The False Prince

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen, 2012, 342p, rating=5
Content: Clean; Source: Audio from library; Young Adult Fiction

THE FALSE PRINCE is the thrilling first book in a brand-new trilogy filled with danger and deceit and hidden identities that will have readers rushing breathlessly to the end.

In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.

As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.

An extraordinary adventure filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats.(Goodreads)

I've heard lots of good things about this book and have lots of other books to read right now so I was glad to find it on audio and had to wait a while until I got it. I started listening to it and it was hard to stop. If you've listened to an audiobook before, then you know that the reader can make or break the story for you and the guy who read this, Charlie McWade, did a great job! 

Sage is snarky and sarcastic, yet also has a soft side, and that comes through really well. He made me laugh and there were times that I wondered what he was up to and why certain things seemed so important to him. Conner has just the right amount of snootiness in his voice to make him unlikable. He's conniving and mean but since he holds all the power, the orphan boys are at his mercy.

Towards the end, as the holes started filling in and my questions started getting answered, the story was so intriguing that I just couldn't stop listening. Wow! What a reveal! There's a love triangle that starts to form and it looks like it carries through to book 2 and it will be interesting to read what happens there.

Also, at the end of the audio, there's an extra excerpt which tells a little more detail behind one of the stories that is referenced in the book--when Prince Jaron, 10 years old at the time, challenged a king to a duel. He's quite the character.

This is definitely a 5 star book to me and I highly recommend it to everyone! Book 2 just came out a month ago and I can't find any info right now on when book 3 will be released. There is a question about it being made into a movie on the author's website and this is her response: "THE FALSE PRINCE has been optioned by Scholastic Entertainment. In December 2012, it was announced that Paramount Pictures has hired a screenwriter named Bryan Cogman (also a writer for HBO’s GAME OF THRONES) to do a screenplay adaptation. He is an excellent writer, and I’m very excited to have him working on the script, but this is still only one of many steps before it can become a movie. I’d love to see it happen though." Fingers crossed!!