Wicked Saints (2019) by Emily A. Duncan is a dark, atmospheric fantasy novel that weaves together Gothic romance, Slavic-inspired mythology, and brutal political intrigue. The story follows Nadya, a cleric who can speak directly to the gods, and Serefin, a blood mage prince, as their fates collide in a war-torn kingdom where saints and monsters blur.
Nadya has spent her life in hiding, training to destroy the heretical king and his blood mages who have slaughtered her people. But when her sanctuary is attacked, she’s forced to ally with Malachiasz, a mysterious, morally ambiguous mage who may be her greatest enemy—or her only chance at survival. Meanwhile, Serefin, the reluctant heir to the throne, grapples with court treachery and his own dangerous magic.
Duncan crafts a world drenched in blood magic, divine wrath, and twisted devotion, where faith and power corrupt in equal measure. The novel explores themes of religious fanaticism, moral ambiguity, and the cost of vengeance, with lush prose and visceral violence reminiscent of Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha Trilogy and Katherine Arden’s Winternight series.
A standout in YA dark fantasy, Wicked Saints (the first in the Something Dark and Holy trilogy) delivers a gripping, unflinching tale of gods and monsters—both literal and within the human heart.
