So, I'd been waiting on this book for a while and it didn't quite hit the spot for me. Lots of good things about it (the use of both gryphons and meat-eating pegasuses being one of them) but also a very YA tone at times that jolted me out of what I was reading (a particular phrase about one of our main female characters and the smell of the main male character made me goggle a little).

There's elements of The Gryphon King that are classic big book fantasy - our protagonist Bataar (heavily modelled on Genghis Khan in many ways) battles his way to supremacy among his people before going out to conquer neighbouring kingdoms. Our main female character, who they're clearly pushing some kind of romance angle for despite the fact the male lead was instrumental in the death of her father and has conquered her country (hey, what's a little light murder between romantic partners?) is one of a number of the other country's royal family who've been trained to defend their Sultan.

In general, it was an okay read but I'm not sure I would carry on with the rest of the trilogy. A bit frustrating overall, given this was a book I'd been looking forward to reading ever since I'd heard about it - sadly the actual writing didn't consistently hit the spot where I'm concerned.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, via Netgalley. This is my honest review of the book in question.

Fair warning: this book immediately grabs you by the throat and refuses to let go. Within the first chapter, there is a somewhat graphic depiction of child death. Despite being absolutely horrified by this (so quickly into a book??), it sets up the reality of the author's world perfectly, and well establishes an early warning to readers: this book is going to be brutal, emotional, and the circumstances violent. That said, Sara Omer has created a rich, intricately layered world that feels very real, and it's a marvel to experience.

Told in two alternating viewpoints, The Gryphon King follows the events leading up to and through the sack of Dumakra's capital city by a legendary warlord. Bataar has become famous due to his territorial expansion, with the goal of creating a better, more unified world that cares for its people. His reputation as a gryphon killer lends itself to more fantastical rumors, and he hides a secret that shines a light on his bloodthirsty ways. But all Nohra, the pegasus-riding Harpy Knight and daughter to Dumakra's zultam, can see in Bataar is her father's killer, and the man who took over her city. Nohra seeks revenge, and to protect her remaining family, but her growing connection with Bataar's wife Qaira complicates matters. Fighting against each other leads to them fighting together in opposition to greater, dark and chaotic forces that are rising, possibly signaling the horizon of another godswar humanity may not be able to win. But can they trust each other long enough to save the world they're both trying to create?

So... I loved this book. As I said previously, it is absolutely violent. The depiction of war and the accompanying suffering and volatile emotions of those involved feels terribly accurate, and the characters feel incredibly multidimensional as a result. This is the first in a saga, and it is obvious that it's going to be epic in scope. The worldbuilding is expertly done, conveyed through backstory and religion and none of the dreaded info dumping some lore-heavy books contain. Even if the characters are not always likable, their morality makes sense and fits the world. No one is entirely innocent in the events of war. They're all just trying to survive, and it's easy to paint your enemy in a singular light when you don't know them or their story. Omer has truly made a masterwork of demonstrating that.

My single gripe is that some backstory is reiterated needlessly, but that could easily be attributed to certain scenes moving around during the editing process. It does not in any way affect the story or its intricate, and at times ghastly, beauty.

One of the best things about this book is I have absolutely no idea what's coming. I am so excited to get the next installment whenever it comes out. Despite the inherent darkness of the world and the events depicted, this is easily one of the most engrossing books I've read this year.

So many thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for giving me a digital copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

🌶️

Rating: 4.25 stars

Review posted to StoryGraph: July 8, 2025 (https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/742c2fb1-9fa5-45e6-b688-880edf7b431e)
Review posted to Instagram: August 5, 2025 (https://www.instagram.com/p/DM_GZ-DxrFC/)

This books is for the reader of an expansive fantasy world and complex characters. The characters invoke strong feelings, which makes it a fantastic option for a book club and discussion. Certainly even my favorite characters (Nohra) had me yelling and upset at her as I read the book, Moreover, the world building and rich turkic culture delve into a side of fantasy that deserves more development.

The Gryphon King is the first book in The Chaos Constellation, an epic fantasy series written by Sara Omer, published by Titan Books. A dark, epic, political fantasy that is set in a world blending Asian cultures (mostly Kurdish and Turkish), morally grey characters, mythical creatures roaming the land, and all together with a complex plot that not only features military scheming, a tense political landscape, but also a dash of slow burn romance to complete it.

Bataar was a child when he killed a gryphon, becoming a legend across the Red Steppe; as an adult, he's the warlord that has united his people. After several victories, he puts his eye on the Dumakran Kingdom, getting a quick conquest over the own Dumakra, partly because of the betrayal on the court; with the city under Bataar's rule, Nohra Zultama vows to take revenge and recover it, killing Bataar in the process. But when rioting breaks out and mythic beasts start coming back into the world, Nohra will have to fight alongside the own Bataar, despite her own resolve, if they want to keep a chance to stand against the monsters that threaten their world.

Omer puts two marvellous main characters at the center of the plot. On the one hand, we have Bataar, a dangerously ambitious warlord, who acts a bit as the villain depending on who tells the story; he might be cold-blooded, cruel, but there are also moments where we can appreciate his human side. On the other hand, we have Nohra, much more passion-driven, even chaotic; extremely brave (also her scenes on the pegasus are chef-kiss), but with a duty to her family. The dynamic between our two characters is extremely complex, starting from necessity but also growing from hate to an unstable alliance for the common good.
The rest of the cast pales a bit in comparison with these two, but Omer gives them the opportunity to shine with the complex net of family and political relationships that are in play (also, I won't mind if a certain character gets stabbed).

The worldbuilding is another highlight for me, from how several Asian cultures are blended into this novel (I could also argue that partly the Red Steppe reminds of Mongolia, with Bataar being a sort of Gengis Khan equivalent), to the inclusion of many fantastical creatures, including not only the pegasus and the gryphons, but also the djinns, sea horses and ghouls. Omer's writing style is quite detailed, painting vivid images as part of the scenes.
The pacing is excellent, but it is true that the first quarter or so can be felt as a bit disjointed, as the characters are introduced in a previous timeline; from that moment and on, you can expect to be glued to the page, always in tension while all the pieces are being played in the board.

The Gryphon King is an excellent first instalment for what promises to be a stunning Asian-inspired fantasy; if you like fantastic creatures, cutthroat politics and a marvellous cast, you should totally give it a try. Can't wait to continue reading about these characters in The Harpy Knight.

“For a beat, the gryphons watched like vultures, still as statues. Then, stretching awake, they shook off the red dust and dove like hawks, pulling away from the mountainside. Soldiers standing in scattered clusters ducked as shadows shot overhead. "Get down!" someone yelled.”

Bataar was just a young boy when he killed a gryphon but that one single act earned him respect within the Red Steppe and set his path on course to becoming a legend across the continent. As the years passed Bataar became known as Bataar rhah, the Gryphon King, conquering land after land. Eventually he sets his sights on the Kingdom of Dumakra, where Harpy Knights wage war in the skies protecting their king on man-eating pegasuses. Nohra Zultama is the king’s daughter and one of his Harpy Knights and so she prepares to face Bataar’s might. Yet when new threats arise and ancient myths become reality the two may have to make an uneasy alliance to face greater forces.

With treacherous politics, morally grey characters, and a well of monsters and myths, Sara Omer’s The Gryphon King is a sumptuous treat.

This is a book which holds a large cast of characters, however our point of view only switches between two central figures. Bataar, being the first we meet, was a character I found utterly compelling and fascinating from the onset. To follow his story arc from a child aspiring to become a leader, a warlord, and then to seeing his vision become realised, was something I was not expecting. Then Omer surprised me even further with Bataar because he was so likable. For someone who was a skilled warrior, a killer, a mighty conqueror who caused much warfare and bloodshed, he was intelligent, often remorseful, vulnerable and his strive to better the lands he took under his rule made him less of a tyrant. He also showed compassion, he wasn't needlessly cruel and his overall vision although was to elevate himself, it was also to help his people from Red Steppe who lived life constantly on the brink of starvation. I’m not one to readily hold sympathy for or attachment to a character who is essentially stealing lands that are not his but Bataar’s motivations are complex and so I couldn’t help but become engrossed in his rising. An additional gentler side is shown through his relationship with his wife, Qaira who he almost worships and confides in the most, and in his childhood friends Tarken and Shaza. Having a story shown through the perspective of a villain can always be a tricky task because for me personally I would look for darkness as well as light within them and I feel here Omer gets that balance right.

