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Twilight Kingdom #1
Twilight Kingdom
On the eve of her 16th birthday, Candle Enys discovers her brother has sold her soul to a demon.
Neglected, unloved, and terrified for her life, Candle flees her family to take her chances in the wild mountains. There in the gloaming, she wanders, stalked by shades and monsters who prowl the half-light, hunting for bodies to steal.
It is only with the kingdom's army of criminal outcasts that Candle finds solace, however short-lived. Unfortunately for her, in a land where violence is the ultimate sin, war is about to erupt. Foul winds blow, and they reek of death and black powder. Invaders with airships and cannons have arrived on the shores, laying waste to all who stand against their conquest.
With no kin, no magic, and no soul, will Candle find her wings in time to save her home? Or will the Twilight Kingdom fade to dusk?
A dark fantasy with steampunk and horror elements.
Trigger warnings for emotional abuse, some gore.
Neglected, unloved, and terrified for her life, Candle flees her family to take her chances in the wild mountains. There in the gloaming, she wanders, stalked by shades and monsters who prowl the half-light, hunting for bodies to steal.
It is only with the kingdom's army of criminal outcasts that Candle finds solace, however short-lived. Unfortunately for her, in a land where violence is the ultimate sin, war is about to erupt. Foul winds blow, and they reek of death and black powder. Invaders with airships and cannons have arrived on the shores, laying waste to all who stand against their conquest.
With no kin, no magic, and no soul, will Candle find her wings in time to save her home? Or will the Twilight Kingdom fade to dusk?
A dark fantasy with steampunk and horror elements.
Trigger warnings for emotional abuse, some gore.
473 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2022
59 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 16, 2024
I enjoyed Twilight Kingdom by H.J. Tolson a lot more than the first book in her previous series.
While I'd still put this in the Coming Of / upper YA section. Beware is quite dark with plenty of violence and death, but also felt like it had a lot more depth to it.
I especially enjoyed the world building, with an all new culture and plenty of creatures, runes, magic and other things to discover! The world felt well rounded and like you could actually walk behind every tree and find more world, rather than a two dimensional stage dressing.
Another strength for me were the characters. Not only did I immediately take to Candle, who felt very relatable and not just like the 20th girl who is different but secretly special. I also liked the rag-tag team of outcasts she finds a new family in, and the whole way thy just accept people as they are.
The plot was fine, but felt a bit meandering here and there, which I didn't mind, as I was happy to spend time in this world!
While I'd still put this in the Coming Of / upper YA section. Beware is quite dark with plenty of violence and death, but also felt like it had a lot more depth to it.
I especially enjoyed the world building, with an all new culture and plenty of creatures, runes, magic and other things to discover! The world felt well rounded and like you could actually walk behind every tree and find more world, rather than a two dimensional stage dressing.
Another strength for me were the characters. Not only did I immediately take to Candle, who felt very relatable and not just like the 20th girl who is different but secretly special. I also liked the rag-tag team of outcasts she finds a new family in, and the whole way thy just accept people as they are.
The plot was fine, but felt a bit meandering here and there, which I didn't mind, as I was happy to spend time in this world!
December 14, 2025
This was a great book. Full of action and adventure. I enjoyed the main band of characters immensely, hated Candle’s brother’s guts, and loved the arrogance of our dragon friend.
March 4, 2024
Reread. Still 5 stars.
Want to read
March 11, 2024This is not a full review. I read through the beginning of all 300 SPFBO9 contest entries. This was a book I wanted to read more of.
A child is born in a house of cold stone at the stroke of midnight on the darkest night of the year. Her eyes are blue - the color of the dead and the damned - & they never deepen to brown & she is never named…
Twilight Kingdom has a kind of dark fairytale beginning. There is an inviting, poetic quality to some of the prose of this YA fantasy that I found inviting.
The narrative skips 16 years after the birth of our MC, but the prologue does a lot to introduce us to the setting of this novel, where everyone can do at least minor magic, and children with blue eyes are said to be soulless.
Because our MC’s eyes don’t change, she is neglected by her lordly parents in favor of their healthy eldest children. She has a languishing, neglected, sort of Harry Potter upbringing, we are told.
I wonder at the choice for her parents to never name her, so we’re told. I feel I could have understood this choice better, and that could have helped me understand the significance of names in this culture and what it meant for someone not to be named in a ceremony.
I guess I also find it somewhat unbelievable that she wasn’t even given any name at all by anyone except for, eventually, “Candle.” These details do lend to the fairytale quality, however.
And it is a good sign that I am intrigued enough by the premise of the novel that I want to know more rather than wishing I was reading less.
There is some confusion along the way in this opening regarding where people are (sitting or standing), and how our perspective is shifting from the window, say, to a man in the corner, to the birth bed. Regardless, I was drawn in.
Candle’s father, Lord Enys, is rendered well in the prologue. I get a strong sense of his character, and even, to a degree, in the character of our MC. Though there is little dialogue, they are competently presented to the reader.
Were there really creatures of the night looking in through the open window of our MC’s birthing chamber? Did some monster steal in from the dark and inhabit her? What will a child so neglected turn out to be like? I want to see. I’m in.
A child is born in a house of cold stone at the stroke of midnight on the darkest night of the year. Her eyes are blue - the color of the dead and the damned - & they never deepen to brown & she is never named…
Twilight Kingdom has a kind of dark fairytale beginning. There is an inviting, poetic quality to some of the prose of this YA fantasy that I found inviting.
The narrative skips 16 years after the birth of our MC, but the prologue does a lot to introduce us to the setting of this novel, where everyone can do at least minor magic, and children with blue eyes are said to be soulless.
Because our MC’s eyes don’t change, she is neglected by her lordly parents in favor of their healthy eldest children. She has a languishing, neglected, sort of Harry Potter upbringing, we are told.
I wonder at the choice for her parents to never name her, so we’re told. I feel I could have understood this choice better, and that could have helped me understand the significance of names in this culture and what it meant for someone not to be named in a ceremony.
I guess I also find it somewhat unbelievable that she wasn’t even given any name at all by anyone except for, eventually, “Candle.” These details do lend to the fairytale quality, however.
And it is a good sign that I am intrigued enough by the premise of the novel that I want to know more rather than wishing I was reading less.
There is some confusion along the way in this opening regarding where people are (sitting or standing), and how our perspective is shifting from the window, say, to a man in the corner, to the birth bed. Regardless, I was drawn in.
Candle’s father, Lord Enys, is rendered well in the prologue. I get a strong sense of his character, and even, to a degree, in the character of our MC. Though there is little dialogue, they are competently presented to the reader.
Were there really creatures of the night looking in through the open window of our MC’s birthing chamber? Did some monster steal in from the dark and inhabit her? What will a child so neglected turn out to be like? I want to see. I’m in.
July 28, 2023
This book hooked me from the start with its gritty fairytale feel. Immediately, I was drawn into Candle and her story. The situation she is in with her family and the magic system is very unique. This is a land where the people have to deal with zombies and demons. Magic is also the norm. Where Candle is an outcast within her family and her community is that she can't use magic and her eyes are blue, which is connected to demonic association. So Candle grows up isolated and shunned to the point where many don't even know she exists.
Once she escapes, readers get to explore more of the world along with her and learn more about the magic systems. As her brother pursues her for his own gain, she gains allies who become like found family even as has to keep secrets from them. They also have their own secrets as well as dark pasts.
I will say that some elements of the world building shares commonalities with ASOIAF. For instance, the land they're in is called the Seven Kingdoms and they're fighting variations of zombies/wights. I would also say that the Ancestor's Own as a group is very similar to the Night's Watch, but without the ice Wall. But the characters and story are so different that it didn't feel derivative.
For instance, there seems to be gender equality within this universe, so the Ancestor's Own are made up of both men and women, all of whom learn to fight and have responsibilities as well as leadership roles.
This book is excellent. Definitely recommend!
Once she escapes, readers get to explore more of the world along with her and learn more about the magic systems. As her brother pursues her for his own gain, she gains allies who become like found family even as has to keep secrets from them. They also have their own secrets as well as dark pasts.
I will say that some elements of the world building shares commonalities with ASOIAF. For instance, the land they're in is called the Seven Kingdoms and they're fighting variations of zombies/wights. I would also say that the Ancestor's Own as a group is very similar to the Night's Watch, but without the ice Wall. But the characters and story are so different that it didn't feel derivative.
For instance, there seems to be gender equality within this universe, so the Ancestor's Own are made up of both men and women, all of whom learn to fight and have responsibilities as well as leadership roles.
This book is excellent. Definitely recommend!
January 29, 2023
This story is not for everyone.
It is dark and depressing even for dark fantasy standards.
Our protagonist "Candle" is a rather sad case, shunned by by others, powerless for most of this story and always held under the thumb of someone or something with power over her.
Around every corner "Candle" would have to deal with something rather distasteful which makes for a rather masochistic reading experience.
The story starts moving in a more satisfying direction at the very end but I wouldn't say I enjoyed this read overall. Still, the writing is excellent, the antagonists are creative as is the world building and for a certain reader who doesn't mind the rather masochistic reading experience this might be the perfect dark fantasy novel, sadly that was not the case for me.
It is dark and depressing even for dark fantasy standards.
Our protagonist "Candle" is a rather sad case, shunned by by others, powerless for most of this story and always held under the thumb of someone or something with power over her.
Around every corner "Candle" would have to deal with something rather distasteful which makes for a rather masochistic reading experience.
The story starts moving in a more satisfying direction at the very end but I wouldn't say I enjoyed this read overall. Still, the writing is excellent, the antagonists are creative as is the world building and for a certain reader who doesn't mind the rather masochistic reading experience this might be the perfect dark fantasy novel, sadly that was not the case for me.
August 14, 2022
Love love love this book. It has everything I pick up a fantasy book for: dragons, intrigue, mysterious dodgy dude who's probably centuries old, and delightful dark worldbuilding. I really enjoyed the characters, wanna stab Rasmus and need more Jotham. Candle was a great character to follow along with as she slowly discovers her powers - WE'RE SO ROOTING FOR THIS GIRL, she's been through a lot. The characters in this remain realistic in the face of violence and trauma, on top of being memorable and funny when we needed them to be. Also totally there for Candle's constant snacking. I cannot wait for the next book!
September 24, 2022
Happy Surprise!
I stumbled on this book yesterday and have been enthralled until I just finished it! Great mix of fantasy world setting and dark mood with very rich protagonists and villains. Not an overdose of plot twists and more of an enjoyable and suspenseful sequence of events. I especially loved the MC Candle and how she progressed, but the villains are also pretty awesome. Terrifying, vicious and unrelenting! I really liked the deplorable brother and horrific barbarian society as an enemy.
I stumbled on this book yesterday and have been enthralled until I just finished it! Great mix of fantasy world setting and dark mood with very rich protagonists and villains. Not an overdose of plot twists and more of an enjoyable and suspenseful sequence of events. I especially loved the MC Candle and how she progressed, but the villains are also pretty awesome. Terrifying, vicious and unrelenting! I really liked the deplorable brother and horrific barbarian society as an enemy.
November 15, 2025
This one was pretty entertaining.
It gets major props for having an ancient dragon shifter who is charismatic and handsome, and somehow manages to NOT fall in love with a teenager. It’s delightful honestly.
The plot was fairly unpredictable, which was a nice change of pace. The FMC is young and naive, but I didn’t spend any time thinking she was stupid and she mostly made rational decisions. Again, a nice change of pace.
There isn’t any romance, but I was engaged enough to not really miss it.
It gets major props for having an ancient dragon shifter who is charismatic and handsome, and somehow manages to NOT fall in love with a teenager. It’s delightful honestly.
The plot was fairly unpredictable, which was a nice change of pace. The FMC is young and naive, but I didn’t spend any time thinking she was stupid and she mostly made rational decisions. Again, a nice change of pace.
There isn’t any romance, but I was engaged enough to not really miss it.
March 21, 2023
good coming of age drama
Bit slow at the start and pretty confusing especially the magic system , candle is a gutsy young girl treated dreadfully by her parents and her brother , her sister at least trys to be friendly but like most of their society they are all so self involved they are blind to the evil amongst them and fail to take the barbarian invaders seriously.
Bit slow at the start and pretty confusing especially the magic system , candle is a gutsy young girl treated dreadfully by her parents and her brother , her sister at least trys to be friendly but like most of their society they are all so self involved they are blind to the evil amongst them and fail to take the barbarian invaders seriously.
May 14, 2023
I started the book unsure if I was going to finish it but within maybe 50 pages I was hooked. Candle is a great protagonist, the rest of the characters are great, and it's got a pretty solid setting to play out in.
October 6, 2023
Love this authors books. Great fantasy adventures. Always kept me interested. Can't wait for the sequel...and liches 5.
January 28, 2024
Once again amazing characters, story and writing style by H.J. Tolson. I am waiting for more.
April 15, 2025
3.5 Stars
January 7, 2023
Honestly even better than her other series. just different though as Candle is very different from Maud. The book grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go. It's no tome but I felt like a lot happened since the story moves at a fast pace. I loved the worldbuilding and characters.
Just all around excellent fantasy.
Just all around excellent fantasy.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews