Reviews

The Last Phi Hunter by Salinee Goldenberg (@gosalgo), is a mythic dark fantasy, equal parts smart, exhilarating, and delightfully fun. It examines identity, loneliness and forbidden love, in a stunning world with Thai demon folklore.

I really liked reading this book. I loved the Thai & Southeast Asia inspired world building and the lore. The writing was really vibrant and the characters were both dark and funny. I really liked our MC Ex, who is very loveable.

If I had one complain it would be that towards the end I was a little bit confused but thankfully the ending was satisfying.

In The Last Phi Hunter we follow Ex, an ambitious young Phi hunter on his way to slay a legendary demon when he meets Arinya, a pregnant runaway, who hires him for escort through the spirit-filled forest. But she has dangerous secrets, and now he’s fighting not only monsters, but assassins, necromancers and even worse, falling in love.

epsyphus's review

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Just not feeling, might pick it up again some other time. Felt too much like The Witcher, which is originally why I was interested in it, but I'm thinking maybe that's why it's not working right now.

piddle's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Thank you to netgalley for giving me an Arc of this for an honest review!

3.5 but added .5 for it being a debut. If you're a fan of Witcher I think this would be right up your alley, I thought it was really well paced until the last 20% which felt so rushed with many built up moments condensed into 2-3 sentences. An extra 100 pages flushed out the rushed-ness coulda made this a solid 4 to 5 star.

I felt like the author managed to perfectly capture making an expansive world but writing a self contained story within that world, which I thought was perfect! I would love to learn more about this world and it's systems in another book, not necessarily following Ex and Arinya but would love to see them team up again for sure!

Overall very solid debut though!

jinxei's review

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5.0

When it comes to dark fantasy, ‘The Last Phi Hunter’ set itself apart with compelling narrative that delves deep into the themes of identity, loneliness, and forbidden love, all while navigating the shadowy realms populated by Thai demons and spirits. The protagonist, Ex, embarks on a journey that is as much about slaying ghosts and seeking glory as it is about confronting his own sense of self and isolation. His quest for fame takes an unexpected detour with the encounter of Arinya, a muay-boran champion with secrets of her own, and a belly full of life, demanding his protection through a ghost-ridden forest. The tender yet forbidden romance was wonderful and only emphasized the flawless ability of Goldenberg to inject humor and warmth into a world that otherwise is ensconced in darkness, offering some levity amidst peril.

However, beyond the thrilling encounters and mystical allure, I was enraptured by the exploration of Thai demon folklore. While the book may wobble slightly in the development of its characters—Ex’s arc feeling somewhat disjointed and Arinya’s depth not fully explored—the overall world building, lore, and character interactions far outshined any trivial complaints I might have had.

‘The Last Phi Hunter’ is an exquisite ode to Thai heritage, a testament to the strength found in companionship, and a celebration of the light that humor can bring to the darkest of places.

Thank you so much to Angry Robot for the ARC!

eviebooks's review

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adventurous dark funny tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

lauraslittlebooknook's review

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adventurous challenging dark funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Goldenberg has created an incredibly vivid and intricate world with a unique and wonderful magic system. I could quite easily let myself get lost in the imagery of this story, from the delicious descriptions of food, to the stunning scenery and the layers of magical worlds. This was phenomenally well developed, especially for a debut author!

The story itself follows Ex, an ambitious demon hunter, who unexpectedly finds himself escorting Arinya, favoured consort of the crown prince, through a forest full of monsters and spirit gods.

There is so much chemistry between these two, I loved their back and forth banter (and Ex’s clumsy attempts at flirting!). Arinya is a strong, take no shit, FMC and I would have loved to have had something from her POV (as I’m a sucker for a kick ass, grown woman in my fantasy fiction).

The side characters are honestly fantastic; The Hound, being my favourite.

This story is full of humour and action and adventure, and I couldn’t put it down!

I mixed this one up between the physical read and the audio, and would honestly recommend both!

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