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The Harmatia Cycle #1
The Sons of Thestian
The Prince Jionathan is plagued by visions of death. With the King on his death-bed, and the tyrannical Queen in power, the Kingdom of Harmatia lies in peril. Fleeing the city in fear of his life, Jionathan is shadowed by Rufus Merle, a young, secretive Magi tasked with bringing him home. Now, with the help of a fearsome sidhe warrior named Fae, they must traverse a dangerous faerie-wood together. Against bandits, faeries and cursed priestesses, these unlikely friends travel a path fraught with danger, not least from the blood-thirsty Night Patrol and the dark conspiracy that shrouds them.
550 pages, Paperback
First published March 8, 2015
About the author
M.E. Vaughan
6 books115 followersMadeleine E. Vaughan is an Anglo-French author from the United Kingdom. Head writer and founding member of the Hampshire-based gaming studio Enigmatic Studios, she writes full-time and lectures in Creative Writing.
A keen lover of mythology, Madeleine’s nomadic upbringing has brought her in contact with a wide collection of cultures and folklore, which have strongly influenced her music, art and writing.
Her particular interest in faeries was incited by her mother who, one day, unwittingly implored Madeleine to ‘write something nice for a change, with faeries’. This request birthed the first draft of The Sons of Thestian, and the subsequent start of Madeleine’s career. Faeries, as it turned out—to Madeleine’s delight—are utterly horrible.
www.madeleinevaughan.com
A keen lover of mythology, Madeleine’s nomadic upbringing has brought her in contact with a wide collection of cultures and folklore, which have strongly influenced her music, art and writing.
Her particular interest in faeries was incited by her mother who, one day, unwittingly implored Madeleine to ‘write something nice for a change, with faeries’. This request birthed the first draft of The Sons of Thestian, and the subsequent start of Madeleine’s career. Faeries, as it turned out—to Madeleine’s delight—are utterly horrible.
www.madeleinevaughan.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
November 19, 2015
THIS BOOK IS IN THE TOP THREE BOOKS I HAVE READ ALL YEAR
The Sons of Thestian has blown me away completely! This epic fantasy book is completely stunning and one of my favourites to date!
The Sons of Thestian has blown me away completely! This epic fantasy book is completely stunning and one of my favourites to date!
March 26, 2020
Oh, Notameer, your guilt complex is unfathomable.
Rufus and Jionathan try to leave the city, however, Rufus is left behind and Jionathan gets caught in the process. When Rufus wakes the next day, he loses his memory of the previous night and seems to have no real connection with Jionathan. While Jionathan is revealed to be the prince. Interestingly, enough, his identity as the heir to the throne is part of the reason he keeps trying to leave. His dreams, of course, being the primary source of motivation.
Then, suddenly, Jionathan gets his chance and he leaves Hamartia. Rufus offers to go look for him.
This is the premise of the story and to say more spoils the whole journey the characters go on. The plot of this book is very oddly put together. There are a lot of things that happen and the Vaughan does a good job of keeping the plot going. However, many elements don't seem to tie very well together, especially in the first portion of the novel. Often, certain pieces of information are offered with little relevance to the current state of the plot. Certain events seem very random.
In all, the flow isn't very predictable. I think in this case, it was great to journey along with the characters without the foresight of what might happen. The plot wasn't the only facet that seemed very Frankenstein-esque. The descriptions, actions, and dialogues of the characters, primarily Rufus, were difficult to digest sometimes. There were certain things that Rufus would do that didn't seem befitting of his initial personality or character.
This self-flagellation will not change what happened.
The characters were definitely overdramatic at some points, but their reactions matched the ostentatiousness of the writing style. I think that the flow could have been improved at some points. That being said, I was personally impressed by how the author was able to maintain this manner of speech and writing for the entire novel. Not to mention, the author was also able to add in some quips (although, some dialogue came off very stagnated).
All that said, this is a book that requires time. I think that the reader needs to get through to at least 60% of the book before they can make a fair assessment because that is approximately when pieces start to fill in together. And the plot seems more intricate.
I really liked the backstory that Vaughan based the society on. There was a lot of content, so much history and pieces of lore that added to the story's complexity. Admittedly, this did add to the initial confusion, however, the information was definitely well-spaced out and really provided a base for plot in later chapters.
This book does a good lot of balancing the thin line of thoughtless additions and careful planning. The execution comes together as the novel progress, which is amazing. Vaughan builds to the climax amazingly well, pulling the readers into the throes of the despair, confusion, and utter frustration that the characters feel. I nearly teared up at the end.
___________
some additional thoughts...
The ending was so heart-wrenching that I really have no idea what to do without the second book. However, even though the second book is out, I know that the third one hasn't even been written yet. According to the author, it should be released sometime this year, but the last time she released a book from this series was in 2018, and that was a novella for the series.
Suffice to say, I am a little distressed because I am now very emotionally involved in the development of this series.
There are so many things I just want to vent out about this book. For the first nearly 50% of the book, I was not sold. There were so many times where I was thinking, I could just stop reading and I wouldn't lose anything. But in boredom, I pressed forward.
I think another thing was how the summary and the title was step up in such a way that I immediately thought that Jionathan was the main character. However, in no way was Jionathan the main character. He was definitely important, but I think Rufus was the shining star in all of this. So, Vaughan did a pretty good job of accentuating the story of (what would otherwise be) a side character.
That said, I really liked the plot and the background for the story. I really hope Rufus does get out of this well-off. Rufus is such a good man.
Rufus and Jionathan try to leave the city, however, Rufus is left behind and Jionathan gets caught in the process. When Rufus wakes the next day, he loses his memory of the previous night and seems to have no real connection with Jionathan. While Jionathan is revealed to be the prince. Interestingly, enough, his identity as the heir to the throne is part of the reason he keeps trying to leave. His dreams, of course, being the primary source of motivation.
Then, suddenly, Jionathan gets his chance and he leaves Hamartia. Rufus offers to go look for him.
This is the premise of the story and to say more spoils the whole journey the characters go on. The plot of this book is very oddly put together. There are a lot of things that happen and the Vaughan does a good job of keeping the plot going. However, many elements don't seem to tie very well together, especially in the first portion of the novel. Often, certain pieces of information are offered with little relevance to the current state of the plot. Certain events seem very random.
In all, the flow isn't very predictable. I think in this case, it was great to journey along with the characters without the foresight of what might happen. The plot wasn't the only facet that seemed very Frankenstein-esque. The descriptions, actions, and dialogues of the characters, primarily Rufus, were difficult to digest sometimes. There were certain things that Rufus would do that didn't seem befitting of his initial personality or character.
This self-flagellation will not change what happened.
The characters were definitely overdramatic at some points, but their reactions matched the ostentatiousness of the writing style. I think that the flow could have been improved at some points. That being said, I was personally impressed by how the author was able to maintain this manner of speech and writing for the entire novel. Not to mention, the author was also able to add in some quips (although, some dialogue came off very stagnated).
All that said, this is a book that requires time. I think that the reader needs to get through to at least 60% of the book before they can make a fair assessment because that is approximately when pieces start to fill in together. And the plot seems more intricate.
I really liked the backstory that Vaughan based the society on. There was a lot of content, so much history and pieces of lore that added to the story's complexity. Admittedly, this did add to the initial confusion, however, the information was definitely well-spaced out and really provided a base for plot in later chapters.
This book does a good lot of balancing the thin line of thoughtless additions and careful planning. The execution comes together as the novel progress, which is amazing. Vaughan builds to the climax amazingly well, pulling the readers into the throes of the despair, confusion, and utter frustration that the characters feel. I nearly teared up at the end.
___________
some additional thoughts...
The ending was so heart-wrenching that I really have no idea what to do without the second book. However, even though the second book is out, I know that the third one hasn't even been written yet. According to the author, it should be released sometime this year, but the last time she released a book from this series was in 2018, and that was a novella for the series.
Suffice to say, I am a little distressed because I am now very emotionally involved in the development of this series.
There are so many things I just want to vent out about this book. For the first nearly 50% of the book, I was not sold. There were so many times where I was thinking, I could just stop reading and I wouldn't lose anything. But in boredom, I pressed forward.
I think another thing was how the summary and the title was step up in such a way that I immediately thought that Jionathan was the main character. However, in no way was Jionathan the main character. He was definitely important, but I think Rufus was the shining star in all of this. So, Vaughan did a pretty good job of accentuating the story of (what would otherwise be) a side character.
That said, I really liked the plot and the background for the story. I really hope Rufus does get out of this well-off. Rufus is such a good man.
January 11, 2019
Sometimes when you experience something wonderful, everything else loses its shine.
Rep: male bi mc
Actual rating: 2.5
Get ready for a rant, folks, because I am so done with this book.
First of all, that extra 0.5 rating is because of the ending, which was probably the best part of the book. The 2 stars is because it was far from being a bad book (I mean, scroll down the first few reviews of it, they're mostly 5 stars so it must be doing something right).
There were various things that annoyed me about this book. The writing was below par - I mean, I've read worse, but I've also read a lot better. At one point, one of the characters was described as having 'orated' something. Which, in context, made no sense because he spoke, he didn't orate: 'said' would have sufficed. (There was also a lot of barking done. I didn't realise I was reading a book about dogs.)
