Changing Waters: War

by Sarnai Briar

How far can the mind and body be pushed? When is it too much?After battling against the castle, the village has been left in disarray. Now, Kostas must work harder than ever to become a trainer, leader, and a sorcerer powerful enough to stop the vizier once and for all. Becoming a skilled seer, Adara can help predict the Patrollers’ invasions and lead the villagers to victory; however, not every soul can remain pure in the face of cruelty.

New responsibilities for Kostas and his friends put unfamiliar Jiolans in their lives. Whether they are friends or foe, not even visions can reveal. Regardless, the villagers need to get stronger, or they might find themselves at the mercy of a threat they have been underestimating for all this time.

[Trigger War, grief, and graphic depictions of violence.]

491 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 1, 2026

Reviews

[Alice Lorentino · Rating 4 out of 5]

My biggest thought is that this book is everything I liked about book one, pumped up to eleven. Changing Waters: War dives deep (no pun intended) into the complexities of the relationships and personalities of the characters, displaying new sides to everyone as they adapt to their rapidly changing circumstances. If book one was the introduction to everyone, this book was about truly getting to *know* them. And I loved it. There are a couple things in particular that I want to talk about in this regard, but they involve massive spoilers, so all I'll say is that watching Kostas's relationship evolve with one particular new character, and the sides it exposes in them both, is fascinating. Also, watching how the war impacted Adara, and her relationship with Kostas, was really interesting to read about. Watching how *everyone* was impacted was really interesting to read about.

And again, the illustrations were a real treat! I think I have a couple favorites- the illustration of an eye, and the illustration in chapter 31. I don't want to spoil anything but it's genuinely so beautiful and stirred up so many emotions in me.

So yeah, Changing Waters: War, was so good, and I can't wait for the next book in the series!

[novelcrazzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pity anyone who hasn't read this yet. It didn't just meet my expectations—it shattered them and set a standard so high I don't think I'll be able to pick up another book for weeks. The writing style was so unique and engaging—there wasn't a single dull moment in the entire book.

I loved that the author wasn't afraid to explore the characters' dark, messy sides alongside their good ones; it made them feel so real. The character growth in this book was unbelievable. It completely flipped my perspective on the characters after Changing Waters: Jiol, adding so much depth to them while unravelling all their misunderstandings piece by piece.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to cry in peace over the painful realisation that Kostas, Adara, Bryony, and Emilio aren't real people.

[Kira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Improvements from book 1 in terms of style. No momentum wasted, jumps right back into the thick of a war torn mer-city.