Prince of Thorns, by Mark Lawrence

Posted by: Redhead on: August 3, 2011

• In: epic fantasy | fantasy | Mark Lawrence | Review
• 19 Comments

Prince of Thorns, by Mark Lawrence

Published August 2011

Where I got it: rec’d review copy from Harper Collins/Voyager

.

.

.

.

.

.

With an epic, empire-shattering sprawl that brings George R R Martin to mind,  and a quick and snarky narrative style reminiscent of Scott Lynch, yet with a twist unlike anything I’vecome across, Mark Lawrence’s Prince of Thorns is easily the most incredible epic fantasy I have ever read. To drop yet another name,  this is a novel that practically vibrates with deliberateness, making me think of Patrick Rothfuss at times.

Showing a true mastery of foreshadowing, Lawrence drops hints both overt and subtle that creep up on the reader like a path of breadcrumbs that twists and turns through the forest.  I don’t care if this path leads to a witch’s house, Lawrence has completely seduced me to the point where I can do naught but follow. I knew from the first chapter this was a book I’d be devouring.  The plot set-up is fast and clean,  the prose and dialog alive with “show me”, and long before the first twist hits you’ll realize this is nothing at all like your typical epic fantasy.

A bit on plot, although I’ll be leaving all the good bits out as they are something you simply must experience for yourself:

At age nine, Prince Jorg witnessed the  brutal murder of his younger brother and their beloved Mother the Queen.  Consumed by violent poison and a raging guilt at his failure to save them, Jorg never recovered from losing what he loved.  Soon after, he leaves father’s house, taking nothing but bitterness and dark anger with him.

At age fourteen,Jorg is torn between the freedom of his life on the road, and claiming his birthright as heir. Against his own better judgement, he returns to his father’s castle, hiding his youth and mistrust behind a constant facade of bravado. Although his father hasn’t changed one iota, there is a new Queen, and a new Mathmagician at court. The magic of this world is part alchemy, part barbaric science, and canted through tattoos on the body of the sorcerer. The royal Mathmagician Sageous makes mention that he can give Jorg back his will, and we get our first delicious taste of the larger picture, and of what really might be going on here.

It needs to be said that although our protagonist is a teenager, this is not a story for children.  Jorg is not a nice person. His apathy towards death and fear has turned him into a violent, stone cold killer. Think Joe Abercrombie’s The Bloody Nine, and you wouldn’t be far off. We’re beyond anti-hero territory, in the words of one of Jorg’s most trusted comrades “children shouldn’t be like this”.  You will be creeped out, possibly disturbed by  things he says and does, at his utter disregard for the lives around him. Remember what I said about deliberateness?   Lawrence is going somewhere with this.  As this volume comes to a close there is the beginning of an explanation for his behavior, something that’s been hinted at for a while.  Even before you get to that point the story turns into one jaw dropping chapter after another after another. There’s so much more I want to say, but I’ve already flirted dangerously close to spoiling everything.

The press release I received with my review copy claimed a story “unique in its setting and intent” and “a genuinely cross-genre novel of extraordinary quality”, and I couldn’t have put it better myself.   Lawrence makes it look easy, but he’s pulling tricks and stunts in this book that  are near impossible to pull off.  A specific trick, in fact, that’s got me rethinking my opinions on a particular convention that’s been popping up in more and more speculative fiction. Yet one more thing I’m not going to speak further on, as it would spoil a very special surprise.

Have you read this book?  Due to it’s brand-spankin’ newness and pure awesomeness, please no spoilers in the comments.

Tags: coming of age, dark, epic, fantasy, magic