The Queen's Reaper

by Cole Hopkins

"In this debut fantasy, a legendary assassin seemingly aligns himself with a young princess determined to claim her throne... Remarkable characters headline this epic tale of duty, treachery, and never ending battles." --Kirkus Reviews

Are some men born evil, no chance of redemption from the moment they draw breath? Perhaps, perhaps not. Grim doesn't seem to think so, and yet, he knows better than to believe that knowledge alone would curb a cruel man's intent... Even if that man is himself.

He's made a life, no a legend, out of hunting and killing the conceited nobles of Harth. His sword always answering to the highest bidder. This isn't because he desires to walk the bloodstained path laid out before him, at least not usually. To him, he's merely playing the hand he was dealt. Using the skills of his dark and convoluted past as a means to provide for and protect the one thing he holds most dear--the only thing he holds dear--in this world. The shadow of the woman he loves...

But what will Grim do when that shadow is taken from him? Ripped from his grasp and exploited against him. Will he answer the demands of those who have betrayed him so completely, even if to do so means to perform the unthinkable, throwing the Kingdom of Harth into a spiral of chaos it's not likely to survive?

Well, of course. It's not like he gives a damn about the kingdom anyway... right?

Genres: Fantasy, Ebooks

638 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 7, 2025

Reviews

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Queen’s Reaper

Epic! What an epic exciting fantasy that gripped me. The story had lots of depth and there were so many twists and unforeseen turns that it kept me hooked especially towards the end.

There were a ton of characters and lots of different POV that the author explored. My favorite was Grim. He was a dark mysterious character with a morally black compass yet that wasn’t all there was to him. There’s still a lot of depth and mystery to him that I can’t wait to uncover more of.

The story itself had a lot going on between political battles, religious beliefs, magic, pasts, creatures, and so much more! The story was loaded with tons of exciting battles and high stakes.

I look forward to seeing where things go from here!

[Adair McClain · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a slow start, but it really picked up the pace around the 50% mark. I don't normally keep going if it doesn't speed up before then, but I was intrigued by the story enough to want to know what happens.

The story and the world it's built on is solid. The characters were many and fun, although I was starting to wonder if there were any "nice guys" in any of the towns the main cast visited.

There were times when the story bogged down with dialogue and what felt like filler, and the fight scenes were pages long. I had a problem with the (excessive?) women abuse, but I understand it as a product of the world it's based in.

The book could have benefitted from a round of proofreading before publication, but for the most part I enjoyed reading. I'm curious to see where the story leads on.

[Christina Yau · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book... I had a hard time getting into it in the beginning and that's the only reason for the 4 stars. The plot is well laid out with amazing characters with backstories that I loved. I appreciated the pace of the book where once I got into it I was just drowned with too much information.

[Country Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Queen's Reaper is a fantasy book about our MMC named Grim who is a hunter and killer of the royalty and nobles of the city of Harth, where our story takes place. In the beginning of the book the author has provided the readers with a generous map showcasing the kingdom of Harth. Grim is an assassin, which is a favorite lifestyle to read about in many books including the fantasy genre. It would be true that Grim wouldn't necessarily ask questions on the suspects that he is hired to kill, as like a doctor you can't get too comfortable with learning about people. The more you learn about people and their lives the higher propensity you would have to actually not hurt or kill them as an assassin.
Grim is hired to kill a man one night but it goes wrong as he finds out that the hiree, is acutally a bad guy also so now Grim is going to take out the hired man also. However the dead man's daughter Aleigh , walks into the scene and gets murdered by the dead man's guards on his way from the scene of the botched murder hit. Grim is not happy with what has transpired and so he goes on a hunt for the hired man, Father Bezind who is fleeing the city because he is scared of Grim. I really resonated with Grim as a reader especially when you hear about Joanne and his relationship. It makes him so much more human to the readers. Grim is hired by another noble named Rhoric Amir and things go horribly wrong with Grim's life hanging in the balance. This author wrote a compelling fantasy that really grips you from the beginning to the end and the 600 or so pages feel like you are reading a short story, it's that good! And that ending leaves you wanting to read the next book in this fantastic start to the series!

[Kimberly Haddix · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so impressed with this debut! The Queen's Reaper is a fantasy lover’s DREAM! In the Kingdom of Harth, tensions are high, and civil war seems inevitable when the royal family disappears at sea and a new steward manipulates his way to the throne. Grim, a legendary assassin, had no idea what he was getting himself into when he was manipulated by the steward and set in motion actions that would have deadly consequences for everyone in the kingdom. Using the woman Grim loves as leverage, the steward forces Grim to hunt down and assassinate an unknown person. The person ends up being a young girl who is the heir to the throne that everyone thought died at sea. In a twist of fate, the assassin anti-hero, decides to help the young princess take back the throne and get him closer to getting his revenge on the steward. The quest proves to be full of hardships, loss, hidden secrets, betrayal, strength, and vengeance.
The Queen’s Reaper is carefully and expertly plotted, and full of political intrigue, epic battles and rites of challenge. There are very impressive characters and world building, dramatic settings, high stakes, curse magic, and mythical creatures. The Queen’s Reaper is a bit of a hefty book at 638 pages however, it is action packed and engaging throughout the entire book. I cannot wait to read the rest of the saga!

[Lara R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so glad I occurred up this book. The start was a little slow, but then picked up pace and kept me turning the pages as fast a s I could.

The reader is introduced to Grim, an assassin, who is on a job at the beginning of this book. We see his way of working and living until the real story begins. I know, a lot of people may think it's unnecessary to spend a few chapters on this, but it made the character seem more real and gave him a lot more depth.

When the story started picking up speed, there are intrigues, battles, lots of questions popping up and lots more.

The writing style is great with lots of detailed world building, well written characters and the story is easy to follow.

The author did a great job with this and I'm looking forward to reading the other books in this series.


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to start by saying thank you to the author and Goodreads for the free copy! I am not typically a fantasy reader, but the summary seemed intriguing and the book didn’t disappoint. This was an adventurous ride—packed with action, voyages, magic, and some seriously intense battles. There were a lot of interesting POVs, but Grim was easily my favorite. He was ruthless when he needed to be, but I loved that he still had a soft spot for the vulnerable, even when he was put in impossible situations.

The world-building was super immersive, and the banter between characters kept things fun. There were plenty of twists I didn’t see coming, which made it even more exciting. Overall, this was a fast-paced read, despite the 600+ pages, and I can’t wait to see what happens next in the series.

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story! It was a little slow in the beginning but once it got going the story is full of action, betrayal, vengeance, complex characters and an interesting new fantasy world and more! The story is told from a lot of different points of view but Grims character is one that I really enjoyed and even after finding out everything that came out I still think there is much more to come about him. A lot went on in this book and it's going to be fun to see where the rest of the series progresses and to find out what secrets and mysteries are revealed! Thank you Rockstar Book Tours and Cole Hopkins for sharing this book with me!

[stephanie cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Queen's Reaper is an impressive read with a fantastic writing style that draws you in from the start. The world-building is rich and detailed, and the characters are well-crafted and engaging. The story is easy to follow and builds steadily, though the beginning is a bit slow. Once it picks up, though, it becomes a page-turner, and I couldn’t stop reading. The author does a great job of setting up a captivating world, and I’m definitely looking forward to continuing the series. I’m so glad I picked up this book!

[Alanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loaded with action, adventure and mysterious creatures this book is a fun fantasy novel. It’s the first in a trilogy and I can’t wait to read the rest. Currently you can also read them for free with Kindle Unlimited.

Content: war violence, swearing. I feel it’s appropriate for teens (depending on a parent’s perspective on an occasional F word) and also fun for adults to read as well. I am not sure if it was written as a YA book or if it was intended for adults, but either way, both those audiences would enjoy this if you like an action packed fantasy.

[Madison Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend this to anyone. I could not put this down when I started it. I am currently reading the second one.

[Kaalatzvya · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. Didn’t get past the first few pages. Was there no editor? Did a bot write this? Trying to figure out how it got 4 1/2 stars. Does the writing get better?

[Perry · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. Amateurish, unconvincing writing.

[Christine Colgrove · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Reapers Revenge

This is one of the best books I have read I’m this category for a long time. I pan on reading the next two books in the series