Hailed as "epic fantasy on a George R. R. Martin scale, but on speed" (Fixed on Fantasy), the Broken Empire trilogy introduced a bold new world of dark fantasy with the story of Jorg Ancrath' s devastating rise to power. Now, Mark Lawrence returns to the Broken Empire with the tale of a less ambitious prince The Red Queen is old but the kings of the Broken Empire dread her like no other. For all her reign, she has fought the long war, contested in secret, against the powers that stand behind nations, for higher stakes than land or gold. Her greatest weapon is The Silent Sister-- unseen by most and unspoken of by all. The Red Queen' s grandson, Prince Jalan Kendeth-- drinker, gambler, seducer of women-- is one who can see The Silent Sister. Tenth in line for the throne and content with his role as a minor royal, he pretends that the hideous crone is not there. But war is coming. Witnesses claim an undead army is on the march, and the Red Queen has called on her family to defend the realm. Jal thinks it' s all a rumor-- nothing that will affect him-- but he is wrong. After escaping a death trap set by the Silent Sister, Jal finds his fate magically intertwined with a fierce Norse warrior. As the two undertake a journey across the Empire to undo the spell, encountering grave dangers, willing women, and an upstart prince named Jorg Ancrath along the way, Jalan gradually catches a glimmer of the truth: he and the Norseman are but pieces in a game, part of a series of moves in the long war-- and the Red Queen controls the board.
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“It’s not quite an outright comedy, but it comes very close. Jalan is a great character—he’s a Falstaffian ne’er-do-well, and he’s content to remain that way—and the story is as richly told as the earlier trilogy: the author makes this place, a post-cataclysm earth of the far future, feel as real as any place you’ve ever visited. For fans of the Broken Empire series and readers who enjoy a good, epic-sized fantasy story (readers of, say, George R. R. Martin), this is a must-read.”
— Booklist
“Set in another part of the world Lawrence explored in his Broken Empire series, the book’s exciting action and quick-witted dialog make it a fantastic summer page-turner for epic fantasy fans.”
— Library Journal (starred review)“Shrewd Jalan and honorable Snorri make a marvelous team, lightening a very dark story with wry humor. The brisk adventure and black magic will leave readers eager for the next chapter in the series.”
— Publishers Weekly“Unfazed by unusual characters, creatures, and happenings, narrator Tim Gerard Reynolds reads this tangled saga without hesitation…This adventure is imbued with humor, endless dialogue, and tortuous twists. Kendreth’s droll attitude is captured perfectly by Reynolds…Reynolds adds accents to differentiate each character, varying his intonation and pacing, and capturing the excitement of strange new lands.”
— AudioFileBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Mark Lawrence is the author of fantasy novels, including the Broken Empire trilogy, the Red Queen’s War trilogy, and the Book of the Ancestor series. He is also a research scientist working on artificial intelligence. He is a dual national with both British and American citizenship, and has held secret-level clearance with both governments.
Tim Gerard Reynolds is an established audiobook narrator who has won several AudioFile Earphones Awards and was a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award for Best Fantasy Narration. He trained for the stage at the Samuel Beckett Center at Trinity College in Dublin and the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center in New London, Connecticut.