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Under the Iron Sky
  • Published: 20 October 2026
  • ISBN: 9781529999754
  • Imprint: Del Rey
  • Format: Hardback
  • Pages: 384
  • RRP: $69.99

Under the Iron Sky

Formats & editions
Tr. Paperback
13 Oct 2026
Hardback
20 Oct 2026
EBook
8 Oct 2026
Audiobook
8 Oct 2026
Hardback
13 Nov 2026
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The first book in a new dark, seductive and all-consuming fantasy series, in which a human commander and the masked enemy interrogator sent to break her are drawn into a slow-burn, dangerous bond - one that could end a fifteen-year war or ignite something far deadlier. Perfect for fans of Alchemised and Samantha Shannon.
***LIMITED EDITION FEATURING FOILED BOARD DESIGN, ENDPAPERS, AND SPRAYED EDGES***

The first book in a new dark, seductive and all-consuming fantasy series, in which a human commander and the masked enemy interrogator sent to break her are drawn into a slow-burn, dangerous bond - one that could end a fifteen-year war or ignite something far deadlier. Perfect for fans of Alchemised and Samantha Shannon.

Vordell was beautiful once. Its people lived in harmony, and their civilization flourished as they learned to harness and control the power of Light.

Then the darkness came.

The Iron Sky unfolded dark clouds across the land, thick enough to choke out the light of the suns. The ground cracked, releasing vicious creatures that looked like humanity’s oldest fears. The Dar’rak - an enemy long believed to be buried and forgotten - returned to claim the world above.

Soraya Tollmere has spent most of her life on the front lines of the brutal war that followed. Now a high-ranking commander, she knows loss better than anyone.

By day, she leads troops across ruined landscapes and guides covert teams through enemy territory. By night, she meets with a Dar’rak defector who has kept humanity alive with his steady stream of secrets.

On a mission to investigate his latest lead - one that could turn the tide of the war - Soraya is captured by The Demon, the Dar’rak’s most feared soldier.

His orders are simple: break the human commander, uncover where the humans are keeping a weapon that could win them the war, and bring it to the Dar’rak. But as he gets to know the fierce warrior, the lines between interrogator and enemy, prisoner and ally, begin to blur.

As devastating truths surface and loyalties shatter, Soraya must decide who to trust in a world where light is dying - and where her greatest enemy may be her only salvation.
  • Published: 20 October 2026
  • ISBN: 9781529999754
  • Imprint: Del Rey
  • Format: Hardback
  • Pages: 384
  • RRP: $69.99

About the author

A.T. Emerald

A. T. Emerald lives with her husband and baby daughter in Nottinghamshire. She discovered her love of writing in 2020 and has not shut up about enemies to lovers ever since. She loves iced matcha, torrid love confessions with knives pressed to throats (fictional, of course) and does not accept bills for any therapy her books might incur.
A.T

Praise for Under the Iron Sky

Under the Iron Sky is fresh, engrossing, brilliantly energetic. A.T. Emerald has crafted a gorgeously realised world savouring of Mad Max and Pitch Black. The combat scenes are vivid, the enemies-to-lovers throughline goes hard on the enemies (to my vast delight), and a juicy vein of cynicism seeps through the characters' voices. An exhilarating ride.

Brigitte Knightley

A breath of fresh air—no pun intended. A.T. Emerald had me gripped from the start with her sharp-tongued characters and imaginative world. Consider me addicted.

Josie Bullard

Riveting. Unique. Exquisite. An epic fantasy romance debut! I loved every word of this story and cannot wait for more. Bravo, A.T. Emerald!

Devney Perry

Under the Iron Sky is a masterclass in dystopian worldbuilding, with characters and mystery that kept me glued to the pages. A. T. Emerald executes this enemies to lovers story flawlessly, and I’m counting down the seconds until the next book!

The Fantasy Fangirls Podcast

An absolute masterpiece of a debut. A gripping, gut-wrenching, gritty fantasy packed full of twists, turns and emotional damage. The complex characters, unique worldbuilding and stellar writing had me unable to put this book down. A must-read for dark fantasy fans.

Hazel McBride

Under the Iron Sky sinks its teeth into you from the first page and refuses to let go. The dark, war-torn world is populated by characters who are all too easy to love—even when they have knives angled at each other's throats. Wildly fun, gasp-worthy, and sure to hit the sweet spot for anyone looking for a slowburn enemies-to-lovers romance that will keep them turning the pages all night.

Lynn D. Jung

An incredibly unique and masterful take on a fantasy dystopia, with a cast of complicated characters you love, hate, and sometimes both at the same time. A.T. Emerald is a genius, and this is a debut novel that everyone is going to want on their bookshelves.

Jordan Rose

Whether it’s the dragons or the crackling chemistry between Soraya and Ikarus, Under the Iron Sky burns with tension from the first chapter to the final page. A.T. Emerald deftly blends a fascinating magic system, a dark slow-burn romance, and gripping world building in this fabulous debut. I could not put it down!

Moorea Corrigan

Utterly addictive. A pulse-pounding and immersive tale that grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go. An astounding debut that will hook readers from the first page and deliver true enemies-to-lovers at its finest.

Wanda Hellmund, author of Our Dark Incantations