Rating: 3🌈

I enjoy a high fantasy fiction even if the descriptions aren’t exactly in alignment with my tastes. Like that of The Royal Curse (Twilight Mages Book 1) by Eliot Grayson.

Grayson’s storyline revolves around a cursed Prince of a small Kingdom , a winter trip he desperately wants to take to a magical gathering , and the soldier his mother, the Queen, has assigned as his guardian and the leader of their traveling expedition.

While I thought that there were some interesting things and nice moments here, overall, Grayson’s story missed the narrative mark.

I had issues with this book on multiple narrative levels, which made Greyson’s fantasy story , one that had some interesting plot lines , a bit of a muddle. And one that needs more of a trigger warning about sexual assault, and more.

First is the lack of any world building. There’s no real understanding of how this world works. Grayson delivers up that vague mythology explanation for Prince Nikola’s cursed magic but nothing more about the other magic present.

And its origin and the extent of its use in this world, not just in Nikola’s Kingdom.

Mages and their status is unclear but they appear to be esteemed. But how widespread they are isn’t known because, even after hundreds of years, there’s no real written record of Nikola’s cursed magic and any kind of magical ability to restore him.

All of this is just odd. It’s just not logical. But that’s the way the author has it folded into the story. A beloved and coddled Prince with cursed magic and a powerful Queen as a mother but she hasn’t been trying to find a cure or an appropriate remedy all these years?

Because then he wouldn’t need to go over the mountains in winter to go to some magical gathering to seek out a solution for his own curse? Carrying only a few bottles of his precious potion in a saddlebag of all things?

Sigh.

The author has a focus but isn’t laying down enough foundation for the various plot lines and characters to rest upon.

That brings me to the characters. Prince Nikola isn’t very likable at the beginning, at least for me. He’s very picture of entitled,childish, whiny to the point his siblings have had enough of him. Even his mother has stopped talking to him. I wanted to muzzle him. He has a cursed type of magic. Got it. But he’s been castrating himself chemically rather than looking for other solutions and that’s his choice. But he strikes at other people who love him for this.

Nope not getting his character. He makes this an almost DNF early on.

Andreas, the soldier who’s assigned to be his bodyguard/boss by the Queen, is a better character. He’s solid, more competent. But the very late (98 %) in the book explanation for his “love” for Nikola, his Prince, is brief and without any context. So is the constant fear of their sexual relationship being one of treason.

Thats another aspect of the story that makes no sense whatsoever.

Nikola’s magic makes him go through a rut-like, mindless lust process that makes him feel like he has to have sex (be the one to be on the receiving end, as though that’s a bad thing) as the magic eats him up inside. Otherwise he dies. Who it is Nikola has sex with doesn’t matter , so he drugs himself limp. Ok yes, lots of questions here that are never answered. He knows enough about the magic to chemically castrate himself but after hundreds of years of this magic existence, nothing more important to positively improve his life?

But having to have sex with Andreas, because choices are very limited, death or sex, how does this become treasonous? Not sure the author worked it out throughly. And the subject carries with it, no matter what the author tries to overlay it with, an atmosphere of non consent because either way, Nikola has no choice.

Finally,another spoiler of sorts. The author has in the description that “There is an attempted on-page sexual assault that is not between the main characters.” However, while it’s not between the main characters, there’s a very graphic on page attempted sexual assault on one of the main characters later in the story that is unexpected. This follows a kidnapping scene and one of physical violence on the main character. All of these scenes should come with a trigger warning.

So for those readers, please take note.

Final thoughts on The Royal Curse (Twilight Mages Book 1) by Eliot Grayson.

I like cohesive storytelling and structure and just think this was missing a strong sense of both.

It’s the first in a series but I’m not sure I’ll be going forward. You decide if this sounds likes it’s right for you.

Buy Link:

The Royal Curse (Twilight Mages Book 1)

Blurb:

Dawn mage. Twilight mage. Cursed, useless, damaged, dangerous…

His birth magic leaves Prince Nikola with nothing but bad choices: live as another man’s possession, subject to his whims and his desires, or remain dependent on a potion that stunts his powers and prevents him from knowing love.

Andreas vows to protect the prince with his life—whether Nikola wants him to or not. After all, the queen pays his soldier’s wage. Nikola’s nothing but a job to do.

But when they find themselves stranded, with Nikola’s potion running out, Andreas has to…improvise. Because what Prince Nikola needs to survive is the opposite of a lowly guard’s respectful protection.

It should’ve been only one night. Just until the potion’s refilled. But now that Nikola’s had Andreas’s touch, he craves Andreas again and again. He shouldn’t. But he—and his magic—can’t live without it…

The Royal Curse is a high-heat MM fantasy romance with a stubborn prince, an even more stubborn soldier, and cursed magic that can’t be denied. There is an on-page attempted sexual assault that is not between the main characters. HEA guaranteed.

The Royal Curse is a high-heat MM fantasy romance with a stubborn prince, an even more stubborn soldier, and cursed magic that can’t be denied. There is an attempted on-page sexual assault that is not between the main characters. HEA guaranteed.”