I really enjoyed the first book in this series and was excited to get stuck into book two.

The pacing in this felt a lot slower than The Bone Shard Daughter and I found that up until the final third of the book, not a lot was really happening in terms of plot progression. The focus was more on developing the relationships and the politics.

I do love the characters in this series though. Sometimes I find with multi-POV books that I'll prefer certain perspectives more than others, but in this series, I like them all equally and so it never feels like it's dragging.

I also liked that we learnt a little more about the magic in this book.

It did feel like this was largely a set-up book, so I'll be interested to see how things conclude in the final book.

trigger warning
<spoiler> earthquake, being drugged, torture, kidnapping, cruelty towards animals, grief, trauma, mention of mutilation </spoiler>

There are so many threats the empire is facing: A mafia-like organisation is expanding their grasp while the would-be revolutionaries are still recruiting. Islands are sinking, and the Alanga seem to be returning.
Unlikely alliances will have to be brokered to face these threats.

It is not an easy thing to write a non-spoilery blurp for the second installment of a series.

We have different protagonists, and regardless of how different they may be, their common goal is to help people, which means averting a war and solving some very huge problems. The main protagonists are Lin and Jovis, and despite having only just met, and each of them hiding countless secrets, they have to join forces.

Though this might be a huge chunk of a book, it was a quick and easy read, at least if you ignore the triggering topics. Please check them before commiting to this series, there is some heavy stuff going on.
The pacing carries you quickly through the book, and I was able to read the main part of this today, while being sick.

As you would expect from the second book in what I am going to assume will be a trilogy, the ending might explain some things, but ends in a way that would make me reach for the next book immediately if I could.
I will definetly be reading on, and can recommend this series for fans of fantasy storylines which center around animal companions.

The arc was provided by the publisher.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I enjoyed the previous installment of this series, but this one takes it up a notch by upping the stakes. Lin and Jovis are engaging characters, and the outside perspectives of Ranami, Phalue and Nisong are also good. I would still like to see more of Nisong, and hope that she finally gets more of a showing in the last book. Stewart's worldbuilding is strong and I like that information is drip-fed to us through the plot rather than dumped - though I did see the character reveal at the end coming. Looking forward to seeing the finale!

The Bone Shard Emperor continues with Lin, former emperor’ daughter and now the emperor herself. The troubles start when her people don’t trust her as Emperor. That and Lin’s political alliances are weak. In the northeast of the Empire, a rebel army of constructs is gathering the leader is determined to take the throne by force.

Whilst I did enjoy this book, I did feel it suffered slightly from second book syndrome. To expand on what I mean. For me, the pacing was slow, distracting me from both plot and character development. The plotting was intriguing and easy enough to follow as there weren’t as many twists or turns as in the previous volume. I did enjoy the writing style. The story has a readable quality to it with no inconsistencies.

We benefit from the complex world-building laid out in the Bone Shard Daughter. Everything introduced is now built upon and expanded. The attention to detail places you in the scene. The depth leaves you well placed to understand Lin’s troubles she is about to face. In this book, Stewart focuses on the mysterious Alanga. This focus gives us a glimpse of the past, what’s to come, and accomplished through the character Jovis.

Overall, Bone Shard Emperor was what I expected from a second book sequel. The author has created an imaginative world with some good characters. However, the pacing of the story narrowed the focus. It will be interesting to see how the author wraps up this trilogy. A book and series that is worth investing time in.

**I received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley. These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**

Thank you so much to Little, Brown Book Group and NetGalley for the arc of book two in the Drowning Empire series, The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart.

The Bone Shard Emperor picks up soon after The Bone Shard Daughter ends, continuing the perspectives, storylines and characters of book one, with significantly more interaction and crossing of paths. The Bone Shard Emperor takes the previously divergent and parallel storylines and charts new furrows that bring characters together. Their cumulative gatherings and meetings meld together into an action packed wild ride that teens with betrayal, knife edge plot twists and some seriously out there events!

Phalue and Ranami, now married are finding their feet amidst Phalue’s new role as governor and Ranami’s new place in society. Lin is facing her role as Emperor and scrabbling to save her drowning empire, struggling herself to keep head above the dark waters of politics, alliances, hers and others secrets and an army of constructs determined to destroy!

Jovis and Mephi are back, with Zenobia as cheeky and adorable as ever, whilst Jovis tries to carve his own path as Captain of the Guard, complicated by past events, commitments and debts that haven’t gone away and serve to make life and decisions even more of a puzzle.

