“A king on a stolen throne.
An assassin sent to kill him.
A general blinded by loyalty.
A thief with a vendetta.
A dragon slayer running from his past.
A witch living in the shadow of a power she craves.
A forgotten enemy growing, lying in wait.”

These seven individuals lie within the pages of “The Worst of the Wicked,” a debut novel by author Megan Eesley. Told through alternating points of view, “The Worst of the Wicked” takes readers on a riveting journey into the minds of each of these characters, who are not ones that would be typically considered “good guys.” By the end of the novel, readers will be left with an entirely different view on what truly makes someone good versus bad.

The first character the novel introduces is Aire, a female assassin tasked with killing the new ruler of the kingdom Iliandras. The young king, Wil, managed to claim the throne in an overnight coup that shocked the kingdom. Aire is unsure who has sent her on this dangerous mission, but she knows the payment will be enough to last the rest of her lifetime, meaning she would never have to kill again.

A hardened thief, Grey, is the second character readers meet. Grey and his crew, including his right-hand man Harris, whose point-of view as a dragon tamer is introduced later in the novel, have been tasked with stealing Wil’s newly claimed crown. However, this job is unlike any other, as it will force Grey to confront ghosts from his past and unpack what truly lies at the heart of the grudges he carries.

After meeting Aire and Grey, readers are finally given a glimpse into the mind of the man at the center of it all. Through Wil’s point of view, readers meet Baird, his second-in-command and partner-in-crime. How only two men were able to secure the throne to the kingdom remains a mystery to all the citizens of Iliandras, yet they have no choice but to accept Wil as their new leader. The novel also provides the point of view of Baird, whose loyalty and feelings are clearly established as something stronger than the average general.

Finally, readers are given a glimpse into the mind of Varanja, a witch living in the king’s castle. For generations, witches such as Varanja have been forced to serve on the king’s court, giving the current leaders glimpses into the future. But Varanja yearns to break free of this role that her, and the generations of witches before her, have been confined to.

The story really picks up when Aire shows up to the castle prepared to kill Wil. However, the assassination attempt is interrupted when the castle is attacked by an outside threat. It is then that Wil makes Aire a deal that foils her entire plan.

“Get me out of here alive and whatever you’re getting paid to kill me, I’ll double.”

In the blink of an eye, the man who was once her target becomes her ally, and the two quickly flee the castle in search of safety. Naturally, upon realizing Wil is missing, Baird goes off in search of him, bringing Varanja along. Disguised as kingdom soldiers, Grey and Harris travel with Baird to find Wil, in search of his crown. However, during their journey, the traveling group are viciously attacked by an opposing kingdom’s army, and Grey and Harris ultimately reveal their true identities to Baird and Varanja.

Eventually, Baird, Grey, Harris and Varanja locate Aire and Wil hiding at a nearby inn. While tensions flair in the beginning of their meet up, the six characters are soon forced to become allies in order to take back the kingdom of Iliandras from the  outside intruder.

“The Worst of the Wicked” is an enthralling novel that holds its own in a genre full of greats. Even during the slower, world-building beginning—which is inevitable in the fantasy genre—Eesley’s writing reveals just enough information about each character to keep readers wanting to turn the page. Additionally, the alternating points of view make for an engaging read and keeps the audience on their toes, not knowing what to expect next.

One of Eesley’s biggest strengths is her ability to write unique, well-fleshed-out characters. In a novel with so many points of view to juggle, Eesley successfully makes each individual stand tall in their own right. At no point does one character feel poorly written at the expense of the others.

Overall, “The Worst of the Wicked” is a must read for any fantasy lover, or book lover at all. The story will have readers so engaged they will be unable to put it down until it has been read cover to cover; until they learn who truly is the worst of the wicked.