Synopsis
Epic worldbuilding at its finest, The Splinter King is the second book in the unmissable series started with The Black Coast. Filled with war-dragons, armoured knights, sea-faring raiders, dangerous magic and battle scenes.
Still reeling from the events of The Black Coast, and the rise of the daemonic warlord, the political machinations, betrayals, new friendships, duels and battles continue to unfold as new characters appear and old return.
As the quest for the new God-King begins and a deadly coup is planned, the Nardia seems to be a kingdom forever in turmoil.
Review
The Splinter King is the second book in Mike Brooks’ God-King Chronicles series, and the author really goes to great lengths to expand the world and the characters. While I did not think it quite lived up to the expectations set by the first book (that review can be found here), I did still enjoy it.
The biggest aspect I like about this book goes hand in hand with something I thought could be improved on. As I mentioned, this book expands upon the world and characters much more than the first. We get more perspectives, and the characters split up and a lot of traveling; so, we end up seeing much more of the world and experiencing some new things. This was a big positive of the story, for me.
The other side of that coin, though, is that there is a lot of explaining, especially in the first half of the book. It is important information for the reader going forward in the story, but I think the the did a better job of disseminating information in book 1 by mixing it in with the story. Too often I felt like the progress of the narrative was bogged down with explanation.
There is so much more to like about this book, also. Brooks’ world building is phenomenal. The set up, the descriptions, the way it is written really makes the story pop when reading it. The characters are all really interesting, each with their own flaws and motivations. Even though the chapters are short, so we do not get many pages with each one at a time, I still found it easy to feel connected to them. This book also does a great job of positioning everyone for the stretch run in the next book. Intrigue level remains high, and it ends in a place that left me looking forward to finding out what happens next.
The Splinter King is a good follow up to The Black Coast. Expansive and intriguing, it is a worthwhile read, especially as a bridge to book 3 in the series. It is not without its flaws, but I still recommend it for fans of the first book.
You nailed it!