Vilest Things
A Novel
-
-
5.0 • 1 Rating
-
-
- $10.99
Publisher Description
Chloe Gong returns with power plays, spilled blood, and lethal romance in this “dark, dazzling, deliciously depraved” (Ann Liang, New York Times bestselling author) fantasy sequel to New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling Immortal Longings, inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra.
Calla Tuoleimi has succeeded in the impossible. Despite the odds, she has won San-Er’s bloody games and eliminated King Kasa, her tyrant uncle and the former ruler of Talin. She now serves as royal advisor to Kasa’s adopted son, August Shenzhi, who has risen to the throne.
Only Calla knows it isn’t really August.
Anton Makusa is still furious about Calla’s betrayal in the final round of the games. In an impossible feat, he took over August’s body to survive and has no intention of giving up this newfound power. But when his first love, the beautiful, explosive Otta Avia, awakens from a yearslong coma and reveals a secret that threatens the monarchy’s authority over Talin, chaos erupts. As tensions come to a boiling point, Calla and Anton must set their conflicts aside and head to the kingdom’s far reaches to prevent anarchy…even if their empire might be better off burning.
As old loves clash with new alliances and the line between loyalty and ambition blurs, Calla and Anton are forced to face the ultimate question: how far will they go to claim power, and what will they sacrifice in the name of survival and love?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Bestseller Gong dials up the tension of her Flesh & False Gods series with this pulse-pounding follow-up to Immortal Longings. Princess Calla Tuolemi, having won the city of San-Er's bloody tournament—in the process killing her lover, Anton Makusa—now moves forward with her plan to murder King Kasa. She's astonished, however, to learn that Anton is still alive and has taken over Prince August Shenzhi's body. Though Anton feels betrayed, the two agree to a truce as they confront a serious threat to their rule: there's been a rash of strange killings in the provinces and Calla fears they are linked to insurgent groups. This is compounded by the sudden awakening of Anton's former lover, Otta Avia, from a seven-year coma and her shocking address to the people in which she calls the current monarch's power into question. Gong nimbly expands the series's scope, taking the fight outside of San-Er and offering more insight into the body-swapping magic system. Complete with thrilling fight scenes and plenty of romantic angst, this keeps the series going strong.
