The Shepherd King Duology Paperback Boxed Set

The Shepherd King #1-2

by Rachel Gillig

The Shepherd King Series, Set of 2 Books. One Dark Window, Two Twisted Crowns

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Gothic, Fantasy Romance, Magic, Fiction

912 pages, Paperback

First published October 17, 2023

About the author

Rachel Gillig was born and raised on the California coast. She is a writer, with a B.A. in Literary Theory and Criticism from UC Davis. If she is not ensconced in blankets dreaming up her next novel, Rachel is in her garden or walking with her husband, son, and their poodle, Wally.

Reviews

[Halima (Starlight_and_blooms)]

What an incredible series! As an avid fantasy reader, I’m often hard to impress, but Rachel Gillig’s Shepherd King Series truly captivated me.

“One Dark Window,” the first book, earned a solid 5 stars from me, while its sequel, “Two Twisted Crowns,” felt even better. It’s rare for sequels to outshine the original, but this series defies that norm. The books are atmospheric and at times slow and detailed but that’s where Gillis’s writing shines. The story is intriguing and unique and had me gripped.
I wholeheartedly recommend it and am thrilled to have experienced such a remarkable journey through these books.

Phenomenal!!

[Krissy (books_and_biceps9155)]

How is it possible to write your second book AND it be a sequel and just KNOCK IT OUT THE PARK?! I dunno but ask @rmgillig! I binged this like I have never binged a novel before. I am sick and can barely keep my head up, but I was determined, and this took me far away from my couch and into the woods. The world building and character development was perfection and the suspense and action top notch!

This novel was told in multiple POVs unlike the first and I must say, I really enjoyed it. I was thrilled that we got a perspective from Elm (he is my fav character) and more development from him. The writing in this is excellent and really transformative. You feel like you are racing through the forest with Ravyn, Jesper and the Nightmare to find that Twisted Alder card. We also learned more about Taxus, our Shepherd King which was awesome! I could go on and on. I loved this so much, my only negative thing I have to say is-it’s over. Total book hangover.

[ci]

3.5⭐️ (one dark window - 5 ⭐️, two twisted crowns - 3⭐️)

[Tiffany Turner]

This was seriously so beautifully written. I was sucked into the whole book.

I LOVE what the author did with the secondary characters from book one. It was so awesome not to have a sequel follow up with nothing but misunderstandings and unnecessary conflict. Having the multiple POVs was great and not something every author can deliver like this.

Not only did the main characters from book one get to finish out their story. Which was great btw. The ending I think for Ravyn and Elspen was definitely different for me and well done.
Giving Elm more of the spotlight in this one was brilliant. SUCH a great character. Probably my favorite next to Nightmare.
I’m glad the King realized what he did when he did.

Nightmare 😭😭 I just love so much. From the very beginning this has been one of my favorite characters. The sarcasm is great.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I read a lot of books, but very rarely ever mark one 5 stars. Both books in this series have been marked as 5 stars for me.

I loved the story, I loved the vibes. Yes I know some people mentioned they would have liked more of the world building but I think this is what it needed to be.

Ended up binging both books in two day. One of my favorite series to date and such an accomplishment for this to be the first two books for this author. Cannot wait to read what they write next.

Again, I just want to mention how well it was written.

🎧🎧🎧NOW, the only thing I have to say isn’t about the book itself but more of the audiobook. I listened to it as well as reading the books and I do believe that it could use a different narrator. Maybe bring in more of the multiple narrators like alot of books are doing now. The audiobook is still good just not my favorite. I thought a lot of the characters ended up sounding like children when spoken in their POV. It was more like hearing an 8 year old speaking and not the 20-26 years of age they are.

[Chelsea Grzegorczyk]

4.5/5. I really enjoyed this second book. It wrapped up a lot of questions from the first book, but left enough to keep you wondering.

I love Elm’s story in this!

The thread of the providence cards kept it interesting, and how a new providence card was gained from the Spirit of the Mist, and another one at the end of the book.

It all turned out happily ever after, for the most part.

[Ingibjörg Jóhannesdóttir]

What captivated me most about One Dark Window was its magic system. It was truly original. The atmosphere, the setting, and the mystery surrounding the cards made the first half especially immersive. The second half shifted more toward a typical young adult fantasy plot, which wasn't quite to my taste, so it lost a little of the magic that the beginning had.

Interestingly, I had almost the opposite experience with Two Twisted Crowns. By then, the novelty of the card system had naturally worn off, something that often happens for me once I've become familiar with a fantasy world's rules, but the plot itself became much more gripping. Because the story had such strong momentum, the more typical young adult elements didn't bother me nearly as much. I especially loved uncovering the truth about the Shepherd King and learning what had really happened in the past.

In the end, I'm honestly not sure which book I liked more. The first gave me that unforgettable sense of discovery that I love in fantasy, while the second delivered the stronger overall story.

👉 Even though I read both books during the summers of 2025 and 2026, I highly recommend saving them for autumn. 🍂

[Brianna Duncan]

LOVE love love

[Sydney Taylor]

I loved this book series!! I don’t typically read this type of gothic dark fantasy but a friend recommended it and I was fully encapsulated by the first few chapters. I love when a book has just as good (if not better) secondary characters. The characters in this book were fantastic and so lovable. The villains were also equally as evil and you love to hate them! I think it’s interesting that the environment in this book is very somber and dark, but there is such warmth to the characters and their love for each other. It was such a beautiful story that entertwined all of these characters together. I definitely cried during the last chapter of the final book— I just wish the ending was a little bit longer only because it did feel slightly rushed at one point and there was a couple of gaps the author skipped over that I actually would’ve really loved to have read, but overall I love this series and I highly recommend!

[Madison Pinchbeck]

I LOVED these books!! The story was compelling and addicting. I completely devoured the duology and found it impossible to put them down. I was falling into a rut where no story felt decent enough to finish, but the minute I began reading I remembered why I love fantasy and delving into new worlds. I will be rereading both books because I’m not yet ready to leave Blunder, the tails of the mist and the providence cards.
Be clever. Be wary. Be good.

[McKell Farr]

Magic doesn’t come free, you must pay the price. If you choose to pay, just tap once, twice, thrice . Shepherd, maiden, monster and crown. A mirrored lake - dive too deep and you’ll surely be drown. A tangle of roots deep in the wood- remember be wary, be clever, be good. A treacherous climb, gruesome and steep, on the backs of those whose eyes are forever in sleep. Spindle, Hawthorn, Rowan, or Yew - or something unknown- different and new? The bells do toll, for whom do they ring? Forever in Blunder - long live the king!

3.5 - rounded up for the storyline and magic system as a whole

[LT Rosado]

Enchanting, addicting, suspenseful, romantic. I will always recommend this series. Multiple povs, dark romance, paranormal, royals .....everything a fantasy series needs. I am now a fan of Rachel Gillig, she is now one of my favorite authors. Her writing style & story telling are so compelling & not overdone in any way. Highly recommend reading this series.

[Heather]

the second book is the shining of the two, but I loved them both nevertheless. characters you come to care for, a compelling story. would recommend to ant fantasy lover or someone dipping their toes in the genre

[Bee Barry]

Read these sooo quick. Loved the banter between characters. Such an under hyped book!!! the magic system was extremely unique which I loved and I really enjoyed the gothic elements of this book series. 100000% recommend. Did wish it was a little more 🌶️🌶️

[Patrícia]

Foi uma duologia engraçada e com um mundo mágico um pouco diferente do que estamos habituados a ver. Acho, no entanto, que tem demasiado hype para a realidade dos livros…

[Zara]

It’s been a very long time since I’ve felt attached to a world. I cried as I finished and I thank you for that.

[Brooke Havens]

I LOVED this duology the first time I read it. Reading it again, solidifies it into my top 3 favorite reads ever.

[Hannah Corinne]

Adored this series. So unique and beautifully written.

[Emi]

(；⌣̀_⌣́) I liked it, until I got bored...3/5.

One dark window was moderatively enjoyable, but it really dragged on🐌! Everything that happened could have been written in 1/2 of the book and more story could have been added. Had that been the case I'd be giving this ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, alas... much creative potential gone to waste by useless verbosity.
The coup de grâce certainly was the ending, underwhelming and predictable. One could have come to that conclusion after the first 5 chapters. At least I did (--_--)

Story 🩵🩵🩵🤍🤍
World-building💚💚🤍🤍🤍
Pace💛🤍🤍🤍🤍
Characters🧡🧡🤍🤍🤍
Writing❤️❤️🤍🤍🤍

Lovely concept, could have been more.

[Rylee]

I found the magic system and the world to be interesting as a whole but two out of four of the main characters lacked depth and development. I felt that the ending of the duology came without surprise or any plot twists that I was anticipating, making for a dull resolution. I never truly felt emotionally invested in the characters beyond Elm, and towards the end, Ione. By then end, I was sick of the Nightmare’s voice being described as “slick with oil.”

[Jen]

This book was good. I couldn't put it down. Elspeths journey is just amazing.

[Tatum Happy]

I finished both books within two weeks, I could not stop reading. When I started the first one; I was a bit sceptical because the magic in it was a lot different than in the other book I’ve read, but when I got about a quarter of the way through, it started to pick up and make sense. I love the magic. It was really unique I have never read something like that before, and when I read other reviews saying that they were a more Gothic style, I can agree, especially after finishing the both of them. The second book was better than the first there was so many unexpected twists and turns happening. Highly recommend.

[L R]

My friend recommended this duology to me because she loved it so much and was going to re-read it, but I can't say the same for me.

Please note: I rate traditionally published books harder than indie books because they have an entire team of full-time professionals working with a book, rather than an indie, who is one person hiring out freelance work. There is a difference, but honestly, sometimes, indie books are better, and in this case, a lot of them are better than The Shepherd King duology. I finished the duology, so if I read on to the next book, it is a minimum of 2 stars.

The aspects that elevated this duology from a 1 star to a 2 star read:
The writing is beautiful, lyrical, and with a cadence that I haven't read in a long time.
The world-building is unique and well done, with one exception in the second book.
The cover, the title, the premise—Wow.
And I finished the duology as mentioned.

I really loved the first half of the first book. I thought it was going to be a really amazing read, but the plot twists fell flat from then onward, and the characters did not live up to the intelligence the author painted them with in the beginning. The only smart characters are the villain and the Nightmare. That's it. There was too much foreshadowing and a belief that the reader is also stupid, which is why the characters came off as stupid and why no plot twist in this duology was an actual twist. And lastly, I could have done without the two spicy scenes and the multiple f-bombs. They didn't add anything to the plot and gave me the ick.




***SPOILERS BELOW***




I figured out the Shepherd King was the Nightmare in the first few chapters of the book. But Elspeth, the main character, has read the Book of Alders to the point of reciting by memory, literally sees him in the one window building and on the rug in her room, but can't make that connection until near the end of the first book, that the Nightmare is the Shepherd King? Then she tells Elm and Ravyn her suspicions, and they both seemingly forget it going forward.

At the very end of the duology, Ravyn tears the card to release the Nightmare from Elspeth, which I figured out when I learned his magic is to strip cards of their powers at the beginning of the first book. Then he even sees Bennett do it when he meets with the Spirit of the Woods in the last half of the second book, but he is shell-shocked to find this out in the last chapter.

One of the Ivy brothers dies because Ravyn is too busy trying to talk to Elspeth and not being this big honcho Captain dude, and taking care of his team. Just reminds me of a young, stupid, teenage boy rather than a smart, sly, cunning, fighting man who has evaded the king for years on treason charges.

