The Last Phi Hunter – Salinee Goldenberg

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher – Angry Robot Books.

Salinee Goldenberg is an author who lives in Washington DC. When Salinee is not writing she is producing videos for Minecraft and has a love for painting.



Ex is an ambitious phi hunter, determined to achieve what no other phi hunter has done – hunt down the mythical Shar-Ala – the greatest demon of illusions and nightmares.

Yet just as he is about to achieve his goal, Ex crosses paths with Arinya in a small provincial village. But Arinya isn't any simple-minded maiden, she is a Muay-boran champion who is heavily pregnant.

Arinya is trying to escape the father of her unborn child and it has fallen to Ex to keep her safe.

Which is easier said than done while he is still trying to hunt down Shar-Ala and keep them both safe from all the monsters and humans alike they encounter on their journey through a spirit filled forest, where the spirits hunger after Arinya’s unborn child.

All the while Ex is desperately trying to achieve his goals and not fall in love with Arinya.



“The Last Phi Hunter” is a fantasy novel incorporate some Thai folk lores which makes it a very unique debut novel. It did take me a while to get into the story – was about halfway through the book before it was able to really become engaged in it. It was interesting and really different to read a story like this as it was unlike any fantasy book I had read before. I feel Salinee is a good writer and as she writes more and her career progresses, which I’m sure it will. Sometimes it felt as though there was an overload of information and at other times barely enough. Also, the interactions between the two main characters definitely needed a lot of work but my opinion of that could have been affected by the fact I did not like Ex at all.

This book was one of my most anticipated reads for 2024 and I was so excited when I was approved for the arc. I had very high expectations of this book due to its unique premise.

The world building of this book did not disappoint. I enjoyed learning about the history of this fantasy land, and the use of myths to connect the characters to the landscapes. I think the author did a great job of using both character dialogue and exploration to help readers understand the context of the novel.

Personally, the character dialogue and the climatic points of the plot fell flat for me. The way the character’s spoke often felt scripted, as if the story was made to be adapted into a movie. It lacked emotional depth that would have made me care about the characters more. There was a lot of build up for certain moments in the book that I felt were resolved quite quickly without much effort from the titular characters.


Thank you for the publisher and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Phi Hunter Ex is a lone wolf on his path to becoming a demon slayer. One day, his journey is interrupted when his is enlisted by a pregnant woman on the run seeking the help of a witch. The Last Phi Hunter is based on Thai history and mythology and weaves a magical tale of ghost and demon slaying throughout the Suyoram Kingdom with the charming muay-boran champion, and consort of the prince, Arinya. Together, Arinya and Ex embark on a fantastic and dangerous journey to slay the elusive demon of nightmares, Shar-Ala, and protect Arinya's unborn child. Through the book they travel through Suyoram encountering interesting and perilous characters, and danger lurks around every corner.

The Last Phi Hunter absolutely blew me away and is an absolute DELIGHT of a debut novel by Salinee Goldenberg. The story was well paced, the world was fascinating and interesting and Goldenberg really brought the various spirit realms and nature of Suyoram to life. Throughout the book we are slowly given deeper insight into Arinya and Ex and some of their companions and have a front row seat to Ex's development as he comes to better know himself and what he truly wants. The book features themes of colonialism, environmental degradation, and the affects of losing traditional knowledge and trades. I can not recommend this debut enough. Thank you to Angry Robot for a digital ARC of The Last Phi Hunter.

3 out of 5 Star

It was the worst thing in the world but it could have been way better than it actually was. Also hated the the way Phi was pronounced in the audiobook.

📣📖 Pub Week Review: The Last Phi Hunter by Salinee Goldenberg 📖📣 🐲💎🐊👑

I had the fortune of combo-reading an e-ARC and an advanced copy of the audiobook via Netgalley, thanks to Angry Robot Books and Dreamscape Media. All thoughts in this review are my own.

The Last Phi Hunter is a fast-paced, action-packed fantasy novel rooted in Thai mythology. Our main character, Ex, is a hunter who can transcend to a spirit realm to pursue the phi, a sort of demon. Ex has special abilities as a hunter trained by the guild, and he is focused on tracking and taking down a legendary demon, which would elevate him to a master demon hunter. He is accompanied by The Hound, a large wolf-like creature. He encounters Arinya, the royal consort to the prince, on the run from trouble, as she hires him to escort her. The two encounter Narissa, a phi who is working to reform herself and become human. Hijinks, adventure, comraderie, magic, and even romance ensue.

💙 What I enjoyed 💛

🐲 The world-building and being immersed in Thai mythology. I have never read a fantasy novel with Thai mythology and the creatures and landscapes and imagery were captivating.
💎 The main character Ex is a fun character and his personality and motivations are well-developed.
🐲 The casual and lil bit snarky narrative style was engaging, entertaining, and worked well for the tone of the book.
💎 The ending is satisfying and I would read more if this becomes a series.
🐲 The audiobook narrator David Lee Huynh's performance is excellent! His voice is deep and clear and brings the vivid imagery to life.
💎 The cover art! TBH, it's what inspired me to request the book in the first place.

Other thoughts:
🐊 Arinya's character was not as well developed and I struggled to get a solid grasp of her personality and motivations.
🐊 I would not have minded more chapters from The Hound's perspective! He was a beloved character.
🐊 It takes a little time to build at first, but then by the last third it is hard to put down.

Highly recommend for fantasy readers looking for something fun and to explore a different realm.

4/5

I absolutely adored the world we discovered in this book. The Thai-inspired landscape and unique blends of folklore and mythology were entirely captivating. I wanted to devour every tiny piece of this world, I wanted to constantly know more.

I loved Ex's character and I also loved learning about the phi hunters and their rituals, and all the intricacies of their world. It's such an intriguing story and the world is constantly pulling you in. I always longed to discover even more of it.
I preferred the first half of this book because of this. It was much more focused on these aspects, on the spiritual world and the phi, although I still enjoyed the more political second half.

I liked Arinya, but never fully connected to her, I would've loved to see more of her thoughts and her deeper character. However, there were many other characters I came to care for; Ex was always interesting, even when—or, especially when—he'd get himself caught up in all kinds of trouble; Narissa was an incredible addition that I wish we'd gotten to see more of, her story was so fascinating; the small glimpses we got of side characters like the Hound or the Masters of Ex's guild instantly added depth and heart to the story.

It's such a spell-binding world we get to jump into and discover here, and Goldenberg's writing is utterly absorbing. I'm now desperate to find more stories with Thai-inspired worlds or that delve into its mythology and folklore, if you have any recs please let me know!

Thank you Netgalley and Angry Robot for an e-arc.

TLDR: Would recommend to people who enjoy easy romantasies. Great pacing but I had mixed feelings about every other aspect. Could've been 4-stars with some changes here and there.

The Last Phi Hunter is a fantasy debut inspired by Thai folklore. Ex spends his life slaying Phi and he's determined to hunt Shar-Ala, demon of nightmares. He meets Arinya, a pregnant muay-boran champion who needs his help escorting her through the forest.

There was constant movement in the plot and fantastic cliffhangers. I got through it incredibly fast and had an overall fun time. It went straight into the story with clear goals from the outset.

On Netgalley, this was listed only under Sci-Fi & Fantasy and the book is marketed as Adult. However, it would go between a more YA-style with words like wanna, kinda, shitty and mid-piss (this was very jarring and I hated it), but at other times, have more complex passages.

Similarly, the characters and dialogue felt quite inconsistent. There was fun banter but also so much angst. Ex is meant to be 24-years old but acted quite immature and had poor excuses for bad decisions.

In terms of the romance, the instalove made it difficult for me to feel root for the characters and the few sentences worth of sexual scenes felt entirely unnecessary.

The worldbuilding was a mixed bag as well. Goldenberg painted the scene well overall. However, it sometimes felt like there were too many aspects for a short standalone, some not adding to the story at all. Other parts felt repetitive.

Despite the criticisms, I did think every aspect had it's pros. If you're looking for an easy-going, entertaining and quick romantasy standalone, I'd recommend checking this one out!

4.5 stars rounded up.

Call me a new fan!

I'm more critical when it comes to my favorite genre (fantasy), but a couple of my friends liked this, so I came in excited to read it.

And boy, I had fun! Definitely read this if you love playing RPGs, especially something along the lines of The Witcher.

There was a great mix of comedy and lightheartedness, along with much more serious and darker moments. The author really excelled in balancing the two and I applaud her for that. I think it's a difficult balancing act, and more often than not, I haven't seen this work out in previous books I've read.

I absolutely loved the Thai-inspired setting and how the author incorporated her heritage into an action fantasy story. When it comes to this specific fantasy subgenre, I'm more used to typical Western settings, so to have something different (yet with similar underlying themes of heroism and sacrifice) was such a breath of fresh air.

I loved the MCs, Ex and Narissa. I also loved the Hound. The author definitely excels at writing flawed characters you can root for.

I think the novel would've been better with an additional POV from Arinya, the love interest. Her background (a concubine who used to be a muay-boran boxer) sounded really cool, so seeing the whole story with her POV would be even cooler. Instead, she didn't really feel as well-rounded as she could be.

Also, the final boss battle seemed way too easy and I wanted more oomph. But everything else that led up to it was pretty cool, especially for action-adventure RPG lovers like myself.

But despite my complaints, I still had a lot of fun!

This is one of those novels where I wish there was a special edition because I'd love to see illustrations of the characters and the setting.

Anyway, I can't wait to read more from Salinee Goldenberg!

Thank you to Angry Robot and NetGalley for this arc.

For me, The Last Phi Hunter is the Thai version of The Witcher, but done significantly better. (I am a Witcher book hater but Witcher concept lover) The Last Phi (that's pronounced "fee") Hunter follows Ex, who is a (shocker!) hunter of Phis, which are essentially demonous monsters. He is looking to kill the lengendary Sharala when he comes across Arinya, a pregnant woman who needs his help. Their fates become tied, and he must complete her mission to complete his.

I compare this to the Witcher because (shocker) he kills monsters for money. A lot of people hype the Witcher for being funny, and this really hits that mark well. I laughed out loud quite a few times, which I don't normally do when reading. Also, because this is written by a woman, the women are not written in a gross way! I thoroughly enjoyed Arinya and when Ex began lusting over her it was written in a way that wasn't disgusting to me as a woman!!! Gotta love that.

For some reason I read this thinking it was the beginning of a series, and my biggest disappointment is learning it is a standalone. I really loved this world and the characters. I know very little about Thai mythology, but this got me so interested in it. The creatures were so interesting, and the magic felt so unique. I thoroughly enjoyed this!

Thank you to Angry Robot and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Angry Robot for providing an ARC via NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Buzzwords: hunter, monsters, thai folklore, runaway prince’s consort, ambition, intriguing magic worldbuilding, animal companion (it’s complicated).


4.5 🌟

This was a glorious debut fantasy book. It was one of those stories that felt comforting in “this is what fantasy should be” yet excitingly unique. It starts with a relatively simple premise of a hunter escorting a mysterious, pregnant lady to a witch. The story expands from there in both ways you would expect and ways that caught you pleasantly by surprise.
Two main factors carried the story for me; the main character and the worldbuilding surrounding the magic.

Ex, the main character, the so-called last Phi Hunter. He began training as a hunter from a young age and in a country where the hunter’s magic is no longer revered, he is the last to be trained. He is an ambitious hunter who seeks glory and fame in the guild. He was interesting to follow for many reasons. Even though in some ways, he wasn’t the character you would expect to follow for this story, he completely made it.
Ex was successfully likeable because he was subtly funny, ambitious, a daring hunter, charmingly open and clueless to emotion and… of course, a poor planner (which was endearing even if it is perhaps an unwise choice). From page one, he was a character I wanted to follow because of who he was. He added a lighthearted tone through his narration which fitted into the story naturally, but neither took away from the dangerous journey of monsters, necromancers and men.
The secondary characters were equally as entertaining. A strong-minded, capable “princess on a mission”, a kooky witch, a few wise teachers, animal companions who loved Ex’s smaller misfortunes and a monster seeking redemption. Each character affected Ex and his journey by bringing out different sides of him. This made for a more fulfilling reading experience as it ensured this was more than just a hunter striving to complete a task. He had humanity and complicated relationships. Looking at his personal history, meaningful relationships and the complexities of the hunt-and-kill path he had chosen created a book that stood out from the rest.

The second key part for me was the worldbuilding surrounding the magic. It is safe to say, many fantasy books feature magic (I'm a perceptive soul). Their developments involve a social divide, a method to access the magic, a limitation and some rules linking to history. What I loved about this book was how it didn’t feel like it was trying to tick off a checklist of how to develop a magic system. Instead, this book strove to create a world, a purpose, and a journey through the magic. The author was excited and eager to explore the magic system, going that step further to create a unique book.
From the trials of what it takes to be a hunter, how society reacts to magic, the different types of magic users (and what they use magic for), using magic to create a different method of hunting monsters with multiple layers and the inclusion of Thai folklore. It was so intriguing. It was refreshing to see how the intimate details of magic were brought to life. Even if other books have more expansive worldbuilding, this book has left a far more memorable impression.
It was wonderfully well-considered. The type of consideration borne from passion. I would be excitedly happy to read another ten books set in this world!

The plot had highs and lulls, some intentional for the natural ebbs and flows. Other times it drifted to feeling like it had no overarching purpose, but another addition would always be added a page later to create the next step for the plot. There is technically nothing wrong with this, but it could have flowed more smoothly. Especially as in the lulls, I felt like it was turning towards a more conventional plot but then it had something in its back pocket and my giddy excitement returned.
The romance was nothing extraordinary due to its insta-love nature, but thankfully I was just excited to see the characters on the page because it was ✨them✨. I fell in love with these charming characters just as quickly (so how can I blame them). In some ways, it was refreshing for the plot not to be bogged down by romantic suspense (will they, won’t they), instead it focused on developing a capable, enticing plot.

Whilst I have listed a few tiny wrinkles in the book, I can't or don't care about them because it was such an enjoyable experience reading this book. Lovable characters, a pinch of humour, a captivating plot, unique magic and thoughtful worldbuilding on an intimate level. It is an adventure plot with so many exciting fantasy aspects. Of course, I loved it.

Okay So I loved this it was super cute and fun. Ex and Arinya are adorable together. I loved how dedicate to his goal Ex was and that he didn’t immediately run off to help Arinya. I also liked Arinya was a total baddie herself, she had no shame and her bringing Ex into and abandoning him in town had me laughing out loud. I liked that she went for what she wanted and didn’t care what anyone said. I also like how quickly Ex accepting his mistakes and trying to fix them. He was really relatable and fun and i really liked him play. Overall it’s a fun quick story about a fund little demon quest with a side of romance and evil princes.

I really enjoyed this Thai folklore inspired fantasy book. The cover is amazing and it really draws you in and makes you want to read it and know more.
The world building is so richly descriptive and the magic system so intricate and it’s definitely where this book shines the most.
It really drew me in and I felt I could see what the author was describing in my mind.
I enjoyed learning about all the different types of demons, ghosts and spirits.
The book follows a young hunter,
Ex who is on a journey to kill a legendary demon before he is sidetracked with a mission to help a pregnant woman, Arinya through a spirit infested forest.
I found the characters to be well written but some could have done with a little more depth to them. Ex was well written and I enjoyed seeing his growth and development throughout the book.
I found the writing style to be easy to follow along.
I did find that the plot picked up about half way through the book which the last half being the best part of the book.
Having not read from this author before I would definitely pick up more books from them again in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley, the Author and the Publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was so impressed with this debut novel and immediately encapsulated into the Kingdom of Suyoram and its enchanted setting. I adored the writing style and that alone confirmed my 4/5 rating. I initially thought this was going to be very YA based off of the cover (which I love!) but the dark elements ended up surprising me. I loved the bits and pieces of humour in there as well!

🐉 — The demons and ghost spirits (phi) were a really cool concept - all hunted in different ways by the hunters that are on the verge of extinction. I loved that hunters could interact with them once they entered a level of trance (Everpresent, Hunter’s Trance)

🧍— Ex was a really likeable character and I particularly enjoyed his early interactions with Arinya (had me giggling fr 🤭), though I didn’t feel like Arinya’s character shone through as much but that is understandable since Ex is the main protagonist

✨— There were parts that I wished were less descriptive-based and more plot-focused but nevertheless I wasn’t exactly bored whilst reading. I was too distracted by the stress from nothing ever working out for Ex and the constant threats to his life😅

Overall: solid debut, I’m considering getting the physical copy and I would highly recommend giving this a go!

This book follows Ex, the youngest and possibly last of the Phi Hunters. He hunts and banishes ghosts and demons across the land all the while in search of a ‘true demon’: a legendary creature whose defeat will earn him his full title and glory.

On his hunt he meets a young woman, pregnant and on the run. He ends up using prohibited magic to save her life and that if her child, and then becomes tied to her journey and her fate.

I enjoyed the way this story brought in so many different aspects of folklore and world building. I don’t know anything about Thai culture or folklore myself so the depth of many things might have gone over my head, but I enjoyed it all a lot and found it refreshing and different. The idea of the Everpresent was great as was learning about the spirits, demons and magic. The book also had a great tone; slightly humourous and light while also keeping the creepy, dark vibe. A great mix that I enjoyed a lot too.

The plot has some great twists and turns. It had a good pace and things flow into one another without much room to get bored.

I do think the characters could have used a bit more depth and focus at times. This was the only real area where this book lacked for me. The book is quite plot driven and I felt a result of this was the character arcs don’t land quite as well as they could have. Ex was an interesting one to follow, but he makes lots of odd decisions. I also didn’t quite feel the chemistry of the love story as strongly as I would have liked.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. Well I am conflicted by this one. I thoroughly enjoyed the worldbuilding and mythology I struggled with many of the characters and the logic. I'm not one for age gaps for one and the way Arinya's beginning and her ending arc felt very conflicting. She mentioned how 'Love happened" between her and the prince only later we found out how cruel and twisted he is? Why did she never mention it? It just felt like it was last minute added and it made the romance feel tainted by cheating when if she had mentioned it beforehand it wouldn't have felt that way. I'm also conflicted by the POVs. Why did Narissa have a POV? She's a fairly minor character. Why didn't Arinya? That would have made more sense. There were just so many gaps in the logic I can't even call them plot holes but a lot of these characters just didn't make sense to me.

3.5
I enjoyed this. Was sometimes lost with the magical concepts and creatures but I enjoyed the world overall. Loved that there were women in powerful roles throughout.

Ex is a Phi Hunter—he feels no pain, can heal wounds at will, and draws magic from a spirit realm called the Everpresent. His life is devoted to hunting the Phi, humans reincarnated as gruesome demons from Thai folklore as punishment for their sins, and he wants nothing more than to kill Shar-Ala, the demon of nightmares—that is, until the pregnant Arinya pays him to serve as her escort through the forest. What begins as a job turns into a deadly quest, and Ex’s life, the future of the Phi Hunters, and freedom of the woman he might just love are at stake. 

I love immersive fantasy and unique world building, and The Last Phi Hunter truly delivers both. Goldenberg infuses the book with vibrant sensory language, from descriptions of mouth-watering Thai cuisine (seriously, I was craving some basil fried beef and rice noodles the entire time I was reading) to visions of the eerie and magical Everpresent. The Thai folklore that serves as the backbone (no pun intended—you’ll understand when you read it!) of Ex’s world is fascinating, and proves once again why diverse voices are so important in fantasy—the world feels fully realized, and Goldenberg’s love and respect for the mythology really shines through. 

This isn’t your standard, linear narrative—instead, the plot builds and releases and builds again, taking a new turn each time in a way that feels organic and keeps you interested from one beat to the next. There were moments that I wish had a bit more room to breathe and some central conflicts felt resolved too quickly, but I really just wanted to spend more time in the Phi Hunter world. Side characters like Narissa and The Hound were so much fun, and I hope we get more of them in future books! 

The Last Phi Hunter is definitely plot-based as opposed to character-driven, and as a result, the romance does feel slightly lackluster. I loved Arinya’s introduction and would have liked to see more of her emotional development with and without Ex throughout the story, but we don’t get much insight into her character during the second half of the book—I kept waiting for the chemistry to develop, but the romance never quite had that impact for me. 

That said, if you’re someone who enjoys dark fantasy with just a dash of romantic subplot, The Last Phi Hunter is a great pick! I was really reminded of The Witcher when reading, so if you’re a fan of monster-hunters or fantasies rooted in folklore, you should definitely check this one out.

Review also posted to Goodreads here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6413401264

I read a lot of Asian inspired fantasies and I fear no trigger warnings, but this was the baffling. I can’t decide what was more off putting: the out of place grotesque descriptions? A creature assaulting an unconscious woman to eat her unborn child? A woman shaming someone for not consenting to sexual relations with her? It all just gave me the ick.

There are so many things that did not go well with this story. The characters were obnoxious and the love story was forced and cringe worthy. Every step of the way I considered putting it down and never picking it back up, but like a multi car pile up along the side of the road after sitting in traffic for hours. You owe it to yourself to see what the hell happened. The action really picked up at the end, and it introduced ideas of reincarnation the would have made the book stronger if it hadn’t been so late in the book. If the story was more about the last 30%, and skipped the forced romance I would have quite enjoyed it. (2.75/5 stars)

I like the storytelling, But also the character, especially Ex. I never read a book about Thai culture and I was so interested, to be honest.
The only "but" to me is that the book is kind of slow at first. However, I am very interested in reading more about the author!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for a review!

I was initially drawn to this book by the cover, which lived up to every expectation I had for it. This book is a thrill ride from start to finish, especially because the plot does not stop. Not for a second. Ex is a fun mc and the cast of characters built around him are just as engaging (I personally have a soft spot for The Hound). The magic system rocks, and I did not find myself confused or unsure of how it worked, so kudos to the author for describing/explaining it well. The part that I found cramped was trying to balance the character growth storylines in a book where the plot is so intense and moves so quickly. In a longer story, you may have some more breathing room to help develop more of the character's emotional states and changes. If you're looking for an in depth character study, this one may not be for you. But if you are looking for a beautiful setting with an equally exciting plot, pick this one up.