The Ikessar Falcon // by K. S. Villoso

I had a lot of mixed feelings about The Wolf of Oren-Yaro not too long ago and my feelings are similar about The Ikessar Falcon, though I did enjoy it a little bit more than the first one. I'm hoping that this upward trajectory will hold and that the third one will be even better as it is coming up in my TBR very soon. The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng has been next to my bed since I closed book 2 and despite my mixed feelings for the series so far, I'm excited to pick it up soon. There just is something about this author's writing that gets to me after all I guess.

While there is still A LOT going on in this book and I still believe that putting more focus on a couple of big events would've been more beneficial rather than spreading herself thin across so many events, we do get to learn more about some of the things I asked for after the last book, such as the magic system and the dragons. Speaking of those two, I found the way she combines them was incredibly interesting and I hope there is even more about this in book 3. She continues to impress me with her creativity and I believe that with more practice, the execution of her ideas will become incredible in the future.

I think I figured out one of my big issues with the series finally that I struggled with in both books but that became much more obvious to me this time around: I find the characters very confusing. I cannot seem to get a grip on their decision-making, personality, behavior, and motivations. On the surface, all of those seem pretty clear but they continue to behave in ways that are inconsistent with their character arc up to that point, which makes it difficult for me to stay immersed in the story. But here again, I also have to praise her because at the same time, she does show that she has a mind for creating very differing characters in general that make for an interesting group when they come together.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review. I'm struggling to get my thoughts out coherently tonight but I am looking forward to book 3.

If you read The Wolf of Oren-Yaro and thought it was action-packed, gave you a rollercoaster of emotions, hard to put down and utterly gripping– then The Ikessar Falcon will give you twice the emotions. This sequel will keep you on edge, and it was an exhausting read- emotionally! But having all of these feelings are great indications for me to tell how great of a book it is. I will definitely watch out for the conclusion- because I have a feeling it would be epic.

Interesting premise. Likable/hated characters. Cool plot. I would recommend this story to others. Some spots I found that didn't hold my attention, but overall, I still liked it.

The Wolf Of Oren-Yaro was a huge release for me last year. It was a book I absolutely LOVED, and I’m thrilled to say the follow-up, THE IKESSAR FALCON, is somehow even more epic & exciting than the first book in the CHRONICLES OF THE BITCH QUEEN series!

As always, writing a review for the second book in an epic fantasy series feels daunting to me. Not even from a spoilers perspective (that too), but sometimes it almost feels like the weight of the story is so heavy…where do you even start?

The story picks up not long after the events of THE WOLF OF OREN-YARO, with Tali continuing her quest to return home to her son, a quest which begins to feel increasingly impossible. As she struggles not only with the physical demands and limitations of returning home, she also continues on this journey of self-discovery. Trying to emerge from her father’s shadow. Trying to figure out how she will rule, or if she even can. To figure out who she loves, who she wants, who she will choose…and whether that can all be the same person.

If you were wondering where are the dragons…here be dragons.

While THE IKESSAR FALCON is steeped in politics & is a deeply character-driven story, Villoso expertly crafts some of the most thrilling action sequences I’ve read. There are some legit JAW-DROPPING moments & huge surprises in this one!

The Ikessar Falcon is the second installment in the Chronicles of the Bitch Queen series. It continues the adventure of Talyien in a country full of enemies where she is trying to survive, to get a hold of her husband, to find her way home, to save her nation, and to save her son. It is set in more than one country allowing us to explore this world more. And is written on Talyien’s point of view.

I didn’t expect for me to support and agree with every decision made by Talyien, just as what happened while I was reading the first book in the series. Surely, I did not. I still disagreed with her, still wanted to shake her at times, but I now definitely appreciate Talyien’s character even more. She is such a unique, well fleshed-out and complex character that breaks out of the mold people have created for characters in fiction.

Often times, a strong character is portrayed as someone who can set always set aside their emotions, someone always logical, someone always making the right decisions. But Talyien is not. Talyien redefines what does it mean to be strong, especially as a queen, as a mother, and just as a human. She shows that one can be strong while fully embracing their humanity with all their emotions, mistakes and flaws. And for this reason that I have found Talyien as revolutionary and one that definitely stands out in this genre.

This series wouldn’t be complete without the political intrigue. Just what I expected after finishing The Wolf of Oren-Yaro. Aside from the main character, this book heavily focus on politics. I love how it talks about rulers who fail their people. A ruler realizing how incompetent she is, how politics at court has blinded her to what is actually happening to her nation, politicians busying themselves in their power game and neglecting the true victims of their actions—the masses. I love how it explores such topic. It is very important to have books like this, even fantasy ones.

I also highly appreciate how influences of Filipino culture can be found in many aspects of this book. From Talyien’s characteristics, to the customs, to the settings. Talyien’s resiliency, pagmamano, barios, among others, felt really familiar to me as a Filipino and it feels great to be able to see my culture be represented in an internationally published high fantasy book as this is sadly unusual.

I still felt like an outsider watching instead of feeling like I was in the story. There are very well-written books that make me feel as such no matter how I cannot relate with the characters. However, this one is not one of those. Further, at some point I could not help but wonder how long am I going to watch certain characters be captured or be trapped then escape only to be captured or be trapped again then escape only for it to happen again and again. It is a cycle. While I do understand the reasoning and the politics behind what was going on, it was hard for me not to question whether if some plot points are still necessary because it just feel repetitive.

The Ikessar Falcon tackles what it means to be a mother, a ruler, and a human. The complexity of Talyien’s character and relationships with others, her love for her son, her journey as a queen and as a daughter of her late father who played a huge part in shaping their nation, and the political intrigue, are what makes me really like and appreciate this book. I am definitely excited to see how this series will conclude. I recommend this to those who are into strong female protagonists, character-driven narratives, political intrigue, and wants to read a high fantasy book with Filipino culture influences.

I have never read another book that gives so much depth to the life of a female ruler aside from this. In The Wolf of Oren-Yaro, we got to see Queen Talyien's difficult struggles as she was swept away from one dire situation to another while grappling with her authority as a queen. This sequel gives a more in-depth look to Talyien's life and feelings which I appreciate so much.

