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The Gray Wolf Throne (Seven Realms #3)

by Cinda Williams Chima (Goodreads Author)

4.44 of 5 stars 4.44 · rating details · 9,684 ratings · 807 reviews

Han Alister thought he had already lost everyone he loved. But when he finds his friend Rebecca Morley near death in the Spirit Mountains, Han knows that nothing matters more than saving her. The costs of his efforts are steep, but nothing can prepare him for what he soon discovers: the beautiful, mysterious girl he knew as Rebecca is none other than Raisa ana"'Marianna, h...more

Hardcover, 517 pages

Published August 30th 2011 by Hyperion Book CH

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The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima

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Nov 06, 2011 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bea-2011, own-arc, signed-arcs, books-i-own

I think I'm just going to copy and paste my review of The Exiled Queen and use it for The Gray Wolf too! Okay, not really.... but it would work!

This series simple continues to get better and better as it goes along. I desperately need book four PRONTO! I'm glad I was able to start The Gray Wolf Throne so soon after reading The Exiled Queen. The characters and the story line were fresh in my mind, and I believe that always makes for a better reading experience. Needless to say, it doesn't always...more

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Sep 01, 2011 Sab H. (YA Bliss) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: high-fantasy, own-arc, own, favorites, writing-learn, reviewed-books

Rich, sexy, layered, enchanting, riveting and enthralling. I don't know how much more I can say about this series that wont be repetitive from my first two reviews. What I can say for sure is that rarely has any author achieved such excellence in high fantasy for young adults. Actually YA high fantasy is rare, and rich fantabulous world-building with three-dimentional fully-developed characters is even more rare. So this book and the rest of the series are truly a gem in their kind.

Cinda Chima i...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Lady Jaye rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, young-adult, magic, liked-it, slap-this-heroine, awesome-heroes, fantasy, epic, read-in-2011, stars-3, owned-kindle

Okay. I know several reviews are raving about it, but Seven Realm novel #3 felt more like filler than it did a solid novel. And I feel like the story is becoming less good with each installment, and also that Ms. Chima is writing her characters less well with each installment too.

Han...of course is still Han: the underdog, cool, dashing, rather unassuming. I love Han, and he seems to be the only character whose integrity (I mean in the sense of the character, not honesty, although Han is honest...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-bitten, squeemers

Holy crap. Absolutely fantastic. Crap, crap, crap. Why crap? Because after THE DEMON KING and THE EXILED QUEEN, what do I have left to say?

The world is still as utterly fantastic as it's always been. Richly colored and full of life, Chima hasn't let it slip by as a sacrifice to the greater plot. It still plays its role magnificently, hanging out just on the edge of the background and foreground, being its own character but knowing when not to be overwhelming.

I'm all for Han and Raisa but there w...more Holy crap. Absolutely fantastic. Crap, crap, crap. Why crap? Because after THE DEMON KING and THE EXILED QUEEN, what do I have left to say?

The world is still as utterly fantastic as it's always been. Richly colored and full of life, Chima hasn't let it slip by as a sacrifice to the greater plot. It still plays its role magnificently, hanging out just on the edge of the background and foreground, being its own character but knowing when not to be overwhelming.

I'm all for Han and Raisa but there was a piece of me that rooted for Raisa and Amon too, despite how implausible (even more so than her and Han) the relationship was. It did end up going down the route it was destined to go down (as intoned in the second book, the Byrnes are not about to break the line any time soon, 1,000 years of history supports that). Even though it went where it was supposed to go, I couldn't help but feel a little bit sad. For as long as it was pushed off, the harsh reality could be ignored. No more and it was a bit of a hard pill to swallow. But they both swallowed it because they had to.

The mounting tension between Raisa and Han is just phenomenal. When he finds out just who Raisa is, it's heartbreaking. You want to tear through the pages and slap some sense into him but it's Han. He's far too steadfast for something like that. But they're forced together anyway (in a more professional manner) so any ill will Han does have towards Raisa he's forced to swallow it back for the greater good.

