Queen of the Conquered
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 2019 |
| Founder | Kacen Callender |
| Products | Fantasy novel |
Queen of the Conquered is a 2019 fantasy novel authored by Kacen Callender. Marking Callender's debut in adult fiction, this work was released by Orbit and earned the 2020 World Fantasy Award. In October 2020, a panel from Time recognized it as one of the 100 greatest fantasy novels ever written.
Plot
Sigourney Rose, a native islander from the Hans Lollik archipelago, becomes the lone survivor after her family is slaughtered by the affluent Jannik household. She is taken under the care of the Lund family and assumes the title Elskerinde Lund, governing an island beset by slave rebellions and entrenched racism from the pale-skinned Fjern kongelig aristocracy who colonized Hans Lollik centuries ago.
Gifted with a rare power known as “kraft,” Sigourney can read and manipulate minds. She exploits this ability to alter the memories of the dying Elskerinde Freja Jannik and becomes engaged to Freja’s son Aksel, who harbors deep resentment toward her but relies on the wealth of Lund.
The childless ruler Konge Valdemar intends to designate an heir among the kongelig families. After surviving an assassination attempt by Løren Jannik—Aksel’s mixed-race half-brother—Sigourney captures him and brings him to Hans Lollik Helle, the royal island. Through her legal marriage to Aksel, she attains the title Elskerinde Jannik and appoints Løren as her personal guard.
Other kongelig nobles residing on Hans Lollik Helle possess various kraft powers: Patrika Årud inflicts pain; Jytte Solberg controls fear; Lothar Niklasson compels truthfulness; and twins Erik and Alida Nørup share mental communication.
Sigourney uncovers that Konge Valdemar is an impostor with an empty mind. As members of the kongelig begin dying, this false king commands Sigourney to assassinate Herre Ludjivik, a formidable Fjern inciting slave uprisings. She accomplishes this mission and returns to Hans Lollik Helle.
Following the death of Beata Larsen—Aksel’s lover—hostilities escalate. At Beata’s funeral, Løren attacks Aksel; Sigourney intervenes to prevent Aksel’s execution by flogging. Although cleared of involvement in Beata’s death, Sigourney’s manipulation of Freja Jannik’s memories is revealed. The puppet king spares her life but excludes both her and Aksel from succession. When Aksel attempts to murder Løren, he is stabbed and presumed dead; Sigourney later discovers he survives, realizing that her own reality is being manipulated. After sustaining a stabbing herself, she eventually recovers.
With war imminent against the remaining Ludjiviks, Sigourney investigates Konge Valdemar’s murder near his family tombs. The kongelig defeat the Ludjiviks and reclaim Hans Lollik Helle.
Aksel leaves permanently. Patrika withdraws from regency contention following her husband’s assassination. Sigourney forms an alliance with Alida Nørup against Lothar Niklasson and Jytte Solberg. After Erik Nørup is murdered, Alida departs from the island; nearly all of Sigourney’s slaves are slaughtered except for Løren.
Granted permission to leave the island accompanied by Løren, Sigourney discovers that he and other slaves orchestrated the deaths of both the king and kongelig. Agatha, a slave girl with illusion-crafting kraft abilities, has been manipulating the kongelig throughout. Agatha kills Jytte; Lothar is taken captive. In combat, Sigourney kills Agatha, becoming the most powerful kraft wielder left on the island. She then agrees to join Løren and the revolutionary cause.
Reception
The book earned starred accolades from both Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal. Alex Brown, writing for Tor.com, remarked that although Sigourney's protagonist often appears passive, the novel is "truly exceptional," delving into intricate themes that transcend the usual racial dichotomies found in narratives about slavery and violence.
Kerine Wint from FIYAH Literary Magazine commended the work for its "innovative deconstruction of the tragic hero's journey," emphasizing it as a novel contribution to slavery-focused fantasy that consciously refrains from endorsing malevolent actions. Jason Heller of NPR described it as "a welcome departure from the conventional, pseudo-European backdrops typical of epic fantasy," praising Sigourney's morally complex, poetic first-person narration, which enriches the story by revealing her understanding of others' minds and her impact on their decisions.