What do you think?
Rate this book
Marvel's Serial Box Audiobooks #4
Marvel's Black Panther: Sins of the King
Throughout history, Wakanda was a kingdom walled-off to the world, thriving in secret. But under T’Challa’s rule, the Wakandans’ resources and technology are now available to other nations. Even nations such as Rudyarda, a former apartheid state. Some disagree with the decision to offer aid to a place with such a tortured past, but the Black Panther believes the people of Rudyarda shouldn’t pay for the sins of its Colonizers forever, and his rule is absolute.
That is, until a former Black Panther is resurrected from the ancestral plane. Then, everything is uncertain. Because as everyone knows: there can only be one Black Panther in Wakanda.
T’Chaka’s return to the land of the living divides reason from nature, a ruler from his allies, and T’Challa from his family. But as T’Challa—along with Shuri, Okoye, and Misty Knight— search for the cause, mysterious forces conspire to subvert his authority from without and within. Other dead men come to life. Old grudges find their way into the light. And when catastrophe strikes, a son must reckon with his father’s sins while a new generation of hero rises.
That is, until a former Black Panther is resurrected from the ancestral plane. Then, everything is uncertain. Because as everyone knows: there can only be one Black Panther in Wakanda.
T’Chaka’s return to the land of the living divides reason from nature, a ruler from his allies, and T’Challa from his family. But as T’Challa—along with Shuri, Okoye, and Misty Knight— search for the cause, mysterious forces conspire to subvert his authority from without and within. Other dead men come to life. Old grudges find their way into the light. And when catastrophe strikes, a son must reckon with his father’s sins while a new generation of hero rises.
142 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 28, 2021
22 people are currently reading
1074 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 - 30 of 46 reviews
December 21, 2020
Marvel's Black Panther: Sins of the King is a short, fun, fast-paced, action-filled read. That said, there are a few flaws that hold it back.
First, the positives. Imagine the second black panther movie. That's how epic this story feels like. We have all the characters we know and love from the first one (and the comic) - T''Challa, Shuri, Okuye, M'baku etc. This time they have to deal with an external threat and an internal one. The story is not just about the action - the consequences of Wakanda's self-imposed isolation without helping other oppressed people's addressed to some extent here. There is plenty of action to keep us entertained throughout.
Now, the flaws. Some protagonists are just too cartoony. This kind of writing might work in a long-running comic book series, but not in a standalone novel. The other thing is that I think this story would have had a much better payoff had it been a graphic novel.
But, overall, I enjoyed the book. Black Panther fans shouldn't miss it.
First, the positives. Imagine the second black panther movie. That's how epic this story feels like. We have all the characters we know and love from the first one (and the comic) - T''Challa, Shuri, Okuye, M'baku etc. This time they have to deal with an external threat and an internal one. The story is not just about the action - the consequences of Wakanda's self-imposed isolation without helping other oppressed people's addressed to some extent here. There is plenty of action to keep us entertained throughout.
Now, the flaws. Some protagonists are just too cartoony. This kind of writing might work in a long-running comic book series, but not in a standalone novel. The other thing is that I think this story would have had a much better payoff had it been a graphic novel.
But, overall, I enjoyed the book. Black Panther fans shouldn't miss it.
January 28, 2021
1/27/2021 Definitely longer than 15 pages, Goodreads. Full review tk at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.
1/28/2021 I feel like a dope for admitting how confusing I find the marketing/formatting of this product. It's an audiobook, but I read it, and you can only get text samples from the website at the time of writing? Oh, wait, depending on what link you use, you can access both the text as well as audio narration by Chidi, I mean, William Jackson Harper (but honestly, I can see Chidi standing at a whiteboard, animatedly reading this out loud to me before offering me Peeps chili, lol.)
Anyway, I read this in its entirety and sampled the first chapter as audio. As far as Marvel novelizations go, it's decent, with the edge probably going to the audiobook version (and I'm generally not good at listening to books, so this is pretty high praise from me.) King T'Challa of Wakanda a.k.a the Black Panther is pensive on the anniversary of his father's death, wondering whether he's doing his best in maintaining T'Chaka's legacy, especially in the face of constant criticism from his still-isolationist council. When the Avengers call, letting him know that the villainous Graviton is heading to the neighboring country of (siiiigh) Rudyarda to steal secret technology, T'Challa leaps at the chance not only to do something heroic but also to prove to his council the worth of improving foreign relations, especially with a neighboring nation they share a contentious relationship with.
Post-apartheid Rudyarda is appropriately thankful for the help, even though casualties are high and destruction of infrastructure even worse. But when T'Challa later attends a benefit to help rebuild the city of (siiiiiigh) Kiplingaard, he's assailed by an assassin whose subsequent death is captured on social media, labeling Black Panther a killer. Heading back to Wakanda under a cloud, he's stunned by the sudden, mystifying appearance of perhaps the last person he'd expected to see: his very own father, whose secrets may go a long way to explaining recent mysterious events.
