Solentine Dagarra. Bastard son of a hero margrave, secret head of the Shears, devoted older brother, cousin, and son. Urbane, charming, ruthless. Noble by day, assassin by night, effortless thirst trap on all occasions.
Favorite quote: “Nothing is more annoying than a man who doesn’t have the decency to die after he’s murdered.”
It is said that the male lead belongs to the heroine.* Solentine is not the male lead. He belongs to everyone.
Artwork by Helena Elias
*The Romance of Tiger and Rose, cdrama.
Large files ahead. Click the images to view the artwork in detail.
A small snippet from Solentine’s short story.
A wiry woman charged Sol, swinging a short sword. He leaned back, and the point of her blade fanned his face, cutting only air. He spun past her, stabbing and slashing. She fell, and he kept moving. A tall dark-haired fighter blocked his way. Sol stabbed him twice, once in the kidney and then in the stomach, rupturing the bowels, and kicked his leading leg out from under him. The third man, in his thirties, with his red hair tied back, dropped his club and raised his hands. Sol pointed his left dagger at the wall, where the small man lay, crumpled on the floor. The man obeyed and ran there.
The last remaining fighter swung a long slender blade, drawing an elaborate pattern around himself. Southeastern style. The man was in his mid-twenties, athletic and light on his feet. A pricy haircut, a decent sword. A small medallion embossed with a white sword hung around his neck. Fador had hired himself a mercenary duelist.
The mercenary cut the air with a flourish. “I am Derrein of Garver. I have never lost a fight to the death.”
“I would imagine so,” Sol said. “Or we wouldn’t be having this conversation, would we?”
“Whom do I have the honor of …”
Sol struck. Derrein saw the attack coming but wasn’t fast enough. Sol’s right dagger slid into his side, lacerating the liver. The mercenary stumbled away, clutching at the red stain spreading through his tunic.
Sol pointed at the door. Derrein fled. If he made it to a healer in time, he’d have a chance to recover, though his ego likely never would.
Promotion, we do it:
Ooo loved the snippet! A really nice start to the day, I must say. Thanks!!
Love this snippet
Channeling Princess Bride???
‘Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!'”
😂
Inconceivable!
Counting down the days! This is my first ever pre-order: that’s how excited I am!
You must be new to the Horde. Most of us keep trying to pre-order what we’ve already pre-ordered, but much like with elevators, pressing the button repeatedly does not make it come faster. Damn it.
Tru dat
thirded
it doesn’t ???
😂😂😂
Nor does any amount of wishing they’d reveal what they have for US Special Editions make it come sooner…
At this point, I’ll just pre-order the UK Special Edition (s??) and be prepared to pre-order again lollllllllll
are you sure., I’m sure every time we check, it makes it a second further away…
So true. So funny when I see yet again that I have already pre-ordered this book and I am being impatient yet again, lol.
Thank you for snippet. I have pre ordered a hardcopy of book, but I want one of the UK hardcopy versions. They are beautiful.
+1
Only one?!?
How about one of each of the pretties🙂
I am so excited! I was wondering if I could get confirmation that the Imagine Books Shop edition is signed? I know it said it was on the blog but it didn’t on the post in their Facebook group. I am planning on pre-ordering but would love a signed copy!
The Imagine Books editions are signed 🙂
awesome, thank you so much!
Imagine Books will have the Sushi Bookplate. So not signed as in the books signature but signed as in with a book plate.
Never lost a fight to the death, really? Thank you, Captain Obvious! So sorry I don’t have an *eyeroll* big enough for you.
Snippet on a Tuesday: unexpected in the very best way. Thank you!
The only reason to say that is to gain the advantage by attacking as your enemy rolls their eyes…lol
lol!
What, pray tell, is a “Thirst Trap”? I’m not hip to it.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/thirst-trap 🙂
Allow me to elucidate:
First, know that thirst= horniness.
A thirst trap happens when a hottie with a body uses their assets to garner fame or money.
No, not necessarily 🙂. You can post thirst traps just for one person. It just means aiming for the sexual type of interest.
So basically what used to be referred to as a pinup photo or pinup art?
In the latest HL novella, I had to go look up “rizz” and “yeet”. But I missed checking “thirst trap” as it was almost obvious from the context.
Not exactly. Pin up art was coy and was very clear about what it is. There is a reason they called it cheesecake. Thirst trap aims for sexy without trying kind of vibe. It often fails hilariously.
Okay. That makes it a lot clearer and explains the “trap” part of the phrase. Thanks.
Yes, that’s enlightening. Reminds me of the old Doonesbury strip where the young woman holds a can of Coke against her forehead. Or of a significant percentage of social media posts. While I don’t do social media, so many selfies show up in the news, usually not in a good context.
It’s used tongue in cheek here to highlight the fact that Solentine is scorching. 🙂
Quick, get the garden hose out! The Horde may need to get cooled off after reading about Solentine! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Perhaps we should plan another trip to Nav, to cool everyone down? I mean, our FIRST trip to Nav. Because, um, we’ve definitely never been there. In Nav. With ferrets. (Glares at Steve, who, ofc, is entirely oblivious.) Although hearing about Mod. R’s snowboarding in Nav, it might feel like we’ve been. In Nav. ‘Cause BDH. We get lots of practice imagining we’re in place we’ve only heard, or read about. Right guys?
Sigh. Or I could just walk 3 feet out my front door into the massive piles of snow here. (Got another 15” added since Sunday.)
I am so glad he is ours. He is so skilled and gorgeous to boot!
Thank you for the surprise Tuesday snippet.
5 weeks left before we get another precious. Woo-hoo! 🤸🥳
wow
good morning to you too
Y’all are not fair. Snippets are a double edged treat !! Because now, I want more (of the book, not of Sol specifically…. no really… seriously…)
Hmmm… sure you want more of the book and not Sol…. I see you 👀
oooh 😍 very nice and deadly too ☺️
Getting excited now, I’ve bought every format so This Kingdom will be at my finger tips when I feel the urge 🤭
thank you for the Snippet and piccy
I need to wrap my head around a new world, first thing I thought when I read the title was “What house is Solentine from?”
Glad to see I am not the only one…🤣
Right?!!!!!
Oh wow. Very handsome devil. Every art Helena has made for you guys has hit it out of the park for me. I absolutely love her style. Very much appreciate your continued art providing. And I can’t wait to read about him!!
Agreed, she is unbelievably talented, and a match made in heaven 🙂
a snippet…thank you so much
great art. love me some bad guy look 😉
Thanks for the snippet. Can’t wait for release date.
we love promotions – thank you
Anyone else start giggling at “Promotion, we do it”?
I did, lol
Is this character art going to be in any of the published books or special editions somewhere? Or it is just blog art?
Oh my!
Ilona, that illustration needs a warning label at the top of the post. This chronologically advantaged lady just had her heart jumpstarted……
It goes without saying that the artwork is exquisite.
Y’all…I think we could fix him 😂
Think we could do a “Hugh treatment”? 😉
there’s no hear me out needed here 🤣
I definitely want Solentine on my side rather than against me. He is so pretty, but deranged (in a “good” way)!
I was wondering if Sol would be the male lead when we met him! So glad he’s for everyone! Is the male lead the mysterious guy we met in the garden? Because I totally think we’re going to see him again! And he’s not afraid of the big bad guy!
OK – cuppa #4, reread Blog post, smile. Cuppa #5 reread, sigh and smile!
If w*it##g was always this much fun!
Thank you for the art and words!!
She should *definitely* boop him on the nose.
Because.
Just sayin’.
With a rolled-up newspaper – or in that world, maybe a rolled-up Wanted poster. What could possibly go wrong if she did?
He would obviously find it charming, threaten to disembowel her, then ultimately develop unbridled affection for her.
…Or actually disembowel her, but it’s worth a shot, right??
Well, she’s Maggie the Undying, so absolutely worth a shot😁
Wonderful!
Ahhhhhh! The CHALANTNESS!!! This is gonna be sooooooo good!
Love it! Outstanding, both the artwork and the snippet. Thank you!
Loved the snippet!! Thank you so much!!! Unexpected delicacy on a Tuesday!!!
omg! you tease! and then I’m sure we’ll be waiting for the sequel… on a side note… is there a release date for the audio?
The audiobook for This Kingdom will Not Kill Me will be released on the same day as the other formats and is already out for preorder on all your favourite retailers 🙂 https://ilona-andrews.com/blog/this-kingdom-has-a-voice/
just went and checked… already pre-ordered… sigh… can’t it release early???
Thank you for the snippet! I already love Sol
Ohh what a fun snippet. Can’t wait.
OMG
I’ve been so busy, I just remembered that Ilona said she would share artwork today and it came with bonus!
Thank you so much, you spoil us….
Snippet Tuesday! Who knew! Thank you!
Yay for the snippet! I’m so excited for This Kingdom that I have restricted myself to 1 UK special edition and 1 US special edition 🤣
Is Solentine’s short story going to already be included?
He gives me pirate vibes 🙂
Thank you!
I had planned to take 2 days off to just read on release day. But I got roped into a new role at my job which led to a promotion. So yay 🥳promotion for more book and merch money, but boo 😔 those days I will be in training.
If I find this book in the Waterstones near me I will die
Awesome! Is this a Helena’s interpretation of the character or did you guide her to how he looks in your head?
Either way… can i haz mor?
Art is always the interpretation of the artist 🙂
The character’s physical and personality traits from the text are always provided, as well as a couple of inspiration photos and notes from the authors when House Andrews commissions art. But the artist’s imagination is in the creative seat.
Thankyou for the snippet this morning, feels like I’ve waited ages since the pre order , not long now though .
Love the quip! Idiot, going on about how he never lost a battle to the death….. HAH
“Solentine’s short story.” So will the short story only be part of special edition books? Or will it be generally available?
I, for one, am very glad that he’s not the male lead.
It hasn’t yet been decided where Solentine’s story will appear. It exists, that’s the takeaway for us 🙂
Well, that’s interesting. I did not see this snippet in my Tuesday. Fantastic!!!!!
I love Romance of Tiger and Rose! Baby Zhao Lusi, the music, and costumes are so good! Oranges and bananas!
Thank for the snippet and the channeling of “The Princess Bride” (my all-time fav movie)!
Sol is a hottie (pun intended)! 😘
I didn’t have a solid image in my head for Solentine, but all I can see in the art is Paul Walker with dark hair. I almost feel like I recognize the reference photo it’s that clear. Just me?
I don’t see Paul Walker at all, I immediately saw Ian Somerhalder with lighter hair 😀 They don’t look alike one bit hahaha.
Points for “he belongs to the everyone”!
Solentine has a short story? When/where can we read it? What’s it called? Is it already finished, or is it a ‘short story’ that magically becomes a novel when it actually gets written? (A habit of HA that your BDH finds endlessly endearing!) We have many questions…
Love the artwork! Thanks for feeding the Horde!
So if Solentine is scorching, dare I hope the same for the male lead?
Not gonna lie, one of the most show-stopping men I think about is Curran. Oh the privilege to be loved by Kate.
Smokin’!
And I went to just verify it was on order! Can’t wait ! Squee!
Oh my, I have a new favourite.
Ditto, please moderator, tell them to keep those artworks coming!
“I could reach out and boop him on the nose.
Oh god, he would kill me.”
this is totally how my brain works! throwing terrible ideas at me that are so tempting and so wrong. “i wonder what would happen if i did X.” -does X-… immediately regrets decision.
+1
It’s so hard to resist “boop the snoot” commands sometimes. I think I would squee as I did it for Sol while I was at it.
Oh COOL, I’m third! Being a night owl has finally paid off.
I’M SO EXCITED! AND I JUST CAN’T HIDE IT! I’M ABOUT TO LOSE CONTROL…… Sigh, sorry, my ch*lantness just broke loose and I must go find it!
I could hear the song in my head even before I finished reading your second line. I’m excited too!
Release day is only a month away! (ish, let me have it). Getting really excited with all the teasers and pretty pictures, can’t wa*t, must wa*t, gah
Cannot wait!
Lovely!
oooooooo…….nice!!
OMG!! Every bit of it is fabulous!! I cannot believe you gave us a snippet after we got the sneak peek (which I have already read twice – I’ll know it off by heart by release day). So, SO good.
Thank you, thank you …
Is this the short story that is in one of the special editions?
No 🙂 . That’s a different one.
are the same short stories going to be in the hardcovers, or different ones, and are they going to be included in the ebook? Ben Aaronovitch has a short story in a waterstones edition not published anywhere else from three or four years ago and it’s super hard to find the waterstones first edition and prohibitively expensive when you do find one and it’s really really irritating.
One of the short stories will be included in a US special edition print.
This is as much as we know right now 🙂
Oooh! Snippet! Eye candy!
A very nice way to start my day!
Boop his nose. Ha!
Thank you!
This is the closest I’ve ever been to First. Yowza!
The comments are paginated, you’re on page 2, comment 97 🙂
Folks, I already ordered it, I can’t order it HARDER.
Me too, I tried!!
Wibbling with anticipation, we do it 😂
Oh my! Oh goodie!!! Yay, yay, yay!!!! You’ve made my day!! Deeeliocious! Ouuuweee!! I’m so excited! (do you need more exclamation points? because I don’t think you are getting how sweet of a treat this is!)
Counting the days!!
I’m getting Han Solo vibes in all the best ways. Can’t w*it!
I have run out of positive, exclamation-type words. Simply said, “I treasure reading your work.”
Oh, I am in love!!!
We are so close. Only a little more w*iting. Only a little more.
I think I missed some information on the short story topic. This is a short story, and there are others? Can we get more details on the short stories that will be available and how we can read them? Thank you, Mod R!
There are short stories and they are for the readers. That’s the takeaway at the moment.
I cannot say more at present. Chiiii!
I am waiting for March 31 and wondering if I can get away with reading all day and doing nothing else!! thanks for the snippet. I’ve only read the free chapters once so that I can savor the whole book when I get it. so excited!
Sooo, if he belongs to everyone does that mean we have to * gulp * share? I’m feeling kinda grabby hands here.
Tell Steve he needs to update the BDH orientation video to include all the expected virtues of the BDH such as chalantness and patience and sharing. 🙂
I had it in my head that the release date was end of this month. I knew it was March, but my brain tricked me. March better go quickly! I’m so excited after reading the extended preview
LOL! I just finished “The Romance of Tiger and Rose”! Sol is for all of us to drool over!
I was close enough to boop the poodle beast on the nose. I knew better. she was high from her happy pill that she takes when going to the vet, and she just had several vaccines. I couldn’t resist. I now have a bruise and open wound on the hand. Do. not. boop. the. beast.
WOWWWW, this exceeded my wildest imagination- I very much hope you made these for the other male character dreamboats!!!!
The halo of daggers or other edged weapons is just *chef’s kiss* on part of the artist.
In future, I need ALL MMCs to be described as such
“Noble by day, assassin by night, effortless thirst trap on all occasions.”
I will not entertain anything less. TED Talk over.
Okay. I’d buy a calendar with him on it. I love the artist promos and transparency. I was very disappointed to see a cover refresh (on a long standing series) from another author this morning that screamed A.I .
okay – I’m officially lost. I LOVED what I just read – is this going to be in “This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me?” And where do I find “the Romance of Tiger and Rose? My senior brain is trying to keep up with so many things – I’m having difficulty here. Is there a blog I missed? A freebie? Something I read and have forgotten? HELP!!!
This Solentine short story exists, but at the moment we do not know where it will be included.
It will not be published in This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me.
There is another short story which will be a bonus content in one of the US special editions.
That is as much as I can say at this moment 🙂
The Romance of Tiger and Rose is, as Ilona explained above, a Chinese drama tv series https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Romance_of_Tiger_and_Rose.
In my region, it plays on Apple Tv and Viki 🙂
That smirk! Those eyes! He’s just…I mean…WOWIE! 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
[please excuse me for a minute, going to go fan myself]
Thank you for all the little updates! I’m looking for a new job right now, and these updates and the upcoming book are one of the few things keeping me somewhat sane right now lol
Good luck!
ohhhh, he’s criminally hot. See what I did there?
The shalant is killing me.
My Mom brain made me put a reminder that release day is March 3rd (so I could call in sick and binge in peace) and I’m just now seeing it’s March 31st…..maybe a part of me just wanted it SO bad I didn’t see the 1 after the 3….. to be so close and yet so far!!! Thank you for the snippet, it’s helping make the wait bearable!!
Wow! Love the small snippet. Just brilliant!
How’s Sookie Jean.
OK, so I think we all agree that the artist, Helena Elias is really really good. But I’m wondering if it is a coincidence or deliberate that her last name is the same as a certain MMC that we all know and love? Hmmmm?
P*tience. Sigh. At least I have pretty editions to choose between.
Well please stop doing it because I am already dying to read the book. Books. All the books. nd novellas and short stories.
On sober reflection keep with the promoting if I get to read cute things while trying to not wish time away.
Is that from the book coming up? Great!. You know I love the cuttin’. Lol. Very exciting. What great writers. We are so fortunate.
Is it the 30th yet? Can’t wait, can’t wait, can’t wait…