The Queen of the Tearling: A Novel

Erika Johansen

Jul 2014 · Queen of the Tearling, The Book 1 · Sold by Harper Collins

About this ebook

“Call it The Hunger Games of Thrones. Erika Johansen’s debut novel is a genre mashup: medieval fantasy meets dystopian future. . . . The setting, combined with Johansen’s deft hand with character and plotting, really does work. . . . An addictive and enjoyable adventure. . . . The Tear is just as easy to get sucked into as Westeros or Hogwarts or Panem.” —USA Today

Magic, adventure, mystery, and romance combine in this epic debut in which a young princess must reclaim her dead mother’s throne, learn to be a ruler—and defeat the Red Queen, a powerful and malevolent sorceress determined to destroy her.

On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon—from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic—to prevent her from wearing the crown.

Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust.

But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun—a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend . . . if she can survive.

Ratings and reviews

A tale of rediscovery forced upon people when our world as we know it became too corrupt. Man looking for Utopia started this land away from all that we have now and through time many of the things we are using now became nothing. One country on a vast Isle that was, through time, ruled by weakness but times were about to change with the coming of age of the hidden sovereign who wasn't what the country expected. This is the story of the woman, the magic and her protectants who cleaned up the evil.

The worldbuilding was fabulous, and the characters were interesting. It was easy to care about the characters and the story. The writing and conversations between the characters was great as well. This book tackled very important and relavent social issues concerning gender, abuse, class, war, etc. I was disappointed that it didn't address racial inequality effectively - it very only subtly hinted at it at several points. Overall, this is a spectacular book (and series - I've read the whole trilogy), and I very much recommend it. The ending was not expected at all, but I was not disappointed. I couldn't think about anything else for a LONG time.

This was a fun read and held my interest. My only gripe is her name. I just don't picture a bad ass named Kelsea ;-) Just bought book 2 and looking forward to reading it!

About the author

Erika Johansen grew up in the San Francisco Bay area. She went to Swarthmore College, earned an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and eventually became an attorney, but she never stopped writing.