Reviewed by Nikyta
Title: Of Last Resort
Author: Megan Derr
Series: Princes of the Blood #1
Heroes: Raffé & Cambord
Genre: M/M Fantasy
Length: 73,000 words
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Release Date: February 19, 2014
Available at: Less Than Three Press
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads
Blurb: In a kingdom ravaged by the beasts and terrors of an ancient war, the only hope against them is the army of mixed-blood beings known as the King’s Legion: dragoons, shadowmarch, sorcerers, titans… and the Princes of the Blood, nigh-invincible warriors of fearsome magic and strength, their only weakness a need for pure human blood.
When his brother runs away, Raffé agrees to undergo the Blooding, but he is a pale imitation of his strong, capable brother. No one expects him to survive and become a Prince, merely to die to save the rest of his family and preserve honor.
But runaways and weaklings are the least of the kingdom’s concerns when an ancient evil returns with new tricks, and their only hope lies with knowledge long lost and a fierce bond forged in darkness…
Review:
Wow, this book was just… amazing. From the beginning I was intrigued by the tale Ms. Derr was weaving but as the story progressed, I became more and more engrossed in the dangerous world that harbors so many varied but deadly creatures.
I can’t even begin to describe just what that world is so I will leave you to find out. What I will say is that this book contains a lot of different elements: a wish granted, a night of debauchery, hidden strengths and developing friendships and love. Not to mention there’s an evil-being right in the Legion’s mix, chaos reigning everywhere and so many loyal, faithful beings dying to stop such evilness with sacrifices and an ultimate bond that just might not be enough to save everyone. Now, if all that doesn’t intrigue you… well, I don’t know what will!
One of the reasons I enjoy fantasy is because of the worlds that are created. Ms. Derr is one of my favorite fantasy writers because even with how many books she’s written, they all still seem to be different and unique. This one is no different and is so elaborate that there are layers upon layers of how this world became and how it operates. For someone like me, it’s extremely captivating and I loved reading every single detail about the war that ravaged the countries and ultimately made it into what it is now.
At the same time, the characters were just as fascinating. At first, Raffé is a bitter but self-loathing individual who only sacrifices himself so that he and his family won’t be killed. After his Blooding, he takes to his position as a Prince of the Blood remarkably well. He was like the ugly duckling that became a beautiful swan. He changes so much over the course of the book that by the end, he is barely like his old self but he’s better now: aggressive, sure of himself, a warrior.
Cambord (which isn’t his real name but I don’t want to give that away) is first attracted to Raffé when he’s an ugly duckling but grows more enamored with the Princeling as the story goes on to the point that his obsessive, possessive behavior becomes dangerous to everyone. Honestly, I loved this because even though Cambord was dangerous, he was only deadly to those who threatened his Prince. I couldn’t get enough of it and the soul-deep bond they created and if I could change anything, I would just ask for a little more time that Raffé and Cambord had together.
My only issue with the story (and the reason I can’t give it 5 stars) is that there were so many different creatures, so many secondary characters, so much power I couldn’t keep it all straight. Whenever someone was brought it, I would think I understood their role in the Legion but then they’d do something that would make me think they weren’t the creature I thought they were supposed to be. It was a little overwhelming. Also, I still was confused on how the villain was able to open so many seals when he was leagues away from the sacrificial sites. Beyond that, there were a few inconsistencies throughout the text. For example, the mention that someone ‘stood abruptly’ when they were already standing or during one sex scene – ‘reaching around Raffé’ when Raffé was initially on his back with no mention of him turning over. It happened enough times for me to notice but not enough to dim my enjoyment – just worth a mention.
In the end, when I finished the book, I couldn’t help but give a satisfied sigh. It was a great book that had me worried at times things wouldn’t work out but also giddy when certain events took place. I went through a wide range of emotions while reading Of Last Resort and honestly, that right there is what made this book so amazing. It’s not often that a story literally pulls so many emotions from me. If you’re a fantasy lover and you enjoy characters that evolve greatly with a lot of action and suspense, give this one a try because I doubt you’ll be disappointed with it.
Overall Impression: I loved it!
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for a fair and honest review.*
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