Ayelet Waldman
Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lost Gods | 2018 | Micah Yongo | Buy |
| 2 | Pale Kings | 2019 | Micah Yongo | Buy |
Lost Gods introduces Neythan, an assassin of the Shedaím Brotherhood, who becomes entangled in a conspiracy that reaches into the highest levels of political and religious power. When a mission goes wrong, he discovers that the gods his people thought were myths may still be active, manipulating events through mortal agents. The first book establishes a world of rival kingdoms, competing belief systems, and assassin brotherhoods trained from childhood to serve their masters without question.
Yongo builds his fantasy world on African cultural touchstones—the architecture, social structures, and spiritual beliefs reflect African rather than European influences. The Shedaím are trained killers bound by strict codes, but as Neythan uncovers the truth about his order’s origins, he must question everything he was taught. The series explores themes of faith, forbidden knowledge, and the cost of uncovering historical truths that powerful institutions want buried.
Pale Kings continues the story, expanding the scope as characters learn more about the lost gods and their agenda. The sequel delves deeper into the mythology, revealing how these ancient beings shaped the current world and what they want from the mortals who have forgotten them. Yongo balances action and intrigue with world-building that creates a distinct fantasy setting, offering epic fantasy readers a different cultural foundation for familiar genre elements like secret orders, political conspiracies, and world-threatening supernatural forces.