Huge thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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I was really excited for the sequel to one of my favourite debut novels and had high expectations for this.

While the beginning was certainly great and the overall sense of tension was appropriately high, there were a few aspects that I felt could have been handled better.

The romance was very strange and entirely unnecessary in my opinion. The two characters made more sense as reluctant allies rather than lovers.

The twists were also very predictable.


Overall rating: 3/5 stars

This book picks up where Book one finished. I will admit it took me a little while to get back into it, having to remind myself who characters were and what role they played in the previous book. While Lin, Jovis and Mephi jumped back to my mind straight away, I did struggle with a lot of the minor players. It wasn’t until the second or third chapters from their perspectives that I began to recall who they were. This made the multiple perspective jumps a little slow for me in the beginning.

This book felt a lot more political that the previous and to me that is not a bad thing. There are so many secrets kept, spying and double crossing, sneaking around, deals upon deals struck, that its just fun to see all the threads interweave before coming together in one hell of an Ending! And oh the ending. I wont say much but it will pull your heart in all kinds of directions and leave you desperate for book 3!

I love the way Stewart plays with memory and personal identity throughout the book, how characters weigh up who they are verses the expectations on them, their selfishness and their social conscience at odds.

That is not to say that this book is devoid of action, there are so many exciting and tense scenes that it was near impossible to put down. I was so lucky to have both the ebook and Audio at hand so I could move between them and not have to stop. I really enjoyed the flow of the story and how I could not tell what was going to happen next. I just adore Stewart’s writing. The world-building is just so detailed, while Bone magic is not as integral to this plot as that of the previous book, we get to learn so much about it and it is just a fascinating magic system. We also get insight into not only the political machinations of the islands in the empire but also into the history of those islands. The magic system behind the Alanga was developed so much more in this book and it just has such a rich historical feel to it that made me eager to learn more.

Overall, I just really enjoyed this book, it took the story and the characters off in a new and interesting direction which I can’t wait to see where they end up next.

Even more complexe and addictive than the first one. A lot of political plots, thoughts on power and what it implies to rule without reals "goods guys" to root for.
A little bit less plot twists than the first but the ones that the end are very unexpected.
Jovis and Mephi are my favorite characters : charming and funny. Lin is very touching in a way.

I just did not réally liked the romance, it felt a litlle bit rushed to me, but it makes sense in the plot.

A must-read in adult fantasy.

Uff. This series is on its way to becoming one of my favourite series of all time. The Bone Shard Daughter was a 5 star read for me last year and I'll be screaming about Mephi (MEPHI!) and Mephi's cuteness forevermore. The Bone Shard Emperor picks off where The Bone Shard Daughter ended and I'm so happy that this is just as good.
Being the second book in the series, there's not much I can tell without spoiling the story, but the characters, the worldbuilding, the story continue to mesmerise me and I'll be looking forward to the release of the final conclusion in the series in my cheerleader uniform with probably some treats to lure Mephi into my lair.

Highly recommend this series!

The Bone Shard Emperor is the second book in The Drowning Empire trilogy by Andrea Stewart. It mainly continues to build on the characters found in the first book, Lin, Jovis, Nisong, Phalue, and Ranami. However, we start to see more of the world which consists of many islands., each with its own leadership and problems.

“And this was what she hated about politics – the wheedling, the insinuations, the need to always be careful exactly what one was saying lest it be misinterpreted. Why couldn’t everyone just have their cards pinned to their shirts instead of holding them close to their chests?”

In the second book we find a new Emperor, Lin, in charge but with her empire in disarray, However, as she tried to mend and unite them against a common enemy she quickly finds out that In an empire which was previously ruled by fear how could anyone be trusted.

But she has to trust someone and appoints Jovis, the ex-smuggler as the Captain of the Imperial Guard. However, both are keeping secrets, and this leads to a lot of conflict between both of them. And Jovis had his own problems to deal with!

“Too many thoughts competing for space in my head for me to think clearly about anything.”

As Lin visits the islands trying to build an army, she encounters Phalue, and Ranami, who are trying to undue Phalue's own father's mess. However, you may think that this would unite them both but they are still suspicious of Lin, having their own agenda and troubles to deal with.

“I’m learning to. What’s the point of having power if we can’t use it to help people? The farmers, the gutter orphans – they’re no different than you or me.”

We also have my favourite character Mephi, who has a new friend to play with.

“Everything is broken and I don’t know how to put it back together in a way that makes sense.”

In the first book, there were many mysteries to be solved but don't expect all the answers in the second book. Instead Andrea creates breadcrumbs leading us deeper into the mystery, and although we get some answers about the past, their powers etc, I was often left with even more questions, which makes me excited with the anticipation of the third book.

If you like this series, I would suggest The Gentleman Bastard series by Scott Lynch, The Daevabad Trilogy by S.A. Chakraborty and the Foundryside Trilogy by Robert Jackson Bennett

This was much more political than the first in the trilogy but I still really enjoyed it. I loved experiencing more of the world and I absolutely flew through the book which is a testament to how good it was!
A great sequel that has left me desperate for the final installment so that I can get answers!

