Prince Of Thorns is first book in the Broken Empire trilogy and Mark Lawrence’s debut into the world of fantasy. A David Gemmell Morningstar Award Finalist in 2012, Prince Of Thorns is grimdark fantasy journey that, it must be said, is not for the faint hearted. If themes such as torture and depictions of SA are a dealbreaker for you I would strongly advise you give this one a miss.

With the paperwork out of the way, The Prince Of Thorns centres around young Jorg Ancrath and the brothers, his brutal band of Outlaws. Once the heir to his father’s throne, the runaway Prince was broken when tragedy struck, when the thorns dug in. Torn between an unabating thirst for revenge, freedom, and power Jorg and the brothers leave a burning trail of destruction and death as they raid across the countryside. Jorg is no Robin Hood that’s for sure. Now of age, Jorg sets out to reclaim his position as heir. A twisting tale of war, betrayal and magic lies in wait for the tireless prince as he works to reclaim what was once his.

Lawrence’s prose is sharp, much like his characters, bringing scenes to life in such away that you can imagine yourself amongst the brothers as they plunder and pillage. He does not shy away from the harsh truth of his characters. They are not heroes. In fact, it would be entirely more accurate to describe them as vicious self-interested bastards who would slit throats on the off chance you might have a coin or two in your pouch. The way in which these characters are written emphasise this, often the only thing we find out about a brother is his nickname and his preferred method of murder and yet throughout the book a strong sense of brotherhood endures. Not your typical, “I’ll take a bullet for you, please carry on our dream” type stuff but a sense that this group of outcasts (perhaps a far too pleasant description) have found a place to belong.  Unique as they are it is the interactions of the group that gives much of the narrative graphic as it undoubtedly is, a necessary comedic tone. Lawrence strikes a near perfect balance between tension and humour that hooks you from the get-go.

Written entirely from Jorg’s perspective the story progresses quite quickly reflecting only the events that Jorg considers important. This of course means we as the reader begin to understand his character over the course of the book. This when combined with little snippets from his past almost humanises a character who may otherwise be considered a mad psychopath. The fast progression and single perspective do however limit the book’s world building leaving much of the world’s politics, history, and cultures unexplored. This narrow lens creates an intense, personal experience but can also make the setting feel somewhat fragmented. For me I would have enjoyed a bit more of a backstory for characters like Rike or Red Kent, both of which I thought were incredibly interesting. This is of course only the first book in the trilogy so here’s hoping there’s more of that to come.

Prince of Thorns is a bold, unapologetic entry into the grimdark genre, not shying away from its brutal protagonist and morally grey and pretty depressing world. I can only applaud Mark Lawrence for creating an antihero character like Jorg who despite his openly cruel nature I found myself rooting for by the end of the book.

Of course, given its quick pacing and intensely focused style, if you’re looking for a new, lore- filled epic with 10,000 different things going on a once (GOT looking at you) this might not be your cup of tea however if you’re a fan of dark characters who are almost as charismatic as they are monstrous then I recommend this one wholeheartedly.

With two more books in The Broken Empire trilogy, there’s plenty of room for Lawrence to expand on the world and its characters, and I will definitely be picking up the sequel.

“Anything that you cannot sacrifice pins you. Makes you predictable, makes you weak.”

If you’re looking to pick up a copy here are a few options:

Barnes and Noble (paperback): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/prince-of-thorns-mark-lawrence/1101094882?ean=9781937007683

Prince Of Thorns Ebooks:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Prince-Thorns-Broken-Empire-Book-ebook/dp/B005918WU0/ref=sr_1_2?sr=8-2

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/audiobook/prince-of-thorns-the-broken-empire-book-1-1