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The King Must Fall
Power corrupts all who thirst for it. Friendships shattered, ambitions stoked, loyalties betrayed, and plenty of blood spilled.
Nineteen stories about people who will stop at nothing to gain power or topple it. Whether it be bringing down a king or empress, a queen or gang leader, these warriors, diplomats, blackguards, and traitors will do all the wrong things for the right reasons, or the right things for the wrong reasons, to sate their thirst for power.
Nineteen stories about people who will stop at nothing to gain power or topple it. Whether it be bringing down a king or empress, a queen or gang leader, these warriors, diplomats, blackguards, and traitors will do all the wrong things for the right reasons, or the right things for the wrong reasons, to sate their thirst for power.
521 pages, Hardcover
First published May 31, 2022
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446 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
July 22, 2024
My complete review is available at Before We Go Blog.
The King Must Fall is the latest anthology of all-original short stories from the gang at Grimdark Magazine. Edited by Adrian Collins, Mike Myers, and Sarah Chorn, this fantastic collection of nineteen stories showcases some of the top names in grimdark fantasy. The physical book is a strikingly beautiful volume, featuring cover art from Felix Ortiz and detailed interior drawings by Carlos Diaz at the beginning of each story.
I tend to enjoy short story collections built around a common theme, and the notion of The King Must Fall provides a compelling focal point for the anthology while allowing for a high degree of creativity from each of the nineteen authors. It is fascinating to see how different authors interpret the concept: some take “the king must fall” as a literal directive, even quoting the phrase in their stories, while others adopt a more liberal approach.
Every story here is a winner. The anthology opens with “What You Wish For” by Devin Madson, a dark fantasy in a classic medieval-style setting. Madson adopts a straightforward take on the theme of The King Must Fall. The dark elements of “What You Wish For” are especially well done, setting the tone for the rest of the anthology. The next story, “The Dark Son” by Luke Scull, fully embraces the spirit of grimdark fantasy, with plenty of brutality on both sides of an epic conflict that takes place in Scull’s Grim Company universe. Anna Smith Spark follows up with “Glory to the King!,” an Empires of Dust story depicting King Marith at the height of his powers yet beleaguered by his own insecurities. “Glory to the King!” is an intriguing psychological portrait of Anna Smith Spark’s most compelling character from her Empires of Dust trilogy.
At 62 pages, “The Book Burner’s Fall” by Anthony Ryan is the longest entry in The King Must Fall, qualifying as more of a novella than a short story. Anthony Ryan’s novella takes place in his world of Raven’s Shadow about 125 years prior to the events of Blood Song. The story focuses on the assassin Kestra Saero as she pursues vengeance in her blood-soaked grimdark world. “The King-Killing Queen” by Shawn Speakman is another novella-length contribution to the anthology. Speakman’s story has an Arthurian-inspired quality, giving it the feel of an instant classic. I was excited to learn that Shawn Speakman has a publishing deal to expand this novella into a full-length novel. A third novella-length story in the collection, “The Day the Gods Went Silent,” is provided by Justin T. Call and takes place in the author’s Silent Gods universe.
One of my favorite stories in The King Must Fall is Michael R. Fletcher’s “Mother Death,” a prequel of sorts to his City of Sacrifice series. A quintessential Michael R. Fletcher work, this story is grimdark to the core, and I lapped up every word of Mother Death’s first-person narration. Not to be outdone, Jeremy Szal’s “The Black Horse” might be the most grimdark entry in the anthology, featuring anthropomorphized horse-soldiers wreaking bloody vengeance on humans. I’m thoroughly impressed by how much raw brutality Jeremy Szal could pack into a single short story.
“Thrall” by Lee Murray, is a low fantasy that takes place somewhere around New Zealand and revolves around selkies, a type of seal people akin to mermaids, and their revenge against the human sailors who are exploiting them. A second low fantasy, “A Piece of Moveable Type,” is contributed by Peter Orullian and concerns the development of the printing press in medieval Germany, featuring the Holy Roman Emperor. Daniel Polansky’s “King for a Day,” also has an historical feel, detailing a cycle of lies and murder that envelops an apparently Mayan-inspired empire.
As one of the most creatively written pieces in The King Must Fall, the title monarch of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s “The Face of the King” maintains a divine air of mystery by hiding his face behind a mask. The story features a morbid twist, which is made even more effective by Tchaikovsky’s use of second-person narration. Another unexpectedly dark twist comes from Trudi Canavan’s expertly narrated story, “Hand of the Artist,” which introduces the healing power of art to a morbidly sick king.
A new short story from Anna Stephens is always cause for celebration, and “The Blade-Queen and the Stoneheart” is no exception. Queen Alaya is a killer lead character and a perfect match for the author’s crisp writing style. Speaking of Anna Stephens, a proper grimdark anthology wouldn’t be complete without a tale of cannibalism. Here, the requisite cannibalistic tale is provided by Alex Marshall with “The Conspiracy Against the Twenty-Third Canton,” a bizarre short story set after the author’s original Crimson Empire trilogy.
The King Must Fall rounds out with “The Wizard in the Tower” by Kameron Hurley, “The Vârcolac” by Matthew Ward, “On Wings of Song” by Deborah A. Wolf, and “The Last Days of Old Sharakhai” by Bradley P. Beaulieu, all of which are excellent stories that grimdark readers are sure to enjoy.
Behind all these fallen monarchs is Adrian Collins, the currently unousted sovereign of Grimdark Magazine, who cooked up this literary feast for his ravenous readers. Much more than an attempt to placate his potentially mutinous grimdark horde, this stellar anthology is clearly a labor of love for Collins and everyone involved. The King Must Fall is a must-read for morally confused grimdark fans everywhere.
The King Must Fall is the latest anthology of all-original short stories from the gang at Grimdark Magazine. Edited by Adrian Collins, Mike Myers, and Sarah Chorn, this fantastic collection of nineteen stories showcases some of the top names in grimdark fantasy. The physical book is a strikingly beautiful volume, featuring cover art from Felix Ortiz and detailed interior drawings by Carlos Diaz at the beginning of each story.
I tend to enjoy short story collections built around a common theme, and the notion of The King Must Fall provides a compelling focal point for the anthology while allowing for a high degree of creativity from each of the nineteen authors. It is fascinating to see how different authors interpret the concept: some take “the king must fall” as a literal directive, even quoting the phrase in their stories, while others adopt a more liberal approach.
Every story here is a winner. The anthology opens with “What You Wish For” by Devin Madson, a dark fantasy in a classic medieval-style setting. Madson adopts a straightforward take on the theme of The King Must Fall. The dark elements of “What You Wish For” are especially well done, setting the tone for the rest of the anthology. The next story, “The Dark Son” by Luke Scull, fully embraces the spirit of grimdark fantasy, with plenty of brutality on both sides of an epic conflict that takes place in Scull’s Grim Company universe. Anna Smith Spark follows up with “Glory to the King!,” an Empires of Dust story depicting King Marith at the height of his powers yet beleaguered by his own insecurities. “Glory to the King!” is an intriguing psychological portrait of Anna Smith Spark’s most compelling character from her Empires of Dust trilogy.
At 62 pages, “The Book Burner’s Fall” by Anthony Ryan is the longest entry in The King Must Fall, qualifying as more of a novella than a short story. Anthony Ryan’s novella takes place in his world of Raven’s Shadow about 125 years prior to the events of Blood Song. The story focuses on the assassin Kestra Saero as she pursues vengeance in her blood-soaked grimdark world. “The King-Killing Queen” by Shawn Speakman is another novella-length contribution to the anthology. Speakman’s story has an Arthurian-inspired quality, giving it the feel of an instant classic. I was excited to learn that Shawn Speakman has a publishing deal to expand this novella into a full-length novel. A third novella-length story in the collection, “The Day the Gods Went Silent,” is provided by Justin T. Call and takes place in the author’s Silent Gods universe.
One of my favorite stories in The King Must Fall is Michael R. Fletcher’s “Mother Death,” a prequel of sorts to his City of Sacrifice series. A quintessential Michael R. Fletcher work, this story is grimdark to the core, and I lapped up every word of Mother Death’s first-person narration. Not to be outdone, Jeremy Szal’s “The Black Horse” might be the most grimdark entry in the anthology, featuring anthropomorphized horse-soldiers wreaking bloody vengeance on humans. I’m thoroughly impressed by how much raw brutality Jeremy Szal could pack into a single short story.
“Thrall” by Lee Murray, is a low fantasy that takes place somewhere around New Zealand and revolves around selkies, a type of seal people akin to mermaids, and their revenge against the human sailors who are exploiting them. A second low fantasy, “A Piece of Moveable Type,” is contributed by Peter Orullian and concerns the development of the printing press in medieval Germany, featuring the Holy Roman Emperor. Daniel Polansky’s “King for a Day,” also has an historical feel, detailing a cycle of lies and murder that envelops an apparently Mayan-inspired empire.
As one of the most creatively written pieces in The King Must Fall, the title monarch of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s “The Face of the King” maintains a divine air of mystery by hiding his face behind a mask. The story features a morbid twist, which is made even more effective by Tchaikovsky’s use of second-person narration. Another unexpectedly dark twist comes from Trudi Canavan’s expertly narrated story, “Hand of the Artist,” which introduces the healing power of art to a morbidly sick king.
A new short story from Anna Stephens is always cause for celebration, and “The Blade-Queen and the Stoneheart” is no exception. Queen Alaya is a killer lead character and a perfect match for the author’s crisp writing style. Speaking of Anna Stephens, a proper grimdark anthology wouldn’t be complete without a tale of cannibalism. Here, the requisite cannibalistic tale is provided by Alex Marshall with “The Conspiracy Against the Twenty-Third Canton,” a bizarre short story set after the author’s original Crimson Empire trilogy.
The King Must Fall rounds out with “The Wizard in the Tower” by Kameron Hurley, “The Vârcolac” by Matthew Ward, “On Wings of Song” by Deborah A. Wolf, and “The Last Days of Old Sharakhai” by Bradley P. Beaulieu, all of which are excellent stories that grimdark readers are sure to enjoy.
Behind all these fallen monarchs is Adrian Collins, the currently unousted sovereign of Grimdark Magazine, who cooked up this literary feast for his ravenous readers. Much more than an attempt to placate his potentially mutinous grimdark horde, this stellar anthology is clearly a labor of love for Collins and everyone involved. The King Must Fall is a must-read for morally confused grimdark fans everywhere.
July 13, 2022
I don't typically review books where I am the author...but considering I only wrote 1/19 of this, I think it's fair to review my fellow contributors/editors.
Adrian Collins, Sarah Chorn, and Grimdark Magazine really hit it out of the park with this one. From the phenomenal cover art and interior illustrations by Felix Ortiz and Carlos Diaz (respectively) to the gripping stories written by my fellow grimdark and dark epic fantasy co-authors. It's just outstanding, and I'm delighted to have been invited to be a part of this.
Adrian Collins, Sarah Chorn, and Grimdark Magazine really hit it out of the park with this one. From the phenomenal cover art and interior illustrations by Felix Ortiz and Carlos Diaz (respectively) to the gripping stories written by my fellow grimdark and dark epic fantasy co-authors. It's just outstanding, and I'm delighted to have been invited to be a part of this.
June 4, 2022
Rating for The Last Days of Old Sharakhaï: 4.5
What a beautiful concluding novella, I couldn't hope for a better ending. The character we follow in this novella has lost almost everything, but stay true to himself nevertheless, which was a pleasing conclusion as bitter sweet as it is. I was also thrilled to see other characters from previous novellas coming back in this final one. Everything adds up perfectly and, wow, the satisfaction of having everything being weaved together until the very end, that's brilliant!
If I had to be very picky, I would say that I just wished the plot would have been a bit more surprising. But really, I'm at the point where I don't care about these littles things, I'll just read anything that is Sharakhai related, because now it is home.
I always lack the words when it comes to describe why I loved a series so much, that's probably because the heart has its own language.
I would like to thank Bradley P. Beaulieu for creating such an amazing journey within the Great Shangazi that will stay not only forever with me, but also in my TOP 3 of fantasy series.
What a beautiful concluding novella, I couldn't hope for a better ending. The character we follow in this novella has lost almost everything, but stay true to himself nevertheless, which was a pleasing conclusion as bitter sweet as it is. I was also thrilled to see other characters from previous novellas coming back in this final one. Everything adds up perfectly and, wow, the satisfaction of having everything being weaved together until the very end, that's brilliant!
If I had to be very picky, I would say that I just wished the plot would have been a bit more surprising. But really, I'm at the point where I don't care about these littles things, I'll just read anything that is Sharakhai related, because now it is home.
I always lack the words when it comes to describe why I loved a series so much, that's probably because the heart has its own language.
I would like to thank Bradley P. Beaulieu for creating such an amazing journey within the Great Shangazi that will stay not only forever with me, but also in my TOP 3 of fantasy series.
May 19, 2023
This is a great short story collection in the grimdark genre. The king must fall, but not always in the ways you’d expect. The tales are varied and kept me entertained for the time it took for me to read this book and I enjoyed it immensely.
July 6, 2023
First Anthology I recall reading in a very long time! I was absolutely captivated by the cover, and the author list was crazy strong, so I decided to get the audiobook.
The narration was absolutely outstanding. I was worried the voices would be similar across the stories and I’d get characters confused, but that wasn’t a worry at all. The narrator had a brilliant, varied collection of voices, tones, and characters, and kept every story very unique and clear.
As is to be expected in a collection of stories, there are those I prefer more than others, and I did end up skipping several of them (usually because I found my mind wandering too much/just wasn’t super hooked by them - which is something I’m trying to apply to my reading more and more often these days).
There were a few stand-out stories for me:
- The King-Killing Queen - Shawn Speakman
- Hand Of The Artist - Trudi Canavan
- The Blade Queen And The Stone Heart - Anna Stephens (Holy fucking shit that was weird. Horrific and epic in equal measure!)
- On Wings Of Song - Deborah A. Wolf
- The Face Of The King - Adrian Tchaikovsky (Tchaikovsky is defo my new favourite author!)
- Mother Death - Michael R. Fletcher
Overall a nice palette cleanser read, with several short concepts and ideas explored in between chunkier novels. Very glad to have picked it up!
Definitely want to check out some of these authors’ other writing!
The narration was absolutely outstanding. I was worried the voices would be similar across the stories and I’d get characters confused, but that wasn’t a worry at all. The narrator had a brilliant, varied collection of voices, tones, and characters, and kept every story very unique and clear.
As is to be expected in a collection of stories, there are those I prefer more than others, and I did end up skipping several of them (usually because I found my mind wandering too much/just wasn’t super hooked by them - which is something I’m trying to apply to my reading more and more often these days).
There were a few stand-out stories for me:
- The King-Killing Queen - Shawn Speakman
- Hand Of The Artist - Trudi Canavan
- The Blade Queen And The Stone Heart - Anna Stephens (Holy fucking shit that was weird. Horrific and epic in equal measure!)
- On Wings Of Song - Deborah A. Wolf
- The Face Of The King - Adrian Tchaikovsky (Tchaikovsky is defo my new favourite author!)
- Mother Death - Michael R. Fletcher
Overall a nice palette cleanser read, with several short concepts and ideas explored in between chunkier novels. Very glad to have picked it up!
Definitely want to check out some of these authors’ other writing!
April 23, 2023
On the whole a very enjoyable listen. Most of the stories are of a very good quality - quite a few left me wanting to know more.
🌟 3.76 Average 🌟
🌟 Full Star. / 💫 Half Star.
- What You Wish For (Devon Madson) 🌟🌟🌟🌟
- The Dark Son (Luke Scull) 🌟🌟🌟
- Glory to the King! (Anna Spark Smith) 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
- The Book Burners Fall (Anthony Ryan) 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
- Mother Death (Michael R. Fletcher) 🌟🌟🌟
- The Black Horse (Jeremy Szal) 🌟🌟🌟💫
- Thrall (Lee Murray) 🌟🌟🌟🌟
- King for a Day (Daniel Polansky) 🌟🌟🌟
- The King-Killing Queen (Shawn Speakman) 🌟🌟🌟🌟
- The Face of the King (Adrian Tchaikovsky) 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
- Hand of the Artist (Trudi Canavan) 🌟🌟🌟💫
- The Conspiracy Against The 23rd Canton (Alex Marshall) 🌟🌟🌟💫
- The Blade Queen and The Stoneheart (Anna Stevens) 🌟🌟🌟
- The Day The Gods Went Silent (Justin T. Call) 🌟🌟💫
- A Piece of Moveable Type (Peter Orullian) 🌟🌟💫
- The Wizard in the Tower (Kameron Hurley) 🌟🌟🌟🌟
- The Varcolac (Matthew Ward) 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
- On Wings of Song (Deborah A. Wolf) 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
- The Last Days of Old Sharakhai (Brad P. Beaulieu) 🌟🌟🌟🌟
🌟 3.76 Average 🌟
🌟 Full Star. / 💫 Half Star.
