Warning: This article discusses topics of violence and sexual assault.
Mark Lawrence’s books are endearing and gripping reads, butsome titles stand out more than others. The author is best known for writing severallengthy fantasy book series, includingThe Red Queen’s WarandThe Broken Empirecollections. Even though there are plenty ofgreat fantasy book series with happy endingsto enjoy, Lawrence’s works typically delve into the hardships and flaws of his characters.
Over the years, Lawrence has continued to introduce all manner of interesting personalities to the world of fantasy literature. While some of his protagonists are selfish and hard to find redeeming qualities in,the author always finds a way to get readers invested in his characters. Mark Lawrence is already a well-celebrated author, and he’s likely to keep gaining prominence in the upcoming years, so it’s well worth checking out his best books.
10Prince Of Thorns
The Broken Empire, Book 1 - Released In 2011
Prince of Thornsis the first title in Mark Lawrence’sThe Broken Empireseries, which follows a young boy named Jorg and his gang of marauders. While it is an intriguing read and a decent start to the series,it’s worth noting thatPrince of Thornsis not for the fainthearted.Jorg is a complicated character, and in the earlier half of the book, it’s hard to root for him.
The beginning of the book is full of graphic imagery and there are also scenes that depict sexual assault, which is rather wild and unexpected. While it’s difficult to justify Jorg’s behavior, his later character arc and parts of his backstory paint him in a slightly better light. However, Jorg is also the most endearing of the characters, which is a tad disappointing, as everyone is pretty horrible.
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Prince of Thornsis rife with gory violence, although there could be more action throughout. Even though Jorg is a risky protagonist, who is inspired byAlex fromA Clockwork Orange(viaGoodreads),Prince of Thornsis still compelling, at least enough to warrant checking out the other entries in the series.
9The Girl And The Moon
Book Of The Ice, Book 3 - Released In 2022
The Girl and the Moonis one of Mark Lawrence’s more recent titles, and the third in theBook of Iceseries. The novel rejoins Yaz on the planet Abeth, just as the Ice triber arrives at the Corridor and the Convent of Sweet Mercy.The Girl and the Moonisthe lastBook of Iceinstallment, and it’s also the best, as it demonstrates Yaz’s character development throughout the series as her quest reaches a climax. However, a lot of the narrative relies on the sisters’ relationship and Lawrence’s world building.
The Girl and the Moonis a solid and endearing novel, although there are certain things that pull readers back to reality.
While these qualities are both fantastic, they require readers to fully immerse themselves in all three books.The Girl and the Moonis a solid and endearing novel, although there are certain things that pull readers back to reality. Yaz survives death so often that it borders on unrealistic, but asThe Girl and the Moonis arecent fantasy book that will probably be a classic someday, it’s easy enough to disconnect and turn a blind eye to this.
8The Wheel Of Osheim
The Red Queen’s War, Book 3 - Released In 2016
The third title in Lawrence’sThe Red Queen’s Warseries,The Wheel of Osheim,focuses on the titular threat and protagonist Jalan Kendeth’s struggles over what to do with Loki’s key.The Wheel of Osheimis a fantastic ending to the trilogy. Jalan’s character development is fabulous, and his decision to ultimately step away from a life of drinking and flirting for the sake of saving the world is fascinating to see pan out.
While there’s no doubt thatThe Wheel of Osheimis a great story, there are some elements that let it down. While some find it engaging, many struggle with the timeline.The Red Queen’s Warseries interweaves its narrative with several other works of Lawrence’s, which is sometimes so convoluted that it’s hard to piece together mentally, and it takes a couple of reads to fully understand.
Jalan is a comical and likable protagonist, although he shares some parallels withThe Broken Empire’s Jorg. The journey to the end is so anticipated, too, but some feel that the climax burns out too quickly. Despite this, it’s still arguably one ofthe best fantasy books of the 2010s.
7Holy Sister
Book Of The Ancestor, Book 3 - Released In 2019
Holy Sisteris the last full title in Lawrence’sBook of the Ancestorseries, whichsees Nona’s story reach an exciting conclusion. The novel is split across two timelines, one that kicks off immediately after the events ofGrey Sister, and the other set three years after. Despite the jumps in the narrative, Lawrence does an excellent job of keeping the story concise and well-paced.
The only down-side to this, however, is that certain things that happen between the books aren’t explained very well and require the reader to go back for clarification. There are plenty of moments that are amazing and take readers by surprise, but there are also several occasions in which the events of the story feel nonsensical.
While it is an enjoyable read,Holy Sisterdoes miss some of the magic that makes the first twoBook of the Ancestornovels so engaging.Plot wise, it’s relatively flawless, but with major events happening off the page and Nona’s strange decision-making at times, there’s something missing.
6The Liar’s Key
The Red Queen’s War, Book 2 - Released In 2015
The Red Queen’s War’s second installment,The Liar’s Key, revisits Jalan after he gets his hands on Loki’s Key. There are some fantastic examples of well-written action sequences and endearing metaphors throughout, two elements that Lawrence is frequently praised for. However,The Liar’s Key’s best factors are also the novel’s biggest hindrances.
The Liar’s Keywas Lawrence’s longest book at the time of publication, but it’s brilliant that he takes the time to outline his character’s personalities and the details of the novel’s fictional universe. At the same time,The Liar’s Key’s lengthy word count results in some pacing issues.
There are big spans of the book that are rather dull and little happens on the page. In fact, a good number of the events in the book’s first half feel recycled. While there are plenty of juicy bits of narrative scattered throughout, including some exciting lore, it can feel like an effort to get to them. One thing that helps redeem this, though, is the intense cliffhanger that sets up the events ofThe Wheel of Osheim.
5King Of Thorns
The Broken Empire, Book 2 - Released In 2012
Jorg is far from a better character inThe Broken Empire’s second title,King of Thorns, but at leastLawrence fully leans into his protagonist’s anarchism this time around.Jorg realizes that he isn’t a good king, and while he begins the book as the violent and angry teenager that readers know him to be, the reflections he makes later on provide layers to his characterization.
King of Thornscan be considered abook that blends fantasy and horror. Certain parts of it can be difficult to read, such as one particular scene involving an innocent dog. The multiple timelines and narratives can be a struggle to follow at times, but if readers can keep up, it’s worth it.
The sections from Katherine’s diary are particularly interesting, especially as so much ofPrince of ThornsandKing of Thornsfocuses on Jorg. Although Jorg is the worst thing about the book, he’s also the best, and his sociopathic behavior is undoubtedly thrilling, regardless of how readers view him. However,King of Thornsisn’t as good asThe Broken Empire’s final installment.
4Grey Sister
Book Of The Ancestor, Book 2 - Released In 2018
Grey Sisteris the standout of theBook of the Ancestorseries, mainly because of Nona’s character development. The second title of the collection follows Nona as she decides which kind of Sister to become.Nona is a powerful protagonist with a lot going for her,although her incredible abilities are often so strong that it seems like she lacks any proper obstacles on her journey.
he’s not the same character as before, but even with the two-year time jump betweenRed SisterandGrey Sister, Nona is still familiar enough. Sherzal is a fascinatingfantasy book villain, but she occasionally overshadows Nona’s story because of how compelling she is.
The most notable development inGrey SisterfromRed Sister, however, is the structure of the book.Grey Sisterjumps between multiple points of view, and while each is intriguing enough, the characters’ voices start to sound overly similar later in the book. However, this is only a minor issue, and Lawrence’s development ofBook of the Ancestor’s world makes up for it.
3Prince Of Fools
The Red Queen’s War, Book 1 - Released In 2014
Prince of Foolsis the first inThe Red Queen’s Warseries, and the story that introduces Prince Jalan Kendeth to readers. The other two titles can arguably be enjoyed without readingPrince of Fools, but it isn’t advised, as the first novel provides plenty of essential lore and character details.Meeting Jalan for the first time and witnessing his growthfrom a lazy and irrelevant royal to someone who questions his surroundings is very endearing.
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Some of Lawrence’s best attempts at world-building are apparent throughoutPrince of Fools, which establishes a beautiful Nordic setting. Although a good chunk of time is dedicated to Jalan’s travels, which can sometimes slow the book’s pacing, there are still plenty of poignant moments.
Jalan is supposed to be an irritating and unlikeable character, at least at first, butit’s hard not to get invested in his story. He’s a bit of a coward and is quite out-of-touch at times, but this also makes him a relatable character. Jalan’s unlikely friendship with Snorri is unique, too, and their budding bond plays a significant part inPrince of Fools’ popularity.
2The Book That Wouldn’t Burn
The Library Trilogy, Book 1 - Released In 2023
The Library Trilogy’s first title,The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, is an amazingbook that perfectly blends the sci-fi and fantasy genres. The novel jumps between the points of view of the poverty-stricken Livira and Evar, a young man who has spent his entire life locked inside a massive library. Compared to some of Lawrence’s other works,The Book That Wouldn’t Burn’s narrative and themes are far more profound.
While Lawrence’s fantasy novels often focus on wars or the search for justice,The Book That Wouldn’t Burndelves into the mystery of personal memories and escapism.Lawrence’s choice of language is beautiful throughout, and it makes Livira’s and Evar’s stories that more compelling.
The two lead characters’ lifestyles are completely different, but in the face of a collapsing society, they manage to form a connection in thisdystopian book. AlthoughThe Book That Wouldn’t Burnfaces small criticisms about its length and development of supporting characters, for the beginning of such an ambitious trilogy, it’s astonishing.
1Emperor Of Thorns
The Broken Empire, Book 3 - Released In 2013
The last full-length entry inThe Broken Empireseries isEmperor of Thorns, which stands out as Lawrence’s best book to date.The 2013 novel wraps up Jorg’s story brilliantly, and after two books and hundreds of pages, the payoff is worth it. Jorg would make abrilliant movie anti-heroin a film adaptation ofEmperor of Thorns, which is so well-written that it’s easy to picture it on the silver screen.
His behavior throughout is unpredictable, and while there are moments where it seems like Jorg has improved for the better, he proves readers otherwise.Thisfantasy book contains shocking plot twiststhat are incredibly unexpected, and with every turn of the page, it’s hard to guess what will happen next.
Lawrence’s use of language and sentence structure is beautiful, and this makes Jorg’s development from boy to man throughoutThe Broken Empireseries that much more compelling.
Lawrence’s use of language and sentence structure is beautiful, and this makes Jorg’s development from boy to man throughoutThe Broken Empireseries that much more compelling. The epilogue alone proves thatEmperor of Thornsis the crown jewel ofMark Lawrence’s works, as well as why he’s such a powerful and intelligent author in general.
