The Demon King (Seven Realms #1)Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Publisher: Hyperion Books, 506 pages
Publication Date: October 6, 2009
From Goodreads:
One day Han Alister catches three young wizard setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea. Han takes an amulet away from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard, to ensure the boy won’t use it against him. The amulet once belonged to the Demon King, who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece so powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.
Meanwhile, Princess Raisa ana’Marianna has her own battle to fight. She’s just returned to court after three years of riding and hunting with her father’s family. Raisa aspires to be like Hanalea, the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But it seems that her mother has other plans for her—plans that include a suitor who goes against everything the Queendom stands for.
Review:
An absolutely stunning high fantasy book, this has become my new favorite series. There's so much to love about this book: an amazing cast of characters, intricate world-building, political intrigue, and just a hint of romance.
About a thousand years before, there was a wizard known as the Demon King who apparently almost destroyed the world but was killed by Hanalea, the warrior queen. In the aftermath, the wizards are kept on a leash, so to speak, and the clans (who have green magic) are supposed to keep them in check. There are rules in place to keep the wizards from getting too powerful, such as not being able to marry the descendants of Hanalea. There's war to the south, the wizards seem to be growing more powerful, and the people in the Fells are starving.
The book focuses on two main characters, Han, an ex-thief, and Raisa, a princess who is a descendant of Hanalea and who will someday take over the throne. Han is trying to stay on the straight and narrow, but he's barely scraping by, taking odd jobs just to survive. Poor Han, he just can't catch a break. Raisa is strong-willed with a good heart, and rather oblivious about everything that's going on in the kingdom. The book begins with her coming back to the castle at Fellsmarch from spending three years with her father's family at Demonai camp. She had a lot of freedom there and is not too happy with court life. I loved how the author weaves Han and Raisa's stories together, and the book is told from both of their POVs. I became emotionally invested in these two, and even the secondary characters, such as Amon and Fire Dancer. Amon...just love him so much!
The book is well-paced, with a riveting plot and I just couldn't put it down. Enchanting, enthralling, I can't express how much I utterly enjoyed this book. I'm definitely going on a binge and reading the rest of the series. Love love love!!
Posted by: Pam
Whoa! I've never heard of this before! But you pretty much caught my interest with your review. This sounds really interesting, and I love that it has all the elements of a perfect fantasy book. Come on; well-done world-building and political intrigue? Who can't be in? Not me! I'd love to read this one asap! Thanks for bringing it to my attention <3
ReplyDeleteFaye @ The Social Potato Reviews
I love fantasy and this one was so well done. And the entire series is already out. I actually read the rest of the series right after this one and each book gets better and better. ~Pam
DeleteThis series has gotten a lot of good reviews. This sounds like something I would enjoy. Who doesn't love a good fantasy book. Your review has definitely put this on my radar.
ReplyDeleteGrace
Books of Love
Let me know what you think if you read it! ~Pam
DeleteYou have already sold me on these books just with the first paragraph. Everyone raves about these but I have still yet to pick them up and I have no idea why. All the fantasy sounds amazing and you can't go wrong with characters like that!
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of this series until recently and I'm so glad I read it. I definitely recommend it. ~Pam
DeleteI am now dying to read this series!!! You know how much I love fantasy!!
ReplyDeleteI think you would love it…let me know if you read it! ~Pam
DeleteIsn't it SOOOOO good??!!!!! Loved it! I could re-read it a bunch too. And, if you don't know already, it gets better and crazier. I can't wait to see what you think about the rest of the books! Read them!! ;)
ReplyDeleteI read all of them in about three days, and I agree, the series just gets better and better. Loved it! ~Pam
DeleteI had heard a few good things about this author but had never seen any of her books. Now your review is making me kind of desperate to get my hands on her books!!! I'll have to save up and get the whole series together because I am impatient and know if I love it I will need all the books ready to read :) Thanks for the awesome review, I'm excited for this one now.
ReplyDeleteI had to read all of them right after each other so having all of them is definitely a good idea. I got the first two from the library, but then I couldn't wait so I bought the last two (my Kindle is so dangerous!) ~Pam
DeleteI was waiting for this review :) I agree that it was a really well crafted story. Great characters and plot and I can't wait to start the next one (which you already read!) I just felt things moved the taddest bit too slow. But this could be because I listened to the book and it took me longer to get through than had I read it. I still really enjoyed it :)
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