A HERO FALLS...Kyen of Avanna—possessed by an arcangel, hunted by fiends, harried by a princess—just wants a decent meal. But dinner has to wait when he runs into an old enemy at the inn.
Ennyen’s skill with the sword is unmatched—and his vengeance shows no mercy. When he draws a dark blade and calls on the fiends, there’s no escape for Kyen. Their swords clash—and the battle goes ill.
Meanwhile, Princess Adeya struggles to survive as the pupil of a hero she no longer understands. When Kyen falls wounded, she must face the fight for her life—and the truth about the hero she’s come to rely on.
But Ennyen and his fiends aren’t the only ones hunting Kyen down. The enemy Kyen fears the most is rising from within, and if he falls, Ellunon will fall with him.
Prince of the Fallen Kingdom is a clean, character-driven epic fantasy about grief, growth, and the cost of heroism—where a hero’s greatest sacrifice may also be his undoing.
C. A. Doehrmann, an avid lover of YA adventure fantasy, loves writing books about quests and sending characters on a journey to find out who they are and where they belong (including a few smash-down, drag-out fights along the way.) She’s been a novelist for over two decades and is currently working on The Books of Ellunon, a fantasy series within the Arc Legends universe. She lives in the Midwest with her Knight in Shining Armor and her aptly named fluff-dragon, Princess.
I really enjoyed reading this one. The promise in the first book was carried through and the writing is much improved. Still like the characters and hoping the next one comes out soon because it kind of ends on a cliffhanger.
I received an advance reader copy of Prince of the Fallen Kingdom for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Given its accessibility and its easily digestible prose, I found the author's debut, The Kingmaster: somewhat akin to a children's book. With the follow-up, the author's Prince of the Fallen Kingdom, the Arc Legends of Ellunon series has matured. It’s still an accessible story, but the author has told a bigger, broader story in which the prose provides more colour to it.
Prince of the Fallen Kingdom is slightly longer than its predecessor, which the author has used to pack more into the story, expanding its world, adding more characters and increasing its scope. The result is a book that is bigger in more than just its word count, with everything moving at a quick pace.
While the increased scope makes for a story I found more entertaining than the original, the largest improvement I found with Book 2 is in its prose. Where the first book struck an engaging tone, the prose was largely written in short sentences and paragraphs. This was charming and digestible, and helped the novel’s overall flow. Here, the author’s prose improves upon this, striking a balance between a narrative that is just as digestible as its predecessor, but with far more flourish to the words. The world of Ellunon is a magical realm full of fantastic elements, and the prose conveys this beautifully, bringing a sense of magic and wonder to the world through its narration.
Prince of the Fallen Kingdom’s dialogue also improves upon the original’s. The characters sound natural, and the conversations throughout the book are entertaining to follow. It flows naturally between the characters, and each character’s voice feels distinct. The novel fits a fair number of characters who all have various discussions with one another, and these conversations simply click.
Despite the changes to the prose and dialogue, this novel feels consistent with its predecessor. The returning characters and the familiar setting help with this, but the novel captures and explores its characters in similar fashion. Every character is engaging, bringing a sense of fun and adventure with them. I was a huge fan of Kyen and Adeya in the first book, and continued to love them throughout this.
With its larger tapestry comes a faster pace. A lot happens in the book, and it happens quickly. The author has balanced this pace with the increased world building without sacrificing the plot or characters. It has been deftly edited, ensuring that its elements come together and serve the whole.
Prince of the Fallen Kingdom’s plot is entertaining, while utilising the tropes fans expect from the genre. Like the first book, it doesn’t add many new elements to the genre, but much of the fun here is in how it brings out those elements.
Much like The Kingmaster before it, Prince of the Fallen Kingdom is firmly a PG-rated story. While it is packed with action, it is written in a largely non-violent manner. The romantic elements work without depictions of sex, and the book is without profanity. This is a book that will entertain adult audiences, while being perfectly suitable for younger readers.
As the second volume in the Arc Legends of Ellunon series, this book stands on its own two feet well. Readers who haven’t read The Kingmaster will be able to follow along with the story. While the book hints at more adventures to come, it works as an entire story. I'd still recommend reading The Kingmaster first, as this will be all the more resonant for it.
Prince of the Fallen Kingdom improves upon its already enjoyable first volume. The author has taken everything that worked in The Kingmaster and improved upon the elements that didn’t work so well. It continues the story in a more assured fashion, and is a better read for it. If you’re a fan of swords and sorcery fantasy tales, you’ll find so much to enjoy.
My full review will be available on my website from 5 september 2022. To read it, my full thoughts for The Kingmaster, and a host of other reviews, click here.
WTF just happened? Cruising along with Kyen, Kade and Princess tag-a-long and the character development suddenly nose dives off a cliff. To be clear, this was not a bad thing, just unexpected. MY expectation was that Prince Dumbass would grow into an adult and embrace his leadership role, or at least be observed growing into it. Nope. What we get is stunted development coupled with regressive personality traits. Mostly he doesn't talk and mopes around seeking escape.
Now Princess hot pants (all the warriors check her out) prances about crwying over dumbass while proclaiming his swordmanship skills and courage. She never grows into a character shaped by her environment and experiences. It is all fragile ego and emotions that reside on the surface. To wit, she sucks the life out of any story line that has a chance to entertain. A better storyline would be that early on in their quest, she drops the haughtiness in light of reality. She gets gritty with an edge. Not this constantly blubbering mess everywhere she lands.
The two MCs are lame, yet the supporting cast really steals the show. They are built for direct engaging dialogue that takes interesting directions. Wynne is a hoot and gives no fuks. Gotta like that. The world building is really good as is the magic and the antagonists.
This book gripped me almost from page one and didn’t let me go. The writing is stellar, with a strong voice, along with lush visuals, and most importantly, well-rounded characters that you either love or love to hate. It’s a quick, snappy, yet emotional read.
I wasn’t sure where this sequel to Kingmaster (Book One) would take Kyen, Kade, and Adeya—but I loved every moment of finding out. The twists were perfectly timed and executed. The character arcs—especially for Kyen and Adeya, but also for several supporting characters like newcomers Gennen and Wynne—were terrific. I loved how the author used the clash of cultures to this end.
I don’t want to reveal too much about the plot, since spoilers lie therein, but suffice it say that plenty of angst, action, and drama abound in the best ways. Where before I enjoyed this world and its characters, now I adore them. Especially Kyen. My heart bleeds for him.
If you’re yearning for a compelling journey-style fantasy—where Chronicles of Prydain meets Rurouni Kenshin—don’t miss this one!
Content: Peril, death, trauma/PTSD, no strong language, and no spice.
Such an amazing sequel to The Kingmaster! Engaging. Accessible. Fast-paced. High stakes, and so much heart! I waited faithfully (not patiently) for like 1.5years for this book and it was WORTH IT. C.A has grown so much as a writer. The prose glows. The dialogue is a literal delight. The pacing is just so intense. I am in love with Kyen; Adeya feels like a sister to me; and Ennyen was an extremely engaging villain, and the final fight?!!? askdfjkldj. Listen, dear reader. I stayed up late to read this, and then I got up EARLY the next day to keep reading. I finished it in one weekend, and I'm gonna read it to my kids next (we're almost done reading The Kingmaster together!). HIGHLY RECOMMEND <3
Prince of the Fallen Kingdom deepens the Ellunon saga with a sharper, darker edge. Kyen of Avanna — already burdened by the arcangel within him — is pushed to his breaking point when an old rival returns wielding a blade steeped in shadow. The clash isn’t just physical; it exposes the fractures in Kyen’s identity and the terrifying truth that the greatest threat may be the one rising inside him. Princess Adeya’s arc is equally compelling. Forced into the tutelage of a wandering swordsman she no longer fully trusts, she’s thrust into a crucible of danger, doubt, and unexpected strength. Her struggle adds emotional weight and human stakes to the sweeping conflict. The book thrives on tension — fiends descending, loyalties tested, and the looming fear that if Kyen falls, Ellunon itself may crumble. It’s a story of unraveling heroism, rising darkness, and the fragile threads that bind people together when the world tilts toward ruin.
I loved all of the new characters, especially the bad guy. Kyen and Adeya continue to be pushed in a way that is gripping and emotional. There were some mythological creatures that I hadn't heard of before, which made for a refreshing read. As with her first book, the writing is so visual and easy to read. I'll be recommending this book to all of my reading friends!
Honored as always to be an ARC reviewer for C.A. Doehrmann’s Ellunon stories!
If you like detailed sword fights, a well-paced plot, backstories for enigmatic characters, battles both within the self and with relentless villains, and unlikely heroes, then Prince of the Fallen Kingdom might be just to your taste.
Some of the side characters aren’t as enjoyable this time as in the first book, with the whiny warriors grating on my nerves, and fiend battles becoming familiar from precious encounters. But our sandwich-loving swordmaster is still as quietly awesome as ever, and the expansion on arcangel lore is fascinating.
And of course, there’s an unexpected twist in the end…
Can’t wait for book 3 to see where Kyen and Adeya’s adventures take them next!
The characters I fell in love with are back! I feel like the author showed a different side to them that deepered the dynamics! Would recommend to any fantasy fan!