- What You Wish For (Devon Madson) 🌟🌟🌟🌟
- The Dark Son (Luke Scull) 🌟🌟🌟
- Glory to the King! (Anna Spark Smith) 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
- The Book Burners Fall (Anthony Ryan) 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
- Mother Death (Michael R. Fletcher) 🌟🌟🌟
- The Black Horse (Jeremy Szal) 🌟🌟🌟💫
- Thrall (Lee Murray) 🌟🌟🌟🌟
- King for a Day (Daniel Polansky) 🌟🌟🌟
- The King-Killing Queen (Shawn Speakman) 🌟🌟🌟🌟
- The Face of the King (Adrian Tchaikovsky) 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
- Hand of the Artist (Trudi Canavan) 🌟🌟🌟💫
- The Conspiracy Against The 23rd Canton (Alex Marshall) 🌟🌟🌟💫
- The Blade Queen and The Stoneheart (Anna Stevens) 🌟🌟🌟
- The Day The Gods Went Silent (Justin T. Call) 🌟🌟💫
- A Piece of Moveable Type (Peter Orullian) 🌟🌟💫
- The Wizard in the Tower (Kameron Hurley) 🌟🌟🌟🌟
- The Varcolac (Matthew Ward) 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
- On Wings of Song (Deborah A. Wolf) 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
- The Last Days of Old Sharakhai (Brad P. Beaulieu) 🌟🌟🌟🌟
February 18, 2023
Most short story books I've read follow the same pattern. The first couple stories suck you in, big authors, big stories, eager for more. Then they dip in the middle, a lot of the times the quality isnt as good, then the final story is always the crowd pleaser.
I was pleasantly surprised this book didn't follow that pattern. There wasn't a single story I didn't like. If anything I regret not reading Bradley Beaulieu's series before reading this final story as it seemed like a phenomenal conclusion. The King Killing Queen, and the Face of the King were my favorites by far.
I was pleasantly surprised this book didn't follow that pattern. There wasn't a single story I didn't like. If anything I regret not reading Bradley Beaulieu's series before reading this final story as it seemed like a phenomenal conclusion. The King Killing Queen, and the Face of the King were my favorites by far.
May 23, 2023
4.5 stars
The average rating of these short stories was 4 stars, but I give this whole collection 4.5 stars because the audiobook narrator was one of the best I've ever had the pleasure to listen to and because the collection was a coherent set of great stories.
Here are my ratings for all the short stories in this collection:
1. What You Wish For by Devin Madson: 4.5 stars
2. The Dark Son by Luke Scull: 4 stars
3. Glory to the King! by Anna Smith-Spark: 4 stars
4. The Book Burner's Fall by Anthony Ryan: 3.75 stars
5. Mother Death by Michael R. Fletcher: 3.5 stars
6. The Black Horse by Jeremy Szal: 3.75 stars
7. Thrall by Lee Murray: 3.75 stars
8. King for a Day by Daniel Polansky: 3 stars
9. The King-Killing Queen by Shawn Speakman: 5 stars
10. The Face of the King by Adrian Tchaikovsky: 4 stars
11. Hand of the Artist by Trudi Canavan: 3.5 stars
12. The Conspiracy Against the Twenty-third Canton by Alex Marshall: 4.5 stars
13. The Blade-Queen and the Stoneheart by Anna Stephens: 5 stars
14. The Day the Gods Went Silent by Justin Call: 4 stars
15. A Piece of Moveable Type by Peter Orullian: 3 stars
16. The Wizard in the Tower by Kameron Hurley: 5 stars
17. The Vârcolac by Matthew Ward: 3.75 stars
18. On Wings of Song by Deborah A Wolf: 3.75 stars
19. The Last Days of Old Sharakhai by Bradley P. Beaulieu: 4 stars
This is a great way to discover new authors of the dark and grimdark fantasy genre!
The average rating of these short stories was 4 stars, but I give this whole collection 4.5 stars because the audiobook narrator was one of the best I've ever had the pleasure to listen to and because the collection was a coherent set of great stories.
Here are my ratings for all the short stories in this collection:
1. What You Wish For by Devin Madson: 4.5 stars
2. The Dark Son by Luke Scull: 4 stars
3. Glory to the King! by Anna Smith-Spark: 4 stars
4. The Book Burner's Fall by Anthony Ryan: 3.75 stars
5. Mother Death by Michael R. Fletcher: 3.5 stars
6. The Black Horse by Jeremy Szal: 3.75 stars
7. Thrall by Lee Murray: 3.75 stars
8. King for a Day by Daniel Polansky: 3 stars
9. The King-Killing Queen by Shawn Speakman: 5 stars
10. The Face of the King by Adrian Tchaikovsky: 4 stars
11. Hand of the Artist by Trudi Canavan: 3.5 stars
12. The Conspiracy Against the Twenty-third Canton by Alex Marshall: 4.5 stars
13. The Blade-Queen and the Stoneheart by Anna Stephens: 5 stars
14. The Day the Gods Went Silent by Justin Call: 4 stars
15. A Piece of Moveable Type by Peter Orullian: 3 stars
16. The Wizard in the Tower by Kameron Hurley: 5 stars
17. The Vârcolac by Matthew Ward: 3.75 stars
18. On Wings of Song by Deborah A Wolf: 3.75 stars
19. The Last Days of Old Sharakhai by Bradley P. Beaulieu: 4 stars
This is a great way to discover new authors of the dark and grimdark fantasy genre!
April 14, 2023
The King Must Fall is a new anthology of stories by Grimdark magazine and edited by Adrian Collins.
The central premise of the anthology revolves around the change of power when the monarch changes, either by revolution, mortality or any other reason.
The collection gathers together a number of authors that I am familiar with such as Anthony Ryan, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Anna Smith Spark, Anna Stephens, Bradley P. Beaulieu, Jeremy Szal, Devin Madson, Matthew Ward, Justin Call, Trudi Canavan,Matthew R. Fletcher and some that are new to me such as Lee Murray, Daniel Polanski, Alex Marsahll, Peter Orrulian. Shaun Speakman, Lee Murray and Cameron Hurley.
Obviously, the overall tone of the anthology is Grimdark and if you are familiar with the genre you will know what to expect.
Now, I am not going to discuss all the stories, but just pick out a selection from the eighteen tales. Otherwise we would be here all week, and I am a busy book nerd you know!
The collection kicks off with Devin Madson's cautionary tale 'What you Wish for'.
Now I liked this one and it is a very good opener. Devin Madson is one of those authors that I am very familiar with but haven't read any of her stuff yet (note to self: must remedy this!). It kind of put me in mind of The Twilight Zone and the type of stories that were contained in that series. The story centres around the king of Vircena, a once vast and prosperous empire that has been shut off from the world following the inception of a magical barrier. When we start, the people are revolting against the barrier, and what they believe are the lies perpetrated by the Royal line to keep them in power. However, we soon learn that everything is as it seems and the people get exactly what they wish for, with unexpected consequences.
Another story that stood out was Michael R. Fletcher's Mother Death. A story set in the pre history of the world of Norylska Groans. Now I love Michael R. Fletcher and Clayton Snyder's Norylska Groans and was very happy to go back to this world with its highly original magic system (even if it was set in the distant past of the world) and enjoyed learning about the rise of the Stone Sorcerers. As you would expect the story is quite brutal and I really enjoyed this tale of a grieving mother who becomes a mother to all she kills.
Now, I have never read any Daniel Polanski before, but as far as introductions go, this was a pretty good one. The story revolves around the death of an emperor. Whilst the emperor is dying, his insipid Wardens are arguing over the rights of succession. However, unbeknownst to them, a fop has stolen the torq that signifies the emperor and this begins a tale of murder and greed as the torq passes from hand to hand, entrancing everyone to commit murder for the chance to wear it.
The wit of this story buoys this tale along with its mesoamerican setting and the parablistic
undertone of succumbing to greed and lust, reading a little like the tale of the ring in Lord of the Rings and how the piece of jewellery seems to drive those around it to violence at the sight of it.
Adrian Tchaikovsky's short is another one that stands out. Written in the present tense, it tells of a king deposed by his vizier. After being thrown down a well, he finds the old city and the dead gods. In his desperation he prays to the dead god to restore him to his throne - with disastrous consequences. This is a clever little tale that has a sting in its tale
Jeremy Szal's short is an interesting one. With its anthropomorphic lead characters it reminded me of one of my favourite 2000AD characters, Nemesis the Warlock. It has a kind of Sci Fi/ / Fantasy crossover that shows the bad side of the human population.
Matthew Ward's short The Varcolac is another that caught my attention. Set in the past of the legacy series. The story is set around Govadra and his children as they hunt King Willem and gain vengeance. However, things are not what they seem and Govadra must learn to the old lesson of know thy enemy.
