having loved the predecessor to this novel i approached this with sky-high expectations and maybe that was my bad cause this much awaited follow up is a pale imitation of she who became the sun.

Reviewing books I thought I reviewed a long time ago

He who drowned the world was not AS good as she who became the sun, but still a solid novel. I feel like it got bogged down in the multiple plot lines sometimes, and I found it hard to get as into it as SWBTS. That being said, I still enjoyed it and found the authors writing and world building great.

4.75/5 stars

An incredible conclusion to this gruesome, heartbreaking story of resilience, determination, and revenge against all odds (especially when the odds are definitely *not* in your favor).

This sequel hit all of the best notes in character development and continuation of the plot. The interpersonal relationships grew significantly and the action scenes where even better (and more gruesome) than the first book. I really enjoyed adding more POVs and really getting into the heads of our main characters.

The "mandate of heaven" was still not super well explained, which I think was probably intentional. Also Shelley did us dirty with the deaths in this one, and I'll leave it at that.

I am a broken husk of a person.

The twists. The turns. The epicness of this book.

What a sophomore novel. What a masterpiece. Literally in awe right now.

A great finish to this duology. It caused me to go through such a range of emotions while I was reading it! I'm definitely going to keep my eye out on what this author publishes next.

4.5 stars — the characters and the insistent tide of cruelty that swept through the whole book were very compelling. SO much happened, though, and i think a consequence of that was that things burned out a little in the last hundred pages or so.

This was an incredible follow up to She Who Became the Sun. I didn't know how I would feel encountering the complex and morally-questionable characters of SWBTS again, but I missed them more than I thought I would. He Who Drowned the World is especially interesting in how it forces these unlikely allies together against their enemies, who do not consider either Zhu or Ouyang alone as threats.

This was an action packed ride, full of conniving strategy, political maneuvering and winning wars with smarts as well as strength. As in her debut, Parker-Chan does such a beautiful job of linking queerness and otherness in society, by using motifs such as ghosts and things not of this world. This duology was a stand out and I'd highly recommend it.

i started ‘she who became the sun’ very early in the year. i was in love and enchanted by the rich historical world and vast reimagining of a time that defined how the world functions as we know it - whilst offering a fantastical element interweaved within.

primarily, i adored the gorgeous writing and worldbuilding. it read quite slowly and for a while, felt like i was pulling myself through it but for a story so fiercely political i knew this would be the case. i knew within the first 50 pages that i wanted to tab this book as much as humanly possible. each line was poetry. with fantastic discussions on gender and identity and masquerading as yourself in a place you’d be shunned to do so. it’s complex, entirely.

the sequel disappointed me slightly but not entirely. i think for this kind of book, the ending each character received didn’t come as a surprise for me. but it did sort of feel like a betrayal to take well shaped characters and make them behave in completely different ways. but, i also believed the authors intention in doing so resounded in how history can never be boiled down to moral ethics of today. there is no justice and no honour and the ending you get is just that, the end.

i wished for more from an ending. but wishing for more is a privilege characters like zhu, ouyang and ma don’t always get to ask for. i enjoyed it! it was just as rich with imagery and adventure and tantalising heartbreaking scenes but there was room for deeper analysis and situations. there was room for this series to be shaped entirely differently.

i loved the subtle magic, i loved the characters, i loved the writing style and writing and this book was gorgeous for that alone. the ending could’ve used work, but when you love the first book So Much, you come in to the sequel with a few preconceptions which i acknowledged.

overall, i loved adventuring with zhu and ouyang again (even if i only gave this book 4.5🌟 instead of 5🌟 like the first! a still really really good rating. i love this duology and would strongly recommend it regardless <3)

I fell in love with the first book of the Radiant Emperor duology, and pounced on He Who Drowned the World as soon as I could. These are thick books, filled with myth and history, and politics--and they wrap you up and carry you with them where ever they go. This book is somehow even more intense that She Who Became the Sun, Parker-Chan has already lured us into this brutal and tender world, and now there is nothing holding back in love or war. If SWBS was an undertow, HWDW is a rip-tide.

