The King Commands: Tales of the Borderlands Book Two [Paperback]

Meg Burden (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 14, 2008 | Age Level: 11 and up | Grade Level: 6 and up | Series: Tales of the Borderlands (Book 2)

In this eagerly awaited sequel to NORTHLANDER, THE KING COMMANDS: Tales of the Borderlands Book Two, Ellin Fisher, now a Healer, must choose between her love for the young Northlander king and her duty to her own people, the Southlings, who are feared and hated in the North.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This second episode in the Tales of the Borderlands series sturdily follows the first (Northlander, 2007) with a nearly seamless weave of action and romance amid ethnic strife. Sixteen-year-old would-be Healer Ellin is abruptly banished by the new Northlands king she adores—only to find her Southern homeland being torn apart by ruthless Guardians bent on extirpating any signs of psychic powers among the general population. Hearing that the Guardians are also building up an ominously large private army, Ellin returns to the five royal Northland brothers who have adopted her, and who make up the rest of the closely knit central cast, to deliver an urgent warning. Ellin and the princes go a long way toward growing up here, as their skein of attachments develops further complexity and her relationship with deaf, scholarly, gentle Prince Flinn deepens. Burden ends the story with the Northlands poised to square off against the faceless Southling villains in the next volume. She also builds in plenty of reasons for readers to care about what happens next. Grades 6-9. --John Peters

From the Publisher

The Northlands are in turmoil, divided by those who support King Alaric's decrees welcoming the Southlings and their magic, and those who will stop at nothing to send them back to the Southland where they belong. But the Southland, too, is being torn apart as the Southlings with mental gifts and healing magic are hunted by the mysterious Guardians, captured and never heard from again.

As the legendary peace of the Southland crumbles and the throne of the Northlands is challenged, Ellin Fisher, the powerful young Southling who befriended the Northlands royalty, must make a terrible choice. Is it her destiny to fight for equality in the Northlands, or to embrace her calling as a Healer and help other True Southlings escape from the Guardians who killed her family? In the midst of this, while the home she's chosen and the land she left behind both stand poised on the brink of civil war, Ellin must choose where her heart lies, as well. She loves King Alaric, but will Princess Nathalia, another newcomer to the Northlands, stand in the way?

Loyalty and romance, secrets and destinies, threaten to tear Ellin and her newfound family in the Northlands apart, especially when a loved one betrays her and old enemies become new friends. Only one thing is certain: the Borderlands will never be the same again.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 11 and up
  
• Paperback: 310 pages
• Publisher: Brown Barn Books (April 14, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979882419
• ISBN-13: 978-0979882418
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #609,954 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, June 13, 2010

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The King Commands: Tales of the Borderlands Book Two (Paperback)

After healing a Southling traitor's mind, Ellin Fisher is exiled to the Southlands by the Northland royalty. Seen as a member of the royal family, however, the king sends the youngest brother, Garreth, to protect her.

While in the Southlands, she discovers a plot by the Guardians, the overseers of the Southlands, to destroy the Northlands and the Southlings who have magical abilities. Torn between her homeland and the Northlands she's come to call home, Ellin must find a way to save her Southling friends and the Northland kingdom before it's too late.

This fantasy adventure story is well-developed and has lots of action, mystery, and suspense. The characters are entertaining and make the story easily addicting. Although this novel is the second in the TALES OF THE BORDERLANDS series, it is a great stand-alone read, as well.

Readers who like adventure, suspense, and action stories will enjoy reading this book. THE KING COMMANDS would make an excellent addition to any collection.

Reviewed by: Kira M

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent continuation of Ellin's story, June 5, 2010

By 

S. A. Cain "writer" (Indiana USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The King Commands: Tales of the Borderlands Book Two (Paperback)

The King Commands is an excellent continuation of Ellin Fisher's story. She's written realistically as a teenager who has been forced to grow up fast in some ways, but is struggling in other ways. The other characters are strongly fleshed out, and Burden keeps the five brothers unique from each other and likable in their different ways.

Ellin is still dealing with some of the events from Northlander (Tales of the Borderlands). She is also settling into her place in the Northlands, albeit with a certain amount of discomfort thanks to lingering prejudices about Southlings. One of the aspects of this book that I find endearing is the way Ellin attempts to protect the princes from finding out that changing the law hasn't necessarily changed peoples' attitudes...and at the same time the princes are trying to protect Ellin from realizing the same thing!

As she deals with events from the first book, Ellin is also thrust into the middle of new problems that carry the book forward at a rapid, but never confusing, pace. At the same time she's also experiencing the bewildering and exciting flush of a first crush.

The ending of this novel doesn't tie up every storyline, but it is highly satisfying nonetheless. While no future installments are imminent, there is definitely room for a third novel, and I'll keep hoping that will be possible.

5.0 out of 5 stars strong young adult fantasy, April 17, 2010

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The King Commands: Tales of the Borderlands Book Two (Paperback)

The Northlands and the Southlings have an uneasy detente though there is little difference between the people who inhabit the two lands. In the Southlings where there is no monarch, they embrace the power of Healing while the Northlands call it witchcraft. Southling Ellin Fisher lives in self-imposed exile in the Northlands because she developed telepathic skills that caused the concerned Guardians to assassinate her father and try to kill her (see Northlander) in spite of her healing prowess.

Northlands King Alaric welcomes Southlings especially those with magic to stay in his kingdom; Ellin is one of his guests, but he exiles her back to her homeland for trying to heal his father's killer. Alaric's youngest brother Prince Garreth accompanies Ellin to her country. When she cross the border to Southlings, she realizes the Guardians have made life much worse for everyone as they grow stronger attacking those with forbidden magic and fostering conflict with their Borderland neighbor. She joins a cell of True Southlings with powers similar to hers and becomes an apprentice to a full fledged Healer. A crisis back in the Northlands sends Ellin and Garreth back there where they learn the Guardians are employing magic to cause civil war in the kingdom to the north. King Alaric declares war on the Guardians, but to win he will need the magic of the Southlings.

Although targeted for young adults, older readers will also enjoy the second Borderlands fantasy filled with plenty of intrigue, romance, and adventure. Readers will admire the lead couple as they act like ordinary people though one is a royal and the other a magic practitioner. Fans will root for them as they escape harrowing situations. With strong political spins throughout like a king needing magic to win a war but many of his subjects believe that is taboo, Meg Burden provides a deep thinking yet action-packed fantasy thriller.

Harriet Klausner