SOLVED. Adult Fantasy. Recent stand-alone fantasy set in a city involving a tyrant. Published late 2020/2021.

[Rainbowheart]

What makes it fantasy? Is there magic or magical creatures?

Is it a medieval-style fantasy setting?

Would you describe it as dystopian?

[Ria]

@Rainbowheart: medieval or early modern. about your last question, probably yes. (I can't stand the D word!)

I've revised my description accordingly. thanks!

[Mai]

Not sure if the cover is moody but it came up searching for "tyrant" and "political" (and the D-word... sorry!!) and it does have a female protagonist. It is the debut novel of Ava Reid. It's called The Wolf and the Woodsman and it was published just this month (not sure if that's too recent!). Thought I'd mention it just in case!

[Ria]

@Mai: not that one. thank you, though. and, yes, the novel may have come out this month. but different setting and different art style for the cover.

[Rainbowheart]

Do you remember if the tyrant was male or female?

Was he or she described as a king, queen, dictator, etc?

[Ria]

@Rainbowheart: described as a king or a tyrant, maybe a dictator.

[Rainbowheart]

The Tangled Lands?

[Kate (Feathered Turtle Press Reviews)]

The Traitor Baru Cormorant?

[Ria]

@Rainbowheart: no. woman author (just one author) and different style cover. and, again, no mention of magic in the blurb.

@Kate: the cover definitely showed a city scene and not a mask. probably a first novel, definitely by a woman.

@Emilie: I know that book, but no. different style cover. not set in our world (or a variant thereof), not by a well-known author.

[Brittany]

The City We Became?

[Ria]

@Brittany: as I have already said, not that book. it doesn't at all match my memory, anyway.

[Michele]

Where did you hear about the novel? If there is no magic, can you explain what elements it has that make it a fantasy?

[Ria]

@Michele: I think that setting a novel in an imaginary world/time suffices to make a book fantasy. anyhow, I did find the book but don't remember it (again). it didn't look like the kind of book that I could get into once I rediscovered it. thanks!

[Kris]

Ria, I notice your header is marked Solved. What's the title and author of your book?

OP: 7455128-ria

[Ria]

@Kris: I don't remember!