The Runaway King

Description from Good Reads:

A kingdom teetering on the brink of destruction. A king gone missing. Who will survive? Find out in the highly anticipated sequel to Jennifer A. Nielsen’s blockbuster THE FALSE PRINCE!

Just weeks after Jaron has taken the throne, an assassination attempt forces him into a deadly situation. Rumors of a coming war are winding their way between the castle walls, and Jaron feels the pressure quietly mounting within Carthya. Soon, it becomes clear that deserting the kingdom may be his only hope of saving it. But the further Jaron is forced to run from his identity, the more he wonders if it is possible to go too far. Will he ever be able to return home again? Or will he have to sacrifice his own life in order to save his kingdom?

The stunning second installment of The Ascendance Trilogy takes readers on a roller-coaster ride of treason and murder, thrills and peril, as they journey with the Runaway King!

Review:

This is the second book in The Ascendance Trilogy by Jennifer A. Nielsen. It has 331 pages and was published by Scholastic Press in 2013.

If you enjoyed The False Prince then you will love The Runaway King. Jennifer A. Nielson has managed to once again produce a fun and engaging novel that will leave readers anticipating the next book in this series.

The Runaway King is a fast-paced, easy read.  The story is told from the protagonist’s point of view and makes up for in humor what it lacks in complexity.  The overall tone just works perfectly.  Sage/Jaron is a clever and facetious character that reader’s will absolutely fall in love with. This series has been one of the most enjoyable that I have read in a while.  It is a refreshing YA novel without the predictable teenage angst.

Rated: 4 Plot Monster Spiders

Notable Quotes:

“I need a sword first,” I said. “People here keep taking mine.”
― Jennifer A. Nielsen, The Runaway King

 “You wouldn’t want to be king of my country,” I said.
“Why is that?”
“Well, you’re rather fat. I doubt you’d fit onto my throne.”
― Jennifer A. Nielsen, The Runaway King

MDW original review.  Source: Library