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King's Dragon

Crown of Stars #1 / 7
by Kate Elliott
King's Dragon (Crown of Stars #1) by Kate Elliott
  ★ 6.34 / 3
1★2★3★14★5★6★17★18★9★10★

Nebula Award nominee 1998.

Though King Henry holds the crown of Wendar, his reign has long been contested by his elder half-sister Sabella, who is making her second attempt to take the throne. There are many eager to flock to her banner, and Sabella has ways to bring others to her cause. Aside from this internal strife, Wendar also faces raids from the north by an inhuman race, the Eika, who seem nearly impossible to defeat. And terrifying portents of otherworldly power have begun to manifest across the land.

Into the midst of these conflicts come two innocents: Liath, who has spent years fleeing from unknown enemies, and whose knowledge and power could be her salvation or her downfall; and Alain, pledged to the Church, but through a vision granted by the Lady of Battles set on a different path, and whose true parentage will determine his destiny. As Liath and Alain work through their personal struggles, they are each drawn into a far greater battle, one which will change the shape of the world itself.

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Standard Shelves
Updated 04/12/2025
Category: Fantasy, High Fantasy
Release date: 1997

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Kate Elliott

Kate Elliott

Few fantasy authors conjure worlds as vast, as lived-in, or as emotionally resonant as Kate Elliott. Her stories don't just transport readers—they immerse them, body and soul, into realms shaped by history, culture, and the complexities of power. With a career spanning decades and genres, Elliott has carved a unique space in speculative fiction by weaving epic narratives that are as intellectually rich as they are emotionally gripping.

What sets her apart is not only her sweeping world-building, but the way she grounds it in human experience. Whether she’s charting dynastic struggles in the Crown of Stars series, redefining epic fantasy with the Spiritwalker Trilogy, or exploring the intersections of gender, colonialism, and resistance in Unconquerable Sun, Elliott brings a rare depth to every page. Her characters—especially her fiercely determined women—push against the boundaries of their worlds with strength, vulnerability, and defiance.

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Raised in Oregon but shaped by a life that’s crossed continents and cultures, Elliott has long been fascinated by how societies rise, fall, and rebuild. That fascination shows in her writing, which often draws from her academic background in history and her love of anthropology, fencing, and science fiction. Each of her stories feels like the product of a lived-in world with centuries behind it, where every custom, language, and map has meaning.

She’s been a finalist for the Nebula, World Fantasy, and Locus Awards—not just for her prose, but for the way she challenges what fantasy can be. Her work is often described as feminist, inclusive, and daring, not because it chases trends, but because it refuses to overlook the voices and stories that matter.

For readers who crave epic fantasy that questions the status quo, that values relationships as much as battles, and that never underestimates the cost of power, Kate Elliott’s work offers more than escape. It offers transformation.

Kate Elliott is the pen name of Alis A. Rasmussen.

Crown of Stars

Set in an alternate Europe, a world where bloody conflicts rage and sorcery holds sway, both human and other-than-human forces vie for supremacy. In this land, Alain, a young man seeking the destiny promised him by the Lady of Battles, and Liath, a young woman gifted with a power that can alter the course of history, are about to be swept up in a world-shaking conflict for the survival of humanity.


Crown of Stars consists of seven books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.

King's Dragon (Crown of Stars #1)
  ★ 6.34 / 3
Prince of Dogs (Crown of Stars #2)
  ★ 6.00 / 2
The Burning Stone (Crown of Stars #3)
  ★ 6.00 / 2
Child of Flame (Crown of Stars #4)
  ★ 6.00 / 2
The Gathering Storm (Crown of Stars #5)
  ★ 6.00 / 2
In the Ruins (Crown of Stars #6)
  ★ 6.00 / 2
Crown of Stars (Crown of Stars #7)
  ★ 6.00 / 2


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