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Dark Prince, Volume 1

Author: Yamila Abraham

Publisher: Yaoi Press

American release date: October 2007

Format/Genre: Manga/Yaoi

Publisher/Industry Age Rating: Mature/Parental Advisory

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Similar series or titles to check out: 9th Sleep

(Warning:  Discussion of incest involved, those who find that offensive might wish to pass on this review)

Lowry is a visitor to the kingdom of Cordina.  While enjoying the beauty of the royal maze, he spies what he takes to be Prince Lor being pleasured, but when he gets a surreptitious glance at the comely wench who is doing so, he is surprised to discover that it is Davon, who is referred to as the Demon Prince, as well as the mad heir to the throne!

Synopsis:

Lowry withdraws – discreetly – and is taken on a tour of the royal residence by King Cren himself, where he discovers that Lor is quite the sculptor, but he only sculpts one subject – Davon.  As for the crown prince, Davon apparently is a murderer.  Although he has managed to go two years without killing, until recently, having killed the milkmaid’s son, Aden.  It seems that Davon has this pecularity – he only kills boys 8 years younger than himself, whose names begin with A. . .  Very strange indeed.  Lowry’s mission, as entrusted to him by the king, is to discover why.

It seems that Lowry’s ex-wife lives in the palace herself – in charge of the geish – so it’s time to catch up for these two, who seem to have an amicable relationship.  She tells him how a man had tried to sell his son to the brothel just that day – disguised as a girl!  He almost got away with it, too, but greed tripped up, and the boy, Aeon, was found out.  Aeon, did you say?  Oh oh, Lowry thinks.  Meanwhile, back at the hovel, Aeon has returned, bearing his injured stepfather, to his mother and sisters.  To say they are dirt poor would be an exaggeration – they aren’t even that well off.  One of his sisters is sick and needs a doctor, and so does the scumbag that tried to sell him.  So Aeon is forced to sell himself on the streets for money for his family – which does not end necessarily well.

It seems that Davon, the mad but comely young prince, has a god that he prays to, Pharah, one whom he wholeheartedly worships, and for whom he would do anything.  He and his brother Lor (half brother if you want to be technical, and Lor was born on the wrong side of the blanket, thereby making him unable to inherit the throne) have had a physical relationship for years, but after a particular incident, Davon is left non-functional with Lor, and can only service him.  Which Lor explains to Lowry, before giving him Davon’s bible.  The bible explains much about the god Pharah, and his other servant, Rickus.

Lowry attempts to shield the knowledge of another A-named young man from Davon, but the truth comes out, and Aeon is sought and discovered.  What fate awaits the unfortunate youth?  And can anything be as bad as the conditions he is currently living in?

Commentary:

An interesting start to what promises to be a possibly very intriguing series, but first let’s get this incest thing out of the way.  Yes, it’s there, so if this is a personal squick with you, let me suggest you look elsewhere for your yaoi pleasure.  This is a dark themed yaoi, no doubt about that.   Brother loving brother is a not uncommon yaoi theme, and Dark Prince is certainly not the first to use it.  That being said, I’ll move on.  Lowry, at this point, is a bit of an enigma – torn between helping a young boy to save his life, and doing his duty to his king and country.  Davon certainly has issues – both with his brother and the strange god that he serves, but I do not believe him to be mad, merely misguided.  Aeon himself, who may or may not be the reincarnation that they seek, is more pure of heart than his history would seem to indicate.  Throw these elements together, and you have quite the story.

In the Epilogue, we get a glimpse of Davon when he was younger, paying a visit to his royal cousin King Jereth, an interesting insight into his pre-madness phase.  Definite incestual overtones there as well.

The artwork is adequate, nothing to write home about, but not the worst I’ve seen either.  The two princes are pretty, which is natural, and pretty standard for a successful yaoi tale.

Overall Grade: B+

If you like your yaoi with a touch of darkness, check out the Dark Prince.  Which one actually is the dark prince, and which one will come out on top when it’s time to inherit the throne?

“In the Radius”: If you like Dark Prince, try 9th Sleep.

Tags: dark prince, incest, m/m, manga, Romance, yamila abraham, yaoi, yaoi press

Julie  Jun 26 Yaoi Manga