The Demon King (Seven Realms, #1) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Dec 29, 2011 D.G. rated it really liked it

Shelves: re-read, audiobook, reviewed, fantasy

**4.5 stars**

I read this book almost 8 years ago but never finished the series so I'm starting all over. I'm so glad I did because my rating stayed exactly the same.

This is the story of Han and Raisa, two 16-year olds from very different worlds. He's a former street lord, she's the heir the Queendom and both are facing tremendous challenges. He's at a crossroads, with no prospects for the future now that he stopped being a crime kingpin. She's preparing herself for her future role, realizing tha ...more

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Apr 24, 2019 Susan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Another 5 star book for me. I seem to be on a roll with good books. I LOVED this book from start to finish. It did take me awhile to finish but that wasn't the books fault. I had to fulfill challenges and this book couldn't seem to fit the themes I needed so it got pushed to the back burner time and time again. When I could I would read this book. I highly recommend the book to everyone who loves fantasy.

Hans was raised without knowing who his father was. His mom and sister was all he ever had a ...more

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Oct 18, 2009 Samantha rated it liked it

Shelves: 2009

This story is of a land of wizards and clans and two kinds of magic. One young man, Han is stuck between two worlds, childhood and adulthood. Raisa, the princess heir, wants to be like the legendary Queen Hanalea, but will she have the courage to fight for what is right to save her queendom? That's what we'll find out when these two meet and set major changes into motion, because you guessed it, the proverbial you-know-what's about to hit the you-know-where.

I have to be honest and say that I tho This story is of a land of wizards and clans and two kinds of magic. One young man, Han is stuck between two worlds, childhood and adulthood. Raisa, the princess heir, wants to be like the legendary Queen Hanalea, but will she have the courage to fight for what is right to save her queendom? That's what we'll find out when these two meet and set major changes into motion, because you guessed it, the proverbial you-know-what's about to hit the you-know-where.

I have to be honest and say that I thought I wouldn't like this story as much as I did. This genre of Fantasy YA, where a young boy finds out he's much more, has been almost exhausted lately. It's hard to find any one story that can stand out in the multitude that have been published recently. However, what I really liked this time around was the way Chima built the structure of society with the outwardly powerful magic of the wizards juxtaposed with the more subtle and nature-based magic of the clans. I liked that they balanced each other and that wizards channeled their power in amulets that clans people crafted. It felt very well-written and more importantly, believable.

Yet almost as much as I liked the setting, I didn't like how dense some of the characters seemed to me for much, if not the entire story. Han, for instance being a former leader of street thieves, should have been clever and wily enough to figure what was happening right in front of his eyes. Raisa is pretty much the same when it comes to not seeing the obvious. I can credit certain amounts of this to their youth, but it didn't feel believable in the context of how much "training" and experience they had supposedly been through. It felt forced and like it was far too heavily relied on for progressing the plot.

I think this could have been much more streamlined without giving up its heart or the beauty of the story that is present most of the time, especially in regard to the issue of what I've already mentioned. That said, I will most definitely be reading the next in the series and I am cheering for these characters. I would definitely recommend this for fans of Graceling , Sabriel , and Crown Duel . ...more

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May 25, 2011 Kaity rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, library-book, wizards

Review originally posted on Bitten Books and given 4½ stars.

Han is struggling to leave behind his past lifestyle because his place as streetlord of the Raggers was putting his family in danger. He now works much harder for only a fraction of the swag and is constantly taken advantage of and in danger himself. His only safe haven is Marisa Pines, or at least it was until three underage and untrained wizards set fire to the forest and he found himself face to face with them. Now members of a rival Review originally posted on Bitten Books and given 4½ stars.

Han is struggling to leave behind his past lifestyle because his place as streetlord of the Raggers was putting his family in danger. He now works much harder for only a fraction of the swag and is constantly taken advantage of and in danger himself. His only safe haven is Marisa Pines, or at least it was until three underage and untrained wizards set fire to the forest and he found himself face to face with them. Now members of a rival group are turning up tortured and dead and the Queen's Guard is convinced he is behind it. Han can't help but wonder if the amulet he took from the wizards might have something to do with what's going on. Meanwhile Rasia, the princess heir, finds her name day, the day in which she will be eligible for marriage, quickly approaching. As her gilded cage begins to fall away, Raisa is faced with the reality of her future queendom and the possible conspiracy of the High Wizard's increase in power.

I loved how this story was told. It was genius of Chima to contrast such unique and different point of views of a naive future queen and struggling, street urchin-esque boy. Their stories would still have been interesting but the differences in their lives and perspectives made a huge difference in my feelings for each character. I fell for Han from the start. He had a wonderful voice and his experiences were so gritty that it was impossible not to be drawn in. I have the world's biggest Robin Hood crush/fetish/obsession, whichever you want to refer to it as, and I couldn't help but compare Han to those legends even though they really aren't that similar. There were enough similarities that I could have forgiven Han's character for anything though. Raisa was just okay in the beginning of the book. I feel like I'm always reading about her type of character in fantasy, stubborn and naïve yet thinks she knows best then ends up getting everyone but herself hurt because of it. Despite my misgivings with her, I really enjoyed the story she told. And around the middle through the ending of the book, I liked her sooo much more.

I don't usually mention 'themes' in my reviews because generally I couldn't care less but I really liked how this book used choice and freedom. Both characters struggled with choice and freedom and I thought seeing this from both of their vastly different POVs made this book unique. Both felt they had no choice or freedom and that the other had it. I think this will be interesting to see in future books especially when they learn that their view of the other is wrong.

The Demon King is an exceptional piece of YA fantasy. It had stunning worldbuilding, an intricate plotline, magic, forbidden romance, crime, adventure, murder... everything and more that a wonderful fantasy needs. I don't particularly like it, because honestly who would, but I thought Chima's use of character death elevated her story and made it something more. The ending, while completely satisfying because it completed the book's plot, was more like the beginning of the sequel. Many aspects become tied off but then the opening for the next book occurs. The next 20 or so pages felt like the preview for The Exiled Queen. This would normally bother me because it's forcing you to continue on the journey but this type of thing, while frustrating, is typical of series fantasy and for once it actually didn't bother me because I was so hungry for more. ...more

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Nov 03, 2022 Marla rated it liked it

Shelves: paranormal, young-adult, magic, challenged, with-reservations, ebook, fantasy, series, romance, demons

3.5 stars.. Interesting story about magic in a queendom, set in the royal castledom and nearby rural villages. Wizards use magic and the clans have natural magic and create the wizard's magical items. Hanson "Han" Alister, Hunts Alone, is a smart thief.

The backstory and setup was slow at times, but I look forward to the next book where hopefully the story progresses. I worry that book two will be a learning year in a Hogwarts or Ranger's Apprentice type environment, but hopefully, Princess Rais 3.5 stars.. Interesting story about magic in a queendom, set in the royal castledom and nearby rural villages. Wizards use magic and the clans have natural magic and create the wizard's magical items. Hanson "Han" Alister, Hunts Alone, is a smart thief.

The backstory and setup was slow at times, but I look forward to the next book where hopefully the story progresses. I worry that book two will be a learning year in a Hogwarts or Ranger's Apprentice type environment, but hopefully, Princess Raisa grows up and all the characters become more likeable.

Likes:
* Speaker Jemson, Southbridge temple teacher
* Amon Byrne's Gray Wolves / Wolfpack
(view spoiler)

Dislikes:
* Politics
* Distrust
* Prejudice
(view spoiler)

With-reservations:
murder, corruption, curses, betrayal, bullying, violence, love triangles, secret societies, hatred, depression, grief, rage ...more

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