All About Middle Grade Review: The False Prince

The False Prince (The Ascendance, 1) by Jennifer A. Nielsen, April 1, 2012. 342 pages. Published by Scholastic. Source: Library.

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.

First Sentence:

If I had to do it all over again, I would not have chosen this life. 

Oh my gosh! As I write this review it has been two since finished reading The False Prince and I cannot get it out of my head. Seriously, this book has me all "fan-girly" over the intense, wonderful writing and epic plot.
While I am saddened that it took me so long to discover this series, I am happy because the wait will not be nearly as long as what some of y'all have been through. I am the world's most impatient person when it comes to waiting on sequels.

Okay, so, y'all are probably wondering why The False Prince has me raving like a crazy book reader (oh, wait, I am a crazy book reader). Well, the answer would be Jennifer Nielsen's incredible writing and the world she crafted in the first installment of The Ascendance trilogy. Not only was her writing and world-building a joy to read, but the protagonist's, Sage, voice was just so vibrantly real that I didn't want to lose the thread of the story by putting it down.

Seriously, I do not want to spoil any but of The False Prince for those who are behind the curve like I am, but, this book is a shining example of why I, as a reader, love fantasy books. It had heart-thumping mystery and plot, a world that was both rich and vibrant, and characters that managed to surprise and shock you as their story evolved.

When I finished reading The False Prince and turned the final page, I just sat downstairs, with the thunder rolling overhead, because I needed time to process the incredible book I had just finished. I had been glued to book since I first cracked it opened, and the thought of being done was just too much because I wanted, no, needed to know what fate would befall Sage as the story continued on. To say I loved reading Jennifer Nielsen's The False Prince would be a massive understatement.

There is not a single thing that I found un-enjoyable about The False Prince. It was well written, had a character whose story story I wanted to know inside and out, and was breathtaking from start to finish. As hard to believe as this may seem, I can find no fault in this book that made me forego sleep just so I could finish it.

Final Verdict: The False Prince- this book needs to be in your hands this moment, if you haven't read it, because Jennifer Nielsen's writing is just incredible and the story is unforgettable.

The False Prince earns 5 out of 5 Griffins