What do you think?
Rate this book
The Enslaved Chronicles #1
Mage Slave
A warrior prince, an enslaved spy, a plot to draw the world to war.
Crown Prince Aven Lanuken wants something more than a trophy for a future wife. He wants a woman who will be more friend than follower. A queen who will be more warrior than diplomat. He wants a partner he can trust… with a dangerous secret that’s kept him trapped in a dark mountain fortress his entire life.
Mage slave Miara wants something more, too—to find an enemy prince. And not to marry him. She’s just received orders for her very first kidnapping. She loathes the idea of it, and it’s probably a suicide mission. But she has never failed a mission before and doesn't intend to start now.
Of all the women in the world, why does he have to fall for the one trying to kill him?
Magic, politics, love, and fate collide in the destinies of two people in this fantasy adventure from R. K. Thorne. For lovers of swords and sorcery with a side of romance, Mage Slave is the first novel in the Enslaved Chronicles trilogy.
Crown Prince Aven Lanuken wants something more than a trophy for a future wife. He wants a woman who will be more friend than follower. A queen who will be more warrior than diplomat. He wants a partner he can trust… with a dangerous secret that’s kept him trapped in a dark mountain fortress his entire life.
Mage slave Miara wants something more, too—to find an enemy prince. And not to marry him. She’s just received orders for her very first kidnapping. She loathes the idea of it, and it’s probably a suicide mission. But she has never failed a mission before and doesn't intend to start now.
Of all the women in the world, why does he have to fall for the one trying to kill him?
Magic, politics, love, and fate collide in the destinies of two people in this fantasy adventure from R. K. Thorne. For lovers of swords and sorcery with a side of romance, Mage Slave is the first novel in the Enslaved Chronicles trilogy.
10 pages, Audiobook
First published July 29, 2016
1268 people are currently reading
1967 people want to read
About the author
R.K. Thorne
16 books183 followersR. K. Thorne is an independent fantasy and science fiction author whose writing is fueled by her addiction to notebooks, role-playing games, coffee, and red wine.
She has read speculative fiction since before she was probably much too young to be doing so and encourages you to do the same.
She lives in the green hills of Pennsylvania with her family and two gray cats that may or may not pull her chariot in their spare time.
You can sign up for updates on future books by joining her mailing list here: http://www.rkthorne.com/get-updates/
She has read speculative fiction since before she was probably much too young to be doing so and encourages you to do the same.
She lives in the green hills of Pennsylvania with her family and two gray cats that may or may not pull her chariot in their spare time.
You can sign up for updates on future books by joining her mailing list here: http://www.rkthorne.com/get-updates/
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
January 14, 2018
7.5/10
R.K. Thorne's Mage Slave, #1 of The Enslaved Chronicles, is one of Fantasy Book Review's allocated thirty books to judge for the Self Published Fantasy Blog Off and after completing it I can announce that it is one of our semi-finalists.
At the start of the story, we are introduced to the two main Point of View characters. Firstly, Miara who is the titular Mage Slave. She has magical powers but has been branded and therefore has to use her skills as a 'creature mage' to complete missions and objectives given to her by The Dark Master, Daes. She might not agree with the missions but through the hideous never-healing scar the slavers can often control her thoughts and desires, making life sometimes truly unbearable for her and all the branded who are pawns to be used for numerous purposes. She is physically and emotionally unable to decline these missions or to escape. The second character we follow is Prince Aven. He is the heir to the throne of a rival nation although recent years have presented a time of peace. He is a great warrior, has a deft political mind, is loved by his nation, and he likes flowers and nature. The Dark Master summons Miara and assigns her to kidnap the crown prince, hoping that the outcome will lead to a full-blown war between the two once rival nations. Previously all Miara has had to do is spy on nobles and steal important documents so she can't help believing that she is being assigned to a suicide mission. Alas, she cannot object so she ventures out to see if she can complete this seemingly impossible task.
Mage Slave is pretty terrific YA fantasy that is well-written and highly polished. The story instantly presents a high level of professionalism which is sometimes lacking in certain self-published stories. It features a romantic storyline that I enjoyed following. One scene made me go a bit teary. I must have had some dust in my eye... The book seems written to present colour, nature and the elements in a poetic and picturesque manner that encompasses the action. I had a perfect picture of all the scenes so can confirm the worldbuilding is of a high level. The magic system was an aspect I really enjoyed learning about and following. It seemed quite simple initially but it is set up for some really interesting possibilities going forwards as characters become more attuned to their 'type' or more powerful perhaps. Without going into too much detail, there seem to be 3 types of mages. Creature mages, Earth mages and Air mages. Each sort has unique skills and powers. For example, creature mages can become other animals, talk to other animals to ask for help or assistance, communicate via their minds and can heal.
I really liked the two main characters from their initial meeting to travelling as captive and captor but I won't divulge if or how their motives, feelings or relationship changes. Certain unexpected events do happen out there on the road as Miara aims to fulfil her duty. It was never going to be as simple as just escorting him back to Mage Hall as she was advised. The majority of the story takes place travelling between the two nations surrounded by the gorgeousness of nature. However, there are some scenes though that are pretty dark and the language used in these moments reflects that so these moments are heightened by lack of colour or beauty. If kidnapping a Prince wasn't difficult enough though there are a group of Devout Knight Mage-Killers who happen to be stalking the land. Aven's family aren't too happy that he has gone missing and will do all they can to get him back and also there is a certain secret that the Prince has kept since his youth that might influence the story at some point too.
