“When a black-robed skeleton shows up at Mira's door in the dead of night, the last thing she expects is for him to cure her fatal infection! Her nighttime visitor is Undead King Terios, who soon finds himself feeding and teaching the peasant children he saved from disease during a chance encounter. With guidance from this terrifying yet kindhearted skeleton, Mira blossoms into an apprentice magic user. But will her idyllic world shatter when the nobility sends a squad of knights to eradicate the “skeletal menace”? This is the legend of an Undead King who aims to conquer the world without taking a single human life!” (Yen Press)
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It has always been a prominent charm of the light novel format to reinvent familiar stories with a few slight tweaks that play on common tropes but manage to imbue its own sense of charm and personality. Certainly, “The Undead King's Reign of Peace” offers little new in the way of lore or characters, building a solid narrative foundation in the fantasy genre, yet it does bring its own unique flair. Notably, Sasaki's take on an ‘undead king' that instead of ghastly and despising humanity looks to bring peace to the world. Consequently, the all powerful nature of the king makes for a rather playful take on the fantasy genre as his magic is always used to defer instead of incite violence, despite being grounded in the dark arts like necromancy. Further pushing the comical tone, the supporting cast acts as the perfect sounding board for the king's lofty ideas, leading to one of the novel's greatest lines; “I don't care if he is good or bad. I don't want someone that strange unifying the entire continent”.
Undeniably, the cast is the biggest draw here, notably, the undead Terios and the young mage in training (Mira) offering up an unlikely yet endearing team. This pairing also acts as the ideal way to explore the morality and power of the undead king, needing to constantly explain both to his pupil who grew up in a sheltered community. In addition, the awkwardness between the duo results in hilarious misunderstandings that become a steady means for the rest of the characters to poke fun at the pair – there is a surprising amount of penis related jokes, or rather lack thereof. Ultimately, the relationship of Terios and Mira not only acts as a way to simplify the explanation of the world but offers a rather enduring duo that grow together as they tempt to understand one another.
Coming as a pleasant surprise, although the book is recommended as a 13+ title it touches on deeper social concepts and crass humor better suited for a mature audience. Undeniably, it can appeal to young teens as the humor and social commentary is presented in a lite manner that won't shake anyone up, yet, it feels like older audiences will be able to draw more value from the book. As such, fans who enjoy a more mature narrative will be pleasantly surprised by how often Sasaki indulges in adult themes.
The illustrations from Eishi Hayama is serviceable work, though does little to stand out. Notably, the illustrations lack any sense of movement and instead focus on framing the female characters in a complimentary light – innocence for Mira and sexuality for the holy knight Dine. The opening pages, which act to introduce the characters, lack a few notable portraits that would have been nice to see depicted since describing features is not one of Sasaki's more refined skills. Thankfully, this feels likely to be included in subsequent volumes, but for now feels slightly lacking.
“The Undead King's Reign of Peace” is not going to shake up any of the familiar tropes or be a title that defines the best of the light novel format. However, the book is a true page turner thanks to the charming approach of Sasaki, a playful narrative that balances fantasy, drama and comedy in perfect harmony – it never feels slow or dull in flow. Ultimately, if you are looking for a well rounded light novel with a slightly mature edge, the title is bound to tease and please.