There is so much more I could say, but sun l’m loathe to spoil this amazing story. I often find the second book in a series to be a struggle, often failing to offer more than a bridge to a conclusion, but Andrea Stewart wrangles the multiple threads of this narrative like a seasoned hand with a deft touch.

Stewart’s writing is artful, manipulating the storyline to ensure that it flows at a wonderful pace, taking the reader on the wildest rollercoaster ride, until they are plunged into the dramatic end to this part of the series!

If you haven’t picked up The Bone Shard Daughter and now The Bone Shard Emperor, I urge you to do so! A fantastic series that you definitely won’t regret starting…unless like me, you’re now chomping at the bit for the next stage in this roller coaster of a series!

A solid sequel to The Bone Shard Daughter which I adored. This one isn’t as strong but still an enjoyable read. I liked the character arcs though a couple moments felt rushed and I wish there was more time spent with certain characters (Phalue and Ranami). There’s a little bit of middle book syndrome going on but still a gripping installment to the series and I’m excited for the next one.

The Bone Shard Emperor picks things up almost where The Bone Shard Daughter left them and, yes, I really think that before reading this, you should read the earlier book, if you haven't already. Some series you can pick up the middle, but not this one, and the reason goes to the heart of why it's so compelling. Quite apart from simply understanding the plot detail - something I don't think is that important - you need the context to really appreciate the characters here.

Lin, for example, is now Emperor, having killed her corrupt and abusive father, but she's struggling. She really wants to be a better Emperor than her father. In the previous book we saw what he made her and how he treated her, and that is central to her struggles to be herself but also to understand him (which itself risks her becoming more like him). In The Bone Shard Emperor we will see that tension play out, and the danger that Lin courts. Apart from the forces that shaped her as a person, she's inherited a volatile political situation. Her rule isn't absolute: the islands making up the Empire have their own Governors, who consult their own interests first. There is rebellion in the air, and in a series of catastrophes, islands have begin sinking for unknown reasons.

Similarly, notorious smuggler and folk hero Jovis is now Lin's Captain of the Imperial Guard, but his loyalties are conflicted. Stewart's writing here is deft and her characterisation subtle: Jovis is far from loyal to Lin, retaining affiliations both with the Ioph Carn crime syndicate and with the Shardless Few rebels. It would be easy to hate Jovis for what seems like betrayal (it IS betrayal) but if you travelled with him through the earlier book you will understand what he was trying to achieve and the hopes and fears which he still has, and will sympathise with, if not perhaps forgive, him.

Again, the enigmatic exile Nisong, who spent most of the first book enslaved and befuddled by 'mind fog' has now woken and is visiting a terrible revenge on the Empire. In many ways a hateful character, Nisong has suffered greatly, and using her, Stewart shows how abuse and betrayal can feed on itself - just watch her justifying what she is doing, blaming the innocent who she destroys for the deaths of her friends in the bloody rampage. Again, Stewart's characterisation is chilling and convincing.

The other main characters here, island governor Phalue and her wife Ranami, perhaps need less backstory - their loyalties were more conflicted in the earlier book and things are simpler in this one: Phalue is trying, in a similar way to Lin, to be better, to raise up her people, and she confronts many of the same problems as Lin in establishing her authority, introducing radical change and dealing with the horrors left by Lin's father, the wild 'constructs' which previously controlled and administered the Empire. Lin and Phalue contrast nicely, Lin having forsworn the bone magic that drives the constructs, thereby leaving herself vulnerable, Phalue resorting enthusiastically to her sword and armour in a most un Governor-like way and rather relishing her hands-on exercise of power.

This book was full of characters I wished would join up, get on, and work together. Lin and Phalue could complement each other so well. Phalue would make a much better Captain than spy/smuggler Jovis. Jovis and Lin, in turn, clearly fancy the pants off one another, but they are held apart by all sorts of formalities and conventions as well as what they don't know about each other. It's frustrating, but Stewart has written a story that captures the nuances and contradictions of these characters extremely well, so that although there are all sorts of catastrophes, rebellions and magical weirdnesses breaking out, it's the central relationships that really drive the plot, adding a sense of peril and risk - as though everyone was on a high wire and might fall of any time - that keeps the reader turning the pages.

A potent blend of politics, magic, warfare and romance, The Bone Shard Emperor fully lives up to the promise of The Bone Shard Daughter, giving us plenty of action and mystery and, best of all, more of the strange creatures Mephi and Thrana, whose nature is now a little clearer. There's also a new character, Ragan, a mysterious warrior-monk who confounds stereotypes (you'll have to wait, no spoilers) and makes Jovis VERY jealous when he gets close to Lin (great fun to observe).

In short, if you've read The Bone Shard Daughter you'll love this sequel, if you haven't read that book I hope I've inspired you to go and do so - before moving on to The Bone Shard Emperor next.

I have been eagerly awaiting this book since the moment I finished the final page of The Bone Shard Daughter and I am so delighted to have finally read the next piece of this story. Of course now I have to start eagerly awaiting the third book but that is just how life is!
I thought that this was a wonderful continuation of the series. I hadn't quite appreciated how many mysteries there still were to solve and it was wonderful to read Lin, Jovis and the whole cast of this series trying to fathom some of what is going on.
There is something of a difference between this book and book one, and that's not only the length. This book felt slightly more action packed while book one had a bit more subterfuge and suspense. I think that comes from the antagonist(s) being somewhat more removed from the story in comparison to book one? This isn't a bad thing by any means but may be worth keeping in mind if you do want to pick these up.
Mephi fans will be delighted to know there is still a *lot* of animal companionship in this book - I was thrilled to get to read more Mephi!
I'm very interested to see how some of the threads of this story get tied off in the third book, I was worried this second book would feel flat after how much I adored Bone Shard Daughter but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by how strong this book felt. Despite having to abandon a lot of elements or change a lot of elements from book one this still manages to capture the amazing worldbuilding and interesting character dynamics that made the first book so special.
This is 100% a must read!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, all opinions are my own.

An epic follow up to The Bone Shard Daughter. The world building feels so fresh and entirely unique and I would happily follow the characters through countless books. A must read!!

There was always a way to fix things. There was always a way to come back.

ARC provided by the publisher Orbit Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

An excellent follow up to a solid debut. The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart is the drip feed epic fantasy that will keep you guessing.

As I said in the previous reviews of books I’ve picked up it is #NetGalleyNovember and the #1 book that I target myself to finish is the second book of The Drowning Empire series, The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart. I read The Bone Shard Daughter around a couple of months ago and I liked it. The book is a solid debut and first book to a refreshing new series. Going into this second book I have worries because second book syndrome is one of my biggest fears and it can make or break a series for me personally. As you can see from my rating there is nothing to worry about because it slightly exceeded it’s predecessor in terms of quality. Before I dive into the review I would like to gush about the cover of this book done by Sasha Vinogradova and designed by Lauren Panepinto. This amount of detail that goes into the cover is absolutely stunning and every time I look at it I see a something new to appreciate.

The Bone Shard Emperor is the second book of The Drowning Empire series and sequel to The Bone Shard Daughter that was released back in 2020 by Andrea Stewart. It is a multi POV epic fantasy centered in the Phoenix Empire, an empire with a vast archipelago, ruled for centuries by the Sukai family. The recluse and tyrannical Emperor has closed himself of from the world letting the constructs he created run the Empire. The people fear the Emperor and is suffering under his rule. A rebellion, earthquakes, and an uprising of a construct army threatens Lin’s rule as she sits on her father’s throne. There is also the ever mysterious awakening of Alanga artifacts across the Empire. In this sequel the stakes are higher and the focus of the story is centered around Lin trying to stabilize an already crumbling empire faced with a variety of challenges. The story takes on a more political narrative filled with negotiations, alliances, and whole deal of rallying to unite the Empire clouded in doubt towards their newly crowned ruler.

But this was the truth I could not escape from : if I stood against the tyranny of the Empire, then I had to stand against all tyranny.

The world building is much more expansive and broader compared to the first book. The already good foundation that is established in the first book is slowly built up by showing a lot of interesting lore and secrets through Lin and Jovis’s discoveries. The way Stewart revealed these bits of lore throughout the story is well intentioned and strategically clever with the timing to keep readers guessing at the edge of their seat. Before it took me a while to read through the first book because of it’s slow pacing in this sequel the pacing improved exponentially. The story is more stream lined as the story picks up it’s pace and stakes building up to a climax that got me shaking with excitement while reading. The world exploration that I was craving in The Bone Shard Daughter is answered as Lin’s travels around the Empire trying to repair the relationship with the other islands. We get to see more of the people on the other islands as they interact with the main characters. The convergence of plot connecting all the characters together is smooth and masterfully done. Stewart weaved everything together consistently throughout the story and it is satisfying to see the tapestry taking form on an epic scale, all the while still treating readers to more threads to chase.

The bone shard magic isn’t shown more in this sequel compared to the first book as the story takes on a different approach in it’s magic trajectory. Though we’ll get to see more bone shard magic in the action scenes it’s presence is lowkey. By lowkey I meant there isn’t anything new that Lin learns as she focuses her duties more as the Emperor. Have no fear because Stewart shows a new kind of magic that is previously shown can be done by Jovis in the first book. The magic is deeply connected with the lore of the world as a whole and it is also the root that started the ripples that is felt in the present. The magic is connected with Mephi, Jovis’ animal companion, that I can’t wait to know more about in the third book. To avoid spoilers I’ll stop here. Though I would like to gush about the explosive, avatar-esque, and vivid action scenes that is executed marvelously. Especially the last battle! I’d say compared to the first book The Bone Shard Emperor exceeded my expectations in terms of action.

“A coward is not a man who feels fear. A coward is one who would volunteer others for the suffering he would not take on himself.”

In The Bone Shard Emperor we follow the same cast of characters such as : Lin, the Emperor’s daughter, that can do bone shard magic and only heir of the Phoenix Empire; Jovis, a reluctant hero and smuggler that travels with his companion Mephi, a creature that can grant him powers; Phalue, daughter and heir of the governor of the island of Nephilanu; Ranami, Phalue’s partner and rebel that is working with The Shardless Few; Sand, a mysterious woman that is determined to take back what was hers. Adding to these pre existing characters is the introduction of more characters that will play a major role in this sequel and future instalment. The characterization in The Bone Shard Emperor is consistent and believable in terms of development. Each of them have something they are working on in this sequel as Stewart layers more seeds of growth in their characterization. The way Stewart balanced between character arcs and the major plot line is neatly done. Everything is written clearly and articulate that doesn’t falter from the crisp quality of the previous book. There are many themes explored in The Bone Shard Emperor but the major them I found weaved into it’s characters is trust and all the complexities related to it such as : betrayal, loyalty, promises, etc. What’s interesting is readers can find the various manifestations of trust in each of the characters, both in main and side characters. Some characters are trying to trust again, some are trying to gain trust, some has given up on the idea of trusting someone, some are going through the fresh pains of betrayal—a breaking of trust, and many more. It is so fascinating seeing this across all Stewart’s characters that I can’t help just think in awe the grip they have on me.

“I don’t care where you came from. I don’t care about your heritage. Come back to me.” I didn’t ask, but he offered it anyway.

“I promise,” He took my hand and held it over his heart. It beat, strong and steady, beneath my palm. “And I’ll never break a promise to you again.”

Even though it is a multi POV story, in my opinion, Lin and Jovis carried the story in this sequel. They both play a big part in progressing the plot as they spearheads the movement in uniting the empire. Lin is now the emperor and she is under a lot of pressure from all sides of the empire. The determination that we got to see in her from the first book is stronger as she makes it her mission to be better than her father. Conflicted by her own sense of identity and place in the world Lin is grappled with issues that plagues her thoughts with loneliness, distrust, and imposter syndrome. Jovis now a former smuggler is deeply involved with the on goings of the empire. He is struggling to root himself into the position that is bestowed upon him as he questions his loyalty and intentions. Jovis’ reluctant demeanor is still a big part of his character which led to him projecting his worries and insecurities to Lin. They are both tied together by strands of fate; seeing their interaction as they bounce off each other with ideas and banter is the relationship development that surprised me. Even with the difference in station they both aren’t afraid to challenge each other. Their overall character development is thanks to each other as they are each other’s catalyst.

“We were your mistakes, to be crumpled and burned like so many ink blotted pages. Give me your Empire or give your deaths.”

Another character that stood out to me is Sand. A character that turned to a path of destruction and death as she is motivated by vengeance to reclaim what is rightfully hers. I’ll be honest in the first book Sand’s POVs isn’t as compelling as the other POVs. Piecing together Sand’s position in the grand scheme of things is slightly hard in the first book but now her characterization is much clearer with intent and motivation. Though the end goal is still up to debate to fully understand what she expects to achieve in the long term. For Phalue and Ranami they are the epitome of that IT queer couple that is just so wholesome and heartwarming. Their rocky relationship is now more harmonious, fulfilling, and so full of love. Amongst all the sad and intense conflicts there is fluff that readers can expect from Phalue and Ranami. Personally, I didn’t like Ranami but she did redeem herself in this sequel as she becomes a person of power that grows to expand her tunnel vision view of the world.

I was Lin. And that would have to be enough.

Final thoughts, The Bone Shard Emperor is a consistently good sequel to one of best debuts in 2020 with expansive world building, noteworthy character development, gripping mystery and lore, explosive action, and incredibly well balanced pacing. I can now finally sigh in relief because Andrea Stewart has wrote a story that overcome the second book syndrome proving that The Drowning Empire series is an epic fantasy heavy hitter. This series also has grown to be one of my favorites. I highly recommend for readers who don’t know about The Drowning Empire to pick up a copy and dive right in because it is a book that is perfect for readers who are interested to get into adult fantasy. It checks all the boxes for an incredible story that is adventurous, gripping, and SO MUCH LORE! The Bone Shard Emperor accomplished to get me so hyped for the third book, The Bone Shard War, of the series that will hopefully release in 2022.

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

This was one of the books that I was most anticipating this year, and safe to say, it did not disappoint!

I loved following Lin and Jovis as they struggled to decide who they were and where their loyalties lay. Stewart's world-building is really unique - I like how she mentions details as small as how people eat (e.g. from communal plates or one plate per person) and how they deal with the rainy season. This makes the world feel really grounded.

If you enjoyed the twists in The Bone Shard Daughter, you'll love the twists in this one! While I found the majority of the twists fairly predictable in the first book, I was more surprised by some of the twists in this one.

However...it's not a perfect five-star read. Firstly, while Andrea Stewart's writing is clear and descriptive, there is something about the writing style that makes this book feel a little like a YA novel (even though I think it's technically classified as adult fantasy). Secondly, while there are many other POVs in this book (such as Phalue's and Ranami's), they felt like such a small part of the book in comparison to Lin and Jovis. For the majority of the plot, they were on the sidelines, so sometimes their POV chapters felt a bit extraneous (although they paid off in the end).

This meant that the first third or so of the book felt a little slow, as it was mainly building up the tension for the latter half. Personally, I still enjoyed it as I like reading about political drama, however if you're not a fan of this, then I can see that some people might be a little bored by the start of The Bone Shard Emperor. But the action definitely kicked off later in the book! So if you're feeling the same as me, just keep reading, because the last quarter of the book is one of the best battle sequences that I've read in a book for a long time.

So if you're looking for great world-building, plot twists and complex characters, then definitely give this a read!

The Drowning Empire series is a fantastic epic fantasy series set across an Asian inspired island empire with a unique magic system & political conflict.
The second book in The Drowning Empire series picks up shortly after the end of book one. Lin is now emperor but faces an empire that is unconvinced by her ability or right to rule, with many fearful that she will continue use and abuse her family's bone shard magic.
In an attempt to win over the general population, Lin installs Jovis (now even more of a folk hero) as the head of her imperial guard and plans a tour of islands to try to sway them to her side and provide support for a new threat to the empire.
I really enjoyed the world Stewart created in the first book - with complex political issues, a unique magic system & distinct characters. I'm so glad that the second book has continued to develop the magic throughout the books, it was a real draw to the Bone Shard Daughter and I like that we continue to learn about it as Lin gradually works her way through her father's archive. We also start to learn more about the Alanga, who they were, their abilities and, perhaps, that their history is more complicated than being powerful, godlike villains.
To a certain extent, I felt we got a little bogged down with setting things up for later on in the series - a fairly common second book issue. Although it never felt like a slog to read, and the writing is excellent, sometimes it took a long time to feel like we'd progressed in the story.
I continue to enjoy this series and look forward to seeing how the magic and politics of the world further intertwine and develop in the next book.

What an epic sequel!

I just loved the world building in The Bone Shard Daughter and the second book in the series is no different.

The setting, the characters and the story itself.

So well written, brilliantly thought out.

There are a lot of characters and there are small branches that come off of the main story but I never felt confused. If anything I just felt the need to read more.

Fantasy and adventure combine to make an explosive tale.

With alternating chapters from various characters, there is great detail and with that raw emotion. At times I was unsure as to how it would all end.

Intense and atmospheric. Andrea Stewart has managed to recreate the same appealing action in this addition and I for one am looking forward to the next instalment.

