Broken Empire

Prince of Thorns (Broken Empire, #1) by Mark Lawrence follows Honorous Jorg Ancrath, who witnessed the brutal murder of his family at a young age and became the ruthless leader of a violent gang by his early teens. At fifteen, Jorg aims to reclaim his birthright by returning to the castle he abandoned, confronting both human treachery and supernatural forces. The novel explores themes of vengeance, power, and survival in a dark, medieval-inspired setting where Jorg’s determination is tested against enemies wielding dangerous magic.

King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence continues the Broken Empire trilogy with Jorg Ancrath now seated on a hard-won throne at eighteen, ruling a brutal medieval-style kingdom in a ruined, post-apocalyptic world. Still driven by the childhood vow he made after the murder of his mother and brother, and tormented by memories of his own violence, Jorg faces an invading army he knows he cannot defeat through conventional warfare. As war closes in, he turns to a hidden cache of ancient, possibly magical relics whose power could shift the balance in horrific ways. The novel blends dark fantasy, political intrigue, and survival under siege, following a deeply flawed young king whose pursuit of vengeance shapes both his rule and his soul.

Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence concludes the Broken Empire trilogy with Jorg Ancrath advancing toward an imperial throne claimed by rival kings, necromancers, and the enigmatic Dead King. As the Hundred gather in a crumbling, post-apocalyptic empire for a decisive Congression, Jorg maneuvers through war, dark magic, and political calculation in a world on the edge of its final days. The novel blends epic and dark fantasy with horror elements, following a ruthless young royal whose pursuit of power forces brutal choices about loyalty, survival, and what kind of ending an emperor can create when time itself is failing.