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A review by sipping_tea_with_ghosts
Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
3.0
I'll be honest in saying the infamy of this book is what drew me to it initially, and a 400 page revenge story didn't seem like too much of a commitment for simple curiosity. Before the Grimdark genre really kicked off, this was one of the most talked about examples in my neck of the woods for "dark fantasy". Even though I'm not the biggest fan of this book, it did get me into one of my favorite series and hooked me onto a new author that has a strong style and some great worldbuilding ideas. (I even bought his other trilogies immediately after getting through this trilogy.)
Jorg Ancrath is a sadomasochist on the warpath after the death of his mother and brother, further fueled by the apathetic hands of his father. Within the first chapter, most people will know if this is someone they can tolerate as a protagonist. A constant first person POV puts us in the mind of this murderer from beginning to end, so his ramblings on philosophy, the low opinions he has of others, and the poetic justifications for bloodshed will be impossible to ignore. Oh, and he's also a brash teenager.
The world of the Broken Empire appears to be standard fantasy fare, but as time goes on, the oddities and cracks start to show. The relentless pace of the book reveals a lot about the characters and the world, so its not like the story dwells on atrocities committed by someone not even old enough to drive in our world. The infamy surrounding this book stems mostly from the introductory chapters, but Lawrence's tale isn't an edgy, over-the-top misery fest. There's plenty of humor and endearing moments between the main events, and most of its not even dark humor, its simply humans being jovial.
As much as I heap praise however, this first book does have its issues. I enjoy the first person POV but it feels a little rushed and choppy at around the halfway point of the story. Two different plans immediately emerged and changed places in one chapter, and I was left wondering "Huh? Why are we here doing this now?" It made sense later on, but the second half of the book had a few instances of jumping ahead and explaining it haphazardly.
Also, while there are interesting characters in this story, they don't get nearly enough screen time compared to later books. My main man, Makin, doesn't get enough time in the sun. Red Kent feels like a footnote in this tale compared to future elaborations.
The ending also comes and goes rather abruptly, lacking some of the impact I would've liked for a guy Jorg had been gunning for since chapter one.
Perhaps I'll enjoy this book more on a re-read, knowing what I do now about this world. I can already remember so many details in this one book that still apply in big ways for the conclusion of the series.
If you're like me however and thought this book was ok, I implore you to consider reading the sequels. Jorg's character gets so much more nuance, the world opens up, and its one of those trilogies that doesn't feel bloated to the point of filler and tedium.
Jorg Ancrath is a sadomasochist on the warpath after the death of his mother and brother, further fueled by the apathetic hands of his father. Within the first chapter, most people will know if this is someone they can tolerate as a protagonist. A constant first person POV puts us in the mind of this murderer from beginning to end, so his ramblings on philosophy, the low opinions he has of others, and the poetic justifications for bloodshed will be impossible to ignore. Oh, and he's also a brash teenager.
The world of the Broken Empire appears to be standard fantasy fare, but as time goes on, the oddities and cracks start to show. The relentless pace of the book reveals a lot about the characters and the world, so its not like the story dwells on atrocities committed by someone not even old enough to drive in our world. The infamy surrounding this book stems mostly from the introductory chapters, but Lawrence's tale isn't an edgy, over-the-top misery fest. There's plenty of humor and endearing moments between the main events, and most of its not even dark humor, its simply humans being jovial.
As much as I heap praise however, this first book does have its issues. I enjoy the first person POV but it feels a little rushed and choppy at around the halfway point of the story. Two different plans immediately emerged and changed places in one chapter, and I was left wondering "Huh? Why are we here doing this now?" It made sense later on, but the second half of the book had a few instances of jumping ahead and explaining it haphazardly.
Also, while there are interesting characters in this story, they don't get nearly enough screen time compared to later books. My main man, Makin, doesn't get enough time in the sun. Red Kent feels like a footnote in this tale compared to future elaborations.
The ending also comes and goes rather abruptly, lacking some of the impact I would've liked for a guy Jorg had been gunning for since chapter one.
Perhaps I'll enjoy this book more on a re-read, knowing what I do now about this world. I can already remember so many details in this one book that still apply in big ways for the conclusion of the series.
If you're like me however and thought this book was ok, I implore you to consider reading the sequels. Jorg's character gets so much more nuance, the world opens up, and its one of those trilogies that doesn't feel bloated to the point of filler and tedium.