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I will never tire of Stewart’s impeccable writing and the sheer creativity of this world. By far a stand out of the fantasy genre that is also really accessible for people transitioning into the adult fantasy genre.

Jovis is by far one of my favourite characters ever. I just adore his personality, and his relationship with Mephi! And of course Thrana and Lin’s relationship too! Lin is such an interesting character. She’s careful, observational and so clever.

I will admit I didn’t vibe with the romance that was introduced in this book AT FIRST but I was grinning like an idiot after a while. Their dynamic was adorable!

In this second instalment, the plot developed a lot further and we got to see the true intentions of some character. Some really interesting themes were brought to light and I’m so excited for book 3!

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

a great sequel that managed to keep me as hooked to the story as the first. I loved reading about Mephi, Thrana and the other animal companions the most. The reveals were just as intriguing, especially with the history of Alanga brought to picture. Looking forward to the conclusion!

The Bone Shard Emperor continues where The Bone Shard Daughter left us. Lin is trying to be a better emperor than her father was, Jovis is spying for the Shardless Few and trying to figure out where his loyalties lie, and Phalue and Ranami are trying to govern their island while also dealing with Gio.

I struggled a bit with the pacing of this book at first. It starts slow, and it takes a while to get going. However, once it takes off, it certainly takes off.

At about the halfway point, I was sucked into the story and couldn’t let go anymore. I had to keep reading. And because of that, in hindsight, I quite enjoyed the slow pacing at first. It gives a chance to think about all that happened in the first book, and prepare for everything that is happening in this one.

The writing is once again great, though, like the first book, the POV changes from first person to third person depending on whose chapters you’re reading. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of this. It wasn’t too much of a bother, though, as I was used to it from the previous book.

The story is still great, and I loved how epic it became in the end. I’m excited for the next installment, to see where the story will lead everyone.

Full review to be posted soonish. I'll update review with links to socials.
I would like to thank the publisher and netgalley for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

We all know how much I adored The Bone Shard Daughter, and book two did not disappoint.

The Bone Shard Emperor is incredible, following on from the events in book one we deal with the aftermath of ending of our main characters fathers evil rule and the realities of trying to keep the Empire together, with the remains of her fathers rule hanging around every corner whilst dealing with the emotions that come with the loss of friends along the way.

I was super worried about the dreaded book 2 slump but I need not have worried this was everything I wanted and more.

I enjoyed the Bone Shard Daughter but I am slightly disappointed in this sequel. It possibly suffered from middle book syndrome but the pacing of this book was so off. A lot of the story was setup and characters being caught up inside their own heads while figuring out the best way forward. For the most part, Lin is trying to consolidate her power and bring all the other island to trust in her rule. There were some petty politics involved but it wasn't anything extraordinary. Honestly, I had to really push myself to continue reading this at times because I knew if I stopped I wouldn't pick this up again.

Good things first! I really like the world and the magic system of this series. Its so unique and intelligent. Apart from the Bone shard magic from the previous book we also get a lot of glimpses of the Alanga's magic in this book, which was equally fascinating. The animal companions are just the best and I think they were also the best relationship that actually existed in the book. The last 25% was really good - also the only time when I was engrossed enough in the story that I didn't want to put it down.

I also really liked Phalue and Ranami's relationship. I just loved that they are so secure with each other and how well they work together to help their people. Sadly though, I don't think their chapters really added a lot to the overall story of this book. Atleast not until the very end. For most of it, they are doing their own thing and dealing with their own conflicts.

Moving onto some problem areas, apart from the pacing issue, this book heavily relies on the miscommunication trope - which in general is not my favourite to read. Everytime characters would start having a moment or they would be discussing something important, someone or something would interrupt them. As a result, they wouldn't really have the talk but instead assume stuff, overthink them and just form their own opinions without really taking in all the perspectives. This just kept happening again and again and it was very annoying.

But I think I was most disappointed in Jovis's chapters. I really liked him in the previous book but in this one he just comes across as so indecisive and manipulative. He just keeps making the same mistakes expecting different results and it took him ages to find his motivations. Lin was okay, I understood her frustration and what she was trying to achieve but honestly, I don't find her story very compelling, there's just this lack of charisma in her personality tbh. The romance was meh! And some of the big revelations weren't really surprising.

Nisong's whole arc wasn't very compelling either - I guess she does in a way represent the cost and the consequences of the Boneshard magic performed by the previous Emperor. Overall, this series has a very unique premise but I am really finding the characters somewhat lacking. I will probably finish this trilogy though.

This sequel completely lives up to the first book and in fact, surpasses it. It was fun and adventurous and had an amazing plot and I loved getting to know the characters more and fell in love with them even more. I loved seeing a different magic system explored in this book and getting to see this world even more. There was amazing growth and build up leading to a great climax solving so many of my questions but also leading to new ones which have me extremely excited for the sequel which can not come faster! I am so excited to continue this series.

