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The Soldier Mage
Darius Lucilius, former Roman Commander, has turned his back on the Empire for a life with Fionn, a powerful and enigmatic Celtic king. But their fledgling union, as well as Fionn’s kingdom, is threatened by a dangerous enemy. Equipped with Roman weaponry, the Robogdi are allies no longer and seek the destruction of Fionn and his tribe. Forced to accept an uneasy alliance with Decimus Seuthes, a Roman Commander and master negotiator with his own plan for Hibernia, Fionn and Darius must head off a deadly war before it begins. But in striving to save his people, Fionn draws ever closer to losing himself.
143 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 20, 2021
58 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 17, 2021
Melodrama! :')
Thanks to the author for supplying the word. After the way book 2 ended, I was trying to find a way to explain the feelings in this book, and that fits perfectly. Think Romeo & Juliet kind of drama. And I can't believe I'm saying it, but I like it. That word describes Fionn so well. He is still young, very young, sometimes he has this teenage angst about him. But most of the time he is this ruthless king who is not entirely human, and at those times he is cold and menacing. But with Darius he turns into this lovesick creature.
A pov I didn't know I needed. :D I was perfectly fine not knowing much about Fionn's world, or I thought I was. The first part of the book was from his pov, and I loved it. I loved learning more about him and his tribe. He's still plenty mysterious. :)
This book was more political than the previous ones, slower paced, which allowed for more worldbuilding as well as character development; I loved the richness of it.
I think the coming books might focus more on the supernatural elements of the story, but I don't think we will abandon the Romans entirely. I hope not. :) Oh yes, there are 2 more books coming apparently. :) Looking forward to it.
Thanks to the author for supplying the word. After the way book 2 ended, I was trying to find a way to explain the feelings in this book, and that fits perfectly. Think Romeo & Juliet kind of drama. And I can't believe I'm saying it, but I like it. That word describes Fionn so well. He is still young, very young, sometimes he has this teenage angst about him. But most of the time he is this ruthless king who is not entirely human, and at those times he is cold and menacing. But with Darius he turns into this lovesick creature.
A pov I didn't know I needed. :D I was perfectly fine not knowing much about Fionn's world, or I thought I was. The first part of the book was from his pov, and I loved it. I loved learning more about him and his tribe. He's still plenty mysterious. :)
This book was more political than the previous ones, slower paced, which allowed for more worldbuilding as well as character development; I loved the richness of it.
I think the coming books might focus more on the supernatural elements of the story, but I don't think we will abandon the Romans entirely. I hope not. :) Oh yes, there are 2 more books coming apparently. :) Looking forward to it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2021
I read all three books (so this is a review for all three so far in this series) and I'm not one of those people who plow through because they are unable to quit before they reach the ending. I'm totally unashamed to put DNF on the gravestone of a book. Next to RIP. So, there is something there.
So, if you really don't give a shit about historical accuracy because it's fantasy, go ahead and read the series.
I got yanked out all-the-freaking-time because no research was harmed (by which I mean undertaken) in the making of these books. If you don't know, don't care, whatever, read these books.
I do care and it made me really antsy, and I didn't really have a good time.
If you do care, I'll just give you this one quote (remember, we are talking about the Romans, as in the Romans of the Roman empire)
"[...]Seuthes explained to him the capabilities of the Roman cannons, which could fire twenty rounds in a little over a minute, and Fionn’s eyes widened slightly in astonishment."
a) black powder - about 1.000 years ahead (in China)
b) cannons - about 1.200 years ahead (again in China)
c) cannons on ships - about 1.600 years ahead
d) twenty rounds in a little over a minute - I can't even...
Anyhow, dear author, if you can't be bothered to do any kind of research, kindly put your tale into a fantasy world. Call them Smomans and Clegs. I don't care.
Otherwise, idk. Too much casual violence for my taste. Too much of Rome's vs. Barbarians' tolerance for same sex relationships (because the Romans were kind of peculiar in that way as well especially with regard to penetrative sex) but then again, pesky historical details. Who cares.
So, sorry, little books. You are okay but not yet great. Two stars.
So, if you really don't give a shit about historical accuracy because it's fantasy, go ahead and read the series.
I got yanked out all-the-freaking-time because no research was harmed (by which I mean undertaken) in the making of these books. If you don't know, don't care, whatever, read these books.
I do care and it made me really antsy, and I didn't really have a good time.
If you do care, I'll just give you this one quote (remember, we are talking about the Romans, as in the Romans of the Roman empire)
"[...]Seuthes explained to him the capabilities of the Roman cannons, which could fire twenty rounds in a little over a minute, and Fionn’s eyes widened slightly in astonishment."
a) black powder - about 1.000 years ahead (in China)
b) cannons - about 1.200 years ahead (again in China)
c) cannons on ships - about 1.600 years ahead
d) twenty rounds in a little over a minute - I can't even...
Anyhow, dear author, if you can't be bothered to do any kind of research, kindly put your tale into a fantasy world. Call them Smomans and Clegs. I don't care.
Otherwise, idk. Too much casual violence for my taste. Too much of Rome's vs. Barbarians' tolerance for same sex relationships (because the Romans were kind of peculiar in that way as well especially with regard to penetrative sex) but then again, pesky historical details. Who cares.
So, sorry, little books. You are okay but not yet great. Two stars.
Want to read
March 1, 2022I’ve checked if this book was already out at least 7 times since I finished book 2. Can you imagine how happy I was when I saw this?? omfg
going to read it ASAP.
going to read it ASAP.
May 20, 2023
NOTE: I'm putting spoilers regarding info revealed in this book under the spoiler tag but I'm not going to put info from earlier books under spoiler tags so please don't read this review if you don't want to be spoiled for the previous installments.
xxxx
This book was once again incredible! I was very disappointed with Book 2 and I hesitated over whether to continue or not but I'm so glad I did because this book was back to the epic awesomeness that Book 1 was! If you love a great blend of history, romance and magic and you love complex, well written stories then this is definitely the series for you!
To start off, it kind of felt like the author shared my feelings that the second half of Book 2 wasn't up the standard that had earlier been established and many of those plotlines were poorly handled. So right off the bat, we start out the story having some quick conversations to clear the air and literally having Darius change his mind about what he was doing and boom - the story is moving in the right direction again. It was rushed, it was dumb and it felt like the obvious course correction that it was, but it was better than the author continuing to move in the wrong direction.
But just because I liked the course correction doesn't mean I liked the implications of it. I absolutely hated that Fionn never apologized for how he treated Darius in Book 2 and even though Darius explains why the forced imprisonment hurt his feelings (are you serious?? You have to have that explained to you?!?) Fionn still brushes it off and acts mopey that Darius had 'left him'. In fact, Darius apologizes a grand total of 5 times throughout the story, each time for things he shouldn't be apologizing for. How many times does Fionn apologize? Zero. And does anybody bring up the portrait issue that I hated with such a passion in Book 2? Nope. Never mentioned. Anyway - since the author had moved on from Book 2, I decided to do the same.
I was also irritated by Fionn in the first half of the story, which takes place in his Celtic village. I realized that my main issue with Book 2 was directly connected to the setting. When we're in Fionn's Celtic village, there's no magic happening and that was one of the main things that made the story so unique. Also - Fionn hates being king and his mopey, immature attitude about it really rubbed me the wrong way. The guy throws temper tantrums, he abuses his authority without apologizing, he makes rash decisions without consulting anybody and when a contingent of high ranking Roman officers come to visit him, Fionn slouches in his throne with his leg thrown up over the arm because he likes the feeling of giving his dad the middle finger. Wow, talk about having the wrong priorities. Nobody else is impressed with Fionn's immature attitude either and all the adults around him desperately try to keep him focused and have him behave more professionally. Darius even comments several times that Fionn is being an immature child, which mirrored my thoughts. Maybe other people don't mind an age gap relationship where the older person casually alternates between having sex with the younger MC and parenting the younger MC but this type of dynamic creeps me out.
So I was thrilled when around 30% of the way into the story, the action moves back into the forest and stays there for the rest of the book. Removing Fionn from the village and from the restrictions of royal life in the village immediately makes his maturity come back and he's the Fionn I fell in love with in the first book. We were back to the business of epic awesomeness!!
Thankfully, being back in the forest also means that magic is once again a major contributing plot point in the book, which I loved. Like in the first book, the author fully uses the nature setting to their advantage to create amazing and intense magical scenarios that have a very strong connection with nature itself. One of my favorite scenes was near the end when . That kind of heart pounding OMG magical fuckery is exactly what I loved about Book 1 and I hope the author continues on that path!
In addition, one of my big complaints in Book 2 was that Fionn's shifter nature wasn't important at all. Well, in this book the author charges full steam ahead with the development of that arc and I loved it! I was confused at first because I'm used to normal shifter books where the shifter MC takes on the behaviors of the animals he shifts into so I didn't understand what was happening with Fionn at the very beginning and throughout most of the story. Owls aren't a very scary creature so I didn't understand why everybody was freaking out. But then I understood that Fionn taking on some physical attributes of an owl doesn't mean he's actually half-owl. Fionn isn't a shifter - he's half-forest-demon and his demon side happens to manifest as an owl. Once I realized this, it put everything else into perspective and I loved what the author did with this development throughout. As a small note, I also love that clearing up the confusion around Fionn's nature also meant I finally understood why the man doesn't use those huge wings to fly. Or maybe this will be explored later (maybe Fionn thinks flying would be taking his demonic nature too far or something?).
Related to that point, I was so annoyed at the start of the story when Fionn randomly , all within a few minutes. I was rolling my eyes, hating what a Gary Stu he had become and I was so close to DNFing, until other characters noted how ridiculous Fionn's actions were and how concerning it was that Fionn is casual about it. Once again, that's when I realized there's something creepy and dark happening and I loved how this magical mystery continued throughout the story.
The last magical plotline I loved was the additional layers that the author supplied to the on-going 'why did Fionn save Darius' mystery from Book 1. There were small hints provided in Book 2 which didn't impress me because it was so lackluster (Darius reminds Fionn of an ex...yay...) but in this book, we learn that there's a lot more to it than that. In fact, there is some creepy magical fuckery that's connected to the entire mystery and Darius and readers end the book having gathered a few more clues but being even more confused about the situation. I'm especially intrigued by the and I'm already making up multiple theories on what the truth could be. I can't wait to see this continue in future books!
I was also fully back on board with loving Darius and Fionn's relationship. When they're back in the woods together, they're back to their usual dynamic and they're sharing stories about their past, their cultures, being hilarious and being adorably sweet together. I was a complete emotional wreck when . That was incredibly well done. But I have to say - it would be nice one of these days to have Darius save Fionn's life for a change (and that stupid scenario in Book 2 doesn't count because Fionn orchestrated and faked that entire thing, which cheapened Darius' heroic efforts but no, let's stop talking about Book 2 because that was an anomaly that should be forgotten).
Connected to Darius, I also liked that the author had Darius befriend Rasheen. She's a female Celtic warrior who shamelessly flirts with Darius and also makes fun of him. He's quick to return the flirting and the good natured insults, which makes them form an instant connection. They recognize in each other that they're both career soldiers and it was great to see Darius make a Celtic friend who isn't directly connected to Fionn and who he gets along with so well. I hope we'll continue seeing more of her!
In addition to this progress, it was also nice how the author is pacing the language learning for both MCs. It's being paced realistically so they're both learning short phrases and common words in each other's languages and of course, Darius is working harder to learn Hibernian because he's living with Fionn's tribe. At the same time, I'm incredibly grateful that the author introduced the secret 'forest language' magic in Book 1 because it's annoying at times to have Darius and Fionn require translators whenever they're talking in public. The use of the secret language allows readers to have the best of both worlds - the MCs can have normal conversations when necessary but the author is taking their time showcasing how difficult life can be when two people come together not speaking a word of each other's languages. This is also something I look forward to seeing progress in future books as Darius' learning of Hibernian continues.
I also adored what the author did with the Romans in this installment. The author is trying to stay close to history with this series so having the Roman military invasion fail in the last book fit perfectly. In this one, the Romans decide to do a 'gentle invasion' by basically helping Fionn defeat enemy tribes and forming trade relationships with them. I loved this because it fits with history (the Romans never had an established foothold in Hibernia but that doesn't mean they weren't present and traded with the Hibernians) and it also allowed some Roman characters other than Darius to participate. I didn't like being stuck with just the Hibernians in the majority of Book 2 because Darius was always the outsider so I loved having Marcus and the older Roman Commander playing a big role in this story.
I especially loved when Marcus because I remember thinking: yeah, those two would really hit it off, wouldn't they? Now, the author isn't dumb and they must have realized the same thing because the connection between these two loud, violent nutcases was very obvious but the author also makes it clear that there's lots more to come with this series so Marcus and parted ways with their lives moving in different directions. I can only hope that I didn't misread the situation and that we'll keep seeing Marcus in other books because I adore him and his long friendship with Darius.
My only complaint that's unique to this book is the author slowly getting sloppy with the usage of modern phrasing. In particular, the word 'fuck' was used multiple times in various ways and that always throws me out of a historical setting, especially one set in such ancient times. I don't care that they're not technically speaking English - I just hate it. The author didn't do it in the first book and I wish they would go back to that. In addition, there were some phrases/words like 'sic' or 'going native' that broke my immersion briefly. I love this series a lot and I can only hope that the author will watch for these things in future installments.
I also hope that the author changes their approach when writing Fionn doing his king business at the village. His immature attitude is annoying, especially considering what the stakes are. He might not have the experience to be a wise leader all the time but that doesn't mean he needs to act like a mopey, immature teenager. I hope future books have a better approach to this aspect of the story because it's my only big complaint.
Overall, I adored this book nearly as much a Book 1. I'm not going to give it 5 stars because Fionn's immature behavior at the beginning really irritated me. But I'm definitely going to read future books when we get them and this is absolutely one of the best historical fantasy series I've ever read. It's very rare that I read a same-couple series anyway and it's even rarer that I fall in love with the couple, the world they live in and the characters surrounding them, to the point where I'm eagerly making theories about future books and I'm excited to get back into their world. I highly recommend this series if you enjoy a blend of history, romance and magic!
xxxx
This book was once again incredible! I was very disappointed with Book 2 and I hesitated over whether to continue or not but I'm so glad I did because this book was back to the epic awesomeness that Book 1 was! If you love a great blend of history, romance and magic and you love complex, well written stories then this is definitely the series for you!
To start off, it kind of felt like the author shared my feelings that the second half of Book 2 wasn't up the standard that had earlier been established and many of those plotlines were poorly handled. So right off the bat, we start out the story having some quick conversations to clear the air and literally having Darius change his mind about what he was doing and boom - the story is moving in the right direction again. It was rushed, it was dumb and it felt like the obvious course correction that it was, but it was better than the author continuing to move in the wrong direction.
But just because I liked the course correction doesn't mean I liked the implications of it. I absolutely hated that Fionn never apologized for how he treated Darius in Book 2 and even though Darius explains why the forced imprisonment hurt his feelings (are you serious?? You have to have that explained to you?!?) Fionn still brushes it off and acts mopey that Darius had 'left him'. In fact, Darius apologizes a grand total of 5 times throughout the story, each time for things he shouldn't be apologizing for. How many times does Fionn apologize? Zero. And does anybody bring up the portrait issue that I hated with such a passion in Book 2? Nope. Never mentioned. Anyway - since the author had moved on from Book 2, I decided to do the same.
I was also irritated by Fionn in the first half of the story, which takes place in his Celtic village. I realized that my main issue with Book 2 was directly connected to the setting. When we're in Fionn's Celtic village, there's no magic happening and that was one of the main things that made the story so unique. Also - Fionn hates being king and his mopey, immature attitude about it really rubbed me the wrong way. The guy throws temper tantrums, he abuses his authority without apologizing, he makes rash decisions without consulting anybody and when a contingent of high ranking Roman officers come to visit him, Fionn slouches in his throne with his leg thrown up over the arm because he likes the feeling of giving his dad the middle finger. Wow, talk about having the wrong priorities. Nobody else is impressed with Fionn's immature attitude either and all the adults around him desperately try to keep him focused and have him behave more professionally. Darius even comments several times that Fionn is being an immature child, which mirrored my thoughts. Maybe other people don't mind an age gap relationship where the older person casually alternates between having sex with the younger MC and parenting the younger MC but this type of dynamic creeps me out.
So I was thrilled when around 30% of the way into the story, the action moves back into the forest and stays there for the rest of the book. Removing Fionn from the village and from the restrictions of royal life in the village immediately makes his maturity come back and he's the Fionn I fell in love with in the first book. We were back to the business of epic awesomeness!!
Thankfully, being back in the forest also means that magic is once again a major contributing plot point in the book, which I loved. Like in the first book, the author fully uses the nature setting to their advantage to create amazing and intense magical scenarios that have a very strong connection with nature itself. One of my favorite scenes was near the end when . That kind of heart pounding OMG magical fuckery is exactly what I loved about Book 1 and I hope the author continues on that path!
In addition, one of my big complaints in Book 2 was that Fionn's shifter nature wasn't important at all. Well, in this book the author charges full steam ahead with the development of that arc and I loved it! I was confused at first because I'm used to normal shifter books where the shifter MC takes on the behaviors of the animals he shifts into so I didn't understand what was happening with Fionn at the very beginning and throughout most of the story. Owls aren't a very scary creature so I didn't understand why everybody was freaking out. But then I understood that Fionn taking on some physical attributes of an owl doesn't mean he's actually half-owl. Fionn isn't a shifter - he's half-forest-demon and his demon side happens to manifest as an owl. Once I realized this, it put everything else into perspective and I loved what the author did with this development throughout. As a small note, I also love that clearing up the confusion around Fionn's nature also meant I finally understood why the man doesn't use those huge wings to fly. Or maybe this will be explored later (maybe Fionn thinks flying would be taking his demonic nature too far or something?).
Related to that point, I was so annoyed at the start of the story when Fionn randomly , all within a few minutes. I was rolling my eyes, hating what a Gary Stu he had become and I was so close to DNFing, until other characters noted how ridiculous Fionn's actions were and how concerning it was that Fionn is casual about it. Once again, that's when I realized there's something creepy and dark happening and I loved how this magical mystery continued throughout the story.
The last magical plotline I loved was the additional layers that the author supplied to the on-going 'why did Fionn save Darius' mystery from Book 1. There were small hints provided in Book 2 which didn't impress me because it was so lackluster (Darius reminds Fionn of an ex...yay...) but in this book, we learn that there's a lot more to it than that. In fact, there is some creepy magical fuckery that's connected to the entire mystery and Darius and readers end the book having gathered a few more clues but being even more confused about the situation. I'm especially intrigued by the and I'm already making up multiple theories on what the truth could be. I can't wait to see this continue in future books!
I was also fully back on board with loving Darius and Fionn's relationship. When they're back in the woods together, they're back to their usual dynamic and they're sharing stories about their past, their cultures, being hilarious and being adorably sweet together. I was a complete emotional wreck when . That was incredibly well done. But I have to say - it would be nice one of these days to have Darius save Fionn's life for a change (and that stupid scenario in Book 2 doesn't count because Fionn orchestrated and faked that entire thing, which cheapened Darius' heroic efforts but no, let's stop talking about Book 2 because that was an anomaly that should be forgotten).
Connected to Darius, I also liked that the author had Darius befriend Rasheen. She's a female Celtic warrior who shamelessly flirts with Darius and also makes fun of him. He's quick to return the flirting and the good natured insults, which makes them form an instant connection. They recognize in each other that they're both career soldiers and it was great to see Darius make a Celtic friend who isn't directly connected to Fionn and who he gets along with so well. I hope we'll continue seeing more of her!
In addition to this progress, it was also nice how the author is pacing the language learning for both MCs. It's being paced realistically so they're both learning short phrases and common words in each other's languages and of course, Darius is working harder to learn Hibernian because he's living with Fionn's tribe. At the same time, I'm incredibly grateful that the author introduced the secret 'forest language' magic in Book 1 because it's annoying at times to have Darius and Fionn require translators whenever they're talking in public. The use of the secret language allows readers to have the best of both worlds - the MCs can have normal conversations when necessary but the author is taking their time showcasing how difficult life can be when two people come together not speaking a word of each other's languages. This is also something I look forward to seeing progress in future books as Darius' learning of Hibernian continues.
I also adored what the author did with the Romans in this installment. The author is trying to stay close to history with this series so having the Roman military invasion fail in the last book fit perfectly. In this one, the Romans decide to do a 'gentle invasion' by basically helping Fionn defeat enemy tribes and forming trade relationships with them. I loved this because it fits with history (the Romans never had an established foothold in Hibernia but that doesn't mean they weren't present and traded with the Hibernians) and it also allowed some Roman characters other than Darius to participate. I didn't like being stuck with just the Hibernians in the majority of Book 2 because Darius was always the outsider so I loved having Marcus and the older Roman Commander playing a big role in this story.
I especially loved when Marcus because I remember thinking: yeah, those two would really hit it off, wouldn't they? Now, the author isn't dumb and they must have realized the same thing because the connection between these two loud, violent nutcases was very obvious but the author also makes it clear that there's lots more to come with this series so Marcus and parted ways with their lives moving in different directions. I can only hope that I didn't misread the situation and that we'll keep seeing Marcus in other books because I adore him and his long friendship with Darius.
My only complaint that's unique to this book is the author slowly getting sloppy with the usage of modern phrasing. In particular, the word 'fuck' was used multiple times in various ways and that always throws me out of a historical setting, especially one set in such ancient times. I don't care that they're not technically speaking English - I just hate it. The author didn't do it in the first book and I wish they would go back to that. In addition, there were some phrases/words like 'sic' or 'going native' that broke my immersion briefly. I love this series a lot and I can only hope that the author will watch for these things in future installments.
I also hope that the author changes their approach when writing Fionn doing his king business at the village. His immature attitude is annoying, especially considering what the stakes are. He might not have the experience to be a wise leader all the time but that doesn't mean he needs to act like a mopey, immature teenager. I hope future books have a better approach to this aspect of the story because it's my only big complaint.
Overall, I adored this book nearly as much a Book 1. I'm not going to give it 5 stars because Fionn's immature behavior at the beginning really irritated me. But I'm definitely going to read future books when we get them and this is absolutely one of the best historical fantasy series I've ever read. It's very rare that I read a same-couple series anyway and it's even rarer that I fall in love with the couple, the world they live in and the characters surrounding them, to the point where I'm eagerly making theories about future books and I'm excited to get back into their world. I highly recommend this series if you enjoy a blend of history, romance and magic!
July 16, 2021
I don’t really write reviews for books. I only rate them. However this series is amazing so far. I am buying all available paperbacks to support the author. Stay true to your writing. I can’t wait to read the next book.
June 25, 2021
I LOVED THIS SO MUCH.
I had been waiting for this third installment of the Green Labyrinth series. I was so happy when I saw on Twitter that finally we had a date for this book... I bought it as soon as it became available online and started reading straight after and WELL.
I didn't think I could love these characters even more, but I do now. This was such a perfect segue to book 2. And the first chapters, with Fionn's POV? WHAT A TREAT.
I am so in love with Fionn, and I have to admit I love more through Darius' eyes. Darius' words, his feelings, are capable to move me so much. Of course, Fionn is the MC of my heart. He's so well built, so well rounded. Human and inhuman, boyish and terrifying, sweet and insecure and merciless killer, passionate lover and detached otherwordly creature. All at the same time, and in some way, this works perfectly.
The plot takes a beautiful, interesting turn here. I really liked Seuthes as a side character, and the way he and Fionn moved carefully around each other, trying to study their opponent. It was like reading about a very engaging game of chess.
Finally, I am delighted by Darius' devotion and total loyalty to Fionn. It felt earned, and hardly so, but so genuine. And it was perfect. I am never doubting you again, Dari. I swear 😂
The newest plot point
I also wanted to say AAAAAAA this author is amazing at writing sex scenes and in general in conveying passion. You can really feel the passion and desire Darius and Fionn have for each other, and the amazing chemistry between them. It's beautiful to read, especially considering that most romance authors strive for something like this, and only rarely imho succeed. I applaud you, Mx. Author.
Now I'll go back to waiting. I hope book 4 will come soon, but I also know good things can't be rushed. I will be here for the next one.
❤
I had been waiting for this third installment of the Green Labyrinth series. I was so happy when I saw on Twitter that finally we had a date for this book... I bought it as soon as it became available online and started reading straight after and WELL.
I didn't think I could love these characters even more, but I do now. This was such a perfect segue to book 2. And the first chapters, with Fionn's POV? WHAT A TREAT.
I am so in love with Fionn, and I have to admit I love more through Darius' eyes. Darius' words, his feelings, are capable to move me so much. Of course, Fionn is the MC of my heart. He's so well built, so well rounded. Human and inhuman, boyish and terrifying, sweet and insecure and merciless killer, passionate lover and detached otherwordly creature. All at the same time, and in some way, this works perfectly.
The plot takes a beautiful, interesting turn here. I really liked Seuthes as a side character, and the way he and Fionn moved carefully around each other, trying to study their opponent. It was like reading about a very engaging game of chess.
Finally, I am delighted by Darius' devotion and total loyalty to Fionn. It felt earned, and hardly so, but so genuine. And it was perfect. I am never doubting you again, Dari. I swear 😂
The newest plot point
I also wanted to say AAAAAAA this author is amazing at writing sex scenes and in general in conveying passion. You can really feel the passion and desire Darius and Fionn have for each other, and the amazing chemistry between them. It's beautiful to read, especially considering that most romance authors strive for something like this, and only rarely imho succeed. I applaud you, Mx. Author.
Now I'll go back to waiting. I hope book 4 will come soon, but I also know good things can't be rushed. I will be here for the next one.
❤
September 12, 2021
4.5 stars again for this installment. It wasn't quite a perfect read for me, can't put my finger on why exactly - I think maybe I wanted more time alone for the MCs - but I still enjoyed it very, very much. We finally get some Fionn POV, up to now we've always seen things from Darius's perspective. It was great, Fionn is savage, it's unbelievable, there are some pretty gory goings-on here. The other thing that got me thinking was the supernatural element to the book, I understand how it fits in but I almost think it would have been a better book without it, it doesn't necessarily make the story any more intriguing. I think a romance between a Roman commander and a Celtic king is pretty dramatic already, adding magic feels superfluous. In any case, I do love the MCs and how devoted they are to each other. There is apparently a fourth book in the works, and I am very glad because there definitely some questions that need answering.
July 28, 2021
Refers to the first 3 books in the series.*
I rarely write reviews, and romance books rarely hold my attention lately, idk. However this series is a gem and this deserves to be noted! 💎
Fans of Captive Prince and / or Silk & Steel Series will love this story!
Very entertaining as well the setting as the political intrigue..And the romance is one of a kind, indeed! ❤️🔥
MM + fantasy + mystery + mythical Èire + good writing = a dessert of a book. 😍 Also, that ending? — I am intrigued. 🤨 Applause, Mx Author. 👏 My only complaint, this third installment was perhaps a bit too short.
Excerpt
Fionn’s lips parted, his tongue briefly visible, and Darius felt as if he’d swallowed fire. Fionn smiled slightly.
“Thank you,” he murmured.
Darius blinked. “For what?”
“For what. What have you not done for me? You have given up an empire. I saw that ship, and I know it is only the smallest fragment of what your world is capable of.” Fionn cocked his head. “Is this the first time I’ve said it?”
Thank you too, Mx author, for sharing this beautiful story with us!
Highly recommended!
I rarely write reviews, and romance books rarely hold my attention lately, idk. However this series is a gem and this deserves to be noted! 💎
Fans of Captive Prince and / or Silk & Steel Series will love this story!
Very entertaining as well the setting as the political intrigue..And the romance is one of a kind, indeed! ❤️🔥
MM + fantasy + mystery + mythical Èire + good writing = a dessert of a book. 😍 Also, that ending? — I am intrigued. 🤨 Applause, Mx Author. 👏 My only complaint, this third installment was perhaps a bit too short.
Excerpt
Fionn’s lips parted, his tongue briefly visible, and Darius felt as if he’d swallowed fire. Fionn smiled slightly.
“Thank you,” he murmured.
Darius blinked. “For what?”
“For what. What have you not done for me? You have given up an empire. I saw that ship, and I know it is only the smallest fragment of what your world is capable of.” Fionn cocked his head. “Is this the first time I’ve said it?”
Thank you too, Mx author, for sharing this beautiful story with us!
Highly recommended!
September 15, 2023
Hey, does anyone know what happened to the writer? They deleted their social media on Twitter, and i can't find the books on amazon anymore... i think i lost a part of my life
January 14, 2023
I really, really like this series. I was very skeptical in the beginning, but ended up falling in love with the characters, and not only with the main ones.
The scenes with the Roman proposal of an alliance and dinner on the Gorgon happened to be the most memorable to me, I simply craved as much interaction between Fionn and Seuthes as the author could give me. I want to see their subtle confrontation without Darius' intervention so badly, given that Seuthes is used to dealing with young and overly confident kings, and Fionn, though young and overly confident, still has a sharp mind of his own.
Despite all the praise, I still want to say that the ending seemed too hasty to me. In the book, the battle for Irfall is stated as something important, as a main confrontation. However, in the end, we skip the battle entirely. And it really felt almost disappointing to me, considering what pure chaos the ending of the first book was.
Darius' return from a grave, which we witnessed instead of the fight, also happens too fast. I just wish that the characters acknowledged it at least one more time after. (Though I have a feeling it will be brought up a lot in the following part.)
Anyway, I'm looking forward to the fourth book, and this series has me in such a strong chokehold that I have no doubt that I will remember it fondly, at least for the next few years.
The scenes with the Roman proposal of an alliance and dinner on the Gorgon happened to be the most memorable to me, I simply craved as much interaction between Fionn and Seuthes as the author could give me. I want to see their subtle confrontation without Darius' intervention so badly, given that Seuthes is used to dealing with young and overly confident kings, and Fionn, though young and overly confident, still has a sharp mind of his own.
Despite all the praise, I still want to say that the ending seemed too hasty to me. In the book, the battle for Irfall is stated as something important, as a main confrontation. However, in the end, we skip the battle entirely. And it really felt almost disappointing to me, considering what pure chaos the ending of the first book was.
Darius' return from a grave, which we witnessed instead of the fight, also happens too fast. I just wish that the characters acknowledged it at least one more time after. (Though I have a feeling it will be brought up a lot in the following part.)
Anyway, I'm looking forward to the fourth book, and this series has me in such a strong chokehold that I have no doubt that I will remember it fondly, at least for the next few years.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2021
Still good read but I didn't find this as riveting as the earlier two books. Also, it reads like the original book 3 being split into two for publication (given how things ended plot-wise by book;s end). The first half is taken from Fionn's POV as he seeks to gain the upper hand over tribal enemies (readers be warned - there's quite a bit of ruthless indiscriminate killing involved). Fionn's fae heritage gives him significant fighting power but I do fear for his 'soul' as he continues to give in to same heritage to wreak death and destruction.
