Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

Please note that if you don’t have clear memories of who the characters are (beyond the main, like, six from book one), it will take you quite a while to get your bearings.

This was a fitting end to the series. Our main characters are separated but working towards a common goal (against very different odds), so jumping between them kept the momentum going. Unfortunately, because there’s something like 5 main plots to tie up, the antagonists have to wear many hats, which make them seem kind of flighty and inconsistent. (I also really wish I remembered the backstory of one of them because without it their every action lost any semblance of impact; this is a me problem but also had a big effect on my reading experience).

After his kind of blah role in the second book, Jovis really carried the character development in this book. Lin was rather implacable, but that’s in character for her. And Phalue has much more depth than she had at the start of this journey.

The Bone Shard War is the third and final installment in the Drowning Empire series and continues the story of Lin, Jovis and Mephi et al. There are considerable shenanigans going on at this point, so I won't get into detail and spoil it for anyone.

I really enjoyed the way that the story unfolded. There was all kinds of new information about the ossalen and what they are and how they relate to people having magical powers, and the world itself.

Just like the two previous volumes this volume was really really hard to put down. I ended up reading it in just a couple of days, even despite everything that was going on in my life. That says a lot, believe it or not! I'm definitely going to read more of Andrea Stewart's work in the future because I really enjoyed this series. More more more please!

I thought it was very, very well put together, well-written and unique.

I loved Bone Shard Daughter for it's magic system, cool characters, and magical companions. Unfortunately for me, this last one took a turn away from all that into more politics and romance. I wasn't a huge fan of this focus shift and the romance felt forced to me. i will try more from this author, but not a win for me in the end.

I was surprised when I started this book and realized that Andrea Stewart had moved forward in her characters' lives two years. At first I was a little concerned, but I soon began to see the benefit of the time jump, in that the Empire had had two years in which more problems cropped up, and our main characters are all in different or worse circumstances:

Lin Sukai's Empire is teetering. The governors are not opening defying her, but the whitstone shortage is inflaming tensions, and to stave off open defiance and treason, she makes certain deals, while also searching for information in legends about seven white swords, which are powerful, and may help her keep the Alanga at bay. Thrana continues to support Lin's efforts, while growing larger.

Jovis has fallen in with former associates, and is causing pain and damage wherever he goes, no matter how hard he tries to prevent it, as Mephi is held hostage against him. Mephi also is growing bigger.

Phalue is convinced by Lin to help her in her search for the swords, even while desperate to return home to Ranami and their adopted daughter Ayesh.

The Alanga are actively plotting and working against the Empire, with Nisong joining forces with Ragan. Both are intent on killing her, but their end goals are somewhat divergent, hinting at difficulties to come between them.

The Shardless Few are rebelling, and Ranami, alone with Ayesh, must keep her island together, despite former allies seeing her as a traitor and working to take things apart.

This was a terrific end to an outstanding series. I was captivated and totally invested in each character's situation. I was desperately hoping they would all somehow find a way out of their problems, while also cooling down tempers and dealing with the drowning islands and political strife. And they do, but there is so much intrigue, hope, action, violence, betrayal, regret and longing along the way to the deeply satisfying conclusion.

I felt rewarded by the author for going on the journey with all her characters in this wonderfully conceived world. Also, I loved that even with the trilogy's wrap-up, there were things still left for all the characters to do to continue to build on their solutions and successes, as there would be in real life.

I loved this huge, fascinating trilogy, and I am eager to read whatever Andrea Stewart writes next.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Orbit Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

I really love this series. I think I’ve read them all as arc, and I have the Goldsboro hard copies. While this was a somewhat sad ending, I think it ended well. It was slow at times due to everything coming together from everyone’s stories, but I enjoyed it. I liked the characters and how things developed. Good book, great series.

(3/5 stars) Good fantasy novel, though the time jump at the beginning was a bit jarring and it takes a while to get into (feels repetitive). Great for readers who like political intrigue and fantasy (e.g., City of Brass).

I found this trilogy a series of diminishing returns...started off really good and gradually declined as the series continued. I was happy to no longer have the love triangle that was being hinted at in the second book, but things seemed to be tied up just a bit too neatly in the end. I think the book could use another once over on editing as there are some things that seemed be be inconsistent in parts with the sizes of the Ossalen. Also- me being persnickety- HORNS are NOT the same as bone! Horns are made of keratin like fingernails and hair. ANTLERS are made of bone.

I enjoyed this book and I could not put it down. I really enjoyed the characters and the writing was really well done. It made you want to keep reading.

This was the most satisfying ending to a trilogy that I have ever read. I was kept on the edge of my seat the entire time and just couldn't put the book down. I love the way the characters' stories were concluded, with all the surprises at the end. I cannot wait to see what Stewart works on next!

The Bone Shard War is so good, but also so bleak. Overall, it's an extremely satisfying and well done conclusion to the trilogy, but I'm taking off a star based on how distressed I was for the first 1/2 to 2/3 of the story.

After book 2, I was a little concerned with how the finale would handle the topic of imperialism and rulers based on blood right/inheritance, but pleased to report that I thought the author handled it well, if not always subtly. Most, if not all, of the open questions from earlier in the series are answered, characters grew and changed and tried their best, and the animal companions remain A++. As with the earlier books, the primary romance is the least interesting part, but it's also somewhat of a background note, which honestly I welcomed.

I'd definitely recommend this trilogy to anyone interested in a well developed, pan-Asian influenced world with nuanced characters, where actions and motives are never black and white, there are few actual villains, a unique magic system(s), an exploration of imperial rule and whether an emperor can truly deserve to be emperor, and the best animal companions in recent memory.

4.5 starts.

Thank you Negalley and Publisher, for the ARC.

This was a long one, but I loved it! This story will always be one of my favorites. I hope the author intends to write more set in the same world.

I'd recommend this series to anyone looking for a fun Adult Fantasy to read.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy of The Bone Shard War. I adore this series, and as a close to it I was shocked and astounded. The work put into this beautiful story was worth every second and page turn.

I came into this book out of order, so I wasn't quite sure if I would need to go back and start from the beginning. However, I was not lost and enjoyed every word. My only regret is that is that it took me so long to get around to reading it.

This was a great conclusion to the trilogy! In anticipation to read this, I reread the entire series and I enjoyed it much more the second time than I did originally. Personally, I think knowing the major plot twists from the books, but specifically the first book, made my reading experience better. It was easier for me to understand the world and how the magic system works, which I definitely had a hard time with the first time around. Everything I loved about this book would be a spoiler so I'm not going to share much, but Andrea Stewart's writing is really good! She makes the characters feel so real and I can completely understand where they're all coming from and why they're making the decisions that they are. I ended up reading this whole 600+ page book (and 20 hour audiobook) in one day because I simply didn't want to stop.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC!!

I was so excited to receive this ARC as I fell in LOVE with "The Bone Shard Daughter". In total candor, these books require a lot of intricate world building, as well as breaking down the magic of engraving bone shards. It is not a story for the faint of heart, and is most definitely a slow burn. However, there were characters that really helped to drive the momentum of the story. Most definitely on the top is Jovis and Mephi. Throughout "The Bone Shard Emperor", the introduction of Ragan as well as the continued unveiling of Nisong's vengence/determination helps to keep the reader engaged as we're taken deeper into the history of the Sukai dynasty.

There are two main takeaways from this series. "The Drowning Empire" trilogy is a much NEEDED branch of fantasy. We are finally seeing new cultures and diversification within the genre and it could not have come at a better time. However, the trilogy is a somewhat taxing read and more drawn out than it needs to be. The final installation is the trilogy reads as if the author was trying very hard to honor the history of the myth and forgets that current generations get bored with 6 second videos much less a 624 page book in a 1712 page series.

Overall, if you're up for the challenge, it is definitely worthwhile.

A fantastic conclusion to the trilogy that kept me enthralled with an upbeat tempo while simultaneously pulling at my heartstrings with complex characters, relationships and of course politics. Andrea Stewart did it again, and I’m glad I was here for the ride. I can’t see what she does next.
The word war in the title was not used lightly as the battles began in the very first chapters and do not let up. Amid the tumult on the endless sea, we see our beloved narrators question themselves, their morals, their relationship and their motives again and again. There are no clear cut answers nor even to the reader who looks upon all this from the outside. Jovis, my own favorite character, keeps this light with his witty remarks and jokes despite going through the most heartbreaking experiences I’ve ver and over again. I was especially bored with Ranami so her comeback towards the end felt very satisfying and well deserved for her character. Finally while I enjoyed this oeuvre very very much, I think the imagery of war and its effects on laymen could have been better captured if there were a few chapters that had POVs from the common people. Besides this perfect from beginning to crescendo to closing. Thanks for letting me read this <3

This was the PERFECT final book in this trilogy - epic yet so personal in all the right characters. Every reader grew to love Lin, Jovis and all the wonderful protagonists, but it takes a special kind of writer to write the kind of despicable yet relatable antagonists like in this series. Will absolutely be reading whatever the author writes next!

The Bone Shard War is about endings and it delivers for the most part. While a fairly good book, this one suffers for being the one after book two, which I thought was amazing. It was not as exciting as the second book with the buildup to the final battle for the empire somewhat lacking in comparison to the events of book two. Lin, who has been my favorite character throughout the trilogy, seems to have been relegated to a supporting character, and there is not much interaction between her and Jovis. I was disappointed but can see why this was the case. Mephi and Thrana, however, continue to be my favorite sidekicks. The Drowning Empire will continue to be a trilogy I tout for its worldbuilding and animal sidekicks even if it ends on a somewhat bittersweet note.

Loved the first two books in this series, this one somehow I found less compelling. I think one issue for me was the fact that the two romantic leads were separated throughout most of the book, after their on-page chemistry and banter had been such a highlight. The side characters are wonderful too, but they were separated from each other as well — maybe that was just too much? It felt like the momentum of the first two books was suddenly cut in half. I did like the resolution of the various narrative threads, but I was less invested in the journey to that resolution than I had been before. Still a fun series that I would definitely recommend, and I’ll still read more of whatever Andrea Stewart writes next!
Thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing an ebook arc for review.