Author: Jennifer Nielsen
Edition: Hard bound
Published: April 12, 2012
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 342
Source: Gifted by Cai of Black Plume
Category: High Fantasy
Trailer: not available.
Synopsis:
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. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.
As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.
An extraordinary adventure filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats.
When my favorite blogger/friend (I claim her my friend) Liz from Midnight Bloom Reads reviewed this last year, I've added it to my wish list without hesitations. I've always been a fan of high fantasy and it is perfect for my taste. Luckily, during our Pinoy Book Blogger's Christmas Party, I was able to receive a copy as a gift! Again, it took me a while to read this but geez, WHAT TOOK ME SO LONG? REALLY?
Sage is an orphan who steals and lies just to survive. While on his way back to the orphanage with a stolen roast, Conner, a noble, bought him along with three other orphans. They are bought to go sword and ride training and study history and royalty manners. At the end of their two week training, one would be chosen to pretend and claim Carthya's throne as Prince Jaron. Conner's cunning plan isn't what Sage wanted to submit to but the time has come for him to go back.
While I was reading The False Prince, I was on the verge of losing hope that something even worthy of blurb would happen. The story line built up a little slow and I was really starting to doubt it. I thought at this pace, it might not live to the hype it received. There were also some predictable parts that gave me the idea how and where the twist would turn. You know, it is always painful to be proven wrong. The last hundred pages unravel so many things at once that I heard myself screaming, "I KNEW EET! I DEFINITELY KNEW EET!". The twist alone would rip your brain apart! I LOVED EVERY SINGLE PART OF IT. That doesn't even include the world building which I expected will be phenomenal, the gorgeous Carthya and the towns that surround it, the PIRATES!!! and so much more! I feel like it was trying to squeeze my lungs out of air because I was hyperventilating the whole time!
Sage. Oh, Sage! Your sarcasm was hilarious!! I couldn't put to words how much I loved this character's difficult attitude! It may sound ironic because no one should be really agreeing to any attitude issues but his? Irresistible. His ways of dealing with dishonesty and cruelty were compelling. His strong, brave and a pain in the butt! He knows how to handle himself given the load of responsibility he has to face. How he was at war with himself whether to accept the plan or take the course to a different direction showed how vulnerable he could be but he still stood on his ground and grabbed the chance to do the right thing. He might be young but this didn't make him turn his back and be selfish. I loved him and he would definitely be a good prince. His affection for Imogen though wasn't something I ship. Conner deserved whatever he was sentenced to. He might have had good intentions but he's still evil. Oh, and I adore Mott!
The first novel in The Ascendance Trilogy, The False Prince sure did rip my brain apart! The love I have for it cannot be put into words! It had taken me by surprise and I actually didn't realize I was holding my breathe while devouring this fantastic and amazing novel! It is edgy, brilliant, magnificent novel that perfectly mixed fantasy and adventure! I can read this over and over and I am definitely okay by it ripping my brain over and over, too! THIS IS JUST TOO PERFECT!
VERDICT:
"There's an old saying in Avenia that goes, "Just because it's calmer than a hailstorm doesn't mean it's calm."
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