Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms, book 1) by Morgan Rhodes (AKA Michelle Rowen)
Genre: Epic Fantasy Young Adult
Edition Reviewed: eBook
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: Falling Kingdoms
The gripping New York Times bestseller that is Game of Thrones for teens
In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power—brutally transforming their subjects' lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:
Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.
Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished—and finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.
Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.
Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword. . . .
The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?
Review:
Yesssssssssssssssss! Amen! All right! Beyond a doubt this is the type of fantasy I've been waiting for to enter the young adult genre. Don't get me wrong I love YA fantasy. Yet so few barely ever can claim to be epic (epic/high) fantasy. Bless you Morgan Rhodes (AKA Michelle Rowen) for listening. Or more likely deciding that readers needed this! After reading Throne of Glass I feared this was just another attempt at marketers to hype up a book by calling it “the Game of Thrones for young adults.” Oh it is. In one shocking instant Rhodes killed one of my favorite characters and I was heart broken. And yet, happy to finally read a fearless YA author again!
There are four main characters that the POV changes between and I found them all fascinating. The spoiled Princess Cleo who's lived a sheltered life actually became my favorite. Rhodes does a wonderful job of showing how despite Cloe's wealth she's still trapped by her rank and apparent position. Her determination and hope is so powerful that I couldn't help but love her. Jonas is a strong willed lad who loses his brother. The injustices of the world cause him to become a rebel and lead his country into an uprising. Magnus is the first born Prince to a an evil king and ice cold queen. His journey was the most fascinating as he can either turn into the biggest hero or the most dastardly of villains. Lucia is the girl who finds out she's not only adopted, but has powers that are awakening. Her moral battle is just the beginning. The other minor characters that take turns with the POV are also just as interesting. At first they all seem like the stereotypical characters for the genre, but then readers go deeper.
The world of Mystica and the three kingdoms that comprise it. Spending time in each kingdom was a treat. From the lush and wealthy Auranos to Paelsia a starving and dying land. Even the violent and cruel land of Limeros is . . . chilling . . . but awesome! The historical points and lost magic is an engaging plot line as it’s slowly revealed. The idea of all these magical beings lurking in the background—supposedly good—waiting for the magical artifacts makes my High/Epic Fantasy soul rejoice.
YA Fantasy readers have been enjoying the genre, but we've been mixing the complexity of the epic! Readers can't snooze with this one! Politics, battles, backstabbing, death, moral gray areas, good and evil, love, horror, and so much more! This title and world is so well realized that I believe “adult titles” only readers will enjoy this one. If you were disappointed in Throne of Glass and Shadow and Bone to deliver High/Epic fantasy, don't worry. Falling Kingdoms is here to kiss your boo-boos and make it all better.
Sexual Content: References to sex, kissing, sexual humor, and such. This is not a clean YA title, it’s pretty mature. Dealing with death, sex, betrayal, and more.
5/5- Fabulous, a beautiful obsession!
| Previous book(s) in series: | ||
| Reviewed on BW: | Amazon: | Goodreads: |
| Falling Kingdoms (1) Rebel Spring (2) Gathering Darkness (3) Untitled (4) | Falling Kingdoms (1) Rebel Spring (2) Gathering Darkness (3) Untitled (4) | Falling Kingdoms (1) Rebel Spring (2) Gathering Darkness (3) Untitled (4) |
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