The exploration of pacifism in the face of extreme violence, coupled with the complex yet realistic characters, made for a powerful read.

We follow two characters: Shakti, a strong-willed mayukari faced with persecution, she will do anything to survive; and Ashoka, a prince who abstains from the violence of his family and determined to establish peace. Both are complex - Shakti, full of fury for the unbidden persecution of her kind despite their teachings of pacifism, and Ashoka, a prince who is constantly questioning whether violence can ever be justified despite his hatred for his father and his family’s generational violence.

It was truly unique in its exploration and you watch as both our main characters and others justify their actions to others and themselves.
They all grow as characters throughout - although whether this is for better or worse is yet to be determined👀 This isn’t even out until March and I’m already on the edge of my seat for book two😂😂

1.5 stars

I had been on a major fantasy book high recently, with some fabulous stories and so I had high hopes for this one, but it didn't live up to them unfortunately.

I had some big issues with this. It had such promise and I was excited but it feels...unfinished. I know I read an advanced digital copy of it and so edits may still be forthcoming, but with just over a month until publication day, there wouldn't have been enough time to make the edits it requires. The wording, the flow, the picture Maithree was trying to paint, it just didn't work.

There's no real plan in my mind. Yes of course there's a plot, but it doesn't feel finalised, a bit all over the place. I'm fine if a character is like that, but it feels like Maithree was too, just stumbling around hoping for something to happen and then it becomes awkward to read. It's confusing. Things happen that have no bearing on what happened before or after, and then they're forgotten about.

The characters were a let down too. They are conflicted within themselves, they chop and change, they're not consistent. They say or think something but instantly do something opposite with absolutely no reason at all.

The prologue was intriguing. I really enjoyed that, but it felt like it was coming from a completely different book. It set up something historical and fantastic, but it felt lost, with no real bearings on the rest of the book.

It just felt really hard to read. It was a real struggle and I just don't appreciate books that feel like hard work to get through. I did finish it, because some books - especially if it's the opening book of a new series - take a little while to get going, but sadly this did not get any better.

The Prince Without Sorrow by Maithree Wijesekara presents a richly imagined fantasy world inspired by ancient South Asia, complete with magic, political intrigue, and a unique take on nature spirits. While the novel offers an interesting concept and a compelling setting, I found that certain aspects of the storytelling prevented me from fully engaging with the characters and their journey.

One of the strongest elements of the book is its world-building. The inclusion of nature spirits adds a mystical and atmospheric touch that sets it apart from other fantasy novels. The way these spirits interact with the human world is fascinating and refreshing.

However, despite the immersive world, I struggled to connect emotionally with the characters. While their motivations and conflicts were clear, something was missing in their development that made it difficult for me to feel invested in their struggles. The characters did not evoke the level of emotional resonance I had hoped for. Their interactions and personal growth could have been explored in a way that made them more compelling.

Another challenge I faced was the pacing, especially at the beginning. The story took a long time to gain momentum, making it difficult to stay engaged in the early chapters. While some slow starts can be justified if they build toward something powerful, in this case, I felt that the initial sluggishness made it hard to become fully invested in the narrative. Once the plot picked up, it became more engaging, but the initial struggle to connect with the story left a lasting impression.

Overall, The Prince Without Sorrow has a fascinating premise and a beautifully constructed world, but the execution of its characters and pacing kept me from fully enjoying the experience. Fans of fantasy with intricate settings and political drama may still find much to appreciate, but those looking for deep emotional connections with characters might find it lacking.


Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. I loved everything about this book. The characters, the worldbuilding and the plot were all really well done. The characters are unique and complex, and I really liked how they developed over the course of the story and adapted to the events around them. I also really enjoyed the interesting magic system in particular the collective. The ending made me very excited to get my hands on the next book!

This book was intense. I liked the fantasy element of the witches and their magic but I wanted more!

Things I loved:
❤️ The witches, their unity. Albeit heartbreaking scenes
❤️ The twists and reveals - power was a key theme.
❤️ The dual pov and getting to know both characters and their values

I found the pace slower than I'd like and overall I felt quite stressed at how much of the story wasn't resolved? I know it's ongoing but I felt like it was blow after blow of emotional pain. I really wanted a small justice at the end of book 1.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperVoyager UK for the ARC!

The Prince Without Sorrow is the first installment and debut novel of Maithree Wijesekara's Obsidian Throne Trilogy loosely inspired by the Mauryan Dynasty of Ancient India.

The book follows two protagonists, Shakti and Ashoka Maurya, two characters with lives and stories of their own who have different outlooks of the world they live in. The Prince Without Sorrow is a blend of a magical story with political intrigue with subtle references to the Mauryan Dynasty of Ancient India.

