A Crown of Chains

By: Erin Phillips

Narrated by: Talon David

Length: 11 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Becoming queen is not the end of a fairytale; it is the beginning of a nightmare.

When the queen is exiled, every beautiful young woman in Florencia is forced to become kingsmaids - royal concubines - but one lucky girl from those gathered will be chosen as queen.

Or maybe not so lucky.

Roxana Willows, a wingless fairy with the rare ability to read minds, has seen King Frederick’s cruelty in the stories her uncle tells, and fears that the only thing worse than being a kingsmaid is being the king’s wife.

While her heart already belongs to another, she feels obligated to obey her uncle when he tells her to hide her heritage as a fairy in hopes of being chosen as queen.

But becoming queen is the last thing Roxana wants, and it will cost her everything....

A Crown of Chains is a fantasy retelling of the Biblical story of Queen Esther, with fresh twists based on the original context that is sure to thrill in this timeless tale of miracles in the midst of forgotten faith. Filled with political intrigue, forbidden romance, and dire stakes, A Crown of Chains is perfect for fans of Red Queen, The Selection, and The Cruel Prince.

©2022 Erin Phillips (P)2023 Erin Phillips

Darkness Reveals Light’s Brilliance

Erin Phillips weaves an imaginative, inspiring fairy tale that fills in the heartache, drama, and triumph of the biblical story of Esther.
Philipps balances hope and grief of this life in a way that can be a comfort for those trapped in the chains of disappointed dreams and the effects of sin.
Without an unrealistic, shallow “happily ever after” the protagonist, Philips’ tale manages to leaves the reader with a deeper faith.
The sad realism makes this story not appropriate for young teens. I would recommend for a reader with the maturity to also guard their heart from desiring romance before the right time.

Magical and shines the light of Gods word

I’ve been so interested in reading Erin Phillips books. As a Christian who loves reading books from fantasy worlds, I was so excited to dive into this story. I didn’t think the combo was possible but Erin writes in such a beautiful and Christ centered way. I’ve been waiting for the audio version of this book for about a year and grabbed it as soon as Erin made the announcement! Listened to the story in 2 days and couldn’t hit pause. The protagonist Roxanna is a reflection of the grace and bravery of Esther. Definitely a must read author from now on! Hoping for an audio version of Bond of Briars soon🤞

Great Biblical Fiction

This was a great take on Esther’s tale. I truly enjoyed the fantasy spin. The embellishments were believable and did not distract from the story.

Never have I been so enthralled!

This book gives everything you could have hoped to read and more. Watching the story weave around the biblical story of Ester as the little details showed themselves at the most unexpected times leaving me at the edge of my seat continually! My only disappointment was the lack of a blossoming relationship between her and the king even if just a friendship. PLEASE WRITE MORE EVEN IF ITS ABOUT OTHER THINGS ENTIRELY I COULDNT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN IT WAS SO WELL WRITTEN!

Great Story

This book started out really slow but it did pick up and was a good read. The narrator was very good. The voices were great. Roxana was a great MC and the King was good. Wish some of the thing that happen in the book didn't but that is what made this book play out the way it did.

Fantastic!

I'm usually wary of retelling but I randomly saw this book and how it was a Christian retelling and I figured it wouldn't hurt to give it a try.
I am soooooo glad that I did! The writing was so good and the narrator was perfect! How she turned a Christian story about a strong woman into a plotting, twisting fairy tale type book was awesome! I love the talk of faith in this book, losing it and finding it.
I highly recommend this book!

Not bad but slow to get to the point

I feel like we didn’t get to the real beef of the story and didn’t have much character development till the last chapter or two of the book. Over all I’m glad I read it but was left wanting more.

This is the best Esther-inspired story I’ve ever read!

When I was a little girl, the story of Esther was romanized as a courageous love story of a young Jewish woman who found favor with the king, saved her people, and lived happily ever after. However, when you take a closer look, the truth isn’t as fairytale-like as we’ve been taught.

“She styles my hair with curls and jeweled pins before placing the crown. Every time she sets it on my head, it weighs down both my body and my spirit, like shackles that prevent me from living, a reminder of who I belong to.” ~ Erin Phillips

In her rich retelling of the book of Esther, Erin Phillips reimagines the famous tale into a dark fantasy novel called A Crown of Chains that you won’t want to put down!

“Uncle Arsin might not be pleased, but replacing Queen Mirabella is not an opportunity I want; it’s a life-sentence.” ~ Erin Phillips

It’s been a long time since I’ve spent the entire day flipping through the pages of a book, so it’s a big deal when I say that I DEVOURED A Crown of Chains! It contained everything a fantasy lover like myself could ask for — folklore, magical abilities, romance, action, suspense, Biblical allegories, and a fierce protagonist.

“People will assume they can take advantage of a pretty girl like you, and when that happens, I want you to be the one that holds all the power. You are capable of more than you realize.” ~ Erin Phillips

Erin Phillips is a rising star! I applaud her bravery in tackling the dark fantasy genre while keeping God at the center of the plot. Unlike many novels in the genre, A Crown of Chains remained regal and pure without sugarcoating the cruel reality of the characters’ circumstances. I particularly loved that we got to see Roxana’s transition into her new life as a kingsmaid, and struggle with her as she is pulled from the arms of the man she loves.

“Is it cruel to flirt with a fantasy? Because right now, sitting with him, I’d rather have this torturous temptation than no love at all.” ~ Erin Phillips

With incredible world buildings and character arcs, Erin Phillips beautifully transforms the book of Esther into something new and refreshing, adding twists that will delightfully surprise readers. However, staying true to Esther, A Crown of Chains ultimately reminds us that God can use the most heinous plots for His glory. Roxana might not have been born with wings, but she was soaring by the end of the story, and I LIVE for it!

“I have nothing left to give except my life. It’s all I have left. I hope it’s enough.” ~ Erin Phillips

Don’t miss out on this extraordinary journey that combines faith, fantasy, and the power of an ordinary girl turned warrior queen. A Crown of Chains is an enchanting read that will leave fantasy lovers yearning for more!

“Faith is having courage, even when everything seems impossible, isn’t it?” ~ Erin Phillips

It’s giving….. Narnia but more grown up

Absolutely loved this book. It was magical and exciting and emotional and even had a beautiful meaning behind it. Can’t wait to read the next one!

Amazing story

The intertwining of Biblical themes throughout the story without ignoring the reality of what was happening was beautiful. It made the characters much more relatable, especially when it came to the doubts that can take hold in trying times.