He Who Drowned the World: the epic sequel to the Sunday Times bestselling historical fantasy She Who Became the Sun (The Radiant Emperor, 2)

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I can just imagine the sets, the landscape, the cities etc, visually I want this book to be made into an anime like Ooku or Blue Eyed Samurai. If Madam Zhang had known the true extent of Zhu’s physical lacks—which, as far as matters of masculine anatomy went, included more than broad shoulders or a right hand—no doubt she’d have considered even Zhu’s present accomplishments to have been impossible. I think the author effectively showed how self-loathing and bigotry can destroy not just the individual, but society as a whole.

One of my main complaints about book one was how Zhu always getting what they wanted hindered the story. My husband’s reputation may precede him, but a weak man, well managed, is a woman’s greatest strength. To stay in the game, Zhu will have to gamble everything on a risky alliance with an old enemy: the talented but unstable eunuch general Ouyang, who has already sacrificed everything for a chance at revenge on his father’s killer, the Great Khan.

First of all, I would like to say that I really appreciate that this book opens with a reminder of what happened in She Who Became the Sun. Much praise to the author for masterfully dissecting the characters’ persona to get to the crux of who they are, and the driving forces that moved them. wouldn't recommend picking up this series if you are looking for high fantasy since this reads more like historical fiction with some magical realism.

There were many twists and turns throughout the story, but what made them land so effectively was the bleeding heart at the centre of each betrayal. Her neighbor in the south, the courtesan Madam Zhang, wants the throne for her husband—and she’s strong enough to wipe Zhu off the map. chan is actually pretty great at action scenes and i'm gonna need more of that from their future work. I wish the last chapter had been longer because there was no epilogue and I wanted to know more of what happened after the end. Zhu Yuanzhang, the Radiant King, is riding high after her victory - one that tore southern China from its Mongol masters.Each character plays such an important role in the story and I found the addition of new perspectives to be so interesting. Here, the depth of her characterization and remember, the thought process, are almost delicious to read. And so it is with even greater betrayal that we see the jagged edges of their differences once more. Zhu Yuanzhang, her golden king’s armor and gilded wooden hand matching the color of the grass under her horse’s hooves, saw the generals of the opposing armies walking towards each other with deliberate courtesy.