King's Blood

The Kinsman Chronicles #2

by Jill Williamson

The Five Realms have been destroyed. The remnants of the population who escaped now find themselves confined only to several hundred ships adrift at sea. Guided by hope, rumor, and a promise, they sail north into the unknown, desperate to find land that might become their new home.

As the king's illness worsens, Sâr Wilek takes authority over the expedition and struggles to rule the disjointed people, while assassination attempts, vicious serpents, dangerous storms, and dark magic endanger his life and the survival of his people.

One prophecy has come to pass, but another looms dauntingly in the future. Who is this promised Deliverer? And if the Magonians have him, what might that mean for the realm of Armania?

Genres: Fantasy, Christian Fiction, Christian, Christian Fantasy, Fiction, Adult, Romance

598 pages, Paperback

First published January 31, 2017

About the author

Jill Williamson is a multi-passionate creative who loves the arts. She’s written over thirty books for readers of all ages and is best known for her Blood of Kings fantasy series, two of which won Christy Awards and made VOYA magazine’s Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror list. She produces films with her husband and teaches about writing at conferences. Visit her at www.jillwilliamson.com.

Jill's author website.
Jill's Amazon Author page.
Jill's Instagram.

Click here for a FULL LIST OF Jill's BOOKS. 

Newest Series:
 
Thirst Duology

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Reviews

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a really hard time reading this book. The font was very tiny and I have read tiny font before but this was either more tiny than most or tiny and not very bold in color. So I got through it the best I could, mostly with a flashlight to brighten things up!

I enjoyed the first book in The Kinsman Chronicles and this sequel is good too. I'm not sure if I love one better than the other but that doesn't matter. In this book they were all traveling on the sea to find somewhere else to live since there was chaos and destruction in the first book. And of course they had many different troubles.

The two characters I love the most are Trevn and Mielle. I just loved them and they had a lot to go through what with magic, monsters, trying to find a new home. And Mielle's sister Amala was horrible! She seemed to be evil incarnate to me.

Anyway, I liked Wilek who was king for a bit and then had to fight giants and what not. There was also some weird magic going on in the book too.

Overall I enjoyed this book even though some people I liked were killed but that is the way it goes in these books =(

I received a print copy of this book through BethanyHouse.

MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List

[Shantelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

King's Blood releases into the world, as epic and complex as book one in THE KINSMAN CHRONICLES by Jill Williamson. I can't tell you how excited I was for this book—to return to the amazing characters and incredible fantasy world. Holding this enormous, thick, beautiful novel in my hands at last was like, ah, perfection! *grins*

But oh, my heart is bleeding ...

Brothers Wilek and Trevn, and all the other survivors of the Five Woes, have taken to the seas. They live day by day upon ships, searching for land while evading attacks from those who wish evil upon the royal family.

This book is thick, and the story has such depth, so it took me awhile to get through it. But I loved every moment of it! It was so delightful to return to its pages. As I read King's Blood in the quietness of night, I fell into the tale, feeling as though I were walking about the ships with Wilek ... laughing at Trevn and Mielle ... slightly freaked out over Charlon and all her crazy schemes. I don't know—it just swept me away.

I must say, I've come to quite love Lady Zeorah. Her story with Charlon ... heart-wrenching! I think I cried. Charlon, you better have taken something away from that wretched situation! Turn to Arman! Hinck, the spy, was interesting to read about. I was very nervous for him at times! Oh, and the prophetess! She continues to intrigue me.
Wilek and Trevn are, of course, my two favorites when it comes to the POV characters. And I adore Lady Zeorah and Mielle (though I don't believe the story is ever told from their point of view). The two romances blossomed so sweetly! Ah, I loved those bits so much! Wilek and Trevn's romantic relationships differed from each other, but they were both so uniquely beautiful. I especially adore Trevn and Mielle together. ^_^ Just can't say enough about those two romances. *wink*

Which brings me to my bleeding heart!! Not to give away spoilers, but that ending tore at my heart. Peoples, it brought tears to my eyes. Ultimately beautiful, but oh so hurtful.
King's Blood brings not just a few shocks and tragedies.

It was definitely fun to see similarities between this book and the BLOOD OF KINGS series by Jill Williamson. Since King's Folly and King's Blood's characters are the ancestors of the characters from the BLOOD OF KINGS series, we start to see familiar things pop up in this book, such as bloodvoicing, a gift to those of royal blood. Anyway, it was very neat, and I look forward to reading more!

I also loved how this whole tale mirrors the story of Noah and the flood from The Bible; or the Israelites being led out of Egypt, looking for a new land; or even the early settlers of America. Loved it!

Jill Williamson does such an amazing job with her descriptions. You can picture everything; the details sweep you away into this captivating world. And speaking of worlds, Mrs. Williamson also does fantastic world building! And crafts incredible, complex, interesting, real characters! Eep! I have not read many novels that tug me into their pages like these ones.

So many things happened! Personally, and in the big scope of things. Some happenings thrilled me ... other incidents horrified. Still more broke my heart. But overall, I can say King's Blood was an epic fantasy—a thrilling journey from beginning to end. I can hardly wait for the third book to make its way to my hands! (At least a cover, please? *winks*)

As a cautionary note, King's Blood is definitely for an adult audience. There are a few mature elements, though tastefully done. A fair amount of violence and gruesomeness throughout the book.
The biggest thing would be that the villains wield dark magic, sometimes doing spells and whatnot. Most of the time Jill Williamson doesn't detail this too much. The good people have a range of gifts, given to them by Arman (the one true deity in this fantasy world—represents God), one of them being bloodvoicing. There are also "root children", who have special abilities. All of it felt in its right context to me (there is a clear line between "light" and "darkness") but if you are uncomfortable with fantasy magic, this may not be a book for you.

I received a copy of King's Blood from Bethany House Publishers.

[deborah o'carroll · Rating 2 out of 5]

Regarding my rating: I'm sorry! I just don’t do well with dark, sad books. So for me personally, I did not end up enjoying this book in the end; but keep in mind that this is only my opinion!

