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King Rolen's Kin #4
King Breaker
The conclusion to the hugely popular King Rolen's Kin series!
The story of Byron, Fyn and Piro picks up immediately where the cliff-hanging ending of The Usurper let off! When Cobalt stole the Rolencian throne, Byren, Fyn and Piro were lucky to escape with their lives, now they’ve rallied and set out to avenge their parents' murder.
Byren is driven to defeat Cobalt and reclaim the crown, but at what cost? Fyn has sworn to serve Byren’s interests but his loyalty is tested when he realises he loves Byren’s betrothed. And Piro never wanted to win a throne, now she holds the fate of a people in her hands.
The story of Byron, Fyn and Piro picks up immediately where the cliff-hanging ending of The Usurper let off! When Cobalt stole the Rolencian throne, Byren, Fyn and Piro were lucky to escape with their lives, now they’ve rallied and set out to avenge their parents' murder.
Byren is driven to defeat Cobalt and reclaim the crown, but at what cost? Fyn has sworn to serve Byren’s interests but his loyalty is tested when he realises he loves Byren’s betrothed. And Piro never wanted to win a throne, now she holds the fate of a people in her hands.
774 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 17, 2013
21 people are currently reading
559 people want to read
About the author
Rowena Cory Daniells
39 books361 followersI write the kind of books that keep you up all night.
I write the kind of books that got you reading fantasy way back when. I also write gritty crime-noir with a touch of paranormal under RC Daniells.
I am unashamedly a Genre Writer!
I write the kind of books that got you reading fantasy way back when. I also write gritty crime-noir with a touch of paranormal under RC Daniells.
I am unashamedly a Genre Writer!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
April 3, 2014
Worst ending to a series i have read in a long time
February 3, 2014
My first and biggest complaint about this book is that the composition felt all wrong. There were too many pages dedicated to extraneous, unnecessary things and not enough pages to resolve all the plot points. There was a whole section where Piro runs away from where she is, fakes her way onto a boat, rides out storms and other nasty things across the ocean, gets to the other side of the sea, literally stays there for a few minutes and gets spotted by bad guys, hides in a cart, gets shanked by accident while hiding in a crate, the crate gets put on a ship which heads back to her original port of call, and comes right back where she started from. It was wasted space and time to do nothing, for either the story or character development. There were many examples of this kind of nonsense break from the storyline that added nothing to plot.
Then there was not enough time spent on the important things. Garzik's story and the Utland storyline gets no resolution really. That was a wasted opportunity I think, where there could have been a merging of storylines in really interesting ways. We get nothing but surface level stuff from almost every character. The only good character was Orrade, and he gets no real story arc for himself, which is a shame. The story ends with loose ends dangling and no real satisfaction.
I'm sorry to say it wasn't really up there as a good series as a whole. The premise and the world has potential, but it was never realized.
Then there was not enough time spent on the important things. Garzik's story and the Utland storyline gets no resolution really. That was a wasted opportunity I think, where there could have been a merging of storylines in really interesting ways. We get nothing but surface level stuff from almost every character. The only good character was Orrade, and he gets no real story arc for himself, which is a shame. The story ends with loose ends dangling and no real satisfaction.
I'm sorry to say it wasn't really up there as a good series as a whole. The premise and the world has potential, but it was never realized.
January 8, 2014
The chronicles of King Rolen’s kin with it’s first three instalments instantly became a favourite of mine, everything I want in a high fantasy setting is there in abundance, from the go Daniells created a world you just were desperate to get lost in, filled with intrigue, magic, religion, kingdoms, politics, monsters, myth and legend, not even getting started on a cast of the most memorable characters, both good and bad, I have ever had the pleasure to read about.
The first three were released back in 2010, followed on by a novella late 2012, and are an essential read before starting off on King Breaker as the tale starts off exactly where the others left off. Daniells has an exceptional ability to draw the reader in with her writing and within the first chapter everything was, as expected, off at full tilt. The pace at which the story unfolds is brilliant and never lets up at all, the tension and drama very often had me having to put the book down after reading 5 pages or less to take in the ramifications every choice a character made could have on any other involved and any series of events that could happen in effect. The development of characters flows perfectly and by the time the last chapter comes to a close every loose end left by the original three has been dealt with.
I can honestly say that ‘the chronicles of King Rolen’s Kin’ is now my first recommendation to anyone who is a fan of fantasy novels, now, Rowena, how about a follow on series? Rolenton and Merofynia have a big future waiting to be told, oh, and Garzik...
The first three were released back in 2010, followed on by a novella late 2012, and are an essential read before starting off on King Breaker as the tale starts off exactly where the others left off. Daniells has an exceptional ability to draw the reader in with her writing and within the first chapter everything was, as expected, off at full tilt. The pace at which the story unfolds is brilliant and never lets up at all, the tension and drama very often had me having to put the book down after reading 5 pages or less to take in the ramifications every choice a character made could have on any other involved and any series of events that could happen in effect. The development of characters flows perfectly and by the time the last chapter comes to a close every loose end left by the original three has been dealt with.
I can honestly say that ‘the chronicles of King Rolen’s Kin’ is now my first recommendation to anyone who is a fan of fantasy novels, now, Rowena, how about a follow on series? Rolenton and Merofynia have a big future waiting to be told, oh, and Garzik...
November 1, 2017
The worldbuilding was really impressive,from a country that was very fanciful and pretty to a country that was almost medieval.
One thing I did like was the fact that we spent a lot of time on the seas.There was even some sea battles.
Probably one of the better of the four books.You basically have three MCs and a lot of time was spent on each.And there are probably two or three minor characters,and every one of these people are fleshed out well.This is done in previous books and they kind of scattered to different areas.This book ties everyone together and brings it to a good ending.
One thing I did like was the fact that we spent a lot of time on the seas.There was even some sea battles.
Probably one of the better of the four books.You basically have three MCs and a lot of time was spent on each.And there are probably two or three minor characters,and every one of these people are fleshed out well.This is done in previous books and they kind of scattered to different areas.This book ties everyone together and brings it to a good ending.
September 30, 2013
After over a year of devastating circumstances, King Rolen's Kin: Byren, Fyn, and Piro, along with trusted friends, are reaching the end of their journey. Or, are they? This book was very well written, even beyond the grammatical errors that cropped up--it happens to the best of us--and I stayed up all night until my eyes blurred, because I couldn't put it down. Yet, in the end, I was left still scratching my head. So many lives were impacted by the Usurper, Cobalt, but not all of them came to happy endings, though there was a 'conclusion' to the series.
This led me to a question: What is the true definition of a conclusion? In the dictionary, it states its, "an end or final part," which I can accept as truth. And, in that vein, King Breaker has indeed reached a conclusion, if for no other reason than because the author said so, right on the front cover. But, what about 'resolution'? So many times, I've grown attached to series' and found myself wanting something more at the end/conclusion of the last book. Is it more story? More action? More intrigue? More subterfuge? I am a Greedy Reader, but, No. I simply want a more concrete resolution. I want to see things 'resolved', whether for good, bad, or indiferently, I want to not have questions.
At the end of King Breaker, there are a few--not many, as with some other series' I've read--but more than one character thread is left twisting in the wind. Is this done purposely? Is the author trying to reserve the right to come back to KRK later, but free herself to newer, exciting ventures? It wouldn't be the first for an author, but I couldn't say. What I can say, is that it doesn't feel resolved. It's like unpacking a box of "Do It Yourself" supplies to make a table, and then staring down at the finished product with a few parts still wiggling in your palm or rolling across the floor. Does the table work? Yes. Is it firm and dependable...amazing to behold, even? Absolutely! But, somehow there's a sense of foreboding that instructions were not completed as they should be, thus disaster could be just a laden plate of food away.
Alas, I can't presume to know the author's heart or mind. What I can say, is that I gave this four stars because it was an awesome book. The characters remained endearing, the action continued to caulse palpatations, and the world still drew me into her spars, mountains, islands, and seas. However, the series failed to see me to resolution, so I can't, in good faith, give the fifth star that I so desired to bestow.
Thx,
DMD
This led me to a question: What is the true definition of a conclusion? In the dictionary, it states its, "an end or final part," which I can accept as truth. And, in that vein, King Breaker has indeed reached a conclusion, if for no other reason than because the author said so, right on the front cover. But, what about 'resolution'? So many times, I've grown attached to series' and found myself wanting something more at the end/conclusion of the last book. Is it more story? More action? More intrigue? More subterfuge? I am a Greedy Reader, but, No. I simply want a more concrete resolution. I want to see things 'resolved', whether for good, bad, or indiferently, I want to not have questions.
At the end of King Breaker, there are a few--not many, as with some other series' I've read--but more than one character thread is left twisting in the wind. Is this done purposely? Is the author trying to reserve the right to come back to KRK later, but free herself to newer, exciting ventures? It wouldn't be the first for an author, but I couldn't say. What I can say, is that it doesn't feel resolved. It's like unpacking a box of "Do It Yourself" supplies to make a table, and then staring down at the finished product with a few parts still wiggling in your palm or rolling across the floor. Does the table work? Yes. Is it firm and dependable...amazing to behold, even? Absolutely! But, somehow there's a sense of foreboding that instructions were not completed as they should be, thus disaster could be just a laden plate of food away.
Alas, I can't presume to know the author's heart or mind. What I can say, is that I gave this four stars because it was an awesome book. The characters remained endearing, the action continued to caulse palpatations, and the world still drew me into her spars, mountains, islands, and seas. However, the series failed to see me to resolution, so I can't, in good faith, give the fifth star that I so desired to bestow.
Thx,
DMD
November 17, 2015
I really did not enjoy the final instalment to this series. It was ridiculous, and too full of unnecessary elements. I also do not really appreciate when authors seem to punish characters who do not fill in the mould of their world views. In this instance Byren apparently made a mistake not marrying Florin and instead chose to honour a pact he made and marry another Kingsdaughter in exchange for aid to win Rolencia back from Cobalt who is not a good influence on the country. He didn't choose love, where Fyn essentially wins a kingdom and the woman he loves by betraying his brother...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2014
Well, this at least finished the plot line that was left hanging in the "final book" of the series. I picked this series up b/c I was interested in the synopsis on goodreads. A better blurb would be "Daytime Soap Opera masquerading as epic fantasy."
1/5 for book, and for the series.
1/5 for book, and for the series.
February 19, 2014
stupid ending,,,
November 16, 2013
King Breaker continues right after the ending of the previous book, the Usurper. King Rolen’s three children continue their fight to take the kingdom from their usurper uncle. There are also two other point-of-view characters: Florin who was a major secondary character in the previous book and Garzik who starred in his own novella, the King’s Man.
In The Usurper, the eldest of the children, Byren, fought Merofynia’s king and killed him. Byren is now engaged to Merofynia’s 15-year old queen Isolt. At the start of the book, Byren and his best friend Orrade are sailing to Rolencia to take the throne for Byren’s traitorous uncle Cobalt. Byren left his younger brother Fyn in Merofynia. Fyn is Queen Isolt’s Lord Protector and he’s supposed to protect the queen and Byren’s interests in Merofynia.
Both Fyn and Byren are in a way out of their elements, although Fyn more than Byren. At a young age, Fyn found out that he can use magic, or Affinity as it’s called in this world. So, he was sent to a monastery, as King Rolen had decreed for all magic-users. However, Fyn isn’t a magic-user but a warrior monk a small ability to channel Affinity. He’s spent his whole life in the monastery and now he’s put in the middle of scheming, foreign nobles. The Merofynian nobles resent him and they also resent having just a queen. Many of them would want to see themselves as the king. Also, the local barbarian tribes think that Merofynia is weak and are attacking. Fyn is trying to unify the nobles against the barbarians. Unfortunately, Fyn is falling in love with Isolt and so his loyalty is divided. Byren, on the other hand, is a soldier and leader so that part comes to him naturally. But he’s also a good man who is trying to do the right thing and honor his promises and he’s finding out that being a king isn’t easy. He’s also never wanted to be king; his twin was groomed for that position but his twin Lence is dead. He doesn’t love Isolt, he doesn’t even know her, but he’s determined to keep his word and marry her, no matter what.
Meanwhile, uncle Cobalt is solidifying his hold on Merofynia and making up lies about Byren which will make Byren’s return even more difficult. We get to see his scheming at close range because of Florin. She grew up in a trade post but Cobalt had is burned down. She’s also in love with Byren and think that Byren is dead. So, she’s determined to kill Cobalt. She manages to get a post in the palace as a servant girl. She’s determined and loyal to a fault. However, she’s also tall and strong and thinks of herself as unfeminine which brings her some angst.
Byren’s and Fyn’s younger sister Piro has found out that she, too, has Affinity. She’s doing her best to help her brothers but she also doesn’t want to be a political pawn, married off to buy her brother lands or soldiers. She’s near Merofynia, with a mage Siordun.
The last point-of-view character is Garizk, Orrade’s younger brother who was presumed dead in the second book. However, as the novella King’s Man reveals, he was instead taken prisoner and ended up as a slave among the barbarian Utlanders. He managed to win his freedom and now he’s torn between he’s newfound loyalty to one of the Utlander leaders and to Byren. He’s trying to escape and rejoin Byren.
The book has a lot of characters and plot lines but they meld into a coherent, enjoyable whole. There’s fighting on many fronts and a lot of action, but also significant character development. The characters have to make hard choice again and again. Byren especially has to choose between his duty to Rolencia and the woman he loves. Several times he also has to choose between keeping his word and taking the easy way out. Except for Piro, all of the other characters struggle with divided loyalties.
We’re introduced to two new countries. One of them is Merofynia and the other is a completely new country. Merofynia has featured before as the major antagonist in the series and Rolencia’s invaders have all come from Merofynia. However, this time we get to go there and see the customs. Both of these countries are more patriarchal than Rolencia and treat their magic-users differently.
Orrade is one of my favorite secondary characters. He’s unquestioningly loyal to Byren but isn’t afraid to give him advice even when it’s something Byren doesn’t want to hear. Orrade is the oldest son of Lord Dovecote so he’s a shrewd negotiator and a diplomat. He’s also gay. When he confessed this to Byren in the first book, Byren was really uncomfortable with him but since then Byren has come to accept Orrade as he is. Orrade is also Affinity touched; sometimes he gets visions of the future.
This is mostly a satisfying ending for the series. It’s a realistic ending and so fits very well with the tone of the series. A few threads are left open for future books, though. For example, it’s mentioned a couple of times that there are more Affinity beasts than usual but that wasn’t addressed in the series. I also think that Piro didn’t get a satisfying ending and I hope Daniells will return to her at some point.
In The Usurper, the eldest of the children, Byren, fought Merofynia’s king and killed him. Byren is now engaged to Merofynia’s 15-year old queen Isolt. At the start of the book, Byren and his best friend Orrade are sailing to Rolencia to take the throne for Byren’s traitorous uncle Cobalt. Byren left his younger brother Fyn in Merofynia. Fyn is Queen Isolt’s Lord Protector and he’s supposed to protect the queen and Byren’s interests in Merofynia.
Both Fyn and Byren are in a way out of their elements, although Fyn more than Byren. At a young age, Fyn found out that he can use magic, or Affinity as it’s called in this world. So, he was sent to a monastery, as King Rolen had decreed for all magic-users. However, Fyn isn’t a magic-user but a warrior monk a small ability to channel Affinity. He’s spent his whole life in the monastery and now he’s put in the middle of scheming, foreign nobles. The Merofynian nobles resent him and they also resent having just a queen. Many of them would want to see themselves as the king. Also, the local barbarian tribes think that Merofynia is weak and are attacking. Fyn is trying to unify the nobles against the barbarians. Unfortunately, Fyn is falling in love with Isolt and so his loyalty is divided. Byren, on the other hand, is a soldier and leader so that part comes to him naturally. But he’s also a good man who is trying to do the right thing and honor his promises and he’s finding out that being a king isn’t easy. He’s also never wanted to be king; his twin was groomed for that position but his twin Lence is dead. He doesn’t love Isolt, he doesn’t even know her, but he’s determined to keep his word and marry her, no matter what.
