Book Review: Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence

Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Book 1 of The Red Queen's War

Publisher: Ace (June 3, 2014)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Mogsy's Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars


I am glad we’ve not heard the last of Mark Lawrence’s Broken Empire, even if Jorg’s chapter of the saga has concluded. As far as endings go, that was a necessary and felicitous curtain call, even though I couldn’t be happier with the way things played out. But of course, that doesn’t mean I’ve had enough of this brilliant dark world.

Regarding his latest novel, Mark Lawrence has stated that what did not want to do was give us Jorg Ancrath again but in new clothes. Well, Mr. Lawrence, you can rest easy about that. I don’t think anyone can mistake that wicked, tortured young psychopath we first met in Prince of Thorns with his new protagonist in Prince of Fools.

Courage is overrated, as a character like the glib but glorious Prince Jalan can attest. A self-confessed liar, coward and cheat, our main character is also a bit of a rakish playboy, with an easy charm to him that makes him instantly endearing, for all his foibles. See? Nothing like Jorg. But the two of them are contemporaries, if you are wondering where The Red Queen’s War fits in relation to the original trilogy. As such, I don’t think fans of The Broken Empire will find much of a problem settling in. We even get to meet Jorg and his Brothers, albeit very briefly, in an unforgettable scene. Despite the mostly new faces though, Mark Lawrence has no trouble convincing me I am back in the haunted, post-apocalyptic milieu with which I first fell in love. As strange as it sounds, given the kind of place we're talking about, it was a bit like coming back home.

But while the writing style and setting may be instantly recognizable, we have a story here that is altogether very different. And yet, even the slippery Prince Jal can’t avoid running afoul of the dark sorcery that is rife in the Broken Empire. Finding his fate magically bound to that of an escaped slave named Snorri ver Snaggason, the two strike up a partnership in order to try to break the spell. We had an inkling of the Broken Empire’s vastness back in Jorg’s story arc, and here we are given the chance to explore even further as Jal and the Norseman’s journey takes them to the frigid and icebound north, towards Snorri’s homeland.

The two encounter many dangers along the way, including necromancy and other unseen malevolent forces. There is no escaping the Dead King, whose plans run far deeper than anyone can expect. Nightmarish beings called the Unborn are raised and fed by the stolen potential of lost infants, sent to carry out his bidding. Gruesome, disturbing elements such as these serve to push Prince of Fools into Horror territory.

And yet there is also a glimmer of optimism, a thread of light that I can easily pick out amidst the doom and gloom, making me feel that this book is actually “less grimdark” than the original trilogy. Prince Jalan, who assures us he has little ambition – beyond getting drunk, winning bets and seducing women – is really more of a hero than he gives himself credit for. I see a young man who wants to be more than just “that prince who is tenth in line for the throne”, even if he doesn’t care to admit that to himself.

The idea of the unlikely hero is not a new one, certainly, but the difference is Mark Lawrence actually makes me believe that Jalan has it in him. Jal’s growing friendship with Snorri also brings to light a hidden side of him, and vice versa; I think the two of them play off each other perfectly. The story displays the classic quest narrative, one that is very character driven. Forced to work together, the relationship dynamics between this pair of disparate and conflicting personalities is what makes this dark adventure shine.

There is no doubt this is a Mark Lawrence novel – pick it up and you will immediately see the hallmarks of his storytelling and writing style which made The Broken Empire trilogy such a incredibly addictive read, replete with his darkly droll humor and very quotable dialogue. Fans won’t be disappointed. But rest assured Prince of Fools is also a one-of-a-kind tale featuring a very different protagonist. Jal has immense potential, and if this is what Lawrence can achieve with his character in just one book, I can’t wait to see what’s next.

A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Ace Books!

10...of Mogsy's Favorite Reads this Summer

It's hard to believe we're already past mid-September, how quickly time flies. I hope everyone got some great reading done this summer, because I sure did! This year saw me reading a wide variety of genres, subject matters and authors, and with the last day of the season coming upon us in a few days, here's a look back at some of the top books I read in the last three months. Bring on autumn!

EMPEROR OF THORNS by Mark Lawrence
Read from July 17 to 22, 2013

"All reigns must end..." and I have to say, finding out what will become of Jorg Ancrath in this finale to the Broken Empire trilogy made this one of my most highly anticipated fantasy novels of 2013. I was not disappointed at all. Even though finishing this meant the end of the series and a good bye to Jorg, I actually found myself happy and satisfied with how everything wrapped up. Every story needs an ending, and for me, this one was perfect. 

GENERATION V by M.L. Brennan
Read from July 29 to 31, 2013

Hands down, the best Urban Fantasy I read this summer. If you're thinking this is gonna just be another run-of-the-mill vampire series, you'd be so so SO wrong! M.L. Brennan's take on vampires in this book totally blew my mind, and I love her sense of humor. It's so great to see fresh ideas and bold new directions in this genre, and I've been recommending this book to everyone I know who loves UF.  