Short version

This book was too dark, gritty, and depressing for me, plus my favorite character got killed off, which is Not Okay.

Longer version

This book was generally well-written, suspenseful, and I enjoyed some parts of it, particularly the occasional humor and three characters who were my favorites and therefore classified.

But when one-third of the people you actually like in a book DIE (after spending 1000+ pages with this character), it’s not a pleasant prospect. -_- This book left me a furious, devastated, sobbing wreck at the end, which rarely happens; and unlike the majority of the reading population (it seems), this did not actually please me and make it an automatic 5-star read. I don't actually like having my heart torn to shreds and left feeling desolate and without hope. What can I say? I'm weird like that.

The incident of the Not Okay character death wasn’t the only thing; overall, the book is a very heavy read. I know it’s supposed to be an Adult Fantasy book, so I suppose it can get away with grittiness and darkness and other, more mature content, but it was just a little much for me, personally. I’m not a teen anymore, but that doesn't mean I like reading things like this. (I don’t recommend it to teen readers.) It’s much like King’s Folly in that way, though maybe a bit darker.

If you liked the first book and didn’t mind the darkness and more adult slant of the story, then you’ll probably like this one, so I will not stop you reading it. :) Just be aware that it seemed (to me) like nothing good happens in this for any of the good guys, really; the bad guys triumph a lot, and the idea that Arman (the allegorical God) is in charge and loves them is kind of a laugh, given how awful everything is. It seems like nobody’s in charge except the author making everyone miserable. I’m sure it’ll get better in the last book, and this is just the mid-trilogy hour of darkness? But at the moment it seems like there’s basically no hope and it’s super depressing, honestly. At least, that’s how I see it. Again, just my personal opinion! In general, I think Christian fiction is supposed to lift you up and encourage you, but this one did exactly the opposite for me (even though others might think differently). It’s not just that it’s depressing (yes, there will be dark times for characters in any book) it’s that it’s so long to spend going through 600 pages of darkness like this.

It's also possible that we're supposed to feel this way at this point in the saga; perhaps this hopeless feeling is exactly what is intended, so that it can set up for a contrast with some wonderful turn of redemption and eucatastrophe in the final book. Maybe it has to be this dark to show the light that is coming. We shall see. :) (But it's going to have to be pretty big of a turn-around, is all I'm saying.)

Anyways, don’t let me stop you from reading this if you liked the first one! (Or if you’re interested in reading the first one.) Very likely the rest of the world will like it, and it’s just me, myself, personally, who couldn’t really enjoy it in the end. But this review is meant to be my personal, honest opinion, so there it is. By all means read the series if you wish. :) Just be aware it’s dark, and start with the first book, not this one, because when I started this one, even I had trouble remembering all the characters and stuff going on at first (since it had been a year since I read book 1), though I picked up on things fairly quickly.

Things I Liked

Don't get me wrong—there were definitely parts of this that I enjoyed!

+ I liked the first book, and started out really excited for this book and enjoyed it a lot at first. :)
+ I was so happy to be back reading about these characters, who I didn’t realized I’d missed until I was reading about them again.
+ Sometimes it was funny and made me laugh. :) (A lot of the dialog was great in that respect. :D)
+ As mentioned, three certain characters were my absolute favorites, and I loved reading about them. <3
+ Most of it takes place on ships at sea, which was really interesting (if eventually a bit monotonous because they're super tired of being stuck at sea. XD).
+ The writing was good.
+ I’m almost tempted to slap another star on my rating just for that gorgeous cover. I mean, look at it! I love it. :D
+ I was super proud of myself for reading all 600 pages of this thing. XD Nothing like that feeling of accomplishment when you make it through a huge book. ;)
+ It was super neat to start getting more hints at things moving toward how they are in the Blood of Kings Trilogy. Names, things, places, people... Very cool! Some of those parts were highlights for me. :)
+ Not to give spoilers, but overall, I really liked the stuff near the end there that made it a lot more like the Blood of King’s Trilogy—makes me want to read By Darkness Hid and the rest again! <3

Conclusion

In closing, this is likely a very good book, by many readers’ standards, and I don’t want to dissuade anyone from reading it, exactly. If you like dark epic fantasy, it may be for you. This is simply my personal feelings on the book. :) It was just too dark for me and ripped my heart out, which I did not appreciate.

I’m still curious to find out what happens, and I look forward to reading King’s War whenever it releases; and after that, re-reading the absolutely awesome Blood of Kings Trilogy. ^_^

(I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. These opinions are my own.)

Review originally posted on The Road of a Writer: https://deborahocarroll.wordpress.com...

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

King's Blood ... what's left of the five nations have set sail for a new world, since their continent was destroyed. Will they find one or die at sea? And just because the five nations are at sea doesn't mean they have ceased to exist as nations or have learned how to get along. The three princes of Armania still vie for the throne, Charlon still hopes to give birth to a "deliverer," and pirates have begun invading many of the ships in the fleet.

One thing I can say is that King's Blood is just as complex as King's Folly - and it's longer, the publisher's longest book, in fact. There are close to twenty POV characters to complement the plots and subplots. And the storyworld with it's magic, different races, and monsters was fascinatingly well-done. If anything can be classified as High Fantasy, King's Blood can.

Amidst the slough of characters, I found myself drawn into the lives of nearly every one of them. Wilek, Trevn, Kal, Zeroah, Mielle, Hinck ... I loved them and always wanted the best for them. I felt sorry for them sometimes, too. I even developed an attachment to some of the villains. Charlon comes to mind. I don't exactly want her to succeed. I just feel sorry for her and wish that she would go to Arman (God) for her sorrows rather than trying to succeed on her own, ruining everyone else's lives in the process. Yikes, right?

Racism played a part in the story. It existed among all the nations and between them and the people's they discover in the other parts of the world. It seems as though people's natures are to reject anything different than themselves, unfortunately. The racism went both ways, too. Perhaps it could have been treated better, but for a group of fantasy characters with no concept of real-life, modern ideals rejecting racism, the characters did all right.

One thing I would make mention of is the magic. There was magic given directly from Arman, which was good and had few to no negative consequences. But the other form of magic was from the shadir, aka demons. And not the fantasy re-imagining of demons, where they aren't actually "evil." I mean the evil, manipulative, would-destroy-humanity-but-it's-more-fun-to-use-them kind of demons. In order to use magic, the human characters have to take a hallucinogenic drug that allows them to see the demons and partner with them (sell their soul) in order to gain their power and avoid dying form the drug. Sounds cheery, right? So, yes, dark magic is a thing in this book. It was not written for children. Keep all that in mind if you like reading really clean books or are looking for your kids.

Finally, there was a bit of biblical allegory. It's sort of a cross between Exodus, because of the "sailing to a promised land," and the Judgement and Exile, because they were being forced out of their land because they turned their back against God. Very well-done in my opinion.

I really enjoyed this book. Not just anyone could pull off that level of complexity so well. It was fantastic, and I highly recommend it ... but not to the faint of heart.

I received a complementary copy of this book from the author. I did not receive compensation, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

[Victoria Howell · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good, but why did the ending have to be so sad!!! :'(

[Rebekah Gyger · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first portion of this book was not as enjoyable as I had hoped. A lot of the POV characters I had come to love from the first book were not given their own scenes in this and were instead replaced by other POV characters. This took some getting used to, as well as required me to comb my memory of the last book for who these new characters were. The second portion of the book did not have this same problem, as I had acclimated to the new characters. Yet it was in the final third of the book that the story truly interested me.


This is the part of the story where the connection between this series and the Blood of Kings started to make sense. Because the magic and cultures of the two stories are so different, I had struggled to reconcile them in my mind. Yet Jill does an amazing job of bringing about the connection and planting the seeds needed for Achan's world to exist.


Readers who had an issue with the many "romantic" conflicts in the first book should be warned. Those still exist in this portion of the book, though now Wilek and Trevn are fighting against them and advocating for a return to sole worship of Arman. The connections to the books of Kings and Chronicles are more apparent than ever, with phrases and scenarios pulled straight from the Bible. However these stories are ones of darkness, when Israel turned from God and the people of this fictional world are no different.


Though King's Blood is not everything I had hoped, it still has a lot of meat to it. The various characters and conflicts pull into question what we might have done in similar situations and remind us just how difficult it can be to serve God in an idolatrous world where so many offer up apposing answers. I think that is something we tend to forget in lives lured to complacence. And the last portion of the book, learning origins of Achan's history was worth read.


I have provided an honest review after having received a copy of this book through the publisher.

[Jessica Dowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Kinsman trilogy by Jill Williamson continues in King’s Blood. After leaving the Five Realms and barely escaping with their lives, Trevn and Wilek, along with what is left of their kingdom and the other realms, search for a new land to call home. They know nothing of the world beyond the Five Realms, but they must find a place for their people to settle before they run out of food. Meanwhile, Wilek struggles with his newfound faith in Arman as he counters treasonous plots on all sides to take over the throne before he can officially be crowned king. Can he learn to put his trust in Arman, even when it seems to work against the safety and welfare of his kingdom?

There is such a wealth of plot, character, and world development in this story that it will be a struggle to do justice to the book without writing a novel-length review. Recognizing that no review can do King’s Blood justice, I will attempt to tell you about my favorite aspects and characters. To begin with, Jill Williamson has once again proven she is a genius when it comes to building storyworld. When last we left our heroes in King’s Folly, they were sailing off into the unknown world, after escaping the destruction of their homeland. The majority of King’s Blood takes place on the water so the plot moves from ship to ship as it follows different characters. Each ship has a different personality because of the varying cultures on board, but they all have the same problems: how to find land before supplies ran out, and with no knowledge of where they are headed. It was interesting to see the various plots and agendas of the different nations continue to play out even though they were on ships and were limited in what they could do to further their goals.

Trevn takes it upon himself to learn everything there is to know about running a ship, from the cabin-boy’s duties to the navigator’s. These were some of my favorite parts to read, mostly because Trevn is my favorite character, but I also found the navigational lessons intriguing, especially the way they factored into the plot. When they do find land, Trevn throws himself fully into exploration. New territory, land and sea, means new geography, new creatures, and new people, all of which were fascinating to read about, especially when I could make connections to the Blood of Kings series.

Bless Wilek’s heart, I could feel the heaviness of his burden during the course of this book. As heir to the throne, he takes his responsibility to his people very seriously, but as his father is still alive, he is still limited in what he is able to do. He wants to do the right thing and he wants to steer his people toward the Armanite faith, knowing firsthand that the pagan religion of his father only leads to destruction. However, he still has to defer to his father, which becomes more and more difficult as the king’s health and mind continues to deteriorate. Making the right decision also proves difficult because trusting Arman means he makes decisions others tell him are foolish. I felt the weight on his shoulders as he walked the lines of diplomacy and faith. He faces some very difficult choices in this book, and even as I knew certain choices were wrong, I could sympathize with the temptation to make them. It reminded me of the verses in the Bible about leaders and teachers being judged more harshly than others. I loved Wilek’s character because he never shies away from his duties or takes his position lightly.

Hinck’s storyline was my favorite of the supporting characters. When I first met him in King’s Folly, he seemed like a weak character who just did what he was told. In King’s Blood, I gained a new respect for him as he took ownership of his role of a spy to actively work towards the good of the throne. Even when his role held no benefit for him, and even when it asked too much of him, he chooses self-sacrifice. There was much to admire about him in this book and I enjoyed reading his story. I look forward to what the author will do with his character in the next book!

Jill Williamson created another epic masterpiece in the continuation of her Kinsman Chronicles. I enjoyed King’s Blood even more than King’s Folly, as all the characters were already established and I could jump straight into the story. My only regret is that I had to finish the book at some point and now I must wait to see what will happen to these beloved characters next. Warning: you might want to have a stash of chocolate handy as you read this book, especially as you near the ending. However, as the author so beautifully points out, the final pages of this book are “Not The End”, and I will wait with eager anticipation for the final installment of The Kinsman Chronicles. In the meantime, I will be revisiting my favorite moments of King’s Blood and encouraging others to read this fantastic series! Enjoy!

