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The Stagsblood Trilogy #1
The Stagsblood Prince
The stagsblood gave Prince Tel powerful magic. But it can't give him back what he's lost...or what he will lose. The new gay fantasy epic begins:
Tel, sexy crown prince of Feigh, has negotiated an end to the war between his country and the strange queendom of Omela. He looks forward to an easy reign of wild parties and wilder men. The deities have other ideas, however, in this gay fantasy novel of transformation, redemption, and love.
When his father dies suddenly, Tel is outmaneuvered by his brother, losing the throne. Tel’s faith prohibits him from raising his sword and spilling blood, so he accepts the humiliation, working to temper his brother’s baser impulses. But the new king’s reign takes a dark turn, and his collaborators begin to round up undesirables, including those with a magic called the stagsblood.
Tel must decide: Flee or fight? Running means abandoning his people to his brother’s evil whims. Standing his ground means the sin of total war. He has no army and only a few allies—and his magical secret.
Caip, his closest friend and protector, brings military experience and blunt advice. Her right hand, Dar, is the picture of loyalty. Tough, battle-scarred Bin doesn’t suffer fools gladly. And Vared, a mysterious singer-turned-diplomat from Omela, speaks the truth to Tel in ways no one else can.
Tel, sexy crown prince of Feigh, has negotiated an end to the war between his country and the strange queendom of Omela. He looks forward to an easy reign of wild parties and wilder men. The deities have other ideas, however, in this gay fantasy novel of transformation, redemption, and love.
When his father dies suddenly, Tel is outmaneuvered by his brother, losing the throne. Tel’s faith prohibits him from raising his sword and spilling blood, so he accepts the humiliation, working to temper his brother’s baser impulses. But the new king’s reign takes a dark turn, and his collaborators begin to round up undesirables, including those with a magic called the stagsblood.
Tel must decide: Flee or fight? Running means abandoning his people to his brother’s evil whims. Standing his ground means the sin of total war. He has no army and only a few allies—and his magical secret.
Caip, his closest friend and protector, brings military experience and blunt advice. Her right hand, Dar, is the picture of loyalty. Tough, battle-scarred Bin doesn’t suffer fools gladly. And Vared, a mysterious singer-turned-diplomat from Omela, speaks the truth to Tel in ways no one else can.
390 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 7, 2021
69 people are currently reading
1354 people want to read
About the author
Gideon E. Wood
3 books24 followersGideon E. Wood writes gay fantasy fiction. He has been in recovery from alcohol and other drug addiction since 2011. Second chances and transformation are at the heart of his work. Gideon lives in New England with his cat but thinks it’s important you know he isn’t a cat person.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
March 14, 2021
This book is a memorable and deeply impactful wonderful and terrible delight.
When was the last time you could honestly call a fairly traditional high fantasy set up ‘refreshing’? Growing up, I loved high fantasy. As I developed into the most authentic version of myself that love clung on to me, but it became a somewhat abusive relationship. This is a genre that often lacks diversity (bizarre for fantasy, no?) and harmful coding that is all but directly discriminatory to queer people and minorities. So what a pleasure it is to go on this journey not with an inexperienced arrocishet farmboy, but a sex positive queer middle aged main character.
The prose keeps you on your toes, quickly establishing its own unique and enjoyable rythym. Likewise, the dialogue is often beautiful, and neither wander into purpledom. This isn’t a lazy read, but the well written words serve to pull you into the story further. Incredibly clever, with detailed world building, smooth dialogue, an interesting magic system, and vivid descriptions. I was reminded at times of Robin Hobb’s Farseer series. The satisfying twists, dramatic battles, and absolute emotional gut punches delivered within the story will keep you enthralled, excited, and horrified in turn.
I sometimes worry with high and epic fantasy that unless the series is already released I will forget parts of the intricately built world, or character details by the time the next book comes out—but this story is so lovingly built, with twists that made me have to read the same page several times to believe it that I don’t think i have to worry about that here. I just wish the next book was already out purely for my own enjoyment, but then no doubt I’d still be left wanting more.
*CONTENT WARNING: Alcoholism, emotional abuse, violence, death and grief, sex
When was the last time you could honestly call a fairly traditional high fantasy set up ‘refreshing’? Growing up, I loved high fantasy. As I developed into the most authentic version of myself that love clung on to me, but it became a somewhat abusive relationship. This is a genre that often lacks diversity (bizarre for fantasy, no?) and harmful coding that is all but directly discriminatory to queer people and minorities. So what a pleasure it is to go on this journey not with an inexperienced arrocishet farmboy, but a sex positive queer middle aged main character.
The prose keeps you on your toes, quickly establishing its own unique and enjoyable rythym. Likewise, the dialogue is often beautiful, and neither wander into purpledom. This isn’t a lazy read, but the well written words serve to pull you into the story further. Incredibly clever, with detailed world building, smooth dialogue, an interesting magic system, and vivid descriptions. I was reminded at times of Robin Hobb’s Farseer series. The satisfying twists, dramatic battles, and absolute emotional gut punches delivered within the story will keep you enthralled, excited, and horrified in turn.
I sometimes worry with high and epic fantasy that unless the series is already released I will forget parts of the intricately built world, or character details by the time the next book comes out—but this story is so lovingly built, with twists that made me have to read the same page several times to believe it that I don’t think i have to worry about that here. I just wish the next book was already out purely for my own enjoyment, but then no doubt I’d still be left wanting more.
*CONTENT WARNING: Alcoholism, emotional abuse, violence, death and grief, sex
February 8, 2021
Damn, this was good.
So, so very good.
The kind of book that I stayed up until the middle of the night to finish, never mind that I'll therefore be tottering to work a sleep-deprived wreck in the morning - but, oh well, sacrifices had to be made to devote the attention it deserves to this gripping epic fantasy tale that had me glued to the page with its feuding brothers and elemental magic, lovely slowburn romance and deep friendship, and the deep brutality and high cost of war.
While the book started out a bit slow and I spent much of the first half waiting for the pace to pick up, I did enjoy being slowly drawn into the story and watching the characters and their relationships gradually develop. Once I got to the second half, speed, action and emotional rollercoaster all kicked into high gear, making it absolutely impossible to put the book down until I'd turned the last page.
Some aspects of the worldbuilding I found somewhat puzzling, such as the military ranks (We've got a "rightmajor" and "rightcolonel" - what's the significance of the "right"? Is there such a thing as a "leftmajor" then?) or how exactly the calendar and measurement of time works in this society (Evidently timespans are mostly measured in seasons, but sometimes also in years, which consist of twenty months, and... I'm so very confused.) - but quite frankly, I largely stopped caring about any such minor matters when that evil, evil twist happened (You know which one I mean. I'm not crying, you're crying!). Definitely didn't see that one coming. Talk about a gutpunch.
With two more books to come, where do we go from here? I can't wait to find out.
Second book. I need it. NOW.
*** I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. ***
So, so very good.
The kind of book that I stayed up until the middle of the night to finish, never mind that I'll therefore be tottering to work a sleep-deprived wreck in the morning - but, oh well, sacrifices had to be made to devote the attention it deserves to this gripping epic fantasy tale that had me glued to the page with its feuding brothers and elemental magic, lovely slowburn romance and deep friendship, and the deep brutality and high cost of war.
