character art by _panprika
“A darkly exhilarating ride rich with unraveling secrets and intrigue.”
~ KIRKUS REVIEWS Starred Review
“This slick, stylish fantasy offers an exciting narrative, fascinating world-building, and characters that tug on the heartstrings.”
~ BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN’S BOOKS Starred Review
“Recommend this to fans of Neal Shusterman's Arc of a Scythe series or to readers of The Sandman graphic novels.”
~ American Library Association’s BOOKLIST Review
“If you ever wanted a book that reads like a comfort anime that also isn’t afraid to skewer you with angst and explosive fight sequences, then look no further."
~ JOAN HE, New York Times bestselling author of Strike the Zither.
A vengeful girl. A hollow boy. A missing god.
Rui has one goal in mind—honing her magic to avenge her mother’s death.
Yiran is the black sheep of an illustrious family. The world would be at his feet—had he been born with magic.
Nikai is a Reaper, serving the Fourth King of Hell. When his master disappears, the underworld begins to crumble…and the human world will be next if the King is not found.
When an accident causes Rui’s power to transfer to Yiran, everything turns upside down. Without her magic, Rui has no tool for vengeance. With it, Yiran finally feels like he belongs. That is, until Rui discovers she might hold the key to the missing death god and strikes a dangerous bargain with another King.
As darkness takes over, three paths intersect in the shadows. And three lives bound by fate must rise against destiny before the barrier between worlds falls and all Hell breaks loose—literally.
Perfect for fans of This Savage Song and Only a Monster, Darker by Four will pull readers into a world of love and desperation and revenge—a world where every deal has a catch, no secret stays buried, and no one is exactly who they say they are.
DARKER BY FOUR is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.
PRAISE FOR DARKER BY FOUR
“With nods to dark fantasy anime and Chinese folklore, Darker By Four is the jaw-dropping start to a stunning new series.”
AXIE OH, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea and XOXO
‘A complete page-turner of a fantasy! The full cast of beautifully dynamic characters with hidden pasts and dangerous secrets will keep you guessing until the end. Thrilling and Riveting!”
KAT CHO, New York Times bestselling author of Wicked Fox and Once Upon a K-Prom
“A thrilling urban fantasy set in an imaginative realm where the Chinese underworld crashes into a modern city. Darker By Four is an action-packed anime fever dream and I need the sequel now!”
JUDY I. LIN, #1 NYT bestselling author of A Magic Steeped in Poison
"Tan expertly weaves together a world of darkly dangerous fantasy with achingly real friendships and a simmering romance in Darker by Four.”
SOPHIE KIM, author of Last of the Talons
“I was hooked from the first page! Mysterious, thrilling, and romantic, Darker By Four is a compelling fantasy you won’t want to put down.”
MAIYA IBRAHIM, Sunday Times bestselling author of Spice Road
“June CL Tan excels at writing tactile worlds and ensemble casts, and nowhere is this more evident than in Darker by Four. If you ever wanted a book that reads like a comfort anime that also isn’t afraid to skewer you with angst and explosive fight sequences, then look no further.”
JOAN HE, New York Times bestselling author of The Ones We're Meant To Find and Strike the Zither.
“With a brilliant mix of Chinese mythology, action, humor, and slow-burn romance, Darker By Four is a thrilling contemporary fantasy that breathes new life to the fantasy genre.”
AIDEN THOMAS, NY Times bestselling author of Cemetery Boys and The Sunbearer Trials
“Darker By Four is a rich and vividly drawn world of revenants, exorcists, death gods and stolen magic. Rui, Zizi, Yiran and Nikai will all be your new favorite characters in this thrilling new fantasy from June CL Tan.”
VANESSA LEN, internationally bestselling author of Only a Monster and Never a Hero.
“Darker By Four is a fresh and fast-paced fantasy that grabs you by the throat. Both ruthless and tender, this book leads you through a perilous world of death while grounding you in raw emotions—the desire to prove ourselves, protect those we love, and seek our destiny.”
KYLIE LEE BAKER, author of The Keeper of Night and The Scarlet Alchemist
"Brutal and beautiful, June CL Tan's debut is a force. Jade Fire Gold was a gripping adventure I couldn't put down.”
HAFSAH FAIZAL, New York Times bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame
In an empire on the brink of war . . .
Ahn is no one, with no past and no family.
Altan is a lost heir, his future stolen away as a child.
When they meet, Altan sees in Ahn a path to reclaiming the throne. Ahn sees a way to finally unlock her past and understand her arcane magical abilities.
But they may have to pay a far deadlier price than either could have imagined.
JADE FIRE GOLD is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.
About
June CL Tan is the author of the internationally bestselling Jade Fire Gold and the Darker By Four duology. Her books have garnered multiple starred reviews from Kirkus and BCCB, and are Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections. In 2021, she was also chosen as one of Publishers Weekly’s Flying Starts. A Singaporean raised on a diet of teh tarik, classic books, and wuxia movies, she enjoys telling stories that draw on both the traditional and modern to create something fresh to the eye, but familiar to the heart. June now resides in New York City, writing under the eye of her crafty cat.
She is represented by Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary Agency.