But Han's resilient. He knows full well he's being used but he flips the situation to his advantage. He finds all of the holes that would end up benefiting him while performing his duties and he takes them. He makes sure that he plugs those holes with his desires first and foremost. You can't help but be impressed by someone like that. He holds his own against the bluebloods and he deserves some respect for that.

Raisa is still infinitely awesome. After multiple attempts on her life she continues to land on her feet. Like Han, she's fully aware that she's being used by everyone around her, not to mention being underestimated constantly (bad on those doing it) but she's had enough political upbringing to view things from all sides. She doesn't make hasty decisions and knows strategy like no seventeen-year-old does. I don't feel like I'm reading about someone so young but about someone even older than me for how she holds herself. I love her more and more with every book.

And the ending? Cruel to the point of barbarism. If I'm not mistaken there's one more book in the series yet to come out. How long do I have to wait for that one???

If you haven't started reading this series yet, you really need to get on it. It's such a relatable, engaging high fantasy novel that I think even someone that isn't the biggest fan of fantasy will get pulled right into it. Sure there's magic and wizards and a whole new world but it's about the people, first and foremost. And the people are just so dynamic and intriguing that you won't want to take your eyes off of them. THE GRAY WOLF THRONE is a fantastic piece of the SEVEN REALMS puzzle. This series just keeps getting better and better. I'm going to have to create a sixth bite rating for the next one.(less)

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Aug 14, 2012 Mimi Oluwafemi rated it 3 of 5 stars

*Changed my review* once, i'd had time to realize this was not the last book of the trilogy my review has changed

Ok so I loved Cinda Williams China's other series, the Dragon Heir and etc and I also loved the first two novels of this series also, but this one was just totally declawed. First, I thought this was a trilogy and I thought this was the last book of the trilogy and I was not impressed. I honestly thought the book was ending that way and it was beyond a cliff hanger and went straight t...more

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Dec 15, 2011 Lily K rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Lily by: i read the first 2 books and loved them... so i read this one

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, romance

OH MY GOD! This series just keeps on getting better and better! (view spoiler)...more

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Aug 16, 2012 Nora rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, palace-guard

I absolutely loved the first two books in the series. Raisa enthralled me, and Amon was amazing, but for me the third book fell a little flat. While I feel major plot points did occur, I found the book slow, and rather unnecessary. Perhaps I had the book hyped up too much, I'd been waiting about a year, and nothing could ever meet my expectations, maybe I just don't like Han as much.
The Grey Wolf throne however was a complete page turner, and well written. The characterization from Chima was vir...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Kingaderp rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved the series and the book, but like many others, I do have some issues with it. (warning: minor spoilers ahead)

The biggest thing I've noticed in this series is the tendency to drag events out and make everything seem filler-y. The second book at the beginning was bad with this, but nearly the entire third book felt like filler. As someone else mentioned, a lot of it could have been split up between the second and fourth books or just simply compressed so it wasn't dragged out so long.

I do,...more I loved the series and the book, but like many others, I do have some issues with it. (warning: minor spoilers ahead)

The biggest thing I've noticed in this series is the tendency to drag events out and make everything seem filler-y. The second book at the beginning was bad with this, but nearly the entire third book felt like filler. As someone else mentioned, a lot of it could have been split up between the second and fourth books or just simply compressed so it wasn't dragged out so long.

I do, however, commend the character development and plot twists of this book. The one thing I adore is that, while it's obvious Raisa's a teenage girl, she doesn't take the typical rebel princess route and insist on marrying who she wants, doing what she wants, ect. She tries to balance herself between doing what she truly wants and what she needs to do to actually preserve herself - she's not only headstrong, but she also plays her cards the best she can instead of tossing them around without a care. It's clear she needs some refinement, but she's already shaping up to be a strong queen and person at such a young age.

I also love what Cinda has done with the romance; in my opinion, she's done an incredible job of portraying teenage romances in a time where most people were married off before they were even out of their teens. Raisa is split between 4 men in the book, 2 out of legitimate love, 2 out of political importance. Raisa handled herself gracefully concerning the situation between her and Amon, which is rare in YA novels about love triangles. She carefully considers the pros and cons of each match, and displays a remarkable devotion for her kingdom in all of her considerations.

It's evident that Raisa received the most character development this book - I would like to see more of Han and Raisa developing together in the next one.

I was also pleased with the reemergence of the supporting characters, but I think they deserve some more "on screen" time since they will be getting closer to Raisa.

Overall it was a fantastic book, but could have used some adjustments.
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Apr 12, 2013 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Gray Wolf Throne (Seven Realms #3) has left me with a book hang over. I don't know what it is about Cinda Williams Chima, but she is able to cast a spell over me that draws me in to the characters and makes me want to see how it all turns out.

This story picks up right where THE EXILED QUEEN left off: with Raisa having just survived a kidnapping attempt by using her wits. This book then continues on with the story of Raisa's return to The Fells - which is also the return of all of our main ch...more The Gray Wolf Throne (Seven Realms #3) has left me with a book hang over. I don't know what it is about Cinda Williams Chima, but she is able to cast a spell over me that draws me in to the characters and makes me want to see how it all turns out.

This story picks up right where THE EXILED QUEEN left off: with Raisa having just survived a kidnapping attempt by using her wits. This book then continues on with the story of Raisa's return to The Fells - which is also the return of all of our main characters as we soon discover - but also contains a second story, that of what happens once Raisa goes back to being the ruler that she is.

This book changed my opinion about the relationship between Raisa and Han. In my review of THE EXILED QUEEN, I stated that I didn't believe the romance between them could lead anywhere due to the N'aeming. Well, not to create a spoiler, but there is a scene in this novel that lays the groundwork for there to actually be a union between our two erstwhile characters so I am now hoping that the foreshadowing will lead to a successful conclusion. Chima has written one of the clearest and healthiest examples of healthy intimacy I have ever seen, between these two; there is respect, there is love, there is a desire for honest communication, and there is an honoring of the other's emotions. Now that the main obstacle is being removed, to have the characters turn away from one another at the last minute in order to increase the drama would be a cheap ploy. I hope that Chima has the fortitude to unapologetically write about a healthy, supportive couple.

That said, it was this book that got hit with the second-book curse. Sure, there was a lot of plot advancement that took place, but it did so with a stagnation in character growth. This book felt like filler that existed to take characters and situations from where they were at the end of The Exiled Queen and drop them off for their new positions for the start of the next novel, without actually affecting them in the process. And for that, I have docked the rating of this novel a star. Surely it is possible to have both plot advancement and character growth, concurrently?

Finally, I am glad to see that one of my points from my review of THE EXILED QUEEN has been addressed: that of Han and Raisa's familial relationship to one another. There was some introspection about whether or not Han should reveal his lineage, which would, in turn, reveal his familial relationship. The decision was that while being related was cool and all, there wasn't much point to it because they are 32 generations removed. Ah! Now that I have some numbers I realize that it isn't incestual. In previous books, I had been left with the impression that far fewer generations had passed since Hanalea.

Thing that Irked Me:

+ Raisa is Hanalea's analogue and Han is Waterlow's. That message has already been received. No need to bash us over the head by finally revealing the previous occupant of Raisa's rooms, having our lovers meet at a spot that has been thrice mentioned to be of historic significance, or having the gift of a ring that has twice been mentioned to have historic significance. If anyone has made it to book three and has missed the fact that history is repeating itself, then that should be their burden to bear; no need to punish those of us who are paying attention.(less)

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Mar 02, 2013 K.G. C.J. rated it 5 of 5 stars

C.J. from Book Nerd and Proud
http://booknerdandproud.blogspot.com

5/5 stars
The Gray Wolf throne was a novel that, like the other books in the series, has thoroughly captivated me. There were times in this book when I wanted to cry with the characters...

"It’s all right to cry, she told herself. Soldiers and queens are allowed to cry, aren’t they?
She was half Demonai. Demonai don’t cry."

And there were times when I wanted to cheer at their bravery...

“The bluejacket girlie rode like a clan warrior,...more C.J. from Book Nerd and Proud
http://booknerdandproud.blogspot.com

5/5 stars
The Gray Wolf throne was a novel that, like the other books in the series, has thoroughly captivated me. There were times in this book when I wanted to cry with the characters...

"It’s all right to cry, she told herself. Soldiers and queens are allowed to cry, aren’t they?
She was half Demonai. Demonai don’t cry."

And there were times when I wanted to cheer at their bravery...

“The bluejacket girlie rode like a clan warrior, but there was no way she'd escape. It was a private life-and-death contest that had nothing to do with him.
He told himself he should ride on, grateful that the chase would keep them occupied while he took a different path.
But what had he told Rebecca when she'd asked what he meant to do when he returned to the Fells?
I'm tired of people in power picking on the weak. I'm going to help them.”

And I found it quite funny after Han discovers Rebecca is Raisa and he makes this comment. “Who?” Han pretended not to understand. “Oh. The queenling. That girlie has more names than a Ragmarket fancy.”

Come on now Han, you have gone by Han, Cuffs, Hunts Alone, Hunts Bird, Shiv, and Demon King...being a bit hypocritical now aren't you?

I am still worried about the relationship between Han and Raisa, though I love the two together, it's the question of how it would work out. I am happy Raisa and Amon have finally found a middle-ground for their relationship and stay loyal friends to one another. I even liked Micah somewhat in this book, he really is trying to protect Raisa, and he cares for her...though he has an odd way of showing it.

Honestly, at the end of the book, when Raisa is crowned Queen, it reminded me a lot of the Princess Diaries! Which by the way, is possibly one of my favorite childhood movies. When she named her lineage starting from Hanalea and spoke to the citizens of Fells about uniting her people, I felt she spoke well beyond her years. I can't believe there is only one more book left! I'm not sure if the author plans on writing more afterwards, but I would hope so! I would love it if this series could go on forever.(less)

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Feb 06, 2013 Lucy rated it 2 of 5 stars

So what actually happened in this book?
I'm not even going to spoiler tag this since it was much what you would expect would happen:
-Raisa heads north and gets rescued from an assassination attempt by Han
-She shows up at the queen's funeral in time to prevent mellony being coronated
-there are some assassination attempts, she starts implementing changes which she has thought of for agesss
-she gets coronated. offscreen: gerard montaigne kills his brother and shows up at her palace. oooh damn, so mu...more

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Jan 28, 2013 E.L. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: new-to-me-for-2013

I find that each book in this series is better than the last. Quite an accomplishment!

Is this a perfect book? No. Does it rely on quite a few cliches? Yes. Does the heroine spend a bit too much time being painfully attracted to four different men at once? Yes, but she IS seventeen, after all. Is the plot twisty and complex, with clues hidden all over the place without ever giving anything away? Oh yes. Are the characters compelling and breathtakingly real? Absolutely, and that's why I love it.

I...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Gray Wolf Throne picks up with Raisa and Han both working their way home. Raisa caught in a town on the border of the Fells with the southern kingdoms, waiting to see if Amon might find her after her abduction by the Bayar twins. While waiting in an inn, Raisa is found by Amon's father, Edon, and a triple of Queen's Guard. Edon and his triple escort Raisa through Marisa Pines pass and back into the Fells, but they are ambushed by a group of demoted Queen's Guard who have been instructed by t...more The Gray Wolf Throne picks up with Raisa and Han both working their way home. Raisa caught in a town on the border of the Fells with the southern kingdoms, waiting to see if Amon might find her after her abduction by the Bayar twins. While waiting in an inn, Raisa is found by Amon's father, Edon, and a triple of Queen's Guard. Edon and his triple escort Raisa through Marisa Pines pass and back into the Fells, but they are ambushed by a group of demoted Queen's Guard who have been instructed by the Bayars to find and kill Raisa. While Edon and his triple are killed, Raisa manages to get further along the trail until she is hit by a poisoned crossbow and forced to hide and hope that she can kill the remaining eight ambushers and then find her way to Marisa Pines Camp. Han has been making his way north on the orders of the dean of Mistwyrk School, asking after the girl he knows as Rebecca Morley along the way. When he finds a group of men hunting a girl in the Spirit Mountains shortly before reaching Marisa Pines Camp, he kills the men and finds the girl he knows as Rebecca close to death. Using high magic, Han attempts to keep Raisa alive long enough for Willo to heal them both. Even if they make it to Marisa Pines and are healed, Raisa still must find a way to claim her throne before it is handed to her younger sister, who her enemies believe will be easier to control than Raisa. She must also finally tell Han the truth about who she is, and hope that he can forgive her and help her stay alive as she works to claim her throne and rebuild the queendom.
The Gray Wolf Throne lives up to the previous two books in the Seven Realms series, though at times Cinda Williams Chima seems unsure of how much background she must provide to her readers again from her previous books. She yet again deals well with the challenges of a middle book in a series, thus working with no definitive beginning or end, and while the story moves along well, there is somewhat less character development present in this book than the previous two. Overall, still definitely worth reading and a great introduction for the fourth and final book.(less)

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Nov 18, 2012 Lainey rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was just so ready for this to be the book that rises above the average quality (for me) of the first two because things are finally moving forward and Raisa is actively fighting to claim her throne...but I just can't...things still bother me about this series.

My biggest gripe is why the lack of fully realized female characters??? Just because Raisa is one of the two protagonists in this book doesn't mean it is alright to basically dismiss the other girls in the novel as trivial, frilly, silly...more

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Oct 05, 2012 Mary rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have loved every book I have read by Cinda Williams Chima. Her characters are so believable, so easy to become. Reading one of her stories is like taking a walk, you start out just walking down the sidewalk, and before you know it, you are miles from home in a grand adventure learning things you didn't know you needed to know and doing things you never imagined you would. This is exaclty what happens to Princess Raisa and Hanson Alister. They are an amazing set of main characters, but the supp...more

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Aug 09, 2012 Brianna added it

The book was simply amazing from the ending of Exiled Queen you were sitting waiting for this to come out and believe me it didn't disappoint. Now all our favorite characters are going to court are we are sure in for a shock.

Raisa, the queen has to take on major responability and there aren't that many people she can trust but one thing she knows is she can trust Han.I like in this book she has grown up a bit more because in EQ she was a little spoiled but she is aware of herself now. I just lov...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Josh rated it 5 of 5 stars

I gotta say, I'm totally dedicated into this series. I went out to walk to my nearest book store in the muggy rain, getting soaked on my way there and back just to get the Gray Wolf Throne. There's no way I was gonna wait for the paperback for a month, so I blazed through this book in one day.

This book had me feeling a lot of emotions, some good (moments with Han and Raisa) and others bad (any scene with Raisa and another hungry dog hounding her). I finally found another character I hate as muc...more I gotta say, I'm totally dedicated into this series. I went out to walk to my nearest book store in the muggy rain, getting soaked on my way there and back just to get the Gray Wolf Throne. There's no way I was gonna wait for the paperback for a month, so I blazed through this book in one day.

This book had me feeling a lot of emotions, some good (moments with Han and Raisa) and others bad (any scene with Raisa and another hungry dog hounding her). I finally found another character I hate as much as Micah, and his name is Nightwalker. I might even hate him even more if that's possible, he's constantly bashing on Han and Dancer while trying to act smooth towards Raisa. Which I guess this brings up my only complaint with this series, is that Raisa is swooing with so many boys. I understand that she's young and that's what most girls do, I just can't help but feel annoyed how she says that she loves Han/Amon and allows other boys to kiss her. Like Nightwalker for instance, even after she knows about his history that gave him his clan name.

But the biggest compliment I can give to this wondering series, is that this book had me gripping it from beginning to end. I went into this book in full interest and put the book down hungry for more. This book didn't end in a cliffhanger like the others, it left on a question that'll leave us wondering until the final installment. The tone was totally different where we first started on the first chapter, along with the characters.

It was nice seeing some subtle ground between Raisa and Amon, at least their parting ways in the middle with little wounded hearts. Now is the best time for Han to truly step in, and indeed he does. :)

at least in this book, Han and Raisa's events intertwine and they have more alone time. We get a chapter near the end of this book that's probably my favorite part of the book, a moment with Han and Raisa that completely sets up the summary for The Crimson Crown. I can't explain how excited I am for the final book, there's some subtle hints in this book that gives me strands of hope to hang on that tells me that it'll end on a happy ending. (Meaning, Han and Raisa together 100%)

The Crimson Crown, I'll be marking the date on my calendar and counting the days until I finally see the fates of my two favorite fantasy characters this summer.

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Jun 01, 2012 Trish rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is one of those books that can rip your heart out and tear it to shreds, yet still leave you with the hope that somehow, no matter how tiny the pieces, you’ll be able to put it back together again. This is hands down the best in the Seven Realms series, in my opinion anyways.

Raisa’s character truly came into form in this book, and even as she matures, her innate qualities never leave her. Her courage, her compassion, her determination, they only grow stronger as the novel progresses. Raisa...more This is one of those books that can rip your heart out and tear it to shreds, yet still leave you with the hope that somehow, no matter how tiny the pieces, you’ll be able to put it back together again. This is hands down the best in the Seven Realms series, in my opinion anyways.

Raisa’s character truly came into form in this book, and even as she matures, her innate qualities never leave her. Her courage, her compassion, her determination, they only grow stronger as the novel progresses. Raisa has grown, but she is not yet a woman. It’s heartbreaking to see how she attempts to deal with her adolescent feelings and desires, while trying to keep her head up under the weight of a crown.

Han Alister, better known as Cuffs, was and always will be my favourite character in the series. His ability to be so compassionate and tender, but so composed and self-possessed at the same time, can’t help but make you fall in love with him again and again. He always knows exactly what he wants, and is willing to do anything to get it. But this time, what he wants is so far from his grasp, that even he can’t help but acknowledge the possibility of failure.

The heat literally flows from the pages whenever Raisa and Han are together. Unbearable tension sizzles between the two as they fight to restrain their feelings for one another. Honestly, you can’t help but hold your breath whenever they’re in the same room. Chima has set up many deliciously heart-wrenching obstacles in their relationship, and the distance they are forced to create between themselves makes your heart ache.

Yet she ends the novel leaving the readers with the feeling that Alister has something genius hidden up his sleeve, and you can’t help thinking that everything will work out. And like I said before, Han will destroy everything in his path to get to what he wants, and in this case, that something is Raisa.

The novel is full of political intrigue, fast-paced action, romance and heart ache. In the midst of political tension, and with Raisa’s life on the line, it really is heart-warming to see those that care for our female protagonist, come together to protect her.

I recommend this book to any fan of the Seven Realms series, and if you haven’t read it already, I suggest you start now!

Until then, I think I’ll just sit here in depression until the fourth one comes out. Crimson Crown, please hurry the hell up.
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Apr 12, 2012 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, ms, young-adult

This third book in the series kept the story moving along and was just as enjoyable as the first two books. Raisa ends up near death in the Spirit Mountains, after an attack that killed the Queen's Captain (Amon's father). Han arrives on the scene and kills all the attackers, rescuing Raisa (still Rebecca to him at this point) and saving her life by absorbing some of the poison from her body (as a wizard healer). As she gets better, his life remains in danger. His best friend, Dancer, feeds magi...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Reading Teen rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Audiobook:

There are not enough ways that I can tell you how much I adore these audiobooks. Having listened to both The Demon King and The Exiled Queen, hearing the voice of Carol Monda was like hearing an old friend. I just loved it. If I had to choose the best female audiobook reader I've ever heard, it would be Carol Monda. She absolutely brings these stories to life. Her voice is perfect for this type of book. The world that Chima creates is fantastical, and Carol has the ability to take...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Sam Mckay rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 22, 2012 Ben rated it 3 of 5 stars

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Jan 05, 2012 Mimi Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars

5 stars

I wasn't able to put down any of the books in the series down and I literally devoured them in two days. I fell in love with these characters. It's fascinating how multi-layered and realistic Ms. Williams wrote them, none of them are simple and predictable.

