Falling Kingdoms

BookNook — Young Adult book reviewsI was terrified going into Falling Kingdoms. It's marketed as being great for fans of George R.R. Martin. Unfortunately, I don't like Martin's books. I know what you're thinking: "You don't like A Song of Ice and Fire???" I'm afraid not, folks. I love the overall story of that series, but the books themselves put me to sleep and there are way too many characters that I didn't give a shit about. So naturally, Falling Kingdoms scared me.I think my problem with books like this is that character development tends to suffer when there are so many. If I have to keep track of a million characters, I get people and places mixed up, it's hard to keep track, and I don't have enough time to get truly invested in the characters. To some extent, this was still a little bit of a problem in Falling Kingdoms, but nowhere near the extent that I was anticipating! I did get off to a bit of a rocky start with this book, but it only improved as time went on, until finally, I was completely hooked!So if it wasn't clear already, Falling Kingdoms is told from the point of view of three different kingdoms—with different characters in each. Luckily, Morgan Rhodes takes baby steps to help us get used to the characters. They all have distinct voices and stories and it's easy to get interested in all of them! My affections and investment for each character grew as the story progressed! At first I was a little unsure that I'd grow to care about them, but by the end, I really grew to appreciate the differences between the characters!And the fantasy in this book... IT WAS AWESOME! The fantasy and lore is really what drew me in. Around the end of the beginning of the book, I thought I was pretty convinced that it would end up with a 3 star rating. At that point, I wasn't sold on the characters and although there was a cute romance developing, it developed way too soon and my concerns about character development being too quick and fleeting were starting to show. But at that same point, the fantasy in the book took a major leap forward and re-hooked my interest in the story! We have magic, goddesses, sorceresses, witches, prophecies, and more! And everyone—all three kingdoms—are fighting to take pieces of it. Everyone wants the power and the magic for themselves. As they struggle to obtain it, there are plenty of brutal murders, betrayals, backstabbings, heartbreaks, acts of revenge, and wars! It's intense, it's thrilling, and there are plenty of unexpected turns that will have you ripping through pages! And the battles in this book feel real. There is none of that nonsense where all of the 'good' people miraculously survive, or all the family members stick together and happen to make it through to the end. Nope. There is real, tragic death and unexpected (or expected) losses. Characters you love will die. It's sad, and it's awful, but it also makes this book stand out.There is one thing about Falling Kingdoms that I loved, but for some people this could be the reason why they don't like the book. It's clearly written for young adults. That may be obvious, given that it's classified as a young adult book, but I really grew to appreciate this. I find that with more 'adult' fantasy books, the writing style just distances me from any kind of emotion or investment in the characters. This was a big problem for me with A Song of Ice and Fire. Falling Kingdoms has that epic fantasy feel with a lighter and more 'friendly' writing style that makes the book very smooth and easy to read.Kind of building on that point, one complaint from other reviewers is that the language isn't written like historical language would be. Instead, it feels modern. I actually liked that aspect because I can't help but think, "This is so cheesy" when I read books with older, more proper language (like "How art thou this evening, m'lady?"). It's just a personal preference I guess.Falling Kingdoms was a really pleasant surprise for me because I went in not expecting to like it that much. Let me just say that I was pissed when it ended! I wanted more. I desperately want to know how this story will turn out! It left in a really fabulous place where things got wrapped up (even if it wasn't quite a happy ending), but I'm still hungry for more.

Falling Kingdoms is the first volume in an epic Fantasy series centred on the land of Mytica, which is split into three kingdoms simmering on the brink of war. I liked the fast paced plot and settings of the book, but have a few concerns about the characterisation. Overall, it’s a great book and I am looking forward to the rest of the series.For me, the brilliance of this book is in the world building. Auranos is a prosperous land, of which Cleo is the younger princess, and the object of envy from the other two kingdoms: Paelsia, the bordering kingdom that has declined to the point of ruin, and Limeros, a well to do place ruled by a vicious king known as the Blood King for obvious reasons. The problems between Auranos and Paelsia are economic: Paelsia signed a contract to produce only wine, to export to Auranos, and thus import food and other items from Auranos in return. Paelsia’s very soil is now unable to sustain anything but grapes for wine (it seems magical intervention has made this so), and so they are at the mercy of Auranos, who buy the wine from them at ever decreasing prices. This, combined with a leader who takes 75% of the wine profits in taxes, has led to a kingdom that is destitute, dirty, desperate, and increasingly dissatisfied with their unjust lot. Our four young heroes come to age in this volatile situation.I liked Magnus, the heir to the throne of Limeros, the most, I think he was strong despite his despot of a father and has the most potential. I also liked his sister Lucia, she is probably my favourite character because she’s brave and kind, but not insipid or complacent as some daughters of Kings are written. Jonas, a Paelsian wine-seller’s son seeking vengeance for the murder of his brother, is also written well but so narrow-minded that I found myself disliking him.It was Cleo who proved problematic to me: the second daughter of the king of Auranos, spoilt, stubborn, unthinking and mind-numbingly dumb, Cleo’s chapters made me stop reading this book for two whole days before I sucked it up and read the final hundred pages. Cleo is also where the author’s world building breaks down: Auranos allows female children to inherit – Cleo’s older sister is the heir – so the princesses are, in theory, entitled to a proper education covering not only arts, writing and embroidery for females, but politics, battle theory and tactics. It follows that the guards and staff at the palace would treat them with respect. And yet guards mouth off to Cleo and asking her what use her art and embroidery will be in war. It makes me think that, for whatever reason, these girls aren’t educated in a manner befitting potential future rulers of the land, and are stuck in the more traditional roles where women are delegated child rearing duties and little else. Cleo and her sister are woefully uninformed about everything, and Cleo lacks the mental acumen to figure anything out by herself. Even with an army outside her palace, fighting to break in, Cleo is surprised that she is unsafe in the castle. Surprised that she’d be in danger if they manage to break through. The murder of Jonas’ brother at the hands of a Lord travelling with her fails to strike her as important, and Cleo fails to connect the death of a mere peasant to the growing discontent of the neighbouring kingdom. After tensions rise to breaking point, and she is told explicitly that to travel to Paelsian would be dangerous, especially for her, she runs away and has the gall to be surprised when she is captured to be ransomed. There’s sheltered, there’s naive. And then there’s wilfully stupid. Go and die in a hole you ignorant nit wit. Now, you might say that Cleo, who is not expecting to reign after her father, might not have been expected to attend lectures on politics, logic, and the like, but then I ask you, what sort of King doesn’t prepare for chance, however small it may be, that his heir may die?Regardless, I liked the plot of Falling Kingdoms: the blood, betrayal, and secrets.It played out well on the political level – it’s nothing like a lot of adult fantasy, which is a relief, but still engaging. I was surprised by some of the turns the story took, and enjoyed the way that romance was wisely kept as a subplot and never took over the story. I also enjoyed the magic system in the book – it’s interesting and mysterious, and I can’t wait to find out more. I loved the glimpses of the Watchers that were offered to the readers, and want to get to know them better too.There is a lot to like about Falling Kingdoms and despite my antagonism towards Cleo, I did enjoy it. I’ll be looking out for the next book in the series! Those who enjoy epic fantasy but perhaps tire of the endless politicking that marks them will enjoy this book, and it will also appeal to young adult fans looking for an adventure in a fantastical setting.A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic.

ALL THE STARS! Full review and more at Bumble Bee Books!

This is a really complex book. There are three separate kingdoms with three separate cast of characters. Eventually, the characters cross paths, but there is still a ton of people to keep straight. Thank the goddess that there is a breakdown of the cast of characters in the beginning of the book. MARK THIS PAGE! I found myself looking back to it more than I have with any other book.

The book starts out telling you about two witches stealing a baby from her mother because the baby is prophesied to be a sorceress that will save their world when she comes into her power. You then go on to meet all of these characters, but you can narrow it down from the get-go that the baby at the beginning is Princess Lucia. Once you learn more about the characters, you'll figure it out quickly (it's not meant to be a secret for the reader). It's easy to forget about the Prologue, but as the book goes on you realize how important it is (just a heads up).

AURANUS (The Princess)
This kingdom is the richest of the three. It is ran by King Corvin and his two daughters, Princess Emilia and Princess Cleo. Cleo is the main character in this story. You learn the most about her and her personality. Cleo is impulsive, stubborn, and is used to getting what she wants. She has also been coddled all of her life because she is the baby of the family and her sister is the one being groomed to take the throne after her father. When Cleo and her soon-to-be betrothed Lord Aron (who she hates, btw) take a trip to the neighboring country of Paelsia, tragedy strikes. A young man finds his throat at the business end of Aron's dagger after he threatens Aron and Cleo. Aron feigns self-defense, but this event single handedly gets the ball rolling for everything else in the book. After the death of the young man in Paelsia, Cleo is heavy with grief. Things go from bad to worse for her quickly. Cleo has to find her inner strength and humbleness as she fights for the one she loves, her family, and her kingdom.

