The Prince’s Man (The Five Kingdoms, #1) by Deborah Jay

The_5_Kingdoms_1

The author sent me a copy of this book (mobi format) – because I won it in a giveaway.

My rating: 4.4 of 5 stars

Plot
(by Goodreads)

Rustam Chalice, hedonist, dance tutor and spy, loves his life, never better than when he’s bedding a gorgeous woman. So when the kingdom he serves is threatened from within, he leaps into action.

Only trouble is, the spy master, Prince Halnashead, teams him up with an untouchable aristocratic assassin who despises him.

And to make matters worse, she’s the most beautiful woman in the Five Kingdoms.

Plunged into a desperate journey through the mountains, the mismatched pair struggle to survive deadly wildlife, the machinations of a spiteful god – and each other.

They must also keep alive a sickly elf they need as a political pawn. But when the elf reveals that Rustam has magic of his own, he is forced to question his identity, his sanity, and worse, his loyalty to his prince.

For in Tyr-en, all magic users are put to death.

Genre(s): Fantasy, Epic, Sword & Sorcery

Series: The Five Kingdoms, #1

Length: 444 pages

Release Date: 2014-02-15

Teaser

Halnashead slapped his open palms down on the desk, decision reached.

“Rustam, I want you and Dart to work together on this.”

Rustam jerked upright in his chair. Surprise and indignation warred with curiosity. “My prince,” he said. “If you have a task you want doing, you know I am your man, but why would you want me to work with a hired killer?”

My Opinion

This book introduces you to young Risada and her baby brother Iain, helplessly witnessing their parents die by the hand of an intruder. Growing up her one goal is to avenge her parents. Rustam does not know his father, his mother vanished when he was little. They both live in one of the Five Kingdoms: Tyr-en.

With The Prince’s Man, Deborah Jay has created a steady-paced thrilling fantasy with many interesting characters. I automatically fell in love with Nightstalker, not being sure what to think of her owner/rider. The characters mature as the story proceeds, they discover some truths about themselves, fighting for reaching their goal. The story comprises a variety of craftily elaborated characters with sufficient depth and interesting interactions until the final page. I had a great time reading The Prince’s Man – it is a very intriguing read; it turned me into an invisible ally of the travellers on their mission. I was drawn into the story right away, trying to find my place in the story; succeeding after a few minutes. The story has a lot to offer for the readers, the ending promises new challenges for the next book in the series.

I am looking forward to reading more of this series.

This is for you if you like fast-paced fantasy, interesting characters, series, and lovely covers perfectly fitting the content.

A compelling read in a series to watch out for.

Recommended!

In brief:

Writing	Great
Plot	Full of surprises
Mood	Suspenseful
Pace	Fast
Characters	Developed
Violence	Some violence
Sexual content	Some sexual content
POV	First person

About the author

Deborah Jay writes fast-paced fantasy adventures featuring quirky characters and multi-layered plots – just what she likes to read.

Living mostly on the UK South coast, she has already invested in her ultimate retirement plan – a farmhouse in the majestic, mystery-filled Scottish Highlands where she retreats to write when she can find time. Her taste for the good things in life is kept in check by the expense of keeping too many dressage horses, and her complete inability to cook.

THE PRINCE’S MAN is her debut novel; first in a trilogy and winner of a UK Arts Board award. The sequel is due out soon.

In the meantime, she had published the urban fantasy novel DESPRITE MEASURES and the short story SPRITE NIGHT, both in the CALEDONIAN SPRITE series.

She has also published a multi-author SFF anthology which features her SF story, PERFECT FIT.

She has non-fiction equestrian titles published under her professional name of Debby Lush.

Find out more about Deborah at https://deborahjayauthor.com/ or follow Deborah on twitter https://twitter.com/DeborahJay2 and facebook https://www.facebook.com/DeborahJay

Connect with the Author:

Website – https://deborahjayauthor.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/DeborahJay
Twitter – https://twitter.com/DeborahJay2
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7172608.Deborah_Jay
Amazon Author’s page – Deborah Jay
Amazon (UK): buy link
Amazon (US): buy link

Please take a look at my statement on reading in My train of thoughts on …reading. Now I am asking you. 🙂

My questions for you bibliophiles:
What about you? What did you think about The Prince’s Man? Or – if you did not yet read The Prince’s Man – are you now interested in reading it yourself?

My question for you cinephiles:
If The Prince’s Man was filmed – who should direct it, who could you imagine as actors?

I am looking forward to reading your comments. 🙂

Karen_RBRT