King's Blood ~ Review

King's Blood
The Kinsman Chronicles #2
By Jill Williamson

If you are looking for an epic reading experience look no further than this series from Jill Williamson. The first book King's Folly took the reader on a journey through a land in the midst of religious and cataclysmic upheaval. King's Blood continues the journey of the survivors who managed to make it to sea before their world was lost forever. One would think the worst was behind them but the evil and the treachery that walked their land has followed them to the sea and it is determined to consume those who would stand against them.

Wilek has taken on many of the duties of his father - Echad is ill and failing. Janek has been detained because his royal ties are suspect, And Trevn is recovering from the attack that nearly cost him his life as the Five Realms fell. The Heir War appears to have ended but appearances can be deceiving and there are many deceivers hidden amongst the ships and not all of them are human or of the physical realm.

As the remnant of the Five Realms searches for a new land to call home the old suspicions vie with the desire of Wilek and Trevn to return the people to the ways of and belief in Arman.  Meanwhile, the realms of the Mother are determined to assert their dominance over that of Armania and the Father.

But finding land will not end their troubles as they are bringing with them the evil that brought down their old home...

Often the second book in a series is a let down in both story and action, it's merely a bridge to the third book. But King's Blood is no such tool. The story is one that moves the story forward while building on what came before in such a way one would never feel as if the story was left behind. There are twists that one will never anticipate and at the end of the book, one will be going "No, you can't leave me hanging like this!" This is one series that I can see sitting by the side of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. Without giving too much away be ready for some shocks and some separations that will be interesting to see play out in the future.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review. All expressed opinions are my own.

About the Book:

They Flee for Their Lives, But Will a New Home Be Found?

The Five Realms have been destroyed. The remnants of the population who escaped now find themselves confined only to several hundred ships adrift at sea. Guided by hope, rumor, and a promise, they sail north into the unknown, desperate to find land that might become their new home.

As the king's illness worsens, Sâr Wilek takes authority over the expedition and struggles to rule the disjointed people, while assassination attempts, vicious serpents, dangerous storms, and dark magic endanger his life and the survival of his people.

One prophecy has come to pass, but another looms dauntingly in the future. Who is this promised Deliverer? And if the Magonians have him, what might that mean for the realm of Armania?

This second volume collects parts four through six of The Kinsman Chronicles originally released as ebooks.
Part 4--Kingdom at Sea
Part 5--Maelstrom
Part 6--Voices of Blood