The Heart of the Nhaga by Lee Young-do

Discover the bestselling epic fantasy series from the grandmaster of Korean SFF, available for the first time in English by award-winning translator Anton Hur. A can’t-miss for readers of the great classics and giants of fantasy, from J.R.R Tolkien to Ursula K. Le Guin

Three handles one.

The world is divided by the Line of Limit. To the north are the Tokkebifire people able to manipulate flames as both weapons and illusions; Rekon – giant birdmen with immense strength and warrior acumen; and the humans – as divided as the other races are unified. To the south are the Nhaga – a reptilian people who relinquish their hearts for immortality. For centuries, the races didn’t cross that line, but change is in the air. A Nhaga is being sent North…and a trio is being dispatched to make sure this agent from the South makes it out alive – one from each race.

But the illusion of a simple journey is quickly dispelled by the fact that the Tokkebi is merely a scholar, not an adventurer; the Rekon is deathly afraid of water; and the human hunts and eats Nhaga. And when the Nhaga they’re supposed to be escorting out of the Kiboren forest is murdered, the one sent in his place turns out to very much have a heart – meaning he’s quite vulnerable to the dangerous exodus.

The four must quickly forge an alliance and shed the distrust and prejudice that plagues them if they are to survive. And just as crucial, they must figure out what this mission is actually about, because unbeknownst to them, the very fate of the world might rest on this one Nhaga making it to the North intact.

A classic not to be missed, Heart of the Nhaga is epic fantasy at its best, translated into English for the first time ever by award-winning translator Anton Hur.

Discover the bestselling epic fantasy series from the grandmaster of Korean SFF, available for the first time in English by award-winning translator Anton Hur. A can’t-miss for readers of the great classics and giants of fantasy, from J.R.R Tolkien to Ursula K. Le Guin

About the Author: Widely acknowledged as the father of Korean fantasy genre, Lee Yeong-do is an exceptionally imaginative writer who builds elaborate worlds and fills them with complex characters rendered through his narrative that strikes a brilliant balance between comedy and poetry. His books have sold over 5 million copies: including the series The Dragon Raja, Future Walker, Polaris Rhapsody, The Bird that Drinks Tears, and The Bird that Drinks Blood.

02 Jul 2026
 

The Heart of the Nhaga (The Bird That Drinks Tears, Book 1) by Lee Young-do ISBN 9780008651114