Name: A Confusion of Princes
ISBN: 9781741758610

Garth Nix

A grand adventure that spans galaxies and lifetimes, A Confusion of Princes is a page-turning thriller, a tender romance, and a powerful exploration of what it means to be human. Bonus Garth Nix short story 'Master Haddad's Holiday' exclusive to the ANZ edition...

A Confusion of Princes

You'd think being a Prince in a vast intergalactic empire would be about as good as it gets. Particularly when Princes are faster, smarter, and stronger than normal humans. Not to mention being mostly immortal. But it isn't as great as it sounds. Princes need to be hard to kill—as Khemri learns the minute he becomes one—for they are always in danger. Their greatest threat? Other Princes. Every Prince wants to become Emperor, and the surest way to do so is to kill, dishonor, or sideline any potential competitor. There are rules, but as Khemri discovers, rules can be bent and even broken. Soon Khemri is drawn into the hidden workings of the Empire and dispatched on a secret mission. In the ruins of space battle he meets a young woman called Raine, who challenges his view of the Empire, of Princes, and of himself. But Khemri is a Prince, and even if he wanted to leave the Empire behind, there are forces that have very definite plans for his future. . . .

Kirsten Simkiss

To be really honest, I went into this book having enjoyed others of Garth Nix’s works and... just really didn’t like it. The main character spends much of the book as a puppet to the whims of a robotized hive mind and, when he breaks from the script, he finds himself to be a pretty terrible human being. Because, frankly, he kind of is for most of the book. He’s a whiny snot at the beginning of the book and he’s approaching okay toward the end. The character does mature, but I just couldn’t connect to him emotionally after all that.

The world building is pretty interesting, but ultimately you get told a lot about the way the world works and then it never comes up again. It makes for a complex backdrop that’s probably more interesting than the kid headlining the book.

I would also like to say that I felt like we needed way more meaningful change in the world state going forward because this should absolutely be classified in the dystopia category. Mind-programmed servants and courtesans? Dude, messed up. And none of that changes. But hey, at least our hero gets his happily ever after, right?

If you’re reading this still, I recommend Sabriel and Frogkisser as better alternatives to this book. While not space, they are much better written.

Ben Nathan

Fun. Cool world. I'd really like to read another book of this world from a different perspective. That or it would make a really great RPG

Khemri learns the minute he becomes a Prince that princes need to be hard to kill-for they are always in danger. Their greatest threat? Other Princes. Every Prince wants to become Emperor and the surest way to do so is to kill, dishonor, or sideline any potential competitor. There are rules, but as Khemri discovers, rules can be bent and even broken. There are also mysteries. Khemri is drawn into the hidden workings of the Empire and is dispatched on a secret mission. In the ruins of space battle, he meets a young woman, called Raine, who challenges his view of the Empire, of Princes, and of himself. But Khemri is a Prince, and even if he wanted to leave the Empire behind, there are forces there that have very definite plans for his future. 'Space battles! Political intrigue! Engineered warriors! Techno-wizardry! Assassins! Pirates! Rebels! Duels! Secrets, lies, sex and True Love! What more can anybody ask for?' (Kirkus Reviews (starred review)) 'Nix's fantasy has enough gadgets, escapes, battles, duels, deaths, and near-death experiences to keep die-hard adventure story readers enthralled. Happily, Khemri is also a thoughtful, winsome, and somewhat complex character, and his cheerfully self-deprecating tone and unpredictable choices make this romp entertaining on multiple levels' (Horn Book (starred review)) 'Nix once again proves his mastery of speculative fiction [as] he manages to tell a tale that is grand in scope with vivid characters and imaginative technology' (School Library Journal (starred review)) 'Khemri's first person point of view, along with a fast-paced, action- and plot-driven story, is sure to appeal to fans of the Star Wars universe and any number of first-person shooter video games' (ALA Booklist) 'Garth Nix's A CONFUSION OF PRINCES is YA FOUNDATION meets DUNE' (Tor.com) 'Exuberant and insightful. The rocket-powered pace and epic world-building provide an ideal vehicle for what is, at heart, a sweet paean to what it means to be human" (Kirkus Reviews (starred review))

A Confusion of Princes

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