December 17, 2012

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Release Date: December 11, 2012
Publisher: Razorbill (Penguin)
Pages: 412
Series: Falling Kindoms
#1
Review Source: ARC from Razorbill Canada for blog tour


Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
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?

My Thoughts:
What drew me into this book was the epic fantasy feel of the description and the cover. The back of the book describes it as being a good read for fans of Graceling and Game of Thrones, and I would agree. The world in this book had that type of feel, and it was especially Game of Thrones-like with all the infighting, scheming, and oh yeah, a little bit of (not actual in this case) incest.

What was exciting about this book was the politics of the three kingdoms. When you begin the book you wonder how the kingdoms will be connected, and when and how the characters will meet up. Once you begin to see the relationships that these kingdoms have you start to wonder which kingdom might come out on top. There’s a lot of action, and it definitely kept me reading.

There are the four perspectives, as described by the book description, although I definitely felt like Cleo, Magnus, and Jonas were the main POVs. Unfortunately because each perspective only gets a certain amount of space in the book I didn’t really feel connected to the characters. At some points in the book some very heartbreaking things were occurring, and yet I didn’t really feel emotional about them. It was almost like I was a clinical observer of the characters and their world, rather than being an active participant, which I think is the ideal.

Despite my lack of emotional connection to this book I really liked the world and the plot enough that I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up book 2. I think if you’re just delving into high fantasy ‘Falling Kingdoms’ would be a good introduction, as you get to experience the political game of thrones and the hints of magic. ‘Falling Kingdoms’ leaves off with an interesting set-up for book 2, leading me to believe that the second book will be even more exciting and interesting.

The Cover:
Kind of epic, I think it fits the book well.

Rating:
[3.5/5]

Find Falling Kindoms by Morgan Rhodes on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.

8 comments:

  1. I hate when multiple POV's take away feeling a connection to the characters. :( But I am glad you still enjoyed the plot and world building. I look forward to giving this a read myself. :)

    ~Sara @ Forever 17 Books

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  2. I can see this as a good intro to fantasy for someone who hasn't delved into it before. It's less intricate as some fantasies (like Game of Thrones), even though there are four POVs. I just didn't have the connection and couldn't get into this one. So sad--I adore the cover!

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    1. Yes, the lack of character connection was a bummer, so I can see why you couldn't get into it at all.

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  3. Multiple POVs are definitely always iffy! There's either some character you don't like that you have to read about, or the many POVs make it harder to connect with any of them...so it kind of stinks that the latter happened with this one, but I bet your right and that the next book will help with getting to connect with them even better! And with epic fantasy-type worlds there's always a lot more buildup than there is with a lot of other genres. I'm definitely looking forward to this one though, and I'm glad you were able to get caught up in the world though! I still can't wait to read this one! :D

    Thanks for sharing, Ashley! :D

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    1. Agreed, multiple POVs are definitely tricksy! But yes, I was glad that I liked the story overall -- hope you enjoy it as well! =)

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  4. I'm reading Graceling now. If I enjoy it, I'll definitely consider this one.

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    1. Graceling is definitely a superior book, by far, but they do have those similarities. =)

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment; I appreciate each one!

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