Review: The Demon King (Seven Realms #1) by Cinda Williams Chima

Title: The Demon King

Series: Seven Realms #1
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Publication Date: October 6, 2009
Pages: 506
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
Source: Ebook

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Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for his family. The only thing of value he has is something he can't sell—the thick silver cuffs he's worn since birth. They're clearly magicked—as he grows, they grow, and he's never been able to get them off.

One day, Han and his clan friend, Dancer, confront three young wizards setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea. Han takes an amulet from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard, to keep him from using it against them. Soon Han learns that the amulet has an evil history—it once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece that powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.

Meanwhile, Raisa ana'Marianna, princess heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. She's just returned to court after three years of freedom in the mountains—riding, hunting, and working the famous clan markets. Raisa wants to be more than an ornament in a glittering cage. She aspires to be like Hanalea—the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But her mother has other plans for her...

The Seven Realms tremble when the lives of Hans and Raisa collide, fanning the flames of the smoldering war between clans and wizards.

MY REVIEW

This review MAY contain SPOILERS. Read at your own risk.

Wow! This was such a great start to this series! This is my first venture into the Cinda Williams Chima world, and I do not regret it! 

I have to admit that when I first picked up this book I found the pacing in the beginning to be a little slow for my tastes. I wouldn't say that I was bored, but I didn't feel fully invested in the book until several chapters in. 

The world building was fleshed out really well. The first few chapters had a lot of world-specific lingo and terms to get familiar with and I felt that there may have been too many of those so early on in the book. Apart from that, once you get used to this book's world structure, it is apparent that The Demon King really boasts a colorful fantasy world full of rich details. Plus, this fantasy world has a queendom, not a kingdom, and that is rad to the max!

The characters in this were really great. They were fleshed out extremely well and I had a clear vision of each character and the life that they lived. The only thing about the characters that I didn't love was that I didn't feel a strong connection to them. I read about them, I understood them and their motives, but I didn't care as much as I would have liked to. It's strange to see wonderful characters with excellent stories to tell, like them, but feel disconnected from them. I can't put my finger on what exactly they are missing, but perhaps some depth. 

The plot of this story is fantastic! Some things in the book are fairly predictable, but not overly so. Some things definitely surprised me. There were some twists and turns lying in there and plenty of story growth. I liked the big reveal at the end of the book and I think that it was orchestrated beautifully throughout the developing plot. 

This book does cover a lot of mature themes in the backdrop of things, which I really liked. Some Young Adult books can shy away from serious issues and flawed characters. This book is very upfront about them. 

I didn't really care for the romance. Granted, these are teenagers and they aren't tied down to serious relationships, but I expected a little more in that regard. These teens hop from one love interest to another just kissing everyone in sight all willy nilly. I would have preferred a more mature approach to relationships, but maybe I'm just old-fashioned. I never like romance to dominate my books, but I also want some feels when it comes around. 

Overall, I was quite impressed with this vivid fantasy story. I am so eager to read the next book in this series! I have a feeling that this series is going to be something special. Cinda Williams Chima has gained a new fan and I cannot wait to devour her current library of already published books! If you are a fan of high fantasy, then this is the read for you! Don't hesitate on this one.

THIS BOOK CONTRIBUTED TO THESE 2018 READING CHALLENGES

- Beat the Backlist Challenge

- Try Something New Challenge

Check out my 2018 Challenge Page to see my progress!

This was my first time reading a book by this author. What was the last new-to-you author that you took a chance on? How did it go?