The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen 342 pages 9780545284134

Red Hot revenge is the topic of this new fantasy.Nobleman Connor plots to produce a false prince to impersonate the kin's long lost young son. He plucks four orphans as candidates to hedge his bets. The first candidate to reject this plan is swiftly executed. The other three realize that refusal to play Connor's game is not an option. Sage seems to be the least likely prospect. Tobias is clever; Roden is ruthless. Sage befriends Imogen, a mute serving girl and gains the respect of Mott, Connor's second-in-command. He seems to have several characteristics of the lost prince including a strong dose of pride, quick response and a refusal to give in or give up. Rumors surface that the entire royal family (king, queen, and older son) have been executed. Connor claims to hold the proof of the absent prince's death. What his proof is and how he acquired it, he refuses to divulge. I don't want to give away too much. There are many mediocre fantasies out there. This is richly plotted and each of the characters deftly drawn. The author also wrote The Underworld Chronicles, a series that I have not read yet. I think the door may be open for a sequel as not all the loose ends have been tied up.I recommend this for 4-8th grades.