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Of Captivity & Kings
The laws are different in the Kushite ruled, southern Kingdom of Nabara. The penalty for involvement in the slave trade is death, and if the King fails to provide justice and order under ma'at, the High Priests can order him to commit suicide. When a Roman slave ship wrecks off the coast of Nabara, peace is shattered. Ancient caravan routes and nomadic hunters are threatened by kidnappings, robbery, and murder, forcing Nabaran High King Amkar Kashta to invoke the power of the six-kingdom alliance that is Nudolla. Each member of the ruling families finds themselves thrust into the rising slave trade and the corruption of everything and everyone it touches. It is an adventure told from the secret sanctuaries of the desert fathers in the Scetes desert and the massive pyramids of Meroë to the Skeleton Coast and towards the Great Barrier Mountains of Apedemak. Here, kings and queens, princes and princesses, slave traders and gladiators, high priests and slaves, scribes and warriors, caravan robbers, and hermits collide under the thread that links them all - Captivity and Kings.
Inspired by the Kingdom of Kush, Of Captivity Kings is the first installment in this trilogy.
Inspired by the Kingdom of Kush, Of Captivity Kings is the first installment in this trilogy.
377 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 25, 2017
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1225 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 26, 2025
Due to a "fortuitous" shipwreck, the Roman Empire has (yet again) found something it must have - and that something is the people of Nabara.
"She didn’t cry out. If she did the slavers would hear and they would find them all."
While Kingdom of Nabara has dealt with slaver in the past, the Roman Empire poses a formidable threat - they're cunning, evil and above all - organized.
Every minute that the High King and other kingdoms waste is another caravan or family plundered.
The ancient laws and treaties no longer hold tight and some of the more maliciously inclined kingdoms are testing their boundaries - after all, the slave trade has been proven very profitable.
"These slavers will overrun us just as the weeds and beetles of the earth consume every leaf and turn it brown with death."
As pressures mount, the High King truly begins to feel terror, for if he cannot control all, death may come for him.
"We came for the human cargo. Nothing more."
I am SO torn over this one.
On the one hand - the plot, the slavers, the glittering cities - were all so very enchanting and engaging.
The author wove together a rich narrative from history - one that felt so believable that I could hardly tear myself away.
The inter-kingdom squabbles, the deliciously evil characters and the sweet beginning of a romance - those all really worked for this novel.
And on the other - I literally could not keep track of anyone to save my life.
Really, truly.
Now, the author did include an appendix of names at the end but even with that help, I had a hard time distinguishing the characters.
This is, in part, because all of the names were foreign to me. Now, this is a periodic piece and it should have names that would not be familiar to me (I expected it going into this novel). But that, in combination with the sheer amount of similar names really made following the characters difficult.
There were so many characters in this novel that even if the names were regular Johns and Joes, I would have had difficulty keeping track of them - especially considering I couldn't use their titles (i.e. prince) to help distinguish.
In addition,
"The Scorpion King bowed low before her family as he presented his sons. Terit, Tari, Takide, Teqer, and Tisaan."
several of the names were visually similar. There would be multiple characters whose names had a similar profile (kind of like how Jane and Joan both have the same overall shape - and when you read fast, those names would blend together (unlike Jane and Jo-Anne)).
And, that being said, I really did enjoy this novel.
Even just a few chapters in, you can absolutely tell all of the time and dedication the author put into this work.
The scenery and overall tone really enhanced the novel and transported the audience into a whole different era.
With thanks to the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
"We cannot leave this to chance. The longer we wait, the larger they grow, the tighter their hold, the farther their reach"
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March 29, 2018
If you are looking for a book that stems from African history and culture, then look no further.
Check out the review of Of Captivity and Kings on my blog
If you've been following my blog for a while, specifically my book reviews, then you know that I struggle with reading a book that is told from lots of POV! My memory sucks, and there is nothing that I can do about that. This book had 13 POV!!! THIRTEEN!!!!! I was so close to DNFing this book. I reread the 1st 20% of the book many times, but I would still end up feeling lost and confused.