You see, this series not only shows Talyien's struggle of being a queen. She's more than just her title. She's a daughter haunted by her father's bloody legacy. She's a wife yearning for the love of a husband who abandoned her. She's a woman fighting to keep her chin up despite all the insults and rumors thrown at her. Most of all, Talyien is a mother who only wants to be with her child and make him happy. She's willing to burn the world to make that happen

The Ikessar Falcon, book two in K.S. Villoso’s Chronicles of the Bitch Queen series), is a beautiful example of what I look for in modern fantasy. Most notably, I love well written characters that are full of flaws, who are often faced with dire circumstances, who must live with the ultimate consequences of their words and deeds, and who ultimately change in front of our eyes (either for good or bad).

This book, as in The Wolf of Oren-Yaro (book one), clearly features Tali. Throughout this book, she spirals farther and farther away from the pampered young queen that we see at the beginning of the series. What remains UN-changed about her is her loyalty: to her son, to her family, to her heritage, to her country, to her friends, and most importantly to herself.

As more and more of who she once was gets stripped away from her, as she discovers who her true allies and enemies are, and as she spends time far away from her literal throne, she finds her true self. She discovers who she actually is when she’s no longer under her father’s shadow, when the ties with her estranged husband are stretched even more thin, and as her reputation as the bitch queen go unrecognized while she travels incognito. She determines that no one else can define who she is or can restrict what she can do. She is Tali.

Sadly, this process does not always end well, and we see her anguish, her heartbreak, and her despair. We see how she even struggles with those who are loyal to her, and we see her facing her fears. She is a wonderfully complex character.

While I think it is true that most authors anguish over the story and its characters, and while I believe that many surrender a piece of themselves into the creation of the tale, it is more evident in some books more than others. To that end, I don’t doubt that Villoso poured a great deal of her heart and soul into telling Tali’s story. It is clear on every page, with every raw emotion, that Tali’s story had to be told, and it was done with great care. And that ultimately created a more authentic experience for the reader.

I will even go one step beyond this to say that Villoso should be in the conversation of best new authors in fantasy, and I wish she had a bigger audience.

Of course, I should also mention that many of the supporting characters are given a satisfying amount of development as well. (Including unfortunately Agos … sorry, but I can’t stand him!)

I find it safe to say that anyone who enjoyed The Wolf of Oren-Yaro (book one) will certainly appreciate how much wider and deeper this book takes the story. The layers of political maneuvering are both captivating and frustrating, but leave plenty of room for surprises.

I definitely want to see where this goes in book 3. Highly recommended! 4.5/5 stars

(A big thank you to Angela Mann and the Orbit team for the review copy.)

THIS IS MUCH BETTER THAN THE FIRST BOOK! I really enjoyed this and I became so attached with the characters to the point that I feel like they are real and existing somewhere. That is how raw and real the characters are. This book is also very realistic but also fantastical and I really cannot find any words to describe this aside from, my heart got broken for many times, I got tired mentally, and emotionally, but I genuinely enjoyed it!

This trilogy will be on top of my ultimate favorite fantasy books of all time.

The Ikessar Falcon was a stunning sequel to the first book. It was intense and picks up right from page one. The book continues the journey of Queen Talyien wherein she navigates the world after the ending events of The Wolf of Oren-Yaro. In this book, we read about Tali being more vulnerable. We see her being weak, being strong and just overall, trying to survive and figure things out. We also see how other characters meet and try to fit in Tali’s story and the roles they play in her life.

The characters were great but my feelings remain the same as I had felt in the first book. I still hate the characters I did in the first book. I do love Khine more than ever now! I had loved his sweet self in book one and this book just cemented him as one of my favourites. We are also introduced to many new and interesting characters who fit well into the story and kept it intriguing. The plot was intricate and I also liked how there was always something happening and it keeps you on the edge of the seat. It was filled with political intrigue and the mind games and I loved how this was handled by the author.

My favourite part of the book was the writing. It was really good and keeps you engaged. I also loved the world building which grows more vast and detailed in this book. It’s simply stunning and it was all described so well. One of my favourite things about this series is how intense it is while not being too heavy and I’m glad it continues to be so in this book too.

Overall, I highly recommend this series if you’re a fan of intense and character driven adult fantasy. It will keep you on the edge of the seat with its beautiful writing and intricate world building. I can’t wait to read the third book and find out what happens next!

Thank you to the publisher Orbit Books and Caffeine Book Tours for providing me with a physical ARC of The Ikessar Falcon. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to Shealea at Caffeine Book Tours and Orbit Books for sending me an eARC and a physical ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Spoiler Free Thoughts

The book was such a fantastic follow up to The Wolf of Oren-Yaro. As you go through it, you can see that K. S. Villoso really put a lot of work into building on the world she’d established. Which was, of course, one of the things I was really looking forward to. I knew that Wolf opened the world up for so much more world building and many more adventures, which is one of the reasons why I loved it so much, but it also really set the stage for an even more epic sequel building on the sweeping, beautiful world of book one that will absolutely take your breath away.

What I really like about this series, as a whole, is that it’s about characters I don’t usually read about: parents. Most of the books I read are concerned with kids/young adults taking on the world, and as much as I love that (as a young adult person myself), I really liked the way that being a parent and the responsibility and love that the main character, Taliyen, has for her kid plays a huge role in the story structure. It really does shape the story, and though there were times I found myself annoyed and disagreeing with her actions, I understood why she did what she did, the longer I thought about her actions.

My main concerns, in the beginning, were that the book wasn’t moving fast enough for me, but I realized that was because this book is long in physical format, and so it made it feel even longer in eBook format. When I began my physical ARC, I went through the book much faster. I really flew through!

Writing

K. S. Villoso has this way of pulling you into her stories, which I talked about a little in my review/chat about The Wolf of Oren-Yaro earlier this year, although it feels like it was forever ago. I do remember that the one thing I really liked about this is the sharpness of her writing, the honesty around it and how she trusts her audience to not over-explain things. And the way she settles you into the world with her masterful use of the senses is just *chef’s kiss*.

