The False Prince

Overview

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 ...

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Overview

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.

  • The False Prince
    The False Prince

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
This highly enjoyable medieval fantasy from Nielsen (the Underworld Chronicles), set in the medieval kingdom of Carthya, centers on 15-year-old Sage, an angry and pugnacious orphan, who is unexpectedly purchased by Conner, one of the king’s regents. The entire royal family—king, queen, and heir—has recently died under mysterious circumstances, and to prevent civil war, Conner is collecting orphans who might believably be substituted for the dead king’s younger son, who was reported lost at sea years earlier. Sage is soon engaged in a deadly, winner-take-all contest with two other boys to earn the right to impersonate Prince Jaron. Sage is deftly characterized through humorous first-person narration, quickly establishing himself as a beguiling antihero: “I’d never attempted roast thievery before, and I was already regretting it,” he says when readers first meet him. “It happens to be very difficult to hold a chunk of raw meat while running.” Secondary characters are equally fleshed-out. First in the Ascendancy Trilogy, this is an impressive, promising story with some expertly executed twists. Ages 8–14. Agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. (Apr.)
Kirkus Reviews
A brazen 15-year-old orphan living in the imaginary kingdom of Carthya becomes embroiled in a treasonous power-play to install a false prince on the vacant throne. For years, Sage has survived by lying and stealing in Mrs. Turbeldy's Orphanage for Disadvantaged Boys. When scheming Bevin Connor removes him, Sage assumes he will serve Connor, but he quickly discovers he's one of four orphan boys chosen by Connor for a more dangerous game. Connor plans to secretly transform them into gentlemen and select one to impersonate Prince Jaron, who is missing and presumed dead. Carthya's current king, queen and crown prince have been murdered, and war could erupt at any moment. When the regents meet in two weeks, Connor plans to produce long-lost "Prince Jaron," who will rule as his pawn. Competition becomes fierce as the boys realize the one chosen to play Jaron will be the only survivor. Sage's disdain, defiance and reckless arrogance mark him for failure, but his boldness, instinct and innate decency indicate there's more than meets the eye. Could Sage become Prince Jaron? Sage reveals his story in the first person in slowly unfolding layers guaranteed to shock. Ruthless ambition, fierce action and plotting, complex characters and lots of sword play and hidden passages keep pages flipping. Readers of this multifaceted, well-crafted tale will eagerly await Sage's further adventures. (map) (Adventure. 8-14)
More Reviews (1) Fewer Reviews
VOYA
Sage is a fourteen-year-old boy who lives in an orphanage in the kingdom of Carthya. Can a wealthy aristocrat named Conner rescue him from his pauper's fate? Sage learns that although Conner has purchased him from the orphanage, his fate is not secure. Conner has a bold plot to train three orphan boys to impersonate Carthya's lost prince. Due to the treasonous nature of his plot, only the boy who can best impersonate the lost prince will be allowed to live. Will Sage be able to overcome his obstinate nature and his penchant for finding trouble in time to win the crown? While the basic premise of the plot is sound, the first half of the book leaves much to be desired. The setting of Carthya is not chronicled in enough detail for readers to feel like they have really entered this fictional world. In addition, a number of the characters feel too basic and undeveloped. Many young adult readers may abandon this book because they are not able to understand the characters' motivations within the first one hundred pages. While the end of the book takes a surprising turn and neatly ties things together in an unexpected way, many young adult readers will not expend their energy toiling through the pages to get to the rewarding ending. Although this book may not be the best fit for the average young adult reader, students who like fantasy with kings, queens, castles, and power struggles may find this book worthwhile. Reviewer: Erika Sogge Schneider

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780545284134
  • Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
  • Publication date: 4/1/2012
  • Pages: 352
  • Sales rank: 255,949
  • Age range: 10 - 14 Years
  • Lexile: 710L (what's this?)

Meet the Author

Jennifer A. Nielsen is the author of ELLIOT AND THE GOBLIN WAR, the first book in a humorous middle-grade fantasy series. She lives at the base of a very tall mountain in northern Utah with her husband, their three children, and a naughty puppy.

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