So the absolute ridiculousness of a Dutch colony naming itself after perhaps the most English colonial writer of all time aside -- especially when the book later goes on to state that the founders were fleeing South Africa, which would definitively make the English their mortal enemies -- this was a pretty good look at African politics, and how countries world-wide distort history in order to make themselves look like the good guys. It brings in a delightful number of supporting characters and villains, and tho I thought the crush T'Challa had on Misty Knight felt a little bit forced, honestly who could resist Misty Knight? I did think it was a little weird that Ant-Man was still Hank Pym, but I haven't read the comics in years so I guess he's back? Or this is just in a random timeline of its own, who knows.
As a Black Panther story, it's quite entertaining, and the sound effects of the audiobook are pretty great. I couldn't help thinking that this would have been better served as a traditional comic book tho. The action is both predominant and yet not detailed enough: the text felt like it needed more to bring it to life, whether it was the cool effects of the audiobook or gorgeously rendered panel illustrations. Overall, a worthy package that discusses the costs of isolationism -- and a definite must-have for Black Panther fans -- but not essential reading otherwise.
Marvel's Black Panther: Sins Of The King by Ira Madison III, Geoffrey Thorne, Tananarive Due, Mohale Mashigo & Steven Barnes is a Serial Box exclusive and may be purchased here as audiobook with bonus ebook.
1/28/2021 I feel like a dope for admitting how confusing I find the marketing/formatting of this product. It's an audiobook, but I read it, and you can only get text samples from the website at the time of writing? Oh, wait, depending on what link you use, you can access both the text as well as audio narration by Chidi, I mean, William Jackson Harper (but honestly, I can see Chidi standing at a whiteboard, animatedly reading this out loud to me before offering me Peeps chili, lol.)
Anyway, I read this in its entirety and sampled the first chapter as audio. As far as Marvel novelizations go, it's decent, with the edge probably going to the audiobook version (and I'm generally not good at listening to books, so this is pretty high praise from me.) King T'Challa of Wakanda a.k.a the Black Panther is pensive on the anniversary of his father's death, wondering whether he's doing his best in maintaining T'Chaka's legacy, especially in the face of constant criticism from his still-isolationist council. When the Avengers call, letting him know that the villainous Graviton is heading to the neighboring country of (siiiigh) Rudyarda to steal secret technology, T'Challa leaps at the chance not only to do something heroic but also to prove to his council the worth of improving foreign relations, especially with a neighboring nation they share a contentious relationship with.
Post-apartheid Rudyarda is appropriately thankful for the help, even though casualties are high and destruction of infrastructure even worse. But when T'Challa later attends a benefit to help rebuild the city of (siiiiiigh) Kiplingaard, he's assailed by an assassin whose subsequent death is captured on social media, labeling Black Panther a killer. Heading back to Wakanda under a cloud, he's stunned by the sudden, mystifying appearance of perhaps the last person he'd expected to see: his very own father, whose secrets may go a long way to explaining recent mysterious events.
So the absolute ridiculousness of a Dutch colony naming itself after perhaps the most English colonial writer of all time aside -- especially when the book later goes on to state that the founders were fleeing South Africa, which would definitively make the English their mortal enemies -- this was a pretty good look at African politics, and how countries world-wide distort history in order to make themselves look like the good guys. It brings in a delightful number of supporting characters and villains, and tho I thought the crush T'Challa had on Misty Knight felt a little bit forced, honestly who could resist Misty Knight? I did think it was a little weird that Ant-Man was still Hank Pym, but I haven't read the comics in years so I guess he's back? Or this is just in a random timeline of its own, who knows.
As a Black Panther story, it's quite entertaining, and the sound effects of the audiobook are pretty great. I couldn't help thinking that this would have been better served as a traditional comic book tho. The action is both predominant and yet not detailed enough: the text felt like it needed more to bring it to life, whether it was the cool effects of the audiobook or gorgeously rendered panel illustrations. Overall, a worthy package that discusses the costs of isolationism -- and a definite must-have for Black Panther fans -- but not essential reading otherwise.
Marvel's Black Panther: Sins Of The King by Ira Madison III, Geoffrey Thorne, Tananarive Due, Mohale Mashigo & Steven Barnes is a Serial Box exclusive and may be purchased here as audiobook with bonus ebook.
April 30, 2021
This was a fun book to read. It took me a bit to get into it, but it was still a good book that addressed a lot of cultural issues. The Avengers team up brought some humor and honestly just love Misty Knight so much. Seriously a badass.
December 26, 2020
This was my first Marvel hero book. While the story was good I did miss actually seeing the action with everyone's strengths and/or powers. It was steady paced and many characters were familiar. I think someone younger and a reader of this type of story would like it a lot more.
January 28, 2021
Quick Read
This book was a quick and short read, but so good to read. This was my first Marvel book, but I am a huge Marvel fan. The action that are consistent with our heroes was all there and other characters even joined in on the fight with Black Panther. My only real disappointment was that I wanted even more pages and interactions between the heroes to get a better sense of their characters (even though we mostly do from other Marvel creations). The Wasp's personality shined through though, which was fun to see. I am hoping for more though. Great book!
