Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amelie Wen Zhao

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night (Song of the Last Kingdom, #1)

by Amélie Wen Zhao

‘Devastatingly gorgeous’
Chloe Gong, #1 NYT bestselling author of THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS

‘I was swept away from the first page!’
Rebecca Ross, internationally bestselling author of A RIVER ENCHANTED

In a fallen kingdom, one girl carries the key to its forgotten past – and the demons that sleep at its heart…

Once, Lan had a different name. Now, she goes by the one the Elantian colonizers gave her. She spends her days scavenging for remnants of the past. For anything that might help her understand the strange mark burned into her arm by her mother, in her last act before she died.

No one can see the mysterious mark – until the night Zen appears at the teahouse and saves her life.

Zen is a practitioner, one of the fabled magicians of the Last Kingdom, whose abilities were rumoured to be drawn from the demons they communed with. Magic believed to be long lost. Magic to be hidden at all costs.

Both Lan and Zen have secrets buried deep within. Fate has connected them, but their destiny remains unwritten. Both hold the power to liberate their land. And both hold the power to destroy the world.

A ferocious tale of romance and fate, SONG OF SILVER, FLAME LIKE NIGHT is a gift to those seeking adventure with a mythological twist.

Perfect for fans of DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS by Sue Lynn Tan, THE FINAL STRIFE by Saara El-Arifi, and IRON WIDOW by Xiran Jay Zhao.

Reviewed by lisbethwhite on

4 of 5 stars

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Folks. This was such a lovely story. Orphans, magic, HIDDEN magic and its discovery, intrigue, good and evil fighting... it was just really good. It took me a minute to get into the story, but, like.... four pages in I was hooked. Lots of Chinese words and names and themes, which could be a stumbling block for some readers, but for those who aren't afraid of that, those readers that like big dramatic fantasy, that don't mind BIG books (455 pages)? This is a book for them. Maybe it's for you too!

My KNEA RC review:
In a country that has been overtaken by an invading people, Lan and Zen, both orphans, connect through tragic circumstances. Despite this, they flee together, with Zen, an accomplished practicioner of Hin magic, teaching Lan to control her qí so that she, too, can learn the now forbidden practice. They seek refuge in Zen's safe haven, his hidden school of magic, and there they begin to unravel the mystery and danger they face. Hand this to lovers of sweeping dramatic fantasy and stories of good vs evil who aren't intimidated by large books.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 30 May, 2023: Finished reading
  • 30 May, 2023: Reviewed