Release date: April 9, 2024
Publisher: Angry Robot Books
Pages: 384
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis

Ambitious Phi Hunter and perpetual lone wolf, Ex, finds his road to glory interrupted when a heavily pregnant runaway enlists his help to escape through the ghost-infected forest…

Ex, the youngest member of the Phi Hunters Order, has spent his life slaying the ghosts and demons of Suyoram Kingdom. While he takes great pride in his mystical trade, collecting dwindling bounties and peddling butchered spirit organs lacks the glory he craves. He’s determined to hunt down Shar-Ala, a demon of nightmares, of madness – who has eluded even Ex’s masters.

In a provincial village along the way, Arinya, a charming muay-boran champion, saves him from an ass-kicking, despite being nine months pregnant. In return, she asks him to escort her through the dangerous, spirit-filled forest, where ghosts salivate over the scent of the unborn.

But as more of Arinya’s secrets emerge, and the elusive demon nears, Ex must face dangers from both men and monsters, or lose not only the respect of the Phi Hunters, but the Hunters themselves, along with the woman he’s trying not to fall in love with.

Review

The Last Phi Hunter is a hugely entertaining fantasy tale that follows Ex, a young man who spends his days hunting down Phi – ghosts and demons that plague the citizens of Suyoram. Ex dreams of earning the title of demon slayer and he has his sights set on a particular demon – the infamous Shar-Ala, demon of nightmares. As Ex embarks on his quest he meets Arinya, who asks him to accompany her through the forest. Arinya is heavily pregnant and the spirits have a taste for the unborn. As Ex and Arinya travel together Ex learns there is much more to the woman than meets the eye and in helping her he might have got a whole lot more than he bargained for.

The Last Phi Hunter is an incredibly gripping story and one I read in just a few sittings. The book has such an intriguing premise and it was so well executed. I really enjoyed Goldenberg’s writing style and the plot kept me glued to the book right till the very last page. There’s plenty of action and I loved the dynamic battle scenes between Ex and Shar-Ala.

One of the things I liked most about The Last Phi Hunter is the worldbuilding. It was excellently developed and I was so captivated by the magic and all the different kinds of spirits. The Ever-Present was also really interesting and I loved the moments Ex spends there. The story also has really terrific characters and the relationship between Ex and Arinya was developed really well. Both characters had really interesting back stories and while I’m not a huge romance person, I really enjoyed this aspect of the story.

Overall The Last Phi Hunter is a gripping fantasy tale full of action and adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and hope there will be more books featuring Ex and Arinya in the future. If you’re looking for a a fantasy story with magic, romance, demons and more you’ll definitely want to check this one out.