I don't know how you can start out with a bigger bang in a novel than Nielsen did here. "I had arrived early for my own assassination." I swear, the woman is a genius. The pace of the first few chapters was so energetic that it left me completely enthralled. How I had missed Jaron and his commentary that made me laugh at every turn. How I had missed the adventure! And I even stumbled upon The False Prince a little late in the game, so I didn't have to wait long for the second book. Still, though, I had missed it. Still, I had been desperately wanting more.
The only thing that slowed me down in reading this was it took awhile for Jaron to reach the lair of the pirates, one of his main destinations. Looking back, I can see that the delay was necessary, but in the meantime there was a little less action to keep the storyline moving. However, once Jaron does meet the pirates the plot picks up again, and the wait, I can assure you, was worth it.
Having to wait is hardly a complaint, though. Nielsen's characters are beautifully developed. This makes for a protagonist who is funny and brave and fearless, but who also places all his self doubts on the table for you to see. His honesty to the reader is unmatched, creating not so much of a character as a living human being. I've never seen anything quite like it, and the result is absolutely captivating.
Appropriate for ages 14+ (due to some violence)
No comments:
Post a Comment