smilesgiggle's review against another edition
4.0
Amazing first book in this series. Wizards, blooded queens, treason and control. Cannot wait to read the next book!
becs_l's review against another edition
1.0
DNF at 296 pages.
I was getting bored so I took a break and read some other books. I have picked it back up again but I just don't care for it anymore. Very disappointed as this sounded so good.
I may try it again in the future.
I was getting bored so I took a break and read some other books. I have picked it back up again but I just don't care for it anymore. Very disappointed as this sounded so good.
I may try it again in the future.
kimberlydyer's review against another edition
5.0
This book is absolutely fantastic!
Han “Cuffs” Alister is a reformed streetlord trying to take care of his Mam and sister, Mari—without thieving—using the skills he learned from summers in the forest with the clans. Times are tough, and the little money that he manages to make is often in danger from being stolen from the rival gang in Southgate who doesn’t know that he’s not streetlord for the Raggers anymore. He tries to reform himself, but it’s difficult with the silver cuffs serving as an immediate identifier for anyone looking for him. He’s begged his Mam and the matriarch of Marissa Pines to take the cuffs off, but they refuse without a word as to why.
Raisa ana’Marianna is princess heir to the fells. Her mother is the ruler of the Queendom and her father is from the royal line of the Demonai, the famous clan warriors who hunt down wizards. Raisa has just returned from spending three years with the Demonai, learning things they would never teach her in the Vale. After three years of wearing riding pants, learning how to hunt, and experiencing relative freedom, Raisa is having a hard time readjusting to the dresses, courtiers, and constant surveillance.
Upon her return to the palace, Raisa is startled to realize that things are different; she hears disgruntled whispers behind the Queen’s back. Has it always been this way? Was she just too young to notice before she left? Or are things changing? There is talk of unrest concerning the Queen and the Wizard Council with whom she is bound. Raisa can’t shake this sense of foreboding, but she doesn’t know who she can turn to.
Whew! Did you catch all of that? The Demon King does have a lot of terminology that you have to get used to and keep in mind in order to truly picture the world—the vale, the clans, the Queendom, all of the other kingdoms, raggers and Southmarket—there’s just so much! But that’s what’s so amazing about The Demon King, and why it’s one of my favorite books; it’s a real world that feels like it exists. Chima doesn’t waste time trying to explain everything to you like you’re too dumb to understand. She respects her readers and knows that as long as she writes well, we’ll pick it up. And trust me—she writes well!
Chima doesn’t dump a thousand years’ worth of history into our hands and wish us luck as we try to unravel the individual strings. Instead, she reveals just as much history as we need to know only when it becomes relevant to the characters. The narration was realistic; nothing was conveniently placed just so that she could show us something about the world she created. The terminology was realistically different, but it took me a while to pick up on a few of the words, mostly where Ragmarket and Southgate were located, the Vale, flatlanders, and so on. It’s definitely worth it, though, and it’s one of the best world-building novels I’ve read in a very long time.
The Demon King is full of political unrest, and through Han’s and Raisa’s eyes, we see the view from both the top and the bottom. The book is in third person and alternates from Han and Raisa’s viewpoints, and I grew to love each character so much that I was both sad and excited whenever their section ended.
Raisa and Han’s stories are obviously interwoven, but their lives so seldom touch that the anticipation as to when they will keeps you on the edge of your seat. Neither character is overly-intuitive; Han notices that some things are off, and the reader knows exactly what it is, but he never guesses the truth of anything. It will keep you yelling at your book trying to get him to figure it out what you already know. (Or maybe that’s just me?)
The Demon King is absolutely fantastic, and I highly recommend it. Also, the fourth book of the series is coming out October 23, so you might want to start reading!
Review originally posted on The Stories We Read.
Han “Cuffs” Alister is a reformed streetlord trying to take care of his Mam and sister, Mari—without thieving—using the skills he learned from summers in the forest with the clans. Times are tough, and the little money that he manages to make is often in danger from being stolen from the rival gang in Southgate who doesn’t know that he’s not streetlord for the Raggers anymore. He tries to reform himself, but it’s difficult with the silver cuffs serving as an immediate identifier for anyone looking for him. He’s begged his Mam and the matriarch of Marissa Pines to take the cuffs off, but they refuse without a word as to why.
Raisa ana’Marianna is princess heir to the fells. Her mother is the ruler of the Queendom and her father is from the royal line of the Demonai, the famous clan warriors who hunt down wizards. Raisa has just returned from spending three years with the Demonai, learning things they would never teach her in the Vale. After three years of wearing riding pants, learning how to hunt, and experiencing relative freedom, Raisa is having a hard time readjusting to the dresses, courtiers, and constant surveillance.
Upon her return to the palace, Raisa is startled to realize that things are different; she hears disgruntled whispers behind the Queen’s back. Has it always been this way? Was she just too young to notice before she left? Or are things changing? There is talk of unrest concerning the Queen and the Wizard Council with whom she is bound. Raisa can’t shake this sense of foreboding, but she doesn’t know who she can turn to.
Whew! Did you catch all of that? The Demon King does have a lot of terminology that you have to get used to and keep in mind in order to truly picture the world—the vale, the clans, the Queendom, all of the other kingdoms, raggers and Southmarket—there’s just so much! But that’s what’s so amazing about The Demon King, and why it’s one of my favorite books; it’s a real world that feels like it exists. Chima doesn’t waste time trying to explain everything to you like you’re too dumb to understand. She respects her readers and knows that as long as she writes well, we’ll pick it up. And trust me—she writes well!
Chima doesn’t dump a thousand years’ worth of history into our hands and wish us luck as we try to unravel the individual strings. Instead, she reveals just as much history as we need to know only when it becomes relevant to the characters. The narration was realistic; nothing was conveniently placed just so that she could show us something about the world she created. The terminology was realistically different, but it took me a while to pick up on a few of the words, mostly where Ragmarket and Southgate were located, the Vale, flatlanders, and so on. It’s definitely worth it, though, and it’s one of the best world-building novels I’ve read in a very long time.
The Demon King is full of political unrest, and through Han’s and Raisa’s eyes, we see the view from both the top and the bottom. The book is in third person and alternates from Han and Raisa’s viewpoints, and I grew to love each character so much that I was both sad and excited whenever their section ended.
Raisa and Han’s stories are obviously interwoven, but their lives so seldom touch that the anticipation as to when they will keeps you on the edge of your seat. Neither character is overly-intuitive; Han notices that some things are off, and the reader knows exactly what it is, but he never guesses the truth of anything. It will keep you yelling at your book trying to get him to figure it out what you already know. (Or maybe that’s just me?)
The Demon King is absolutely fantastic, and I highly recommend it. Also, the fourth book of the series is coming out October 23, so you might want to start reading!
Review originally posted on The Stories We Read.
mabeebe's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
shieldmaiden21's review against another edition
4.0
Overall, I thought the book was a fun read and I want to read more of the series. It wasn’t perfect and definitely had tropes, but I found the world building unique and the interweaving of magic and nature compelling. I think given the time it was written it’s fair to say it’s not super cliche. I like the main characters enough to want to know their stories, but I can tell the author is trying to find her voice in this one and laying a lot of groundwork. Twas fun.
bookstoashes's review against another edition
3.0
3 Stars!
This book reminded me a lot of the Falling Kingdoms series. It’s not the most enthralling and action packed, it’s filled with lots of politics and character plots that aren’t the most exciting.
The romances I didn’t care for considering they were all instant. The only two I ship (strictly due to the potential of a slow natural relationship) is Han and Raisa.
I also didn’t attach myself to any of the characters and felt they were all rather simple. Despite that I’ll be giving the series another chance and am guessing it’ll get better as the books go on :)
This book reminded me a lot of the Falling Kingdoms series. It’s not the most enthralling and action packed, it’s filled with lots of politics and character plots that aren’t the most exciting.
The romances I didn’t care for considering they were all instant. The only two I ship (strictly due to the potential of a slow natural relationship) is Han and Raisa.
I also didn’t attach myself to any of the characters and felt they were all rather simple. Despite that I’ll be giving the series another chance and am guessing it’ll get better as the books go on :)
emilyan's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
jem_read6's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting and complex High Fantasy world, though the story itself drags on for so long that when you reach the end it feels to much has happened all at once. Also the horniness of the main characters gets a little ridiculous especially with how sometimes Rasa ignores the situation in favor of wanting to kiss whoever she is closest too