This sequel stumbles where the first book soared, but a compelling setup for a third points to hope of recovery.
At the end of Immortal Longings (2023), the first book in Gong’s trilogy about the twin cities of San-Er, Princess Calla Tuoleimi got what she wanted—the head of her uncle, King Kasa. But her problems are just beginning.
Calla saw killing the oppressive monarch as her only means of getting justice for the people of San-Er, and it was her sole reason for taking part in the fight to the death that is the king’s games—even though everyone thought she was dead. The last person standing in her way was someone she’d grown to care about, someone who’d discovered her secret and still loved her: Anton Makusa. But while Calla was willing to sacrifice Anton and all they were to each other, even accepting her own death in order to free the cities from the tyrant’s reign, Anton had plans of his own. To survive Calla’s fatal blow, Anton took advantage of an ability some people have in Gong’s world: He jumped bodies, guiding his qi into the most powerful person in San-Er—Prince August Avia, the heir and soon-to-be-crowned monarch. Now in control of August’s body, Anton enjoys the power of being king if only for a moment, and then everything spirals out of control. Calla and Anton dance around each other interminably while mysterious deaths occur in the provinces, a once fringe cult grows more powerful, and the most unlikely adversary emerges, waking up from an incurable coma. This book introduces new characters and bloodlines, new feuds and rivalries. It’s all pointing fingers and swaying allegiances until everyone is pushed to their wits’ ends. The rollout of qi rule bending through the larger ensemble continues at an unsustainable rate, and the book loses depth and connection with its main characters in pursuit of plot twists and big reveals.
This sequel stumbles where the first book soared, but a compelling setup for a third points to hope of recovery.Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2024
ISBN: 9781668000267
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Saga/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2024
An existential crisis that steps on its own final moments.
With only a month left until the world ends due to a swiftly approaching black hole, Don and Rodney, a retired gay couple, road-trip from Maine to Washington to spend their final days with their son.
After reports that a planet-swallowing black hole is making its way toward Earth, Rodney and Don—who have been together for 40 years and survived everything from homophobia to the HIV crisis—decide to pack their belongings into an RV, say goodbye to their neighbors, and travel from Camden, Maine, to Washington to uphold a promise to spend their final days with their son. They can’t wait any longer, since there’s already chaos around the country: “Military vehicles in the streets of most cities and towns. Looting, rioting, the burning of cars and buildings and people, all of it had already happened.” As they make their way west across the country, they encounter fellow travelers ranging from close-knit families to free-spirited hippies, some of whom have come to terms with the impending end of the world and others who haven’t. While the story seems to be asking readers what they would do if they had 30 days left to live, and reflects on what different kinds of acceptance might look like in the face of unavoidable tragedy, it loses some of its poignancy in a series of thinly padded monologues about the meaning of life. Clearly intended to pack an emotional punch, it’s failed by an abrupt ending, and the way the journey’s mystery—which will be obvious to many readers—is revealed by an info dump in the last chapter.
An existential crisis that steps on its own final moments.Pub Date: April 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781250881236
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Tor
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
A tender reminder that gratitude is a path we choose, one conversation at a time.
In Green’s inspirational novel, a journalist boarding the wrong train discovers the right moment to speak the words that matter.
Daniel arrives at the Beacon station carrying a leather notebook filled with an unfinished eulogy for his still-living grandfather, only to be swept onto the mysterious 5:07 Gratitude Express, a steam locomotive that appears “for those who want to express gratitude.” His uncanny journey sends him through vividly rendered moments from his own life, where he witnesses the ripple effects of kindnesses he has offered and reunites—sometimes for the first time—with people who were permanently shaped by those actions. Each stop brings a new encounter: A childhood classmate says, “That morning, you altered the course of my life”; an elderly woman confesses, “Your simple act of kindness saved me that day”; a mentor tells him, “You need to figure out what you’re good at and what you like to do. Because when you do that, your potential is limitless.” By the time Daniel reaches Cedarville, intent on seeing his grandfather—the person who most profoundly shaped him—his reflections echo the conductor’s warning that “Time is unpredictable, and unsaid words bring pain and regret.” What follows is a moving affirmation of connection that honors the story’s central message: Appreciation should be expressed to the living. Green structures the narrative as a fable, with emotional clarity and cinematic pacing. The train’s dissolving walls, the recurring whistle rising “high into the dark sky,” and the symbolic briefcase filled with long-kept letters lend the tale a gentle magical-realist texture. While the storyline remains linear and accessible for all ages, the themes—regret, legacy, and intergenerational love—invite adult reflection. The prose is simple, intentionally so, grounding the fantastical elements in an earnest emotional register. This is not a plot-twist-driven story; it’s a quiet parable urging readers to act before time steals their chances. Readers who appreciate heartfelt, uplifting narrative journeys will find resonance in Green’s message.
A tender reminder that gratitude is a path we choose, one conversation at a time.Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2026
ISBN: 9798891385252
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Jan. 13, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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