While the book started out a bit slow and I spent much of the first half waiting for the pace to pick up, I did enjoy being slowly drawn into the story and watching the characters and their relationships gradually develop. Once I got to the second half, speed, action and emotional rollercoaster all kicked into high gear, making it absolutely impossible to put the book down until I'd turned the last page.
Some aspects of the worldbuilding I found somewhat puzzling, such as the military ranks (We've got a "rightmajor" and "rightcolonel" - what's the significance of the "right"? Is there such a thing as a "leftmajor" then?) or how exactly the calendar and measurement of time works in this society (Evidently timespans are mostly measured in seasons, but sometimes also in years, which consist of twenty months, and... I'm so very confused.) - but quite frankly, I largely stopped caring about any such minor matters when that evil, evil twist happened (You know which one I mean. I'm not crying, you're crying!). Definitely didn't see that one coming. Talk about a gutpunch.
With two more books to come, where do we go from here? I can't wait to find out.
Second book. I need it. NOW.
*** I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. ***
May 20, 2021
The Stagsblood Prince by Gideon E Wood is a fantasy fiction novel and the first in The Stagsblood Triliogy. In this world, the LGBTQ+ community is accepted throughout the novel. This story is about love, redemption and transformation, but it’s also about grief. This book reads like a standalone novel. The characters grow through a lot but it feels like a complete story, whereas other books from trilogies usually use the first book to set up the rest of the trilogy.
This book is told exclusively through Tel’s perspective. Tel is the 40 year old Prince of Feigh. He is an alcoholic not able to go an hour without a drink. The novel starts out with Tel waking up hungover in bed with a stranger. He is selfish and self-absorbed. He does not weigh what his actions does to those around him. This continues for approximately the first third of the book. When he ruins Caip’s birthday and wakes up the next day to everyone he cares about upset with him, he decides to get sober… again. Considering his drunkenness and his inability to stay with the same person for more than a night contributed to his loss of the throne, this decision is the more mature one in the whole novel. Caip is Tel’s righthand woman, the captain of his guard, and best friend. She is stubborn, headstrong and loves Tel as family. But she is also his biggest enabler. Vared is the literal opposite of Tel. He is selfless to a fault, kind and opens Tel’s heart to love after so many years closed off. Vared is one of the main reasons that Tel pulls himself out of his addiction and depression. The romance between Vared and Tel is a slow burn. Neither man want to give into their emotions and tell the other. Tel’s brother, Lag and his uncle Aith are the main villains of the book. However, this story mostly revolves around Tel’s struggles with sobriety and his decision making after the civilians of Feigh rally in his name after Lag and Aith pushes for their ideal “pure” Feigh, their rhetoric of ignorance and division.
Gideon E Wood’s pacing in this novel is great. The scenes and events piece together nicely. There are ups and downs and chances to breathe throughout the plot. The battle scenes between Tel and his brother are well written. I just wish there was more showing and not as much “thought about” in Tel’s mind. Yes, this is told through Tel’s perspective, however it feels at some points that you are more reading a diary after the fact than reading as the events happen. The plot is good. It’s pretty typical of a fantasy novel regarding the hero’s redemption and sacrifices and leads to a happy-ish ending. the best part of this novel is the M/M romance and seeing how Vared influences Tel to become his true self through healing the pains of his past. The next book is through Vared’s perspective. Although it would be interesting to see the world through his eyes. I feel like this would have been best left as a standalone novel.
ARC Provided by Reedsy Discovery and Gideon E. Wood
This book is told exclusively through Tel’s perspective. Tel is the 40 year old Prince of Feigh. He is an alcoholic not able to go an hour without a drink. The novel starts out with Tel waking up hungover in bed with a stranger. He is selfish and self-absorbed. He does not weigh what his actions does to those around him. This continues for approximately the first third of the book. When he ruins Caip’s birthday and wakes up the next day to everyone he cares about upset with him, he decides to get sober… again. Considering his drunkenness and his inability to stay with the same person for more than a night contributed to his loss of the throne, this decision is the more mature one in the whole novel. Caip is Tel’s righthand woman, the captain of his guard, and best friend. She is stubborn, headstrong and loves Tel as family. But she is also his biggest enabler. Vared is the literal opposite of Tel. He is selfless to a fault, kind and opens Tel’s heart to love after so many years closed off. Vared is one of the main reasons that Tel pulls himself out of his addiction and depression. The romance between Vared and Tel is a slow burn. Neither man want to give into their emotions and tell the other. Tel’s brother, Lag and his uncle Aith are the main villains of the book. However, this story mostly revolves around Tel’s struggles with sobriety and his decision making after the civilians of Feigh rally in his name after Lag and Aith pushes for their ideal “pure” Feigh, their rhetoric of ignorance and division.
Gideon E Wood’s pacing in this novel is great. The scenes and events piece together nicely. There are ups and downs and chances to breathe throughout the plot. The battle scenes between Tel and his brother are well written. I just wish there was more showing and not as much “thought about” in Tel’s mind. Yes, this is told through Tel’s perspective, however it feels at some points that you are more reading a diary after the fact than reading as the events happen. The plot is good. It’s pretty typical of a fantasy novel regarding the hero’s redemption and sacrifices and leads to a happy-ish ending. the best part of this novel is the M/M romance and seeing how Vared influences Tel to become his true self through healing the pains of his past. The next book is through Vared’s perspective. Although it would be interesting to see the world through his eyes. I feel like this would have been best left as a standalone novel.
ARC Provided by Reedsy Discovery and Gideon E. Wood
April 17, 2021
This is way outside my usual reading, so I was really surprised how completely I was drawn into this story of a magical, but disinherited prince and his adorable boyfriend (I may have fallen a little bit in love there). Beautifully drawn characters and a plot that continued to catch me off-guard.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
January 13, 2021
I loved this book but I think that it could have been a bit more fast-paced which is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. That is just a personal preference of mine and It doesn't make the book any less great. I would also like to add that I received an advanced reader copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This in no way affects what I think about the book.
Description:
Tel, the prince of Feigh, recently negotiated with a land called Omela to end the war that was going on between them. Once he does this, he looks forward to a easy reign as king. Unfortunately, it isn't so simple. When his father passes away, his brother is given the throne. Tel's brothers reign begins to take a very dark turn and Tel has to choose whether he will run or stay and fight.
What I liked about the book:
Obviously, being a gay fantasy book, there was a lot of LGBTQ+ representation in this including the main character who is gay. I really liked that for the most of it, It wasn't specifically mentioned that the character was gay. He just was and it was normal. It wasn't a huge part of the plot which is something I personally enjoy because it normalises being a part of the community.
Another thing I really enjoyed was how the author used his own experience with alcoholism to create a character that was in recovery throughout the book. Tel's recovery was very realistic and Insightful. What I loved about the fact that he was an alcoholic was that his powers were somehow affected. It is just the same as what happens to any alcoholic. They are affected mentally and physically just like Tel was, but without the magic.
There is also quite a bit of character growth in this novel since Tel went from an alcoholic prince with everything to someone who cares about others and their feelings.
On an extra note, this book really just took sibling rivalry to the next level.
What I didn't like about the book:
There isn't much to write here because I loved most of it. As I mentioned earlier, I prefer books to be a little more fast paced than this book was. It is just a personal preference though and It was still an amazing book.
Another thing I think could be done better is how the magic system was explained. I would just prefer to have more detail in the system.
The End:
I loved the ending for this book. It was dramatic. It just made me sure that I want to read The Stagsblood King whenever it comes out. I cannot wait.
Description:
Tel, the prince of Feigh, recently negotiated with a land called Omela to end the war that was going on between them. Once he does this, he looks forward to a easy reign as king. Unfortunately, it isn't so simple. When his father passes away, his brother is given the throne. Tel's brothers reign begins to take a very dark turn and Tel has to choose whether he will run or stay and fight.
What I liked about the book:
Obviously, being a gay fantasy book, there was a lot of LGBTQ+ representation in this including the main character who is gay. I really liked that for the most of it, It wasn't specifically mentioned that the character was gay. He just was and it was normal. It wasn't a huge part of the plot which is something I personally enjoy because it normalises being a part of the community.
Another thing I really enjoyed was how the author used his own experience with alcoholism to create a character that was in recovery throughout the book. Tel's recovery was very realistic and Insightful. What I loved about the fact that he was an alcoholic was that his powers were somehow affected. It is just the same as what happens to any alcoholic. They are affected mentally and physically just like Tel was, but without the magic.
There is also quite a bit of character growth in this novel since Tel went from an alcoholic prince with everything to someone who cares about others and their feelings.
On an extra note, this book really just took sibling rivalry to the next level.
What I didn't like about the book:
There isn't much to write here because I loved most of it. As I mentioned earlier, I prefer books to be a little more fast paced than this book was. It is just a personal preference though and It was still an amazing book.
Another thing I think could be done better is how the magic system was explained. I would just prefer to have more detail in the system.
The End:
I loved the ending for this book. It was dramatic. It just made me sure that I want to read The Stagsblood King whenever it comes out. I cannot wait.
April 5, 2021
I mean...
I freaking cried. This isn't a happily ever after but a redemption story. There is so much here to uncover.
I freaking cried. This isn't a happily ever after but a redemption story. There is so much here to uncover.
March 29, 2021
Absolute power corrupts one man, leads another to serve—does the drive to maintain power and authority take one down a path of destruction that further isolates the leader? Can the weight of authority humble a leader toward compassion for those in their charge? These themes and more unfold in this beautiful tale of a world, not unlike our own. Some of the characters are loveable and others worthy of our scorn—mystery and magic reign down on a realm of diverse people. Cultural norms are turned on their heads yet seem so very natural. Mr. Wood creates a unique fantasy world, and yet many of the struggles that exist in the present day rear their heads. Conflicts between cultures, distrust of the other, prejudice, and fear infect his characters just as they do in our world today. With a gentle and loving hand, Wood guides us to the wisdom of acceptance and the celebration of diversity. Letting us into the heart of Prince Tel, Wood celebrates love and the struggle against our own inner demons. As in life, hatred comes at a cost. It is how we respond in the face of hate that makes the difference. His message of love, acceptance, and hope for the future swaddles his fantasy world in its most difficult moments. Love, loss, and hope envelope this exciting tale in a world not all that different from our own.
February 2, 2021
This book was one of those books you can't put down, but you don't want to end. I kept wanting to read the last page, needing to know what would happen. I loved this book. It was magical, fantastic, terrifying, heart wrenching, and so personally uplifting too.
The story was truly centered around Tel, who's position as King was taken from him by his brother. It was his story of grief, perseverance, humility, revenge, forgiveness, and love.
The depth of the characters and their emotions was highlighted by the quality of writing by Gideon Wood. I adored the characters, the humor, the sweet moments, as well as the highly researched and well constructed world created for Tel's story. The writing was brilliant, the prose beautiful, and I cannot wait to read more!
The story was truly centered around Tel, who's position as King was taken from him by his brother. It was his story of grief, perseverance, humility, revenge, forgiveness, and love.
The depth of the characters and their emotions was highlighted by the quality of writing by Gideon Wood. I adored the characters, the humor, the sweet moments, as well as the highly researched and well constructed world created for Tel's story. The writing was brilliant, the prose beautiful, and I cannot wait to read more!
March 31, 2021
I suppose the whole of my complaints can be summed up in one sentiment: THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH. I finished this book in a day. A DAY.
What I liked:
Caip - She is a wholesome character in every respect. Flawed, lawful, emotional rock--Caip is at once the heart and the conscience of the story. Oft, she makes witty remarks in the vein of what the reader is thinking about other characters, and she isn't afraid to call out the main character's hypocrisies/hesitations. She's a total badass, besides.
Overcoming addiction - As someone who also struggled with substance abuse, Tel's rise from its thrall is convincing and poignant. Although, I did not like the later implication that this failing was entirely out of his control. I feel like that bit of late-story dialog undermines the theme itself, but I still like the way his overcoming it is handled in the beginning, so my approval still stands.
The pace - A lot of folks have lamented the slow pace of the beginning of the story, but I felt it was almost too brief. Everyone's so fixated on the 'doings' of the story, but I honestly could have done with more building in certain areas (areas that I was sure to highlight and leave notes on). I also could have done with more banter. The complexity of the characters and their relations offered a mountain of opportunities that were often spent on world-building instead, making some developments seem sudden in their execution.
Consensual fun-times - I'm a big advocate of healthy pairings and relationships, and the romance between Vared and Tel was a boon in the middle of some of the more grave and craven aspects of the story. As much as the bard was a barb in our titular prince's side, they complimented each other quite nicely and made no demands from each other except to BE TOGETHER. What a relief. There weren't any moments that I can rightly recall in which their relations felt forced or insincere to the point of being fan-service for the sake of it. Every interaction served to highlight something about the other and move their internal archs forward--especially that of our prince.
The Magic System - I'm all about soft magic systems. I know some folks enjoy hard and fast rules, but I don't so much care for it. The magic system is there to serve the story, and in this story, it not only helps to move things along, it also manages to support the world building and the rites of the religious aspects of the story as to almost appear like... dare I say... MAGIC. It breaks the world, it's unbalanced as all heck, and its inner workings are a mystery. I love that about it. It has some give and take (some price to be extolled), but it never feels like it's giving any of the characters an unfair advantage. It is a tool, not a cure-all.
THE DIALOG - The one-liners and banter in this novel are absolutely gut-punching in their execution. I highlighted quite a few that had me in stitches. There were jokes; there were intimidations; there were wry observations; there was scathing/scintillating seduction--and it all flowed naturally and convincingly. Ironically, I can't say enough about how good the dialog is, and how envious I am of its execution.
