Dream Of Empty Crowns

Chosen King #1

by M.J. Sewall

At the steps of the Choosing Tower, Gordon tosses his name into the lottery like all boys his age. When his name is called out and he is proclaimed the new king, what should be a moment of celebration takes a dark turn.

Soon, he is hunted by the ruthless Firstcouncillor Trunculin. Pursued by kingdom airships and the very soldiers sworn to protect him, the young king has to align with great warriors and unexpected allies.

With the healer Loren and a fearless young warrior named Aline by his side, can Gordon find a way to save himself – and his kingdom?

Genres: Fantasy, Ebooks

299 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 12, 2015

About the author

I am a lifelong writer in many genres.
My novels and non-fiction work share the theme of exploring dark, unexplored places. That sounds pretentious, I know.
Mostly I make up stories and write them down. There is a special sub-conscious alchemy that is happening, but don’t look at me; I have no idea how it works.
Whether it’s boys chosen to be king, giant monsters attacking, kids with seemingly magical powers or just an unraveling of deeply held assumptions, I write to explore.
My only rule: It must be a great story.

Want to learn more?
http://www.mjsewall.com/
 

Reviews

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/10/2022)! 🎁

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice fantasy series to introduce young readers to the fantasy genre focused on intrigue, mystery, and politics with the right amount of action that keeps us turning the page. I like the elements that make this world different and interesting, for example, kings are selected by a lottery and one thirteen-year-old is chosen while the young king in his twenties peacefully fabricated his "job". The lottery was created so anyone could be king (equality) but we learn many are manipulating and pulling strings. Our main character sees himself caught in this tug of war for power.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of politics
Main king characters are too young and a bit foolish sometimes
Confusing grammar at times
Lots of side plots that make the entire book more interesting
Abrupt cliffhanger to lead into the next book

[Nancy Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh boy, this book was so much fun to read!

While not every fantasy junkie loves reading Young Adult Coming of Age stories, if the overall elements are in the right dosage, I simply can't get tired of reading them. Fortunately, Dream of Empty Crowns has a lot of things that I really enjoy in books (political backstabbing! Military scenes! Yeah!!!).

Our hero Gordon has lived his entire life in a well-off village less than half a day's walk from his nation's capital, strangely nicknamed the Kingdom of Thirteen. He has grown up alongside his childhood friends: Asa and Skyler, and his caring uncle Loren who is a very talented healer. And lucky him! To make this story really stand out from other Coming of Age teenager village boy hero stories, Gordon suffers from the devastating sweetblood disease (most likely Type I Diabetes). Now, this makes the plot a whole lot more interesting, because this is a medieval world where although magic is presumed to exist, healers don't have much technology to rely on to care for their sick, and it seems like Loren is the only healer in the entire world who has managed to figure out how to not only keep Gordon alive, but be rather healthy.

Now, getting back to the story, the first chapter is a huge milestone in the lives of the three childhood friends. In their nation, each 5 years they get a new gullible teenager to become king or queen. Apparently the political system was set up centuries ago by the 13 founders because they presumed the children wouldn't harbor malice, and given the job is only temporary (they have to resume their peasant lives once their term ends), there is little incentive for corruption... While we all know there's loopholes in every system that the villains in this book have taken advantage of, Gordon and his friends are all potential candidates to become the upcoming king and they innocently place a wooden plaque with their names into the choosing tower.

The selection day soon arrives, and... much to Loren's horror, and Gordon's disbelief, the next king is.... GORDON!!! Before the poor kid knew it, he loses sight of his uncle, and is dragged to the stage. As reality settles in, he stares at the nation's first councillor Thrundulin (and the main villain at the same time). The guy is clearly pissed off and Gordon has no idea why.

Gordon has always been raised by Loren to be scholarly and to try to keep certain secrets to himself, and he has managed to survive the first dinner without getting stabbed or poisoned. It isn't until the coronation where something really weird happens and he sees a futuristic vision of a multinational war on an airship, alongside several people he hasn't met yet... Gordon collapses to the floor and is hastily taken to the healers. Gordon miraculously escapes the palace thanks to the assistance of a mysterious teenager girl named Aline, locates his uncle, and all three flee for their lives as second-in-command military commander Brenddel goes on a desperate hunt.

