The Heart of the King

By J.J. Fischer

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.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FJXSMLS8
• ISBN13: 9798887091389
• Release Date: August 2025
• Publisher: Whitecrown
• Length: 314 Pages
• Weight: 0.84 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

jaw-dropping medieval fantasy

"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.