The Death King ♦ Penelope Barsetti | ARC Review

Review: „The Death King“ by Penelope Barsetti — 3.5 stars

The Death King, the first entry in Penelope Barsetti’s Death series, is an ambitious fantasy novel that blends elements of dark fantasy, romance, and erotica. While the book has plenty of compelling aspects, particularly its captivating setup and final act, it falters in the middle, where the balance between plot and sexual tension skews too heavily toward the latter, leaving me craving a more gradual, slow-burn development.

The Death King by Penelope Barsetti
Series: Death #1
Narrator: Michael Ferraiuolo, Ramona Master
Published: 24. September 2024 by Dreamscape Media
Format: ARC, AudioBook, 341 pages
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Dragons, Paranormal, Romance
ISBN-13: 9781666672930
Language: English
Audience: Adult
Shelve: Currently Reading
Link to Goodreads

I was fifteen when the Death King came for us.

With a mighty black dragon and the ability to command the dead, he raised an army of our fallen soldiers to fight for him—and conquered us in the night. My father, King Laurier of Scorpion Valley, couldn’t stop him. I tried to flee but came face to face with the man in black armor, the man who looked more like a god than a human. Instead of killing me, he chose to show me mercy… but it didn’t feel like mercy.

Not when the next ten years of my life are spent as a slave in the Arid Sands, digging for Black Diamonds from sunrise to sunset. I'm also the personal slave of General Titan—a man who has grown obsessed with me. The work under the hot sun is unbearable—but I prefer it to his company any day. I’ve never tried to escape because there’s nowhere to run in the desert, but all of that changes when I hear the news—that the Death King is coming.

I sneak out in the middle of the night to steal his dragon, but that backfires in my face—because you can’t steal a dragon. Khazmuda is no mindless beast. He can speak directly into my mind and hear my thoughts in return. The Death King is about to kill me, but Khazmuda changes his mind—because I have the gift.

The ability to speak with dragons.y-

The Death King spares my life once again and takes me back to his castle. He has no idea who I am, has no idea what he did to my family ten years ago. He asks me to fight for his cause—but he won’t tell me exactly what that cause is. And then he tells me he wants more from me… desires me more than any other because, like him, I have the gift.

I can’t deny he’s the most handsome man I’ve ever seen, with eyes black like midnight, a jawline as sharp as his dragon’s talons, the height of a mountain, and shoulders as broad as a stream. But no amount of attraction will ever change the fact that he destroyed my life. The answer is no—and it’ll always be no.

But the Death King doesn’t accept that answer.

This book contains dark themes with subject matter that may be difficult for some readers.

Buy the Book at: Amazon*

Opinion

The opening of the story sets a strong foundation. Barsetti introduces me to the Death King, a fearsome conqueror with the ability to raise the dead and command a mighty black dragon, Khazmuda. Our protagonist, a young woman whose life has been shattered by the Death King’s conquest of her kingdom, is a sympathetic and complex character. The world-building is rich and detailed, and the early tension between the two main characters feels appropriately intense and intriguing. This part of the book delivers important insights into the protagonists’ backgrounds, giving me the necessary depth to invest in their stories.

However, after the first third of the book, things begin to unravel. As the narrative shifts from the conflict and power dynamics to a romantic-erotic focus, the pacing suffers. The relationship between the female protagonist and the Death King moves too quickly into the realm of physical attraction, given her traumatic past. For a character who has spent a decade as a slave, subjected to harsh treatment and suffering under General Titan’s obsessive control, her sudden immersion into a sexual dynamic with the Death King feels abrupt and jarring. The transition from hatred and fear to lust happens too fast to feel natural, and the intensity of their interactions overshadows the plot. A slow burn romance, one that builds over the course of the entire book and the next installments, would have provided a more organic evolution of their relationship.

The explicit scenes, while well-written for those seeking a more erotic twist, feel out of place given the tone of the story’s beginning. They detract from the character’s journey, especially considering her history of trauma, which is barely addressed during these moments. It’s as though the story loses its footing, becoming too eager to delve into sexual tension without giving the characters—and by extension, me—the emotional space needed to make that tension feel earned or believable.

Thankfully, the last third of the book brings the story back on track. The re-emergence of plot, action, and intrigue helped me to re-engage. The stakes are raised, and the pacing picks up as Barsetti reintroduces the larger narrative of the Death King’s mysterious cause and the protagonist’s involvement in it. The political and magical complexities hinted at in the beginning resurface, offering a glimpse into the wider world and the unfolding conflict. This strong finish salvages much of the earlier missteps and builds anticipation for the next installment in the series.

Conclusion

As my first audiobook ARC, The Death King was a mixed but overall enjoyable experience. While the middle portion left me frustrated, the intriguing world-building and character dynamics in the opening and closing acts kept me interested. I’m hopeful that the second volume will deliver more of a slow-burn romance and plot development that this one promised but struggled to maintain. Fans of dark fantasy with a taste for the erotic may find much to enjoy here, but those looking for a more nuanced political and romantic progression might find it uneven.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

About Penelope Barsetti

Penelope Barsetti is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Her beloved novels have sold more than 5 Million copies, and her work has been translated into a dozen languages. Readers may know her by another name, Penelope Sky, where she writes contemporary dark romance.

An avid wine drinker, napper, and Netflix junkie, she lives in California with her family, but if she could live anywhere, it would be Florence, Italy. For those familiar with her work, you’ll know exactly why that’s the case.

Fantasy Romance is her favorite genre to read, and she’s excited to release her own novels into the world.

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