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The White Prince
Elgaard, year 320. It was the eve of his sixteenth birthday and the royal ceremony in which he would receive his crown as heir to the throne. Everything was going according to plan until his wicked older brother returned. Banished from his kingdom by a power-hungry enemy, a prince embarks on a dangerous journey to return and take his rightful place as king of a land cursed in a never-ending winter. After an enchantment causes him to forget, Prince Rykus is raised far outside of the kingdom by peasants, remembering nothing of his royalty or his wintry powers. While working as a swordsmith, he befriends a pirate with a secret of his own and a bear who help to remind him of who he really is. Thus, he begins the adventure of returning to the barren kingdom and to fight for the crown, exacting justice for his brother’s betrayal and cruelty and he must do so before Elgaard is overrun by an even bigger enemy. Murder. Revenge. Dragons. Winter. “The White Prince” is Frozen meets The Lion King meets The Pilgrim's Progress for a new generation of readers with a mind for fantasy and adventure.
- GenresFantasy
231 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 19, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 11, 2020
Short But Sweet...
I was a little worried when I saw how short this book was, 199 pages, considering it's a fantasy novel. I didn't think the author would be able to create a believable world, but it ended up being okay in the end. Yes, I do think this book could've been longer, and if so, the world and characters could've been a little more developed, but overall it wasn't a huge issue for me. I like the world and the characters, and was able to feel invested in their lives.
I loved the change of pace with having a male MC, so many these days are always from the female POV, (not that there's anything wrong with that, I love a good female heroin just as much as the next guy) it was just easier for me to relate with this book.
Overall it was a good story and plot, and I gave it 4 stars solely based on my opinion that the story would have been 5 stars if the world and characters had been a little further developed.
I was a little worried when I saw how short this book was, 199 pages, considering it's a fantasy novel. I didn't think the author would be able to create a believable world, but it ended up being okay in the end. Yes, I do think this book could've been longer, and if so, the world and characters could've been a little more developed, but overall it wasn't a huge issue for me. I like the world and the characters, and was able to feel invested in their lives.
I loved the change of pace with having a male MC, so many these days are always from the female POV, (not that there's anything wrong with that, I love a good female heroin just as much as the next guy) it was just easier for me to relate with this book.
Overall it was a good story and plot, and I gave it 4 stars solely based on my opinion that the story would have been 5 stars if the world and characters had been a little further developed.
October 25, 2020
What an enjoyable read from start to finish! This is definitely my genre of book that I like to read and I was hooked from chapter one. I loved getting to spend time in this fantasy world with the prince, a would-be king, on an incredible journey. I will definitely be recommending this book to friends!
October 30, 2020
Great imagery...
This was a good read for me, and the standout was the imagery. The author did a great job with describing the characters and the world in a way that was easy for me to visualize. I loved the change of pace with a prince for an MC. I haven't read one like that in a long time.
The White Prince is on the short side, which did leave me wanting more, but I think I still felt satisfied in the end. I guess if I want more then that probable means it was a good read.
My only complaint was there were a lot of what I would consider run-on sentences, and sometimes that meant I had to go back and read the sentence two or three times to understand what was going on. I think if those had been spaced out into two or three sentences instead of one, it would have made all the difference.
Otherwise, this is a good story, good plot, and I look forward to reading book #2.
This was a good read for me, and the standout was the imagery. The author did a great job with describing the characters and the world in a way that was easy for me to visualize. I loved the change of pace with a prince for an MC. I haven't read one like that in a long time.
The White Prince is on the short side, which did leave me wanting more, but I think I still felt satisfied in the end. I guess if I want more then that probable means it was a good read.
My only complaint was there were a lot of what I would consider run-on sentences, and sometimes that meant I had to go back and read the sentence two or three times to understand what was going on. I think if those had been spaced out into two or three sentences instead of one, it would have made all the difference.
Otherwise, this is a good story, good plot, and I look forward to reading book #2.
October 15, 2020
Matthew Horton clearly has a great imagination. As I read The White Prince I couldn’t help but feel like his passion and excitement for the world he had created was seeping through the pages. The story is fast paced, full of adventure and fun characters.
I did find it a little frustrating because I really liked the plot and wanted to hear more! The world and characters could have been developed more. With how fast it moved it did remind me a little of a 'choose your own adventure book', like the kind I use to read when I was younger. You know, where suddenly you come across a troll and you have to choose to fight or run away. If you choose to run away, you find yourself on the edge of a cliff and then you need to decide if you are going to go back and fight the troll or take your chances jumping off the cliff. If I'm being completely honest, it reminded me a little bit of my own writing style and how I have tried to develop narratives more. So, not only did I enjoy the book but I also learned a lot!
