Emperor of Thorns is the final book in the trilogy The Broken Empire. I have found myself engrossed time and time again by the characters and story that Mark Lawrence has created. The main character, Jorg, is not what you would call a hero, not in any sense of the word. He murders, sometimes for the fun of it. He sleeps around and at times is contrary just for the hell of it. Even with the fact that he is a clear antihero, you find yourself rooting for him and his goals.
If one line could sum up the contents of a book the phrase "Dark times call for dark choices. Choose me." would be the phrase. This book is dark. The world in which this book takes place is not a pretty one. People are living in the crumbling remains of a past society that has mainly been forgotten. There is clear evidence that this world was devastated by nuclear disaster and they are trying to put things the way they were as best they can.
As with the first two books of this series the timeline jumps back and forth. It gives you a current look at Jorg and his situation and it also gives you a glimpse into different parts of his past that has some import on what is going to happen. When you reach the end of the book you will not find the ending you expect, but you will find an ending that makes perfect sense given the world and the character.
If you are looking for a book to set aside all fantasy tradition and tropes, a book that treads in uncharted territory, then this book is for you. This book series, in its way, is just like the New York Yankees. You either love it or you hate it. Middle ground is basically nonexistent.
Rating: 4.5 stars
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