The Poet Empress by Shen Tao

The Poet Empress by Shen Tao

*THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*
*A BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK*

'This is a five star read for real' ROBIN HOBB
'An impressive debut with real psychological depth' THE GUARDIAN
'Richly imagined and politically driven' THE I PAPER
'In a class of its own' THE DAILY MAIL
'A novel of great power and force' LOCUS
'It now holds a standard for fantasy standalones' GRIMDARK MAGAZINE
'This dark fantasy stands out among the plethora of romantasy' BOOKLIST
'Vicious, gorgeous, and fiercely haunting' CHLOE GONG
'Sublime' AMELIE WEN ZHAO
'Enthralling' ANDREA STEWART
'Astounding' CHELSEA ABDULLAH
'Fantasy at its best' VAISHNAVI PATEL

TO KILL A MONSTER, SHE MUST BECOME ONE . . .

As the emperor lays dying, the once-great Azalea Dynasty plunges towards civil war. While its princes plot for power, a more hidden war - to become the next empress - occupies the imperial court.

Wei Yin - peasant girl turned concubine to the cruel Prince Terren - has already endured unimaginable suffering. Ripped from her family, she has no title, no allies, and no escape. But she does have a secret . . .

In the shadows of the palace, surrounded by enemies, she is learning a skill forbidden to women. Because when words are weapons and poetry holds an ancient magic, the fate of a girl - and a nation - can both be rewritten. All she has to do is compose the perfect poem - a tale so powerful, it can kill any man, even the next emperor.

The epic political arena of The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang meets the intimate tragedy of The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller in this internationally bestselling debut novel by visionary new voice Shen Tao, unmissable for veteran genre fans as well as readers of literary fiction looking to make their first foray into fantasy.

The Poet Empress is a hidden knife, one that cuts so deeply and cleanly that it excises your heart and makes you like itI have rarely had such a breathless reading experience, where each page reveals the ways in which humanity's beauty and ugliness run lockstep with one another. Terrifying and enthralling! * Andrea Stewart, Sunday Times bestselling author *
Taut, sharp, and compelling. With haunting prose and characters vividly real, THE POET EMPRESS is a devastating composition, revealing intrigue, magic, and politics turn by thrilling turn. Impeccably paced, vicious and romantic, this is a deadly debut that'll have you at the edge of your seat * Kritika H. Rao, Sunday Times bestselling author of THE LEGEND OF MENEKA *
The Poet Empress will surprise you. It will, at times, terrify you. But Tao's rich tale is multifaceted-it is brutal, yes, but also beautiful and full of hope and kindnesses both big and small. If you love court intrigue, creative magic systems, and protagonists who know that empathy is a strength and not a weakness, even as they are forced to make impossible decisions, this is the book for you. * Kemi Ashing-Giwa *

Shen Tao immigrated to Canada at an early age, and grew up inspired by both Chinese and Western stories. She has wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember. The Poet Empress is her first book.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781399628969
ISBN 10	1399628968
Title	The Poet Empress
Author	Shen Tao
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Orion Publishing Co
Year published	2026-01-20
Number of pages	400
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.