I did find it a little frustrating because I really liked the plot and wanted to hear more! The world and characters could have been developed more. With how fast it moved it did remind me a little of a 'choose your own adventure book', like the kind I use to read when I was younger. You know, where suddenly you come across a troll and you have to choose to fight or run away. If you choose to run away, you find yourself on the edge of a cliff and then you need to decide if you are going to go back and fight the troll or take your chances jumping off the cliff. If I'm being completely honest, it reminded me a little bit of my own writing style and how I have tried to develop narratives more. So, not only did I enjoy the book but I also learned a lot!
October 12, 2020
A good change of pace... (Another great SP read)
I don't often come across male MC's, especially ones that I enjoy because it's harder for me to relate, but that wasn't the case here. I truly enjoyed the story and characters, and found myself rooting for them.
I believe the author could have made the book twice as long, without having to worry about it getting boring, because the plot was that good. More development would have made the characters even more likable, but that didn't take away from the story for me.
I find myself wishing this story would continue, but even if it doesn't, I highly recommend.
I don't often come across male MC's, especially ones that I enjoy because it's harder for me to relate, but that wasn't the case here. I truly enjoyed the story and characters, and found myself rooting for them.
I believe the author could have made the book twice as long, without having to worry about it getting boring, because the plot was that good. More development would have made the characters even more likable, but that didn't take away from the story for me.
I find myself wishing this story would continue, but even if it doesn't, I highly recommend.
September 21, 2020
A super fun fantasy novel with hints of all our favorite fairy tales. It's at once cheeky, creepy, and epic. It's about a prince, a would-be king, on the journey of a lifetime. A journey back to his life and his crown. I loved that it was dedicated to the author's niece, and I imagined as I was reading which parts were meant for her. This book doesn't take itself too seriously, but still paints a vivid picture and was thoroughly enjoyable and easy to digest. Recommend for fans of fantasy and fairytales!
January 29, 2026
DNF at 42 %.
The wicked king let out a great laugh, one so evil that his shadow on the wall looked like a serpent in the light of the dancing flames.
Sorry, but I hated it. The writing was far too fast and hurried and things happened and happened and there was action and action and action and there were almost no other linking words than and and or and the sentences were so long and unreadable like this same sentence here.
“Well, well.” Tulio grinned as he took a few steps forward. “The noble and brave Crown Prince Rykus. I wondered when you might arrive.” His eyes became visible and they were fully white yet dark on the edges, making him look like some sort of a demon and not a human and his jagged horns showed that he had been using dark magic for some time.
Of course Rykus immediately realizes that he must have been using dark magic for some time, after all he’s met dozens of horned demons before, hasn’t he? Oh, he hasn’t? Strange. Anyway, here are some of the things I was not okay with (I don’t think they’re spoilers because most of them happen right at the start and/or are mentioned in the book description on Amazon):
– ‚The witch’s eyes grew bright and reflected off of him as he came within inches of her. „You shall make an excellent stew, boy! First, I’ll crush your bones and I’ll use your muscle fiber and fat for the main dish, combined with cucumber, manim, and Narott Root and a small amount of spider’s legs, for flavor. Your brain, once finely chopped, followed by your eyeballs and fingernails, will make a delightful garnish!“ She laughed and clapped her hands together. „Shall I elaborate in sing-song what will happen to the rest of you?“ (the language is supposed to be horror, but the whole scene felt like it was out of a very creepy children’s book to me)
– ‚He looked down at the scar on his chest from a previous eagle race. He’d landed roughly in a ravine and nearly broke his neck and was left with a scar to remember it by. The three golden earrings he wore in each ear shimmered in the light of the morning and even his facial features were changing. His face was no longer full of the fat of youth but now it was angular and strong like a man’s. His body had developed rapidly in the last two years and, through training and exercise since the age of seven, he had become spry and athletic, much thanks to Felonius who had taught him archery, sword work and combat training. He would be ready for war if there ever came one.‘ (he, he, him…please try to get some variation in your sentence structure from time to time)
–‚“You’ve trapped me, your Majesty,” Sepheron whimpered. “My head is yours.” “No,” he answered him. “Not your head.” With this, he drew his sword and stabbed the creature in the eye, much to the amazement of the crowd. Sepheron bellowed and struggled as the prince cut his eye out, all the while blood and a wax like liquid splashed on his face and chest and drained out onto the ground floor. (…) Rykus kneeled down and kissed his father’s ring before the man lifted his chin. His face read of pride and amazement. “What you did was merciful, Rykus. Most in your position would have killed the beast. And there is no rule against such.” (Joffrey fucking Baratheon may think this is mercy, but I don’t. He’s basically fighting against a monster kept prisoner and instead of ending its pains or sparing it he cuts out his eyes, people. That’s not mercy. Anyone who thinks this mercy is welcome to come here and have their eyes cut out by me. Not interested? See, it’s not mercy.)