Pacing, I think, is what I struggled with most in the book, because it’s my struggle with almost all Adult Fantasy novels I’ve read. Which wasn’t the book’s fault. I’m still quite new to the Adult Fantasy world, and so I’m used to the quickness of YA Fantasies, and that kind of still gets me when I go into books with massive worlds like that of The Ikessar Falcon. I’m a bit more used to it now, thankfully, but I still have a long way to go until I’m immersed enough in the age category and genre to not struggle with that anymore.

Should You Read The Ikessar Falcon?

Yes. Especially if you’re a fantasy fan. It’s a good intro. to the genre and age category mix, and it doesn’t expect its audience to know everything but also, like I said above, trusts its audience to not guide it around the world like a child. It has the perfect balance of explaining necessities, and keeping mystery so that it takes you by surprise with every plot twist. You feel like you have an idea of what’s going to happen, which direction you’re headed in, but then Villoso will so easily and effortlessly pull the carpet out from under your feet, you’ll almost be thankful that she did. And gods, I cannot wait for the final book in the trilogy. I just know it’s gonna be amazing.

Reviewing K.S. Villoso’s Chronicles of the Bitch Queen is both hard and easy. Easy because even though I finished the book few days ago and sitting now, writing this and looking at the cover, I can still easily l feel the atmosphere of the whole book and all of the emotions that it brought to me. But on the other hand, hard, because I’m having trouble typing down those emotions to let you all know what this book really made me feel. I guess this whole paragraph already say something. I will have to say right away that I’m not a huge fantasy reader, reading this, I have a very limited knowledge of what books should I compare it to if I was a fantasy junkie. The thing is, I’m happy that I am not at all that because starting now, The Bitch Chronicles will be my standard and any epic fantasy book after this need to be either twice as good or at least close to its amazingness.

I read The Wolf of Oren-Yaro for a week and was so grateful that I had the sequel right away. The Ikessar Falcon has a recap or a dedicated chapter that summarizes the first book so even though your case will be different from mine, it will not be difficult to catch up. At the first book, we went with Tali as she finds her husband as she thought this act will bring peace to her nation, and at the second book we find if that alone will be enough.

First thing of the many things I want to praise from this novel is how lyrical, readable and gripping KS Villoso’s writing is. A whole chapter of talking about Queen Talyiens thoughts is already enough to know how much of a talented author K.S. Villoso is. She will make you think and also help you process the prose she wrote. The writing alone IS ENOUGH for you to pick up this book.

Chronicles of the Bitch Queen is also one of the most character centric series I’ve ever read. I really have no words how astonishing Talyien’s character development was. The main character is self aware of how flawed she is and the readers will not forget that as well as this is what Talyien is known for. A bitch queen. Going back to praising K.S. Villoso’s writing, it really was amazing that we get to see how the bitch queen acts AND why. We get to understand that her actions was done in a certain why and that every words uttered by her has a reasoning behind it and the author gave us every bit of the logical explanation needed. A powerful queen with an intellectual and yet learning mind, what is not to like?

Although Talyien is my favorite character, I can’t possibly miss out commending how fleshed out every secondary characters were as well, especially Khine and Talyiens own father, Warlord Yeshin. They all have interesting backstories, useful roles and all of them leaves a mark. One of the best thing that will ever happen to you in reading a book is probably when you end up loving and caring and engrossed with each and every character. Even the villain who is written for us to hate leaves me breathless. The maniac is written is such a compelling way you can’t help but shake your head slowly while trying to think ahead of this character.

The plot of Chronicles of the Bitch Queen is not really simple. But hang in there because that doesn’t mean it will keep you from enjoying the book. It’s actually the opposite. See, Chronicles of the Bitch Queen has clans, rich history, a scary and wonderful world, and never ending wars and The Ikessar Falcon is like a crack that you will inhale because of those reasons. The politics in Talyien’s world is breathtaking. Its rotten and its gripping and as a Filipino reader, it made me swell with pride that there are tons of parallelism with Asian politics and that the whole book is written in an Asian culture backdrop. With a genre like Epic Fantasy it’s so easy to just drop the book and say, ‘been there, read that‘ so as a reader, a book has to have something that sinks into the reader that makes it hard to let go. And as weird as this sounds, TALYIEN’s world IS hard let go. Its a terrible world and its enthralling.

The romance was slow burn… scorching… to die for. It was full of intrigue, desire and mistrust. Its the kind of romance that will break your heart but still, leaves it with hope and FEELS. You can say that it can be complicated but the thing about the romance in Talyien’s world, as little as it is, is that even just the slightest scene with the main character and love interest you’re rooting for is profound and unforgettable.

I cannot recommend this book enough and I can’t wait for its conclusion. Waiting is almost painful. I have so many things to say, so many words to write because my heart is just bursting with love for this book. But I will just tell you this: this is the epic fantasy you’re looking for! K.S. VIllosos’ writing was always visual, so close at hand it is searing! The Ikessar Falcon is a sequel that will captivate you with its furious and excellent pacing, it will not let you go. If somebody wants a stay-up-all-night kind of book that will leave them breathless? Chronicles of the Bitch Queen series will always be at the tip of my tounge!

trigger warning: PTSD, suicidal thoughts, mass self sacrifice, mention of sexual abuse, threat of sexual assault, threat of rape, mention of abortion, death of a child, mention of rape, mention of child abuse, mention of atrocities and massacres, sex trafficking, death, violence, body horror, mourning of a loved one

Thank you to Angela Man and Orbit books for sending me an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Things K.S. Villoso is at fault for:

- my lack of sleep
- the sobbing (for the 1000th time)
- thinking about the way Khine holds Tali’s hand
- the end of part 1
- my sanity
- the sweet sweet pain
- I am utterly surprised that a sequel could be this good. I am very tempted to give a 6th star just for the recap.

This is a reader lying on the floor crying into a pillow type of book. I was DMing Veronica from Moon and Coffee’s because you need someone to talk to while reading this book. Get a fluffer while you read this book. Seriously. Don’t be like me and read this while also reading the Poppy War. The sequel to The Wolf of Oren-Yaro starts straight off where it ends. Our heroine is writing her story on ink and paper.

