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A review by hellobookbird
The Hollow Crown by Jeff Wheeler
4.0
"I wrote in my note at the end of The King's Traitor that I thought the children of these main characters needed a turn on the stage."
I was both excited and hesitant when I found out the Kingfountain series had another installment. It is exceptionally hard (or perhaps I'm just exceptionally picky?) to pull off a series that picks up a generation later, shifting the focus to the children of the characters you love while still maintaining the integrity of the original characters in the recent iteration. Too often I find they turn into paper parents - two dimensional characters I no longer know that are just...there.
But boy howdy, was I ever pleasantly surprised that Jeff Wheeler pulled it off and pulled it off well. While The Hollow Crown is considered the fourth book of the Kingfountain series, I consider this book to be the first in a connected trilogy.
The Hollow Crown opens up to introduce Trynne (Owen's daughter) and Fallon (Elyse's son). They've been raised fairly close despite being part of different households because of their parent's friendship. The way they pick on each other instantly reminds me of the saying about adolescent boys, "If he's picking on you it means he likes you."
(I'd be lying if I didn't say this made me a little giddy because while I obviously wasn't able to have Owen+Elyse, maybe I could have that with their children. But I'm getting off track.)
Trynne embodies everything I love about strong female leads. She's suffocating under the yoke of her mother's expectations to become a Wizr. Being a good daughter, she truly tries...but her heart lies not in studying books and magic but in battle and strategy. Despite the pressures she faces both by familial duties and societal expectations, she relentlessly pursues her dreams.
Her dreams become reality when she secretly becomes an Oath Maiden, sworn to serve the Fountain and protect the king. As the threat of an impending invasion sets tensions on edge, the dance between King Drew, Queen Geniveve, Owen, Sinia, Trynne, Fallon, Morwenna, Elwis, and other players (both known and unknown) will keep you riveted to your seat and begging for more.
Note: while the ending doesn't have a cliffhanger, certain events will make you unable to stop once you've finished. You will be compelled to immediately pick up The Silent Shield to continue. Be sure to allot enough time to read both back-to-back (you'll thank yourself later).
Recommended for everyone that loves a well-developed read full of magic, suspense, and intrigue. Two thumbs way, way up!
I was both excited and hesitant when I found out the Kingfountain series had another installment. It is exceptionally hard (or perhaps I'm just exceptionally picky?) to pull off a series that picks up a generation later, shifting the focus to the children of the characters you love while still maintaining the integrity of the original characters in the recent iteration. Too often I find they turn into paper parents - two dimensional characters I no longer know that are just...there.
But boy howdy, was I ever pleasantly surprised that Jeff Wheeler pulled it off and pulled it off well. While The Hollow Crown is considered the fourth book of the Kingfountain series, I consider this book to be the first in a connected trilogy.
The Hollow Crown opens up to introduce Trynne (Owen's daughter) and Fallon (Elyse's son). They've been raised fairly close despite being part of different households because of their parent's friendship. The way they pick on each other instantly reminds me of the saying about adolescent boys, "If he's picking on you it means he likes you."
(I'd be lying if I didn't say this made me a little giddy because while I obviously wasn't able to have Owen+Elyse, maybe I could have that with their children. But I'm getting off track.)
Trynne embodies everything I love about strong female leads. She's suffocating under the yoke of her mother's expectations to become a Wizr. Being a good daughter, she truly tries...but her heart lies not in studying books and magic but in battle and strategy. Despite the pressures she faces both by familial duties and societal expectations, she relentlessly pursues her dreams.
Her dreams become reality when she secretly becomes an Oath Maiden, sworn to serve the Fountain and protect the king. As the threat of an impending invasion sets tensions on edge, the dance between King Drew, Queen Geniveve, Owen, Sinia, Trynne, Fallon, Morwenna, Elwis, and other players (both known and unknown) will keep you riveted to your seat and begging for more.
Note: while the ending doesn't have a cliffhanger, certain events will make you unable to stop once you've finished. You will be compelled to immediately pick up The Silent Shield to continue. Be sure to allot enough time to read both back-to-back (you'll thank yourself later).
Recommended for everyone that loves a well-developed read full of magic, suspense, and intrigue. Two thumbs way, way up!