The Revenant of Surolifia
In the vein of The Traitor Baru Cormorant and The Unbroken, The Revenant of Surolifia is a gripping political fantasy of empire, identity, and impossible choices, where rebellion blazes in the streets, loyalty is a double-edged sword, and the price of peace may be too steep to pay.
Secrets are often liabilities, but sometimes they are power.
Lucas Rhine has seen enough violence. When the Empire of Colours slaughters 17,000 of his silver-eyed kin, Lucas buries his hatred, hides his eyes behind coloured lenses, and vows to become the imperial gendarmerie’s commander. He will liberate his annexed island home through a diplomatic secession.
Usurped prince Faye Phlorik wants his throne back. When violent revolutionaries help him escape from prison, he joins them. They need a silver-eyed champion to rally the people, and he needs their resources to defeat the gendarmerie protecting the usurper.
When Faye’s escape costs Lucas his promotion, Lucas adds revenge to his list of reasons to stop the bloody revolution. While the two hunt each other across the country, the Empire’s warships are landing in two weeks to exterminate everyone with silver eyes. If Lucas and Faye can’t unite their forces against the imperial fleet, there will soon be nothing left of the people they’re both trying to liberate.
Additional information
| Genre | Fantasy |
|---|---|
| Age | Adult |
| Publisher | Independent |
| Imprint | Rising Action |
| Language(s) | English |
| Format(s) | eBook, Trade paperback |
| Author | Florence Chien |
| Release Date | 07 July 2026 |
| Release Month | July Releases |
| Author Identity | BIPOC |
About the Author
Florence Chien is a Chinese-Canadian immigrant residing in Toronto. She is the author of the political fantasy novel, The Revenant of Surolifia (2026). An excerpt of her historical fiction, Hollow Whispers of the Wind, was a winner of the Uncharted Magazine’s 2024 Novel Excerpt Prize. She is also a co-host of #SmallPitch, a pitch event centered around connecting authors with independent publishers. Outside of writing, she is also a commercial real estate lawyer, a connoisseur of coffee, and a fountain pen aficionado.
Florence is represented by Mara Hollander at Azantian Literary Agency.