This the first book in what is currently a trilogy although the tale here is pretty much self-contained. It's complete enough as a standalone but is enticing enough to want to see what happens next in this world. It is one that I plan to return to shortly. The finale was emotional, gripping and I was content with the outcome. I don't really have anything negative to say about this book. For fans of complex adult fantasy or readers who dislike romantic storylines then this might not be for you. That being said, I thought the romance was well crafted and believable. A lot more so that some other YA stories I have read whilst judging this competition. This is obviously targeted at the YA market where this book could really succeed. I'd analyse it's aimed more towards females. It already has a pretty large following on Goodreads and I can see why. Mage Slave is a well-crafted fantasy that is beautifully written with interesting characters, a fascinating magic-scheme, and an intriguing romance that seems a lot more real than rom-com. (Well, as real as it can in a world where people can turn into chipmunks!) If this sounds like your sort of book then you'll probably like it. It's not the sort of book I'd normally read but I finished it within 24-hours and honestly found it tough to put down. Recommended. x
R.K. Thorne's Mage Slave, #1 of The Enslaved Chronicles, is one of Fantasy Book Review's allocated thirty books to judge for the Self Published Fantasy Blog Off and after completing it I can announce that it is one of our semi-finalists.
At the start of the story, we are introduced to the two main Point of View characters. Firstly, Miara who is the titular Mage Slave. She has magical powers but has been branded and therefore has to use her skills as a 'creature mage' to complete missions and objectives given to her by The Dark Master, Daes. She might not agree with the missions but through the hideous never-healing scar the slavers can often control her thoughts and desires, making life sometimes truly unbearable for her and all the branded who are pawns to be used for numerous purposes. She is physically and emotionally unable to decline these missions or to escape. The second character we follow is Prince Aven. He is the heir to the throne of a rival nation although recent years have presented a time of peace. He is a great warrior, has a deft political mind, is loved by his nation, and he likes flowers and nature. The Dark Master summons Miara and assigns her to kidnap the crown prince, hoping that the outcome will lead to a full-blown war between the two once rival nations. Previously all Miara has had to do is spy on nobles and steal important documents so she can't help believing that she is being assigned to a suicide mission. Alas, she cannot object so she ventures out to see if she can complete this seemingly impossible task.
Mage Slave is pretty terrific YA fantasy that is well-written and highly polished. The story instantly presents a high level of professionalism which is sometimes lacking in certain self-published stories. It features a romantic storyline that I enjoyed following. One scene made me go a bit teary. I must have had some dust in my eye... The book seems written to present colour, nature and the elements in a poetic and picturesque manner that encompasses the action. I had a perfect picture of all the scenes so can confirm the worldbuilding is of a high level. The magic system was an aspect I really enjoyed learning about and following. It seemed quite simple initially but it is set up for some really interesting possibilities going forwards as characters become more attuned to their 'type' or more powerful perhaps. Without going into too much detail, there seem to be 3 types of mages. Creature mages, Earth mages and Air mages. Each sort has unique skills and powers. For example, creature mages can become other animals, talk to other animals to ask for help or assistance, communicate via their minds and can heal.
I really liked the two main characters from their initial meeting to travelling as captive and captor but I won't divulge if or how their motives, feelings or relationship changes. Certain unexpected events do happen out there on the road as Miara aims to fulfil her duty. It was never going to be as simple as just escorting him back to Mage Hall as she was advised. The majority of the story takes place travelling between the two nations surrounded by the gorgeousness of nature. However, there are some scenes though that are pretty dark and the language used in these moments reflects that so these moments are heightened by lack of colour or beauty. If kidnapping a Prince wasn't difficult enough though there are a group of Devout Knight Mage-Killers who happen to be stalking the land. Aven's family aren't too happy that he has gone missing and will do all they can to get him back and also there is a certain secret that the Prince has kept since his youth that might influence the story at some point too.
This the first book in what is currently a trilogy although the tale here is pretty much self-contained. It's complete enough as a standalone but is enticing enough to want to see what happens next in this world. It is one that I plan to return to shortly. The finale was emotional, gripping and I was content with the outcome. I don't really have anything negative to say about this book. For fans of complex adult fantasy or readers who dislike romantic storylines then this might not be for you. That being said, I thought the romance was well crafted and believable. A lot more so that some other YA stories I have read whilst judging this competition. This is obviously targeted at the YA market where this book could really succeed. I'd analyse it's aimed more towards females. It already has a pretty large following on Goodreads and I can see why. Mage Slave is a well-crafted fantasy that is beautifully written with interesting characters, a fascinating magic-scheme, and an intriguing romance that seems a lot more real than rom-com. (Well, as real as it can in a world where people can turn into chipmunks!) If this sounds like your sort of book then you'll probably like it. It's not the sort of book I'd normally read but I finished it within 24-hours and honestly found it tough to put down. Recommended. x
August 18, 2018
Young adult. Creative use of magic, with heavy emphasis on the implementation of earth and air magic. This is a journey story where love grows along the way. Enjoyable characters, if a bit simplistic in emotional impact.
Book source: Kindle Unlimited.
Book source: Kindle Unlimited.
February 22, 2018
I had a taste for fantasy and grabbed this novel because it had a beautiful cover and an intriguing synopsis.
The story begins with two very different characters.
Miara is a Mage Slave. She has creature magic, meaning that she can turn herself or someone else into a creature. Miara can also communicate with animals and humans too. She has been a slave for a while. The Masters of Kavanar have used a type of air magic to enslave mages. They brand them on the shoulder and a spell keeps them in line. Miara despises them but she's not able to challenge them. She's given her next mission and to her surprise, it involves something much more dangerous. They want her to kidnap the prince Aven Lanuken. She knows this could be very dangerous but she has no way of refusing them.
Prince Aven Lanuken lives in a fortress within a mountain. He loves his parents but he feels like he's missing something. He's also trying to hide a secret but he doesn't know how long he can continue doing so. He's at the right age to marry and he's in search of a queen but so far no one has grabbed his attention. When Miara kidnaps him and he can witness her magic, he's in awe of everything she can do with it. He tries to learn as much as he can of the outside world before she delivers him to his enemies.
I had some issues with the story. First, the dreaded insta-love showed its face. Miara and Aven fall in love pretty much from the moment they meet. Then, there was the problem with the slow-paced action. It was like dragging teeth. I was ready for more fighting and more magic. Only the last third moved much faster. Last, Aven is supposed to be a brutal fighter but on more than one occasion, his skills were lacking.
The things I liked: The magic. We had earth, air, and creature magic. It was cool the way Miara could transform someone else besides herself. She could be anything she wanted to be. Aven had a great disposition. Despite being kidnapped, he tried to look for the good in any situation. He was enjoying the forest and you can tell how happy he was to be outside the fortress. He had good values and he truly wanted to help his people and keep them safe. The Masters were so mean. It was easy to hate them and I wanted nothing more than to see them defeated. I was pleased with the ending and I'm looking forward to reading the next two books. I hope there is more action.
Cliffhanger: No
3/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
The story begins with two very different characters.
Miara is a Mage Slave. She has creature magic, meaning that she can turn herself or someone else into a creature. Miara can also communicate with animals and humans too. She has been a slave for a while. The Masters of Kavanar have used a type of air magic to enslave mages. They brand them on the shoulder and a spell keeps them in line. Miara despises them but she's not able to challenge them. She's given her next mission and to her surprise, it involves something much more dangerous. They want her to kidnap the prince Aven Lanuken. She knows this could be very dangerous but she has no way of refusing them.
Prince Aven Lanuken lives in a fortress within a mountain. He loves his parents but he feels like he's missing something. He's also trying to hide a secret but he doesn't know how long he can continue doing so. He's at the right age to marry and he's in search of a queen but so far no one has grabbed his attention. When Miara kidnaps him and he can witness her magic, he's in awe of everything she can do with it. He tries to learn as much as he can of the outside world before she delivers him to his enemies.
I had some issues with the story. First, the dreaded insta-love showed its face. Miara and Aven fall in love pretty much from the moment they meet. Then, there was the problem with the slow-paced action. It was like dragging teeth. I was ready for more fighting and more magic. Only the last third moved much faster. Last, Aven is supposed to be a brutal fighter but on more than one occasion, his skills were lacking.
The things I liked: The magic. We had earth, air, and creature magic. It was cool the way Miara could transform someone else besides herself. She could be anything she wanted to be. Aven had a great disposition. Despite being kidnapped, he tried to look for the good in any situation. He was enjoying the forest and you can tell how happy he was to be outside the fortress. He had good values and he truly wanted to help his people and keep them safe. The Masters were so mean. It was easy to hate them and I wanted nothing more than to see them defeated. I was pleased with the ending and I'm looking forward to reading the next two books. I hope there is more action.
Cliffhanger: No
3/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
November 14, 2016
This was a fast paced and action packed fantasy novel. I really enjoyed the characters and the storyline was quite creative. Which is pretty rare in this genre. I also appreciate this being offered as a kindleunlimited. I'll continue on with this series.
August 4, 2025
This was a solid YA fantasy. It had a bit of action, intrigue, romance, and plenty of cool magic. It also had a couple of lead characters that were likeable and pretty easy to root for.
The premise was really fun. It was a reverse abduction tale with the FMC abducting the MMC. I love a good trope reversal! Miara, a mage slave, had been given her most dangerous mission yet. She had to travel to a rival Kingdom and abduct their Prince. She feels it is a suicide mission for sure but is compelled to obey whether she wants to or not! The Prince in question is Aven Lanuken. Aven’s day goes from bad to worse when a potential bride learns he might be a secret mage and that is followed up by being abducted while he is trying to relax on his favourite balcony to read a good book!
The tale was a bit of a mixed bag. I really liked the characters and the story plus the magic was super fun but I never did fully gel with the writing style so despite liking a lot of what this one offered I was rarely fully sucked into the tale. Which was a real pity!
The Creature magic Miara possessed was super cool. She could not only speak with animals but could turn herself and others into different creatures! Aven was an Air mage but pretty useless and untrained so I feel like we only got glimpses at what Air magic could do with their power. I did like the magic in this series though as it was pretty fresh and unique and made for some fun moments.
Both Miara and Aven were easy to root for. Aven was just a good guy. It was particularly amusing that he was relatively happy to be abducted by a hot mage woman just so he could get a break from keeping his mage powers a secret in the palace! Miara was equally easy to like. Especially since it was obvious she hated doing the bidding of her wicked masters and was soon charmed by her handsome captive.
We got intrigue and action as Miara encountered a bunch of obstacles trying to get the Prince back to her masters and then there was the intrigue with the way the two Kingdom’s were catapulting towards a potential war. The other big bit of intrigue was how prejudiced this world was towards mages.
All in all this was an OK tale. I liked a lot of what we got and did love the magic and reverse abduction trope but I never fully gelled with the writing so I’m undecided on whether I’ll press on with the next instalment of this series or not.
Rating: 3.5 stars.
Audio Note: Tanya Eby did an OK job with the audio.
The premise was really fun. It was a reverse abduction tale with the FMC abducting the MMC. I love a good trope reversal! Miara, a mage slave, had been given her most dangerous mission yet. She had to travel to a rival Kingdom and abduct their Prince. She feels it is a suicide mission for sure but is compelled to obey whether she wants to or not! The Prince in question is Aven Lanuken. Aven’s day goes from bad to worse when a potential bride learns he might be a secret mage and that is followed up by being abducted while he is trying to relax on his favourite balcony to read a good book!
The tale was a bit of a mixed bag. I really liked the characters and the story plus the magic was super fun but I never did fully gel with the writing style so despite liking a lot of what this one offered I was rarely fully sucked into the tale. Which was a real pity!
The Creature magic Miara possessed was super cool. She could not only speak with animals but could turn herself and others into different creatures! Aven was an Air mage but pretty useless and untrained so I feel like we only got glimpses at what Air magic could do with their power. I did like the magic in this series though as it was pretty fresh and unique and made for some fun moments.
Both Miara and Aven were easy to root for. Aven was just a good guy. It was particularly amusing that he was relatively happy to be abducted by a hot mage woman just so he could get a break from keeping his mage powers a secret in the palace! Miara was equally easy to like. Especially since it was obvious she hated doing the bidding of her wicked masters and was soon charmed by her handsome captive.
