"Jeon Hur, author of the bestselling book *The Red Palace*, delivers a brutal and thrilling story that feels relevant today, based on a true story from Korean history. Hope is dangerous. Love is deadly. Joseon Kingdom 1506. The people suffer under the rule of the tyrannical King Yeonsan, powerless to stop him from committing his crimes: from seizing their land for entertainment purposes, to banning and burning books, to kidnapping and horrifically torturing women and girls as his personal playthings. Despite the turmoil in the kingdom, seventeen-year-old E-seul has lived a dignified and prosperous life until her older sister, So-yeon, becomes the king's new prey. E-seul leaves the relative safety of her village and travels through a restricted area to reach the capital, hoping to win her sister back. However, she soon discovers that the king's power is absolute and defying him means certain death. Prince Dae-hyun, on the other hand, has lived his entire life in the shadow of his half-brother, King Yeonsan. Forced to watch the king flaunt With his brutality, he wishes to find a way to turn against his hateful brother once and for all. When the fates of Esol and Daehyun intersect, they decide to transcend their hatred for each other because of their shared hatred for the king. Reluctantly, they join forces to launch the most dangerous gamble the kingdom has ever seen.