Official Review: Secrets of the Throne by CC Rogers
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Ejgard91
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- Latest Review: "Secrets of the Throne" by CC Rogers
Official Review: Secrets of the Throne by CC Rogers
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Secrets of the Throne" by CC Rogers.]
3 out of 4 stars
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Secrets of the Throne by CC Rogers was a good read. There was drama, romance, adventure and fighting all rolled up into this plot. There were even hints of magic sprinkled throughout, and a promise for more in the next books. The main characters are honorable and kind, and the “bad guys” are not set in stone until the end which leaves the reader questioning who the real bad guy is. It really was a fun book to read.
The book is set in a medieval time period. The main kingdom, Valheigh, is ruled by a king and the land is divided and ruled by lords who report to the king. However, in a situation where the king may not be stable, emotionally or mentally, the lords are able to force him off the throne and elect a new king from their ranks. It is with this concept in mind that a lot of the story’s political intrigue stems from. The current king of Valheigh, Edgar, and Jonathan, his friend and the highest ranking lord, both lost their wives three months before the start of this story. The king has taken to extreme mourning, even to the point of being known for having fits of rage and ignoring his son, Rune. Though Jonathan is also mourning, his responsibilities as steward of the kingdom and father to his son Justin have helped him to avoid extreme melancholy and depression. In an effort to escape the drudgery of the castle, he decides to take Justin and Rune to his deceased wife’s family house. It is there at Dawson Manor that he meets Lady Sharilyn, the cousin of his past wife. The boys immediately attach themselves to her and she plays games with them and entertains them. During their stay, Jonathan is also given the opportunity to interact with Sharilyn, who he finds to be beautiful, smart and engaging. He also appreciates her attentiveness to the boys and decides to ask her to marry him. Though he does not feel like he can love her right away (something he does tell her), he knows that she will take care of their family and love Justin (and Rune) like a mother would. As she has always wanted a life at the castle and is also smitten with the boys, she accepts. They get married, in oath, a few days later, ready to prepare the actual wedding after they have settled at the castle.
From this point on, the book picks up the pace. Sharilyn is an interesting character to learn about. She is a sheltered country girl that has always been bored with the slow and comfortable pace of life at Dawson Manor. When she gets to court with Jonathan, she is smart, kind and asks trustworthy servants for advice on how to act and what to wear since she does not know any better. They make sure that she does not stand out and is prepared for any social engagement that she might find herself in. She also joins in with the boys as they start sword lessons. Sharilyn is strong, kind, smart, and generous. She is a great mother figure to both boys and a wonderful and supportive wife to Jonathan.
It is during an outing that Sharilyn has with her maid that she runs into the son of one of the other lords who is opposed to the king being on the throne. Once Sharilyn becomes aware of the fact that there are those who might want to overthrow the king, this becomes what moves the rest of the book. There is quite a bit of subterfuge, but not everything is clear until the end.
Even though the main plot seems to be about the political conflict, there is also quite a bit of romance. Sharilyn and Jonathan’s relationship develops over the course of the book. They have a sweet and endearing romance that starts with mutual respect. The more they learn about each other, the more they begin to fall in love. Although it was a nice romance, there were parts of it that seemed rushed and a little corny. It was not over the top, but there were times that the dialogue made me wince a little bit.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. Other than the times of cheesy dialogue or a random situation that did not quite seem believable, it was well put together. The plot was laid out well, the characters were interesting (Rune and Justin were my favorite), and there was good groundwork laid for a sequel. The best audience would be young adult or new adult fantasy and would likely be best enjoyed by those who don’t mind a little romance. I rate this 3 out of 4 stars. It was a pleasant read that kept me going until the end, and I would be interested in reading a sequel.
******
Secrets of the Throne
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
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3 out of 4 stars
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Secrets of the Throne by CC Rogers was a good read. There was drama, romance, adventure and fighting all rolled up into this plot. There were even hints of magic sprinkled throughout, and a promise for more in the next books. The main characters are honorable and kind, and the “bad guys” are not set in stone until the end which leaves the reader questioning who the real bad guy is. It really was a fun book to read.
The book is set in a medieval time period. The main kingdom, Valheigh, is ruled by a king and the land is divided and ruled by lords who report to the king. However, in a situation where the king may not be stable, emotionally or mentally, the lords are able to force him off the throne and elect a new king from their ranks. It is with this concept in mind that a lot of the story’s political intrigue stems from. The current king of Valheigh, Edgar, and Jonathan, his friend and the highest ranking lord, both lost their wives three months before the start of this story. The king has taken to extreme mourning, even to the point of being known for having fits of rage and ignoring his son, Rune. Though Jonathan is also mourning, his responsibilities as steward of the kingdom and father to his son Justin have helped him to avoid extreme melancholy and depression. In an effort to escape the drudgery of the castle, he decides to take Justin and Rune to his deceased wife’s family house. It is there at Dawson Manor that he meets Lady Sharilyn, the cousin of his past wife. The boys immediately attach themselves to her and she plays games with them and entertains them. During their stay, Jonathan is also given the opportunity to interact with Sharilyn, who he finds to be beautiful, smart and engaging. He also appreciates her attentiveness to the boys and decides to ask her to marry him. Though he does not feel like he can love her right away (something he does tell her), he knows that she will take care of their family and love Justin (and Rune) like a mother would. As she has always wanted a life at the castle and is also smitten with the boys, she accepts. They get married, in oath, a few days later, ready to prepare the actual wedding after they have settled at the castle.
From this point on, the book picks up the pace. Sharilyn is an interesting character to learn about. She is a sheltered country girl that has always been bored with the slow and comfortable pace of life at Dawson Manor. When she gets to court with Jonathan, she is smart, kind and asks trustworthy servants for advice on how to act and what to wear since she does not know any better. They make sure that she does not stand out and is prepared for any social engagement that she might find herself in. She also joins in with the boys as they start sword lessons. Sharilyn is strong, kind, smart, and generous. She is a great mother figure to both boys and a wonderful and supportive wife to Jonathan.
It is during an outing that Sharilyn has with her maid that she runs into the son of one of the other lords who is opposed to the king being on the throne. Once Sharilyn becomes aware of the fact that there are those who might want to overthrow the king, this becomes what moves the rest of the book. There is quite a bit of subterfuge, but not everything is clear until the end.
Even though the main plot seems to be about the political conflict, there is also quite a bit of romance. Sharilyn and Jonathan’s relationship develops over the course of the book. They have a sweet and endearing romance that starts with mutual respect. The more they learn about each other, the more they begin to fall in love. Although it was a nice romance, there were parts of it that seemed rushed and a little corny. It was not over the top, but there were times that the dialogue made me wince a little bit.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. Other than the times of cheesy dialogue or a random situation that did not quite seem believable, it was well put together. The plot was laid out well, the characters were interesting (Rune and Justin were my favorite), and there was good groundwork laid for a sequel. The best audience would be young adult or new adult fantasy and would likely be best enjoyed by those who don’t mind a little romance. I rate this 3 out of 4 stars. It was a pleasant read that kept me going until the end, and I would be interested in reading a sequel.
******
Secrets of the Throne
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
Like Ejgard91's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: "Secrets of the Throne" by CC Rogers
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Cee-Jay Aurinko
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Beautiful words throughout your entire review. Well done Ejgard, well done. I look forward to reading more of your reviews.
"Might as well drink the ocean with a spoon as argue with a lover." -- The Dark Tower 2, Stephen King
Latest Review: "Higgins Hotel" by Carla Coffman
