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Defy the Dusk: Book One of the Sundering Duet

by Danielle L. Jensen

A divided world caught between dawn and night

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Awards & Recognition

  • Author recognition

    #1 New York Times bestselling author

    The source describes Danielle L. Jensen as a #1 New York Times bestselling author, referencing The Bridge Kingdom.

  • Critical praise

    Praise from Victoria Aveyard

    Victoria Aveyard directly praises Defy the Dusk as “Propulsive and unstoppable” and a “furious machine of a book...

AlbakiReads Editorial

A divided world caught between dawn and night

Twenty years after Lirien’s magic shattered civilization and unleashed creatures that emerge at night, survival is divided between the people aboard the Dawnrider and those left behind. Lirien has spent years serving the rig while plotting against its ruler; her abduction by Vox, king of the feralists, forces her into a new struggle against the nocturnal threat. The opening volume of The Sundering Duet brings together post-apocalyptic fantasy, a conflict over power and loyalty, and a romance entangled with Lirien’s plans for rebellion and redemption. Its central tension asks whether the path she has pursued is the one that can save the world.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Fantasy-romance readers interested in post-apocalyptic worlds and supernatural threats.
  • Readers who enjoy stories of rebellion, divided societies, and shifting loyalties.
  • Those seeking the first installment of a fantasy duology.

Themes

Survival after societal collapsePower and rebellionLoyalty and redemptionMagic and nocturnal danger

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

When darkness means certain death and survival depends on reaching the dawn, the woman whose magic broke the world will carve another path: defy the dusk. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom comes the first book in a gritty post-apocalyptic fantasy duology.

This stunning first edition hardcover features designed sprayed edges and endpapers, a custom foil-stamped case, and a deluxe jacket with foil--while supplies last!


"Propulsive and unstoppable, Defy the Dusk is a furious machine of a book, with a tremendous heart at its core."--Victoria Aveyard, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Tempest

In the Sundered world, there are two options: Ride the dawn, or face what rises in the night.

Twenty years ago, Lirien's magic fractured the world and unleashed nocturnal creatures that brought civilization to its knees. Amidst the carnage came salvation: The most powerful survivors were invited to board Dawnrider, a high-speed rig that would deliver those aboard into a new era.

The rest of humanity was left to die.

Instead, a king rose from the darkness to lead them.

In the years since, Lirien has dedicated her magic to Dawnrider while secretly plotting to overthrow the tyrant who rules the rig with an iron fist. But just as Lirien is ready to strike against him, she is violently abducted by Vox--the king of the feralists.

The mercurial Vox gives her two choices: Fight the creatures that hunt the night or be fed to them. Lirien agrees to join his ranks, but embarks on a strategy of seduction that will return her to Dawnrider.

Yet as Vox pushes the limits of her magic, Lirien begins to question whether defying the dusk is the true path to salvation. Intoxicated by both Vox and his war against the night, Lirien must decide where her loyalties truly lie--and how far she's willing to go for redemption.

Book One of The Sundering Duet
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