The Pirate of Fathom’s Deep (Tales of the High Court #2)

Title: The Pirate of Fathom’s Deep
Author: Megan Derr
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Release Date: July 13th, 2016
Genre(s): Adventure, Fantasy, Romance
Page Count: 137
Reviewed by: PrinCkhera
Heat Level: 2 flames out of 5
Rating: 3.33 stars out of 5
Blurb:

High Commander Lesto Arseni is the most feared man in the Harken Empire. None but the High King dares risk his wrath—and a pirate who once punched him in the middle of the imperial pavilion. A pirate who later snuck away with Lesto to an empty room, touched him in ways far more memorable. And then immediately bolted like a man who’d gotten what he wanted.

Shemal just wants to live a normal life, leave his pirating days behind him and prove that he’s respectable now. The last thing he needs is the two idiots who show up wanting his help with the noble they’ve kidnapped—the very man Shemal had been hoping to prove himself to, the man he hasn’t forgotten since Shemal punched him a year and a half ago.

I was really looking forward to this book, because Lesto was my favourite character in the first instalment and I have to say I wasn’t disappointed.

At first, I did feel as though the discrepancy between how the two characters are shown to be when the story is from their point of view in disposition with when it’s from the other’s point of view was too big. We get this idea of Shemal from Lesto’s eyes, and immediately we see when it’s Shemal’s turn how wrong that picture is. I both liked and disliked this.

It felt a bit flippant to be honest, and I had difficulty seeing the Lesto I’d really liked in the first book here as well. But, once they removed the misunderstandings and Lesto did more than just mentally drool over his pirate (though there was quite a bit of that as well) I finally saw the High Commander I’d really liked.

In the beginning I didn’t really know what to think of Shemal. When the confrontation over the misunderstanding happens 20 pages in, and I see Shemal’s thought process, I kind of stopped reading for a bit and set the book aside. It felt too much like “I want this. Now I want that.” Also Shemal’s persistent self-deprecation felt out of character. But, as I read onwards, he grew on me.

And after their first reconciliation I actually really got on a role with this book and finished it in one sitting.

There were some errors (not too many), that did make me frown a bit. Two of them were simple mistakes as writing Ren instead of Rene, or Shema instead of Shemal. Others tense usage. So, I think if before the writer publishes this book, she should just get someone to go through it again these should be picked out and this issue won’t be a problem.

Also, one point that left me in confusion is that Shemal is referred to as not having the right equipment to have children, a point not further expanded upon which would have been nice to know – since mpreg is possible in this series.

“One of these days, I will have a proper gift for you.”
“Wear nothing but those earrings and I’ll call it even”

A bit cheesy at times, and completely predictable, but still an enjoyable read. Recommended, especially if you want to know what happened to Lesto after Sarrica and Allen got their HEA. And the epilogue was great in giving us an insight that even a bit further down the road these two will be doing well.

With that preview at the end, I’m really looking forward to the next installment in the series.

 Amazon Global Author Link GoodReads More Author Reviews