This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me

Outlander meets Game of Thrones in this blockbuster new epic fantasy series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author duo Ilona Andrews.

When Maggie wakes up cold, filthy, and naked in a gutter, it doesn't take her long to recognize Kair Toren, a city she knows intimately from the pages of the famously unfinished dark fantasy series she's been obsessively reading and re-reading while waiting years for the final novel.

Her only tools for navigating this gritty world of rival warlords, magic, and mayhem? Her encyclopedic knowledge of the plot, the setting, and the characters' ambitions and fates. But while she quickly discovers she cannot be killed (though many will try!), the same cannot be said for the living, breathing characters she's coming to love—a motley band that includes a former lady’s maid, a deadly assassin, various outrageous magical creatures, and a dangerously appealing soldier. Soon, instead of trying to get home, she finds herself enmeshed in the schemes—and attentions—of dueling princes, dukes, and villains, all while trying to save them and the kingdom of Rellas from the way she knows their stories will end: in a cataclysmic war.

For fans of Samantha Shannon, Danielle L. Jensen, Sarah J. Maas, and isekai and portal fantasy, This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me is the beginning of the most epic adventure yet from genre powerhouse author duo Ilona Andrews.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books

Absolutely LOVED this book!

This is one of my favorite books of 2026 so far. I wasn't really sure what to expect going in and I'm really glad that I got to experience everything without knowing what to expect. It is only fair to say that I am already a huge fan of the Andrews writing duo, so I pretty much knew that this new series was going to be interesting. It did not disappoint.

The premise is so unique. We are introduced to FMC Maggie after she goes to sleep in her own bed in Austin, Texas but wakes up naked and cold in a new and VERY unexpected place. She has landed right smack in the middle of the city of Kair Toren - the mythical city from her favorite fantasy book series.

She quickly realizes that she is actually really there - in the city she knows backwards and forwards - seeing how she is a massive fan of the books. She has reread the series so much that she practically remembers everything from the specific histories of the major characters to everything that is going to happen to them, and to the city, in the "future".

She decides that in order to make enough money to survive, she is going to utilize her knowledge - becoming an "information broker". She also decides that she is going to do her very best to save the city from the events that occurred in the first 2 books. At the end of the second book, the city had descended into civil war with thousands of people killed. Unfortunately, the author never came out with the third book so she doesn't know how things were going to be resolved.

The only thing that she is worried about is the fact that changing the "now" is going to impact the "future" and once that starts, the events that she knows about are going to to be different from what she knows.

I really enjoyed this entire book. I liked Maggie as a FMC, she is the perfect amount of smart and determined, without being a perfect Mary Sue. She makes a lot of mistakes, but she also makes some brilliant decisions that move her in directions that she could have never imagined - putting her in the orbit of some of the most important and powerful people - even though that wasn't necessarily her intention.

There are also a fantastic group of secondary characters who were expertly fleshed out - Solentine, Everard, Clover, the Magnars.....and that is just skimming the surface.

I alternated between listening to the audio version and reading the print version. Kristen Sieh was a "new to me" narrator and she did a wonderful job with the narration.

I do have to mention that the book ends with a cliffhanger. A HUGE cliffhanger. I was definitely not expecting that. Ugh.

For their first foray into the Epic Fantasy genre, I commend the Andrews family for knocking this debut novel out of the park. I just wish that i didn't have to wait another year for the second book to come out :(

can't wait for the next book!!

loved the story, character development, and plot. Great world building as well. Can't wait for the next book!

Amazing!

IA books are some of my favorites because the writing is so good! The world building is fantastic. The characters have depth and I feel like I know them. The storyline is interesting from the beginning and continues to keep me wanting more. There are some big plot twists, which I love!

This is my first time listening to this narrator and I think she did a great job!

New favorite book

The audio does the book justice and the book itself has toppled my previous favorite. If I could rate 7/5 I would

Great characters and fantasy land.

A nap opens a gateway to a familiar local with characters you know well.
Landing in a dirty river and bitten by a red fox like thing begins an adventure tale that can change history.
Are you ready?
This is well written and an enjoyable tale.
Then ending leaves you wanting more… and quickly!!