Thank you, thank you, thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for letting me read this incredible sequel a couple months early. I have been excitedly waiting for the sequel to She Who Became the Sun since I first finished reading the book--especially because I didn't realize it wasn't a stand-alone when I first read the ARC of that one about two years ago. When I saw the sequel was coming soon, I started to telling people I recommended the book to that the sequel would be out soon, so if they wanted to try an interesting "genderqueer historical fiction set in Mongol-ruled China with fantastical elements" it would be a great time to do so because they wouldn't have to wait long for the sequel. I also ran to NetGalley to get my hands on an advanced copy.

Now, I'll admit, it took me a bit to get it into this one, but a lot of that has to do with the fact that it's been so long since I read the first one. After struggling to even get through the first chapter for a bit, I eventually found a summary of She Who Became the Sun, and once I read that and had a refresh on who all the characters were and what had happened in the plot before, I was ready to go. Once I started to get into the book, it didn't take me long to remember why I'd loved the first one. The characters are all so deliciously complicated. It wasn't odd for me to find myself rooting for a character and wanting them to fail a page later. Zhu, Ouyang, Baoxiang, and Lady Zhang are all trying to carve a place for themselves out of the world, to build a future that they can feel comfortable imagining. And the thing is, I want them to be able to have those futures--I want Zhu to create this bright new world; I want Ouyang to avenge his family; I want Baoxiang to find peace; I want Lady Zhang to find happiness--but I don't like the things they do in order to achieve these ends. It makes me nauseous, it makes me sad, and it's just too raw and real. In short, the characters make me feel a little insane, and I love it.

If you enjoyed She Who Became the Sun, you definitely need to read the sequel. If you haven't picked up the first book yet because the sequel wasn't out and you weren't sure if the duology as a whole would be worth the time, I can assure you they are. In fact, if Shelley Parker-Chan ever decided to continue this world and write more about what comes after He Who Drowned the World, I would not be opposed.

1000/10 Thank you tor books and NetGalley for the ARC. This book dares to answer the question: what if Game of Thrones was a billion times more queer and doesn’t suck at the end? Absolutely loved this sequel. Beautifully written with perfect pacing. It’s been a while since I stayed up super late not wanting to put a book down but this was it.

Note, there are a lot of content warnings with this one including but not limited to: self-harm, rape, domestic violence, existing 600 years before SSRIs were invented

Unbeknownst to the southerners, a new contender is even closer to the throne. The scorned scholar Wang Baoxiang has maneuvered his way into the capital, and his lethal court games threaten to bring the empire to its knees. For Baoxiang also desires revenge: to become the most degenerate Great Khan in history—and in so doing, make a mockery of every value his Mongol warrior family loved more than him.

In the sequel to She Who Became the Sun, Zhu Yuanzhang is celebrating beating the Mongols, but she wants more. She desires to become emperor. However, there are other players who also desire the throne that might be stronger than Zhu.

This is one that you definitely need to read the first book to understand! However, fans of the first book are sure to love this one!

This one is really explosive and unexpected. Lots of great character building and interaction. Glad for the duology format.

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for the eARC (as well as the physical ARC) of He Who Drowned the World in exchange for my honest review.

This was one of my most anticipated reads this year after reading the first book last year and being absolutely destroyed by it. I fully can’t describe how much the Radiant King duology means to me. He Who Drowned the World is a much darker companion and I highly recommend checking out trigger warnings before reading (Shelley has them listed on their Goodreads account or you can DM me!!).

While She Who Became the Sun (SWBTS) was a story of desire and how one’s world can be shaped by the sheer will of those willing to do what it takes to achieve their means, He Who Drowned the World (HWDTW) was a story of suffering, especially at the hands of those previous desires. Once again this book like its companion, shows the harsh realities of war and violence against oneself and others. Yet, the world is crafted in such a way that you are drawn to it, almost like our characters.

This has some of the best written prose I have ever had the pleasure of consuming. It’s dark, beautiful, and unforgiving. Just when you think things are taking a turn for the better, something horrible happens. It’s immersive, I even felt sick to my stomach at times with just how much suffering our characters go through.

This story truly shows how people who were always destined to lose in their world, took their destiny and changed it by their own force. Our main characters don’t subscribe to any specific gender norms and have on page revelations as they move through their lives.

HWDTW is a worthy follow-up and finisher to this series. One of the things I love most about duologies is that it cuts out the unnecessary slump that trilogies often suffer from. This book was a knife to the throat from the get-go and I feel really lucky that I was able to read this early. To end the review, I’ll leave you with my favorite quote:

“I claim my place…and if the pattern of the world refuses to let that place exist, I will change it”.

Sequels tend to be rather disapointing or just plainly mediocre. But that did not happen with this book; dare I say I liked it more than "She Who Became The Sun". Since it had to with war, especially its most cruelest parts, it was hard to read at times, especially to see the outcome of some of the characters and how their decisions have specific outcomes.

Character-wise, we are spectators of their growth and their development, for better or for worse. Zhu was probably the character who changed the most, which is natural since they are the MC, but at times I questioned their decisions. Just because they wanted to fullfill their destiny, which is completely understandable, given their tragic past, but at times I thought that they didn't even think of the repercussions of their arctions. On the ohter hand, even though they made calculated decisions, they most of the times hurt others loyal to them. Nonetheless, they weren't overwhelmed by grief when it engulfed them; instead they pushed through, like a true leader.

My second favorite character, for whom I had mixed feelings for in the fisrt book, was definitely Ouyang. After Esen's death, he was completely distraught, and as it is mentioned in the book "Since Esens's death there was never a moment without pain". He's second-guessing his past actions, something that it's defintely a new side of him, since we saw him being sure of himself. He comes closer to Zhu, becomes their ally, and then he feels betrayed by them. And I was devastated seeing his end, because General Ouyang deserved better.

I could literally talk about hours for this book, but in general, thank you Shelley Parker-Chan for the trauma. Definitely read it, the publication date is on August 22! Thank you NeGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Brutal, bloodthirsty and absolutely brilliant !
Zhu might have started out with nothing but she’s come a long way not only to have something but to be someone and now she faces her greatest challenge but she knows she cannot do it alone. Zhu does make hard decisions but trust me those around her are frequently capable of vile, treacherous acts that will sicken even the hardest stomach.
The plot is an epic one , full of vile characters, perversions and just downright awful people capable of terrible deeds in order to stamp on others less fortunate. Yet it’s amazing how the author grips her audience because honestly it’s a story that just pulled me in. Greed, political machinations, power hungry characters all feature but it’s the sheer depravity that shocks and as crazy as this sounds it’s compelling and absolutely fascinating.
Yet ironically it’s the characters that just rise up in the readers mind demanding attention. Ok I admit Zhu is our “heroic” protagonist but even she is morally ambiguous but pit her against a twisted heartbroken brother (or two!) or set her a seemingly impossible challenge and she just comes through . A society that definitely needs a shake up , a story of love lost and sometimes willingly thrown away but most of all a story I will not forget .
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

Truly a masterpiece of a duology. The plot and characters made the story move fast and kept me on my toes. The pain each character felt rationalized their actions and made for great character depth and character interaction. If you had any doubts don’t and read this book.

I was physically incapable of putting this one down. I was mad when I had to do other stuff besides read it. This is an absolutely stunning follow-up to its predecessor, but you definitely have to be in the right mindset to read it - there is so! much! pain! That's what the entire book is about - pain, and what it does to people. But such a satisfying ending for almost everyone (except for Ouyang, no spoilers but OH OUCH MY HEART!!! MY ACTUAL HEART).

Shelley Parker-Chan utterly knocks it out of the park with this phenomenal sequel to 'He Who Became the Sun'. This fantastic queer fantasy historical book takes the themes, ideas and characters of the first book and somehow brings them to an even richer, deeper place. I'm beyond excited for more people to have the chance to pick this book up.
I will suggest to readers that they look up content warnings for the story before reading, like many similar books depicting times of warfare there may be scenes that are upsetting to some readers in particular the attitudes of men towards women. This is definitely something treated as a bad thing by the text but assess your own comfort level before reading.
My favourite aspect of this story was the exploration of gender. Those who have read book one will know it doesn't shy away from the nuances and complexities of the gender spectrum and this book is no different. In this instance I appreciated seeing more characters grappling with the rigidity of the societal construct and it was fascinating to draw parallels between characters that I wouldn't have considered particularly similar to one another. I now have to go back and reread book one to see if those similarities were there beforehand too.
I cannot comment on the more historical aspects of this story as I do not know this period well enough but, like book one, this book did make me want to learn more about the period which is always a sign of a good historical (inspired) book to me.
The complication of a history-based story is that it never feels like it ends - because history of course does not actually have clear delineations of when things start and end - so I found myself entirely ready for another book despite the fact that this is a duology. I personally don't see that as a negative, always leave them wanting more, but some who prefer a strong sense of closure may want to bear that in mind.
Overall I would not only recommend this book to those who enjoyed book one, I would also use the fact that it is just as exceptional as book one to persuade all those who have yet to get to 'She Who Became the Sun' to pop off to the bookshop and grab themselves a copy today!
My rating: 4 stars
I received a free digital review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

This was a much darker read than book one. It meant I took a bit longer to read it as I had to pause at times. Still incredibly well written and four stars.

This was an excellent follow-up to She Who Became the Sun. I wish I had been able to read them back-to-back, but I did not re-read the first book before starting this one. Nevertheless, I feel like this book refreshed me well enough on the important events of the first book. We pick back up with our characters who are seeking their destinies, all of whom are seemingly willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it. As a reader I continually and naively hoped that the characters wouldn't do the supposedly necessary things that they had committed to, but I knew that of course they were going to. The conflicts were weighty, the tragedies were heart-rending, and the ending of the duology was fitting and satisfying.

She Who Became The Sun is one of my favorite books ever. It was a delightful surprise so I'm very happy that the second installment in the duology is equally fantastic. All the stars!

Wow. I'm not even sure where to begin. I am a huge fan of She Who Became the Sun and had no idea if the sequel could live up to it. It does. Building on the dramatic, historical story of the first book, He Who Drowned the World is an incredibly compelling sequel that should not be missed. This story is filled with a wide range of characters, all with different motivations, gender identities, backgrounds, and desires. Having such a wide range of characters helps make the story feel incredibly real and compelling. Somehow Shelley Parker-Chan manages to weave together a vast array of stories that, without spoiling anything, all tie together in the end. I would highly recommend He Who Drowned the World to anyone who enjoyed the first book. It is a unique, and often dark, take on history that has a good blend of interesting characters and a highly compelling plot. Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Publishing for providing me with an ARC.

I really loved She Who Became the Sun, but He Who Drowned the World manages to outpace the first novel with an expanded POV cast, a tighter emotional core, and all the politicking and genderqueer dynamics that made the first novel so unique. This novel MOVES! Whether it's from one battle to the next, the conquering of a territory, or the heart-wrenching betrayal, Parker-Chan never lets up on the throttle. I suppose that's the nice thing about a duology: you can cut the fat on the middle book of a trilogy.

Zhu, Ouyang, and Wang Baoxiang all return with a few added characters to round out the cast from the first novel. Where new characters are added, their perspectives may seem at first to be at a remove from the rest of the goings-on, but rest assured that they're all neatly tied together towards the novel's end. There were many twists and turns throughout the story, but what made them land so effectively was the bleeding heart at the centre of each betrayal. Parker-Chan writes the internal emotional states of the characters with real resonance, even if it does dovetail into melodrama that's a touch too rich for me at times.

Here too is the rich and nuanced portrayal of gender fluidity, sexuality, and identity. As a cis-gendered white man I'm not the best person to say that a novel is representative, but what I appreciate here is the lived experience of the characters who struggle with social norms, expectations, and still manage to thrive or despair depending on the character. Zhu in particular manages to inhabit a world that is neither entirely male or female and succeed in part because of that distinction. I read most often to see a world and internal world that isn't my own, to broaden my horizons. In that sense, the novel succeeds immensely, but to someone struggling with their identity I think that this type of book will resonate.

Though I'm sad to see the end of this series, I'm totally on-board for whatever comes next from Parker-Chan. I exchanged a few messages with the author (so cool!) while reading the novel and I'm excited to see what they do with a a story that doesn't feel so bleak. With that said, while the novel is quite dark, it ends on a high and inspirational note. If you know your history, you already know where the story will end, but the journey is well worth the experience.

Thanks to Tor Books and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this novel.

I must first start by thanking NetGalley as well as Tor books for my eArc in exchange for my honest review.
Mesmerizing! Full of conflict, drive, and sacrifice. Though I enjoyed the first book more, I cannot wait to get to the conclusion. A wonderful epic story that is worth every page you read.

It is with heavy heart that I write this: He Who Drowned the World did just not live up to expectations set by She Who Became the Sun. This was a good book, to be sure, but it never quite reached the heights of the first. Call it second book syndrome, if you will, although perhaps this only applies to me. Perhaps everyone else will have an entirely different experience. Who can say.

First of all, I would like to say that I really appreciate that this book opens with a reminder of what happened in She Who Became the Sun. In broad strokes, of course, but enough for me to dust off my memory of it after two and a half years. More books should do this! It helps so much!

I will do my best to be non-spoilery in this review, and hopefully that’ll be quite simple, because a lot of what I have to say I can say in reasonably vague terms. Let me start with this: I did really like this book still. Despite my brain’s best efforts (wtf brain), I enjoyed it! I didn’t love it quite to the extent that I did the first book, for reasons which I might briefly theorise on, but I still enjoyed reading it.

As before, the characters are compelling. Mostly, the POV characters are a mess, with perhaps Zhu the only one who you might say has her shit together, and this is probably what makes them so fascinating to read about. I want to put them under a microscope and examine them deeply. In terms of their arcs though, I would have to admit that Baoxiang’s was the only one which I was truly interested in. Zhu’s arc I found a little boring, to be frank, and mostly it seemed aimed at keeping her away from the capital before the rest of the plot had been laid out (this could be cynical of me, I know). Ouyang’s was not that much more interesting, tethered for the most part as it was to Zhu’s. Baoxiang was, for the bulk of the book, what kept me reading (this sounds harsh but. Yeah). His dynamic with the Third Prince was probably the highlight. My theory for all of this was that I found Esen and Ouyang the most compelling part of the first book so, without Esen, what am I left with? That and the fact that Zhu and Ma really do not get much time together in this. Ma herself barely features, which disappoints me greatly.

So let me talk about the plot progression for a bit. As I said, Baoxiang’s is what kept me reading. Zhu’s, in contrast, seemed to be a plotline that was simply there to flesh out the book at points. I don’t know if this is what happened with the real life Zhu Yuanzhang, but it kind of bogged the book down at points and there were several times I thought that the sole reason for an event was simply to stop Zhu reaching the capital too early since, at that point, the book would have been over. On top of that, it felt as though a certain character had a lot of power and it wasn’t entirely clear when they got it. Even more so, it’s not clear why other characters decided to tether themselves to this character, since they hadn’t exactly had power of their own up until the start of the book. And neither did they seem to be particularly good at talking others into believing in them. But, I suppose, I might suspend my disbelief a little here. Perhaps I am nitpicking overly.

I can’t shake the feeling that, if I had been able to read this one immediately after the first, a lot of the emotional beats would have hit more. Not that I was unmoved by the end of part two, but it did feel like this was the emotional crescendo when the plot itself hadn’t yet finished. As such, the final part of the book, instead of being a build up to an explosive ending, was a bit drab and overly extended.

However, as I said, I’m probably nitpicking here. Undoubtedly, people who loved She Who Became the Sun will love this one just as much. It’s fascinating historical fiction, with a compelling cast, and I can’t wait to see what Shelley Parker-Chan has to offer next.

Zhu's relentless drive has taken her from starving waif to mighty warlord, but not even an army, a supportive wife, and the Mandate of Heaven are enough to make her emperor of China when the competition is so fierce. Madam Zhang has the economic clout to elevate even her oafish husband. Scholarly Wang Baoxiang is so ruthlessly cunning he doesn't even need an army. The wildcard is Ouyang, who just wants to kill the current Great Khan. All of them weave endless plots and commit appalling atrocities in their quest for power. Absolutely brutal but riveting.

Okay, I love when duologies have two very different books. I enjoyed She Who Became the Sun but was not particularly surprised or impressed by it, but He Who Drowned the World is decidedly delightful.

This one has so many more moving pieces, politicking and backstabbing, with many of the schemes being pretty genius and bizarre. I assume it’s because Parker-Chan didn’t have to spend time on world-building and building up their huge cast of characters, so they were able to immediately launch into the story. The three big factions gunning for the throne are Madam Zhang, Wang Baoxiang, and Zhu Yuanzhang. The reader is set up to root for Zhu, but Madam Zhang and Baoxiang are so compelling and complex that it’s difficult to remember that you’re supposed to hope for them to fail. What’s especially good about He Who Drowns the World is that each faction is using a totally different strategy: Zhu has her armies, Baoxiang has his ledgers and economics, and Madam Zhang has her little men to manipulate. Part of my personal conflict was that I love to see the economics play out and wanted that strategy to be the winning one, but also love Zhu (or really, Zhu’s wife)... 

The only problem I had was that given how many moving pieces & characters there are, it was quite difficult to remember all the plot threads going into the second book. I read a lot of sequels with a year plus gap from the original, but I don’t think that’s really possible with this one. 

Thank you for the ARC!