The Prince Without Sorrow
by Maithree Wijesekara
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Pub Date 27 Mar 2025 | Archive Date 17 Apr 2025
HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | HarperVoyager
Description
WELCOME TO THE RAN EMPIRE.
Where winged serpents fly through the skies.
Giant leopards prowl the earth.
And witches burn blue as they die.
A prince born into violence
Prince Ashoka is considered an outcast for opposing his father Emperor Adil Maurya’s brutal destruction of the Mayakari witches.
A witch seeking revenge
Shakti vows retribution for the murder of her aunt and annihilation of her village at the hands of the emperor, even though she is bound by the Mayakari’s pacifist code.
A curse that will change the world
In her anger Shakti casts a violent curse, the consequences of which will leave both her and Ashoka grappling for power. Do they take it for themselves and risk becoming what they most hate? Or do they risk losing power completely as the world around them is destroyed?
Drawing on inspiration from the Mauryan Empire of Ancient India, debut author Maithree Wijesekara plunges readers into the first amazing book of the Obsidian Throne trilogy.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9780008672065 |
| PRICE | £9.99 (GBP) |
| PAGES | 384 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Erica C, Reviewer
This was a really enjoyable read. I liked the two points of view, one of Prince Ashoka who is desperate to be different from his father and siblings and stop the senseless killing of mayakari (witch like women who are mainly pacifists and can communicate with nature spirits). But he is the youngest child, seen as weak and silly by his Brutish older brother and ruthless older sister. The other POV is of Shakti, a mayakari herself, who wants revenge for the killing of her people, especially her Aunt.
The story itself has a lot of politics in it, which usually puts me off, especially in fantasy books. But in this case, it works. The author hasn't got too bogged down in the nitty gritty that can turn chapters into tedious discussions around a table. Instead, it's presented differently and requires no long talks. Which i loved. You get the story and the politics but none of the boredom.
The characters are great. Each with a different, strong personality and clear character development.
After finishing this, I'm excited to read the next in the series!
Reviewer 1551457
Thank you NetGalley and HarperVoyager UK for the ARC!
The Prince Without Sorrow is Maithree Wijesekara's debut novel and the first book in the Obsidian Throne Trilogy which is loosely inspired by the Mauryan Empire of Ancient India. Shakti and Ashoka are the two main protagonists of the book who both are very different including the views of their world. The magical blend of mayakari and political intrigue revolving around it made the book a fascinating story to be told. The subtle references to the actual historical locations and names were a subtle nod to the story. The characters were well developed and did not feel bland. The unique and distinctive personalities gave a larger outcome to the book and made a huge impact. The political intrigue of the book was the central plot which was amazingly done.
To historic fanatics, this is an amazing read with so many wonderful changes in the retelling which makes the story even more emotional than the original.
Overall, it was an amazing read with no romance and more political intrigue. Can't wait for the next installment!
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