The Priory of the Orange Tree (The Roots of Chaos) (Paperback)

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The Priory of the Orange Tree (The Roots of Chaos) By Samantha Shannon Cover Image

The Priory of the Orange Tree (The Roots of Chaos) (Paperback)

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(Adult Fiction)

Staff Reviews


This is my desert island book. It is the most perfect high-fantasy book I’ve ever read, with everything I could ever want: dragons, diverse characters that you absolutely fall in love with, fantastic settings and kingdoms, dragons, great plot that leaves you riveted, the sights and smells and sounds of the worlds you're in, dragons, love stories that leave you aching, epic battle scenes..... And did I mention dragons??

This is a book that I literally still think about daily. And nearly every day I’m tempted to pluck it off my shelf again and slip right back into that beloved world again.

Do not fear the large page-count-- I am a slow reader, but it did not take me long to read this huge tome! Every page is a pleasure to read and the journey sweeps you off your feet.

(Adult Fantasy) — Find more Staff Picks by Iz

— Iz

Get ready for Samantha Shannon's new novel, A Day of Fallen Night, coming in February 2023!

The New York Times bestselling "epic feminist fantasy perfect for fans of Game of Thrones" (Bustle).

NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY:
AMAZON (Top 100 Editors Picks and Science Fiction and Fantasy) * CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY * BOOKPAGE * AUTOSTRADDLE

A world divided.
A queendom without an heir.
An ancient enemy awakens.


The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction--but assassins are getting closer to her door.

Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.

Across the dark sea, Tané has trained all her life to be a dragonrider, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel.

Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.

Samantha Shannon is the New York Times bestselling author of The Bone Season and The Roots of Chaos series. Her work has been translated into twenty-eight languages. She lives in London. samanthashannon.co.uk / @say_shannon

Product Details ISBN: 9781635570304
ISBN-10: 1635570301
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication Date: February 18th, 2020
Pages: 848
Language: English
Series: The Roots of Chaos

“Mesmerizing.” —Washington Post

“A timelessly relevant classic. Brilliant, diverse, feminist, subversive, thought-provoking, and masterfully told, The Priory of the Orange Tree is an absolute must-read.” —Karen Marie Moning, #1 NYT bestselling author of the Highlander and Fever series

“A brilliant, daring, and devastating jewel . . . An incredible world full of depth and danger, with characters I would follow to the ends of the earth. I'm in awe of [Shannon's] talent.” —Victoria Aveyard, #1 NYT bestselling author of the Red Queen series

“An epic feminist fantasy perfect for fans of 'Game of Thrones' . . . A rich and engaging high fantasy novel that puts women and their stories front and center, The Priory of the Orange Tree will pull you into its magical world from the first page.” —Bustle

“An intricately realized and feminist fantasy . . . one might even be tempted to dub Samantha Shannon, 'The female George R.R. Martin.” —Hypable

“This magnificent epic of queens, dragonriders, and badass secret wyrm-slaying priestesses is a tour de force, and my new absolute favorite epic fantasy.” —Laini Taylor, NYT bestselling author of the Strange the Dreamer and Daughter of Smoke and Bone series

“Spellbinding . . . extraordinary . . . A well-drawn feminist fantasy with broad appeal for fans of the epic and readers of Zen Cho, Naomi Novik, and V. E. Schwab. Highly recommended.” —Booklist, starred review

“A celebration of fantasy that melds modern ideology with classic tropes. More of these dragons, please.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“An astonishing achievement.” —Marie Brennan, award-winning author of The Memoirs of Lady Trent series

“An epic fantasy destined to be a classic.” —Kami Garcia, #1 NYT bestselling coauthor of Beautiful Creatures and author of Unbreakable

“The Platonic Ideal of a fantasy novel . . . This story of good and evil, struggle and triumph, love and loss and return is beautifully written: complex but clear, and utterly immersive. I loved this book.” —Nicola Griffith, award-winning author of Hild

The Priory of the Orange Tree isn't our grandfathers' epic fantasy novel. It is a clever combination of Elizabethan England, the legend of St. George and Eastern dragon lore, with a dash of Tolkien. Shannon's feminist saga has enough detailed world-building, breath-taking action and sweeping romance to remind epic fantasy readers of why they love the genre in the first place. Modern sensibilities integrate seamlessly with genre tropes . . . Readers will beg for a sequel.” —Shelf Awareness

“Shannon satisfyingly fills this massive standalone epic fantasy with court intrigue, travel through dangerous lands, fantastical religions, blood, love, and rhetoric.” —Publishers Weekly

“A fascinating epic fantasy set in a rich, well-developed world. Shannon has created fertile narrative ground.” —New York Journal of Books