Synopses & Reviews
In Book One of the Broken Empire, Mark Lawrence brought to life the “morbidly gripping” (
Publishers Weekly) story of a boy in search of power and vengeance. Now, in
King of Thorns, that boy’s journey into manhood takes him to the dark depths waiting within his soul…
The boy who would be King has gained the throne...
Prince Honorious Jorg Ancrath vowed when he was nine to avenge his slaughtered mother and brother — and punish his father for not doing so. When he was fifteen, he began to fulfill that vow. Now he is eighteen — and he must hold on by strength of arms to what he took by torture and treachery.
King Jorg is a man haunted: by the ghost of a young boy, by a mysterious copper box, by his desire for the woman who rides with his enemy. Plagued by nightmares of the atrocities he committed, and of the atrocities committed against him when he was a child, he is filled with rage. And even as his need for revenge continues to consume him, twenty thousand men march toward the gates of his castle. His enemy is far stronger than him. Jorg knows that he cannot win a fair fight.
But he has found, in a chamber hidden beneath the castle, ancient and long-lost artifacts. Some might call them magic. Jorg is not certain — all he knows is that the secrets they hold can be put to terrible use in the coming battle...
Review
“This book is brilliant.” --
Galaxy Book Reviews
“[A] morbidly gripping, gritty fantasy tale.” --Publishers Weekly
“The best book I’ve read all year…[Lawrence] pulls you in and doesn’t let go.” --New York Times bestselling author Peter V. Brett
“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
Review
"The debut of a writer we would all do well to watch. Patrick Rothfuss has real talent, and his tale of Kvothe is deep and intricate and wondrous." -Terry Brooks "The great new fantasy writer we've all been waiting for." -Orson Scott Card "The type of assured, rich first novel most writers can only dream of producing. THE FANTASY WORLD HAS A NEW STAR." -
Publishers Weekly (starred review) "REFRESHINGLY NIMBLE AND OF-BEAT...a finely-tuned coming-of-age story, full of humor, action and the occasional dose of magic." -
San Francisco Chronicle "One of the best stories told in any medium in a decade." -
The Onion "A rare and great pleasure." -Ursula K. LeGuin "Elegantly told." -
Library Journal (starred review)
Review
"Definitely a series that will hit with a bang."
Falcata Times
"Mark Lawrence's wonderful prose is vivid without being flowery, succinct without being plain. He pulls you in and doesn't let go."
New York Times bestselling author Peter V. Brett
Review
“Mark Lawrence is the best thing to happen to fantasy in recent years.”—Peter V. Brett, international bestselling author
“Shockingly raw…Horribly amazing, like a deadly storm I just couldnt escape or want to tear my eyes away from.”—Night Owl Reviews
“Dark and gritty.”—Library Journal
“Brilliant…Action-packed throughout with a surprising spin.”—Genre Go Round Reviews
Synopsis
In book two of the Broken Empire trilogy, the boy who would be king has gained the throne--but the crown is a heavy weight to bear...
At age nine, Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath vowed to avenge his slaughtered mother and brother--and to punish his father for not doing so. At fifteen, he began to fulfill that vow. Now, at eighteen, he must fight for what he has taken by torture and treachery.
Haunted by the pain of his past, and plagued by nightmares of the atrocities he has committed, King Jorg is filled with rage. And even as his need for revenge continues to consume him, an overwhelming enemy force marches on his castle.
Jorg knows that he cannot win a fair fight. But he has found a long-hidden cache of ancient artifacts. Some might call them magic. Jorg is not certain--all he knows is that their secrets can be put to terrible use in the coming battle...
Synopsis
When he was nine, he watched as his mother and brother were killed before him. At thirteen, he led 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?
Synopsis
The boy who would be king has gained the throne...
At age nine, Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath vowed to avenge his slaughtered mother and brother and to punish his father for not doing so. At fifteen, he began to fulfill that vow. Now, at eighteen, he must fight for what he has taken by torture and treachery.
Haunted by the pain of his past, and plagued by nightmares of the atrocities he has committed, King Jorg is filled with rage. And even as his need for revenge continues to consume him, an overwhelming enemy force marches on his castle.
Jorg knows that he cannot win a fair fight. But he has found a long-hidden cache of ancient artifacts. Some might call them magic. Jorg is not certain all he knows is that their secrets can be put to terrible use in the coming battle...
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 science--oh wait, it actually is." Married with four children, he lives in Bristol.