Review: A Coronation of Kings (A Kingdom Divided #1) by Samuel Stokes

A Coronation of Kings (A Kingdom Divided #1)

by 

Samuel Stokes

Tyranny. Desperation. Rebellion. 

While Tristan may be the heir to the House of Listar, at heart he’s more a lad than a lord. 

Mad with power, the ruthless and scheming Baron of Belnair will stop at nothing to gain the crown. In the dead of night, the Baron massacres Tristan’s family and burns their home to the ground. Desperate and alone, Tristan must fight for his life and his people. 

With everything at stake, Tristan must unite the unlikeliest of allies to block the Baron's ascent. For the first time in his life, he must become the leader he was born to be. 

The Baron’s armies grow as an ancient magic stirs in the mountains. If Tristan fails, the throne, his freedom, and the love of his life will be lost forever. 

My Take:

The golden throne has stood vacant for a hundred years, but a power-mad baron will stop at nothing to take it.

Tristan Listar watches helplessly as his family is massacred and his home burned to the ground. The villains who performed this heinous act were soldiers of the Baron of Belnair. Bereft of family, home, and even country, Tristan must unite the most unlikely allies to prevent the murderous baron from ascending the throne.

Content:

Drug Content:

PG - One of the characters in this book is a drunkard. 

Violence:

PG-13 - There's a war going on in this book, so there's a great deal of fighting, especially in the latter half. A man is decapitated. A person is shoved through a window and falls to his death. A battalion of soldiers burns alive. A man with a sword buried in his chest manages to battle several opponents. A man is tortured and beaten nearly to death. A magic wielder destroys a ship full of pirates. Cannon and cutlass abound. But for the most part, the violence is not gratuitously graphic.

Language:

G - squeaky clean.

Adult Content:

G - There's some love interest between Tristan and the girl he likes, but the level of romance in this novel is what you would expect in a Disney movie.   

Christian content:

Nada. I'd place the belief structure in the book somewhere between the Norse mythology and that of the Greeks. The basic premise of this world is one in which the AllFather creates a race of demigods with incredible powers, which they abuse and are somewhat disenchanted. On the positive side, there is self sacrifice, honor, duty, depicted against villainy, deceit, and intrigue.

Final analysis:

I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced fantasy. Great world-building, exciting action, sterling characters vs. classic villains. A solid plot line leaving you satisfied yet wanting more. Stokes has painted a solid picture of good versus evil, and   Five Stars!

About the Author:
Many people love to read a great fantasy book. I love to live it! When I am not glued to my keyboard busily writing my next work, I can be found clad head to foot in armor, LARPing like a mad man. For those not familiar with the notion, LARP stands for Live Action Role Play where people get in costume and armor and fight over real-life battlefields. It's action packed and amazing, which is exactly how I like to write.

In my work, you will find yourself submerged in thrilling new fantasy worlds. Each coursing with conflict that transpires at an incredible pace. I draw on experiences from my life and time spent living in Australia, the U.S.A, and Japan to enrich the narrative of my books and provide you a taste of familiarity, as you plunge headlong into a scintillating new world. 

If you enjoy my work, and I very much hope you will. Please take the time to connect with me via Amazon, Facebook or my website (www.samuelcstokes.com). I'd love to hear what you have to say.