The world of this series is not a kind one, and there are no happy endings. The Poppy War ends with Rin beaten and broken, suffering from torture, abuse, addiction, and guilt. Pulled into combat before she is ready, Rin joins a squad of other shamans and outcasts in the fight. The novel takes a turn around its midpoint as the fantasy equivalent of Japan, Mugen, invades Nikara and quickly establishes their dominance. While there, Rin discovers she is actually one of the few remaining Speerlies, an ethnic group from the island of Speer known for being able to channel the power of the Phoenix, ad fiery god of destruction. This first novel follows Rin as she enrolls in the imperial military academy at Sinegard, populated by the sons and daughters of the nation’s rich and powerful. A teenage war orphan living in the rural southern Rooster province, she is highly intelligent and fanatically driven to escape her circumstances. Set in a fantastical world based on medieval Chinese history, The Poppy War introduced us to Fang Runin, or Rin for short, in the nation of Nikara.

The Dragon Republic is not only Kuang’ second novel, it is her follow-up to the excellent The Poppy War from last year. Kuang’s second novel, is a sequel done absolutely right.

Sometimes, the second story is worse than the first. The longer an author writes, the more series, they craft, the greater the risk of sequelitis setting in. This is easier said than done for most authors, and is easier to accomplish in the beginning of a career, where there is still learning to be done. A second novel is expected to improve upon the first in every conceivable way. A second novel is expected to have a better understanding of plot, of its characters, and of its readers’ expectations. A second novel, whether it be the second ever or the second in a series, is expected to be better written than its predecessor. A certain amount of pressure is placed on an author’s second novel, especially when the first novel gains the level of attention and acclaim of R.

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang