Rat King

by Olivia Gratehouse

In a world where Heroes and Dark Lords rule, Rat King is just an ordinary goblin, doing ordinary grunt work for the local Dark Lady. But Rat King wants something more out of life. He longs to go out on an Adventure of his own, to see the world and all it has to offer.

So when the opportunity for an Adventure comes knocking on the Dark Lady's front door, Rat King is willing to do anything in order to take it. But this little goblin has his work cut out for him, as he discovers that Heroes and Adventures aren't all they're made out to be.

Featuring goblins and trolls, dark prophecies and magnificent hats, Rat King is a tale of humor, heart, and lots of rats.

Genres: Fantasy

95 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 16, 2025

About the author

Olivia is a science fiction and fantasy author, whose greatest desire is to tell stories that bring light and hope to readers. Her love for robots and monsters leads her to write books that challenge stereotypes, while also providing clean content for readers of all ages. Olivia works as an art teacher and loves to spread the joy of creativity with her students. She lives in Oklahoma with her family, and when she isn't writing, can be found gaming, drinking tea, and making quirky, colorful art.

Reviews

[Allison Tebo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A satisfying romp of a story perfect for fans of Dungeons and Dragons and unconventional heroes! It is impossible not to cheer for this wistful and oddball goblin as he is flung into an unexpected journey bursting with rats and magnificent hats. Brisk pacing, intriguing plot twists, and quirky worldbuilding converge into an irresistible adventure. Olivia Gratehouse has become my go-to author for good, old-fashioned fun--for she never fails to compel and delight with her storytelling.



Note: I had the pleasure and honor of line-editing this story, but all thoughts are my own!

[Emily Golus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goblins, rats, magnificent hats! Rat King is an entertaining romp filled with humor and heart. It turns some common role-playing game tropes on their heads, but you don’t need to be an RPG fan to enjoy the story. A great little read!

[K.J. Haakenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

SO fun. SO fresh. SO ready for the next installment AHHHHHH

[Olivia Gratehouse]

*Update during my sequel plotting reread* I’m a little bit appalled at how much I laughed at my own silly jokes lol. But I like this book a lot. 🥰

This story was such a joy to write! Rat King is a character who has grown very near and dear to my heart, and I hope that you will enjoy his little adventure!

Content: it is clean and appropriate for YA audiences, with only mild fantasy violence. It has a friendship focus and is for anyone who loves monsters and roots for the underdog.

[D.T. Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novelette was a fun adventure alongside an interesting main character and his endearing sidekick.

[H.L. Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. The way the main character thinks was really well thought out and unique and I liked the addition of the non-verbal trolls and how they were able to communicate.

Plus the rats are cute.

A lot of "from the bad guy's perspective" stories are cynical and mean spirited. This one is not. Rat King isn't a bad guy. He's actually kind and good-hearted, and it seems like the larger pieces of the so-called battle of good and evil he's in the midst of with adventurers vs dark lords is more like a game whereas what really matters is RK's empathy and concern for those around him. This makes the story rather wholesome.

[Shanna Leblanc · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderfully refreshing read!!! This book was full of adventure and I adored the writing style! I was just sad it ended so quickly. I can't wait for the next book!!

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever and Sprightly
Olivia Gratehouse’s Rat King takes a familiar fantasy plot and puts the most unusual hero in the center of it—a goblin. Rat King (or RK) is a lowly guard for an elven vampiric lady. She is visited by an adventurer named Teagan who often interacts with the lady of the castle RK guards. Teagan would like a goblin for his latest pursuit. Guess who is chosen?
This novella zips along with a light-hearted panache that most 500-page fantasies could only envy. The humor is character-driven, the best type of humor because it’s so relatable. RK is both an underdog and a clueless narrator. The reader should have fun reading about his misadventure.

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This reads like a classic fantasy adventure. I'm excited to see what Gratehouse does next.