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  • Kill the Queen

  • Crown of Shards Series, Book 1
  • By: Jennifer Estep
  • Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
  • Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (116 ratings)

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Kill the Queen cover art

Kill the Queen

By: Jennifer Estep
Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
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Publisher's Summary

Gladiator meets Game of Thrones: a royal woman becomes a skilled warrior to destroy her murderous cousin, avenge her family, and save her kingdom in this first entry in a dazzling fantasy epic from the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of the Elemental Assassin series - an enthralling tale that combines magic, murder, intrigue, adventure, and a hint of romance.

In a realm where one’s magical power determines one’s worth, Lady Everleigh’s lack of obvious ability relegates her to the shadows of the royal court of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. Seventeenth in line for the throne, Evie is nothing more than a ceremonial fixture, overlooked and mostly forgotten.

But dark forces are at work inside the palace. When her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her mother the queen and takes the throne by force, Evie is also attacked, along with the rest of the royal family. Luckily for Evie, her secret immunity to magic helps her escape the massacre.

Forced into hiding to survive, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. Though they use their talents to entertain and amuse the masses, the gladiators are actually highly trained warriors skilled in the art of war, especially Lucas Sullivan, a powerful magier with secrets of his own. Uncertain of her future - or if she even has one - Evie begins training with the troupe until she can decide her next move.

But as the bloodthirsty Vasilia exerts her power, pushing Bellona to the brink of war, Evie’s fate becomes clear: she must become a fearsome gladiator herself...and kill the queen.

©2018 Jennifer Estep (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

What listeners say about Kill the Queen

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great story, starts sluggish, decent narrator

By the end of the book i really enjoyed it. It was a sluggish start and not the best writing to begin with but the story draws you in as the book goes on and I will purchase the next in the series.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

loved it

Enjoyed the whole book , the storyline was great the narrator perfect .Looking forward to the next one

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

loved this book

it was a good story and great voice performance
cant wait to start the next one

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

No more!

Jennifer Estep is brilliant and amazing but can you please stop writing books that no one can put down, I need sleep! This was another beautiful, gut wrenching, fast peace book, with great characters and so well written. Ps please DONT stop!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good book

This book was good. It was entertaining enough and the narrator did a good job, but Lauren usually does.

I liked the MC, she didn't annoy me and her story was believable. I just wish there was a little more in the romance side of things, but again because there wasn't it made it more of a believable story.
I just wish I knew what happened to the jewel maker at the end, but I guess we'll find that out in book 2.

I don't understand how anyone can say the writing was bad? Really? I thought the writing was pretty good. There were some filler words which could have been removed but otherwise, I couldn't fault it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • LW
  • 02-06-2023

The beginning…

Of an unstoppable series, that’ll lead you down a path of spies, plots and intrigue. Not only is this story fun but it shows we don’t always stay the same and can grow on the inside and out.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Mind Bogolling heraldry .blood gore and heroism

Wonderfully read , mental pictures of the scenery, Heraldry.magic and murder aplenty
Thank You Very Much ....Col

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic series

I am so glad I took a chance on this series! I loved all three books and cannot wait for the author to publish more books set in this world. If you are looking for a new fantasy author, I recommend giving this one a try.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable enough

Story was ok, enjoyable enough, but i did find it a bit repetitive and a little predictable.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

just dont

The performance was fine but the actual writing needs polish. it was downright painful to listen to.

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