Gravity of Obedience by Brian A Mendoça

The Throatians spend their days sacrificing their citizens in ritual fights in order to gain protection from the deity they worship.

When their god demands more blood, Thane, the young prince, leaves his island home for an arranged marriage that will guarantee the safety of his people.

However, a powerful magician derails Thane’s plan, threatening the lives of the Throatians, and showing the prince that he is a pawn in a bigger game.

I loved the world building in this book. Thane and his parents lead simple lives, spending their days either mediating or killing in the ritual fights. This is in stark contrast to the Darian Kingdom, where the royal family live in a somewhat dilapidated castle, attended by servants.

The different cultures and belief systems of the Throatians and the Darians were interesting to read about. While the Darian Kingdom was similar to the more familiar medieval fantasy world, it still had elements that made it unique.

I enjoyed reading about the complex motivations and manipulations concerning the various important players in the plot. Several times I was surprised by the direction of the story, which is always a delight!

Thane is a good character, and I liked his journey. I also liked his bride, Princess Lydia. The first book in the series concerns her adventures, lightly referenced in this book, and I look forward to learning more about her in Wedding of the Torn Rose.

If the descriptions had been a little more lush and the developments had been revealed a little more slowly and with more detail, this would have been a perfect book. However, that’s a personal style preference rather than a criticism of the novel.

I award Gravity of Obedience…

Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.