– “I hunger not for power but to carry on my father’s legacy.” (Very self-perceptive of Rykus. Don’t make your characters describe themselves. It happens all the time here. Let others describe them, or describe them by showing their thoughts. Don’t let them state stuff like ‚I’m a clever person‘)
– ‚He stepped down and out into the center of the crowd, holding out his hand and, at the urging of her friends, she began to walk toward him. Suddenly, a great wind rushed into the room blowing the flame and all of the candles out and out of the floor emerged a thick black mist which caused the whole of the room to panic.‘ (Remember that Two and a Half Men episode where Alan wants to be a writer? NEVER USE ‚SUDDENLY‘.)
– ‚Sverinth was the liege and spokesperson of the sorcerer, Dantis, who had trained Tulio, and she had not made an appearance in over a hundred years. Her threat was ominous and everyone knew that something wicked was soon to come upon the land.‘ (aha. So, why haven’t we heard of her before? I’m a sucker for foreshadowing, not a big fan of new villains appearing out of nowhere)
– ‚“I cannot go back,” he said as she rose into the night sky. “He said I must find the village of Hofni. Do you know of such a place? Can you take me there?” “As you wish, your Majesty,” the bird spoke while swooping down and out of the forest and they flew for quite some time before she spoke again. “Hofni, Sire.“ Rykus blinked a few times as the small village came into view. This was definitely new territory. Nothing here was frozen. The land was green and the village was brown. “This is Hofni?” (Yep, this Hofni, Sire. You wanna escape from this kingdom? Piece of cake. Only takes a single paragraph! SHOW US THE WAY!)
–‚“I do not know,” Rykus answered her honestly. He didn’t remember anything, for his brother had poisoned him with an enchantment which would cause him to forget.‘ (Don’t state the obvious! We know that he was enchanted, we were there! Readers aren’t stupid!)
description
-Time jumps out of nowhere: nobody notices when you change the year at the start of the chapter. Seriousy nobody knows what year the action takes place in. Just say six years later and be done with it when you make a time jump.
-HOW DOES HE RECOGNIZE HIS FATHER WHEN HE CANT REMEMBER ANYTHING?
–‚“I remember the day you came here as though it were yesterday,” she told him. “You were like a vision, Rykus. Now, you’ve grown and you’re more handsome than ever and now you leave us?” “You think me handsome?” he asked her, a small, uncontrolled smile peaking at the corner of his mouth. “And you wait this long to tell me so?” “I’m not the man,” she told him. “But that would have been wrong,” he said. “They told me I was your brother. You know what? I must leave. I am not from here.” “Oh, really?” she asked him. “You act as if I did not know that. The way your hair and eyes shone and the way you carried yourself, I knew you were from somewhere far. Is that where you leave to now?” He nodded and tightened his jaws a moment before looking back at her. “My people are suffering.” “Your people? What about me?” she asked him and it was all he could do not to stare at her full lips.‘ (OMG. Like, really?)
– and other stuff which made me DNF this at 42%. sighsI didn’t want to rant today, but I’m just…Sorry, didn’t like it at all.
The wicked king let out a great laugh, one so evil that his shadow on the wall looked like a serpent in the light of the dancing flames.
Sorry, but I hated it. The writing was far too fast and hurried and things happened and happened and there was action and action and action and there were almost no other linking words than and and or and the sentences were so long and unreadable like this same sentence here.
“Well, well.” Tulio grinned as he took a few steps forward. “The noble and brave Crown Prince Rykus. I wondered when you might arrive.” His eyes became visible and they were fully white yet dark on the edges, making him look like some sort of a demon and not a human and his jagged horns showed that he had been using dark magic for some time.
