Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Harper Voyager (2019), Edition: First Edition, 672 pages
Description
The war is over. The war has just begun. Three times throughout its history, Nikan has fought for its survival in the bloody Poppy Wars. Though the third battle has just ended, shaman and warrior Rin cannot forget the atrocity she committed to save her people. Now she is on the run from her guilt, the opium addiction that holds her like a vice, and the murderous commands of the fiery Phoenix--the vengeful god who has blessed Rin with her fearsome power. Though she does not want to live, she refuses to die until she avenges the traitorous Empress who betrayed Rin's homeland to its enemies. Her only hope is to join forces with the powerful Dragon Warlord, who plots to conquer Nikan, unseat the Empress, and create a new republic. But neither the Empress nor the Dragon Warlord are what they seem. The more Rin witnesses, the more she fears her love for Nikan will force her to use the Phoenix's deadly power once more. Because there is nothing Rin won't sacrifice to save her country . . . and exact her vengeance.… (more)
Media reviews
From the epic scale of its battles, to its intimate exploration of the thoughts and struggles of its protagonist, the second volume of the Poppy War saga is enthralling.
The Dragon Republic raises the stakes to sky-high levels, where no character is entirely safe, and nothing is quite as it seems.
Kuang brings brilliance to this invigorating and complex military fantasy sequel to The Poppy War.
Kuang excels at wreaking emotional havoc while delivering a powerful meditation on war and survival. It is a compelling follow-up to a landmark debut, so make sure you visit The Dragon Republic.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Jayeless
I wish I liked this more than I do. There are parts I genuinely did like, mostly in the second half. And the setting, the world-building, the system of magic and so on are all really interesting. But overall, I found this an almighty slog. Note that in the rest of this review there'll probably be
The tone of this book is basically the same as the latter 60% of the previous one. It's unrelentingly grim and heavy on military strategy and prolonged descriptions of battles. Now I realise I'm the dummy reading a series that isn't exactly shy about being labelled a "military fantasy"… but I still have to say it, OK. I really wanted more magic and world-building and more of those tense interactions with maybe-enemies-maybe-allies. The battle scenes, and even worse the preparation before the battle scenes, did not hold my attention well.
I'm also not enamoured with the character of Fang Runin. I was excited at the end of the first book because I thought R.F. Kuang had set her up brilliantly as a villain-protagonist, having had her murder the entire population of Mugen and all, and I couldn't wait to see how deeply Rin would embrace the darkness. For some reason in this book Rin is back to being played straight as a hero. No one gives a second thought to the morality of killing the entire civilian population of a country, but leaving most of their military alive because they were all invading your own country at the time and thus outside the reach of your massive fireball, duuuuuh. You could maybe try calling her an "antihero" because she's mean to everyone and battles with substance addiction, but her actual moral compass is never questioned(unless you count when Vaisra et al. got pissy with her for killing the rapist but their concerns were strategic, not ethical) and I really really think it should be.
So at this point, do I plan to read the last book? And the answer is, well, maybe… probably… eventually.I am intrigued if not hopeful about Rin's sudden realisation that ~*~there is power in the masses~*~… considering she seems to have no clue that there have also got to be workers and peasants in her country's north and not only in her home province… and certainly hasn't twigged that there were also workers and peasants in Mugen that she decided to genocide lmao. I don't know, look, maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised and the narrative will rebalance, with more emphasis on the evil Rin has wrought and not only on her good intentions. I know the series is from her perspective and all, but geeeeeez, everyone working against her is totes just jealous/scared of her awesome power and none of them are motivated by her callousness or destruction, huh? Let's hope that changes. If truth be told, I really want to see more of Su Daji in the final book – now there's a woman whose evil actions haven't been handwaved away because she meant well. I'd also like to see more of the "hinterlanders", the Ketreyids, and the system of magic at play in the series – the parts of this book dealing with those things were by far my favourite. Also, more tense interactions with maybe-enemies-maybe-allies can't hurt. But mostly I'd really like to not be let down by the third book the way I was by this one, and so I can't say I've made my mind up to read it. We'll see!
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spoilers for the first book, The Poppy War, so watch out if that concerns you.The tone of this book is basically the same as the latter 60% of the previous one. It's unrelentingly grim and heavy on military strategy and prolonged descriptions of battles. Now I realise I'm the dummy reading a series that isn't exactly shy about being labelled a "military fantasy"… but I still have to say it, OK. I really wanted more magic and world-building and more of those tense interactions with maybe-enemies-maybe-allies. The battle scenes, and even worse the preparation before the battle scenes, did not hold my attention well.
