The first book in a new dark, seductive and all-consuming fantasy series.
With thanks to Keighley_Reads for the below review.
Wow! I finished this book last night and I’m still thinking about it. If you love an enemies-to-lovers trope set in a warring fantasy world (with a bit of sci-if thrown in) then this book is perfect for you.
It started so well and just kept getting better as the story went on. I loved the opening chapters, where we learn how the world once was, how it is in the present day, and what happened to bring it to this point. It gives such a great insight into the contrast between the ‘good’ living in the light and the ‘bad’ living in the darkness, while also highlighting the sadness and suffering of the people of Vordell.
Soraya, the female main character, is strong, determined and absolutely set on winning the war for her people and returning Vordell to the light. She’s clever and calculated, and when she is captured, she does everything she can to stop her captors from discovering Vordell’s secrets. She is captured by the Dar’rak’s most feared soldier, Ikarus – the Demon – and is bound to him until he discovers her secrets and the Dar’rak win the war.
As they journey through Soraya’s interrogation, lies, deceit and secrets that could completely change the course of the war begin to unravel.
There are some fantastic side characters in this book, with Golla being a real standout for me. And by the end of the book, you start questioning everything you thought you knew about the characters and the war itself.
The twist at the end when we find out who an important character in the war is (no spoilers) was breathtaking. I had my suspicions, but I was wrong…
This is book one in a trilogy, and what an outstanding start to the series! Fantasy is such a popular genre, so it’s always exciting to find a story that feels fresh and different, and I think this one really brings something new to the genre.
About the Book
Vordell was beautiful once. Its people lived in harmony, and their civilization flourished as they learned to harness and control the power of Light.
Then the darkness came.
The Iron Sky unfolded dark clouds across the land, thick enough to choke out the light of the suns. The ground cracked, releasing vicious creatures that looked like humanity’s oldest fears. The Dar’rak – an enemy long believed to be buried and forgotten – returned to claim the world above.
Soraya Tollmere has spent most of her life on the front lines of the brutal war that followed. Now a high-ranking commander, she knows loss better than anyone.
By day, she leads troops across ruined landscapes and guides covert teams through enemy territory. By night, she meets with a Dar’rak defector who has kept humanity alive with his steady stream of secrets.
On a mission to investigate his latest lead – one that could turn the tide of the war – Soraya is captured by The Demon, the Dar’rak’s most feared soldier.
His orders are simple: break the human commander, uncover where the humans are keeping a weapon that could win them the war, and bring it to the Dar’rak. But as he gets to know the fierce warrior, the lines between interrogator and enemy, prisoner and ally, begin to blur.
As devastating truths surface and loyalties shatter, Soraya must decide who to trust in a world where light is dying – and where her greatest enemy may be her only salvation.
About The Author
A. T. Emerald lives with her husband and baby daughter in Nottinghamshire. She discovered her love of writing in 2020 and has not shut up about enemies to lovers ever since. She loves iced matcha, torrid love confessions with knives pressed to throats (fictional, of course) and does not accept bills for any therapy her books might incur.
Purchase the Book
This book can be purchased in our store either on its own or in a cosy Book Box.
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