Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

4.5 (37)
$17.99
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Product details

Web ID: 19875954

This adult epic fantasy debut from Sarah Rees Brennan puts the reader in the villain s shoes, for an adventure that is both brilliant (Holly Black) and supremely satisfying (Leigh Bardugo). Expect a rogue 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 favorite 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 page. This is a tale for everyone who's ever fallen for the villain.

  • Product Features

    • Sarah Rees Brennan (Author)
    • Publisher: Orbit
    • Publication Date: 08-27-2024
    • Page Count: 464
    • Paperback
    • Science Fiction & Fantasy
    • 5.5 (w) x 8.2(h) x 1.4 (d)
    • ISBN: 9780316568715
    • Imported
  • Shipping & Returns

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    • For complete details, see our Shipping and Returns policies.

Ratings & Reviews

4.5/5

37 star ratings & reviews

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23 days ago
from KY

Evil!

February is a long, long time away. I picked this one up, started it, got distracted, put it down, picked it up again later...and carried it around like a kid with a new favorite toy. Everywhere I went, if I had a free minute, I went back to this book. Obviously, I loved it! Rae has cancer. She's terminal. In terrible pain and only dragging through the days because her beloved sister is by her side, cheering her on, and reading from a book series that they have bonded over during her illness. Rae doesn't care for romantasy. She enjoys hearing about the villains and all the evil things they do make their lives easier while stepping on the necks of the heroes. Until the night that she is visited by a woman who offers her a chance. Stay in her deathbed and meet her end, or step through a doorway into the pages of the books that she has been sharing with her sister. Of course she thinks it's a joke. And a sick one at that. Until she steps into the shoes of her favorite female villain and into the story that her sister loves more than any other. "Pick the Flower of Life and Death and you will be spared the agony waiting for you." What does she have to lose? Except her heart. It's funny. It has characters that you want to know more about. Maybe even would like to meet. It has action. It has romance. It has sweet moments and moments that make you want to put the book down so you don't get the pages wet with your tears. (And they are there, make no mistake.) Did I say I loved this book? February is a very long time away for the sequel and I can't wait! 5 stars, no holds barred. Thanks SO MUCH to NetGalley and Orbit Books for letting me read this one in advance, even if I did get behind. You guys rock! Evil!

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

2 months ago
from Virginia

Not the expectation

I was really disappointed by the romance and the plot. I didn’t like how we got played about the love interest and the plot was just dry. It was hard to keep up with and there was a lot of plot holes.

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

2 months ago

Book hangover for days

When I first picked the book up I wasn’t expecting much but after finishing it I am glad I read it. The FMC feels like what you imagined would be your reaction to stepping into your favorite book. The background characters felt flushed out and not just along for the ride. Don’t get me started on how much I liked the emperor! I can’t wait to see what happens in book two.

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

3 months ago
from IL

Entertaining tale of villains!

This entertaining tale was a blend of humor and heart. I enjoyed watching Rae both embrace being a villain and struggle with the unfair assumptions others made about her. I was easily drawn to Key—despite him being a violent sociopath! Cobra captured my heart and I can’t wait to see what’s next for him and Marius. Looking forward to book two!

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

7 months ago
from Orlando,FL

IN MY VILLIAN ERA

I love a good villain tale. I'll root for Hades over Hercules and Maleficent over Aurora because it's more interesting. Sarah Rees Brennan did an amazing job giving each villain a backstory that would make you want to root for them. I picked up this book thinking it would be light and funny with a bit of romance but it was a way more introspective the more you read. There's found family, death, and deeper meaning to what makes a character truly "evil". With an axe wielding maid, murderous guard, and a flamboyant spy, I was excited to read all the hijinks of Long Live Evil. What made this a 3.5 (rounded up to 4 star) for me is difficult to explain. Maybe I'm not into meta stories because the modern humor did feel cringey in some parts or maybe there were way to many characters and I prefer a single POV. The book just felt slow in the middle and it took me forever to get through 30% of the book without being incredibly bored. It did pick up in pacing but I was already far to uninterested to get to the end. I do see why many people would like this book. It's a charming story that seems to be leaning toward more high fantasy than romantasy IMO. Overall, I would recommend this to someone looking for their next fantasy read with some good laughs in-betweens. I received an eARC for an honest review.

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

9 months ago
from Calgary, AB

A great time

This book was so fun! Sarah Rees Brennan’s "Long Live Evil" follows Rae, our terminally ill FMC who jumps at the chance to accept a magical bargain that allows her to enter her favorite fantasy series. Instead of waking up as the heroine, Rae embraces her new start as the wicked villainess; Lady Rahela, the Beauty Dipped in Blood. Unfortunate for Rae, Lady Rahela is due to be executed the very next day. Brennan perfected mixing humor with darker themes. While a few plot points felt a bit predictable, the whitty and engaging writing kept me hooked. I would recommend this book if you like lighthearted stories that make you question good and bad, and not to take things too seriously. I didn’t expect myself to love this as much as I did, but I was cackling with delight throughout. Long Live Evil was brilliant, and I cant wait to read book two. **Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review**

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

10 months ago

I need the second book now!!😭

I literally can only say it's a need to read. Amazing book!!!

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

10 months ago

Favorite book, best story ever!!! Not exaggerating

I bought this book a few weeks ago but I finished it the day I got it. It was the best book I’ve read in several years and I read a LOT. If you want action, amazing plot, romance. This book is for you. There is a plot twist that I loved at the end but wasn’t expecting it. I adore the main characters (especially Key) hint hint. Please read this book you will love it!!

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com