The Burning God was a rare instance where I finished a book and was like "f you, you wonderful, terrible book." I thought the ending was perfect for what Kuang was going for, even if I hated reading it.
I think the final message was a hopeful one. Rin knew that if she did summon the Phoenix in the end and engage in a war with the Hesperians, that meant nothing but more war and pain, and she knew that she could not rule even after. She was a general, not a leader. Also, she didn't want to simply become another in a pattern in the history books. Instead of that, she wanted to actually change Nikan's history instead of engaging in more war, so by giving the reins to Nezha she solidified a step forward in the history book rather than just repeating the pattern of war. Instead, she gave Nikan hope.
Finished the book yesterday, I agree I thought the ending scene deserved a bit more. But I put the book down thinking "yes, this is how it should have ended". I think it'll stand in my top fantasy series for a long time. Also just boggles the brain that she's the same age that I am and to be so accomplished in her writing which isn't even her main focus in life/career.
I love how you pointed out the series critically analyzes differing viewpoints in history because Rin and Nezha largely represent the two major political parties in China in the early 1900s, especially with Rin be a parallel to Mao Zedong making her an even more interesting anti-hero to read about. This is definitely a series that is more impactful when you understand the historical context. Great review! Now I'm off to watch your author interview :)
I loved how Rin slowly became more class conscious throughout the entire story until it clicked in the end of book 2. You can tell that the breadcrumbs were just laid out the entire two first books for her to make that realization. I loved it.
I was sad to how it ended for our " hero ", having to make such a decision, actively going against the current and breaking the wheel of events that kept repeating in her nation. But... since she was little, was there a time she could feel safe? Kitay is the best thing she could hope for, but they are not able to catch a break from the chaos. Her descent and unraveling reminded me of Azula and Daenerys, how it was all falling apart and having to resort to even crueler decisions felt well paced and tragic, with her managing to hold onto a tiny bit of humanity that allowed her to make a redemptive choice that left me numb at the end. The strong rule the weak, but when the weak become strong is when you can break the cycle of oppression, I'm glad that Rin proved her strength to those why doubted her, I'm saddened ( but understand ) by some decisions she took and their consequences , I'm glad for what she did at the end ( Goddamn I get Eren vibes ) and knowing it is the best for her suffering nation. ( No matter what history may write of her, how it will associate her to Tearza or Hanelai, how hated her legacy might be, Nezha will certainly remember her for the beautiful ( but flawed ) person that she is. Sorry for my rambling to the one or two strangers who actually read this, just needed to get it out.
As a Japanese-American (born in US, living in Japan, fluent in both languages), this book series has been probably one of the most difficult fiction series I've ever read, but it's also been one of the most captivating. Can't wait to grab a copy of the Burning God.
I have been aching for books that heavily focus on their themes and that is why The Dragon Republic is one of my favourite reads of the year (especially because of how complex Rin is) and this review makes me so excited for the last book.
For me, the ending of this book was the only right ending. A happy ending for the protagonist would have diminished the entire work by turning the trilogy into a facile endorsement of might makes right.
I read The Poppy War earlier this year and wasn't totally sure how I felt about it, but it did really stick with me. It was certainly not what I expected, but not in a bad way. Curious to see how the whole thing plays out now that the third book is out I will have to add them both to my "to read" list.
It’s one of my favorite magic systems that’s ever been made especially as someone who studies psychedelic plants and drugs.... kuang really has a lot of knowledge of what a psychedelic experience is like when painting the picture of the pantheon and mind set
I was full of dread throughout the entire book. I thought that what ever the end, I could only hate it because I saw no way out of this viscious cycle. The ending then, aside from it going not as far plotwise as one could hope, was so satisfying and kathartic and exactly what I hadn't known I needed from the story and the Characters. Right now, I mostly feel relief because I feared that the ending would leave my gut twisted and a foul aftertaste in my mouth. Instead it was bitter and painful. But also so wonderfully, terribly relieving
“You’re not going to have everything resolved when there’s absolute chaos unfolding” is not an excuse for why we didn’t get enough of the Trifecta, among many other aspects of the story/world. It grinded my gears too lol it felt a bit rushed at times. It’s not the best book, but it was quite a journey worth reading once at least. So frustrating. Lol
I felt constant anxiety and paranoia, too. Also a wrongness that started with Rin's actions from chapter 1, and extended all the way to after Nezha's notes drive her mad. I actually had her paranoia from the start. I was noting 'venka being dodgy', 'kitay being dodgy' etc as I read and when Rin aired her suspicions about Venka, it sounded so plausible, but still felt SO DAMN WRONG. I had several issues with the book, but they pale in comparison to the sound execution of everything important
Hey Daniel, have you considered doing two reviews for final books ? A spoiler & spoiler free one? I love your reviews , especially after I’ve just finished reading them but often I find these spoiler free reviews leave me wanting to hear your thoughts on events, likes and dislikes on specific things in the book more. as opposed to these broad stroke general, open ended thoughts on the series as a whole
Poppy War: Does anyone else wish she'd spent more time in a scene, or establishing scenes? Or is that flow from one event to the next to the next - in which an entire year can pass in a sentence - feel natural? Her writing leaves me amazed at how little description I actually need to imagine a scene, and at the same time wishing we got more moments with the characters to solidify their relationships (and thus the stakes).
For me I felt very conflicted by the end I was an emotional rag feeling a bit bad cause I wanted a happier ending or something more redemptive but I also felt it was unjustified because where else could the story have gone it has been heading to this sad place very obviously. It’s a wonderful and deeply horrifying experiences in a series I’ve had, I kind love and hate it like an abuser which given the themes feels too appropriate
I've seen nothing but rave reviews about this one and yours is the first one to be somewhat... hesitant? I can't tell whether you're satisfied with the conclusion or not. Makes me a bit nervous but either way, appreciate your honesty and I'm very excited to read it!
