Shadow Throne (Ascendance Trilogy, #3)

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Jennifer A. Nielsen takes readers on an extraordinary journey in this final installment of the NEW YORK TIMES bestselling Ascendance Trilogy. War is coming...Join Jaron as he embarks on his final adventure!

• ISBN10: 0606363254
• ISBN13: 9780606363259
• Publish Date: 27 January 2015 (first published 1 March 2014)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 6 April 2021
• Imprint: Turtleback Books
• Edition: Bound for Schools & Libraries ed.
• Format: Hardcover (Library Binding)
• Pages: 336
• Language: English

Reviews

[ladygrey]

Sometimes by the third book i don’t know what to say anymore. Especially if it wasn’t terrible. And this certainly wasn’t.

It’s a bit darker than the others because there’s war and all. But it’s emotionally more resonant. and i still liked the characters quite a bit. I liked the emotions they were forced to confront and to grapple with. They were just such small glimpses but they hit really well.

And like all good serious, the characters were enjoyable and kept the story interesting. I perhaps would have liked a bit more resolution but in general it ended well, if briefly.

[nitzan_schwarz]

To read this review and more check out Afterwords!

Okay, so first things first... I love this book and I love this series and I highly highly recommend you get it if you haven't yet! You will fall in love with the main character and his journey, guaranteed!

Speaking of Jaron's journey... Can we take a minute to appreciate what Nielsen has done with this trilogy? Some trilogies suffer from "second book syndrome", where the second book is kind of meh and filler. Not The Ascendence Trilogy. The first book was all about getting Jaron to the crown. The second is all about Jaron assembling his court in preparation for the war. And the third is said war, with Jaron as the proper and respected king of Carthya.

No book is filler, or there just for the sake of prolonging the series. Each book is necessary to Jaron's development and the authentic flow of the story... to making this final book satisfying and gratifying. To making Jaron's final triumph meaningful. And I don't consider this a spoiler because let's face it, did you really think this precarious and precious king would not succeed?

And yes, I am still as in love with Jaron as ever. I love how kind and self-sacrificing he is. How all his actions are motivated by a single-minded desire to help others. I love how despite this he is not perfect; he is hot-headed and stubborn, and proud. And a little dense in certain aspects.

I truly wish more leaders were like Jaron - because he definitely inspires a sense of loyalty and respect from everyone who encounters him; from his armies, his regents, his subjects, his friends and, of course, the readers.

He is a king you would proudly follow into battle.

And that battle... it was brilliantly written, as always. I absolutely adored reading of Jaron's plans, schemes, and tricks, and Nielsen does an amazing job setting those up, allowing us to understand Jaron has something planned, but almost never enough for you to figure out exactly what before it happens.

The one weak point of this novel is one that has been accompanying me since book one and that's the romance. Don't get me wrong--Imogen and Jaron are cute together, no doubt about that. Especially with the kisses at the end (like, that was totes adorable). But since I never quite understood why and when they fell in love in book one, I failed to understand it here, so I left still feeling like something was missing. Feeling like his reaction to her death is too monumental because their love was never properly based for me. Same goes for Tobias and the Princess.

In this regards, my re-read of the first book kind of did a disservice to this series. I feel like had I not done that to refresh my memory, I would have gone forward in the books under the illusion those emotions have been explored better in book one, and therefore feeling more at peace with them. Oh well, not everything about a book can be a win.

I'm extremely sad to be saying goodbye to this world and characters, but here's to hoping Nielsen's other protagonists are as incredible as Jaron was because I will be reading them for sure!


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Original Thoughts
This was a great ending for this series.

Jaron is *still* as fantastic as ever. I love how he's far from perfect, but at the same time he is so kind, of self-sacrificing, and all of his actions are motivated by his desire to help others. I wish more leaders were like him - because he definitely inspires a sense of loyalty and respect from his armies, his regents, his citizens and, of course, his readers. He is a king you can proudly march to battle after.

The weakest point of this novel, as always, was the romance. Don't get me wrong--Imogen and Jaron are really cute together. Especially with the kisses at the end. That was adorable. That being said, since I never quite understood why they fell in love in book one, I still failed to understand it here, so I was still left mostly dissatisfied. It's like... I was trying to figure out why her death would destroy him like that, since their emotions were never properly based for me. Same goes for Tobias and the Princess (don't make me try to spell her name, because I *will* fail).

The war itself was brilliantly written. I loved reading of Jaron's plans, schemes, and tricks. And I am so impressed with him!! He thinks 10 steps ahead of everyone (sometimes including of himself lol) and he does so brilliantly! Nielsen also does a brilliant job setting these schemes up, letting us know enough to understand Jaron has something planned, but never enough so you figure it out before it happens. By which point you smack yourself over the head and say "well, duh!" loudly lol

I'm kind of sad saying goodbye to these characters, who were such great friends for me for the duration of this trilogy!

[layawaydragon]

So dull, with the same formula as the first book and so obvious. W/e. Not in the mood for this.

[littleread1]

I very much enjoyed this series.

[KitsuneBae]

Too bad, the Ascendance Trilogy is one of those series that started really well and ended up a train wreck. I wish I'd stop at book 1.

Great conclusion to the Ascendance Trilogy. These were impressive books for a middle grade audience. Recommend it for the young and old.

[Briana @ Pages Unbound]

Source: Netgalley

Note: This review is also posted at Pages Unbound Book Reviews.

Review: Nielsen delivers big-time for Ascendance Trilogy fans in this final installment, offering a riveting and fast-paced adventure with the highest stakes yet.  No longer is just Jaron’s fate uncertain, but that of his entire country, and all of those whom he holds dear.  Nielsen has been offering readers teasers that “War is coming.”  Well, now war is here, and the question on everyone’s mind is whether a boy-king who specializes in pranks can use his courage and cunning to outsmart armies.

Watching Jaron develop his wits to plays his tricks on such a large skill is one of the coolest parts of The Shadow Throne.  Fans of the trilogy have watched Jaron grow up and grow into his new role as king, working to win respect even as he maintains his sharp tongue and playful personality.  In The Shadow Throne, he continues this maturation as he learns to turn what others see as his “childish pranks” into truly clever ruses to outsmart enemy armies whom he cannot hope to outfight.

Nielsen tries to play a few tricks on readers herself with some major plots twists, but the surprise and the suspense are executed better in the first two novels.  The Shadow Throne, rather than being as fresh and unpredictable as The False Prince, is basically a victory lap in which Nielsen pulls out all her readers’ favorite characters for one last showing.  She throws the greatest challenges of their lives at them, but readers have some idea of what to expect from these characters by now and will mostly feel delight and satisfaction in seeing their expectations fulfilled.

On a technical level, Nielsen does a fantastic job of keeping readers on track.  Because this is a book imbued heavily with intrigue, characters must make frequent references to previous events and conversations.  Nielsen skillfully weaves in commentary that reminds readers exactly what action or remark the characters are alluding to.  Readers are kept on top of all the plotting and deceits, without any feeling of unnatural authorial insertion.  One pet peeve about Nielsen’s writing: Characters constantly “withdraw” their swords instead of “drawing” them, which confused me more than once as I picture people putting weapons away, not pulling them out.

The Shadow Throne is an absorbing conclusion to the Ascendance Trilogy, and it will please fans with its adherence to the spirit of the first two novels and its resolutions to all of Carthya’s problems.  Nielsen makes sure to include the action and the witty lines her readers have come to love, all sprinkled with a bit of commentary on what it means to love and what it means to be a king.  Everything that makes the first two books is here, and Nielsen wraps up everything thoroughly, with practically no loose ends in sight.  A very pleasing finale.