Fall of a Kingdom - by Hilari Bell

Watching a spoiled and spirited rich girl throw expensive ceramics is a spicy way to start a story, and that’s how the first book in the Farsala trilogy begins. The Fall of a Kingdom by Hilari Bell is an exciting young-adult novel made complete with memorable characters, a skillfully-woven plot, and an old Persian legend retold.

The fearsome Hrum, whose empire includes twenty-nine countries (or so), has attacked the country of Farsala. The prissy deghans who rule Farsala are almost sure that they and their chargers will force the enemy to surrender. But some feel like a sacrifice to the djinn will help their chances.

Soraya, the commander Merahb’s daughter, is shipped off to be a sacrifice, along with her father’s secret promise that he will save her. As a result she must spend a year hidden in a peasant’s cottage, separated from her family and the luxuries of the court, while others do battle.

Jiann is Soraya’s half-brother and he longs for his father Merahb to call him son. He also disapproves the deghans’ quibbles over honor and glory, and wishes that they would concentrate more on winning the battle with the Hrum.

Kavi, simple peddler though he is, holds power of betrayal in his hands. He must come to an understanding within himself – should he support the deghans who, though he hates them, are his people? Or the Hrum Empire, which sounds just and fair even though it keeps slaves? Kavi’s life is suddenly more than that of a simple peddler.

Battle strategies are disposed on both sides, and they finally meet on a fateful day of death and blood. Farsala is in bad shape…and yet a hero rises in an unexpected place.

This is the first book I have read by Hilari Bell, but I will run for the next in the series as soon as I am able. The humorous dialogue and adept storyline are too much to resist.



Note: This book does contain some questionable content. It requires some maturity on the reader’s part.


Update: Since I wrote this - quite a long time ago - I finished the trilogy and was very happy with it.  I liked book two, Rise of  a Hero, the best, and I thought that Forging the Sword was very dull - until the end.  Oh, wow, wow, wow, it has a tremendous ending.  I get hyper just thinking about it.  My dad's one complaint, which I sort of agree with, it is sort of hard to identify with the main characters.  But otherwise, great fantasy!