Following on from the first book, The Bone Shard Emperor follows Lin, now the Emperor as she tries to unite the Islands. Trying to break the mistrust of the last Emperor and show that she does in fact care about the people is going to be hard for Lin. She does however have Jovis by her side, someone the people look up to him and tell the songs of his smuggling days.

If you have not yet read the first book then I do highly recommend doing so before going into this book. The main characters, the basic premise for the series and of course the events all follow through to this second book.

The islands and their people are worried, some of the islands have sunk, there are rumours of constructs attacking villages and even more worrying is that mentions of the Alanga returning are starting to take hold. Governors and people of the Islands believe Lin to be like her father, the old Emperor, cruel, aloof, and never having time for them. Lin starts as she means to go on, but it is definitely an uphill battle. Return the bone shards to their owners is only part of the process, bringing unity is going to take something more.

I really enjoyed this second book, it felt similar to the previous but more detailed. I found this contained more history, background stories, and legend. The author added more details to her characters and brought the main ones more into play.

I enjoyed the way the author built on the mistrust between several characters and also on the whole within the islands. No one is quite sure how much each other can be trusted, and this adds to the intrigue of the story overall. This did feel slower, and at times I did wonder where it was going, but still very addictive. The pacing may have started a little slower, but my goodness did it speed up as it progressed.

The way the author has created the imagery within the story is fab, especially when it comes to Mephi and Thrana, the bone shard magic and of course the Alanga. Add into this as to why the islands are drowning, why the constructs are attacking and it all builds a magical fantasy empire full of secrets. It makes for an entertaining, absorbing and brilliant read full of adventure and action in the later stages. While this second book has brought Lin to the forefront and has repaired some of the trust that had been lost, there is obviously a lot more to be done.

This book is a fabulous second in the series, while it cements the characters, it also introduces new ones and adds more dimensions, questions and intrigue. This is a series I am absolutely loving and I cannot wait to see what happens next. There are so many possibilities and the author has left some tantalising hints.

If you are a fan of fantasy then this is a brilliant book, as I mentioned this is one you do really need in order. I adored everything about it and I would definitely recommend it. Addictive, magical, vivid imagery, good word building and character development and completely addictive reading.

wow 5 stars what an epic 2nd book to this trilogy, no second book syndrome here, we pick up right back in the action, pacing was a little slow to start and Jovis is still an idiot but so many plot twists and the maturity of Lin and Phalue have in this book are extremely well written, They are not their fathers daughters! This book will have you gripped. Mistrust, changes of allegiance, who is Ragen? and what does the Ioph Carn want? secrets are being told who can you believe? I need book three now!

While it's true that I don't seem to read much (high) fantasy anymore, there are always exceptions to that rule. I've been looking forward to read this sequel ever since I loved my time with The Bone Shard Daughter earlier this year... While there was no painful cliffhanger to endure, things were still left wide open for book two and I've been looking forward to meet up with the characters again as well. Sadly, I do feel that The Bone Shard Emperor seems to be suffering from the so-called 'weak-second-book' syndrome and it wasn't as good as I hoped it would be. Why? I'll try to explain my mixed feelings below.

First of all I have to say that I still love the worldbuilding and the whole world of the bone shard magic as well as the 'other' magic. Especially the second is fleshed out even more in the sequel, and we also learn more about the Alanga... For me one of the keys of enjoying a high fantasy read is proper worldbuilding, and this series definitely delivers that. A little warning: this is definitely a series where you need to read the books in order, because you will be mostly clueless about what is going on otherwise (not to mention it will be impossible to understand and juggle the many different characters). The first book is excellent, so you won't regret spending the extra time to do so!

Most of the characters in this series are quite easy to like, although my favorite by far is still Jovis (and his companion Mephi of course!). While I did start to like Lin and Phalue's POVs better, I still preferred to follow Jovis instead, and as there are multiple other POVs in play too, things could get a bit too tedious in points. Especially since there seem to be so many subplots and different stories going on at the same time... And I have to confess that I found myself to be bored during a substantial part of the plot. This had to do both with a considerably slow pace during most of the story, the many side stories I mentioned and the fact that there were parts where nothing much was happening at all or where there was mainly focus on setting the scene for later. While necessary in a way, it was hard to stay focused and it took me a lot longer than usual to read this part.

It's true that the last third of this sequel kind of redeemed the story, but I confess that I only made it that far because I had seen people mention the final 30% was much better. True, things finally got intense, fascinating, suspenseful, dangerous... But it also felt like it was a little too late to fully redeem this book for me. As a whole, I think The Bone Shard Emperor was too long and too slow during much of the story. BUT. I did love meeting up with the characters again and the ending left me more than curious to see what will happen in the final book. So as a whole I'm still considering it a win, and book three is already hanging out on my list of most anticipated 2022 releases.

I loved the eerie concept of the Bone Shards. The magic system involved and the lore between the mysterious Alanga descendants. Bone Shard Daughter ended with finesse while Bone Shard Emperor picks up the aftermath of Lin's rebellion against her father.

Take note that this series has multiple POVs and stories that draw into a specific motive, to win the empire. Jovis and Lin's character development is great and Phalue and Ranami's POVS is also good.

I do hope we have Gio's POV (I think we will have this to the final book) since he is the leader of the Shardless Few.

Sand surprises me in this sequel! Hands down to her storyline.

There are certain downhill parts in the story. There are things that are stretch and quite dragging.

Super pumped for the final book!

First of all, I want to thank again NetGalley and Orbit for giving me an e-arc of the second opus from The Drowning Empire in exchange for an honest review. I LOVED the 1st book and I couldn't wait to read the second and... oh boy... It did not disappoint! This book follows the story of The Bone Shard Daughter and we catch up with all the characters introduced in the previous book as well as are introduced to new characters who are full of surprises... Lin is finally the new Emperor and her reign won't be so easy as we could imagine from the end of the last book. With the help of Thrana, Jovis and Mephi, she will slowly go into her role. Also, still a Jovis fan here. Anyway, I won't say much more because I truly want everyone to read this serie.

Andrea Stewart managed to give us another well-written book, full of twists and turns who can truly compete with the quality of the first installment. Fantasy lovers know the struggle: very often the following books or a series aren't as good as the 1st book. Well, fear not with The Bone Shard Emperor, it's still SO good!

It's definitely another 5-star read and I will be waiting for the last book of the trilogy with excitement! In the meanwhile, I will definitely purchase the hardcovers because they are truly too beautiful to be ignored.

In the Bone Shard Emperor, the magnificent world built gets expanded as the story continues. I love how the characters are just as wonderfully complex and captivating as the first. If you enjoyed the first book you will not be disappointed in this instalment. The multiple plot lines that continued from book one was done seamlessly. I was just as immersed in this book as I was with The Bone Shard Daughter and cannot wait for the next instalment.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Quality Rating: Five Stars
Enjoyment Rating: Five Stars

The Drowning Empire (love that new series title) has quickly become one of my favourite ever series thanks to its rich world-building, complex mysteries, tricky politics, compelling characters and stunning prose. It's one of those books that makes you desperately excited to devour, but then welcomes you into its universe so well that you slow down completely unconsciously just to be immersed in every moment.

I loved that The Bone Shard Emperor mixed up the structure from the first book a little bit. If you didn't know they were written by the same person you would definitely be able to tell with Stewart's distinctive ability to play on character and place, but there's a new way of exploring these characters and their vices in this novel. Each plot line intersects a lot more than in the first book as well, but each person very much remains the protagonist in their perspective which is so cleverly done.

Once again, the mysteries are found out slowly by picking up clues that the reader gathers alongside the characters, and yet more are laid out for the next (last?) instalment. I loved that The Bone Shard Emperor followed the shock waves of the first book's events but introduced new politics and doom for Lin to handle. While absolutely telling its own story arc in one book, the plot reaches across into the past and future as well, creating a sense that the story we are reading is a sprawling epic that still has plenty to surprise us with.

As mentioned in my review of The Bone Shard Daughter, these books are wonderful, varied, complex casts of characters. From emperors to smugglers, gutter orphans to rebels; I adore having a protagonist who is a magical scholar and (unwillingly) a politician, as well as side-characters who are mothers, warriors and conquerers. There is no tokenism and no gratuitous titles: these are who these characters are and strongly influence the way they impact the world. It's amazing how steadfast Stewart is able to keep them in their characterisation, never flinching from making things difficult for our beloved cast because, let's face it, that's exactly what the person would do.

I wish Andrea Stewart all the best in writing the next one because I am desperate for it. I'm so grateful to have been given both The Bone Shard Daughter and The Bone Shard Emperor for review, although I'm now aware I'm going to have to wait even longer for the third instalment in the series and I don't know if I can take it.