Reviews with content warning for Grief - The Bone Shard Emperor

There are still some things I don't understand (like how the construct army was able to travel between islands seemingly unimpeded by any kind of naval defense) and the pace dragged a little in the first half, but I still really enjoyed this and found it hard to put down in the last third. At first the romance felt a bit forced but it grew on me, and I enjoyed Phalue and Ranami's chapters more than I did in the first book.

The characters face a LOT of enemies in this book and it was hard to find hope or keep track of all the obstacles and adversaries buffeting them. Although there are the occasional moments of friendly banter, this is not a light-hearted read. The characters' situations and motivations were interesting though, even if I didn't always relate to or agree with them. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel and seeing how things wrap up.

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booksthatburn's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

As the middle book of a trilogy, THE BONE SHARD EMPEROR moves several things to new stages but doesn't completely close off anything. Mephi and Jovis's bond is getting stronger. Phalue and Ranami are newly married and figuring out what kind of governor Phalue will be. Sand now calls herself Nisong and has begun invading the other islands with her fellow constructs. Lin is traveling to several of the islands in order to obtain promises of aid and loyalty from the various governors. The Shardless Few are more of a threat, with their leader pulling strings to destabilize Lin's reign. Lin now has a companion of her own, and a Cloud Tree monk has appeared to help her learn about the Alanga. There's a much stronger focus on information about the Alanga, since it appears they're coming back. I like the reveal of what they are, and I'm very intrigued by some late-book answers about their reemergence and connection to shard magic.

Nisong's conquest of the nearby islands is introduced and resolved. Technically she appeared in the first book, but the actual invasion and her tactics don't show up until this one. This isn't the last book, and it leaves open a bunch of interesting things. This include but are not limited to Jovis and Lin's relationship, further steps from the leader of the Shardless Few, the orphan girl Phalue and Ranami are helping, and Lin's next moves as emperor. The narrators are the same as the first book and (with the major exception of Nisong/Sand) are generally consistent with their earlier appearances. I highly recommend the audiobook. Having three narrators helped me keep track of the story and characters more easily, even though there are slightly more than three point-of-view characters.

Early on, Lin is exploring the rooms and items her father left behind by his death, trying to find a balance between getting information and holding on to herself. Later, Lin and Jovis begin moving around the islands on a tour of governors. This is in keeping with Jovis's wanderings in the first book, but it does make it feel a bit unmoored. The various plot threads are woven together expertly, with the common threat that more islands may sink. The romance between Jovis and Lin is a bit strange. There are the obvious issues, like how he entered her service as a spy and isn't sure yet where his loyalties lie. There's also a bit of fridge horror associated with Lin's identity which seems like it ought to trouble Jovis personally, but even once he figures it out he isn't dissuaded. I think I would have been more distressed in the same position, but I guess I'm not very much like Jovis.

A solid continuation of what's shaping up to be an amazing trilogy, don't miss this one if you like betrayal, fridge horror, and multilayered politics of an empire in crisis.

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bisexualwentworth's review against another edition

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Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I felt like this book was better than book one in some ways and worse in others.

The expansions of the lore were fascinating, and I can't wait to see where things go with the Alanga in book three. The animal companions were just as wonderful and charming. Jovis and Lin's dynamic was compelling and complicated. Phalue and Ranami were wonderful, and I liked the overall development of their relationship and storyline a lot. And all of the politics felt very realistic, especially the disputes over natural resources and such. And overall, I'm really glad that the different plots were properly interconnected in this one.

But a lot of things just didn't quite work. I have conflicted feelings about Ranami's whole "suspicious of other orphans" thing. The main plot with the construct army felt weirdly underdeveloped because Nisong got so few POV chapters while also taking up far too much of the book. And there were quite a few plotholes. Also, I know I said the politics felt realistic, but what is up with the political messaging of this book? Are we just cool with inherited wealth and power now because we like Lin and Phalue? Not sure. Book three is going to need to spend a lot of time working through that particular issue.

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internationalreads's review against another edition

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adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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lucystolethesky's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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aardwyrm's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Everything I loved about the first book is here, and when the narrative flow gets going, it's every bit as good. There are a few quibbles on the storytelling level. The whole thrust and theme is bound up in protecting your people, but whole swaths of innocents get cut down in nameless silence all the time with little reaction. (Hard to avoid on an epic scale, but egregious.) It makes the often petty behavior of even the most interesting characters and ruthless antagonists feel a little like super powered teenagers playing action figures with people. But the world is still fascinating, and that really is terribly common in the genre.

I had trouble pinning down why I liked the book less than the first one. There's a forced, chemistry-free romance that doesn't suit either character. There's some real book-two-of-a-trilogy bloat, and a lot of the 500+ pages feel like wheel spinning. There's less about the more interesting POV characters from the first book and the secondary weirdos who have a lot of potential.

I finally realized that this just comes down to having way too much Jovis. He's always been the most boring man in the world, to be tolerated only because Mephi is there, and everything he does is dumb and wrong. Cut him and the pacing and plotting and trope use would tidy right up.

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allisonwonderlandreads's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I love sinking into a sequel, my investment already high and connections with the world and characters well-established. In my opinion, a great sequel rewards you for that investment by taking you deeper and showing you more. This sequel more than delivers on that promise. I am satisfied that I came to understand more about Lin, Jovis, Phalue, Ranami, and Sand, as well as some crucial side characters. Their motivations and goals are clarified for readers and for themselves. Sometimes they clash. They struggle. Their revelations raise new questions and create new problems. Relationships grow and shift.

One thing I especially admire about this book is the true morally grey situations. The characters try to make the best decisions for not only themselves but the world at large and sometimes disagree or directly argue about the best path. In some cases, a character's personal blind spots are clearly at work; in others, it's a horrible choice with alarming ramifications either way. The journey is so well-executed with all perspectives on view for the reader whether you ultimately support them or not. Lin is a particular standout for me as she navigates her father's legacy and unforeseen responsibilities, but I don't say that to diminish my deep affection for all the character POVs in the book.

I lingered at the end, drawing out my read because I feared the end, the inevitable wait for the trilogy's finale. This coping mechanism is reserved for the strongest fantasy series on my shelf-- the ones I struggle to let go of.

PS Jovis' mom is a treasure

PPS Long live the ossalen

Thanks to Orbit for my copy to read and review!

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caseythereader's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Thanks to Orbit Books for the free advance copy of this book.

- Okay okay okay. I feel like I can't get too much into the plot of THE BONE SHARD EMPEROR because not only will it spoil some of THE BONE SHARD DAUGHTER but also OMG SO MUCH HAPPENS. Questions answered! More questions raised!
- This book has a lot more political maneuvering than I typically enjoy in my fantasy books, but I'm so invested in not only Lin but the world of the Empire as a whole that I was hooked on every word. And then, aside from the politics, there are some truly epic battle scenes that had me on the edge of my seat.
- We also see a lot more of Phalue and Ranami, sapphic power couple of your dreams, in this book and I am here for it.
- Please just read these books already and come talk to me about the new developments in this book, and please @orbitbooks_us let's get the third book quickly!

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