Deathless

Fateless #2

by Julie Kagawa

How does one kill the unkillable?

Sparrow and her companions have been left with an impossible task: slay the immortal Deathless King, whose magic siphons the very life of the world to sustain himself.

The answer may lie deep in the past, when those who would become Deathless Kings stormed the sanctuary of the goddess of Fate, in an attempt to remove their threads from the Weave and become immortal. They broke off a piece of the goddess’s loom and hurled it to the earth, where it still lies at the center of a dangerous wasteland called the World Scar.

For any chance against the Deathless King, Sparrow and her companions must brave the World Scar and reach the loom, which would grant the power of a goddess. But the journey is fraught with danger, and the powerful Deathless King determined to find them.

And if the loom is reached—what will the power of a goddess do to a mere mortal? Sparrow has no choice but to find out.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance

400 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication July 7, 2026

Reviews

[Gaby | read.onrepeat · Rating 5 out of 5]

waitttt, I can confirm the queen STILL got it 🙌

In Fateless, Sparrow is in denial. In Deathless she basically said: “watch me.”

After winning this ARC, starting to read it, and realizing it was the SECOND book in the trilogy 🫠, I’m so glad I got to come back to Julie Kagawa. Thank you Epic Reads and NetGalley for the ARC.

Another wild ride through inhospitable lands, terrifying creatures, impossible challenges, and a ragtag group surviving against ridiculous odds. One of my favorite things about this series is how Sparrow keeps collecting strays while she merrily goes around defying fate.

This was angsty, adventurous, and just a little bit romantic. The kind of story that reminds me why Julie Kagawa is a freaking fantasy powerhouse!

Also, me simping for the alien is… very understandable ok? Have a nice day.



_________
Pre-read
This day is trying very hard to convince me I’m stupid

NetGalley gave me this ARC, but tell me how did I not notice it’s the second book in a trilogy???
Now I have to read the first one before I get into this 🫠🔫

[Ivelis]

Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley, and Julie Kagawa for the ARC. Minor spoilers for the first book below.

This is the sequel to Fateless, the first in a trilogy. We follow Sparrow, a thief from a city called Kovass that has been conquered by an evil eternal entity called a Deathless King. We pick up right where we left off: Sparrow has just defeated Vahn, a Deathless King loyalist who once used to be her godfather, and has joined the Scarab Clan. Now, she and her companions take off on a second quest to defeat this great evil, navigating alliances, romance, and different races and worlds.

I requested this book on Netgalley before I knew it was a sequel, and when I checked out the first book from the library and read it, I unfortunately didn’t enjoy it very much. That means I can’t really give this book a fair review—I’m no longer the intended audience because, normally, I wouldn’t have picked up this sequel.

The one major note I’d make is about the end. What happened to Raithe when his queen took his place? Did he die?

This book will land very well for fans of the first installment. It’s filled with non-stop action, funny dialogue, and the same characters that gripped fans in Fateless.

In terms of feedback: I do have some, but again, as someone who didn’t enjoy the first book, this is just a continuation of what I disliked in the first book. So I’m hiding it in spoiler tags below.



Sparrow feels like a pretty distant narrator—I would’ve really wanted to get more into her wants, goals, motives, and emotional stakes. We get Vahn, her links to Kovass, Jeran, how she feels like an impostor. But what’s her true final desire and her actual goal, and how do these things (the Deathless Kings, her Fateless status) get in her way?

The action scenes are cool, but not too engaging bc I wasn’t sure how those obstacles affected Sparrow specifically. They were obstacles to the story goal, which is defeating the kings, but not Sparrow’s goal. Is it to return to her life as a thief? Forsake this whole Fateless business? Right now, she’s so-and-so, going neither this way nor the other.

Statues coming alive is spooky and brilliant, but without that getting in Sparrow’s way and without emotional stakes, it feels like action for the sake of action. And that’s not very fun to read for me.

