Bird King Rising

Letters from Maynara #2

by Samantha Bansil

A new queen reigns. A rebellion stirs. Will she risk it all to rule?

Newly crowned queen Laya Gatdula is determined to prove her worth to her subjects, her family, her rivals—and herself. When whispers of rebellion and rumored sightings of a giant raptor in the mountainous Skylands reach the capital, Laya must face the terrifying realization that her ex-lover and rival, Luntok, might still be alive and coming for the throne. Though she already wields power over wind and rain, to quell the threat from the north, Laya seeks the ultimate weapon: lightning.

Torn between the counsel of two men—her beloved confidant and her ruthless uncle—Laya must trust herself to cement her legacy and hold the throne. Is it better to earn her nation’s loyalty through benevolent rule, or risk everything to become an all-powerful god? And with Luntok rapidly gathering his army, will she live long enough to make the choice?

From Samantha Bansil, a brilliant, fresh voice in AAPI fiction, Bird King Rising returns to the world of Black Salt Queen with the gripping conclusion to an epic story of duty and strength, passion and betrayal, and the devastating cost of war.

Genres: Fantasy, Queer

Paperback

Expected publication October 13, 2026

About the author

Samantha Bansil is a Filipino-American fantasy author. She studied sociology and French at Boston University before earning a master’s degree at Institut d’études politiques de Paris. After trying on many a professional hat, she found her way back to her one true love: writing. Her stories often feature big feelings, lush settings, and unlikeable protagonists. A jet-setter at heart, she lives to travel worlds both real and imagined. When she’s not writing, she can be found wandering bookstores and ricocheting between continents. She works in Paris, France, as a content marketer.

Reviews

[fede]

no one is more disappointed than me, trust me…
RTC.

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Screaming cryiiijng throwing up the publisher sent me an arc of this😭😭😭😭💗🥹🥹🥹💕💛

[Jordan Galvan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Return to the world of Black Salt Queen in the follow up novel. This book was EVERYTHING. Laya now has so many other things to focus on, the kingdom of Mayanara, family and a new threat. The balance between all of this and now a solid lover who she can never marry. Giving us more of Bulan, Laya’s sister, was such an impactful story line to keep the whole novel moving. She doesn’t have a happy ending and sadly dies right before the books final chapters. Eti who is young wants to do more for Laya and help in this war. Laya refuses her and wants to keep her youngest sibling safe. She becomes a hero but at a cost that she must live with past the war. Luntok is now a God threatening Mayanara and the Gatdula line. He’s out for revenge.

This is one of my most anticipated books of 2026 and it lived up to it all.

[aspeccharactersoftheday]

Bulan from Black Salt Queen is aromantic asexual!

https://www.tumblr.com/aspeccharacter...

[Emboldened · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bird King Rising completely hooked me from page one. The story wastes no time diving straight into the action and tension—no long recap, no filler, just pure momentum. I especially loved how the lovers-to-enemies dynamic felt sharp and believable, making every confrontation pulse with emotion. The political intrigue threads seamlessly through the plot, adding high stakes without ever feeling heavy-handed. The romantic and emotional tension between the alchemist, the queen, and the bird king is chef's kiss. It's messy, layered, and full of unresolved feelings that make every interaction crackle with intensity. These aren't clean relationships; they're complicated by history, betrayal, duty, and desire in ways that feel earned and real. The push and pull between loyalty and love, power and vulnerability, kept me on edge the entire time. I found myself holding my breath during their scenes together, never quite sure who would break first or what it would cost them. The family drama adds another layer that makes the world feel lived-in and real; every character's loyalty and betrayal actually stings. You can feel the weight of their choices, the way old wounds and new ambitions tangle together. It's not just about kingdoms and thrones; it's about people trying to navigate impossible situations with their hearts on the line. And the female lead? She's everything I want in a protagonist: capable, commanding, and refreshingly free of self-pity. She leads because she must, and she does it well. She's not waiting to be saved, and she may second-guess herself sometimes, but she handles business! She makes hard calls, owns her power, and moves through the story with a confidence that feels both inspiring and hard-won. Overall, this book balances intensity, intelligence, and emotion in a way that makes it hard to put down. It's sharp, fast, and deeply satisfying. The pacing never lets up, but it's not just action for action's sake; every scene matters, every conversation carries weight, and every emotional beat lands exactly where it needs to. This is the kind of sequel that reminds you why you fell in love with the series in the first place.

[Chevonnika · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Bird King Rising' is the fast paced and action packed sequel to 'Black Salt Queen'.

There is a 6 month time skip from the ending of the first book. Laya is now Queen, Bulan the general of the royal guards, and Eti is slowly trying to find her place in the world. Luntok is back and trying to finish what his mother was not able to do.

Once again the authors writing style is very pleasant and easy to read. I am glad that we got more character development for Eti and Bulan, although I am disappointed with how Bulans character arc ended.

The tension between Laya and Luntok is very intense, the scenes between the two are always very entertaining. Luntok is delusional and possessive and Laya does not put up with it.

We get more exposition with Laya's uncle who is helping advise her and control her magic.

The relationship between Ariel and Laya is something that I have never personally been a fan of. Ariel is not a bad character I just dont feel that much of a connection with his and Laya. I do admire what Laya is willing to do for Ariel.

Finally, Laya grows as a character and loosing some of the immaturity and impulsivity she had in the previous book. I like her character a lot more during the events of 'Bird King Rising'.

Overall an interesting fantasy series that uses mythology and folklore from the Philippines, making a refreshing read for the fantasy genre. It also follows a 'lovers to enemies' plot which is a nice change as well.

Would recommend to those looking for a smaller scale fantasy.

[Kate Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really excited to get an ARC for Bird King Rising as I absolutely the first book in this series. Bird King Rising was not quite as good as the first book for me but still managed to be a really solid sequel and I definitely plan on reading whatever comes next in the series.
This book like the first offers multi POV and really focuses in on the characters and their inner thoughts. Where the book was a little less successful than the first for me was just a general frustration over some of the choices the characters were making even if those choices made sense given the character’s growth and perspective at that given point.
One thing I didn’t particularly understand is why Laya or anyone really surprised or angry that Ariel still wants support for his country to rebel against the colonizers? I would have thought that was obvious. Also what do you mean this new country means as much to Ariel as his country of birth this quickly with such little exposure. I was happy that at least Laya’s surprise and anger was relatively short lived.
There is also a lot more action in this book than the first. Most of the action in the first book is at the very end but there was some action throughout here and the last third was pretty much battles.
I really do appreciate how the author addresses the mental toll combat can play on those involved.

[Siegrist · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fantasy genre has a tendency to romanticise monarchies and ‘special’ characters with magical abilities and destinies. In her duology Samantha Bansil exposes the terrible consequences of such entitlement. In her second instalment Bird King Rising, Laya and Luntok, ex-lovers and the leaders of noble families with magical abilities, both believe they are born to rule and as such take their people to war. Through the multiple points of view, we see the emotions, obsessions and egotism that fuel these characters as well as a sensible humane voice that is tragically ignored. Bird King Rising is a well wrought fantasy story with flawed but compelling characters and important points to make about the dangers of unchecked power.

Thanks to Samantha Bansil, the publisher and NetGalley for the arc copy of the book.

[Katie E-D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I was waiting impatiently for this sequel after reading Black Salt Queen and it didn’t disappoint! Both books do a beautiful job of weaving together plot progression with character development and the layers of emotional tangles between the characters. There are no tidy unrealistic endings here, and that draws me into Maynara’s story and makes it compelling.

[Kevin Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come!

[Leah May Lim-Atienza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to be posted soon

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to follow!🌷