by Chloe Gong
Part of Flesh and False Gods
First published 2024
Calla Tuoleimi has achieved what seemed impossible. She won San-Er's brutal games and killed King Kasa, her tyrannical uncle. Now she advises Kasa's adopted son August Shenzhi, the new ruler of Talin. But Calla harbors a dangerous secret. The man on the throne isn't August at all. Anton Makusa, still seething over Calla's betrayal during the games, took over August's body to survive. He refuses to relinquish this stolen power. Their uneasy arrangement shatters when Anton's first love, Otta Avia, emerges from a years-long coma. She carries knowledge that could topple the monarchy's grip on Talin. As the kingdom teeters toward collapse, Calla and Anton must abandon their bitter conflict. They journey to Talin's remote territories to stop total anarchy. Yet both wonder if their empire deserves to burn.
Genres: adventure, fantasy, young-adult, dark-fantasy, epic-fantasy, political-thriller
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, morally-complex, political-intrigue, suspenseful
Tropes: body-swap, enemies-to-lovers, forced-proximity, found-family, political-intrigue
Setting: Talin, San-Er
374 pages · Hardcover · S&S/Saga Press
Content warnings: death, murder, violence