So why didn't I DNF it?
Because the storyline is very captivating and rich in African culture. Besides, all of POV ended up adding essential perspectives to the story. So, I started taking notes, and connecting all of the characters to each other.
And I am so glad that I did that! It was 101% worth it. After passing 41% of the book, I was able to read without stopping for notes........ you can say that I devoured the rest of the book.
With strong female characters, events that will leave you petrified, a culture that is so exquisite and not often discussed in books, and the showcase of love, hate, and betrayal among families, enemies, friends, and "allies", how can someone dislike this book?
This was a fantastic read!!!!!I can't wait to see what happens in the sequel.
Of Captivity and Kings is full of African culture and history, so please add it to your!!!! This book is so good..... AND Awesome...... AND Deserves More Love!
It is also #OwnVoices, so...............
I received a copy from the Author in exchange with an honest review.
Add it to your tbr
Get your copy for 3.99$ on Amazon.
Check out the review of Of Captivity and Kings on my blog
If you've been following my blog for a while, specifically my book reviews, then you know that I struggle with reading a book that is told from lots of POV! My memory sucks, and there is nothing that I can do about that. This book had 13 POV!!! THIRTEEN!!!!! I was so close to DNFing this book. I reread the 1st 20% of the book many times, but I would still end up feeling lost and confused.
So why didn't I DNF it?
Because the storyline is very captivating and rich in African culture. Besides, all of POV ended up adding essential perspectives to the story. So, I started taking notes, and connecting all of the characters to each other.
And I am so glad that I did that! It was 101% worth it. After passing 41% of the book, I was able to read without stopping for notes........ you can say that I devoured the rest of the book.
With strong female characters, events that will leave you petrified, a culture that is so exquisite and not often discussed in books, and the showcase of love, hate, and betrayal among families, enemies, friends, and "allies", how can someone dislike this book?
This was a fantastic read!!!!!I can't wait to see what happens in the sequel.
Of Captivity and Kings is full of African culture and history, so please add it to your!!!! This book is so good..... AND Awesome...... AND Deserves More Love!
It is also #OwnVoices, so...............
I received a copy from the Author in exchange with an honest review.
Add it to your tbr
Get your copy for 3.99$ on Amazon.
November 15, 2020
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I found it difficult to get started on Of Captivity and Kings. It took me a while to understand what was going on. I’m usually good with multiple POVs and character names, but here even I struggled a little. But, I was also curious and did not want to give up on this book.
I continued reading and slowly, I started understanding what was going on. But the initial few chapters were a bit difficult.
The writing is pretty simple and the characters are well-developed. This book also gets extra points for being rooted in history. My only problem with the book was how difficult I found it to keep track of the different characters. I had to keep going back to piece things together, and that really broke the flow of the book for me.
Read Of Captivity and Kings if you like enthralling stories rooted in actual history.
I found it difficult to get started on Of Captivity and Kings. It took me a while to understand what was going on. I’m usually good with multiple POVs and character names, but here even I struggled a little. But, I was also curious and did not want to give up on this book.
I continued reading and slowly, I started understanding what was going on. But the initial few chapters were a bit difficult.
The writing is pretty simple and the characters are well-developed. This book also gets extra points for being rooted in history. My only problem with the book was how difficult I found it to keep track of the different characters. I had to keep going back to piece things together, and that really broke the flow of the book for me.
Read Of Captivity and Kings if you like enthralling stories rooted in actual history.
December 25, 2021
"'I do wonder, my love, as a leader, is it better to be feared or loved?"
"It is better that your queen loves you, your children fear your disappointment, and your people admire you."
Thank you so much E.Y.Laster for prividing me with a copy of your book in exchange for an honest review 🙌
What a ride this book was! I'm really sad I picked it up right at the beginning of an ongoing reading slump(seriously it's been more than 3 months 😭) and it took me se long to finish it. But I did last week and I can't wait to tell you about it 🥰
We follow multiple POVs during the 4th century in African Kingdom of Nabara. After a period of peace and plenty, slavery is on the rise. Roman Empire has been threatening Nebara as well as the neighbouring kingdoms thus making the High King of Nebara invoke the Alliance of Nudolla - alliance of 6 African Kingdoms. The stakes are high because of the King isn't able to solve the issue, he will have to give up his life.
