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Free Men #3
The Master
Being rescued was only the start.
Otiz lies in ruins. As underlord of the region, Lysander knows where his responsibilities lie. He has an obligation to the survivors to rebuild their homes and their lives. But what about his home, his life?
Kai needs help. The damage inflicted on him goes beyond the marks left when he was tortured, but healing him might require more from Lysander than he’s capable of giving. Of one thing he’s certain: Tam and Kai will never be endangered again because of who he is, even if saving them means setting them free.
All Lysander wants is to be left in peace. To recover from the horrors of his experience at the hands of his enemies. But with pressure piling up from every angle, peace is the last thing he’s likely to find. Suffocated by guilt, Lysander begins to spiral. How can he hold everything together, when inside he’s falling apart?
60,000 words.
THE FREE MEN SERIES:
THE SLAVE
THE SOLDIER
THE MASTER
Otiz lies in ruins. As underlord of the region, Lysander knows where his responsibilities lie. He has an obligation to the survivors to rebuild their homes and their lives. But what about his home, his life?
Kai needs help. The damage inflicted on him goes beyond the marks left when he was tortured, but healing him might require more from Lysander than he’s capable of giving. Of one thing he’s certain: Tam and Kai will never be endangered again because of who he is, even if saving them means setting them free.
All Lysander wants is to be left in peace. To recover from the horrors of his experience at the hands of his enemies. But with pressure piling up from every angle, peace is the last thing he’s likely to find. Suffocated by guilt, Lysander begins to spiral. How can he hold everything together, when inside he’s falling apart?
60,000 words.
THE FREE MEN SERIES:
THE SLAVE
THE SOLDIER
THE MASTER
170 pages, ebook
First published November 22, 2014
About the author
Kate Aaron
36 books334 followersBorn in Liverpool, Kate Aaron is a bestselling author of the #1 LGBT romances What He Wants, Ace, The Slave, and other works.
Kate swapped the North West for the Midwest in October 2015 and married award-winning author AJ Rose. Together they plan to take over the world.
Kate swapped the North West for the Midwest in October 2015 and married award-winning author AJ Rose. Together they plan to take over the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
September 21, 2017
I was sorely disappointed with the ending of this. Where the first two books had a taxing physical battle and soul-drenching emotional battle, the battle in this one was solely emotional, as they all were dealing with the consequences of the attack on the compound.
And I was quite fine with it, too. Except for when I felt too many sexy scenes in place of some progression, and when Lysander attemped penetration with Kai and double penetration with Tam without their all ever having discussed this topic. That totally made me hate him. I wanted their to be some conversation before the ventured into this deeper intimacy, and it was such a hurried and non-thought-out decision and act that I almost abhorred Lysander.
And I was quite fine with it, too. Except for when I felt too many sexy scenes in place of some progression, and when Lysander attemped penetration with Kai and double penetration with Tam without their all ever having discussed this topic. That totally made me hate him. I wanted their to be some conversation before the ventured into this deeper intimacy, and it was such a hurried and non-thought-out decision and act that I almost abhorred Lysander.
April 26, 2020
*** The wrap of this book three is just as riveting as the first two books. A great trilogy.
Here we are post rescue and Kai's tortured body is healing, but forever scarred. Master/Lysander and Tam are recovering also, and Master's torture was more mental than physical
from the evil Andor. On this planet with two suns, Mistress and Cas have been very helpful. Now they must travel to their ruined, ravaged home that they were stolen from. Once there everyone jumps in to assist the towns folk, and army in the clean up and rebuilding.
* Master is laden with guilt for all that has happened to everyone. He feels that he has been a terrible leader and deems himself unworthy of anyone's sympathy or understanding. Especially Tam and Kai's devotion.
Here we get lots of introspect from Master's mind. Kai is struggling with his scars, where the hot oil burned his chest and genitals, and he still can't perform. But, his lovers still lavish him with care and touches, and he and Master finally become closer.
There are many things being tended to, like the orphans, the people, and the restorations.
* This is beautifully written with stunning descriptive details, that make us feel like we are watching a movie.
The magnificent characters are flawed, doubting themselves, fearful and in need. The sex scenes are emotional and deeply intense, and later Master and Tam prove to Kai that he can function. Our guilty Master must make a choice.
This series is spectacular and heartwarming, even amidst the brutality. Our hearts are given to the trio. We want them happy and together.
The epilogue is lovely.
Highly recommended ! ENJOY !
=================
Here we are post rescue and Kai's tortured body is healing, but forever scarred. Master/Lysander and Tam are recovering also, and Master's torture was more mental than physical
from the evil Andor. On this planet with two suns, Mistress and Cas have been very helpful. Now they must travel to their ruined, ravaged home that they were stolen from. Once there everyone jumps in to assist the towns folk, and army in the clean up and rebuilding.
* Master is laden with guilt for all that has happened to everyone. He feels that he has been a terrible leader and deems himself unworthy of anyone's sympathy or understanding. Especially Tam and Kai's devotion.
Here we get lots of introspect from Master's mind. Kai is struggling with his scars, where the hot oil burned his chest and genitals, and he still can't perform. But, his lovers still lavish him with care and touches, and he and Master finally become closer.
There are many things being tended to, like the orphans, the people, and the restorations.
* This is beautifully written with stunning descriptive details, that make us feel like we are watching a movie.
The magnificent characters are flawed, doubting themselves, fearful and in need. The sex scenes are emotional and deeply intense, and later Master and Tam prove to Kai that he can function. Our guilty Master must make a choice.
This series is spectacular and heartwarming, even amidst the brutality. Our hearts are given to the trio. We want them happy and together.
The epilogue is lovely.
Highly recommended ! ENJOY !
=================
November 26, 2014
Best fantasy series ever!
Kate Aaron has done it again!
In this third part of the Free Men trilogy FINALLY Master Lysander is the narrator. Oh, how I waited for him to spill the beans! And how he did!
“I didn’t think I’d ever be all right again!
.....
This was all my fault. I had known we were in danger, known it for months.
Wasn’t that why I had sent Tam to find another slave in the first place?
Someone of his choosing, so when I set him free, he wouldn’t be completely alone in the world?”
The fantasy world Kate has woven around our three heroes Tam, Kai and their Master Lysander blew me away, it was just breathtaking to read what they went through… OMG… I was glued to my kindle from the very first page and didn’t want it to end. Ever!
An entire world against them couldn’t destroy the growing affection between Tam, Kai and Lysander. Their love for each other (yeah, it takes Ly a while to confess it) was stronger than anything.
In The Slave and The Soldier we were kept in the dark about Lysander’s motives and couldn’t understand his behavior. But in The Master we finally have the chance to see inside his head and learn what he sacrificed, why he sent Tam away to purchase Kai, why he did to Kai what he did, why he couldn’t talk about his feelings, why he remained married so long, and who Neemah is.
Oh boy, how Lysander pulled at my heartstrings! The strong master, the underlord who isn’t THAT strong all the time, who has his weaknesses.
A tear leaked down my face, and I dashed it angrily away. I had no right to cry. I trembled with the effort of keeping everything inside, of keeping tears at bay. If I let them out, they’d consume me, and I needed to be strong. Needed to be the master everyone expected me to be. My world had fallen apart, and only I could put it back together.
If you love fantasy combined with menage The Free Men series will capture you. In this last book of the trilogy one sex-scene in particular blew me away and left me breathless… reduced me to a puddle of goo. Those three are soooo hot together! Brilliant written!
Btw… I loved Cas. What a wonderful supporting character. I’m sure he could fill a fourth book easily.
Btw, Kate, one abominable creature is still alive.
Gently I prised him (Kai) off me, cupping his face and raising his head to look at him. His eyes were wet, filled with so much pain I wanted to ride into the desert, storm the stronghold, take Andor in my bare hands, and wring the life out of him inch by bloody, gasping inch.
Can’t wait for that to happen! Just saying…
The Free Men trilogy is definitely one of my Top 5 reads this year. Marvelously done! Highly recommended!
April 18, 2017
As it is the last book of Free Men series, this review will be as much about The Master, its last part, as the whole trilogy...
So, Lysander's book now...
After all the emotional and nerve-wrecking turmoil of The Soldier, in The Master our three MCs are finally together...
They're working hard to rebuild their home and city but also to regain that loving, caring relationship they managed to establish before the attack on the compound.
Although it's Lysander's POV now, we see him struggle to regain his position in Otiz and his inner peace, coming to terms with what must be done... I think that Kai stole this book! At least for me ;)
Again, he was the strongest character of this triangle, the hero, the unwavering protector, the one who saw and undestood things that Lysander fought so fiercely to hide from Tam and Kai. He saw Lysander as the troubled, strained nobleman, desperately trying to be strong and commanding, striving to do "the right thing"...
And that's all true... Lysander has his own inner battles to fight, without the hope of winning, as the fate he doesn't even want weighs him down bit by bit. He is torn, so terribly riven by his love (let's face it, he KNOWS it's LOVE, he just doesn't want to admit it) towards his slaves and closest companions and by his obligations and duties to his son, wife and, ultimately, to his country... :( He cannot crumble, although he so, so wants to...
And again, when the moment finally comes, when Lysander finally breaks down, who is right there for him? Who pushes right through his defences, making him face his fears and needs and acknowledge that he's only a human being with cravings and rights to be happy as anyone else??? You guessed it! It was KAI!
So, as far as I loved more and more the whole trilogy... As it grew stronger and stronger on me... Beginning from a little dragged and uneven The Slave (which had to give us the background of the 3 MCs and the plot-building to keep us hooked and maybe that's why not as good as I wanted it to be), through this impossibly difficult (both physically and emotionally) Kai's journey in The Soldier and up to this almost totally internally monologued by Lysander The Master... I must say that the best POV was, for me, Kai's and his part of the series impressed me the most.
And now, some spoilers!!!
I lacked a few bits and pieces in this final part, for example:
I also wanted to see a bit more of...
And some wrap-up for
All in all? I loved that series! After a little rough beginning, I must rate it with 5 stars as a whole! Lysander, Kai and Tam are just beautiful together... *sigh*
So, Lysander's book now...
After all the emotional and nerve-wrecking turmoil of The Soldier, in The Master our three MCs are finally together...
They're working hard to rebuild their home and city but also to regain that loving, caring relationship they managed to establish before the attack on the compound.
Although it's Lysander's POV now, we see him struggle to regain his position in Otiz and his inner peace, coming to terms with what must be done... I think that Kai stole this book! At least for me ;)
Again, he was the strongest character of this triangle, the hero, the unwavering protector, the one who saw and undestood things that Lysander fought so fiercely to hide from Tam and Kai. He saw Lysander as the troubled, strained nobleman, desperately trying to be strong and commanding, striving to do "the right thing"...
And that's all true... Lysander has his own inner battles to fight, without the hope of winning, as the fate he doesn't even want weighs him down bit by bit. He is torn, so terribly riven by his love (let's face it, he KNOWS it's LOVE, he just doesn't want to admit it) towards his slaves and closest companions and by his obligations and duties to his son, wife and, ultimately, to his country... :( He cannot crumble, although he so, so wants to...
And again, when the moment finally comes, when Lysander finally breaks down, who is right there for him? Who pushes right through his defences, making him face his fears and needs and acknowledge that he's only a human being with cravings and rights to be happy as anyone else??? You guessed it! It was KAI!
So, as far as I loved more and more the whole trilogy... As it grew stronger and stronger on me... Beginning from a little dragged and uneven The Slave (which had to give us the background of the 3 MCs and the plot-building to keep us hooked and maybe that's why not as good as I wanted it to be), through this impossibly difficult (both physically and emotionally) Kai's journey in The Soldier and up to this almost totally internally monologued by Lysander The Master... I must say that the best POV was, for me, Kai's and his part of the series impressed me the most.
And now, some spoilers!!!
I lacked a few bits and pieces in this final part, for example:
I also wanted to see a bit more of...
And some wrap-up for
All in all? I loved that series! After a little rough beginning, I must rate it with 5 stars as a whole! Lysander, Kai and Tam are just beautiful together... *sigh*
February 28, 2015
What an amazing journey for these three men: Lysander, Tamelik and Kai. What a fabulous fantasy series Free Men has been for this reader. Captivating, atmospheric, wonderful world building and superb characterisations. Magnificent.
5 brilliantly shiny stars from me, and many congrats Kate!!
Tamelik (The Slave, book 1 of Free Men), captured as a boy, his family slain, the fates were smiling on him the day he was sent to Lysander’s house, where he was treated gently and sympathetically and eventually became Lysander’s pleasure-slave and lover.
Kai (The Soldier, book 2 of Free Men), a soldier who was captured and sold into slavery, was bought by Tamelik at the slave market. Tam had not even considered anyone else once he caught sight of Kai, and Kai was furious with himself and everyone else, anger spilling over like a spoilt child but he soon grew to understand that no-one would deliberately hurt him at the Master’s house, until that fateful day when the compound where they lived was overrun by a small army of mercenaries and killers, greedy for the ransom they would get for capturing….
Lysander (The Master, book 3 of Free Men), who they believed to be the missing prince of Thirsk. Kai was badly tortured by one particularly brutal sadist called Andor (don’t think I’ve forgotten who YOU are, you bastard!!) in the hope that he would reveal Lysander’s true identity…he hadn’t a clue, Tam and Lysander were imprisoned, many of the compound’s other inhabitants were slaughtered. Some disgruntled members of the mercenaries were afraid that they would never see any share of whatever ransom they could get, and Kai therefore played upon their greed, suggesting that he go to Lysander’s wife Neemah and obtain money for their release. My brave Kai!! Of course, nothing is as it seems, and this last book in the series puts us all through the wringer until the end…and no, I’m not going into any more detail.
Quotes... ‘We were more than a master and his slaves, more than pawns being manoeuvred in someone else’s game. We were free men, who had chosen each other for love, and love alone.’
‘We might never be seen as equals in the eyes of outsiders, but in these moments, THEY were the masters and I, their slave.’
5 brilliantly shiny stars from me, and many congrats Kate!!
Tamelik (The Slave, book 1 of Free Men), captured as a boy, his family slain, the fates were smiling on him the day he was sent to Lysander’s house, where he was treated gently and sympathetically and eventually became Lysander’s pleasure-slave and lover.
Kai (The Soldier, book 2 of Free Men), a soldier who was captured and sold into slavery, was bought by Tamelik at the slave market. Tam had not even considered anyone else once he caught sight of Kai, and Kai was furious with himself and everyone else, anger spilling over like a spoilt child but he soon grew to understand that no-one would deliberately hurt him at the Master’s house, until that fateful day when the compound where they lived was overrun by a small army of mercenaries and killers, greedy for the ransom they would get for capturing….
Lysander (The Master, book 3 of Free Men), who they believed to be the missing prince of Thirsk. Kai was badly tortured by one particularly brutal sadist called Andor (don’t think I’ve forgotten who YOU are, you bastard!!) in the hope that he would reveal Lysander’s true identity…he hadn’t a clue, Tam and Lysander were imprisoned, many of the compound’s other inhabitants were slaughtered. Some disgruntled members of the mercenaries were afraid that they would never see any share of whatever ransom they could get, and Kai therefore played upon their greed, suggesting that he go to Lysander’s wife Neemah and obtain money for their release. My brave Kai!! Of course, nothing is as it seems, and this last book in the series puts us all through the wringer until the end…and no, I’m not going into any more detail.
Quotes... ‘We were more than a master and his slaves, more than pawns being manoeuvred in someone else’s game. We were free men, who had chosen each other for love, and love alone.’
‘We might never be seen as equals in the eyes of outsiders, but in these moments, THEY were the masters and I, their slave.’
May 1, 2018
4 Stars
I liked this installment...but I think I was hoping for...more? I don't know specifically what I wanted out of it but most of this was just Lysander's thoughts and inner dialogue, with some input from Tam & Kai and a few of the other characters. Through their every day interactions and decisions...rebuilding, reconnecting, rebelling (a bit). On occasion, it felt like some sort of extra long epilogue instead of a its own book.
Part of what bothered me was that nothing was ever done about the bandits/bad guys in the desert lair. An off-handed mention of how Lysander wanted to slaughter them all for what was done to Kai plus using their existence to bolster the strategic position of staying in Otiz...and that's about it. No resolution or routing, no revenge. Also, I kind of wanted it to extend further into the future to see how Neemah handled . She was definitely steely, and seemed like she would.
What I did love was how much guilt Lysander had for his part in the decades long deception. That the deception wrought, the lie woven by those high up in the royal court was at least partially responsible for the deaths of those villagers, the destruction of the town. In a way he was just as much of a slave as Tam & Kai were, bound to his position, a prisoner of someone else's future. A gilded cage, but emotionally destructive & heart-breaking.
Also, DAMN! While I was off about the royal lineage bit, I think I might have hit on something about the nature/structure of the books in my last review. I mentioned that Tam's was all sex and that to Kai, Tam was "sex incarnate" so it makes sense his book would be a sex-fest. And Kai's book was about struggle, fighting (as a soldier is tasked to do); his struggle to accept his position, constantly rebelling against his fate as a slave but also wanting to find a place to belong...and the fight to escape the desert stronghold and mountain pass onslaught. This one was more about claiming the life they all wanted, about winding their futures together and becoming more equal (despite titles). About healing & love and standing up for what is right, for what they deserve, and finding the right balance for each of them to be truly happy. Becoming a true Master of one's fate.
In all, this was a great series...and having that first book free on Amazon (still) was a brilliant marketing plan/decision.
I liked this installment...but I think I was hoping for...more? I don't know specifically what I wanted out of it but most of this was just Lysander's thoughts and inner dialogue, with some input from Tam & Kai and a few of the other characters. Through their every day interactions and decisions...rebuilding, reconnecting, rebelling (a bit). On occasion, it felt like some sort of extra long epilogue instead of a its own book.
Part of what bothered me was that nothing was ever done about the bandits/bad guys in the desert lair. An off-handed mention of how Lysander wanted to slaughter them all for what was done to Kai plus using their existence to bolster the strategic position of staying in Otiz...and that's about it. No resolution or routing, no revenge. Also, I kind of wanted it to extend further into the future to see how Neemah handled . She was definitely steely, and seemed like she would.
What I did love was how much guilt Lysander had for his part in the decades long deception. That the deception wrought, the lie woven by those high up in the royal court was at least partially responsible for the deaths of those villagers, the destruction of the town. In a way he was just as much of a slave as Tam & Kai were, bound to his position, a prisoner of someone else's future. A gilded cage, but emotionally destructive & heart-breaking.
Also, DAMN! While I was off about the royal lineage bit, I think I might have hit on something about the nature/structure of the books in my last review. I mentioned that Tam's was all sex and that to Kai, Tam was "sex incarnate" so it makes sense his book would be a sex-fest. And Kai's book was about struggle, fighting (as a soldier is tasked to do); his struggle to accept his position, constantly rebelling against his fate as a slave but also wanting to find a place to belong...and the fight to escape the desert stronghold and mountain pass onslaught. This one was more about claiming the life they all wanted, about winding their futures together and becoming more equal (despite titles). About healing & love and standing up for what is right, for what they deserve, and finding the right balance for each of them to be truly happy. Becoming a true Master of one's fate.
In all, this was a great series...and having that first book free on Amazon (still) was a brilliant marketing plan/decision.
May 18, 2019
Review is for the series as a whole rather than the individual books that comprise it.
Gah, sooo damn good! Without a doubt the sweetest 'slave story' I've ever read. *happy sigh*
Gah, sooo damn good! Without a doubt the sweetest 'slave story' I've ever read. *happy sigh*
June 11, 2023
The final book of this trilogy is all about healing. With Lysander's POV, his love for both men was evident and his kindness proven true by his version of events.
At the beginning, he was ready to let Tam and Kai go, slaves he learned to love and treasure. But his love and desire to be with both men won over his self-hate and guilt. Together they rebuilt their lives and found new purpose. Their relationship blossomed in a lot of ways and it was heartwarming to see them start being comfortable with showing their feelings and affection for each other.
Wherein Book 1 and 2 brought heartache and helplessness, this book was like a balm to a wound. It brought hope amidst desperation and loss. I hated Neemah since Book 2 until most part of Book 3 but that plot twist made me understand her resentment a bit. Everyone got their own happy ending. What a great way to end a story full of fear, pain, and uncertainty.
"Dear gods, how could I possibly keep Tammy and Kai now? I couldn’t guarantee their safety—that much had been proven beyond doubt—and even if I could, I didn’t know that I could be the master I had once been. Wasn’t that why I had sent Tam to find another slave in the first place? Someone of his choosing, so when I set him free, he wouldn’t be completely alone in the world."
At the beginning, he was ready to let Tam and Kai go, slaves he learned to love and treasure. But his love and desire to be with both men won over his self-hate and guilt. Together they rebuilt their lives and found new purpose. Their relationship blossomed in a lot of ways and it was heartwarming to see them start being comfortable with showing their feelings and affection for each other.
Wherein Book 1 and 2 brought heartache and helplessness, this book was like a balm to a wound. It brought hope amidst desperation and loss. I hated Neemah since Book 2 until most part of Book 3 but that plot twist made me understand her resentment a bit. Everyone got their own happy ending. What a great way to end a story full of fear, pain, and uncertainty.
October 13, 2015
This book was a great conclusion to the series. It largely revolves around The Masters history and the history of him purchasing Tam and Kai, it was probably the most interesting back stories and I loved reading it.
However, I felt the main focus was on The Master working out what he wanted from his relationship with his boys and having the courage to take it. With that in mind this book is much more centred around the threesome than The Soldier was and it was nice to see their relationship grow.
There was less sex in this one than the first but more than the second and it was still smoking hot. especially that scene at the end ;-)
definitely recommend this series.
However, I felt the main focus was on The Master working out what he wanted from his relationship with his boys and having the courage to take it. With that in mind this book is much more centred around the threesome than The Soldier was and it was nice to see their relationship grow.
There was less sex in this one than the first but more than the second and it was still smoking hot. especially that scene at the end ;-)
definitely recommend this series.
August 3, 2016
A perfect ending to a well written and unique trilogy.
September 7, 2022
Overall book rating: 3.8
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 4
I loved getting to see behind Lysander's mask.
I loved seeing them rebuild.
I was sorely disappointed in still finding a lack of
one on one time and connection between Kai
and Lysander.
I was so hopeful when Kai was the one who
shared the emotional moment of Lysander
breaking down.
I though, now, finally there will be some
intense personal time between the two of
them. Lysander will show Kai what he
means to him. How he grew to love and
care for him.
Hell I would have even been happy if
Lysander and Tam had one scene where
they focused all their love and attention
only on KAI. Because he deserved it
dammit.. Tam had years of one on one
time with Lysander.. couldn't there
just be one special intimate moment
between Kai and Lysander? Was that to
much to ask?
This made me stew the whole night after finishing this
book. I was sad. Because I felt cheated out of
something that could have been so awesome.
Again, it made me resent Tam, and even Lysander
for making me feel that Kai comes third in this
relationship.
Ps. I'm still sorry for poor Caspar. Still think
he deserves better that the hand he got by loving
the evil ice queen. Wink wink.
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 4
I loved getting to see behind Lysander's mask.
I loved seeing them rebuild.
I was sorely disappointed in still finding a lack of
one on one time and connection between Kai
and Lysander.
I was so hopeful when Kai was the one who
shared the emotional moment of Lysander
breaking down.
I though, now, finally there will be some
intense personal time between the two of
them. Lysander will show Kai what he
means to him. How he grew to love and
care for him.
Hell I would have even been happy if
Lysander and Tam had one scene where
they focused all their love and attention
only on KAI. Because he deserved it
dammit.. Tam had years of one on one
time with Lysander.. couldn't there
just be one special intimate moment
between Kai and Lysander? Was that to
much to ask?
This made me stew the whole night after finishing this
book. I was sad. Because I felt cheated out of
something that could have been so awesome.
Again, it made me resent Tam, and even Lysander
for making me feel that Kai comes third in this
relationship.
Ps. I'm still sorry for poor Caspar. Still think
he deserves better that the hand he got by loving
the evil ice queen. Wink wink.
November 26, 2014
4.5 star review by The Blogger Girls.
What a wonderful little fantasy series this has been. This one, as the title suggests, is told in Lysander’s point of view. The guys are all on the mend but still recovering at the castle.
It doesn’t take long before doubts set in, mostly from Lysander, as he feels guilty for his role in the suffering of not only Tam and Kai, but of the people of Otiz and his home as well. This was the worst part for me, his constant reminding us of this fact, but the rest of the story is so wonderful that I was able to set it aside.
There are quite a few character developments that happen this time around. Kai is still trying to deal with his scars and how the guys see him, but they do a fabulous job showing him how they see beyond them, that he is not damaged goods and still a whole person. Kai makes the biggest strides here, both with himself and with his relationship with Lysander. It takes a while, but eventually that trust comes back stronger than before.
Tam is still the same sweet guy, but he comes out of his shell a bit more when he is tasked with helping heal the people of Otiz. They spend a considerable amount of time trying to help the people there and to rebuild the town. There are some powerful scenes there, especially involving Kai, where he finds a purpose and acceptance among the children and people.
The lies and secrets eventually come to a head – I was turning pages very quickly to get to these details. They are the source of many of Lysander’s problems, but there is also development here that includes his wife and her lover. Everything just really came together, even though, at times, it wasn’t easy for any of them. In the end, true feelings won out as everyone realized what was important and what they cared about the most.
I’m a bit sad to see the end of this. I couldn’t read it fast enough, but I didn’t want to let these guys go. It was truly a fabulous read, from beginning to end. I loved getting each of the guys’ perspectives and watching them grow and end up loving each other. Fantastic world building, vivid details, and even some smexy to go along with it. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for an interesting fantasy that has a little bit of everything to offer.
March 9, 2015
While I wanted Lysander's point of view, this story suffered from his conflicted feelings which led to too many internal monologues, reflecting his determination to do one thing even though he desperately wanted to do another. As he struggled between the two, he kept deciding on one course of action and then doing the opposite.
The constant back and forth sent mixed messages to Kai and Tam and it made me so angry; one of my MCs was breaking my number one rule, DON'T HURT MY MCs! It makes me crazy when an MC does stupid stuff for someone else's 'own good'. Also, the self-sacrifice got old fast; I had no patience for the martyrdom.
It all dragged on way too long.
Then, finally, it got better. Thanks to Kai. *nods* Kai knew what was what. And eventually the whole story came out and even made sense, kind of. But I was still irritated we had to go through all the nonsense first, and for so long.
All that, and a few minor editing issues I didn't notice in the first two books, and this last story of the series just barely got the four hearts from me, and that mostly because I loved the other two books so much and I wanted my HEA.
As a whole, though, the series is definitely a new favorite of mine.
Review previously posted on
The constant back and forth sent mixed messages to Kai and Tam and it made me so angry; one of my MCs was breaking my number one rule, DON'T HURT MY MCs! It makes me crazy when an MC does stupid stuff for someone else's 'own good'. Also, the self-sacrifice got old fast; I had no patience for the martyrdom.
It all dragged on way too long.
Then, finally, it got better. Thanks to Kai. *nods* Kai knew what was what. And eventually the whole story came out and even made sense, kind of. But I was still irritated we had to go through all the nonsense first, and for so long.
All that, and a few minor editing issues I didn't notice in the first two books, and this last story of the series just barely got the four hearts from me, and that mostly because I loved the other two books so much and I wanted my HEA.
As a whole, though, the series is definitely a new favorite of mine.
Review previously posted on
November 23, 2014
Free Men, Book 3 The Master ended this series perfectly. Kate Aaron, has yet again, mastered the written word. Her creation of a world and the characters in it is breathtaking. Book 1 (The Slave) we followed Tam's POV and Kate whisked us away into a world where boundaries were pushed, love truly is stronger than anything, and the impossible is challenged. In Book 2 ( The Soldier) we were sucked into Kai's world, and the darkness that consumed him. His past, as horrible as it was, had nothing on what awaited him at the hands of his own. But, again, love was a huge healer in that book. Now, The Master, book 3 to this marvelous series brings it all full circle. Finally, we hear from Lysander. FINALLY we truly understand his feelings for Tam and Kai. The purpose of Kai's purchase, and how every sacrifice he made, and makes, is selfless.
I was blown away and left breathless by this book and this entire series will go down as an all time favorite series! I applaud Kate Aaron.
I was blown away and left breathless by this book and this entire series will go down as an all time favorite series! I applaud Kate Aaron.
November 28, 2014
OMG OMG what a series! I plowed through all of them in a couple of days. Couldn't put them down! I want more!!!
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
December 27, 2017
Update: // @ 75% Why do authors do this?!? Why do authors take a good book and deliberately destroy it?!? Why create a character you start out really liking and then do everything in your writerly power to make him totally unlikeable?!!? That's what this author has done to this book for me ... made me dislike a character I REALLY LIKED and then destroyed not only the book in my eyes, but the entire experience!!! I am pissed off and at this point, I don't think Lysander (the bastard) deserves neither Tam nor Kai!!!!!!!!!!! I feel like the author went out of her way to turn the character into someone as unlikable as he turned out to be. WHY??!!? Why do that?!!? It sucks!!! The way this whole trilogy turned out, this was enough to end any desire I might have had to read any other works by this author. Also, you know what? I feel like what happened was SO contrived and SO out there, that I'm more annoyed at the author taking this route than I am at the character, if that makes sense. This could have been so much better and it could definitely have lived up to its promise. This author is just definitely not for me.
******
Hated this. It's a shame the last two books turned out the way they did, because the first book WAS a good one. Oh well.
******
Note: Admittedly, I DNFed this @ 75% so I haven't seen the development of Lysander or his redemption at the end. I have no doubt he does redeem himself [I've skimmed a little bit toward the end], but I was too far gone in my dislike and distrust of him to give him a fair chance. My decision was made. I will say this though, with Neemah in mind, the author sure is excellent at creating a few characters that you want to smack around and strangle.
I did ADORE (!!) Kai and Tam :-) ... but again I'm sure Lysander DOES redeem himself (though I quit the book before I ever got to see it), so I'll give a small nod in acknowledgement of that theory.
*****
Book 2 pissed the fuck out of me >:-o and I was thisclose to abandoning the trilogy, but since this is on KU, I figured I'd go after the answers I think I deserve (in regard to what happened in book 2). Let's see ...
******
Hated this. It's a shame the last two books turned out the way they did, because the first book WAS a good one. Oh well.
******
Note: Admittedly, I DNFed this @ 75% so I haven't seen the development of Lysander or his redemption at the end. I have no doubt he does redeem himself [I've skimmed a little bit toward the end], but I was too far gone in my dislike and distrust of him to give him a fair chance. My decision was made. I will say this though, with Neemah in mind, the author sure is excellent at creating a few characters that you want to smack around and strangle.
I did ADORE (!!) Kai and Tam :-) ... but again I'm sure Lysander DOES redeem himself (though I quit the book before I ever got to see it), so I'll give a small nod in acknowledgement of that theory.
*****
Book 2 pissed the fuck out of me >:-o and I was thisclose to abandoning the trilogy, but since this is on KU, I figured I'd go after the answers I think I deserve (in regard to what happened in book 2). Let's see ...
February 3, 2016
*3.75 stars*
I'm all about the like on this one. That is, I liked it, I just didn't love it.
Each of the three stories was told from a different POV, which was a unique and interesting approach. I suspect this worked well for most readers. However, I think I would have preferred to have seen all three POVs at each stage of the story. I got attached to each of Tam and Kai, and their respective voices, in the first two stories and then found myself a little bereft when I didn't hear each of their thoughts as the series progressed, especially in this final book.
Nevertheless, this was an engaging and sensual series which will appeal to those that enjoy m/m/m fantasy.
I'm all about the like on this one. That is, I liked it, I just didn't love it.
Each of the three stories was told from a different POV, which was a unique and interesting approach. I suspect this worked well for most readers. However, I think I would have preferred to have seen all three POVs at each stage of the story. I got attached to each of Tam and Kai, and their respective voices, in the first two stories and then found myself a little bereft when I didn't hear each of their thoughts as the series progressed, especially in this final book.
Nevertheless, this was an engaging and sensual series which will appeal to those that enjoy m/m/m fantasy.
December 25, 2014
Another excellent book in the Free Men series. I really enjoyed seeing yet another point of view in this MMM relationship. This book does a wonderful job of filling in the blanks the reader is still missing in the puzzle of this complicated and wonderful world. Dubcon/slave fiction is my guilty pleasure, and I enjoyed this series so much, I went through it in one weekend.
I ended up reading all 3 books back to back over a weekend.Highly recommend (and I already have, several times!).
March 30, 2015
★★★☆☆
This was the most angst-filled of the three and least favorite for me. We learn about the Master and his motivations (because slaves don't warrant explanations) and he's a good man who takes on the world and obsesses about it.
The men come together and it's all tied in a neat and tidy bow but by the end, I was ready for an angst-free read.
This was the most angst-filled of the three and least favorite for me. We learn about the Master and his motivations (because slaves don't warrant explanations) and he's a good man who takes on the world and obsesses about it.
The men come together and it's all tied in a neat and tidy bow but by the end, I was ready for an angst-free read.
October 14, 2016
Great and heart-warming conclusion to the series. I love what Kate Aaron has done with commonly tired old tropes. A breath of fresh air to them. Likeit ;)
I received a reading copy from the author, with no strings attached as to how to review this.
I received a reading copy from the author, with no strings attached as to how to review this.
September 22, 2017
Nice ending to the trilogy.
May 30, 2019
Epilogo degno di una serie splendida, perfetta❤️
A breve la recensione per il blog
A breve la recensione per il blog
January 17, 2016
Have you ever felt torn between wanting to finish a book as quickly as you possibly can because you really need to know how the story ends, and wanting to draw the reading out for as long as possible because you don’t want to ever stop spending time with these characters in their world? Well, THAT.
Also...
Do you ever get so involved in a story you want to jump into it and scream at the characters that they’re getting it wrong, that if only the paid attention they’d know everything they wanted, everything they dreamed about and everything they thought they couldn’t have was right in front of them? Well, THAT too .
To say this trilogy captured my imagination would be a gross understatement. The moment I read the first few lines of The Slave I was happily and completely lost in the story. My obsession with the tale and the three characters staring in it only became stronger while The Soldier ripped my heart apart and put it back together. I counted down the days until the release of The Master, planned my writing schedule so today would be free and even put aside a book I would not have thought I’d be able to ignore for any reason.
