KJ Charles is a master of historical gay romance. (Mistress? not sure what would be correct in this case…) She is really good at telling a gripping yarn with engaging characters and high adventure. If any of you have read the original The Prisoner of Zenda, you might remember that none of the characters are particularly likable and that the ending is not particularly satisfying. Telling the same story from an alternate point of view breathes fresh life into the story. In my opinion, The Henchmen of Zenda is much better than the original.
I just listened to the audio version on a road trip and it is quite engaging, and the book holds up well. This may be the third time I’ve experienced this story – as I think I’ve already read it twice. It really holds up and is a more engaging tale than the book it is based on. The book’s political intrigue is layered with an additional layer here that makes it all that much more compelling.
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Jasper Detchard is a disgraced British officer, now selling his blade to the highest bidder. Currently that’s Michael Elphberg, half-brother to the King of Ruritania.
Michael wants the throne for himself, and Jasper is one of the scoundrels he hires to help him take it. But when Michael makes his move, things don’t go entirely to plan—and the penalty for treason is death.
Rupert of Hentzau is Michael’s newest addition to his sinister band of henchmen. Charming, lethal, and intolerably handsome, Rupert is out for his own ends—which seem to include getting Jasper into bed. But Jasper needs to work out what Rupert’s really up to amid a maelstrom of plots, swordfights, scheming, impersonation, desire, betrayal, and murder.
Nobody can be trusted. Everyone has a secret. And love is the worst mistake you can make.
A retelling of the swashbuckling classic The Prisoner of Zenda from a very different point of view.
The Purple Fantastic Steam Meter gives this a 4… it gets steamy at times
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