Review – For the Killing of Kings by Howard Andrew Jones
So, lately I’ve been trying to be choosier with my Netgalley choices. Over the next couple of months I’ve signed up for way more books than I had planned, and then there’s also a couple of authors whose work I genuinely like and read ARCs for. Then there’s my TBR. Anyway, I read a couple of previous Netgalley efforts that just didn’t do it for me, so I was mildly nervous when I chose a book that sounded interesting, but was from an author I hadn’t actually heard of (not an automatic disqualification). It turns out the author has written a large quantity of books, including his Pathfinder Tales, which have something of a following. As word of mouth about For the Killing of Kings spread, general opinion has been that this was his finest work. I can’t attest to that comparison, but I can say that is a terrific fantasy novel.
The plot revolves around a country still in shock at the death of the greatest hero, N’lhar Seven years after the fact, and they still have annual parades in his memory. On the eve before the latest parade, one of the Altenrai (think knights with a bit of a magical kick) discovers that N’lhar’s legendary sword Irion is a fake. This starts a non-stop adventure that will keep the reader enthralled throughout.
I loved the parts with naive but brave Elenai and drunken legend Kyrkenall. Their interplay was great, and showed off some of the author’s finer nuances, such as how Kyrkenall’s demeanour changed as he moved farther from the city. The action was nicely done. The battles were realistic, with the heroes not always getting their own way, and it was often their smarts, such as altering the terrain to spoil a cavalry charge, that won the day. In addition, the heroes were well drawn, with troubled backstories that kept them clear of the trope tag. The dialogue between the various characters was (mostly) fun, and we rooted for the heroes without the need to boo-hiss the villains. The plot is clever, with lots going on (there will be further books), the worldbuilding is great. With noble monsters offsetting cruel and devious humans, and a turmoil-filled landscape. The magic system was believable, and played a big part of the plot as new discoveries in magic cause much of the dissent in the ranks. Best of all, two whopping plot twists before the 50% mark.
If I had one gripe, and we have to have one gripe, it was Alten Rylin, who was completely driven by his dick throughout. He couldn’t look at a women with deeming her hot or not. While I know such people exist, and I know such people, it bugged me when he’d meet a mighty legend and think something along the lines of “I never imagined she’d be that hot.”
Anyway, enough moaning about Rylin, as he does play a vital role and has some fine, non-hornbag moments. This book was an absolute blast, and I’m 100% happy I took a chance on it. Want an old style adventure? Look no further than For the Killing of Kings.
An easy 5/5 stars.
