Anji Kills a King

Leikam’s rousing epic fantasy debut and Rising Tide series launch opens on Anji, a royal servant, plunging a knife into the throat of Rolandrian, King of Yem, and the pace never eases up. Anji, who held the monarch “responsible for every horrid thing happening in the world,” manages to escape the castle and the capital city, but a huge reward offered for her capture puts a target on her back. She evades capture for two harrowing days before being cornered in a dive bar by a formidable female warrior: the sword master known as the Hawk, a member of the elite group of bounty hunters in service to Rolandrian. The Hawk intends to return Anji to the capital and claim the million Rhoda for doing so, leaving Anji to be tortured and publicly executed. This goal is soon threatened by several other bounty hunters, making the women’s journey to the castle suspenseful. The details of Leikam’s fully imagined realm, and the meaty backstories of his two main characters, will captivate readers. It’s a promising start. (May)