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The False Prince is a young adult fantasy novel by Jennifer A. Nielsen. The book is the story of an orphan, Sage, told in the first person, who, with three other orphans, is taken by a nobleman and trained to impersonate the dead younger son of the king after the king, his queen, and his heir are murdered. I won’t spoil the plot for you, but it’s quite straightforward and the major twist that comes near the end is predictable.
I found the beginning of the book slow. The book is more of a historical romance set in an alternate universe than a fantasy. The characters are well written, the plot plodding but sensible. As the big twist approaches, the pace of the book picks up. The twist is revealed, and Nielsen quickly wraps the story up, setting up for the obligatory sequel, which I’m not sure I’ll read. This first volume is decent light entertainment, but there isn’t much new or innovative in it.
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