Jensen’s largest feat yet!
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Defy the Dusk Book Cover Defy the Dusk
The Sundering Duet
Danielle L. Jensen
Del Rey
3 Nov. 2026
672

When darkness means certain death and survival depends on reaching the dawn, the woman whose magic broke the world will carve another path: defy the dusk.

From the No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom comes the first book in The Sundering duet - a gritty post-apocalyptic fantasy duology.


“Propulsive and unstoppable, Defy the Dusk is a furious machine of a book, with a tremendous heart at its core.” Victoria Aveyard, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of Tempest

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In the Sundered world, there are two options: ride the dawn, or face what rises in the night.


Twenty years ago, Lirien’s magic fractured the world and unleashed nocturnal creatures that brought civilization to its knees. Amidst the carnage came salvation: the most powerful survivors were invited to board Dawnrider, a high-speed rig that will deliver those aboard into a new era.

The rest of humanity was left to die.

Instead, a king rose from the darkness to lead them.

In the years since, Lirien has dedicated her magic to Dawnrider while secretly plotting to overthrow the tyrant who rules the rig with an iron fist. But just as Lirien is ready to strike against him, she is violently abducted by Vox―the king of the feralists.

The mercurial Vox gives her two choices: Fight the creatures that hunt the night or be fed to them. Lirien agrees to join his ranks but embarks on a strategy of seduction that will return her to Dawnrider.

Yet as Vox pushes the limits of her magic, Lirien begins to question whether defying the dusk is the true path to salvation. Intoxicated by both Vox and his war against the night, Lirien must decide where her loyalties truly lie―and how far she’s willing to go for redemption.

Danielle L. Jensen has been a success on the fantasy scene for years now, with her rich characters and believable enemies to lovers, but Defy the Dusk feels like the culmination of all those years of honing her craft.

Twenty years ago, the world was overrun by nocturnal beasts. She may have been a child, but Lirien still caused the Sundering that released evil into the world. Now the only way to stay alive is to chase the dawn aboard magic-fueled rigs. Dawnrider is the fastest, but ruled by a tyrant. Lirien uses her unparalleled power to defend those onboard in her own quest for atonement. Her plans are thrown off course when she’s abducted by Vox, the king of the feralists, those who choose to fight the night instead of chasing the dawn. Now she’ll need to question everything she knows about the world if she wants to make things right.

I was not expecting Danielle L. Jensen to put out a post-apocalyptic fantasy romance novel; it’s just too many adjectives for the elements to play well together. Incorrect. Maybe it’s because the acid trip that is Starlight Express is always in the back of my mind, but I was a little hesitant about the trains. I was concerned they’d stray past whimsy and into silliness. It turns out they’re the perfect backdrop for the grit of this dystopia. They are whimsical, but others are terrible. Jensen gives us peeks into this world before the Sundering, showing how gifts of magic could build a fantastical society. After the Sundering, that same magic is as corrupted as the people left to endure it for the sake of survival and vengeance. The post-apocalyptic world is as richly built as could be asked for. The Straxi are far more visceral than a faceless predator in the dark. They’re creepy, but also mysterious enough to provide compelling twists.

This was a fantastic read that had me gripped for all six hundred plus pages. Danielle L. Jensen is just getting better and better, and I can’t wait to keep reading!