Rating: 3 stars out of 5
Apprentice Sebastian has long cherished his love for his master. For years, Master D’arcy Qyn has respected Sebastian’s right to choose whom he embraces in the sexual arts known to the Fellowship of Servitors. But when the fashions and opinions of other Servitors are no longer enough to keep them apart, they rely wholeheartedly on the vows that have made them student and teacher.
Abiding dutifully by the formal roles prescribed for so taboo a relationship, each must find his way with desires and pleasures they would not otherwise enjoy. Together they must prove their love in all its expressions without shame and eternally beyond reproach.
Publisher’s Note: Although this book is set in the same universe as The Secret Art of Failure, it is the beginning of a new standalone series.
First off: I don’t think the publisher’s note is right about this being the beginning of a standalone series. I haven’t read “The Secret Art of Failure” and I felt very lost at times.
SciFi is one of my favourite genres and “Wasted Youth” sounded really promising. I took the publisher’s note to heart and was really looking forward to reading this book.
Sebastian has had a thing for his master for a while now. Or rather, for the idea of having an affair with his master and the thrill of doing something not quite socially acceptable. When D’arcy Qyn finally makes his fantasies come true, the affair turns out to be quite different from what he’d imagined.
I liked both D’arcy and Sebastian, even though I sometimes had a hard time understanding D’arcy. He’s always so mysterious.
The sex that happens between the two of them is damn hot. There’s quite a bit of humiliation and other BDSM elements. There’s even some consent play, so if you’re triggered by that, stay away from this book. Personally, I just found it hot.
There was quite a bit of action thrown into the lot as well. I didn’t understand the reasons behind a lot of things, though. It certainly never got boring, though.
Now, as I mentioned above, I really feel like this isn’t a standalone series. There seems to have been quite a bit of world building going on, but there are virtually no explanations in “Wasted Youth”. I just didn’t understand a lot of the traditions and the characters often remained mysteries to me. It really felt like I was missing some serious background info. I’m assuming this was all provided in the author’s previous series “The Secret of Failure”, which I haven’t read.
I think “Wasted Youth” had serious potential, but it left me feeling kind of “meh” in the end, simply because there was so much I just did not understand. I am curious about “The Secret of Failure” and have added the first book to my ever-growing list of books I’d like to read one day. I won’t continue with “The Secret Art of Mercy” for now, however.
The cover by April Martinez shows a beautiful landscape, overlaid with a picture of Sebastian. The landscape is gorgeous but I think the cover could’ve done without the young man at the top.
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Book details:
Kindle Edition, 292 pages
Published September 5th 2016 by Loose Id LLC
ASINB01LOSQIHU
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesThe Secret Art of Mercy #1
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 