What I didn't like:
"What's in the box?!" - This moment was so rushed, it felt like an illusion. I was half expecting a certain character to rise back from the dead at any moment, or pop in. But they didn't. The ripples and aftereffects of this moment felt rushed, yet again at the mercy of moving the plot forward. I get that we're not meant to mourn for too long, else the story would devolve into melancholy, but the way everyone just buries their feelings about the event feels tantamount to disservice toward the character that is lost in the moment. If anything could improve this moment, or make it carry more weight, I suppose a description of the contents might have helped assuage my lingering denial about its cannon truth... Unless we're meant to doubt its contents so that there's a reveal later in book two? In which case: Shame on you, Gideon Wood! Why need you play with my heart so?!
"You shoulda been there." - There are three moments that I can name that changed the trajectory of the story which happened OFF SCREEN. This annoyed me. There would be throw-away lines explaining away why a character wasn't present for something, and then they would react and decide based only on the testimony of the characters that were there. I get that Tel can't be in every place at once. But to have him doing something boring and then come back to an area only to discover that something "cooler" happened while he was away seems lazy. BUT. There were also moments when TEL DID SOMETHING COOL, but we read about it afterward, when he's briefing Caip about the really cool thing that she missed. A handful of these events I can chock up to pace. There's already so much happening in the story, I get it, and you can't always fit in every single scene... but... I would have preferred reading about the event instead. Then, we could have read about Caip's reaction without the first half of the conversation being bogged down with exposition.
Turo and Ofya - Mr. Wood did Turo dirty, and Ofya felt like a needless addition. I felt so much sympathy for Turo because his character was established early on, and I felt like we could have gotten to know him better. I was glad to see his return at the end of the novel. My issue with Ofya is the opposite. She and her mother end up playing as catalyst in Tel's wavering vow of non-violence, but I never really felt that she was important to Tel personally. There were three scenes that I can remember that Ofya is presented as representing the innocence of the common people, but I never got the impression that Tel was moved by the girl personally, except that she is innocent and he wants to preserve that. When she pops up at the end as his ward, it felt like such a lifeless Lifetime movie moment. I didn't care about Ofya.
Final Thoughts:
October cannot come fast enough. Even if we don't end up hanging out with Tel again and never get closure concerning his better half, I would LOVE to revisit the world of The Stagsblood Prince. There are still so many mysteries about the gods to uncover, and other cultures to explore! Gideon E. Wood's prose is sincere and heartwarming, but brutal and callous at times. I look forward to reading more from him in any capacity--and I'm under good authority (my own) that it will make me laugh and cry in equal measures.
5/5 Stars - Would Hella-Freaking Recommend!
What I liked:
Caip - She is a wholesome character in every respect. Flawed, lawful, emotional rock--Caip is at once the heart and the conscience of the story. Oft, she makes witty remarks in the vein of what the reader is thinking about other characters, and she isn't afraid to call out the main character's hypocrisies/hesitations. She's a total badass, besides.
Overcoming addiction - As someone who also struggled with substance abuse, Tel's rise from its thrall is convincing and poignant. Although, I did not like the later implication that this failing was entirely out of his control. I feel like that bit of late-story dialog undermines the theme itself, but I still like the way his overcoming it is handled in the beginning, so my approval still stands.
The pace - A lot of folks have lamented the slow pace of the beginning of the story, but I felt it was almost too brief. Everyone's so fixated on the 'doings' of the story, but I honestly could have done with more building in certain areas (areas that I was sure to highlight and leave notes on). I also could have done with more banter. The complexity of the characters and their relations offered a mountain of opportunities that were often spent on world-building instead, making some developments seem sudden in their execution.
Consensual fun-times - I'm a big advocate of healthy pairings and relationships, and the romance between Vared and Tel was a boon in the middle of some of the more grave and craven aspects of the story. As much as the bard was a barb in our titular prince's side, they complimented each other quite nicely and made no demands from each other except to BE TOGETHER. What a relief. There weren't any moments that I can rightly recall in which their relations felt forced or insincere to the point of being fan-service for the sake of it. Every interaction served to highlight something about the other and move their internal archs forward--especially that of our prince.
The Magic System - I'm all about soft magic systems. I know some folks enjoy hard and fast rules, but I don't so much care for it. The magic system is there to serve the story, and in this story, it not only helps to move things along, it also manages to support the world building and the rites of the religious aspects of the story as to almost appear like... dare I say... MAGIC. It breaks the world, it's unbalanced as all heck, and its inner workings are a mystery. I love that about it. It has some give and take (some price to be extolled), but it never feels like it's giving any of the characters an unfair advantage. It is a tool, not a cure-all.
THE DIALOG - The one-liners and banter in this novel are absolutely gut-punching in their execution. I highlighted quite a few that had me in stitches. There were jokes; there were intimidations; there were wry observations; there was scathing/scintillating seduction--and it all flowed naturally and convincingly. Ironically, I can't say enough about how good the dialog is, and how envious I am of its execution.
What I didn't like:
"What's in the box?!" - This moment was so rushed, it felt like an illusion. I was half expecting a certain character to rise back from the dead at any moment, or pop in. But they didn't. The ripples and aftereffects of this moment felt rushed, yet again at the mercy of moving the plot forward. I get that we're not meant to mourn for too long, else the story would devolve into melancholy, but the way everyone just buries their feelings about the event feels tantamount to disservice toward the character that is lost in the moment. If anything could improve this moment, or make it carry more weight, I suppose a description of the contents might have helped assuage my lingering denial about its cannon truth... Unless we're meant to doubt its contents so that there's a reveal later in book two? In which case: Shame on you, Gideon Wood! Why need you play with my heart so?!
"You shoulda been there." - There are three moments that I can name that changed the trajectory of the story which happened OFF SCREEN. This annoyed me. There would be throw-away lines explaining away why a character wasn't present for something, and then they would react and decide based only on the testimony of the characters that were there. I get that Tel can't be in every place at once. But to have him doing something boring and then come back to an area only to discover that something "cooler" happened while he was away seems lazy. BUT. There were also moments when TEL DID SOMETHING COOL, but we read about it afterward, when he's briefing Caip about the really cool thing that she missed. A handful of these events I can chock up to pace. There's already so much happening in the story, I get it, and you can't always fit in every single scene... but... I would have preferred reading about the event instead. Then, we could have read about Caip's reaction without the first half of the conversation being bogged down with exposition.
Turo and Ofya - Mr. Wood did Turo dirty, and Ofya felt like a needless addition. I felt so much sympathy for Turo because his character was established early on, and I felt like we could have gotten to know him better. I was glad to see his return at the end of the novel. My issue with Ofya is the opposite. She and her mother end up playing as catalyst in Tel's wavering vow of non-violence, but I never really felt that she was important to Tel personally. There were three scenes that I can remember that Ofya is presented as representing the innocence of the common people, but I never got the impression that Tel was moved by the girl personally, except that she is innocent and he wants to preserve that. When she pops up at the end as his ward, it felt like such a lifeless Lifetime movie moment. I didn't care about Ofya.
