Review: The Duchess of Korkora, by Nikhil Prabala

About the Book, The Duchess of Kokora

Genre: LGBTQ+ / YA / Humorous Fantasy / Romantasy
Publisher: Grand Press
Pages: 442
Publication Date: August 8, 2024
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The Duchess of Kokora, Phera Ylir Mdana, has entered the marriage games of the neighboring kingdom of Ryene. But she’s not there to woo the dashing Prince Dominic.

Her true objective? To win back one of the other contestants, Lady Rocelle Virae—Phera’s true love and ex-fiancée.

Love proves to be a game like any other when Phera must not only mend matters with her childhood sweetheart, but conceal her true intentions in order to earn votes and stay in the competition.

And as long-brewing political tensions simmer beneath the surface, the playful veneer of the competition begins to crack. In the end, Phera, Dominic, and Rocelle find themselves united in a desperate bid to prevent a duel that threatens the integrity of the kingdom, the stability of the continent, and any hope for a happily ever after.

This novel is the first in a planned series.

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About the Author, Nikhil Prabala

From playing the DM in Dungeons and Dragons to writing fantasy novels, Nikhil Prabala loves storytelling, delighting in fantasy fiction from the epic to the cozy and everywhere in between. The Duchess of Kokora is his first published novel.

Born and raised in Austin, Texas, he graduated from Stanford in 2019 and is currently based in the Bay Area. In his free time he enjoys ballroom dancing, singing, playing the guitar, tabletop games, and spending time with friends and family.

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My Thoughts

Nikhil Prabala’s “romantasy,” The Duchess of Kokora is a witty and delightful novel with the kind of self-possessed lead characters I always love to read. I was intrigued from the moment I read the synopsis, and immediately fell in love with the story. I especially appreciated the use of wordplay, creative cursing, and the many unfavorable comparisons between male human and equine anatomy.

The title character, Phera (the eponymous Duchess) has entered marriage games with a neighboring principality, ostensibly to find a prince, but really to reclaim her lost love Rocelle. I was a little dubious about a lesbian relationship being written by a man, but Prabala showed himself to be astute and attentive to detail. The last time I read such believable women from a male author was probably Arthur Golden’s Memoirs of a Geisha. But while that book was historical fiction, this one is set in a fantasy world with magic. (It’s worth mentioning that while marriage games are a common trope in fantasy romance, the idea felt fresh and original as treated in this book.)

While I enjoyed all of the characters, especially the leads, I also loved the world building in this book. I’m a little rusty on magic systems (I’m a recovered table-top role-player) but I didn’t have any issues following the use of magic, and rules thereof, in this novel.

The Duchess of Kokora is escapist fiction at its best. It doesn’t pander, but neither does it require notes and charts to follow the plot. Rather, I needed tissues handy because several scenes had me laughing out loud.

Overall, this is an excellent entry into the romantic fantasy genre, and a thoroughly engaging read.

Goes well with: cottage pie, brown bread, and hard pear cider.