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Starian Cycle #6
The Last Flight of Marius Chastain
Marius Chastain has spent his entire life running: first from his abusive father, and more recently from the king's justice after his father's failed coup. With no allies willing to help him, Marius attempts to flee Staria for the safety of the Diabolos Islands, where he can start a new life far removed from his treasonous past. But his desperate flight is interrupted by Ranger, a mercenary who has taken a contract to escort Marius to Duciel to answer for his crimes against the Crown.
Misthotoi are renowned the world over for refusing to be swayed from their contracts, and Ranger is no exception. A man of his word, Ranger is terrifyingly competent and a skilled hunter … but also good-natured, kind, and generous. While nothing Marius can offer will change his mind, he treats Marius with unexpected gentleness on their journey to Duciel.
Ranger joined the Misthotoi in order to find and conquer Death as part of a Thalassan coming-of-age ritual. He's no stranger to the risks of the job, but as he brings Marius to his contact in Duciel, Ranger finds himself drawn to the disgraced noble. Soon, their growing bond threatens even his commitment to his vows. And when the hunter becomes prey, the two men will have to use all their cunning to outfox their enemies and find a future where they can be safe … together.
Misthotoi are renowned the world over for refusing to be swayed from their contracts, and Ranger is no exception. A man of his word, Ranger is terrifyingly competent and a skilled hunter … but also good-natured, kind, and generous. While nothing Marius can offer will change his mind, he treats Marius with unexpected gentleness on their journey to Duciel.
Ranger joined the Misthotoi in order to find and conquer Death as part of a Thalassan coming-of-age ritual. He's no stranger to the risks of the job, but as he brings Marius to his contact in Duciel, Ranger finds himself drawn to the disgraced noble. Soon, their growing bond threatens even his commitment to his vows. And when the hunter becomes prey, the two men will have to use all their cunning to outfox their enemies and find a future where they can be safe … together.
234 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 16, 2021
8 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
Iris Foxglove
27 books186 followersIris Foxglove is the shared pen name of Avon Gale (she/her) and Fae Loxley (he/him). Avon and Fae met in fandom in 2019, and began writing fanfiction together in 2020 during lockdown. They eventually decided to collaborate on original fantasy fiction, and haven't looked back since.
They write queer fantasy with an emphasis on biological imperative, natural power exchange dynamics, complex worldbuilding and unforgettable characters.
You can follow Iris on twitter @irisfoxglove, or sign up for Iris' newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hrhA6z
Iris also has a brand-new Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/irisfoxglove
Iris' Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
You can also follow the authors individually on Twitter and Facebook:
Avon Gale
Twitter: https://twitter.com/avongalewrites
Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/2p8hz4fv
Fae Loxley
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fae_loxley
Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/mrxt2fnn
They write queer fantasy with an emphasis on biological imperative, natural power exchange dynamics, complex worldbuilding and unforgettable characters.
You can follow Iris on twitter @irisfoxglove, or sign up for Iris' newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hrhA6z
Iris also has a brand-new Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/irisfoxglove
Iris' Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
You can also follow the authors individually on Twitter and Facebook:
Avon Gale
Twitter: https://twitter.com/avongalewrites
Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/2p8hz4fv
Fae Loxley
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fae_loxley
Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/mrxt2fnn
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
May 31, 2025
I needed something undemanding to read and this hit the spot, apart from the disappointingly mild BDSM which seemed to consist mainly of Ranger having a special dominant register to his voice that he could trot out PRN, and telling Marius what to do in bed. Also suffers from the no-of-course-there's-nothing-problematic-about-monarchy perspective typical of faux-medieval romances, if you can call something a perspective when it seems unlikely to have been consciously thought through.
But now I'm being meaner than this book deserves. Sometimes "mildly enjoyable" + "forgettable" is exactly what a person wants. Seek no further, etc. (though also, if suffering from unresolved trauma resulting from sexual assault, in particular sexual assault by a parent, maybe do seek further).
But now I'm being meaner than this book deserves. Sometimes "mildly enjoyable" + "forgettable" is exactly what a person wants. Seek no further, etc. (though also, if suffering from unresolved trauma resulting from sexual assault, in particular sexual assault by a parent, maybe do seek further).