PAELSIA (The Rebel)
Paelsia is the middle country between Limeros and Auranus. This is also the poorest country. The people make their meager ages by growing grapes that are said to be grown using earth magic in the otherwise barren soil. The other countries look at Paelsians as savages because of the poverty they live in. The country is ran by a chieftan who claims to possess the magic that is long gone from the rest of the country. His magic is the only hope that the country has that better times are to come. Jonas and Tomas are two young men who live to keep their family alive in Paelsia. When Tomas is killed by Lord Aron of Auranus, Jonas vows to stop at nothing until he seeks revenge from the arrogant Lord Aron who killed his brother and the smug Princess Cleo who stood by with her guard and did nothing. Jonas must choose between brute force and using his cunningness to avenge his brother. Street smarts and common sense win out and Jonas finds himself on the brim of a revolution in his small, poor country. How far is he will to go for his brother? At what point does it stop being about his own grief and becomes about the country itself?

LIMEROS (The Heir and The Sorceress)
Limeros is the northern most country. The climate (and the people) is frigid and always seems to have a bitter chill. Limeros is ran by King of Blood, King Gaius and his family: Queen Althea, Prince Magnus, and Princess Lucia. There is also the king's mistress, Sabina, who is his most trusted advisor and his rumored bastard son, Tobias, who has his eye on the throne. King Gaius has never had any interest in Magnus (except for beating him). In his eyes, Magnus is weak and soft hearted and embarrasses the family. King Gaius runs his country with a strong, bloody hand and even if someone is thought to be a witch, they are punished by death. King Gaius wants his country to stay devout to their goddess and will not hear anything of any sort of magic. When a revolution begins in the neighboring Paelsia, King Gaius sees this as a way to seek the ultimate power and take over the entire continent of Mytica. With the country on the edge of war, Prince Magnus finally find himself useful to the king. Magnus has a lot of secrets, though, and some of those secrets could ostracize him from his family and kingdom completely. Magnus has to learn to put his feelings behind him and harden his heart for the good of the country... But how far will he go? Can he ever live up to the King of Blood?

THE SANCTUARY
So there is also this subplot going on through this whole thing about these Watches who live in a paradise called the Sanctuary in another realm. They can take the form of a hawk and travel to the mortal realm to see what's going on, but if they ever venture out in their human form then they can't ever go back. They are looking for these ancient crystal things.. It's hard to explain (because I don't 100% understand it myself. I think there will be way more detail in the sequels). It all goes back to the Prologue with the witches and the baby sorceress.

So that is the watered down, dumbed down synopsis of everything that is going on. I didn't even touch half of everything, because you know, spoilers. Like I said before, there are SO many characters and SO many POVs and you really have a tough time picking sides... especially when everyone starts becoming involved in each other's life. Eventually ALL of the characters become intertwined and it is just nuts.

There is so much action. SO MUCH ACTION. If I could really only describe this book with one word, it would be death. Oh, you like that character? DEAD. What about that one? DEAD. That one over there? TORTURED THEN DEAD. I found myself gasping and wanting to rip the book in half because every time I really started to get attached... DEAD. This is a book that will certainly keep you on your toes. Rhodes really channeled her inner George R.R. Martin for this one.






There is also a lot of love stories going on. You know that Aron and Cleo are supposed to get married even though she hates him. You can guess that Nic is in love with Cleo. Theon sounds like a hottie and Cleo is definitely giving him the sexy eye. Jonas would rather die than be around Cleo (except to kill her for revenge), but fingers crossed this is actual just sexual tension because he has it bad for her too. Then there is Jonas and Lailah. King Gaius and his sidechick Sabina. All the boys in the yard and Princess Lucia. And I can't leave out the Mortal Instruments thing Magnus and Lucia have going on (and because of this, in my head I have Jamie Campbell Bower as Prince Magnus even though he looks NOTHING like Magnus is described as. Oh well the heart wants what the heart wants). From all of the YA lit that I have read, I am pretty desensitized to the incest thing (after reading Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma, I will never judge again), so I was rooting for them. Regardless, pretty much everyone in the book sounds like a hottie. The girls are all raven haired and fair skin or sun kissed with golden hair. My favorite hotties were Jonas, Theon, and Magnus.

Falling Kingdoms was amazing. Beyond amazing. It is for sure one of my favorite books I have read this year. If you take Game of Thrones, Kiss of Deception, and Throne of Glass and mash them all up, then you have an idea of what this book is about. It is literally taking all the will in my body to stop myself from running to the book store and buying the sequel. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS. I feel like this is one of those books that you either REALLY REALLY LOVE or you absolutely hate. If you read other reviews, they're fairly mixed and divided. I think if you like any of the books listed above as comparison then you will enjoy this one. I couldn't get enough.

5/5 stars

Scroll down to find the review in English


Aunque tiene más de cuatrocientas páginas, se lee muy rápidamente. Por una vez me parecieron todas las historias igual de interesantes y ninguna me aburrió, lo que es algo que me gustó. Este libro es el primero de una serie, pero nunca me pareció que fuera demasiado lento, como es el caso de algunos primeros volúmenes de series. Puede que fuera porque la historia fue tan interesante o por el estilo de la autora, pero estuve pegada a las páginas.

Hay varios personajes en cada una de las tres historias, pero no llegan a ser demasiados, así que no hace falta un dramatis personae para seguirlos a todos. Además, los personajes muy secundarios -ésos que no aparecen más de dos veces y sólo muy brevemente- están completamente descritos cada vez, así que aunque se te olvide quiénes son, el texto te lo recuerda.

Es difícil decir si los personajes son creíbles, porque todos ellos han crecido en situaciones más bien extremas. A algunos los han protegido mucho y cometen errores tontos y otros han sido desatendidos. En cualquier caso, no noté ninguna situación que fuera excesivamente poco creíble.

Lo único que no me gustó fueron las historias de amor. En el caso de una de ellas, la situación se convierte en demasiado conveniente para un personaje, lo que no significa que tenga éxito, y las otras no están lo suficientemente desarrolladas para que uno crea que son amor y no simplemente atracción física. No es algo muy importante, ya que el argumento avanza demasiado rápidamente para que jueguen un papel importante. No en este primer libro, porque la venganza parece ser un tema recurrente y está impulsada por sentimientos.

Puedo ver por qué la gente compara esta serie con Canción de Hielo y Fuego. Ningún personaje está a salvo, aunque dudo que vaya a morir ninguno de los tres principales, y alguna de las muertes fue un poco inesperada. Además, el argumento se parece a un thriller político que tiene lugar en un mundo medieval de fantasía y hay un personaje cuya situación me recordó un poco a la de Arya. Creo que aquí es donde acaban las similitudes, por lo menos tras haber leído sólo este libro de la serie. El aspecto de thriller político de Canción de Hielo y Fuego es mucho más complejo, con muchas partes distintas, mientras que el de La caída de los reinos es muy directo. Las situaciones de Cleo y Arya son verdaderamente parecidas, pero también muy diferentes.

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Even though it has more than four hundred pages, it’s a really fast read. For once, I found all the stories equally interesting and none bored me, which is something that I enjoyed. This book is the first of a series, but I never thought that it was too slow, as is the case with some first volumes of series. Maybe it’s because the story was so interesting, or because of the style of the author, but I was glued to the pages.

There are several characters in each of the three storylines, but not too many, so you won’t need a dramatis personae to keep track of all of them. Also, the very secondary characters -those that don’t appear more than twice and only very briefly- are fully described each time, so even if you forget who they are, the text reminds you.

It’s difficult to say if the characters are believable, because they’ve all grown up in more extreme situations. Some have been very sheltered and make foolish mistakes and others have been neglected. In any case, I didn’t notice any extremely unbelievable situations.

The one thing that I didn't like were the love stories. In one case, the situation just turns out to be too convenient for one character, which doesn't mean that it works out for him, and the others are not developed enough to be believable as love and not just physical attraction. It's not very important, as the plot moves too fast for this to play a big role. Not in this first book anyway, because revenge seems to be a lingering theme and it’s fueled by feelings.

I can see why people compare this series with A Song of Ice and Fire. No character is safe, although I doubt that any of the three main ones are going to die, and some of the deaths were a bit unexpected. Also, the plot is close to a political thriller set in a medieval fantasy world and there’s a character, whose situation reminded me a bit of Arya’s. I think that this is where the similarities end, at least after reading only this book of this series. The political thriller aspect of A Song of Ice and Fire is much more complicated, with many different sides, whereas the one in Falling Kingdoms is very straightforward. Cleo’s and Arya’s situations are certainly similar, but they’re also very different.

This book is high fantasy at it’s best. There is a broad, epic plot at the level of kingdoms and we get pieces making up this bigger picture from the perspective of a variety of characters. For one reason or another the four main characters are swept up in the larger plot and even have opportunities to change it, all while sharing with us their equally engrossing personal stories. Each of the main characters and many of the others are extremely well developed, with reasonable motivations and no clear line between the good guys and the bad. Transitions between the main view points and even a few secondary view points were done smoothly and I was always excited to get back to every character’s story. Keeping track of both the larger picture and the interpersonal relationships could have been challenging, but both the author’s writing and the inclusion of a map and cast list made it easy to follow along.Everything about the book was flawlessly executed, but there were two small things that stopped me from falling hopelessly in love with it. First, there are a few senseless, easily preventable character deaths. Perhaps not a big deal, but character’s dying in that particular way is a bit of a pet peeve of mine. And second, there’s an awful lot of good triumphing over evil in this novel, enough that when I finished the book I felt a little empty – like nothing had been accomplished during the book. However, this second problem is also a good thing. All of the bad guys winning in this novel has done a perfect job setting up a fairly standard beginning for another high fantasy novel to follow – and based on the superb quality of this book, I expect that sequel to be exceptionally good.

4.5*
I really enjoyed this book! It was exciting, fast paced, and unpredictable (kind of). I really enjoyed the cast of characters we were introduced to and can't wait to continue on with Rebel Spring - as soon as I buy it.
This book really grabs you and introduces you to a land riddled with strife and unrest. I really enjoyed the magical elements in this book and how the three lands are depicted. Because we get POVs from characters in all three kingdoms, it's so hard to root for one specific person. There are definitely some unlikable characters, but at the same time, you still kind of like them.
The world building was pretty good. I really got a feel for the relationship between the three kingdoms, and how everything was connected. The way the history was woven in was great. I can see why so many people enjoy this series.

:D

I saw that FALLING KINGDOMS was being hailed as the YA version of The Game of Thrones. The overall reviews looked promising. I decided to give Morgan Rhodes a chance. This was a book I kept at work. I started reading it on December 6th, and finished on the morning of the 11th. Five days. Only reason it took my 5 Whole Days to read was because I didn't bring it home with me each morning!The book is fast paced. Action-packed. A real page-turner . . . and whatever other cliches about awesome books you want to add!Three different territories. Two Kings, and one chief. One of the three is over all prosperous on all fronts. The other two are very jealous and greedy! Princes and princesses. Warriors and common folk. Magic and evil plots. FALLING KINGDOMS is ripe with tension!I loved the book. I've ordered the other three in the series. Look forward to their arrival in the mail!Phillip TomassoAuthor of Damn the Dead and Blood River

This book is about four sons and daughters of 3 different kingdoms. There is Cleo, Jonas, Lucia and Magnus. Each kingdom has it own kings: the Auranos, Limeros and Paelsia. Jonas' older brother Tomas was killed and he wanted revenge. Jonas is a rebel and he doesn't like the Auranos kingdom or Cleo. He wanted Cleo to die because he said that she killed his brother. Cleo is the youngest daughter of the Auranian king. She is beautiful, spoil and rich. She witness the murder of Jonas' brother. Magnus and Lucia are brother and sister of the Limeros kingdom. But Lucia found out that she was adopted at birth. Then the rebels started a war with Cleo's kingdom. What I like about this book is the setting and how everyone came from a different background. It was fun, full of suspense, and at times emotional. I like how everyone was fighting for power, people were dying; witches were put to death; it contained magic and It showed the good and evil of people.

Falling Kingdoms is about 3 kingdoms. The kingdoms are Auranos, Limeros, and Paelsia. The 4 main characters are Princess Cleo, Prince Magnus, Princess Lucia, and Jonas Agallon. All 4 are trying to find and possess the magical crystals called the Kindred. The Kindred are 4 crystals that possess the power of the elements. Princess Cleo is the Princess of Aurnos. Princess Lucia is the Princess of Limeros, and Prince Magnus is the Prince of Limeros. Jonas is a rebel that got his brother killed by a lord from Auranos.I really liked this book, because it is exciting on every page. I don't think this is a children's book though by the content. I can't wait to read the second book in the series. The ending was exciting, and from the ending I knew that there would be a second book, because of the ending. I think that Jonas's obsession to kill Princess Cleo though is to extreme. I mean she didn't even do anything, Lord Aron did everything. The thing I love most is that there is magic in the book.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. While aimed at teens, I being in my 40's, really enjoyed it. It's like Game of Thrones, rated PG-13. Political intrigue, mixed with Sword & Sorcery, very nicely combined ask together.

Fluff read. Great for when i'm in between books.

If I can get past how much I disliked the helplessness of Cleo, I could say that I enjoyed this book. I did not, however, like the acquiescent nature of Cleo. She's a princess for goodness sake, but acted more like a peasant girl accustomed to being ordered around. I like my female characters to have a little more spunk. The rivalries between the kingdoms reminded me of a very watered down Game of Thrones plot, but without the rich writing or the complexity... I have put it on our shelves, and I will be buying the next book.

Started slower than I expected, with more political intrigue initially than "fantasy". However, as the back-story developed, so did the plot and the last half of the novel was hard to put down. Falling Kingdoms is a story about decline--magic wanes, as do a once vibrant land that now has split into three smaller kingdoms: one wealthy and prosperous, ruled by a kindly if oblivious king; one cold, strident and religious, ruled by a blood-thirsty tyrant; one poor and starving, ruled by a hedonistic pretender. Yet, it is the youth, a princess, a prince, a sorceress, and a rebel who hold the keys to a new beginning for their lands--if they can survive the process. What they don't realize is that they are watched by beings who have their own agendas, and are willing to use these humans as pawns to suit their needs.Of course, there is a sequel coming soon. I think there is room here for more character development and perhaps the possibility of reconciliation among the four teens who have more in common than they can imagine. I especially appreciated that Rhodes was NOT afraid to kill off the love interests, or that the princess does not always get her "charming" prince. Some real bad-asses in this novel, and a good deal of blood-shed. Reminds me of what my spouse has told me about George RR Martin's Game of Thrones series (he's read them all).

Honestly it did sound interesting, three kingdoms that were once one, several teens from these kingdoms, three of which are royal, a promise of magic return and adventure. But it just didn't grab me. One of the big evil characters died in minutes, the evil king all but twirls his moustache and the characters didn't engage me or make me root for them. I'm kinda curious about what happens next but I actually don't care all that much, I might read the sequel but I'm more invested in others.There were moments that did stand out and did make me want to see more by this author, maybe later in their career.

Ummm... It's okay-ishly good. Not that great. Not amazing. I dunno. It's just another fantasy. There's really nothing new to it. It's like a combined stories of all the books I have ever read. So yeah. If you like fantasy like this one, then go ahead and read it. :) I mean, if you like, medieval, greedy kings (of course that's always the main issue in all books, greediness and power), prophecy, slightly incest not really, I mean they are not really siblings, just that they grew together thinking they are, but only the guy is feeling that way, magic, people oppressed, and all that. Go ahead and read this. You might like it better than me.

The characters in this book as so very bland the author feels the need to tell us what they ought to be like.

Now that I've finished, I can confirm. Ab-so-lute drivel.

It's not often I give up on a book. But with so many other things to read, I couldn't see the point in investing the time to finish this one. At nearly half way through, I didn't care about any of the characters and found the plot confused and uninteresting. The constantly shifting point of view felt choppy and kept me from being drawn into the story.

Honestly, I couldn't decide whether to give this book three or four stars. I loved the setting, the mythology, the ideas behind the plot & characters, but... Falling Kingdoms does lack something, either character development or depth of description or something. It certainly didn't engross me like Cinda William Chima's Seven Realms series did a few months ago. I'll likely read the sequel (I'm interested enough for that), but I'm not eager to delve right in like I typically am.

2.5 stars. It was readable, but I didn't really enjoy it. There was a lot going on, but I didn't connect with any of the characters. It's hard to like a book if you don't like any of the people.

A teenage Game of Thrones. Rhodes built a dark and vivid world, filled with complex stories and characters.

Despite what you'd think from the cover, there is very little wearing of white cloaks and swooshing of magic blades and things. There is a lot of whining by spoiled royal children though. The narration of the audiobook was fine though he gave everyone accents but then narrated without an accent which seemed odd. What little of the magic we see is your typical elemental stuff so I was bored there. There are a lot of characters and switching views, which isn't easy to follow on audio so I recommend against listening if you are debating on it. Over all just a bit disappointed.

Richly imaginative and totally epic, Falling Kingdoms has earned itself a coveted place on my favorites shelf. I cannot recommend this book enough!!

3.5 stars
Overall the book was engaging enough to make me want to read it through, and follow the next books. However, I kept wishing there was just a little more depth / complexity to the story. If you like high-fantasy simplified, with magic, princesses, kings, and politics, this one's for you.

I'll admit, I had some serious doubts when I first heard about this young adult novel styled as an epic fantasy. I'm more of an adult fiction reader, so when I think about epic fantasy I can't help but picture vast sweeping sagas in big fat tomes, and I have no doubt it was this bias making me skeptical as I eyed this relatively thin volume. So you can imagine my surprise when it turned out I quite enjoyed this book. Still, I did don my YA hat as I was thinking about how to rate and review it. And furthermore, you should know that any time anyone anywhere compares anything to George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, I take it with a grain of salt. On several levels, I suppose I can understand the reasons for some of the comparisons, or why a story like this would appeal to fans of Game of Thrones. And yet, to date I've never actually encountered anything else quite like Martin's epic series and I didn't anticipate it would happen now. As such, you could say I went into Falling Kingdoms with a realistic outlook, along with an expectation for some of the usual YA trappings and perhaps a more delicate, dialed-down version of my beloved epic fantasy tropes. But putting it like that would also be doing this book a great injustice, because it also turned out to be a deeper and more intricate reading experience than thought. Despite having a central cast of mostly teenagers, some of the more mature and darker themes also took me by surprise.The scope of the story was certainly extensive and far-reaching enough for my tastes; here we have a land where the rulers of three separate kingdoms are locked in a bitter struggle for power, thus creating a hotbed for intrigue, conspiracy, scandal and all that good stuff. I wasn't expecting to see too much complexity, and indeed, the plot felt strained in certain places, I found myself questioning character motivations a lot, and some of the world building and story elements were lighter than what I'm accustomed to. And yet, when I look at the overall big picture, I was quite impressed with what I saw. It's a lot more than I'd hoped to find in a YA novel, that's for sure.In a sense, this book reads exactly as it is described: an epic fantasy for teens. Since that was how I approached it, I thought it delivered everything that was promised and much more besides. If anything, the plot's overall simplicity and straightforward nature of the narrative actually work in the novel's favor. It's very accessible, easy to get into even if you aren't an epic fantasy reader, and the story is just layered enough to be interesting but not confusing or overwhelming. Falling Kingdoms proved to be a highly enjoyable read for me. Keeping in mind it is a YA novel, it's probably not ideal if you're looking for a more powerful, substantial epic fantasy, but I had a lot of fun nonetheless. I'm actually really looking forward to starting the new book soon.

This book was relatively compelling, although it suffered from quick connections with seemingly little motivation behind it. (I'm looking at you two, Cleo and Theon). It also gave me the feeling of Game of Thrones with an easier to swallow page length and swifter to read. That being said, the second book sounds like it'll be better. Let's hope.

Too many characters.Many people will enjoy this book but I need to like a character to enjoy their journey.This is book one of a series and I understand the need to build the world and introduce the characters but i will not finish the series because i don't care what happens.

A high fantasy thrill ride! A sorceress, an heir, a revolutionary and a pampered princess must come of age and choose their own paths amidst war, poverty, forbidden love and even death. Can't wait for the sequel.

I like the multiple viewpoints approach here. It will throw some readers off, but it helps the tension level and moves the story nicely. I'm on to the next installment now.

If you stirred a pot of great fantasy book ideas and ladled out a helping at random, coaxed it to life in a NANOWRIMO style sprint, and slapped a fancy cover on the front, you would have Falling Kingdoms. It was, unfortunately, not worth the read.

Mildly deficient in so many ways (awkward prose, wooden characters, unoriginal plot) that it was hard to determine what made this book so unlikeable.