A stunning collector s edition of the acclaimed novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author V.E. Schwab. With an exclusive metallic ink cover, this edition will feature:
* End papers of London
* Fan art
* A glossary of Arnesian and Antari terms
* An interview between author and editor
* Original (never before seen!) tales from within the Shades of Magic world
Kell is one of the last Antari magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons. There is Red London, where life and magic are revered, Grey London, without magic and ruled by mad King George III, and White London, a city slowly being drained through magical war, down to its very bones. And once upon a time, there was Black London... but no one speaks of that now.
Officially, Kell acts as an ambassador and messenger between the Londons, in service of the Maresh Empire. Unofficially, he s also a smuggler, a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences as proved when he stumbles into a setup with a forbidden token from Black London.
Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cutpurse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure. But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they'll first need to stay alive...
Prepare to be dazzled by a world of parallel Londons where magic thrives, starves, or lies forgotten, and where power can destroy just as quickly as it can create.
-A Darker Shade of Magic has all the hallmarks of a classic work of fantasy. Its plot is gripping. Its characters are memorable. Its setting in four parallel, powerful Londons is otherworldly yet believable. Schwab has given us a gem of a tale that is original in its premise and compelling in its execution. This is a book to treasure.- --Deborah Harkness, New York Times bestselling author of The All Souls Trilogy
-Compulsively readable...her characters make the book. Just as Kell has layers, Lila is a satisfyingly rich invention...With so many worlds on the map, there's plenty left to discover.- --NPR
-A Darker Shade of Magic feels like a priceless object, brought from another, better world of fantasy books.- --io9
-Schwab (Vicious) creates an ingenious set of nesting alternate Londons in this imaginative, well-crafted fantasy. Confident prose and marvelous touches-a chameleon coat, a scarlet river of magic, a piratical antiheroine-bring exuberant life to an exhilarating adventure among the worlds.- --Publishers Weekly, starred review
-A Darker Shade of Magic is smart, funny and sexy ... Schwab keeps the excitement coming with roller-coaster plot twists that establish her as, perhaps, the natural successor to Diana Wynne Jones's contemporary fantasy crown.- --The Independent
-Fantasy fans will love this fast-paced adventure, with its complex magic system, thoughtful hero and bold heroine.- --Kirkus Reviews
"A Darker Shade of Magic has all the hallmarks of a classic work of fantasy. Its plot is gripping. Its characters are memorable. Its setting in four parallel, powerful Londons is otherworldly yet believable. Schwab has given us a gem of a tale that is original in its premise and compelling in its execution. This is a book to treasure." --Deborah Harkness, New York Times bestselling author of The All Souls Trilogy
"Compulsively readable...her characters make the book. Just as Kell has layers, Lila is a satisfyingly rich invention...With so many worlds on the map, there's plenty left to discover." --NPR
"A Darker Shade of Magic feels like a priceless object, brought from another, better world of fantasy books." --io9
"Schwab (Vicious) creates an ingenious set of nesting alternate Londons in this imaginative, well-crafted fantasy. Confident prose and marvelous touches-a chameleon coat, a scarlet river of magic, a piratical antiheroine-bring exuberant life to an exhilarating adventure among the worlds." --Publishers Weekly, starred review
"A Darker Shade of Magic is smart, funny and sexy ... Schwab keeps the excitement coming with roller-coaster plot twists that establish her as, perhaps, the natural successor to Diana Wynne Jones's contemporary fantasy crown." --The Independent
"Fantasy fans will love this fast-paced adventure, with its complex magic system, thoughtful hero and bold heroine." --Kirkus Reviews
Entertainment Weekly's 27 Female Authors Who Rule Sci-Fi and Fantasy Right Now
"A Darker Shade of Magic has all the hallmarks of a classic work of fantasy. Its plot is gripping. Its characters are memorable. Its setting in four parallel, powerful Londons is otherworldly yet believable. Schwab has given us a gem of a tale that is original in its premise and compelling in its execution. This is a book to treasure." --Deborah Harkness, New York Times bestselling author of The All Souls Trilogy
"Compulsively readable...her characters make the book. Just as Kell has layers, Lila is a satisfyingly rich invention...With so many worlds on the map, there's plenty left to discover." --NPR
"A Darker Shade of Magic feels like a priceless object, brought from another, better world of fantasy books." --io9
"Schwab (Vicious) creates an ingenious set of nesting alternate Londons in this imaginative, well-crafted fantasy. Confident prose and marvelous touches-a chameleon coat, a scarlet river of magic, a piratical antiheroine-bring exuberant life to an exhilarating adventure among the worlds." --Publishers Weekly, starred review
"A Darker Shade of Magic is smart, funny and sexy ... Schwab keeps the excitement coming with roller-coaster plot twists that establish her as, perhaps, the natural successor to Diana Wynne Jones's contemporary fantasy crown." --The Independent
"Fantasy fans will love this fast-paced adventure, with its complex magic system, thoughtful hero and bold heroine." --Kirkus Reviews
