Bright Ruin

By: Vic James

Narrated by: Avita Jay

From the bestselling author of Sanctuary comes a gripping Orwellian vision of Britain, with a rebellious Hunger Games heart. Bright Ruin is the third and final title in Vic James’s electrifying Dark Gifts Trilogy, following Tarnished City.

A shattered country
A world-changing magic

Magically gifted aristocrats rule Britain, and the people must serve them. But rebellion now strikes at the heart of the old order. Abi has escaped public execution, thanks to an unexpected ally. Her brother Luke is on the run with Silyen Jardine, the most mysterious aristocrat of all. And as political and magical conflicts escalate, each must decide how far they’ll go for their beliefs.

Dragons clash in the skies, as two powerful women duel for the soul of Britain. A symbol of government will blaze as it dies, and doors between worlds will open – and close forever. But the battle within human hearts will be the fiercest of all.

Critic reviews

Beautifully characterised and compellingly plotted, Gilded Cage is an impressive debut (Guardian on Gilded Cage)

It’s smart, engrossing and incredibly snappily written, with so many compelling characters and pulse-quickening situations that the whole book just flies by. We apologise for the cliché, but it is that good (SciFiNow on Gilded Cage)

A dark and intriguing vision of an alternate, magic-drenched Britain, Gilded Cage kept me way up into the night (Aliette de Bodard)

A dazzling addition to the growing genre of alternative historical fiction, James’s first novel has the added bonus of compelling page-turnability (Daily Mail on Gilded Cage)

Devious and deliciously dark with lashings of magic, mystery and mayhem, this juggernaut of a book will keep you hanging on by your fingernails until the very last page (Taran Matharu on Gilded Cage)

Ms. James writes with the skill of someone who has been an author for decades. I was blown away by how beautiful the prose was . . . In the end I was left emotionally spent and wanting another book to read immediately (Fantasy Book Review on Gilded Cage)

Gilded Cage is an unputdownable story . . . it’s truly a gem (Fantasy Faction)