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The Crown of Tremontane #2
Rider of the Crown
Imogen, warrior of the Kirkellan tribes, has never wanted to be anything else. But when the long war between the Kirkellan and the country of Ruskald ends, the terms of the peace treaty require Imogen to be married to the vicious King of Ruskald for five years. Confined to his freezing city, forbidden to fight, Imogen sees nothing but darkness in her future—until the arrival of Elspeth North, heir to the Crown of Tremontane, brings three countries to the brink of war and sets Imogen free.
Now, sent to be the ambassador of her people to Tremontane, Imogen faces new challenges as she struggles to maintain her warrior’s identity in a world of glittering ballrooms and foreign customs. As a diplomat, Imogen discovers skills she never knew she had—as well as a forbidden attraction to the handsome and charismatic King Jeffrey North. But when war once again threatens not only Tremontane but her own people, Imogen must decide: is she the warrior, the diplomat—or something greater?
Now, sent to be the ambassador of her people to Tremontane, Imogen faces new challenges as she struggles to maintain her warrior’s identity in a world of glittering ballrooms and foreign customs. As a diplomat, Imogen discovers skills she never knew she had—as well as a forbidden attraction to the handsome and charismatic King Jeffrey North. But when war once again threatens not only Tremontane but her own people, Imogen must decide: is she the warrior, the diplomat—or something greater?
369 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 22, 2015
62 people are currently reading
1216 people want to read
About the author
Melissa McShane
94 books860 followersMelissa grew up a nomad, following her family all over the United States, and ended up living in the shadow of the Wasatch Mountains with her husband, four kids, and three very needy cats. Her love of reading was always a constant during those uncertain years, and her love of writing grew out of that. She wrote reviews and critical essays for many years before turning to fiction, and was surprised at how much she liked it. She loves the fantasy genre and how it stretches the imagination.
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April 11, 2017
3.5 stars, rounding up. Final review, first posted on Fantasy Literature.
Rider of the Crown (2015), the second book in Melissa McShane’s CROWN OF TREMONTANE fantasy series, is set a generation after the events in Servant of the Crown. The story initially shifts to a neighboring country to Tremontane, where the Kirkellan live, a fierce people who live a rustic life on the grassy plains and are known for their magnificent horses. Imogen is a young warrior of the Kirkellan, and a big and intelligent girl. As a talented leader of her tiermatha, a group of thirteen warriors who fight on horseback, and the daughter of the leader of her people, she expects to be named Warleader of the Kirkellan someday. But when Imogen’s mother, the matrian of the Kirkellan, enters into a peace treaty with the aggressive Ruskald nation, she has a more immediate role for Imogen: entering into a limited-term marriage of convenience with Hrovald, the Ruskalder king, to cement the treaty.
Unfortunately, this marriage of convenience isn’t the stepping stone to love that it generally is in fiction. Hrovald is a vicious and untrustworthy man, not to mention about thirty years older than Imogen, and Imogen knows the five years she needs to spend in his house in Ruskald will seem like an eternity. She agrees only because the need is so great, and only on condition that she can bring her beloved horse Victory and her entire tiermatha with her to Ruskald.
Life in the Ruskald capital city of Ranstjad turns out to be as miserable as Imogen had anticipated. Her relationship with Hrovald remains hostile, and he refuses to let Imogen practice her sword-fighting skills with her friends in the tiermatha. Then one day Hrovald announces he has a guest in their home: Princess Elspeth North, sister to King Jeffrey of Tremontane (who is the son of Anthony, a main character in Servant of the Crown). And ― such a pity! ― the winter weather will prevent Hrovald from returning Elspeth to her people.
As Imogen comes to understand Hrovald’s terrible plans for Elspeth, this realization sets her free of Hrovald and Ruskald. Events take Imogen and her friends to Tremontane, where Imogen will face new challenges in a country with technology, conveniences and customs far different from hers … and a man who will challenge her idea of who she is and what she will be in life.
The adventure and conflict ramp up and the romance takes a secondary role in Rider of the Crown, as compared to Servant of the Crown. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. We see the larger world in this book, along with the difficulties of diplomacy between nations with drastically different cultures, and the influence a leader can have on his or her country, for good or ill. The plot felt like it was treading water for a while during Imogen’s unpleasant time in Ruskald, but once it ― and Imogen ― got moving again, the story was absorbing.
Imogen is a rarity in romantic fiction, a quite powerful and large young woman in both height and weight. She isn’t ashamed of her body in the least and is unoffended by the word “fat.” She can also take your head off with her sword or have her awesome warhorse stomp on you, so there’s that. Her romantic interest is an admirable man, although their romance never quite caught fire for me in the way the relationship did in Servant of the Crown. But I enjoyed seeing the world through Imogen’s sharp eyes as she travels to different countries and has experiences that she never before would have imagined.
Rider of the Crown raises some interesting issues in connection with being willing to explore new avenues in finding out who you really are and what you might become, and the question of doing what you are best at as opposed to doing what you love best, and it deals with those issues in a thoughtful way.
I received a free copy of this ebook from the author. Thank you!
Rider of the Crown (2015), the second book in Melissa McShane’s CROWN OF TREMONTANE fantasy series, is set a generation after the events in Servant of the Crown. The story initially shifts to a neighboring country to Tremontane, where the Kirkellan live, a fierce people who live a rustic life on the grassy plains and are known for their magnificent horses. Imogen is a young warrior of the Kirkellan, and a big and intelligent girl. As a talented leader of her tiermatha, a group of thirteen warriors who fight on horseback, and the daughter of the leader of her people, she expects to be named Warleader of the Kirkellan someday. But when Imogen’s mother, the matrian of the Kirkellan, enters into a peace treaty with the aggressive Ruskald nation, she has a more immediate role for Imogen: entering into a limited-term marriage of convenience with Hrovald, the Ruskalder king, to cement the treaty.
Unfortunately, this marriage of convenience isn’t the stepping stone to love that it generally is in fiction. Hrovald is a vicious and untrustworthy man, not to mention about thirty years older than Imogen, and Imogen knows the five years she needs to spend in his house in Ruskald will seem like an eternity. She agrees only because the need is so great, and only on condition that she can bring her beloved horse Victory and her entire tiermatha with her to Ruskald.
