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Dark Lord Davi #2
Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me
The hilarious sequel to How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler!
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.
Davi has left the horde behind her, hoping to find a peaceful solution to keep the Kingdom from being destroyed this time. But her plan to guide the Kingdom to peaceful prosperity is thwarted when she finds her usual love interest, Prince Johann, already married and the bloodthirsty Duke Aster running the government. Johann's new husband is everything Davi is not, but he holds a key to the one mystery she can't solve - the origins of the time loop that has entrapped her.
With restless armies at her doorstep, Duke Aster reaching for power, and an ancient magician hounding her every turn, Davi must scheme her way to peace and uncover the truth behind her curse if she is to break the spell that binds her once and for all.
Praise for How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying
'A darkly comic delight of a novel' Anthony Ryan
'Twisty, pacey and full of reverent irreverence for fantasy. I can't get enough' Max Gladstone
'A brash swords-and-satire romp that draws you into its rollicking adventure even as it pokes fun at the whole genre. Gamers in particular will appreciate the irreverent upending of classic roleplaying tropes' James L. Sutter
Takes the old saying 'If you can't beat 'em, join 'em,' to the next level. A sarcastic, action-packed, intrigue-filled (mis)adventure. One of the funniest books I've read in a long time' Matt Dinniman
'Lord of the Rings crossed with Groundhog Day, narrated by a gender-flipped Deadpool' Mike Brooks
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.
Davi has left the horde behind her, hoping to find a peaceful solution to keep the Kingdom from being destroyed this time. But her plan to guide the Kingdom to peaceful prosperity is thwarted when she finds her usual love interest, Prince Johann, already married and the bloodthirsty Duke Aster running the government. Johann's new husband is everything Davi is not, but he holds a key to the one mystery she can't solve - the origins of the time loop that has entrapped her.
With restless armies at her doorstep, Duke Aster reaching for power, and an ancient magician hounding her every turn, Davi must scheme her way to peace and uncover the truth behind her curse if she is to break the spell that binds her once and for all.
Praise for How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying
'A darkly comic delight of a novel' Anthony Ryan
'Twisty, pacey and full of reverent irreverence for fantasy. I can't get enough' Max Gladstone
'A brash swords-and-satire romp that draws you into its rollicking adventure even as it pokes fun at the whole genre. Gamers in particular will appreciate the irreverent upending of classic roleplaying tropes' James L. Sutter
Takes the old saying 'If you can't beat 'em, join 'em,' to the next level. A sarcastic, action-packed, intrigue-filled (mis)adventure. One of the funniest books I've read in a long time' Matt Dinniman
'Lord of the Rings crossed with Groundhog Day, narrated by a gender-flipped Deadpool' Mike Brooks
377 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 27, 2025
537 people are currently reading
3966 people want to read
About the author
Django Wexler
50 books3,670 followersDjango Wexler graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh with degrees in creative writing and computer science, and worked for the university in artificial intelligence research. Eventually he migrated to Microsoft in Seattle, where he now lives with two cats and a teetering mountain of books. When not planning Shadow Campaigns, he wrangles computers, paints tiny soldiers, and plays games of all sorts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 435 reviews
May 11, 2025
All hail Dark Lord Davi! After 1000+ years in a time loop, Davi finally decided to try something different – instead of fighting the Dark Lord, she became the Dark Lord. Unfortunately, that means that she's now in charge of a horde of wilders who want her to lead them to victory over the humans that she's spent centuries trying to protect. Oops. Davi decides to look up her old boyfriend Johann, hot himbo extraordinaire and prince not-so-extraordinaire of the human kingdom, to see if she can manipulate him into attempting to save his people … again. Needless to say, hijinks ensue.
If you enjoyed How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, there's a pretty good chance that you're going to love this sequel. It takes a bit for the story to really get going, but once it does it's almost impossible to put down. There are orcs and magic and evil dukes and subterfuge and epic battles and maybe even a dragon or two, and it's all absolutely delightful. And, of course, there's also lots of fucking (Davi's phrasing, not mine) and crude humor and language. This time, however, it's also possible that Davi might just acquire some emotional depth and maybe even a bit of a conscience?
All of the main characters from the first book make a reappearance in this one, but I have to confess Johann might just be my new favorite character (other than Davi herself, of course). He's a lot of fun in a hot himbo prince sort of way, and it turns out that there just might be more to him than meets the eye.
Do expect this book to be somewhat more serious than its predecessor. It still has plenty of humor and snark, but Davi does a lot more soul-searching in this one. Now that she can't rely on the time loop to reset everything back to the very beginning whenever she dies, all of the death and destruction starts to seem a little … permanent. She's not quite sure how to feel about it all, and then she also has the whole relationship with (and feelings for) Tsav to figure out.
If I absolutely had to choose, I'd probably say that I enjoyed How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying more than this one, but not by much. This is a solid sequel to an amazing book, and it wraps up Davi's story rather nicely. I'm sad that it's only meant to be a duology because I don't want to leave these characters behind, but perhaps it'll wind up being a duology in the same way that The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series ended up being a “trilogy in five books.” A girl can dream, anyway.
4.6 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is May 27, 2025.
If you enjoyed How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, there's a pretty good chance that you're going to love this sequel. It takes a bit for the story to really get going, but once it does it's almost impossible to put down. There are orcs and magic and evil dukes and subterfuge and epic battles and maybe even a dragon or two, and it's all absolutely delightful. And, of course, there's also lots of fucking (Davi's phrasing, not mine) and crude humor and language. This time, however, it's also possible that Davi might just acquire some emotional depth and maybe even a bit of a conscience?
All of the main characters from the first book make a reappearance in this one, but I have to confess Johann might just be my new favorite character (other than Davi herself, of course). He's a lot of fun in a hot himbo prince sort of way, and it turns out that there just might be more to him than meets the eye.
