This spring, I’ve finished three trilogies. Two were dystopian and geared at YA audiences. Today I will share the first of the trio, aimed at a middle grades audience.
The Ascendance Trilogy by Jennifer Nielsen
The False Prince came out in 2012 with much acclaim. I didn’t read it until this year, however. I read the first one in the Winter, the read the last two in quick succession when the third book came out.
This is an action packed. Sage is an orphan running the streets of Carthya, depending on his quick wits and quicker mouth to survive. When he finds himself one of four boys bought by a wealthy nobleman with a dastardly plan to gain control of the throne, Sage must use every trick at his disposal to outmaneuver the other boys and convince the kingdom that he is fit to rule.
In The Runaway King , Jaron escapes an assassination attempt. With rumors of an impending war, Jaron runs away in an attempt to prevent the war from happening.
In the final installment, The Shadow Throne, war has come to Carthya. King Vargan of Avenia has kidnapped Imogen in a plot to bring Carthya to its knees, Jaron knows it is up to him to embark on a daring rescue mission.
For readers who love action, this series is wonderful. I think reading them in pretty quick succession I was struck by Jaron’s impulsivity and tendency to get himself kidnapped or imprisoned. I had trouble suspending my disbelief at times and thought “Here we go again!”. Realistically, a king would not be permitted to act the way Jaron does, but this is clearly not realistic fiction. I do wonder how Jaron will take to ordinary life in the palace now that all the excitement is over. I see him as a King Henry VIII figure, loud and rowdy.
In any case, you should give this one a try if you kid you middle grade fiction full of action.
booksandbassets 