The storyline is taken up from Darius' POV in the second half but I did feel their relational difficulties/estrangement resolved a little easily from those events at the end of book 2 (sex does not always make all things go away folks). However, I was pleased with Dari's eventual discovery and acknowledgment of the barbarians and their culture being not all that different to his own supposedly more advanced Roman one. I have a strong premonition all the 'not-so-subtle' hints dropped regarding Fionn's former lover (who looks a ring-in for Darius) will come back to bite them all big time in the next book.
3 stars at best this time round.
The storyline is taken up from Darius' POV in the second half but I did feel their relational difficulties/estrangement resolved a little easily from those events at the end of book 2 (sex does not always make all things go away folks). However, I was pleased with Dari's eventual discovery and acknowledgment of the barbarians and their culture being not all that different to his own supposedly more advanced Roman one. I have a strong premonition all the 'not-so-subtle' hints dropped regarding Fionn's former lover (who looks a ring-in for Darius) will come back to bite them all big time in the next book.
3 stars at best this time round.
November 22, 2021
I wish I knew my problem with these books. I'm giving it four stars because rationally I know they're well deserved, even if I'm like this.
The plot is good, maybe too straightforward but well done. The writing is good. The flow is good, maybe a bit slow, but the steadiness of it makes everything good and proper.
I couldn't love (or hate) neither Darius nor Fionn and I'm kind of kicking myself because I can't figure out why. They're bland? No, that's not true, especially Fionn. Still, I have no clue.
I'm also really frustrated because this review and the previous one are so shitty and I can't believe I can't find a thing to say about this book or a way to express myself. I can only guess that the problem is me.
Hence. Four stars. I swear the book is good.
The plot is good, maybe too straightforward but well done. The writing is good. The flow is good, maybe a bit slow, but the steadiness of it makes everything good and proper.
I couldn't love (or hate) neither Darius nor Fionn and I'm kind of kicking myself because I can't figure out why. They're bland? No, that's not true, especially Fionn. Still, I have no clue.
I'm also really frustrated because this review and the previous one are so shitty and I can't believe I can't find a thing to say about this book or a way to express myself. I can only guess that the problem is me.
Hence. Four stars. I swear the book is good.
May 21, 2022
I really like the first n the second book. But this book was going nowhere it was a repeat of the same kind of story with just more sex and violence. I did not see any character growth or development or any progress in the relationship. It was almost like reading the same kind of dynamics between the two over and over again. I will not be continuing with the series. At first I thought this would be an epic romance like how captive prince was. But it’s not at all like it. It’s got too much brutality without story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2024
The third book was still good but a bit underwhelming for me.
The pace is slower and the plot is less elaborate.
The absence of one MC in the first third is annoying.
The story is a bit too heavy on sex, and in particular the last scene was written in a way that it felt out of place.
The fantasy is more present but it's unfortunately frustrating because it leads to a lot of questions that remain unanswered in the absence of the fourth book.
The ending is very abrupt and doesn't bring closure.
I would love to see these three books slightly edited and condensed in one with a real end.
The pace is slower and the plot is less elaborate.
The absence of one MC in the first third is annoying.
The story is a bit too heavy on sex, and in particular the last scene was written in a way that it felt out of place.
The fantasy is more present but it's unfortunately frustrating because it leads to a lot of questions that remain unanswered in the absence of the fourth book.
The ending is very abrupt and doesn't bring closure.
I would love to see these three books slightly edited and condensed in one with a real end.
October 16, 2023
A promised book 4, but a vanished author! Thank the presiding deities of m/m romance that at least Darius and Fionn are united ... but what about the darkness encroaching on Fionn, and what is up with Rowan, and what's going on with the daisies and the watcher in the forest, and what's Brigit's marriage going to be like, and Alex Faure, did you have to disappear just when the sex was getting kinky? O woe, woe, woe!
August 21, 2024
i liked how it was a sweet wrapping up of the first three books, but i also enjoyed the open ending and im super excited for book 4!! i liked reading these three books a lot! it’s a very unique setting that you don’t see often
edit: seeing people say that the author is mia, even if this series is read as a trilogy i think it feels complete and finished
edit: seeing people say that the author is mia, even if this series is read as a trilogy i think it feels complete and finished
December 30, 2022
Not as fab as 1 and 2, as they were too often either not together or working through stuff, but the worst thing? There is another book after this and it isn’t out!! Agh!!! I can’t find any info online either. Grump.
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February 27, 20223.5
October 17, 2025
This series isn't finished!
I realised reading the last page of this book 😢 😭
I realised reading the last page of this book 😢 😭
December 21, 2024
I love this series and can't wait for the next instalment. Fionn has my whole heart lmao. When his dark side slips out and he blindsides Darius?! FUCK YE little evil shit, love him.
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