Though I am the darkness…let me be your light!Farrow Latimer, Prince of the Arcades:I am the prince of darkness, the executioner and fallen angel royalty who is forbidden love. No matter how many men or women I take to my bed none capture my heart.As the Arcades teem with lust, debauchery, and destruction, I neither relish nor abhor my role as the most brutal of all and then I catch her….the … and then I catch her….the small fairy halfling who changes my world.
Rayelynn Astraides, first daughter of the Commander of Landharn’s West Shore:
The fallen angels litter the skies coming to claim us. I am running from the monstrous man my father is to make me marry for failing battle school when they attack. Fallen angels are all about us and in my fear I tuck myself away.
There, beside the tree where I hide, he stands, tall, majestic, handsome… and deadly. He lets me run and I return to the battlefield to tend our wounded as I am a gifted healer. When the beguiling dark angel returns, he takes me as his prisoner.
I see such horror and sadness during my incarceration, but none greater than that which lies within the fallen prince who is disallowed love yet risks all for it.
The Fall of Arcades is an incredible love story with some dark elements, sexual situations, and several polyamorous characters… because when you’re an immortal an eternity of vanilla is just no fun.
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This is a somewhat dark cross between Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast. It is also much longer than it needed to be. (IMHO). Rayelynn seems vapid most of the time. She is treated horribly by her father and brothers but that is okay? When Farrow captures her, it isn’t really obvious what he sees in her. He is also very conflicted. The violence was also excessive, how many times do we need to hear about someone being decapitated. Unfortunately, there are two more books to read to get to the end. This is probably entertaining for a lot of readers, but I had to make myself finish.
I received a copy of this book without charge and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
Rayelyn Astraides the daughter of the warrior chief of Landharn’s West Shore is captured and taken to Arcades at the Mountain of Endless Midnight home to the Fallen. Farrow Latimer is the immortal Prince of Arcades and executioner of the Fallen. This fantasy romance novel makes dark angels, fairies, trolls, gods and mortals an interesting and captivating read by Azriel Hope. I received this free book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I recieved this book free and I am voluntarily doing a review. What an amazing story! It had it all fallen angel fighting, danger and love. Must read
I am on the fence with this book. There was great potential behind this story and in some ways that potential built up nicely. However, in many other ways it was not up to par. Sadly, the disappointment overweighted the enjoyment of the story by a smidge and that smidge was enough for me to lose interest in the end.
What drew me to read The Fall of the Arcades was the fresh idea to the story, the originality and the promise of a dark yet heart-stealing romance. The book sure did deliver on the freshness and originality, giving a complex new world with all kinds of different species, cultures, politics and struggles. I think this is what I enjoyed most in the story and was partly the reason as to why I stuck through with it til the end. The other reason was my hope that the romance would turn into something more than what it was, but sadly this was the one aspect to the story, the most wanting aspect, that did not deliver what I felt was the most important.
The main reason the romance did not do it for me was the characterization. While the book thrived in complexity the characters was not treated that same depth and detail, except for maybe a few. The main character, Rayelynn, was the worst of them all. She was like a vacant fragile porcelain doll; pretty to look at but empty inside. That might seem like a cruel exaggeration but that was the picture I got from the story. She had no personality to back up everyone’s complete and unrealistic adoration for her and was the constant weeping damsel in distress. She was more often talked about than talked to, like she wasn’t even in the room, just like a inanimate object being admired. This didn’t even seem to bother her. As a matter of fact she showed very little emotions or attitudes other that sorrow, confusion and fear. She couldn’t even hate despite having understandable reason to. Seeing a relationship developing between her and Farrow was a big ask when she showed nothing other than beauty to fall in love with.
Of course Rayelynn couldn’t take all the blame. The fact that Farrow (and disturbingly too many others) fell for her made him seem so vain since the story built her so that there was only her looks he could fall for. However he did at least have more personality to offer with his cruel and disinterested behavior masking some goodness. From his part it did give the romance something to work with, but it was a far stretch from enough for me to fall for and enjoy the romance. Had Rayelynn had more of a backbone and something other than beauty to offer that might have given the romance enough legs to stand on.
The Fall of the Arcades gets 2.5 stars from me, rounded off to 3 stars. As it was there were things that I did enjoy very much in the story. The depth to the world, the darkness and light struggles, the twists (especially at the end) and the characters that I found had something more to them, like Anastasia. And while I had so much higher expectations for the romance, it wasn’t completely hopeless since there were deeper moments between Rayelynn and Farrow that I actually liked. Because of this I might take a chance on the second book in the future. After all, I am curious to see what will happen next for Farrow and Rayelynn and see if/when and how Rayelynn will meet her father.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A Thoroughly Engaging, Though Brutal, Tale Of Falling!!
(Read using Kindle Unlimited)
The Fall Of Arcades: Fallen Angel, Immortal Romance Series Book #1
This is a wonderfully engaging story.
Farrow is Prince of the Fallen, he’s his Father’s executioner. They’re brutal, callous, uncaring & enjoy brutality in all forms! Farrow is a halfling, his Mum was mortal & had a profound influence on him, he has a conscience although he has to hide it or it will cost him his life!!
Rayelynn is the daughter of a brutal warrior chief. Her Mum died in childbirth and her Father & Brothers have never forgiven her! They’re verbally abusive & bully her constantly. During a raid by the Fallen she’s captured & taken back to Arcades, the Mountain of endless of midnight, and home to the Fallen. It’s where the Gods banished them when they fell!
The similarities between her people & his isn’t as different as it should be. She’s an innocent physically & to her soul. All of the Fallen are captivated by her & she’s terrified. If Farrow protects her his Father, the most powerful & hate filled of them all, will take her & break her or kill her. It’s a no win situation!
This is a beautifully weaved story. The world is so vivid, whether it’s the dark, cold caves of Arcades or the stunning City of Cirque in one of the Fae Lands. The burgeoning friendship, trust then eventually more between the main characters is written well, it’s not rushed. The secrets & machinations in the background broke my heart when they came to light!! I can’t wait to read book #2!
Debbie, 1970, UK (Reviewing for BookSirens