one love forged by passion. One written by destiny.
DEFIANCE
Dominion Quiz | Character Art & Map | Excerpt | Book Club Questions
Book 2 in The Silk and Iron Trilogy
One love forged by passion. One written by destiny. Her choice could unite the dominions, or doom them all…
Defiance is the much-anticipated sequel to New York Times bestselling author Jean Kwok’s Dominion, featuring an immersive, vibrant world of richly built dominions, majestic and magical creatures, and a love that blazes stronger than any power, in which a young woman is the key to saving the mortal realm.
“Dominion is an addictive read.” —Ali Hazelwood, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Dominion is perfect for readers craving the emotional fire and high stakes plotting of KPop Demon Hunters.” —Danielle L. Jensen, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Rubi Morningtail thought recovering her memories would finally make her whole. Instead, she’s now torn between the warrior who set her heart ablaze and the prince—her forgotten best friend—chosen for her by fate. Her heart is its own battlefield.
Arriving at the glittering and deadly court of the Red Phoenix Dominion, a matriarchal kingdom ruled by powerful fire sirens, a winged queen, and ruthless politics, Rubi finds herself trapped at the center of a prophecy foretelling either salvation or ruin.
As the Anchors holding back the demon realm begin to fail, Rubi and her battle tygress are drawn into a deadly race against time. She may hold the key to stopping the coming apocalypse, if the dangerous magic growing inside her does not consume her first.
With enemies lurking and demons clawing at the edges of their world, Rubi faces an impossible choice: fulfill the destiny that could save the dominions, or follow the desire that could destroy them.
Reviews for the trilogy
ALREADY FEATURED & RECOMMENDED BY: THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE TODAY SHOW, PEOPLE, GOODREADS, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, TOWN & COUNTRY, WRITER’S DIGEST, LIBRARY JOURNAL, BOOKSTR, LIBRARYREADS, JEZEBEL, LIT HUB, THE EVERYGIRL, CULTUREFLY, BOOKBUB, BEYOND THE BOOKENDS, SHELF AWARENESS & BOOK RIOT
* Instant USA Today national bestseller
*A New York Times Novel Everyone Will Be Talking About this Year
* Featured on the Today Show as Best Romantasy of July
* A Goodreads Readers’ Most Anticipated Romantasy of the Year
* A LibraryReads Pick, chosen as a top 10 favorite by US library staff
“A brilliant, captivating, deeply romantic fantasy debut! Dominion is an addictive read, and it's going to dazzle romantasy readers!"”
–Ali Hazelwood, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis and Bride
“A lyrical fantasy where mythology and a hidden past intertwine with dangerous attraction. Dominion is perfect for readers craving the emotional fire and high stakes plotting of KPop Demon Hunters”
–Danielle L Jensen, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Fate Inked in Blood
“Inspired by Chinese mythology, this novel follows Rubi Morningtail, a refugee ribbon dancer, who attracts the attention of a dangerous warrior named Blake Axefire. Together, they must fight to reunite the four dominions that have divided the world.”
–The New York Times, “The Novels Everyone Will Be Reading This Summer.”
“Dominion is a page turner. Tender yet tense, loving yet steamy, dangerous yet darkly humorous — a real showcase of Kwok's ambidextrous talents. It draws gorgeously on Chinese mythology to create something entirely new, all while commenting, through Rubi's eyes, on the immigrant experience — the difficulty of displacement and the joy of finding new places (or people) to call home.”
–Brigitte Knightley, New York Times bestselling author of The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy
“Kwok launches a romantasy trilogy with an intricately crafted magic system and a romance that will keep readers clamoring for the next in the series.”
–Library Journal
“Vibrant worldbuilding, a brave heroine, and a dangerous romance. I'm ready for the second book!”
–Ilona Andrews, #1 New York Times bestselling author of This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me
“Romantasy as a genre continues to heat up, and Jean Kwok’s Dominion is a buzz-worthy addition.”
–Town & Country, “The 46 Must-Read Books of Summer 2026”
“Kwok’s romantasy is a page-turner filled with action, betrayals, surprising revelations, and some heartfelt losses that will leave readers anticipating the next book.”
–Booklist
“A riveting romantasy, richly infused with elements of Chinese mythology. Dominion is a high stakes thrilling adventure filled with dangerous battles, searing romance, and fascinating characters.”
–Sue Lynn Tan, USA Today bestselling author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess
“I cannot wait to be entralled by Kwok’s Chinese-inspired romantasy.”
–Book Riot, “My Prediction for the Biggest Book Club Books of the Summer”
“Irresistibly thrilling! With non-stop action, romance, politics, and prophecy, plus a brave heroine, a broody hero, and an absolutely wonderful magical tyger, Dominion is un-put-down-able!”
–Sarah Beth Durst, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop
“From the very first line of Dominion, I knew that I was in the hands of a master wordsmith; by the end, I knew that I would be thinking about this book for the rest of my life. This scintillating romantasy from literary superstar Jean Kwok cuts to the quick, equal parts tense and thrilling, each page filled with boundless imagination, evocative prose, and gut-wrenching stakes. I was mesmerized.”
–Thea Guanzon, New York Times and #1 international bestselling author of The Hurricane Wars
“Romantic and action-packed, Kwok serves a searing entry into the genre of romantasy. Dominion is a feast for the senses with deadly magic tournaments, mythical companion animals, and Chinese-inspired elements — with a burning romance and shocking twists. At the story’s heart, Kwok draws a fierce yet tender character of diaspora in Rubi Morningtail as she grapples with fitting into a new world and new identity.”
–Amélie Wen Zhao, New York Times bestselling author of The Scorpion and the Night Blossom
“Bestselling author Jean Kwok, a writer best known for literary titles like Girl in Translation, Searching for Sylvie Lee, and Mambo in Chinatown, makes her romantasy debut with Dominion, the first installment in a Chinese mythology-inspired trilogy that ticks pretty much every box a fan of this genre could want.”
–Jezebel