Tali writing her own story reminds me the reader that historians often misinterpret or revise history to push the point they want to make where real people and their complicated stories are concerned. What Villoso does so brilliantly, though, is she makes us question whether Tali’s self described pride gets in the way of telling us the realities of what her actions mean for her people. Villoso wants us to analyze things through Tali to see the complicated systems of power. For people like Agos, a friend that loves her but is seething with jealousy. Growing up lower class puts him in a position of servant more often than friend. Khine, walks by her side but gets thrown in the middle of the madness of Jinsein politics. Maybe things are more complicated than even Tali is able to tell us.

This book is a travel fantasy. Our hero travels to Jin Sayeng to save him from the dangers of her enemies. Mad Zarojo politicians are moving the chess pieces against her and so Tali along with Khine, Agos and Nor cross the lands and water to reach her son. Her crown is not the most important to Tali. It is her son, Thanh. She is a mother first and foremost. In most fantasy stories where I see mothers, they’re depicted as demure because they are mothers. I also see mothers depicted as having to prioritize their power over love because otherwise she’s not considered “strong.” The “strong” heroine, often written by men, has to act like all the men in the fantasy novel in order to be respected as a hero. Women, especially WOC, should get to be messy, complicated, cruel, unlikeable, arrogant and still be loving. ‘Strong’ is such an annoying descriptor honestly because it refuses to acknowledge how women are complicated and sometimes mess up because we have these real things called emotions. The added notion of “strong” also connotes racist microaggressions for WOC since white people have this expectation that WOC especially have to be strong with all the that white people have done to them. That’s messed up.

Tali has been burned before and the result (for those of you that have read the Wolf of Oren-Yaro) was doing something stupid as a reult of placing her heart on her sleeve. She’s very calculating and untrusting of people, particularly men. In the Ikessar Falcon many of the characters are going through it. A lot of them are dealing with trauma from the first book and so we see things that (as someone that has PTSD) feels very much like stress disorders and depression.

Who wouldn’t be in her position. She tries to keep people at a distance, both because she isn’t sure if she can trust them but also because they may get hurt being thrown into the den of wolves, of whom she is queen. We see her make mistakes in this one. We see her do things that are unethical, that are kind, and that are brave. She is not a cut out character. She feels like a real person. She says and does some stupid things like real people but she also takes actions that are intelligent and badass. She is my stabby queen. I love her.

Villoso tackles a lot of the issues within Jinsein society, particularly with their class systems that many of the royals are unaware of or ignorant about. Relationships with royals and those that serve the royals may impact women in powerful positions but Villoso also reminds me that the servants in their guard suffer much more. They do not have the privilege of a powerful family behind their name. This is where Agos comes in. We get to see characters depth and personality in this book on a level we don’t in the first book. All the men (except Khine) are toxic and hypocrites. The arrogance they are allowed knows no bounds.

Tali is reminded that her privilege led her to believe that she’s deserving of a chance. Men in this world are given chances. She is not. This is not a fair world that Villoso is telling. It is one placing an eye on privilege, on class structures. It is one that feels eerie and brutal like the mass amounts of colonization Philippines and its people have experienced. Villoso likes to show us different binaries in her characters. Tali may have to work 2x as hard as men of her rank but she still has lengths on the disadvantages of lower class citizens. Agos may feel used by Tali as a lower class citizen but he also buys into a normalized toxic masculinity and therefore feels possessive and jealous over a woman that decides for herself who she wants to be with. Even the characters I’m angry or frustrated with I cry for and sometimes even agree with. Only Villoso could make me see or understand Rayyel while calling him a bitch at the same time.

The way Villoso builds up tension with atmosphere is sinfully good. The environment is used to create a build up like the eerie weather and creepy music in horror films. There is rain, rain, and more rain (my favorite weather and one of the reasons the atmosphere in this book is after my own heart). The pounding of the thunder against the windows. The way rain drenches Tali’s hair. The smell of candles and tomes being read in the middle of the night. Blood on the floor. The way a knife is pulled out. The stepping of feet behind them. Never would I imagine that sea foam would be described like it is a looming sign of death. God. I love it all.

Assassins. Tropical forests. Waterfall cave scenes with a thief and a queen (wags eyebrows). A unique magic system, a tapestry i would like on my wall, a dragon arena fight scene, thieves fighting for their hurt and broken hearts, and love so good it hurts. I am traumatized by the very way a sweet thief holds Tali’s hand. As would be expected there is gore, gore, gore. Swoon.

I want everybody to be safe and snuggled up in blankies with teddy bears but Villoso likes to unravel my heart like I’m a falcon and she’s my evil falconer. I am hurting. I am not okay. This is the most traumatizing and addictive book I’ve read in a long ass time. I had a hard time reading anything else. All I want is Khine and Tali holding hands and dancing off into the sunset. Is that too much to ask?

K.S. Villoso: smiles with a dagger

Me: 🤕

Talyien struggles between being queen and a woman; between being a leader drowning in misogynistic expectations and a woman making bad choices as a result of her husband’s actions. Villoso draws on the humanity and complexity that has been seriously overlooked in fantasy for too long. Tali is human. She cannot be the emotionless and strong woman her father wanted her to be. It is an impossible fairy tale she cannot attain. We do stupid things for love. I love it when authors mess with our perceptions.

This book is sweet pain and a mindfuck and a half. If the Wolf of Oren-Yaro was a dagger, the Ikessar Falcon is the assassin.

I received a ARC of this book from the publisher Orbit Books as part of the Ikessar Falcon Book Tour by Caffeine Book Tours. All thoughts are my own

Having read The Wolf of Oren-Yaro during it’s tradpub release in 2018, I was more than excited for it’s sequel. We finally get Rayyel!!!! We get more politics, and more scheming, and more delicious delicious food description that make you super hungry as you read and leave you wishing you were a better cook. While Ikessar Falcon is a chonk at 220k words, I was absolutely not left disappointed.

