the loss of the s.s. titanic-it's story and its lessons

by Lawrence Beesley
the loss of the s.s. titanic-it's story and its lessons cover
Good Books rating 3.33
Technical
  • ID: 4327
  • Added: 2025-10-21
  • Updated: 2025-10-21
  • Reviews: 3
Reviews
stone.edu · Unknown · 2025-10-21
intriguing 4.50

The reviewer initially doubted the book due to its dark themes but was captivated by the unique narrative and complex protagonist. The story's twists and depth left a lasting impression, prompting the reader to seek out the sequel.

The reviewer approached 'Prince of Thorns' with skepticism, given its themes of revenge and dark content, but was pleasantly surprised by the first-person narrative and the intriguing protagonist, Prince Jorg Ancrath. The story's depth and unexpected twists, particularly the revelation about Jorg's lack of free will, added layers of complexity that kept the reviewer engaged. Despite the grim subject matter, the reviewer found the concept of court wizards manipulating events and the dynamic among Jorg's followers compelling. The blend of fantasy elements and ancient technologies added intrigue, making the reviewer eager to continue the series with the sequel.

Quick quotes

    I can’t tell you how thrilled I was to crack open this book and discover a first person narrative…my favorite style!

    Lawrence’s work stands on its own, especially his narrating protagonist, Prince Jorg Ancrath.

    By the end of the story I was “hooked” enough by the Prince of Thorns that I felt the need to order King of Thorns, the sequel.

encyclopedia-titanica.org · Unknown · 2025-10-21
exciting 4.50

The reviewer found 'Prince of Thorns' to be a disturbing yet beautiful and exhilarating read. They praised the novel's unique storytelling and the dark, charismatic protagonist, Jorg Ancrath, whose cold and emotionless nature is both haunting and captivating. The reviewer also appreciated the book's pacing and the author's ability to craft a gripping fight scene.

The reviewer was deeply impressed by 'Prince of Thorns', describing it as a disturbing yet beautiful and exhilarating read. They highlighted the novel's unique storytelling, which is told in the first person and reads like poetry. The dark thoughts and intelligent considerations of the protagonist, Jorg Ancrath, haunt the reader, while his charismatic words enchant and keep the pages turning. The reviewer found Jorg's cold and emotionless nature both haunting and captivating, making it difficult to find any criticism for the novel. They praised the book's pacing, the necessary world-building, and the loveable/detestable characters. The only potential downside mentioned was the book's relatively short length, but the reviewer felt that the author's writing style made it the perfect length. Overall, the reviewer highly recommended 'Prince of Thorns' and predicted it would be on the Top 10 Fantasy Books of the Year lists.

Quick quotes

    Disturbing, Beautiful, Chaotic, Poetic, Haunting, Exhilarating… Believe it or not, these are all words I would use to describe a single book.

    Although a fairly conventional storyline of revenge, betrayal, war and becoming, this is one of the freshest, most exciting novels I have read.

    The story line is spot on, the pacing is brilliant, no lengthy descriptions, only the necessary world building and the characters are loveable/detestable (you decide).

archive.bookstr.com · Unknown · 2020-04-15
offensive 1.00

The reviewer strongly dislikes the book due to its graphic content, particularly the depiction of the main character raping girls in the first few pages. They find this portrayal offensive and believe it is an easy way to make the character seem evil without proper development.

The reviewer expresses a strong dislike for the book, primarily due to the disturbing content presented early on. The main character's actions, including raping girls, are described as offensive and unacceptable. The reviewer compares this to other books where female protagonists endure similar suffering but with more context and purpose. They argue that the author's choice to include such graphic content without proper development makes the main character seem one-dimensional and unnecessarily evil. The reviewer also mentions that they prefer stories where characters and readers have time to build a relationship and understand each other's motivations. Overall, the reviewer finds the book's approach to character development and moral complexity lacking and decides not to continue reading.

Quick quotes

    I can't get behind a book that has the main character raping girls in the first few pages. No thanks, I am good.

    I have read a lot of books with rape in them, but I have to say they were mostly with a female protagonist.

    This is why I will not be reading this book, it’s not all the reasons, but it’s the top two.

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