The Scarlet Throne
-
-
4.0 • 2 Ratings
-
-
- $2.99
-
- $2.99
Publisher Description
A dark, heart-thumping political epic fantasy by debut author Amy Leow—full of scheming demons, morally grey heroines, talking cats, and cut-throat priests, this delicious tale of power and corruption will captivate from beginning to end.
Binsa is a “living goddess,” chosen by the gods to dispense both mercy and punishment from her place on the Scarlet Throne. But her reign hides a deadly secret. Rather than channeling the wisdom of an immortal deity, she harbors a demon.
Though, one cannot remain a living goddess forever. When her temple’s priests decide that Binsa’s time in power has come to an end, a new girl, Medha, is selected to take over her position as goddess. But Binsa refuses to be discarded into a life of uncertainty as a young woman, and she strikes a deal with her demon: She will sacrifice her people’s lives in order to magnify his power, and in return, he will help her seize control from the priests once and for all.
But how much of her humanity is she willing to trade for the sake of ambition? Deals with demons are rarely so simple.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Debut author Leow launches her False Goddess series with a gripping dark fantasy inspired by Southeast Asian folk religion. Binsa, 15, has been the Rakhti, or the vessel of the goddess Rashmatun, and therefore the ruler of Bakhtin, for the past 10 years. No one knows, however, that she does not actually host the goddess but instead harbors the demon Ilam. Because of her extended and unusual tenure as Rashmatun's vessel, the priest Harun organizes a selection process to remove Binsa from power and install a new Rakhti. When Binsa discovers his ploy, she desperately turns to blood magic to strengthen her bond with Ilam and increase her abilities—at the cost of innocent lives. With the people of Bakhtin losing confidence in her ability and the country suffering from a drought, Binsa must gather enough power to summon rain and dispel their doubts. Binsa makes for a fascinating and deeply morally ambiguous antihero. Readers won't necessarily root for her, but her secrets and scheming will have them on the edges of their seats. The worldbuilding, meanwhile, feels rich and specific. This tension-filled adventure gets Leow off to a strong start.
