Reviews

King of Assassins by RJ Barker

knittingtipsy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Solid conclusion to a trilogy I quite enjoyed. Girton is now an adult and has some truly adult-sized challenges and griefs in this final installment of the series. A satisfying completion of his (and several supporting characters’) arc(s). 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Grief, Murder, and War

kaine_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

mary_soon_lee's review

4.0

This is the concluding volume of a fantasy trilogy, and I found it eminently satisfying. I note that, as in earlier volumes, there is a mystery thread running through the plot. I predicted one of the book's major revelations from early on, but this didn't undo my enjoyment. I cared about the narrator and central character, Girton Club-Foot, and so I cared about the unfolding events. I liked how elements from the earlier books were paid off in this final volume. I was moved by many of the scenes, and successfully appalled by the darker passages. I particularly liked the understated use of the god Xus.

This is not in my very top tier of fantasy books, but it is an example of how much I enjoy fantasy that is merely very good. [Caveat: I found the middle volume considerably the weakest in the trilogy.]

riekahei's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

hs_3's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad fast-paced

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

4.5

peerio's review against another edition

5.0

Very entertaining and good end to an excellent series. Good character progression throughout the books.

blodeuedd's review

1.0

It took me 12 days to finish this one...12 days!!!! I confess to doing a lot of skimming the last 150 pages cos else I would still be here after 2 weeks.

Something was just not there. I enjoyed the two previous ones, but this one, nah, it felt slow, it dragged, it was a chore and I no longer felt the world.

I must say, it made me feel that I am done with this author if hershe makes me feel like this for this last book.

It had good parts, but most were ok, or just boring. Soulless.

And srsly, EVERYONE else loved it, EVERYONE

Arghhh what is wrong with me?!

_b_a_l_'s review against another edition

5.0

Original and interesting and dark.

And its a genuine pleasure to watch Girton grow as a human being throughout the trilogy.

So invested I devoured books 2 and 3 one after the other.

bookishgoblin's review against another edition

5.0

I have never been more amazed by a trilogy, I can’t believe how wonderfully RJ Barker writes, I wish I could forget it all and read them for the first time again because the twists and the turns are just incredible

cosmicality's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

4.5