The False Prince (The Ascendance Series, Book 1)

Written by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Narrated by Charlie McWade

New York Times bestseller The False Prince thrills with wild twists and turns, danger and deceit, and the revelation of hidden identities that will have readers rushing breathlessly to the end.

In a discontented kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.An extraordinary adventure filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats.And don't miss the highly anticipated fourth book in the series, The Captive Kingdom, coming October 2020!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Scholastic Audio Books
• Release date: Apr 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9780545477222

Jennifer A. Nielsen

#1 New York Times Bestselling author, Jennifer Nielsen, was born and raised in northern Utah, where she still lives today with her family. She is the author of The Ascendance series, beginning with THE FALSE PRINCE; the TRAITOR’S GAME series, the historical novels, ICEBERG, A NIGHT DIVIDED, WORDS ON FIRE, LINES OF COURAGE and several other titles.  Jennifer has won multiple awards including the Sydney Taylor Notable Book Award (RESISTANCE, 2019), multiple Whitney Awards, including the Outstanding Achievement Award (2023), and several state book awards.  She loves chocolate, old books, and lazy days in the mountains.

Reviews for The False Prince (The Ascendance Series, Book 1)

[Sampie Engelbrecht · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

LISTEN TO IT!!
Sorry sorry but honestly I was 9 when I first listened to this (younger then I should have i suggest this for 11 and literally anyone above ) but this book the series actually has changed me as an individual and shaped me as a person I freaking love this book still like 5 years later please listen to it it might not change you as it did me but still a great book that I'm to this day obsessed with this book is the reason I got into writing and now here I am dreaming of becoming an author Jennifer a Nielsen is a literal genius honestly

Hope this helps

[claudia walbom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Once the twist was obvious, I felt mislead by the main character/author. The way Sage responded to certain things was incongruent at best, and -knowing the truth- borderline sociopathic. I took the time to go back to specific parts to see what I had missed. I hadn’t missed anything and debated whether to finish the book or not. I’m glad I did finish it. In all fairness, it is a wonderful story over all.

[sam.brailsford · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book. Enjoyed listening to it on audio.would highly recommend. I am an 11 year old boy.

[Angela · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Such a good book, maybe one of her best ones yet!!! One of the best authors ever!! loved the characters!

[jennmullen82 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

OMG!!! Best book ever! I read a lot of books and this is in my top five! I won’t spoil it but, I will say..... a poor orphan named Sage is taken to a regents house, Bevin Conner. The king, queen, and their son have died. Bevin Conner takes in four orphans to teach one to become the youngest of the two princes, who was supposedly murdered by pirates.The fate of the boys not chosen is harsh and may be death. Roden, the strongest of the two boys becomes Sage’s friend. Tobias is arrogant and hot headed. He threatens the two boys and makes plans of his own. Latimer is sickly and weak.He may not even survive a day a Farthenwood, Bevin Conner’s estate.Sage is a bold boy. He will not let anyone have control over him and has a funny habit of rolling a coin over his fingers. When Sage is around things tend to go missing, but he is never proven a thief. Which orphan will become the youngest prince Jaron? What date awaits for the failures? Read this and find out.

[Johannah Doll · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This had me finding excuses to go to work early just so I could listen to more of the story. I loved it!

[Emily Hodson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I liked the plot twists
Sage seemed annoying at first but made up for it in the end! Would recommend

[Melissa Street · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love vileness in books and romance and danger.
Alli

[sam platt · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This feels like the Brandon mull series, anyone feel me?

[Jill Morgan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really enjoyed this book. Found myself loving the surprises around many corners. Great characters you love and hate. A bit slow at first but the story explodes. Great book - I recommend it!!

[A · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved the book! Enjoyed the plot. The False Prince is very well-written, and interesting! If you're thinking about reading it or listening to it I believe you should! The book is a 10/10!

[Chanda · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book had so many twists and turns with the characters, plot and direction it had my head spinning! Love all the unpredictability

[Felicia Cannon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was listening to this book only as something to listen to to go to sleep. Well that didn’t work! This book kept me up anxious for what would happen next! I can’t wait to listen to the next in the series!

[Fatima Agustine Trinidad · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4.5 stars!! To be honest I just tried this book cause I'm bored, but once I started I got hooked. This book is really good!! I love the characters and the twist of the story. Worth the time. I also love the voice of the narrator

[Stephani Carpenter · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I started reading this as a preview for my kids and I loved it!! The author is a great storyteller, and the story holds your attention and surprises you!

[Tameka · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Exciting book
Love it very adventurous to read and Loren too

[mrnattania · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

AWESOME, recommended by an 11 year old. I loved this book and cannot wait for the next book.

[Zion's Child · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book book awesome! Can’t wait to start book 2.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have to say that I didn't much like Sage when the story began. I thought he was too arrogant and too sure that he was smarter than everyone around him. He was an orphan boy but he wasn't at all downtrodden. He was an accomplished pickpocket, thief and general rogue. I grew to like him much more as the story progressed because I saw that along with the arrogance he had a good heart and wanted the best for his country.When he was sold by the woman in charge of the orphanage where he lived, he finally met someone who had the power of life and death over him. Conner was a noblemen and one of twenty regents of the country of Carthya. Conner was looking for an orphan boy that he could mold into a false prince to take over the kingdom and be his puppet king. Conner was unhappy with the rule of the current king because he felt that he was leaving the country vulnerable to attack from neighboring rival countries. Sage was just one of the boys he picked up. He also picked up Roden, Tobias, and Latamer. When Latamer says that he isn't interested in Conner's plot, Conner kills him which really convinces Sage that he is serious and dangerous. He becomes convinced that only one of the boys will live through the experience of becoming the false prince and is determined that it will be him. But he has no intention of being Conner's puppet king.The boys are taken to Conner's estate where they are educated and tested so that Conner can determine which of the boys will be most able to take the role of the lost Prince Jaron. Conner has two servants who are in on his plan - Mott and Cregan. Mott is loyal to Conner because he believes that his plan is best for the country. Cregan is loyal because he wants what Conner has promised but he is also a cruel bully. Sage goes along with the program but doesn't bend to Conner's will despite beatings, imprisonment, and starvation. He is constantly sneaking out of his room and exploring the estate. He befriends a mute kitchen girl who helps him and who has a secret of her own. He also learns about the other boys even though they are all rivals for the same position. And he learns about Conner's plot and what he will do and has already done to make things turn out the way he plans.The story is filled with intrigue, adventure, and danger. There are many twists and turns and some surprising revelations. I think that the story is complete as it stands but am still looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy. Readers who like adventure and intrigue will enjoy this one.

[Lindsey Pizza · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Slow beginning. But ended good.. good book all in all.

[eburggraf_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

VOYA - Erika Sogge SchneiderSage is a fourteen-year-old boy who lives in an orphanage in the kingdom of Carthya. Can a wealthy aristocrat named Conner rescue him from his pauper's fate? Sage learns that although Conner has purchased him from the orphanage, his fate is not secure. Conner has a bold plot to train three orphan boys to impersonate Carthya's lost prince. Due to the treasonous nature of his plot, only the boy who can best impersonate the lost prince will be allowed to live. Will Sage be able to overcome his obstinate nature and his penchant for finding trouble in time to win the crown? While the basic premise of the plot is sound, the first half of the book leaves much to be desired. The setting of Carthya is not chronicled in enough detail for readers to feel like they have really entered this fictional world. In addition, a number of the characters feel too basic and undeveloped. Many young adult readers may abandon this book because they are not able to understand the characters' motivations within the first one hundred pages. While the end of the book takes a surprising turn and neatly ties things together in an unexpected way, many young adult readers will not expend their energy toiling through the pages to get to the rewarding ending. Although this book may not be the best fit for the average young adult reader, students who like fantasy with kings, queens, castles, and power struggles may find this book worthwhile

[Amalia Verbeek · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It’s full of action and adventure, I absolutely love the way the writer gives you enough to know about the main character but you learn unexpected new things about the character. The writing draws you in and, I will personally recommend it to people

[sparkleponies · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved the story. Sage is a great character with lots of potential. He is clever and strong willed. Sage and Connor's relationship is one of partnership and victim. Sage has the upper hand in the end.

[lthoman_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The PlotThe False Prince is the story of Sage, a 14-year-old orphan struggling to survive in the fictional kingdom of Carthya. At the opening of the book, Sage is purchased by Conner, a wealthy nobleman. Conner also purchases three other boys similar in age and appearance to Sage. The boys aren’t sure of the reason for Conner rounding up orphans, but they know it’s probably not good.Soon, Conner reveals his plot: he intends to groom them to impersonate Prince Jaron, lost prince of Carthya, so that one of them can take over the throne and save the kingdom. They will have two weeks to transform into Jaron. One of the will be selected for a future of luxury and power. The other three, Conner implies, will not have much of a future at all.Through the two weeks leading up to Conner’s selection, Sage and the other boys struggle to learn all the skills and knowledge befitting a prince, from swordplay and horseback riding to reading, table manners, and the history of Carthya. Their competition is fueled by the knowledge that not being chosen by Conner will result in a fate worse than any they faced in their previous lives as orphans.My ThoughtsThis book was so much fun to read. It was a refreshing change of pace from many of the other books I’ve been reading lately. The False Prince is a witty and engrossing story that doesn’t have a ton of action or adventure, but has plenty of intrigue fueled by engaging characters.Sage narrates the book in the first person, but he only ever lets us know as much as he wants us to know. So there were several surprises throughout the course of the narrative, when Sage finally decided to clue us into a past action or motivation.I loved the characters in this book. Nearly all of them were nuanced, with no clear-cut bad guys or good guys (at least until the end). Even Conner, with his devious and treacherous plot, keeps you guessing as to his true motivations. And while Sage starts out disliking his fellow princes-in-training, he eventually forms a tenuous friendship with them as we understand that they, too, are just 14-year-old boys that are in over their heads.As for Sage himself, he was clever, witty, and reckless. He was frustrating at times, but what 14-year-old boy isn’t? It was exciting to see the story unfold through his eyes. And although Sage is indisputably the hero of this story, he has definite weaknesses and flaws, which is kind of refreshing. Too often I think male protagonists are just good at everything, and it gets annoying. Sage can indeed be annoying, but it’s not because he’s The Awesomest Ever. It’s because he’s a kid, and kids can be kind of annoying. But he was also likable and charismatic, and I was completely rooting for him.And the story…I just loved it. It’s a fairly simple story that takes place almost entirely in the same setting (Conner’s estate). But the challenges the boys face, the constant threat of what Conner will do with the boys who are not chosen, and the slow revealing of the nature of the royal court of Carthya, made this book hard to put down.Actually, it was impossible to put down. I thought I was going to put it down and go bed, and then a huge twist completely woke me up. So I wound up reading the entire thing in one day.Although this is the first book in a trilogy, the ending wraps up the events in this book neatly. So you won’t find yourself frustrated with a cliffhanger ending. I kind of hate when a book ends on a cliffhanger, then I have to wait months (or more) to find out what happens. This one is open to sequels, but doesn’t need a sequel for you to feel satisfied.I’d recommend this book to anyone, be they young teens or adults, male or female. It’s easy to read, totally engrossing, and left me feeling utterly content and happy at the end. Needless to say, I am eagerly awaiting the sequel!

