being belittled by his violent family for his beliefs and morals. I really enjoyed the contrasting personalities these two had compared to their upbringings. I really liked Shakti’s desire to let her violent tendencies speak for her and how she evolves over the course of the plot. The one thing that kind of confused me about her was why her aunt determined Shakti was unfit to learn the ways of mayakari even though she is one of them. 🗡️
I will have to admit that Ashoka was my favorite of the two. His contrasting views compared to that of his father and older siblings created for a fascinating family dynamic and at times it reminded me of the family dynamic of Ali, Muntadhir, and Zaynab but if they had not had the loving relationship that their mother, Hatset, had cultivated for them. I loved his determination to remain as far as possible away from his father’s violent disposition while still hoping to convince his family to take the least violent route to solve problems. I loved his pining for Rahil and how these two formed a lasting bond despite their positions. 🐍
As much as I loved the plot and the way that Wijesekara took the reader on so many twists and turns, I was rather left with some lingering confusion as to how the mayakari came to have their powers and really understand their persecution other than through systematic persecution by the Ran Empire. I’m hoping that this will be further explained in the upcoming sequel so I’m super intrigued now! 🧐
All in all, I had a great time with this and would definitely recommend this to those who miss the dynamics of Ali and Nahri but without the underlying romance and thought, this would do great in an Ancient Indian inspired world. Thank you goes to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review (and for waiting for me to post this review a week late due to my international move), and to the author, Wijesekara, for crafting such an interesting world and group of characters! ❤️
Publication date: March 18 so go look for it at bookstores!
Overall: 4/5 ⭐️
(FINAL REVIEW:)
This was a great fantasy inspired by the Maurya Empire of Ancient India. I loved the court politics, the two differing POVs, and the underlying message of taking care of the nature that we have. While there a few things that I had some lingering questions about, I still enjoyed the characters and the world Wijesekara built. 🌿
The story follows Shakti, a mayakari/nature witch, who is more driven by her need for vengeance than following the edicts of her people; and Ashoka, the youngest pacifist prince who struggles with his fury over being belittled by his violent family for his beliefs and morals. I really enjoyed the contrasting personalities these two had compared to their upbringings. I really liked Shakti’s desire to let her violent tendencies speak for her and how she evolves over the course of the plot. The one thing that kind of confused me about her was why her aunt determined Shakti was unfit to learn the ways of mayakari even though she is one of them. 🗡️
I will have to admit that Ashoka was my favorite of the two. His contrasting views compared to that of his father and older siblings created for a fascinating family dynamic and at times it reminded me of the family dynamic of Ali, Muntadhir, and Zaynab but if they had not had the loving relationship that their mother, Hatset, had cultivated for them. I loved his determination to remain as far as possible away from his father’s violent disposition while still hoping to convince his family to take the least violent route to solve problems. I loved his pining for Rahil and how these two formed a lasting bond despite their positions. 🐍
As much as I loved the plot and the way that Wijesekara took the reader on so many twists and turns, I was rather left with some lingering confusion as to how the mayakari came to have their powers and really understand their persecution other than through systematic persecution by the Ran Empire. I’m hoping that this will be further explained in the upcoming sequel so I’m super intrigued now! 🧐
All in all, I had a great time with this and would definitely recommend this to those who miss the dynamics of Ali and Nahri but without the underlying romance and thought, this would do great in an Ancient Indian inspired world. Thank you goes to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review (and for waiting for me to post this review a week late due to my international move), and to the author, Wijesekara, for crafting such an interesting world and group of characters! ❤️
Publication date: March 18 so go look for it at bookstores!
Overall: 4/5 ⭐️
March 28, 2025
4.5/5, rounded up because this was a really strong debut!
This book was a delight to read--it scratches the epic-fantasy-feeling itch, but clocks in at under 400 pages, making it far more manageable (and less vulnerable to narrative bloat). It is full of political scheming, yet the narrative is truly a character-driven one, spurred forward by two sharply contrasting characters who both want the same result and must grapple with how far they are willing to compromise their values to reach that goal. At the heart of the story are classic questions like the cost of revolution and the necessity of violence, but reframed through a world and magic system that incorporate Buddhist concepts like karma, an intriguing phenomenon involving a collective consciousness of long-dead souls, and the mayakari code that forbids violence despite their ability to curse. The nature spirits also lend an environmentalist slant to the story, which I appreciated. And, for those who just want more cool magical creatures, this world has winged serpents and giant leopards, which are pretty darn amazing.
I will say, there were quite a few places where the prose was just a tad awkward--where I could tell what a sentence was going for, but the way it was worded didn't make grammatical sense or conveyed something that didn't match what was seemingly intended. This isn't a slight on the author (this was totally on the editors), and for some, it may not be an issue at all, but for me, it was jarring every time it happened, especially because I was otherwise thoroughly engrossed!
The only other thing I wanted to point out, since y'all know I love some ace rep, is that based on one specific paragraph, Shakti seems to be written as aromantic (and likely also ace). I sincerely hope that she remains this way throughout the series and doesn't get subjected to the trap of "she's never felt romantic attraction...until she [meets the right person/heals from trauma/other problematic ace stereotype]," because (a) it's honestly refreshing to read a story where you can be confident that romance isn't going to derail the revenge plot, and (b) I'm too busy caring about Ashoka's feelings for Rahil to get invested in (and possibly hurt by) a SECOND potential relationship in this series.
All told, this was a very strong series starter, and with the huge revelations in the final few pages, I can't wait to see where the story goes in book two!
This book was a delight to read--it scratches the epic-fantasy-feeling itch, but clocks in at under 400 pages, making it far more manageable (and less vulnerable to narrative bloat). It is full of political scheming, yet the narrative is truly a character-driven one, spurred forward by two sharply contrasting characters who both want the same result and must grapple with how far they are willing to compromise their values to reach that goal. At the heart of the story are classic questions like the cost of revolution and the necessity of violence, but reframed through a world and magic system that incorporate Buddhist concepts like karma, an intriguing phenomenon involving a collective consciousness of long-dead souls, and the mayakari code that forbids violence despite their ability to curse. The nature spirits also lend an environmentalist slant to the story, which I appreciated. And, for those who just want more cool magical creatures, this world has winged serpents and giant leopards, which are pretty darn amazing.
I will say, there were quite a few places where the prose was just a tad awkward--where I could tell what a sentence was going for, but the way it was worded didn't make grammatical sense or conveyed something that didn't match what was seemingly intended. This isn't a slight on the author (this was totally on the editors), and for some, it may not be an issue at all, but for me, it was jarring every time it happened, especially because I was otherwise thoroughly engrossed!
The only other thing I wanted to point out, since y'all know I love some ace rep, is that based on one specific paragraph, Shakti seems to be written as aromantic (and likely also ace). I sincerely hope that she remains this way throughout the series and doesn't get subjected to the trap of "she's never felt romantic attraction...until she [meets the right person/heals from trauma/other problematic ace stereotype]," because (a) it's honestly refreshing to read a story where you can be confident that romance isn't going to derail the revenge plot, and (b) I'm too busy caring about Ashoka's feelings for Rahil to get invested in (and possibly hurt by) a SECOND potential relationship in this series.
All told, this was a very strong series starter, and with the huge revelations in the final few pages, I can't wait to see where the story goes in book two!
July 28, 2025
The curse of all political fantasy books is a slow start. I have a feeling this is going to be an amazing series, but this first book was a lot of build up that really got good right at the end. Excited to see where this one goes.
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