The Book Dragon has finished The King's Shadow by M. L. Farb (The King's Trial Book Two) and gives it 5 claws!
My review: 4.5 stars for an exciting sequel to the epic The King's Trial, which made Book Dragon's Top 10 reads of 2019. Most of the characters from the first book make at least a cameo appearance, but this story takes off on a different tangent with multiple dangers and challenges for young King Halavant, his brother Yosyph (known variously as the Shadow Demon and the Yorel), Lady Katrin, and the healer Elise, the four viewpoint characters. A good portion of Halavant's journey is spent with the Carani, and it felt like total immersion into their fascinating culture(s). There are several scenes of nail-biting tension while this reader worried about what would happen to her favorite characters, and many twists and turns keep the reader guessing and turning those pages as quickly as possible! The only (very minor) disappointment was that the climactic battle seemed to happen too quickly; I would have loved to "see" a bit more of the struggle. But the story line is fantastic, the sensory details lush and realistic, and it was satisfying to see Yosyph's faith grow through his trials, and also Halavant's unexpected growth. Recommended to anyone who likes Christian fantasy adventure! Suitable for all ages.
Here's a better picture of the gorgeous cover:
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