JR Ward Interview: Crown of War and Shadow and She Said WHAT About BDB

JR Ward Interview about Crown of War and Shadow (and BDB)

If you’ve been circling Crown of War and Shadow and wondering “Is this for me?” or if you’re a longtime Black Dagger Brotherhood reader wanting to know how it compares… welcome.

I got to sit down with J.R. Ward for the release of Crown of War and Shadow (the start of her Kingdoms of the Compass romantasy series), and she shared a bunch of genuinely juicy stuff: what the book actually feels like, why she chose first-person, and then we go completely off the rails in the best way with BDB games, Merc’s music taste, and JR’s horse girl origin story. And then the line she dropped that made my brain go: hold on… WHAT did you just say? BDB fans, you’ll want to hear this!

Watch the JR Ward interview below

If you’re more of a skimmer: I pulled the best parts below of this JR Ward interview (and yes, I included the quote that’s going to fuel theories for the next forever).

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Quick highlights (aka: the stuff you really came for)

• Ward describes Crown of War and Shadow as “first-person Dungeons & Dragons meets Lord of the Rings.”
• It’s not “BDB in a trench coat.” This series is much more about Sorrel’s heroine journey than the brotherhood dynamic. The tone, the vibe and the narration of the story is all different.
• Sorrel in three words: “lost, journey, found.” Merc in three words: “dark scarred warrior.”
• It took her nine months to get the first draft where she wanted it.
• Kindle Unlimited from the jump, and she confirmed the whole series will be on KU.
• And then… the “thing from the thing” comment happened. More on that later.

About Crown of War and Shadow by J.R. Ward

An outcast with dangerous magic teams up with a brooding mercenary and treks across the Badlands to return a stolen crown… because if she doesn’t, the kingdom falls and demons keep pouring into the mortal world.

Grab Crown of War and Shadow on Amazon

So what kind of book is Crown of War and Shadow?

If you’re trying to figure out the vibe without getting spoiled, Ward’s description is actually perfect: first-person D&D meets LOTR.

Translation: you’ve got that quest energy, that bigger world, the sense of danger and destiny… and you’re moving through it in a way that feels immediate and intense because you’re in first person.

Also, and this matters if you’re coming from BDB, she’s very clear this one isn’t centered around a “brotherhood” style dynamic. She says BDB is more about the “brotherhood/bromance” focus, while this series is really about Sorrel’s heroine journey.

If you’re a Black Dagger Brotherhood reader…

Think of this as: same author brain, new sandbox. It’s a different structure and emotional center, but it still has that Ward intensity.

If you’ve never read J.R. Ward…

This honestly feels like a great entry point because you’re learning the world as Sorrel learns the world. And you can get addicted to Ward’s characters and amazing world building.

And that’s the thing, Sorrel’s arc is the spine here. If you love a heroine who grows into power and purpose (and you like a hero who adds to that instead of swallowing the story whole), you’re going to get why she framed it this way.

Why first-person? (And why you’ll notice it immediately)

The POV choice is one of the biggest shifts if you’re a BDB reader, so I asked about it, and Ward basically said first-person keeps her from revealing things the narrator wouldn’t realistically know. Which is a very polite way of saying: there are secrets and we are not allowed access.

Also, she mentioned it took nine months to get the first draft “straight,” which tells me she fought for the exact tone and experience she wanted the reader to have to connect with the audience.

Kindle Unlimited “from the jump”

This is the kind of info I love sharing because it’s immediately useful: she confirmed Crown of War and Shadow is on Kindle Unlimited from day one, and she says the whole series will be on KU.

I asked because that’s not always the case with major releases, and usually not the case with her books, and she talked about accessibility being most important for her, basically making it easier for readers to try the series right now.

Okay… the BDB moment. Let’s talk about it.

We did chat about all things BDB, from characters to the show. And at one point, we’re talking about Crown of War and Shadow and I bring up a theory/question that I noticed this felt like a BDB/Scribe Virgin origin story.

And Ward says something along the lines of: she hadn’t thought about it that way before… and then she mentions that while revising book two, she noticed something and basically went:
“oh my God, that’s from the Black Dagger Brotherhood… it’s the thing from the thing.”

Listen. I’m not saying it’s confirmation. I’m saying it’s exactly the kind of sentence that creates a fandom investigation board with red string and screenshots.

And yes: I’m taking this further.

Coming soon: theory deep dive

I’m recording an episode with Jen and Angela where we dissect Crown of War and Shadow for clues and compare our notes about my theory. Yes, I made them re-read the book with that in mind. When that goes live, I’ll link it here.

Bonus: quick BDB adaptation news

We also touched on the Black Dagger Brotherhood adaptation, and Ward shared that she’s involved in approvals (including creative decisions) and that season 2 is in motion in some form.

If you’re new here: who is J.R. Ward?

J.R. Ward is a #1 New York Times bestselling romance author and the creator of the Black Dagger Brotherhood universe (aka one of the most iconic paranormal romance series ever). She’s written 30+ novels, has 15+ million copies of her books in print worldwide, and her work’s been published in 25 countries. Crown of War and Shadow launches her new romantasy series Kingdoms of the Compass.

Where to go next

• Want my thoughts as a reader? → Crown of War and Shadow review
• Here for all things Ward? Visit the J.R. Ward hub on the blog
• BDB obsession remains undefeated? → Black Dagger Brotherhood deep dives
• Need a reading buddy? Put this on while you read → Read With Me: Crown of War and Shadow (1 Hour Silent Reading Sprint)

Frequently Asked Questions

Your turn

I hope you enjoyed this JR Ward interview, and let me know what was your favorite moment below. Also.. will you be reading Crown of War and Shadow? If you did, what did you think of it? And did you catch anything in Crown of War and Shadow that felt like a BDB breadcrumb?

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