Queen of Shades Series

A wanderer. An outcast. A Queen. Against the customs of the land, Kigal is amongst the few still willing to bury the dead. It is a life that has left her wandering, without friend or home, but she spreads her message of justice for the deceased wherever she can. However, when targeted by those who loathe her, she narrowly escapes execution and tumbles into the Underworld. There Kigal is met with the impossible: the souls of the dead proclaiming her as their goddess, fated to be Queen of the Underworld. Hurled into a world beyond her imagining, clashing with seductive gods and bringing demons to heel, she must fight to bring justice to the forgotten dead. Yet as an ancient evil rises in the Land of the Living, Kigal must not only fight for the lives of those who sought her ruin, but for their very souls. Queen of Shades is a 36,000-word novella, the first in a Mesopotamian fantasy series.     About the Queen of Shades series This fast-paced historical fantasy series is packed with demons, monsters, gods and goddesses, ancient lore, and more. If you enjoy diverse fantasy with intrigue of mythic proportions, struggles for justice, enemies-to-lovers, and a lot of heart – this series is for you.     What Readers are Saying "An exciting, fast-paced story full of magic and monsters, this nonetheless got me thinking deeply about death, grieving, and rituals surrounding grief. If you're looking for an evocative, thought-provoking story with girl power and just a dash of sass, give this a shot!" - Elisabeth W., Amazon   "If gods, demons and mythical creatures are up your street, you're in for a treat. There were definitely a few moments where the action took a completely unexpected twist." - Gem J., Amazon   "Hinze manages to build a world that is rich and believable in its details, and compelling in its mythology. The book never loses a kind of charmingly other-wordly feel."  - Heather D., Amazon  

A usurper. A sacrifice. A murderer. After ascending to godhood as Queen of the Underworld, Kigal has at last made her kingdom her own—until an equally powerful deity comes to steal the throne. Inanna, Goddess of Warfare and Lust. In her grasp is the one hostage Kigal would do anything to save, even if it means becoming a monster. And a monster she becomes. For her insolence, the goddess's life is rightfully Kigal's to claim, but as the heavens turn on each other and the lands begin to die, she finds herself fighting for a justice that even the gods cannot deliver. When the fallout of her actions threatens to bring humanity to its knees, the Queen of the Underworld is left with one question: how far will she go, and who will she damn, in pursuit of revenge? A retelling of the world's oldest recorded myth, Consort of War is a 32,000-word novella, the second in the Mesopotamian fantasy Queen of Shades series.     About the Queen of Shades series This fast-paced historical fantasy series is packed with demons, monsters, gods and goddesses, ancient lore, and more. If you enjoy diverse fantasy with intrigue of mythic proportions, struggles for justice, enemies-to-lovers, and a lot of heart – this series is for you.   What Readers are Saying "An exciting, fast-paced story full of magic and monsters, this nonetheless got me thinking deeply about death, grieving, and rituals surrounding grief. If you're looking for an evocative, thought-provoking story with girl power and just a dash of sass, give this a shot!" - Elisabeth W., Amazon   "If gods, demons and mythical creatures are up your street, you're in for a treat. There were definitely a few moments where the action took a completely unexpected twist." - Gem J., Amazon   "Hinze manages to build a world that is rich and believable in its details, and compelling in its mythology. The book never loses a kind of charmingly other-wordly feel."  - Heather D., Amazon

A lost soul. An imposter. A killer.   As Queen of the Underworld, Kigal's life has at last fallen into place. Her worship has spread, she has the respect of the Heavens, and is married to a god she loves—when she finds evidence of an atrocity.   When the culprit is identified as the long-dead Anzu, the Hosts of Heaven balk, saying they slew its kind along with the ancient goddess Tiamat—until Kigal discovers treachery deep within their ranks. As she and the gods discover a conspiracy hidden in plain sight, secrets come to light that have remained hidden since the formation of the world.    There Kigal is met with a scheme she only began to uncover as a mortal: a plot to kill the gods, and to undo everything she's fought for. In a conflict that will exact everything from her, that will make her question what she thought she knew about herself and others, Kigal must race against age-old evils before existence itself comes crashing down. Mother of Chaos is the last installment in the Mesopotamian fantasy Queen of Shades series. Experience Kigal's final journey today.     About the Queen of Shades series This fast-paced historical fantasy series is packed with demons, monsters, gods and goddesses, ancient lore, and more. If you enjoy diverse fantasy with intrigue of mythic proportions, struggles for justice, enemies-to-lovers, and a lot of heart – this series is for you.   What Readers are Saying "An exciting, fast-paced story full of magic and monsters, this nonetheless got me thinking deeply about death, grieving, and rituals surrounding grief. If you're looking for an evocative, thought-provoking story with girl power and just a dash of sass, give this a shot!" - Elisabeth W., Amazon   "If gods, demons and mythical creatures are up your street, you're in for a treat. There were definitely a few moments where the action took a completely unexpected twist." - Gem J., Amazon   "Hinze manages to build a world that is rich and believable in its details, and compelling in its mythology. The book never loses a kind of charmingly other-wordly feel."  - Heather D., Amazon