Let's get things straight, the writing is really good. I really loved that. I really wanted to read this one after She Who Became the Sun, but I'm just not sure these books are for me. I couldn't really connect with the story.

If you liked She Who Became the Sun, I definitely recommend this one though!

We love a character who knows they don't want to be great. They want to be the greatest. He Who Drowned the World is about ambition and power. About reaching to the stars. There were so many scenes here which have this resonance. One of my favorite is when one of the characters remark that the insults headed their way are ones the attacked always assume will hurt because it would hurt them. About these old wounds, He Who Drowned the World is about the lines of alliances and bargains made, compromises won.

Let me just start by answering the question that’s on everyone’s mind: “Does this second book, does this series conclusion, stick the landing?” Yes, it abso-fucking-lutely does.

“Epic historical fantasy” truly is the best descriptor for this duology. By the time you get to the end of each book, you feel like you’ve lived entire lifetimes with these characters, but there’s these incredibly distinctive, unforgettable adventures and gambits that very clearly punctuate those large swaths of time. I feel like for some people, lengthy epic historical fantasy might be a hard sell, but both of the books in this duology feel incredibly accessible. They’re very grounded in these incredibly human needs and ambitions. You always know what the characters want, what they’re feeling, what they’re trying to accomplish, and there’s never a moment where you’re not completely on edge. Even in the quieter moments, there’s always something happening beneath the surface.

I think in this book, especially, there are so many different camps now vying for power, vying for the throne. There’s so much at stake for everyone involved, and even the smallest choices that all of those players make result in a complete reshuffling of the board. What really makes this series resonate for me is the fact that power in this story is never simply just power. It’s not just about political power, it’s not about fame or riches or palaces. It’s about how power means different things to the different characters, whether that’s revenge, agency, visibility, justice, or respect.

Zhu remains an incredibly compelling character to follow. She has this unwavering belief in herself and her destiny. But what really endears you to this character who might otherwise be read as power-hungry is the fact that the power she’s fighting for is so much bigger than the throne. She is fighting for the power to remake the world into one where people like her can exist, where people can decide who they want to be for themselves.

And while I described her belief in herself as “unwavering” before, I think what’s interesting about this second book is that she's actually questioning herself. Zhu—and all the other players—are having to ask themselves how far they’re willing to go, how much they’re willing to sacrifice, how many people they’re willing to hurt in order to get what they want. And if they get what they want, will the price they paid have been worth it?

There’s action, epic battles, subterfuge and deception, unlikely allies, political and interpersonal drama at the absolute highest level imaginable, but it’s also an in-depth exploration of the difference between obligation and free will, and how belief can only be as strong as the actions and choices that uphold it.

There’s so much I want to say about this book, and I know I’m not doing it justice. It is difficult to read at times—definitely a lot of self-harm, so please tread carefully with that—but the pay-off is so much greater than I could have hoped for. This was, without a question, five stars.

He Who Drowned the World was everything I wanted it to be and so much more, I couldn't hope for a greater conclusion to the series. Thank you so much for Shelley Parker-Chan for that story.

I honestly wasn't the biggest fan of the first book, SHE WHO BECAME THE SUN (just not a personal fan of military fiction in general) but this sequel totally caught me off guard. After struggling to get into the first half, I found myself being sucked into the personal dramas and tragedies of the characters. A really compelling sophomore novel, which is hard to pull off, especially in the context of a duology. Amazing character work and culmination of arcs and themes as well!

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop. fyi this is a sequel

YIKES

It took me forever to finish this book. It's a brutal read. I mean, the first book dealt with some hardcore stuff, but this blows that out of the water. This was rough. It's very different in tone to She Who Became [..], but it was still riveting. If you follow history, you'll probably go into this book knowing how it will end, but I hadn't, so I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, Tor Books, for the chance to read this amazing book in exchange of an honest review,

Zhu Yuanzhang is now the Radiant King and after tearing southern China from the Mongols she wants to seize the throne and crown herself emperor. She's not the only ambitious one, though. In the south, madam Zhang wants the throne for her husband and she's strong enough to beat Zhu. To keep fighting, Zhu decides to risk an unlikely alliance with the talented eununch general, Ouyang, who has sacrificed enough in order to get a chance to avenge his father's killer, the Great Khan. Unknown to them there's a third contender to the throne, the scorned scholar Wang Baoxiang and with his lethal court games not only he wants to bring the empire to its knees, but become the most degenerate Great Khan in history, making a mockery of the Mongolian traditions, in order to get revenge on his family, who valued them more than him.
All three of them are willing to do anything in order to achieve their fates and destinies, but the price could be too much to bear for someone.

He who drowned the world is the brilliant sequel of She who become the sun, a powerful and fierce debut of war and destiny, set in an alternate China. The sequel is, if even possible, even better than the first book. The story is wonderfully twisted and complex, filled with many characters and POVs and, even though Zhu stands out with her cunning, intellingence and fierceness, Ouyang is my second favourite and it's almost impossible not to cheer for Wang Baoxiang too. These characters are complex, filled with rage and humilations, pains and revenge, determined to do anything in order to achieve what they desire and want, in order to follow their fate and they won't let anyone stop them.
It's a crash between titans, between powerful forces, like Madam Zhang, set in an ever expanding world, China, between wars, subterfuges, kidnappings, intense moments, violence and losses.
It's an incredible book. A bit slowed down by descriptions, but if you loved She who became the sun you will love this one too.

This an excellent sequel to ‘She Who Became the Sun’, the queer fantasy retelling of the establishment of the Ming dynasty. As with the earlier book, the writing is strong, the characters have been deeply developed and the historical events well researched.

Zhu Yuanzhang has become the Radiant King but is now intent on becoming emperor. However, there are several other cast members plotting to become the Great Khan. To reach her goal Zhu must convince her old enemy, the eunuch General Ouyang to combine his army with hers to defeat the powerful Madame Zhang in the south and a hidden contender who has also been plotting quietly in the shadows.

There is a lot of brutality, as well as rape in the novel (not surprisingly given the people and era of history) and many dark deeds as Zhu cleverly plots her way to outsmart all who oppose her. I did find this a slower book to read than its predecessor. It’s quite a plot dense novel with many threads woven together to eventually coalesce into the brutal climax. While there was still both humour and fantasy elements in the novel, it lacked some of the romance and lightness of the previous book. Those who enjoyed the history, great writing and flawed characters of the previous book should enjoy it and those who haven’t read that should definitely read it first to get the full background behind this.

It took me forever to read this one especially compared to She Who Became the Sun. I don't know if it was because I read the two too close together or I just personally did not like this one as much.

We return to the genderbent Retelling of the first emporer of the Ming Dynasty. While I wanted to follow Zhu from start to finish to see what crazy antics she gets up to, the story was bogged down by Baoxiang's POV.

There is a time and place for court politics and while there were moments I liked, it was stretched out too long resulting in a personal disconnect from the narrative. Overall, yes, it adds to the story but at what cost. There was a narrative imbalance.

Thank you Tor and Shelley Parker-Chan for giving me the chance to read this ARC in exchange for a fair review.

He Who Drowned The World is intense, beautiful, and tragic in every way. A new bar has been set for me with all future historical fantasy books I read, and I hope Shelley knows that they have permanently altered my brain chemistry through their writing.

The book matches the momentum of the first novel, with gorgeous writing and absolutely guttural scenes. You could literally feel the ghosts from the previous books between the lines, watching the story unfold. Overall, just seeing how ambition can push, drive, and destroy some of the characters made for some of the most heart-wrenching and soul destroying scenes I had ever read, and I loved every second of it.

As a transmasc reader, I’ve been absolutely FLOORED by the rich and multifaceted depictions of gender queerness – especially with broken, disturbed, and messed up characters. Both books explored gender in such moving ways, and each has given me new insight and vocabulary on my own gender identity, and lead to some fantastic introspection for me personally.

The ending left me so empty and broken (as intended), to a point where I have convinced my roommate to also read the series just so I am not alone in my suffering. Reading this duology has been an EXPERIENCE, and turns out nothing feels better than having your heart torn out and stomped on. Thank you, Shelley!