Song of the Last Kingdom

The Song of the Last Kingdom series is the work of author Amelie Wen Zhao. The first book “Song of Silver, Flame as the Night” was published in 2023 and was nominated for the Goodreads Fantasy Book Awards in the same year.

World

It is set in the Last Kingdom, which was conquered by the Elantian colony 12 cycles (years) ago. The conquered peoples of Hin are oppressed and matted down by the rulers. Their history has been erased and all ancient practices and spells are forbidden.

According to the myths of Hin, four demon gods roam the world: the dragon, the phoenix, the tiger and the tortoise. According to the legends, those who manage to summon and control them gain unprecedented power, for which they pay with their body and soul. Those who are defeated by demonic magic lose their minds and are the cause of mass slaughter and catastrophe.

The story tells of Lan, a young girl who has lost her loved ones and is forced to face the harsh realities of an enslaved kingdom. After witnessing the gruesome murder of her mother, Lan is sold and forced to live as a girl for pleasure. She bears a mysterious scar on her wrist, which is the last gift her mother gave her in her final moments. She is determined to discover the secrets of her sigil, and the sigil guides her path as she encounters magic practitioners who are supposedly long extinct. Her destiny leads her into an unknown future full of challenges and dangers.

Magic

The Elantians know how to channel their magic through metal. The more types of metal a mage wears, the more powerful he is.

The Hin people derive their magic from their surroundings. It consists of two opposing halves: Yin and Yang. Yin stands for cold, darkness, anger and death, yang for warmth, light, joy and life. Practitioners strive for a synchronization between the two forces.

Books in the series:

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night

Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White