Currently Reading: The Falcon Throne (Tarnished Crown #1)

 

Author and Genre

I’m currently reading The Falcon Throne (Kindle page here) which is the first book in the Tarnished Crown series. It’s a fantasy novel by author Karen Miller (link to her Goodreads profile). This is just an introduction to the book, expect a full review to follow once I’ve finished reading it!

Synopsis

Here’s what The Falcon Throne’s blurb says:

“EVERY CROWN IS TARNISHED BY THE BLOOD OF AMBITION.

In a divided kingdom, some will do anything to seize the crown.

A BASTARD LORD, rising up against his tyrant cousin, sheds more blood than he bargained for.

A ROYAL CHILD, believed dead, sets his eyes on regaining his father’s stolen throne.

A DUKE’S WIDOW, defending her daughter, defies the ambitious lord who’d control them both.

And TWO BROTHERS, divided by ambition, will learn the true meaning of treachery.

All of this will come to pass, and nothing will remain as it once was. Royal houses will fall, empires will be reborn, and those who seek the Falcon Throne will pay for it in blood.“

What I Think So Far

You actually get a pretty good sense of the novel from how that blurb is written. For a change, I’ll start with a negative point. Each line of the blurb hits you with a new character.

In a way, that’s also how the book reads. You start a new chapter and you’re suddenly confronted with protagonists you haven’t heard of before. Some readers may like that style, but my personal preference is to be given a bit of time to ease into each character and discover how they fit into the plot.

But Karen Miller’s method of setting up new characters does allow for the plot to develop faster, which is a definite plus. The first chapter is also brilliant, being visceral and setting the scene for the rest of the novel with excellent descriptive language and character development firing off from the outset.

If you’re in the mood for a new fantasy epic then I would recommend this book. But do approach with caution if, like me, you prefer new characters to have a bit more of an introduction.

You can find a fantasy short story here.

My own historical fiction novel with elements of fantasy can be found here.

For a fantasy novel review, click here.