The Spy Prince Of Basadesh
The Jali Throne Book 1
by H.M. Heath

The world is at war, and Arjun’s country is falling. As the prince of Bashadesh he must risk everything to protect his people-no matter how dangerous. The plan is simple, if perilous; go undercover, infiltrate the enemy’s castle, and bring them down from within. If he’s caught, death is certain, both for himself and for his countrymen.

He soon meets the high wizard responsible for his country’s rapid decline, and everything changes. Taken into the man’s service and working undercover as his servant, Arjun is determined to do whatever it takes to win the war. But hatred battles with admiration as he slowly begins to see a different side of his enemy.

Eldrin ‘Frostfire’ Glaser is capable, driven and devilishly handsome. He’s undoubtedly at the pinnacle of his power and prestige. But he’s never met anyone like Arjun. Even in disguise, the spy prince is dazzling, an irresistible spark of light in the frigid castle he calls home.

When the two meet, sparks fly and both must question everything they thought they knew.

5 out of 5 fairies

Warning – this ends on a cliffhanger, and you’ll be dying for book two! Heath has a great story-telling style, and really draws you in with vivid descriptions. This story is very character driven, with two MCs caught on opposite sides of a war. Arjun’s dedication to his people, and determination to protect them, is admirable. Eldrin is on the opposite side of the war, but he’s only following orders – he doesn’t necessarily believe in what his ruler is attempting to do. We get to know both quite well, as the story is told from dual POV. The cliffhanger is rough, it stops the story in a spot that makes you want to jump right into the next chapter as quickly as possible. There isn’t really a clean ending to this, but I enjoyed the book so much I’m not going to dock a star when it’ll be continued in book two. 

Til next time,
Lily

The Spy Prince of Basadesh (The Jali Throne Book 1)
Amazon | Goodreads

The Fallen Wizard Of Zorvyaka (The Jali Throne Book 2)
Amazon | Goodreads

H. M. Heath has lived all over the world, although she hails from the UK and lives with her wife. When she’s not writing, she’s usually embroidering, gardening or playing with her cats. She studied writing at Aberystwyth university, and writes under various pseudonyms, including poetry, short stories and choose your own adventure books.

Although The Spy Prince Of Basadesh is the first book under this pen name, it’s not her first book overall. She recently received a lovely review from Review Tales for her horror book ‘Strange and Twisted Things’, praising her ability to create a forbidding atmosphere and build tension, drawing readers into a twisted world. The review called her work “both evocative and chilling,” deeming it a standout piece of literature in its genre. Her sci-fi book was also selected as a recommended read by Women Writers, Women’s Books, in December 2023. Heath has had over 100 poems published by 52 different literary groups, including Door Is a Jar Magazine, Barbar (who shortlisted her for an award), and Quail Bell Magazine.