Thurndulinn is at a quandary. He has been rigging the boy king selection for years to ensure he manages the kingdom however he sees fit, and didn't expect spies to use his schemes against him by casually selecting Loren's nephew, who at one time used to work in the palace.

Things move at a very swift pace, and we have several separate storylines from the main cast: Thurndulin's mischief, Gordon's adventures fleeing multiple nations while they locate Loren's allies, and Brenddel's POV while he seems to have his own morals being questioned.

Out of the characters of the book, I liked the cautiousness of Loren and Brenddel's questionable loyalty (seems like it is all spurred from a nascent soft spot for sweet Asa, who never deserved to be pulled into this whole mess any more than Gordon did).

If there is one thing that really made this book stand out, it's the world building. We get to visit 4 nations in the story (5 if you include the semi autonomous pirate enclave), and each country has completely opposing political systems that at first sight don't make all that much sense. Lots of honorable characters, and others such as the Queen of Thurnn who do some bad things, but for perfectly valid motives.

I really can't say much more about this story due to the risk of spoiling it, but I simply couldn't put it down and read it in just a few hours. It will be really hard for me to resist the temptation to read the sequels. I probably won't last a month before curiosity grabs a hold of me and entices me to find out what happens next.

I award the book 4 1/2 stars, only because there are a few typos and missed commas. However, it was still a really great read.

[Davaonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very entertaining from the very beginning once I learned that it was about a kingdom picking a king every few years from the regular citizens I just feel in love. I have never read anything like it before and I can't wait to read the next book. I also want to see about any other books this author has written and try them out

[Jackie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I understand why this book was free on Apple Books.

[Lidia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my review of the audio version as posted on Audible:

The idea that a randomly chosen 13-year-old boy is a perfect candidate to become a king sounded a bit crazy, I thought at first. But then the reasons behind it are very logically explained right at the beginning of the story, so much so that I readily accepted the whole concept - and I think it should definitely appeal to all young people who are the real target of the book:)

The storyline develops at a steady pace and keeps the reader's/listener's attention, partly thanks to the chapters being rather short. Gordon's journey begins at the steps of the Choosing Tower but soon turns into a set of adventures, some of which may have serious consequences... To add flavour to the already intriguing story, he has to struggle not only with his enemies but also with his illness...
There are many things that I like a lot about the book; here are the three most important ones:
1. Gordon has sweetblood illness - as diabetes is one of the illnesses more and more kids have to struggle with nowadays it's a good idea to have a protagonist who has to deal with the same problems those teenagers have; it shows them that an illness, whatever it is, should not and does not stop you from being great and achieving your goals;
2. the book proves that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, especially when it comes to people - appearances can be misleading and you should appreciate people for who they really are; the characters of Asa and Aline are the best examples, one being small for his age so seemingly week and easily influenced, the other being "just a girl"- and girls are so often underestimated, even in our times...
3. the story is a good introduction for young people to the world of politics - there are a lot of machinations, negotiations, plottings going on... Gordon and Asa have to learn to meander through them, and probably younger readers would learn along with them how to survive in that cruel world of alliances and treaties...

There is really only one thing I didn't like about the book - the cliffhanger ending. It really does stop at such a point that you feel like shouting "Why now?!" - so I'm happy I have number two already and can listen on:)

As for the narration by Mr Mayer, it's really good. I like the pace of his reading and the voicing of individual characters. I think his best is the voice of Trunculin - he really does sound mischievous and vicious:)

DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Nick Rodriguez · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m about to have a stroke from reading this book.
I feel I may have damaged my optic nerves and that my eye muscles have a new savage strength from rolling my eyes so much from what I have thus far read…

But I'm still reading it. It gives me a headache and my eyes hurt from all the eye-rolling.

