This book was full of original storylines, interesting characters, and vibrant descriptions. The story was unique and entrancing with twists and turns, sci fi and fantasy elements, and characters that resonate. Ahsan and Mira were wonderfully paired. Their friendship and found family vibes were perfect. I loved that even though they were a pain to each other to begin that they would lay down their life for the other in the end. I also appreciated that the system of religion was established then questioned in the story and the political reflections to our society were well done.
The narrator was perfect. The voice acting was well done and the myriad of voices he created fit the characters well.

🎙️ Narration: 5/5
📖 Book: 4/5
▶️ Playback Speed: 2x

If you are looking for a non-Euro centric fantasy, I would love to introduce you to "The Imposter King" an ancient Mesopotamian Fantasy slow burn brimming with secrets, lies, and betrayal.

I loved this world! The mythos was fascinating and I cannot wait to uncover more of this world as the books continue on. The characters were engaging and while the language at times was "modern", I loved it and found myself audibly laughing and cheering for the characters as a result. The romance is definitely a slow burn, but I am okay with that given that this going to be a five book series. Overall, I loved the premise of the Imposter King and cannot wait to jump into the next book!

Additionally, the audio was fantastic! I enjoyed the single narrator, even though we did have dual POV. I think Martin Martinez did a great job immersing us into the world through his voice, and I loved the brief musical moments that they did in audio production between chapters. As someone who has missed when chapters change while listening to audiobooks, this little bit extra, not only immersed me further into the world, but it gave me an auditory cue that the storyline would be moving on.

In summary if you are looking for:
-A Fantasy set in a non-Euro centric world
-Slow Burn Romance
-Interesting Characters
-Monsters/Creatures
You should add The Imposter King to your TBR!

Thank you to Eli Hinze, Regale Press, and Netgalley for a gifted Advanced Listening Copy of this book.

This Mesopotamian-inspired historical fantasy is a delightful emotional rollercoaster, blending deep inner conflicts and heavy topics with humor, beautiful descriptions, and top-tier snark. The superb world-building and rising stakes had sucked in and I read this in one day. I fell in love with Ahsan, an absolute sweetheart with dark secrets, from the moment he tried to leap out a window to escape. He's the perfect cinnamon roll and a great contrast to Nirah, whose sarcasm and pragmatism I also came to love. The book has a vibrant cast of side characters and a plot twist at the end that I definitely did not see coming. It has a satisfying ending that still has me excited for the next book!