What do you think?
The Paladin's Path #2
The King's Course
It takes more than one man to save a kingdom.
Peleb is a Paladin. The only people he trusts are his teammates - Kres, Jest, and Aon-Je - and the man he has sworn to protect with his life, Cheka. With both Cheka's heritage and Peleb's own revealed, Peleb's end goal is clear: Get Cheka on the throne of Lanivi. To do so he will need the support of as many of the gods as possible, both to back up Cheka's claim to the throne and to protect him from the villainous god Malaa.
But not every god is as willing to aid Cheka's succession as the gods of Chaos and Medicine, and Peleb's team must pass trial after trial to prove their cause is just. They will travel from the highest of mountains to the depths of the sea, and even face off against time herself, to succeed.
Loyalties will be tested, plots uncovered, and secrets revealed before their fight is done. And Peleb will find there is more to his story than anyone ever realized.
Peleb is a Paladin. The only people he trusts are his teammates - Kres, Jest, and Aon-Je - and the man he has sworn to protect with his life, Cheka. With both Cheka's heritage and Peleb's own revealed, Peleb's end goal is clear: Get Cheka on the throne of Lanivi. To do so he will need the support of as many of the gods as possible, both to back up Cheka's claim to the throne and to protect him from the villainous god Malaa.
But not every god is as willing to aid Cheka's succession as the gods of Chaos and Medicine, and Peleb's team must pass trial after trial to prove their cause is just. They will travel from the highest of mountains to the depths of the sea, and even face off against time herself, to succeed.
Loyalties will be tested, plots uncovered, and secrets revealed before their fight is done. And Peleb will find there is more to his story than anyone ever realized.
- GenresFantasy
Paperback
Published December 1, 2021
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 4, 2020
Jessica Dawn's first book, THE PALADIN'S PATH, was the highlight of my indie fantasy reads last year. I absolutely loved the book, an unusual blend of cultures and mythos, and I jumped at the chance to read the sequel. I was not disappointed.
THE KING'S COURSE picks up where the first book left off. Peleb, formerly Nameless, is struggling to learn exactly what it means to be a fledgling god. He is determined to harness his powers in order to protect Cheka: his teammate, the crown prince in disguise, and the man he loves.
The rest of Bird Squad is back and as close knit a group as ever, determined to help Cheka take the throne from his cruel, tyrannical mother. The winds of rebellion are rising. Cheka must win the favor of as many gods as possible in order to legitimize his claim to the crown. But even old friends may not be as loyal as they seem, and having secrets of one's own makes it hard to know who to trust. When all the planning and intrigue comes to a violent head, Peleb must be willing to risk everything whether he's ready or not.
This book was a thrilling adventure and a satisfying sequel to the previous installment. Peleb's simplicity and earnestness comes through even as he is learning to master his godhood. The lovely romance between him and Cheka develops into something wonderful, tested when Peleb's heroics garner unwanted commendations he can't refuse. What can I say? I'm a sucker for combat-flirting (see my own books for proof!).
Again, the melange of Asian and European culture blends into a strange whole that works and makes it all fresh and new. Technology appears to be somewhere in the steampunk vicinity, trains and telephones coexisting with horse-drawn carriages. These books are a delightful read, and I can't recommend them enough.
THE KING'S COURSE picks up where the first book left off. Peleb, formerly Nameless, is struggling to learn exactly what it means to be a fledgling god. He is determined to harness his powers in order to protect Cheka: his teammate, the crown prince in disguise, and the man he loves.
The rest of Bird Squad is back and as close knit a group as ever, determined to help Cheka take the throne from his cruel, tyrannical mother. The winds of rebellion are rising. Cheka must win the favor of as many gods as possible in order to legitimize his claim to the crown. But even old friends may not be as loyal as they seem, and having secrets of one's own makes it hard to know who to trust. When all the planning and intrigue comes to a violent head, Peleb must be willing to risk everything whether he's ready or not.
This book was a thrilling adventure and a satisfying sequel to the previous installment. Peleb's simplicity and earnestness comes through even as he is learning to master his godhood. The lovely romance between him and Cheka develops into something wonderful, tested when Peleb's heroics garner unwanted commendations he can't refuse. What can I say? I'm a sucker for combat-flirting (see my own books for proof!).
Again, the melange of Asian and European culture blends into a strange whole that works and makes it all fresh and new. Technology appears to be somewhere in the steampunk vicinity, trains and telephones coexisting with horse-drawn carriages. These books are a delightful read, and I can't recommend them enough.
September 19, 2020
The second book in Jessica Dawn’s Paladin’s Path series, The King’s Course, picks up right after the events of the first book. Peleb, Cheka, and the rest of Bird Squad are slowly making the rounds of the other royal children, ostensibly to check on them after the assassination attempt on Prince Hyon-Wii during his birthday celebration. In reality these trips allow Cheka – the actual Prince Hyon-Wii – to ask the gods to back him as he prepares to challenge Queen Hyajen for the throne. But intrigue seems to be around every corner. As Check tries to convince the gods to support his claim to the throne, Peleb has his own secrets to keep as the new god of spring, and his own mission to kill the Queen. Peleb soon learns that a member of Bird Squad may also be plotting to kill not only the Queen, but Prince Hyon-Wii too. Through all the political machinations and threats, Peleb also struggles with his budding relationship with Cheka, which had seemed to flourish, but then goes cold. When Peleb is promoted to Warden, to serve as part of the Queen’s personal guard, Peleb must make choices that may affect not only the royal family, but the pantheon of the gods as well.
So many secrets have been bubbling just under the surface in the previous book and they all explode to the forefront in The King’s Course. I won’t give you details – no SPOILERS – but sufficient to say that pretty much every member of Bird Squad has a secret, and as these secrets come out they create tension and allow the characters to bond together. Peleb’s story is the main character arc, and his development undergoes a lot of growth in this book. Peleb is a man who has only just recently discovered that he is a god, the reborn god of spring. But he can’t seem to manage some of the simplest godly powers like making flowers grow or teleport from one location to another. While struggling with developing his powers his relationship with Cheka first blossoms, then grows cold, and blossoms again. I love the dynamics of their relationship, especially the ups and downs, as it mirrors what we mere mortals go through in our own relationships. Peleb’s growth as a character is well-developed and you can feel his struggle.
The other thing that I love about The King’s Course is the role that the gods play in it. The world that Jessica has created has a pantheon filled with multiple gods, who hearken to the ancient Earth pantheons of the Greeks, Norse, and Chinese. These are gods who meddle and interfere in the mortal realm and are very present in the people’s lives. The gods have depth to them as well, and you can see the world-building craft Jessica brings to the story though the small backstories given to the gods. You get a sense for why Cheka (a.k.a Hyon-Wii) must seek out their support, and also why the gods are reluctant to give it and put Cheka, and Bird Squad, through their trials to see if he will be a fit ruler. The history of the world comes to life through this interaction.
This is also a strong LGBTQIA+ story. Every member of Bird Squad is a member of this community in some way. Peleb and Cheka are gay, Aon-Je is lesbian, Kres presents as female but identifies as male, and Jest is the god of chaos, so they are pretty much any and every gender that they want to be. It was great to see the romance between Peleb and Cheka grow in this book – the kiss that didn’t happen in The Paladin’s Path finally happens – but for me the most memorable interactions come when Peleb and Bird Squad emphasize to others that Kres is a man, despite outward appearances. Their support for him not only show the inclusivity of the group, but the friendships that have developed among the team.
The King’s Course is a wonderful fantasy story that blends intrigue, romance, and action into a seamless whole. It is a great follow up to The Paladin’s Path.
So many secrets have been bubbling just under the surface in the previous book and they all explode to the forefront in The King’s Course. I won’t give you details – no SPOILERS – but sufficient to say that pretty much every member of Bird Squad has a secret, and as these secrets come out they create tension and allow the characters to bond together. Peleb’s story is the main character arc, and his development undergoes a lot of growth in this book. Peleb is a man who has only just recently discovered that he is a god, the reborn god of spring. But he can’t seem to manage some of the simplest godly powers like making flowers grow or teleport from one location to another. While struggling with developing his powers his relationship with Cheka first blossoms, then grows cold, and blossoms again. I love the dynamics of their relationship, especially the ups and downs, as it mirrors what we mere mortals go through in our own relationships. Peleb’s growth as a character is well-developed and you can feel his struggle.
The other thing that I love about The King’s Course is the role that the gods play in it. The world that Jessica has created has a pantheon filled with multiple gods, who hearken to the ancient Earth pantheons of the Greeks, Norse, and Chinese. These are gods who meddle and interfere in the mortal realm and are very present in the people’s lives. The gods have depth to them as well, and you can see the world-building craft Jessica brings to the story though the small backstories given to the gods. You get a sense for why Cheka (a.k.a Hyon-Wii) must seek out their support, and also why the gods are reluctant to give it and put Cheka, and Bird Squad, through their trials to see if he will be a fit ruler. The history of the world comes to life through this interaction.
This is also a strong LGBTQIA+ story. Every member of Bird Squad is a member of this community in some way. Peleb and Cheka are gay, Aon-Je is lesbian, Kres presents as female but identifies as male, and Jest is the god of chaos, so they are pretty much any and every gender that they want to be. It was great to see the romance between Peleb and Cheka grow in this book – the kiss that didn’t happen in The Paladin’s Path finally happens – but for me the most memorable interactions come when Peleb and Bird Squad emphasize to others that Kres is a man, despite outward appearances. Their support for him not only show the inclusivity of the group, but the friendships that have developed among the team.
The King’s Course is a wonderful fantasy story that blends intrigue, romance, and action into a seamless whole. It is a great follow up to The Paladin’s Path.
September 21, 2020
I love this series so far! It’s rewarding to see so many queer characters in a fantasy without having this as a central plot point. Instead we get an awesome cast of queer kids fighting battles and learning magic! Yay!! The reveals in this one just get more thrilling and the stakes are higher than the last book. I feel like the first one ended on a good note and so I was excited to dive back into this world to spend more time with these complex, lovable characters.
December 5, 2020
I wasn’t as fond of this book in the series as the first one. The romance becomes a bigger focal point in it. I was worried it was going to devolve into a sappy romance, but it pulled back just in time.
Still having a hard time in my head trying to allocate a time period so I’ve decided to give up and set it outside of any known time and consider it a stand alone world.
I enjoy this series quite a bit, following along as Peleb grows up and learns about himself.
Still having a hard time in my head trying to allocate a time period so I’ve decided to give up and set it outside of any known time and consider it a stand alone world.
I enjoy this series quite a bit, following along as Peleb grows up and learns about himself.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews