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Eldritch Heart #2
The Cursed Crown
In the wake of a twenty-year war, the people of Lucernia struggle to believe their former enemies aren’t demon-loving savages. However, that’s easy compared to the more alarming accepting their nation now has two queens.Many citizens in a land devoted to the God of Purity view the love between Kitlyn and Oona as unnatural, but the young women have earned guarded acceptance in the wake of their heroic deeds. Alas, unrest stirs in the shadows. Worse, Oona thinks the Talomir family line is cursed. All who have worn the crown before her have met with untimely deaths.Much work lies ahead for the new queens in helping the kingdom recover from a conflict older than its rulers. The people are restless and hurting, trust in the crown is tenuous, and the king of Evermoor demands reparations. That two women should love each other may be the last little piece to hurl the nation into rebellion.Mysterious forces attacking towns close to the border with Evermoor stoke tensions even further, threatening a relapse to war. Their crowns not even warm, Kitlyn and Oona set off to find the source of the raids and stabilize the nation… hoping to stay ahead of an ancient curse.
350 pages, Paperback
First published January 11, 2019
36 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
Matthew S. Cox
192 books265 followersBorn in a little town known as South Amboy NJ in 1973, Matthew has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Somewhere between fifteen to eighteen of them spent developing the world in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, and The Awakened Series take place. He has several other projects in the works as well as a collaborative science fiction endeavor with author Tony Healey.
Hobbies and Interests:
Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour (<- deliberate), and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it.
He is also fond of cats.
Hobbies and Interests:
Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour (<- deliberate), and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it.
He is also fond of cats.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 13, 2019
Wow! What a thrilling sequel to The Eldritch Heart. You really need to read the first book before reading The Cursed Crown. It's totally worth the money and your time reading through this fantasy escape. The cover art is gorgeous and the adventures with Kitlyn and Oona was better a second time around 'cause they faced it together, along with new and interesting characters they meet along the way. Plus there's little Evie, the little cutie's a joy to read about.
January 14, 2019
THE ELDRITCH HEART SEQUEL HAS MORE HEART AND LESS ELDRITCH
Though we share a last name, we are not related. I was given a copy of this book to read it and provide feedback. I am giving this honest review with no promise of any remuneration from the author on my part and no expectation of a positive review on the author’s part.
Newly married Queen Kitlyn and Princess Consort Oona don’t have time for a traditional honeymoon. In a land of Magic, the two are off on another adventure to save not only their kingdom but also one that has (Title Alert) “The Cursed Crown.”
I have been reading Matt’s books for nearly five years since his first book; the ground-breaking science fiction-paranormal mash-up “Division Zero” was published. Back then, I had plenty of his work to read since in the first year as a published author he produced five novels. Matt has continued to be a prolific author of quality books in multiple genres for diverse audiences. Having written over 50 reviews in four years, I am having a hard time coming up with original words of praise (to ensure the Amazon Bots don’t think it is a template review) for his work. When you read a Matthew S. Cox book, you can be assured it contains a well-scripted, fast-paced storyline; appealing, well-rounded, complex characters; and authentic, interesting dialogue. “The Cursed Crown” has all of this and more. This is the second book in The Eldritch Heart series, yet it holds its own as a stand-alone tome. Matt ensured there was enough reference to the previous book that if the reader had not read “The Eldritch Heart,” they know what occurred but not so much that a quarter of the book is a rehash of previous events.
When working with two sixteen-year-old, female lovers the author must skirt the “Kiddie Porn” issues, which Matt does with expert skill. I appreciate that there were no explicit sex scenes in the book. If I want to read pornography, I will pick up an X-rated erotic book, not a Young Adult fantasy, suspense novel.
Though we share a last name, we are not related. I was given a copy of this book to read it and provide feedback. I am giving this honest review with no promise of any remuneration from the author on my part and no expectation of a positive review on the author’s part.
Newly married Queen Kitlyn and Princess Consort Oona don’t have time for a traditional honeymoon. In a land of Magic, the two are off on another adventure to save not only their kingdom but also one that has (Title Alert) “The Cursed Crown.”
I have been reading Matt’s books for nearly five years since his first book; the ground-breaking science fiction-paranormal mash-up “Division Zero” was published. Back then, I had plenty of his work to read since in the first year as a published author he produced five novels. Matt has continued to be a prolific author of quality books in multiple genres for diverse audiences. Having written over 50 reviews in four years, I am having a hard time coming up with original words of praise (to ensure the Amazon Bots don’t think it is a template review) for his work. When you read a Matthew S. Cox book, you can be assured it contains a well-scripted, fast-paced storyline; appealing, well-rounded, complex characters; and authentic, interesting dialogue. “The Cursed Crown” has all of this and more. This is the second book in The Eldritch Heart series, yet it holds its own as a stand-alone tome. Matt ensured there was enough reference to the previous book that if the reader had not read “The Eldritch Heart,” they know what occurred but not so much that a quarter of the book is a rehash of previous events.
When working with two sixteen-year-old, female lovers the author must skirt the “Kiddie Porn” issues, which Matt does with expert skill. I appreciate that there were no explicit sex scenes in the book. If I want to read pornography, I will pick up an X-rated erotic book, not a Young Adult fantasy, suspense novel.
January 28, 2019
Wonderful series
This is a wonderful series about two queens and even though the current arc does wrap up nicely I wouldn’t mind seeing another book in this series.
Overall a good story about love and acceptance while fighting evil.
This is a wonderful series about two queens and even though the current arc does wrap up nicely I wouldn’t mind seeing another book in this series.
Overall a good story about love and acceptance while fighting evil.
July 3, 2022
Cox smoothly blends questions of metaphysics with grimy fantasy and diverse characters to create a young adult tale that is both deep and fast-paced, uplifting and realistic.
This novel is the sequel to The Eldritch Heart. As Cox himself says at the start, sharp pointy spoilers ahead.
With the twenty-five-year war against Evermoor over, King Aodh Talomir’s deceit uncovered, and Kitlyn revealed as the true heir to the throne of Lucernia, Oona expects her greatest problem to be marrying despite the objections of those who consider lesbianism impure. However, when Aodh chooses to end his life rather than face the disgrace of being censured by the priesthood, the two sixteen-year-old girls have the weight of rulership thrust upon them. With reactionary forces seeking to overthrow them, mysterious attacks on both sides of the border threatening peace with Evermoor before it has even been formalised, and no previous monarch having lived into old age, Oona cannot escape the idea that the crown is cursed.
As with the previous volume, Cox opens with a series of day-to-day events such as preparing for the wedding and sitting through royal audiences filled with the minutiae of economics and etiquette. This tedium both serves to portray the inertia of a nation and to firmly ground the plot in realism by showing that heroes do not become skilled monarchs merely by dint of being good people.
This focus on the repercussions of events in the previous book and how much simpler life was in some ways for Oona and Kit when they were questing also allows Cox to reprise matters that might be relevant later without risking the distancing effect of prologues or other overt exposition.
Where the first book addressed Kit and Oona’s realisation of their sexuality and their fears of rejection by each other, this one deals with the broader fear of public rejection. Despite the apparent support of the gods, the idea that same-sex relationships are unclean is embedded deeply into Lucernia’s psyche, both causing people to display varying degrees of discomfort with the new monarch and her wife, and causing Oona and Kit to assume people’s reaction will be worse than it is. Cox skilfully shapes these interactions in line with characters’ broader personalities, making interactions more than a simple approve or not, from those who fanatically disapprove, through those who disapprove but strive not to let it interfere with doing their duty, to those who display opposition because they fear ostracism by reactionary families if they do not. Similarly, those who do not disapprove act from varying degrees of tolerance and acceptance.
While the theme of discrimination is clear in this novel, enhanced by citizens of other nations being somewhat confused or amused at the prohibition on same-sex relationships, it is not the driving force of the book. The threat of violent overthrow for “impurity” is real, but the average degree of challenge to the relationship is no greater than that of a heterosexual marriage between teenagers, both giving the book a pervasive feeling that those who are attracted to their own sex are not destined for unhappiness and avoiding turning the book into a political statement rather than a diverse entertainment.
Tightly woven with the social reactions to lesbian marriage are broader questions of true faith and religious commandments: if the previous High Priest lied about what their god’s commands were then can people trust that those who claim to speak for a god are telling the truth this time? If the gods intervened to support Oona and Kit but didn’t expose Aodh, then is non-intervention as sign of disapproval or of allowing humans to resolve the issue themselves? This turmoil is further stirred by a plausible uncertainty over Evermoor: mere weeks before everyone knew they were demon-worshipping savages, now they are supposedly unjustly treated members of a civilised nation.
Balancing the very powerful yet ephemeral matters of politics and religion, Cox also provides a thread of classic physical threat, first to outlying villages but creeping closer, tightening the pace further and adding action to balance the discussion.
Oona and Kit continue to be well-crafted protagonists, overcoming obstacles by virtue and competence yet also challenged by both their lack of experience and youthful passion. Perhaps cruelly, Cox makes them not only compassionate enough to see many injustices that need fixing but also wise enough to realise that their nation cannot take too much change too quickly; thus, they must face that acceptance of their love is in competition with bettering the lives of others.
The supporting cast are a pleasing balance of accessible trope and nuance, allowing for the lighter strokes of description that draw the plot onward without losing the detail that make characters plausible and engaging.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel greatly. I recommend it to readers seeking young-adult fast-paced fantasy, especially those interested in a diverse cast.
I received a free copy from the author with a request for a fair review.
This novel is the sequel to The Eldritch Heart. As Cox himself says at the start, sharp pointy spoilers ahead.
With the twenty-five-year war against Evermoor over, King Aodh Talomir’s deceit uncovered, and Kitlyn revealed as the true heir to the throne of Lucernia, Oona expects her greatest problem to be marrying despite the objections of those who consider lesbianism impure. However, when Aodh chooses to end his life rather than face the disgrace of being censured by the priesthood, the two sixteen-year-old girls have the weight of rulership thrust upon them. With reactionary forces seeking to overthrow them, mysterious attacks on both sides of the border threatening peace with Evermoor before it has even been formalised, and no previous monarch having lived into old age, Oona cannot escape the idea that the crown is cursed.
As with the previous volume, Cox opens with a series of day-to-day events such as preparing for the wedding and sitting through royal audiences filled with the minutiae of economics and etiquette. This tedium both serves to portray the inertia of a nation and to firmly ground the plot in realism by showing that heroes do not become skilled monarchs merely by dint of being good people.
This focus on the repercussions of events in the previous book and how much simpler life was in some ways for Oona and Kit when they were questing also allows Cox to reprise matters that might be relevant later without risking the distancing effect of prologues or other overt exposition.
Where the first book addressed Kit and Oona’s realisation of their sexuality and their fears of rejection by each other, this one deals with the broader fear of public rejection. Despite the apparent support of the gods, the idea that same-sex relationships are unclean is embedded deeply into Lucernia’s psyche, both causing people to display varying degrees of discomfort with the new monarch and her wife, and causing Oona and Kit to assume people’s reaction will be worse than it is. Cox skilfully shapes these interactions in line with characters’ broader personalities, making interactions more than a simple approve or not, from those who fanatically disapprove, through those who disapprove but strive not to let it interfere with doing their duty, to those who display opposition because they fear ostracism by reactionary families if they do not. Similarly, those who do not disapprove act from varying degrees of tolerance and acceptance.
While the theme of discrimination is clear in this novel, enhanced by citizens of other nations being somewhat confused or amused at the prohibition on same-sex relationships, it is not the driving force of the book. The threat of violent overthrow for “impurity” is real, but the average degree of challenge to the relationship is no greater than that of a heterosexual marriage between teenagers, both giving the book a pervasive feeling that those who are attracted to their own sex are not destined for unhappiness and avoiding turning the book into a political statement rather than a diverse entertainment.
Tightly woven with the social reactions to lesbian marriage are broader questions of true faith and religious commandments: if the previous High Priest lied about what their god’s commands were then can people trust that those who claim to speak for a god are telling the truth this time? If the gods intervened to support Oona and Kit but didn’t expose Aodh, then is non-intervention as sign of disapproval or of allowing humans to resolve the issue themselves? This turmoil is further stirred by a plausible uncertainty over Evermoor: mere weeks before everyone knew they were demon-worshipping savages, now they are supposedly unjustly treated members of a civilised nation.
Balancing the very powerful yet ephemeral matters of politics and religion, Cox also provides a thread of classic physical threat, first to outlying villages but creeping closer, tightening the pace further and adding action to balance the discussion.
Oona and Kit continue to be well-crafted protagonists, overcoming obstacles by virtue and competence yet also challenged by both their lack of experience and youthful passion. Perhaps cruelly, Cox makes them not only compassionate enough to see many injustices that need fixing but also wise enough to realise that their nation cannot take too much change too quickly; thus, they must face that acceptance of their love is in competition with bettering the lives of others.
The supporting cast are a pleasing balance of accessible trope and nuance, allowing for the lighter strokes of description that draw the plot onward without losing the detail that make characters plausible and engaging.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel greatly. I recommend it to readers seeking young-adult fast-paced fantasy, especially those interested in a diverse cast.
I received a free copy from the author with a request for a fair review.
June 14, 2020
Great sequel!
June 23, 2021
I "read" this book via Audible. I had been waiting for the Audible version to come out for a few months. I really enjoyed the first part and I was eager to see how Kitland and Oona fair after end a 20 year war. Instead of it being one adventure, this book is one small adventure after another with a over hanging plot that surfaces now and again. I found it fun reading about the day to day things the two new queens deal with. I'll be reading it again and again.
February 5, 2019
Disturbing Visions From The Gods
···NOT for the homophobic, transphobic, closedminded, or faint of heart!···
This should be a happy time for Oona and Kitlyn. They have Oona's little sister Evie safe and sound to raise as their own. They have their wedding to plan and a Coronation. The War is over and the Kingdom of Evermoor is their ally. But Oona has a foreboding feeling and Kitlyn is still waiting for the other shoe to drop. When the King makes a mysterious late night visit to Oona she is left reeling. Was he really there? A vision? Or worse... A Ghost? He seemed otherworldly and barely present. What does this signify? Was he trying to make amends before he is officially declared apostate? With the Gods so active in their lives nothing can be taken merely at face value! Is the King about to die? Already dead? And what does that fortell for Kitlyn's Reign? Can they just be happy and try to heal the hurts from all the lies and the war? Or are they still needed to fight greater foes? Having the Gods active in your life can be a boon but it is also a heavy burden. Will life ever settle into a normal routine or will they always be called to make huge wrong right in the name of the Gods who, until now, have been silent too long? Can't a girl just get married already?
This is truly a coming of age series where the characters grow and learn by leaps and bounds whenever faced with insurmountable odds. They are heroines definitely worth imitating. Fantasy or not, there are plenty of deal life lessons to be learned within the pages of these books!
*** This series is suitable for young adult through adult readers who enjoy high fantasy fraught with darkness and enlivened by humor, with plenty of romance and adventure along the way :) ***
···NOT for the homophobic, transphobic, closedminded, or faint of heart!···
This should be a happy time for Oona and Kitlyn. They have Oona's little sister Evie safe and sound to raise as their own. They have their wedding to plan and a Coronation. The War is over and the Kingdom of Evermoor is their ally. But Oona has a foreboding feeling and Kitlyn is still waiting for the other shoe to drop. When the King makes a mysterious late night visit to Oona she is left reeling. Was he really there? A vision? Or worse... A Ghost? He seemed otherworldly and barely present. What does this signify? Was he trying to make amends before he is officially declared apostate? With the Gods so active in their lives nothing can be taken merely at face value! Is the King about to die? Already dead? And what does that fortell for Kitlyn's Reign? Can they just be happy and try to heal the hurts from all the lies and the war? Or are they still needed to fight greater foes? Having the Gods active in your life can be a boon but it is also a heavy burden. Will life ever settle into a normal routine or will they always be called to make huge wrong right in the name of the Gods who, until now, have been silent too long? Can't a girl just get married already?
This is truly a coming of age series where the characters grow and learn by leaps and bounds whenever faced with insurmountable odds. They are heroines definitely worth imitating. Fantasy or not, there are plenty of deal life lessons to be learned within the pages of these books!
*** This series is suitable for young adult through adult readers who enjoy high fantasy fraught with darkness and enlivened by humor, with plenty of romance and adventure along the way :) ***
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March 3, 2021Loved it.
July 27, 2021
I love these girls
I love these two characters so much. There so well written and they play off each others personalities so well. Truly an exceptional pair.
I love these two characters so much. There so well written and they play off each others personalities so well. Truly an exceptional pair.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews