“When a sickly boy succumbs to illness only to awaken as a lowly undead named End, his initial reaction is not horror but joy. No longer weak and bedridden, he is eager to experience the freedom of a properly functioning body. Sadly, his delight is cut short when he realizes the shackles of his previous life have simply been replaced by new ones—specifically, the powerful necromancer who revived him. To gain true freedom, he'll need to overcome the many obstacles in his way…starting with his dark master!” (Yen Press)
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Existing in a fantasy world with a clear dark and light magical divide, “The King of the Dead” excels at taking an expansive lore and forging a single troubled soul as a means to traverse unfathomable powerful magic. Told through the perspective of an undead aptly named End, the book utilizes the character as a foreign entity in a world of extreme conflict – bed ridden through his living life his understanding of magic is only through books he read as a kid. Consequently, as End makes sense of his situation through research and coming to terms with his own abilities, the story becomes grounded in exploring the character's struggle instead of dropping the reader into an expansive world with little context. Essentially, “The King of the Dead” poses itself to be easily accessible to new fans of light novels while also giving a nuanced experience for fans of the format.
Obviously leaning into his strengths, it is no surprise that the writing of Tsukikage excels in character development, with the inaugural release focused on End and his journey from bedridden to undead. Despite being deceased, he is a very humane character by having understood nothing but pain in life, making him empathetic of the plight of others, yet, at the same time thriving for freedom after being given a second chance of a life without restraints. Intelligent and determined, it is fascinating to see how he interacts with other characters in the world as End always finds himself between desperation to survive and a will to still be ‘honorable'. A deeply fascinating character study, the most enthralling aspects of volume one are tied to him and his internal dialogue over the fantasy elements.
However, that is not to say that the more fantastical elements don't hold their own appeal. Similar to many Japanese light novels, there is still a sense of ‘leveling up' of powers, the more the undead kill for their necromancer the stronger they become. Following End as he develops new skills is well described within his introspective monologues. Furthermore, the introduction of holy knights leads towards an epic battle in the first volume, spanning a couple chapters, that is described in lurid detail with a dark visual flair.
The release itself is pretty standard for the light novel format, though fans will be pleased to know that the book does come with a two sided mini poster and a couple of bonus chapters that shed extra light on some of the characters. Furthermore, the illustrations from Meonotomari spattered throughout are eye catching and help give the characters a deeper identity – the match of author and illustrator is idyllic for the serious, character driven tale.
Concluding on a strong shift in narrative, as End heads towards a new journey with a new companion and powers, it is hard to say for certain if Tsukikage's work will carry the same charm as his hero grows more godlike. However, there is enough in book 1 to whet the appetite of the reader, giving them ample reason to chomp down on more tales of charismatic undead. In addition, its horror-lite elements make it an ideal title to explore as fall lands and fans of the genre have more time to indulge in all things spooky. All around, the book is a perfect addition for light novel fans to indulge in.