Do expect this book to be somewhat more serious than its predecessor. It still has plenty of humor and snark, but Davi does a lot more soul-searching in this one. Now that she can't rely on the time loop to reset everything back to the very beginning whenever she dies, all of the death and destruction starts to seem a little … permanent. She's not quite sure how to feel about it all, and then she also has the whole relationship with (and feelings for) Tsav to figure out.
If I absolutely had to choose, I'd probably say that I enjoyed How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying more than this one, but not by much. This is a solid sequel to an amazing book, and it wraps up Davi's story rather nicely. I'm sad that it's only meant to be a duology because I don't want to leave these characters behind, but perhaps it'll wind up being a duology in the same way that The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series ended up being a “trilogy in five books.” A girl can dream, anyway.
4.6 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is May 27, 2025.
July 10, 2025
☆☆☆☆ ½
“Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me” is a sharp, hilarious adventure that kept me grinning from start to finish. Django Wexler delivers a brilliantly unconventional take on the supervillain genre, packed with wit, dry humor, and moments of pure comedic chaos.
The story plays with superhero and supervillain tropes in a way that feels genuinely fresh, without ever taking itself too seriously. The protagonist’s refusal to engage in the whole “world domination” circus while everything around them spirals into chaos is both hilarious and oddly relatable. Wexler’s comic timing is excellent—many scenes toe the line between sharp satire and sheer nonsense, yet still manage to feel grounded enough to make you care. That said, the humor is definitely a specific flavor. It’s sardonic, a bit meta, and leans into the intentionally absurd. If you enjoy comedy that’s clever, slightly unhinged, and unconcerned with convention, this will probably be right up your alley. But if you prefer something more serious or emotionally centered, this might not quite land. Still, for me, this was an incredibly fun read with a unique voice and a surprising amount of heart beneath all the snark. Highly recommended—especially if your sense of humor leans a little weird.
“Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me” is a sharp, hilarious adventure that kept me grinning from start to finish. Django Wexler delivers a brilliantly unconventional take on the supervillain genre, packed with wit, dry humor, and moments of pure comedic chaos.
The story plays with superhero and supervillain tropes in a way that feels genuinely fresh, without ever taking itself too seriously. The protagonist’s refusal to engage in the whole “world domination” circus while everything around them spirals into chaos is both hilarious and oddly relatable. Wexler’s comic timing is excellent—many scenes toe the line between sharp satire and sheer nonsense, yet still manage to feel grounded enough to make you care. That said, the humor is definitely a specific flavor. It’s sardonic, a bit meta, and leans into the intentionally absurd. If you enjoy comedy that’s clever, slightly unhinged, and unconcerned with convention, this will probably be right up your alley. But if you prefer something more serious or emotionally centered, this might not quite land. Still, for me, this was an incredibly fun read with a unique voice and a surprising amount of heart beneath all the snark. Highly recommended—especially if your sense of humor leans a little weird.
July 11, 2025
A fun, easy, funny, silly, but very very high stakes and heavily action-focused sequel! The humor isn’t exactly always my speed, and it’s quite self-referential to the nerd cultures this narrative subsides in, but that also makes it a fun time. Although I am not a dnd or marvel person, I can understand exactly how people who’re in those worlds would adore this duology. I appreciate how coherent and conclusive this two book fantasy series is as well. Somewhat rare in our contemporary SFF landscape of endless series with a sprinkling of standalones
March 5, 2025
Davi, fully realizing that her reset button is malfunctioning, has come up with a plan to hopefully save humans and wilders alike. And it would have gone absolutely wonderfully if Prince Johann was actually in charge but Duke Aster is running the show in the Kingdom and now Davi, The Dark Lord, must pretend to be The Wizard's Apprentice and hope that her predictions of the future convince the humans that going up against the Wilders would be a really bad idea.
Unfortunately, while Davi and Tsav are in The Kingdom trying to keep the humans from heading to their doom, Artaxes and Sibarae have taken control of The Horde. With Davi's plans completely unraveling, she is going to have to do something she's never done in a thousand years: Rely on other people.
That's an ominous rely on other people because many of you reading this I can guarantee just thought of that gives you anxiety, hell it gave me anxiety just reading it. Honestly, this was significantly better than I was expecting especially since it wrapped the whole story up with a truly insane villain who as far as I can tell is just a sad lonely little man who probably needed someone to tell him no a few times in his life. As Davi points out at one point, he'd be a serial killer on Earth, and I think that says everything you need to know about him.
How Davi actually gets to The Kingdom was oddly not as mind blowing as I expected, once you start hearing the bad guys backstory, that sort of takes backstage because my gods did he fuck Davi up. Although it does account for why she's got all this random 20/21st century pop culture knowledge which was honestly the *one* thing I needed to explain.
What makes this great once again is Davi. Her character growth was phenomenonal while still maintaining her smart ass personality. And I think what's great about this little found family Isekai is that this time loop thing can truly be viewed as breaking many, many toxic cycles. Assign your own accordingly.
Honestly, this is probably my favorite series by Wexler. Not only was much of this highly relatable in terms of Davi learning to rely on others even though it's fucking terrifying, I think it genuinely shows just how good of writer Wexler is if you've read his other books, especially doing an Isekai. Definitely recommend this one especially if enjoy Isekai of course but also if you just enjoy a found family story definitely not for children.
As always, thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the eArc!
Unfortunately, while Davi and Tsav are in The Kingdom trying to keep the humans from heading to their doom, Artaxes and Sibarae have taken control of The Horde. With Davi's plans completely unraveling, she is going to have to do something she's never done in a thousand years: Rely on other people.
That's an ominous rely on other people because many of you reading this I can guarantee just thought of that gives you anxiety, hell it gave me anxiety just reading it. Honestly, this was significantly better than I was expecting especially since it wrapped the whole story up with a truly insane villain who as far as I can tell is just a sad lonely little man who probably needed someone to tell him no a few times in his life. As Davi points out at one point, he'd be a serial killer on Earth, and I think that says everything you need to know about him.
How Davi actually gets to The Kingdom was oddly not as mind blowing as I expected, once you start hearing the bad guys backstory, that sort of takes backstage because my gods did he fuck Davi up. Although it does account for why she's got all this random 20/21st century pop culture knowledge which was honestly the *one* thing I needed to explain.
What makes this great once again is Davi. Her character growth was phenomenonal while still maintaining her smart ass personality. And I think what's great about this little found family Isekai is that this time loop thing can truly be viewed as breaking many, many toxic cycles. Assign your own accordingly.
Honestly, this is probably my favorite series by Wexler. Not only was much of this highly relatable in terms of Davi learning to rely on others even though it's fucking terrifying, I think it genuinely shows just how good of writer Wexler is if you've read his other books, especially doing an Isekai. Definitely recommend this one especially if enjoy Isekai of course but also if you just enjoy a found family story definitely not for children.
As always, thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the eArc!
May 31, 2025
3.0 Stars
This was a fun conclusion to this humorous fantasy duology. This is a pretty silly series and personally I would have loved to see a darker version of our supposed “villain”.
I'm not sure that this series needed a second book so I'm glad this wasn't turned into a trilogy. It's a fun concept but ultimately shouldn't be dragged out too long.
If you loved the first book, then I'd recommend finishing the series.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This was a fun conclusion to this humorous fantasy duology. This is a pretty silly series and personally I would have loved to see a darker version of our supposed “villain”.
I'm not sure that this series needed a second book so I'm glad this wasn't turned into a trilogy. It's a fun concept but ultimately shouldn't be dragged out too long.
If you loved the first book, then I'd recommend finishing the series.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
May 11, 2025
Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me
by Django Wexler
Dark Lord Davi #2
Fantasy Dark Humor
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: May 27, 2025
Orbit Books
Ages: 18+
Book two (and last) picks up a few days/weeks after the first book, where Davi and Tsav are off to the Kingdom to try to make peace with Prince Johann. But things have changed since the last time she was in the Kingdom... Prince Johann is married! Worse, his cousin, Duke Aster, is running things.
So now Davi needs to find a way to get Johann back in charge and get Aster out of the kingdom before her horde arrives and.... spoilers.
This book gave a lot more backstory to Davi and her plight, but sadly, she wasn't as morally gray as in the first book, so she wasn't as snarky, thus not as funny. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but instead of the dark humor from the first book, this was almost cozy...
I enjoyed the book and liked how it progressed at a decent speed, though it got a little 'technical', and that part needs some fleshing out. I liked the birthday cake idea, but there needs to be a little more 'icing and sprinkles'.
There is violence, language, and sexual situations, and with those combined, this isn't suitable for readers under eighteen. (Take a smidgen of each out, then maybe.)
Great story, great characters, highly recommend!
4 Stars
by Django Wexler
Dark Lord Davi #2
Fantasy Dark Humor
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: May 27, 2025
Orbit Books
Ages: 18+
Book two (and last) picks up a few days/weeks after the first book, where Davi and Tsav are off to the Kingdom to try to make peace with Prince Johann. But things have changed since the last time she was in the Kingdom... Prince Johann is married! Worse, his cousin, Duke Aster, is running things.
So now Davi needs to find a way to get Johann back in charge and get Aster out of the kingdom before her horde arrives and.... spoilers.
This book gave a lot more backstory to Davi and her plight, but sadly, she wasn't as morally gray as in the first book, so she wasn't as snarky, thus not as funny. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but instead of the dark humor from the first book, this was almost cozy...
I enjoyed the book and liked how it progressed at a decent speed, though it got a little 'technical', and that part needs some fleshing out. I liked the birthday cake idea, but there needs to be a little more 'icing and sprinkles'.
There is violence, language, and sexual situations, and with those combined, this isn't suitable for readers under eighteen. (Take a smidgen of each out, then maybe.)
Great story, great characters, highly recommend!
4 Stars
July 28, 2025
I'm thoroughly impressed with how Wexler captured and conveyed Dani's voice across both books, it's so different from his usual fare. He has had sarcastic, smart characters aplenty but this is a whole new level. There is more swearing in this book than Dungeon Crawler Carl, definitely more sex, and spot-on humor grounded in Davi's irreverent, fourth-wall-breaking attitude.
Like How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, I gobbled this book up. It's a ton of fun. This sequel opens with an excellent in-character summary of prior events. We finally get to meet Himbo Boyfriend Johann. Eventually, the whole time loop girl-from-Earth thing will receive an adequate explanation. So, the book achieves all of its promises.
I shrink only slightly at the structured plotting. I don't want a book to be all loosey-goosey, but you know how with some books you can just feel the plot pattern playing out? Maybe it comes from simply reading too many books (impossible!), or maybe it's a Sandersonization of contemporary fantasy writing, but as much as I deeply enjoyed the book it wasn't enough to blind me to its framework, its conscious construction. There's probably a better way to express this; do you have any idea what I'm talking about?
Like How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, I gobbled this book up. It's a ton of fun. This sequel opens with an excellent in-character summary of prior events. We finally get to meet Himbo Boyfriend Johann. Eventually, the whole time loop girl-from-Earth thing will receive an adequate explanation. So, the book achieves all of its promises.
I shrink only slightly at the structured plotting. I don't want a book to be all loosey-goosey, but you know how with some books you can just feel the plot pattern playing out? Maybe it comes from simply reading too many books (impossible!), or maybe it's a Sandersonization of contemporary fantasy writing, but as much as I deeply enjoyed the book it wasn't enough to blind me to its framework, its conscious construction. There's probably a better way to express this; do you have any idea what I'm talking about?
July 16, 2025
This was a satisfying ending! Love a fantasy duology for skipping the middle book slump. Book two is just as funny, horny, and surprisingly emotional as book one. I appreciated Davi's existential crisis over time loops. The love interest/sapphic romance also gets fleshed out a little more, which was nice. We get answers, at least to all the questions I had. I want more fun sapphic fantasy like this!
May 26, 2025
This book was every bit as silly and ridiculous as How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying. If you found that one to be unbearably annoying (which I completely understand) you won’t like this either. But if you enjoyed HTRTWADT, I am happy to say that Wexler wrapped the duology up perfectly. Every bit as silly, but also with a lot of heart.
The books starts out with Davi working to prevent a war between the wilders and the Kingdom. She is, given the events of the first book, able to play both sides, using both her friends and allies among the wilders and her deep knowledge of the Kingdom. This involves both convincing the people on both sides who would welcome peace that peace is possible, while also overcoming resistance from those (again on both sides) who actively oppose any sort of peace. Much maneuvering happens. Along the way we finally get to meet the oft-mentioned Prince Johann the Himbo Boyfriend. Happy to report that he fits all three requirements of the classical Himbo: he is beefy; he is kind; he is dumb as a bag of hammers. He’s an utterly delightful cinnamon roll.
We also get answers about why, exactly, Davi has been stuck in this time loop for hundreds and hundreds of iterations.
Mostly what we get is a spectacular story of character growth. Centuries of fighting the same utterly futile battle, ending painful death after painful death, has understandably left Davi a tab bit fucked up. Not a bad person, but very definitely damaged. The real heart of this book is her personal arc. She has to grapple with the absolute trauma of what happened at the end of HTRTWADT (which was profound in ways I hadn’t appreciated at the time, but make perfect sense). She has to deal with the kind of person she has become, both the realization of it and growing beyond it. And she does. It’s not easy for her, and the path isn’t smooth, but it was very well done and everything felt appropriately earned.
My one complaint: we never did learn how Artaxes poops. Django, if you read this, the people (and Davi) need answers.
My blog
The books starts out with Davi working to prevent a war between the wilders and the Kingdom. She is, given the events of the first book, able to play both sides, using both her friends and allies among the wilders and her deep knowledge of the Kingdom. This involves both convincing the people on both sides who would welcome peace that peace is possible, while also overcoming resistance from those (again on both sides) who actively oppose any sort of peace. Much maneuvering happens. Along the way we finally get to meet the oft-mentioned Prince Johann the Himbo Boyfriend. Happy to report that he fits all three requirements of the classical Himbo: he is beefy; he is kind; he is dumb as a bag of hammers. He’s an utterly delightful cinnamon roll.
We also get answers about why, exactly, Davi has been stuck in this time loop for hundreds and hundreds of iterations.
Mostly what we get is a spectacular story of character growth. Centuries of fighting the same utterly futile battle, ending painful death after painful death, has understandably left Davi a tab bit fucked up. Not a bad person, but very definitely damaged. The real heart of this book is her personal arc. She has to grapple with the absolute trauma of what happened at the end of HTRTWADT (which was profound in ways I hadn’t appreciated at the time, but make perfect sense). She has to deal with the kind of person she has become, both the realization of it and growing beyond it. And she does. It’s not easy for her, and the path isn’t smooth, but it was very well done and everything felt appropriately earned.
My one complaint: we never did learn how Artaxes poops. Django, if you read this, the people (and Davi) need answers.
My blog
June 6, 2025
Outstanding book, just as good as the first.
June 15, 2025
Several improvements on the first book but still not quite perfect. If the first book was primarily setting up the premise for who/what Davi is, this book saw it very strongly to its conclusion. First and foremost, the references to our world and 4th wall breaking are not as egregiously out of place as they were in the first book. While there are still some wink-wink, nudge-nudge moments provided by Davi, it feels like Wexler understood the assignment a little better this time around with a main character who has supposedly lived over a thousand years in a fantasy world. One drawback however requires some explaining; I actually think overall the characters and writing improved in almost every way, and while I called a couple of the twists, there was still surprises left in store for me. It's a shame to see this world go, as I actually loved the setting, magic system, and the wilders in general. I think the only final complaint that would still have helped this duo-logy a bit would've just been to not write Davi so horny and just kinda let the sex/relationship stuff play out a bit more naturally. The only time it was ever really vital to the plot was in the first book The final message and themes of the book are what really carry the series home. Despite the occasional contradiction, some of which is explicitly acknowledged, the message of peace and the value of life is a good takeaway here.
June 3, 2025
This book is a hilarious and heartfelt ride that blends magical mayhem with everyday anxiety in the best way. The MC Davi is charmingly awkward, and it’s easy to root for her as she stumbles through a world full of supervillains and secret plots. Wexler nails the balance between snappy dialogue and genuine emotion, making every chapter feel fresh and fun. If you've ever felt out of place but still wanted to do something big, this book gets you.
**Thank you Netgalley and Orbit Books for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.**
**Thank you Netgalley and Orbit Books for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.**
June 3, 2025
Deserves far more than 5stars!
Loved it! I loved it even more than the first book and it was just an all round brilliant second instalment and final ending.
Loved Davi. But really I loved all the characters and enjoyed being in The Kingdom this time around.
Favourite fantasy series - possibly!?!. The duology felt complete but I would have happily read more books following these characters.
Loved it! I loved it even more than the first book and it was just an all round brilliant second instalment and final ending.
Loved Davi. But really I loved all the characters and enjoyed being in The Kingdom this time around.
Favourite fantasy series - possibly!?!. The duology felt complete but I would have happily read more books following these characters.
June 17, 2025
Following on her success in book one Davi looks to unite the wild hordes and the kingdom in an eternal peace. But previous villains from her and the world’s past resurface looking to exterminate mankind.
Maybe this is just me, but I enjoy the journey from commoner to beloved ruler/hero, rather than an already known hero reexamining themselves in order to find their true meaning and save the world. Everyone Wants to Rule the World Except Me is the second option. It’s okay and the character reveal towards the end was nicely foreshadowed throughout the earlier sections. But I think the author struggles more with the combat writing in this one and none of the characters are as enjoyable as when the reader is first getting to meet them in the first book.
It’s an okay humorous continuation of book one, but I think this would have been better as a single large book with a lot of fluff cut away rather than this duology.
Maybe this is just me, but I enjoy the journey from commoner to beloved ruler/hero, rather than an already known hero reexamining themselves in order to find their true meaning and save the world. Everyone Wants to Rule the World Except Me is the second option. It’s okay and the character reveal towards the end was nicely foreshadowed throughout the earlier sections. But I think the author struggles more with the combat writing in this one and none of the characters are as enjoyable as when the reader is first getting to meet them in the first book.
It’s an okay humorous continuation of book one, but I think this would have been better as a single large book with a lot of fluff cut away rather than this duology.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2025
I think I found one of my top 2025 reads already!
June 25, 2025
Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me is the hilarious second and final book in the dark comedic fantasy duology Dark Lord Davi, written by Django Wexler and published by Orbit Books. After more than a thousand years spent in the timeloop, Davi decided to try a different path, becoming the Dark Lord instead of fighting it; but now, in charge of a horde that wants her to lead them to a victory over the humans she spent centuries to protect, she's in doubt, trying to find a new plan that allows her to save her people and the humans, while breaking the time loop in a sequel that reveals more about this world where the story happens.
Honestly, I wasn't really sure what to expect from this sequel except from a fair amount of humour and more subversion of the classic fantasy tropes, but there's a bit more; not only this second book expands on the human side of the conflict, how the duke has taken the power over Davi's past lives' himbo boyfriend prince, Johann, and even the origins of the time loop that has trapped Davi, which incidentally will take us into an investigation about the kingdom's origins.
Davi herself returns to be one of my favourite characters, but while in the first book I was more in awe of how smartly she used the concept of timeloops, I kinda enjoyed more how she has grown a conscience, and starts to really care about the others around her; in certain sense, she's more vulnerable, but also it makes the reader to empathize much more with our main character. Some of the returnees gain a bit of narrative weight, such as Tsav, but definitely the newcomer Johann steals the show many times; he's practically the opposite of what we could have expected from a prince, and that's really refreshing.
In terms of pacing, it is true that the story takes a bit to pick up, especially as we are being introduced to the totally different part of the world of those that we roamed with the horde; mostly comparing through Davi's memories of what she thought the kingdom would be. Once all is in motion, you can expect the same amount of jokes, subversions and, in general, fun, that were present in the first part of the duology, but with a bit of a deeper plot.
Everybody Wants To Rule The World Except Me puts a great ending to a really fun duology, perfect if you want a humorous take on the classics of fantasy, full of pop-culture references and a sassy main character. All Hail Davi, Dark Lord!
Honestly, I wasn't really sure what to expect from this sequel except from a fair amount of humour and more subversion of the classic fantasy tropes, but there's a bit more; not only this second book expands on the human side of the conflict, how the duke has taken the power over Davi's past lives' himbo boyfriend prince, Johann, and even the origins of the time loop that has trapped Davi, which incidentally will take us into an investigation about the kingdom's origins.
Davi herself returns to be one of my favourite characters, but while in the first book I was more in awe of how smartly she used the concept of timeloops, I kinda enjoyed more how she has grown a conscience, and starts to really care about the others around her; in certain sense, she's more vulnerable, but also it makes the reader to empathize much more with our main character. Some of the returnees gain a bit of narrative weight, such as Tsav, but definitely the newcomer Johann steals the show many times; he's practically the opposite of what we could have expected from a prince, and that's really refreshing.
In terms of pacing, it is true that the story takes a bit to pick up, especially as we are being introduced to the totally different part of the world of those that we roamed with the horde; mostly comparing through Davi's memories of what she thought the kingdom would be. Once all is in motion, you can expect the same amount of jokes, subversions and, in general, fun, that were present in the first part of the duology, but with a bit of a deeper plot.
Everybody Wants To Rule The World Except Me puts a great ending to a really fun duology, perfect if you want a humorous take on the classics of fantasy, full of pop-culture references and a sassy main character. All Hail Davi, Dark Lord!
June 17, 2025
Alright, swings and roundabouts on this duology.
The pros:
goofy, doesn't take itself seriously, includes but doesn't rely on pop culture references, satisfying story conclusion, surprising character growth.
The cons:
omg he actually had a "breasted boobily" moment but unironically???? why is the FMC just a terrible, horny, 13 year old boy??
I'm sure I'm missing a few euphemisms, but here's a round-up
breast: 3
boob: 8
bazongas: 1
tits: 1
titties (footnote): 1
titties (A-grade): 1
chest (sexual): 2
The pros:
goofy, doesn't take itself seriously, includes but doesn't rely on pop culture references, satisfying story conclusion, surprising character growth.
The cons:
omg he actually had a "breasted boobily" moment but unironically???? why is the FMC just a terrible, horny, 13 year old boy??
"It’s a ramshackle two-story thing with a big common room on the ground floor and rooms for rent up top, run by an older woman with wild red hair and enormous tits. I think I’ve been here once in a previous life, but apart from the innkeep’s bazongas, it didn’t make much of an impression."
"The innkeeper boobs her way over and serves beer and stew, attracting admiring
gazes." [emphasis mine]
I'm sure I'm missing a few euphemisms, but here's a round-up
breast: 3
boob: 8
bazongas: 1
tits: 1
titties (footnote): 1
titties (A-grade): 1
chest (sexual): 2
May 29, 2025
I did not know this was a duology because I am bad at reading summaries! But I think the length worked REALLY well. The split between the first and second book was well-placed. This was a great conclusion to the duology.
