Orbit was kind enough to send me a copy of this one in the mail, which was a complete surprise while opening it, because I had no idea that it was coming out so soon. Those are the best kind of book mail… ♥
Thanks to the author, as well as Orbit for the review copy!
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 north-east 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. They claim they come in peace, and Lin will need their help in order to defeat the rebels and restore peace.
But can she trust them?
This is the continuing story of Lin Sukai, the new Emperor, as well as a few other recurring characters. Lin’s reign as Emperor has just started, and nobody trusts her, because nobody knows her. She ends the bone shard tithing tradition, but constructs still exist across the empire, and some are amassing as a rebellious army. Lin takes her new bodyguard Jovis and his companion Mephi on a tour of the empire to meet the governors and see if she can win them to her side. And there were many shenanigans.
I liked this sequel a lot. I picked it up one day hoping to get a chapter or two in before bed and before I knew it I was 15% in and it was past midnight. I love it when that happens. Jovis is definitely still my favorite character (and it may or may not have something to do with Mephi’s presence in all of his chapters). He’s grown a lot as a character since book one, and despite some of the things he does in this one, I really thought he grew more. He’s easygoing, and easy to cheer for. I also cheered for Lin in this one, more than I thought I would, really.
This one was well written, well paced, and added a lot of intrigue and action to the Drowning Empire series. That ending tho… I have questions, and hopes and dreams, and questions. I hope they get answered in book three! Fingers crossed!! 4/5 stars!~
superstardrifter 
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