I really, really had issues with the first two books in the series, specifically the prose, but also some inconsistencies and contrivances concerning plot and characters. The setting itself is great and so are the topics and themes that the story explores. At the same time, most of this is ground that has been covered by other Fantasy authors like Glen Cook, N. K. Jemisin, Joe Abercrombie, Nnedi Okorafor, or Steven Erikson, in a more 'refined', nuanced, and overall more consistent way. So, after watching this review, I'm more or less convinced that the last installment in the trilogy won't really fix any of the gripes I've had with the series thus far.
Another Great review. You are becoming an influencer in the community for sure. I was talking to my editor at Simon & Schuster about your RUclips channel (which is very professional) in comparison to my RUclips channel (I'm like the Ed Wood of RUclips--I try). Anyway, we were discussing how RUclips is really the future of almost everything including book promotion. So you got a jump on the industry.
I've recently noticed that Daniels reviews are aimed at people that have already read the book, or at least that's how it feels to me. I catch myself zoning off if I haven't read the books and I never really get anything out of them. But they're usually fun if it's about books I've read.
I disliked Rin since the last part of book one. So I had a constant small feeling of beeing pissed off at her for the entire time reading "The Dragon Republic". The irrational and delusional way of thinking was very annoying. I'm sure Kuang wrote her like this on purpose and she did a good job with that intent but I just can't indetify or sympathize with such protagonists. - Won't pick up TBG
Yes! That's what I felt too and I feel somehow guilty for not liking her anymore therefore a lot of the book. I haven't even picked up the second book cause I don't feel good about the story anymore
Since rin is suppose tp parallel a real life villain (Mao) it didnt bother me how questionable her morals were -felt like a given. But i still wanted to root for her condsidering how fucked up her circumstances/unbringing was. But i guess if you cant stand the main character that much makes sense to give up on the series. I thought all 3 books were amazing and definitely worth the read.
I am just finishing the poppy war. Rin rapidly becomes unlikeable because she's continuously insubordinate ans childish. I think for where this story ends altan was the more sensible protagonist. Im of two minds to continue.
Honestly, I think the hardcore, massive fantasy "world" building has been beaten into the ground. While a certain amount of world building is necessary in the genre by nature, I think fantasy with scenarios, philosophy, conflict, and societal/class issues and characters that are rooted and derived from history and the real world, and could be transposed into any other genre, are far more interesting than a new magic system or a new species. Maybe I'm biased because that's the idea behind the fantasy series I'm writing. But despite what I thought was just OK writing, I thought the Poppy War (haven't read the 2nd and 3rd books yet) was at least ORIGINAL and interesting from a philosophical perspective. If you want classic fantasy, this isn't for you. If you want introspective characters and depth, with conflicts reflective of what people experience in the real world, you'll probably like it.
It's interesting to see so much disparity amongst hatred and love for these books. It definitely is a reflection on people's standards/ what they want out of fantasy. I can speak for others, but I do not care if a work is historically accurate or even high fantasy. Just give me a consistent plot and some characters that I can get behind. You do that I am happy. Even if the genre isn't my cup of tea. Overall your review was good. I'll definitely check it out once I'm finished going through the SA books.
I enjoyed the trilogy. I think the burning God’s pacing was way too quick, and I disagree with the overall argument the series makes. I preferred the more ambiguous themes of the first two books where it asks “how does one deal with morality when it’s you vs them”. Being Native and knowing what happens when colonization comes, I couldn’t get behind the decisions.
I’m halfway into this book and realising that I can’t take it anymore. I really want to be done with it and read a book about rainbows and unicorns. I know it accomplishes what it’s supposed to, but I can’t take the anger and stress. I need a break and I still have 300 pages to go 😭
I actually appreciated the rushed ending. Rin knew she had sunk into madness, was way over her head and needed the grain from the Hesperians. It was mao from beginning to end. Killing because you love killing those who wronged you isn't always right
I hated but respect this trilogy and it was exhausting, like others have said. I thought some characters were screwed over, the protagonist didn’t grow enough, and we didn’t get enough of the trifecta. It was well written and historically researched but I’m glad it’s over. I enjoyed the Green Bone saga much more. Rebecca Kuang is brilliant but lacks the heart I wanted and found in other books. But again, it is full of passion like Daniel said. I’m so glad I never have to read about Rin again. I rooted far more (spoiler alert) for Venka, Daji, and many others in the book.
This might be considered more middle-grade fiction but it made me think of you since you have mentioned several times wanting a book from the goblin perspective. I haven't read it yet but it sounds really fun. Changeling by William Ritter book 1 of The Oddmire Series.
Oh my... I stopped at the end of book 1 and am not sure if I should read on. Yeah, the worldbuilding and theme is good, but the characters are just so... hesiatant to act? Book 1 has one gruesome ambush, 2 full-length city-razings (where every single atrocity imaginable is commited), and still the main characters are like "we can't fight back, they are innocent". It just hurts my head to read something like this, and I cannot go through another 2 books like this.
I remember tweeting to Rebecca Kuang (not that she saw it, let's be real) that I wanted to dunk Rin and keep her head uncomfortably long under water during the beginning of The Dragon Republic SO bad. Boy, was she grating. You def' have to make your peace with how unlikeable she can be and move on, which is totally worth it. Will be interesting to see the level of annoyance I bring to this one lol.
SPOILERS: I feel like the ending was perfect for Rin and her character arc. In the beginning, I was so annoyed with her character. It felt as if she was just regressing and all the progress made in the dragon republic disappeared. Here are a few examples: The fact that she doesn't want to lead and take power, and that she thinks Altan should be the one that's leading. I feel like she already got over that in the second book and she learned to embrace her leadership role, with the Cike and all that. The opium addiction: We saw her come off it in the second book, but then it's mentioned so many times that she's know back on opium. It's like we're backtracking. This is my last example: In the second book, we see that she over relies on her connection with the Phoenix. She forgets the fact that she was basically the strongest person in her year at Sinegard, and then we see her go back to her former glory (as a martial artist). In the burning god, we see her not want to practice with her left hand, and that just seems out of character to me. I feel like Rin would've tried to learn, or she should've tried, because, you know, character development. Also, we know that Rin is such a hardworking person and wouldn't let herself get beaten because of a disadvantage (like how she got into Sinegard, how she never wants to surrender in war, etc), so it seemed weird to me that she never tried to fight with her left hand (or she just flat out refused to train with it because it was so frustrating to her.) It seemed necessary for her to die, because it shows how she matured from the person she originally was. If you gave Rin from a book or two ago this opportunity, she wouldn't have sacrificed herself, but we can see how her character grew and that she was able to think about the fate of her people and that she would give up her life so that they could live. Also, I forgot to say, I just realized the parallel between Rin and Tearza. Rin always thought that Tearza was a coward for killing herself, and Rin ended up doing the same thing to save her people.
Definitely agree, I think the final message was a hopeful one. Rin knew that if she did summon the Phoenix in the end and engage in a war with the Hesperians, that meant nothing but more war and pain, and she knew that she could not rule even after. She was a general, not a leader. Also, she didn't want to simply become another in a pattern in the history books. Instead of that, she wanted to actually change Nikan's history instead of engaging in more war, so by giving the reins to Nezha she solidified a step forward in the history book rather than just repeating the pattern of war. Instead, she gave Nikan hope.
Hey Daniel Greene what new sieres should I do for fantasy I'm very stuck in my earlier reading like Percy Jackson .I'm still finding love out of them but I need new fantasy books help.
Give The Ryria Chronicles a try. They're very easy to get into, and they grow as time goes on, which allows for beginner readers to get into more heavy fantasy at an easier pace.
I absolutely have to thank you from the bottom of my heart (to be quaint) for introducing me to this author. The first two books were awesome. Some issues, of course, and I was a bit worried about the end of book 2 as I read it. But I would recommend Kuang before many, many other fantasy authors. Can't wait to get the last book. Edit: I like the bar breakdown. Nice work.
Rin is a top character for me because she’s such a strong idiotic person. It’s fun to read about her sht but I also appreciate what she represents about war and history (watch Daniel’s interviews w Kuang!). I love how grim dark the series is but it also has moments of humor. It explores ideas without having chonky overly philosophical moments (like Starship Troopers). This is literally the only series I have anticipated since book 1 came out. I am absolutely prepared to disagree with some characterizations, be annoyed with plotholes, or spot prose issues. It’s a great series for me but I hardly think it’s perfect. But IDK man I have never been this big a fan of a series, not even for Mistborn, which is like...top 2 fave series now lol
I totally can accept the ending…. I just wanted Rin to burn down the Hesperian hard before she made her choice…. They didn’t suffered enough as mugenese or nikan or the readers. This just feels like that damn AOT ending.
I won an ARC through Goodreads, and I had very similar feelings. That being said, I thought the ending scene was the way to go. I can't really elaborate without spoilers unfortunately.
I admit I wanted to read the final book just to see what Kuang had chosen to do with her characters. I had made up my mind about Rin long before the end of the second volume and I was glad it went the way I needed it to - otherwise all this would not have made any sense to me. But I absolutely did not "empathize with her". I don't think SHE was the emotional part of the story. And what I set out to find out from the very beginning was blown out pretty much mid-adventure. Pitty.
ngl i was kinda hoping she was going to destroy the hisparians like what she did to the muganese since she was on spear and made the whole world nikan like she invade them instead of being invaded with like 100 mad shamans. like she went full evil i didn't realise this was the last book until i finished so i thought that at that in the new book we would wake up after a time skip like 3 days and find that rin was healed in the last moments of her lie by liahua because we don't know what happened to her then find that the hisparians started a full invasion on nikan like what everyone feared.
I read the 1st book in the series a year or two ago. I'm conflicted whether I'm going to continue reading them or not. I didn't hate the first book, but I wasn't excited to keep reading either. This review didn't help much. Lol.
I’m curious what I missed in the first book that made it outstanding enough for Time’s top fantasy book list. I’ve only read The Poppy War and found it a tad overhyped. Still a solid book. Loved the world. The plot felt messy and convenient, but showed promise. To fans of the series, what did I miss that makes it so exceptional? I’m curious if I should continue on but worry about being burned twice from the hype.
I read an ARC of The Burning God and that ending... Am I dumb or something because I don’t quite understand why that was the pathway Kuang took... Please do a full-spoiler review of this because I need to talk to others who have read it!
SPOILER WARNING for anyone reading this but This is just my interpretation but Rf kuang has mentioned before that her books are meant to bring forward an argument, and i think one of the ideas that were introduced was that of history being a circle--- Rin wanted the Hesperians gone, but also wanted her people to survive. That could never happen, as she realised, because that victory would come at the cost of the lives of people and result in the havoc of war(which has already been witnessed by her throughout the series). For her country to survive, for the cycle of cruelty and chaos to end, she had to give them that chance at survival and stability which the Hesperians gave. I think for that moment she finally realised that it wasn't about winning, that it was about the good of her people and her country, her only option hence being to die. i think what really hit hard for me was that the survival of the people would always come at the loss of culture and identity that would certainly occur from Hesperian influence...it hurts but it is the only way it could have ended because with the Hesperians being that powerful and dominant, it was either to give in or fight back and cause mass destruction on an even larger scale. Nikara survived but it's of course a bitter survival because there is yet a price to be paid.
