In a world of djinn, elf, yakshini, and troll, one woman has only her sword.
Jenny rides hard, fights hard, drinks hard, and lusts hard. A motorcycling Knight of the Steel Clan, she is sworn to protect the autonomous township of Go No More. But trouble stalks the land, carrying the stench of rotting corpses left for crows.
After the Great Reckoning, the sideways realms grew closer. Magic returned to the human world. In this time of magic, Jenny has none. Her comrades say they trust her, but does Jenny trust herself?
Anandita wants only to raise her child, gather her herbs, and help those in need. Still mourning her disappeared partner, she avoids Jenny’s heated gaze and goes about her work, tending to the township’s bodies and hearts. But who will tend hers?
Jenny and Aanandita are challenged to rise beyond their fear and sorrow.
The Knights must ride.
They ride for Go No More.
We Seek No Kings by T. Thorn Coyle could easily be tagged with “woke as fuck,” as I’ve seen other books advertised. Take that into account, it’s a definite plus for me, but others will probably dislike it for the same reason.
And I loved it! Set in a post-apocalyptic world that mostly feels like epic fantasy, but with motorcycles and other remnants from times gone by, the setting is both familiar and uniquely fresh. It’s a queer-normative world, where it truly doesn’t matter whether you take a woman, a man, both, or someone who doesn’t neatly fit into traditional gender roles to your bed. No one bats an eye, it’s simply a non-issue, and I really loved that about the story.
Personally, I could have done with a bit less focus on descriptions of sexual attraction, but if you’ve followed me before, you’ll know I’m not one for big emotions and I’m the opposite of a romance reader. Even so, it didn’t annoy me here, it’s handled well, and there’s one particularly spicy sapphic scene that stands out.
Another huge plus for me was the wheelchair-using main character. There are no miraculous healings or magical cures in sight, which felt incredibly refreshing. In this world, everyone is valued for their unique skills, and accommodations are made where needed, yet it’s never treated as a big deal. People are allowed to be exactly who they are, and their neighbors, friends, and family help out when necessary while also respecting their independence. I adored this aspect of the book, and it was a major draw for me.
The worldbuilding was fascinating, with a seamless blend of technology, magic, and all sorts of creatures and magical races. I’m often thrown off by the mixing of modern elements with older fantasy worlds, but here it was done smoothly, and I really enjoyed how it all came together.
The plot was the weakest part for me. The different POVs didn’t always feel distinct enough, and it occasionally felt a bit meandering instead of having a clear direction. Still, the diversity and inclusion in the book more than made up for these weaknesses in the plot and some occasional roughness in the prose.
All in all, We Seek No Kings is a bold, inclusive, and refreshingly different fantasy that breaks molds in all the best ways. Despite a few narrative bumps, it’s a story with heart, vision, and a world I was genuinely glad to spend time in.