Deborah A. Wolf is another new name to me, but after this captivating tale of revenge I will be seeking out more of her work. This story is just beautiful and has a slightly mythological edge to it as we learn of the captive princess, a bastard daughter of a god and a queen,who when seeking her fortune has her song stolen by a good looking bard. After being cast into the sea she is saved by the sirens who demand Lille's mortal soul in recompense. However, Lille barters for the sum as this is too high. Instead she teaches them the magic of her song, the one that has been stolen by the trickster. This is just a gorgeous little story and I loved the ending which is no surprise, but is beautifully executed.
I listened to this book on audio and I must give special mention to the extraordinary talent of the narrator Greg Patmore. He did a superb job to bring this book to life showing a massive range and versitility in his storytelling. In each of the stories he utilises a plethora of voices, tones and accents. He successfully alters the timbre of each story with a change in rate, rhythm, enunciation and inflections of his vocalisations and giving each story an air of individuality. Utterly brilliant.
However, there was another new experience for me and this was the first book that I listened on Spotify. This is a new aspect of the popular streaming service that has recently been rolled out. I must say that whilst it is okay, it does lack some of the nuance of audible, especially when it comes to the speed variability. I tend to listen to my audiobooks at conversational speed and Spotify only has static increments of speed rather than a variable slider, which for me works better.
The central premise of the anthology revolves around the change of power when the monarch changes, either by revolution, mortality or any other reason.
The collection gathers together a number of authors that I am familiar with such as Anthony Ryan, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Anna Smith Spark, Anna Stephens, Bradley P. Beaulieu, Jeremy Szal, Devin Madson, Matthew Ward, Justin Call, Trudi Canavan,Matthew R. Fletcher and some that are new to me such as Lee Murray, Daniel Polanski, Alex Marsahll, Peter Orrulian. Shaun Speakman, Lee Murray and Cameron Hurley.
Obviously, the overall tone of the anthology is Grimdark and if you are familiar with the genre you will know what to expect.
Now, I am not going to discuss all the stories, but just pick out a selection from the eighteen tales. Otherwise we would be here all week, and I am a busy book nerd you know!
The collection kicks off with Devin Madson's cautionary tale 'What you Wish for'.
Now I liked this one and it is a very good opener. Devin Madson is one of those authors that I am very familiar with but haven't read any of her stuff yet (note to self: must remedy this!). It kind of put me in mind of The Twilight Zone and the type of stories that were contained in that series. The story centres around the king of Vircena, a once vast and prosperous empire that has been shut off from the world following the inception of a magical barrier. When we start, the people are revolting against the barrier, and what they believe are the lies perpetrated by the Royal line to keep them in power. However, we soon learn that everything is as it seems and the people get exactly what they wish for, with unexpected consequences.
Another story that stood out was Michael R. Fletcher's Mother Death. A story set in the pre history of the world of Norylska Groans. Now I love Michael R. Fletcher and Clayton Snyder's Norylska Groans and was very happy to go back to this world with its highly original magic system (even if it was set in the distant past of the world) and enjoyed learning about the rise of the Stone Sorcerers. As you would expect the story is quite brutal and I really enjoyed this tale of a grieving mother who becomes a mother to all she kills.
Now, I have never read any Daniel Polanski before, but as far as introductions go, this was a pretty good one. The story revolves around the death of an emperor. Whilst the emperor is dying, his insipid Wardens are arguing over the rights of succession. However, unbeknownst to them, a fop has stolen the torq that signifies the emperor and this begins a tale of murder and greed as the torq passes from hand to hand, entrancing everyone to commit murder for the chance to wear it.
The wit of this story buoys this tale along with its mesoamerican setting and the parablistic
undertone of succumbing to greed and lust, reading a little like the tale of the ring in Lord of the Rings and how the piece of jewellery seems to drive those around it to violence at the sight of it.
Adrian Tchaikovsky's short is another one that stands out. Written in the present tense, it tells of a king deposed by his vizier. After being thrown down a well, he finds the old city and the dead gods. In his desperation he prays to the dead god to restore him to his throne - with disastrous consequences. This is a clever little tale that has a sting in its tale
Jeremy Szal's short is an interesting one. With its anthropomorphic lead characters it reminded me of one of my favourite 2000AD characters, Nemesis the Warlock. It has a kind of Sci Fi/ / Fantasy crossover that shows the bad side of the human population.
Matthew Ward's short The Varcolac is another that caught my attention. Set in the past of the legacy series. The story is set around Govadra and his children as they hunt King Willem and gain vengeance. However, things are not what they seem and Govadra must learn to the old lesson of know thy enemy.
Deborah A. Wolf is another new name to me, but after this captivating tale of revenge I will be seeking out more of her work. This story is just beautiful and has a slightly mythological edge to it as we learn of the captive princess, a bastard daughter of a god and a queen,who when seeking her fortune has her song stolen by a good looking bard. After being cast into the sea she is saved by the sirens who demand Lille's mortal soul in recompense. However, Lille barters for the sum as this is too high. Instead she teaches them the magic of her song, the one that has been stolen by the trickster. This is just a gorgeous little story and I loved the ending which is no surprise, but is beautifully executed.
I listened to this book on audio and I must give special mention to the extraordinary talent of the narrator Greg Patmore. He did a superb job to bring this book to life showing a massive range and versitility in his storytelling. In each of the stories he utilises a plethora of voices, tones and accents. He successfully alters the timbre of each story with a change in rate, rhythm, enunciation and inflections of his vocalisations and giving each story an air of individuality. Utterly brilliant.
However, there was another new experience for me and this was the first book that I listened on Spotify. This is a new aspect of the popular streaming service that has recently been rolled out. I must say that whilst it is okay, it does lack some of the nuance of audible, especially when it comes to the speed variability. I tend to listen to my audiobooks at conversational speed and Spotify only has static increments of speed rather than a variable slider, which for me works better.
February 7, 2023
Anna Smith Spark is still the GOAT. Unfortunately, most of the other stories were pretty forgettable.
February 9, 2023
Wish some of them were longer 😮
April 20, 2023
This was an absolutely amazing anthology by some absolutely amazing authors.
There’s too many stories to really review in one hit and I am not in a position to do each one an injustice to the words I have just witnessed.
Only to say, the connection between the stories shows the absolute diversity on modern fantasy that could take one basic premise and tell such differing and spellbinding stories.
Would thoroughly recommend each author, some I have already read and others I have not but have added to my groaning TBR pile…!
There’s too many stories to really review in one hit and I am not in a position to do each one an injustice to the words I have just witnessed.
Only to say, the connection between the stories shows the absolute diversity on modern fantasy that could take one basic premise and tell such differing and spellbinding stories.
Would thoroughly recommend each author, some I have already read and others I have not but have added to my groaning TBR pile…!
May 5, 2023
This collection of short stories was kickstarted a good while ago. I was intrigued by it from the beginning because the list of authors included many I'd previously read and enjoyed.
I recently finished listening to the audio production of the collection, and it really delivered. The familiar trope of an individual or group of individuals seeking to overthrow some sort of ruler is presented again and again. Each time there is a new perspective. Each story looks at this familiar plot device from a new angle. taken together, the collection sort of serves as an ode to fantasy and messy politics.
I recently finished listening to the audio production of the collection, and it really delivered. The familiar trope of an individual or group of individuals seeking to overthrow some sort of ruler is presented again and again. Each time there is a new perspective. Each story looks at this familiar plot device from a new angle. taken together, the collection sort of serves as an ode to fantasy and messy politics.
March 15, 2023
This review was originally posted on Queen's Book Asylum!
I don’t often read anthologies, not least because they are a pain in the arse to review. And also because I somehow never make time for them. I think I prefer novels to short stories as a reader, although I can’t deny that they are a really good gateway into getting a feel for an author’s style. Or you can tide yourself over while you wait for their next novel. Or get an extra peek into the world they already created. So, they definitely have their uses.
And then there are conceptual anthologies, like The King Must Fall, of which I’m not sure I’m a fan. But I only have this one anthology to base my judgment on, so that’s probably not really much. On one hand, it’s very interesting to see how different authors approach a simple statement. The way all 19 authors interpret it in their own style and setting. There are definitely no two similar stories here. On the other hand, though, knowing where each story is heading – roughly – takes a bit away from the overall reader experience. At least, it did for me.
I agreed to read The King Must Fall out of curiosity – and because it fit into one of my reading challenges -as it’s been some time since I’ve read anything grimdark. I admit the genre doesn’t have much appeal to me for a couple of years now – which is sad, I used to love dark stuff – so I was curious if it was time yet to venture back. Well, the answer sadly turned out no, as I didn’t enjoy this anthology as much as I did the Knee-Deep in Grit one a couple of years back. But I think the problem mostly lies with me not the stories themselves. In the hands of the right audience, I’m sure this book shines much more than it did in mine.
Another aspect of my curiosity came from the fact that The King Must Fall contains stories from authors I meant to check out but somehow never got around to it (Daniel Polansky, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Anthony Ryan, Jeremy Szal, Justin Call, Anna Stephens, Luke Scull), or did but didn’t like their stuff and wanted to know if it was a one-time thing or we just didn’t gel (Anna Smith Spark, sadly we aren’t meant to be), or that I already knew some of their stuff and wanted more (Michael R Fletcher, Devin Madson, Trudy Canavan), and of course, because I’m always on the lookout for new to me authors to wow me (Bradley P. Beaulieu, Kameron Hurley, Shawn Speakman, Lee Murray, Peter Orullian, Alex Marshall, Deborah A. Wolf, Matthew Ward).
A couple of stories that absolutely stood out for me
What You Wish For by Devin Madson
Maybe because it was the first story in the book and set the tone perfectly, or maybe because it was that ending, either way, What You Wish For stayed with me. Not very surprising as I’m familiar with Madson’s writing, although this was quite different from her Reborn Empire series. Still, it was a good start.
The Black Horse by Jeremy Szal
I haven’t read anything from Szal before, but I’ve heard a lot of praise for his books. This one also stuck with me because of the ending, and the complexity of the story. It had some hard messages about acceptance, consequences, and how we treat those who are different from us.
Hand of the Artist by Trudy Canavan
I’ve read one of two of Canavan‘s short stories in magazines before and those always stood out for me. It wasn’t any different now, and I honestly don’t know what the hell I’m doing not picking up one of her full-length novels already. Geez. There is something in her writing style that just appeals to me very much.
The Blade-Queen and the Stoneheart by Anna Stephens
Stephens is also one of those authors I haven’t read yet despite my friends telling me I should. And now I see why. I’m sorry, I’ll do better I promise. This was hands down my favorite story, and the one that creeped me out the most – and believe me, there is plenty of blood flowing on these pages. But blood and killing lose their shock value when you are reading 19 stories full of blood and killing, though. Besides, there is much more to dark fantasy than blood and killing. I’ll stop saying blood and killing now. The Blade-Queen and the Stoneheart was one of the very few stories that made me wish there was more. I loved the ideas, especially the Blade-Queen and her, err, reproduction methods. Brilliant stuff. Fucking creepy, but brilliant nonetheless.
The Grimdark Magazine team, once again, brought together an excellent group of authors for The King Must Fall anthology, who in turn brought a wide variety of stories. There is betrayal, hard choices, revenge, assassination, and everything in between. Any grimdark fantasy lover should find something on these pages they can enjoy, and maybe even discover some new favorites along the way. Last, but not least I’d like to mention the narrator of the audiobook, Greg Patmore for doing a stellar job in bringing these stories to life. Highly recommended!
I don’t often read anthologies, not least because they are a pain in the arse to review. And also because I somehow never make time for them. I think I prefer novels to short stories as a reader, although I can’t deny that they are a really good gateway into getting a feel for an author’s style. Or you can tide yourself over while you wait for their next novel. Or get an extra peek into the world they already created. So, they definitely have their uses.
And then there are conceptual anthologies, like The King Must Fall, of which I’m not sure I’m a fan. But I only have this one anthology to base my judgment on, so that’s probably not really much. On one hand, it’s very interesting to see how different authors approach a simple statement. The way all 19 authors interpret it in their own style and setting. There are definitely no two similar stories here. On the other hand, though, knowing where each story is heading – roughly – takes a bit away from the overall reader experience. At least, it did for me.
I agreed to read The King Must Fall out of curiosity – and because it fit into one of my reading challenges -as it’s been some time since I’ve read anything grimdark. I admit the genre doesn’t have much appeal to me for a couple of years now – which is sad, I used to love dark stuff – so I was curious if it was time yet to venture back. Well, the answer sadly turned out no, as I didn’t enjoy this anthology as much as I did the Knee-Deep in Grit one a couple of years back. But I think the problem mostly lies with me not the stories themselves. In the hands of the right audience, I’m sure this book shines much more than it did in mine.
Another aspect of my curiosity came from the fact that The King Must Fall contains stories from authors I meant to check out but somehow never got around to it (Daniel Polansky, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Anthony Ryan, Jeremy Szal, Justin Call, Anna Stephens, Luke Scull), or did but didn’t like their stuff and wanted to know if it was a one-time thing or we just didn’t gel (Anna Smith Spark, sadly we aren’t meant to be), or that I already knew some of their stuff and wanted more (Michael R Fletcher, Devin Madson, Trudy Canavan), and of course, because I’m always on the lookout for new to me authors to wow me (Bradley P. Beaulieu, Kameron Hurley, Shawn Speakman, Lee Murray, Peter Orullian, Alex Marshall, Deborah A. Wolf, Matthew Ward).
A couple of stories that absolutely stood out for me
What You Wish For by Devin Madson
Maybe because it was the first story in the book and set the tone perfectly, or maybe because it was that ending, either way, What You Wish For stayed with me. Not very surprising as I’m familiar with Madson’s writing, although this was quite different from her Reborn Empire series. Still, it was a good start.
The Black Horse by Jeremy Szal
I haven’t read anything from Szal before, but I’ve heard a lot of praise for his books. This one also stuck with me because of the ending, and the complexity of the story. It had some hard messages about acceptance, consequences, and how we treat those who are different from us.
Hand of the Artist by Trudy Canavan
I’ve read one of two of Canavan‘s short stories in magazines before and those always stood out for me. It wasn’t any different now, and I honestly don’t know what the hell I’m doing not picking up one of her full-length novels already. Geez. There is something in her writing style that just appeals to me very much.
The Blade-Queen and the Stoneheart by Anna Stephens
Stephens is also one of those authors I haven’t read yet despite my friends telling me I should. And now I see why. I’m sorry, I’ll do better I promise. This was hands down my favorite story, and the one that creeped me out the most – and believe me, there is plenty of blood flowing on these pages. But blood and killing lose their shock value when you are reading 19 stories full of blood and killing, though. Besides, there is much more to dark fantasy than blood and killing. I’ll stop saying blood and killing now. The Blade-Queen and the Stoneheart was one of the very few stories that made me wish there was more. I loved the ideas, especially the Blade-Queen and her, err, reproduction methods. Brilliant stuff. Fucking creepy, but brilliant nonetheless.
The Grimdark Magazine team, once again, brought together an excellent group of authors for The King Must Fall anthology, who in turn brought a wide variety of stories. There is betrayal, hard choices, revenge, assassination, and everything in between. Any grimdark fantasy lover should find something on these pages they can enjoy, and maybe even discover some new favorites along the way. Last, but not least I’d like to mention the narrator of the audiobook, Greg Patmore for doing a stellar job in bringing these stories to life. Highly recommended!
December 14, 2023
This was a wicked fun anthology of short stories, all grim dark fantasies.
Final days of kings, prodigal princes, battle weary soldiers, assassins on the hunt, vengeful mothers, beastly travelers, selkie burdened sailors, pyramid traversing parasites, deathbed successors, palace thieves, royal painters, plotting siblings, queen bees, ascending deities, crafty publishers, corpse takers, avenging warriors, dueling bards, and singing frogs.
All have their tales told, but in the end the king must fall.
Devin Madson - What You Wish For
Luke Scull - The Dark Son
Anna Smith Spark - Glory to the King
Anthony Ryan - The Book Burner’s Fall
Michael R. Fletcher - Mother Death
Jeremy Szal - The Black Horse
Lee Murray - Thrall
Daniel Polansky - King for a Day
Shawn Speakman - The King Killing Queen
Adrian Tchaikovsky - The Face of the King
Trudi Canavan - The Hand of the Artist
Alex Marshall - The Conspiracy Against the 23rd Canton
Anna Stephens - The Blade Queen and the Stone Heart
Justin Call - The Day the Gods Went Silent
Peter Orullian - A Piece of Movable Type
Kameron Hurley - The Wizard in the Tower
Matthew Ward - The Varcolac
Deborah A. Wolf - On Wings of Song
Bradley P. Beaulieu - The Last Day of Old Sharakhai
Final days of kings, prodigal princes, battle weary soldiers, assassins on the hunt, vengeful mothers, beastly travelers, selkie burdened sailors, pyramid traversing parasites, deathbed successors, palace thieves, royal painters, plotting siblings, queen bees, ascending deities, crafty publishers, corpse takers, avenging warriors, dueling bards, and singing frogs.
All have their tales told, but in the end the king must fall.
Devin Madson - What You Wish For
Luke Scull - The Dark Son
Anna Smith Spark - Glory to the King
Anthony Ryan - The Book Burner’s Fall
Michael R. Fletcher - Mother Death
Jeremy Szal - The Black Horse
Lee Murray - Thrall
Daniel Polansky - King for a Day
Shawn Speakman - The King Killing Queen
Adrian Tchaikovsky - The Face of the King
Trudi Canavan - The Hand of the Artist
Alex Marshall - The Conspiracy Against the 23rd Canton
Anna Stephens - The Blade Queen and the Stone Heart
Justin Call - The Day the Gods Went Silent
Peter Orullian - A Piece of Movable Type
Kameron Hurley - The Wizard in the Tower
Matthew Ward - The Varcolac
Deborah A. Wolf - On Wings of Song
Bradley P. Beaulieu - The Last Day of Old Sharakhai
September 14, 2023
A real mixed bag here, with a few stories that I DNFed and others which were outstanding 5/5s. Some favourites I’ll want to reread include Kameron Hurley’s ‘The Wizard in the Tower’, Luke Scull’s ‘The Dark Son’, Jeremy Szal’s ‘The Black Horse’, and Deborah A. Wolf’s ‘On Wings of Song.’
June 19, 2023
This collection contains 19 stories , themed around the concept of power, and how it can corrupt those who long for it. Each story tells a story of those looking to gain power, or rebel against it.
There are a number of notable names on the list of credits in this book, some authors I'm already familiar with , as well as many who are on my radar, and some newcomers I'll soon be checking out more of
Each of these stories is very well written. Like with many short story collections there are stronger and weaker stories, , and while there were none I didnt enjoy in some capacity , there were some that were just fine, middle of the road stuff, but also a number that stood out to me, and pushed the boundaries a bit past the brief set out in this books themes.
Specifically I'd note The Black Horse by Jeremy Szal, Hand of an Artist by Trudy Canavan & The Blade Queen and the Stoneheart by Anna Stephens , which were stories I particularly gravitated towards.
If you're interested in easing your way into this kind of fantasy , and getting to experience a whole host of fantastic authors , and see what they're all about , I would highly recommend checking out this one.
It's also excellently narrated , which made the stories really come to life even more
There are a number of notable names on the list of credits in this book, some authors I'm already familiar with , as well as many who are on my radar, and some newcomers I'll soon be checking out more of
Each of these stories is very well written. Like with many short story collections there are stronger and weaker stories, , and while there were none I didnt enjoy in some capacity , there were some that were just fine, middle of the road stuff, but also a number that stood out to me, and pushed the boundaries a bit past the brief set out in this books themes.
Specifically I'd note The Black Horse by Jeremy Szal, Hand of an Artist by Trudy Canavan & The Blade Queen and the Stoneheart by Anna Stephens , which were stories I particularly gravitated towards.
If you're interested in easing your way into this kind of fantasy , and getting to experience a whole host of fantastic authors , and see what they're all about , I would highly recommend checking out this one.
It's also excellently narrated , which made the stories really come to life even more
July 4, 2023
A wonderful collection of dark and bloody stories.
What You Wish For by Devin Madson (4.5/5)
Maybe it’s the fact this is the first story in the anthology or maybe it’s that fairytale-like ending but I loved this story apart from one or two of the character names.
The Dark Son by Luke Scull (4/5)
Apart from the jungle setting the story wasn’t too original but it did benefit from having one of the rare endings to come with a positive message.
Glory to the King! by Anna Smith Spark (3/5)
While the idea of imposter syndrome in an undefeated ruler was interesting to read and the writing generally solid, said ruler’s profanity-laced narration struck me as more juvenile than moving personally speaking.
The Book Burner’s Fall by Anthony Ryan (3.5/5)
While well-written, particularly in its opening sections, I was left somewhat dissatisfied by the climax.
Mother Death by Michael R. Fletcher (5/5)
The Ice Age-inspired setting, the unique magic system, and the compelling first-person narration made this one an instant favorite of mine.
The Black Horse by Jeremy Szal (4/5)
The bloodiest of the bunch, this story really reminded me of TLOU from the dynamic between the two main characters to the moral dilemma presented at the climax.
Thrall by Lee Murray (4/5)
The story didn’t do anything unexpected apart from making the selkies New Zealander but it was well-told.
King for a Day by Daniel Polansky (4/5)
The Mesoamerican-inspired setting was interesting but what really grabbed my attention was just how many times the MacGuffin changed hands, not to mention the fact each murderous, would-be ruler having a different reason for wanting power. Looking back now, it kind of reads like someone adding the One Ring or the Green Pearl to The Emperor’s New Groove, which…obviously isn’t very funny.
The King-Killing Queen by Shawn Speakman (5/5)
Really wish I could have backed the expanded edition on Kickstarter. Anyway, what I liked most about this particular story was the blending of an Arthurian-based mythos with a GRRM-like sensibility regarding the human condition.
The Face of the King by Adrian Tchaikovsky (5/5)
This story was by far the most experimental, which immediately earns it some brownie points. The fact Tchaikovsky actually managed to pull off the present tense, second-person narration and stick the landing with one of the most memorable endings in the whole book, on the other hand, elevates it to the top of the pile.
Hand of the Artist by Trudi Canavan (5/5)
This was another first-person story I really enjoyed. The protagonist was very relatable and it was nice to see a king be brought down through the healing power of art for a change.
The Conspiracy Against the Twenty-Third Canton by Alex Marshall (4.5/5)
A non-European setting combined with two likable female protagonists and a few good twists made this a pleasure to listen to though there were some instances of modern language I didn’t particularly enjoy. Also, cannibalism.
The Blade Queen and the Stoneheart by Anna Stephens (3/5)
Apart from the titular Blade Queen none of the characters were that interesting and again the amount of profanity was a turn-off. That said, the ending did leave a striking image in my mind and the homage to Eowyn from LOTR a nice touch as well.
The Day the Gods Went Silent by Justin T. Call (3/5)
Well-written but overstuffed with world-building.
A Piece of Movable Type by Peter Orullian (2.5/5)
Apart from the ending the story wasn’t so much bad as it was dull and underwhelming. Definitely the weakest of the bunch in my opinion.
The Wizard in the Tower by Kameron Hurley (5/5)
I wasn’t expecting something romantic but I’m also not going to complain when it’s this good.
The Varcolac by Matthew Ward (4.5/5)
The relatively straightforward plot was elevated by cool characters, excellent prose, and a stellar ending that left me torn.
On Wings of Song by Deborah A. Wolf (5/5)
A fairytale-like story of sirens and female friendship that was heartwarming, if appropriately bloody by the end.
The Last Days of Old Sharakhi by Bradley P. Beaulieu (4.5/5)
Definitely a high note to end the anthology on. As an Arab, I adored the Middle Eastern setting but just as much I enjoyed the themes of change, legacy, and mortality.
Special shoutout to audiobook narrator, Greg Patmore, who did an excellent job narrating each story.
What You Wish For by Devin Madson (4.5/5)
Maybe it’s the fact this is the first story in the anthology or maybe it’s that fairytale-like ending but I loved this story apart from one or two of the character names.
The Dark Son by Luke Scull (4/5)
Apart from the jungle setting the story wasn’t too original but it did benefit from having one of the rare endings to come with a positive message.
Glory to the King! by Anna Smith Spark (3/5)
While the idea of imposter syndrome in an undefeated ruler was interesting to read and the writing generally solid, said ruler’s profanity-laced narration struck me as more juvenile than moving personally speaking.
The Book Burner’s Fall by Anthony Ryan (3.5/5)
While well-written, particularly in its opening sections, I was left somewhat dissatisfied by the climax.
Mother Death by Michael R. Fletcher (5/5)
The Ice Age-inspired setting, the unique magic system, and the compelling first-person narration made this one an instant favorite of mine.
The Black Horse by Jeremy Szal (4/5)
The bloodiest of the bunch, this story really reminded me of TLOU from the dynamic between the two main characters to the moral dilemma presented at the climax.
Thrall by Lee Murray (4/5)
The story didn’t do anything unexpected apart from making the selkies New Zealander but it was well-told.
King for a Day by Daniel Polansky (4/5)
The Mesoamerican-inspired setting was interesting but what really grabbed my attention was just how many times the MacGuffin changed hands, not to mention the fact each murderous, would-be ruler having a different reason for wanting power. Looking back now, it kind of reads like someone adding the One Ring or the Green Pearl to The Emperor’s New Groove, which…obviously isn’t very funny.
The King-Killing Queen by Shawn Speakman (5/5)
Really wish I could have backed the expanded edition on Kickstarter. Anyway, what I liked most about this particular story was the blending of an Arthurian-based mythos with a GRRM-like sensibility regarding the human condition.
The Face of the King by Adrian Tchaikovsky (5/5)
This story was by far the most experimental, which immediately earns it some brownie points. The fact Tchaikovsky actually managed to pull off the present tense, second-person narration and stick the landing with one of the most memorable endings in the whole book, on the other hand, elevates it to the top of the pile.
Hand of the Artist by Trudi Canavan (5/5)
This was another first-person story I really enjoyed. The protagonist was very relatable and it was nice to see a king be brought down through the healing power of art for a change.
The Conspiracy Against the Twenty-Third Canton by Alex Marshall (4.5/5)
A non-European setting combined with two likable female protagonists and a few good twists made this a pleasure to listen to though there were some instances of modern language I didn’t particularly enjoy. Also, cannibalism.
The Blade Queen and the Stoneheart by Anna Stephens (3/5)
Apart from the titular Blade Queen none of the characters were that interesting and again the amount of profanity was a turn-off. That said, the ending did leave a striking image in my mind and the homage to Eowyn from LOTR a nice touch as well.
The Day the Gods Went Silent by Justin T. Call (3/5)
Well-written but overstuffed with world-building.
A Piece of Movable Type by Peter Orullian (2.5/5)
Apart from the ending the story wasn’t so much bad as it was dull and underwhelming. Definitely the weakest of the bunch in my opinion.
The Wizard in the Tower by Kameron Hurley (5/5)
I wasn’t expecting something romantic but I’m also not going to complain when it’s this good.
The Varcolac by Matthew Ward (4.5/5)
The relatively straightforward plot was elevated by cool characters, excellent prose, and a stellar ending that left me torn.
On Wings of Song by Deborah A. Wolf (5/5)
A fairytale-like story of sirens and female friendship that was heartwarming, if appropriately bloody by the end.
The Last Days of Old Sharakhi by Bradley P. Beaulieu (4.5/5)
Definitely a high note to end the anthology on. As an Arab, I adored the Middle Eastern setting but just as much I enjoyed the themes of change, legacy, and mortality.
Special shoutout to audiobook narrator, Greg Patmore, who did an excellent job narrating each story.
October 27, 2023
"The King Must Fall" by Adrian Collins is a compelling and richly layered work of fantasy that holds its own among its contemporaries in the genre. This book takes readers on an epic journey filled with political intrigue, magic, and memorable characters.
The story unfolds in a world where kingdoms are on the brink of war, and political tensions are mounting. The fate of the realm hinges on a variety of well-drawn characters, each with their own motivations and desires. Collins excels in character development, creating individuals who are not only relatable but also complex, and whose growth and struggles are at the heart of the narrative.
The plot of "The King Must Fall" is intricately woven, with layers of mystery and political machinations that keep readers engaged throughout. The story moves at a well-managed pace, delivering a satisfying blend of action, character-driven moments, and world-building. Collins skillfully balances various subplots and perspectives, offering readers a well-rounded view of the story's multifaceted world.
In terms of world-building, "The King Must Fall" excels. The author has created a vibrant and immersive fantasy realm filled with unique cultures, magic systems, and a rich history. This depth and attention to detail contribute to the book's authenticity and provide a strong foundation for the story.
When compared to its contemporaries in the fantasy genre, "The King Must Fall" stands out for its emphasis on intricate politics, well-developed characters, and a strong narrative that holds its own against other epic fantasy series. Collins' work may particularly appeal to fans of political intrigue within fantasy, as it weaves these elements seamlessly into the story.
In conclusion, "The King Must Fall" by Adrian Collins is a standout in the world of contemporary fantasy literature. It combines well-crafted characters, a complex and engaging plot, and meticulous world-building. Fans of epic fantasy will find this book a captivating read that can easily compete with other prominent works in the genre.
The story unfolds in a world where kingdoms are on the brink of war, and political tensions are mounting. The fate of the realm hinges on a variety of well-drawn characters, each with their own motivations and desires. Collins excels in character development, creating individuals who are not only relatable but also complex, and whose growth and struggles are at the heart of the narrative.
The plot of "The King Must Fall" is intricately woven, with layers of mystery and political machinations that keep readers engaged throughout. The story moves at a well-managed pace, delivering a satisfying blend of action, character-driven moments, and world-building. Collins skillfully balances various subplots and perspectives, offering readers a well-rounded view of the story's multifaceted world.
In terms of world-building, "The King Must Fall" excels. The author has created a vibrant and immersive fantasy realm filled with unique cultures, magic systems, and a rich history. This depth and attention to detail contribute to the book's authenticity and provide a strong foundation for the story.
When compared to its contemporaries in the fantasy genre, "The King Must Fall" stands out for its emphasis on intricate politics, well-developed characters, and a strong narrative that holds its own against other epic fantasy series. Collins' work may particularly appeal to fans of political intrigue within fantasy, as it weaves these elements seamlessly into the story.
In conclusion, "The King Must Fall" by Adrian Collins is a standout in the world of contemporary fantasy literature. It combines well-crafted characters, a complex and engaging plot, and meticulous world-building. Fans of epic fantasy will find this book a captivating read that can easily compete with other prominent works in the genre.
December 30, 2024
Book: The King Must Fall
Type: Anthology
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Grimdark
Themes: Royal downfall due to poor leadership
Author: Adrian Tchaikovsky, Anthony Ryan, etc.
Date Released: May 31, 2022
My Rating: 4.2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
"The King Must Fall" offers a captivating assortment of short stories and novellas, each revolving around the theme of crumbling kingdoms and misguided leadership. What sets this collection apart is the diverse array of authors, each contributing their unique writing style and signature tone to the narrative.
Notable names like Adrian Tchaikovsky and Anthony Ryan lend their established voices to the anthology, making it an easy entry point for readers familiar with their work. Their contributions maintain a certain level of familiarity and quality, allowing fans to seamlessly immerse themselves in the stories.
For those encountering unfamiliar authors, the experience may vary. While not every story proves equally impressive, this anthology serves as an excellent opportunity to discover new talent within the fantasy and science fiction genre. The varying writing styles provide a refreshing shift in perspectives, offering readers a taste of the different voices that contribute to the genre's rich tapestry.
Despite not all stories hitting the mark, "The King Must Fall" succeeds in its mission to introduce readers to a broader spectrum of talented writers. The collection serves as a valuable gateway for exploration, presenting readers with a curated list of authors whose works they might want to delve into further.
In the end, while not every tale may leave a lasting impression, the anthology as a whole delivers an enjoyable reading experience. "The King Must Fall" is a worthy addition to the bookshelf of any grimdark fantasy or science fiction enthusiast, offering a tantalizing glimpse into the minds of a diverse array of talented storytellers.
Type: Anthology
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Grimdark
Themes: Royal downfall due to poor leadership
Author: Adrian Tchaikovsky, Anthony Ryan, etc.
Date Released: May 31, 2022
My Rating: 4.2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
"The King Must Fall" offers a captivating assortment of short stories and novellas, each revolving around the theme of crumbling kingdoms and misguided leadership. What sets this collection apart is the diverse array of authors, each contributing their unique writing style and signature tone to the narrative.
Notable names like Adrian Tchaikovsky and Anthony Ryan lend their established voices to the anthology, making it an easy entry point for readers familiar with their work. Their contributions maintain a certain level of familiarity and quality, allowing fans to seamlessly immerse themselves in the stories.
For those encountering unfamiliar authors, the experience may vary. While not every story proves equally impressive, this anthology serves as an excellent opportunity to discover new talent within the fantasy and science fiction genre. The varying writing styles provide a refreshing shift in perspectives, offering readers a taste of the different voices that contribute to the genre's rich tapestry.
Despite not all stories hitting the mark, "The King Must Fall" succeeds in its mission to introduce readers to a broader spectrum of talented writers. The collection serves as a valuable gateway for exploration, presenting readers with a curated list of authors whose works they might want to delve into further.
In the end, while not every tale may leave a lasting impression, the anthology as a whole delivers an enjoyable reading experience. "The King Must Fall" is a worthy addition to the bookshelf of any grimdark fantasy or science fiction enthusiast, offering a tantalizing glimpse into the minds of a diverse array of talented storytellers.
February 28, 2025
I have only read Trudi Canavan's novella so far, but will update as I read more. I chose to read Canavan's work first as she was the author I was most excited to discover was a part of this book when I was looking to purchase.
I have read many of Trudi Canavan's series, and absolutely loved them all. She has such a brilliant mind for unique fantasies, with cool magic systems and just overall great story-telling.
Hand of the Artist - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The pacing of this novella was fine. And the way it was set out as a telling of a story that had already occurred to the character worked well. However, I wish there had been 20 or 30 more pages to it; so that it had more like 50 pages compared to the 18 or so I believe it had. I think this would have meant there could have been more time for there to be action or the character sneaking around more and discovering things, which would have added some excitement.
This novella had mostly court intrigue, and while it was definitely interesting, I found myself wishing for even more darkness, and something to make my heart pound. It was quite tame, and after reading some other reviews, it looks like this work is one of the lower rated ones; which is such a shame as I love Canavan's writing. And there is no doubt she is an amazing writer. I love her writing style, and am always so immersed in her books.
Overall, I am rating this one 4 stars as I felt it was lacking in some elements, but I did enjoy the plot.
I will add that I'm slightly confused by this one, as the blurb of this collection of stories details that they will be about "people who will stop at nothing to gain power or topple it". However, our main character is an innocent it seems, and didn't have any sort of ambition to do such.
I have read many of Trudi Canavan's series, and absolutely loved them all. She has such a brilliant mind for unique fantasies, with cool magic systems and just overall great story-telling.
Hand of the Artist - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The pacing of this novella was fine. And the way it was set out as a telling of a story that had already occurred to the character worked well. However, I wish there had been 20 or 30 more pages to it; so that it had more like 50 pages compared to the 18 or so I believe it had. I think this would have meant there could have been more time for there to be action or the character sneaking around more and discovering things, which would have added some excitement.
This novella had mostly court intrigue, and while it was definitely interesting, I found myself wishing for even more darkness, and something to make my heart pound. It was quite tame, and after reading some other reviews, it looks like this work is one of the lower rated ones; which is such a shame as I love Canavan's writing. And there is no doubt she is an amazing writer. I love her writing style, and am always so immersed in her books.
Overall, I am rating this one 4 stars as I felt it was lacking in some elements, but I did enjoy the plot.
I will add that I'm slightly confused by this one, as the blurb of this collection of stories details that they will be about "people who will stop at nothing to gain power or topple it". However, our main character is an innocent it seems, and didn't have any sort of ambition to do such.
April 8, 2023
As far as fantasy anthologies go, this one was decent. The theme (also the title) ended up restricting the short stories to a generic premise that only a few authors managed to overcome. Most of the stories were forgettable and had to rely almost entirely on a clever hook or final twist to feel at least somewhat original. However, a few talented authors brought something unique to the table and it was their stories that made me round up this 2.5-star read.
19 stories sounds like a lot, and given that 3 of them could easily pass for novellas, it felt longer than it should have been. Culling 4 or 5 of the weaker ones would have gone a long way to making this a more palatable read. Alas, with the quality of all the writers, I can understand how making that kind of call could be tricky. For me, the strength of the short story format is the opportunity to play with unique ideas, so it was disappointing how many of them followed the formulaic fantasy tropes and cliches.
As for standouts, Mother Death was probably my favourite, followed closely by Thrall, The Face of the King, and Hand of the Artist. Fans of grimdark will enjoy the assortment of darker entries, although those tended to rely too much on gruesome imagery and bleak themes, which weren't enough to carry their story for me. But if you're a fan of fantasy short stories, this collection is worth a try.
19 stories sounds like a lot, and given that 3 of them could easily pass for novellas, it felt longer than it should have been. Culling 4 or 5 of the weaker ones would have gone a long way to making this a more palatable read. Alas, with the quality of all the writers, I can understand how making that kind of call could be tricky. For me, the strength of the short story format is the opportunity to play with unique ideas, so it was disappointing how many of them followed the formulaic fantasy tropes and cliches.
As for standouts, Mother Death was probably my favourite, followed closely by Thrall, The Face of the King, and Hand of the Artist. Fans of grimdark will enjoy the assortment of darker entries, although those tended to rely too much on gruesome imagery and bleak themes, which weren't enough to carry their story for me. But if you're a fan of fantasy short stories, this collection is worth a try.
May 4, 2023
Overall there were a lot of weak or just ok stories, but the fewer good ones are really worth to be read.
The best ones for me, four to five stars, were :
"The Last Days of Old Sharakhai" by Brad P. Beaulieu - a great addition to it`s universe of the Song of Shattered Sands
"The Wizard in the Tower" by Kameron Hurley,
"The Blade-Queen and the Stoneheart" by Anna Stephens,
"The King Killing Queen" by Shawn Speakman,
and " On Wings of Song" by Deborah A. Wolf.
Like I said there were some others in the range of three stars, but nothing so memorable & impressive like these ones.
Like all the Anthologies around this is a mixed bag of ideas and executions, but, in the end, I think that it`s really worth a check, knowing what to expect.
But, like a side note, the best ones for me started after half a book was gone, so beware!! :D
The best ones for me, four to five stars, were :
"The Last Days of Old Sharakhai" by Brad P. Beaulieu - a great addition to it`s universe of the Song of Shattered Sands
"The Wizard in the Tower" by Kameron Hurley,
"The Blade-Queen and the Stoneheart" by Anna Stephens,
"The King Killing Queen" by Shawn Speakman,
and " On Wings of Song" by Deborah A. Wolf.
Like I said there were some others in the range of three stars, but nothing so memorable & impressive like these ones.
Like all the Anthologies around this is a mixed bag of ideas and executions, but, in the end, I think that it`s really worth a check, knowing what to expect.
But, like a side note, the best ones for me started after half a book was gone, so beware!! :D
May 6, 2024
A collection of short stories
I really liked
"What you wish for" by Devin Madson - truly outstanding story about mass hysteria
"Glory to the king" by Anna Smith Spark- a story about a cursed king and his cannibalistic fanatatic followers - the story reminded me of Steven Erikson´s Emperor Rhulad and the Tenescrowy stories
"King for a day" by Daniel Polansky -reminded me of a legendary passage in Joe Abercrombie "Sharp ends"
"The king killing queen" by Shawn Speakman - showed great promise
"The face of the king" by Adrian Tchaikowvsky - the story begins rather unremarkable but turns into something totally different in the end. This was the most promising new author for me.
I really liked
"What you wish for" by Devin Madson - truly outstanding story about mass hysteria
"Glory to the king" by Anna Smith Spark- a story about a cursed king and his cannibalistic fanatatic followers - the story reminded me of Steven Erikson´s Emperor Rhulad and the Tenescrowy stories
"King for a day" by Daniel Polansky -reminded me of a legendary passage in Joe Abercrombie "Sharp ends"
"The king killing queen" by Shawn Speakman - showed great promise
"The face of the king" by Adrian Tchaikowvsky - the story begins rather unremarkable but turns into something totally different in the end. This was the most promising new author for me.
October 28, 2023
Good stuff, and a really nice tome. The Kings Must Fall is a collection of grimdark fantasy short stories about plots and machiniations to kill kings, rulers, captains, and leaders. Of special interest to me were contributions by Luke Scull, Michael Fletcher, and Shawn Speakman, who provided solid short stories for this collection (Mr. Speakman's story was probably the best of the lot). Each story has a b&w picture to introduce it, and the art is very good.
December 26, 2024
A mostly enjoyable anthology of dark fantasy/grimdark stories with a pleasing variety of strange places, fantasy races, intriguing characters, and dark, foreboding settings. Most of the stories lacked the real punch of a satisfyingly dark ending; however, a few stood out as excellent: The Face of the King by Adrian Tchaikovsky, Glory to the King by Anna Smith Spark, and The Day the Gods Went Silent by Justin Call.
More at my blog: https://bookworminthedark.blogspot.com.
More at my blog: https://bookworminthedark.blogspot.com.
January 16, 2025
I am someone who struggles to read short stories unless they are about the same protagonist. I am always disoriented by having a new plotline every thirty minutes. However, this anthology was the exception. It was good. and nearly every story was well written.
Special shout out to The Book Burner’s Fall, King for a Day, The King-Killing Queen, The Face of the King, The Blade-Queen and the Stoneheart, and The Wizard in the Tower.
Special shout out to The Book Burner’s Fall, King for a Day, The King-Killing Queen, The Face of the King, The Blade-Queen and the Stoneheart, and The Wizard in the Tower.
March 8, 2023
Most anthologies run the risk of stretching its motif to the point of absurdity or having less strong stories detract from the greater whole. This one, luckily, managed to showcase a breadth of strong writers that had fun with its concept with only one or two of the twenty stories being downright bad.
March 21, 2023
A great anthology series. Many of the pieces were very good and I found myself checking whether they are one-offs or part of actual series I could read.
July 18, 2023
A Great assortment of grimdark tales. I can see myself revisiting this anthology over and over. A must read for any who read the genre.
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