Prince of Thorns is the first book in the Broken Empire series written by Mark Lawrence. It is set in a world shattered into 100 kingdoms with each ruler hoping to become Emperor of them all.
The book opens up in a rather unique way. You follow a group of bandits reaping the rewards from their bloody pillage of a small village, all told through the eyes of their leader, Jorg. This character seems completely devoid of morality and thinks nothing of killing others, even his own men.
So there I was waiting for the hero to turn up. Who was going to destroy this monster and champion my support. Then as chapter 2 started, it dawned on me. Jorg, this heartless, hate filled killer, is the protagonist. I have to say, it took me a few chapters to be OK with this. He isn't some badass with a attitude anti-hero of the movies. He is seriously messed up and will do anything to settle the revenge that has filled his heart.
But you learn more of his past, of his mind and of the world he lives in. You still wont agree with his actions but will start to like him in a strange and twisted way. You want to know what he will do next. You want to know what he did in his past. You want to know what drives him.
You are taken on a truly gripping and bloody tale of betrayal and revenge. But it is far from that simple. There are secrets to this world that will be uncovered. Magic, ancient technology and a past that will completely change your outlook on the world Lawrence has moulded.
Lawrence's writing style has a very unique feel to it. His words leave a surreal feeling in their wake, seeping a sense of mystery into the world. At times I was left truly wondering what was happening and then he pulls it all together giving a situation real impact. If Jorg is left lost and confused, you will be right there with him. By the time the book was over I was absolutely ready for more Jorg.
“The way to break the cycle is to kill every single one of the bastards that fucked you over. Every last one of them. Kill them all. Kill their mother, kill their brothers, kill their children, kill their dog.”
