The Runaway King (The Ascendance Series, Book 2)

Could not put the book down and couldn’t wait to read the next book in the series. Beautiful story telling and twists and turns.

Second book in a trilogy and the third one not out yet - and I NEED IT! This is YA and I did not list it as romance although there is a light romance running through it (that I hope ends up the way I want it to in the next book). I listed it as fantasy because it is set in a make believe land, but it is not a fantasy with dragons and such. The beauty of this wonderful story is the characters. The hero, Jaron, who is the newly crowned King but considered by some to be too young to lead, is just wonderful. He somewhat reminds me of Han in The Seven Realms series. He is resourceful, clever, has sense of humor, and I won't say totally fearless but he is able to face his fears and live up to his motto. "I never run". His once friend from the first book, The False Prince, Roden, has turned against him and is determined to kill him. But Jaron has a plan, a risky crazy plan that appears to be impossible. Lots of action, intrigue, and as I said, great characters both good and bad. There are two girls in this story, one a princess who is to marry Jaron in the future and Imogen, the serving girl who helped him throughout the first book. She plays a large part in this story too. It's not your normal triangle but I suppose when there are two girls and one boy, that makes a triangle even if different than other books. There is a lot of action in this story, and the climax of this book is a nail biter - I love Jaron with his courage and determination to never give up against the most daunting of odds. This book would be suitable for any age (encompassing my grandkids and myself!) and because it is so much the story of a boy it should appeal to boys/men as well as girls/women! I feel very fortunate that I have recently read books in three fantasy series that were so thoroughly enjoyable. I thought I was throwing out too many five stars, but maybe that is what you get when you finally learn (most of the time, not always) to choose the right books to read and whose reviews give me an idea of whether or not it will suit me. _______________________________________ Jaron: "The knots around my wrists wouldn't have been too difficult to untie, but this time, escape wasn't in my plans. All I could hope was that they gave me a chance to speak before they killed me. Although as I thought about it, it was usually only after I began speaking that most people felt like murdering me." ____________________________________________ As they began to tie me, I wanted to yell out, to release some of my fear that way, but I held it in. Imogen wouldn't be that far from here yet, and I didn't want her to know what was about to happen. If it was possible to scream on the inside, though, I was, and the sound of it was deafening." fl

Well that was an adventure. After reading the first book in the series, I couldn't wait to see what happened next for Jaron. And let me just tell y'all - this book did not disappoint. It was fantastic! I'm fairly certain this book has all the makings of a great YA fantasy book. There's a newly crowned, fairly young king who needs to prove himself to his advisors. Threats of invasion from neighboring kingdoms and pirates alike. A hidden pirate camp. Action and adventure. Awesome side kicks. Good guys you can't help but cheer for. Villains that deserve a kick to the shins. Plot twists you don't see coming. It's all just so good, y'all. I am thoroughly enjoying this series and I can't wait to read the next book to see what comes next for Jaron and company! This series definitely deserves a spot on your TBR lists if you haven't read it already. I have spoken.

Wow! That about covers it. I loved the first book, The False Prince, and I love this one just as much. I enjoyed pretty much everything about this book, the characters, the setting, and the plot. Nielsen seems to have a knack for pulling the reader into her stories and never letting go. That was certainly the case for me here. Character-wise, Jaron (Sage) dominates this book as he did the first one. Unfortunately for him, he is stuck in a rather precarious position having been just accepted as king. But he has little support even within his own court, let alone from his people and with his country just inches from war, Jaron much decide what to do about the pirates while facing the possibility of a steward taking his place until he is of age. But Jaron's strength of will, cleverness, and love of country lead him to make a very risky decision, one that could cost him everything. And he doesn't seem to realize that he does have friends that will do anything to help him, whether he wants help or not. Despite Jaron's tendency to find trouble wherever he goes and his often obnoxious tendency to say what he thinks, not to mention pushing the buttons of everyone he meets, often to his own detriment, Jaron is a character I've loved since the beginning because of his courage and determination to do what needs to be done and his utter loyalty to those he cares about. The secondary characters are just as great as Jaron. Imogen, the friend that Jaron rejects in an attempt to protect her risks life and limb to stop Jaron from getting himself killed. Mott, Jaron's loyal bodyguard also seeks to protect the young king and demonstrates his loyalty in powerful ways. Even the bad guys have depth to them, evil as they are. And Roden, the former friend, turned enemy, on whom Jaron risks everything. Will the risk pay off or will it cost Jaron everything? In terms of plot, Nielsen takes us on another breakneck ride, starting with the attempted assassination that occurs in chapter one. Disguises, disappearances, traitors, and pirates all play a key role in Jaron's journey. I'm going to leave it at that because I don't want to spoil anything, just know that the story is full of twists and turns, some expected, some not that will test Jaron to the breaking point. Another fabulous story from a talented writer. I am dying to get my hands on book three. Highly, highly recommended. One of my favorite books ever!

Waiting for me within my mailbox today was Jennifer Nielsen's Runaway King, the anxiously awaited second installment in her Ascendents Trilogy. After very carefully opening my Amazon package (read: frustratingly tugging at the tape until finally finding scissors to open the infernal thing), I quickly delved into the book, becoming immersed within the world that Nielsen has carefully crafted. Reminiscent of Megan Whalen Turner's Queen's Thief Series, the character Jaron, like Turner's Gen, captivates the reader. His confidence, his sarcasm, his quick retorts, and his carefully hidden doubts and vulnerabilities, all create a vivid and beloved main character. Nielson weaves us through his thoughts throughout his journey while still hiding most of Jaron's intent, showing again and again how strategic his mind is--a mind that thinks like a king. As the novel progresses, we get an even better insight to Jaron's kingly qualities, which are qualities that inspire his people and bring hope for his country. Within the first few pages of Runaway King, Nielsen creates a tense atmosphere. We can feel the weight that has fallen on Jaron's shoulders and the loneliness with which he aches. He is still struggling with coming to terms with his father's dealings with him for the past four years while mourning the loss of his family and the fact that he will never be able to reconcile with them. He also hugely feels the differences between himself and his brother, finding himself lacking. On top of his personal struggles, Jaron also has to watch his back in a court the doubts his abilities as King and openly scorns him. Jaron has few he can truly trust, and he desperately needs friends to help him fight for his right to be king and for his country. However, like most heroes, Jaron sets out alone, trying to save his friends and country from the ravages of pirates and war. The story's pace never slows. Just as Jaron is running, we are running right along with him. Along with the burdens we see laid on Jaron's shoulders and the seriousness of the situation that Carthya is in, Nielson still creates a lightness to ease the tension: Jaron's sarcasm and his witty remarks. Several times I found myself laughing out loud to one of Jaron's responses. For example, while talking to his council, one of the regents ask, "Which part do you object to?" to which Jaron responds, "The part where you began speaking." Jaron is unafraid to speak his mind, even if his mouth often gets him into trouble. I absolutely love it. Upon reaching the end of this fast-paced novel, we (I) am left wanting for more. Now, I must wait another year waiting for how Jaron will get his country through the war waiting at his doorstep-- wait a year until the next book is delievered to my doorstep.

This is an awesome book, and I really enjoyed it. I’m a big fan of this entire series, and I’ve collected all of them in hardcover, so it’s especially satisfying to add this one to my set. I actually had some trouble finding this specific title in hardback, so I was really happy to finally come across it. It feels great to have the full collection in a matching format. Overall, it’s a great addition to the series, and I’m very pleased to have it in my collection.

I don't think I will ever get tired of characters who, no matter how terrible the odds against them are, will always have a trick up their sleeve, or plans that no one saw coming. Jaron walks the fine line between doing reckless things on the spur of the moment and doing reckless things that are well thought out and planned from the beginning. He's always unexpected in that way, and reading about his adventures is just so entertaining! There are great secondary characters in this story who contribute to truly touching friendships. Jaron surrounds himself with people who care about him, even as they are exasperated by his actions, and seeing that kind of loyalty in their group made me tear up more than once actually. The romance aspect with Imogen is really touching as well because their relationship is born of actions and not words and it is particularly emotional I think that they feel a certain way for each other but never say it. I think it was nice to see Jaron on his own and relying on his wits again in this - as there was a danger now that he is king that he would be so mired and hindered by the politics and his need to prove himself to his country. The reader sees still more of his cleverness and resourcefulness as he comes up against some very daunting odds. It's incredibly satisfying really to read every moment when he comes through on his claims despite how outrageous they may seem. I just love characters who deliver on their promises, and Jaron always does. This is such a fun book and a fantastic series so far, if you haven't had a chance to pick it up yet, I highly recommend you do and save it for when you need a diverting story where everything is possible as long as you have the will and the spirit to accomplish it.

I think this was my third time reading this book. But it’s been 6 years since the last time, so I had forgotten most of it. It’s so good! I am looking forward to rereading the next book in the series!

Das Buch lässt sich mit einem Wort beschreiben: Fantastisch! Ohne große Umschreibungen steigt das Buch mit Spannung in die Handlung ein und hält diese durchgehend bis zum Schluss. Die Wendungen jedes Handlungsstranges waren nicht vorhersehbar wie bei vielen anderen Büchern, sondern interessant und abwechslungsreich. Als mitunter größten Pluspunkt würde ich die kreativen und sehr gewitzten, schlagkräftigen Dialoge, die der Autorin anscheinend nie ausgehen, bezeichnen. Es hat einfach nur Spaß gemacht, die Unterhaltungen zu lesen und ich konnte mich permanent darüber amüsieren! Ein wahrer Lesegenuss! Zwei kleine Wermutstropfen, dass die Geschichte nur aus der Ich-Perspektive des Prinzen erzählt wird und man deshalb keinen Einblick in die Gedanken der anderen hat (wie das auch schon beim ersten Band der Fall war). Und bei einem kleinen Part (ich sage nur soviel: es geht um den Konflikt zwischen Roden und Jaron) empfand ich die Richtung, in die sich der Konflikt zwischen den Charakteren entwickelte, als übereilt und auch etwas unglaubwürdig. Da es genau genommen aber ein Fantasy-Buch ist, dessen Storyline nicht haarklein der Realität entsprechen muss, fand ich es trotzdem in Ordnung. Bestünde diese Möglichkeit, würde ich 8,5 von 10 Sternen vergeben! Alles in allem kann ich jetzt schon kaum den dritten und letzten Band der Reihe von dieser begabten Autorin erwarten und bin gespannt, ob sich der 2. Band (der an sich schon den 1. Band übertroffen hat) im 3. noch toppen lässt!

厳重に包まれては来たのですが本の右下に折り目が付いていて孫が残念がっていました。

I loved reading this book just as much as reading the false Prince it was fun and entertaining I am so excited to read the next one. Please read :)

Good book for kids

The characters have just become more lovable, the plot came thick and fast, after the first book I knew it wasn't going to be an easy task to follow up but seems that Jennifer Nielsen delivered and then some ... fantastic