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The War Queen

J.M. Robison (Goodreads Author)

4.54 · Rating details · 26 ratings · 16 reviews

Altarn is the first woman to hold the position of State Head in Blindvar. When Lord Kaelin, State Head of Ruidenthall, propositions her to merger with their states, Altarn believes it’s his subtle way of taking her state for his own, making himself king. On the cusp of war, she rides in disguise to her last ally, Luthsinia, to ask for help.

During her journey, Altarn is amb ...more

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ebook, 314 pages

Published September 28th 2016 by Tirgearr Publishing

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Oct 02, 2016 J.M. Robison rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author)

Shelves: favorites

Though Goodreads allows authors to write a review about their own book, I don't think any of you would find that helpful. Instead, I want to share with you where I got the inspiration for The War Queen:

I conceived the idea for The War Queen In 2008. I'd gone for a midnight walk to the pillars above ISU campus in Pocatello, ID. I'm fairly imaginative and always creating stories and scenarios in my head, so while sitting beneath the pillars by myself, I imagined that some god had fallen on the pil Though Goodreads allows authors to write a review about their own book, I don't think any of you would find that helpful. Instead, I want to share with you where I got the inspiration for The War Queen:

I conceived the idea for The War Queen In 2008. I'd gone for a midnight walk to the pillars above ISU campus in Pocatello, ID. I'm fairly imaginative and always creating stories and scenarios in my head, so while sitting beneath the pillars by myself, I imagined that some god had fallen on the pillars and that's why they were broken. And thus Fangbor came to be.

One thing to understand about me as a writer; I am a pantster 100% (which means I write by the seat of my pants instead of having a clear outline before I begin the story.) For me, as long as I have a shady beginning, questionable middle, and blurry ending, I dive in and begin writing. For the War Queen, I had a beginning and a middle, but no ending. This usually isn't a problem for me, since I've never had trouble creating the story as I write it. But so far in the story, I had ideas right up to where X and Y revealed themselves for who they really were, but after that I had no idea, and continuing to write wasn't producing any more ideas for me, so I stopped writing.

I sat on The War Queen for 7 years. I mused about it sometimes, but it stayed in a notebook shoved in my bookcase and I really can't say how it survived 4 moves. I wasn't writing it and didn't care to finish.

I was on writing.com one day, browsing through their contest listings so I could enter one, and I found a short story contest. "Well," I thought, "I've only written 20 pages in The War Queen and have no idea how to continue, so I could turn it into a short story, I guess."

I started to work it together in my mind how I wanted this short story to go. In the process of thinking about it, this thought punched me in the throat: "X kidnaps Y." An explosion went off in my head, and idea after idea tumbled into my hands and within 3 hours I had step-by-step process on how my story would end, to include all my side characters, their names, and word-for-word dialogue. I've never had a story come so clear and easy to me before.

I never did enter that short story contest. ...more

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Oct 14, 2016 Sheldon Pollock rated it really liked it

The war queen is a great book for all who enjoy the fantasy stories, and its a good twist and great addition to have a female hero and main character. easy to follow story line and good flow to the reader. This book is recommended for anyone looking for a great fantacy story with a small touch of romance for those who need it.

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Apr 11, 2018 Cami Hensley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: new-adult, fantasy, romance

This book takes you in and doesn't let go.
For a first book this author has my full and utter attention. If she can continue this storytelling she has in this book, then we have an author to be watched.
Thank you for this book and please keep going with your imagination. It is truly a gift. ...more

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Aug 20, 2019 Isaac rated it it was amazing

JM Robison is a maestro with a pen. In yet another one of her fantastic stories, dynamic characters journey through the story of The War Queen - characters who remind us of ourselves in many ways; how we actually are, and who we’d like to be. Faced with dire threats and crises throughout the book, characters are faced with difficult situations and are forced to make hard choices that they must live with as they navigate an absolutely brilliant plotline.

The vivid world-building in The War Queen ...more

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Jul 03, 2017 R.K. Emery rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy

For a fantasy tale, this was a good sized book and it was a very fast paced read in addition to it. It kept me wanting to continue, it was fun and addictive. There wasn't any time to have my mind wandering. From the get go, there was lots of things happening at once.

The writing style was simple and the narration was easy to follow. The imagery had me immersed in the realm introduced by the author. The characters were rich and well portrayed. The smooth flow of the tale kept me stable even throu ...more

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Jul 03, 2017 Samantha Turley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy

I loved the descriptive way this novel was written. It really submerges the reader into the world.
This novel was very vivid in the descriptions, the writing really jumped off the pages and into my mind, so kudos to her for that.
I liked the dark moments, those appealed to me and I think they were well done. As were the surprises.
I enjoyed the characters and the growth they showed throughout the novel.
Overall pacing was great. I felt like it really kept pace the entire time and I never felt like i ...more

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Jun 10, 2017 C. Gonzales rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy

JM Robison has a great ability for description. She really makes the reader understand the ins and outs of her characters by giving such in depth descriptions.

I enjoyed the chemistry between the characters and the great addition of WIT. I found myself laughing out loud many times through this read.

The author has a beautiful and smooth writing style. It was very easy to follow.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. There is plenty going on and its a very quick yet satisfying read.

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Oct 08, 2017 Rebecca rated it really liked it

Having read a sample of the first chapter I knew that Altarn’s character and her position as State Head was going to be something that interested me a lot. I don’t think I need to go into the many debates about gender equality that are out there at the moment. I’m sure you see it all the time, be it on social media or the news etc. I knew this book was going to intrigue me because I wanted to see how the fictional society of this book adapted to the change of power being in the hands of a female Having read a sample of the first chapter I knew that Altarn’s character and her position as State Head was going to be something that interested me a lot. I don’t think I need to go into the many debates about gender equality that are out there at the moment. I’m sure you see it all the time, be it on social media or the news etc. I knew this book was going to intrigue me because I wanted to see how the fictional society of this book adapted to the change of power being in the hands of a female in comparison with what we experience in reality. I was also keen to understand how Altarn coped with the difficulties, prejudice and the challenges to her credibility experienced.

Altarn believes Kaelin, the Lord of Ruidenthall is set upon taking her land, however her council do not believe her when she brings this matter to their attention. Having had countless letters ignored and fearing the worst for her state, she sets out to neutral Luthsinia to gain the aid necessary to fend off the impending attack. As it happens, Altarn’s concern over Kaelin’s actions are the least of her concerns and ultimately, the two sides join forces to eradicate an unforeseen threat.

I found Altarn to be a remarkably developed character – in a lot of ways, I felt I could relate to her emotionally. In the first chapter we see Altarn arrive at her State Manor, clearly enraged and she quite humourously lashes out at a training target with the name of the man who told her “You have to ride the horse before you buy it. Because if you buy it first, you may find out later it limps”. Her behaviour is entirely relatable to us mere mortals (well, at least to me anyway), however, it is not the behaviour expected of a woman in her position – and especially not in public. This scene really introduces Altarn’s character and sets her development arc for the remainder of the book.

As Altarn travels to Luthsinia undercover to request aid, she ends up travelling with a young man who protects her on the road from a band of men who have less than polite intentions. Altarn perceives herself to be more than capable of defending herself, having served in the army and intends to face the threat single-handedly. As a result of this unknown man leaping to her defence, she feels irritated that she was perceived to have needed help. Despite her obvious resentment, Altarn sees the sense of safety in numbers and continues to travel with the young man, albeit distrustfully. I cannot help but wonder if this scenario is something JM has drawn on her army experience for. Is Altarn’s circumstance (real or perceived – I’ll allow my lack of experience to keep me sitting on the fence) of feeling or being treated as the inferior sex something experienced in the army?

With the novel written in the first person narrative from the perspective of Altarn, we get to really understand the way she is thinking and feeling. I can speak now, as a woman, when I say that a lot of her emotional struggles are perfectly relatable. As she rebounds from Jessom and begins to “admire” her mysterious co-traveller, this isn’t a spontaneous reaction just for the purpose of plot developing. What I am trying to say is… it’s a perfectly natural reaction. Altarn is forced to mature and reign in these feelings as she comes to terms with the political turmoil she has to endure for the safety of her people, although this is a great struggle for her.

I’m glad now that I have gotten to this point. If there was any element of the book I wasn’t sure I was going to like, it was the relationship between Altarn and Lord Kaelin. As a rule, books with too much emphasis on relationship struggles are a turn off for me. Regardless of my feelings on the matter, allow me to be clear that the tumultuous relationship between these two powers is a quintessential element of both the plot and the development of each of these characters. I was pleasantly surprised that despite the reasonably high dependence the plot has on the relationship, I didn’t feel alienated from the characters involved – if anything it serves a reminder of just how human they are.

I also love how the book concluded. I am not going to spoil it for you, but what I will say is this… It could have been easy for the book to end in a very typical, fairytale manner. Allow me to say I am glad it didn’t. The characters are far more sophisticated than that and I am glad that shows.

I also enjoyed the developed and consistent historical background of the fantastical realm, which is introduced when relevant throughout the book. It is a danger for the reader to be the victim of “info-dumps” when the author has to explain a lot of history and context in fantasy worlds created, but I can honestly say I didn’t feel overwhelmed at any point.

In my opinion, The War Queen is an enjoyable read for all lovers of the fantasy genre. Whilst there are examples of common themes such as war (obviously), religion, (including angels and demons etc), to my mind it has been done in such a way as to set it apart from the common reiterations of the same ideas regularly seen in the genre. ...more

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Feb 04, 2018 Natasha rated it it was amazing

Definitely one of my favorite books! Romance and adventure, my two favorite things!

