In a nation of lost glory and fallen cities, mad dragons run amok and warlords bristle under the guise of peace. Now a woman must stop the ruin she helped create, but how do you fight what you are fated to fail?
Praised for strong characterization, vivid worldbuilding, and a complex, compelling heroine, this is epic fantasy like you've never seen done before.
Villoso (Sapphire’s Flight) begins her Annals of the Bitch Queen series with this remarkable tale of nonstop tension, action, and betrayal. In a fantasy realm, Queen Talyien’s position has become increasingly untenable. Five years ago, Prince Rayyel, her husband, left the night before their joint crowning, which was to have brought peace to their war-torn kingdom of Jin-Sayeng. Instead, Talyien has ruled alone as best she could. She eventually receives a letter from Rayyel asking her to meet him in the city of Anzhao, across the sea in the Zarojo Empire, but assassins interrupt the meeting and Tal finds herself alone with Khine, a local chance-met con, as her sole ally. Fearing to trust officials of Anzhao and not knowing the fate of Rayyel, Talyien risks a journey to the city of Zorheng, only to find that its prince, Yuebek, has designs on her hand and kingdom. Villoso’s allusions to mad dragons and magical entities will leave readers wanting more of her world. Her queen is an intelligent and physically capable woman facing a whirlwind of treachery. The pace is breakneck but never exhausting. This excellent work will appeal to all readers of epic fantasy. (BookLife)
"...This genre builds worlds with obsessive fervor, but it is a rare treat to find an author who relishes in a world's most universal relics: its people."
"...strong pacing, lovely prose, and underlying themes of a daughter's feelings of inadequacy in her father's shadow, all of which are woven through every page until it works into a beautiful tapestry."
"Wow. I need the next book now. The grey morality of the entire cast is spectacularly well done. Also, the world building was seamless; I felt like I was in the cities and towns myself."
"...written skillfully...a deeply personal and thoughtful tale of love, betrayal and the aftermath."
