King of Thorns

This story continues with the first-person narrative of Jorg Ancrath, plus another POV via Katherine's diary entries, which serve as an interesting counterbalance. Their star-cursed relationship reveals depth to Jorg's character that goes beyond the traumatized and desperate young teen of Prince of Thorns. I hear that some people hate Jorg and find him too dark. I do not feel that way, because Lawrence laid out his childhood traumas and motivations well enough that I found him to be somewhat of a sympathetic character, even in the brutality of the grimdark tale.In the second book, he is a bit more mature, self-aware, and conscious of his choices and actions. We delve into his relationships with his merry band of misfits and how he stays in command of his violent comrades.An interesting expansion to the magic system keeps the fantasy aspect interesting. I particularly like the dream magic. In addition, there is a very unique and unexpected aspect to this series. That is the post-apocalyptic science-fiction element that thoroughly surprised me and challenged my brain a little bit. I'm not sure how I feel about it, but it does lead to some interesting plot twists.Lots of action-packed and gory scenes. I hate his father, and I actually love Jorg. Katherine as well; tragic and bittersweet. That romantic sub-plot is fabulously executed. Chef's kiss.I'm already halfway through book three, so I guess I liked this book well enough. Hope I didn't mix in book three stuff with this review, since it's all kind of blending together in my head. It's a sparse review, anyway, not to risk too many spoilers.I listened to the audiobook, narrated by James Clapp. Great narration. I cannot think of Jorg's name without the accent.

Genre: FantasyRec Age: 16+Fave quote: "There is no sound more annoying than the chatter of a child, and none more sad than the silence they leave when they are gone."I am enthralled by this series. King of Thorns picks up right after its predecessor and tosses you right back into the mayhem! You can't put it down!I picked it up off my shelf to take a peek at it a few days after I recovered from my Prince of Thorns hangover and ended up standing there at my bookshelf for a near hour.Lawrence's writing is so beautiful it calls to me and sweeps me away and pulls me down into its deceptive depths.I've found myself daydreaming about our little Jorgy. Now 18, in this installment. I ponder on what it'd be like to meet such a ruthless, intimidating man-child. I don't know why. But he stirs up strange feelings in me.I catch myself wondering if he could ever find love. Could love could soften him? Save him from his demons?I thoroughly enjoyed the introduction of new characters and the new layers they brought. Most especially, Miana. And the intrigue she sparked in me.I loved the risk Lawrence took with Miana's character. I won't elaborate because I don't write spoilers. But I can say it was expertly done. And I lived for her character development and interaction with Jorg.And now I know Lawrence can create lovely strong female characters which makes me excited to see what he's done with Red Sister.

