First off - the cover art is beautiful, absolutely eye catching.

Okay - no for an honest review. After the previous books this one fell flat - which sometimes, honestly happens in series. It lost steam. Lost traction. Dragged on and was repetitive to a fault. I enjoyed the series as a whole and for that had difficulty rating this below a three star despite being disappointed in this book.

So in the end my review is that the series is worth reading, just know the conclusive book is a bit boring and flat.

This is the third book in The Drowning Empire Trilogy. I thought it finished up the series very well. This trilogy was very different from others I have read incorporating different elements that I haven't seen before. I would definitely recommend this series if you're looking for something different and you like fantasy.

A nice conclusion to the series. I wasn't expecting the time jump, and it threw me for a loop, but so many questions were finally answered, and it was the payoff I had been expecting. I did find myself having to look back at the previous book, because there were certain things I just couldn't remember. I really enjoyed the consistent cliffhangers, because I never got bored reading! I also found that several characters came "full circle", which to me, means you've done your due diligence as an author completing a series.

I was eagerly anticipating this one and it just did not live up to that. I loved the first two books but this one had me scratching my head from the beginning. It picked up the story in a place that didn't really make sense and just rambled and was generally confusing. It felt like it had lost all the momentum that Andrea Steward had built in the first two novels. I tried and tried to get into it but eventually gave it up.

I didn't really enjoy the narration either. It was all right, but not my favorite. The characters did have unique voices.

*Thanks to Orbit for providing an early copy for review.

This is one of my favorite fantasy series, ever, and the finale did not disappoint. I will be thinking about this story and these characters forever.

4/5 stars.

I'm so glad I finished this series. Andrea Stewart created a fantasy series with unique characters each with their own flaws and weaknesses. Lin, slow to trust anyone including herself. Jovis, a smuggler, a liar and a hero. Phalue, initially unwilling to challenge her beliefs grew into the partner that Ranami needed. Ranami, the new leader that the Empire needs. There are so many other fantastic supporting characters as well, and certainly not least of which includes Thrana and Mephi. I loved how the intrigue and mystery surrounding the Alanga and their companions was unwound slowly as Lin discovered more and more. There was never a massive info dump where we knew everything all of sudden.

If you're on the hunt for a completed trilogy with multiple magic systems, unique companion creatures, and characters that make mistakes and learn from them then I highly recommend the Drowning Empire.

The Bone Shard War by Andrea Stewart also closes out a trilogy (the Drowning Empire) about explotation and the cost of change, and especially grapples with the question of who ends up on top when said explotative system is overthrown. It is also, deliciously, about earnest but silly youths in love, who are being kept apart and even forced into betrayals! At this end of The Drowning Empire, the brutally high cost of bone shard magic isn't as viscerally present, and that feels like a bit of a loss despite the emergence of new magics and the rediscovery of how this world functions, and (relatedly) what those cute animal companions that the main characters picked up have been about this whole time. While it has its ups and downs, this is a cool trilogy by an author I hope to see even better things from in future.

For readers who crave epic fantasy adventures with complex characters, morally nuanced themes, and a richly detailed world, The Bone Shard War by Andrea Stewart is a intriguing conclusion to a beloved trilogy that will sweep you up in its action-packed, magic-laced tale of love, loyalty, and the struggle for a better world.

All I can say about this trilogy is: PERFECTION.

It’s rare when a third installment can exceed its predecessors.

But The Bone Shard War does just that!

I loved The Bone Shard War. It was the perfect end to this series. I'm sad to see it end, but I felt Stewart did a great job with this last book in the series.

I was worried this book was going to rip my heart out. And it did a bit, but not in the ways I was truly worried it would. Anyway, it is an excellent end to a truly wonderful series and I highly recommend this whole trilogy to anyone who loves fantasy books. Well played, Andrea Stewart, well played.

First, it is imperative that you read his fantasy trilogy in order. You must read book 1, The Bone Shard Daughter before moving onto book 2 and finally, this, book 3.

Second, I spent 3 months reading this in small spurts. Not because it was long or difficult but because I wanted to savour every minute left in this world and with these characters. I loved almost all our characters, but especially Jarvis. His sweet disposition, along with unique moral sense, and intense connection with his familiar (Mephi!!) were so endearing in a leading man. He might be a rogue smuggler; but in the end he is just a man in love who’s trying to navigate impossible circumstances with unbelievable power in his hands (literally!).

Third, and most important is that this ending is amazing!!! The majority of the time my biggest complaint about epic fantasy is the ending. Yet, that was not the case here! Andrea Stewart has built a truly unique world, with a fascinating magical system, included realistic characters, and put them all into situations that challenge them (and the reader) to really think about what is right and wrong, how many shades of grey there are; and just how much of our lives is led by fate, destiny, karma, or whatever you want to call it.

This is one of the best fantasy trilogies I have read in the last few years. If you are a big fantasy reader, a fan of female fantasy writers like Robin Hobb or Lois McMaster Bujold then this world is for you. As is worthy of my high regard this full trilogy now has a place of honour on my print bookshelf (where space is very limited and only the best are elevated to).

Thank you Ms Stewart for giving me a trilogy I love to think back on and will look forward to rereading in the future.

I love this world and these characters and Stewart’s ability to write action, however this was a pretty frustrating read overall. The pacing was off compared to the first 2 books in this trilogy as there was very little forward progression with the plot for the vast majority of the book. I think had this been about 100 pages shorter the pacing would have felt needed to maintain the tension between characters but it was far too prolonged.
I did however like the overall ending of the story, and the characters are some of my favorites so a little slower of a pace was not enough to stop me from loving this trilogy as a whole. Mephi was by far my favorite and i thoroughly enjoyed their youthful spirit and development throughout this series.

With a super unique magic system, great world building, and really interesting characters this will continue to be a series I recommend to anyone looking to read accessible fantasy with an engaging plot and great dialogue.

2⭐️

As someone who eagerly anticipated this book, I must admit I was left disappointed. Having thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in the trilogy, I had high hopes for the conclusion.

However, this third installment fell short of my expectations. The plot felt lacking, and the characters seemed to lose some of their depth. Instead of building upon the rich world and engaging storylines established in the earlier books, this one felt like a letdown. It took me a year to figure out how to actually rate this book because it pains me to give it two stars.

Sadly, after finishing this book I was left only with a reading slump and depression!

thank you so much to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for the eARC.

If I’d read this book five years ago, it would probably have been a five-star read instead of 3.5 (rounded up).

As it is, the 600+, repetitive, kind of boring finales have tried my patience. Every series seems to become bloated by the third book and can comfortably have 1/3 of the book cut out without ruining anything.

Worldbuilding was top notch, multiple POVs were interesting, and overall, a pretty good finale. Albeit, a bloated one.

I liked this sequel to Bone Shard Emperor, probably even more than the first book. It continued to develop the characters in a way that a lot of sequels don't, as they assume you already know enough to continue with the story while putting the actual people on the back burner. But this felt like more of a personal story than most fantasy books, so I appreciated that as someone who connects to characters specifically as I read.

I would like to thank the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for the ARC of this book. I read an advanced copy of this book, so the final edition of the book might be slightly different. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

I was terrified of this book when I started it. This series has been brutal up until now, and the ending of The Bone Shard Emperor did not leave me incredibly hopeful. And honestly, in a way, I was right to be scared! This book was full of a lot of pain and hard decisions and heartbreaking scenes.

The empire was truly crumbling throughout this book, despite Lin’s best efforts to keep it together. It was honestly tough to watch, as the inside perspective through Lin’s narration often made me more sympathetic to her goals and her desire to see the Empire flourish and survive, despite it becoming clearer and clearer that it was near impossible. I honestly really enjoyed how much we got to see all sides of the conflict, and it made this series really interesting to read just on a political level.

While at points this book dragged on a bit and felt a bit slow compared to the other books in the series, I did still enjoy it overall. It was tough to read (or listen to) at times, especially seeing how much pain many of the characters were in, and how in turn they often hurt other characters because of it. One thing I did miss a bit in this final installment was the further exploration of the world and its secrets. We did still have a few final reveals, but it did feel like this final book was mainly focused on exploring the ramifications of everything that had happened in the first two books and wrapping up all the plot threads. It did make for a satisfying and complete conclusion, but it made certain sections of the book a bit less thrilling or exciting.

Lastly, I have to commend the narrators of this trilogy. Natalie Naudus, Feodor CHin, and Emily Woo Zeller were fantastic at bringing this series to life, and a big reason I love this series as much as I do. They brought so much emotion and life and vibrancy to their respective characters, and really made each character stand out. They felt like real people to me, thanks to the fantastic blend that these narrators and Stewart’s writing made.

Overall, while the first book does solidly remain my favorite of the series, I found that The Bone Shard War was a solid conclusion to a trilogy full of twists and turns. I really enjoyed this series overall, and can’t wait to see what Andrea Stewart writes next!

This review will go live on my blog on February 8th.

What a great end to a fascinating and engaging trilogy. I can't begin to gush enough about how much I loved this book. The twists and turns were gripping. With such an interesting plot and unique forms of magic and characters you want to root for!

I really liked how this series started but I cared less and less as the story continued. By the 3rd book it was repetitive, boring, and I just didn't care about any of the characters or their outcomes any longer. There was only one really good twist and it felt like an "ah-ha" moment that faded quickly behind the monotony of the battles. I think this story would have been served better as duology or as shorter books.

This is Andrea Stewart's first series, given how much I liked The Bone Shard Daughter I look forward to how her writing improves in the future.

An excellent conclusion to the Drowning Empire series. The mystery that was built up throughout the story was brilliantly resolved, and every character had a satisfying ending despite some bittersweet moments. The way the different narrators were woven together was particularly impressive, making each character unique and three-dimensional.