The side characters are a bit one-note. Kysa’s a dutiful warrior, Halek is the light-hearted rogue, Raithe the calm and collected assassin. Maybe there could be moments where Kysa must make a difficult choice that put her people at risk, Halek is genuinely emotionally affected, and Raithe loses his cool. Plus, knowing more of these characters’ personal histories would be great.

Everyone is super supportive of Sparrow without build-up. I had this same issue with Halek in the first book. Within an hour of meeting her, he decided to follow her unconditionally. I need at least one of these characters to show up and show out. Show some resistance, doubt Sparrow, shoot her own insecurities at her.

Much of the world-building happens through dialogue. I’m not sure a lot of it needs to be shared, and it feels info-dumpy and unnatural. I’d rather learn more about the characters. The history would be ideally relayed some other way. An ancient cave, the heroine’s own curiosity, a vision, etc.

It’d be cool if Demon Hour had some sort of significance to the story. It was the first thing we learned about in this world, and it feels wrong that it’s a plain weather event. Maybe a Deathless King loses his power precisely when the two suns are aligned or something like that.

Need more info on the Fateless lore: How does one come to exist? What are the prerequisites? Why Sparrow specifically—was she born during a certain time, or with something special in her blood?

We’re still fighting against Vahn at the end of this book. That’s odd. I would’ve thought another enemy would’ve come about, and it felt repetitive and low-stakes. At the beginning, I guess, deeper reflections on Vahn’s death would be good so we can have a shocker later. Admittedly, I did skim, so I possibly missed Sparrow’s grief for her godfather.

Overall, a lot of the things that happen feels like plot devices, and not like natural progressions or developments. The Scarab Clan and the magical rodents specifically.

I’m assuming the next book will be similar: Sparrow will run into something really cool world-building-wise, but low impact emotional-arc-wise. She’ll defeat the Deathless Kings with unconditional support from yet another player without conflict or tradeoff, Raithe will become soul-bound to her, Halek will win Kysa over with his funny one-liners, and everyone will have an HEA.

Overall, I recommend this series if you’re wanting something quick, light-hearted, and fun—the pages fly by.

[Priscilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨You will not survive if you run, Fateless✨

✨Before I give you this secret, I must know-will you stand and defy the king? ✨

✨ No one walks these sands without cause. What are you searching for ?✨

✨Everyone knows that trying to avoid your fate only puts you on the path to meeting it✨

📖 Summary:

How do you kill the unkillable?

Sparrow and her companions face an impossible task: slay the immortal Deathless King, who drains the world’s life to sustain himself.

Their only hope lies in the World Scar, a deadly wasteland where a fragment of the goddess of Fate’s loom fell long ago. Reaching it could grant the power of a goddess—but the Deathless King is hunting them, and such power may destroy any mortal who claims it.

To save the world, Sparrow must risk everything and discover what happens when a human touches the divine.

💭 My Thoughts 💭

I was blessed with the opportunity to receive an ARC of the second book in the Fateless series, and wow—Julie absolutely delivered. I loved the first book so much that slipping back into this world and reconnecting with the characters felt like reuniting with old friends. Picking up right where book one ended, the story throws you straight into even more heart-stopping moments filled with betrayal, loyalty, and nonstop tension. Julie’s writing is so vivid and immersive that I felt like I was right there on the adventure with them every step of the way. The action and high-stakes journeys kept me completely hooked—each chapter grew more intense than the last, and I could not put it down.
~

Characters:

✨So shall we go see if we can’t defy fate tonight ✨

Halek: Ahhhh, my charming man Halek. He may not always say the right thing in serious moments, but when it truly matters, he steps up. I absolutely love his dynamic with Sparrow and Raithe—he brings a lighter, more casual energy to the group, and honestly, who doesn’t love a sarcastic, charming troublemaker? He’s the perfect distraction when things get heavy. And okay… I’m not the biggest Kysa fan, but I totally ship them LOL. Halek’s effortless charm mixed with Kysa’s cold, guarded warrior personality has so much potential. I’d love to see some of those walls come down, so maybe in the next book?
~
✨The two of us dancing around the thoughts and emotions we were both feeling, pretending to be strangers. It was going to kill one of us in the end ✨