I immensely enjoyed this book, and now that I'm finished with it I wish I had the third book to read right now. The first book was an amazing start, but I found this book to be so much better. It's really masterfully constructed, and incredibly well written. This novel's structure is similar to the Prince of Thorns, where a half or so of the book takes place in the present, and half takes place a certain amount of years in the past. In this book however, I found it to be much more successful, and I think that the main contributor to this was the amazing use of the memory box (for lack of a better name). Four years ago, on the way to deal with a rapidly mutating/growing Gog, Jorg met Katherine (this initial scene is absolutely beautifully written) which led him to commit some sort of horrible act that broke his sanity. To fix this, his brothers took him to a Wizard (or I guess they call all of them even males witches) and stored all of the memories surrounding that event into a copper box covered in thorns. Not only is this a great plot device as the reader is kept wondering throughout the story what exactly he did, but it's also really cool how Jorg learns to store important memories/strategies inside to keep them away from Sageus the Dream Witch. I also loved how and when the time line of the story changed, Mark Lawrence knew exactly how to pace the novel, when to feature the battle going on in the present, when to go back to the semi-epic questing that happened 4 years ago, and when to reveal secrets about Jorg's past or how he has developed as a character in the 4 years. The only thing that was a little confusing though involved the narrative, which is almost always first-person present tense (even when taking place in the past), however two times during his visit with his mother's family the tense breaks and Jorg talks as a narrator writing the story in the future. This is confirmed in the Epilogue of the book, as he talks about writing this account of his life. Still, I love it either way, but I didn't really see the need to have the character actually writing the book that we're reading.As for the story, overall it was very good, though a little unlike the first book there wasn't as much of an intro (of course) and the events that occur aren't quite as big, they're still very important but at the same time they are very much setting up the third book. For the character development, it was a huge leap forward. I'd thought that we'd found out everything we needed to know about Jorg's childhood before being thrown into the thorns, but near the beginning of this book we see an almost more powerful moment. I won't give much away, but it was horribly graphic and heart wrenching without being distasteful, I admit that I cried a decent amount here, but I'm going to blame it partially on the fact my dog was curled up next to me as I read it. We also see that he had a penchant for climbing all of the walls of the Tall Castle, something that comes in handy during multiple parts later in the book. I really appreciated that part of the story jumps 4 years into the future, letting Jorg grow up and become an adult. He's definitely still the Jorg we know and love (or occasionally hate/despise) but he's not quite as crazy, and you can tell that he loves, in his own way, some of the characters surrounding him. It also gives Jorg time to become stronger, smarter, and a much better swordsman than he was when he was 14 years old. I won't talk too much about most of the story as it would have to be full of spoilers, but I will say that I enjoyed all of it, even when some of the parts were slower (meeting his relatives) or slightly goofy at times (searching for help for Gog) they were still very interesting/enjoyable and they really helped to set-up the future events.For the world building I was surprised to find that there was a lot more of it here than in the first book. Many times in Fantasy, authors have to blast through as much of the world building as they can in the beginning of the first book to get past the reader's learning curve, this then lets them get into the meat of book, the characters and the story. However in King of Thorns, Lawrence dishes out the facts of the World like heavily guarded secrets, consequentially making them all the more treasured to the reader. A good way to explain why they are revealed in this way resolves around the fact that Jorg himself doesn't know too much about the world, and as he learns its secrets so does the reader. I want to put down the facts that I ascertained while reading the book, so if you don't want to be slightly spoiled, you should skip the rest of the paragraph. So the world featured in The Broken Empire series is our world, but it is somewhere around 1,000 to 1,300 years in the future (gleaned from a comment about a glass jar being around that old). The people known only as the Builders, are human beings probably 100 to 300 years in our future. The Builders were more advanced than we are today, as seen by the existence of virtual intelligences bordering on true AI's, water filtration systems that take in seawater & put out fresh drinkable water, satellite imaging that can be controlled and viewed through a ring, some kind of super metal (which is what Jorg's sword is made of), and among other things the invention of real magic. If the AI was telling the reader/Jorg the truth, the Builders somehow slightly decreased the separation between mind and matter, which over the stretch of time along with a nuclear apocalypse resulted in giving human beings with enough willpower the ability to control the elements, including death. Another important thing we learn about the world in this book, is that the oceans have risen by around the height of the Tall Castle (which was once a parking garage), or over a hundred feet. I also was very interested to learn a little more about the main religion in their broken empire, and why technological development has completely stagnated and reversed to that of the dark ages. Basically, The Roma church is the only version of Christianity around, as one of the Popes confiscated every copy of the bible in existence, letting them change the religion to whatever they wanted, as Jorg says that no one knows how much the Roma church resembles the old Roman Catholic Church. Related to this, Jorg talks about how while you might be hung or burned at the stake for supposedly being a witch, if anyone is found to have made a better type of glass/metal or some other development, they will tortured for days. I just really enjoyed the world building of this universe, and I can't wait to see what else will be revealed in the next book.So in closing, I would definitely recommend this book, in fact I would even recommend this book to people that were turned off by the grittiness/darkness in the first book as this one maintains the excellent writing and story development (probably even improving it) while being slightly less dark. Jorg still does horrible things, but he is much more likeable and relatable, in fact I think you could actually call him an anti-hero this time around. I wouldn't necessarily advise readers to skip Prince of Thorns, but I think that you could potentially read King of Thorns as a stand-alone novel and still get a lot out of it. I really liked the first book of the series, but I absolutely loved this book and hate the fact that I have to wait for awhile to read the conclusion to Jorg's story.

So very rarely can an author pull off what Lawrence did in this book and in the series so far for that matter. Of course, if you have read the previous novel Prince of Thorns than you are familiar with the first feat of literary brilliance. Jorg (the main character) is despicable and morally corrupt. Having said this about Jorg, I will admit that I think he is fantastic and likeable. How is it possible to accept a character that will commit almost any act to win the game? It comes down to brilliant writing. The first person narrative is partly how Lawrence succeeds in making Jorg acceptable, if not likeable. We are able to see the brilliance of Jorg through witnessing his poetic inner dialogue. There are several passages that I highlighted for the philosophical merit in the description and reflection Jorg regularly produces. I will grant that in this book Jorg has been tamed a bit. He commits less atrocities here and you get a glimpse of a heart buried somewhere in his depths. He does have tiny shards of regret and a few specks of conscience that show through the novel.It is refreshing that Lawrence does not turn Jorg into someone who "has learned his lesson" or "redeems himself". This is the same Jorg who would do almost anything to win but you can see a tempering of his impulses as he grows up. It also goes a long way in convincing the audience to accept an anti hero if he is clever and Jorg is one clever kid. He still flies by the seat of his pants to succeed when facing insurmountable odds but in King of Thorns he has learned the value of planning. His impulsiveness is still monumental but we get a more wizened perspective as he approaches conflict.The second literary feat was pulling off a plot twist that absolutely no one would have seen coming. I pride myself on getting it right when I guess at what is actually going on or what will end up happening. This is one of only two books that have completely knocked me off my feat with the "blind reveal" as some people call it where the character knows the secret but the audience is kept in the dark. The other book that accomplished this brilliantly was The Blinding Knife by Brent Weeks.The King of Thorns pacing is a little slow in some parts, unlike the first book. The reverse chronology timeline is used as it was in Prince of Thorns but here it drags somewhat. We want to stay in the action packed part of the story but are continually pulled out of it and brought back to a slower paced part of his story. It is effective, however, in relating how events played out so we get a full grip on who Jorg has become in the four years after Prince of Thorns took place. It is a great way of setting up the suspense in the conclusion and it is a conclusion that you do not want to miss.Another great thing about the Broken Kingdom series so far is that, even though it is three novels long, the main conflict introduced in each book gets resolved fully so you are satisfied. Cliffhangers are becoming more and more the thing in writing now days. I think that this is either a sign of bad writing or a ploy to make money. There is no reason why an author cannot tell a complete story with each book in a series.Overall it is just a genius piece of work that deserves a spot on the top twenty list for best fantasy of all time. I am assuming that most readers are familiar with Jorg from Prince of Thorns so the one impediment to satisfaction (Jorg being an amoral character) is not a problem for you. This was the singular complaint that garnered some bad reviews of Prince of Thorns and if you are easily offended than you may not appreciate this book. It is extremely refreshing to read about such an interesting character while cringing at many of his choices. I confess I was rooting for him to succeed at any cost. I have to admit that one of the reasons I love Jorg is because he is so awesomely wicked and unapologetic. He may become one of my favorite characters of all time.For those who loved The Name of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss and The Blinding Knife by Brent Weeks this series is a must.

The first book As better but it’s a good read.

It isn't often that you come across a book that changes the way you see an entire genre, a book that becomes the measuring stick for others that come after it. Mark Lawrence has managed to write two such works. Even more amazingly, they are his first published novels.For all the hype about George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series, I found Lawrence's work to be far superior (BLASPHEMY!!!). Compared to the glacial pace of Martin's books, Lawrence's sail along at a nice clip. Lawrence's writing is also much more focused and visceral than Martin's.King of Thorns is the second book in The Broken Empire series. Both KoT and its predecessor, Prince of Thorns follow the protagonist (if you could call him that, but more on this later), Honorous Jorg Ancrath.Jorg is the son of one of the many kings to arise on the former European continent centuries after some long ago apocalypse. His goal is to reunite (and rule, of course) the Empire. That's all I'll say about the plot. I hate spoilers.Lawrence's prose is clean, flowing, witty, and deep. His storytelling is fast-paced, gritty, and contemplative. He not only tells one heck of a story, but also explores the `why' of it. Why is Jorg such an evil, self-centered little snot? Why do his followers remain loyal to him? And why can't I keep myself from liking him?This is the brilliance of Lawrence's writing. He gives us a protagonist that, in any other book, would be reviled. He mixes three parts narcissism, two parts genius, one part charisma, and a pinch of humanity and comes out with a character that we know we should hate, but end up cheering for. This is no small accomplishment. Not since Mike Myers' Doctor Evil has a villain been so appealing...and he was a boy scout compared to Jorg.But Lawrence doesn't stop there. His examinations of the inner workings and motives of his characters reveal insights into human nature that could teach a psychology major a thing or two.Again, I now find myself comparing much of what I read to Lawrence's work. Sadly, most books are found wanting in its shadow. It's hard to go back to ground round once you've had filet mignon. I guess this is the only criticism I have for this series so far. It spoils you.If King of Thorns does ruin other books for you, take heart. Emperor of Thorns is scheduled for release this August. The anticipation will make it taste all the sweeter.

I started the first book years ago, but it newer really caught me and it was soon forgotten half-finished in my kindle library. Couple of weeks ago I desided to dust it off and give it a second go, it is after all often listed as one of the best modern fantasy, and I truly enjoyed Red sister which is Lawrence’s latest work. After having finished the three books I’m finding myself with some mixed emotions. Although an interesting premise I find myself a bit annoyed with the way the story was told with switches between present and past, especially in the conclusion of the second book where elements from Jorgs past which we will not read about until book three becomes importaint. I also find the storyline in the past and the present largely unrelated although they give Jorg the tools he needs in the future. It seems a bit easy to me, in a way like a bag of marvels to draw from in need. I also found the violence a bit excessive. Don’t misunderstand, I enjoy a bit of gore as well as the next person, but to me it seemed a bit shallow and only designed to shock. Again that might have been the point? Lastly, and this might be the real issue for me, is that I found Jorg to be unrelatable in every way, I just can’t seem to care what’s happening to him or anyone else in this story. After having finished I will not say that it was bad, and there were some truly enjoyable moments, but with all said and done this series did not make a lasting impression, and I expect that I will forget it pretty soon.

My Metric system - Those are my personal opinions, you may discord, my final rating of the book is not necessarily linked to this system and may diverge from it.<u>Book Storyline</u>- Originality: 5/5 stars- Development: 5/5 stars- Enjoyment: 5/5 stars- Writing stile: 5/5 stars- Funnyness: 1/5 stars- Epicness: 3/5 stars- Scaryness: 2/5 stars- Smartness: 5/5 stars- Addictiveness: 5/5 stars- Plot twists: 4/5 stars- Pace: 4/5 stars- Storyline planning: 5/5 stars OR /5 negative stars- Ending: 4/5 stars OR /5 negative stars- Holes: 1/5 negative stars- Impact on series storyline: 3/5 stars- Self contained (Y/N): Y- Cliffhanger (Y/N): N- Adult (Y/N): Y- Violence level: Epic, containing baby killing and animal tortured- Tech level: medieval with some ocasional high tech remnants from advanced human society- Religion level: present, Catholic, mostly criticized- Main genre: Dark fantasy- Subgenre: Bandits, Game of thrones, war- Point of view: Different timelines- Aftertaste: Great story- Quote: <i> </i><u>Series Storyline</u>- Originality: 5/5 stars- Development: 4/5 stars- Enjoyment: 3/5 stars- Writing stile: 3/5 stars- Funnyness: 1/5 stars- Epicness: 1/5 stars- Scaryness: 1/5 stars- Smartness: 4/5 stars- Addictiveness: 4/5 stars- Plot twists: 3/5 stars- Pace: 3/5 stars- Storyline planning: 3/5 stars OR /5 negative stars- Holes: 2/5 negative stars<u>World</u>- Originality: 4/5 stars- Variety: 5/5 stars- Consistency: 5/5 stars- Impact on the story: 5/5 stars- Maps: 3/5 stars- Real world (Y/N): Y- Fantasy based on real world (Y/N): Y- Journey (Y/N): Y and N- Main scenario: siege of mountain castle<u>Characters Quantity</u>- Total amount: ~20- Points of view: 2 timelines plus 1 journal- Main characters: Jorg- Secondary: ~15- Ordinary: Some<u>Characters Quality</u>- Overall: 5/5 stars- Main: 5/5 stars- Secondary: 5/5 stars- Consistency: 5/5 stars- Connection: 3/5 stars- Underworld Crew (Y/N): Y (Road Brothers)- Training (Y/N): N- Notable best characters: Gog, Miana- Notable worse characters: Jorg's Uncle<u>Special Rules</u>- Devised system: 5/5 stars- System complexity: 3/5 stars- System explanation: 2/5 stars- Impact on storyline: 5/5 stars- Rulebreaker (Y/N): N- Type of Rule: Necromancy, Pyromancy, Advanced lost tech▶◀This second book of the series is far superior to the Prince of Thorns, with a more elaborated storyline, less killing just for the sake of killing.Some parts of the story are indeed dark, there is even a truly revolting scene, which is ok because this is just a fiction, but probably hints that Mark Lawrence's mind may be a little on the sick side of psychotic.This is a great book, though not for the easily impressionable.

El primero me costó arrancar pero pronto se hizo adictivo. Este es aún mejor

Sorprendente! Mi dispiace ma non sono d'accordo con altre recensioni. Leggo fantasy da una vita, compresi i citati maestri del genere "dark & gritty". Lawrence è una ventata d'aria fresca, godibile perchè riesce a reintrodurre elementi epici e magici in un genere dove eccessi di realismo e pessimismo spesso si traducono in libri deprimenti e pesanti.

This book exceeded all expectations. I liked the first book: Prince of Thorns, but something prevented it from being one of my favorites. This one, however, completely blew me away. I loved every bit of it and found it hard to put down. When I did manage to put it down I found myself thinking about it during the day and wondering what Jorg would do next. He's just as unpredictable as he was in the first book, but the hint of a maturing young boy is evident and really helped me like him more. Jorg doesn't seem quite so petulant in this book, but he's still got the sharpest edge of any main protagonist that I've come across.On top of that, Mark Lawrence certainly knows how to write an ending. Wow!I have recommended this to friends and they loved it as much as I did. Now on to Emperor of Thorns to see how it all raps up.

A book worth reading!an exceptional plot nd charecter build up..every line of this book will give you a chill..Also there are many incidents which are heart breaking, brutal nd unbearable but those are the events made this book exceptional!

O livro continua narrando a trajetória de Jorg, agora um rei. Com os saltos entre a narrativa atual e do passado, o autor consegue manter a história misteriosa e interessante. Recomendo a todos que se encantaram com o mundo apresentado no livro anterior