Confusion of Princes, A--Garth Nix

Title: A Confusion of Princes
Author: Garth Nix
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 352 p
Source: Library
Compensation: None

It's been a while since I've read a book. I have a stack of books that have been sent to me from publishers and authors, but I really wanted my return to reading to be one that I grabbed off the library shelves because I *wanted* it. It's fitting that the first one that leapt out at me was Garth Nix's latest, A Confusion of Princes. If you don't know about my obsession love respect for Garth Nix, just take a gander at his other books I've reviewed. You can find them by searching for Garth Nix in the little search box up there.

I wasn't quite as enamored with this one as I was with the Keys to the Kingdom series or the Sabriel trilogy. It took a while for me to get into, but that was most likely my EXTREME SLEEP DEPRIVATION right now. Once I did get into it, I enjoyed it.

Prince Khemri is not a royal son of a king, but is treated like one. In this world there is a supreme Emperor who chooses hundreds of people to be Princes and fight to become hier (neither his or her, but both) heir to the throne. Princes can have alliances but in the end it's every Prince for him or herself. It's a bit reminscent of Highlander. Princes are stronger than humans, they have technological advances implanted in their bodies, and they are immortal in the sense that if they die but are deemed worthy they may be reborn. Very few Princes ever truly die, but it does happen, so they must always be aware of threats and act accordingly. Prince Khemri thinks being a Prince means being captain of a spaceship and exploring and is disappointed to learn it means being on constant high alert and having to do exactly what the Empire hive mind demands. Throughout the novel he becomes more and more disillusioned with his fate and looks for a way out.

Nix has once again created a unique universe. The blending of technology and psychology and biology is interesting. Prince Khemri starts out a whiny snob and truly transforms himself by the end of the novel. He comes to an understanding of what life is really about and is no longer confused. A Confusion of Princes is a good stand alone speculative fiction story well worth reading.

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