I just finished the poppy war series.. And after.. I cried.. And I don't know anymore, I think I stayed daze for an hour before moving on with my life but still WTF.. It broke me.. 😭😭 Im loving it, hating it, and still surviving it. Great book though
Loved the series but that ending omg like I didn't expect a happy conclusive ending bc that wouldn't make sense at all but THAT ajajshjsskks I can't, even if I can see (however reluctantly) what the author was going for, like sorry I like being at least a little hopeful at the end of my readings
Why didn’t Rin fly AT ALL in the third book? She won the battle in the second book because she could fly and then suddenly! NOPE. Not even giving a reason. What a massive plot hole.
Have you read dragons of dorcastle? Pilliars of reality series. I do think you would love this series take on fantasy and how original the whole thing is. It even got a new books series in the same universe after.
While I agree this series is not lighthearted at all, I had to laugh in one of the final chapters when a guard brings in and names a dog to sus out poisoned food and kitay says something like “for fcks sake we really didn’t need to hear its name” 😭 He will always be one of my favorite characters
Still haven’t read the dragon republic yet. The poppy war was good but nothing at the time I felt I wanted to continue. I’ve been thinking about picking up the dragon republic. Should I? Is it better or worse than the poppy war?
Just finished the series today and while I enjoyed it(even with the weirdly modern and often times simple pros) the ending didn’t really feel earned to me.. SPOILERS I feel like Rin shouldn’t have come to the decision to kill herself but should have been more “put down” the entire final act she’s paranoid and ready to lose it on everyone but the author seemingly gets cold feet and still wants Rin to be somewhat a hero
I feel like first of all that the story makes what happens rather than it actually happening. Like rin with 4 thousand men is abke to take down the republic somehow? The final battke just tells us she won instead of showing us how she possibly could have beaten the most fortified city in all of china while they had modern equipment. Why did the trifecta need her? Seems like daji could have woken up the dragon emperor by herself, not to mention that rin really doesnt have to try, she just conquered china even though she only has enough men to hold a single city. Its insane that hesperia could possibly lose when all they need to do is send an assasin with a gun to follow her. And i wish there was a more solid ending than there was. Like is the southern army really going to accept nezha, the guy they just fought to the death, as their new ruler? Can china even pull itself together? I wish it was given an epilogue to sort it out. Also kinda odd that the ending of the last book and the beggining of thid book talked all about how the south would win, when southern discrimination is barely even brought up besides rin personally facing discrimination that barely effects her, and then doesnt even do anything with it as ultimatly her army could have come from anywhere and it would have achieved the same purpose the book lays out for it. Not to mention that even when the capital is taken the south is still meaningless, nothing changes that would fix the situation. I was billed on a southern mass revolution and instead i got a few thousand soldiers, not even all from the south. And DRAGON PROVINCE IS IN THE SOUTH LOOK AT THE MAP!!! Sorry just finished the book, thats my rant, thanks to whoever read this whole thing, im still recovering from the ending.
I HATED WITH A FUCKING PASSION the ending!!!!!!!!!!!!! Man I felt cheated! What a cop-out! Never ever will I read another book by Becca K. Gimme back my 100 hrs + I wasted.
I'm literally not kidding when I say that I think about this trilogy every single day
Me too 🖤🥺🖤
For me, if this series had a happy and neat ending, it just wouldn't feel right.
The Burning God was a rare instance where I finished a book and was like "f you, you wonderful, terrible book." I thought the ending was perfect for what Kuang was going for, even if I hated reading it.
It broke me
Yes. Exactly
I think the final message was a hopeful one. Rin knew that if she did summon the Phoenix in the end and engage in a war with the Hesperians, that meant nothing but more war and pain, and she knew that she could not rule even after. She was a general, not a leader. Also, she didn't want to simply become another in a pattern in the history books. Instead of that, she wanted to actually change Nikan's history instead of engaging in more war, so by giving the reins to Nezha she solidified a step forward in the history book rather than just repeating the pattern of war. Instead, she gave Nikan hope.
Yes exactly
Finished the book yesterday, I agree I thought the ending scene deserved a bit more. But I put the book down thinking "yes, this is how it should have ended". I think it'll stand in my top fantasy series for a long time. Also just boggles the brain that she's the same age that I am and to be so accomplished in her writing which isn't even her main focus in life/career.
I love how you pointed out the series critically analyzes differing viewpoints in history because Rin and Nezha largely represent the two major political parties in China in the early 1900s, especially with Rin be a parallel to Mao Zedong making her an even more interesting anti-hero to read about. This is definitely a series that is more impactful when you understand the historical context. Great review! Now I'm off to watch your author interview :)
I loved how Rin slowly became more class conscious throughout the entire story until it clicked in the end of book 2. You can tell that the breadcrumbs were just laid out the entire two first books for her to make that realization. I loved it.
That goblin is pretty good.
And the mask in the background was also fun.
I was sad to how it ended for our " hero ", having to make such a decision, actively going against the current and breaking the wheel of events that kept repeating in her nation. But... since she was little, was there a time she could feel safe? Kitay is the best thing she could hope for, but they are not able to catch a break from the chaos. Her descent and unraveling reminded me of Azula and Daenerys, how it was all falling apart and having to resort to even crueler decisions felt well paced and tragic, with her managing to hold onto a tiny bit of humanity that allowed her to make a redemptive choice that left me numb at the end.
The strong rule the weak, but when the weak become strong is when you can break the cycle of oppression, I'm glad that Rin proved her strength to those why doubted her, I'm saddened ( but understand ) by some decisions she took and their consequences , I'm glad for what she did at the end ( Goddamn I get Eren vibes ) and knowing it is the best for her suffering nation.
( No matter what history may write of her, how it will associate her to Tearza or Hanelai, how hated her legacy might be, Nezha will certainly remember her for the beautiful ( but flawed ) person that she is.
Sorry for my rambling to the one or two strangers who actually read this, just needed to get it out.
