The Bone Shard Daughter (Drowning Empire #1)

The Bone Shard Daughter (Drowning Empire #1)

by Andrea Stewart

Narrated by Natalie Naudus, Feodor Chin, Emily Woo Zeller

Unabridged — 13 hours, 44 minutes

The Bone Shard Daughter (Drowning Empire #1)

The Bone Shard Daughter (Drowning Empire #1)

by Andrea Stewart

Narrated by Natalie Naudus, Feodor Chin, Emily Woo Zeller

Unabridged — 13 hours, 44 minutes

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Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

A stunning tale of magic and revolution in which a former heir to an emperor fights to reclaim her birthright. This fantasy debut has it all — forbidden magic, epic world-building, political unrest, vibrant characters, mysterious monsters and nonstop adventure! With an Asian-inspired setting and refreshingly unique magic system, this one is a standout in the fantasy space, and — best news of all — it’s the first in a planned trilogy. Get ready to be completely absorbed in the drowning empire.

An emperor fights to reclaim her power and her place on the throne in this "utterly absorbing" fantasy tale of magic, mystery, and revolution (Emily Duncan).

The emperor's reign has lasted for decades, his mastery of bone shard magic powering the animal-like constructs that maintain law and order. But now his rule is failing, and revolution is sweeping across the Empire's many islands.

Lin is the emperor's daughter and spends her days trapped in a palace of locked doors and dark secrets. When her father refuses to recognise her as heir to the throne, she vows to prove her worth by mastering the forbidden art of bone shard magic.

Yet such power carries a great cost, and when the revolution reaches the gates of the palace, Lin must decide how far she is willing to go to claim her birthright - and save her people.

"One of the best debut fantasy novels of the year." -BuzzFeed News

"An amazing start to a new trilogy." -Culturess

"It grabs you by the heart and the throat from the first pages and doesn't let go." -Sarah J. Maas

"Epic fantasy at its most human and heartfelt . . . inventive, adventurous and wonderfully written."  -Alix E. Harrow

"Utterly absorbing. I adored it." -Emily Duncan

"A thoroughly fantastic read." -Kevin Hearne

"Stewart's debut is sharp and compelling. It will hook readers in and make them fiercely anticipate the rest of the series." -Booklist

"Groundbreaking epic fantasy for a new age." -Tasha Suri

"Begins with a spark of intrigue that ignites into a thrilling adventure." -Hafsah Faizal

Editorial Reviews

SEPTEMBER 2020 - AudioFile

A trio of narrators brings this intricate fantasy world to life. In an island empire controlled by magic, children are required to give a bone shard to the emperor, who uses them to power magical constructs. But when a shard is used, it cuts that person’s life short—or kills them. As the empire careens toward revolution, five characters are caught up in the fray. Feodor Chin’s amiable tone is perfect for Jovis, a smuggler searching for his wife. Chin deftly captures all of Jovis’s smooth-talking confidence. Emily Woo Zeller and Natalie Naudus give voice to four women, including the emperor’s daughter and a young revolutionary. Their distinct performances make it a pleasure to follow the shifting point of view as five very different lives intertwine. L.S. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

Publishers Weekly

05/18/2020

Stewart interweaves multiple perspectives on the failing reign of an emperor in this bleakly atmospheric but predictable epic fantasy debut, the first in the Drowning Empire series. The leader of the Phoenix Empire is more interested in carving magic symbols onto the skull shards of the dead to power Frankenstein-like “constructs” that do his bidding than he is in ruling his living people. His daughter, Lin, struggles to please her father, regain her memories, and master bone shard magic after her foster-brother, Bayan, infects her with an illness that might cost her the crown. Meanwhile, Phaule, the daughter of a governor, is drawn into a plot against her father by the Shardless Few, a resistance group. The Shardless Few also enlist scene-stealing smuggler Jovis, who accidentally becomes a folk hero while searching for his kidnapped wife. In between the dovetailing narratives, a woman known as Sand tries to discover why she’s imprisoned on an island without her memories. The magic system is well thought-out, and the Asian-inspired setting is a welcome break from European-esque epics, but the simplistic plotting and predictable twists put a damper on the inventive premise. Fans of grimdark epics will be drawn in but hope for more complexity in Stewart’s next offering. Agent: Juliet Mushens, Mushens Entertainment. (Sept.)

From the Publisher

"The Bone Shard Daughter is one of the best fantasy novels I've read in a long time. With stunningly intricate world-building that leaps off the page and characters who are so vibrant that you wish they were real, it grabs you by the heart and the throat from the first pages and doesn't let go until long after it's over. This book is truly special."—New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas

"Epic fantasy at its most human and heartfelt, concerned with the real lives caught in the gears of empire and rebellion. Inventive, adventurous, and wonderfully written."—Alix E. Harrow, author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January

"[A] richly told, emotional, action-laced debut...Readers will finish this eager for the follow-up."—Library Journal (starred review)

"[An] action-packed, must-read epic fantasy...One of the best debut fantasy novels of the year."—BuzzFeed News

"A fascinating world with characters who have deep foundations, and who will quickly capture readers' hearts ... Stewart's debut is sharp and compelling. It will hook readers in and make them fiercely anticipate the rest of the series."—Booklist

"[The Bone Shard Daughter] deserves as much attention as it can get."—Locus

"Original and intricately written."—Ms. Magazine

"An absolute stunner of a fantasy debut...Simply awe-inspiring."—FanFiAddict

"Stewart gives us eerie, grungy bone magic that permeates through every layer of a fascinating and dangerous world. Strange monsters—some friendly, most not—unsettling rituals, and a cast of wonderful characters trying to fix a world on the brink of shattering, The Bone Shard Daughter is utterly absorbing. I adored it."—Emily Duncan, NYT bestselling author of Wicked Saints

"There's a bold, ambitious imagination at work here - and this is a world you'll want to linger in."—M. R. Carey, author of The Girl with All the Gifts

"A triumph of fantasy and science fiction populated with memorable characters and bone-chilling secrets that keep you turning the pages."—K. S. Villoso, author of The Wolf of Oren-Yaro

"The Bone Shard Daughter begins with a spark of intrigue that ignites into a thrilling adventure you cannot miss-with a unique (and painful!) magic system to boot."—Hafsah Faizal, NYT bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame

"A grand, ingenious and sweeping tale of power, magic and heart, The Bone Shard Daughter is groundbreaking epic fantasy for a new age."—Tasha Suri, author of Empire of Sand

"Stewart etches this story into your heart, filling it with everything I love about fantasy: a well-realized world, dark magic that challenges your presumptions, and deep questions about identity. Highly recommended."—Marshall Ryan Maresca, author of The Maradaine Saga

"The Bone Shard Daughter is intricate and expansive, incisive and thoughtful — a complex web of political and personal intrigue spun around questions of privilege, duty, and love. Stewart's debut is bound to have fantasy readers clamoring for the next installment."—Kerstin Hall, author of The Border Keeper

"The Bone Shard Daughter seized my attention and wouldn't let go. It's an unflinching examination of how people in power exploit and dehumanize those they are supposed to serve, but it also celebrates the uplifting power of love and friendship. It's a thoroughly fantastic read and I eagerly await the sequel."—Kevin Hearne

"A complex and dark tapestry of a fantasy woven through with brilliant world-building, deep intrigue, and incredible heart."—Megan E. O'Keefe, author of Velocity Weapon

"An unforgettable tale of magic and intrigue, and the start of a fascinating trilogy."—Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan, author of The Gutter Prayer

SEPTEMBER 2020 - AudioFile

A trio of narrators brings this intricate fantasy world to life. In an island empire controlled by magic, children are required to give a bone shard to the emperor, who uses them to power magical constructs. But when a shard is used, it cuts that person’s life short—or kills them. As the empire careens toward revolution, five characters are caught up in the fray. Feodor Chin’s amiable tone is perfect for Jovis, a smuggler searching for his wife. Chin deftly captures all of Jovis’s smooth-talking confidence. Emily Woo Zeller and Natalie Naudus give voice to four women, including the emperor’s daughter and a young revolutionary. Their distinct performances make it a pleasure to follow the shifting point of view as five very different lives intertwine. L.S. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID: 2940173377777
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Publication date: 09/08/2020
Series: Drowning Empire Series , #1
Edition description: Unabridged
Sales rank: 319,853
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