A dark, heart-thumping political epic fantasy by debut author Amy Leow - full of scheming demons, morally grey heroines, talking cats and cut-throat priests, this delicious tale of power and corruption will captivate from beginning to end.
'Living goddess Binsa's bartering of blood and power offers one hell of a villain origin story, and readers in search of devious political schemes, moral complexity, and lush worldbuilding need look no further'
Julie Leong, author of The Teller of Small Fortunes
Binsa is a "living goddess," chosen by the gods to dispense both mercy and punishment from her place on the Scarlet Throne. But her reign hides a deadly secret. Rather than channelling the wisdom of an immortal deity, she harbours a demon.
But now her priests are growing suspicious. When a new girl, Medha, is selected to take over her position, Binsa and her demon strike a deal: to magnify his power and help her wrest control from the priests, she will sacrifice human lives. She'll do anything not to end up back on the streets, forgotten and alone. But how much of her humanity is she willing to trade in her quest for power? Deals with demons are rarely so simple.
'[A] delightful novel that launches the False Goddess trilogy. Debut author Leow carefully balances the characters' humanity against their fears to drive this story along unexpected paths'
Booklist ★
'Binsa makes for a fascinating and deeply morally ambiguous antihero... This tension-filled adventure gets Leow off to a strong start'
Publishers Weekly
'Lady Macbeth step aside, there's a new scheming villain on the scene'
Eliza Chan, no. 1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Fathomfolk
'This book will make you embrace your inner villain and be completely unapologetic about it'
Amber Chen, Sunday Times bestselling author
'A lush villain's descent filled with fire and dark ambition'
Wen-yi Lee
'A bold and beautiful story of power, politics, and religion...The Scarlet Throne is a must-read for anyone who loves villainous women'
Maelan Holladay
