A scheming nobleman trains orphan boys to impersonate a lost prince, and one of them has secrets of his own
A dangerous game for a crown
The kingdom of Carthya is on the edge of civil war. A nobleman named Conner buys four orphan boys and takes them to his estate with a bold plan: one of them will be trained to impersonate Prince Jaron, the king's younger son, who disappeared years ago and is believed dead. Sage, a sharp-tongued thief, knows that the boys who are not chosen may not survive.
Who will enjoy it
Readers aged about ten to fourteen, and adults, who enjoy clever, twisty adventures with a witty, rebellious hero.
What you will get
A fast, clever and twisty adventure with a sharp-witted, unforgettable narrator, full of secrets, danger and a satisfying surprise you will want to talk about.
The False Prince Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Children’s Books · Adventure · Royal intrigue · Orphans
Length
352 pages · ≈ 10 h
More about this book
Sage tells the story in his own sarcastic, funny voice. He is chosen with Tobias, a bookish boy who is good at reading and maps, and Roden, a strong boy who is skilled with a sword. They have two weeks to learn how to ride, fence, read and behave like nobility, and to memorize the details of the royal family. Conner is charming and ruthless, and his servants, the gruff Mott and the menacing Cregan, watch every move.
News arrives that the king, the queen and the older prince have died suddenly, and the pressure to produce an heir grows. Sage resists every rule, wins over a servant girl named Imogen, and tries to work out what Conner is really planning. The rivalry between the boys grows dangerous, and there are moments of real threat and violence, handled in a way suitable for younger readers. Nielsen plants clues throughout, so the big twist feels both surprising and fair, and many readers immediately want to reread the book.
Gripping, funny and full of surprises, followed by The Runaway King. About 352 pages in the Scholastic paperback.
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