HOLLOW WORLD by Michael J. Sullivan
Read from July 31 to August 7, 2013 

I was able to read this one early because I backed it on Kickstarter. Admittedly, reading something by Michael J. Sullivan that isn't related to Riyria felt a little strange...but it was the best kind of strange. I can't wait until this releases so everyone can experience its awesomeness. Without a doubt, the best part is the fact that this is light and enjoyable reading but at the same time will also make you think.

LOVE MINUS EIGHTY by Will McIntosh
Read from August 14 to 17, 2013

This is one very special, simply gorgeous book. It's a sci-fi novel with a futuristic high-tech setting, but at its heart it is also a very human story, about love and that timeless, unshakeable desire to seek a connection to another soul. This one evoked such a strong emotional reaction from me, but hey, books like that are why I love to read!

THE GREYFRIAR by Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith
Read from August 19 to 24, 2013

Steampunk and vampires -- great combo! But that's not the only reason why this stood out. What struck me was the relationship between the two protagonists. The book isn't even a romance, but my heart completely melted for it. For someone like me whose pet peeve is a heroine who falls for guys that treat her like crap, the love and mutual respect here between Adele and Greyfriar is so refreshing.

THE THOUSAND NAMES by Django Wexler
Read from July 13 to 17, 2013

I went into this with higher-than-high expectations, and ultimately I have to say even those were met and exceeded. Definitely one of the best books I've read this summer, perhaps one of the best book I've read all year. The Thousand Names is just beyond epic, a flintlock fantasy at its finest with great characters that drew me in right away. Revolution and colonialism, military battles and gunpowder, what more could I ask for? 

MAYHEM by Sarah Pinborough
Read from September 3 to 6, 2013

I enjoy a good horror novel now and then, and this summer I read a good number of them. Not only was Mayhem my favorite one, it's probably also a top book for this entire year as well. A historical horror with a paranormal angle, it just pushed all the right buttons for me. I also loved doing research for this when I wrote the review, because I also learned all this fascinating stuff about Jack the Ripper, the Torso Killer, and the Whitechapel Murders.

MOCKINGBIRD by Chuck Wendig
Read from June 11 to 12, 2013

Ah, Miriam Black, I seriously can't get enough of you! The second book of Chuck Wendig's twisted and dark series about a woman with the power to see how and when someone is going to die simply by touching them, and it was just as amazing as the first! It's not every day that a book makes me squirm in this uncomfortable-yet-not-too-entirely-unpleasant kind of way, so that certainly made this one hell of a memorable read.

KINSLAYER by Jay Kristoff
Read from August 30 to September 3, 2013

The highly anticipated sequel in The Lotus War series where the kicker is the steampunk-meets-feudal-Japan setting. This one took my emotions on a roller coaster ride this summer, with crazy revelations and shock after shock, I swear my heart almost gave out in the last hundred pages. Darker, more visceral and violent than book one, I got an Empire Strikes Back vibe off of this, and trust me, that's never a bad thing.

ANGELFALL by Susan Ee
Read from September 9 to 14, 2013

This one squeaked in just before the end of summer, and WOW. It could have easily gotten lost in my big pile of YA-post-apocalyptic-dystopian-paranormal-romance-starring-teenage-girl-protagonist-told-in-first-person books, but color me surprised, this angels-and-end-of-days story was fantastically well written. I understand now why this title has gotten so much attention, and it's an indie too, which makes it even more impressive.

FanArt: You Can Call Me My Lady

You can call me My Lady by *livinmynovels on deviantART

from Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

Building A Broken Empire: An Interview with Mark Lawrence

In just a few short years, Mark Lawrence has gone from being a debut author to a dominant name in fantasy fiction. His latest book Emperor of Thorns, which released in the US earlier this week, is the breathtaking conclusion to The Broken Empire trilogy, a series of books that has taken the genre by storm (see our review of Emperor of Thorns here!)

One of the things we really admire about Mark is his openness and constant connection with his fans. In turn, we as readers have enjoyed the emotional journey on which his books have taken us. It is thus a great pleasure and honor that we were able to talk a little with Mark about himself and his writing, and share our questions and his answers with you here at The BiblioSanctum.

"There’s something brittle
in me that will break
before it bends."
- Jorg Ancrath

The BiblioSanctum: In the trilogy, Jorg grows from a young boy to become a 20-year-old in EMPEROR OF THORNS, very formative years for a character. Fantasy features a lot of main characters who age and mature throughout a series, but Jorg's brutal history certainly sets him apart in making growing up a much different and more difficult process for him. Were there any challenges or highlights for you as you were writing Jorg's journey from boy to man?

Mark Lawrence: We see Jorg at age six, age twenty and quite a few ages in between. I didn’t find any difficulty in maturing him – I just had a vision/model of him in my head and wrote that. It helped that he was always intelligent and confident beyond his years so the only real growth he had to make was emotional.

The challenges and highlights are the same thing for me and are always whether I can make the strong emotion that certain sections of the books generate in me come through the page. I don’t plan my story so I’m taken by surprise and shocked as often as the reader is. If the turn of events hits me hard, I want it to hit the reader hard too. That’s the writing challenge. It’s difficult to arrange letters on a page so that someone years later and far away both in geography and background will find their heart beating faster or punch the air or blink away a tear.   

The BiblioSanctum: The world of The Broken Empire has a medieval fantasy feel, but there's also an intriguing twist to its history that introduces some genre-bending elements into the series. Without getting too spoilery for readers new to these books, was this aspect of the setting intentional or was it something that worked its way into the storytelling as you went along?

Mark Lawrence: The setting, like everything else, grew with the story. The first hint of the twist that I got was when I typed out the first hint of a twist. I don’t sit down knowing what I’m going to write.

"A dark time comes.
My time.
If it offends you.
Stop me."
- Jorg Ancrath

The BiblioSanctum: In your EMPEROR OF THORNS afterword, you were very firm in informing readers that the character's story ends with this book. What are some of the factors that led to that decision and how does it feel to be wrapping up Jorg's story? What are your future writing plans now?

Mark Lawrence: The main reason is simply that the best story I could find to write ended on the last page of book 3.

Secondary reasons include the fact I signed up for a trilogy. I told the readers it was a trilogy. And I didn’t want to be the guy who started stringing it out once it looked like being successful.

I’m happy with the decision (at least now!). I think there’s a power in knowing when to end things. It’s a bit like knowing when enough is enough, when the joke stops being funny, when it’s time to leave, when to stop speaking etc. As I said in the afterword, I would very much rather people remember wanting more when Jorg’s tale ended, rather than just remembering which of the dozen books they finally gave up on as Jorg became a caricature retreading old ground for the umpteenth time. 

The BiblioSanctum: With EMPEROR OF THORNS completing The Broken Empire trilogy, you’ve gone from new author to seasoned writer in the last few years. What has the journey been like for you? How has life changed?

Mark Lawrence: It’s been swift. I’ve gone from having no books out to having a completed trilogy out in a touch under two years. Life hasn’t changed very much at all really, excepting that I spend more time writing now, and because my very limited spare time has not increased that means I spend almost no time doing the stuff I listed on my author bio when I started. My life is still dominated by caring for my very disabled youngest daughter. My day job is still the next biggest call on my time, and my writing still gets slotted in around those things. The big change I guess is that I now spend a lot (too much probably) of time on twitter and facebook etc keeping in touch with readers.

"Every man has his thorns,
not of him, but in
him, deep as bones."
- Jorg Ancrath

The BiblioSanctum: What kind of things fuel your creative fires? Where or when do your best ideas come to you? On the flip side, do you ever have moments when you just need a break from writing, and in those cases, what do you do to zone out?

Mark Lawrence: I think the biggest source of fuel for my creative engine is boredom, or at least a vacant mind. I tend to get my best ideas when I’m cycling to work, or digging the garden, or sawing logs, or staring into space. When my mind empties then ideas bubble up to fill it. The more interesting and fun my life is the less I have to say.

I never really find I need a break, but I do manage to fit in the odd film or book. PC/console gaming sadly is something I just haven’t been able to make time for recently.

The BiblioSanctum: We loved your recent blog post about what THE BROKEN EMPIRE means to you, and your hope that it meant something to your readers. We also appreciate your constant interaction with fans through Twitter and your blog, with fun contests, advice on writing, sharing fanart and more. What's the best part about interacting with your fans?

Mark Lawrence: That’s hard to say. I’ve ‘met’ some great people over the past two years. With my caring duties I can’t go to conventions or signings, but chatting on the internet is a good substitute. I love reading reviews where people have really connected with my work, and one of the best things has been the competitions where I get to see so much creativity and skill on display, often in areas where I’m lacking myself. It’s also been rewarding to have been able to raise so much money for the charity that runs children’s hospices (including one that my daughter uses). But I guess in the end the best part is that some of those fans have become friends.

Thank you for your time, Mark!

Book Review: Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

Expected Date of Publication: August 6, 2013

This was a book I received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, so thank you to Ace books and Penguin for this most excellent reading opportunity. The cover of Emperor of Thorns proclaims, "All reigns must end..." and I have to say, the prospect of getting my hands on this third installment of The Broken Empire series and finding out what will become of Jorg Ancrath made this one of my most highly anticipated fantasy novels of 2013.

