Knight, Heir, Prince

Of Crowns and Glory #3

by Morgan Rice

“Morgan Rice has come up with what promises to be another brilliant series, immersing us in a fantasy of valor, honor, courage, magic and faith in your destiny. Morgan has managed again to produce a strong set of characters that make us cheer for them on every page.…Recommended for the permanent library of all readers that love a well-written fantasy.” --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (regarding Rise of the Dragons) KNIGHT, HEIR, PRINCE is book #3 in Morgan Rice’s bestselling epic fantasy series OF CROWNS AND GLORY, which begins with SLAVE, WARRIOR, QUEEN (Book #1). 17 year old Ceres, a beautiful, poor girl from the Empire city of Delos, finds herself alone at sea, drifting towards the mythic Isle Beyond the Mist—and towards the mother she never met. She is ready to complete her training, to finally understand her power, and to become the warrior she was meant to be. But will her mother be there to greet her? Will she teach her all she needs to know? And will she reveal all of the secret of Ceres’ identity? In Delos, Thanos, thinking Ceres is dead, finds himself wedded to Stephania, and immersed deeper in a court he cannot escape from and in a family he hates. He also finds himself in the midst of the erupting Revolution, which culminates in a daring attack on the Stade. As the one person who can stop—or aid—it, he will have to choose whether to put his own life at risk. With the kingdom collapsing, foes moving in on all sides, and assassination attempts abounding at court, Thanos cannot know who to trust. He is stuck in a game of pawns and kings, of traitors and queens, and it may be Ceres, after all, who is destined to change it all. Yet after a series of tragic misunderstandings, the romance that seemed fated may just slip away from both of their fingertips. KNIGHT, HEIR, PRINCE tells an epic tale of tragic love, vengeance, betrayal, ambition, and destiny. Filled with unforgettable characters and heart-pounding action, it transports us into a world we will never forget, and makes us fall in love with fantasy all over again. “An action packed fantasy sure to please fans of Morgan Rice’s previous novels, along with fans of works such as The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini…. Fans of Young Adult Fiction will devour this latest work by Rice and beg for more.” --The Wanderer, A Literary Journal (regarding Rise of the Dragons) Book #4 in OF CROWNS AND GLORY will be released soon!

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Magic, Fiction, Ebooks, Audiobook

166 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 17, 2016

About the author

Morgan Rice is the #1 bestselling and USA Today bestselling author of the epic fantasy series THE SORCERER’S RING, comprising seventeen books; of the #1 bestselling series THE VAMPIRE JOURNALS, comprising twelve books; of the #1 bestselling series THE SURVIVAL TRILOGY, a post-apocalyptic thriller comprising three books; of the epic fantasy series KINGS AND SORCERERS, comprising six books; of the epic fantasy series OF CROWNS AND GLORY, comprising 8 books; of the new epic fantasy series A THRONE FOR SISTERS, comprising eight books (and counting); and of the new science fiction series THE INVASION CHRONICLES. Morgan’s books are available in audio and print editions, and translations are available in over 25 languages.

TURNED (Book #1 in the Vampire Journals), ARENA ONE (Book #1 of the Survival Trilogy), A QUEST OF HEROES (Book #1 in the Sorcerer’s Ring) and RISE OF THE DRAGONS (Kings and Sorcerers—Book #1) are each available as free downloads!

Morgan loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.morganricebooks.com to join the email list, receive a free book, receive free giveaways, download the free app, get the latest exclusive news, connect on Facebook and Twitter, and stay in touch!

Reviews

[♥ℂĦℝΪՖƬΪℕÅ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Down with the Empire! ★'s

“I fought in the Shade. I was cast out by the Empire. I survived the prison ships. And yes, I killed that many men, but only because I will not let the Empire control my life any longer.”

Buddy read with Nancy :)

*Some spoilers may insue.*

As far as I can tell most readers thought Knight, Heir, Prince was not as good as the first two installments in this series. I would disagree, although I did find it enjoyable it was only slightly better. Because truthfully it's still riddled with ALL. THE. SAME PROBLEMS. Such as the storyline, the world-building, and again... the characters all basically, say the same. Where is the development??? Every time I think the plot is moving forward, in the end, it always takes three steps back and the characters haven't grown in 3 books. I think its time I face the facts that this is the best it's ever gonna get so that way I'm not disappointed after each one I read. Anyways Morgan Rice doesn't even take her time with any aspect of this story. Everything. I mean everything is so fast-paced that many details are just overlooked and the timing just doesn't add up. The fact that the heroine masters the fighting ways of the forest folk in just a few days or how she learns to control her power within a days time... It's just soooo unbelievable and it's really frustrating. Another thing that bothers me is when Ceres finally meets her biological mother and it's over just as quickly as it started :/ Seriously this should have had a much bigger impact or at least an emotion one yet nothing gets acknowledged!! I was really expecting more with this part. The ending though expected was one of my favorite parts. Just seeing Stephania lose everything so dear to her for once made my night ;) She deserves so much worse for all of the terrible things she does.

Again... even with all of its problems I still enjoyed it just enough that it has me curious as to what's gonna happen next and after that ending, I have a new found hope for my ship! So I guess its time to check out Rebel, Pawn, King book #4.

“It's about more than the sword. It's about the hand that wields it. Any army is like a blade. You can make it as big as you want, but without a core of good steel, it will break the first time you test it.”

[✨faith✨trust✨pixiedust✨ Dead Account; Not Coming Back · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, most of my thoughts from the previous book—Rogue, Warrior, Princess—still remains true with this one. The only things of particular note is that this felt like it was going to be a solid resolution up until the very end, which I suppose is okay, considering there are 8 books in this series. Other than that, I just want to point out how Stephania got an entirely unexpected but appreciated subtle character arc and I’m fully here for it. She’s still recognizably the same person, she’s just had a change of goals. I really liked it. I’m excited to see where her character goes in later books.

[J Jahir · Rating 4 out of 5]

dios. tercer libro y las cosas se vienen a poner intensas. la trama va despegando de una manera que no te esperas. complicaciones al máximo, y esa manera de terminarse el libro, como es costumbre, hace que quieras tomar el siguiente de inmediato.
¿Qué más se viene?
cómo saldrán Ceres y Thanos de esta? absolutas ganas de continuar. y terminado en un día por cierto. es la ventaja, son libros ligeros pero pasan muchas cosas.

[Wonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still absolutely loving this series, even if this one was a tad slower and more predictable than the last! Oh Stephania and Thanos...That ending! Seriously, love these characters!!

[Kaza · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh... I did not like that book. I skipped over some of the multiple points of view because they were getting annoying and didn't add a lot to the story.

The story got seriously messed up at the end. Theos finds out Ceres is alive. He also finds out what kind of person his wife is and the role she played in Ceres and his own attempted murder. As a result he leaves her for dead even after saying he loves her and the fact he found it hard to leave because he does still want to be with her. Basically he feels he can't trust her (which is totally justified). HOWEVER, he knows she is pregnant and he still loves her anyway despite everything and would have stayed with if he could trust her (so he would have chosen her over Ceres if she was a decent person, which is fair enough). Instead, he is running back to Ceres.

END of the day he should have stayed with his pregnant wife. I REALLY didn't like her but he loved her and wanted to stay with her even after everything. She also was trying to change. Ceres deserves better and his wife deserved better (despite what a horrible person she is).

[Judi Easley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here's hoping that book three is a little bit better about character development...

No. No such luck. In fact, I felt that in this, the third book of the series the author had her characters sort of stumbling around. Some things are certain, though, I have noticed. Thanos will escape to fight another day. Ceres will not actually die. And Lucious will run away and blame it all on the other guy. These three things do tie the whole series together. I have no idea where the story is headed next, but I've pre-ordered the next book, which Is due out in January. Hopefully, that will end the series with all the loose ends tied up.

