A kingdom teetering on the brink of destruction. A king gone missing. Who will survive? Find out in the highly anticipated sequel to Jennifer A. Nielsen's blockbuster THE FALSE PRINCE!
Just weeks after Jaron has taken the throne, an assassination attempt forces him into a deadly situation. Rumors of a coming war are winding their way between the castle walls, and Jaron feels the pressure quietly mounting within Carthya. Soon, it becomes clear that deserting the kingdom may be his only hope of saving it. But the further Jaron is forced to run from his identity, the more he wonders if it is possible to go too far. Will he ever be able to return home again? Or will he have to sacrifice his own life in order to save his kingdom?
The stunning second installment of The Ascendance Trilogy takes readers on a roller-coaster ride of treason and murder, thrills and peril, as they journey with the Runaway King!
Praise for THE FALSE PRINCE
"A page turner. . . ." --THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
"Sage proves to be a compelling character whose sharp mind and shrewd self-possession will make readers eager to follow him into a sequel." --WALL STREET JOURNAL
"This kickoff to her new Ascendance Trilogy is a swashbuckling origin story. . . . Sage is a quick wit, and Nielsen showcases it with terrific dialogue . . . chock-full of alluring details for adventure-loving boys." --LOS ANGELES TIMES
"THE FALSE PRINCE is more Harry Potter (minus the magic) than Hunger Games . . . with authentic characters, a convincing sense of danger and a genuinely high-stakes plot. . . .” --THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
"[A] well-crafted tale . . . Ruthless ambition, fierce action and plotting, complex characters, and lots of sword play and hidden passages keep pages flipping." --KIRKUS REVIEWS
"[A] surefire mix of adventure, mystery, and suspense." --THE HORN BOOK
"THE FALSE PRINCE is a gracefully written fantasy that flows from beginning to end without a hitch. . . . In addition to dynamic characters, Jennifer Nielsen has created a plot with twists and turns in all the right places." --DESERET NEWS
Jennifer A. Nielsen is the acclaimed author of THE FALSE PRINCE, the first book in the Ascendance Trilogy. She has also written The Underworld Chronicles, a humorous middle-grade fantasy series. Jen lives in northern Utah with her husband, their three children, and a perpetually muddy dog.