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The Chronicles of Dorsa #3
Empress of Dorsa
Four and a half years have passed since the Battle of the Empress's Last Stand, the battle that sealed the fate of the East and ended Empress Natasia's reign. The War in the East is finally over, but it didn't end the way the Empire anticipated.
Linna isn't ready for the war to be over, and she's also not convinced that the Empress and Joslyn of Terinto, the Commander of the Empress's Palace Guard, are actually gone forever. To find out what really happened during that last battle, Linna has traveled alone to the East. She doesn't plan to stop in the East, though. She intends to journey past the Empire's former borders and make her way all the way to the Kingdom of Persopos, a land so shrouded in mystery that some people claim it may not even exist.
It's in that mysterious land that Linna hopes she'll find the truth. It's there that she hopes she'll find her Empress and Commander still alive.
Linna isn't ready for the war to be over, and she's also not convinced that the Empress and Joslyn of Terinto, the Commander of the Empress's Palace Guard, are actually gone forever. To find out what really happened during that last battle, Linna has traveled alone to the East. She doesn't plan to stop in the East, though. She intends to journey past the Empire's former borders and make her way all the way to the Kingdom of Persopos, a land so shrouded in mystery that some people claim it may not even exist.
It's in that mysterious land that Linna hopes she'll find the truth. It's there that she hopes she'll find her Empress and Commander still alive.
891 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 14, 2022
126 people are currently reading
591 people want to read
About the author
Eliza Andrews
14 books381 followersWhen I started thinking of a new pen name to write fiction featuring lesbian protagonists, I commandeered the name of an ancestor. Eliza Frances Andrews was an interesting woman, one I have mixed feelings about. A southern belle who lived through the civil war as the privileged daughter of a prominent plantation owner, she refused to marry "below her station" after the war and therefore set about creating her own career -- highly unusual for a woman of her day and age. Eventually she became a teacher, novelist, and world-renowned botanist. And interestingly, a socialist.
But she was quite racist and I can only imagine what she would have to say about LGBTQ people. It is therefore somewhat tongue-in-cheek to borrow her name; it is my reimagining of Eliza if she'd grown up in the 21st century rather than the 19th, after women's lib and the Civil Rights movement and Stonewall. Perhaps a 21st-century Eliza would grin at me and say, "Right on." Perhaps the 19th-century Eliza is rolling over in her grave -- if she is, call it karmic justice.
Reach out anytime: eliza@ninja-writer.com.
PS, I also write young adult science fiction / fantasy under the name R. A. Marshall (another borrowed name). LGBTQ readers might enjoy the Lost Children trilogy.
But she was quite racist and I can only imagine what she would have to say about LGBTQ people. It is therefore somewhat tongue-in-cheek to borrow her name; it is my reimagining of Eliza if she'd grown up in the 21st century rather than the 19th, after women's lib and the Civil Rights movement and Stonewall. Perhaps a 21st-century Eliza would grin at me and say, "Right on." Perhaps the 19th-century Eliza is rolling over in her grave -- if she is, call it karmic justice.
Reach out anytime: eliza@ninja-writer.com.
PS, I also write young adult science fiction / fantasy under the name R. A. Marshall (another borrowed name). LGBTQ readers might enjoy the Lost Children trilogy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
October 26, 2022
I just finished Empress and the book has my brain on fire. I’ve got a million thoughts about it. My friend, Carrie K (aka bookvark) advised me to hurry and read because it was something special so I restarted the series and finally completed Book 3.
Natasia, the Empress of Dorsa has decided to personally lead her armies to fight the Mountain Men and the Deathless King, the goal being to defeat the enemies once and for all. Joslyn, Tasia’s love, is now the Commander of all Dorsa forces. Young Linna is still riding with them but the Empress has also recruited a pirate named Akella who is both crafty and charming. A criminal and a hell of a sea captain who has seen the city of the Deathless King, Persopos, and lived to tell about it. Their perilous journey will take them over land and sea.
