September 9, 2024
Bestseller Gong dials up the tension of her Flesh & False Gods series with this pulse-pounding follow-up to Immortal Longings. Princess Calla Tuolemi, having won the city of San-Er’s bloody tournament—in the process killing her lover, Anton Makusa—now moves forward with her plan to murder King Kasa. She’s astonished, however, to learn that Anton is still alive and has taken over Prince August Shenzhi’s body. Though Anton feels betrayed, the two agree to a truce as they confront a serious threat to their rule: there’s been a rash of strange killings in the provinces and Calla fears they are linked to insurgent groups. This is compounded by the sudden awakening of Anton’s former lover, Otta Avia, from a seven-year coma and her shocking address to the people in which she calls the current monarch’s power into question. Gong nimbly expands the series’s scope, taking the fight outside of San-Er and offering more insight into the body-swapping magic system. Complete with thrilling fight scenes and plenty of romantic angst, this keeps the series going strong. Agent: Laura Crockett, Triada US.
March 7, 2025
Book two of bestselling Gong's "Flesh and False Gods" trilogy (following Immortal Longings) picks up where the first book left off. Inspired by Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, this series balances political intrigue with countless plot twists and flawed characters readers grow to love (or love to hate). Full of decrepit tech, gritty cities, and a body-swapping magic system, Gong's tale continues to develop the lore of Anton and Calla as they find themselves further entwined in the twisty machinations afoot in the kingdom of San-Er. Jeena Yi returns to narrate this sequel and does so brilliantly. While listeners should pay close attention, as there are no major delineations between Yi's character voices (and the novel has lots of characters), Yi sparkles as the toughened Calla. The cold disinterest in Calla's spoken words contrasts nicely with her calculating yet vulnerable internal monologue. As Calla evolves, Yi inserts a softened edge to her tone that, at times, mirrors the lyrical quality of Shakespeare's prose. VERDICT Listeners should prepare for the heavy lift of numerous characters and a slow-paced beginning but will ultimately be pleased with Yi's strong pacing, spot-on sarcastic banter, and delivery of a tenacious heroine.--Gina Collett
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