The Runaway King

May 21, 2013

The Runaway King (The Ascendance Trilogy, #2)by Jennifer A Nielsen

Just weeks after Jaron has taken the throne, an assassination attempt forces him into a deadly situation. Rumors of a coming war are winding their way between the castle walls, and Jaron feels the pressure quietly mounting within Carthya. Soon, it becomes clear that deserting the kingdom may be his only hope of saving it. But the further Jaron is forced to run from his identity, the more he wonders if it is possible to go too far. Will he ever be able to return home again? Or will he have to sacrifice his own life in order to save his kingdom? (goodreads.com)

Since I was in such a Fantasy mindset on the train home from Toronto last week, I decided to start The Runaway King after I finished with Poison. (Yes, I read 2 books on the 7 hour train ride with a couple-hour break to surf the web...I couldn't sleep.) The lovely Melissa from YA Bookshelf picked up a copy of this book for me at a book launch and got it signed by the author. So I met up with Melissa when in Toronto to pick up the book. I was so excited to start it since I had loved The False Prince a year before.For those who loved Cinda Williams Chima's Seven Realms series, I would highly recommend that you pick up the Ascendance Trilogy right away - at least the first two books, anyhow. Book three is out next year some time. Woe!Jaron is a different boy than he was in the first book under his assumed disguise as Sage. Even though he's still pretty street smart and able to charm most anyone into accepting him and doing what he wants, I found him to be a lot less cheeky and smug and more of a mature personality. I don't know if it's just because his character of Sage was just that - a character, or if it's because he grew up and matured a little between being disguised as a thief and revealed as the rightful heir to the thrown.I sort of sensed who the bad guy would be right from the start and when all was revealed in the end, I wasn't surprised. But I did enjoy getting from point A to point B even if I had predicted who the baddie was. I liked the new characters, both the Lord and his niece and the thieves Jaron had to "befriend" to get into the Pirates' camp. The Pirates themselves were sort of bland and I wasn't entirely certain why they would be the one way for Jaron to foil a war and the plot against him. Well, it all worked out in the end, so I guess there's that. ;)Once more I am torn between considering this Middle Grade and Young Adult. It's more on the advanced level for MG and it's a little violent as well, but if you can handle Harry Potter as he grows up, I guess this is similar. Maybe they just consider it MG because there's no mushy, gushy kissing and romance. Which, to be honest, I am more than happy about. If this was intended for YA there would probably be some sort of love triangle and insta-love. Whereas there is a hint of romance between Jaron and Imogen that's totally not where the focus of the story lies at all.And now comes the year-long wait for the conclusion to this trilogy and war has come to Jaron's doorstep, er, castle gate? I am eager to see how King Mischiefpants gets his country out of this one. ;)The Ascendance Trilogy