Uprising

Ragesong

by J.R. Simmons

Exiled Fermician king Klyle, now free from the clutches of the Dread King Brael, works ceaselessly with Changelings Joraus and Swyf to resist to the evil spreading through his kingdom. Though the seeds of rebellion stir faintly in the hearts of his people, fear of the Dread King makes recruiting difficult. Not knowing where else to turn, Klyle wonders if children of legend who once rescued him from his mountain prison might be the key to saving his kingdom.

Three years after rescuing Klyle, Jake and Sam can’t forget their wondrous and frightening journey. Fully aware they might be summoned back at a moment's notice, the two friends work diligently to prepare. When the Changelings come calling, the teenagers are whisked away once more to the beautiful and dangerous Fermicia. Their connection with Ragesong has grown more powerful than ever, but will it be enough to take on the might of the Dread King and his powerful new apprentice?

365 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2014

About the author

J.R. Simmons lives in Northern Utah with his wife and 4 boys. He loves spending time with his family and coaching his kids in all of their different sports. He is an avid gamer and is very excited that his boys are picking up on his hobby. J.R. was recently introduced to triathlons and has since found that he loves the sport. Most nights he can be found either sitting down with a good game or hunched over his iPad writing.

Reviews

[Michelle Isenhoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This installment of the Ragesong series introduces a wonderful array of new characters and new cultures. After three years, Jake and Sam return to help the fallen King Klyle with his rebellion against the usurper, Brael. The danger is weighty, giving the new mission a trememdous sense of urgency. Brael is a horrible, violent, bloodthirsty tyrant bent on subjugation and the destruction of all who oppose him. Like the first book, this one holds some heavy moments of violence and war. They aren't unnecessarily graphic, but a lot of people die, and the kids are in on the killing. But the values the alliance fights for--freedom, life, goodness--gives their actions a nobility and purpose. Loyalty, honor, and friendship are held in high esteem. And the tiny romance budding between Jake and Sam adds a lightness to this troubled world.

This is self-published work far ahead of the majority. I'd set it against anything the traditional publishing world put out. The prose is crisp, the story compelling, the dialogue spot on. Very impressive. I absolutely love discovering these standouts and being able to credit the fine work and professionalism to a self-published author. Highly recommended for ages 10+

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a followup to Ragesong:Awakening and starts 3 years after Awakening ends. Sam and Jake are still friends, although as hormones will do, they are fighting feelings for one another. This helped provide most of the romantic tension in the story.
The author did a great job of writing so that I was transported back to Fermicia along with Jake and Sam. I liked how Sam and Jake were seperate entities, which allowed Sam to grow into her own character instead of constantly being the tag along. I loved watching Sam grow into her own during this book. The additional characters only added to the story instead of overwhelming the reader with more names to keep in mind.
The only negative that I found in this book was that it seemed to take longer to take off and grab my attention.

[Monica H at The Readathon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and thought it was a great sequel. I loved watching Jake and Sam grow and develop in this book. I liked that they were able to find themselves and their own strengths. I liked that they became more of two separate individuals in this book. I was glad to see all my favorite characters, and I really liked a lot of the new characters. I thought it was very well written, especially the character development. I was hooked from the start. There is no profanity (thank you!) or "intimacy" (thank you!), but there is a lot of violence, and some of it is quite graphic. I would recommend it for ages 13 and up (YA approved). You may read my full review on my book blog: www.the-readathon.blogspot.com.

[Mauree North · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 11 year old son reviewed this book and absolutely loved it. He said there were so many exciting moments in the book and he felt all the emotions. He laughed when Jake was jealous and was worried when Swyft got hurt. He said he would tell his friends to read it and was excited to read both the first book and this book again. As a mom, I am very grateful to have a book that takes my child on a journey. I loved the first one and am excited to be able to read this one as well. Well done J.R!

[Juli Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uprising is a great follow up to Ragesong: Awakening. My 11 year old daughter loves this series, and identified strongly with Sam (the female protag) in Uprising. It's well written and interesting. Simmons does a great job of getting inside the head of the madman so we can see what our heroes are really up against. He introduces new characters and sets up the next book nicely. Looking forward to Ragesong 3!

[Sondra Ah Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best story I couldn't put it down

I loved this book as I did the first one I'm looking forward to how it ends I hope it doesn't disappoint mep