Review: Intensely sexual
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 29, 2014
PRINCE OF TRICKS is the first instalment in Jane Kindred’s fantasy ‘Demons of Elysium’ erotic, M/M spin off series from her House of Arkhangel’sk trilogy.  Demons of Elysium is (so far) a prequel series focusing on airspirit demon Belphagor and firespirit demon Vasily. Like the House of Arkhangel’sk series there runs a parallel theme between Heaven and Earth (World of Man) where Heaven’s political infrastructure closely matches that of the early twentieth century Russia.  The similarities and familiarity blend two worlds from the modern day Russian homeland and that of an earlier time.Belphagor is a dominant lover who has fallen madly in love with the high spirited, reckless demon and former rent-boy Vasily. When Vasily inadvertently puts his life at risk to please his dominant lover, Belphagor must use everything and everyone to ensure that Vasily survives the upcoming rebellion against the Royal House. When Vasily is targeted to take the fall in an assassination attempt on the Principality, Belphagor will use everything in his possession to free his young and nave lover from the bonds of imprisonment and perhaps his execution.PRINCE OF TRICKS is a sexually graphic and explicit M/M love story where nothing is off limits between consenting adults.  Belphagor and Vasily use their sexuality and their bodies as commodities.  They exchange sex for love, for fun, for dominance and control; sex between each other is passionate, aggressive, seductive and emotional; sex with others is a form of punishment, entertainment, and degradation. The Dom/sub relationship between Belphagor and Vasily is a mixture of discipline, humiliation and love. While Vasily is quick to acknowledge his love for Belphagor, Belphagor is unwilling to risk saying the words aloud knowing his heart maybe broken at any time. Their’s is a relationship that is forbidden on Earth but envied by the demons in Heaven.The world building is stunningly detailed, controversial and profound.  It is a social study in culture, economics, sexuality, health, politics, religion and industry. The secondary characters are colorful, abrasive, passionate and intense.  The storyline never falters-there is always something happening whether in the World of Man or in Heaven. We learn a little more about some of the characters first introduced in Jane’s ‘House of Arkhangel’sk’ trilogyJane Kindred writes an intensely sexual storyline rich in Christian and religious overtones, the Russian revolution and the Romanov executions as well as the sociology of the impoverished and the powerfully rich.  PRINCE OF TRICKS pulls the reader into a storyline that parallels much of the fabled royal Russian history as well as a fantasy where angels and demons are at war with one another. Jane Kindred’s Heaven is not the place of peace and understanding but a battleground between the have and have nots; angels and demons; Heaven and Earth.