Final Thoughts:
October cannot come fast enough. Even if we don't end up hanging out with Tel again and never get closure concerning his better half, I would LOVE to revisit the world of The Stagsblood Prince. There are still so many mysteries about the gods to uncover, and other cultures to explore! Gideon E. Wood's prose is sincere and heartwarming, but brutal and callous at times. I look forward to reading more from him in any capacity--and I'm under good authority (my own) that it will make me laugh and cry in equal measures.
5/5 Stars - Would Hella-Freaking Recommend!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2021
I know some people out there don’t like surprises…I’m definitely not one of them. In fact, I get the most satisfaction from expressions of art that reveal unsuspected layers the longer you spend in their company. Gideon E. Wood’s The Stagsblood Prince, the lead in a fantasy trilogy to be released, an outstanding first offering by this author, boldly presents an example.
Wood paints a canvas of six humanoid races sharing his world, each birthed by a pair of deities with identical animal attributes and environmental proclivities. These distinctive, localized cultures are not only physically colored differently, by hair and skin, but also dress, temperament, and motivations. Our protagonist, Tel, a prince of Feigh, honoring the doe and stag, gets introduced attempting to complete the peace work begun by his father, King Vith, while on an extended visit to the neighboring realm of Omela. While traditionally medieval in its feudal organization, similarities to genre end there as the author explores, not only reversals of gender expectations, but also a post-modern embrace of sexual fluidity without homophobia. Imagine Tel openly objectifies and indulges his interests in younger men, and his most trusted military advisor and guard is a woman, Caip, who despite her intimidating size and demeanor, also embodies a femininity and grace.
Plans quickly change, however, as we learn Vith has died, and Tel’s younger brother, Lag, has usurped royal succession in his absence, exploiting our main character’s struggles with alcohol addiction (sadly originating from witnessing the drowning deaths of his mother and first love long ago). In compelling allegory, the epic also examines prejudice surrounding purity, interracial mingling, and a perceived dominant, magical gift. Further complicated by Tel falling in love with an Omelan ambassador, Vared, who joins him when he returns to Feigh, we follow a complex untangling of priorities and crawl towards sobriety. Lag has different plans for his nation’s future, opposite of previously declared intentions, that Tel must now decide how to forcibly interrupt.
With romantic, seemingly effortless prose and nods to Wiccan spirituality, Gideon guides and educates us in his developed world, mirroring the ideals of our contemporary reality. Ultimately, we land with a story about grief, fueled by loss but compounded by betrayal, and the sacrifices necessary for both recovery and redemption. The author excels in providing parallels and lessons for a universal audience, all with remarkable lucidity.
(5.00 Stars)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2021
This is a story of addiction and loss, but also of faith and redemption. Crown prince Tel has spent the last 25 years (a guesstimation) in a drunken stupor. He lives a life of debauchery to avoid dealing with the pain he has been dealt early in life. The darkness and despair is at times all too real as I recently lost someone to addiction. Tel's struggle with addiction is rough and raw and honest. I applaud Mr Wood on his own sobriety.
Because of Tel's ill-advised life choices, it allows his younger brother to usurp the throne and begin a reign that can only end in bloodshed. Tel soon has no choice but to fight his addiction and become the man his people need him to be. The prose in this book is quite lovely to read and I found myself wanting to highlight great swaths of text to remember later. One minor issue I have would be that the time keeping is somewhat of a confusing matter, though not a big enough deal to detract from immersing myself within the world. There is also a good bit of humor sprinkled throughout that is greatly appreciated amongst the gloom of Tel's reality.
I must say I did not realize how attached I had become to the characters until it was quite too late to save myself. That horrid twist at the end rightly gutted me and I can only hope that somehow it turns out not to be true. Very few books bring me to tears and I was not prepared for this one to do so; I didn't see it coming and it hurt.
Fantasy | Magic | LGBT | War | Romance | Addiction | Loss
The rich fabrics draped around and over his bed struck him as both prison doors and sanctuary gates. The drive to escape grappled with the desire to stay. No resolution came. It was a draw.
Because of Tel's ill-advised life choices, it allows his younger brother to usurp the throne and begin a reign that can only end in bloodshed. Tel soon has no choice but to fight his addiction and become the man his people need him to be. The prose in this book is quite lovely to read and I found myself wanting to highlight great swaths of text to remember later. One minor issue I have would be that the time keeping is somewhat of a confusing matter, though not a big enough deal to detract from immersing myself within the world. There is also a good bit of humor sprinkled throughout that is greatly appreciated amongst the gloom of Tel's reality.
“Do not fuss. My dirk is quite sharp, and I would not want to accidentally stab you ten or eleven times.”
I must say I did not realize how attached I had become to the characters until it was quite too late to save myself. That horrid twist at the end rightly gutted me and I can only hope that somehow it turns out not to be true. Very few books bring me to tears and I was not prepared for this one to do so; I didn't see it coming and it hurt.
Fantasy | Magic | LGBT | War | Romance | Addiction | Loss
March 16, 2021
Wood introduces a troubled hero torn between duty and self in this impressive gay fantasy, the first in the Stagsblood Trilogy.
Tel, the ruggedly handsome crown prince of Feigh, has negotiated an end to the war between his country and the strange queendom of Omela. But when his father dies suddenly, his brother takes the command of the kingdom, and as the new ruler, he has entirely different ideas about how to run the empire. With darkness taking over Feigh, Tel must decide if he wants to flee or stay and fight for the people.
The narrative builds slowly on a classic dark fantasy framework of black-and-white morality and magic. Wood develops his fantasy world with keen understanding of LGBTQ issues, class disparity, sibling rivalry, substance abuse, and recovery. Meanwhile, the assured, intelligent prose and deeply realized characterization allow readers to stay invested.
This finely constructed tale will equally appeal to general fantasy audiences and aficionados of dark gay fantasy.
Tel, the ruggedly handsome crown prince of Feigh, has negotiated an end to the war between his country and the strange queendom of Omela. But when his father dies suddenly, his brother takes the command of the kingdom, and as the new ruler, he has entirely different ideas about how to run the empire. With darkness taking over Feigh, Tel must decide if he wants to flee or stay and fight for the people.
The narrative builds slowly on a classic dark fantasy framework of black-and-white morality and magic. Wood develops his fantasy world with keen understanding of LGBTQ issues, class disparity, sibling rivalry, substance abuse, and recovery. Meanwhile, the assured, intelligent prose and deeply realized characterization allow readers to stay invested.
This finely constructed tale will equally appeal to general fantasy audiences and aficionados of dark gay fantasy.
February 9, 2021
Prince Tel has spent years of his life working towards peace between his nation, Feigh, and the queen doom of neighboring Omela. He has also spent much of those years drinking days away and sleeping with any man who offered. When his father passes, his natural right to the throne is taken from him by his younger brother Lag with the support of the Table of advisors deeming him unfit to rule.
Just as peace is finally secured, Feigh, under his brother’s rule and strong sentiments of outright racism begin to undermine the work their late father and Tel have done. Tel could choose to sit back and let this happen or perhaps he can, although against his pacifist nature, fight to restore their hard won peace. He does, after all, have the power of the stagsblood.
“A fraction of Tel’s new reality settled in his chest. He would never again discuss a poem with his father.”