I purchased this ebook from Amazon and this is an honest review. I am not being compensated in any way. All opinions are fully my own.
~ Judi E. Easley

[Avid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Morgan Rice & fellow readers,

(Morgan)
I tested the waters with your 1st book even though I am not a fan of this genre in general but went out of my zone with much time to fill lately. You left me with a cliffhanger on the 1st book and I pursued the 2nd hoping to find out a conclusion only to get sucked in deeper. With the rebellion at its precipice now and the key figures all at a point of possible death or who knows.... I know I will be grabbing your next book to find out what happened. My only wish would have been to have you put it all in one long book like the Harry Potter books so I don't have to wait & keep going back to the store! My favorite was your first book so far. The last two have felt rather truncated & honestly with all the choices of books available, quite expensive for how short the novel is. After finishing the last book I read some of the comments from others and apparently I am not the only one that has felt this. (Constructive criticism)

Readers- another action filled book. Betrayal, battles, mysteries, mysteries revealed, love, heartbreak, a kingdom in peril, families torn apart, greed, heroism,.... & much, much more. I will caution again there is no conclusion as this is a series so keep this in mind if you are considering purchasing this book. 👍 Enjoy. AR

[Liz Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

The legitimate heir is a royal sadist; the illegitimate older son is torn by love. And Stephania is something else.

[Dick Strange · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not impressed

It seem as though the story get shorter every book one gets in this seriers it would be good to get some value with a little more reading instead we are asked to pay more for each volume that follows. No thank yoy

[Antoinette Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

(No sah) that's a Jamaican saying one woman a go through so much things.

Morgan Rice I like this Erie's but it a get too drawn out now and too much people a dead.

She has been through too much and 3 more books leave no man what is going to be left when the series end.

[Julez · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT
I was disappointed that Thanos went on the boat and not Stephania. He also changed his mind and picked the worst place to go. Overall, the book was great!

[Veronique Varchi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Il terzo libro non è molto diverso dai due che lo hanno preceduto, la trama ha i suoi alti e bassi ma soprattutto è un susseguirsi di incontri e separazioni, di catture e liberazioni. Che palle.
La nostra eroina s'è rivelata essere l'ultima discendente degli Antichi, razza di immortali dai grandi poteri... ma guarda un po'.
Nei fantasy, i personaggi femminili se non hanno grandi poteri non sono niente.
Vogliamo parlare del protagonista? il principe Thanos è talmente idealizzato da risultare incoerente con il ruolo che gli è stato riservato. In poche parole, sembra un pesce piccolo in una vasca di squali.
Coraggioso, onesto e integerrimo fino alla nausea (o quasi), ha la stessa intelligenza e ingenuità di un Ned Stark appena arrivato a King's Landing (chi ha letto Games of Throne sa a cosa mi riferisco); ma a differenza di Ned Stark, il nostro principe è invece nato e cresciuto nel palazzo reale, all'ombra di quei sovrani crudeli e dei suoi "cugini" altrettanto spietati, circondato dalla schiera di nobili baciaculo che si venderebbero pure un parente solo per interesse, per cui "dovrebbe" essere già avvezzo alla corruzione e alla falsità delle persone che vivono o frequentano il palazzo.
Dopo vent'anni di convivenza sotto lo stesso tetto, una persona sana di mente saprebbe come comportarsi, come tenere un basso profilo o mascherare la sua vera indole, ma Thanos no, non solo non sa tenere a freno il suo disprezzo e sdegno ma pare non abbia imparato due lezioni fondamentali: "trust no one" and "keep your enemies and your secrets close". Due concetti da tenere fermamente a mente in condizioni normali, ancora di più se pianifichi di rovesciare tutto il sistema. È talmente poco avvezzo ad agire di nascosto che gli riescono male persino i sotterfugi.
Thanos commette delle ingenuità che ad un personaggio qualunque sarebbero costate la vita prima di subito, invece a lui non accade niente semplicemente perché è il protagonista, personaggio che deve restare in vita fino all'ultimo perchè sennò la saga non ha senso.
Ma va a .....

