The False Prince

Description from Goodreads:

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.

Review:

This is the first book in The Ascendance Trilogy by Jennifer A. Nielsen. It has 342 pages and was published by Scholastic in 2012.

I am not really sure what I expected but this book delivered so much more. I LOVED The False Prince. The main character, Sage, is engaging and witty. He reminded me of a teenage Jack Sparrow with snarky dialogue that literally left me laughing out loud at times. It is a fun, easy read with an ending that will definitely leave you wanting more.  I read this book from cover to cover and immediately moved on to the sequels.

Recommended for fans of Cinda Williams Chima’s The Heir Chronicles.

Rated: 5 Plot Monster Spiders

Notable Quotes:

“Hail His Majesty, the scourge of my life,” Conner said to Roden and Tobias as he stomped up the stairs. “I fear the devils no longer, because I have the worst of them right here in my home!”
― Jennifer A. Nielsen, The False Prince

“Conner answered, “Mrs. Turbeldy warned me that you have a history of running away. Where did you go?”
To the church of course. To confess my sins.”
― Jennifer A. Nielsen, The False Prince

MDW original review.  Source: Library