This Knight Topples Empires is the second book in Ry Herman’s The Minor Character Chronicles series but it’s easily read as a standalone.
I was so excited to request this book from NetGalley, I found the first book, This Princess Kills Monsters, such a breath of fresh air, and I’m happy to say that This Knight Topples Empires lived up to my high expectations.
In This Knight Topples Empires we follow Jules, one of 6 sisters, each of whom possesses special, unusual powers gifted by a fairy when they were children. When the sisters foil a plan to assassinate the King and Queen of Tailliz, and the Red Emperor calls on an old agreement to raise an army from the sons of the noble houses of their homeland with no explanation, Jules and their sister, Yudit, disguise themselves as men to take their nephew’s place in the Emperor’s army.
I love the relationship between Jules and their sisters, especially their sister, Yudit. Having two sisters of my own, I felt like their relationship felt realistic, from the way they antagonized each other, to the arguments where they took things a little too far, it all felt familiar to me.
Along the way to join the army of the Red Empire, the companions fall into the most ridiculous situations. I can’t count the number of times I laughed out loud while reading. I especially enjoyed the passing mentions of various famous fantasies, those Easter eggs added immensely to my enjoyment.
The story was a bit slower paced than the original, with a little less action, but it was so entertaining that it didn’t bother me that much.
If you love an unconventional protagonist, and a laugh-out-loud, fun adventure, then this book may be for you. I loved it so much, I hope for many more books in this series.
I received an advance copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This Knight Topples Empires was published on October 3 2026.
