Book Review: The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Publisher: Scholastic

Publish Date: April 1, 2012

Hardcover, 342 pages
Fiction, Young Adult, Adventure
 ISBN: 978-0545284134
The Ascendance Trilogy #1

My Review: 
What an amazing book.  I was so thrilled to get an arc from Scholastic and I remember requesting it, but I couldn't remember what it was about.  Then I started seeing the hype about it, and sometimes I dread books with a lot of hype because I don't always like them.  But I decided to go ahead and pick it up because I was interested and I'm glad I did because I could not put it down.

I was thinking this would be a fantasy book, and it kind of is, but really it isn't.  It's just set in a different setting than our world.  More like in the past, yet not.  It's a kingdom, there is fighting, there is discontent and they don't have all the technology and luxuries we do.  But so far in the stories there aren't dragons or ogres or anything truly magic like that.  There is however treachery and secret passageways and things aren't always as they seem.

Sage is really interesting, he's an orphan and he's his own person.  I like that about him.  No matter what his luck has been, he seems to stay true to himself even when he doesn't quite know who he is.  I also enjoy getting to know the other boys that Conner is grooming to be the prince, but Sage is obviously the standout with good reason.  Ms. Nielsen has great character development in the story where the ones who seem so great in the beginning begin to show their faults where as the ones that seem to have their faults begin to show their strengths.  It is so interesting.

The plot moves quickly.  With all of Conner's plotting, and Sage's counter-plotting and the training the plot moves along at a breakneck pace leading to the end of the novel where revelation after revelation takes place and the book ends and you are left saying "Please Ms. Nielsen, release the next book now!" and you mean it in a good way of course.  It's a non-stop thrill ride that will leave you ready for the next book, but satisfied with this book.

The False Prince lives up to it's hype for me and I will be passing it on to my son for his enjoyment.  With it's witty banter, fast pace and exciting revelations, it has me clamoring for the next book.  A job well done Ms. Nielsen!

My Rating: 5.0/5.0


About the Book:
THE FALSE PRINCE is the thrilling first book in a brand-new trilogy filled with danger and deceit and hidden identities that will have readers rushing breathlessly to the end.

In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.

As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.

An extraordinary adventure filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats

About the Author (from Goodreads.com): 
Jennifer lives at the base of a very tall mountain in Northern Utah with her husband, three children, and a naughty puppy. She loves the smell of rainy days, hot chocolate, and old books, preferably all at once. She is a former speech teacher, theater director, and enjoyed a brief but disastrous career as a door-to-door pollster. In her spare time, Jennifer tends to panic, wondering what she has forgotten to do that has allowed her any spare time.

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FTC Information: I received this book from the publisher, Scholastic for an honest review.  I do make money from purchases made at The Book Depository, Alibris and B&N.com, but all money is used to fund giveaways and shipping for giveaways from the blog.