This book was a quick and short read, but so good to read. This was my first Marvel book, but I am a huge Marvel fan. The action that are consistent with our heroes was all there and other characters even joined in on the fight with Black Panther. My only real disappointment was that I wanted even more pages and interactions between the heroes to get a better sense of their characters (even though we mostly do from other Marvel creations). The Wasp's personality shined through though, which was fun to see. I am hoping for more though. Great book!
October 10, 2022
I can see my students enjoying this book. It is a fast paced fun story. I read the ebook, but wish I could have listened to the audiobook. I think I would have enjoyed it more.
January 28, 2021
I kind of expected a comic book or graphic novel here, but what I received reads like a comic book but without pictures. So, just reading what was in front of me, the story is exciting, and when I read along with daughter #2, who loves comic books and graphic novels, she felt the same way. She knows more about the Black Panther world than I do, but what information I gleaned from watching the movie gave me enough to grasp the story here. I think anyone who likes Black Panther will probably enjoy this book. As I said, the story is exciting and full of action. It's creative and intriguing, and fans of the genre should be all over this one.
September 15, 2025
Now this is an excellent Marvel novel! Do not skip but absolutely run to listen to this as an audiobook. William Jackson Harper (Chidi from The Good Place) absolutely kills the narration, and the sound production is next level. Maybe more books need to be written by a team of authors because it really worked for this. You can tell that the story is balanced, well thought out, and absolutely rooted in the source material. I feel like it was edited to perfection. The characters are featured so well, the dialogue is excellent, and I never got lost. The story maybe wanes just a tad right before the end, but only just a bit. I do pretty much love anything Black Panther, but this is most certainly one of the character's best features.
February 21, 2021
NetGalley ARC.
I received this e-book ARC from Netgalley of a SerialBox audiobook. But I thought it was a graphic novel. I'd rather read my superheroes in graphic novel form than book form. This story was okay. I'm not huge into Black Panther and the formatting on the e-book was just garbage so it was difficult to get through. I'm not sure where it falls in the Marvel timeline because it seemed both before and after. A little confusing. It definitely would've been better in audio form, as it was originally intended. I may listen to the other ones in this series.
I received this e-book ARC from Netgalley of a SerialBox audiobook. But I thought it was a graphic novel. I'd rather read my superheroes in graphic novel form than book form. This story was okay. I'm not huge into Black Panther and the formatting on the e-book was just garbage so it was difficult to get through. I'm not sure where it falls in the Marvel timeline because it seemed both before and after. A little confusing. It definitely would've been better in audio form, as it was originally intended. I may listen to the other ones in this series.
December 30, 2022
I love Black Panther and this was no exception. I only wanted it to be longer!
This story takes place after the Black Panther movie, where Wakanda has opened itself up to the world.
The excitement is when a former Black Panther is resurrected from the ancestral plane. There's only supposed to be one Black Panther! (It reminds me of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and how there's only supposed to be one but when Buffy technically dies and is resuscitated, another Slayer is called.)
This story takes place after the Black Panther movie, where Wakanda has opened itself up to the world.
The excitement is when a former Black Panther is resurrected from the ancestral plane. There's only supposed to be one Black Panther! (It reminds me of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and how there's only supposed to be one but when Buffy technically dies and is resuscitated, another Slayer is called.)
January 11, 2021
I received a copy of Marvel's Black Panther: Sins of the King in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Marvel's Black Panther: Sins of the King is a Serial Box series I've been counting down the days for. No, seriously. I'm not exaggerating there. I've absolutely loved what Serial Box has done with the other Marvel series (Thor, Jessica Jones, and Black Widow), and thus really couldn't wait to see their take on Black Panther.
In true Serial Box fashion, Black Panther: Sins of the King has a full complement of authors working together. Season one was written by Ira Madison III, Geoffrey Thorne, Tananarive Due, Mohale Mashigo, and Steven Barnes. The version found on Serial Box will also be narrated by William Jackson Harper (I loved his character on the Good Place!).
You know how the legend goes. Wakanda is a wonderful kingdom, full of technology and culture. Yet for most of its history, it has been closed off to the rest of the world. That is, until T'Challa stepped up to the throne, and the title of Black Panther.
He may have started outreach programs for those that need it, yet it will not immediately erase all the pain caused by Wakanda's isolationist history. Still, with the help of Avengers and allies such as War Machine and Misty Knight, T'Challa's odds of surviving what is to come must surely be higher than normal.
“T'Challa considered how to respond. It was no coincidence the dream-memory came to him on the anniversary of his father's death.”
As I said above, I've been so anxious to get my hands on this series. So when I saw Marvel's Black Panther: Sins of the King available on NetGalley, you better believe I jumped on that request button!
It's something that I have no regrets about doing. Just like how I don't regret reading the entire season all in one sitting. I know full well that I'm also going to listen to each episode as they become available on Serial Box, and I am still highly looking forward to that.
