The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen is about Sage, an orphan boy who is great at making his own way in the world. Whether it's stealing, lying, hiding or simply making mischief, Sage is an expert! It's a good thing, too, because when he is sold by the head of the orphanage where he's been staying to a ruthless man named Connor, Sage has to use all of his street smarts to stay alive. Connor collected 4 orphans, all with characteristics similar to the long lost Prince Jaron - youngest son of Eckbert, the King of Carthya. His plan? To train them all and select the best "false prince" to take over the kingdom now that King Eckbert, his wife and eldest son have been murdered. Sage wants absolutely no part in this plan, but knows if he doesn't go along with Connor he'll be killed. Sage also knows no matter which orphan is chosen to become Prince Jaron, the other three will be killed. Sage has to use all of the skills he learned on the streets to not only beat the other boys for the title of prince, but to try to figure out Connor's plan and stop him from rising to power.
This was an awesome story with an unexpected twist at the end! I absolutely loved all of the adventure and Sage's antics. This is the first book in The Ascendance Trilogy. I cannot wait until book two comes out! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy and adventure stories, particularly books like the Eragon Series, Faerie Wars Series, Looking Glass Wars Series, etc.
