Review: Flamecaster - Cinda Williams Chima

Set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Seven Realms series, a generation later, this is a breathtaking story of dark magic, chilling threats, and two unforgettable characters walking a knife-sharp line between life and death. This dazzling beginning to a new series is indispensable for fans of Cinda Williams Chima and a perfect starting point for readers who are new to her work.

Adrian sul’Han, known as Ash, is a trained healer with a powerful gift of magic—and a thirst for revenge. Ash is forced into hiding after a series of murders throws the queendom into chaos. Now he’s closer than ever to killing the man responsible, the cruel king of Arden. With time running out, Ash faces an excruciating choice: Can he use his powers not to save a life but to take it?

Abandoned at birth, Jenna Bandelow was told that the magemark on the back of her neck would make her a target. But when the King’s Guard launches a relentless search for a girl with a mark like hers, Jenna assumes that it has more to do with her role as a saboteur than any birth-based curse. Though Jenna doesn’t know why she’s being hunted, she knows that she can’t get caught.

Eventually, Ash’s and Jenna’s paths will collide in Arden. Thrown together by chance and joined by their hatred of the ruthless king, they will come to rescue each other in ways they cannot yet imagine.

Shattered Realms Series:
(Set in the same world as the Seven Realms but 20 years later)
Flamecaster
Shadowcaster (2017)

Seven Realms Series:
The Demon King
The Exiled Queen
The Gray Wolf Throne
The Crimson Crown

Visit the Cinda Williams Chima's website for more information

Review:
*Please note that this review may contain spoilers for the Seven Realms series so if you're not up to date with those books look away now*

I absolutely love Cinda Williams Chima's Seven Realms series so when I found out she was returning to that world, albeit 20 years later, in the Shattered Realms books I couldn't wait to pick up Flamecaster. You know that well used phrase "be careful what you wish for" though? Well, Flamecaster is a perfect example of why you should take that advice to heart! This book may be set 20 years in the future and it may revolve around the next generation of characters, but that doesn't make it any less brutal and the first five chapters nearly killed me. I was utterly heartbroken and I came so close to putting this book down and pretending it didn't exist because the author doesn't shy away from tearing apart things that we thought were safe at the end of the previous series. I'm still praying that events at the beginning of this book weren't what they originally seemed and that we're going to be able to heave a huge sigh of relieve when we pick up the next book and find out what really happened. Please Cinda Williams Chima take pity on me, I beg you!

Anyway, if you can get past those first few chapters and kind of put aside your love for old characters long enough to give the new ones a chance I still think you're going to love this book so don't let my comments above put you off reading it. We are introduced to some absolutely brilliant characters here and I'm really excited to see what comes of them as the series continues. This book starts 20 years on from The Crimson Crown, Raisa has been a good queen to the Fells but they have been at war with the Arden ever since she publicly rejected the king's marriage proposal so long ago. The war has taken it's toll on the Fells and the surrounding realms but Arden is stronger than ever, especially since they have been capturing wizards and using magical collars to force them to do the king's bidding.

I was a little worried that the main characters were only about 13 when we first started reading but luckily after a bit of background we get to jump forward around 4 years which puts them at a similar age to Raisa at the start of the previous series. Ash is Raisa and Han's son and he's seen first hand what the King of Arden has cost his family and his people so he decides to set out on a mission to sneak into Arden and assassinate him. He has been trained as a healer but that just gives him an advantage as he knows which plants can kill, he just has to get close enough to the king to be able to use them. Ash has a lot of Han's street smarts and he's a really easy character to root for and like although I wasn't too happy about the way he left home so suddenly without letting Raisa know he was safe.

Jenna is a girl who comes from a poor town in Arden, she was forced to work in the mines from a very young age and when the king killed her two closest friends she joined the rebellion determined to end his reign of terror once and for all. There is a lot more to Jenna than first meets the eye and her family have been keeping secrets that even she doesn't know about so her storyline gets interesting really quickly when it becomes known that the king is searching for a girl with a certain birthmark. I'm not going to say much more than that - I think you should read the book to find out the details! - but I loved her character. She's incredibly brave and puts herself into some tough situations in her quest for revenge so I definitely want to see her succeed with her goals.