Settling into new fantasy worlds tends to take a few book chapters for me. Slowly getting to know this one seemed to be the name of the game and by book’s end I can safely say that I did quite like what was presented. An added plus here was that it was a smooth read.
I did find the length of this to be a double edged blade. It took time to give character growth and for us as the read to learn the world’s societal differences. I sometimes felt the chapters drag along. Slow burn for sure.
I almost missed the moment when I came to really care for many of this book’s characters. Simply because if felt so long to get through and for brief moments I felt like we were meandering a bit long before any major plot beats would come back around. They simmered there in the background while the romantic bits came around. But really… when anyone got hurt in any way I felt it deep in my gut. So thank you Gideon E. Wood, for all these heightened emotions. That’s part of why I love reading after all.
Also, on the topic of romantic bits! This one is queer fiction friends and it does get a bit explicit. Just felt that needed to be said just in case.
Wood built a world of magic and some weight of history to it. With a fantastic amount of character growth and redemption, I’ll be looking for the next installment when it comes!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Just as peace is finally secured, Feigh, under his brother’s rule and strong sentiments of outright racism begin to undermine the work their late father and Tel have done. Tel could choose to sit back and let this happen or perhaps he can, although against his pacifist nature, fight to restore their hard won peace. He does, after all, have the power of the stagsblood.
“A fraction of Tel’s new reality settled in his chest. He would never again discuss a poem with his father.”
Settling into new fantasy worlds tends to take a few book chapters for me. Slowly getting to know this one seemed to be the name of the game and by book’s end I can safely say that I did quite like what was presented. An added plus here was that it was a smooth read.
I did find the length of this to be a double edged blade. It took time to give character growth and for us as the read to learn the world’s societal differences. I sometimes felt the chapters drag along. Slow burn for sure.
I almost missed the moment when I came to really care for many of this book’s characters. Simply because if felt so long to get through and for brief moments I felt like we were meandering a bit long before any major plot beats would come back around. They simmered there in the background while the romantic bits came around. But really… when anyone got hurt in any way I felt it deep in my gut. So thank you Gideon E. Wood, for all these heightened emotions. That’s part of why I love reading after all.
Also, on the topic of romantic bits! This one is queer fiction friends and it does get a bit explicit. Just felt that needed to be said just in case.
Wood built a world of magic and some weight of history to it. With a fantastic amount of character growth and redemption, I’ll be looking for the next installment when it comes!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 3, 2021
A new story can be difficult at first as the characters are unknown. This fact made the tradition sections hard to follow as the characters introduced themselves. As the story progressed, the traditions made sense as the characters became familiar. Overall, the story was well written. I am a stickler for grammar and mistakes. While I noted several, the story was enjoyable.
July 17, 2021
This is a very interesting debut novel.
The writing can be a bit clunky at times: some sentences are awkward, and the dialogue is a mixture of old-timey language conventions (no contractions, antiquated words and expressions) and modern conversation. The pacing could be improved as well: sometimes weeks or months pass by in a single sentence, and things happen off-screen that should be shown on screen (the taking of the fort, for example).
But despite these weaknesses, I found myself enjoying this book 95% of the time. The main reason why is the titular prince, Tel: he's a wonderfully crafted character, a pacifist prince who prefers alcohol and one-night stands to power and glory. His faith in the gods who created the world is also a fascinating aspect of his character. You see him developing over the course of the story in a gradual and natural way, which I thought was impressive considering this is the author's first book.
Tel's relationships with other characters (his best friend, Caip, and of course with Vared, but with Dar, Craid and Bin as well) are probably the biggest strength of the book. There are fights between friends and lovers, but there is a clear reason for each one, and the characters always grow and learn from it.
The pacing issues in the second half of the novel are keeping me from giving it four stars, but I still recommend it, especially if you're looking for fantasy with a gay main character.
The writing can be a bit clunky at times: some sentences are awkward, and the dialogue is a mixture of old-timey language conventions (no contractions, antiquated words and expressions) and modern conversation. The pacing could be improved as well: sometimes weeks or months pass by in a single sentence, and things happen off-screen that should be shown on screen (the taking of the fort, for example).
But despite these weaknesses, I found myself enjoying this book 95% of the time. The main reason why is the titular prince, Tel: he's a wonderfully crafted character, a pacifist prince who prefers alcohol and one-night stands to power and glory. His faith in the gods who created the world is also a fascinating aspect of his character. You see him developing over the course of the story in a gradual and natural way, which I thought was impressive considering this is the author's first book.
Tel's relationships with other characters (his best friend, Caip, and of course with Vared, but with Dar, Craid and Bin as well) are probably the biggest strength of the book. There are fights between friends and lovers, but there is a clear reason for each one, and the characters always grow and learn from it.
The pacing issues in the second half of the novel are keeping me from giving it four stars, but I still recommend it, especially if you're looking for fantasy with a gay main character.
April 10, 2021
I grew up reading lots of fantasy- it was my favorite genre. I abandoned it for a long time because of the repetitive, dull, neckbeard POV. it was just... not interesting when there are so many great books out there.
This is the second book I have read lately that really brought me back to the joy of fantasy. The characters are well rounded (Tel you absolute f**kboi...) and the plot is complex but interesting.
The twist at the end broke my heart into pieces and I am still mad about it. Not so mad that I won't read book 2 though...
All in all- this is a great start to a series that brings all the joy of fantasy, but leaves behind the sexism, homophobia and general gross nonsense that pushed me away all those years ago.
This is the second book I have read lately that really brought me back to the joy of fantasy. The characters are well rounded (Tel you absolute f**kboi...) and the plot is complex but interesting.
The twist at the end broke my heart into pieces and I am still mad about it. Not so mad that I won't read book 2 though...
All in all- this is a great start to a series that brings all the joy of fantasy, but leaves behind the sexism, homophobia and general gross nonsense that pushed me away all those years ago.
August 26, 2021
Would have been 3 stars but the ending didn't make any sense to me.
June 20, 2021
I tend to be more of a thinky reader than a feely reader, but oh, man, did this book give me feels.
Wood has created a rich, nuanced world, and managed to show us two complex cultures in a book that feels tight and forward-moving. This is such a huge feat for high fantasy, but while learning about Feigh and Omela (and their histories and religions and societies) I never once felt as though I'd been info-dumped on.
This is because the characters, like the worlds they inhabit, are also rich and nuanced, and we learn their world as we learn them.
Tel, the Stagsblood prince himself, is a fantastic protagonist, flawed and relatable and wanting to be better than he is. Vared is layered and lovely and too good for this wicked old world. But don't sleep on the supporting cast, either. Caip and Turo and Bin, and the phenomenal Queen Cessa, who's barely even IN the book, but who is nevertheless lodged deep in my heart.
But stories churn along on their conflict, and The Stagsblood Prince really shines here. It would be so easy for me to spoil this book, so I'll just say the villains in this story made me angry. Really, really angry. They hurt my feelings, friends. I get the same vibe from the character of Livia in I, Claudius. Or, I think a lot of folks get this way about Dolores Umbridge?
