Big Books of 2026
A Goodreads user asked this question about Prince of Thorns (Broken Empire, #1):
Okay, I read about 15 pages and felt sick to my stomach. I can handle a war story/ violence, but is it going to be worth it? It was recommended to me, but I don't handle reading certain things well...i.e. violence against children, torture etc....needless to say the very beginning already has me second guessing if I should continue. Any advise would be great. To read or not to read?
Dallas No anti-hero here, straight up villain! It hits you hard at the start to set the tone and let you know what to expect. I love this book, but not for t…moreNo anti-hero here, straight up villain! It hits you hard at the start to set the tone and let you know what to expect. I love this book, but not for the violence etc, I love it for the darkness, the tone, the language and poetic introspection of a character who knows he is horrifically damaged. He lets 'the dead' see inside his mind because once they see the darkest parts they run from him. In relative terms he can be an anti hero, because he is the protagonist, but in absolute terms he is a villain. It's about villains against villains. And that's not for everybody. Generally, I reckon feeling sick to your stomach from reading something is a pretty clear indicator that it probably isn't for you. But I think the first 20-30 pages are the most full-on.(less)
flag
More questions about Prince of Thorns…
Image for Prince of Thorns
Prince of Thorns
by Mark Lawrence (Goodreads Author)
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more