Black as Diamond
by U. M. Agoawike
You must sign in to see if this title is available for request. Sign In or Register Now
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app
1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date Mar 03 2026 | Archive Date Not set
Bindery Books | Ezeekat Press
Talking about this book? Use #BlackasDiamond #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!
Description
A cursed warrior. A reckless healer. A chance to save the world—or condemn it.
Like the rest of the winged eresh keyel, warrior Asaru has spent his life fighting the remnants of a long-dead enemy. When his brother’s squadron disappears from a border keep, Asaru travels into the human realm to investigate, only to become ensnared by a fatal—and unbreakable—curse that could wipe out his people.
When he inadvertently commits a terrible crime, Asaru is thrown into the path of Wren, an emotionally tortured former healer playing with dangerous magic. Bound to one another by a spell gone wrong, and on the run from freelance killers, they set out to find the Chronicler, keeper of the eresh keyel’s history who could bring them answers, redemption, and the cure to Asaru’s curse. But the truths they uncover about the past have the power to break the world into pieces, ending human civilization and settling its remnants into something entirely new.
From Nigerian Canadian author U. M. Agoawike, Black as Diamond is a fresh, dark, and thrilling debut that untangles questions of queer identity, history, and power, illuminating a society crushed by the lingering actions of a few.
Advance Praise
“With vivid prose, bone-rattling action, and a queer romance as tender as it is thunderous, Black As Diamond is a dark fantasy gem from the glittering heart of the genre.” —Sophia Slade, author of Nightstrider
“U.M. Agoawike combines truly epic world building and breathtaking action to create a wholly original, harrowing dark fantasy. Black As Diamond is a gut punch of a debut novel.” —Chelsea Abdullah, author of The Stardust Thief
“This is the sort of fantasy I love. Layered, detailed worldbuilding, lush prose, loveable but flawed found family, and central magical mystery tying it all together. Black As Diamond is a triumph!” —M. H. Ayinde, author of A Song of Legends Lost
“Black as Diamond is haunting and ethereal, balanced with the warmth of found family. This is a cast of characters you are bound to fall in love with as they fumble their way toward one another, seeking connection in a world that is falling apart.” —Andrea Stewart, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Bone Shard Daughter
Marketing Plan
- Social campaign with over 5M direct reach plus paid promotions
- National print, broadcast, and online media campaign including radio and podcast interviews
- Extensive review copy mailings to booksellers, media, and influencers
- Netgalley and Goodreads promotions
- NYC launch event with broad influencer and media attendance
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781967967001 |
| PRICE | $19.95 (USD) |
| PAGES | 496 |
