ARC Review: Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms #1) by Morgan Rhodes

 

Author: Morgan Rhodes

Series: Falling Kingdoms

Pages: 412

Publisher: Penguin / Razorbill

Amazon: Falling Kingdoms

Release Date: 11^th December 2012

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power--brutally transforming their subjects' lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:

Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.

Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished--and finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past--and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword...

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

Review: 2 ½ out of 5 stars

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Penguin Teen Australia / Razorbill.

The gorgeous cover is what originally piqued my interest in Falling Kingdoms which follows the territories of Auranos, Paelsia and Limeros who are on the brink of war, their subjects' lives affected in the quest for power, which as a result could mean the fall of the kingdoms.

The four main characters are Princess Cleo from Auranos, Peasant Jonas from Paelsia and Lucia and Magnus both from Limeros; each playing a pivotal role in the story with their fates all linked. Each character was interesting enough although none overly likeable and with the number of secondary characters, I felt it caused the main cast to be underdeveloped.

Falling Kingdom’s world building is quite strong, and the combination of stories from the different kingdoms enjoyable but I felt the pacing moved quite slowly up until the ending which was rushed and certain plot points were predictable.

I have read quite a few fantasy novels lately but Falling Kingdoms was just an ok read for me, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. There were a lot of elements that I didn’t quite understand and way too many characters which didn’t really allow me to connect with any of them.

         

Falling Kingdoms plot whilst intriguing was also complex with the politics and conspiracies; we are given a few twists and turns which kept events interesting but there was nothing that was really new for me.

Overall, whilst the premise of Falling Kingdoms was intriguing and Ms. Rhodes writing enjoyable; the storyline unfortunately didn’t hold my interest nor did the many characters.

Thank-you to Penguin Teen Australia / Razorbill for the opportunity to read and review Falling Kingdoms.