Han-a thief turned wizard. He had lost a lot lately, had been attacked and betrayed, and he's struggling to figure out where his loyalties lie. One thing he's sure of-he's not going to let anyone use him as a puppet and take advantage o...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Lightreads rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, fantasy, young-adult

Funny how little young adult traditional epic fantasy I see these days. Everything's all punk -- steampunk, mannerpunk, retro recombinant cyberpunk, noirpunk, apocopunk. No punk here. This is straight up epic fantasy, every heroic stand faithfully rendered, every formality observed. Kingdom in peril saved by teenaged princess? Check. Street kid with a tragic past and a powerful secret? Check. Old legends and spirit animal visions? Check. Stultifyingly traditional classism and occasional sexual d...more

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Dec 22, 2011 Jessica (BookRockGodess) Bolton rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-on-cd

This series just gets better and better. It continues to amaze me that every time I read these books that I feel so connected to the characters. Every thing about this series makes you want more. These characters stay with you long after you close the book and that is how you know that the book is truly a piece of art. It is disappointing to end the book and have to wait such a long time for the next in the series.

As far as the characters you have Raisa who has grown so much. She has proven to...more

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Dec 03, 2011 Monica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

This is the third book in the series and it is so far the best. Each book I read gets better and better, I am already eagerly anticipating the next book in this series. I will say though that the first few chapters I had to push myself to get through but then it got enthralling and I couldn't let it go.
I love how Ms. Chima allows her characters to be teenagers, even if the weight of the world is on them. They are all hormones and attitude and even these ones are aflutter with both. I love the se...more

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Sep 23, 2011 Hpboy13 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-of-fantasy, best-of-ya

By this point, I knew to expect only the very best from Cinda Williams Chima, and she did not disappoint. All of the "good" characters get together to get Raisa on the throne in the first half of the book, but what was great here is that it's not one big happy family. On the contrary, Chima takes this opportunity to show us just how deep the prejudices in this society run, and how EVERYONE has their own agenda here.

The second half of the book is considerably slower, but it never drags, because y...more

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Sep 23, 2011 Kale rated it 5 of 5 stars

Raisa, the would-be queen of the Fells is having a hard time getting home. Of course anyone could see how the constant assault of assassins would pose such difficultly. But Raisa is determined to ensure her place in the succession of the throne. Yet there are still quite a few factions that would love nothing better than to seat a more malleable queen in power and they're coming pretty bloody close to achieving that goal.

Their greatest obstacle is Han Alister. Despite his feelings of betrayal o...more Raisa, the would-be queen of the Fells is having a hard time getting home. Of course anyone could see how the constant assault of assassins would pose such difficultly. But Raisa is determined to ensure her place in the succession of the throne. Yet there are still quite a few factions that would love nothing better than to seat a more malleable queen in power and they're coming pretty bloody close to achieving that goal.

Their greatest obstacle is Han Alister. Despite his feelings of betrayal over Raisa's assumed identity, Han has managed to repeatedly save Raisa's life. Alister is doing more than playing the white knight, he's shaking things up at court applying his streetlord savvy to the high stakes games of royal politics.

Raisa is assembling a group of trusty advisers while Han is putting together a new crew. Both have different objectives. In the end will their desires heal the world or end up shattering it all over again.

The Gray Wolf Throne was a real joy to read. Raisa's and Han's separate journeys finally converge in romantic and spectacular fashion. You really get to see the glimpses of greatness Raisa showed in the previous books as a future ruler come to life. We also had a reality check in the problems facing the neglected kingdom. Everything seemed to be broken from the out of work peasants to the prejudices between wizards, valefolk, and the clans. Trouble's not just brewing within the Fells but outside them as well and it's only a matter of time before the fight ends up on Raisa's doorstep. We also get to see Han use his extensive knowledge base. Han's magical training serves him well in flashy displays, and physical attacks. He uses his etiquette lessons to navigate the nobility and play his wizard role. Alister's employs his street wise education to maneuver through politics and become a real player at court. All these things add up to an absolutely wonderful read. Cinda Williams Chima doesn't disappoint.

Full of action and intrigue The Gray Wolf Throne is like the Tudors and Game of Thrones for the younger fantasy fan sect.(less)

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Sep 20, 2011 Malissa Kent rated it 3 of 5 stars

Honestly, this should be 3 1/2 stars...

This was my first introduction to Chima (I know, I know, I should've read the first two in the series first!), but I really enjoyed it. There's obviously a lot of background info that I didn't have, but I was still completely grounded in the story and cared for the characters. However, I had two big issues with the book:

1. I don't see where it's going next, though I'm assuming that this isn't the end of the trilogy. I take most of the blame on this one, si...more

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Radiance79 Well to comment on your first bullet, some unanswered questions/storylines are:

1. Who killed Queen Marianna? It definitely wasn’t suicide. The Bayars...more Well to comment on your first bullet, some unanswered questions/storylines are:

1. Who killed Queen Marianna? It definitely wasn’t suicide. The Bayars just seem too predictable a suspect.
2. What will Abelard do now that it’s obvious Han chose to protect the Queen rather that to be her personal assassin apprentice? (she promised to have him hanged if he backed out) [2nd book]
3. Who exactly is behind Raisa’s failed assassination attempts?
4. Han apparently didn’t kill those wizards in the epilogue, so who is framing him?
5. Montaigne is obviously going to get back at Raisa for embarrassing him. I believe he already has spies in her army. How else would he have known exactly how many soldiers she had.

Commenting on second bullet: Come on now. By not reading the first two books you’re really missing out on the experience 

In the first book you miss out Raisa’s strong connection with Amon. She was in love with him originally before all others came along. Even though she flirted with other guys (whore lol), she actually considered marrying Amon and sharing a life together with him. You also miss how heartbroken and torn up she was after he bonded himself to the royal line and the possibility of a future together ended. Raisa also had a fling together with Micah. He was sexy, seductive, and actually likable then.

By not reading the second book you miss out on Han and Micah’s rivalry at the academy. They had a hilarious game of pranks going back and forth and constantly tried to kill each other. It was funny. You get to see Micah’s a**hole side in this book. Han made the mistake of making promises to both the clans and Abelard, so that conflicts one another.

Well those are a few of my favorite parts. Yes I know the third book sums up SOME of the things that happened in the first two books, but it’s still not the same as actually reading them. You miss out on the dread, anger, laughter, awe, mystery, love, and connection. I doubt my little rant is enough to convince you to read lol, but eh I tried. I love this series and I’m about to try the Warrior Heir next.(less)
Sep 22, 2011 04:44pm

Bob It's not fair of you to write a harsh review after only reading this book in the series...if you're going to be stupid enough to start with the 3rd, d...more
Oct 14, 2011 08:39pm

Bryce Lane Yes i believe the review wasn't fair the book is worth 5 stars all day long as are the first two. Now Im glad you read #3 but definitely read the firs...more
Aug 02, 2012 01:34am

Sep 17, 2011 Gail rated it 4 of 5 stars

I like this series. After Raisa is abducted from Oden's Ford, some assassins try to kill her. They are killed and she runs away to try and get home. She goes through a lot of peril and another assassin attack, but is finally found and rescued. She recovers from the poisoned tipped arrow because of the aid from Hans. Hans nearly dies because he used magic to save her. He recovers. Raisa's mother, the queen dies, and Raisa tries to get back to her home to gain control of the crown. This is a prett...more

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Hayden Fire Dancer....? SPOILER ALERT	11	51	Apr 17, 2013 06:15pm
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About Cinda Williams Chima

New York Times bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima comes from a long line of fortune-tellers, musicians and spinners of tales. She began writing romance novels in middle school, which were often confiscated by her teachers.

The Warrior Heir was named to Voya’s Best Science Fiction and Fantasy 2005-2006, is a 2006 Booksense Summer Reading Pick, was named to the 2007-2008 Lone Star Reading List,...more

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Books by Cinda Williams Chima

The Warrior Heir (The Heir Chronicles, #1)

The Wizard Heir (The Heir Chronicles, #2)

The Dragon Heir (The Heir Chronicles, #3)

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“The time will come when you will be forced to make a choice,” Hanalea said. “When that time comes, choose love.” — 53 people liked it

“She had never felt more alive than when she lay dying in Han Alister's arms.” — 53 people liked it

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