Prince of Thorns

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence is an absolutely incredible story of antihero Prince Jorg as he seeks to take his rightful place and exact revenge on his enemies. I almost DNF'd this book in chapter one because of a horribly wicked and distasteful thing the protagonist did - almost the first thing we see Jorg do. But as the novel progresses the reader learns more about the teenage prince and how he got the way he is. I don't condone all, or most, of the prince's choices, but Mark Lawrence has done a remarkable job of writing a character that is both compelling and horrible at the same time. Understanding Jorg's history and trauma humanizes him, and I found myself rooting for the brothers despite them being terrible human beings. In many ways this is a coming-of-age story, and Jorg's journey is really something to behold. If you enjoyed the various shades of gray characters found in A Song of Ice and Fire, the phrase “game of thrones” is even used in the book, you might find this series likable too. There's also some really compelling world building, including an unexpected twist about the setting. I don't want to spoil anything, but I was pleasantly surprised to find this story loosely akin to two other books I've read recently: A Canticle for Leibowitz and Anathem. Lawrence does a great job revealing information and blending elements together. While I was occasionally confused about the rules of this world, overall I throughly enjoyed this book and plan to move directly on to King of Thorns. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️