The Merciless One (Book 2 of 3) by Namina Forna

The Merciless Ones is the gripping second novel in Namina Forna’s epic fantasy series, The Gilded Ones, a feminist West African-inspired tale of rebellion, power, and transformation.

In this installment, Deka—once an outcast marked by her golden blood—is now a powerful warrior and a symbol of resistance. As a member of the Alaki, near-immortal women blessed with extraordinary gifts, Deka has embraced her strength and destiny. But with the Deathshrieks unleashed and a dark, ancient force rising, she begins to question everything she thought she knew about the empire, the gods, and even herself.

Haunted by new revelations and dangerous secrets, Deka must journey deeper into forbidden knowledge and confront the source of the oppression she’s fighting against. As loyalties shift and the lines between good and evil blur, she faces impossible choices that will determine not just the fate of the Alaki—but of the entire world.

Rich with mythology, action, and razor-sharp commentary on gender, power, and belief, The Merciless Ones expands Forna’s world with more magic, more danger, and more heart. It’s a fierce, thought-provoking continuation of a series that challenges who gets to be powerful—and why.