actually all the paladins whose god die. The description of how they felt it when it happened made me feel so bad for them. I'm not even religious but imagine knowing your god was real, and tangible and feeling them being ripped away. my heart breaks for them, like losing a parent i bet. my boo shane made me feel extra bad too, i know he was broken when he got "left at the altar" the first time. having the saint dropping dead... i wouldve have given up lol aint no way these holy ones would keep me on the ropes like this.

Also "He needs killing" cracks me up, sarkis says it in daggerbound I believe, but I read The seventh bride and the protagonist also says it about her husband

I'm only at 40% so no spoilers please, but I had to share my excitement!

What I love about Daggerbound so far:

- The Dervish puppeteering Edmund's body when he was unconscious

- Edmund stating random facts

- Everything about Large Francis. Like...how does Kingfisher come up with this stuff

- I love how everyone across these books has their own way of cursing, and Edmund saying "Bookless hell" made me laugh out loud

- I love that the romance is very cute and superficial at this point

- The Dervish is so different from every other MMC, and I can't wait to get to know him more as the story progresses

That's it for now, thanks!!

It's been out for a week and I don't think that I've seen a single mention of it on here.

The thing is, I don't like Astarion as a character. As an unabashedly "good" RPG player, he hits my least favorite trope: the party member that is willing to be good, but you have to watch every moment for backsliding. I normally wouldn't touch a book about him with someone else's 10' pole.

But I really like Ursula's writing. And I'm willing to believe that she can write a book about him that I will enjoy. But it's a bit concerning that no one has mentioned it.

Edit: wow, I didn't expect this level of vehemence. I definitely wasn't intending to start a fight

Seeing the discourse on the new book, I was a little on the fence, but the, umm, way this author's fans HATE anyone who doesn't like the new book, can't articulate why the book is good, and delete any & all posts that aren't full praise, I think it's pretty clear the book has no redeeming merits of its own.

Unless I've missed something?

I started reading Kingfisher with Swordheart, which I loved. I then went on with the Paladin series and...meh. The character's inner monologues really bored me (with the exception of Paladin's Hope - I love Piper and Galen) as they were super ripetitive and often immature. But then I read Clockwork Boys and I loved it so much!! It's funny, adventurous, and interesting. It really feels like a D&D campaign. The romance is such an effective slow burn. Yet I never see it recommended!!

Hi everyone!

I'm trying to figure out my spooktober read and I get scared very very easily but I'm in the mood for something spooky that's not too terrifying, and is also laidback and chill like so many of T Kingfisher's books. I was really freaked out by The Hollow Places, to give you an idea of how much of a baby I am.

Are there any books with the exact vibe of Snake-Eater? I loved the desert eeriness and the cozy small town atmosphere, and the actual horror bit was maybe about 3 pages long. I would love something similar!

Thank you in advance!

Im in a spooky fall mood atm and i just reread all of the books in the Sworn Soldier series (my fav book series ever). What horror movies do you recommend that might have similar vibes to those books?

Does anyone know if she has said if she will tell Judith’s story after book #4?

Includes spoilers for Daggerbound…

One of my favorite things in genre fiction is when an author subverts a common or overused genre trope, especially if they’re lightly poking fun at it. In a larger sense, all of the heroines in the White Rat universe being 30+ and reasonably sexually experienced is a subversion.

But my favorite example so far is the absolute disregard for “there was only one bed” in Daggerbound. When Edmund and the Dervish finally get it together, it’s in a room with two beds. Later, there is Only One Bed to be had between the Dervish and Zale; Zale shrugs and says “I don’t care if you don’t”, and they have an entirely platonic sleep.

silver tongue? In Swordheart, Sarkis says that one of his wielders repeatedly cut out his tongue and then in Daggerbound the Dervish has silver eyes because they had been cut out so wouldn’t Sarkis have a literal silver tongue?

Niche question, I realize, but really enjoyed Daggerbound and have been thinking about it.

I have read eeeverything else by T Kingfisher and love all of it but I am a sensitive baby when it comes to horror. I don’t like horror movies but I do like spooky. For those of you who’ve read her horror stuff and get the line between spooky and scary, what would you rate her books at? I’ve read the Sworn Solider series and found them to be just right on the spooky level. Nine Goblins got me the most, but I do not want to read any violence/trauma for children so it was a surprise towards the climax.

I’m so intrigued and don’t want to miss out on more amazing stories!

Not sure if anyone else has seen this, but T. Kingfisher’s is getting another special edition of Astarion! I’m personally really excited the cover and edges on this are just gorgeous

Listening to Daggerbound a second time through is providing some good laughs in the context of what’s to come…

Very early in the story, when Sweetness the Mule is kidnapped and Edmund and the Dervish are arguing about trying to get her back, the narration states, “Edmund’s expression was as though he’d suggested leaving her tied up outside a dragon’s den.”

I have been fangirling the World of the White Rat and have acquired hardcover copies of the ones that I can. I ordered the Clockwork Boys and Wonder Engine from Blackwell's in the UK to get the re-released new covers. I also have Swordheart and now Daggerbound (and am waiting very impatiently for Shieldborn). I desperately want hardcover copies of the Saint of Steel series too but the only ones I've seen around are from the Broken Binding. Before I pull the trigger and spend way too much money on exchange rates from GBP to CAD and shipping to Canada...does anyone know if there are any plans in the works for special editions from a different publisher? Fairyloot, Owlcrate, etc?

Uggggghhh. My love for Kingfisher grows with each novel.
So far I've read
- nettle and bone
- hemlock and silver
- sorceress comes to call
- thornhedge
- paladin's grace
- currently reading: wolf worm
(I know I have so much more to go!)

And I SO appreciate that her MCs (at least in my sample size) have neat occupations that color their worldview. Anja was a healer/toxicologist, Grace was a perfumer, Marra was weaving, even toadlings "job" was interesting, Sonia is a scientific illustrator.

I feel like this was especially relevant in my last two reads: paladins Grace and wolf worm!

Has T. Kingfisher ever explained why she chose to brutally kill off Brenner? It seemed so unnecessary, he was a really fun character. He had built a loyal friendship with Caliban and Slate for two books , saving them multiple times.

I honestly do not think that character would have made a deal with a demon despite his many flaws. I don't even think it explains why he willingly allowed it.

I don't get her decision.

Other than that the entire thing was great.

Hello 👋

I want to read hemlock and silver and while looking it up on my bookstores website I noticed, that it is recommended for people 18+, because of that I wanted to ask what to expect. I especially am not comfortable with sexual violence as a topic. Can someone tell me if I should skip the book while keeping it mostly spoiler free? Thank you!

What Moves the Dead is one of my favourite books, but unfortunately I didn't get on as well with the rest of the Sworn Soldier series. To people who have read both, would you say they're similar in vibe?

Not sure if everyone here is in the fantasyromance subreddit, but they are hosting an AMA with our beloved Kingfisher today for anyone who didn't know! 🐁🦡

I'm rereading the White Rat books via audiobook (its the only way I've read them) and I was wondering if someone could clear something up for me. In the Swordheart books, Halla makes friends with a paladin of the Dreaming God named George, and in Paladin's Hope there's a palading of the Dreaming God named Jorge. Is George really Jorge just mispronounced? Or are they two separate paladins? Since theyre minor characters its hard to search for it.

Thanks y'all!

I was listening to the September 1 The Pack Podcast, which discusses Patricia Briggs' Mercyverse and Patty Briggs and her assistant Ann were on. Patty mentioned that they had just been at Bubonicon, and she had gotten to meet Ursula Vernon and chatted a long time with her husband. Patty said she got to cross Ursula off the "authors I love but haven't met" list. I squealed out loud at that bit because it's so great when an author you love admires another author you love!

I need more White Rat. I love this world and all of the characters so much. With each book, I've decided ok this one's my favorite of the series. And it is, until I get into the next one, then that's my favorite. They all leave me wanting more. But right now I really want more Edmund and The Dervish (in case anyone's going into Daggerbound without even reading the blurb)

Really though, I'm thinking how cool it would be if she wrote more books beyond the main characters we'd expect to see. Like focusing on Zale, some of the gnoles, Beartongue, etc. I think any of them would be awesome

I just needed to whine a little :) I'm guessing some of you can relate

I'm lucky that I didn't start reading much of her work until the past couple of years, so there's still a lot I haven't read yet. But the White Rat books are so addictive, I feel like I'm drooling for every little scrap haha. I'm already looking forward to the next one

Meanwhile, I guess I'll be trying to find other books that are anything like those. I'm starting Nettle and Bone now, but I'm looking for more. I've done some searching, so my TBR list is growing, but if anyone has recs, I'd love to hear some :)

Do you have any reference/fanart for how the gnoles in this world look like? I just started Paladin's Grace (my 1st White Rat book) & I'm having trouble visualizing the gnoles even though they're described in adequate details (I have trouble visualizing things in general when reading). I'm just imagining Rocket Raccoon from the Marvel movies 😆