I'm also not enamoured with the character of Fang Runin. I was excited at the end of the first book because I thought R.F. Kuang had set her up brilliantly as a villain-protagonist, having had her murder the entire population of Mugen and all, and I couldn't wait to see how deeply Rin would embrace the darkness. For some reason in this book Rin is back to being played straight as a hero. No one gives a second thought to the morality of killing the entire civilian population of a country, but leaving most of their military alive because they were all invading your own country at the time and thus outside the reach of your massive fireball, duuuuuh. You could maybe try calling her an "antihero" because she's mean to everyone and battles with substance addiction, but her actual moral compass is never questioned
So at this point, do I plan to read the last book? And the answer is, well, maybe… probably… eventually.
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LibraryThing member rivkat
Rin is back, and still making poor choices (from a very limited choice set) about who to trust in her quest to kill the Empress. Given the horrors of the last book, it’s not surprising that more death and coercion follow, but the greater threat of the Hesperians (English/European analogues)
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emerges as they want to study Rin so they can destroy the gods, which they consider agents of chaos compared to their superior monotheism. I kept thinking of N.K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season, because it is also about how abuse does not ennoble and how existing structures can make it all but impossible for someone who has power to use it well. Show Less
LibraryThing member sydamy
A great follow up. You can see the set up for the final book building. Alliances shifting, and strategic ploys become uncovered. Colonialism, balances of power, and what makes a good leader are all explored. There is violence, but it is a book about war, and if you made it through the first book,
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it won't surprise you. A book that has such intricate themes, that are also very relevant in today's real life is amazing from an author so young. Can't wait to read the third to see how this all works out! Show Less
LibraryThing member ladycato
I received an advance copy of the book via Netgalley.
The Poppy War kicked off this grimdark Chinese history-inspired series, which continues with The Dragon Republic. Rin is an abrasive protagonist--she's a survivor, in part because of her own ruthlessness. She also is a shaman, able to channel a
Full confession: I almost stopped the book a short ways in. Rin's impulsive, brutal nature is pretty much the opposite of my own, and I felt a profound urge to slap her and yell, 'Grow up!' Fortunately, I stuck with the book, and fortunately, she did just that. This is a book about maturing as a person and in terms of power. Like its predecessor, this book is incredibly dark and gruesome at times. Kuang does not shy away from showing the full nature of war and its aftermath, and no character is sacred or safe. The ending contains jaw-dropping twists that leave me very curious about what the next volume will deliver.
The Poppy War kicked off this grimdark Chinese history-inspired series, which continues with The Dragon Republic. Rin is an abrasive protagonist--she's a survivor, in part because of her own ruthlessness. She also is a shaman, able to channel a
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Phoenix and wield fire. Amid the topsy-turvy politics of her homeland, she is a weapon capable of genocide. As this book begins, she's suffering from severe PTSD, mired in grief from the losses rendered at the end of The Poppy War, and heavily addicted to opium as her coping mechanism.Full confession: I almost stopped the book a short ways in. Rin's impulsive, brutal nature is pretty much the opposite of my own, and I felt a profound urge to slap her and yell, 'Grow up!' Fortunately, I stuck with the book, and fortunately, she did just that. This is a book about maturing as a person and in terms of power. Like its predecessor, this book is incredibly dark and gruesome at times. Kuang does not shy away from showing the full nature of war and its aftermath, and no character is sacred or safe. The ending contains jaw-dropping twists that leave me very curious about what the next volume will deliver.
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LibraryThing member g33kgrrl
This is a worthy successor to the amazing "The Poppy War." Rin, along with her compatriots, suffer a lot more. I mean, that's not really a spoiler, because things weren't going to be peaches and cream after the Poppy War ended. Rin doesn't know how to cope, and no one knows how to help her. I spent
There's not much I can say about the plot in the review that won't be a spoiler. I can't even tell you who she spends most of her time with. I will say this took me a lot longer to read than I expected because it's pretty brutal - not surprisingly, given the plot of The Poppy War, but aftermath books are always harder on me. I don't deal with when people I care for are bogged down or taking wrong emotional turns for reasons I want them to rise above. (See above re: INVENT THERAPY AND THEN GO TO IT.) It's one thing to have brutality done to you; it's another to inflict it on yourself because you don't think you deserve any better. It's a journey that's sadly far too common, but it's really very tough to witness, even in fictional form. So be ready, and be warned. It's such a very good book, and story, and I still can't believe this series is a debut series. But gird your hearts well.
I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
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a lot of time yelling - both in my head and occasionally aloud - "INVENT THERAPY AND THEN GO TO IT." (And then much, much later there is a kind of therapy and I get very relieved.)There's not much I can say about the plot in the review that won't be a spoiler. I can't even tell you who she spends most of her time with. I will say this took me a lot longer to read than I expected because it's pretty brutal - not surprisingly, given the plot of The Poppy War, but aftermath books are always harder on me. I don't deal with when people I care for are bogged down or taking wrong emotional turns for reasons I want them to rise above. (See above re: INVENT THERAPY AND THEN GO TO IT.) It's one thing to have brutality done to you; it's another to inflict it on yourself because you don't think you deserve any better. It's a journey that's sadly far too common, but it's really very tough to witness, even in fictional form. So be ready, and be warned. It's such a very good book, and story, and I still can't believe this series is a debut series. But gird your hearts well.
I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
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LibraryThing member hes7
The Poppy War sets Rin, the central character to R.F. Kuang’s trilogy, on a path of war, violence, opium, and immense, ruthless power. It’s an epic, immersive fantasy that is addicting to read.
Now, The Dragon Republic continues Rin’s story, and naturally, it is no less challenging than Book
Beware: this is not a fantasy series for the faint of heart. Inspired by Chinese history, what Rin faces and encounters is dark, gritty, chaotic, and horrific. Kuang grapples with war, hatred, addiction, and monsters—but it is incredibly well-done. I enjoyed this brutal sequel and have every intention of rereading it in the future (likely in anticipation of Book 3!). If The Poppy War and The Dragon Republic sound like the type of fantasy you enjoy, I recommend that you definitely read them; you likely won’t regret it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.
Now, The Dragon Republic continues Rin’s story, and naturally, it is no less challenging than Book
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1. The Third Poppy War may have ended, but the turmoil in Rin’s world simply manifests in different ways. She has consequences to face, choices to make, enemies to conquer, and as she does so, the story proves to be the perfect sequel to The Poppy War.Beware: this is not a fantasy series for the faint of heart. Inspired by Chinese history, what Rin faces and encounters is dark, gritty, chaotic, and horrific. Kuang grapples with war, hatred, addiction, and monsters—but it is incredibly well-done. I enjoyed this brutal sequel and have every intention of rereading it in the future (likely in anticipation of Book 3!). If The Poppy War and The Dragon Republic sound like the type of fantasy you enjoy, I recommend that you definitely read them; you likely won’t regret it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.
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LibraryThing member Shrike58
Welcome back to the Nikara Empire, where if anything can go wrong, it will, in the most spectacular, cinematic fashion possible. What ever else one wants to credit Rebecca Kuang with it's her ability to lovingly work the atrocities of real-life history into the mosaic of her magical take on modern
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Chinese experience. With so many twists of fate, betrayals, and simple moments of one damn thing after another, it's difficult to know what one can say. Do know that our protagonist Fang Runin has run the gauntlet of horrific experience and, at the end of the book, finally has her own vision that she is going to impose on the world; whether it wants it or not. Show Less
LibraryThing member Tsana
The Dragon Republic by R F Kuang is the sequel to The Poppy War, which I previously read and reviewed. Unlike the first book in the series, which I read in only a few days, I ended up reading The Dragon Republic over almost two and a half months. It’s not because I disliked the book that I kept
The war is over.
The Dragon Republic takes place not long after the conclusion of The Poppy War and is not the sort of book I’d recommend reading without having read the prequel. That said, I didn’t really remember much about the secondary characters when I picked this one up, but I found it not to be a huge problem. The book did a good job of orienting me and reminding me who everyone was (and if worst comes to worst, there’s a list of characters in the back, although I didn’t realise this until I finished reading).
In this book, we mostly see Rin and friends preparing for and fighting skirmishes and battles. We also see a lot of character growth from Rin, who goes from who she was at the end of The Poppy War to a more competent and assured commander towards the end of the The Dragon Republic. It’s not a painless journey, however, and some frustration at Rin possibly contributed to me putting the book aside temporarily, especially in the first half.
Overall, if you enjoyed The Poppy War, I definitely recommend reading The Dragon Republic. In many ways it’s a less intense book, but it has its moments. The overarching story is left incomplete at the end and I am expecting a third book to come, rounding this series out into a trilogy. (It doesn’t end of a cliffhanger, but a lot is unresolved.) If you haven’t ready any of this series yet, definitely start with The Poppy War, but be warned it is not a gentle read, especially not as the story progresses.
4 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
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putting it down, rather I needed breaks to read something lighter and it didn’t quite suck me in as much as the first book. I still enjoyed it.The war is over.
The Dragon Republic takes place not long after the conclusion of The Poppy War and is not the sort of book I’d recommend reading without having read the prequel. That said, I didn’t really remember much about the secondary characters when I picked this one up, but I found it not to be a huge problem. The book did a good job of orienting me and reminding me who everyone was (and if worst comes to worst, there’s a list of characters in the back, although I didn’t realise this until I finished reading).
In this book, we mostly see Rin and friends preparing for and fighting skirmishes and battles. We also see a lot of character growth from Rin, who goes from who she was at the end of The Poppy War to a more competent and assured commander towards the end of the The Dragon Republic. It’s not a painless journey, however, and some frustration at Rin possibly contributed to me putting the book aside temporarily, especially in the first half.
Overall, if you enjoyed The Poppy War, I definitely recommend reading The Dragon Republic. In many ways it’s a less intense book, but it has its moments. The overarching story is left incomplete at the end and I am expecting a third book to come, rounding this series out into a trilogy. (It doesn’t end of a cliffhanger, but a lot is unresolved.) If you haven’t ready any of this series yet, definitely start with The Poppy War, but be warned it is not a gentle read, especially not as the story progresses.
4 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
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LibraryThing member quondame
You'd think the author would get tired of having Rin endlessly make the same mistakes. But don't expect it. I positively don't look forward to spending anymore time watching the messes Rin is involved with after watching her be a pinball whacked all over the Empire.
LibraryThing member bookworm148
The Dragon Republic is the second book in The Poppy War series.
It was really difficult to get into this book because of how Rin is portrayed. I found myself frustrated with her actions and not relating to her as much as I did in the first book. The primary reason for her character shift is that
Something that I really appreciated about this book is you never really know what’s going to happen. There are many stages of the book where you think you’ve finally figured it all out and can see how the rest of the plot will unfold, but then something happens or new information is revealed and things could go either way.
Readers should be warned that Kuang doesn’t shy away from the horrors of war and often goes into detail when describing things. She doesn’t gloss over anything, instead showing readers the brutal nature of humans during and after wartime. If you have a weak stomach/heart, this book might not be the best for you (though if you made it through the first book, The Poppy War, you should be fine).
While there are some truly beautiful moments, they are almost overshadowed with the dark themes of addiction and war. This isn’t surprising as it is an aftermath story at its core, but make sure to take a moment to appreciate those moments while they last.
Personally, I think that this book is better than The Poppy War because there isn’t as much jumping through time to move the plot ahead. The book ends in a great setup for the third (and final?) book and I will be reading The Dragon Republic again in preparation for the next release.
It was really difficult to get into this book because of how Rin is portrayed. I found myself frustrated with her actions and not relating to her as much as I did in the first book. The primary reason for her character shift is that
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she is attempting to deal with the aftermath of the Third Poppy War and come to terms with her role in it. It is difficult to read about her experience with PTSD and how it changes not only Rin, but also her friendships. That being said, once I got into the book, I was completely absorbed.Something that I really appreciated about this book is you never really know what’s going to happen. There are many stages of the book where you think you’ve finally figured it all out and can see how the rest of the plot will unfold, but then something happens or new information is revealed and things could go either way.
Readers should be warned that Kuang doesn’t shy away from the horrors of war and often goes into detail when describing things. She doesn’t gloss over anything, instead showing readers the brutal nature of humans during and after wartime. If you have a weak stomach/heart, this book might not be the best for you (though if you made it through the first book, The Poppy War, you should be fine).
While there are some truly beautiful moments, they are almost overshadowed with the dark themes of addiction and war. This isn’t surprising as it is an aftermath story at its core, but make sure to take a moment to appreciate those moments while they last.
Personally, I think that this book is better than The Poppy War because there isn’t as much jumping through time to move the plot ahead. The book ends in a great setup for the third (and final?) book and I will be reading The Dragon Republic again in preparation for the next release.
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LibraryThing member neurodrew
Rin is now the leader of the Cike, after the Phoenix raises a volcano to destroy Mugen and avenge the killing of Altan. Since opium is the only way to silence the Phoenix, she is addicted, and listless. She has to pull herself together to lead, and move on the empress, whom she believes has sold
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Nikara to the Mugen. She joins with Nesha again, and is very attracted, and finds his father wants her as a weapon in his war against the Empress. She has trouble calling the fire, and is demoted, then finds herself grounded to Kitay. Very engrossing, complex, but unresolved at the end. Show Less
LibraryThing member grouchygrammarian
I'm out. I'm done with this series. I can't root for Rin any longer. She's a mess and a menace. She's an impulsive, contrary, reactionary puppet of larger forces and I can't take her crap any longer.
Also, can I say that I was disappointed that this was a war book? I didn't want it to be. That's
In the end, I gave it a middling rating because I think the book was well written but it wasn't enjoyable (because of the above).
Also, can I say that I was disappointed that this was a war book? I didn't want it to be. That's
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not a reason to downgrade the rating, I know, but it was just so much less creative than the first book.In the end, I gave it a middling rating because I think the book was well written but it wasn't enjoyable (because of the above).
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LibraryThing member Bodagirl
The intensity definitely ratcheted up in this second book. Rin's naivety is getting a little old, but the politicking is complicated and detailed. Still loving the world and the exposure to some aspects of Chinese history - makes me want to read further. Any recommendations for a good book on
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Chinese history? Show Less
LibraryThing member jscape2000
Truly atrocious. No character growth, no character choice.
LibraryThing member krau0098
Series Info/Source: This is the 2nd book in the Poppy Wars trilogy. I got a copy of this in paperback for my birthday as a gift.
Thoughts: This was an amazingly easy read that was so hard to put down. I loved this just as much as the first book in the series.
The story is told mostly from Rin's POV.
I continue to enjoy Rin as a character. Rin is put through difficult situations again and again, and she makes some flat out awful choices. However, she is tough, single-minded, and determined. Despite the number of times she is hurt and betrayed, she somehow manages to survive and power through.
There are a ton of amazing side characters in here as well. I never had trouble following all the characters or remembering who they were, even though it had been some time since I read the first book. Kuang does an amazing job giving you little hints and back story bits to jog your memory without dragging down the story.
I think this story also does a wonderful job of bringing up larger philisophical questions too. For example, what do you do with people who are raised to be good at war when there isn't a war? Do people in power have a right to destroy thousands of lives in pursuit of a vision that they believe will make everyone's lives better in the long run?
I am usually not a fan of books about war and conquest. However, the way Kuang writes the story it completely draws you in. I think some of this is how amazing all the characters are, they really make a lot of the story. I also think the fast-pace and all the action in the story contribute to how hard it is to put this book down!
My Summary (5/5): Overall this is really amazingly well written. I loved the characters, the world, the magic and how easy it is to fall into this story and stay engaged in it. Very well done and I can't wait to read the third book!
Thoughts: This was an amazingly easy read that was so hard to put down. I loved this just as much as the first book in the series.
The story is told mostly from Rin's POV.
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After the events in the first book. Rin and her crew are adrift. Rin is hooked on opium in an effort to control the Phoenix god that tries to take over her thoughts and body. Rin doesn't want to live but she wants to see the Empress killed before she dies. In an effort to get her revenge on the Empress, Rin and her team end up joining the Dragon Warlord and fighting for his vision of a Republic.I continue to enjoy Rin as a character. Rin is put through difficult situations again and again, and she makes some flat out awful choices. However, she is tough, single-minded, and determined. Despite the number of times she is hurt and betrayed, she somehow manages to survive and power through.
There are a ton of amazing side characters in here as well. I never had trouble following all the characters or remembering who they were, even though it had been some time since I read the first book. Kuang does an amazing job giving you little hints and back story bits to jog your memory without dragging down the story.
I think this story also does a wonderful job of bringing up larger philisophical questions too. For example, what do you do with people who are raised to be good at war when there isn't a war? Do people in power have a right to destroy thousands of lives in pursuit of a vision that they believe will make everyone's lives better in the long run?
I am usually not a fan of books about war and conquest. However, the way Kuang writes the story it completely draws you in. I think some of this is how amazing all the characters are, they really make a lot of the story. I also think the fast-pace and all the action in the story contribute to how hard it is to put this book down!
My Summary (5/5): Overall this is really amazingly well written. I loved the characters, the world, the magic and how easy it is to fall into this story and stay engaged in it. Very well done and I can't wait to read the third book!
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Awards
Ignyte Award (Shortlist — 2020)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2019-08-08
Physical description
672 p.; 9 inches
ISBN
0062662635 / 9780062662637
Local notes
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.