Review: The Demon King

The Demon King (Seven Realms #1) by Cinda Williams Chima
Publication Date: October 6, 2009
Genre: YA Fantasy
Pages: 506

Summary

Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for his family. The only thing of value he has is something he can't sell - the thick silver cuffs he's worn since birth. They're clearly magicked - as he grows, they grow, and he's never been able to get them off.

One day Han and his clan friend, Dancer, confront three young wizards setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea. Han takes an amulet from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard, to keep him from using it against them. Soon Han learns that the amulet has an evil history - it once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece that powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.

Meanwhile, Raisa ana’Marianna, princess heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. She’s just returning to court after three years of freedom in the mountains - riding, hunting, and working the famous clan markets. 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 her mother has other plans for her - including marriage to a suitor who goes against everything the queendom stands for.

The Seven Realms tremble when the lives of Han and Raisa collide, fanning the flames of the smoldering war between clans and wizards.

 

 

 

I fell in love with the author's earlier series, The Heir Chronicles. I've thinking about read this one for a while. I don't know why it took  so long for me to pick this up and read it, but I'm glad I did.

 

 

While Raisa was thus distracted, Micah struck, launching himself over a small settee and wrapping his arms around her. Holding her fast in the circle of one arm, he reached into his neckline and gripped an amulet at his neck while Raisa did her best to struggle free.

 

 

It is the first of a series so there is a lot of setting up the series and the world. It is obvious from the start that there would be a sequel. There's not as much action as I would've liked and there is a lot of down time and history lessens. But it did hook me. It was written well and the story itself was enough for me to keep reading and loving.

 

 

There are two main characters, Raisa, the princess heir, and Han, reformed thief. They are both good characters and they both developed well. Raisa realizing she doesn't know everything about her queendom and Han learning some deep dark secrets. There were a lot of secondary characters and you don't get a chance to dig to deep into most of them. Amon, Bird, and Dancer all fit their roles well. There are characters that are introduced but aren't really important. They are obviously going to be more important in the next book.

 

 

Overall the book was good. It was entertaining and it hooks you. I will definitely pick up the next one and I recommend you read this book.