All I know is there are bad people in this book, and they have their motivations, their pains and their sorrows, but they try to make the world an uglier, less compassionate place, and that hurts me. (On the other hand, if the world--like, the actual world that we live in--sometimes makes you angry, this book might serve as an excellent, safe way to burn off some of those feelings.)
Two more things, then I'm out:
-I read this book after after reading "Songmaker," which (I believe) you can only get by subscribing to Wood's author newsletter. Anyway, it tells the story of the first few chapters of TSP, but from a different point of view. It's lovely and sad and I recommend it. I don't really think it matters which order you read them in, but adding "Songmaker" to your TBR will definitely enrich the experience.
-This book has a few shocks and surprises, but does not end on a cliffhanger. Having said that, I'm already eager for the next installment.
Wood has created a rich, nuanced world, and managed to show us two complex cultures in a book that feels tight and forward-moving. This is such a huge feat for high fantasy, but while learning about Feigh and Omela (and their histories and religions and societies) I never once felt as though I'd been info-dumped on.
This is because the characters, like the worlds they inhabit, are also rich and nuanced, and we learn their world as we learn them.
Tel, the Stagsblood prince himself, is a fantastic protagonist, flawed and relatable and wanting to be better than he is. Vared is layered and lovely and too good for this wicked old world. But don't sleep on the supporting cast, either. Caip and Turo and Bin, and the phenomenal Queen Cessa, who's barely even IN the book, but who is nevertheless lodged deep in my heart.
But stories churn along on their conflict, and The Stagsblood Prince really shines here. It would be so easy for me to spoil this book, so I'll just say the villains in this story made me angry. Really, really angry. They hurt my feelings, friends. I get the same vibe from the character of Livia in I, Claudius. Or, I think a lot of folks get this way about Dolores Umbridge?
All I know is there are bad people in this book, and they have their motivations, their pains and their sorrows, but they try to make the world an uglier, less compassionate place, and that hurts me. (On the other hand, if the world--like, the actual world that we live in--sometimes makes you angry, this book might serve as an excellent, safe way to burn off some of those feelings.)
Two more things, then I'm out:
-I read this book after after reading "Songmaker," which (I believe) you can only get by subscribing to Wood's author newsletter. Anyway, it tells the story of the first few chapters of TSP, but from a different point of view. It's lovely and sad and I recommend it. I don't really think it matters which order you read them in, but adding "Songmaker" to your TBR will definitely enrich the experience.
-This book has a few shocks and surprises, but does not end on a cliffhanger. Having said that, I'm already eager for the next installment.
July 9, 2021
This started off interesting — I found the concept of an alcoholic prince in his 40s who is relieved to be passed over for king for his little brother coming to find his brother (who is being controlled by their uncle) won't be a good ruler and decides to get sober and get his life together and starts building a following really interesting. Similarly, the romance intrigued me to start, with Vared pulling away from Tel and Tel having to earn his respect in love. But unfortunately after the intriguing premise, once he's decided to embrace winning followers, I grew bored. And I lost interest in the romance the more we got to know Vared. He just came off really childish and petulant at times in a way that really annoyed me. The writing was also a bit clunky in parts. The entire book is third person but from Tel's POV (you're never in anyone else's head or seeing things that Tel didn't witness himself), but the narration keeps jumping between calling him "Tel" and "King Tel," I guess for variety or to avoid using "he" so much, but it just seemed weird to call him "King Tel" when we're in his POV. Just be repetitive and use "he" — it's way less distracting. There were also some bits where we'd be told something had happened or Tel had come to some decision rather than just being shown it firsthand that felt awkward. Overall, this started off promising but I rapidly lost interest, skim read the end, and have no intention of continuing with the series.
August 24, 2021
Most good stories - even fantasy - require a tether to the real world. Something the reader can relate to or identify with. These ties can be cleverly hidden or painfully obvious. Gideon E. Wood peppers the world and narrative of The Stagsblood Prince with several such tethers (discovery of love, familial loss, civil war, alcoholism, and many more). The reluctant discovery of love and the ongoing battle with alcoholism particularly engaged my emotions, as I've seen many close to me fall to the disease.
Because of that, I thought for sure I was bound to hate Prince Tel, the book's main character. Wood takes his time creating the world, including the cultures of Feigh and Omela, and setting up the story. Several chapters go by before I began to sense where the epic journey was taking me, and Tel was a drunken mess in nearly all of them.
But the prince, like so many alcoholics, is not a bad man. In fact, he is quite the opposite, and Wood gives the character enough depth and personality - even in his darkest moments - to make him human, relatable, and very likeable.
I wasn't the only one to think so... Vared, another in the book's wonderfully diverse cast, is attracted to the prince despite all attempts to distance himself. As the two inevitably grow closer, they both find reasons to be better people. To grow and adapt. To fight for what is right.
The Stagsblood Prince has many fantasy mainstays: incredible magic, beautiful landscapes, massive battles, friendships that weather the worst of times. There are also tender moments, heart wrenching events, and a multitude of twists - including the very end, which is NOT a cliffhanger! Despite being the first in a planned trilogy, the story is self-contained (though there are plenty of hints at what the future holds). I am eagerly awaiting the release of the next installment, The Stagsblood King.
Because of that, I thought for sure I was bound to hate Prince Tel, the book's main character. Wood takes his time creating the world, including the cultures of Feigh and Omela, and setting up the story. Several chapters go by before I began to sense where the epic journey was taking me, and Tel was a drunken mess in nearly all of them.
But the prince, like so many alcoholics, is not a bad man. In fact, he is quite the opposite, and Wood gives the character enough depth and personality - even in his darkest moments - to make him human, relatable, and very likeable.
I wasn't the only one to think so... Vared, another in the book's wonderfully diverse cast, is attracted to the prince despite all attempts to distance himself. As the two inevitably grow closer, they both find reasons to be better people. To grow and adapt. To fight for what is right.
The Stagsblood Prince has many fantasy mainstays: incredible magic, beautiful landscapes, massive battles, friendships that weather the worst of times. There are also tender moments, heart wrenching events, and a multitude of twists - including the very end, which is NOT a cliffhanger! Despite being the first in a planned trilogy, the story is self-contained (though there are plenty of hints at what the future holds). I am eagerly awaiting the release of the next installment, The Stagsblood King.
June 27, 2021
I loved the first half so much! Tel is such an unusual hero in the fantasy genre: a deeply flawed but kind man, not in the first flush of youth, a pacifist, a recovering alcoholic, but also a fine diplomat who has brokered peace with his country's oldtime enemy. I absolutely loved his friendship with Caip, his banter with Bin, his relationship with his parents, his reluctance to hurt his brother until the very end. The world-building and the magic system are quite original too. And of course Tel's relationship with Vared is beautiful, overcoming personal and cultural obstacles and turning from lukewarm dislike to touching friendship to passionate love and loyalty. Which is why the second half was such a letdown for me. Getting rid of Vared just felt like a low blow. And offscreen too, without giving Tel any chance to save him. In general, the war scenes felt choppy and less well-flowing than the first half, and I admit I didn't find Lag a compelling enough antagonist to care about the confrontation between the brothers (probably because they barely ever interact throuhout the novel at all), but I could have let it slide if Vared's death hadn't made him feel like a mere plot device. He helped pull Tel out of his alcoholism only to be killed off because... why exactly? I simply don't see how and why it was necessary.
I enjoyed the style and the humour and various cultural tidbits (such as the gorgeous creation myth and intriguing rituals of Feigh) and of course the love story and friendships, so I am rather looking forward to the next book, but after this ending I don't have high hopes.
I enjoyed the style and the humour and various cultural tidbits (such as the gorgeous creation myth and intriguing rituals of Feigh) and of course the love story and friendships, so I am rather looking forward to the next book, but after this ending I don't have high hopes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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June 21, 2023I wanted to like this SO MUCH -- the setup is perfect, the plot well-done, good-enough worldbuilding, and I've not seen alcoholism covered in fantasy before, so I was completely onboard to start with.
Unfortunately, I didn't click with the writing style, and it took a while to figure out why. There's much too much 'telling, not showing', meaning I was totally disconnected from the characters throughout. Characters explain things to each other, and then there's little emotional 'impact', it's just onto the next scene. Cliffhangers and lead-ups-to-dramatic-moments then fast-forward to a summary of what happened next & how it was resolved. If this had been a stylistic decision based on the MC's drinking, and it had shifted as he tries to tackle that issue ... this could have been absolutely epic in my eyes. As it is, just wasn't for me.
I would still recommend if you're reading this and thinking "I've never been bothered by something like that!" I'm a definite characters-over-plot reader, so 12/20 here.
Unfortunately, I didn't click with the writing style, and it took a while to figure out why. There's much too much 'telling, not showing', meaning I was totally disconnected from the characters throughout. Characters explain things to each other, and then there's little emotional 'impact', it's just onto the next scene. Cliffhangers and lead-ups-to-dramatic-moments then fast-forward to a summary of what happened next & how it was resolved. If this had been a stylistic decision based on the MC's drinking, and it had shifted as he tries to tackle that issue ... this could have been absolutely epic in my eyes. As it is, just wasn't for me.
I would still recommend if you're reading this and thinking "I've never been bothered by something like that!" I'm a definite characters-over-plot reader, so 12/20 here.
April 17, 2021
I don't think I've EVER cried after reading a book like I am now. I'm absolutely devastated about Vared and I have no idea what the rest of the trilogy will be about, although part of me hopes that a scene will be Tel in heaven with his Veery. I'm sure that I feel so broken about the ending because the characters were written so well, but I'm absolutely devastated about Vared and Tel. I will be first in line to read the next books because I loved all the characters (a bit too much). The twist about Aith and Lag seemed out of nowhere, but I'm still too tender to reread the book to see what I missed.
I absolutely loved how queer this book was, along with the questions about peace and pacifism. The worldbuilding was amazing as well, and I was so angry with the bigotry Lag/Aith had that is so common in our world as well.
I absolutely loved how queer this book was, along with the questions about peace and pacifism. The worldbuilding was amazing as well, and I was so angry with the bigotry Lag/Aith had that is so common in our world as well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2021
I think I read somewhere that this was the author's first book. If that's true, I am even more impressed. This book is amazing. Yes, there were a few points I felt dragged a little, but in the end, every word and page contributed to the world-building, the characters, and the magic. There is action, adventure, betrayal, addiction and recovery, emotion, love (some steamy scenes), banter, and humor. I loved the main character, Prince Tel, and all the secondary characters, too. Everyone is richly drawn and described. This is a fantastic start to a new and exciting series, and I am eager for the next book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 7, 2021
It was very refreshing to read a M/M romance written by a man. The sex scenes were very descriptive and varied, not the same scenes repeated throughout. After Tel sends his lover, Vared, home to his country to save him from the war and prevent his use as a tool against Tel, the story becomes very choppy. Each chapter or every other chapter finds Tel's army in a different location and/or at a later date without giving any transition. Tel finally figures out who the real dynast is, the one attacking him, but in their final confrontation there is no explanation or reveal of why or how this happened. The choppy second half of the book is the reason for my 3 stars and also a reason to not desire to read the next book in the series.
April 11, 2021
Wow. So good!
Prince Tel is pretty much a wastrel. He expects to be King one day so he kind of drifts from one bed to the other, mostly drunk.
He meets Verad who is disgusted by Tels drinking and whoring. But they are thrown together for a year in an exchange program between Prince Tels country and the Omelan people.
Anywho, the story between Tel and Verad is a slow burn but Tel works to become a better person for his country and Verad.
War is ugly and against Tels beliefs but with Tels brother and uncle trying to rid the world of anyone not pure blood, Tel has no choice.
They are totally outnumbered. And this story pretty much ripped my heart out.
Prince Tel is pretty much a wastrel. He expects to be King one day so he kind of drifts from one bed to the other, mostly drunk.
He meets Verad who is disgusted by Tels drinking and whoring. But they are thrown together for a year in an exchange program between Prince Tels country and the Omelan people.
Anywho, the story between Tel and Verad is a slow burn but Tel works to become a better person for his country and Verad.
War is ugly and against Tels beliefs but with Tels brother and uncle trying to rid the world of anyone not pure blood, Tel has no choice.
They are totally outnumbered. And this story pretty much ripped my heart out.
February 17, 2021
The Stagsblood Prince is as realistic as it can be with genre in high fantasy. It captures the reality of war without losing the romanticism of good versus evil. It has realistic, complex characters that one can say they know someone similar in real life. This plot is unpredictable and wonderfully crafted. It's quite refreshing to have a gay, mm fantasy that focuses on the story and not the romance. Gideon E Wood's high fantasy should be on everyone's top list. It should become a classic.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 5, 2021
I loved this book, up until near the end, where the love interest is captured, tortured, and murdered, completely off screen. Thought it was going to be a trick at first, because I thought, "no, they can't just do that"; but, no. He just gets discarded for the main character's pain. All interest I had for the story died once I realized that.
Should have read the spoilers. Not interested in the bury your gays trope, thanks.
Should have read the spoilers. Not interested in the bury your gays trope, thanks.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2022
Had to have a couple of attempts at reading this book as I struggled with the MC to start with, but second time around I managed to work through my initial lack of empathy!! Good world building, interesting magic and the characters grow on you. Tel’s character growth throughout the story really made it worthwhile persevering, and made for a good reading experience. I just found the ending I.e. final battle, a bit abrupt.
September 25, 2024
“The meeting of their eyes communicated much in an instant. Unfortunately, it was as if it had been in a language Tel did not understand, even the half he had spoken.”
2.5/5⭐️ This was… something. At times I couldn’t put it down, other times it felt like pulling teeth. It had great world building just to throw it away. Frustrating. IDK, it was good but I don’t think I’ll continue the series.
Tel: Let’s have a chill day!
His fascist uncle and brother: Hey, about that…
2.5/5⭐️ This was… something. At times I couldn’t put it down, other times it felt like pulling teeth. It had great world building just to throw it away. Frustrating. IDK, it was good but I don’t think I’ll continue the series.
Tel: Let’s have a chill day!
His fascist uncle and brother: Hey, about that…
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