Second thing that annoyed me: there was no structure to the plot. You know how in good fantasy series, there's always this overarching plotline that every smaller plot within the book heads towards. There was none of that in this. In fact, only the end had any sense of it. A lot of it seemed thrown together because the author had thought 'oh wait I need something here'. Also, the lack of the overarching plot meant that it made no sense why Jionat was fleeing - no plotline, and even worse, no backstory. At one point, the author threw in this bit of information about another kingdom being pissed off at Hamartia and I am 90% sure that never got mentioned beforehand - though, to be fair, I did skim read some parts so I might well have missed it.
The worst thing about this book was that I really liked the characters (despite their tendency to switch moods within paragraphs like who on earth can go from really fucking pissed off to calm in a matter of seconds??). The characters (although written poorly) were what held the book up. The only reason I managed to finish this book was because of the characters. And the promise of a bisexual character, who I did find, but it was hardly explicit *glares*.
And after that ending, I now have to read book two when it comes out. Wonderful.
March 3, 2018
GUYS THIS CURRENTLY 99p/99c ON KINDLE AND BOOK 2 IS FREE!
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR EPIC FANTASY WITH HUMOUR AND UNUSUAL CHARACTERS AND DIVERSITY, THEN THIS SERIES IS FOR YOU.
AMENDED to show review of Second Edition
4.5 stars
This is epic fantasy with a difference. Somehow the author has managed to get the feel of George R R Martin or Tolkien or Terry Goodkind, but the plot and sub-plots feed each other rather than being episodes set as way stations on the way to an inevitable destination. At 500 odd pages this is not a light read but it feels like one because the story is told with both realism and warmth, and with a heart that is often sadly lacking in epic fantasy. Another point in its favour is the way it neatly side steps tired tropes while still keeping all the staples of a truly good fantasy. The characters are all well rounded, no one turns up 'just because' or 'as fate would have it' and nothing happens 'because of reasons' - all things which royally piss me off in other fantasy sagas. The pace is good, the sadness is leavened with wry humour, the bravery with conceit and idiocy. You can believe in these characters and I defy you not to care about them.
Rufus was my personal favourite character, although he gave me several moments of severe anxiety. Don't forget to charge your kindle, if you're reading the ebook, like I did! While I did work out some of the twists along the way and as I drew toward the end, the main one, the finale, I did not see coming. And it was the right way for it to end, heart wrenching as it was. If you're looking for a great read that you can lose yourself in, then look no further.
My only quibble was in the number of alternatives to the speech tag 'said', which were used. I'll admit this is a pet peeve of mine and while some of them were odd and, for me, distracting, it did not detract from the overall experience or enjoyment of the book. I look forward to book two eagerly.
UPDATE
I read this when it was first published and I have just finished a re-read or rather a read of the second edition.
I'm upgrading my rating to a solid five stars.
Few books come out perfect - especially first books - but there has been a lot of thought and effort put into this so that the prose was tightened up, pruned back where necessary and over all the humour and the horror and the sadness were allowed to shine through much more for such subtle changes. This is not an easy trick to pull off considering that the author has not materially changed the story, but instead has given us the original story in an even more engaging way.
I laughed out loud. I cried in public (I do not do that as a general rule). And I rooted for all of the main characters in different ways. Rufus is still my favourite but I found myself warming even more to poor Jionathan and to Zachary too. Fae and Luca are all kinds of awesome, of course.
Since book two - The Blood of the Delphi - will be out soon, this was the perfect time to re-read this. Can't wait for the second and third volumes in the trilogy.
Absolute favourite part? It starts like this 'Do not plead to me of justice and mercy. Those are not my qualities...' If I didn't know how awesome the next book is, the series really could have ended there for me. In fire and blood #teamRufus
If you haven't read this yet, what're you waiting for?
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR EPIC FANTASY WITH HUMOUR AND UNUSUAL CHARACTERS AND DIVERSITY, THEN THIS SERIES IS FOR YOU.
AMENDED to show review of Second Edition
4.5 stars
This is epic fantasy with a difference. Somehow the author has managed to get the feel of George R R Martin or Tolkien or Terry Goodkind, but the plot and sub-plots feed each other rather than being episodes set as way stations on the way to an inevitable destination. At 500 odd pages this is not a light read but it feels like one because the story is told with both realism and warmth, and with a heart that is often sadly lacking in epic fantasy. Another point in its favour is the way it neatly side steps tired tropes while still keeping all the staples of a truly good fantasy. The characters are all well rounded, no one turns up 'just because' or 'as fate would have it' and nothing happens 'because of reasons' - all things which royally piss me off in other fantasy sagas. The pace is good, the sadness is leavened with wry humour, the bravery with conceit and idiocy. You can believe in these characters and I defy you not to care about them.
Rufus was my personal favourite character, although he gave me several moments of severe anxiety. Don't forget to charge your kindle, if you're reading the ebook, like I did! While I did work out some of the twists along the way and as I drew toward the end, the main one, the finale, I did not see coming. And it was the right way for it to end, heart wrenching as it was. If you're looking for a great read that you can lose yourself in, then look no further.
My only quibble was in the number of alternatives to the speech tag 'said', which were used. I'll admit this is a pet peeve of mine and while some of them were odd and, for me, distracting, it did not detract from the overall experience or enjoyment of the book. I look forward to book two eagerly.
UPDATE
I read this when it was first published and I have just finished a re-read or rather a read of the second edition.
I'm upgrading my rating to a solid five stars.
Few books come out perfect - especially first books - but there has been a lot of thought and effort put into this so that the prose was tightened up, pruned back where necessary and over all the humour and the horror and the sadness were allowed to shine through much more for such subtle changes. This is not an easy trick to pull off considering that the author has not materially changed the story, but instead has given us the original story in an even more engaging way.
I laughed out loud. I cried in public (I do not do that as a general rule). And I rooted for all of the main characters in different ways. Rufus is still my favourite but I found myself warming even more to poor Jionathan and to Zachary too. Fae and Luca are all kinds of awesome, of course.
Since book two - The Blood of the Delphi - will be out soon, this was the perfect time to re-read this. Can't wait for the second and third volumes in the trilogy.
Absolute favourite part? It starts like this 'Do not plead to me of justice and mercy. Those are not my qualities...' If I didn't know how awesome the next book is, the series really could have ended there for me. In fire and blood #teamRufus
If you haven't read this yet, what're you waiting for?
February 12, 2018
I am obviously biased, but my rating is based on two things -
1) My personal enjoyment of the story, which was obviously tremendous because I wrote, and then rewrote, and then rewrote it several times, and you can only do that when you're dedicated to the work. The characters have become old friends, and more than anything, the prospect of sharing them with others is delightful.
2) I'm writing this review on behalf of my mother, who died a few months before it was published. I owe the entire book to her. She, unfortunately, never got to read the whole thing...But I remember several specific details about how she felt about it. She liked Rufus. She enjoyed the prose. She found it to be a little violent at times, but engaging. The jokes made her laugh.
She always wanted to know what happened next.
Obviously she was biased too...But because she's not around to be biased publicly, I guess that's my job. So here it is. My review of SoT. And with it, my heartfelt hope that you all find it equally as enjoyable.
1) My personal enjoyment of the story, which was obviously tremendous because I wrote, and then rewrote, and then rewrote it several times, and you can only do that when you're dedicated to the work. The characters have become old friends, and more than anything, the prospect of sharing them with others is delightful.
2) I'm writing this review on behalf of my mother, who died a few months before it was published. I owe the entire book to her. She, unfortunately, never got to read the whole thing...But I remember several specific details about how she felt about it. She liked Rufus. She enjoyed the prose. She found it to be a little violent at times, but engaging. The jokes made her laugh.
She always wanted to know what happened next.
Obviously she was biased too...But because she's not around to be biased publicly, I guess that's my job. So here it is. My review of SoT. And with it, my heartfelt hope that you all find it equally as enjoyable.
February 7, 2017
Addition for the second edition:
I knew what was coming, I've read this book more then once. And still, I get swept up in this world, I laugh at the same parts, I cry at the same parts, me emotions are assaulted and I welcome it every single time I read this book.
Original review:
In the short version? This book is AMAZING and i cant wait to see what happens next! There is magic and battles and family and friends and you never get a break for long from some new horrible thing our heros need to over come. Theres tons of representation in this book and its just... amazing!
For a more in depth review, a total break down of why this book is amazing you can check out this post, no spoilers!
http://noobchic.blogspot.com/2015/08/...
I knew what was coming, I've read this book more then once. And still, I get swept up in this world, I laugh at the same parts, I cry at the same parts, me emotions are assaulted and I welcome it every single time I read this book.
Original review:
In the short version? This book is AMAZING and i cant wait to see what happens next! There is magic and battles and family and friends and you never get a break for long from some new horrible thing our heros need to over come. Theres tons of representation in this book and its just... amazing!
For a more in depth review, a total break down of why this book is amazing you can check out this post, no spoilers!
http://noobchic.blogspot.com/2015/08/...
October 1, 2015
4.5 stars
Before I get started, I want to thank M.E. Vaughan who gave me this e-book in exchange for an honest review. So, thank you. It was a pleasure, truly.
*rubs hands together* Now, let’s get started.
I was approached by Vaughan during an epic reading slump and to be honest, I was a little nervous that a high fantasy novel would make it worse or that I would feel bogged down by learning a new world. However, this book was thrilling and witty and full of twists. If school hadn’t taken up so much of my time, there is no doubt that I would have finished this book in two or three days tops. Even when I put it down, I was thinking about the characters and praying my classes would be canceled so I could continue reading. For me, that is always the sign of a good book.
Vaughan’s writing style is rich, full of color and charm. I loved how her description of both characters and places really immersed me into the story. The only aspect of her style that took some getting used to was the formal dialogue, but once I did (and it didn’t take long, really), I felt it fit the world and characters.
Speaking of characters, I haven’t felt this invested this in love with characters since the Raven Boys. Rufus, Fae and Jionat stole my heart within the first 100 pages of the book. I wanted nothing more than their safety and happiness. I ached when they did and laughed when they did. Their development throughout the novel, both as characters and friends was vast and wonderful to read. They weren’t the only ones, though. I loved all of the supporting characters as well. They all added so much to the plot and culture of the novel. Vaughan certainly knows how to craft her characters.
The world was well built, the magic system clear and well explained. I was never confused by it as in some high fantasy. The culture was vast and I loved the comparison between the Bethean, Sarrin and Harmatia cultures and traditions. It was very interesting, and, I think important for both the plot and audience. Although, the construction of the world did sometimes come at the price of extended exposition and explanation. I think Vaughan handled this well as there were only a couple of times that it overwhelmed me.
Vaughan is a master plotter--plot-ician? plot-ist? It doesn’t matter. Whatever the title, she designed a plot with the suspense of a thriller, the surprises of a mystery and the detail of a fantasy. I was so immersed and thrilled, it was a wonder I slept at all while reading this book. There were only a few times when I felt the book moved to slow or fast, but that may have been me wanting to know what happened next and not wanted it to end respectively.
In fact, I literally sat there after I finished this book and said, “What am I to do with myself now? How am I supposed to wait for the next one?” My reading slump is cured, but this wonderful story is paused until book two comes out and I can honestly say that I can’t wait to read it and go on more adventures with Rufus and other the other characters of this book.
Before I get started, I want to thank M.E. Vaughan who gave me this e-book in exchange for an honest review. So, thank you. It was a pleasure, truly.
*rubs hands together* Now, let’s get started.
I was approached by Vaughan during an epic reading slump and to be honest, I was a little nervous that a high fantasy novel would make it worse or that I would feel bogged down by learning a new world. However, this book was thrilling and witty and full of twists. If school hadn’t taken up so much of my time, there is no doubt that I would have finished this book in two or three days tops. Even when I put it down, I was thinking about the characters and praying my classes would be canceled so I could continue reading. For me, that is always the sign of a good book.
Vaughan’s writing style is rich, full of color and charm. I loved how her description of both characters and places really immersed me into the story. The only aspect of her style that took some getting used to was the formal dialogue, but once I did (and it didn’t take long, really), I felt it fit the world and characters.
Speaking of characters, I haven’t felt this invested this in love with characters since the Raven Boys. Rufus, Fae and Jionat stole my heart within the first 100 pages of the book. I wanted nothing more than their safety and happiness. I ached when they did and laughed when they did. Their development throughout the novel, both as characters and friends was vast and wonderful to read. They weren’t the only ones, though. I loved all of the supporting characters as well. They all added so much to the plot and culture of the novel. Vaughan certainly knows how to craft her characters.
The world was well built, the magic system clear and well explained. I was never confused by it as in some high fantasy. The culture was vast and I loved the comparison between the Bethean, Sarrin and Harmatia cultures and traditions. It was very interesting, and, I think important for both the plot and audience. Although, the construction of the world did sometimes come at the price of extended exposition and explanation. I think Vaughan handled this well as there were only a couple of times that it overwhelmed me.
Vaughan is a master plotter--plot-ician? plot-ist? It doesn’t matter. Whatever the title, she designed a plot with the suspense of a thriller, the surprises of a mystery and the detail of a fantasy. I was so immersed and thrilled, it was a wonder I slept at all while reading this book. There were only a few times when I felt the book moved to slow or fast, but that may have been me wanting to know what happened next and not wanted it to end respectively.
In fact, I literally sat there after I finished this book and said, “What am I to do with myself now? How am I supposed to wait for the next one?” My reading slump is cured, but this wonderful story is paused until book two comes out and I can honestly say that I can’t wait to read it and go on more adventures with Rufus and other the other characters of this book.
March 25, 2015
In the same way that a musician absorbs and reconfigures the influences of other players and bands, The Sons of Thestian synthesizes a wide array of influences from Medieval Arthurian legend and Celtic folklore to more recent classics of the fantasy genre such as The Lord of the Rings and the Game of Thrones and Harry Potter series. As the first novel in Vaughan’s Harmatia Cycle, this novel begins a saga that has the same degree of scope and resonance as so many that have come before it, but Vaughan’s own alchemy integrates her influences into a result that feels completely fresh and also serves as a reminder of why a fantasy epic can inspire such devotion in readers. The most enduring examples of the genre create a world so rich with imagery that you don’t want to leave, a cast of characters so textured and engaging that they begin to feel like old friends. In building the world of Mag Mell and by giving us such layered characters as Prince Jionathan (pronounced Yo-nat-han), Rufus the Magi, Fae the Sidhe, and a host of others, Vaughan has created an epic that is endlessly absorbing, even addictive.
The plot unfolds with a dying king, a plotting queen, dangerous wizards, and a prince on the run—either away from his destiny or toward it. As King Thestian lies on his death bed, the young Prince Jionathan flees the city and kingdom of Harmatia, fearful of the king’s first wife Queen Reine and the machinations of a group of rogue shape-shifting Magi known as the Night Patrol, who justify murder under the guise of keeping the city streets safe. The prince also carries with him the heavy burden of the assassination of his older brother, Sverrin (pronounced Suh-ver-in), the former heir to the throne. The king and queen, along with Jionathan’s mother Eliane, send Rufus, a young Magi with heavy burdens of his own, to find the prince and bring him home. Rufus easily catches up with Jionathan in the forest beyond the city, and he and the prince forge a close but uneasy bond as the pair tumble from one dire circumstance to the next.
While on the surface, the novel appears to be a classic hero’s quest, but the series of double-crosses, triple-crosses, and twists make it difficult to pin down exactly who the heroes and who the villains truly are, breathing new life into the standard quest narrative. Even with the vast scope, and high page count, the book is tightly written—chock full of gripping battles and action sequences, quiet romantic moments, and dangerous confrontations with fearsome creatures. The pacing of the action is quick and no detail is insignificant, building to a conclusion that will leave the reader breathless and wanting more.
The plot unfolds with a dying king, a plotting queen, dangerous wizards, and a prince on the run—either away from his destiny or toward it. As King Thestian lies on his death bed, the young Prince Jionathan flees the city and kingdom of Harmatia, fearful of the king’s first wife Queen Reine and the machinations of a group of rogue shape-shifting Magi known as the Night Patrol, who justify murder under the guise of keeping the city streets safe. The prince also carries with him the heavy burden of the assassination of his older brother, Sverrin (pronounced Suh-ver-in), the former heir to the throne. The king and queen, along with Jionathan’s mother Eliane, send Rufus, a young Magi with heavy burdens of his own, to find the prince and bring him home. Rufus easily catches up with Jionathan in the forest beyond the city, and he and the prince forge a close but uneasy bond as the pair tumble from one dire circumstance to the next.
While on the surface, the novel appears to be a classic hero’s quest, but the series of double-crosses, triple-crosses, and twists make it difficult to pin down exactly who the heroes and who the villains truly are, breathing new life into the standard quest narrative. Even with the vast scope, and high page count, the book is tightly written—chock full of gripping battles and action sequences, quiet romantic moments, and dangerous confrontations with fearsome creatures. The pacing of the action is quick and no detail is insignificant, building to a conclusion that will leave the reader breathless and wanting more.
January 1, 2017
3.5**
although I loved this book a lot, there were a few minor things that leave it with a lower rating in my mind. But, since I loved the story so much, I gave it 4 stars officially anyways. SIGNAL BOOST!
I'm quite emotional right now so let's see if I can write a coherent enough review that will intrigue and hopefully encourage you guys to pick this book up.
First, I want to acknowledge the lower rating. This is not due to lack of plot or character development, but merely due to the pacing and the writing style in the very beginning of the book. For me, (as both an avid reader and a writer) it was quite frustrating trying to power through the first two chapters, because the writing style held a lot of nuances that just screamed a lack of editing. Maybe, being the very beginning, these issues had been looked over? The author seemed to try very hard in the beginning to make the book flow, which ironically led it to not flow at all. The overuse of adverbs and (incorrect--I mean I'm flexible in grammar/punctuation, but come on) semi-colons got on my nerves, but I can forgive it because this, as far as I'm aware, is a self-published book and the editing can't be perfect.
Another thing that really got on my nerves: the supposed queer representation and failing to follow through. Rufus is a canonically bi character, but we never see him express any interest in men. His sexuality is only hinted at through very subtle cues within the novel, which normally wouldn't bother me, but at this point in time, it's very important for authors to be clear and explicit when incorporating diverse characters into their work. This is also something she does with all of her supposed queer characters (cough) Marcel and emeric (cough). I just felt like she was trying so hard to cater to the straight audience that she forgot about the rest of us. I can only hope that these issues will be remedied in the future books, otherwise I don't think I could be as gracious. I despise queer baiting.
That being said, the story blew me away. Again, I had some issues with the pacing, and while reading some scenes I kept questioning, "Why is this important?" because at the time they seemed so minuscule and not important at all... but I was quickly proven wrong. Every scene that's written in this book is important and contributes to the story, which in my opinion, is the sign of a strong writer (so kudos to M.E. Vaughan). Like most fantasy novels, this story obviously has the larger plot, but it also has SO MANY minor plots that it can be hard to keep track of them all, especially when you get to the end and things are revealed and it doesn't make sense at first (because the scenes you wrote off as unimportant were actually SO IMPORTANT). Which, again, I applaud the author for doing that. This novel is very carefully woven and I appreciate that.
(I am trying so hard to make this non-spoilery but DAMN IT THAT ENDING HAS ME WANTING TO STRANGLE THE AUTHOR SO BAD. WHY? WHY CAUSE ME THIS PAIN?)
As for the characters: I. Love. Them. All. Like, it's not even funny how much I love them. The characterization is faultless. I love Rufus, with his cowardly ways and unwavering loyalty; I love Jionat, with his consistent ignorance and open curiosity; I love Fae, with her hard-headed personality and hesitant compassion; I love Luca, with her stubbornness and brute passion; I love Zachary, with his hunger for power and sense of brotherhood. I love them all SO MUCH. And they are all so great together as well. Literally, I ship all of them together. (Mostly Rufus x Jionat x Fae x Luca, but still).
This novel was, in two words, a pleasant surprise. I went in not expecting much of it--although the abundance of queer representation and POC characters my friend sent me a list of gave me some semblance of hope going in--but was quickly proven wrong in my opinion. This novel is a gem and I can see why it's been compared to The Captive Prince (one of my ALL TIME favorite series). Again, I don't want to spoil too much because I think it's best to go into this book blind, but I can say with confidence that if you enjoy intricate plots and a cast of beautifully flawed characters, then you will probably enjoy this.
I recommend this 100% (ok maybe 85%)
although I loved this book a lot, there were a few minor things that leave it with a lower rating in my mind. But, since I loved the story so much, I gave it 4 stars officially anyways. SIGNAL BOOST!
I'm quite emotional right now so let's see if I can write a coherent enough review that will intrigue and hopefully encourage you guys to pick this book up.
First, I want to acknowledge the lower rating. This is not due to lack of plot or character development, but merely due to the pacing and the writing style in the very beginning of the book. For me, (as both an avid reader and a writer) it was quite frustrating trying to power through the first two chapters, because the writing style held a lot of nuances that just screamed a lack of editing. Maybe, being the very beginning, these issues had been looked over? The author seemed to try very hard in the beginning to make the book flow, which ironically led it to not flow at all. The overuse of adverbs and (incorrect--I mean I'm flexible in grammar/punctuation, but come on) semi-colons got on my nerves, but I can forgive it because this, as far as I'm aware, is a self-published book and the editing can't be perfect.
Another thing that really got on my nerves: the supposed queer representation and failing to follow through. Rufus is a canonically bi character, but we never see him express any interest in men. His sexuality is only hinted at through very subtle cues within the novel, which normally wouldn't bother me, but at this point in time, it's very important for authors to be clear and explicit when incorporating diverse characters into their work. This is also something she does with all of her supposed queer characters (cough) Marcel and emeric (cough). I just felt like she was trying so hard to cater to the straight audience that she forgot about the rest of us. I can only hope that these issues will be remedied in the future books, otherwise I don't think I could be as gracious. I despise queer baiting.
That being said, the story blew me away. Again, I had some issues with the pacing, and while reading some scenes I kept questioning, "Why is this important?" because at the time they seemed so minuscule and not important at all... but I was quickly proven wrong. Every scene that's written in this book is important and contributes to the story, which in my opinion, is the sign of a strong writer (so kudos to M.E. Vaughan). Like most fantasy novels, this story obviously has the larger plot, but it also has SO MANY minor plots that it can be hard to keep track of them all, especially when you get to the end and things are revealed and it doesn't make sense at first (because the scenes you wrote off as unimportant were actually SO IMPORTANT). Which, again, I applaud the author for doing that. This novel is very carefully woven and I appreciate that.
(I am trying so hard to make this non-spoilery but DAMN IT THAT ENDING HAS ME WANTING TO STRANGLE THE AUTHOR SO BAD. WHY? WHY CAUSE ME THIS PAIN?)
As for the characters: I. Love. Them. All. Like, it's not even funny how much I love them. The characterization is faultless. I love Rufus, with his cowardly ways and unwavering loyalty; I love Jionat, with his consistent ignorance and open curiosity; I love Fae, with her hard-headed personality and hesitant compassion; I love Luca, with her stubbornness and brute passion; I love Zachary, with his hunger for power and sense of brotherhood. I love them all SO MUCH. And they are all so great together as well. Literally, I ship all of them together. (Mostly Rufus x Jionat x Fae x Luca, but still).
This novel was, in two words, a pleasant surprise. I went in not expecting much of it--although the abundance of queer representation and POC characters my friend sent me a list of gave me some semblance of hope going in--but was quickly proven wrong in my opinion. This novel is a gem and I can see why it's been compared to The Captive Prince (one of my ALL TIME favorite series). Again, I don't want to spoil too much because I think it's best to go into this book blind, but I can say with confidence that if you enjoy intricate plots and a cast of beautifully flawed characters, then you will probably enjoy this.
I recommend this 100% (ok maybe 85%)
March 28, 2015
Even though I've read thousands (and I am NOT exaggerating) books, I can sincerly say that The Sons of Thestian is definitely my favourite. It is hard to pinpoint one exact characteritic that makes it so exceptional. The thing is that the beautiful world, complex characters and swift action, all together create a special atmosphere of the book, and reading feels like listening to an entrancing story next to a fire on a warm summer night.
The characters have their own, very special personalities, their choices are not obvious, the journey they are on is more than a hero's quest. They change in front of our eyes, and with each and every page we get to know them better, so much that they feel like old friends.
It is clear to me that when I get attached enough to people I read about that I not only pick my favourites, but hold my breath in moments of danger, because I fear for them, and then giggle with relief when it turns out alright, then I know that I became as much part of this story as them (fanfiction is a popular result, though the ending sort of ruined most of my ideas. oh well, there's always AU left).
And this? This is a book I laughed and shivered and cried above. This is a book that become a part of me, changing me forever.
The Sons of Thestian is a book I know I will come back to. Over and over again.
The characters have their own, very special personalities, their choices are not obvious, the journey they are on is more than a hero's quest. They change in front of our eyes, and with each and every page we get to know them better, so much that they feel like old friends.
It is clear to me that when I get attached enough to people I read about that I not only pick my favourites, but hold my breath in moments of danger, because I fear for them, and then giggle with relief when it turns out alright, then I know that I became as much part of this story as them (fanfiction is a popular result, though the ending sort of ruined most of my ideas. oh well, there's always AU left).
And this? This is a book I laughed and shivered and cried above. This is a book that become a part of me, changing me forever.
The Sons of Thestian is a book I know I will come back to. Over and over again.
February 9, 2016
I have not been drawn into a book as deeply as I was with The Sons of Thestian for a rather long time, I have also not been as emotionally attached to characters and felt so happy or sad for/with them as I have been while reading it. Why did you make them all so likeable!? :)
I can promise that this book will leave you laughing (for there are many occasions where you cannot help but laugh, in my case uncontrollably and for longer than could be seen as normal...), crying (for I will not lie I did, more than once) or begging for more which is the stage I am at now.
The secrets of the book always came out when you least expected them, you started to think you knew what might happen or where it might be going only to be proved wrong in the most fantastic ways, which led to many "I KNEW IT!!!" or "HOW DID I NOT SEE THAT!!!" moments...
I would, without a doubt or hesitation, recommend reading The Sons of Thestian by M.E. Vaughan you will be amused by the witty humour, touched by the relationships the characters share and changed by the sheer magnificence of this author's imagination and the effect the world she created will have on you.
Seriously people, read the book and you will understand exactly what I mean.
I can promise that this book will leave you laughing (for there are many occasions where you cannot help but laugh, in my case uncontrollably and for longer than could be seen as normal...), crying (for I will not lie I did, more than once) or begging for more which is the stage I am at now.
The secrets of the book always came out when you least expected them, you started to think you knew what might happen or where it might be going only to be proved wrong in the most fantastic ways, which led to many "I KNEW IT!!!" or "HOW DID I NOT SEE THAT!!!" moments...
I would, without a doubt or hesitation, recommend reading The Sons of Thestian by M.E. Vaughan you will be amused by the witty humour, touched by the relationships the characters share and changed by the sheer magnificence of this author's imagination and the effect the world she created will have on you.
Seriously people, read the book and you will understand exactly what I mean.
July 8, 2017
I loved this book. I am a fan of fantasy, fairies and magic, so this book fit perfectly. I also love to read books by relatively unknown authors as there are some amazing gems out there. I was entranced by each of the characters, all their good and bad, they developed at a decent pace but just enough to let you know who they were with-out belabouring the point. I also love the ambiguity and fluid nature of the characters sexuality, this is written well and feels natural. I have started the second book and I am already fully engaged. Great work. I am looking forward to further writings.
April 26, 2018
Alright, alright. I grumbled my way through this. I complained constantly. My updates have been grumpy at best and rude at worst. But I’ll give credit where it’s due: at the end of the book, the author COMMITTED.
But the plot was unfocused and I hardly cared about any of the characters. Help?
No, seriously, help. This review is going to be a mess, because in my eyes the book is a mess. The plot just drifts along awkwardly. Sure, there are fight scenes and secrets and drama and stuff. But honestly, the book feels like the whole thing was contrived purely to get the ending into place, without regard for how the book as a whole worked as a journey.
See, Jionat wants to leave Harmatia because he believes he'll die if he stays. So he attempts to leave until he is successful. Rufus follows him. They have now achieved their goal of not being in Harmatia. So now they will... help this woman they just met achieve her quest to rescue a young princess, I guess, because they're not doing anything else? And once that has happened, they will go to this nice little village and relax? And if people come to either hurt them or take them back to Harmatia they will fight back? To defend their goal of not being in Harmatia? Meanwhile ominous things happen back in Harmatia, where they aren't?
It meanders. It feels random. The ending it sets up is one of the best parts of the book, but it isn't worth how unfocused the plot feels. The few arcs that feel more fleshed out — like Rufus and Jionat reconciling and becoming friends, or Jionat struggling with glimpsing the future — are just not inlayed into a plot that deserves them. And then there are all these random side plots that feel like they were completely dropped, like Rufus's awkward romance bit with Luca or a random guy who was killed while the main characters aren't in Harmatia. Certain plots I don't count as "forgotten" because I can only assume they will be picked back up in the sequel this entire book is calibrated to, but the lack of closure on so many things makes the book that much more unsatisfying.
Also, the characters. Oh boy. It's not that I dislike them, it's that 90% of the time I just don't care about them. Unless they're going through something particularly dramatic at the moment, they all come across as aggressively bland. I don't even know what the problem is. They just don't work. Fae is a badass faerie knight that I should love and I barely know if she has a personality. Also, was I supposed to care about her and Jionat and the doomed nature of human/faerie romance? Because I couldn't have cared less.
The writing style was probably not helping the character situation. I definitely didn't click with the general vibe of the story. I think it tended to be too heavy-handed and stilted. There were more than a few moments of objectively bad writing, too many misspellings/misuses of words, and an obsessive use of the description of characters' lips parting. Just parting, constantly, presumably to show emotion but coming across in the cringiest, most unnecessary way.
In conclusion: a few gems hidden in what is otherwise pure, bland frustration.
But the plot was unfocused and I hardly cared about any of the characters. Help?
No, seriously, help. This review is going to be a mess, because in my eyes the book is a mess. The plot just drifts along awkwardly. Sure, there are fight scenes and secrets and drama and stuff. But honestly, the book feels like the whole thing was contrived purely to get the ending into place, without regard for how the book as a whole worked as a journey.
See, Jionat wants to leave Harmatia because he believes he'll die if he stays. So he attempts to leave until he is successful. Rufus follows him. They have now achieved their goal of not being in Harmatia. So now they will... help this woman they just met achieve her quest to rescue a young princess, I guess, because they're not doing anything else? And once that has happened, they will go to this nice little village and relax? And if people come to either hurt them or take them back to Harmatia they will fight back? To defend their goal of not being in Harmatia? Meanwhile ominous things happen back in Harmatia, where they aren't?
It meanders. It feels random. The ending it sets up is one of the best parts of the book, but it isn't worth how unfocused the plot feels. The few arcs that feel more fleshed out — like Rufus and Jionat reconciling and becoming friends, or Jionat struggling with glimpsing the future — are just not inlayed into a plot that deserves them. And then there are all these random side plots that feel like they were completely dropped, like Rufus's awkward romance bit with Luca or a random guy who was killed while the main characters aren't in Harmatia. Certain plots I don't count as "forgotten" because I can only assume they will be picked back up in the sequel this entire book is calibrated to, but the lack of closure on so many things makes the book that much more unsatisfying.
Also, the characters. Oh boy. It's not that I dislike them, it's that 90% of the time I just don't care about them. Unless they're going through something particularly dramatic at the moment, they all come across as aggressively bland. I don't even know what the problem is. They just don't work. Fae is a badass faerie knight that I should love and I barely know if she has a personality. Also, was I supposed to care about her and Jionat and the doomed nature of human/faerie romance? Because I couldn't have cared less.
The writing style was probably not helping the character situation. I definitely didn't click with the general vibe of the story. I think it tended to be too heavy-handed and stilted. There were more than a few moments of objectively bad writing, too many misspellings/misuses of words, and an obsessive use of the description of characters' lips parting. Just parting, constantly, presumably to show emotion but coming across in the cringiest, most unnecessary way.
In conclusion: a few gems hidden in what is otherwise pure, bland frustration.
April 10, 2018
Edit: 2.5 stars
Okay so this plot was actually really boring to me and seemed quite underdeveloped. I really enjoyed majority of this book but the parts that were supposed to drive forward the plot were just not well done or particularly interesting to me. I had a lot of fun with these characters though. One more gripe: the author sells this story like it’s some lgbt fantasy on her tumblr and it’s not....at like the 50% mark the characters go to a liberal town where gay marriage is legal and that was cool, also one of the main characters is supposed to be bi, but that was mostly treated like a joke and was more so subtext. It wasn’t bad and I’d recommend it if you’re interested. It just didn’t meet my expectations sadly.
Poor world building
Misleading marketing
Weak plot
Villains weren’t interesting
Protagonists were..... eh I only liked rufus
Okay so this plot was actually really boring to me and seemed quite underdeveloped. I really enjoyed majority of this book but the parts that were supposed to drive forward the plot were just not well done or particularly interesting to me. I had a lot of fun with these characters though. One more gripe: the author sells this story like it’s some lgbt fantasy on her tumblr and it’s not....at like the 50% mark the characters go to a liberal town where gay marriage is legal and that was cool, also one of the main characters is supposed to be bi, but that was mostly treated like a joke and was more so subtext. It wasn’t bad and I’d recommend it if you’re interested. It just didn’t meet my expectations sadly.
Poor world building
Misleading marketing
Weak plot
Villains weren’t interesting
Protagonists were..... eh I only liked rufus
September 3, 2015
The Sons of Thestian is a superbly original fantasy adventure. I was immediately drawn in to the lives of the main characters and the world they inhabit. Rufus and Jionathan were engaging and pleasingly different leads, while the fearsome Fae is far more than your average 'warrior maiden'. Furthermore, from the outset the pace rattles along and I found the book genuinely hard to put down. The stakes get ever higher and it isn't long before the members of the little band are forced to make unenviable decisions and we're right along with them in hoping it's for the best.
The world of the novel proudly bears its Celtic influences with some of the more obvious tropes like the Washer In The Ford and the Fisher King, but the narrative does far more than simply repackage traditional stories with 'modern' character motivations. The attention to detail is admirable - the cultural differences between the capital city and outlying towns, for example are marked and convincing. This is no homogenous 'fantasy kingdom'.
But it's the characters and their struggles, individual and collective, that drive The Sons Of Thestian, through the early struggles in a terrifying forest, through the rising realisation of a threat greater than anyone imagined, betrayals, redemptions, mistakes, to a genuinely surprising ending.
The world of the novel proudly bears its Celtic influences with some of the more obvious tropes like the Washer In The Ford and the Fisher King, but the narrative does far more than simply repackage traditional stories with 'modern' character motivations. The attention to detail is admirable - the cultural differences between the capital city and outlying towns, for example are marked and convincing. This is no homogenous 'fantasy kingdom'.
But it's the characters and their struggles, individual and collective, that drive The Sons Of Thestian, through the early struggles in a terrifying forest, through the rising realisation of a threat greater than anyone imagined, betrayals, redemptions, mistakes, to a genuinely surprising ending.
June 9, 2016
This book has DESTROYED me. I love the characters. I love the plot. The world building was phenomenal. I literally shed tears at the end. I just loved so many thing about this book!!!!! The ending made me feel SO MANY THINGS. Also, I empathized with nearly all the characters, even the ones I really disliked.
There were some typos and a few errors here and there but were easily looked past in my opinion. The one thing I was kind of disappointed about was the lack of explicit representation, when I heard this book had a bi main character I was super excited. As a bi girl, I love finding books with good representation. While there were a few moments that told us Rufus is interested in men as well, they could be easily glossed over and readers could've assumed he was straight. I know the plot obviously takes precedence over his sexuality, but I would've liked a little more explicit portrayal. Hopefully it'll get a bit better in the next book!
Overall, I really recommend this book. It was fun to read and I loved getting to know the characters. I'm definitely excited for what comes next.
There were some typos and a few errors here and there but were easily looked past in my opinion. The one thing I was kind of disappointed about was the lack of explicit representation, when I heard this book had a bi main character I was super excited. As a bi girl, I love finding books with good representation. While there were a few moments that told us Rufus is interested in men as well, they could be easily glossed over and readers could've assumed he was straight. I know the plot obviously takes precedence over his sexuality, but I would've liked a little more explicit portrayal. Hopefully it'll get a bit better in the next book!
Overall, I really recommend this book. It was fun to read and I loved getting to know the characters. I'm definitely excited for what comes next.
September 16, 2015
Ok.
there are a lot of reviews for this book and I only saw one two star one against. so being a contrary sort I read that :)
I have read Sons of Thestian and I agree with the positive quotes here, however I understood the two star rating points but not the rating itself.
So my two pennies worth?
I have read a LOT of Fantasy and I don't have a degree so I guess this should be taken for what it is, the meanderings of a forty something man who enjoyed a book and was even more impressed by the back story.
