Shadow Heir
core novel 2011 Dark Swan
Record
| First published | 2011 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 3.87 (14,170 ratings, collected 2026-08-30) |
| Page count | 400 |
| First-edition ISBN | 9780553826098 |
| Internal chronology | 4 |
Synopsis
In the fourth and final Dark Swan novel, Eugenie Markham, the shaman-turned-queen balancing protection of the mortal realm with her rule over the Thorn Land, is now expecting a child, adding new weight to the prophecy that has shadowed her since the series began. A mysterious, spell-driven blight begins spreading through the Otherworld, threatening both it and the human world Eugenie has sworn to guard, and she must work to uncover its source before it spreads further. Her efforts are complicated by her tangled relationships with the fairy king Dorian, who wants to help her despite the mistrust between them, and her former partner Kiyo, who is keeping secrets of his own. As a new threat to humanity takes shape alongside the blight, Eugenie is forced to consider using her own cursed nature as a weapon against it.
Where it sits
- Universe: Dark Swan
- Series: Dark Swan core; position 4 of 4 in the series' recorded order
- Author: Richelle Mead
Notes
- From the series record (Dark Swan): Complete four-book urban fantasy sequence following a shaman and monster-hunter entangled in Otherworld fae politics.
Neighbouring works
Publication order and internal chronology are tracked as two separate orderings, but they resolve to the exact same sequence for this book, so one combined line is shown instead of two identical ones.
- Reading order, within the series Dark Swan: position 4 of 4: previous Iron Crowned (2011)
Sources
← Dark Swan dossier · All universes
Part of the Library. Fields without an identified source are omitted, never guessed.