A Viper Among Kings
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Daphne Press
Publishing:25th Aug '26
£19.99
This title is due to be published on 25th August, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
Brace yourself for an exhilarating epic fantasy trilogy with a diverse cast, polyamory, and chaotic sentient magic, for fans of V.E. Schwab and Antonia Hodgson.
In the twisted city of Amaris, magic spawns from chaos. Prone to driving humans mad, it can only be wielded safely by the Wraiths-seven immortal beings magically bound to obey the king.
Esme is the most notorious Wraith. She has spent the last century forced to kill on behalf of the nation that stole her from her homeworld while building a secret life for herself and her wife away from violence.
That is, until the current king turns up murdered, and a magical will demands his successor be chosen through three trials. Esme cannot break the magical shackles that bind her, but she will suffer no more tyrants. She rigs the king's succession trials in favour of her chosen candidate: the righteous General Balthazar, who she can't help but fall for.
As Esme weaves together the threads of the court on Balthazar's behalf amid a strange tide of sentient magic in the city and a growing war on the horizon, she will come face to face with Balthazar's bloody past, troubled present, and countless betrayals.
He isn't the man Esme thought he was-but she was born to make and break kings.
A Viper Among Kings weaves court intrigue, drama, and deep worldbuilding of epic fantasy with the emotional intimacy, crude humour (complimentary), and assorted queer love interests." - Danielle Knight, Sunday Times bestselling author of A Rather Vengeful Accord
"A Viper Among Kings is exactly the transportive, transformative fantasy we need more of. Devastatingly immersive, wickedly funny, with an unflinchingly raw perspective on reclaiming autonomy and community from your oppressors."-S.A. MacLean, bestselling author of Voidwalker
"A layered and immersive story from start to finish. Along with a colorful cast of similarly morally grey companions, Esme navigates the city of Amaris with the same ruthless precision she wields her blades. It's perfect for readers who love feminine rage, sprawling worlds, and layered characters with equal parts heart, grit, and secrets." -Savannah Stephens, author of Witch Queen Rising
"A Viper Among Kings sank its teeth into me and wouldn't let go! Sydney Olivia crafted a captivating tale filled with deadly magic and sharp prose. This is a debut to watch!" -Jasmine Smith, author of Death Card
"An electrifying opening to a series that promises to thrill all the senses. Seductive, sizzling, and wicked sharp, Olivia's debut is a twisted tale about power, agency, and love. I couldn't get enough!" -S. Hati, author of And the Sky Bled
"Macabre, gory, and endlessly entertaining! Sydney Olivia offers readers a completely fresh take on magic, and an utterly compelling new voice full of humour, sharp wit, and gut-wrenching emotion." Eli Snow, author of The Divine Gardener's Handbook
"Olivia writes with an irresistible voice and unforgettable characters. A Viper Among Kings is the kind of thrilling, chaotic revival that fantasy needs." -T. R. Moore, author of The Gods Must Burn
"Wickedly grotesque and saturated in debauchery, A Viper Among Kings entangles enemies and lovers as they vie for power- or even just freedom. The novel simmers with humor, though its heroine in particular is delectably bold and venomous and profoundly human." -Bita Behzadi, author of Letters from the Last Apothecary
ISBN: 9781837841035
Dimensions: 234mm x 153mm x 55mm
Weight: 255g
416 pages