I am always on the lookout for a good ghost/demon hunter fantasy story and I am thrilled to have finally found a good one.

The worldbuilding was rich and interesting. The narrative was interesting with the right amount of action. I liked the characters but did not find them quite as compelling as they could have been. The magic, monsters and world were easily the best parts.

This is currently listed as a standalone on Goodreads but I really hope there is more to come in this universe. I would recommend this one to anyone looking for a fresh fantasy story.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Ambitious Phi Hunter and perpetual lone wolf, Ex, finds his road to glory interrupted when a heavily pregnant runaway enlists his help to escape through the ghost-infected forest…

Really well-written. I loved the characters and the dynamic between them. The world building was also really well-done. Loved it!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the early arc! I know very little about Thai folklore, and this is the first time I've read a book about it, but I'm eager to hear and read more. Pretty fast-paced plot with some good action scenes involving demon slaying. I really enjoyed this novel, and Ex's inner monologue was extremely entertaining. Really Arinya as character and she was funny as well.


#NetGalley #Arc

What a book, full of magic and action. I really enjoyed this novel. Full of lavish descriptions and nothing left to the imagination, this book was not only pleasing storyline wise but pleasing aesthetically too. The descriptions and world building created such imagery it was a fantastic read.
I loved the direction of the story too and the character developments had me hooked. It was a thrilling read that immensely enjoyed

Ex, the youngest member of the Phi Hunters Order. The Order kills ghosts and demons within the Suyoram Kingdom, and Ex has spent much of his life doing so. He's is good at what he does, returning the bones of people killed to their villages/families, but he's not satisfied. He wants to kill Shar-Ala, a powerful demon who can evoke nightmares and madness in humans. (Others in the Phi Hunters Order are convinced that Ex is deluding himself that this demon even exists.)

While stopping in a village after a successful hunt, and getting his ass kicked, Ex is saved by Arinya, a muay-boran champion, who also is close to delivering her baby. Arinya convinces Ex to escort her through the dangerous, spirit-filled forest, to Mali, a midwife and magic practitioner. Arinya knows that her unborn child is a powerful lure to the undead, and wants a way to prevent the corruption of her baby's soul.

Though unwilling to perform the powerful magic initially, Mali convinces Ex to protect the baby temporarily using a mystical birth gem. As they continue to travel after, Ex discovers Arinya has assassins after her, and they are attacked repeatedly. Also, he gets the strong sensation that Shar-Ala is near.

Meanwhile, we meet Narissa, a phi who has been keeping her urges to eat a human in check for many years as she wants the god Indrajit's pardon, which entails transforming her back into a human.

Ex, Arinya and Narissa are all looking for things, whether a powerfully improved reputation in Ex's case, safety for herself and her baby for Arinya, and a return to life for Narissa. These three characters, despite the many problems and dangers they face, have a lightness to them, which was a little surprising but welcome. I assumed that this story would be filled with darkness and grim purpose, which it is, but there is also so much humour amid the terrifying monsters and scheming, evil humans.

Ex is somewhat callow at the start of the novel, and he also loves being alone. But he is forced to contend with things that make him uncomfortable once Arinya enters his life. Her societal status, while a surprise to Ex, causes him to vow to keep her safe. Their travels together are critical to changing their minds about each other, and this really helps Ex develop. He never loses the urge to be flippant in the face of most situations, including deadly ones, but now he's taking on threats for a reason greater than just getting a fancy new badge from his Order.

The worldbuilding was nicely done. There is a tremendous amount of history and stakes to deliver over the course of the novel, and author Salinee Goldenberg keeps things moving well. I never felt that I had to take a periodic 5-page stop just to learn about phis, or the Order, or what was at stake if Ex could not keep Arinya and the baby safe. Also, Narissa's situation and needs were clearly laid out, and though her quest was personal, unlike Ex's eventual, larger pursuit, I felt great sympathy for her, and never felt like the story stalled each time the story cut to her.

I had a lot of fun in this world and with these characters. I was surprised, amused, worried about the fates of the characters, intrigued by the phi and the mythology of the world, and overall entertained by this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Angry Robot for this ARC in exchange for my review.

This was my first Thai mythology/fantasy book and let me tell you, it hooked me right from the first hunt scene! The action was paced so well and allowed the reader to digest the world with a perfect balance of show and tell. Loved this one!! Such a refreshing voice in fantasy too.

An absolutely fantastic thrill ride of a fantasy novel! I found myself fully immersed in this story and I love the way the dragons were used in it. This book grips you from the first chapter and has you looking forward to the next one~! I would absolutely recommend this for anyone who is looking for a fantasy book that will completely take you into it's world!

This was such an excellent read! I genuinely enjoyed this book so much.

It was great to see an SEA culture represented in a fantasy novel with folklore, religion, and mythology, together with the clashing of progress and advancement. As a teacher of Religious Studies, I really valued seeing how Hanuman and his people were represented, for example. The richness of the worldbuilding is what really tips this book into 5 stars for me. There was just so much going on, and I would love to see more of this world!

The main character, Ex, did some growing up throughout the book, which was great to see. I loved the progression. Even when he met one phi that tried to impart a lesson to him, he did not take it to heart, which led to some of his later troubles. But as the book progressed, his maturity began to show.

The pacing was pretty good, especially for a debut novel! There were a few instances where it was a bit slow, but overall it captured my interest, and I didn't want to stop reading.

I really do highly recommend this book, especially if you want to breakaway from traditional Western style fantasy.

The Last Phi Hunter is a demon-slayer fantasy inspired by Thai folklore and is equal parts engaging, epic, and entertaining.

My favourite aspect of this book is definitely the main character, Ex, who is a demon hunter on a mission to kill a legendary Phi, Sha-Ala, to earn his hunter badge and increase his position in the Order. He was so funny and was always getting himself caught up in trouble, which, alongside reading about his epic journey and abilities, made this book super engaging! This book is definitely character driven, but not at the expense of the interesting magic system and mythology!

I also really enjoyed the inspiration from Thai folklore in The Last Phi Hunter! It was interesting to learn about all of the different demonic creatures; it was seamlessly embedded into the story and well explained! I would definitely be interested in reading more Thai-inspired stories!

The romance was perhaps a little rushed. I think it could either have been more developed, or just left out altogether! The world and plot was interesting enough to stand by itself without the romance!

I’m unsure if this is supposed to be a standalone or if there are plans for any further books; I think the ending was left so that there was potential for more and I would definitely pick up the next book if that was the case!

I was really anticipating this one and sadly it kinda got away from me about halfway through. I found myself not really interested in the characters romance subplot as there was little chemistry between them.
I was most interested in the lore and little side pieces we got and wish there was more of that.
The ending set up nicely for a sequel but I'm not sure I'm invested enough to stick around for it.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy !

Thank you to @netgalley and @gosalgo for giving me an Arc of this for an honest review!

This is a non-spoiler review:
I gave this 3.5 but added .5 for it being a debut. I'm partial to some compensation when I come across an Authors Debut because support authors! If you're a fan of The Witcher series I think this would be right up your alley, it completely captures it's own original idea and takes Thai mythology to a level I've never come across before - I love seeing different culture mythologies expressed in Fantasy novels and this was a first for me. I appreciate Saline for sharing their knowledge of Thai culture through this book.

I thought it was really well paced throughout, the last 20% felt a tad rushed with a few built up moments throughout the story condensed into 2-3 sentences. An extra 75- 100 pages flushed out the rushed-ness I felt could of made this a solid 4 to 5 star for me!

I felt like the author managed to perfectly capture making an expansive world but writing a self contained story within that world, which I thought was amazing. It's something I love to read when getting to know a world. I would love to learn more about this world and it's systems in another book, not necessarily following Ex and Arinya but would love to see them team up again for sure!

Overall very solid debut though! I would love to see more from S. Goldenberg in the future.

It’s funny; as I was telling my husband about this book and how much I was really enjoying the immersive read, I got curious about the author. I couldn’t help but chuckle as I read her bio because my enjoyment of this book just got an “aha” moment. Come to find out she worked with two of my all-time favorite video games – Fallout and Skyrim. I would totally play a game with her world as the base and it would be vivid, dark, and full of the creatures (and people) of nightmares. Some of my favorite aspects of the book was the Everpresent, how it changed Ex’s appearance and the long history of the Phi hunters that is old & obscure even to their oldest members.

I had a grand time reading Ex’s story and enjoyed the hero of the story not being infallible, a little awkward with people but totally at home in the forest and with animals, and often at the tail end of Arinya’s jests. I would have enjoyed learning more about Arinya from her own POV and a dual POV would have been interesting. The romantic aspect in the book added to the book for once, rather than being a distraction or detracting from world/character building. I wasn’t sure initially how I would feel about Arinya being pregnant in the book because it’s definitely not one of my favorites. In this case, it proved to bring more to the story than I anticipated and in a positive way for the story. I had a lot of fun looking up the Phi that I was unfamiliar with or had seen but didn’t know the name of. Narissa and the Hound were my favorite side characters and I enjoyed learning more about them towards the close of the book. Speaking of the close of the book, I did eventually come to terms with how the fight with the true demon Shar-Ala ended and it had an unexpected twist.

This book reminded me of The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski and if you enjoyed that series (or the show) then I highly recommend giving this book a go. I would like to thank Angry Robot Books for the opportunity to read this stunning Thai fantasy and I can only hope that there is more where this came from. The close of the book could also provide a sequel and if that comes to fruition I would definitely read it. Achievement unlocked for Salinee for this fantastic fantasy debut. Rounded from 4.5 stars.

The Last Phi Hunter by Salinee Goldenberg (@gosalgo), is a mythic dark fantasy, equal parts smart, exhilarating, and delightfully fun. It examines identity, loneliness and forbidden love, in a stunning world with Thai demon folklore.

I really liked reading this book. I loved the Thai & Southeast Asia inspired world building and the lore. The writing was really vibrant and the characters were both dark and funny. I really liked our MC Ex, who is very loveable.

If I had one complain it would be that towards the end I was a little bit confused but thankfully the ending was satisfying.

In The Last Phi Hunter we follow Ex, an ambitious young Phi hunter on his way to slay a legendary demon when he meets Arinya, a pregnant runaway, who hires him for escort through the spirit-filled forest. But she has dangerous secrets, and now he’s fighting not only monsters, but assassins, necromancers and even worse, falling in love.

First off, this cover? Absolutely incredible. I know, I know, "don't judge a book by its cover," but that's hard to do when you have a cover <i>this</i> good.

Was I letdown after putting so much stock into the cover? Well, no. While I didn't love this book, there is a lot of very cool stuff to it and a lot to appreciate, so let's get into that.

Based on Thai mythology, the worldbuilding and the folklore of this book were absolute standouts. The setting was immersive and vibrant, and I loved all of the demons and lore.

And the plot of the story itself was a lot of fun too! It's an adventure novel, a road novel, and there are twists and danger and - it's just a fun ride, I don't know how I can put it better than that.

Where the book fell down a bit for me was in its characters. I get their arcs, but I never felt particularly connected to the characters. I don't know if it was the writing, but I just felt that I could never get a good grasp on their characterizations and motivations beyond the surface level stuff.

Overall, a fun and creative read, and sometimes, that's all you need.

<i>Thank you to the publisher, Angry Robot, and to NetGalley for the ARC.</i>

Thank you to Netgalley and Angry Robot for allowing me to read this e-book in exchange for an honest review

3.5

Three things fascinated me about this book: the title, the cover, and the plot. The first is basic: who is a phi hunter, and why would Ex be the last? The cover does not need many explanations but only to be admired. Maybe the gold framing is a bit over the top. However, as someone unfamiliar with design, this is just a personal observation. The last, but not the least, is the plot. I don’t see many stories based on Thai folklore, and I couldn’t help but take the opportunity to request this book to get to know the world of Ex.

The plot, which is interwoven with Thai folklore, is the real highlight of the book. The author has crafted a truly captivating and original storyline that I'm eager to explore. The environment presented in the story integrates smoothly with the folkloric elements, merging the two worlds seamlessly. The Everpresent - the realm of spirits and magic that simmered between the threads of the physical world and the deva’s - is the most developed part of the story. You can see it very well as you read the novel: the setting, the monsters, the enemies, and the obstacles on the path are all elements that keep the reader glued to the reading of this novel wanting to find out what lies behind.

What further enhances this story is its main character, Ex: sometimes as a playful boy while other times as an experienced adult, Ex is the center of the narrative. His goal is to hunt down Shar-Ala, an ancient phi whose defeat would bring him unparalleled prestige as the youngest hunter to achieve such a feat. However, Ex's journey is not straightforward, as he encounters various obstacles and discovers unexpected secrets along the way, including those involving his co-protagonist, Arinya. She is a court concubine, flees from the palace for undisclosed reasons, and crosses paths with Ex, who eventually aids her in her quest. What sets Arinya apart is her unique circumstance of being a pregnant woman thrust into unfamiliar territory, yet demonstrating remarkable resilience as she navigates through challenges. While I wished for more insight into her perspective, her adaptability and courage are evident throughout the story.

Even so, I found the dynamics between the main characters initially unsettling, perhaps due to the unconventional aspect of a romantic connection between Ex and a pregnant Arinya, or possibly due to the way the author portrayed their relationship. The ambiguity surrounding Ex's feelings and Arinya's responses added to this sense of unease, making the beginning of their relationship less enjoyable for me.

As for Narissa, a secondary character, I struggled to grasp her purpose in the narrative. While she seemed to have a backstory, her role felt peripheral and left me wondering why her character was introduced if she remained on the fringes of the story.

In terms of female protagonists, while they had valid reasons driving their actions, I felt their characterization fell short. Arinya's potential for a more significant impact on the story seemed underexplored and Narissa's presence left me puzzled. Perhaps it was just me who missed the nuances of their roles in the narrative.

My main criticism is the ending, which felt a bit rushed. The swift resolution of the court conspiracy left me wanting more depth, and the abrupt conclusion left me feeling unsatisfied. It’s as if all the work that Ex did wasn’t enough to show how serious the situation was and how there should be a way of communication and not a continuous closure on traditions. However, the epilogue hints at possible sequels that will hopefully further explore the rich world and characters introduced in this book.

To summarise, this book offers a unique and captivating journey into Thai folklore, with a protagonist who directs the reader into the spirit world of Thai folklore.

Unfortunately, I gave up reading this book and I regret it. I didn't find the characters deep enough and I wasn't carried away by th plot.
Sadly it's a DNF :(
too bad, I liked the dark Fantasy mood but was not into the principal character

It’s been so long since I’ve actually sat down to write a review that I feel like I don’t know how to do it anymore. But this book has been on my radar for a while and I was very glad to receive both the eARC and the audio arc, so I am excited to have finally finished this and can’t wait to share my thoughts on it, however rustic my words might seem.

The first draw for me about this book was that gorgeous cover, with so much intricate gold detailing and then the thought of reading my first Thai folklore inspired fantasy book was very exciting. And turns out I was right to pick this up. The author creates a very vivid and lived in world full of demons and ghosts (phi in this case) who are stuck in their endless hunger due to their past sins and can’t escape the karmic cycle & the guild of phi hunters who take their job very seriously and train extensively to be able to hunt the monsters that hurt people, but are increasingly losing favor in a world which is becoming more modern and eschewing their existence as superstition. The way the phi are described in their gory detail was pretty gruesome to read about, and getting to know the details about how phi come to be and the different kinds of phi that can exist was very interesting. I was also delighted to see the crossovers between Thai folklore and Indian mythology, especially with mentions of devas and Vanaras and more. The writing is pretty easy to breeze through despite the underlying mythology being unknown to me, and despite the explicitly gory bits, the story felt much more slice of life and character exploration than a fast paced adventure.

