A review by purely_romantic
The Emperor's Bone Palace by Hailey Turner

adventurous emotional informative mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

CWs and CNs in comments

*Minor spoilers for book 1 in the series*

The second action-packed instalment in Hailey Turner’s epic steampunk fantasy, *The Infernal War Saga* is finally out and this chonk of a book had me hooked from start to finish. I’m not going to even attempt to summarize this plot but we pick up almost exactly where the first book left off with Eimarille beginning to wage her war to claim power over Maricol, Caris’s secret now  very much not a secret, and Soren and Vanya separated while he is on the run with Raiah. 

Typically second books, especially in trilogies, tend to play the role of the filler, picking up the pieces laid down in the first book and preparing for the climactic action in the third. However, Turner’s book does so much more than simply function as a transition and holds its own with the nail-biting action, emotional development of the characters and the overall trajectory of the plot. Now that the world has been introduced and the reader is aware of what roles each character plays, this book allows them to stretch out in exploring a variety of deeply interesting developments and obstacles. From Caris coming into her own amidst a deeply personal crisis involving the man she loves, to Blaine and Honovi’s beautiful display of devotion to each other, to Eimarille’s single-minded agenda to secure power and Vanya and Soren’s passionate and charged love story, the characters leapt off the page with even more dimension in this book. The stakes are *so* much higher and each character is beset with betrayals, heartbreak and hard choices at every turn. My heart was in my throat for most of the story and Tuner keeps the suspense, the drama and the emotional gambles on a razor’s edge the whole time. The story is now so primed for the most epic conclusion and I can’t even imagine how much harder it is going to get before each character’s arc is resolved. 

A fantastic sequel, *The Emperor’s Bone Palace* continues the masterful worldbuilding and storytelling and is so worth it. 5 massive and fiery stars for this chonky page-turner!

CW’s: violence and danger as befitting a politically driven fantasy series; nonconsensual body modifications; significant injury and disability; war, murder and blood/gore.

CN’s: This is the second book in a steampunk fantasy series. While it is not a romance, there are several romantic relationships including MM, FF and MF couples. The story is multi-POV including that of the antagonists. The novel is low to medium heat with at least three on-page sex scenes. 


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