What I'm trying to say is this: Black Panther: Sins of the King is worth the wait. It's also worthy of a binge-fest, and is going to have some serious re-read/listen to value. And I'm not just saying that because I'm excited to hear William Jackson Harper's narration.
If you're a fan of Black Panther, I honestly believe you'll enjoy what was done with this series. It did an excellent job of holding onto the roots of his character, and his people. All while also taking the time to explore other elements of the story and world.
The inclusion of other Marvel characters helped to ground the series in a world full of Avengers. While the inclusion of lore and ancestors provided a full look at the history of Wakanda and Black Panthers – one that will be appreciated by fans old and new.
I was surprised (yet pleased) by the antagonists chosen for this story. I think it allowed for a cohesive and interesting story, and honestly I really hope that we'll be seeing more than one season of Black Panther. Fingers crossed!
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Marvel's Black Panther: Sins of the King is a Serial Box series I've been counting down the days for. No, seriously. I'm not exaggerating there. I've absolutely loved what Serial Box has done with the other Marvel series (Thor, Jessica Jones, and Black Widow), and thus really couldn't wait to see their take on Black Panther.
In true Serial Box fashion, Black Panther: Sins of the King has a full complement of authors working together. Season one was written by Ira Madison III, Geoffrey Thorne, Tananarive Due, Mohale Mashigo, and Steven Barnes. The version found on Serial Box will also be narrated by William Jackson Harper (I loved his character on the Good Place!).
You know how the legend goes. Wakanda is a wonderful kingdom, full of technology and culture. Yet for most of its history, it has been closed off to the rest of the world. That is, until T'Challa stepped up to the throne, and the title of Black Panther.
He may have started outreach programs for those that need it, yet it will not immediately erase all the pain caused by Wakanda's isolationist history. Still, with the help of Avengers and allies such as War Machine and Misty Knight, T'Challa's odds of surviving what is to come must surely be higher than normal.
“T'Challa considered how to respond. It was no coincidence the dream-memory came to him on the anniversary of his father's death.”
As I said above, I've been so anxious to get my hands on this series. So when I saw Marvel's Black Panther: Sins of the King available on NetGalley, you better believe I jumped on that request button!
It's something that I have no regrets about doing. Just like how I don't regret reading the entire season all in one sitting. I know full well that I'm also going to listen to each episode as they become available on Serial Box, and I am still highly looking forward to that.
What I'm trying to say is this: Black Panther: Sins of the King is worth the wait. It's also worthy of a binge-fest, and is going to have some serious re-read/listen to value. And I'm not just saying that because I'm excited to hear William Jackson Harper's narration.
If you're a fan of Black Panther, I honestly believe you'll enjoy what was done with this series. It did an excellent job of holding onto the roots of his character, and his people. All while also taking the time to explore other elements of the story and world.
The inclusion of other Marvel characters helped to ground the series in a world full of Avengers. While the inclusion of lore and ancestors provided a full look at the history of Wakanda and Black Panthers – one that will be appreciated by fans old and new.
I was surprised (yet pleased) by the antagonists chosen for this story. I think it allowed for a cohesive and interesting story, and honestly I really hope that we'll be seeing more than one season of Black Panther. Fingers crossed!
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
February 1, 2021
The edition that I’m reviewing includes episodes one through thirteen, covering an entire story arc that revolves around a present-day conflict with its origins in the policies of Wakanda’s previous king, T’Chaka – hence, the subtitle. I mention this because the single “issue” / episode-only books seem to be what are currently posted on Amazon and GoodReads (though the blurbs they display are consistent with the story under review.) While I try to avoid being too spoiler-y, it’s hard to talk about a thirteen-issue collection without spoiling something about the first issue.
The story opens in media res with a fight against Graviton that takes place in Rudyarda, one of Wakanda’s neighboring countries. This battle includes not only Black Panther and other Wakandan warriors, but also a partial Avenger’s roster including Vision, War Machine (Col. Rhodes,) Ant-man, and The Wasp. This Avenger’s team will be “re-assembled” in the climactic battle – against another foe entirely. However, the heart of the story revolves around T’Challa / Black Panther (and also Shuri and Okoye (of the Dora Milaje)) operating more or less independently. The Graviton opening is mostly about getting off to an exciting start, but the most compelling parts of the story occur later when the characters are more isolated and vulnerable.
After the Graviton battle, there’s a bit of intrigue in New York that lets the reader know there’s more going on than meets the eye. However, the big shocker of the book comes upon T’Challa’s return to Wakanda when he finds his deceased father (T’Chaka) is inexplicably back from the grave. The strength of this story comes in the middle issues (Ep. 6 – 9) when the Black Panther is isolated from his resources and must rely on his mind and his capacity to endure adversity. While the Black Panther is away from Wakanda, the nation comes under a kind of Trojan horse attack, requiring others to hold the fort while T’Challa extracts himself and brings reinforcements.
