And I Darken
This vividly rendered novel reads like HBO’s Game of Thrones... if it were set in the Ottoman Empire. Ambitious in scope and intimate in execution, the story’s atmospheric setting is rife with political intrigue, with a deftly plotted narrative driven by fiercely passionate characters. Fans of Victoria Aveyard’s THE RED QUEEN, Kristin Cashore’s GRACELING, and Sabaa Tahir’s AN EMBER IN THE ASHES won’t want to miss this visceral, immersive, and mesmerizing novel, the first in a trilogy.
NO ONE EXPECTS A PRINCESS TO BE BRUTAL. And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.
Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who’s expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend — and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.
But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against — and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.
From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes the first book in a dark, sweeping new series in which heads will roll, bodies will be impaled... and hearts will be broken.
Kiersten White
Kiersten White’s storytelling is a blend of fierce imagination, sharp wit, and deep emotional resonance. Known for her ability to spin complex tales of fantasy, horror, and the supernatural, White has captured the hearts of readers with her distinctly bold, often dark narratives. Her stories are where the boundary between the ordinary and the extraordinary blurs, where readers are invited to dive into worlds filled with magic, monsters, and unforgettable heroines.
Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Kiersten grew up with a passion for both reading and writing, though she was the kind of person who loved to daydream about new worlds before ever setting them down on paper. From an early age, she found herself enchanted by stories that pushed the limits of what was possible—stories that felt real, even when they were anything but. That love of the fantastical is something that continues to infuse her books, drawing from her own love of adventurous narratives and her curiosity about what lies beneath the surface of reality.
The Conqueror's Trilogy
The Conqueror's Trilogy consists of three books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
