Fall of a Kingdom (Farsala Trilogy, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author) "JIAAN DUCKED, and a bronze cup shaped like a ram's horn crashed into the wall behind him..." (more)
Key Phrases: high commander, talk rock, other aides, Trade Road, Commander Merahb, House of the Leopard (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 6-10. Here's a rousing start to a new series, The Book of Sorahb, from the author of A Matter of Profit (2001) and The Goblin Wood (2003). Steeped in Persian mythology, the story is set in Farsala, a peaceful land now targeted for invasion by the Hrum, who have already conquered 28 other countries. As the enemy advances, routing the overconfident Farsalan army, three young people caught up in the fray move inexorably toward new futures in which they will play leading roles in the outcome and aftermath of the war. They are Soraya, the spoiled daughter of the Farsalan army's high commander; Jiaan, the high commander's peasant-born bastard son; and Kavi, an itinerant peddler and sometime con artist. Intrigue builds upon intrigue, with a history of Farsala woven into the story's main events. Once again Bell proves a master at crafting distinctive societies and characters, and readers will eagerly await the promised future installments. Sally Estes
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Tamora PierceAn amazing tale of adventure, fear, magic, conquest, and rebellion! --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse (January 6, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689854145
• ISBN-13: 978-0689854149
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #300,130 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Start, October 16, 2005

By	Cheesehead (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

Probably the best thing that this book did for me is to make me read the sequel. I applaud the way this book is structured because it set the stage for a fast paced, truly inspiring sequel. That being said, on it's own this book is choppy and very puzzling. You must understand that if the sequel had not answered my questions and filled out the characters a bit, this would be a very different review. Kavi is very dislikable, and Jiaan is a goody-two-shoes, but they both evolve in the next book (Thankfully so does Soraya). My advice for all the people reading this book: purchase a copy of the next book and read them together. You will see the reason I am giving this 5 stars.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fall of a KIngdom, January 24, 2006

A Kid's Review

Fall of a Kingdom
By: Hilari Bell


*Main Characters - There are three main characters in Fall of a Kingdom, Jiaan, Kavi, and Soraya. Jiaan is a nineteen-year-old boy that has brown, curly hair and brown eyes. He is loyal to his country, Farsala, and is the Chief Commander Merhab's assistant. Kavi is a sixteen-year-old with brown hair and eyes also. He has a hurt right hand and makes a living as a peddler on the road. Soraya is a fifteen-year-old with black hair and brown eyes. She is Commander Merhab's daughter and is usually very spoiled.

*Plot - The land of Farsala is preparing for an attack from the mighty Hrum. But while this is happening, the Farsalan high priests demand a sacrifice of Commander Merhab's daughter, Soraya. Soraya is exscorted out into the mountains and left alone, but there are still Farsalan spies watching her. The Commander sends Jiaan, his son and assistant, to rescue her and hide her.
Once the high priests believed that Soraya was sacrificed, Farsala begins to practice their charge for their battle with the Hrum. But the Hrum have spies that inform them of Farsala's plans. So the Hrum construct lances to kill the charge, then they will try to defeat the Farsalans with their mighty infantry and stronger swords. The fate of Farsala lies in the hands of its leaders' wisdom.

*Setting - The setting is in the land of Farsala. Farsala is a country with deserts, forests, and high mountains. Fall of a Kingdom takes place in what would be medieval times.

*Theme - The theme in the book is "Never Give Up". There are a couple of things that show this. After Farsala is beaten and Jiaan has nothing left, he still gathers up what resources his country has and plans to attack the Hrum. The second example is when Soraya hears that her father is dead, she embarks on a long journey to save her mother and brother from the Hrum. The last example is when Kavi sees the Farsalan slaves, he tries to figure out a way to free them even though he could get killed.

*What I Think - I think this was a five-star book. It contained action, some mystery, politics and military tactics. You could follow the book easily, but it still had you guessing. If you are into fantasy or war, or you're just looking for a good book, this is something you'll want to read.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book, December 28, 2003

By	Mary (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Flame (Book of Sorahb) (Hardcover)

I'm 18 and I got this for Christmas. I was kind of reluctant to read it, because it did not look like I would enjoy it. However, I was pleasantly surprised. This book was well written, and I thoroughly enjoyed how she told the stories. It's not random, like some of the books I have read. Children who are into fantasy, warfare, history, or sci-fi will love this book.