The plot here is very unique, and I don’t want to spoil anything, but from start to finish it’s a breath of fresh air in the fantasy department. The world created is unique, and the cast of characters provides great variety. The ending did not disappoint!
I was sad that so many of the characters I liked so much from book one did not feature as heavily here. However, you do get a few new gems.
The second book was not as funny as the first. I understand why, but I missed a little of Davi’s snark. Still love the addition of the footnotes, which are almost always laugh-out-loud material.
Thank you to Django Wexler, Orbit Books, and NetGalley for the ARC!
The plot here is very unique, and I don’t want to spoil anything, but from start to finish it’s a breath of fresh air in the fantasy department. The world created is unique, and the cast of characters provides great variety. The ending did not disappoint!
I was sad that so many of the characters I liked so much from book one did not feature as heavily here. However, you do get a few new gems.
The second book was not as funny as the first. I understand why, but I missed a little of Davi’s snark. Still love the addition of the footnotes, which are almost always laugh-out-loud material.
Thank you to Django Wexler, Orbit Books, and NetGalley for the ARC!
June 23, 2025
This was a great sequel and great end to the duology (or at least I thinks it’s the end - I wouldn’t say no to more adventures with Davi).
I laughed out loud so many times while reading this story and recommended it to all my most unhinged friends while i was making my way through it. This book falls under a style that I am quickly becoming a fan of and just want to drown in. I want more books like this - funny and ridiculous, while also containing a breadth of world building and complex character development. While Davi appears at first glance to not give a hoot about anything, she grows significantly from them beginning of book one through to the end of book two. This book also has one of the coolest settings (world) that I have some across. I want more!
I recommend this book to anyone looking for something different and looking to escape into a world that is wholly unique. I am looking forward to more books by this author.
Many thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for an early digital copy of the book. The opinions expressed are honest and my own, as well as freely given.
I laughed out loud so many times while reading this story and recommended it to all my most unhinged friends while i was making my way through it. This book falls under a style that I am quickly becoming a fan of and just want to drown in. I want more books like this - funny and ridiculous, while also containing a breadth of world building and complex character development. While Davi appears at first glance to not give a hoot about anything, she grows significantly from them beginning of book one through to the end of book two. This book also has one of the coolest settings (world) that I have some across. I want more!
I recommend this book to anyone looking for something different and looking to escape into a world that is wholly unique. I am looking forward to more books by this author.
Many thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for an early digital copy of the book. The opinions expressed are honest and my own, as well as freely given.
July 26, 2025
3.5 stars. While still funny and wicked, the sequel unfortunately wasn’t quite as good as the original. I think in trying to tie everything up and bring closure the author ended up writing himself into a corner for some of the plot lines. Some of what transpires also doesn’t really parse even when you’re already suspending your disbelief since it’s a fantasy novel. Davi, the Dark Lord, is still trying to live through to a future where the wilders don’t exterminate humanity and vice versa. There are scheming villains on both sides and a hitherto unknown person directing her resets. For a subset of the original cast, there is a HEA, so there’s that.
June 2, 2025
The sense of humour will not align with everyone, but obviously those people just have terrible senses of humour because I rofled the entire time.
Author, if you happen upon this review: let’s be friends! Everyone could use more friends! And I’m maybe a 6/10 friend, so… above average 👀
Author, if you happen upon this review: let’s be friends! Everyone could use more friends! And I’m maybe a 6/10 friend, so… above average 👀
August 1, 2025
Not as good as Book 1, but a good ending to the duology :)
May 30, 2025
Super solid finish to the duology. No lingering questions, clear rationale and methodology for all that occurred. Loved the himbo and some of the new characters. Another wonderful addition to the Dark Lord Davi universe, especially with some of the character growth. Doesn't quite lose a star, but not a 5 star because some of the magic / novelty that I loved in the first book isn't novel this time. Still 10/10 usage of footnotes.
May 25, 2025
A fun follow-up to How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, with the same brand of irreverent fantasy humour! I would like to personally thank the author for including a short recap of the previous book at the start of this one, as there were so many time paradox twists and side characters that I had forgotten in the year since I’d first read it. In true Davi style, the recap was quick and dirty, and launched me right back into her world. Being a Dark Lord is not all it’s cracked up to be, and behind all the pop culture references and raunchy jokes, it was great to see some deep emotional growth from Davi as she learns to trust other people. It’s hard to talk about the plot without giving any spoilers, but I will say I really enjoyed the campy D&D-style tone and conceptual nature of the first book, and while the vibes were still present in the sequel, there were some necessary changes to the concept in this one that affected the plot momentum and made the stakes feel a lot lower. Still, it’s a fast-paced and entertaining read, with a breezy bawdy internal monologue and some satisfying character development.
3.5 stars
Thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
3.5 stars
Thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
June 20, 2025
I am in complete shambles because this series is over. I'm legitimately in tears over it.
I practically read this in one sitting. Both the physical and the audio is phenomenal and I recommend reading in tandem for the full experience. Jeanette Illidge is absolutely phenomenal on the audio and brings this to life. I'm am just way too invested to not give this 5⭐️.
Now on to an actual review:
This honestly wasn't as good as the first book but I still loved it so much. I honestly think if it would have benefited from an extra book because it felt really crammed together at times and we missed so much of the OG Horde in the first bit. I wanted more time with so many of those characters. However, I also fell in love with so many new ones that I also wanted more time with.
The crude humor returns but feels like it isn't always as present. I feel like because this book was here to answer so many questions, it took a much more serious approach at times (not that Davi ever changed her humor). With so many questions being answered, I just wanted more depth to their explanation but I am still happy with the overall trajectory of the plot regardless.
This series will forever hold a special place for me and I will not probably ever shut up about it. It's not perfect, nor will it be for everyone, but it will be mh full personality for the foreseeable future.
I practically read this in one sitting. Both the physical and the audio is phenomenal and I recommend reading in tandem for the full experience. Jeanette Illidge is absolutely phenomenal on the audio and brings this to life. I'm am just way too invested to not give this 5⭐️.
Now on to an actual review:
This honestly wasn't as good as the first book but I still loved it so much. I honestly think if it would have benefited from an extra book because it felt really crammed together at times and we missed so much of the OG Horde in the first bit. I wanted more time with so many of those characters. However, I also fell in love with so many new ones that I also wanted more time with.
The crude humor returns but feels like it isn't always as present. I feel like because this book was here to answer so many questions, it took a much more serious approach at times (not that Davi ever changed her humor). With so many questions being answered, I just wanted more depth to their explanation but I am still happy with the overall trajectory of the plot regardless.
This series will forever hold a special place for me and I will not probably ever shut up about it. It's not perfect, nor will it be for everyone, but it will be mh full personality for the foreseeable future.
July 15, 2025
Bleah. How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying was interesting because of the time loop mechanic. All the sequel has is a very dirty serial quipper who claims to remember nothing from Earth but still does rapid-fire pop culture mentions that no one in The Kingdom or beyond understands.
Only worth reading if you're desperate to find out how the cliffhanger at the end of the first book ends.
Only worth reading if you're desperate to find out how the cliffhanger at the end of the first book ends.
June 17, 2025
Final rating: 3.5/5 Stars.
Good news: Davi’s succeeded in her mission to become the Dark Lord! Bad news: the army under her control expects her to lead them on a glorious mission to eradicate all humans. Having been trapped in a time loop in this fantasy world for centuries (a loop that resets upon her death), Davi knows how poorly a wilder/human war will go for the humans. Even more scary, Davi isn’t quite sure how well the time loop is working given recent events. She can’t just endlessly try different solutions to fix the problem because this time, her decisions might be permanent. It’s time for one last Hail Mary gambit: peace talks between the Dark Lord and the human kingdom.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD EXCEPT ME is a solid conclusion to this comedy fantasy duology, even if it is able to have a little less fun with the premise this time around. (If you haven’t read book one, spoilers ahead, proceed at your own risk!) One of the fun things about HOW TO BECOME THE DARK LORD AND DIE TRYING was that Davi essentially got to treat the world like a video game. She tries something, it fails, she dies spectacularly, she tries again until she’s found a way to master a scenario. With the time loop now in question, Davi now has to treat the world very, very carefully. In short, this adventure becomes much more of a straight forward fantasy adventure with no do-overs.
On the one hand, this pushes Davi into some more character growth. After all, she’s become callous and casual with playing with people’s lives because for her, there are no repercussions. If she kills or betrays someone, they’ll come back the next loop without any harm or memory of what happens. She doesn’t get that out this time. It’s a fact she forgets at first, but leads to her rediscovering her empathy - along with an existential crisis over the fact that the fate of the world is on her shoulders and she doesn’t have a safety net anymore.
Even without the time loop elements, this still manages overall to be a fun and funny story. Davi’s fourth-wall breaking quips return, and she has to go on some wild adventures in her quest for peace. That includes finding out once and for all why this time loop is happening to her in the first place. This finale does a solid job of providing that answer, keeping things relatively simple in both explanation and solution.
Unfortunately, what also returns is Davi’s rampant horniness. It feels like Davi can't interact with a single character without commenting on their attractiveness or impressive physical endowments. It quickly became grating to keep sitting through this objectification. Just because the comments come from a bisexual woman doesn’t make it more palatable.
Setting that aside, EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD EXCEPT ME manages to be a fun summer fluff read. It does manage to be genuinely funny and to make you care about Davi, her annoying habits aside. If you need a breezy break from more serious affairs, give the DARK LORD DAVI duology a try.
Note: I was provided a free ARC by the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.
Good news: Davi’s succeeded in her mission to become the Dark Lord! Bad news: the army under her control expects her to lead them on a glorious mission to eradicate all humans. Having been trapped in a time loop in this fantasy world for centuries (a loop that resets upon her death), Davi knows how poorly a wilder/human war will go for the humans. Even more scary, Davi isn’t quite sure how well the time loop is working given recent events. She can’t just endlessly try different solutions to fix the problem because this time, her decisions might be permanent. It’s time for one last Hail Mary gambit: peace talks between the Dark Lord and the human kingdom.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD EXCEPT ME is a solid conclusion to this comedy fantasy duology, even if it is able to have a little less fun with the premise this time around. (If you haven’t read book one, spoilers ahead, proceed at your own risk!) One of the fun things about HOW TO BECOME THE DARK LORD AND DIE TRYING was that Davi essentially got to treat the world like a video game. She tries something, it fails, she dies spectacularly, she tries again until she’s found a way to master a scenario. With the time loop now in question, Davi now has to treat the world very, very carefully. In short, this adventure becomes much more of a straight forward fantasy adventure with no do-overs.
On the one hand, this pushes Davi into some more character growth. After all, she’s become callous and casual with playing with people’s lives because for her, there are no repercussions. If she kills or betrays someone, they’ll come back the next loop without any harm or memory of what happens. She doesn’t get that out this time. It’s a fact she forgets at first, but leads to her rediscovering her empathy - along with an existential crisis over the fact that the fate of the world is on her shoulders and she doesn’t have a safety net anymore.
Even without the time loop elements, this still manages overall to be a fun and funny story. Davi’s fourth-wall breaking quips return, and she has to go on some wild adventures in her quest for peace. That includes finding out once and for all why this time loop is happening to her in the first place. This finale does a solid job of providing that answer, keeping things relatively simple in both explanation and solution.
Unfortunately, what also returns is Davi’s rampant horniness. It feels like Davi can't interact with a single character without commenting on their attractiveness or impressive physical endowments. It quickly became grating to keep sitting through this objectification. Just because the comments come from a bisexual woman doesn’t make it more palatable.
Setting that aside, EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD EXCEPT ME manages to be a fun summer fluff read. It does manage to be genuinely funny and to make you care about Davi, her annoying habits aside. If you need a breezy break from more serious affairs, give the DARK LORD DAVI duology a try.
Note: I was provided a free ARC by the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.
May 20, 2025
Thank you to Orbit for the advanced copy of Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me!
In the conclusion to the Dark Lord Davi duology, Davi has to figure out how to break the time loop she's stuck in. She leaves her horde behind to find her usual boyfriend, Prince Johann, planning to use him to prevent a war. However, she finds him already married, with the bloodthirsty Duke Aster in charge. Davi has to figure out a way to stop Duke Aster, contain the restless wilder armies, and uncover the truth about her curse once and for all.
Once again, I was really pleased with the wide range of different characters, creatures, and races in this book. We even got a dragon this time! (Surely that's not a spoiler if there's a dragon on the cover, right?) I did have an issue with the motivation for most of the characters. I found that with multiple characters, ranging from Davi's allies to the actual villain of the story, I didn't believe their motivation. I think the characters lacked some depth, but maybe it's just because this book is more centered on being funny and chaotic. And that's totally okay!
I also think there was a lot of potential for this book to dive deeper into the lore of the world they live in. Why can humans perform magic one way, while wilders have a different form of magic? This is touched on, but not fully explored. The Old Ones and the dragon never really received much explanation either. Where did they come from? Again, I think it's okay for this story to just be fun and only focus on Davi's life. But it's a little disappointing seeing how much potential this world has to really thrive that was just neglected.
There were a couple of inconsistencies that really bothered me.
Overall, I will say that again, this is a really original story that's incredibly funny and well-done. The mixture of medieval(ish) fantasy with modern-day references and jokes is so unique. One of my favorites was a reference to Joe Abercrombie's grimdark works that made me laugh out loud.
That being said, this book seems to have a lot less humor infused into it than the first one, but I think that's due to how much Davi changed over the course of the first book. The longer she's alive, the more she's at risk of losing the relationships she's made. Speaking of which, the found family aspect of this story is great. Everyone is so different, and almost none of them liked each other at first. But they learn to get along and love one another despite all their differences.
I post other reviews + bookish and lifestyle content on my blog, By Ashleigh :)
In the conclusion to the Dark Lord Davi duology, Davi has to figure out how to break the time loop she's stuck in. She leaves her horde behind to find her usual boyfriend, Prince Johann, planning to use him to prevent a war. However, she finds him already married, with the bloodthirsty Duke Aster in charge. Davi has to figure out a way to stop Duke Aster, contain the restless wilder armies, and uncover the truth about her curse once and for all.
Once again, I was really pleased with the wide range of different characters, creatures, and races in this book. We even got a dragon this time! (Surely that's not a spoiler if there's a dragon on the cover, right?) I did have an issue with the motivation for most of the characters. I found that with multiple characters, ranging from Davi's allies to the actual villain of the story, I didn't believe their motivation. I think the characters lacked some depth, but maybe it's just because this book is more centered on being funny and chaotic. And that's totally okay!
I also think there was a lot of potential for this book to dive deeper into the lore of the world they live in. Why can humans perform magic one way, while wilders have a different form of magic? This is touched on, but not fully explored. The Old Ones and the dragon never really received much explanation either. Where did they come from? Again, I think it's okay for this story to just be fun and only focus on Davi's life. But it's a little disappointing seeing how much potential this world has to really thrive that was just neglected.
There were a couple of inconsistencies that really bothered me.
Overall, I will say that again, this is a really original story that's incredibly funny and well-done. The mixture of medieval(ish) fantasy with modern-day references and jokes is so unique. One of my favorites was a reference to Joe Abercrombie's grimdark works that made me laugh out loud.
That being said, this book seems to have a lot less humor infused into it than the first one, but I think that's due to how much Davi changed over the course of the first book. The longer she's alive, the more she's at risk of losing the relationships she's made. Speaking of which, the found family aspect of this story is great. Everyone is so different, and almost none of them liked each other at first. But they learn to get along and love one another despite all their differences.
I post other reviews + bookish and lifestyle content on my blog, By Ashleigh :)
July 5, 2025
Last we left off. Davi had discovered her ability to die and spawn back at the beginning of her journey had become compromised. Cue an existential crisis. Suddenly everything she had done and will do matters.
I can see how this book wouldn’t be for everyone. Davi has the sense of humor of a frat boy, and I apparently do too (I genuinely laughed out loud at a footnote that just read “titties”). Everything was a joke for the most part with her and while I enjoyed it, I didn’t find her particularly relatable. She kinda pissed me off for the first part of the book to be honest. Even though the time loop was gone (probably) and everything was permanent now (most likely) Davi was still treating people like pawns in this temporary iteration of her life. Some of the choices she made in an effort to get her way didn’t sit right with me. Tsav (her sexy orc lady friend and my personal favorite character) rightfully put her in her place. Lots of existential questions, guilt and crash outs ensue.
This had a more serious tone than the previous book but still the same humor and absurdity to break it up. I do think this could have been a standalone but overall this was unlike anything I had read before and I had a good time.
I can see how this book wouldn’t be for everyone. Davi has the sense of humor of a frat boy, and I apparently do too (I genuinely laughed out loud at a footnote that just read “titties”). Everything was a joke for the most part with her and while I enjoyed it, I didn’t find her particularly relatable. She kinda pissed me off for the first part of the book to be honest. Even though the time loop was gone (probably) and everything was permanent now (most likely) Davi was still treating people like pawns in this temporary iteration of her life. Some of the choices she made in an effort to get her way didn’t sit right with me. Tsav (her sexy orc lady friend and my personal favorite character) rightfully put her in her place. Lots of existential questions, guilt and crash outs ensue.
This had a more serious tone than the previous book but still the same humor and absurdity to break it up. I do think this could have been a standalone but overall this was unlike anything I had read before and I had a good time.
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