The Ghost King

Red Death #2

by Jeff Altabef

An Ancient Prophecy foretold.
An Evil haunts the land.
A battle looms against overwhelming odds.

Led by a powerful witch, a wild invading army threatens to tear the Soulless lands apart. To survive, the three tribes must join together, but old grievances and hatred divide them. Only Wilky can unite them, but when he glimpses the future, he sees only a glimmer of hope; too much of the future remains veiled in darkness.

As the battle approaches, King Dermot orders his brother, Eamon, to stay behind at the Stronghold and defend against a possible siege. Eamon, who took an oath to fight the invaders, defies his brother, risks everything, and plunges into a desperate race with Aaliss and Wilky to unite the tribes.

Enemies from all sides conspire against them. Only together can they hope to succeed against the witch who will stop at nothing to destroy them. Yet even united, they will need magic to defeat this enemy at their door.

As the battle looms, only one chance at survival remains—the Ghost King—but who is he, and what will be the price of their redemption?

Genres: Fantasy, Dystopia, Fiction

496 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 24, 2017

About the author

Jeff Altabef lives in New York with his wife, two daughters, and Charlie the dog. He spends time volunteering at the writing center in the local community college. After years of being accused of "telling stories," he thought he would make it official. He writes in both the thriller and young adult genres. Fourteenth Colony, a political thriller, is his debut novel. Jeff has a blog designed to encourage writing by those that like telling stories. You can find his blog, The Accidental Writers Workshop, on The Patch. Jeff also rights a column for The Examiner under the byline - The Accidental Writer.

Reviews

[Chelsies Reading Escape · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading the first book Red Death last year and giving it 5 stars I was really looking forward to the sequel. Since then my reading taste have changed a lot and the sequel didnt grip me as much as the first one did. I dont know if its because it felt a lot longer than Red Death, but it was missing the excitement that usually compelles me to keep reading. Maybe if I had read it when I was in a different reading mood I would have enjoyed it even more. Overall the plot was intriguing I was just hoping for things to move along a little quicker.

That being said, it still had everything I loved from the first book. It had well developped and diverse characters with a complexe plot line that weaves all the characters together. I liked so many of the characters but Wilky and Pryluck are the ones who brought out this protective side of me. I liked Pryluck and Cassians dynamic as well as Wilkys relationship with his sister Aaliss. I also enjoyed Aaliss and Eamons relationship. I love romantic relationships where the woman is very independent and strong.

The world was so vaste with all these different tribes that it took a while to get use to all the different perspectives, but once I did it was easy to tell them a part. The pace reminded me more of an adult fantasy book with multiple povs and plot lines. I prefer fast pace books but I appreciated the quick chapters. This is a well written series that feels like it was published by a major publication company. I think Falling Kingdoms fans would really enjoy this. Its even better in my opinion.

*Received in exchange for an honest review*

[Linda Longo · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Red Death, I didn't think a sequel could top it. I was totally mistaken. Follow this disparate group of miscreants, royalty, witches, spies, and other interesting characters as they battle for their lives and their very way of life. It's classic good vs. evil - but much more interesting ! If you're a fan of Game of Thrones - you'll love this story. I know I did . And I'm impatiently awaiting the next one !

[Sherry Fundin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so happy to be back in Jeff Altabef’s magical world of danger, treachery and betrayal, greed and power, good and evil…

We start with Wilky, and what he sees in the future makes him more determined than ever to change it. He will not lose Aaliss, his sister.

In this complex world of different ‘tribes’, a war is on the horizon and the misfit group will have to learn to pool their resources and work together to defeat the evil coming at them.

OF COURSE, my favorite is Aaliss. I can’t imagine any hot blooded man not falling in love with this badass warrior.

The cutest one is Pryluck. Love this odd little man, but he is so innocent I can’t help but want to protect him, find him a home.

Jeff Altabef has built a fabulous magical fantasy world with characters that had me eating out of their hands gasping when they are attacked, melting with a gently loving touch, yet cheering when they deal evil a violent deadly blow.

