Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen [Review]

5 out of 5 Robots!

 

The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Series: The Ascendance Trilogy

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Release:  March 1, 2013

Hardcover: 352 Pages

Publisher: Scholastic Press

My Copy: Purchased

Reviewer: Shannon

Buy the Book: Amazon

Book Summary:
A kingdom teetering on the brink of destruction. A king gone missing. Who will survive? Find out in the highly anticipated sequel to Jennifer A. Nielsen's blockbuster THE FALSE PRINCE!

Just weeks after Jaron has taken the throne, an assassination attempt forces him into a deadly situation. Rumors of a coming war are winding their way between the castle walls, and Jaron feels the pressure quietly mounting within Carthya. Soon, it becomes clear that deserting the kingdom may be his only hope of saving it. But the further Jaron is forced to run from his identity, the more he wonders if it is possible to go too far. Will he ever be able to return home again? Or will he have to sacrifice his own life in order to save his kingdom?

The stunning second installment of The Ascendance Trilogy takes readers on a roller-coaster ride of treason and murder, thrills and peril, as they journey with the Runaway King. (Courtesy of the Publisher)

 
Shannon's Thoughts:

I cannot tell you how much I adored The False Prince, so I was super excited to get my hands on the sequel.  Jaron is now King, but has a tenuous hold on his throne.  After an assassination attempt, it becomes obvious to Jaron that he needs to run away.  But Jaron, being Jaron, has some tricks up his sleeves and goes off to take matters into his own hands.  He finds himself being put in increasingly deadly situations and begins to worry that perhaps he has gotten himself so far in that now he won’t be able to get out.

I thought this was a very strong follow up to The False Prince.  This time we are in on most of Jaron’s secrets, which is different than the first go around.  I liked it because it really shows how clever Jaron really is.  You also get to know the real Jaron (those who have read the first book will know what I mean) and begin to understand his doubt, his pain, and his loneliness.  I also liked that he has quite a bit of growth and really begins to open his eyes to the friends and allies he has.  

Overall, a fantastic series.  I highly recommend it!
 
Books in the series in the order they should be read:
1. The False Prince
2. The Runaway King