The Baker's Boy (The Book of Words Book1) by J.V Jones

Melliandra daughter of the wealthiest most powerful lord of the kingdoms Lord Maybor has no desire to marry the cruel Prince Kylock so she runs away. While she is running away the bakers apprentice Jack has found that he can wield sorcery fearing for his life he flees the castle. Meeting up when Jack rescues Melliandra they decide to make their escapes together. The Kings Chancellor Lord Baralis has his own plans about who Prince Kylock should marry and wanting to know about Jacks power sends mercenaries out after them. Meanwhile the Wiseman Bevlin after seeing a portent in the sky and researching a dark prophesy sends a young Knight Tawl out the find the boy who with be able to save the Known lands from their dark future.

I was not really looking forward to this book after reading the Barbed Coil but really enjoyed it there were very few characters who I did not like and find interesting. The major problem with the book was the constant failure of Jack and Melliandra to avoid capture. There constantly getting captured and escaping got repetitive. I must say that Baralis is a really entertaining villain as is Archbishop Tavalisk. I think Tavalisk is one of my favourite villains of any book the way he sits like a spider in its web manipulating events from the background.