I think The Ghost King can stand alone, but to get the most out of this wonderful story, I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to grab Red Death too.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of The Ghost King by Jeff Altabef.

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[Reilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review*

Wow, I cannot rave about this book enough! "The Ghost King" totally toppled my already high expectations after reading "Red Death". The original characters were well-rounded and easily lovable. Now, I can still enjoy characters like Eamon, Wilky, and Aaliss, while getting multiple new perspectives on the world that they live in. I have to admit that I was not expecting so many new characters at one time, but they added missing information that would have left the book lacking if left out! Looking back on "Red Death" I can now see what was missing, and I am so glad that we now get a better picture of the real world that Aaliss lives in.

After curing Dermot and the Tribal Mother from the Red Death, they must now join with the Orions to fight the incoming Northern Invaders. Wilky says they must all join together, or none will survive. Meanwhile, the true leader of the invaders, the witch Eris, is after Wilky. She knows he is the only one who can bring her impending rule to an end. And what about Eamon and Aaliss? Will her time in Eden ruin any chance they might have of being together? To top it all off, the Red Death is still raging. Can the tribes band together and save the land? Can Wilky save everyone from the witches and the Red Death? Read this unbelievably good book to find out!

[Ami · Rating 5 out of 5]

This, the second in a series, is just as good as the first. The world and the characters are very well developed and I stayed up late into the night wanting to see what happened next. During my reading I went through many emotions: fear and elation, disgust and anxiety plus many others. This book is like a roller coaster, lots of ups and downs but very few level, calm moments. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author and agreed to write an honest review.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Wow! This was a heart racing, sweeping adventure that keeps you reading until the end. Love that the author gives you a list of the characters to keep you up to date on everyone. What an ending! Cannot wait until the next book. My favorite characters are Wilky, Cassian, Aaliss and Eamon. I really like Aaliss she is a very strong character. I would recommend this book to everyone who loves to read dystopian adventure stories.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book even more than the last. Individual stories collide and new directions are in the future. This is an exciting story and I cannot wait for the next!

I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC copy of this book. Its a MUST READ for sure! Enjoy!!

[Georgiann Hennelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Ghost King is the sequel to Red Death. It is your classic good versus evil story. Led by a powerful Witch a group of disparate people , from Royalty, witches, spies and others as they battle for their very way of life. A very well written story .

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazing fantasy book. Witches and anything else you want. Perfect second book. Just had to stay up to finish, impossible to put it down

[Jackie Maloney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: The Ghost King
Author: Jeff Altabef
Rating: 3/5 stars (I liked it)

I was sent a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

This is a spoiler free review!

Summary:
Now that Wilky has foreseen a coming war, Aaliss, Eamon, and the rest of their crew must figure out a way to unite the three main tribes to defeat the enemy, a witch, and her lethal army. This turns out to be a more difficult task than was expected. They must find a way to unite against the oncoming darkness in order to destroy it and find the light.

Review:
I think people will enjoy this novel if they are into high fantasy and adventure. When diving into this book, I was excited to learn more about the aftermath in Eden however there was not much of this. This novel was focused more on the three tribes, the Butchers, the Orions, and the Painted Ones. I appreciated how the book dived deeper into the intricacies of the culture more than what it had in the first installment. This novel jumps between many different perspectives, so you can understand what is occurring on all sides of this struggle, including the enemy. There is a “Cast of Characters” section at the end of this book, like in the first, with a link to it at the end of every chapter, which was definitely helpful!

Something I loved about this novel was the emphasis is had on how difficult it is to change one’s belief system. Although Aaliss is presented with much evidence against the teachings she has studied her whole life, you can clearly see a presence of her old ideology. There are so many different belief systems from the different cultures and I think this reflects the world. There is also an emphasis on connecting people of different cultures, which I really appreciated.

I was a little confused throughout this novel. I think this sequel dived more into the description of the places and the characters but there were various aspects of Eden, the City of Bones, The Exchange, and the other tribes that were not clear and it left me confused. The characters in this story also go through more development and arc than in the first installment. It helps the reader connect to the characters and understand what they are doing and why.

Another aspect that I didn’t appreciate about this book included much aspect that revolved around Aaliss. In the war, no other women, except Aaliss, were fighting in the war. Aaliss was even pushed to the side of the war so she would not get hurt. Aaliss is a skilled and trained fighter who teaches many of the men how to fight throughout the book however she was not allowed to fight until she, herself, pushed into the war and helped immensely during the war. Aaliss also is one of those characters that everyone loves. We have Eamon, of course, but then comes Michel (from Eden) and Cassian (from the Orion tribe). Is this a love… square… of sorts? She is also the type of character where everything comes easy for her. Example: “Aaliss back flipped out of the way.” Right… of course!
Just a simple warning, there is a lot of death and it is sometimes described a little bloody, so if that makes you uncomfortable I would recommend that you do not read this book. The action scenes are well written though, because I usually get bored during these types of scenes but I did not in the novel. This book is a quick and easy read the fantasy lovers will enjoy!

[Seraphia Bunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ghost King by Jeff Altabef is book two in his Red Death series. The Ghost King picks right up where Red Death left off. There is so much going on in this story. Eden is still under control of those who wish to be in power and will do anything to destroy those who would stand against them. Aaliss and Wilky are still on their quest to bring the three tribes together. Wilky’s visions say that it must be done or else the Light will fail and all will be lost. The thing is that Wilky sees more than he lets on to his sister. The ghost soldiers still haunt him and beg him to find what it is that they seek. If he fails to find what is needed both worlds will be lost. Eris, the red witch, is hunting Wilky and will do what she must in order to destroy him so that her Mistress can be victorious. Many paths will cross but who will come out victorious?
The Ghost King is a power pack of amazing writing by this author. Right from the beginning you are re-engaged into the story and kept riveted all the way to the end. This story changes viewpoints from the characters that are driving the story. Each one is striving and or struggling with their different fights and issues. This book is so dynamic. I love how the author gives us the story from so many different perspectives. At times, not gonna lie, it gets a bit annoying because I want to keep following one character but I love this book. Each character brings something new and engaging. They each experience hurt, pain, loss and try their best to do what is right. Well, the good guys anyways. I love the twists and surprises that the author gives us in this book.
Now, the only thing that I don’t like about this book is the CLIFF HANGER!!! So, if you have an issue with cliff hanger novels then I say you may want to wait on reading this book until the next novel comes out. This book is such a great read! It has characters who wish to be stronger, accepted, to be what others are, to have the power that others have. There are moments of where loyalty is questioned and there are going to be moments of where doubt is strong.
I literally laughed out loud, got angry with the characters and even cried a couple times. That should tell you something right there…this book is GOOD! Whenever I had to put it down I kept wondering what was going to happen next. The author has done such a great job with this novel. Granted I almost threw my tablet when it ended the way it does but I am more than eagerly anticipating the next novel in this series. I am rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. If you have read any of Jeff Altabef’s novels or have read the Red Death I highly recommend you pick this book up now and dive in.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ghost King

Summary:
An Ancient Prophecy foretold.
An Evil haunts the land.
A battle looms against overwhelming odds.

Led by a powerful witch, a wild invading army threatens to tear the Soulless lands apart. To survive, the three tribes must join together, but old grievances and hatred divide them. Only Wilky can unite them, but when he glimpses the future, he sees only a glimmer of hope; too much of the future remains veiled in darkness.

As the battle approaches, King Dermot orders his brother, Eamon, to stay behind at the Stronghold and defend against a possible siege. Eamon, who took an oath to fight the invaders, defies his brother, risks everything, and plunges into a desperate race with Aaliss and Wilky to unite the tribes.

Enemies from all sides conspire against them. Only together can they hope to succeed against the witch who will stop at nothing to destroy them. Yet even united, they will need magic to defeat this enemy at their door.