That’s not to say the adventure isn’t present. Ex, our protagonist is the youngest phi hunter in the guild and determined to kill a true demon, which many believe is just a myth. He is young and brash and impulsive, socially awkward and pretty naive, but definitely good at his job. The author does a nice job balancing out all his characteristics, while also delving into the inherent loneliness of his vocation, and how it materializes in him really bonding with his horses and his hunting partner, the Hound.

It’s not surprising he falls for Arinya when she is beautiful and fierce in equal measure, letting him experience the kind of companionship that he never had before. Her survival instincts seem to be top notch, so it’s actually surprising why she too starts being a bit impulsive after her bonding with Ex. To be honest, their relationship was the most unconvincing part of the book because I felt we didn’t get enough time to delve into their feelings, and it was too quick to declare undying love for each other. Narissa on the other hand is a phi living while impersonating a human, hoping to achieve redemption for her sins, and it was actually so intriguing to understand her perspective in this narrative. While their interactions felt too limited, I wish we had instead gotten more time with Ex and Narissa trying to understand each other and realizing that while they are supposed to be enemies, they have too much in common as well. We only get very limited POV of the Hound but let me tell you, impressed I was.

Overall, this is an excellent fantasy book to pick up if you want to explore a new world of mythology/folklore and it will suck you in with its impressive writing and very intricate world building. While the characters may frustrate you a bit, and the payoff of the action wasn’t always worth the build up, I enjoyed my time reading this book and just wanted to know more about everything that inspired this story. I also listening to the audiobook for the most part and the narrator David Lee Huynh does a wonderful immersive job, letting me feel like a part of this world. Can’t wait to see if the author writes another story in this setting, coz I would love to know more.

I like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this really fun debut!

The summary is pretty apt: guy is a merc, but dabbles in magic that allows him to drift into another realm where creatures like to hide. He is young (twenties?), pretty, uncultured to an extent, and solitary. He is the type of guy who has acquaintances over friends. Sometimes his mouth talks before his brain can think. Overall, a good guy... just cheeky.

He meets our female lead, who is about to give birth. Torn between delivering her to the Palace (because she is an offered concubine to the current ruler) and continuing on his quest to take down a big bad he has his eye on he says the famed 'why not both', and decides to deliver her on the quest to get rid of this big bad.

Problem is, things don't go the way you expect. Detours, love, and people after him because sorcerers / magic wielders are a no-no.

I really, really enjoyed my time here. I liked the people, I liked the main character and his way of viewing the world and his life. I liked the plot. However, I wanted more world building. More depth to the characters - their backstories and other things going on through the kingdom and what could be setting up for Book 2 (I assume there is a book two?).

If you like shows like Mysterious Lotus Casebook, The Blood of Youth, with shades of The Witcher, Aladdin, then you're gonna have fun with this!

The Last Phi Hunter set up a very unique world based on Thai folklore, shared through the lenses of the two main characters Ex and Arinya. Ex is a demon/ ghost hunter who is on a mission to kill a legendary monster Sha-Ala to gain his badge and increase his ranking in the Hunters Order. Arinya enters his path by way of saving his life (while also heavily pregnant by the way! I’m not a fan of the pregnancy trope so i was nervous about that going in, but it didn’t bother me much. i loved the witty banter between these two and Ex’s internal monologue had me dying of laughter. the atmosphere and world building with the many spirits and monsters was so fascinating as well. i was pleasantly surprised by what the author managed to accomplish with this debut.

This is by far my favorite book of 2024! Salinee Goldenberg is an incredibly talented author! This book had everything you need want! Demons, loveable characters, a villan, forbidden love and adventure.

I loved that the demons are basted on demons from various folklore and of course I had to google each one. As I read I could picture the whole story in my mind and this only happens in truly exceptional books!

I hope you write more Salinee!