[Soleil]

Review to come

[Christian Fiction Addiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

The world of The Five Realms captured my interest in Jill Williamson's first novel in the series, "King's Folly", and when I closed the pages of that novel it was all I could do to wait for this next addition entitled "King's Blood". Having devoured this wonderfully lengthy tome, I can confidently tell you that the wait is worth it (although, of course, you may have been keeping up with the series with the ebooks that are regularly released and so you haven't been waiting as long as I have) Once again, the characters captured my heart and my mind, both the heroes of the story but also the multi-faceted villains who aren't so easy to dislike once you realize the suffering they've often had in their own histories. The story is rich and complex, and though it can take awhile to get reacquainted with the characters and the multiple plot lines, it is definitely worth doing so as this is a grand, amazing work of fiction. I was truly transported to another world, aching along with the characters over the loss of their world, desperate to find a new land to call home and facing danger and uncertainty along the way.

Something I greatly liked about this story is that the drama and the action seems to be non-stop, just the way I like it, with assassination attempts, evil beings operating behind the Veil, and characters struggling to choose good over evil. I found several of the scenes to be very moving, such as when Sar Wilek's obedience to God (Arman) is rewarded so richly mid-way through the book. And, of course, a major plot point at the end of the book was one I just did not see coming and I actually paused reading in shock! And so, once again I finished this book feeling entirely too eager to keep reading, such that I'm not sure how I am going to be able to handle the wait until the final volume is released.

But don't just take my word for it - grab a copy for yourself. I believe that readers from teens on up who enjoy fantasy novels will quite enjoy "King's Blood". I award this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

[Eric Burkum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t stop reading it, but the end hurt me to much. I don’t know if I have the strength to start the next book.

[Carissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

[I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.]

It has been a while since a book has made me tear up. I’m generally a pretty stoic reader/viewer, the one weirdo in a group of friends who watches a screen with minimal expression and giggles when others exclaim in reaction to an emotional trauma onscreen. This could be partially due to the fact that I’m a writer, and therefore, even when a book, movie, etc. rips my heart to shreds with a plot twist, I don’t necessarily think of it in terms of the writer having attacked me – I think, “Dang, that was so masterfully done that I’m not even mad.”

This was my reaction to ‘King’s Blood’, the second installment in ‘The Kinsman Chronicles’.

The first installment drew me in with its vivid characters, rich worldbuilding, and suspenseful plot, and though it was a bit grittier than the ‘Blood of Kings’ trilogy (the YA series that got me into Jill’s books in the first place), I didn’t mind too much. It fit the world and the storyline, as well as the target audience (this one is meant for adults, not teens), and I appreciate a certain amount of darkness when it’s used to provide contrast and therefore intensify the emotional impact of the light. Both the first book and ‘King’s Blood’ have done a good job of presenting that balance and contrast.

I will admit that, as a writer, I did figure out a couple of twists ahead of time (though with the aid of some people accidentally semi-spoiling things while trying to be vague about them), but that only gave me time to watch for the set-up and appreciate how well it was done, and also braced me a bit for the turmoil that was ahead. I won’t spoil them for you by giving any more details – just know that if this book doesn’t make you feel something at some point, I question your humanity. (Kidding. Sort of. Remember, I am a heartless robot person, and yet, I got very emotional at certain points throughout.)

This book also saw multiple changes in situation and environment for the characters, and it was interesting to see how each of them responded, and also to see some new elements which tie the series further into ‘Blood of Kings’. (I’ll also admit that the titles of ‘King’s Blood’ and one of its parts, ‘Voices of Blood’, got me excited enough to bounce in place when I read them.)

It’s also worth noting that, even with all the changes that occurred and how much they influenced the characters for better or worse, they were all still recognizable and as relatable as they were in the first book. I still rooted for the ones with good intentions, hissed at those with evil ones, and wanted to yell at some of them when… well, you’ll just have to read the book to find out.

All in all, I very much enjoyed and appreciated this book, and may or may not have gone into withdrawal almost immediately after finishing it. If you appreciate high fantasy, rich characters, and intense interpersonal conflicts – as well as a healthy dose of faith-bolstering messages and challenging questions built into the key character arcs – I recommend you read this book. Though of course, I’d recommend you read the first book first – the books are well-written, but with all that goes in throughout the storyline, you’ll likely be lost if you come into this second volume without that foundation.

[A minor note that could be relevant for paperback readers: Due to the sheer length of this novel, the physical edition is printed in a small font with dense, though still pleasing, formatting. This probably won’t be a problem for most of you, but could be an issue for older readers or those who – like me – have processing/concentration difficulties that could make dense formatting harder to read in large doses. Thus, if this is something that concerns you, I would recommend buying the e-book edition so that you can change the text style to suit your own needs.]

[English · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Kinsman Chronicles is one of the series which I didn't really start enjoying until about halfway through the second book. I didn't dislike the first one, its just I didn't start to become really immersed in the story until now.

The series is meant to be a prequel to Jill Williamson's first trilogy, The Blood of Kings. I would not call it allegory, so much as a sort of fantasy retelling of some Biblical accounts. Its very very much like the Exodus and the Book of Judges some of the details, and some of the titles are very clearly Hebrew in origin.
There are prophets, priests and magicians, tribal kings and gods as well as human sacrifice in the indigenous religions.

Some parts are terrifying: demons walk the earth in the form of Shadir, making pacts with magicians and influencing the world, and in response some are gifted with the power to speak mind to mind. Just to make things more intersting though, there are also pirates and poltical intrugue thrown into the mix.

I finally found myself rooting for characters like Wilek who was developing as a character and finding his way. This book is building to an explosive conclusion in the final title in the series, and honestly, I want to get to it just to find out what is happening to my fave.

Thanks to Bethany House for giving me an ARC of this title. I was not required to write a positive review an all opinions expressed are my own.

[Yo Leo Ficción Cristiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

RESEÑA COMPLETA EN ESPAÑOL

Epic fantasy!

I find it a bit difficult to talk about this book because it is the second in a series and I do not want to say anything that turns out to be a spoiler. However, I will only say that -besides being a volume with more pages than its predecessor- this book has been better than the previous one. The story unfolds more naturally because you know the characters and the plot, but also, because there are new unexpected twists in the plot.

As the title says, King's Blood is much darker than the previous one. Nevertheless, it still has Christian allegories and its message is profound. As expected, the end was unfinished and unexpected because the story will continue in the next book. Definitely, this is a captivating series.

-I received a book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion, which I did-

[Lisa Godfrees · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are three things that let you know you're about to embark (or in this case continue) on an epic fantasy:

A map at the front of the book
A list of characters
The number of pages in the book.

King's Blood has all 3. The map in the book is actually a diagram of the ship (clever). The list of characters goes on for 4 pages (wow). And the paperback, over 500 pages, has the tiniest font size I've ever seen. (Do yourself a favor and get it on kindle so you can adjust the size - LOL)

It's been awhile since I read the first book in the series, King's Folly. I was a little intimidated to start because I worried I wouldn't remember who all the characters were. However, I quickly remembered because I liked the characters so much in the first book and got swept back up into the story. So many characters! So many subplots! So much to like!

The first half of the book (parts 1 and 2) when they were at sea went quickest for me. The last third of the book was still interesting, but I wasn't really sure where the story was headed. Now I know (and you will too once you read this fantastic book!)

Highly recommended.

[Anna Lund · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not sure why, but parts of this felt like a slog. Maybe timing pf this reread wasn't right, but didn't enjoy it as much as I did the first time. However, King's Blood is a great continuation in the Kinsman Chronicles. Some of the characters stand out more then others. Glad to have finished it!

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wilek. 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 I’d figured out that he was going to die, thanks to things my sister said, but it still tore me up and made me feel hollow and empty inside.

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still good, but I'm having trouble keeping track of all the characters.
Also sad to read because the main characters lives mostly suck ;-;
There are bright spots though, which make it possible to keep going.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the second volume of Jill Williamson's Kinsman Chronicles, a remnant has escaped the destruction of the Five Realms and now lives on several hundred ships adrift at sea. As a flock, they sail north into the unknown in hopes of finding land that might become their new home. As the king's illness worsens, SAr Wilek takes authority over the expedition and struggles to rule the disjointed people, while assassination attempts, vicious serpents, and dark magic endanger his life. One prophecy has come to pass, but another looms dauntingly in the future. Who is this Deliverer? And if the Magonians have him, what might that mean for the realm of Armania?

After Treven and Wilek leave the Five Realms they begin on a journey to find a new land where they can call home. They don't know much about the world outside of the Fie Realms and must find a place not only for themselves, but for their people as well. This is a fairly long book, almost 700 pages and it filled with really well developed characters, world-building and a complex plot line. It did take me a while to finish this book, as the print edition seems to have fairly small text and the book is quite long. The author continues this series with the same complex characters and word building as the first book. I enjoyed getting to know the characters better, as they continue on their journey and through some of the struggles they face, like Wilek struggling with his newfound faith, different assassination attempts and threatening magic. I will admit I am not a bigger reader of Christian fiction, as I have yet to find many authors that I really enjoy, but I do enjoy Williamson's writing quite a lot. I read a lot of fantasy books, so the world building is one of the aspects that immediately jumps out at me, as well as character development. I definitely recommend this book/series to anyone who is a fan of the fantasy genre. Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy of this book. Happy reading!

[TJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

King's Blood picks up where King's Folly left off. The survivors of the Five Woes are on ships in search of land to settle in and make their new home. The book was filled with intrigue, mystery, and determination as the characters decide who they will follow both in terms of the gods they will follow but also the human leader that they trust. It is a book about having faith when the odds are against you. I loved the plot twists and turns. Nothing was predictable. The characters were also well developed. I loved some and hated others. I cheered for some and yelled at others. If you like fantasy, you will enjoy this book. I would suggest reading King's Folly first and be ready for a long journey with these characters as the books are on the longer side. I am looking forward to the third book in this series already. *Note: I was given an advanced copy of the book in return for this honest review.*

[Julie Fugate · Rating 5 out of 5]

High Stakes Adventure! Lives hanging in the balance, giants and sea monsters are a few things to keep you staying up late at night. Also intriguing characters galore. Now I have my favorites but all of them were interesting. With such an intricate plot the multiple POVs were awesome in understanding the bigger picture without spoiling some surprising twists.

[Lavay Byrd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where do I begin?

Since King's Folly, I have been eagerly awaiting this sequel's release. Though I had to re-read King's Folly to catch up, I began to devour King's Blood eagerly. I was honestly not prepared for the sudden onslaught of unexpected twists and emotions. The plot has become bigger and far more complex than I've ever imagined, and the characters, old and new, captured my attention.

Each event, I am found asking the very same question certain characters would ask: "Why?" Why would Arman allow things such as grief, betrayal, or even sudden deaths happen? As Jill Williamson had pointed out in her "Note to Reader", and from what I came to learn: no matter what happens, God is in control. Though we may not see it, He is always there. And evil will not always have the last word.

But... that... ending. Wilek....My heart is shattered!


*I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader's copy of this book*

[Eric Starr · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fitting sequel to King's Folly, I slightly preferred the first one, though this one stays true to the overall feel of the series so far. Keep in mind that I tend not to prefer the "seafaring" entry in any series, so I was a bit biased from the start. Still, I must admit I did enjoy it.
Picking up where the first one left off, the kingdoms are now at sea, sailing to a promised land while facing perils both in and out of the water. While Sar Wilek struggles to keep his people alive, he must also deal with his father's debilitating health (and sanity), all while encouraging the one-god Armanian faith to his polytheistic people.
Add a series of pregnancies, sea monsters, storms, mutiny, magic, and weddings to the mix, along with many returning characters (Trevn, Kalenek, Mielle, Zeroah, and Charlon, to name a few) and you have another welcome addition to The Kinsman Chronicles.

For my praise of the book, I will start with how it focused a bit more on the Armanian faith. We get a slightly better idea not only of how the faith works, but also how the other faiths (such as the shadir) play a part in that religion (ex: So if there is one God, what are these other spirits?). It isn't simply spelled out, but the characters draw conclusions that help the reader better understand what is going on.
The characters themselves are probably one of the biggest reasons I enjoy this series. For books that have such a cast I constantly have to review in my head to tell who is who, I do greatly enjoy following the main characters along in their adventures. Willek, Trevn, Kalenek, and Hinck are some of my favorite characters to follow, perhaps because many of them get into the most trouble. Each of their unique personalities caries over from the first, now thrown into seafaring circumstances and new dangers every step of the way. Jill Williamson does a grand job at seeing that they each have their own voice.
I would also add to my praises the clever use of the villains, a series of unexpected (yet fitting) deaths, effective introductions of new characters, and twists on how the magic in the books works. Many of my hopes for the characters were also realized.

As for my critiques, I will try to set aside any of my prejudices against seafaring adventures in fantasy stories. With that being said, I would like to simply say that, like the first book before it, this one does tend to suffer (in my mind) from too many characters with too confusing of names. Smartly, the author keeps a list of the cast in the front, though not every character is listed and, sometimes, even the brief descriptions of the players does not always remind me where they fit in the story so far. To even melt a few named servants into the background simply as "servants" might simplify a fair deal. Also, as with the first one, some characters hold titles that I could not identify through research. Perhaps I wasn't looking in the right places, but titles such as "Backman" and "Onesent" made little sense to me and, even as I read, I could never pinpoint exactly what their function was. I attempted to look these phrases up elsewhere, but could find nothing. If a creation by the author, I give her credit for her creativity...yet I still wonder over the meanings of these titles.
I will briefly add that there were a few instances where I found myself wondering how a character with "X"-amount of power could have so much trouble getting out of a certain situation, and we do seem to zoom in a bit closer on some more annoying characters who played smaller roles in the past.

Overall, I did enjoy it, in some ways better than the first though, in truth, I believe I still preferred that one more. The seafaring wasn't my favorite, though (to her credit) the author takes great pains to ensure the nautical terminology is used properly. Some characters have grown exceptionally more impressive and admirable (whether already likable or not) while others seem to get worse. I thought of the first book as a sort of Christian Game of Thrones, and this second book follows suit.
It is a good read, and each chapter is so brief that you simply have to read another...and another...and another. The characters can really make or break the story, and (despite some of the confusing nature of the world) the author's creativity continues to blossom. If you liked the first one and wanted to read on...by all means, do.

[Daleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Five Realms have been destroyed. The remnants of the population who escaped now find themselves confined only to several hundred ships adrift at sea. Guided by hope, rumor, and a promise, they sail north into the unkown, desperate to find land that might become their new home.

As the king's illness worsens, Sâr Wilek takes authority over the expedition and struggles to rule the disjointed people, while assassination attempts, vicious serpents, dangerous storms, and dark magic endanger his life and the survival of his people.

One prophecy has come to pass, but another looms dauntingly in the future. Who is this promised Deliverer? And if the Magonians have him, what might that mean for the realm of Armania?



First things first... I love the covers Jill/Bethany House picked for this series. Like seriously, step back and look at them for a second. See how amazing they look? I can't wait to see what the third book looks like.

Second... it was like the first book. I started off excited to read it because of what I remembered of the first book, grew slightly annoyed with it in the middle, and then was thoroughly intrigued and by the end. Sâr Trevn was great, as always. Always off into mischief and excitement. It was slightly sad that... oops. No spoilers. Poor Sâr Wilek. So many difficulties he faced. And Kal. Dear, dear Kal.

This story is complicated. I will not deny that. There are so many different points of view, so many different perspectives, and so many nations all competing to control the new world. The shadirs (demons) are fighting hard against Arman (the one, true God). The book is also long. 598 pages long, to be exact. It will take some time to get through it, however, if you like fantasy/Old Testament parallels, this will definitely be worth the reading.

I thought it was awesomeness when I was reading through King's Blood and recognized the plots of several Old Testament stories in it, with Old Testament prophets and battles and stuff. It actually made me smile. Really big. Although I was actually surprised at the ending of the book (which was one of the Old Testament story parallels). It really... yeah, I kinda thought it might-maybe-but-probably-not... but it did. Kudos there, Jill. Way to keep me off balance. (Anybody else like books like that or do you like knowing what happens? Let me know in the comments!)

Parents, you should definitely check out this book before letting your kids read it. It does have some mature subjects--violence, darkness that comes from those who follow the shadirs (demons), dark magic (also part of the shadirs. Arman strictly forbids such magic), and then there's Charlon... I'm not sure what to think about her... besides that... um... well... I hope she finds Arman... and... healing... and... stuff... And I hope Harton is... um... punished for what he did to her.

If you see this in your library or get the chance, definitely pick it up! It's a good read that will last you a good long while. I hope that you enjoy it as much (if not more) than I did!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my opinion. All views expressed here are my own.*

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

You guys, I have been so excited to tell you about this book! Also, this review is way overdue. But I have a really good reason for that!

See, King’s Blood by Jill Williamson is Book Two of The Kinsman Chronicles. Which is somewhat misleading (at least it was for this thick Norwegian head) because it actually contains books 4, 5 and 6 of the series. (Which is also why this book is gloriously beefy.) So, I began reading and two things happened: a) I was a tad confused and b) I was hopelessly invested. The only remedy was glaringly obvious; I needed to read the first three books. Which is exactly what I did, and which is why this review is later than I’d hoped it would be. But I seriously couldn’t help myself! It’s such a brilliant series!

Now, to the heart of the matter. I love books in the Fantasy genre. Growing up, my dad would surprise me with books about dragons, wizards, princesses and elves. I would get hopelessly lost in these magical books and would read them faster than he could buy them. This love of books, and specifically this genre, followed me into adulthood. The Shannara series by Terry Brooks, Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia and more recently Game of Thrones, became staples for this bookworm’s heart. The problem, if you will, with loving this genre is that it’s hard to find really, really good fantasy authors.

Which is why I was thrilled with King’s Blood!

(I just had to put the books in a row for you…seriously, look at them. How can you not want to pick them up and see what’s inside??)

The story follows the lives of a few different characters…much like Game of Thrones. Each character has their own story, but all end up linked, or at least aware of each other, in one way or another. The characters are amazingly developed and full of depth, while at the same time coming across as very human, complex and relatable. It only took a few pages into Book 1 for me to become completely enthralled in their lives. But what really drew me in was the world which Jill Williamson created; heroes, magic, false gods and an Old Testament undercurrent. Y’all, I was hooked from the get-go. These books are absolutely amazing.

Bottom Line: If you start with King’s Folly (which begins with Book 4), you might be confused for a time without first having read the beginning of the series. But, if buying the first three books isn’t in your budget or time schedule, you will eventually catch up on the story in King’s Folly and be just as enamored as I am.

**Thank you to Bethany House for the opportunity to read and review this book!

[Andrew Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blood and chaos. That is a fair summation of the second installment of Jill Williamson’s Kinsman Chronicles. The Remnant has escaped the Five Realms and is adrift at sea. Wilek and Trevn and those of the father realms have hope for the future; but the treacherous Rogedoth and his mantic forces have other ideas. It soon becomes apparent to Wilek that Armania’s trouble with magic is far from being over. Traitors abound, even amongst his own retinue. Who can he trust? Where is Arman leading them? Will they find land?
In my reviews, I have strived to remain academic in my critiques, but I cannot do so for King’s Blood. I must bring my own personal feelings about the story into play, because without them I feel that I cannot give an honest review of how the book read.
As mentioned above, this book is filled with bloodshed and chaotic happenings. At times, it feels as though Williamson was attempting to write a Christian version of Game of Thrones. Several characters meet their untimely demises in this book, much to the reader’s chagrin. The only bright side is that the two vilest creatures in the story up until now also meet their end. In my review for King’s Folly, I had written that it seemed hopeful that the darkest moments of this tale were past, and it would only get better. Oh, how wrong I was. King’s Blood is by far the darkest of the Kinsman Chronicles so far, probably the darkest of all the Kinsman books the author has written. Treachery, murder, fornication, sorcery, and more abound in this book, and as a stifling blanket spread over all is the knowledge that there is still one more book to go, six hundred more pages of chaos that the reader must slog through in order to reach the end, the light that he is holding out hope for. And in all likelihood, the final book will be just as chaotic, probably even more so, before the Hadar family is finally able to rule Er’Rets in peace.
As the author has said, much of the story world was inspired by the kingdoms of Israel and Judah from the Old Testament. The author stated that it was not a direct allegory, but even so, there are some evident parallels; and while I do not mind parallel scenes when they are done well and in such a way that they are not immediately obvious, one particular scene in King’s Blood quite directly mirrors a story from the Bible when the king of Judah meets with the king of Israel and the Israelite prophets lead the king of Israel astray. Then Micaiah, a true prophet, tells Ahab that he will be killed if he goes to fight. In King’s Blood, a very similar scene takes place between the Armanian and Sarikarian kings. For some reason, the scene did not work. Perhaps it felt too unoriginal, but that may not be the case, for in another book, Songkeeper, by Gillian Bronte Adams, there is a scene that parallels nearly exactly the story of Elijah on the mountainside when God spoke to him in a still small voice. And while it was fairly evident where the inspiration for this scene came from, it worked. Perhaps it was the nature of the story, perhaps it was because of the wording, or perhaps it was because of the outcome of Micaiah’s prophecy that made this particular scene stand out like a sore thumb in King’s Blood.
That being said, it was one relatively small scene with rather devastating repercussions, and that is why so much attention was given to it in this review; for a scene that so greatly impacts later events in the story, it would have been better for it to have been a little less of a copy of that particular Bible story and made it more original. Then again, perhaps all this is simply my way of ranting against the book, because I was so disappointed with the ending. Not disappointed because it did not resolve all the things I hoped it would, but disappointing because of the direction the story is now going. But as the old adage goes, “It’s always darkest before the dawn.” That certainly holds true for this book. It is The Empire Strikes Back of the literary world, and that is not a good thing to hear coming from me, because I rank Empire fairly low on the list of the best Star Wars films.
My own personal opinions aside, Jill Williamson continues her reputation for setting new horizons for Christian fantasy with King’s Blood. It is a dark tale, true, and really quite depressing toward the end, when everything seems to be falling apart for the Remnant, especially after they have begun to return to Arman. In some ways it very much parallels real life, where what is evil seems always to be one step ahead of what is good. And perhaps it is when our stories mirror real life that they have a lasting impact.
After some time and distance from the story, a second look may elicit a different reaction from me; even now I feel a fondness for the story growing within, despite the darkness and depravity that lies therein; just as I recoil from the evil of the real world, and yet acknowledge that some good remains. I will end with a quote from Samwise Gamgee in the movie The Two Towers. This quote I feel sums up my thoughts on King’s Blood fairly well.
“It’s like in the great stories, Mister Frodo, the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were; and sometimes you didn’t want to know the end, because how could it be happy after so much bad had happened? But folk in those stories were holding on to something… There’s some good in this world, Mister Frodo; and it’s worth fighting for.”

[hpboy13 · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is nice to properly dive into an epic fantasy, it had been a while for me! The middle installment of this trilogy felt much more focused that the opening book – most of the characters and political intrigues had been established already, and now we could finally move from setting things up to letting the drama unfold. (I’m a little unclear on whether the book really was more streamlined in terms of characters and subplots, or if I finally had grasped all the nuances, but either way it was a more pleasant reading experience.)

The good news: a very refreshing lack of plot armor! The story moves right along, and no one is safe from their deadly circumstances, not even the seeming protagonists and antagonists of the series. (Cue further comparisons to Game of Thrones – I remain convinced this is a superior version.) Characters die in surprising and ignoble ways. Characters we like and characters we hate all meet untimely ends. After the first book ended with “and now we got all the remotely relevant characters on ships and we sail away!” I kept being surprised by this book.

The bad news: the author appears to have had a religious awakening as she wrote this book. And the religious conflicts that were simmering in the background of the first book take center stage here, as an otherwise nuanced world is neatly delineated into the good worshippers of Arman and the bad folks who don’t follow that religion. Characters make completely absurd and downright stupid decisions because “Arman said so” to his prophet, and this is treated as a parable instead of realistically resulting in their doom.

And if that wasn’t enough, Arman actually starts showing up! Yeah, God himself becomes a character, and conveniently moves the plot along as best suits him. At one point, he shows up to magically rescue a character about to die… I’ve never seen quite such a literal manifestation of deus ex machina. Considering the meticulousness of everything else in this book, this comes off as lazy and preachy, and I’m really hoping it doesn’t further derail a very promising series.

P.S. Hinckdan remains the absolute best character ever, and I would cheerfully read a book all about him. More of Hinck, please!

[Christiana Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Williamson has once again created a masterpiece. King's Blood is the sequel to King's Folly in her trilogy The Kinsman Chronicles and it surpassed the first. We follow the Hadar clan out to sea after the demise of the Five Realms, a fleet of ships on the open ocean might seem to make for a boring read but I assure you Williamson has crafted nothing of the like. Betrayal, death, and misery cannot seem to leave the wake of Trevn, Wilek, and their friends, new and old alike. The development that all the characters, supporting and main alike, go through is astounding and beyond any I have seen in this authors previous works and indeed in few other others at all. A reader can easily see the changes that occur from the beginning of the novel to the end. Some of these developments happen by changes in title and position, others are more internal and occur slowly over the course of the novel. Either way it is a joy to watch.

Williamson has wowed us all with her strong point yet again of creating a vivid story world, magic included. Throughout the novel we have three different forms of magic being created, and all have different rules. For those who have read Williamson's "Blood of Kings" series one of these magics will be an old friend, but you will discover it anew with the characters in King's Blood. The other two magics are adapting to their roles on ships and later, in a new country.

Throughout the book we have a central theme of trust. Especially trusting when no reason in known why. When Wilek left the Five Realms he was just learning the idea of Arman as the one God. Throughout this book Wilek comes to embrace the idea of monotheism, but this acceptance is not without its struggles and he constantly wonders why these events are happening to him when all he wants is to do what is best for his people and right in Arman's eyes. Trevn also deals with issues of trust and patience, those his trials do not come to full light until we reach land. The trust Trevn must execute is both trust in Arman, and trust in his brother, something all with siblings know to be a challenging thing.

Throughout this book you cannot wait to find out what will happen next and hardly dare to set it down. The vivid imagery which Williamson paints has set me on an adventure right beside the Hadar family. I hope you will join me.

[Cheryl]

So I have been really enjoying this book. I love the characters and I have been super invested in this story but I wish that some things had been done differently.
The kingdoms of the Five realms have been corrupted by evil and the worship of false gods and Arman, the one true God is sending his judgement on the Five realms for all their wrongdoing.

Most of the the characters in this series are involved with dark magic and the worship of false gods and the book makes it clear that Arman hates the false worship and the partnership with shadir (demons) to do magic.
Here is my problem: I wish that there was a clear distinction between the ways and morality of Arman and that of the false gods.
When some of characters decide to worship Arman as the only God, the use of shadir magic and especially evenroot is used “for good” so to speak. I really wish that the author had the characters renounce evenroot and the use of mantics (witches) to defeat evil.

One example that comes to mind is in the first book (King’s Folly). When Wilek was sacrificed to Barthos. He prayed to Arman to deliver him. This was the first time that he truly puts his trust in Arman. Wilek was saved from being sacrificed to Barthos but it included using mantic magic and evenroot — I was really disappointed when that happened.

Another case is in the case of Grayson who, so far, is depicted as the Deliverer that was prophesied but then Grayson’s powers come through the work of mantics who worship demons, and the use of evenroot (which Arman hates).

Also, I understand how the other characters do not have much sexual morality but Wilek’s mother (who is a follower of Arman) has her servant spy for her as a concubine for Wilek’s brother and later on, Wilek asks her to continue doing so.
Since this is Christian fantasy- I really wished that the line separating good and evil was clear.

[SK · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still mad about the ending.

What did my boys do to deserve this. And some of the girls actually too. I kept thinking things were gonna get better for them but no they rock up at their new homeland and everything gets shockingly worse very very fast

Things I enjoyed:
-I got served in the romance department for my two fav couples with a wedding for one and an actual kiss for the other. Delightful. Made my little hopeless romantic heart very warm
-them being at sea was just very fun. The aesthetic was good. In general the worldbuilding and atmosphere of these books is chef's kiss
-loved wilek's growth as a character bless him he was trying so hard
-the way they start trying to shift their religion back to Arman was cleverly handled and I do just enjoy all the politics and religion etc in this series it's heavy and complex but it's good for my silly little brain
-I did get v excited when a certain...irritating character got his just desserts. And my fav character got to serve it. I just pretend the whole fallout afterwards doesn't exist :D

Things I'm a little mad about:
-tHAT character death. If you know you know. It was unfair and it was an absolutely grisly way to go. He deserved so much better thank you. I was once again reminded that this series is Christian Game of Thrones but in a less nice way than usual
-wasn't happy about the turn Kal's arc took but I was prepared to roll with it. But oh...after reading book three I gnash my teeth every time I get to that segment
-much as I like the heavier content,it is heavy. It gets tiring. I can only read this book in short bursts with significant rests. It talks about serious topics, but dang sometimes...oof

So yeah a good sequel to the first one and more of a prequel to Blood of Kings in this one. Still a good solid read.