The Lotus Empire
The Lotus Empire concludes The Burning Kingdoms trilogy by shifting its focus away from political or military victory and toward the personal costs of power. The novel picks up where its predecessor left the, let’s say, strained relationship between Priya and Malini, and between their respective nations, Ahiranya and Parijatdvipa. One might expect the final The Oleander Sword conflict to culminate in a straightforward war between the two nations, but Suri keeps the outcome uncertain while focusing on the relationships that drive the conflict. Through beautiful prose, she intertwines politics, religion, and desire as forces that continually shape one another. ...