A review by nice_frogboy
Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

challenging dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

i think some of the reviews are missing the forest for the trees here - this protagonist isn't an edgy teen, he's a full-on sociopath. if you're not comfortable with inhabiting the mind of a genuinely bad person a la the works of Joe Abercrombie, you're going to have a bad time.

if you're cool with that, there's much here to enjoy. the writing is brisk and compelling, and i liked the buried lede that the setting
is not a fantasy realm, but a post-apocalyptic Earth that has simply been bombed out of their ability to read thumb drives.
the ending has a finality that makes this a pretty quality solo read, and i'd argue that the sequels end up being a little listless because of it.
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