The False Prince

"The False Prince" by Jennifer A. Nielsen is the first in a trilogy Fantasy series aimed at middle grade readers. The thing is, we adult ladies loved it! The main character, Sage, is an orphan roped into a ruse by a nobleman to find a replacement for the young prince lost at sea to pirates. He soon discovers there is a mystery that is much more than just a ruse, it's a scheme to supplant a false prince in place of an heir presumed dead-and he knows that beyond dishonesty, there is more to this than meets the eye. Trapped in a situation where he can't really be honest, yet can't really take the situation at its face, Sage is challenged both physically and emotionally throughout. There is much intrigue, and clever writing that led many of our book club to race through the other two books before we even met!

Though aimed at a younger audience, each of us reflected on just how easy it was to get lost in the world of Sage and his companions, searching for the answers to mysteries and rooting for him. It was quite honestly, a delightful read and a wonderful choice for summer. It is a great story for the entire family and filled with enough energy and character to last.