The Bone Shard Daughter cover art

The Bone Shard Daughter

The first book in the Sunday Times bestselling Drowning Empire series

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The Bone Shard Daughter

By: Andrea Stewart
Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller, Feodor Chin, Natalie Naudus
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About this listen

 'One of the best fantasy novels I've read in a long time...This book is truly special' Sarah J. Maas

'Epic fantasy at its most human and heartfelt . . . inventive, adventurous and wonderfully written' Alix E. Harrow

'Brilliant world-building, deep intrigue and incredible heart' Megan E. O'Keefe

The Sukai Dynasty has ruled the Phoenix Empire for over a century, their mastery of bone shard magic powering the monstrous constructs that maintain law and order. But now the emperor's rule is failing, and revolution is sweeping across the Empire's many islands.

Lin is the Emperor's daughter, but a mysterious illness has stolen her childhood memories and her status as heir to the empire. Trapped in a palace of locked doors and old secrets, Lin vows to reclaim her birthright by mastering the forbidden art of bone shard magic.

But the mysteries behind such power are dark and deep, and wielding her family's magic carries a great cost. When the revolution reaches the gates of the palace itself, Lin must decide how far she is willing to go to claim her throne - and save her people.

The Bone Shard Daughter is an unmissable fantasy debut for 2020 - a captivating tale of magic, revolution and mystery, where a young woman's sense of identity will make or break an empire.

'A bold, ambitious debut' M. R. Carey

'Utterly absorbing. I adored it' Emily A. Duncan

'A triumph. Memorable characters and bone-chilling secrets that keep you turning the pages' K. S. Villoso

'Begins with a spark of intrigue that ignites into a thrilling adventure' Hafsah Faizal

'Intricate and expansive, incisive and thoughtful - a complex web of political and personal intrigue' Kerstin Hall

'A thoroughly fantastic read and I eagerly await the sequel' Kevin Hearne

'Groundbreaking epic fantasy for a new age' Tasha Suri

©2020 Andrea Stewart Action & Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Magic

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Critic reviews

The Bone Shard Daughter is one of the best fantasy novels I've read in a long time. With stunningly intricate world-building that leaps off the page and characters who are so vibrant that you wish they were real, it grabs you by the heart and the throat from the first pages and doesn't let go until long after it's over. This book is truly special
As the narrative gains pace and change sweeps the islands, Stewart skilfully orchestrates her diverse cast towards a satisfyingly gripping climax
The Bone Shard Daughter is epic fantasy at its most human and heartfelt, concerned with the real lives caught in the gears of empire and rebellion. Inventive, adventurous, and wonderfully written (Alix E. Harrow)
A complex and dark tapestry of a fantasy woven through with brilliant world-building, deep intrigue, and incredible heart (Megan E. O'Keefe)
The Bone Shard Daughter begins with a spark of intrigue that ignites into a thrilling adventure you cannot miss - with a unique (and painful!) magic system to boot
Action-packed, must-read epic fantasy . . . One of the best debut fantasy novels of the year
A rich and rewarding novel, original and thought-provoking, and I didn't want it to end
There's a bold, ambitious imagination at work here - and this is a world you'll want to linger in
The Bone Shard Daughter seized my attention and wouldn't let go. It's a thoroughly fantastic read and I eagerly await the sequel
A grand, ingenious and sweeping tale of power, magic and heart, The Bone Shard Daughter is groundbreaking epic fantasy for a new age'
An unforgettable tale of magic and intrigue, and the start of a fascinating trilogy
Richly told, emotional, [and] action-laced
I couldn't put Andrea Stewart's BONE SHARD DAUGHTER down. A kaleidoscopic cast, a fascinating world, captivating magic and enthralling politics -- I'm already looking forward to the next book! Meantime, I can't stop thinking about this one. A fantastic adventure
Stewart has drawn a fascinating world with characters who have deep foundations, and who will quickly capture readers' hearts . . . Stewart's debut is sharp and compelling. It will hook readers in and make them fiercely anticipate the rest of the series
This brilliant fantasy debut has announced Andrea Stewart as quite possibly the best newcomer of the year
There is a fantastic cast of characters, a compelling plot, a unique magic system and a vividly written world. I cannot wait to see what is going to happen next... This will definitely be on my favourite books of 2020 list and will probably be my favourite fantasy debut of the year
THE BONE SHARD DAUGHTER is full of atmospheric delights: a spooky palace full of locked doors and awful secrets! Wonderful characters struggling with hard choices! Intriguing worldbuilding! An endearing yet mysterious animal companion! Profoundly creepy bone shard magic! This is a fantastic read well worth your time. I can't wait for the sequel!
All stars
Most relevant
I really enjoyed this story. If you are a fan of fantasy type fiction but bored of the same format then this book is a breath of fresh air.
The plot is a slow burner, takes a while to get into but definitely worth sticking it out. I thought the entire book would play out differently so was surprised by the twists and turns. The narration by the actors is brilliant.

Something completely different

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This Book is something more Asian inspired Fantasy. Which I missed after all the Tolkien and Martin hypes for the last couple of years. The magic ideas are rather simple, but super clever. You can program flesh to working and thinking machines. You just need to write down the commands on a human bone and put that into lifeless flesh. The question is, do you also transfer a soul or a mind of the bone owner into the new creatures? Who knows :D just listen to the books. Can't wait for the next one!

Surprised how good it was!

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Excellent narration of an interesting story. I hope there are more by this author soon.

A new author for me but I thoroughly enjoyed it

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I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. the narration was splendid, the plot and the characters well executed and quite unique. Good, solid writing. 4.5 stars

loved it

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I enjoyed the flow of the story and all of the characters, will be reading the other 2 books

I enjoyed

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