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Empire of Gods and Beasts
Four Elementals in the running. One final battle awaits.
The bloody battle between Lettoria and Oasis Kingdom saw the destruction of the Wall that has kept magic out of the Oasis Kingdom for centuries. Now, the kingdom dissolves into chaos with Emperor Han at the helm and rampant magic spilling across the land.
As Desert Rose and Windshadow return to the kingdom in search of the last Elemental, rumours of a rebel prince arrive from the west, heralding a revolution.
Meanwhile, an ancient power stirs within the deep dark heart of Yeli Mountain, awakened by the magic flooding the kingdom.
As the Elementals draw closer to the final race at the Immortal Spring, the last gateway to the realm of gods and beasts, they can only rely on the powers they inherited from the gods to stay alive in the destruction and rebirth of the new world.
The bloody battle between Lettoria and Oasis Kingdom saw the destruction of the Wall that has kept magic out of the Oasis Kingdom for centuries. Now, the kingdom dissolves into chaos with Emperor Han at the helm and rampant magic spilling across the land.
As Desert Rose and Windshadow return to the kingdom in search of the last Elemental, rumours of a rebel prince arrive from the west, heralding a revolution.
Meanwhile, an ancient power stirs within the deep dark heart of Yeli Mountain, awakened by the magic flooding the kingdom.
As the Elementals draw closer to the final race at the Immortal Spring, the last gateway to the realm of gods and beasts, they can only rely on the powers they inherited from the gods to stay alive in the destruction and rebirth of the new world.
- GenresFantasy
252 pages, Paperback
Published February 27, 2024
51 people want to read
About the author
Joyce Chua
6 books85 followersJoyce lives in the perennially sunny island-city of Singapore, where she graduated from the National University of Singapore with a degree in English.
She is the author of the YA contemporary LAMBS FOR DINNER (Straits Times Press, 2013), Asian historical fantasy series LAND OF SAND AND SONG and KINGDOM OF BLOOD AND GOLD (Penguin Random House SEA, 2021), and YA contemporary romance UNTIL MORNING (Penguin Random House SEA, 2023).
Her short stories can be found at museinpocketpeninhand.wordpress.com and she can be found primarily on Instagram and TikTok as @joycechuawrites.
She is the author of the YA contemporary LAMBS FOR DINNER (Straits Times Press, 2013), Asian historical fantasy series LAND OF SAND AND SONG and KINGDOM OF BLOOD AND GOLD (Penguin Random House SEA, 2021), and YA contemporary romance UNTIL MORNING (Penguin Random House SEA, 2023).
Her short stories can be found at museinpocketpeninhand.wordpress.com and she can be found primarily on Instagram and TikTok as @joycechuawrites.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 30, 2024
It's always bittersweet when a series comes to an end. Empire of Gods and Beasts had a grand but also sentimental finale that was absolutely perfect for this story and its characters.
As a whole, I really loved this series. The sweeping desert landscape, the political tension between our characters and the Oasis Kingdom, the oppression and scapegoating against the Ling (particularly the shouren), the four POVs of our favourite characters (Desert Rose, Wei, Windshadow, and Meng), all come together and clash within this epic finale.
Joyce Chua proves herself a storytelling master. Every book weaves in the events of the previous instalments to show the impact of previous events, as well as remind readers in an organic way of the the things that have already come to pass. It really helped to flesh the characters out further and remind us of their motivations and intentions. This also helped to continue to shape the world and its lore and history. As a whole, I found the story so easy to digest and I was so invested in their journey as the events laid out in the prophecy came to a head.
I will say that some parts felt too easy, though I also think that was also a result of our characters meshing better and them teaming up to actually fight their battles together. There was also one part where it felt like an MC was drinking some cultish koolaid, but I liked how that was spun as a fatal flaw issue. Windshadow and Meng surprised me the most, I think, though I think I would've like to be privy to more of the work they did in the background. We get to see Meng's sharp mind and Windshadow's surprising loyalty more in book 2, and I kind of wanted a bit more of that in this instalment. All that to say that I was wholly invested in the trajectory of their character arc and I really loved them and wanted more!