There is a false climax in Ep. 11, in which it seems that the forces of good have won – only for the battle to be taken to an unexpected domain. I would say the conclusion of the Ep. 11 battle was the least satisfying part of the story; the pacing and explanation gave it a deus ex machina feel. However, the fact that the ultimate battle was more satisfactorily concluded made the Ep. 11 victory less problematic.
I found this story to be compelling and cleverly plotted. It keeps the reader engaged and – for the most part – satisfied. If you get a chance to read it, I’d highly recommend it.
The story opens in media res with a fight against Graviton that takes place in Rudyarda, one of Wakanda’s neighboring countries. This battle includes not only Black Panther and other Wakandan warriors, but also a partial Avenger’s roster including Vision, War Machine (Col. Rhodes,) Ant-man, and The Wasp. This Avenger’s team will be “re-assembled” in the climactic battle – against another foe entirely. However, the heart of the story revolves around T’Challa / Black Panther (and also Shuri and Okoye (of the Dora Milaje)) operating more or less independently. The Graviton opening is mostly about getting off to an exciting start, but the most compelling parts of the story occur later when the characters are more isolated and vulnerable.
After the Graviton battle, there’s a bit of intrigue in New York that lets the reader know there’s more going on than meets the eye. However, the big shocker of the book comes upon T’Challa’s return to Wakanda when he finds his deceased father (T’Chaka) is inexplicably back from the grave. The strength of this story comes in the middle issues (Ep. 6 – 9) when the Black Panther is isolated from his resources and must rely on his mind and his capacity to endure adversity. While the Black Panther is away from Wakanda, the nation comes under a kind of Trojan horse attack, requiring others to hold the fort while T’Challa extracts himself and brings reinforcements.
There is a false climax in Ep. 11, in which it seems that the forces of good have won – only for the battle to be taken to an unexpected domain. I would say the conclusion of the Ep. 11 battle was the least satisfying part of the story; the pacing and explanation gave it a deus ex machina feel. However, the fact that the ultimate battle was more satisfactorily concluded made the Ep. 11 victory less problematic.
I found this story to be compelling and cleverly plotted. It keeps the reader engaged and – for the most part – satisfied. If you get a chance to read it, I’d highly recommend it.
January 24, 2021
T’Challa strives to be a good and worthy King of Wakanda, as well as a global citizen, Avenger, and brother. He does his best to do this in spite of traditionalists pushing back at home, and his instincts are put to the test when the undead rise and overtake Wakanda. He then relies on his late father for help in restoring the country.
If you thought this was a comic book, nope. This is a full-fledged novel, and it’s a fascinating look inside T’Challa’s head. He struggles so hard to be a good man, a good king, and do the right thing by the neighboring country his father had shunned a generation ago. But his father is now back from the dead, Misty Knight is present as an investigator, and someone seems dead set on destroying the budding alliance between Wakanda and Rudyarda. When this is revealed, I was at once surprised and not surprised. This Big Bad pops up a lot in the Marvel Universe and often works toward global domination, which Wakanda is standing in the way of.
T'Challa relies on his family and friends and understanding others' motivations and the history behind it is critical for his successes. Even in the midst of apparent defeat, when it seems like he's at the lowest he could possibly be, he thinks critically and continues to take a proactive approach. Despairing moments make him think, and that's truly his superpower, not the benefits of the heart-shaped herb that confers the powers of the Black Panther. I really like that about him, as well as the conflicted drive to do right by everyone. It's a difficult path to walk, but he makes it work, and this is such a good message for everyone at this time.
If you thought this was a comic book, nope. This is a full-fledged novel, and it’s a fascinating look inside T’Challa’s head. He struggles so hard to be a good man, a good king, and do the right thing by the neighboring country his father had shunned a generation ago. But his father is now back from the dead, Misty Knight is present as an investigator, and someone seems dead set on destroying the budding alliance between Wakanda and Rudyarda. When this is revealed, I was at once surprised and not surprised. This Big Bad pops up a lot in the Marvel Universe and often works toward global domination, which Wakanda is standing in the way of.
T'Challa relies on his family and friends and understanding others' motivations and the history behind it is critical for his successes. Even in the midst of apparent defeat, when it seems like he's at the lowest he could possibly be, he thinks critically and continues to take a proactive approach. Despairing moments make him think, and that's truly his superpower, not the benefits of the heart-shaped herb that confers the powers of the Black Panther. I really like that about him, as well as the conflicted drive to do right by everyone. It's a difficult path to walk, but he makes it work, and this is such a good message for everyone at this time.
March 29, 2021
I really rather liked Marvel's newest Black Panther novel. I was actually a little skeptical going in, because... well zombies! I don't enjoy zombies, at least not very often! But it WAS an Avengers novel, and the other Marvel novelizations haven't let me down yet, sooooo I pre-ordered the book months ago from Serial Box. I admit it, I kinda dragged my feet about listening to it when it arrived. Yeah... Zombies! So I waited a few weeks, just so I'd have more than one episode to listen to once I started in.
