The Worthy

by Anna K Moss

Blood is thicker than water. Tell that to Prince Barsten, betrayed and abandoned on foreign soil. His sister is intent on claiming the throne and he’s intent on stealing it back. One of them might succeed, if it weren’t for a sacred creature infecting people with its emotions. Rage, fear, paranoia, despair. As their country collapses, the royal siblings must stay true to themselves or find out just how thick their blood really is.

Moss’s compelling debut novel dives into a desperate kingdom, full of intrigue, treachery and sapphic-longing. Fast-paced and awash with sinful characters and fetid settings, The Worthy is a must-read for all lovers of dark fantasy.

Content warning: This novel contains scenes of violence, assault and occasional dialogue of a homophobic and racist nature. The opinions of the awful people within are not the author's own.

Genres: Fantasy, Lesbian, Queer, Adult, LGBT

432 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 15, 2022

About the author

Anna K Moss grew up in the shire, both literally and figuratively. Books were her constant companion and she quickly learnt they were far more interesting than reality. She trained as a journalist, but news writing dealt with too much truth, so she veered off into videogames and make-believe. The Worthy was her first foray back into words, with both feet planted firmly in the imaginary. She’s happily married, queer, and has a dog called Ethel.

Reviews

[C.J. Daley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author very kindly sent me an eARC, and I’m happy to have read it. This just released on August 15th, so check it out.

Firstly, I think the thing that held me up the most—as this took me longer than usual to finish—was that I didn’t find any of the characters to be likable. They are all either brats, bastards, cowards, or pigs. The two main characters are royal siblings, and they both are awful for their own reasons. Only one of them has much of a change of heart and it didn’t occur until 84% of the way through the story (I read it on kindle). That’s not to say that the story itself isn’t good or likable, I think I would have just read faster with someone to root for.

This novel is filled with political intrigue, maneuvering, betrayals, treachery, and backstabs. All of which is spread out within a crumbling society filled with rage-filled zombie-like soldiers and citizens. The story is so so bloody, like incredibly bloody. Violence to the max, and danger is at 100. Blood-pumping sword fights and extreme measures to survive. Betray everyone, kill everyone.

Overall I enjoyed this. The writing is well done and the author does well with a distinct voice throughout.

[James Harwood-Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

The kingdom is ravished by an affliction of the mind. As it tears itself apart two siblings vie for control. Awash with treachery & conspiracy it will need the worthy to save it. Absolutely loved this one! Grimdark with horror overtones!

[Eddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

X-Files meets Grimdark!!

This was a ARC copy that the author Anna K Moss , sent me for an honest review must say this was a fantastic book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Mostly read on my IPhone 13!

I give this 4.5 stars

You have a 2 kingdoms
The Crell and Jintin
90 % of characters are from the The Crell
The two siblings
Barsten : he was approaching his twenty-fifth birthday, and Crell was used to the strange prince with white eyes, fear of him had waned, and his ability to get his way had waned with it. Master knife thrower!

Ailith : warrior , holding a secret that no one knows! She’ll do anything to capture the Throne. Master Sword Fighter
The King Mesoth, is old! But still alive

Old Swordsman Grey Was more or father to Barsten , than the King was, he was cruel and badgering towards Barsten , mentoring him since he was a lad with his deformity(his white eyes).

thanks to the Fensk continuing to attack our lands
to the north, but Crell had repeatedly attacked the Fensk.
Mesoth’s reign had been a costly and bloody one.
The start of his reign had seen a slew of invasions, winning Crell land and livestock, but five decades of war-mongering had left the kingdom broke and broken.
The Fensk in the north no longer posed a threat, stripped of wealth and defences long ago, but the king sent troops to cripple them further.

Ignorance brought a Kingdom to shambles!

Now they there eyes on the Jintin
A kingdom like no other , they believe an Artifact in there possession is WORTHY for the taking

That is were this story goes Awry !!!!

To go any further in this review is pointless !
You need to read the story from the beginning and find the conclusion at the end is to be victorious.

Now the weirdness begins!!!!( This is when the X-File reference comes in to play!

[Jamedi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4 out of 5 stars)
The Worthy is the debut novel from the British author Anna K. Moss. As a big fan of the grimdark genre, reading it was a no brain, and I have 0 regrets about it because I felt constantly the same vibes as when I’m enjoying some of Abercrombie’s works, the same level of brutality, the morally grey characters, and those situations that make you feel uncomfortable; in definitive, what separates grimdark from dark fantasy in my opinion.

We are going to be mainly following two POVs, Ailith and Barsten, daughter and son of the king of Crell, both trying to make merits to ascend to the throne. Let’s start with Barsten, because his condition as the prince of Crell, and his struggles to make himself worthy in the eyes of his father, leads him to lead an invasion to Jintin, where he will enter in contact with a creature, the Sentinel, and where he will be treasoned by his own men (especially Grey), and almost assassinated, being captured by the Jintians. On the other hand, we have Ailith, princess of Crell, with a long list of achievements for the kingdom, but whose main problem is simple: is a woman, and we are in an extremely sexist society; her own father doesn’t take her seriously, exacerbating the conflict between her and his brother for the throne. This conflict between brother and sister will be the main fuel for the conflict in this novel. (quote 2)
There are other POVs in this story, but personally, I found them pretty pointless, adding almost nothing to the novel and its development, sometimes feeling more like a drag than a help to the plot.

Moss uses this novel as an excellent way to treat certain themes as can be sexism, and more in concrete, how women tend to be deemed as less by their masculine counterparts, without taking into account their merits; the sapphic love is also treated, lightly, but as a subplot in the Ailith story, adding another layer of complexity to the character, one that is struggling because, despite all her merits, she is not being taken in the account due to her sex. Political intrigues are used in a brilliant way, using the conflict that the king is fueling between his sons as the better way to reach power, especially on the part of certain lords.

Characters are well developed, most of them pretty significant to the development of the story, especially certain secondary ones, such as Grey, who remembered me to Lord Varys in ASOIAF, always machinating, always doing what he considers the best for Crell, working also in the best for himself. We could call him one of the sparks that starts the fire over Crell, leading to chaos and violence. (quote 1)
As a good grimdark novel, violence and gore abound, following the line established by other grimdark writers. The world is brutal, almost hopeless, but still rich on the detail level. There are two different countries, Crell and Jintian, each one of them being totally different. Crell represents the status quo, the brutality, the supremacy of men over women, and the resistance against change; Jintian is the opposite, a place where equality exists, prosperity being the rule and not the exception, where people climb due to its merits (and highly influenced by keeping control of the Sentinar).

Said that I find there are some problems in this novel that don’t allow me to give it a better score, despite I enjoyed it greatly while reading. As said, I find some of the subplots adding nothing to the main story, dragging the pace sometimes (which outside of this concrete subplot is excellent); and personally, I found the ending to be too abrupt, letting so many things open. An excellent story still, but it felt like the dessert for this meal was missing.

In summary, The Worthy is an excellent debut, and a must for grimdark lovers, people who love it so much. The world created by Anna K Moss is rich, and full of nuances; and honestly, I would like to see more of the different countries there. Characters are grey, making you uncomfortable cheering for any of them, being used as the perfect way to discuss some modern themes such as feminism and equality are.

[Jasvinder Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by the author in exchange of an honest review.

Treachery, Betrayal, love, fast-paced, , Page-turner, good Writing and fighting scenes, capable of hooking you from first page of the book to the last.

Rating- 4.5 out of 5 stars

There are mainly two POVs- Barsten, a prince and his sister, Ailith. Other than these two, there are side POVs, too. Grey, their swordmaster and Tripp, a little girl with a little cute dog named Hedge.

The plot of the book was the thing that worked very well for me. I was completely hooked from the first chapter. Mainly, the story is who is better heir to the throne of Crell. Believe me, there is much more than this.

Fighting scenes were amazing. The characters were relatable. The world-building was wonderful.

I can't wait for the next installment in this series. I want to know what is there more to offer us.

