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The Hollow Covenant #3
The Legend Eternal
Not yet published
Expected 17 Nov 26“Andrea Stewart is one of the best fantasy writers I've read in a long time.”―Sarah J. Maas,
New York Times
bestselling authorIn the breathtaking conclusion to this epic fantasy series from master worldsmith Andrea Stewart, two sisters must decide if they’re loyal allies or sworn enemies as the final battle between gods begins.
Hakara and her rebels have won a small victory against the tyrannical god Kluehnn, but greater challenges lie ahead. To defeat Kluehnn once and for all, they will need to ally with Ayaz the Cutter and his army of gods . . . but Ayaz has his own plans of conquest.Rasha once served Kluehnn as a godkiller. Now she just wants to be free. To escape his influence, she must kill his aspect―a fight she knows she can’t win. Her only chance is to convince her acolytes to side with her and turn their blades on their beloved god.As Sheuan navigates the treacherous politics of Bian, trying to balance Ayaz’s demands against her own growing ambitions, Mullayne seeks an answer to the greatest question of How do you slay a god and save the world?
“Stewart's worlds are some of the most exceptionally inventive in modern fantasy.”―Shannon Chakraborty, New York Times bestselling author
Hakara and her rebels have won a small victory against the tyrannical god Kluehnn, but greater challenges lie ahead. To defeat Kluehnn once and for all, they will need to ally with Ayaz the Cutter and his army of gods . . . but Ayaz has his own plans of conquest.Rasha once served Kluehnn as a godkiller. Now she just wants to be free. To escape his influence, she must kill his aspect―a fight she knows she can’t win. Her only chance is to convince her acolytes to side with her and turn their blades on their beloved god.As Sheuan navigates the treacherous politics of Bian, trying to balance Ayaz’s demands against her own growing ambitions, Mullayne seeks an answer to the greatest question of How do you slay a god and save the world?
“Stewart's worlds are some of the most exceptionally inventive in modern fantasy.”―Shannon Chakraborty, New York Times bestselling author
400 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication November 17, 2026
About the author
Andrea Stewart
39 books2,429 followersAndrea Stewart is the Chinese American daughter of immigrants, and was raised in a number of places across the United States. Her parents always emphasized science and education, so she spent her childhood immersed in Star Trek and odd-smelling library books. When her (admittedly ambitious) dreams of becoming a dragon slayer didn't pan out, she instead turned to writing books. She now lives in sunny California, and in addition to writing, can be found herding cats, looking at birds, and falling down research rabbit holes.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Huge thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for a chance to review this arc!! So excited
3.25✨
The legend eternal picks up where it’s predecessor left off. The recap at the beginning was much appreciated!
I feel conflicted about this conclusion because I enjoyed it as much as I struggled with it. The character development was definitely its strongest suit. Rasha came from so far and evolved so much in this one. I wouldn’t say it was completely positive but it felt realistic. The characters are definitely flawed and this makes them more accessible & relatable. The conflicts each of them had was very well depicted on page but it came back so often that it did feel repetitive. The only character that globally let me down was Thassir though… he faded to the background & lost his personality in the previous instalment and had the same issue this time around. The second novel spent a lot of time on the characters and so I did have the impression that it could’ve been a duology rather than a trilogy.
I remember feeling that the first instalment and the second were jarring in terms of atmosphere ; the first one was a bit more positive/light whereas the second was extremely depressing & heavy. This conclusion follows the atmosphere of the second instalment. The stakes are extremely high and it does give the impression that the characters are working against each other & don’t really know what to do. A lot of time is spent on characters trying to convince others to various plights and it did feel repetitive very fast.
Now the romance I only have positive things to say. Every romance in this book was unique & layered. The complexity of romance in an environment that is so stressful was well depicted on page and I appreciated the realism of it.
The main plot had definitely been stagnant since the sequel. I did have the impression that a lot of fillers were added in this third instalment (especially the teaching aspect with the godkillers). This secondary plot was used to demonstrate the character’s evolution but she’d already begun to evolve at the end of the second one. I liked that nothing was convenient though. The characters weren’t necessarily charismatic either and this complication was demonstrated on page.
Overall, I’d say this was a balanced read. I loved the actual ending and wouldn’t change it.
3.25✨
The legend eternal picks up where it’s predecessor left off. The recap at the beginning was much appreciated!
I feel conflicted about this conclusion because I enjoyed it as much as I struggled with it. The character development was definitely its strongest suit. Rasha came from so far and evolved so much in this one. I wouldn’t say it was completely positive but it felt realistic. The characters are definitely flawed and this makes them more accessible & relatable. The conflicts each of them had was very well depicted on page but it came back so often that it did feel repetitive. The only character that globally let me down was Thassir though… he faded to the background & lost his personality in the previous instalment and had the same issue this time around. The second novel spent a lot of time on the characters and so I did have the impression that it could’ve been a duology rather than a trilogy.
I remember feeling that the first instalment and the second were jarring in terms of atmosphere ; the first one was a bit more positive/light whereas the second was extremely depressing & heavy. This conclusion follows the atmosphere of the second instalment. The stakes are extremely high and it does give the impression that the characters are working against each other & don’t really know what to do. A lot of time is spent on characters trying to convince others to various plights and it did feel repetitive very fast.
Now the romance I only have positive things to say. Every romance in this book was unique & layered. The complexity of romance in an environment that is so stressful was well depicted on page and I appreciated the realism of it.
The main plot had definitely been stagnant since the sequel. I did have the impression that a lot of fillers were added in this third instalment (especially the teaching aspect with the godkillers). This secondary plot was used to demonstrate the character’s evolution but she’d already begun to evolve at the end of the second one. I liked that nothing was convenient though. The characters weren’t necessarily charismatic either and this complication was demonstrated on page.
Overall, I’d say this was a balanced read. I loved the actual ending and wouldn’t change it.
July 7, 2026
sometimes love is trying to kill the one true god together while your girlfriend is slowly turning into a tree
thank you to edelweiss and the publisher for the review copy. full review to come
thank you to edelweiss and the publisher for the review copy. full review to come
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
the character I cared about the most got the least page time for the kind of character he is over the course of this entire series
The Legend Eternal is the third book in the Hollow Covenant trilogy, an epic fantasy series about a world on the brink of Restoration and the handful of people bent on stopping it...if they can get along. I enjoyed book 1 and struggled a bit with book 2, though I attributed that to second book syndrome. Unfortunately, I really couldn't get into this book. I don't know if I hit a reading slump and just needed a faster-paced book, but I just didn't find myself super invested in the story. That being said, this is one of those books where I'm sure it's a matter of taste. Even though I struggled, I have no doubt that there are readers who will adore this book from start to finish (and from the other early reviews, I appear to be an outlier). I do want to mention that I loved the worldbuilding for this series as a whole; it follows such a unique premise, and I really enjoyed learning about all of the facets of the magic system.
As Hakara and her friends make a tenuous alliance with Ayaz (a god known as the Cutter) to take down Kluehnn once and for all, Rasha intends to free her new acolytes from Kluehnn's rhetoric, and Sheuan attempts to navigate the complicated court politics she's embroiled in. Most of the book is spent preparing for a dramatic finale, so the first 2/3 of the book or so was the biggest struggle for me because it was spent lining up the pieces for the final battle. The multi-POV structure both helped and hindered this; sometimes it was nice to skip to someone else's mind when their storyline was growing slower, but other times I only cared about one character and had to wait to return. When I started reading, I was primarily invested in Hakara's plot, but by the end, I was mostly rooting for Rasha. Mull and Sheuan's subplots were the hardest for me to get through in this book, as they mostly complemented the main action without necessarily involving it themselves. I liked the ending when we got there, and though I was initially a bit upset about certain plot developments, I ultimately think it couldn't have ended any other way. I'm glad I finished the series, but I don't know that I'll reread it given my struggles with the pacing of books 2 and 3.
The character dynamics remain the highlight of this series for me. I always love when characters with different motivations but similar goals are forced to work together. Hakara has definitely grown on me over the course of the trilogy, as she's such a strong protagonist who didn't necessarily want to end up here, but her arc is neat, and I enjoyed seeing her grow into a heroic character. I really liked Thassir in previous books, but felt that he became less present in each one. I really wish he got more page time, especially in this book. While I liked Mull and Sheuan as characters, I really couldn't get invested in their chapters in this book, so I really wasn't all that excited about them. Of the POV characters, Rasha was my favorite in this book. She's a kind soul, and I loved her arc and interactions with the other characters. I didn't feel all that attached to any side characters because there were so many of them, but I did love the way the characters all wound up interacting by the end, and I enjoyed seeing their reactions to each other.
The Legend Eternal is the final book in the Hollow Covenant trilogy, for readers who enjoy high fantasy, "we're fighting god now" plots, and large ensemble casts.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!
3/5
The Legend Eternal is the third book in the Hollow Covenant trilogy, an epic fantasy series about a world on the brink of Restoration and the handful of people bent on stopping it...if they can get along. I enjoyed book 1 and struggled a bit with book 2, though I attributed that to second book syndrome. Unfortunately, I really couldn't get into this book. I don't know if I hit a reading slump and just needed a faster-paced book, but I just didn't find myself super invested in the story. That being said, this is one of those books where I'm sure it's a matter of taste. Even though I struggled, I have no doubt that there are readers who will adore this book from start to finish (and from the other early reviews, I appear to be an outlier). I do want to mention that I loved the worldbuilding for this series as a whole; it follows such a unique premise, and I really enjoyed learning about all of the facets of the magic system.
As Hakara and her friends make a tenuous alliance with Ayaz (a god known as the Cutter) to take down Kluehnn once and for all, Rasha intends to free her new acolytes from Kluehnn's rhetoric, and Sheuan attempts to navigate the complicated court politics she's embroiled in. Most of the book is spent preparing for a dramatic finale, so the first 2/3 of the book or so was the biggest struggle for me because it was spent lining up the pieces for the final battle. The multi-POV structure both helped and hindered this; sometimes it was nice to skip to someone else's mind when their storyline was growing slower, but other times I only cared about one character and had to wait to return. When I started reading, I was primarily invested in Hakara's plot, but by the end, I was mostly rooting for Rasha. Mull and Sheuan's subplots were the hardest for me to get through in this book, as they mostly complemented the main action without necessarily involving it themselves. I liked the ending when we got there, and though I was initially a bit upset about certain plot developments, I ultimately think it couldn't have ended any other way. I'm glad I finished the series, but I don't know that I'll reread it given my struggles with the pacing of books 2 and 3.
The character dynamics remain the highlight of this series for me. I always love when characters with different motivations but similar goals are forced to work together. Hakara has definitely grown on me over the course of the trilogy, as she's such a strong protagonist who didn't necessarily want to end up here, but her arc is neat, and I enjoyed seeing her grow into a heroic character. I really liked Thassir in previous books, but felt that he became less present in each one. I really wish he got more page time, especially in this book. While I liked Mull and Sheuan as characters, I really couldn't get invested in their chapters in this book, so I really wasn't all that excited about them. Of the POV characters, Rasha was my favorite in this book. She's a kind soul, and I loved her arc and interactions with the other characters. I didn't feel all that attached to any side characters because there were so many of them, but I did love the way the characters all wound up interacting by the end, and I enjoyed seeing their reactions to each other.
The Legend Eternal is the final book in the Hollow Covenant trilogy, for readers who enjoy high fantasy, "we're fighting god now" plots, and large ensemble casts.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!
3/5
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The time has come for war and to determine who will restore or shatter the world. Gods and Godless, altered and unanointed, enforcers and spy masters, all will fight.
Stewart has created a world so lush and immersive I am loathe to finish the story. I'll be dreaming of a world covered in Numinars for weeks to come.
Hakara, Rasha, Mullayne, & Sheuan are dynamic, complicated, and fallible persons facing insurmountable pressures. Our beloved characters were left thwarted and dejected in the last book, and embark on their final journey through to complete The Hollow Covenant. Each has to find their own way forward, and their actions impact eachother and ultimately shape the fate of the world. Watching them confront their enemies and personal demons was immensely gratifying!
I loved how the author gave us various kinds of romantic relationships. Love is not experienced or given the same by any of our characters and that is the most realistic part of this fantasy series! Cultural differences regarding intimacy are referenced several times but always respectfully and with acknowledgement of how different doesn't mean wrong. It was beautiful to see such an array of affection and attachment.
With all these romantic entanglements, to me Stewart's strength is in exemplifying strong friendships. The network she builds for the characters adds critical depth and understanding for them. These essential and memorable supporting characters have their own distict personalities and before you know it you're attached to them too. The only thing I missed that we had in the Drowning Empire series were loveable animals companions; but we get sassy shapeshifters instead so in a way we still have them.
I look forward to all future works from this fantastic author. Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Stewart has created a world so lush and immersive I am loathe to finish the story. I'll be dreaming of a world covered in Numinars for weeks to come.
Hakara, Rasha, Mullayne, & Sheuan are dynamic, complicated, and fallible persons facing insurmountable pressures. Our beloved characters were left thwarted and dejected in the last book, and embark on their final journey through to complete The Hollow Covenant. Each has to find their own way forward, and their actions impact eachother and ultimately shape the fate of the world. Watching them confront their enemies and personal demons was immensely gratifying!
I loved how the author gave us various kinds of romantic relationships. Love is not experienced or given the same by any of our characters and that is the most realistic part of this fantasy series! Cultural differences regarding intimacy are referenced several times but always respectfully and with acknowledgement of how different doesn't mean wrong. It was beautiful to see such an array of affection and attachment.
With all these romantic entanglements, to me Stewart's strength is in exemplifying strong friendships. The network she builds for the characters adds critical depth and understanding for them. These essential and memorable supporting characters have their own distict personalities and before you know it you're attached to them too. The only thing I missed that we had in the Drowning Empire series were loveable animals companions; but we get sassy shapeshifters instead so in a way we still have them.
I look forward to all future works from this fantastic author. Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Hollow Covenant concludes just as powerfully as it began. The Legend Eternal starts with one of my favorite additions to series sequels, a summary of the prior books and though it does not make the story better, it does make it easier to return to the world and become immersed in the struggles of these characters that I haven't read about for a while. Even for those that will be binging the series, since it is now a complete trilogy with this last entry, it helps to have the most relevant past details brought forward before plunging into the continuation. As for the book itself, Andrea Stewart did not let up on her trademark world building or complex intercharacter relationships. From the sisters, Hakara and Rasha, to all of the remaining POV characters, the friendships and romantic connections weave a web that frames the story. I was appreciative of the diversity in types of relationships, because, realistically, connections do not come in a one size fits all and the author's exploration of that created even more distinctive characters. The prior books had been paving the way to revolution, and we finally arrive at war in this book. Though the nuances of battle are not as front and center as in some high fantasy series, the stakes and players keep the focus and the resolution is in keeping with the story that led to it. Perhaps because I was already familiar with the characters and invested in their story, but I enjoyed this book as much if not more than the two that came before. I would recommend this book series to anyone looking for high fantasy with excellent world building and complex characters.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Orbit Books) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Orbit Books) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 stars
This was a book that I didn’t want to end but I wanted to know what happens. I was excited to get back into this world and I loved it once again. Seeing these characters fight for the survival of their world was wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time. I still have a love hate relationship with Sheuan, leaning more towards hate by the end of this book.
I do have two points that brought rating down (potentially some minor spoilers ahead)
1. I feel like Lithuas played such a huge part in book 2 and her story line is just kinda dropped. Shes mentioned once at like 75% and then again in the last chapter. Both times are very brief. I guess she served her part in book two, but it just felt weird as I was
2. The ending with Kluehnn was a little lack luster. I understand why the actions that were taken happen, but again it feels like this story line was maybe dropped a little.
Overall I am sad to see this story end, but I really enjoyed this whole series from beginning to end.
This was a book that I didn’t want to end but I wanted to know what happens. I was excited to get back into this world and I loved it once again. Seeing these characters fight for the survival of their world was wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time. I still have a love hate relationship with Sheuan, leaning more towards hate by the end of this book.
I do have two points that brought rating down (potentially some minor spoilers ahead)
1. I feel like Lithuas played such a huge part in book 2 and her story line is just kinda dropped. Shes mentioned once at like 75% and then again in the last chapter. Both times are very brief. I guess she served her part in book two, but it just felt weird as I was
2. The ending with Kluehnn was a little lack luster. I understand why the actions that were taken happen, but again it feels like this story line was maybe dropped a little.
Overall I am sad to see this story end, but I really enjoyed this whole series from beginning to end.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The third and final book is here and all the favourites are back in action. I'll be honest and say I didn't enjoy this as much as book 2 it just didn't click for me for some reason. That's not to say it's not a good book. It's a great book.
We finally discovered what happened to the gods and we also discovered who Kluehnn really is and I did have a sneaking suspicion it would be that person. We also found out that not everyone is really as evil as they seem. Mull came to the rescue in typical mull understated way and I was there for it. Did rasha finally hook up? Well you'll have to read it to find out. Did she make up with her sister and is her sister still hating on? All these questions are answered to a satisfying degree.
Overall a great ending to the series and the author did leave it open for the possibility of it expanding or continuing on.
I did feel like there was quite a lot of people going to different places and not a huge amount of action but it still hit the spot and gave us the ending we needed so I'd give it a solid 4 stars.
We finally discovered what happened to the gods and we also discovered who Kluehnn really is and I did have a sneaking suspicion it would be that person. We also found out that not everyone is really as evil as they seem. Mull came to the rescue in typical mull understated way and I was there for it. Did rasha finally hook up? Well you'll have to read it to find out. Did she make up with her sister and is her sister still hating on? All these questions are answered to a satisfying degree.
Overall a great ending to the series and the author did leave it open for the possibility of it expanding or continuing on.
I did feel like there was quite a lot of people going to different places and not a huge amount of action but it still hit the spot and gave us the ending we needed so I'd give it a solid 4 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I think that this series wrapped itself up very well, both the second and third book of the trilogy were stronger than the first. Hakara's growth over the series was well managed and I love the relationship between Mull and Imeah especially.
Overall, I think that Stewart is excellent at world building and magic systems, easily getting the reader immersed quickly and fully into this new world in a way that doesn't feel overwhelming or confusing. This series was so multifaceted, but I never felt confused by the surroundings that I found myself in. I do think that she can struggle with pacing through a series as seen here and with The Drowning Empire (however it was better here). I do think that she juggles the multi POV format very well, but occasionally she has one that by book 3 runs out of steam and feels a bit like filler in those chapters (like with Rasha here).
I'm very much looking forward to her next books - her writing style draws me in every time.
Overall, I think that Stewart is excellent at world building and magic systems, easily getting the reader immersed quickly and fully into this new world in a way that doesn't feel overwhelming or confusing. This series was so multifaceted, but I never felt confused by the surroundings that I found myself in. I do think that she can struggle with pacing through a series as seen here and with The Drowning Empire (however it was better here). I do think that she juggles the multi POV format very well, but occasionally she has one that by book 3 runs out of steam and feels a bit like filler in those chapters (like with Rasha here).
I'm very much looking forward to her next books - her writing style draws me in every time.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Orbit and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy!
Andrea Stewart is a true craftswoman. Creating a complex world with a mysterious past that slowly unravels. This book being the end of Hakara and so many others stories was a blast from start to end. Learning how and why things were happening, and starting to see the world after the conclusion was a fun ride! I love the intricate magic system and the many characters we come to know through the telling of this epic tale. I can't wait to see what Andrea Stewart writes next, I'll be sure to be there for the ride!
Andrea Stewart is a true craftswoman. Creating a complex world with a mysterious past that slowly unravels. This book being the end of Hakara and so many others stories was a blast from start to end. Learning how and why things were happening, and starting to see the world after the conclusion was a fun ride! I love the intricate magic system and the many characters we come to know through the telling of this epic tale. I can't wait to see what Andrea Stewart writes next, I'll be sure to be there for the ride!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Andrea Stewart is one of the best epic fantasy authors out there, and this series is full proof of that fact. With gemstones and underground explorations, was as if it was written for me, but it also has such a strong core of tenderness, of the desire to fight for a better world, because it is absolutely possible. An outstanding conclusion to a spectacular series.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thaank you net galley and the publisher for the arc. so while i did enjoy the story,i also enjoyed the world building and the battles,and the gemstone. there was a character i wanted to understand more about it was nioanen.i think the series as a whole was enjoyable.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5.
I think this is a solid ending to the series and the characters ended satisfactorily. The world building continued to be fun. I enjoy her writing and can’t wait to see what she comes out with next.
**thank you netgalley and orbit books**
I think this is a solid ending to the series and the characters ended satisfactorily. The world building continued to be fun. I enjoy her writing and can’t wait to see what she comes out with next.
**thank you netgalley and orbit books**
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for the arc. All opinions expressed in this honest review are my own.
I have no words, and that is a good thing. This book, like the other two in the series, has left me utterly speechless. The writing? Mwah. The story? Top tier. The ending? Enough to make me cry. This book managed to grow hands (or roots. lol) and reach into my chest for the sole purpose of grabbing my heart and squeezing it. I just have no words. Nothing. I loved this book and I loved this series and I’m distraught that it’s over. The romance, the sisterly rivalry, the found family, the lore, ALL OF IT. It was so good. I wish I had even a fraction of Andrea Stewart’s writing talent just to express how good it is in this review.
Read this series. I beg of you.
I’m off to find an orange cat to adopt and name Irael (to go with my existing cat Mephisolou).
I have no words, and that is a good thing. This book, like the other two in the series, has left me utterly speechless. The writing? Mwah. The story? Top tier. The ending? Enough to make me cry. This book managed to grow hands (or roots. lol) and reach into my chest for the sole purpose of grabbing my heart and squeezing it. I just have no words. Nothing. I loved this book and I loved this series and I’m distraught that it’s over. The romance, the sisterly rivalry, the found family, the lore, ALL OF IT. It was so good. I wish I had even a fraction of Andrea Stewart’s writing talent just to express how good it is in this review.
Read this series. I beg of you.
I’m off to find an orange cat to adopt and name Irael (to go with my existing cat Mephisolou).
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