Prince of fools

Prince of fools

Mark Lawrence, 1966-

Book - 2014

"Hailed as "epic fantasy on a George R. R. Martin scale, but on speed,"* the Broken Empire trilogy introduced a bold new world of dark fantasy with the story of Jorg Ancrath's devastating rise to power. Now, Mark Lawrence returns to the Broken Empire with the tale of a less ambitious prince... The Red Queen is old but the kings of the Broken Empire dread her like no other. For all her reign, she has fought the long war, contested in secret, against the powers that stand behind nations, for higher stakes than land or gold. Her greatest weapon is The Silent Sister--unseen by most and unspoken of by all. The Red Queen's grandson, Prince Jalan Kendeth--drinker, gambler, seducer of women--is one who can see The Silent Si...ster. Tenth in line for the throne and content with his role as a minor royal, he pretends that the hideous crone is not there. But war is coming. Witnesses claim an undead army is on the march, and the Red Queen has called on her family to defend the realm. Jal thinks it's all a rumor--nothing that will affect him--but he is wrong. After escaping a death trap set by the Silent Sister, Jal finds his fate magically intertwined with a fierce Norse warrior. As the two undertake a journey across the Empire to undo the spell, encountering grave dangers, willing women, and an upstart prince named Jorg Ancrath along the way, Jalan gradually catches a glimmer of the truth: he and the Norseman are but pieces in a game, part of a series of moves in the long war--and the Red Queen controls the board. *Fixed on Fantasy"--

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Subjects
Queens > Fiction.
Imaginary wars and battles > Fiction.
Fantasy fiction.
Genres
Fantasy fiction
Published
New York : Ace Books 2014.
Language
English
Main Author
Mark Lawrence, 1966- (-)
Edition
First edition
Physical Description
355 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
ISBN
9780425268780
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

Set in the world of Lawrence's Broken Empire trilogy but rather lighter in tone, this is the story of Prince Jalan Kendeth, grandson of the Red Queen, self-confessed coward, dedicated ladies' man, and devout shirker of anything remotely resembling responsibility. After a plot to kill him goes awry, Jalan winds up on the run, paired up with a Norseman whose warrior skills are matched by his keen intelligence, to discover the truth about an army of the undead that threatens to destroy the realm. This is the first installment of a projected trilogy, set more or less concurrently with the Broken Empire trilogy; it's not quite an outright comedy, but it comes very close. Jalan is a great character he's a Falstaffian ne'er-do-well, and he's content to remain that way and the story is as richly told as the earlier trilogy: the author makes this place, a post-cataclysm earth of the far future, feel as real as any place you've ever visited. For fans of the Broken Empire series and readers who enjoy a good, epic-sized fantasy story (readers of, say, George R. R. Martin), this is a must-read.--Pitt, David Copyright 2014 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

A not-so-heroic prince is trapped in a deadly mission that could decide the fate of the kingdom in this trilogy opener set in Lawrence's alt-European Broken Empire world. Prince Jalan Kendeth, 10th in line for the throne and a self-described coward, has few life ambitions beyond drinking, gambling, and wenching. But the Dead King is raising a vast army that threatens Jalan's home of Red March. Jalan's grandmother, the Red Queen, has a secret weapon: a mysterious sorceress called the Silent Sister. Jalan knows the Silent Sister is capable of horrors, but that knowledge doesn't protect him when he and enslaved Norse warrior Snorri ver Snagson are caught in one of her spells. Bound by magic, the two men become unlikely traveling companions. Shrewd Jalan and honorable Snorri make a marvelous team, lightening a very dark story with wry humor. The brisk adventure and black magic will leave readers eager for the next chapter in the series. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review

Being tenth in line for the throne of the Red March is a pretty good gig for Prince Jalan. He has his pick of pretty girls, the wine is always flowing, and he can usually charm his way out of trouble. But he will need more than charm and quick wits to face the hardship coming. There are rumors that the dead are rising, and Jal seems to be one of the few who can see the Silent Sister who hovers over his grandmother, the Red Queen. Caught in a curse from the mysterious crone, Jal finds that his fate is linked to that of an escaped slave from the Norse lands, and the two must travel to the far north to undo the spell. VERDICT Jal is a perfect cad of a hero. Although he cheats and lies and seems as shallow as can be, when push comes to shove he is not a bad man to have at your back (as long as it's in his best interests). Set in another part of the world Lawrence explored in his "Broken Empire" series (Prince of Thorns), the book's exciting action and quick-witted dialog make it a fantastic summer page-turner for epic fantasy fans. (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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