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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
Less of a mystery and more of an adventure--tons of character development and bonding, and all the loose ends were tied up neatly at the end.
I'm ready for the climax!
I'm ready for the climax!
Read these books. No, seriously. Do it.
When The False Prince came out, I had no idea I was about to fall in love with a series in a way I hadn’t in a long time. Transported back to my Middle Grade years with books like Tamora Pierce’s Tortal series, or Patricia Wrede’s Enchanted Forest books, The False Prince was a perfect fit alongside these. Filled with adventure, heroes, mystery, and villains, the False Prince just had that ‘something’ I hadn’t seen in a long awhile. The Runaway King picks up where The False Prince leaves off, both literally and figuratively Just as magical as the first one was, I adored every moment of Runaway King. Right from the start we’re thrown into an assassination attempt, and Sage continues to do what he’s known best for – the only thing he can, even if that is the most foolish thing possible.
Sage, Sage, Sage
Sage is a character you can never help but love and root for – flawed, but in a way that makes you adore him all the more. Sage is not afraid to do things all the wrong ways first if it means keep his friends and loved ones safe. In The Runaway King, that means asking Tobias to disguise himself as Jaron, while Sage goes off to join the pirates. The very people who are attempting to finish what they started years ago. But Sage knows that if he does this, and succeeds with his plans, it won’t just keep his family safe – it will more importantly keep his people safe. My most favorite thing about Sage is that he never wants to believe that people are without redemption – he can look past their mistakes and see the people that they really are inside, and Sage is at his best in Runaway King.
Runaway King begins to explore the romance side of the books further, and even here it is still mostly sidelined, but in a way that I could appreciate. While the characters are ‘young’, Sage for all he is foolish at times, is a king and that means he must marry, and marry for the good of his people. While he “knows” this, during Runaway King is one of the first times where he is really forced to come to grips with that fact.
How I love these characters
The Ascendance Trilogy is fabulous with secondary and supporting characters – never just one sided character, I feel in love with so many of the characters here, even the ones I originally thought I was going to hate. With street urchins, bandit leaders, and scullery maids, this book is filled to the brim with the awesome development that I’m coming to associate with Jennifer A. Nielsen. If we could ever steal her away to the Young Adult character, I would be in heaven. Filled with easily imagined dueling, and lushly described environments, I found myself sad to leave the world at the end of the book, and just as impatient for book three as I had been Runaway King.
As I’m sure you can imagine from my gushing, I recommend The Runaway King to anyone looking for a GREAT fantasy novel – even if you don’t normally read middle-grade.
When The False Prince came out, I had no idea I was about to fall in love with a series in a way I hadn’t in a long time. Transported back to my Middle Grade years with books like Tamora Pierce’s Tortal series, or Patricia Wrede’s Enchanted Forest books, The False Prince was a perfect fit alongside these. Filled with adventure, heroes, mystery, and villains, the False Prince just had that ‘something’ I hadn’t seen in a long awhile. The Runaway King picks up where The False Prince leaves off, both literally and figuratively Just as magical as the first one was, I adored every moment of Runaway King. Right from the start we’re thrown into an assassination attempt, and Sage continues to do what he’s known best for – the only thing he can, even if that is the most foolish thing possible.
Sage, Sage, Sage
Sage is a character you can never help but love and root for – flawed, but in a way that makes you adore him all the more. Sage is not afraid to do things all the wrong ways first if it means keep his friends and loved ones safe. In The Runaway King, that means asking Tobias to disguise himself as Jaron, while Sage goes off to join the pirates. The very people who are attempting to finish what they started years ago. But Sage knows that if he does this, and succeeds with his plans, it won’t just keep his family safe – it will more importantly keep his people safe. My most favorite thing about Sage is that he never wants to believe that people are without redemption – he can look past their mistakes and see the people that they really are inside, and Sage is at his best in Runaway King.
Runaway King begins to explore the romance side of the books further, and even here it is still mostly sidelined, but in a way that I could appreciate. While the characters are ‘young’, Sage for all he is foolish at times, is a king and that means he must marry, and marry for the good of his people. While he “knows” this, during Runaway King is one of the first times where he is really forced to come to grips with that fact.
How I love these characters
The Ascendance Trilogy is fabulous with secondary and supporting characters – never just one sided character, I feel in love with so many of the characters here, even the ones I originally thought I was going to hate. With street urchins, bandit leaders, and scullery maids, this book is filled to the brim with the awesome development that I’m coming to associate with Jennifer A. Nielsen. If we could ever steal her away to the Young Adult character, I would be in heaven. Filled with easily imagined dueling, and lushly described environments, I found myself sad to leave the world at the end of the book, and just as impatient for book three as I had been Runaway King.
As I’m sure you can imagine from my gushing, I recommend The Runaway King to anyone looking for a GREAT fantasy novel – even if you don’t normally read middle-grade.
Not always is the sequel as good as the original but this certainly makes the case! The series and the Graceling series I always recommend together!
:)Sarah
:)Sarah
adventurous
fast-paced
adventurous
challenging
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow! This was a rollicking adventure! What a great second installment! I really liked how this one was its own story, while still furthering the overall arc of the trilogy. This is a great example of how to write a good second book in any series. A must read for those who have read the first one, and entertaining enough in its own right for those who haven't.
I loved this entry in the Ascendance Trilogy! Jaron/Sage is such a great character. This series is excellent for those who enjoy action, suspense, and political intrigue for a younger audience. The action in this book was wonderful and there were times where I was genuinely stressed out for Jaron and his often impossible plans. The book ends on a big cliffhanger so you may want to have the third book ready after you finish this one. I love how well developed all the characters are and there are times when the book hits some truly emotional points. This was such an enjoyable read. This book is great for 4th grade and up. While there is violence and a mild love story, nothing is overly graphic in the story. I am so glad I have this in our library.
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This second book in the series was amazing and I am absolutely loving the writing and the characters
adventurous
challenging
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No