[books_with_sass · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Of Crowns and Glory saga. I read this as an ebook while I was walking on the treadmill at the gym. It went by so fast!! Before I had any idea, I was done with this one. The version I read actually includes #3 and #4, so I had no clue that I was so close to the end of this book. There was so much going on, all kinds of action and surprises. Ceres is trying to get back to Delos, the Rebellion is trying to make some kind of progress, and Thanos has to move on with his life while thinking that Ceres was dead. The different points of view were spaced well, and wasn't confusing at all, which can happen sometimes in books with multiple characters narrating. The storyline moved forward all the time, there were no stagnating lulls in the plot and story. It was paced well and wasn't overwhelming at all. I don't want to give any spoilers, so just know that there may be points where you say "NO!" or "what the..." but it's all for the best and will feed the story well.

All in all, this is a great addition to the ongoing saga of Ceres and Thanos. If you read the first two because you found them for free somewhere (like me!) and aren't sure about purchasing the next books, DO IT! These stories are so well told. There is wonderful description and great world building. If you enjoy a strong female protagonist, action and drama, and a bit of supernatural suspense, then you will love this series. Go for it!

[美津子 Mitsuko Mitsi 佐々木 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

La trama va desarrollándose, aunque lentamente. Y aquí en este libro vemos los puntos de vista más a fonde de Lucios y Estefanía, unos personajes que a mí no me gustan y no puedo empatizar.

Los puntos de vista narrados por la rebelión, fueron los más interesantes y mejor logrados. Aunque los capítulos de Ceres fueron muy buenos y nos van revelando poco a poco los misterios de su pasado, aún faltan más por revelar pero va bien respecto a ella.

La trama que va con Thanos es bastante dramática, no en el mal sentido, pero te plantean todos los dilemas del personaje, respecto a su pasado, los secretos que va descubriendo, la debilidad de un desamor, un cariño/amor que va desarrollando y su lealtad al pueblo.

El final tiene un plot twist/giro argumental que honestamente yo no lo veía venir y si me dejó muy intrigada para continuar la historia.

Siendo honesta en esta entrega hubo varias partes que si me tenía perdida y/o un poco confusa o aburrida, pero había otras partes que si fueron bastante entretenidas e interesantes, sobre todo el factor "estresante" de querer anticipar cierto suceso y que al final te dan ese giro de drama.

Los personajes se van desarrollando, poco a poco, pues ya vemos el punto de vista de muchos personajes, así que el ritmo de la trama, narrativa y desarrollo, en mi opinión y gusto personal van bien.

Así que en conclusión, lo recomiendo, es un poco lento y confuso, pero el final vale la pena, ya que es tan abierto que solo quieres seguir con el siguiente.

[Exuline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Une écoute plaisante pour une série qui ne casse pas trois briques et un canard, mais qui est toujours divertissante.
Je note tout de même que le tout est assez prévisible même si cela ne semble pas être le cas pour les personnages.
Cerès va enfin connaitre la vérité sur sa mère, et j'ai été frustrée, que ce passage soit démuni d'une certaine émotion et que tout soit aussi vite terminé que cela a commencé. Cerès va donc faire de petits tours de barques, a droite à gauche, monter à cheval, faire valoir ses pouvoirs qu'elles commencent à maitriser et essayer de mettre la pâté au grand méchant de l'arène qui refait son apparition. Loin des tremblements qu'auraient pu traverser mon corps, je n'ai pas été séduite par ces détails et par les vicissitudes de Cères.
En revanche j'ai beaucoup plus apprécié la partie Thanos et Stéphania. Les masques vont tomber, ils vont s'aimer, se trahir, se détester. Ce sont les personnages pour lesquels j'ai eu le plus d'empathie.
Cette série est assez simple à reprendre malgré le temps qui passe entre deux écoutes, c'est une série que je continue volontiers sans en attendre grand chose.