The book was great. prose and balance and pace and spelling all aside, I want to know more so I guess it delivered on what I want from a book and that is a story. This delivered with enough uniqueness of plot and characters that showed far more depth and human frailty than most.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm eager for the next!
there are a lot of reviews for this book and I only saw one two star one against. so being a contrary sort I read that :)
I have read Sons of Thestian and I agree with the positive quotes here, however I understood the two star rating points but not the rating itself.
So my two pennies worth?
I have read a LOT of Fantasy and I don't have a degree so I guess this should be taken for what it is, the meanderings of a forty something man who enjoyed a book and was even more impressed by the back story.
The book was great. prose and balance and pace and spelling all aside, I want to know more so I guess it delivered on what I want from a book and that is a story. This delivered with enough uniqueness of plot and characters that showed far more depth and human frailty than most.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm eager for the next!
June 10, 2016
Simply an excellent fantasy novel. A book of compelling incidents and fascinating characters. M.E. Vaughan's prose is not only appropriate and effective but it's also musical, with harmonious blends of the pleasing, the riveting, the poignant and even the horrific. Being a little over five hundred pages, this book requires more of a commitment from the reader, but it's more than well worth the time devoted to it. I'm very much looking forward to more work from this very talented author. Highly recommended.
February 7, 2017
A book that reminds us the dangers of forgetting to live in the present. Sons of Thestian is an engaging book with sympathetic characters that challenge our preconceptions of them as we read.
December 23, 2017
There are two things which I commend this book highly for.
First, its ability to utilise multiple points of view (I.E. More than the principal two characters) in a way that is not only easy for the reader to follow, but one which is used to great effect. Each character feels and sees the world differently – from the cynical Rufus Merle, to the jaded eyes of Arlen Zachary, to the brave and reckless loyalty of Fae.
Instead of falling into the trap of having too many points of view and not enough character, The Sons of Thestian presents a vivid and varied cast which, whether villain or hero, you will find yourself sympathising with, to greater or lesser extents.
Every character has their own response to the events of the story – as well as the deeper themes I discussed in the intro to this review – and thus we, the reader, are not just painted a fantastical world, but one of many angles.
Subjects such as death and love do not affect everyone in the same way. And being able to portray this with such clarity, in a world where flying cats exist, is no easy task.
Secondly, the plot. Looking at the blurb, I assumed I would know the general gist of the story – a runaway prince, a wizard sent to find him, he discovers his responsibility to the kingdom, probably some dark secret, blah, blah.
But boy, not only was I wrong, but I was punched so hard in the gut by those plot twists that my heart was living in my throat. By the mid-point, I genuinely had no idea what was going to happen next. The mythical creatures, the faerie forest, the korrigans – ugh, the korrigans!
I can honestly say that a scene at the end of the book brought tears to my eyes. The foreshadowing was that good.
That being said, there are some scenes that just didn’t do it for me. At the time, I took those scenes in my stride, but now with hindsight of the ending, I wonder what the purpose of those scenes were. Some provided foreshadowing, others a bit of characterisation.
But there are a number of scenes, especially when the characters arrive in a certain village that really lost momentum for me. It felt like a lot of time was given to the characters being introspective, rather than taking action – passively waiting on their next move, rather than taking it.
In addition, there are a number of characters – particularly the Magi – that I wish we’d seen more of. Their names were brought up time and again through the book, but as a reader, I didn’t know who they were. I couldn’t put a face to the name, or even a personality. And the last thing I want half way through a tense piece of dialogue is to ask “Who was that again?”
But overlooking these flaws, The Sons of Thestian was a great book to read. I loved the main characters, the enemies, the twists. And the final moments of this book had me staring out into the void, contemplating everything I knew about life, in the way only a good book can.
If you are a fan of high fantasy and want a new series to sink your teeth into, then I recommend giving this book a shot.
As for me? Well, I’ll be digging into the sequel the first chance I get…
First, its ability to utilise multiple points of view (I.E. More than the principal two characters) in a way that is not only easy for the reader to follow, but one which is used to great effect. Each character feels and sees the world differently – from the cynical Rufus Merle, to the jaded eyes of Arlen Zachary, to the brave and reckless loyalty of Fae.
Instead of falling into the trap of having too many points of view and not enough character, The Sons of Thestian presents a vivid and varied cast which, whether villain or hero, you will find yourself sympathising with, to greater or lesser extents.
Every character has their own response to the events of the story – as well as the deeper themes I discussed in the intro to this review – and thus we, the reader, are not just painted a fantastical world, but one of many angles.
Subjects such as death and love do not affect everyone in the same way. And being able to portray this with such clarity, in a world where flying cats exist, is no easy task.
Secondly, the plot. Looking at the blurb, I assumed I would know the general gist of the story – a runaway prince, a wizard sent to find him, he discovers his responsibility to the kingdom, probably some dark secret, blah, blah.
But boy, not only was I wrong, but I was punched so hard in the gut by those plot twists that my heart was living in my throat. By the mid-point, I genuinely had no idea what was going to happen next. The mythical creatures, the faerie forest, the korrigans – ugh, the korrigans!
I can honestly say that a scene at the end of the book brought tears to my eyes. The foreshadowing was that good.
That being said, there are some scenes that just didn’t do it for me. At the time, I took those scenes in my stride, but now with hindsight of the ending, I wonder what the purpose of those scenes were. Some provided foreshadowing, others a bit of characterisation.
But there are a number of scenes, especially when the characters arrive in a certain village that really lost momentum for me. It felt like a lot of time was given to the characters being introspective, rather than taking action – passively waiting on their next move, rather than taking it.
In addition, there are a number of characters – particularly the Magi – that I wish we’d seen more of. Their names were brought up time and again through the book, but as a reader, I didn’t know who they were. I couldn’t put a face to the name, or even a personality. And the last thing I want half way through a tense piece of dialogue is to ask “Who was that again?”
But overlooking these flaws, The Sons of Thestian was a great book to read. I loved the main characters, the enemies, the twists. And the final moments of this book had me staring out into the void, contemplating everything I knew about life, in the way only a good book can.
If you are a fan of high fantasy and want a new series to sink your teeth into, then I recommend giving this book a shot.
As for me? Well, I’ll be digging into the sequel the first chance I get…
November 17, 2016
First of all, I want to thank M.E. Vaughan for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. So without further ado, let's see if I can gather my thoughts well enough to form a coherent review:
Before reading The Sons of Thestian, I was going through a major reading slump. However, this book took me right out of it and I eventually found it nearly impossible to put down. If I wasn't being forced to be a human and study for midterms, I probably would have been able to finish it a lot faster.
I would highly recommend this book for anyone who loves fantasy but is looking for something different as is focuses more on family and friendship than love in the romantic sense, and I found it to be just a thrilling. I also found it funny how terribly I was butchering some of the names once I found the, extremely helpful, Glossary of Names & Titles at the end of the book.
The story started off good but morphed into something great. This was partially due to Vaughan's talent for foreshadowing. On several occasions I had to go back and re-read certain parts of the book due to other events occurring later on that were related. This is not to say that the book was difficult to read. Even though the genre is high fantasy, the world was extremely easy to digest because Vaughan did a good job of slowly introducing us to more while still keeping the plot moving.
The characters, both good and bad, were another positive factor. They were all imperfect in some way and extremely realistic in their emotions and experiences. Through these characters, you experience feelings of love, anger, peace, suspense, happiness, and betrayal. They were also extremely witty and funny, I found myself laughing out loud more than a few times while reading. It is hard not to fall in love with at least a few of them *cough cough* Rufus Merle *cough cough*.
The Sons of Thestian had the perfect combination of action, suspense, mystery, and love. At times, I found myself on the edge of my seat trying to read faster so I could find out what happened next. Other times, I caught myself thinking about what a certain passage I read might mean, or smiling at a happy moment in the book. The story culminated in a bittersweet ending which makes me eager for the next book because I am dying to know what happens. Also, because there is almost nothing about this story that is black and white, I am excited to see if any of my predictions about what will happen are correct. With such a strong first installment I believe that it will only get better from here and I can't wait for more!
March 10, 2018
I'll start by saying that I have received the book from the author for free, for which I promised to provide an honest review. But I'd happily pay for this book, and I indeed got my boyfriend to pay for it already, so you get the gist. I'm going to be honest.
If you don't have much time to read this review, here's the short version: I freaking loved this. Close Goodreads, and go buy it and enjoy it for yourself.
The Sons of Thestian is set in a fantastical world, where monarchy exists and magic is present via the elite group of Magi, a member of whom is Rufus, as well as other fantastical characters (which were all new to me, because I'm quite new to fantasy). Let's pause for a second to talk about Rufus. Because he's such a lovable character. I love how M.E. Vaughn let us uncover bits and pieces about his throughout the book - he's quite a mystery to begin with, but we gradually discover more and more about him, which really resembles how you'd normally go about getting to know someone.
Rufus has a special connection to Jionathan, who is another totally lovable character (this will be a running theme throughout this, brace yourselves). To a great extent, although there is just so much going on in this book that you will find it hard to put down, the core of it is friendship between Rufus and Jionathan, and with the other characters.
