The Orphan's King

The Orphan’s Code, Book 1

By: C.R.R. Hillin

Narrated by: Danni Deguire

A richly crafted debut from a strong new voice in fantasy. Book one in The Orphan's Code gives us fierce, relatable characters, and a noble quest to root for. You will remember C.R.R. Hillin.

HE CAME FROM NOTHING.

With sheer force of will, Kayo’s brother Liam managed to crawl from the gutters and free himself from parents who treated him like a slave, an orphanage that treated him like a prisoner, and an entire city that turned their backs on him. From nothing, he rose to become a vigilante who brought justice to the corrupt and greedy when no one else would, wielding fire and steel to give everyone, from the city guard to the tyrant king, what they deserved. He stood up for the poor, the outcast, and the downtrodden, and they crowned him as the Beggar’s King.

But now he’s gone. And Kayo, who comes from less than nothing, can’t take his place–even if he wanted to.

Which he doesn’t.

AND SO DID SHE.

She never had a name, or a home, or a family. She never needed one. But then an opportunity falls–literally–into her lap, and a group of outcasts just like her offer her a home. They even give her a name: Rose.

That nameless girl would have robbed them blind and left them to starve or be captured. But Rose…that’s someone new. And as the king cracks down on the city around her, Rose sees a chance to save the legacy of the Beggar’s King and bring back to life the only man the king ever feared.

©2025 C.R.R. Hillin (P)2025 C.R.R. Hillin

Good with too much petulant street kid.

Rose's distrust and belligerence gets annoying and drags out for way too long. I'm nine hours in and her attitude has barely changed at all. Other than that, I like the story so far, but that one aspect, dragging on and on, is annoying enough to have made me stop listening a few times. The narrator does a great job all around.