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For fans of HOUSE OF THE DRAGON® and THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE, a dark and lyrical epic fantasy of warring kingdoms, female rage and a wild magic that refuses to be tamed.
Tilde has always heard the whispers of the kithwood, the voices of her ancestors speaking through the mysterious forest of her homeland.But now both the kithwood and her kingdom are in danger.
For Tilde is the only surviving heir of a conquered land. To unite the people and finally stop the bloodshed, she marries the ageing warlord, King Liran. Her duty is to bind their nations and bear him a son.
But the swan king’s court is dangerous. Tilde is a threat to the claim of Liran’s older sons, who will do whatever it takes to remove her, to the princess Elise who has only ever known loyalty to her family, and to the priests who own them all.
Yet none of them know that Tilde is a snake in their midst, with allies on her side and dark, forbidden power of her own. She wants her kingdom back, and she will sacrifice everything to claim it.
FOR THE QUEEN TO RISE, THE SWANS MUST FALL.
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'One of my favourite epics of all time' – SAMANTHA SHANNON
'Breathtaking' – SAARA EL-ARIFI
‘An addictive, cunning political fantasy' – SHANNON CHAKRABORTY
'Captivating' – ANTONIA HODGSON
'Vicious, brutal, intricate' – TASHA SURI
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Readers Love A Snake Among Swans
‘Fascinating and highly imaginative fantasy novel with excellent worldbuilding and a story that kept me curious from beginning to end’
'10 out of 5 stars!'
‘This was an incredible read. I really felt like no character was safe and I’ll be waiting on the edge of my seat for the next book’
‘Epic fantasy at its best’
‘Will recommend this book to everyone that wants a book that will make them feel everything!’
Hannah Kaner's book 'Faithbreaker' was a No.1 Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2025-03-17.
Genre: Fantasy
Praise for this book
"A beautiful, lush, incandescent book. With court intrigue, sapphic longing and wild magic, Hannah Kaner delivers an epic tale of vengeance and heroines whose blood hum and passions sing. A book that enchants you and pulls you in like the kithwood whose powers beat at the heart of this novel - you can't help but be swallowed then come back changed." - Costanza Casati
"A cunning political fantasy whose scheming courtly factions and cutthroat star-crossed lovers are as beguiling and unpredictable as the lethal magic wilds that surround them." - Shannon Chakraborty
"Kaner crafts an astonishing portrait of a fierce young queen, whose quest to save the remnants of her people - no matter the cost to herself or those she dares to love - will threaten her own humanity. It is a riveting and nuanced tale about the ways in which the power we seek and the survival we need can also be our undoing." - Sunyi Dean
"Beautifully written with a simmering thread of violence, A Snake Among Swans is a fairytale reimagining with teeth. Filled with the perfect mix of courtly politics, sapphic yearning, and feminine rage, this book is a triumphant start to Kaner's sophomore trilogy." - Kate Dylan
"In A Snake Among Swans, Hannah Kaner takes her worldbuilding to an entirely new level. As a lover of Godkiller, I knew this book would be good, but it is more than just good, it is exquisite. The book reads like poetry but retains a pace that took my breath away. It is simply that: breathtaking. Every word has been written with intention, every character carved with deft skill. To put it frankly, I wish I had written this book." - Saara El-Arifi
"This book didn't just grip me, it consumed me... Hannah Kaner plunges you into a world that is utterly vivid, magical and terrifying. The stakes are impossibly high, the characters excruciatingly real. There is so much wisdom in its pages, such nuanced and powerful reflection on war, revenge, sexuality and what it means to be human. It's a masterpiece - and just rocketed to one of my favourite books of all time." - Elodie Harper
"A bold, powerful new fantasy epic, A Snake Among Swans is as treacherous and enticing as a magic forest. Hannah Kaner weaves together a compelling tale of blood, tyranny and magic, where every choice demands sacrifice, and every move risks death. Intricate, dramatic and unflinching, it's a brilliant start to what is sure to be a captivating series." - Antonia Hodgson
"A magnificently crafted dark and twisted fairy tale which feels completely real and incredibly compelling. It pulses with intrigue and menace, and at the same time is eerily beautiful and otherworldly. The fragility of love and hope is set against the grim realities of war and treachery, creating an unstoppable momentum. I absolutely devoured this book!" - Jennifer Saint
"A razor sharp, beautifully written epic filled with political intrigue and perfectly imperfect characters that blaze off the page. Kaner delivers a flawless fantasy while simultaneously ensuring we interrogate our own history. I loved Godkiller, but I am truly obsessed with A Snake Among Swans." - A F Steadman
"A Snake Among Swans is vicious, brutal, intricate and utterly incredible. Hannah Kaner is a queen of epic fantasy." - Tasha Suri
"A Snake Among Swans had me absolutely glued to the pages from the very start. Complicated political machinations, twists that made me audibly gasp, and forbidden sapphic longing came together for a story that has me chomping at the bit for the next installment." - Hannah Whitten
"A cunning political fantasy whose scheming courtly factions and cutthroat star-crossed lovers are as beguiling and unpredictable as the lethal magic wilds that surround them." - Shannon Chakraborty
"Kaner crafts an astonishing portrait of a fierce young queen, whose quest to save the remnants of her people - no matter the cost to herself or those she dares to love - will threaten her own humanity. It is a riveting and nuanced tale about the ways in which the power we seek and the survival we need can also be our undoing." - Sunyi Dean
"Beautifully written with a simmering thread of violence, A Snake Among Swans is a fairytale reimagining with teeth. Filled with the perfect mix of courtly politics, sapphic yearning, and feminine rage, this book is a triumphant start to Kaner's sophomore trilogy." - Kate Dylan
"In A Snake Among Swans, Hannah Kaner takes her worldbuilding to an entirely new level. As a lover of Godkiller, I knew this book would be good, but it is more than just good, it is exquisite. The book reads like poetry but retains a pace that took my breath away. It is simply that: breathtaking. Every word has been written with intention, every character carved with deft skill. To put it frankly, I wish I had written this book." - Saara El-Arifi
"This book didn't just grip me, it consumed me... Hannah Kaner plunges you into a world that is utterly vivid, magical and terrifying. The stakes are impossibly high, the characters excruciatingly real. There is so much wisdom in its pages, such nuanced and powerful reflection on war, revenge, sexuality and what it means to be human. It's a masterpiece - and just rocketed to one of my favourite books of all time." - Elodie Harper
"A bold, powerful new fantasy epic, A Snake Among Swans is as treacherous and enticing as a magic forest. Hannah Kaner weaves together a compelling tale of blood, tyranny and magic, where every choice demands sacrifice, and every move risks death. Intricate, dramatic and unflinching, it's a brilliant start to what is sure to be a captivating series." - Antonia Hodgson
"A magnificently crafted dark and twisted fairy tale which feels completely real and incredibly compelling. It pulses with intrigue and menace, and at the same time is eerily beautiful and otherworldly. The fragility of love and hope is set against the grim realities of war and treachery, creating an unstoppable momentum. I absolutely devoured this book!" - Jennifer Saint
"A razor sharp, beautifully written epic filled with political intrigue and perfectly imperfect characters that blaze off the page. Kaner delivers a flawless fantasy while simultaneously ensuring we interrogate our own history. I loved Godkiller, but I am truly obsessed with A Snake Among Swans." - A F Steadman
"A Snake Among Swans is vicious, brutal, intricate and utterly incredible. Hannah Kaner is a queen of epic fantasy." - Tasha Suri
"A Snake Among Swans had me absolutely glued to the pages from the very start. Complicated political machinations, twists that made me audibly gasp, and forbidden sapphic longing came together for a story that has me chomping at the bit for the next installment." - Hannah Whitten
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