"To save many, you must harm one. Is violence not necessary to protect the weak?"

This book was a very mixed bag for me, but in the end I was looking forward to turning the final page. The premise was very enticing and the thing that initially made me pick the book up, and I do not think that it fell entirely flat, but I do think it had some issues. It follows two very different sets of people: the Mayakari witches and the Royal Maurya family of the Ran Empire. Prince Ashoka Maurya, the youngest prince, believes his family's interactions with the witches are unjust and that their hatred and extermination of them is wrongful. Shakti, a Mayakari, thinks that the witches have sat back and allowed their extermination to go on too long and sets out for change. Both set off on quests to right the wrongs they see in the empire and find themselves in surprising positions at the end.

This book followed through on its promise to be a political drama and an exploration of the line between right and wrong. It addressed many difficult moral and ethical questions and at times left the reader to draw their own conclusions about the truth. It also painted a vividly detailed court, full of secrets and complex familial relationships. It was this exploration of political relationships as well as the rich setting that kept me reading till the end.

Sadly, this was not enough to make me like the book. The main issue that I personally had with it was the characters, which either fell flat or were such horrible people that I could hardly tolerate them. Shakti drove me especially mad because she used her grief (which I thought was glossed over and not addressed enough) to justify things almost as terrible as the ones that she experienced. Ashoka's personality changed very suddenly and unexpectedly around the two hundred page mark, and his old personality left with the plot which became very confusing at this point. It was jarring and I unwarranted in my opinion, as not much had taken place to so drastically alter his outlook. Princess Araya felt very stereotypical to me, and Arush was unmemorable. The two characters that I did like were Rahil, who did not get enough page time but was a sweetheart, and the Empress Dowager, Manali, who was the only character who expressed genuine emotion. However, the thing that really confused me was the characters actions and motives. They often seemed unprompted and random, with no logical thought progression that I could see. One of them would suddenly make a drastic choice on a whim, or do something completely random and out of context. They never seemed to take a moment to think before they acted or spoke, and it was this chaos that mainly drove the plot. As for the writing itself, the purple prose style was slightly inconsistent, with words that seemed very out of place thrown in, such as 'gobsmacked'. The pace was already slower and along with this style it dragged in places for me. Still, I liked it and I think that if slightly simplified and cleaned up a little it could work well.

I had my own personal issues with the book as well, but that doesn't have anything to do with the story itself. Overall I think that it has potential to be good if a few things are altered. 2.5 Stars.

I loved the worldbuilding and political intrigue in this book. The narrative is split between two characters. Shakti is a witch seeking vengeance for the massacre of her people; Ashoka is a Prince of the royal family responsible for the deeds, although he wants to stop the persecutions occurring. From a queer rep standpoint, Ashoka has a sweet little romance subplot, and Shakti reads as squarely aroace. These are aspects of their character, not the entirety of their character, which is likewise appreciated.

However, the plot at times can feel paced oddly. Sometimes it’s too slow and stretched out; at other times, it goes far too quickly. I think that is the weakness of the novel, and something many readers may find challenging. While this book may not be for everyone, but I look forward to reading the sequel and seeing how the story plays out.

So I unfortunately could not finish this book. I finished around the 35% mark. I think the premise is great. It definitely had so much potential and I was excited to read something I haven’t seen done before. However, I had a time being engaged in the story. The characters felt likable but one dimensional. This made the story a bit unmemorable for me.

I feel like the concept sounds amazing but I fear that the author wasn’t able to execute it in an enjoyable way for readers.

4 Stars – Lush, Political, and Filled with Angsty Tension

The Prince Without Sorrow is a beautifully crafted fantasy debut with rich world-building, inspired by the Mauryan Empire, and packed with everything I love—witches, political intrigue, and slow-burning tension.

Ashoka is the perfect conflicted prince—torn between his ideals and the brutal legacy of his father—while Shakti’s thirst for revenge adds a compelling layer of complexity. Their dynamic is electric, full of distrust, yearning, and the weight of their choices. Plus, the nature spirits and magic system were stunningly unique!

This book feels like a mix of The Hurricane Wars and The Jasmine Throne, with immersive prose and a gripping, emotional depth. While some parts were a bit slow-paced, the payoff was absolutely worth it. If you love fantasy with morally gray characters, slow-burn romance, and a world dripping in tension and magic, you’ll want this on your radar!

I really wanted to love this book. I liked the characters, I just couldn't get behind their choices. That being said, it is a debut and it feels like the author has potential.

We follow Ashoka, the titular prince, and Shakti, a persecuted mayakari. Ashoka is a pacifist raised in violence, and Shakti is seeking revenge, but was raised to never harm with her magic. Their paths collide, albeit briefly, and we follow as Ashoka tries to stop the senseless killing of the mayakari and Shakti tries to take down the new emperor, Ashoka's brother, and his sister.

I am an over-planner, and I think that affected how frustrated I was getting with both of their decisions throughout the book. They both had their own goals, but put zero thought into how they were going to achieve them. Because this is a trilogy, there is time for them to mature in their decision making, but it definitely dampened my experience reading this first installment. The magic system and ties to the spirits of the lands are intriguing enough that I'll probably pick this series back up once it is complete.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Voyager, for an early copy in exchange for this honest review.

While the structure of this book could use some work, and while the prose could use some refining, I had a great time reading this. The characters were enjoyable and real. I loved seeing a pacifist MMC and a vengeful FMC, and the discussions around pacifism versus violence in creating a better world felt very apt.

[3.5 stars]

The idea was great but the execution was lacking. I was invested in the pacifist witches being pushed to their limits and the nature spirits and wished we’d learned more about their magic and mythology. The other kingdoms also really intrigued me and I know they’re going to play bigger roles in the coming books. There was so much potential but the pacing was off. This could’ve been benefitted so much from having more POVs in addition to Ashoka and Shakti, like Sau and Naila or Nayani. It would’ve made for a more immersive read as these characters are individual threads that eventually weave together into the tapestry of the bigger plot.

Ashoka’s character development was the strongest and pretty clear which direction he was headed, how he’d be forced to finally draw a line. But Shakti was so reckless and her actions were so ridiculous at times. For being under her enemy’s nose, she was way too careless and unobservant. No tact at all. Which is why it read very YA. These characters were acting like teenagers. The potential to still be a great series is there so I’m hoping the next book is better after all the set up in this first one.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

It took me a while to get through this one, but it was worth it, I feel. The pacing was a bit slower than I would've liked for a fantasy book. I lose interest easily in fantasy books if they drag, and I personally like mine to have a bit more romance than this one had, but I also understand that this is part of a series, and I think that's where this book will gain a bad rap. Unfortunately, ARC readers whose reviews I've seen seemed not to have media literacy enough to read that this is part of a series. I'm fairly certain it says either in the description on Netgalley that it's #1 in a series, or even on the cover itself. Of course it's going to feel incomplete and end in a cliffhanger, it is very much so incomplete. I could complain about how much was invested into the idea of the collective mind, and how it seemed to play a huge part in the book, but there's more to come, and in here for it, personally. I loved that this book had roots in real life history. Obviously if you don't know the history, you won't know it's based on real life events, loosely, so I feel like an added piece at the beginning might help, and who knows, there might be; this is an unfinished copy of the book, of course you're not going to see everything readers will see when they read the final published copy. But for what it's worth, I'm excited to see more, and hopefully it picks up the pace in the next book.

This book was so disappointing. First off, there is zero character growth. All the major characters are literally the same at the beginning until the end. This story could have been so much better if there had been 20% more growth. The writing in this was also telling the reader what happened vs showing it for 80% of the big events of the book. It made most of the big things that happened feel much more minor, and then I’d have to go back and see what I had missed because suddenly it was a huge deal.

Conflicts within the book, except for the main two or three, were resolved within either the chapter they first appeared or 2-5 chapters later. No conflict was allowed to grow and actually feel like a big problem because they immediately had a solution that everyone was happy with.

I did enjoy some of the relationships between characters, as well as the overall idea of the plot, but the execution was such a let down.

Thank you to Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Interesting premise. Some cool world-building. The pacing wasn't perfect. The two main characters were just too shallow for me to grow attached to. I think I'll pass on trying out the second when it comes out.

2.75⭐. Thank you NetGalley & Harper Voyager for the ARC.

I finished this novel feeling incredibly indifferent about the two POV characters, Prince Ashoka and the mayakari (witch) Shakti, which isn't a good sign given how much of a character-driven reader I am. I wasn't necessarily bored by this, but I find that I just do. Not. Care. About these two protagonists anymore. I don't like how their arcs unfolded, even less so on the implications that author Maithree Wijesekara left as a set up for the sequel.

For one, I'm so very tired of stories that don't handle well the nuances of violent resistance against an oppressive group that is literally committing a genocide. I'm not fond of seeing characters being implied to be as ~just as bad~ if they ever choose to fucking finally fight back at their people's murderers. Oh no, Ashoka the pacifist prince is going down a ~darker path~ just because he resorted to kill a bigot to protect an oppressed mayakari. Oh the horror. Do I think it's interesting he ultimately decides to enact change by overthrowing his bigoted siblings? Yes! I'd read that plotline! But instead of a solid character arc where he realizes that a staunch non-violent approach will not amount to any change in a system that has no conscience, it's tainted by the idea of GASP Ashoka is in danger of being just as bad as his genocidal tyrant of a father.

