It’s refreshing to see a different take on fantasy worldbuilding, drawing on a range of influences (the author cites their Turkic and Kurdish heritage).

Prose is serviceable, but not sparkling. I read an ARC, so some of these criticisms may have been cleared up by release (and thus I won’t quote any specific lines), but the writing style is fairly simplistic, and the way the writing is structured on a page or within a paragraph often seems scattershot rather than by stylistic choice. Sara Omer displays a much stronger voice in some of her published poetry and short stories, so this is clearly a choice made to appeal to a wider audience - and not one I think necessarily always lands. There are some striking images here, though, from the haunting descriptions of abandoned Anhabar to the Ivory Gates of Rayenna.

Towards the end of the book, the pacing and structure loosen, and characterisation gets a little sloppy. It feels as if the writer is hurrying to find a place to conclude this first book; individual characters and their individual voices begin to break down as the story heads towards an ending.

Other reviews have brought up ‘problematic’ elements of the romance. Puritans, all of you. The romance isn’t central to the story, and nor is it presented in a particularly positive light. No one in this book is having much fun! A light fluffy rom-com this is not.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

4.5/5 stars

The Gryphon King is the first book in a Southwest Asian-inspired epic fantasy trilogy The Chaos Constellation. Bataar, once a gryphon-touched child marked by an attack from the beast he ultimately slew, has become a feared warlord determined to unite the continent that once scorned his people. In his path is the wealthy kingdom of Dumakra with an isolationist sultan and an army led by pegasus-riding princesses. Nohra is one of those princesses, the daughter of a favored concubine, and one of its four leaders. When complacency and betrayal puts Dumakra under Bataar’s rule, Nohra vows revenge. Her path, however, becomes complicated by the magnetic presence of Qaira, Bataar’s wife, and the reawakening of ancient powers that may force enemies to become allies.

The book is impressively plotted and consistently subverts expectations, though its prose leaves something to be desired. The basic writing style does hold it back from being outstanding, but the strong storytelling and two engaging leads more than compensate. The worldbuilding is rich and complex, filled with striking action sequences, political tension, and layered family dynamics. The inclusion of mythical creatures adds flair, though the underlying mythology remains somewhat hazy, especially for readers unfamiliar with Turkic culture or history.

It’s unclear whether the book intends to frame Bataar as a villain, but he reads much more like a central antihero. He is sympathetic and way too charismatic and likable to ever be the antagonist. His political vision and personal motivations are fully realized. In contrast, Nohra is the more polarizing of the two leads, defined by her fierce loyalty, inner conflict, and ideological journey. Layered onto that is a budding polyamorous tension between her, Qaira, and possibly even Bataar, which adds intriguing romantic complexity I hope will be explored further in future installments.

Though its plain prose keeps it just shy of excellence, The Gryphon King stands out for its intricate political landscape, compelling character dynamics, and inventive worldbuilding rooted in Turkic and non-Western inspirations.

*Thank you to Titan Books for the eARC via NetGalley

Wow. A highly anticipated release that did not disappoint. A sweeping, epic fantasy debut that delivers richly layered worldbuilding inspired by Southwest Asian, Turkic and Kurdish cultures. The story centers around Bataar Rhah, a feared warlord whose rise to power begins with the slaying of a gryphon as a child, and Nohra Zultama, a fierce Harpy Knight bound by faith and loyalty. Omer creates a vivid landscape teeming with supernatural creatures, political intrigue, and ancient magic, weaving themes of conquest, devotion and identity into every page. The novel’s immersive setting and morally complex characters make it stand apart from standard Eurocentric fantasy.

Omer leans into the grey: faith and ambition, loyalty and love, power and pain are constantly in tension. The prose is razor-sharp yet lyrical, and the worldbuilding is so textured. Cannot wait to read the rest of this series, this promises to be a very compelling trilogy!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC to review!

3/5

Survivor of a Gryphon attack in childhood that left him forever scarred, Bataar, a young Rhah, continues his conquest of a continent where he has become enshrined in legend. Nohra, a revered Harpy Knight—battle tested women who ride the famed Pegasi, must contend with her kingdom of Dumakra overthrown, her father slain, and Bataar instated as its new ruler. Nohra intends to resist Bataar’s rule at any cost, but general unrest and strange beasts plague the land, not to mention the actual plague staking claim on the populace. To survive, Nohra will need to set down her weapons, but that may mean going against her principles and furthering Bataar’s conquest.

The Gryphon King is first in a dual perspective epic fantasy trilogy strong on the morally grey characters and Turkish Mythology influences. Contrasting the two perspectives of Bataar and Nohra, a conqueror and warrior respectively, Sara Omer details a world of conflicting agendas, deadly plagues, and mythological beasts and beings unexpectedly awakening and wreaking havoc on the land. From the first chapter of Bataar’s Gryphon attack and kill, I knew the level of excellence we were in for with Omer’s The Gryphon King. Each of these characters is ruthless and uncompromising but over the course of just one novel will confront their limitations and what it will take to loosen their resolve. This is really a gorgeous debut balancing fantasy elements with more intense court politics, religious ties, and just a sliver of romance. I did find I wanted more backstory with our characters, especially to engage with them to a greater extent. We would be told so many interesting tidbits about Bataar in his journey from a young man almost killed by a Gryphon, to leading armies in a conquest. None of that was shown and I found I spent a lot of time noticing the gaps that hopefully will be filled in with the sequel. The Gryphon King nails the landing though and if that epilogue is any indication, this is shaping up to be a truly extraordinary trilogy.

I was approved for this eARC back in February (!!!!!!) and have been desperate to pick this up ever since, so I’m glad I finally got round to it because it was stunning.

The Gryphon King is the first instalment in an all-round epic political fantasy trilogy, in a Southwest-Asian setting pulled from Turkish culture, with monstrous creatures, cutthroat warlords and sword-wielding princesses who ride man-eating pegasuses, which in itself says it all really.

The world-building in this book was by far the absolute highlight for me. I love myself a rich and expansive world and if nothing else, this book had that down to a T. Combined with political intrigue, queer rep, a plethora of morally ambiguous characters and bloodthirsty gore, this made for a fantastic read.

I genuinely can’t believe this is a debut and I’m SEATED to find out where Omer takes this series next. An endless thank you to the author, publisher and to NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this one and happy to see that there is more to come from this series. I was quite engrossed in this tight, narrative and look forward seeing where it goes from here.

I want to start by saying if you enjoy epic fantasy with elements of myths and legends then leave this review and go read The Gryphon King. This book was fantastic. Omer manages to combine Southwest Asian mythology and folklore with all the intrigue and power dynamics you come to expect in epic fantasy. The world is lushly imagined and built in such a way that you are easily transported there as you read. I loved every second this one and I have to say I will be looking for more work by Omer in the future. This is a must read for fans of epic fantasy. Trust me you will not be disappointed.
As always thank you to Titan Books for the advanced copy to review, my reviews are always honest and freely given.

If you are even vaguely interested in an epic fantasy with mythical creatures, betrayal, intrigue and war ... This book is a must. Intense world building mixes with gripping characters and an action packed plot - I cannot wait for the sequel.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Gryphon King is the opening book in The Chaos Constellation, a sprawling epic fantasy inspired by the Asian Steppe and packed full of all of those fantasy aspects you know and love. Fearsome warlords, morally grey characters, a menagerie of fascinating and terrifying beasts, badass female warriors who ride man eating pegasi, what more could you possibly ask for?

I personally have a huge fascination with the history of nomadic steppe tribes. I tend to prefer the more eastern tribes and have a massive interest in the Mongols, however the entire area of history is so underrepresented in the fantasy genre despite being perfect inspiration for an epic fantasy. Finally Sara Omer has come along and filled that gap and I could not be more excited. As soon as I saw The Gryphon King I knew it was going straight to the top of the TBR.

The book opens with the main character of the story, Erdene the magnificent eagle. Okay well actually it shows a flashback to a younger Bataar slaying a Gryphon and earning his reputation that will follow him around as he sets about conquering the continent one kingdom at a time. We also see a flashback to the earlier life of our other POV character Nohra. Nohra is one of the famous Harpy Knights, an all female brigade of pegasus riding warriors from Dumakra. These early flashbacks help to introduce the characters, them as people, their motivations and their backstory without having to dump a bunch of exposition.

It is especially important to have had those flashbacks to open as the story in earnest begins right in the thick of the action and for the most part does not let up. The book is packed full of action and excitement with only brief lulls that serve as opportunities to develop characters, build the world, and give direction to the plot. I love the pacing of the book, it is like a HIIT workout, flat out action, a chance to recover and catch your breath, and then thrown back in with another immense action set piece! It doesn’t become overwhelming with too much action and simultaneously doesn’t fall too much into a lull where you begin to check out.

There’s silly moments that make you smile, as well as hauntingly terrifying moments that will make you loudly exclaim words that I probably shouldn’t share on here. There is an unbelievably slow burn romance with an emphasis on the slow. Sara Omer also does a great job of putting you on a level playing field with the characters in terms of not 100% understanding or knowing what is going on. There are things that happen that make you gasp and go wide eyed alongside Bataar, and Nohra, and the rest of the colourful and diverse cast of characters. There is a layer of mysticism to the universe that digs deeper than what you see on the surface and both you as the reader, and the characters themselves are united in your attempts to piece together what this means for the universe and the balance of power.

There is something for everyone in the fantasy space, you have your warriors, battles, and fighting. You have your fantastical beasts and creatures. There is political maneuvering and machinations. You even get the mystical and the magical. The Gryphon King is a wonderful combination of different aspects of the genre that combine to produce a show stopping entry to the Chaos Constellation trilogy.

A superbly crafted fantasy adventure full of thrills, political intrigued and adventure than you've ever seen - but in the best way possible.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve seen amazing reviews for this book so I was so excited to pick it up. I would like to say I really should have done my due diligence first and checked for themes etc as I first thought this was going to be more of a YA Romantsy so that’s on me.

The first few pages of names overwhelmed me with information, however I did really appreciate this as it was useful to go back and check.

I can see this novel being a big hit specifically around high fantasy readers who thrive on cutthroat politics and immersive world building.

There were parts where I could not put this down and there were parts I felt a little lost and confused (judging from reviews I would say this is just me though and perhaps this was just a book I need to build up to)

All in all I would say this is has been expertly done and I’m sure I will pick this back up again

A southwest Asian inspired fantasy that has it all! Political intrigue for days with a great world that I got utterly swept away in. The writing was lush and the characters morally grey. Loved it cannot wait for the rest of this trilogy!

The Gryphon King – Sara Omer

First book in The Chaos Constellation

Pub date 07/08/2025



First thank you so much to Sara Omer, Titan Books, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book!

The Gryphon King follows two POV’s, first we have Bataar who was gryphon marked when he was young and has grand plans to unite all the tribes and cities under one rule. His, as Bataar Rhah, chosen by god to rule.

Bataar has a secret that only a few people know about, he can see when souls depart the body and where they go. And the truth is they are swallowed up by Preeminence whose giant face hangs in the sky never-ending.

And then we have Nohra a Harpy Knight who is goddess-blessed and rides a savage man eating pegasus. She has always strived to be the best and becoming one of her fathers Harpy Knights was a highlight of her life. But now that Bataar is conquering the continent she must choose to be against him or side with him and bide her time until a better option to strike against him appears.

The Gryphon King has politics, mythic beasts, and some tender moments that had my heart beating faster. And that ending… I will absolutely be picking up the second book when its out and look forward to continuing the story!

I loved this book. It was so great that I can even forgive the fact that there was hardly any sapphic yearning even though the blurb told me there would be sapphic yearning. It does very much deliver on the sword-and-scythe-wielding-female-knights-with Pegasi-front, though.

The Gryphon King is a fantasy novel set in a queer-normative world inspired by the cultures of Western and Central Asia, rife with political intrigue, complex not always loveable characters and entrancing world-building. The relatively large cast of characters can be a bit daunting at first, but the writing somehow manages to make almost all of them feel distinct early on. It also manages to occasionally make you forget that Bataar is actually quite the assh0le and has you genuinely sympathising with him, right up until he does something that makes you go «hey why’d I forget that you’re a piece of shit?!» The emotions, especially towards the end of the book, are so raw and real that it made me feel the despair and anger and fear the characters go through.

The comp titles listed for this are «Godkiller» and «The Priory of the Orange Tree», but I also thought that specifically the magical element of the world felt very reminiscent of «An Ember in the Ashes». Both books begin with very little magic, to the point where you’re left wondering whether there really is magic in this world at all. Magical elemets are introduced to the plot slowly, and they always have a very remote, inhuman, almost other-worldly air about them. It is not magic for humans to meddle with, and meddle they shall.

I’m really looking forward to reading the sequel, whenever it comes out. The silent despair and hopelessness I felt at the end was exquisite, and I can’t wait to see where it goes from there.

I received an ARC from net galley in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, I'm not sure how to feel about this one. Let's start with the pros. I really enjoyed how diverse this world was, and how it focused on a variety of Turkic cultures that are not typically the center of epic fantasy stories. I also enjoyed how ruthless and amoral many of our main characters were. Nohra, Saf, Shaza, and even Qara were allowed to exist as vicious and ruthless women, without creating excuses or attempting to moralize their actions.

Unfortunately, the rest of the book didn't quite click with me. I honestly thought I was losing my mind during some parts, as some sentences were sandwiched by random tidbits of information that had nothing to do with the preceding or following sentences. The transition between chapters were also quite jarring; at times, I could not decipher how far apart the events in each chapter were supposed to be. The characters' and their motivations also weren't totally fleshed out. We are told, for example, that Tarken and Bataar are as close as brothers. Yet, they barely interact on page and Bataar barely thinks about him. The most interesting characters, such as Darya and Fahaad, are minor characters that we don't spend much time with.

Overall, I will probably check out the sequel to see if there is any improvement, as I did enjoy the ending.

Dark, ambitious and entirely unique, The Gryphon King had me hooked from the first brutal chapter.
The worldbuilding was exquisite. It felt subtle but very atmospheric, giving the book a really unique feel to it that you won't find in the typical 'medieval Europe with dragons' fantasy. I loved reading about all of the different fantastical creatures: pegasi, gryphons, hippocampus-like river horses and ghouls all make an appearance and I appreciated how each paid homage to the classic tropes while also bringing something new (carnivorous pegasi anyone?). The combination between the rich worldbuilding and complex, political plot made for a really vivid reading experience. It was dark and brutal in places, but felt real. Speaking of darkness, Sarah Omer did not hold back with the battle scenes! They were equal parts exhilarating and stomach turning- so, so good, especially for a debut.
The characters were a big highlight of the book. The titular Gryphon King, Bataar, in particular was such an interesting character. He was actually morally grey, complex, and really human. I can't wait to see where his character goes next. Our other point of view character Nohra was wonderful in a completely different way. I also can't wait to see where her development goes in the future.
I think the one thing that makes this book not five stars for me is the fact that towards the middle it began to feel a little bit bogged down by its own ambition. There were so many characters and plot threads that a large part of it felt a little directionless and I felt a little like I had to force myself to get through some chapters to get to the good stuff. This means that the story might not work for those who don't like a slow pace.
That said, I still enjoyed this a lot overall and I'll definitely keep my eye out for the sequel! Check it out if you're looking for a queernormative world, slow paced epic fantasy, political intrigue as well as epic battles, strong and morally grey characters, a few horror elements and something unique and original in the fantasy space.

This book takes cut throat politics to a whole new level! It gave me GoT vibes, with everyone out to betray eachother, and I loved every tense second of it! Add in a rich world filled with gryphons, seahorses, pegasus' and other unique and monstrous creatures, a slow burn (possibly poly? >.>) romance, and a cast of characters that felt so real and established in their relationships (Darya bby I'd die for you), and you've got a fantastic book that I really hope has a sequel, because I need MORE!

Holy shit this might be the best ARC I’ve read all year. Omer did not hold back any punches when she wrote this. Thank you, TitanBooks, for the eARC!!!

First of all, this was such a unique dual POV. I don’t think I’ve read many books where the two main POVs are true enemies. Normally it’s a very clear enemies-to-lovers vibes, or they’re just straight-up allies. This one though. This one. They are enemies. They don’t trust each other even a little bit. It’s such a fascinating dynamic because you’re rooting for both of them! You can clearly see both of their perspectives, and that allows you to see they’re both justified in their thoughts and plans, but also both flawed because of their biases. I really, really loved that there really isn’t one main antagonist and one main protagonist. It made the story so much more realistic and engaging.

Also, I love how the fantasy elements increase as the story progresses. The mythical creatures and the different types of magic and belief systems were written so vibrantly! The prose in general was immersive and invigorating. I was on the edge of my seat for every single battle sequence. The brief bits of romance were wonderful, and the character work was truly magnificent. Everyone had their good qualities and their flaws. With the exception of like, Nassar, who straight-up sucks, every character was wonderfully nuanced and had either a believable redeeming quality, and/or a fatal flaw. There really was no black and white in this story, and I loved it for that!!

I need the rest of the trilogy IMMEDIATELY please. Cannot wait to have this book physically!!

I thought the world building was very strong and was the best part of the book. The world the author created felt realistic and lived-in. I was interested to read more about the history and the historical figures who are mentioned. I also liked the way the world’s myths and legendary creatures were included, it felt fleshed out and practical.

However, I personally had some real issues with the characters and plot. The opening chapters are gripping and had me hooked. But we then skip 10 years and as a result, miss some truly crucial character building moments. Why does Bataar want to conquer the world? The first answer we get is that he wants to create a better, safer world without war (while he is literally waging war to do this, if this conflict was better explored throughout the book I think I would have really loved that, but it’s not convincingly presented as a conflict in my opinion). We then learn that Bataar was in fact inspired to begin this war/revenge because of turning point in his past as a teenager!! This is only mentioned in passing!!! This moment literally spurred him to seek revenge and is what kicked off his war. To me, that feels like something that should be shown and not told to the reader 30% into the book.

We also don’t get to see Nohra’s journey to become a Harpy Knight, which is her biggest dream. I think I would have been way more endeared to her character if we had been with her as she struggles to prove herself and gain the role she yearns for so much. She’s such an impulsive and stubborn character and if we had seen those characteristics develop, I think I would have understood her more. Because as I read, I was truly wondering how a knight for 8? years has remained so incredibly averse to taking other’s advice or even just listening to her fellow knights without outright dismissing what they say??

As for the characters themselves, I found myself struggling to connect with them. They just fell flat and lifeless for me. I didn’t find their actions realistic and multiple times was wondering why they had decided to do something or why they felt that way about another character.

All in all, this was a bit of a disappointing read for me as the premise sounded cool and the world built here is genuinely so interesting!

2.75 rounded up to 3

This book sounded like something that I would really love and in many ways, I did. I loved the setting which was vividly described and the political machinations were interesting too. However, the author’s skill at description was also one of the things that I ended up disliking about it. There is a huge amount of violence in the book and this is often graphically described. I don’t mind violence in my fantasy stories but the balance between the amount of violence and the other plot elements spoilt the book a bit for me.
My other main problem was the characters. I know that the characters are described as morally ambiguous and this was one of the things that attracted me. However, Bataar seemed to have very few redeeming features and although he was the main POV I never felt that I knew him or really understood why he felt that he had to forge his empire in so much blood. I felt that I had a better understanding of Nohra but still didn’t really connect with her. There were an awful lot of characters to keep track of too and this would have been incredibly difficult without the list at the start of the book.
This felt like quite a long book and yet I felt that parts of it were underdeveloped. I would have loved to know more about the Pegasus monsters and how they came to be ridden and used as weapons in place of quite so much gore.
I am sorry that this book wasn’t really for me but I am very grateful to Net Galley and Titan Books for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.