The bustling city-state of Marchen borders the seats of the Three Queens, represented by the spindle, the slipper and the apple.
But it’s been a hundred years since the rule of the Three Queens. The time of the godmothers has passed. If you want access to magic you either have to be one of the few who are born with it and live in hiding. Or extremely wealthy.
Samara Dawa is a former assassin, stolen from her family and sold to the assassin’s guild when she was a child. When the opportunity to destroy the man who sold her comes up, she doesn’t hesitate. Only all isn’t what it seems. Soon Samara finds herself needing to infiltrate a magical auction run by the mysterious Order of Grimm.
The main item for sale: the last descendant of Queen White.
To pull off this heist she’ll need to put together a crew: an inside man, an explosives expert, a kinetics expert, a master forger and a getaway driver.
And she needs to do this all under the nose of her boss: the head of the thieves guild.
The Order of Grimm is a captivating fantasy heist novel with strong themes of found family, identity, and betrayal. This novel is the debut from Shiromi Arserio, an award-winning audiobook narrator who’s known for her top-notch fantasy narration.
The story takes place in Märchen, a city once ruled by the magical Three Queens. Protagonist Samara Dawa, who was kidnapped as a child and trained by an assassin’s guild, is now working independently for the thieves’ guild. When she’s contacted by her former friend, Callista (now the matron of the Assassin’s guild), to break into Chetwin Humphreys’s safe—the man who sold her as a child—she agrees to the job. Soon she assembles a ragtag crew, and together they plan the elaborate and high-stakes heist. As the mission unfolds, loyalties shift, plans suddenly change, and the crew are suddenly in for more than they expected.
The story wonderfully blends elements of gothic fantasy, political intrigue, high-stakes drama, and glimpses of an old magical society. The story is told from multiple POVs—while Samara always remains the heart of the story, the other crew members (Art, Ana, Gerda, and Seb) get their own chapters, which enriches the plot and gives amazing insight into the group’s dynamics.
The writing is fluid and easy to follow, with a great balance of fast-paced action, compelling dialogue, and descriptive world-building—all of which are layered and well organized without ever overwhelming the reader—as can so often be the case with fantasy books! The world-building is rich and immersive, with detailed cityscapes, intricate politics, and a bit of insight into a fairy-tale-esque history. The details on the Order of Grimm and the Three Queens are captivating but not expansive enough to fully appreciate—a prequel or sequels to expand upon their intricacies and history would be very interesting!
Samara is a gritty, determined protagonist who grapples with identity and trust issues from past betrayals. Her assassin training and her work for the thieves’s guild have made her thick-skinned, resilient, and a fearless leader. When she puts together a crew for the heist, she’s often more concerned with the others’ abilities and welfare than her own, which accentuates her admirable character.
The supporting crew brings diverse energy to the story. Art is a charismatic inside man and actor who’s able to charm and con his way through obstacles. Gerda is a burly bouncer turned getaway driver who shows incredible loyalty. Seb is an explosives expert linked to the thieves’ guild who Samara knows from past jobs. Lastly, Ana is a mysterious magic user whose ability to redirect kinetic energy becomes key to the success of the heist. The suggestive romance subplot between Seb and Ana is a fun distraction from the non-stop action and could become very compelling if explored further! Each member of the ‘ragtag crew’ is likeable with an intriguing backstory, and the found family vibes between them are quite pronounced by the end. With such rich characters and a solid foundation of world-building, there’s a great opportunity to expand this into a multi-book series, possibly having a different member of the crew as the main character in each book—not only to get better acquainted with each, but also for unique adventures and emotional arcs!
The story is fast-paced throughout but does linger at key moments to incorporate compelling emotional depth—mostly with regard to Samara’s backstory with Callista. For much of the story, Samara has her guard up—and rightfully so—as she’s constantly mulling over who to trust and what action her crew needs to take next. Being used to working jobs on her own, she’s not thrilled with the idea of having a crew—but in the end, it serves her well, and she acknowledges its benefits and the bonds she’s formed. Samara’s emotional arc is the real heart of the story, and readers will resonate with her need for vengeance and freedom. The tension and pacing escalate in the second half, after some major reveals and plot twists. The ending is quite satisfying but leaves questions unanswered—and opens the door to many possibilities in a sequel!
Overall, The Order of Grimm is an impressive debut offering an intriguing fusion of high-stakes fantasy and heist narrative. The expansive world-building, rich characters, layered storytelling, and themes of identity and betrayal offer a highly memorable reading experience! Readers looking for a fast-paced fantasy thriller with a strong female protagonist and found family vibes should immediately add this book to their TBR!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of The Order Of Grimm is an immersive, suspenseful listen narrated by award-winning narrator Shiromi Arserio, who also authored the book!
From the very first chapter, Arserio fully embodies protagonist Samara with a gritty, determined voice that captures the character’s fearless spirit. Arserio draws listeners into Samara’s inner dialogue, whether she’s mulling over whether to trust Callista or contemplating how to get out of the trouble she’s in—and every line is performed with authentic, captivating expression that makes the character feel real, relatable, and likable! As the character’s emotional arc unfolds, Arserio layers in subtle vulnerability, making Samara easy to empathize with. The dialogue between Samara and Callista is a major highlight—in the early exchanges between them, Arserio makes Samara’s mistrust and resistace very tangible by adding unease and hesitation in Samara’s voice. In contrast, Callista is first portrayed as overly confident and unapologetic, which makes her unlikable. The underlying animosity from their past is superbly expressed.
Arserio’s familiarity with the pacing and emotional layers of the story is also evident from the very first chapter. Every chapter is well paced—slowing down for character introductions and compelling dialogue between the ragtag crew members and increasing tension and pacing during the high-stakes suspense.
As this is a multi-POV story, Arserio does an impressive job giving each member of Samara’s crew a distinct voice and unique emotional intensity. Art, the con man, is given a wry, charming voice to capture his smooth-talking swagger. Gerda, a loyal friend of Samara, is portrayed with a more introspective, calm voice. Ana, the magic-user shrouded in mystery, is portrayed with a more distant tone. Seb, the explosives expert, is portrayed with an anxious, animated voice that matches his unpredictable nature. Arserio seamlessly switches between voices, even during fast-paced scenes, and makes the listening experience extremely immersive and cinematic!
Overall, this immersive, high-quality audio production, coupled with Arserio’s outstanding narration, creates an unstoppable listening experience! This audiobook is a must-listen for fantasy lovers who enjoy fast-paced, high-stakes stories, multi-POVs, and immersive listens with a cinematic feel! If you haven’t listened to Shiromi Arserio’s narration before, this is your perfect opportunity to not only get acquainted with her top-notch voice acting skills but also her great writing—and let’s hope there’s a sequel coming to this impressive debut novel! In the meantime, be sure to check out her extensive list of fantasy titles (and other genre titles) she’s narrated!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of The Order Of Grimm is an immersive, suspenseful listen narrated by award-winning narrator Shiromi Arserio, who also authored the book!
From the very first chapter, Arserio fully embodies protagonist Samara with a gritty, determined voice that captures the character’s fearless spirit. Arserio draws listeners into Samara’s inner dialogue, whether she’s mulling over whether to trust Callista or contemplating how to get out of the trouble she’s in—and every line is performed with authentic, captivating expression that makes the character feel real, relatable, and likable! As the character’s emotional arc unfolds, Arserio layers in subtle vulnerability, making Samara easy to empathize with. The dialogue between Samara and Callista is a major highlight—in the early exchanges between them, Arserio makes Samara’s mistrust and resistace very tangible by adding unease and hesitation in Samara’s voice. In contrast, Callista is first portrayed as overly confident and unapologetic, which makes her unlikable. The underlying animosity from their past is superbly expressed.
Arserio’s familiarity with the pacing and emotional layers of the story is also evident from the very first chapter. Every chapter is well paced—slowing down for character introductions and compelling dialogue between the ragtag crew members and increasing tension and pacing during the high-stakes suspense.
As this is a multi-POV story, Arserio does an impressive job giving each member of Samara’s crew a distinct voice and unique emotional intensity. Art, the con man, is given a wry, charming voice to capture his smooth-talking swagger. Gerda, a loyal friend of Samara, is portrayed with a more introspective, calm voice. Ana, the magic-user shrouded in mystery, is portrayed with a more distant tone. Seb, the explosives expert, is portrayed with an anxious, animated voice that matches his unpredictable nature. Arserio seamlessly switches between voices, even during fast-paced scenes, and makes the listening experience extremely immersive and cinematic!
Overall, this immersive, high-quality audio production, coupled with Arserio’s outstanding narration, creates an unstoppable listening experience! This audiobook is a must-listen for fantasy lovers who enjoy fast-paced, high-stakes stories, multi-POVs, and immersive listens with a cinematic feel! If you haven’t listened to Shiromi Arserio’s narration before, this is your perfect opportunity to not only get acquainted with her top-notch voice acting skills but also her great writing—and let’s hope there’s a sequel coming to this impressive debut novel! In the meantime, be sure to check out her extensive list of fantasy titles (and other genre titles) she’s narrated!
The audiobook of The Order Of Grimm is an immersive, suspenseful listen narrated by award-winning narrator Shiromi Arserio, who also authored the book!
From the very first chapter, Arserio fully embodies protagonist Samara with a gritty, determined voice that captures the character’s fearless spirit. Arserio draws listeners into Samara’s inner dialogue, whether she’s mulling over whether to trust Callista or contemplating how to get out of the trouble she’s in—and every line is performed with authentic, captivating expression that makes the character feel real, relatable, and likable! As the character’s emotional arc unfolds, Arserio layers in subtle vulnerability, making Samara easy to empathize with. The dialogue between Samara and Callista is a major highlight—in the early exchanges between them, Arserio makes Samara’s mistrust and resistace very tangible by adding unease and hesitation in Samara’s voice. In contrast, Callista is first portrayed as overly confident and unapologetic, which makes her unlikable. The underlying animosity from their past is superbly expressed.
Arserio’s familiarity with the pacing and emotional layers of the story is also evident from the very first chapter. Every chapter is well paced—slowing down for character introductions and compelling dialogue between the ragtag crew members and increasing tension and pacing during the high-stakes suspense.
As this is a multi-POV story, Arserio does an impressive job giving each member of Samara’s crew a distinct voice and unique emotional intensity. Art, the con man, is given a wry, charming voice to capture his smooth-talking swagger. Gerda, a loyal friend of Samara, is portrayed with a more introspective, calm voice. Ana, the magic-user shrouded in mystery, is portrayed with a more distant tone. Seb, the explosives expert, is portrayed with an anxious, animated voice that matches his unpredictable nature. Arserio seamlessly switches between voices, even during fast-paced scenes, and makes the listening experience extremely immersive and cinematic!
Overall, this immersive, high-quality audio production, coupled with Arserio’s outstanding narration, creates an unstoppable listening experience! This audiobook is a must-listen for fantasy lovers who enjoy fast-paced, high-stakes stories, multi-POVs, and immersive listens with a cinematic feel! If you haven’t listened to Shiromi Arserio’s narration before, this is your perfect opportunity to not only get acquainted with her top-notch voice acting skills but also her great writing—and let’s hope there’s a sequel coming to this impressive debut novel! In the meantime, be sure to check out her extensive list of fantasy titles (and other genre titles) she’s narrated!