As a Japanese-American (born in US, living in Japan, fluent in both languages), this book series has been probably one of the most difficult fiction series I've ever read, but it's also been one of the most captivating. Can't wait to grab a copy of the Burning God.
Maybe she can write about the CCP's Uyghur genocide next in her books ? ... doubt it though
I have been aching for books that heavily focus on their themes and that is why The Dragon Republic is one of my favourite reads of the year (especially because of how complex Rin is) and this review makes me so excited for the last book.
Fans: Daniel do you even sleep anymore?
Daniel after interviews, reviews , halloween goblin, news : sleep is for the weak
interviews, reviews, news and the halloween goblin he slew.
For me, the ending of this book was the only right ending. A happy ending for the protagonist would have diminished the entire work by turning the trilogy into a facile endorsement of might makes right.
Agreed. After finishing the first book, I knew Rin’s story wasn’t going to have a happy ending.
I read The Poppy War earlier this year and wasn't totally sure how I felt about it, but it did really stick with me. It was certainly not what I expected, but not in a bad way. Curious to see how the whole thing plays out now that the third book is out I will have to add them both to my "to read" list.
It’s one of my favorite magic systems that’s ever been made especially as someone who studies psychedelic plants and drugs.... kuang really has a lot of knowledge of what a psychedelic experience is like when painting the picture of the pantheon and mind set
Would love to see a spoiler review of the whole trilogy now that you've had time to digest it
I was full of dread throughout the entire book. I thought that what ever the end, I could only hate it because I saw no way out of this viscious cycle. The ending then, aside from it going not as far plotwise as one could hope, was so satisfying and kathartic and exactly what I hadn't known I needed from the story and the Characters. Right now, I mostly feel relief because I feared that the ending would leave my gut twisted and a foul aftertaste in my mouth. Instead it was bitter and painful. But also so wonderfully, terribly relieving
“You’re not going to have everything resolved when there’s absolute chaos unfolding” is not an excuse for why we didn’t get enough of the Trifecta, among many other aspects of the story/world. It grinded my gears too lol it felt a bit rushed at times. It’s not the best book, but it was quite a journey worth reading once at least. So frustrating. Lol
Just finished TBG...absolutely loved it and loved the series as a whole
I felt constant anxiety and paranoia, too. Also a wrongness that started with Rin's actions from chapter 1, and extended all the way to after Nezha's notes drive her mad. I actually had her paranoia from the start. I was noting 'venka being dodgy', 'kitay being dodgy' etc as I read and when Rin aired her suspicions about Venka, it sounded so plausible, but still felt SO DAMN WRONG.
I had several issues with the book, but they pale in comparison to the sound execution of everything important
I love the real world history inspiration in these books
Game of thrones did that thousands of years ago, nothing new
@@Archonsx no one said it was new
@@Archonsx Hohoho look at me I'm an unbearable cactus
Yeah! I love that she wrote these books to convey a specific purpose or message
@@Archonsx what’s your point
Hey Daniel, have you considered doing two reviews for final books ? A spoiler & spoiler free one? I love your reviews , especially after I’ve just finished reading them but often I find these spoiler free reviews leave me wanting to hear your thoughts on events, likes and dislikes on specific things in the book more. as opposed to these broad stroke general, open ended thoughts on the series as a whole
Poppy War: Does anyone else wish she'd spent more time in a scene, or establishing scenes? Or is that flow from one event to the next to the next - in which an entire year can pass in a sentence - feel natural? Her writing leaves me amazed at how little description I actually need to imagine a scene, and at the same time wishing we got more moments with the characters to solidify their relationships (and thus the stakes).
For me I felt very conflicted by the end I was an emotional rag feeling a bit bad cause I wanted a happier ending or something more redemptive but I also felt it was unjustified because where else could the story have gone it has been heading to this sad place very obviously. It’s a wonderful and deeply horrifying experiences in a series I’ve had, I kind love and hate it like an abuser which given the themes feels too appropriate
Rebecca Kuang - we were born on the same exact day - and I’m rooting for you, Birthday Twin!
Where tf did you even find time to READ this??? Lmaooo ...Also, still loving the new bar system, makes way more sense
I've seen nothing but rave reviews about this one and yours is the first one to be somewhat... hesitant? I can't tell whether you're satisfied with the conclusion or not. Makes me a bit nervous but either way, appreciate your honesty and I'm very excited to read it!
I really, really had issues with the first two books in the series, specifically the prose, but also some inconsistencies and contrivances concerning plot and characters. The setting itself is great and so are the topics and themes that the story explores. At the same time, most of this is ground that has been covered by other Fantasy authors like Glen Cook, N. K. Jemisin, Joe Abercrombie, Nnedi Okorafor, or Steven Erikson, in a more 'refined', nuanced, and overall more consistent way. So, after watching this review, I'm more or less convinced that the last installment in the trilogy won't really fix any of the gripes I've had with the series thus far.
Another Great review. You are becoming an influencer in the community for sure. I was talking to my editor at Simon & Schuster about your RUclips channel (which is very professional) in comparison to my RUclips channel (I'm like the Ed Wood of RUclips--I try). Anyway, we were discussing how RUclips is really the future of almost everything including book promotion. So you got a jump on the industry.
I Dubb the mask on the shelf, “THE tidy goblin.” get it, cuz it is not disheveled... yeah I’ll just go lie down and get a life
cool name, he needs to be a recurring character.
@@atharvadeshpande4749 if he isn’t, we get disheveled
I like to think of it as Greene Daniels true form.
@@fasdaVT that is some great lore we r building up. This needs a fan fiction, I will commission the art
I can't tell if it's dishelveled or not, it could use some better lighting up there to appreciate the craft- er good-breeding.
Adding this series to my TBR.
It is legitimately one of the best modern fantasy series I've read.
-one random idiot on the internet.
(But seriously, it is very interesting.)
This video is going to help me appreciate this book. Thank you, Daniel
I've recently noticed that Daniels reviews are aimed at people that have already read the book, or at least that's how it feels to me. I catch myself zoning off if I haven't read the books and I never really get anything out of them. But they're usually fun if it's about books I've read.
I disliked Rin since the last part of book one. So I had a constant small feeling of beeing pissed off at her for the entire time reading "The Dragon Republic".
The irrational and delusional way of thinking was very annoying. I'm sure Kuang wrote her like this on purpose and she did a good job with that intent but I just can't indetify or sympathize with such protagonists. - Won't pick up TBG
Yes! That's what I felt too and I feel somehow guilty for not liking her anymore therefore a lot of the book. I haven't even picked up the second book cause I don't feel good about the story anymore
i can't read a corruption arc.
Since rin is suppose tp parallel a real life villain (Mao) it didnt bother me how questionable her morals were -felt like a given. But i still wanted to root for her condsidering how fucked up her circumstances/unbringing was. But i guess if you cant stand the main character that much makes sense to give up on the series. I thought all 3 books were amazing and definitely worth the read.
I am just finishing the poppy war. Rin rapidly becomes unlikeable because she's continuously insubordinate ans childish. I think for where this story ends altan was the more sensible protagonist. Im of two minds to continue.
@@Undone545 Altan lmao.
I appreciate the gold shirt matching the book cover!
Honestly, I think the hardcore, massive fantasy "world" building has been beaten into the ground. While a certain amount of world building is necessary in the genre by nature, I think fantasy with scenarios, philosophy, conflict, and societal/class issues and characters that are rooted and derived from history and the real world, and could be transposed into any other genre, are far more interesting than a new magic system or a new species. Maybe I'm biased because that's the idea behind the fantasy series I'm writing. But despite what I thought was just OK writing, I thought the Poppy War (haven't read the 2nd and 3rd books yet) was at least ORIGINAL and interesting from a philosophical perspective. If you want classic fantasy, this isn't for you. If you want introspective characters and depth, with conflicts reflective of what people experience in the real world, you'll probably like it.
YES, absolutely, that is what I loved about the Poppy War series, and what I love to see in other fantasy series as wel.
It's interesting to see so much disparity amongst hatred and love for these books. It definitely is a reflection on people's standards/ what they want out of fantasy. I can speak for others, but I do not care if a work is historically accurate or even high fantasy. Just give me a consistent plot and some characters that I can get behind. You do that I am happy. Even if the genre isn't my cup of tea. Overall your review was good. I'll definitely check it out once I'm finished going through the SA books.
I enjoyed the trilogy. I think the burning God’s pacing was way too quick, and I disagree with the overall argument the series makes. I preferred the more ambiguous themes of the first two books where it asks “how does one deal with morality when it’s you vs them”. Being Native and knowing what happens when colonization comes, I couldn’t get behind the decisions.
I’m halfway into this book and realising that I can’t take it anymore. I really want to be done with it and read a book about rainbows and unicorns. I know it accomplishes what it’s supposed to, but I can’t take the anger and stress. I need a break and I still have 300 pages to go 😭
And now we hear the rare GOBLIN VOICE!
Truly it's only a matter of time before the Goblin takes over Daniel Greene's body.
Good luck nerd review man.
I thought the silver play button was speaking to you...
Same haha
I actually appreciated the rushed ending. Rin knew she had sunk into madness, was way over her head and needed the grain from the Hesperians. It was mao from beginning to end. Killing because you love killing those who wronged you isn't always right
This trilogy explains the analogy of the "white man's burden" so well.
I hated but respect this trilogy and it was exhausting, like others have said. I thought some characters were screwed over, the protagonist didn’t grow enough, and we didn’t get enough of the trifecta. It was well written and historically researched but I’m glad it’s over. I enjoyed the Green Bone saga much more. Rebecca Kuang is brilliant but lacks the heart I wanted and found in other books. But again, it is full of passion like Daniel said. I’m so glad I never have to read about Rin again. I rooted far more (spoiler alert) for Venka, Daji, and many others in the book.
Do we know when the paperback will be coming out? I’m just OCD about matching, since I have the other two in paperback
Honestly this video is the first time I've ever heard of this book or the series. And I got recommended this video randomly.
This is going to be such a great reading month!!!
This might be considered more middle-grade fiction but it made me think of you since you have mentioned several times wanting a book from the goblin perspective. I haven't read it yet but it sounds really fun. Changeling
by William Ritter book 1 of The Oddmire Series.
Oh my... I stopped at the end of book 1 and am not sure if I should read on.
Yeah, the worldbuilding and theme is good, but the characters are just so... hesiatant to act?
Book 1 has one gruesome ambush, 2 full-length city-razings (where every single atrocity imaginable is commited), and still the main characters are like "we can't fight back, they are innocent". It just hurts my head to read something like this, and I cannot go through another 2 books like this.
Have you read "The one who eats monster"? I recently read it and absolutely loved it, though it's kinda unknown, just wondering
I remember tweeting to Rebecca Kuang (not that she saw it, let's be real) that I wanted to dunk Rin and keep her head uncomfortably long under water during the beginning of The Dragon Republic SO bad. Boy, was she grating. You def' have to make your peace with how unlikeable she can be and move on, which is totally worth it. Will be interesting to see the level of annoyance I bring to this one lol.
SPOILERS:
I feel like the ending was perfect for Rin and her character arc. In the beginning, I was so annoyed with her character. It felt as if she was just regressing and all the progress made in the dragon republic disappeared. Here are a few examples:
The fact that she doesn't want to lead and take power, and that she thinks Altan should be the one that's leading. I feel like she already got over that in the second book and she learned to embrace her leadership role, with the Cike and all that.
