Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “The Wolf of Oren-Yaro (Chronicles of the Bitch Queen, #1)” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

The Wolf of Oren-Yaro

(Chronicles of the Bitch Queen #1)

K.S. Villoso (Goodreads Author)

3.77 · Rating details · 1,074 ratings · 357 reviews

A queen of a divided land must unite her people, even if they hate her, even if it means stopping a ruin that she helped create. A debut epic fantasy from an exciting new voice.

"I murdered a man and made my husband leave the night before they crowned me."

Born under the crumbling towers of Oren-yaro, Queen Talyien was the shining jewel and legacy of the bloody War of the Wo ...more

Get A Copy

Paperback, 496 pages

Published February 18th 2020 by Orbit (first published April 5th 2018)

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about The Wolf of Oren-Yaro, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Winds of Winter by George R.R. Martin

Can't Wait Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2020

481 books — 1,353 voters

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho

The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart

The Last Uncharted Sky by Curtis Craddock

Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2020

26 books — 4 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 3.77 ·

Rating details

· 1,074 ratings · 357 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of The Wolf of Oren-Yaro (Chronicles of the Bitch Queen, #1)

Mar 07, 2020 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it really liked it

Recommended to Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ by: Piera

Shelves: fantasy-all, own, paperback

UPDATE: $1.99 Kindle US 11/1/20

4.5 stars

I effing loved it. Read it yourself to decide, don’t ask me, I’m not your mind 😉

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾 ...more

flag 223 likes · Like · see review

Oct 01, 2017 Petrik rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: self-published-and-indie, arcs-and-review-copies

3.5/5 Stars

ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

The Wolf of Oren-yaro is an infuriatingly compelling and addictive first book of a trilogy.

I seriously can’t describe this book more appropriately than that one sentence. Let me expound upon it further. The first book in the Annals of the Bitch Queen trilogy by K.S. Villoso is a highly character-driven fantasy, which is probably my favorite type of story direction. That said, I’m going to start my review with the only con I ha ...more

flag 136 likes · Like · see review

May 05, 2020 Melanie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, dark, read-in-2020, buddy-reads, own-voices, filipino, fantasy, quarantine-reads

I really loved this, and it really beautifully (and sometimes heartbreakingly) incorporated filipino culture. I absolutely cannot wait for the next installment. (hopefully longer review to come!)

Youtube | Instagram | Twitter | Blog | Spotify | Twitch

Content and Trigger Warnings for murder, blood depiction, torture, mention of rape, threats of rape, arachnophobia, talk of cheating in past, mention of pedophilia, and talk of suicide.

Buddy read with Heathur! ❤ ...more

flag 100 likes · Like · see review

Mar 09, 2020 Brittney ~ Reverie and Ink rated it it was amazing

Shelves: absolute-favorites, best-anti-heroes, fantasy, recommended-fantasy, top-of-the-top, 2020-anticipated-reads, best-audiobooks, favorite-heroines

Absolutely all the stars.

OOooooohhh boy here we go. If this book isn't on your to-read fantasy list, you're missing out.

Listen. I'm always a bit nervous when I pick up an adult epic fantasy purely because so often, much of it feels inaccessible or hard to follow due to pages and pages of meticulous world building and heaps of muddied prose. Rest assured friends. The Wolf of Oren-Yaro is an easy (although heart-wrenching) read. It's tightly paced with the perfect mixture of intrigue and mystery t ...more

flag 73 likes · Like · see review

Mar 15, 2017 K.S. added it · (Review from the author) · review of another edition

Happy book day! This is now available on Amazon for both Kindle and Paperback. Thank you everyone for the amazing support! I'm speechless, overwhelmed, and eternally grateful.

For those who aren't aware, the Kindle version is 40% off until February 5, 2018. :)

flag 51 likes · Like · see review

Dec 18, 2017 Esme rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I found K.S Villoso on reddit a year or so ago, I believe on one of the self promo threads they post from time to time.

I clicked on her name on Goodreads and found that she was from the Philippines, and writes character driven epic fantasy. It's so rare when I stumble upon a non-western female-authored epic fantasy story I knew I had to check it out. I did not leave disappointed, Jaeths Eye had some of the best world building I had read in a long time, and the characters were endearing and fres ...more

flag 28 likes · Like · see review

Aug 05, 2018 Dyrk Ashton rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Thrilling and touching, a personal tale with the scope of kingdoms.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a refreshing change of pace for me from the military sword and sorcery or urban fantasy I usually read, reminding me of the more introspective narrative feel of The Goblin Emperor, which I loved, but with more action, which I greatly appreciated. Villoso can weave a yarn and make us care in a way I haven't experienced in a very long time. Read it and weep - and cheer at the same time.

flag 26 likes · Like · see review

Jan 21, 2018 Wol rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Plot

“They called me “bitch”, the she-wolf, because I murdered a man and made my husband leave the night before they crowned me.”

