To Bargain with Mortals

R. A. Basu

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English

Miscellaneous
28 October 2025

Fantasy; Fantasy

Series: Reckoning Storm Duology

An outcast heiress. A notorious gang leader. A country on the brink of revolution.

In the colonized nation of Viryana, Poppy Sutherland lives between cultures. As the brown-skinned adopted daughter of the Viceroy, she is both rejected by white high society and alienated from the people of her native island. When she discovers her opportunistic fiance's plot to exile her, Poppy flees

straight into the clutches of the Jackal.

Hasan Devar, the ruthless criminal known as the Jackal, has long been targeted for his family's divine magic, a gift the colonisers have tried to stamp out. When his brother is arrested, he seizes Poppy as leverage. But Poppy has powerful secrets

and political ambitions

of her own. As allies, they could do more than just free Hasan's brother and keep Poppy safe. They could topple the very power structures that hold them all back.

The first book in the Reckoning Storm duology, To Bargain with Mortals is a stunning reflection on politics and purpose, blood and allegiance

and what we do with the histories we inherit.

By: R. A. Basu
Imprint: Miscellaneous
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 210mm, Width: 140mm, Spine: 27mm
ISBN: 9781964721682
ISBN 10: 1964721687
Series: Reckoning Storm Duology
Pages: 424
Publication Date: 28 October 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

R. A. Basu is an Indian Canadian author from Ontario. She graduated from the Schulich School of Business at York University in 2021 and works in app development. When she's not reading or writing, she can be found playing cosy video games, fighting for her life in Pilates classes, and searching for the best matcha in the city. She currently lives in Toronto.

Reviews for To Bargain with Mortals

""An absolute triumph of epic fantasy and searing political drama [...] a profound and intricate tale of rebellion and a mediation on the nature and nuances of power. To Bargain with Mortals demands both your love and your outrage. I devoured it."" -- Ava Reid, New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning ""Full of cinematic South Asian world building, complex colonial politics, and a clever magic system, To Bargain With Mortals is an incredible, ambitious debut. R.A. Basu has a gift for epic storytelling and an incisive eye for character dynamics that makes this novel shine."" -- Vaishnavi Patel, New York Times bestselling author of Kaikeyi ""Basu delivers a gripping tale of resilience in a gritty but unflinching world for fans of Fonda Lee. Set in a vividly imagined, magical country scarred by colonization and exploitation, Basu's novel explores the devastating price of freedom--and the audacious hope it requires of the people who demand their fate, stolen by their oppressors. A timely novel that is impossible to put down!"" --Sarah Mughal Rana, author of Hope Ablaze ""To Bargain with Mortals is a sharp and nuanced takedown of colonialism and forced assimilation, wrapped up in magic. R. A. Basu explores colliding cultures with a deft hand. Her gorgeously cinematic writing swept me away from the start, and the smoldering chemistry between Poppy and Hasan gripped me until the end. With complex familial relationships woven into the twists and turns of the plot, every page packs an emotional punch. For readers looking for an intricate and layered world, fresh magic system, and resourceful FMC [female main character], this is not a book to be missed!"" --Eli Snow, author of The Divine Gardener's Handbook ""On its surface, To Bargain with Mortals is an exhilarating tale about the cost of revolution and legacy, rife with cleverly woven political intrigue. At its heart, it is a love letter to brown women who have sought love in places that will never love them back. This magnificent debut healed something in me."" --S. Hati, author of And the Sky Bled