Under the Oak Tree (Novel) Vol. 01

Under the Oak Tree Novel Vol. 01. Most fairytales end with a wedding and a happily-ever-after, but this is no fairytale. The first volume of Suji Kim’s hit webnovel, now available in English print for the first time.

Lady Maximillian is the daughter of the powerful Duke Croyso, but she is rarely allowed outside her family’s sprawling castle for fear her stutter will tarnish their noble name. When she is forced to marry Sir Riftan, a peasant knight caught in one of her father’s schemes, Maxi doesn’t dare hope for happiness, let alone love. Her stumbling communication and his gruff manner sour their romance before it can begin, and Riftan leaves without a word the morning after their wedding night.

Now, three years after their wedding vows, Riftan has returned a war hero. To Maxi’s bewilderment, despite rumors that Riftan was offered marriage to Princess Agnes, a beautiful and renown sorceress, he still wants Maxi for his wife. And when he comes to claim her, that want becomes a desire that threatens to suffocate Maxi, even as she is overcome by the scorching heat Riftan’s presence ignites within herself.

Biographical Notes:

Suji Kim is the author of Under the Oak Tree. Her novel won South Korean e-book platform RIDI’s Romance Web Novel Award, and its webtoon adaptation has earned global acclaim. Other published works by Suji Kim include Twilight Poem and There Is a Mouse in My House.

Title Notes:

POB HARDCOVER NOVEL: Prose novel, first time in English print, localization/translation from original Korean novel, left to right pagination.

FIRST BOOK IN A SERIES: 10 volumes are set to publish in print starting in Fall 2024, with subsequent volumes publishing every 6 months.

PEPPER SCALE: 4/5

TROPES: Arranged marriage, strangers-to-lovers, misunderstandings, cold love interest, unlikely heroine.

FIRST PRINTING SPECIAL EFFECTS: The first edition hardcover will feature designed sprayed page edges, full-color patterned endpapers, silver foil stamping on the cover, and a ribbon bookmark.

AN AUDIENCE HUNGRY FOR PRINT EDITIONS OF THEIR FAVORITE ONLINE STORIES: Like Lore Olympus and MXTX’s three danmei hits (Heaven Official’s Blessing, Grand Master of Demonic Cultivation, and The Scum Villains Self Saving System) fans of Under the Oak Tree are clamoring for print editions of the novel and its webcomic adaptation.

A STEAMY FANTASY ROMANCE FOR THOSE WHO CRAVE HEAT IN THEIR FAIRYTALES: This irresistible story of a duke’s daughter married off to a fearsome war hero delivers a world of magic entangled politics alongside tense courtship and spicy romance.

THE OFFICIAL AND UPDATED TRANSLATION: Inklore’s print edition features the official translation updated for print by Suji Kim. Changes include new chapter breaks (combining shorter webnovel chapters) and localization edits by Inklore and Manta for the best read in English.

A WEBNOVEL WITH 12M+ VIEWS: Originally published online by RIDI in Korea, Under the Oak Tree debuted as a webnovel series in 2017. English translations of the novel are available on the Webnovel reader app and on Amazon Kindle (100K+ paid downloads since February 2022).

A MANHWA PHENOMENON: Under the Oak Tree was adapted into a Korean webcomic (manhwa) and published on RIDI’s Korean platform in 2020. It is currently publishing in English on the comic reader app Manta, where it has 100M+ views and is regularly the #1 comic on the platform. Inklore will begin print publication of the manhwa in Fall 2024.

A MUST-HAVE FOR FANS OF THE COMIC: Fans of Under the Oak Tree (The Comic) will be eager to get their hands on the novel to experience the full, uncut story of Maxi and Riftan—including unedited romantic scenes. Where the comic fades to black, the novel does not. Readers eager to know what happens will also be drawn to the novel in order to read ahead of the comic.

More details on Suji Kim:

Publisher’s Twitter Page

Suji Kim’s Naver Blog Page

More works by Suji Kim