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December 8, 2021If you're wondering what happened to Devon's brother, Marius....
(CW for non-graphic, brief references to the sexual abuse of a child by a parent, discussions of grief/dying, references to capital punishment, and non-graphic discussions of murder-for-hire and torture. Please feel free to ask the authors for further clarification. None of these are described in detail. The biological imperative kink/natural power exchange in this story is entirely fictional, and does not in any way attempt to resemble real-life BDSM practices or relationships.)
(CW for non-graphic, brief references to the sexual abuse of a child by a parent, discussions of grief/dying, references to capital punishment, and non-graphic discussions of murder-for-hire and torture. Please feel free to ask the authors for further clarification. None of these are described in detail. The biological imperative kink/natural power exchange in this story is entirely fictional, and does not in any way attempt to resemble real-life BDSM practices or relationships.)
May 28, 2025
“Don’t top from the bottom,” he said. “I’m the one who gets to do that.” He grinned when Marius’s eyes widened. “You’ve never had someone ride you before? Use you? Make you fuck them the way they like it, be still when they want it?”
I love a confident Dom who enjoys topping from the bottom.
This was a fun biokink series, each book has been a solid 3-4+ stars.
I love a confident Dom who enjoys topping from the bottom.
This was a fun biokink series, each book has been a solid 3-4+ stars.
January 5, 2022
3.5 stars
“I mean this. Us. I want to keep doing this.” […] “I want to keep doing it. All of it, with you, forever.”
Brief summary
Marius is on the run from people who want to punish him for his previous crimes. Ranger is on of those people. But they end up falling in love.
First of all, I absolutely love redemption books and Marius wasn’t the best character in previous books in the series, so I was very happy to see his redemption. I liked how the story was done and I really enjoyed how I got to know Marius as a person and the reason why he acted the way he did.
I wanted to give Marius a hug so badly. He hadn’t had the best life and he didn’t really like himself because of it and he felt very guilty and reading about that just made me so sad for him.
I really enjoyed Marcus and Ranger together. Ranger was such a good match for Marcus and he always knew how to take care of him and how to make him feel better when Marcus needed him. These two were very well suited and I loved them as a couple.
I enjoyed this book but parts of it just kind of dragged for me. There was some parts that felt super slow compared to other parts of the book and I felt like the pacing of the book wasn’t equal, which meant that I really enjoyed some parts of the book and that I enjoyed some parts less.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.
“I mean this. Us. I want to keep doing this.” […] “I want to keep doing it. All of it, with you, forever.”
Brief summary
Marius is on the run from people who want to punish him for his previous crimes. Ranger is on of those people. But they end up falling in love.
First of all, I absolutely love redemption books and Marius wasn’t the best character in previous books in the series, so I was very happy to see his redemption. I liked how the story was done and I really enjoyed how I got to know Marius as a person and the reason why he acted the way he did.
I wanted to give Marius a hug so badly. He hadn’t had the best life and he didn’t really like himself because of it and he felt very guilty and reading about that just made me so sad for him.
I really enjoyed Marcus and Ranger together. Ranger was such a good match for Marcus and he always knew how to take care of him and how to make him feel better when Marcus needed him. These two were very well suited and I loved them as a couple.
I enjoyed this book but parts of it just kind of dragged for me. There was some parts that felt super slow compared to other parts of the book and I felt like the pacing of the book wasn’t equal, which meant that I really enjoyed some parts of the book and that I enjoyed some parts less.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.
December 31, 2021
It’s really hard to rate this book? I angsted over this for days and I’m really sorry, y’all. I was super into this book and read the first part of it in, like, a DAY, but then I stalled out and it took me a month to finish the rest of it. I adore Marius and Ranger. I loved the ending too with the epilogue that truly ties a nice little bow on the Starian Cycle series. But there’s just something in the back half of the book that didn’t work for me.
Content warnings include mentions of incest and child sexual abuse, unresolved trauma, depression, fear of death, kidnapping, and violence.
This book both is and isn’t a standalone. While it’s not entirely necessary to read the five books in the Starian Cycle to understand what’s happening in this book, I think it’s best to read the series to get a better understanding of where Marius’s head is at and know who the characters are who are mentioned in this book.
This story is about Marius Chastain. He is the eldest son of the Chastain family and his father had convinced him and his younger brother Devon that they were the rightful rulers of Staria, no matter that it is treason. This led to a series of events that almost got Marius and Devon killed. Their father is no longer in the picture, but Marius is now on the run.
Devon’s story is explored (and he gets his HEA) in The Duke’s Demon, the second book in the Starian Cycle. This book starts off shortly after the brothers last see each other in that book.
Marius is found by a man, only known as Ranger, who is doing a contracted job - the job being to find Marius Chastain and deliver him to…a mysterious someone. The details don’t matter for Ranger. He was hired to do a job, and delivering Marius is that job.
There is a LOT of angst in this first part of the book, if I were to break this book into a before and after. This first part, Marius is fully convinced he is going to be hanged. He is terrified and depressed, and honesty? It’s right there on the line of being too much without tipping over. I’m apparently adverse to existential crisis books now as I get older, but this was okay? Since I peaked ahead and saw it wasn’t a feeling that was carrying throughout the entire book.
But weirdly, this first part was what I DID wind up liking. It was intense and kept me on my toes. The romance is a bit of a slower burn due to Marius’s situation and what Ranger’s job was, so that’s to be expected. I liked Marius a lot here and his relationship with Ranger is so precious? Marius deserves someone who cares for him, will look out for him, and treat him lovingly, and Ranger is that man! He’s very capable and it’s just competence porn in regards to Ranger.
So, the second part of this book. It’s not necessarily that I don’t like traveling stories (as in fantasy stories where the characters are travelling everywhere the entire book instead of being in one place) but the pacing of this book felt…off? Maybe it’s due to the intensity of the first part, and then I thought things would settle down and we could focus on the romance. And there’s still romance and Marius and Ranger exploring their feelings for one another, but it’s while they are STILL on the run. It’s a lot.
Honestly, this part of the book dragged for me. Add in the fact that other characters were added that seemed SO interesting (Cillian and Glaive) and then things were left unanswered in this book? The final showdown was confusing to me and how it ended. I was left feeling disappointed after reading this book because it felt like I came out of it with more questions than answers.
THAT SAID. I did see afterwards from the authors’ Patreon that the characters I had the most questions about DO have books coming up, so hopefully that’ll give more depth to the characters. If I didn’t check Patreon for news, I think I would’ve been left feeling even more disappointed than I was since it just seemed so weird how the characters were here and gone with not much explanation about what happened and if we’ll see them again.
There are things I did love in this book. Like, I do love the epilogue and we do get some closure to Devon and Marius’s story and I think that’s great!! They deserve to be happy and learn how to be brothers again, without the shadow of their father lingering between them.
I’ve waited for Marius’s story for so long, ever since reading Devon get his HEA, and I’m so glad he gets his HEA here. This book started off really strong and hit me in the feels in all the right ways with the intensity and the angst, but unfortunately the second part of this book didn’t work for me as much as I would’ve liked. I fear my expectations for Marius was too high.
***Thanks to the authors for providing an ARC to read and review through Patreon!***
Content warnings include mentions of incest and child sexual abuse, unresolved trauma, depression, fear of death, kidnapping, and violence.
This book both is and isn’t a standalone. While it’s not entirely necessary to read the five books in the Starian Cycle to understand what’s happening in this book, I think it’s best to read the series to get a better understanding of where Marius’s head is at and know who the characters are who are mentioned in this book.
This story is about Marius Chastain. He is the eldest son of the Chastain family and his father had convinced him and his younger brother Devon that they were the rightful rulers of Staria, no matter that it is treason. This led to a series of events that almost got Marius and Devon killed. Their father is no longer in the picture, but Marius is now on the run.
Devon’s story is explored (and he gets his HEA) in The Duke’s Demon, the second book in the Starian Cycle. This book starts off shortly after the brothers last see each other in that book.
Marius is found by a man, only known as Ranger, who is doing a contracted job - the job being to find Marius Chastain and deliver him to…a mysterious someone. The details don’t matter for Ranger. He was hired to do a job, and delivering Marius is that job.
There is a LOT of angst in this first part of the book, if I were to break this book into a before and after. This first part, Marius is fully convinced he is going to be hanged. He is terrified and depressed, and honesty? It’s right there on the line of being too much without tipping over. I’m apparently adverse to existential crisis books now as I get older, but this was okay? Since I peaked ahead and saw it wasn’t a feeling that was carrying throughout the entire book.
But weirdly, this first part was what I DID wind up liking. It was intense and kept me on my toes. The romance is a bit of a slower burn due to Marius’s situation and what Ranger’s job was, so that’s to be expected. I liked Marius a lot here and his relationship with Ranger is so precious? Marius deserves someone who cares for him, will look out for him, and treat him lovingly, and Ranger is that man! He’s very capable and it’s just competence porn in regards to Ranger.
So, the second part of this book. It’s not necessarily that I don’t like traveling stories (as in fantasy stories where the characters are travelling everywhere the entire book instead of being in one place) but the pacing of this book felt…off? Maybe it’s due to the intensity of the first part, and then I thought things would settle down and we could focus on the romance. And there’s still romance and Marius and Ranger exploring their feelings for one another, but it’s while they are STILL on the run. It’s a lot.
Honestly, this part of the book dragged for me. Add in the fact that other characters were added that seemed SO interesting (Cillian and Glaive) and then things were left unanswered in this book? The final showdown was confusing to me and how it ended. I was left feeling disappointed after reading this book because it felt like I came out of it with more questions than answers.
THAT SAID. I did see afterwards from the authors’ Patreon that the characters I had the most questions about DO have books coming up, so hopefully that’ll give more depth to the characters. If I didn’t check Patreon for news, I think I would’ve been left feeling even more disappointed than I was since it just seemed so weird how the characters were here and gone with not much explanation about what happened and if we’ll see them again.
There are things I did love in this book. Like, I do love the epilogue and we do get some closure to Devon and Marius’s story and I think that’s great!! They deserve to be happy and learn how to be brothers again, without the shadow of their father lingering between them.
I’ve waited for Marius’s story for so long, ever since reading Devon get his HEA, and I’m so glad he gets his HEA here. This book started off really strong and hit me in the feels in all the right ways with the intensity and the angst, but unfortunately the second part of this book didn’t work for me as much as I would’ve liked. I fear my expectations for Marius was too high.
***Thanks to the authors for providing an ARC to read and review through Patreon!***
December 14, 2021
Oh goodness did this book make me cry! I loved Ranger and Marius's love story, and Marius's journey to self-acceptance, believing he was worthy of another chance to be a better person, was beautiful to read and so emotional. Ranger was the perfect match, funny and caring and brave, and I'm so happy Marius was able to reconnect with his brother at the end. This series is very impressive, the characters have wonderful emotional depth and the stories are full of passion, adventure and even humor. This one is a tear-jerker but there were many moments that made me smile. Looking forward to the next Iris Foxglove title.
December 9, 2021
This was my least favorite book of the entire series. I think I would have liked it more if I'd have read it immediately after book 2 instead of reading in order. By the time I got to Marius' book I liked him less than I already did. His redemption was a little too late for me.
Ranger wasn't my favorite of characters either. He wasn't a bad guy, just a tad boring for me.
I do hope there is more to this world to come. I feel like there are some characters whose stories are open and there are a few secondary characters that I want more from.
I received a copy of this book from GRR and this is my honest review.
Ranger wasn't my favorite of characters either. He wasn't a bad guy, just a tad boring for me.
I do hope there is more to this world to come. I feel like there are some characters whose stories are open and there are a few secondary characters that I want more from.
I received a copy of this book from GRR and this is my honest review.
December 8, 2021
The Starian Cycle series is so riveting. The world building is just amazing. I love the author, Iris Foxglove, take on the BSDM/omegaverse world. Oh did I mention how the characters are absolutely amazing?
November 22, 2021
3.5 This was good, I don't think I enjoyed it as much as the other books in this series though. I was certainly wondering what happened to Marius and I'm glad he got a full length novel over 200 pages by the way. I'm curious about Glaive and Death now..and certainly hope we get a book regarding them, it was certainly interesting and mysterious - that scene towards the end. Apparently the new series the author is working on taxes place in this world but in a different country?! I'm looking forward to it
January 27, 2022
I feel like this one is definitely my favorite in the series. Something about the writing felt clearer, the plot was smooth and easy to follow, and I loved the characters and their dynamics the most. It’s a great fantasy world that I’d love to return to, so I’m glad there will be a spin-off series! Though I’m disappointed we won’t get a book about Yves and Charon 😭
December 30, 2021
This is book six of the Starian Cycle and brings together a few loose ends. There is nothing better than this series and I look forward to more wonderful stories by Iris Foxglove.
Marius Chastain has been running it seems his whole life, from his father and from his father’s plots. He wants to go to Diabolos where he can start over, far from his father’s plot to overthrow the kingdom. Too bad Ranger, a highly rated Misthotoi, has other plans. He captures him and they begin the journey back to Duciel where he will face his fate at the end of a noose. Ranger is one who cannot be swayed from his contract. He is however, very gentle and kind to Marius. It is not long before the two become close and Ranger is tempted to break his contract. The two men find themselves the prey and must no best another hunter. They will need to use all their wits to survive.
Ranger was interesting. He joined the Misthotoi to find and conquer death as part of his coming-of-age ritual. He is capable and competent and saves Marius on many occasions. Marius had hit rock bottom and was close to not caring about anything. When things change, he is not sure he can accept it. He really had no skills to survive on the run while Ranger had them all. Hopefully together, they can succeed and find a way to be together.
Marius Chastain has been running it seems his whole life, from his father and from his father’s plots. He wants to go to Diabolos where he can start over, far from his father’s plot to overthrow the kingdom. Too bad Ranger, a highly rated Misthotoi, has other plans. He captures him and they begin the journey back to Duciel where he will face his fate at the end of a noose. Ranger is one who cannot be swayed from his contract. He is however, very gentle and kind to Marius. It is not long before the two become close and Ranger is tempted to break his contract. The two men find themselves the prey and must no best another hunter. They will need to use all their wits to survive.
Ranger was interesting. He joined the Misthotoi to find and conquer death as part of his coming-of-age ritual. He is capable and competent and saves Marius on many occasions. Marius had hit rock bottom and was close to not caring about anything. When things change, he is not sure he can accept it. He really had no skills to survive on the run while Ranger had them all. Hopefully together, they can succeed and find a way to be together.
November 1, 2021
I received an arc of this one, thank you!
AHHHHH I cried through this whole book, basically, and I loved it. I loved Marius even though I was skeptical that I would, at first, as he was a bit of a weasel in the earlier books of the series. And I loved Ranger to PIECES for sure -- big and strong, compassionate and funny, what's not to love? The mercenary society who takes beads for contracts was super interesting and I hope we see more of it in future books, as well as Glaive and Cillian, two characters who I thought were really fun and hopefully will also have stories. I continue to love that this series is so great with worldbuilding, complex and thoughtful in a way that makes it so much more than just an escapist dark kinky high fantasy romp (though it is that, absolutely).
What I liked about this one specifically was how the "villain" was Marius' inner sense of worthlessness and guilt, and how he had such a fraught journey to self-acceptance and repentance. I love how character redemptions are handled in this series; sympathetically without excusing or erasing the things these characters have done in the past. And I was so happy to see the epilogue, and
AHHHHH I cried through this whole book, basically, and I loved it. I loved Marius even though I was skeptical that I would, at first, as he was a bit of a weasel in the earlier books of the series. And I loved Ranger to PIECES for sure -- big and strong, compassionate and funny, what's not to love? The mercenary society who takes beads for contracts was super interesting and I hope we see more of it in future books, as well as Glaive and Cillian, two characters who I thought were really fun and hopefully will also have stories. I continue to love that this series is so great with worldbuilding, complex and thoughtful in a way that makes it so much more than just an escapist dark kinky high fantasy romp (though it is that, absolutely).
What I liked about this one specifically was how the "villain" was Marius' inner sense of worthlessness and guilt, and how he had such a fraught journey to self-acceptance and repentance. I love how character redemptions are handled in this series; sympathetically without excusing or erasing the things these characters have done in the past. And I was so happy to see the epilogue, and
November 14, 2021
I absolutely loved this new Starian book--which I think should be read as part of the series. In fact, I think it's my favorite one yet. It went by so fast and it was such an emotional journey. I laughed, I cried. The two main characters are Marius, who is on the run after committing treason, and Ranger, a mercenary hired to capture him. However, as the story unfolds you'll discover that not everything is as it seems.
Both Marius and Ranger are fully realized characters. I liked both of them, especially Ranger. Marius pops up in previous books, where he isn't exactly a good guy, but this book fully redeemed him for me. As for Ranger- he was hilarious, and also heartfelt. The two of them together were perfection! My only niggle is that I wish some elements of the story had been explained more. However, ultimately the ending was satisfying on multiple fronts and I highly recommend this book for fans of the Starian Cycle.
**I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review**
Both Marius and Ranger are fully realized characters. I liked both of them, especially Ranger. Marius pops up in previous books, where he isn't exactly a good guy, but this book fully redeemed him for me. As for Ranger- he was hilarious, and also heartfelt. The two of them together were perfection! My only niggle is that I wish some elements of the story had been explained more. However, ultimately the ending was satisfying on multiple fronts and I highly recommend this book for fans of the Starian Cycle.
**I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review**
December 30, 2021
I have so loved this series, and this book is a great addition, but I can't believe it's over. There are so many other characters in the books that I really wanted to know more about. But, I guess an author knows when the inspiration is spent, so I will be glad for what they gave us, and look forward to their next writing project. This book made me laugh and cry, but more cry. Marius' story is so heart-breaking, and yet he faced his expected end with courage and acceptance, rather than a 'woe is me' attitude. Ranger was his perfect compliment, stoic and devoted to his duty, yet kind and empathetic. Who in the world could not be touched by Marius' history, even Ranger, but is it enough to draw them together, and if so, do they have a future? Wonderful closure in the end. I just wish there was more to come from Staria for our reading pleasure.
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
October 29, 2021
Tw: discussions of past CSA (father on son)
Absolutely heartwarming and full of feels.
I admit, I came into this not a fan of Marius after The Traitor’s Mercy and The Duke’s Demon, but I was a convert within three chapters. I loved the dynamic between Ranger and Marius starting from the very beginning, and it just kept getting better and better.
Every chapter was a twist and turn, and I was cheering them on the entire way to their HEA. This is a book that makes readers cry, and I’m no exception. The journey is worth reading through to the end and while Iris Foxglove will wrench your heart out of your chest, they put it back full of feels.
A fantastic read and, as always, I look forward to what comes next from this duo.
Absolutely heartwarming and full of feels.
I admit, I came into this not a fan of Marius after The Traitor’s Mercy and The Duke’s Demon, but I was a convert within three chapters. I loved the dynamic between Ranger and Marius starting from the very beginning, and it just kept getting better and better.
Every chapter was a twist and turn, and I was cheering them on the entire way to their HEA. This is a book that makes readers cry, and I’m no exception. The journey is worth reading through to the end and while Iris Foxglove will wrench your heart out of your chest, they put it back full of feels.
A fantastic read and, as always, I look forward to what comes next from this duo.
November 24, 2021
4.5 stars
There are a lot of things to like about this book, but for me the heart of it all is the nuance of the character development— both Marius and Ranger feel deeply human: they’re emotional, flawed, compelling, and interesting in their own rights, but put them together and you get the kind of chemistry that elevates every interaction. Their story is compelling because they are (and some interesting plot events help as well, of course), and that alone made me really enjoy this read. As a final thought, while you can read this book as a standalone, you get good context for the characters, setting, and history overall by reading the author’s other books in this world— as an added bonus, they’re also awesome.
*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
There are a lot of things to like about this book, but for me the heart of it all is the nuance of the character development— both Marius and Ranger feel deeply human: they’re emotional, flawed, compelling, and interesting in their own rights, but put them together and you get the kind of chemistry that elevates every interaction. Their story is compelling because they are (and some interesting plot events help as well, of course), and that alone made me really enjoy this read. As a final thought, while you can read this book as a standalone, you get good context for the characters, setting, and history overall by reading the author’s other books in this world— as an added bonus, they’re also awesome.
*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 4, 2021
beautiful story that made me cry
I’m gonna be honest I wasn’t expecting much going into this book considering how we last saw Marius but fuck did I fall in love with his story and folks I fell HARD. I cried so many times throughout as the tensions rose and it seemed like more and more like a certainty that he wasn’t going to escape unscathed. But he did and he got his happy ending. Ranger and his terrible animal related stories was a bright spot in an otherwise very tragic tale. I loved him so much. I smile a lot considering they were staring down death for much of the book.
I enjoyed this story so much and very much looking forward to the next series that’s starting soon!
I’m gonna be honest I wasn’t expecting much going into this book considering how we last saw Marius but fuck did I fall in love with his story and folks I fell HARD. I cried so many times throughout as the tensions rose and it seemed like more and more like a certainty that he wasn’t going to escape unscathed. But he did and he got his happy ending. Ranger and his terrible animal related stories was a bright spot in an otherwise very tragic tale. I loved him so much. I smile a lot considering they were staring down death for much of the book.
I enjoyed this story so much and very much looking forward to the next series that’s starting soon!
December 15, 2021
Final tale caps off series
This book comes after the main story of the Starian Cycle has ended but brings a fun little wrap up to Maurius’s life. Iris Foxglove takes his character, who was last seen running away as a traitor to the crown and as she has done with others in this series she actually made me sympathetic towards him. This ability that she has to write fully rounded characters is in full force in this delightful little add on to the main story. You don’t need to read this book to get the series and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to read more about him but in the end I was glad that I did. Again it comes down to Ms. Foxglove’s deftness in taking characters that seem evil in previous books and letting us see the other side of them.
This book comes after the main story of the Starian Cycle has ended but brings a fun little wrap up to Maurius’s life. Iris Foxglove takes his character, who was last seen running away as a traitor to the crown and as she has done with others in this series she actually made me sympathetic towards him. This ability that she has to write fully rounded characters is in full force in this delightful little add on to the main story. You don’t need to read this book to get the series and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to read more about him but in the end I was glad that I did. Again it comes down to Ms. Foxglove’s deftness in taking characters that seem evil in previous books and letting us see the other side of them.
December 31, 2021
I really don’t want this series to end, I’ve enjoyed all the books and they are all five star reads to me. This one was no exception and I loved how the traitor Marius gets his own story and his own redemption. I enjoyed both him and Ranger and their time together and their banter was wonderful and funny.
The Epilogue in this book was truly epic and even though it was a conclusion for the characters in this series it also made me want more. Read this whole series, you will not be disappointed.
The Epilogue in this book was truly epic and even though it was a conclusion for the characters in this series it also made me want more. Read this whole series, you will not be disappointed.
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April 7, 2022I was led to believe this could be read as a standalone, and I guess it can be, but the world building is so-so (hopefully it's better in the first few books) and all the characters are relatively wishy-washy (and would be regardless if this was a standalone or not). There is some very serious subject matter that is just glossed over, and certain mythical elements like death and demons etc are throwaway plot points instead of integral to the world-builidng as they should be. I wasn't impressed with this author duo and doubt I'll read anything else by them.
April 10, 2022
This story doesn’t have the kingdoms-spanning scope of plot of the rest of the series - I don’t want to say it’s more focused on the romance, because all of these books are romances, but it’s less sweeping in scope around the romance, as far as plot goes. The setting is a wider and wilder world, though, and as much as I enjoy Staria it was interesting to get to see beyond it, to places and peoples that had only been brushed on in the main series. Probably best read between #2 and #3 if you can take a break from the main plot…I couldn’t.
December 30, 2021
This stunning story had me hooked straight from the beginning and I am more than happy to say that I loved it!
Marius and Ranger's story is captivating and absolutely beautiful.I simply couldn't put this down!
This whole series of books has been an absolute pleasure to read,I can't believe it has come to an end,I needed more!😊
I received an ARC copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
Marius and Ranger's story is captivating and absolutely beautiful.I simply couldn't put this down!
This whole series of books has been an absolute pleasure to read,I can't believe it has come to an end,I needed more!😊
I received an ARC copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
January 28, 2022
5 ⭐
Wow. This was really good. This author excels at tension and angst. While we know that Marius is probably not going to die, and the odds are that he and Ranger are probably going to get their HEA, you spend the entirety of this book thinking... HOW? How is this going to work! I love books that make me wonder that. There is an excellent, dramatic climax that... may seem a bit deus ex machina. But I liked it so I don't care. I hope they write more in this world because I am loving it.
Wow. This was really good. This author excels at tension and angst. While we know that Marius is probably not going to die, and the odds are that he and Ranger are probably going to get their HEA, you spend the entirety of this book thinking... HOW? How is this going to work! I love books that make me wonder that. There is an excellent, dramatic climax that... may seem a bit deus ex machina. But I liked it so I don't care. I hope they write more in this world because I am loving it.
December 12, 2024
I had to read Marius' story after reading Devon's and I was not disappointed even if I did not enjoy it as much as the previous ones. Ranger was my absolute favorite, truly loved him, but I could not fully get connected with Marius' brand of self-flagellation. Still, the novel falls once more into one of my favorite fantasy settings, with unexplained magic and rules, mysterious destined events and a fable-like structure.
October 28, 2021
Another wonderful entry in the series, and a nice continuation of "The Duke's Demon", which is still my favorite book in the series, though "The King's Mage" definitely fights for that position. I love both the leads. I love the new lore. It's funny, heartbreaking, fun, and sweet. Great story. Look forward to "Winter of the Owl"!
November 22, 2021
Making me cry so much right now...
Oh my, this was sooooooo good. Great. EXCELLENT. Just heart wrenching but still delivers the HEA we're all looking forward to.
Will reread this and Duke's Demon when I've recovered, just to get the full impact, though I still remember Devon's story quite well.
Oh my, this was sooooooo good. Great. EXCELLENT. Just heart wrenching but still delivers the HEA we're all looking forward to.
Will reread this and Duke's Demon when I've recovered, just to get the full impact, though I still remember Devon's story quite well.
November 25, 2021
Very interesting take on the bounty hunter falls for criminal trope in a fantasy setting. Except, Marius isn't the criminal traitor Ranger thinks he is and Ranger isn't just a mechanical hunter you can send on the hunt, despite his vows. The fact that these two are smart and loving is the only thing that can save them.
December 19, 2021
I'm fascinated by how the two books in this series in which the author redeems former villains ended up being my favorites. I adored Ranger, and Marius grew on me much the same way he does his captor. I highly recommend that fans of this series continue the adventure with this book, even though it doesn't have much effect on the overall plot of the main cycle.
January 3, 2022
Masterful Storytelling and worldbuilding
The world that the authors have created is incredibly compelling and holds its own as a fantastic fantasy story. The characters are wonderful and witty, and each word makes me want to bury myself in this setting. Cannot wait to read more works from this setting.
The world that the authors have created is incredibly compelling and holds its own as a fantastic fantasy story. The characters are wonderful and witty, and each word makes me want to bury myself in this setting. Cannot wait to read more works from this setting.
January 3, 2022
Not the strongest work in this series, but still enjoyable. The dynamic between the two main characters was soft and adorable. The plot was a bit... hand-wavy, but that's not really what these books are about anyway haha. I did think the exploration of retribution and penance were some of the best moments of this book.
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