And Shakti's arc both intrigued and annoyed me. Because how are you given such an interesting plot device in the form of being able to access the knowledge and memories of every past emperor, and not utilize it to its fullest? After she gets the answers needed for like three conversations, this isn't brought up again. All the cunning and strategy she could glean from especially when she's going up against two royals who've been playing this game longer than she has.

That said, I can see Wijesekara's attempts in inserting some complexity in her plotline. Shakti struggles with the internal turmoil of going against the pacifistic ideals enforced by the mayakari's code. And because she's not inherently cold-blooded at at heart, she even feels guilt at times at the mental manipulation of the royals; though that often goes away quickly whenever either one takes pleasure at news of mayakari burnings. And yet I can only handle so much disapproval from her conscience every time, as though like Ashoka, she's in danger of becoming like her oppressors. When all Shakti has targeted were the ones sitting at the top of the system, who are gleeful over her kind being eradicated.

I'd read a story themed around vengeance becoming all-consuming that it does transform a wronged person into a "villain". Just not when it's about a marginalized person rising up against her genocidal rulers.

I will commend though that the novel didn't saddle me with an obligatory romance between the two main characters just because they're a man and a woman. In fact, I felt the achillean romance slowly brewing in the background was a nice touch. No cliched tropes like One Bed or a shoehorned Who Did This To You. Additionally, the riding on leopards and flying on winged serpents sounded fun, but the latter should've definitely been used more. It's like having dragons in your story and not using them much.

No interest in picking up the sequel.

I have had such a hard time reading this book. I am going to mark it as a DNF and try to come back later and read it again with fresh eyes.

Thank you to both HarperCollins and NetGalley for this advanced copy. I was intrigued by the name and cover art for this book first and foremost. The world we're introduced to is one that is unlike many other fantasy books that I've read. Riding winged serpents and giant leopards was a visual that I didn't know I needed in a fantasy book (most just use wyverns or horses). I also loved to see some M/M pining and hope for more of them. For a debut novel, there's plenty to enjoy. I just wish I didn't have as many critiques about the rest of the story and characters.

To start, most of the supporting characters felt underdeveloped and one dimensional. Ashoka's entire family don't have much depth to them and I hope they have more time to develop in future entries. The more underdeveloped are undoubtedly Ashoka's parents.

Other mayakari we meet, specifically those in the resistance, are hardly distinguishable from one another. With Ashoka's current location in the south, I hope to learn more about the resistance there in the future. There were plenty of people mentioned within the group but not shown.

Shakti and Ashoka have mirrored journeys. Ashoka starts as a pacifist and has a relatively fast progression to violence. While this could've remained in the book, his plans to take the thrown seemed like too much of a jump. Shakti starts with a violent streak and learns to act in subtler ways throughout the story. We don't see the repercussions of either method, with both being left to the next entry in the series.

P.S. ~ Shaak Ti and Ahsoka Tano are both characters in Star Wars. I thought about them often when I first started the book.

I have to say, the cover was doing a lot of heavy lifting for me with this one! I don’t know if I even really looked at the summary much before requesting it! It’s such a lovely, unique image, one that definitely stands out from the typical fantasy crowd!

That said, the book didn’t quite live up to my high expectations. On the other hand, what it does have to offer feels very unique to the genre, so readers looking for a new entry point to fantasy fiction may appreciate what this one has to say. I was particularly intrigued by the exploration of pacifism and the building conflict between the main characters with regards to their approaches to moving through this world. We have one character who is actively trying to approach the world in a less violent manner, and another whose life has been one tragedy after another and who feels shackled by the restraints of nonviolence taught to her.

That said, I don’t feel like the author took full advantage of this premise. By the end of the book, I was left wondering if I had somehow missed the point that was trying to be made? But I also suspect that while a lot of interesting questions regarding pacifism and necessary violence were introduced, the author was unwilling to truly stake a position on these issues, which, ultimately, undercut much of what was presented here.

I also thought the magic system itself was fairly wobbly. The witches can’t use their powers without accruing bad karma, but Shakti is seemingly rewarded for doing just this? And then, later in the story, the other witches are also convinced to do away with what we’ve been told is a deeply held moral conviction? It all felt a bit too convenient. Add that on top of several other conveniences (the good guys and bad guys are almost cartoonishly one dimensional at times and very prone to giving speeches that clear up everything for every one), the story telling itself felt shaky. This was compounded upon by some structural issues with the writing like over-use of certain words and unclear metaphors.

