The Runaway King: A Review

Goodreads (description):

A kingdom teetering on the brink of destruction. A king gone missing. Who will survive? Find out in the highly anticipated sequel to Jennifer A. Nielsen's blockbuster THE FALSE PRINCE!

Just weeks after Jaron has taken the throne, an assassination attempt forces him into a deadly situation. Rumors of a coming war are winding their way between the castle walls, and Jaron feels the pressure quietly mounting within Carthya. Soon, it becomes clear that deserting the kingdom may be his only hope of saving it. But the further Jaron is forced to run from his identity, the more he wonders if it is possible to go too far. Will he ever be able to return home again? Or will he have to sacrifice his own life in order to save his kingdom?

The stunning second installment of The Ascendance Trilogy takes readers on a roller-coaster ride of treason and murder, thrills and peril, as they journey with the Runaway King!

My Review:

Jaron is seriously one of the strongest protagonist I have ever read about. He is young and has to face events and choices that most people don't face until they are much older. Such as running a kingdom and trying to keep it from falling into war.

Jaron has to make some tough decisions in this novel. The Avenian Pirates have come to threaten Jaron and his kingdom, giving him 10 days to make his choice--whether to give himself up or bring war to his country.

This is huge and yet, he did not crumble. He stood strong and made plans to keep both himself and his people safe from the evils of the southern country.

Jaron goes undercover as a thief/pirate, taking upon his former alias of Sage. I can't get over how clever and brilliant Jaron is!

And yet, everything that could go wrong in this novel did. I was surprised at how bad and desperate things got for Jaron. I loved how he stuck to his course of action and took the twists and turns with courage. I love how he wasn't ashamed to admit his fears. He did not cower, however. He used his fears to fuel his determination to save his country. He never backed down.

He never ran from a problem. He never runs.

And that, I think, is ANOTHER reason why I love Jaron so much. He is afraid, but he is no coward. He is strong and able. He protects the people he loves, and his country. He is honorable and clever. He may not always be orthodox, but the point is that he always fights for what's right. That's what matters.

I give this a FIVE out of FIVE.