It's terrible. Not just terrible, but TERRIBLE terrible. Dumpster fire bad.
It reads like someone took a writing class in night school and suddenly reckons himself an accomplished writer after the first night. It's very amateurish, laughable, and VERY cringy. Lots of repetition, grammatical errors and spelling mistakes.
It seriously needs an editor...and grammarly. The author publishes his own books and this book is a prime example of why authors should NOT do that.

Below are some of the highlights of this book:

“Gordon said,”

“Gordon said,”

“Gordon said,”

“Gordon offered,”

“Gordon said,”

All of the above in ONE paragraph!!

“sweetblood illness”

“sweetblood illness”

“sweetblood illness”

“sweetblood illness”

Sweetblood Sweetblood Sweetblood Sweetblood Sweetblood Sweetblood Sweetblood Sweetblood, and so on and so on and so on.

Also,

“Trunculin smiled his famous smile. The smile that made him famous with the people.” “He kept smiling his famous smile.” - ALSO all in one paragraph.

My eye is twitching…and now the BACK of my head hurts, so I’m going to end this review.

I’m a third of the way through this book and I’m going to force myself to read the rest…FORCE!! - if anything just for having bragging rights of finishing one of the cringiest books ever written. I swear, Sewall, if I have a stroke while reading this…..

A word of caution to YOU, dear reader: This book may give you a medical condition.

[Barbara Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

n the Kingdom of the Thirteen, youth are required to enter their names in a lottery system to choose a future ruler. Gordon does not give a thought about being chosen. When his name is drawn, he has no idea of how to deal with his fate.

This middle-grade series features the conflict between good and evil, family intrigue, peer struggles, fantasy, and a few elements of steampunk.

Will Gordon survive the turmoil and what will be the fate of his kingdom? Read Book One in the series to begin the journey.

[Jennifer (TheBookishCatGirl) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. Interesting and entertaining story. Kept me reading well into the night when I should have been sleeping. Many twists and turns. Some of which were somewhat predictable, at least for me, some a little less so. My one gripe is only with the editing. Not sure if this is all across the board or maybe just my copy but there were many grammatical errors which I am sure the author did not intend but were just missed in editing. Otherwise, I did enjoy this story and I'm currently continuing on with the second chapter in this trilogy.

[Randall Medlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great start to a new series. The world building is well done. The characters are well written. The concept is intriguing and captured my interest well. The narration was excellent. I did feel that the ending was too abrupt and the political discourse got a little too preachy at times. Overall it was a great experience.

Disclaimer: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Carol L. Caldwell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many kings

It was a very interesting story with lots of kings and kingdoms. The characters were great. A lot of action. However it was badly edited. Too many grammatical mistakes. The motivation behind some events was weak. And I was disappointed that it ended before I was ready for it.

[Ibrahim Mudathir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, I am a fan of ambition, politics and kingship which is one of my favourite themes that a book can incorporate. I was immersed in many different, beautiful mental images and emotions during reading this book. I love Gordon, feel empathetic for Aya and hope that Brendell conducts an operation that kills Truncullin.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dull throughout, no climax, just no ending

[J.T. Stoll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished the first Chosen King book. I really enjoyed it.

Highlights

Sewall's greatest strength, absolutely, is writing political intrigue. There are a number of factions in this book, and each character has their own motivations and desires. The political struggles felt very REAL to me, and the drove the story.

I loved the villains. They certainly seemed larger than life: evil councillor ruling and corrupting the kingdom, almost superhuman general who you really fear, and so forth. Some of the good guys were also very memorable.

The plot moved quickly, and I love a book that MOVES. Where stuff happens. Twists and turns continue throughout this story; the action doesn't really slow down.

And it was unpredictable, something that I highly value. At times, I thought to myself, "Oh yeah, I can see where this is going," only to have the plot veer in a different direction. Good job on surprising me!

Weaknesses

It's funny, but I think that the weaknesses in the plot are close mirrors of the strengths. The plot moves fast, but it almost moves SO fast that it seems unfocused. The unpredictability is a strength, but there's a certain way in which you want to have some glue to hold the plot together, be that attending Hogwarts (Harry Potter) or heading slowly for Mount Doom (LoTR).

The book ends a bit abruptly, so in order to get a full story, you'll have to read the next book (fortunately now released: Trials of Boy Kings).

Oh, and remember how I loved the villains so much?

Unfortunately, the protagonist was a bit weak. He doesn't do a ton by the end of the first book.

So, if you love books where the villain is way more interesting than the hero, read this.

And though literary critics might blame M.J. for having the villain drive the plot, I enjoyed his villainnyness and just had fun with a good story.

[Elena Alvarez Dosil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have received a copy of this book in audio format from the author in exchange for an honest review.

In the kingdom of the 13, every so many years, a 13 year old boy is randomly chosen to be king. This time it is the turn of Gordon, a child with the sweet blood sickness, who never expected or wanted to be a king. But Gordon will soon discover that the choice is not random at all, and that there are many dark forces at play.

This book if full of political intrigues in a world where just one kingdom is able to build flying ships. The politics are corrupt and Gordon and his allies will have to find a way to restore fairness and ensure the peace.

I quite enjoyed this book. The characters and the story are well built, and the dialogs feel natural and fluid. There were though some things unexplained but I guess we will know more in future books.

The book ends on a cliffhanger, which disappointed me a bit, because none of the stories are closed at that point and it was like stopping listening in the middle of the book. This was the one aspect I did not like about the book.

The narrator does a very good job, and despite his short range of voices, he helped differentiate the characters using different accents. The only complaint I have is that we can hear him breathing all the time, and it is like he is not getting enough air. I think this could have been edited out. It becomes a bit stressful at times.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fantasy book with political intrigues. Just make sure that you have the next book available too.

[Mindy Conde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warning: be sure to have the second books ready to go because this certainly ends on a cliffhanger! This was a great book full of political intrigue with plot twists and turns to keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat. Gordon lives in the Kingdom of the Thirteen where they choose their kings at random (supposedly) from all the thirteen year-olds in the kingdom. It's a world where airships are the height of innovation and the world is finally beginning to get a bit smaller. To Gordon, however, the world has never been so large as he's forced to flee for his life and confront people and places he'd never imagined.

Sewall has created a captivating world and we get plunged into it as we follow Gordon as he discovers exactly how entrenched he is in this confusing, and often dangerous, game of shadows.

A fun read, though as I said, be sure to have the next one at the ready.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not like the Cliff Hanger...

I did like that the chapters were short, it made it easier if one needed to stop reading.

The main lead, Gordon is 13 years old when the book starts.
He finds himself on a self discovery journey.

Gordon has this Sweet Blood Illness that sounds alot like Diabetes.
I got kind of tired of hearing about the "Sweet Blood Illness", over and over again.
He had to watch what he ate, and had to eat often, etc..

I think this is an interesting read for younger people around 8th or 9th grade.
However, I repeat, did not like the Cliff Hanger!

The narrator did well.

Note:
"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in
exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast."

[Eric Reeves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I thought this was a pretty good story. Set in a time where Kings are chosen, but the choosing is an illusion while those in power retain their power through deceit.

Gordon was thrust into an unimaginable set of circumstances at the early age of thirteen. But he along with his companions find ways to deal with the chaos as Gordon leans on the teachings of his uncle to help get him through and attempt to prevail over widespread corruption and steer clear of those hunting him.

Lots of plotting, scheming and betrayal, but also lots of redeeming qualities are found in this book as well.

[Angelica Torres · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down! I flew through it and couldn't wait to see how things were going to turn out.

The different kingdoms were interesting to learn about and I loved how they were each was described and different. The story is intriguing. I really loved Asa's character and really felt for him in this book. There are some dangerous politics going on and I really hated the villain and hope he gets what he deserves.

Can't wait to get my hands on the second one!

[rodrigo · Rating 4 out of 5]

i was expecting to not like this so there wouldn't be a need to read the other 2 but this shit's bussin bussin
i serioulsy hole Trunculin dies
i actually like Brenddel