27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Huge, Gigantic Build Up ....., October 15, 2009
And Still Going
If there is any real complaint I have about this book, it is that the author did an excellent job on building a whole bunch of intrigue, and you cannot put the book down until you get the answer to the abundant questions the author raises in the first few chapters, only to have your answer's only semi answered. Chima, peppers the book with names of events that have happened in the past, that you know are going to play a big part in the future of the series such as the Naeming, and the Breaking, yet at the end of the book you still feel a bit cheated that she does not answer it fully. But lets not take away from what the author as done so well.
Chima, with the Heir series, did an excellent job of character building. When you read that series you were completely engaged with what the characters were about, there personality, there fears, and support group, and in this series Chima has accomplished that feat again. Like the Heir series they're are two main Protaganists yet a bunch of secondary characters who could be a central focus in the future of the series. Han, a former Streetlord of Fellcastle, turned errand boy, and Raisa Princess Heir to the Queendom of Fellcastle, who belongs to the same bloodline as Hanalea the serie's seminal Hero from the past who might not be as big of a hero as the history of this land makes her out to be. Han is an excellent character to get behind because the reader can tell that yes he has a past, but his past was to help his family survive. He has morals that I can relate to. He has a smart mouth, and he is completely Loyal to his friends and to people who had been his friends in the Past. With Raisa the author tried so hard to make the Reader think that she could be a spoiled little brat of the princess, but the more you learn about her upbringing and follow her as she discovers the underbelly of her city of Fellcastle you learn that she is all about doing what is right, and not betraying her beliefs and Morals. Both of these characters are a big part of the book and hardly ever are intertwined (except for one segment in the book). Each chapter goes back and forth between Han and Raisa which keeps the reader wanting to read more to figure out more about these characters. But just like the Heir series Chima has introduced Secondary characters who have the potential to becoming the Central of the series in later books.
Fire Dancer, is Han's best friend and throughout the book you know that something is physically wrong with Fire Dancer, yet you have no idea what it is. Bird, is Fire Dancer's Cousin and friend of Han, who dreams of being a Warrior. Amon, is Raisa childhood friend, and a Corporeal in the Fellcastle Guard. All 4 of these characters to me at any point can have the focus of the story turn to them, which was something which I thought was a huge positive in the Heir Series by Chima. All 4 of these characters are well fleshed out, yet have a lot of backstory to them that is still left to be uncovered. Character building is fine and dandy, but the big hallmark of this series is the Political Clashes that will happen in this series.
Bare with me here but this book is chalk full of different groups of individuals who all have a stake on what happens in the future. There are the Clans (Demonai, Marisa Plains, etc) who are in possession of Green magic and are the sole people who try to keep the Wizards in Check. There are the Wizard Houses who once ruled the Seven Realms as Wizard Kings, but are now kept on a tight leash in accordance to the Naeming which were put in place by the Clans. There is the Queendom of Fellcastle Ruled by the bloodline of Hanalea the Gray Lady. It is said that wizards are now bound to the Bloodline of the Gray Lady, and cannot supercede her authority ie they do her bidding. At the Same time you have a Civil War going on in Arden, a Kingdom to the south where 5 brothers are fighting for the throne. They also see Wizardry as Heresy. And then there is Tammron who is a Rival to Arden, who is waiting for the outcome of the Civil War in Arden. All of these realms are going to become a major focus in the series, and all of them want to get a piece of The Queendom of Fellcastle either as an ally, or for conquest.
And where does that leave the so called Demon King. Well that to me is the biggest question that was NOT fully answered. You learn who he was, you learn what he had done, but you never really truly know what his motives were and WHAT exactly he truly did. In the story people have different outlooks on the Demon King, and I felt more time could of been discussed on what exactly it was he did that was so bad. You get a glimpse of it, but the story never actually tells you what it was. I kind of find that a failing of the book being that it is named after the Demon King, yet you are still a bit confused on what exactly he is.
This book has romance, it has humor, it has Magic (but IMO far less magic then I wanted to see I am a huge magic fan) it has fight scenes, it has conflict, political backstabbings, manipulation, and everything needed to make an interesting story. But the book definately does not have an end. In fact I felt this book was a huge introduction to a series that I feel will take awhile to fully get a grasp of.
It is a good book and I recommend it to anyone who was a fan of Chima's Heir Series, and anyone who likes a bit of intrigue.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Start (4.5 Stars), March 11, 2010
I adore Cinda Williams Chima. Her books are just so much fun to read, filled with adventure and danger. This series has the potential to be epic in more than one sense. Already in this first of a series Chima has created a rich and lush world rife with varying traditions. There are the mages, the Clans, and the royals; all of whom have different desires and complexly intertwining histories. This story is set in a completely new world, and has the feel of classic high fantasy; a departure from the Heir series. The change is accomplished with relative ease, despite a few less than stellar pieces. It takes a little bit at the beginning to get your bearings in the book, but it isn't too bad.
The main characters are fairly good. I still have lukewarm feelings about Han, but the end of the book was so great that I think there's potential for me to really love his character. Raisa is delightfully spunky, with true wit and strength. The secondary characters are fantastic, and really help to enhance the book. Everyone is layered, and the fact that this is just the beginning will really allow their depths to be plumbed.
I'm giving this book a slightly higher rating because it's the beginning of a series and the end showed such amazing potential for the rest of the books. Overall, this is a great read for someone looking for a sweeping fantasy to transport them to a different realm.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Refreshing & Exciting Action-Romance, November 3, 2011
I actually owned this book for several months before deciding to read it. Once I began, I could not stop. The plot and characters are realistic and not one-dimensional. The story is told from the points of view of primarily Han and Raisa, but you get occasional glimpses into the other characters thoughts and motivations. It was exciting to read a story where the female protagonist is not continually pining for the love of her life and waiting to be rescued. This was an exciting read, and I could not wait to finish the remaining books (The Exiled Queen & The Gray Wolf Throne). The story felt real, and the description of the Seven Realms, its people and politics is very believable. Overall, it was the romance and chemistry of the main characters that made me love this book.
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