When I say I was feral to get my hands on this I mean it. And it was somehow so much more than I had expected in the most satisfying way.
I was riveted from literally the first page of this book. I did not want to stop reading at any point and was so invested in every moment of the story. I looked down at my progress at one point and was shocked by how far along I was because I did not think I could have read that much already and dreaded how much closer to the end it meant I was because I did not want Traitor to come to a close. It’s a true testament to the power of a book when the pages fly by so quickly that you don’t even notice your progress in it. And this is a chunky book.
The last book ended on a heck of a cliffhanger and Traitor of the Drowned Empire picks up right where it left off, which is a place of high turmoil and some devastating information to deal with.
I was actually so shocked by how much I ended up loving the pairing of Auriel and Lyr as they navigate their difficult circumstances together and Lyr fights against the reality of who he is at every step because of her loyalty to Rhyan. But getting the first hand knowledge from Auriel himself and not just the bits and pieces Rhyan has been able to remember of his life was actually so compelling to the story and their prior lives. And I truly loved how the two of them learned to interact with one another particularly as each other’s presence was such a source of conflict to their thoughts and feelings as far as their separate but parallel existences. (Sorry to be somewhat obscure and not entirely coherent here, I’m trying really hard not to give spoilers for anyone no in the know).
I also really enjoyed getting to see some firsthand experience of the rebellion taking place against those who have taken over Bamaria from Lyr’s father (and subsequently sisters) not entirely legitimately. Having Lyr get to actually be amongst them and see that her family hasn’t entirely been abandoned and is still supported was really great, particularly with their ties to Rhyan.
Traitor of the Drowned Empire was a wild ride from start to finish, and had me emotional more than once to boot. I definitely missed Rhyan’s presence throughout this book, an absence made of obvious reasons I won’t go into but having Auriel around did help bridge the lack of Rhyan more than I would have thought possible. He really grew on me and very quickly.
The ending once again has left me wishing I had the next book in my hands immediately, but I will be patient (mostly) while I wait eagerly. Whereas the last book had an ending filled with agony and so much left up in the air that it was one heck of a cliffhanger, this ending was much more satisfying. There were some answers, some resolutions, and so much satisfaction from events that took place. I cannot get enough of this series and never want it to end while knowing it must and probably soon. Needless to say this is one of my top reads of the year and this series continues to steal my heart.
