The Demon King

New York Times bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima presents the first installment in a thrilling new fantasy series, in which the lives of Han Alister and the brave Princess Raisa collide in a magical and dangerous adventure.

One day Han Alister catches three young wizard setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea. Han takes an amulet away from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard, to ensure the boy won’t use it against him. The amulet once belonged to the Demon King, who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece so powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.

Meanwhile, Princess Raisa ana’Marianna has her own battle to fight. She’s just returned to court after three years of riding and hunting with her father’s family. Raia aspires to be like Hanalea, the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But it seems that her mother has other plans for her-plans that include a suitor who goes against everything the Queendom stands for.

The Seven Realms will tremble when the lives of Han and Raisa collide in this stunning page-turner from best-selling author Cinda Williams Chima.

• "Themes of political and magical power, love, sacrifice, courage, and even revisionist history recur throughout the tale and offer the intelligent reader food for thought. The pacing of the narrative and revelation of secrets make the execution of the story itself breathtaking and an excellent choice for reluctant readers. A virtually flawless tale, this book will leave readers anxiously awaiting the next novel in The Seven Realms."
  VOYA
• "The world-making here is especially effective, with a multiplicity of settings and societal segments that interweave with one another while providing separate layers of interest and intrigue. Magic use and lore provide another such layer, but not at the expense of thoughtful and complex character development and the unsettling questioning of the mythology that grounds the precarious balance of power. Han and Raisa are convincing as impulsive teens who are nonetheless emergent leaders, and readers will eagerly await the next installment of their adventures."
  Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
• "Rich characterization and exquisite world building...Chima forges an intricate world, alloying standard genre tropes in unexpected ways and inlaying intrigue amid a delicately crafted setting of history and legend. Dozens of characters, complex and distinct in personality, are placed with jewel-like precision, set off by dark glints of villainy."
  Kirkus Reviews
• "With full-blooded, endearing heroes, a well-developed supporting cast and a detail-rich setting, Chima explores the lives of two young adults, one at the top of the world and the other at the bottom, struggling to find their place and protect those they love. An auspicious start to the planned Seven Realms [series]."
  Publishers Weekly