A Book Review: The Dragon Republic
Title of the book: The Dragon Republic
Author: R. F. Kuang
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: 8th of August 2019
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Epic Fantasy
Why I picked up this book:
So if you have been following along here since the beginning (has it really only been about a month, it feels longer) it should come as no surprise to you that the next book I picked up was ‘The Dragon Republic’. It fits a couple of my criteria, first of all, I love reading book series in rapid succession. Sometimes going to the lengths of waiting for the final book to be published before I start with the first one. Secondly, the book is steeped in lore and mythology that is not just based in western society, which is something I have been actively trying to incorporate more of in my reading.
I am definitely running into an issue now though – the final book in this thrilling series ‘The Burning God’ was released in November of last year. So technically all I would need to do is go out there and buy it. If it weren’t for the fact that copies of ‘The Poppy War’ and ‘The Dragon Republic’ are paperbacks, and the paperback version of ‘The Burning God’ won’t be released for another 7(!) months. So do I sacrifice aesthetics and just get the hardcover version that will stick out like a sore thumb? Or do I sacrifice my sanity and accept the wait, even if it means re-reading the series once I can finally get my hands on the paperback conclusion.
What to do, what to do?
About the Author:
Rebecca F. Kuang is a Marshall Scholar, Chinese-English translator, and the Astounding Award-winning and Nebula, Locus, and World Fantasy Award-nominated author of the Poppy War trilogy. Her work has won the Crawford Award and the Compton Crook Award for Best First Novel. She has an MPhil in Chinese Studies from Cambridge and an MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies from Oxford; she is now pursuing a PhD in East Asian Languages and Literature at Yale.
Synopsis:
In the aftermath of the Third Poppy War, shaman and warrior Rin is on the run: haunted by the atrocity she committed to end the war, addicted to opium, and hiding from the murderous commands of her vengeful god, the fiery Phoenix. Her only reason for living is to get revenge on the traitorous Empress who sold out Nikan to their enemies.
With no other options, Rin joins forces with the powerful Dragon Warlord, who has a plan to conquer Nikan, unseat the Empress, and create a new Republic. Rin throws herself into his war. After all, making war is all she knows how to do.
But the Empress is a more powerful foe than she appears, and the Dragon Warlord’s motivations are not as democratic as they seem. The more Rin learns, the more she fears her love for Nikan will drive her away from every ally and lead her to rely more and more on the Phoenix’s deadly power. Because there is nothing she won’t sacrifice for her country and her vengeance.
Review of the Book:
Spoiler alert if you haven’t read my review of The Poppy War yet (which I think you really should) this book is not for the faint of heart. It deals with some gruesome topics and themes, war, genocide, torture, racism, rape it all makes an appearance in one form or another.
That being said, this book or in fact the entire series, should be on your to-read list. The second instalment in this series has confirmed where the true power lies. It’s the characters. Starting with Fang Runin ‘Rin’, she is flawed to the point of frustration. She is naïve and impulsive, quick to anger and shirks responsibility given the chance. Rin leaves the reader frustrated and exasperated, excited and elated, terrified and degraded. She leaps off the pages, becoming a larger than life character who is a real as you and me. Her actions are believable, her inner monologue familiar, her securities understandable. She breaks the confinements of the written world and materializes as someone we have met, have seen, have known in our everyday lives. Minus the obvious ability to call down an all-powerful, all-consuming god that is. And the same is true for the cast of accompanying characters that force us to see this world from different perspectives.
Where the Poppy War swept us up in Rin’s conviction, the justifications of her actions, the classifications of ‘good’ and ‘bad’. The Dragon Republic will leave us reeling, wondering if we had it wrong all this time. Questioning if we might have done the same as the Empress if we had been placed in her shoes. It skews our view of who and what to trust until there is nothing left but questions.
Kuang expands on the detailed world she has laid out in the Poppy War. Introducing us to new races, cultures and even utterly believable forms of magic that we could not have imagined previously. This book does not only live up to the expectations that inevitably followed The Poppy War, but it surpasses it. The Dragon Republic is a sequel that you will not be able to put down. Easily thwarting the second instalment syndrome that has plagued so many that came before.
What are your thoughts? Have you been hooked on this shamanic, Chinese inspired fantasy series as well? Has the Phoenix dug her claws into you, refusing to let go, or is this one of those series you could easily pass. Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below, and until then - just one more page!