A new nation must contend with new power imbalances and alliances in Lewis’ second installment in the Durajan fantasy series.

This volume picks up right where the previous one ended, with Dothemides ruling the newly built city of Dothemia, forged from an alliance of people who were sent to the Durajan as punishment. Although Dothemides is beloved by most, he’s also more cautious than some of his subjects would like, especially in the face of incursions by other clans, such as the cultlike Creed, who continue their proselytizing. Dothemides hopes to keep Dothemia strong, but not by extending his reach so much that the fragile new nation crumbles. Still, his people face threats from warchiefs and the Creed, as well as from a new power: a group of battle-ready and ruthless women called the Furies who follow their leader, Svirva, with unflinching loyalty. Dothemides must decide whether and how much to engage, and not everyone is happy with his decision. This second series entry has a much quicker pace than the first and takes place over a much shorter time period, but the cast of characters swells even more, which means that some receive only cursory introductions and lack distinct personalities or voices. As in the first book, part of the story is told in the form of journal entries, which continue to read as though they were written by the same hand and don’t provide the dimensionality that some characters need. Still, Lewis’ strength is in the complexity of his worldbuilding; the various nations and clans all have complicated and convincing motivations, fears, and strengths. There are no straightforward villains in the Durajan saga—only people with differing needs and backgrounds who must contend with a world that’s often uncompromising and cruel. Some characters, such as Svirva, receive welcome additional characterization, and their trajectories make this book as much of a page-turner as the first in the series.

A tale with complex worldbuilding that effectively explores what happens when voiceless peoples band together to make themselves heard.

A band of banished people form alliances and battle the vicious foes surrounding them in Lewis’ fantasy novel.

In a forgotten, ruined world, “the awakened” slowly emerged. They gradually brought back what this world once had—the social constructs of religion, tribes, nations, and war. Now, The Nine Nations encircle the Durajan, where branded individuals are sent as punishment for various offenses. One such exile is Samike, a young woman who stumbles upon and frees former soldier Dothemides, who’d been left in a cage. The duo’s ensuing bond leads to their decision to bring order to the Durajan and unite the branded, who hail “from all walks of life.” They ultimately form the city of Dothemia and unofficially name Dothemides and Samike king and queen. Expanding Dothemia requires making alliances with clans residing between nations, but not everyone wants this city to grow; the biggest threat comes from the Creed, whose grim belief is that this Awakened World was better off lingering in “the silence,” a time devoid of emotion and memory. From the beginning, Lewis establishes an unhurried pace, affording time for assiduous worldbuilding. Readers quickly learn where each of the Nine Nations is, both geographically and politically. While the cast is extensive, an engaging few get the spotlight, including Dothemides and Samike, who were both enslaved as children; Valloch, a competent and much-feared warchief; and the mysterious shaman Ailis. (Numerous journal excerpts appear throughout the text, but provide only a modicum of distinction between the characters’ myriad voices.) Some subplots don’t hold much weight; a woman falling for Dothemides, for instance, means little when he very clearly isn’t a one-queen king. This novel, the first in a series, leaves plenty of narrative avenues to explore.

Enthralling characters usher readers into a fascinating, mysterious, and war-torn world.