The war has ended, at long last—but in its wake, another begins. In R. F. Kuang’s sequel to The Poppy War, the citizens of the Nikara Empire’s southern provinces are no longer battling for survival against an invading force. Now, they set sail north to defeat their former leader, Empress Su Daji, and build a new, democratic government. Rin, a trained warrior, and her fellow shamans also take their place on the warships: though Rin might once have been content to see the old system (and the traitor at its head) burn, she is swayed by the prospect of helping to create a more just and more unified future for the provinces. But Rin is not just a soldier—she’s also the provinces’ most powerful, most incendiary and most unpredictable weapon. The story Kuang weaves around Rin and her battle-hardened comrades-in-arms in The Dragon Republic builds upon the reputation Kuang earned with her debut as one of contemporary fantasy’s most promising writers. The final book in the trilogy, The Burning God, is due in November. —Cate Matthews
Buy Now: The Dragon Republic on Bookshop | Amazon
- Here’s How Effective the Original Vaccines Are Against Omicron
- The Promise—And Possible Perils—of Editing What We Say Online
- How Trump Survived Decades of Legal Trouble: Deny, Deflect, Delay, and Don't Put Anything in Writing
- Flint Is Still Shaken by its Water Crisis—and Residents Are Experiencing Long-Term Mental-Health Issues
- A Beer Shortage Is Brewing. A Volcano Is Partly to Blame
- How Fasting Can—and Can't—Improve Gut Health
- Cities Keep Enforcing Curfews for Teens, Despite Evidence They Don't Stop Crime
- Joe Manchin’s Red Tape Reform Could Supercharge Renewable Energy in the U.S.
- Column: We Should Talk More About What a Brilliant Actor Marilyn Monroe Was
