I can not say how much praise I have heard about this book, and how many times I’ve picked up the sample and not finished it. Finally, and with determination, I set out to at least finish the sample. This time I finished the sample and the entire book, and I’m glad I did. The beginning is a bit violent (rape, murder, etc. etc.) but the rest of the book didn’t feel as extreme. Prince Jorg is definitely an anti-hero, but I still cheered for him. I enjoyed this book enough to pick up the second. I am going to give this book 4 stars.
I adore these books! It’s really hard to do a good anti-hero well. I would argue Jorg might be the best ever. Most anti-heros end up not being that “anti” – they’re just a little tarnished or need the love of a good woman to fix them. Jorg is deliciously dark through and through.
I’m not entirely sure if I follow the 1 star for bigger meaning, maybe it’s because I rarely look for bigger meaning in my books? Because honestly I thought those quotes were awesome:
My bigger meaning category is kind of like bonus points. Some books actually make me ponder my own beliefs- for example, Octavia Butler’s work makes me think about what it means to be human. Most Science Fiction / Fantasy books don’t have that extra bit of ‘bigger meaning’, so it’s icing on the cake when it’s there.
I completely agree that Jorg is a great character, and I hope he is deliciously evil in future book! Of course, I always cheer a little for the bad guys (Jamie Lannister, Loki, Walter White…)