Description
Painted Wind – Book One
The worst monsters live within us.
The warring island kingdoms of Calidore and Jardia are thrown into chaos when Calidore’s once prized, but now quite possibly half-mad, seer announces that young gravedigger Rigan North will one day capture the heart of the crown prince of Jardia—and lead Jardia to victory against Calidore. Together, Rigan and the prince will rid the Twin Kingdoms of the Shro Khan: deadly, mind-controlling monsters that terrorize the people on sand and at sea.
Desperate to maintain his stranglehold on power and prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled, the king of Calidore sends a troop of soldiers led by the legendary Aureus Corcoran to kidnap Rigan. Corcoran, who is rumored to be able to communicate with the Khan, wonders how this unremarkable, frustrating girl could ever ensnare the attentions of a would-be king even as he admires her clever attempts to escape him. But when her fiery ways and unexpected kindnesses begin to claim Corcoran’s heart, prompting him to second-guess his orders, he wonders how the prophecy could ever come true—until he learns that not only is he far more than he believed himself to be, but she may be too.
dairymaid219 –
“When you looked in the mirror just now, I saw two words in your eyes—not deserving. You have made a life out of death, my dear. … Your past may be nothing more than a graveyard, a lonely place haunted by shadows and regrets. But do not stake your identity there, Rigan. Do not carve your headstone before your time.”
Well. I have to start off with a complaint, but I was promised the ending of this book wouldn’t be a cliffhanger, and while maybe it technically isn’t, it’s close enough to count. How dare you do this to me, J.J.!
Aside from that…wow. I was captured from the first sentence, and unlike Rigan, I didn’t struggle to free myself at all. The world-building and setting are unique and fascinating, drawing you into the book and merging seamlessly with the plot to produce an incredible novel.
Rigan and Corcoran are fascinating characters on their own, but together, they’re electric. From the snarky banter to the hidden wounds to the protective instincts neither can fully smother, they capture your heart and make you want to step into the story and become their friends.
Combined with the compelling characters and fantastic worlds I’ve come to expect from Fischer are the deeper truths she doesn’t hesitate to shine a light on, challenging both her characters and readers to look and move beyond the comfortable traps into freedom and fuller lives.
I cannot wait to read the rest of this series!
bethany.aich –
Interesting from cover to cover, I am not sure how I feel about The Heart of a King as a solo book. (Keep in mind that it is book one of a continuing series, though the two MCs do get their HEA in this book.) In part, this is because—while this book has a happily ever after—it is definitely not a standalone. It wasn’t quite a cliffhanger, but there are so many unresolved plot points and now I have to WAIT…and I’m not good at waiting to find out how a plot resolves.
Another reason I feel a mite unsure is because it was just a wee bit darker than I had expected. Pretty much any story will hold me riveted, but I do especially love those I can finish with a smile on my face and a feeling of unicorns and roses, and this one wasn’t it. On the note of humour, however, there was a good deal of it offsetting the heaviness in this book. Perhaps I didn’t laugh, but I smiled several times, and highlighted several quotes and passages I found highly amusing. The female main character, Rigan North, is quite the character indeed.
Thankfully, there will not be a long wait for the rest of the books as there can typically be in traditional publishing, and good WILL eventually conquer evil.
While I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher, all thoughts and opinions within this review are my own.
candideweekes –
The Heart of the King by J. J. Fischer was an amazing read !
I really enjoy reading this book and can’t wait to read the next one !
J. J. did an amazing job in creating a fantasy world with the maps and all the details, I love when we have a map at the begining of the book 🙂
The characters are well developed and shed id a great job creating the background for all of them.
— I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publishers. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone. —
Rebekah Deedrick –
I thought this book was very interesting. It’s not my usual genre, but I gave it a chance. It was a very well written story, and I will likely continue with the series. I’m glad I took a chance on it. The characters were flawed, but grew as the story progressed. I enjoyed it.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Talita Adendorff –
Loved it!
This book is not really in my usual genre, but I loved the cover, and White Crown only publishes good books, so how could I not read it?
JJ Fischer is a new-to-me author, and I am definitely going to go and read her other books. She is an excellent writer, and the story of Rigan North and Captain Corcoran is captivating. Pun not intended. The world-building is very well done, and the story is intriguing with some interesting twists and turns.
I highly recommend reading The Heart of the King, and I can’t wait for Book 2 in the Painted Wind Series.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book, but the views and opinions are my own.
mgtnelson –
This amazing fantasy/speculative fiction book boggles my mind. Fischer has created a world with all sorts of interesting animals, plants, monsters, people groups, and cultures. Most of the book covers a rugged journey from the far north to the south, full of hilarious sparring between the two main characters, uncomfortable plot twists, more dumps in the creek/falls in the mud/fights against various enemies than you want to count, and interesting relationships that keep changing and developing. I enjoyed the book, but it is not a relaxing read. Be warned that this is the beginning of a series, so a lot of plot threads are left hanging until book 2 comes out.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
laknermegan –
Oh. My. Word. This book was epic!!!! Who would have thought reading about a female grave digger and a heroic captain of the King would become one of my top reads of the year?! From the very first page I was drawn into Rigan North’s life, and I liked her instantly. Corcoran, the captain send to kidnap her so she doesn’t fulfill a prophecy for the other kingdom, was a fierce hero as well.
I loved both characters and how they slowly learn to trust one another and, dare I say, love each other. From the world the author created, complete with fantastical animals and beauty that jumps off the page, to side characters that became friends just as quickly as Rigan and Corcoran did, I’m sad to have come to the end of this story.
But… the good news is there’s three more books yet to come in the series! The bad news… they aren’t written yet. You can bet I’m going to be waiting with bated breath for the next book in the series. I appreciate that the author left us on enough of a cliff-hanger to make you beg for the next book, but not so much of one that you want to throw said book against the wall because you don’t know what happens next.
Bottom line, buy this book! You won’t regret it.
*I read an early ARC of the book from the author/publisher. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
lanabobana –
From the start I was captivated by the unique characters of this story. Written with a depth and realness that had them pull me in and join them through their thrilling journeys. I loved how the at first unimpressive veneer was torn away to show the amazing steel and grit underneath for both characters. How true that the first look at a person’s mask rarely tells you they truly are. I loved how the banter between Rigan and Corcoran, serious one minute and laughing out loud the next. J.J. Fischer has masterfully created a wonderful world and unique world. With stunning details it is brought to life, waiting for the story to unfold along it’s winding paths, rushing waters, and teeming cities. It was impossible to set this book aside once it was started!
This fantasy tale is full of intrigue and adventure, with some romance on the side. Such a great mix of realistic and magical fantasy! I wanted to continue this dangerous journey to find out the next twist and surprise. I can’t wait for the next book in this series. It’s already on my TBR pile! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
mindyhoung –
“Honor was many things, not all of them logical or easily gleaned, but it was consistent to a fault.”
Such a wondrous and fantastical world greets me every time I open this author’s book! I discovered JJ Fischer relatively recently and loved her Nightingale Trilogy series. But this! This world is a medieval fantasy, complete with evil mystical monsters, warrior captains, powerful kings, political intrigue, mythical creatures and one overwhelming prophecy. Rigan and Corcoran are awesome main characters – I loved Rigan’s tenacity, ferocity, and quick wits that perfectly balanced Corcoran’s steadfastness, compassion, and logical intelligence. Their journey through mountains and plains was fraught with trouble, deception, betrayal and near-death experiences that kept the plot at a fast pace with tons of action. Despite Rigan and Corcoran starting out as enemies, their relationship slowly became friendship then more. Rigan’s fear of unworthiness and abandonment made her very real and Corcoran’s grief and regret made him quite relatable.
The latter half of the book was plot twists upon plot twists – my jaw was hanging open by the time the epilogue came about. I can’t wait to read the second book in the series! So much has happened in the first book that I’m not sure how the author will manage to keep the energy going but I firmly believe in her masterful skill to bring an even more jaw-dropping sequel.
I received a complimentary copy courtesy of WhiteFire Publishing and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.
jeanti.steenkamp –
Addictive Fantasy – Should Come with a Warning!
I picked up “The Heart of the King” and literally could not put it down. This book should come with an addiction warning! J.J. Fischer has created something really special here.
The story follows Rigan North, a gravedigger who’s prophesied to capture the heart of the crown prince of Jardia and help defeat these terrifying mind-controlling monsters called the Shro Khan. The premise hooked me immediately and Fischer delivers throughout.
What I loved: The world-building feels authentic, the characters are compelling, and the political intrigue keeps you guessing. Rigan’s journey from gravedigger to someone destined for greatness is genuinely engaging, and her unlikely partnership with the captain has all the tension and slow-burn development you want in fantasy. Fischer does a great job balancing action scenes with character development throughout the book. The dialogue feels natural and engaging.
My one complaint: The last few chapters felt rushed after such careful pacing throughout the rest of the book. It didn’t ruin the experience, but it was noticeable after such strong storytelling earlier on.
Despite the rushed ending, this is a solid fantasy that delivers on its promises. Fischer (who wrote The Nightingale Trilogy) has crafted an engaging story that works well as the first book in the Painted Wind series. Definitely recommend for fantasy fans looking for something new!
Looking forward to the next book in the Painted Wind series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publishers. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
kewkew34 –
The Heart of the King by J.J. Fischer is a wonderful, fantasy story with adventure and prophecy and danger and awesome characters.. It drew me in from the very first line when we learned that someone had “found the girl.” As the story goes on, we discover that there are others who are also searching for said girl, or Rigan, who has never felt that she has any value to anyone, and has been living a lonely life as a grave digger. That is until she was kidnapped on the order of the king by Corcoran and his men. What exactly does the king want with her? Who else is after her and why?
I like that we don’t really know what the prophecy exactly is at the beginning of the story, though we can sort of figure it out a bit. We learn more as the story progresses. Just like we learn more about the dreaded Shro Khan.
I love the characters and seeing them fleshed out as they make their journey. Rigan is so fiesty, yet she is also kindhearted. And you can see the struggle that Corcoran is going through as he follows the orders he has. And I just love the interactions between the two. Additionally, I just love this world the author has created. I can’t wait to read more in this series.
Highly recommended.
I received a copy of this book as a member of the review team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.