Shadow Throne Review

I've recently discovered NetGalley.com, which allows librarians and booksellers access to Advanced Reader Copies of books. And I'm glad I did. When I had the chance to get my hands on an advanced copy of The Shadow Throne by Jennifer Nielsen, I jumped at the chance. I loved the first two books in the series The False Prince and The Runaway King, and was eager to see how the trilogy finished. If you've read the first two books in the series, this book is a must. And if you haven't, then you need to :)

Shadow Throne Summary:
One war.
Too many battles.
Can a king save his kingdom, when his own survival seems unlikely?

War has come to Carthya. It knocks at every door and window in the land. And when Jaron learns that King Vargan of Avenia has kidnapped Imogen in a plot to bring Carthya to its knees, Jaron knows it is up to him to embark on a daring rescue mission. But everything that can go wrong does.

His friends are flung far and wide across Carthya and its neighbouring lands. In a last-ditch effort to stave off what looks to be a devastating loss for the kingdom, Jaron undertakes what may be his last journey to save everything and everyone he loves. But even with his lightning-quick wit, Jaron cannot forestall the terrible danger that descends on him and his country. Along the way, will he lose what matters most? And in the end, who will sit on Carthya's throne?


Rousing and affecting, Jaron's adventures have thrilled and moved readers in The False Prince and The Runaway King. Journey once again with the Ascendant King of Carthya, as New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen brings his story to a stunning conclusion with The Shadow Throne.

Shadow Throne Review:
I reviewed The False Prince when it first came out, and I loved it. Nielsen's writing is so smart, witty, and fun that I was hooked. And her writing in The Shadow Throne is no different. King Jaron is up to his usual mischievous antics, and has a way of getting himself into sticky situations when he's trying to save his kingdom. And at times I was again left wondering how he would ever get out of them. But he always finds a way.

One of the greatest things about the first book in the series was that Nielsen and her protagonist were able to keep such a huge secret from the reader, and did an excellent job shocking readers with the big reveal. And I loved that she found a way to do that in this book too. It's not as big of a reveal, but there are two shocking twists near the end of the book that help make this book so much better. One of them was expected (or at least hoped for), and the other was a total shock. It was awesome.

And I can't emphasize enough how smart her writing is. King Jaron is very witty, and at times laugh-out-loud funny. Recommend this series to anyone (boys or girls) who enjoy a good story filled with action, wit, and twisty plots.