Books › Prince of Fools
Prince of Fools
576 pages
A darkly hilarious, grimdark buddy-comedy about a self-serving coward dragged kicking and screaming into an epic quest.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like taking a perilous road trip through a nightmare landscape with the worst possible travel companion—who also happens to be incredibly entertaining. It balances the bleak, blood-soaked reality of a grimdark world with a surprisingly buoyant, darkly comedic tone, entirely thanks to its delightfully cowardly narrator. The pace is brisk, driven by the friction of an odd-couple dynamic between a dishonorable royal and a fiercely noble Norse warrior bound together by dark magic. As they stumble from one lethal encounter to the next, the atmosphere remains steeped in dread and political machinations, yet the constant stream of self-deprecating wit keeps the journey exhilarating rather than oppressive. It is a perfect fit for readers who love gritty fantasy but crave a protagonist who would rather run away than save the day.
- Mood
- darkly comedic
- perilous
- grim
- adventurous
- Tone
- wry
- cynical
- self-deprecating
- irreverent
- gritty
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- reluctant heroism · unlikely friendship · cowardice vs. bravery · escaping responsibility · pawns in a larger game
- The writing
- Sharp, witty, and deeply anchored in a highly unreliable, self-serving first-person perspective that makes the grim world highly entertaining.
- The arc
- A self-serving rogue is dragged kicking and screaming into a nightmare, slowly forging a genuine bond and discovering a sliver of reluctant courage along the way.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love grimdark settings but want to experience them through the eyes of a hilarious, self-aware coward rather than a brooding badass.
Content notes
- graphic violence
- gore
- alcohol abuse
- sexual innuendo
- undead and horror elements
About the book
Hailed as "epic fantasy on a George R. R. Martin scale, but on speed,"\* the _Broken Empire trilogy_ introduced a bold new world of dark fantasy with the story of Jorg Ancrath's devastating rise to power. Now, Mark Lawrence returns to the Broken Empire with the tale of a less ambitious prince... The Red Queen is old but the kings of the Broken Empire dread her like no other. For all her reign, she has fought the long war, contested in secret, against the powers that stand behind nations, for higher stakes than land or gold. Her greatest weapon is The Silent Sister--unseen by most and unspoken of by all. The Red Queen's grandson, Prince Jalan Kendeth--drinker, gambler, seducer of women--is one who can see The Silent Sister. Tenth in line for the throne and content with his role as a minor royal, he pretends that the hideous crone is not there. But war is coming. Witnesses claim an undead army is on the march, and the Red Queen has called on her family to defend the realm. Jal thinks it's all a rumor--nothing that will affect him--but he is wrong. After escaping a death trap set by the Silent Sister, Jal finds his fate magically intertwined with a fierce Norse warrior. As the two undertake a journey across the Empire to undo the spell, encountering grave dangers, willing women, and an upstart prince named Jorg Ancrath along the way, Jalan gradually catches a glimmer of the truth: he and the Norseman are but pieces in a game, part of a series of moves in the long war--and the Red Queen controls the board.
Description from Open Library.
Books like Prince of Fools
See why they match
Emperor of ThornsMark LawrenceA brutal, poetic descent into the mind of a ruthless anti-hero facing the ultimate consequences of his ambition.
Prince of ThornsMark LawrenceA brutal, poetic plunge into the mind of a teenage sociopath carving his way through a broken world.
Last Argument of KingsJoe AbercrombieA brutal, darkly hilarious masterclass in subverting every heroic fantasy trope you hold dear.
A Little HatredJoe AbercrombieA bloody, soot-stained plunge into a world where the industrial revolution meets dark magic and even darker morality.
The Ruin of KingsJenn LyonsA sprawling, puzzle-box epic that gleefully dismantles classic fantasy tropes through snarky footnotes, dual timelines, and a deeply cynical protagonist.
Forge of darknessSteven EriksonA dense, tragic tapestry of ancient betrayals that feels like reading the lost, blood-soaked mythology of a doomed world.