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The Bastard King - Dan Chernenko Book Review

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Review Summary


Roc, March 2003, 14.95, 448 pp.
ISBN 0451459148

In the Kingdom of Avornis, King Mergus took a seventh wife when his concubine gave birth to his son and heir, an action that was illegal since a monarch is only allowed six spouses. When Lanius is still a young child, his father dies and his uncle declares himself the ruler with nobody contesting his right to the throne. When he dies, Lanius is still too young and a regent is appointed to rule until the true heir comes of age.

The regent proves himself incapable of handling military matters and Lanius' mother takes over. The kingdom is under siege by the Chernagors in the North and the Menteshe in the south. The Menteshe worship the Banished One. Navy Commodore Grus is chosen as the king's protector and one of his first acts is exiling the Regent and declaring himself co-king along side Lanius. The youngster realizes that he is only a figurehead as Grus holds all the power, but the two kings, after a long struggle find they must put aside their differences if they hope to vanquish the Banished One.

Dan Chernenko has created a world so believable and different than our own, a place where magic exists and gods roam the planet, that readers will find themselves finishing the book in one sitting.


Harriet Klausner

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar


Detailed literary breakdown of The Bastard King
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 10%




Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy world/fantasy past
Political power play Yes
Political plotlets - saving govt/kingdom from external overthrow - preventing/managing clash/war between govts/kingdoms
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
Age: - a teen
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - magical being
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - almost none
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters

Setting
Earth setting: - during "Tolkien" (fairytime) times
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How much dialogue? - significantly more dialog than descript
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The Saints of the Sword - Tyrants and Kings 3 by John Marco
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
The Scepter's Return by Dan Chernenko




Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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