The "middle book" in a trilogy sometimes seems a bit disappointing to me, and I worried about The Runaway King, the second book in Jennifer Nielsen's Ascendance trilogy. I had love the first book (The False Prince), and didn't know how the sequel would stack up. While I couldn't rate it as highly as the first book, I'm pleasantly surprised to be able to report that The Runaway King was still an excellent book. Filled with non-stop action, this book picks up right where the first left off, and there is no lack of plot twists and turns to keep the reader interested. For me, the even better part of the book was the further development of Nielsen's main characters. The author uses this book to help and secure increase our understanding and appreciation of Jaron, Mott, Amarinda, and Imogene, and introduces a handful of new characters for us to grow to love (or hate!). 
 I thoroughly enjoyed The Runaway King, and look forward to completing the trilogy. Great read for upper elementary and middle school readers who love adventure, mystery, and action!