3.75
This is a quick read, especially for a fantasy book. Anji is on the run after killing the king and her sense of urgency propels the reader through the narrative. She is pursued by the Menagerie, a famous band of bounty hunters, but not all is as it seems. This book raises a lot of interesting questions about rebellions and their pitfalls. I found it a bit heavy handed at times and inconclusive at others, but there's a plot twist at the end that caught me by surprise and really added a lot of depth to the narrative. Of course, Moira Quirk is one of the best narrators and her use of different voices for different characters is so fun.

**Review of *Anji Kills a King* by Evan Leikam**

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*Anji Kills a King* is an outstanding debut novel by Evan Leikam, packed with action, intrigue, and a strong central character. The story centers around Anji, a determined servant girl who takes a bold and impulsive step to kill a wicked king. This unexpected act sets off a thrilling chase, as Anji is hunted by the royal mercenaries known as the Managerie, a group of ruthless, animal-masked warriors tasked with maintaining the kingdom’s order. With a bounty of $1,000,000 for her capture (alive), the stakes couldn’t be higher.

What makes this book truly special is its rich development of Anji as a character. Driven by her parents’ tragic fate—killed while advocating for change—Anji’s actions and motivations feel both personal and profound. She’s not just running from the Managerie; she’s fighting for a cause, seeking justice for her people. Her resilience, resourcefulness, and determination make her a fierce and relatable protagonist.

The world-building is immersive, and the stakes never feel too far from Anji’s reach, with the Managerie constantly on her tail. The action scenes are fast-paced and well-executed, keeping the tension high throughout. The ending is especially satisfying, tying together the story’s threads and leaving readers eager for more.

In short, *Anji Kills a King* is a must-read for fans of action-packed fantasy with strong, complex characters and high stakes. I’m eagerly anticipating the next installment of this series. Highly recommended!

**A big thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing the opportunity to read and review this amazing book.**

The swift prose and witty banter quickly got me hooked into this action packed debut novel. I found it to be a very easy and almost compulsive read. It was truly a strong start. Even though I continued to zip through, I found myself getting a little tired of the repetitive narrative between Hawk and Anji about 40% in. We spent a lot of time having the same argument that would go nowhere and it felt like that happened a few too many times. While this was happening, it didn’t feel like the characters were developing much. I kept waiting for the wave to come and get our emotional character arcs off and to the races, but those arcs never truly came in my opinion. It felt like I learned what they were doing but I didn’t get enough about who they really were. I prefer to feel a bit more invested in and connected to characters.

I would have also liked to have seen some more world building. It was cold, I know that. What else? There are spider tornadoes or did I misunderstand? Do other weather events have living organisms in them? Show me more about the magic system. I kept asking why and how about so much in the book. There wasn’t enough character building for there to be so little world building.

There was a lot of action! Many battles and fights. There was a bit more gore than I usually gravitate towards but I attribute that to feeling like this is primarily a battle/action book. I did find myself thinking, “Ope, another fight,” from time to time but I think that it is a me thing. With that said, I think the fight scenes were written very well.

Overall, I think it is a decent debut. The overarching plot is interesting, the dialogue is incredibly strong. The book ends with a solid set up for the second book, which I think I will check out because I am interested in seeing how the Author’s writing will evolve.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was absolutely excellent! Moira Quirk nailed it! She did several, distinct voices throughout the book. She sounded great when voicing female AND male characters! I found her voices very believable and helpful with getting me into the world a little bit more than would have been possible with a digital copy. I will be watching for Moira in the future and hope to listen to her again soon!

(I do not think R.F. Kuang is a good author to compare this work to. That comparison was part of what made me interested but going in with that comparison in my head is part of the let down. The styles are not alike. I think maybe Brandon Sanderson would have still been a reach but a more fair comparison.)

The way I thought this book was just on the run thrills, until Hawk starts spitting knowledge- Good Gods. She dropped so many 💎s on Anji, like oh, okay- It’s THAT kinda book. I was so invested & then the ending came… Boy. I was heartbroken, but at the same time proud, like she really set forth this whole movement. Overall, this was such a story. The bounty hunters, magical animal relics, the Tide, the menagerie, just so many concepts I feel like I needed a lil more of, but nonetheless was such a wild ride w/ tons of quotes for the road 🤍

“You think a lil suffering makes you innocent?”

