Like the last few years we at Love Bytes are reviewing the whole dsp advent calender
There will be a review posted each day throughout the month of December.
Let us know what you think of the reviews and the stories and have a chance to win a fabulous giveaway.
First Prize: 10 Dreamspinner Press ebooks (winner’s choice)
Second Prize: 5 Dreamspinner Press ebooks (winner’s choice)
Third Prize: 3 Dreamspinner Press ebooks (winner’s choice)
Day 12
Reviewed by Dan
TITLE: Poison Marked
SERIES: Dreamspinner Press 2017 Advent Calendar
AUTHOR: T.J. Nichols
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 56 Pages
RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2017
BLURB:
Kill his lover or disobey his king and instigate civil war?
As the feared court poison master, Nikko is sworn to do as his king bids. As the lover of the king’s nephew, Lord Rodas, Nikko must hide his affection or risk being labeled a traitor and punished. A former thief who clawed his way into the palace from the filthy streets, Nikko longs to be deserving of Rodas’s love.
A respected war hero, Rodas is in a delicate political situation. He is not the kingdom’s natural heir, though many support his claim over the wastrel, Prince Fortin. The last thing Rodas wants is war. His highest ambition is for Nikko to openly wear the jewels he’s bestowed on him as a public declaration of their love.
Neither man is prepared for the king to order Nikko to poison Rodas during the solstice feast or for the deadly intrigue they’re plunged into, which exposes their affair and rocks the foundations of the kingdom.
A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2017 Advent Calendar “Stocking Stuffers.”
REVIEW:
Well…I didn’t see this one coming. I chose a story from this year’s Dreamspinner Press Advent Calendar, and noted quickly that it had a fantasy basis and was something about poison, but didn’t look further. Imagine my surprise when I sat down to read it this morning and found the very interesting story that it is, that wasn’t in any way a holiday story in my opinion, but instead is a story of behind the scenes plots and manipulations in a royal kingdom in some sort of alternate land.
I really liked Nikko and once we got to know him, Rodas as well. I was pulling for them throughout the story and when things looked bleakest, I was wondering how they could both survive. There isn’t much else I can say without doing major spoilers, so I’m keeping this one short.
I will finish by saying that this would have made a far better longer book than it did a short story for the Advent calendar. I’m curious how it ended up in the mix? If you’re into fantasy type stories, this one should do it for you. I enjoyed it, even though I wanted more than I got. I’ll be looking for other works written by the author.
BUY LINKS:
Interesting to see a darker theme and something a bit outside of the candycane sweetness.
Thanks for the review. I think short stories are difficult to do really well. I often find I want more. It is is odd that this one wasn’t holiday related.
I must recognise I am a sucker for fantasy, and this cover really catches my eye, so this is another addition to my TBR pile. Thank you for the review, Dan
I’ve been hesitant about this one because it seems like an odd title amd blurb for Christmas, but it sounds like the perfect fantasy read.
Thanks for the review. This book sounds interesting in a weird way.
Looks like an interesting set-up for a holiday story. Thanks for the review
Poison gives me the creeps, but it sounds like I need to give points for originality!
I’ve passed over this story for the very reasons you mentioned in your review. I’ll likely pull it out when I need something a little off the usual Christmas path. Thanks for the review.
The premise sounds intriguing. Looking forward to giving this a read of my own.
This story immediately caught my attention out of all the advent stories. After reading the blurb, though, I definitely wonder if it will feel like too much packed into too few pages. I usually love fantasy stories that have a bit of world-building. Thanks for the review.
Thanks for the review. I hadn’t read the blurb in advance, but was looking forward to the short from this author. The past few short stories I have read from TJ Nichols were never a disappointment and I still could recall them after a long time. So yeah, again the story was a bit different, but still within the given topic and I’d say it’s one of my three favourites so far.