Lysander, the Master, is the narrator in this book and at last we get explanations for actions which appeared inexplicable in The Slave, Tam’s story and The Soldier, Kai’s book. We discover that Lysander is not quite the in control Master he appears to be.
“Kai thought me a strong man, a master he could look up to. He had only ever seen me in my own house, in control. He had no idea how out of control I truly felt.”
We learn that Lysander’s actions stemmed from love; that his sacrifices as well as his seemingly harsh decisions were made out of selfless concern for others rather than misuse of power, even if Lysander himself can’t see it that way.
Before bed we bathed in the pool, and I scrubbed my skin raw but nothing removed the guilt which had eaten its way into my flesh, as thick and cloying as smoke.”
And
“I trembled with the effort of keeping everything inside, of keeping tears at bay. If I let them out, they’d consume me, and I needed to be strong. Needed to be the master everyone expected me to be.”
And yet the author didn’t portray this character as a saint anymore than she did the other two men. All three of them are recognisable in their humanity, their doubts, their jealousies and their occasionally petty actions. This doesn’t make them lesser characters, quite the opposite. It brings them to life and makes you love them all the more because they are beautiful and admirable despite and because of their faults and the manner in which they fight and overcome them.
Kate Aaron shows us things are rarely how they appear at first glance. Slaves aren’t ignorant or weak, Masters don’t always get it right and aren’t necessarily the strongest personality in the contorted relationship. The master, the slave and the soldier all have their strengths and weaknesses they complement each other even if they are slow to recognise the fact. All three need to be seen and loved for who they are rather than the role society has thrust upon them.
“Of everyone, only Tam and Kai cared about Lysander, the man, rather than what my position of power could offer them.”
I’m not going to say anything about the revelations in this book. Doing so would be a huge disservice to those who haven’t read the book(s) yet. Suffice to say it all worked beautifully and made for a powerful, at times heartbreaking, and ultimately beautiful story. Kate Aaron created characters and a world in such vivid clarity the pictures and voices are vivid in my head and safely lodged in my heart. I won’t forget the slave, the soldier or their master anytime soon and know without a doubt a smile will brighten my face whenever they pop into my thoughts.
I want to end with a quick note on the way I rated this book and series.Each story on its own was a solid five star read for me. The three books as a whole – the story in its entirety – warranted more than just the average of the three scores. Free Men is an exceptional trilogy and more than deserves the six star rating I’ve given it. Whatever you do, don’t miss out on what will, without a doubt, be (one of) the best reading experience(s) you’ll have this year.
Also...
Do you ever get so involved in a story you want to jump into it and scream at the characters that they’re getting it wrong, that if only the paid attention they’d know everything they wanted, everything they dreamed about and everything they thought they couldn’t have was right in front of them? Well, THAT too .
To say this trilogy captured my imagination would be a gross understatement. The moment I read the first few lines of The Slave I was happily and completely lost in the story. My obsession with the tale and the three characters staring in it only became stronger while The Soldier ripped my heart apart and put it back together. I counted down the days until the release of The Master, planned my writing schedule so today would be free and even put aside a book I would not have thought I’d be able to ignore for any reason.
Lysander, the Master, is the narrator in this book and at last we get explanations for actions which appeared inexplicable in The Slave, Tam’s story and The Soldier, Kai’s book. We discover that Lysander is not quite the in control Master he appears to be.
“Kai thought me a strong man, a master he could look up to. He had only ever seen me in my own house, in control. He had no idea how out of control I truly felt.”
We learn that Lysander’s actions stemmed from love; that his sacrifices as well as his seemingly harsh decisions were made out of selfless concern for others rather than misuse of power, even if Lysander himself can’t see it that way.
Before bed we bathed in the pool, and I scrubbed my skin raw but nothing removed the guilt which had eaten its way into my flesh, as thick and cloying as smoke.”
And
“I trembled with the effort of keeping everything inside, of keeping tears at bay. If I let them out, they’d consume me, and I needed to be strong. Needed to be the master everyone expected me to be.”
And yet the author didn’t portray this character as a saint anymore than she did the other two men. All three of them are recognisable in their humanity, their doubts, their jealousies and their occasionally petty actions. This doesn’t make them lesser characters, quite the opposite. It brings them to life and makes you love them all the more because they are beautiful and admirable despite and because of their faults and the manner in which they fight and overcome them.
Kate Aaron shows us things are rarely how they appear at first glance. Slaves aren’t ignorant or weak, Masters don’t always get it right and aren’t necessarily the strongest personality in the contorted relationship. The master, the slave and the soldier all have their strengths and weaknesses they complement each other even if they are slow to recognise the fact. All three need to be seen and loved for who they are rather than the role society has thrust upon them.
“Of everyone, only Tam and Kai cared about Lysander, the man, rather than what my position of power could offer them.”
I’m not going to say anything about the revelations in this book. Doing so would be a huge disservice to those who haven’t read the book(s) yet. Suffice to say it all worked beautifully and made for a powerful, at times heartbreaking, and ultimately beautiful story. Kate Aaron created characters and a world in such vivid clarity the pictures and voices are vivid in my head and safely lodged in my heart. I won’t forget the slave, the soldier or their master anytime soon and know without a doubt a smile will brighten my face whenever they pop into my thoughts.
I want to end with a quick note on the way I rated this book and series.Each story on its own was a solid five star read for me. The three books as a whole – the story in its entirety – warranted more than just the average of the three scores. Free Men is an exceptional trilogy and more than deserves the six star rating I’ve given it. Whatever you do, don’t miss out on what will, without a doubt, be (one of) the best reading experience(s) you’ll have this year.
December 27, 2014
I’m going to cheat a bit and write one review for all three books in this series. I don’t feel the need to recap because I’m a little late to the party and plenty of blog sites and reviewers before me have given plot breakdowns for each book. Since I’m certain anyone who picks up The Slave will be captivated from the very first page – just like I was – and I’m also certain no one will stop after reading until they’ve read all three, I think I can get away with it.
From the moment I began reading The Slave by Kate Aaron, I was sucked into a world built entirely from her brilliant mind, but because of her amazing writing ability, I could see and hear and smell that world as surely as if I lived there. (I even read the first two chapters to my husband – that’s how impressed I was at how beautifully Kate used words to create a vision.)
Each book is written from that character’s POV. The Slave is written from Tam’s POV and, while it’s hard to pick “a favorite” here, if I absolutely HAD to pick, Tam would be my choice. I’ve found it interesting that on social media, most people seem to gravitate toward Kai. Not me. Tam is the whole angsty package for me. He is beautiful, delicate, perfectly submissive and whimpers like a child when needy, but don’t ever make the mistake of thinking he’s weak or fragile. There were several times throughout this series when I wondered if perhaps the real Master wasn’t Tam. (He would never agree with me on that, however.) If Tam could have anything in the world, it would be to know his Master loves him, but he knows, as a slave, he’ll never be worthy of his Master’s love. That’s just a fact and it never stops Tam from doing whatever’s necessary to make The Master happy or giving him what he needs, which is often simply Tam’s presence.
The Soldier is told from Kai’s POV and it’s just as fantastic. Kai, as I said before, seems to be the favorite of a lot of readers. I loved him as well, and The Soldier had me in tears on his behalf more than once. Another favorite author of mine (AJ Rose) has written that it takes more strength to kneel before someone than to stand beside them and I felt that this was the overall feeling I took from The Soldier. No spoilers from me, so I can’t explain that other than to say when Kai is faced with a choice, he often chooses the one that makes him appear weak, when, in fact, it’s the tougher of the two choices, but the one with the biggest reward.
The Master is the story I was most anxious to read. I was dying to get into his head. What I found, surprised me. I was expecting – and looking forward to - the dominant personality Tam and Kai see in him, but, what I found, while a tad disappointing, was actually way more realistic. It would be easy to give spoilers here, so I’m trying to be careful, but I’ll just say that The Master is… human. He has the same doubts, fears and guilt as you and me. It took me a little time to adjust my thinking. He wasn’t at all what I expected. Once I was fully ensconced in his head, though, I felt for him. He is more fully enslaved than the men who wear his collar, and, unlike them, his options are few. It’s amazing to me how his future so often depended upon Tam and Kai’s choices. Ironic – and well played by Ms. Aaron.
The writing is phenomenal – even the sex scenes are hot as heck, and I’m one who is growing tired of them – and the editing made for a flawless reading experience, which is becoming rare.
If you enjoy MM (or MMM) and like angst in your story, get all three books now, because you WILL want the next one in your hand immediately. Trust me… you will not even want to have to spend time going to your book site and one-clicking.
This is an epic series and I’ve added them to my ‘if stranded on an island, which books would you want’ list. Until now, that list only contained the Cut & Run series (Abi Roux), the Power Exchange series (AJ Rose), The Original Sinners series (Tiffany Reisz) and The Lost & Found series (Edmond Manning). Even the drool-worthy covers will make a nice addition to my island bookshelf.
From the moment I began reading The Slave by Kate Aaron, I was sucked into a world built entirely from her brilliant mind, but because of her amazing writing ability, I could see and hear and smell that world as surely as if I lived there. (I even read the first two chapters to my husband – that’s how impressed I was at how beautifully Kate used words to create a vision.)
Each book is written from that character’s POV. The Slave is written from Tam’s POV and, while it’s hard to pick “a favorite” here, if I absolutely HAD to pick, Tam would be my choice. I’ve found it interesting that on social media, most people seem to gravitate toward Kai. Not me. Tam is the whole angsty package for me. He is beautiful, delicate, perfectly submissive and whimpers like a child when needy, but don’t ever make the mistake of thinking he’s weak or fragile. There were several times throughout this series when I wondered if perhaps the real Master wasn’t Tam. (He would never agree with me on that, however.) If Tam could have anything in the world, it would be to know his Master loves him, but he knows, as a slave, he’ll never be worthy of his Master’s love. That’s just a fact and it never stops Tam from doing whatever’s necessary to make The Master happy or giving him what he needs, which is often simply Tam’s presence.
The Soldier is told from Kai’s POV and it’s just as fantastic. Kai, as I said before, seems to be the favorite of a lot of readers. I loved him as well, and The Soldier had me in tears on his behalf more than once. Another favorite author of mine (AJ Rose) has written that it takes more strength to kneel before someone than to stand beside them and I felt that this was the overall feeling I took from The Soldier. No spoilers from me, so I can’t explain that other than to say when Kai is faced with a choice, he often chooses the one that makes him appear weak, when, in fact, it’s the tougher of the two choices, but the one with the biggest reward.
The Master is the story I was most anxious to read. I was dying to get into his head. What I found, surprised me. I was expecting – and looking forward to - the dominant personality Tam and Kai see in him, but, what I found, while a tad disappointing, was actually way more realistic. It would be easy to give spoilers here, so I’m trying to be careful, but I’ll just say that The Master is… human. He has the same doubts, fears and guilt as you and me. It took me a little time to adjust my thinking. He wasn’t at all what I expected. Once I was fully ensconced in his head, though, I felt for him. He is more fully enslaved than the men who wear his collar, and, unlike them, his options are few. It’s amazing to me how his future so often depended upon Tam and Kai’s choices. Ironic – and well played by Ms. Aaron.
The writing is phenomenal – even the sex scenes are hot as heck, and I’m one who is growing tired of them – and the editing made for a flawless reading experience, which is becoming rare.
If you enjoy MM (or MMM) and like angst in your story, get all three books now, because you WILL want the next one in your hand immediately. Trust me… you will not even want to have to spend time going to your book site and one-clicking.
This is an epic series and I’ve added them to my ‘if stranded on an island, which books would you want’ list. Until now, that list only contained the Cut & Run series (Abi Roux), the Power Exchange series (AJ Rose), The Original Sinners series (Tiffany Reisz) and The Lost & Found series (Edmond Manning). Even the drool-worthy covers will make a nice addition to my island bookshelf.
March 14, 2015
The Master is the last book in the Free Men series. Master, Tam and Kai are back at the compound where rebuilding and much repair is taking place. They also venture into town to aid in the rebuild efforts there and care or the sick and wounded. Here, we see just how much damage the marauders from the last book caused. There is so much rebuilding to do, and not just buildings, but also each other.
Since this book is told from Master's point of view, we see all of his insecurities and all the guilt he feels but tries to keep inside. He really does feel responsible for everything that has happened, even though he was as much as a victim as anyone. He doesn't feel like he deserves the loyalty or love of Tam and Kai and he starts a downward spiral, mentally, because of his guilt and fears that very well could have caused him to lose the very people he loves the most. Here there be angst!
We also get to know Master's wife a bit and though she can be a rather cold bitch, by the end of the book, I actually kind of liked her. She has a very pragmatic personality and is used to getting her way, but she really wants her husband to be happy. Their marriage was never one of love and she's always known, since they were teenagers, that he was gay. It was her that forced Master to face his feelings for Kai and Tam.
Meanwhile, Kai is healing. He'll always be scarred, though, and he is very self conscious about showing his damaged skin. When he has a task, though, he throws himself into it. Living the life of a soldier taught him to like structure and he needs to have a purpose. Tam puts all his book learning to use in the village helping the medics and when they aren't all in the village, they are all helping with the rebuild efforts at the compound. Even master rolls up his proverbial sleeves and works as hard as anyone.
The one thing that I was disappointed about in this story, was while Master did, finally, admit that he loved Tam and Kai, when the story gets to the part where he tells Tam and Kai how he feels, we don't get the dialog. Rather the scene is described, instead. I felt a bit cheated at that moment, because I would have loved to have experienced Tam's and Kai's joy at Master's admission.
The ending is a happy one, though we're left wondering until the last possible moment. I enjoyed this series a lot more than I thought I would, actually. It was a pleasant surprise. And an angsty one.
