A novice assassin is on the hunt for someone killing their own in K. A. Doore’s The Perfect Assassin, a breakout high fantasy beginning the Chronicles of Ghadid series. Divine justice is written in blood.Or so Amastan has been taught. As a new assassin in the Basbowen family, he’s already having second thoughts about taking a life. A scarcity of contracts ends up being just what he needs.Until, … being just what he needs.
Until, unexpectedly, Amastan finds the body of a very important drum chief. Until, impossibly, Basbowen’s finest start showing up dead, with their murderous jaan running wild in the dusty streets of Ghadid. Until, inevitably, Amastan is ordered to solve these murders, before the family gets blamed.
Every life has its price, but when the tables are turned, Amastan must find this perfect assassin or be their next target.
”The Perfect Assassin is a thrilling fantastical mystery that had me racing through the pages.” —S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass
“Full of rooftop fights, frightening magic, and nonstop excitement and mystery, I absolutely loved it from start to finish ” — Sarah Beth Durst
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K. A. Doore has crafted a thrilling and poignant tale on the costs of loyalty. In the city of Ghadid, ideas of justice and family battle and braid themselves around each other in action-packed fashion. Part murder mystery, part family saga, part coming-of-age chronicle, The Perfect Assassin intrigues and excites in equal measure.
K.A. Doore’s debut novel is an intriguing start to a new series with descriptive world building and emotionally complex characters. In a society where every drop of water means the difference between life and death, Doore does an excellent job creating a story equally riveting around everything from water-wasting to murder. She builds an entire city above the sand and steeps the reader in a rich, complex culture with unique beliefs and practices without weighing down the story.
Amastan is part of a family of assassins sanctioned to kill for the greater good, but after he finally graduates from his training he learns their services have been banned. But when dead bodies start turning up, and their janni (destructive spirits) are set loose to terrorize the city, Amastan is tasked with finding the killer.
The plot unfolds expertly, a mystery who-done-it, delving into family secrets and cultural morals while at the same time building subtle and sensitive relationships that feel authentic and interesting.
The Perfect Assassin is a thrilling fantastical mystery that had me racing through the pages. With a mix of heart and adventure, and set in a wonderfully inventive new world, K.A. Doore’s debut shines.
In a high-flung desert city, a reluctant assassin’s choices threaten his family’s way of life, those he loves, and, worst of all, the spirits of the dead. Amastan Basbowen’s options are all dangerous, but he must move forward. The ensuing intrigue forms the core of a highly exciting adventure.
A brilliantly inventive world and an absorbing cast of characters make this a debut that packs a punch. Though I’m not entirely sure I’ve forgiven the author yet…
Ghadid is a city above the endless sands of the desert, connected by a series of pumps to an aquifer filled once per year by the annual storms. This makes for a VERY intriguing society and barter/magic/economical system whereby those who plan poorly run out of tokens to access water before the end of season and, basically, die. To complicate matters further, water is essential to the magic of healing – and those who can’t pay don’t get treated.
Add in to this a series of gruesome murders and a sweet, reluctant assassin who’d rather be a historian and who dips his toe into the waters of romance for the first time, and you’ve got a hugely engaging novel part thriller, part murder-mystery, and all fantasy. Highly recommended.
Good read but predictable in some aspects of the plot. Overall entertaining world building and society which I hope we delve into more in the subsequent novels
There’s nothing better than a sweet, cinnamon roll, assassin <3 The characters in this book are great, and the world building is phenomenal! I can't wait for book two!
I can’t say enough good things about this book. The setting is unique and breathtaking, the characters are vivid and real, and the prose is just… beautiful. I am so hopeful this gets picked up for a movie because more people need to know Amastan’s story.
Ethical assassins, desert cities, and hungry ghosts? Yes please!
This is a fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled fantasy set in a vivid world. I was on edge while the MC unraveled a web of secrets and lies, all while being hunted by jaan and a mysterious killer.
Just as exciting as the intense assassin main story was the quiet romantic subplot that perfectly normalized LGBTQ+ relationships within the world. To be clear: This is not a romance. It’s solid SFF with romantic entanglements, like all believable stories. And it was done masterfully! There were moments when I was like “Boom! That’s how it’s done!” Those sweet moments contrasted beautifully with all the blood and fire!
I can’t wait to see what the future holds when killing is sanctioned and assassins can freely carry out their duties to the city. Oh, and more jaan, please!
Fascinating world building with all the mystery and appeal of the One Thousand and One Nights.
A bold, original adventure set in a world of enthralling beauty. The Perfect Assassin shimmers with mystery and romance, and with characters whose courage and charisma brighten every page.
The Perfect Assassin is one of those rare books that manages to be both thrilling and tender. It’s full of rooftop fights, frightening magic, and nonstop excitement and mystery, while at the same time it’s a thought-provoking exploration of what it means to be a monster and the power of love and forgiveness. I absolutely loved it from start to finish!
Set in a world of believable richness, The Perfect Assassin combines a suspenseful plot with a memorable cast of characters, and an assassin protagonist who is compelled to make hard choices.
An artful murder mystery in a fantastical setting! Amastan is a thoughful protagonist, cautious and clever, neatly finding his way through a tangle of lies and secrets that are long-buried, but not dead. The desert platform-city of Ghadid is well-drawn and compelling in its politics and its magic.