King of the Rising

August 24, 2020
The plodding second Caribbean-inspired historical fantasy in Callender’s Islands of Blood and Storm series (following Queen of the Conquered) turns the focus onto Loren Jannik, a former slave and the son of a slave owner. With all the Fjern colonizers of the island nation of Hans Lollik either dead or imprisoned, the indigenous islanders have seized control, but must immediately begin preparing for the inevitable arrival of more Fjerns coming to reclaim the land. With preparations for war underway, Loren contends with wavering trust among the revolutionaries; the unpredictable, power-hungry Sigourney Rose (the heroine of book one); and a possible traitor leaking the islanders’ plans to the Fjern. As the islanders are barraged with attacks from the Fjern, leaving them with dwindling resources, Loren is forced to consider who to trust and how his evolving magic could possibly help them win the war. As in the previous installment, the reader is somewhat trapped in the narrator’s mind, and the narrative momentum drags through long-winded expositional spiels and repetitive inner conflict. Even readers who enjoyed the first in the series will find this a slog. Agent: Beth Phelan, Gallt & Zacker.

Starred review from October 1, 2020

Former slave Loren Jannik was kept under the thumb of his Fjern father and brother for all his life, but now revolution has begun to topple the islands of Hans Lollik. Chosen to lead the rebels, Loren is faced with a group that is running out of food and supplies, and divided by others that want results and decisions. Torn between his devotion to his people and his own doubts, he still lets the imprisoned Sigourney Rose live. They are tied together by their past roles and the power they both have to be inside others' heads. Led by characters that have their own agendas, this story goes in directions that may surprise readers, but the emotional impact will linger. Graphic action and violence; flawed protagonists; and a stark, storm-filled setting all combine into a riveting read. VERDICT The second half of this duology (after The Queen of the Conquered) is a powerful look at colonialism, oppression, and rebellion, and all that it can cost the individuals involved.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2020
The revolt that began on the islands of Hans Lollik (in Queen of the Conquered, 2019) was mostly successful, but the islanders have not won freedom for everybody. Loren Jannik is a former slave and reluctant rebel leader, and, like their prisoner Sigourney Rose, is a child of mixed blood with a talent for seeing into the thoughts of others. He fears the uprising may be doomed because many still believe they are better suited to serve or were better off under their masters. Others want power only to put themselves above the rest, making them too much like those the rebels sought to overthrow. Meanwhile, an inner-circle traitor is revealing information about the rebels' plans and using a memory power to erase anyone's knowledge of the turncoat. But why would a rebellion leader choose enslavement over liberty? While the duology's denouement may not suit everyone, it ties neatly together with the story from the first book, told from Sigourney's perspective, and will appeal to those who fell in love with Callender's alternative Caribbean setting and new take on magic.

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