The False Prince (Ascendance Trilogy, #1)

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

If you love the danger and sword-fighting of MERLIN, you'll like this! In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point - he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. As Sage's journey continues, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally a truth is revealed that proves more dangerous than all of the lies put together.

• ISBN13: 9781407133058
• Publish Date: 7 June 2012 (first published 1 April 2012)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 30 June 2016
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Scholastic
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 352
• Language: English

Reviews

[ladygrey]

ETA: I enjoyed it much better the second time around. I was able to read it as it’s own book and it’s pretty fun as a reread.

And while there are similarities, I’ve always felt that the Thief series is emotionally rather distant. This is not. It’s accessible and interesting and, date i say it, fun.

*********


I liked this book but almost from the beginning it felt a lot like The Thief. It's more lighthearted than that. And there's something fun about it - probably because of Sage and how he refuses to take anything seriously. But...

It's just like The Thief! Sage is so much like Gen and it has that clear sense that he knows more and is capable of more than he's letting on. And then the reveal isn't surprising at all because its the only conclusion. . And then it's interesting because I was curious to see how it'd all play out and it felt like there was too few pages left for it to end well. But it managed to wrap everything up nicely enough.
And I did like Sage and his cleverness and his strength and compassion and his blasé attitude about nearly everything.

There's a depth the Queen's Thief series has that this is lacking. But I think there's also virtue in a lighter read that isn't quite so serious. Also, this was an incredibly fast read, which was nice.

I mostly liked this book, even if very little of it was surprising. I'm kind of curious about the next book and kind of cautious...

[wyvernfriend]

In a world not unlike ours, Sage is one of four boys captured by Conner and forced to take part in a competition to see which one of them will become the kingdom's missing prince.

I enjoyed the story and the twist was good. I guessed what it was going to be but not the mechanics of how it would unfold. This feels almost like a fantasy story but there's no magic in it, it's more an almost medieval/early renaissance alternative world. I'm really looking forward to the sequel. It's quite well done and I was really rooting for Sage throughout.

[anne]

This is a great book - most boys would love this - girls too. Very twisty and turny. Little bit choppy at the end, but still very satisfying. To sum up, the rogue collects a few orphan boys, who compete for the honour of impersonating the missing prince, with the purpose of taking control of the kingdom. The missing prince, in turn, was also well known for being rather roguish - fortunately quite a rebel who liked sword fighting, riding horses, and creating mayhem in the castle, so lots of action ensues all round -for the enjoyment of the reader, though often ending in pain for the main character. Crime does not pay, as you know (well, not always...but there are exceptions to the rule, or ruler, as the case may be.)

[journalingirl]

This book was so good! Plenty of foreshadowing and plot twist kept me hanging on until the end.

*happy dance*

This book came highly recommended from a fellow blogger and believe me when I say I was not disappointed!

Sage. Oh, Sage. How I love you. Yes, I will totally fight you Small for Sage :P Sage completely made this book for me. His voice instantly gripped me. He’s strong-headed, defiant, sarcastic, snarky, roguish and clever. Oh, sure, he’d pretend to go along with Conner’s plans all the while making his own. You sneaky little devil you ; ). Everything he did was for a reason. He was observant and cunning and always had a plan. Even when he was down at his lowest, he didn’t give up unless it benefited him in some way. He didn’t take crap sitting down and always had a ready retort waiting for the next unlucky victim. But he also had a heart. He stuck up for those who couldn't always stick up for themselves and was always fair and just in his actions. Yes, Sage. You are indeed awesome.

And the plot was brilliantly written. I was never 100% sure about anything. Sure, I guessed the gist of it, but how the answers came about and the reasons behind them was so completely ingenious and shocking that I was still surprised! There were times that I trusted the characters, and then they’d go do something sketchy and I’d mistrust them and then I’d start trusting them again. It was confusing and mixed up and I loved it. I liked that it kept me guessing and I loved where the author took the plot. I can't wait to learn more about Sage and his world in the next book.

And no insta-love!!!!! *happy dance* In fact, romance was put on the back burner. What was there however was sweet and soft. Sure, a bit argumentative, but that made it all the better! It was slow and I loved it.

Overall:
This book is fantastic. If you read this book for no other reason, read it for Sage's voice. Even if the synopsis doesn't grip you, his voice will. He's roughish and strong-headed and clever, but has a kind heart worthy of swoon. I can't recommend this book enough and I'm eagerly anticipating the rest of this series.

All the best ♥
Mackenzie @ Oh, For the Love of Books!

[Briana @ Pages Unbound]

Source: ARC provided by Scholastic for review

Jennifer A. Nielson’s The False Prince is an exuberant adventure filled with mystery, intrigue, and plotting that will have readers racing through the pages from the very first chapter. Sage is introduced as a rambunctious, incorrigible orphan with a penchant for stealing and a flippant mouth, but the keen intelligence and noble character he hides beneath this rough façade begin to show quickly once he is in the hands of Connor. Trapped in a corner where it appears his only two options are to be the perfect puppet prince or to die, Sage strives to do the impossible, to manipulate both friends and foes so he comes out on top. Readers will be captivated by his spirit and his designs, eyes glued to the book as they wonder what he will do and say next. It is always a surprise!

Sage has a worthwhile opponent in Conner, who has spent a lifetime scheming at court. The False Prince is a protracted battle of wits and crossing of swords between the two. But Sage must also deal with the other boys chosen for Connor’s competition, precariously balancing the benefits of their friendship against his own survival. Their relationships fluctuate, fraught with tension, camaraderie, and the sense of something valuable that has been lost.

Nothing is The False Prince is certain—Connor’s motives, the final winner of his competition, whether any boy will claim the throne at all. Nielson has created a very real suspense that is infrequently found in most YA literature. The characters ultimately hurtle the readers toward a dramatic conclusion sprinkled with danger, secrets, and hope. At the end, readers will find themselves rethinking the book, watching events fold in a completely new light as all the tiny pieces fall together.

Best of all, however, the pieces do fall together, and The False Prince can function perfectly as a standalone book. Sage is such a fascinating character, however, and Nielson such an engaging writer, that everyone will be rushing to read the sequels.

This review was also published at Pages Unbound Book Reviews.