Book Review: The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

A royal family who has been murdered, discontent among kingdoms, a fight for power and wealth, a princess, a missing prince, and secret passageways—these are just a few of the elements that make this such an enjoyable read.

The False Prince is a book about a group of young orphan boys selected by Master Conner to impersonate the missing Prince Jaron. Master Conner planned to secretly pass off one of the boys as the missing prince. Each boy’s life depended on his ability to convince the people of Carthya that he was Prince Jaron! The plan was for the selected boy to impersonate the prince and for the remaining boys to be put to death!

The main character, Sage, was living at an orphanage for disadvantaged boys when he was bought and paid for by Master Conner. Conner paid the butcher for the roast that Sage had stollen. That is when Sage was involuntarily removed from the orphanage by Master Conner and required to join with the other orphans Latamer, Roden, and Tobias.

The orphan boys receive training and education and are forced into a competition to pass themselves off as the missing Prince Jaron. Training includes lessons in history, manners, horseback riding, and swordsmanship. They are told by Conner that this is a quest to save the kingdom of Carthya.

This story is filled with theft, lies, deceit, mystery, a dungeon, and murder. It kept my interest and filled me with questions. Will one of the boys be able to safely carry out the fraudulent plan in order to save his country? Will the other boys be killed as expected? Will the missing prince return? What will become of the servant girl who helps them? What will become of the princess?

If you enjoy fantasy and fairytales, and like a main character with a spirit for adventure and a reputation of being a bit mischievous, you may enjoy this book as much as I did.

On a 1 to 5 scale, I give this book a full four stars. It was an enjoyable read, kept my attention, and entertained me. In summary, The False Prince was everything I expect in a good fantasy book. I am looking forward to reading book two of the series—The Runaway King.