Vilest Things - (Flesh & False Gods) by Chloe Gong

About the Book

"Chloe Gong returns with power plays, spilled blood, and lethal romance in the thrilling fantasy sequel to New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller Immortal Longings, inspired by Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra"--

Book Synopsis

Chloe Gong returns with power plays, spilled blood, and lethal romance in this "dark, dazzling, deliciously depraved" (Ann Liang, New York Times bestselling author) fantasy sequel to New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling Immortal Longings, inspired by Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra.

Calla Tuoleimi has succeeded in the impossible. Despite the odds, she has won San-Er's bloody games and eliminated King Kasa, her tyrant uncle and the former ruler of Talin. She now serves as royal advisor to Kasa's adopted son, August Shenzhi, who has risen to the throne.

Only Calla knows it isn't really August.

Anton Makusa is still furious about Calla's betrayal in the final round of the games. In an impossible feat, he took over August's body to survive and has no intention of giving up this newfound power. But when his first love, the beautiful, explosive Otta Avia, awakens from a yearslong coma and reveals a secret that threatens the monarchy's authority over Talin, chaos erupts. As tensions come to a boiling point, Calla and Anton must set their conflicts aside and head to the kingdom's far reaches to prevent anarchy...even if their empire might be better off burning.

As old loves clash with new alliances and the line between loyalty and ambition blurs, Calla and Anton are forced to face the ultimate question: how far will they go to claim power, and what will they sacrifice in the name of survival and love?

Review Quotes

PRAISE FOR IMMORTAL LONGINGS

A NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY BESTSELLER

The Fantasy Buzz Book of 2023: Time, Cosmopolitan, PopSugar, Glamour, Paste

"[Gong's] adult debut is about to become your new obsession."--Cosmopolitan

"[P]ulse-pounding action, tension, and intrigue..." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

"[A] must-read." -- Booklist, starred review

"Spectacular worldbuilding, breathtaking action, and plenty of mischief." -- Kirkus, starred review

"A fast-paced adventure, balancing each of the main characters' dubious morality with the tension of the prior relationships Anton had with both Calla and Otta. Readers will excitedly await the next adventure." --Booklist

"Gripping, bewildering, irresistible, Chloe Gong's Immortal Longings is a tour de force of Asian Futurism, a provocative examination of self and destiny that melds the ruthless sensuality of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon with the visceral urgency of The Hunger Games. This book left me breathless!"
--Ryka Aoki, author of Light From Uncommon Star

"I blew straight through this book, and I wish I could go back and read it again from scratch. Gong's first venture into adult fantasy, set in a claustrophobic, low-tech city where life is cheap and bodies are disposable, features wonderfully complex characters and a game to the death that is executed with aplomb. Immortal Longings is a lot of fun, with twists you won't see coming until right before the hammer drops."
--Rebecca Roanhorse, New York Times bestselling author of the Between Earth and Sky trilogy

"Immortal Longings is a grab-you-and-won't-let-go sort of book, as brutal and merciless as its characters. Everyone has secret plans, and everyone's life exists on the edge of betrayal. Each page is fierce and filled with yearning--I loved it."
--Andrea Stewart, author of The Drowning Empire trilogy

"Pulse-pounding...Gong nimbly expands the series's scope...Complete with thrilling fight scenes and plenty of romantic angst, this keeps the series going strong." --Publishers Weekly

"Smart, imaginative, and brutal, Immortal Longings is a mind- and genre-bending epic that is as cutting and honest as it is unpredictable. Chloe Gong's assertive style is filled with razor's-edge prose, and her complex characters will hurt you, but in the most thrilling way. What a time to be alive for book lovers."
--Wesley Chu, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The War Arts Saga

About the Author

Chloe Gong is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Secret Shanghai novels, as well as the Flesh and False Gods trilogy. Her books have been published in over twenty countries and have been featured in the New York Times, People, Cosmopolitan, and more. She was named one of Forbes's 30 Under 30 for 2024. Chloe graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in English and international relations. Born in Shanghai and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, she is now located in New York City, pretending to be a real adult.