BOOK ONE IN THE BROKEN EMPIRE TRILOGY“Prince of Thorns deserves attention as the work of an iconoclast who seems determined to turn that familiar thing, Medievalesque Fantasy Trilogy, entirely on its head.”—Locus When he was nine, he watched as his mother and brother were killed before him. By the time he was thirteen, he was the leader of a band of bloodthirsty thugs. By fifteen, he intends to … bloodthirsty thugs. By fifteen, he intends to be king…
It’s time for Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath to return to the castle he turned his back on, to take what’s rightfully his. Since the day he hung pinned on the thorns of a briar patch and watched Count Renar’s men slaughter his mother and young brother, Jorg has been driven to vent his rage. Life and death are no more than a game to him—and he has nothing left to lose.
But treachery awaits him in his father’s castle. Treachery and dark magic. No matter how fierce his will, can one young man conquer enemies with power beyond his imagining?
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Now, this is a genuinely dark novel. I had a hard time getting into it because the main character and narrator, this is a first-person novel, is such a despicable bastard. The plot jumps around from more or less the present to four years prior. During that earlier period, the reader is given some insight into why the prince it’s such a malevolent …
I just love the main character.
The main character is someone you will hate to love. The same goes for the band of followers around him (with minor exceptions). I have read the first two books in this series and have thoroughly enjoyed them. I look forward to the third.
“We ascended the Great Stair with the screams of ghosts rising beneath us. They say fear lends a man wings. None of the brothers flew up the Stair, but the way they scrambled over the slickness of the rocky throat would teach a lizard plenty about climbing. I let them lead the way. It was as good a means as any to test the footing.”
This book …
Team Jorg!
After reading through page two, I realized that this book had already hooked me with an unrelenting sense of wonder and awe. This is the most ANTI-hero I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, and he is undoubtedly evil, yet I still rooted for his victories and looked the other way with his methods. Even through all of his atrocities, the reader …
I did not finish this book. I don’t think I can praise the author’s writing abilities enough. I only read roughly 78 pages, but was very impressed with the world building and narrative. My main issue is the main character. To be clear, the main character is not written badly, it is simply that he is not the type of character I enjoy following. A …
Dark Fantasy. Not sure if you like the protagonist or not.
Prince of Thorns was an unexpected surprise. It’s been too long since I’ve read a book that makes me want to read the series. This is a in-your-face, no bars hold, and no apologies kind of violence, brutality, evil, and some sex too. So I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who isn’t an adult.
It was fast-paced and full of action that kept my …
Villains have more fun! Prince Jorg is a great character, so cynical and bitter at the world – and yet, so weirdly likeable. He’s somehow relatable, not being cut from your typical hero/fantasy cloth.
The slow revealing of the world he lives in is one of the reasons I re-read this novel. All in all it’s just a great bit of fantasy writing. A …
Yes, yes, and yes. This book was filled with the kind of “darkness and angst” that really pulls at the heart strings. Expertly crafted and woven together!
The main character is not a good person. Lawrence does not hide this fact. Jorg is a sociopath and is aware of it. He’s logical and calculated, but you none of it justifies what he does. The character never says, “I had no choice.” He wants revenge and he’ll do anything to get it.
Also, the prose is just fantastic.
3.5 stars
If you haven’t picked up Mark Lawrence’s Broken Empire trilogy because you read reviews and worried the main character would be too reprehensible, unlikable or otherwise turn you off, don’t hesitate. Lawrence’s written voice is the perfect vehicle for Jorg, and he writes with a magnificent turn of phrase.
Yes, the writer explores some very dark …
this book was my introduction tot he world of Grimdark, the world I now inhabit. Its harsh, brutal and sickeningly true to itself. If you love a world with no morals, grey heroes and no good guys, this is as good as it gets.
I loved this book! It was dark, it was unique, and Jorg was…well… not your average main character. His mind is dark, his thought sullied. Even for his fourteen years, he is ruthless, merciless, cunning and slightly mad. He’s not afraid to push the limits. To meet him, you’d probably think he was a jerk…if he allowed you to live at all.
And …
I bought the first book used. I bought all the rest new.
Fantastic writing by Mark Lawrence — Jorg’s world is an extremely brutal one but even so I found myself being sucked into the series.
It’s dark but it’s awesome