The Sky King

Skyriders #2

by Polly Holyoke

In this soaring adventure for fans of Skandar and the Unicorn Thief and Wings of Fire, a new kind of monster launches an attack on the empire of Prekalt. Who can Kiesandra and her skysteed turn to for help in this life-and-death battle?

Fresh from their victory over the frightening chimerae monsters, Kie and N'Rah are looking forward to a quiet life on her uncle's orchard, far from the turmoil of the capital city. They miss the friends they made there, but as sky couriers, their job keeps them busy.

Then Kie unexpectedly receives a message from the emperor himself! He has an urgent mission for Kie and N'Rah—they need to find the Sky King, the elusive ruler of the wild skysteeds that soar across the land. After losing so many fighters in the Battle of a Thousand Chimerae, the empire is in desperate need of a hundreds of winged horses for their soldiers to ride. The wild herds are the only source, but bitter betrayals in the past have made the Sky King distrustful of humans.

Kie's unique gift of communicating with all skysteeds makes her the best person for the job, but it would take a miracle for the Sky King to trust a young girl. Then a new threat emerges in the form of huge birds of prey called vultiren. With the fearsome creatures heading straight for the wild skysteeds’ hidden refuge, Kie must convince the Sky King to ally with her—before their world is destroyed forever.

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook, Middle Grade

336 pages, Paperback

Published May 7, 2024

About the author

Polly Holyoke is the author of adventurous fiction for kids. SKYRIDERS, her new series about brave young couriers on their talking flying horses, along with its sequel THE SKY KING, are available now from Viking Children's Books. SKYRIDERS was named one of Bank Street's Best Children's Books of 2024. Her books published by Disney/Hyperion include THE NEPTUNE CHALLENGE (2015) and THE NEPTUNE PROJECT (2013). They have been named to state reading lists in TX, MD, FL, HI and OH. THE NEPTUNE PROJECT won Florida's Sunshine State Young Reader's Award. The last book in the Neptune Trilogy, THE NEPTUNE PROMISE, is available on Amazon and BN.

A former teacher, Polly loves doing school visits and conducting writing workshops.

She currently lives in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Learn more at www.pollyholyoke.com.

Reviews

[Kathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss+ for an eARC of this book.

SKYRIDERS is one of my favourite fantasy reads of 2023, and as soon as I finished it, I requested an eARC of the sequel, THE SKY KING, which comes out on 4/Jan/24. It’s an excellent follow-up that finds Kie and her skysteed, N’Rah, unwillingly thrown back into action and tasked with finding the Sky King to convince him to allow the wild skysteeds to join their forces. The journey to find the Sky King is fraught with danger, and it’s well known that he has no use for humans, given their past betrayals. Not only is Kie worried that her new orders from the emperor will jeopardize her desire to become a senior courier, but N’Rah’s resistance to their mission makes Kie suspect there’s something he isn’t telling her. The story has a fast pace and deadly clashes characteristic of the first book while also adding the new element of Kie’s nightmares and difficulty dealing with the aftermath of the horrific Battle of A Thousand Chimerae.

I highly recommend these books to readers who enjoy the Battle Dragons (Alex London), Skyborn (Jessica Khoury), Skandar the Unicorn Thief (A.F. Steadman), and Wings of Fire (Tui T. Sutherland) series, and I will be anxiously awaiting another addition to this series.

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
In this second book, Kie is grieving for the losses her nation suffered during the chimerae war of the previous book. She has terrible nightmares of the people she saw killed in the war, and her greatest fear is that she will again be placed in a position to relay more orders that send skysteeds and their riders to their deaths in battle. When she is asked to accompany the prince on a diplomatic mission to the wild skysteeds, Kie is hopeful that they will be able to convince the king of the wild skysteeds to help them defend their land against the chimerae. However, Kie's skysteed N'Rah disagrees with her. For the first time, they have a serious disagreement and they have to learn to navigate their delicate relationship in a new way.

I really loved that there are lasting consequences from the battles of the previous book. The characters don't just skip off into the sunset and go on more adventures. They are grieving. They are afraid. And because we see them dealing with these difficult emotions, the plot is really meaningful. We get to explore these deep themes along with the characters, and the writing has weight because the risks they take have real consequences for them. But there is also a message of hope and healing in the midst of their grief. I found it really inspiring!

I also loved the deeper exploration of the relationships between humans and skysteeds. Kie learns that N'Rah had a whole past life before they met. She never knew where he grew up or who his family was, and she begins to realize that she ought to be trusting N'Rah more and treating him as an equal. When they meet the Sky King who commands all the wild skysteeds, Kie and N'Rah have to work together to convince the wild skysteeds that they can trust humans again.

The magic and the legends get even more enchanting and beautiful in this second book! We learn more about how humans and skysteeds first bonded through magic that allowed them to hear each other's thoughts. Kie discovers that the original magic from the legends of hundreds of years ago is still lingering in some parts of the world, and still working to protect them from chimarae.

Kie has more wonderful character development as she learns to trust her friends with her inner fears. She has bottled up her grief, but the Sky King encourages her to express those feelings with her friends. Together they find comfort and healing by crying together and telling stories about their friends who have been killed in the wars. They strengthen each other through those difficult times and become closer as a team.

The best part of this book is discovering more about the wild skysteeds and the ancient legends! The world building is delightful, the writing is full of zest and mystery, and I loved all the new pegasi characters we meet!


Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

The follow up to series opener SKYRIDERS picks up where its predecessor left off and races readers to a satisfying conclusion but with another goal left open for a 3rd book. Kie, her skysteed and other bonded pairs are tasked to find the Sky King and request that he allow willing wild animals from his herds to join with humans to increase the Skyguard teams to fight against the ever-growing numbers of 3 headed chimerae. En route to the home of the high herd, however, a new threat emerges—the vulterin, a vulture-like creature with a wingspan as wide as a skysteed and a ferocity that matches the chimera. Battles ensue, magic from the first bonding is rediscovered, and the original bond between humans and skysteed is reexamined. In this sequel, Kie is forced to reckon with her nightmares, the depth of emotion she feels over lost friends, both human and animal, and face the demands on her, the Nexara, as she communicates with all skysteeds and not only her bond. Outstanding for middle grade readers of fantasy who are looking for something different from the magic school tropes that proliferate in the genre. No profanity or sexual content and battle violence is not excessive nor overly bloody.

Thanks for the eARC, Edelweiss.

[Erin *BookDragon_Library* · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 - this was pretty good for a sequel with a few new characters introduced, some backstories revealed, especially from N'Rah which was a bit of a surprise and made for a good story arc. This is definitely a fantasy series I would recommend to readers who enjoy the Skandar series or Wilderlore. I think the animal-human partner connection is always a winner. It feels like a true adventure fantasy and has enough of both magical elements and creatures with also having suspense and action.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, talking flying horse companions, sign ten year old me up! But I think it would be better to star with the first so that the frequent references to how school bullying affected the character made more sense, and I understood the relationship with royalty better.

But still, very fun!

[Mark Buxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What worked:
The story is full of flying horses called skysteeds and many of them have chosen to bond with humans called skyriders. Kie is the main character and she’s the only human in the world able to communicate with every skysteed she touches. Being the Nexara puts her under tremendous pressure as she’s the human ambassador when working with skysteeds. She may be the most important person in winning a war against another chimerae invasion. An additional issue arises when her skysteed N’Rah is upset about accepting a quest to find the Sky King. He says the dangerous mission will fail but Kie knows N’Rah is keeping something from her. The partners have always been totally honest with each other and the complicated history of N’Rah’s past is revealed later in the story.
The author skillfully describes the action and dangers faced by the characters and their skysteeds so readers feel like they’re part of the story. The chimerae are lethal, flying creatures with three hearts and three heads of sand dragons, bloodgoats, and lions. The characters also face vultiren, huge vulture-like birds that are quicker and more agile than the chimerae. Razor-sharp claws and teeth along with the swarming aggression of the ruthless predators will elicit fear and anticipation in young readers. These creatures are more organized than is natural and Kie discovers a similar issue to what was encountered in the first book. However, Kie can still slice a chimera’s head right off using a tri-wire and she’s working with N’Rah to perfect a barrel-roll kill shot using her bow and arrow.
The most interesting part of the book is the relationship between skysteeds and humans. Bonding magic was used three hundred years before to defeat the chimerae but the alliance is now fragile. Humans often make selfish decisions in books, and in real life, and many wild skysteeds feel betrayed. Paired skysteeds have often been treated as pets and used only in tournaments so the expected concept of equal partnerships is lost. The wild skysteeds sense disrespect from the humans. On the other hand, Kie and N’Rah clearly have a close bond and they display empathy for each other. Kie especially regrets accepting the mission without consulting N’Rah first and she really wants to understand why he’s against meeting the Sky King.
What didn’t work as well:
The synopsis reveals where the plot is headed and the first half of the book describes the journey to find the Sky King. After knowing what’s to come, readers may be anxious to find some surprises but most of the events are foreseeable.
The final verdict:
Readers will become engrossed in complex character relationships and the impending battles against the vicious chimerae and vultiren. I suggest you read the first book to fully understand the background story. Overall, this is a very enjoyable, exciting book and I recommend you give it a shot.

[Thistle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick synopsis : After all the losses in the battle that concluded book 1, humanity is in a bad position for when the chimerae attack again. They need more skysteeds, so Kie and her friends go off on a mission to find the wild herds of them.

Brief opinion : A fun story marred by some big editing issues.

Plot : There were massive casualties after the Thousand Chimerae War, both humans and skysteeds. Like horses, skysteeds breed slowly, so Kie and company fly off to the wilds to try to convince the Sky King (leader of all wild skysteeds) to allow the wild ones to bond with people if they wish.

The flight there is long and hard, and once they arrive the humans find more battles to fight. A new monster has shown up to try to kill all the wild ones, so Kie and company must defeat them and then convince the Sky King to let his followers pair with humans if they wish to.

Writing/editing : Of the first book I wrote "Both were excellent!", but this book... sheesh. The name of the flying horse breed is "skysteed". It was one of the most common words used in book one. Why in book two was it written "sky-steed" so often? Dozens of times. The books were published only a year apart, I have no idea why such a basic-to-the-story word could be written differently so many times.

The words "loyal" and "brave" were used before skysteed names so often that it felt more like the author was telling, not showing.

There were other issues, like words being hyphenated in the middle of a line ("remem-bering").

There were issues with the story, like in book 1 it was said that skysteeds couldn't fly until they were two years old (wings not strong enough), but in this book foals and yearlings endlessly flew. (It's possible in book 1 it was meant that domestic skysteeds couldn't until they were two years old, since they're heavier than wild ones, but it wasn't clear.)

And issues with logic, like wooden arrows being perfectly fine to use "hundreds" of years after being made and being stored in a box in a cave.

What I Liked/What I Didn’t Like : Of book 1 I had said "I really liked that the skysteeds weren't human-level intelligence creatures.", but in this book they were.

"The Great Binding gave skysteeds the ability to think as humans do."

Sadly sometimes they seemed more people-in-horse-shape than actual horses.

Rating: 1-Hated / 2-Disliked / 3-Okay / 4-Liked / 5-Loved : ⭐️⭐️⭐️½ -- 3.5 stars, somewhere between okay and liked. The story was quite fun, but "sky-steed" kept making me grumpy every time I hit one.

Will there be a book 3? The story seems like it needs a conclusion, but who knows. There's no mention of it online, and at the end of this story there were chapters from the first book instead of the next one, which is odd.

[Sybrina Durant · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, this book takes Pony Express to a sky-high level. These couriers provide essential mail delivery that helps tie the vast Empire of Prekalt together – via winged horses. That, in and of itself, is pretty cool but honestly, the main characters of this story are not your every day run of the mill mail carriers on horseback.

The story revolves around Kie, who is one special girl. Born to a lowly family, Kiesandra Torsun, through her skills and sense of responsibility, has risen to the rank of Junior Courier along with her bonded skysteed, N’Rah.
They have a magical bond which allows them to completely understand each other. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have such a connection with another creature that you could literally know their thoughts and feelings?
All of the thousands of Skyriders (whether mail couriers or not) are lucky enough to experience this with their equine partners. But Kie has learned she can also communicate with other steeds. And with that ability comes great responsibility.

Kie and her friends are soon tasked with a seemingly unsurmountable task that turns them into true heroes who help rid the skies of monstrous flying creatures which threaten the peace of the empire.
This story was so interesting and exciting that I could not put it down. Mainly because it reminded me of unicorns. OK, there are no unicorns, alicorns or even any creatures called Pegasus here but it is full of beautiful winged horse-like beasts and that was enough to draw me in. Beyond that, Ms. Holyoke’s writing style made me want to know what was going to happen next. I laughed. . .I cried. . . and thoroughly enjoyed surprises around every corner.

I love the great artwork on the cover and cover page by Brandon Dorrman. It’s so good, it makes me wish there were more illustrations within each chapter.

There are a lot of characters in this book and it’s nice that the author lists them all in the beginning.. There are nearly 320 pages of story told within 28 fairly long chapters so I would place this within the epic fantasy range for tweens and teens. If you love reading long fantasy tales, you’ll love this book. This is a story that leaves you wanting more and I, for one, was very glad to learn that another book in this series was already waiting in the wings for me to grab when I finished this one. I highly recommend this fantasy and give it five stars.

[Karen Siddall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting aerial action, magnificent winged horses, and a relatable young heroine!

The Sky King is the second book in the middle-grade fantasy adventure series, Skyriders, by author Polly Holyoke, and it is a wonderful follow-up to the debut novel. With exciting aerial action, magnificent winged horses, and a relatable young heroine, this new adventure had me glued to its pages and completely invested in the outcome.

Young Kiesandra “Kie” Torsun and her skysteed partner, N’Rah, have returned to their duties in the mail service after Prekalt’s victory over the Foul Ones. Still, rumors of rogue chimerae attacking isolated villages and fellow couriers prove all too true. As the Nexara, the physical link between humans and skysteeds, Kie is conflicted over her desire to safeguard her people and the danger to the skysteeds, whose involvement would be necessary to defeat the evil beasts. After a misstep in her relationship with N’Rah, she realizes she must convince humans and skysteeds alike that they must work together as equal partners for success. I could feel the love and respect between Kie and N’Rah throughout the story, and her relationship with the quirky N’Poda involved all my emotions.

The action sequences of the skyriders and skysteeds battling the chimerae and vultiren were exciting with edge-of-your-seat suspense. I also enjoyed Kie’s growing awareness of the magic available to her and look forward to this aspect expanding in future books.

The author’s writing style is engaging, and the storyline is suitable for a wide age range of readers, although younger children may be bothered by the monsters and off-page losses of skyriders and skysteeds in battle. This series would make a great read-aloud for the family, classroom, or after-school programming. While this is the second book in the series, new readers can easily pick up on the overall story.

I recommend THE SKY KING to middle-grade and older readers of fantasy and adventure stories.

[Rachel Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I greatly enjoyed The Sky King, the sequel in Polly Holyoke's Skyriders series. The book continues where Skyriders left off, with the people of Prekalt and Pedarth reeling after a vicious battle against some fantasy creatures that horrify the populace. In this second book, Holyoke continues that broader plotline of impending war and impending doom with an endearing heroine in Kiesandra Torsun, a horse girl at heart who loves her skysteed N'Rah (and don't call him a horse) and goes on adventures with him. This time Kie is on a mission to meet the famed Sky King, a winged horse who lives in the mythical mountains and is vital to the humans' mission to save their country from the terrifying beasts.

For once reading a fantasy novel, and a young adult fantasy novel at that, I was actually fascinated by the history and the lore behind the wild skysteeds, and I wished Holyoke had included more about them and about the enemies, the chimerae and vultiren. Most of the time when I read fantasy I get so bored by reading about battles and myths and culture info, when it's a place I'm not really invested in and can't immerse myself into. But The Sky King was different somehow, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. Based on the ending of this book, I can bet that there will be at least one more book in this series, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what comes next. It was a great level of suspense and build-up, plus character development and and interesting plot, and Holyoke did a great job keeping me entertained with this book.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never read the first Skyriders book, so I jumped into book two, The Sky King, not knowing quite what to expect. What I found was something that used bonded pairs of humans and flying horses (skysteeds) in what felt like a delightful mashup of The Dragonriders of Pern and the Pony Express – in a good way.

While I felt the plot of the story – find the Sky King – was spelled out in too much detail in the synopsis, it's the execution that matters, and author Polly Holyoke pulled everything off with a deft hand.

Of particular note is the relationship between the central character, Kie, and her skysteed, N'Rah. At times acting as one being this bonded pair also argues. N'Rah even warns that the mission to find the Sky King will not go well, and is unhappy Kie accepted the task.

Holyoke also gives us a nice amount of action, with aerial battles against the vultiren, and brings back the battles against the chimerae – both species are mad, bad, and dangerous to know (though considerably more lethal than Lord Byron, who was originally described by that phrase.)

Overall,. this is an action-packed story that will have engaged readers laughing, cheering, and truly invested in the ending, which is both satisfying but also open enough for a third novel.

Goes well with: chili-cheese fries and a chocolate milkshake

[Jessica Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are well into summer, and you may be looking for a new book/series to entice your middle reader. If so, Polly Holyoke’s Skyriders series may just be the thing you’re looking for.

The Sky King is the second book in this fantasy series about skysteeds (think horses with wings) and their riders. These books — Skyriders and The Sky King — definitely need to be read in order, but their relatively short length for fantasies — just over 300 pages — make them doable lengths to read this July/August.

The Skyriders series is built around the skyriders and their skysteeds (winged horses that can speak to those they bond with through their minds) and mystical, creepy creatures like the three-headed chimerae (bloodgoat, lion and sand dragon merged together by dark, binding magic) and vultiren (massive vulture-like birds with sharp talons and bad attitudes).

As with the first book in the series, The Sky King features lots of flying and action. It also features lots of skysteeds — old and new. Themes of themes of communication, empathy and equity are built in naturally and push the story forward.

The Sky King does feel a bit like a second act, leaving lots of room for what I assume will likely be a big crescendo in the following book/s. Be aware there is some violence and gore. However, it’s never gratuitous. This is a fun series to really sink your teeth into.

[Amelia Storck · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sky King by Polly Holyoke soars to breathtaking heights, blending heart-pounding adventure with deep emotional resonance. Returning to the richly imagined world of Prekalt, Holyoke crafts a sequel that not only expands her universe but also delves deeper into courage, trust, and the fragile harmony between humans and nature. Kiesandra’s unique bond with her skysteed, N’Rah, forms the emotional core of the story, illuminating the power of empathy and understanding in the face of fear and division.

What stands out most is how The Sky King captures the exhilaration of flight and the majesty of its mythical creatures, all while grounding the narrative in themes of responsibility and hope. The introduction of the Sky King and the looming threat of the vultiren add tension and depth, making this a compelling continuation that both young readers and fantasy lovers will find unforgettable.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this series so far!! It is everything you would want in a middle grade fantasy; adventure, adversity, friendship, and magic. I can't wait for the next one!

There is battle violence in this one; descriptions of blood and the killing of creatures. Also, there is some kind of evil magician (we don't know who yet) who is making hybrid creatures as well as connecting humans to these creatures. The protagonists talk often of the wickedness of such magic and make plans to stop this particular evil.

[CONSTANCE · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sequel to 2023’s “Skyriders” ❤️ about Kie who can speak to not just her skystead (flying horse) N’Rah, but to all skysteads she touches. In book #1, she and other skyriders must save their empire from the Chimerae (a 3-headed flying beast) and in this one another beast is out to rid the planet of humans and skysteads. No spoilers here, just let me say I am so looking forward to book # 3. Ms. Holyoke knows how to keep the action going!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Appropriate for: age 11+

A great sequel! I liked all of the main characters and the pegasi. I liked that there were wild pegasus, not just tame ones.

[Dara · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025 Popsugar Reading Challenge: a book containing magical creatures that aren't dragons (pegasi)