The Pretender's Crown: The Inheritors'; Cycle Book 2

Rating NR Genre fantasy Author C.E. Murphy Publisher Del Rey External Links

Echon is a continent ruled by religion and politics, a treacherous world for those born to wield the witchpower. Belinda Primrose, assassin and bastard daughter to Lorraine, Queen of Aulun, is set on a dangerous journey that has her crossing paths with her one-time lover, Javier de Castille, King of Gallin. This assignment puts Belinda in a position to be of real use to her mother, who covets the thrones of Gallin and Essandia. 

After an uncontrolled burst of his own witchpower leaves a priest injured, Javier becomes an unwilling pawn for his uncle, the King of Essandia. A devout follower of the Ecumenical Church, the Essandian ruler is determined to use his nephew to bring the heretical Aulun back into the folds of the one true faith no matter the cost. 

There are far deeper things afoot than conquest, though. A secret of unearthly origin that will set Belinda’s and Javier’s destinies on a much different path. 

C.E. Murphy has a beautiful, lyrical style that holds the reader spellbound as they journey through this brilliant, engaging story. Set in an alternate Elizabethan-like world, this tale of politics, intrigue, war and religion transcends fantasy and takes the genre to another level. The Daedelian plot woven masterfully through two books, picks up steam in this second installment of The Inheritor’s Cycle, growing ever more intriguing. I am looking forward to the next story. 

Unfortunately, there is one major drawback that must be mentioned. The Pretender’s Crown is Book Two and cannot be read as an independent novel on its own. The world-building is so complex that one gets lost quickly in the opening pages. I recommend reading The Queen’s Bastard, Book One, before delving into The Pretender’s Crown. It is ultimately a very fulfilling reading experience and not to be missed.

Murphy is an exceptional storyteller, whose past work includes The Walker Papers, The Negotiator Trilogy and Winter Moon with Mercedes Lackey and Tanith Lee.