A Strange and Stubborn Endurance
“Stolen me? As soon to say a caged bird can be stolen by the sky.”
Velasin vin Aaro never planned to marry at all, let alone a girl from neighboring Tithena. When an ugly confrontation reveals his preference for men, Vel fears he’s ruined the diplomatic union before it can even begin. But while his family is ready to disown him, the Tithenai envoy has a different solution: for Vel to marry his former intended’s brother instead.
Caethari Aeduria always knew he might end up in a political marriage, but his sudden betrothal to a man from Ralia, where such relationships are forbidden, comes as a shock.
With an unknown faction willing to kill to end their new alliance, Vel and Cae have no choice but to trust each other. Survival is one thing, but love—as both will learn—is quite another.
Byzantine politics, lush sexual energy, and a queer love story that is by turns sweet and sultry. A Strange and Stubborn Endurance is an exploration of gender, identity, and self-worth. It is a book that will live in your heart long after you turn the last page.
Foz Meadows
Foz Meadows is a celebrated queer fantasy author, essayist, reviewer, and poet whose works span a wide array of genres and themes. Their writing has appeared in notable venues such as Apex Magazine, Goblin Fruit, and The Huffington Post. A four-time Hugo Award nominee for Best Fan Writer, Meadows won the prestigious award in 2019. They are also a three-time nominee and winner of the 2017 Ditmar Award for Best Fan Writer.
Meadows' portal fantasy An Accident of Stars was a finalist for the Bisexual Book Awards in 2017, and their queer Shakespearean novella Coral Bones won the 2018 Norma K. Hemming Award in the short fiction category. Their latest novel, A Strange and Stubborn Endurance, is a queer romantic fantasy published by Tor, with a sequel, All the Hidden Paths, set to release in December 2023.
The Tithenai Chronicles
The Tithenai Chronicles consists of two books, and the series is set to expand with the upcoming release of one more book. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.