The Chronicle of Secret Riven
Keeper of Tales Trilogy, Book 2
One thousand years after a great conflict known as The Mapmaker’s War, a daughter is born to an ambitious historian and a gifted translator. Secret Riven doesn’t speak until her seventh year but can mysteriously communicate with plants and animals. Unsettled by visions and dreams since childhood, she tries to hide her strangeness, especially from her mercurial father and cold mother.
When her knowledge of an esoteric symbol brings unwelcome attention, gentle, watchful Secret finds acceptance from Prince Nikolas, her best friend, and Old Woman, who lives in the distant woods.Before Secret turns thirteen, her mother, Zavet receives an arcane manuscript to translate from an anonymous owner. Zavet begins to suffer nightmares and withdraws into herself. Secret sickens with a fever and awakens able to speak an ancient language, discovering that her mother is fluent as well. Suddenly, Zavet dies. The manuscript is missing, but a cipher has been left for Secret to find.
Soon, Secret has a choice to make: confront a destiny tied to an ancient past or deny it, never to know its whole truth.A spellbinding story, rich with vivid characters and set in a fascinating world, The Chronicle of Secret Riven explores the tension between love and hate, trust and betrayal, fate and free will.
Praise
“Domingue lushly layers Secret’s hopes, dreams and visions…[the] tale will charm…lovers of fantasy."
—Kirkus Reviews
“The Chronicle of Secret Riven hypnotizes with the cadence of a fairy tale and the sweeping scope of an epic. I longed to linger in this world of eloquent animals, hidden forests, and magical libraries, and felt nearly heartbroken to turn the last page."
—Amy Shearn, author of The Mermaid of Brooklyn and How Far Is the Ocean from Here
“Mysterious manuscripts, arcane languages, and sinister silences animate the wonderfully inventive realm of Secret Riven, a character so powerful that we are both startled and enchanted as we tumble headlong into her world.”
—Maria Tatar, author of Enchanted Hunters: The Power of Stories in Childhood
“The Chronicle of Secret Riven is an extraordinary mix of a fresh voice and an Old World sensibility. With mesmerizing language, Ronlyn Domingue spins a tale of wonder, danger, and magic, taking the reader to a faraway world that helps us to see our own with more clarity. This is a book that reminds us of the power of silence, of paying attention, of intuition, and of protecting the most vulnerable among us.”
—Susan Henderson, author of Up From the Blue
“An epic fairy tale for a new age; Ronlyn Domingue has created a mythos all her own. The Chronicle of Secret Riven deftly braids the story of love, loss, magic, myth, and ancestry together into a hauntingly beautiful tale. The book also possesses a secret itself. If you know how to look for it, if you know how to listen, you’ll risk being inspired by the powerful message that glimmers beyond the pages of this shimmering story.”
—Signe Pike, author of Faery Tale and The Lost Queen
“A rare blend of historical mysticism and elaborately imagined fantasy… This is a fantastically satisfying novel in which a character can plausibly converse with insects and foliage, while always maintaining a strict internal logic. I wish I could buy real estate in Domingue’s world.”
—Sean Beaudoin, author of The Infects and Welcome Thieves
Extras
Curious about how the trilogy came into being?
Visit here to see a timeline.
Learn more about the trilogy through interviews and book discussions.
—Listen to a radio interview about The Mapmaker’s War.
—Watch an interview about The Mapmaker’s War and The Chronicle of Secret Riven.
—Listen to a radio interview about The Plague Diaries.
—Listen to the first-ever book discussion about the entire Keeper of Tales Trilogy (there are spoilers).