Solid follow up to The Desert Prince. We get the conclusion from some of the cliff hangers from the previous book, but also have more to look forward to in this series.

Really loved the development of Darin's character this book and him really coming into his own as a power house.

Okay, now that the first book laid the groundwork for the new story after a lot of infodumping and "as you know" character conversations, I’m extremely pleased with book two. The two points of view from the first book are back here, with Olive Paper working her way through her own identity issues and stepping out from behind her family’s legacy and Darin Bales coming to terms with his own weaknesses and working to overcome them. It was great seeing them come together as unique characters and not just existing by merit of being the children of great people.

Really no complaints about this one, it hits all the same high notes from the first series with a new cast of characters that tackles things their own way. Olive Paper was far and away my favorite viewpoint of the two here, but I also enjoyed Darin’s interactions with his friends and how he leverages the powers he struggles to control in taking care of those around him.

Can’t wait for the next book!

I lost my kindle and couldn't redownload it. Sorry!
I lost my kindle and couldn't redownload it. Sorry!
I lost my kindle and couldn't redownload it. Sorry!
I lost my kindle and couldn't redownload it. Sorry!

Peter V. Brett's "The Hidden Queen" is a mesmerizing continuation of his enthralling saga that captures the essence of fantasy at its finest. As a lover of the genre, I can confidently say this series stands out as a well-written tale. The seamless blend of characters, diverse realms, potent magic, and intense human drama creates a narrative that is simply perfect.

One of the things I truly appreciate about Brett's writing is his ability to maintain a steady, uninterrupted flow of storytelling. Unlike some fantasy authors, he never loses sight of the main thread of the story, which I find refreshing. While some may feel the plot races through character-centric moments, I believe it's a testament to Brett's focus on the main narrative. Yes, there were moments where I wished for more drawn-out tension, but the overall pacing kept me on the edge of my seat. This book is a solid continuation of the series, though I can see how some might feel a bit too easily mollified by the resolutions of character dilemmas.

The characters in Brett's world are undeniably compelling, drawing readers into their dilemmas with great drama and emotional depth. Personally, I found Olive Paper's journey and the LGBTQ representation to be particularly well-written and impactful. The trio of Darin Bales, Olive Paper, and Selen Cutter continues to navigate a world filled with choices and challenges, all against the backdrop of Brett's richly crafted universe.

"The Hidden Queen" takes readers on a journey through vividly described landscapes, from Everam's Bounty to Fort Angiers and beyond, each place shaped by its own history and forces. While I struggled a bit with the pacing in the middle, once the story hits its stride, it becomes an exhilarating ride. The final sections of the book are filled with breathtaking scenes, from terrifying creatures to epic battles and unexpected betrayals, all underscored by Brett's masterful use of magic.

In conclusion, Peter V. Brett's "The Hidden Queen" is a captivating addition to his trilogy, offering a richly detailed world, compelling characters, and a plot that keeps readers hungry for more. As someone who loves this world deeply, I can confidently say that Brett continues to impress with his storytelling prowess. I eagerly await the next installment, knowing it will be another thrilling chapter in this epic saga.

Thanks to Netgalley and Del Ray for the opportunity to read an ARC.

I remember reading The Warded Man back in 2011/2012-- and every time I come back to this world, it brings me back to life over a decade ago. So much has changed in my life since I started reading Peter V Brett's books, and it's fun reading this new series because so much has happened in the world of The Warded Man.

This is book 2 of the Nightfall Series. It's SUPER important to read the first 5 books in this world (The Demon Cycle) and the first book in this new series. Brett does a great job of catching us up to the story within the first few chapters, likely because it takes a few years to get each book and as a reader, we need the reminder for what's going on. While it's a pro to have that world-building in the beginning, the beginning of the story was slow and it took me a long time to get reacquainted with characters and want to follow their stories again.

On a weird note, I do not like ANY of the characters in either series. Normally, that would completely turn me off the series-- but these books are so well-written, and the world is so interesting, it doesn't matter if I don't like the characters. I HAVE to know what happens next. This book ends in a cliffhanger (but not as bad as the cliffhanger from book 4 of The Demon Cycle!)- but still worth the read now, instead of waiting.

Published March 05, 2024-- thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing-Ballantine for an e-arc copy of this book. Always a fan of Peter V Brett and love the progress that this series continues to make. Eagerly awaiting book 3!

Peter V. Brett continues his latest trilogy that tells how the children of his previous tales fight against the same magical monsters that come from the core. The corelings are like bees and are created by a single queen. That queen was destroyed in previous books but now Olive Paper and Darin Bales have to rescue their parents and stop the birth of The Hidden Queen (hard from Del Rey).Exciting , but at least one more book to come

3.5/5
Thanks to Del Rey Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

My first experience with this world was with The Desert Prince and The Hidden Queen continues the journey of Darin Bales, Olive Paper and Selen Cutter. Once again, the world building is absolutely one of the strong points, as the trio leave Fort Krasia to begin the journey home and face all the choices before them. The descriptions of Everam's Bounty, Fort Angiers as well as Safehold and Anoch Dahl really make you feel each place and how they have been shaped over time, by both positive and negative forces. As with the first book, the LGBTQ rep in this story is so fantastic and Olive's continued journey to be seen as they wish regardless of their position in society is so well written. There are challenges that each of the trio must face as they decide how best to go after their missing family members and defeat Alagai Kai. I struggled quite a bit through a good portion of the story as it just felt like it took forever to finally get to the meat of the story. I just had a hard time getting as swept up in this book as compared to the first. That may just be me, once the decisions were made and the search began in earnest, the story took off. The final part of the story had so many fantastic scenes with terrifying creatures, huge fight scenes, surprising betrayals and lots of fantastic magic.

My thanks to Random House Publishing, Peter V. Brett and Netgalley.
This is a stinking non-review!
I'm mad as hell that I was not into this book. Truth is that I love, love and again...yes, it's annoying, but? I love this series.
Unfortunately, I've not been able to get into this second book of the second series.
Honestly though? It's not because I'm not interested, it's because I really am just caught up in my own shit! Olive and Darrin have my heart. This damn series just about owns me!
No lies here, I finally have up on this book at around 60%. I finally realized that I wasn't getting the sheer enjoyment that I should have. I also knew that it wasn't Mr. Brett's fault, it was just me being afraid and bringing that fear with me into books and authors that I've always enjoyed. So, I'm fucking telling it as I think it was would have been..
4 to 5 stars from one of my very favorite fantasy author's. Mr. Brett has made even Darrin lovable! Olive is wonderful and maddening! Darrin? I've come to love him, but his day to day would drive me bonkers!
For now? I've given it up for now. Once the final book or books play out, then I'll read both. Until then? Hell, I can guarantee that this one little book that I didn't finish isn't going to mess up the rest of the series.
Also, anyone looking for a fantastic story? This just might do ya'!

I received an eARC in exchange for my honest review. Thanks NetGalley and Del Ray!

I highly recommend The Hidden Queen by Peter V. Brett. It was such a fun read and I devoured it. I absolutely love the magic system and world Brett has created. It is so nuanced, layered and richly detailed. Olive and Darin continue bringing their parent's fight to the demons with humanity's survival at stake. Read this book if you like: epic battles, phenomenal world building, dangerous quests, and great character development.

I was sad when the Demon Cycle came to an end but thrilled when I learned we were getting The Nightfall Saga in the same world set 15 years in the future following the OG cast's children. While I will always enjoy seeing original characters from the Demon Cycle (Inevera is forever a cunning delight), I very much enjoy getting in depth character development and insight from the new generation of characters: Olive, Darin, Selen, Rojvah and Arick. I have immensely enjoyed following along side them as they grapple with their parents legacy, their place in the world and how they deal with everyone's expectations.

I really loved getting into Darin's head/POV in The Hidden Queen. We really understand how his magic works and how he processes the world around him. We see him begin to accept himself and fight for his family and friends with a scared fierce devotion that is beautiful. In this way, to me, he is so much like his father - he does what is right and necessary because he is able despite the cost to himself.

I also enjoyed getting to see and learn more about what Alagai Ka has been up to (spoiler alert, he's a tricksy sneaky little fellow who is always up to no good) and see how changes started in the Demon Cycle are playing out in the human lands. The Hidden Queen takes us on an epic journey around the world and back into the core. Along the way there is laughter and heartache. It ends on a cliffhanger that has me super excited for the next book.

Go and read this book now if:
- You're absolutely positive you could take on a mind demon because of delusion.
- You're a sucker for devastating emotional trauma because of masochism.
- You're fairly confident you could survive in Krasian courts because of wildly unearned confidence.

This was probably more of a 3.5 stars, but I rounded up. I think the world created by Brett is very good. But the storyline didn’t move forward all that much in this book. It sort of felt like a lot of filler. There is quite a bit of woe is me from the main characters, which got a bit old. Sure, there is action. And I do think the secondary characters shined in this one. I plan to continue the series, but I hope there is a conclusion soon.

Alagai Ka, the demon king looms over Thesa. Leesha Paper, Renna Bales, and Ahmann Jardir are still missing believed to be captured if the thoughts Olive Paper gleaned from his mind are true. Olive and her forces know that Leesha and Renna are lost in a mountain village called Safehold. However Inevera warns that humanity itself could fall if the Spear of Ala isn't manned and defended against the return of Alagai Ka and his soon to hatch new queen. Olive is faced with the unthinkable decision of saving her mother or saving the world.

The Hidden Queen was better than I was expecting after reading The Desert Prince. The Desert Prince felt like an unasked for rehash of some of the early aspects of the Demon Cycle series. Overall it didn't introduce any new concepts and had a strained premise it based itself on. The Hidden Queen takes more chances. In many ways it reminded me of The Daylight War as Olive and the others return to Hollow after heading to the desert. The early pacing is slow, but I was quite pleased with last 25-30% of the book. The Hidden Queen appears to be exploring aspects that I initially hoped the sequel series would address.

The character work is good overall in The Hidden Queen. I thought Darin displayed tremendous personality and growth in the book. Darin was born with power and is afraid of what it means. He grew timid as everyone hoped to see The Warded Man Arlen Bales when they saw him, but as Darin often says "he ent him." Though Darin is more brave and strong than he realizes. I enjoyed Olive overall and the turmoil of not fitting into the male and female world is a real one, especially in Krasia where the treatment of men and women are far from equal. All that being said, I was surprised that throughout most of the book Olive is thinking about herself being intersex more than anything else. I understand that trying to decide how to present herself to the world would be a real problem, but I'm surprised it would consume her despite the numerous life and death trials she finds herself in.

I enjoyed The Hidden Queen. It left me excited to see how the series concludes.

4 out of 5 stars

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Awesome follow up in this new series. Lots of things the same, but focused on great new characters, going in their own direction. Hard to put down as you love the richness of the characters, the world and the challenges they face. Cannot wait for the next book. Enough new to keep things interesting, but still familiar enough to keep readers of the previous series interested.

Brett's world building is just something else. He has a way of immersing the reader in the world, the culture, the characters, in a way that few authors manage to do. I've been a fan of the Demon Cycle series for a long time, and have been enjoying diving back into that world with the Nightfall Saga. I think I liked The Hidden Queen even more than The Desert Prince. It was a slow start (which I didn't mind), but once the action hits, it just keeps going till the very end. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this series wraps up, and highly recommend all of Peter V. Brett's books, starting with The Warded Man.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

I didn't know if would like the second book as some books that come second in a series just be sort of boring and don't advance the story as much as you would like. This was the case with The Hidden Queen but not completely, I think. I did start reading one time at 10pm and before I knew it was after 2am. So, it was a rather enjoyable to read in some places but in some I just sort of glided over. Olive and Darin are still trying to figure everything out, but I think they do get to a point where they will be more assured of themselves which they should show in the next book hopefully. From where the story was at the end, I thought it would be a duology but once it finished on somewhat of a cliffhanger, I knew I would get to enjoy another book in this world. The action was good like in previous books and the same interesting magic system. Some people I think have been put off by this world but that isn't that big of a determent to get in the way of me enjoying the book. I have to agree with Darin and his mam on their opinion on religion and those who seek power through them. The use of guns and where that could change how that could change warfare is something that is interesting as well. Couple that with the different views of the Krasians and the greenlanders there probably could be wars eventually if and when the demons are no longer a threat or not that much of a threat. The world seems larger than what we know but maybe we will see that in another series of books if the author writes more in this world. I can only hope the next comes out fairly soon as I want to see what happens next. Thanks to the author, and publishers for a chance to read this book. Thanks Netgalley.

I really liked the first book in the Nightfall Saga, and the second did not disappoint. Set in the world of the Demon Cycle, Olive, Darin and their friends have determined some seemingly impossible tasks to help humanity survive. Some familiar characters from the first series make an appearance, but the book is centered around these young people and their adventures.

I really like how the character of Olive is handled, and I like how the people around Olive have responded as they get to know the more grown-up version. The portrayals of identity and belonging were thoughtful, and although I haven't had similar struggles, I feel like I learned a lot from reading about Olive. But the most important parts of Olive's character were the ones I liked the most - courage, making tough decisions, compassion, and when to lead.

Darin is probably my favorite Peter Brett character - and his interactions with his friends, as they help him process the overwhelming sensory input he gets from the world around him were probably my favorite part of the book. I also liked how he grew as a character.

My comments above sound like the book is all about the characters, but really, it's a tale of adventure, survival (or not), politics and quests. I can't wait to read the next one.

I devoured this book. I’m a fan of the series, so I jumped at the chance to read this when it became available. Brett’s way of writing is amazing and I was so excited to see the continuation of the story!!

The Hidden Queen picks up the baton on the second leg of the Nightfall Saga just as The Desert Prince handed it off. Olive and Darin's adventures continue to cover more of their world, develop news skills, new relationships, and strengthen their magics. Fans of The Demon Cycle will be reintroduced to familiar characters but you do not have to have read that series to enjoy this one. The story continues the dual first-person narration alternating from Olive and Darin's points of view ( just as in the prior book, the icon for the character narrating the chapter is used at the start, even though the "voice" is distinctive to set them apart, this is a little detail that makes it even easier to follow). The two protagonists plunge deeper into their battle to define themselves and step out of their parents' shadows just as they race to confront the demon enemy. The well paced epic adventure should appeal to any fan of epic fantasy and definitely for anyone who was left ready for more at the end of the Desert Prince. The only issue I had with this book is that I can't wait for the continuation of this story in the next book of the saga.
I received advanced digital access to this book thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

Author Brett continues his trilogy “The Nightfall Saga” with this second installment, which picks up immediately following the events in “The Desert Prince.” Our protagonists carry on with their quest and struggle with issues ranging from interpersonal to political, from physical danger to emotional turmoil.

The author continues to explore the meaning and consequences of identity while spinning his yarn. He pushes relationship boundaries in ways that reflect today’s narrative. Brett’s characters are likable and sympathetic, and he does a good job integrating his relational exploration into the story.

Four stars for the second installment in this trilogy. I’m not sure how the author will wrap up this trilogy, but I’m looking forward to finding out. My thanks to Random House Publishing Group Ballentine via Netgalley. All opinions are mine and given freely.

#thehiddenqueen #netgalley #thenightfallsaga #petervbrett #kindlesallthewaydown

The Hidden Queen by Peter V. Brett, the tale in the Saga of the Demon Wars. Our new favorites are at it again, overcoming impossible odds, and learning more about themselves in the process of trying to save the land.