Arcane voice actor Ellen Thomas will narrate the Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf audiobook

This past weekend, Netflix wrapped up the second and final season of Arcane, its hit animated series based on the League of Legends video game from Riot. Arcane is one of the rare video game adaptations that was not only good, but improved upon its source material to make a gripping story that was accessible to longtime fans and newcomers alike. League of Legends isn't exactly known for its lore, but Arcane managed to create a gripping, multilayered story regardless.

If you loved Arcane as much as I did, you may be feeling a little bereft today. Given how careful Riot and Fortiche Productions have been about building this series, it's possible we'll be waiting a while before we hear anything about an Arcane successor series — even if we know one is almost certainly on the way.

But there is a consolation coming down the pike. Next February, Magic of the Lost author C.L. Clark is releasing a new Arcane tie-in novel, titled Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf. This book will explore the backstory for Ambessa Merdada, the legacy-obsessed Noxian warmonger who served as the main villain for Arcane season 2. Ambessa loomed large on the television series, but it ended with many questions about her left unanswered. What were the details of her terrible deal with the Black Rose, where she gave them her son in order to protect her more gifted daughter? How did she first rise to power in the first place? What led her to flee Noxus and begin manipulating her way into the halls of power in Piltover?

Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf may answer these questions and more. And to sweeten the deal, we now know the narrator for the audiobook version of the novel will be none other than Ellen Thomas, who played Ambessa in Arcane! So if you've ever wanted the show's most fearsome warlord to read you a story, your dream can come true.

What will Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf be about?

The confirmation that Thomas will serve as the narrator for Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf comes from a few different quarters. The first is Amazon, which has Thomas listed under its audiobook edition of the novel. C.L. Clark also mentioned that Thomas will be narrating the book in their latest newsletter, which you can subscribe to here.

Clark also confirmed that the "Blood Sweat & Tears" music video from Arcane "comprises the prologue" of Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf. You can watch it above; get out your theory hats and let's see what details we can parse from it. And of course, any excuse to listen to Sheryl Lee Ralph is always worth taking.

The back-of-book description also contains plenty of hints about what's to come in the novel:

"Set in the blockbuster and award-winning universe ofLeague of Legends: Arcane and written by award-winning author C. L. Clark, discover a thrilling epic fantasy novel where Ambessa Medarda truly learns what it means to be a Chosen of the Wolf.

Medarda over all.

Ambessa Medarda: Warrior, general, mother. She is a woman to be feared, and the Medardas are unrivaled in their pursuit of glory. She has led conquests and armies. She has slain legendary beasts. She has made grave sacrifices in her ascent up the ranks. And for this she was rewarded: She entered the realm of death and was granted a vision of herself upon the throne of the vast Noxian empire.

But before she can lead her empire, she must become head of her own clan. Yet the title is contested by her cousin and former confidante, Ta’Fik. He knows the bloody sins of Ambessa’s past. And he knows he cannot allow her to rise.

They will fight a war for the very soul of the Medardas.

But the war won’t be fought on battlefields alone. Ambessa’s daughter, Mel, can deftly break through the walls around anyone’s heart, and she’ll put her talents to use for her mother. Yet despite Mel’s strength, Ambessa sees only a child who lacks her killer instincts. Mel knows she can be the leader Ambessa wants her to be, if only she gives her time.

With her family betraying her, enemies closing in on all sides, and unseen forces moving in the shadows, every day proves more dangerous than the last. But Ambessa will not bow. She will burn the world down to claim her place in it."

Why Arcane fans should be excited for Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf

The more I hear about Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf, the more excited I get. First is the fact it's written by C.L. Clark, who feels like the absolute perfect fit for this project. The first book in Clark's Magic of the Lost series largely follows Touraine, a conscript soldier who is brought back to her homeland to help subjugate it for the empire she now serves. This path is filled with moral complexity as Touraine tries to reconcile her lineage with the brutal workings of colonialism, which feels very much like the sort of thorny political morass we watched develop between Piltover and Zaun in Arcane. Touraine also comes into contact with her estranged mother, who is a seasoned warrior that doesn't mince words; she reminds me a lot of Ambessa. Except less terrible. Most of the time.

Throw in the fact that Clark has been an outspoken fan of Arcane since the show's first season dropped, and there's no doubt in my mind that this is going to be a special tie-in novel. And listening to the audiobook by Ellen Thomas will make it feel even more like this is Ambessa telling her own story, in her own voice. Suffice to say, if you liked Arcane, this book should absolutely be on your reading list for 2025.

Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf releases on February 18, 2025 and is available now for pre-order. And if you enjoy it, the final book in Clark's Magic of the Lost trilogy, The Sovereign, is due out later in 2025 as well.

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