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Title:  Apothecarius Argentum #1

Author:  Tomomi Yamashita

Publisher:  CMX

ISBN:  9781401211813

May Contain Spoilers

Argent is a former slave.  When he was a boy, he was the food-tester for Princess Primula.  A Basilisk, he was raised to be an assassin, fed poison to foster an immunity for it, and trained in the arts of killing.  Even his touch can cause death due to the toxins in his system.  Freed by the princess, he escapes and becomes an apothecary.  Returning to the kingdom, he soon finds himself back in her service.  Will he be able to protect her from the forces conspiring against the kingdom?

While this was a pleasant enough read, Apothecarius Argentum wasn’t something that will stick with me for very long.  The book did start to pick up steam near the end, after most of the major characters were introduced.  Most of the action revolved around Argent rescuing Primula for various perils, most of which she recklessly entered into on her own.  It also seemed as though enemies of the throne were trying to poison her every other day.  That plot point got old, fast.

Argent is an interesting character, though he remained aloof from readers in this volume.  With his silver hair and Seal of Hermes’ Staff tattooed on his back, he was purchased by the King of Beazol as a food taster for his young daughter.  Enveloped in the sweet scent of deadly blooms, even his touch can be fatal.  With his potential for causing the death of others with only a caress, he keeps himself isolated from others.

Primula is headstrong, though she suffers from a lack of confidence.  Not a good thing when you are the princess of a kingdom, and it’s your duty to appear in public!   When she realizes that Argent suffers excruciating pain after ingesting the poisons meant for her, she’s determined that  no one else will endure misery for her sake.  Her only companion, she considers him a friend, even though he’s a slave.  She impulsively kisses him, and is taken ill from the toxins permeating his skin. Her father orders that he be executed for daring to touch her, but she frees him and helps him escape from the kingdom. 

Now that he’s returned, she wants to help him as much as possible, and even elevates him to the position of royal apothecary.  Too bad he doesn’t really want her assistance!  The princess seems drawn to Argent, but I’m not too sure about the potential for romance between them.  There is the stigma of being a former slave for him to deal with.  He does seem rather fond of Primula, though…

The king came across as a rather odious individual, ordering Argent to use his potions to kill a sickly young boy or constantly threatening to harm the apothecary.  Poor guy!  If Argent couldn’t ingest poison, the king wouldn’t even spare him a glance, which would have made him a happier man. 

While the characters were likable enough, reading about Argent rescuing Primula from one scrape after another didn’t really hold my attention.  Events got a little more interesting with the introduction of Soda, an apprentice for a rival apothecary.  Hopefully their adventures will be a little more intriguing in the next volume.

Grade:  C+

Rated for Teen

Review based on galley provided by the publisher, CMX.