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Cami Murdock Jensen writes clean fantasy: vast worlds, hard choices, and characters who earn their victories. Her stories keep the stakes high and the content clean, so readers know what they're getting before they open the cover.
Forging Kings is her new adult epic fantasy series, planned as six books told in two three-book arcs. A young king must harness new powers as he battles a mythical forest that lures in victims with false emotions and his ruthless family that seeks to destroy his fledgling nation. The saga opens with Kingdoms Fallen and Found. It is longer and darker than her earlier work and is written for readers who love sprawling, character-driven epic fantasy.
Cami's first series, the Arch Mage Series, is a complete five-book YA fantasy. It's a natural entry point for younger readers and for anyone who wants to read her work from the beginning.
Away from the page, Cami is a mother of six and grandmother of nine. She and her husband, Ken, run her publishing business together. Ken manages the business side so she can focus on the next book. Readers can find her books, signed copies, and newsletter at camimurdockjensen.com.
Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite
Kingdoms Fallen and Found by Cami Murdock Jensen is the first book in the Forging Kings: The Sword of Gaia series. Paelinar did not want the crown. However, he has little choice when a bloody coup leaves him and his people with only one option: to hide in the wilderness. He doesn’t care about power; only about keeping everyone alive. Soon their haven is no longer safe when an earthquake unleashes something as dangerous as it is ancient. The Lure is a supernatural entity that spreads by luring people into the darker parts of themselves through false promises. The more Paelinar works to keep his people safe, the more the Lure tries to tempt him. But this is the least of his problems, as his brother is getting dangerously close to finding him and is willing to do anything to keep him away from the throne.
Cami Murdock Jensen creates a complex adventure with two threats circling Paelinar: his brother and the Lure. Jensen does a great job of creating a setting that feels original and fantastical, with vivid details that incorporate creatures and magic into the natural surroundings. These make the stakes that Paelinar faces organic in the story. The other characters pair well with him, each providing either a contrast or a balance to who he is, such as Ruulun. He is a father figure who gives Paelinar guidance throughout, compared to his brother, who wants to destroy everything he has. Kingdoms Fallen and Found is a fantasy adventure that is easily addictive, with endearing characters that you’ll quickly care about and a hero’s journey that is original.