After all that scheming, all those various rotations through the palace dungeons, all the angst and fighting and loss, the end felt so earned and wonderful, and I loved that this story closed the way it did. I was so excited to hear Joyce Chua mention that there are spin-offs in the work that take place in the same universe, and I'm already excited to return to this world in the future.
TW: injury detail, fire injury/death, death, murder, war, violence; mentions torture, death of a parent, death of a sibling, grief
Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 4.5/5
Overall: 5/5
eARC gifted by the author in exchange for an honest review.
As a whole, I really loved this series. The sweeping desert landscape, the political tension between our characters and the Oasis Kingdom, the oppression and scapegoating against the Ling (particularly the shouren), the four POVs of our favourite characters (Desert Rose, Wei, Windshadow, and Meng), all come together and clash within this epic finale.
Joyce Chua proves herself a storytelling master. Every book weaves in the events of the previous instalments to show the impact of previous events, as well as remind readers in an organic way of the the things that have already come to pass. It really helped to flesh the characters out further and remind us of their motivations and intentions. This also helped to continue to shape the world and its lore and history. As a whole, I found the story so easy to digest and I was so invested in their journey as the events laid out in the prophecy came to a head.
I will say that some parts felt too easy, though I also think that was also a result of our characters meshing better and them teaming up to actually fight their battles together. There was also one part where it felt like an MC was drinking some cultish koolaid, but I liked how that was spun as a fatal flaw issue. Windshadow and Meng surprised me the most, I think, though I think I would've like to be privy to more of the work they did in the background. We get to see Meng's sharp mind and Windshadow's surprising loyalty more in book 2, and I kind of wanted a bit more of that in this instalment. All that to say that I was wholly invested in the trajectory of their character arc and I really loved them and wanted more!
After all that scheming, all those various rotations through the palace dungeons, all the angst and fighting and loss, the end felt so earned and wonderful, and I loved that this story closed the way it did. I was so excited to hear Joyce Chua mention that there are spin-offs in the work that take place in the same universe, and I'm already excited to return to this world in the future.
TW: injury detail, fire injury/death, death, murder, war, violence; mentions torture, death of a parent, death of a sibling, grief
Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 4.5/5
Overall: 5/5
eARC gifted by the author in exchange for an honest review.
July 15, 2024
A captivating and fulfilling conclusion to an outstanding trilogy.
Empire of Gods and Beasts is the final book in Joyce's Children of the Desert trilogy. I can’t believe it has ended. I emotionally moved in this bittersweet journey. This is one of my favourite trilogies I must say.
I loved that there are so many betrayals of the characters in the story and it actually was remarkably well-executed. I felt thrilled while reading this book. It is because Joyce Chua is so good in making me nervous waiting for what will happen next to each character in each chapter.
Overall, this was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. I couldn’t complain. Highly recommended.
Thank you Times Reads for sending me a copy Empire of Gods and Beasts to me.
Empire of Gods and Beasts is the final book in Joyce's Children of the Desert trilogy. I can’t believe it has ended. I emotionally moved in this bittersweet journey. This is one of my favourite trilogies I must say.
I loved that there are so many betrayals of the characters in the story and it actually was remarkably well-executed. I felt thrilled while reading this book. It is because Joyce Chua is so good in making me nervous waiting for what will happen next to each character in each chapter.
Overall, this was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. I couldn’t complain. Highly recommended.
Thank you Times Reads for sending me a copy Empire of Gods and Beasts to me.
May 1, 2024
This was such a satisfying end.
I really loved Desert Rose’s choices at the end of this.
Wei remains my fave and I really loved his sibling relationships with Qiu and Meng. And also loved how he finally got a life he wanted.
The amount of double crossing in this book was truly impressive. And thankfully not between any of the characters I was cheering for.
I really liked Windshadow getting friends and would really liked to have seen more of them getting to be bffs together.
I just really enjoyed this series so much.
I really loved Desert Rose’s choices at the end of this.
Wei remains my fave and I really loved his sibling relationships with Qiu and Meng. And also loved how he finally got a life he wanted.
The amount of double crossing in this book was truly impressive. And thankfully not between any of the characters I was cheering for.
I really liked Windshadow getting friends and would really liked to have seen more of them getting to be bffs together.
I just really enjoyed this series so much.
January 14, 2026
This third book really raises the stakes and brings everything to a breaking point. The prophecy of the Elementals takes center stage, and I loved how the story pulled all the threads together. Rose, Windshadow, Meng, Wei, and even Lazar all colliding on Yeli Mountain with the fate of the kingdom hanging in the balance.
Rose remains the heart of the story. She’s carrying grief, poison, and the crushing weight of destiny, but she keeps moving forward. I liked how her determination was tested more than ever, especially with the Ling and their hidden sanctuary, it made her journey feel both personal and bigger than herself.
Windshadow also shines here as a true foil: sharp, dangerous, and just as desperate to survive. Their rivalry felt like the pulse of the book.
Wei’s chapters in Ghost City were some of my favorites. They gave the story a haunting, almost eerie tone, and his struggle to hold onto himself while reaching across realms to Rose added a strong emotional layer.
Meng’s arc as the Rebel Prince was equally compelling, full of ambition and guilt, making you question if he’s a savior or just another power-hungry prince.
What stood out in this installment was the tension. The mountain setting felt alive, full of strange energy and danger, and the constant sense that only one Elemental would survive kept me hooked. If I have one critique, it’s that I wanted a little more payoff between certain characters before the end but the sense of looming destiny was powerful enough that I couldn’t put it down.
Overall, Empire of Gods and Beasts is a gripping continuation that blends betrayal, survival, and prophecy into a finale full of atmosphere and heartbreak. It’s darker and heavier than the first two, but in a way that makes the whole trilogy feel richer.
Rose remains the heart of the story. She’s carrying grief, poison, and the crushing weight of destiny, but she keeps moving forward. I liked how her determination was tested more than ever, especially with the Ling and their hidden sanctuary, it made her journey feel both personal and bigger than herself.
Windshadow also shines here as a true foil: sharp, dangerous, and just as desperate to survive. Their rivalry felt like the pulse of the book.
Wei’s chapters in Ghost City were some of my favorites. They gave the story a haunting, almost eerie tone, and his struggle to hold onto himself while reaching across realms to Rose added a strong emotional layer.
Meng’s arc as the Rebel Prince was equally compelling, full of ambition and guilt, making you question if he’s a savior or just another power-hungry prince.
What stood out in this installment was the tension. The mountain setting felt alive, full of strange energy and danger, and the constant sense that only one Elemental would survive kept me hooked. If I have one critique, it’s that I wanted a little more payoff between certain characters before the end but the sense of looming destiny was powerful enough that I couldn’t put it down.
Overall, Empire of Gods and Beasts is a gripping continuation that blends betrayal, survival, and prophecy into a finale full of atmosphere and heartbreak. It’s darker and heavier than the first two, but in a way that makes the whole trilogy feel richer.
July 22, 2024
What a way to finish this trilogy. Did I mention my heart broke a thousand times when my favourite character die, even though I kinda know it was coming? Yea. Thanks Joyce🥲
March 25, 2024
A beautiful and thrilling finale to a brilliant trilogy.
The final instalment of Joyce's Children of the Desert trilogy has given me emotional damage, and yet the bittersweet ending was also the perfect conclusion to this epic tale.
Joyce is a master of world-building and weaving together multiple POVs, so that every time you start a new chapter, you can’t wait to see what each character gets up to. She seamlessly balanced everyone’s competing motivations, and expanded the already huge world to give a sense of its age and deep mythology.
I could go on and on, but I don’t want to spoil the truly gripping ending! Beautiful writing, beautiful storytelling, and characters that will stick with you long after you've turned the last page.
Wherever Joyce goes with her next books, I’m definitely along for the ride!!
The final instalment of Joyce's Children of the Desert trilogy has given me emotional damage, and yet the bittersweet ending was also the perfect conclusion to this epic tale.
Joyce is a master of world-building and weaving together multiple POVs, so that every time you start a new chapter, you can’t wait to see what each character gets up to. She seamlessly balanced everyone’s competing motivations, and expanded the already huge world to give a sense of its age and deep mythology.
I could go on and on, but I don’t want to spoil the truly gripping ending! Beautiful writing, beautiful storytelling, and characters that will stick with you long after you've turned the last page.
Wherever Joyce goes with her next books, I’m definitely along for the ride!!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews