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    The Falcon Throne
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    The Falcon Throne
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    The Falcon Throne
    Audiobook35 hours

    The Falcon Throne

    Written by Karen Miller

    Narrated by Gildart Jackson

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    WHEN KINGDOMS CLASH, EVERY CROWN WILL BE TARNISHED BY THE BLOODY PRICE OF AMBITION.
    A bastard lord leads a rebellion against his tyrant king -- and must live with the consequences of victory.
    A royal widow plots to win her daughter's freedom from the ambitious lords who would control them both.
    An orphaned prince sets his eyes on regaining his father's stolen throne.
    And two brothers, divided by ambition, will learn that the greater the power, the more dangerous the game.
    A masterful tale of the thirst for power and the cost of betrayal. Epic fantasy at its bloodiest, action-packed best.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHachette Audio
    Release dateSep 9, 2014
    ISBN9781619696730
    Unavailable
    The Falcon Throne
    Author

    Karen Miller

    Karen Miller, who has over 25 years experience in the early childhood field, is well known as a keynote speaker and consultant. She has worked as a teacher for Head Start, as national education director for Children's World Inc. and as a national training director for Min-Skools Ltd.

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    Reviews for The Falcon Throne

    4/5

    75 ratings18 reviews

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    • 4/5
      (Rourik) running into the (Princess) trying to Free the horse’s among the burning stables. And again when he’s calling on her (Mother) the Queen, & learning her daughter was the girl in the blazing stables...
      I really enjoyed the story, I must add however, I felt at times u didn’t portray the characters accurately, mainly Rourik. He wasn’t dumb but a little nieve, so it was frustrating to see him falling for this scheme or that. Especially when they were really obvious. But whatever.!!!
      I really had fun watching Your Tale
      Unfold...!!!!
    • 4/5
      good but not great, worth reading, I enjoyed it for the most part
    • 5/5
      Amazing. Very few fantasy novels deliver like this one. You will not regret reading this.
    • 5/5
      Simply amazed! Can’t wait for part 2!!! This book had me hanging on the edge of my seat for the whole 35 hours!
    • 3/5
      So I trudged through this, I've read books by this author before and enjoyed them but this was a bit more grimdark, GRRMy and it did not suit. There was one character that I liked and by the end what happened to him wasn't good. The story starts with a revolt winning and a bastard son taking over a duchy, dark magic and plots and a lot of evil people winning. I have no urge to read further in this series. It reads well and it's craftful but I didn't care really by the end.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 2/5
      Unrelentingly full of sadness, betrayal, blindness, weakness from beginning to end! I will definitely not be reading book 2 or whatever else. It's worse than GoT imo.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      It`s strange to read all of these negative reviews about this book. For me it`s an excellently written epic fantasy where the `fantasy` part is in the background and the majority of the story is a medieval tale full with politics and intrigue. My only criticism would be that the book is a bit overwritten but if we want to be honest the Game of Thrones (the book was advertised as a GoT-killer) is suffering from the same.
    • 3/5
      The action is not as fast paced as I prefer, but intriguing political maneuvering and engaging characters, setting up the rest of the series. I don't believe it is Karen's best work, but perhaps the background and detail will payoff in the remainder of the series.
    • 4/5
      After quite a long gap writing YA Karen is back to writing grown-up fantasy. It's billed as 'epic' but it isn't being much more closely focused on a few characters in just two duchys. These were once a united kingdom which is where all the trouble comes from. Succession is always to the eldest male child, even when they turn out to be either figuratively or literally a bit of bastard. Out antagonist is the aforementioned figurative bastard Balfre, not beloved of his father, the current Duke, whom feels Balfre is far too headstrong and aggressive to lead a country into peace and prosperity. Traditionally the eldest son would learn his leadership as Steward of a local territory, but the duke bestows this honour on his younger son, leaving Balfre fuming and dispatched to the Marches, the quasi-independent border between the two territories. Roric is the literal bastard, but being a nice person has the support of the local Lords and they depose of his hated brother the current Duke of the other land. In the surprise the young heir is believed killed but escapes with his nursing whispering vengeance into his ears. Roric tries to rule well, but the land suffers an unfortunate run of weather, fearful and greedy merchants, etc and finds it hard to counter Balfre's continual antagonism, however while the old Duke lives, peace simmers on and Liam lives as a foster son in a Marches pub.Women get very short shift in this world. Lords daughters are assigned to marriage and male heirs are required. Little choice or agency is given to them unless they work subtly with an understanding husband - rare indeed. There are tow exceptions, one a pub Matron, Molly (who fosters Liam) but even she leads a hard life, brutally bereaved of her first husband. The other is a witch Izuna, who's on no-ones side but her own and the dead spirits she communes with.As may be expected from a book that opens with the escape of a baby ducal heir, many years of events have to be compressed into a readable length, and unfortunately this is often done in skips and jumps not always signaled as clearly as they should be. The transitions between character viewpoints are also sometimes a little jarring. I much preferred the first person style of Empress. Very few of the characters are in and of themselves likable but together they make a twisted plot with plenty of unexpected turns and the consequences of their actions well thought through.The magic is very light, almost low fantasy, with just the witch having any powers at all. I suspect a greater play of religion will be forthcoming in the later books as there is frequent mention of tension between a one god grey robed church and the old ways of the villagers with their charms and superstitions. Enjoyable is perhaps the wrong word for a lot of it but it was captivating reading and I'm interested to know how it all works out.
    • 4/5
      This book is a little hard to review because I feel pretty ambivalent about it. On one hand, I really like big, sprawling fantasy novels; I really like lots of world-building and I like getting a feel for the politics of a place that I'm reading about—and I also like getting into the characters' heads for their motivation, which is basically what this book is about.However, this book is also SLOW, it jumps around with no warning, and isn't exactly ... fun?... to read for more reasons than just that. There's a lot of uncreative swearing (which, okay, it focuses mostly on people who are soldiers, or who are at least living a martial lifestyle, but couldn't they at least swear a little more creatively?), the timeline jumps months or years at a time without any nice little headers saying things like ~Five Years Pass~.There's also a small issue I have with the chapter breaks—they all end on cliffhangers, which is fine (and the way one ought to construct a chapter), but these cliffhangers are in the middle of a scene and not at what I find is a natural breaking point. Instead, the next chapter picks up with the next sentence of the exchange or the next step in the preceding scene, which just feels clunky to me.That being said, I did find it engaging enough to finish and at least be remotely intrigued by the characters for 700 pages, and that's saying something. I'm interested enough in the goings-on in this book world that I'd even think about picking up book 2 just to see what happens to our misbegotten heroes. I'm just not champing at the bit to see what happens like I am with some other series out there.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Epic fantasy of the "Game of Thrones" scale. Be prepared for lots of characters, lots of politics, and frank violence, betrayal, and some sexuality. As a reader, I don't mind it, but I know it's not everyone's cup of tea. If you like your books somewhat gritty and real, and with a sprawling scale, definitely check this one out. Miller ups her game with each series she writes and this one's taken it to a new level--it's left me waiting for the next book for sure.
    • 1/5
      Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.It's not a good sign when I can put down a book for a couple of days, and not be eager to pick it up and get involved into the storyline again. I got about a third of the way through the book before I just could not read it anymore.There's little action and a lot of political maneuvering. This person is plotting this. That person is plotting that. This person is plotting this against that person. Etc, etc. There were interesting points where it would peak my interest, and then it would drag on and get dull. Peak again, drag on again.It started off with an interesting plot/scene, and I just wish it stayed there. I got the feeling that all got shoved to 'off stage'.I guess if you like political maneuvering kind of plots, this may be up your alley. It just did not appeal to me.
    • 3/5
      I had really mixed feelings about this book. The characters were very well done. The detail that the author used was incredible. It was generally a really, really well written book. On the other hand, it take a lot more than great characterizations and descriptions. It was really a 700 page setup book for the rest of the series. So much time was spent setting the scene that it was tiring, almost a chore. There was so much going on in power plays, but the physical action was much less. It is more political than action based. A lot of people are comparing it to Game of Thrones. I can see the resemblance. Several groups in different kingdoms, trying to assert dominance over each other. This is puppetry behind the scenes, good people in bad situations, bad people in good places. I just felt that it moved way too slow for me. Not a bad story, I just wished there was more excitement.
    • 4/5
      Most readers are likely to compare this book to Game of Thrones, but for me it's rather like King Lear: excellent writing, amazing characters, intricate woven plotlines, and lots and lots of blood, most of that unfortunately spurting from the wrong people. No elves or dragons, but some of the most in-depth world-building I've ever read, and the heroes (and anti-heroes) could shake themselves off the page. This book drew me in with the opening sentence and held me until the end, with 650+ pages read in about three days.So why not five stars? Three reasons. a) The plotline includes an unseen power, manipulating everybody from behind the scenes and from a distance. It's not my favorite trope and in some ways it cheapened the heartbreak of the main story. (This is not a spoiler; the storyline is introduced in the prologue.) b) There's a lot of profanity, most of it funny but unnecessary. And c) There's a lot of blood. No, really. A lot. We'll call this one four stars, and I remain breathless from the read.This reviewer received a free copy of the book from Library Thing's Early Reviewer program. Please note that the price of the book has no bearing upon the review received.
    • 5/5
      The Falcon Throne is the first installment of a new epic fantasy series that is sure to delight. There is plenty of back-stabbing, unbelievable betrayals and murdering mayhem to keep all readers interested from cover to cover. Balfre is the hot-headed megalomaniac set to inherit the Harcian duchy but his father, Duke Aimery has serious doubts about his son's fitness to rule. When guardianship of the Green Isle is given to his brother Grefin instead of himself Balfre becomes determined not only to make Harcia his own but to take the neighboring duchy of Clemen and proclaiming himself king of the united duchies. With the help of a witch named Izusa and his trusted man Waymon he sets out to sabotoge not only his obvious enemies but his father and brother as well. Roric if the bastard and reluctant duke of Clemen. Coerced into taking the duchy from Harald, the rightful but awful duke, he has stumbled through his rule - haunted by the unplanned death of Haralds infant son. Life is further complicated when his trusted advisor insists that he must marry his daughter in hopes that an heir will calm the duchy's nerves but a loveless marriage and no sons only causes Roric more despair. His soft-rule has opened him up for conquest and with the death of Aimery looming and Balfre's rule he must resolve his feelings and become the duke that Clemen desperately needs. I REALLY enjoyed this book and was sad to see it come to an end. Looking forward to the next novel and hoping Ms. Miller writes faster than Martin!
    • 3/5
      This book is an agonizing read,taking me two weeks to get through the first 200 pages. Not because it is poorly done (quite the opposite), but because it bores me. For someone who doesn't read the genre much, it would probably be a good book. But for me, I read a LOT of fantasy, and this novel brings nothing new to the genre. It's a story made of tropes, clichés, and archetypes. The minutiae differ, but I've read the story dozens, if not hundreds, of times. Also, I have one complaint: there are a group of people worth an accent, and the way Miller writes it seems rather forced and strained to me, incredibly jarring compared to the other characters. I won't be finishing this book.
    • 4/5
      The Falcon Throne introduces readers to a kingdom torn apart by a centuries-long feud between two neighboring duchies, Harcia and Clemen – all because of a conflict that happened long ago. In the distant past, two stubborn and power-hungry royal brothers fought for rule, and the resulting rift caused the land to split into the two dukedoms. Now Harcia and Clemen are on the brink of war again with the tensions threatening to boil over, fueled by the lofty ambitions of men on both sides. Okay, so follow along with me here: in Clemen, the tyrant Duke Harald is feared and hated by his nobles, and inevitably a rebellion led by his bastard-born cousin Ederic and backed by Ederic’s foster lord Humbert swiftly puts an end to Harald’s reign of terror. Believed to be among the casualties is Harald’s infant son and heir Liam, but in fact the child was whisked away to safety by his nursemaid, who intends to raise the boy until he is old enough to take back his stolen throne. Meanwhile over in Harcia, Duke Aimery has two living sons, his hot-tempered heir Balfre as well as the younger and more level-headed Grefin. Balfre has dreams of being the supreme ruler of a reunited kingdom, which would require bringing Clemen back into Harcia’s fold by brute force if necessary. Aimery, recognizing his heir’s dangerous ambitions, would like nothing more than to have his favorite son Grefin succeed him, but you can also be sure Balfre isn’t going to let anything – not even his own father and brother – stand in his way.First I just want to put it out there that The Falcon Throne is my first book by Karen Miller, but from what I’ve heard about her previous work, I can’t say this is what I expected. I’ve seen reviews of her other books, especially her Godspeaker Trilogy, that have intrigued me with their discussion of controversial characters and bold subject matters. Readers seemed to either love or hate those books, but at least they sounded very different and intriguing. I think I’d expected The Falcon Throne to go in a similar direction, but that didn’t quite happen. Despite the twisty plotlines involving court intrigue, lordly politics, and the unpredictable consequence of shenanigans by pathological schemers, the story and themes aren’t really groundbreaking or anything to write home about.And yet, I really enjoyed this book in spite of myself. Looking at the fantasy genre, I’ve noticed that in recent years the classic elves and dwarves seem to have been largely replaced by squabbling noble houses and psychopathic royalty. With Game of Thrones fever taking the world by storm, I suppose it’s really not that surprising to see writers hoping to ride on the coattails of its success by emulating its style or concepts. I don’t know if this was Miller’s intent, but I definitely sensed some of those vibes while reading this. Nothing wrong with that, though! Not especially with her obvious talent for writing fully-realized characters and intense sequences. However, as much enjoyment as I got out of this book, Miller doesn’t quite push things over to mind-blowing territory. Don’t get me wrong, the story was certainly addictive – enough to make getting through 670-ish pages of this ARC not feel like a chore at all. I am still surprised at the speed I gobbled up this book. But like any lengthy epic, it has its ups and downs. The characters are great, but I was largely unaffected by any significant events that happened to them, and even unexpected character deaths didn’t always have the desired impact. Here and there were also several patches with borderline information overload that I was tempted to skim, but I have to make it clear that for the most part, these rare hiccups in the story were made up for by the wonderfully executed dialogue between characters and action-filled fight scenes.In case you’re still wondering about the validity of the comparisons of this book to Game of Thrones, I would say those descriptions are pretty apt. Still, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I always hesitate to compare anything to George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire…simply because nothing out there is like George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire. Certain series like that or Harry Potter are just so big they defy comparison. But quite honestly, it wouldn’t be fair to The Falcon Throne to make that comparison either. This book can certainly stand on its own. Some of its themes might ring familiar to avid readers of epic fantasy, but I’ll be the first in line to admit I can’t resist these kinds of stories, and Karen Miller brings her own unique and elegant touch to The Falcon Throne.
    • 5/5
      First things first. So nice to see on the cover “A Major New Fantasy Epic Begins”. Also on the spine it shows as book one. Those of us who have been reading fantasy for a long time, where every book is part of a series, you’d often times not know if you were picking up book one or what. Nice to see this clearly displayed.To the book: Well written and well-developed characters. I find any good book you works on characters first. To me a good book has people put into situations rather than situations that happened to have characters in it. I got to know these characters, to care about these characters (which shouldn’t been confused with liking a character). A few convenient coincidences in the book, but what story doesn’t have those. A fine story was weaved throughout, with me wanting to read the book and hating to have to set it down. I look forward to the next one. Also glad I found a new author I like and thanks to Hachette. Pretty liberal use of “F” word, so the sensitive should be ware.