A River from the Sky

Natural Engines #2

by Ai Jiang

From the Nebula and Bram Stoker Award-winning author comes the lyrical and moving science-fantasy follow-up to A Palace Near the Wind, as Lufeng and her sister Sangshu fight to protect their culture and their world. For readers of Nghi Vo, Amal El-Mohtar and Kritika H. Rao.

Fleeing from the bone palace and crashing into the waters below its steep walls, Lufeng and her siblings reach Gear, with its huge deadly water wheels, where their sister Sangshu is waiting for them. In the chaos of the enormous waves, within moments they're snatched away and taken into rebel territory, where they learn more of the deadly experiments Zinc has wreaked upon the people.

Loyal to Copper now, Sangshu herself is a victim of Zinc's experiments. Desperate to find her family, she races through Gear to Engine, ruthless Zinc's industrial heartland, where she burns with a desire to fix her own mistakes and those of others and find a way to save her world.

This powerful, beautifully told novella explores the bonds of family, the pain of leaving all you have known behind, and the terrible price of our industrial future.

Genres: Fantasy, Novella, Fiction, Science Fiction, Adult

208 pages, Hardcover

First published April 21, 2026

About the author

Ai Jiang is a Chinese-Canadian writer, Ignyte, Nebula, Bram Stoker Award winner, Hugo, Astounding, Locus, Aurora, and BFSA Award finalist, and an immigrant from Changle, Fujian currently residing in Toronto, Ontario. Her work can be found in F&SF, The Dark, The Masters Review, among others. She is the recipient of Odyssey Workshop's 2022 Fresh Voices Scholarship.

Reviews

[Rosh (on a medical break) · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: A high fantasy with elements of science fiction and family trauma. Highly imaginative, highly complicated. Though a direct sequel, the content feels very different, making this book feel like a different genre. I didn't expect the change, and this, combined with the complex character set, affected my experience. Might better suit readers who enjoy intricate high fantasy. The second novella of the Natural Engines duology and needs to be read in series order.

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Plot Preview: (This preview contains spoilers from Book One. The rest of my feedback is spoiler-free.)

After their daring escape, Lufeng and her two younger siblings are on their way to Gear to meet Sangshu. When they are just moments away from the island, they are kidnapped by rebels, from whom they learn about the dangerous experiments Zinc has been conducting on their people.
Sangshu herself has been subject to the experiments, and though earlier loyal to another party, is now trying to fix the mistakes of the past. But reparation is not so easy, especially when there’s family involved.
The story comes to us in the first-person perspectives of Lufeng and Sangshu.

This novella continues directly from the ending of Book One: A Palace Near the Wind. As such, it cannot be read as a standalone.

I had read the first book last year and while it wasn't a favourite, I still enjoyed the clever allegory employed to depict the reckless colonising of nature as well as of indigenous populations. As the story ended on a critical cliffhanger, I had been keen to find out what happens next. When the sequel came in my hands, I reread Book One to refresh my memory and jumped to Book Two. But instead of getting a proper continuation, I feel like I saw the same characters but in a different genre.

There’s not just a difference in tone – the earlier book somehow felt more intimate while this one has a more distanced, expository approach – but also a difference in content. The first novella was a high fantasy with elements of suspense and drama; this sequel is an out-and-out high fantasy, with the *species* (for lack of a better word) and locations from the earlier story getting more prominence.

The world is dense enough but the characters are even more mind-boggling. I am not an avid high-fantasy reader, so I struggled a lot to keep things straight. This isn't helped by the fact that many characters have multiple names and even their species have multiple names, with further labels for those having a mixed background/skillset. As any of these details could be used to refer to a person/species, most of my reading energy went in remembering the who's who and what's what. 😫

There is a helpful glossary detailing all the species and locations. I appreciate that this was placed right at the start of the book and that it finally explained what “Natural Engines” were; the first book had left me befuddled about the series name.. However, it is never convenient to flip back and forth in the digital edition, and this book really requires a lot of cross-referencing. I wish there had been a pictorial map as well; I especially needed one to picture Gear and Engine. 😬

The earlier book came only from Lufeng's perspective, but this time, Lufeng and Sangshu share the narration, though not equally. (Lufeng’s share is much smaller, which is disappointing because I was more invested in her fate.) Both POVs are written in first person, resulting in a little confusion at times as their tone sounds quite similar. Only the events (and the label at the start of each chapter) help us remember who is speaking.

Sangshu's initial chapters are from a few months prior to the events of the cliffhanger and hence contain a lot of telling to catch us up on her life story. This also made me zone out as there was a lot of infodumping with no clear passing of time. Her later chapters continue in parallel with Lufeng’s timeline. However, even then she continues with the ‘telling’ approach but without including her reasons and motivations. It’s a strange and distanced narration, which is really sad because whatever quandaries she faced were morally tricky.

The story continues with the allegorical approach, with the theme still focussed on person vs. nature balanced with a person vs. person conflict. The allegory runs much deeper this time and as such, is insightful as well as intricate. If there’s one thing I appreciated the most, it is how the book establishes that none of us stand on our own. And no nationality/religion/ethnicity is superior to any other, no matter what they claim. We are all in this together, and under our exterior differences, we are the same flawed creatures making a mess of this beautiful world.

The writing is as poetic as before, which, combined with the complicated dramatis personae, ensures that the pacing is on the slow side.

