Listen to a sample
The Scorpion Queen
- Author
- Mina Fears
- Narrator
- Sandra Okuboyejo
- Publisher
- Pan Macmillan
- Publish Date
- 23 January 2025
- Run Time
- 11 hours
- Format
- x-book®
Not available in your country
We don't have the rights to sell this audiobook where you are. If it's already in your library you can still listen to it in My Books.
What to expect
The Scorpion Queen is the first novel from Mina Fears, a thrilling epic fantasy adventure with an unforgettable romance, inspired by a Malian fairy tale. Perfect for fans of Girl, Goddess, Queen and The Gilded Ones.
At first glance, Princess Mariama lives a charmed life at the imperial palace in Timbuktu with servants catering for her every need. But deep within the palace walls, a terrible trial takes place for the princess’s hand in marriage. Ninety-nine suitors have died and the princess is determined to end the carnage before another life is lost.
Framed for a crime she didn’t commit, Amie has lost everything. Her family, her status, her love. Forced into service for the emperor’s daughter she dreams of nothing but escape and a chance to be reunited with her childhood sweetheart.
But all is not as it seems at court, and the more Amie learns about the princess's circumstances, the closer the girls become. Increasingly drawn to the princess in ways she doesn’t understand, Amie must make a choice between running away with the boy she loves or helping the princess to end the trials forever. . .
Critics Review
-
The Scorpion Queen is a sweeping fantasy novel imbued with darkness but full of heart. Mina Fears breathes life into a sprawling and treacherous world in this compelling debut. You’ll find yourself fiercely rooting for Amie, a valiant protagonist torn between her first love and the alluring princess fighting to end her father's brutal marriage trials. I loved this story.
Alexis Henderson, author of The Year of the Witching and An Academy for Liars
-
Brimming with court intrigue, spellbinding magic, and a world as beguiling as it is deadly, Fears delivers a compelling story that lures you in from the very first page, along with an unforgettable heroine who will stop at nothing to carve out her own destiny and fight for the life she deserves. An atmospheric and utterly transportive debut.
Deborah Falaye, award-winning author of Blood Scion
-
Fears’ sparkling debut The Scorpion Queen is a fascinating insight into courage, sacrifice, and survival. Aminata is a fearless heroine we deserve.
Roselle Lim, author of Night for Day and Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club
-
The pace is thoughtful, with slow and detailed world-building giving way to a headlong dive into a desert quest to find a magical hammer that can potentially end the trials Mariama’s father has created.
The Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books, December 2024 issue
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Mina Fears
- Narrator
- Sandra Okuboyejo
- Duration
- 11 hours
- Release Date
- 23 January 2025
- ISBN
- 9781035050796
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- Pan Macmillan
- Genre
- Children’s / Teenage fiction: Fantasy romance, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Historical fantasy, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Epic fantasy / heroic fantasy
Synopsis
The Scorpion Queen is the first novel from Mina Fears, a thrilling epic fantasy adventure with an unforgettable romance, inspired by a Malian fairy tale. Perfect for fans of Girl, Goddess, Queen and The Gilded Ones.At first glance, Princess Mariama lives a charmed life at the imperial palace in Timbuktu with servants catering for her every need. But deep within the palace walls, a terrible trial takes place for the princess’s hand in marriage. Ninety-nine suitors have died and the princess is determined to end the carnage before another life is lost.Framed for a crime she didn’t commit, Amie has lost everything. Her family, her status, her love. Forced into service for the emperor’s daughter she dreams of nothing but escape and a chance to be reunited with her childhood sweetheart.But all is not as it seems at court, and the more Amie learns about the princess's circumstances, the closer the girls become. Increasingly drawn to the princess in ways she doesn’t understand, Amie must make a choice between running away with the boy she loves or helping the princess to end the trials forever. . .
About xigxag and the x-book®
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
Our x-book® format is the only fully integrated listen-and-read experience available. See the text on screen as you listen, look up words, take notes, search within the book, and share quotes. It is especially useful for accessibility, language learning, and getting more from non-fiction. Look for the purple x-book® ribbon on the cover, or filter your search by "x-book" to find them.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.