A Queen in Hiding

October 14, 2019
Spanning the course of 12 years, Kozloff’s sweeping debut fantasy, the first in the Nine Realms series, introduces a vast cast and an intricate universe. After a political betrayal, Queen Cressa of Weirandale is exiled. She joins her husband on the high seas, working to wipe out the threat of piracy as part of her long-term plan to retake the throne, and sends her eight-year-old daughter, Cerulia, into hiding with a common family who know the child as Wren. As the years pass, Wren develops the ability to communicate with animals and Cressa’s quest takes a tragic turn. Meanwhile, Weirandale’s regent, Matwyck, searches for the missing princess, seeing her as a threat. Elsewhere, a group of zealots from the kingdom of Oromondo invade their neighboring countries, leading to a guerilla war. This series opener is literary, ambitious, and epic in scope, but it is unclear how the disparate plot threads will connect, and the novel ends just as the story picks up. Readers will be left hooked but unsatisfied. Agent: Nell Pierce, Sterling Lord Literary.

January 1, 2020

DEBUT When Queen Cressa of Weirandale is betrayed in a political conspiracy, she is exiled. She joins her husband on the seas fighting pirates as a way to win back her country, placing her eight-year-old daughter, Cerulia, with a commoner family who call her Wren. Weirandale's Lord Regent Matwyck continues to search for the missing royals, hoping to prevent their possible return. As the years pass, Wren's talent to talk with animals grows, but she continues to stay hidden from Matwyck's search. Queen Cressa's quest to cull the pirates ends in tragedy, and the country of Oromondo begins to invade its neighbors as no queen with talent sits upon the throne. VERDICT While the worldbuilding is vast and the characters complex, the multiple points of view may cause some to get lost in this debut series opener. This is the first in a projected quartet that will publish through April 2020, giving readers hope for further action-filled plots and disparate story lines to come together.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2019
Kozloff's epic fantasy quartet is being released in back-to-back months, making it a good fit for those looking for that binge-reading experience. In the first volume, Kozloff thoroughly sets the stage for her immersive saga about a young queen fighting to reclaim her throne from corrupt councillors against the backdrop of a devastating war. At eight years old, Cer�lia, Princess of Weirandale, should have had her magical Talent announced, but no one believes her when she claims to talk to animals. Queen Cressa can enchant minds, a useful Talent indeed when she uncovers a plot to kill her and use Cer�lia as a figurehead. They flee; Cer�lia becomes a foundling in a rural village, while Cressa strategizes and ultimately fails to defeat her enemies. Kozloff makes good use of classic fantasy tropes to craft a compelling and cinematic story that will feel familiar to fantasy lovers. The book is most absorbing when focused on the smart, insightful Cer�lia, but multiple viewpoints and expansive world building contribute to the grand scale. This is a solid beginning to an ambitious saga of magic, intrigue, and heroism.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)

October 15, 2019
A queen and her young daughter are forced to separate and go into hiding when a corrupt politician tries to take over the kingdom. Queen Cressa of Weirandale is worried about her 8-year-old daughter, the "princella" Cer�lia. The people of Weirandale worship a water spirit, Nargis, who grants each queen a special gift called a Talent. Cressa herself is able to meddle with memories, for example, and her mother possessed supernatural strategic abilities that served her well in battle. Cer�lia, however, appears to have none, because surely her insistence that she can talk to animals is only her young imagination running wild. When Cer�lia's many pets warn her about assassins creeping into the royal chambers, the girl is able to save herself and her mother. Cressa uses her Talent, which actually extends to forcing anyone to tell her the truth, to root out traitors among the aristocracy, led by the power-hungry Lord Matwyck. Fearing for her daughter's life and her own, Cressa takes Cer�lia and flees. Thinking Cer�lia will be safer away from her mother, Cressa takes the girl to a kind peasant family and adjusts their memories so they believe Cer�lia is their adopted daughter. Kozloff's debut is the first of four Nine Realms books, and Tor plans to publish them over just four months. Luckily, the series opener is a strong start, so readers will be grateful for the short wait before Book 2. Kozloff sets a solid stage with glimpses into other characters and nations while keeping the book together with a clear, propulsive plot. A new series starts off with a bang.

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