The Poison Throne

You leave your lovely, tolerant peaceful kingdom to go north for just five minutes and when you come back everything's gone to hell. When Wynter and her father come home after a few years in the Northlands, there's gibbets everywhere and a missing prince and nobody's allowed talk to cats or ghosts without ending up in one of the gibbets and the royal bastard is about to become the royal prince whether the royal bastard wants it or not, and if he objects his very good friend may end up in a very uncomfortable chair. Wynter and Razi and Christopher find things fairly uncomfortable as it is, brutally forced into a corner, they are faced with fewer and fewer alternatives.

With three strongly-drawn characters caught up in an ever tightening show more noose, this is a tense and dramatic story of politics and court intrigue and personal survival in a claustrophobic world going to hell in a handbasket. Top-notch fantasy. show less

For all that one might call this a mix of high fantasy and historical fantasy, there's relatively little of swordfights and magic in 'The Poison Throne.' Instead, what Kiernan offers us is a moving tale of friendship and friendships betrayed, of childhood friendships lost and found and perhaps lost again, of broken promises between powerful lifelong friends.

Young Wynter and her father Lorcan, an associate of the King, return to court from years in the North, only to find all has changed, and a darkness fallen over the place where Wynter spent many happy years of her childhood. She is happily reunited with the King's bastard son, Razi, her lifelong friend, but soon learns royal Heir Alberon, another childhood friend, is missing, and for show more mysterious reasons is being shunned by his father. Troubled by the ongoings, and fearful for her father's fragile health, both Wynter and Razi have some serious decisions to make, with many lives on the line – and the country's future in question.

An undercurrent of dark secrets runs through the tome. What's this terrible machine Lorcan makes vague reference to? Where IS Alberon, and what is he up to? What's the King's true agenda? These unanswered questions make for a keen air of suspense elevating the story past being largely political.

I think the tale exceeds when we're shown the interactions between the characters. The obviously close friendship between Razi and his pal Christopher; the scenes where Lorcan and his old friend King Jonathon confront each other, but are obviously still very close; the many instances in which the characters, in a moment of vulnerability, open up to each other. You really get a feel for the characters are people, as friends, as siblings. The story does a great job of highlighting the bonds these individuals share. The only thing I'm uncertain about is where the bulk of the story is taking place. There are references to Europe, and an Italian character, so obviously its quasi-real world, but the "actual" location is unclear (at least to me).

Overall, I found that there is just enough action, paired with the suspense, and just a dash of romance, to make for an easy and addictive read. show less

More appropriately this could be considered historical fiction with fantasy overtones I suppose, but talking cats, infuriated ghosts and magic tends to make think 'fantasy' so fantasy it shalt be called. Also this is considered Young Adult by the author and most places I looked it up, I suppose since Wynter is 15 years old, Chris is 18 (I think) and Razi is 19 that makes sense, but I'll warn you for content regardless since it feels like there is more of the following than I normally read in YA. There is violence, torture and no small amount of sexual innuendo happening.

Onto the book itself! There is a lot to recommend this novel for fantasy fans; its a medieval setting, royalty is the main seat of power, court intrigue and political show more machinations saturate this novel as well. We start out with Wynter Moorehawke and her father Lorcan Moorehawke returning home from 5 years in the North (keeping the peace for King Jonothan). But things aren't working out how Wynter, or Lorcan I imagine, thought they would. From the odd reception at the front gate, to the fact that the court seems suspended with a level of tenseness neither remembers, events begin adding up to a to create an upsetting picture.

As I said Wynter is 15 years old, but circumstances and life make her seem much older. She has to bear up under some stressful situations. Her father's rapidly deteriorating health, her one friend banished and the other keeping secrets, the knowledge that her beloved cats were all killed, and turbulent feelings over Razi's new friend Chris. She had uncertainties, fears and doubts that plagued her and made her act out in impulse instead of reason. But beneath it all there was a core of steel built not only from her own willpower and determination, but also from years in court life.

