Ascendance (Nielsen)

In a discontented kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well. As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together. An extraordinary adventure filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats.

Just weeks after Jaron has taken the throne, an assassination attempt forces him into a deadly situation. Rumors of a coming war are winding their way between the castle walls, and Jaron feels the pressure quietly mounting within Carthya. Soon, it becomes clear that deserting the kingdom may be his only hope of saving it. But the further Jaron is forced to run from his identity, the more he wonders if it is possible to go too far. Will he ever be able to return home again? Or will he have to sacrifice his own life in order to save his kingdom? The stunning second installment of The Ascendance Series takes readers on a roller-coaster ride of treason and murder, thrills and peril, as they journey with the Runaway King! And don't miss the highly anticipated fourth book in the series, The Captive Kingdom, coming October 2020!

War has come to Carthya. It knocks at every door and window in the land. And when Jaron learns that King Vargan of Avenia has kidnapped Imogen in a plot to bring Carthya to its knees, Jaron knows it is up to him to embark on a daring rescue mission. But everything that can go wrong does. His friends are flung far and wide across Carthya and its neighboring lands. In a last-ditch effort to stave off what looks to be a devastating loss for the kingdom, Jaron undertakes what may be his last journey to save everything and everyone he loves. But even with his lightning-quick wit, Jaron cannot forestall the terrible danger that descends on him and his country. Along the way, will he lose what matters most? And in the end, who will sit on Carthya's throne?

In a peaceful Carthya, Jaron leads as the Ascendant King with Imogen beside him -- but the peace he fought so long for is not destined to last. On a routine sea voyage, Jaron's ship is brutally attacked, and he is taken hostage. The mysterious captors and their leader, Jane Strick, accuse Jaron of unthinkable acts. They are also in possession of some shocking items -- including the crown and sword that belonged to Jaron's older brother, Darius. The items unearth a past Jaron thought he had put behind him. Though it seems impossible, Jaron must consider: Could Darius be alive? And what does Strick want from Jaron? Against his will, Jaron will be pulled back into a fight for the throne -- and a battle to save his kingdom. Return to Carthya to uncover new secrets, high-stakes action, and Jennifer A. Nielsen's signature breathtaking twists.

Acclaimed author Jennifer A. Nielsen brings her signature twists and high-stakes action to the fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling Ascendance Series! King Jaron has outwitted the Prozarians and returned to his own kingdom with one secret in his pocket that not even his friends know about. He's hoping that secret will help him finally bring stability to Carthya. But a surprise attack on his own land -- on the castle itself -- reminds Jaron that nothing is easy. The Prozarian Monarch threatens to crumble Jaron's entire kingdom. And that's not the only thing in danger: With old enemies and new rumors circling around him, even Jaron's relationship with Imogen is uncertain. This former False Prince will need his best tricks and many allies at his side to hold Carthya together. Praise for the Ascendance Series: A New York Times Notable Children's Book A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year A Chicago Public Library "Best of the Best" Children's Book A Cybils Award Winner * "An impressive, promising story." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review "[A] pageturner." -- The New York Times Book Review "Sage proves to be a compelling character whose sharp mind and shrewd self-possession will make readers eager to follow him into a sequel." -- The Wall Street Journal "A swashbuckling origin story... chock-full of alluring details for adventure-loving boys." -- Los Angeles Times "A fast-paced and thrilling read with twists and turns that never let up." -- School Library Journal "Gripping." -- Kirkus Reviews "Should appeal to fans of... Suzanne Collins... [A] surefire mix of adventure, mystery, and suspense." -- The Horn Book Praise for The Traitor's Game: A New York Times bestseller "The next big YA fantasy." -- Entertainment Weekly "One of the Most Anticipated YA Fantasy Books of 2018." -- Bustle "We were immediately caught up in Kestra's story, plotting beside a heroine made of strength, bravery and intelligence. Her complicated relationship with Simon and the danger sewn into every moment of her father's palace politics kept us flipping pages in time with each jaw-dropping plot twist." -- Justine Magazine "Fantasy, action and romance combine for a whirlwind ride!" -- Girls' Life "One of the Most Anticipated YA Books of 2018." -- Hypable "Nielsen creates wonderful characters in all of her novels, and she is especially talented at writing complex, intriguing females who refuse to fit into any neat categories. The first in her engrossing Traitor's Game series introduces readers to another fascinating heroine, who disrupts the plans and plots laid to trap her and insists on controlling her own narrative....Engrossing, emotional and offers plenty of promise for the series to come." -- RT Book Reviews "This rip-roaring tale has action galore with battle scenes, kidnappings, murder, intrigue, and romance....Nielsen has created a compelling world where little is as it seems." -- School Library Connection "Nielsen does a masterful job keeping readers off guard while tightening the screws of tension throughout, satisfying even the most reluctant readers." -- School Library Journal "The twists and turns of the plot make for compelling reading that should especially entertain fans of Nielsen's Ascendance trilogy." -- The Horn Book "The Traitor's Game is intrigue and adventure with a bold heroine, some forbidden romance and plenty of twists along the way." -- Shelf Awareness Praise for A Night Divided: "Like Anne Frank before her, Gerta is small but mighty, a hardheaded heroine who dreams up big ideas and refuses to give up in the face of adversity and danger. Nielsen (Mark of the Thief) evokes the constant unease of life in a divided Berlin through Gerta's sober narration... but the family never loses sight of the power of humility and forgiveness." -- Publishers Weekly

The New York Times bestselling series thrills with danger and deceit and the revelation of hidden identities that will have readers rushing breathlessly to the end. In a discontented kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well. As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together. So begins the saga of the False Prince -- journey with him toward an unpredictable fate through wild twists and turns in these first three books, collected in one volume available exclusively in ebook. And be sure to look for the fourth book in the series, The Captive Kingdom, coming this fall!