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The Poisoned Past #1
Oubliette
Lord Jester Lark
President Rohn Evan’s term is in its summer hours, and the war seems far away. Lord Jester Lark’s greatest concern involves finding more time to spend with his lover and their adopted daughter.
Then the ships come. A massive fleet opens fire on Perida Bay, and an ambush lies in wait as Lark races home by starlight.
Verai
He’s a long way from jeweled, cultured Saphir, among scarred soldiers and rough-handed fishermen who mutter about him being a jester’s plaything. But he loves Mark, perhaps too much to leave.
Then the ships come. Verai gathers up little Ellen and rushes to meet his beloved in the safety of the court’s protective custody cells.
Mark never arrives.
Lord Jester Gutter’s vast intrigue did not sunder with his soul. It has taken on a life of its own.
War has come to the Meriduan Islands. It will destroy lives, separate lovers, and change the world forever.
President Rohn Evan’s term is in its summer hours, and the war seems far away. Lord Jester Lark’s greatest concern involves finding more time to spend with his lover and their adopted daughter.
Then the ships come. A massive fleet opens fire on Perida Bay, and an ambush lies in wait as Lark races home by starlight.
Verai
He’s a long way from jeweled, cultured Saphir, among scarred soldiers and rough-handed fishermen who mutter about him being a jester’s plaything. But he loves Mark, perhaps too much to leave.
Then the ships come. Verai gathers up little Ellen and rushes to meet his beloved in the safety of the court’s protective custody cells.
Mark never arrives.
Lord Jester Gutter’s vast intrigue did not sunder with his soul. It has taken on a life of its own.
War has come to the Meriduan Islands. It will destroy lives, separate lovers, and change the world forever.
- GenresFantasyQueerM M Romance
468 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 2, 2015
1 person is currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
E.M. Prazeman
11 books35 followersEM Prazeman came to the United States as a refugee. Her family settled in the Pacific NW after moving frequently across the US, so EM got a lot of practice being the new kid at school. Super shy? Check. Reclusive? You bet.
In third grade, her father suggested she learn an instrument. She picked violin, because harps are expensive (she was frugal-minded, even as a kid) and the piano looked hard. Well, turns out the violin is super-hard, and kids think you're weird (or in her case, it only made her weirder). But, bonus, she learned to love all kinds of music, and her involvement in orchestra and theater led to a love of history. Those things eventually connected her to some incredible people. EM was no longer alone!
For love of history she wanted to learn archery and karate, and joined the SCA. For love of imagination she became part of a community of writers whose accomplishments continue to grow. A lust for knowledge drew her to physics and engineering in college. Then she married and through her husband befriended adventurers, law enforcement officers and soldiers, world travelers, genius intelligence specialists, scientists and many other remarkable people that defy description. Their remarkable lives and warm friendships inspire her.
EM writes fantasy novels, travels, gardens, works a small farm, paints, and loves wine. She's been paragliding and scuba diving, sailing, canoeing, fishing and all kinds of other fun stuff. She's hiked over a hundred miles from the city to the coast on logging roads. She's been to Europe, the tropics, and many places in the US and Canada. Best of all, she continues to live in the Pacific NW with her exceptional husband, author and lecturer Rory Miller, three dogs, eight goats, a flock of chickens, and her beloved children and extended family close by.
In third grade, her father suggested she learn an instrument. She picked violin, because harps are expensive (she was frugal-minded, even as a kid) and the piano looked hard. Well, turns out the violin is super-hard, and kids think you're weird (or in her case, it only made her weirder). But, bonus, she learned to love all kinds of music, and her involvement in orchestra and theater led to a love of history. Those things eventually connected her to some incredible people. EM was no longer alone!
For love of history she wanted to learn archery and karate, and joined the SCA. For love of imagination she became part of a community of writers whose accomplishments continue to grow. A lust for knowledge drew her to physics and engineering in college. Then she married and through her husband befriended adventurers, law enforcement officers and soldiers, world travelers, genius intelligence specialists, scientists and many other remarkable people that defy description. Their remarkable lives and warm friendships inspire her.
EM writes fantasy novels, travels, gardens, works a small farm, paints, and loves wine. She's been paragliding and scuba diving, sailing, canoeing, fishing and all kinds of other fun stuff. She's hiked over a hundred miles from the city to the coast on logging roads. She's been to Europe, the tropics, and many places in the US and Canada. Best of all, she continues to live in the Pacific NW with her exceptional husband, author and lecturer Rory Miller, three dogs, eight goats, a flock of chickens, and her beloved children and extended family close by.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 14, 2017
Wow. I think my heart exploded. Everything hurts. I can't get my hands on Penumbra fast enough!
August 28, 2018
I really enjoyed this book in the Jester series. The writing has continued to improve, and there doesn't seem to be as much as before that could be cut and not be missed. The switching narratives kept me interested beyond what could have been just Mark's story, which I was surprised to find myself liking as much as I did!
I'm not sure how I feel about the ending because it seemed very formulaic to have a lot of build-up through each book and then just at the end there's a tiny bit of resolution that means you have to read the next book.
I was explaining this series (I consider both trilogies to be one series) to my friend, and all that happened to Mark TO JUST THIS POINT and her response was: "I'm tired." I told her so was I, and so was Mark.
I'm not sure how I feel about the ending because it seemed very formulaic to have a lot of build-up through each book and then just at the end there's a tiny bit of resolution that means you have to read the next book.
I was explaining this series (I consider both trilogies to be one series) to my friend, and all that happened to Mark TO JUST THIS POINT and her response was: "I'm tired." I told her so was I, and so was Mark.
August 22, 2015
I knew I’d need to clear my schedule once I found out that Oubliette, the first book in E.M. Prazeman’s new Poisoned Past trilogy, had been released. I knew that if my experience with the previous trilogy (The Lord Jester’s Legacy) was any indication, I wouldn’t be able to put this one down.
As expected, I was sucked in from the start. I started Oubliette on a Saturday evening, and kept going into the wee hours of Sunday, at least six or seven chapters past the point where I’d planned to stop (just one more chapter ... ok, just one more ... one more ... aaaggghhh). I finally had to stop and go to bed, but first thing in the morning I picked it up again and forgot about everything else until I was finished.
This latest book continues on from the events of the first trilogy, and alternates between the POV of Lark, Verai, and Mark. With swordfighting, sex, intrigue, love, politics, imprisonment ... this is a rousing read. There is a definite fantasy element, which I liked, but the story doesn’t fit neatly into one category. The fighting scenes are exciting and realistic, the sex scenes are sexy as hell, and even the political aspect is interesting! This world of jesters and masks is fully realized, with its own customs, rules, languages, governments, etc. We only see fragments here and there, but one gets the sense that this world has been fully imagined in the author’s mind far beyond what we see in the books, much like the universes of Tolkien and J.K. Rowling. I also enjoyed the way in which things were revealed and explained very gradually throughout. There’s so much going on, with people backstabbing and plotting, and just as the characters don’t always know what’s going on, we don’t either. I like the confusion this evokes, and the way it ties me to how the characters themselves are feeling.
I usually read around a hundred books in a given year, but there are only a few I’ll read over and over. This book definitely falls into the “re-read” category!
As expected, I was sucked in from the start. I started Oubliette on a Saturday evening, and kept going into the wee hours of Sunday, at least six or seven chapters past the point where I’d planned to stop (just one more chapter ... ok, just one more ... one more ... aaaggghhh). I finally had to stop and go to bed, but first thing in the morning I picked it up again and forgot about everything else until I was finished.
This latest book continues on from the events of the first trilogy, and alternates between the POV of Lark, Verai, and Mark. With swordfighting, sex, intrigue, love, politics, imprisonment ... this is a rousing read. There is a definite fantasy element, which I liked, but the story doesn’t fit neatly into one category. The fighting scenes are exciting and realistic, the sex scenes are sexy as hell, and even the political aspect is interesting! This world of jesters and masks is fully realized, with its own customs, rules, languages, governments, etc. We only see fragments here and there, but one gets the sense that this world has been fully imagined in the author’s mind far beyond what we see in the books, much like the universes of Tolkien and J.K. Rowling. I also enjoyed the way in which things were revealed and explained very gradually throughout. There’s so much going on, with people backstabbing and plotting, and just as the characters don’t always know what’s going on, we don’t either. I like the confusion this evokes, and the way it ties me to how the characters themselves are feeling.
I usually read around a hundred books in a given year, but there are only a few I’ll read over and over. This book definitely falls into the “re-read” category!
July 3, 2016
pain and hell :')
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews