THE DEMON KING: A Seven Realms Novel
Cinda Williams Chima
Disney-Hyperion
Fantasy
Hardcover: 9781423118237
Paperback: 9781423121367
512 pages
The last decade has seen an explosion of new books and writers in the fantasy genre. Though bookstores still seem inclined to seclude fantasies to the young adult and children’s sections, more adults are reading them all the time. As a result, the overall quality of the writing has changed and, in many cases, matured. One of the great mature writers in the fantasy genre is the very talented Cinda Williams Chima, author of the young adult fantasy series The Heir. Her newest title, THE DEMON KING, is the first installment in an epic trilogy.
The “parallel world” of THE DEMON KING is the Seven Realms, a land with a few similarities to the Middle Ages. Here, there are castles and slums, rolling hills and woods, and an entire society built around protecting the bloodline of the Queen. The land itself has a dark history as magic once put an end to the world. It was a thousand years ago when the Demon King destroyed the Realms in a time that had been named “The Breaking.” The lands burned because of the untamed power of a single sorcerer, and “jinxflingers” across the Realms were looked down upon as the enemy. So there was a change of the tides that led to a change of laws, and the Demonai warriors were commissioned to hold the sorcerers in check. After that, Demonai warriors, the Clan and sorcerers were bound to the Queen.
Within these scarred Realms, far apart from one another, are the story’s two protagonists. The first is a young man named Han Alister, or “Cuffs” (as he is known outside of the Clan). “Cuffs” is an unfortunate name given to him as a baby because his silver cuffs are irremovable and magicked. As an ex-street lord in the slums, Han has an illustrious past, yet in the Clan he remains respected. Miles away and with a whole different status is the second focus of the story: the Queen’s daughter. Princess Raisa is the heir to the throne, a beautiful, spirited young woman just coming of age. She’s ambitious and strong-headed (like her father) and more than a little flirtatious. Raisa’s bloodline descends from Queen Hanalea herself, so her status comes at a hefty cost: while the girl is revered and respected, she is also bound by the expectations of her people and is often unable to make her own choices. Now that Raisa’s “Name Day” is fast approaching (when she will be eligible to consider suitors), she is reminded of the bitter facts of her situation as her consort will be chosen based on politics.
The Queen’s political arena involves her court sorcerer, the Clan, and neighboring Realms. Some of the realms have been resorting to war and abusing the political system. There are subtle forces at work that have seeped into the Queen’s court, and even the use of military tactics is becoming a possibility. Some of these changes are sometimes indefinable, yet there is a growing feeling of an impending imbalance of power.
Much of the book is cloak and dagger, centered on a mystery and building tension. The two protagonists (Han and Princess Raisa) are not involved with each other in the beginning, but their stories do converge at a point when Raisa seeks to become a responsible ruler. There are romances, too, that have implications for the series as a whole. By the end, you can expect the plot not to have reached a firm conclusion. Still, it is an exhilarating story that provides plenty of interest on its own to keep readers well satisfied. There is a great deal of foreshadowing going on throughout that tells of bigger things to come. And this is the first book in an epic series, after all, so the conflict will definitely come to a head in the future --- I would expect a greater level of tension in the second and third installments, which are still to come.
Chima infuses her writing with humor, action and tension throughout. Her characters are strong and complex, with enough modern flavor to satisfy readers and keep them rooting for the good guys. The Seven Realms itself is a fresh new world with vibrant scenery and an entirely different set of rules. And even though it’s over 500 pages, don’t be intimidated --- it’s the kind of read that soars on by until you can’t remember where the time has gone. You’ll end up finding that you finish all too quickly, and then you’ll be wishing for a little more. I'll be eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.
--- Reviewed by Melanie Smith
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