From the very first page, A Throne Betrayed sinks its claws into the chaos of a crumbling empire and doesn’t let go. I absolutely ate it up. War. Betrayal. Honor. And Sacrifice.

The characters are gold. Raw, emotional, deeply flawed, and so richly developed. I found myself especially gutted by Yakamo and the plight of the Crab Clan. Their sacrifices are gut-wrenching, and yet the rest of the Empire seems blind to it. It’s tragic, and it’s brilliant.

“You did not fail. We were betrayed.”

The emotional weight of this book sits heavily in your chest. And despite the depth of worldbuilding (and it is dense), I never felt truly lost. That said, I did find myself Googling quite a few terms. A glossary or footnotes would have been a helpful touch for newcomers, especially to the Legend of the Five Rings universe.

The pacing leans more epic than fast, and while some passages meander without much dialogue, I personally didn’t mind. As someone who loves emotionally driven writing, those moments added tension and gravity. But I know some readers prefer things snappier!

This book has me setting a new goal: I want to read more of the Legend of the Five Rings books. This world is so rich and textured and I can tell there’s so much more still to explore.

Final Thoughts:
Heavy, heartfelt, and utterly gripping. A Throne Betrayed is an epic of loyalty, loss, and legacy—and I’m desperate for the next installment.

You would enjoy “ A Throne Betrayed” if you like!!!
- Political intrigue
- Intense sword fighting
- Morally gray characters
- Captivating character driven plot

This was phenomenal, I went in unaware about this book and the world, or that it was a game! Just reeled in by the cover and description. Now I am in love and invested in what will happen next.

This follows 3 different POVs from different characters all in different clans. Each clan and person have their own aspirations and how it all slowly weaves together is something special. The writing style is simplistic but descriptive enough that we are able to picture the land and people, while still explaining the confusing political situation.

I strongly enjoyed all the world building and this was a great start to a series and really placed all of the chess pieces on the board.

!!!!SPOILERS!!!!!
YAKAMO!!!!! WHY HAVE THEY DONE MY BABY LIKE THIS!!! He just wanted appreciation and to stop losing his clan, while the rest is playing the dumb court politics— while trying to put someone of pure sadism in power. Ughh I am team Yakamo and … yes I know that he is a little bad, but he has reason for this. I honestly can’t wait for the next story just for Yakamo.