What do you think?
Rate this book
A Viper Among Kings
Not yet published
Expected 25 Aug 26Brace yourself for an exhilarating epic fantasy trilogy with a diverse cast, polyamory, and chaotic sentient magic, for fans of V.E. Schwab and Antonia Hodgson.
In the twisted city of Amaris, magic spawns from chaos. Prone to driving humans mad, it can only be wielded safely by the Wraiths—seven immortal beings magically bound to obey the king.
Esme is the most notorious Wraith. She has spent the last century forced to kill on behalf of the nation that stole her from her homeworld while building a secret life for herself and her wife away from violence.
That is, until the current king turns up murdered, and a magical will demands his successor be chosen through three trials. Esme cannot break the magical shackles that bind her, but she will suffer no more tyrants. She rigs the king's succession trials in favour of her chosen the righteous General Balthazar, who she can't help but fall for.
As Esme weaves together the threads of the court on Balthazar's behalf amid a strange tide of sentient magic in the city and a growing war on the horizon, she will come face to face with Balthazar's bloody past, troubled present, and countless betrayals.
He isn't the man Esme thought he was—but she was born to make and break kings.
In the twisted city of Amaris, magic spawns from chaos. Prone to driving humans mad, it can only be wielded safely by the Wraiths—seven immortal beings magically bound to obey the king.
Esme is the most notorious Wraith. She has spent the last century forced to kill on behalf of the nation that stole her from her homeworld while building a secret life for herself and her wife away from violence.
That is, until the current king turns up murdered, and a magical will demands his successor be chosen through three trials. Esme cannot break the magical shackles that bind her, but she will suffer no more tyrants. She rigs the king's succession trials in favour of her chosen the righteous General Balthazar, who she can't help but fall for.
As Esme weaves together the threads of the court on Balthazar's behalf amid a strange tide of sentient magic in the city and a growing war on the horizon, she will come face to face with Balthazar's bloody past, troubled present, and countless betrayals.
He isn't the man Esme thought he was—but she was born to make and break kings.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication August 25, 2026
307 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 23, 2026
This is a book with real appetite. It wants court intrigue, sentient magic, queer and polyamorous relationships, war, class violence, bodily autonomy, grief, monstrous desire, colonial brutality, and at least three emotionally catastrophic decisions before breakfast. In fairness to it, that is also more or less what it delivers.
What kept me reading was the strength of the central setup. A murdered king, a magically enforced succession, seven immortal Wraiths bound to the throne, and a heroine who has spent a century serving the empire that stole her from her homeworld is an excellent hook, and the novel knows it. Esme is easily the standout for me. She is furious, damaged, self-protective, clever, and at her best when the story allows her to feel genuinely dangerous without pretending she is always right. I liked that the book does not try to make her neat or easy. She is often selfish, often contradictory, and often making the sort of decision that makes perfect emotional sense in the moment and dreadful strategic sense five minutes later, which is, frankly, very human of her.
I also thought the book was strongest when it allowed its moral centre to stay muddy. The pitch gestures towards Balthazar as the “righteous” candidate, but one of the more interesting things the novel does is steadily complicate that idea. Janos is not simply monstrous, Balthazar is not simply noble, and Esme herself is never standing on entirely stable moral ground either. The story is much more compelling when it leans into that mess. Some of the fallout scenes later on really hit for me, particularly once the cost of the trials stops being abstract and starts becoming personal.
There is also a lot here that I can see fantasy readers having a great time with. The sentient magic is one of the novel’s best ideas: manipulative, hungry, occasionally playful, and never quite under anyone’s control. The succession plot gives the story real momentum. The Wraith dynamics add texture beyond the romance. And Simon’s thread, in particular, brought in a different kind of emotional register that I thought worked very well. This is not a book short on ideas, and when one of them lands, it really lands.
At the same time, I do think the book is weaker in execution than in concept. It has so much it wants to do, and sometimes that ambition tips over into excess. Scenes often run longer than they need to. Emotional beats are occasionally repeated. Moments that would have hit harder with a lighter touch are pushed to such a pitch that they start to blur. The book is never dull, but it did feel long to me, and not because nothing happens. Quite the opposite. It is simply a novel that rarely resists the urge to add one more layer.
I was also a little mixed on some of the story logic as it went on. The magical rules around the will and the Bond are fascinating, but there were points where the manoeuvring felt less convincing than the novel clearly intended. In particular, there were moments where supposedly intelligent characters kept making versions of the same mistake, and after a while that did make some of the political games feel less sharp than they might have. A few of the emotional and political allegiances also worked better for me in idea than in full execution, even though I could see what the book was aiming for.
Then there is the prose, which I found uneven in an interesting way. There are flashes here of something striking: bold imagery, sharp lines, and the occasional sentence that really bites. But the writing can also become overinsistent, overextended, and a little too aware of its own intensity. The swearing stood out for me too. I do not mind profanity in fantasy at all, but there is so much of it here that it occasionally stops adding bite and starts flattening the voice instead. This is, among other things, a novel with tremendous faith in the word “fuck”.
That said, I want to give the book credit for its ambition. It has momentum, personality, and absolutely no interest in playing small. I am always glad to pick up epic fantasy by a Black woman, and this one is certainly not lacking in appetite. Even where I noticed the rougher edges, I was still engaged by the story. I would much rather read something this lively, messy, and full-blooded than something tidier that leaves no impression at all.
Overall, I found this compelling, inventive, chaotic, and fun, even if I also thought it could have benefited from more restraint and a firmer editorial hand. I liked it, and I can absolutely see why other readers will love it.
What kept me reading was the strength of the central setup. A murdered king, a magically enforced succession, seven immortal Wraiths bound to the throne, and a heroine who has spent a century serving the empire that stole her from her homeworld is an excellent hook, and the novel knows it. Esme is easily the standout for me. She is furious, damaged, self-protective, clever, and at her best when the story allows her to feel genuinely dangerous without pretending she is always right. I liked that the book does not try to make her neat or easy. She is often selfish, often contradictory, and often making the sort of decision that makes perfect emotional sense in the moment and dreadful strategic sense five minutes later, which is, frankly, very human of her.
I also thought the book was strongest when it allowed its moral centre to stay muddy. The pitch gestures towards Balthazar as the “righteous” candidate, but one of the more interesting things the novel does is steadily complicate that idea. Janos is not simply monstrous, Balthazar is not simply noble, and Esme herself is never standing on entirely stable moral ground either. The story is much more compelling when it leans into that mess. Some of the fallout scenes later on really hit for me, particularly once the cost of the trials stops being abstract and starts becoming personal.
There is also a lot here that I can see fantasy readers having a great time with. The sentient magic is one of the novel’s best ideas: manipulative, hungry, occasionally playful, and never quite under anyone’s control. The succession plot gives the story real momentum. The Wraith dynamics add texture beyond the romance. And Simon’s thread, in particular, brought in a different kind of emotional register that I thought worked very well. This is not a book short on ideas, and when one of them lands, it really lands.
At the same time, I do think the book is weaker in execution than in concept. It has so much it wants to do, and sometimes that ambition tips over into excess. Scenes often run longer than they need to. Emotional beats are occasionally repeated. Moments that would have hit harder with a lighter touch are pushed to such a pitch that they start to blur. The book is never dull, but it did feel long to me, and not because nothing happens. Quite the opposite. It is simply a novel that rarely resists the urge to add one more layer.
I was also a little mixed on some of the story logic as it went on. The magical rules around the will and the Bond are fascinating, but there were points where the manoeuvring felt less convincing than the novel clearly intended. In particular, there were moments where supposedly intelligent characters kept making versions of the same mistake, and after a while that did make some of the political games feel less sharp than they might have. A few of the emotional and political allegiances also worked better for me in idea than in full execution, even though I could see what the book was aiming for.
Then there is the prose, which I found uneven in an interesting way. There are flashes here of something striking: bold imagery, sharp lines, and the occasional sentence that really bites. But the writing can also become overinsistent, overextended, and a little too aware of its own intensity. The swearing stood out for me too. I do not mind profanity in fantasy at all, but there is so much of it here that it occasionally stops adding bite and starts flattening the voice instead. This is, among other things, a novel with tremendous faith in the word “fuck”.
That said, I want to give the book credit for its ambition. It has momentum, personality, and absolutely no interest in playing small. I am always glad to pick up epic fantasy by a Black woman, and this one is certainly not lacking in appetite. Even where I noticed the rougher edges, I was still engaged by the story. I would much rather read something this lively, messy, and full-blooded than something tidier that leaves no impression at all.
Overall, I found this compelling, inventive, chaotic, and fun, even if I also thought it could have benefited from more restraint and a firmer editorial hand. I liked it, and I can absolutely see why other readers will love it.
Did Not Finish
April 1, 2026DNF at 20%.
Not for me sadly.
The prologue was very intriguing, but what I read after failed to hook me.
The main character Esme is one of the seven Wraiths, powerful beings from another world magically enslaved to the bloodline of an evil despotic king (that king is now dead, but we hear a lot about him and how awful he was). Most of what I read was exposition to catch the reader up to the long history the main character has with her fellow Wraiths and the world she's trapped in. Theres a lot of understandable railing against their (obviously objectively terrible) situation, and also their various romantic relationships. It's just a lot of telling us how much they hate their lives and love each other, and none of it made me attached to the characters or interested in the story.
For someone over a hundred years old, Esme acts too much like a horny teenager for me to take seriously. The same went for her closest friend Urias, another Wraith. There's a lot of talking about who they want to fuck/have fucked, both in spoken dialogue and Esme's internal thoughts. There's also a lot of "sassy" "banter" which just made me roll my eyes. Again these are characters who are over a hundred years old.
I did like that there was a good amount of humour in the narration, and I think whenever the plot really gets going it could be good, so if you are not put off by the things that bothered me then give it a try.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Not for me sadly.
The prologue was very intriguing, but what I read after failed to hook me.
The main character Esme is one of the seven Wraiths, powerful beings from another world magically enslaved to the bloodline of an evil despotic king (that king is now dead, but we hear a lot about him and how awful he was). Most of what I read was exposition to catch the reader up to the long history the main character has with her fellow Wraiths and the world she's trapped in. Theres a lot of understandable railing against their (obviously objectively terrible) situation, and also their various romantic relationships. It's just a lot of telling us how much they hate their lives and love each other, and none of it made me attached to the characters or interested in the story.
For someone over a hundred years old, Esme acts too much like a horny teenager for me to take seriously. The same went for her closest friend Urias, another Wraith. There's a lot of talking about who they want to fuck/have fucked, both in spoken dialogue and Esme's internal thoughts. There's also a lot of "sassy" "banter" which just made me roll my eyes. Again these are characters who are over a hundred years old.
I did like that there was a good amount of humour in the narration, and I think whenever the plot really gets going it could be good, so if you are not put off by the things that bothered me then give it a try.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
April 4, 2026
This book hasn't even come out yet and I am desperate for the rest of the books in the series. The world building is immersive, the plot is suspenseful, and the characters are well developed and interesting. Over a hundred years ago, Esme was stolen from her homeland and bound to a power-hungry king, forced to obey his every command. Along with seven others in her position, unable to return home, and forced to respond to names that are not their own, she has been forced to serve the crown in whatever way is demanded of her. When the current king is murdered, a Esme is forced to carry out his will and chose who will be the next man to hold her leash.
I found A Viper Among Kings to be a delight to read. The characters were well rounded and delightfully flawed, and the plot.... THE PLOT!!! The reader is given just enough that you feel like you are beginning to understand what is going on, but not enough to give you any sense of satisfaction, forcing further reading. Some of the plot points were not touched on as much as I would like, but I have faith that they will be thoroughly explored in the next books in this series.
This book would be great for fans of queer fantasy, and gave me kind-of Throne of Glass (the first book, not the series) vibes, which I really enjoyed. Overall 5/5 stars. Thank you to Daphne Press for providing A Viper Among Kings for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I found A Viper Among Kings to be a delight to read. The characters were well rounded and delightfully flawed, and the plot.... THE PLOT!!! The reader is given just enough that you feel like you are beginning to understand what is going on, but not enough to give you any sense of satisfaction, forcing further reading. Some of the plot points were not touched on as much as I would like, but I have faith that they will be thoroughly explored in the next books in this series.
This book would be great for fans of queer fantasy, and gave me kind-of Throne of Glass (the first book, not the series) vibes, which I really enjoyed. Overall 5/5 stars. Thank you to Daphne Press for providing A Viper Among Kings for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks, I hate it.
This reads like bad YA: the language and sentence structure etc are really simple, it’s real big on tell-don’t-show, and the main character (who is many centuries old remember) talks like an annoying modern teenager, complete with her rolling her eyes every other paragraph.
Quotes taken from my review copy, so they may or may not be the same in the published edition come release day.
I absolutely despise this kind of humor, and even moreso I hate the kind of people/ characters who think it’s funny. This was the moment I knew I was going to DNF, because I have no interest in following a protagonist like this.
The writing is full of modernisms – ‘sex dungeon’, ‘you wish’, ‘tits’, etc – which I always hate in not-modern settings. There are wonky lines like
where the subject of the sentence isn’t clear (is the raven-headed monarch on the card or the jacket?) and idiocies like
‘caus sure, people would have sex on a mirror, no one would worry about it breaking under them and stabbing them with shards – never mind how expensive mirrors were in pre-modern settings, and that no one would risk breaking something that expensive.
And don’t get me started about how boring the sentient magic is – there’s nothing strange or eldritch about it, it’s just a vicious little goblin, completely uninteresting.
Thanks but no thanks, hard pass.
This reads like bad YA: the language and sentence structure etc are really simple, it’s real big on tell-don’t-show, and the main character (who is many centuries old remember) talks like an annoying modern teenager, complete with her rolling her eyes every other paragraph.
Quotes taken from my review copy, so they may or may not be the same in the published edition come release day.
“Was that so hard?”
Nathan shook his head.
“Exactly. Truth is easier than deceit, Nathan. You’ll be good to remember that.”
He nodded.
“Now, truthfully, I’m going to kill you.”
I absolutely despise this kind of humor, and even moreso I hate the kind of people/ characters who think it’s funny. This was the moment I knew I was going to DNF, because I have no interest in following a protagonist like this.
The writing is full of modernisms – ‘sex dungeon’, ‘you wish’, ‘tits’, etc – which I always hate in not-modern settings. There are wonky lines like
pulling a playing card from the pocket of his colorfully patched jacket that depicted a monarch with the head of a raven.
where the subject of the sentence isn’t clear (is the raven-headed monarch on the card or the jacket?) and idiocies like
two people having a lovely night on top of a display table. And on that display table, groaning under their combined weight, was the shop’s only mirror.
‘caus sure, people would have sex on a mirror, no one would worry about it breaking under them and stabbing them with shards – never mind how expensive mirrors were in pre-modern settings, and that no one would risk breaking something that expensive.
And don’t get me started about how boring the sentient magic is – there’s nothing strange or eldritch about it, it’s just a vicious little goblin, completely uninteresting.
Thanks but no thanks, hard pass.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A Viper Among Kings is my favourite kind of novel: the ‘onion novel’. These novels can be defined in a certain way, but when you start reading them, you realise they have so many diverse and complex layers.
If I had to use one word to describe A Viper Among Kings, it would undoubtedly be ‘complex’. It would also be funny, endearing, romantic, gory, dark, epic, mysterious, surprising, and so much more. I find it very challenging to balance all these elements and make them work together. The author’s ability to craft a story full of ‘found family’ moments that coexist with some of the harshest scenes I’ve read this year is magic.
That said, the novel doesn’t quite take off, mainly because it’s very chaotic in places, or focuses too much on the action when there are moments where the characters need to breathe and strengthen their relationships; there are a couple of relationships that appear rather suddenly without much build-up, and I would have liked to see them developed further. Other parts become repetitive, especially at the beginning of the novel, taking up pages that could have been used for other developments.
Some narrative choices are far too obvious, others are completely overlooked and feel out of place, and others seem like deus ex machina. We mustn’t forget that this is a debut novel, and although it isn’t perfect, I think it’s bold and ambitious. The characters are brilliant, and you find yourself wanting to know more about the lore. The foundations are wonderful, the execution not so much. Even so, I’m looking forward to reading the sequel.
So thanks to Netgalley and to the publisher for the opportunity to read the e-arc in exchange for a review!
If I had to use one word to describe A Viper Among Kings, it would undoubtedly be ‘complex’. It would also be funny, endearing, romantic, gory, dark, epic, mysterious, surprising, and so much more. I find it very challenging to balance all these elements and make them work together. The author’s ability to craft a story full of ‘found family’ moments that coexist with some of the harshest scenes I’ve read this year is magic.
That said, the novel doesn’t quite take off, mainly because it’s very chaotic in places, or focuses too much on the action when there are moments where the characters need to breathe and strengthen their relationships; there are a couple of relationships that appear rather suddenly without much build-up, and I would have liked to see them developed further. Other parts become repetitive, especially at the beginning of the novel, taking up pages that could have been used for other developments.
Some narrative choices are far too obvious, others are completely overlooked and feel out of place, and others seem like deus ex machina. We mustn’t forget that this is a debut novel, and although it isn’t perfect, I think it’s bold and ambitious. The characters are brilliant, and you find yourself wanting to know more about the lore. The foundations are wonderful, the execution not so much. Even so, I’m looking forward to reading the sequel.
So thanks to Netgalley and to the publisher for the opportunity to read the e-arc in exchange for a review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A Viper Among Kings by Sydney Olivia follows Esme, an immortal being who controls shadow magic and is bound to serve a tyrant king. Alongside her family of immortals known as the Wraiths, she sees a chance at freedom when the king dies, and a new ruler must be chosen.
I was hooked from the first chapter. The pacing moves quickly, and there’s enough world-building without feeling overwhelming. Instead of info-dumping, we’re given glimpses of other worlds and characters when it feels natural to the story, which kept me curious. It also becomes clear that everyone is capable of monstrous things, even the ones you think are “good.” In my opinion, the best stories always explore that.
I loved the Wraiths. Despite being immortal, they feel deeply human and complex. Esme has built her armour and become the ruthless Viper to survive. At times, I felt frustrated with some of her choices. We get a few chapters from Urias POV, and I really enjoyed their relationship. At the end of the day, no matter their choices or who they support for the crown, they are there for one another. And Mina, the beautiful and brave woman that you are... I hope we get to see more of her in book 2.
If you enjoy court intrigue, chaos, found family, and polyamorous relationships, I think you will enjoy this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Daphne Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
I was hooked from the first chapter. The pacing moves quickly, and there’s enough world-building without feeling overwhelming. Instead of info-dumping, we’re given glimpses of other worlds and characters when it feels natural to the story, which kept me curious. It also becomes clear that everyone is capable of monstrous things, even the ones you think are “good.” In my opinion, the best stories always explore that.
I loved the Wraiths. Despite being immortal, they feel deeply human and complex. Esme has built her armour and become the ruthless Viper to survive. At times, I felt frustrated with some of her choices. We get a few chapters from Urias POV, and I really enjoyed their relationship. At the end of the day, no matter their choices or who they support for the crown, they are there for one another. And Mina, the beautiful and brave woman that you are... I hope we get to see more of her in book 2.
If you enjoy court intrigue, chaos, found family, and polyamorous relationships, I think you will enjoy this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Daphne Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
More a 4.5*/4.75* than a 4
*ARC Copy received from Netgalley for free in exchange for review*
Political intrigue, grief, believable magic and wraiths.
I really loved the concept of this book and can see the inspiration it took from V.E Schwab from very early on. It’s part court mystery, part low magic and part grim brutalist epic fantasy.
The plot discusses themes with tact and grace and frames a lot of the decisions in the book from a sort of morally grey side - where characters act on selfish desires that unfold in believable (and catastrophic) ways.
Magic (with an intentional capital there) is done incredibly well, with a brutal edge that I think embodies chaos in a way I wish more magic systems did.
I also loved the portrayal of polyamory and betrayal in this story, of human emotions even in a not-quite human form. The love people show and experience in this story doesn’t feel hollow like similar titles I’ve read too.
My only criticism of the book is that sometimes highly intelligent characters (or at least those set up to be, like Esme) made silly decisions that didn’t come across as a choice made blinded by emotion, but just a flat stupid choice.
A solid book for fans of Schwab for sure, and thank you for giving me the chance to read it ^_^
*ARC Copy received from Netgalley for free in exchange for review*
Political intrigue, grief, believable magic and wraiths.
I really loved the concept of this book and can see the inspiration it took from V.E Schwab from very early on. It’s part court mystery, part low magic and part grim brutalist epic fantasy.
The plot discusses themes with tact and grace and frames a lot of the decisions in the book from a sort of morally grey side - where characters act on selfish desires that unfold in believable (and catastrophic) ways.
Magic (with an intentional capital there) is done incredibly well, with a brutal edge that I think embodies chaos in a way I wish more magic systems did.
I also loved the portrayal of polyamory and betrayal in this story, of human emotions even in a not-quite human form. The love people show and experience in this story doesn’t feel hollow like similar titles I’ve read too.
My only criticism of the book is that sometimes highly intelligent characters (or at least those set up to be, like Esme) made silly decisions that didn’t come across as a choice made blinded by emotion, but just a flat stupid choice.
A solid book for fans of Schwab for sure, and thank you for giving me the chance to read it ^_^
April 11, 2026
This story is wild and fantastical with vivid characters and a compelling set of twists. Our characters are faced with the change of kings, trials for a new heir, wild magic, and a scheming queen-regent. Our protagonist is an immortal warrior from another realm looking for a life of meaning and peace but has none. The book has representation for lgbtq and polyamory as well as elements of found family. I really could feel the vividness of the world even with somewhat lengthy explication. I was engaged throughout the read and pissed when I got 97% completed only to find the climactic ending was just a footnote in a cliffhanger! Get it!
March 28, 2026
This book has a lot going on, and I wonder if the scope might be a bit too ambitious. So much is left unexplained or underexplained that I found myself getting quite confused by all the different threads.
I imagine the author may bring these elements together in future installments, but for me, there was just too much left unclear for it to be a fully enjoyable read.
That said, I really liked the romances between the characters and appreciated the polyamory throughout. The book has good bones, but it feels like it’s trying to be too many things at once.
I imagine the author may bring these elements together in future installments, but for me, there was just too much left unclear for it to be a fully enjoyable read.
That said, I really liked the romances between the characters and appreciated the polyamory throughout. The book has good bones, but it feels like it’s trying to be too many things at once.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was not a book for me. I really enjoyed the premise of this story and the characters. Yet I struggled in keeping track of background characters and didn't fully comprehend what the magic was in this book. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this one early.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews