A Far Better Thing

By: H. G. Parry

Jonathan Strange & Mr. NorrelI meets A Tale of Two Cities in H. G. Parry’s A Far Better Thing, a heart-rending fantasy of faery revenge set during the French Revolution.

I feared this was the best of times; I hoped it could not get any worse.

The faeries stole Sydney Carton as a child, and made him a mortal servant of the Faery Realm. Now, he has a rare opportunity for revenge against the fae and Charles Darnay, the changeling left in his stead.

It will take magic and cunning—cold iron and Realm silver—to hide his intentions from humans and fae and bring his plans to fruition.

Shuttling between London and Paris during the Reign of Terror, generations of violence-begetting-violence lead him to a heartbreaking choice in the shadow of the guillotine.

©2025 H. G. Parry (P)2025 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“A dazzling incarnation of A Tale of Two Cities; a spellbinding tale of vengeance, violence and enduring heartbreak.”—Ariel Kaplan, author of The Pomegranate Gate

“This book had me at 'fairy revenge set against the French Revolution' and it did not disappoint! An elegant blend of magic, history and fairy lore that taps deep into what it means to be human—and the love and loss that entails.”—Kell Woods, author of Upon a Starlit Tide

“This book is perfect. Human changelings toil in revolutionary Paris and Dickens’ London for the world’s scariest fairy masters, just glad to be out of the Realm. A stage magician who excels at true magic uncovers a book with claws that our dissolute hero must fight with a sword. H.G. Parry is a brilliant writer who kept me on the edge of my seat, gulping down after page while still relishing all the flavors of her delicious prose.”—Ellen Kushner, author of the Tremontaine series