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Jul 15, 2017 InD'tale Magazine rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017-july-august, genre-fantasy, genre-new-adult, rating-4-star, steam-2

The storytelling in this book is downright amazing!

Read full review in the 2017 July/August issue of InD'tale Magazine. ...more

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Mar 10, 2018 Heather Ramsay rated it it was amazing

The War Queen had me hooked by the first chapter. The fantastical imagery transported me to Endendre where I joined Lady Altarn on her struggles to overcome her own insecurities and find the strength to battle them.

I fell in love with all the characters. From their comical banter with each other to their emotional outbursts, I found myself liking them more as the book went on.

The slow burn chemistry between Lady Altarn and Lord Kaelin had me on the edge of my seat (and reading all night) eager f ...more

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Oct 12, 2016 Kyle Hetrick rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. First off, I'm hardly a reader, let alone a fantasy reader. Even less, I'd say, a fantasy romance reader. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed The War Queen! I'll talk quickly about Part I, then II, then over all.

Part I - The War Queen started out with the main character being distraught over another failed attempt at a love life as well as being pressed to prove that women are just as capable as men. The intricacy of Altarn's self-doubt did numbers to show her vulnerability on the inside whil First off, I'm hardly a reader, let alone a fantasy reader. Even less, I'd say, a fantasy romance reader. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed The War Queen! I'll talk quickly about Part I, then II, then over all.

Part I - The War Queen started out with the main character being distraught over another failed attempt at a love life as well as being pressed to prove that women are just as capable as men. The intricacy of Altarn's self-doubt did numbers to show her vulnerability on the inside while forcing her to put up a facade of courage on the outside. Despite Altarn's immediate situation, J. M. Robinson developed the character very well. What I mean is she showed Altarn's ability to push through hard decisions, exert courage and faith when she had no other choice, but she also stayed vulnerable and self-doubting. My interest deepened with the introduction of Miraha and their God Gildeon. I enjoyed the presentation of a second storyline, especially since they ultimately tied together and each decision made influenced the other.

Part II - This part of the book made me slightly stumble, though as I read on, all was explained. The stumble for me was when Altarn was kidnapped despite the pending invasion of her country she was held captive for so long and there was no action taken by invading nor defending nations. As I said, that was explained. The explanation was brief and I almost missed it. I felt as if the story focused most of Part II on Altarn's and Kaelin's growing romance and less on the second storyline of Gildeon. The marriage of the two story lines near the end was very well written. I was hoping for more of an explanation of where and how Gildeon left. I was also hoping for a picture of how the faith of everyone either changed or remained the same, in both Blindvar and Ruidenthall. I expected a different outcome to the ending of the book, possibly hinting towards a sequel.

Overall - The War Queen is stellar! I found myself tensed during rough times, my heartbeat racing during anxious times, and teary-eyed in sad times. I actually yelled out "No!" when the book ended. It is very captivating and makes you dive into another world within your mind. Many times I found myself riding on a dirt path next to Altarn and Kaelin, then daydreaming of the sulfur steam baths at Gaynord! I would love to see another book be created from this! I can't wait to get my hands on it and read it again! I would, and already have, recommend this book to many people!

-K. Hetrick ...more

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Dec 01, 2016 Katrina rated it liked it

The War Queen is a début book by a new author, so let me start with complimenting J.M. Robison on her effort.

What worked for me:
The premise was interesting
The writing style is easy and the flow of the story moved well

What can it use?
Fleshier background information – a lot of it is sketchy. While you get some historical/ geographical background, it is often too vague to create clearly-defined picture and feel of the era and the place. Also, for a book that is described as fantasy-adventure, the ...more

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Jun 06, 2019 Gabby (What's Beyond Forks?) rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed

Read Full Review at: What's Beyond Forks?

The War Queen by J.M Robison brings you on a fun adventure filled with drama and a bit of romance. This was an entertaining little story, and I hate that I didn't read it sooner. Also, the cover is beautiful and very fitting to the story.

The War Queen by J.M. Robison was kindly provided to me by the author for review. The opinions are my own. ...more

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Oct 11, 2016 Teresa rated it it was amazing

This book led me into a fantasy world of adventure. Each chapter left me with a different emotion and I thoroughly enjoyed every one. A couple of late nights, unable to put it down, made the adventure end too soon. Thanks for the ride.

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Dec 11, 2016 James rated it really liked it

A beautiful story.

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About J.M. Robison

J.M. Robison

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J.M. Robison is a fantasy author who chronicles the events which drive heroes to their knees, turn princesses into war queens, and unhinge history to bring magic back to life. She joined the U.S. Army at 17 (Mom and Dad had to sign giving her permission since she was under-age) and became Military Police, all just so she could learn how to write battle scenes realistically and experience different ...more