I remember seeing this book in passing but didn’t pick it up because, going by the cover, I assumed it was some dark fantasy/horror related story (yes, I judged a book by its cover). I was way off base in that it wasn’t really dark, nor was it from the horror genre. Its definitely fantasy with a lot more humour thrown in than expected. I loved it.

Kings of the Wyld follows the members of the mercenary group called ‘Saga’ as they are drawn back together from retirement to help save a member’s daughter. What follows is a funnier-than-expected journey with these out of shape individuals as they encounter the dangers of the current world. Our ‘heroes’ must face old foes, new mercenaries, love (or lack thereof), and the standards of the evolving times when it comes to being a mercenary; among a myriad of other challenges along the way. The plot is easy to follow and the characters each have their own set of quirks that keeps me coming back for more. Over the course of the book we learn about the history of each member of the band and the reason for their current predicaments. The band reminded me of the Discworld character ‘Ghenghiz Cohen’, a parody on Genghis Khan and Conan the barbarian, and his Silver Horde group of Barbarian heroes. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I’m excited that it is the first in a trilogy, the second book of which is already out. Definitely recommended.

Rating: 4/5

Links:

1. Goodreads: Kings of the Wyld
2. Ghenghiz Cohen