The opium addiction: We saw her come off it in the second book, but then it's mentioned so many times that she's know back on opium. It's like we're backtracking.
This is my last example: In the second book, we see that she over relies on her connection with the Phoenix. She forgets the fact that she was basically the strongest person in her year at Sinegard, and then we see her go back to her former glory (as a martial artist). In the burning god, we see her not want to practice with her left hand, and that just seems out of character to me. I feel like Rin would've tried to learn, or she should've tried, because, you know, character development. Also, we know that Rin is such a hardworking person and wouldn't let herself get beaten because of a disadvantage (like how she got into Sinegard, how she never wants to surrender in war, etc), so it seemed weird to me that she never tried to fight with her left hand (or she just flat out refused to train with it because it was so frustrating to her.)
It seemed necessary for her to die, because it shows how she matured from the person she originally was. If you gave Rin from a book or two ago this opportunity, she wouldn't have sacrificed herself, but we can see how her character grew and that she was able to think about the fate of her people and that she would give up her life so that they could live.
Also, I forgot to say, I just realized the parallel between Rin and Tearza. Rin always thought that Tearza was a coward for killing herself, and Rin ended up doing the same thing to save her people.
Definitely agree, I think the final message was a hopeful one. Rin knew that if she did summon the Phoenix in the end and engage in a war with the Hesperians, that meant nothing but more war and pain, and she knew that she could not rule even after. She was a general, not a leader. Also, she didn't want to simply become another in a pattern in the history books. Instead of that, she wanted to actually change Nikan's history instead of engaging in more war, so by giving the reins to Nezha she solidified a step forward in the history book rather than just repeating the pattern of war. Instead, she gave Nikan hope.
Anybody happen to know what convenient plot tool he was referring to? Just finished the book but not sure, I have suspicion though
Hey Daniel Greene what new sieres should I do for fantasy I'm very stuck in my earlier reading like Percy Jackson .I'm still finding love out of them but I need new fantasy books help.
Try Mistborn, Six of Crows, or Stardust - those are my recs, others will have different ones and they’re probably worth reading too
@@shamsham1229 k thanks for the recmodtaton sorry for the spelling I just want to branch my love for fantasy so thank you
Give The Ryria Chronicles a try. They're very easy to get into, and they grow as time goes on, which allows for beginner readers to get into more heavy fantasy at an easier pace.
@@MeTaLISaWeSoMe95 sweet thanks for the suggestion lol 😂🙈
Unpopular opinion:Young Adult fantasy fiction is becoming too much of a marketing brand instead of an actual subgenre.
Perfect review
I’ve just finished the trilogy and my heart is breaking. Even though Rin was a terrible person, I loved her so much
Thank you. You told us exactly what I needed to know to tell me I need to read it.
I absolutely have to thank you from the bottom of my heart (to be quaint) for introducing me to this author. The first two books were awesome. Some issues, of course, and I was a bit worried about the end of book 2 as I read it.
But I would recommend Kuang before many, many other fantasy authors. Can't wait to get the last book.
Edit: I like the bar breakdown. Nice work.
Rin is a top character for me because she’s such a strong idiotic person. It’s fun to read about her sht but I also appreciate what she represents about war and history (watch Daniel’s interviews w Kuang!). I love how grim dark the series is but it also has moments of humor. It explores ideas without having chonky overly philosophical moments (like Starship Troopers). This is literally the only series I have anticipated since book 1 came out. I am absolutely prepared to disagree with some characterizations, be annoyed with plotholes, or spot prose issues. It’s a great series for me but I hardly think it’s perfect. But IDK man I have never been this big a fan of a series, not even for Mistborn, which is like...top 2 fave series now lol
I totally can accept the ending…. I just wanted Rin to burn down the Hesperian hard before she made her choice…. They didn’t suffered enough as mugenese or nikan or the readers. This just feels like that damn AOT ending.
I won an ARC through Goodreads, and I had very similar feelings. That being said, I thought the ending scene was the way to go. I can't really elaborate without spoilers unfortunately.
I admit I wanted to read the final book just to see what Kuang had chosen to do with her characters. I had made up my mind about Rin long before the end of the second volume and I was glad it went the way I needed it to - otherwise all this would not have made any sense to me. But I absolutely did not "empathize with her". I don't think SHE was the emotional part of the story. And what I set out to find out from the very beginning was blown out pretty much mid-adventure. Pitty.
The STRESS while I'm reading this is more than the stress I get at work lol
ngl i was kinda hoping she was going to destroy the hisparians like what she did to the muganese since she was on spear and made the whole world nikan like she invade them instead of being invaded with like 100 mad shamans. like she went full evil i didn't realise this was the last book until i finished so i thought that at that in the new book we would wake up after a time skip like 3 days and find that rin was healed in the last moments of her lie by liahua because we don't know what happened to her then find that the hisparians started a full invasion on nikan like what everyone feared.
I read the 1st book in the series a year or two ago. I'm conflicted whether I'm going to continue reading them or not. I didn't hate the first book, but I wasn't excited to keep reading either. This review didn't help much. Lol.
I have never clicked faster in my life
So who give the letter from Nezha to Rin?
Is Venka a spy?
I’m curious what I missed in the first book that made it outstanding enough for Time’s top fantasy book list. I’ve only read The Poppy War and found it a tad overhyped. Still a solid book. Loved the world. The plot felt messy and convenient, but showed promise. To fans of the series, what did I miss that makes it so exceptional? I’m curious if I should continue on but worry about being burned twice from the hype.
I read an ARC of The Burning God and that ending... Am I dumb or something because I don’t quite understand why that was the pathway Kuang took... Please do a full-spoiler review of this because I need to talk to others who have read it!
