The Engineered Throne

4.5 stars

On the recommendation of his brother, Lord Vellem from Belemere is arranged to marry Prince Perdith of Tallideth in an attempt to end the war between the two countries. With peace in sight and the wedding only months away, things take a decidedly bad turn when more than one attempt on Vellem’s life is made, pushing the marriage to happen sooner than desired. Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop tragedy from striking again in a way that changes both Vellam and Perdith’s lives. Now with more responsibilities then they ever thought they’d have, they both have to get accustomed to not only ruling a kingdom but having a stranger as a husband.

Well, this was not the story I was expecting! To be honest, I was thinking this would be closer to steampunk themed than fantasy but how wrong I was! This book had so much happening and so much loss that it was very tragic and heart-wrenching at times. It’s filled with betrayal and suspicion and just when things start looking up, something happens that brings everyones’ hostilities back up and makes things way more tense then they were to begin with. Yes, I am purposely being vague! LOL. But this is the type of book that is enjoyed much more when you experience the revealing at the same time as the characters. It’s a great book and an even better journey especially if you love fantasies.

Speaking of the characters, there will be readers that don’t like Perdith for the way he acts but it was easy for me to understand him and what he’s been through. Originally low-key and wrapped up in numbers, he’s forced to bring out the King in himself and change in a way that others will respect. Underneath it all, he’s still shy and nervous but lets Vellem see his wild and care-free side in bed. At the same time, Vellem is this lowly soldier that doesn’t understand politics even though he knows his war strategies. He’s been through a lot and while he might be clueless in being Regent, he knows how to demolish and rebuild structures. The two together are a force to be reckoned with and brings truth to the saying, “Two heads are better than one”.

My only issues with this story was that it needed more editing. There were a lot of typos and punctuation errors not to mention Vellem’s dragon, Krisanta, (who is just so lovable and amazing!) tended to be forgotten a lot then would show up out of the blue. Also, some chapters picked up weeks/months after certain events were trying to be decided. It was a tad confusing because I couldn’t figure out exactly how much time had passed and I really would have liked to see some of these scenes played out so that we could see when/how plans were formed. I am left with one question that was never answered, though. How in the world are Vellem and Perdith supposed to produce an heir that’s of BOTH their bloods?! Am I sensing a sequel?? With hopefully mpreg?! Oh, yeah, I went there, people!

Beside that, this was an amazing book. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Ms. Derr writes fantastic fantasies that I can’t get enough of. It still amazes me with how much she’s written that she can come up with unique worlds and this one is no different. If you enjoy a good fantasy with some mystery, deception, a little angst, great characters and an amazing world, give this one a try. It’s definitely not worth missing!

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

A lifetime of abuse at the hands of his father sent Vellem into the service of Bellemere's Army Corps of Engineers, first as an apprentice at the age of 10, then in the Royal Corps of Engineers where he became the youngest Captain of the Engineers. His older brother found a different path at the royal court, anything to stay away from their abusive drunk of a father and a mother who hid from her life behind drugs in her rooms.

Vellum rose swiftly through the ranks of the Engineers, winning Bellemere's wars through perseverance and cunning, becoming renown for his engineering skills and intellect. When his brother arranges a marriage for Vellem with one of the younger princes of the enemy kingdom of Talladith as a way to foster peace and make an political alliance, Vellem agrees. He wishes nothing more than to make a new start for himself faraway from his parents and the aggressive kingdom of Bellemere .

Vellem is looking forward to his marriage and using his skills and the accompanying Corps of Engineers to help Talladith rebuild that country's infrastructure that had been destroyed through years of continual warfare with Bellemere. But even as Vellem and the wedding party journey to Talladith, all is not as it seems. But no one is prepared for the tragedy that will strike and Vellum is left to decide if he can go forward to rebuild amongst the ruins of everyone's hopes.

I consider Megan Derr is one of the finest fantasy fiction authors writing in the m/m genre today. Time and again she manages in her series and stand alone novels to capture the essence of the world she is building in such a manner that the universe, her characters and the societies through which they move appear seamless and utterly realistic to the reader, even when dragons fly through the air and mages work their craft in fantastical ways. A Megan Derr fantasy novel is one where no element of the story is neglected.

