The Cracked Throne [Mass Market Paperback]

Joshua Palmatier (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 6, 2009

Ruled by the Mistress of the Skewed Throne, the city of Amenkor has weathered attacks by invaders and the plague of madness brought by the mysterious White Fire. On the brink of civil war and mass starvation, the city turns to an inexperienced new Mistress, an orphan who has risen from the slums to claim the power of the Skewed Throne. Can Varis harness her survival skills and save Amenkor from ultimate destruction?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

As an orphaned child in the slums of the Dredge, Varis somehow survived the touch of the deadly White Fire that killed so many others in Palmatier's debut fantasy, The Skewed Throne (2006). Now in the exciting sequel, the former thief, bodyguard and assassin has become the latest Mistress of Amenkor, a coastal city on the edge of starvation and civil war, thanks in part to the Skewed Throne. The throne is the seat of every ruler of Amenkor from time immemorial and a device that stores the minds of all those previous rulers as well. With the aid of Eryn, the previous mistress (who may be insane), and a few loyal guards and Seekers, Varis must cope with a growing food shortage as winter approaches and find out what's attacking the merchant ships that normally keep the city well supplied. Despite a complicated backstory, this novel grips the reader with a swift-moving tale of political intrigue and economic survival in a world where the most dangerous secrets are never forgotten. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"This novel grips the reader with a swift-moving tale of political intrigue and economic survival in a world where the most dangerous secrets are never forgotten." --Publishers Weekly

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: DAW (January 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0756404479
• ISBN-13: 978-0756404475
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,339,334 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joshua Palmatier is a writer with a PhD in mathematics. He was born in Pennsylvania, but has lived in numerous states over his life and currently resides in New York while teaching mathematics full-time at a university. "The Skewed Throne," his first work of fantasy, was a Compton Crook finalist for best first novel in the science fiction and fantasy genres for 2006. "The Cracked Throne" and "The Vacant Throne" complete the series. He is currently at work on "Well of Sorrows," the start of a new series set in the same world as the Throne books.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Success in spite of some "middle book in the trilogy" issues, September 30, 2010

By 

Paul Weiss (Dundas, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cracked Throne (Mass Market Paperback)

With a rapidly growing command and understanding of the "River" and "White Fire" magic, Varis was able to depose Amenkor's erratic and possibly insane Mistress Eryn at the conclusion of the first novel in the trilogy. A former street urchin looked down upon by all as "gutterscum", nobody is more surprised than Varis to discover that she is now forced to assume the role of new Mistress.

During much of the opening portion of the book, we are witness to Varis's attempts to apply her best judgment, sadly tempered by inexperience, youth and naïveté, to the exigencies of the government of Amenkor - restocking their dwindling food supplies and determining which of her advisers can be trusted and which need to be carefully watched for their well-hidden malfeasance. The most urgent, compelling task which she faces is the shoring up of Amenkor's deteriorated defences against the coming of the Chorl, an implacable, brutal, devastating and unstoppable enemy which she has seen in a vision as razing Amenkor to its very foundations.

In the final portion of the book, we see a much more accomplished Varis draw on the strengths and magical abilities of all of the former leaders of Amenkor, whether strong or weak, whether honest or venal, whether friend or foe, whose spirits and memories are embodies in the Throne, now revealed to be much more than a mere regal resting place for the current Mistress. The anticipated assault by the Chorl has arrived and it falls to Varis to prevent the Armageddon that she has seen in her vision from actually coming to pass.

While the first half of the book dealing with Varis's growth in the role of Mistress is well-written and, to be sure, absolutely necessary for the development of the entire plot, it seemed somehow slow-moving, considerably less than compelling and lacking in a certain intensity. But have patience ... once the Chorl arrive and the battle for control of Amenkor begins, the entire book picks up that breathless pacing that every fantasy reader loves.

Who has lived, who has died and how Varis will fare in the very dubious aftermath of the clearing smoke and debris of an ambiguous battle will be dealt with in the final instalment of the trilogy, THE VACANT THRONE. And I'm certainly looking forward to it.

Highly recommended. But don't forget, THE CRACKED THRONE is the SECOND book in a trilogy and it will not stand alone. Go back to the beginning and start with THE SKEWED THRONE.

Paul Weiss

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Multifaceted Struggle, June 1, 2007

By 

Bonnie Freeman (Neptune, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Cracked Throne (Hardcover)

The Cracked Throne continues the story of Varis, gutterscum turned Mistress of the great city of Amenkor, as she tries to protect the city against foes both from within and without. The most interesting of these threats is the Throne itself. Varis became Mistress by sitting on the Throne, risking madness and the subsumation of her personality by its many voices. If she can control the Throne rather than being controlled by it, she will gain a powerful ally. And despite her formidable knife-fighting skills and her command of the magical forces of the River and the White Fire, Varis will need all the help she can get to pull the city through the coming crisis, for she has seen visions of Amenkor in flames.

The story doesn't limit itself to war and politics. It follows Varis' personal growth as well. After a childhood locked into a struggle for survival, alone in a hostile world, Varis is finally learning to care for others. She has feelings for a young man named William as well as for the guardsman Erick who first raised her from an existence of unmitigated want.

Can she protect the people she cares for from implacable foes?

I found the novel fast-paced and engrossing, full of well-rounded characters (though I think they do a bit too much hissing and spitting). As in the first novel of the series, it ends without fully examining all of the mysteries it presents, paving the way for a third book.

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good!, June 14, 2010

By 

Annikka Woods "Anni" (Idaho, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Cracked Throne (Mass Market Paperback)

This is the second in the Amenkor books about Varis. Once again the world is full of vibrant descriptions, interesting characters, and an even more dangerous situation that Varis finds herself in. Mr. Palmatier once again delivers a most entertaining world and the incredible strength of the assassin turned leader Varis.