The Runaway King

I fell in love with The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen and couldn’t wait for The Runaway King to be published nad I was not disappointed!  A fast-paced story with something for everyone including pirates, thieves, sword fights, a kingdom on the verge of war, a love triangle, and a slew of supporting characters that truly create a world you don’t want to leave. 

Jaron just ascended the throne weeks ago and an assassination attempt drives him to choose between bad and worse.  His choice to desert his kingdom may be his only chance to save it and the few people he counts as friends.  We travel with Jaron back before The Runaway Prince and learn more about his past and the ghosts who continue to haunt him.  Throughout this novel, Jaron must learn the importance of friendship and what being a good friend means.  Will Jaron ever get a true chance to rule his kingdom, or will he have to sacrifice himself?

I couldn’t put this book down and even though I read it over the weekend, if I hadn’t had plans to get in the way, I probably would have read straight through the whole story.   I’m impatient for the grand finale and hope Jennifer A. Nielsen is hard at work writing the ending as we speak!  This is a great trilogy for middle school readers that need a fast-paced story to keep them interested!

Title: The Runaway King
Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: 2013
Page Number: 331 pgs.