Reviewed by Taylin
TITLE: Desert Ice
AUTHOR: Rose Maefair
PUBLISHER: Motley Cat Publishing
LENGTH: 531 Pages
RELEASE DATE: October 31, 2022
BLURB:
Standing under the hot sun in the slave market, Wyl thought his fate couldn’t get worse. He’d been betrayed by his family, exiled, and sentenced to slavery in the desert lands where he doesn’t know the language or the customs. Yet, as he faces the scrutiny of an interested buyer, Wyl realizes he was wrong. With an exchange of coins, he went from life as a warrior and a prince to that of a pleasure slave.
Lysander finds the stench of the slave-trading city almost unbearable. He longs for the quiet shelter of his home. Yet, Steed’s Hold is under siege, and he has come to the city to find a warrior willing to fight for the cost of his freedom. However, Lysander does not expect to find the handsome northerner or the new desires he sparks inside of Lysander. He also does not expect the terrible stipulation attached to the man’s sale, which would demand a heavy price for them both.
Lysander is a mage more used to commanding earth, metal, and wood than people. How is he to be master of a slave, and the slave’s desire, when Lysander hasn’t fully mastered his own? (Revised Edition)
REVIEW:
Lysander wasn’t good at being a master, and Wyl wasn’t good at being a slave. Nevertheless, with his home under siege, Lysander needed a warrior, and Wyl was precisely what he was looking for. However, he wasn’t prepared for the conditions of the sales contract requiring him to be root-bound to his purchase. Wyl was of Royal blood, but betrayal put him in the slavers market. He’s a walking ball of determined resentment in a world he doesn’t understand. Has fate leant a hand? And will it bring them together or destroy them?
Desert Ice is a long-ass story but one worth reading. I found it particularly interesting how the same event can be seen very differently, due to the language barrier and position.
The story is told in the third person from the viewpoints of Wyl and Lysander. This revised edition was first published in 2017 and is intended to be the first in a series. Though, this story doesn’t end on a cliffhanger. I can’t say I’m a fan of the somewhat generic cover because the story is so much more than two half-naked men who look more like models than a warrior and a mage. I feel the story could have been represented better. Nevertheless, bodies sell and what’s inside the covers is more important. A comprehensive world is built, yet not overdone – varying nicely between city life, desert, and home. But much of the focus is on the interactions between the main protagonists and their views on certain situations.
The relationship between Wyl and Lysander begins with distrust, naivete, and a steep learning curve. There’s a lot of baggage to work through before they can move forward. Gestures are misinterpreted. The self-doubt of one mixes with a determination to be free from the other, alongside a myriad of emotions that circulate when one is trapped in a situation outside of your control. Reading becomes a bit uncomfortable (as it should) during the times that Sexual favors are bartered in the name of revenge, taking back a modicum of control alongside guilt and denial at the attraction that simmers. The journey to enlightenment is a rocky, physical, and emotional road, with others offering opinions on the way.
Yes, this is a long novel, but given what must be worked through, I can understand why. The author gave each aspect of Wyl and Lysander’s journey appropriate page space, and nothing was skimmed over for the sake of word count. It wouldn’t be right that one act of kindness suddenly changes another’s desire to be free or dissolve resentment. I liked the timeline afforded to the men.
What’s on offer is a well-put-together story containing a range of situations that highlight life from the privileged and unprivileged viewpoints. Then show how those opposites can find common ground while ramping up the stakes with each progression—the way the story finishes made me a happy bunny too. Desert Ice can be read as a standalone; however, the door is open for further developments. I hope there is more.
RATING: 
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