You can see E.Y.Laster did one hell of a job on her research because the details of the mytholgy, traditions and different cultures of these African kingdoms are extraordinary. I wrote a lot of historical papers during my uni years so I know how much work and time it takes to write a book so rich and lush with history.
As I said, this book has a lot of different POVs and I have to be honest, sometimes I had troubles following the story and who is who because of it. I put a lot of blame for that on my slump and there is an character index at the end so it's not a too big of a deal.
My absolute favorite characters were princess Imani and her mother, queen Samya. They're both amazing and strong female characters. They're also very different in nature, one being hot-headed, passionate and bold, the other quiet, resillient and wise, so their bond made me like them even more.
Laster has a great way with words, I loved her narration and she has my deepest respect for all the hard work she put into writing Of Captivity and Kings. She's currently writing the second book to this series and I wish her best of luck and fun times with it 🥰
Actual rating: 3.8⭐
"It is better that your queen loves you, your children fear your disappointment, and your people admire you."
Thank you so much E.Y.Laster for prividing me with a copy of your book in exchange for an honest review 🙌
What a ride this book was! I'm really sad I picked it up right at the beginning of an ongoing reading slump(seriously it's been more than 3 months 😭) and it took me se long to finish it. But I did last week and I can't wait to tell you about it 🥰
We follow multiple POVs during the 4th century in African Kingdom of Nabara. After a period of peace and plenty, slavery is on the rise. Roman Empire has been threatening Nebara as well as the neighbouring kingdoms thus making the High King of Nebara invoke the Alliance of Nudolla - alliance of 6 African Kingdoms. The stakes are high because of the King isn't able to solve the issue, he will have to give up his life.
You can see E.Y.Laster did one hell of a job on her research because the details of the mytholgy, traditions and different cultures of these African kingdoms are extraordinary. I wrote a lot of historical papers during my uni years so I know how much work and time it takes to write a book so rich and lush with history.
As I said, this book has a lot of different POVs and I have to be honest, sometimes I had troubles following the story and who is who because of it. I put a lot of blame for that on my slump and there is an character index at the end so it's not a too big of a deal.
My absolute favorite characters were princess Imani and her mother, queen Samya. They're both amazing and strong female characters. They're also very different in nature, one being hot-headed, passionate and bold, the other quiet, resillient and wise, so their bond made me like them even more.
Laster has a great way with words, I loved her narration and she has my deepest respect for all the hard work she put into writing Of Captivity and Kings. She's currently writing the second book to this series and I wish her best of luck and fun times with it 🥰
Actual rating: 3.8⭐
June 14, 2022
Wow, this was quite the read. This novel was so rich; from the carefully crafted characters to the cities and the villages where they all dwelled, plus the historical accuracies. This author is definitely someone to look out for.
The only complaint I would have is the mixed POV's as they were confusing at first, even with the handy appendix. Some of the voices kind of blended together and I had to go back to see who it was that was speaking.
Regardless of my complaint, it is still an excellent read and I absolutely recommend it. It gives a wonderful view of a side of history that the West doesn't always get to see.
I received a copy of this book from the author for free and I am leaving a review voluntarily.
For more reviews, visit me at Shh, I am Reading
The only complaint I would have is the mixed POV's as they were confusing at first, even with the handy appendix. Some of the voices kind of blended together and I had to go back to see who it was that was speaking.
Regardless of my complaint, it is still an excellent read and I absolutely recommend it. It gives a wonderful view of a side of history that the West doesn't always get to see.
I received a copy of this book from the author for free and I am leaving a review voluntarily.
For more reviews, visit me at Shh, I am Reading
December 3, 2019
Laster can write. And she does it well, as life arises from the words she draws. You do not read her book, you live it. Everything becomes tangible. The dialogs, the descriptions and the characters are well crafted. It is obvious that the writing process was not rushed. Instead she took her time to write a book that anyone would enjoy reading. I envy her style. Her writing is at the same time beautiful but seems effortless and natural. There is no denying she made research for there are several cultural references. She put in the work and delivered a beautiful piece of literature.
Soon after I immersed myself into the book, I felt lost. Lost by the enormous amount of references, names, alliances and kingdoms. It took me a serious amount of time to identify the villains amongst the list of kings. I believe this is the main weakness of the book. Having characters writing from different perspectives is a style I enjoy. However, when you have more than 5 points of views in a non intergenerational narrative, it becomes harder to chew.
Well done for a first book. I will read more pieces from her. She is an author I will continue to follow. If you liked Children of Blood and Bone (which was published a year after Laster’s book), this is a book for you.
I was given a free copy in exchange for a honest review and I will give it a strong 3 star.
Good luck for book 2 and please, continue to write.
Soon after I immersed myself into the book, I felt lost. Lost by the enormous amount of references, names, alliances and kingdoms. It took me a serious amount of time to identify the villains amongst the list of kings. I believe this is the main weakness of the book. Having characters writing from different perspectives is a style I enjoy. However, when you have more than 5 points of views in a non intergenerational narrative, it becomes harder to chew.
Well done for a first book. I will read more pieces from her. She is an author I will continue to follow. If you liked Children of Blood and Bone (which was published a year after Laster’s book), this is a book for you.
I was given a free copy in exchange for a honest review and I will give it a strong 3 star.
Good luck for book 2 and please, continue to write.
November 20, 2020
A much needed counter to all the Roman-centric historical fiction about the 4th century. Here we see complicated, bustling civilizations much apart from the Roman Empire, but, unfortunately for them, not far enough, as Rome encroaches, turning entire kingdoms into slaves. A fascinating story about the many, many cultures and faiths and peoples of the time period.
However, as many other reviewers have pointed out, there are SO MANY point-of-view characters that it is hard to keep track of who is who. This story could just as easily be told from two or three characters pov, instead of a dozen.
Still, a good story, even if it is hard to track characters.
June 15, 2020
Laster is so wonderfully gifted, and this book is so rich and captivating. There are a few minor things I might've changed — some of the exposition through dialogue feels a touch unnatural, occasionally — but none of it can put a damper on how refreshing and absorbing this is to read! This is one of those books you really can recommend to anyone.
September 2, 2023
I really enjoyed this novel. The author did an excellent job creating numerous dimensional characters. Switching povs also kept my interest because it was like multiple stories in one. Highly recommend for a fun, fictional peak into the past of Africa royalty.
February 25, 2022
Received as a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review (which I thought I already wrote- weird.) Briefly, this is a very enjoyable historical novel, set in a time and place not often enough used and with tremendous interest. I’m going to have to look for the sequel.
January 20, 2021
A series that is full of boundless potential, though off to a rocky start. Still worth the read. Watch my full review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1JJd...
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December 26, 2021DNF at about 55%.
This story started out strong, with an opening scene sure to get your heart rate up, but it gets into the world building and story and then it just didn’t really ever pick up again.
There are A LOT of characters to follow, which, even with the index of characters, was just too many for me. It seemed that Laster wanted to give full detail and back story to every character, no matter whether they were central to the story or not. While she did this very well, it got to be very confusing for me determining which characters were central, supporting, and peripheral characters. The POV bounced around a lot too, as she attempted to bring each character to life.
As gripping as the opening was, leading me to think this would be a quick read, I found it to be extremely slow. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I would almost call this an epic fantasy, really. Much of the length is spent world-building and introducing us to the various cultures of the people in the 6 kingdoms. It’s obvious that Laster really spent a lot of time researching, and I personally appreciate that.
Still, I found myself falling asleep if I tried to read more than a page or two at a time, then I set it down for a while, came back to it and starting it over only to have the same problems. So after 2 years 🙈, I’m calling it quits on it. I keep telling myself I’ll try it again, maybe I just need to be in the right head space for it. So if I do, I’ll come back and update this review and give it a rating.
