He Who Drowned the World
The Epic Sequel to the Sunday Times Bestselling Historical Fantasy She Who Became the Sun
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4.4 • 18 Ratings
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- £5.99
Publisher Description
A dazzling queer historical fantasy of war and destiny set in an epic alternate China – and sequel to the Sunday Times bestselling She Who Became the Sun. The Song of Achilles meets Mulan in He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan.
‘Magnificent in every way’ – Samantha Shannon, author of The Priory of the Orange Tree
What would you give to win the world?
Zhu Yuanzhang, the Radiant King, is riding high after a great victory. She’s torn southern China from its Mongol masters. Now she burns with a new desire: to crown herself emperor. However, she’s not the only one with imperial aspirations.
Courtesan Madam Zhang wants the throne for her husband. And scorned scholar Wang Baoxiang yearns to bring the empire to its knees. So Zhu must gamble everything on a risky alliance with her old enemy: Ouyang, the brilliant but unstable eunuch general. All contenders will do anything and everything to win. But when desire and ambition have no limits, could the price be too high for even the most ruthless heart to bear?
Praise for Shelley Parker-Chan:
‘Transcendent, heart-wrenching’ – Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat
‘As brilliant as Circe . . . a deft and dazzling triumph’ – Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne
‘Shelley Parker-Chan is a genius’ – Jen Williams, author of Talonsister
Readers love He Who Drowned the World:
'I absolutely adored it'
'A spectacular ending'
' I can’t even think of picking up a new book because I’m not ready to move on'
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Parker-Chan follows She Who Became the Sun with this intricately plotted and devastatingly brutal historical fantasy, the finale to the Radiant Emperor duology set in 1356 China. A five-way power struggle simmers between former monk and current "Radiant King" Zhu Yuanzhang, revenge-driven eunuch General Ouyang, the Zhang merchant family, Red Turban rebellion leader Chen Youliang, and Henan's prince Wang Baoxiang. Zhu makes peace with Ouyang, promising he can have his revenge and kill the overthrown Mongol ruler, the Great Khan, if he will first help Zhu defeat the Zhangs. Meanwhile, Chen offers his assistance to the Machiavellian Madame Zhang, even as Baoxiang, who skillfully manipulated his way into the Great Kahn's court, now aims to ingratiate himself to the Zhangs himself. Parker-Chan admirably continues the nuanced and compassionate examination of gender, sex, and desire that began in book one while simultaneously dialing up the intensity and frequency of the graphic violence, torture, rape, and sadomasochism. Indeed, Chen's habit of sending mutilated severed hands to Zhu and the scenes of Zhu assisting Ouyang's sexualized self-harm feel borderline gratuitous. Though Parker-Chan successfully steers the complex political machinations to a satisfying conclusion, readers will need strong stomachs to handle this gory window into the worst of human behavior.
Customer Reviews
The most gripping series I’ve read in a long time.
The most gripping series I’ve read in a long time. I’m bereft that Zhu is no longer in my life! Shelley please make it a trilogy! It’s beautiful, it’s intense, I have never met a more captivating hero.