Vilest Things: A Novel

Chloe Gong returns with power plays, spilled blood, and lethal romance in the thrilling fantasy sequel to New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller Immortal Longings, inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra.

Calla Tuoleimi has succeeded in the impossible. Despite the odds, she has won San-Er’s bloody games and eliminated King Kasa, her tyrant uncle and the former ruler of Talin. She now serves as royal advisor to Kasa’s adopted son, August Shenzhi, who has risen to the throne.

Only Calla knows it isn’t really August.

Anton Makusa is still furious about Calla’s betrayal in the final round of the games. In an impossible feat, he took over August’s body to survive and has no intention of giving up this newfound power. But when his first love, the beautiful, explosive Otta Avia, awakens from a yearslong coma and reveals a secret that threatens the monarchy’s authority over Talin, chaos erupts. As tensions come to a boiling point, Calla and Anton must set their conflicts aside and head to the kingdom’s far reaches to prevent anarchy...even if their empire might be better off burning.

Chloe Gong is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Secret Shanghai novels, as well as the Flesh and False Gods trilogy. Her books have been published in over twenty countries and have been featured in the New York Times, People, Cosmopolitan, and more. She was named one of Forbes’s 30 Under 30 for 2024. Chloe graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in English and international relations. Born in Shanghai and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, she is now located in New York City, pretending to be a real adult. 

ISBN: 9781668000267
Format: Hardback
Pages: 384
Publisher: S&S/Saga Press
Published: September 10, 2024

"Pulse-pounding…Gong nimbly expands the series’s scope…Complete with thrilling fight scenes and plenty of romantic angst, this keeps the series going strong.”“Ferociously savage and full of the most delicious twists, Vilest Things lives up to all my highest and most unhinged expectations."
“Dark, dazzling, and deliciously depraved, Chloe Gong pulls no punches in this heart-pounding sequel to Immortal Longings. The prose is as smart and lethally sharp as the characters, the tension is palpable on every page, and the twists will leave you breathless. To say I’m obsessed would be an understatement.”"The only thing hotter than a character written by Chloe Gong is a betrayal written by Chloe Gong. The scale of world-building and depths of romantic hostility grabbed me by the throat (and I said thank you).""Vilest Things is another cutthroat classic from the amazing Chloe Gong."“A fast-paced adventure, balancing each of the main characters’ dubious morality with the tension of the prior relationships Anton had with both Calla and Otta. Readers will excitedly await the next adventure.""A knife-sharp sequel smoldering with vengeance and intrigue. Chloe Gong does not pull her punches, and you'll thank her for the pain."The Fantasy Buzz Book of 2023: Time, Cosmopolitan, PopSugar, Glamour, Paste

“[Gong’s] adult debut is about to become your new obsession.”—Cosmopolitan

“[P]ulse-pounding action, tension, and intrigue…” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

“[A] must-read.” — Booklist, starred review

“Spectacular worldbuilding, breathtaking action, and plenty of mischief.” — Kirkus, starred review Praise for Immortal Longings

The Fantasy Buzz Book of 2023: Time, Cosmopolitan, PopSugar, Glamour, Paste, Book Riot, Financial Times

"I blew straight through this book, and I wish I could go back and read it again from scratch. Gong's first venture into adult fantasy, set in a claustrophobic, low-tech city where life is cheap and bodies are disposable, features wonderfully complex characters and a game to the death that is executed with aplomb. Immortal Longings is a lot of fun, with twists you won't see coming until right before the hammer drops."
—Rebecca Roanhorse, New York Times bestselling author of the Between Earth and Sky trilogy

“Smart, imaginative, and brutal, Immortal Longings is a mind- and genre-bending epic that is as cutting and honest as it is unpredictable. Chloe Gong’s assertive style is filled with razor's edge–prose, and her complex characters will hurt you, but in the most thrilling way. What a time to be alive for book lovers.”
—Wesley Chu, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the War Arts Saga

“Gripping, irresistible, Chloe Gong’s Immortal Longings is a tour de force of Asian Futurism, a provocative examination of self and destiny that melds the ruthless sensuality of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon with the visceral urgency of The Hunger Games. This book left me breathless!”
—Ryka Aoki, author of Light From Uncommon Stars

“Immortal Longings is a grab-you-and-won’t-let-go sort of book, as brutal and merciless as its characters. Everyone has secret plans, and everyone’s life exists on the edge of betrayal. Each page is fierce and filled with yearning—I loved it.”
—Andrea Stewart, author of the Drowning Empire trilogy

“If you find yourself hungry for a story that will cut you while you read and where betrayal lurks around every corner, you’ll want to check this title out.” —NPR

“Chloe Gong has a particular flair for crafting elaborate and addictive stories.” —HuffPost

“The violent cities of San-Er and their complex politics come to life in this immersive, action-packed novel inhabited by characters impossible to let go of until the last page.” —Good Housekeeping