  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 04/01/2016 Cruel King Montaigne of Arden holds the lives of four teens in his twisted hands: Jenna from the mining district, who has a distinctive mage mark on the nape of her neck; Adam, a young mage equally capable of healing or killing; Lila, a spy and smuggler who has the king’s favor; and Destin, savvy son of the king’s general and seemingly despised by his father. As the teens’ lives converge, a kingdom and the Seven Realms hang in the balance. The children of characters from Chima’s Seven Realms series start their own adventures, and this series starter introduces major players and conflicts. It takes a while to get everyone positioned, but the payoff is worth the wait, and by the time the teens come together, readers are already hooked by mild romance and hints of complications to come—not the least of which is the appearance of dragons. Chima fans will love this familiar fare, but also try it with readers of Anne McCaffrey’s Pern series or Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle. - Copyright 2016 Booklist. Loading...
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