Road Brothers (Tales from the Broken Empire) by Mark Lawrence

Don't read this collection of short stories unless you've read Mark Lawrence's The Broken Empire. Here be spoilers. Road Brothers does exactly what it says – short stories sketching in back story for Jorg's band of brothers, offering tasty little snippets of history, to colour in the details.

So I'm assuming that if you've read Mark's other books, you'll be no stranger his style, which offers astute observations on the darker side of human nature set in a world that's still picking up the pieces of a cataclysm that destroyed civilisation as we know it, throwing it back into a dark age that marries up ancient, malfunctioning technology with dark magic. This uneasy blend is not quite fantasy, nor is it SF, and I love that ambiguousness of the setting.

Perhaps my favourite story out of the lot is the Nubian's origin, giving readers a tantalising glimpse into a post-apocalyptic Africa. Okay, so I'm biased because I love stories set in my stomping ground, and the Nubian was one of my favourites from the trilogy. (He stood out the most for me out of all Jorg's companions.) In my mind, some stories were more vignettes than a structured short story, but because I'm invested in setting, this didn't bother me so much and I appreciated the filling-in of gaps.

Essentially, this is an exploration of brotherhood, and the bonds between the brothers brought to life in the trilogy. It is about found family, notions of loyalty and honour, and also the complicated relationships between blood-relatives. Mark's writing isn't for everyone, but this selection will be valuable to those of us who're already immersed in his world.

Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence

I'm a horrible, horrible person because I've taken *months* to finish Prince of Fools (The Red Queen's War #1) by Mark Lawrence (Goodreads tells me I started during December last year and it's quite inexcusable, really, that I've tarried so long). But that's what Mark's writing is to me – something to savour. The Red Queen's War is the next trilogy to get into if you've discovered and loved The Broken Empire trilogy.

But let's talk about Jorg Ancrath first, our bad-boy, maverick prince from The Broken Empire. Here we were faced with a delightfully psychopathic adventurer who had absolutely no regard for his own personal safety or long-term survival. Jorg would heedlessly fling himself from one untenable situation to the next, offering astute commentary along the way that signals a lively mind and a somewhat absurd sense of humour.

The howling of readers by the time book three drew to a close, that Mark was *finished* with Jorg... Well, it was adorable. [She says with a smile, gives Mark a high five for stopping when the going is good.]

Sensibly, Mark went on to create an entirely different tone in The Red Queen's War with our new friend Jalan Kendeth, 10th in line to the Red Queen's throne and unashamedly a lying, gambling womaniser, whose healthy sense of cowardice has kept him alive all this time. While Jalan is no Jorg, he's certainly still a smart-mouthed chap, so his explanation of events as they unfurl is half the fun.

Jalan is a reluctant hero. Haring off to the frozen north to face a great evil is the last thing on his mind, but there are larger forces at play in this cracked world where magic is bleeding back in to cause untold chaos. Jalan, and his equally reluctant counterpart Snorri ver Snagason, find themselves bound together as pawns in a game where they don't have all the rules. True to Mark's writing, there is plenty of bloodshed, death, violence, wenching and all the things that soft-hearted, gentle readers may want to avoid.

Evidently I'm not a soft-hearted, gentle reader, so I quite happily followed our two lads from one misadventure to the next. Knowing what I do about Mark's writing, and how he puts his stories together, I'm suitably entertained and looking forward to the other two instalments in the trilogy.

I must add here that I particularly adore Snorri. Part of me feels as if *he* is the actual hero of the story; Jalan is merely the storyteller spinning a saga about a mythic warrior and father on a quest to save his family. On the outside, Snorri appears to be *just* a hulking brute, but slowly the layers are peeled back and you discover a character of great complexity and subtle intelligence. I like it when that happens.

In essence, Prince of Fools is a dudebro quest, so it's probably not going to appeal to those wanting a story that passes the Bechdel test. That being said, there were some cameo appearances that amused me greatly (you'll understand why when you read the book – it does take place during the same time that Jorg has his adventures). And seriously, this was just a huge load of fun to read, gore and all, especially with Jalan's witty observations along the way and some of the unexpected twists that had me shaking my head.

Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence #review

Title: Emperor of Thorns (#3 of The Broken Empire)
Author: Mark Lawrence
Publisher: Ace, 2013

Finally I got to finish this trilogy, and it’s a lovely feeling of completion for someone like me who rarely manages to follow through with a challenge of this nature. Jorg as a character is fascinating. When we meet him in book one, he’s impulsive and prone to perpetrate horrendous acts of violence. Not much has changed by book three, and he still very much possesses the ability to act before he thinks, but his motivations (in his mind) are clearer. Here is a man who cares deeply about two things: his family (latent guilt toward his brother’s death) and also claiming the emperor’s throne. He proves again and again, that he’s not afraid to sacrifice anything and anyone to get what he wants. This might upset some. [Okay, that was totally an understatement but jawellnofine] ← **more laughter**

While at the start of his journey, he primarily wants the throne simply for the sake of having it (that’s how I see it, at least) his motivations have shifted somewhat near the end. Now Jorg wants that throne because he knows he’s the only one with the will and the knowledge to save the world from certain fiery destruction (possibly also motivated by the fact that he wants to leave some sort of legacy for his son).

As always, Mark Lawrence treads a tricky path with his narrative running on different timelines, with multiple story arcs that cross reference each other. The jumping between past and present will no doubt infuriate readers who like linear stories. At times I felt there was a little withholding of key information, but the pace is so fast, and Jorg is such an unreliable narrator, that I was happy to cling on for the ride.

Jorg is ever the ladies’ man [says the reviewer amid sick laughter], and his relationship with three vastly different (and dangerous) women is complex. Katherine’s fate is still inextricably twined with Jorg’s, bitter as their past grievances are, and Miana is anything but the shy, retiring damsel. As the mother of Jorg’s son, she proves to be every bit as ruthless as the father when it comes to protect family, and as such perfectly complements Jorg. Chella the necromancer is introduced as a viewpoint character, which is a little jarring at first for those of us accustomed to Jorg’s first-person narrative. Her observations are nonetheless key to the story, and offer valuable insight.

As can be expected in one of Lawrence’s novels, bloodshed, carnage and large-scale destruction is never far away. I am also glad that he decided to irrevocably stamp this story with “the end”, and resist the temptation of a drawn-out multi-book series prone to the exhaustion of ever-escalating “too much awesome”.

The resolution of The Broken Empire trilogy is apt. To be honest, I hadn’t been quite sure where Lawrence was going with it, but when it happened, I sat back with a small smile. Jorg is the kind of guy who likes solutions. The only problem is his solutions aren’t always to the liking of the affected parties.

Dear Mark, thank you for showing us Jorg’s world, and I look forward to reading more of your books in the future.

King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence #review

Title: King of Thorns (The Broken Empire #2)
Author: Mark Lawrence
Publisher: Ace Books, 2012

There's a lot going on with King of Thorns that begs me to go back and read it again soon. Firstly, hats off to Mark Lawrence for juggling a non-linear story structure. We follow Jorg on his wedding day when he goes toe to toe with the golden boy, the prince of Arrow, who's set to become the emperor. Or at least that's what everyone keeps saying. We simultaneously also follow the events that happened to Jorg four years ago, as he settles in his position of king of Renar.

The Jorg we follow in book #2 is still impulsive, but his nasty side has been tempered somewhat. He's haunted by ghosts, and is vastly troubled by his connection to Katherine. But this is no Romeo and Juliet situation. Not by a long shot.

Though we can level accusations at Jorg that he's a killer and capable of all manner of truly terrible things, it's also evident that he's matured. He has begun to realise his own strengths and weaknesses, and perhaps what makes him more dangerous is that he has a better understanding of when to give in to his impulses and when to plan ahead.

Jorg wrestles with the growing realisation that he's merely a pawn on a gaming board, and he absolutely refuses to bow down to others expectations of him. His anger at being played fuels his desire to rip free of this figurative briar patch in which he finds himself.

Lawrence builds tension *very* well. In fact, so well that at times when I was tempted to say, "Oi!, dude! You're withholding key information here!" the next chapter comes along and furnishes us with sufficient backstory. This back-and-forth jumping between past and present will probably annoy some readers, but I'm not one of those. All I can do is stand back in slack-jawed wonder at how Lawrence managed to hold onto all those threads.

It's not so much the world-building that's fantastic. I mean, it's pretty standard – post-tech, post-apocalyptic Medieval setting where reality is a little more malleable than your average SF nut would want to allow. Jorg finds himself in a battleground, yet Jorg himself exists as a nexus point and a battle ground in his own right – between the forces of Death and Fire.

All I can say about my expectations of book #3 is that this story cannot end well, but I'm sure as hell going to enjoy the ride. Jorg is a dark star that burns brightly, a comet that will destroy the world even as he remakes it according to his own vision.

I don't know when last a fantasy series has excited my imagination quite so much. What makes it for me as well is Jorg's observations on the nature of people and the world around him. I don't normally highlight while I read on my kindle but this novel calls for me to make exceptions. Jorg has a particular presence, for lack of better description. He is broken, but instead of moping, he is fuelled by his bad experiences and won't lie down and die, no matter how bad things get. And for that, I admire him.

King of Thorns giveaway with Mark Lawrence

Of all the new voices in fantasy fiction, Mark Lawrence is fast making a name for himself with The Broken Empire series. Today I'm pleased to have Mark over again and we'll be giving away a signed copy of book two in the series, King of Thorns. Those of you who follow my blog may remember the Prince of Thorns giveaway we did a while ago, and my review of the novel stirred up a few trolls in the process. All I'll say on the matter is that while I certainly don't condone Jorg's behaviour in the series, I can't help but love the character for *how* he's created (and not for the bad things he does). After all, consider why the likes of Hannibal Lector, Patrick Batemen, and the lost boys in Lord of the Flies are so memorable, and what they say about us as a species. We must never forget that for all our thin veneer of civilisation, we hide a savage within our breasts.

So, if you're keen to win a copy of the book, read the following bit of Q&A with Mark then check at the end for the question. The winner must comment on the blog and leave a name and contact email. I will select a winner on Monday, February 25, 2013.

Nerine: Jorg is a young man with a vision, damaged, yes and capable of acts of great cruelty yet also in a position to create great change within his society. Most of Prince of Thorns is essentially a very dark coming of age story in a way--how he establishes himself from next to nothing to becoming the ruler of a kingdom. What would you say is the underlying theme for King of Thorns?

Mark: Well that's actually a surprisingly hard question. First off the under and over-lying purpose of King of Thorns is to entertain. Some works of literary fiction are theme-delivery vehicles. That's not the case here. That said, if pushed I can identify some themes.

One main theme would be how we differ from and are made by our memories. The difference between facing and side-stepping uncomfortable facts about ourselves and events in our past.

Another, as in Prince of Thorns would be the business of growing up. Of seeing the world as more complex, more ambiguous than we thought, and of trying to hold to the clarity of vision we had as youngsters. Also the question of how guilt and responsibility cross that divide between boy and man--what sins stick and what can be attributed to a different person, a younger self.

Nerine: Things happen in book one that are not particularly nice, or easy to read. Jorg's callous attitude toward others' lives got to quite a lot of folks (as I've found out first hand via social media). Yet by equal measure he has the balls and the vision to rebuild an empire. How has Jorg's journey changed him from Prince of Thorns to King of Thorns? Without giving too much away, what can we expect in book two?

Mark: Jorg's finding, as we all do, that responsibility muddies the waters considerably, and that shorn of the purity of revenge to draw him forward he has to be motivated by desire--and when you open yourself to desire you admit all manner of weaknesses, complications, and strengths of new kinds.

What you can expect is the above wrapped around on one hand a varied trek of many months across the breadth of the Broken Empire, and on the other a single bloody day on which Jorg gets married and close on twenty thousand men die in battle.

Nerine: Many genre fiction authors dream about destroying the world as we know it in their novels. The post-apocalyptic setting in yours only struck me once I was a decent way into Prince of Thorns--so what I'd love to know is what were some of your favourite scenes that cropped up in King of Thorns. Are you willing to share which areas correspond to ones we know?

Mark: Hopefully the correspondences in geography are clear in this book (see here for more). There were plenty of scenes I had great fun writing, others which were harrowing to write and which readers have said were just as emotional to read. Sadly most of the scenes I loved writing are spoilers. There's a scene excerpted here that I really like where Jorg rallies his troops.

Add King of Thorns to your TBR list on Goodreads.
Mark Lawrence on Twitter.
Mark Lawrence's website.

So, the question: What is the name of Mark Lawrence's main character in the The Broken Empire series? Leave your name and contact email address with your answer in a comment on this blog in order to be considered for the prize. Winner will be notified by email. The giveaway runs until Sunday, February 24, 2013.

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence #review

The main reason I picked up Prince of Thorns was because I heard it was getting such mixed reviews. Readers either love it or loathe it, and some were getting quite vocal about hating it. Naturally, my curiosity was piqued. Now, finally, I’ve read it, and I can say it’s not the fantasy novel I expected. But it’s a helluva lot more, and then some, and I’ve joined the legions of Mark Lawrence fans who’re going to sing Jorg’s praises.

In short, Prince Jorg watched his mother raped, and then both his mother and younger brother murdered violently. Only he was lucky. A soldier had tossed him into the briar patch in a desperate bid to keep him alive, and the enemy had left him there, assuming that he was dead. Well, he didn’t die, and at the tender age of nine he had to watch the entire dismal business, unable to do anything to help save those he loved.

Even if he survived the ordeal physically, his mind underwent a dark alchemy, further exacerbated by the fact that instead of exacting revenge for the deaths of his wife and child, Jorg’s father instead takes another wife, for improved political relations with the very ruler responsible for his past queen’s death.

Jorg’s smouldering need for vengeance devours him and awakens a thirst for violent retaliation, so much so that the boy at ten frees a band of condemned mercenaries and takes to the road causing widespread mayhem.

