The False Prince (Ascendance Trilogy Series #1)

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Overview

In this first book in a remarkable trilogy, an orphan is forced into a twisted game with deadly stakes.

Choose to lie...or choose to die.

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545284141
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	02/01/2013
Series:	Ascendance Trilogy Series , #1
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	12,722
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 7.38(h) x 0.82(d)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Jennifer A. Nielsen is the acclaimed author of THE FALSE PRINCE, the first book in the Ascendance Trilogy. She has also written The Underworld Chronicles, a humorous middle-grade fantasy series. Jen lives in northern Utah with her husband, their three children, and a perpetually muddy dog.

Read an Excerpt

From The False Prince

"Would you ever be on my side, even if I chose you above the other boys?" Conner asked.

"I'm only on my side. Your trick will be convincing me that helping you helps me," I replied.

"What if I did? How far would you go to win?"

"The better question, sir, is how far you will go to win." I looked him steadily in the eyes as I spoke. "You killed Latamer. So we know you're willing to murder to win."

"I am." Conner backed up, speaking to all of us again. "And I'm willing to lie, to cheat, and to steal. I'm willing to commend my soul to the devils if necessary because I believe there is exoneration in my cause. I need one of you to conduct the greatest fraud ever perpetrated within the country of Carthya. This is a lifetime commitment. It will never be safe to back down from my plan and tell the truth. To do so would destroy not only you but the entire country. And you will do it to save Carthya."

Editorial Reviews

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. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for The False Prince

"A page turner..." -The New York Times Book Review

"Sage proves to be a compelling character whose sharp mind and shrewd self-possession will make readers eager to follow him into a sequel." -The Wall Street Journal

"[A] swashbuckling origin story... Sage is a quick wit, and Nielsen showcases it with terrific dialogue... chock full of alluring details for adventure-loving boys." -Los Angeles Times

*"Sage is deftly characterized through humorous first-person narration, quickly establishing himself as a beguiling antihero... [A]n impressive, promising story with some expertly executed twists." -Publishers Weekly, starred review

"[A] terrific story that carries readers along to the very (surprising) end and will leave them clamoring for the next book in her trilogy." -BookPage, featured "Top Pick" review

"[M]ore Harry Potter (minus the magic) than Hunger Games... with authentic characters, a convincing sense of danger and a genuinely high-stakes plot." -The Hollywood Reporter

"[A] surefire mix of adventure, mystery, and suspense." -Horn Book

From the Publisher

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

School Library Journal

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)

Kirkus Reviews

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