Shakti, a mayakari who is set on a journey, determined to extinguish the hate of her kind -- the mayakar, and Prince Ashoka, the third-born child of the Emperor, on his journey to right his father's wrongs and to change the 'legacy and fate' left by him.

The world building of the book was well established, with subtle nods to the source of inspiration. The characters were prominent and well developed where every character has their own minds and thought processes. The political intrigue of the book was the central plot which was amazingly done.

The development of certain characters in the book was well fledged. The morally greyness of these characters were truly shown towards the end of the book. The pacing for this setting was perfect and never felt out of place.

As someone who was educated and told tales about Ashoka the Great, this was an intriguing and heartfelt retelling of the original tale.

While the book does not have any romance or spice yet, it is subjected and deals with darker themes.

Overall, the book deals with themes of self-realization, pride and subtleness which should not be tempered with. It was an amazing read with no romance and more political intrigue. I cannot wait to read the next installments in the series!

4.5 rounded up to 5

This book was fantastic! The world building in this was just amazing, the world building felt very thought out and kept me interested. I read the first half with the ebook and the rest physically and I loved it.

The plot for me also felt very well thought out and was clear and concise. I also enjoyed the development throughout the book.

I’m definitely going to read the next book! I may even do a cheeky reread beforehand.

Going into this I didnt really know what it was about. But I found everything was explained perfectly throughout the story.
I never got lost or confused.
I was intrigued throughout to where this set of characters would go. I'm left wanting book two now.
I would have liked maybe more about the witches history but overall we got enough information to understand them.

I thoroughly enjoyed the contrast of main characters in this book. Prince Ashoka is the youngest son of a cruel Emperor who wants nothing but to undo the horrid legacy of death his father created while Shakti is a mayakari, guided by a code of peace to support the Great and Minor spirits and ensure samsara is continued smoothly with good karma, but driven by revenge to commit violence and disobey her people's principles of peace. The development of both of these characters was intriguing, convoluted and full of the question of whether change can happen peacefully when faced with a violent regime, or if principles must be sacrificed to commit violence and war to achieve a more peaceful regime. Will Prince Ashoka be a better ruler? How is Shakti going to cope with being a known mayakari under the rule of Emperor Adil's daughter? My only comment was that the book moved a little slowly for my taste, but I am really looking forward to the sequel!

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me. It had great promise but personally I think it was lacking a few things to round it out.

The plot starts off very strong, with an intriguing hook but the story didn't really 'get-going'. My biggest issue is that between 25% and 90% the pacing and tension tails off to a trickle and I felt like not much happens in that time. I didn't really connect with any of the characters, and found myself questioning a lot of their thoughts and actions as they weren’t really explained, didn’t make much sense or seemed out of character.

However, the world building is incredibly vibrant, very well thought out and well executed. Overall the writing is very descriptive so that certainly helped to transport me into the story. The themes in this book also touch upon a lot of real world topics (politics, prejudice) and puts forth a number of philosophical questions that could be applied to everyday life.

Before I launch into my review, I would like to say a warm thank you to Maithree Wijesekara, Harper Collins UK, Harper Voyager, and Netgalley for the Advanced Digital Reader Copy of this title. For anyone with their eye on this title, here is my personal review of the book to help you decide whether you are interested or not. All opinions offered are my own.

Winged serpents, huge leopards, fiery blue witches, curses, and revenge. Well, hello! What more does one need to entice them into a fantasy series? Two people who oppose the emperor for different reasons but are themselves engaged in a power struggle sets an exciting premise. Coupled with the short descriptions that give a peek at the world and its inhabitants, I, for one, was really keen to see where this adventure started and finished. As the first in a planned series, I was looking for a book that worked relatively well as a standalone, but left a couple of open-ended theories that the reader could either fill in for themselves should they choose not to read any more of the Obsidian Throne series or await a future installment to watch a far greater tale unravel.

The Prince without Sorrow takes us on a journey of legacy and the quest for change. Prince Ashoka is the third child of Emperor Adil Maurya, born after Prince Arush and Princess Aarya. The elder children are more like their father and desire to reign in ways similar to him. Prince Ashoka is the black sheep of the family and appears to want to work with the enemy to build a different kingdom to what his father had imagined. Thwarted in his plans every step of the way, will the Prince without Sorrow find a way to exert his power? And at what cost?

This is such a tough one to review because I have such mixed feelings depending on the context I look at the book in. On the one hand, if I take the book as it is in its own right, I found it quite slow to get started and pick up pace and struggled to stick with the first half of the book. However, it did improve in the second half, although probably not as much as I would have liked judging by the number of times I set the book aside, and the number of other books I read and completed whilst progressing through this one. On the other hand, this book is the first in an emerging series and this book serves as background information. That said, this filler information might have been presented in a far better way.

