The Broken Empire vs Red Queen’s War: the Lawrence Face Off!
26 August 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books by Proxy, Friday Face off, Mark Lawrnece

Here we are again with the Friday Face Off meme being hosted by Books by Proxy . This is a great opportunity to feature some of your favourite book covers. The rules are fairly simple and can be found here. Each week, following a predetermined theme (list below) choose a book, compare a couple of the different covers available for that particular book and choose your favourite (stop on over to Tenacious Reader to post your link so we can all check out each others choices). Simples. This week the theme is:
I sit here looking out at all I own – A cover featuring a throne.
This week was obvious – as soon as I saw the word ‘throne’ – it had to be this particular face off! A face off between two dark fantasies written by the same author, Mark Lawrence. The Broken Empire vs The Red Queen’s War. And, in case you’re wondering, both highly recommended!
King of Thorns vs Prince of Fools
I like both of these covers to be honest – and both have thrones so clearly very fitting for this week’s challenge – although it’s obviously a slight cheat because I’ve pitched a book from one series against a book from another (but only because they were such a good fit obviously!) I love the drama of the red POF cover – I also really think the font and colours used for the author and title are spot on. I think the background is really clever because at first glance you don’t even realise there’s a figure sat on a throne in the background which when you then take a closer look has a sinister feel! All that being said, and even though I’m not as fond of the font style, I love the first cover. I can’t help it. It’s just the casual indifference of the character on the throne whilst he sits among such devestation and the fact that this figure is absolutely firmly fixed in my brain as Jorg! My winner:

Which is your favourite?
If you fancy joining in with FFO the themes for the next few weeks are below. I’ve listed these as BooksbyProxy is currently a bit swamped and MIA as a result. Don’t worry, ordinary service will be resumed soon
2nd Sept: Hell is empty and all the devils are here – A cover with a demon or demonic creatures.
9th Sept: Pack up your troubles… and … leave – A cover with some form of luggage
16th Sept: A bouquet for you m’lady – A cover featuring a flower/flowers.
23rd Sept: Wee, sleekit, cow’rin, timorous beastie – A cover with a beast or beasts.
30th Sept: This solitary tree! A living thing – a cover with a tree or trees.
7th October: Consumed by the darkness within, it hides all our sins” a cover that is predominantly black?
14th October: There was once a princess, who lived in the top of the highest tower – a cover with a castle
I like the first cover – like you I think his outrageous indifference to the carnage around him is as arresting as the battlefield… Great choice, Lynn:)
It is the indifference that really grabs you though isn’t it!
Oh, for sure – it’s one of the most stunning covers I’ve seen for epic fantasy…
Ha, this was the book I picked to! It was the one I was thinking about when I picked the throne theme. 😂
Great choices though, can’t go wrong with any Mark Lawrence.
Yeah, – as soon as I saw ‘throne’ it had to be this!
Thanks Drew, great choice of theme.
Lynn D
I love your description of the “casual indifference” of the figure on the throne: it’s spot on, and very on the mark! (((emphatic nod))) 🙂
He is very laid back isn’t he- chilled even!
Haha, I think this is the only book I’ve seen for this week’s theme. I’d be hard pressed to come up with any other, actually. Maybe the Scorpion Rules.
It was really tough actually – of course I could have gone for the tv tie in cover for Game of Thrones with Sean Bean but I’m not really into covers that are from tv series or movies.
Lynn 😀
I love the red cover.
It’s actually a really intriguing cover that at first glance you miss so much – or maybe that’s just me! But when I took a proper look there’s a lot more going on.
Lynn 😀
Wow, I didn’t even notice the figure on the throne on the second cover until you pointed it out! Very clever. I agree though, the first one is better. The saucy slouch of the character on the throne is awesome, and I think it says a lot about the style of narration people can expect too!