Synopsis
It is the age of Kings.
In the grand city of K’andoria, King Trimidian rules with a fair hand. The great evil sleeps. The Midlands are in a state of tranquility, yet beneath the surface, trouble roils.
Fissures have appeared across the kingdom. The savage Crow rebels terrorize villages across Rislaan. The haughty Far-Seer Priesthood of Epis Kopol has ignited a trade war; and then there is Uth Becca, the White City, once glorious, now plagued by decay and unrest.
Governor Ryvek Flailgore rules the White City together with the King’s own nephew. But the Governor’s ambitions know no bounds. He eyes the crown. King Trimidian must show strength and mercy, wisdom and resolve, ever aware that history watches his every move.
“Throne Born” is a 100+ page novella that brings the ancient era of Kings to vivid life. Maneuvering, political intrigue, intense battles, and the unyielding quest for power unfold in this epic tale with nothing less than the kingdom itself hanging in the balance. As the struggle for the Crown unfolds, King Trimidian navigates treacherous waters to secure his legacy and leave his mark upon the pages of history. The path he chooses will forever mark him as savior or villain.
Will King Trimidian prevail and secure his legacy? Find out in the epic tale “Throne Born.” If you enjoyed the political intrigue and battles of George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” series, then you’ll love this thrilling novel.
Review
This is a prequel novella to Zodak: The Last Shielder, however it may be best referred to as a precursor, as it’s entirely its own story.
Although I read these almost back to back, I found there to be little connection to Zodak (read that review here) at all, unless I just entirely missed it (totally might have). That’s not a bad thing at all, I was just keeping my eyes and ears peeled for those little threads to start seeding their way in. Set two hundred years before Zodak, I expected maybe something more direct in the prequel area to the shielders, but I’m still not mad at all with a more separate story.
Where Zodak follows a young character’s journey through finding out he may be more than just a farm boy, Throne Born is a story of splintering peace, political intrigue in multiple courts, deceptions, and betrayals. This difference might also be why it felt so totally different and unrelated to me as well. This novella is also on less of a grand scale. There are stakes, and things are very real, however it never quite gets off the ground to the level in which Zodak felt, which was awfully epic. With that being said, it’s also a simplified, more personal story as well, which absolutely worked in the novella format. Love, jealousy, and pride collide in a natural fashion, but still in a big enough way.
Enjoyable and worth checking out! I read Zodak first, and would probably suggest it in that order. While this does not follow the recent format of prequel being released after the novel, there was just more of what I loved in the full release that hooked me and made me want to go back.
The Epilogue, the King’s Coda, read almost like something you’d find in Tolkien’s Appendices, and for that, I really enjoyed its addition.
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