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The Kinsman Chronicles #1a
Darkness Reigns
The god of the soil is furious. Volcanic eruptions, sinkholes, earthquakes--everything points to his unhappiness. At least this is what the people of Armania in the Five Realms believe.
Amidst the unsettling state of the world around them, the princes of Armania live their lives focused more on who will claim the throne after their sickly father, King Echad, dies. That is until Prince Wilek's concubine turns up dead--beside her, a bloodied message that seems to have come from the mother realms.
Amidst the unsettling state of the world around them, the princes of Armania live their lives focused more on who will claim the throne after their sickly father, King Echad, dies. That is until Prince Wilek's concubine turns up dead--beside her, a bloodied message that seems to have come from the mother realms.
180 pages, ebook
First published December 1, 2015
About the author
Jill Williamson
60 books1,472 followersJill Williamson is an award-winning fantasy and science fiction author of over twenty books including By Darkness Hid, which won several awards and was named a Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror novel by VOYA magazine. She has also written several books on the craft of writing and teaches at www.GoTeenWriters.com, one of Writer’s Digest’s “101 Best Websites for Writers.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
December 6, 2018
4,25 stars - English Ebook - Epic fantasy - Author has taken notes from the old testament and put them in a different world. The world of the Kingsmen, wars, concubines, kings, Sons and a Godess. This was an easy read. The characters are well written and good storylines binds it all together. 😁🍀😁🦋
November 6, 2015
Oh my WOW.
I am a HUGE Jill Williamson fan. I devoured The Safe Lands series (because I'm also a dystopian junkie) and enjoyed Replication: The Jason Experiment. I read By Darkness Hid this summer. Still have a few more of her books to go but I jumped at the chance to get an early copy to read and review. So... "Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review." And honestly? I LOVED it.
I read 95% of the book yesterday and finished it this morning. Things you should know:
1. This is an epic fantasy. Scads of characters. At least 5 cultures. The author gives us a "Key Players" cheat sheet at the beginning of the book if you're one of those people that gets confused. I did fine without it.
2. Not counting the prologue, there are four point of view characters: Wilek (prince), Mielle (honor maiden), Charlon (priestess in training), Trevyn (younger prince). One thing that helps keep track of the characters are that Wilek, Mielle, and Trevyn all interact in the book. The author does a great job introducing them one at a time so that you know and like each of them.
3. The writing is stellar. Williamson folds you into her storyworlds and makes you care about her characters. You feel like you could walk out of the pages and into her books. The plot here is every bit as complex as The Safe Lands series.
4. It will certainly keep you captivated.
Favorite character? I'd have to say Trevyn with Mielle being a close second.
Thing that surprised me most? The racial diversity of the cast. (Cool)
The only downside was that it ended. Since this is part of a longer story, the book itself doesn't really have closure. Don't get me wrong - it's not one of those obnoxious cliff-hanger endings that makes you mad. It gets to a reasonable stopping place and stops, but this book doesn't have that stand-a-lone feel to it that some books within a series do.
I am a HUGE Jill Williamson fan. I devoured The Safe Lands series (because I'm also a dystopian junkie) and enjoyed Replication: The Jason Experiment. I read By Darkness Hid this summer. Still have a few more of her books to go but I jumped at the chance to get an early copy to read and review. So... "Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review." And honestly? I LOVED it.
I read 95% of the book yesterday and finished it this morning. Things you should know:
1. This is an epic fantasy. Scads of characters. At least 5 cultures. The author gives us a "Key Players" cheat sheet at the beginning of the book if you're one of those people that gets confused. I did fine without it.
2. Not counting the prologue, there are four point of view characters: Wilek (prince), Mielle (honor maiden), Charlon (priestess in training), Trevyn (younger prince). One thing that helps keep track of the characters are that Wilek, Mielle, and Trevyn all interact in the book. The author does a great job introducing them one at a time so that you know and like each of them.
3. The writing is stellar. Williamson folds you into her storyworlds and makes you care about her characters. You feel like you could walk out of the pages and into her books. The plot here is every bit as complex as The Safe Lands series.
4. It will certainly keep you captivated.
Favorite character? I'd have to say Trevyn with Mielle being a close second.
Thing that surprised me most? The racial diversity of the cast. (Cool)
The only downside was that it ended. Since this is part of a longer story, the book itself doesn't really have closure. Don't get me wrong - it's not one of those obnoxious cliff-hanger endings that makes you mad. It gets to a reasonable stopping place and stops, but this book doesn't have that stand-a-lone feel to it that some books within a series do.
