Who Would Like This Book:
Dark fantasy fans, rejoice! Prince of Thorns is infamous for its unapologetic grit and ruthless protagonist, Jorg - a teenage antihero who tears through a brutal, post-apocalyptic world with cunning, rage, and a total lack of remorse. The book blends medieval vibes with glimmers of lost technology, adding a layer of eerie intrigue. Mark Lawrence's writing is sharp, fast-paced, and brutally honest, pulling you deep into Jorg’s twisted mind. If you crave a subversive, edge-of-your-seat tale with morally grey (or just plain black) characters and don’t mind your fantasy blood-soaked and boundary-pushing, this one’s for you.
Who May Not Like This Book:
This book can be a tough pill to swallow for many. The violence is graphic, and the main character is, frankly, irredeemable - Jorg’s actions include murder, rape, and outright cruelty, all delivered without apology. If you prefer likable or redeemable protagonists, or need to root for your narrator, you’ll probably bounce off this hard. Some readers also struggled with the believability of a teen being so capable and ruthless, while others found the setting confusing due to its mix of medieval and modern references. If you’re sensitive to depictions of sexual violence, definitely steer clear.
About:
Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence is a dark fantasy novel that follows the journey of Prince Jorg, a young and ruthless protagonist seeking revenge in a post-apocalyptic medieval world. The story is narrated through the eyes of Jorg, a character described as a psychopath by some readers, who leads a band of outlaws on a bloody and violent quest for power and vengeance. The writing style is noted for its gritty and dark tone, with a fast-paced plot that delves into themes of brutality, survival, and the consequences of a shattered world.
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Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The book includes high levels of violence, graphic depictions of murder, rape, and misogyny, which may be triggering for some readers.
From The Publisher:
BOOK ONE IN THE BROKEN EMPIRE TRILOGY
"Prince of Thorns deserves attention as the work of an iconoclast who seems determined to turn that familiar thing, Medievalesque Fantasy Trilogy, entirely on its head."-Locus
When he was nine, he watched as his mother and brother were killed before him. By the time he was thirteen, he was the leader of a band of bloodthirsty thugs. By fifteen, he intends to be king…
It's time for Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath to return to the castle he turned his back on, to take what's rightfully his. Since the day he hung pinned on the thorns of a briar patch and watched Count Renar's men slaughter his mother and young brother, Jorg has been driven to vent his rage. Life and death are no more than a game to him-and he has nothing left to lose.
But treachery awaits him in his father's castle. Treachery and dark magic. No matter how fierce his will, can one young man conquer enemies with power beyond his imagining?
Ratings (160)
Incredible (26) | |
Loved It (45) | |
Liked It (30) | |
It Was OK (30) | |
Did Not Like (18) | |
Hated It (11) |
Reader Stats (401):
Read It (167) | |
Currently Reading (4) | |
Want To Read (164) | |
Did Not Finish (11) | |
Not Interested (55) |
6 comment(s)
Meaningless action in an unoriginal story from the point of view of a cocky, annoying, apparently infallible brat. I don't mind twisted and cocky characters, but Jorg is created in need of one and it just doesn't feel natural.
This book is a bit overhyped in my opinion. I think it is a first good effort but needs a bit more detail.
Also, the rape scene is negligible at best. I actually had to go back and re-read to find it. And, it encompasses one to two sentences.
Everyone is so fragile when it comes to women. They shout misogyny for the few bad things that happen in stories but no one seems to shout misandry for the tons of fiction where men die or worse. They fail to see that if the author uses violence towards women than it garners a bigger reaction than if anything bad happens to men.
OK, so this is a DNF, which I normally wouldn't remark on, but this is important. Before I picked this up, I knew there was some rape, not exactly handled sensitively, but since I kept hearing about it over and over, I thought, maybe it's just the story of a villain protagonist. And so it is. A fourteen-year-old sociopathic protagonist, with a fourteen-year-old's glee at over-the-top violence. I was intrigued by the post-apocalyptic Europe setting rather than Generic Fantasy Europe, and I tried to stick with it. There was even some good stuff in terms of writing. But the treatment of women (nonexistent to objects) combined with the incredibly juvenile sensibilities made me feel like I was wasting my time. Villain Protagonist can be done well. One of the most lauded novels of all time, Lolita, has one, right? And I wouldn't mind one about essentially an evil emperor coming to power, if I thought that the author intended it that way. Instead, this reads as adolescent grimdark boy's club nonsense and I realized I had other stuff to do.
Visceral. A cool take on dark fantasy.
Got me back into reading fiction when I found it some 10 years ago or so.
Is this a book for the faint of heart? No. Is this a book for people who want to like their protagonists? Again, no. Jorg is an asshole. He's a sociopath who lets his "brothers" run rampant. He has murdered, raped, and pillaged. At one point, you may be wondering why you're even reading this book because Jorg makes your skin crawl.
But that's the magic of the writing. You
want to find out what happens. You're pulled along almost against your will by that drive. And that's what makes the book. Not Jorg. Not even the possibility of him being someone redeemable, because he's not. Not really.
Also, the hints of post-apocalyptic/massive world war that took out civilization as we know it? Yes, please.
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Prose: 3.5/5 :: some turns of phrase stuck out and there were a few instances where the sentence structure was a bit garbled, but overall very readable.
Pacing: 4/5 :: There was never a dull moment in this book; indeed every chapter had a clear purpose and through-line to the plot
Characters: 5/5 :: I can confidently say I
know the MC and a few of the members in the band of thief brothers. Side and foil characters did not feel hollow. All things being equal, I wish we spent a little more time uncovering the backstory of the primary 5-7 Brothers. The MC's character development was front and center
Read this book if you're looking for: A quick read, a brutal little shit of a MC, antics from a band of thieves, vengeance, some fantastical elements (necromancers)
What can you read after
Prince of Thorns?
About the Author:
Mark Lawrence is a research scientist working on artificial intelligence. He is a dual national with both British and American citizenship, and has held secret-level clearance with both governments. At one point, he was qualified to say, "This isn't rocket…
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