Life in the Ruskald capital city of Ranstjad turns out to be as miserable as Imogen had anticipated. Her relationship with Hrovald remains hostile, and he refuses to let Imogen practice her sword-fighting skills with her friends in the tiermatha. Then one day Hrovald announces he has a guest in their home: Princess Elspeth North, sister to King Jeffrey of Tremontane (who is the son of Anthony, a main character in Servant of the Crown). And ― such a pity! ― the winter weather will prevent Hrovald from returning Elspeth to her people.
As Imogen comes to understand Hrovald’s terrible plans for Elspeth, this realization sets her free of Hrovald and Ruskald. Events take Imogen and her friends to Tremontane, where Imogen will face new challenges in a country with technology, conveniences and customs far different from hers … and a man who will challenge her idea of who she is and what she will be in life.
The adventure and conflict ramp up and the romance takes a secondary role in Rider of the Crown, as compared to Servant of the Crown. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. We see the larger world in this book, along with the difficulties of diplomacy between nations with drastically different cultures, and the influence a leader can have on his or her country, for good or ill. The plot felt like it was treading water for a while during Imogen’s unpleasant time in Ruskald, but once it ― and Imogen ― got moving again, the story was absorbing.
Imogen is a rarity in romantic fiction, a quite powerful and large young woman in both height and weight. She isn’t ashamed of her body in the least and is unoffended by the word “fat.” She can also take your head off with her sword or have her awesome warhorse stomp on you, so there’s that. Her romantic interest is an admirable man, although their romance never quite caught fire for me in the way the relationship did in Servant of the Crown. But I enjoyed seeing the world through Imogen’s sharp eyes as she travels to different countries and has experiences that she never before would have imagined.
Rider of the Crown raises some interesting issues in connection with being willing to explore new avenues in finding out who you really are and what you might become, and the question of doing what you are best at as opposed to doing what you love best, and it deals with those issues in a thoughtful way.
I received a free copy of this ebook from the author. Thank you!
Read
November 18, 2022Re-read 10/30/22: To me the prose here is significantly different from Servant and Agent, but no one's ever commented, so it might just be me.
Read 11/26/16: I read this last night, going over the proof one final time (and finding errors that were easily corrected). It's very different from Servant of the Crown; that's closer to being a romance, where this is more of an action book with a romance subplot. More than that, it's the story of a young woman learning who she is over the course of political infighting, a marriage of convenience, two different (short) wars, and an unexpected diplomatic career.
I'd originally intended the Crown of Tremontane series to be the story of three generations of women, mother, daughter, granddaughter. But when it came time to write the story of Elspeth, Alison's daughter, she turned out to be...boring. Cute, and funny, but basically lacking a story. The real story, it turned out, was centered on Imogen, who was Elspeth's friend in the original version who did all the things and had all the fun. So Rider of the Crown is her story, which does intersect with the North family, eventually.
As to there being only three books in the series, Zara North turned out to be such a powerful force I couldn't help writing more stories from her perspective, which turned into a novella, and now I'm working on her novel. Then there's the story of Willow North, first of the North Queens, and another book set after Zara's novel...I had no idea a series could provide so much material.
Read 11/26/16: I read this last night, going over the proof one final time (and finding errors that were easily corrected). It's very different from Servant of the Crown; that's closer to being a romance, where this is more of an action book with a romance subplot. More than that, it's the story of a young woman learning who she is over the course of political infighting, a marriage of convenience, two different (short) wars, and an unexpected diplomatic career.
I'd originally intended the Crown of Tremontane series to be the story of three generations of women, mother, daughter, granddaughter. But when it came time to write the story of Elspeth, Alison's daughter, she turned out to be...boring. Cute, and funny, but basically lacking a story. The real story, it turned out, was centered on Imogen, who was Elspeth's friend in the original version who did all the things and had all the fun. So Rider of the Crown is her story, which does intersect with the North family, eventually.
As to there being only three books in the series, Zara North turned out to be such a powerful force I couldn't help writing more stories from her perspective, which turned into a novella, and now I'm working on her novel. Then there's the story of Willow North, first of the North Queens, and another book set after Zara's novel...I had no idea a series could provide so much material.
October 23, 2015
This is the second book in the series, though you really don't have to read them in order. I hope you will, because I like Servant so much, but if you really want to start here, there's no reason not to (well, some minor spoilers and that might make you sad).
And as with the first, my main difficulty in writing the review is that I'm hyper-familiar with the book. Being married to the author has that effect, at least in our marriage. Which is good, particularly for me, but I wouldn't fault anyone for discounting or dismissing my opinion as biased.
Anyway.
Like before, my main entre into the story is how much I like the heroine. Imogen is a warrior, with a warrior's stature, and likes all aspects of her life with the plains-dwelling Kirkellan. She's a leader of her warband and is working towards becoming the warleader of her people. Only then life throws her some diplomatic curveballs and she's left to adapt as best she can while still remaining true to who she is. I liked her right off and couldn't wait to see how she handles first the patriarchal excesses of Ruskald and then the richer, softer country of Tremontane (where she stands out just as much but in different ways). Imogen manages to ingratiate herself with the royal family on the way and that puts her in direct contact with the very handsome Jeffrey. I particularly love that on encountering this large, powerful warrior, Jeffrey finds himself intrigued rather than intimidated (I think that speaks well for his obviously awesome parents).
The story is more action than romance, and I hope that doesn't disappoint fans of the first book too much. The book is much more about who Imogen will become than it is who she will be with. I think that's a good thing, but others may want more of the feels. Not that there aren't plenty of feels, mind. And let me stop there before I go in circles babbling...
Anyway, you can take it for given that I loved the book. And I hope you will too.
What this book is not: Two things people mentioned a lot about Servant aren't addressed in Rider—mostly because they aren't a part of this tale. First, no Zara. I know. I liked her, too. There's a novella coming soon that tells what she's up to for those of you wanting to know. Also, Zara will have her own book.
Second, no, we don't get much more about the magic of Tremontane. It's not really germane to this story, is all. If you really want more of the magic, the third book has much more about Devices, how they're tied to the lines of power, the family bonds, etc. mostly because Telaine, the heroine, is herself a Deviser—and, even rarer still, has an innate magic of her own.
