A Snake Among Swans

For fans of HOUSE OF THE DRAGON® and THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE, a dark and lyrical epic fantasy of warring kingdoms, female rage and a wild magic that refuses to be tamed.

Tilde has always heard the whispers of the kithwood, the voices of her ancestors speaking through the mysterious forest of her homeland.

But now both the kithwood and her kingdom are in danger.

For Tilde is the only surviving heir of a conquered land. To unite the people and finally stop the bloodshed, she marries the ageing warlord, King Liran. Her duty is to bind their nations and bear him a son.

But the swan king’s court is dangerous. Tilde is a threat to the claim of Liran’s older sons, who will do whatever it takes to remove her, to the princess Elise who has only ever known loyalty to her family, and to the priests who own them all.

Yet none of them know that Tilde is a snake in their midst, with allies on her side and dark, forbidden power of her own. She wants her kingdom back, and she will sacrifice everything to claim it.

FOR THE QUEEN TO RISE, THE SWANS MUST FALL.

Review

‘One of my favourite epics of all time: dark and lyrical, thick with intrigue, told by women who rattle and rage against the cage of patriarchy’ – Samantha Shannon, No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree

'The book reads like poetry but retains a pace that took my breath away… Every word has been written with intention, every character carved with deft skill' – Saara El-Arifi, No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of the Faebound trilogy

‘A brutal, bloody, and frankly brilliant fantasy' – Grimdark

‘A… combination of the most epic, sweeping fantasy series and the most brutal, lyrical Grimm fairytales. Fans of Game of Thrones and The Priory of the Orange Tree will be obsessed'– L.K. Steven, Sunday Times bestselling author of the Silvercloak Saga

‘An addictive, cunning political fantasy whose scheming courtly factions and cutthroat star-crossed lovers are as beguiling and unpredictable as the lethal magic wilds that surround them' – Shannon Chakraborty, Sunday Times bestselling author of Tapestry of Fate

‘A bold, powerful new fantasy epic… a compelling tale of blood, tyranny and magic, where every choice demands sacrifice, and every move risks death’ – Antonia Hodgson, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Raven Scholar

About the Author

HANNAH KANER is the author of Godkiller, Sunbringer and Faithbreaker, all three #1 Sunday Times Bestsellers.

​​She has been shortlisted for the Hugos, Locus, British Book Awards and British Fantasy Awards, as well as Longlisted for the Glass Bell award. Her work has been translated into 15 languages.