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A prince among killers

Susan Vaught

Cover of A prince among killers

A prince among killers

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Susan Vaught

Oathbreaker

Reading Level 7-8 12MP Ages 11+ Balanced Read

The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for older middle graders (ages 11+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.

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About This Book

Aron, a young apprentice in a secretive assassin's guild, teams up with his skilled mentor and enigmatic ally to protect their kingdom from powerful enemies. Together, they use their wits and courage to confront dangerous leaders threatening their world. Adventure and magic collide in this thrilling second installment.

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 7-8 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include fantasy violence, physical danger. Written for readers ages 11+.

Why we rated A prince among killers 12MP

A prince among killers is written at a Level 7-8 reading level (approximately 123,314 words). Strong independent readers around grade 8.6 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, A prince among killers works for readers up to grade 9.6.

Read aloud, A prince among killers runs about 13.7 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.

We rate A prince among killers as 12MP ("Moderate — Physical") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Fantasy Violence, Physical Danger.

Thematically, A prince among killers explores fantasy world-building, adventure, and friendship — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

  • Children in the Ages 11+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
  • Kids drawn to stories about fantasy world-building, adventure, friendship.

Maybe not for

  • ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
  • ! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.

For Parents

Content Intensity

12MP — Moderate — Physical
Emotional
Clear
Physical
Moderate
Social
Clear
Thematic
Clear

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.

Content Flags

Fantasy Violence Physical Danger
Data confidence: standard

Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

4/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

2/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
6
Emotional Weight
6
Theme Richness
5
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
6

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Details

Book Length

123,314 words
13h 42m read-aloud
ISBN
9781599903767
Publisher
Bloomsbury Children's Books
Published
2009
Type
Fiction
Word Count
123,314
Read-Aloud
~13h 42m

Subjects

FantasyAssassinsMagicFantasy FictionRevengeGood and Evil