"You can be a great king, the best to ever breathe, and the world will still be
a bad place. You can try to make things better, but you'll only ever be one man."
She was looking at him like he was a man now, not a god, not the saber of Preeminence's will.
He wasn't just a man, though. That was the problem with being a rhah.”

Nohra is our second main character and I was first drawn to her because she is a Pegasus-riding Harpy Knight, which of course had me very excited. Nohra was clearly skilled with a blade, especially in the air on her steed Mercy and seeing her in battle was always a sheer delight. Yet sometimes I did feel she could be a little bit too fight, fight, fight and less practical or forward thinking. She was illustrated as feisty and vengeful, rightly so considering her kingdom had been invaded, but she often got to the point of being too rash with her decisions. However there were other sides to her character which I very much preferred exploring, her faith in the goddess Paga, her love for embroidery which showed a much more reflective, creative side. Omer once again balances out her characters by showing that Nohra can find peace in belief and beauty. I felt this added a wonderful level of depth because in real life we can have many sides to us.

Omer’s worldbuilding was simply exquisite as we are given complex politics, religion and myth all weaved into the narrative with such atmospheric prose. Politics was most definitely at the forefront of this novel as when Dumakra is conquered we see political marriages deciphered upon, new governmental figures installed and a fight for the throne in Kalafar, to become the new zultam. This involved much treachery and uncertainty which made it so addictive to read about. I absolutely adore fantasy creatures especially when they're hugely monstrous, and Omer certainly delivered on that. Gryphons were the main beasts terrorising the lands but then we get so much more, from flesh eating Pegasus, giant seahorses and even djinn, and oh my do I love this inclusion of Middle Eastern mythology. Then there was the religion with the Preeminent Spirit and the Paga and Nuna Gods simmering away in the background and shaping our characters beliefs. I was immensely impressed by how all these elements interconnected in one way or another.

Omer brings fresh life to the epic fantasy genre and crafts a deeply enriched and immersive world which I felt completely enveloped inside.

“Vengeance and guilt are sins. Cast them off, and you’ll be stronger.”


ARC provided by Bahar at Titan Books in exchange for an honest review—thank you for the copy. All quotes used are taken from an early ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

Omer's 'Gryphon King' follows the fierce warlord Bataar, famous gryphon slayer, as he continues to advance his army across the known world, towards the powerful kingdom of Dumakra and its pegasus-mounted warriors. Nohra, Princess of Dumakra and a fierce Harpy Knight, would rather claw out Bataar's eyes than work with him, but when she is captured and her younger brother taken hostage, it's time to play politics, and nurture a rebellion. Now, if only she can convince her allies to follow her lead...

Although the first third of this book takes some time to settle in to its own pace, once Omer hits her stride it's a hard book to put down. Both Bataar and Nohra are surrounded by their own cast of friends and foes, each with their own ambitions and political paths (Bataar's wife, Qaira, is particularly memorable). Mysterious creatures, ancient warnings, and power rising from beyond the desert sands mark the start of this new series, which will suit those who enjoy multiple perspectives and surprising slow-burn relationships.

This was a fabulous start to a new series inspired by Southwest Asia and Turkic culture and mythology! I loved how morally grey both the MCs were and how each were right in their own way while also being incredible frustrating in others. The grimdark elements were stellar in this and mixed so well with the world it’s inspired by. 🔥

The story is split between Bataar, a steppe warlord whose desire for vengeance fuels the conquest of the book’s world; and Nohra, a princess and Harpy Knight for her father. I found myself preferring Bataar’s POV simply because I liked how complex he was. While Nohra is wonderful in her own way, her selfishness and inability to find fault with her father frustrated me so much. But that just shows how well written she was because not all characters, especially MC’s, should be likable. ⚔️

Oddly enough, I did wish there was a bit more tension between Nohra and Bataar whenever they were in the same scene because I loved how vicious they were with each other. I also wish we could’ve gotten to know Qaira a little more because of how much of a phenomenal bisexual enigma she was. 😍

Overall, loved this and can’t wait to get the second book!! Thank you goes out to Titain Books and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest (and late 😅) review. And then to the author, Omer, for writing such a fantastic grimdark fantasy inspired by your two cultures! I can’t wait for book 2!! ❤️

Publication Date: July 8!!

Overall: 4.75/5 ⭐️

Bloodthirsty warlords and warrior princesses
—
So effing good! A bloodthirsty warlord on the rampage across his neighbours, or a young king seeking to prove himself to his god? A pegasus-borne warrior princess or a grieving vengeful daughter, hellbent on getting back the kingdom that was stolen from her? All of these are true at any moment in this rip-roaring feat of world-building based on SWANA culture. Omer gives us characters variously conflicted, sybaritic and Machiavellian or beatific yet violent: no-one is exactly how they are meant to be in their station in life, and death is never far away.

It is impossible to believe that this is a debut novel, Omer writes with such assurance and plots with such grace. And the world is fascinating and new, with pegasus riders who are nothing like dragon riders, and the creatures that the West borrows from SWANA myth and legend redrawn and recalibrated for a new and uncertain time. I loved this like I haven’t loved fantasy in a while.

The fact that I'm after the pub and archive date makes me feel all the worse that I have ultimately DNF'd this book.

I wanted to like it. The synopsis sounded right up my street and I think the author, from our online interactions, is an absolutely wonderful person.

I don't know if there was a disconnect between author/editor, author/publisher, editor/publisher but someone somewhere seems a least a little confused on what the tone of this book was. And as I said, I ultimately DNF'd on this title for a number of reasons related to tone/text.

First I will say, I think Bataar and his ability to see souls, how they're taken back to the Preeminence, and the very presence of gryphons (which we don't see enough of in fantasy these days) were positives to me.

Unfortunately, a lot more let it down. Including the initial description of a gryphon as "It looked like a huge lion, except for its beak and feathered back legs ending in taloned feet." So, it looked like a lion except for all the ways it didn't look like a lion? That's my take home point on this?
Probably a pedantic sticking point but horses and ponies seem to be used interchangeably and they are very much not interchangeable terms.

The fight scene with the first gryphon was difficult to follow. I'm not wholly clear on how Bataar went from under the beasts stomach and then suddenly he's cutting the gyrphon's throat and stabbing it in the eye. Now, if I'm imagining a lion with a beak, these are still different locations on a generally not small sized body. But sure, ok.

Then Bataar says to his friend that he'll come back for the friend's younger brother, who was eaten by the gryphon. I get it was pretty fast but come back for what? The child was literally eaten by the thing. Of course the answer was that later they come back and cut the corpse out of the dead gryphon's stomach. Apparently we're meant to be surprised that it "smelled like something rotten" as well.

Phrasing like 'these losers' and 'had reason to be a jealous bitch' gave me HS mean girl vibes and not in the witty way of Mean Girls that movie.

The jump between Safiya being called her full name and Saf drove me insane since it wasn't until far later that someone actually called her this nickname so we're just going back and forth for...reasons? Also, Saf(iya) just straightaway annoyed me. She's clearly the BA older sister and is super sassy cool.

So much of the writing and dialogue early on gave early 2000s teen drama vibes. Especially when "Nohra could have died of embarrassment" over a very minor thing and her despondency after being injured where she goes 'What's the point of living?' This is a totally reasonable reaction to being told that she can't go horse riding (never mind that her horse is apparently still being broken in) and flying.

This isn't even every highlight and comment, just the ones that stood out most. At 10% I had more problems than pages read.
I'm glad people love this. I hope people continue to love the series. I'm sorry to say, I am not one of them.

Thank you to Net Galley and Titan Books for the ARC. I was super excited to read this, because I am always eager for fantasy inspired by Asian cultures. Alas, the pacing was too slow for me to get invested in the book. The world building was beautiful, but the actual plot did not interest me.

This is Game of Thrones meets The Priory of the Orange Tree and I devoured every single page of it! The Gryphon King is an adult dark epic fantasy set in a Southwest Asian inspired world. It has everything one could ask for: ferocious mythical beasts, demons, queer women riding pegasuses, a blessed warlord, political intrigues, bloody battles and interesting morally grey characters (there's no real "hero" or "good person" in this book). Oh, and if you like a romantic sub plot there's also that… a veeeery slow burn and possible poly relationship.

Sara Omer's writing is complex yet wonderful and her descriptions are phenomenal, making you dive in directly into the story.

I truly can't wait for this series to continue because this trilogy really has so much potential.


Thank you NetGalley and Titan Books for the advance copy!

The Gryphon King delivers an expansive, lore-rich world teeming with feral monsters, harpy knights, and cutthroat politics. The beginning did feel dense and a bit info-dump (expect a a lot of names and factions) but the rest of the book is filled with with addictive tension, brutal betrayals, and electric character dynamics; Nohra, Bataar, and Qaira had me hooked.

Sara Omer’s prose is sharp, with grim vibes with and romantic intrigue. By the 50% mark, I couldn’t put it down.

I'm extremely remiss in having forgotten to post my review on time!!! I loved this book - it's the exact complex, detailed political fantasy I've been yearning for. It reminded me of my first forays into epic fantasy as a child and teenager, though breaking from the white, hetero, Anglo worlds and storytelling that were the only way epic fantasy was told back then. I'm so excited for a new generation of epic fantasy fans to have this to sink their teeth into, and looking forward to following Omer into her next books and future series.

I really dislike leaving less than positive reviews! I can't imagine how hard it is to put your all into a story and all of the processes to get published. I'm not sure I can properly put into words how I feel about this book so, I've compiled pros and cons

🩷 Things I enjoyed 🩷

🙌 The beautiful inspirations for the book shone through in all of the rich world building.

🙌 The characters were strong personalities

🙌 Clear differences in areas, languages and religions, types of buildings etc

🙌 Realistic losses in battles, illnesses and injuries, deaths too. No one was safe.

🙌 Complex relationships between characters

🙌 Characters had flaws in keeping with their history rather than being perfect.

🖤 Things I didn't enjoy 🖤

🫣 The timeline jumping at the beginning was the first jarring element of this book. So much seemed to happen between those first moments and where it picked back up I felt like I had missed an entire book (maybe even 2). Things were written in such detail and pertaining to the past in such a way as to make the reader feel left out of the loop and lost.

🫣 There was such a huge amount of detail (repeated quite a lot) that it actually missed out what the character was doing, where they were going or why so I was visualising the scene but couldn't place the character. It's dual POV but some chapters got so blurry I had no idea whos POV I was in sometimes.

🫣 The characters had clear struggles with ever changing tides which was understandable but their opinion was voiced with such conviction and their objective changed so much I couldn't follow their actual train of thought or understand what they were trying to achieve or why.

🫣 Silly point but "Bleeding Edge" must be written in this book at least 100 times. It was referenced a distracting amount of times.

🫣 Lots of events happened that felt, at the time like a big event, lots of detail, lots of internal struggle and adaptation happening with the characters that then felt totally irrelevant to the main story not long after. The main story then felt difficult to pick back up on once that event ended at breakneck speed.

🫣 None of the main characters were really very likeable. I wasn't rooting for anyone in particular.

🫣 Sometimes deceit seemed to be happening for the sake of deceit but again, with way less impact on the characters or main story than it perhaps ought to have had.

🫣 Random monsters/demons/creatures would appear, seem to really change the tide of the story and then... disappear and be irrelevant.

🫣 Overall I wanted to like this so much but it was so so jarring it was like watching clips rather than a continuous story. There was lots and lots of description and information repeated in places but that was to the detriment of the rest of the story. The characters had so much happening to them and so many opposing objectives that they never seemed to follow, they didn't seem to develop or grow as a result of any of it.

I have been looking for non European based fantasy, so I was excited to see this story.

The Gryphon King is the first of a trilogy, that has layers of historical politics and fantasy in just the right combination. The setting has familiar elements of societies across central Asia from Turkey all the way to Mongolia. In a world where it’s conquer or be conquered, Baatar has taken over Dumakra, creating an enemy of the kings Daughter, Norah.

Norah is of the Harpy Knights that flies a winged horse and is a member of Dumakran elite guard. She swear revenge on Baatar for killing her father and taking the throne. She is working to overthrow him, but it starts like there is something bigger at play.

This book feels chunky, but I didn’t feel like it lagged, the flow of the story and development of characters was well paced. The characters are believably complex, and Omer does a really good job of helping you clearly understand and see each person’s motives.

In the upcoming books, I am expecting more amazing beasts, a lot more “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” and probably some interesting political alliances.

Big epic fantasy gold!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

While I enjoyed the storytelling and setting for this epic fantasy book, I had a hard time connecting with any characters. I wish the plot was cut back a bit, so the readers could have had more time in getting to know the characters better.

I’m always on the lookout for epic fantasies set in settings that aren’t your typical medieval, European inspired settings, so I jumped at the chance at reviewing The Gryphon King. And there was so much to love about this book
I really enjoyed the Southwestern Asian inspired setting, the warrior women, the supernatural element and the Gryphons. The writing is vivid and lush with realistic and very human characters- Nohra, Bataar and my favourite Qaira aren’t perfect and the mistakes they make throughout the book adds more chaos to an already complex pollical story.
Some of the scenes particularly ones during the battles are truly shocking and unexpected.
There is plenty of simmering sexual tension between the main characters especially any interaction between Qaira and Nohra.
I’m not sure if it was me but there were times the story felt a bit disjointed and important events happened off page which annoyed me at times.

Fantasy is mad, isn’t it. Take The Gryphon King, the first instalment in the new dark epic fantasy trilogy ‘The Chaos Constellation’, out from Titan on July 8. Only in such a genre can you go from reading about a blade-wielding princess on a carnivorous pegasus—in essence a flying murder horse—to being embroiled in the kind of intriguing court politics and plotting that requires 44 entries in the character glossary (I counted).

With this new series, debut author Sara Omer, on record as being inspired by previous epics such as George R R Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire books and Samantha Shannan’s Roots of Chaos duology, has decided she wants it all: the monsters, the myths, the court politics, the bi/sapphic/poly slow burn, the battles, the lengthy meal descriptions. But rather than collapsing under its own heady ambitions, The Gryphon King soars into the air like one of its murder horses, offering one of the most original and exhilarating fantasy experiences you’ll have this year.

The plot, heavily inspired by both the myths and history of Southwest Asia, particularly its Turkic peoples, concerns Bataar, known as the Gryphon King, so named after his unlikely defeat of a terrifying gryphon as a teenager which is described in a terrifically tense opening scene. In adult form he is an unstoppable conqueror whose armies expand across the continent, from the Red Steppe of his home to the mighty Ottoman-flavoured eastern kingdom of Dumakra. Despite his successful invasion of its capital, he must now contend with the harpy knights, the irrepressible daughters and attack guard of the previous ruler who ride the pegasuses you met in my opening paragraph. Nohra in particular seeks to get revenge on Bataar for her father’s death, but when monsters and plotters attack the kingdom, she must work together with her enemy while dealing with her mixed feelings for him.

One of the many impressive things about The Gryphon King is how the mix of monster-fighting action with royal court shenanigans is never jarring and balanced well. The monster scenes are electric and written with a kinetic sense of tension and violence any time the gryphons descend from the skies (other monsters of a demonic and seafaring nature also appear, thrillingly) and battle scenes are well-choregraphed awe-inducing spectacles—how can they not be with harpy knights on pegasuses swooping down with sickle blades on the infantry below?

The court scenes, meanwhile, are fascinating, particularly as this is not your old Western royal court but one inspired by the Ottoman harems, i.e. the Sultan’s royal family that included not just his multiple wives and their children but also his concubines and their children. These scenes are also enhanced by an admirable dedication to building the visual sense of an extravagant court life. A good example being one obsessively described meal featuring “cubes of jelly flavoured like roses and pomegranate […] covered in powdery sugar”, “orange yolks glistening in bread bowls full of melted cheese”, “cuts of lamb in a gingery sauce”, and “scoops of ice cream in copper bowls topped with chopped pistachio and drizzles of honey”, and… [okay Ed, we get it, you were hungry when you read that scene]. It’s not just food though; there is a rich tapestry of lore, inspired by Islamic and pre-Islamic mythology and religion. This is immersive epic fantasy.

But the characters in The Gryphon King are a success, too, thanks to a pleasing sense of moral ambiguity immersed with sensuality. Take the two POVs. Bataar is spurred on by the injustices meted out to his people and the wish for peace and a better world. But as usual with such world-conquering figures, bloodshed follows him, and his POV is a tantalising mix of kindness and intelligence with ruthless calculation. Pegasus-riding Nohra meanwhile is vengeance personified, an unstoppable force, yet Omer breaks down her barriers in brief but electric scenes of sapphic tension between her and Bataar’s wife Qaira, a slow burn plotline which will surely explode in book 2 and raises the possibility of an f/f/m poly situation, and if you’re confused at this point I have no doubt Omer is here to educate you. Sexuality is fluid, reflecting not just the historical reality of the empires that inspired this series—being straight, historically, is very late—but a desire to use these relationships to build character and subtlety and give us warmth amongst the darkness.

Overall, The Gryphon King is a majestic melting pot of monsters, Machiavellian moves, moral murkiness, and mouthwatering meals that is a fantastic advert for the power of immersive epic fantasy. A showstopping debut.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It’s a rare occurrence for me to read a book and not want to root for most of the characters because they are objectively not good people, but here we are. And that makes me respect this book more because these characters truly ARE morally gray. I don’t think you should feel comfortable rooting for these characters.

Bataar and Nohra both have their moments where you think, oh this is a good person! And then they turn around and want to treat a person as a tool for their own benefit and that sentiment just sours. I am very interested to see how their story progresses through the next two books because I think they both have potential for really intriguing arcs.

Qaira is a character who on the surface seems like someone you can root for, but she’s got some snake-tendencies, and I respect it. Her dynamic with Bataar and Nohra both is very… interesting (a TRUE love triangle???). I wonder how that will play out.

One aspect of this story that I think will be explored more in the future as it was mentioned in passing a few times, but our characters are too self-centered to really pay attention to, is how human choices have impacts on nature and wildlife. If humans are greedy and alter the natural state for these animals, then they have to deal with the consequences. Such as gryphons starving and eating more people as a result. I wonder what supernatural creatures our characters will have to deal with in future books.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. This is one that requires you to put your thinking-cap on and I had a good time reading it and will be looking out for the sequels.

This started out slow for me and I put it aside a couple of times (I'm not good with lots of names and politics getting dumped on me in quick succession), but once I got to the 30-40% mark I was hooked. There some really interesting dynamics brewing between harpy knight Nohra, warrior king Bataar and his wife Qaira, and I'll probably pick up the next book just to see where that's going. Fantasy politics can be hit-or-miss for me, and this fell somewhere in the middle, because there were times it aided the tension and other times it just muddied the narrative. And the prose was very... straighforward? obvious? in a way that isn't my favourite. Overall, lots to like, but also a sprinkle of stuff that wasn't to my taste.