Prince of Thorns (The Broken Empire, #1)

by Mark Lawrence

From the publisher that brought you Game of Thrones… Prince of Thorns is the first volume in a powerful new epic fantasy trilogy, original, absorbing and challenging.

Before the thorns taught me their sharp lessons and bled weakness from me I had but one brother, and I loved him well. But those days are gone and what is left of them lies in my mother's tomb. Now I have many brothers, quick with knife and sword, and as evil as you please. We ride this broken empire and loot its corpse. They say these are violent times, the end of days when the dead roam and monsters haunt the night. All that's true enough, but there's something worse out there, in the dark. Much worse.

From being a privileged royal child, raised by a loving mother, Jorg Ancrath has become the Prince of Thorns, a charming, immoral boy leading a grim band of outlaws in a series of raids and atrocities. The world is in chaos: violence is rife, nightmares everywhere. Jorg has the ability to master the living and the dead, but there is still one thing that puts a chill in him. Returning to his father's castle Jorg must confront horrors from his childhood and carve himself a future with all hands turned against him.

Mark Lawrence's debut novel tells a tale of blood and treachery, magic and brotherhood and paints a compelling and brutal, and sometimes beautiful, picture of an exceptional boy on his journey toward manhood and the throne.

• ISBN13: 9780007423637
• Publish Date: 12 April 2012 (first published 1 August 2011)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: HarperVoyager
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 416
• Language: English
• URL: http://harpercollins.co.uk

Reviews

[natpatreads]

2.5*

I struggle to rate this book - there are things I greatly enjoyed in it, but also so much that was so awful!

But fair warning - this book is not for everyone - in fact if you struggle with any aspect of dark fantasy keep this far away from you.
(E.G. if you have no time to reflect or have compassion for Snape by the end of Harry Potter don't even think about reading this.)

Jorg Ancrath is the Prince of Anrath who really is the least like any "Disney Prince" that a prince could be. I enjoy a "good" anti-hero....he is beyond that. He actively instigates and ignores blatant abuse and evil that is around him. He leads a band of outlaws in a world where almost everyone is doing something evil and/or chaotic. This world is brutal, chaotic, and quite evil - and it takes you right into the heart of it.

I enjoy a book where it isn't obvious where it is going - I didn't know the ending by the second chapter. I am shocked by the main character in the first paragraph.

But ultimately the downplaying of abuse (especially the casualness that rape is treated in this story) made it very challenging for me to read or get into the world. I know it happens - I even get it for a plot point, but this book treated it to a point where it has no more lasting effect than a swiping of a chocolate bar.

The redeeming point for me in this book was being surprised by some of the plot points in this book. I also listened to the audiobook and quite enjoyed the narration by James Clamp.

I may end up finishing the series (just cause I hate to leave them hanging), but this book falls in a solid 2.5 stars for me primarily for the casualness of some issues that were discussed beyond the point of plot building or "art".

[moraa]

***FOR REASONS THAT HAVE RECENTLY COME TO LIGHT, I CANNOT CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS AUTHOR***

There’s something brittle in me that will break before it bends.

I've said it once and I'll say it again, I live for THE MORAL DILEMMA
See, I'm not too hard to please, am I?

[cornerfolds]

Read more of my reviews at Cornerfolds.com!

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

Review to come!

[HekArtemis]

To be honest I wasn't really wanting to read this, I knew it was going to be dark and horrible and that Jorg is a douche and a rapist and all of that. I love the Book of the Ancestor, it has quickly found it's way into my top favourites of all time list and The Book of the Ice is probably going to a preorder for me. I do realise that BOA is considered completely different from Broken Empire and Red Queens War, so loving BOA doesn't mean I would like this trilogy and indeed many who hate this happen to love BOA like I do. But I own Emperor of Thorns in deadtree format and I wanted to challenge myself to read something seemingly outside of my comfort zone. Also I like Mark Lawrence on r/fantasy and elsewhere and I was curious about this evil book written by such a not evil guy.

It wasn't even that bad, I feel like I armoured myself against a foam sword that just has some little stabby burrs in it. I couldn't give this 5 stars because I did hate the way the characters treat women in this story. Outside of that though, I actually liked this story, I enjoyed the characters and I don't even hate Jorg. What?!? No I don't. I mean if he were real I would hate him, but he isn't and I find his character and arc compelling. I love Makin - again in real life I would find his actions to be contemptible and loyalty is no excuse, but in a fantasy story his loyalty is commendable. Funny how that works.

I especially love the world building. Now I did know going in that the world is our world. I don't think that is a real spoiler - I mean Jorg is reading Plutarch and they exclaim "Jesus" and "Christ" and have a pope in Roma... it's pretty obvious even if you don't know beforehand. It just happens to be a favourite thing of mine, fantasy worlds that are actually our world. I love reading about our destroyed civilisation. I enjoyed the random mentions of the signs of our existence, I enjoyed the fact that at one point Jorg is obviously electrocuted when he stabs a control panel. Idiot. It's hilarious.

I will be continuing this series. And then I guess I have to read Red Queens War as well, given it's in the same world and I happen to like the world.

[Mercy]

Jorg, qué cabrón que eres 😂.

[wyvernfriend]

Not a bad book, but the sheer psychopathy of the main character, Jorg, is just chilling. The whole country seems to be full of psychopaths too.

Not bad but I have no urge to finish out this series.

[vagasker]

Still not really sure about this one. I liked the story, but I didn't really like the main character, Jorg. Maybe it's because I'm not used to anti-heroes or it's just because he's a big assbutt. Anyway, I'll continue the serie (I bought the entire trilogy a while back) and according to goodreads it's getting better. Let's hope so!

[Rinn]

Dragons & Jetpacks Fantasy Book of the Month, October 2013

[KitsuneBae]

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

The book was refreshing mainly because of our hero or rather anti-hero (you can even call him a villain), Prince Honorous Jorge Ancrath. Reading the journey of Jorge is both disgusting and at the same time refreshing. I think a lot of people will burn this book just because Jorge is a spiteful, unrepentant rapist, thief, vile all rolled into one. By the end of the book, you will either love or hate him. Unsurprisingly, I actually liked Jorge as a character, he can really play the role of the villain.

[elysium]

4.5 stars

9 year old Jorg Ancrath sees his mother and brother killed. Soon after he leaves his father and becomes consummated with rage, and guilt for not being able to save them. He flees with group of men freed from the dungeons and 4 years later he is the leader. At the age of 15 he vows to be king.

Although the main character is a teen, this is not a book for kids and Jorg is not very likeable character. And his actions are even less likeable. But I loved it!

The book starts when the gang is torching a village and it sets the pace for the book from the start. There’s no hero to root in this book for sure. At first I thought it weird that he’s so young and still the leader of them and how he grew up to be so cold. There’s flashback’s from the past that explains some of the things and while I’m not usually fan of too many flashbacks, I think it worked here.

I liked the relationship between Jorg and Makin. Makin used to be the king’s guard and he knew Jorg before he flees from home and he’s the one who really knows him. Or at least as much as anyone is able. But it makes Jorg more humane anyway.

My only complain will be the references to “our world”. Like at some point someone mentioned Shakespeare and stuff like that. I prefer my fantasy to be totally in other world. But it only happened few times so it wasn’t that big of a deal.

I really enjoyed this book and it was truly wonderful debut book. I can’t wait for the next book to come out and I hope I get my hands on it! But this may not be for everyone so be warned...