We have a couple of great side characters too in Lila and Destin. Lila is a warrior and at first glance she's quite mercenary and only seems to go where the money is but she has a good heart and is very protective of the people she cares about. Destin is more morally ambiguous, I'm hopeful that he's on the side of good but I do worry about some of the things he does. Is he just playing the king and his guards though? He's definitely keeping secrets and I'm not even sure if he knows what side he falls on yet so that's going to be interesting to watch play out in the future books. Flamecaster has everything I loved about the original series - the great characters, the interesting plot twists and the fabulous world building - but then Cinda Williams Chima had to one up herself and include dragons! I honestly don't think it could get much better and I'm going to be first in line for the sequel when it publishes next year.

Source: Received from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: The Crimson Crown - Cinda Williams Chima

The stunning final book in the critically acclaimed Seven Realms epic fantasy series from Cinda Williams Chima

A thousand years ago, two young lovers were betrayed – Alger Waterlow to his death, and Hanalea, Queen of the Fells, to a life without love.

Now, once again, the Queendom of the Fells seems likely to shatter apart. For young queen Raisa ana’Marianna, maintaining peace even within her own castle walls is nearly impossible; tension between wizards and Clan has reached a fevered pitch. With surrounding kingdoms seeking to prey on the Fells’ inner turmoil, Raisa’s best hope is to unite her people against a common enemy. But that enemy might be the person with whom she's falling in love.

Through a complicated web of lies and unholy alliances, former streetlord Han Alister has become a member of the Wizard Council of the Fells. Navigating the cut-throat world of blue blood politics has never been more dangerous, and Han seems to inspire hostility among Clan and wizards alike. His only ally is the queen, and despite the perils involved, Han finds it impossible to ignore his feelings for Raisa. Before long, Han finds himself in possession of a secret believed to be lost to history, a discovery powerful enough to unite the people of the Fells. But will the secret die with him before he can use it?

A simple, devastating truth concealed by a thousand-year-old lie at last comes to light in this stunning conclusion to the Seven Realms series.

Seven Realms Series:
The Demon King
The Exiled Queen
The Gray Wolf Throne
The Crimson Crown

Shattered Realms Series:
(Set in the same world as the Seven Realms but 20 years later)
Flamecaster
Shadowcaster (2017)

Visit the Cinda Williams Chima's website for more information

Review:
Raisa may have finally been able to claim her birthright and the title of Queen of the Fells but that has given her a whole new set of problems and enemies to fight. All she really wants is to find a way to unite all of her people, the normal valefolk, the wizards AND the clan, but there has been so much enmity between them for such a long time and each party, the wizards and the clan in particular, are clinging to a thousand years worth of anger over betrayals past and present.

Everyone around Raisa has their own agenda and it's nearly impossible for her to decide who to trust, Han always seems to be on her side but even he is keeping a worrying number of secrets. With both the wizards and the Demonai trying to persuade Raisa to marry into their line she has to trust her instincts more than ever before and no matter what she chooses to do she knows she is going to upset at least one party. Raisa hates the idea of marrying for a political alliance but queens don't get the chance to marry for love. Not unless they really fight for it.

I've loved this series since the first book but Cinda Williams Chima really stepped things up a gear in The Crimson Crown and she ends the series on a definite high note. I could go into great detail about all the things I loved about this story but it would be far too easy to give spoilers so I'm just going to tell you that if you enjoyed the earlier books you'll be blown away by this one. I'll warn you that it's quite a stressful read - it certainly raised my blood pressure! - but boy was it worth it. I went through so many emotions during this book, I outright wanted to climb into the book and start murdering the entire Bayar family, I was mad as hell at the Demonai, I cheered for both Raisa and Han, I was shocked by the turn of certain events and I was completely full of joy at the ending.

If I've got any complaints it was that I didn't feel we got a proper ending for one of my favourite characters, he was fairly absent in this book which was a shame considering how important he'd been in the earlier instalments and I really wanted to be reassured that he was going to have a happy future. That's a fairly minor irritation though considering how many threads were tied together and quite how many characters the author did resolve things for so overall I was extremely satisfied with the way things ended. I'm excited that there is going to be a spin off series (set in the same world but 20 years into the future starring the children of characters we've grown to love in these books) but knowing how many of these books have ended on cliffhangers makes me slightly worried that the wait for each book to be published may kill me! Either way Flamecaster is a book I can't wait to start reading and I'm very excited to see where the author takes things from here.

Source: Purchased

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Review: The Gray Wolf Throne - Cinda Williams Chima

Han Alister thought he had already lost everyone he loved. But when he finds his friend Rebecca Morley near death in the Spirit Mountains, Han knows that he must save her, no matter what the cost. Nothing can prepare him for what he discovers: the beautiful, mysterious girl he knew as Rebecca is none other than Raisa ana’Marianna, heir to the Queendom of the Fells. Han feels betrayed, but if he is to fulfill his end of an old bargain, he must do everything in his power to see Raisa crowned queen.

Meanwhile, some people will stop at nothing to prevent Raisa from ascending. With each attempt on her life, she wonders how long it will be before her enemies succeed. Her heart tells her that the thief-turned-wizard Han Alister can be trusted. She wants to believe it―he’s saved her life more than once. But with danger coming at her from every direction, Raisa can only rely on her wits and her iron-hard will to survive―and even that might not be enough.

The Gray Wolf Throne is an epic tale of fierce loyalty, unbearable sacrifice, and the heartless hand of fate.

Seven Realms Series:
The Demon King
The Exiled Queen
The Gray Wolf Throne
The Crimson Crown

Shattered Realms Series:
(Set in the same world as the Seven Realms but 20 years later)
Flamecaster
Shadowcaster (2017)

Visit the Cinda Williams Chima's website for more information

Review:
The Gray Wolf Throne picks up not long after the end of The Exiled Queen (please be aware that this review will include spoilers from previous books) and jumps straight back into the action. Raisa managed to escape the Bayar twins but she is far from safe, she's completely alone and trying to remain hidden while desperately hoping her allies find her before her enemies do. Raisa knows that returning home will put her in danger but if the rumours are true and the queen is about to name her sister Mellony as the new princess heir Raisa will have to risk going back to protect what is rightfully hers. While Raisa tries to decide between waiting for help or facing the journey alone Han is also travelling the same path, the clan agreed to pay for his schooling on the condition that he fought on their behalf when they needed him and they've called in his debt.

Han knows Raisa as trainee soldier Rebecca, not as Raisa the princess heir, but when he finds her gravely injured he puts his own life in danger to protect her. How will he react when he discovers her secret though? Especially when he blames the queen for the deaths of his mother and sister? Things are about to get a whole lot more complicated, especially when Raisa discovers just how badly her family has been betrayed by the high wizard. Now Raisa has no choice but to face her enemies but it's very hard to tell who she can trust to have at her back.

It's getting so hard to write reviews for this series because I just want to talk in great detail about all the amazing things that happened in this book but I have to keep it vague because I don't want to spoil it for anyone. These characters have come such a long way since we first met them though, Raisa is acting more and more like a queen every day and I love how brave and determined she is. Nothing will stop Raisa from claiming what is hers and her enemies had better watch out. Han has started to think before he acts which makes him a much more formidable character, he's good at plotting and he definitely knows how to make an entrance which is something we see in spades when he helps Raisa attending a very important event.

I love seeing the strong bond of friendship between Han and Dancer too, Dancer has been through a lot but he's starting to carve his own path and I like the fact that he's not willing to just do whatever the clan want him to. Amon is still one of my favourite characters, he's so selfless and he constantly puts Raisa's needs before his own. There were a few moments between him and Raisa that really broke my heart here so even though I've really grown to love the romance between Han and Raisa I'm still half on team Amon. Even though I know it's impossible for Amon and Raisa to be together I just can't help wishing for it. I just hope that we get to see Amon find real happiness before the series ends, not just settling for Annamaya because he can't have Raisa - that doesn't seem fair either to him or to Annamaya.

I don't want to say too much more about the plot but there is a LOT going on in this book, it's kind of hard to keep track of all of Raisa's enemies at this point but there are a few people who I definitely want to see suffer in the next book. This series just gets better and better with every book, I love this world and I'm really invested in all of the main characters so I can't tell you how relieved I am that I don't have to wait for the final instalment to publish! I'm excited to see how the series ends but I'm also kind of dreading The Crimson Crown because I don't want this journey to be over.

Source: Purchased

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Review: The Exiled Queen - Cinda Williams Chima

You can’t always run from danger . . .

Haunted by the loss of his mother and sister, Han Alister journeys south to begin his schooling at Mystwerk House in Oden’s Ford. But leaving the Fells doesn’t mean danger isn’t far behind. Han is hunted every step of the way by the Bayars, a powerful wizarding family set on reclaiming the amulet Han stole from them. And Mystwerk House has dangers of its own. There, Han meets Crow, a mysterious wizard who agrees to tutor Han in the darker parts of sorcery – but the bargain they make is one Han may soon regret.

Meanwhile, Princess Raisa ana’Marianna runs from a forced marriage in the Fells, accompanied by her friend Amon and his triple of cadets. Now, the safest place for Raisa is Wein House, the military academy at Oden's Ford. If Raisa can pass as a regular student, Wein House will offer both sanctuary and the education Raisa needs to succeed as the next Gray Wolf queen.

The Exiled Queen is an epic tale of uncertain friendships, cut-throat politics, and the irresistible power of attraction.

Seven Realms Series:
The Demon King
The Exiled Queen
The Gray Wolf Throne
The Crimson Crown

Shattered Realms Series:
(Set in the same world as the Seven Realms but 20 years later)
Flamecaster
Shadowcaster (2017)

Visit the Cinda Williams Chima's website for more information

Review:
This series is just getting better and better, The Exiled Queen picks up not long after where The Demon King left off so we both Raisa and Han going through huge changes in their lives. Han is travelling to Oden's Ford with Dancer so that they can both begin their magical training at Mystwerk House but that's going to put him squarely in the sights of the Bayer twins who are both holding a grudge against him. Both of the boys struggle to fit in, Dancer is an outcast amongst the other wizards who all look down on him for his clan heritage while Han is caught between the people who want to use him for their own ends and those who would rather see him dead.

At the same time Raisa is travelling back to school with Amon and his triple, she is hiding in plain sight as a new recruit named Rebecca and trying to stay under the radar to avoid the Queen's Guard. If anyone discovers who she really is the best outcome would be getting dragged back home and forced into an unwanted marriage but with rumours circulating that the High Wizard is trying to have her sister declared heir to the throne it's more likely she'd meet with an unfortunate accident. Raisa is determined to make the most of her time at Oden's Ford though and she puts everything she has into training as hard as possible and learning anything that she feels could be an advantage in her future role as queen.

The Exiled Queen had me hooked from the first page, I enjoyed getting to learn more about this world as we journeyed across the country with the characters and we meet some interesting groups along the way who I'm sure are going to have roles to play as the series continues. The story really picks up the pace once we arrive at Oden's Ford though, I don't want to talk too much about what actually happens there but I loved seeing how much all of our characters changed and grew throughout the story. They are gradually starting to figure out their places in the world and are all starting to understand what they need to do to achieve their goals.

I still love the friendship between Dancer and Han, although Han was a little neglectful of his friend for a while so I'm hoping that doesn't continue. Cat is an excellent addition to the cast and it was also nice to see Raisa make some friendships amongst the other soldiers. Amon is still my favourite character but I'm a little angry with him for some of the choices he made in both in the previous book and in this one. I think my ship has basically hit an iceberg and sunk without a trace but I'm still kind of holding out hope for it to be mysteriously resurrected, please Cinda Williams Chima don't break my heart completely! Whatever happens I'm definitely excited to continue reading this series and I'm sure there are going to be lots more shocking developments before it reaches the conclusion.

Source: Purchased

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Review: The Demon King - Cinda Williams Chima

The first book in an epic fantasy series from debut author Cinda Williams Chima. Adventure, magic, war and ambition conspire to throw together an unlikely group of companions in a struggle to save their world.