I was not disappointed at all. A caveat for this review, though: this being the final book of the trilogy, the following summary and my subsequent thoughts may contain possible minor spoilers for the two books that came before. In any case, Emperor of Thorns would not serve as a good starting point for someone new to this series; best to start with book one, Prince of Thorns, in order to watch the main character grow and develop throughout the course of these books. 

Indeed, Jorg Ancrath is twenty now; the boy prince has become a king, the ruler of seven nations. But where there is more, Jorg will always want it. He has set his eyes on becoming the emperor, a position decided only by vote during a truce period which comes every four years, when the rulers of a hundred fragmented kingdoms of the empire convene for an event called Congression. In the hundred years of the interregnum, however, no one candidate has managed to secure a majority of the vote. 

But Jorg has plans to change all that. On his journeys across the broken land, he has made even more discoveries about the mysterious Builders of their past, and he will use their secrets and technology to suit his purposes. And yet, equally as ambitious and bloodthirsty as Jorg is The Dead King, watching events unfold from beyond the veil. Jorg may take care to guard his fears and weaknesses, but the Dead King and his necromancers and army of lichkin are waiting, ready to strike at Jorg where he is most vulnerable.

As with the previous book King of Thorns, this one also takes us through different timelines in Jorg's life, with one thread following Jorg on his journey to Congression and the other focusing on events "Five Years Earlier." There are time-jumps aplenty, which makes rereading the first two novels a fine idea, but the author also includes a handy little refresher crash course before the prologue. Or you might be like me: whenever I came to a memory or flashback sequence in this book, I found it easy to figure out when and where in time I am using clues like which one of Jorg's companions or acquaintances are still alive! Those familiar with Jorg's character likely won't be surprised to hear you can form a rather complete history using the impressive trail of death and destruction he leaves behind, but more on that later.

Let me just say now that it has been a pleasure following Jorg on his anti-hero's journey, watching him mature from a boy to a man. But Jorg has never truly been young in the first place, not really; he's seen way too much death, betrayal, cruelty and brutality for that. Yes, he is a selfish, violent, deeply disturbed and deplorable character, but above all, he's also honest and unashamed of everything he is. That and the fact the only predictable thing about him is his unpredictability made him a very interesting character to follow.

Still, I suppose you could say I've never really felt connected to Jorg, because believe it or not, I actually find it very hard to relate to someone I honestly think is quite insane. And the years since the first book have in no way cooled his temper or impudence. However, in spite of it all, I still like him. I can't help but be drawn to this refreshingly original protagonist who calls himself a "broken boy" and wraps himself up in his anger to escape his past. So, can I really find it in myself to fault Jorg for going all Kill Bill Medieval-style on his enemies or anyone who even looks at him wrong? Not really, no.

The thing I love best about this series, though, is that nothing is as it seems. I've mentioned before in the past that the first two books contain relatively familiar fantasy ideas, except Mark Lawrence takes them all and spins them on their head. The third book is no different at all, and pretty much every chapter past the midway point contained something that made me stop reading, shake my head and go, "Whoa." There are just so many unexpected surprises, and even the setting itself is a twist, which I remember was a huge mind-blowing moment for me when I read the first book. Emperor of Thorns explores that setting a lot more, and we're seriously treading into genre-bending territory here.

And finally, WHAT AN ENDING. Needless to say, readers who have been following The Broken Empire up to this point will have no excuse to miss this. Even though Mark Lawrence wrote in his Afterthought that this will be the last book in this series, I don't find myself overly upset. I'm actually quite satisfied with how everything wrapped up. I am just grateful there is an ending, and to me, it was perfect.

4 of 5 stars

Cover Lover: King of Thorns

Mark Lawrence recently posted the many covers for his King of Thorns, offering fans a chance to vote for their favourite of the eight. This is my favourite, a variation of the most common cover image for this book. I love the brilliance of the red draped across the throne, a sharp comparison to the otherwise monochromatic theme. The US cover, which I am used to, features an almost white "sky," while the UK hard cover brings in the clouds. But I really like the way the "clouds" work in this UK paperback version because they also give me an impression of smoke, bringing the image indoors. It strikes me more because it means the bodies he rests on aren't merely on a battlefield where piles of bodies are expected, but inside some sort of ominous building. And as he sits contemplatively on this throne, the world burns behind him...

To reach greatness you must step on bodies, and many brothers lie trodden in my wake. I’ve walked from pawn to player and I’ll win this game of ours, though the cost of it may drown the world in blood…

Be sure to vote for your favourite!

Cover Art: Emperor of Thorns

Jason Chan's cover art stages for Mark Lawrence's Emperor of Thorns. [x]