Since this book is told from Master's point of view, we see all of his insecurities and all the guilt he feels but tries to keep inside. He really does feel responsible for everything that has happened, even though he was as much as a victim as anyone. He doesn't feel like he deserves the loyalty or love of Tam and Kai and he starts a downward spiral, mentally, because of his guilt and fears that very well could have caused him to lose the very people he loves the most. Here there be angst!
We also get to know Master's wife a bit and though she can be a rather cold bitch, by the end of the book, I actually kind of liked her. She has a very pragmatic personality and is used to getting her way, but she really wants her husband to be happy. Their marriage was never one of love and she's always known, since they were teenagers, that he was gay. It was her that forced Master to face his feelings for Kai and Tam.
Meanwhile, Kai is healing. He'll always be scarred, though, and he is very self conscious about showing his damaged skin. When he has a task, though, he throws himself into it. Living the life of a soldier taught him to like structure and he needs to have a purpose. Tam puts all his book learning to use in the village helping the medics and when they aren't all in the village, they are all helping with the rebuild efforts at the compound. Even master rolls up his proverbial sleeves and works as hard as anyone.
The one thing that I was disappointed about in this story, was while Master did, finally, admit that he loved Tam and Kai, when the story gets to the part where he tells Tam and Kai how he feels, we don't get the dialog. Rather the scene is described, instead. I felt a bit cheated at that moment, because I would have loved to have experienced Tam's and Kai's joy at Master's admission.
The ending is a happy one, though we're left wondering until the last possible moment. I enjoyed this series a lot more than I thought I would, actually. It was a pleasant surprise. And an angsty one.
July 21, 2019
Avevo proprio voglia di concludere questa serie, perchè del terzetto (lui, Tam e Kai), Lysander era stato il più sfuggente, un personaggio su cui l'autrice ha abilmente glissato rendendocelo ancor più ghiotto, con tutta una serie di allusioni/smentite sul suo vero ruolo a Otiz e poi nell'impero.
Eccoci dunque al volume finale, in cui è Lysander a divenire protagonista e a narrare la storia (l'ultima parte) dal suo punto di vista.
Veniamo finalmente a conoscenza dei tanti segreti del suo passato e del vero motivo per cui ha spinto il dolce Tam a cercare e poi acquistare un secondo schiavo, spingendolo peraltro a creare un forte legame senza gelosia. Ne risulta la visione di un uomo carico di tormenti, ma soprattutto, e nonostante tutto, generoso, convinto di fare determinate scelte per permettere anche agli altri di raggiungere la loro parte di felicità.
Come per gli episodi precedenti, c'è una bella narrazione, con cambio di paesaggi e ambientazioni, curata nei dettagli. E tutto il terzetto ha il giusto spazio, tutti trovano le loro risposte, si gettano le basi per un futuro più roseo di quanto capitato in precedenza.
Il sesso non è una componente dominante, ma resta piuttosto sublimato, mentre nel racconto prevalgono le emozioni che danno l'idea di quanto sia forte e intenso il legame dei tre.
Quindi rinnovo l'avvertenza: se cercate un mero ménage prettamente erotico, potreste rimanere delusi; non lo sarete, invece, se siete in cerca di una trilogia fantasy (fantasy storico), ricca di sentimenti e avventure, molto coinvolgente.
Eccoci dunque al volume finale, in cui è Lysander a divenire protagonista e a narrare la storia (l'ultima parte) dal suo punto di vista.
Veniamo finalmente a conoscenza dei tanti segreti del suo passato e del vero motivo per cui ha spinto il dolce Tam a cercare e poi acquistare un secondo schiavo, spingendolo peraltro a creare un forte legame senza gelosia. Ne risulta la visione di un uomo carico di tormenti, ma soprattutto, e nonostante tutto, generoso, convinto di fare determinate scelte per permettere anche agli altri di raggiungere la loro parte di felicità.
Come per gli episodi precedenti, c'è una bella narrazione, con cambio di paesaggi e ambientazioni, curata nei dettagli. E tutto il terzetto ha il giusto spazio, tutti trovano le loro risposte, si gettano le basi per un futuro più roseo di quanto capitato in precedenza.
Il sesso non è una componente dominante, ma resta piuttosto sublimato, mentre nel racconto prevalgono le emozioni che danno l'idea di quanto sia forte e intenso il legame dei tre.
Quindi rinnovo l'avvertenza: se cercate un mero ménage prettamente erotico, potreste rimanere delusi; non lo sarete, invece, se siete in cerca di una trilogia fantasy (fantasy storico), ricca di sentimenti e avventure, molto coinvolgente.
March 25, 2015
3.5 stars
The end of the series was satisfying in providing answers and unveiling the mysteries from books 1 & 2, and the execution put the third book in the "really liked it" category for me. The erotic aspect of the first book returns in full force with some truly sensational ménage scenes.
However, the biggest part of the book was spent with Master's self-flagellation and the rebuilding of the city, neither of which held my interest for long. Hence, I skipped. I skipped pages and pages of Master's internal guilt-trips and pages and pages of construction-related details. There were some wonderful scenes about the children in Otiz and seeing Kai with them gave me a few awwww moments.
All in all, I would recommend this series to mm/fantasy/ménage lovers, as this story delivers brilliantly in all three. A bit of a lag in book 3 wasn't enough to ruin the experience.
The end of the series was satisfying in providing answers and unveiling the mysteries from books 1 & 2, and the execution put the third book in the "really liked it" category for me. The erotic aspect of the first book returns in full force with some truly sensational ménage scenes.
However, the biggest part of the book was spent with Master's self-flagellation and the rebuilding of the city, neither of which held my interest for long. Hence, I skipped. I skipped pages and pages of Master's internal guilt-trips and pages and pages of construction-related details. There were some wonderful scenes about the children in Otiz and seeing Kai with them gave me a few awwww moments.
All in all, I would recommend this series to mm/fantasy/ménage lovers, as this story delivers brilliantly in all three. A bit of a lag in book 3 wasn't enough to ruin the experience.
April 23, 2016
2.5 Eh, much the same as Book 2. A whole bunch of stuff I couldn't care less about. There was an effort to humanize Lysander (the Master), but mostly I just found him weak, insecure, indecisive and willfully obtuse. Both he and Neemah (the Mistress) annoyed me for 95% of the book and, really, I was quite ready for the both of them to go off somewhere and lead their miserable lives leaving Tam, and especially Kai, to Cas - a much better man and possible Master. By the end I was skipping the sex scenes. The epilogue is what bolstered the rating from 2 to 3 stars. Series seriously devolved after Book 2. Great writer though (engaging, easy to read), just the content wasn't what Book 1's was.
April 7, 2016
3.75 stars.
First read on January 31, 2015.
Re-read on April 5, 2016.
A nice ending to the series, but I expected a bit more from the Master's book. He didn't inspire the same love in me as Kai and Tam did.
First read on January 31, 2015.
Re-read on April 5, 2016.
A nice ending to the series, but I expected a bit more from the Master's book. He didn't inspire the same love in me as Kai and Tam did.
December 24, 2014
At last all the secrets come out and disaster is averted. Good read!
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