Thank you to E.Y. Laster for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This story started out strong, with an opening scene sure to get your heart rate up, but it gets into the world building and story and then it just didn’t really ever pick up again.
There are A LOT of characters to follow, which, even with the index of characters, was just too many for me. It seemed that Laster wanted to give full detail and back story to every character, no matter whether they were central to the story or not. While she did this very well, it got to be very confusing for me determining which characters were central, supporting, and peripheral characters. The POV bounced around a lot too, as she attempted to bring each character to life.
As gripping as the opening was, leading me to think this would be a quick read, I found it to be extremely slow. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I would almost call this an epic fantasy, really. Much of the length is spent world-building and introducing us to the various cultures of the people in the 6 kingdoms. It’s obvious that Laster really spent a lot of time researching, and I personally appreciate that.
Still, I found myself falling asleep if I tried to read more than a page or two at a time, then I set it down for a while, came back to it and starting it over only to have the same problems. So after 2 years 🙈, I’m calling it quits on it. I keep telling myself I’ll try it again, maybe I just need to be in the right head space for it. So if I do, I’ll come back and update this review and give it a rating.
Thank you to E.Y. Laster for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2020
You know how back in middle - high school you could stay up and read whatever you wanted before an 8-5 job and responsibilities got you? Yeah, that's how far this book took me. I found myself wanting to read longer and ignore my responsibilities for later days!
I love how intricate the characters are and the plot. You can vividly see every action and with every turn of the pages, the anticipation is high. As an African myself, this novel is a welcome home for me and truly left me feeling proud of my ancestors. I love how unique the character names are. It shows that the author did the work. It shows so much of African culture and history that many fail to grasp.
Now, to be honest, I think most people need to read this book twice. Mainly because it gets difficult to keep track of the characters. I personally love taking notes in my books so this was fine for me. I honestly was too eager to turn the pages to notice it.
This novel is rich in culture and truly gives you strong, beautiful African characters. There are beauty, strength, and knowledge. For anyone who loves historical fiction and action this novel is a must.
Well written and captivating to the very end. I can't wait for the next novel!
Worth the read!
****With thanks to the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.****
I love how intricate the characters are and the plot. You can vividly see every action and with every turn of the pages, the anticipation is high. As an African myself, this novel is a welcome home for me and truly left me feeling proud of my ancestors. I love how unique the character names are. It shows that the author did the work. It shows so much of African culture and history that many fail to grasp.
Now, to be honest, I think most people need to read this book twice. Mainly because it gets difficult to keep track of the characters. I personally love taking notes in my books so this was fine for me. I honestly was too eager to turn the pages to notice it.
This novel is rich in culture and truly gives you strong, beautiful African characters. There are beauty, strength, and knowledge. For anyone who loves historical fiction and action this novel is a must.
Well written and captivating to the very end. I can't wait for the next novel!
Worth the read!
****With thanks to the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.****
April 23, 2019
This book was written with history in the spotlight. Right away, I was swept into this fantasy world that completely made me see the African culture. From the society to the ideals, I think the world-building was done very well.
But, I have to say that the multiple POVs made this book a little hard to keep straight. There were a few times that I had to reread to try to figure out who was speaking, but it wasn't as distracting to the point of DNF-ing.
Other than that, I enjoyed this book. There are so many strong characters coupled with the rich culture which brings a story that is enjoyable and captive.
It did take a chunk of the book to get fully engaged and to where I wasn't confused in getting all the characters straighten so I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars.
I put the rating a little lower just because keeping everything together was a little difficult at first, but once I got over the hump, I ended up enjoying the story. The other aspects such as the plot and setting were done very well.
But, I have to say that the multiple POVs made this book a little hard to keep straight. There were a few times that I had to reread to try to figure out who was speaking, but it wasn't as distracting to the point of DNF-ing.
Other than that, I enjoyed this book. There are so many strong characters coupled with the rich culture which brings a story that is enjoyable and captive.
