This book could have been really great. The bones are there for it to be something unique and special, but it missed the mark for me. I felt like there wasn’t a clear plan to the book. I found myself so lost when I was reading.

I did really like the setting and some of the lore that was happening. I think if the plot had been more linear and coherent, it would have been a better book for me. I do think other people may really enjoy this book though, so I still recommend it if you enjoy unique setting and atmospheric writing.

The Prince Without Sorrow is a debut, Indian inspired YA high fantasy novel, set up to have at least one sequel. The plot follows Ashoka, youngest prince of the empire and a staunch pacifist, and Shakti, a witch, or ‘mayakari’, that is forced to hide her abilities in plain sight after she murders the emperor.

The empire, under Emperor Adil, is focused, almost solely, on wiping out mayakari. Shakti and Ashoka both witness witch hunts and violent burnings of those women deemed guilty of being magic users. Because the mayakari do not believe in using their powers towards violent ends – even to protect themselves – the witch hunts run rampant.

Shakti is the first of the witches to break this pact, using her abilities to curse Emperor Adil after he burns her aunt. She is impulsive, and quite fun and surprising to follow as a reader. However, occasionally her narrative lacked direction.

Ashoka, son of the recently deceased Emperor, has a much more significant character arc. He begins as a staunch pacifist, a mayakari sympathizer, unwilling to kill a stag on a hug. Throughout the novel, he begins to question when violence is necessary to achieve the end he is hoping for. His work with the mayakari was intriguing, as well as his relationships with his closest friends and advisors, along with his animal companions. I especially appreciated his friendship with Sahry, his flying serpent.

There was very little romance, but, like the ending of the first novel, there is significant set up for both romance and politics to develop in future installments. The antagonists of the novel, Ashoka’s elder siblings, Arush and Aarya, were somewhat layered, but I hope they become further fleshed out in the sequel. Emperor Adil was, on the other hand, completely lacking nuance. I wished the reader could have seen more of his positive relationship with Aarya, instead of focusing only on how much he disliked Ashoka and his beliefs.

The writing was slightly clunking and uneven at times, and certain aspects of the story – such as the mayakari need for peace, or the anger of the Great Spirits – became quite repetitive. Looking past that, the pacing was well done, and I was certainly never bored.

DNF on chapter two.

It is not my job to read a book, it is the book’s job to pull me in, and this book did not do that.

More than that, it kept annoying me. It was just little things. Early on, the MMC refuses to kill a deer. Fine, I get that, I don’t hunt either. But then when his friend kills one for him, he cremates the deer instead of letting others eat it… that’s just wasteful. I’m not sure if he’s being set up as a character who is out of touch with reality, and maybe there will be a nice arc and he’ll grow… but I didn’t see it.

In the second chapter, the writing was repetitive and pulled me out of the story. I was hoping to make it to 10% before DNFing, but what’s the point?

Set in a fictional world inspired by the powerful Maurya Empire, The Prince Without Sorrow reflects its historical influence, especially its expansion through violence. As a fantasy novel, it introduces mayakaris, individuals with the ability to create illusions or magic. The protagonist, Shakti, is a mayakari who defies her people's code by embracing violence and revenge. In contrast, Prince Ashoka, the third son of the ruthless Emperor Adil, rejects violence despite his lineage. The narrative alternates between these two compelling characters, alongside a cast of multilayered individuals.

As a history buff, I was eager to see how the author would adapt the Mauryan influence, and while the book delivered in many ways, it also had some shortcomings. For a debut novel, it is fantastic. The world is immersive, and the themes of power, oppression , and nature are well woven into the story. However, the lack of backstory at the beginning makes the characters somewhat confusing, as the plot picks up immediately without much setup. That said, one particularly complex aspect of the story (avoiding spoilers here) left me intrigued, and I hope it will be explored further in the sequels.

Overall, The Prince Without Sorrow is a promising start to a new fantasy series, blending historical inspiration with magic, political intrigue, and character dynamics. I look forward to seeing how the story unfolds.

Thank you, Avon and Harper Voyager, for this book.

I've seen this book around and added it to my TBR a little while ago so I was super excited to get the opportunity to read an eARC. I was even more excited when I learnt that the author was Aussie.

I really adored this book. I enjoyed the story as well as the world building - the animals and spirits especially. I was inspired to do some further research into the Mauryan Empire which has been a delight.

This is a story of good versus bad, of genocide and oppression. It shows that one does not have to be who others want them to be, their childhoods and upbringing do not define them, nor their DNA.

At times, the characters came across only as one dimensional, especially Ashoka and Shakti. It was nice to see Ashoka push back a little and show some more dimension before the end and I hope to see that in book two. Shakti is hell bent on her vengeance which annoyed me when she couldn't see past it, even for her own good. I hope book two shows her slow down a little and to think first before acting on emotions.

I'm excited for book two and will definitely continue this series.

NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager provided me with a free version of this book for my honest review - thank you!

I look forward to the next volumn of this fantasy series. The characters are men, women, women with enhanced abilities which frighten others who wish to kill them, and nature spirits who can communcate with the women. The organization of the society is interesting----men and women are equal---both can be strong guards, fighters, etc., and sexual attraction is expressed between same and opposite sex. Flying serpents and large black cats are used for transportation rather than horses and large birds. The book is suitable for teens and adults.

DNF at 15%.

Unfortunately there was nothing here to keep me invested in the story. The concept and setting are interesting however the characters are underdeveloped and the writing is verbose.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an advanced reader copy.

3.5 stars

“The Prince Without Sorrow” was an enjoyable, if not especially exciting, tale of corrupt leaders, persecution of witches, psychological warfare, and revenge. Ashoka is the third born child of a tyrannical emperor, who upon his death decrees that his pacifist son should be placed in charge of a province where the late emperor’s crusade against the mayakari is at its peak, in order to teach him a lesson. Shakti is a mayakari and has lost many of her family to the emperor’s orders that they must all be killed. These two unlikely allies team up: Ashoka relocated to Shakti’s home, and Shakti taking the role of an advisor in the palace, to try to bring about a new era of peace.
Something I particularly enjoyed was how well I could see the connections between Ashoka and Shakti before they even met, as both tried to throw off the mantle of their forebears: Ashoka rejecting his father’s legacy of violence and bigotry, Shakti rejecting the idea that the peaceful mayakari must never fight back against their oppressors. From there, however, I felt the book lost a lot of its suspense and much of the rest of the plot just sort of happened. There was also extensive character inspiration from Avatar: The Last Airbender (not necessarily a bad thing, but also not terribly original). I will be curious to see what happens in the sequel.

DNF @ 20%

I found the characters to be all be very flat, the plot very basic, and the villain a caricature. The prose was not strong enough to motivate me to continue, nor was I invested enough in any part of the story to do so.

Such a fabulous story. I was hooked within the first few pages and that saying a lot. It usually takes me a while to get into a book. Fast pace, lots of action and a great plot make up this book. I can't wait for the next book in the series is released.

Not my favorite. I loved that the pain for the witches is immediately discussed and the characters have some redeeming qualities. Unfortunately it felt like there were a lot of unanswered questions and the plot was very flimsy.

The Prince Without Sorrow is a debut novel by Maithree Wijesekara, an Australian/Sri-Lankan author, publishing on March 18th, 2025.

This book is a solid 4 out of 5 stars for me. It takes place in a Southeast Asia inspired fantasy world, where large black panthers are mounts, winged serpents are flown through the sky, and an aristocratic monarchy is trying to take over the land and witches are hunted and burned.
Prince Ashoka is the youngest son of the tyrannical Emperor Adil, and unlike his older siblings, abhors violence and everything his father is doing.
Shakti is a mayakari, a race of witches who follow a pacifist code. After seeing her aunt burned for being a witch, she is forced to consider if this persecution can be solved through pacifist means.
The two have to find a way to work together to bring freedom to the mayakari and an end to the tyranny.

There is queerness (actual queerness, not just a vague potential interpretation), which I am of course a fan of.

The pacing of the book is sometimes really quick, but I honestly enjoy that. It works well with my ADHD, but it's something to note for those who may not.

Ashoka is constantly planning, and it sometimes goes right.
Shakti doesn't know what planning is and it mostly works out for her.
I am somehow both of these people.

This book handles a lot of heavy questions, like if violence or pacifism can solve things on their own, if the death of own to save many is worth it, and if you lose yourself when you give in to violence. If this was a standalone book, it would feel like it didn't finish exploring these concepts. Since it is book one, I am excited to see what is to follow!

There are heavy themes of genocide, witch hunts, and torture in this book, but it is never handled like a horror book. Just something to keep in mind.

A big thank you to Harper-Collins Publishers for the ARC in return for a review!

This is the kind of fantasy that reminds you why you love fantasy, from the worldbuilding to the politics to the magic system.

Avatar the Last Airbender spirit realm/avatar reincarnation cycle meets The Stardust Thief. Dual POV with MCs that are the perfect foil for one another. A visual spectacle and playground for the imagination. Messy sibling dynamics that at times were reminiscent of Zuko and Azula’s banter. Chaotic FMC (who makes a dangerous choice I think anyone in her position would’ve done and totally forwent “morality”). Loved the exploration of pacifism, karma, samsara
Ashokas moral quandary of to kill or not to kill
Sakhtis total girlbossing and using her powers to the fullest against the creed of the mayakaris
Got LGBTQ rep with Sakti being presumably ace or aroace and Ashoka being potentially gay or pan/bi

This was an interesting read with two main characters who rebel against being the type of person the authority figures in their lives try to mold them into.
This book was super heavy on the vibes and left me going "...and what else?" many times. The overarching themes of violence versus pacifism and when each should be the tool of choice were constantly addressed.
I will probably read the next book in the series (but didn't realize this was a series when I started it) due to the way this book wrapped up.

I enjoyed reading this book very much. I would rate it 4.25 stars and I will definitely be reading the next books in the Obsidian Throne series.

First of all, I loved the nature spirits and they reminded me of myth and lore from other culture and stories. Our righteously vengeful not-so-pacifist pacifist witch Shakti can see these spirits. After seeing her loved ones brutally murdered and as a pacifist witch meant to be in hiding, Shakti struggles with her violent thoughts on revenge until she gives in and seeks out those that harmed her aunt and her village. Of course it’s the emperor.

The violent and brutal emperor Maurya’s outcast son Ashoka, rejects and denounces violence in all forms. He wishes for a country at peace without violence and after his father’s untimely death he is thrust into a position of power and into a land tormented by nature spirits. Ashoka was sent there to fail and he does all he can to stick to his principals and not become his father.

These opposites come together, and this book delves deep into violence and pacifism. I enjoyed the nuances in this book that pushed boundaries and asked questions, some that are left unanswered as this dichotomy is obviously meant to carry through the series. This book reads very adult and has complexities to unpack. There’s definitely a set up for future books to come and I cannot wait to see the future for our gentle Ashoka and our impulsive Shakti.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this arc.

This was the embodiment of “no thoughts, just vibes” so if you like that sort of thing then read it I guess

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC of this book!

There’s a lot of promise here, but I spent a lot of the book going “Okay, and what else?”

The conflict is the standard evil ruler who wants to eliminate a specific class of people because they feel threatened, and one person from each side has to come together to fix things. Absolutely nothing wrong with that as a central conflict. But that’s basically all of the conflict.

Everyone feels pretty one dimensional—Ashoka is all for peace and won’t kill anything. That’s his whole personality. His father and siblings are cruel. Also all we know about them. Shakti is all vibes and rage, no plan or history. Those are fine as traits, but there’s no real character growth or additional depth to really make me feel for them and feel invested in the story.

The fantasy elements were super interesting, and I wish they had been bigger components to the story—I think there easily could have been additional conflict or depth created from them that I was really missing.

I want to add more to this review, but everything felt so surface level to me that I don’t even know what else I can say. It was a solid book, but I don’t know that I’d read it again or will be rushing to pick up the second in the series.

this feels like a very hesitant and underconfident novice pulling at the string, experimental with a feathered touch and the result being a very unhealed bird lying on the grass. there's so much hesitation to stick to a narrative, I felt like even the author wasn't sure about what they wanted to say. not that complex narratives don't exist, but this is far from one. a book and plot that is stretched far beyond its tolerance but held together by other elements now and then.

it had great potential, but nonetheless, i enjoyed this world and the way the author presented it. just needed something more.

The Prince Without Sorrow was both my first 2025 read and my first time reading an ARC, and I'm so happy that it was. While the story didn't totally hook me from the get-go, once I was about a fifth of the way through I found myself more engaged and slipping into that I-need-to-know-what-happens-next-IMMEDIATELY rhythm that had me accidentally skipping lines and needing to backtrack.

Something that I really enjoyed was how Shakti found herself haunted by the voice of her aunt throughout the book while Ashoka's ghost was his father, and how they both struggled to reconcile their own ideas of self with what their respective relatives had tried to instil in them. Whereas Shakti remains largely steadfast in who she is—angry, impulsive, hellbent on revenge, and far from a pacifist—Ashoka, though still opposed to his father's way of ruling and persecution of the mayakari, drifts from diametric opposition and doe-eyed idealism to question his own capacity for violence and cruelty.
I also really liked Ashoka and Rahil's dynamic, and how the former was oh-so-slow to realize why his heart would pound whenever Rahil drew near or why exactly he felt so lonely when they were apart.

That being said, although I enjoyed the book and look forward to the sequel, I do think there is room to grow. There were more than a couple instances where I had to re-read a line to understand it or where I felt the prose was clunky. The premise of the book is very interesting, but it more or less felt like a preamble in terms of world building and character development. The foundations for what could be a great series are laid—and I do afford it some grace given that this is the first book in trilogy—however the sequel will definitely need to do some heavy lifting to really bring this story to its full potential. I also think that rather than being marketed as an adult novel, it would fit better into the YA category.