The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima | Teen Ink

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

April 11, 2014
By bookies BRONZE, Cincinnati, Ohio
bookies BRONZE, Cincinnati, Ohio
1 article 0 photos 2 comments

“Though I haven’t read anything by Ms. Chima before, I can safely say that her world
building skills are absolutely fantastic!” ~ The Book Smugglers





“4.22 out of 5 stars!” ~ Good reads.com
Do you like fantasy? Or epic stories that draw you in? Well, then, this book is for you! The Demon King is the story of a boy named Han, who has spent his life as a thief and a street lord. His family has continually struggled to make ends meet and he acknowledged this as the only way to provide for them.
On the silken side of his life, though, he has spent every summer with the clans, in the spirit mountains. There he spent his days with his two friends Bird and Dancer. Though once a thief, lately, he has been trying to change and make money for his family in other ways, like selling goods back n’ forth from the clans and the people of Fellsmarch. The people of Fellsmarch consider the clans as savages and refuse to interact with them. Han is one of the few people who take the initiative of traveling the goods to and fro. The only thing that separates Han from any other human is the silver cuffs he has worn around his wrists and can’t seem to remove. He has had them since the day he was born.
One fateful day Han sees three young wizards traveling through the spirit mountains, where they are forbidden. The wizards are also setting fire to the woods. Han and his friend Dancer manage to force the wizards away. Dancer and Han manage to collect one of the wizard’s amulets. It’s a curled green serpent on a golden chain. From that moment on Han’s life completely changes for the worst.

Meanwhile……
Raisa ana Marianna is soon to be the queen of the Fells. She is also close to encountering her 16th birthday, bringing lavish parties and the dance of the suitors. Raisa is resentful of that idea though. She isn’t used to the princess life, for she has spent the past three years at the Demonai Camp and is reluctant to leave. Raisa desperately wants not to go back to her life at Fellsmarch Castle. One good thing is arisen, she will soon be able to see her best friend Amon Byrne again. Byrne, on the contrary has changed.
Things I loved about this book!
~The world building is marvelous, it gives me a precise picture of the book, but still allows me to envision the world myself and my own way.
~The writing style is absolutely beautiful though not too poetic, but still elegant.
~What makes this book really good is there isn’t a romance between Han and Raisa making it in cliche and new.
~This book mixes high fantasy, a little bit of romance and a bit of The Outsiders in the perfect new blend that will keep you on your heels!

I would recommend these books for anyone from 13-and up. It is YA, but it does have adult fantasy elements. Really the only thing that separates it from an adult fantasy is dialing down on violence, language, two characters’ passion towards each other and lack of characters. For example Game of Thrones has 12 main characters. The Demon King only has two protagonists.


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lucap BRONZE said...
on Apr. 21 2014 at 6:00 pm
lucap BRONZE, Cincinnati, Ohio
2 articles 0 photos 3 comments
Nice job like the use of the review at the start and the refernce to game of thrones!