Review: The Prince Must Die by Edward Anthony

In The Prince Must Die, author Edward Anthony pulls directly from the front pages of America and England, as well as the personality of President Donald Trump and the increasingly volatile issue of immigration and refugee movement. However, in this well-penned allegory, vampires exist, along with other mythical creatures, but they are the subject of extreme controversy in “Londarium” and “Great Bretan.”

When a decidedly Trump-like Colton Grant shockingly wins the election to become Grand Chancellor, he quickly institutes his brutal and merciless approach to the problem of vampires attempting to enter the country. He promises to build a massive wall and keep the citizens of Londarium “safe” from the “lifeless bloodsuckers.” Although there are large populations of vampires in all other European countries, Londarium refuses to sully its people and purity.

While there are clear parallels in the premise of the plot with reality, the vampire genre is also strongly represented here, which works to the novel’s credit. Much of the story veers away from such obvious allusions to the current political climate, though the exposition-rich start of the novel comes across as slightly heavy-handed. Some may find the premise alone outright offensive, but the story is more than a mere polemic, taking shots at both sides of the political divide.

When rebels decide to hatch a wild plan to depose the Crown Prince, Colton Grant’s son, they get more than they bargained for. The dark and powerful vampire they foolishly raise from the dead, Loreth, is not interested in being controlled, but he does have an insatiable desire for power. From violent battle scenes in the streets to suspenseful sequences of dramatic prose, Anthony flexes his creative and expository powers. Despite the length, the pacing is consistent and driving, making this book a hard one to put down. The world building also deserves a great deal of praise, as these 500 pages are filled with tiny details of magical surrealism that make it even more disturbingly close to our own.

While the plot is extensive and well thought-out, the language often leans towards the simplistic, with basic descriptions and varied success in the use of imagery and other literary tools. If this were a novel specifically directed at a YA audience, the complexity level may be more appropriate, but for adult readers, this book may land below their bar of patience. Accessibility is important, but many older readers won’t enjoy being led around by the nose quite so obviously.

On the more technical side, there are issues with tense and narrative voice, as well as the blending of internal and external perspectives. While spelling errors and basic grammatical mistakes are rare, there are syntactical and stylistic choices that may cause some readers to stumble. A meticulous round of editing could polish up many of these rough areas.

Overall, The Prince Must Die remains an entertaining and innovative vessel for its message, and should appeal to a broad audience given the depth of the author’s creativity.