She Who Became the Sun
She Who Became the Sun is a 2021 historical fantasy novel by Shelley Parker-Chan. Parker-Chan's debut novel, the work is a re-imagining of the rise to power of the Hongwu Emperor in the 14th century. A sequel, He Who Drowned the World, was published in 2023; the two books form The Radiant Emperor Duology. The book won both the Best Novel and Best Newcomer awards at the British Fantasy Awards, and was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Fiction and the Hugo Award for Best Novel, making Parker-Chan the first Australian to be nominated for the latter award. Summary The novel is set in 14th century China, during the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty and the Red Turban Rebellions. In this historical reimagining, the Mandate of Heaven is a literal flame that can be summoned by the Emperor. With the Empire fracturing, both the Emperor and others with the power to challenge him can summon the Mandate of Heaven. A local fortune teller describes the fate of two children from a peasant family. The son is told he will achieve greatness, while the daughter is told she is nothing. However, after bandits kill their father, the son wastes away