Publisher: Head of Zeus (Audiobook – 12 February 2026)
Series: The Tyrant Philosophers – Book Four
Length: 20 hours and 1 minute
My Rating: 5 out 5 stars
The legendary Adrian Tchaikovsky continues to showcase his incredible writing skill with his deeply impressive novel, Pretenders to the Throne of God, an outstanding read that perfectly continues one of his very best series.
Over the last few years, I have fully fallen in love with the writings of Adrian Tchaikvosky, who is honestly one of the best current writers of fantasy and science fiction. Known for his Shadows of the Apt, Children of Time, Echoes of the Fall and Final Architecture series, as well as several awesome standalone novels, Tchaikovsky has a truly outstanding catalogue of works to his name, and there are some true classics captured there. I personally have had the pleasure of reading several of his latest great books, with entries like Service Model (one of my favourite books of 2024), Alien Clay, the novella Orges and the Warhammer 40,000 novel, Day of Ascension (one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels) and the awesome fantasy novel Guns of the Dawn (which I only recently finished), proving to be quite amazing.
While I have had an exceptional time with many of Tchaikovsky’s novels, my favourites are the awesome novels of his Tyrant Philosophers series. This gripping, brilliant and highly amusing series is set in a cool fantasy world filled with magic, gods and demons, all of which are being consumed by the Palleseen, an anti-religious empire of perfection-seeking fanatics who have been conquering the world through elaborate military and diplomatic action. The first three books in the series have been quite exceptional, including City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), Days of Shattered Faith (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2025), as well as the cool novella Lives of Bitter Rain. I really love these elaborate and highly entertaining novels, which made me very excited for the fourth book in the series Pretenders to the Throne of God, one of my most anticipated books of 2026, which very much lived up to all my expectations.
Plot Synopsis:
Arthur C. Clarke winner and Sunday Times bestseller returns to a world steeped in magic – and the Tyrant Philosophers’ campaign to bring reason, logic and ‘perfection’ to it.
Eres Ffenegh – “the City on the Back of a Crab” – is the next state slated for conquest by the Palleseen, but its citizens won’t give up sovereignty easily, and the siege has now dragged into the harsh Eresi winter. The defenders – both locals and Pal renegades – hold an uneasy alliance against the enemy at the gates, while the Pal army is constantly looking over its shoulder for the next self-destructive dictate of their government back home.
Within the city, Devil Jack is the apprentice to the notorious conjurer and bawd known as the Widow, a good man driven to bargaining with hell to get back what he’s lost. Meanwhile Kiffel ea Leachan is the city’s champion, a child of privilege who’s just lost everything to the invaders. We follow the ups and downs of both as they try to survive the siege and make their own destinies in a world that’s cut them loose.
Outside the city, the Pals have been desperately waiting for reinforcements so they can finally take the city, but when new soldiers finally march in with the winter it’s the worst kind of help, enough to damn the entire army.
Tchaikovsky continues to showcase why he is one of the world’s leading authors of unique fantasy fiction with his latest Tyrant Philosophers novel. A wonderful and complex character-driven read, Pretenders to the Throne of God was an outstanding novel that perfectly tells its own story, while also continuing the epic overarching series narrative. Clever, incredibly moving, and featuring some subtle but effective satire, Pretenders to the Throne of God is an exceptional novel that gets a full five-star rating from me.
Even after reading all the previous books in the Tyrant Philosophers series, I honestly was so impressed by how Tchaikovsky pulled this latest distinctive story together. Pretenders to the Throne of God once again sees the bureaucratic, yet effective, armies of the insidious Palleseen trying to recapture the city of Eres Ffenegh. However, between the city’s unique defences, determined citizens, and a group of former Palleseen soldiers sworn to two cults, the Palleseen assault has mostly halted, awaiting the arrival of fresh reinforcements. Told through multiple chapters, each of which generally focus on one point-of-view character who is witnessing the events of the siege unfold from their perspective, Tchaikovsky effectively introduces the setting and the key players in the siege, and you soon get a sense of the chaotic nature of the conflict and the volatile figures on both sides. These initial chapters do a good job of setting up a variety of book-wide story elements, including early introductions to figures who will have a bigger impact later in the plot as side figures in other characters perspective chapters.
The plot of Pretenders to the Throne of God quickly gets into overdrive when unexpected and uncomfortably undead Palleseen reinforcements arrive outside the city. Despite reservations and restrictions, the besiegers make use of their new troops and swiftly gain ground, causing the defenders to make some desperate decisions. Tchaikovsky makes sure to expand on all his character storylines as this plot continues, including in several compelling ‘mosaic’ chapters, which generally surround big events and split the focus across multiple characters as they try to deal with new developments. There are some great character-focused moments built into this part of the plot, with various members of the cast dealing with their own issues or chasing their own desires. This includes the continued torment of Devil Jack, internal politics of the besieged city, the machinations of a leading Palleseen officer, the struggles of isolated Palleseen specialists, and various people discovering how far they’ll go to get back what they have lost.
Everything leads up to a particularly intense and complex final third of Pretenders to the Throne of God, focused on the final days of the siege. Without giving too much away, things inevitably go to hell for all the major characters, as desperation, determination and deceit guide them to their destinies. I love how so many characters take the final steps towards being the people they want or think they should be, and there are some amazing moments built into this final bit of narrative. Tchaikovsky has an even-handed approach to tragedy and happy endings here, with various characters encountering either an ironic conclusion to their story or their ideal fate. The author ensures that the main standalone story of Pretenders to the Throne of God is nicely wrapped up by the end, with all the major character storylines finalised one way or another. At the same time, certain storylines from previous entries in the series are cleverly continued, with various threads remaining for the final upcoming Tyrant Philosopher novel to finalise. All this ensures that readers come out of Pretenders to the Throne of God extremely satisfied, while also remaining curious enough to instantly get the next book when it comes out.
Tchaikovsky ended up using a similar writing style to the previous entries in the Tyrant Philosophers series, which I think works extremely well to convey his elaborate and entertaining narrative. Relying heavily on multiple perspective changes to tell his layered story, Tchaikovsky embarks on providing a deep and personal story, set around a large collection of compelling supporting characters. The author excels at creating elaborate and complex backgrounds for the various protagonists which are worked into the larger plot extremely well, especially as each character has their own unique motivations and damage. All these varied story elements are well woven together into one complex story, and it was fascinating to see all the different figures react to the continually changing events.
Tchaikovsky cleverly altered the tone of Pretenders to the Throne of God multiple times within the course of the story. While there is an easy, compelling and cynical humour to much of this novel, especially when the various characters provide their realistic and sarcastic commentary on events, at times Pretenders to the Throne of God can get quite dark and moody. Much of this is down to Pretenders to the Throne of God being a gritty siege novel, and the desperation of the characters fighting on both sides is heavily evident during the plot. Into this potent mix, Tchaikovsky adds in some intense action sequences, as well as an overlay of intrigue, betrayal and hidden motivations, all of which is quite awesome to see. There is even a moving love story right at the heart of the plot, which, while unique and twisted, adds some real emotional heft to the novel. All this ensures that Pretenders to the Throne of God has an extremely unique feel to it, even compared to the other Tyrant Philosophers novels, and I loved how well the compelling fantasy elements fit with the very human narrative.
Pretenders to the Throne of God works well as both its own distinctive standalone narrative and as a continuation of elements and character-focused storylines from the previous books in the series. Due to how it initially focuses on several central characters stuck in a new setting in the established world, readers can easily come into Pretenders to the Throne of God without any real pre-knowledge of the other Tyrant Philosophers books. However, as the story eventually grows to focus on several major characters from the previous novels, existing Tyrant Philosophers readers will end up appreciating the plot of Pretenders to the Throne of God a little more, as you are a little more familiar with the events that forged them. Much of this prior character history is cleverly reintroduced throughout the course of Pretenders to the Throne of God, so new readers can also appreciate the continued personal arcs and storylines very easily. The author also features references to events from the previous books throughout Pretenders to the Throne of God, and readers will find it fascinating to see how certain decisions or plots from the recurring characters, such as religious conversion in House of Open Wounds, wider rebellion against the Palleseen and the continued tragedy of a certain former priest, continue to be explored here.
One of the big highlights of Pretenders to the Throne of God is the elaborate setting for his compelling narrative. While the book is set in the same fantasy world as the other Tyrant Philosophers novels, much of the action occurs around the newly introduced and besieged city of Eres Ffenegh. An ancient city of gods and the sea located on top of the body of a long-dead crab god, Eres Ffenegh is currently under attack from the Palleseen, with various factions within the city, both new and old, struggle to work together to defend it. Tchaikovsky excelled at introducing the various unique elements of Eres Ffenegh with some deep dives into its history and culture, all of which bleeds into the plot. In many ways Eres Ffenegh felt like its distinctive character of the book, with an understanding of its people, their mindset, and the city’s relationship to the rest of the world, vital to appreciating the full plot of Pretenders to the Throne of God. Tchaikovsky cleared had fun developing the many quirky and unique features of Eres Ffenegh, and this ended up being a particularly compelling fantasy setting, which added a lot to the wider book.
I also must highlight Tchaikovsky’s excellent continued use of the villainous Palleseen, who serve as the series’ main antagonistic group. Ideological zealots often bound by their own rules and processes as they slowly and greedily try to take over the world, all the books in this series are dedicated to examining their methods and serves as a humorous critique of militarisation and empire building. Pretenders to the Throne of God once again features the Palleseen as an occupying force as they attempt to reconquer Eres Ffenegh. However, thanks to the events of the previous novels, many of the foreign magic and occult practices they co-opted as weapons, such as necromancy and demonology, are at risk of being designated as imperfect, with potential dire consequences for the Palleseen soldiers who specialise in them. It has been very fun to see the slow decline of the mighty and insatiable Palleseen over the last few books, and the continued symptoms of their unsustainable growth and continually narrowing definition of perfection has been a fantastic ongoing storyline. Tchaikovsky works these elements into the plot of Pretenders to the Throne of God perfectly, especially when it comes to the various Palleseen characters, who come to fear their own side more than their opponents in the siege. Not only does this add to the drama for half the cast but it also serves as an insightful critique of militaristic and fascist governments and how they always turn on each other. I look forward to seeing how the various storylines about the Palleseen come to an end in the final Tyrant Philosophers’ novel, and it has been a real treat to see how Tchaikovsky has utilised them.
Another key aspect of Pretenders to the Throne of God that I need to highlight are the incredible characters featured throughout this story. Tchaikovsky loads this novel with an outstanding array of complex or damaged characters who are the true highlight of the plot thanks to their collective dark histories and layered motivations. The sheer range of different characters in this novel is very impressive, with a combination of local inhabitants of the city, newcomers determined to defend it for their own reasons, the invading Palleseen, and others who have their own complex motivations for being there, which Tchaikovsky explores in detail.
Some highlights of the cast include Kiffe lea Leachan, Eres Ffenegh’s current champion, who finds herself at a moral crossroads when her magical sword that allowed her to be a great fighter is destroyed. Disgraced and caught up in despair, Kiffe is forced to fight between her natural meekness and determination to regain the thing that made her special by any means necessary. Kiffe is well matched by Nieve a Galeaff, a fixer for one of the city’s leaders, who not only serves as a cynical buffer to the more naïve Kiffe but provides one of the more interesting perspectives of the Eres Ffenegh’s defenders, as she tries to hold the city together. Other highlights include the damaged or insane leaders of the two former Palleseen religious cults that have taken up residence in Eres Ffenegh. This includes the Mouth of the Sea; one cult’s conflicted second in command who will be very familiar to fans of the second Tyrant Philosopher’s novel. There is also the quite entertaining Abellaime, better known as The Widow. A dangerous conjurer, Abellaime serves as a dark temptress for many characters in the city, while also manipulating events for her own designs, and in many ways is a more dangerous villain than the Palleseen.
In addition to the defenders of Eres Ffenegh, Tchaikovsky spends a good chunk of the novel focused on the Palleseen army besieging the army, especially the members of an officer’s club known as the Heretics. Made up of several specialists with controversial fields of study, the Heretics prove to be fun characters as they reluctantly fight for an empire that is likely to brand them imperfect and expendable any day. Their alternating perspective of the novel, as well as their weariness and damage from previous wars, make the associated Heretics quite fascinating to follow, and their storyline was one of the more intense and interesting in the book. However, my favourite Palleseen character had to be Fellow-Archivist Dantell, the second in command of the regiment and a self-serving schemer who serves as one of the main antagonists of the book. Known as ‘the Stoat’ for her sneaky and backstabbing behaviour, Dantell was a highly entertaining figure who attempts to outthink and manipulate every other character in the book, with mixed effects. A wonderfully sinister schemer who perfectly showcases the larger issues of the Palleseen in her actions and personality, Tchaikovsky clearly enjoyed writing Dantell, and I felt she had one of the more amusing storylines in the book.
While all these characters are amazing and intricate in their own ways, the best and most emotionally compelling character in Pretenders to the Throne of God had to be that of Devil Jack. The closest thing this series has to a main character, Jack has appeared in all four novels so far with a different name or occupation each time, starting off as a priest to a selfish fallen god. Much of the series has focussed on his struggle to escape his past and find a better life. This latest novel sees Jack at his very lowest, having lost his demon lover and one chance of happiness in the previous novel. Determined to do the impossible and bring her back, Jack apprentices himself to the Widow to learn all about conjuring and demonology, while the Widow attempts to corrupt him in turn. Tchaikovsky writes an impressive narrative about Jack’s despair and desperation in Pretenders to the Throne of God, as he attempts to hold onto his humanity while trying to recover his lost love. You really get drawn into his emotionally charged inner battle, and Tchaikovsky writes some fascinating scenes and interactions with the other characters, such as the unlikely friendship he forms with Kiffe. I personally loved the scene where he meets his former god once again, with the two continuing to influence each other in entertaining and complex ways. This was one of the most heartfelt appearances of Jack in the series yet, and he was the perfect highpoint Pretenders to the Throne of God’s other exceptional characters.
As with most big fantasy novels, I ended up listening to the audiobook version of Pretenders to the Throne of God, which turned out to be an awesome way to enjoy this incredible book. Coming in with a decent runtime of 20 hours, the Pretenders to the Throne of God audiobook is a bit of a longer listen, however, it is worth it, as this format really helps to capture the elaborate nature of Tchaikovsky’s narrative, as well as the multiple complicated characters within. Hearing the story read out really helps me absorb more of the book’s impressive detail, and I found myself more easily dropping into the besieged city and witnessing the various interactions between the characters.
Much of the impact associated with Pretenders to the Throne of God’s audiobook is due to the excellent voice work of David Thorpe, who has previously narrated the other Tyrant Philosophers audiobooks. Thorpe has a real knack for bringing Tchaikovsky’s unique style and characters to life with his voice work, especially as he constantly matches the tone of the various scenes perfectly. Not only does Thorpe always land the book’s subtle humour and sarcastic observations in every scene, but the more serious and tragic moments are given the solemnity and emotional depth they deserve. Thorpe also has an incredible array of voices for the various characters of Pretenders of the Throne of God, and I loved some of the fun and unique tones he attributed to some of the more supernatural creatures in the plot. I personally appreciated how Thorpe brought back several voices from the previous entries in the series, and it was great to get this continuity. At the same time, the various new voices were also extremely good, with the tones always matching the personalities of their respective characters. Thorpe also showcased a real talent for pronouncing the over-the-top names, titles and other unique words that Tchaikovsky invented for his fantasy world, and I loved how authentic the Pretenders to the Throne of God audiobook felt, as it was clear that Thorpe was really putting in the effort. All this makes for quite an exceptional listen, and I loved every single second I spent listening to Pretenders to the Throne of God.
Thanks to his captivating and layered narrative, great characters, and wonderful storytelling, Adrian Tchaikovsky once again impresses with Pretenders to the Throne of God. An exceptional continuation to the Tyrant Philosophers series, Pretenders to the Throne of God was so damn good, and I honestly couldn’t get enough of this outstanding read. One of my favourite novels of the year so far, Pretenders to the Throne of God comes very highly recommended, and I cannot wait to read more from Tchaikovsky this year, especially with his next novel, Green City Wars, nearly here.
