The Gryphon King

I have read a lot of epic fantasy, and it comes in many flavours, but it does not always feel like it. Often, it feels like an alternative Medieval Europe with a few elves thrown in. This is less so today as innovative ideas and visions come to the genre, taking a typical fantasy novel and giving it a different feel. The Gryphon King by Sara Omer is one such book. It has warring royal families, plentiful mythical beasts, and unknown magics, but it is all set in a southwest-Asian inspired world. 

Bataar did not consider himself destined for remarkable things, but as a youth a desperate fight against a Gryphon in which he not only survived, but won, marked him as special in the eyes of others. Now older, he has set out on his destiny to become the King of all the lands. The first step is to take Dumakra and that means killing the King and defeating his Harpy Knights, a group of formidable warriors made up of his female relatives, including his stubborn daughter Nohra.  

Gryphon approaches the fantasy genre in a lot of interesting ways, only one being the setting. The world building combines traditional fantasy tropes but gives them a southwest-Asian sensibility. Relationships are different than in many fantasy books and this is key, because, although the book has action, it also has a lot of character-led moments. 

The second interesting approach Omer took was making the novel a two header, moving between Bataar and Nohra in each chapter. Rather than having the two characters battling one another, it is not long until they are far closer together. Nohra becoming a viper in Bataar’s court. They need one another to gain the power or revenge they seek, and they respect one another’s prowess on the battlefield, but they cannot trust one another. 

This tension is rife in the book and makes it feel like a thriller, although the action is saved for the battlefield. Nohra is always plotting and Bataar is always on notice that it is happening. The Royal Court plays a crucial role in this as the two characters use loyalties and alliances to gain the upper hand. Although there are two main characters, the book is full of family members, servants, soldiers, and more. At times, the number of characters was overwhelming, and I became a little lost on who was betraying who. 

At over 400 pages and part one of a series, Gryphon has an epic fantasy feel that fans of the genre will love. You do not get to learn everything in book one. It is a slow boil; time is spent developing characters and learning more about the royal alliances. Fans of epic fantasy will lap it up, but those looking for a punchier tale will feel there is a little too much handwringing and internal introspection. There is nothing quite like undermining a God-like King’s mystic than hearing their internal flawed monologue. Nohra’s enigmatic father feels far more regal, but getting to know Bataar’s flaws as well as his strengths is part of the strong character development in the book. 

The fantasy elements of the book are very interesting. With the murder, battles, and backstabbing, it reads like low fantasy, but the use of mythical creatures gives it a high feel too. Omer blends both ends of the fantasy spectrum in a way that fans of either will find something in this book they will enjoy. Gryphon is a character first fantasy novel, that has action and an epic feel. It reads like a classic style long form fantasy, but the world building does give it a fresher perspective.