The Shepherd King — series

Creatures & Beings

Tropes & Themes

How it starts

Elspeth Spindle lives in the mist-locked kingdom of Blunder, where magic is both a gift and a curse. After surviving a mysterious fever in her childhood, she harbors an ancient spirit known as the Nightmare within her mind. This spirit protects her but also poses a threat as it gradually takes over her consciousness. In Blunder, magic is wielded through Providence Cards, a deck of twelve cards each granting specific abilities, but their use comes at a significant cost. When Elspeth encounters Ravyn Yew, the king's nephew and Captain of the Destriers, she becomes entangled in a perilous quest to reunite the Providence Cards before the solstice to cure the kingdom of its dark magic. As their mission progresses, Elspeth must confront the growing influence of the Nightmare and the kingdom's oppressive laws against those infected by magic. For fans of 'Uprooted' and 'For the Wolf', this dark, lushly gothic fantasy is a must-read.