Book Review: The Future King by James Riley (Revenge of Magic #3)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Engaging story and characters

Cons: Slow start, post-apocalyptic setting

The Bottom Line:

Will Fort save London?

Slow start, then action and twists

That kept me engaged

Can Fort Stop the Future King?

As I was reading the second book in James Riley’s The Revenge of Magic middle grade series, I realized one problem I was having with the book was the fact that it has a post-apocalyptic element to it, and that’s not a genre I enjoy.  Still, I pressed on to give The Future King, the third in the series, a chance.  It was just released last month, so I started it right away, but if I’d been smart, I would have waited.

This book picks up almost immediately after the previous book ended.  Fort has just rescued his father, but the man is in a coma.  Oh, and half of England is under a dome.  No one knows what is happening inside the dome, but a video has been released demanding that Fort and his friends Rachel and Jia be sent to the dome or the people inside won’t be released.  While no one in charge intends to send the trio, they still find themselves there.  Will they be able to stop what is coming?

If that teaser intrigues you at all, go back and read the first two books in the series before you start this one.  I really can’t emphasize that enough.  There is so much going on in this series, and you will be lost if you jump in here.  Honestly, I could have used a few more reminders of the events of the previous book to remind me what has happened to some of these characters in the past, and it’s only been six months since I read the last book.

The book starts out a little…frustrating.  We get lots of scenes with characters teasing what is going to happen or saying “I can’t answer that question.”  Yes, some of that can build tension.  However, in this case, it just grew frustrating.

Once the quest truly gets going (and Fort and his friends are on a quest), things pick up and the action is non-stop.  There are some twists and surprises to the plot that kept me engaged, and the ending makes me curious what will happen next.  Just how fast paced is this book?  Most of it takes place in 24 hours.  Yes, that’s a lot of action for a short amount of time, but it fits the book.

Even with all that action, there is time to make the characters real, and let the main ones grow.  I can’t help but root for Fort and his friends to figure out a way to fix things against overwhelming odds.

Which brings me back to where I started this review.  The world that’s been created for this fantasy series is after a horrendous attack, and is definitely post-apocalyptic.  It’s a bit depressing to me, so if you don’t enjoy those types of stories, keep that in mind before you pick it up.  With everything else going on right now, if you want something light and fun, this isn’t it.  Having said that, I need to know where this series is going, especially after the twists of this book, so I will be back for more.

The Future King will definitely grab middle graders who are looking for an entertaining fantasy series.  As long as they are ready for the more serious subjects of the book, they will enjoy it.

Get the background you need with the rest of The Revenge of Magic series.