King of Thorns (The Broken Empire)

After reading the reviews of this book I was afraid of it being too dark and morbid. I found the book to be entertaining and in someways, philosophical. Mark Lawrence is a great story teller and understands the value of moving the plot forward. An enjoyable book.

This series is the best dark series I have ever read. It manages to be totally messed up and dark while not be overly depressing or cheesy. The main character consistently does horrible things and his view on the world isnt exactly chipper yet you find yourself liking him and rooting for him. If you are looking for an imaginative, dark, thrilling read then I could not recommend this series more highly

If you read the first book you are hoping the second book is as good as the first. It is.

First, I agree with some of the sentiment that it feels at times that Lawrence gets a little over-extravagant with his prose. There were a few points in the novel where I would skip over a paragraph or two because the sentences were a little over-the-top, nonsensical, or in their creativeness became too long so that they became uninteresting. That said, this DOES work more of the time and there is no doubt that he has a talent with words. Not even addressing the story, some of his sentences are truly impressive.

Why you are really here is for the story though, and that does not disappoint. The story has a perfect blend of fantasy and future, and while I know this isn't the first fantasy set in an apocalyptic future, it feels like one of the freshest stories I have read in a long time. The setting and the characters all fit together nicely, and Jorg is no different. In this book he certainly seems to have grown up a fair bit from the last, and his darkness has definitely tamed somewhat... but that is to be expected as he develops as a character. I actually feel that Jorg is one of the best written characters I have read about in terms of struggling to find out who they are, and battling against their own inherent good and evil. Jorg often makes meaningful gestures or actions, though he follows it up with a dark take on why. I'm not sure if he believes that or is rationalizing it to himself, and therefore I can't tell if he is rotten or does have a fair bit of good buried down deep somewhere. And I think that is exactly the point: Jorg isn't exactly sure either.

I really have no idea what to expect in the next installment of this series given the way the second one ended and essentially wrapped up many of the loose ends from the first book, but I know for sure that I am looking forward to it.

The second book in this series answers more questions for King Jorg of Ancrath, and his journey to unite the empire. I found it interesting how pieces of the their past (which appears to be our present) are weaved into the story, and their present is now a medieval rebirth. With that, I found the book entertaining and deserving of four stars. It was a little confusing as the book jumps timelines throughout its content.

I've always found that I most enjoy fantasy novels. The problem is, there's a pretty short-list of decent writers in the genre. I spent most of my childhood consuming them all. Good, bad, horrible - I read them all - much to the chagrin of my teachers. Constant nagging ensued. Something about not wasting my mind on fantasy and expanding my reading list. That kind of drivel. But, if my teachers had followed my reading development, they might have become pleased at how it all turned out. At some point in my 20's (and quite unbeknownst to me)I appear to have acquired taste. Maybe Harry Potter is to blame. Or maybe it was the long, drawn-out, tail-spin backslash twenty car pile-up that was the Sword of Truth series. The garbage no longer tasted quite so delicious. So, I found myself transitioning into bona fide literature and other high-society reading materials, such as uber nerdy non-fiction books. However, I always kept an eye on a short-list of fantasy writers (e.g., George R.R. Martin, Brent Weeks, Peter Brett, Jim Butcher, Brandon Sanderson and Neil Gaiman). You know, people that don't suck at writing. Every now and then, I take a dive back into fantasy and explore a new author. Prince of Thorns was just such a dive. I'll be honest, I wasn't crazy about it. I didn't hate it, but I also didn't love it. Interesting? Yes. Different approach? Sure (but it also just seemed a bit like The Black Company gone off the deep-end). A bit one dimensional? Also, yes. The Jorg character just didn't come off as believable to me. He was a little too far gone at too young of an age.

Ok, so, Brent Weeks new book is coming out in September and, after spending way too much time at the office of late, I needed a bit of escapism. NOW. Not in September. NOW. So, I picked up King of Thorns. It is 10x as good as Prince of Thorns. Jorg has developed into a complex character with promises of more complexity. He's not just a super-smart psychopath anymore. It's a well developed story, with a gripping plot, great characterization and top-shelf writing (especially in the desert that is fantasy). Mark Lawrence just garnered a spot on my short-list of "to be watched" fantasy writers. Hopefully he doesn't go spinning off into the abyss inhabited by Terry Goodkind (a once promising new author that has since bludgeoned me, robbed me, bored me, and generally stolen hours of my life). Genuinely looking forward to the next entry by Mr. Lawrence.

This book is fantastic in every way. If you are a serious fantasy reader looking for something new that is worth your time, this is the book for you. No need for a long review as others have already written plenty, but get this book and enjoy it!

This book is not for the faint of heart. It is dark and disturbing in many ways. That being said this is one of my favorite new franchises and I will be reading them all until he stops writing them. Read this book if you like dark stories. Seriously, you'll love it.

The second book in The Broken Empire feels a bit more tame than the first book but that doesn't mean it's not shocking and engrossing. I appreciate how the (surviving) characters are developing and I can't wait for the next book.

A dark, gritty and violent book that captures the imagination and spanks it on its rear end. I am not one that normally likes a fantasy book to mingle with the modern world or science fiction but this book does it in a way that makes a lot of sense. The main character has you wondering if you are rooting for the good guy or the bad guy but you root for him anyway. I can't wait to see where the next chapter leads.

I have read both this book and the first one (Prince of Thorns) in a single evening each. Great writing, compelling characters and plot. I like how the book delves into the darker parts of humanity, as well as the way Lawrence portrays a post-apocalyptic fantasy world.

Have you read Prince of Thorns? Did you like it?
If so, go ahead and purchase this one as well, it will not let you down.
Great book with original characters and a fascinating world developing right in front of your eyes.

Prince of thorns was so different and gripping. The protagnist is the antihero and I loved to be shocked by his actions. King of thorns was more difficult to read as the chapters were not chronological and you have to keep more than one storyline going at once. I loved it and can't wait for the finale

I've read a couple of tons worth of books in my life, yet my modest library has only about 300 books in it - all of them keepers that I re-read in my spare time. The King of Thorns carries on in great fashion where Prince of Thorns left off. The characters in the book are very well crafted and the central character Jorg is fascinating. These books have made it to the keepers list and I'll be enjoying them many more times. Here is an author with a solid future - can't wait for his next book!

Edward Z.

This is book 2 in a series of 3. After reading book 1 - Prince of Thorns - I looked forward to reading book 2. Book 1 was a page turner that I could not put down. This book I stopped reading about 120 pages in because it was so stupid. Super disappointing

I read the first Prince of Thorns and was amazed. Now book two and this one another classic. The book almost came to life in my hand... This guy can paint pictures with words! Its a great story and in this case i think you can judge the book by its cover.

This second volume is just as good if not even better than the first. It is very dark and bloody, but very interesting and hard to put down. What kind of world is this? I look forward to the third volume.

After the Prince of Thorns I was anxious to see how the main character has developed. Unfortunately in this book it seems that, though the main character has gained great power, he has not developed or expanded his ambitions enough. He tries to hard to hold onto his angst and long monologues with a "woe is me" mentality caused me to lose all respect and interest in the character. I couldn't finish the story as a result. The author simply went in a direction with the character that I personally did not like.

Jorg is the most depraved hero you are ever going to encounter and as the storyline fills in and events unfold, he's very understandable, even likeable. The characters are very fleshy and real and I absolutely love the slowly revealing plot as to the state of the world; life after the apocalypse. This book gives pause for relection.

I highly enjoyed this book, it's has a very brutal nature and the author gives this air of mystery throughout the book on the main character's plans, but always ties up neatly the threads of the plot. I love the air of fantasy/post apocalyptic world where magic has began anew, but high technology "Builder artifacts" left over from the previous societies plays a role in the plot.

I'm currently on the final book in the series. These books aren't too bad, but they do have very confusing aspects to them that aren't explained all that well. The author also tries to combine things from different eras and it really hurts what could've been a great story. If you're really into medieval fantasy novels then I'd suggest giving it a read, but there will be points that disappoint you.

It's been a bit difficult to find new and genuinely engaging fantasy novels lately. So, I was very happy to get my hands on the King of Thorns. The first book was quite entertaining and well written, but the second book in the series surpasses it. There are very few authors who can write dark fantasy as well as Mark Lawrence. Buy this book.

The main character really starts to develop in this book. While he felt, at times, one dimentional in Prince of Thorns, his general 'evilness' starts to make sense a lot more here. And, of course, the plot is gripping from start to finish. Book three please.

I read Prince of Thorns and the heart wrenching tale of a boy who was forced to become a man too soon. I couldn't wait for King of Thorn and read cover to cover over a Saturday. Mark Lawrence truly has an amazing ability. Now we wait, in anticipation, for Emperor of Thorns.

Easily the best book I've read in a long time-I'm talking years. I was going to say the ending blew me away but honestly the entire book blew me away and the ending......I couldn't believe what I was reading it was so great. What adds to an already excellent plot is the witty-sarcastic-mental illness of Jorg. I actually feel a little messed up as a person because I like him so much-like a normal person could not connect to Jorg the way I have. King of Thorns is definitely the best use of the 'futuristic setting' concept I've ever read. I thought Prince of Thorns was unique but King takes it to a whole new level. I'm looking forward to reading it again but more importantly I can't wait to see what Jorg does to surprise me in Emperor of Thorns. :)

Dark & a rousing fantasy . OK you know when you read a preview about a book that's supposed to be dark & there is an anti-hero or assassin (Night Angel trilogy) then it turns out he or she a goody 2 shoes? OH no not Jorg he's the real deal when it come to taking names & kickin' well you know what . I can't wit 'til the next installment

If you're a fan of the genre than there is a lot to love in this book. Lawrence has created an interesting atmosphere in the the first two books of this trilogy but for some reason it just doesn't seem fully cooked. Too many lucky twists and miraculous victories. At times it feels like the author is rushing and cutting corners to bring this book to some sort of conclusion.

Great prose. Great character. Mediocre story.

This is solid prose. Well thought out, reminiscent of Stephen Kings Gunslinger series. The characters are well constructed, the dialogue seems realistic. Unlike this review, which is being written before my first cup of coffee.

I absolutely loved this book. It was a wonderful follow up to the first one, and gives you even better insight into the mythology and world that Lawrence has created. He still manages to make you feel bad for loving Jorg, which is something I can say about very few author's I've read

Amazing sequel! King Jorg has really evolved as a person since the first book but traces of his old self can't stay away for ever! Really love these books,'King of Thorns' is actually better than the first book. Emperor of Thorns hear I come!

I like the concept maintained from the first book of four years back and fourth (no pun intended).
But... It isn't as connected as "Prince". We jump about a little too much inside Jorg's mind and time frames for coherence (IMHO).
Still worth reading and I'll be acquiring "Emperor".

This book is a must read! finally we get a hero who is starts young at a young age and being such a pure bad-ass!I was excited when this came out because if it was even a 1/3 as good as prince of thorns it would be worth the read. And what happened the book went beyond the first one and got even better! Can't wait for Emperor Of Thorns

This book was a refreshing change for the genre. Everyone, myself included, enjoys a like able hero am protagonist, but every once in awhile you get a (non)hero that you can get behind. Well written and so very inciteful when capturing the nuances of interpersonal relationships.

I read the first book months ago and waited impatiently on the 2nd book. It finally came out on Aug, 7th, my birthday, best present ever :) I love the series, hope to see more good series after the conclusion to this trilogy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book along with the first. I've read many "anti-hero" stories, but Jorg goes beyond anti-hero and straight into incorrigible villain. I look forward to the conclusion to be released next year.

This book was a refreshing change for the genre. Everyone, myself included, enjoys a like able hero am protagonist, but every once in awhile you get a (non)hero that you can get behind. Well written and so very inciteful when capturing the nuances of interpersonal relationships.

I read the first book months ago and waited impatiently on the 2nd book. It finally came out on Aug, 7th, my birthday, best present ever :) I love the series, hope to see more good series after the conclusion to this trilogy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book along with the first. I've read many "anti-hero" stories, but Jorg goes beyond anti-hero and straight into incorrigible villain. I look forward to the conclusion to be released next year.

Great book can't wait to start the next I like the post apocalypse / dark ages theme and as dark as the book is its just makes it that much more believable life is not all butterflies and unicorns bad things happen and bad choices have to be made.

I started with this book instead of the first just to be instresting. Haven't finished it yet but what I've read so far is OK and enough to keep me reading. The one thing that is a constant annoyance is the references to real word history, when the world this story takes place in obviously has nothing to do with the real world. I don't know those references just tick me off. I guess it's because five star fantasy takes me to a entirely different world completely. This is three star reading but it's good three star reading. Great break novel for when you need to take rest from a big series for a little while.

I really enjoyed Prince of Thorns but I liked this even more.
My favorite bit of the book is that we find out a lot of stuff at the same time as Jorg!. I love Jorg and can't wait for the next book!.

I barely made it through Prince of Thorns and was hoping that this text would prove to be an improvement. I was wrong. Not only has the main character continued to be an absolutely one-dimensional nihilist who still blames his father for everything wrong in his life (primarily, but of course, there are other people he blames too, just as long as he doesn't blame himself). Additionally, the editing in the text proved highly erratic: from one page to the next, there would be a jump from one set of characters in dialogue to a whole different set of characters in dialogue, and there would be absolutely no indication (no page break, no text indicator, nothing) that there had been a shift. After plodding through Prince of Thorns and making it about forty pages into King of Thorns and seeing the same reprehensible and rather thin character development (and now adding awful editing into the mix), I had to put the book down. I cannot recommend the series.

The anti-hero theme regressed a little from prince of thorns, but it doesn't matter!! Still a refreshing novel that breaks many of the usual fantasy molds. It was fun to read, what more can you ask for?

This book is okay, but getting sick and tired of jumping back "4 years" all the time. I am not becoming a fan of this author a little to far out there. I do not lake the mixture of past and future as I find it lack imagination.

If you read the first book, you may be inclined to think the author lost the rhythm that made it work. It starts slow but stick with it a bit and the pace quickens. I am now on to the third and, while it didn't live up to my hopes after the first is still intriguing enough to finish out.

This book wasn't easy for me to read. The first book shocked me with its darkness. It had characters that ripped out my emotions and threw them on the floor. When people died in that book I actually cried, in this one I barely cared. Maybe because the people in the book didn't care too much either. Either way, this book I had to trudge through.

The narrative style of this book is misplaced. A fair amount of the book details Katherine's accounts with her diary, which are never very interesting. Without saying to much, she isn't captivating and she never really does anything except whine and hate mostly everybody. I found myself wanting to skip those parts and that is never a good thing.

Lawrence tries to get a little too prosey in parts, as if he is trying to show off a little on how he can make words pretty. These do nothing but stray from the story.

In the first book the little snippets of character explanation were refreshing and quite cool, but in this book they felt a little tired and tried, as if he put them in only to maintain the same format. Some were quite good, but most of the best moments came instead from the actual progression of events that happened to the characters. And believe me, these moments are special indeed but they tend to be overshadowed by the other characterization format. They always just tried to make the characters seem bad ass, but I wanted to see them bad ass. Not be told about how they are.

The book does a good job of tying together its strings, and believe me, it has many strings indeed. That is the main focus of the book, but sadly it makes you feel disoriented. You are struggling and struggling to find out what is going on, and by the time you do, so much effort has been put in for 450 pages that you are relieved to be finished. I can wait for the next book, and I will most likely give it another chance because of Prince of Thorns and its genius, but I won't be jumping the gun. Ha.

One of the best books, both in quality and content, that I've read in years! Reading this was like eating an exquisitely prepared meal: after each bite you think you know what to expect with the next, yet you're still surprised with just how good it tastes. If the plot wasn't so engaging and the characters so well developed, you would almost be distracted by the amazing turns of phrase.

This book is dark, brutal, and disturbing at points. It's also very original, well conceived, and highly entertaining. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys dark fantasy or horror. Definitely am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Do not believe all those glowing positive reviews. Check out this book from the library, sit down and read 20 pages, turn it back in and you will have saved some money. The old adage that, "If the writer does not struggle to make sense of his book, then the reader certainly will!" fits aptly here. This book should be used in high school English classes as an example of poor writing. Everything that describes poor writing can be found here, which is why I give it 2 stars!

I opened my review of Prince of Thorns, book 1 of The Broken Empire saga, by saying:

"Damn, but this was one hell of a book!"

I would like to begin this review in a similar spirit, by saying:

"Damn, but this was one hell of a book to review."

I've let it settle and digest for a few days, but I'm still very conflicted in my thoughts regarding King of Thorns. Mark Lawrence has improved upon many aspects of that first book, particularly in the areas of character development and world-building, but the converging paths of the narrative structure that didn't work so well for me this time around.

Generally, I'm not a big fan of stories that jump back and forth in time, balancing flashbacks with the 'current' or 'present day' narrative. It's just not a device that works for me. Having said that, it did work for me in the first book, largely because Jorg was such a unique sort of protagonist that I was truly interested in just what happened to place his feet upon such a path. Here, the 'present day' narrative jumps ahead four years, forcing a gap that allows for the same device to be used again. The problem is, with my curiosity about Jorg's origins already sated, the flashbacks here lacked the same drawing power. As much as I appreciate what Lawrence attempted to do with the copper box - I thoroughly enjoyed the way in which his banked memories altered the course of battle - I didn't find the 'big' memory a compelling enough mystery to justify taking us away from the events of his wedding day.

Of course, it doesn't help that the story of Jorg's wedding day is such a strong story on its own. Taking place over the course of a single day, it develops his character, advances the plot, and resolves several key conflicts in exemplary fashion. Here we have a few moments of courtship, a rushed marriage, a siege, a quest, and a battle - more than enough to carry a tale. Once again, Jorg and his band of brother face impossible odds, but find novel and exciting ways of stealing the upper hand. This is fighting dirty, as we'd expect, but it works.

Speaking of fighting dirty, the climax is another aspect of the tale about which I'm conflicted. It's completely in keeping with Jorg's character, and brilliantly resolves some of the larger challenges facing his march to the ultimate throne, but once again it relies upon artifacts of Builder technology. I'm honestly not sure whether I like that pattern. It intrigues me and excites me, and I love the Dark Tower way in which the ghosts of the past have both a significance and an enduring sense of peril, but it just felt a little to convenient here, a little too much of a stretch. Ultimately, whether it's a clever device or a bit of a cheat is something I really can't say until I see how Emperor of Thorns is resolved. I would actually be disappointed not to see it attempted again, but the 'how' and the 'why' of it will mean everything.

I would, of course, be remiss not to say a few words about the women of the world. While her diary entries didn't necessarily add anything to the narrative for me, it's clear that Katherine is being pressed into a pivotal role. Not only is she quickly becoming a key piece in the overall game of thrones, but the significance of her thorn in Jorg's side continues to grow. As for his child-bride Miana, she was a pleasant surprise, worthy of not just her place in the story, but also of a place as Jorg's side. I expected very little of her going in, but began to like her early on, and definitely respected her contributions by the end. Chella, as we might expect, continues to play a role in events, haunting Jorg's thoughts and driving him into confrontation with the dead. The scene in which she forces a confrontation with the ghosts of his genocide amid the marsh and the mud is just awesome, and almost enough to redeem my conflict about the dueling narratives.

Overall, King of Thorns is a strong read, and a worthy sequel to Prince of Thorns. Despite my conflicts with the telling of it, I enjoyed it immensely, and actually stayed up late to read the final 200+ pages. The cast of characters has grown, Jorg has grown, the world has grown, and the stakes have grown. A bigger book than the first in every respect, this is a tale that leaves even bigger expectations for Emperor of Thorns.

"I had wanted my uncle's blood. His crown I took because other men said I could not have it."

The odds are incredibly against King Jorg. The stakes are high and the plot twists are indescribable. He killed his worthless uncles and secured a small kingdom in the mountains but he now has to face a pompous enemy namely the Prince of Arrow. We go back and forth in time just like number one, from Jorg's wedding day/war that has come to four years earlier. We get to see how Jorg traveled the empire and gathered his resources to fight a battle he was told he couldn't win. The story is partially in Katherine's POV through diary entries (the woman Jorg wants more than anyone yet the woman he can't seem to have). 

"By the time I finally hauled myself weak and trembling onto the very top of the spire, I had come to realize I've been holding on by my fingertips my entire life."

You ever read about the knight in shining armor on his perfectly beautiful horse and smiling pearly whites? You ever want to shove him off his horse and just punch him in the face? Well, you will have no issues here because my buddy Jorg is dirtier than dirt. I think the devil himself would tremble if Jorg came to him. He is still filled with anger, a murderous streak, sadness, incredibly clever, wild, and destructive. How would I describe my feelings for him? Simple it goes like this, "you suck Jorg. I love you. You are a piece of dirt. I will keep you safe. I really think you should die before you cause more destruction. I will hunt down anyone else who adds to your pain." And the cycle continues. We see a lot of growth in him tbh. He thinks about actions more in this book. He has so many redemption moments and you see what a great King he is (Sarah & her daughter, Gog. 

"Gorgoth, tell the trolls we'll be back and to keep our visit to themselves." I looked the pair over one more time. I wondered what kind of havoc they'd wreak on a battlefield. The best kind, I thought.

While we see glimpses of Jorg's inner hurt and his soft sides and moments we also see his battle strategies come together. A war is coming to his doorstep in this stories plot. I really love how Mark played out this plot. In the past plot, we saw how Jorg prepared for the wedding day chapters and gathered what he would need. So many times I was like sir are you sure that will work and then I was like oh crap it did. This plot was even more intense and violent than number one if that's even possible lol. Honestly, the plots just get better ask Jorg develops in each book.

"A laugh bubbled from me in the same way, escaping my heat. The anger I brought with me ignited, becoming too large for my body, detaching from the men who hurt Sim and becoming an end in and of itself, all-consuming, a glorious laughing ecstasy of rage."

Pandora's box of lost memory. This was such an amazing plot point that Mr. Lawrence weaved into this incredible tale. AND THAT ENDING!!! Jorg gets new necromancer powers (a little advanced from his book one power that kept him alive) a fire-magic skill and Builder tools. He gets them exactly when he needs them and honestly this man never dies and I am not complaining because I think something would die in me if he dies. The ending is full of shocking twists and surprises that left me breathless. I also need to mention I really love all the secondary characters in these books.

"A time of terror comes. A dark time. The graves continue to open and the Dead King prepares to sail. But the world holds worse things than dead men. A dark time comes.
My time. If it offends you. Stop me."

Gosh, I love you ya damn evil king you.

I love a good epic fantasy, and all of Mark Lawrence's books are that promising door-stopper size that suggests a good adventure happens within the pages. King of Thorns is book two in the trilogy, and picks up about four years after the end of book one. I was a bit thrown off by this, as it seems like a lot has changed, and I wondered if I'd misremembered the ending of book one, but luckily the story splits into two timelines: one carrying on in the present day, and one that starts four years previously and gradually shows how Jorg got from where he was to where he is now.

It's a fairly grim series in a lot of ways. Jorg hasn't had an easy life and it doesn't get any better. But despite that, he fights his corner and has quite a lot of luck to help him out. I like that there's a strong 'characters move from city A to city B and encounter various stumbling blocks on the way' plotline to the book, and that Jorg's personality continues to evolve as he grows up and experiences more. It was a satisfying book, and once I got stuck in, I couldn't put it down. Luckily I already have book three, so I'll be starting that one soon! I'm giving King of Thorns 7 out of 10.

As with the previous installment, this book is full of reprehensible actions, violence, blood, and strange phenomenon.
Jorg, now King, recounts how he settled into life as a monarchy, the years leading to the current place we find him, battling invaders of his stolen land.
Lawrence once again employees the first-person narrative, divided between the present and the past. It could be confusing, but Lawrence uses a deft hand in weaving the narrative, building the past and present into one final conflict. And giving the reader a few twists and turns and at least one “Oh, didn’t see that coming” moment.
It still has the trademark GrimDark quality – people die - badly, violently, painfully. Jorg is still selfish, still cruel, still using people for his own ends. And yet, you find yourself hoping he succeeds.
As this is a post-apocalyptic future of our own work, I often wondered how Lawrence would explain the magic that clearly exists. In this book, he does, a little, and in a way that makes sense to me. It’s almost believable.
Worth reading if you enjoy dark and violent stories with intriguing plots.

*Spoilers*

This book is too long by 100 pages. Seems another case of a writer with considerable talent writing to see himself write, like GRRM's latest book, which is middling at best. There is one glaring flaw in Lawrence's series: it is our world a millennium or more from now. That itself is not a flaw, but basically our world fell and was replaced by a world of fantasy tropes. It's ridiculous in the extreme that feudalism has resurfaced, rife with all that system contains–kings, lords, ladies, swords, axes, rape, pillage, plunder, castles, trebuchets, small warring kingdoms, as well as fantasy elements such as creatures that can create and wield fire from their own flesh, ice- and fire-witches, living dead, and so on. My suspension of disbelief goes a long way, but it stops here. If he had made the books in a created world, one not shackled to our own, I'd be fine with it, but he had to make it our world, and our world doesn't allow the myriad impossibilities that Lawrence includes. And the way he "explains" how these things are possible is very weak. He quotes ancient human writers and has the song "American Pie" in there, but not anything else from our time, like say, The Beatles, or other things that would survive more readily than "American Pie." Ancient works survived but not modern works, except for American f***ing Pie?! It makes no sense at all. If this is Lawrence's attempt to make his books more interesting, it doesn't work.

Science Fiction is harder to write than fantasy. Sorry, but it's true. That said, I'll half-bury my point with the seemingly contradictory admission that some of the most stunningly complex and brilliant works ever written are fantasy novels; fantasy doesn't require the same kind of research found in historical fiction in the tradition of Robert Graves' 'I, Claudius' and John Williams' 'Augustus', or science fiction like Andy Weir's 'The Martian', but that doesn't stop talented and intelligent writers from bringing the same kind of erudition to the genre, and demanding of themselves things that other fantasy authors do not. 'The Martian', in particular, takes a very difficult route, one that is very close to reality. Without a solid understanding of relativity, quantum mechanics, astro-physics, botany, biology, et cetera, it's hard to make a near-future SF story like 'The Martian' convincing; the plot itself is all about using the hard specs of a post-NASA mission to imagine how a single astronaut might survive for years on an alien planet. You can't fake it when you're dealing with a snarky and usually quite knowledgeable fan-base. Fantasy requires a deep understanding of... well, nothing. For that reason, it's a blank canvas that provides the author an opportunity for pure imaginative expression and story-telling ability... an opportunity that is too often wasted, taken advantage of by people with an unwavering faith in their own importance, but who puke up a mess of Tolkien-based clichés that an editor should have whittled back to white paper. In the hands of someone talented, however, fantasy can rewrite physics, ignore history entirely, and build a universe from scratch. The best fantasy comes from writers who chose the genre for its possibilities, rather than their own intellectual limitations. GRRM bounced between genres with ease before ASOIAF, and both he and Steven Erickson and Tolkien constructed worlds that were rooted in mythological and historical parallels to our own.

Mark Lawrence has crafted a fantasy that has strong SF characteristics, a post-apocalyptic future that has birthed a new Dark Age. It doesn't feel like SF, however, with the exception of some critical and climactic moments that are thrilling celebrations of mankind's worst and coolest endeavors. Lawrence is another writer who has brought a powerful intellect to bear on piecing together his bottled-reality, including a hardcore science background -- rocket science, even -- that helps make this trilogy one of the best of the new millennium. 'Prince of Thorns' introduced us to Jorg, a prodigious young psychopath with big ambitions, vengeance on his mind, and a band of killers behind him. In a quasi-medieval world that almost appears to be a repetition of Earth history, with clever twists of name and language designed to perpetuate the intentional confusion, Jorg is clearly based on Alex, the brilliant, homicidal teenaged narrator of Anthony Burgess' 'A Clockwork Orange'. Like Burgess, Lawrence uses a first person perspective to create an unforgettable anti-hero who is remarkably likable, despite committing a long list of atrocities.

Jorg Ancrath is softer in this second instalment, and is now a King, with responsibilities to his subjects that he almost takes seriously. His generally horrible nature has been mitigated by the manipulation of dream-invading sorcerers and necromancers, as well as the early childhood trauma that shaped him -- the murder of his mother and brother, while he watched, held tight by the barbs of the hook-briar, and the betrayal that followed. KoT is not as strong as PoT, but it's still an excellent book, and sets up the climactic events of Book 3. We learn that Jorg does, in fact, have a conscience -- he keeps it in a box. Despite constant prophetic reminders telling him that the Prince of Arrow is destined to be Emperor, Jorg is determined to prove everyone wrong. Much of Book 2 relates to this rivalry, and his difficult search for allies amongst Rulers who despise him or view him as completely insignificant. The chapters alternate between the 'present' -- his wedding day, which also happens to be the day his battle with the Prince of Arrow is decided -- and the 'past' -- starting four years earlier, as the first book did, and picking up not long after it ended. The tension isn't maintained as well in this volume, and the chronological jumps are a bit more disruptive; but on the whole, Lawrence has further proven himself to be a master storyteller, one who can effortlessly dodge and snap the crudely forged and improperly tempered expectations that sub-par writers have provided readers of fantasy novels. Until PoT/KoT, I never suspected that what had been lacking in every pseudo-medieval fantasy novel I'd read was revolvers and nuclear bombs.

The antihero continues his fight in opposition to what expected of him. He is brilliant, cunning, scheming, making plans within the plans in face of innumerable odds. His lust/desire for Katherine is explored through memories he locked away in order to protect his sanity. As brutal and violent as he is I couldn’t help but to rut fir him. I have no idea how the author accomplished it - psychopathic, cruel and deeply wounded and broken he fights and inspires others to stand with him against conspiracy of epic proportions. By the way - I’m sick of Katherine. It is time for her to leave the story.

When I find myself laughing on a regular basis while reading a book that is usually a really good sign that I am enjoying it! King of Thorns, the follow up to Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence, had me laughing -- a lot! King of Thorns is not a fun and games fantasy romp by any means, but the humor just made a good book even better.

Honorious Jorg Ancraft is tired of being manipulated and told what he can and can't do. In his world there are a number of shadowy powerful competitors for control who are manipulating events and people through magic and other unsavory means. They are willing to do some terrible things to achieve their ends. Jorg's family has been slaughtered, his friends have been hurt, and his life has been threatened repeatedly. This has given him boundless motivation to control his fate, no matter the price.

Mark Lawrence sticks primarily with Jorg's perspective, but at times he follows Jorg's love interest, Katherine, Jorg's father's young wife's sister. Katherine is writing in a journal and chronicling her life living in her sister's home. She is plagued by horrible memories of Jorg and things that have happened to her. Katherine's life is tightly controlled, but she always feels like something is not adding up. The pieces of the world she is living in simply don't make complete sense.

The best part of King of Thorns is watching Jorg evolve and seeing how the people he has gathered around him grow from being merely fellow felons to loyal retainers. Lawrence occasionally gives usinteresting tidbits of information about this mad ensemble, providing both amusement and troubling glimpses into individual characters. This technique effectively adds depth to the story without burdening the reader with long irrelevant segments of storyline. For example, we'll hear about how a cold-blooded killer became who he was because his other line of work didn't work out. Jorg's choices and how some of them truly haunt him afterwards make him almost likable.... for a cold-blooded, calculating, power-hungry, mean, partially insane teenager.

Lawrence continues to hint at and shade in the world-building details. Scenes of a medieval adventurer coming across a high-tech computer system that has access to an evolving digital copy of a long dead programmer, for example, make for really thought-provoking material. If little pieces of modern technology were being employed during the dark ages, just how much of a difference would they make? It was intriguing to me.

King of Thorns, like Prince of Thorns, is vulgar, mean, and harsh. This is a world that's in a constant state of warfare as various nobles vie to become Emperor and there is very little restraint. If you're easily offended by people being killed simple to prove a point then this series may not be to your taste, but if you enjoyed Prince of Thorns or are a fan of Joe Abercrombie's work, then you'll think King of Thorns is a lot of fun. It's a hard world, but Mark Lawrence sure makes it fascinating to read about.

4.5/5Rating: Originally posted at https://mylifemybooksmyescape.wordpress.com/2015/01/27/book-review-king-of-thorns-by-mark-lawrence/

Where most authors tend to struggle or fall off with the second book in a series, I am happy to say that Mark keeps the ball rolling right on with King of Thorns. We get more background information for our main protagonist Jorg - which helps to continue to develop his character arc - and also for some of our Brothers, such as Makin. The plot really comes to life here as well. In Prince of Thorns I felt it was a good plot, but took a back seat to the focus on Jorg. Now the plot comes to take the main stage. One such thing it helps bring to life is this fascinating world, which seems to be some alternate/parallel time-line of our current history? (There have been references Aristotle and other philosophers since Prince). We finally learn more about this world that I have been dying to learn about.

King of Thorns starts us right where Prince of Thorns left off. Like Prince, we have alternating times lines going on. We have Wedding Day, letters from Katherine's diary, and a continuation of the previous novel starting about 3 months later called four years earlier. During the four years earlier, we see Jorg set off on a type of quest to bring Gog to see a fire-mage up in Heimfrit to see if the mage can help Gog to control his fire. Meanwhile on Wedding Day (four year later), we see Jorg having to deal with the sudden arrival of his new wife, while at same time preparing the defend his kingdom from the invading forces of Arrow. Then in Katherine's Diary entries, we have her accounts on things in her life from the end of Prince, when Jorg knocked her out and escaped, leading up to the present Wedding Day.

There was really one problem I had with this book - the starting of the book and plot felt slow and scattered. While I had no problems following the events and understanding what was going on in Wedding Day, and going through time reading Katherine's Diary entries, the quest with Gog made no sense at all to me. With the way that the previous novel ended, I couldn't understand why this was important or why it even mattered it matter so much for Jorg to suddenly do. This may not have been such a major issue for me except that majority of the chapters are this Gog quest, and the pacing is completely different from Prince - it as actually a little slow.

However, fear not. Not long after the start of the book, I began to realize why it was that this quest was in the book and why it was so important to Jorg.

In going on this quest, it gives Mark the ability to really start to explore his fascinating world in depth and detail. The first book gave us a glimpse into what the world may be, but now we really see what this world holds. From the learning more of the politics, what this game and pieces played are about, and to the history with the Builders - it is a great world/history that has been built.

Secondly, this explains and expands much on Jorg's character. At the beginning of the book, Jorg seemed different to me - almost weaker. (And by weaker I mean, almost like a normal person would think). He no longer would kill people because they looked at him wrong. Even his thoughts and actions even seemed to changed as well... I really wasn't sure how I felt about this new Jorg or where it was coming from. But keep in mind, despite how dark these books are, in my opinion, The Broken Empire Series really is a coming-of-age story at its core. And this quest, that may seem random and uncharacter like, explores him at a new depth.

One scene in particular that I must point out, deals with an animal. First off, why I had I heard nothing about it!? ALL I heard about Prince of Thorns was how horrible and disturbing the 'rape scene' was going to be. And when I finally got there, it was literally just a sentence, and NOTHING was describe. Rape is extremely horrible, but it was just, 'Rike went to have his way the farmer's daughter'. Not difficult to read at all. ThIs scene with the animal.... Oh My God. I will not say when or what happens, but this scene was very difficult for me to read. Not only because it is descriptive, but also because of the impact it has on Jorg - and that hit me right in feels.

What you have to understand about Mark's writing is that everything has a reason and purpose. It is not like Joe Abercrombie who - who I have not yet read, but have heard - has bad because stuff happen for no reason because, well, that's life. Everything Mark writes, every scene - no matter how brutal, gory or disturbing - it is has a purpose and is written that way specifically to help further along the story in someway. This scene with the animal, I would argue, it was one the most critical scenes in the book for the story and most important, for Jorg's development. Without this scene, Jorg would not be who is. It explains SO much about him. Without it written exactly how it was, it would not have had the same impact.

There was no reason to write the rape scene it detail. That was just to get an idea of the world and how the Brothers acted. There was no reason at all to go into detail - that would have been messed up. The animal scene on the other hand, needed to. It is such a critical moment (can't stress that enough), and Mark needed to write it the way he did so that it could disturb the reader, so the reader could feel empathy (for what, when you get there you will understand), and so the reader could understand the magnitude of the importance of that scene.

One other thing I must mention is this thorn-box that Jorg carries. I will not say it does, a major spoiler to do so, though it gets explained fairly early on, but it's best to wonder a little bit about it. However, aside from what the thorn-box actually does, how Mark uses this box to help tell the story was absolutely genius!

If you read the first book and liked it (how wouldn't you!?) then you must continue on! The pace is a little slow to start, but if me saying that there is not enough murder and pillaging in first 50 pages is the only problem, then I'm just nitpicking, and I think you'll be fine. Jorge is best (worst?) anti-hero of all time. Mark has created this fascinating alternative/parallel history world, and this second book really brings feeling that this is epic fantasy - the plot is excellent!

All hail King Jorg!

4.5/5 Rating

-DJ

I enjoyed King of Thorns even more than I enjoyed Prince of Thorns and that is saying something. Four years after the end of Prince of Thorns, on his wedding day, Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath, now King Jorg, is facing an enemy that outnumber his little army by twenty to one. Can King Jorg beat the odds this time as usual?

Again I found myself completely captivated by this futuristic, yet ancient, world. Jorg had grown from a pillaging, murdering and spiteful boy into a responsible king who can think on his feet.

The story alternates between Jorg's effort to win the battle on his wedding day to the past and the narrative of his growth into a responsible king. From time to time pieces from Katherine AP Scorron's journal is inserted to give the reader a clear picture of what truly happened to bring Jorg, as well as several other characters and circumstances, together in this battle in the Renar Highlands.

Apart from the nonstop action and the brilliantly imaginative world building, the Character development that happens to Jorg Ancrath, is what absolutely made this story for me. Although Jorg stands out, all the characters in this book are well fleshed out and highly realistic.

Though magic and the supernatural play more of a role in this book than it did in Prince of Thorns, it still does not dominate the plot. Speaking of the supernatural, readers can prepare to face some thoroughly creepy and deeply scary situations with Jorg and his band of brothers.

For a tale of warfare, adventure and deep personal and emotional insight, I recommend King of Thorns as an absolute must-read. (Ellen Fritz)

As with the previous installment, this book is full of reprehensible actions, violence, blood, and strange phenomenon.
Jorg, now King, recounts how he settled into life as a monarchy, the years leading to the current place we find him, battling invaders of his stolen land.
Lawrence once again employees the first-person narrative, divided between the present and the past. It could be confusing, but Lawrence uses a deft hand in weaving the narrative, building the past and present into one final conflict. And giving the reader a few twists and turns and at least one “Oh, didn’t see that coming” moment.
It still has the trademark GrimDark quality – people die - badly, violently, painfully. Jorg is still selfish, still cruel, still using people for his own ends. And yet, you find yourself hoping he succeeds.
As this is a post-apocalyptic future of our own work, I often wondered how Lawrence would explain the magic that clearly exists. In this book, he does, a little, and in a way that makes sense to me. It’s almost believable.
Worth reading if you enjoy dark and violent stories with intriguing plots.

*Spoilers*

This book is too long by 100 pages. Seems another case of a writer with considerable talent writing to see himself write, like GRRM's latest book, which is middling at best. There is one glaring flaw in Lawrence's series: it is our world a millennium or more from now. That itself is not a flaw, but basically our world fell and was replaced by a world of fantasy tropes. It's ridiculous in the extreme that feudalism has resurfaced, rife with all that system contains–kings, lords, ladies, swords, axes, rape, pillage, plunder, castles, trebuchets, small warring kingdoms, as well as fantasy elements such as creatures that can create and wield fire from their own flesh, ice- and fire-witches, living dead, and so on. My suspension of disbelief goes a long way, but it stops here. If he had made the books in a created world, one not shackled to our own, I'd be fine with it, but he had to make it our world, and our world doesn't allow the myriad impossibilities that Lawrence includes. And the way he "explains" how these things are possible is very weak. He quotes ancient human writers and has the song "American Pie" in there, but not anything else from our time, like say, The Beatles, or other things that would survive more readily than "American Pie." Ancient works survived but not modern works, except for American f***ing Pie?! It makes no sense at all. If this is Lawrence's attempt to make his books more interesting, it doesn't work.

(Warning: This book contains mentions of sexual assault, extreme violence, disturbing scenes, and copious amounts of blood and gore. This is the second book in The Broken Empire trilogy; the review is spoiler-free, beyond anything you can read in its blurb, but even that may spoil some aspects of the first book.)

Jorg Ancrath has defied the odds. He declared that he would be a king and now he is, all who stood before him fell and not in a pretty way. Now, however, the boy who forced the world to crown him a dark lord must face the perfect fairy-tale prince, a man who inspires all and matches Jorg's overwhelming savagery with an astounding and heartfelt compassion.

I loved Prince of Thorns. I'm in love with King of Thorns, however. After reading The New Magic by Joseph Malik, I was lucky I decided to revisit Mark Lawrence's trilogy; the second novel builds upon the impressive quality of his debut and rises to excellence. Let's get into the review.

(Plot)
King of Thorn's plot is strewn out across the past and the present. This can make getting into the flow of the book a bit hard at first, but everything does fall into place. Using flashbacks heavily was certainly a bit of a gamble from a writing perspective, but it pays off as it adds an amazing air of mystery to the story.

In the present, Jorg is besieged by a man known as the Prince of Arrow. The prince is prophesized to strike Jorg, and all the others who fracture the realm, down. He's destined to unite the world in peace; and truly the man is the ideal emperor. He is honest, and good, and merciful, and kind; men love him and he loves them back.

Prince of Thorns had amazing characters and a decent plot. King of Thorns has an excellent and enthralling story.

(Characters)
Prince of Thorns got some flak for Jorg being somewhat too evil. However, Lawrence really builds on the main character in King of Thorns. Jorg is still savage and violent, but he's also more relatable as he grows to become a young adult. There are even moments of kindness from him.

Perhaps the best thing about King of Thorns is its antagonists and supporting characters. None of them feel hollow and those that have been around since the first book are really built up. We learn just why Jorg's people and kingdom follow him and why they might not be so stupid to do so.

The antagonists are interesting and deep. Mages, kings, princes; they're all on display and all facing Jorg down. In fact, Jorg is heavily outnumbered and there doesn't seem to be a way for him to win. The king of thorns is still just as stubborn as he was before he got his crown, however, and is more than willing to go down swinging.

We really get into just how brilliant Jorg is. Magic users are involved more prominently than ever. And Jorg finally has a worthy foe to do battle with.

(Writing)
The writing of the first book was pretty. The writing of the second book is beautiful. The prose dives deeply into the core of what makes the human heart beat, without breaking the mood or tone of the story.

Every character from Prince of Thorns seems that much deeper in its sequel. Through dialogue and Jorg's keen observations their thoughts and motivations are dissected and revealed.

One of my favorite aspect of Prince of Thorns was how combat was depicted. It's wild, it's exaggerated, and it's gorgeously described, but it's also brutal and savage. It combines the best parts of epic fantasy wonder with the harsh realities of dark fantasy.

The nature of magic was also explained somewhat. It's shown to be much more than just a tool that gives power. It can also be a burden, a corrupter, even a disease. I loved its inclusion and felt like its exploration was a great addition coming off of the previous novel, which seemed a bit cookie-cutter in its approach to the arcane.

However, some of the scenes in the book are heartbreaking beyond belief. I had trouble reading one; and believe me, I have no doubt you will know exactly which one I'm talking about if you choose to pick up the book. King of Thorns is definitely more violent than its already grimdark predecessor--and that's saying a lot.

(Conclusion)
If you can get past the gruesome nature of the text, it will grab and and pull your heart to shreds. It will hit your emotions and take you on a journey that will highlight a lot of life lessons and truths.

This is an excellent book. Much better than the first. So, if you're on the fence whether you should continue the series...I'd say go for it.

Final verdict: 4/5 stars.

Science Fiction is harder to write than fantasy. Sorry, but it's true. That said, I'll half-bury my point with the seemingly contradictory admission that some of the most stunningly complex and brilliant works ever written are fantasy novels; fantasy doesn't require the same kind of research found in historical fiction in the tradition of Robert Graves' 'I, Claudius' and John Williams' 'Augustus', or science fiction like Andy Weir's 'The Martian', but that doesn't stop talented and intelligent writers from bringing the same kind of erudition to the genre, and demanding of themselves things that other fantasy authors do not. 'The Martian', in particular, takes a very difficult route, one that is very close to reality. Without a solid understanding of relativity, quantum mechanics, astro-physics, botany, biology, et cetera, it's hard to make a near-future SF story like 'The Martian' convincing; the plot itself is all about using the hard specs of a post-NASA mission to imagine how a single astronaut might survive for years on an alien planet. You can't fake it when you're dealing with a snarky and usually quite knowledgeable fan-base. Fantasy requires a deep understanding of... well, nothing. For that reason, it's a blank canvas that provides the author an opportunity for pure imaginative expression and story-telling ability... an opportunity that is too often wasted, taken advantage of by people with an unwavering faith in their own importance, but who puke up a mess of Tolkien-based clichés that an editor should have whittled back to white paper. In the hands of someone talented, however, fantasy can rewrite physics, ignore history entirely, and build a universe from scratch. The best fantasy comes from writers who chose the genre for its possibilities, rather than their own intellectual limitations. GRRM bounced between genres with ease before ASOIAF, and both he and Steven Erickson and Tolkien constructed worlds that were rooted in mythological and historical parallels to our own.

Mark Lawrence has crafted a fantasy that has strong SF characteristics, a post-apocalyptic future that has birthed a new Dark Age. It doesn't feel like SF, however, with the exception of some critical and climactic moments that are thrilling celebrations of mankind's worst and coolest endeavors. Lawrence is another writer who has brought a powerful intellect to bear on piecing together his bottled-reality, including a hardcore science background -- rocket science, even -- that helps make this trilogy one of the best of the new millennium. 'Prince of Thorns' introduced us to Jorg, a prodigious young psychopath with big ambitions, vengeance on his mind, and a band of killers behind him. In a quasi-medieval world that almost appears to be a repetition of Earth history, with clever twists of name and language designed to perpetuate the intentional confusion, Jorg is clearly based on Alex, the brilliant, homicidal teenaged narrator of Anthony Burgess' 'A Clockwork Orange'. Like Burgess, Lawrence uses a first person perspective to create an unforgettable anti-hero who is remarkably likable, despite committing a long list of atrocities.

Jorg Ancrath is softer in this second instalment, and is now a King, with responsibilities to his subjects that he almost takes seriously. His generally horrible nature has been mitigated by the manipulation of dream-invading sorcerers and necromancers, as well as the early childhood trauma that shaped him -- the murder of his mother and brother, while he watched, held tight by the barbs of the hook-briar, and the betrayal that followed. KoT is not as strong as PoT, but it's still an excellent book, and sets up the climactic events of Book 3. We learn that Jorg does, in fact, have a conscience -- he keeps it in a box. Despite constant prophetic reminders telling him that the Prince of Arrow is destined to be Emperor, Jorg is determined to prove everyone wrong. Much of Book 2 relates to this rivalry, and his difficult search for allies amongst Rulers who despise him or view him as completely insignificant. The chapters alternate between the 'present' -- his wedding day, which also happens to be the day his battle with the Prince of Arrow is decided -- and the 'past' -- starting four years earlier, as the first book did, and picking up not long after it ended. The tension isn't maintained as well in this volume, and the chronological jumps are a bit more disruptive; but on the whole, Lawrence has further proven himself to be a master storyteller, one who can effortlessly dodge and snap the crudely forged and improperly tempered expectations that sub-par writers have provided readers of fantasy novels. Until PoT/KoT, I never suspected that what had been lacking in every pseudo-medieval fantasy novel I'd read was revolvers and nuclear bombs.

The antihero continues his fight in opposition to what expected of him. He is brilliant, cunning, scheming, making plans within the plans in face of innumerable odds. His lust/desire for Katherine is explored through memories he locked away in order to protect his sanity. As brutal and violent as he is I couldn’t help but to rut fir him. I have no idea how the author accomplished it - psychopathic, cruel and deeply wounded and broken he fights and inspires others to stand with him against conspiracy of epic proportions. By the way - I’m sick of Katherine. It is time for her to leave the story.

When I find myself laughing on a regular basis while reading a book that is usually a really good sign that I am enjoying it! King of Thorns, the follow up to Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence, had me laughing -- a lot! King of Thorns is not a fun and games fantasy romp by any means, but the humor just made a good book even better.

Honorious Jorg Ancraft is tired of being manipulated and told what he can and can't do. In his world there are a number of shadowy powerful competitors for control who are manipulating events and people through magic and other unsavory means. They are willing to do some terrible things to achieve their ends. Jorg's family has been slaughtered, his friends have been hurt, and his life has been threatened repeatedly. This has given him boundless motivation to control his fate, no matter the price.

Mark Lawrence sticks primarily with Jorg's perspective, but at times he follows Jorg's love interest, Katherine, Jorg's father's young wife's sister. Katherine is writing in a journal and chronicling her life living in her sister's home. She is plagued by horrible memories of Jorg and things that have happened to her. Katherine's life is tightly controlled, but she always feels like something is not adding up. The pieces of the world she is living in simply don't make complete sense.

The best part of King of Thorns is watching Jorg evolve and seeing how the people he has gathered around him grow from being merely fellow felons to loyal retainers. Lawrence occasionally gives usinteresting tidbits of information about this mad ensemble, providing both amusement and troubling glimpses into individual characters. This technique effectively adds depth to the story without burdening the reader with long irrelevant segments of storyline. For example, we'll hear about how a cold-blooded killer became who he was because his other line of work didn't work out. Jorg's choices and how some of them truly haunt him afterwards make him almost likable.... for a cold-blooded, calculating, power-hungry, mean, partially insane teenager.

Lawrence continues to hint at and shade in the world-building details. Scenes of a medieval adventurer coming across a high-tech computer system that has access to an evolving digital copy of a long dead programmer, for example, make for really thought-provoking material. If little pieces of modern technology were being employed during the dark ages, just how much of a difference would they make? It was intriguing to me.

King of Thorns, like Prince of Thorns, is vulgar, mean, and harsh. This is a world that's in a constant state of warfare as various nobles vie to become Emperor and there is very little restraint. If you're easily offended by people being killed simple to prove a point then this series may not be to your taste, but if you enjoyed Prince of Thorns or are a fan of Joe Abercrombie's work, then you'll think King of Thorns is a lot of fun. It's a hard world, but Mark Lawrence sure makes it fascinating to read about.

4.5/5Rating: Originally posted at https://mylifemybooksmyescape.wordpress.com/2015/01/27/book-review-king-of-thorns-by-mark-lawrence/

Where most authors tend to struggle or fall off with the second book in a series, I am happy to say that Mark keeps the ball rolling right on with King of Thorns. We get more background information for our main protagonist Jorg - which helps to continue to develop his character arc - and also for some of our Brothers, such as Makin. The plot really comes to life here as well. In Prince of Thorns I felt it was a good plot, but took a back seat to the focus on Jorg. Now the plot comes to take the main stage. One such thing it helps bring to life is this fascinating world, which seems to be some alternate/parallel time-line of our current history? (There have been references Aristotle and other philosophers since Prince). We finally learn more about this world that I have been dying to learn about.

King of Thorns starts us right where Prince of Thorns left off. Like Prince, we have alternating times lines going on. We have Wedding Day, letters from Katherine's diary, and a continuation of the previous novel starting about 3 months later called four years earlier. During the four years earlier, we see Jorg set off on a type of quest to bring Gog to see a fire-mage up in Heimfrit to see if the mage can help Gog to control his fire. Meanwhile on Wedding Day (four year later), we see Jorg having to deal with the sudden arrival of his new wife, while at same time preparing the defend his kingdom from the invading forces of Arrow. Then in Katherine's Diary entries, we have her accounts on things in her life from the end of Prince, when Jorg knocked her out and escaped, leading up to the present Wedding Day.

There was really one problem I had with this book - the starting of the book and plot felt slow and scattered. While I had no problems following the events and understanding what was going on in Wedding Day, and going through time reading Katherine's Diary entries, the quest with Gog made no sense at all to me. With the way that the previous novel ended, I couldn't understand why this was important or why it even mattered it matter so much for Jorg to suddenly do. This may not have been such a major issue for me except that majority of the chapters are this Gog quest, and the pacing is completely different from Prince - it as actually a little slow.

However, fear not. Not long after the start of the book, I began to realize why it was that this quest was in the book and why it was so important to Jorg.

In going on this quest, it gives Mark the ability to really start to explore his fascinating world in depth and detail. The first book gave us a glimpse into what the world may be, but now we really see what this world holds. From the learning more of the politics, what this game and pieces played are about, and to the history with the Builders - it is a great world/history that has been built.

Secondly, this explains and expands much on Jorg's character. At the beginning of the book, Jorg seemed different to me - almost weaker. (And by weaker I mean, almost like a normal person would think). He no longer would kill people because they looked at him wrong. Even his thoughts and actions even seemed to changed as well... I really wasn't sure how I felt about this new Jorg or where it was coming from. But keep in mind, despite how dark these books are, in my opinion, The Broken Empire Series really is a coming-of-age story at its core. And this quest, that may seem random and uncharacter like, explores him at a new depth.

One scene in particular that I must point out, deals with an animal. First off, why I had I heard nothing about it!? ALL I heard about Prince of Thorns was how horrible and disturbing the 'rape scene' was going to be. And when I finally got there, it was literally just a sentence, and NOTHING was describe. Rape is extremely horrible, but it was just, 'Rike went to have his way the farmer's daughter'. Not difficult to read at all. ThIs scene with the animal.... Oh My God. I will not say when or what happens, but this scene was very difficult for me to read. Not only because it is descriptive, but also because of the impact it has on Jorg - and that hit me right in feels.

What you have to understand about Mark's writing is that everything has a reason and purpose. It is not like Joe Abercrombie who - who I have not yet read, but have heard - has bad because stuff happen for no reason because, well, that's life. Everything Mark writes, every scene - no matter how brutal, gory or disturbing - it is has a purpose and is written that way specifically to help further along the story in someway. This scene with the animal, I would argue, it was one the most critical scenes in the book for the story and most important, for Jorg's development. Without this scene, Jorg would not be who is. It explains SO much about him. Without it written exactly how it was, it would not have had the same impact.

There was no reason to write the rape scene it detail. That was just to get an idea of the world and how the Brothers acted. There was no reason at all to go into detail - that would have been messed up. The animal scene on the other hand, needed to. It is such a critical moment (can't stress that enough), and Mark needed to write it the way he did so that it could disturb the reader, so the reader could feel empathy (for what, when you get there you will understand), and so the reader could understand the magnitude of the importance of that scene.

One other thing I must mention is this thorn-box that Jorg carries. I will not say it does, a major spoiler to do so, though it gets explained fairly early on, but it's best to wonder a little bit about it. However, aside from what the thorn-box actually does, how Mark uses this box to help tell the story was absolutely genius!

If you read the first book and liked it (how wouldn't you!?) then you must continue on! The pace is a little slow to start, but if me saying that there is not enough murder and pillaging in first 50 pages is the only problem, then I'm just nitpicking, and I think you'll be fine. Jorge is best (worst?) anti-hero of all time. Mark has created this fascinating alternative/parallel history world, and this second book really brings feeling that this is epic fantasy - the plot is excellent!

All hail King Jorg!

4.5/5 Rating

-DJ

I enjoyed King of Thorns even more than I enjoyed Prince of Thorns and that is saying something. Four years after the end of Prince of Thorns, on his wedding day, Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath, now King Jorg, is facing an enemy that outnumber his little army by twenty to one. Can King Jorg beat the odds this time as usual?

Again I found myself completely captivated by this futuristic, yet ancient, world. Jorg had grown from a pillaging, murdering and spiteful boy into a responsible king who can think on his feet.

The story alternates between Jorg's effort to win the battle on his wedding day to the past and the narrative of his growth into a responsible king. From time to time pieces from Katherine AP Scorron's journal is inserted to give the reader a clear picture of what truly happened to bring Jorg, as well as several other characters and circumstances, together in this battle in the Renar Highlands.

Apart from the nonstop action and the brilliantly imaginative world building, the Character development that happens to Jorg Ancrath, is what absolutely made this story for me. Although Jorg stands out, all the characters in this book are well fleshed out and highly realistic.

Though magic and the supernatural play more of a role in this book than it did in Prince of Thorns, it still does not dominate the plot. Speaking of the supernatural, readers can prepare to face some thoroughly creepy and deeply scary situations with Jorg and his band of brothers.

For a tale of warfare, adventure and deep personal and emotional insight, I recommend King of Thorns as an absolute must-read. (Ellen Fritz)

The story is told from three points of view, Jorg's present as he faces a massive army set to destroy him, flash back four years as Jorg tries to discover the origins of a mysterious copper box that seems to have stolen some of his memories, and finally the journal entries of Katherine Jorg's love interest.

At times I found this bouncing back and forth confusing but I'm pretty sure it was only because of how slowly I was forced to read the book.

The world created by the author is rich and fascinating. The characters are real and I definitely started to care about what happened to them. Although Jorg is not the typical hero I'd relate to in a novel, I still find myself relating to his circumstances and wanting him to overcome the obstacles put in his way.

I can't wait to pick up the next book in the series and read more.

It always comes as a surprise whenever the second book in a trilogy, particularly a fantasy one, is better than the first one. How many times does this happen, after all? Not many, at least in my experience, as few books enjoy the honour of being even better than the first part of a trilogy. So when it happens, I am always surprised by it. ‘King of Thorns’ is such a book, and it makes me glad that I took to read it after having finished ‘Prince of Thorns’. Even if I was suspicious of how good it would be after my impression of the first book, it was a joy to read from start to finish, in short.

Whilst in the first book of ‘The Broken Empire’ series was essentially about a coming of age story (though in reverse order) – starting with Jorg as the leader of a brutal band of bandits and only giving backstory later – ‘King of Thorns’ expands more on the backstory of Jorg and his character as the story of the particular world of this series advances. In particular, it is interesting to see how Jorg compares to other characters from his same world and how he changes as time progresses. Such was the case with the Prince of Arrow who, being perhaps a more ‘typical’ choice for a fantasy novel hero, clashed deeply with Jorg in all aspects. This growth was one of the aspects I enjoyed the most about the book, as well as how Jorg’s relationships with new and old characters progressed. The fact that Jorg is hardly the best character out there, and his admission of it, gives the book a very good tone. Especially because as a reader one still supports him.

The backstory given for Jorg Ancrath was, in my opinion, fantastic. Particularly with all its twists. It really comes to explain why he is how he is, and gives the whole novel a good flavour. Though Jorg can be difficult to identify with, it compliments him perfectly, and I again really enjoyed this aspect of ‘King of Thorns’. The supporting characters were also really well fleshed out, including Katherine and all others. Reading their interactions with Jorg was delightful, and made me laugh at many points. I particularly liked how the author created Miana, and her conversations with Jorg. It was wonderful to see them getting along, and having such a strong female character being cast (even if it wasn’t expected).

The book itself is divided into two time frames: the present, in which Jorg is 18; and four years prior, directly following the events of the first book. In between these were diary entries from Katherine’s perspective. Whilst this was a bit confusing a first to read, it was very easy to follow, and definitely was one of the things that made me enjoy the pace of the book. Rather than following in a more typical way, the different jumps from the two time frames fit the plot of the book excellently and delivered all information at the best possible time. Essentially, I cannot imagine this book without the narrative structure it was given.

The use of first person was, like in the previous book, simply beautiful. Though I am not usually one to give praise to the particular point of view chosen by an author, Mark Lawrence’s makes me stop whilst reading and note down a quote or two from the book. It interacts with the characters and plot perfectly, and is a true pleasure to read.

In sum, ‘King of Thorns’ is definitely worthy of the highest rating (‘awesometacular’), and I fully recommend it. Even if you didn’t enjoy the first book as much – as was my case – this title is definitely enjoyable and will not disappoint you. The characters and plotlines are wonderful, as is the particular writing style of Mark Lawrence. To not read ‘King of Thorns’ would be to miss out on a great fantasy title.

Jorg of Ancrath has seized the throne of Renar and now rules the Highlands as a king and a sworn enemy to his father. When one of his companions is consumed by fire magic, Jorg resolves to take him across the Broken Empire to a distant volcano where he might find help. But this is the beginning of a longer journey across the continent as Jorg seeks new allies to stand against another king who may be able to unite the Empire...a king more noble and honourable than Jorg.

King of Thorns is the middle volume of The Broken Empire trilogy and the sequel to 2011's Prince of Thorns. Like its predecessor, it is an at-times uneasy and bleak read but also one that is interesting, broodingly atmospheric and fairly well-written.

As with before, the focus is on Jorg and his band of not-so-merry cutthroats and pillagers. The events of Prince of Thorns have, if not mellowed Jorg, than certainly caused him to re-appraise his life. The result is a less amoral and ruthless Jorg than before and one who is more introspective. Whilst there's still plenty of mayhem in the book, Jorg is less likely to cause it (at least not without more convincing need than before).

The book is structured as two narratives unfolding simultaneously: a flashback set four years in the past (picking up just after the end of Prince of Thorns) and a present-day storyline focused on a massive battle as Jorg's kingdom comes under attack. This structure is the book's biggest weakness: the battle takes place over a short period of time but the flashbacks are much longer and dozens of pages pass between each present-day interlude. Each interlude also relies on events from the flashback to make sense, meaning that we are in the dark about Jorg's plans until he reveals a new weapon, tactic or group of allies that was explored in the preceding flashback sequence. The structure means that the battle feels like a sequence of amazing coincidences and turns of fate which have only just been set up a few pages earlier (so whilst not technically a series of deus ex machina, they do feel a bit like them). What would have worked better (and fortunately the book can be read this way) is if the flashbacks had been one continuous narrative, followed by the present-day storyline taking all of the revelations from the flashbacks and letting them unfold in one go.

Moving beyond that issue, King of Thorns is mostly a success: the characterisation is stronger, the prose is better and the book is more nuanced than its predecessor in terms of morality and consequences. There are also some outstanding sequences, such as a creepy encounter with the undead in a swamp and what appears to be a typical heroic quest which goes rather badly wrong at the end. The book asks some hard questions about rulership and ambition, but on occasion the novel feels like a retreat from Prince of Thorns's hard-edged ruthlessness. A key conflict in the novel is that Jorg's enemy is, in many ways (well, almost all ways), a better man than Jorg and Jorg himself wonders if he should be opposing him or become allied to him. This conflict is all-too-neatly undone by a plot twist revealed quite late in the novel that confirms if this other force wins, the consequences will be horrendous. This feels like the author giving his character too easy of an 'out' of his moral dilemma. The novel also handles its main female character, Katherine, rather oddly. After giving her quite a lot of development through the book (her letters are the only part of the novel not from Jorg's POV, giving her an interesting perspective on events) she vanishes in a rather confused and muddled way in the finale. Hopefully this will be clarified in the final novel in the series.

King of Thorns (****) is a highly intriguing novel, though it can be bleak and hard-going. The structure is problematic and some character arcs are better-handled than others. Those who had a hard time time believing that a 14-year-old could do all the things he did in Prince of Thorns won't find much more plausibility here (though Lawrence amusingly subverts Jorg's occasionally-threatened Gary Stuness several times). However, the novel is also well-written with some excellent turns of phrase and features some memorable setpiece moments. The overall direction of the series remains compelling, even if this is a slight step back from Prince of Thorns in quality. The novel is available now in the UK and USA.

PRINCE OF THORNS, the first book in THE BROKEN EMPIRE, was probably my favorite discovery of 2011. The pace was swift, the action sharp as a knife, the prose subtly effective and the characters hiding unseen depths beneath their violent exteriors.

So it's high praise indeed that KING OF THORNS is even better than its predecessor.

In the opening book, Lawrence chose to tell his story by introducing Jorg at his worst and then providing backstory primarily in the second half of the book. While I admire the tactic, I wonder how many readers Lawrence lost, people who never read to the second half of the book to find that while Jorg may not be a character you want to root for, he's at least an understandable character.

Of course, I love a good anti-hero -- Raistlin Majere, Gerald Tarrant, Nicomo Cosca, anyone? -- so Jorg was right up my alley.

In KING OF THORNS, the tale bounces back and forth between the current action, in which an overpowering army prepares to invade the kingdom Jorg won in PRINCE OF THORNS, and four years earlier, when Jorg begins to explore his newly-won territory. It's easy enough to tell which story thread each chapter addresses, as the chapters are all titled either "Four Years Ago" or "Wedding Day."

The two storylines work well together and take full advantage of the dynamic world Lawrence has created, one that can host ghosts and dreamwalkers and computers and trolls without feeling like an awkward mash-up.

The secondary characters in the book aren't given much time, but there are surprisingly likeable characters mixed in amongst the thugs who typically surround Jorg. In the first book, I liked characters such as The Nuban, Gorgoth, Gog and Morgog. In this book, Makin fills a similar role to that of The Nuban, and Gorgoth and Gog are key to the first half of the book. The two main female characters are also interesting. Nonetheless, none of the characters are explored too closely -- in fact, Jorg is surprised in this book to learn the Nuban's name.

Of course, Jorg is a self-centered character, so it wouldn't make sense for him to be too concerned about his compatriots' back stories and motivations, but it also takes away some of the impact when members of the band die. At one point, Jorg gets angry and avenges a comrade's death in bloody fashion, but afterwards he's asked why he bothered -- he never liked that fellow in the first place. Jorg has no answer to this query.

Other characters die with only a passing mention.

It fits, of course, with Jorg's worldview -- he truly doesn't treasure the lives around him, so why would he stop and weep for the fallen? At times I'd like to see more reaction when one of my favorite characters dies, but that really doesn't fit with the tone of these books -- it's a violent world with a violent protagonist.

It's a recipe that makes for a bloody (good) read.

This book was a slower read for me than normal. Much longer than what I wanted it to be. With that said, I found this book to be a much more successful outing for the author than the first of the series. Where the first felt like a prologue, important yet dull, this led me to relate to the characters. To feel the pain, sorrow, guilt and remorse and truly understand their motivations and desires. For much of the book, you are left in the dark, unsure of how all the little nuances connect, but I assure you that by the end you are left with the information you need to feel satisfied with this outing, and also prepared for the final book. Unlike many books which are series, I don't feel drawn to the next one, but compelled. There is no cliffhanger ending that makes you feel you must just to know what happens, but instead there is a silent curiosity about what the bigger picture holds.

I would recommend this book much more than the first, but would also warn that is not a book that left me constantly searching for time to read the next page. It was a silent calling in my mind to learn a little more about it, just a little more each day.

The thing about King of Thorns is that it's better than a middle book should be-in that it's written with the acute certainty of its destination that makes it as satisfying as the first and as an end in of itself. It gives us fresh revelations, an astounding central character arc and satisfying ancillary arcs as well. It gives us progress and it strings us along with more than a couple mystery plots. It expands on the world building from the first and dares to widen the view. This book's predecessor made no apologies for its protagonist, and the sequel dares to invite us further into his world, his pain, his sins. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to the conclusion.

It's been awhile since I really didn't like a fantasy book i set out to read, but this one did it and I even enjoyed the first. The problem is partly that I don't like the characters, but mostly that Mark continually puts his character in "dangerous" situations and not only do I not care if he survives, but I know he does so I'm not amazed at the far fetched reasons he got out of the situation. Everything is going to work out by the conclusion for Jorg and I couldn't care ether way. If there is any more "Mary Sue" character in fiction right now I haven't read him.

The problem here is I'm actually curious about the world and want to know why the world has become what it is in the future, but if my only way of finding this is to follow Jorg for another book I don't know if I will want to do that.

A cunning, nasty beast of a novel. I feel the story really took form here, and that Mark Lawrence discovered what exactly worked and what didn't from the first book of the series. The end result is a more sympathetic main character that still manages to be as violent and vicious as ever.

The world itself really expands outward in this sequel, and as the story progresses, you really see how a barbaric killer like Jorg isn't just capable of dominating in a dark world such as this, but he's the only sort of person who can.

Despite Jorg's conscience finally beginning to creep in, Mark Lawrence makes no attempt to be an apologist for Jorg's past crimes, but nor does he revel in them. He simply presents a masterfully crafted character and story, and lets the reader take of it what they will. No mercy. No remorse.

The sequel is well done, the plot with Jorgs Imperial and superior rival leaves Jorg up against the wall scrambling in an intense battle that keeps you engrossed on the edge of your seat to see how he will overcome the odds with every trick in the book, and Lawrence has tied the plan up into the past so you are drawn into wanting to know what happened before at the same time, the two plots hang in the balance with each other skillfully. Katherine really takes her place in this story and the relationship between them is great drama without being to cheesy, she really is good female character who is a realistic independent woman without feeling like the author just needed to have the cookie cutter independent womn in the story. The action and supernatural elements are done well, and the final battle is an epic back against the wall pressure cooker. The cumination of the past humanizes Jorg while being a cause to him being colder in the future. And the way he deals with the single combat at the end really sums up Jorg perfectly.

King of Thorns (#2 Broken Empire) by Mark Lawrence.

Hmm, What to say about this Author and this series, without spoiling any of the twists or surprises. Book one, Prince of Thorns was one of the surprises of 2011. If you didn't get it on your to do list you should add it now. I'll wait while you do.

Ok? Done?

At it's essence, this series is a VERY dark and violent tale, told first person, from the point of view of Jorg the young and disturbed ringleader of a brutal band of wandering misfits (Brothers), that, for want of a better description, go round raping and pillaging and murdering whomever they like, and unashamedly, loving every minute of it.

I did say it was dark.

It's not grotesquely violent. It's not horror, but it does not 'hollywoodize' the violence. Its real and raw. It's the Tarantino of Fantasy. The violence is somewhat confronting because Jorg is so calm about it. It's not an angry reacting to an insult. It's not vicious self defence. It's not heroic winning after an honourable sword-fight. If that guy is annoying, or smiles oddly, and needs a dagger pushed gently into his eye, then that's what he gets.

It's not all violence though. I'm just giving you fair warning that there's some moments in there that may turn your nails black (in a good way).

It is, in a way, the journey, both physical and mental, of Jorg, as he discovers where he came from and remembers what made him as he is. It's actually pretty insightful.

It could be the journey of a boy becoming a man. A man learning to control the primitive angry beast that wriggles in the shadow of many of us.

There's some superb humour stirred into the mix as well. I do get a big kick out of black humour.

Mark Lawrence has a wonderful writing style, that suits this tale.

It's sparse and bleak. It almost misleading in it's apparent simplicity, but then you realise he's painting a very clear scene.

It's a naked grey sketch, stepping quietly along without heavy description but then he will slip in a line so masterfully crafted, so beautifully colourfully detailed, that it's like a punch in the face with a bunch of flowers.

The beauty stands-out all the clearer against the bleakness. The good in people stands out against all the bad that can happen.

Maybe it's a look at what is evil?

Maybe it's just Lawrence testing what we are allowed to write?
Many good books have tested boundaries in the past.

Maybe Jorg is just a broken, disturbed, detached young man.
Maybe he's just a cool character to writer and that's it?

Lawrence makes you feel like a child discovering a frozen puddle on the way to school. The pure pleasure of breaking something perfect. The natural joy of not being burdened by consequence.

Either way.

This is a great writer and an engrossing series with a difference, not just because of its dark moments, but because of its surprising twists and revelations.

This is a series well worth a look by fans of Fantasy, Science Fiction, Alternate History and Post Apocalyptic, or just damn good writing.

Back in March, I reviewed an excellent fantasy book titled PRINCE OF THORNS. I mentioned in my review that it was "one of the best fantasy books that I've read in a long time," and that still holds true three months later; I know that's not a long time, but hey, I read a lot. KING OF THORNS isn't just a sequel to PRINCE...it's an epic addition to a grand saga that is unfurling like a tattered banner on a battlefield.

I can sum up my review in a simple sentence: Mark Lawrence has done it again, but this time he has actually surpassed himself. KING OF THORNS is even better than its predecessor! And if you read my review of PRINCE OF THORNS, you'll understand that this is no minor feat.

In the synopsis, a few years have passed since the events in PRINCE OF THORNS. Jorg is now king but still strives to be Emperor; there are others though that feel he is unworthy, the primary proponent being the Prince of Arrow. Jorg is convinced he is worthy to rule the lands and create an empire, but first he'll have to draw a bloody line in the sand and then defend it.

As with the previous book, Lawrence once again puts us inside Jorg's head, which is almost scary in itself. Jorg is a complex character, albeit darkly ambitious, and has to be one of my favorite fantasy protagonists in print. Much like Kvothe in Patrick Rothfuss's THE NAME OF THE WIND, Jorg is a young man who has done and seen much...but he is also older than his years, given everything he's endured. We continue to sympathize with Jorg and, even though he's a real bastard sometimes, we cannot help but actually want Jorg to succeed.

KING OF THORNS once again shows off Lawrence's skill with prose, as the story flows like a steady stream, the narrative rich with unique voice. As I mentioned with the previous book, Lawrence has a talent for inventive metaphors and phrasing. One of my favorite lines comes as Jorg is reflecting, where he states, "They say that time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils." See what I mean? Also, the pacing of the story is perfect, moving evenly but undaunted.

KING OF THORNS is a definite must-have for fantasy fans. The story grabs you by the throat and squeezes, refusing to let go until the last page...and even then, you'll still be fighting for air. I don't usually write reviews this long, but I had to for this one because it's just simply that good. Definitely give this one a look.

In this second book of The Broken Empire series, Jorg Ancrath is now the king of Renar, the small highland kingdom once ruled by his uncle, the man who murdered Jorg's mother and brother. Like the first book, it switches between the present and four years previous. It also switches between Jorg's narrative and Katherine's journal. In the present, it is Jorg's wedding day to a woman he has never met. It is also the day he is to meet the Prince of Arrow on the battlefield. In the past, we learn what led to this day and hints at secrets so horrible, Jorg has had to have his mind stripped of memories or go mad with them.

Now that Jorg has rid his head of outside influences (literally), he is developing a conscience, albeit a rudimentary one. Even he believes that the Prince would make a better, more compassionate Emperor. Still, he's Jorg and he wants what he wants and will fight for it with his new army and his remaining road brothers. Despite the fact that he is outnumbered, he has more than a few tricks up his sleeve and surrender is not an option.

Jorg has to be the most likeable unlikeable anti-hero in all of fantasy. You know that Jorg is a rapist, a cold-blooded killer and you know that the Prince of Arrow is the better man. Yet, it is hard not to root for Jorg. This says a lot about author Mark Lawrence's talents as a writer. Often, the middle book in a series is really just a setup for the end. Not so here. This story is so fast-paced, so full of twists, turns, and false trails that it will make you dizzy. Some reviewers have called Lawrence one of the best writers of fantasy fiction around and, after reading this book, it is easy to see why.

Mark Lawrence expands his impressive vision of a gritty, conflict-eaten world as Jorg, the dark-hearted anti-hero of "Prince of Thorns", continues his quest for power.

As in the first volume, we're given two different stories in "King of Thorns", presented in two different times: in one (set four years in the past, shortly after the conclusion of "Prince of Thorns") Jorg races to try and save his mutant friend Gog, whose powers are growing out of control, while in the present say he scrambles to keep his realm from being conquered by Orrin, the righteous Prince of Arrow.

