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Reading order

The Shepherd King Books in Order

by Rachel Gillig

Rachel Gillig's The Shepherd King series: 2 books. We've reviewed every one.

Read them in the order they were published

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  1. 1Start here
    One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig book cover

    One Dark Window

    2022Reviewed

    Elspeth Spindle hides a secret in a mist-locked kingdom where magic means death. Touching a forbidden Providence Card let a five-hundred-year-old spirit called Nightmare into her mind. When a highwayman attacks her uncle's carriage, she and the mysterious Ravyn Yew must gather all twelve cards before the solstice to cure their kingdom's dark magic.

    Read our review →
  2. 2
    Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig book cover

    Two Twisted Crowns

    2023Reviewed

    Elspeth and Ravyn journey into a mist-shrouded woodland to locate the last Providence Card before Solstice. The monster inside Elspeth's mind, the Nightmare, serves as their guide through the perilous trees, but he grows unwilling to remain merely a voice in her head.

    Read our review →

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Our take

Is The Shepherd King worth reading?

Book by book, from our reviews. Ratings are Amazon readers' for the edition we link, so counts vary by printing.

Book 1

One Dark Window

4.5 · 101,260 Amazon ratings (this edition)

The gothic atmosphere, the unsettling possession dynamic, and a magic system that takes its costs seriously matter more to you than airtight pacing or a romantically surprising slow burn.

Skip it if you prioritise tight structural plotting, a romance built on genuine unpredictability, or a villain whose secrets land as a surprise — critics found the pacing uneven, the cliffhanger ending disappointing, and Nightmare's identity reveal entirely obvious.

Read our review →

Book 2

Two Twisted Crowns

4.6 · 110,170 Amazon ratings (this edition)

Worth reading if you loved One Dark Window and are hungry for a gothic fantasy conclusion that broadens its scope through multiple POVs, sharpens its themes of sacrifice and redemption, and delivers a well-earned ending to a series that has captivated over three million readers.

Skip it if you haven't read One Dark Window — the Providence Card mythology, character histories, and political stakes are entirely unexplained here — or if you're seeking high-heat romance, as the romantic content sits firmly on the milder end of the romantasy spectrum.

Read our review →

About the author

Rachel Gillig

Author page →
Rachel Gillig, author

Rachel Gillig is an American gothic romantic fantasy author. She is known for her duologies The Shepherd King and Stonewater Kingdom.

In Rachel Gillig's own words

Rachel Gillig discusses her debut novel One Dark Window with UpperPen Podcast host Dakota, exploring its gothic tone, magic system, and characters.

Uploaded by UpperPen, 2023 · Watch on YouTube

The Nightmare as the Series Protagonist

Gillig considers the entire duology to fundamentally belong to the Nightmare rather than Elspeth, noting that he operates as a quiet puppet master pulling strings throughout the narrative.

Elm and Ione in Book Two

Gillig reveals that side characters who have constrained roles in the first book, specifically Elm and Ione, receive significant focus and development in the sequel.

Also in this interview

On One Dark Window (The Shepherd King, 1)

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Questions

The Shepherd King: questions readers ask

How many books are in The Shepherd King series?

There are two Shepherd King books so far.

What order should I read The Shepherd King books in?

Start with One Dark Window and read them in publication order: One Dark Window (2022), Two Twisted Crowns (2023).

What is the first Shepherd King book?

One Dark Window, published in 2022. Elspeth Spindle hides a secret in a mist-locked kingdom where magic means death. Touching a forbidden Providence Card let a five-hundred-year-old spirit called Nightmare into her mind. When a highwayman attacks her uncle's carriage, she and the mysterious Ravyn Yew must gather all twelve cards before the solstice to cure their kingdom's dark magic.

What is the newest Shepherd King book?

The latest is Two Twisted Crowns (2023).

Has LuvemBooks reviewed The Shepherd King books?

Yes, both: One Dark Window, Two Twisted Crowns. On Amazon, readers rate Two Twisted Crowns highest: 4.6 out of 5 from 110,170 ratings.

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Looking for Rachel Gillig's other books? See every series and standalone.