From the Publisher
Wow, girl! What a great story! A truly wonderful fantasy novel which doubles as an allegory for our own earthly struggle between Man and Nature. Filled with fresh ideas and excitement, told with verve and heart. This book deserves a wide readership, and I think it will find one.” — Terry Brooks, New York Times bestselling author of the Shannara series
“Thrilling—heartrending—enchanting—absolutely un-put-down-able!” — Tamora Pierce, New York Times bestselling author of Bloodhound
“Durst is an expert world-builder and has crafted an enthralling tale filled with an intriguing ensemble of characters.” — Washington Post
“Durst, an award-winning YA author (Vessel) and three-time Andre Norton Award finalist, presents a thrilling beginning to a sweeping series about searching for sovereignty and truth in order to save one’s land.” — Library Journal (starred review)
“Mythopoeic Award-winner Durst (Chasing Power) launches her Queens of Renthia series with a stellar and imaginative tale...In addition to a solid cast of characters and great political intrigue, Durst delivers some fascinating worldbuilding, and the spirits are malevolent, cunning, wild, and mysterious antagonists.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“The Queen of Blood is full of rich tension from the opening scene to the nail-biting finale.” — Jeff Wheeler, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Kingfountain and Muirwood series
“Durst dives into adult fantasy with thrilling results.” — Shelf Awareness
Tamora Pierce
Thrilling—heartrending—enchanting—absolutely un-put-down-able!
Terry Brooks
Wow, girl! What a great story! A truly wonderful fantasy novel which doubles as an allegory for our own earthly struggle between Man and Nature. Filled with fresh ideas and excitement, told with verve and heart. This book deserves a wide readership, and I think it will find one.
Shelf Awareness — Starred Review
Durst dives into adult fantasy with thrilling results.
Jeff Wheeler
The Queen of Blood is full of rich tension from the opening scene to the nail-biting finale.
Shelf Awareness -- Starred Review
Durst dives into adult fantasy with thrilling results.
Shelf Awareness - Starred Review
Durst dives into adult fantasy with thrilling results.
Kirkus Reviews
2016-08-17
In the first of a new fantasy series by Durst (The Girl Who Could Not Dream, 2015, etc.), a woman with apparently weak magical abilities but exceptional smarts and determination competes to rule her land.Aratay is a land where all the villages and even the cities are improbably built among the tree branches. This closeness to nature has its extreme downside, as the forest is swarming with wood, earth, water, air, and ice spirits whose deepest instinct is to exterminate humans. Paradoxically, the spirits are also compelled to forfeit some of their power to the queen they select, allowing that single human to control them all and forestall their more destructive tendencies. But is the current queen, Fara, losing that control? In spite of the queen, spirits slaughtered the village of Greytree—everyone but the family of Daleina, who revealed an affinity toward the spirits and managed to hold them off. Years later, Daleina begins training to become one of the queen’s potential heirs but cannot match the magical strength of her fellow candidates. Nevertheless, her drive and intelligence attract the disgraced Champion Ven, Queen Fara’s former lover, who hones the young woman’s skills and in the process discovers Fara’s terrible secret. There are plenty of fantasy bildungsromans that chronicle how a plucky young woman develops her unconventional magic in time to save everyone, and those even mildly familiar with the trope will foresee several aspects of the plot. However, it’s rare for a tale like this to have such an incredibly high body count or to force the protagonist to make the dark choices Daleina must. The overriding message—that great strength administered without heed for the consequences is inferior to the ability to intelligently apply a smaller amount of power—has also been shared before, but this is a particularly effective (if bloody) dissemination. Enough substance to break from the pack; here’s hoping that future volumes pull even farther ahead.
