The Poison Throne

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When young Wynter Moorehawke returns to court with her dying father, but she finds her old home shadowed with fear. The king has become a violent despot, terrorizing those he once loved. His son and heir Alberon has fled into exile and now there are whispers everywhere of rebellion. Meanwhile, Alberon's half-brother Razi has been elevated to his throne. He struggles to meet his King's demands while remaining loyal to his beloved brother and to his friend-Wynter.Now, she must choose- her father or her dreams, her friend or her king, her duty... or her love.From Publishers WeeklyStarred Review. Atmospheric, complex, and intense, Kiernan's debut fantasy, set in a sort of alternate 15th-century Europe, mixes vengeful ghosts and talking cats into political intrigue. Fifteen-year-old Wynter Moorehawke's return to court after five years away should be joyous, but she fears for her dearest friends, the children of insane, tyrannical King Jonathan. Crown prince Alberon is nowhere to be found, and bastard son Razi is being unwillingly groomed to replace him. The king will go to any lengths to secure his throne, even unlocking the mysteries of a horrible killing device long thought destroyed. Wynter must keep her friends and family alive as she slowly pieces together the king's secrets. The beginning of what promises to be a powerful trilogy with YA crossover appeal, this epic starts strong and doesn't falter one iota, ending with a cliffhanger that will leave readers demanding more. (Apr.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review'Kiernan has a great sense of theatricality at her fingertips: the story unfolds and is revealed at exactly the most climatic moment ... Kiernan is masterly in her storytelling.' -- Inis Magazine, Winter 2008 'Teen novel that will baroque your world ... all the ingredients of an international bestseller ... the writing is extraordinary ... recommended for both teen and adult readers' -- Irish Independent 'power of the writing, the concentration and the wonderful attention to detail.' -- Sunday Independent 'much-acclaimed first book in the Moorehawk trilogy.' -- Sunday Tribune 'an impressive stylish debut.' -- Irish Independent 'one of the strongest emerging authors in Ireland.' -- The Clare Champion Robert Dunbar's Top 30 Children's books of 2008 'An excellent historical fantasy.' -- The Irish Times 'beautifully written ... Celine Kiernan is a superb writer ... Atmosphere oozes from every page' -- Books Ireland 'This is marvellous, vivid writing, and storytelling at its absolute best. It reminded me of the first time I read Philip Pullman - I was utterly engrossed' -- Roddy Doyle 'Striking debut novel, a fascinating historical fantasy characterized by vivid, colourful writing.' -- The Irish Times 'Well-delivered messages of friendship, familial love and tolerance.' -- Sunday Business Post 'The narrator's voice is strong and the writing stylish. An excellent story from a debut Irish author' -- CBI's Bookfest, Recommended Reading Guide 'a spectacular fantasy by a prolific, creative and multi-talented artist and author' -- The Anglo Celt 'Do you remember that sensation of growing incredulity as you read on through a manuscript? I mean that feeling of absolute happiness that an editor experiences when she realises she is not reading a few rough pages from a would-be writer, but the polishe -- Claudia Casanova, Grupo Planeta, Spain 'I was amazed to find such excellence of style and plot from a debut author. I couldn't stop reading the story until I was finished, and was left dying for more' -- Antonena Gall, AST, Russia's largest publisher 'engages her readers in a carefully-realised semi-fantastical adventure fraught with familial and political tensions and a graphic violence that is never gratuitous but more a release of the emotional tensions generated by the novel's main themes' -- Sunday Independent 'The beginning of what promises to be a powerful trilogy with YA crossover appeal, this epic starts strong and doesn't falter one iota, ending with a cliffhanger that will leave readers demanding more.' -- Publisher's Weekly 'Atmospheric, complex, and intense' -- Publisher's Weekly 'Told with great assurance and attention to detail, this is an exciting fast-paced story - very much anchored in the fears, loyalties and vulnerabilities of its sympathetically drawn characters. It makes for an absorbing read - Kiernan's plotting keeps th -- SFX Magazine ' Kiernan will stun you with her debut novel, as her extraordinarily drawn characters invite themselves into your head for a nice visit. With deep societal intrigue and political machinations at the fore, her investment in the "what if" of medieval Europe -- RT Books Review