[Scarleth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este libro se puso más intenso que los dos anteriores, por una parte tenemos a Ceres, cada día más poderosa y madura, explorando sus dotes de liderazgo; mientras que en Delos tenemos a Thanos, recién casado y feliz (aunque cueste creerlo) con Estefanía.

A decir verdad, en este libro y en el anterior, Thanos me ha parecido muy impulsivo, razona poco las cosas y por ende tiende a ser descubierto en situaciones que a él le encantaría mantener en secreto. En este sentido, Estefanía es mucho más hábil y sigilosa, sabe moverse entre las redes de contactos y trazar estrategias para actuar. Sin embargo, el personaje que -a pesar de no agradarme nada- me demuestra su evolución es Lucio, pues ya casi al final de este libro consigue ser paciente e idear un plan -que resulta ser muy conveniente-, con el cual, hasta lo que se nos deja ver estaría derrotando a la Rebelión y a nuestros protagonistas.

Solo espero que Sartes siga con vida :(
Hasta aquí mi reseña, pronto estaré leyendo el siguiente.

[Darth BookLover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mejorando la trama de esta historia de fantasía de guerras y batallas. Mucho menos paja que su predecesor y eso se agradece. Conforme se van desarrollando los acontecimientos se pone mucho mejor la cosa para los protagonistas y antagonistas. Un buen final que te hace querer saber más del destino de estos. Por lo que se agradece mucho finalice de esta manera la novela para dejarnos con ganas de saber que sucede en el siguiente y sea una magnífica introducción a lo que vendrá . Sin duda te va atrapando y espero siga así en el cuarto libro. Así que si se sienten como yo en el segundo libro pensando si seguir o no por lo lento que fue; les recomiendo sigan leyendo y lean esta tercera novela. Promete mucho. Veamos qué tal la cuarta. Por lo pronto le do 4/5 estrellas o un 8.9/10 Ya con ganas para el próximo.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ughhh. Do you remember the 90s? Do you remember when you had to watch TV at the specific time a show aired or you missed it? How about when you had to watch TV at the specific time a show aired, and then you reach the end of the episode and it said "to be continued" and you had to wait until the FOLLOWING WEEK to get the conclusion?

THAT is what these books are like. So far I have hit FOUR "non-endings." The books just spiral into one another - one continuous saga broken up into six (?) books. And yet I keep going because they are all available for listening on Hoopla and they are bite-sized chunks - I can get through about a book per day if I try. I just hope that by the end of the sixth book, there is an actual ending.

[Steven Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Morgan Rice is infuriating and I cannot wait to read the next...Ahhhhh!

I enjoyed the read but as with the first two books it is annoying this book feels less of a complete story and more of a chunk from larger story . That said the chunk that we get is awesome, and the author does not pull any punches. The antagonist are filling out for the most part. Ceres nemesis becomes a much deeper antagonist than in the previous two books. I will say that the amount of POV's does slow the story down and makes the pacing a bit jumpy. Morgan Rice will leave you conflicted and annoyed while also eager to read the next book.

[Julie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book by the generosity of the author and though a review was not essential, I always try to write one for all books I read, unless the story /writing is terrible; and I never want to step on dreams.

However, I love this author's work and feel lucky to read this series - thank you.

This installment continues the mystical and harsh life of Ceres, who, with others, battle the evils of the Empire. There are twists and turns, surprises and frustrating decisions /misunderstandings, with villains galore to despise, and heroes attempting to right wrongs.

It is a little short but jam-packed with action, adventure and revelations.

Loved it - and yes, highly recommended.

[Anya Hinnegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I love this series so far.

The fact that with each book starting almost immediately after the previous one is not usually something I enjoy in books but I am liking this series very well.

I like how Morgan Rice is still building up to the rebellion which at some point will turn into a war. I love Thanos and his devotion to knowing the right thing against his "family".

If there are people out there who want some books to read that are full of adventure and heartache 📚📖📚then this is a good series to do so with. Just make sure you have the next book before you finish with the one you start.

[Camilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was in agony during this installment because one of the villains was tied too closely to one of our heroes. I think there will be major repercussions to this particular story line later on down the line, but in the meantime, their story ended as best as it could under the circumstances. (Am I being vague enough? I don't want to give away any spoilers!) But my favorite protagonist has really come a long way and I love that she got to experience some Greek myth-like growth and that there was a sort of reunion taking place. The story is heating up and I can't wait to see where it all goes before the end.

[Tammy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am giving this book only two stars because the Author doesn't just go light on potential important storylines, she all out moves on with almost no information. Um....finding out you are adopted and your mother is likely immortal who lives alone on a misty island and you somehow ended up with a different family that you always thought was yours, may be something you want to spend five minutes on. Also the whole Ceres is dead to what the heck I have grieved for two seconds...and Stephanie is hot now is annoying. I like easy summer reads but sheesh.

[Tanya Livingston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the previous books

I found myself frustrated with this episode. So much was made of the difficult relationship Ceres endured with her mother ; but upon finding out news that changed everything, the emotional impact was barely acknowledged. We should have had more reflection considering how important the mother's role was in Ceres story so far. Also the ease in which someone in love can move on is off putting to the overall story of so called true love and destiny. I didn't quite enjoy this as much as the others BUT still a good read.

[L · Rating 2 out of 5]

Frustrating writing and timeline but I’m already invested in the story and need to see how it ends.
Too much happens in a very short time and gives the feel of a fast paced story. It’s more like the story is rushed. Things that would normally take months or years, Rice has written to take a handful of months. It seems as though events take only a day or two and for a seemingly small city, one half doesn’t know what the other half is doing. Also interesting is how a few people don’t notice the huge army outside.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the story. I do! But it really pains me that there are more tragedy than happiness in the series. Can't there be at least something good happening in their scheming or whatsover? It's like 75% are bad events and the remaining 25% is either good or plain. Yes, yes, maybe it's only me. Yes, yes, the first books build first the characters or something but really? 3rd book? Still tragic? Too depressing for me to continue reading the next books. I hope I can finish the 4th but no promises.

[Adrienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book series is soooo good. Once you finish one book you immediately have to read the next one in the series. I'm not one to read books that are in a series but this series is so captivating. Each book picks up where the previous one left off so it's just a continuation of the storyline. There's action, intrigue, romance, knights, and kingdoms and it keeps you on the edge of your seat. I highly recommend this book series!!

[LauraAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

So Thanos shes been gone 10 minutes...good job buddy. Ugh.
Anyways.... here's my problem with this book. We find out ALOT about Ceres in this book.... but not a lot of explanation.... not happy about that.... not happy at all!!!!!!!
Anyways.... Ceres still cares about the people.... I like that.
More action seems to be taking place.
Lucious is still being ridiculous and blaming everything on everyone else. He is still the spoiled little prince that he is.
And I still really don't like Stephania.
I liked how the rebellion didn't win in this book.... it wasn't cut and dry.... they lost and you don't see an author do that a lot. So Kudos to her for that.

[Greyscotty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot help but compare this series to the disasters that were "Kings & Sorcerers" and "The Sorcerer's Ring." It's almost like they were written and edited by two different authors. OK; there is still the presence of repetitive sentences & phrases but this is streets ahead of those other two. Guess I'll stick with the re-reads.

[Mary E Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captures the imagination

Again MS. Rice weaves a story that captivates. Was so immersed with book 3 read it all in an afternoon! The characters have been woven in such away that keeps you wanting for more. You wait for the time the villain will get his...... Can't wait for book 4!