Tag: The Broken Empire

Sunday Summary

Sunday Summary – 26th August 2018

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It hasn’t been a good week on the reading front; I’ll hold up my hands and be honest. I’ve been putting off writing this Sunday Summary in the hopes that I could somehow redeem myself… but no. To an extent I have an excuse – I have family visiting again, so I’ve spent pretty much the last three days with them. That doesn’t really make up for the rest of the week though. Let me tell you what I have done! I have to make this sound good somewhere…

On Tuesday I published my audiobook review of Nevernight by Jay Kristoff. I have been listening to the audiobook on and off for absolutely AGES. It feels good to have been able to wrap that one up at last!

Then, on Thursday, I continued my new Throwback Thursday mini-review series by featuring The Broken Empire series by Mark Lawrence. I was gobsmacked to receive thanks from the author for my review! Unless I am writing a review as part of an active request, I feel awkward tagging authors in my posts, so I don’t. It just goes to show that even so, authors can still find your work.

 

Books Read

 

Okay, so this section of my post is going to be abysmal. Sure, it looks good because there is three pictures… but its bad news. Brace yourselves.

On Sunday, after publishing last week’s Sunday Summary post, I blitzed The Relic Guild by Edward Cox. I suppose this is the one section of “good news” because finishing that equated to reading the last seventy pages or so in one sitting, quite late on. I got to bed about 1am. Aha… That’s it on the positive front.

I read one chapter of The Eye of the World, during a lunch hour last week. That equates to 3%. So much for trying to make progress on this!

Knowing that time was running short, I picked up the next book on the list. Three Bloody Pieces fared a little better in terms of reading time. I managed to read the first few chapters of this one, equating to about 10%. Still not great, I know. And I did all this in one sitting on Friday night… because I had sussed that it was a bad week at this point.

 

 

I guess I shouldn’t beat myself up. We all have bad weeks. Yes, I had a few things on, but I know I procrastinated plenty too. Try harder next time, Rebecca.

 

Books Discovered

 

I’ve not been too out of control this week, I am pleased to say. I may not have been reading enough to take books off the list, but I’ve not really added them either.

I have only purchased one book this week, and it is a copy of The Truth by Terry Pratchett. I am slowly working my way through the Discworld series, so technically, this is already on my list. It’s a few books down the line, admittedly, but I was always going to get to it. Might as well buy it when at a discounted price, right?!

 

Coming Up…

Because I have family over, the schedule is going to be a little different this week!

down the tbr holeInstead of my usual Tuesday review, I am going to allow myself some breathing space. I am so caught up on reviews, it’s scary. To that end, I am going to look at my TBR and publish the next Down the TBR Hole post. Hopefully, I’ll be able to whittle down the list a little bit more and filter out some books that I’m not so sure about anymore.

I won’t hold my breath! My posts haven’t been very good at shortening the TBR lately…

 

My next post will be published on Saturday, for a change! It’ll be the first of a new month and so it is time to publish my reading list for September! I have lots of ARCs to read and blog tours coming up, so it’s going to be a busy one!

I’ll have to get a wriggle on!

Throwback Thursday Mini-Review: The Broken Empire – Mark Lawrence

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As a reader and reviewer of fantasy novels, I spend a lot of my time talking about the tropes of the genre. More often than not, I’m criticising one or another as I feel they are overused. An orphaned child becoming the Chosen one. A prophetic coming-of-age tale is but another common example.

The series I am featuring today should be recognised for not following the footsteps of others by relying on common fantasy themes that now define the genre – The Broken Empire by Mark Lawrence

 

Synopsis…

Before the thorns taught me their sharp lessons and bled weakness from me I had but one brother, and I loved him well. But those days are gone and what is left of them lies in my mother’s tomb. Now I have many brothers, quick with knife and sword, and as evil as you please. We ride this broken empire and loot its corpse. They say these are violent times, the end of days when the dead roam and monsters haunt the night. All that’s true enough, but there’s something worse out there, in the dark. Much worse.

From being 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 has the ability to master the living and the 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.

Mark Lawrence’s debut novel tells a tale of blood and treachery, magic and brotherhood and paints a compelling and brutal, and sometimes beautiful, picture of an exceptional boy on his journey toward manhood and the throne.

 

My Thoughts…

To suggest that Jorg Ancrath is an anti-hero is a major understatement. He is a See You Next Tuesday kind of guy.

Kids, if you don’t know what this means, you are too young for this series and my review. Come back in ten years… and for god’s sake don’t Google it either.

The series is definitely for those of a more mature mindset. I read these at the age of 18 and the content didn’t particularly bother me. It’s bloody, violent and hints at sexual violence. It’s a series that you will either really get on with, or these things will make you run for the hills.

 

I, however, really enjoyed reading this series with a **less-than-perfect** main character.

 

There are a lot of fantasy books with main characters that have great intentions but screw up somewhere down the line. Whilst there are a good number of altruistic people out there, realistically most people aren’t. We have moments of selfishness. We want things we shouldn’t, or we behave inappropriately. We are only human after all.

Jorg’s character takes this to an EXTREME level; I am not condoning his actions for a second. That being said, I found it refreshing to read the anti-hero’s side from a human, intimate perspective. Many demonise these characters and define them only for their crimes… not who they are. Jorg had a troubled childhood. This is not offered as an excuse, but more an explanation. As a reader, you cannot help but pity the young boy for his position and root for him to redeem himself.

If you were in his position, would you not seek redemption in much the same way?