The whole thing with magic-infected blood needed at the solstice. Ay yi yi. The king was going to sacrifice his own nephew, and at first, I'm like, just get a servant (not like it's any better), but put them in the mist, let them get infected, and sacrifice them, or even better, one of your enemies with the red Scythe card. I doubt Ravyn or Elm or anyone would have cared as much to risk their standing in the royal court to save a servant or an enemy. The whole time, Ravyn is like I'm going to sacrifice myself instead of my brother, I guess to build suspense, and I'm just thinking throughout the whole end of the first book and the *entire* second book, like, Elm, send your brother or father into the woods with your Scythe card since you are the best at using the Scythe card, make him infected, sacrifice that evil dude, AND THEN that's what they do at the end and its supposed to be a twist due to the lack of reveal.

There was a point in Two Twisted Kings, where the Nightmare shouts something like "I'm surrounded by idiots!" and I laughed out loud because that was how most of this duology was.

Elm and Ione in the second book seemed to come out of left field. I felt like their story was just added to make the page length the same as the first book. We also get to see them married off and happy, but Ravyn and Elspeth—the couple who we have followed intensely throughout the entire duology just get a hug at the end?

Also, Ione is stupid, like insanely stupid, but I suppose that is in character for her from the beginning. I just would have liked to see some street smarts gained after what her father and fiancé do to her. I mean, if the guy you hate and hates you, thinks you're dead, and you know the Maiden card saved you, lol, like why go into his room when he is awake? The villain (I can't remember his name—Elm's brother) is the only one who isn't stupid. That whole ordeal with him healing and killing their father could have been avoided had any of them had brains. I hate when books do this where events happen only because of stupidity. Either give them a reason to be stupid or have another event be the cause.

Lastly, the whole thing with the sword and the trees felt really too easy to win the final battle. I felt cheated. I was hoping Ravyn, the best fighter of them all, and Elm, a huge force forged from torture, with the Nightmare powers (who literally disembowelled people) could have done something a bit more dramatic lol. The sword and the trees' power were a cop-out.

Rant over. I will not be re-reading or recommending it.

My friend also recommended Knight and the Moth. I already bought it, so I'll try it, but my hopes aren't nearly as high.

[Huda Fiaz]

The writing and the concept was great but the story not so much. The dynamic between nightmare and FMC was amazing. The ending was abrupt and I feel like the author should have written something more about the people of the kingdom.

[Rana Samh]

This is the best duology in existence.

[Michelle Deliphose]

📚 The Shepherd King series - Rachel Gillig
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 🤯 did not expect it to be as good as it was
🌶️ - Wish there was more 🔥 it’s a 0 for me

Okay, I need to rant—The Shepherd King 🤴 series by Rachel Gillig is a fuckin masterpiece, and I need everyone to read it immediately. No, seriously. I don’t know what I was expecting when I picked up the first book, but it sure was NOT supposed to make me feel this way! That fucking cliffhanger at the end of One Dark Window??? 🥴 Are you kidding me?? I hit that last page and sat there with my mouth fuckin open 😯 The disrespect. The audacity. I was pissed but also OBSESSED. So, of course, I jumped right into The Twisted Crown needing tappin my veins needing a fix 💉🤪

Now, let’s get into the meat 🥩 and potatoes 🥔 of this series. One Dark Window throws you into a gothic, atmospheric world where a deadly infection 😷 marks those who carry it for execution. Our girl, Elspeth, has spent her life in hiding, doing whatever the fuck she has to do to stay lowkey and of course alive. But this infection isn’t just a death 🪦 sentence. It has put a whole ass nightmare in her head. And that motherfucker is powerful. When she gets caught up with a group trying to take down the kingdom’s corrupt magic system, her secret gets exposed, and suddenly, she’s fighting ⚔️ for more than just herself.. She’s fighting for her family, her new crew, and the man who smashed her meat wallet and stole her heart 🖤

Then Two Twisted Crowns comes in like a wrecking ball. The stakes? Higher. The magic? Darker 😈 The Nightmare in Elspeth’s head is calling the shots, and it’s a race against time ⏳ to break the system before it destroys them all. But magic 🪄 in this world doesn't come for free… it demands sacrifice. And when I tell you the plot twists had me staring 😳 at my kindle. Every time I thought I had the shit together, Gillig came in, slapped my kindle outta my hands, and said, “Nah, bitch. Suffer.”

This series really grabbed me by the tit, gave me a purple nurple and then made me say “thank you” while I cried 😭 It’s that fucking good. And you’ll love every second of it. If you haven’t read The Shepherd King yet, what the fuck are you doing? Get your shit 💩 together and read this series now. No excuses.

[F.Strand]

That duology finally taught me my trees and cured me of confusing a rowan with an ash, which came in surprisingly handy when my husband and I were shopping for new parquet flooring. Never again shall I stand in a lumber aisle blinking helplessly at oak, yew, alder, and elm like I’m lost in the mist.

If One Dark Window felt like being politely mugged by a haunted forest, bewildering at first but too atmospheric to leave, you are not alone. Rachel Gillig drops you into a magic system that initially feels like a raven stitched it together out of hawthorn twigs, ivy vines, and bad intentions while everyone continues politely having court intrigue on top of it. But here’s the thing: trust the roots. Gillig knows exactly when to let the branches part. The explanations arrive organically, elegantly, and precisely when they matter most.

And if you enjoyed the first book but did not yet feel ready to carve the duology’s name into the oldest willow in the kingdom, read Two Twisted Crowns anyway. Because this second book does not merely continue the story; it illuminates the first in hindsight and elevates the entire duology from “great fantasy” to “bury me beneath this tree, I live here now.” Suddenly every vine connects, every shadow deepens, every strange little twig from book one flowers into meaning like a particularly dramatic laburnum in spring.

Also, while keeping it gloriously spoiler-free, I will still tell you that the “twisted” in Two Twisted Crowns may not refer solely to the crowns. Because, yes, there is a twist, and it lands like a cursed alder branch snapping directly above your unsuspecting little woodland head while a taxus somewhere cackles knowingly in the mist.

By the final pages, I had fully decided Rachel Gillig is now one of my auto-buy authors. I desperately hope she expands this universe with spin-offs the way Leigh Bardugo did with Shadow and Bone, because this world feels alive and invasive. It is immersive, layered, beautifully constructed, and blessed with one of the freshest magic systems fantasy has grown in years. A magnificent, arboreal triumph.

[Cheyenne Lacanlale]

🗡️🗡️Book Review🗡️🗡️
#onedarkwindowduology by @rmgillig

First!!! This is now my #favorite #darkfantasy duo! The beginning was slow and with everyone's advice to keep going! Best advice I ever took ti heart because I fell in love with the characters. The Shepard King, Elspeth Spindle, Ravyn, Elm and Hawthorn. ♥️character design was awesome. The scene descriptions are phenomenal.
Elspeth Spindle touches the #nightmare card. At 8 years old she is bound to the nightmare. Though he is dangerous, he cares for Elspeth. There are 12 Providence Cards that complete a deck of #magic. Centuries ago, a King asked the Spirit of the Woods to grant him 12 cards. However, everything comes with a price. That price infected only some. The infection is different for all and while you inherit a great power, if used to much, death will take you.
In the kingdom, there are 12 Destriers. The men protect the King and keep the town safe by ridding anyone with the infection. There is one problem, the head of Destriers is infected alongside his younger brother so he vows to steal all the Providence Cards to unite the deck and cure all. In the height if his quest, he meets Elspeth Spindle, the Kins brother's daughter who lives with the nightmare. She joins this quest to help by using her power. Elspeth's power is unique and extremely helpful. Elm, the youngest of the King's sons, joins Ravyn to help destroy the cards. Ravyn, Elm, Elspeth, and Hawthornn stop at nothing and must battle the King and Hauth, Elms's brother aka first to take the throne. Into the woods and into the mist they go to retrieve the final card. Battling your worst nightmares and hoping the person you love doesn't fall crazy to the mist they will stop at nothing!
The magic in this book is unique and unheard of in the average dark fantasy book. Please read this duology! I rate 5/5! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#bookreview #bookreviewer #ilovebooks #bookrecsofinstagram #booknerdcommunity #bookishengagement #booksilove #bookduology #kingsandqueens #lovestory #ilovebooksmorethanpeople #bookstagramfeature #bookstafam #bookstack #booksta #bookmama #booknerdigans #booknerdsunite #kindlegirlie #kindle #amazonfinds

[Zoie Jones]

Not nearly as good as the first, but still a satisfying ending to a good duology. The story-line slipped through the cracks a little, certain plot points felt really impromptu and filler. For instance, there is a scene where a group of protagonists are captured out in the Mist/Fog and all of the bad things that happen to them feel incredibly pointless, adding absolutely nothing to the plot, feeling like conflict for the sake of conflict. The author clearly tried to make that scene a turning point for Rayvn (main male protagonist), but after everything that man had been through, for that to be his "breaking point", I was genuinely ANNOYED. Geez, I'm still annoyed just thinking about it. Anyway, several other things felt pretty forced but I am going to avoid spoilers.

This book was a decent ending but it felt like it need another six months of editing and tinkering with the storyline. You can tell the author had really worked on the first book and made it very seamless and natural, while the second book clearly needed to be released, but a lot of TLC on the book's structure and plot point's suffered as a result. I might have been a little harsh given that I still enjoyed the book, but so many things felt added in or conceived last minute in such a way that makes the second book stick out from the first.

I'll end on a positive note! Overall, a good duology and very creative magic system, good characters, and I was most impressed by the riddles and little poems the author would incorporate in. Typically that kind of thing earns an eyeroll from me but the author did a great job of putting them in the right places and they were so well written that I never fought an urge to skip over them! Truly a great feat, I would read more of this author's books if I am looking for a quick fun read.

[ghostlypeach_]

I wanted to do a review for both of these books in one because most of the points l'm going to make is a reflection of the series as opposed to individual books.

The story follows Elspeth and The Nightmare, a power inside her, as they try to save the kingdom from a dark power that is destroying their people.

This series is unlike anything l've ever read. The story, the lore and the world building is so unique and well thought out. The magic in the duology comes through the power of a deck of cards and the lore behind their origin is so brilliant and so well delivered. You don't just get thrown all the information at the start of book 1, it is slowly explained and therefore easy to follow, with more of the origins and details being revealed as the books go on.

The story itself is simple but it's all of the additional aspects that make these books so wonderful. The characters have so much depth, and those who you think you will dislike, you may end up changing your mind as the series goes on.

Elspeth and Ravyn, the main characters for the majority of the series, have amazing character development.
And the secondary characters who take more of a spotlight in the second book also grow so much stronger as the books go on.

Although the romance is a subplot in both books, the slow burn and way the relationships are written is just wonderful. There's two main couples in this duology and both are so different from each other. There's enough sexual tension, protective 'touch her and die’ that you will still feel fed if you want the romance.

I truly believe this series is something that every single fantasy lover should read. You will not be disappointed.

[Anna Mary]

It's been a long time since I've read a fantasy series that actually made me feel. As someone who loves this genre, it hard for me to get... satisfied. Enough that I don't want to pick up something else right after to wash it down.

And this duology did exactly that.

The world building, the magic system, the characters, everything was so right that it was hard not to get attached to Blunder and it's characters. I also loved the fact that there weren't a hoard of characters coming and going who did not contribute much to the story. The characters who where written were chosen and chosen well. None of them were forgettable.

The concept and story seemed fresh enough to hook you right in, from the very first page. But at the same time, it's not so alien that it'll take a long time to wrap your head around it, which is great in the context that there are only two books. The pacing of the story was perfect too. The only complaint I had while reading was the placement of certain perspectives in the second book. It felt like being dunked in ice cold water right after a hot shower, switching between the perspectives of our previous leads and the new one and it felt a little odd that the author would choose to do that instead of letting the moments, especially the emotionally charging ones, sink in properly. But it didn't exactly deter the reading process, so I guess that's not much of an issue. Especially, if you like the other perspectives as I did.

To conclude, I enjoyed this duology a great deal and would love to read it again.