Reviewed by Nikyta
Title: The Prince, The Thief, & The Shadow Emperor
Author: M.J. Willow
Series: That Famous Happy End Anthology
Heroes: Ilya/Soloyev
Genre: M/M Fantasy
Length: 25,000 Words
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Release Date: June 18, 2014
Available at: Less Than Three Press, Amazon, All Romance eBooks and Kobo
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads
Blurb: Traveling home by way of the Black Forest, Ilya is accosted by a highwayman who unexpectedly breaks free of his magic by dissolving into smoke. Not a highwayman, he learns later, but rumored to be the malcontent spirit of a despised dead emperor killed centuries ago.
Ilya dismisses the tale as superstition and clever shadow magic … until he sees the thief again in the very last place he expected.
Note: This story was originally published in the That Famous Happy End anthology.
Review:
**This review contains minor spoilers – read at your own risk**
On his way home after years of being away, Ilya travels through the Black Forest. Robbed by a highwayman, knocked unconscious and left outside the Black Forest, Ilya is aggravated but only concerned with getting home. But when he returns home and meets the King, he realizes the Prince has an uncanny resemblance to the highwayman. Determined to find out if the Prince is really a thief, Ilya takes it upon himself to watch the Prince. Until he realizes what’s happening and returns to the Black Forest to confront the highwayman. Will Ilya be able to find out the truth about the Prince and the thief or will all his efforts be for nothing?
This one was very interesting in that I loved how there was a bit of mystery around whether the Prince was the highwayman or if there was another explanation for why they looked so much alike. Was it because they were long-lost brothers? Was the Prince returning to the Forest to rob people after he went to sleep? Did the Prince have latent magical powers no one knew about? I really liked that sense of not knowing exactly the cause until Ilya figured it out himself.
As characters, Ilya is a bit of a mystery. We know he’s a Master Sorcerer and that he wants to become a battle sorcerer for the King. He’s a determined gentleman who knows when something is amiss. I really liked him because while he was strong as a sorcerer, he was innocent and naive about his feelings. At the same time, Soloyev is a villain that Ilya can’t help but have feelings for and realizes that even with Soloyev robbing everyone that crosses the Black Forest, he still has some honor to him, which is the foundation of who he is.
I really like the concept behind this one but I felt like Ilya didn’t have as much depth to really answer all the questions I had. The world is fascinating but I found I was a little confused about Ilya. Several times it was mentioned that he had a ‘limp’ and that he had ‘leg weaknesses’ as a kid but I kept wondering why? What illness did Ilya have that caused that? And how did he regain motion in his legs? I also had a few other minor questions about the world and what happens next but none as pressing as Ilya’s past disability.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. It’s a fast-paced tale about Ilya trying to figure out how the Prince looks exactly like the highwayman who robbed him. I liked the connection between Ilya and Soloyev, although, I do miss not getting a more in-depth romance for Ilya. Still, if you enjoy fantasies with a bit of mystery, give this one a try because it’s definitely worth it.
Overall Impression: I really liked it!
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for a fair and honest review.*
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