It did take a chunk of the book to get fully engaged and to where I wasn't confused in getting all the characters straighten so I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars.
I put the rating a little lower just because keeping everything together was a little difficult at first, but once I got over the hump, I ended up enjoying the story. The other aspects such as the plot and setting were done very well.
October 5, 2019
written on 03/20/2019
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I went into the process of reading this book with a certain set of expectations, and as much as it hurts me to say that, those expectations were not met.
I had an extremely hard time trying to stay focused while reading, and because of that, it took me two months to finish this book.
That does not have to be a bad thing per se, but a book of this size would usually keep me busy for one week or so.
As I mentioned above, there are a lot of characters in this book and it was tough trying to keep up with them and their plot lines, so I would often find myself confused. For my personal taste, there was also a lack of character development.
Also, I remember that when I was halfway through, I still didn't feel like this book had a plot that spoke to me, and I was beginning to be bored with what was happening.
However, I loved the writing style and the lore; the cultural and historic aspects were what kept my interest in this book.
The first disappointment was finding that the book did not focus on the two characters from the prologue, Nekili and Naima, because the prologue was, bluntly said, what got my hopes and expectations up. I would have loved to learn more of their story and I was disappointed to find that the book moved away from them quite quickly.
I gave the book three stars because, as I said, the historic and cultural aspects, as well as the writing style, have kept me going when I was reading this book. They made up for the flaws that I mentioned.
I also have immense respect for people like E. Y. Laster who, now that diversity in media is gaining an audience, is putting themselves out there to share their heritage, and I can tell that she definitely knew what she was talking about, even though I myself have almost no knowledge of ancient Africa and its culture.
I don't consider myself that much of a history nerd, but I know how much joy it is to share about cultures that go by almost unnoticed.
So, should you buy this book?
Yes. I think it's worth a try, and we all know that one person's view shouldn't dictate how others see the same thing - so just because it wasn't the perfect book for me, doesn't mean you'll experience it the same way.
If you enjoy books that go into the direction of LoTR, Game of Thrones and incorporate ancient African/Egyptian and ancient Roman culture, then "Of Captivity & Kings" is definitely a book you should consider.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I went into the process of reading this book with a certain set of expectations, and as much as it hurts me to say that, those expectations were not met.
I had an extremely hard time trying to stay focused while reading, and because of that, it took me two months to finish this book.
That does not have to be a bad thing per se, but a book of this size would usually keep me busy for one week or so.
As I mentioned above, there are a lot of characters in this book and it was tough trying to keep up with them and their plot lines, so I would often find myself confused. For my personal taste, there was also a lack of character development.
Also, I remember that when I was halfway through, I still didn't feel like this book had a plot that spoke to me, and I was beginning to be bored with what was happening.
However, I loved the writing style and the lore; the cultural and historic aspects were what kept my interest in this book.
The first disappointment was finding that the book did not focus on the two characters from the prologue, Nekili and Naima, because the prologue was, bluntly said, what got my hopes and expectations up. I would have loved to learn more of their story and I was disappointed to find that the book moved away from them quite quickly.
I gave the book three stars because, as I said, the historic and cultural aspects, as well as the writing style, have kept me going when I was reading this book. They made up for the flaws that I mentioned.
I also have immense respect for people like E. Y. Laster who, now that diversity in media is gaining an audience, is putting themselves out there to share their heritage, and I can tell that she definitely knew what she was talking about, even though I myself have almost no knowledge of ancient Africa and its culture.
I don't consider myself that much of a history nerd, but I know how much joy it is to share about cultures that go by almost unnoticed.
So, should you buy this book?
Yes. I think it's worth a try, and we all know that one person's view shouldn't dictate how others see the same thing - so just because it wasn't the perfect book for me, doesn't mean you'll experience it the same way.
If you enjoy books that go into the direction of LoTR, Game of Thrones and incorporate ancient African/Egyptian and ancient Roman culture, then "Of Captivity & Kings" is definitely a book you should consider.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews