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Subaru's End #1
Lurid Lantern
After discovering that all she fights for is a lie, a young commander joins her arch nemesis to defeat her king and save the three realms.
Cahya is a commander in the army of Refulgent. Her mission is to defend Hikari, the Light Realm and defeat the Soul Smite army of Kurai, the Dark Realm. Yet, Cahya has a secret, and her world unravels on a chance meeting with the King of Kurai where she discovers a love that may have fractured the realms.
Cahya is a commander in the army of Refulgent. Her mission is to defend Hikari, the Light Realm and defeat the Soul Smite army of Kurai, the Dark Realm. Yet, Cahya has a secret, and her world unravels on a chance meeting with the King of Kurai where she discovers a love that may have fractured the realms.
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About the author
Victoria Clapton
25 books64 followersSouthern-born Victoria Clapton is no stranger to writing. She completed her first book of poetry at age eight and her first novel at age thirteen. Multilingual, friend to all creatures, (and in particular, especially a friend to cats in need of rescue), Victoria is a forever curious world traveler with a mysterious knowledge of things and places that encompass many lives ago, an avid collector of saga books, a practicing vegetarian and yogini with her feet well balanced in earth’s splendor. She and her cat companions enjoy all things Viking, faery, vampire, new writing instruments, herbology and anime.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 4, 2024
"Oddly, my beautiful prison has been left open."
Lurid Lantern by Victoria Clapton is the first book of the dark fantasy series Subaru's End.
Holy fudge. Where do I start? The prologue sets the setting of book one portraying the inner thoughts of a Cahya and a cycle that has been ongoing and inevitably returning.
While the book has three POVs we mostly follow Cahya an orphaned Refulgent who along with her partner Tariq serves King Leor, ruler of the Realm of Light known as Hikari.
Tariq is the friend you need when you have a creepy king breathing behind your neck and when you got vicious Soul Smite and smiters to take down. Despite them practically growing up together and Tariq being aware of the secret 'markings' Cahya possesses, it's hard for her to trust anyone completely as becoming a Refulgent means having no attachment. In her own way, Cahya trusts Tariq and this becomes more clear later down the book!
King Kage is a morally grey king of Kurai the realm of darkness. He is undeniably Cahya's weakness. Without sharing spoilers, something was taken by Cahya, and King Kage is the one person who may help but at a serious cost. Let me return to the fact that this guy is morally grey as heck, this king justly serves his people (unlike a certain other king), and that involves punishing Cahya for her acts against his own. I have to say I really admired this hot character for staying the OG King he is despite his apparent connection to Cahya.
"Then I trip, forgetting he has me tethered, and tumble to the ground at his feet. “I like you in this position.” My cheeks redden. My temper flares. “I will get out of here, and before I go, I’m taking you down.”
Throughout Lurid Lantern, Clapton depicts the inner turmoil between the two, pulling the strings of their tension and slowly revealing to us more about them! If you like dark themes with twists and steam, give this read! The ending was satisfying though I might have to ready my pitchfork for what Cahya may have to go through in book two!
Lurid Lantern by Victoria Clapton is the first book of the dark fantasy series Subaru's End.
Holy fudge. Where do I start? The prologue sets the setting of book one portraying the inner thoughts of a Cahya and a cycle that has been ongoing and inevitably returning.
While the book has three POVs we mostly follow Cahya an orphaned Refulgent who along with her partner Tariq serves King Leor, ruler of the Realm of Light known as Hikari.
Tariq is the friend you need when you have a creepy king breathing behind your neck and when you got vicious Soul Smite and smiters to take down. Despite them practically growing up together and Tariq being aware of the secret 'markings' Cahya possesses, it's hard for her to trust anyone completely as becoming a Refulgent means having no attachment. In her own way, Cahya trusts Tariq and this becomes more clear later down the book!
King Kage is a morally grey king of Kurai the realm of darkness. He is undeniably Cahya's weakness. Without sharing spoilers, something was taken by Cahya, and King Kage is the one person who may help but at a serious cost. Let me return to the fact that this guy is morally grey as heck, this king justly serves his people (unlike a certain other king), and that involves punishing Cahya for her acts against his own. I have to say I really admired this hot character for staying the OG King he is despite his apparent connection to Cahya.
"Then I trip, forgetting he has me tethered, and tumble to the ground at his feet. “I like you in this position.” My cheeks redden. My temper flares. “I will get out of here, and before I go, I’m taking you down.”
Throughout Lurid Lantern, Clapton depicts the inner turmoil between the two, pulling the strings of their tension and slowly revealing to us more about them! If you like dark themes with twists and steam, give this read! The ending was satisfying though I might have to ready my pitchfork for what Cahya may have to go through in book two!
July 4, 2021
Needing a beginner’s education in paranormal romance, I gingerly delved into this captivating story. I am not a person who normally enjoys reading much fiction or battle stories; still, Ms. Clapton’s tale drew me in like a moth to a flame (or Lurid Lantern!) and I truly could not stop reading! I quickly found myself engrossed in her well-developed three points of view, and discovered a most riveting feast of exploration between dark and light beings, kings and queens, gods and goddesses and the inevitable fall of this kingdom or that. Personally, I found the trigger warnings found at the get-go of this volume 1 of 3 to be non-applicable to me, as I was much more pinpointed on the uninhibited, ever-amorous, always fulfilling sexy situation going on between Cahya and Kage. BRAVO, Ms. Clapton, for time-well spent, I can envision this story on the big screen and look forward to more of this fantasy trilogy.
June 12, 2024
So excited to be starting another spicy and wonderfully dark romantasy series by Victoria Clapton! As usual, the world building is top notch in Lurid Lantern. Cahya is part of an elite fighting force from the light realm, one of three realms that battles the dark realm where the demons live. She and her friend Tariq lead their soldiers together and serve the king of the light realm, fighting against the king of the demon realm, King Kage, who is of course, Darkling level hot, and drawn to Cahya in all sorts of ways that just about set my kindle on fire. You can see where this is going. When Cahya is captured on a mission to kill Kage, and becomes his captive, their dynamic changes and she not only has to decide where her loyalties lie, but if the intense bond between them is real. The spice between these two is scorching. Read this with a glass of iced tea nearby. I also loved the fierce non-romantic bonds between certain characters. I loved Cahya’s journey in this book from start to finish and with that ending… I will definitely be grabbing book two right away to find out what happens with this couple I’m shipping! 5/5 stars.
May 25, 2022
Extreme World Building with Pain/Pleasure Romance
This is my first read of Clapton’s work. It took some real focus on my part at the beginning to keep all the worlds, the tales, what was truth and what was made up organized in my mind. But, her world building is truly unique and by the end I was beginning to understand it all and got just a peek of how this heroine was going to begin to make things right in these broken realms.
The lovemaking caught me off guard - this one the first novel I have read that uses pain as a type of pleasure. I’m still deciding if I’m a fan, but it’s not the main concept of the story - this is a paranormal romance that puts the plot first. Extremely curious how book 2 is going to play out!
This is my first read of Clapton’s work. It took some real focus on my part at the beginning to keep all the worlds, the tales, what was truth and what was made up organized in my mind. But, her world building is truly unique and by the end I was beginning to understand it all and got just a peek of how this heroine was going to begin to make things right in these broken realms.
The lovemaking caught me off guard - this one the first novel I have read that uses pain as a type of pleasure. I’m still deciding if I’m a fan, but it’s not the main concept of the story - this is a paranormal romance that puts the plot first. Extremely curious how book 2 is going to play out!
July 19, 2021
This was my first book by Victoria Clapton, and I'm hooked! I loved the unique take on the three planes and how they interacted. The characters were amazing and intriguing. Kage and Cahya had great chemistry and a connection beyond the realms. Can't wait for the next installment of the saga!
March 22, 2022
Need to read!
So, this story starts a little slow but man does it pick up after a bit and the spice is perfect!
So, this story starts a little slow but man does it pick up after a bit and the spice is perfect!
March 9, 2023
I really liked this book. At first it was a little confusing but then it hooked me and I couldn’t put it down. Now I can’t wait to read the next one.
January 7, 2024
WOW
I am blown away by this whole book. I was hooked from the beginning. I am headed to Kindle to get the other books. I love the storyline and the story telling.
I am blown away by this whole book. I was hooked from the beginning. I am headed to Kindle to get the other books. I love the storyline and the story telling.
July 4, 2021
Needing a beginner’s education in paranormal romance, I gingerly delved into this captivating story. I am not a person who normally enjoys reading much fiction or battle stories; still, Ms. Clapton’s tale drew me in like a moth to a flame (or Lurid Lantern!) and I truly could not stop reading! I quickly found myself engrossed in her well-developed three points of view, and discovered a most riveting feast of exploration between dark and light beings, kings and queens, gods and goddesses and the inevitable fall of this kingdom or that. Personally, I found the trigger warnings found at the get-go of this volume 1 of 3 to be non-applicable to me, as I was much more pinpointed on the uninhibited, ever-amorous, always fulfilling sexy situation going on between Cahya and Kage. BRAVO, Ms. Clapton, for time-well spent, I can envision this story on the big screen and look forward to more of this fantasy trilogy.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews