This story was so immersive and immediately caught my attention. It was filled with in depth world building which I personally loved and really set up for future books.

This audio is so amazing!!! The YA story needed for this time in history .... This story resonates with anyone and makes readers feel understood and on an adventure.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ALC!

While this wasn’t my usual fantasy style, I still found plenty to appreciate. The world building and prophecy elements were rich, sometimes a bit dense at the start but ultimately created a vivid, layered setting. The shifting POVs took me a little time to settle into, which occasionally pulled me out of the story.

That said, the African-inspired “Game of Thrones” vibe was such a standout. The political intrigue, cultural depth, and ambitious scope make it clear this is a strong debut with a lot to offer.

Even though it wasn’t fully my style, I think it’s going to really resonate with readers who enjoy epic, character-driven fantasy with complex themes. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on this author’s future work!

I was really easy to immerse myself into this fantasy world. It was intriguing, expansive and thrilling. The story had was engaging beautifully written. I loved the multiple POVs and vivid descriptions. This is an amazing debut to an amazing series. I was also lucky enough to get the audiobook on NetGalley, and I loved it! The narrator really brought through each character and the emotions everyone was feeling throughout this sad and heartbreaking story. I am giving the book four stars and the audiobook five stars. I am very much looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

I really enjoyed this book! A great start to an epic fantasy series! It features rebellion, politics, magic, giants among other things! I was gifted both the ebook and audiobook. I listened and read the ebook. I loved that it was African inspired and the main characters are kids. There are multiple POVs, but it’s easy to follow. I could easily picture the places described within the book as well. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for sending this over! Enjoyed it a lot and can’t wait for book 2.

Thankyou to Netgalley, HarperCollins, Avon Books and Nerdfam for the opportunity to read this ARC and listen to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Birth of a dynasty is one of my favourite reads of 2025 so far. This was the beginning of an African Inspired fantasy that had alot of elements with similar to feel to Game of Thrones. Full of political intrigue, backstabbing, betrayal, revenge and an age old favourite, unfulfilled prophecies.

Birth of a Dynasty started off fast and action filled with the entire massacre of a high noble family and the entire story and ending was set up perfectly to lead into the second book. It has left me wanting to follow along and see vengeance delivered!

I read and listened to this book in tandem and the narration of the audiobook was amazing and delivered with alot of authenticity. I did have to listen at about 1.5x.

This book was a wonderful start to this trilogy. It was soooo good! I enjoyed both the tense and calm parts. I like the way this author weaves in humor throughout the interactions of characters. I could feel the culture come alive through the action and day to day! I will definitely be continuing this story.

If you’re looking for an audio book that is engaging, exciting, vengeful, and just devious then Birth of a Dynasty is for you. The narrator was WONDERFUL. I was not bored and able to follow it the story to the end. The story was well pace and didn’t drag between switching scenes. This story has multiple point of views and the author mad it easy to follow. For the first book of a series, it was hit. The story focuses on two children named M’Kuru (Kahalil) and Zikora’s whose life and families don’t matter to the ruling family. A war is started and each of the main characters must find a way to exact their revenge. I’m hooked to see what happens next. Thank you to the author NetGalley, and Harper Voyager for the arc.

While the story is a classic one of overthrowing kingdoms and seeking vengeance, it didn't particularly stand out for me. There are multiple points of view, even introducing new ones towards the end, and the amount of information and number of names was overwhelming.

If you're expecting any resolution within this book, you'll be disappointed. As the first of a trilogy, it's mainly setup for M'kuru/Kalil and Zikora, establishing their backstory and motivations. I think it would've benefitted the story more if the chapters alternated between the two of them.

The narration I found lacking. Adenrele Ojo uses the same voice for nearly every male character, which made the back and forth between multiple characters confusing. Some had accents, while others didn't. The emotional scenes were done well though; the strain she put into her voice was a nice touch.

Read this story if you like heavy politics, dozens of characters, and lots of dialog.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

Birth of a Dynasty is the first book in a fantasy series about rebellion and the fight for power. We follow two main characterspers…….M'Kuru is a boy in hiding after the rest of his powerful family has been assassinated. Zikora is the daughter of a lord who ends up with secret powers before she is taken to the royal court as a hostage for her family's good behavior. Zikora is a cool character, so well developed in her characterization that you can really picture her. I found myself looking more forward to the sections that included her.


The fantasy world set up is excellent and the description of this world was so well done.
The writing is solid overall.
I found a few spots waned in keeping my interest as the author became a bit too descriptive, but I guess that is normal with the first book in a series.
Overall, quite enjoyable, recommend for anyone that likes fantasy..

This was a great start to what I assume will be a fantasy series that will span a few books at least. I really enjoyed learning about the characters and what their families were trying to have them be part of at such young ages for some of them. Because of this, it added to the darkness of the overall story, and really was heartbreaking. The different POV's created different layers within the story and really showed that everyone was just trying to survive. It was well-written and I would definitely love to read the next one when it comes out to learn the fate of our new favorite characters. Anyone who is into fantasy, definitely give this one a shot!

3.75 stars, rounded up to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the audiobook ARC! Also, thank you to GoodReads for the physical copy that I won as well!

This is a gripping, slowburn political fantasy that delivers a powerful blend of ancestral legacy, power struggles, and richly drawn African-inspired world building.

The characters felt real; flawed, driven, and caught between loyalty and power.

A very strong debut! And a must read for fans of epic fantasy with real world resonance.

It was like Black Panther meets Game of Thrones.

Powerful, immersive, and emotionally gripping — a must-read for fans of epic fantasy

Birth of a Dynasty by Chinaza Bado is a stunning start to what promises to be a breathtaking African-inspired fantasy series. With richly layered worldbuilding, compelling court politics, and a narrative full of emotional depth, this book instantly pulled me in and refused to let go.

If you enjoy the sweeping scope of Children of Blood and Bone or the high-stakes political maneuvering of Game of Thrones, this story will absolutely resonate with you. The plot is intricate yet easy to follow, exploring themes of power, legacy, and survival in a fractured, dangerous world.

Told through multiple POVs, each voice is distinct and fully realized, but it was Zikora’s arc that left the deepest impression on me. She’s a powerful, conflicted, and incredibly well-drawn protagonist — her journey brought both tension and heart to the story.

While this isn’t a light read, it is undoubtedly worth it. Bado doesn’t shy away from portraying the darker realities of empire, war, and ambition — and it makes the moments of hope and resistance all the more poignant.

I also have to give a special shoutout to the audiobook edition — the narration is phenomenal. One of the most engaging performances I’ve listened to this year.

Huge thanks to HarperCollins and Chinaza Bado for the opportunity to read this advance copy via Net Galley in exchange for my honest review. I can’t wait to see where this series goes next!

This is what I need from stories that claim they have political intrigue. Birth of a Dynasty starts off strong with the MMC’s family being usurped from the throne, leaving him as the final living heir to the throne as he narrowly escapes. Forced to hide away as a farmer’s grandson and bastard to the enemy’s general, M'Kuru/Khalil’s POV carried this story.
On the other end of the story, we have the POV of Zikora who has been sent as a lady of the court by her family where she is met with other court ladies trying to poison her quietly.
We have other minor POVs of the players that worked to usurp the throne.
What I love about this story is watching the characters navigate how they must stay alive in a world that feels like it’s trying to kill them. The characters do not feel like they have plot armor on their side, and I can genuinely feel a threat looming over them if they act rashly and foolishly. M'Kuru/Khalil is young at the age of 11-12 years old, and he acts that way. He’s realistically rash, childish, impatient, and doesn’t know how to play the politics that he needs to keep him alive. Watching him learn how to navigate the change from protected royal to everyone wanting to kill him was so fun. His pseudo grandfather was an amazing levelheaded teacher to him, and we see great character growth that I liken to Aria in Game of Thrones.
Zikora’s POV as well as the others really dragged down the book for me, unfortunately. She reads as the typical romantasy girly who’s a royal that just wants to wear pants and be a warrior. I found her to be really dull and unoriginal to the plot. It wasn’t until the end that I found her to be interesting and cunning in a way. Of course, she too is 11 years old, so I’m not expecting her to be formulating complex political moves, but I did want to see some more originality coming from her.
I think this is a great story that blends a lot of political slights that we see in fantasy books that came before it. I do wish we focused more on the fantasy realm of the story. We have Seers and giants, but I didn’t feel like the world was rich with a fantastical element, so I hope to see more of that in the following book. If you’re looking for innocent characters being thrust into a world smarter and more dangerous than them, and forcing them to adapt, then you will like this!
Thank you Net Galley, Chinaza Bado, and HarperAudio for the audiobook ARC!

Okay—this book caught me off guard in the best way. Birth of a Dynasty is one of those stories where you think you know where it’s going… and then it quietly shatters your expectations.

The political tension? Perfectly layered. The family secrets? Deliciously messy. And the way the author slowly builds the main character’s journey—ugh, I was hooked. I loved watching her find her voice in a world that constantly tried to silence her.

I’ll be honest: there was a stretch in the middle where the pacing slowed down just a little too much for me. But once the story picked up again, I was all in. And that ending?? I’m still not okay.

If you’re into royal drama, slow-burn tension, and characters with sharp tongues and softer hearts, you’ll probably love this as much as I did.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this early!

Okay so. Birth of a Dynasty by Chinaza Bado? This audiobook is a certified banger. I hit play and didn’t stop until I was way too emotionally invested in power moves, betrayals, and characters who would 100% stab you with a smile (and I'd still root for them??).

Bado builds a world that feels rich, dangerous, and SO juicy. Every chapter had me leaning in like, “Wait… what just happened?” And the narrator? Smooth, confident delivery with just enough flair to keep things spicy. A few emotional beats could’ve hit harder, but overall? Chef’s kiss. Seriously, I was constantly stunned this was one narrator.

This isn’t your average historical drama, it’s like Game of Thrones meets Succession with its own unique twist. If you love high-stakes stories with royal chaos and characters you love to hate (and hate to love), GET ON THIS.

Thank you NetGalley and The Nerd Fam for this ARC! Already waiting for book two like 👀.

3.75 Star Story; 5 Star Audio!

Imagine a Game of Thrones episode, focusing on the political tensions and moving parts, the revenge driving the main characters, and sprinkling in some magic. This is a political fantasy after all. I haven't read anything quite like this before, so it was incredibly enjoyable to jump into such a vibrant world. It also shakes up the norm of my reads, as much as I try to diversify.

The narrator really brought this story to life and I highly recommend you listen to experience the voice and emotion she brings to the wide cast of characters. The political and court intrigue here is extremely tense, no matter the POV that you are in. They are all interwoven so perfectly that it felt so immersive and why I related it to a GoT episode, where we jump between them until they all come together.

With that being said, I feel like there were a few POVs that could have been removed and still got the heart of this story, as they didn't add as much value, disrupted the pacing for me, or I felt that having that mystery would have made certain incidents a lot more shocking overall. But it is still enjoyable to experience the specific voices for each of these players, through their different backgrounds and alliances. I also wanted to see a little more magic at play, but I feel like that will be involved later in the series.

I also do want to state again that this is a political fantasy. I don't want other readers to come in here expecting a romantasy and then rating this low because they came in with different expectations (as I've seen for some other books in the past). This is very much a chess game devised from a prophecy. Stick with it if you want that! I, for one, am excited to see where this goes and if any of my guesses turn out to be correct over the remainder of this trilogy.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, Harper Collins, and Harper Voyager for the early copy and audiobook! All above opinions are my own.

This was an African-inspired fantasy with Game of Thrones vibes: multi POV, lots of politics and shifting alliances. The pacing was a little slow in places and there was so much going on, but for sure if you like your fantasy heavy on politics this is for you!

I’m a sucker for a slowburn revenge arc which was included in one of the povs.

And the end!!! Can’t wait to see where this goes.

In terms of the audio I really enjoyed it but there was a lot of info and I definitely needed the print copy to keep track personally but loved it!

3.5 stars rounded up

Birth of a Dynasty has huge potential for a great series! A huge political landscape, heavy warfare, and characters ready to take on the world.

I only wish the main characters were older, it caused some confusion for why certain events were happening and their voices were very naive. That and towards the end the violent scenes became more and more gratuitous and didn’t seem necessary to the plot.

Thank you to Harper Audio and NetGalley for an advance copy of this anticipated read!

Birth of a Dynasty is a great first book in an epic fantasy. This African-influenced story is heavily leaning into Game of Thrones. There is a lot of death when this story begins based on prophecies, as it weaves the start of a rebellion in the kingdom. We start with young characters who need to stay the course until the time is right. Birth of a Dynasty is steeped in tradition. The audiobook is narrated by Adenrele Ojo, and her performance is amazing, bringing so many characters to life while capturing the pain these characters endure.