[Rhyz Larrucea · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT A RIDE! This is my first time to read dark fantasy novel and it gave me an incredible experience. In third-person narrative, the story revolves around Barsten, Ailith and Trippalia. Yes, I've included Tripp because the story left a clear-cut ending. I bet Tripp would play an important role in the future, not just a side character as what she has portrayed here.

I LOVE:
▫️How the author described the beautiful Jintin region. Its magnificent courtyards, sparkling fountains, overflowing variety of flowers, carved door mantels, and the impressive City Hall. Breathtaking indeed!
▫️Barsten's character development. I love how he realized his mistakes in the end and turned away from being selfish, arrogant & incompetent person.
▫️Strong-willed & fearless fighter, Ailith, and her love for Crell, and for Avalon.
▫️Skillful & brave warrior Kaela. I would say, she's my favorite character.
▫️The story established a clear depiction on how darkness in the human heart takes form & destroys a world.
▫️The devastating battle delivers an action-packed scene every time.
▫️Open-ending theme.

I WISH:
▫️That Barsten's character wasn't quickly transitioned.
▫️To have more decent backstory regarding King Mesoth's hatred feeling towards his children.
▫️To lessen the expression, "by the three". 😅✌🏻

TW: violence, assault, & occasional dialogue of a homophobic/racist nature.

*𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸/𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘙𝘊 @akmoss_author.

**𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬. 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 & 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙗𝙞𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙮.

[JJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a unique, different kind of grim dark fantasy that worked pretty well. IMO, this is an extremely plot driven novel with not a broad set of characters, or too much depth. However, the plot and the magic within were unique and well done. I loved the brutality and bloody scenes, and while one of the MCs is immature and irritating, the strong female characters came to the rescue for this book for me. The book moves along quickly, and was a fast read with a white knuckle ending the last 50ish pages. I'd recommend this if you're looking to read a different take on grim dark fantasy. The uniqueness and plot ultimately bumped this up to round to 4 for me vs 3.

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The truth is: We do not matter. None of us. (...) We're all just animals, clamouring to hold on to a life with no meaning." 

A grimdark fantasy journey of characters put to the test facing their darkest and deepest violence. To some is just the right opportunity to be themselves.

Visceral but well-balanced with charismatic characters. I find myself loving villains and turning the pages to be surprised with their next action. Fast-paced and hard to put down. The author's action scenes are detailed and well-written.

We follow different characters in their quests. A princess who deserves to be queen but her people can't just accept a woman on a throne. She must fight many battles in different ways. A prince who hasn't understood the true worth of life learns more than that. A foreigner in a realm who will do whatever it takes to restore an artifact to its origin... an honorable man who is willing to sacrifice all for the sake of the kingdom... A child who survives with bravery... and so many other characters showing such growth, even in such vile and violent scenarios. 

Looking forward to the next volume and following a few of my fav characters.

[Dom]

DNF @ 20%

There were a couple of different story lines here—you've got a royal brother and sister as not-quite-alternating chapters, and they are involved in politicking as nobles try to position the one they most want on the throne next… or rather, which is the best of two bad options, as they don’t actually want either.

I ended up putting The Worthy down as I thought it was a little bit chaotic. It wasn't really jumping around, per se, but it was more that the main characters (or at least the brother) would seem to jump to action a little too easily, deciding what to do and just going for it with no thought process or reasoning whatsoever. It just seemed that there was no actual decision-making process, and bearing in mind he was in new territory (geographically speaking) that didn’t feel right at all.

There was one point, as I was reading on my Kindle, where they were in Place A and something happened, and the next chapter they were in Place B stealing an item, but then the following chapter had them back in Place A talking about going off to steal the item from Place B… I have a hardcover edition and I checked this, only to find that the chapters were actually out of order in the ebook edition.

That was really the last straw for me because when I was originally reading it, and I unknowingly skipped ahead, I didn't think twice about it because it just felt natural from what I'd read so far. If you can skip a chapter accidentally and think that it just fits in with what you've already read, even though you've missed important information in that chapter, I don't think that's a good thing. So I decided to give this one up because it wasn't gripping me, it wasn't holding my attention, and it just felt a little bit chaotic.

[Abigail Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILERS IN REVIEW

This was my first time being an ARC reader, and I must say this was a fantastic book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The two siblings (and main protagonists) were incredibly well written, and both demonstrated amazing character development throughout the novel. Barsten, the initially unlikeable brother who a reader wishes to see fail, finally drops his hubris and admits to all of his mistakes which makes him much more human and relatable. Whereas Ailith, a powerful leader who desires the Kingdom, ultimately shows she cares more about family and love than ruling Crell. I particularly loved how she was a powerful woman in a patriarchal world, and how she was proud of her lesbian sexuality and love for another woman, Avalon. It was refreshing to read a fantasy novel with a powerful, queer woman as one of the main protagonists.

The plot itself was exciting, well written, and kept me captivated throughout my read. Although there was a lot of death and destruction, it all furthered the story and wasn’t just needlessly added. I also enjoyed the twist with the character, Grey, as it was unexpected and added an interesting shock factor.

Although I loved Barsten and Ailith, I was a bit unsure on the chapters focusing on Tripp as they felt a bit random. As much as I liked Tripp as a character, I don’t feel her chapters added much to the overall plot and nothing in the book would have changed if she wasn’t in it. I felt more could have happened during her interactions with Avalon and, when the two met, I felt more of a connection was going to be made/explained between Tripp and the siblings to explain her role in the book, but the book ended with her just hearing that Avalon wanted to be with Ailith.

I loved the book, and the action and fast pace were incredibly gripping, but I was slightly disappointed with the ending. The book ended rather abruptly with so many questions left unanswered: did Ailith survive? Was Barsten going to turn against Kaela (possibly my favourite character in the book) due to the influence of the Sentilar? What was the fate of Barsten and Ailith’s father? I’m guessing the ending was open to leave room for a sequel, but the end was still a bit too sudden in my opinion.

Overall, this was an incredible fantasy book and I’d recommend it to anyone. I was just slightly confused by the ending (though I’m hoping this means a sequel will be announced). This is Moss’ debut novel and I hope to see more work from her in the future; she’s a talented storyteller and I’d love to see the fantasy world she’s created receive further development in future novels.

[E.A. Robins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The scent of salt and persimmons permeates the air. A fine spray of dark seawater freckles the pages you are reading. In the distance, ships appear on the horizon. You know they do not fly the city’s colors. You hunch your shoulders and, for just a breath, forget these harbingers of doom.

Your pen slips from your shaking hand.

Terror claws at you from the inside, shredding your resolve. You are more frightened than you’ve ever been. You retch, struggling to purge your fear.

Then you look up into its pale eyes. They spin, sparkling like milky galaxies.

The creature reaches its naked paw toward you.

You succumb...

The Worthy is not a story that invites the reader in, but is, instead, a sword thrust through the gut.
With deft prose and poetic flare, AK Moss has created a world that is dangerous, cruel, and riveting. The main characters are anti-heroes, human and flawed. Every move they make courts disaster and ruin, yet they persevere (mostly).

There is a grand darkness that pulses within these pages, and it’s delicious. For fans of fantasy that pulls no punches, The Worthy is a book to be picked up, gently. It might bite.

[charlotte, · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rep: lesbian mc & li

CWs: gore, violence, implied torture, sexual assault

[Rahdika K · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a dark fantasy novel. It’s fast paced and packed with action sequences. There are some trigger warnings to be aware of; mainly violence and assault.

Coming to the characters, I really loved the strong female leads. Namely Ailith and Kaela. They are no damsels in distress. They save themselves and better yet; at times, they save the kingdom and the Prince too. I enjoyed reading the relationship between Ailith and Avalon too. I think they are cute together. 🥰

When it comes to the male lead, I really didn’t like most of them, except for Lucas. Mesoth, the king has definitely some narcissistic traits in him mixed with misogyny. His son, Barsten is an insecure man whom is shown to be forever seeking validation. Sewet and Grey are just annoying and I sort of dislike them. 😤

I find it that at some parts, it was a little draggy. And also the transition of Bransten of being a blockhead to an understanding sibling; was a little fast. 😅Otherwise it was a breezy read.

Themes of the novel revolves around sibling rivalry, treachery and political drama. So if you are into dark fantasy, lots of action sequences, complicated relationship between father and children and strong women characters; this is for you.

Some of my favourite lines:
-‘When would they realise that having a c*ck didn’t make you a general?’
-‘…man could never give her what the fairytales sold.’
-‘A man with wounded pride will wound all else around him.’
-‘A smiling woman is revolting.’

My ratings: 3.5

*ARC provided by the author in exchange for honest review.

[Elizabeth Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Worthy" by Anna K. Moss is a worthy debut from an already established editor, and more than a fitting demonstration of her talent for fantasy writing.

Okay, forgiving the terrible pun, I really do want to put emphasis on just how much of an addictive and well-plotted read The Worthy was. Anna K. Moss instantly pulled me into the world with her deft character dialogue and wonderfully descriptive prose. She somehow managed to make all of the named characters feel like they navigated the world with their own motivations and personality, while still balancing the precise pacing required to keep the story moving.

This all culminates in some segments of writing that are regrettably rare to come by, in that they take such a fresh perspective on the 'grimdark' stylings that influence the book. In particular, both Ailith and Kaela provide unique takes on the prevalence of sexual assault in the genre. Ailith expresses genuine sorrow and rage at the act, portraying a humanity that other writers miss in their efforts to conflate banal sexual violence with 'dark' storytelling. Then through Kaela we see a side of 'grimdark' that actually lingers on the emotional reaction from the survivor, plotting a path from shame to defiance that never comes across as too kind or gentle, but rather a touch of realism in a still outlandishly unfair and bloody setting.

I think if there's only one thing that brought my opinion about the book down a little, it would be the awkward contrast between Barsten & Ailith. Chiefly, that while Barsten is a character that the story intimately interrogates, challenges and redevelops from start to finish, Ailith by contrast sees very little movement in her character. There simply isn't enough conflict within her personality or in the events she plays a part in for us to learn much about her that isn't immediately obvious, and with no sizeable change to observe, her chapters quickly become a little stale. It never quite made the book a chore to read, but it does maybe suggest that Anna K. Moss hasn't yet unlocked her full potential for storytelling.

In totality however, I have more than enough praise for "The Worthy" to feel comfortable recommending it. Put simply, if this is what Anna K. Moss writes when she puts her first foot forward, then I will wait impatiently and with feverish excitement to see what her second, third and fourth steps might look like.

[Neringa.Kit · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5⭐

I received this e-book as an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.⁠

This is a dark fantasy story, following two royal siblings. One of them is a cocky, incompetent, douchebag, heir to the throne named Barsten. Another one is his sister Ailith, a highly skilled strategist and a good leader, who's only disadvantage in possibility to be a leader of her people is having the wrong set of organs between her legs. After the Barsten's fiasco in foreign lands his crew brings home some unusual creature, that reeks havoc in their homeland. And guess who has to take care of the consequences?
This story has everything, a diverse set of characters, interesting relationships, lots of banter, LGBTQ rep, political intrigue, betrayals, traveling, a clash of different cultures, lots and lots of fighting, blood, severed limbs, and, most importantly (for me) a mysterious, mesmerizing magical creature!⁠
⁠We get a first glimpse of this creature in the first pages of the book and it enchanted me right there! I was sooooo excited to know everything about it and I can't wait for another book to see what more can it do. I don't want to spoil what's up with this creature, but the big part of the magic system in the story is directly connected to it.⁠
The horrors of the story were best shown through the POV of a kid who always was in the wrong place at the wrong time, in the middle of the most horrific scenes. This POV made me feel the grittiness of the story the most. ⁠
⁠If you like dark fantasy, don't mind cruelty in your stories and love original magical creatures, I highly recommend this book.

⁠

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Worthy by Anna K. Moss is a *very* dark fantasy, one which had me turned around (& cheering for anyone but the protagonist) for most of the novel! In fact, Anna made the main character such a thoroughly selfish Prince that I loved to loathe him. Reading this, you might think that means I didn’t like the novel very much. But you would be so very wrong...

Prince Barsten has been abandoned in a foreign realm, with his sister (Princess Ailith) making a play for the kingdom while he’s out of the picture. But there’s a massive problem; a creature has been set loose within Crell & is causing chaos with it’s emotions. Death is now wreaking havoc across the land & the end of everything is near. Can anyone stop the senseless slaughter? Is Barsten redeemable? And will there be anything left to save?

Within The Worthy we get LGBTQ+ representation. More than that, the stories of these relationships are integral to the novel. This is a big happiness boost for me, because representation (done well) has sometimes been hit & miss in novels. But we don’t have that issue here! Anna gives us a brilliantly dark & chaotic NA fantasy, with this lovely extra layer of goodness.

Honestly, The Worthy by Anna K. Moss is a tale which wades into the depths of hell & finds a turning point...

You can (& should) read my full review via my blog here: https://www.immersedinbooks.com/the-w...

[E.B. Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moss has created a world that shows the power of rage and the power of unity. Jintin lives in prosperity and peace with each person looking out for their fellows, while the denizens of Crell live in poverty and filth, the ruling elite live in luxury in their high castle.

I loved the way the book bites down hard on the oppression of the people in Crell and explores the disparity of wealth through the eyes of a fallen prince. The characters in this story are tangible. We know people like this, or we are these people. The inner turmoil with Ailith to hide her sexuality and prevent her fall from worthiness in the eyes of her peers or embrace the love of her life is the sort of thing we all need to acknowledge, and Moss does this beautifully.

The sexism, the bigotry and the hate that is found within the borders of Crell and the city of Craymore are all to real in our world. Moss puts them under the microscope, allowing us to examine our world as it is through the lens of fantasy. If you've ever felt the world is unjust, then this book is for you. You won't find comfort in the darkened streets of Craymore, but you will find understanding in the nature of humankind and the depths of evil that lurk in the human spirit.

Embrace the darkness...read The Worthy.

[bookishclara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was given to me by the author as an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

- We have a warrior princes fighting for her right to rule.
- An arrogant prince with no sense of reality.
- A ”righteous” lord driven to protect the throne and the lands.
- A homeless girl and her dog searching for a safe place to call home.

Favorite quote(s):
- ”We are not faithless, Prince Barten. We have a great deal of faith, just a distinct lack of gods.”
- ”You. Don’t. Have. A Prick.”- ”Gods, father, what century is this? Can’t you look past that?”
- ”F*ck me,” - ”I’d rather f*ck a grip worm”

Im not gonna lie, this can be considered on the slower side when it comes to the pacing. BUT, if you have read The Priory of the Orange Tree I would say it has a pretty similar structure to it, also the writing is similar. And I think if you do like those types of book, POTOT, LotRs, GoT, I think this one is a book for you!

Despite the bit slower pacing I did like this story! And It did pick up in the end and got stressful! It does contain a pretty abrupt and open ending, just to be prepared!

This is a dark fantasy so do check the TW:
Blood/gore and violence, assault and mentioning of SA, torture, harsh/bad language, occasional dialogue of homophobia and racist nature.

[Lucy A. McLaren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. With Abercrombie vibes from the outset, I think it’s safe to say you know what you’re getting into with Moss’s The Worthy—a grim, dark world full of grim, unlikeable people. With that said, I found myself compelled by the stories of these people—and as I read, I realised they weren’t all unlikeable. Actually, most of them are justified in how they behave to an extent, based on childhood experiences and the core beliefs that clearly drive them. I found the sibling rivalry between Barsten and Ailith believable, and the Sentilar was a unique and interesting creature. I particularly enjoyed the chapters from Tripp’s point of view, a young commoner girl who is simply trying to survive in Crell with her dog Hedge, even as the kingdom begins to quite literally tear itself apart.

Moss is excellent at worldbuilding too. I found her descriptions incredibly imaginative and really well thought out. It was clear to me she had a very precise map of these places in her head and, because of this, I could visualise everything she was describing.

If you’re a fan of dark fantasy books with just the tiniest glimmer of hope, you won’t be disappointed. An excellent debut.

[Eric B. Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moss has created a world that shows the power of rage and the power of unity. Jintin lives in prosperity and peace with each person looking out for their fellows, while the denizens of Crell live in poverty and filth, the ruling elite live in luxury in their high castle.

I loved the way the book bites down hard on the oppression of the people in Crell and explores the disparity of wealth through the eyes of a fallen prince. The characters in this story are tangible. We know people like this, or we are these people. The inner turmoil with Ailith to hide her sexuality and prevent her fall from worthiness in the eyes of her peers or embrace the love of her life is the sort of thing we all need to acknowledge, and Moss does this beautifully.

The sexism, the bigotry and the hate that is found within the borders of Crell and the city of Craymore are all to real in our world. Moss puts them under the microscope, allowing us to examine our world as it is through the lens of fantasy. If you've ever felt the world is unjust, then this book is for you. You won't find comfort in the darkened streets of Craymore, but you will find understanding in the nature of humankind and the depths of evil that lurk in the human spirit.

Embrace the darkness...read The Worthy.

[Isa Ottoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Worthy is WORTHY!
I LOVE this book and cannot wait for the next one!
This is an action-packed story, with great (and I mean GREAT) world-building and compelling characters. We are immediately grounded in a fantastic setting following painfully-human characters trying to prove themselves at any cost. If you´re into subverted tropes, realistic arcs, diverse characters, and underlying magic---this book is for you.
The thing that I love most about it is the presence of *several* strong female characters who are *actually* strong/clever/brave in their own unique way. Marvellous. AND they are so in a world where sexism is an integral part of society, so we get to see them fighting against it throughout the story.
It´s brilliant.
Another thing is the strange creature which is in the centre of the plot. It got me thinking about it for a very long time, wondering about the implications and questions it brings to light.
Five stars ´cause I can´t give more.
I am looking forward to the next one!

[pastiesandpages - Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

"He felt wave after wave of horror emanate from its tiny body and flood his senses. Pain surged through him. A pain that would bring his nation to its knees."

A grimdark fantasy novel that is the first in what will hopefully turn into a series.

It's fast paced, violent and full of horrible people committing atrocious acts, especially the royals from the kingdom of Crell. The old King, Mesoth, is holding onto power and playing his children off against each other.
Prince Barsten is a spoilt young man wanting to prove himself. Leading a raiding party against the peaceful nation of Jintin he's been set up to fail as his sister Ailith knows he's inept. Meanwhile as a skilled fighter and war leader she knows she could reign but it's a sexist world where her father won't even consider her, especially as she is in love with a woman.

The Jintin are successful partly because of an artifact but when the Crell decide to steal it they are surprised to find a creature, the Sentilar. The creature feeds off emotions and influences people for miles. If the Crell take it home then they are in for a world of trouble.

The royal siblings are the main characters along with Kaela, the leader of the Jintin city watch and she will stop at nothing to preserve her nation.

Amazing action, a great plot, fantastic writing and totally engrossing even though most of the characters are horrible, but somehow I found myself caring what they did as the novel went on.

Exciting stuff and I want another book as there's a lot of open endings.

[LeeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is dark.

Its two main characters are definitely classic antiheroes, and both of them have decidedly abrasive personalities. The harsh realm in which they live does nothing to lighten the tone. And the battles they face are certainly bleak.

Usually, I enjoy morally grey protagonists, but these two are hard to get behind. In fact, it was deep into the book before I started to see some glimpse of where Barden and Ailith might meet on common ground. (like end of chapter 58 late)

"He swallowed hard and twirled his knife experimentally. Whether he was ready or not, it was time to kill again." (241)

"Being cooped up in the castle with no room or time to burn energy made her feel like one of those exotic cage birds she'd seen in the market when she was a child." (264)

[Daniel Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Worthy is an exciting and fast-paced dark fantasy novel, which is well-written.

The story primarily follows two interesting and very distinct main characters in Barsten and Ailith, siblings who are rivals for the succession of their country's throne. The pair are surrounded by a treacherous side-cast, and after a calamitous raid on a foreign country, they are forced to face the collapse of their own kingdom.

Moss's story builds intrigue in the first half of the book, then in the second half switches pace to almost non-stop action mixed in with some bloodthirsty scenes touching on horror (this is definitely dark fantasy, so is not for the squeamish).

I finished the book within 5 days, and overall it was a compelling page-turner and is a definite recommend.

[Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝑾𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑩𝒂𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏. 𝑾𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒉, 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒂 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒕 𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒈𝒐𝒅𝒔.

My current trend of excellent books continues with The Worthy, a debut novel by Anna K. Moss. It tells the story of Barsten and Ailith, two siblings wrestling for control of the throne of Crell, a truly brutish and repugnant kingdom. To complicate matters further, a sacred artifact is playing havoc with the kingdom’s emotions.

This book appealed to my tastes in a lot of ways. I love grey characters, and The Worthy’s cast delivers that. Every character has flaws, but they also have believable motivations and are engaging to read. I found myself rooting for the ‘heroes’, but I felt uncomfortable about it, which is just what I want from a grimdark read.

The setting is brutal and unforgiving, violence and gore abound, and the increasing madness of the populace leads to some truly unsettling scenes. There’s plenty of political intrigue, betrayal, and a sapphic romance which I thought was written well and really added to the story.

I really enjoyed Moss’ prose and I think she’s done a great job with this novel. Would recommend this to any grimdark fantasy lovers looking for a good indie read. I can’t wait for more, and I’ll be looking out for a second book!

[Cristy L. Bowlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as part of an indie author exchange, and I am so glad I got the chance to check it out! It features siblings who are rivals for their kingdom's throne, a queer romance, and a magical creature that projects its emotions and causes absolute chaos. This is a great read for fantasy lovers who enjoyed A Song of Ice and Fire or The Witcher series. The worldbuilding is fantastic and the characters are so believable, even if that means one of them is the absolute worst person that I was rooting against almost the whole time. I was hooked from the start of the story, and I couldn't put the book down when I got to the dramatic finale.

[Evan Gould · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** 3 star read****

Decent read. For a first time author she did a good job. The first half of the book was definitely the strongest imho. The main character (Barsten) was written very well. The way Anna K Moss captured his defects of character, pride, and extreme selfishness made him a worthy Grimdark character. You can tell Anna K Moss has a solid background in reading various Grimdark authors. She knows what she’s doing. I’m probably not going to buy the sequel right after it comes out but I take nothing away from Moss. I can tell she will be a major contributor to Grimdark for years to come and look forward to seeing how her future books do!

[Mike Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by author for honest review.

An exceptionally gripping debut grimdark fantasy novel. Full of characters you'll love, and some you'll love to hate (there are some right rotters). Political intrigue and infighting distract the cast from from a far greater danger...

I throughly enjoyed the pacing and strong characters, especially Ailith. The Settings are distinct and have a sense of place. Multiple viewpoints allow for a rounded story and those delicious moments when you know slightly more than a character does...or at least A.K. Moss lets you think you do.

[Willow Leigh Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark fantasy at its best. From the first couple of pages this story had me hooked.

The main thing I liked about it is the strong female characters. Moss has written them so well that they don't need to be held up by male characters.

Beautifully descriptive and action packed this novel had it all.

[TL P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grim and Dark! A riveting tale that blends grim and dark fantasy with magic and politics. Ailith and her intolerable brother Barsten have quite the sibling rivalry. The constant violence, language, and points of view are troubling as you read about their world and the improper treatment. Sentilar, the magical creature, was a good addition to the story and added to the fantasy world created.