10 must-read new SFF book releases to cozy up with this November
By Lacy Baugher
The Burning God – R.F. Kuang
The final book in R.F. Kuang’s rich, magical Poppy War trilogy, The Burning God promises everything that reads have loved about this series to date, just turned up to eleven.
To be fair, this has been a trilogy that has never been afraid of taking risks or indulging in things like murder, pain, and betrayal. It’s brutally honest about the devastating costs of war, both physically and mentally. There’s plenty of gore, a healthy dash of cruelty, and a heroine who isn’t someone we are necessarily sure we should like or root for anymore.
It’s difficult to talk about this novel without giving away spoilers, and this is the sort of ending that should be savored for what it is. Yet, it’s worth saying that this trilogy is a wonderful one – full of dense plotting, complex military history, and rich mythology. It’s more than worth your time, and The Burning God is the ending it deserves.
The official synopsis offers more detail about the story.
"After saving her nation of Nikan from foreign invaders and battling the evil Empress Su Daji in a brutal civil war, Fang Runin was betrayed by allies and left for dead. Despite her losses, Rin hasn’t given up on those for whom she has sacrificed so much—the people of the southern provinces and especially Tikany, the village that is her home. Returning to her roots, Rin meets difficult challenges—and unexpected opportunities. While her new allies in the Southern Coalition leadership are sly and untrustworthy, Rin quickly realizes that the real power in Nikan lies with the millions of common people who thirst for vengeance and revere her as a goddess of salvation. Backed by the masses and her Southern Army, Rin will use every weapon to defeat the Dragon Republic, the colonizing Hesperians, and all who threaten the shamanic arts and their practitioners. As her power and influence grows, though, will she be strong enough to resist the Phoenix’s intoxicating voice urging her to burn the world and everything in it?"
The Burning God is available on November 17.