The 'action' of the novel comes in segments with long interludes of conspiracy and maneuvering as players began their gambits. Kiernan doesn't let any of her characters fall into one category; King Jonothan (the 'bad guy' of the book, for various reasons) is shown to be cruel and merciless at times, but with Lorcan (an old friend and the Lord Protector) he is all doubts and pleas to understand. Razi, a Doctor and the second in line to the throne (he is the bastard son of Jonothan and an Arabian mistress) is fiercely loyal to his friends and to his brother (the rightful, but banished heir Alberon) but his loyalty is at a cost as he slips further away in his efforts to keep them safe.

The truth of what is going on is murky and changes depending on who you ask. Jonothan is certain his rightful heir Alberon is plotting a coup with a machine Jonothan swore would never see the light of day again. Razi thinks Jonothan is off his rocker and making a huge mistake. Wynter can't believe that her childhood friend Albi, who idolized Razi so much throughout their childhood, could be such a vicious fellow now. The court is certain that Razi is the bad guy, that Jonothan is bewitched and Razi is trying to usurp Alberon's place. What I found fascinating is how quickly a mass of people, who have known Razi all their lives, are willing to turn on him when their expectations are tested.

This book ends in heart-breaking decisions. Decisions that were as hard to read about as they were for the characters to live. I don't know if I could have been strong enough to do what Wynter does. Or to live with myself if I could.

Book 2: The Crowded Shadows is available now (review coming soon) and the third and final book, The Rebel Prince, is due out in October. It can't come quickly enough! show less

Wow. I hadn't expected to enjoy "The Poison Throne" so much - but I enjoyed it more than most of the debut novels I’ve read in recent times.

The Poison Throne is the first in a trilogy about the adventures of 15 year old Wynter Moorehawke.

Wynter makes a fascinating study in the fortitude and self-possession it takes for a woman to navigate life at court while maintaining her own ideas, opinions, and agendas. Although she is not noble by birth, her father was named Protector Lord by the King, and Wynter is the Protector Lady. As such, she grew up at court in the company of Razi and Alberon, the king's two sons. Alberon is the legitimate heir to the throne; Razi is older but illegitimate, so he has been trained for life as a doctor.

The show more story begins with Wynter and her father returning to her homeland after a 5 year absence, eager to see her princely childhood friends - only to find everything has radically changed. Razi has recently returned from Padua and the Moroccos, where he has been furthering his medical studies. Lorcan, once a confidante of the King, had been sent to the northern lands as a royal emissary – but now is very ill and being held at arms-length. Once kindly King Jonathan appears to have gone insane, formally declaring his heir Alberon dead and attempting to replace him with his illegitimate son, Razi, despite Razi’s resistance and the outcry of the entire kingdom. Talking cats, once somewhat revered, have been exterminated; ghosts are decreed to not exist; and death awaits anyone who attempts to converse with either.

Wynter, together with Razi and his new best friend, the enigmatic Christopher Garron, must get to the bottom of the mysteries surrounding the castle - where is Alberon and why has he disappeared? Why is King Jonathan going off the deep end? And what does the rumoured "bloody chair" have to do with Wynter's ailing father and King Jonathan's past and present.

Wynter is forced to decide between loyalty to her friends, loyalty to her country, and loyalty to her father. She does not decide lightly, but her course of action shapes the events for the last two books in the series.

The Poison Throne is not only beautifully written but also has elements of magic, history and romance. I have learnt, after many years of reading, that the author's ability to conjure scenes lies in their ability to pay attention to the smallest details. Celine's characters are still swimming in my head, weeks after reading the first part of this exciting trilogy; I galloped through the forest with Wynter, plotted Razi's escape with him and laughed at Christopher's wicked sense of humour.

I enjoyed "The Poison Throne" so much I went out and ordered the rest of the series by the time I was up to page 50! show less

The Poison Throne is the engaging first book in The Moorehawke Trilogy, which was first published in Ireland in 2008. It seems to be directed toward a young adult audience; but aside from the fact that the heroine is 15 years old, there is little to distinguish it from an adult fantasy. In fact, the ethical and moral dilemmas posed in the book make it quite adult, even if there are ghosts and talking cats inhabiting its pages.

The author has stated that the book is set in the mid-1400’s or so, though it involves a Europe that never existed, one in which there was never a Moorish invasion or any crusades. Europe is much more fragmented than it was in our world, with many small powers that are always shadowed by aggressive larger ones. show more Kiernan is careful to keep many of the details of her book within the realm of a parallel reality, so that her heroine’s status as an apprentice carpenter, for instance, is support by guild records showing a few women having attained journeyman status in the trades in those times in our world. The world-building here is quite nicely done, not intruding overly into the plot, but so fully realized that there are no discordant notes that might throw a reader out of the story.

Wynter and her father, Lorcan, have returned to the capital of Jonathon’s kingdom after five years of exile in the north, apparently to help quell a rebellion (though this is never explained to my satisfaction). They find that much has changed in the ensuing years. Jonathan has become a violent despot so afraid of threats against his throne that he has actually succeeded in creating threats. Not least among them is his son, Alberon, whom he has disowned. Jonathon seeks to elevate his illegitimate son, Razi, to the position of heir to the throne, a position that Razi neither seeks nor wants. Jonathon’s actions put Razi in danger, as those loyal to Alberon believe Razi has somehow bewitched his father – a conclusion that they feel is explained by the fact that Razi is a Musulman (or Muslim, as we would say). Jonathon has also forbidden anyone to speak with cats (who are as arrogant, haughty and dismissive of humans as they are in our own world, but who here can say the things we always imagine our own cats are thinking) or to acknowledge the presence of ghosts, even as they gobble trays of tarts before his subjects’ very eyes.

Wynter is quickly ensnared in the political strife rending the kingdom, in large part because her father’s health is swiftly declining. She was close to Razi when they were children, and is close to his heart again upon their return; they are as brother and sister. Razi’s constant companion, Christopher, becomes close to her in a different way, as she feels herself falling in love with him, despite his tomcatting ways. But Razi must distance himself from Wynter, and finds he must also send Christopher away when his friendship with the man leads to rumors of a sexual relationship, a type of relationship not merely frowned on but punishable by death in this culture and period.

I found this book interesting primarily because shows an epic fantasy from the other side, as it were: a young woman and her father seem to be firmly supportive of a king who is just barely short of a tyrant. Why they stand by him is not yet clear, but there are bits and pieces of the plot that indicate Jonathon and Lorcan share a military past that put Jonathon on the throne – though that is somewhat confusing, as it seems that Jonathon’s father was also king. And Razi, too, seems to be a less than ideal leader. Perhaps he is merely a character in his time, but the scenes in which Razi is inflicting torture on a would-be assassin are unusual; most heroes of fantasy novels reject such conduct outright, regardless of how out-of-place such a rejection would be in the real world.

I hope the politics become a bit clearer as the series progresses, because they are central to these novels. In fact, little happens after about the midpoint of the book except political maneuvering. For me, this makes the book more interesting than would an action or adventure focus. I’d rather read about relationships than wars. But as the book ends, it seems war is exactly where things are headed.

Wynter is the type of strong female character I love to find in a novel, and especially in a young adult novel. Her work is unusual for a girl, and she is very good at it; she has even learned well how to handle men who think she shouldn’t be allowed to do what she does. She can handle herself politically in difficult situations, but is also vulnerable and confused when she does not understand what is going on. I admired her bravery as much as I sympathized with her confusion and fear.

I’ve already begun reading The Crowded Shadows, the next in this series, and hope I find it as good a read as The Poison Throne. I can’t say I find these novels the equal of the best young adult fantasy and science fiction – not as new and exciting as, say, The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness (reviewed here) or Skin Hunger by Kathleen Duey (reviewed here), they are fun to read and especially thought-provoking for the young adult who is starting to follow politics. show less

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

After five years away on the King’s business, Wynter Moorehawke and Lorcan, her father, have returned to court. Though they are carpenters of common birth, they also serve their friend, King Jonathan, as Lord and Lady Protector. Wynter is excited to be reunited with her childhood friends Alberon and Razi, the King’s legitimate and illegitimate sons, respectively. They were like brothers to her and she and Lorcan were practically part of the King’s family. But it quickly becomes clear that things have changed dramatically since she’s been gone. King Jonathan has become a tyrant, and with her father’s fading health, Wynter realizes that even her own life could be in danger.

The Poison show more Throne is a pleasant read due to some immediately engaging characters: Wynter, Lorcan, Razi, Razi’s new friend Christopher, a ghost, and a palace cat. Kate Rudd, who narrated the audio version (Brilliance Audio), did a nice job with each of them. (I’ve noticed that Ms Rudd is especially good with books with young female protagonists.) I liked all of these characters right from the start — there are many tender moments in The Poison Throne and this was definitely the best part of the book.

Except for the opening and closing scenes, all of the plot occurs inside the castle grounds (most inside the castle itself) and involves a lot of political maneuvering, silly court behavior, sneaking around, concern and conversation about what everyone else thinks and does, etc. It’s a lot of emotion and angst (“Oh, Razi!” “Oh, Christopher!” “Oh, Dad!”) and some of the characters’ interactions and decisions are sometimes hard to believe.

The general setting and history are a bit far-fetched, too. For example, we’re told that this kingdom had formerly been stable, prosperous, and happy, with the royal family enjoying favor among the people. King Jonathan was a good and fair man until recently. If so, why is Wynter (as soon as she returns, before she realizes that things have changed) so hung up on perfectly proper courtly behavior? Why does she worry that the court will eat Christopher alive if he makes a social blunder? She’s so concerned that he’ll never be accepted because of his common ancestry — yet she used to be a commoner, too. Plotwise, it’s unclear why King Jonathan has to order his thuggish personal guard to kill people so that he can stop them from going out the guarded castle gate. Since he’s such a tyrant, why doesn’t he just tell the guards at the gate not to let them through? These things (and a few others) may be perfectly explainable — perhaps I missed something — but there were several times that I felt like I only had a loose grasp on why some things were happening or why Wynter, Razi, and Christopher had to take certain drastic and dangerous actions. I just wasn’t convinced about a few important aspects of the plot.

In the end, there is a lot more angst than believable plot in The Poison Throne and it takes a long time to get to what feels like “Scene 2” at the end of the book. However, because the characters are so endearing, it’s pleasant to spend time with them, even when they are just sitting around wondering what's going on. Because there’s a mystery to solve and it feels like something exciting may actually be starting to happen (we’re leaving the castle!), I have to admit that I’m looking forward to reading on in The Crowded Shadows. If you don’t insist on a quick and tight plot, The Moorehawke Trilogy may turn out to be a fun story. I recommend trying it on audio. show less

The three books of the series are The Poison Throne, The Crowded Shadows and The Rebel Prince. I'm reviewing them together partly because it would be hard to write individual reviews without a ton of spoilers...but also because I was insanely addicted to the series and read all three books in a row, and in a ridiculously short amount of time. Oh - and fair warning - there will be gushing to follow.

Here, friends. Here is a series to get lost in. This world, these people...they don't let you keep them on the pages of the book for long. I got so completely caught up in the adventures of Wynter, Razi and Christopher; when I would set the books down for something it would take me a disorienting moment to remember that I wasn't actually with show more them and part of the story. That, my friends, is the biggest gift a book can give you.

The politics, characters and different tribes and nations of people are all so layered and complex. I'm already looking forward to rereading the series sometime in the future because I know there is enough to the story that I will be picking up all kinds of things that I missed the first time.

I could never critique these books by saying "I didn't like what this character did in this situation" or "I wish she had written this part different" because...of course there are things I wish the characters hadn't done, or things that I wish had happened differently. Reading these books means watching a world unfold. (I did warn you there'd be gushing.) But, fair warning, there is a lot of intensity, and a lot of things that are hard to read (like human sacrifice).

In a lot of ways, reading is a never-ending search for books like these...the ones that give you a complete escape. If you like that feeling (and you know the one I'm talking about), then this really is a trilogy you shouldn't miss. show less