November 12, 2015
3.5 stars
This is a hard review to write.
First of all, I'll begin by saying it's a really cool idea to try breaking up a book into parts and releasing them separately. It's a unique way to try to help the poor fangirls dying of impatience waiting a year between books.
But I sadly found that I don't particularly care for reading a whole "book" of just setup.
Don't get me wrong, plenty of stuff happened in this part. And I was forewarned that this story starts off dark. But unfortunately, that seemed to mean that the whole first part, almost, is dark. And then ending with it...still being dark was kind of depressing. This is the main reason I think it would've better been left with the other parts, because a sort of ending without hope is not so great.
I am quite interested, though, in how the story will continue. I loved Trevn and Mielle's parts, and I like Wilek for the most part, but Charlon's parts just...weirded me out a bit much for my liking. However, I will note that her last scene/chapter took an intriguing turn and I'm really curious to see how it turns out.
Apparently this is set in the same world as the Blood of Kings trilogy, but to be honest, it didn't feel like that at all. The whole "vibe" I got from it was, well...African tribes in the 1800s. Now, that is definitely something I haven't read fictionalized before, so it was interesting, but again, it was dark. A lot of mysticism and spirits and such.
To sum things up, take my review with the "grain of salt" that this is indeed just the setup. There's a lot more to happen in this story, and therefore a lot more chance for me to love it to pieces. I just found that I don't care for having my dark setup ended as...still a dark setup.
Content warning (no spoilers):
- "Dark" refers mainly to the worship of many gods, which includes human sacrifices shown once or twice and mentioned throughout the story, as well as some mentions/instances of magic and some sort of spirit worship in Charlon's POV.
- Sexual content is alluded to rather frequently, mostly dealing with the king's and princes' concubines. Nothing more than kissing (and then only three separate instances, if I remember correctly) is shown.
- As far as violence, a woman is found dead (understood that she was murdered), Wilek's first scene is a human sacrificed to a god, Wilek discovers one of his men kissing a maid against her will, and Charlon's first scene involves a hunt of humans by humans. Some mentions of slave trade as well.
I feel it's important to mention that none of this darkness is condoned by any of the POV characters except in the case of Charlon, who is a participant in the spiritism or whatever it is (which is why I wasn't fond of her chapters).
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This is a hard review to write.
First of all, I'll begin by saying it's a really cool idea to try breaking up a book into parts and releasing them separately. It's a unique way to try to help the poor fangirls dying of impatience waiting a year between books.
But I sadly found that I don't particularly care for reading a whole "book" of just setup.
Don't get me wrong, plenty of stuff happened in this part. And I was forewarned that this story starts off dark. But unfortunately, that seemed to mean that the whole first part, almost, is dark. And then ending with it...still being dark was kind of depressing. This is the main reason I think it would've better been left with the other parts, because a sort of ending without hope is not so great.
I am quite interested, though, in how the story will continue. I loved Trevn and Mielle's parts, and I like Wilek for the most part, but Charlon's parts just...weirded me out a bit much for my liking. However, I will note that her last scene/chapter took an intriguing turn and I'm really curious to see how it turns out.
Apparently this is set in the same world as the Blood of Kings trilogy, but to be honest, it didn't feel like that at all. The whole "vibe" I got from it was, well...African tribes in the 1800s. Now, that is definitely something I haven't read fictionalized before, so it was interesting, but again, it was dark. A lot of mysticism and spirits and such.
To sum things up, take my review with the "grain of salt" that this is indeed just the setup. There's a lot more to happen in this story, and therefore a lot more chance for me to love it to pieces. I just found that I don't care for having my dark setup ended as...still a dark setup.
Content warning (no spoilers):
- "Dark" refers mainly to the worship of many gods, which includes human sacrifices shown once or twice and mentioned throughout the story, as well as some mentions/instances of magic and some sort of spirit worship in Charlon's POV.
- Sexual content is alluded to rather frequently, mostly dealing with the king's and princes' concubines. Nothing more than kissing (and then only three separate instances, if I remember correctly) is shown.
- As far as violence, a woman is found dead (understood that she was murdered), Wilek's first scene is a human sacrificed to a god, Wilek discovers one of his men kissing a maid against her will, and Charlon's first scene involves a hunt of humans by humans. Some mentions of slave trade as well.
I feel it's important to mention that none of this darkness is condoned by any of the POV characters except in the case of Charlon, who is a participant in the spiritism or whatever it is (which is why I wasn't fond of her chapters).
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
November 11, 2015
More detailed review to come. Williamson's new epic does what it is supposed to: fills you with a despair about the story's situation, but knowing there is a glimmer of hope coming that you just have to hold out for. Captivating, interesting characters, I couldn't put this down.
March 20, 2019
I was really looking forward to this series, because I've enjoyed previous books by this author, but unfortunately I didn't like this one. Way too much of the story focused on gods and concubines...it just wasn't a story for me. I also thought there were too many characters and it was difficult to keep track of everyone...
November 14, 2015
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review:
If you have ever felt fed up with your own culture and powerless to help people who were suffering, then you will be able to relate to Wilek and Trevyn, princes of the House of Hadar.
The kingdom of Armania is experiencing disaster after disaster. Earthquakes and sinkholes are destroying entire villages. Sar Wilek’s father, King Echad, believes that the gods are angry and require human sacrifices. But the offerings do not seem to appease the deities. Wilek hopes to be named Heir to the throne soon so he can protect his people from the evil that is tearing his country apart, including the ruthless executions. To appease his father and keep him from sacrificing more innocent victims, he plays the political games, but it is becoming more and more difficult to be diplomatic and follow his own conscience.
Trevn is an explorer and a scholar by nature and hates the political games of court. Like his brother, he cares nothing for the gods or his father’s superstitions. He seeks to distance himself from his father and brother Janek’s corrupt lifestyle, calling himself a renegade and freely speaking his opinions to whoever will listen.
I loved this first installment of King’s Folly, a story that will be released in three parts. The story is written from several perspectives, including the handmaiden to Wilek’s betrothed, who wants to help her mistress find happiness in her upcoming marriage. The majority of the time we read through Wilek or Prince Trevyn’s point of view. I felt for Wilek in his powerlessness to protect his people from his own father. Trevyn’s energetic defiance of the courtly lifestyle reminded me of my own teenage years and my dissatisfaction with what was considered “normal”. I think a lot of teens will be able to relate to him, and I look forward to seeing how his character will grow throughout the story! Though Darkness Reigns is short, the reader has plenty of time to become fully invested in the characters. I can’t wait to see what will happen in book two of King’s Folly!
Darkness Reigns will be available in e-book form on December 1st!
If you have ever felt fed up with your own culture and powerless to help people who were suffering, then you will be able to relate to Wilek and Trevyn, princes of the House of Hadar.
The kingdom of Armania is experiencing disaster after disaster. Earthquakes and sinkholes are destroying entire villages. Sar Wilek’s father, King Echad, believes that the gods are angry and require human sacrifices. But the offerings do not seem to appease the deities. Wilek hopes to be named Heir to the throne soon so he can protect his people from the evil that is tearing his country apart, including the ruthless executions. To appease his father and keep him from sacrificing more innocent victims, he plays the political games, but it is becoming more and more difficult to be diplomatic and follow his own conscience.
Trevn is an explorer and a scholar by nature and hates the political games of court. Like his brother, he cares nothing for the gods or his father’s superstitions. He seeks to distance himself from his father and brother Janek’s corrupt lifestyle, calling himself a renegade and freely speaking his opinions to whoever will listen.
I loved this first installment of King’s Folly, a story that will be released in three parts. The story is written from several perspectives, including the handmaiden to Wilek’s betrothed, who wants to help her mistress find happiness in her upcoming marriage. The majority of the time we read through Wilek or Prince Trevyn’s point of view. I felt for Wilek in his powerlessness to protect his people from his own father. Trevyn’s energetic defiance of the courtly lifestyle reminded me of my own teenage years and my dissatisfaction with what was considered “normal”. I think a lot of teens will be able to relate to him, and I look forward to seeing how his character will grow throughout the story! Though Darkness Reigns is short, the reader has plenty of time to become fully invested in the characters. I can’t wait to see what will happen in book two of King’s Folly!
Darkness Reigns will be available in e-book form on December 1st!
November 30, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. My absolute favorite thing about it was the writing. Jill is just such a talented writer! You can tell by reading her books. She has that sort of writing that makes you warm and fuzzy and feel at home. My next favorite thing was her worldbuilding! This world she writes is such a complex and wonderful world, full of complex and wonderful characters. Which, of course, brings us to my next favorite thing. I loved Jill's characters. In the mere one-fifty pages of this book, I grew so attached to every one of her characters. And the best part? This book has a ton of POVs. But I didn't get confused. This was probably the first book I've read with tons of POVs that DIDN'T confuse me. And as a reader, that was a HUGE thing for me. All of the characters were well-developed and easy to get attached to. (and I get the feeling that one of them will break my heart)
Also, my ship! I won't tell you who I ship, as they get affectionate late in the book, but OH MY GOODNESS. It is perfection. I lovedlovedloved the romance in this book! I'm going to use the end of Jill's From Darkness Won as an example here. At the end of that, I know we all felt the romance. It was very heavy on the story. But in this book? NONE of that heaviness! The romance was perfectly crafted and the two characters absolutely suited for each other.
FOR THE PARENTS -
I'm fairly certain this book is for older teens and adults, so there is a bit more content. One of the POV characters has a concubine, as do almost all of the male characters in this story. Jill did it quite well, though, showing the reality of the world but also not going into a ton of detail about it. They are some mild innuendos and someone tries to “claim” a POV character as his mistress. Over all, though, I think the content made the world feel more real, not like other stories where it's put in as a filler or a ploy to keep someone reading. No cussing, mild violence.
Also, my ship! I won't tell you who I ship, as they get affectionate late in the book, but OH MY GOODNESS. It is perfection. I lovedlovedloved the romance in this book! I'm going to use the end of Jill's From Darkness Won as an example here. At the end of that, I know we all felt the romance. It was very heavy on the story. But in this book? NONE of that heaviness! The romance was perfectly crafted and the two characters absolutely suited for each other.
FOR THE PARENTS -
I'm fairly certain this book is for older teens and adults, so there is a bit more content. One of the POV characters has a concubine, as do almost all of the male characters in this story. Jill did it quite well, though, showing the reality of the world but also not going into a ton of detail about it. They are some mild innuendos and someone tries to “claim” a POV character as his mistress. Over all, though, I think the content made the world feel more real, not like other stories where it's put in as a filler or a ploy to keep someone reading. No cussing, mild violence.
December 8, 2015
Get this one right now! Seriously, don't wait ... buy it now ... devour it in a day ... and then die a thousand impatient deaths over the next few months while you're waiting for part two!
I think I can honestly say that Jill Williamson has outdone herself with this series ... and I've only read part one so far. Darkness Reigns may be only part one, but it is rife with shadows and hints of what promises to be a truly epic book with a complex storyworld, unique and engaging characters, and a premise that whispers peril and adventure around every turn.
Wilek, Trevn, Mielle, and Charlon - these are the types of characters who possess the power to drag you so deep into their stories that you become completely immersed and lose sight of the real world until the final page forces you to awaken again. In a way, they reminded me of Robin Hobb’s characters, and I say that as a true compliment. Not that any of the characters seemed like a knockoff or imitation - nothing could be farther from the truth - but simply that Jill Williamson has the same knack for infusing her characters with life and breath and flesh and bone. They are all so real and human and complex that it’s easy to forget that they are simple creations of ink and imagination.
Most of the time, I choose a book for the plot … but I’ll stick with it for the characters. And Darkness Reigns has the sort of characters that not only made my stick with it but will keep me coming back for Parts Two and Three and the next book in the series too.
I think I can honestly say that Jill Williamson has outdone herself with this series ... and I've only read part one so far. Darkness Reigns may be only part one, but it is rife with shadows and hints of what promises to be a truly epic book with a complex storyworld, unique and engaging characters, and a premise that whispers peril and adventure around every turn.
Wilek, Trevn, Mielle, and Charlon - these are the types of characters who possess the power to drag you so deep into their stories that you become completely immersed and lose sight of the real world until the final page forces you to awaken again. In a way, they reminded me of Robin Hobb’s characters, and I say that as a true compliment. Not that any of the characters seemed like a knockoff or imitation - nothing could be farther from the truth - but simply that Jill Williamson has the same knack for infusing her characters with life and breath and flesh and bone. They are all so real and human and complex that it’s easy to forget that they are simple creations of ink and imagination.
Most of the time, I choose a book for the plot … but I’ll stick with it for the characters. And Darkness Reigns has the sort of characters that not only made my stick with it but will keep me coming back for Parts Two and Three and the next book in the series too.
August 7, 2018
Uuuuuugh this was a very hard review to write...
I REALLY REAAAAALLY love the world building in this book. It was so interesting and kept me entranced but the fact that it felt like nothing but wives and concubines, it just wasn't the right direction for me. I wanted to rate higher...
I REALLY REAAAAALLY love the world building in this book. It was so interesting and kept me entranced but the fact that it felt like nothing but wives and concubines, it just wasn't the right direction for me. I wanted to rate higher...
March 26, 2018
Great book! The big questions my fellow Christians will be asking are, so what's Christian about it and is it scripturally accurate. As to both, my understanding is that this series does reflect biblical Christianity. The problem is that this book is showing us what life could have been like in gentile lands during OT times, and how easy it was/is to be influenced by it. She also shows how superstitious people were. It seems like idolatry and superstition are linked even. I have not personally read the rest of the books in this series, but have great hopes for them based on the reviews of others.
Want to read
November 26, 2017💝 FREE on Amazon today (11/26/2017)! 💝
January 15, 2021
Could not get into this one,not for me I am afraid..
February 18, 2021
I really liked a lot of things about this book, especially the characters and the worldbuilding, but I did not feel comfortable reading Charlon's chapter and decided to DNF at about 41%.
November 19, 2015
In Darkness Reigns by Jill Williamson, we're introduced to the Kingdom of Armania as well as Rosar Echad and his family. Unlike other monarchies, the eldest is not entitled to the throne and the princes Janek and Wilek are waiting to see who their father will declare as Heir, while Trevn couldn't care less. While Armania experiences disaster after disaster that many believe are the result of the gods being displeased, we're introduced to the other four realms as well, who have their own problems and gods.
All of the characters are very well-written and the story itself just pulls you into it. There's a wide variety of characters from those who are supposed to be likable (Mielle, Trevn) to those who are completely distasteful (Janek). While the premise of this first book is kind of dark, it does leave you a glimmer of hope that things will end up okay in the later parts of the story.
Overall, I found this book to be very well-written and while I'm a relative newcomer to Jill Williamson's books, I absolutely loved this book and can't wait to read the rest of this story. I thought that it was a edge-of-your-seat page turner and since the only time I really had to read was while I was on the bus heading to work, I was disappointed each time I had to turn off my tablet and stop reading. I would definitely recommend this book to all of my friends and I look forward to reading more from Jill Williamson!
Disclaimer: I received an advance copy for free in exchange for an honest review.
All of the characters are very well-written and the story itself just pulls you into it. There's a wide variety of characters from those who are supposed to be likable (Mielle, Trevn) to those who are completely distasteful (Janek). While the premise of this first book is kind of dark, it does leave you a glimmer of hope that things will end up okay in the later parts of the story.
Overall, I found this book to be very well-written and while I'm a relative newcomer to Jill Williamson's books, I absolutely loved this book and can't wait to read the rest of this story. I thought that it was a edge-of-your-seat page turner and since the only time I really had to read was while I was on the bus heading to work, I was disappointed each time I had to turn off my tablet and stop reading. I would definitely recommend this book to all of my friends and I look forward to reading more from Jill Williamson!
Disclaimer: I received an advance copy for free in exchange for an honest review.
November 30, 2015
This thrilling tale is filled with suspense, emotions, and adventure. Wilek is the prince of Armania, but not the chosen heir...yet. Trapped in the intense heir war, his last thought is that of his arranged bride-to-be. But it is the first priority in Mielle's mind. Desperate to make her new mistress happy, she is still new to the rules of court and society, and will risk it all for the happiness of her mistress. Lady Zeroah is pledged to Wilek, but worried that he will not love her. In a time when concubines are honored and men are not loyal, she longs for a life of emotional stability. Subject to the life of a priest, Trevn, Wilek's brother, is in love with adventure and exploring, but will he ever get to live his dreams? And all of these lovable characters are terrified by the things happening in the kingdom. Whole cities sinking into the lower world, ferocious quakes, and natural disasters; there must be some reason that the gods are upset... This thrilling tale is a roller coaster ride and an amazing read, a book that you can't put down; you are sure to love it. I recommend this book to high school aged teens and adults, I would not recommend this to junior high kids until they got a little older because of some adult themes in the book. As the book is titled, "Darkness Reigns", it is a time when darkness runs rampant and the people are looking for a path of escape. The trilogy will address this darkness and search for a way to defeat it, but there are definitely some mature topics in this book.
February 3, 2016
This was the first book from Jill Williamson that I have read and I must say, I was impressed! Nice world building, and entertaining story filled with peril and more than adequate writing made DARKNESS REIGNS a pleasure to read.
Kings, Queens, princes, princesses, Heirs, concubines, swords, magic, betrayal, sacrifices to the Gods and murder are the way of the land in the realm of Armania, where DARKNESS REIGNS primarily takes place. There are a lot of characters introduced in a short period of time, but Williamson is a seasoned veteran writer and manages to pull it off without it being overwhelming to the reader. There is also an index of characters and a map of the world where the story takes place at the beginning of the book, for those wishing to cross reference what they are reading.
At 160 pages, this was a fast read that laid the ground work for the other two forthcoming books in The Kinsman Chronicles. Thankfully, we don't have to wait too long since the second book will be out in Feb.2016 and the third in April 2016.
This is a clean read, meaning that people of all ages could read this without stumbling upon something questionable for younger readers. I suppose this series would fall into the Young Adult category, but I can see any age group that likes fantasy stories enjoying it. And hey....it's currently FREE in the Kindle store!
I really had fun with this book and look forward to continuing the series when the next book is released next year. I give this one 4/5!
Kings, Queens, princes, princesses, Heirs, concubines, swords, magic, betrayal, sacrifices to the Gods and murder are the way of the land in the realm of Armania, where DARKNESS REIGNS primarily takes place. There are a lot of characters introduced in a short period of time, but Williamson is a seasoned veteran writer and manages to pull it off without it being overwhelming to the reader. There is also an index of characters and a map of the world where the story takes place at the beginning of the book, for those wishing to cross reference what they are reading.
At 160 pages, this was a fast read that laid the ground work for the other two forthcoming books in The Kinsman Chronicles. Thankfully, we don't have to wait too long since the second book will be out in Feb.2016 and the third in April 2016.
This is a clean read, meaning that people of all ages could read this without stumbling upon something questionable for younger readers. I suppose this series would fall into the Young Adult category, but I can see any age group that likes fantasy stories enjoying it. And hey....it's currently FREE in the Kindle store!
I really had fun with this book and look forward to continuing the series when the next book is released next year. I give this one 4/5!
November 24, 2015
Jill Williamson has done it again. I loved her Blood of Kings Trilogy, so when I discovered she was working on a new epic fantasy series, I couldn’t wait to dive in.
That joyous day came when I entered the Five Realms via Darkness Reigns, the first part of King’s Folly. It didn’t take long for me to find myself entrenched in a magical world of court intrigue, mystery, conflict, romance. And diverse characters I couldn’t stop reading about. From Trevn and his wild escapades to Charlon and her heart-wrenching past, they held me captive in their stories. I cared. I wanted to know more.
Over the entire story spread a shadow of darkness, because this wasn’t a sunny tale. Corruption abounded. Doom threatened. The characters were anything but perfect. Some had endured much hardship. Others refused to question the cultural immorality surrounding them. However, the grim tones weren’t overwhelming, and set the stage for a more potent transition from darkness to light.
All this played out upon the backdrop of a rich fantasy world vibrating with originality and depth. The world building didn’t rule the story. Rather, it added tasteful context and color while promising deeper discoveries and new facets waiting to be explored.
In other words, fantasy at its best.
I can’t wait to continue the story in The Heir War.
*I received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
That joyous day came when I entered the Five Realms via Darkness Reigns, the first part of King’s Folly. It didn’t take long for me to find myself entrenched in a magical world of court intrigue, mystery, conflict, romance. And diverse characters I couldn’t stop reading about. From Trevn and his wild escapades to Charlon and her heart-wrenching past, they held me captive in their stories. I cared. I wanted to know more.
Over the entire story spread a shadow of darkness, because this wasn’t a sunny tale. Corruption abounded. Doom threatened. The characters were anything but perfect. Some had endured much hardship. Others refused to question the cultural immorality surrounding them. However, the grim tones weren’t overwhelming, and set the stage for a more potent transition from darkness to light.
All this played out upon the backdrop of a rich fantasy world vibrating with originality and depth. The world building didn’t rule the story. Rather, it added tasteful context and color while promising deeper discoveries and new facets waiting to be explored.
In other words, fantasy at its best.
I can’t wait to continue the story in The Heir War.
*I received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 1, 2015
This book is a departure from the Young Adult novels the author usually writes. It is set in the world made famous in her Blood of Kings trilogy, but pre-dates it by several centuries. This means that the culture depicted is similar to that of our ancient middle east, with all of the idolatry, cruelty and startling marriage practices of that time.
I loved it. The author doesn’t wallow in the gory details, but neither does she pull punches. It was great seeing her characters struggle to maintain their equilibrium in a culture that may have been normal to them, but was one that made me gasp.
My only reservation was that as this was only the first installment of a longer book, a great deal of it was spent in setting up the main premise and introducing the many characters. It ended just as events lined up to set off some serious action. “Don’t stop now,” I said to my electronic cursor as it blinked at me from the last page.
However, I did receive a free download of this book in exchange for an honest review. That means that I already have the second installment ready to go.
Lucky me.
I loved it. The author doesn’t wallow in the gory details, but neither does she pull punches. It was great seeing her characters struggle to maintain their equilibrium in a culture that may have been normal to them, but was one that made me gasp.
My only reservation was that as this was only the first installment of a longer book, a great deal of it was spent in setting up the main premise and introducing the many characters. It ended just as events lined up to set off some serious action. “Don’t stop now,” I said to my electronic cursor as it blinked at me from the last page.
However, I did receive a free download of this book in exchange for an honest review. That means that I already have the second installment ready to go.
Lucky me.
November 27, 2015
This book is currently free right now and releases December 1st. It is a Christian fantasy book set in the Five Realms with well developed characters and a plot that keeps you reading. Earthquakes are becoming more and more common even with frequent sacrifices to Barthos, the god of the soil. The King of Armania still needs to choose an heir to his throne from his three sons. Who will it be? His choice could determine the future of his realm. Magnonia, a realm ruled by women, is determined to rule all the realms even if it takes magic to do it. This book sets the stage for the rest of the series and does a great job of not only introducing the characters but the plot. At first, I thought I would be overwhelmed by all the different characters, but the author did a great job of making them memorable and tying everything together enough to keep you reading to find out more. Warning: You will want to read part II.
FYI: I was allowed to read this book early in return for an honest review. But I really liked it and can't wait for the rest of my family to read it so we can talk about it.
FYI: I was allowed to read this book early in return for an honest review. But I really liked it and can't wait for the rest of my family to read it so we can talk about it.
November 8, 2015
First of all, I am a Huge fan of Jill Williamson's book, and I have the awesome opportunity to read this book before it's officially out in exchange for an honest review. I was so excited when I opened the book, and overall was not disappointed. I'm happy to see another Christian fantasy book out there.
The characters range from a mischievous prince to a six-foot tall honor maiden(Yay!)among others, and all have their own quirks.
Having five nations provides plenty of opportunity for conflict as well as having three princes fighting to be their father's heir. Oh-and on top of all that earthquakes are destroying entire cities. I am so curious as to how everything comes together in the of King's Folly.
Darkness Reigns is the beginning of a larger book so nothing really gets resolved. Also, the amount of characters in the Key-players list is a little overwhelming at first, I was able to keep all the characters straight after a bit of reading.
So excited to read the rest of this series!
The characters range from a mischievous prince to a six-foot tall honor maiden(Yay!)among others, and all have their own quirks.
Having five nations provides plenty of opportunity for conflict as well as having three princes fighting to be their father's heir. Oh-and on top of all that earthquakes are destroying entire cities. I am so curious as to how everything comes together in the of King's Folly.
Darkness Reigns is the beginning of a larger book so nothing really gets resolved. Also, the amount of characters in the Key-players list is a little overwhelming at first, I was able to keep all the characters straight after a bit of reading.
So excited to read the rest of this series!
February 23, 2016
So YA is where my heart lies, and I'll be the first to admit that I haven't read a high fantasy in a long time, much less a Christian Adult High Fantasy. But Jill Williamson is easily one of my favorite people in the writing world, and the opportunity to help her launch her book was one I leaped at.
I'm so glad I did. Darkness Reigns has characters that are absolutely gripping, and the gritty intrigue of royal court and each character's personal plight combines to make for a fantastically engaging read.
I can't wait for part two!
I'm so glad I did. Darkness Reigns has characters that are absolutely gripping, and the gritty intrigue of royal court and each character's personal plight combines to make for a fantastically engaging read.
I can't wait for part two!
May 24, 2016
I am a fan of Jill Williamson. I absolutely loved her Blood of Kings series. But this series has too many primary characters to keep track of. It lumbers forward under the ponderous weight of its multiple POV and its lack of interesting story lines causes it to stagger like a drunken giant. I had really looked forward to this new series and pre-ordered it in anticipation of more riveting storytelling. I was very disappointed when I had to push myself to finish this book. I am not sure if I will read the other two books or not.
December 10, 2015
Loved this book! Full review to come!
May 29, 2021
Jill Williamson is back, bringing us back to the world of Er'rets - except this time it's not Er'rets. Considering that this is a bit of a history book, I wish someone would write history of our world the way Williamson writes history of her world! I was immediately drawn into the Five Kingdoms. I love all the characters, and I must say that Mielle is practically an exact copy of ME in fantasy form. Charlon's situation made me so sad reading it, but it's also super interesting reading about Magon and magic and.... wow that sounded slightly deranged on paper lol. Wilek has my sympathy. Trevn is my hero. And I'm now going to stop listing all the characters by name. As always, Williamson's writing drew me in immediately, keeping me engaged the entire time. I could go on and on about how great all the little components are, but I won't, because that would be boring and you probably would stop wanting to read my review. :) So onto the things I didn't like. For all the plot geniusness, I didn't like the concubines. I think there is room in writing for things like concubines, especially here, since Williamson was trying to portray just how much the culture had degraded. However, that doesn't make it anymore pleasant to read about you-know-what outside of marriage. Ew. Beyond that, however, there wasn't anything I didn't like about this book!
March 20, 2018
More Than I Expected
When I first started reading this, I was a bit sceptical. Multiple gods? Concubines? Multiple wives??? I didn't know what to think. But the more I read, the more I was sucked into the story world. Jill Williamson has definitely taken me on a wild ride that I don't regret. The world is so fleshed out, nearly jumps off the pages, and the characters do well developed they almost seem like close friends. This is a book that you won't want to ever put down and make you ask, what happens next?
I have complete confided that the next book will turn out just as good! If you like crumbling worlds, creatures that make you shiver, psychopathic princes, and a world that won't let go, this book is for you!
Side note: for some reason, Trevn is my favorite.
When I first started reading this, I was a bit sceptical. Multiple gods? Concubines? Multiple wives??? I didn't know what to think. But the more I read, the more I was sucked into the story world. Jill Williamson has definitely taken me on a wild ride that I don't regret. The world is so fleshed out, nearly jumps off the pages, and the characters do well developed they almost seem like close friends. This is a book that you won't want to ever put down and make you ask, what happens next?
I have complete confided that the next book will turn out just as good! If you like crumbling worlds, creatures that make you shiver, psychopathic princes, and a world that won't let go, this book is for you!
Side note: for some reason, Trevn is my favorite.
May 12, 2020
Surprisingly good:)
I had never read this author before.I thought the character creation was great.This alone had my interest and the funny thing is with the title I thought there would be sex and violence.There was none of that,at one point a person is found in the castle dead.But they don't know why they were killed.
But I thought the world creation was good,this world was tormented by earthquakes and lava flow from eruptions.In the kings eyes this could only mean the gods are angry and need sacrifices.But he has two sons of age and he is ill.So things might turn for the better.
Now then let's not forget about the dead person in the castle and who did it,why?
I would recommend:)
I'll be starting the next in the series when I find it.
I had never read this author before.I thought the character creation was great.This alone had my interest and the funny thing is with the title I thought there would be sex and violence.There was none of that,at one point a person is found in the castle dead.But they don't know why they were killed.
But I thought the world creation was good,this world was tormented by earthquakes and lava flow from eruptions.In the kings eyes this could only mean the gods are angry and need sacrifices.But he has two sons of age and he is ill.So things might turn for the better.
Now then let's not forget about the dead person in the castle and who did it,why?
I would recommend:)
I'll be starting the next in the series when I find it.
July 18, 2017
A fast moving, short but no less detailed novel.
Characters are quite varied in their personalities and traits making it very interesting but a lot of new information to take in contained in this first installment.
Interesting concepts and world development portrayed here.
Writing style was fluent and exact. Easy to follow and grasp yet challenging to keep up with.
Overall; creative and exciting with many different levels of natural chaos, politics and character growth coming in to play very quickly.
Characters are quite varied in their personalities and traits making it very interesting but a lot of new information to take in contained in this first installment.
Interesting concepts and world development portrayed here.
Writing style was fluent and exact. Easy to follow and grasp yet challenging to keep up with.
Overall; creative and exciting with many different levels of natural chaos, politics and character growth coming in to play very quickly.
April 20, 2020
Does not resolve
I really do not like series that are essentially soap operas. This book just stops without resolving any of the issues facing the characters. I assume if you read enough stories in this series, the author will solve some the hero’s problems. But I don’t want to read six or eight or ten books to find out.
I really do not like series that are essentially soap operas. This book just stops without resolving any of the issues facing the characters. I assume if you read enough stories in this series, the author will solve some the hero’s problems. But I don’t want to read six or eight or ten books to find out.
January 8, 2021
This book makes me want to find out where the story goes in the future. Full of great detail and I would recommend to anyone who wants to find a new series. I will be reading the next one to find out what happens next!
August 7, 2017
Easy quick read. Was just okay.
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