Family secrets combine with fantasy in this epic tale of battle, magic, strange creatures, power, and fate, in the second novel in a sweeping middle grade series that Publishers Weekly called "Game of Thrones on a mellow day."
The kingdom of Toronia is being torn apart by civil war. The kingdom's only hope comes in the form of illegitimate triplets, who are prophesied to kill the king and rule together in peace. Separated at birth and scattered throughout the realms, the triplets face a desperate fight to secure their destiny. Will they survive long enough to rule?
The resurrected King Brutan and his army of the dead control the city of Idilliam. Outside, Eloide and Tarlan are trying to hold their own army together and find a way to rescue their brother Gulph who is trapped inside the city. Or is he? Gulph has found a passageway to the lost realm of Celestis, which lies beneath Idilliam. There he is reunited with the mother he has never known-but she can't remember him. If Gulph stays in Celestis, will he also forget those above ground whom he loves?
Meanwhile, Tarlan and the wizard Melchior set out on a quest to restore the wizard's powers, leaving Eloide and her army to keep watch. But Eloide is betrayed, her troops are slaughtered, and she is taken captive by Lord Vicerin, her former guardian, who is determined to use her to take the throne.
Seemingly further from the throne than ever, the triplets will need to use all of their strength and abilities if they are to survive-let alone rule.
read this book with my 14-year-old and at times I actually glad he choose to read this story when he was bit older then if he chooses to read it at say age 9 or 10. I even went and looked and Amazon has it rated for ages 9-12. Now saying that it is a very violent story that centers around a zombie-like king with an army of undead that attacks the kingdom that these three triplets are trying to save so they can fulfill the prophecy. You can get all that information from the blurb so nothing is being hidden but I think in the in-depth ness of the descriptions of what the king looks like example his brain was filled with wiggling maggots, my son that was awesome description me as his mom was cringing saying must I read this really. I really think will appeal to boys more so then girls as at one point a lot of characters are decimated in the war against this king and not only is it human characters that are dying one of the characters has the ability to talk to animals so a whole horde of animals is brought into this war. I guess what I trying to say if you think your child will have an issue with death or gross descriptions you might want to pass. The whole battle with demon king makes you wonder if he ever going to be destroyed and he will be but be warned it takes the entire book for this to happen. We are left with a closing scene from Elodie that ties in nicely with a character who been with us through the whole book. I am excited to see how these triplets fulfill their prophecy in the last book I will be sure to let you know if the gruesomeness is mostly in this book or do we have some that carry over, I am. not trying to discourage anyone from reading this series it an awesome middle grade and I did enjoy I just get squirmy with maggots and zombies.
Reading updates
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Started reading
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10 January, 2019:
Finished reading
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10 January, 2019:
Reviewed