The False Prince begins when nobleman Bevin Connor scours the Carthyan countryside to round up orphans who resemble the late Prince Jaron, known to have drowned at sea four years previously. The King, Queen, and remaining Prince have just been killed, and a successor must be chosen quickly. Four boys are chosen to compete for the role of impersonating Prince Jaron, who will mysteriously return from the dead to lead his country in this time of crisis.
Sage is one of these orphans, a street smart, thoroughly clever boy, who is well aware that if he loses, he will probably die. But Sage struggles to retain his integrity in the midst of the deceit, and he has quite a few tricks up his own sleeve, to the dismay of Connor and the other potential princes.
The False Prince has plenty of action to keep readers interested, and layers of intrigue unfold as the story advances. We may think we know where Nielsen is going with her plot, but she manages to stay a few steps ahead of us. In reading it through a second time, I can see how she she cleverly composes her narration to have double meanings--she provides many clues that we aren't able to understand until the final, satisfying wrap-up at the end.
This one is a great read--that's about all I can think of to say about it! That, and I have the sequel on top of my reading pile to begin right away.
Lynn
This one is a great read--that's about all I can think of to say about it! That, and I have the sequel on top of my reading pile to begin right away.
Lynn
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