Reviews and Praise
“Campbell skillfully balances action and introspection as rebellion rises against an oppressive regime . . . [she] steers refreshingly clear of typical “chosen one” tropes, instead illuminating the collective effort required for revolution . . .”
“The prose moves smoothly through the alternating points of view . . . building well-rounded characters approaching the eve of revolution.“
—Library Journal (starred review)
“Campbell spends time developing each character and slowly builds in political intrigue with a touch of romance, which all lead to a very satisfying climax and conclusion. It’s one of the best epic fantasies I’ve read in a long time.”
“This is not a novel about a clash of armies, of a sweeping story to find the MacGuffin of power that will overthrow the dread Karolje, but instead this is the story of a city, its people and how it reacts and buckles and responds to tyranny and oppression from an autocratic ruler, and the worldbuilding supports that. “
— Nerds of a Feather, Flock Together
“The queen has vanished, but her vibrant, rebellious spirit lives on in Campbell’s fantasy novel packed with moral conundrums and twisted court politics. I fell hard for Anza and Esvar, and became so genuinely worried for them I could not put the book down. I firmly believe this is one of the best fantasy books out this year.”
— Beth Cato, Author of Breath of Earth
“A fiercely intelligent political drama … head and shoulders above other fantasy novels [in its] intricate, pitch-perfect depiction of characters struggling to hold on to their humanity in a world that polarizes and debases even those with the best motives.”
— Deborah J. Ross, author of The Seven-Petaled Shield (full review here)
“The Vanished Queen is a gripping read full of politics and passion. Lisbeth Campbell shows us a richly detailed world and then shows us how that world changes: with courage, hope and truth. This is the novel the world needs now.”
— Kate Heartfield, Nebula nominee and winner of the Aurora Award, author of Armed in Her Fashion
“The Vanished Queen is a big, dark, intricate novel, employing a sophisticated political construct built on a cast of irresistible characters. It’s both full of surprises and eerily timely. A deeply satisfying read.”
— Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches
“Intricately-woven . . . Campbell explores the toll of tyranny and the demands of defiance. It is a harrowing, heartening, necessary read.”
— Tracy Townsend, author of The Nine and The Fall
“Campbell’s The Vanished Queen, the story of a secret resistance group fighting against a vicious tyrant, is filled with well-written, engaging characters, narrow escapes, loyalty, friendship, and a hunger for justice. Thoroughly entertaining, it also has great applicability to our times.”
— K.V. Johansen, author of The Last Road
“Duty or Honor? Justice or Vengeance? Lisbeth Campbell’s The Vanished Queen walks the tightrope between challenging questions with grace and panache. Finding hope and clinging to compassion while resisting a ruthless tyrant is both wrenchingly relevant and eerily timeless.”
—Bryan Camp, author of The City of Lost Fortunes
“Taking the threads of familiar tropes and weaving them into a new pattern, The Vanished Queen is that rare creature, a comfort read that also manages to surprise. I look forward to more from Lisbeth Campbell.”
—Laura Anne Gilman, author of Silver on the Road
“I adored this book. A slow, atmospheric build to a heart pounding finish … Tense and intimate, The Vanished Queen squeezes your heart and doesn’t let go. An intricate political fantasy full of people scarred by cruelty yet full of hope, determination and moments of well-earned joy.”
—Devin Madson, Aurealis Award-winning author of We Ride the Storm
“While The Vanished Queen is going to be shelved and categorized as a fantasy novel, it’s very low-fantasy, with only occasional hints at magic (the king’s interrogators have abilities that can’t be easily explained) and has serious elements of a political thriller and even a bit of a ghost story to it.”
“Campbell’s writing itself is exceptionally beautiful and I can really tell how much care and effort she put into crafting each and every sentence to benefit the plot and overall story as much as possible.”
“I enjoyed the storytelling of this novel as it explores the corruption of kingship and the resistance to its corruption. Resistance as a concept is also explored and is shown to take many additional forms: resistance within the corrupt system as well as resistance against the temptation to embrace the corruption.”
“The Vanished Queen is a wonderful dark adventure, with fantastic characters, and a world filled with evil, secrets, lies, deceit & betrayal. . . . The last 1/3 of the book was intense, exciting, non-stop action, that had me on the edge, as we raced to the climax.”
Interviews and Guest Blog Posts
Interview with Luther Siler on his blog infinitefreetime.com (Aug 18, 2020)