Captive Prince: Book one of the Captive Prince Trilogy

I thought I wouldn't like it at first, but I really did. This book isn't for people who are easily triggered, you need a tolerance. It's obviously dark, and toxic. Duh, people who complain about 'this is bad', well yes. I wouldn't say the bad actions of r/pe or anything are glorified. It is the culture of the book, not like Damen liked it from the start. Throughout the whole book he disliked it. It's a dark fantasy with romance with war themes, nothing truly romantic I would say. Still, I loved the characters, the writing and the worldbuilding is good. If you don't vibe with these kinds of stories, DNF it. This isn't for you.

The kingdom of Vere

Finally, reading my favorite trilogy (and THE enemies to lovers story) in English (but no spoilers in this review). I've already read it in German twice, and now it was time for the original. It didn't feel much different, besides the fact that in German, we have a 3in1 edition, so I never rated the books individually. Prince Damianos (Damen) of Akielos gets betrayed by his half-brother when their father dies. Kastor wants the throne for himself and sends Damen as a slave to their enemies, the kingdom of Vere, where he has to serve their Prince Laurent. While he plays along to find a way to escape, he gets sucked into the convoluted politics of the Veretian royalty. The first volume may be the weakest and I often heard people not like it or even dropping the series, but I think wholeheartedly disagree and think that's a shame because it's important for the slow burn that is to follow. Not only in the romance department, but the general story as well. It lays the foundation in showing us the inner workings of the Veretian court that are full of depravity, deception, and scheming. One of the main topics is slavery. It's NOT romanticized. Of course, the people in the story see it as normal since that is the culture and society they grew up in, but there is nuance to this (and later some views also change), and it is made clear from other points that the things going on in Vere are worse than what is going on in other kingdoms. While this is a topic that kinda stretches over the whole trilogy since it is part of the worldbuilding, it's way more prominent in this volume. The tone for the other volumes (that do not take place in the palace) is different. This volume is also way better on a reread, knowing things from later volumes that are hinted at here or just seeing things in a different light. On a first read, we are just as clueless as Damen, being thrown into Veretian politics. He also doesn't understand Laurent at all, which is also a theme of the story in general 😂 Like, Damen isn't dumb, but Laurent is just super smart and thinks in ways he can't fathom. But in the beginning, that's mutual, as Laurent also has a false image of Damen. This is really the best (true) enemies to lovers story I've ever read, but you have to give it time. It needs the slow burn to really build things up. They really, truly hate each other at first, being of different kingdoms that have been at odds for a long time, but the way those feelings shift is believable, as you will read in the next volumes. I can highly recommend reading it in one go, or at least volume one and two together (though I can't see anyone wanting to stop after that 🤭).

Have you read a lot of fanfic? If Yes ? then go along - if no then REALLY read the trigger warnings!

Look yall this is one of the books that paved the way from fanfic to the wonderful diversity that is fantasy literature now! It reads very much like a yaoi manga would So keep that in minds when you stumble along the dialogue. It is a fast read, the plot is not always plotting, our main character is dumb as bread and oh yes everyone is more or less gay Still i enjoyed it - i would recommend to read all 3 books back to back because the first one can be a bit offputting by itself but it gets better

This was brutal, check the TWs everyone. I loved it

Mein guilty pleasure.

Ich weiß nicht wieso, aber die Reihe ist und bleibt einfach mein guilty pleasure seit 10 Jahren 😅. Ist es super weltbewegend? Definitiv nicht. Ist der Schreibstil überragend gut? Oh nein. Aber ich liebs, weil wir hier endlich richtiges enemies to lovers haben, bzw nicht einmal das, sondern es ist slow burn vom Feinsten. Etwas, was Romantasy Bücher kaum haben. Und nein, wenns 350 Seiten bis zum ersten Kuss dauert, ist das kein slow burn - hier passiert über mehrer Bücher nix. Die Spannung zwischen den Charakteren ist 👌🏼 der Hass, die Abneigung. Bitte mehr Bücher wie das. Wer Vergewaltigungen nicht lesen kann: Finger weg 🙃

4,25/5⭐

Dieses Buch hat sich einfach wie ein kompletter Fiebertraum angefühlt und ich bin mir noch nicht ganz sicher ob ich das gut oder schlecht finde😅 Ich hatte ein Buch mit einem ähnlichen Vibe wie Dark Rise und Dark Heir erwartet, aber das war jetzt irgendwie ganz anders. Und ich will nicht sagen, dass das Buch schlecht ist, ich liebe die Charaktere und die Welt und ich werde auf jeden Fall den nächsten Band lesen, weil ich wissen möchte wie es weitergeht, es war aber eben ganz anders als ich vorm Lesen gedacht hätte. Und bei manchen Sachen die da passiert sind saß ich auch einfach nur komplett geschockt da und hab gar nix mehr gerallt, weil wtf???🤨 Aber im Endeffekt hat es sich gelohnt weiter zu lesen und ich freue mich schon auf den nächsten Band👍🥲

Although English is not my preferred reading language I did not have much problems during reading, kind of easy writing style

This is my first English book this year and I have to say that I liked it very much. I have heard multiple recommendations regarding this book. Most of the people say it’s one of the best trilogies they’ve ever read. So I had to, obvious. Had to see if all those rumours were true… From the beginning I liked Damen a lot. His character is very interesting. Especially the relationship between him and Laurent. I would say definitely Enemies-to-Lovers. Real Enemies-to-lovers. Apart from that the whole storyline was very brutal und hard to read. If you like to read this book be aware of topics like rape, sexuality, slavery and unwilling treatments in general. Sometimes the happenings are really hard to swallow… Well on the other hand the book is really entertaining, short and functions as a perfect kind of prequel, or better say it serves as a great opening or build-up for the following books. I‘m looking forward to read the following ones in the series. 4/5 ☆

I don't know if I liked it or not. This book contains a lot of violence, grape and hate. The only exiting things we're the political topics and the intrigues at court.

Hat mir wirklich sehr gut gefallen. Ist etwas ganz anderes als dark rise. Es kam aber auch leider für mich nicht ganz an diese Reihe ran.

I LOVE IT SOOO MUCH

I have to admit, the first chapters are uncomfortable to read but I have the feeling they’re purposefully being uncomfortable because what happens shouldn’t be sexualized. What I love about that book is that it never gets boring AND the enemy relationship is very real and convincing. Plus the Plot is AMAZING AHHHHH 🦅 As someone whose first language isn’t English I had to look up many words but that didn’t stop me from having fun reading this piece of art. I can definitely recommend this book to MATURE readers who are interested in a gay slow-burn enemies to lovers story. I’m looking forward to read the other two books. 💕

Gehirnnebel?

Ich fand die Idee des Buches wirklich cool. Wirklich originell. Von der Umsetzung hatte ich iwie anderes erwartet ,konnte mich auf das Geschehen aber gut einlassen. Meinen größten Probleme hatte ich tatsächlich mit dem Schreibstil. Iwie hatte ich die ganze Zeit das Gefühl mir entgeht etwas. Es gab super viele kurze Szenen, tausende settings und Gespräche. Alles ziemlich politisch auch fand ich. Iwie habe ich nicht 100% durchgesehen.. manchmal war der prota in einer Szene und ich hab iwie nicht immer sofort rauslesen können worum es gerade eig geht. Es war so viel hin und her , dass ich manchmal verwirrt war. Vllt liegsts aber auch an meinem Matschhirn und nicht dem Schreibstil... Das Buch hat 244 Seiten. Wären es 500 gewesen hätte ich es vermutlich nicht beendet... es konnte mich leider emotional nicht abholen. Es war nicht direktes Desinteresse aber ich hatte kaum Lust weiterzulesen iwie💀🥶 ich gebe dem ganzen aber noch eine Chance und schaue wie sehr mich Buch 2 abholen wird.

Spannend und Brutal.

Prince Damen of Akielos is betrayed by his brother and sent into slavery in the rival kingdom of Vere. Forced to serve Prince Laurent—his kingdom’s sworn enemy—Damen must conceal his true identity while navigating a court filled with political intrigue, manipulation, and danger.

I finally had the time for this famous series and I finished it in just a week. The trilogy excels in its careful storytelling and slow-burn character development. What begins as a tense enemies-to-lovers dynamic evolves through strategy, trust, and countless political mind games. The action scenes are vivid and intense, while the court intrigue keeps the tension high. Perhaps most impressive is how subtly the emotional development unfolds; often requiring readers to read between the lines. Each installment raises the stakes, making the series nearly impossible to put down. In other words: once you enter this court of intrigue, you’re officially captive to the plot or you just didn't understand Laurent's plan yet.

Erasmus short story war der beste part ngl

Definitiv nicht für jeden, aber definitiv spannend.

Okay, es ist sehr offensichtlich, warum dieses Buch umstritten und nicht jedermanns Sache ist. Und ja, ich möchte, dass jeder die Trigger Warnungen überprüft, bevor er mit diesem Buch beginnt. Ich war während des größten Teils der Geschichte sehr angeekelt. Aber ansonsten hat es mir Spaß gemacht, die Charaktere und vor Allem die Politik zu lesen. Pacats Schreibstil ist verlockend und hat durchgehend mein Interesse immer mehr geweckt. Ich würde dieses Buch niemandem empfehlen, aber ich werde auf jeden Fall das zweite Buch lesen, um zu sehen, wo der Protagonist Damen landen wird.

Enemies to maybe someday Lovers

Also das nenn ich mal wirklichen Slow Burn. Ich mochte das Buch wirklich gern. Es liest sich sehr flüssig und ist obwohl es eigentlich nur um interne Politik geht spannend genug das man direkt Band 2 starten möchte. Der Hass und die Chemie zwischen den Protagonisten ist einfach nur Slow Burn vom feinsten. Man sollte schon die TW genau lesen. Ich persönlich fand die Politik und die Intrigen und rausfinden wem kann man trauen und wem nicht wirklich unterhaltsam. Auf geht’s zum zweiten Teil 🩶

The original enemies to lovers

My only complaint it that this book doesn't nearly have enough pages♥️ It was a recommendation from a friend and upon hearing it contained slavery, rape and other cruelties I wasn't so hot on reading it, but dear lord. I've nearly cried for Laurent who I can barely stand at the moment. Yet my heart seized at the attack on him. I was begging him to take Damen along, just to know there's at least one person there that doesn't want to kill him by backstabbing him (I'm giving Damen enough credit to at least do it from the front xD)

So, this was my first ever foray into the m/m genre. And in terms of style and tropes this is probably one of the top ranked of its kind. Since I don’t have much experience with said genre I read it as I would any book set in a fantasy world. Unsurprisingly, judged as a fantasy novel this does not hold up. Too many aspects of the society depicted remain unexplained. For instance, where are all the women and what is their role in a society that is so dominated by men? Yes, they are there on the side-lines and they actually seem to have the same rights and privileges as men as far as I could tell (they keep their own pleasure slaves and are allowed to all kinds of courtly events). And of course they play their part in reproduction and there are heterosexual marriages. I even kind of like that this is not really an issue in the book. It doesn’t need to be stated that there is no gender discrimination in that way. A few (important) female characters would have been nice though. I know this is something that is left out due to the genre of the novel. Another aspect that is common in m/m novels is of course the erotic elements and sex scenes between men. Reading this as a fantasy novel these scenes came to be somehow unexpectedly and I kept trying to figure out their function. This is of course overthinking it. There’s no need to explain or discuss the function of sex scenes in an erotic novel. I like, however, how sexual actions of any kind are actually explained as part of the culture. Sex in this society has two dominant purposes – pleasure and power. The cruelty in some of the scenes made me pretty uncomfortable though. Good thing there weren’t too many of them. Apart from these two aspects (the lack of female characters and the depiction of sexual acts) I did quite like the story. If you ignore the fact that this is supposed to be an erotic novel, there is a lot more to find here. Pacat can write! She is good at creating characters and plotlines. The political intrigues and the prince-to-slave idea are both gripping and interesting. The supposed bad guy is absolutely fascinating and makes up for the rather dull protagonist (I’m looking at you, Damen!). So, yeah I liked it. I could’ve done without the rape and cruelty. But I liked it. And I want to know what happens next.

for mature audience indeed - the first of 3 books, it lays a good foundation for whatever may come

This book is nothing for a weak stomach, but it is captivating nonetheless. therfore trigger warning: The author draws pictures of rape, abuse and slavery. But if u can look beyond these triggers, you will find a well written story about two princes of enemy countries whose circumstances them brought together. It is a book about political warfare in which you can't even trust your own blood. I have read this book for the first time a couple years back and now, after reading it a second time it reminds me of some danmai, where the romance is nearly none existing or very subtle.

It was so much more and so much better than what I expected! I absolutely loved it! Especially Laurent, with his personality and devious mind, and Damen, with his strong personality and love for his Kingdom! Update 07.10.2018 This book was as great as I remembered! Here we don’t see Laurent’s mind at work as much as we see in Prince’s Gambit, but we still see it. And it’s wonderful to see how complicated his court is, how his and his uncle’s minds work. And how Laurent and Damen’s relationship begins to develop. I couldn’t write much of a review before and I find myself incapable this time too. But this story is really good, captivating and intricate story. The plot is complicated, full of intrigue and mind games planned way in advance. I really loved it! And Erasmus's story is delightful, his yearning to be so good and obedient for his Prince...! And he loves Kallias, he's his best friend, but he would never do something that went against his training, not when he had waited for it for so long! And Kallias does what he has to: he tarnishes his best friend by kissing him, knowing that he doesn't understand what he did to deserve that, that betrayal, all to save him from certain death at Kastor's hands and to try to give him a better future. It ended up happening, thanks to Damen, Laurent and Torveld.

Honestly, I don't know where this flood of five-star ratings is comig from. I've read better M/M fanfics written by bored teens. The writing: serves the story it's supposed to carry The world-building: Is kept to a minimum. The lack of a historial background makes it hard to connect to the characters. Why do they do what they do? The political intrigues are predictable and thus boring. The characters: Prototypical. Warrior-Type vs. cute but dangerous. A significant lot of time is spent describing the looks and outfits and the greenery around, instead of focusing on character traits and attitudes. The story: Two countries, modelled by old slave-owning-systems of old Greece or the Romans. Two astonishingly handsome princes. Damianos, which literally translates "to conquer/ to subdue", is a spawn of masculinity and rigid strenght. Laurent: an arrogant bastard with an angelic beauty. The one has to serve as a slave to the other, because family ends where rivalry to succeed to the crown begins. They hate each other till they fuck each other. This is not a BDSM-story. The setting is supposed to be kinky but this is not what happens, at all. Damen is almost flogged to death. He is humiliated, not for fun or sexual arousal but out of sheer hatred and the will to break him as a human into an animalistic submission. This is not sexy! (Not to mention the abuse of the side-characters) Although Damianos is forced to serve a pleasure-slave, he is far from performing ANY serving or even pleasuring tasks, unless it keeps him off the flogging pole. So here, pleasure-slave is just a shallow label to create a kinky atmosphere around Damen. The romance is missing too. And M/M? Well, they ARE supposed to fall for each other and get all hot and steamy but unfortunately one of them PREFERS WOMEN. Ah, whatevs, Laurent is just so handsome, we let that slide... I am not disappointed since I didn't have high expectations from the start but I'm a tad frustrated. I want romance in a romantic story and two hot gays doing kinky stuff in a M/M-story! I will start book 2 and hope it will deliver what the first part promised.

