Following the downfall of a tyrant in the Wall Street Journal bestselling Kingfountain trilogy, years have passed in prosperity for the kingdom of Ceredigion. Now, as the time comes to celebrate the new king’s nuptials, the specter of a new enemy emerges to destroy all that has been painstakingly built in those years.Tryneowy Kiskaddon has grown up learning military and diplomatic strategy from … diplomatic strategy from her father, one of the king’s closest advisors. She feels her destiny lies in defending the kingdom as a knight, not as a Wizr as her parents have decided, though no lady of the realm has taken up the sword in a century. As she seeks to understand her own Fountain-blessed powers, she studies in the tradition of her mother while training in secret and closely following the realm’s politics, alarmed by her mother’s vision of an impending clash and a devastating future.
But the pieces on fate’s game board are in motion, and on the eve of battle, a threatening force irrevocably changes the future of the kingdom and her own. Does Trynne have what it takes to maneuver Ceredigion’s key players into position and outsmart the kingdom’s enemies–even those still concealed in shadow?
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This one took a bit longer for me to get into than others in the series, mostly because it introduces and follows new characters, and I had an initial aversion to Trynne Kiskadden because the name Trynne sounds so much like Tris (from the Divergent series. One of my least favorite heroines ever!) Fortunately, they are nothing alike. Trynne is a far more likable and relatable teenager, and while she is trying to “find herself,” she has no angst whatsoever. Trynne also has a crush on Evie’s son Fallon, who is impetuous, arrogant, and thinks of her as a cousin–or so he says. The dynamic between them is intriguing, but I think it festered a bit of leftover resentment I still held over the fact that Owen and Evie didn’t end up together. I liked Sinia a lot less in this book, probably because she seemed rather colorless and matronly. It still seemed like Owen got the short end of the stick.
Meanwhile, King Drew, the Arthurian character, and Myrddin, the Merlin character, were actually more peripheral than I expected. Drew marries Genevieve, Evie’s daughter and also the Guinevere character. Owen holds the seat of the most valued knight at the circular table, but Trynne secretly knows that she will inherit it. With Myrddin’s help, she finds herself whisked away by the power of the Fountain to become the first of this generation of Oath Maidens, the women who will ultimately train for the coming war. Her story echoes Joan of Arc a bit, which obviously isn’t part of the Arthurian legends, but it’s a great addition.
I find it very hard to review this series, and I’m not entirely sure why. While the plot is coherent, there’s a lot going on, so much so that I don’t focus on all of it. This gives the overall impression that it’s a world that is complete within itself, which is part of what I like about it. It’s a more complete escape than a lot of other fictional stories seem to be.
My rating: ****1/2
Language: none
Violence: fantasy only
Sexual content: none
Political content: none
The fourth book in The Kingfountain Series, ‘The Hollow Crown’ is another wonderful foray into the kingdom of Ceredigion and the surrounding lands.
This book changes the focus of the story from Owen Kiskaddon to his daughter, Tryneowy, and the reader is once again drawn into the intrigue and adventure of life among the noble families, wizrs, the fountain-blessed folk, and the villains who conspire against them. It is an exciting and enchanting tale in which the reader becomes deeply immersed. The storytelling is mesmerising and the settings and scenery are richly and vividly drawn.
Tryneowy’s story is both compelling and interesting. As she grows up, she becomes a young woman of strength and determination, guided by her ethics and loyal to her loved ones and the oaths she makes. She is a character that young women can admire, speaking up for equality in an era where women were not able to do all that men could, and showing that people should be valued for their integrity and abilities regardless of gender.
Readers who have not read the previous books in this series will find this to be a complete story on its own, and thoroughly enjoyable as such.
There is, however, a profound sense of being part of something much bigger—an overarching, ‘big picture’ narrative — and evening a sense of belonging that the reader develops throughout this most excellent series. This is the magic and allure of Wheeler’s writing and the world he has created with Kingfountain and the Kiskaddons at its centre.
Top of it’s class.
In the fourth book of the King’s Fountain series we are introduced to the next generation. Battle, deception, bickering, unrequited love, and self sacrifice abound in this book. Very entertaining story. I recommend though that listeners/readers start with book 1.