Everything Lawrence did right in the first book is here in evidence, only...better. There's no easy to describe it, nor any easy way to describe how much this series has awed me. Told with wry gallows wit and filled with scenes of surprising tenderness (considering the dark lens through which we're seeing the story presented), this book literally dares you to stop reading, and I'll tell you...it's tough. ;D

I'm still not a big fan of 1st person storytelling, but Lawrence once again proves he's more than up to the challenge. Jorg matures by leaps and bounds in this book, and the inclusion of snippets from his forbidden love Katherine's diary is a very nice touch, as is the "mystery" we're presented with about halfway through the novel after Jorg had parts of his memory willingly secreted away. My minor issues with the origin of "The Builders" from the first volume have been abated, for the most part, as I've come to appreciate the way Lawrence is using those strange artifacts and machines and making them seem as "magical" as necromancy, pyromancy, and all of the other "mancys" he has dancing around in here. "King of Thorns" boasts a truly impressive cast of villainous mages.

All in all, this is a breath of fresh air for epic fantasy, and a work that I'm flat-out jealous of. I wish I'd written it. :D

On to Book 3!

This is the second book in The Broken Empire series, and continues the story of Jorg. It is now four years later than the first book, and finds Jorg getting married. On his actual wedding day, he is also under attack from the Prince of Arrow. Most of the book covers events that happened four years prior, where the first book left off. These events not only build a more defined character in Jorg, but many events that lead up to the current time.

I enjoyed reading this book a bit more than the first one, I think because things were explained in additional detail. Events take place in a post-apocalyptic world, with portions of what I consider our technological age (and a bit further than us) that still exist and can be used. Lawrence has added in what I consider to be mutations, in that "magic" can be used. Otherwise, it is a return to the medieval times as far as armor and weapons. Jorg is a character I have enjoyed learning of, through the past events of his life that made him the ruthless and bloody leader he is. Every page turn I wonder what evil is Jorg going to come across, or use, to accomplish what he sets out to do. Looking forward to the next installment in the series!

** spoiler alert ** I don't know how I feel about this series. It is enjoyable enough to read, but I feel sometimes that the author has tried too hard to paint Jorg as 'bad'. Sometimes I think that it is supposed to be Jorg himself trying to cover for what he has been raised to think is weakness - caring about others. You can see glimpses of this in his thoughts for Gog, his encounter with the dead of Gelleth or his own dead brother. Then, he turns around and does some of the cruelest things anyone could ever do - wicked things, you might say. This I could brush over, but then I feel that things are just too easy for Jorg. Flexer gives him a spy glass that no one else has the advantage of. Gog dies in a fire? Too sad, at least Jorg gains his powers- for just when it is needed. Dream witch is reading his thoughts? Jorg happens to get a brass box that can store thoughts and hide it from the enemy. Jorg opposes the Prince of Arrow who is perhaps one of the most well read men in the Empire, yet Jorg just happens to be trickier and know more stuff than he does. As I said, the story was enjoyable enough, if you don't care about real challenges or growth in a story

Jorg is always one step ahead of the reader, causing you to turn the pages faster and faster as you attempt to catch up to his plans. You always hope that the next page will reveal how he plans to win the battle, and when it does, you smile at his daring and then get back to turning the pages for his next trick to be revealed. As the reader, you'll find yourself questioning whether you should be rooting for the brutal Jorg to win or the People's Champ to finally pull him down. Not for the faint of heart, this book continues the brutal/uncomfortable evilness of Jorg. While I found this fascinating, others might be uncomfortable rooting for Jorg to win.

Again the book is a mix of present day and flashbacks. The flashbacks slowly reveal something so horrific that Jorg has done, that even he finds it monstrous. Will he or you as a reader ever be able to forgive him for his past actions?

A classic dark fantasy series, I found this book even better than Prince of Thorns and would recommend for any fantasy fan.

As you can probably gather from the title, our dear Jorgy managed to achieve his goal of becoming a king. And now all his problems are solved and happiness is his! Oh, wait. No, not that. Actually, the armies of the combined nations of another claimant to the empire's throne, outnumbering his by a paltry 20 to 1, are marching on him to take his submission - or his head. And if we've learned anything about Jorg, it's that he'd rather die than submit - and he'd certainly rather kill. Of course, having the only woman he's ever loved on the other side and hating him fiercely is sure to improve his situation. Nothing complicating there at all!

The structure of this book takes a split structure - alternating between the day of the events of the battle between Jorg's army and his vastly superior opponent (oh, and of his political marriage to a 12-year-old who seems as if she, unexpectedly enough, may actually be a match for Jorg), and those of the 4 years leading up to then. More secrets of the unconventional setting are revealed (we get to hear about how there can be magic in what was once our world, before a self-induced apocalypse wiped advanced civilization from the Earth). Jorg's adventures with his remaining (and still-dwindling) store of road-brothers as he explores more of his world beyond his comparatively narrow corner of it are recounted, with occasional glimpses into the mind of Katherine - the aforementioned true love who hates him - interspersed. The latter, along with Jorg's whole relationship with same (plus some insight into just what extent Jorg did NOT have a terribly happy childhood even before the horrors we already knew about - "I want Justice" has never had an uglier ring to it) lend a touch of pathos that help to remind us that as nasty a piece of work as Jorg can be, he's a genuinely tragic figure as well. Of course, Jorg being Jorg, half his tragedies are self-inflicted - he's toxic, and he kills what he touches. In one especially awful moment (one cruel enough to cut even Jorg to the heart - yeah, that bad), that takes on an atypically literal meaning. Further, a new and more terrifying enemy is set up for the next novel (sooner damnit!), with a little well-deserved payback for an old antagonist - no, no spoilers on who - getting paid out to boot.

As for how things play out... well, while Jorg may have developed something resembling a vestigial conscience, rest assured that neither he nor Lawrence have lost their edge. Looking for a happy ending? Look somewhere else.

As for the next book? Well, I'm guessing it's not called Emperor of Thorns for nothing. Jorg's going after his destiny whether anyone likes it or not, and God save anyone who gets in his way.

And I can't wait.

but still full of inner monsters and demons.At times a raving lunatic, roving in search of some sort of meaning with his band of Brothers.
The story line, albeit some times a bit on the confusing, continues absolutely engrossing and, I might add, superbly written, which, as often said, is not always the case in the genre.
As for me, I will be eagerly awaiting the Emperor of Thorns...(could there be any othwer title in the offing?)

This second book in the Broken Empire series was just as fun, dark, twisted, and delectable as the first book. It starts out four years after the end of the first book. It is King Jorg's wedding day and the Prince of Arrow is on his doorstep with his very large army. The book goes back and forth between this day and to four years earlier when he and his Brothers set out to find a fire-mage who can help Gog control his abilities with fire. They end up going on a longer and more complex quest. We also get snippets of Katherine's journal. I thought they were a nice little break from the otherwise constant viewpoint of Jorg and was a great way of letting us get to know the characters of the Prince of Arrow and his brother, Egan. It made one of the twists at the end all the more obvious to happen (obvious after the fact for me; I didn't see it coming, but it made sense after it was revealed).

Lawrence also reveals a lot more about the world and time period in this book. In the first book, the author hinted at when and where this series takes place, though many readers probably picked up on those clues. But there's no hinting in this book. Other reviewers probably have spoiled this information, but I'm going to leave it up to the readers to find out. I do think Lawrence did a really good job with this setting. It's familiar, but unique at the same time - a nice melding of the new and old.

What did I learn about Jorg in this book - he really does not like to be told what to do. Jorg is fascinating - he's cruel, brilliant, and sarcastic. I can see why his men are devoted to him.

"Red Jorg." Kent said in a whisper as I passed.
"Red would be good, Kent. But I fear I am darker than that."

Last year, when I read Prince of Thorns, I had one of those moments where I gained a new appreciation for the written word. It set a new standard for every other fantasy novel I read--and I read only fantasy novels. I didn't know how I was going to get by until August 7, 2012, the most anticipated day of the year. (Wait, 2nd most. My wedding day is first, right? Right?)

Then August 7th arrived! Oh happy day! I immediately threw aside my other responsibilities, namely health and personal hygiene, and launched myself back into the Broken Empire.

And I was pissed.

For the first third of the book, I was completely frustrated. I was getting three different stories from four different angles and I couldn't keep up. As soon as I got a feel for one, the time would change and I would be back four years, or back four years at a different point. I almost threw the book down.

Then I took a deep breath and told myself to relax and let Jorg tell his story his way. I'm glad I did because then I took my time and instead of devouring the story, I savored it. Along the way, I realized some interesting things.

The Broken Empire is actually half fantasy and half sci-fi. Did I not catch on in Prince of Thorns that this world is set more than a thousand years in the future, or did I just forget? That is such a unique idea, and if I didn't compliment Mark Lawrence on this before, let me do it now. INGENIOUS. It's like everything bad that could happen to the Earth--nuclear war, melting of the polar ice caps, or an asteroid impact--happens, and this is the story of the survival and re-evolution of the human race.

/stands up and applauds the author

In King of Thorns, Jorg grew up. I loved that. I loved that when he was fourteen, he felt the need to develop a strategy to hold on to his kingdom and to become the Emperor and set 4 years to laying the groundwork. That was the mature thing to do. Luckily, no matter how much he grew up, there were still elements of classic Jorg, echoes of the boy with no conscience.

I don't like his new queen. Something is going on with that. She's too seasoned, to sharp for a twelve year old. She's someone's creation. I believe that the eight year old who met Jorg in his grandfather's house all those years ago was a real person, I just don't believe that what showed up in the Highlands to marry Jorg is the same one. Or maybe I'm just thinking that because I believe in Jorg and Katherine.

Like the end of PoT, the ending of this installment gave me satisfaction. I like that Mark Lawrence doesn't tease me and leave me with some god-awful cliffhanger at the end of these novels. Waiting until August 2013 will be excruciating enough as it is.

If you like fairytale romances, good witches, happy elves and a perfect "happily ever after" this series is not for you. However, if you are a fan of deep and dark fantasy fiction you can't go wrong with Prince and Thorns and King of Thorns.
The second book in the series rambles on a little in places and the jumping between the past, the present and Katherine's journal is somewhat irksome. However, having said that, the ending of this book is just so good, so unforgiving, so uncompromising, that it's simply brilliant. The author's word skill is masterful - my favourite being when describing a member of the group gifted with the use of knives as "he will cut you a new opinion". Highly recommended to readers of the genre and those who don't believe in "happily ever after".

Prince of Thorns, Mark Lawrence's 2011 debut novel, was not well received in all corners, occasionally offending reader sensibilities. Jorg, the protagonist and narrator throughout the series, is a self interested often bloodthirsty teenager who's ruled equally by his emotions and lack thereof. Those hoping for a redemptive tale, or an ultimately apologetic tone from the author, found themselves woefully bereft. Deeply disturbing, and written with a haunting elegance, I called it the best fantasy debut of 2011. To say I was eagerly anticipating its sequel, King of Thorns, would be an understatement akin to George R.R. Martin sells a few books.

Jorg, no longer a wandering prince in search of revenge, has taken a throne. Not his father's or the Empire's, but it's a start. The path he carved has made him visible to those who share his lust for power, and now a six nation army marches toward his gates, led by a man far more suited to rule than he. An honorable man would lay down his sword and join the fledgling Empire in peace, leaving his kingdom whole and his people alive. That doesn't sound like Jorg, does it?

While Prince of Thorns was structured with frequent flashbacks, jumping between the past and present, there was a pace and direction to the novel that was clear, concise, and full of intent. The recollections merely filled in the back story, without directly participating in the primary narrative. King of Thorns is murkier. Instead of showing Jorg's past and how it influenced his future as he did in Prince of Thorns, Lawrence opts to merge two time periods into a single narrative with the present influencing the past and vice versa.

It's all too easy in a first person narrative to fall into the trap of hiding information from the reader. If the narrator reveals all he knows, the narrative tension is robbed. It's accomplished through phrases like, I whispered my plan into his ear, without actually giving the plan to the reader. This lack of openness gives the narrative voice a dishonesty. If I'm riding in his head, why don't I know what he knows? Trying to accomplish a dual narrative that connects, Lawrence was very much in danger of having to dupe his reader dishonestly. Instead, he solves the riddle through a plot device that hides information from his narrator and reader simultaneously. To reveal more would spoil some elements, but it creates a mutual revelation that's incredibly rewarding.