Of course Rykus immediately realizes that he must have been using dark magic for some time, after all he’s met dozens of horned demons before, hasn’t he? Oh, he hasn’t? Strange. Anyway, here are some of the things I was not okay with (I don’t think they’re spoilers because most of them happen right at the start and/or are mentioned in the book description on Amazon):
– ‚The witch’s eyes grew bright and reflected off of him as he came within inches of her. „You shall make an excellent stew, boy! First, I’ll crush your bones and I’ll use your muscle fiber and fat for the main dish, combined with cucumber, manim, and Narott Root and a small amount of spider’s legs, for flavor. Your brain, once finely chopped, followed by your eyeballs and fingernails, will make a delightful garnish!“ She laughed and clapped her hands together. „Shall I elaborate in sing-song what will happen to the rest of you?“ (the language is supposed to be horror, but the whole scene felt like it was out of a very creepy children’s book to me)
– ‚He looked down at the scar on his chest from a previous eagle race. He’d landed roughly in a ravine and nearly broke his neck and was left with a scar to remember it by. The three golden earrings he wore in each ear shimmered in the light of the morning and even his facial features were changing. His face was no longer full of the fat of youth but now it was angular and strong like a man’s. His body had developed rapidly in the last two years and, through training and exercise since the age of seven, he had become spry and athletic, much thanks to Felonius who had taught him archery, sword work and combat training. He would be ready for war if there ever came one.‘ (he, he, him…please try to get some variation in your sentence structure from time to time)
–‚“You’ve trapped me, your Majesty,” Sepheron whimpered. “My head is yours.” “No,” he answered him. “Not your head.” With this, he drew his sword and stabbed the creature in the eye, much to the amazement of the crowd. Sepheron bellowed and struggled as the prince cut his eye out, all the while blood and a wax like liquid splashed on his face and chest and drained out onto the ground floor. (…) Rykus kneeled down and kissed his father’s ring before the man lifted his chin. His face read of pride and amazement. “What you did was merciful, Rykus. Most in your position would have killed the beast. And there is no rule against such.” (Joffrey fucking Baratheon may think this is mercy, but I don’t. He’s basically fighting against a monster kept prisoner and instead of ending its pains or sparing it he cuts out his eyes, people. That’s not mercy. Anyone who thinks this mercy is welcome to come here and have their eyes cut out by me. Not interested? See, it’s not mercy.)
– “I hunger not for power but to carry on my father’s legacy.” (Very self-perceptive of Rykus. Don’t make your characters describe themselves. It happens all the time here. Let others describe them, or describe them by showing their thoughts. Don’t let them state stuff like ‚I’m a clever person‘)
– ‚He stepped down and out into the center of the crowd, holding out his hand and, at the urging of her friends, she began to walk toward him. Suddenly, a great wind rushed into the room blowing the flame and all of the candles out and out of the floor emerged a thick black mist which caused the whole of the room to panic.‘ (Remember that Two and a Half Men episode where Alan wants to be a writer? NEVER USE ‚SUDDENLY‘.)
– ‚Sverinth was the liege and spokesperson of the sorcerer, Dantis, who had trained Tulio, and she had not made an appearance in over a hundred years. Her threat was ominous and everyone knew that something wicked was soon to come upon the land.‘ (aha. So, why haven’t we heard of her before? I’m a sucker for foreshadowing, not a big fan of new villains appearing out of nowhere)
– ‚“I cannot go back,” he said as she rose into the night sky. “He said I must find the village of Hofni. Do you know of such a place? Can you take me there?” “As you wish, your Majesty,” the bird spoke while swooping down and out of the forest and they flew for quite some time before she spoke again. “Hofni, Sire.“ Rykus blinked a few times as the small village came into view. This was definitely new territory. Nothing here was frozen. The land was green and the village was brown. “This is Hofni?” (Yep, this Hofni, Sire. You wanna escape from this kingdom? Piece of cake. Only takes a single paragraph! SHOW US THE WAY!)
–‚“I do not know,” Rykus answered her honestly. He didn’t remember anything, for his brother had poisoned him with an enchantment which would cause him to forget.‘ (Don’t state the obvious! We know that he was enchanted, we were there! Readers aren’t stupid!)
description
-Time jumps out of nowhere: nobody notices when you change the year at the start of the chapter. Seriousy nobody knows what year the action takes place in. Just say six years later and be done with it when you make a time jump.
-HOW DOES HE RECOGNIZE HIS FATHER WHEN HE CANT REMEMBER ANYTHING?
–‚“I remember the day you came here as though it were yesterday,” she told him. “You were like a vision, Rykus. Now, you’ve grown and you’re more handsome than ever and now you leave us?” “You think me handsome?” he asked her, a small, uncontrolled smile peaking at the corner of his mouth. “And you wait this long to tell me so?” “I’m not the man,” she told him. “But that would have been wrong,” he said. “They told me I was your brother. You know what? I must leave. I am not from here.” “Oh, really?” she asked him. “You act as if I did not know that. The way your hair and eyes shone and the way you carried yourself, I knew you were from somewhere far. Is that where you leave to now?” He nodded and tightened his jaws a moment before looking back at her. “My people are suffering.” “Your people? What about me?” she asked him and it was all he could do not to stare at her full lips.‘ (OMG. Like, really?)
