A Vicious Game
The Halfling Saga Book 3
Published on 14. August 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
448 pages
978-1-5294-4805-4 (ISBN)
Description
The thrilling third entry in the high fantasy saga that started with BookTok sensation A Broken Blade
'It seems fate has dealt me the same hand again. I know how to play it.'
A new king is on the throne and the rebellion lies in ruins. Keera spends her days drinking and her nights avoiding the strange dreams that have haunted her since she returned from the capital.
Keera's family in Myrelinth won't let her go without a fight. With new intelligence about the magical seals left behind by Keera's ancient kin, the Light Fae, she rallies to face her demons and unleash the formidable powers she inherited from her people. But a shocking truth is hiding in plain sight, one with the power to unravel the entire rebellion . . .
The pivotal third instalment in the Halfling Saga will upend everything Keera thought she knew about her enemies . . . and her allies.
The third entry in the Halfling Saga, the epic tale of a deadly assassin with a mysterious past, set in a lush fantasy world of Mortals, Elves, Halflings, and Fae, A Vicious Game is perfect for readers who enjoyed the A Court of Thorns and Roses series and other romantic fantasy books, especially those seeking LGBTQ+ romance or BIPOC representation.
'It seems fate has dealt me the same hand again. I know how to play it.'
A new king is on the throne and the rebellion lies in ruins. Keera spends her days drinking and her nights avoiding the strange dreams that have haunted her since she returned from the capital.
Keera's family in Myrelinth won't let her go without a fight. With new intelligence about the magical seals left behind by Keera's ancient kin, the Light Fae, she rallies to face her demons and unleash the formidable powers she inherited from her people. But a shocking truth is hiding in plain sight, one with the power to unravel the entire rebellion . . .
The pivotal third instalment in the Halfling Saga will upend everything Keera thought she knew about her enemies . . . and her allies.
The third entry in the Halfling Saga, the epic tale of a deadly assassin with a mysterious past, set in a lush fantasy world of Mortals, Elves, Halflings, and Fae, A Vicious Game is perfect for readers who enjoyed the A Court of Thorns and Roses series and other romantic fantasy books, especially those seeking LGBTQ+ romance or BIPOC representation.
Reviews / Votes
Gripping and fierce. This is much-needed fantasy with its fangs honed sharp by the power of resistance. Melissa Blair has built a tremendous world * Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of Immortal Longings * Blair creates a rich fantasy world full of magic, romance, danger, and intrigue * Booklist (starred review) * Perfect for fans of Throne of Glass * Buzzfeed * If you're a particular fan of spies in fantasy realms - like our beloved Inej in Six of Crows - then The Halfling Saga should be your next read * The Everygirl * A dark and romantic fantasy * Insider * Assassins are a staple, and Anishinnabe-kwe writer Melissa Blair use[s] that character trope to challenge some of the traditional notions of colonialist narratives * Paste Magazine * Readers who enjoy a messy main character with a redemption arc and rich world building will embrace this fantasy debut * South Seattle Emerald * While still full of action and intrigue, Blair's fantastic second book in the gripping Halfling Saga gives space for more introspection as Keera searches for answers about her family and her magical abilities and realizes that she'll need to rely on others to achieve freedom for herself and all of the Halflings * Library Journal (starred review) * The second installment in Melissa Blair's Halfling Saga will undoubtedly take BookTok by storm all over again with its political intrigue and plotting * Paste Magazine *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Quercus Publishing
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Illustrations
N/A
Dimensions
Height: 196 mm
Width: 127 mm
Thickness: 30 mm
Weight
312 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5294-4805-4 (9781529448054)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
08/2025
ARCADIA
€6.49
Available for download
Person
Melissa Blair (she/her/kwe) is an Anishinaabe-kwe of mixed ancestry living in Turtle Island. She splits her time between Treaty 9 in Northern Ontario and the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabeg in Ottawa, Canada. She has a graduate degree in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies, loves movies, and hates spoons. Melissa has a BookTok account where she discusses her favourite kinds of books including Indigenous and queer fiction, feminist literature, and non-fiction. A Broken Blade is her first novel.