The False Prince
by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Published: April 1, 2012
Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade
Format: eBook (342 pages)
Source: Purchased
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.
The False Prince is such a refreshing fantasy book. Yes, it follows the pattern of traditional fantasy but it didn’t take itself too seriously. There was a lot of humor and wit. The very best part of this book is the anti-hero, Sage. He had every characteristic that a hero shouldn’t have. And somehow they all came in handy. He was very much a young Han Solo that lived in a kingdom instead of a galaxy far, far away. Sage’s character contrasted so well with Tobias, who seemed like the kind of character that would have been the hero in most other fantasy books. Sage is the most well-written character I’ve read in a long time. Just when you can’t take any more snark or cheek from him, he shows an incredibly human side. I adored his character.
Honestly, I saw the end coming. The plot seemed somewhat predictable which I usually frown upon, but I still enjoyed the story a lot mainly because of Sage and how utterly fascinating he is. I found as the story came to the end, it had a beautiful, bittersweet tone to it that I wasn’t expecting.
Another thing I found quite intriguing was the theme about our expectations of people based on how we label them. Do we see certain characteristics as virtues or vices because of the label we’ve given them?
I also loved the little ways that it reminded me of Annie, Aladdin and Pirates of the Caribbean like in the opening scene where Sage is running through the streets being chased by guards because he stole some meat.
Overall, though it had a slightly predictable plot, it was a sensational and entertaining fantasy book with a stunning main character that you shouldn’t miss.
Content Rating: Mild, for some very mild violence.
About Jennifer A. Nielsen
Jennifer lives at the base of a very tall mountain in Northern Utah with her husband, three children, and a naughty puppy. She loves the smell of rainy days, hot chocolate, and old books, preferably all at once. She is a former speech teacher, theater director, and enjoyed a brief but disastrous career as a door-to-door pollster. In her spare time, Jennifer tends to panic, wondering what she has forgotten to do that has allowed her any spare time.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
My name is Jessica. I love to read Young Adult and classic literature. I’ve been a book blogger for six years and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet. I’m a very curious reader. Writing about all the questions and thoughts I had while reading a book is the best hobby ever.
I LOVED this book. Yes, the ending was a tad predictable, but I love the whole concept of this book. The 2nd one is just as good if not better. Sage surprises me at every turn!
I think Sage was just as interesting (if not more) in the second book!
I’ve heard great things about this book! I love that the main character is more of an anti-hero and the other character is more of a typical hero! And the fact that you said he was the most well-written character you’ve read in a long time definitely makes me want to move this up on my TBR list! Great review!
Anti-heroes are the best :) See also Iron Man. Definitely move it to the top of your TBR!
If I were to attempt to sum up my love for this book it would result in MANY keysmashes, exclamation points, and ridiculous flailing. :) Such a wonderful novel.
LOL putting how awesome this book was into words was hard :)
I’ve been hearing the BEST things about Sage! I can’t wait to read this one – I know I’ll love the characterization and the humour. Great review!!