Falling Kingdoms

December 24, 2012
Writing under a pseudonym, author Michelle Rowan (the Demon Princess series) launches a planned series with this otherworldly epic about kingdoms on the brink of war. While the corrupt rulers of three realms plot the others' overthrow, key young peopleâCleo, the flighty youngest daughter of the Auranian king; Magnus, the bitter son of the cruel king of Limeros; and Jonas, an angry peasant from Palesia whose brother was murdered by an Auranian noblemanâall chafe under the restrictions placed upon them by misguided elders. Relatively few action sequences and heavy dialogue slow the pacing, yet Rhodes maps an evocative and intricate world mythology. Readers will likely relate most to the numerous dysfunctional familial, political, and romantic relationships spawning from the labyrinthine network of kingdoms. Though characters' behaviors can be mechanical at times (Cleo's tears over an arranged marriage come across as perfunctory), the novel's blend of forbidden love, unruly royals, and ancient prophecy should draw in fantasy lovers who don't mind a touch of melodrama. Ages 12âup. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.

March 1, 2013

Gr 9 Up-Three kingdoms, Limeros, Auranos, and Paelsia, struggle for riches and sovereignty in this complexly wrought tale of war, rebellion, and magic. A prophecy foretells the birth of a sorceress powerful enough to rival dead goddesses, ancient legend speaks of a ring that provides mastery over the Kindred (embodiments of elemental magic), and duplicitous betrayal leads to an alliance between royalty and commoner. The sorceress emerges in the form of Lucia, the princess of Limeros, while Cleo, the princess of Auranos, obtains the ring. Young Jonas, the son of a Paelsian wineseller, puts aside vengeance and aligns with his enemy to save his homeland. Intimations of romance and sex are interspersed with scenes of brutality and magic in an often-barbaric environment that vaguely echoes George R. R. Martin. The plot is packed with incident, although constantly changing points of view weaken the dramatic arc and interrupt the forward momentum. Characterizations are fairly stock, with little to differentiate them, and the stylized fantasy language occasionally stutters over modern colloquialisms. This first volume of an intended series sets up the backstory that informs and motivates the action to come. While the shifting points of view can be distracting, the result is short, action-driven chapters that may carry readers to the finish and on to the next volume.-Janice M. Del Negro, GSLIS Dominican University, River Forest, IL

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2012
Grades 7-12 From an opening dripping with blood, magic, and betrayal through complex interweaving plots detailing treachery, deceit, and forbidden love, this novel is the first in a projected series that will immediately engage readers and keep them intrigued. When a simple Paelsian wine seller is murdered by an Auranian noble, the delicately balanced peace spanning three related kingdoms is split asunder by greed and entitlement. Four young peopleAuranian princess Cleo, Paelsian rebel Jonas, Limerian prince Magnus, and his sister, princess Luciaare catalysts, while witches and kings have equal part in courtly machinations leading to all-out war. Skillful world building and descriptive but not flowery prose allow the complex and layered plot, as well as the strong characters, to take center stage of this expansive epic. A quest to find and control the Kindred, four legendary crystals that hold the purest magic, along with a sorceress who can control all the elements, leaves tantalizing threads hanging for the next book. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Rhodes, the popular author of urban fiction, makes her high-fantasy debut here; the novel is being heavily promoted at Comic-Con International and Comic-Con New York.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)