Meanwhile, uncle Cobalt is solidifying his hold on Merofynia and making up lies about Byren which will make Byren’s return even more difficult. We get to see his scheming at close range because of Florin. She grew up in a trade post but Cobalt had is burned down. She’s also in love with Byren and think that Byren is dead. So, she’s determined to kill Cobalt. She manages to get a post in the palace as a servant girl. She’s determined and loyal to a fault. However, she’s also tall and strong and thinks of herself as unfeminine which brings her some angst.
Byren’s and Fyn’s younger sister Piro has found out that she, too, has Affinity. She’s doing her best to help her brothers but she also doesn’t want to be a political pawn, married off to buy her brother lands or soldiers. She’s near Merofynia, with a mage Siordun.
The last point-of-view character is Garizk, Orrade’s younger brother who was presumed dead in the second book. However, as the novella King’s Man reveals, he was instead taken prisoner and ended up as a slave among the barbarian Utlanders. He managed to win his freedom and now he’s torn between he’s newfound loyalty to one of the Utlander leaders and to Byren. He’s trying to escape and rejoin Byren.
The book has a lot of characters and plot lines but they meld into a coherent, enjoyable whole. There’s fighting on many fronts and a lot of action, but also significant character development. The characters have to make hard choice again and again. Byren especially has to choose between his duty to Rolencia and the woman he loves. Several times he also has to choose between keeping his word and taking the easy way out. Except for Piro, all of the other characters struggle with divided loyalties.
We’re introduced to two new countries. One of them is Merofynia and the other is a completely new country. Merofynia has featured before as the major antagonist in the series and Rolencia’s invaders have all come from Merofynia. However, this time we get to go there and see the customs. Both of these countries are more patriarchal than Rolencia and treat their magic-users differently.
Orrade is one of my favorite secondary characters. He’s unquestioningly loyal to Byren but isn’t afraid to give him advice even when it’s something Byren doesn’t want to hear. Orrade is the oldest son of Lord Dovecote so he’s a shrewd negotiator and a diplomat. He’s also gay. When he confessed this to Byren in the first book, Byren was really uncomfortable with him but since then Byren has come to accept Orrade as he is. Orrade is also Affinity touched; sometimes he gets visions of the future.
This is mostly a satisfying ending for the series. It’s a realistic ending and so fits very well with the tone of the series. A few threads are left open for future books, though. For example, it’s mentioned a couple of times that there are more Affinity beasts than usual but that wasn’t addressed in the series. I also think that Piro didn’t get a satisfying ending and I hope Daniells will return to her at some point.
September 24, 2013
King Breaker by Rowena Cory Daniells is the conclusion to the King Rolen's Kin series. The first three books came out in 2010, so it was a bit of a wait until the last one. Especially since, although the third book in the series could almost be taken as a conclusion to a trilogy sort of, oh my goodness there were a lot of things left entirely unresolved! So of course, I was very eager to read this last instalment, particularly after the tantalising novella released last December, The King's Man.
Speaking of, this is a book four in a four book fantasy series. The series is excellent, but I expect that someone picking up King Breaker without having read the earlier books will be a bit lost (and would not have the same investment in the characters, of course). Start with book one, The King's Bastard. On the other hand, someone picking this book up three years after having read the previous one — as I did — should have no trouble getting back into the story. Maybe it's that the earlier books burned into my brain through sheer excellence, but I think the deft way in which Daniells included reminders about past events definitely contributed.
Although this book picks up shortly after book three, The Usurper, left off, it also follows Gazrik, the main character of The King's Man novella, alongside the three children of old King Rolen and Florin the Mountain girl of the earlier books. I would suggest that Gazrik's storyline is a completion of the arc begun in The King's Man and those not reading the novella first would be missing out. It's not strictly necessary, unlike the earlier books, but I would recommend it. If you disagree, you could always read it afterwards to fill in his back-story. (And another reason to read it is because it's good. If you enjoy Daniells' work, why wouldn't you?)
Daniells is particularly good at writing characters that behave in irritating, yet entirely plausible ways. The group of point of view characters and their friends are all intelligent and well-educated (which makes sense since most of them are royalty) but their minor antagonists (as opposed to Cobalt the usurper) tend to be frustratingly short-sighted, ignorant or just horrible people. The utterly believable way in which Daniells wrote them had me heckling the page on several occasions and cheering when they were defeated — and a satisfying number of annoying characters got punched in the face, so that was also quite gratifying. I have said many times before that a mark of a good writer is the level of emotional investment they can get the reader to place in their characters, and Daniells has proved herself, once again, to be more than adept at doing so.
Readers worried about being left in the lurch again, as with the ending of The Usurper, need not worry. Although Daniells leaves the world open for a possible revisiting, the ending is quite settled. I won't reveal any spoilers, but I will say that it was ultimately satisfying, and some characters even got happy endings. (gasp!)
The King Rolen's Kin series is an excellent read. I highly recommend it to all fans of Big Fat Fantasy, especially the grittier kind. It's probably fair to say that Daniells' books generally are not for the faint of heart (there is violence and rape). But they are excellent. To readers who have read the earlier three books and didn't hate them, I can think of no reason not to go on to read King Breaker.
5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
Speaking of, this is a book four in a four book fantasy series. The series is excellent, but I expect that someone picking up King Breaker without having read the earlier books will be a bit lost (and would not have the same investment in the characters, of course). Start with book one, The King's Bastard. On the other hand, someone picking this book up three years after having read the previous one — as I did — should have no trouble getting back into the story. Maybe it's that the earlier books burned into my brain through sheer excellence, but I think the deft way in which Daniells included reminders about past events definitely contributed.
Although this book picks up shortly after book three, The Usurper, left off, it also follows Gazrik, the main character of The King's Man novella, alongside the three children of old King Rolen and Florin the Mountain girl of the earlier books. I would suggest that Gazrik's storyline is a completion of the arc begun in The King's Man and those not reading the novella first would be missing out. It's not strictly necessary, unlike the earlier books, but I would recommend it. If you disagree, you could always read it afterwards to fill in his back-story. (And another reason to read it is because it's good. If you enjoy Daniells' work, why wouldn't you?)
Daniells is particularly good at writing characters that behave in irritating, yet entirely plausible ways. The group of point of view characters and their friends are all intelligent and well-educated (which makes sense since most of them are royalty) but their minor antagonists (as opposed to Cobalt the usurper) tend to be frustratingly short-sighted, ignorant or just horrible people. The utterly believable way in which Daniells wrote them had me heckling the page on several occasions and cheering when they were defeated — and a satisfying number of annoying characters got punched in the face, so that was also quite gratifying. I have said many times before that a mark of a good writer is the level of emotional investment they can get the reader to place in their characters, and Daniells has proved herself, once again, to be more than adept at doing so.
Readers worried about being left in the lurch again, as with the ending of The Usurper, need not worry. Although Daniells leaves the world open for a possible revisiting, the ending is quite settled. I won't reveal any spoilers, but I will say that it was ultimately satisfying, and some characters even got happy endings. (gasp!)
The King Rolen's Kin series is an excellent read. I highly recommend it to all fans of Big Fat Fantasy, especially the grittier kind. It's probably fair to say that Daniells' books generally are not for the faint of heart (there is violence and rape). But they are excellent. To readers who have read the earlier three books and didn't hate them, I can think of no reason not to go on to read King Breaker.
5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
October 7, 2020
2.5 rounded down
I own book one of another series by this author, so I'll give her another chance, but if it's like this one that's it.
I own book one of another series by this author, so I'll give her another chance, but if it's like this one that's it.
October 8, 2013
It was 3 years since I read the first 3 books so that was not the best way to start, but I remembered the big points. That is the worst with waiting, but I still came back to the story pretty quick.
Daniells have a way of making you despair. I mean those poor poor characters! When you think it will work out then another hurdle comes along. But then there is a lot of unhappy people in this world.
Byren is going to take his kingdom back (the kingdom he never wanted in the first place.) Poor Byren, he never catches a break. His brother Fyn is holding the neighboring kingdom for him and looking after Byren's bride to be Queen Isolt. And Fyn wants Isolt for himself (think of the consequences man!) And then there is their sister Piro who was not as cool in this story for some reason. And the last POV is Garzik, the brother of Byren's oldest friend.
Byren's POV is one of constant struggle and he is never happy. He needs to free his people and marry someone he does not want. I felt sorry for him to the bitter end.
Fyn's POV was good as he was in the middle of a bunch of idiots. Bickering lords are always fun to read about as I wanted to smack them all over the head. The political intrigue never stopped there.
Piro's POV was a bit... well it never took off. And lastly Garzik who is stuck with the Outlander pirates. There was always something going on there.
This is a book of political intrigues, lots of fighting and strange magical beasts. It's also a dark book and a good ending to this series. A strange wonderful world.
Daniells have a way of making you despair. I mean those poor poor characters! When you think it will work out then another hurdle comes along. But then there is a lot of unhappy people in this world.
Byren is going to take his kingdom back (the kingdom he never wanted in the first place.) Poor Byren, he never catches a break. His brother Fyn is holding the neighboring kingdom for him and looking after Byren's bride to be Queen Isolt. And Fyn wants Isolt for himself (think of the consequences man!) And then there is their sister Piro who was not as cool in this story for some reason. And the last POV is Garzik, the brother of Byren's oldest friend.
Byren's POV is one of constant struggle and he is never happy. He needs to free his people and marry someone he does not want. I felt sorry for him to the bitter end.
Fyn's POV was good as he was in the middle of a bunch of idiots. Bickering lords are always fun to read about as I wanted to smack them all over the head. The political intrigue never stopped there.
Piro's POV was a bit... well it never took off. And lastly Garzik who is stuck with the Outlander pirates. There was always something going on there.
This is a book of political intrigues, lots of fighting and strange magical beasts. It's also a dark book and a good ending to this series. A strange wonderful world.
May 26, 2020
My review is possibile to change as I'm halfway through, but as of now I believe it to be the worst installment in the series. The previous books were not so good either, but this one pushes the boundaries at the moment.
I hate pointless romance appearing in this book. Everyone seems to love not the person they are with, but the one that is loving another or promised to another. Seriously, why does the author need to remind me of this fact almost every Fyn's and Byren's chapter is beyond me. Ugh!
Piro's story arc at some point felt to be mimicking Arya's from Game of Thrones, with the idea of body changing and all. Sadly, when it seems to get a welcome difference it gets even worse (the story of her getting somewhere only to be brought back to where she was before is just plain stupid).
Cobalt seems to be a well loved king with no opposition whatsoever. I honestly don't know why would Byren bother to fight for such an undeserving nation of sycophants who believe every Cobalt's lie.
I struggle to finish the book and to be honest that is the first one I'm genuinely thinking of dropping without getting to the conclusion. I'll be trying to finish it, but I'm sure I won't buy any of the authors books again.
I hate pointless romance appearing in this book. Everyone seems to love not the person they are with, but the one that is loving another or promised to another. Seriously, why does the author need to remind me of this fact almost every Fyn's and Byren's chapter is beyond me. Ugh!
Piro's story arc at some point felt to be mimicking Arya's from Game of Thrones, with the idea of body changing and all. Sadly, when it seems to get a welcome difference it gets even worse (the story of her getting somewhere only to be brought back to where she was before is just plain stupid).
Cobalt seems to be a well loved king with no opposition whatsoever. I honestly don't know why would Byren bother to fight for such an undeserving nation of sycophants who believe every Cobalt's lie.
I struggle to finish the book and to be honest that is the first one I'm genuinely thinking of dropping without getting to the conclusion. I'll be trying to finish it, but I'm sure I won't buy any of the authors books again.
November 27, 2014
A good read but I thought the ending kind of sputtered out.
September 3, 2022
Not to be deliberately facetious, but I only had two concerns with King Breaker, the conclusion to King Rolen's Kin - namely, the beginning and the end. That's not to say that this is, by any means a bad book, or that Rowena Cory Daniells did, in any respect, a poor job of wrapping up the various threads left hanging after The Usurper. Far from it. It's simply an acknowledgement of where I had issues.
Let's start with the beginning. Granted, Daniells had a lot to catch up on in terms of characters and plot threads, but I found the opening chapters to be a very slow read. There's a lot of talk, a lot of angst, and a lot of shared frustration, but nothing that really moves the story forward. For the most part, it's a lot of set-up and maneuvering of game pieces, setting up the reunions and confrontations that we know will drive the heart of the story. We're actually a good 150 pages in before the story really takes off, but once it does, it's just as good - if not better - than any of the books that came before.
While the entire saga has largely been Byron's story, the other main characters get a lot of time centre stage in this final volume. Fyn's story is likely my favorite and, if not the strongest, one of the most pivotal. He really struggles with his loyalties, stuck somewhere between love and duty, and I thought Daniells carried his story well. Florin's story I didn't care for quite as much, mainly because it felt so drawn out, but for a character who really emerged from the second tier to become a viewpoint character, it certainly has it's moments. Garzik's story is, by far, the darkest of the lot, with some really difficult scenes to watch him suffer through, although Daniells, quite mercifully, doesn't dwell on the details. Like Fyn, he's very much trapped between divided loyalties, and his growth over the course of the series is nothing short of remarkable.
After being physically separated and emotionally distanced from one another for so long, it was nice to see Byron and Orrade together again. I think Daniells may have tried a little too hard to restore their friendship, and to prove Byron was over his homophobia, but there's no denying that there's real power to that friendship. Their early scene involving a man overboard, a dead wyvern, and a very intimate sort of healing is one of the series' finest moments. As for Piro, her story was, for me, the weakest of the lot - but a lot of that likely has to do with the fact that I never found her to be a likable character, and didn't find her relationship with Siordun nearly as interesting once his true identity was out in the open.
That brings us, of course, to the ending. While Daniells did a solid job of wrapping up the key story threads, and providing a resolution to all of the key character arcs, I had honestly hoped for something a bit . . . well, happier and uplifting. There are certainly some triumphs to be celebrated, and some happy endings for a few characters, but the overall tone is rather melancholy and troubled. I think it's absolutely a strong ending (not to mention a brave one), and one that's entirely realistic, given the social and political realities of her world, but it was just a bit more gritty than I had hoped for.
My own minor quibbles aside, King Breaker was a solid, largely satisfying end to the saga. There's certainly room for Daniells to revisit the characters again, should she choose, but there are no cliffhangers or nagging questions like there were with The Usurper. If you're a fan of the series, then this final volume should be precisely what you're looking for. If you're new to the series, then step back and begin with The King's Bastard - you won't regret it.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Let's start with the beginning. Granted, Daniells had a lot to catch up on in terms of characters and plot threads, but I found the opening chapters to be a very slow read. There's a lot of talk, a lot of angst, and a lot of shared frustration, but nothing that really moves the story forward. For the most part, it's a lot of set-up and maneuvering of game pieces, setting up the reunions and confrontations that we know will drive the heart of the story. We're actually a good 150 pages in before the story really takes off, but once it does, it's just as good - if not better - than any of the books that came before.
While the entire saga has largely been Byron's story, the other main characters get a lot of time centre stage in this final volume. Fyn's story is likely my favorite and, if not the strongest, one of the most pivotal. He really struggles with his loyalties, stuck somewhere between love and duty, and I thought Daniells carried his story well. Florin's story I didn't care for quite as much, mainly because it felt so drawn out, but for a character who really emerged from the second tier to become a viewpoint character, it certainly has it's moments. Garzik's story is, by far, the darkest of the lot, with some really difficult scenes to watch him suffer through, although Daniells, quite mercifully, doesn't dwell on the details. Like Fyn, he's very much trapped between divided loyalties, and his growth over the course of the series is nothing short of remarkable.
After being physically separated and emotionally distanced from one another for so long, it was nice to see Byron and Orrade together again. I think Daniells may have tried a little too hard to restore their friendship, and to prove Byron was over his homophobia, but there's no denying that there's real power to that friendship. Their early scene involving a man overboard, a dead wyvern, and a very intimate sort of healing is one of the series' finest moments. As for Piro, her story was, for me, the weakest of the lot - but a lot of that likely has to do with the fact that I never found her to be a likable character, and didn't find her relationship with Siordun nearly as interesting once his true identity was out in the open.
That brings us, of course, to the ending. While Daniells did a solid job of wrapping up the key story threads, and providing a resolution to all of the key character arcs, I had honestly hoped for something a bit . . . well, happier and uplifting. There are certainly some triumphs to be celebrated, and some happy endings for a few characters, but the overall tone is rather melancholy and troubled. I think it's absolutely a strong ending (not to mention a brave one), and one that's entirely realistic, given the social and political realities of her world, but it was just a bit more gritty than I had hoped for.
My own minor quibbles aside, King Breaker was a solid, largely satisfying end to the saga. There's certainly room for Daniells to revisit the characters again, should she choose, but there are no cliffhangers or nagging questions like there were with The Usurper. If you're a fan of the series, then this final volume should be precisely what you're looking for. If you're new to the series, then step back and begin with The King's Bastard - you won't regret it.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
November 7, 2013
originally posted at http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2013...
Yes! The conclusion to King Rolen's Kin! King Breaker is the fourth and final book in the Epic Fantasy series King Rolen's Kin, I originally thought that the series would have been summed as a trilogy, but Rowena Cory Daniells decided to write one last story to connect all the dots. The first thing that falls to note to King Breaker is the length of the story, the earlier books all were inbetween 300-500 pages but King Breaker clocks in with a massive 774 pages. And yes I am going to give a praise to how the story was written, this is definitely a forte to her writing style, it's addictive and makes the pages seem only a third of the number above. The story is written in an easy going and catchy way, full of developments that leave you wanting reading more.
Writing a conclusion to a series must be a daunting task, and what I have come to expect with the earlier books is that when Rowena Cory Daniells writes Epic Fantasy it is Epic Fantasy. This reflects well in King Breaker. Even though the goal for Byren has been set, it isn't simply barging in to the confront Cobalt, instead there is a lot of time invested in the whole surrounding and several other events that take King Breaker and the whole series of King Rolen's Kin to a new level, it's a satisfying story but again it doesn't quite leave the story closed! The story itself is divided into a few major points of view that of Piro, Byren and Fyn, the three remaining sons and daughter of King Rolen. But when Cobalt took the throne of Rolencia all three just narrowly got away with their lives, and they are now all determined to take back what is theirs!
The story doesn't focus mainly on one character in particular but the focus is most in bringing all the several POV's to one conclusion. The first is Byren, his character is one that I have come to enjoy along the series, his best friend Orrade is a lover of men and has gone through a lot of aversion from his parents and others. But Byren sticks with his friend. That is what friends are. Byren, in his quest to get the Rolencian throne back, is accompanied by Orrade and I can safely say that their journey is not the easiest they have undertaken. The live and times on sea proof to be just a perilous and full of intrigue as they are in court! Byren has always said that he didn't want to be King but it is slowly dawning on him that he must claim the throne and lead everything into better and steadier waters.
Fyn's story is when looking back on it one of the most interesting stories. I always thought Fyn as a younger brother just doing everything that was being to told to him. But in King Breaker he really starts to shine and Rowena Cory Daniells completely transforms his character. Fyn was protecting Isolt, Byren queen to be. However Fyn is growing up and developing feelings for Isolt, firstly he tries to discard them and stays true to his cause but as the story continues you see that it starting to falter and it is getting harder and harder for him to not give in. And finally in the ending of the book there is an interesting development on his side; that perhaps leads to another story! A great addition to Fyn's storyline was Isolt, and this in turn led to exploring an exisiting subject. Affinity. But I will get to that. We were already earlier introduced to Isolt, but in King Breaker she is a complete character, going her own way and doing what she wants, and this taken together with Fyn makes this a satisfying part of the book.
Lastly there is Piro, the only remaining daughter. I have to admit that I am a bit torn with her character. She shone earlier on in the series and from that point onwards I have been rooting for her, but it seems that in King Breaker this shining moment is just missing a bit. Now I am not saying that her storyline is bad it's totally the opposite but with what we have come to see of Piro I had expected just that little step extra. What you do see by Piro's storyline is that she is now one confident young princes, she has come to a full development in the end and knows what she has to even though Byren plans to overthrow several laws. Her character is always great to read about, she is inventive, determined and quick on her feet and with her words.
There is one final addition that I do want to mention and that is Cobalt. Besides the stories of Byren, Fyn and Piro, Cobalt also gets a bit of a highlights in King Breaker. Showing how the bad guy behaves and reacts and plots certain things in the storyline against the good guys always adds this something extra for me. It shows a better interplay between the different storyline that are going on and you as a reader get the full picture but the characters are reacting in their natural ways. Take for example what Cobalt planned with Piro, this is perceived in many different ways by the different storyline and by this way of writing the story it just comes to show that Rowena Cory Daniells knows what she is doing.
Above I mentioned something with Affinity. From the first introduction to this magical aspect in the series I knew it would be good stuff. In this last book in the series, a lot of things come again to show that this is something quite unique. In King Breaker, this whole aspect is explored further including more animals and how they act around their handlers, I especially liked the "retinue" that Isolt had with the wyverns, how they bonded and acted, this showed that these dangerous animals are much more that I first assumed. What you also see more and more is real magic being done. This was something that I was hoping to see more and more. It's really cool to read about Affinity and all that is possible with it.
King Breaker is definitely a book that you should pick up if you have read the first three books in the series, and if not, go start in it! King Breaker shows everything that you have wanted to read in the adventures and hardships of Byren, Fyn and Piro. Rowena Cory Daniells has a great way in making the characters feel and act natural and that it is not all a jolly good time that they are having. This is also quite the contrary, if you think that things cant go any worse, they still can and this is a bit of what Byren, Fyn and Piro had to endure all along the way. Take this together with the whole world that is created within the King Rolen's Kin series, Rowena Cory Daniells shows that she is on top of her game. The book ends partially with a closed ending but also leaves enough room for continuation. I for one am more eager, after reading King Breaker, to see what will be next!
Yes! The conclusion to King Rolen's Kin! King Breaker is the fourth and final book in the Epic Fantasy series King Rolen's Kin, I originally thought that the series would have been summed as a trilogy, but Rowena Cory Daniells decided to write one last story to connect all the dots. The first thing that falls to note to King Breaker is the length of the story, the earlier books all were inbetween 300-500 pages but King Breaker clocks in with a massive 774 pages. And yes I am going to give a praise to how the story was written, this is definitely a forte to her writing style, it's addictive and makes the pages seem only a third of the number above. The story is written in an easy going and catchy way, full of developments that leave you wanting reading more.
Writing a conclusion to a series must be a daunting task, and what I have come to expect with the earlier books is that when Rowena Cory Daniells writes Epic Fantasy it is Epic Fantasy. This reflects well in King Breaker. Even though the goal for Byren has been set, it isn't simply barging in to the confront Cobalt, instead there is a lot of time invested in the whole surrounding and several other events that take King Breaker and the whole series of King Rolen's Kin to a new level, it's a satisfying story but again it doesn't quite leave the story closed! The story itself is divided into a few major points of view that of Piro, Byren and Fyn, the three remaining sons and daughter of King Rolen. But when Cobalt took the throne of Rolencia all three just narrowly got away with their lives, and they are now all determined to take back what is theirs!
The story doesn't focus mainly on one character in particular but the focus is most in bringing all the several POV's to one conclusion. The first is Byren, his character is one that I have come to enjoy along the series, his best friend Orrade is a lover of men and has gone through a lot of aversion from his parents and others. But Byren sticks with his friend. That is what friends are. Byren, in his quest to get the Rolencian throne back, is accompanied by Orrade and I can safely say that their journey is not the easiest they have undertaken. The live and times on sea proof to be just a perilous and full of intrigue as they are in court! Byren has always said that he didn't want to be King but it is slowly dawning on him that he must claim the throne and lead everything into better and steadier waters.
Fyn's story is when looking back on it one of the most interesting stories. I always thought Fyn as a younger brother just doing everything that was being to told to him. But in King Breaker he really starts to shine and Rowena Cory Daniells completely transforms his character. Fyn was protecting Isolt, Byren queen to be. However Fyn is growing up and developing feelings for Isolt, firstly he tries to discard them and stays true to his cause but as the story continues you see that it starting to falter and it is getting harder and harder for him to not give in. And finally in the ending of the book there is an interesting development on his side; that perhaps leads to another story! A great addition to Fyn's storyline was Isolt, and this in turn led to exploring an exisiting subject. Affinity. But I will get to that. We were already earlier introduced to Isolt, but in King Breaker she is a complete character, going her own way and doing what she wants, and this taken together with Fyn makes this a satisfying part of the book.
Lastly there is Piro, the only remaining daughter. I have to admit that I am a bit torn with her character. She shone earlier on in the series and from that point onwards I have been rooting for her, but it seems that in King Breaker this shining moment is just missing a bit. Now I am not saying that her storyline is bad it's totally the opposite but with what we have come to see of Piro I had expected just that little step extra. What you do see by Piro's storyline is that she is now one confident young princes, she has come to a full development in the end and knows what she has to even though Byren plans to overthrow several laws. Her character is always great to read about, she is inventive, determined and quick on her feet and with her words.
There is one final addition that I do want to mention and that is Cobalt. Besides the stories of Byren, Fyn and Piro, Cobalt also gets a bit of a highlights in King Breaker. Showing how the bad guy behaves and reacts and plots certain things in the storyline against the good guys always adds this something extra for me. It shows a better interplay between the different storyline that are going on and you as a reader get the full picture but the characters are reacting in their natural ways. Take for example what Cobalt planned with Piro, this is perceived in many different ways by the different storyline and by this way of writing the story it just comes to show that Rowena Cory Daniells knows what she is doing.
Above I mentioned something with Affinity. From the first introduction to this magical aspect in the series I knew it would be good stuff. In this last book in the series, a lot of things come again to show that this is something quite unique. In King Breaker, this whole aspect is explored further including more animals and how they act around their handlers, I especially liked the "retinue" that Isolt had with the wyverns, how they bonded and acted, this showed that these dangerous animals are much more that I first assumed. What you also see more and more is real magic being done. This was something that I was hoping to see more and more. It's really cool to read about Affinity and all that is possible with it.
King Breaker is definitely a book that you should pick up if you have read the first three books in the series, and if not, go start in it! King Breaker shows everything that you have wanted to read in the adventures and hardships of Byren, Fyn and Piro. Rowena Cory Daniells has a great way in making the characters feel and act natural and that it is not all a jolly good time that they are having. This is also quite the contrary, if you think that things cant go any worse, they still can and this is a bit of what Byren, Fyn and Piro had to endure all along the way. Take this together with the whole world that is created within the King Rolen's Kin series, Rowena Cory Daniells shows that she is on top of her game. The book ends partially with a closed ending but also leaves enough room for continuation. I for one am more eager, after reading King Breaker, to see what will be next!
October 9, 2017
I liked this book about as much as the others in the series. I can't quite put my finger on it but there's something clunky about this series that doesn't grab my attention as much as others I've read. I think this particular book introduced too many minor characters that I had trouble keeping straight or caring about. There's also not much closure in this book, many threads are left open or up to the reader's imagination for what happens in the future. I don't know if this is definitively the last book in the series or not. On the one hand lots of things weren't resolved, so another book would be appreciated. On the other hand I'm not sure I would pick up the next book.
One final thought, I tried to enjoy the romantic themes between the various characters but found it flat and frustrating more than anything. I felt like every pair of characters suffered from "I like person X but won't tell that person how I feel." This went on for...the entire series and was most present in this book. I just got so tired of it. Maybe others would enjoy this book and series more than I did. I tend to like books with more depth to the world building, magic systems, and character development that what this series offered. There's a lot of repetitive action and dialogue that I just got tired of quickly.
I would say this book isn't dramatically different from the previous ones in the series, I've been so-so on the series and felt that was about this last book too.
One final thought, I tried to enjoy the romantic themes between the various characters but found it flat and frustrating more than anything. I felt like every pair of characters suffered from "I like person X but won't tell that person how I feel." This went on for...the entire series and was most present in this book. I just got so tired of it. Maybe others would enjoy this book and series more than I did. I tend to like books with more depth to the world building, magic systems, and character development that what this series offered. There's a lot of repetitive action and dialogue that I just got tired of quickly.
I would say this book isn't dramatically different from the previous ones in the series, I've been so-so on the series and felt that was about this last book too.
April 1, 2020
I enjoyed it for the most part and I especially liked that Florin got to have POV chapters in this one. The pacing did feel kind of choppy in the end what with the characters jumping around all over the place in order to tie up all those loose ends but I suppose it would have been hard to do without splitting it up into another book.
The first half felt like it was paced more like the other books, which was nice - I like feeling as if I'm part of their journeys. I also appreciated seeing how these characters had grown over the series even though it makes their flaws/mistakes all the more frustrating. It makes them feel all the more like real people.
**SPOILERS**
I had been hoping for Byren, Fyn and Piro to reunite and reconcile at the end after spending the whole book not being honest with each other, but the full circle with Orrie was pretty appropriate. I'm a sucker for a happy ending but Byren made his choice and I applaud this ending for not holding back the consequences of his actions. On the other hand, I just wanted good things for Florin!! So I'm still a little torn on that.
The first half felt like it was paced more like the other books, which was nice - I like feeling as if I'm part of their journeys. I also appreciated seeing how these characters had grown over the series even though it makes their flaws/mistakes all the more frustrating. It makes them feel all the more like real people.
**SPOILERS**
I had been hoping for Byren, Fyn and Piro to reunite and reconcile at the end after spending the whole book not being honest with each other, but the full circle with Orrie was pretty appropriate. I'm a sucker for a happy ending but Byren made his choice and I applaud this ending for not holding back the consequences of his actions. On the other hand, I just wanted good things for Florin!! So I'm still a little torn on that.
August 7, 2016
What a finale! I'm not sure where to start with this book, so I suppose I'll start with the positives. First, this book was filled with as much action and suspense as the other three, and once I reached the halfway point I found I absolutely could not put it down. I've grown extremely fond of Piro, Byren, Orrade, Fyn, Isolt, and all of the other heroes throughout this series, and it was wonderful getting one more book of adventures (as I was not ready for things to end with the third book). While bittersweet, I was glad to see a somewhat happy ending for these characters; I only wish things had ended a bit happier for Byren and Florin (as their story still breaks my heart).
That being said, there were many things about this book that I did not enjoy. Before reaching the halfway point, I found the plot lulling a bit, and it was hard to get over the hurdle. Now, this was nowhere near the pain I felt trying to get through the Eragon series (as that series dragged on for far too long), but I still found myself growing bored of the story in the first half. The problem, I think, was the constant talk of spar warlords and capturing estate. Perhaps I'm simply more interested in personal, emotional stakes, but the politics and constant battles did not interest me in the slightest, and I kept forgetting who was who (and frankly really didn't care about the warlords and their problems). I found myself rushing through those bits to get back to the main characters, as their stories were the ones that really interested me. I understand that the politics make the plot what it is, but this aspect of the story simply did not appeal to me.
I also found it hard to care about Garzik's plot, as it had little to nothing to do with the rest of the story, and felt incredibly forced and shoe-horned in. While I love Garzik, and do care about his fate in the story, I would have rather seen his plot threads as a completely separate spin-off story. I might have felt different if I'd read his short story, but because I hadn't, I found his part of the story tiring and pointless, especially considering he never meets back up with the other characters (who still believe him to be dead). That's not satisfying, and while I might've cared more about the Utlander characters if I'd read the short story, I felt like Garzik's plot was an unnecessary distraction from the main story line, and that it really didn't need to be there.
I also found Florin's pregnancy to be a bit unrealistic, as her and Byren never ACTUALLY consummated anything. They certainly came close, but the scene was written in a way that heavily implied nothing had actually happened. In addition, I find it hard to believe the baby actually survived to the end, considering the miscarriage and infant mortality rate usually associated with the Medieval time period. I'm no expert on how pregnancy is supposed to work, but (especially in this setting) I seriously doubt her baby would have actually survived all the turmoil and violence she was put through. Don't get me wrong; I'm very happy that her and Orrade will have the chance to raise Byren's baby together, but I just don't see how the baby could even exist, much less survive in this plot. For all the realism in the world of this story, that plot point was really hard for me to buy into.
Despite its flaws, however, I can't bring myself to give this book anything less than a four star rating, as I did really enjoy it in the end. The plot with Florin, Orrade, and Byren had me on the edge of my seat, and it was so satisfying to see Cobalt FINALLY taken out after four books of watching him manipulate and hurt beloved characters. I may or may not have cheered a little bit when he was finally beheaded. And though I hate that the ending wasn't TRULY a happy one, I think it was done brilliantly, with excellent storytelling. The characters end up in a good place, but Daniells does not wrap everything up nicely in a bow; she does not hand her characters a perfectly happy ending. There are still hurt feelings, and emotional turmoil, and not everyone is exactly where they want to be, but that's okay; it's realistic.
Though this is fantasy, it does not (often - note the pregnancy complaints above) break the rules of reality, making it much easier for me to suspend my disbelief until the end. Though my inner fangirl would have loved to see Byren end up with Florin, in the end someone (most likely Orrie) would have been hurt either way. There simply was no happy ending to this story, and that's realistic to me; these characters had to sacrifice and compromise some of the things they really wanted in order to bring peace and order back to the kingdoms. From the moment Lence was killed in the first book, I knew Byren would likely not get a happy ending, and I now have greater sympathy for Lence as a character because of it. And while I wanted to smack Byren for faulting Fyn when he chose to marry Isolt, I can definitely see his frustration; after having to sacrifice so much to keep his kingdom, the fact that his brother was able to marry whoever he wanted must have really stung Byren (again making me feel retrospective sympathy for Lence). That being said, I was really happy Fyn and Isolt got to be happy, as I would've been devastated if NOBODY had been given a truly happy ending.
All things considered, I think these characters got the best ending possible, and while part of me wishes it could be different, I applaud the author's ability to tell a fantastic story (despite the hiccups here and there). This series may not have been perfect (after all, every series has its flaws), but it took me on a wonderful journey and I'm very glad I read it. I can only hope Rowena Cory Daniells will revisit this world at some point, because I'd love to see these characters again (and I'm not quite ready to say goodbye). I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
That being said, there were many things about this book that I did not enjoy. Before reaching the halfway point, I found the plot lulling a bit, and it was hard to get over the hurdle. Now, this was nowhere near the pain I felt trying to get through the Eragon series (as that series dragged on for far too long), but I still found myself growing bored of the story in the first half. The problem, I think, was the constant talk of spar warlords and capturing estate. Perhaps I'm simply more interested in personal, emotional stakes, but the politics and constant battles did not interest me in the slightest, and I kept forgetting who was who (and frankly really didn't care about the warlords and their problems). I found myself rushing through those bits to get back to the main characters, as their stories were the ones that really interested me. I understand that the politics make the plot what it is, but this aspect of the story simply did not appeal to me.
I also found it hard to care about Garzik's plot, as it had little to nothing to do with the rest of the story, and felt incredibly forced and shoe-horned in. While I love Garzik, and do care about his fate in the story, I would have rather seen his plot threads as a completely separate spin-off story. I might have felt different if I'd read his short story, but because I hadn't, I found his part of the story tiring and pointless, especially considering he never meets back up with the other characters (who still believe him to be dead). That's not satisfying, and while I might've cared more about the Utlander characters if I'd read the short story, I felt like Garzik's plot was an unnecessary distraction from the main story line, and that it really didn't need to be there.
I also found Florin's pregnancy to be a bit unrealistic, as her and Byren never ACTUALLY consummated anything. They certainly came close, but the scene was written in a way that heavily implied nothing had actually happened. In addition, I find it hard to believe the baby actually survived to the end, considering the miscarriage and infant mortality rate usually associated with the Medieval time period. I'm no expert on how pregnancy is supposed to work, but (especially in this setting) I seriously doubt her baby would have actually survived all the turmoil and violence she was put through. Don't get me wrong; I'm very happy that her and Orrade will have the chance to raise Byren's baby together, but I just don't see how the baby could even exist, much less survive in this plot. For all the realism in the world of this story, that plot point was really hard for me to buy into.
Despite its flaws, however, I can't bring myself to give this book anything less than a four star rating, as I did really enjoy it in the end. The plot with Florin, Orrade, and Byren had me on the edge of my seat, and it was so satisfying to see Cobalt FINALLY taken out after four books of watching him manipulate and hurt beloved characters. I may or may not have cheered a little bit when he was finally beheaded. And though I hate that the ending wasn't TRULY a happy one, I think it was done brilliantly, with excellent storytelling. The characters end up in a good place, but Daniells does not wrap everything up nicely in a bow; she does not hand her characters a perfectly happy ending. There are still hurt feelings, and emotional turmoil, and not everyone is exactly where they want to be, but that's okay; it's realistic.
Though this is fantasy, it does not (often - note the pregnancy complaints above) break the rules of reality, making it much easier for me to suspend my disbelief until the end. Though my inner fangirl would have loved to see Byren end up with Florin, in the end someone (most likely Orrie) would have been hurt either way. There simply was no happy ending to this story, and that's realistic to me; these characters had to sacrifice and compromise some of the things they really wanted in order to bring peace and order back to the kingdoms. From the moment Lence was killed in the first book, I knew Byren would likely not get a happy ending, and I now have greater sympathy for Lence as a character because of it. And while I wanted to smack Byren for faulting Fyn when he chose to marry Isolt, I can definitely see his frustration; after having to sacrifice so much to keep his kingdom, the fact that his brother was able to marry whoever he wanted must have really stung Byren (again making me feel retrospective sympathy for Lence). That being said, I was really happy Fyn and Isolt got to be happy, as I would've been devastated if NOBODY had been given a truly happy ending.
All things considered, I think these characters got the best ending possible, and while part of me wishes it could be different, I applaud the author's ability to tell a fantastic story (despite the hiccups here and there). This series may not have been perfect (after all, every series has its flaws), but it took me on a wonderful journey and I'm very glad I read it. I can only hope Rowena Cory Daniells will revisit this world at some point, because I'd love to see these characters again (and I'm not quite ready to say goodbye). I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
May 20, 2020
Awful! I spent weeks reading this series waiting for the women to become more than just damsels in distress. It never happens! All the women, including the POVs, are completely useless, incompetent and in need of rescuing by the men in their lives! And there's a lot more wrong with this series, I don't even know where to start. Don't waste your precious hours on this one. If you made the mistake of reading the first book and you really want find out what happens, just read the wikipedia summary.
September 5, 2022
I loved the first book in the series, and enjoyed the next two. This one just felt like a slog, and an unsatisfying one at that. There’s so much that didn’t need to be in this book, and had there been better editing, I think this series could have been a trilogy.
For having sat through four books with these characters, their endings are mediocre at best. The series had so much potential, but it turned into a soap opera with a lackluster ending.
For having sat through four books with these characters, their endings are mediocre at best. The series had so much potential, but it turned into a soap opera with a lackluster ending.
September 13, 2019
Good enough read; semi Xrated part came as surprise on one page during the series.
The biggest problem I have, is the back-and-forth -looping of who attacks who and who steals what and who kidnaps who. Also, using so many reversals and such in a single story or book makes them lose their point.
Still. Good enough read. The ending was far better than I dreaded.
The biggest problem I have, is the back-and-forth -looping of who attacks who and who steals what and who kidnaps who. Also, using so many reversals and such in a single story or book makes them lose their point.
Still. Good enough read. The ending was far better than I dreaded.
February 14, 2017
Says it's the conclusion to "The Chronicles of King Rolen's Kin". But it ends in a semi-cliffhanger, which I won't spoil here. A very enjoyable series from Ms. Daniells. I hope to see the next series pick up where this one ends.
January 24, 2021
I devoured this book. It was wonderful! And the ending sucked! I realize not every story has a happy ending, but come on! Those two deserve happiness too. I rewrote it in my head to my satisfaction. So disappointing. Plus the typos, it's a reoccurring theme in all 4 books.
March 19, 2017
Spoilers ahead.
I am disappointed and heartbroken that RD went the way of George R.R. Martin and left her characters miserable, hateful, and lonely. I'm sickened that I/they went through 4 books of torture to be lead to tortuous endings. An unwanted child, wrong marriage, familial "betrayal" wrap up this drug out and unfulfilled plot.