Her world building is impressive. We learn about the land's topography, the geography, the political layout, the flora and fauna…it all there giving her plots a remarkable foundation upon which to stand. Important in The Engineered Throne are the rugged mountains and rivers that help define the kingdoms. As Vellem and his party travel through the region, Derr's descriptions give the reader a real feel for the area and the treacherous terrain the party must navigate through, making the land as much a part of the story as the characters.

Her plots are always layered and intricate. In The Engineered Throne, the reader is kept guessing as to where the actions are taking the characters, making it almost impossible to extrapolate the events to come. And what shocking events they are. I think that even with some prior warning with some troublesome occurrences along the way, what occurs to the characters we have become fond of is so believably rendered that their pain and shock becomes ours. Without giving anything or too much away, the plot of the story has such complexity and depth that nothing is as it seems on the surface and as the story continues, layer after layer is exposed making the story that much richer and rewarding.

But in order to pull it all together and make the reader care about the book, you must have characters that the readers will commiserate and sympathize with, relating to the characters so thoroughly that our emotions are tied to theirs. That absolutely happens here with Vellem, Koit (his brother), Perdith the prince of Talladith that he marries and all the rest. Although the book is told from Vellem's point of view, the fullness of characterization of the others comes through nicely as seen through his eyes. I loved the fact that, instead of the usual warrior or mage, Vellem is an engineer, and that in that capacity, he wins his wars. That is a lovely twist in this strange world that has both dragons (his little golden dragon is enchanting) and guns. Vellem, a victim of childhood abuse, does not see himself as others do. So at first the readers opinion of him is his, then slowly through the words and actions of those around him, the true nature of this man is revealed both to the readers and finally to himself.

Another element of this story I appreciated is that no character is considered a "throw away". By that I mean, the "red shirt" actors of the Star Trek series. You know, the ones that were there specifically as the disposable character soon to die in the next scene. Soon to die, no care was taken to make them people we would care about. Not so here. We care about them all from the beginning as each is such a personable creation that they come alive in only a few pages.

There is a romance situated at the heart of this story but it is a very slow climb to fruition. Strangers and enemies through politics at the beginning of the story, Vellem and Perdith have many obstacles, including a lack of communication between them, to overcome before love can set in. If you are looking for a story consumed with romance and a sexual relationship between the main characters from the beginning, this may not be the story for you. There is far too much going on for Vellem and Perdith to drop everything for romance and it would negate all the carefully crafted personas for that too happen.

This is a long novel at 346 pages but Megan Derr uses every word to craft an enthralling fantasy saga. In fact at the end, I felt as though there were more stories (and adventures) left for Vellem and Perdith and the rest of the crew. I hope that Megan Derr will revisit this couple or perhaps some of the other characters in this remarkable story. I want to know what happens next. You will too. Grab this up and prepare for a wildly eventful journey into fantasy and romance.

Cover Art by Megan Derr is exceptional. It works beautifully to draw the reader in with its fantasy elements and misty tone.

Book Details:

ebook, 346 pages Published November 13th 2013 (first published November 12th 2013)
original title The Engineered Throne ISBN13 9781620042724 edition language English

By Megan Derr Available now from Less Than Three Press Review copy

When this book popped up on Netgalley, I was intrigued by the main character's job. You don't see many military engineers in fantasy or romance. And let me tell you, THE ENGINEERED THRONE delivers on that promise. Vellem's career is quite important to both the plot and his own decisions. The book will certainly make you think about the importance of having someone around battles who can take bridges down, put bridges up, plan a demolition, and such.

The other point of interest was arranged marriage. Let's face it, during the holidays I want to read fun books. Arranged marriages are a classic trope. Vellem is a war hero, which makes him high profile enough to marry the youngest prince of a neighboring country in order to seal a peace treaty. However, he might not get to marry Perdith, because someone is trying their hardest to assassinate Vellem.

Despite being 312 pages, I felt that some parts of the story were glossed over. Vellem starts a dangerous journey, then the book cuts to him arriving at his destination. Vellem and Perdith are at first uncomfortable and unsure whether to trust each other, then they're totally into each other. Other parts worked better. There is a core of grief and rage to THE ENGINEERED THRONE that works very well. If you pay attention to the title and blurb of the book, it is easy to guess what's coming. But the book works to make it painful, not just a rote plot point.

I enjoyed THE ENGINEERED THRONE quite a bit. It was a quick read with lots of action and a touch of romance. Vellem was an interesting character to spend time with - excellent at his chosen profession, but a bit at sea elsewhere. It was fun to see him earn a happy ending.