Publication Date: April 2012

Synopsis:

In a discontent 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.

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What To Expect:

Readers can expect a juvenile/YA fantasy about a young orphaned boy who is expected to impersonate a prince in order to avoid civil war. There are complex relationships, an unreliable narrator, and a fun storyline. Although written for a young audience, dialogue, relationships, and plot do not feel immature.

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Content Warnings:

Language: None

Sexual Content: None

Violence: Moderate – Kidnapping, death, references to poisoning, whipping, knife injuries. Violence is not graphic.

Substance Use: None

Prejudices: None

Religious Themes: One boy hides in a church for a brief period of time.

Other Topics: Parental death/orphans

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