The False Prince

peet - THE FALSE PRINCE This book is written by Jennifer A. Nielsen The main characters, Sage: Prince Jaron in disguise as an orphan Tobias: one of the orphans the Conner choose to be the false price Roden: one of the orphans the Conner choose to be the false price Conner: a regent of the king This story taken in a country called Carthya. Where the royal family was murdered and a lot of noble people trying to trick their way to the throne. And one of them was Conner who is an adviser of the king. Conner's plan is to use an orphan and make him into Prince Jaron. Prince Jaron was attack by a group of pirate while he was traveling through the ocean, and no one know what happen to him. except for Conner because he is the person that hired the pirate to go kill Prince Jaron. And the pirate had to retrieve the crown of prince Jaron too. So he chose 4 orphans and kill one of them just so that the other 3 kids(Sage, Roden, and Tobias) would not to run away. Soon we have learned that Jaron had to escape from the ship before the pirate attack, because he didn't want to go to learn in another other city. So he escaped to Avenia(a city next to Carthya) and stayed with a priest. Then a few month later his dad found him and gave him some coins, fools gold and told Jaron how to use it. Then Jaron went to stay at an orphanage house. Then one day Conner came and took him from the orphanage. Then Conner took them to his house in Frathenwood. There Conner would trained them manner like how to eat and dress, how to sword fighting, how to ride a horse, language, and other thing a prince should know. Mott and Cregent are the teacher that taught them. Mott is a nice person. he liked Sage. But Cregent is a bad person. he liked to torture the kids when they do some thing wrong. While staying at Conner's house Sage make himself to be less discipline like not training hard on any thing. And every night he sneak out off the bed room and went to explore around, so he found secret passages through out the house. This secret came in to use when he found out that Conner took his fools gold. So he use the secret passage to sneak in to Conner's room and take back his fools gold. When Conner found out he was furious. So he sent him to the dungeon to be whip, then sent him back to train. Soon we learn that Conner will control the throne through the false prince. After they finish training, Conner choose Roden to be the false prince because he is good at sword fighting like Jaron and brave. Not like Tobias he is smart but he can't pick up a sword. But when Conner saw Sage doing knuckle roll he change his mine because prince Jaron is very good at knuckle roll. And, Roden and Tobias can't do knuckle roll. Then Conner going to kill Roden and Tobias, but Sage save them by tell Conner to them with him or he won't corporate. When they arrive at the castle, they found that many people are doing the same thing that they are doing. So Sage was not allowed to go inside the castle. So he tell Conner that he know a way in to the castle by going up a small stream and in to a small tunnel. While in the tunnel Roden turn against Conner he try to kill sage Reden lost, but Sage let him go. When they got in to the castle Sage went and in front of every body and said that he is Prince Jaron. But the Prime regent ask him to prove that he is the Prince. So Sage take got his fools gold and give it to the Prime regent and told him that it’s gold. So the Prime regent told every one that the king had told him that if a boy give fools gold to you and said that it is gold he is Prince Jaron. In the end Conner got put in to jail and people have a big celebration for the returning...

Starred review from February 13, 2012
This highly enjoyable medieval fantasy from Nielsen (the Underworld Chronicles), set in the medieval kingdom of Carthya, centers on 15-year-old Sage, an angry and pugnacious orphan, who is unexpectedly purchased by Conner, one of the king’s regents. The entire royal family—king, queen, and heir—has recently died under mysterious circumstances, and to prevent civil war, Conner is collecting orphans who might believably be substituted for the dead king’s younger son, who was reported lost at sea years earlier. Sage is soon engaged in a deadly, winner-take-all contest with two other boys to earn the right to impersonate Prince Jaron. Sage is deftly characterized through humorous first-person narration, quickly establishing himself as a beguiling antihero: “I’d never attempted roast thievery before, and I was already regretting it,” he says when readers first meet him. “It happens to be very difficult to hold a chunk of raw meat while running.” Secondary characters are equally fleshed-out. First in the Ascendancy Trilogy, this is an impressive, promising story with some expertly executed twists. Ages 8–14. Agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary Agency.

February 15, 2012
A brazen 15-year-old orphan living in the imaginary kingdom of Carthya becomes embroiled in a treasonous power-play to install a false prince on the vacant throne. For years, Sage has survived by lying and stealing in Mrs. Turbeldy's Orphanage for Disadvantaged Boys. When scheming Bevin Connor removes him, Sage assumes he will serve Connor, but he quickly discovers he's one of four orphan boys chosen by Connor for a more dangerous game. Connor plans to secretly transform them into gentlemen and select one to impersonate Prince Jaron, who is missing and presumed dead. Carthya's current king, queen and crown prince have been murdered, and war could erupt at any moment. When the regents meet in two weeks, Connor plans to produce long-lost "Prince Jaron," who will rule as his pawn. Competition becomes fierce as the boys realize the one chosen to play Jaron will be the only survivor. Sage's disdain, defiance and reckless arrogance mark him for failure, but his boldness, instinct and innate decency indicate there's more than meets the eye. Could Sage become Prince Jaron? Sage reveals his story in the first person in slowly unfolding layers guaranteed to shock. Ruthless ambition, fierce action and plotting, complex characters and lots of sword play and hidden passages keep pages flipping. Readers of this multifaceted, well-crafted tale will eagerly await Sage's further adventures. (map) (Adventure. 8-14)

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April 1, 2012

Gr 5-8-No one knows that the king, queen, and heir to the throne of Carthya are dead. Conner, a king's regent, chooses three orphans to vie for the role of Prince Jaron, the remaining heir, presumed dead, but whose body has never been found. In two weeks, Conner plans to reveal that he has found the missing prince. The boys are thrown into a brutal rivalry, knowing that if they are not chosen, death will soon follow. No one's true intentions are clear, especially those of wily Sage. One of the orphans, he subverts authority at every opportunity, yet never gives up his quest to become the pretender to the throne. On the day of the announcement, a truth is revealed that changes everything for Conner, the orphans, and especially Sage. Fast-paced and exciting, this book will appeal to readers who enjoy intrigue mixed in with their adventure. Although the twist at the end is predictable, the events that precede it are not. The characters' motivations may not always be clear but they remain consistent. Full of machinations and surprises, this book will keep students reading until the last page and eager for the second in the trilogy.-Kefira Phillipe, Nichols Middle School, Evanston, IL

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2012
Grades 4-7 This first book in a planned trilogy is action-oriented fantasy, but don't expect magical creatures. Instead, it revolves around political intrigue (a la Megan Whalen Turner's The Thief, 1996). Sage is a street-savvy orphan, and along with two other boys he is recruited by Conner, a nobleman who wants to remake them in the image of their country's lost prince, a victim of pirates and presumed dead. The task is urgent, as the rest of the royal family has been murdered and civil war seems imminent. As the boys, chosen for their passing resemblance to Prince Jaron, compete to assume a new identity and the throne, Sage discovers some unpleasant truths about their host, beyond his treasonous plans to pass one of them off as royalty. Sage is a likable hero full of smart-alecky snarkiness. Especially appealing are the friendships he forges: one with his bodyguard and teacher; another with a mute serving girl. Though lacking in subtlety, Nielsen's plot twists keep coming, and readers will want to see how they play out as Sage's adventures continue.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)