Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes

Summary:
Love, power, and magic collide with war in the second book of the Falling Kingdoms series

Auranos has fallen and the three kingdoms—Auranos, Limeros, and Paelsia—are now united as one country called Mytica. But still, magic beckons, and with it the chance to rule not just Mytica, but the world...

When the evil King Gaius announces that a road is to be built into the Forbidden Mountains, formally linking all of Mytica together, he sets off a chain of events that will forever change the face of this land, forcing Cleo the dethroned princess, Magnus the reluctant heir, Lucia the haunted sorceress, and Jonas the desperate rebel to take steps they never could have imagined. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I not a huge fan of high fantasy but Morgan Rhodes does such a great job world-building. Her story and writing is similar to that of G.R.R. Martin, though not quite as grand. I thought I would have trouble getting back into the plot because it's been a year since I was last in Mytica but it's very easy to get sucked back into these books.

I don't remember everything that happened in Falling Kingdoms but I know enough to enjoy the story. Morgan Rhodes employs the method of using different point-of-views which gives the reader a ton of information. There's a lot going on but it all connects back together which is nice.

I can tell that Morgan Rhodes is a fan of romance. Instead of focusing on the relationship between two characters as the primary romance, almost every character begins to have feelings for another person with whom they share page time. This is the worst with Cleo; almost every male character she encounters has some sort of romantic feelings for her (Theon in the last book and now Jonas, Magnus, Aron, and Nic). It's ridiculous! This prevents any of the relationships from developing meaningfully because there's several people waiting in the wings for their chance. That was the one flaw with this book.

Other than that, I really enjoyed the story and can't wait to see what happens in the rest of the series.

Rating: 8 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from the library.

2013/Razorbill/416 pages.

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Summary:
In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power--brutally transforming their subjects' lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:

Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.

Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished--and finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past--and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword...

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed? (from GoodReads)

I was really excited to read Falling Kingdoms because I haven't read a good high fantasy novel in awhile and the back cover compared this to A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. Those are some big shoes to fill! Luckily for the synopsis writer, Falling Kingdoms was a great read and I was very impressed.

Like A Song of Ice and Fire, each chapter switches point-of-view between many different characters, all living in different regions and at different socioeconomic statuses. Sometimes the characters were even enemies, making the numerous narration very interesting. You get to decide which side you agree with (unlike with a single narrator) and see all points of the issues.

The big conflict in Falling Kingdoms is between three nations: Limeros, Auranos, and Paelsia. Limeros is cold, with a rigid and austere culture, while Auranos is warm and prosperous. Paelsia’s economy is failing so they align with Limeros in order to take back wealth from Auranos. In the middle of this there is forbidden love, magic, betrayal, unwanted marriages, death and a lot of other interesting things.

I was surprised how quickly I was drawn into the world of Falling Kingdoms. I was able to understand everything because the author provided just the right amount of detail. Luckily for me, there was also plenty of action so the reader isn’t overwhelmed with description. The book is pretty long, but I couldn’t put it down so it didn’t even matter! Falling Kingdoms left off on a pretty big cliffhanger so I am certainly looking forward to the next installment. If you are a fan of fantasy, I whole-heartedly recommend this book – you will not be disappointed!!!

Release Date: December 11, 2012

FTC: sent by publisher.

Rating: 9 out of 10.

2012/Razorbill/412 pages.