In that regard King of Thorns is a much more complex novel than its predecessor. It makes for a rocky beginning as Lawrence jumps between now, then, and occasional diary entries from Katherine, Jorg's object of infatuation from Prince of Thorns. As the narrative progressives Lawrence establishes a rhythm, as well as a baseline of knowledge that peels away the opaqueness of preceding events. By the end, I found myself blown away by the deftness of Lawrence's pacing and structure, ranking it on par with Empire Strikes Back for greatness in second installments of trilogies I've ever had the pleasure of consuming.

And consumption is the right word. In genre reading I tend to look first to story or character, pushing aside the need for beautiful prose and clever structures. I want to be transported to another world, to experience the impossible. King of Thorns does this, but it also does so much more,

'It wasn't for Maical that I killed those men, or for the joy of slaughter, or the proud legend of King Jorg. Like Gog I have my own fires banked and burning, and on some days the right spark can set them blazing beyond my control. Perhaps that was the true reason I had come traipsing over half a dozen realms to find this fire-mage for my pet monster. Perhaps I wanted to know that such fires could be contained. That they didn't have to kill us both.'

Beyond these casually brilliant moments of writing, Lawrence structures every chapter, every paragraph, and every sentence with purpose, concluding with a turn of phrase that always cuts to the quick. It makes reading it as much relevatory as it is transportative.

There will be detractors. King of Thorns suffers from the same social miasma that offended the progressively sentimental with Prince of Thorns. There is no redemption to be found in Jorg, and even less compassion for the pain visited on Katherine. I could argue that a new character, Miana, is a robust female character, more than an object to be moved around in a world of men. But, that's not really the point.

Mark Lawrence has written grim tale in a grim future. Jorg Ancrath's nature is to dominate, to win. He's an insatiable tyrant. A cruel and capricious villain. I don't care. He has a story to tell and I really need to hear it.

A wonderful read. I have been following Mark since shortly after PoT was published. He has a wicked mind that will dip you in sins of the worst kind. His characters challenge you. They make you angry. You even hate them. Yet, admit that at some points, you will love them and read on to see what befalls these demons. You can even relate to them. I laughed so hard at Makin talking of coating the decks with vomit because I'd be doing the same thing! Jorg's arrogant humor will cause a chuckle or two as well. The man is as vain as the worst of us.

I enjoy the plot line and the workings of Jorg's mind. Sadistically brilliant. A great wonderful breath of rotten air. I mean fresh air. It's a well written, wonderfully plotted step into an evil hero's point of view.

I tend to start the book off hating Jorg. By the end, I am curious of him and feel like I could walk beside him to watch what he will do next. But never quite love the brat.

I kind of did like Jorg after all was said and done, to be honest. His tale is one to be listened to. I now wonder how I will hate him in the last book. Well worth the read. :)

Brilliant.

I'm twenty pages from the end and had to stop to write this review before I forget what I have to say. I have never done that before.

King of Thorns is better than the first book. It is brutally brilliant, gruesomely good, and amid the carnage offers slivers of a rainbow before snatching it away in a world and future as grim and real as any out there.

Amid the wickedness that is Jorg Ancrath, you will find wit and wisdom to match. Sometimes almost too much for a young man of eighteen. But then, he is not a normal young man, or else why would Lawrence tell us his story? He is special in every way and so is this book.

From characterization, to prose, to style, to setting, King of Thorns is carefully laid out in ways that capture the imagination, whether good or bad or ugly. The writing just feels so natural, so Jorg. Take the two passages below.

"It being Sunday, the cook prepared a special treat for us. Snails in garlic and wine, with saffron rice. The snails came from local cliffs. A big variety as thick as a child's arm. But let's face it, snails are just slugs with a hat on. The main dish looked like large lumps of snot in blood."

"But they'll sing songs about Quick Jorg for years to come. Fast with one sword, faster with the other," she said.

Those two are just miniature snippets of hundreds of passages in this book that speak to the style, and in fact, are nowhere near the best there is, but are worthy examples.

Whether in act of defense, murder, or the twines of manipulation, Jorg tells his story in gripping fashion without any apology. Simply put, his will is indomitable, his hunger for revenge and power near insatiable, he's conniving and cruel, but he is no less spellbinding to read. At times, he has the tiny touches of compassion that make you think he's coming around, that he is human after all, before he disabuses you of the notion.

Five days it took me. This is the fastest I remember reading in a long time. I was simply transported into this boy, this tale, this world. And I want more. No. I NEED more.

There will be naysayers as there were for Prince of Thorns. To them I shrug. They simply do not understand Jorg or the condition of humanity than when driven to extreme circumstances, might surface in any one of us.

Thank you, Mr. Lawrence.

The second book (and perhaps the strongest book) in one of the most endearing trilogies I have ever read (and I have read quite a few!). This is probably my favorite fantasy trilogy of all time. Absolutely excellent first-person narrative makes the story more involved, personal, and yes, humorous at times! Great writing by Mr. Lawrence.

I loved the Prince of Thorns. The main character was a bit one-dimensional, but I was tired of reading about the typical goody-good fantasy hero who cries over every person he kills. So to read a fantasy novel where the protagonist is a ruthless bandit leader was such a breath of fresh air.

The King of Thorns made such huge strides in improving upon its predecessor. The main character is so much more fleshed out and complex this time around.

The non-linear presentation of the story is fantastic. I have seen such little of its type in the fantasy genre and it is executed flawlessly. And there is actually a good bit of humor which, again, is all too rare in this genre.

Oh and I love the setting of the story. It breaks from the standard Tolkien-esque world.

Even if you didnt like the Prince of Thorns, read this.

WOE! Man this is some crazy writing and story here (mean it in a good way)! Never have I seen more "things" pulled out of ones a$$ as in telling of this story, LOL. Cant wait for the last book, I shutter with anticipation as to what is going to happen to Jorg and poor Miana. Hope Miana is not part of the game, I want someone to be happy at the end.

And the second book does not disappoint. If you liked Prince of thorns there is more of it here and then some. Mr Lawrence got even better this time around and delivered the brutal story even more deftly than before if thats even possible.

I have conflicting feelings about this (and the last) book. I don't find any fault with Jorg, the dude is essentially without conscience in the first book and he develops into a slightly more complex character in this one. I certainly don't blink an eye at this immoral attitude, every character has a story and if Jorg's is the one the author wanted to write, then more power to him for making such a ruthless boy (he is 14 for most of the book, you know) so interesting to read. And there are some turns of phrase that dance across the page and slide over you like cool water. Like another reviewer pointed out, the bleakness of the landscape simply makes these beautiful passages stand out that much more.

The problem I end up having is when characters or events act out....illogically? For one, Jorg does NOT act like a 14 year old. I'm confused why the author even made him so young, he could have made him much older and still had essentially the same story. Also, in the first book, Jorg gets mortally wounded by his father in front of God and everybody, but nobody bats an eye. I'm pretty sure that the King of England, even at his most powerful, was still subject to the law if he openly murders his own son (which is probably why royals developed all those secret ways of getting rid of family members - poison, anybody?) . If that isn't the case with this post-apocolyptic word, that is fine, but the author needs to make it clear that the king of Ancrath has power over every life, including his son's. I don't believe he did this adequately. And this speaks to a larger problem of world building. Despite the different races and magic, I still feel like the world is only one or two levels deep. With Tolkien or Martin (I use them as examples because they are so well known), you can practically feel the history of their worlds pouring off the page. I can't specifically put my finger on it, but it just seems like Jorg's world is rather boring with a few interesting tidbits thrown in to make it seem deep.

At the start of this book, Jorg is king of Renar and is under attack by a much larger army. Pretty exciting, but we only get treated to a few pages of battle before we are thrown back to 4 years ago, when he decides to go on a trip with Gog (the fire child). The trip is not really necessary and he takes all of 2 seconds to decide to go. Now, in the end it proves important, but it's not like Jorg decides to go on this journey because someone's life is in the balance or he is trying to recover some powerful weapon. He pretty much just decides that he is going to take Gog to learn how to control his fire. Awesome, we get interrupted in the middle of a battle to go slogging through Europe on a trip that lacks any sort of urgency or importance (at least initially). The author should have just completely done away with the back-and-forth timeline and started with the journey then progress from there.

I also rarely have any sort of idea what places look like. I don't usually go in for long descriptive paragraphs, but seriously, I need at least something to go on. His lack of detail is frustrating. Same goes for the characters - people die and I don't care at all because Jorg doesn't particularly care.

I guess ultimately I'm confused over everyone raving about this book. It's good, certainly, but not that good. It actually feels like this author's first foray into writing - he doesn't quite have everything down to be a truly great author yet. This excludes Jorg's characterization, of course, since that is one of the author's strengths. I enjoyed the books but put down the 2nd one quite often because I couldn't figure out why I should care about the backpacking trip. In the end, the books are enjoyable but not enough for me to consider Mark Lawrence one of the fantasy greats like everyone else seems to be doing.

The second book is better than the first in the series. Still a little hard to follow all the flashbacks and keep up with everything. I recommend getting the real book rather than the audio as it would be easier to follow.

The incredible follow up to Prince of Thorns by new author Mark Lawrence. Let me begin by saying I absolutely loved the first book in the series. That being said I always go into sequels with a sense of cynical reservation, very rarely do they live up to the original, especially when the series is the author's premiere. My hypothesis is that authors spend a long time writing and editing the first in the series, get published, and then spit out the rest of the series per a publisher's quota attempting to capitalize on the first book's popularity. I would rate the first book in my top 20 favorite books I've read (I have a very specific preference for books) but the sequel I would put in my top 5 without a doubt. It was simply amazing, a true masterpiece of contemporary dark fantasy. Specifically the last third of the book was incredible. Mark Lawrence's insight into Jorg's borderline sociopathic mind is brilliant, he moves from an amoral cutthroat teen in the first book to a more 'jaded' young adult that realizes there is more to life than winning at any and all cost and the transition is completely believable. Take a chance on this series, I promise you will not be disappointed.

I really enjoy this series. Mark Lawrence is very clever in how he develops the motives and brings his character depth. You develop sympathy even though the actions of the main character, Jorg, are so atrocious or malicious at times. The neo science and magic are blended vey well in the book. Its a great read.

I stumbled across the first book and read it without knowing anything about this book. I was was blown away by the first book and couldn't put it down. So when I saw the second book was released I jumped on it hoping it would hold true to the first. And to my surprise the second book was even better. I love the first person perspective and the fact that the protagonist is not your average hero model. Gritty and brutal at times this is definitely not one of those lame young adult books that's suppose to make everyone feel good at the end. You truly get a feeling that the right guy won but not because he is the proverbial hero but because he is the most brutal, the kind of guy you would want in your corner in a fight. Again, an awesome book that I would recommend to anyone who would enjoy a bloody knuckle fantasy romp through a very well constructed world. Can't wait till the third installment in August. Never wanted summer to be over so fast before.

It's a good read, if fast. However, like the predecessor and follower, it has very forgettable characters, if a well-developed plot.I'd recommend it to someone who likes intrigue, but other than that, not so much.

I loved prince of thorns. It was a good book. King of thorns has a good story but there is one issue that makes me skip pages. For no reason at all there will be a useless flashback or story or memory that would last like 4 or more pages. There was one that lasted 6 pages when he's in the middle of battle and for no reason he started talking about mountain climbing, then about his childhood. This drags on until a paragraph before the end of the chapter he starts talking about the battle again. It may give you a little background but it breaks up the story and seems very out of place.

I loved this book, "Prince of Thorns" was good and drew me in, but this one, was great!
The story is not anything like the "Unbeliever Chronicles" by Stephen Donaldson but to me had the same feel. I both loved and hated the main character all the way through.
I'm looking forward to starting the next one, I'm going to download it right now.
Read both (can't vouch for the third yet) you won't be disappointed!
Thank you Mark Lawrence!

Jorg continues his adventures in another brilliantly written book. If you want to know what happens - you must READ this book too. Mark Lawrence keeps you wondering what Jorg will do next. And believe me - it's worth the effort to read this series.

From the beginning of "Prince of Thorns" to the very end of "Emperor of Thorns", Lawrence kept my attention fully engaged. Nothing turned out the way I expected...I was surprised and delighted for the entire ride. Well done, Lawrence!

As I sit here wondering what words can do this book justice, I realize few of my own can. This author has a way of words few others have. He adds a sort of poetry to the pages in the way he spins his words, albeit a dark, bloody, and violent poetry. The characters, especially the main one, are so gritty and world weary that they literally jump off the page in their realism. Read this book, you will thank yourself afterwards for seeing reason. If you don't like it well, then you had no reason the begin with.

Full disclosure: I know the author.

I love this book. Jorg moves on from book 1 showing a bit more thought and consideration to his actions, and a lot more cunning. The writing is lush without lingering on every detail, and the story moves from one exciting moment to the next with little downtime. A person might sit and read the whole thing in a 12-hour stretch, but rest assured, there is plenty to catch on the re-read. This series will not let you down.