As people who follow me on Twitter may know, Rayyel, Tali’s estranged husband, is my favorite character in this series. That was established during Oren-Yaro before the man actually got any screen time and has carried on through this book as well. His calm resoluteness is such a fantastic foil to Tali’s constant panic and when the two of them manage to not bicker (too much), they’re one hell of a power couple together. In some ways, Rayyel acts as one of Tali’s secondary antagonists (given that he seems deadset on trying to kill her? their? son), but the way Villoso writes him is so sympathetic and damn interesting that like, it’s fine. I don’t care that you’re trying to murder a 14-year-old because someone else might have been the father because you’re a hot nerd that’s a smart and cool and uses you brain more than once a chapter and frankly, that’s someone Tali needs in her life. Rayyel endgame, yes?

Rayyel simping aside, we also get to see a lot of development with Tali’s two side hoes Tali’s other two companions, Khine and Agos. In particular, I love the direction Villoso has taken Khine. Originally a care-free seeming conman with a tragic backstory, throughout the events of Oren-Yaro and learning that this cool female traveling companion that he may or may not lowkey have a crush on is actually a queen does things to a man. Bad things. That lead to stupid decisions but make plot more interesting. How much more will the poor man suffer? Who knows. Agos on the other hand, is a goddamned sweetheart that deserves so much better. I joke about the two of them being Tali’s side hoes, but Agos is actually Tali’s go-to “oh no I have the feelings gotta fix this” man and the guy just willingly goes with it? My dude. Treat yourself better. Of course, between these four, there is some absolutely fantastic banter that goes on, quite memorably with Agos’ constant mocking of Khine’s and Rayyel’s inabillity to swordfight.

I was delighted to realize that in book two, we’d be returning to Tali’s homeland. From Tali’s internal musings and the various tidbits we pick up in book 1, I was absolutely fascinated with the seemingly hot mess that was Tali’s reigning country, between Tali’s own difficulties with governing and the power struggles between the various warlords. I love good political intrigue and Ikessar has that in spades.The warlords we did meet were each fascinating in their own way, each looking out for them and their own, but also not necessarily hostile to Tali either. Of course, we’re only on book two and I’m highly looking forward to this political mess simmering in the backdrop.

As a quick side note, there are dragons in this book! Real, (fire) breathing, dragons!

Plot wise, Ikessar is split in kind-of two arcs, divided by Tali returning to her homeland to rescue her son. Prior to this is wrap-up of some loose strings from book one, then a quick gamut around the countryside to establish some overarching villains for the rest of the trilogy and to learn more about Tali’s inner turmoil over her father, Rayyel, and most other things. The pacing for this section was extremely slow and frankly, I found it a little boring and repetitive. We get it Tali, you’ve got daddy issues. There was just enough action spliced in between that I wasn’t uninterested at all, but I definitely thought there were sections that could have been cut without affecting the overarching story, or the reader’s understanding of the characters.

Post-arrival is the next 60% and was much more action-packed, faster paced, and also much more lore heavy. Why did the dragons go mad? Who exactly are all these characters and what are their motives. What is this forbidden magic and how does it work? How has the political climate of Tali’s homeland changed over the almost year she was gone? One thing I did wish we got more of was the changes that occurred during book one. It’s suggested that each of the warlords seem fairly self-sufficient in their governing, but surely any country missing its head of state for that long must have gone through some degree of turmoil and while that was addressed slightly from a Warlord’s perspective, I wish we got more of it from The People’s perspective. The latter half is also where our dragons start appearing!

Overall, I rate this book a 4/5. I adored the screentime Rayyel got this time around, and I think the central four Tali, Khine, Rayyel, and Agos, were all fantastic and well explored. Villoso deftly balances dark humor, banter, and a plot with serious themes. My only complaint would be the slow pacing in the first half..

Where does one even begin with this review? The Wolf of Oren-Yaro was one of my favorite reads this year and ever since I finished it I’ve been thinking about what would happen next. The moment I started The Ikessar Falcon I was swept right into the story again. I’ve read only a few adult fantasy books but this one is one of my favorites. You feel hooked from the very start. I couldn’t put the book down at all, and next thing I knew I had read 300 pages in one day. This is how good K.S. Villoso is at writing.

I loved that there was action from the very beginning. Everything came at the right moment. I’ve never considered myself a fan of political intrigue until this year and this book does that so well. It’s easy to lose interest in these things or feel like you can’t understand them 100% but nothing in this book was like that. I enjoyed the political moments whenever they came. I felt like we were sampled whatever we needed to know at the right moments. I loved the characters here as much as I did in the first book. I thought they faced so much in book one but book two brought a whole new set of challenges.

Queen Talyien deals with so much more in this book. She has to face her fears and decide who she wants to be in the midst of everything that’s happening. There’s a lot of conflict and hurt. She went through so much development in this book and I just love how real she felt. K.S. Villoso also had so much going on for the characters. There were a lot of connections built but we also got to see how messy and conflicted everyone was. I also felt attached to each character in some way. It’s hard to read a book and to actually care about all of them but I did in this one.

I just can’t seem to put into words exactly how I felt about this book because I’m still reeling from the events. I can’t wait for the next book. I’m so scared about what’s going to happen next and I don’t think I’ll have closure until it comes out. The events and the characters are still practically swimming in my head. I don’t think there has been a single moment today where I haven’t thought about them and started recapping.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if you’re looking for am adult fantasy that will keep you hooked for hours on end then please pick this one up.

Firstly, I want to be noted that The Ikessar Falcon has a recap in the front of what happened in The Wolf of Oren-Yaro?? I love it when books (especially high fantasy) have that! So bonus points for that!

And now … uff, how to properly explain what this book made me feel. I don’t think I can put into words how much this story and its characters touched me, held me captive and just … The Ikessar Falcon and The Wolf of Oren-Yaro are so dear to my heart and honestly, after reading this sequel … I have to say there in my Top 5 of all-time favourites! They just made me feel so much, go through all the emotions and physically feel them!!*

*So, expect a lot of gushing

I read the first few sentences and I was immediately back with Tali, Queen Talyien. I adore her so much! I loved how we got to experience all her thoughts and doubts alongside her. It made me love her even more, something I did not think was even possible.

