Book Review: The False Prince

Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
Genre: Fantasy
Published: 2012, Scholastic
Rating: 4/5 Stars

The False Prince is the first book in the Ascendance trilogy. In a country on the verge of civil war, a nobleman named Conner decides that it is his duty to save the kingdom. Conner recruits several orphans to serve in his plan to present one to the court as the long-lost (and presumed-dead) prince. Sage, one of the orphans that Conner acquires, is wary of the plan. He distrusts Conner greatly, but he knows that he must be chosen to play the part of the prince or else he will be killed. Everyone has their own agenda, and no one can be trusted. Secrets, lies, and deceit ensue.

This book was a fun time. It felt a bit Game of Thrones-ish, just a lot more kid-friendly. It's classified as a middle-grade book, but don't let that deter you - it doesn't feel young or immature at all.
The story is narrated by Sage. Sage very quickly goes from a thieving orphan to a prince-in-training at Conner's luxurious estate. I really enjoyed Sage's narration and personality, but not so much the other boys, Roden and Tobias. They were just alright.

Conner is probably one of my most-hated book characters ever. But I also liked him. It's complicated. He's just so terribly infuriating, but he was written so well! Props to Jennifer A. Nielsen. He made for a great antagonist.

My favorite characters were Sage and Mott. Sage was snarky and mischievous, which I always appreciate in a character. Mott was just such a cool guy, and I grew to like him more and more as the book went on. Imogen, unfortunately, doesn't make this list. She was so BLAH.

The plot builds very slowly and then BAM everything happens really fast at the end. This made the ending feel kind of rushed but also exciting, if that makes sense. This book is the first in a trilogy, so I'm guessing that everything is just set up for the next book.

I enjoyed this book a bunch, and I will definitely read the other two in the trilogy! I would recommend this to fans of A Song of Ice and Fire or to anyone who likes books about political intrigue in a fantasy setting.

Scootin' along to the next book!