A monarch. A sacrificial lamb. A traitor. As Goddess of the Dead, Kigal's world is looking brighter. Her cult has spread, her kingdom is finally safe, and a possible romance begins to bloom. Yet when she angers the mighty god Enlil, a terrible secret comes to light, one that shocks and horrifies her—the truth of what Nergal did to her mother. With the two gods now locked in open opposition, Kigal is caught at an impasse. Risk looking weak in the eyes of the pantheon and leave her kingdom vulnerable, or exact vengeance upon the god she thought she knew—but risk destroying her heart? As cunning gods and ancient monstrosities scheme for ruin, Kigal finds herself forced to make a choice that could save herself—or damn them all. Lord of Blight is a 30,000-word novella, the third in the Mesopotamian fantasy Queen of Shades series.     About the Queen of Shades series This fast-paced historical fantasy series is packed with demons, monsters, gods and goddesses, ancient lore, and more. If you enjoy diverse fantasy with intrigue of mythic proportions, struggles for justice, enemies-to-lovers, and a lot of heart – this series is for you.   What Readers are Saying "An exciting, fast-paced story full of magic and monsters, this nonetheless got me thinking deeply about death, grieving, and rituals surrounding grief. If you're looking for an evocative, thought-provoking story with girl power and just a dash of sass, give this a shot!" - Elisabeth Wheatley, author of the Warlords of the Sandsea series   "If gods, demons and mythical creatures are up your street, you're in for a treat. There were definitely a few moments where the action took a completely unexpected twist." - Gem Jackson, author of The Aggressive   "Hinze manages to build a world that is rich and believable in its details, and compelling in its mythology. The book never loses a kind of charmingly other-wordly feel."  - Stella Dorthwany, author of the Legendary Magic series

A wanderer. An outcast. A Queen.   Against the customs of the land, Kigal is amongst the few still willing to bury the dead. It is a life that has left her wandering, without friend or home, but she spreads her message of justice for the deceased wherever she can. However, when targeted by those who loathe her, she narrowly escapes execution and tumbles into the Underworld. There Kigal is met with the impossible: the souls of the dead proclaiming her as their goddess, fated to be Queen of the Underworld.   Hurled into a world beyond her imagining, clashing with seductive gods and bringing demons to heel, she must fight to bring justice to the forgotten dead. Yet as an ancient evil rises in the Land of the Living, Kigal must not only fight for the lives of those who sought her ruin, but for their very souls.   This omnibus edition contains all four full-length novellas by Eli Hinze, packed with demons, monsters, gods and goddesses, ancient lore, and more. If you're a fan of intrigue of mythic proportions, struggles for justice, enemies-to-lovers, and a lot of heart, then the Queen of Shades series is for you.     What Readers are Saying   "An exciting, fast-paced story full of magic and monsters, this nonetheless got me thinking deeply about death, grieving, and rituals surrounding grief. If you're looking for an evocative, thought-provoking story with girl power and just a dash of sass, give this a shot!" - Elisabeth Wheatley, author of the Warlords of the Sandsea series   "With its fresh characters, thoughtful themes, vivid setting, and pacy plot, I thoroughly enjoyed Queen of Shades." - Suzannah Rowntree, author of the Watchers of Outremer series   "Hinze manages to build a world that is rich and believable in its details, and compelling in its mythology. The book never loses a kind of charmingly otherworldly feel."  - Stella Dorthwany, author of the Legendary Magic series