Emperor of Thorns (The Broken Empire)

So, what a good way to end the series.
Firstly, structurally I feel this was a much better flowing book than the second one, which seemed to be all over the place. Narratively, the same, until near the end. Jorg was the evil creature we would expect, I particularly liked the way he dealt with his foes on the road to the capital. If you enjoyed the first two books, you will definitely enjoy this, though you might find the last few chapters a bit lacking

The first time I started on the Prince of Thorns I did not like it. Honorius Jorge Ancrath was simply to cruel for me. A couple of years after I picked up the book again and this time I kept going beyond the first chapter, and boy am I happy I did! Honorious Jorge Ancrath is simply the greatest character in fantasy literature! I finished all the three books in a very short time and loved all three of them. Looking forward to Mark Lawrence's next book.

I wish I could give it ten stars. Amazing, unputdownable, fresh, funny, sad, poignant. A story told with a harsh but understanding view of human nature. I wish it hadn't ended, but I'm glad it did. Artificially prolonging this series would have ruined it. If you think you don't like "Fantasy" read this. It will change your mind about the genre.

This was a great series to read and the finale brought a thrilling climax. The book goes a bit slowly at times as it jumps around to different periods of Jorg's life, but at the end everything comes together and you have the knowledge to keep up with the conclusion. A great book that explores different ways of viewing magic and what happens when our society experiments too far with changing the world to suit our needs.

Simply the best trilogy written in this decade. A complete and thoroughly captivating story that ends in a manner that is appropriate and fulfilling. The anthem that is Jorg is a stupendous and glorious ride. Thank you to Mark Lawrence for creating such a marvelous work for our enjoyment and contemplation. Beautifully written with an ending that is perfectly crafted.

This book was a masterfull piece of writing and I am sad to say goodbey to Jorg and his Brothers. I loved the batlle of dark and light in the character as well as between characters. A true anti-hero required in the darkest times to correct the broken empire.

I agree with the author in that he could have stretched this out over multiple books still but it would have watered down the pure punch this trilogy packed.

RIP Jorg - you appealed to the dark side in all of us!

I am now reading this 3rd part of the trilogy and the books have only gotten better. I struggle against wanting to finish it as soon as possible or taking my time, fearing the void that will be left after I have finished.

I was hesitant to start another fantasy/sci-fi series, but having a Kindle actually makes the accumulation of books very manageable. That being said, I really love the way Lawrence has written these three books. I find them challenging and extremely engaging. What I thought was a straight fantasy series has turned out to be so much more surprising and interesting, and I'm hooked.

The "Dead King"... Yes, it is who you think it is. The clues are just too obvious to miss.

And the story ends exactly the way I imagined it.

Still, if you've read the first two books... you probably need to read this one for closure's sake.

I bought it because of it being recommended, Once I started it I was on the verge of putting it down, but by the middle of the first book, I was as hooked. I enjoy the time lapse chapters and mixing past with present. I highly recommend this book and series!

This was a great series to read and the finale brought a thrilling climax. The book goes a bit slowly at times as it jumps around to different periods of Jorg's life, but at the end everything comes together and you have the knowledge to keep up with the conclusion. A great book that explores different ways of viewing magic and what happens when our society experiments too far with changing the world to suit our needs.

Simply the best trilogy written in this decade. A complete and thoroughly captivating story that ends in a manner that is appropriate and fulfilling. The anthem that is Jorg is a stupendous and glorious ride. Thank you to Mark Lawrence for creating such a marvelous work for our enjoyment and contemplation. Beautifully written with an ending that is perfectly crafted.

This book was a masterfull piece of writing and I am sad to say goodbey to Jorg and his Brothers. I loved the batlle of dark and light in the character as well as between characters. A true anti-hero required in the darkest times to correct the broken empire.

I agree with the author in that he could have stretched this out over multiple books still but it would have watered down the pure punch this trilogy packed.

RIP Jorg - you appealed to the dark side in all of us!

I am now reading this 3rd part of the trilogy and the books have only gotten better. I struggle against wanting to finish it as soon as possible or taking my time, fearing the void that will be left after I have finished.

I was hesitant to start another fantasy/sci-fi series, but having a Kindle actually makes the accumulation of books very manageable. That being said, I really love the way Lawrence has written these three books. I find them challenging and extremely engaging. What I thought was a straight fantasy series has turned out to be so much more surprising and interesting, and I'm hooked.

The "Dead King"... Yes, it is who you think it is. The clues are just too obvious to miss.

And the story ends exactly the way I imagined it.

Still, if you've read the first two books... you probably need to read this one for closure's sake.

I bought it because of it being recommended, Once I started it I was on the verge of putting it down, but by the middle of the first book, I was as hooked. I enjoy the time lapse chapters and mixing past with present. I highly recommend this book and series!

Just like Prince of Thorns and King of Thorns, Emperor of Thorns was awesome!
Jorg is one of my favorite all time characters - I loved him in each of the books, but I felt like he really came into his own in Emperor.

I highly recommend the entire trilogy - I've just started reading Prince of Thorns so that I can start at the beginning and read it all at once!

This is a gritty adult fantasy extremely well-written. A joy to read, and recommended for adults who love fantasy or just a good read.
Of course, the first two books in the series are a must. I never tired of it and Jorg of Ancrath is an inspiration.

This is a great finale to the series, with Jorg a bit older and wiser but not softer for his years as King. I cant praise this book enough, fantastic writing by Mark. I will definately be keeping an eye out for more of his work.

Typical for trilogies was to dazzle with first, go darker with the 2nd, disappoint with the 3rd, as the saying goes. But Lawrence has managed to keep his standards very high indeed. The book is fantastic, matches well with the first 2 books. Although the identity of he Dead King was pretty obvious early on, it's still a great book. Congrats!

The imagery evoked by Mark Lawrence's writing is astounding. It seems every sentence keeps you pinned in the scene, and his pacing of the story is excellent. Perhaps a bit gruesome, especially at the start of the Broken Empire series, but I couldn't put the story down. Now I'm putting more of his work on my MUST READ list.

From the beginning of book one, I have been wholly consumed with the life and story of Jorg Ancrath. From boy to man, from man to father, I rode behind Jorg's eyes, listened to his doubts and self-deprecations, shared in his emotional pain. Although repeatedly broken and abused, Jorg overcomes in a brutal fashion that is all his own. The conclusion in the Emperor of Thorns was surprising when revealed, but leaves the reader with the understanding that it was inevitable. The only downside I felt was the second to last chapter; I would have liked a bit more fleshed out experience when Jorg finally meets up with the true Dead King, something to trigger a greater emotional catharsis to the tragedy that had fueled and driven Jorg throughout three books. Still, overall, I am not disappointed; I have come to love and cry for Jorg Ancrath as if he were real. Truly, an amazing, engrossing, emotional roller-coaster of a tale.

To the author, Mark Lawrence: You have completely surpassed George R.R. Martin and Robert Jordan in my opinion. The only other time when I have read the protagonist being painted with an unflattering brush was in David Feintuch's The Still and The King. You have definitely joined the ranks of my favorite authors, and I will be keeping an eye open for your next work. However, if you are ever approached to make The Broken Empire into a tv show or movie... please, for the love of Jorg, please let the story remain true to itself!! :)

To be blunt, this book did exactly as intended. Whether or not the reader agrees with where the author is irrelevant if the reader doesn't choose to believe that tales end and this tale ended magnificently with the kind of poetic ending that tends to be absent from the genre.

What is life except pain? What is sacrifice? What will a man give to protect what is his? If you want answers to those questions, they are all written here. Jorg grew to be a man, not a good man, but a rough man. The kind that do things so we can sleep peaceable at night. He is not your comic book hero. He is not a fantasy of excellence. He is an Emperor of Thorns.

Easy Read, read the whole series from cover to cover and could not put it down. The Rdemtion of Jorge as the Story progresses is incredible. the Author creates a fascinating world without boring the reader with needless descriptions.

An extremely enjoyable series of books. The characters - especially Jorg - are complex & interesting; the plot is original & full of surprises. I may take the advice of other reviewers and re-read them all - something I rarely do, but these books may be worth it. Thank you Mr. Lawrence. Please keep writing!

Mark Lawrence finishes the trilogy off with style, intelligence, and a very dark sense of humor! I love how he makes the reader go from thinking Jorg a contemptable sociopath to a well....more likable sociopath. Great backstory and great conclusion to one if my favorite trilogies in recent memory!

A great finish to a very interesting series. By the end of the 2nd book I couldn't tell if I liked it or not, but I still found myself waiting and waiting for the 3rd. Now that I'm finished, I can't decide if I want more or if that was enough. That alone, is a rare feeling to get when reading books written these days.

Jorg of Ancrath is back, and just as badass as ever! Lawrence does a phenomenal job of wrapping up this trilogy, completing Jorg's story, and even addresses some more of the Broken Empire's history. If you liked the first two, you'll like the the conclusion.

I loved the first two books of this series and the final in the triology did not disappoint. I find the main character Jorge fascinating. He is a monster but intelligent and self aware. It was a great story with an unexpected twist. I highly recommend it.

Finally an author who has the guts to finish a trilogy as a trilogy. I enjoyed each one of all three books thoroughly, and stayed up many late nights reading where more sensible people would have paused for a good nights rest. Looking forward to the next book(s) from Mark Lawrence.

I read all 3 books in the series in the last 2 months. Needless to say, I loved the clever writing and backflashes which made for an awesome story. I was a little disappointed in the finale. The plot was building up for a pretty high expectations for the ending but felt it sort of fizzled out. Either way, King Jorg was an great character to follow. His machiavellian methods never left you bored. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a fast fun read. I ripped through these books in no time.

Mark Lawrence finally becomes a solid author in this book. The first two in the series are fun, but do not have the depth and complexity that he finally achieved in the final book, which really makes the whole series worth reading.

If you're tired of series that drag on book after book and spend too much time on things that don't move the story along, this series is a breathe of fresh air. Lawrence does the pragmatic combatant thing perfectly. He is going to have a hard time topping this.

With so many series out now it seems as though some never end or they turn boring and it is impossible for the reader to finish them. This series keeps you interested, has you cheering for the wrong side and ends with finality. One of my new favorites!

Great book. Loved the series and loved that the author ended the series leaving the readerwanting more and not stringing it out into episodic books that get stale and lose track of the main plot line. Can't wait for his next project

I love the entire trilogy and couldn't put it down for 3 days straight. I've always been a little bloodthirsty in choosing books to read but the Prince of Thorns is an epic ride and often the events and people described could run parallel to ours! Highly recommended read.

This book gets more into the fantasy and occult side of things more so than the predecessors. It adds some more depth to the main characters and you get a sense of them growing through experience and life.

finally finished the story of Jorg Ancrath, enjoyed it from start to finish. The world created for this series was new and at times comical and at others dark. Heavily recommend to anyone who enjoys a book that is different than the norm.

The ending more or less solidifies that other books set in The Broken Empire setting will have to be prequels unless Mark Lawrence is one hell of a writer. I personally think he is not.

Oh, and I HATED the identity of the Dead King. It was just sloppy and ham handed how a 7 YEAR OLD CHILD (probably gave it away right there) could rise to be the Dead King. Does Jorg have to personally know everybody?

I'm done with Mark Lawrence for good.

The ending more or less solidifies that other books set in The Broken Empire setting will have to be prequels unless Mark Lawrence is one hell of a writer. I personally think he is not.

Oh, and I HATED the identity of the Dead King. It was just sloppy and ham handed how a 7 YEAR OLD CHILD (probably gave it away right there) could rise to be the Dead King. Does Jorg have to personally know everybody?

I'm done with Mark Lawrence for good.

I absolutely loved this series, but I do think some parts dragged out for too long. However if you do enjoy dark fantasy and an anti-hero main character, I think you'll like it and would absolutely recommend it.

Doesn't compare to books one and two. For most of the book, nothing happened. Flashback scenes we're still enjoyable. I personally object a bit to the ending, haven't decided if it's out of character. Mark Lawrence went for absolute finality so that he couldn't continue to drag out the series, which I agree with in principle (stories should have a definite ending), but I think he ended the series the way he did for the wrong reasons.

Maybe not quite as gripping, but still a good read. I'm well in to the third in this series, and, while I'm not unable to put it down and go to sleep, I do have to consciously make the effort to set it aside.
If you read any of my other reviews, you know I do not speak to the story line at all (unless it just plain sucks); but I'll make the exception to defend the author against some of the diatribes I've read that condemn him for things his characters do...... (really?) What is this, thought patrol?
Anyway, I say give it a read if you like swords and sorcery, descent into despair and eventual renewal, or, like Conan says when asked "What is good"?, he replies, "To crush your enemies and drive them before you. To hear the lamentation of their Women".

I'm in the middle of this book right now, about 50% into it. Compared to the first two books, which were ok, this book seems to move very slow. As with the other two books, the author constantly jumps around different settings and you can barely tell if what you're reading is something happening in the past or present. The book doesn't jump into much action in the first 50%, making the first few hours of reading very tedious and unappealing.

wish i'd waited for paper back! pretty good story until the end I don't know but maybe just maybe someone got thrown into the thorns & watched they're idea bashed against the rocks! one of the most disappointing endings since I read the STAND!

I am 50% through this one so I am assuming I will be enjoying it more as I get through the second half.

However, something is really bothering me. I read the second book again before starting this one, and it is pretty much better in every way thus far. The dialogue in the third book is not as witty, there is not the same amount of tension, I find Jorg to be kind of boring and really out of character compared to the second book. There just isn't the same intensity and cleverness here as was apparent throughout the second book. Did Jorg lose his mojo? Did the author?

Anyone else agree?

The ending was something I didn't expect, and honestly, didnt want. But all in all, it's a good story from book one to three how a boy, profoundly corrupted, became a king and emperor, and in the end, did the right thing with ultimate sacrifice.

although the writing ( good and well edited ) is even more convoluted than in the two preceding installments.

the story line is a bit too long, with some filler material put in that gets somewhat tiresome after a while, and very litle happens in the first half of the book.

The "young " age of Jorg is an aspect that has allways irked me from the beginning. No one has the saviness and the complex personality at so young an age. The whole trilogy would feel more convincing with a somewhat older main character.

All in all, it is a fitting conclusion to a very interesting trilogy. The concept of this trilogy, the "future" europe is very well done, and Jorg's story is worth reading, in any case, being in the top echelon of what is out there.

The big twist with the Dead King was telegraphed so hard that you'd have to be pretty clueless if you didn't figure it out at the beginning of the book and it just made it seem like Jorg was a massive moron who didn't get it until the very end. An ending which was very rushed and clumsy after spending an eternity in flashbacks. Disappointing.

From my view:

- Book 1 was a "10" introducing an evil, but somehow relatable, anti-hero with an intriguing world-view that challenged & excited this reader beyond any expectations (particularly for books in this genre).

- Book 2 expanded on many of the book 1 themes and earns a "7" or "8".

- Book 3, unfortunately, fails to add anything of substance to the worldview, is paced oddly and just falls flat in comparison. I really can't give it more than a "2".

I see all of the other glowing 5* reviews and I'm glad that others are enjoying it. If you've read books 1 and 2, you're certainly going to read this third one regardless of my impression. My advice is just to keep your expectations low.

There's a certain type of magic that some authors possess which sucks me deep down into their novels and makes me never want to leave the pages. I become so utterly invested in the characters and story that I almost can't bear reaching the end, particularly when it comes to final book of a series. It makes my heart ache - but in an entirely good way. Mark Lawrence is definitely one of those writers, and with Emperor of Thorns he has cemented himself as one of the best, and one of my favourite, authors period. Emperor of Thorns, and the Broken Empire Trilogy that it concludes, is superb!

Jorg is one of the most unique characters I've read and watching the way he has developed and changed over the course of this trilogy has been perhaps the best thing about the series. He breaks all of the rules of a conventional protagonist and you will never be able to predict what he will do next. In Emperor of Thorns I found myself thinking I knew his character after two books but Mark Lawrence continually found ways to defy my expectations. There is a scene in this book involving one of Jorg's companions in the badlands that made my mouth fall stupidly open, whilst I floundered about in shock and reminded myself that I shouldn't have grown complacent with how I thought Jorg should and would act. He is a ruthless, vicious and compelling character that bears some of the qualities that would make some people identify him as a villain. This is far from a bad thing, however. It is refreshing to question the choices of the main character of a novel and to sometimes contemplate whether you should actually be rooting for him or not. It sounds like it shouldn't be possible, but I easily became connected to Jorg and by the end of the book it felt like I'd been on his journey with him, a journey which I never wanted to end. He is the very definition of an anti-hero and Lawrence has taken this concept to a whole new level, to heights I think other authors will struggle to reach.

Much like Jorg, Lawrence's story takes numerous twists and turns and leaving you unsure of what is to come. Obviously, judging by the title and how the previous titles have related to the story, Emperor of Thorns is going to chronicle Jorg's steps towards becoming Emperor (or failing to), yet there is far more at play here. It's the road towards the crown of Empire that is the most exciting. Lawrence treads between two timelines in the novel and it is a credit to his writing that I was just as ensnared by what was happening in the past as well as the current timeline. I loved the way the two storylines connected, and loved even more that Jorg had so much exciting backstory to give. I found myself reaching the end of the past timeline, frustrated that I had to swap back to the present timeline, yet only to be sucked back into what was happening there and to face the same prospect when it came time for the next switch. I also enjoyed the addition of one other characters point of view, but to reveal any more about them or to give any more details about the story would ruin it. Just know it was every bit as exciting and gripping as Prince and King of Thorns.

Lawrence's writing is immaculate. It doesn't seem like a word on the page is wasted and reading him is almost like being caught in a river's current. Sometimes you will be guided with ease, and others you will be swept through at a breakneck pace - but it just keeps flowing and you will never want it to stop, particularly when the story comes towards its conclusion.

And that ending. Wow. I didn't see that coming. Wrenching, thrilling and perfect. The most fitting end Lawrence could have given to his amazing series.

What I am trying to say is: this series needs to be read. If you like fantasy, especially of a darker kind, you need to read the Broken Empire Trilogy. Now. The front of Emperor of Thorns bears a quote saying that Mark Lawrence is "on par with George R.R. Martin," and while Martin is respected as one of the height of fantasy these days and an author I love, Emperor of Thorns is all the proof I needed to believe Lawrence has ascended many steps higher. And I don't think I will be alone in thinking this. Much like Jorg found himself latched in hook briar, Emperor of Thorns will dig under your skin and stay with you, even after you've torn free from its clutches. This is fantasy at its finest.

Jorg Ancrath is evil. He's the bad guy. And we've been rooting for him for two books now.

And now here comes Emperor of Thorns. A more appropriate title for which might have been "Excusing Jorg Ancrath."

Because that's what this book tries to do. Taking inspiration from, apparently, George Martin (I wish authors would stop doing this) we see more of Jorg's formative years in this book than in any other. Years of death. Of torture. Of suffering. Here we see the years that made Jorg what he is.

And that's a bad thing. It really is.

Because all this time, Jorg has been a bad guy. The protagonist of a fantasy epic, the bad guy. It was an intriguing premise. An idea unique among tales in a genre where uniqueness...isn't exactly a prized commodity. And this book pretty well blows it to pieces.

It does so by too often painting Jorg as a hapless victim of the world he lives in. A young man too often exposed to torture, suffering and death. And, the book alludes, shaped by these experiences into the selfish, evil egoist he's become.

And therein lies the rub. This book sets out to explain Jorg, but it comes off as trying to excuse him. To alleviate any guilt on his part for being the way he is. Jorg isn't evil because he wants to be, this book intimates. He is evil because he was shaped and impressed upon by an evil world at a young and impressionable age. In other words: Blame the world, not the boy-become-an-evil man.

And this, in a sense, can ruin Jorg as a character. His swagger and his bragging throughout the first two books ring hollow after reading this one. Those are not the behavior of a person who is evil and does not wish to be; they are the behavior of a person who relishes what he is and how he acts. The behavior of a selfish egoist who loves himself more than anyone else.

And then this book comes along to claim the Jorg we knew isn't the real one. That all of a sudden, he's changed. Because, after all, this book claims, it was never his fault. Never something he enjoyed or even wanted. Just a role foreced on him by a brutal world. He never wished to be evil; he was mode that way.

Despite two books worth of claims to the contrary.

Jorg of Ancrath now rules seven kingdoms and is one of the most powerful rulers on the continent. The time is coming when he will make his claim to the throne of the Broken Empire and try to unite the nations behind him. But there are forces gathering in the world which want to stop him. Powerful, ancient machines, like those that broke the world with their weapons of fire, are debating whether to scour the world of life and start again from scratch. The enigmatic Dead King has conquered the islands of Brettan and now marches on the mainland. This time, Jorg faces enemies that even he may struggle to master.

Emperor of Thorns concludes the Broken Empire series that started with Prince of Thorns and continued with King of Thorns. This trilogy tells the story of Jorg, a young man with the quick wits of Locke Lamora, the charm and resourcefulness of Kvothe but (to start with, anyway) the moral compass of Gregor Clegane. He has a rough loyalty to his men and those members of his family he doesn't want to actively murder, an unhealthy obsession with his young aunt and an inability to let any insult, challenge or threat pass unmolested.

Emperor of Thorns presents Jorg with his biggest challenge yet, although it's also one he's rather well-prepared to face. When Frodo Baggins reached Mount Doom, he didn't really have much more to hand than the clothes he left the Shire in, and had to face his destiny alone, apart from his plucky sidekick Sam. By contrast, Jorg of Ancrath reaches his fate in this book equipped with a neural link to a sophisticated AI and an orbiting array of satellites, in-depth knowledge of the world before the breaking and a magic sword. Although the odds are still against Jorg, I felt a surprising lack of tension in this novel, despite Lawrence's track record with both murdering major characters without much warning and throwing in interesting curveballs to the narrative. Some of these things happen here as well, but for the most part Jorg has a smooth ride across the continent to Vyene, and his ultimate destiny.

The novel alternates sections set in the present day, chronicling Jorg's ride across post-apocalyptic Europe, with sections set in the past, as Jorg has to travel deep into Africa to confront an old enemy and try to woo an ally. There's some interesting twists and turns here, but ultimately the flashbacks slow down the main narrative (this problem also afflicted King of Thorns). A "special edition Godfather" version of this trilogy which re-orders the flashbacks and present-day storyline into a linear sequence of events may be a worthwhile endeavour, and prevent the issue of Jorg apparently being out of his depth and incapable of handling the next challenge, but then a flashback reveals he picked up some awesome knowledge or ability four years earlier which means he can now deal with the problem.

At the same time, Lawrence remains one of epic fantasy's most interesting writers, of both prose and character, and Jorg develops in interesting ways in this book, leading to the conclusion being both logical and appropriate. A sequence set in a town that's been stripped of life is creepy and eerie and the concluding sequence in Vyene is appropriately blood-splattered, giving us back the uber-ruthless Jorg of the first novel. The first-person narrative means that some of the secondary characters are not as fleshed out as perhaps they could be (getting someone else's opinion of Jorg's activities from the outside would be interesting), but we do get to learn more about recurring semi-enemy Chella as we get chapters from her POV as well and discover more about the Dead King and his plans.

Emperor of Thorns (****) concludes one of the more narratively interesting epic fantasies of recent years with fire and wit, but it's grasp of structure and tension is not as effective as it could be.

`Dark times call for dark choices. Choose me.'

For all you Jorg haters out there, that one line, that simple declaration, sums up The Broken Empire better than anything I might be able to coax from my tired brain. Yes, for the second night in a row, a book has gotten its hooks into me and demanded I stay up far too late reading the final 200 pages. Fortunately, Emperor of Thorns delivered in almost every respect, defiantly answering my every conflicting emotion resulting from its predecessor, King of Thorns.

Mark Lawrence has taken the successful formula of the first two books, tweaked it, twisted it, and triumphed over the most problematic - and predictable - portions. Once again we find ourselves on a journey, but it's rediscovered some of the novelty and macabre sense of wonder that made the first book so fun. As was the case with the first two books, we have two interwoven stories, but whereas I found the flashback portion of the second book a bit weak, here it's strong enough to carry a tale all on its own. As for my concerns about the artifacts of Builder technology playing such a crucial role in the climax of the first two books, I am very pleased to say that they've proven to be completely unfounded. In fact, what Lawrence does to bring that aspect of the tale to the forefront here is one of the novel's most pleasant surprises.

Another pleasant surprise is the continuing growth of Jorg. Yes, he's a right royal bastard, and about as far from a knight in shining armor as you can get, but he's human. We saw some growth in the second book as he matured and grew into his role as king, but here we see him grow into the role of expectant father as well. Of course, that brings about a whole slew of issues, given his dark relationship with his own father, but Lawrence develops it well, making it a key focus of the story, without overdoing it. In fact, there are some very nice parallels with the first book, including a surprise appearance of the very carriage that carried Jorg's mother and brother to their doom. Sadly, Miana feels a bit wasted here, given her developed in the last book, but I thought Katherine's role in things was very nicely played out, with more than a few surprises.

An even darker book than the first two, with the Dead King's armies sweeping across the land, Emperor of Thorns still manages to provide a little dark humor, and even some genuine emotion along the way. I could have done without the interludes of Chella's story, but that's a minor quibble on my part. As for the climax . . . well, there are really two endings to the tale, both of which are extraordinarily well played. Without getting into spoiler territory, the first is largely inevitable, but still a hell of a lot of fun to watch come to fruition, while the second is a complete and utter surprise, an entirely bold choice on Lawrence's part to provide a note of finality to things.

I said in my review of King of Thorns that it was a bigger book than the Prince of Thorns in every respect, and a tale that leaves even bigger expectations. Well, even if this is a somewhat smaller and more intimate tale, it more than manages to deliver on those expectations. An entirely satisfying conclusion to an original and exciting saga. Highly recommended.

The last in the Broken Empire trilogy, we’ve followed Jorg down a dark and bloody path. Here, we see the end.
Jorg has never hidden his ambition or his desire to rule over all. In this book, he sets out to use all his cunning and ruthlessness to achieve it. But the Dead King – the Dead King is coming.
As with the previous, we see the split time – following Jorg via the present and the past. Lawrence uses a deft hand, taking the reader from the past to the present, interweaving the stories.
The ending – no spoilers – but many people didn’t like it. However, I found it perfect for the story. It ended the journey in the only way it could, with redemption. This story, ultimately, was about redemption, about taking the sorry and death and suffering of the past and making it matter.
This is a fantastic series, worth reading. It is bloody and dark, to be sure, but that is what makes it the story that it is.

There is a quote from Ender's Game that has always stuck with me: "I think it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves."

Perhaps this is what scares people about Mark Lawrence's main character. By making Jorg the protagonist instead of an abstract villain, we are forced to understand him. The first person narrative draws us into his head. The more we learn about his past and the events that shaped him, the more we find ourselves understanding his actions (reprehensible though they may be).

I challenge anyone to walk with Jorg through his journey and not understand him, love him. I shared the journey with Jorg on the road to Empire. I shared his journey of growth from boy to man, from child to father. At the end of the road, I found myself shaking with emotion. I am sad that the journey is ended. I am so very glad that I took the trip.

An incredible end to an incredible journey (literally, emotionally and spiritually).

Read this book.

Just the back and fourth got me. 6,5,4 years back then present. That just got old fast. Even in books one and two. Glad to be finished with this series. Just glad it's over. Can move to books more my style. Goodbye Jorg!!!!!!!

4.5/5 Rating: Originally posted at https://mylifemybooksmyescape.wordpress.com/2015/02/24/book-review-emperor-of-thorns-by-mark-lawrence/

I'm not really sure how to write a review for this. Normally when I do these, they will mainly focus on what I had the strongest opinion of - whether it was a like or dislike - and then I add a dash of the other parts so you can get a bigger, more complete picture of what the whole book was about. The problem with Emperor of Thorns is that when I finished it, I had SO MANY (GOOD) FEELINGS!!! I have no idea where to start, or how to express the magnitude of what this book and whole series offers. I am very tempted to just go on a spoilerfic rant and talk about everything I want to, but then this post would probably end up being longer than anyone would want to read. Alas, I will do my best to control my enthusiasm.

Emperor of Thorns picks up right where King of Thorns off, and like in King, our chapters are split up into to three different view-points; the present, five years earlier, and Chella's Story. During the present, we see Jorg traveling to Vyene to meet up with the other Hundred to vote upon who will be emperor. During this little trip, Jorg must deal several incidents, such as Miana expecting their first child, The Dead King, the Pope, and running into other members of the Hundred along the way. Five years earlier follows the path from his uncle's kingdom in Wennith, to a place called the Iberia, then to Hamada (to deal with that mathmagician), and then finally back to the Haunt. Chella's story starts with her face down in the mud after her last meeting Jorg and goes on to eventually catch up with Jorg in the present.

Emperor essentially has the same formula as King. We have some earlier period that helps to develop Jorg and world, and then slowly over times it build and explains the plot that is currently going on in the present. Then we have the side POV which comes in with an alternative perspective of the events. It seems pretty simple when I write it out like that, and at its base, I guess it is. But that simplicity as the foundation of which these books are built, and how Mark is able to carry it out - magnificent. Part of what makes him a great writer.

Let me just get my one complaint out of the way - the starts of these novels. They always just feel slow to me and I am unsure of where it is the story is taking us. Again, this unsureness is due to multiple POV's from different timelines. However I didn't nearly have as much an issue with it this time as I did in King. Having five-year earlier pick up literally in the same spot that the earlier timeline left off in King helped greatly. More importantly, because I had this same unsure feeling before, and it was quickly resolved, I was not afraid at all of getting lost and trusted Mark completely to start dropping the pieces and bring things together. I only wish it didn't take so long pick up the pace.

Now on to the praise; everything else in the book! Seriously.

I was quiet excited to see Chella chapters. Since we first met her back in book 1, I have been very interested in her character. After the last book, I was particularly interested in why she and this Dead Kind were so focused on Jorg. With her chapters, we do learn who Chella is, more about the necromancers and other things of the like, and best of all - the Dead King.

Like the Gog quest in King, our (roundabout) journey back to the Haunt serves to develop Jorg's character even more (believe it or not, but it's possible), expand more of the world and explores its history, and lay down even more for our plot. Not only does this journey help to explain who Jorg has now become and why he is acting the way he acts in the present, but it also goes back to events in Wedding Day! Because this fills the gap that Jorg leaves out from later in King, we finally learn the answers to some big questions you probably had during his fight with the Prince of Arrow, and if you really pay attention you may notice some little 'easter eggs'. This lead to bunch of 'oh' and 'ah' moments, and "I remember that!' or 'it makes sense why he did that!'. I was tempted many times to go back and re-read parts from King and Prince with this new knowledge to reevaluate certain moments. This really adds a new level to the series.

Then then ending... oh man, talk about adding new depth - to the plot, to the characters, world, story; to the whole damn trilogy! I was so completely and utterly satisfied with it. Personally, I did not see it coming. I actually had no idea whatsoever how Mark was going to end it. What he came up though, to finish off the book and wrap the trilogy as whole... did not expect it all. The absolute best part about this ending is NOT how satisfying it is, but the questions it raises at the end.

I'm not talking question like LOST or The Three, where you will be scratching you head thinking wtf just happened... this doesn't make sense. No, it raises questions by making you reevaluate and reflect. I found myself thinking who is Jorg, why was it Jorg, what was it about Jorg that made him so special.... Looking back at him - from the young psychopathic 8-year-old in Prince, all the up to this clever King we meet in Emperor - my opinion of Jorg completely changed.

My word count on the bottom is getting pretty high so I'll just point some other things out quick I liked; there is a scene with Jorg early on that (depending on your feeling toward Jorg) I'm sure is going to cause mixed feelings among readers. The knowledge of who the Builder's are (there is a funny scene with this), what is and what happened to the world. What the deal with the Dead King is, and seeing who Miana and Katherine have become... list could really go on. Many more things happen during the book (too many to even point out in this review, and for fear of spoilers), but the highlight was the ending.

Bottom line - this is one of my favorite trilogies that I have ever read. Without a doubt, I will be re-reading these books again in the near future. Once you finish them, you will understand why.

(And Rike is still my favorite character beside Jorg... and I want a short story of the history of him... and one of Brother Sim too)

4.5/5 Rating

Broken Empire Trilogy gets a FAVORITE/5

-DJ

3.7/5 Stars.

This was a good book, and I look forward to reading other works of Mr. Lawrence.

The strengths of the book are twofold: First is the main character, Jorg. He is one of the most entertaining characters of any book that I've ever read. Smart, funny, efficiently ruthless, and focused. Second, the book contains several unpredictable and satisfying twists and turns.

The book fell short for me for a few reasons. First, other than Jorg, the other characters aren't particularly memorable. Second (and this is partially my fault) I found difficulty remembering events from the first two books because I had read them years ago, despite Mr. Lawrence's addition of a summary of those books in the beginning of the third. Normally, I don't have that difficulty. For some reason, I did with this series. Third, I'm not a fan of flashback chapters, which I find distracting, and this book uses them liberally.

Fourth (SPOILER), I really disliked the ending. Jorg, i.e., the only character that I really cared about, dies (sort of) and is reborn in the form of a self-aware computer entity. Despite the author's noted concern for Jorg becoming stale and wanting to see Jorg go out on top, I think that he made the wrong choice. Killing such a great character, who really was just reaching physical maturity, at that point was premature. I would love to have seen Jorg in another trilogy live on to clean up the empire, bring the Builders' technology back to life, learn of the past, and fix the errors that led to the prior nuclear destruction.

Jorg is on his way to Congression knowing he must become Emperor and unite the Hundred against the Dead King. Jorg knows that only united will they be able to stand against him.

As with the other books in the series, the author bounces between several time periods to tell this story. The process creates a captivating world dominated with strong characters you can't help but enjoy. Jorg more than any other shines. I was never sure if I loved or hated him. The graphic violence continues in this book and can be quite shocking at times.

The book is an absolute pleasure to read. The author has created not only a detailed and believable world but the language he uses to describe it is completely immersive. Don't get me wrong there are not pages of description, not at all. Some how the story flows and the plot moves along but this expansive world grows around you as you read and suddenly it's like you're there. Mark Lawrence is easily one of the most skilled writers I have ever read.

Absolutely great series!

Now that i've read all three books in this series, it would be difficult to choose a favorite. That said, Emperor of Thorns certainly brings the series to a conclusive and satisfying, if slightly unexpected end.

King Honorous Jorg Ancrath, now king of seven nations, knows that in order to heal the broken empire as well as save mankind from a terrible fate, he simply must become emperor. He had, after all, been preparing for this for at least five years.

Jorg, now king and family man, had come a long way from the pillaging, murdering villain he was at the age of fourteen. As his kingdoms and his determination to become emperor grow, however, he must find ways to convince everybody that he is the man for the job.

As a character, Jorg developed from the first book, Prince of Thorns, through this, the final book. It is actually one of the best examples of character growth that I've ever seen. Jorg, however, doesn't become a perfect good boy. Fortunately and very realistically he keeps some of his old vices. Some of these vices benefit him and others hamper him.

The incorporation of lost technology into the story makes it wonderfully unpredictable; think a robot kind of being in a medieval setting.

For a thrilling read with unexpected twists and turns and an unusual end, I highly recommend Emperor of Thorns as a must-read. (Ellen Fritz)

‘Emperor of Thorns’, by Mark Lawrence, is the third and final part of ‘The Broken Empire’ trilogy. After finishing ‘King of Thorns’ I promised myself to immediately start reading Emperor of Thorns, but alas instead of a few weeks it took me a few months to finally get to it to my sadness. Having really enjoyed King of Thorns I didn’t expect to enjoy this last part to the same extent, but I was proved happily wrong. I am proud to say that the only thing I regret about this book is not having read it sooner. Mark Lawrence succeeds in giving a wonderful ending to what was a wonderful trilogy, making it a pleasure to read from start to finish.

Emperor of Thorns begins where King of Thorns leaves off, following with the formula of dividing the story into two separate storylines; one in the past and one in the present, both following Jorg and his quest to become Emperor. The plot itself is simple, and follows into what can only be expected through the title and the developments in the previous two books: the time to choose the Emperor has arrived, and Jorg is fully determined to claim the title as his own. However, his father has plans for the empty throne as well; thus leading to the main focus and development of this book.

Emperor of Thorns lacks the same extent of action as the previous two, instead being more political in nature, but succeeds in getting the story through. Jorg is no longer as unstable as he once was, but still is broken, and he strives to achieve his aim amidst memories of the past. In addition to this a new point of view is introduced via Chella, arch-enemy of Jorg, with the main purpose of putting through certain information for the reader. Her sections provide interesting chapters, though in my opinion underwhelming in comparison to Jorg’s. It is, all in all, a wonderful story and plot, though if anything expected. This isn’t a bad thing though, as the book delivers splendidly. Not everything is good though, and similarly to the preview two books there are some apparent deus ex machina and less interesting chapters, along with reliance on Builders’ technology used to push the story along. This, however, doesn’t affect the quality of the book as a whole, and the reading experience as a whole proves to be as wonderful as that of the previous books.

However, what truly impressed me about the book, much like in King of Thorns, was the prose. Emperor of Thorns is beautifully written, and though the plot is something which I would most likely avoid in the hands of another writer, Mark Lawrence makes it work wonders in combination with the characters. It is fascinating, and shows the mark of a great writer. In addition the ending is great, with a few unexpected twists that make the story all the better. The book ends the trilogy in a fitting manner, with nothing to regret.

As such, Emperor of Thorns is definitely a must read for anyone who has read the previous two books. Though it has its faults, the story only gets better, and it provides the ending and closure that one yearns to see from even Prince of Thorns. It sits comfortably on four out of five stars, and is something which I don’t regret at all purchasing. Rather, my only disappointment is that I have finally finished the trilogy along with Jorg’s story, and there is nothing left to read of it.

Amazing trilogy. You cannot love how the main character, Jorg of Ancrath, is true to himself no matter what, and obstinately tries to discover the greater meaning of existence despite pain and lost and so much violence and corruption, in a world raising from the ashes of a nuclear winter unleashed by the ancient Builders. And after killing the Pope, he simply states: "we had ourselves a good old-fashioned slaughter".
This is the story of a boy who watched his mother and brother killed, their murder ransomed with a pair of horses and money, who defies his father and becomes the leader of a outcast bad of rogues and is set to rule the world. Nothing will stop him, alive or dead, magic, mechanic or human. And he is honest with himself and with his nature, on his path to discovering and recovering his soul.
Although I did guess who the Dead King was, the final caught me by surprise, like any good book should do. Definitely worth reading

Readers offended by Lawrence's forgiving attitude toward Jorg's morality probably won't like this book, but they probably haven't made it this far. Readers who liked Prince of Thorns and King of Thorns though need to read this book. The author successfully brings together different plot points and characters from the previous books, weaving them together for a very satisfying finish. The best book in the series in my opinion.

Wow.

What an ending to this series. Whereas the first book served as an introduction to our main character, Jorg, and the second book served as a middling quality chapter, the author really brought this series home with this final book.

There is some great action, wonderful and unique writing, and a fantastic, thrilling, satisfying end to the saga of Jorg. Mark Lawrence should be held in high regard among fantasy writers for his careful and creative prose.

If you made it through Book 2 (which was a bit of a slog for me), you owe it to yourself to read this book, as it finishes the story of Jorg and his empire-seeking in a truly Jorg-like fashion.

I highly recommended this series, and especially this book, to all fantasy readers.

When I picked up King of Thorns it was with both excitement and trepidation. I was worried I was in for another Abercrombie, good writing and occasionally thought provoking but designed so that when you finish the book you feel worse for it. Not better. Lawrence is too brilliant for that. Instead his trilogy is a story that doesn't edge away from violence and darkness, but doesn't lose that sense of a greater purpose that has made books like Tolkiebn's girfts for the ages. In short, if you are looking for a book that is the perfect conclusion to Lawrence's already ambitious series, both true to itself and still beautiful, read this book now.

"Life can tear away what's vital to a man, hook it from him, one scrap at a time, leaving him empty-handed and beggared by the years. Every man has his thorns, not of him, but in him, deep as bones. The scars of the briar mark me, a calligraphy of violence, a message blood-writ, requiring a lifetime to translate."

I have discovered the greatest story ever written. I have other favorites of course but this trilogy and this book specifically trumps them all. This story doesn't have a romance, it's not light-hearted, it's not even happy yet, it shook me to my core and consumed all of me. In Emperor of Thorns, we follow Jorg on the path to become emperor of the hundred. It is not an easy path and it is one with lot's of bloodshed, friendships gained and lost, children brought into the world and others were taken, and the Dead King at his heels. This is filled with so many twists and turns and an ending that hurt but was necessary. King Jorg did the damn thing, to be honest. There was no telling that man no because he overcame it all. He became emperor even if only for a short time. The ending was inevitable with a man like him. What happened to his brother is really what haunted him his whole life but, Jorg went to death when he wanted after completing his goal and securing a throne for his son. He was a truly an emperor to be remembered.

"I know a man who is trying to," I said. "And if I hadn't learned better, then yes, I'd save them all. No half measures. Some things can't be cut in half. You can't half-love someone. You can't half-betray, or half-lie."

One of my favorite things about this book was the growth we saw in Jorg. In book one, it appeared our wild prince could open his heart to no one but in book three we see his heart so much more. Although he still was a ruthless man and wasn't this great loving husband we saw him care for people. His wife Miana was important to him (Page 191 he said his heart truly froze and it physically pained him to see her like that), his son was extremely important to him (page 243 when he wanted to hold him, 311 when Gorgoth promised to protect his son, 389 when he thought his son would never be safe and he shed a tear), his road brothers became men that he truly cared for (page 382). Throughout the story, we saw Jorg become a real man who didn't just kill for revenge and even stilled his sword at times. 

"I let Katherine see how something so simple as hammering home a nail can make such profound changes, to the bishop whose head is pierced, and to the boy who wields the hammer. And then I let her go. And she ran."

The violence and action is ten fold in this book. Jorg really went through hell and he dished out a whole lot of hell as well. I mean the man killed the pope and countless others and with no witnesses to account for it. This book held so much death with the Dead King just mucking about and his followers were skinning people. The five years earlier chapters were just as bloody and gruesome and Jorg was alone in those. The things that were done to him as a young boy (T/W he was molested as a child) and the things he had to do his whole life in order to survive are dark things. But none of it felt like it was violent for the sake of being violent everything held a purpose and a reason and it all stemmed to that night when young William was killed and young Jorg was stuck in thorns.

"It was never a good idea to tease a woman near her time, and seldom a good idea to tease Miana in any case, unless you want back worse than you gave. She came at me, fists raised."

Queen Miana wasn't super prominent in the book but she was still important in Jorg's life. I loved her character with the little we saw of her. She was clever as Jorg said (page 94), feisty, fearless, and I think she scared Jorg a bit and could always make him feel bad without really doing much lol. She was a smart queen and knew Jorg for what he was.

"And I walked rather than ran, though a fire burned in me near as fierce as that on my blade, because surface divide known from unknown, and though I might walk where angels fear to tread, I try not to rush in like a fool."

Just like in Prince of Thorns and King of Thorns this story goes from present to five years earlier and we even get snippets of Chella's story. I loved just as I love it in the others but in this one I found myself screaming lol because I would be in the present and it gets to a part where you're like omg what's next and then it goes to the five years earlier chapters for a few. Then I am like OMGGGG nooo so I read fast then I am like ok what happens next and it's back to the present lol. It was so good because it left me with edge and anticipation. I just loved seeing where Jorg went and how it lead up to the final moment because you wonder how did he survive all that and alone?

"You know he had to die. Or at least you will know it in an hour, or a day. What makes us different is that I knew it from the moment you spoke. And in the end, my way is quicker, cleaner, and fewer people get hurt."

The last thing I will speak on is the writing. Mark created such a vivid world for readers it was astonishing. The writing is a work of art and as the front cover says every word is carefully crafted. Jorg has so many quotable lines that I will be using he is the Emperor of Quotes and Wisdom.

"He has gone beyond me now though, and I have no more to say. Perhaps somewhere Jorg and his brother have found the real heaven and are busy giving them hell. It pleases me to think so. But the story is done."

I will miss Jorg so much. 

Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence is the final book in the Broken Empire trilogy in which Jorg Ancrath tries to consolidate his claim on the Imperial Crown and deal with the threat of the Dead King. This is undercut by a past timeline in which he tries to uncover the secrets of the Builders.

I was at first unengaged by the Broken Empire trilogy, finding it hard to become emotionally invested in such a dark character as Honorous Jorg Ancrath as he was in Prince of Thorns and being somewhat put off by the violence. Having decided to abandon the series, I was persuaded by the promise of great character development to give the second book, King of Thorns, a second chance and am very glad I did. Like many fans, I was eagerly awaiting the release of Emperor of Thorns and picked it up on release day for your reviewing pleasure.

What I liked

Skillfully interwoven multiple plotlines. It has to be said there's a lot going on in this book; Lawrence is weaving disparate plot threads together with real expertise. We have Jorg's attempt to become Emperor and the politicking of Congression, his growing knowledge of the Builders and their differing visions for the future, the growing threat of the Dead King. It is truly masterful how these all come together for the conclusion.

I'm not sure at what point in the book Lawrence intended the Dead King's identity to become apparent to the reader, but once I had seen where he was going it seemed a fitting answer to the mystery. There are enough clues in the book for the reader to be able to piece it together.

Jorg's character development. Considering I actively disliked the main character in the first book and only semi-reluctantly came back to the series in book two, my emotional investment in Jorg by the end of Emperor of Thorns is a real testament to Lawrence's skill as a writer. We spend most of the three books in Jorg's head so we have a good idea of what kind of person he is, and how he is maturing as he grows older. Witnessing his changing priorities and how that affects what he chooses to do in the final act is a joy to read.

The high stakes. Lawrence really sets the stakes high in this book with not only the threat of the Dead King, but also of the Builders. We're talking about the fate of humankind in the hands of an emotionally scarred, bloodthirsty, mercurial young man. Gulp.

References to our world. There are a lot of them and they were a good deal of fun to spot.

The ending. Holy crap, what an ending! I will say that I have not been as emotionally moved by the final chapters of a book since Jordan/Sanderson's A Memory of Light. All the various plotlines came together perfectly and the conclusion just felt so right. But don't just take my word for it, go read it for yourself.

What I didn't like

The violence. It put me off in Prince of Thorns and, it has to be said, there is still a lot of violence, blood and gore in Emperor of Thorns.

In conclusion, the strength of my emotional reaction to the ending of Jorg's story surprised even myself given my initial ambivalence. It is a fitting end to his tale and a must-read.

I gave Emperor of Thrones five stars out of five.

Sorry, a year was too far for me. I don't understand the back and forth format of the story or who half the characters are anymore. If your not reading all these books in a row, don't bother buying it.

This book was plain excellent and a must read for fantasy fans, the story wraps up well and all thr characters are even more fleshed out. The seperate threads weave together well, and Jorg is still the ruthless chessmaster putting his pieces into position, the development of Jorg as a father is done well, and so is the Chella part of the story, Katherine is handled and evolved extremely well, the new undead threat they face is chilling along with a good ending. Sucks to see it end but it's better to see a finite story end well then be drug out until worn thin. This is the best written book of the trilogy, I think I like the first one best because the whole thing was new to me , but this one is definitely the best executed.

I had to buy Emperor of Thorns as soon as it was published, because I loved the first two books. I'm glad that I bought it, because it's a stunningly powerful conclusion to The Broken Empire trilogy.

I have to say that I was very impressed with Emperor of Thorns. Mark Lawrence has truly done his best to write a memorable ending to Jorg's story. He has created a satisfying and entertaining story that will keep fantasy readers glued to the book until they've read the whole book.

I have to confess that it was thrilling to read about Jorg and his doings in this trilogy. Jorg is one of the most intriguing protagonists ever, because he's capable of doing anything. The author develops Jorg in each book and keeps him interesting.

This trilogy has been an interesting trilogy, because each new book has been better that the previous book. I'm looking forward to reading the author's next book, because his writing style seems to get better all the time and he knows how to deliver a good story.

I sincerely hope that several fantasy readers will read this trilogy, because it's a fascinatingly dark and grim fantasy trilogy. It's definitely one of the best new fantasy trilogies and should be read by everybody who loves adult fantasy.

Excellent fantasy for adults!

If you are over 13 years old (or whatever the age of maturity one finds acceptable) and look forward to reading dark and twisted stories that keep you up at night debating yourself on moral flexibility of reading dark and twisted stories, then this series is the mother (or father?) of them all.

Mark Lawrence delivered his masterpiece better than I expected. I think the reason for that, at least for me, was not that his writing remained consistent, his characters continued to develop (even if into more ruthless "heroes"), but that he orchestrated the whole story so well. A lot of times the story may come along that's unique and the characters are interesting, and the writing is superb, but the maestro running the show just can't keep up with all the things that are happening on his or her stage. And there are a LOT of things happening in this book. Well, in this final installment, I think you'll find that Mr. Lawrence has a talent for putting all the pieces together as if nothing was taken apart.

Going into this installment, I knew that there wouldn't suddenly be blooming flowers in the Highlands and the castle filled with new happy puppies, but I was really hoping that the "hero" wouldn't try to redeem himself. And again, I wasn't disappointed. Jorg was Jorg. Sill ruthless, both calculating and impetuous, self-serving and deadly ambitious. Even more so in this book, after all, now he had to climb the steps to the throne of the Empire. Yet, somehow, even wielding destruction as he usually did, he was growing as a man. I wasn't surprised that I was rooting for him throughout the series, but I was surprised that ended up actually liking him.

The end was perfect, and perfectly timed :)

This book is amazing all the way through even afterthought is truthful! it is in extreme appreciation that I hold this book as a treasure, the story ended exactly the way it should have, the adventure came to a glorious end and I love it even more knowing that Mark Lawrence finished the story without adding a throng of poorly written half life books. And yes Mark Lawrence I will buy your next book, and and any others you may write!

_______SPOILERS Beyond this line ______________

The book is well written, had me hooked for hours. Jorg, an intense, anti-hero that you just WANT to be emperor.

Is he emperor? Yes. FOR 2 SECONDS THEN HE DIES. Yes, he dies, millions of things left unanswered: what of the mathmagicians? The dream-sworn and their master plan? Olidan dead in a flash?

I felt so robbed at the end and then the author, in one parragraph, explains why he killed Jorg. As if to laugh and jest at you for investing so much in a character that died seconds after three books of fighting for one goal.
Very, very, very disappointed.

This was a great ending to an entertaining series. No spoilers, but the reveal at the end was well-written and almost brought me to tears. The only reason I didn't give it the full 5 stars was because I felt that the editing was poor as compared to the first two books. It seemed as though a lot of the writing was glossed over - question marks placed at the end of sentences of dialogue that weren't questions, run-on sentences and improperly used sentence fragments occurred frequently enough to be noticeable. Then again, I'm a stickler for that sort of thing. The story itself was engaging, and although Mr. Lawrence skips around in both time and P.O.V. and meanders in some instances for seemingly no reason at first, the loose threads of all of Jorg's adventures are brought to a satisfying resolution.

I liked this book, and I read through it in about three days. That says a lot about the book. I like the author. He is the best author of this genre I have read this summer.

It took a while for me to understand that this book was not really set in the middle ages but rather in post-appocalyptic times that had regressed into a society that used medieval technology and had all of the bloodshed and political intrigue of the Wars of the Roses and the Hundred Years War combined.

I intend to read other books written by this author.

Readers offended by Lawrence's forgiving attitude toward Jorg's morality probably won't like this book, but they probably haven't made it this far. Readers who liked Prince of Thorns and King of Thorns though need to read this book. The author successfully brings together different plot points and characters from the previous books, weaving them together for a very satisfying finish. The best book in the series in my opinion.

Wow.

What an ending to this series. Whereas the first book served as an introduction to our main character, Jorg, and the second book served as a middling quality chapter, the author really brought this series home with this final book.

There is some great action, wonderful and unique writing, and a fantastic, thrilling, satisfying end to the saga of Jorg. Mark Lawrence should be held in high regard among fantasy writers for his careful and creative prose.

If you made it through Book 2 (which was a bit of a slog for me), you owe it to yourself to read this book, as it finishes the story of Jorg and his empire-seeking in a truly Jorg-like fashion.

I highly recommended this series, and especially this book, to all fantasy readers.

When I picked up King of Thorns it was with both excitement and trepidation. I was worried I was in for another Abercrombie, good writing and occasionally thought provoking but designed so that when you finish the book you feel worse for it. Not better. Lawrence is too brilliant for that. Instead his trilogy is a story that doesn't edge away from violence and darkness, but doesn't lose that sense of a greater purpose that has made books like Tolkiebn's girfts for the ages. In short, if you are looking for a book that is the perfect conclusion to Lawrence's already ambitious series, both true to itself and still beautiful, read this book now.

"Life can tear away what's vital to a man, hook it from him, one scrap at a time, leaving him empty-handed and beggared by the years. Every man has his thorns, not of him, but in him, deep as bones. The scars of the briar mark me, a calligraphy of violence, a message blood-writ, requiring a lifetime to translate."

I have discovered the greatest story ever written. I have other favorites of course but this trilogy and this book specifically trumps them all. This story doesn't have a romance, it's not light-hearted, it's not even happy yet, it shook me to my core and consumed all of me. In Emperor of Thorns, we follow Jorg on the path to become emperor of the hundred. It is not an easy path and it is one with lot's of bloodshed, friendships gained and lost, children brought into the world and others were taken, and the Dead King at his heels. This is filled with so many twists and turns and an ending that hurt but was necessary. King Jorg did the damn thing, to be honest. There was no telling that man no because he overcame it all. He became emperor even if only for a short time. The ending was inevitable with a man like him. What happened to his brother is really what haunted him his whole life but, Jorg went to death when he wanted after completing his goal and securing a throne for his son. He was a truly an emperor to be remembered.

"I know a man who is trying to," I said. "And if I hadn't learned better, then yes, I'd save them all. No half measures. Some things can't be cut in half. You can't half-love someone. You can't half-betray, or half-lie."

One of my favorite things about this book was the growth we saw in Jorg. In book one, it appeared our wild prince could open his heart to no one but in book three we see his heart so much more. Although he still was a ruthless man and wasn't this great loving husband we saw him care for people. His wife Miana was important to him (Page 191 he said his heart truly froze and it physically pained him to see her like that), his son was extremely important to him (page 243 when he wanted to hold him, 311 when Gorgoth promised to protect his son, 389 when he thought his son would never be safe and he shed a tear), his road brothers became men that he truly cared for (page 382). Throughout the story, we saw Jorg become a real man who didn't just kill for revenge and even stilled his sword at times. 

"I let Katherine see how something so simple as hammering home a nail can make such profound changes, to the bishop whose head is pierced, and to the boy who wields the hammer. And then I let her go. And she ran."

The violence and action is ten fold in this book. Jorg really went through hell and he dished out a whole lot of hell as well. I mean the man killed the pope and countless others and with no witnesses to account for it. This book held so much death with the Dead King just mucking about and his followers were skinning people. The five years earlier chapters were just as bloody and gruesome and Jorg was alone in those. The things that were done to him as a young boy (T/W he was molested as a child) and the things he had to do his whole life in order to survive are dark things. But none of it felt like it was violent for the sake of being violent everything held a purpose and a reason and it all stemmed to that night when young William was killed and young Jorg was stuck in thorns.

"It was never a good idea to tease a woman near her time, and seldom a good idea to tease Miana in any case, unless you want back worse than you gave. She came at me, fists raised."

Queen Miana wasn't super prominent in the book but she was still important in Jorg's life. I loved her character with the little we saw of her. She was clever as Jorg said (page 94), feisty, fearless, and I think she scared Jorg a bit and could always make him feel bad without really doing much lol. She was a smart queen and knew Jorg for what he was.

"And I walked rather than ran, though a fire burned in me near as fierce as that on my blade, because surface divide known from unknown, and though I might walk where angels fear to tread, I try not to rush in like a fool."

Just like in Prince of Thorns and King of Thorns this story goes from present to five years earlier and we even get snippets of Chella's story. I loved just as I love it in the others but in this one I found myself screaming lol because I would be in the present and it gets to a part where you're like omg what's next and then it goes to the five years earlier chapters for a few. Then I am like OMGGGG nooo so I read fast then I am like ok what happens next and it's back to the present lol. It was so good because it left me with edge and anticipation. I just loved seeing where Jorg went and how it lead up to the final moment because you wonder how did he survive all that and alone?

"You know he had to die. Or at least you will know it in an hour, or a day. What makes us different is that I knew it from the moment you spoke. And in the end, my way is quicker, cleaner, and fewer people get hurt."

The last thing I will speak on is the writing. Mark created such a vivid world for readers it was astonishing. The writing is a work of art and as the front cover says every word is carefully crafted. Jorg has so many quotable lines that I will be using he is the Emperor of Quotes and Wisdom.

"He has gone beyond me now though, and I have no more to say. Perhaps somewhere Jorg and his brother have found the real heaven and are busy giving them hell. It pleases me to think so. But the story is done."

I will miss Jorg so much. 

Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence is the final book in the Broken Empire trilogy in which Jorg Ancrath tries to consolidate his claim on the Imperial Crown and deal with the threat of the Dead King. This is undercut by a past timeline in which he tries to uncover the secrets of the Builders.

I was at first unengaged by the Broken Empire trilogy, finding it hard to become emotionally invested in such a dark character as Honorous Jorg Ancrath as he was in Prince of Thorns and being somewhat put off by the violence. Having decided to abandon the series, I was persuaded by the promise of great character development to give the second book, King of Thorns, a second chance and am very glad I did. Like many fans, I was eagerly awaiting the release of Emperor of Thorns and picked it up on release day for your reviewing pleasure.

What I liked

Skillfully interwoven multiple plotlines. It has to be said there's a lot going on in this book; Lawrence is weaving disparate plot threads together with real expertise. We have Jorg's attempt to become Emperor and the politicking of Congression, his growing knowledge of the Builders and their differing visions for the future, the growing threat of the Dead King. It is truly masterful how these all come together for the conclusion.

I'm not sure at what point in the book Lawrence intended the Dead King's identity to become apparent to the reader, but once I had seen where he was going it seemed a fitting answer to the mystery. There are enough clues in the book for the reader to be able to piece it together.

Jorg's character development. Considering I actively disliked the main character in the first book and only semi-reluctantly came back to the series in book two, my emotional investment in Jorg by the end of Emperor of Thorns is a real testament to Lawrence's skill as a writer. We spend most of the three books in Jorg's head so we have a good idea of what kind of person he is, and how he is maturing as he grows older. Witnessing his changing priorities and how that affects what he chooses to do in the final act is a joy to read.

The high stakes. Lawrence really sets the stakes high in this book with not only the threat of the Dead King, but also of the Builders. We're talking about the fate of humankind in the hands of an emotionally scarred, bloodthirsty, mercurial young man. Gulp.

References to our world. There are a lot of them and they were a good deal of fun to spot.

The ending. Holy crap, what an ending! I will say that I have not been as emotionally moved by the final chapters of a book since Jordan/Sanderson's A Memory of Light. All the various plotlines came together perfectly and the conclusion just felt so right. But don't just take my word for it, go read it for yourself.

What I didn't like

The violence. It put me off in Prince of Thorns and, it has to be said, there is still a lot of violence, blood and gore in Emperor of Thorns.

In conclusion, the strength of my emotional reaction to the ending of Jorg's story surprised even myself given my initial ambivalence. It is a fitting end to his tale and a must-read.

I gave Emperor of Thrones five stars out of five.

Sorry, a year was too far for me. I don't understand the back and forth format of the story or who half the characters are anymore. If your not reading all these books in a row, don't bother buying it.

This book was plain excellent and a must read for fantasy fans, the story wraps up well and all thr characters are even more fleshed out. The seperate threads weave together well, and Jorg is still the ruthless chessmaster putting his pieces into position, the development of Jorg as a father is done well, and so is the Chella part of the story, Katherine is handled and evolved extremely well, the new undead threat they face is chilling along with a good ending. Sucks to see it end but it's better to see a finite story end well then be drug out until worn thin. This is the best written book of the trilogy, I think I like the first one best because the whole thing was new to me , but this one is definitely the best executed.

I had to buy Emperor of Thorns as soon as it was published, because I loved the first two books. I'm glad that I bought it, because it's a stunningly powerful conclusion to The Broken Empire trilogy.

I have to say that I was very impressed with Emperor of Thorns. Mark Lawrence has truly done his best to write a memorable ending to Jorg's story. He has created a satisfying and entertaining story that will keep fantasy readers glued to the book until they've read the whole book.

I have to confess that it was thrilling to read about Jorg and his doings in this trilogy. Jorg is one of the most intriguing protagonists ever, because he's capable of doing anything. The author develops Jorg in each book and keeps him interesting.

This trilogy has been an interesting trilogy, because each new book has been better that the previous book. I'm looking forward to reading the author's next book, because his writing style seems to get better all the time and he knows how to deliver a good story.

I sincerely hope that several fantasy readers will read this trilogy, because it's a fascinatingly dark and grim fantasy trilogy. It's definitely one of the best new fantasy trilogies and should be read by everybody who loves adult fantasy.

Excellent fantasy for adults!

If you are over 13 years old (or whatever the age of maturity one finds acceptable) and look forward to reading dark and twisted stories that keep you up at night debating yourself on moral flexibility of reading dark and twisted stories, then this series is the mother (or father?) of them all.

Mark Lawrence delivered his masterpiece better than I expected. I think the reason for that, at least for me, was not that his writing remained consistent, his characters continued to develop (even if into more ruthless "heroes"), but that he orchestrated the whole story so well. A lot of times the story may come along that's unique and the characters are interesting, and the writing is superb, but the maestro running the show just can't keep up with all the things that are happening on his or her stage. And there are a LOT of things happening in this book. Well, in this final installment, I think you'll find that Mr. Lawrence has a talent for putting all the pieces together as if nothing was taken apart.

Going into this installment, I knew that there wouldn't suddenly be blooming flowers in the Highlands and the castle filled with new happy puppies, but I was really hoping that the "hero" wouldn't try to redeem himself. And again, I wasn't disappointed. Jorg was Jorg. Sill ruthless, both calculating and impetuous, self-serving and deadly ambitious. Even more so in this book, after all, now he had to climb the steps to the throne of the Empire. Yet, somehow, even wielding destruction as he usually did, he was growing as a man. I wasn't surprised that I was rooting for him throughout the series, but I was surprised that ended up actually liking him.

The end was perfect, and perfectly timed :)

This book is amazing all the way through even afterthought is truthful! it is in extreme appreciation that I hold this book as a treasure, the story ended exactly the way it should have, the adventure came to a glorious end and I love it even more knowing that Mark Lawrence finished the story without adding a throng of poorly written half life books. And yes Mark Lawrence I will buy your next book, and and any others you may write!

_______SPOILERS Beyond this line ______________

The book is well written, had me hooked for hours. Jorg, an intense, anti-hero that you just WANT to be emperor.

Is he emperor? Yes. FOR 2 SECONDS THEN HE DIES. Yes, he dies, millions of things left unanswered: what of the mathmagicians? The dream-sworn and their master plan? Olidan dead in a flash?

I felt so robbed at the end and then the author, in one parragraph, explains why he killed Jorg. As if to laugh and jest at you for investing so much in a character that died seconds after three books of fighting for one goal.
Very, very, very disappointed.

This was a great ending to an entertaining series. No spoilers, but the reveal at the end was well-written and almost brought me to tears. The only reason I didn't give it the full 5 stars was because I felt that the editing was poor as compared to the first two books. It seemed as though a lot of the writing was glossed over - question marks placed at the end of sentences of dialogue that weren't questions, run-on sentences and improperly used sentence fragments occurred frequently enough to be noticeable. Then again, I'm a stickler for that sort of thing. The story itself was engaging, and although Mr. Lawrence skips around in both time and P.O.V. and meanders in some instances for seemingly no reason at first, the loose threads of all of Jorg's adventures are brought to a satisfying resolution.

I liked this book, and I read through it in about three days. That says a lot about the book. I like the author. He is the best author of this genre I have read this summer.

It took a while for me to understand that this book was not really set in the middle ages but rather in post-appocalyptic times that had regressed into a society that used medieval technology and had all of the bloodshed and political intrigue of the Wars of the Roses and the Hundred Years War combined.

I intend to read other books written by this author.

This is mostly praise; small part review. After 1 month of false starts, using all my willpower to hold off because this is the last book in my all time favorite series The Broken Empire, I finally finished it. Not since I was a teenager (20 years ago) and read The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings for the first time have I loved a book/series so much! Apart from that, the The Dark Tower Series and The First Law Trilogy were my favorites and I rank The Broken Empire Series above both. This book was a 5/5 in every area of measurement including writing, character and world building(Imagination), plot, and pacing. Emperor of Thorns is so beautifully written and imagined that it is inconceivable to me that any fantasy reader could not find something about it to enjoy. This book is so well written and has so many lines and paragraphs of astounding beauty, clarity, and grace that I had to put it down many times just to absorb what was written and enjoy the moment. Some of these passages can compete with the best I have read in the field of classic literature as can the book on a whole.

I planned a reread since the day I finished Prince of Thorns and even more after King of Thorns, but upon completing Emperor of Thorns I would actually reread this series rather than read anything else; and I have a lot to read! The only thing stopping my reread is what stopped me from immediately reading Emperor of Thorns the day it was released; the knowledge that once I read it, I won't have it to look forward to again in the same way. So I am putting it off for now and plan to read it probably in the spring right before Mark Lawrence new book Prince of Fools comes out. If you plan to read The Broken Empire trilogy, prepare for an adventure. An experience.

OK, so I wanted to wait and write my review after I finished the whole trilogy instead of reviewing each book individually. All I can say, is Wow! From character and world development, to gripping plot, to Mark's unique style of storytelling. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride from beginning to end. Of course like most I was left wanting more... a lot more, but I have to agree with Mark's afterthought. Pushing a good thing too far can ruin it. I was left disappointed in a good way. I highly recommend this series!! Thanks Mark for gifting us with this great read! I can't wait to start The Red Queen's War series!

(Originally posted on The ArchedDoorway)

Emperor of Thorns (Book 3 of The Broken Empire) by Mark Lawrence is the final instalment in the series; following Jorg, an ambitious, amoral, twisted, violent and selfish protagonist.

Now, I typically don't do reviews for books until I've reviewed at least the first in the series. I'm going to have to do it backwards though, as I've yet to review Prince of Thorns, and King of Thorns, the first two novels in the series. However, rest assured that I'll keep the spoilers to a minimum where possible (*cough* Snape kills Dumbledore. *cough*).

This series took me a few tries to get into, the characters are rather unlikeable (like the aforementioned protagonist, Jorg, who is a disagreeable guy), and for me, I tend to read books for the connections with the characters. However, that being said, this really was an amazing series. In The Broken Empire series, you don't really get that optimistic happiness that's apparently through a majority of novels in the genre -- it is rather grim and dark. It's compelling, once you get into it. Jorg has an unlikely charm about him, and he develops into an interesting character.

In Emperor of Thorns, we see Jorg continue on his path to gaining the Empire Throne -- the last hope of uniting humanity to a single purpose, and of course, won't let anything stand in his way. The novel, as with the previous two, weaves throughout different periods in Jorg's life, revealing context, a spattering of horrific events, and the sheer complexity of the world that Lawrence has crafted.

The only negative that comes to mind is that a few of the crucial story elements which Lawrence introduced in the novel arrived a bit too late to be entirely credible.

Emperor of Thorns is probably my favourite in the series, Lawrence has surpassed himself in the conclusion to his series. The story really came together at the end, and provided a satisfying resolution with surprising and unpredictable twists. The Broken Empire is a must read, it's really a great dark fantasy.

I look forward to reading what Mark Lawrence writes next.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This series has captivated me from the first book. Mark Lawrence writes in a unique and engaging manner. The only drawback to this series is the amount of information the author tries to fit into each sentence. The prose can get so dense as to confuse. Too often I got lost in the action. In an exciting scene it can be annoying to have to stop and re-read the paragraph to sift out the meaning and sequence.
Truly though, that is a small complaint for a book that compels me to keep reading. The characters are great. The plot fulfilling. The universe feels tangible and intense. There is the sense of fantasy, but Lawrence does his best to make it alive and grounded in the known world.

The much awaited third, and final, book of the Broken Empire series came out this month, and as soon as I could, I started reading it. I guess in some ways I had lucked out, that I had only just started the series earlier this year, and thus did not have to wait overly long periods of time for the next installment. Mark Lawrence has done a wonderful job of telling the story of a boy, growing into a man, in a dark futuristic world that was nearly destroyed by nuclear war. Jorg has pushed on, overcoming some of his 'demons' and showing a dark side of human nature in order to get done what he wants done: becoming Emperor of the Hundred Lands. There was an afterword where Lawrence remarks about this being the final book in the series, and though I understand his thoughts on the matter, I am still a little disappointed that there more than likely will not be any more to read of Jorg Ancrath. But who knows, maybe some short story will show in an anthology ... Either way, Thank you Mr. Lawrence for three great stories!

I picked up Prince of Thorns back in 2011 while browsing the store for a first-person fantasy novel. After reading The Name of the Wind I wanted to experience a book of similar quality. Character has always intrigued me more than plot, and I was, after all, writing from this perspective. You'd be surprised how few truly well-written first-person narratives there are in this particular genre, and I can tell you now that Mark Lawrence's Broken Empire trilogy did not disappoint.

The bloody tale of Jorg Ancrath spans three novels: The Prince of Thorns, the King of Thorns, and The Emperor of Thorns. The first novel is like the hushed quiet before a musician takes his stage; the eyes of the crowd trail behind him as he slowly mounts the platform and into the center of the audience's attention. Onlookers lean forward as the player enters his second act, The King of Thorns. He touches a few pegs, checks that the microphone is plugged in, and settles himself before acknowledging his audience. Their suspense swells and fills the outward edges of the room. They sit, all rapt attention, yearning for the final act to come. Emperor of Thorns takes all these pieces and plays a lilting song, a dark song, and ties the books together in a melody of red.

The matter of genre is difficult to pin down: fantasy, dystopia, sci-fi...all these definitions fit neatly between the pages Mark Lawrence has written. I found it interesting that the world was not the medieval alternate universe I had first expected. True, there're plenty of magics, swords, and thatched buildings to be set afire. However, Mark built a world on top of ours where the sea levels have risen from the wake of a nuclear war, and reality has shifted due to scientific meddling. The people living in the Broken Empire build their infrastructure around the bones of the long-since dead and much of technology is lost. As the story progresses, you learn more about the world and the role Jorg plays within its borders.

At nine, Jorg watches his mother and brother die as he struggles against the chains of a hook-briar. At thirteen, he's leading a band of "Road Brothers" to shed blood and sow salt. By fifteen, he is king and ready to carve his place as Emperor of the Broken Empire.

Jorg is no hero, nor is he an anti-hero in any typical sense. His path is his own, and he will not hesitate to maim and murder his way to the throne (even if it means dousing a few fires with the blood of friends). But he is not without remorse for certain characters he encounters as well. Jorg is a clever man with charming features who makes Vlad the Impaler and Napoleon Bonaparte look like cuddly stuffed teddy-bears by comparison.

Getting the believability of such an evil character is no easy task; it takes a precise mixture empathy and viciousness to get the job done and Mark does so in seamless fashion. What's more, the writing is imaginative, poetic, and puts the quotability of Henry David Thoreau to shame (not that I would ever read Walden again).

"This is where the wise man turns away. This is where the holy kneel and call on God. These are the last miles, my brothers. Don't look to me to save you. Don't think I will not spend you. Run if you have the wit. Pray if you have the soul. Stand your ground if courage is yours. But don't follow me.

Follow me, and I will break your heart." ― Mark Lawrence, Emperor of Thorns

The books are a mix of storylines, one written from the present, one from the past, and another from someone else's viewpoint depending on which book you're reading. Generally speaking, I hate flashbacks. Normally they stilt the flow of the novel and are unnecessary in application, and I will admit I had a difficult time slogging through Katherine's diary. But in this trilogy, the flashbacks work to create a fun little jig-saw puzzle that brings about a larger picture, an extra layer of fun, if you will.

Jorg plays the part of a monarch much the same way a chess player might move his pieces across the board: anything that pins him only makes him weaker, and he has no trouble with sacrificing a pawn or three to get what he desires. Where other chess players might hesitate, Jorg does not. He plays a ruthless hand which often makes him appear reckless, but to think as such would be a mistake. No. The moment you think you have him cornered is the moment you find yourself without a head.

Mark Lawrence's trilogy is a breath of fresh air in a genre where characters often fall flat, and you will not have to worry about the middle book (or the other books) sagging like so many other trilogies have. If you read nothing else this year, I invite you to read Mark Lawrence's Broken Empire series.

Full review can be found here: [...]

Just gripping. The Emperor of Thorns drags you in from the very beginning and won't let loose its teeth. I could barely put the book down. Mark Lawrence has twisted the knife to the breaking point in this exciting conclusion to his Broken Empire series.

In this third and final entry in the series we follow King Honorous Jorg Renar, King of Ancrath and all of his ill-begotten titles, in his quest to become emperor and unite the fractured, battling kingdoms. Jorg has grown to manhood in this book, at once resigned to his destiny of revenge and yet still questioning his actions at the same time. He stays true to his character throughout, showing no mercy, making rash, quick, and often gruesome decisions. Precisely what the empire needs as the Dead King slaughters his way to claim his own place on the throne.

Somehow I missed reading the second installment in this series and perhaps that is why I did find this book not as enjoyable reading as a `stand alone' book. Many of the characters jump out to play large roles here that presumably were from either the first or second books. I would have really benefited from just a little brief description of who they were and how they related to our hero Jorg. For example maybe because I missed the second book, I had forgotten who or what Gorgoth was and how he came to be with Jorg. Eventually I did recall many of the characters or at least a smattering of memory, enough to still enjoy the interaction.

Also, the book is written with juxtaposing of past and present. I found that a bit confusing, losing some momentum as I had to reach back every so often to "Five years earlier", then return to the present and have to pick up the path.

It was really satisfying to finally be introduced to the mysterious `Builders' and discover their secrets; although we have suspected all along who they might really be and what were the results of their actions. We also learn more of the Dead King, which induces a final "aha!" moment at the end of the book. There was a deep, intriguing complexity in Emperor of Thorns; Lawrence weaves marvelous schemes and designs of the characters. And of course, there is the delicious slicing and dicing sprinkled just right throughout.

As always, though, Lawrence writes with a cruel streak, always fresh. His images are rich and lush with attention to the smallest detail and feel of atmosphere, environment, metaphor and simile. My stomach heaved right along with necromancer Chella as she reached into the dung hole to attempt to retrieve a fallen brooch. My nose burned with the pleasant sting of spices and my ears were bombarded with the din from the bustling hoards on the docks as Jorg lands ashore.

Often, in an effort to milk that "cash cow" that Lawrence alludes to, writers will prolong that ending to their books or leave us hanging with vague foreshadowing or just inconclusive endings. It was quite gratifying that Lawrence presents a final end to the Broken Empire saga. You must read this trilogy to find out just what that end might be!