
Shadows of Sparta
the hottest new dark romantasy of 2026 inspired by Greek mythology
C. R. Jane(Author)
Hodderscape (Publisher)
Published on 2. June 2026
Book
Hardback
448 pages
978-1-3997-5044-8 (ISBN)
Description
In Sparta, queens aren't born - they're forged in blood, magic, and betrayal.
Gods once ruled the land, until King Menelaus cast them out and crowned himself in their place.
When he resurrects the ancient trials meant to choose his queen, Helena becomes her dying village's only hope. Marked by a terrible beauty, she steps forward not for glory - but for survival. Alone in a dangerous court, Helena must decide whom to trust: Achilles, a legendary warrior bound to the throne by blood and oath, or a mysterious prisoner bearing forbidden magic. One guards her cage. The other whispers how to escape it. And one of them is lying.
Choosing wrong will cause Sparta not to simply fall, but to kneel. And with the fate of her people resting on Helena's shoulders, she must claim the throne of Sparta - or be destroyed by it.
Enter the world of Sparta as you've never experienced it before with the much-anticipated dark romantasy based on the myth of Helen of Troy, from USA Today bestselling author C.R. Jane.
'The love is tangled, the danger is mounting, and this fantasy romance will captivate you from the very first page' RAVEN KENNEDY
'An epically written story of love, adventure, and the power of a woman's inner strength. A must read!' STACEY MARIE BROWN
Gods once ruled the land, until King Menelaus cast them out and crowned himself in their place.
When he resurrects the ancient trials meant to choose his queen, Helena becomes her dying village's only hope. Marked by a terrible beauty, she steps forward not for glory - but for survival. Alone in a dangerous court, Helena must decide whom to trust: Achilles, a legendary warrior bound to the throne by blood and oath, or a mysterious prisoner bearing forbidden magic. One guards her cage. The other whispers how to escape it. And one of them is lying.
Choosing wrong will cause Sparta not to simply fall, but to kneel. And with the fate of her people resting on Helena's shoulders, she must claim the throne of Sparta - or be destroyed by it.
Enter the world of Sparta as you've never experienced it before with the much-anticipated dark romantasy based on the myth of Helen of Troy, from USA Today bestselling author C.R. Jane.
'The love is tangled, the danger is mounting, and this fantasy romance will captivate you from the very first page' RAVEN KENNEDY
'An epically written story of love, adventure, and the power of a woman's inner strength. A must read!' STACEY MARIE BROWN
Reviews / Votes
This book is richly atmospheric with a dark undertone . . . C.R. Jane took the myth of Helen of Troy and built a lavish and dire fantasy world around it. The love is tangled, the danger is mounting, and this fantasy romance will captivate you from the very first page * Raven Kennedy, New York Times bestselling author of the Plated Prisoner series * An epically written story of love, adventure, and the power of a woman's inner strength. A must read! * Stacey Marie Brown, USA Today bestselling author of the Savage Lands series * This book is richly atmospheric with a dark undertone. . . C.R. Jane took the myth of Helen of Troy and built a lavish and dire fantasy world around it. The love is tangled, the danger is mounting, and this fantasy romance will captivate you from the very first page * Raven Kennedy, New York Times Bestselling Author of the Plated Prisoner series *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Hodder & Stoughton
Product notice
Trade binding
Illustrations
N/A
Dimensions
Height: 164 mm
Width: 242 mm
Thickness: 38 mm
Weight
672 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-3997-5044-8 (9781399750448)
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
06/2026
Hodderscape
€7.99
Available for download
Person
C.R. Jane is a USA Today-bestselling author of romance, fantasy, and whatever else she feels like writing. Her stories are designed to make readers cry, scream, and eventually . . . swoon. Welcome to her world, where heartbreak and happy endings rule.