Book Reviews

Book Blurb

In order to stop his magic from eating him alive, Chalice seeks out a man strong enough to dominate and control him.

Chalice might be a prince on his planet but his submissive tendencies prevent him from dealing with the incredible energy coursing through his body. Magic users need a second to balance them out, but there has never been a case where the one with the power didn’t hold the dominant position. Chalice’s ability as a rare four elemental magic wielder already marks him as different, though. And with the king in denial of his son’s needs, he has no choice but to look off—planet to find a powerful partner.

He runs into a diplomat on a mission who leads Chalice to agree to be the pet of an emperor—one whose reputation for tossing aside subs is only balanced out by the fact that Chalice thinks he’s the sexiest creature he’s ever seen. Chalice takes the plunge, hoping the biggest gamble of his life won’t prove to be his biggest mistake.

 

Publisher's Note: This book was previously released under the same title. It has been re-edited for re-release with Pride Publishing.

Book Review

The first book in this futuristic series is the story of a prince, supposedly destined to rule, who needs a Master (ideally, a sexual Master) to control him. The fact that he is also a magic user needing someone to balance him to avoid losing control makes the whole setup a little more volatile. Who, after all, wants - or can afford to have - magic running amok?

Chalice is a prince running out of time. Significant damage has already been done to his father’s castle because he cannot control his magic. Different from other royal magic users, he needs a Dom to balance him, not a sub. Not something his father, the king, wants to even contemplate. The whole situation is rather funny, but when Chalice runs into a normally sour and almost evil emperor who is looking for a new pet, a corner is turned.

Terrin Hawk, the emperor who mends his ways almost upon catching sight of Chalice, is somewhat of an enigma to me. He has clearly been cruel before, using and discarding subs left and right, but suddenly wants more with Chalice. I put it down to Chalice’s magical abilities because it certainly can’t be anything else; not within the timeframe of this story, which is only a few days!

It is too bad that the emperor changes his views so quickly, much more fun could have been had with the conflict between Chalice ‘topping from the bottom’ and the emperor not knowing what hit him. But then again, the series tagline: “Being strong doesn’t mean you don’t need anyone.” and the whole idea behind it sounds more like fun than serious BDSM. If this first instalment is anything to go by, it is all about the light touch, some occasional humor, and very gentle D/s themes. Definitely a fun, quick read.

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novella, 62 pages/21200 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	16-January-2012
Price	$2.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.pride-publishing.com/book/chalice