I once compared this series to the phenomenal Kushiel series, I must take that back.
I will not be reading any additional books as this author cares so little for her characters.
I am disappointed and heartbroken that RD went the way of George R.R. Martin and left her characters miserable, hateful, and lonely. I'm sickened that I/they went through 4 books of torture to be lead to tortuous endings. An unwanted child, wrong marriage, familial "betrayal" wrap up this drug out and unfulfilled plot.
I once compared this series to the phenomenal Kushiel series, I must take that back.
I will not be reading any additional books as this author cares so little for her characters.
June 9, 2017
So much potential, so much frustration.
May 13, 2018
I’ve enjoyed this series, but this last book only gets 3 stars due to it being all over the place. The ending was enjoyable as it didn’t turn out like I kept expecting.
November 17, 2020
That was NOT an ending!!
If I had known the author wasn't going to tye up all her loose ends and at least give us an ending, even an unhappy one, I would never have picked up the first book!
If I had known the author wasn't going to tye up all her loose ends and at least give us an ending, even an unhappy one, I would never have picked up the first book!
November 8, 2019
I believe that Fyn's character development arc is the best in the story, my favorite character hands down, this is a beautifully written book, love it so much
April 5, 2014
May contain some minor spoilers!
‘King Breaker’, the last part of The Chronicles of King Rolen’s Kin, is quite a tome and took me some time to read. You can imagine there is a lot going on in this last book as it takes you from Rolencia and Merofynia to the land of the Utlanders and Snow Bridge. A lot of new places and people to discover! I had a lot of fun with this book and enjoyed the overall reading experience of the King Rolen’s Kin series. It has its faults and I’m sure some people will be bothered by them, but they didn’t bother me that much. The story was good, the characters wonderful and the worldbuilding elaborate. With magic, mythical beasts, kings, castles and armies, this was a series right up my alley.
In ‘King Breaker’ we follow the familiar characters of the previous books (Byren, Piro and Fyn), but there are also a few new POV additions: Garzik and Florin. I thought it was great to follow the story through their eyes. In Florin’s case especially because of the romantic tension between her and Byren. I hadn’t read the e-novella Daniells wrote about Garzik’s story, so I didn’t know anything about what he’d gone through when I started his storyline. Luckily there were enough subtle reminders to previous events built into his story that were clarifying and made it all easy to follow. If you get the chance though, I’d recommend reading the e-novella first before you read this book. Garzik’s story is one you’ll want to read in full and I know I’ll probably pick it up in the future to get to the bottom of how he ended up on an Utlander ship.
Fyn and Piro were my shining stars in the previous book, ‘The Usurper’, but this time I can’t pick favourites. I liked all of their stories and characters equally even though some of them made me grumble sometimes (Fyn and Byren are really thick sometimes, putting their honour before anything else. Go for the girl you love, you fools!).
‘King Breaker’ was quite an elaborate book, with the character journeying all of the world to achieve their goals. We get to see a lot more of the world Daniells has created: the whole of Merofynia, up in the mountains to the Snow Bridge and the villages by the sea where the Utlanders live. Due to the everything going on in this book, it took me some time to read it, because trust me, there is a lot happening. Fyn, now Lord Protector of Queen Isolt in Merofynia, has to deal with all the upstart Merofynian lords, who all want to take advantage of the young queen, and the Spar Warlords, who are raiding all over the country. Byren wants to take back the Rolencian throne, but he’s been portrayed as a coward and a usurper by Cobalt, so he has to come up with a plan to clear his name and meanwhile find himself an army. Piro thought she would be trained by the Mage, but instead Siordun dumps her with a noble family on Ostron Isle. But we all know Piro by now and when she gets a vision that Cobalt is planning on marrying a fake Piro to secure the Rolencian throne, she sets out to stop the wedding. Obviously without Siordun knowing.
Throughout the book we get a lot of awesome action. Fyn comes up with some cunning plans to root out the Spar Warlords who have claimed some of the Merofynian Lord’s estates and Byren has to fight off Merofynians during his travels, once even with the Ulfr pack by his side! The ending is even more packed with action, when Byren finally faces Cobalt. Aside from the exhilarating battle, I absolutely loved the ending. Not everything turns out as the reader would want, or as the characters would want. It was refreshing to read an ‘almost happily ever after, but not quite’ ending.
Another really strong point in this book were the female characters. If you ever want to read a book full of strong and amazing female characters, this is the book for you. Boy, did those women kick ass!
Though I really liked this book, there were still a few loose ends in my opinion. Garzik was one of them for me. I hope he’ll still find his way back somehow, someday.
‘King Breaker’ was definitely another great addition to The King Rolen’s Kin Chronicles. KRK is a solid Fantasy series that you definitely should try.
‘King Breaker’, the last part of The Chronicles of King Rolen’s Kin, is quite a tome and took me some time to read. You can imagine there is a lot going on in this last book as it takes you from Rolencia and Merofynia to the land of the Utlanders and Snow Bridge. A lot of new places and people to discover! I had a lot of fun with this book and enjoyed the overall reading experience of the King Rolen’s Kin series. It has its faults and I’m sure some people will be bothered by them, but they didn’t bother me that much. The story was good, the characters wonderful and the worldbuilding elaborate. With magic, mythical beasts, kings, castles and armies, this was a series right up my alley.
In ‘King Breaker’ we follow the familiar characters of the previous books (Byren, Piro and Fyn), but there are also a few new POV additions: Garzik and Florin. I thought it was great to follow the story through their eyes. In Florin’s case especially because of the romantic tension between her and Byren. I hadn’t read the e-novella Daniells wrote about Garzik’s story, so I didn’t know anything about what he’d gone through when I started his storyline. Luckily there were enough subtle reminders to previous events built into his story that were clarifying and made it all easy to follow. If you get the chance though, I’d recommend reading the e-novella first before you read this book. Garzik’s story is one you’ll want to read in full and I know I’ll probably pick it up in the future to get to the bottom of how he ended up on an Utlander ship.
Fyn and Piro were my shining stars in the previous book, ‘The Usurper’, but this time I can’t pick favourites. I liked all of their stories and characters equally even though some of them made me grumble sometimes (Fyn and Byren are really thick sometimes, putting their honour before anything else. Go for the girl you love, you fools!).
‘King Breaker’ was quite an elaborate book, with the character journeying all of the world to achieve their goals. We get to see a lot more of the world Daniells has created: the whole of Merofynia, up in the mountains to the Snow Bridge and the villages by the sea where the Utlanders live. Due to the everything going on in this book, it took me some time to read it, because trust me, there is a lot happening. Fyn, now Lord Protector of Queen Isolt in Merofynia, has to deal with all the upstart Merofynian lords, who all want to take advantage of the young queen, and the Spar Warlords, who are raiding all over the country. Byren wants to take back the Rolencian throne, but he’s been portrayed as a coward and a usurper by Cobalt, so he has to come up with a plan to clear his name and meanwhile find himself an army. Piro thought she would be trained by the Mage, but instead Siordun dumps her with a noble family on Ostron Isle. But we all know Piro by now and when she gets a vision that Cobalt is planning on marrying a fake Piro to secure the Rolencian throne, she sets out to stop the wedding. Obviously without Siordun knowing.
Throughout the book we get a lot of awesome action. Fyn comes up with some cunning plans to root out the Spar Warlords who have claimed some of the Merofynian Lord’s estates and Byren has to fight off Merofynians during his travels, once even with the Ulfr pack by his side! The ending is even more packed with action, when Byren finally faces Cobalt. Aside from the exhilarating battle, I absolutely loved the ending. Not everything turns out as the reader would want, or as the characters would want. It was refreshing to read an ‘almost happily ever after, but not quite’ ending.
Another really strong point in this book were the female characters. If you ever want to read a book full of strong and amazing female characters, this is the book for you. Boy, did those women kick ass!
Though I really liked this book, there were still a few loose ends in my opinion. Garzik was one of them for me. I hope he’ll still find his way back somehow, someday.
‘King Breaker’ was definitely another great addition to The King Rolen’s Kin Chronicles. KRK is a solid Fantasy series that you definitely should try.
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