The world built by M. E. Vaughn is a rich, interesting and believable one - you could really see it existing in real life, it's not so far removed from reality that you'd feel heavily detached from it (although it is fully fantastical). The characters are strong and likeable (where they're meant to be, I still haven't warmed up to Zachary), you simply want to know what will happen to them next. Sometimes I felt like smacking Jionat on the head, but mistakes are the privilege of the youth, I guess. I found the idea of elemental magic interesting, and also the concept of it easy to grasp. The political intrigue combined with action packed scenes forms a great mixture. There are also so many twists and turns that made me think 'damn, I never thought that would happen!' that it was worth reading it just for that constant feeling of being on edge.
The ending is truly, really heartbreaking (and heart stopping), and will make you run-not-walk to Amazon to swiftly purchase the sequel (which I have already done). This is most definitely the best book I've read in quite a long time, so kudos to the author.
To sum up - it's a great book, even if you don't normally read fantasy, and I think many of you will really enjoy it.
If you don't have much time to read this review, here's the short version: I freaking loved this. Close Goodreads, and go buy it and enjoy it for yourself.
The Sons of Thestian is set in a fantastical world, where monarchy exists and magic is present via the elite group of Magi, a member of whom is Rufus, as well as other fantastical characters (which were all new to me, because I'm quite new to fantasy). Let's pause for a second to talk about Rufus. Because he's such a lovable character. I love how M.E. Vaughn let us uncover bits and pieces about his throughout the book - he's quite a mystery to begin with, but we gradually discover more and more about him, which really resembles how you'd normally go about getting to know someone.
Rufus has a special connection to Jionathan, who is another totally lovable character (this will be a running theme throughout this, brace yourselves). To a great extent, although there is just so much going on in this book that you will find it hard to put down, the core of it is friendship between Rufus and Jionathan, and with the other characters.
The world built by M. E. Vaughn is a rich, interesting and believable one - you could really see it existing in real life, it's not so far removed from reality that you'd feel heavily detached from it (although it is fully fantastical). The characters are strong and likeable (where they're meant to be, I still haven't warmed up to Zachary), you simply want to know what will happen to them next. Sometimes I felt like smacking Jionat on the head, but mistakes are the privilege of the youth, I guess. I found the idea of elemental magic interesting, and also the concept of it easy to grasp. The political intrigue combined with action packed scenes forms a great mixture. There are also so many twists and turns that made me think 'damn, I never thought that would happen!' that it was worth reading it just for that constant feeling of being on edge.
The ending is truly, really heartbreaking (and heart stopping), and will make you run-not-walk to Amazon to swiftly purchase the sequel (which I have already done). This is most definitely the best book I've read in quite a long time, so kudos to the author.
To sum up - it's a great book, even if you don't normally read fantasy, and I think many of you will really enjoy it.
May 25, 2017
I have had the privilege of hearing the first chapter read by the author, and I’ve been hooked ever since.
It has been on my to-read list since forever and I totally regret not reading it sooner. The book is wonderfully fantasy, and throws away the norm of dragons, elves and dwarves and focuses on legendary creatures you may have not heard of. (I certainly hadn’t.) It was a breath of fresh air to read something new and exciting with the creatures, not knowing what they were capable of. Give the book brownie points. The monsters will terrify you or leave you in awe.
Secondly, the characters are just fantastic. Rufus was just an instant love, I couldn’t get enough of him. And Jionathan was super loveable, I was behind him the entire novel. (I just wanted to give him hugs.) The way that the pair are written together was just so heart-warming. More brownie points go for how the author handled the relationships in the book. The romance was subtle and just so agonising sad. The male characters weren’t macho and stereotypical, there was a real emotional bromance between the protagonists.
I knew I was going to enjoy this novel, but I never expected to fall in love. I was laughing, crying, screaming at it. The story was just full of twists and turns, and when I thought I knew them, the book threw new ones at me I didn’t see coming from a mile away. Just a splendid plot with characters you can’t help but call your babies.
I rarely buy both kindle AND paperback, but I knew that I had to, especially since the book is 100% worth more than 99p on kindle and the author deserves every penny for her amazing talent. The prose is just jaw-dropping. Some of the lines were just beautifully written and gave you a clear picture of what was needed for the scene.
If you are looking for a heart-warming, funny adventure, then this is your book. I suspect this book will be one, if not, my favourite book of 2017.
It has been on my to-read list since forever and I totally regret not reading it sooner. The book is wonderfully fantasy, and throws away the norm of dragons, elves and dwarves and focuses on legendary creatures you may have not heard of. (I certainly hadn’t.) It was a breath of fresh air to read something new and exciting with the creatures, not knowing what they were capable of. Give the book brownie points. The monsters will terrify you or leave you in awe.
Secondly, the characters are just fantastic. Rufus was just an instant love, I couldn’t get enough of him. And Jionathan was super loveable, I was behind him the entire novel. (I just wanted to give him hugs.) The way that the pair are written together was just so heart-warming. More brownie points go for how the author handled the relationships in the book. The romance was subtle and just so agonising sad. The male characters weren’t macho and stereotypical, there was a real emotional bromance between the protagonists.
I knew I was going to enjoy this novel, but I never expected to fall in love. I was laughing, crying, screaming at it. The story was just full of twists and turns, and when I thought I knew them, the book threw new ones at me I didn’t see coming from a mile away. Just a splendid plot with characters you can’t help but call your babies.
I rarely buy both kindle AND paperback, but I knew that I had to, especially since the book is 100% worth more than 99p on kindle and the author deserves every penny for her amazing talent. The prose is just jaw-dropping. Some of the lines were just beautifully written and gave you a clear picture of what was needed for the scene.
If you are looking for a heart-warming, funny adventure, then this is your book. I suspect this book will be one, if not, my favourite book of 2017.
July 2, 2017
5 stars
This book left me breathless. It was a long book and at times I worried that there would be long lulls where my attention would wane but it didn't. The book leapt from one great action scene to the next startling revelation. I loved how the story came together in full circle especially given the ambiguous beginning. The characters were complex and the bad had their own reasons for their actions. I had my own suspicions regarding the ending seeing as I went to read the summary of the second book before reading this book but it nonetheless tore my heart out.
My favourite was Jionathan. He seemed to mature a lot throughout the book and Rufus, too, was a tortured character and I loved how his character slowly made more sense throughout the book. I had less opinion regarding Fae but she was a strong character and Zachary was an interesting character though I would like to see more of what happened to him.
The revelations in the book took me all by surprise and now I must move on to the second book because I need to know what happens next.
This book left me breathless. It was a long book and at times I worried that there would be long lulls where my attention would wane but it didn't. The book leapt from one great action scene to the next startling revelation. I loved how the story came together in full circle especially given the ambiguous beginning. The characters were complex and the bad had their own reasons for their actions. I had my own suspicions regarding the ending seeing as I went to read the summary of the second book before reading this book but it nonetheless tore my heart out.
My favourite was Jionathan. He seemed to mature a lot throughout the book and Rufus, too, was a tortured character and I loved how his character slowly made more sense throughout the book. I had less opinion regarding Fae but she was a strong character and Zachary was an interesting character though I would like to see more of what happened to him.
The revelations in the book took me all by surprise and now I must move on to the second book because I need to know what happens next.
October 17, 2015
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I received a galley of this book from author M.E. Vaughan in exchange for my honest review. The following was my HONEST opinion as I was in no way obligated to give a positive review. Thank you, mevaughan
Summary: Prince Jionathan is plagued by nightmares that cause him to want to run away from his home in Harmatia at the absolute worst time. His father, the King, is on his deathbed while his tyrannical wife, Queen Reine, has taken over and implemented a curfew upheld by the terrifying Night’s Watch - a group made of Magi that turn into horrible creatures, murdering those who venture out at night. Meanwhile, his sometimes friend Magi Rufus is tasked with protecting Jionathan - a job made difficult by Jionat’s frequent attempts at escaping. This novel follows the struggles of Jionat and Rufus as they try to protect themselves and save their kingdom.
One of the best parts about this book that both of us agree on had to do with Madeleine’s skill with writing. If an author can, using dialogue, give you the dimensions of the nest that her main characters are about to infiltrate, then you should know that author has mastered the art of world building. As many fantasy writers do, M.E Vaughan included maps in the beginning of her book that help orient you with the landscape. However, due to her brilliant use of imagery and dialogue, the maps aren’t even necessary – you can imagine the worlds through the text itself.
Sometimes in a fantasy novel you find that the first book is so focused on world building that it fails to build character or plot. This is not true of Sons of Thestian. From the very beginning you’re drawn towards Rufus and Jionathan. They’re intriguing characters, different from each other yet connected in a way the reader has to learn about as the story progresses. Even the background characters, like Zachary, are written in a way that even through short bursts we get to know them deeply. I (Tia) for one detested Queen Reine (so much creativity in other names, yet not this one) from the moment she entered the story and my hatred grew deeper with every veiled threat she made. Every character introduced were completely thought out; even from just a handful of lines presented, we could understand so much about even minor characters, it was insane!
When it comes to the plot, all we can say is holy twist, batman! (Tia: I have trust issues as it is, but I trusted Rufus! And then I didn’t trust him! But then I trusted him again! I got whiplash from that chapter in particular, but in the very best way.) Honestly, there were so many twists and turns throughout the entire book that some chapters you have no idea what is going on. Keep reading, though, as she always brings you right back to the point she’s trying to make. (Shannon: We trust him, good. Oh wait, no he’s bad. Wait, no he’s good. What are they hiding? Oh, they’re fine. WAIT, ARE THEY EVIL TOO?!) It sometimes was a little hard to follow certain storylines because of all the twists that were happening, but the complexity of the plot again only points to the skill of our author. Every action in the book - even something that seems minor at the time - ends up becoming important later on.
Also, I have to point out that there is so much action in just this one book. I felt like Madeleine covered more in this book than some author’s do in an entire series. Everything has an overall purpose as absolutely nothing was filler. Oh, and it all was enjoyable to read, too!
M.E Vaughan knows how to surprise her readers. She never overwhelmed us with plot twists but constantly threw new and exciting adventures our way. The character development in Jionathan is particularly astounding. It isn’t so much that he changes but that he grows into himself, which in a way is more difficult than creating a character who develops new traits over time. We knew Jionathan never left Rufus behind from the very beginning, but when he goes back for Rufus when Rufus sacrifices himself we see that Jionathan has finally become a friend and we can see him as a King. As the story progresses (as that is only in the first quarter of the book!), he continues to grow into himself and slowly outside the book. At one part, we think we know what he is planning, and then he throws us off by doing something completely different. A character who develops that much into themselves in one book is absolutely amazing!
And Jionathan’s not the only one. We see Rufus begin to accept his past mistakes and flaws during the course of the book as well. As we move on - especially when we meet Rufus’ extended family - he reveals more about the depth of his flaws. We learn more about what exactly is haunting him, why he did something unheard of in Magi circles and capped his magic, and why he constantly goes back for Jionathan beyond just orders. Rufus’ growth was beautiful and absolutely realistic for his character.
The romance was the one part in the book that was a little lacking. While there are romantic moments in the book - a blossoming relationship between Jionathan and Fae, for instance - they just weren’t the total focus. The relationships we did see weren’t built up as much as the other parts of the novel were. That being said, they absolutely were still enjoyable and tugged at the heart strings. Just wait until you read about Mielane and Rufus…
All in all, Madeleine’s book was absolutely enjoyable. It is terribly underrated, especially for an author with such skill. Not only are we going to be counting down till the next book comes out, but M.E. Vaughan has been added to our list of authors to watch. If you like fantasy novels - especially some of the popular YA ones out by S.J. Maas - I highly suggest you pick up The Sons of Thestian. Shannon has been suffering from a somewhat book coma ever since reading it. Especially after that ending when some of the pieces you thought were already finished (Joshua, in particular) actually come out in a completely new light, reopening those past visions… All I have left to say is to ask… is book 2 out yet?!
I received a galley of this book from author M.E. Vaughan in exchange for my honest review. The following was my HONEST opinion as I was in no way obligated to give a positive review. Thank you, mevaughan
Summary: Prince Jionathan is plagued by nightmares that cause him to want to run away from his home in Harmatia at the absolute worst time. His father, the King, is on his deathbed while his tyrannical wife, Queen Reine, has taken over and implemented a curfew upheld by the terrifying Night’s Watch - a group made of Magi that turn into horrible creatures, murdering those who venture out at night. Meanwhile, his sometimes friend Magi Rufus is tasked with protecting Jionathan - a job made difficult by Jionat’s frequent attempts at escaping. This novel follows the struggles of Jionat and Rufus as they try to protect themselves and save their kingdom.
One of the best parts about this book that both of us agree on had to do with Madeleine’s skill with writing. If an author can, using dialogue, give you the dimensions of the nest that her main characters are about to infiltrate, then you should know that author has mastered the art of world building. As many fantasy writers do, M.E Vaughan included maps in the beginning of her book that help orient you with the landscape. However, due to her brilliant use of imagery and dialogue, the maps aren’t even necessary – you can imagine the worlds through the text itself.
Sometimes in a fantasy novel you find that the first book is so focused on world building that it fails to build character or plot. This is not true of Sons of Thestian. From the very beginning you’re drawn towards Rufus and Jionathan. They’re intriguing characters, different from each other yet connected in a way the reader has to learn about as the story progresses. Even the background characters, like Zachary, are written in a way that even through short bursts we get to know them deeply. I (Tia) for one detested Queen Reine (so much creativity in other names, yet not this one) from the moment she entered the story and my hatred grew deeper with every veiled threat she made. Every character introduced were completely thought out; even from just a handful of lines presented, we could understand so much about even minor characters, it was insane!
When it comes to the plot, all we can say is holy twist, batman! (Tia: I have trust issues as it is, but I trusted Rufus! And then I didn’t trust him! But then I trusted him again! I got whiplash from that chapter in particular, but in the very best way.) Honestly, there were so many twists and turns throughout the entire book that some chapters you have no idea what is going on. Keep reading, though, as she always brings you right back to the point she’s trying to make. (Shannon: We trust him, good. Oh wait, no he’s bad. Wait, no he’s good. What are they hiding? Oh, they’re fine. WAIT, ARE THEY EVIL TOO?!) It sometimes was a little hard to follow certain storylines because of all the twists that were happening, but the complexity of the plot again only points to the skill of our author. Every action in the book - even something that seems minor at the time - ends up becoming important later on.
Also, I have to point out that there is so much action in just this one book. I felt like Madeleine covered more in this book than some author’s do in an entire series. Everything has an overall purpose as absolutely nothing was filler. Oh, and it all was enjoyable to read, too!
M.E Vaughan knows how to surprise her readers. She never overwhelmed us with plot twists but constantly threw new and exciting adventures our way. The character development in Jionathan is particularly astounding. It isn’t so much that he changes but that he grows into himself, which in a way is more difficult than creating a character who develops new traits over time. We knew Jionathan never left Rufus behind from the very beginning, but when he goes back for Rufus when Rufus sacrifices himself we see that Jionathan has finally become a friend and we can see him as a King. As the story progresses (as that is only in the first quarter of the book!), he continues to grow into himself and slowly outside the book. At one part, we think we know what he is planning, and then he throws us off by doing something completely different. A character who develops that much into themselves in one book is absolutely amazing!
And Jionathan’s not the only one. We see Rufus begin to accept his past mistakes and flaws during the course of the book as well. As we move on - especially when we meet Rufus’ extended family - he reveals more about the depth of his flaws. We learn more about what exactly is haunting him, why he did something unheard of in Magi circles and capped his magic, and why he constantly goes back for Jionathan beyond just orders. Rufus’ growth was beautiful and absolutely realistic for his character.
The romance was the one part in the book that was a little lacking. While there are romantic moments in the book - a blossoming relationship between Jionathan and Fae, for instance - they just weren’t the total focus. The relationships we did see weren’t built up as much as the other parts of the novel were. That being said, they absolutely were still enjoyable and tugged at the heart strings. Just wait until you read about Mielane and Rufus…
All in all, Madeleine’s book was absolutely enjoyable. It is terribly underrated, especially for an author with such skill. Not only are we going to be counting down till the next book comes out, but M.E. Vaughan has been added to our list of authors to watch. If you like fantasy novels - especially some of the popular YA ones out by S.J. Maas - I highly suggest you pick up The Sons of Thestian. Shannon has been suffering from a somewhat book coma ever since reading it. Especially after that ending when some of the pieces you thought were already finished (Joshua, in particular) actually come out in a completely new light, reopening those past visions… All I have left to say is to ask… is book 2 out yet?!
June 12, 2017
Gahh I s2g Jionat is the death of me, he took my heart and then smashed it :/
Wonderfully written, all the characters have been elaborated on and they grow over the course of the book. I feel like this book perfectly gets across the motion of 'there are no bad men, only bad deeds'. Zachary as well has become a favourite, even if he seems very cold and evil at first.
Edit: I also forgot to mention how much I, as a bi person, love how Rufus' affections to people of different genders is treated. It's seen as something that is totally normal and just something that Rufus can do if and when he pleases. Also Zachary's friends clearly are a couple and people are just like 'ah yes. magi. nice. just two magi being magical' and it's lovely.
Wonderfully written, all the characters have been elaborated on and they grow over the course of the book. I feel like this book perfectly gets across the motion of 'there are no bad men, only bad deeds'. Zachary as well has become a favourite, even if he seems very cold and evil at first.
Edit: I also forgot to mention how much I, as a bi person, love how Rufus' affections to people of different genders is treated. It's seen as something that is totally normal and just something that Rufus can do if and when he pleases. Also Zachary's friends clearly are a couple and people are just like 'ah yes. magi. nice. just two magi being magical' and it's lovely.
August 3, 2017
Really enjoyed both of books of the series so far. And after reading the author's response to a question, I am even more impressed. Keep fighting, working and writing! Am excited to spend more time in your world but happy to wait until the time is right.
It is actually one of those stories where I don't want to say anything about the book since I found it a treat to discover each little bit about the characters, to take another step in each adventure and to shed a tear and laugh with each bit of self discovery.
It is actually one of those stories where I don't want to say anything about the book since I found it a treat to discover each little bit about the characters, to take another step in each adventure and to shed a tear and laugh with each bit of self discovery.
April 10, 2017
It took me a while to get into it, but the characters were well rounded and likeable, I liked the tipbits of information dotted throughout, lots of strong female characters was welcome, LOVED the consent, really got some jollies from these character. Glad I took my time reading it as I don't have to wait for the next installment!
March 10, 2018
Loved this book! So much suspense and feeling, kept me reading well into the night and sometimes even at work! I may have cried at the end...
It is right up there with some of the best books I've read and cant wait to keep going.
It is right up there with some of the best books I've read and cant wait to keep going.
July 1, 2017
3.5 stars
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