asian fantasy

Book Review: The Dragon Republic

Book Review: The Dragon Republic

The Dragon Republic, written by R.F. Kuang, is the sequel to The Poppy War. Unlike many sequels, The Dragon Republic doesn’t suffer from sequel syndrome. It follows protagonist Rin as she struggles to come to terms with the atrocities of war, the loss of trusted leadership, drug abuse, and PTSD. If you haven’t read The Poppy War, I highly suggest doing so and then immediately following up with The Dragon Republic.

The Poppy War

The Poppy War

The Poppy War follows the story of war-orphan Rin as she wins entry to the most prestigious military academy in the Nikara Empire. At first, Rin’s priorities are purely on getting away from her old life. A life of drug trafficking and abuse. When war breaks out, Rin finds herself wrapped in a world of opium haze, shamanistic magical powers, gods, and incomprehensible human terrors.