The Shadow Throne (Ascendance Trilogy Series #3)

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Overview

War has come to Carthya. It knocks at every door and window in the land. And when Jaron learns that King Vargan of Avenia has kidnapped Imogen in a plot to bring Carthya to its knees, Jaron knows it is up to him to embark on a daring rescue mission. But everything that can go wrong does.

His friends are flung far and wide across Carthya and its neighboring lands. In a last-ditch effort to stave off what looks to be a devastating loss for the kingdom, Jaron undertakes what may be his last journey to save everything and everyone he loves. But even with his lightning-quick wit, Jaron cannot forestall the terrible danger that descends on him and his country. Along the way, will he lose what matters most? And in the end, who will sit on Carthya's throne?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545284172
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	02/25/2014
Series:	Ascendance Trilogy Series , #3
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	267,458
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.20(d)
Lexile:	810L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Jennifer A. Nielsen is the acclaimed author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Ascendance Trilogy: The False Prince, The Runaway King, and The Shadow Throne. She also wrote the Mark of the Thief trilogy: Mark of the Thief, Rise of the Wolf, and Wrath of the Storm; the standalone fantasy The Scourge; the historical thriller A Night Divided; and Book Six of the Infinity Ring series, Behind Enemy Lines. Jennifer lives in northern Utah with her husband, their three children, and a perpetually muddy dog.

Editorial Reviews

King Jaron of Carthya is constantly facing battles and imprisonment. The kingdom of Avenia is out to conquer Carthya, and King Vardan is personally focused on torturing Jaron. Vardan knows that if cannot get to Jaron himself, he will settle for someone he cares for. Jaron's focus is split between saving his friends and his threatened country. The final installment of "The Ascendance Trilogy" finds Jaron and his allies spread thin, but his clever optimism and planned recklessness are his sharpest weapons. In true Jaron fashion, some of his plans are intricately thought out, while others are full of luck and circumstance. Both types of plans elicit heavy sighs and reluctant participation from his friends, but participation nonetheless. The text is heavy with descriptions, battle plans, and brainstorming. There's so much planning, thinking, and traveling, it feels very much like a watching a strategy game unfold. Readers who enjoy military tactics, the business of running a country, and just a hint of relationships, will feel right at home. The ending is tidy but still satisfying. Reviewer: Renee Farrah Vess; Ages 12 up.

Children's Literature - Renee Farrah Vess

2013-12-18
Jaron, irascible, incorrigible king of Carthya, faces the loss of his kingdom, his friends and his life in the gripping finale of the Ascendance Trilogy. Fresh from his foray to the pirates in The Runaway King (2013), Jaron learns than King Vargan of Avenia and allies from Gelyn and Mendenwal have invaded Carthya and captured Jaron's friend Imogen. Determined to save Imogen, Jaron attempts a rescue and fails, leaving him a prisoner and Imogen presumed dead. As he tries to cope with Imogen's death, captive Jaron discovers how much he loved her. Relying on the skills of lying, stealing and deceiving he honed as a child, Jaron outwits his captors and returns to Carthya to rally his outnumbered troops. Resolved to save Carthya, Jaron devises a series of improbable, dangerous and ingenious plans designed to surprise his enemies as well as readers. Through his self-reflective, first-person narration, Jaron confesses friendship and love have greater power to wound him than villains, plots and enemies. In the end, friendship and love win out, as Jaron and his loyal friends confront their foes to determine Carthya's future in a harrowing conclusion. From one cliffhanging episode to the next, wily Jaron's rebellious, undisciplined spirit carries the day as he battles to save everything he holds dear. (map) (Adventure. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews

Praise for the Ascendance Trilogy

A New York Times Notable Children's Book
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A Chicago Public Library "Best of the Best" Children's Book Selection
Winner of the Cybils Award for Middle-Grade Fantasy & Science Fiction

"A page-turner." -- 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

"A swashbuckling origin story . . . chock-full of alluring details for adventure-loving boys." -- Los Angeles Times

"An impressive, promising story." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Ruthless ambition, fierce action and plotting, complex characters, and lots of sword play keep pages flipping." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Should appeal to fans of . . . Suzanne Collins. . . . A sure-fire mix of adventure, mystery, and suspense." -- The Horn Book

"A fast-paced and thrilling read with twists and turns that never let up." -- School Library Journal

From the Publisher