“What good is your pain if you learn nothing from it?”

“You cannot topple a pyramid by cracking its crown, you must to dismantle it brick by brick until its weight is lifted free & you can begin again.”

“If you’re willing to kill for a cause, you should be willing to die for one too.”

An impressive debut from one of my most trusted Booktube/BookTok reviewers! Leikam explores the ramifications of the titular king killing with main character, Anji, forced to face hard truths about herself and the world that she doesn’t fully understand, and has possibly made more dangerous. The darkness is interspersed with surprising but always welcome bursts of humor. All in all, a great read that I couldn’t put down!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for this ARC, I thoroughly enjoyed it! This book was not what I expected at all, and all of my theories were wrong, which is why I’m rating it so highly. You won’t see any of it coming either.

An opportunistic laundress kills a king she blames for all the evils in the world and suddenly everyone is chasing her. Being dragged to her doom by a legendary bounty hunter Anji learns first hand the consequences of killing a king.

The audio performance was engaging, and each character had a distinctive voice so it was easy to follow conversations.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan publishers for allowing me to listen to Anji Kills a King as an audio ARC. I have to say, the narrator of this story is EXCELLENT. She truly brought to life all characters and kept them consistent. This to me is a hard job because there are ALOT of important major and minor characters. She brought to life their emotions, personalities and it almost felt like you were listening to the audio of a dialogue to a movie! Truly, one of the best narrations Ive listened to in a long time! Anji Kills a King - and this is the start of her journey. As the MC, I was kind of annoyed with her. She reminded me of a younger bratty sibling who you just keep needing to reprimand. The other MC Hawk, I really enjoyed. At first you question the motive, but once you understand, youre perspective shifts. Im not sure what I expected out of this book - but I very much enjoyed the journey and all the characters. This is a world I definitely would not want to live in. The creatures were terrifying. Overall, I enjoyed the growth and interaction between both MCs. I look forward to book 2 and feel this would make a really cool animation adaptation series! I already have the broken binding SE ordered and cant wait to have it on my shelf! If you can, do yourself a favor and listen to this book as an audio!

I really enjoyed this, I can’t believe this was a debut. I think it was a great length for the first book in a trilogy and I think the story breaks in a good place to keep you coming back for the next book. The writing feels more character driven than plot driven. It reminds me of Robin Hobb’s writing. There’s certainly stakes but if you’re here for large scale battle scenes, you will be left wanting.

We meet our regicide Anji and the Hawk who is the bounty hunter charged with bringing her in. We learn so much about them on their journey and meet the rest of the cadre on the way. The banter is great, the journey trope is well executed, and the world building is naturally fleshed out. Im not sure I agree with the “break neck” speed, I thought the pacing was appropriate for a book this size.

Moira Quirk is the audiobook narrator (she does the Locked Tomb series as well) and she does a great job bringing these characters to life and making them feel animated. Would definitely recommend the audio if you can.

I will definitely be looking forward to the rest of this series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an audiobook arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is an action- packed fantasy adventure novel that doesn’t stop. From the opening pages when the young orphan Anji kills the despotic king, she is on the run with a huge bounty on her head. Fortunately she is worth more alive than dead, or it would be a short book! Since power abhors a vacuum, there are plenty of other villains ready to step in with egregious laws (plus bounties and methods of torture) that are no better than those the late king imposed. There are some graphic fight scenes and descriptions of torture. Anji is reckless, impulsive, and annoying, pestering her eventual captors with ceaseless questions. Yet, we are rooting for her. 4.5 rounded up for this well-narrated audiobook and its satisfying ending.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @MacmillanAudio, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook #AnjiKillsaKing for review purposes. Publication date: 13 May 2025.

What do you get when you combine a cultish theocracy, fantasy meth, and a poorly-thought-out crime of passion?

Anji Kills a King has an explosive beginning and a fantastic ending. The middle sometimes felt episodic or disjointed, but only sometimes. The most interesting thing that Leikam has done here, in my opinion, is completely abandoned character tropes and archetypes. Our two main characters, Anji and the Hawk, are incredibly complex and real, even frustratingly so. Anji, in particular, is a radically unique main character. Impulsive, mouthy, and slow to figure things out; I often didn't like her, but loved the unique experience of being clueless in the wide wide world beside the clueless main character. There were a LOT of uncomfortable moments where I thought, "Dang it Anji, that was so dumb! ........ But I guess that's probably what I would have done. 😬"

And she definitely gets smarter by the end - smart enough to tease an exciting sequel that I am dying for. As excellent as this debut is, I get the sense that the full series is going to be so much bigger and even better. Well-done, Evan (and Moira)!

Anji kills a king.... which may or may not have been the right decision. He's a tyrant, so it had to be right, right? She's on the run, with a large bounty on her head. She thinks she's in the clear until a mercenary soldier known as the Hawk finds her to bring her in. But the bounty is high, there are others after Anji (who may have been poisoned by the Hawk), and their adventure back to the palace is challenging on physical and emotional levels.

I loved the tone of this fantasy novel! It's quippy and adventurous, even as it touches on unfairness of empires and wealth distribution. The worldbuilding exists in the margins of the story - it's character driven so we learn a lot about the way the government functions through critical conversations between Anji and the Hawk. They discover they come from similar backgrounds, with the religious Order of Inheritance providing food in exchange for sermons (and indoctrination).

Anji is young still, and her actions are inexperienced, but we see the implications of this on page as she struggles to learn nuance in her highly charged political world. Even as she discovers the Hawk's goals and believes them to be on the same side, she learns that being against the king isn't the same as having the same goal.

I selected this on audio so I could listen to Moira Quirk, who is fantastic. She narrates Anji with an enthusiasm that that enhanced her character for me.

CW: drug use and drug addiction to a fantasy drug are prevalent in the story.

3.5/5 Stars rounded up–
Anji Kills A King is a visceral dark fantasy anchored by its flawed, desperate characters. Anji, a reluctant assassin, pulses with raw humanity as she flees her vengeful act, while her reluctant ally, the surly mercenary Hawk, embodies gritty pragmatism. Their tenuous dynamic drives the story, with Evan Leikam’s sharp prose lending urgency to their deadly cat-and-mouse game. The Menagerie—animal-masked hunters with supernatural abilities—adds thrilling stakes, though the plot’s slow-burn political intrigue occasionally stalls momentum.

The finale delivers a satisfying punch as Hawk faces brutal comeuppance, balancing moral ambiguity with poetic justice. While uneven pacing dulls some of the novel’s breakneck potential, Anji’s evolution from terrified fugitive to cunning survivor shines. Leikam plants compelling seeds for future installments, particularly the promise of Book 2, which teases Anji’s ruthless transformation into a mercenary herself. A flawed but gripping start to a series that rewards patience with its antiheroic heart and blood-soaked ambition.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC!

Overall, I was really impressed with the story considering it's a debut. The action was exciting and the ending gives us a nice segway into book 2 without being an overt cliff hanger. Quirk, of course, is wonderful and pulled great personalities out of the characters.

I really liked the premise. This book explores a storyline of fantasy that's not explored very often: what happens to the person who kills the king? There is a lot of depth and twist as a bounty hunter attempts to take Anji, the killer, to the proper authorities for a reward. I saw the ending twist from a mile away, which personally decreased my enjoyment of the book, but that's not necessarily the case for everyone.

The magic system was interesting and learning about the politics was engaging. Addiction played a central role in this book, which I think isn't done enough in fantasy and not as well as it was done here :) Overall, I enjoyed the book and it's worth picking up!

Surpassed my expectations!
Gritty, atmospheric, and steeped in magic, this book is a perfect blend of high-stakes adventure and deeply intricate relationships and moments of tension.
Addicting and fast paced.
This has yet to be released and I am already anxiously waiting for the second installment.

What's a little regicide to start the day? "Anji Kills a King" The debut book from Evan Leikam (out 13 May 2025) gives us a bit of that.

Anji just killed the king, to be fair he was a bit of a jerk. Only thing to do after that is to leave town immediately. Unfortunately for her one of the near mythical bounty hunters of the Menagerie shows up and collars her. Now under lock and key of the Hawk she is going to be taking in for one of the largest rewards even, and then promptly tortured to death. Well, assuming a different hunter doesn't show up and kill her first.

Narrated by Moira Quirk, the banter flying to serious moments between characters in this one you nailed. That finale, so good, always a pleasure to hear you.

Reasons to read:
-You don't like monarchies
-Banter
-Tired people much past their prime
-Folks making due with what they can and attempting to live
-Sudden and dramatic escalations of violence
-Pointing out that you can't take the easy way to solve an issue

Cons:
-But the hard way is so much harder!
-Animal death

Thank you Macmillan audio for this ARC. The narrator is excellent and really made the story come to life.
The story starts strong, with the point of view of main character killing the king.
I loved the dynamic between her and the Hawk, and how their relationship grows organically and is not too forced.
There is a lot of action and humour, as well as feelings, and I loved the ending.
It's an entertaining and easy read, and I hope we will see more of this world.

Mixed feelings on this book. It started really strong - with an intriguing and entertaining relationship between Anji and Hawk, the famed bounty hunter who has caught her after killing a king. The novel is easy to read, there's good banter, and the dystopian fantasy world is interesting. However, I never felt connected to the characters in the way I wanted to. While we get flashbacks to Anji's past, the emotional arc for her wasn't really there for me. It felt very arms length and driven by the plot and information about the world. Anji is often impulsive to the point of stupidity and never felt like a fully formed character that I was rooting for. And for the most part, things are just happening to her and she often doesn't have a lot of agency. Sometimes very violent things that seem to come out of nowhere.

Meanwhile Hawk at the end of the book felt really discordant with her character through the rest of it. For me the ending didn't feel earned and I'm scratching my head a bit at how we got there. I went into this hoping to love it but ultimately it was disappointing. It has potential as a story but in my opinion needed additional editing and work on the emotional arcs of the characters for it to reach that potential. The audio narration is done well though. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this arc!

4/5 stars

This was a really solid debut fantasy! This book begins with a bang as Anji is literally killing the king, and it truly doesn't stop from there. From being apprehended by the Hawk, one of the Menagerie of bounty hunters and assassins in this land, Anji is thrust into a very long and very painful journey (both physically and emotionally lol). I did find this to be a little bit predictable, but also not in the ways I was expecting or predicted from the beginning. A little tropey, but in a good way. Like I said, really solid debut novel and I'm looking forward to the next installment!

And of course, Moira Quirk was absolutely fantastic in narrating this. She's one of my favourite narrators, and her voice was absolutely perfect for this novel!

Anji Kills A King is for the people who couldn’t get enough of the feral captive/grumpy bounty hunter dynamic between Arya and Sandor Clegane.

The book starts in the middle of the action, with Anji—you guessed it—killing the king. Anji is quickly apprehended by the Hawk, a member of the famed royal Menagerie, and the perilous journey to face her justice begins. Not only does Anji face certain death for her crime, but she is forced to examine her romanticized ideas of revolution. Thus, this is very much a story about The Consequences.

Leikam’s prose is excellent, particularly during the action scenes. I really felt the intensity, which propelled the story forward and made this an easy read/listen. The violence and gore—although heavy—felt earned and appropriate in a world of monsters (human and fantastical) and for Anji’s predicament (we are talking regicide, here). The character arcs were earned, and the ending was compelling enough to make me want to pick up the next book. I was pleasantly surprised at how much was packed into this relatively short 10-hour audiobook.

Some things that brought my rating down: Much of the plot was predictable for the genre, though still enjoyable and satisfying. Eventually, the bickering between Anji and the Hawk became pretty repetitive and annoying (I wanted to shake Anji myself at times for her audacity). I also felt like Anji’s POV necessarily limited the world building and politics, but there is indication we will get more of this in subsequent books.

As for the audiobook performance, if Moira Quirk narrates it, I’m going to love it. There is a character that has something in their mouth while speaking (TW for my folks with misophonia), and this is portrayed perfectly while still being intelligible. I will say I wasn’t a huuge fan of the voice used for one very minor child character because it was pretty piercing. Otherwise, a top tier performance from Quirk, as always.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC. My opinions are my own.