Book 1

Dancers of the Dawn

by Zulekhá Afzal

Published 6 June 2024

Deep in the desert a storm is brewing. The first in a slow burning YA fantasy.

'Enchanting.' Katharine Corr, co-author of Daughter of Darkness

Under the blazing sun, an elite troupe of dancers are trained to harness their magic. They are the queen’s most formidable assassins. Aasira has one of the rarest talents – for she is a flame-wielder. Feared by all and envied by some, she uses her power to execute enemies of the crown.

Aasira’s greatest wish is to serve her queen. But on the eve of her graduation, with tensions rising among the dancers and secrets stirring in the shifting sand dunes, she begins to question whether she was truly born to kill…

Readers are spellbound by Dancers of the Dawn:

‘Hands down, one of the best books I'll read this year’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘a suspenseful, plot twisty and powerfully emotional read that epic fantasy lovers definitely don’t want to miss.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Absolutely stellar… I love the sisterhood, the mystery, the characters, the magic.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘an excellent fantasy featuring an original magical system, well developed characters, and a fascinating plot.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

absolutely gorgeous, so evocative that I could practically hear the music and see the dancers, even in their deadliest moments.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This world is rich, vibrant, and colorful, the prose will transport you to a land full of spices and secrets.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘First of all, dance magic? Such a unique magic system and it was done beautifully! The world was perfectly described, with the spices and the flowers and all the colours. I just adored it!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A beautifully evoked and action-packed YA adventure, with awe inspiring description of both landscape, magic and dance.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