We got intrigue and action as Miara encountered a bunch of obstacles trying to get the Prince back to her masters and then there was the intrigue with the way the two Kingdom’s were catapulting towards a potential war. The other big bit of intrigue was how prejudiced this world was towards mages.
All in all this was an OK tale. I liked a lot of what we got and did love the magic and reverse abduction trope but I never fully gelled with the writing so I’m undecided on whether I’ll press on with the next instalment of this series or not.
Rating: 3.5 stars.
Audio Note: Tanya Eby did an OK job with the audio.
September 12, 2017
4 stars
It was a pleasant read, I liked it but I wasn't wowed by it. However, I have high hopes for his chronicle and can't wait to read the sequel.
It was a pleasant read, I liked it but I wasn't wowed by it. However, I have high hopes for his chronicle and can't wait to read the sequel.
October 31, 2016
Pleasant
It's a pleasant story and good for light reading.
The bad:
The warrior prince who's been trained in combat his whole life does not seem very competent at fighting. The love story between the main characters was rushed and awkwardly handled. World building needed more attention. The magic system seems simplistic and the hero manages miracles in way too little time.
The good:
The story was pleasant and moved along at a fair pace. The characters were likeable if foolish at times. There were few grammatical and spelling errors.
A decent read while you're waiting for your favourite authors to publish.
It's a pleasant story and good for light reading.
The bad:
The warrior prince who's been trained in combat his whole life does not seem very competent at fighting. The love story between the main characters was rushed and awkwardly handled. World building needed more attention. The magic system seems simplistic and the hero manages miracles in way too little time.
The good:
The story was pleasant and moved along at a fair pace. The characters were likeable if foolish at times. There were few grammatical and spelling errors.
A decent read while you're waiting for your favourite authors to publish.
July 25, 2020
3 Stars
Wasn't bad. It did get a bit boring and disconnecting at times so I would start skimming, but other times I was enjoying it, especially the magic stuff. I liked the hero too, and how he isn't your typical cocky macho type, but instead a bit more naive. The heroine was also interesting so I'm curious to see how it is gonna be for her in the hero's kingdom. Hopefully the next book has a bit more action in it though to keep me fully interested and I would like to see their cute relationship develop a bit more too.
Wasn't bad. It did get a bit boring and disconnecting at times so I would start skimming, but other times I was enjoying it, especially the magic stuff. I liked the hero too, and how he isn't your typical cocky macho type, but instead a bit more naive. The heroine was also interesting so I'm curious to see how it is gonna be for her in the hero's kingdom. Hopefully the next book has a bit more action in it though to keep me fully interested and I would like to see their cute relationship develop a bit more too.
September 9, 2016
Cool idea but childish
I was expecting an adult fantasy but the dialogue and thoughts of the characters were childish enough that I skimmed to the end. If it was supposed to be humorous or snarky it didn't mesh with me.
Not my type of writing.
I was expecting an adult fantasy but the dialogue and thoughts of the characters were childish enough that I skimmed to the end. If it was supposed to be humorous or snarky it didn't mesh with me.
Not my type of writing.
May 25, 2017
I'm torn, I'm really really torn about this.
Let's start with the plus points.
The cover! The cover is absolutely beautiful! That is actually the main reason, apart from the title of course, that made me pick up the book.
And the ideas behind it are really great. The idea of having mages enslaved by none mages, the way it is done, the history behind it, the magic (even if we don't know a lot about the system yet). So much potential!
The down sides.
It had a very slow start. It took me forever to be invested in the story and the characters. And despite the fact that I usually enjoy a story that doesn't serve you world building informations on a silver platter, but in this case it just didn't work. For far too long we didn't know why magic was feared, how different mages are treated in different countries, why Mara/Miara was enslaved.
The relationship didn't work. I liked Mara/Miara and Aven and their abilities but I have absolutely no idea how they fell in love or why. It was like: 'Oh, I'm in love! Actually I always have been!" There was no moment that made it understandable no moment of epiphany for either and that was the authors fault, because there were perfect opportunities for that. Instead the whole thing reeked a bit of Stockholm syndrom.
One last thing, it took me forever to get that the whole Mara/Miara thing wasn't a spelling mistake but that she hadn't given Aven her real name. Bad choice! It was extremely confusing! If she wants to give him a different name, she should have chosen something a bit more different, it would have been easier for the reader to follow as well.
Let's start with the plus points.
The cover! The cover is absolutely beautiful! That is actually the main reason, apart from the title of course, that made me pick up the book.
And the ideas behind it are really great. The idea of having mages enslaved by none mages, the way it is done, the history behind it, the magic (even if we don't know a lot about the system yet). So much potential!
The down sides.
It had a very slow start. It took me forever to be invested in the story and the characters. And despite the fact that I usually enjoy a story that doesn't serve you world building informations on a silver platter, but in this case it just didn't work. For far too long we didn't know why magic was feared, how different mages are treated in different countries, why Mara/Miara was enslaved.
The relationship didn't work. I liked Mara/Miara and Aven and their abilities but I have absolutely no idea how they fell in love or why. It was like: 'Oh, I'm in love! Actually I always have been!" There was no moment that made it understandable no moment of epiphany for either and that was the authors fault, because there were perfect opportunities for that. Instead the whole thing reeked a bit of Stockholm syndrom.
One last thing, it took me forever to get that the whole Mara/Miara thing wasn't a spelling mistake but that she hadn't given Aven her real name. Bad choice! It was extremely confusing! If she wants to give him a different name, she should have chosen something a bit more different, it would have been easier for the reader to follow as well.
September 11, 2016
Epic fantasy
Dear Self, you enjoyed this book immensely. Keep an eye out for book two. Even though the ending is not a cliffhanger, you want to read what happens next. This first book of the enslaved chronicles along with being an adventure romance all on its own lays out the beginning of a war between Akaria (where magic is taboo) and Kavanar (where mages are enslaved). A struggle for freedom keeps the subject of slavery from being too dark and depressing. The heroine and hero were both exceedingly likeable. Strong, even in their weaknesses, as noble as was physically possible and confident in a way that was not obnoxious. Side characters were consistent and added to the story. The plot was well thought out and well written.
Dear Self, you enjoyed this book immensely. Keep an eye out for book two. Even though the ending is not a cliffhanger, you want to read what happens next. This first book of the enslaved chronicles along with being an adventure romance all on its own lays out the beginning of a war between Akaria (where magic is taboo) and Kavanar (where mages are enslaved). A struggle for freedom keeps the subject of slavery from being too dark and depressing. The heroine and hero were both exceedingly likeable. Strong, even in their weaknesses, as noble as was physically possible and confident in a way that was not obnoxious. Side characters were consistent and added to the story. The plot was well thought out and well written.
October 1, 2016
This is very well written high fantasy novel. The world-crafting is elegantly done, there's solid characterization, nice pacing, a sweet romance, and refreshing expressions of family love. The title, "Mage Slave," feels a little unfortunate if it conjures up thoughts of BDSM. No, it is not that kind of book. Highly recommended.
August 25, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed Mage Slave and want the sequel now. Aven is a great romantic lead and a fantastic kidnap victim. Miara is my kind of female protagonist...she can talk to animals!
September 19, 2017
Decent, easy read. Stuck between 3 and 4 stars because I did like the story... but I have no interest in continuing the series.
January 29, 2019
I wanted to like this book. Instead, this book dragged my hopes into the deepest, darkest dungeon it could find and repeatedly beat me with broken rule after broken rule until my spirit broke. I felt like a baby duck being force fed feelings that didn't make sense and explanations that fell flat.
Good writing has basic rules. Show, don't tell. Stay in one character's head at a time. Develop develop develop. This book did none of those things. The main characters fell in love after less than two days. What is this, Frozen? Saying "The sky is red" repeatedly does not make it so.
If someone has time to wax poetic in their thoughts about their significant other during a fight, they will probably end up dead. When Kurt Vonnegut said "Make your characters want something right away," he didn't mean to jump into each other's pants or chew up an otherwise perfectly good action scene with unending stream of consciousness.
I felt like ages passed in the book timeline, but instead we had merely been listening to a character's internal monologue for eons, a la James Joyce. Other times, the book skipped over opportunities to develop dialogue between characters and just said "they traveled all day and he talked at her." That would have been a perfect opportunity for us to learn more. But no, instead we should insert all that into an action scene.
This book had originality and potential. But instead it is pulled into to the depths of oblivion by the mafia concrete shoes of bad writing.
Good writing has basic rules. Show, don't tell. Stay in one character's head at a time. Develop develop develop. This book did none of those things. The main characters fell in love after less than two days. What is this, Frozen? Saying "The sky is red" repeatedly does not make it so.
If someone has time to wax poetic in their thoughts about their significant other during a fight, they will probably end up dead. When Kurt Vonnegut said "Make your characters want something right away," he didn't mean to jump into each other's pants or chew up an otherwise perfectly good action scene with unending stream of consciousness.
I felt like ages passed in the book timeline, but instead we had merely been listening to a character's internal monologue for eons, a la James Joyce. Other times, the book skipped over opportunities to develop dialogue between characters and just said "they traveled all day and he talked at her." That would have been a perfect opportunity for us to learn more. But no, instead we should insert all that into an action scene.
This book had originality and potential. But instead it is pulled into to the depths of oblivion by the mafia concrete shoes of bad writing.
February 11, 2017
Mages are "slaves" on this medieval-like world, or at least part of it. When told to do something, they cannot refuse - they are conditioned by magic to obey human "masters." The masters have accumulated over 500 mages down through the years.
The heroine is a young woman, trained by the masters to heal, and to carry out secret missions (think: steal a jewel) for the masters, or at least one of them. She is sent on her first kidnap mission: kidnap and return (to the masters' compound in another country) a prince of a foreign land or, failing that, assassinate him. She and therein lies the tale.
Despite the use of the word "slave" in the title, this is not an erotic book. It is YA. For those of you who shy away from heroines who kick butt, but need lessons of the heart, beware: there is a possible romance.
The heroine is a young woman, trained by the masters to heal, and to carry out secret missions (think: steal a jewel) for the masters, or at least one of them. She is sent on her first kidnap mission: kidnap and return (to the masters' compound in another country) a prince of a foreign land or, failing that, assassinate him. She and therein lies the tale.
Despite the use of the word "slave" in the title, this is not an erotic book. It is YA. For those of you who shy away from heroines who kick butt, but need lessons of the heart, beware: there is a possible romance.
September 22, 2025
3.75
This book was a fun read! Also I really like the magic system- especially Miara's creature magic- where she can change into any animal-big or small- turn others into animals, and even control humans to an extent (as we are creatures after a fashion) like changing her face shape to alter her appearance, or binding people.
Cool and unique powers.
Also I like Aven as a character too. He was laid-back, cool as a cucumber, and curious. He was also a bit of fresh air after all of the macho-macho alpha types I've been reading lately. Not to say, even without an understanding of his Air magic, he couldn't kick some butt.
Romance was a little quick and cutesy, but its YA, so I'll give it a pass!
But overall, I'm def looking forward to see where this story goes!
This book was a fun read! Also I really like the magic system- especially Miara's creature magic- where she can change into any animal-big or small- turn others into animals, and even control humans to an extent (as we are creatures after a fashion) like changing her face shape to alter her appearance, or binding people.
Cool and unique powers.
Also I like Aven as a character too. He was laid-back, cool as a cucumber, and curious. He was also a bit of fresh air after all of the macho-macho alpha types I've been reading lately. Not to say, even without an understanding of his Air magic, he couldn't kick some butt.
Romance was a little quick and cutesy, but its YA, so I'll give it a pass!
But overall, I'm def looking forward to see where this story goes!
December 16, 2016
It is obvious from the first few paragraphs that this is not from the pens of a seasoned writer - the writing doesn't do it for me, but I can see that it has heaps of potential; but I am just not in the mood to sit through mediocore writing and predictable plot, maybe if I was a few years younger I would have been able to enjoy it but I reckon I will definitely come back to this author in a few years.
December 15, 2017
At first, I was kind of annoyed by this book because, well, it's not Sarah Maas. Contraband magic, warrior woman lead, love brewing, good vs evil - it has all the same elements. But it turned out to be fun and engaging, a book that doesn't need comparing to ToG or ACOTAR. I definitely want to read more in the series. 😊
September 27, 2016
Entertaining
Very good story very well organized and plenty of action and mystery. Well worth the time getting to know the characters and all the subplots l do recommend reading this book
Very good story very well organized and plenty of action and mystery. Well worth the time getting to know the characters and all the subplots l do recommend reading this book
November 19, 2016
i loved every minute of this book, I can't wait for book 2
November 27, 2017
Plot:
The book starts out introducing the two main characters, Miara and Aven. Miara is a mage slave, bound to her masters through a magical wound in her shoulder that’s tied to her masters orders. If she starts to deviate from her assignment the wound will burn and torture her until she relents and does what she’s been ordered to do.
Aven is a Prince, and he’s looking for someone suitable to marry. He’s introduced to a very frank and direct Princess to see if they would be a good match. Horrible match. He’s a hidden mage, because mages and magic are frowned upon by most societies – and in some societies, they are turned into slaves. The Princess he was being introduced to has made it her lifes work to hunt down and imprison mages.
Miara is sent by her masters to capture Prince Aven and bring him back to them, for what specifically she doesn’t know, but it can’t be good. It’s likely to be execution, torture, or slavery.
Most of the book takes place with those two on their way from the Prince’s homeland to her masters.
-----------------------------------
Characters:
Miara – she’s pretty rough with Aven when they first meet, not very hospitable, not very friendly. Over time she loosens up a bit and reveals a little more about herself and her background. But, she gives a false name to Aven because she’s never learned how to trust, even those she has power over. She’s a creature mage which means she can encourage animals to do things on her behalf – or become animals herself. When she takes Prince Aven she was a mouse and then a hawk, and turns the Prince into a mouse as well.
Aven – extremely good natured and understanding, even while being kidnapped he still had a decent demeanor and attitude. He doesn’t really seem to fear much of anything either. Since being a mage is considered taboo, his family was trying to suppress his abilities not allowing him to practice. He’s a wind mage and can create storms and gusts of wind
------------------------------------------------
World Building:
Creature mages use the life forces of those around them to fuel their magic, they can turn themselves and others into different animals, but different ‘spells’ cost different amounts of life energy. Creating a python from scratch would take a lot of energy, but binding someone’s hands together with plant vines could be done easily. Creature mages can also heal, and can heal even better if someone else uses their power to assist.
Air mages as the name implies can conjure up winds and things like that – but can also strike down an enemy via lightning from far away – making them extremely dangerous if trained.
Certain magics are forbidden, like star magic, because they are extremely powerful and have been used in the past to wreak havoc. Star magic is a subset of air magic, and was thought to be long forgotten, but a mysterious map shows up that glows under starlight.
The Masters of Kavanar are building an army of enslaved mages, and have been for years
The Devoted are a group of Knights that hunt down mages
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacing/Prose/Tone:
There was a decent amount of travelling and talking in the book, so if you need a lot of action in your books, maybe this one isn’t for you. But, it was decently paced, I got through it quickly. There weren’t any info dumps, dialogue and interactions between two characters took up most of the page time, so if you’re into character driven books and romance maybe this would be for you.
-----------------------------------------------
Audience:
For people who like “mages” being hunted/lower class
For people who like romance
For people who like shape shifters
For people who like a good amount of magic in their books
For people who prefer character-driven stories
For people who like reading about slavery/pov’s of slaves
For people who like world building without info dumps
The book starts out introducing the two main characters, Miara and Aven. Miara is a mage slave, bound to her masters through a magical wound in her shoulder that’s tied to her masters orders. If she starts to deviate from her assignment the wound will burn and torture her until she relents and does what she’s been ordered to do.
Aven is a Prince, and he’s looking for someone suitable to marry. He’s introduced to a very frank and direct Princess to see if they would be a good match. Horrible match. He’s a hidden mage, because mages and magic are frowned upon by most societies – and in some societies, they are turned into slaves. The Princess he was being introduced to has made it her lifes work to hunt down and imprison mages.
Miara is sent by her masters to capture Prince Aven and bring him back to them, for what specifically she doesn’t know, but it can’t be good. It’s likely to be execution, torture, or slavery.
Most of the book takes place with those two on their way from the Prince’s homeland to her masters.
-----------------------------------
Characters:
Miara – she’s pretty rough with Aven when they first meet, not very hospitable, not very friendly. Over time she loosens up a bit and reveals a little more about herself and her background. But, she gives a false name to Aven because she’s never learned how to trust, even those she has power over. She’s a creature mage which means she can encourage animals to do things on her behalf – or become animals herself. When she takes Prince Aven she was a mouse and then a hawk, and turns the Prince into a mouse as well.
Aven – extremely good natured and understanding, even while being kidnapped he still had a decent demeanor and attitude. He doesn’t really seem to fear much of anything either. Since being a mage is considered taboo, his family was trying to suppress his abilities not allowing him to practice. He’s a wind mage and can create storms and gusts of wind
------------------------------------------------
World Building:
Creature mages use the life forces of those around them to fuel their magic, they can turn themselves and others into different animals, but different ‘spells’ cost different amounts of life energy. Creating a python from scratch would take a lot of energy, but binding someone’s hands together with plant vines could be done easily. Creature mages can also heal, and can heal even better if someone else uses their power to assist.
Air mages as the name implies can conjure up winds and things like that – but can also strike down an enemy via lightning from far away – making them extremely dangerous if trained.
Certain magics are forbidden, like star magic, because they are extremely powerful and have been used in the past to wreak havoc. Star magic is a subset of air magic, and was thought to be long forgotten, but a mysterious map shows up that glows under starlight.
The Masters of Kavanar are building an army of enslaved mages, and have been for years
The Devoted are a group of Knights that hunt down mages
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacing/Prose/Tone:
There was a decent amount of travelling and talking in the book, so if you need a lot of action in your books, maybe this one isn’t for you. But, it was decently paced, I got through it quickly. There weren’t any info dumps, dialogue and interactions between two characters took up most of the page time, so if you’re into character driven books and romance maybe this would be for you.
-----------------------------------------------
Audience:
For people who like “mages” being hunted/lower class
For people who like romance
For people who like shape shifters
For people who like a good amount of magic in their books
For people who prefer character-driven stories
For people who like reading about slavery/pov’s of slaves
For people who like world building without info dumps
January 15, 2018
This was my first book by this author.
I did start this book several times in the past, but it couldn't hold my attention long enough to get further than the second chapter. To be honest.
In lack of a better alternative at the moment, i gave it one last serious try.
Now, at 84% i give up.
This book has a really slow pace. Maybe this was due to the major amount of unnecessary and very useless thoughts of the two main characters, the reader gets to experience. The superficial and idiotic matter of those thoughts did add to that too. Additionally it has a very low level of intellect.
This book is maybe for teenagers. I guess it could be right for that age and level of experience.
The storyline and idea are not so bad at all. But the reader is stuck way too much in the heads of the main-characters, too less action and not much creativity. Nothing really new. It is also predictable and the hero is not the sharpest tool. The moral code and the black/white point of view is strong with this book.
I did start this book several times in the past, but it couldn't hold my attention long enough to get further than the second chapter. To be honest.
In lack of a better alternative at the moment, i gave it one last serious try.
Now, at 84% i give up.
This book has a really slow pace. Maybe this was due to the major amount of unnecessary and very useless thoughts of the two main characters, the reader gets to experience. The superficial and idiotic matter of those thoughts did add to that too. Additionally it has a very low level of intellect.
This book is maybe for teenagers. I guess it could be right for that age and level of experience.
The storyline and idea are not so bad at all. But the reader is stuck way too much in the heads of the main-characters, too less action and not much creativity. Nothing really new. It is also predictable and the hero is not the sharpest tool. The moral code and the black/white point of view is strong with this book.
November 30, 2017
Interesting characters with a dynamic chemistry, but rushed situations and forced emotions gave the whole arch an inorganic ring. The action scenes were well-written, but the romance is the focus of this story, and it just didn’t quite hit the spot. If I was in a pinch for a semi-decent read, I would certainly consider picking up the second book of the series, but as it stands, I am opting to move on for now.
March 19, 2019
Mage Slave had such potential until an insta-love that emerged after 5 days the two leads being together.
It nearly made me DNF at 60% or so but we muddled through that last 40%.
The world building itself was good.
It nearly made me DNF at 60% or so but we muddled through that last 40%.
The world building itself was good.
February 15, 2017
Reader thoughts: Fun magic and plot. Good characters with decent hearts.
I like how open and earnest Aven is, and how much Miara keeps thinking he'll make a good king. He really should have put his kingdom above Miara, though, and escaped when he could.
I liked Miara, too. I think it was her self-sacrificing way of pretending to dislike Aven to convince him to try and escape. She has more abilities than Daine, though (see Wild Magic), but seems less useful. Maybe it's because her magic takes more energy, or maybe it's because of the slave brand, but I just think it's because Daine was better at figuring out to use small abilities in big ways. I mean, Miara kept going into fights bare-handed, but she should have been a dragon or something! (Or done like Daine and turned her eyes into eagle eyes, her ears into rabbit or bat ears, and her hands into something with claws.)
I didn't like the frequent nudity, even if it was mostly accidental (or happening to catch each other bathing), and that's probably the main reason I put 4 stars instead of 5. There was also more romantic feelings in gushy paragraphs than I wanted. (Not a lot, more anything more than a sentence or two is more than I want.) Plus, Miara and Aven kept dreaming and thinking about kissing each other. I just had to metaphorically roll my eyes at them.
I liked the magic. It had its limitations (it took a lot of energy, which could only be replenished from nature). It was also categorized well (air mages have anything to do with weather, including lightning, while creature mages can talk to animals/humans and heal them and change their form) so that no one was too powerful and the powers didn't overlap much.
The plot was slow. It takes nearly the entire book for Miara and Aven to walk back to the one place. Miara should have kept flying them every day. They did run into trouble, but the book just wasn't very tense. It was too easy. And the star magic thing seemed a little out of the blue.
Oh, and Anara and Miara and Mara sounded WAY too similar. They were hard to keep straight.
Writer thoughts: Stockholm syndrome in books is nothing new. It happens often enough with romance, but it is still a fun plot device. You have two people prepared to hate each other (or at least be enemies), and then they end up falling in love despite everything. Maybe it's to show off the power of their love, that they overcame their initial enmity! Or maybe it's just supposed to be surprising (no) or to add depth in some way.
Here are some other books that have well-done Stockholm syndrome, where the captive falls in love with the captor. I guess it's basic Beauty and the Beast or something.
The Shadow Queen
Dare
Truthwitch
Closed Hearts
Knife of Dreams
(I may have stretched the definition a little, and I know there are more, but these are the ones I know right now.)
I like how open and earnest Aven is, and how much Miara keeps thinking he'll make a good king. He really should have put his kingdom above Miara, though, and escaped when he could.
I liked Miara, too. I think it was her self-sacrificing way of pretending to dislike Aven to convince him to try and escape. She has more abilities than Daine, though (see Wild Magic), but seems less useful. Maybe it's because her magic takes more energy, or maybe it's because of the slave brand, but I just think it's because Daine was better at figuring out to use small abilities in big ways. I mean, Miara kept going into fights bare-handed, but she should have been a dragon or something! (Or done like Daine and turned her eyes into eagle eyes, her ears into rabbit or bat ears, and her hands into something with claws.)
I didn't like the frequent nudity, even if it was mostly accidental (or happening to catch each other bathing), and that's probably the main reason I put 4 stars instead of 5. There was also more romantic feelings in gushy paragraphs than I wanted. (Not a lot, more anything more than a sentence or two is more than I want.) Plus, Miara and Aven kept dreaming and thinking about kissing each other. I just had to metaphorically roll my eyes at them.
I liked the magic. It had its limitations (it took a lot of energy, which could only be replenished from nature). It was also categorized well (air mages have anything to do with weather, including lightning, while creature mages can talk to animals/humans and heal them and change their form) so that no one was too powerful and the powers didn't overlap much.
The plot was slow. It takes nearly the entire book for Miara and Aven to walk back to the one place. Miara should have kept flying them every day. They did run into trouble, but the book just wasn't very tense. It was too easy. And the star magic thing seemed a little out of the blue.
Oh, and Anara and Miara and Mara sounded WAY too similar. They were hard to keep straight.
Writer thoughts: Stockholm syndrome in books is nothing new. It happens often enough with romance, but it is still a fun plot device. You have two people prepared to hate each other (or at least be enemies), and then they end up falling in love despite everything. Maybe it's to show off the power of their love, that they overcame their initial enmity! Or maybe it's just supposed to be surprising (no) or to add depth in some way.
Here are some other books that have well-done Stockholm syndrome, where the captive falls in love with the captor. I guess it's basic Beauty and the Beast or something.
The Shadow Queen
Dare
Truthwitch
Closed Hearts
Knife of Dreams
(I may have stretched the definition a little, and I know there are more, but these are the ones I know right now.)
March 11, 2018
Light, Entertaining and Good
Sometimes I like a book that just glides along, telling a good story that isn't too involved, but does entertain. This is a nice, easy story with some interesting magical elements and light romance. I gave 4 stars bc the world development is lacking... There are scenes where ppl, assisted by mages, can communicate over long distances in full form, but somehow, no one knows what goes on in their own neighboring countries. To the extent that there are hundreds of mage slaves, but not many even know that it's possible. Still a nice story and good pacing.
Sometimes I like a book that just glides along, telling a good story that isn't too involved, but does entertain. This is a nice, easy story with some interesting magical elements and light romance. I gave 4 stars bc the world development is lacking... There are scenes where ppl, assisted by mages, can communicate over long distances in full form, but somehow, no one knows what goes on in their own neighboring countries. To the extent that there are hundreds of mage slaves, but not many even know that it's possible. Still a nice story and good pacing.
March 13, 2018
❤️
Good Job. I really loved this book . Buying book 2 now cause it’s the kind of story you don’t want to end..
Good Job. I really loved this book . Buying book 2 now cause it’s the kind of story you don’t want to end..
February 28, 2018
Enthralling
Not since reading Maria V Snyder have I become so enraptured by the characters in a novel. This was most enjoyable and I look forward to the next book in the series. Well done!
Not since reading Maria V Snyder have I become so enraptured by the characters in a novel. This was most enjoyable and I look forward to the next book in the series. Well done!
January 2, 2018
This book pulled me in right from the beginning. I feel like right off the bat we got to know our main characters and they were so easy to like.
Speaking of liking things, I'll just list off what I liked:
~ The romance! It wasn't insta-love, but there was a connection there that grew into something beautiful!
~Miara is kick butt, and sweet, and lovely, and strong, and still has hope after what she deals with. She is just awesome!
~Aven is so freaking adorable but still also strong and handsome and I don't know how she did it but R.K. Thorne just brought his character to life in such an amazing way. So often the main hero is a brooding bad boy genius and the main girl is just starstruck by him and gets dragged along into his world but no sir! R.K. Thorne turns the tables and even so, Aven isn't wimpy in the least, he is strong and confident and please just read it for yourself and find out!
~The magic system is so cool! I always love magic that plays off of the elements and this magic system was just so much fun to read about.
~The overall premise was just awesome.
~The ending was awesome! Everything is mostly wrapped up so if you read this book and find it doesn't click with you, no worries because you still get a satisfactory ending that ends on a hopeful note. However, the ending is still open enough that if you want to keep reading about these wonderful characters that you know there is more adventure in store for them!
I'm trying to think of things I didn't like but honestly not really thinking of anything.
One thing I would say is that don't be expecting anything too sexy, the romance is very sweet and there is still chemistry to enjoy but it stays very PG. And I honestly thought it was a perfect amount of romance that worked with who the characters are and what they were going through.
Overall, I loved this book and can't wait to read what happens next!
Speaking of liking things, I'll just list off what I liked:
~ The romance! It wasn't insta-love, but there was a connection there that grew into something beautiful!
~Miara is kick butt, and sweet, and lovely, and strong, and still has hope after what she deals with. She is just awesome!
~Aven is so freaking adorable but still also strong and handsome and I don't know how she did it but R.K. Thorne just brought his character to life in such an amazing way. So often the main hero is a brooding bad boy genius and the main girl is just starstruck by him and gets dragged along into his world but no sir! R.K. Thorne turns the tables and even so, Aven isn't wimpy in the least, he is strong and confident and please just read it for yourself and find out!
~The magic system is so cool! I always love magic that plays off of the elements and this magic system was just so much fun to read about.
~The overall premise was just awesome.
~The ending was awesome! Everything is mostly wrapped up so if you read this book and find it doesn't click with you, no worries because you still get a satisfactory ending that ends on a hopeful note. However, the ending is still open enough that if you want to keep reading about these wonderful characters that you know there is more adventure in store for them!
I'm trying to think of things I didn't like but honestly not really thinking of anything.
One thing I would say is that don't be expecting anything too sexy, the romance is very sweet and there is still chemistry to enjoy but it stays very PG. And I honestly thought it was a perfect amount of romance that worked with who the characters are and what they were going through.
Overall, I loved this book and can't wait to read what happens next!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews