Vankara Series by S.J. West

Vankara, an island nation founded by runaway mages, finds itself besieged by a series of mysterious plagues which decimate half the world’s population. When the Queen of Vankara falls ill from one of the plagues, she calls upon the talents of Sarah Harker. As a shifter, Sarah is physically able to transform into another person but only if she is touching them at the moment of their death, gaining not only their physical form but also some of their memories... moreVankara, an island nation founded by runaway mages, finds itself besieged by a series of mysterious plagues which decimate half the world’s population. When the Queen of Vankara falls ill from one of the plagues, she calls upon the talents of Sarah Harker. As a shifter, Sarah is physically able to transform into another person but only if she is touching them at the moment of their death, gaining not only their physical form but also some of their memories. Queen Emma Vankar entrust Sarah with the responsibility of protecting the people of Vankara from the ever growing greed of those in parliament and from the ambitious hands of Aleksander Chromis, dictator of the Chromis Empire and ardent suitor for the queen’s hand in marriage. To help Sarah become the ruler Vankara needs, the queen enlists the help of her trusted political advisor, Gabriel, and her estranged lover, Captain John Fallon. Sarah soon finds herself at the center of a mystery when she discovers the cause of the plagues, uncovering a diabolical conspiracy to conceal the truth of their origins.Vankara takes place in a Neo-Victorian setting where zeppelins, automatons, dragons and magic exist. less

When Sarah Harker agreed to use her shifting ability to transform into Queen Emma Vankar, she never imagined she would have to lead Vankara in a war against the Fae. After learning the truth behind the cause of the plagues, Sarah and her small contingent return to Iron City to find it besieged by Nuala’s troops and her corps of formidable dragons.The unexpected invasion has left Vankara weak and vulnerable, unable to defend itself without outside assistance... moreWhen Sarah Harker agreed to use her shifting ability to transform into Queen Emma Vankar, she never imagined she would have to lead Vankara in a war against the Fae. After learning the truth behind the cause of the plagues, Sarah and her small contingent return to Iron City to find it besieged by Nuala’s troops and her corps of formidable dragons.The unexpected invasion has left Vankara weak and vulnerable, unable to defend itself without outside assistance. In order to defeat the Fae, Sarah must form alliances that will help her drive them back over the Iron Wall. To counteract the dragons under Nuala’s command, Sarah is forced to journey to the place where dragons originated. There she must convince the most ancient of dragons to lend her their help in the war against the Fae. But gaining the dragons’ trust won’t be an easy task. Sarah will have to delve deep within herself in order to earn their trust, and what she discovers about herself and those around her won’t only change her life but also the fate of Vankara. less