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A review by sieger_aardweg
Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
2.0
This is a difficult book for me to review, I'm not completely sure if I like or dislike this book.
The first problem I had was the writing style. Lawrence tries to emulate an almost Shakespearean style of writing, but it clearly falls far short of his aspirations.
The second problem was the grittiness. I like a dark book as much as the next fantasy fan, but this was a bit to much. Jorg was just going from one decapitation to the next, destroying whole villages, countries, castles etc. Raping, pillaging, plundering and disembowelling anyone who disagrees with him. At one point it becomes less like a fantasy book and more like a slasher movie. You get desensitised by all the violence.
The third major problem I have with the book is the main character. Jorg, albeit he did have a crappy life, is one evil little bugger. This guy has all the telltale signs of a genuine psychopath. That being said, I could live with Jorgs evilness, what I could not live with was Jorg really weird decisions at crucial moments. First I tried to explain this away as failings of the young mind, and then the book tried to explain it away in a deus ex machina style which I will not spoil here, but it kept bugging me.
Now on to the weird thing. I kept reading it. Even though I didn't like the writing, the plot or the evil S.O.B. who is the main character. The world is really interesting. It reminded me of playing the Witcher III in a certain way. The world is dark and grim, but oddly enticing. In the end you even want the worlds most deranged teenager to succeed in his quest.
In the end I will keep reading this series, just to see that sociopath meet his maker in the end (god I do hope he gets killed, but I'm not keeping my fingers crossed).
The first problem I had was the writing style. Lawrence tries to emulate an almost Shakespearean style of writing, but it clearly falls far short of his aspirations.
The second problem was the grittiness. I like a dark book as much as the next fantasy fan, but this was a bit to much. Jorg was just going from one decapitation to the next, destroying whole villages, countries, castles etc. Raping, pillaging, plundering and disembowelling anyone who disagrees with him. At one point it becomes less like a fantasy book and more like a slasher movie. You get desensitised by all the violence.
The third major problem I have with the book is the main character. Jorg, albeit he did have a crappy life, is one evil little bugger. This guy has all the telltale signs of a genuine psychopath. That being said, I could live with Jorgs evilness, what I could not live with was Jorg really weird decisions at crucial moments. First I tried to explain this away as failings of the young mind, and then the book tried to explain it away in a deus ex machina style which I will not spoil here, but it kept bugging me.
Now on to the weird thing. I kept reading it. Even though I didn't like the writing, the plot or the evil S.O.B. who is the main character. The world is really interesting. It reminded me of playing the Witcher III in a certain way. The world is dark and grim, but oddly enticing. In the end you even want the worlds most deranged teenager to succeed in his quest.
In the end I will keep reading this series, just to see that sociopath meet his maker in the end (god I do hope he gets killed, but I'm not keeping my fingers crossed).