10 August SFF book releases that will end your summer reading on a high note

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy War was one of the most-discussed fantasy releases of 2018, and its sequel is likely to have the same effect on SFF readers. The Dragon Republic is set after the Third Poppy War, chronicling the aftermath and following Rin, who is now on the run.

Rin was forced to do some pretty despicable things to bring the Third Poppy War to an end, and The Dragon Republic shows her struggling with her choices. She’s also addicted to opium and hiding from her god, so things aren’t looking great for her overall. The best she can hope to do is help elevate her country. And she’s already proven she’ll do anything to achieve that end.

And thoughout The Dragon Republic, Rin wants is to enact revenge on the Empress who betrayed Nikan. Wrapped in a web of politics, the girl attempts to remove the empress by provoking more conflicts — but she soon realizes that getting rid of the Empress is a task easier said than done.

And the more tangled Rin becomes in this game — and the more she learns about her enemies — the clearer it becomes that her dedication to Nikan will break every bond she’s ever formed. It’ll also force her to use the Phoenix’s power, something she begins to rely on more and more as the series continues.

The Dragon Republic hit shelves on August 6, and it’s not a sequel readers will want to miss — especially if they’ve been waiting to see what happens after the events of The Poppy War.