# The Corpse-Rat King

By Lee Battersby · The Corpse-Rat King, book 1

Profile: https://hahafiction.com/books/the-corpse-rat-king-afaa279c/

Marius makes his living stealing from battlefield corpses. A stolen crown gets him mistaken for a monarch by the dead, who need a king of their own. To get his life back, he has to supply a replacement.

## What makes it funny?

Marius would much rather escape than finish the job. Running away is a poor strategy when the people enforcing the bargain are dead, numerous and hard to avoid.

### The comedy at work

A thief pockets a royal accessory and inherits royal obligations. The dead take the crown seriously; Marius approaches their demand with the instincts of a con man. The narration keeps a cynical view of his attempts to wriggle free.

### Try this if…

Readers who like fantasy adventures led by self-interested rogues may enjoy following Marius through a macabre predicament of his own making.

### Good to know

Battlefield looting, violent deaths and an undead apprentice give the comedy a grisly setting.

## What to expect

- Genre: Fantasy
- On the shelf: Mythic fantasy
- Kind of humor: Absurdism · Dark comedy · Dry wit
- Format: Novel
- Length: 416 pages
- Published: 2012

## A few distinguishing details

- A stolen crown brings an unwanted job
- A fugitive pursued by the dead

## Sources & further reading

- Publisher: [The Corpse-Rat King by Lee Battersby | Penguin Random House](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/220886/the-corpse-rat-king-by-lee-battersby)
- Review: [Publishers Weekly review](https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780857662873)
- Review: [Starburst review](https://www.starburstmagazine.com/reviews/book-review-the-corpse-rat-king)
- Publisher: [Publisher series page](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/series/KRC/the-corpse-rat-king)
- Publisher: [Publisher](https://angryrobotbooks.com/books/the-corpse-rat-king-lee-battersby)
- Publisher: [Publication details](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/220886/the-corpse-rat-king-by-lee-battersby)