Dark Skies

by Danielle L. Jensen

Overview

Unwanted betrothals, assassination attempts, and a battle for the crown converge in Danielle L. Jensen's Dark Skies, a new series starter set in the universe of the YA fantasy Sarah J. Maas called "everything I look for in a fantasy novel."

Now a Kirkus Best Book of 2020!

A RUNAWAY WITH A HIDDEN PAST
Lydia is a scholar, but books are her downfall when she meddles in the plots of the most powerful man in the Celendor Empire. Her life in danger, she flees west to the far side of the Endless Seas and finds herself entangled in a foreign war where her burgeoning powers are sought by both sides.

A COMMANDER IN DISGRACE
Killian is Marked by the God of War, but his gifts fail him when the realm under the dominion of the Corrupter invades Mudamora. Disgraced, he swears his sword to the kingdom’s only hope: the crown princess. But the choice sees him caught up in a web of political intrigue that will put his oath – and his heart – to the test.

A KINGDOM UNDER SIEGE
With Mudamora falling beneath the armies of the Corrupter, Lydia and Killian strike a bargain to save those they love most—but it is a bargain with unintended and disastrous consequences. Truths are revealed, birthrights claimed, and loyalties questioned—all while a menace deadlier and more far-reaching than they realize sweeps across the world.

Readers may read either Dark Shores or Dark Skies first!
Suggested series reading order:
1. Dark Skies or Dark Shores
2. Dark Shores or Dark Skies
3. Gilded Serpent

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250317773
Publisher:	Tor Publishing Group
Publication date:	04/27/2021
Series:	Dark Shores , #2
Pages:	480
Sales rank:	105,898
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.30(d)
Lexile:	840L (what's this?)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

DANIELLE L. JENSEN is the USA Today bestselling author of The Malediction Novels: Stolen Songbird, Hidden Huntress, Warrior Witch, and The Broken Ones, as well as the Bridge Kingdom series. She lives with her family in Calgary, Alberta.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Dark Shores

“Richly-woven, evocative, and absolutely impossible to put down—I was hooked from the first lines! Dark Shores has everything I look for in a fantasy novel: fresh, unique settings, a cast of complex and diverse characters, and an unflinching boldness with the nuanced world-building. I loved every word.”—Sarah J. Maas, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"The book grabs readers from the beginning with its stellar worldbuilding and multidimensional characters, and the mythical elements are truly believable within the constructs of the story. The perspective shifts between the viewpoints of Teriana and Marcus from chapter to chapter, offering readers greater insights into each. ...A gripping introduction to a new series."—Kirkus Reviews (starred)

“This epic first installment in a new series from Jensen (The Malediction Trilogy) features stunning worldbuilding, a vivid cast of secondary characters, and a steamy slow-burn romance between two exceedingly competent and compelling heroes. Dark Shores is not one to miss.”—Booklist

"This is a lush, imaginative world, and as the focus shifts between Teriana and Marcus, it becomes clear that the readers are only getting a glimpse of its complicated history and mythology. ...Their secrets don’t, of course, stop Teriana and Marcus from embarking on a steamy romance, and fans of Rutkoski’s sighworthy The Winner’s Kiss and the high-stakes sea adventure of Levenseller’s Daughter of the Pirate King will want to know where Marcus and Teriana journey to next." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

“Exhilarating fantasy-adventure romance for fans of Tricia Levenseller's Daughter of the Pirate King, Alexandra Christo's To Kill a Kingdom, or Natalie C. Parker's Seafire. Readers will eagerly await the next book in the series. ” —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

05/01/2020

Gr 8 Up—An exciting companion to Dark Shores. Lydia, the daughter of a senator from the Celendor Empire, escapes across the Endless Sea to a land thought only to exist in myth. There she meets Killian, a warrior "Marked" by the god of war. After suffering a crushing defeat by the Corruptor, he has sworn to protect the Mudamora princess in exchange for not being executed. Lydia is desperate to find her friend Teriana, one of the few who knows of the existence of both lands, and tell her about a pending invasion. When Lydia is "Marked" by the goddess of healing, she finds herself unable to ignore the injured and ill around her. Both the Empire and the Mudamora Kingdom are facing political upheaval fueled by those looking to increase their power at any cost. Lydia and Killian find themselves in the middle of these power struggles as their paths become more closely intertwined. Jensen expands the world-building from the first novel and introduces new compelling characters who make the prospect of a third installment all the more thrilling. VERDICT Those who have not read the first book will still enjoy this, as will readers who follow court intrigue and political fantasies. Consider committing to the trilogy.—Marissa Lieberman, East Orange Public Library, NJ

School Library Journal

Dual narrators Stephanie Willis and DeVante Johnson heighten the listener’s experience of this highly anticipated second installment in the Dark Shores series. A new set of characters must halt the downfall of their kingdom, a mission that involves multiple cultures, races, and religions. Willis projects Lydia’s determined personality, which is often characterized in a clipped tone, as she navigates political schemes. Overall, Willis maneuvers listeners with tonal variety through both fierce and gentle moments. Johnson credibly portrays Killian, a soldier, illuminating his hunger to contribute something meaningful to the political struggle. Listeners feel Killian’s agitation and the decisions weighing heavily on his shoulders. This beautifully written fantasy is enhanced by its narration. J.O. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

MAY 2020 - AudioFile

Dual narrators Stephanie Willis and DeVante Johnson heighten the listener’s experience of this highly anticipated second installment in the Dark Shores series. A new set of characters must halt the downfall of their kingdom, a mission that involves multiple cultures, races, and religions. Willis projects Lydia’s determined personality, which is often characterized in a clipped tone, as she navigates political schemes. Overall, Willis maneuvers listeners with tonal variety through both fierce and gentle moments. Johnson credibly portrays Killian, a soldier, illuminating his hunger to contribute something meaningful to the political struggle. Listeners feel Killian’s agitation and the decisions weighing heavily on his shoulders. This beautifully written fantasy is enhanced by its narration. J.O. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

MAY 2020 - AudioFile

★ 2020-04-12
An infernal threat rises in the west in this story that takes place concurrently with Dark Shores (2019).

Roguish Killian, son of a High Lord, has been marked by the god of war; under his command, trickery allows the enemy Derin (who worship the sinister Seventh god) to breech Mudamora. Killian is saved from execution by the king’s daughter, who claims him as her sworn sword—and brings him into her conspiracy to depose her inept father and save their kingdom from Derin’s foul magic. Meanwhile, Lydia navigates the political landscape of Celendrial, where her adopted status makes her position perilous. Her story begins slightly before Teriana’s arrival, continuing until her fateful encounter with Marcus—who has been ordered to kill her—before a leap of faith brings her to Mudamora’s capital, which is under an increasingly desperate siege. The magical elements of the story—from the miraculous works of the marked to disgusting blight and abominations—are seamlessly woven with storylines comparing the plight of common people to the complicated political games the powerful play. Responsibility is the grounding theme that unites the protagonists in their heroic strivings; trauma and the fully rounded characters’ emotional vulnerabilities take their tolls. Readers will be delighted both by further exploring the expertly crafted world and the story’s twists. Lydia is fair-skinned, Killian olive-skinned; race isn’t significant in this diverse world.

Readers will breathlessly anticipate their next venture into this exquisite world. (Fantasy. 12-adult)

Kirkus Reviews