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Magebound #1
Magebound
A slave since the age of eight, Lark has been brutalized and victimized. When he finds himself the property of Lord Naeven Sactaren, a mage as frightening as he is beautiful, Lark is thrown into a life of magic and quirky friends that force him to change in ways he never thought he could.
Inexplicably drawn to his master, Lark struggles against his own fears and desires as he works side by side with the seductive mage. Never has he been so enchanted by anyone, which raises a frightening question: Would Lord Sactaren bewitch his slave in order to lure him into his bed? In a world where sex is magic and lust is power, can Lark trust what he feels, or has he simply been Magebound?
Inexplicably drawn to his master, Lark struggles against his own fears and desires as he works side by side with the seductive mage. Never has he been so enchanted by anyone, which raises a frightening question: Would Lord Sactaren bewitch his slave in order to lure him into his bed? In a world where sex is magic and lust is power, can Lark trust what he feels, or has he simply been Magebound?
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
10 people are currently reading
573 people want to read
About the author
Katica Locke
19 books100 followersI learned at a young age that books were precious and that the written word was a powerful means of communication. Since I have social anxiety and find it hard to speak to people, writing has become my voice. I’m able to say what I really think and feel without the irrational worry that comes with speaking.
I grew up and still live in Oregon, in the beautiful Willamette Valley. I’m within walking distance of the Willamette River, and a couple hours’ drive from both the coast and the mountains. Since writing doesn’t pay the bills yet, I also work for the school district, as an educational assistant at the same elementary school that I attended.
I love camping, hiking, bird watching, and rock-hounding and spend my free time writing, reading, or watching TV, movies, and sporting events. I’m a huge football, bullriding, and NASCAR fan.
I’ve been writing stories since I was ten and in all these years, the one constant in my writing has always been the magic, the supernatural, the inexplicable. Nothing inspires me like fantasy, be it dragons or vampires, faeries or demons.
I’m fascinated by human interaction, probably because I’m so bad at it, and few things in life bring out the raw intensity of human emotion like love and sex. Even when writing about faeries or demons or fantasy cultures, the needs are universal. Love is love, no matter what planet you’re on. Love is not the domain of the rich, or the powerful, or the beautiful. It belongs to everyone and that’s why I enjoy writing erotica. The fact that guy-on-guy action is really hot doesn’t hurt, either.
I grew up and still live in Oregon, in the beautiful Willamette Valley. I’m within walking distance of the Willamette River, and a couple hours’ drive from both the coast and the mountains. Since writing doesn’t pay the bills yet, I also work for the school district, as an educational assistant at the same elementary school that I attended.
I love camping, hiking, bird watching, and rock-hounding and spend my free time writing, reading, or watching TV, movies, and sporting events. I’m a huge football, bullriding, and NASCAR fan.
I’ve been writing stories since I was ten and in all these years, the one constant in my writing has always been the magic, the supernatural, the inexplicable. Nothing inspires me like fantasy, be it dragons or vampires, faeries or demons.
I’m fascinated by human interaction, probably because I’m so bad at it, and few things in life bring out the raw intensity of human emotion like love and sex. Even when writing about faeries or demons or fantasy cultures, the needs are universal. Love is love, no matter what planet you’re on. Love is not the domain of the rich, or the powerful, or the beautiful. It belongs to everyone and that’s why I enjoy writing erotica. The fact that guy-on-guy action is really hot doesn’t hurt, either.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
July 30, 2013
I came across this book by mistake. I thought it was a fantasy story about a relationship between two persons with a strong inbalance of power (along the lines of Mary Renaults "the Persian boy" or Carol Bergs Transformation) when in fact it seems to be gay erotica (seems to be because I didn't read all of it - I gave up about halfway through it, skipped to the last few pages and put it away, slightly disgusted).
So, maybe I was just the wrong audience for this kind of book (though I did enjoy Luck in the Shadows, which also features gay protagonists, so I don't think my problems with the book stem from that corner).
My main issue is that the book reads like porn without the hot stuff: There is a very thin cover story to explain all the touching and lustful longings, but basically the plot (at least the part of it I actually read) seems to exist only for that reason. It's not interesting and can't stand on its own.
A few examples: The mages workroom is hot because he hatches some kind of dragon in there. So of course he and the protagonist are always hot and sweaty and must take off their shirts... but the draklings don't really matter for the story. They are just there to give the two guys a reason to undress. Or there is a kind of allergic reaction to magic that makes itself felt in powerful, aehm, urges. Of course the narrator has this allergic reaction, and the easiest cure turns out to be, well, lets just say you can get rid of it through some bodily fluids. The narrator gets this reaction in the first place because he must be covered with a magic salve from head to toe,which gives another reason for the two main characters to be naked and touch each other... see where this is going? This is where I gave up reading.
I would have given up earlier, but I kept hoping the plot would start to unfold because the narrators voice showed promise and I liked some of the world building. I would have liked to know more about this world in which both magic and science exist, where there are talking animals (aliens?) and world gates, where slavery is legal and completely unrestrained, where long worms endanger infants and small fire salamanders threaten whole cities. Unfortunately the plot turned out to be nonexistent and the narrators voice, while promising at first, didn't get room for growth, the narrator just remained in the "I'm a poor scarred slave and I had a terible childhood and youth with lots of horrible beatings that scarred me and please don't look at all these scars of mine and by the way did I mention how many physical and emotional scars I carry" mode.
So, some good ideas, though none of theme are more than roughly sketched, none are worked out. Does the book at least succeed at its probable primary aim, the erotic/love story? No. Love needs reasons too, none are given except that the protagonist isn't mistreated by the mage. But what positive qualities does the mage actually posess that would make him loveable or even likeable? Compare this to the excellent "Persian Boy" which is also narrated by a mistreated slave but actually manages to portray two human souls in a way that makes it very hard to believe that these weren't the real Alexander and Bagoas.
But maybe the aim was merely to depict an erotic relationship? Again, the book fails at that. Even if I imagine the mage to be female, the erotic scenes do nothing for me. Walking around half naked, rubbing salve on each others bodies etc, and generally misusing the plot to create these situations didn't work for me at all. Also, the narrator repeating over and over what a beautiful and perfect skin and hair the mage has just doesn't cut it. Thats like watching an erotic movie consisting solely of an old man telling you about all these beautiful persons.
My verdict: Initially promising voice, some nice writing, but no plot, no erotica to speak off, no real character development, a boring relationship that never does more than scratch the surface, both physically and emotionally. If you're interested in the fantasy aspect, read Carol Bergs trilogy instead. If you're mainly interested in the relationship between the two main characters, Mary Renaults historical novels may be for you, although there is no erotica in them.
So, maybe I was just the wrong audience for this kind of book (though I did enjoy Luck in the Shadows, which also features gay protagonists, so I don't think my problems with the book stem from that corner).
My main issue is that the book reads like porn without the hot stuff: There is a very thin cover story to explain all the touching and lustful longings, but basically the plot (at least the part of it I actually read) seems to exist only for that reason. It's not interesting and can't stand on its own.
A few examples: The mages workroom is hot because he hatches some kind of dragon in there. So of course he and the protagonist are always hot and sweaty and must take off their shirts... but the draklings don't really matter for the story. They are just there to give the two guys a reason to undress. Or there is a kind of allergic reaction to magic that makes itself felt in powerful, aehm, urges. Of course the narrator has this allergic reaction, and the easiest cure turns out to be, well, lets just say you can get rid of it through some bodily fluids. The narrator gets this reaction in the first place because he must be covered with a magic salve from head to toe,which gives another reason for the two main characters to be naked and touch each other... see where this is going? This is where I gave up reading.
I would have given up earlier, but I kept hoping the plot would start to unfold because the narrators voice showed promise and I liked some of the world building. I would have liked to know more about this world in which both magic and science exist, where there are talking animals (aliens?) and world gates, where slavery is legal and completely unrestrained, where long worms endanger infants and small fire salamanders threaten whole cities. Unfortunately the plot turned out to be nonexistent and the narrators voice, while promising at first, didn't get room for growth, the narrator just remained in the "I'm a poor scarred slave and I had a terible childhood and youth with lots of horrible beatings that scarred me and please don't look at all these scars of mine and by the way did I mention how many physical and emotional scars I carry" mode.
So, some good ideas, though none of theme are more than roughly sketched, none are worked out. Does the book at least succeed at its probable primary aim, the erotic/love story? No. Love needs reasons too, none are given except that the protagonist isn't mistreated by the mage. But what positive qualities does the mage actually posess that would make him loveable or even likeable? Compare this to the excellent "Persian Boy" which is also narrated by a mistreated slave but actually manages to portray two human souls in a way that makes it very hard to believe that these weren't the real Alexander and Bagoas.
But maybe the aim was merely to depict an erotic relationship? Again, the book fails at that. Even if I imagine the mage to be female, the erotic scenes do nothing for me. Walking around half naked, rubbing salve on each others bodies etc, and generally misusing the plot to create these situations didn't work for me at all. Also, the narrator repeating over and over what a beautiful and perfect skin and hair the mage has just doesn't cut it. Thats like watching an erotic movie consisting solely of an old man telling you about all these beautiful persons.
My verdict: Initially promising voice, some nice writing, but no plot, no erotica to speak off, no real character development, a boring relationship that never does more than scratch the surface, both physically and emotionally. If you're interested in the fantasy aspect, read Carol Bergs trilogy instead. If you're mainly interested in the relationship between the two main characters, Mary Renaults historical novels may be for you, although there is no erotica in them.
November 17, 2015
Unbelievably I've had this on my 'to read list' for about 5 years. I'm really not sure why I didn't get to it sooner, especially as I read and really enjoyed A Solitary Flame and Broken Wings. Anyway, this was a great slave/master story, and whilst the plot was a little slow moving at times, it's really sweet. I'll definitely read the next book Spellwrought which came out earlier this year, after a 6 year gap.
February 16, 2013
A really well developed fantasy story. The characters are complex, and interesting, and the plot might feel slow moving to some, but considering how deeply damaged the people involved are I think anything else would feel unnatural, or even abusive to me. If this becomes the love story I think it may it will take a very long time. It was nice to see the growth over the course of this story, and I really hope that someday she will write the sequels. Until then I'll keep reading the Broken Wings stories, not much of a hardship really.
September 13, 2014
I rated this 2 stars, because the author doesn't classify it as young adult. If she had, I would have given it 3 stars. Maybe.
I've been waiting for this to be released in digital format for years, due to it's high rating, but I was extremely disappointed once I got my hands on it.
From the moment I started reading, something about the writing really put me off, but I couldn't figure out exactly what it was. It just didn't feel 'right.' Looking back, I think the problem was that it felt too juvenile; it was like reading fan fiction.
The universe this story takes place in is completely in line with the writing style. For lack of a better description, it's like someone ate medieval fantasy, science fiction, and fairy tales for lunch, and then threw up. The vomit is this book's universe. Yeah, it's that bad.
I'd like to say that the relationship between the protagonists is this book's redeeming quality, but it's not. The relationship feels artificial and the characters exhibit very little humanity. If you stop and ask yourself 'Would a relationship between two human beings ever develop like this,' the answer would be no. If you change the question to 'Would a relationship between two human beings, where one is magical and the other is a beaten slave, ever develop like this,' the answer is still no.
Scratch the potential 3 stars. I wouldn't even give it that if it were intended for young adults. My disappointment may skew my review, but really, this is one of the worst M/M fantasy novels I've read.
I've been waiting for this to be released in digital format for years, due to it's high rating, but I was extremely disappointed once I got my hands on it.
From the moment I started reading, something about the writing really put me off, but I couldn't figure out exactly what it was. It just didn't feel 'right.' Looking back, I think the problem was that it felt too juvenile; it was like reading fan fiction.
The universe this story takes place in is completely in line with the writing style. For lack of a better description, it's like someone ate medieval fantasy, science fiction, and fairy tales for lunch, and then threw up. The vomit is this book's universe. Yeah, it's that bad.
I'd like to say that the relationship between the protagonists is this book's redeeming quality, but it's not. The relationship feels artificial and the characters exhibit very little humanity. If you stop and ask yourself 'Would a relationship between two human beings ever develop like this,' the answer would be no. If you change the question to 'Would a relationship between two human beings, where one is magical and the other is a beaten slave, ever develop like this,' the answer is still no.
Scratch the potential 3 stars. I wouldn't even give it that if it were intended for young adults. My disappointment may skew my review, but really, this is one of the worst M/M fantasy novels I've read.
February 26, 2014
Important facts:
*Some questions were left unanswered. It was published in 2009, so it may have a sequel or not.. It would be a pity if nothing more will be published. The world is too good to be explored in just one book! Now (2014) it's just in paperback format, and that can be a problem (price is high, compaire with ebook, and of course ebook can be download immediately, while paperback you must find and buy, not an easy task)
*No sex scene, at all! If you want to read an erotic book forget it.
*but there is sexual tension... All book! Between Lark and the powerful and mysterious mage (his master). It's frustrating, all the dancing around each other... But I liked it.
*Attention, it's not a HEA, but a HFN
*There is abuse, but in the past, not present narration. But there is... And imagine 8 years old Lark becaming a slave and being brutalized, raped, etc broken my heart. In warning because maybe you would not like it in the plot. I didn't had problems because it explain why Lark was the man he is in the present... Broken.
*I ADOREDallthe magic creatures! When even a spider appears and start to talk I could not believe! It's certainly a PERFECT book to fantasy readers.
I wish more will be published someday... Why leave the story as it ended? Too many questions... And just few or almost no answer
I'm giving 5 stars because I really loved it. What a wonderful magic book!
*Some questions were left unanswered. It was published in 2009, so it may have a sequel or not.. It would be a pity if nothing more will be published. The world is too good to be explored in just one book! Now (2014) it's just in paperback format, and that can be a problem (price is high, compaire with ebook, and of course ebook can be download immediately, while paperback you must find and buy, not an easy task)
*No sex scene, at all! If you want to read an erotic book forget it.
*but there is sexual tension... All book! Between Lark and the powerful and mysterious mage (his master). It's frustrating, all the dancing around each other... But I liked it.
*Attention, it's not a HEA, but a HFN
*There is abuse, but in the past, not present narration. But there is... And imagine 8 years old Lark becaming a slave and being brutalized, raped, etc broken my heart. In warning because maybe you would not like it in the plot. I didn't had problems because it explain why Lark was the man he is in the present... Broken.
*I ADOREDallthe magic creatures! When even a spider appears and start to talk I could not believe! It's certainly a PERFECT book to fantasy readers.
I wish more will be published someday... Why leave the story as it ended? Too many questions... And just few or almost no answer
I'm giving 5 stars because I really loved it. What a wonderful magic book!
January 18, 2013
Interesting/weird. Yes, it is an official classification now.
It's got all those psychological elements I like that kept sending chills down my spine, but it's spun in such a way that makes it...different, somehow.
There were parts that caused various songs from Les Mis to cycle through my head...
The character dynamics and interesting. Very fascinating, in fact. Naeven... He's an interesting study in paradoxes and has been thankfully blessed with the self-insight that ought to come with superior intellect that other characters so often lack.
Don't know if the author actually reads reviews, but if she does, then:
Will your ebooks be available again? I'd really like to read the second and third book.
It's got all those psychological elements I like that kept sending chills down my spine, but it's spun in such a way that makes it...different, somehow.
There were parts that caused various songs from Les Mis to cycle through my head...
The character dynamics and interesting. Very fascinating, in fact. Naeven... He's an interesting study in paradoxes and has been thankfully blessed with the self-insight that ought to come with superior intellect that other characters so often lack.
Don't know if the author actually reads reviews, but if she does, then:
Will your ebooks be available again? I'd really like to read the second and third book.
October 1, 2015
3.75 stars.
So very entertaining! Even if I wanted to smack both of the MCs up the head.
So very entertaining! Even if I wanted to smack both of the MCs up the head.
September 20, 2022
3.5.
A fun, imaginative, and sexy fantasy romp, only marred by a short pace and a conflict that strains the bounds of believability.
A fun, imaginative, and sexy fantasy romp, only marred by a short pace and a conflict that strains the bounds of believability.
Read
June 30, 2010Even if I know, from previous experiences with this same publisher, that usually their novels are pretty tamed, I really didn’t expect for Katica Locke’s book to be “almost” a Young Adult story.
It’s a fantasy novel, but that type of fantasy that I don’t mind, since it’s not too heavy in setting details and so, difficult to follow. On the contrary, Magebound is a quick novel, not very long and easy to read in one session.
Lark is a slave and he has no chance to be something else; he lost his hope to be free sometime in the future, and when his last tentative to run away ended with him again on the slave’s market, he probably thought that it was time to renounce and let it go. When he is bought by a mage, he doesn’t know what it better, and he has some suicidal thoughts. But the experience of living with Lord Sactaren, Naeven, is completely different from what he was expecting.
When Lark starts his new life as salesman for the mage’s potion, in a shop inside the mage’s castle, the novel takes almost a “domestic” turn; all right, there is a cat shifter who can speak even when he is in his feline form, there is a spidersmith, that is a spider very skilled in the smith work, there are strange animals who can talk with their hands, and so on and so far. But basically, what Lark does is being a salesman, and people come to him asking for both human than animal potion, to cure practically everything.
Also Lark’s relationship with Naeven is strange; from the first moment, Naeven treats Lark more like a friend, or at least someone at his same level, and not as a slave. There are some hints that Naeven is homosexual, but he is also married, with a woman that lives inside the castle but not “with” his husband; she is a wife by contract, her task is to produce an heir, but I’m wondering how that could happen, since Naeven apparently hardly speaks with her, let alone sleep.
Lark is a mix of innocence and mistrust; other hints let the reader understand that he was raped by his previous owners, and so he links sex with pain; when he starts to feel something for Naeven, he is not able to link it to sexual desire, since for him there is nothing good in sex. Plus it’s not that Naeven is clear in his intention, and so most of the book is spent with the two of them who are not able to find a common starting point.
I see in Lark a possible point of connection between the mage and the village; even if Naeven has done anything in this story to justify the village’s attitude, he is not considered a “good” master; people fear him, and I didn’t understand if it was a totally misunderstanding, or if indeed Naeven did something in the past. In the end, I had the feeling that this was only the starting of a more complex story, I think Katica Locke is not yet finished with these characters and I hope she will consider to write more about Khas, I’d really like for him to coming back.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1933720654/?...
It’s a fantasy novel, but that type of fantasy that I don’t mind, since it’s not too heavy in setting details and so, difficult to follow. On the contrary, Magebound is a quick novel, not very long and easy to read in one session.
Lark is a slave and he has no chance to be something else; he lost his hope to be free sometime in the future, and when his last tentative to run away ended with him again on the slave’s market, he probably thought that it was time to renounce and let it go. When he is bought by a mage, he doesn’t know what it better, and he has some suicidal thoughts. But the experience of living with Lord Sactaren, Naeven, is completely different from what he was expecting.
When Lark starts his new life as salesman for the mage’s potion, in a shop inside the mage’s castle, the novel takes almost a “domestic” turn; all right, there is a cat shifter who can speak even when he is in his feline form, there is a spidersmith, that is a spider very skilled in the smith work, there are strange animals who can talk with their hands, and so on and so far. But basically, what Lark does is being a salesman, and people come to him asking for both human than animal potion, to cure practically everything.
Also Lark’s relationship with Naeven is strange; from the first moment, Naeven treats Lark more like a friend, or at least someone at his same level, and not as a slave. There are some hints that Naeven is homosexual, but he is also married, with a woman that lives inside the castle but not “with” his husband; she is a wife by contract, her task is to produce an heir, but I’m wondering how that could happen, since Naeven apparently hardly speaks with her, let alone sleep.
Lark is a mix of innocence and mistrust; other hints let the reader understand that he was raped by his previous owners, and so he links sex with pain; when he starts to feel something for Naeven, he is not able to link it to sexual desire, since for him there is nothing good in sex. Plus it’s not that Naeven is clear in his intention, and so most of the book is spent with the two of them who are not able to find a common starting point.
I see in Lark a possible point of connection between the mage and the village; even if Naeven has done anything in this story to justify the village’s attitude, he is not considered a “good” master; people fear him, and I didn’t understand if it was a totally misunderstanding, or if indeed Naeven did something in the past. In the end, I had the feeling that this was only the starting of a more complex story, I think Katica Locke is not yet finished with these characters and I hope she will consider to write more about Khas, I’d really like for him to coming back.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1933720654/?...
November 15, 2009
I am usually not so fond of magical stories, but this book was a very happy surprise. I licked the protagonist very much, the interaqctions were believable. There are some things that are not quite clear for me, but that I think they will be clearer as the story arc devolves in the planned books. The first chapter of Spellbound (the 2nd book in the cycle, available on the website of the author) is really promising. I can`t wait for the next books
I am sure to buy all the books by this author (actually I already own all books I could lay my hands on)
I am sure to buy all the books by this author (actually I already own all books I could lay my hands on)
January 13, 2014
Good writing but this could have been tightened as it dragged it places and I skimmed from the halfway mark. I liked the fantasy elements but wanted more character development in some of the supporting characters.
A pleasant but instantly forgettable read.
A pleasant but instantly forgettable read.
2-read-next-3
January 5, 2017oooo this looks interesting...
January 31, 2018
4.5 stars
Man, the push and pull dance was really something. 😓 From soup to nuts, guys. 😅 And HFN too. Bet it'll irk some people, but I love it. 😋
The yo-yo dance wasn't without reason actually, very understandable even. The guys were broken, especially our poor Lark here, he was broken beyond repair. Not a surprise after being brutalized and raped for 13 years since he was eight. And he was thoroughly brainwashed too by his previous rapist masters.
Now he's a slave through and through, didn't even know anymore how to be a free man, to think like a free man. The ingrained habits and belief of a slave are really difficult to change, even though Naeven gave his freedom freely and offered his heart and body to him, Lark didn't know how to be free from this invisible chain, and the deep wounds inside and outside his body was also hindering him to hold and to be held, to love and to be loved.
The very thought to let someone inside him, or inside someone, literally and figuratively, is very appaling and it nauseated him. Yet he could not deny this undesirable and indescribable 'want' that tormented him day and night, awake and dreaming, whenever he glanced at Naeven, his present master, the evil and cold and calculating mage that treated him like a human, not a fuck pet to rape. Oh he believed he was bewitched at first, but not so sure later after he had interacted more and more with the enigmatic mage, because apparently Naeven didn't only want his body, but his heart too, and he wanted Lark to give them freely, not under coercion.
Both guys possessed so many brakes, and threw in some delicious circumstances to spice things up, you got the push pull dance with sparks, and fireworks ensued. 😋
So, if you want a book full of hot steamy sex from the get-go, stay away from this book. The UST itself will frustrate you to no end, and without satisfactory resolution too. But the HFN certainly pushed me to grab its sequel asap, I need HEA, DAMN IT! 😤
Oh yeah, the beautiful mage (he has long hair! I love guys in long hair 😍) has a wife and daughters, but the kids was just mentioned once and the wife only showed her face once and nowhere to be seen after that. Thank God, I don't want another obstacle in this already complicated situation, not when our Lark was so skittish around Naeven at first. But I believe the cold wife will make an appearance in book 2.... 😥
The magic part is a tasty treat for me. Magical creatures (unicorns, vampire stallion, shapeshifter, talking animals, salamander, etc), potions (nothing fancy like Snape's), another planets, and the colorful semen of mages. 😂😂😂 Salamander arc was very entertaining, hence the cover, I think that's what mythical salamander should be, not just some fire-proof lizard.
The only downside is the grammatical mistake. Seems like the author doesn't know when to use your, you're, its, it's, whose, who's, and nonetheless, not none the less. It's one of my pet peeves so I reduced 0.5 star because of it.
Writing skill isn't exceptionally good. It's simple and straightforward, but it was told from the first person POV, Lark's POV. As an uneducated ex-slave, Lark had limited vocabulary (like me 😂) in his dictionary so no unnecessarily complex dictions, but he can be poetic sometimes, although his attempt can be cringeworthy at times. 😂
Maybe it doesn't have to be you, but I want it to be you. - Lark
Man, the push and pull dance was really something. 😓 From soup to nuts, guys. 😅 And HFN too. Bet it'll irk some people, but I love it. 😋
Treat a man as he is, and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he could be, and he will become what he should be. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
The yo-yo dance wasn't without reason actually, very understandable even. The guys were broken, especially our poor Lark here, he was broken beyond repair. Not a surprise after being brutalized and raped for 13 years since he was eight. And he was thoroughly brainwashed too by his previous rapist masters.
Now he's a slave through and through, didn't even know anymore how to be a free man, to think like a free man. The ingrained habits and belief of a slave are really difficult to change, even though Naeven gave his freedom freely and offered his heart and body to him, Lark didn't know how to be free from this invisible chain, and the deep wounds inside and outside his body was also hindering him to hold and to be held, to love and to be loved.
I want him. Just thinking it scares the hell out of me, but I can't deny it any longer, can't deny what he does to me, what his glance, his voice, his touch, his kiss, his body does to me. - Lark
The very thought to let someone inside him, or inside someone, literally and figuratively, is very appaling and it nauseated him. Yet he could not deny this undesirable and indescribable 'want' that tormented him day and night, awake and dreaming, whenever he glanced at Naeven, his present master, the evil and cold and calculating mage that treated him like a human, not a fuck pet to rape. Oh he believed he was bewitched at first, but not so sure later after he had interacted more and more with the enigmatic mage, because apparently Naeven didn't only want his body, but his heart too, and he wanted Lark to give them freely, not under coercion.
Both guys possessed so many brakes, and threw in some delicious circumstances to spice things up, you got the push pull dance with sparks, and fireworks ensued. 😋
So, if you want a book full of hot steamy sex from the get-go, stay away from this book. The UST itself will frustrate you to no end, and without satisfactory resolution too. But the HFN certainly pushed me to grab its sequel asap, I need HEA, DAMN IT! 😤
Oh yeah, the beautiful mage (he has long hair! I love guys in long hair 😍) has a wife and daughters, but the kids was just mentioned once and the wife only showed her face once and nowhere to be seen after that. Thank God, I don't want another obstacle in this already complicated situation, not when our Lark was so skittish around Naeven at first. But I believe the cold wife will make an appearance in book 2.... 😥
The magic part is a tasty treat for me. Magical creatures (unicorns, vampire stallion, shapeshifter, talking animals, salamander, etc), potions (nothing fancy like Snape's), another planets, and the colorful semen of mages. 😂😂😂 Salamander arc was very entertaining, hence the cover, I think that's what mythical salamander should be, not just some fire-proof lizard.
The only downside is the grammatical mistake. Seems like the author doesn't know when to use your, you're, its, it's, whose, who's, and nonetheless, not none the less. It's one of my pet peeves so I reduced 0.5 star because of it.
Writing skill isn't exceptionally good. It's simple and straightforward, but it was told from the first person POV, Lark's POV. As an uneducated ex-slave, Lark had limited vocabulary (like me 😂) in his dictionary so no unnecessarily complex dictions, but he can be poetic sometimes, although his attempt can be cringeworthy at times. 😂
February 21, 2013
3.5/5 ★
Magebound, by Katicia Locke, is a quick, fun and dirty read, at just less than 200 pages. It's a homoerotic fantasy about a meek slave, Lark, who gets purchased by Lord Naeven Sacraten, a seductive, mysterious mage.
I liked quite a few things about this book. Lark is very sweet and I really enjoyed his interaction with two 'pets': Khas (who is a rat-like creature called a kholdra, which I imagine looks like Mort from Penguins of Madagascar, except with six arms) and Schaff (a smarmy, snarky, tricky Cheshire Cat figure who can speak and also transform into a human).
Lark saves a wounded Khas from a predatory bird and decides to keep him. However, he soon realizes that he has no idea what kholdras eat. There are funny moments where he goes around asking everyone what to feed Khas, and when Schaff mockingly suggests rocks, he actually tries them. Naeven eventually tells him Khas only eats some little yellow flowers that grow on the hills surrounding his castle. One of my favorite scenes is when Lark figures out that Khas communicates with something like sign-language, which Khas proceeds to teach him. One of the saddest, on the other hand, is when Lark and Naeven have a falling out and Naeven decides to sell him, which means Lark is forced to release Khas back into the wild. It was very reminiscent of that famous scene in Lassie (or was it Free Willy? Some animal movie, anyway).
Schaff is also amusing. He's very complex, often saying and doing terrible things to Lark, but as he says, he's really a good man at heart (and I laughed here because he's not really a man, though I suppose he can become one). It's evident in the way he's the voice of reason, always trying to convince Naeven and Lark to communicate. A WTF moment for me, though, was when, after Lark tells him he thinks Khas is trying to talk to him, Schaff calls him Dr. Dolittle. I didn't think they had that movie in the world of Magebound. If the author was trying to do a Merlin-esque, anachronistic joke, I didn't find it funny so much as extremely out of place, I'm sad to say.
Furthermore, I enjoyed the innovative system of magic Locke thought up. Naeven uses many potion ingredients, but alchemy, too, to create his spells. The system is complicated, and vague in some places, but also often elaborate, so Lark and I were a bit confused, but impressed, nevertheless. There are multiple worlds in Magebound that have their own languages - something else that confused me a bit - among other nice world-building details. It's a smut novel (with a surprising amount of plot, which I approve of) so there's also something called the cost. Basically, this means magic leaves you horny. Think about it.
The biggest thing about the book that made me want to tear my hair out is how self-contradictory and passive-aggressive both main characters are. There are a few antagonists in it (the most prominent being the jealous woman whom Naeven married only because he wants an heir), but they don't do much, so Lark and Naeven are literally their own worst enemies. They both CLEARLY have feelings for each other, but instead of coming right out and SAYING SO, they circle around one another and eavesdrop on information that's completely wrong (i.e. Naeven invisibly stalking Lark and ONLY hearing when he says he wishes he had a different master, rather than his wish about how he wants Naeven to be with him OR Lark appearing right AFTER Naeven says he cares about him). It's all very frustrating.
Another thing that bugs me is...Lark never gets punished. I mean, I don't WANT him to, but there's all this build up about how terrifying Naeven is, and he does absolutely NOTHING. Lark is allowed to sell things at Naeven's apothecary, and because he has a gentle, kind heart, he gives things away to ailing peasants for free, then spends the next day practically wetting himself with fear about Naeven punishing him. Naeven even tells him that he will do something if Lark continues to disregard orders, but he doesn't - sometimes, he even REWARDS him, like when he uses his magic to erase one of Lark's most prominent scars. It's a bit sweet, since he obviously does it because he has feelings for him, but it's a (non-)vicious cycle and ends up somewhat underwhelming as it happens over and over again.
And finally, although I'm not too fond of misogynistic evil-woman-standing-between-the-greater-love-of-two-men cliche in many homoerotic romances, I hope some antagonists (the rapists, for example) get a dose of karma in future installments. Lady Sacraten is, as I said, the main obstacle. She isn't given many redeeming qualities in Magebound; she's evidently in the relationship for Naeven's power and riches, rather than genuine affection for him, and dislikes Lark because she thinks he'll stand in the way of that. To be honest, this disappointed me, too, because I like my villains layered, but whatever, I'll roll with it. I guess we get enough frustrating layers with Naeven, anyway!
Despite all that, I had fun with Magebound. It's the first of a trilogy and I think I'll buy the other two. I HAVE to, to find out if Lark and Naeven finally get their acts together.
Warnings for the series include: some violence, mentioned rape/abuse/neglect, slavery, sexual content, coarse language, past character death, and a few other tropes common in this category of fiction.
Magebound, by Katicia Locke, is a quick, fun and dirty read, at just less than 200 pages. It's a homoerotic fantasy about a meek slave, Lark, who gets purchased by Lord Naeven Sacraten, a seductive, mysterious mage.
I liked quite a few things about this book. Lark is very sweet and I really enjoyed his interaction with two 'pets': Khas (who is a rat-like creature called a kholdra, which I imagine looks like Mort from Penguins of Madagascar, except with six arms) and Schaff (a smarmy, snarky, tricky Cheshire Cat figure who can speak and also transform into a human).
Lark saves a wounded Khas from a predatory bird and decides to keep him. However, he soon realizes that he has no idea what kholdras eat. There are funny moments where he goes around asking everyone what to feed Khas, and when Schaff mockingly suggests rocks, he actually tries them. Naeven eventually tells him Khas only eats some little yellow flowers that grow on the hills surrounding his castle. One of my favorite scenes is when Lark figures out that Khas communicates with something like sign-language, which Khas proceeds to teach him. One of the saddest, on the other hand, is when Lark and Naeven have a falling out and Naeven decides to sell him, which means Lark is forced to release Khas back into the wild. It was very reminiscent of that famous scene in Lassie (or was it Free Willy? Some animal movie, anyway).
Schaff is also amusing. He's very complex, often saying and doing terrible things to Lark, but as he says, he's really a good man at heart (and I laughed here because he's not really a man, though I suppose he can become one). It's evident in the way he's the voice of reason, always trying to convince Naeven and Lark to communicate. A WTF moment for me, though, was when, after Lark tells him he thinks Khas is trying to talk to him, Schaff calls him Dr. Dolittle. I didn't think they had that movie in the world of Magebound. If the author was trying to do a Merlin-esque, anachronistic joke, I didn't find it funny so much as extremely out of place, I'm sad to say.
Furthermore, I enjoyed the innovative system of magic Locke thought up. Naeven uses many potion ingredients, but alchemy, too, to create his spells. The system is complicated, and vague in some places, but also often elaborate, so Lark and I were a bit confused, but impressed, nevertheless. There are multiple worlds in Magebound that have their own languages - something else that confused me a bit - among other nice world-building details. It's a smut novel (with a surprising amount of plot, which I approve of) so there's also something called the cost. Basically, this means magic leaves you horny. Think about it.
The biggest thing about the book that made me want to tear my hair out is how self-contradictory and passive-aggressive both main characters are. There are a few antagonists in it (the most prominent being the jealous woman whom Naeven married only because he wants an heir), but they don't do much, so Lark and Naeven are literally their own worst enemies. They both CLEARLY have feelings for each other, but instead of coming right out and SAYING SO, they circle around one another and eavesdrop on information that's completely wrong (i.e. Naeven invisibly stalking Lark and ONLY hearing when he says he wishes he had a different master, rather than his wish about how he wants Naeven to be with him OR Lark appearing right AFTER Naeven says he cares about him). It's all very frustrating.
Another thing that bugs me is...Lark never gets punished. I mean, I don't WANT him to, but there's all this build up about how terrifying Naeven is, and he does absolutely NOTHING. Lark is allowed to sell things at Naeven's apothecary, and because he has a gentle, kind heart, he gives things away to ailing peasants for free, then spends the next day practically wetting himself with fear about Naeven punishing him. Naeven even tells him that he will do something if Lark continues to disregard orders, but he doesn't - sometimes, he even REWARDS him, like when he uses his magic to erase one of Lark's most prominent scars. It's a bit sweet, since he obviously does it because he has feelings for him, but it's a (non-)vicious cycle and ends up somewhat underwhelming as it happens over and over again.
And finally, although I'm not too fond of misogynistic evil-woman-standing-between-the-greater-love-of-two-men cliche in many homoerotic romances, I hope some antagonists (the rapists, for example) get a dose of karma in future installments. Lady Sacraten is, as I said, the main obstacle. She isn't given many redeeming qualities in Magebound; she's evidently in the relationship for Naeven's power and riches, rather than genuine affection for him, and dislikes Lark because she thinks he'll stand in the way of that. To be honest, this disappointed me, too, because I like my villains layered, but whatever, I'll roll with it. I guess we get enough frustrating layers with Naeven, anyway!
Despite all that, I had fun with Magebound. It's the first of a trilogy and I think I'll buy the other two. I HAVE to, to find out if Lark and Naeven finally get their acts together.
Warnings for the series include: some violence, mentioned rape/abuse/neglect, slavery, sexual content, coarse language, past character death, and a few other tropes common in this category of fiction.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2017
I feel so lucky to have chosen this book. It was a fun read about a mage and the young man he bought to help him with his magic and mind his store.
The book was way more than a slave/master story though. It had all kinds of different people and creatures. It also had a mage that didn't really believe in being a master.
Probably the only problem I had with the book was that Lark couldn't see himself as anything but a slave. I wanted him to want to be free and make himself into something strong so that he could stand on his own.
I think Lark may become a lot more. I just think that it will be further in the series. I can't wait to find out.
The book was way more than a slave/master story though. It had all kinds of different people and creatures. It also had a mage that didn't really believe in being a master.
Probably the only problem I had with the book was that Lark couldn't see himself as anything but a slave. I wanted him to want to be free and make himself into something strong so that he could stand on his own.
I think Lark may become a lot more. I just think that it will be further in the series. I can't wait to find out.
August 28, 2020
Magebound, and it’s sequel Spellwrought, is a hurt/comfort slavefic fantasy novel heavy on the trauma recovery and on the melodrama. As a romance, it is angsty as well as having a good amount of fluff and fun. It’s a fantasy setting with magic, and reads rather like an adult fairy tale. It may be a bit of a tropey extravaganza, but it is a pretty well done and well portrayed one that will be sure to entertain and delight genre fans. It’s not overly harsh, and contains no noncon, so readers who want to avoid those particular tropes will be pleased with it.
Read the full review on my blog: https://rosesbooks.home.blog/2020/08/...
Read the full review on my blog: https://rosesbooks.home.blog/2020/08/...
August 27, 2018
Started out well and the writing was consistently competent, but the story never went anywhere -- just around and around in circles. I liked most of the characters but they were more like tropes than complex people, and the attraction between the leads is confusing and not particularly hot. The world building is intriguing but thin. I kept waiting for more of... something, anything! But though I was never tempted to DNF this book, it sorely disappointed me.
March 11, 2021
This book has been on my 'to-read' list for years, maybe even more than a decade. I'm not sure what I was expecting, besides maybe a quick erotica fix - but I didn't get it. This book was pretty vanilla, and focused more on the budding "feelings" Lark started to feel, surrounded by a magical setting. Not much more. It sounds like the sequel might have a bit more, but I don't find that I am that interested in reading more. It was alright, but not really something I will think much on after I submit this review and drop the book back off.
November 27, 2021
An incredible fantasy journey with slow burn romance.
Lark, a former slave, is bought by the fearsome mage of the village Traxen - Naeven. He struggles with freedoms his new Master grants him and finds it difficult to let go of the abuse that has been forced on him for the past 13 years.
This story is told from the point of view from Lark as we learn about the world through his eyes as he becomes an assistant to the Mage of Traxen.
Lark, a former slave, is bought by the fearsome mage of the village Traxen - Naeven. He struggles with freedoms his new Master grants him and finds it difficult to let go of the abuse that has been forced on him for the past 13 years.
This story is told from the point of view from Lark as we learn about the world through his eyes as he becomes an assistant to the Mage of Traxen.
August 10, 2011
I purchased this book on a whim, as it was recommended to me by Amazon and in my quick pick list. It’s billed as a fantasy story, which is my favorite genre. It turned out to be a lovely gem that I enjoyed greatly. Though it is nowhere near the level of a true fantasy book like the Nightrunner series , it is more than just M/M romance with fantasy window-dressing. The author puts considerable effort into building her fantasy world with rich descriptions, and fine details that bring it to life.
Lark is a slave, and has been for 13 years. The story is told from his POV. It begins with Lark being purchased by a mage’s servant at the market. Lark is surprised to find he is given his own room, clean, well-made clothes and a job running the mage’s magic shop. I’ve read a lot of romances where the prostitute or slave is “rescued” by a loving master. And at first, this story seems to be the same. Except the author gets surprisingly realistic with the idea (despite the fantasy elements). How could a slave, brainwashed by years of slavery and abuse to obey, fear and never trust, enter into a relationship between equals? Lark has been beaten and raped by previous owners – wouldn’t it be natural for him to suspect his attraction to Naeven as a spell? How could he desire something which caused him pain and humiliation in the past? It is also believable that he would suspect any altruistic action on his new master’s part as having an ulterior motive. Naeven insists he doesn’t want to be called master, and he doesn’t abuse or mistreat Lark, but he doesn’t give Lark his freedom either. The angst between them wasn’t just an annoyance, it made sense as attraction grew between them. And, the attraction is clear from both parties.
I loved how the author made Naeven such a mystery. His motives are never fully clear, even as Lark begins to see that Naeven doesn’t see him as only property. Since the book is told through Lark’s eyes, the romance is also built that way. It is slowly built, with a lot of sexual tension. For those wondering, the book has no explicit sex, though there are a couple very sensual scenes. I usually like there to be sex in books (whether romance or not), but here I didn’t really miss it. It was a tender, sensual romance that worked perfectly. I loved the characters by the end, and wanted to spend more time with them. The secondary character of Schaff, a cat who talks, is a great addition. He’s snarky, sarcastic and has some of the best lines in the book. And the most ambiguous motives.
My only gripe is that the book ended with an obvious need for a sequel. There was some closure, but questions were also left unanswered and a new character introduced that needs more. This doesn’t prevent me from recommending the book (as even if a sequel never comes, I won’t regret reading it), but it does set me to begging the author…please, please!
Lark is a slave, and has been for 13 years. The story is told from his POV. It begins with Lark being purchased by a mage’s servant at the market. Lark is surprised to find he is given his own room, clean, well-made clothes and a job running the mage’s magic shop. I’ve read a lot of romances where the prostitute or slave is “rescued” by a loving master. And at first, this story seems to be the same. Except the author gets surprisingly realistic with the idea (despite the fantasy elements). How could a slave, brainwashed by years of slavery and abuse to obey, fear and never trust, enter into a relationship between equals? Lark has been beaten and raped by previous owners – wouldn’t it be natural for him to suspect his attraction to Naeven as a spell? How could he desire something which caused him pain and humiliation in the past? It is also believable that he would suspect any altruistic action on his new master’s part as having an ulterior motive. Naeven insists he doesn’t want to be called master, and he doesn’t abuse or mistreat Lark, but he doesn’t give Lark his freedom either. The angst between them wasn’t just an annoyance, it made sense as attraction grew between them. And, the attraction is clear from both parties.
I loved how the author made Naeven such a mystery. His motives are never fully clear, even as Lark begins to see that Naeven doesn’t see him as only property. Since the book is told through Lark’s eyes, the romance is also built that way. It is slowly built, with a lot of sexual tension. For those wondering, the book has no explicit sex, though there are a couple very sensual scenes. I usually like there to be sex in books (whether romance or not), but here I didn’t really miss it. It was a tender, sensual romance that worked perfectly. I loved the characters by the end, and wanted to spend more time with them. The secondary character of Schaff, a cat who talks, is a great addition. He’s snarky, sarcastic and has some of the best lines in the book. And the most ambiguous motives.
My only gripe is that the book ended with an obvious need for a sequel. There was some closure, but questions were also left unanswered and a new character introduced that needs more. This doesn’t prevent me from recommending the book (as even if a sequel never comes, I won’t regret reading it), but it does set me to begging the author…please, please!
March 24, 2012
Hmmm, a mysterious Master and skittish slave where the only rule that seems to hold true is “expect the unexpected”. The world building is great and compliments the air of magic and mystique surrounding Naeven. So does the fact that the story is told from Lark’s point of view. It’s nice to understand what’s going on in Lark’s head – he’s so conflicted because nothing is as it should be and he constantly wonders when the proverbial axe is going to fall. The attraction and sexual tension continue to build between Naeven and Lark, leaving Lark very wigged out because it’s really bad for a slave to be attracted to his Master, right?
This book definitely requires a sequel, and I understand one is in the works. That’s great news because I was pretty invested in the story and want to learn what happens in the continuation of their relationship. I hate cliffhangers when I have to wait to find out what happens – I’m not that patient!
This book definitely requires a sequel, and I understand one is in the works. That’s great news because I was pretty invested in the story and want to learn what happens in the continuation of their relationship. I hate cliffhangers when I have to wait to find out what happens – I’m not that patient!
August 31, 2010
I liked the world Locke was working toward here; I liked the magic system a lot -- "mage" generally leaves me expecting a lot of abstract, hand-waving-and-chanting sort of stuff, and this was much more about making physical things, which I like. The magical creatures were cool. And Lark's brittleness and damage make a lot of sense with his history.
On the other hand, the supporting cast was really one-dimensional, and the entire second half hinged on a misunderstanding plot -- one of those things where all the dramatic tension comes from the characters not talking to each other honestly. There are decent reasons for it here, at least on Lark's end, but it is still a plot device that I find pretty unsatisfying.
On the other hand, the supporting cast was really one-dimensional, and the entire second half hinged on a misunderstanding plot -- one of those things where all the dramatic tension comes from the characters not talking to each other honestly. There are decent reasons for it here, at least on Lark's end, but it is still a plot device that I find pretty unsatisfying.
September 5, 2014
The only thing that struck me as odd in this book was the swear words that were words I'd use here in the states. I'm not sure these same words would be used in a made up fantasy world. True, others were made up, but some weren't. And, there was a reference to Dr. Dolittle. I'm not sure any of the characters in this book should know who he is at all.
Aside from those things, I really enjoyed this book, and do plan on reading the next one in the series. I want to know what's up with the mage's wife. If she ever produces an heir for him, that will certainly make things interesting if he's in a relationship with Lark and suddenly has a child to take care of.
Aside from those things, I really enjoyed this book, and do plan on reading the next one in the series. I want to know what's up with the mage's wife. If she ever produces an heir for him, that will certainly make things interesting if he's in a relationship with Lark and suddenly has a child to take care of.
June 1, 2012
Great world building. 3.5 stars rounded up. Really enjoyed the primary characters of Lark and Naeven. LOVED Khas, hated Schaff. That's a personal quirk, I hate liars on principle and I think he told a lie per page he was on just for the fun of it. Also, he orchestrated the misunderstanding that drove the angst in the book and while it needed to have some dramatic elements his reasons for it were BS. Really hope his character dies in a fire in the next book to leave room for Kivixl.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2016
I really enjoyed this one. The H/C, the slow build, the not-insta love, the magic and science and sci-fi in this story. I really like all of these characters and beasts (which let my imagination go wild - hello vampire!horse and black unicorn).
But there is one fat minus point - it feels like only half a book. The ending isn't satisfying and just doesn't feel like an ending. :( I really hope that there will be a second part to this.
But there is one fat minus point - it feels like only half a book. The ending isn't satisfying and just doesn't feel like an ending. :( I really hope that there will be a second part to this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2015
I loved the setting of this-the world, the magic/science and so on. I didn't love the plot-too much in too little time. And I didn't love the anachronisms-this world shouldn't have characters referencing Dr. Dolittle, for instance, and just can't see our mage saying "huh?". It says something that I ended the book thinking I needed a sequel-so we could find out what happened to Khas.
March 6, 2013
If I had known that it was the first volume of an ongoing series, maybe I would not have been so bad in the end, where the story stops just at the climax.
I can not wait to read more!
I can not wait to read more!
March 16, 2014
Where can I find the other books in the Once a Slave series? (Magewise & Magebreak)
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