Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me

, #2

Paperback, 384 pages

English language

Published May 27, 2025 by Orbit.

ISBN:
978-0-316-39240-2
Copied ISBN!
OCLC Number:
1455105202
ASIN:
0316392405
Goodreads:
218372383

Dark Lord Davi rules the kingdom, but she must now break the time loop that binds her in this hilariously bloody conclusion to the Dark Lord Davi duology.

After countless failures (let’s not dwell on it), Davi has finally saved the kingdom from evil–by becoming the Dark Lord herself. But now, the hordes of wilders are at her command, and they still want blood. Human blood. And Davi’s not sure she can commit to the total extermination of humanity.

With restless armies at her doorstep, a treasonous duke scheming for power, and the legend of an ancient magician looming over her shoulder, Davi must find a way towards peace and uncover the truth behind her time loop if she is to bring harmony to the kingdom. Also, her girlfriend is mad at her. So, there’s that too.

2 editions

The conlcusion of the story about finding a way to live together and break time loops.

An interesting conclusion to the story of the Dark Lord Davi, caught in a time loop but now, maybe, with a chance of breaking it. Having become the Dark Lord, she now wants to do something other Dark Lords in her past did not do: make peace with the humans instead of obliterating them.

This should be easy, since she has died trying to be their saviour hundreds of times in the past and knows the workings of the human Kingdom intimately. But things don't turn out that way when she discovers the Prince is not in charge as expected, and she has to deal with a bloodthirsty Duke that wants nothing more that to kill the horde of wilders under her protection.

She will need to work quickly to try to negotiate a peace between the wilders and humans. But just when it appears that she might …

Not quite as fun as the first

Davi, now poised to fix things, is quickly disabused of the notion that she can predict how the time loop will play out. It almost feels like something, or someone, is countering her every move.

The conclusion to the story which began with “How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying”. Davi attempts personal growth, horde control, peace negotiations, and enjoying a long-term relationship, but a few “surprises” crop up and throw spanners in the works. All in all it was fine, but I didn’t find it as engaging as its predecessor, and didn’t particularly care for the denouement.