If you like slow paced fantasies which build up to a fantastic climax, a cast of great characters and a new unique magic system, this is the book for you!

The Drowning Empire is very quickly shaping up to be one of my favorite fantasy series. Complex characters, forgotten magic with dark secrets, dying magic with even darker secrets and best of all, the most delightful animal sidekicks to ever exist on page.

Just like with the first book, there's loads to love. The multiple POVs and their respective, very different, narrators allow the story and world a depth and sense of vastness that would otherwise be hard to achieve. The issues of imperialism are still ever-present, but with Lin now emperor, Jovis as her guard and Phalue as head of her island, we get a very different approach to the topic. I'm quite intrigued to see how this overall topic will be dealt with in the third book, so I won't go into it much more at this time. Let's just say that I believe the foundation for an ending I will greatly enjoy has been laid.

Phalue and Ranami were obviously an absolute delight again. A married lesbian couple!!! Adopting a kid!!! Being all soft and constantly improving and challenging each other!! Yes Yes Yes. I love them and I would lay my life down for them.
Speaking of delights, I obviously have to mention Mephi and Thrana.... and Shark. My brain quite literally releases happiness hormones every time they appear on page and do whatever their adorable little hearts desire. They are the backbone of this story without even trying to.

All that being said, I did enjoy this one slightly less than the first book, with my rating being more in the 4.5 territory. The pacing was a bit too slow for my taste in the first half, but I absolutely loved the conclusion and understand how the buildup was necessary for it to all come together like this.
Also, I think we can all collectively agree that we should just let the miscommunication trope die. It's time.

This is the second in a series, and I would not recommend picking this up without having read the first. I might say this for many sequels, but I mean it when I do.
The book picks up at the exact point that it left off. We have several predominant characters, and this installment adds more to the cast. There are two kinds of people who may go further into this review. One who has read and liked/disliked the first and wants to know if it is more of the same or someone who has seen floating information about this series (who hasn't) and if the hype remains true for yet another person to help make up their mind. I will try to answer both of these doubts.
This book felt simpler to read, and I took a lot less time to read than the first. I mean simpler in the narrative sense (or I am just used to the author's style) because the people and their relationships have been taken up a notch. Everything is at stake almost all the time. No one stays the way they begin, and even with some secrets coming into the open the last time around, it turns out further secrets are to be more explosive!
We left an Empire with a new leader at its helm. This book has that leader struggling to find her place in the hierarchy. She has to come to terms with who and what she is (the latter has a heavier meaning than a casual glance of the word would convey). As her right-hand man, we have another struggling to place his loyalties. There are small factions with more significant power that alter the course of events at several stages of the book. The magic of this world and the overall worldbuilding continue to be a strong central point.
I am not listing the individuals or what I thought of them. Nor am I going to delve into the details of the interpersonal relationships that stood out for me. All of that would be spoilers and take something away from someone who wants to read the book. The book's major drawback was that I felt like less happened after all those pages and even the major revelations than in the first. Politics and negotiations took up a chunk of the tale (not in a bad way), but I was not as satisfied by the reading experience as I hoped to be, given how I was ploughing through the book. It has made me interested in the next book because it has to be said that this leaves many in a tight spot, albeit with a small reprieve.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

I reviewed this book for a blog tour.

http://ramblingmads.com/2021/11/28/blog-tour-the-bone-shard-emperor-andrea-stewart/

I’ve liked this books just as much as the first one.
The writing is really good and the characters are well written. Would totally recommend to everyone.

Admittedly I didn’t like this book as much as the first one. It was good and the characters were still brilliant, but the pace was a lot slower, and nothing seemed to happen for the majority of the book - you have to get two-thirds of the way in before things start kicking off (and then it just doesn’t stop!) So still enjoyable and worth a read if you enjoyed The Bone Shard Daughter, but it does suffer a little from second-book-syndrome.

Lin, a woman grown in a lab by an emperor who used bone fragments to create constructs that drain the life out the people he has taken the bits of bone from, now sits on the throne of the Empire. Who is she? What is she? How will she rule? Well we don’t have the answers to all of these questions but what we do know is Lin wants to gather support by giving the bone shards back to the people. Easier said than done when there is a mysterious rival using bone shard constructs to create a zombie army bent on taking the throne from Lin who’s only support is Jovis, former smuggler, double agent and hero of the people who is her head of security.
This was good, I liked it a lot. It was fast paced and moved everything along nicely, it felt progressive rather than a set piece for the final book as middle books have tendency towards. Lin and Jovis are both well fleshed out and I liked how their story evolved. There is a lot going on here but the plotting was kept tight and I felt everything contributed towards what was going on in a useful way. That monk though, never trust the priests. The monks are always tricky.

Fantastic follow up to The Bone Shard Daughter! Everyone loves an Underdog story, but you don’t often get one in the position of Emperor! We really benefit in this book from the complex world building laid out previously, leaving the reader perfectly placed to deal with all of Lin’s troubles in this book. We delve deeper into the world of the Alanga which was great!