There are some interesting species that live amongst the humans including winged serpents, leopards, nature spirits, Great Spirits, and the mayakari. I wanted to see more flying, more roaring, more changes in nature with the land and climate fighting back, and definitely more magic. I wanted to see more combat, even if those battles were only mild skirmishes. I wanted to get a feel for each of the species even if it wasn’t them acting at maximum ability so that I had a clearer idea as to what to expect from them in future installments.

There might have been some more variation with the names. I appreciate that Emperor Adil would have three children each with an ‘A’ name but aside from that, there was a fair share of ‘S’ and ‘K’ names. I found this confusing to start with because the names are not ones that readers will generally come across, so it is a case of trying to distinguish and remember each of the characters in terms of what they are called and what they all represent. This did improve slowly as the author began to flesh out the characters and insert some distinct personality traits amongst them all. It’s a pity the same could not be said for the world building.

When I think of the fantasy novels that stay with me, the authors are very adept at describing the world around them in great technicolor detail. This novel did not do that for me. I don’t get a sense of the color of the landscape, or the shape and size of the nature spirits. I don’t see how far the land stretches or get a sense of the difference between the way the different people look.

As a standalone, the book ends abruptly, and knowing what I know now, I might not rush to pick this book up. However, I do see the potential for story development. The reader of this book needs to be prepared for a slow-burn and have an imagination far beyond the realms of this first book. It is best suited to someone who does not have an extensive history of reading fantasy novels or a reader with an open mind. The less fantasy experience one has, the lower the expectations. Whilst I would not necessarily call this book to mind if asked for a recommendation, I would not discourage someone who was interested in giving it try. Based on this thought process, I rate the book 3 out of 5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy!

Unfortunately I have to DNF this one as the writing style isn't quite for me and is a little clunky in parts, but I'm sure this book will find its audience.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for approving me to read this early. I’m rating it 3.75 - 4.0 stars,

The cover is what instantly drew me in, it’s stunning and I cannot wait to grab a physical copy once it’s available.

This book was interesting and I love a sibling rivalry story especially when it’s laced with political strife and magic. The story follows two POVs which I liked as it made the story feel more well rounded as the characters follow different paths.

I will say for the record Aarya terrifies me, she’s unhinged but I’m quite excited to see what she does next. There is a lot going on this first book as the characters deal with loss, an enemy they don’t understand and also the enemies within their own midst. There’s betrayal and secrets throughout that create some good tension and chaos.

I look forward to seeing what happens next!

A captivating and enchanting story, filled with magic and spirits. I thoroughly enjoyed Shakti’s character and her journey of balancing her teachings of pacifism and peace with her desire for vengeance. The internal struggle between what her family would have wanted and what she wants for herself is portrayed so well.

On the other hand, I found it challenging to connect with Ashoka’s point of view. While I appreciated his character, I felt that he lacked depth and complexity at times.

I really, really wanted to like like this. I think the set-up is fantastic, I was initially intrigued by the world-building and characters, and there are hints of a knight/prince romance that I was immediately invested in. Also, the cover is gorgeous. Unfortunately, the pace is very slow and writing needed more work. In some places, it's repetitive, and in others it's so convoluted that I had to reread whole pragraphs to understand what was going on. I gave up about a third of the way in, and it felt like the plot still hadn't really started. I wouldn't discourage others from picking it up, but it is very much not for me.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperVoyager UK for the ARC!

The Prince Without Sorrow is the first installment and debut novel of Maithree Wijesekara's Obsidian Throne Trilogy loosely inspired by the Mauryan Dynasty of Ancient India.

The book follows two protagonists, Shakti and Ashoka Maurya, two characters with lives and stories of their own who have different outlooks of the world they live in. The Prince Without Sorrow is a blend of a magical story with political intrigue with subtle references to the Mauryan Dynasty of Ancient India.

Shakti, a mayakari who is set on a journey, determined to extinguish the hate of her kind -- the mayakar, and Prince Ashoka, the third-born child of the Emperor, on his journey to right his father's wrongs and to change the 'legacy and fate' left by him.

The world building of the book was well established, with subtle nods to the source of inspiration. The characters were prominent and well developed where every character has their own minds and thought processes. The political intrigue of the book was the central plot which was amazingly done.

The development of certain characters in the book was well fledged. The morally greyness of these characters were truly shown towards the end of the book. The pacing for this setting was perfect and never felt out of place.

As someone who was educated and told tales about Ashoka the Great, this was an intriguing and heartfelt retelling of the original tale.

While the book does not have any romance or spice yet, it is subjected and deals with darker themes.

Overall, the book deals with themes of self-realization, pride and subtleness which should not be tempered with. It was an amazing read with no romance and more political intrigue. I cannot wait to read the next installments in the series!

I picked this book up off Netgalley because I saw a Sri Lankan name, and I thought that might be interesting. And it was. This is a fantasy story about a witch who is hell bent on revenge, and a prince who is trying to unravel his father's repressive and horrible legacy. His father persecuted the witches, and as far as the prince Ashoka is concerned. He's not done the people the country any favors either. Ashoka is the third son. His power is limited because he has a brother and a sister who are older than him, and his brother and sister are very much cast in the same mold as his father.


I enjoyed the way the characters changed, Ashoka starts off as slightly too soft for the role that he wants to play. And Shakthi is full of vengeance, and possibly a little bit too hard.
As you would expect in any fantasy story, there are highs, there are lows, there are battles. It took a few chapters for me to get into it, but it raced along after that.

Most fantasy stories you read are influenced by the Western mythos. This book was influenced very much by the Sri Lankan and the Indian mythos. It was really nice to see touchstones like people's names, like Ashoka means without sorrow. There was the odd Singhala word for things - they sound like fantasy words, but they're actually just the words that you use in Singhala, for example, the witches are called Mayakari, which totally makes sense (creators of illusions/ miracles). That was really nice to see, because as somebody who has been a fantasy reader for decades, I don't see it much. I often see ‘fantasy words’ that make sense because of their Latinate root. I don't see words that make sense because of their Sanskrit root. So I really enjoyed that aspect as well.
The book ends leaving an opening for the next book. It is a complete story in itself, though, but clearly part of an ongoing series. There's a romance in it, so I'm looking forward to seeing how that works out. Great voice, great characters.I highly recommend it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have been so excited to read this because it combines witches, magic, a peaceful prince, all in a setting inspired by Ancient India. It sounds amazing and especially tailored to my interests, too, but ultimately, all I felt was "okay, next?"

We have two main characters, Prince Ashoka and Shakti, and we see chapters from both POVs. I love dual POV-books, in general, so I was pleasantly surprised. The two POVs are distinct from each other, and there's no way you can confuse whose head we are in.

I liked Prince Ashoka. I liked how he had his own morals and didn't bend to his family just so he could get their favour. I loved how focused and how determined he was not to bend to them. He's the quiet, intelligent man who is set on his beliefs and also has a delightful sense of humor! I'm not overly enthused with some of the things that happened toward the end of the book, though....

However, I absolutely loved his bodyguard-Prince romance!!!!! Yes, there's a m/m bodyguard-Prince romance, and I squealed so many times!!!!!!!!!! Their scenes was the best thing of the book!! I felt invested and drawn to them. They have such chemistry, and thei yearning and longing is palpable!!

In other words, I enjoyed Ashoka's chapters! Shakti's chapters not so much. She is a witch who witnessed truly awful things, and she is traumatized and angry, so angry and devastated that she casts a curse to get revenge. Don't get me wrong, I love angry women! But Shakti was all over the place. She barely knew how to cast a curse since she was born and raised with a peaceful mindset. You're angry and want to get revenge? Cool! But she barely knew how, and throughout the story, we keep seeing her know almost nothing about magic and yet making decisions here and there about other people's lives and rebellions. It just felt unjust of her to meddle when she barely knew what she was doing?

The plot was okay, and the worldbuilding was beautiful! The creatures, the culture, the history, everything about the worldbuilding was mesmerizing. At the end, though, I just didn't feel invested enough. I skim-read a lot and didn't even miss much from the plot because...Shakti....

This is a pure fantasy novel with some hints of romance, m/m romance for Ashoka. I didn't feel like Shakti had a love interest, but I may have missed it. So if you need lots of romance, this is probably not for you. If you are tired of novels heavy on romance, however, you may enjoy this one!! The worldbuilding is fantastic! For me, it was just that I didn't care enough, especially for Shakti.

If I read the next book, it will be for Ashoka and his bodyguard romance line.

This is the March pick for a monthly box, and I'll skip it.

An interesting concept and I quite enjoyed this book. Thank you to the writer, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced read.

First of all i want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for and E arc of this book.
This book draws inspiration from the Mauryan Empire of Ancient India, and is the 1st book in a series.
I really enjoyed this book and rated it 5 stars, most of the book was 4.5 stars but i gave it 5 stars in the end due to the ending. We have witches, royalty and political intrigue.
Prince Ashoka is a pacifist son of his tyrannical father the Emperor and Shakti is a witch (mayakari) who is bound by a pacifists code.
Ashoka longs to change the empire and after his fathers death he has to fight not to become like him and Shakti witnesses the death of her aunt and goes down the path of revenge.
In my opinion the 2 characters are like mirrors to each other which i actually liked. This book is split POV and many questions arise, so i am looking forward to reading the next book to see where things go.
I also loved the art on the chapter headings.