The Atlas Six: who are you shipping?
Nico + Libby? Libby + Tristan? Tristan + Callum? In the fight for a place in the Alexandrian Society, loyalties and lust objects are constantly switching. Which Atlas Six romantic duo (or trio) are you backing?
International fantasy sensation and No. 1 bestseller The Atlas Six – the first of Olivie Blake's dark academia trilogy – introduces us to six of the world’s most talented magicians, all vying for a spot within the secretive Alexandrian Society. As the characters begin to team up and turn against each other, fighting often turns to flirting, leading fans of the series to feverishly speculate on who ’s going to get together with who.
Olivie Blake herself admits that "I have intentionally brought you a group of six very hot people and they should feel like they could maybe kiss or kill each other at any given moment." Each initiate is massively gifted, power-hungry and yes, very hot (as evidenced by @LittleChmura’s stunning illustrations), so it’s no wonder that the Atlas Six fandom is full of competing ships. Here are some of the clashing combinations you're rooting for or hating on. Did we miss any?
Libby and Nico
‘They were binary stars, trapped in each other’s gravitational field and easily diminished without the other’s opposing force.’
With Nico and Libby, you rarely have one without the other, and their deep connection is undeniable. As academic rivals, their competitive nature and verbal sparring shows off their chemistry, but like any great opposing forces, they’re strongest when working in harmony. Their perfect balance is what makes Nico and Libby such a compelling pairing, perhaps even soulmates. Things between them just feel so. . . right.
Nico and Gideon
‘In general, Nico liked to think that a few unsaid things between him and Gideon now and then were the price of their mutual affection. A love language, if you will.’
You’ll be hard-pressed to find two characters in this series that have more love for each other than Nico and Gideon. It’s clear they would do anything for each other, and with their affectionate dialogue and the sheer devotion that Nico shows Gideon, it’s not surprising how many readers ship them. After all, Gideon is the man of Nico’s dreams. Literally.
Libby and Tristan
‘That Libby Rhodes was primarily a physicist was never to be discounted. Even now, her touch rumbled through his bones like the tremors of the earth itself.’
If grumpy-sunshine romances are your thing, there’s a high chance you have a soft spot for Libby and Tristan. While Libby’s anxious nature means that she’s not all sunshine, her relentless belief in striving to achieve your potential means that she’s the perfect person to push Tristan out of his brooding melancholy. As Tristan’s respect for Libby grows, sparks begin to fly. . .
Tristan and Callum
'"You are not accustomed to being desired, are you?” Callum prompted. Before Tristan could manage his surely uncomfortable reply, Callum clarified, “As a friend, I mean. As a person.” A pause. “As anything.”'
When you feel like an outcast, there’s nothing more attractive than someone who’s on the same wavelength as you. Unfortunately for Tristan, being able to read emotions is literally Callum’s superpower. But, that doesn’t preclude Callum’s feelings from being real. There’s an undeniable connection between these two that will have you second guessing every interaction.
Parisa and Tristan and Libby
‘It was enough of a thrill to have Tristan’s tongue in her mouth, his arm wound tightly around her ribs, but then Libby reached out farther, finding the silk of Parisa’s slip dress.’
The spiciest of The Atlas Six ships has to be these three. The iconic absinthe scene will live on in our memories forever! While Libby and Tristan are already a compelling pairing on their own, adding in the absolute temptress that is Parisa Kamali helps these two balls of stress let go of their inhibitions and take a walk on the wild side.
Want to know more? Take a look at our guide to Olivie Blake and The Atlas Six books in order.
Meet the competing magicians for yourself in Olivie Blake's The Atlas Six:
The Atlas Six
by Olivie Blake
Dark-academia fantasy novel The Atlas Six was originally self-published by Olivie Blake, and was then snapped up for re-publication after it shot to fame on TikTok. The story follows six young magical practitioners as they compete to join the secretive Alexandrian Society, whose custodians guard lost knowledge from ancient civilizations. Yet each decade, only six practitioners are invited – to fill five places. Following recruitment by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they travel to the Society’s London headquarters. Here, each must study and innovate within esoteric subject areas. And if they can prove themselves, over the course of a year, they’ll survive. Most of them.
The Atlas Paradox
Six magicians were offered the opportunity of a lifetime. Five are now members of the Society. And two paths lie before them. In the second installment in the Atlas Six series, the secret society of Alexandrians is unmasked. Its newest recruits realize the institute is capable of raw, world-changing power. It’s also headed by a man with plans to change life as we know it – and these are already under way. But the cost of this knowledge is as high as the price of power, and each initiate must choose which faction to follow.