2.5
Things I liked:
-By the end of the book, the 2 central characters felt fleshed out and their dynamic felt like it had grown naturally.
-Some of the worldbuilding elements, like the wild creatures, the magic, and the dredgers, were interesting.
-One of the reveals at the end added some interesting extra layers to the dynamic between the characters.

Things I didn't like:
-I found both of the main characters to be pretty annoying. They are designed to be unlikeable so this wasn't out of character for them, I just didn't enjoy it. I don't usually have trouble connecting with an unlikeable protagonist but I just found them both frustrating, especially the Hawk. I really didn't understand why she acted the way she did for so long.
-There was a lot of repetitive language in this book. The amount of times a character was told to stop talking or a character made a (usually empty) threat was so high. I counted 6 instances of the Hawk saying "shut up", or something similar" in one short chapter.
-A lot of the reveals were pretty unsurprising. They were a small part of the book so this didn't bother me too much, I'm just usually a person who doesn't see things coming.
-I went into this book thinking it was a standalone and I was surprised to hear it was a series. There just doesn't seem like there's enough in this first book to warrant that much story. The first book seemed too long as it was and it wasn't that long to begin with.

This was a fun and fast-paced story, with interesting characters and world building. I enjoyed the thrilling adventure this book provides as well as its satisfying ending. My library will be purchasing this title.

I enjoyed the fact that this book was fast paced, action packed, and had some good banter/bickering. But I found that it lacked in a lot of areas. I know there’s inspiration from character driven books such as Abercrombie’s work- but the character motives and wit weren’t enough to carry it along. I think it needed to add more depth earlier on, or have more plot and backstory. Without more of those elements, it did feel like a mini-boss-to-mini-boss traveling story. I just wanted to know MORE. It was intriguing though and I’ll probably read the next installment.

Anji Kills A King is Evan Leikam’s debut novel, and what a debut it is! This book opens with what would typically be the culminating event: the death of a tyrant king. And so Anji flees the castle, pursed by an elite group of mercenaries called the Menagerie. This book surprised me more than once and the conclusion really cemented this as a series I will continue to read.

If a book podcast about Fantasy / Science Fiction novels interests you, Evan is the host of the podcast Book Reviews Kill. This is the podcast that first made me aware of his impending debut and I am so happy to have discovered it.

Anji Kills a King is the debut of a sweeping new fantasy series by Evan Leikam. The characters were charismatic and easily distinguishable, even in audio format. The biggest strength of the novel is the flowing writing style and the beautiful landscapes that Anji and her companions travel through. While a bit more worldbuilding would be helpful, I'm sure we'll see more from subsequent books in the series, and I'm curious to see where Anji goes next. Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the eARC and audio ARC!

Wow!!! It's so cool when someone you've followed for years writes their own book AND when it's AWESOME!!! This was so remniscient to so many of my favs and I had a blast reading this but also Evan when I catch you.......

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Books, Tor Publishing Group, and Macmillan Audio for this advanced copy! You can pick up Anji Kills a King on May 13, 2025.

After following Evan's journey for years, I'm so glad to report that his debut novel was a really wonderful fantasy entry. His voice was clear, his world-building complex and well-rounded, and the characters absolutely leaped off the page.

We're thrown into this book with Anji murdering King Rolandrian, prompting her run from the law and the zealous Sun Wardens hunting her down. Little did she know that the Hawk, a member of the renowned Menagerie, was also on her tail. At first, the Hawk and Anji's relationship is fraught, with Anji being the most unwilling prisoner to ever exist and the Hawk sick of putting up with her antics.

But as the duo continue to evade death and capture from other bounty hunters, they begin to open up to one another and develop a closer bond. We learn more about Anji's rebellious parents and the Hawk's history growing up in a gang, as well as her addiction to a debilitating drug, Rail. Similar to The Witcher or The Mandalorian, what started out as a lone wolf figure putting up with this kid for duty's sake turns into something much more meaningful.

Which makes the ending that much more devastating. No spoilers, but the choices made by Anji and the Hawk hurt the reader just as much as the characters. I'm curious to see where Book2 goes, and excited for Evan's progression as an author!

Unfortunately, this book didn't work for me. It had a similar vibe to "The Daughter's War" by Christopher Buehlman. While I appreciated the sarcastic dialogue, I found the plot lacking and the pacing slow. I think this book would be better enjoyed in audio format. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review it early.

While I enjoy fantasy romance, I also really love epic fantasy, so I was excited when I saw Tor coming out with this debut fantasy novel. It sounded like an odd mix of classic fantasy tropes (a quest-based story featuring various monsters/challenges along the way) paired with a bit of wackiness (that mostly came from this cover, which I like, but is definitely unique!) And honestly, those impressions were pretty spot on!

The story definitely strikes an interesting tone. The world itself is violent, grim, and full of danger. But at the same time, there is a comedic dash to much of the writing, giving the entire thing a strange feeling of chuckling through horror. To speak further to the grimdark nature of the story, in many ways the story highlighted the often understated discomfort and misery that would accompany quests like this. Our characters spend the majority of their time freezing, tired, and often underfed. Nothing about this sounds like a good time. There are no grand shots of a line of characters making their way through majestic mountain-scapes. Instead, it is much more realistic portrayal of the sheer misery that would make up much of a journey like this.

On top of that, the story doesn’t shy away from darkness. No character is safe from horrible outcomes, so definitely don’t go into this one with any expectations of invisible safety nets around main characters, animals, or children. There was crying, I’ll say that much.

But, again, this story isn’t just a slog of depression. For one thing, the action and pacing was nonstop, so even if dark things were happening on the page, everything was moving along so fast that the reader is already swept into the middle of another action set piece before they’ve had a chance to truly feel the effects of the previous scene’s action. On top of that, our main character and secondary main character were so strong that they easily balanced out some of the rougher bits of grimdark action (this last point is a preference thing to some extent, as grimdark has never been my favorite subgenre in fantasy fiction, but is very popular on its own for other readers!)

Anji was fantastic. Here is a character who truly embodies the concept of “too stubborn to die.” The world kicks her down about a million times, and yet she keeps fighting, even in the face of odds that are severely stacked against her. Hers is also a story of confronting the realities of the world and the trade offs found in every decision, even if it was the right one at the moment.

Anji’s impulsivity and, to a weird extent, naivety about the world is balanced by the Hawk, the legendary warrior tasked with bringing Anji to justice for her crime of killing the king. As the story unravels, we learn more about the Hawk’s background and her own complicated moral code. Here, again, is a imperfect character who is living with the results of her choices. Dealing with the consequences of one’s choices and actions, be those known or unknown consequences, was a big theme of the book, and I think the author did a great job of mostly presenting questions to the reader, without preaching any simplistic answers. Instead, the reader is left to grapple with the fact that sometimes there are no fully “good” answers to the problems of the world.

Overall, this was a fantastic read! There are definitely elements of the story that will be familiar to epic fantasy fans, but everything is tied together so well as to make the entire thing feel like a breath of fresh air. And, like I said before, the odd balance in tone between incredibly grim events alongside a more light style of storytelling made for a very unique-feeling read. I definitely recommend this one to epic fantasy fans!

Rating 9: An incredible debut and a breath of fresh air to epic fantasy fiction!

Link will go live May 21 on The Library Ladies

I really enjoyed this book!! This is such a fun adventure from beginning to end. Anji and the Eagles banter and growth throughout the book was so much fun to read. Every single character in this book was written so well. Looking forward to more from this author!

This one hooked me early and kept me tense all the way through. Anji Kills a King is the kind of fantasy I’ve been missing. It’s tight, grounded, and not remotely interested in being precious. The world is dark, the stakes are real, and nobody is safe.

It was refreshing to read a fantasy that didn’t center romance and still kept me fully invested in the characters. The relationship between Anji and Kit was nuanced, layered, convincing, and one of my favorite parts. Almost all of the central characters are women, and the story never treats that like a novelty. It just is, which made the whole thing feel even more lived-in and real.

The world building is seriously creative, especially the magic system, which feels both strange and grounded. I do wish we’d gotten more explanation about how some of it worked. It wasn’t confusing so much as light on detail and I just wanted more of it. There were moments where the tension was so sharp I caught myself holding my breath. And while I guessed some of the ending, I didn’t mind. The twist at the end still hit hard and left me genuinely stunned.

Also, just a quick note: this book does not shy away from violence. It’s gory and gritty, but in a way that feels earned rather than gratuitous. The author isn’t afraid to let his characters suffer, and it works.

The epilogue was everything. I’ll be watching closely in hopes of a sequel.

4.75 rounded up to 5.

This was a dnf for me at 20%. Unfortunately the main character just felt too whiny and couldn't seem to understand that she couldn't get away from her captor due to magic. She tried 3 times to escape despite evidence that she physically couldn't and would be hurt trying.

I do really love the idea of masked mercenaries who track bounties down and have different animal aspects and never show their faces. That's a very fun concept similar to Mandalorians and a novella coming out soon called Brighter than Scale Swifter than Flame so if you loved that aspect check out the other!

Anji Kills a King is kind of like if the side quest in your favorite fantasy became the whole story. We're on a journey, but not sure why or what for. The stakes were incredibly high, and the deaths/loss along the way were violent and sad, but again, I wasn't sure why. In order for the traumatic events to make sense, we need to truly believe in our hero, support their cause, and root for their success. But with Anji, I just didn't know enough to say with confidence, yes, the deaths of these innocents are worth ensuring our hero's success.

I also think this book should be a stand alone. We didn't get enough world building or history to justify a continued storyline. I don't even know what the hero is fighting against. General corruption? Religious extremism? There just wasn't enough plot for me to know who the bad guys are and why they need to be toppled.

But all that being said, I had fun with this book. It was a very fast, fun read. A really impressive debut from Evan. I'm just not craving any more of this universe or this character.

Anji Kills A King is quite action packed; we spend most of the book wondering why, and by the end question if it was the right thing to do or not. Anji is cheeky and spirited while Hawk (the bounty hunter after Anji) is gruff and determined. A lot of the story is spent traveling between places with short chapter, and very fast pacing. I felt like it was a bit predictable.

Please note the book is rather gory and full of bodily fluids and it made it hard to read at times. I really wanted to know and understand the characters more in this story, and I wish they had been fleshed out more. However, it was still very well written and I, for the most part, really enjoyed it and appreciated the advanced copy!

I really wanted to like Anji Kills a King, but it is not a story for me. The story starts off incredibly fast paced, with the title mentioned King dead before the end of the first page. Unfortunately the story slows down after that and I started to lose interest in what was happening. While I enjoy morally grey and vaguely unpleasant characters, I just could not get interested in these characters. I do think that there is an audience for this book, it was simply not for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book enough to want to finish the book, but it wasn't amazing for me. I do think there is an audience for this book and I will be recommending it for the people that I think are a good fit for it.

I really enjoyed the beginning and the end, but the book really slowed down and I lost interest in the middle of the book.

I love the characters. Anji was spunky and fierce. The Hawk seemed ruthless, but you can tell it is in a protective, "this is for your own good" kind of way.

I also enjoyed how the book started after Anji had already killed a king and she was on the run. I thought that was different and creative.

This book was, honestly, a disappointment. There is also a matter of reader manipulation by the author, where he familiarizes us with the horse that accompanies Anji and The Hawk, gives the horse a name, and then kills it HORRIBLY in the next chapter. And just to ass insult to injury, the following chapter relates the tragic death of a cat from Anji's childhood. I'm curious what the point of that was.
There is a larger issue of Anji's annoying characteristics, which, in a better written fantasy novel, could have been forgiven. I found, however, for Anji Kills a King to be lacking in its worldbuilding.
I really have come to expect more from Tor.

Easy 4.5 stars! What a solid debut! Intriguing premise, fantastic character work, accessible writing style, timely social commentary, manageable length - there's nothing not to like here!

I love that readers are thrown right into the action from the start and then the story unravels as a somewhat backwards progression as more and more of the history and backstory is revealed about each of our primary characters. I didn't expect this book to be as character-driven as it was, but now that I've read it I really can't imagine it any other way. Journey stories are notoriously difficult to pull off, but the emphasis on the characters' growth and evolving dynamic made the occasionally slower pacing more palatable.

Leikam's writing style is a real treat and I'm already eager to see what he writes next. It's not simple or dumbed down, but is still written using language that feels comfortable and easy to take in. Combine that with an average length and you've got a great read for fantasy readers who are newer to the genre or are intimidated by 800 page monstrosities. It's nice to find something quick and easy to read that still has some substance.

I found this read super fun and I already can't wait to get my hands on the sequel. Leikam is definitely an author I'll be keeping my eye on moving forward.

Special thanks to Tor for sending me an advance copy!

The title of Evan Leikam’s new novel, Anji Kills a King, isn’t a spoiler. The king is dead by the end of the first paragraph. This story is all about what happens after Anji kills the king of her miserable, economically depressed, and religiously oppressed country. Who is going to change things for the better in the middle of a power vacuum? And is Anji going to survive being chased down by the deadliest bounty hunters in the nation?

Anji doesn’t get far from the capital before she is captured by the Hawk, an acerbic member of the Menagerie. There’s no one to rescue her. She wasn’t working with rebels against the king’s punishing rule. But when another member of the Menagerie finds Hawk and Anji, Hawk kills him rather than allow him to help escort Anji back for torture and execution. Hawk won’t turn Anji free, however. She is adamant that she needs the reward Anji will bring. Anji Kills a King swiftly transforms from thriller to journey and back to thriller as Anji and Hawk battle the elements, the other members of the Menagerie, and each other.

I almost gave up on this novel. The beginning was rough going for me due to a little too much telling and not quite enough showing. (There’s also a ludicrously labeled creature at one point in the novel.) This style of exposition makes it hard for me to really imagine the world Anji and the other characters inhabit; there are places where this book reads more like set dressing rather than lived-in worldbuilding. Hawk won me over. I stuck around to find out what she was really up to and I’m glad I did because the last third of the book introduced some interesting consequences for the murder Anji committed. With the king dead and no alternative to the hopelessly corrupt and oppressive institutions, things for ordinary people might be even worse than if the king were still alive.

Anji Kills a King is the first novel in a planned series. Based on how this book ended, I expect that the next books in the series are going to be an exciting tangle of politics and bloodshed with Anji in the middle. Will she try to make life better for the people being ground down by the current regime? Will she light out for the territories? Will there be more creatures with silly names? We’ll have to wait for the next installment to find out.

My thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC of this book available for my review.

Relentlessly dark and dystopian, events in this book make things more and more difficult for Anji. The vast majority of the population is suffering under the hands of religious zealots and unprincipled government officials, and Anji is being hunted for the assassination of the king. Since this is the first book in an anticipated series, things might look up. Eventually.