The Broken Empire Trilogy. Best series of all time

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Seventh

Golden Squire
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We had a thread for this back on the old boards, but didn't find one here. This series is pretty solid. Nothing groundbreaking but definitely worth a read.

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Once a privileged royal child, raised by a loving mother, Jorg Ancrath has become the Prince of Thorns, a charming, immoral boy leading a grim band of outlaws in a series of raids and atrocities. The world is in chaos: violence is rife, nightmares everywhere. Jorg's bleak past has set him beyond fear of any man, living or dead, but there is still one thing that puts a chill in him. Returning to his father's castle Jorg must confront horrors from his childhood and carve himself a future with all hands turned against him.
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http://www.goodreads.com/series/64473-the-broken-empire

I know a few folks here have read at least the first one. The second one was as good, and the third one just came out in the UK (next week for the US).

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...eror-of-thorns
 
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Grimmlokk

Grimmlokk

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I had no idea what this series was called, but I meant to make a thread for it months ago.

First book is pretty good, and once you get in to the POV it's great.

Second book is great, and by the end is outstanding. Jorg Ancrath is one of my favorite fantasy characters of all time. Almost entirely based on this second book. I don't want to spoil shit, and Ireallywant folks to read this series. So I'll go generic. Jorg Ancrath is probably one of the best torn characters ever, he is NOT a good person. His motives are questionable, but his goal is good. Probably.

Guh, I just deleted multiple sentences praising the books because they would be spoilers. So here's me keeping it generic.

Do you want a fantasy series with a protagonist who is nuanced and NOT a generic good guy? In a world that is not even vaguely generic fantasy? Good! Start reading Prince of Thorns!
 
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Renault

N00b
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I've been waiting to start this series until the final book came out and it was definitely worth the wait IMO. It's nice to have another author in the style of Cook and Abercrombie that doesn't rely on simple black or white characters and can actually write graphic violence without it feeling hackneyed or simple shock value.

Not much of a spoiler but
I really would have loved even more back story on the world from the Thousand Suns until the series starts and more on the Builders behind the scenes.
 
Zyke

Zyke

Silver Knight of the Realm
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I've been looking for new stuff to read. I've found a bunch of great series' on these boards I wouldn't have normally and I'll have to check this one out now too.
 
Selix

Selix

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As I read this fantastic series all I can think is "Some men just want to see the world burn"
 
Gask

Gask

Silver Baron of the Realm
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Well it's an ending and I can respect the author for not wanting to drag it out but it wouldn't have hurt him to add in a bit more story and less of Jorg doing whatever he felt like without undesired consequences. That said this is obviously what it sells itself on: a dark protagonist doing whatever he wants and getting what he wants at any given moment (mostly).

The Dead King being his brother was not a surprise to me and rather underwhelming/bizarre in that we are expected to believe that a child of 7 was twisted enough to reject an actual angel come to take him to paradise/mother and instead chose to become the lord of darkness and corruption... right. Jorg was a little freak but he had the briar poisoning, fever, enchantment and other factors to explain it at least. Also the concept of one or two men's will defining the reality of the entire world wasextremelyblah just as it was in that other fantasy series where humans crash landed on a planet where reality is shaped through thought/will. Meh.

It did leave me wondering how a world based on the rules of our reality sent that "wheel" spinning in the first place though, that could have been an interesting tale and it's a shame that he didn't touch on it at all.

Anyway it delivered on what it promised I suppose, was easy to read and fun at times.
 
S

Seventh

Golden Squire
892
15
Every installment in a series should start out with the quick synopsis of the previous books the way this one does.
 
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Seventh

Golden Squire
892
15
Not really a spoiler, just a line spoken regarding the main character that sums up what I love about this series.

"You cut off her head... So you'd have something to throw?"

So awesome.
 
Selix

Selix

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Seventh_sl said:
Not really a spoiler, just a line spoken regarding the main character that sums up what I love about this series.

"You cut off her head... So you'd have something to throw?"

So awesome.
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Hah That act did just come out of nowhere to remind you of just who he was. I think this is a book where there doesn't exist a hero. Not just an anti-hero but no hero at all as a main character. The closest they come is
is the Prince of Arrow who gets GoT'ed in short order. The closest we come to anti-hero is probably his father whose described in tones of being hardcore but not vindictive or vicious. But Jorg is just chaotic evil to the core and isn't trying to apologize to anyone for it.

This wasn't a series about good vs. evil rather about evil vs. evil and how they destroyed each other and caused massive destruction around them in the process. I would change the ending a bit though.
 
Grimmlokk

Grimmlokk

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I finished the 3rd book last night. My initial review is as follows.

HOLY SHIT.

Mark Lawrence has to have medicine balls in the place where a normal man would have testicles. He wrote a fucking trilogy where the hero is a worse motherfucker than the villains from most books, and made me root for that awful piece of shit without reservation. Not only did he pull off this ridiculous feat, but he ENDED THE FUCKING SERIES. It's a trilogy and that's fucking it, he didn't hedge his bets and leave the door open for any direct shit. The three books are the entire GD story. That's it. He built this awesome world, he gave us one of the best characters in fantasy history, and he told his entire story.


Fuuuuck. Fuck fuck.

Fuck.

I am looking forward to whatever the fuck Mark Lawrence wants to give us next, almost as much I'm looking forward to the 3rd Locke Lamora book. Which is actually pretty insane praise, because the next Lawrence book is absolutely imaginary to me at this point.
 
S

Seventh

Golden Squire
892
15
Also finished it last night. Basically ^ what he said. Awesome series, thought the ending was perfect too.

I initially thought the "two Ancraths in Vyene" bit was going to end up referring to Jorg and his son.
 
Zyke

Zyke

Silver Knight of the Realm
185
51
I just finished the last book. The whole series was awesome.

I don't know why but I saw the dead king being his brother, and it wasn't a surprise to me at all. They had dropped a bunch of subtle hints through out the series and I was sure who it was. Chella realizing who it was at one point basically confirmed it for me. That said I didn't see the end finishing in quite that way. It definitely took balls for the author to end it how it did and I really would've loved more back story, especially about the builders and the nuclear war that destroyed them. Still, I can see why it ended the way it did- ultimately it wasn't about them, they were just part of the setting.

I was slightly disappointed we never really got to see the united Empire raise its armies or anything like that, but overall I enjoyed the books immensely.
 
S

Seventh

Golden Squire
892
15
Also, found this on another forum:

If you re-read the description for the All-Throne, it's pretty much describing an electric chair.
 
Grimmlokk

Grimmlokk

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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Seventh_sl said:
Also, found this on another forum:

If you re-read the description for the All-Throne, it's pretty much describing an electric chair.
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Found the text.

We were reunited before the throne, a plain wooden chair, high-backed and sturdy, ancient work, crudely fashioned. Here and there gleaming bolt heads drew the eye, on the armrests, the front legs, the sides, smoothed flat to the wood. Legend had it that kings among the Builders had sat in this same seat and the same secret fire that ran through their machines had run through their veins. It had been shipped in across a great ocean long ago.

Yup=)
 
Rime

Rime

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GRRM hurt me, so I no longer pick up a series until it is finished (not counting sequels/prequels).

I am very pleased to learn that this is completed. I will be picking the books up with my next order.
 
Zyke

Zyke

Silver Knight of the Realm
185
51
Hah I didn't catch that about the chair. I really like all the things like that in this series.
 
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