She really is in a tough situation here with everything that happened in the previous book. The whole atmosphere of desperation, hope and these few golden moments of freedom and laughter sprinkled in between. Ach, the heartache!
Queen Talyien didn’t have an easy life, at all, and she is still dealing with her complex feelings and memories regarding her father and her upbringing. But she also has to witness what she did have growing up and how vastly different the lives of others are. It’s amazing to watch her experience the world and the fates of other people.

She always knew that actions have consequences. That everything you get, someone paid a price for. It’s her normal. In her world of backstabbing, bickering warlords and betrayals … and the contrast that with people like Khine who grew up so differently. And him seeing what her world is like … that’s the good stuff! This book expands on not only Tali’s backstory and upbringing, but her relationships with other people and consequently their stories. We learn more about Khine as well, little snippets here and there.

The price for Zarojo citizenship. I had to wonder, though, what was so awful about living in Jin-Sayeng that people were willing to brave the sea and live out in dirt and grime here instead. You’d think the ruler of Jin-Sayeng would know

I loved being back with all the characters. Lo Bahn actually became one of my favourites here, I really enjoyed his conversations with Tali. One thing that I appreciate immensely about Villoso’s characters is, is that she doesn’t shy away from showing the ugly side of humanity. None of these characters are free from sin, they make mistakes, grave ones sometimes. It’s what makes them feel so real and also what makes me feel so much for them and what they have to go through.

It was really interesting to read more of Rayyel, to get to know his thinking and his perspective in things. There was one conversation between Tali and Rai in particular that I adored. Rai is explaining why he thinks what he is doing is the best thing and Tali truly tries to understand and just … can’t. It’s so well done and I want to say so much more but can’t.

I’m very much a character-driven reader, as long as the characters are intriguing I can forgive a lacking plot or bland world-building … but even if I didn’t like the characters here, both the plot and world-building are so well done, complex and intriguing. I loved that we got to go back to Jin-Sayeng in this sequel, although it was fascinating to kind of get an outside view and to experience the country first through all the differences Tali encountered when travelling through the Empire.

K.S. Villoso really has a way with words. She perfectly balances introspective scenes with world-building and action scenes. It’s always exactly what the story and the reader need next. As I said, I loved that we got to explore the world more. The contrast between the different settings and how the people there react to them was fascinating to read and I could have honestly, read pages more just about Tali and Khine travelling and seeing and experiencing new places.

The world in this series is so rich and vibrant, and I feel like I could paint all the cities and villages (that is if I could actually paint …) and the political machinations, the different parties with their own hidden agendas … it was phenomenal. There are just so many small details that paint such a clear picture of how the different regions they come from affect their personalities, their way of thinking …

[…| the best thing he could do at the moment was humiliate me. It was a chilling thought. But the joke was on him. His Zarojo propriety didn’t understand Jinsein pride.


The book is, just like its predecessor, a character-driven story but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a engaging strong plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat, glued to the pages and unable to stop reading. The character arc and the plot go seamlessly hand in hand. Without one we wouldn’t really get the full potential of the other. The Ikessar Falcon has a lot of introspective scenes where Tali has to find out who she is and who Queen Talyien is. And who is Yeshin’s daughter. How can she be all of them?
But there is also so much action happening. Tali (and the reader) never has a dull moment, never can truly relax because the next catastrophe is just waiting around the corner.

Mistakes pile on top of each other, decisions made long ago throw their shadows and people who shouldn’t have control over current events are still the puppeteers with the strings in their hands. Difficult decisions have to be made and honestly, most of the times there is no good option. Just different paths going straight for the next mistake. I loved witnessing Tali’s reasons for what she does and what influences her.


Recommend for …

Everyone. Again, I can’t tell you how much I love this book.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a plot-driven or character-driven reader, you will find what you’re looking for in this series. The world is vast and intricate, with lot’s of political warfare, backstabbing and betrayals. Tali has so many expectations from everyone around her and everyone is judging her every step. She has to be perfect and no one is ready to forgive her mistakes while they do exactly what they are criticising her for.

The characters are all so real, complex and flawed. They all have their own unique way of looking at the world and their own aspirations and agendas that clash with each other.

And I can’t wait for the next book!!

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by publisher and Caffeine Book Tours as part of the blog tour in exchange for an honest review. I’d like to thank Shealea @ShutUpShealea and Orbit Books for this opportunity!

The absolute first thing that I noticed as soon as I started reading The Ikessar Falcon was the tenor of the protagonist’s narration. The whole narration had a certain emotion that I could feel that tucked into every corner and in all the situations that further unfolded.

To say I was shocked by that emotion was an understatement. I had never seen Queen Talyien, Yeshin’s Bitch Pup, Queen of Oren-Yaro anything but filled with rage and wild purpose, however as I kept reading everything started to make sense and at one point, I was exactly the kind of bone tired with everything as Tali was. The growth and changes we see in Tali is fantastic and there’s just so much that you can feel for her character and I’m including the moments that you are troubled by her decisions and those you’re proud of.

This book is gigantic and I was freaking out because I knew a lot was going to happen and I was scared because I didn’t want a lot to happen *blows into tissue*. The plot for TIF like The Wolf of Oren-Yaro is character-driven with a strong story as its backbone, and with every line that the author has penned down, there is just a wonderful amalgamation of the plot with its character’s arc. They go hand in hand and the book never lets up, never lets you face a dull moment and always keeps you guessing.

As someone who is such a big fan of romance, I always wondered why I loved Tali’s story as I do as I wouldn’t categorise her story as romance at all and then I realised something. This book (and the previous book) is swamped with emotions. They tug and pull and draw you in. And there is love. So very many forms of it. Love for a friend, love for a child, a mother, a sister, a cousin. Every single way that love could manifest, K.S Villoso has allowed it to do so in her writing.