The ending is decent but not exactly what I thought it would be. Some parts are left open. I would have liked a little more closure, especially connected to the key people from Book One who didn’t reappear in this sequel. I would have also liked more details on Zinc and Copper. They were crucial characters in the first book and deserved an extended role in this story too.

I repeat my complaint about the cover pic. While the artwork is truly stunning, the girl on the cover simply doesn’t resemble Lufeng (or Sangshu) as described in the content. The Feng girls are supposed to be tree-like creatures, with barked skin and needle-thread hair. Why sketch them like generic East-Asian girls?

I had mentioned in my review of Book One that it could have been a single novel instead of a duology. Do I still feel the same? Yes. In fact, we could have had Sangshu’s background story coming more gradually interspersed through Lufeng’s narrative, thereby eliminating the lengthy catch-up chapter.

Overall, I am a bit disappointed at how this sequel went. While it did continue the story, it changed tracks so hard that it was like reading a different genre altogether. I'm not used to high fantasy, so a major handicap in my experience was my limited capability to visualise the intricacies of this new world and its denizens. But I genuinely feel that 50-70 more pages would have helped this novella to be properly fleshed out.

Recommended to high fantasy fans who enjoy allegorical narratives. This sequel cannot be read as a standalone and if possible, read both books back to back because the plots are too complex. As they are both novellas, the combined length is that of one novel.

2.5 stars. (I cannot give it only 2 stars because the imagination is way above average, and I cannot give it 3 stars because I didn’t understand it enough to like it. 😬 Rounding up mainly for the astounding creativity of the author.)


My thanks to author Ai Jiang and Titan Books for providing the DRC of “A River From the Sky” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

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I follow the Goodreads rating policy:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Lifelong favourite!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I loved the book.
⭐⭐⭐ - I liked the book.
⭐⭐ - I found the book average.
⭐ - I hated the book.
The decimals indicate the degree of the in-between feelings.

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Connect with me through:
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[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany)]

This is the followup to a very imaginative and strange sci-fantasy novella asking hard questions about humanity, capitalism, the plundering of natural resources, and climate change. While the first one reads almost like a gothic mystery because it's limited to the perspective of a character with very little information, the story-telling in the sequel feels quite different. We follow both the character from book 1 and her sister who has had a dramatically different experience. They must decide who they will support in an attempted revolution and why. It was an interesting conclusion though I think the story-telling worked a little better for me in the first novella. The writing itself is lyrical with poetic descriptions and a strange yet fascinating world. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this picks up right where the first left off, it feels as though a lot of the story was missing. We get Sangshu's perspective in addition to Lufeng, but as Book 1 was all about Lufeng, Sangshu's perspective felt rushed and I found myself wishing she was either included in Book 1 or that she had her own book in between and this would be the conclusion to both. This world is so rich that two novellas feel inadequate.

[Leen Gilis · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A River from the Sky" is the second and final book in the Natural Engines series, and once again forms an intriguing combination of fantasy and sci-fi. This book picks up right after the events of the first one, which ended on a huge cliffhanger.

While in the first book we only followed the perspective of Lufeng, in this book we are also introduced to Sangshu’s perspective. She is Lufeng’s sister and a victim of Zinc’s experiments. While Lufeng wants to completely destroy Engine to punish them for their crimes, Sangshu simply wants peace for all Engines, Titans, and humans. The contrast between the two of them definitely adds an extra layer to the story and creates strong investment in both of their perspectives.

What makes this series truly stand out is the way Ai Jiang knows how to create immersive worldbuilding in only 200 pages. Just like in the first book, this story explores themes such as colonialism, capitalism, and the exploitation of natural resources. The way ethnic themes are intertwined into the narrative creates a unique reading experience, and even after finishing the book, the reader is left thinking about it.

The way the story ended was satisfying, yet bittersweet, which made it the perfect conclusion. The dynamic between the characters was emotionally engaging—you really root for them—and this made the ending even more heartbreaking.

Overall, "A River from the Sky" was a worthy sequel that once again left me reflecting on many ethical dilemmas. I highly recommend it to fans of immersive fantasy with sci-fi elements. I’m definitely going to read more books by Ai Jiang in the future!

[Mackenzie (mackenziespocket) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this over the weekend and loooooved it. It was such a great book and a great conclusion to the duology!

In case you haven’t seen it around, the first book is called A Palace Near the Wind. I won’t spoil anything but I’ll tell you the brief setup of the first book: Lufeng, our main character, is a Wind Walker, a tree-like being who has command over the wind. She is sent as a bride to the human king in order to protect her people and their lands. What follows is an exploration generational secrets and a journey in navigating the clash between new and old worlds.

While reading this duo I was heavily reminded of the movie Princess Mononoke, as there are so many similar themes. Environmentalism, new world technology vs. old world nature, is it possible for those worlds to coexist, conflict even within the “same side” of a war, etc.

I loved this duology so much and highly recommend it!

REP: Chinese coded cast of characters

[Nathaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has such a beautiful message. While it was confusing at times, I loved the world so much. This would make the most incredible Studio Ghibli movie. It has the weird whimsy and dark undertone. Ai Jiang continues to write stories that I love.

[Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like the best way to summarise this book is that it's like A Palace Near the Wind, but more - more complex, and honestly more confusing.

We pick up exactly where the first book leaves off, with Feng and co sailing away from the Bone Palace for Gear. Then we get Sangshu's perspective, and we find out what rebellion looks like for her.

I was really excited for Sangshu's perspective, because I was hoping that it would help explain some things, since we've only been in Feng's perspective so far, who was new to everything. However, Sangshu's perspective was even more confusing - she explained nothing, and honestly all this new perspective did was make me more confused

I did like the concept of the glossary, but I feel like the explanations were so vague they didn't really help. However, what we really needed was a map and some illustrations - I think a visual representation of whatever was going on in Ai Jiang's head would have helped massively, because God alone knows what Gear is supposed to look like. Heck, who knows what Feng even looks like, because the cover is beautiful but clearly not accurate!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eArc.

[Kara Babcock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last year around this time, I enjoyed A Palace Near the Wind. A River from the Sky is the essential and satisfying conclusion to this duology. I received an eARC from Titan Books and NetGalley in return for a review.

Literally picking up where the first novella leaves off, A River from the Sky follows Lufeng’s attempt to flee with her siblings and reunite with her sister, Sangshu. Lufeng wants to tear down the system, and when she meets the rebels, her desire to destroy the monstrous Engine at the heart of it all is only strengthened. Sangshu has other ideas, however, convinced that destroying Engine would be worse than the current, unequal division of power. As their mutual enemies reassemble against them, Lufeng and Sangshu might also find themselves on opposing sides.

Jiang makes each sister’s point of view sympathetic and understandable. Lufeng, whom we came to know very well in A Palace Near the Wind, has endured sharp and deep trauma. It makes a lot of sense that she would want to destroy Engine and tear down everything in the hopes that it would allow Feng, Glace, etc., to reclaim what they have lost. In contrast, Sangshu’s time with Zinc, and her studies of alchemy, have exposed her to ideas she can’t ignore. She’s an example of how colonization often works by coopting members of colonized peoples into collaborators. Though Sangshu is now rebelling against Zinc in her own way, she no longer believes that it is possible to destroy Engine and “go back to the way things were.” In this respect, Jiang has set up these sisters are emblematic representations of two different beliefs when it comes to decolonization.

It’s more than that, however, for Sangshu’s physical transmutation adds another interesting layer. She has literally become something other as a result of the colonizing forces at play, and it’s a fascinating allegory on how colonization and industrialization change one’s body in addition to one’s mind. I think we forget this sometimes in our discussions of these forces, focusing only on the cultural aspects of the former and the wider, environmental impacts of the latter. In reality, both of these forces shape us as individuals too. Sangshu is living proof of this, and the pain she expresses, knowing she can never go home again, never really be a part of Feng again, is so palpable and anguished. You could argue she chose this path, but did she really have a choice?

Ultimately, neither sister’s perspective is the “correct” one, a point that Sangshu herself makes near the end of the story. Each of them has an important, distinctive role to play in the struggle. We all have different roles to play: some of us are organizers, some belong on the front lines, and others work tirelessly in support roles. Sangshu cannot, could not, return to Feng the way Lufeng can. At the same time, Lufeng lacked the iron will and sensibility required to sublimate herself and ultimately sacrifice herself the way Sangshu has done. Different sisters, different personalities, different roles in resistance.

I think this is the best part of this duology for me: Jiang makes these experiences so personal to these characters. Regime-toppling is on the agenda, yet unlike in an epic fantasy story that would feature scene upon scene of bit players preparing for the battle, A River from the Sky keeps its focus very tight on Sangshu and Lufeng. I suppose, in the end, that’s why this works well as a duology of novellas rather than a single novel or a larger series. If the first book was Lufeng’s journey, her loss of innocence as she was introduced to the broader world, then this book is the counterpoint. It’s not the defeat of the bad guys (they can’t be defeated, not in a conventional sense), but it is an opening salvo.

This duology is not the most scrutable of fantasy worlds. Exposition falls away to explosive action here, and I can see how some would find this book wanting. I can’t pretend I don’t want more and didn’t want to spend longer with some of these characters so I could understand them and their world better. But if you have the energy and willingness to push past that, A River from the Sky, like the first book before it, has a lot to say. It’s beautiful and terrible, full of loss and change and hope.

Ai Jiang is such an interesting writer: her style isn’t always what I want, yet her ideas and characters never fail to amaze me. She is one of several emerging voices in science fiction and fantasy who make me excited as a reader and critic for these genres.

Originally posted on Kara.Reviews.

[Kuu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

The biggest issue with this is one that carries over from the first part, namely the worldbuilding. It's less severe here, as this is the sequel and so it is less jarring to be thrown into a world you know nothing of, but the worldbuilding is definitely a BIG issue. The reader just straight up doesn't know anything that's going on. Apparently the people of Feng are like, tree people, but that's left to the reader to figure out in the first part, and it's never really mentioned anywhere. And what's with the Chinese lady on the covers of these books? I thought the people from Feng had BARK and not SKIN?? Idk, but it's very difficult to feel immersed in a story when you don't know anything about the world, and as this was a major issue I had with the first part, it definitely bears repeating here as like... I still don't know the world we're in lol.

That also affects the plot a lot, actually - I don't know anything about the world we're in, so I also have no idea about the different conflicts and their stakes, their nature etc. etc. Like I simply don't know anything and thus cannot really root for anyone here. There's plot twists but they don't feel very twisty because I didn't even really know the non-twists of the plot. This is definitely the kind of story that would have required far more than 200 pages per book to be told, because now, there's just... a lot lacking. It feels unfinished, like a draft. And it doesn't get better now that we get Sangshu's perspective, because there was barely even enough pages for Lufeng's perspective. And now suddenly everyone has new code names and you can't tell if it's because they're part of the revellion or just because code names is what we do now? And why do I know more about their cars than I do about the people that exist in this world?? What are Sun Cores? What's up here?

The prose is good, but the writing, the structure, the plot, is bad. I feel like the author should take a job from AI and have other people feed her a fully plotted out story, with chapter outlines, and then she goes and writes that. Or maybe her own plot, but she definitely needs someone to create checklists for her of what to include in a book to have it make sense to the reader.

[Jane · Rating 1 out of 5]

Most boring book ever.

It is literally impossible to overstate how much this sucks to read. The entire time I kept going "what the fuck is going on?". Who are these people, where are we, what even is the plot, WHAT is happening????

No answers. This is a book that wants to be great on vibes alone, and unfortunately the vibes suck. The characterization sucks, I hardly get the message, the author tried to shoehorn a tragic romance in at the last second (did not work), we are left with zero answers.

Frankly I feel like I understand the lore LESS now than I did when I finished book 1.

Sentences are long, meandering, run-on messes. I fell asleep several times trying to figure out what the fuck Sangshu was trying to say.

The book is 170 pages long. It should not take days to read. It's just impossible to get into it.

I can't envision the characters, the scenarios, the setting, anything. There are no descriptions, be it of Gear, Engine, Clay, whatever. I have no clue where anything is in relation to anything else. Sangshu and Lufeng have identical character voices and I'm pretty sure even the author got confused at a certain point (was Lufeng supposed to know Brass???).

Just don't waste your time.

[Amanda R Sims · Rating 4 out of 5]

A River from the Sky concludes the duology that was started with A Palace Near the Wind. My feelings about book 2 are very similar to book 1. There is a massive learning curve. The main characters are described well enough, but they are so far from expectations that it's hard to wrap my brain around what they physically look like even as an avid fantasy reader. This story is so worth the struggle though. It is beautiful and heartbreaking. As I expected after Palace Near the Wind,, ARFTS explores the politics of Feng, Engine, and Glace in more depth. Achemy plays a bigger role in the impact of body modification on characters and the allegiances they form. Familial relationships and legacy, as well as the environmental impact of industrialization are all themes thoughtfully explored too.
I enjoyed reading this series, and I look forward to future works by AI Jiang. This series is so creative and unlike anything I've read before while still maintaining relatable themes.
Thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for this eARC!

[Maria reads SFF · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
A much more complex conclusion to the "Natural Engines" duology. I lover the first instalment, but I did not expected the second volume to be so challenging. I think I will need to do a reread at some point to be able to appreciate it better.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[Lanie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lufang and Sangshu have found themselves on a collision course, both believing that their way of dealing with Zinc, the Engine, and The Cogs are the right way, truly the only way. When they meet will it be to destroy each other or find a different solution?

I rarely if ever go back and read my own review, but I did for this one. Honestly, this reminded me of reading The Two State Delusional by Padraig O'Malley. That book specifically looks at the complexity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (it is at least six years old so it was not an actual war at that time for the purposes of people yelling at me for calling it a conflict and not a war so please don't), and sure yes, very similar situations all around in terms of the displacement of peoples, loss of culture, and environmental destruction so to an extent that would make sense. The real reason is, however, is that Jiang was able to show all of the complexity O'Malley talked about in a much shorter, much simpler way. At least for me.

I had planned on filling this review with all sorts of quotes from both the book and Jiang's afterword to demonstrate how she had accomplished what O'Malley did in a much shorter, much more digestible read, but I don't think I will. Not because I don't think the quotes do not deserve to be highlighted but because I think they need to be read not secondhand from me but in the context of the story. Yes, I have a very good reason for this.

This story jumps between Lufeng and Sangshu's perspectives, which are extremely different. I believe that going through this in the manner I normally do my reviews in would create a bias towards one character's perspective over the other. That would completely destroy what I found to be the whole point of the series. There are no simple solutions or easy answers. Especially when we are talking the displacement of humans, the forced assimilation, the loss of culture, literal loss of lives, destruction of the environment that people have relied on for in some cases centuries...I could go on. We are, I think, almost conditioned to believe there is a simple answer or as Jiang says in the afterword This or That answer to these problems. There are many reasons we think this way beyond just conditioning and Jiang hits on so many of them that to pick just one or two would undermine the message that it's not simple. And that is what truly makes this not just an excellent book but an excellent series. Through Lufeng and Sangshu's vastly different perspectives we can see how complex situations get boiled down to simple this or that "solutions". How we lose sight of not just the complexity but that there is a person on the other side of the answer.

So no look at the characters this time, just a mostly simple recommendation to read an excellent series that I personally believe everyone should read.

[Anna Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A River from the Sky picks up right after A Palace Near the Wind. Liu Lufeng is escaping the Palace near Feng with her younger siblings Chuiliu and Changqing, along with Geyser, also known as Exile Song. They are to meet Sangshu in Gear, but an encounter with the rebels disrupts all their plans.

This second novella of the Natural Engines duology is told in two POVs: Lufeng and Sangshu. On one hand, this gives us a deeper perspective of all the things that Lufeng has been completely unaware of. On the other, it makes for another confusing ride - we're not just grappling with the present, we're also having to come to terms with everything Sangshu has gone through in the years since she left Feng.

Where Lufeng had been almost passive, only stirring at last to try to save her younger siblings, Sangshu's story is one of both great ambition and betrayal. Sangshu caught up in all that progress and science seems to offer, only to find that gaining what she wants means giving up other things just as precious to her. These are presented as hard choices in the struggle for survival, and it's just not progress versus tradition, old vs new.

It's progress, but at what cost? Who (not just what) are you willing to sacrifice to get richer and more powerful? And is it truly worth it? But, as with the world we live in, everyone is complicit in the system and breaking away completely may have a higher cost than maintaining the status quo, no matter how terrible the system is.

There's layer upon layer of deception slowly being laid bare, and it should be exhilarating to finally discover what drives this world. And yet... after the build up in A Palace Near the Wind, the reveal here wasn't half as devastating as I was led to believe it would be. I found myself going, "Oh, that's it?"

Still, it's a gripping tale of surrender and sacrifice, and the desire to make the world a better place, not only for yourselves but for everyone - including your perceived enemies. Ai Jiang points out the interconnectedness of Feng, Glace, Clay, Engine; Wind Walkers and Water Shifters, Cogs and Land Wanderers, Natural Titans. Just like our world, no one place or people truly stands on their own.

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from Titan Books via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Frasier Armitage · Rating 5 out of 5]

A River From The Sky is a lyrical slice of science fantasy that flows so beautifully, you could sail to the heavens on how lush and rich it is.

It concludes the Natural Engines duology that began with A Palace Near The Wind, and it provides an incredible conclusion to the journey. In my opinion, it surpasses the first book and really cements this series as a must-read for any fan of SFF.

There might be some who argue that these novellas should have been lumped together into one novel-length story. However, I believe the decision to keep these books as two independent stories pays off in so many ways, not least in the dual narrative that is introduced in this book.

A Palace Near The Wind is told entirely from Liu Lufeng’s perspective. She has tree bark for skin, belonging to a tribe of tree-folk, and is selected to become a princess in the palace. This leads to conspiracies and secrets being revealed that threaten to disrupt the natural order of things, and Lufeng is forced to escape.

A River From The Sky is what happens once Lufeng has escaped, and it takes place primarily from the perspective of Lufeng’s sister, who is acting as a kind of gifted rebel in an industrial city. The story flashes back and forth between the viewpoints of the two sisters and this allows greater scope for speculation and exploration. The book is a lot more like a conversation around the issues of nature vs progress and the impact of technology on the natural world, as opposed to a manifesto. And I really loved how the tone allows your mind to absorb more than just the story being told. It lets you soak up the themes and ideas too.

Ai Jiang has such a knack for writing complex family dynamics, and that’s on show here. Both sisters are powerful characters in their own right, but it’s the relationship between them that really crackles. For most of the story, they’re kept apart physically, but the slow yawning of realisation that they will meet acts as a fantastic method to propel the story onwards, and it helps to keep the pace up from beginning to end. It’s very easy to devour this book in one sitting, and I thoroughly recommend that you do.

Overall, this first series from Ai Jiang mixes philosophy with emotion, the cerebral with the heartfelt, and allows room for big ideas to breathe even in a small space. It’s mature and insightful, and told with the skill of a true master. This is a thoroughly worthwhile and satisfying end to a fantastical duology that takes a look at our relationships with each other and the world we inhabit, and it will leave you with plenty to ponder, and even more to feel.

A River From The Sky is a spring of fresh water that will sate your SFF thirst.

[Bookworm Denz · Rating 4 out of 5]

[ARC REVIEW 📖]

A River From the Sky
Author : Ai Jiang

This is the second book to the Natural Engines Series, a 23-chapter continuation to Lufeng's escape from the Palace thanks to Copper's help w/ Water Shifter Geyser, Changqing, & Chuiliu, as they venture their way through island of Gear to Engine & try to rendezvous w/ Sangshu, her fourth sister known as the Contract Breaker. Unfortunately, Copper could not join them since her position of power in the Palace is vital for their operations. The good thing is, even if Zinc knows where elder sister's loyalties lie, he still can't do anything about it.

Lufeng learns more about the mutations that have entered Zinc experiment chambers called as Natural Titans. Changqing now referred to as a Current for being able to control both wind & water, as well as Geyser's true name (Exile Song) from Glace. Sangshu (Waiting Sun) reveals her past experiences in the Palace including her relationship with Zinc the Iron Alchemist as his apprentice in alchemy, up to her ambition of discovering how to turn into a Sun Core. Their Grandmother's roots were also revealed, in a way that she was not only connected to Feng, but also to Glace & to the mountain Engine sat upon, realizing she was not only trying to save Feng their home, but also Glace & Engine to save herself.
Sangshu is on a conquest to rescue Euca (Blinking Star) & the other Sun Cores from getting burned as fuel for the Engine.

Contracts, the quiet war of politics, & revolution continue to cause chaos pushing Fog & the rebels to destroy the Engine through corroveins once & for all. Despite the turmoil, will the sisters succeed on their fight for advocation of coexistence & peace?

Like the first book, this also was an engaging read & shifted the focus to Sangshu's & Lufeng's dual POV storytelling involving sacrifice, trauma, betrayal, guilt, regret & death. I love how the narrative tackles the consequences of what rapid, destabilizing production brings, as well as materialism & its destructive effects to mother nature. I love how the characters headstrong nature & defiance shine as the story progresses. Zinc's paranoia & greed was his own downfall & it was quite satisfying that he reaped what he sowed. Such a powerful read! 👏

Thank you Netgalley, Titan Books, & of course the author herself for the opportunity to read! 🥹🫶

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

P.S.
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[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank the Publisher and NetGalley for reaching out to me first with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, the cover art for this sequel is just as beautiful, if not more beautiful, so shout out to Natasha MacKenzie for creating this and the first book's cover too! Absolutely stunning!

This sequel follows immediately after the events of the first book, and I feel the story ends in a satisfying way and I enjoyed the climax of the novel.

I applaud the author/publisher/whoever decided to put a Glossary in the book and at the beginning of the book, thank you so much because it was a great help as I personally still found the worldbuilding in this sequel quite a challenge to wrap my head around and I used the glossary a lot throughout my read.

The writing is very flowery and descriptive. If you are into lush descriptions and beautiful ways of sights, sounds, and things being described then I can definitely recommend this book to you! The first book was also written beautifully.

I enjoyed getting back to Lufeng and seeing how her journey continued immediately after the exciting events of where book one cliff-hangered us. Also this novel (mild spoiler) gives us her remaining sibling's point of view and it was so great to read what happened to her and what happened building up to where she was in the present. I really, really enjoyed Shangshu's chapters, especially the ones telling us about her past.

However, unfortunately, I found this book just a tad too difficult to imagine because of the flowery prose and the worldbuilding, as well as I felt the pacing was a little off; in my opinion this story needed an extra 50ish pages to flesh out the world and the events more, and to be able to show us how we got from main plot point A to main plot point B (which I would say are A. Lufeng's continued escape and B. the main big event). I felt like the main event started and came out of nowhere, and I was left feeling really confused as to how we got there so quickly. I felt there was no real explanation or build up of it at all. So unfortunately for me, this book was a little bit of a let down but I can see the charm in it and can see the types of people who would enjoy the story much more than myself.

If this had been a middle book or had a planned third installment, I would not be picking it up.

[LZDubbs_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Titan Books and NetGalley for the eARC. I am voluntarily giving an honest review.

3.5 stars out of 5

Starting right after the events of Palace, Lufeng finds herself in dire straits. She plans to meet up with her sister, Sangshu, but she's instead snatched up by rebels! Meanwhile, us readers learn more about Sangshu's personality, what happened to her, and what her plans are. Will everything end well for our protagonists? What will happen when the two sisters finally reunite?

A River From The Sky introduced a second perspective: Sangshu's. With Sangshu's perspective, readers learned more about Natural Titans (such as Sangshu), beings created using Natural Engines (like Lufeng and Exile Song) and alchemy. The worldbuilding from book 1 was expanded upon, and more about Gear and Engine were present in this book. The contrast in perspectives was very interesting. While Lufeng did a relatively good job staying connected to her roots in Palace, Sangshu instead learned to be more like landwalkers. I really enjoyed seeing how actions from the past resulted in the events of this book. Sangshu was a very interesting character, and I enjoyed seeing her perspective. It almost seemed like Sangshu was a representation of a person who'd assimilated to a dominant culture at the cost of losing their roots.

Sadly, this book wasn't a perfect read for me. I enjoyed the worldbuilding presented, but I think the length of this book really hurt the narrative. I would've liked to have spent a longer time in this world. The short length of this story made it seem as if some parts of the story were told at the cost of being showed. As an example, I think it would've been nice to see Zinc's start of darkness instead of just being told about it by Sangshu. I personally missed seeing Lufeng's perspective. I enjoyed Sangshu's character, but I feel like Lufeng hardly appeared in this installment. This story in particular almost felt rushed because of the short length, the story being a conclusion, and the story having two POVs instead of one. I think having a longer story instead of a novella would've alleviated the problems I'd had with River.

Overall, if you want to read about a tale of two sisters on separate yet converging paths, a series with environmentalist themes, and a story with lyrical and lush prose, I highly recommend picking this series up!

[E.D.E. Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I can start by saying Chapter 0 of this book is one of the best things I've ever read.

And then, it keeps getting better.

If you enjoyed the first book but haven't rushed to pick up the second, please let me urge you, go get it. I loved the first book and the first book is beautifully necessary for this book, but, damn, this novella is one heck of a punch.

Ai Jiang has written for us a book about trust, and in 2026, there is nothing I think we need more.

In a fiercely equalist book, Jiang writes with such utter compassion, such atuned thoughtfulness. The story is in itself wonderful and thrilling, yet it also reflects so brilliantly on topics such as the separation and entwining of choice and blame, the control of movement and location, the sharing or weaponization of survival, surveillance and the cultural insistance of privilege it exists only elsewhere, seeking repair versus disavowing consequences, and most of all: bravery versus transactionality.

A River From the Sky shatters the hero tale and rebuilds an engine of choice.

This is a book that would change the face of literature if only we hear its wind, word, and song.

It urges us to drop our assurances of structure and re-seek the balance of community. That it is not who you follow but what you want and reflecing whether that is really what those you follow are building.

If you think a lot about issues of justice, this book is a balm.

If not, perhaps it will light a fire.

For those both weary and unsure of bravery, you can read this story to better consider its nature.

On a deeply personal note, this book gave me something else to reflect on. Specifically? The utter GRATITUDE I have for the people who trust me. And what that means. The ideas will stay with me, strengthen me.

I thank Jiang, so deeply, so sincerely, for her art and for sharing it with the world.

[Alyssa (HeartwyldsLibrary) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am so disappointed in this installment. I absolutely fell in love with the first book. I devoured it in one day, and immediately grabbed the follow up through the library.. it has taken me two weeks to listen to a 4 hour audiobook… that’s not good.

The story feels so distant from what the first one was. Book one was quick paced and LuFeng was always moving and attempting to do something to change her situation. There was movement in the first book. This was like sitting in a room listening to someone talk for 4 hours just info dumping constantly on you. It never felt like the story was moving it felt like Shangsu was just constantly telling me information about what was, what is, and what could be. This approach made the pacing so incredibly slow.

I also was not a fan of whatever “relationship” the author had started to focus on with Exile Song (apologizes if this is spelled wrong I listened to the audio books and that’s what it sounded like she keep saying). While I get what she was going for it just ruined the book for me, and to not even tell me his true name, like you made me suffer through that nonsense and still leave me in the dark, that honestly pissed me off.

I wanted more from Zinc, the man who was causing so much destruction and yet he was basically removed from the story and only mentioned. It was a major bummer because I was so interested in seeing how they would over throw him but instead we got something completely different and honestly I didn’t find it satisfy in the slightest.

I’m giving it 2 stars because the creativity of the world is so fascinating and I truly love what was created. I really wish the conclusion had been different because I was really hoping this was going to become a favorite duology.

[Craig Matthews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I didn't quite connect with the first book in this duology, A Palace Near The Wind, there was a lot about it I loved — the prose, typical of Ai Jiang, was a pleasure to read, and the world-building and mythology were really interesting. I hoped that the sequel would work a little more for me on emotional and storytelling levels, and while it's a satisfying enough conclusion to this story, I felt more or less the same as I did after the first part.

My main issue is that these stories feel a little rushed. Despite being a two-part tale, the books are both short — I feel like I read this in no time at all — and there's a lot going on. Characters, locations, descriptions, history, conflicts, politics... The author clearly spent a lot of time creating this unique fantasy world, melding nature and sci-fi, but once you take away the beautiful descriptions of this world, there are not many pages left for the narrative. I knew who these characters were, but I didn't feel I knew them. I knew the environments, but I didn't feel like I'd lived in them.

This is something that probably deserved to be a novel, maybe more than one. Give us maps, give us plenty of illustrations — I felt I wasn't picturing characters in the right way often, and it was hard to keep track of who each is — give us more build-up and more to immerse ourselves in. As it stands, these are two good novellas that I enjoyed my time reading, but they could have been something truly great.

Also, please, publishers, with a duology like this, give us a recap before. I appreciated the glossary but would have appreciated a few pages bringing me back up to speed, too.

[hirumei · Rating 3 out of 5]

🚦 Green Light
The Elementals are back. With a twist, though. One of them seems to be walking the path to getting technologized. Is this the pathway to colonialism?

Ai Jiang maintains her fresh and imaginative perspective on the world she created.

⚠️ Warning Signs
My initial impression remains unchanged. I still think it would have been way better if the author took her time to further explore and describe the world she set up in one single installment. It would have made more sense rather than splitting the story in two.

First person narrative cont’ed. Now complete with a second POV. Momma, save me!

I drowned in the vagueness. I think I need a reread, although I'm dropping this at the 48% mark. I clearly don't have the right mental space for this now.

🤫 The Final Remarks
I wish I had more things to say about the story, but I feel like my own brain is trapped in a swamp. With every line I try reading, I keep asking myself “what’s wrong with my brain? why won’t these words sieve through?”. On the one hand, I feel like the entire story is confusing (I even forgot the names of most of the characters, ha!), but on the other, maybe it’s just my tiredness catching up with me.

Fun fact: It’s been one year since I’ve posted the review for volume 1. Yet, now, in 2026, I can’t bring myself to finish what I started. The irony is that I was the one who asked for a copy of the book and then the publisher granted my request for an ARC.

[M. K. French · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lufeng and her siblings crash into Gear, where their sister Sangshu is waiting for them. Zinc had made many deadly experiments, and Sangshu had been one of them. She's loyal to Copper now, and Lufeng is desperate to correct the mistakes of the past and save her family.

This is the second book of the Natural Engines series, following A Palace Near The Wind. The glossary present in the beginning of the book gives a little more of a perspective between the different lands. The Natural Engines are the wind walkers from Feng like Lufeng, or water walkers. Once corrupted or changed alchemically, they change into Natural Titans, and are burned to provide energy inside Engine, where fragile human Cogs live. Rebel forces want to destroy Engine, but Sangshu isn't as eager; if Engine falls, her Grandmother dies.

The book moves back and forth between the sisters. They have different perspectives due to their experiences. Sangshu embraced alchemy and the knowledge it brought her, even though it led to horrible change she couldn't predict. Lufeng takes more of a backseat in this book because she's more concerned with family and preserving life, not the factions warring to be right or retain power. She doesn't know everything, but she doesn't have to. This is a lyrical story about identity and truth, and finding purpose. It's beautiful and full of transformation.

[jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0
adventurous hopeful reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
A beautiful sequel to A Palace Near the Wind, Ai Jiang continues to weave science fiction and fantasy in A River from the Sky. The qualms I had for the first book was definitely addressed in the second, as there was definitely a more structured flow. While it was definitely slower, it was still able to showcase the many years of resentment and despair built up by the cogs and those under Zinc's regime. It's short enough to finish in one sitting, but the beautiful prose and colorful world made me want to savor each and every page. That being said, I really wished that this was longer — I needed more time to really delve deeper into each character and their backgrounds. I wished that we had more time to see Sangshu's alchemy in action, wished that we bore witness to Zinc's descent into paranoia instead of hearing it secondhand. While the Wind Walkers might be fleeting, the story didn't have to be.


Big thanks to the publisher for providing me this ARC via NetGalley. This does not in any shape or form influence my review on this book.

[Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

This conclusion to the Natural Engines duology is exactly what I craved from the first book, which is the full blossoming and payoff of the story.

Bleak and hopeful at once, A River From the Sky is a philosophical tragedy that contemplates the reality and impact of industrialism, colonialism, and their expected endgames of cultural genocide and eugenics. Told via a cast of fantastical element-based characters, this story doesn’t claim to have the answers to the world’s woes, only a quiet observation of them.

In particular, this book examines the impact of colonialism on the diaspora, and demonstrates how culture and tradition can be twisted and re-made even by those who are indigenous to it but working with the scraps that imperialism left them.

As with the first book, you can expect evocative prose and tragic, flawed characters. Within that tragedy is always the spark of hope and rebirth, however, which is the point of it all in the end.
This would be an excellent choice for book clubs, young reader groups, and OWN voices-focused reading. Ideal for fans of books like The Little Prince, for a similar melancholy and philosophical read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Titan Books for generously providing me with a copy. All opinions are my own.

[Claire Smith-Simmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, Titan and Netgalley for my copy. I give it 4.5 stars and rounded up to 5.

This story is so well written, it is poignant, tragic and immersive. Thought provoking and reflective, all whilst the magic of the story envelops you in a bubble and leaves you pondering the world you know. This book splits so well between Lufeng and Sangshu and I felt equally drawn to them both. When they come to their journeys end it is with sadness that I say goodbye to them as I've enjoyed delving into this world. The language is evocative and I pictured this world in all its fascinating detail.

Starting immediately where the first book left us this thrusts you back into the fray and doesn't let up. Although it is fast paced it never feels rushed

Lufeng is fleeing in her dramatic escape from the palace, she rushes towards her fourth sister and hopes to find answers. An interception changes the plans and both Lufeng and Sangshu have to pick sides to declare just how far they'll go with the knowledge they've acquired.

Knowledge, power and corruption are etched into this story on every page and the sacrifices everyone makes in a bid to keep or acquire them is so timely to the world around us today.

Loved this book and can't wait to read more from this author.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Received as an eArc)

Ai Jang always delivers lyrically written and extremely imaginative work. The descriptions of her characters and worlds read almost as poetry.  Much like the first book in the duology, A Palace Near The Wind, I found myself becoming enamored by the intricately woven threads of her world building, but left wishing for slightly more  context for some of the species and characters. While they are well presented and strong characters, I struggled a bit to keep straight some of the secondary characters storylines or enjoyed them enough that I wanted more information. The dynamic of the sisters, LuFeng and Sangshu, was a beautiful dance of opposition, unconditional love and growing respect.

Sangshu offered the following queries that stood out in my reading.

"How could a being ever hope for the trust of others, if they themselves cannot offer the same?"

"Protection and control ---is there a difference between the two?"

"There is no such thing as a true end, because change was cyclical, like the sun, it was something that Rose and set and rose again."

Overall, I highly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the duology back to back in the future. I hope to catch  details I have may missed in reading them a year apart. It made me reflect on the balance (or lack their of) of our world and I always love a book that makes me think.

[Dayanna Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and Foremost, I'd like to thank Netgalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to read this beautiful story as an ARC.

This sequel to the Natural Engines series picks up right after Lufeng escapes the Palace, and it really expands both the world and the stakes. She travels with Geyser, Changqing, and Chuiliu toward Engine, hoping to reunite with Sangshu, while Copper stays behind to quietly support them from within the Palace.

What I liked most is how much deeper everything feels...there’s more focus on the politics, the experiments happening under Zinc, and the growing tension between control and freedom. We also get a lot more insight into Sangshu’s past and motivations, which adds emotional weight to her mission.

The dual POV works really well, showing both Lufeng and Sangshu dealing with loss, guilt, and responsibility in different ways. It still has that reflective, atmospheric writing style, but the conflict feels more intense this time. Overall, it’s a strong continuation that builds nicely on the first book.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Ai Jiang and NetGalley for gifting me with a copy of this ARC.



A River from the Sky is the 2nd novella in the Natural Engines duology. After being sent as a reluctant bride to a human king in order to find out what has happened to her sisters, Lufeng discovers a plot to destroy her homeland and further subjugate her people, the Feng/ Wind Walkers. Book two follows the immediate aftermath of her attempt to escape the place with her siblings, only to have to confront her sister, Sangshu, now alchemized beyond recognition and on her own path to seekout Lufeng.

This book confronts identity, tension between natural vs industrial society, and family and cultural bonds, especially how society demands we contort ourselves to ‘fit in’.

Jiang’s prose continues to be lush and inspirational and her fantasy worldbuilding has a fairy tale-like quality to it. I highly recommend reading the books together for the full effect.