The Merciless Ones
The Gilded Ones, Book 2
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy Now for $32.05
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Imani Jade Powers
-
Written by:
-
Namina Forna
About this listen
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The hotly anticipated epic sequel to the instant bestseller The Gilded Ones about a girl with the power to remake her world—or destroy it.
“Fans of Children of Blood and Bone, Mulan, and the Dora Milaje from Black Panther are going to adore [The Gilded Ones].”—BuzzFeed
It's been six months since Deka freed the goddesses in the ancient kingdom of Otera and discovered who she really is... but war is waging across the kingdom, and the real battle has only just begun. For there is a dark force growing in Otera—a merciless power that Deka and her army must stop.
Yet hidden secrets threaten to destroy everything Deka has known. And with her own gifts changing, Deka must discover if she holds the key to saving Otera... or if she might be its greatest threat.
The Merciless Ones is the second thrilling installment of the epic fantasy series in which a young heroine fights against a world that would dare tame her.
"This book shimmers like gold."—School Library Journal, starred review
©2022 Namina Forna (P)2022 Listening LibraryYou may also enjoy...
-
The Gilded Ones
- Deathless, Book 1
- Written by: Namina Forna
- Narrated by: Shayna Small
- Length: 12 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs. But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity–and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.
-
-
Not What You Expect At All... in a Good Way
- By Anonymous User on 2024-04-20
Written by: Namina Forna
-
Spin the Dawn
- The Blood of Stars, Book 1
- Written by: Elizabeth Lim
- Narrated by: Kim Mai Guest
- Length: 13 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There's just one catch: Maia is one of 12 tailors vying for the job.
-
-
Not For Me
- By Jamie @ Books and Ladders on 2022-01-09
Written by: Elizabeth Lim
-
Children of Blood and Bone
- Written by: Tomi Adeyemi
- Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
- Length: 17 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls. But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope. Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.
-
-
Narration was disappointing
- By Miss W on 2018-03-10
Written by: Tomi Adeyemi
-
This Poison Heart
- Written by: Kalynn Bayron
- Narrated by: Jordan Cobb
- Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Briseis has a gift: she can grow plants from tiny seeds to rich blooms with a single touch. When Briseis’ aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York, Bri and her parents decide to leave Brooklyn behind for the summer. Hopefully there, surrounded by plants and flowers, Bri will finally learn to control her gift. But their new home is sinister in ways they could never have imagined - it comes with a specific set of instructions, an old-school apothecary and a walled garden filled with the deadliest botanicals in the world.
-
-
Black Girl Magic
- By Anonymous User on 2024-09-08
Written by: Kalynn Bayron
-
Skin of the Sea
- Skin of the Sea, Book 1
- Written by: Natasha Bowen
- Narrated by: Yetide Badaki
- Length: 11 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Simi prayed to the gods, once. Now she serves them as Mami Wata—a mermaid—collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing their journeys back home. But when a living boy is thrown overboard, Simi goes against an ancient decree and does the unthinkable—she saves his life. And punishment awaits those who dare to defy the gods.
-
-
Black Mermaids Do Exist
- By DiaRose on 2022-09-19
Written by: Natasha Bowen
-
The Bone Maker
- A Novel
- Written by: Sarah Beth Durst
- Narrated by: Soneela Nankani
- Length: 16 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst, a stand-alone epic fantasy set in a brand-new world of towering mountains and sparkling cities, in which a band of aging warriors have a second chance to defeat dark magic and avenge a haunting loss.
-
-
Fantastic Found Family Fantasy
- By Amy Braun on 2024-09-25
Written by: Sarah Beth Durst
-
The Gilded Ones
- Deathless, Book 1
- Written by: Namina Forna
- Narrated by: Shayna Small
- Length: 12 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs. But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity–and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.
-
-
Not What You Expect At All... in a Good Way
- By Anonymous User on 2024-04-20
Written by: Namina Forna
-
Spin the Dawn
- The Blood of Stars, Book 1
- Written by: Elizabeth Lim
- Narrated by: Kim Mai Guest
- Length: 13 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There's just one catch: Maia is one of 12 tailors vying for the job.
-
-
Not For Me
- By Jamie @ Books and Ladders on 2022-01-09
Written by: Elizabeth Lim
-
Children of Blood and Bone
- Written by: Tomi Adeyemi
- Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
- Length: 17 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls. But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope. Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.
-
-
Narration was disappointing
- By Miss W on 2018-03-10
Written by: Tomi Adeyemi
-
This Poison Heart
- Written by: Kalynn Bayron
- Narrated by: Jordan Cobb
- Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Briseis has a gift: she can grow plants from tiny seeds to rich blooms with a single touch. When Briseis’ aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York, Bri and her parents decide to leave Brooklyn behind for the summer. Hopefully there, surrounded by plants and flowers, Bri will finally learn to control her gift. But their new home is sinister in ways they could never have imagined - it comes with a specific set of instructions, an old-school apothecary and a walled garden filled with the deadliest botanicals in the world.
-
-
Black Girl Magic
- By Anonymous User on 2024-09-08
Written by: Kalynn Bayron
-
Skin of the Sea
- Skin of the Sea, Book 1
- Written by: Natasha Bowen
- Narrated by: Yetide Badaki
- Length: 11 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Simi prayed to the gods, once. Now she serves them as Mami Wata—a mermaid—collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing their journeys back home. But when a living boy is thrown overboard, Simi goes against an ancient decree and does the unthinkable—she saves his life. And punishment awaits those who dare to defy the gods.
-
-
Black Mermaids Do Exist
- By DiaRose on 2022-09-19
Written by: Natasha Bowen
-
The Bone Maker
- A Novel
- Written by: Sarah Beth Durst
- Narrated by: Soneela Nankani
- Length: 16 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst, a stand-alone epic fantasy set in a brand-new world of towering mountains and sparkling cities, in which a band of aging warriors have a second chance to defeat dark magic and avenge a haunting loss.
-
-
Fantastic Found Family Fantasy
- By Amy Braun on 2024-09-25
Written by: Sarah Beth Durst
-
Daughters of Nri
- Written by: Reni K. Amayo
- Narrated by: Weruche Opia
- Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A gruesome war results in the old gods' departure from earth. The only remnants of their existence lie in two girls. Twins, separated at birth. Goddesses who grow up believing that they are human. Daughters of Nri explores their epic journey of self-discovery as they embark on a path back to one another. Strong-willed Naala grows up seeking adventure in her quiet and small village. While the more reserved Sinai resides in the cold and political palace of Nri.
-
-
Amazingly beautiful
- By Novalla on 2021-05-21
Written by: Reni K. Amayo
-
Blood Like Magic
- Written by: Liselle Sambury
- Narrated by: Joniece Abbott-Pratt
- Length: 16 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A rich, dark urban fantasy debut following a teen witch who is given a horrifying task: sacrificing her first love to save her family’s magic. The problem is, she’s never been in love - she’ll have to find the perfect guy before she can kill him.
-
-
Audible’s version is superb!
- By Yoga-class.ca on 2023-06-02
Written by: Liselle Sambury
-
The Final Strife
- A Novel
- Written by: Saara El-Arifi
- Narrated by: Nicole Lewis, Dominic Hoffman
- Length: 19 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the first book of a visionary fantasy trilogy with its roots in the mythology of Africa and Arabia that “sings of rebellion, love, and the courage it takes to stand up to tyranny” (Samantha Shannon, author of The Priory of the Orange Tree), three women band together against a cruel empire that divides people by blood.
-
-
Came for the wlw stayed for the story
- By Anonymous User on 2023-08-27
Written by: Saara El-Arifi
-
Legendborn
- Written by: Tracy Deonn
- Narrated by: Joniece Abbott-Pratt
- Length: 18 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After her mother dies in an accident, 16-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC - Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape - until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus. A flying demon feeding on human energies. A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down. And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts - and fails - to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.
-
-
Good story
- By natasha on 2020-12-07
Written by: Tracy Deonn
-
The Hacienda
- Written by: Isabel Cañas
- Narrated by: Victoria Villarreal, Lee Osorio
- Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
During the overthrow of the Mexican government, Beatriz’s father was executed and her home destroyed. When handsome Don Rodolfo Solórzano proposes, Beatriz ignores the rumors surrounding his first wife’s sudden demise, choosing instead to seize the security that his estate in the countryside provides. She will have her own home again, no matter the cost. But Hacienda San Isidro is not the sanctuary she imagined. Something is wrong with the hacienda. And no one there will save her. Far from a refuge, San Isidro may be Beatriz’s doom.
-
-
A Spectacular Ghost Story
- By Amy Braun on 2024-10-18
Written by: Isabel Cañas
-
Air Awakens
- Air Awakens Series, Book 1
- Written by: Elise Kova
- Narrated by: Caitlin Kelly
- Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Solaris Empire is one conquest away from uniting the continent, and the rare elemental magic sleeping in seventeen-year-old library apprentice Vhalla Yarl could shift the tides of war.
Written by: Elise Kova
-
Demon Queen Trials Box Set: Complete Trilogy
- Written by: C.N. Crawford
- Narrated by: Amanda Leigh Cobb
- Length: 21 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I never thought I'd be singing happy birthday to myself in a dungeon. And yet when a sinfully sexy demon crashes happy hour, that's exactly what happens. He’s known as the Lord of Chaos, and he’s mistaken me for my succubus doppelgänger. Happy birthday to me. When he tastes my blood, he finally understands I’m mortal. And I realize we have something in common: We both crave revenge. So we make a deal
-
-
Too long, DNF
- By GoCanada on 2024-10-05
Written by: C.N. Crawford
-
Raybearer
- Written by: Jordan Ifueko
- Narrated by: Joniece Abbott-Pratt
- Length: 13 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What if you’ve sworn to protect the one you were born to destroy? Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as the Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the crown prince’s Council of Eleven. If she’s picked, she’ll be joined with the other council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai. But the Lady has other ideas....
-
-
enjoyed
- By Amazon Customer on 2021-09-10
Written by: Jordan Ifueko
-
The Witch Collector
- Witch Walker, Book 1
- Written by: Charissa Weaks
- Narrated by: Meg Sylvan, Tim Campbell
- Length: 13 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Raina Bloodgood has one desire: kill the Frost King and the Witch Collector who stole her sister. On Collecting Day, she means to exact murderous revenge, but a more sinister threat sets fire to her world. Rising from the ashes is the Collector, Alexus Thibault, the man she vowed to slay and the only person who can help save her sister. Thrust into an age-old story of ice, fire, and ancient gods, Raina must abandon vengeance and aid the Witch Collector or let their empire—and her sister—fall into enemy hands.
-
-
Enjoyed
- By Amazon Customer on 2023-11-13
Written by: Charissa Weaks
-
Realm Breaker
- Written by: Victoria Aveyard
- Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
- Length: 16 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A strange darkness grows in Allward. Even Corayne an-Amarat can feel it, tucked away in her small town at the edge of the sea. She soon discovers the truth: She is the last of an ancient lineage—and the last hope to save the world from destruction. But she won't be alone. Even as darkness falls, she is joined by a band of unlikely companions. Together they stand against a vicious opponent, invincible and determined to burn all kingdoms to ash, and an army unlike anything the realm has ever witnessed.
-
-
Good YA book
- By Joshua Peters on 2022-07-15
Written by: Victoria Aveyard
-
Dark Rise
- Dark Rise, Book 1
- Written by: C. S. Pacat
- Narrated by: Christian Coulson
- Length: 15 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sixteen-year-old dock boy Will is on the run, pursued by the men who killed his mother. Then an old servant tells him of his destiny to fight beside the Stewards, who have sworn to protect humanity if the Dark King ever returns. Will is thrust into a world of magic, where he starts training for a vital role in the oncoming battle against the Dark. As London is threatened and old enmities are awakened, Will must stand with the last heroes of the Light to prevent the fate that destroyed their world from returning to destroy his own.
-
-
Gripping and non-predictable
- By Daniel J. on 2022-10-10
Written by: C. S. Pacat
-
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin
- Written by: Roseanne A. Brown
- Narrated by: Jordan Cobb, A. J Beckles
- Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his war-stricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran. But when a vengeful spirit abducts his younger sister, Nadia, as payment to enter the city, Malik strikes a fatal deal - kill Karina, Crown Princess of Ziran, for Nadia’s freedom. But Karina has deadly aspirations of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated; her court threatens mutiny; and Solstasia looms like a knife over her neck. Grief-stricken, Karina decides to resurrect her mother through ancient magic.
-
-
Stunning, Rich and Magical
- By Kelly Holmes on 2021-05-22
Written by: Roseanne A. Brown
What the critics say
"This action-packed sequel is even more thrilling than the first."—Buzzfeed
"Catch up now before Forna's planned trilogy is turned into the next major movie franchise."—E! Online
"The second installment in Namina Forma’s West African-inspired fantasy series, this follow-up to The Gilded Ones doubles down on what made its predecessor so good: The rich, thoroughly lived-in world building full of details that are so unlike almost everything else in this genre space."—Paste
What listeners say about The Merciless Ones
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
- Mrs Seaton
- 2022-08-20
Must read
Absolutely loved this book and the first one! Can't wait for the final one to be released!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jeanette M.
- 2022-08-03
I'm mad because I have to wait for the next book
but also happy that there will be a next book? the ambivalence...ahhhh! definitely a few surprises in this one.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!