The King Must Die is a science fantasy novel written by Kemi Ashing-Giwa, published by Saga Press. A proposal of rebellion and found family, which subtly takes a look at the consequences of unchecked capitalism and colonization; a fast-moving plot that allows its imaginative worldbuilding to shine while we see our characters growing across their journey.

Fen was raised working as a bodyguard for a magistrate, after her parents were captured as rebels; her parents' imprisonment was her hope until the Sovereign executed them and marked her for death. Forced by circumstances, she will have to look for the last remnants of the rebellion; and eventually, catastrophe will put her path together with Alekhai, Sovereign's heir and at the center of the underground insurgents. He embodies everything she hates, but his plan might be the last chance to save the empire from crumbling, even if it might bring its own destruction.

Our main character, Fen, is quite complicated to pinpoint: she's strong, but also due to how she was raised, we can see how she is a lonely person; unable to ask for help, but also a character that grows a lot during the novel. And the reason for this growth is mostly due to the friendship that appears between the members of the group, and especially, Alekhai; we see how her shell slowly opens, revealing a nuanced character that we cheer for.
Alekhai is not so different from Fen; both have been shaped by loss and loneliness. Despite the initial roughness between them, we can see how the bond between Fen and Alekhai is natural, helping both of them to heal through their friendship. The rest of the cast is not as shiny as these two, but I can guarantee you that Ashing-Giwa makes you care for each one of them.

The worldbuilding was fascinating to me: the terraformed planet given to humanity, the bits about the aliens that saved said humanity, and the crumbling empire that reveals a lot of political intrigue; a planet that is dying, and the general population suffering the consequences of capitalist under a totalitarian regime. It is scary how it could be traced a parallel to hypothetical futures that humanity could experiment; definitely it was one of the highlights for me.
The pacing is quite fast, as you are quite invested in the novel; the middle part is a bit slower, but it is barely noticeable as soon the pace picks up again.

The King Must Die is a great science-fantasy novel, perfect if you are looking for a standalone story that is not shy of the epicness of the big sagas, but also a proposal that invites you to think with the themes outlined. A solid sophomore novel by Kemi Ashing-Giwa.