He Who Drowned the World is the final book in the Radiant Emperor duology. This was a truly epic conclusion to this story. I'm fascinated by the way Chan uses gender and sexuality. Most of the characters are morally ambiguous in the best possible way. Zhu and general Ouyang are such compelling characters. This book is a difficult but rewarding journey.

I could not recommend the audiobook version more highly. Natalie Naudus is one of my favorite narrators.

He Who Drowned the World is the second book in the Radiant Emperor.

I am going to be completely honest: I really did not like She Who Became the Sun and I know most of you are wondering: “Kayla why did you read this book of you did not like the first book?!” Well, the answer is because I saw a ton of potential in She Who Became the Sun and I was curious on what would happen in this book. But the main reason is because I wanted to see if I would end up liking this series.

Obviously I did not enjoy this book and can say with certainty that this series was not for me which does bum me out since so many people love She Who Became the Sun and I felt like I was an anomaly that did not.

First of all I think Shelley has a great imagination of creating this world and these characters. I think because of those elements make a lot of people love the books.

For me the execution feels off and I spend most of my time feeling bored due to the writing feeling really dry. I found it to be more telling than showing. I felt it was hard to connect with the characters and felt their connections to have no chemistry. When I looked up my 2021 review of She Who Became the Sun I cited that I felt like the romantic relationships were forced and to lack chemistry. So I stand by this for this book two years later. I do say in that review that I was bored most of the time which is something I did say up above.

Even though this book was not for me I can definitely say this will appeal to many people with the political intrigue. I think some people will and do view these characters differently than me and that’s okay because reading is subjective and we will all enjoy or not enjoy things differently. Did I wish this book/series was for me? Yes, yes I do and I love that this is a reimagining and is queer but ultimately this was not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley, Tor, and Macmillan Audio for the eARC/ALC. This is an honest review. The audiobook was exceptional. I would highly recommend it. Great narration.

"He Who Drowned the World" by Shelley Parker-Chan, the sequel and conclusion to "She Who Became the Sun," delves deeper into a world of imperial ambitions and incredibly ruthless desire for power.

The narrative continues to unfold around Zhu, the Radiant King, who hungers not only for victory but also for the throne in order to change the world. Yet, she's not the sole contender in this battle of power. To outmaneuver her opponents, Zhu forges an unlikely alliance with the enigmatic eunuch general Ouyang, while other contenders circle with their own places in place. I adored the interactions between these two in particular. The characters, while broken and often completely reprehensible, possess a certain allure that manage to captivate readers as strongly as in the first novel. The pacing is relentless, hurtling the narrative forward with action. The complex relationships and intricate machinations of these morally ambiguous characters create a compellingly dark atmosphere. Zhu, with her sly humor, acceptance of her true self, and love for Ma stands out amidst the cast of characters.

As the series concludes, "He Who Drowned the World" leaves an indelible mark with its dark complexity, unapologetically flawed characters, and an exploration of the insatiable desire for power. The series dives deep into the psychological abyss of ambition and its consequences, resulting in an ending that is both fitting and satisfying.

3.5 rounded up.

A sweeping, queer retelling of the Great Khan saga that's full of romance, intrigue, betrayal and adventure as warring factions compete to rule. A solid follow up to the award-winning She who became the sun. I love the diversity of characters in this series, with excellent trans and disability rep!! This was really well done on audio narrated by my fav Natalie Naudus but I admit it was hard to follow at times with the alternating POVs and large cast of characters. Definitely a time commitment worth making and something unlike anything you've read before!! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital and audio copies in exchange for my honest review!!

Wow, what a great follow up to She Who Became the Sun! I am obsessed with this duology by Shelley Parker-Chan. I didn't know the second book was coming out so I was so excited when it popped up on NetGalley. For those that don't know, this is book #2 and while there is a very brief summary of the key events from book 1 at the beginning, it's only enough to serve as a reminder to those who read book 1. I don't recommend reading this book without first reading She Who Became the Sun.

The world is so dark, cruel, and unfair but it makes for a great read. I see comparisons to Circe and Song of Achilles but to me this is more similar to something like Game of Thrones or The Poppy War. It is about the fight for the empire and it is heavy on war and politics (without showing too many details of the battles, which I really appreciate).

Sex/gender, identity, fate, and force of will continue to be key themes of the series. The characters are well thought out and developed. Ma continues to be a favorite but I also found myself rooting for the villains and antiheros because their POVs were compelling.

Huge shout out to Natalie Naudus, the audiobook narrator. She brings this story to life. She is great at dong different voices and accents. She is now a must read-narrator for me. I was going back and forth between this and an ARC of the Starling House audiobook and I had to look up the narrators because I thought the voices were so familiar. Turns out they are one and the same!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing access to an ARC of this audiobook!

Genre: historical fantasy
China, 1356

Picking up where the events of She Who Became the Sun left off at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, He Who Drowned the World witnesses Zhu Yuanzhang, styling herself the Radiant King, grappling for power and facing her obstacles with sheer determination of will. She believes in her own destiny, the Mandate of Heaven to become Emperor, and will stop at nothing, not even death.

Stunning, powerful, and impressive. Those words can be used to describe every POV character in the book or the whole of the itself. There is an underlying strength to the force of the narrative, as all of the characters grapple with fate.

Shelley Parker-Chan utilizes sex and gender as commentaries on power through their duology. Zhu, born a girl but from a young age taking over her brother’s destiny and becoming a monk and then a general and a king, lives as a man but utilizes her female body when that serves her purpose. General Ouyang is the eunuch general, rising to power in spite of popular opinion that eunuchs belong as servants in the women’s quarters. Wang Baoxiang, calling himself Prince of Henan, in search of his own power, seduces Third Prince, son of the Great Khanh. Madame Zhang, wife of the Emperor, uses her body to trade for warriors, weapons, and power. It’s war and intrigue, passion - both inflamed and detached - on the driving road to establish a new Empire.

The fantasy in this duology is a light touch: the Mandate of Heaven and the ghosts that follow the main characters are as much religion as they are magic to them. The Radiant Emperor Duology is deeply researched with rich worldbuilding, fully transporting the reader to the late Yuan Dynasty, to the end of the reign of the Khans. It’s character-driven in its intrigue, and slower moving despite the intensity of some of the battle scenes.

Emily Woo Zeller narrates the duology. I’ve always enjoyed her narrations, often seeking out books she’s narrated. I first read She Who Became the Sun when it came out, and was glad to take the time to re-listen before embarking on He Who Drowned the World. (There is a short synopsis at the beginning to re-position the reader to the major threads of political and military power, but not a fully summary.)

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the Arc and the chance to honestly review this amazing book!

Forewarning that this is not a teen or YA book by any means so please look for the trigger warnings please! Rape, torture, self harm, miscarriage.

The complexity and detail of the characters are phenomenal! I really enjoy multiple POVs so this helped me devour book by getting into the minds of these characters! You feel you are right in the middle of the battler or part a heart wrenching betrayal. This book keeps you on the edge!

This was such a fantastic conclusion to one of my favourite fantasy debuts, She Who Became the Sun. I loved the first book so much and I am happy to report that the quality of storytelling, character development and setting are just as strong in the finale.

Written a duology, this is a tight narrative without the usual middle book syndrome issues. This second book continues to draw on history with new and familiar faces being pulled into the story.

I really loved the ending. I surprised myself by getting emotional. I'm not sure the ending is the most unexpected but I was really happy with this conclusion.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me this Advanced Listening Copy via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review!

I appreciated the book starting with the brief history textbook-style recap of book 1! We pick up where She Who Became the Sun left off. This low-magic historical fantasy follows a number of individuals who are vying for power in Yuan dynasty China.

Protagonist Zhu Chongba propelled SWBtS, as readers followed her pursuit of fate and greatness. He Who Drowned the World has a very different feel. While Zhu remains the main character, HWDtW spends less time with Zhu and divides its time with three other main POVs. Safety is scarce, and power is precarious.

He Who Drowned the World is definitely heavier and darker than its predecessor. Do not expect romance or happiness from this book! While the four main characters jockey for power, they inflict brutality on each other and anyone else standing in their way. Ultimately, they make self-destructive choices and sacrifices in their bids for survival and victory. (CW/TW: violent deaths/murders, sexual assault, miscarriage, loss, etc. Even outside of dubious/assault situations, sex in this book is not healthy or positive. It’s important to how this grim world works, transactions of power, and the characters' journeys and development. It’s not described graphically but still may be disturbing and at the very least adds to the mounting dreariness and trauma of the overarching narrative.) I highly recommend you consider the content/trigger warnings and whether you are in the right headspace before you read the book!

The character arcs and their exploration on complex themes is masterful. There is fate, both the societally dictated and the self-determined. There is will—a character seizing agency and pursuing a mission, but to what end? Then the book delves into identity, gender roles, and honor. All four of the main characters experience societal disadvantages, ostracism, and internal conflict (including but not limited to dysphoria). It’s fascinating how these characters have parallel journeys and similar struggles, yet their differing personalities and choices result in very different outcomes.

It was not particularly a pleasant reading experience though. Besides the heavy plot and thematic elements, the book was not structured in clean acts or arcs but was episodic. I am also not sure what author Shelley Parker-Chan was trying to say with the resolution of the book—or maybe I just did not agree with the tone employed? Overall, I think this was an excellently crafted character-driven book and well worth a read.

AUDIO: Natalie Naudus knocks it out of the ballpark with the narration! It was easy to follow what was happening. Good diction and pacing. I was able to comprehend and keep it on 2.5x and 3x the entire time.

I liked the first book better. The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I just did not connect with the story. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****