And as with the first, my main difficulty in writing the review is that I'm hyper-familiar with the book. Being married to the author has that effect, at least in our marriage. Which is good, particularly for me, but I wouldn't fault anyone for discounting or dismissing my opinion as biased.
Anyway.
Like before, my main entre into the story is how much I like the heroine. Imogen is a warrior, with a warrior's stature, and likes all aspects of her life with the plains-dwelling Kirkellan. She's a leader of her warband and is working towards becoming the warleader of her people. Only then life throws her some diplomatic curveballs and she's left to adapt as best she can while still remaining true to who she is. I liked her right off and couldn't wait to see how she handles first the patriarchal excesses of Ruskald and then the richer, softer country of Tremontane (where she stands out just as much but in different ways). Imogen manages to ingratiate herself with the royal family on the way and that puts her in direct contact with the very handsome Jeffrey. I particularly love that on encountering this large, powerful warrior, Jeffrey finds himself intrigued rather than intimidated (I think that speaks well for his obviously awesome parents).
The story is more action than romance, and I hope that doesn't disappoint fans of the first book too much. The book is much more about who Imogen will become than it is who she will be with. I think that's a good thing, but others may want more of the feels. Not that there aren't plenty of feels, mind. And let me stop there before I go in circles babbling...
Anyway, you can take it for given that I loved the book. And I hope you will too.
What this book is not: Two things people mentioned a lot about Servant aren't addressed in Rider—mostly because they aren't a part of this tale. First, no Zara. I know. I liked her, too. There's a novella coming soon that tells what she's up to for those of you wanting to know. Also, Zara will have her own book.
Second, no, we don't get much more about the magic of Tremontane. It's not really germane to this story, is all. If you really want more of the magic, the third book has much more about Devices, how they're tied to the lines of power, the family bonds, etc. mostly because Telaine, the heroine, is herself a Deviser—and, even rarer still, has an innate magic of her own.
Read
November 5, 2015No star rating, as per my usual 'policy'.
So, I lied a bit, in leaving this marked as 'to-read'. I was lucky enough to be able to read it in manuscript, but knew I wanted to read it again as soon as it was published, so went for the non-boasting but rather inaccurate 'to-read'.
Of course I loved it as much as I had first time. I find it quite hard to talk about a book I've read and discussed (with the author, I mean), but both Jacob and Jana manage beautifully, and they've done much more of the reading/discussing, so I'll try. First time I read this I'd just finished the Zara story which was included with Servant of the Crown, and I mean just, and this was before Melissa had flagged up the fact that Rider wasn't picking up where that story left off. She probably told me, but I still went into Rider expecting a more direct sequel, and only realised how swept away I'd been when Elspeth turned up and I finally registered the North name. RIGHT. The Norths. Zara North, and I hadn't even missed her because I was so engrossed. Imogen's courage is such a wonderful characteristic that she won me over right away, especially as we see that courage first in her 'natural' role, as a warrior who's to become the next warleader of her people, the Kirkellan, and then in a horrifying and very different role; treaty wife to the Ruskalder king. Her struggle to fulfill this very unwelcome duty because it's right and will benefit her people is a truly difficult one, because not only is Hrovald abusive and domineering, forbidding Imogen from training, but he's also dishonourable, and being married to a dishonourable enemy could break the spirit of a lesser woman. (Even if it is only for five years.)
Having dealt with one huge hurdle, Imogen ends up in Tremontane, the treaty marriage having been summarily dissolved (with good reason!). Instead of riding in and saying 'Hello, here you go, nice to meet you' before riding home to take up her old, interrupted life, Imogen finds herself asked to make another huge life change, and become a diplomat. Her mother is the Matrian (leader) of the Kirkellan people and there's a lovely tension simmering through the close relationship between her and Imogen, with neither of them behaving completely as leader and subordinate or as mother and adult daughter. The Matrian has to do what's best for her people, but the mother also wants to do what's best for Imogen - when possible. Very nicely done. Imogen again accepts the difficult request, and is delightfully imperfect in doing so. This is a role for which she has no training, no reason to believe she'll be any good at, and requiring a lifestyle different to anything she's ever known. I, for one, felt she earned the small hissy-fit and later sulk over it. She's just a wonderful character, and there are many others as well, very much including Jeffrey North.
A lot of people have said that Servant of the Crown was more fundamentally a romance, while this is more of an action story with a romance. What makes the romance work so well is how it's integrated into the heart of the story of Imogen discovering that who she might be, and who she might want to be, isn't necessarily who she's always believed herself to be. Imogen never makes herself 'smaller', either physically or figuratively, for Jeffrey. (Her pleasure with her body long pre-exists Jeffrey's attraction to her, for which much praise. Also, her singular lack of concern when people who hate her try to insult her by calling her fat. GOOD STUFF.) A really nice touch is that when she's agonizing about whether she should be a warrior, because it's what she was born to and is extremely good at, her mother holds up the example of Imogen's father, who is also a superior fighter, but chose instead to become primary caregiver for their children.
Finally, there's something I've noticed in many of Melissa's books (and yeah, since I refrained from boasting before, I've got to read more than are published), or actually, in all of them but one, and that's a twist that occurs somewhere along the way. The thing is, though, that it's not a big, shocking, 'gotcha' of an author aiming for surprise. Every time I've read one of these, I've felt both surprised and 'didn't see that coming' at the same time that I'm thinking 'well, of course. That's *exactly* what would happen'. Simultaneously. I don't think the books would be less satisfying without the twist, really, because the characterization and settings are so very strong. It's just wonderful to get that quiet but certain, 'oh, yes' along with everything else.
So, I lied a bit, in leaving this marked as 'to-read'. I was lucky enough to be able to read it in manuscript, but knew I wanted to read it again as soon as it was published, so went for the non-boasting but rather inaccurate 'to-read'.
Of course I loved it as much as I had first time. I find it quite hard to talk about a book I've read and discussed (with the author, I mean), but both Jacob and Jana manage beautifully, and they've done much more of the reading/discussing, so I'll try. First time I read this I'd just finished the Zara story which was included with Servant of the Crown, and I mean just, and this was before Melissa had flagged up the fact that Rider wasn't picking up where that story left off. She probably told me, but I still went into Rider expecting a more direct sequel, and only realised how swept away I'd been when Elspeth turned up and I finally registered the North name. RIGHT. The Norths. Zara North, and I hadn't even missed her because I was so engrossed. Imogen's courage is such a wonderful characteristic that she won me over right away, especially as we see that courage first in her 'natural' role, as a warrior who's to become the next warleader of her people, the Kirkellan, and then in a horrifying and very different role; treaty wife to the Ruskalder king. Her struggle to fulfill this very unwelcome duty because it's right and will benefit her people is a truly difficult one, because not only is Hrovald abusive and domineering, forbidding Imogen from training, but he's also dishonourable, and being married to a dishonourable enemy could break the spirit of a lesser woman. (Even if it is only for five years.)
Having dealt with one huge hurdle, Imogen ends up in Tremontane, the treaty marriage having been summarily dissolved (with good reason!). Instead of riding in and saying 'Hello, here you go, nice to meet you' before riding home to take up her old, interrupted life, Imogen finds herself asked to make another huge life change, and become a diplomat. Her mother is the Matrian (leader) of the Kirkellan people and there's a lovely tension simmering through the close relationship between her and Imogen, with neither of them behaving completely as leader and subordinate or as mother and adult daughter. The Matrian has to do what's best for her people, but the mother also wants to do what's best for Imogen - when possible. Very nicely done. Imogen again accepts the difficult request, and is delightfully imperfect in doing so. This is a role for which she has no training, no reason to believe she'll be any good at, and requiring a lifestyle different to anything she's ever known. I, for one, felt she earned the small hissy-fit and later sulk over it. She's just a wonderful character, and there are many others as well, very much including Jeffrey North.
A lot of people have said that Servant of the Crown was more fundamentally a romance, while this is more of an action story with a romance. What makes the romance work so well is how it's integrated into the heart of the story of Imogen discovering that who she might be, and who she might want to be, isn't necessarily who she's always believed herself to be. Imogen never makes herself 'smaller', either physically or figuratively, for Jeffrey. (Her pleasure with her body long pre-exists Jeffrey's attraction to her, for which much praise. Also, her singular lack of concern when people who hate her try to insult her by calling her fat. GOOD STUFF.) A really nice touch is that when she's agonizing about whether she should be a warrior, because it's what she was born to and is extremely good at, her mother holds up the example of Imogen's father, who is also a superior fighter, but chose instead to become primary caregiver for their children.
Finally, there's something I've noticed in many of Melissa's books (and yeah, since I refrained from boasting before, I've got to read more than are published), or actually, in all of them but one, and that's a twist that occurs somewhere along the way. The thing is, though, that it's not a big, shocking, 'gotcha' of an author aiming for surprise. Every time I've read one of these, I've felt both surprised and 'didn't see that coming' at the same time that I'm thinking 'well, of course. That's *exactly* what would happen'. Simultaneously. I don't think the books would be less satisfying without the twist, really, because the characterization and settings are so very strong. It's just wonderful to get that quiet but certain, 'oh, yes' along with everything else.
Read
October 28, 2015Another thoroughly enjoyable tale from McShane, in which we see Tremontane from a new viewpoint.
It's the generation after Alison the Librarian becomes Queen. I was very sorry to discover that she was also a widow, as I'd not only loved the characters but hoped to see their relationship in mature years. But there is trouble on the border.
Imogen is a plains rider and a warrior, daughter of the Kirkellan leader, her mother. Though I had some trouble with the Kirkellan in general, the individual characters were wonderfully drawn. I especially liked Imogen's parents, and wished to see more of her father in particular.
Also interesting were the Ruskalder, among whom Imogen is sent as a treaty wife for a period of five years. Their king, Hrovald, was well-drawn. Thoroughly dislikable, but he wasn't so thoroughly EEEEvil that one could predict his every action (which unfortunately was true for Diana). I also liked Imogen's character arc during her treaty wife stint; her frustration at trying to force herself into Ruskalder female culture--niftily complex-- added an extra layer of tension. I especially liked her satisfaction with her size.
When she gets to Tremontane, again, I loved the individual characters. With the exception of a bumpy bit with Bixhenta I enjoyed the various character arcs, especially Elspeth.
I liked the arc with Jeffrey and Imogen, but felt it could have had a lot more power if the specifics of the different cultures were felt in detail rather than narratively repeated many times. .
I was puzzled at some of the military movements, like the breaking of chain of command in the middle of a battle when a captain basically promotes Imogen over him so he can cover his ass, and the ability to see the entirety of battle from the ground without the terrible dust of battle, but figured there must be magic at work here. That sort of detail is what makes the movie in my mind sharpen to real intensity, and when it's missing, I get a blurred effect, but the characters were strong enough to provide an involving foreground. Melissa McShane's characterizations are one of my favorite aspects of her books.
Altogether an enjoyable tale, and I look forward to Zara's story.
It's the generation after Alison the Librarian becomes Queen. I was very sorry to discover that she was also a widow, as I'd not only loved the characters but hoped to see their relationship in mature years. But there is trouble on the border.
Imogen is a plains rider and a warrior, daughter of the Kirkellan leader, her mother. Though I had some trouble with the Kirkellan in general, the individual characters were wonderfully drawn. I especially liked Imogen's parents, and wished to see more of her father in particular.
Also interesting were the Ruskalder, among whom Imogen is sent as a treaty wife for a period of five years. Their king, Hrovald, was well-drawn. Thoroughly dislikable, but he wasn't so thoroughly EEEEvil that one could predict his every action (which unfortunately was true for Diana). I also liked Imogen's character arc during her treaty wife stint; her frustration at trying to force herself into Ruskalder female culture--niftily complex-- added an extra layer of tension. I especially liked her satisfaction with her size.
When she gets to Tremontane, again, I loved the individual characters. With the exception of a bumpy bit with Bixhenta I enjoyed the various character arcs, especially Elspeth.
I liked the arc with Jeffrey and Imogen, but felt it could have had a lot more power if the specifics of the different cultures were felt in detail rather than narratively repeated many times. .
I was puzzled at some of the military movements, like the breaking of chain of command in the middle of a battle when a captain basically promotes Imogen over him so he can cover his ass, and the ability to see the entirety of battle from the ground without the terrible dust of battle, but figured there must be magic at work here. That sort of detail is what makes the movie in my mind sharpen to real intensity, and when it's missing, I get a blurred effect, but the characters were strong enough to provide an involving foreground. Melissa McShane's characterizations are one of my favorite aspects of her books.
Altogether an enjoyable tale, and I look forward to Zara's story.
January 6, 2016
Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review:
While you do not have to read the Crown of Tremontane books in order I do think it helps. Rider of the Crown takes place about 20 years after the events in Servant of the Crown, featuring new main characters, but I did get to see some great cameos from favorites from the first. Rider is more of an action adventure book with a strong romance where Servant was a stronger romance with a political adventure subline. I think both appeal to readers who love any of these aspects. Both books share strong but flawed female leads who begin the book feeling like they know the course they want for their lives and then discovering they can be so much more.
Rider features Imogen, a Kirkellan warrior, whose goal in life is to become the warleader of her people. When her mother brokers a peace treaty Imogen's life changes all at once and she finds herself among enemies. I really love Imogen. I like that she's not physically perfect, but that she's happy with who she is. And I like seeing her growing through her time with the Ruskalders and then as she breaks away and joins the forces in Tremontane.
It's nice to see Tremontane through the eyes of an outsider as that makes some of the world building stronger than it was in the first book. Through Imogen we learn more about devices and we are introduced more fully to not only the culture of Tremontane but the surrounding countries and Tremontane's place in the bigger world.
I also really love Jeffrey. I enjoy seeing the parts of him which are influenced by his parents, but without him being a duplicate of Anthony or Alison. He is firmly his own man and a good foil and Imogen. And that's all I can say about that without getting spoilery.
There are certainly flaws in the book but I find I get swept away in the story to the point they don't pull me out of the narrative unless I sit there and LOOK for trouble. For me that's a sign of a really good book/story as I can critique and pull apart with the best of them, but my favorites invite me to sink in and just enjoy.
So all in all, I'm thrilled to come back to Tremontane. Three readings later I'm still enjoying it and can't wait to have the whole series on my shelves.
Review:
While you do not have to read the Crown of Tremontane books in order I do think it helps. Rider of the Crown takes place about 20 years after the events in Servant of the Crown, featuring new main characters, but I did get to see some great cameos from favorites from the first. Rider is more of an action adventure book with a strong romance where Servant was a stronger romance with a political adventure subline. I think both appeal to readers who love any of these aspects. Both books share strong but flawed female leads who begin the book feeling like they know the course they want for their lives and then discovering they can be so much more.
Rider features Imogen, a Kirkellan warrior, whose goal in life is to become the warleader of her people. When her mother brokers a peace treaty Imogen's life changes all at once and she finds herself among enemies. I really love Imogen. I like that she's not physically perfect, but that she's happy with who she is. And I like seeing her growing through her time with the Ruskalders and then as she breaks away and joins the forces in Tremontane.
It's nice to see Tremontane through the eyes of an outsider as that makes some of the world building stronger than it was in the first book. Through Imogen we learn more about devices and we are introduced more fully to not only the culture of Tremontane but the surrounding countries and Tremontane's place in the bigger world.
I also really love Jeffrey. I enjoy seeing the parts of him which are influenced by his parents, but without him being a duplicate of Anthony or Alison. He is firmly his own man and a good foil and Imogen. And that's all I can say about that without getting spoilery.
There are certainly flaws in the book but I find I get swept away in the story to the point they don't pull me out of the narrative unless I sit there and LOOK for trouble. For me that's a sign of a really good book/story as I can critique and pull apart with the best of them, but my favorites invite me to sink in and just enjoy.
So all in all, I'm thrilled to come back to Tremontane. Three readings later I'm still enjoying it and can't wait to have the whole series on my shelves.
October 29, 2015
I have a wonderful book hangover after reading this thought-filled, inspiring, and romantic tale: Rider of the Crown (Crown of Tremontaine Book Two) by Melissa McShane.
I loved the theme the author weaves throughout the book: who am I really? Am I what I’m good at? Am I what I am passionate about? Am I who I love or who loves me? Something else, or all of the above?
We follow the strong heroine, Imogen, through three phases of her life during which she keeps asking herself this question. The first...Read full review at http://blog.lrwlee.com/2015/10/28/rev...
I loved the theme the author weaves throughout the book: who am I really? Am I what I’m good at? Am I what I am passionate about? Am I who I love or who loves me? Something else, or all of the above?
We follow the strong heroine, Imogen, through three phases of her life during which she keeps asking herself this question. The first...Read full review at http://blog.lrwlee.com/2015/10/28/rev...
October 19, 2015
I actually liked this book better than its predecessor. It has some things in common - strong women characters, romance, political machinations, a touch of magic... It also starts with a smaller story that could be complete and then turns it on its ear and goes for a more extended route to its conclusion (much like Servant did). The romance takes a bit more of a backseat to the action, which suits me. I also love the wider cast of interesting characters. I liked seeing other countries in the world. In short, I'm looking forward to the third book.
I was happy to get an advance copy to review. Stayed up till 2:30am finishing it.
I was happy to get an advance copy to review. Stayed up till 2:30am finishing it.
March 29, 2016
I think I liked it better than the first. She was conflicted more than self protecting.
March 8, 2020
This was good once I passed the confusion of feeling like I hadn’t read the first one in the series. This book is set in the time of the children of the MCs from the first book.
January 3, 2020
Why did I leave it so long to get to the rest of this series (I first read Servant of the Crown more than two years ago). Fun fantasy romance with emphasis on the fantasy rather than the romance. Some of the fight scenes in this one were particularly ace.
Just dropping one star because some of the world building doesn't make total sense to me (e.g. the magical elements around marriage only working in one country).
Just dropping one star because some of the world building doesn't make total sense to me (e.g. the magical elements around marriage only working in one country).
July 18, 2018
I didn't enjoy this nearly as much as the first installment of this series but some aspects of the story were really good.
August 31, 2020
So underrated
July 22, 2016
Rider of the Crown by Melissa McShane
Imogen is a fierce warrior for her tribe. and hoping one day soon to be a War Leader of her tribe. Her mother is the war chief of the Kirkellan. They live amongst the plains of their society in tents. They are at war with the people of Ruskald. A peace treaty between the two nations take place in which Imogen is sacrificed in a Banach which means a spiritual marriage not one of the flesh. Imogen is to live with King Hrovald for five years in his household until the pact is over.
During her stay at his castle she is expected to dress and act like the women of his society. Imogen does not want to give up who she is to satisfy someone's idea of what she ought to be.
Does Imogen stay for five years or is this treaty broken? Does she find her true calling as a Warrior for her people.
I liked the character development of a young woman who is heroine. Not too many stories that depict these.
Imogen is a fierce warrior for her tribe. and hoping one day soon to be a War Leader of her tribe. Her mother is the war chief of the Kirkellan. They live amongst the plains of their society in tents. They are at war with the people of Ruskald. A peace treaty between the two nations take place in which Imogen is sacrificed in a Banach which means a spiritual marriage not one of the flesh. Imogen is to live with King Hrovald for five years in his household until the pact is over.
During her stay at his castle she is expected to dress and act like the women of his society. Imogen does not want to give up who she is to satisfy someone's idea of what she ought to be.
Does Imogen stay for five years or is this treaty broken? Does she find her true calling as a Warrior for her people.
I liked the character development of a young woman who is heroine. Not too many stories that depict these.
Read
January 9, 2016That was intense!
February 16, 2020
I so loved this book. it's really well written and exciting. You never know what is going to happen next.I can't wait for the next book.
December 18, 2015
I enjoyed this book. Strong female warrior; doing her duty until she realizes she wants something else. Cute romance too.
March 9, 2016
setting DNA
August 31, 2019
I enjoyed this book more than I did the first in the series, Servant of the Crown, which is what I expected based on my own tastes and the way the stories differed. Rider of the Crown is more of an action adventure novel with romantic elements, while Servant of the Crown was focused primarily on the romance.
You could skip the first book and start here, if you were so inclined. Rider of the Crown takes place a generation after the first book and follows a different cast of characters (only one person from Servant makes an appearance here, as I recall). Also, because the protagonist of Rider, Imogen, is a foreigner and comes from a more primitive land than Tremontane, I got more information about the country's unique traits and technological advances through her eyes than I did in Servant. In fact, I'd go so far to say that those who prefer more fantasy than romance should start here. However, I also think I'm in the minority for liking Rider more than Servant.
Imogen is a member of the Kirkellan, plains-dwelling nomads known for their powerful and beautiful horses. She is content with her life as the leader of her warband and hopes to one day become the warleader of her people. However, her life changes drastically when the Kirkellan negotiate a peace treaty with their long-term enemies from the country of Ruskald.
As a part of the treaty, Imogen must be joined in a sort of spiritual marriage with the Ruskalder king, Hrovald. She is supposed to be given all of the respect and honor of a typical wife, although this kind of ritual marriage prohibits them from having a physical relationship (thankfully - Hrovald is cruel, far older than Imogen, and not a romantic partner she would ever want). Imogen reluctantly agrees to the terms on behalf of her people's safety, and goes to live in Ruskald for five years on the condition she may take her beloved horse Victory and the rest of her warband with her.
Life in Hrovald's home is not pleasant. Imogan is not allowed to continue her warrior training, and must fight to even be allowed to ride Victory. Imogen is dreading the long remainder of her five-year commitment to living in Ruskald when an unexpected "guest" arrives: Princess Elspeth of Tremontane, heir to the throne and sister of King Jeffrey North. Imogen soon learns of Hrovald's dark plans for Elspeth and must find a way to get the princess and herself away from his clutches.
Later on, Imogen must navigate life in Tremontane herself, learning how to cast aside her warrior self and develop her diplomatic side as the representative of her people in the new country. While the people of Tremontane are far kinder, Imogen doesn't feel anymore at home there than she did in Ruskald. She has to figure out who she really is and what kind of life she wants to lead.
I really liked Imogen and she's a rare character in literature. Not only is she a fierce warrior and a talented horsewoman, she is heavyset and proud of her big, powerful body. She does not want to be thinner or shorter and she is not offended when people are astonished by her appetite or talk about how large she is, even when they try to make it an insult. I personally loved that she was so comfortable with her size, seeing it as an asset rather than something to fix.
Jeffrey also appealed to me a heck of a lot more than his father, Anthony North, did when I read about him in Servant of the Crown. I liked Jeffrey from the start and he never did anything that made my opinion of him sour - quite the opposite, in fact. He is a good king and he admires Imogen because she is a warrior and intelligent and honest. He never tries to force her to be anything other than who she is.
The other characters are also good. I enjoyed the members of Imogen's warband, and wished we'd been able to see even more of them. We also get to learn more about the world and its varying cultures in this book than we did in the first one, and the ambassadors from Veribold especially but also from Eskandel were very intriguing. I even liked Alison more in this book than I did when I was reading from her point of view in Servant of the Crown.
This book is exciting, with battle scenes at the midway point and again during the climax of the novel. Recommended for those who like reading about warrior women, a little political intrigue, and want a little romance to go along with the rest of the adventure.
Disclaimer: I do know the author, if only through Goodreads, and while that is the reason I was aware of and decided to read this book, it has not influenced my rating. She did not contact me to ask me to read or review this book.
You could skip the first book and start here, if you were so inclined. Rider of the Crown takes place a generation after the first book and follows a different cast of characters (only one person from Servant makes an appearance here, as I recall). Also, because the protagonist of Rider, Imogen, is a foreigner and comes from a more primitive land than Tremontane, I got more information about the country's unique traits and technological advances through her eyes than I did in Servant. In fact, I'd go so far to say that those who prefer more fantasy than romance should start here. However, I also think I'm in the minority for liking Rider more than Servant.
Imogen is a member of the Kirkellan, plains-dwelling nomads known for their powerful and beautiful horses. She is content with her life as the leader of her warband and hopes to one day become the warleader of her people. However, her life changes drastically when the Kirkellan negotiate a peace treaty with their long-term enemies from the country of Ruskald.
As a part of the treaty, Imogen must be joined in a sort of spiritual marriage with the Ruskalder king, Hrovald. She is supposed to be given all of the respect and honor of a typical wife, although this kind of ritual marriage prohibits them from having a physical relationship (thankfully - Hrovald is cruel, far older than Imogen, and not a romantic partner she would ever want). Imogen reluctantly agrees to the terms on behalf of her people's safety, and goes to live in Ruskald for five years on the condition she may take her beloved horse Victory and the rest of her warband with her.
Life in Hrovald's home is not pleasant. Imogan is not allowed to continue her warrior training, and must fight to even be allowed to ride Victory. Imogen is dreading the long remainder of her five-year commitment to living in Ruskald when an unexpected "guest" arrives: Princess Elspeth of Tremontane, heir to the throne and sister of King Jeffrey North. Imogen soon learns of Hrovald's dark plans for Elspeth and must find a way to get the princess and herself away from his clutches.
Later on, Imogen must navigate life in Tremontane herself, learning how to cast aside her warrior self and develop her diplomatic side as the representative of her people in the new country. While the people of Tremontane are far kinder, Imogen doesn't feel anymore at home there than she did in Ruskald. She has to figure out who she really is and what kind of life she wants to lead.
I really liked Imogen and she's a rare character in literature. Not only is she a fierce warrior and a talented horsewoman, she is heavyset and proud of her big, powerful body. She does not want to be thinner or shorter and she is not offended when people are astonished by her appetite or talk about how large she is, even when they try to make it an insult. I personally loved that she was so comfortable with her size, seeing it as an asset rather than something to fix.
Jeffrey also appealed to me a heck of a lot more than his father, Anthony North, did when I read about him in Servant of the Crown. I liked Jeffrey from the start and he never did anything that made my opinion of him sour - quite the opposite, in fact. He is a good king and he admires Imogen because she is a warrior and intelligent and honest. He never tries to force her to be anything other than who she is.
The other characters are also good. I enjoyed the members of Imogen's warband, and wished we'd been able to see even more of them. We also get to learn more about the world and its varying cultures in this book than we did in the first one, and the ambassadors from Veribold especially but also from Eskandel were very intriguing. I even liked Alison more in this book than I did when I was reading from her point of view in Servant of the Crown.
This book is exciting, with battle scenes at the midway point and again during the climax of the novel. Recommended for those who like reading about warrior women, a little political intrigue, and want a little romance to go along with the rest of the adventure.
Disclaimer: I do know the author, if only through Goodreads, and while that is the reason I was aware of and decided to read this book, it has not influenced my rating. She did not contact me to ask me to read or review this book.
September 21, 2018
Another great Tremontane Book!
This is the story of a warrior princess who learns about herself when she is sent to be a diplomat to another country and finds love along the way. (That's a terrible explanation but just please read this - its an awesome book)
In no particular order some of the things I enjoyed about this book:
The main character had a healthy view of her body - she is a tall/big girl and isn't ashamed of her muscles/curves etc -she's not offended when someone calls her fat- a rarity in fiction - I am so tired of reading about the skinny girl who wants to be curvy or the fat girl who wants to be thin etc etc. Nice to have some positive body images.
The love story - It was realistic in that both parties realized love wasn't everything and didn't solve everything. That marrying the other person would mean sacrifices and change. It was sweet and romantic and I totally loved it!
Morality - Finally a book where the characters have morals and actually stick to them. Sex after marriage - and not shown as a repressive society but as a choice that these characters are making and it doesn't mean they are any less in love or less lustful. It is a strong and respectful point for those who choose that.
Writing - I am addicted to Melissa McShane's writing - her style of writing is awesome - descriptive but not so much you lose the story. All the minor characters are well drawn so you feel like you know these people.
What I didn't like: The cover - ugh. But otherwise a fantastic book!
This is the story of a warrior princess who learns about herself when she is sent to be a diplomat to another country and finds love along the way. (That's a terrible explanation but just please read this - its an awesome book)
In no particular order some of the things I enjoyed about this book:
The main character had a healthy view of her body - she is a tall/big girl and isn't ashamed of her muscles/curves etc -she's not offended when someone calls her fat- a rarity in fiction - I am so tired of reading about the skinny girl who wants to be curvy or the fat girl who wants to be thin etc etc. Nice to have some positive body images.
The love story - It was realistic in that both parties realized love wasn't everything and didn't solve everything. That marrying the other person would mean sacrifices and change. It was sweet and romantic and I totally loved it!
Morality - Finally a book where the characters have morals and actually stick to them. Sex after marriage - and not shown as a repressive society but as a choice that these characters are making and it doesn't mean they are any less in love or less lustful. It is a strong and respectful point for those who choose that.
Writing - I am addicted to Melissa McShane's writing - her style of writing is awesome - descriptive but not so much you lose the story. All the minor characters are well drawn so you feel like you know these people.
What I didn't like: The cover - ugh. But otherwise a fantastic book!
September 19, 2022
There was so much to love about this book: the characters, their growth, the close friendships, the romance, the witty banter, and the plot. Imogen was a total bada$$ warrior who also excelled at navigating politics. She was honest, brave, wise, and good. I also adored Jeffrey, Elspeth, Owen, and Alison. I was captivated by the swoon-worthy moments and nail-biting action scenes!
I think the reason this wasn't a 5-star read for me was the extensive world-building, complicated politics that didn't interest me, and the incredibly-slow pacing in general. The romance, too, was a bit too slow-moving for my taste, with a delayed first encounter and a ton of angst/denial. However, it was also one of the best-developed friends-to-lovers situations, so I'm not deducting too much there. Lastly, the broken English -- while realistic and thoughtful -- was a bit distracting.
Overall, though, I had a great time reading this book, and I can't wait to check out the following others in this series! I pulled an all-nighter to finish Rider of the Crown in one sitting, so I'm sure I'll be adding it to my personal library collection.
Props to McShane for fat rep and LGBTQ+ rep. Trigger warnings for war violence, rape, animal harm, and death.
I think the reason this wasn't a 5-star read for me was the extensive world-building, complicated politics that didn't interest me, and the incredibly-slow pacing in general. The romance, too, was a bit too slow-moving for my taste, with a delayed first encounter and a ton of angst/denial. However, it was also one of the best-developed friends-to-lovers situations, so I'm not deducting too much there. Lastly, the broken English -- while realistic and thoughtful -- was a bit distracting.