The supporting characters as always are such a large part of the book and Khine is forever in my heart the most soothing character to read a scene about. He provides all the moments of comfort or comedy that you need. He asks difficult questions and he and his strange charming ways are such an integral part of what I’ve come to expect from Tali’s story. He is perhaps wise in a way that even Tali comes to address in this book. Now, Agos. I think Agos always has and still does incite this strange mix of feelings and they often render you unsure where to place him. However, his undying devotion and strength makes you feel like you can always rely on him. Prince Rai … to be honest, I would love to see his perspective of things because there are somethings about him that come to light that I would’ve loved to watch unfold. Yes, apparently I’m a masochist.

A very very happy reading. Five very very impressed, heart-felt stars. Don’t forget to drop by all the other blog stops as well! Stay safe! ❤

Talyien aren dar Orenar! This woman can’t catch a break. She is still haunted by her father’s words and legacy. The pressure to be like her father, who is a ruthless warlord, is higher than ever. It doesn’t help that the other Warlords are questioning her ability to rule her kingdom and just waiting for her to make mistakes. Not to mention that she still needs to return back home especially now that her son is in great danger. She is still the same brave and strong bitch queen but I felt like I got to know her deeply. I appreciated her character even more. Her journey, though not always pleasant, helps her to get to know more about herself, her people, and the different issues they have that she’s not aware of. One of my favorite characters was Nor and this book cemented my admiration for her. It was also great to learn more about Khine. I still would like to punch Rayyel and Agos. Seriously!

This sequel didn’t disappoint. After reading the first book, I thought I was ready for whatever action or tension the sequel has in store for me. But I was wrong. The Ikessar Falcon was more intense, action-packed, and definitely shocking! There were still some scenes that were a bit too slow for me but other than that, I thought the writing was incredible. Just like in the first book, the world building continued to amaze me. We finally get to see more of the world that was mentioned in the first book including their people and their distinct culture. We also learn more about the magic system and meet some magical creatures throughout the story. I would also like to mention how thankful I was that a recap of what happened in The Wolf of Oren-Yaro is included in this book.

Talyien embodies fierceness. She represents not only Filipino women but women in general. She is complex and flawed which made her character felt so real. I admired her determination and unconditional love. I have already mentioned my thoughts about this on my review of The Wolf of Oren-Yaro so feel free to check it here.

This book has left me wanting for more! I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for an epic fantasy novel inspired by Southeast Asian culture with intricate characters and beautiful writing. I can’t wait for the next book!

Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher and Caffeine Book Tours via NetGalley as part of my participation in the #DethroneTheDragonlord tour. This did not affect my overall opinion of the book.

Content Warnings: Violence, (graphic) threats of rape, gore, suicide, murder, grief, body horror,

Sometimes you go into a book knowing your general levels of stress and wonder are going to be elevated. And sometimes, despite your best attempts at preparation, you are still thrown for a loop at every turn; awe, hurt feelings, and frustrations running wild. This was my experience with THE IKESSAR FALCON, an incredible continuance in the Chronicle of the Bitch Queen series.
Picking up soon after the events of THE WOLF OF OREN-YARO, THE IKESSAR FALCON sees Tali reckon with the position she has found herself in, and with the very few options she has moving forward. Still away from home, her legacy being attacked from all sides, and with her son’s life under threat, Tali embarks on an exapansive journey, introducing us to new parts of her world, to be the Bitch Queen she was always made to be, in the name of survival.
So much of what I enjoyed from THE WOLF OF OREN-YARO is held on to in this story. The writing style is still filled with wit and humour, and is capable of producing clear imagery. The world is still a bit of a mess being run by greedy, messy people who could care less about those who don’t elevate their power. Tali is still being put through the ringer. A nice addition to that is that the other characters are put through it as well, which hurts my feelings but also makes me feel better that Tali is less alone in all of it. All we are introduced to in this story builds on the lore and worldbuilding that we already know, increasing the stakes and complicating the playing field.
The story follows a quick pace packed with action, deceit, lore, complex relationships, and a smattering of dragons. Villoso once again does an excellent job of balancing exciting fight scenes, tense political interactions, and softer personal moments. I experienced multiple moments of pure frustration at all the obstacles our cast of characters had to face, accompanied with admiration at the ways they consistently managed to overcome them. Layered with acts of revenge, betrayal, desperation, devotion, and fear, this series continues to cement itself as a personal favourite.
While the first book spent time revealing the shortcomings of Tali’s teachings and rule, THE IKESSAR FALCON sees her struggle with the decision of who she wants to be – the queen she wants to be, outside of the weight of her father’s legacy, and the expectations of the warlords. Tali spends a lot of time facing her past and dealing with the outcome of every decision made during and before her rule, by her and her predecessors. The time for hesitation and unwavering trust has passed. No longer relying on the safety and loyalty her titile should have granted her, Tali charges into every situation head on, with more confidence, trying her best to make the right choice, the smart choice.
I will probably take the time to create a separate post so I can truly delve into the personal relationships of this series, but I will say I am continuously floored by how well Villoso portrays messy relationships between hurt people who ultimately put aside their feelings for the greater good yet are also slightly oblivious to how greatly that impacts their choices and actions, and as a result the people and situations surrounding them. The balance of messy characters doing their best and expansive world building in this series is what gives it a special place in my heart. That and the fact that the established villain had a grand total of ~5% page time and still managed to put me on edge throughout the entire story.

I was so enraptured by the events of this story, that I wanted to drag it out forever to fully be able to wrap my head around all that happened. It continues to set up what is sure to be a thrilling, and stressful, conclusion. I am excited to see the path Tali chooses to ensure the survival of her loved ones, to see the carnage that is encroaching ever close to the nation of Jin-Sayeng. I mentioned in my review of THE WOLF OF OREN-YARO that reading the story felt like a swift kick to the teeth, and THE IKESSAR FALCON is no different. I was left feeling just as battered and bruised as the characters and yet, I cannot help but impatiently wait for more.

Absolutely breathtaking. The tension, the intricacy, the intimacy, all make for a lot of tears and frustration and late nights promising myself one more chapter. K.S. Villoso has outdone herself by following Tali on her journey as she not only questions everything she has ever known as well as faces some of her deepest flaws.

