The Phoenix King is an epic sci-fantasy filled with deadly fire, organized crime, royal prophecies, and a desert that hides its secrets. When I saw it also had three POVs, morally grey characters, and a South-Asian-inspired fantasy world, I was sold. From the moment I started The Phoenix King on audio, it felt like I was swept away in the sand and heat of the Ravani desert. The characters’ distinct voices contrast to create a novel full of strength, intrigue, and power struggles.
The Blurb:
The Ravani kingdom was born of a prophecy, carved from unforgiving desert sands and ruled by the Ravence bloodline: those with the power to command the Eternal Fire.
Elena Aadya is the heir to the throne—and the only Ravence who cannot wield her family’s legendary magic. As her coronation approaches, she will do whatever it takes to prove herself a worthy successor to her revered father. But she doesn’t anticipate the arrival of Yassen Knight, the notorious assassin who now claims fealty to the throne. Elena’s father might trust Yassen to be a member of her royal guard, but she is certain he is hiding something.
As the threat of war looms like a storm on the horizon, the two begin a dangerous dance of intrigue and betrayal. And the choices they make could burn down the world.
Review:
It’s been a while since I loved an adult fantasy novel as much as I loved The Phoenix King – probably not since Robert Jackson Bennett’s Foundryside. While I wouldn’t call The Phoenix King and Foundryside similar novels, they both evoked similar feelings while reading; each has a diverse cast of characters, a sci-fantasy world with an underbelly of criminal gangs, and, most importantly, a setting that feels gritty and lived-in. I felt transported to the Ravani kingdom, with its prophets and priestesses, threats of war, and delicious cloud cookies. By the end of the epilogue, I didn’t want to leave Aparna Verma’s world.
The characters of this book – well, there are morally grey characters and then there are Verma’s characters. The characters in The Phoenix King were another level of grey. They bordered on morally dark grey, which was delightful to read, honestly. We follow the points of view of Leo, the current king of the Ravani kingdom, Elena, his heir, and Yassen, a deadly assassin seeking redemption for his crimes. The choices these characters made never felt forced. Because readers get to see the points of view of Leo, Elena, and Yassen, we understand their decisions and deceptions, even when the choices they make are questionable, at best.
The Phoenix King audiobook is narrated by a cast of excellent narrators. Soneela Nankani, Deepti Gupta, Vikas Adam, and Akshay Kumar provide voices throughout the audiobook. You may recognize these narrators from audiobooks such as Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Fall of Ruin and Wrath, S.A. Chakraborty’s The City of Brass, and Yann Martel’s Life of Pi. These are top-tier narrators and they make this audiobook a stellar epic to enjoy. I highly recommend picking up this audiobook if you’re the type of person (like me) who likes to distinguish different POVs by different narrative voices.
Rating: 5/5 Stars. It’s going on my Infinity Stars Shelf. I cannot wait for the next book in this series. No pressure, Aparna, but I need this book asap.
Thanks to Hachette Audio/Orbit for an audio review copy of The Phoenix King! All the above thoughts are my own.
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