Powerless (The Powerless Trilogy)

By Lauren Roberts

A New York Times bestseller! This explosive first book in the New York Times bestselling Powerless trilogy follows the forbidden romance between a powerful prince and an ordinary girl as they try to survive their kingdom’s grueling laws pitting them against each other. She is the very thing he’s spent his whole life hunting. He is the very thing she’s spent her whole life pretending to be. Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya—the exceptional, the empowered, the Elites. The powers these Elites have possessed for decades were graciously gifted to them by the Plague, though not all were fortunate enough to both survive the sickness and reap the reward. Those born Ordinary are just that—ordinary. And when the king decreed that all Ordinaries be banished to preserve his Elite society, lacking an ability suddenly became a crime—making Paedyn Gray a felon by fate and a thief by necessity. Surviving in the slums as an Ordinary is no simple task, and Paedyn knows this better than most. Having been trained by her father to be keenly observant since she was a child, Paedyn poses as a Psychic in the crowded city, blending in with the Elites as best she can to stay alive and out of trouble…easier said than done. When Paedyn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilya’s princes, she finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials. The brutal competition exists to showcase the Elites’ powers—the very thing Paedyn lacks. If the Trials and the opponents within them don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for certainly will if he discovers what she is…completely Ordinary.

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Published Dec 30, 2025

528 pages

Average rating: 7.57

1,316 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Jessica M
Jessica M
4/10 stars
I’m torn on my rating for this one. This book is eerily similar to another book series that was additionally made into movies, which is negatively affecting the stars. That said, the ending has me incredibly curious as to where the author is taking us and I am absolutely reading the next book in the series to discover how this plays out. I’m hoping the next one moves away from the other series as I have high hopes for what’s to come.
Escape Reality
Escape Reality
10/10 stars
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 Format: Ebook (kindle unlimited) If you enjoyed the Hunger Games... This is up your alley. Very similar but with special abilities and more spice and betrayal. Enjoyed from beginning to end and seeing that characters and situations aren't nearly what they seem to be. Not overly predictable and I flew through this one ☺️. The ending definitely has me ready to read book two in this trilogy. Just be mindful of some triggers such as violence, murder, homelessness and more. #bookreview #bookstagram #bookclub #realityescapeartist
Marley
Marley
8/10 stars
10/10 banter
Sara0719
Sara0719
8/10 stars
This book was a joy to read. The storyline is a familiar one to another popular series, but it was still engaging and I was not expecting the final twist!
Kristin Rose
Kristin Rose
6/10 stars
Just started reading Throne of Glass & am realizing Powerless was kind of a rip off of it. The whole time I felt like the book was missing something, and now I can see why. It was highly derivative. I’ll read the second because I feel like I have to. But, I was highly disappointed what with all the hype this book received.

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