When 16-year-old Han Alister and his Clan friend Dancer encounter three underage wizards setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea, he has no idea that this event will precipitate a cascade of disasters that will threaten everything he cares about.

Han takes an amulet from one of the wizards, Micah Bayar, to prevent him from using it against them. Only later does he learn that it has an evil history-it once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. And the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.

Meanwhile, Princess Raisa ana'Marianna, the heir to the Gray Wolf throne of the Fells, has just spent three years of relative freedom with her father's family at Demonai Camp-riding, hunting, and working the famous Clan markets. Now court life in Fellsmarch pinches like a pair of too-small shoes.

Wars are raging to the south, and threaten to spread into the high country. After a long period of quiet, the power of the Wizard Council is once again growing. The people of the Fells are starving and close to rebellion. Now more than ever, there's a need for a strong queen.

But Raisa's mother Queen Marianna is weak and distracted by the handsome Gavan Bayar, High Wizard of the Fells. 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. With the help of her friend, the cadet Amon Byrne, she navigates the treacherous Gray Wolf Court, hoping she can unravel the conspiracy coalescing around her before it's too late.

Seven Realms Series:
The Demon King
The Exiled Queen
The Gray Wolf Throne
The Crimson Crown

Shattered Realms Series:
(Set in the same world as the Seven Realms but 20 years later)
Flamecaster
Shadowcaster (2017)

Visit the Cinda Williams Chima's website for more information

Review:
The Demon King is a great start to the Seven Realms series and it definitely hooked me in and left me wanting more. The first book in a fantasy series always has a difficult job on it's hands, it has to balance world building with character introductions and while it's doing that it still has to include enough action to keep readers enthralled with the story. Because of that pressure I tend to be a bit more forgiving with them than I am with any other type of story but in this case I didn't really need to be. I love what we've seen of the world so far and although the characters have their flaws they are still people I can believe in and that I want to see succeed.

This story is told mainly from the points of view of Princess Raisa, heir to the Gray Wolf throne, and Han, a loveable rogue from a poor background who has had to make difficult choices just to survive. The two couldn't be more different but their paths will cross in unexpected ways. It was easy to like both of these characters, Raisa has had a privileged upbringing but she is grounded by her father and the time she has spent with the Clan side of her family. She knows that eventually she will have to marry someone suitable so she is ready to take her place as queen but she hopes that is a long way off and she wants the freedom to travel and explore the world before she has to settle down. I think Raisa has the potential to be a great queen when she is a little older and wiser, she has a good head on her shoulders but at just 15 years old she is a little too impetuous and tends to rush into things without always thinking them through properly. I'm sure that is something she'll grow out of but she did have me shaking my head a couple of times while I was reading. I do love that she seems to really care about her people though - all of her people, not just the wealthy ones who attend her in court but also the everyday people who live in the towns and villages - and that is a really important in someone who will eventually be their ruler.

Han never knew his father and his mother has always struggled to support him and his younger sister. He feels it is his responsibility to provide for them and he hasn't always made the best choices in how to do that but for a boy in his position crime was probably the only option he had. I loved the friendship between Han and Dancer who is a member of a powerful Clan, Dancer's family have pretty much made Han one of their own and it's through his eyes that we get to learn about Clan life. Han has tried so hard to turn over a new leaf and leave crime behind him but he's a well known face around the city and the magical silver cuffs on his wrists mark him out as an easy target for his enemies so he keeps getting drawn back in. It doesn't help that he manages to draw the attention of a powerful wizarding family when he crosses paths with the wrong person at the wrong time and now he's in more danger than ever before.

I don't want to talk too much about the plot of this story because I think the whole fun of reading fantasy is getting to discover the world for yourself but I found it incredibly easy to dive into this story and I devoured it at a fairly fast pace considering how long it is. Although Raisa and Han are the main characters they aren't the only fully fleshed ones and I love how well we get to know so many of the side characters like Dancer, Bird and (my personal favourite) Amon too. There were a few things that were fairly easy to predict but at the same time there were others that surprised me so I was satisfied with the way events unfolded and the way things ended left me desperate to pick up the sequel to find out what happens next. I have very high hopes for this series and I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from Cinda Chima Williams!

Source: Purchased

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