[macjest · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I very much enjoyed this book. It had shades of David Eddings in it. Sage reminds me a little of Silk. This is supposed to be a trilogy but I think this first book is great even as a stand alone.

[Diana Martínez Trejo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

No me enganchó en realidad, no creo continuar con la serie.
Aunque la autora claramente deja asuntos inconclusos con la idea de alargar la serie, no son lo suficiente interesantes, en mi opinión, para que despierte interés por los siguientes libros.

[ediaz11 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Once you have exceeded the number in which it can be viewed you can’t listen to it. I am 97 and I want to listen to this book again I can’t so sad oh If you don’t believe me I am saying my son writes these for me I just tell him what to say I am 97 and I am blind and I am to poor to purchase books with braille. So sad ? I can’t listen to the books fox this or I will unsubscribe

[liveshipvivacia · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This fast paced book had me hooked from the first couple of pages. It's almost impossible not to root for Sage from the very beginning-- the underdog always has a certain appeal. And the ride he took me on, where I read almost the entire book in one day, was well worth it.

Perhaps it's because it was intended for a younger audience, but the chapters could have been a bit longer. A few more details, particularly on how the different countries were developed and what differentiated them, could have been useful. I know next to nothing about what makes Carthya special, nor what really separates it from Avenia. A few notations here and there could have gone a long way.

The characterization could have been stronger, but it sufficed. I sympathized heavily with Sage and could easily grasp his emotions and conceive them as my own. The dramatic setting, along with the emotional involvement, was dead on.

The major quibble I have is that the plot twist wasn't much of a twist. While I was both hoping and dreading the idea of Sage being Prince Jaron, I feel the story suffered from it being true. I would have much more enjoyed a tale where Sage *wasn't* Jaron, where it *couldn't* be wrapped up so neatly, and seen how the author had handled it from there. I would have liked to have seen Sage suffer with Conner underfoot, knowing that he, along with Roden and Tobias, knew the truth. And seen him trying to hold the throne all the while aware he could be deposed easily.

Nielsen has set the stage beautifully for the next book. Civil war, along with war from two other countries, looms heavily in Sage/Jaron's future. For a boy who's been out of the loop for four years, this could be a very daunting prospect. It'd be good to see whether all of his father's regents trust him, both on the idea of him coming out of nowhere to reclaim his throne and based upon his past, reckless behavior. Is the boy king, who was reputed to be the "bane" of his father's reign, up to the challenge? Has he changed enough in the four years he spent as Sage to successfully navigate both the throne and the regents who want his spot? Moreover, what about those other "Prince Jarons", pretenders to the throne? Will they resurface?

The False Prince raises some very interesting questions and I look forward to seeing how Nielsen handles Jaron's reign. I also look forward to seeing when the next book comes out, because there's no word yet on it. It's a shame. This excellent, fast paced book will hook readers...and leave them begging for more.

[julie_loves_to_read · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While the supporting characters were a tad stereotypical and predictable, overall this book is a big win. Shelved by my library as YA (perhaps since the main character is 12), this book seems more suitable for the younger end of the "Middle grade" audience.

Reading as an adult, I predicted the big twist about 1/3 of the way through. It will be interesting to see if my fantasy obsessed, precocious reader son (currently in 3rd grade) also predicts the big reveal.

I can see why people compare The False Prince to The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner. Of the two, I prefer The False Prince.

[Shaqueen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Love this book!!!!