Why, why was I worried? As soon as I jumped into the book, I loved it! I remembered again how much I loved T'Challa's character, and in this story he has to navigate political intrigue and strive to save his country from a terrible threat. And of course with all the cameo appearances of the other Avengers, it makes this a perfect Marvel novel! If you haven't watched any of the Avengers movies, or seen the Black Panther, don't get this book until you've done so!
William Jackson Harper's excellent narration only makes the story better! I don't know if Serial Box glitched, or changed their format... but I found that I could binge the entire book, which is exactly what I did! Yeah, reading is my drug, and listening to the serial on a weekly basis will work for a temporary fix, but bingeing, and then suffering a Magnificent book-hangover is almost a way of life for me! 🤣❤
Why, why was I worried? As soon as I jumped into the book, I loved it! I remembered again how much I loved T'Challa's character, and in this story he has to navigate political intrigue and strive to save his country from a terrible threat. And of course with all the cameo appearances of the other Avengers, it makes this a perfect Marvel novel! If you haven't watched any of the Avengers movies, or seen the Black Panther, don't get this book until you've done so!
William Jackson Harper's excellent narration only makes the story better! I don't know if Serial Box glitched, or changed their format... but I found that I could binge the entire book, which is exactly what I did! Yeah, reading is my drug, and listening to the serial on a weekly basis will work for a temporary fix, but bingeing, and then suffering a Magnificent book-hangover is almost a way of life for me! 🤣❤
January 30, 2021
I received the free 15-page text sample of this story through a giveaway hosted on GoodReads.
This was a sample to raise interest for the SerialBox audio book, plain and simple. And as a sample, it was exactly what it was supposed to be. This is a story about T'Challa, Marvel's Black Panther, morning the anniversary of his father's death while working with his new allies from the Avengers to limit the magnitude of a current tragedy. As someone who has a basic understanding of the Marvel universe but has not yet had the opportunity to learn about the franchise in detail, I found thus story enjoyable. I was left with a few questions, but as thus audio book was likely meant for fans who are already familiar with the Black Panther films and comics. Despite this, the ending did leave me wanting to read or listen to the full story. I did give it one fewer stars than I was planning to, however, due to the fact that in no place on the giveaway or book page could I find any mention of it being a sample for a longer story. I have no problem with sample being given away, but I do wish I had been aware of it prior to opening the file, as I had been expecting a self-contained short story and not an advertisement.
This was a sample to raise interest for the SerialBox audio book, plain and simple. And as a sample, it was exactly what it was supposed to be. This is a story about T'Challa, Marvel's Black Panther, morning the anniversary of his father's death while working with his new allies from the Avengers to limit the magnitude of a current tragedy. As someone who has a basic understanding of the Marvel universe but has not yet had the opportunity to learn about the franchise in detail, I found thus story enjoyable. I was left with a few questions, but as thus audio book was likely meant for fans who are already familiar with the Black Panther films and comics. Despite this, the ending did leave me wanting to read or listen to the full story. I did give it one fewer stars than I was planning to, however, due to the fact that in no place on the giveaway or book page could I find any mention of it being a sample for a longer story. I have no problem with sample being given away, but I do wish I had been aware of it prior to opening the file, as I had been expecting a self-contained short story and not an advertisement.
February 2, 2021
Black Panther is a king of a small country called Wakanda. His name is T’Challa. The resources of his country are now available to a neighboring country Rudyarda. However due to the past, there is difficulties that must be resolved. Can that happen? King T’Challa wishes he had help in deciding what to do. His council doesn’t help him. When he goes to try to get in touch with his deceased father through a ritual, his father appears in his physical body. King T’Challa can’t believe it. He is happy yet concerned that this has happened. What does this mean for Wakanda and for himself? Suddenly Rudyarda is attacking Wakanda. Why? Will the two countries resolve their difficulties?
This is a well written story that reflects political problems, personal problems and family. I did originally think this was a graphic novel. It’s not. However it is well written. I found it fascinating how the “Black Panther” dwelt with his personal and political problems. It’s an excellent story to read.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
This is a well written story that reflects political problems, personal problems and family. I did originally think this was a graphic novel. It’s not. However it is well written. I found it fascinating how the “Black Panther” dwelt with his personal and political problems. It’s an excellent story to read.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
January 3, 2021
NOTE: I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In 'Sins of the King', T'Challa, the Black Panther, is dealing with some unprecedented political and personal issues while trying to repair Wakanda's relationship with Rudyarda - a bordering country with a history of apartheid that Wakanda has had a fraught relationship with in the past.
On the one hand, T'Challa has apparently killed an American who attacked a diplomatic event he was at, and media everywhere is painting him as a murderer. On the other T'Chaka, his beloved father, seems to have come back from the dead, and nobody - not even T'Chaka himself, can figure out why.
I mostly enjoyed this book. The storyline was fast-paced and simple, and it was really wonderful to get to hang out with the female characters I loved so much from the movie - Shuri and Okoye. Plus, bonus appearances from Misty Knight and Team Avengers were all fun too.
But... I wouldn't say I loved it. For a start, I couldn't get a sense of what kind of age group this was aimed at. The simplistic language and tendency to tell-don't-show kept making me think it was written for middle graders or young YA... but then something would happen or one of the characters would make a comment and it would feel more like it was aimed at adults. (Although to be fair, I've read comics that have that same sense to them too.)
I think the best way I could describe it was as though someone had verbally storyboarded a comic, and then decided to publish the description of the storyboard, rather than the comic it was meant to end up as.
Unfortunately, the formatting didn't help my reading experience either. I don't know whether it's an issue with NetGalley's Shelf app, or just an issue with the formatting of this book - but having pages and lines breaking in weird places, not to mention page numbers turning up in the middle of sentences, got really distracting. That said, I'm conscious that this was just an ARC (and thank you, NetGalley, for providing it to me free!), so I suspect that if the issue is in the book itself, it'll be fixed before publication.
All in all, this was a quick, enjoyable read - something fans of the movie or comics might well have fun with - but not one I'd rave about the way I have with, say the Alias or Ms Marvel graphic novels.
In 'Sins of the King', T'Challa, the Black Panther, is dealing with some unprecedented political and personal issues while trying to repair Wakanda's relationship with Rudyarda - a bordering country with a history of apartheid that Wakanda has had a fraught relationship with in the past.
On the one hand, T'Challa has apparently killed an American who attacked a diplomatic event he was at, and media everywhere is painting him as a murderer. On the other T'Chaka, his beloved father, seems to have come back from the dead, and nobody - not even T'Chaka himself, can figure out why.
I mostly enjoyed this book. The storyline was fast-paced and simple, and it was really wonderful to get to hang out with the female characters I loved so much from the movie - Shuri and Okoye. Plus, bonus appearances from Misty Knight and Team Avengers were all fun too.
But... I wouldn't say I loved it. For a start, I couldn't get a sense of what kind of age group this was aimed at. The simplistic language and tendency to tell-don't-show kept making me think it was written for middle graders or young YA... but then something would happen or one of the characters would make a comment and it would feel more like it was aimed at adults. (Although to be fair, I've read comics that have that same sense to them too.)
I think the best way I could describe it was as though someone had verbally storyboarded a comic, and then decided to publish the description of the storyboard, rather than the comic it was meant to end up as.
Unfortunately, the formatting didn't help my reading experience either. I don't know whether it's an issue with NetGalley's Shelf app, or just an issue with the formatting of this book - but having pages and lines breaking in weird places, not to mention page numbers turning up in the middle of sentences, got really distracting. That said, I'm conscious that this was just an ARC (and thank you, NetGalley, for providing it to me free!), so I suspect that if the issue is in the book itself, it'll be fixed before publication.
All in all, this was a quick, enjoyable read - something fans of the movie or comics might well have fun with - but not one I'd rave about the way I have with, say the Alias or Ms Marvel graphic novels.
January 4, 2021
Being a huge Marvel fan, and an equally huge Black Panther fan, I requested this one to see what's happening in T'Challa's world.
This being my first Serial Box book the format surprised me but I loved seeing the other authors take as the story progressed. The writing didn't feel choppy as they sometimes do with books that alternate writers, it flowed well from one to the next. The only thing that really bothered me was when the one author would talk about Vision, he would call it "the Vision". Its just Vision!
It took me a minute to separate the comic T'Challa from the movie T'Challa but it was just what I needed to go back to Wakanda. The story was pretty interesting about how T'Chaka was brought back from the Dead via an ancient scroll and magic and I really liked how Hydra was talked about again. Shuri, being the badass that she is, was front and center so that was awesome. And because I am a total sap, the ending kinda broke my heart a little.
Overall, it was just a quick enjoyable read! Definitely would recommend this to my Marvel friends.
This being my first Serial Box book the format surprised me but I loved seeing the other authors take as the story progressed. The writing didn't feel choppy as they sometimes do with books that alternate writers, it flowed well from one to the next. The only thing that really bothered me was when the one author would talk about Vision, he would call it "the Vision". Its just Vision!
It took me a minute to separate the comic T'Challa from the movie T'Challa but it was just what I needed to go back to Wakanda. The story was pretty interesting about how T'Chaka was brought back from the Dead via an ancient scroll and magic and I really liked how Hydra was talked about again. Shuri, being the badass that she is, was front and center so that was awesome. And because I am a total sap, the ending kinda broke my heart a little.
Overall, it was just a quick enjoyable read! Definitely would recommend this to my Marvel friends.
September 1, 2025
I received a digital arc from the publisher via Netgalley though all thoughts are my own.
This was an interesting story about TChalla involving sabotage that's connected to Hydra as well as some of his father's actions before he was killed.
I really enjoyed this storyline and how I was able to get glimpses of some of the other Marvel characters particularly Ant Man and I'm always happy to see Shuri.
Full of mystery, action, the power of love and sometimes you can get a second chance to set things to rights.
I highly recommend this book if you're a fan of the Black Panther series and want to delve more into that particular side of Marvel.
Trigger warnings: death, violence, kidnapping, sabotage
This was an interesting story about TChalla involving sabotage that's connected to Hydra as well as some of his father's actions before he was killed.
I really enjoyed this storyline and how I was able to get glimpses of some of the other Marvel characters particularly Ant Man and I'm always happy to see Shuri.
Full of mystery, action, the power of love and sometimes you can get a second chance to set things to rights.
I highly recommend this book if you're a fan of the Black Panther series and want to delve more into that particular side of Marvel.
Trigger warnings: death, violence, kidnapping, sabotage
February 24, 2021
T'Challa strives for excellence—to be a fair and worthy king, a global citizen, an Avenger. But when an army of undead threatens Wakanda, The Black Panther turns to his long-lost father in the fight against his most lethal opponent yet—the demons of his past.
Narrated by William Jackson Harper, the audio is really exciting and packs a lot of emotion. I did have a problem with the app skipping chapters and then backtracking to play the one I'd missed after it had already gone forward but the Support Team helped work that out. That problem is the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars.
Narrated by William Jackson Harper, the audio is really exciting and packs a lot of emotion. I did have a problem with the app skipping chapters and then backtracking to play the one I'd missed after it had already gone forward but the Support Team helped work that out. That problem is the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars.
February 17, 2021
Marvel's Black Panther: Sins of the King
by Ira Madison III (Lead), Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due, Mohale Mashigo, Geoffrey Thorne
T'Challa is haunted by his own mistakes, the consequences of being a super hero. You may have powers you may help people but there is a cost. Sometimes a tragic cost. His fathers return, causes him to fight with his own supporters. But finding the truth of his return may be the darkest secret of his guilt.
by Ira Madison III (Lead), Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due, Mohale Mashigo, Geoffrey Thorne
T'Challa is haunted by his own mistakes, the consequences of being a super hero. You may have powers you may help people but there is a cost. Sometimes a tragic cost. His fathers return, causes him to fight with his own supporters. But finding the truth of his return may be the darkest secret of his guilt.
January 28, 2021
The Black Panther, Sins of the father is an introduction to a series done by Marvel T’Challa works hard at becoming a good King – fair and honest. An undead army threatens his kingdom – bringing demons out of his past into play, almost destroying a city. T’Challa thinks of something and by the luck of gods manages to scare the worst one away for now but he will be back.
February 3, 2021
Very odd little book. What I thought was going to be a comic or graphic novel was not, it was a flat out novel or mini-novel, if you will, of the Black Panther. And because it turned out to be so short it was so jam packed with action, it was as if they wanted to make sure they didn’t miss anything in those few pages. So I’m not sure if there will be more to this book at a later time and this is just a teaser as to what’s to come or if this is it. It was just weird, in my opinion.
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
February 1, 2021
I won this in a giveaway! Therefore it showed up on my kindle, without me having done much research or looking into what it actually was. I was expecting a comic. I'm not exactly sure what I received, it was just writing and no cartoons/ illustrations. This wasn't exactly written well, but it was a fun read.
February 20, 2021
15 pages and a good intro.
Marvel freebie. Suitable for teens and adults. This would be easier to review if it was 32 pages. Tchalla is challenged by a tough supervillain on the anniversary of his father's murder. The action scenes are well written though the body count is a little high.
Marvel freebie. Suitable for teens and adults. This would be easier to review if it was 32 pages. Tchalla is challenged by a tough supervillain on the anniversary of his father's murder. The action scenes are well written though the body count is a little high.
July 4, 2021
Probably my favorite of all the Serial Box / Realm Marvel mini series. I felt like this one could have been the plot of a Black Panther movie. The author does a great job giving voice to different characters and matched their comic book personas. Shout out to the author for brining in Misty Knight, one of my favorites.
February 11, 2021
I received this sample (15 pages) as a Goodreads giveaway, was expecting more of a graphic novel/comic book. This is not my typical read, more my teen’s choice. Decent enough episode for someone who doesn’t follow the Avengers much.
January 11, 2021
Any fan of the Marvel universe will absolutely love this book! The story takes you back to Wakonda and T'Challa. It was hard for me at first to separate the format of the book, such as the use of different authors for different chapters, from what I was familiar with through the movies. I didn't so much like the total focus on T'Challa's POV, as I would have liked to just read the story and draw my own conclusions. But all in all it was a fun read, and for those who love the Black Panther character it' my opinion they will not be disappointed.
April 29, 2022
This is a well written adventure with some interesting twists. It has the feel of an MCU film, with great action and familiar characters, with a couple unexpected ones popping up. It was a fun read.
May 16, 2025
When Hydra and a vengeful scientist invade Wakanda, King tech alla and his family have their hands full fighting off zombies and their own history. Enjoyable read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews