The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K. S. Villoso

The Wolf of Oren-Yaro (Chronicles of the Bitch Queen, #1)

by K. S. Villoso

"Intimate and epic. It compels you to read on." - Evan Winter, author of The Rage of Dragons
"Villoso's cunning, exciting debut is a new fantasy epic that readers will clamor for." - Library Journal (starred review)
From "a powerful new voice in fantasy" (Kameron Hurley) comes the tale of a queen who must unite her divided land, even if she's hated by the very people she's trying to protect.
"They called me the Bitch Queen, the she-wolf, because I murdered a man and exiled my king the night before they crowned me."
Born under the crumbling towers of her kingdom, Queen Talyien was the shining jewel and legacy of the bloody War of the Wolves. It nearly tore her nation apart. But her arranged marriage to the son of a rival clan heralds peace.
However, he suddenly disappears before their reign can begin, and the kingdom is fractured beyond repair.
Years later, he sends a mysterious invitation to meet. Talyien journeys across the sea in hopes of reconciling their past. An assassination attempt quickly dashes those dreams. Stranded in a land she doesn't know, with no idea whom she can trust, Talyien will have to embrace her namesake.
A Wolf of Oren-yaro is not tamed.
"Intricate, intimate, and intensely plotted." - Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld
The Chronicles of the Bitch QueenThe Wolf of Oren-yaroThe Ikessar Falcon

Reviewed by Veronica 🦦 on

5 of 5 stars

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A-/B+ | Despite the fact that Talyien was one of the most frustrating characters I have read this year, I truly enjoyed this magnificent, character driven novel with its lush Filipino-coded world. Talyien is surely one of the most interesting characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading about. The worldbuilding is woven into the story in such a superb way that I could vividly see, smell, feel, hear, and taste the universe. This adult fantasy novel is unapologetically Filipino and it reflects so much of both the good and bad aspects of Filipino society, particularly the struggles of Filipino women. It is a thrill ride full of heartbreak, betrayal, love, family, duty, and politics.

Full review to be posted at a later time on my blog.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 28 December, 2019: Finished reading
  • 28 December, 2019: Reviewed