The Bone Shard Emperor

October 15, 2021
The hotly anticipated next volume in the Drowning Empire series (after The Bone Shard Daughter, 2020) continues not long after the first book left off: Lin Sukai has killed her authoritarian father and has the throne. But threats loom--from an army of constructs rising in the northeast, to the Shardless Few rebellion led by the mysterious Gio, to the abrupt, disastrous sinking of islands. She has made Jovis, a folk hero, her captain of the imperial guard, and he and companion Mephi are always at her side--but he's still uncertain of his own loyalties. The twisting turns of political negotiations, the desperation of each character to do what's right, and the carefully written world building come together to power this compelling and suspenseful fantasy. The reader may discover some things long before the characters do, which can take a bite out of the suspense. But Stewart's elegant planning and unspooling revelations will keep readers hooked from the first page, and fans will be impatient for the next and final volume in the trilogy.

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October 25, 2021
Stewart’s heart-pounding second Drowning Empire epic fantasy expertly picks up the pace from The Bone Shard Daughter, immediately putting the new leader of the Phoenix Empire to the test with multiple enemies gunning for her and the clock ticking for her to prove herself. Lin Sukai must show her subjects—and, most importantly, the governors of each of her empire’s islands—that she’s a better emperor than her megalomaniacal late father and gain support in battling myriad foes, among them the Shardless Few, a rebel group working to dethrone her; an army of the undead; and the Alanga, a godlike enemy from centuries ago now rumored to have returned. Meanwhile, islands are suddenly, inexplicably sinking, citizens fear that their island will be next, and Lin hides dangerous secrets of her own. Hiring the smuggler turned folk legend Jovis as her Captain of the Guard is Lin’s first step to currying favor, but neither anticipate how much they’ll come to need each other. Stewart keeps the energy up across the many engrossing plotlines, with immersive battles aplenty to keep readers on the edges of their seats. This page-turning installment is sure to please series fans. Agent: Juliet Mushens, Mushens Entertainment.

Starred review from November 1, 2021

In the sequel to Stewart's fantasy debut (The Bone Shard Daughter), Lin Sukai is now empress of an Asian-inspired kingdom, following a vicious struggle. Leading the Empire is a challenge, and no one trusts Lin as she tries to form alliances fraught with tension and resistance. Islands in the northern part of the Empire are being conquered by a rebel force, led by one who knows far too much about Lin's lineage. As islands continue to fall--some to the rebels; some by sinking into the ocean's depths--Lin is faced with another threat: the return of the Alanga, the powerful magicians forced into obscurity by the Empire long ago. Lin needs the Alanga's aid against the rebel army but can't be sure that they're as peaceful as they claim--might they have designs on the Empire? Relationships are created and torn apart and long-held secrets are revealed, narrated from multiple points of view, as plot lines broaden towards "The Drowning Empire" trilogy's final book. VERDICT Stewart expands the rich world of the Empire, where magic and political machinations are the keys to power.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton

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