– and other stuff which made me DNF this at 42%. sighsI didn’t want to rant today, but I’m just…Sorry, didn’t like it at all.
September 10, 2020
Can you guess where this quote is from??
“𝐅𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐞…”
Ok I don’t read a lot of fantasy.. like at all. But when @matthortonauthor reached out to us to see if we wanted to read his new book, I jumped at the opportunity. He is a local author to Seattle, he also wrote the fun book He’s All That, and he’s an all-around good guy!🎉
This quote kept coming to mind when I was reading this book, so I channeled my inner Disney Princess and enjoyed a fun fantasy book!👑
Prince Rykas was banished from his kingdom by his own brother right before he was going to take over the throne! While under a spell he completely forgets who he is and where he’s supposed to be. In the meantime, he finds a nice family to take him in and makes a great friend that he now considers to be a brother.
If you like fantasy I highly encourage you to step into this world that Matt Horton has created, I highly enjoyed this writing style and adored the main character!
The White Prince published in July and is free on Kindle Unlimited right now! If you want to check out a great indie author please consider @matthortonauthor.
“𝐅𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐞…”
Ok I don’t read a lot of fantasy.. like at all. But when @matthortonauthor reached out to us to see if we wanted to read his new book, I jumped at the opportunity. He is a local author to Seattle, he also wrote the fun book He’s All That, and he’s an all-around good guy!🎉
This quote kept coming to mind when I was reading this book, so I channeled my inner Disney Princess and enjoyed a fun fantasy book!👑
Prince Rykas was banished from his kingdom by his own brother right before he was going to take over the throne! While under a spell he completely forgets who he is and where he’s supposed to be. In the meantime, he finds a nice family to take him in and makes a great friend that he now considers to be a brother.
If you like fantasy I highly encourage you to step into this world that Matt Horton has created, I highly enjoyed this writing style and adored the main character!
The White Prince published in July and is free on Kindle Unlimited right now! If you want to check out a great indie author please consider @matthortonauthor.
August 4, 2020
Recommend if you like urban fantasy
Fantastic pace. Amazing world the author created. For how many pages and the pace for the book, there was plenty of conflict to keep me interested. The entire book was just all excitement- left and right. Very hooking. I think 3rd person was best for this book . Seeing all aspects made me scream! Like really tulio!!! I do believe the author put too much information into one scene sometimes like Tulio's perspective and it can get overbearing. Author could have showed Tulio's story instead of tell. I did notice there wasn't a lot of backstory for anyone which would help character development. So I didn't feel sad or excited for any character. Everyone was a static . Caspian was the funniest character. I loved being apart of the journey cause Caspian could entertain me all day. and when he meets Anitta I died laughing. I wish ester could have joined their quest she could have added so much to the journey: I feel it. The book is very original. I'm giving the book 5 stars because of the fact Caspsin was so amazing and funny yet deceitful. His character was so well written. but I feel like more could have been added to the book. Maybe it's cause I'm a woman and some romance wouldn't hurt between ester and rykus, but I would have loved a woman character apart of the journey
Fantastic pace. Amazing world the author created. For how many pages and the pace for the book, there was plenty of conflict to keep me interested. The entire book was just all excitement- left and right. Very hooking. I think 3rd person was best for this book . Seeing all aspects made me scream! Like really tulio!!! I do believe the author put too much information into one scene sometimes like Tulio's perspective and it can get overbearing. Author could have showed Tulio's story instead of tell. I did notice there wasn't a lot of backstory for anyone which would help character development. So I didn't feel sad or excited for any character. Everyone was a static . Caspian was the funniest character. I loved being apart of the journey cause Caspian could entertain me all day. and when he meets Anitta I died laughing. I wish ester could have joined their quest she could have added so much to the journey: I feel it. The book is very original. I'm giving the book 5 stars because of the fact Caspsin was so amazing and funny yet deceitful. His character was so well written. but I feel like more could have been added to the book. Maybe it's cause I'm a woman and some romance wouldn't hurt between ester and rykus, but I would have loved a woman character apart of the journey
October 26, 2020
I did really enjoy this book! I will have to read it again since I had a busy week and ended up having to put it down often. The Mc is definitely likeable and there really wasn't a boring part I can remember. I also loved the world created here. I would recommend.
October 18, 2020
I enjoyed my time spent in the fantasy world of Elgaard. Matt Horton's characters were believable and his story line was compelling and kept me reading. I loved the unexpected plot twist with his brother. I really wasn't thinking anything like this would happen. Definitely, I will recommend this book to others!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews