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The Kinsman Chronicles #1
King's Folly
The gods are angry.
Volcanic eruptions, sinkholes, ground shakers—everything points to their unhappiness. At least that is what the king of Armania believes. His son Prince Wilek thinks his father's superstitions are nonsense, though he remains the ever dutiful First Arm of Armania.
When a messenger arrives and claims that the town of Farway has been swallowed by the earth, the king sends Wilek to investigate. But what Wilek discovers is more cataclysmic than one lost city. Even as the ground shifts beneath his feet, Wilek sets out on a desperate journey to save his people and his world. But can he do it before the entire land crumbles?
Volcanic eruptions, sinkholes, ground shakers—everything points to their unhappiness. At least that is what the king of Armania believes. His son Prince Wilek thinks his father's superstitions are nonsense, though he remains the ever dutiful First Arm of Armania.
When a messenger arrives and claims that the town of Farway has been swallowed by the earth, the king sends Wilek to investigate. But what Wilek discovers is more cataclysmic than one lost city. Even as the ground shifts beneath his feet, Wilek sets out on a desperate journey to save his people and his world. But can he do it before the entire land crumbles?
544 pages, Paperback
First published April 5, 2016
About the author
Jill Williamson
59 books1,444 followersJill Williamson is an award-winning fantasy and science fiction author of over twenty books including By Darkness Hid, which won several awards and was named a Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror novel by VOYA magazine. She has also written several books on the craft of writing and teaches at www.GoTeenWriters.com, one of Writer’s Digest’s “101 Best Websites for Writers.”
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 116 reviews
May 17, 2016
Epic. This is the word that immediately comes to mind when I think of King's Folly by Jill Williamson. Fantastic, action-filled, diverse, brilliant. This book is the first in a new series called THE KINSMAN CHRONICLES; (it's actually a prequel series to Jill Williamson's other fantasy trilogy). And it's a tremendous start! I was captivated from the beginning.
In a world being torn apart by earthquakes, a grand cast of characters find mystery and meaning as doom approaches. Two sons of a king, Wilek and Trevn, must carefully navigate their lives of royalty, praying they don't get cast to Barthos as a sacrifice like their brother did. A girl, barely a young woman, seeks to be a companion to a princess's daughter. Another woman is lost in the grasp of darkness amidst a strange tribe where magicians rule. A burdened queen, a eunuch, a long-suffering friend, and a guard also have their tales told. Darkness reigns in the lands ... How will their people be broken from the bondage of wickedness?
I simply loved this book. (I got fangirly several times while reading it. My sister gave me an odd look when I hugged it after finishing it, half-sighing, half-squealing.) It starts full-force, capturing you with intrigue and its rich fantasy world. Jill Williamson and her ability to create such amazing worlds! She is an incredible writer! From the five lands, their traditions, histories, and their interesting peoples; to the epic plot; to the subtle Biblical retelling. It was fascinating. I mean, I was sucked into this book. (I think I vanished from earth altogether for a few days ... *winks and grins*)
The characters were amazing. Each one so real, and different from the next. It didn't bother me a bit that there were so many POV characters; each of their stories gripped me. Trevn is my favorite! He's so ambitious, fun-loving, and rebellious! *grins* (Rebellious in a good way ... like rebelling against the idea that grown princes must have a harem.) I also really liked Mielle. She was different than the average female character, yet overall relateable and loveable! ^_^ I quite like Wilek as well! And the rest of the main characters had interesting views to show that enriched King's Folly altogether.
I loved all the endearing relationships - the wonderful friendships. Mielle and Lady Zeroah have a lovely blossoming friendship that I hope to see more of! And the scenes of Wilek with his mother and grandmother ... those usually made me chuckle. *grins* Which leads me to another point: the humor. Despite having a fairly dark theme, King's Folly definitely had its humor as well! I love a book that makes you laugh; characters and personalities that bring a smile or giggle. Trevn and Mielle both did that for me. *smiles*
I think what makes this book such an epic fantasy for me is the combination of it's rich fantasy world, diverse cast of characters, and incredible plot. It sort of retells, in a fantastical way, Old Testament stories of when the lands turned away from God and got caught up in idolatry, sorcery, perverseness. King's Folly shows that darkness, yet it also reveals a mighty God (Arman, the "father god"; in truth, the only God) who has a mighty plan for the people who are wondering if there might be something more; something different than the wickedness their kingdom has fallen into. It's so very thought-provoking and intriguing, and I can't wait to read the next book and see where Jill Williamson goes with this Christian allegory.
On a cautionary note: I would probably recommend this book for 18 and up. At least late teens. There is many mentions of concubines, mistresses, fornication, and the like. Most are merely mentions and scenes that imply something happened afterwards. Wilek has a mistress at the start of the book, who's been with him since he was fifteen. In one scene, they are in his room, and he kisses her and then the scene ends. Trevn, though he has no concubines, meets a girl and they soon exchange some kisses. I felt these situations are both to kind of show what kind of kingdom they live in. What kind of example their father, the king, sets. Their land has long turned away from Arman, the true God, so they don't understand godly morals.
There were a couple scenes that started making me uncomfortable. Both centering on a character named Charlon. She lives, not by her own doing, in a strange tribe. In one scene, she practices dark magic; and it just weirded me out, her chanting and whatnot. In another scene, she clearly intends to give herself to a man, deeming herself healed after years of fear of and abuse from men. I felt it was a little too sensual, though it ended before too much happened.
So. Though there were many mentions of sordid lifestyles and whatnot, I felt all of them were appropriate, mostly implying; except for the two of Charlon I mentioned above. But yes, it simply calls for an older audience.
Overall, this book was thrilling. Such depth. Such epic-ness! I'm enthralled, my friends! If you're looking for rich fantasy, an astounding tale told by many wonderful characters, a story of life and love, adventure and mystery, danger and doom, look no further than King's Folly! It's truly a remarkable novel, and I eagerly await the second book, King's Blood!
I received a copy of King's Folly from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.
In a world being torn apart by earthquakes, a grand cast of characters find mystery and meaning as doom approaches. Two sons of a king, Wilek and Trevn, must carefully navigate their lives of royalty, praying they don't get cast to Barthos as a sacrifice like their brother did. A girl, barely a young woman, seeks to be a companion to a princess's daughter. Another woman is lost in the grasp of darkness amidst a strange tribe where magicians rule. A burdened queen, a eunuch, a long-suffering friend, and a guard also have their tales told. Darkness reigns in the lands ... How will their people be broken from the bondage of wickedness?
I simply loved this book. (I got fangirly several times while reading it. My sister gave me an odd look when I hugged it after finishing it, half-sighing, half-squealing.) It starts full-force, capturing you with intrigue and its rich fantasy world. Jill Williamson and her ability to create such amazing worlds! She is an incredible writer! From the five lands, their traditions, histories, and their interesting peoples; to the epic plot; to the subtle Biblical retelling. It was fascinating. I mean, I was sucked into this book. (I think I vanished from earth altogether for a few days ... *winks and grins*)
The characters were amazing. Each one so real, and different from the next. It didn't bother me a bit that there were so many POV characters; each of their stories gripped me. Trevn is my favorite! He's so ambitious, fun-loving, and rebellious! *grins* (Rebellious in a good way ... like rebelling against the idea that grown princes must have a harem.) I also really liked Mielle. She was different than the average female character, yet overall relateable and loveable! ^_^ I quite like Wilek as well! And the rest of the main characters had interesting views to show that enriched King's Folly altogether.
I loved all the endearing relationships - the wonderful friendships. Mielle and Lady Zeroah have a lovely blossoming friendship that I hope to see more of! And the scenes of Wilek with his mother and grandmother ... those usually made me chuckle. *grins* Which leads me to another point: the humor. Despite having a fairly dark theme, King's Folly definitely had its humor as well! I love a book that makes you laugh; characters and personalities that bring a smile or giggle. Trevn and Mielle both did that for me. *smiles*
I think what makes this book such an epic fantasy for me is the combination of it's rich fantasy world, diverse cast of characters, and incredible plot. It sort of retells, in a fantastical way, Old Testament stories of when the lands turned away from God and got caught up in idolatry, sorcery, perverseness. King's Folly shows that darkness, yet it also reveals a mighty God (Arman, the "father god"; in truth, the only God) who has a mighty plan for the people who are wondering if there might be something more; something different than the wickedness their kingdom has fallen into. It's so very thought-provoking and intriguing, and I can't wait to read the next book and see where Jill Williamson goes with this Christian allegory.
On a cautionary note: I would probably recommend this book for 18 and up. At least late teens. There is many mentions of concubines, mistresses, fornication, and the like. Most are merely mentions and scenes that imply something happened afterwards. Wilek has a mistress at the start of the book, who's been with him since he was fifteen. In one scene, they are in his room, and he kisses her and then the scene ends. Trevn, though he has no concubines, meets a girl and they soon exchange some kisses. I felt these situations are both to kind of show what kind of kingdom they live in. What kind of example their father, the king, sets. Their land has long turned away from Arman, the true God, so they don't understand godly morals.
There were a couple scenes that started making me uncomfortable. Both centering on a character named Charlon. She lives, not by her own doing, in a strange tribe. In one scene, she practices dark magic; and it just weirded me out, her chanting and whatnot. In another scene, she clearly intends to give herself to a man, deeming herself healed after years of fear of and abuse from men. I felt it was a little too sensual, though it ended before too much happened.
So. Though there were many mentions of sordid lifestyles and whatnot, I felt all of them were appropriate, mostly implying; except for the two of Charlon I mentioned above. But yes, it simply calls for an older audience.
Overall, this book was thrilling. Such depth. Such epic-ness! I'm enthralled, my friends! If you're looking for rich fantasy, an astounding tale told by many wonderful characters, a story of life and love, adventure and mystery, danger and doom, look no further than King's Folly! It's truly a remarkable novel, and I eagerly await the second book, King's Blood!
I received a copy of King's Folly from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.
March 17, 2017
I finally finished this book! Wow!!!!!!
Jill Williamson is the queen of epic Christian fantasy! The world in this book...it is just so well developed and achingly real! The earthquakes, desert, deep canyons, the politics...everything.
This book is based off of the Old Testament in how the country that used to follow Arman (the allegorical One True God in this book) have fallen away. Everyone does what is right in their own eyes. While this book is based off the Old Testament, it still feels like it could be today with the same way evil is ignored or even celebrated and people place an emphasis on choosing what they want to believe is true.
This book can get dark, especially in the beginning. Even the main characters don't know truth. There are mentions of concubines, human sacrifice, magic that is shown to be spirit-worship.
But it is also very, very clearly a Christian book.
Maybe because I have read equal amounts of secular and Christian books and because I attended a public university, but I can tell very quickly what the wordview presented in a book is. And this book is definitely Christian. Amazingly so.
No, it isn't explicit right at first. The main characters all are caught up in doing wrong and participating in evil. Yet, that evil is depicted as something so disgusting that it is clearly wrong even when the characters don't know it. That is what separates this book from a secular book that glorifies those same sins. This book evokes horror and disgust at sins instead of glossing over them. After reading this book, there is no way to get the impression that evil is anything but evil.
Would I recommend this for younger readers? No, it wasn't written for them. It was written for an audience that has seen the evil in the world, had to live in it, and won't find anything in this book all that surprising. So that all depends on the age and maturity of the reader. The author on her website recommends this for 16 and up.
Amazing book, and I already have book 2 waiting on my shelf!
Jill Williamson is the queen of epic Christian fantasy! The world in this book...it is just so well developed and achingly real! The earthquakes, desert, deep canyons, the politics...everything.
This book is based off of the Old Testament in how the country that used to follow Arman (the allegorical One True God in this book) have fallen away. Everyone does what is right in their own eyes. While this book is based off the Old Testament, it still feels like it could be today with the same way evil is ignored or even celebrated and people place an emphasis on choosing what they want to believe is true.
This book can get dark, especially in the beginning. Even the main characters don't know truth. There are mentions of concubines, human sacrifice, magic that is shown to be spirit-worship.
But it is also very, very clearly a Christian book.
Maybe because I have read equal amounts of secular and Christian books and because I attended a public university, but I can tell very quickly what the wordview presented in a book is. And this book is definitely Christian. Amazingly so.
No, it isn't explicit right at first. The main characters all are caught up in doing wrong and participating in evil. Yet, that evil is depicted as something so disgusting that it is clearly wrong even when the characters don't know it. That is what separates this book from a secular book that glorifies those same sins. This book evokes horror and disgust at sins instead of glossing over them. After reading this book, there is no way to get the impression that evil is anything but evil.
Would I recommend this for younger readers? No, it wasn't written for them. It was written for an audience that has seen the evil in the world, had to live in it, and won't find anything in this book all that surprising. So that all depends on the age and maturity of the reader. The author on her website recommends this for 16 and up.
Amazing book, and I already have book 2 waiting on my shelf!
April 6, 2016
Oops! Never rated this book.
Read
February 1, 2023As I gear up to mentor my authors who are writing books for the Blood of Kings Legacy Collection, I realized I needed to re-read this series. I just can't remember all the pieces of magic I put in there, so it's time for a refresher. I'm excited to read the series again after so many years!
April 30, 2016
Review originally posted on The Road of a Writer: https://deborahocarroll.wordpress.com...
I fell in love with Jill Williamson's Blood of Kings trilogy, so it was with great delight that I learned of this prequel-series of sorts, The Kinsman Chronicles, of which KING'S FOLLY is the first installment. I'm so excited for another fantasy work from this author! I've enjoyed her other books--frankly, her writing would shine on a cereal box--but (personally) I think her real genius lies in this genre, and you can see it in every page of this latest novel.
KING'S FOLLY sucked me in at once and never let me go till the last page... and even then I'm pretty sure I sometimes felt like I was still inside the book. Not your typical fantasy-world, there was more sand and less green, and it made me think a bit of Prince of Persia (which is a high compliment, coming from me!). Now, with the darkness and creepiness of it, the world of KING'S FOLLY is not one I'd like to LIVE in... but still. ;) Diverse and original, it felt like nothing I'd read before, while at the same time I enjoyed the few little hints we got of the things to come which I remember from the Blood of Kings books, like Shields and some of the names like Hadar. I can't wait to see where it all goes! (Though you don't have to have read the other series to read this one.)
The writing is incredible. It made for that wonderful moment where you just go "wow, that is GOOD writing" and proceed to lose yourself in its quality. The world is fantastically well-drawn, the cultures and languages and settings and peoples and legends... Politics and complex situations and character relationships are all crafted brilliantly, with the multiple storylines seamlessly weaving together into a massive epic of a fantasy tale. It's off to a great start which I can't wait to continue with the next book!
There are SO many characters in this thing, and it was fun to sort them all out and follow their stories. I'll admit that I gave up on keeping track of all the side-character names fairly early on, which wasn't usually a problem since I could at least keep the main people straight. (The character list of some of them, as well as the map, were much-referred-to by me as I read, and very helpful.) Though I must say that near the end, there were a few people I was rather confused about... but I think I did all right.
We start out with four or five main points of view (though more are added later) and it was fascinating to get the story from all their perspectives. It was really well constructed, too! They all had a different feel to them, which was awesome. (I didn't like Charlon's chapters, though. Not only for their content, but also because they were composed almost entirely of short, punchy sentence-fragments. It was very effective to get across her fragmented character, but I felt like my head was being pounded open. Though that was probably just me.)
Characters tend to make or break a novel for me lately, and these were awesome and SO well-written. I loved many of the characters, and it would take all day to talk about them all, but three stand out as my favorites. Prince Wilek and Prince Trevn--that's a given!--and then Kalenek, Wilek's Shield. So many awesome characters! And all so different, too.
+ In his mid-twenties, Wilek is sort of the serious-type, responsible-prince sort of fellow, and you just can't help but root for him and feel for him. I love Wilek! He's a very relatable hero. And just... gaaah, poor guy, all the stuff he has to go through. I think he needs a hug. <3
+ Fifteen-year-old Trevn is in some ways Wilek's opposite, but I love him too. He's so FUN! Energetic, mischievous, cocky, funloving, a bit of a trickster and a rebel, he's definitely a favorite. He runs across rooftops! What is not to love. Though he has his own problems, too, and his parts of the story were definitely exciting.
+ Kalenek surprised me as a favorite character. The scarred bodyguard (or ''Shield'') of Prince Wilek, Kal has some struggles of his own and an intriguing tragic past. I was so excited to start getting his point-of-view chapters in the second part of the book, and I'm very much looking forward to learning more about him!
I did almost knock a star off my five-star rating for some of the content, since it was a rather dark book and there were some parts that made me a bit uncomfortable. The book could be dark, creepy at times, a bit brutal, and somewhat mature, and of course the whole point is very much about the cultures having slipped far from the right paths and the true God. It was necessary to the plot, I suppose, but I still could have done without some of it (particularly Charlon's chapters). However, it is after all listed as Adult Fiction, and it was all handled rather well, so on the whole I still enjoyed it in spite of all that. Just don't pick it up expecting a lighthearted tale, and I would vaguely caution younger teens against reading KING'S FOLLY--try the Blood of Kings trilogy first! :)
But another thing I was very happy about was the amount of fun and humor slipped in amidst the darkness. Humor, great dialog and character interactions are some of my favorite things to read about, and KING'S FOLLY had a fair dose of all of those, brilliantly done, which I loved! So despite some of the grimness, it was still fun, which makes me a happy reader. (Speaking of things that make me laugh, all of the parts with the camels are hilarious--who knew camels could be such amusing characters?--and of course, not to be forgotten, there are also Wilek's mother's tiny dogs. XD)
Some of the end rushed a bit too quickly for me, and I found myself wishing to know a bit more concretely some of what was going on; but then, I suppose chaos is to be expected... Ahem. I wouldn't say the ending was exactly a cliff-hanger, precisely? But it's definitely ready for a sequel, and I simply can't wait for the next book to see what's going to happen with all these characters! *excited flailing*
Overall, KING'S FOLLY is a well-written and fabulous, if somewhat dark, epic fantasy read with a plethora of characters you'll fall in love with and an original world to get lost in. I enjoyed it and am looking forward to Book 2 of The Kinsman Chronicles, KING'S BLOOD.
Note: This book was also released in ebook form, divided into three ebooks, of which the first one (Darkness Reigns) is available for free online if you'd like to check it out. (Part 2 is called The Heir War, and Part 3, The End of All Things. ...Which made for me making some comparison jokes such as ''I'm glad to be with you, Wilek Hadar, here at the end of all things.'' ;) Ah, the fun!)
My thanks to Bethany House for the complimentary copy of KING'S FOLLY which I received in exchange for my honest review. These opinions are entirely my own.
I fell in love with Jill Williamson's Blood of Kings trilogy, so it was with great delight that I learned of this prequel-series of sorts, The Kinsman Chronicles, of which KING'S FOLLY is the first installment. I'm so excited for another fantasy work from this author! I've enjoyed her other books--frankly, her writing would shine on a cereal box--but (personally) I think her real genius lies in this genre, and you can see it in every page of this latest novel.
KING'S FOLLY sucked me in at once and never let me go till the last page... and even then I'm pretty sure I sometimes felt like I was still inside the book. Not your typical fantasy-world, there was more sand and less green, and it made me think a bit of Prince of Persia (which is a high compliment, coming from me!). Now, with the darkness and creepiness of it, the world of KING'S FOLLY is not one I'd like to LIVE in... but still. ;) Diverse and original, it felt like nothing I'd read before, while at the same time I enjoyed the few little hints we got of the things to come which I remember from the Blood of Kings books, like Shields and some of the names like Hadar. I can't wait to see where it all goes! (Though you don't have to have read the other series to read this one.)
The writing is incredible. It made for that wonderful moment where you just go "wow, that is GOOD writing" and proceed to lose yourself in its quality. The world is fantastically well-drawn, the cultures and languages and settings and peoples and legends... Politics and complex situations and character relationships are all crafted brilliantly, with the multiple storylines seamlessly weaving together into a massive epic of a fantasy tale. It's off to a great start which I can't wait to continue with the next book!
There are SO many characters in this thing, and it was fun to sort them all out and follow their stories. I'll admit that I gave up on keeping track of all the side-character names fairly early on, which wasn't usually a problem since I could at least keep the main people straight. (The character list of some of them, as well as the map, were much-referred-to by me as I read, and very helpful.) Though I must say that near the end, there were a few people I was rather confused about... but I think I did all right.
We start out with four or five main points of view (though more are added later) and it was fascinating to get the story from all their perspectives. It was really well constructed, too! They all had a different feel to them, which was awesome. (I didn't like Charlon's chapters, though. Not only for their content, but also because they were composed almost entirely of short, punchy sentence-fragments. It was very effective to get across her fragmented character, but I felt like my head was being pounded open. Though that was probably just me.)
Characters tend to make or break a novel for me lately, and these were awesome and SO well-written. I loved many of the characters, and it would take all day to talk about them all, but three stand out as my favorites. Prince Wilek and Prince Trevn--that's a given!--and then Kalenek, Wilek's Shield. So many awesome characters! And all so different, too.
+ In his mid-twenties, Wilek is sort of the serious-type, responsible-prince sort of fellow, and you just can't help but root for him and feel for him. I love Wilek! He's a very relatable hero. And just... gaaah, poor guy, all the stuff he has to go through. I think he needs a hug. <3
+ Fifteen-year-old Trevn is in some ways Wilek's opposite, but I love him too. He's so FUN! Energetic, mischievous, cocky, funloving, a bit of a trickster and a rebel, he's definitely a favorite. He runs across rooftops! What is not to love. Though he has his own problems, too, and his parts of the story were definitely exciting.
+ Kalenek surprised me as a favorite character. The scarred bodyguard (or ''Shield'') of Prince Wilek, Kal has some struggles of his own and an intriguing tragic past. I was so excited to start getting his point-of-view chapters in the second part of the book, and I'm very much looking forward to learning more about him!
I did almost knock a star off my five-star rating for some of the content, since it was a rather dark book and there were some parts that made me a bit uncomfortable. The book could be dark, creepy at times, a bit brutal, and somewhat mature, and of course the whole point is very much about the cultures having slipped far from the right paths and the true God. It was necessary to the plot, I suppose, but I still could have done without some of it (particularly Charlon's chapters). However, it is after all listed as Adult Fiction, and it was all handled rather well, so on the whole I still enjoyed it in spite of all that. Just don't pick it up expecting a lighthearted tale, and I would vaguely caution younger teens against reading KING'S FOLLY--try the Blood of Kings trilogy first! :)
But another thing I was very happy about was the amount of fun and humor slipped in amidst the darkness. Humor, great dialog and character interactions are some of my favorite things to read about, and KING'S FOLLY had a fair dose of all of those, brilliantly done, which I loved! So despite some of the grimness, it was still fun, which makes me a happy reader. (Speaking of things that make me laugh, all of the parts with the camels are hilarious--who knew camels could be such amusing characters?--and of course, not to be forgotten, there are also Wilek's mother's tiny dogs. XD)
Some of the end rushed a bit too quickly for me, and I found myself wishing to know a bit more concretely some of what was going on; but then, I suppose chaos is to be expected... Ahem. I wouldn't say the ending was exactly a cliff-hanger, precisely? But it's definitely ready for a sequel, and I simply can't wait for the next book to see what's going to happen with all these characters! *excited flailing*
Overall, KING'S FOLLY is a well-written and fabulous, if somewhat dark, epic fantasy read with a plethora of characters you'll fall in love with and an original world to get lost in. I enjoyed it and am looking forward to Book 2 of The Kinsman Chronicles, KING'S BLOOD.
Note: This book was also released in ebook form, divided into three ebooks, of which the first one (Darkness Reigns) is available for free online if you'd like to check it out. (Part 2 is called The Heir War, and Part 3, The End of All Things. ...Which made for me making some comparison jokes such as ''I'm glad to be with you, Wilek Hadar, here at the end of all things.'' ;) Ah, the fun!)
My thanks to Bethany House for the complimentary copy of KING'S FOLLY which I received in exchange for my honest review. These opinions are entirely my own.
November 9, 2016
One word: Epic.
Kings and queens. Princes and princesses. The eternal struggle for power driven by greed and graft. Check, check, check. It's all here in one grandiose tale of the destruction of kingdoms and men. Yeah, I know that sounds kind of depressing, but in true Williamson style, there is plenty of humor and romance and action tossed into the mix.
At first I was a little confused with who was who. There are a lot of names. Strange ones at that. Thankfully right at the beginning there is a glossary of Who's Who.
The other bonus is that this is the first book in a trilogy so there is more action to come.
If you're looking for some great storytelling combined with fantastic writing, then The King's Folly is the book for you.
Kings and queens. Princes and princesses. The eternal struggle for power driven by greed and graft. Check, check, check. It's all here in one grandiose tale of the destruction of kingdoms and men. Yeah, I know that sounds kind of depressing, but in true Williamson style, there is plenty of humor and romance and action tossed into the mix.
At first I was a little confused with who was who. There are a lot of names. Strange ones at that. Thankfully right at the beginning there is a glossary of Who's Who.
The other bonus is that this is the first book in a trilogy so there is more action to come.
If you're looking for some great storytelling combined with fantastic writing, then The King's Folly is the book for you.
June 17, 2018
As a BIG fan of Jill Williamson's "Blood of King's Trilogy," I want this. Now. Please?
Edit: Have now read it! On to book two! *jumps aboard ship* 😄
Edit: Have now read it! On to book two! *jumps aboard ship* 😄
April 10, 2016
I received this book from the author/publisher for the purpose of this review. All comments and opinions are entirely my own.
It pains me to write this review, because Jill Williamson is honestly one of my personal favorite {Christian} authors. Her incredible writing style and immensely wonderful storylines have more than once received my 5 star rating, however, in King’s Folly, I’m afraid that she fell short of her own reputation in my eyes.
The storyline of King’s Folly is very unique and as are the characters; nor have I ever seen a fantasy story world built quite like the one present in this book, however, it is a very dark book. Containing dark magic, dark plots, and dark scenes that are very depressing to the reader. Whenever I picked up the book to read it, I could feel my spirit drop from its usual joy to this feeling of utter, pressing sadness. That alone was enough to cause me to stop reading, however, unfortunately, there were a few other aspects that caused me to stop just when it was getting interesting.
The sexuality present in this book shocked me; because it was never this forward in any of Jill’s past books (after all, she is supposed to be a Christian author). Almost literally every page had either a derogatory comment or an “almost” sex scene. The main male characters had concubines or slept with prostitutes (and were proud of it), while the main female characters either talked about it or had battled with being a sex slave in the past. Every. Single. Character. Contributed in some way to the ridiculous amount to of sexuality that I simply could not handle it any longer; it intensified as the book went on rather than decreased, so I put it down.
Usually, I try to finish a book even if I don’t like it, because many will often have a redeeming moment in which everything is righted; however, this book is just too heavy (and long) to drag a reader on with no break and continual mounting of problems. Even if the end of the story is powerful and redeems the journey it took to get there, the author should have lightened the book enough to make it endurable to the readers. Not to mention at least tone down the sexuality, I understand that many kings and kingdoms had concubines and such, but there are better ways to inform the reader of this without disgusting them, especially when one is assumed to be a Christian author.
Because of all of this, King’s Folly, can only receive 1 out of 5 stars from me and I’m afraid that I will be very hesitant on reading any of Jill’s future books.
It pains me to write this review, because Jill Williamson is honestly one of my personal favorite {Christian} authors. Her incredible writing style and immensely wonderful storylines have more than once received my 5 star rating, however, in King’s Folly, I’m afraid that she fell short of her own reputation in my eyes.
The storyline of King’s Folly is very unique and as are the characters; nor have I ever seen a fantasy story world built quite like the one present in this book, however, it is a very dark book. Containing dark magic, dark plots, and dark scenes that are very depressing to the reader. Whenever I picked up the book to read it, I could feel my spirit drop from its usual joy to this feeling of utter, pressing sadness. That alone was enough to cause me to stop reading, however, unfortunately, there were a few other aspects that caused me to stop just when it was getting interesting.
The sexuality present in this book shocked me; because it was never this forward in any of Jill’s past books (after all, she is supposed to be a Christian author). Almost literally every page had either a derogatory comment or an “almost” sex scene. The main male characters had concubines or slept with prostitutes (and were proud of it), while the main female characters either talked about it or had battled with being a sex slave in the past. Every. Single. Character. Contributed in some way to the ridiculous amount to of sexuality that I simply could not handle it any longer; it intensified as the book went on rather than decreased, so I put it down.
Usually, I try to finish a book even if I don’t like it, because many will often have a redeeming moment in which everything is righted; however, this book is just too heavy (and long) to drag a reader on with no break and continual mounting of problems. Even if the end of the story is powerful and redeems the journey it took to get there, the author should have lightened the book enough to make it endurable to the readers. Not to mention at least tone down the sexuality, I understand that many kings and kingdoms had concubines and such, but there are better ways to inform the reader of this without disgusting them, especially when one is assumed to be a Christian author.
Because of all of this, King’s Folly, can only receive 1 out of 5 stars from me and I’m afraid that I will be very hesitant on reading any of Jill’s future books.
April 13, 2016
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
Well, I liked this little..er...big medieval book! At first, like all books that have a lot of characters, I didn't think I was going to be able to keep up with all of the people, but that wasn't true. My little brain actually worked and remembered people, I can't spell all of them but that's neither here nor there!
King Echad of Armania is not a nice man and he does human sacrifices to appease the gods. At least he thinks he is....
The lands keep having earthquakes and sinkholes. I mean whole towns are falling into the sea or sinking into the ground, most of the people think they are sinking into the underworld.
In the beginning of the book the author sets up all of the people. I have some favorites. Prince Wilek who is trying to become the next heir to his father Echad, but he is in line with his evil brother Prince Janek, we find out just how evil he is later on in the book. Then there is Wil's other brother, Prince Trevn and I love him too. He's a nut and has a wonderful sense of humor. Trevn also gets a crush on another character I really like named Mielle, she is the honor maid to Princess Zeroah that is supposed to marry Wilek. Mielle is just like Trevn and I hope they are able to get together in one of the next books because they are perfect together.
There are some other people that want to take over, there is this witch women. And this poor girl named Charlon gets pulled into the chieftess little group and I feel sorry for her because she is trying to do good and has had nothing but hell all of her life. I won't go into her story, you can read all about it.
There are a lot of crazy things happening in this book but it's not too much that you get lost. Believe me when I say that because I can get lost in a book if too much is going on! Anyway, you have evil doings at the castle, people are not who they say they are, sacrifices and killings, death by sinkholes, magic and etc and so on.
I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to seeing what they are going to do in the next books because they all had to flee at the end!
*I would like to thank BethanyHouse for a print copy of this book in exchange for honest review.*
Well, I liked this little..er...big medieval book! At first, like all books that have a lot of characters, I didn't think I was going to be able to keep up with all of the people, but that wasn't true. My little brain actually worked and remembered people, I can't spell all of them but that's neither here nor there!
King Echad of Armania is not a nice man and he does human sacrifices to appease the gods. At least he thinks he is....
The lands keep having earthquakes and sinkholes. I mean whole towns are falling into the sea or sinking into the ground, most of the people think they are sinking into the underworld.
In the beginning of the book the author sets up all of the people. I have some favorites. Prince Wilek who is trying to become the next heir to his father Echad, but he is in line with his evil brother Prince Janek, we find out just how evil he is later on in the book. Then there is Wil's other brother, Prince Trevn and I love him too. He's a nut and has a wonderful sense of humor. Trevn also gets a crush on another character I really like named Mielle, she is the honor maid to Princess Zeroah that is supposed to marry Wilek. Mielle is just like Trevn and I hope they are able to get together in one of the next books because they are perfect together.
There are some other people that want to take over, there is this witch women. And this poor girl named Charlon gets pulled into the chieftess little group and I feel sorry for her because she is trying to do good and has had nothing but hell all of her life. I won't go into her story, you can read all about it.
There are a lot of crazy things happening in this book but it's not too much that you get lost. Believe me when I say that because I can get lost in a book if too much is going on! Anyway, you have evil doings at the castle, people are not who they say they are, sacrifices and killings, death by sinkholes, magic and etc and so on.
I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to seeing what they are going to do in the next books because they all had to flee at the end!
*I would like to thank BethanyHouse for a print copy of this book in exchange for honest review.*
June 10, 2016
I loved Jill Williamson’s Blood of Kings trilogy, so when I heard she was releasing a prequel series, the Kinsman Chronicles, you can understand how excited I was. And King’s Folly is an exciting story in its own right . . . even if I didn’t like it quite as much as I expected.
The Good:
-Trevn is basically my favorite character in the entire book. Adventurous, curious, dramatic, but with a sense of responsibility and courage to match any other hero you could name. Every chapter topped with his name, I devoured happily. Hinck, his backman, is also pretty fun, though I didn’t like him as much.
-Wilek was also a good character, though, again, I preferred Trevn. He’s more serious than Trevn, but along with that, he’s more mindful of his duty, more focused on accomplishing things and being Heir than on simply having adventures.
It was really fun to learn about Er’rets before it even existed. All through the book, I found myself picking up bits and pieces and saying “Oh! Here’s how this thing in Blood of Kings got started, and here’s that thing, and the other thing . . .” The names of some of the families- Hadar, Pitney, Orson[a]- are obvious, as are the names of the gods. But the Hamatarno’s (sp?) female-mage-centric culture obviously comes from a mixture of Tenma and Magonia (or perhaps just Tenma; either way- I’m 99% sure that Jazlyn is some ancestor of Jaira). Onika definitely has Poroo (sp?) blood, and I’m thinking that Grayson (and others like him, if they exist) will lead to the [grey-skinned race in Er’rets]. Inko’s obsession with lucky numbers is certainly a remnant of the fives thing here.
Court intrigue! There wasn’t as much of it in this book as I hoped, but some is better than none, and trying to figure out who’s backing what faction and trying to accomplish what agenda is always fun.
The Mixed Bag:
The culture was interesting, not entirely unlike the traditional castles-and-kings setting of most fantasy books, but more than different enough to set it apart. That being said, there were some things I didn’t quite understand. For instance, what does the whole “matching in fives” thing mean? What’s a onesent (though I sort of picked that one up by halfway through the book) and what exactly is a backman supposed to do (which I thought I picked up but I’m still not totally certain on)? I honestly wish there’d been a glossary in the back, like in the Wheel of Time books, to clarify everything.
The religion was also interesting- it’s far more developed than the religions in most books (with the exception of Cosmere novels), and felt like something that could actually exist. That being said, it weirded me out at first to be reading a Christian novel in which the majority of characters were non-Christian and actively worshipped other gods. It got easier to handle later on, but still.
The Bad:
Charlon. Oh storms and stars and dragon’s teeth, I hate Charlon. I mean, when I first met her I felt rather sorry for her? And I almost liked her a little? But that lasted exactly one chapter-from-her-viewpoint, and then I started disliking her more and more and more- her and Mreegan both. And by the end of the book, I seriously wanted to strangle the both of them.
The romance/sex. This is possibly more of a mixed-bag thing, but in general I disliked it so I’m putting it here. Now, I have said before: I like romance in books, so long as it’s appropriate and not too fluffy and doesn’t take over the book. And the romance in King’s Folly is anything but fluffy. It’s those other two qualifications that it struggles with. Literally half the book is in some way related to romance, sex, or both. And while I definitely ship Trevelle (they’re adorable fellow adventurer-Renegades!), there is literally no other couple in the book who I like enough to ship. Also, while nothing explicit is shown, there’s a storming lot of references to and mentions of sex- honestly, on that front, I’d say this book is more mature than Warbreaker. Part of that is the culture: multiple wives, concubines, mistresses, and generally sleeping around are sort of the expected thing. And while some characters (by which I mostly mean Trevn and sort of Mielle and Zeroah) go against it, most . . . don’t. As I said, nothing explicit is shown, but it’s still brought up a lot, and there’s at least three, possibly more, fade-to-black scenes.