Overall, though, I had a great time reading this book, and I can't wait to check out the following others in this series! I pulled an all-nighter to finish Rider of the Crown in one sitting, so I'm sure I'll be adding it to my personal library collection.
Props to McShane for fat rep and LGBTQ+ rep. Trigger warnings for war violence, rape, animal harm, and death.
September 18, 2018
I loved the first of Melissa McShane’s The Crown of Tremontane stories (Servant of the Crown) and now we are back in that universe with book 2, Rider of the Crown. The heroine this time, Imogen, is a very different kind of person, a fierce warrior whose true ambition is to be a war leader but who for a variety of circumstances finds herself in the Court of Tremontane. How Imogen deals with this so vastly different society and the massive challenges facing her makes for a wonderfully complex and enjoyable story that’s wildly different from the first book (enough that you don’t have to read it to enjoy this one fully) but still results in the same sense of fulfilled pleasure at its end. But for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review my husband from my hospital bed I could go on and on with praises - the book definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the book is most definitely one to read, and it is easy to highly recommend. I’m definitely looking forward to Agent of the Criwn, the next book in this series.
October 8, 2017
Loved the descriptions of all the different Kingdoms/countries came into the action of the story.
Battles, court intrigue, romance and lots of battle action with blood and guts and war horses.
I liked how Imogen always tried her best even when she had no clue how to go about it...from being forced to marry an awful King to fighting with her 12, to learning court manners, she always tried to stay true to herself.
I also liked how diverse the book was, not just in skin color and culture, but sexuality. This is the first "fantasty/adventure" book that I've read that addressed sex so frankly. It was just another cultural difference that Imogen states when speaking with another girl from a different country.
I did like the romance, just enough to make it fun "will they, won't they" but cute enough to cheer them on.
Battles, court intrigue, romance and lots of battle action with blood and guts and war horses.
I liked how Imogen always tried her best even when she had no clue how to go about it...from being forced to marry an awful King to fighting with her 12, to learning court manners, she always tried to stay true to herself.
I also liked how diverse the book was, not just in skin color and culture, but sexuality. This is the first "fantasty/adventure" book that I've read that addressed sex so frankly. It was just another cultural difference that Imogen states when speaking with another girl from a different country.
I did like the romance, just enough to make it fun "will they, won't they" but cute enough to cheer them on.
June 12, 2019
Same setting as book #1 but a generation later so there are only a few brief appearances by a previous character. More politics and intrigue along with some great battle scenes and a romance or two in the mix. I thought the story was crafted well. I really liked the female main character and her toughness mixed with some vulnerability. There was sort of a lack of interaction with the male main character that meant some serious insta-love had to fill in the gaps of a developing relationship but I liked them together so I let it pass. This book had interactions with several diverse groups and the world building was more extensive than in the first book which I thought really helped me to connect with the characters and get into the story.
Violence, no sex scenes but some bits of discussion of sex and birth control, swearing.
Violence, no sex scenes but some bits of discussion of sex and birth control, swearing.
July 26, 2019
Strong 4, not quite as capturing as the first of the series and yet I still could barely put it down. Melissa has a way with her words that easily draw one into this world and let you feel the characters as you go further into the depths of the story. It wasn't all city life this book, which I appreciated. We learned more about the outlying countries of her world who are more native and clan based. They live simpler nomadic lives on the edge of war. Bravo, Melissa! I can't wait to read the next.
January 13, 2020
An entertaining read.
Thoughts I had while reading:
- I was sad to not see Anthony in this sequel, but I was glad with how Alison appeared.
- Jeffrey sure took his sweet ass time to show up in this book.
- I was a bit exasperated with Imogen when she would not admit what everyone else knew to be true. Still, I understand that sometimes when you are in the middle of the issue, it is not always easy to have perspective.
-Am I the only one who felt a prickle of unease when that lady offered Imogen a cure for her... condition at the end??
Thoughts I had while reading:
- I was sad to not see Anthony in this sequel, but I was glad with how Alison appeared.
- Jeffrey sure took his sweet ass time to show up in this book.
- I was a bit exasperated with Imogen when she would not admit what everyone else knew to be true. Still, I understand that sometimes when you are in the middle of the issue, it is not always easy to have perspective.
-Am I the only one who felt a prickle of unease when that lady offered Imogen a cure for her... condition at the end??
August 22, 2017
I enjoyed that this wasn't just the same story as the first book, but instead explored a whole other aspect of the world of Tremontane, and in fact, the world beyond the borders. My one major criticism of this story is that I really don't think that the author has actually studied another language. There is absolutely no way that Imogen could have possibly functioned so well as an ambassador with as little time as she studied the language. It drove me crazy and constantly pulled me out of the world and story. Other than that, I liked the story. Well done to Melissa McShane.
April 26, 2018
Beautifully written
This is another engaging story is this complex world. I couldn’t give it five stars for two reasons. One is the rape of the young Princess. From a personal perspective I normally refuse to read anything that includes rape. I did continue because I loved Imogen. Her relationship with Jeffery was wonderful. But I hate the big misunderstanding or noble sacrifice concept as a plot device. So four stars.
This is another engaging story is this complex world. I couldn’t give it five stars for two reasons. One is the rape of the young Princess. From a personal perspective I normally refuse to read anything that includes rape. I did continue because I loved Imogen. Her relationship with Jeffery was wonderful. But I hate the big misunderstanding or noble sacrifice concept as a plot device. So four stars.
May 18, 2018
I was really surprised with how much I liked this one after all those problems I had with the first installment. The heroine was badass, the story genuinely mattered and made sense, and what more, there was action which didn't seem to be put there "just so something happens". I'd probably wish the author introduced the main couple a little better (i.e. given them more of a slow burn), but other than that, I was really happy with this one.
November 28, 2018
Random thought/question. Main character has been described to be very tall and "fat". She is portrayed as a great warrior riding on a breed of large warhorse. However, wouldn't being "fat" but contradictory to being the latter? I'd understand if she had been described as tall, muscular and beefy...「(°ヘ°)
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