A review by lost_hitsu
The Rose and the Thorn by Michael J. Sullivan

5.0

This was such a clever prequel - it gives Hilfred a satisfying backstory and the Melengar royal family even more depth, but everything is arranged so that Royce and Hadrian's involvement in it doesn't interfere with the later storylines. I'm sure I would have loved these books if I read them in chronological order but I agree with a lot of comments here that the best way to read them is by the order of publication, because Sullivan is excellent at hiding little foreshadowing Easter eggs at every corner without giving the big plot away.