A Confusion of Princes
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Product Description
Review
Praise for Garth Nix
“[Garth Nix is] the coolest read in the playground.” Amanda Craig
"Sabriel is a winner, a fantasy that reads like realism. Here is a world with the same solidity and four-dimensional authority as our own, created with invention, clarity and intellience." Philip Pullman
“I think Garth Nix has created a really remarkable and persuasive wold, and done it in the grand style of high fantasy and heroic romance, with some wonderful twists and turns. His Sabriel is a heroine truly worthy of that role.” Lloyd Alexander
“By turns rousing, charming and slyly funny, Sabriel is an engaging tale that slays sexual stereotypes along with its monsters.” San Francisco Chronicle
“What makes LIRAEL a delight is the magic that Nix brings to his story and to his characters. It is filled with twists and turns, playful inventiveness and dark magic, and is sure to satisfy his many readers.” Locus
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.Product Description
You’d think being a Prince in a vast intergalactic empire would be about as good as it gets. Particularly when Princes are faster, smarter, and stronger than normal humans. Not to mention being mostly immortal.
But it isn’t as great as it sounds. Princes need to be hard to kill—as Khemri learns the minute he becomes one—for they are always in danger. Their greatest threat? Other Princes. Every Prince wants to become Emperor, and the surest way to do so is to kill, dishonor, or sideline any potential competitor. There are rules, but as Khemri discovers, rules can be bent and even broken.
There are also mysteries. Khemri is drawn into the hidden workings of the Empire and is dispatched on a secret mission. In the ruins of space battle he meets a young woman, called Raine, who challenges his view of the Empire, of Princes, and of himself.
But Khemri is a Prince, and even if he wanted to leave the Empire behind, there are forces there that have very definite plans for his future. . . .
But it isn’t as great as it sounds. Princes need to be hard to kill—as Khemri learns the minute he becomes one—for they are always in danger. Their greatest threat? Other Princes. Every Prince wants to become Emperor, and the surest way to do so is to kill, dishonor, or sideline any potential competitor. There are rules, but as Khemri discovers, rules can be bent and even broken.
There are also mysteries. Khemri is drawn into the hidden workings of the Empire and is dispatched on a secret mission. In the ruins of space battle he meets a young woman, called Raine, who challenges his view of the Empire, of Princes, and of himself.
But Khemri is a Prince, and even if he wanted to leave the Empire behind, there are forces there that have very definite plans for his future. . . .
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Interesting ideas, brilliant writing and genuinely innovative- this is by far the best book ive read so far this year. Its not easy to build an entire universe in 300 odd pages but Nix has achieved it with flying colours here- ive read entire series of books that dont get half as far. Whats more interesting still is he doesnt resort to (many) of the usual cliches. Would make a superb movie as well, as long as the makers of "avatar" arent allowed anywhere near it- Joss Whedon?... I want more!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I am a big fan of Garth Nix's Old Kingdom Trilogy, and was very excited to see a new teen title from him at last. A Confusion of Princes is a very different kind of story - definitely more sci-fi than fantasy. There was a great deal of jargon to get used to at the beginning. Some aspects of the story were alienating; such as Prince Khemri's arrogance and lack of concern for others and all the mind-and-body altered beings etc. I still haven't quite got my head around all the see-through panels in the priests' heads. I was beginning to wonder whether the book was for me, despite the excellence of the writing. I'm the sort of reader who likes characters I can identify with. It's always a tricky task to present an initially unlikeable character.
However, as the book progressed, I was really, really glad I hadn't given up. I found I was drawn into the story more and more. The personal journey of Prince Khemri became fascinating and was so cleverly handled by the author. Ultimately this is a dark and complex tale of good and evil, instinct and learned motivation, family and love. And the gradual revelations about the running of the empire keep the reader guessing until the very end. I thought it was brilliant.
However, as the book progressed, I was really, really glad I hadn't given up. I found I was drawn into the story more and more. The personal journey of Prince Khemri became fascinating and was so cleverly handled by the author. Ultimately this is a dark and complex tale of good and evil, instinct and learned motivation, family and love. And the gradual revelations about the running of the empire keep the reader guessing until the very end. I thought it was brilliant.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Karen for Big Book Little Book.
Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book is Khemri's personal account of when, at the age of 17, he becomes a fully fledged 'Prince', ready to connect with the 'Imperial Mind'. Taken from his human parents at the age of 1 he spent the following 16yrs being tweaked into a 'superhuman'. He shares typical 'Prince' characteristics of being arrogant and self absorbed with little regard to anyone else as he assumes them inferior to his almightiness. He feels that he is destined to become the next emperor and in the meantime, can jolly along in his own rather fancy ship exploring the galaxy. He gets a bit of a shock then when he finds out there are actually 10million Princes who don't believe in the adage of, 'The more the merrier' as they're competing with each other to gain favour from the Emperor.
To help the Princes complete the Empires bidding and to try and keep them alive, they are assigned 'Priests' who enable the Princes to psychically link up to the 'Imperial Mind'. These Priests ascribe to specialised vocations including the very influential 'assassins', so great if you have lots looking after you, not so great if you bump into another Prince who has more and doesn't want to be pen pals anytime soon.
Once the formalities of understanding Khemri's universe were out of the way, the action speeds up as Khemri ultimately wants to be chosen by the Imperial Mind to be 1 of the 1000 Princes selected to compete against each other to become the next 'Emporer'. During his generic training he battles alien attacks and avoids assassination attempts. It also becomes apparent that Khemri seems to be secretly favoured more than the other Princes.
We then see Khemri commence training for a secret vocation where he has to be stripped of his 'super powers' including his ability to connect with the 'Imperial Mind', traverse through simulated environments and then, for his final test before the selections, he is placed in a situation where a real human colony are in great danger of being wiped out. All whilst this is going on, the arrogant Khemri's heavily ingrained ideology and belief that being a 'Prince' is the ultimate way to live is challenged.
Verdict: Slow to get into, at least for an occasional reader of Sci Fi like myself but well worth the initial effort as the action gets intense and relentless. I really hope that Garth Nix isn't finished with this universe he's created!
Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book is Khemri's personal account of when, at the age of 17, he becomes a fully fledged 'Prince', ready to connect with the 'Imperial Mind'. Taken from his human parents at the age of 1 he spent the following 16yrs being tweaked into a 'superhuman'. He shares typical 'Prince' characteristics of being arrogant and self absorbed with little regard to anyone else as he assumes them inferior to his almightiness. He feels that he is destined to become the next emperor and in the meantime, can jolly along in his own rather fancy ship exploring the galaxy. He gets a bit of a shock then when he finds out there are actually 10million Princes who don't believe in the adage of, 'The more the merrier' as they're competing with each other to gain favour from the Emperor.
To help the Princes complete the Empires bidding and to try and keep them alive, they are assigned 'Priests' who enable the Princes to psychically link up to the 'Imperial Mind'. These Priests ascribe to specialised vocations including the very influential 'assassins', so great if you have lots looking after you, not so great if you bump into another Prince who has more and doesn't want to be pen pals anytime soon.
Once the formalities of understanding Khemri's universe were out of the way, the action speeds up as Khemri ultimately wants to be chosen by the Imperial Mind to be 1 of the 1000 Princes selected to compete against each other to become the next 'Emporer'. During his generic training he battles alien attacks and avoids assassination attempts. It also becomes apparent that Khemri seems to be secretly favoured more than the other Princes.
We then see Khemri commence training for a secret vocation where he has to be stripped of his 'super powers' including his ability to connect with the 'Imperial Mind', traverse through simulated environments and then, for his final test before the selections, he is placed in a situation where a real human colony are in great danger of being wiped out. All whilst this is going on, the arrogant Khemri's heavily ingrained ideology and belief that being a 'Prince' is the ultimate way to live is challenged.
Verdict: Slow to get into, at least for an occasional reader of Sci Fi like myself but well worth the initial effort as the action gets intense and relentless. I really hope that Garth Nix isn't finished with this universe he's created!
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