Quicksilver is a 2024 romantasy novel by British author Callie Hart, the first in her Fae & Alchemy trilogy. Hart self-published the book in June 2024 after declining her literary agent's request for substantial revisions.[1] Initial sales were modest, but the book found an audience after Hart sent copies to BookTok creators on TikTok, generating over three million views within two months.[2][3]
The viral attention sparked a 10-bidder auction for publishing rights. Forever, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, won the auction, releasing a traditional edition on December 3, 2024 that debuted at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list.[3][4] That same week, Netflix acquired film adaptation rights for seven figures.[3]
Plot
In the desert city of Zilvaren, ruled by the immortal Queen Madra, 24-year-old Saeris Fane survives by stealing water from royal reservoirs. She conceals an ability to manipulate metal. After guards catch her and drag her before the queen's captain for execution, Saeris accidentally pulls an ancient sword from a platform, an act that awakens a dormant portal made of quicksilver.[5] A warrior called Kingfisher steps through and carries the wounded Saeris back with him.
She wakes in Yvelia, a frozen realm of the Fae, where she discovers she is an Alchemist, one of the rare few who can manipulate quicksilver and reopen portals between worlds. Kingfisher's stepfather, King Belikon, intends to exploit this power in his war against Malcolm, the vampire king ruling a neighboring realm.[6] Through an accidental magical oath, Saeris binds herself to Kingfisher, forcing them to work together forging relics that allow safe passage through the portals. What begins as mutual antagonism shifts toward romance as Saeris uncovers secrets about the war and about Kingfisher himself.[6]
Background
Hart spent years contemplating the story before writing it. Though she had published more than 40 dark romance novels, she had never attempted fantasy.[2] When she polled her reader group beforehand, roughly 8,000 people advised against it.[1] Her literary agent, after reading the completed manuscript, told her that about 70,000 words needed cutting and that certain characters required changes to improve commercial prospects.[1] Hart refused and uploaded the novel to Amazon Kindle herself on June 4, 2024.[2]
Sales sank quickly; the book fell to around 4,000th place on Amazon's charts.[1] Hart then contacted about 30 BookTok creators, offering copies with no strings attached. Roughly half responded, and several began posting about the book, triggering the viral surge that led to Forever's successful bid.[1][3] Hodderscape acquired UK rights.[3]
Podium Audio released an audiobook narrated by Stella Bloom and Anthony Palmini on October 29, 2024.[7] A deluxe hardcover with new cover art followed in August 2025.[8]
Reception
The traditionally published edition reached number one on both The New York Times bestseller list and The Sunday Times bestseller list in the United Kingdom.[4][9] It earned a Goodreads Choice Awards nomination for Best Romantasy in 2024.[10]
Marie Claire recommended it "for those who like their slow-burn romances with plenty of quick banter and a healthy dose of spice."[11] A First for Women reviewer compared it to Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses series: "The last time I was this enraptured in a romantasy was when I first discovered ACOTAR."[11]Screen Rant called the novel "impossible to put down."[11]
Adaptation
Netflix paid seven figures for film adaptation rights in December 2024.[3][12] Elizabeth Cantillon, whose credits include Alien: Romulus (2024) and Persuasion (2022), is producing, with Hart serving as executive producer.[13]
Hart has emphasized preserving the book's adult tone: "This is a very graphic book in many different ways. It's dark. It's sexy. My main goal here is to make sure that the basis of the movie isn't lost."[13] As of November 2025, a screenplay was complete and the production was searching for a director.[14]
Sequel
Brimstone, the sequel, came out November 18, 2025.[4][15] Hart has said the series will be a trilogy, with the third book expected in November 2026.[16]
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