Readers who like to live in a rose-tinted bubble without any awareness of the kind of sick shit that does happen during times of turmoil will be upset by this book. If you prefer your heroes gallant and noble, then go read a romance novel. For example, some ladies couldn’t look past the references to rape. Um. Hello. This is WAR. Rape isn’t nice but hey, if you’re living in times of civil unrest, do you honestly expect war-mongering males to politely keep their dicks in their trousers? You don’t have to like what Jorg and his merry band of adventurers get up to. Hell, I didn’t like some of the stuff they did, but I accepted it as realism. Or maybe the fact that I live in South Africa has desensitised me. It doesn’t really matter, suffice to say that I shoved aside my own sensibilities so that I could get into the story.

A whole lot of unpleasant things happen. Anyone who’s read William Golding’s The Lord of the Flies will recall what happens when a bunch of boys are left to run amok. Now put weapons and dangerous men in the hands of a highly intelligent, manipulative boy with a broken mind? Jorg is doubly dangerous because he doesn’t know fear. He is a creature of impulses ruled by an overarching lust to exact revenge for perceived wrongs. A very volatile combination, if you ask me.

I suspect under less dire circumstances, Jorg could have grown up to be the next King Solomon, a wise ruler with great compassion. But where’s the story in that? Instead Jorg’s vast intellect is bent to a more sinister task. It’s not nice what he does to attain his ends by it *feels* real.

The world-building hints at a whiff of magic underpinned with a healthy dollop suggesting a post-apocalyptic setting in such a way that it’s not at first obvious. The novel itself can be considered a coming of age story as Jorg cuts himself free from the bonds of his past. His dark, somewhat dry humour offers a counterpoint to the unrelenting death-dealing and misery. But, like with George RR Martin’s writing, don’t get too attached to the support cast. Jorg causes *a lot* of hurt but one can’t help but cheer him on throughout his depredations. Jorg has vision, and though he might be struck by the Imp of the Perverse at times, I get the idea that he might very well achieve all that he sets out to do—carve out an empire. He is not a peacemaker. He is a sociopath. But I love him anyway.

An Empire of Thorns with Mark Lawrence #guest

Today I welcome fantasy author Mark Lawrence, author of Prince of Thorns, to my blog. One lucky reader who answers the question I'll ask at the end of this blog will receive a signed copy of the novel from the author.

A while ago, I read a review of Prince of Thorns that appeared on a blog I encountered during my browsing. The reviewer wasn't 100% sure how he felt about the novel, and when he went into why the story bothered him, I knew immediately that this was a novel I would add to my reading pile.

Of course I have gone one step further by asking Mark how he'd describe Prince of Thorns to someone who's never heard of the book before. Mark says: "A violent swords-and-sorcery romp, a moving poetic literary exploration of the human condition - take your pick."

The main character, Jorg, was quite an engaging character to write and Mark also shared why he thought Jorg appeals to some of his readers ... or not ... Mark adds: "He's clever, imaginative, unpredictable and dangerous, with hidden depths... what's not to like? His passionate and amoral nature will turn off readers looking for a hero to inspire them and engage readers with less simplistic expectations."

And as a scene from the novel that Mark reckons has high impact, he says: "I like the title scene, visited twice, where Jorg is in the thorns. If that doesn't touch you then you should probably chuck the book at that point."

With regard to what makes the world of Prince of Thorns stand apart from other books in its genre, Mark says: "I'd like to say the quality of the writing, but that's not my call. The most commonly cited reason is that the main character isn't a hero, and isn't an anti-hero either. Anti-heroes are variously hard-bitten loners who turn out to have a heart of gold and do the right thing whilst grumbling through it, or cowardly every-men who bumble through a tale accidentally succeeding and discovering hidden reserves. Jorg isn't like that."

And, lastly most authors can attest to the fact that writing a novel is pretty much a journey. Did writing the Broken Empire series changed him? Mark concludes: "Well that's hard to say. It's been written through some very dramatic years. I started the first book just before my daughter Celyn was born very badly damaged at birth and not expected to live. The past 8 years dealing with her severe disabilities have been life changing to say the least - writing has been a much needed diversion and the possibility of making a living whilst caring for Celyn has been very welcome as I may not be able to keep looking after her whilst continuing as a research scientist."

Curious? Want to read more? Go check out Mark's website at http://www.princeofthorns.com/ or follow his blog at http://mark---lawrence.blogspot.co.uk/

Now for the question. What is the title of the series that Prince of Thorns is part of? Email your answer to nerinedorman@gmail.com with your name and postal address, and if you're the lucky sod who comes in first with the correct answer, I'll forward your details to Mark, who'll be visiting the post office before long with your prize. Trust me, you *want* to read this book.