Anji Kills a King

The Rising Tide, Book 1

By: Evan Leikam

Narrated by: Moira Quirk

“Moira Quirk brings her signature emotive and immersive talent to this fast-paced fantasy debut, keeping listeners on edge at every step.”—AudioFile Magazine (Earphones Award Winner)

An unlikely assassin struggles to escape a legendary bounty hunter in this breakneck fantasy debut that will grab you by the throat—perfect for fans of Joe Abercrombie, R.F. Kuang, and Christopher Buehlman.

She killed for a cause. Will she die for it too?

Anji works as a castle servant, cleaning laundry for a king she hates. So when a rare opportunity presents itself, she seizes the chance to cut his throat. Then she runs for her life. In her wake, the kingdom is thrown into disarray, while a bounty bigger than anyone could imagine lands on her head.

On her heels are the fabled mercenaries of the Menagerie, whose animal-shaped masks are magical relics rumored to give them superhuman powers. It’s the Hawk who finds Anji first: a surly, aging swordswoman who has her own reasons for keeping Anji alive and out of the hands of her fellow bounty hunters, if only long enough to collect the reward herself.

With the rest of the Menagerie on their trail, so begins an alliance as tenuous as it is temporary—and a race against death that will decide Anji’s fate, and may change the course of a kingdom.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books.

©2025 Evan Leikam (P)2025 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"Anji Kills a King is a masterful debut, with breakneck pacing and a main character whose relentless tenacity makes her an absolute joy to read. The ending is perfect, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes from here."—Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld

"A stunning debut, fast-paced and as grim as grimdark gets, relentless till the end."—Glen Cook, author of The Black Company

"Leikam catapults onto the scene with this unforgettable debut that adds a refreshing new note to the beloved choir of dark fantasy. Fans of breakneck pacing, quippy characters, and grimdark with heart should run, not walk, to the bookstore for this one."—M.J. Kuhn, author of Among Thieves and Thick as Thieves

Drugs, bounty hunters, and two hate-able characters

Fun, fast paced, logical and predictable. An easy read, a breakneck pace and a cool magic system that has me asking questions. World building is light, but the potential is deep. Overall you’ll enjoy it, especially if you read it like it’s a film vs novel!

Fast Paced Tale

Anji Kills a King was an action packed quick listen. What makes this book fun is that things get rolling from the start, and keep going until the end. While an enjoyable listen, the non stop action is also a bit of a downfall for this book. This is supposed to be the first book in a series, but there is really no time taken to set up the back story or do any world building for the rest of the series. A servant girl, Anji, decides to kill a king for vague reasons. She flees but is caught instantly by a bounty hunter who seems torn between turning her in or saving her. Also for vague reasons. As Anji and her capture flee across the country, the obstacles thrown in their path make for a non stop action filled listen. This makes it worth a one book listen, but leaves you wondering if there is enough substance for a series to follow.

The narration from Moira Quirk was great, and the reason for me picking up this book in the first place. She elevates this adventure fantasy to another level.

Overall, a fun if somewhat lacking in depth listen. Not sure if the rest of the series will add more world building and plot depth, but this book pretty much wraps up well enough for a single book listen. I'd recommend it if you're looking for something quick and entertaining.

Great story

This was even better than I expected. I got this book because I enjoyed the author's podcast. I was more than pleasantly surprised that he is a legit author who wrote an engaging story with fascinating characters. I look forward to his next book.

Fast Paced Fantasy

The action starts early in this novel about a palace servant turned King-killer and her bounty hunter captor. The pace never really lets up as the pair is relentlessly pursued by the Menagerie, more bounty hunters from the same order. The two lead characters, Anji and The Hawk, are very well drawn and interesting. Both are at times unlikable, but that just adds to the complexity of each woman, and does not do the book any disservice.

I appreciate a modern fantasy writer not bogging down the book with endless pages of magic theory and world building. So often now fantasy writers are just trying to outdo one another for how complex and intricate they can make their world. Leikam does not do that. This book is tight. You’re never more than a couple chapters away from a major action event. The plot moves forward constantly. Along the way you are learning about the world, how magic works in this fantasy realm, the politics and the culture, but it’s never self-indulgent. I was left wanting book 2 immediately, which is exactly what you want from a fantasy series. I will definitely listen to this one another time or two before the sequel comes out.

Vivid character development and outstanding pacing

Loved it a lot here’s a few more words because I just want to say loved it a lot