The Runaway King

In this solid sequel to The False Prince (2012), newly crowned King Jaron of Carthya, once a poor orphan known as Sage, must flee the kingdom he has just inherited in order to escape both would-be assassins and the misguided control of his incompetent regents. Although older and supposedly wiser than him, they refuse to believe the evidence that Carthya is about to be attacked by the neighboring kingdom of Avenia, which has made an alliance with the deadly pirates of Tarblade Bay. Jaron, as headstrong and sure of himself as ever (not to mention a terminal smartass), concocts a wild plan to singlehandedly defeat the wicked pirate king Devlin. Unfortunately, by refusing to take advice from anyone, Jaron manages to insult most of the people who are actually loyal to him. As in the earlier book, Nielsen tells an exciting, breakneck tale, and Jaron remains an entertainingly surly antihero; however, while the villains are certainly evil enough, they are perhaps too easily manipulated by the young king. Ages 10–14. Agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. (Mar.)