Long Live Evil

By: Sarah Rees Brennan

Narrated by: Moira Quirk

This adult epic fantasy debut from Sarah Rees Brennan puts the listener in the villain's shoes, for an adventure that is both "brilliant" (Holly Black) and "supremely satisfying" (Leigh Bardugo). Expect a rogue's gallery of villains including an axe wielding maid, a shining knight with dark moods, a homicidal bodyguard, and a playboy spymaster with a golden heart and a filthy reputation.

When her whole life collapsed, Rae still had books. Dying, she seizes a second chance at living: a magical bargain that lets her enter the world of her favorite fantasy series.

She wakes in a castle on the edge of a hellish chasm, in a kingdom on the brink of war. Home to dangerous monsters, scheming courtiers and her favourite fictional character: the Once and Forever Emperor. He’s impossibly alluring, as only fiction can be. And in this fantasy world, she discovers she's not the heroine, but the villainess in the Emperor's tale.

So be it. The wicked are better dressed, with better one-liners, even if they're doomed to bad ends. She assembles the wildly disparate villains of the story under her evil leadership, plotting to change their fate. But as the body count rises and the Emperor's fury increases, it seems Rae and her allies may not survive to see the final moment.

THIS IS A TALE FOR EVERYONE WHO’S EVER FALLEN FOR THE VILLAIN…

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2024 Sarah Rees Brennan (P)2024 Orbit

Critic reviews

"Funny, audacious, and supremely satisfying, Long Live Evil is the chosen one we've been waiting for. It succeeds as both a brilliant meditation on the pleasures and perils of fiction, and a sweeping, romantic adventure in its own right. Get ready to laugh out loud, cry in public, and cheer on the villains as S.R. Brennan smashes through tropes with witty, wild glee in this delicious, subversive treat of a book."—Leigh Bardugo, New York Times bestselling author of Ninth House

"Brennan’s brilliant Long Live Evil harnesses clever banter, delightful turns of phrase, and epic backdrops in the service of exploring the nature of stories and the freedom that comes with embracing being named a villain—and maybe actually becoming one. Most of all, it introduces us to Rae, who uses her quick-thinking, loyalty, and ferocity to sidestep (and do the occasional musical number around) doom."—Holly Black, New York Times bestselling author of Book of Night

"Utterly brilliant. I can’t stop thinking about Long Live Evil, which has rocketed to the top of my list of all time favorite fantasy novels. Pick this up immediately, S.R. Brennan will take everything you think you know about fantasy and turn it on its head."—C. S. Pacat, New York Times bestselling author of Dark Rise

good God I hope there's a book 2

sweet Jesus Lord where is the next one, I'm foaming at the mouth over here.

OMG

Such a good book. I’m so angry it’s over. I need more. Hopefully she will write a sequel.

Beautiful original story

It’s a fantastic, fulfilling story. The plot twist is surprisingly bittersweet! I loved every twist and turn that had me ugly crying.

Across worlds

I love seeing modern times mixed in this fantasy story. It created many moments of laughter and made the characters more endearing. There better be a part two.

The humor and twists

Amazing performance! This book is full of adventures and twists. Also super funny! You will not regret entering the Time of Iron world. It is quite a ride.

A Fantasy for Any Fandom!

This is a delightful romp through quest archetypes and their hilarious and heartbreaking subversion!! Sarah Rees Bennan does a remarkable job yet again!!

This was really good

I honestly wasn’t expecting this to be as good as it was. I thoroughly enjoyed it. My only thing that was a bit annoying is a few times the story dragged and there isn’t any real spice. But overall the story was good and the character was fun. I’m looking forward to book 2 and will recommend this book.

Wow!

Amazing work! I love that the book makes you look death in the face and understand the how desperate people are to avoid it. I love the love story (lover wise, sisterly, and friendship). Great narration in the accents and portraying the various characters.

Funny & Quirky

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book that just entertained me from the start. The plot of the story was like something I’ve never read before. The banter between characters was hilarious and the constant Easter eggs to the real world always made me giggle. Such a fun read!

I know it's a good book because I'm so mad

I don't think I understood the term "underrated" until now. This book had me on it's hook immediately and through the whole story, even the world building. How am I not hearing about this story on the level I hear about ACOTAR or Fourth Wing? This hit all the beats of earning people's trust to wild accusations to redemption arcs. I was riding this roller coaster with my hands in the air then the drop happened and the drop is a cliff hanger and /I need to know what happens/. I know the isekai (going to another world) genre isn't new and I have read a hundred versions of it but I don't think any of them have riled me up as much as this one did. This better have a sequel, so help me.