There are no chapter numbers. I suppose this isn’t a big thing . . . but it bugs me anyway. There’s just a name at the top of each chapter to tell you whose viewpoint it’s from and that’s it. I want chapter numbers. They’re a good way to measure your reading progress . . . and also a good excuse to either stop or keep reading late at night, when you say “Well, I just finished chapter 26, and it’s nearly 10:00, but 27 is a stronger number than 26, so one more chapter! And then 27 is also a stronger number than 28, because 3 and 9 trump 4 and 8, and 7 also trumps 8, so we’ll stop there.” (Yeah. Inko and the fives-counting characters in this book might not be the only ones with a thing about numbers . . .)
All-in-all, I did enjoy King’s Folly. It’s a rich and exciting look at the history of Er’rets (which doesn’t read like a history book). However, due to the overwhelming number of references to sex and romance, I’d say that this book is best for mature readers.
The Good:
-Trevn is basically my favorite character in the entire book. Adventurous, curious, dramatic, but with a sense of responsibility and courage to match any other hero you could name. Every chapter topped with his name, I devoured happily. Hinck, his backman, is also pretty fun, though I didn’t like him as much.
-Wilek was also a good character, though, again, I preferred Trevn. He’s more serious than Trevn, but along with that, he’s more mindful of his duty, more focused on accomplishing things and being Heir than on simply having adventures.
It was really fun to learn about Er’rets before it even existed. All through the book, I found myself picking up bits and pieces and saying “Oh! Here’s how this thing in Blood of Kings got started, and here’s that thing, and the other thing . . .” The names of some of the families- Hadar, Pitney, Orson[a]- are obvious, as are the names of the gods. But the Hamatarno’s (sp?) female-mage-centric culture obviously comes from a mixture of Tenma and Magonia (or perhaps just Tenma; either way- I’m 99% sure that Jazlyn is some ancestor of Jaira). Onika definitely has Poroo (sp?) blood, and I’m thinking that Grayson (and others like him, if they exist) will lead to the [grey-skinned race in Er’rets]. Inko’s obsession with lucky numbers is certainly a remnant of the fives thing here.
Court intrigue! There wasn’t as much of it in this book as I hoped, but some is better than none, and trying to figure out who’s backing what faction and trying to accomplish what agenda is always fun.
The Mixed Bag:
The culture was interesting, not entirely unlike the traditional castles-and-kings setting of most fantasy books, but more than different enough to set it apart. That being said, there were some things I didn’t quite understand. For instance, what does the whole “matching in fives” thing mean? What’s a onesent (though I sort of picked that one up by halfway through the book) and what exactly is a backman supposed to do (which I thought I picked up but I’m still not totally certain on)? I honestly wish there’d been a glossary in the back, like in the Wheel of Time books, to clarify everything.
The religion was also interesting- it’s far more developed than the religions in most books (with the exception of Cosmere novels), and felt like something that could actually exist. That being said, it weirded me out at first to be reading a Christian novel in which the majority of characters were non-Christian and actively worshipped other gods. It got easier to handle later on, but still.
The Bad:
Charlon. Oh storms and stars and dragon’s teeth, I hate Charlon. I mean, when I first met her I felt rather sorry for her? And I almost liked her a little? But that lasted exactly one chapter-from-her-viewpoint, and then I started disliking her more and more and more- her and Mreegan both. And by the end of the book, I seriously wanted to strangle the both of them.
The romance/sex. This is possibly more of a mixed-bag thing, but in general I disliked it so I’m putting it here. Now, I have said before: I like romance in books, so long as it’s appropriate and not too fluffy and doesn’t take over the book. And the romance in King’s Folly is anything but fluffy. It’s those other two qualifications that it struggles with. Literally half the book is in some way related to romance, sex, or both. And while I definitely ship Trevelle (they’re adorable fellow adventurer-Renegades!), there is literally no other couple in the book who I like enough to ship. Also, while nothing explicit is shown, there’s a storming lot of references to and mentions of sex- honestly, on that front, I’d say this book is more mature than Warbreaker. Part of that is the culture: multiple wives, concubines, mistresses, and generally sleeping around are sort of the expected thing. And while some characters (by which I mostly mean Trevn and sort of Mielle and Zeroah) go against it, most . . . don’t. As I said, nothing explicit is shown, but it’s still brought up a lot, and there’s at least three, possibly more, fade-to-black scenes.
There are no chapter numbers. I suppose this isn’t a big thing . . . but it bugs me anyway. There’s just a name at the top of each chapter to tell you whose viewpoint it’s from and that’s it. I want chapter numbers. They’re a good way to measure your reading progress . . . and also a good excuse to either stop or keep reading late at night, when you say “Well, I just finished chapter 26, and it’s nearly 10:00, but 27 is a stronger number than 26, so one more chapter! And then 27 is also a stronger number than 28, because 3 and 9 trump 4 and 8, and 7 also trumps 8, so we’ll stop there.” (Yeah. Inko and the fives-counting characters in this book might not be the only ones with a thing about numbers . . .)
All-in-all, I did enjoy King’s Folly. It’s a rich and exciting look at the history of Er’rets (which doesn’t read like a history book). However, due to the overwhelming number of references to sex and romance, I’d say that this book is best for mature readers.
July 23, 2016
*sigh* Before I say anything, allow me to be quite forceful in pointing out that I rarely never finish a book. I read 218 pages of this book (finishing the first part of the story-Darkness Reigns) and then just didn't want to sit through another 300 pages of crap. I found this shelved in the fantasy section of my library. Well, I suppose it sort of IS a fantasy book. But, it is ALSO a christian-based fantasy story (WTF? Don't they have the Bible already?) with liberal dashes of Young Adult thrown in.
I didn't know anything about the author, in fact I didn't even glance at the author's name. I saw a cool looking book called "Kings Folly" and read the back and was interested. As I was reading the book I began to get a strange feeling of "WTF is going on here?" and between Princes who cry a lot (over concubines); Princes who cry, not the one mourning the concubine but yet another prince, who cry because some tall, annoying commoner didn't want to give them a kiss; commoners and concubines that speak to Princes Royal (Princes who will inherit the throne) as if they were Nobles themselves.....I KNEW something was up. But, I slogged on hoping to see some maturity and "darkness" (the book was touted as being a dark fantasy)...and saw nothing. This is a Young Adult novel at best and it's part of something called "Christian Fantasy".....*sigh* look..anyone and everyone can have books written for their tastes. I have no problem with it. I dislike false advertising. This crap isn't any dark fantasy, unless you are 12 and think LOTR is "dark".
Boring, weak, pathetic main characters...overly annoying plot....bah it's not even worth my time to review any more of this garbage. If you are under the age of 14 or are a Christian.....this is a great book. For the rest of us- take a pass. If you desperately need some YA crap to read-try Harry Potter, at least THAT is well written enough to be an enjoyable read.
I didn't know anything about the author, in fact I didn't even glance at the author's name. I saw a cool looking book called "Kings Folly" and read the back and was interested. As I was reading the book I began to get a strange feeling of "WTF is going on here?" and between Princes who cry a lot (over concubines); Princes who cry, not the one mourning the concubine but yet another prince, who cry because some tall, annoying commoner didn't want to give them a kiss; commoners and concubines that speak to Princes Royal (Princes who will inherit the throne) as if they were Nobles themselves.....I KNEW something was up. But, I slogged on hoping to see some maturity and "darkness" (the book was touted as being a dark fantasy)...and saw nothing. This is a Young Adult novel at best and it's part of something called "Christian Fantasy".....*sigh* look..anyone and everyone can have books written for their tastes. I have no problem with it. I dislike false advertising. This crap isn't any dark fantasy, unless you are 12 and think LOTR is "dark".
