The Enduring Universe

Rages #3

by Kritika H. Rao, Sharmila Devar (Narrator), Pranshu Mishra (Narrator)

The explosive and reality-shattering Rages trilogy, started by The Surviving Sky, concludes as Ahilya and Iravan fight one last time to save everything they've ever loved—the survivors of humanity, their families, their home and each other. A powerful, immersive and sweeping epic fantasy like no other.

"Rao is a phenomenal new voice and deserves a place alongside authors like Arkady Martine, N.K. Jemisin, and Adrian Tchaikovsky. I can’t wait to see how she wraps up this epic series!" —S.B. Divya on The Unrelenting Earth

The worst has happened. The Conclave has crashed into the jungle, and humanity builds one last city, clinging to survival in the ruins.

Forced into a deadly alliance with the Virohi, Ahilya alone can communicate with the cosmic creatures – but she is growing weaker with every encounter. Equally revered and feared by her council, Ahilya desperately tries to balance the needs of her people with the untameable desires of the trapped Virohi.

Iravan does not believe reconciliation is possible. All he sees is a crumbling bastion being eaten from the inside out. Answering to no law, he would destroy the Virohi before they can destroy humanity.

As Ahilya and Iravan wage war, the planet itself rebels, unleashing new rages of untold power. Caught between a wounded planet and the cosmic creatures, all screaming to exist, the last survivors of the human race confront the approaching maelstrom.

At the last, Ahilya and Iravan must face up to their mistakes to forge peace between themselves – to save each other and humanity.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction

Audible Audio

First published September 16, 2025

About the author

Kritika H. Rao is a science-fiction and fantasy writer, who has lived in India, Australia, Canada and The Sultanate of Oman. Kritika’s stories are influenced by her lived experiences, and often explore themes of consciousness, self vs. the world, and identity. She drops in and out of social media; you might catch her on Twitter or Instagram @KritikaHRao. Visit her online at www.kritikahrao.com.

Reviews

[Thibault Busschots · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ahilya is in the jungle with her people, trying to build a new home for them. She leads them, but her own people also fear her. The Virohi won’t let her go. The cosmic creatures are trapped, but that doesn’t mean they’re powerless.

Iravan is frustrated with his wife. All their time together, she’s been wanting change. He’s been doing everything in his power to make that change happen. But she didn’t choose change. His fight and struggles feel meaningless, but he knows he needs to stay on the path he’s chosen.


Iravan and Ahilya want to have a better future for everyone, though they have a conflicting vision on how to achieve it. And they both feel the burden of responsibility because of their leadership roles. They need to learn to put their differences aside and work together towards a common goal. I think that’s the non-spiritual theme this book embodies the most: survival means working together, no matter what your differences may be.


It’s the spiritual themes that really stand out the most here though. This is where the story didn’t always manage to grab me to be honest. As the author explains after the story, it’s a story about universal oneness. You can see this in both character arcs, though they each go their own way in trying to achieve it.


I went into this book with a lot of questions, particularly about the world building. And, admittedly, some do remain unanswered. Though the biggest problem I have is actually with how Iravan is blamed for everything. Because this all started with Ahilya wanting to make a change and pushing her husband to help make that change possible.


On one hand, a solid ending to a very powerful trilogy. This is a character-driven story at its core and it delivers in terms of the characters. It grabs you and mesmerizes you with the fantastic world building. And there are some really gripping and epic scenes that stand out. On the other hand, I think I just don’t know enough about the spiritual themes to fully understand and appreciate what this book has to offer in that regard.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 Stars
This was a great conclusion to this post apocalyptic fantasy series. I enjoyed the first two books and found this final installment to be at the same quality.

My favourite aspect of these novels continue to be the worldbuilding which appeals to my side as a science fiction reader. I love how it weaves into both the plot and atmosphere of this story. The characters were likeable so it was enjoyable to return back to their stories.

From my perspective, this trilogy is underhyped in the online SFF community and I would love to see that change. I would recommend this one to readers who enjoy modern fantasy that infuses elements from other genres.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Khalid Abdul-Mumin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It started strong with the first two installments in this Raging Earths trilogy and I think the author just lost some of that touch that I felt more with in the second book The Unrelenting Earth most especially. Her other series, The Divine Dancers duology is very nice and I'm starting to feel it's gonna top this one to me.

Still recommended.

[L'encre de la magie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐
Et je finis en larmes ! C'était magnifique, grandiose ! Des scènes à couper le souffle, un rythme maîtrisé - comme dans les volumes précédents, alternant chapitres très courts et d'autres légèrement plus longs. Peu de temps mort mais pour autant ce n'est pas un récit d'action.
La quête de soi, les ombres de nos vies passées, le karma en soi, l'autrice nous livre les secrets de la recherche ultime : nous même ; se basant sur ses racines, sa culture et la philosophie hindouiste. Cette série est une empreinte sur tous nos univers Eurocentrés, ces univers de l'Ouest, une empreinte et un cadeau de l'autrice, pour tous ceux qui se cherchent et espèrent se reconnecter à soi même un jour.
Kritika Rao nous livre quelques perles de sagesse et moi, je ne peux que vous confirmer mon amour fou pour cette série, depuis le tout début jusqu'à cette sublime fin 💖💖💖

[kaitlyns_library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good conclusion to this trilogy. I appreciated the unique storyline with an immersive world that I could really picture. I’m not a big science-fiction reader, but this is one I would definitely recommend to people who love the genre.

[Cayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must say, I was skeptical of the plot progression in book 1. Book 2 picked things up and I felt more inclined to root for our main protagonists, their interrelationships and the magic system of the world. I wanted to know more, "see" more and The Enduring Universe gave me that.

The concept of the magic system, the perils "we" faced and overcame, all lead to immense character development. I cared for the protagonists and can't pinpoint at what point this exactly happened, but I wanted to see this through. The frustration our FMC experiences is palpable, and speaks to Rao's talent.

This was not my usual adventure and the longer I sit with it, I appreciate the journey even more.
Thank you to Kritika H. Rao for showing me a whole new world and for Netgalley and Titan Books for allowing me to find my way through this adventurous jungle!

[Azrah · Rating 4 out of 5]

[This review can also be found on my BLOG]

**I was provided with a copy of the book by Titan Books in exchange for an honest review**

CW: violence, blood, injury, body horror, death, child death, war, genocide, medical content, vomiting, suicidal thoughts, mention of miscarriage, grief
--

What a finale!

Humanity is clinging to survival after the life they have always known has come crashing down around them and Iravan and Ahilya are on opposite sides of a war between the cosmic creatures that are seeking dominance after leading them to this point. On top of that the Earth itself is lashing out to be heard too.

Rao's storytelling once again fantastically immerses you into this beautifully terrifying future setting of sentient cities and extradimensional realities.

I think this has got to be the most character driven of the three books as the narrative hones in even more on both Ahilya and Iravan's personal journeys and inner conflicts with the entities that they have each allied themselves with and its as emotional as you would expect.
In terms of plot progression it seemed slower as we have more moments of the characters coming to terms with the collective vs the individual impacts of their decisions and actions but there are still constantly things happening and moments of action.

As before the narrative is a little exposition heavy but here it dives deeper to flesh out the magic/power system even more, continuing to expand on the concepts rooted in Hindu philosophy.
At times the internal monologues of our two protagonists were a bit repetitive and the details on the power system were the most complex they have gotten yet (I definitely back tracked and reread passages at times) but I was still absolutely mesmerised by it all!!

Ahilya and Iravan are two sides of the same coin who compliment each other so well. Two people trying to save civilisation from extinction in their own way, trying to do right by everyone but they just cant seem to get away from the stubbornness that always has them throwing away everything in order to save each other.
Their decisions will frustrate you to no end when you take into consideration the wider consequences but at the end of the day wouldn't we all throw away common sense in order to save our loved ones?

Rao has so evidently poured her heart this story and I will no doubt be revisiting it in the future. If you’re a fan of intricately complex speculative power systems, worldbuilding that will truly transport you and characters that will take a hold of your emotions and not let you go then you don’t want to miss this series!
Final Rating 4/5 Stars

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid conclusion to a solid trilogy.

There is a lot about this series, and this instalment in particular, that I really like: the character development via multi-POV is effective, and the alternation between different POV characters’ experiences of the same incidents really works not only for development of the characters and their relationships but also for illuminating the challenging decisions that the characters and their community are presented with. This instalment in particular includes some POVs really varying in their reliability in interesting ways. The pacing is fairly consistent and kept me interested, the world-building is thoughtful, and I appreciated the inclusion of diverse characters throughout the series. There were some aspects of the ending of this series that I really appreciated.

What I found challenging about this series: the magical / science fictional system manipulating the world on different planes was interesting but I still am not sure I really know what was happening – there was a lot of similar terminology, and while a glossary is provided the terms are all defined in reference to each other which makes things a bit confusing.

I will note that the descriptions for these books describe them as influenced by Hindu philosophy; I am not versed in this, and suggest checking out reviews by folks who are – I can only consider the books on their own, and cannot comment on their representation of any particular philosophical concepts.

Content warnings: violence, death, child death, minor mentions of blood, miscarriage, suicidal thoughts

Thank you to Titan Books, the author, & NetGalley for providing me an ARC to review.

[Blair (Patchwork Culture) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Enduring Universe closed out the Rages Trilogy, a unique blend of science and fantasy. Great beasts lent the story zoological and mythical flair, while the exploration of consciousness felt both spiritual and speculative. Characters whose special abilities to manipulate the world around them, like a form of magic, shared space with those who could harness energy through research and technology. There was even an element of climate fiction in the natural world’s chaotic response to human activity. It’s a story of survival that asks whether life is more valuable than ethics, morals, and humanity itself. Ahilya and Iravan shared the hero’s burden of saving their society, despite messages about the importance of diversity and community and the necessity of collective history and memory for posterity.

Books 1 and 2 delighted me by foiling my attempts to guess at a possible ending or predict whether the main couple could save their relationship. It’s rare to feel so much uncertainty, and that tension was fascinating. Unfortunately, the conclusion felt rushed and brought new possibilities into scope much too late to fully explore. Things felt out of place next to the preceding narrative. At least I had reading momentum with the urgency to figure out what happened!

The characters were never likable, though their prickliness and refusal to be polite created dramatic scenarios. They were haughty, arrogant, and moody, which was certainly understandable given the stress of their situation, if not slightly frustrating when trying to establish motivations and determine sides. Ahilya and Iravan’s relationship was only great in their memories. They built up the idea of each other when they were apart, but refused to see the real person in front of them whenever they were together. I suppose the dissonance between what I read and what the couple tried to make me believe was the main reason I could never be sure if they would remain married. 

I have never fully understood the book’s (really cool) trajection and sunengineering principles, but this installment’s developments were more difficult to grasp. The book didn’t provide sufficient in-world evidence to make me believe that the characters could be so confident about their discoveries. There was an interesting pattern where some developments were either very vague or simply presented as old information from a new angle, and that bothered me. 

One of this series’ strong points was its melange of genres. My issue here is that there wasn’t enough time to flesh out what suddenly became possible in the finale. The gap between my understanding of things from the real world and how they appeared in the story created friction. For example, what the book described as a breakdown in reality, instead looked like a change in perception and the physical cataclysm of objects in their world falling apart. Strangely, in-book circumstances technically fit the definition of terms, but their presentation confused me and did not seem to match. In other words, the language felt imprecise. The first case I noted was genocide. I always assumed that people who commit genocide would never use that label or admit to their actions; however, the character who acknowledged that that was their choice completely canceled out the legal and lethal significance of that term because of their ambivalence. Society equated empathy with corruption and any change in thinking as the warping of reality and a lack of purity. Although I expected some rigidity in a community that had conformity and uniformity to thank for its existence, I assumed that such a diverse group of people would represent a range of beliefs. 

I didn’t notice that the previous books overrelied on magic or convenience. To my surprise and chagrin, one character was absolved of his behavior, allowing him to avoid accountability despite having made mistakes and being the most arrogant and condescending of the bunch. The severe loss and damage throughout the series indicated a long road to reconstruction, though there was plenty of hope. There was no basis for a saving grace, so I thought it was overkill that not one, but two, gifts (power and technology) were magically bestowed upon the citizens. 

The climax felt like the action sequences in an animated movie: awesome effects that would have looked cool visually, but which lacked grounding to discern what had actually taken place. I expected the closing moments to focus on recovery, giving the reader a glimpse of what life might be like for the characters going forward. Instead, the characters undertook an awkward summary, an opportunity to ensure the reader understood the events since they weren’t at all clear during the scene. 

I never assume I’ll get all the answers in intricate stories, but I finished the book with several world-building questions. In the midst of the physical danger, I understood how cohesion saved them, if not the mechanics. But I didn’t see how it fundamentally changed humanity or finally broke the cycle that endangered them in the first place. And what a weird choice (and disservice) to exclude Ahilya from the final pages. She was such a pivotal character, and all the relationship changes she faced did not get the attention and resolution that she deserved. 

This really had my mind spinning and my brow furrowing. The entire concept was so cool, but the end let me down. I’m very much looking forward to discussing this with my buddy-read partner!

[2TReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Rages trilogy is one of the most complex science fiction and fantasy novels that I have read and enjoyed.

The Enduring Universe continues what Rao has crafted with her attention to marital discord, societal collapse, hierarchy, and historical erasure. All these themes make this an involved read. The incorporation of physics, mythology, and magic make this both grounded in a familiar reality while exploring how humans can become conduits for a power that they can ise to rewrite their world.

The complicated relationship of our married couple is still foundational to this story and the tension of their disagreements propel the plot forward and generate a conclusion that is explosive and affecting.

However, I felt as if this concept got too intricate to control and for a good portion of the book, I was confused as there were certain aspects that felt disconnected from what was already established in previous books.

[M.J. Kuhn · Rating 5 out of 5]

RTC

[iris ☀︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of "The Enduring Universe" in exchange for an honest review!

5/5

I've been following the Rages trilogy since the start and have been lucky enough to receive an ARC of book 2 and 3 and let me just say, it has been so worth it. Getting to see the story unfolding has been incredible, and the trilogy as a whole has exceeded my expectations.

Focusing on "The Enduring Universe" specifically, as this is the book I read and am reviewing, I cannot say enough positive things about it. Again, seeing the story unfold and getting the conclusions to everything that's happened prior to this was such an amazing payoff. I found the ending, both to Rages and to the book, to be so well done, especially when it wasn't at all the ending I had expected (but was secretly hoping for).

Ahilya and Iravan's development, not only as individual characters but within their messy relationship as well, was also really well done. I can never get enough of the split perspective chapters, I loved getting to see Ahilya's and Iravan's separate motivations for their actions and how they were so different yet so similar. Although a majority of the cast of characters are the returning characters from the previous two books, the character building throughout this book was so well done and it added to the plot itself.

Speaking of the plot, I thought that the story was incredible and the worldbuilding was still so well done. I love the way the environment of the jungle plays so heavily into the actions of the characters and how those interactions impacted the plot. There's only so much I can say without spoiling the book, but I found it to be so well done.

Overall, I found "The Enduring Universe" to be an incredible book and an incredible end to Rages. I'm so glad that I followed this series to the end. I cried real tears and rated it 5 stars, so I very much recommend it.

Again, thank you NetGalley for providing me with this ARC. I have so much love for Rages and the characters.

[Danielle Cummings · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is a really solid ending to the trilogy. Generally, I think the confusion of the magic system and planes of existence stuff makes it hard to know who to recommend this to, because it is a difficult read in some ways. And while much of the storytelling itself is enjoyable and well-crafted, the stakes change continually (possibly in part because of the confusion of the rules of the world) as the possibilities and dangers keep changing every chapter or two. I barely know what I want to have happen or what I'm scared of happening—even though I spend a long time in the back-and-forth of the characters' thoughts. Still, I really liked these books and cared about their characters and I appreciated that they felt fresh and creative. Eager to read more from Rao; these were my first exposure to her writing.

[Aurora - The Italian Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was torn between 4.5 and 5 stars, but because of the amazing speculative work Rao has done in this book, I decided to give it a 5.

Mind you, if you’re not into speculation, spiritualism, personal awakening and all the related subjects, this series is not for you. It is not just fiction, fantasy or sci-fi, it is way more. It is a possibility, and everything you read through the first 2 books it reaches its peak in this third one.

If the first two books are more action oriented, this third one forces you to think. Like, actually think deeply about yourself, humanity and how our decisions affect ourselves and others.

This book was beautiful, and I’m eager to read more produced by Rao in the future.

[Engel Dreizehn · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Copy...Oh yes it intense like all the moods and lore of the previous books have turned up to 11 with all parties even the very universe itself raging!

[Mackeda(islandgyalreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

one day I'll be able to put into words how much I love this series but for now I just have a simple, "thats how you do a trilogy"

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Venneh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was genuinely unsure of how Ms Rao was going to end this trilogy given the last book, but my god, she managed to land this so well. Ahilya and Iravan are trying to move things forward and hopefully save what's left of their people, but the ways that they choose to do so bring them even more into conflict, and this time, the stage expands to include the cosmic realm as they try to reconcile and find the best path forward as things unravel. We also get both of our narrative POVs being incredibly unreliable in the best kind of way. Pick up this trilogy, and enjoy how the macro and microcosms of a relationship end up being reflected back in the world.

[José Sánchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

• Riveting finale for this series. The spirituality and connection of the characters and the worlds remains one of the most unique worlds and systems I have read. The story delivers on the promise and manages to find an exciting and satisfying closure. Some parts of the climax resulted a bit confusing, but overall pretty good.
• Audiobook remains great, both narrators are amazing.
• I could have used a little more twists and unexpected turns.
• Overall solid finale.