I SHIP THESE TWO SO MUCH. I AM ALL THE SHIPS. ALL OF THEM. As you may be able to tell from the rating, I liked this book. I was expecting to like going into it, despite all the controversy, and I wad not disappointed whatsoever. I understand why people don't like this book, and why they think it's very problematic. I agree, some scenes really ARE problematic. People say this book glorifys rape and sex slavery, and thus they can't enjoy a book like that. However, I didn't see it that way. There is a reason why the Prince of the kingdom rhese things take place in doesn't participate in any of it. Do you think that's because he approves of it? Probably not. He rejects it, and because he is not the one who is ruling yet, he can't do a lot of other things about it, other than just not participating. Same with the main character Damen. He despises it, says numerous times how he is disgusted by some of these practices. These scenes were there not to glorify this, it wad just part of the world building. Those scenes were written in order to understand the world they live in and the system they have. So, it wasn't that disturbing for me. Again, I do not say that things should be this way, not at all. But i understand and accept why the author did it. Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about the characters. I loved them, although there are like 0 women in the story. I have never read anything quite like this before, and it was definitely interesting to explore. Laurent is an interesting character and I really can't wait to see how he will develop. All the other characters were, even though the book wad just 240 paged long, well described and developed, which I loved. I like the story and how the plot unfolded in the last few pages, and I am definitely interested to see where this story will go. My version also had an extra short story at the end called "The Training of Erasmus", so I will talk a little bit about this story too. It telks the story of Erasmus who is trained to be a slave. This story again gives us an insight on how this whole system works, and it again was (in my opinion) important for the overall world building and plot. You understand that whole slave-system better when reading the story, which is important. Erasmus is a great character and I really loved seeing how he came to be in Vere in the first place. A really nice addition to the story! 4/5 stars

Un 4.5 en realidad. Hace tiempo que tenía esta trilogía en mi eterna lista de libros por leer y sabía qué iba a encontrarme. Según lo que leí es un libro duro y fuerte, no puedo negar que no lo sea porque lo es, pero esperaba mucho más de lo que me encontré. Sólo puedo decir que me encantó y como siga en esta línea, se va a convertir en una de mis trilogías favoritas. Reseña completa.

Jo war cool

⤷‧₊˚ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ this was definitely something..

Es hatte nicht wirklich eine Storyline, aber der nächste Teil wird spannender so wie das Buch geendet hat

4⭐ relectura en ingles: Al igual q la primera vez este primer libro obvio es una introduccion al mundo, muestra las dinamicas del palacio de Vere y las (muchas) disputas entre el Regente(forro) y Laurent. ya sabiendo como termina todo por fin veo QUE LAS SEÑALES SIEMPRE ESTUVIERON AHI LPM, ahora todo tiene mas sentido (y mas crueldad) dios como me tiene harta govart MORITE DE UNA VEZ el romance no se desarrolla como tal hasta el segundo libro pero igual si te fijas mucho se puede llegar a ver un poco de amorch (a su manera) laurent es todo lo q esta bien en esta vida, y nunca me voy a cansar de decirlo DIOS MIO DAMEN EL HOMBRE QUE SOSSSSS

3.5

4.5

Ich habe etwas gebraucht um in die Welt einzutauchen, aber ich bin gespannt wie es nach dem Finale weiter geht. Das Verhältnis zwischen Damen und Laurent ist voller Spannung, Raum für Konflikte und so viel mehr.

Brutal and well written. Loved it. Already got book 2 and 3

Nobody perceive me … I didn’t read this in a day… or did I? *disappears into the bushes Homer Simpson style* CNs for enslavement, rape, political intrigue, graphic physical violence, torture, murder, child sexual abuse, forced drugging, captivity. Bananas Ancient Greece and Rome inspo that will make you roll your eyes around your skull two times over

First 50% i thought about wtf am i reading, the second half got intriguing, we will see....

This takes place in a very cruel world, and it’s not all easy to take in. However I really liked the characters, the pace and the politics.