Queen Talyien is a woman devoted to her people and her duty. In this case, that duty is to marry the Ikessar heir, Rayyel, and unite their war-torn lands. She bears the burden placed upon her by her father, whose warmongering was largely responsible for creating the divides that still threaten the well-being of the nation.

However, Rayyel had other ideas. Without warnin ...more

flag 24 likes · Like · see review

Mar 03, 2020 Karina Webster rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-favourites, favourites

I loved The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K.S. Villoso. Originally a self-published fantasy novel, Orbit published Villoso’s debut this February and it blew me away. Fast-paced, action packed and well written, I’m going to be thinking about this for a long time and I’ve already pre-ordered the sequel. What is it about, I hear you ask?

In a nutshell, Queen Talyien inherits the throne of Jin-Sayeng alone – her husband, the heir to a rival clan, left her and their son the night before their joint-coronation I loved The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K.S. Villoso. Originally a self-published fantasy novel, Orbit published Villoso’s debut this February and it blew me away. Fast-paced, action packed and well written, I’m going to be thinking about this for a long time and I’ve already pre-ordered the sequel. What is it about, I hear you ask?

In a nutshell, Queen Talyien inherits the throne of Jin-Sayeng alone – her husband, the heir to a rival clan, left her and their son the night before their joint-coronation and left the promised peace in tatters. After a terrible war that tore the nation apart, their union was supposed to end hostilities and bring about a new era. Tali’s rule is on a knife-edge, the warlords are straining at their leashes, constantly questioning her decisions and always judging her. When she receives a letter from her husband after a 5 year absence, Talyien rushes to the neighbouring Empire for a secret meeting hoping to drag him back to their Kingdom. Chaos ensues.

I was hooked pretty quickly as the plot gets going straight away and doesn’t let up until the end. It’s one of those stories that makes you count down the hours at work until you can get home and back to this amazing world. Filipino-inspired, the descriptions of the places, food and cultures are incredible. I could picture every scene without ever feeling the pace slow. Volloso masterfully weaves the histories of the world and characters in with the story, feeding you the information as and when it’s pertinent while also hinting at other wonders off-scene (dragons) that I am hoping we’ll explore in the next books.

It is told from Talyien’s point of view and I enjoyed being inside her head. While I could see the flaws in some of her plans and thoughts, experiencing the story as Tali meant that I was heavily invested and felt all of the twists and betrayals keenly. I liked that at the start of the book she’d already been on the throne for 5 years. At 26 she is still a young protagonist but she’s experienced, she’s finished her schooling and has been trained as a warrior. While she may struggle to fully assert her control as Queen, she understands why and is stoic in her attempts to rule her nation well. It is a welcome change from young teen protagonists struggling to get established and whose stories end with them ascending a throne. This is what happens after, and it is not all sunshine and roses. It has been a long time since I felt this immersed in a fantasy world and truly cared about what happened to the characters. Yes, the plot gets a bit mad at times and I didn’t always understand what was going on but the emotional turmoil I went through while addictively turning the pages left me feeling a little in love with this story. Okay, a lot in love. Any book (and author) who can make my heart race, my stomach drop and my mind whirl gets all the stars in my eyes.

There is death, destruction, kickass fighting, con artists, and peril galore. Some parts were achingly sad, others dramatic and outrageous. I cannot wait to read more from K.S. Villoso, a new favourite for sure!

‘I could fight and kill and bleed like the rest of them, but deep inside, I remained the sort of foolish girl who still believed in fairy tales.’

Review first published at www.karinareads.com ...more

flag 24 likes · Like · see review

Feb 18, 2020 K.J. Charles added it

Shelves: epic-fantasy

Fantasy set in an amazingly developed and vivid alt-Asian world with empires, small kingdoms, warlords and politics. Also dragons (though we don't see many). The narrator is the 'Bitch-Queen' of a small, chaotic and divided nation but we don't get a great deal of bitch in this first instalment: she's mostly running for her life, trying to escape unseen enemies and identify traitors, and working out what's going on, in particular with her estranged husband. That's a big element: beyond survival t ...more

flag 23 likes · Like · see review

Sep 11, 2020 mina reads™️ marked it as dnf

Shelves: about-poc, sff

Dnf at 42%

The flavor is simply not there for me

flag 23 likes · Like · see review

Feb 06, 2018 Hiu Gregg rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: self-published

Somewhere along the road, Villoso got the idea that people actually want to know more about the world she created in The Agartes Epilogues and decided to try her hand at a brand new novel, with a (somewhat) completely new cast and a new POV.

Enter The Wolf of Oren-yaro, Book 1 of the aptly named "Annals of the Bitch Queen." Why aptly named? Because the name character is, frankly, a bitch. On the first paragraph alone, she proudly proclaims that she "killed a man and made my husband leave..." all ...more

flag 26 likes · Like · see review

Oct 10, 2020 Nenia ✨️ Socially Awkward Trash Panda ✨️ Campbell is currently reading it

Shelves: poc-interracial, fantasy

On sale right now for $1.99! I don't know about you but I'm in the mood to read about a bitch queen, and I feel like this might be my next read ;)

flag 20 likes · Like · see review

Jul 22, 2020 Noura Khalid (theperksofbeingnoura) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-fiction, 4-star-reads, asian-authors, 2020-reading-list, adult-sff, fantasy

I wasn't entirely sure what I was getting into when I picked up this book. I haven't seen many people talk about it but I did notice a few Twitter friends praising it and what can I say? I had to read it. Let me just tell you that this was unlike anything I've ever read! (I've been saying that a lot lately) but I mean it.

I'm so happy I gave this book a chance. It was definitely an adult fantasy. I haven't read that many books in this genre but I adored this one so much! I got through it 3 days m I wasn't entirely sure what I was getting into when I picked up this book. I haven't seen many people talk about it but I did notice a few Twitter friends praising it and what can I say? I had to read it. Let me just tell you that this was unlike anything I've ever read! (I've been saying that a lot lately) but I mean it.

I'm so happy I gave this book a chance. It was definitely an adult fantasy. I haven't read that many books in this genre but I adored this one so much! I got through it 3 days mostly because I wanted to take my time with it. There's a lot of political intrigue which I actually really enjoyed. I loved following the story through Queen Talyien's perspective. She wasn't a perfect character. She often got stuck and had no one beside her that she could trust but she always used her head no matter how overwhelming. I loved seeing her become a bit more sure of herself as the story went on. I was exasperated at times with what she was going through but I rooted for her so hard. She was determined and only wanted what was best for her kingdom and her family.

There were some side characters and although I didn't really feel much for any of them I definitely loved Khine. He was such a sweetheart and I just loved their banter and shared moments. There was a lot of second guessing on my part when it came to the characters. You couldn't be too sure who to trust. Characters aside, I'm not Asian and can't comment on the representation but I do know that a lot of Asian friends really loved this one and they would definitely know better.

As for the information I thought it was flushed out really well. There was a lot of talk about Queen Talyien's life and what happened during her fathers time and between the kingdoms. I liked that it wasn't heaped all in one go and overwhelming. The author put the information in just the right places so everything came slowly and right when it needed to be known. The plot was a bit slow but I found myself already sucked in so there wasn't anything to do but continue.

I hadn't realized that I reached the end of the book because of how absorbed I was into the story. I flipped the page and found out I was already done. Book two comes out this year and I'm so excited to see what happens next! This is definitely one I would recommend you to read. ...more

flag 20 likes · Like · see review

Jan 20, 2020 Fadwa (Word Wonders) added it

Shelves: fantasy, 2020-releases, bipoc, sent-for-review, adult

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange of an honest review

CW: public punishment, gore, xenophobia, kidnapping, imprisonment, death, injury, attempted murder.

From the very first sentence, I knew that I was in for a ride, reading THE WOLF OF OREN-YARO and I was definitely not wrong. Although the book was vastly and drastically different from what I expected it to be and from what it seemed to be in its very first pages, once I adjusted my expectations and got going, it blew ...more

flag 22 likes · Like · see review

Dec 14, 2019 Shealea rated it it was amazing

Shelves: highest-recommendation

~~Holy shit. Despite some person spoiling the book's ending but shamelessly tweeting about it, I am blown away.~~

Second time reading this, and here are my initial thoughts:
📌 The parallels between this world and Filipino culture and identity are unmatched. Especially the explorations of regionalism, stubbornness, and gender-dependent double standards. Even the naming conventions of characters is very Filipino!
📌 I really connected with Talyien’s character in a way and with an intensity that I’ve never ...more

flag 19 likes · Like · see review

Feb 19, 2020 Runalong rated it it was amazing

Brilliant debut fantasy set in an Asian inspired world with a fascinating complex lead character who isn’t the monster some think she is. Loved the episodic nature of the tale leading to the wonderful finale

Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl... ...more

flag 19 likes · Like · see review

Apr 08, 2019 Justine rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Perhaps, when you love less, it is easier not to let the emptiness become a cavern from which you could no longer see the sun.

Born into a life preordained, Talyien aren dar Orenar of the Oren-yaro lives a life of duty to her people, marrying Rayyel Ikessar, heir of a rival clan, in order to unite Jin-Sayeng. The night before their coronation, Rayyel mysteriously abandons his wife, child, and country, leaving Talyien to rule the war-torn lands as Queen alone. Years pass and Talyien receives word Perhaps, when you love less, it is easier not to let the emptiness become a cavern from which you could no longer see the sun.

Born into a life preordained, Talyien aren dar Orenar of the Oren-yaro lives a life of duty to her people, marrying Rayyel Ikessar, heir of a rival clan, in order to unite Jin-Sayeng. The night before their coronation, Rayyel mysteriously abandons his wife, child, and country, leaving Talyien to rule the war-torn lands as Queen alone. Years pass and Talyien receives word her estranged husband would like to meet in a city across the sea. With a promise to her son to bring his father back home, she sets sail without a word to her countrymen into the unknown. The Bitch Queen of Oren-yaro is willing to face any danger to save her family and bring much needed peace to her people, but she isn't prepared for the trickery and betrayal that await her.

Well, The Wolf of Oren-yaro is one wild, emotional gut punch of a ride! It is a tale of the demanding balance between love and duty, of faith and the pain of deceit and betrayal, of loyalty, even when it is not apparently due. A woman bred to be the indomitable queen of a harsh nation finds herself being hunted and humiliated at every step of her journey to heal the rift between her husband and herself. While the beginning is a bit of a slow start, you’re soon thrown into a deadly game of cat and mouse, not knowing who can and cannot be trusted, with peril and obstacles at every turn. You can't help but earnestly hope things will begin to turn in Talyien’s favor - however, each time you see the sun cresting the horizon, you're knocked back into the dirt right beside her.

Villoso has created some of the most complex and compelling characters I've had the pleasure of meeting. Talyien, a wolf of Oren-yaro with a reputation of a bloodthirsty ruler, but really a hopeless romantic that almost seems to leave the threat of violence as a last resort. Her emotions often cloud her judgment, endangering all that surround her, even though that’s the last thing she would ever want. She finds solace in a life free of duty, but knows in order to honor her people and her father's memory, she must suffer in silence. Khine, a con man with a heart of gold and raw sincerity, who abandoned his path in life to care for his family. Rayyel Ikessar, heir and proclaimed Dragonlord, who is outwardly stoic and reserved, easily hiding his emotions, yet battles a torrent inside his heart. Yuebeck, the scheming and deranged fifth son of the Emperor, who seeks nothing but the power denied him, refusing to accept no as an answer to his demands. As the story continues, secrets come to light, beautifully deepening the personalities of these wonderful characters. Beneath the lofty titles and fine clothes, they're all utterly human with flaws, faults and needs.

But we make mistakes and we hide them with more mistakes and so life goes on like a broken marionette finishing a play, like a lame horse trying to win a race, like the melody from a lute with missing strings.

The world we're dropped into, dominated by Asian influence, is rife with dangers and wonder, whether we’re exploring the dragon pits of Jin-Seyang, navigating the winding roads of Anzhou City, or hidden behind the soaring walls of Zorheng. However, it's safe to say nothing is as it seems. The tone remains hopeful, even though we’re eclipsed by the shadow of desperation throughout most of the journey. Although this is a story where the fate of kingdoms is at stake, it’s surprisingly personal and relatable, keeping you fully invested in the outcome. And the food…oh, the food!

I've had my eye on The Wolf of Oren-yaro since it was released last year and I honestly regret waiting so long to finally dive in. This is the first book I've read by K.S. Villoso, and it certainly won't be the last! I'm excited and very much looking forward to seeing where we're taken next in the Annals of the Bitch Queen series. If you're looking for something that's large in scope, yet extremely intimate and character-driven, this is exactly what you're looking for. I highly recommend. ...more

flag 17 likes · Like · see review

Feb 22, 2020 Sarah rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, net-galley

The Wolf of Oren-yaro follows the story of Queen Talyien of the Jin-Sayeng, the first woman to ever sit the Dragonthrone. Her marriage to the rival clan’s heir, Rayyel, was supposed to unite the fractured lands, ruled by warring Dragonlords. However, Rayyel leaves the night before their coronation, and she is crowned alone. Five years later, Rayyel has finally requested a meeting with his wife, and Talyien is all too eager to reconcile, even if she might be walking into a trap.

If I’m being hones The Wolf of Oren-yaro follows the story of Queen Talyien of the Jin-Sayeng, the first woman to ever sit the Dragonthrone. Her marriage to the rival clan’s heir, Rayyel, was supposed to unite the fractured lands, ruled by warring Dragonlords. However, Rayyel leaves the night before their coronation, and she is crowned alone. Five years later, Rayyel has finally requested a meeting with his wife, and Talyien is all too eager to reconcile, even if she might be walking into a trap.

If I’m being honest- this story is not quite what I was hoping for. There is action and adventure, there is political intrigue, but mostly, this is a story about a failed marriage, and a woman who would go to seemingly any length to make it work. I was often frustrated with the amount of inner monologue dedicated to the husband when Tali also had a son at home to think about. I was frustrated at the selfishness of her, at the infuriating decisions she makes.

Despite the fact that I am also a single mother, I found Talyien very hard to relate to. I know every family situation is different, and Talyien’s choices are valid, but felt very dated. Almost every scene that brought up Rayyel I was thinking to myself- “Why hasn’t she kicked him to the curb yet?!” I wanted her to want to be more independent then she seemed, and at the end, during the final climactic scene, I was pretty disappointed with her feelings on the matter. Her husband is definitely not the sort of man I’d waste breath on, that’s for sure.

My issues with Tali aside- it doesn’t take long for the action to start, and the action scenes strike the perfect balance of excitement without overextending themselves. Tali finds herself in all kinds of interesting situations, and if you aren’t looking too closely at the logic of the plot, I think the right reader could have a lot of fun with this book. There were some scenes I found myself laughing along with, and it kept the pages turning.

The writing was mostly good. There were a few places where it felt amateurish and the dialogue a little stiff- but for the most part I have few complaints. The pacing could use a little work. The book seemed like it fell into a pattern at some point- we’d get some action, then a flashback scene, and then a few chapters of Tali’s thoughts on the whole thing. I wasn’t always sure the flashback scenes were needed, although they did occasionally give some nice backstory.

I’m not really sure this book or series is right for me, but plenty of readers are already enjoying it, so take my review with a grain of salt. Thank you to Orbit Books who provided an eGalley in exchange for an honest review!
...more

flag 20 likes · Like · see review

Jun 21, 2020 Hamad marked it as to-read

I mean the series is called "Chronicles of the Bitch Queen"
I don't have to further explain <3 ...more

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

Apr 23, 2020 lily ☁️ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, asian-literature, yarc-2020, adult, asian-rep, book-series, author-of-color, first-in-series

3 1/2 stars

Not to sound reproachful or judgmental or anything, but … if this book isn’t on your radar, what even are you doing with your life?

Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr | Bloglovin’ ...more

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

Feb 14, 2020 Holly (The Grimdragon) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: i-will-go-down-with-this-ship, fantasy-sci-fi, the-infinite-library, i-am-a-bookcover-ho

"Even after I became queen, the rumors continued. I was powerless to stop them. I should have been more, they said. More feminine. Subtle, the sort of woman who could hide my jibes behind a well-timed titter. I could have taken the womanly arts, learned to write poetry or brew a decent cup of tea or embroider something that didn't have my blood on it, and found ways to better please my man. Instead, Rayyel Ikessar would rather throw away the title of Dragonlord, king of Jin-Sayeng, than stay mar ...more

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

Jan 13, 2020 Bob/Sally rated it really liked it

Shelves: female-author, fantasy-epic, female-fronted-fantasy

A challenging story about complex characters in a flawed society, The Wolf of Oren-Yaro is a book that takes a long time to get to a point where it offers us any answers, but it’s a fascinating journey getting there.

K.S. Villoso challenges so many conventions of the fantasy genre, it’s hard to know where you stand with the story or what to expect. It was one of those rare novels that honestly left me with no idea where it might be headed. Everytime I thought I had a grasp on a thread or a relati A challenging story about complex characters in a flawed society, The Wolf of Oren-Yaro is a book that takes a long time to get to a point where it offers us any answers, but it’s a fascinating journey getting there.

K.S. Villoso challenges so many conventions of the fantasy genre, it’s hard to know where you stand with the story or what to expect. It was one of those rare novels that honestly left me with no idea where it might be headed. Everytime I thought I had a grasp on a thread or a relationship, she pulled a fast one, redirecting the story and denying any promise of easy closure. For a book that is so much about love and romance, there is very little of either to be found upon the page. There are a myriad of moments where you expect Queen Talyien to give in, to take a lover, or simply acknowledge a friend, but Villoso subverts every expectation.

The pacing and story structure here are so odd, I can’t decide whether they are flaws that hold it back or facets and propel it forward. The novel opens with a murder that literally changes everything, sundering a marriage and setting a realm on a path to ruin, but it is not until the closing chapters that we find out who was murdered or why. There is so much that Queen Talyien holds back, and what she is hiding proves to be far more important than what she reveals. What seems like a simple story of simple motives becomes something else entirely at the 80% mark with revelations that shake the very foundation of the story. Some of the plots and betrayals revealed are fitting, perhaps even obvious in hindsight, but others are completely beyond anything we could possibly know or expect.

This is a novel that succeeds, for the most part, because of the strength of its characters. Queen Talyien is frustrating, exasperating, and infuriating, too much of a self-proclaimed Bitch Queen to be truly sympathetic, but we do emphasize with her. I found myself questioning her motives and her actions repeatedly, so much so that I was all but screaming at the book. For such a strong woman, a Bitch Queen destined to rule, she spends a lot of time resenting her father’s shadow and mourning the abandonment of her husband. She’s human, but the way she flips from angry defiance to self-pitying sorrow does get tiresome. Or, at least it does until we begin to get partial answers in the closing chapters, which suddenly casts many of those decisions in a very different light.

Kline, the physician/con-artist who assists her throughout the story is probably the only completely decent human being in the book, but he’s surrounded by such filth and degradation, we never fully trust him, instead expecting betrayal at every turn. He’s not just a source of light, but of humor in a book that sorely needs it. At the risk of giving anything away, Yuebek, fifth son of the Emperror, is far and away the most interesting character in the novel, even if we don’t meet him until the second half. We have no idea whether he is an insane monster or a calculating fiend, but his chapters are so vastly different from anything else in the novel, we’re left reeling by every new development, and shocked by deeper revelations. I loathed him, and yet my heart raced with excitement whenever he stepped onto the page.

As novels go, The Wolf of Oren-Yaro is fascinating and yet frustrating at the same time. I’m still not sure whether I felt cheated by the twists and revelations at the end, or whether I want to applaud Villoso for pulling them off. As the first part of a saga, however, this is a opening that gets its hooks in deep and which has me anxious to see how things develop in The Ikessar Falcon – but don’t read that blurb until you’ve finished reading this, or you’ll spoil those final twists.

https://femledfantasy.home.blog/2020/... ...more

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

Feb 02, 2018 Lukasz rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: self-published

Actual rating: 3.5

They called me 'bitch', the she-wolf, because I murdered a man and made my husband leave the night before they crowned me.

I like flawed characters. Good and noble ones are usually boring. Queen Talyien certainly isn’t boring. She’s strong: both physically and mentally, although she’s not the best monarch around. Jin-Sayeng - her country expects the leaders and monarchs to be ferocious, the true “wolves of Oren-Yaro”. While Talyien’s skillset allows her to meet the standards ...more

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

Feb 26, 2020 Justine rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2020, review-copies, fantasy

Originally posted to I Should Read That

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is a spoiler-free review.

I had been hearing about The Wolf of Oren-yaro for ages thanks to the wonderful folks at The Fantasy Inn, so this book was high on my list of most anticipated reads for 2020. My expectations for this book were sky high, and they were absolutely met. Combining a grim story with high stakes, political intrigue, a healthy dose of deception and betrayal, and a dash of Originally posted to I Should Read That

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is a spoiler-free review.

I had been hearing about The Wolf of Oren-yaro for ages thanks to the wonderful folks at The Fantasy Inn, so this book was high on my list of most anticipated reads for 2020. My expectations for this book were sky high, and they were absolutely met. Combining a grim story with high stakes, political intrigue, a healthy dose of deception and betrayal, and a dash of amazing humour, The Wolf of Oren-yaro is likely to make my all-time favourite fantasy list.

I will admit that I found this book a little slow to start. There’s a huge amount of background information that needed to be established before the plot could really kick into gear. I picked up and put down The Wolf of Oren-yaro a few times before it finally stuck, but I was totally absorbed once it clicked with my brain. I adored the world, the clashing cultures, the food and clothes, and the intricate politics Villoso injects into her novel. She does such a fantastic job of seamlessly weaving these elements, as well as all of the history and political machinations, into the story and you don’t feel like you’re being overloaded with information. At times it truly feels like you could be reading historical fiction.

This book really shines with its incredible characters. Talyien -- our only POV character -- is a wonderfully complex woman. She’s one of those ‘difficult women’ that I think will either really appeal with readers or just wont be for everyone. I personally love an anti-heroine and Talyien is basically my perfect fantasy character. She’s incredibly prickly, proud, often short-sighted, and full of rage, but she has a deep compassion for her family and her people. She’s also a mother, which I completely adore because you just don’t see mothers as heroines in fantasy enough (mothers in fantasy are either uptight matrons ruining everyone's fun, so far in the background that they're basically non-existent, or dead). Her role as a mother and her affection for her son and family adds such a wonderful layer to her character that helps create a fantastic balance between the ‘Bitch Queen’ that others see her as and the woman she is in reality.

There are a host of wonderful secondary characters in this book as well, most notably Khine, who I suspect will be a fan favouite (and is a Justine favourite too!). I adored the lovable con artist and his humour and character balanced Talyien out so well -- he made her feel human. I don’t want to say too much about him or other characters from the book, but there’s a whole host of well fleshed out, multidimensional secondary characters who are just wonderful to read about and fill out the story so well.

In case you can’t tell, I adored The Wolf of Oren-yaro. A fantastic and fast-paced fantasy novel, it will sink its hooks into you. I absolutely cannot wait to read the rest of the trilogy!

CW: forced prostitution, captivity

4.5 out of 5 stars ...more

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

Nov 05, 2017 Jennifer (bunnyreads) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017

I really liked this one. It’s a single pov that takes place in the same world as Jaeth’s Eye, though it isn’t necessary to read the previous trilogy.

The story starts fairly straight forward with Queen Talyien, seeking reconciliation with her husband, and for her country, which has been quite divided after their split. We find that things are easier said then done, when the meeting falls apart, leaving Talyien floundering.

I loved the storyteller feel and I enjoyed the single pov a lot, especiall ...more

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

Jul 25, 2020 Maris Bave rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy, intense, reviewed, take-it-or-leave-it, dark-and-not-good

This book was frustrating.

I feel like I was promised the story of someone who doesn't back down from adversity, who may have her heart broken but doesn't stop, who is ruthless and cunning and brave. And I only got half of that.

Queen Taliyen doesn't back down from adversity...because she makes so many poor, emotion-based decisions that she is constantly running into adversity with open arms. She has her heart broken...and hesitates at that critical moment with her husband at the end of the book ...more

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

Nov 04, 2017 The Nerd Book Review rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I will be doing an interview with the author for the podcast shortly. I enjoyed Villoso’s writing style and how she wrote in the main character’s voice.
I did find it a little tough to follow the place names but I admit that’s because I’m an American and don’t have a lot of experience with Asian sounding names and places. Luckily our main character, The Wolf Queen herself, Talyien, isn’t on a crazy winding journey during this book. She journeys to our main city and one other during the course of ...more

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

Oct 01, 2017 ~Dani~ LazyTurtle's Books rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Read this review and an exclusive interview with K.S. Villoso at Book Geeks Uncompromised!

Queen Talyien inherited a mess.

Jin-Sayeng is country with powerful individual warlords that are unified by one monarch, the Dragonlord, but do not cede to their authority easily. The people of the Jin-Sayeng clan Oren-Yaro have earned a reputation over the years of being called “wolves of Oren-Yaro” due to their ferocity and everyone expects Talyien to be just the same.

“They called me 'bitch', the she-wo

...more

flag 12 likes · Like · see review

Dec 07, 2017 Kristen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Full review is here on my blog.

Really a 4.5, but I'll bump it for keeping me up late ;D

This book follows the exploits of Talyien, the Queen of Jin-Sayeng, which is a rather small nation with several factions who all seem to hate each other. The warlords of two rival factions decided to marry their kids to each other and set them to rule together to end hostilities. So, Talyien of Oren-yaro married Rayyel of Ikessar, and just as the coronation was set to go ahead… he left her to rule alone.

Five y Full review is here on my blog.

Really a 4.5, but I'll bump it for keeping me up late ;D

This book follows the exploits of Talyien, the Queen of Jin-Sayeng, which is a rather small nation with several factions who all seem to hate each other. The warlords of two rival factions decided to marry their kids to each other and set them to rule together to end hostilities. So, Talyien of Oren-yaro married Rayyel of Ikessar, and just as the coronation was set to go ahead… he left her to rule alone.

Five years later, he’s called her to a meeting to discuss who should rule which parts of the lands in a neutral city across the sea. When she gets there, an assassination attempt sends the meeting into turmoil and she finds herself alone and lost in the city. She meets a con-artist, who seems to want to help her, and is usually there whenever she finds herself in trouble. When she gets word that Rayyel is being held hostage, she vows to free him, and our adventure begins.

This one started out a little slowly for me, and I didn’t find myself really immersed in the story until I’d been reading it for a little while. But then, dear gods this one was hard to put down. I had to know what would happen to Tali next, who else could possibly betray her… and hope for things. Oh, sweet, sweet things….

Tali is a great character. You expect her to be… harsher than she is. She’s known for decapitating people who displease her, after all, and she really is called the bitch queen. She can be harsh, yes, but it’s one of many layers that make up her character. Khine is also a really fantastic character, who I latched onto and hoped and hoped wouldn’t give me a reason to regret that as the story progressed. This is my first foray into the works of K.S. Villoso, but I am told that one must be wary of pretty much everyone. I went into this one guarding my feels. I had full-feels-shields-up. Feels-yellow-alert. Other star-trek-referencing-feels-protection-directives.

This is quite a well written book, which was very hard to put down. The world and the cities that Tali visits were well described and easy for me to visualize. There’s this sort of corrupt city full of gambling dens and brothels and skeevy rich men, and then another city, very downtrodden behind the scenes and ruled by someone very easy to hate. One thing I noticed is that food is really well described in this book, and more than anything else, that made me hungry. 🍜 You have no idea who to trust in this book. As I said, I guarded my feelings well, but still put out tendrils of trust in some people, but goddamn this was a harrowing story of ups and downs and twists and turns.

I NEED MOAR!

Also, I got this book for free in exchange for my honest review. :) ...more

flag 12 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
/r/Fantasy Discus...: July 2018: The Wolf of Oren-Yaro	1	10	Sep 08, 2018 10:53PM

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Fantasy

440 users

Adult

65 users

Fiction

35 users

Fantasy > High Fantasy

32 users

Fantasy > Epic Fantasy

19 users

Science Fiction Fantasy

14 users

Adult Fiction

9 users

Literature > Asian Literature

7 users

Speculative Fiction

5 users

Young Adult

4 users

See top shelves…

About K.S. Villoso

K.S. Villoso

328 followers

I write character-driven epic fantasy with huge doses of horror, angst, and frustratingly tangled character relationships. You can read more about my work at my website:

http://www.ksvilloso.com

__

K.S. Villoso was born in a dank hospital on an afternoon in Albay, Philippines, and things have generally been okay since then. After spending most of her childhood in a slum area in Taguig (where she dodg ...more

Other books in the series

Chronicles of the Bitch Queen (2 books)

Books by K.S. Villoso

The Ikessar Falcon (Chronicles of the Bitch Queen, #2)

Aina's Breath (The Agartes Epilogues, #2)

Sapphire's Flight (The Agartes Epilogues, #3)

More…

Articles featuring this book

Meet the Epic and Awesome Authors of Fall's Big Fantasy Novels

If you love the fantasy genre, this is the season for you! Some of the biggest books out this fall promise to be epics full of magic, adventure,...

Trivia About The Wolf of Oren-...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from The Wolf of Oren-...

“Betrayal has a funny way of turning your world upside-down. As familiar as I had already been with it by that point, it still amazed me how far I could stretch that moment of denial. The thought of what had been—of what could yet be—persisted. Perhaps it is not the same for most people. Perhaps, when you love less, it is easier not to let the emptiness become a cavern from which you could no longer see the sun.” — 7 likes

“Our special for today is pork bone stew,” the manager said.

“Pork bone stew sounds excellent,” I said. “Rayyel could use a spine.”

“Is heartless shrew on the menu?” Rai asked without batting an eye.” — 4 likes

More quotes…