Benighted

“A fascinating and unique tale in an alternate reality where being human is a hindrance. Kit Whitfield has created an astonishing read.”—Sherrilyn Kenyon, author of the Dark-Hunter series It is a world much like our own, with one deadly difference: ninety-nine percent of the population is lycanthropic. When the full moon rises, humans transform into lunes, bloodthirsty beasts who cannot be reasoned with or tamed. Those few born unable to change are disparagingly known as barebacks, and live as victims of prejudice and oppression. All too often, they are targets of savage mauling and death by lunes who break the law to roam free on full-moon nights. Twenty something bareback Lola Galley is already a veteran of the Department for the Ongoing Regulation of Lycanthropic Activities. When her friend loses a hand to a marauding lune, then is murdered before the attacker is brought to trial, Lola is desperate to see justice prevail. But the truth is seldom simple–and Lola may not like the shocking answers she uncovers. Praise for Benighted “An impressive debut, Benighted is a well-written and well-thought-out examination of prejudice as seen through the lens of the werewolf novel.”—Tananarive Due, author of Joplin’s Ghost “Kit Whitfield has created a unique and powerful twist on the werewolf mythos, an eloquent parable about the profound effects of prejudice and violence on both perpetrator and victim. Benighted will leave you thinking long after you’ve turned the last page.”—Susan Krinard, author of Touch of the Wolf

2017 Readers' Favorite Bronze Medal Winner in Young Adult-Action The King was dead. His body was found slain in his room, only months after his son had been brutally murdered. Skylar Mandolyn, his daughter, has now become the last heir to inherit the throne. But instead of becoming Queen, she has been imprisoned for helping in the escape of Sir Harlin Brien, her knight who was framed for the King's murder. Confined to darkness, Skylar's captors have given her no choice but to yield to a new kind of enemy: a kingdom that has advanced in both technology and warfare. It's when she refuses that the prison uses its other means of persuasion, and although unmerciful, the whip lashings and isolation can't suppress the memories of her family's downfall. Pulled between her subconscious and reality, Skylar already knows who the true enemy is, because even the darkness can't hide the deceptive hands that have destroyed them all. With two kingdoms on the brink of war, Skylar's only hope is in the person who has gone missing--Harlin, the knight who was sworn to protect her. The memory of him surrounds her when the darkness screams louder than the prisoners, and when Death smiles a faceless grin in between the cracks of the stone. While the tremors start to rise from the deep, crawling up through the prison's walls, Skylar will soon see why he's one of the benighted.

An immersive novel, Benighted easily captures the reader's attention with both psychological insight and dark humor. Forces of nature drive five travelers to a crumbling mansion to wait out a storm. The residents of the mansion are far from welcoming, and their manners are ominous. The stranded "guests" begin the long evening getting familiar with each other through conversational games, providing the reader with acute psychological perception. Discovering the thoughts running through each person's mind during the course of the evening adds empathy to a story that is leading into the shadows. This is a menacing dark house story rife with both fear and heart. ... (Janie C.)

Foreword by Nasrin Rahimieh. Includes Nezami's 'Black Dome' from 'The Seven Beauties'.