Between the complex political situations she's in, as well as the more delicate personal relationships she has, watching Tali gave me strength but also made me want to shut the book for a second if only to give her (me) a second to breathe.

The transition from the first to the second was seamless, and Talyien's story is more than one of a mother trying to get back to her son. She deals with trying to protect the future of her son, facing the ghosts of her (and her father's) past, all while trying to change and confront who she is now.

The Ikessar Falcon is the second book in K.S. Villoso's Filipino-inspired Epic Fantasy series, "Chronicles of the Bitch Queen". I really liked the first book in this series, with its fascinating heroine, torn between what others - including her dead father - expect of her and her duties and lost in a part of the world she is unfamiliar with, and was really excited to see what was going to happen next. As I noted in my prior review, I believe this series was first self-published, but Orbit picked it up for republishing, and it was through Orbit that I managed to snag an early copy to review.

And well, The Ikessar Falcon is a damn hard book to review. On one hand, our protagonist, Talyien, remains fascinating in how she's developed from book 1, and the world expands in many many ways as she and her few allies return home from the city of the first book, dealing with threats new and old. On the other hand, I'd hoped that she would be able to make a "breakthrough" and take a stand for the idea of her having her own personal wants in this book, which uhhhh doesn't really happen, letting a real asshole of a character mostly off the hook. This is very much a story in transition here, and it's a LONG one, the longest book I've read all year, which only makes it all a bit more frustrating.

NOTE: This book comes with a few page long "The Story So Far" summary of book 1, to make it easier to jump right in without having to reread the first novel. I cannot tell you how much I appreciated that.


-----------------------------------------------Plot Summary-------------------------------------------------------

Talyien of Oren-Yaro, Bitch Queen of Jin-Sayeng, is stuck in the Empire, far from her home - where disloyal warlords may be making a power play at this very moment. Even worse, while she remains stuck in the City behind a blockade, her husband Rayyel has threatened to find a way home and to kill her son Thanh - should magic prove Thanh to be the son of another man. Desperate to get back to protect her son, Talyien, her two remaining retainers and Khine - former medical student turned conman - know they will need to take desperate steps and forge a dangerous alliance to track down Rayyel and protect her son.

But the situation in Jin-Sayeng is even more perilous than Talyien could have imagined. In addition to the threat of a made Zarojo Prince, Jin-Sayeng is once again on the verge of war, as the squabbling warlords have taken advantage of Talyien's absence to consolidate their grips on power, even when it would violate taboo. Thanh himself remains in a castle with members of her husband's traitorous clan all around him and they have every reason to hate her blood. And even worse than all that is a magical threat Talyien could never have imagined, which threatens to destroy it all while the humans of her people are busy killing each other.....

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For the second straight novel, this novel is told from some point in the future, a point that this book again never reaches. It's a weird choice that leads to some initial confusion, but mostly is easy to ignore as Talyien's narration is really strong. The book is split into three parts, with the first part featuring Talyien and crew's escape from the Empire back into her country and the final two parts feature Talyien struggling to deal with what she finds in her own country.

As such, this book is very much expanding upon the world, introducing us to elements that we've previously only seen in Talyien's head - the different factions of Jin-Sayeng, the belief in the merits or blasphemy of magic and how that magic works, magical creatures, etc. It's a massive expansion of a world which we previously could only imagine, limited to the city for the most part in the Empire, and it really works damn well, although I had trouble telling different warlords apart until they were introduced. It's a fascinating world filled with threats and possibilities, and it made me want more - and didn't even make me upset when it became clear how much would be unresolved by the novel's end.

Of course, the focus of this story remains upon Talyien, and there things are a bit more frustrating. In the first novel, Talyien was an overly trusting ruler despite the vicious warlords she had to deal with at home, unable to understand the backstabbing and unfriendliness in the Empire between ordinary people of different classes. Moreover, she carried guilt over her one act of unfaithfulness which drove Rayyel away, a man who she more or less forces herself to believe she loves - despite the fact that he was even more unfaithful. And she found herself discovering more truths about her dead father, the man who molded her into what she was, that turned her stomach. The first novel used her unfamiliarity with the Empire and city life to deal with themes like imperialism, class issues, and discrimination based upon gender and some of that is still here, although we lose a lot of the issues with Imperialism as we leave the Empire.

But the events of the first novel changed Talyien and she's not nearly the same person she was there - no longer so easily trusting, and now extremely cynical about it all. With her father's legacy now in question - with the very likely possibility that he sold her life to a monster in betrayal of his supposed ideals - she clings even more tightly to the idea of duty and image. So while she knows how hypocritical it is for her to feel guilted by her husband for her infidelity when he had affairs FIRST, she can't get over how her doing so jeopardized her claim on the Empire and thus gives in to his framing of the whole situation as HER fault. She refuses to deal with the two other men in her group, both of whom clearly have feelings for her, and the feelings she might have for the two of them - particularly Khine. If you - like myself - were hoping she'd assert her own wants and desires in this book, you'll be disappointed, instead she insists for the entirety of this book of trying to pretend she can't have any that exist outside maintaining the appearances she needs as the Queen she believes she has to be....even as all of that is stripped from her.

The result is frustrating at times, with it making me want to scream at Talyien repeatedly for the path she insists upon taking. If this book was shorter it'd probably be less of an issue but it's honestly with it being so long, I wanted a reversal that never comes. And mind you despite that, it DOES work to carry the plot, even as Talyien keeps getting herself in one bad situation after another (and the # of times in the plot she finds herself captured is high enough to start a drinking game over). And the new characters and situations met continue to keep the story steeped in themes of class and gender, so it's not like we're dealing with less serious subjects here. And while I haven't mentioned them here, I really like the other characters we deal with here and how they all interact, from the old ones like Khine Aggo and Nor to new ones like the specific warlords and rulers with their own agendas and beliefs on their minds.

In short, The Ikessar Falcon is a second novel that perhaps drops a level from the first book, with a strong expansion of the world but frustrating character development for such a long book. I still very much long forward to the trilogy's conclusion in the Spring of next year, to see how it ends, and hope Talyean can find a way to live in happiness without the legacy of her father or rules of her title to weigh her down any longer.