Sparrow: My girlll really redeemed herself, okay? She was out here facing the most impossible task imaginable and handled it with so much grace, strength, and confidence—she was absolutely killing it. Her growth from the first book was written so well, especially in the way her relationship with Raithe develops. The tension between their forbidden romance and the weight of the mission made every moment between them so compelling. Watching her struggle between love and duty was honestly chef’s kiss—so good. I seriously can’t wait to see where her story goes in book 3!
~
✨I would, he whispered. Every single time, ✨

Raithe: OH. MY. GOSH. As if this man couldn’t get any better—because wow, I was down so bad for Raithe in book two. Whatever Julie put into his character this time around had me obsessed. The things he was saying??? The yearning??? The absolutely pathetic levels of longing??? YES. I was eating it up every single time. I adore his dynamic with Sparrow—the way he cares for her, notices the smallest details, and never hesitates to show how deeply he feels. And can we appreciate the fact that he’s actually honest and straightforward about his emotions? Rare behavior, honestly. His character development throughout this book was incredible, and I genuinely think he might have had the best growth out of the entire squad. I said what I said.
~
✨This is something Meeka can do. Not afraid✨

Meeka: I absolutely loved him. I need more of him becasue honestly, he was keeping the team alive LITERAALY and how selflessness he was to sparrow and his queen ready to sacrifice like wow he was just the cutest ever and I hope we see more of my Meeka!
~
Oh also! If you thought book 1’s ending was a cliffhanger, book 2 was even worse! I can’t wait for book 3 and what is to come with the deathless queen.
~
God bless everyone

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorite quote(s):

"There is a reason no one knows their fate. That kind of knowledge will easily drive you mad. Maybe someone like Halek would be fine, but for most of us, it would become an obsession." He shivered, arms tightening around me. "I don't want to know my fate," he murmured. "I just know that the time I have now is a blessing from the Weaver. It's what I do with the time before my thread is cut that matters.”



Review:

Wow. Honestly, I think I liked this more than book 1. There were some slower moments, but for the story, it worked. I loved the growth of each character. Even when it seemed like they took a step or two back, they changed for the better after. Secrets were initially an issue, but things improved later. I adore Raithe and Sparrow. Even when Sparrow was mad at him, he still cared for her. Halek made me laugh a lot and sometimes roll my eyes. He's one of my favorite funny side characters. Kysa was amazing, even when she was angry. She really cares for the others, and I love her bond with the rock beetles. I adore the rock beetles, and if something happens to either one, I'm gonna be pissed. I thought the Queen of Raithe’s people were interesting, but I don't know that I trust her given all we found out. This was an intense journey, and a great deal happened. The last few chapters really had me stressed. I don't know what to think about the end, but after that, I'm excited for the next book.

[Annabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sparrow's adventures get even more exciting in this sequel to Fateless. She and her companions quest for a magical artifact. Along the way they learn more about each other, sharpen some skills, and might even encounter a Deathless. The second book in the series is still told from Sparrow's point of view and has a similar pacing as the first, a tad slow at times but when the action picks up, it really keeps the momentum. The world-building is also just as rich and I could almost see every scene play out through the character's eyes. Overall, an enjoyable continuation of the story that ended in the kind of cliffhanger that makes me desirous of the next book swiftly.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, HarperCollins Children's Books) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

[Jenifer Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sparrow's quest continues in this page turning sequel to Fateless. Sparrow along with the assassin Raithe and her two other companions must travel to the mysterious city of Irrikah in order to learn how to defeat the newly awakened Deathless only to discover they must travel further and overcome many more obstacles to save their world.

I enjoyed this book as much as the first. The action kept my interest and kept me turning pages to find out what happens next. The slow burn between Sparrow and Raithe is great and continues in this installment with only kisses on the page. I eagerly await the next book in the series.