The Seven Realms by Cinda Williams Chima

I first started this series three years ago. I loved the first book and was excited to read the rest of the series. Unfortunately, I didn’t get around to finishing them all until this week. I’ve decided I hate waiting a year between sequels. I end up forgetting characters, plot and other relevant items and usually don’t want to re-read each book when the newest one comes out. So, I decided with the Seven Realms series that I would just wait until all the books were out and then read them all together. When the newest book, The Crimson Crown, was released last month I went ahead and ordered all the books.

I thought this was a fun high fantasy series. I liked the plots, characters and writing. I thought they were easy to read, all 2217 pages worth. For the most part the books focus on our main characters Raisa and Han, we are lucky to hear from both POV. I liked both characters; they each had their own strengths and weaknesses.

While the books are marketed towards a YA audience, I actually thought they were more fitting for 18+. The characters are all around 16-18, but their behavior and circumstances are more mature. The books are clean, but there is quite a bit of innuendo (although not crude) throughout the series. I thought the attitudes towards sex were too blasé, I would have enjoyed the stories so much more if they had a better moral message. While I didn’t personally agree with all the characters choices, I did enjoy the romance aspect of the series.

Overall, I thought this was a fun series. I’d probably give the overall series a 3.5, but it would have been much higher if it had been cleaned up a bit.

Content: Overall, clean. There is innuendo throughout, for the most part it is subtle, but at times it’s a little more obvious. There are a couple minor characters that are gay.

Reading Order:

Book One: The Demon King
Book Two: The Exiled Queen
Book Three: The Gray Wolf Throne
Book Four: The Crimson Crown

(For reviews of each individual book, please visit my Goodreads profile.)

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Breaking the Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. This week’s waiting on Wednesday is:

The Exiled Queen
By Cinda Williams Chima
Release Date: September 28, 2010

Synopsis (Possible Spoilers if you haven’t read The Demon King):
Han Alister makes a bargain with the clans to sponsor him at Mystweks Academy, where he will become their magical sell-sword against the power-hungry Wizard Council. Han and his clan friend Fire Dancer undertake the dangerous journey south through war-torn Arden. Once in Oden’s Ford, it doesn’t take long for the smoldering feud between Han and Micah Bayar to kindle into flame. After several attempts on his life, Han knows he has to find a way to defend himself. Meanwhile, in her disguise as gently-born Rebecca Morley, Princess Raisa ana’Marianna travels with her friend Amon Byrne and his triple of cadets to Wien House, the military academy at Oden’s Ford. There she hopes she will find both temporary sanctuary from a forced marriage and the education she needs to succeed as the next Gray Wolf queen. When Han Alister asks the girl he knows as Rebecca to tutor him, she agrees. The streetlord turned wizard with the complicated past fascinates her, and he makes it clear the interest is mutual. But Han blames Queen Marianna and the Bayars for the loss of his family. As their relationship deepens, Raisa suspects that if Han knew her true identity, he wouldn’t want anything to do with her.

Why I’m Waiting: This is the second book in the Seven Realms series and I literally cannot wait for its release. I read and LOVED The Demon King back in November and ever since finishing it I have been looking forward to the release of The Exiled Queen. I would totally recommend this series to anyone!

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

Genre: YA Fantasy

Author Website: www.cindachima.com

One Word Review: FANTASTIC!

First Line: “Han Alister squatted next to the steaming mud spring, praying that the thermal crust would hold his weight.”

Synopsis: Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for himself, his mother, and his sister Mari. Meanwhile, Raisa ana'Helena, Princess Heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. Raisa wants to be more than an ornament in a glittering cage. She aspires to be like Hanalea-the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But it seems like her mother has other plans for her--plans that include a suitor who goes against everything the Queendom stands for.

Kathy’s Review: You may remember that I chose The Demon King as one of my "Waiting on Wednesday" choices. I finally picked up a copy at the store yesterday and couldn't have been happier. I loved Chima’s Wizard Heir series and just knew that this book would be awesome! As much as I loved the WH series, I think I loved this book even more. It follows the story of a reformed thief and streetlord Han Alister who is trying to turn over a new leaf in order to take care of his mom and little sister. And Raisa the Princess Heir, who is quickly approaching her sixteenth birthday and will soon be eligible for a political marriage. I loved that the book alternated between these two very different characters with their individual stories. It really gives you a chance to get to know and care for all the different characters in the forest clans and the royal court and what struggles each are going through. Chima has created a great new world full of intrigue, magic, power and even a bit of romance. Han and Raisa’s paths cross briefly and even though they each have separate love interests, I can’t help but wonder if there may be something between them in the next book. This was a great start to the trilogy, giving us a lot of background information, character development, and left things with enough closure to make me happy, yet still leaving some cliffhangers so that I really CAN’T wait to find out what happens next.

Reading Order:
Book One: The Demon King
Book Two: The Exiled Queen (Fall 2010)
Book Three: The Gray Wolf Throne (Fall 2011?)

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. After completing your post return to Breaking the Spine and add a comment with a link to their post. This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

The Demon King
by Cinda Williams Chima
Release Date: October 13, 2009

Synopsis: Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for himself, his mother, and his sister Mari. Meanwhile, Raisa ana'Helena, Princess Heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. Raisa wants to be more than an ornament in a glittering cage. She aspires to be like Hanalea-the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But it seems like her mother has other plans for her--plans that include a suitor who goes against everything the Queendom stands for.

Why I’m waiting: There are a few reasons why I am waiting for this one. First, the cover looks amazing; I love the necklace in the foreground and the landscape in the background. Second, the synopsis sounds just like something I would enjoy. Adventure, romance and magic, what more could you want? Third, I LOVED Chima’s Heir Trilogy and know that if its anything like that then Demon King will be amazing!

The Dragon Heir by Cinda Williams Chima

" The Covenant meant to keep the wizard wars at bay has now been stolen, and the sanctuary of Trinity must prepare for attack. Seph monitors the Weirwall, while Jack and Ellen trian their army of ghosts to face an onslaught of wizards. Even Anaweir Will and Fitch are setting traps around the town's perimeter. To Jason Haley, it feels as though everyone but him has a role to play. Then he finds a powerful talisman--a huge opal called the Dragonheart--buried in a cave. When its power washes over him, he knows he's destined for a greter purpose than anyone ever imagined. Madison Moss hears the deductive call of the Dragonheart also, but she has other things on her mind. Maddie's been leaking dark magic ever since absorbing the blow that was meant to kill her boyfriend, Seph. If anyone finds our, she'll be banished from the sanctuary--and Seph--forever. Meanwhile, Trinity's enemies mean to win the war with the helf of the Dragonheart, and they know that Madison Moss is the only one who can get it for them. Moral compasses spin out of control as a final battle storms through a town that was meant to be a refuge. With so much to lose, what will Jason and Maddie be willing to fight for, and what will the sacrifce?"

This is the last book in the Heir Trilogy. In Warrior Heir it is explained that there are five different magical groups. The Wizards, Enchanters, Sorcerers, Seers, and Warriors. I thought there would be a book about each group, having a main character like Jake in Warrior Heir, or Joseph in the Wizard Heir. So, I was disappointed when I heard that Dragon Heir would be the last in the series, I enjoyed the stories and was looking forward to reading more.

This is also a series that I would love to own and re-read, and wished I had the first two so I could have freshened up before reading Dragon Heir. Dragon Heir was great, the characters and story are fun and easy to follow. You really become attached to the different characters, and unlike some books it was fun reading from all the different perspectives. I had a hard time putting it down, and found the time just flew by as I read. The writing style was easy to get into and witty. I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoys fantasy, action, magic and a touch of romance.

I was a little sad with some of the things that happened; I won’t say what so I don’t ruin the story. I also would have liked if Leander and Linda were in the story more, they played big roles in the first two books and I missed them in this last installment.

Book One: The Warrior Heir
Book Two: The Wizard Heir
Book Three: The Dragon Heir