Captured by the Orc King

The Perished Woods, Book 3

De: Tracy Lauren

Narrado por: John Masterson, Allison River

Lost to the madness of a witch's curse, the Orc King advances on the castle at Pontheugh. His heart pulls him in one direction while magic drags him in another. All the while, fate is at work, bringing two lonely souls ever nearer.

Alba . . . her heart breaking day by day. She's driven to her own kind of madness. A raid on her village should have been devasting and yet, she finds herself saved—free to start anew. But her deepest desire is unchanging and she finds herself so easily Captured by the Orc King.

©2023 Tracy Lauren (P)2023 Tantor Media

Captured By The Orc King by Tracy Lauren (book 3 of the Perished Woods Series)

Book 3 of the Perished Wood Series is about Thorn. He is the Orc King filled with madness and destroying the humans, their communities and farms please Princess Queen. Well, maybe not evil, perhaps she is just trying to protect her kingdom and their people? Of course he spots a single human woman who brings in different feelings. Well, this book was not one of my favorites of the series, I found it more difficult to get through at the beginning, I did finish it. I’m not sure what was lacking in the storytelling compared to book 1 & 2 but this book was not as enjoyable as the first two in my opinion. I do recommend reading the books in order.

Thorn’s Redemption

I absolutely LOVE this series.

I was surprised to see a book for Thorn after what happened in book 2. But wow, Alba and Thorn are absolutely perfect for each other. The author did a great job with Thorn’s story and bringing him from Villain to a Flawed but lovable Hero.

The writing, the flawed characters, the perfect and most satisfying slow burn and how well it all comes together throughout the interconnected standalones. I can’t wait for the next two books to be released on audio. The narration was done very well, I enjoy both narrators.

A Rose and her Thorn

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💚💜❤️
Steam: 🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: ☺️🙁😍🥰
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration

🛡️ The Hero: Thorn
Thorn, a half-Orc under a sinister spell, is the reluctant warlord known as the Orc King. Bound by a cursed medallion gifted by the witch queen Petra of Envercress, his actions aren’t his own—though his rage and sorrow feel deeply personal. Haunted by a voice in his head and torn from his brother Ash (a character from the previous book), Thorn leads a merciless campaign against humanity, driven by a distorted desire for freedom… and silence.

🌹 The Heroine: Alba
Alba hails from Aberdeen, burdened by a bleak marriage to an abusive husband and an indifferent father who sees her suffering as someone else’s problem. Dragging Luther out of taverns and fighting for scraps, she dreams of escape. One night, while walking home, she senses something watching her from the shadows of the Perished Woods. Her story truly begins the morning after—when an Orc attack leaves her the sole survivor.

🔥 The Story
Thorn loathes the mindless slaughter his role demands, and each conquered village chips away at his fractured soul. He longs for family, freedom, and above all, release from the queen’s grip. When he spots Alba on the road, her quiet resistance and sadness stir something in him. He’s drawn to the tragedy of her life and the mystery of her spirit. Their fates intertwine only halfway through the book, but their meeting is a turning point amid chaos and bloodshed.

💖 What Worked for Me
• Thorn’s devotion to Ash adds poignant layers to his brutal path. His internal conflict makes him far more than a monstrous king.
• Alba’s resilience peeks through her timid exterior. Her flashes of defiance—especially when confronting her husband or father—add strength to her character arc.
• Thorn’s perspective reshapes key scenes from the prior book (like Ash and Ellyn’s capture), revealing his heartbreak and confusion beneath the brutality.
• The mention of Alba roses—a medieval class of rose with soft blooms and silver-green leaves—adds poetic contrast to the harshness of the world.

😐 What Didn’t Quite Work
• Thorn and Alba meet too late in the narrative to let their relationship breathe.
• Petra’s prologue drags—an hour-long origin story that turns from hopeful to horrifying as her magical stone corrupts her spirit. While compelling, it stalls the momentum.
• The timeline overlaps heavily with the previous book, taking over four hours to reach familiar territory. It felt redundant rather than revelatory.
• Honora’s chapter was jarring. Introduced abruptly, she’s revealed to be a delusional witch stalking the Orc King with marriage ambitions. Her appearance felt disconnected from the main narrative.

🎧 Narration Impressions
The multiple POVs are brought to life by John Masterson and Allison River. River’s gentle, feminine voice suits Alba well—soft but resolute. Masterson’s deep, deliberate tone captures the gravitas and restrained fury of Thorn, adding authenticity to his inner turmoil. Their performances help anchor the emotional depth of the story.