All of that said, I do think there are readers for this book! As I said, the themes regarding pacifism were strong (even if I wish more had been done) and I did like the two main characters, which goes far for me. If you’re looking for a new-feeling fantasy novel, this may be one to check out!

Rating 7: There were strong themes regarding justified violence and pacifism, but some of the other story elements tripped up my reading experience in the end.

I was unfortunately a bit let down by The Prince Without Sorrow. This book clearly felt YA to me and i just couldn't find myself relating too, or connecting with, the main characters for the most part.

I honestly thought the prologue was the best part of the book, which set the bar too high for the rest of the story. The prologue was gripping and drew me into the world and the consequences that would ensue. However, I felt like the pace of the story became a lot slower after that, which did allow for some nice world-building, but also made parts of the book feel like a slog to get through. The magic was an interesting concept in this book, but I do feel like it had the potential to be even more than what it was. As it is, the magic was presented to be a major plot point and was at times, but other times felt much less consequential than it should have been.

I didn't love either of the characters, the FMC is driven by her sorrow and desire for revenge against those that hurt her, and the MMC is a son of a brutal king, dead-set on not becoming like his father. While the FMCs actions were understandable, there were definitely times where her act-first, ask-questions-later attitude became a bit old, and it was hard to keep reading about her acting against her own interests. The MMC was interesting, and his struggle to maintain his ethics in a family such as his was interesting to see. I did appreciate his character development and his response to conflict, but he just felt a bit flat. I feel like he could've been a much more interesting, fleshed-out character that I would really be rooting for.

The writing was a bit too *extra* for me, with a lot of use of high vocabulary and unnecessary metaphors. In general, I feel like the book would so much better if it was edited to cut out the excess language and instead focused on tightening up the plot points and creating stakes that truly feel as high as they are.

The Prince Without Sorrow follows two characters who are antitheses of each other. This is a chaotic book where no one has any thoughts or plans, which leads to many impulsive decisions. Is it a fun time? Yes. Did I love it? Unfortunately, no. There was something about these characters and their motivations that I just didn't fall in love with. I think it is good for a debut novel, but I wish it had added in more stakes and not been so convenient. While this wasn't for me, I think many will love this series and I can believe in it getting better as the series goes on.

This would appeal to YA fantasy readers.

Ashoka just didn't have the development I wanted to see, and every side character felt even flatter.
The plot and world building could shape up into something interesting, but I felt like it just moved too slowly to really intrigue me to read more. It felt almost like this book was a prologue for another story, and that it should have been posted in combination with the second book.
Overall the book was still a fun little fantasy, just not my favorite.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy!

The Prince Without Sorrow
by Maithree Wijesekara
Obsidian Throne #1
Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Mar 18, 2025
Avon/Harper Voyager
Ages: 16+

Prince Ashoka is the third child of Emperor Adil Maurya, but he is nothing like his father and wants nothing to do with his father's bloodthirsty war against the pacifist witches, and is willing to suffer his father's insults by refusing to kill an innocent. After his father's death, the prince is sent to govern a land where nature spirits rage and where he hopes to put an end to his father's legacy.

After witnessing the burning of her aunt by the Emperor, Shakti goes against everything her aunt had taught her about being a witch and casts a curse, a curse that affected her. Knowing discovery would lead to torture before death, to undo the curse, she poses as a servant in the Emperor's palace.


While this story started off interesting as it talked about the witches and the Emperor portraying them as evil so everyone else would fear and kill them, and how Shakti retaliated, the reader both understands why she did it, but also feels the dread of losing innocents, but the story quickly started to fizz when the soft-hearted prince was introduced. He wasn't a bad character, but I felt he was a naive spoiled child instead of a young man living in a world of danger, who would rather die than kill another who is threatening to kill him, those he loves, or to provide food. Yeah, I get that he doesn't want to kill for pleasure as the rest of his family does, but...

I did like the plot and the characters' moral dilemmas, along with Shakti's situation, and what she was willing to do for family, the complete opposite of the prince. But I got bored with the rambling of the character's thoughts, and frustrated because all of the Emperor's kids (and himself) first names started with an 'A'. When they were all on the same page, it got confusing who was who, so I pretty much gave up at about halfway and started to skim.

Sure, I would like to know why the Emperor hated the witches so much, but after finishing the book, I have a few guesses, and I'm pretty confident I know where the story is going so I doubt I'll read the next book in the series.

2 Stars

I love a character who deeply adheres to the 'no thoughts, just action' philosophy. It's always fun to see them get in more trouble that way or end up pleasantly surprised when their lack of action actually leads to what their goal was. Unfortunately, this just wasn't as memorable as I wanted it to be. There were moments that were fun but there were also a lot of moments when the writing just led to me being even more confused.