I’m delighted to be sharing my thoughts on The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart.
I LOVED The Bone Shard Daughter, the first story in The Drowning Emperor series.
The Bone Shard Emperor is just as good too!
Jera’s Jamboree receives payments for affiliate advertising. This is at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.
- Publisher : Orbit (25 Nov. 2021)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 560 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0356514994
- ISBN-13 : 978-0356514994
The Emperor is Dead. Long live the Emperor.
Lin Sukai finally sits on the throne she won at so much cost, but her struggles are only just beginning. Her people don’t trust her. Her political alliances are weak. And in the northeast of the Empire, a rebel army of constructs is gathering, its leader determined to take the throne by force.
Yet an even greater threat is on the horizon, for the Alanga – the powerful magicians of legend – have returned to the Empire. Lin may need their help to defeat the rebels and restore order.
But can she trust them?
Book Review
It says a lot about a story when over a year later, and with all those books read inbetween, you remember so much detail … I can’t believe it’s just over a year since I read The Bone Shard Daughter! So for me, it was really easy to get back into this fantasy world.
My emotional connection was immediately there and just as strong. Although with one difference this time – my loyalties were torn! Nothing is black or white and nothing is quite what it seems.
Lin really has her work cut out for her in The Bone Shard Emperor. It’s not just the politics of her ruling but the politics for the governors on their islands too.
Our four main characters are fabulously flawed and it’s their vulnerabilites more than their strengths that draws me to them. I loved getting to know Lin better and after the shocking reveal in the last story, wondered how I would feel. Jovis comes to a conclusion much later than I did 🙂 Their growing bond adds another dimension.
Once again, the different narrations from the lead characters had me on tenterhooks waiting to find out what was happening whilst also being pulled in to each narration. The battle had me so tense for many different reasons – would the secrets come out? How would that affect how everyone would feel about the Emperor? The reveals were so well timed.
There’s a new character who not only causes problems in this story, but his scheming is going to cause more than the wind to rage, the water to harm and the earth to tremble and shake in the next story. That alliance is going to cause so much conflict!
I loved the surprises. Never guessed about one of the characters. I can’t wait to see what role he will play in the unfolding trilogy!
Do you need to read the first story? Yes, yes you do 🙂
The Bone Shard Emperor is a world that is totally engaging. Whether you read fantasy or not, if you enjoy complex relationships and quests that lead to harmony and safety, you’ll love this too.
Highly recommended.
Andrea Stewart is the Chinese American daughter of immigrants, and was raised in a number of places across the United States. When her (admittedly ambitious) dreams of becoming a dragon slayer didn’t pan out, she instead turned to writing books. She now lives in sunny California.
Twitter @AndreaGStewart
