Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me

By: Django Wexler

Narrated by: Jeanette Illidge

Dark Lord Davi rules the kingdom, but she must now break the time loop that binds her in this hilariously bloody conclusion to the Dark Lord Davi duology.

After countless failures (let’s not dwell on it), Davi has finally saved the kingdom from evil–by becoming the Dark Lord herself. But now, the hordes of wilders are at her command, and they still want blood. Human blood. And Davi’s not sure she can commit to the total extermination of humanity.

With restless armies at her doorstep, a treasonous duke scheming for power, and the legend of an ancient magician looming over her shoulder, Davi must find a way towards peace and uncover the truth behind her time loop if she is to bring harmony to the kingdom. Also, her girlfriend is mad at her. So, there’s that too.

Critic reviews

"Tremendous fun."—Kirkus (starred)

"Takes the old saying 'If you can't beat 'em, join 'em,' to the next level. A sarcastic, action-packed, intrigue-filled (mis)adventure. One of the funniest books I've read in a long time."—Matt Dinniman, author of Dungeon Crawler Carl

“All hail Dark Lord Davi! How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying is outrageously fun, filled with campy humor, action and unexpected warm-heartedness. I grinned from the first page to the last.” —Fonda Lee, author of Jade City

"Funny as hell, multi-layered, and affecting. Wexler's irreverent demolition of the fantasy genre doubles as a reverent exploration of where the magic comes from."—Scott Lynch, author of The Lies of Locke Lamora

"By turning the themes of chosen-one fantasy on their head, this sardonic romp from Wexler brings out the smiles ... Wexler balances the snarky asides with the angst of Davi’s repeating existence and evolving awareness that her actions have consequences. Under the flippancy, a truly touching grimdark story lurks, complete with hilarious footnotes. Readers will be wowed."
—Publishers Weekly (starred)

"All-afterburners Isekai adventure—twisty, pacey, and full of reverent irreverence for fantasy. I can't get enough."—Max Gladstone, New York Times Bestselling Author

"Wickedly sharp, funny, and raunchy. Wexler delights in punching holes in the beloved cliches of fantasy, and I adore this. If you ever thought: if I was the villain, I'd actually be smart about things, then this is the book for you."—Jenn Lyons, author of The Ruin of Kings

"Davi's first-person narration is electric, filled with obscenities and hilarities... [her] questionable ethics, active libido, comfortable bisexuality, and leadership skills combine for a fresh and exciting take on the fantasy adventure."

—Shelf Awareness (starred)

"Fast-paced, brilliantly raunchy, unforgettable. The Pratchett-esque American isekai you didn't know you wanted. My favorite read of the year."—Seanan McGuire, author of Middlegame

"A howlingly funny romp about a lone woman's quest to become the dark lord and her surprisingly endearing minions."—Aliette de Bodard, author of The Red Scholar's Wake

"Django Wexler takes the concept of progression fantasy to a whole new level in this darkly comic delight of a novel. Finding comedic, and sometimes tragic, potential in the absurdities and contradictions offered by well worn fantasy tropes, How to Become a Dark Lord and Die Trying works wonderfully as both satire and tribute."—Anthony Ryan, author of The Pariah

I didn't see that coming!

Great humor memorable characters in a unique main character. If you like the first one you'll definitely like this one .

Excellent series!

Outstanding narrator! The story is fun, fantastical, and clever in its plot and humor! Give it a chance!

I appreciate it for what it is

Far be it from me to tell an author what to write, but I genuinely wish the lore and characters were more fleshed out, and that leaps in logic, weren’t explained away or ignored. I appreciate that Davi eventually learns not to treat people as objects or means to an end, but the tone of the story (and maybe even the tone of the narrator) didn’t quite bring for me. This is written considering the fact that Davi is a person stuck outside of time and has had an extraordinary experience, becoming somewhat of a sociopath after living and dying thousands of times. So, I get it. It’s definitely a me thing and not a dig at the wonderful and talented narrator.

It felt like they were "back on their bullshit," even when they were having moments of growth and trying to do better. We get a great conclusion, but the ending wasn’t graceful, leaving me wanting more and not in the "leave room for mystery" sense, but in a way that felt unfinished.

That said, the overall premise, story, and character dynamics fill in the holes for me. This book, along with the first, has inspired me to explore more of the author’s work. If you’re reading this, I still recommend giving this book a listen.

So good!!!

Just read both books! You will not be disappointed!! Dark Lord Davi is my shero!

so freaking good!

i love everything about this book and the previous book in the series. the only bad thing is that it's ended 😭