Gladiator meets Game of Thrones: a royal woman becomes a skilled warrior to destroy her murderous cousin, avenge her family, and save her kingdom in this first entry in a dazzling fantasy epic from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Elemental Assassin series—an enthralling tale that combines magic, murder, intrigue, adventure, and a hint of romance.
In a realm where one’s … hint of romance.
In a realm where one’s magical power determines one’s worth, Lady Everleigh’s lack of obvious ability relegates her to the shadows of the royal court of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. Seventeenth in line for the throne, Evie is nothing more than a ceremonial fixture, overlooked and mostly forgotten.
But dark forces are at work inside the palace. When her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her mother the queen and takes the throne by force, Evie is also attacked, along with the rest of the royal family. Luckily for Evie, her secret immunity to magic helps her escape the massacre.
Forced into hiding to survive, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. Though they use their talents to entertain and amuse the masses, the gladiators are actually highly trained warriors skilled in the art of war, especially Lucas Sullivan, a powerful magier with secrets of his own. Uncertain of her future—or if she even has one—Evie begins training with the troupe until she can decide her next move.
But as the bloodthirsty Vasilia exerts her power, pushing Bellona to the brink of war, Evie’s fate becomes clear: she must become a fearsome gladiator herself . . . and kill the queen.
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I loved this book. Evie is an incredible main character and a perfect example of someone thrown into a situation she can’t control. Her own flaws make her life more difficult, but don’t we all. If you want a nice tight trilogy that will make you cheer, get this. You won’t regret it.
It’s not often I read paranormal or fantasy but I recently had this strong need to read something set in that world. I chalk it up to needing a fantastic mental escape where there is a clear distinction between good and evil and the good actually wins. Then I saw one of my favourite authors, Amanda Bouchet, recommend Kill the Queen and I needed no further convincing.
My love of this novel has everything to do with Evie and her impressive transformation from unassuming wallflower to the enigmatic, fierce warrior who takes on a villain. It comes at a high price that shatters her trust but she still has room for faith. All that time under the radar while at Seven Spires has given her the opportunity to study people and discern their intentions. It has proven to be an invaluable skill as she fights to stay alive while in hiding as she bides her time before confronting her murderous cousin, Vasilia. It’s the little things about Evie that endeared her to me like when she catches her self doubts and gently chides herself to remember that she’s no longer that pushover that people ignored. It makes her a more believable character as she’s adapts to her new persona and newfound resolution. And she consistently fights to do the right thing even if it means putting other people before her in order to save them. There’s never a single moment of hesitation when it comes to that.
Surrounding Evie is an stellar cast of characters who belong to a travelling gladiator troupe that make up the family that she’s been missing all along. These are folks who are true to their convictions and value loyalty and trust above all else. One of the new friends in her life is Lucas Sullivan, a magier who is initially brusque with her. She feels him a kindred spirit in a way but with his own secretive past and principles, he keeps a certain emotional distance from her. Aside from Lucas, sShe also gains a new best friend which is a giant step for her being that she doesn’t trust easily. Gaining that camaraderie and seeing what true loyalty is has emboldened her to fulfill her promise of righting wrongs, avenging her aunt’s death, and saving the kingdom that has been her home all these years.
Kill the Queen is filled with drama, magic and suspense in a world that’s aching for a true heroine to help it right itself. Jennifer Estep has created such a rich and detailed world that simultaneously feels relatable and fantastical. It’s an underdog story (my catnip!) and an absolute page-turner that has me hooked!
~ Bel
Source: borrowed audio copy
I loved this book and immediately grabbed the next book in the series. Compelling reading.
Fantasy, an awesome fast paced story with a kick-butt heroine.
Epic fantasy the way I like it: tight and concise — though it’s satisfyingly long. It has everything: massacres and revenge, magic and swordfights. It’s told in the first person point of view, which limits the narrative a bit, but the style suits the book. In the end, you don’t necessarily need more, but I’m happy there’s a next book coming up. I’ll definitely be reading it.
Love all of her books she wrote so far. Read this book in a day because I couldn’t put it down it
I have been reading The Elemental books by Jennifer Estep and was curious how she was going to start this (I am hoping) a new series. Evie is considered to be the last of the Winter Queen’s but goes into hiding so that she is not killed. She ends up with a gladiator troop and learns a new trade and gets prepared for combat.
Terrific start to a new fantasy series. Written in such a way that you can read only this book and not be left hanging. No need to wait for more in the series before diving in!
I’m going to admit it was a slow start and I checked reviews to see if others liked it…quite mixed. A few chapters in, it finally got my attention and kept it. Lots of world and character building in the beginning then it became action packed and hard to put down. The heroine was excellent, she had more power than she knew. You won’t be left with a cliff hanger and yet you’ll be waiting impatiently for the next installment in this series. I loved it and hope it all works out for the Queen.
Kill the Queen is the first book in the new Crown of Shards series from Jennifer Estep. Jennifer Estep has been a go-to author for me for Urban Fantasy/Fantasy books from the moment I first read her books, and I have to say Kill the Queen was another winner.
Jennifer Estep has a talent for writing kickass heroines, and she did so in spades with Lady Everleigh. I will say that much like Evie herself, I found myself seeing Lady Everleigh as Evie from the very beginning of the book. Evie has never seen herself as strong thanks to years of abuse from her cousin Vasilia and all of her friends. However, if there is one thing Evie is, it is a survivor. She survived the assassination of her parents as a young child, and then the mass assassination of the Queen and the rest of the royal family by her cousin Vasilia. The one secret Evie’s mother had her keep to herself was her immunity to magic, which ends up being the only thing that saves her life in the attack.
As this is the first book in the series, there is much world building in this book, yet it wasn’t overwhelming or detracting from the story, though the book did move a little slowly in the beginning. Part of what I love about each series from Jennifer Estep is the fact that her heroines have such character growth in each book. Evie really does start out as a wallflower in Kill the Queen, yet start to grow into her strength the longer she is on the run. When Kill the Queen begins, and even soon after Evie escapes, she is still hiding her true self and her strengths.
I really felt like we just started to see the beginnings for Evie’s true potential in Kill the Queen. Not only do I want to see what happens next with Evie, but so many of the other characters we met in this first book. I also want to know more about the various kingdoms and how each one will tie into the series overall. While I feel like the Crown of Shards series will mostly focus on Evie, I feel like along the way we will learn more about both her friends and enemies and I can’t wait to see where Ms. Estep takes us next.
Rating: 4 Stars (B)
Review copy provided by publisher
I was surprised by this book. I was expecting more of a Gin Blanco type of character and situations but instead we get a woman tired of playing second fiddle and starts to stand up for herself one step at a time. The storyline is fun, entertaining, and has plenty of action for the action junkies. Does have a small romantic interest. I hope this won’t be the last of these characters.
I am a huge fan of Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassin. Because I am, and because I always found Gin and crew a unique storyline I expected more originality from this series, and I’m hoping that will be the case going forward. Her amazing ability with words has always brought me back, and did this time as well. Because, yes, this storyline is an overdone concept, but oddly enough, that doesn’t matter. It’s still a well written tale that keeps you involved making it difficult to put it down.
I enjoy a good “I’m better than what everyone thinks” story. I like seeing a protagonist who has to overcome severe odds to reach the goal set by her destiny. And Jennifer does this very well. A bit too much scenery description, but that’s not an unusual drawback. First in a series often does more explaining than storytelling to set the scene for future books so it’s expected. And it’s not so much that it detracts from the story.
We see, from the beginning, the downfall of a kingdom and watch as a mostly forgotten household figure, 17th in line for the crown and cousin to the usurper queen, ends up being the one to set things straight. After the Crown Princess makes her play for the crown and appears to have gotten away with it, our heroine goes into hiding to figure out a way to do something to help the kingdom get out from under this tyrannical new queen. After fleeing the castle she gets as far as she can so she can regroup and work out a way to help the people even though she’s nobody’s idea of a heroine. And she finds help in, of all places, a gladiator troupe.
From there I’ll let you read for yourselves. I don’t like spoilers. But I will say that it’s fairly fast moving, and Jennifer uses her mastery of words to keep us glued to the very end. So, overdone concept or not, this is still a series I will continue to read. It is Jennifer Estep’s wonderous ability to take even an old story and make it new that keeps me coming back for more. That is talent, in my book.
As always, Very Well Done, Jennifer Estep! Can’t wait for Protect the Prince!
Crown of Shards Book One.
Lady Everleigh Saffira Winter Blair is a noble in the court of Bellona, but only just. Her lack of obvious powers has cast her into the role of royal stand in. However, anyone with a scrap of royal blood is a potential threat in the eyes of Princess Vasilia. Evie barely survives the Royal Massacre because no one really thinks she could have lived through Vasilia’s power. However, with her dying breath, the former Queen Cordelia tells Evie to survive and find her former guard Serilda. When Evie finds herself near the Black Swan Arena, she follows Cordelia’s advice and joins the gladiator troupe.
If you’re looking for a new fantasy series steeped in blood and court politics, this is the book for you!
I will say it kept my interest. I liked the story of an orphaned girly, a cousin of the Crown princess and 17th in line for the crown, becoming more than she is. This book is truly about self discovery with a little bit of Amazon warrior. It did keep my attention.
Now for the bad. So, there was too much world building. Sure details are great but there can be too much. It makes the book sluggish, slow. Not sure if I’ll read book 2.
Jennifer Estep takes her turn with high, epic fantasy, and she hits out of the park. It starts perfectly with the standard of epic fantasy, the map. I was instantly transported back to my childhood, where Pern, Xanth and Darkover were as familiar to me as my own neighbor. This sets the mood, wooshing me off to this new world.
Like all great writers, Ms. Estep not only rises to the challenge, she raises the bar.
The main character, Everleigh, is a breath of fresh air for this kind of fantasy. She is an adult, a woman, who at 28, with a past and quirks. A history with the other characters. She is also, if I am not taking the Black Swan metaphor too far, the ugly duckling. Taken to the cold castle so filled with intrigue, that even a kindergarten aged child has plans to take the crown. Evie is caught up in that plot but, as she is the heroine, she has to avenge the outcome. But in a world where magical power means real power, Evie’s immunity to magic doesn’t seem to mean a lot.
Most of the story takes place in the gladiator troupe where she hides. Evie also has the duty of narrator, and her voice is unusual – bright, brave and pragmatic. The other characters, I am avoiding using the term side-characters or a supporting characters, are unique even as the fit into the tropes they represent. This allows Evie to find her courage and grow.
The fight scenes are like ballet or a Regency reel. There was a real moment when I could smell the copper of the blood and the hot spice of the sands.
There is a love interest, but it fits well into the rest of the story
I highly recommend this, because I was forced to go buy the second book immediately! That’s 50 mile drive to our nearest bookstore! .
5 stars out of 5
https://www.amazon.com/Kill-Queen-Crown-Shards-Novel/dp/0062797611
Unassuming lead character develops strength and power as the book develops. Lots of action and unique resolutions to problems.
I read the whole series in 4 days! loved them all
Already reviewed it.
Kill the Queen is the first in Jennifer Estep’s new high fantasy series Crown of Shards. It feels remarkably like this author’s Elemental Assassin series. The particulars, of course, are different. The setting in particular. However, the heroine reminds me a lot of Gin Blanco and even the feel of the magic has something in common.
Evie is part of the royal family, but just barely. She is 17th in line for the throne, and orphan who is essentially a ward of her cousin, the queen. She is at the bottom of the family food chain. She has to do the ceremonial jobs no one else wants to do: Learn other languages, cultures, dances; she even has to bake special pies. But she does what she must keep a roof over her head and to stay in her cousin’s good graces. Even forces herself to get along with the crown princess Vasilla, who has been cruel to her since childhood.
Everything turns on its ear, though, when Vasilla stages a coup, killing everyone in the family. Everyone that is, except for Evie. Vasilla thinks she is dead, but in reality, Evie sneaks away to a gladiator camp where a former crown guard now rules. She stays undercover, learning to fight, learning to survive, until the time comes where she must embrace her identity and her destiny.
Though on the surface, at first, Evie feels softer than Gin Blanco, she is fueled by the same kind of controlled rage and revenge that drives her counterpart. She does feel younger than Gin, though. She supposed to be in her late 20s but she reads much younger than that. It is not innocence necessarily. I don’t know how describe it. She just reads more like she’s 20 or 21 than 27. This feels in many ways like a coming of age for her as she comes in to her legacy.
The magic system feels very similar to the Elemental Assassin books as well. Like the way the villain wields lightning. I know there was an EA villain who did as well. And there is a metal master here and a metal master there. Evie’s ability to absorb and nullify magic is new, but the rest of it feels familiar. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it. Just like I enjoy the Elemental Assassin books. I’m not sure there’s really anything wrong with being able to identify an author by her writing style. If nothing else, the way Estep describes the preparation of food would’ve given her away to one of her readers. She always makes everything sound like it tastes delectable.
There is a romance thread, although it is very mild and doesn’t have an opportunity to amount to much. It’s more of a promise of one. And that was OK. This is not meant to be a romance. This is about our heroine and her evolution into a woman capable of being a queen. I liked it. I liked the group of gladiators, in particular. And Vasilla was easy to hate which made Evie even easier to root for.
This wasn’t a read that engaged me a whole lot emotionally, but I did enjoy it. I will continue with the series to see where it goes next.
Rating: B
See review on Goodreads