The Poisoned King by Katherine Rundell
The Poisoned King
by Katherine Rundell
Fantasy | Middle-grade
304 Pages
Released September 2025
Rating: ★★★★
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Content Warnings
This is the second book in the highly regarded series by Katherine Rundell. There’s just something about these books that really draw me in, and I’ve been highly anticipating the second installment after having read Impossible Creatures last year.
This book follows Christopher, who is once again drawn into the world of the Archipelago. This time, there is a mysterious poison killing dragons and Jacques has come to fetch Christopher to help figure out what is going on. He teams up with Anya, Princess of Dousha, who has escaped her Kingdom on a quest to clear her father’s name. Realizing that their goals align, the two work together to figure out what, or who, is killing the dragons.
It was wonderful seeing some familiar faces and I was excited to return to the world of the Archipelago. I really adored that we got to spend more time with Jacques, the small but full-of-personality dragon, who I think is one of the most charming characters in the series. I loved the new characters in this book as well and really enjoyed the dynamic between Christopher and Anya.
I also found the plot to be a little more engaging this time around - not to mention a little less devastating. There’s something about a mystery book that makes for a good read and the pacing felt much more steady in this one.
My complaints remain the same, I just really wanted more world-building out of this novel. I loved being introduced to new mythical creatures (the bestiary in this and the book before it is one of my favorite parts!), I still feel like Rundell has barely scratched the surface of the Archipelago and it’s lore. That said, I found out recently that the series has been expanded to five books, so I’m really hoping to see more world-building in future installments.
This series is already getting massive hype and while I don’t fully agree that Rundell is on the same level as Tolkien, her books have been very enjoyable so far. Overall, I think this was a fantastic follow-up to the original and I’m excited to see where the story goes. If you’re looking for a fantastic new middle-grade to dive into, definitely check out the Impossible Creatures series!