Boring, weak, pathetic main characters...overly annoying plot....bah it's not even worth my time to review any more of this garbage. If you are under the age of 14 or are a Christian.....this is a great book. For the rest of us- take a pass. If you desperately need some YA crap to read-try Harry Potter, at least THAT is well written enough to be an enjoyable read.
February 17, 2019
I thought this book started out slow, and honesty I didn't like Wilek at first. Eventually he grew on me though. I am glad it was told in many character's point of view, it helped us to understand the plot and the world better. I really like Trevn and Mielle because they challenge the views of their world and eventually Wilek begins to do the same. While eventually these people realize the gods are false, I only suggest this book for mature readers because of dark magic that the mantics practice and the lack of morality the king of armania has that others follow. I am excited to read the next book in the series though!
June 4, 2021
(See my reviews of Darkness Reigns, The Heir War, and The End of All Things.)
April 14, 2020
An epic book, filled with wonderful world-building, sympathetic characters, and an intriguing story and plot. Looking forward to reading the second one!
July 4, 2018
I loved the content as one whole story. I would have loved to read it through. But seeing this content serialized… It really jolted me out of the story. I found myself dropping interest in between parts. As a story, I don't think that King's Folly was correct for this form of publishing. I felt Darkness Reigns had trouble standing on it's own, and where I expected full plot I got a mere chunk. I can understand how the plot of a series works, but this story didn't have that sort of plot. This may seem harsh, and don't get me wrong. I LOVED THIS STORY. But in the form I read it in (serialized), it felt very disjointed and once I got into the story, it would end. I can understand this format for larger books, but honestly 190 or so pages is what it takes for me to get into a story like this, and it just felt…. Awkward? Is that the correct word? But enough with my complaints. Now for the section where I RAVE.
I absolutely loved this story. But I loved some parts more than others. NAMELY, Mielle+Trevn, worldbuilding, writing, politics… THIS BOOK WAS SO MUCH DEFINITELY HIGH FANTASY. Oh yes. Jill has created a world that will claim you with fervor and characters that will seem like friends. The politics of her world are complicated, yet easy to understand, the characters complex, yet lovable. I loved every second of this book. This book contained at least four different POV characters. Usually when this goes on I get confused or annoyed, but I looked forward to every different character's voice and view. I had no trouble telling these characters apart, and each was completely original and well-formed. I even cared for those not on the good side! I am genuinely entwined and interested in these characters lives and I positively cannot wait for King's Blood, when I can join them yet again for an adventure. I shall miss these lovely, lovely people and their world. Until next time, I shall treasure the time spent with them.
OKAY PLEASE GIVE ME A MOMENT TO GEEK OUT.
SHE ENDED THE BOOK WITH “NOT THE END” I GREW UP READING “NOT THE END” FOR EVERY BLOOD OF KINGS BOOK. YESYESYESYESYESYES. THAT WAS ABSOLUTE AND WONDERFUL PERFECTION. WELL DONE, JILL.
Not the End.
Five stars!
FOR THE PARENTS
As a part of the world Jill is representing, many of the men have concubines, including on the main POV characters. There is kissing, implied sex, and innuendos, but nothing shown. One of the characters also has a quest to get pregnant by another character.
*DISCLAIMER: I received an ARC copy of this book in serial form in exchange for my honest opinion.
I absolutely loved this story. But I loved some parts more than others. NAMELY, Mielle+Trevn, worldbuilding, writing, politics… THIS BOOK WAS SO MUCH DEFINITELY HIGH FANTASY. Oh yes. Jill has created a world that will claim you with fervor and characters that will seem like friends. The politics of her world are complicated, yet easy to understand, the characters complex, yet lovable. I loved every second of this book. This book contained at least four different POV characters. Usually when this goes on I get confused or annoyed, but I looked forward to every different character's voice and view. I had no trouble telling these characters apart, and each was completely original and well-formed. I even cared for those not on the good side! I am genuinely entwined and interested in these characters lives and I positively cannot wait for King's Blood, when I can join them yet again for an adventure. I shall miss these lovely, lovely people and their world. Until next time, I shall treasure the time spent with them.
OKAY PLEASE GIVE ME A MOMENT TO GEEK OUT.
SHE ENDED THE BOOK WITH “NOT THE END” I GREW UP READING “NOT THE END” FOR EVERY BLOOD OF KINGS BOOK. YESYESYESYESYESYES. THAT WAS ABSOLUTE AND WONDERFUL PERFECTION. WELL DONE, JILL.
Not the End.
Five stars!
FOR THE PARENTS
As a part of the world Jill is representing, many of the men have concubines, including on the main POV characters. There is kissing, implied sex, and innuendos, but nothing shown. One of the characters also has a quest to get pregnant by another character.
*DISCLAIMER: I received an ARC copy of this book in serial form in exchange for my honest opinion.
February 5, 2016
Part one of the prequels of the Blood of Kings series, King’s Folly is quite different than its predecessor. This book begins with a series of different storylines—each chapter containing the background story of one of the main characters. Because of this, the characters remained distant for a while—I found it confusing and difficult to see at first where the author was taking this story. After reading about 35% of the book, I finally got used to the characters and started to care about what happened. Usually I would have stopped reading much earlier if a book took me so long getting into – but knowing Jill Williamson’s work, I knew she would deliver and I persisted. Good thing I did, because when the storyline finally grabbed my full attention I didn’t want to stop reading. However, the ending came too soon and seemed a bit rushed in my opinion. All in all it was a good read and I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
January 3, 2016
My favorite book of 2015.
Fantastic worldbuilding. Complex and developed cultures. Subtle allegory. Large cast of characters. Compelling plot. Clever storyline. Everything I like in a book by one of my favorite authors.
Fantastic worldbuilding. Complex and developed cultures. Subtle allegory. Large cast of characters. Compelling plot. Clever storyline. Everything I like in a book by one of my favorite authors.
July 13, 2021
Disclaimer: I won this in a Goodreads giveaway ages ago, so here's my honest review.
It’s good to dive into a well-done epic fantasy – the rival kingdoms and sprawling dynasties and political intrigue! There’s several pages of a character guide at the front of this book, which are much-needed, and they give an indicator of what we’re in for. (That said, I think a family tree would have been much easier to read than this character guide.)
Basically, it’s like Game of Thrones, if Game of Thrones were a reasonably focused trilogy, and written by a woman to avoid some of the egregious rapey-ness of the series. The biggest difference is that many of the characters in this book are actually likable and easy to root for – with Hinckdan being a personal favorite of mine, because I can’t resist the sass levels on that boy!
The series could still do with a bit of streamlining – there were a few side-quests and minor character POVs that I really could have done without – but on the whole, the sprawling story really comes together quite elegantly towards the end. Particularly the main storylines of brother Wilek and Trevn became very engrossing, and had me quickly reaching for the next book in the series.
It’s good to dive into a well-done epic fantasy – the rival kingdoms and sprawling dynasties and political intrigue! There’s several pages of a character guide at the front of this book, which are much-needed, and they give an indicator of what we’re in for. (That said, I think a family tree would have been much easier to read than this character guide.)
Basically, it’s like Game of Thrones, if Game of Thrones were a reasonably focused trilogy, and written by a woman to avoid some of the egregious rapey-ness of the series. The biggest difference is that many of the characters in this book are actually likable and easy to root for – with Hinckdan being a personal favorite of mine, because I can’t resist the sass levels on that boy!
The series could still do with a bit of streamlining – there were a few side-quests and minor character POVs that I really could have done without – but on the whole, the sprawling story really comes together quite elegantly towards the end. Particularly the main storylines of brother Wilek and Trevn became very engrossing, and had me quickly reaching for the next book in the series.
May 31, 2019
A masterful creation of the ancient world. Told from many characters who pull you in and make you want to know what happens next. Full of energy and suspense.
June 26, 2016
I am really not sure how to review this book. Overall, I was extremely frustrated. But as I outlined my complaints to my husband, he told me that everything I am describing is normal for the fantasy genre. As I rarely read fantasy, I'm not used to these particular characteristics.
1 - The plot is massive. There are many events going on at the same time and it was difficult to keep everything straight in my mind.
2 - There are way too many character POVs. The characters kept changing. There were even a couple chapters written from the perspective of very minor characters, simply to present a minor detail that could not be shown from another character's perspective.
3 - The book had no ending. The story just cut off! It is clear that this is intended to be a series. I read plenty of series and each book is usually a complete story in itself. The next book usually continues with the same characters or tells another story about a minor character from the previous book, that minor character now being a main character in the current book. King's Folly, however, cannot be read on its own. If you want to know how the story ends, you have no choice but to buy or borrow the next book.
My final complaint is one that is independent of the fantasy genre. This book was published by Bethany House, a Christian publishing company. However, the book is not Christian in the slightest. Other reviewers have written that it is an allegory, but I don't see it. It's not like either Narnia (allegory) or LotR (religious themes). Maybe the second book will contain "conversion scenes" that turn this into a Christian story. But King's Folly (in my view) was not a Christian book. I was disappointed.
1 - The plot is massive. There are many events going on at the same time and it was difficult to keep everything straight in my mind.
2 - There are way too many character POVs. The characters kept changing. There were even a couple chapters written from the perspective of very minor characters, simply to present a minor detail that could not be shown from another character's perspective.
3 - The book had no ending. The story just cut off! It is clear that this is intended to be a series. I read plenty of series and each book is usually a complete story in itself. The next book usually continues with the same characters or tells another story about a minor character from the previous book, that minor character now being a main character in the current book. King's Folly, however, cannot be read on its own. If you want to know how the story ends, you have no choice but to buy or borrow the next book.
My final complaint is one that is independent of the fantasy genre. This book was published by Bethany House, a Christian publishing company. However, the book is not Christian in the slightest. Other reviewers have written that it is an allegory, but I don't see it. It's not like either Narnia (allegory) or LotR (religious themes). Maybe the second book will contain "conversion scenes" that turn this into a Christian story. But King's Folly (in my view) was not a Christian book. I was disappointed.
May 3, 2016
RESEÑA COMPLETA EN ESPAÑOL
Fantasy that does not disappoint.
I'll be honest. Fantasy is not my thing. When I check my bookshelf and I see how many books I have, there are just a few fantasy books, and I realized that it is not because I do not enjoy the genre, but because it is a bit difficult for me to understand.
When I saw this book, I found it so tempting that I could not pass up. Jill Williamson is an author that I heard before, but I have never had the opportunity to read. Therefore, now seemed the perfect opportunity.
At first, it was a bit difficult to understand the story because everything is new, starting with the world in which it develops, until the name of the characters. However, once you immerse in history, you begin to enjoy the characters and everything that happens.
The plot is very complex, and it is developed in a very well built world; the characters invite you to continue reading and you definitely become addicted to the story.
This is one of those books that invites you to fall in love with the genre even if you're not a fan, so I encourage you to read it.
-I recieved a copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion-
June 29, 2016
Genre: Christian, Fantasy, Romance.
Age Range: 16+ for sexual hints.
Series: First book in the Kinsman Chronicles
Stars: 4 out of 5 stars.
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
This book is packed with action and romance! Easily a new favorite of mine, The King’s Blood is divided into three sections: Darkness Reigns, The Heir, and The End of All Things which makes it easier to read the rather chunky book
The King’s Blood was a nice mix of plot and character development. A lot of books that I have read lately focus on one and not the other. I loved the characters and the plot never slowed down. Speaking of characters, my favorites were Wilek, Kalenek and Trevn. I wish the whole book was written from JUST their points of view. I do understand why she chose the point of views she did; they worked well with the story and gave you insight where you needed it.
You might want to know:
There was quite a bit of talk of concubines and prostitutes throughout the book. It does fit the story line and it wasn’t detailed or awkward for the reader.
Age Range: 16+ for sexual hints.
Series: First book in the Kinsman Chronicles
Stars: 4 out of 5 stars.
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
This book is packed with action and romance! Easily a new favorite of mine, The King’s Blood is divided into three sections: Darkness Reigns, The Heir, and The End of All Things which makes it easier to read the rather chunky book
The King’s Blood was a nice mix of plot and character development. A lot of books that I have read lately focus on one and not the other. I loved the characters and the plot never slowed down. Speaking of characters, my favorites were Wilek, Kalenek and Trevn. I wish the whole book was written from JUST their points of view. I do understand why she chose the point of views she did; they worked well with the story and gave you insight where you needed it.
You might want to know:
There was quite a bit of talk of concubines and prostitutes throughout the book. It does fit the story line and it wasn’t detailed or awkward for the reader.
November 27, 2015
This Christian fantasy book is set in the Five Realms with well developed characters and a plot that keeps you reading. Earthquakes are becoming more and more common even with frequent sacrifices to Barthos, the god of the soil. The King of Armania still needs to choose an heir to his throne from his three sons. Who will it be? His choice could determine the future of his realm. Magnonia, a realm ruled by women, is determined to rule all the realms even if it takes magic to do it. Will good triumph over evil? Will the characters step up to the challenge before them and do what is right? This book sets the stage for the rest of the series and does a great job of not only introducing the characters but the stage for future books. At first, I thought I would be overwhelmed by all the different characters, but the author did a great job of making them memorable and tying everything together enough to keep you reading to find out more. Warning: You will want to read book 2. (Note: I was able to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review)
August 5, 2016
While I enjoyed this book, at times I found it difficult to follow the different POVs in every chapter (they were labeled for the specific characters). I didn't really get a grip on each character until about halfway through the book and had to try and recall who everyone was. This is a very adventurous story that tells of things as they were more like in ancient times, and I can appreciate it for the story it told. I will be looking forward to the next books in the series! I want to know what happens between Wilek/Zeroah & Trevn/Mielle!
November 30, 2015
This is an amazing piece of work. I got the honor of being part of the Launch Team for this, and it does not disappoint. Jill Williamson writes such a detailed story world and ties it all together without overdoing anything or losing us in the plot. This book shouldn't just be for Christian Fantasy fans-anyone who appreciates good writing should read this book.
April 13, 2016
I was so excited to receive my copy of this in the mail. This book has intriguing plot, likable characters, and good action sequences. King's Folly was a fairly easy read that keeps you interested. A great start to a series! I can not wait until I get to read the next one!
( I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
( I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
November 19, 2015
I have to organize my thoughts before I do a real review, but ohhhh so good.
Want to read
February 15, 2017(*screams*) MY LIBRARY HAS IT!!!!
May 6, 2018
Bad. I found the writing poor and annoying.
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