As the battle looms, only one chance at survival remains—the Ghost King—but who is he, and what will be the price of their redemption?

Review:

I’m just wow, once again I was transported to this world and felt like I was part of it. This book was even better than the first one. The flow of the story is perfection; the characters feel so real. Jeff captured the emotions very well. I didn’t find any errors so once again this shows the editor and the writer both care about the quality of book they are putting out. I can’t say enough about this book to me this series has become a must read if you’re into fantasy.

Conclusion:

Would I recommend this book to other? YES YES YES

Would I read other books by this Author? YES YES YES

Is this book a Novel or Novela? Nice length Novel

Is this book priced correctly? I’m a budget book buyer so to me I feel this is a little over priced for the paperback, but the ebook is priced where I’d buy it.

[Kcduchess · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ghost King was just as amazing as Red Death, the first book in the series. I loved it, could have read 400 more pages. Jeff Altabef’s dystopia is proof of his talent as a writer and builder of magical worlds. His words fuel your imagination, and the story is vivid in your mind. Once you enter his world, you don’t want to leave.

I like the way Jeff Altabef writes. Even though there are multiple characters and POV’s, the reading experience is enjoyable, and everything entwines together creating a perfect story flow.

The Ghost King has a bit darker tones than Red Death; all the tribes have seen the signs and are preparing for war. Alliances are needed, but the question is, who can you trust? Eamon and Aaliss have to make difficult decisions based on Wilky’s premonitions. But he’s not only one who has seen the future and the enemy has dark powers in their aid. Rivaling tribes, witches, firefoxes… everyone is on the move.

The Ghost King holds the reader in suspense. Inside each tribe, things are changing, and events outside the tribal grounds shake the delicate balance of power and authority. The dawning the of a new era is near, and even the ones with the most knowledge are blind to the events ahead. The Ghost King is a thrilling adventure, a book that you can’t put down until the very last words.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Technically, you could start the series with this book, but there is so much you won’t catch if you don’t read the first book prior to this one.
I did find a few handfuls of mis-spellings or a similar-sounding word was used, but they were spaced far apart and did not interrupt the enjoyment of the story.
Thank goodness this book was written in short chapters. I had to squeeze most of my reading in to small time chunks, so that really helped me. Each chapter is from a character’s point of view, and the chapter “name” indicates that character. So you know immediately whose view we are working with.
Lots and lots of action, and I got surprised many times.
As the description mentions, battle is looming – so some characters are going to die, others will get injured.
My heart about stopped at the end of the story. What a way to set the stage for the next book. I am eagerly awaiting the next story in the series!

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Disclaimer: I received this book directly from the author, so it will not post as a verified review. In no way did it affect my review]

"Alliss paused, and her heart sank. As she spoke, she became certain the truth was quite different from what she had been taught, and her stomach turned sour."

In The Red Death, Altabef drew a marvelous community of, in a lot of ways, misfits, miscrients and wayward souls that others abandoned. In this, the second book, they begin to come together as their understanding of the Good and the Evil of this world choose sides around a battle that will change their world forever.

Fantasy that touches on civility, theology and ethics as well as romance can stall or drive a fantasy. In the case of Jeff Altabef, the brakes are off. A fantastic and challenging read!

[Carrie at Crafty Moms Share · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like all of Jeff's books this book engrosses the reader. You do not want to put the book down. The truth is I cannot wait for the third book to come out. I want to know what happens. My only complaint is that it is hard to keep track of the various characters at first. Jeff thought of this though and put in a Cast of Characters at the end of the book. Once you are into the story it is easy but remembering them all from the first book makes it a bit difficult (with the time that has passed since I read Red Death). The Cast of Characters definitely helped me get back into the book and remember which character was which.

I have to say that I love this book and series and would highly recommend it to anyone. I hope you will check it out.

[Nicole Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book for the Red Death series and it picks up right where Red Deathnleft off. Aaliss and Wilky are still on their quest. Erin the Red Witch is hunting Wilky and will do anything to destroy him. To make matters worse the ghost soldiers still haunt Wilky.

You are bound to laugh, cry and get angry in this book and the way the book ends you'll be tempted to throw your tablet at the nearest wall.
Jeff hasn't failed to grab the attention of the reader it's a book that when you have to put it down you'll be itching to pick it up again just to find out what's happening next. I Hope the next book is just as awesome.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free in return for an honest review.
I didn't think the second in a series could be better than the first, but Altabef has succeeded in doing this. The characters are so well developed. You can feel their pain, sorrow, and joy as you read along. And the action between the different groups kept you reading to see what happens next. I am anxiously awaiting the next book to learn more about Wilky's journey.

[Helen Wawrejko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly dark. Sweepingly epic. This book plunges into the race to unite the 3 tribes against the thundering horde of the Wolves bent on killing them. Time is running out, the dark is taking over the light. Wilky has the cure for the red death. 1000 years of religious teaching is a lie in Eden. The Prophesy. Great worldbuilding, epic battle, dark magic, political machinations, superb characters, writing is smart and sharp. Cliffhanger. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great second book for this series. The first book intrigued me with an interesting plot in an interesting time with even more interesting characters. This book has just continued adding to the suspense and adventure. All the heroes in this book have to learn the same lesson, things are not always as they appear. It will grab you and keep you turning pages. I'm looking forward to the next book.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book set, what I thought, was an impossibly high standard and I'm pleasantly surprised to report that this book exceeds that previous standard. It's a frantic roller-coaster ride that leaves you gasping for breath as our unlikely band of heroes run into roadblock after roadblock in their quest to defeat the Darkness. I am completely and utterly hooked on this story now and can't wait to see what the next installment brings us.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

My fifth read from author Jeff Altabef and the second in the Red Death series. The first 4 books were so good I had to come back for more! This time it’s a continuation of The Red Death, picking up where it left off. Altabef has done such a good job in getting you so engrossed in this story-line that you get caught up in the runaway train that the story is, The more I read the more I liked it. I really liked it and look forward to his next book.

[Tera Bunger · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ghost King is the second book in The Red Death series. It really should be read second. You will miss so much if you try to read it as a stand alone.

This story picks up right where we were left waiting. You learn so much about Wilky and Aaliss. There is a lot of fighting. You are drawn in by what is going on with the characters and trying to figure out where they are headed. It ends in a cliffhanger. I can't wait to see what happens next.

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darkness and light battle for victory in this sequel. I really enjoyed the dark tone of this novel and how each of the characters grew along the journey.
I liked the additional characters and the different twists and turns that the story took.
I can't wait to see what happens next.
I voluntarily reviewed an arc from the author.

[LisaMarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The epic adventure continues....The Ghost King, the sequel to The Red Death is a fantastic read. Non-stop action and adventure; the ultimate good vs evil story. Light vs darkness.
Wonderful world building. Characters we love it love to hate.
I couldn't stop reading...and hoping the story continues from here.

[Ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily received this ARC from the author for my honest opinion. I loved this second book of the Red Death series. The storyline kept me intrigued and I couldn't put the book down. I loved the character development of primary characters. I would definitely recommend it! I'm hoping Jeff Altabef gets the next book out soon, can't wait to see what happens next.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kindle Copy for Review

Battle between tribes and the person to save them will be The Ghost King but no one really know who he is.

They must come together in order to survives as one of the groups is led by a powerful witch. It is good versus evil and the sutvival of the fitness.

[Laura Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. It is even better than the first one. This book has great characters, lots of action and surprises. My only complaint is the time between books; I just want to keep reading to find out what is going to happen next. This is a must read.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent second book in this series. I loved both books in this series so far and cannot wait to read the next book. I am behind all of the people fighting against evil and really want to see a happy ending.

[Hector Santiago · Rating 5 out of 5]

The witch in this book is great could start a story with just her but this book is to good to pass up read it