Erika Johansen

An untested young princess must claim her throne, learn to become a queen, and combat a malevolent sorceress in an epic battle between light and darkness in this spectacular debut—the first novel in a trilogy. Young Kelsea Raleigh was raised in hiding after the death of her mother, Queen Elyssa, far from the intrigues of the royal Keep and in the care of two devoted servants who pledged their lives to protect her. Growing up in a cottage deep in the woods, Kelsea knows little of her kingdom's haunted past . . . or that its fate will soon rest in her hands. Long ago, Kelsea's forefathers sailed away from a decaying world to establish a new land free of modern technology. Three hundred years later, this feudal society has divided into three fearful nations who pay duties to a fourth: the powerful Mortmesne, ruled by the cunning Red Queen. Now, on Kelsea's nineteenth birthday, the tattered remnants of the Queen's Guard—loyal soldiers who protect the throne—have appeared to escort the princess on a perilous journey to the capital to ascend to her rightful place as the new Queen of the Tearling. Though born of royal blood and in possession of the Tear sapphire, a jewel of immense power and magic, Kelsea has never felt more uncertain of her ability to rule. But the shocking evil she discovers in the heart of her realm will precipitate an act of immense daring, throwing the entire kingdom into turmoil—and unleashing the Red Queen's vengeance. A cabal of enemies with an array of deadly weapons, from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic, plots to destroy her. But Kelsea is growing in strength and stealth, her steely resolve earning her loyal allies, including the Queen's Guard, led by the enigmatic Lazarus, and the intriguing outlaw known simply as "the Fetch." Kelsea's quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun. Riddled with mysteries, betrayals, and treacherous battles, Kelsea's journey is a trial by fire that will either forge a legend . . . or destroy her.

In less than a year, Kelsea Glynn has grown from an awkward teenager into a powerful monarch and a visionary leader. And as she has come into her own as the Queen of the Tearling, she has transformed her realm. But in her quest to end corruption and restore justice, she has made many enemies - chief among them the evil and feared Red Queen, who ordered the armies of Mortmesne to march against the Tear and crush them. To protect her people from such a devastating invasion, Kelsea did the unthinkable - naming the Mace, the trusted head of her personal guards, Regent in her place, she surrendered herself and her magical sapphires to her enemy. But the Mace will not rest until he and his men rescue their sovereign from her prison in Mortmesne. So, the endgame has begun and the fate of Queen Kelsea - and the Tearling itself - will be revealed... With The Fate of the Tearling, Erika Johansen draws her unforgettable story full of magic and adventure to a thrilling close.

Kelsea Glynn is the Queen of the Tearling. Despite her youth, she has quickly asserted herself as a fair, just and powerful ruler. However, power is a double-edged sword, and small actions can have grave consequences. In trying to do what is right - stopping a vile trade in humankind - Kelsea has crossed the Red Queen, a ruthless monarch whose rule is bound with dark magic and the spilling of blood. The Red Queen's armies are poised to invade the Tearling, and it seems nothing can stop them. Yet there was a time before the Crossing, and there Kelsea finds a strange and possibly dangerous ally, someone who might hold the key to the fate of the Tearling, and indeed to Kelsea's own soul. But time is running out... Erika Johansen's fierce and unforgettable young heroine returns in this dazzling new novel of magic and adventure, set in the beguiling world of the Tearling.

Bestselling author of the Queen of the Tearling series, Erika Johansen, journeys to a new kingdom in this brilliant stand-alone novel—a darkly magical take on The Nutcracker where two sisters, cursed from birth, are forever changed one memorable Christmas. . . . Light and dark—this is the destiny placed upon Natasha and Clara, the birthright bestowed by their godfather, the mysterious sorcerer Drosselmeyer. Clara, the favorite, grows into beauty and ease, while Natasha is cursed to live in her sister’s shadow. But one fateful Christmas Eve, Natasha gets her chance at revenge. For Drosselmeyer has brought the Nutcracker, an enchanted present that offers entry into a deceptively beautiful world: the Kingdom of Sweets. In this land of snow and sugar, Natasha is presented with a power far greater than Drosselmeyer: the Sugar Plum Fairy, who is also full of gifts . . . and dreadful bargains. As Natasha uncovers the dark destiny laid before her birth, she must reckon with powers both earthly and magical, and decide to which world she truly belongs.

The story of a decadent kingdom descended into darkness, alliances forged under fire, and a battle over a prophecy that will change the course of history. The Tearling has reverted to feudalism, a far cry from the utopia it was founded to be. As the gap between rich and poor widens and famine threatens the land, sparking unrest, rumors of a prophecy begin to spread: a great hope, a True Queen who will rise up and save the kingdom. But rumors will not help Lazarus, a man raised to kill in the brutal clandestine underworld of the Creche, nor Aislinn, a farm girl who must reckon with her own role in the growing rebellion. In the Keep, the crown princess, Elyssa, finds herself torn between duty to the throne and the lure of the Blue Horizon, a group of fierce idealists who promise radical change . . . but Elyssa must choose quickly, before a nefarious witch and her shadowy master use dark magic to decide for her. It is only a matter of time before all three will be called into the service of something bigger than they have ever imagined: a fight for a better world.

Light and dark - this is the destiny placed upon Natasha and Clara, the birthright bestowed on them by their godfather, the mysterious sorcerer Drosselmeyer. Clara, the favourite, grows into beauty and ease, while Natasha is cursed to live in her sister's shadow. But one fateful Christmas Eve, Natasha gets her chance at revenge. For Drosselmeyer has returned and brought with him the Nutcracker, an enchanted present which offers entry to a deceptively beautiful the Kingdom of Sweets.In this land of snow and sugar, Natasha is presented with a power far greater than the Sugar Plum Fairy, who is also a giver of gifts . . . and a maker of dread-filled bargains. As Natasha uncovers the dark destiny laid before her birth, she must reckon with powers both earthly and magical . . . and decide to which world she truly belongs.

La Trilogie du Tearling En moins d'un an, Kelsea Glynn est devenue Reine du Tearling, une reine puissante et visionnaire qui a transformé le royaume. Dans sa quête de justice, et pour mettre fin à la corruption, elle s'est fait de nombreux ennemis, notamment la Reine rouge, sa rivale la plus féroce, qui lui a déclaré la guerre. Pour protéger son peuple de l'invasion, Kelsea se livre à l'adversaire avec son saphir magique, et nomme Massue, son fidèle chef des gardes, comme régent. Massue va alors tout faire pour sauver sa reine, prisonnière de Mortmesne. Dans cette fin de partie pleine de suspense va se jouer le destin de la Reine Kelsea et du Tearling lui-même. Traduite dans 27 pays, la trilogie du Tearling sera adaptée au cinéma (produite par Warner Bros), avec Emma Watson.

Au fil des jours, Kelsea Glynn apprend à assumer ses nouvelles responsabilités de souveraine. Mais en stoppant les livraisons d'esclaves au royaume voisin de Mortmesne, elle a provoqué la colère de la tyrannique Reine rouge, qui tire son pouvoir de la magie noire. En représailles, sa terrible armée déferle sur le Tearling pour s'emparer de ce qui, selon elle, lui revient de droit. Rien ne peut arrêter l'invasion. À mesure que l'armée Mort se rapproche, voici qu'une mystérieuse connexion s'établit entre Kelsea et une époque datant d'avant la Traversée. Elle se trouve unie à une étrange alliée, qui pourrait s'avérer dangereuse : une certaine Lily, qui lutte pour sa vie dans un monde où il ne fait pas bon être femme. Bientôt, Kelsea elle-même commence à changer ; elle ne reconnaît plus ni son reflet dans le miroir, ni l'extraordinaire pouvoir dont elle dispose à présent. Qui sait ? Le sort du Tearling, et celui de l'âme-même de Kelsea, dépendent peut-être de Lily et de son histoire ? Mais pour la Reine du Tearling, face aux hordes noires qui menacent de déferler sur sa cité et sur son peuple, le temps vient à manquer.

Après la mort de sa mère la Reine Elyssa, Kelsea Raleigh a grandi en exil, loin des intrigues du Donjon royal où son oncle a pris le pouvoir. Le jour de ses dix-neuf ans, une garde l'escorte de son repaire à la capitale, où elle doit reconquérir la place qui lui revient de droit. Kelsea ne s'est jamais sentie aussi peu capable de gouverner. Pourtant, les atrocités qu'elle découvre vont la pousser à commettre un acte d'une incroyable audace, qui jette tout le pays dans la tourmente. Long périple semé d'embûches, plein de bruit et de fureur, de trahisons et de combats... Pour Kelsea, l'épreuve ne fait que commencer.

En menos de un año, Kelsea Glynn ha dejado de ser una adolescente desgarbada e insegura para convertirse en una poderosa y justa monarca, la visionara Reina del Tearling, transformando su reino y poniendo fin a la corrupción. Por el camino ha hecho un montón de enemigos y enemigas. La más feroz de todas ellas es la Reina Roja, que se ha propuesto destruirla. Para proteger a sus súbditos de la ofensiva de esta despótica soberana y su ejército, Kelsea hizo lo impensable: entregarse a sus enemigos y también sus zafiros mágicos. En su lugar nombró rey regente a Maza, el responsable de su guardia personal. Pero este no piensa descansar hasta que logre rescatarla. El fin está cada vez más cerca. ¿Cuál será el destino de la Reina Kelsea y de su reino, el Reino del Tearling?

Una vez conquistado el trono, hay que conservarlo. Y no parece fácil. Kelsea ha decidido interrumpir el envío de esclavos al vecino reino de Mort y se ha ganado la lealtad y la admiración de su pueblo, pero también ha despertado la ira de la Reina Roja. A partir de ahora, la brutal soberana no cejará en su empeño por destruirla. Desesperada y más sola que nunca, Kelsea deberá encontrar la manera de defender a su reino. Y eso pasa por aprender a controlar sus poderes y descubrir su conexión con Lily, quien procede de una época en la que ser mujer era casi un crimen. Mientras el ejército invasor se acerca, Kelsea se dispone a servirse de lo que ha aprendido para asegurar el futuro del Tearling. Pero el tiempo se acaba…

Excellent Book

Kelsea Glynn es la única heredera del trono del Tearling. Tras la muerte de su madre, la princesa fue criada por dos fieles sirvientes en una cabaña oculta en los bosques. Durante casi dos décadas, el tío de Kelsea ha ejercido la regencia, pero no es más que el títere corrupto de la Reina Roja, la taimada y despótica hechicera que ostenta el poder en el feudo colindante de Mormesne. El día que Kelsea cumple diecinueve años, los maltrechos restos de la guardia de la reina acuden para sacar a la joven de la clandestinidad y escoltarla hasta la capital. Así empieza el turbulento viaje de Kelsea al corazón del Tearling para reclamar su trono, ganar la lealtad del pueblo y rescatar su reino de la corrupción y de la magia oscura. Armada con una voluntad de acero, la joven se someterá a una auténtica prueba de fuego que puede convertirla en leyenda... o destruirla.

V osupljivem prvem romanu trilogije mora neizkušena mlada princesa zasesti svoj prestol, se naučiti biti kraljica in se v epskem boju med svetlobo in temo spopasti z zloveščo čarovnico. Prestolonaslednica Kelsea Raleigh je po smrti matere, kraljice Elysse, odraščala daleč stran od spletk kraljevske trdnjave, skrita globoko v gozdu pri predanih služabnikih. Ko dekle dopolni devetnajst let, na njena vrata potrka kraljičina straža, ki jo pospremi na nevarno pot do prestolnice, da bi zavzela mesto na prestolu kraljevine Tearling. Pred davnimi časi so njeni predniki odpluli iz propadajočega sveta, da bi ustanovili novo deželo brez sodobne tehnologije. Tristo let za tem tri boječe dežele plačujejo dajatve mogočni sosednji kraljevini Mortmesne s pretkano Rdečo kraljico. Čeprav je Kelsea kraljevske krvi in okoli vratu nosi safir z neverjetno čarobno močjo, dvomi, ali bo lahko vladala kraljestvu. Zaradi pretresljivega zla, ki ga odkrije v svoji deželi, pa stori nekaj neverjetno drznega in izzove maščevanje Rdeče kraljice. Skrivna združba sovražnikov načrtuje njeno smrt. Toda nova kraljica pridobiva moč, zaradi svoje neomajne odločnosti pa ima tudi vse več zvestih zaveznikov. Njena pot, da bi rešila svoje kraljestvo in zavzela svoje mesto, se šele začenja. Obremenjena s skrivnostmi, z izdajami in nevarnimi spopadi si tlakuje pot, ki jo bo povzdignila v legendo …

The story of a decadent kingdom descended into darkness, alliances forged under fire, and a battle over a prophecy that will change the course of history. The Tearling has reverted to feudalism, a far cry from the utopia it was founded to be. As the gap between rich and poor widens and famine threatens the land, sparking unrest, rumors of a prophecy begin to spread: a great hope, a True Queen who will rise up and save the kingdom. But rumors will not help Lazarus, a man raised to kill in the brutal clandestine underworld of the Creche, nor Aislinn, a farm girl who must reckon with her own role in the growing rebellion. In the Keep, the crown princess, Elyssa, finds herself torn between duty to the throne and the lure of the Blue Horizon, a group of fierce idealists who promise radical change . . . but Elyssa must choose quickly, before a nefarious witch and her shadowy master use dark magic to decide for her. It is only a matter of time before all three will be called into the service of something bigger than they have ever imagined: a fight for a better world.

In the short story below, Johansen transports readers to a time before the invasion of Mort. She spins a tale of one physically strong, but emotionally vulnerable boy who's ultimately destined for greatness.

“Call it The Hunger Games of Thrones. Erika Johansen’s debut novel is a genre mashup: medieval fantasy meets dystopian future. . . . An addictive and enjoyable adventure. . . . The Tear is just as easy to get sucked into as Westeros or Hogwarts or Panem.” —USA Today Magic, adventure, mystery, and romance combine in this epic debut in which a young princess must reclaim her dead mother’s throne, learn to be a ruler—and defeat the Red Queen, a powerful and malevolent sorceress determined to destroy her. On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon—from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic—to prevent her from wearing the crown. Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust. But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun—a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend . . . if she can survive.