SPOILER WARNING for anyone reading this but
This is just my interpretation but Rf kuang has mentioned before that her books are meant to bring forward an argument, and i think one of the ideas that were introduced was that of history being a circle--- Rin wanted the Hesperians gone, but also wanted her people to survive. That could never happen, as she realised, because that victory would come at the cost of the lives of people and result in the havoc of war(which has already been witnessed by her throughout the series). For her country to survive, for the cycle of cruelty and chaos to end, she had to give them that chance at survival and stability which the Hesperians gave. I think for that moment she finally realised that it wasn't about winning, that it was about the good of her people and her country, her only option hence being to die. i think what really hit hard for me was that the survival of the people would always come at the loss of culture and identity that would certainly occur from Hesperian influence...it hurts but it is the only way it could have ended because with the Hesperians being that powerful and dominant, it was either to give in or fight back and cause mass destruction on an even larger scale. Nikara survived but it's of course a bitter survival because there is yet a price to be paid.
I love the book throughout until the ending. So many characters who died deserve more.
I read the first book a little while ago. I’m actually ok with the corruption arc, but the weak prose has me hesitant to continue.
Good review Daniel... 📖😊
I just finished the poppy war series.. And after.. I cried.. And I don't know anymore, I think I stayed daze for an hour before moving on with my life but still WTF.. It broke me.. 😭😭 Im loving it, hating it, and still surviving it. Great book though
I’m definitely a reader who needs to have a likable character to root for. This doesn’t sound like a series I would enjoy.
0:09 When your favorite youtuber leaves for months and says we will make it up
If that Goblin keeps talking like that a second beheading gonna be coming its way
oh is this out now?! i loved the first two
5:25 for those who want to see the pace of this book
Thank you for that, sir
Loved the series but that ending omg like I didn't expect a happy conclusive ending bc that wouldn't make sense at all but THAT ajajshjsskks I can't, even if I can see (however reluctantly) what the author was going for, like sorry I like being at least a little hopeful at the end of my readings
Why didn’t Rin fly AT ALL in the third book? She won the battle in the second book because she could fly and then suddenly! NOPE. Not even giving a reason. What a massive plot hole.
Please do that two voices through whole video it feels so unique and interesting
The Goblin is a new gold standard.
Goblin head turning into Troll head
Have you read dragons of dorcastle? Pilliars of reality series. I do think you would love this series take on fantasy and how original the whole thing is. It even got a new books series in the same universe after.
While I agree this series is not lighthearted at all, I had to laugh in one of the final chapters when a guard brings in and names a dog to sus out poisoned food and kitay says something like “for fcks sake we really didn’t need to hear its name” 😭
He will always be one of my favorite characters
I thought The Poppy War was pretty good. I’m planning to finish up the series some time next year.
Still haven’t read the dragon republic yet. The poppy war was good but nothing at the time I felt I wanted to continue. I’ve been thinking about picking up the dragon republic. Should I? Is it better or worse than the poppy war?
Depends on the person....I liked the Poppy War, liked Dragon Republic even more.
If you liked poppy war then you'll like Dragon republic more but if u disliked poppy war then you'll dislike Dragon republic even more.
Just finished the series today and while I enjoyed it(even with the weirdly modern and often times simple pros) the ending didn’t really feel earned to me.. SPOILERS
I feel like Rin shouldn’t have come to the decision to kill herself but should have been more “put down” the entire final act she’s paranoid and ready to lose it on everyone but the author seemingly gets cold feet and still wants Rin to be somewhat a hero
I laughed literally two times. And cried? Well..you know, still bust into tears sometimes
After this review, I am so excited to read it as I know it will destroy my poor little heart
How do you get this book early? I thought it releases on November 17th?
you just have to kiss the right arse often enough,
@@gingerginger999 haha nice
I think Daniel may be talking to Bob the skull from Dresden files
Should I listen to the dismembered goblin head and dislike, unsubscribe? No, I don’t think I will. In fact I might double subscribe and triple like.
Goblin Jr. will sound hilarious with a deeper voice
Rebecca seems so nice I'm gonna buy this no matter what just so she can get money
I feel like first of all that the story makes what happens rather than it actually happening. Like rin with 4 thousand men is abke to take down the republic somehow? The final battke just tells us she won instead of showing us how she possibly could have beaten the most fortified city in all of china while they had modern equipment. Why did the trifecta need her? Seems like daji could have woken up the dragon emperor by herself, not to mention that rin really doesnt have to try, she just conquered china even though she only has enough men to hold a single city. Its insane that hesperia could possibly lose when all they need to do is send an assasin with a gun to follow her. And i wish there was a more solid ending than there was. Like is the southern army really going to accept nezha, the guy they just fought to the death, as their new ruler? Can china even pull itself together? I wish it was given an epilogue to sort it out. Also kinda odd that the ending of the last book and the beggining of thid book talked all about how the south would win, when southern discrimination is barely even brought up besides rin personally facing discrimination that barely effects her, and then doesnt even do anything with it as ultimatly her army could have come from anywhere and it would have achieved the same purpose the book lays out for it. Not to mention that even when the capital is taken the south is still meaningless, nothing changes that would fix the situation. I was billed on a southern mass revolution and instead i got a few thousand soldiers, not even all from the south. And DRAGON PROVINCE IS IN THE SOUTH LOOK AT THE MAP!!!
Sorry just finished the book, thats my rant, thanks to whoever read this whole thing, im still recovering from the ending.
I HATED WITH A FUCKING PASSION the ending!!!!!!!!!!!!! Man I felt cheated! What a cop-out! Never ever will I read another book by Becca K. Gimme back my 100 hrs + I wasted.
I’m almost sobbing now I want to read that book so so so so so bad 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺
I haven't watched the video yet but OHHH MY GOD EXCITED
Well... I clearly have to read these books now.
False hope! I thought it was the Cripped God Review lol
I ended up not finishing the second book 2/3rds thru..