The Empire of Dorsa is not a standalone book but the series is amazing and well worth the read. The physical world building is intricate, the topography is flush with forests, deserts, the sea, the mountains, and even bejeweled underground caves. I also love the various kinds of people, some gifted in the shadow arts, others who are stealthy warriors. I was giddy every time the narrator voiced dialogue. The accents and intonation is phenomenal. It sounds more like dozens of narrators instead of one very talented one. By accent alone, I had begun to recognize from what land the character came from or if it was one of my favorites like Akella from the Adessian Islands who was speaking.
So much of the book stands out but the author’s strength is the writing of relationships whether it’s friendships, mentorships, or two people falling in love. No two connections are the same but the dynamic between the characters is always authentic and head-turning. I felt compelled to be in the moment whether Tasia and Joslyn were being passionate, Akella and Megs were bantering, or Joslyn was training Linna. It’s an absolute wonder to read the interactions and ultimately how the characters evolve and dictate the narrative, some of which will have your heart in your throat. War battles, assassins, and magical fights are plentiful.
I won’t talk too much about the ending but I will say that I wished for something different. Just my own preference. Also, I am pining for more Akella, Megs, and Linna.
I purchased the ebook but thank you to the author for a copy of the audiobook.
Natasia, the Empress of Dorsa has decided to personally lead her armies to fight the Mountain Men and the Deathless King, the goal being to defeat the enemies once and for all. Joslyn, Tasia’s love, is now the Commander of all Dorsa forces. Young Linna is still riding with them but the Empress has also recruited a pirate named Akella who is both crafty and charming. A criminal and a hell of a sea captain who has seen the city of the Deathless King, Persopos, and lived to tell about it. Their perilous journey will take them over land and sea.
The Empire of Dorsa is not a standalone book but the series is amazing and well worth the read. The physical world building is intricate, the topography is flush with forests, deserts, the sea, the mountains, and even bejeweled underground caves. I also love the various kinds of people, some gifted in the shadow arts, others who are stealthy warriors. I was giddy every time the narrator voiced dialogue. The accents and intonation is phenomenal. It sounds more like dozens of narrators instead of one very talented one. By accent alone, I had begun to recognize from what land the character came from or if it was one of my favorites like Akella from the Adessian Islands who was speaking.
So much of the book stands out but the author’s strength is the writing of relationships whether it’s friendships, mentorships, or two people falling in love. No two connections are the same but the dynamic between the characters is always authentic and head-turning. I felt compelled to be in the moment whether Tasia and Joslyn were being passionate, Akella and Megs were bantering, or Joslyn was training Linna. It’s an absolute wonder to read the interactions and ultimately how the characters evolve and dictate the narrative, some of which will have your heart in your throat. War battles, assassins, and magical fights are plentiful.
I won’t talk too much about the ending but I will say that I wished for something different. Just my own preference. Also, I am pining for more Akella, Megs, and Linna.
I purchased the ebook but thank you to the author for a copy of the audiobook.
June 14, 2022
I did not want this to end 'cause of such great characters like Joslyn, Tasia and 'the children'... most especially Linna. We get introduced to new characters, Megs and Akella; and I just really loved seeing how all of their individual pieces joined together to bring about the final book in the trilogy.
I was left wanting more of Jos and Tasia, and that's due to the absolutely brilliant writing by Andrews.
I was left wanting more of Jos and Tasia, and that's due to the absolutely brilliant writing by Andrews.
May 16, 2022
Read the first two and loved them...this third one did not disappoint! I know she is writing prequels, but would love to see more of Linna! Great book, highly recommended. And for those who love long books, this one is for you! Action packed and long is hard to achieve...well done!
June 17, 2024
5 Stars!!
I could only imagine the endeavour the author endured crafting the Dorsa trilogy. Empress of Dorsa surely has the most plot twist of all the books.
Why should you read this trilogy? Let me tell you:
The world building is legendary. The political side of the story is in par with Game of Thrones and then add the magical side and it’s
petrol on a flame. The characters the author introduced in each book especially the third instalment where in it begins with all new characters and then diverts to the original cast, they all just seamlessly wove into the tapestry of the story. The richness of the plot, the pace, the magnitude of the each character’s relationship to each other was astounding. It’s all the palace drama with magic and strong, powerful, capable women leading the story.
SPOILER:
I was hesitant to read the 3rd instalment because I read a review that mentioned the negatives of the story and I couldn’t take any more beating for the main characters. It took me months and reading The Shadow of the Palace first before having the nerve to read Empress. I do understand what that reviewer meant when they said Tasia took the cowardly way out and seemed out of character for her to do so, but in my opinion, the author chose the most plausible way to end the book and there was even a foreshadowing in the middle of the book on what Tasia would do if and when she survives the Boss Fight. In the end, the author took risks in carving out the best result for the characters without needlessly sacrificing them. Which is why the story is as epic as it is.
I could only imagine the endeavour the author endured crafting the Dorsa trilogy. Empress of Dorsa surely has the most plot twist of all the books.
Why should you read this trilogy? Let me tell you:
The world building is legendary. The political side of the story is in par with Game of Thrones and then add the magical side and it’s
petrol on a flame. The characters the author introduced in each book especially the third instalment where in it begins with all new characters and then diverts to the original cast, they all just seamlessly wove into the tapestry of the story. The richness of the plot, the pace, the magnitude of the each character’s relationship to each other was astounding. It’s all the palace drama with magic and strong, powerful, capable women leading the story.
SPOILER:
I was hesitant to read the 3rd instalment because I read a review that mentioned the negatives of the story and I couldn’t take any more beating for the main characters. It took me months and reading The Shadow of the Palace first before having the nerve to read Empress. I do understand what that reviewer meant when they said Tasia took the cowardly way out and seemed out of character for her to do so, but in my opinion, the author chose the most plausible way to end the book and there was even a foreshadowing in the middle of the book on what Tasia would do if and when she survives the Boss Fight. In the end, the author took risks in carving out the best result for the characters without needlessly sacrificing them. Which is why the story is as epic as it is.
March 22, 2023
On the one hand, I am excited to write my review because I just feel the need to talk about this book but on the other, I dread it because it will finally mean the end of the story.
First off, if you haven't read the first two novels in the trilogy - stop reading this review and go pick up The Princess of Dorsa & Soldier of Dorsa. You won't regret it.
One thing I noticed right off the bat with this book was how mature it felt compared to the previous novels. Not mature necessarily because of the content being not for young people but her writing matured. A lot. Which is saying something because I loved the first two books yet this one is on a whole new level. Epic barely begins to describe it, Empress of Dorsa truly lives up to the author's goal of writing a queer Game of Thrones-esque series. Reading it, I felt her confidence in her work and ideas that permeated every page. The pacing of this novel is spot on from the beginning to the end, and the way stories are woven together throughout space and time was done so intricately and precisely that you can tell that the author was on the top of her game. And knew it.
If you are on the fence about reading this, don't let the nearly 900 pages daunt you. If there was a way to have a never ending book I would have chosen this one. I was so enthralled with the characters and the plot that I would read every side story about all the main and side characters if that meant I got to stay in this world longer.
This book deserves more than a five-star rating. It's too simple and cannot begin to describe what I feel towards it.
First off, if you haven't read the first two novels in the trilogy - stop reading this review and go pick up The Princess of Dorsa & Soldier of Dorsa. You won't regret it.
One thing I noticed right off the bat with this book was how mature it felt compared to the previous novels. Not mature necessarily because of the content being not for young people but her writing matured. A lot. Which is saying something because I loved the first two books yet this one is on a whole new level. Epic barely begins to describe it, Empress of Dorsa truly lives up to the author's goal of writing a queer Game of Thrones-esque series. Reading it, I felt her confidence in her work and ideas that permeated every page. The pacing of this novel is spot on from the beginning to the end, and the way stories are woven together throughout space and time was done so intricately and precisely that you can tell that the author was on the top of her game. And knew it.
If you are on the fence about reading this, don't let the nearly 900 pages daunt you. If there was a way to have a never ending book I would have chosen this one. I was so enthralled with the characters and the plot that I would read every side story about all the main and side characters if that meant I got to stay in this world longer.
This book deserves more than a five-star rating. It's too simple and cannot begin to describe what I feel towards it.
August 22, 2023
It breaks my heart to end this series this way, especially considering the amount of time and emotional investment I've put into it. In the first book, I was drawn into this world, captivated by Tasia and Joslyn, and their evolving journey and relationship. However, as Empress of Dorsa unfolded, my disappointment grew deeper with each page.
What struck me the most was Tasia's toxic and derisive behaviour within the relationship. After everything Joslyn had been through, enduring gaslighting and toxic behaviour from Tasia felt like an unnecessary and painful plot choice. It was painful to witness the undermining of their relationship, which had shown such potential in the first book.
What adds to the sting is the larger context of the story. As another sapphic narrative in a sea of narratives, I had hoped this series would rise above the pitfalls that so many stories of this kind keep falling into. It's profoundly discouraging to see these harmful patterns perpetuated, especially when representation is so crucial and when we yearn for stories that break away from harmful tropes. It's a reminder of the importance of well-crafted narratives that honour healthy relationships between women. It's so disheartening that so much still needs to be done in creating stories that uplift and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. In the end, my disappointment isn't just about this one book—it's a call for better representation and more thoughtfully crafted narratives moving forward.
Fantasy, as a genre, holds the power to transcend the painful realities of our world. It offers a canvas where healthy, happy sapphic relationships can flourish without the weight of being seen as strange or 'other.' I long for narratives that allow two loving women to be together without having to hide. Fantasy should be a realm where such relationships can exist as effortlessly normal, not for their rarity but for their authenticity.
What struck me the most was Tasia's toxic and derisive behaviour within the relationship. After everything Joslyn had been through, enduring gaslighting and toxic behaviour from Tasia felt like an unnecessary and painful plot choice. It was painful to witness the undermining of their relationship, which had shown such potential in the first book.
What adds to the sting is the larger context of the story. As another sapphic narrative in a sea of narratives, I had hoped this series would rise above the pitfalls that so many stories of this kind keep falling into. It's profoundly discouraging to see these harmful patterns perpetuated, especially when representation is so crucial and when we yearn for stories that break away from harmful tropes. It's a reminder of the importance of well-crafted narratives that honour healthy relationships between women. It's so disheartening that so much still needs to be done in creating stories that uplift and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. In the end, my disappointment isn't just about this one book—it's a call for better representation and more thoughtfully crafted narratives moving forward.
Fantasy, as a genre, holds the power to transcend the painful realities of our world. It offers a canvas where healthy, happy sapphic relationships can flourish without the weight of being seen as strange or 'other.' I long for narratives that allow two loving women to be together without having to hide. Fantasy should be a realm where such relationships can exist as effortlessly normal, not for their rarity but for their authenticity.
July 29, 2022
5 stars for the writing, 2 stars for the ending.
I was one of the reviewers who loved book one, struggled with book two, and sighed a breath of relief when I opened book three. This book returns the series to its roots in terms of writing style, and it's all the better for it. If you are looking for a gripping (sometimes grim) FF fantasy read, then the final instalment of this trilogy definitely delivers.
However, I absolutely hated the ending. I am in the minority here, but I thought the final 50 pages of the series were BS and I regret the time I spent reading them.
I was one of the reviewers who loved book one, struggled with book two, and sighed a breath of relief when I opened book three. This book returns the series to its roots in terms of writing style, and it's all the better for it. If you are looking for a gripping (sometimes grim) FF fantasy read, then the final instalment of this trilogy definitely delivers.
However, I absolutely hated the ending. I am in the minority here, but I thought the final 50 pages of the series were BS and I regret the time I spent reading them.
May 27, 2023
It should have been 5 stars...it was, actually, until the last 10% of the book, and I'm so frustrated !
I don't think I'll write a detail review here, I wouldn't know how to without spoiling everyrhing. But what a ride !!! Incredible !! Really, so much stuff was done so well, it was thrilling. The new characters were great, the new relationships too, the pacing was genius, some twist left my jaw on the floor. Joslyn still owns me, like she does since book 1. But Tasia... Weak link for me, especially at the end. Joslyn deserved more in term of arc, and the end doesn't make a lot of sens for me.
Still love the book, great trilogy. People, stop sleeping on this saga plz !
I don't think I'll write a detail review here, I wouldn't know how to without spoiling everyrhing. But what a ride !!! Incredible !! Really, so much stuff was done so well, it was thrilling. The new characters were great, the new relationships too, the pacing was genius, some twist left my jaw on the floor. Joslyn still owns me, like she does since book 1. But Tasia... Weak link for me, especially at the end. Joslyn deserved more in term of arc, and the end doesn't make a lot of sens for me.
Still love the book, great trilogy. People, stop sleeping on this saga plz !
October 2, 2022
More please…
July 12, 2022
I’m very glad there are more books coming.
My friend and I read a book together each month, taking turns choosing the book. My pick this month was book one of this trilogy and I’ve blown through all three very quickly. It’s been a lot of fun, and I genuinely like the characters. The urge to roll my eyes at Tasia making crazy decisions and everyone failing at talking her out of them comes from fondness. The characters all grew and changed throughout the trilogy, and even the ones introduced in this book were great. Akella cracks me up and Megs has such a tragic backstory that I just wanted to hug her. I’m hoping to see more of them in future books.
The trilogy as a whole is engrossing and I’m glad the author will be excellent adding on it as she has created a very interesting world.
My friend and I read a book together each month, taking turns choosing the book. My pick this month was book one of this trilogy and I’ve blown through all three very quickly. It’s been a lot of fun, and I genuinely like the characters. The urge to roll my eyes at Tasia making crazy decisions and everyone failing at talking her out of them comes from fondness. The characters all grew and changed throughout the trilogy, and even the ones introduced in this book were great. Akella cracks me up and Megs has such a tragic backstory that I just wanted to hug her. I’m hoping to see more of them in future books.
The trilogy as a whole is engrossing and I’m glad the author will be excellent adding on it as she has created a very interesting world.
December 30, 2024
I think we readers had it both ways; a conclusion we anticipated for the shadows end and our heroines not ending tearfully.
November 10, 2025
This gets a 2-Star because it needed a lot of editing. There were many bright spots but mainly it was weighed down by too many elements put into this book that didn’t propel the storyline. Making it a 900 page doorstop.
There were side plots that seem important only to be never referenced again.
- Tasia’s Pregnancy🤰
- The tinker who’s walks in dreams and delivers prophecies and is never heard from again.
(This is like the author inserting themselves in the story to give away the plot)
- Meg’s brother Milo is alive and kicking and they never meet each other.
The treatment of Tasia aka the Empress in this book is unfortunate between the first half and second half of the book she is two different people. The first half of the book Tasia is nothing like the grizzled experience mature woman who developed in the earlier series. The sheer amount of character development in the first two books had me thinking she would make an excellent Empress. However, not everyone is cut out for leadership. In this book Tasia is fatally headstrong and insolent to the point of infuriating and self defeating. She gets most of the army 30,000 soldiers killed and most of her Naval forces are lost in a storm. To give prospective there were 34,000 soldiers on D-Day of those 4000 died on Normandy beaches. Tasia’s losses are worst than Omaha beach on D-Day.
Tasia is actually a terrible Empress but like a good person?
She marries Mace a man who is exactly the paper pusher the empire needs. Then promptly leads a military campaign while pregnant with the imperial heir. All of her instincts about there being a threat in the east are correct but she puts her trust in all the wrong people. Particularly a seedy group of zealots who harness the power of the shadowlands to do magic.
After the failed war in the east Tasia is captured by her enemies and imprisoned in a state of sleep for years. Tasia is technically asleep for like 10 years. There is a time jump where she does a ton of off page character development. She comes out of her long sleep having being trained to use shadow magic and is a complete badass. Only the readers are not privy to the years Tasia spends training because we spend the majority of the book in a long flashback.
This flashback depicts Tasia’s failed siege so it’s jarring to see her become so competent in the latter half of the book. Her version of “master-yoda” is a minor character from the previous book that had me stretching to remember who they were. These two spend ten years together off-page and Tasia essentially becomes a sorceress 🧙♀️ which is good live your life but it is a hard right from being an Empress.
The other series lead character Jocelyn struggles from being a Mary Sue. In that she is too perfect at everything she does. We know Jocelyn is a great swords master but in this book she is a great general and military tactician more capable than Tasia’s own generals? Often acting like a general taking command of legions of troops with successful outcomes. She survives where all others fail. It makes all the people around Tasia look super incompetent compared to Jocelyn. Like how did Dorsa survive for so long as an empire? Bad things happen when Jocelyn is off page. In a way Tasia and Jocelyn balance each other out. Where Tasia is a hotmess and Jocelyn is a fixer to a fault. Jocelyn often tries to get Tasia to be reasonable but then Tasia just counters with… “I’m the Empress!” This reasoning wins all their arguments. You would think this would put off Jocelyn but she is a glutton for pain.
Other characters:
Linnia is the main character of the story glueing together many of the storylines. Yet it never feels like it’s her story. It feels like she is trying hard to keep Jocelyn and Tasia from imploding due to reckless decision making. You also see Linnia grow up in this book she goes from being 15 to her early twenties.
Linnia is a former slave who is gifted to Tasia in book 2. She comes to view Jocelyn and Tasia as her surrogate mothers. She is also a queer character who always is crushing on the most unavailable people. Girl crushed on Tasia, Adela, and Megs but never acts on it. She is trained by Jocelyn to be a sword master and learns the dance of the seven cities.
* Thing that didn’t make sense was how quick Linnia was to accept Jocelyn and Tasia’s death.
After surviving the war Linnia goes home and becomes a teenager again. She is not affected or doesn’t have any trauma from being a 15 year old in a war zone. She killed two people and wants to be respected. The fact that she equates killing people with being an adulthood is Jocelyn’s doing. As she is taught that the way of the sword master means death. Her trauma from the war reads like moody teenager angst rather than a battle hardened survivor.
There’s never a conversation between Linnia and Princess Adela that feels substantial enough. Given what Linnia went through in going east at Adela’s behest. This book has a real lack of Adela for that matter as she was more prominently
featured in prior books.
A conversation about Adela being used as a political piece and betrothed to Darren at 14 with her best friend Linnia would’ve been super helpful.
They don’t have a lot of one-on-one interactions. Darren is the worst and perhaps doesn’t have the best intentions for Adela. The fact that he is disrespectful to Linnia should at least piss off Adela. But this never comes up between them. Linnia just takes his abuse and acts subservient to both of them.
It takes Linnia 4 years to resume her search for Jocelyn and Tasia. The four year time jump is wild because during this time Mace becomes Emperor marries his mistress and has two sons. Th war in the east is lost and no one in the empire thinks the threat is big enough to explore despite having lost 30,000+ troops. Parts of the Empire fall apart and parts of it continue on business as usual.
Shadow infected and mountain men attack the empire but there are a lot of places untouched. Which is why it seems unnecessary for Tasia to have personally led the attack in the east. Doesn’t feel like the threat level was high enough to warrant a pregnant Empress going on a suicide mission. It was just an extreme choice made by someone who nobody outranked.
Bright spots
I loved the character Meg’s in the first quarter of the book. She is an imperial soldier who is one of Tasia’s victims having been directly affected by the Empress’s bad war. We understand just how badly parts of the empire have become through her prospective. Earlier in by book Meg’s recounts the moment when her brother Milo infected her entire family with evil shadows. Something that scars her for life. We next see her lose a woman (Azza) who is like a wife to her in the most terrible of ways. There are minor characters part of Meg’s found military family Zandera, Azza, and Rom. All of which are very likable and believable in their war weariness and resilience to survive.
You like them. And they all die. And then you feel bad for Meg’s and it’s only a small solace that she discovers Linnia in all of her loss. Linnia and Meg’s never meet in the flashbacks though they interact with the other characters in the book. They are both at the war in the east at the same time. Meg’s appears more haunted from war than Linnia.
Megs loss of Azza in the first half of the book is sooo compelling. Megs and Azza have a brief amount of scene time but it feels more natural and less forced than the Akella and Meg’s pairing.
This is because the first half of the book spends a lot of time with Meg’s prospective developing a world that has fallen in the absence of the Empress and Jocelyn. The world is bleak and this character is given a lot of time to shine as a leader who has stepped up in the absence of law and order.
Here’s why Meg’s and Azza relationship is compelling:
- Azza and Meg’s are together for over a year.
- They are survivors of war.
- Azza is a victim of implied sexual assault so it takes her a longtime to trust anyone with intimacy.
- Azza and Meg’s build enough trust to have intimacy and sex!
- Azza chooses to remain in a war zone for Megs. Instead of seeking personal safety.
- And, they fight like mom and dad in their shared tent ⛺️
- Meg’s goes into hulk mode trying to save Azza.
- Megs never found Azza’s body
- The tinkers prophecy’s is that she will reunite with a loss love had me thinking it would be either her brother Milo or Azza.
When Megs meets Linnia it’s totally compelling and you want to spend time with these characters. You want to spend time in the present seeing them travel together to the east. During this time poor Linnia develops feelings for Megs because they travel together off page for a very long time. Linnia was there when Megs buried her people and can respect that the woman is grieving and perhaps not emotionally available.
Akella the pirate woman. This character had their moments but like Jocelyn their piratey wiles makes them too perfect at everything they do. Akella is a smuggler who in the beginning of the book may have been involved in either the slave trade or drug trade or both. She’s has no qualms with killing people and yet also has a heart of gold. She’s a flirt. Who can out fight Linnia (a sword master). She calls Jocelyn a whore and concubine the entire book. Which makes her seem like a real asshole. Her pirate ways quickly make her more competent than all the imperial soldiers in the empire. Her ability to question everything makes her smarter than everyone else around. She can out sail and drink and charm her way out of trouble. She likes fucking and brothels yet in meeting Megs, she wants a long term relationship and to put a ring on it. The woman has a lot of contradictions. She reads like a lady Captain Sparrow but it’s doesn’t go deeper. Compared to Linnia, Megs, Jocelyn, and Tasia: she has the Mary Sue thing going on way too much. She’s a utility character who is good at everything and built to be lovable yet I couldn’t stand her.
Perhaps her most compelling quality is her cowardice as she retreats from battle after battle to save herself. She saves herself from falling victim to the deathless king but doesn’t quite leave the area. Akella stays for six months in a city infested with shadow infected people. During this time she survives by fishing. She can’t quite talk herself into the courage of going back for Tasia and Jocelyn even though she knows it’s a priority.
Akella falls in love with Meg’s in the flashbacks and these two are set up to be an OTP couple. However they never date or have any substantial moment. These two don’t have the on page scene work to be a convincing couple. Megs takes one nap on Akellas bed 🛌 and that is it! Akella’s tries to get Megs to agree to court her and it’s a side plot that gets buried in all the warfare flashbacks.
They meet again later in the present time but it’s after we’ve seen everything Meg has been through including her previous relationship with Azza. Megs is much darker and much more affected by the war than Akella is by comparison.
When they do meet Akella and Meg’s are still mentally years apart. Time doesn’t work in the same way in Persopos what feels like six months to Akella is actually 4 1/2 years in the world. Akella is overjoyed to find Megs alive and waste no time flirting with her. This felt again like given all the action happening in the end game chapters out of place. Akella is also totally an asshole calling Linnia little seagull even though she asked not to be called that repeatedly. At this point Linnia is a full grown adult and it’s condescending. Plus she flirting with Megs in front of Linnia and it’s sucks. Why even write that Linnia has a crush if she never gets to even act on it and it goes nowhere. Just kinda of reminds us that Linnia spent the book striving to be taken seriously she is still not viewed adult-enough.
We also have no idea what kind of relationship was happening between Megs and Linnia during their travels. We only feel bad for Linnia who seems to always crush on the wrong people. Megs easily starts to catch feelings for Akella and it hastens to love with no development.
There’s a whole side plot with Akellas former crew being used for their sperm to make evil witches which needed editing. Ewww.
Ultimately flashback and time shifts put characters into mismatch of mental states that affects their prospective of how they view each other. This felt messy in the final act. Considering for Tasia and Jocelyn are separate from each other for ten years. While for Jocelyn it was just like six months for Tasia it’s ten years. These time shifts are all over the place. And too much for the last 100 pages to unpack.
With so much to unpack in the final chapters. Tasia goes Ex Deus Machina on all her enemies. For a character who spent the series using her brains to get navigate herself out of trouble. Giving her magic felt a bit out of left field. Her expertise due to ten years of off page training also did sit well. Since we spent so much time with Jocelyn and even Linnia watching them master their craft.
Overall, this was an excellent series. Unique in its inclusivity of queer people in the heavy fantasy genre. I really like Eliza Andrew’s books. The first book in this series had an amazing court room finale that was thrilling. The second book really stretched Jocelyn and Tasia to the next level with separate character development.This book added some new and interesting characters Linnia who could carry the next trilogy. This story also doesn’t feel like it’s finished with an open ending and everyone is alive and kicking to continue onward minus akella who is the worst.
There were side plots that seem important only to be never referenced again.
- Tasia’s Pregnancy🤰
- The tinker who’s walks in dreams and delivers prophecies and is never heard from again.
(This is like the author inserting themselves in the story to give away the plot)
- Meg’s brother Milo is alive and kicking and they never meet each other.
The treatment of Tasia aka the Empress in this book is unfortunate between the first half and second half of the book she is two different people. The first half of the book Tasia is nothing like the grizzled experience mature woman who developed in the earlier series. The sheer amount of character development in the first two books had me thinking she would make an excellent Empress. However, not everyone is cut out for leadership. In this book Tasia is fatally headstrong and insolent to the point of infuriating and self defeating. She gets most of the army 30,000 soldiers killed and most of her Naval forces are lost in a storm. To give prospective there were 34,000 soldiers on D-Day of those 4000 died on Normandy beaches. Tasia’s losses are worst than Omaha beach on D-Day.
Tasia is actually a terrible Empress but like a good person?
She marries Mace a man who is exactly the paper pusher the empire needs. Then promptly leads a military campaign while pregnant with the imperial heir. All of her instincts about there being a threat in the east are correct but she puts her trust in all the wrong people. Particularly a seedy group of zealots who harness the power of the shadowlands to do magic.
After the failed war in the east Tasia is captured by her enemies and imprisoned in a state of sleep for years. Tasia is technically asleep for like 10 years. There is a time jump where she does a ton of off page character development. She comes out of her long sleep having being trained to use shadow magic and is a complete badass. Only the readers are not privy to the years Tasia spends training because we spend the majority of the book in a long flashback.
This flashback depicts Tasia’s failed siege so it’s jarring to see her become so competent in the latter half of the book. Her version of “master-yoda” is a minor character from the previous book that had me stretching to remember who they were. These two spend ten years together off-page and Tasia essentially becomes a sorceress 🧙♀️ which is good live your life but it is a hard right from being an Empress.
The other series lead character Jocelyn struggles from being a Mary Sue. In that she is too perfect at everything she does. We know Jocelyn is a great swords master but in this book she is a great general and military tactician more capable than Tasia’s own generals? Often acting like a general taking command of legions of troops with successful outcomes. She survives where all others fail. It makes all the people around Tasia look super incompetent compared to Jocelyn. Like how did Dorsa survive for so long as an empire? Bad things happen when Jocelyn is off page. In a way Tasia and Jocelyn balance each other out. Where Tasia is a hotmess and Jocelyn is a fixer to a fault. Jocelyn often tries to get Tasia to be reasonable but then Tasia just counters with… “I’m the Empress!” This reasoning wins all their arguments. You would think this would put off Jocelyn but she is a glutton for pain.
Other characters:
Linnia is the main character of the story glueing together many of the storylines. Yet it never feels like it’s her story. It feels like she is trying hard to keep Jocelyn and Tasia from imploding due to reckless decision making. You also see Linnia grow up in this book she goes from being 15 to her early twenties.
Linnia is a former slave who is gifted to Tasia in book 2. She comes to view Jocelyn and Tasia as her surrogate mothers. She is also a queer character who always is crushing on the most unavailable people. Girl crushed on Tasia, Adela, and Megs but never acts on it. She is trained by Jocelyn to be a sword master and learns the dance of the seven cities.
* Thing that didn’t make sense was how quick Linnia was to accept Jocelyn and Tasia’s death.
After surviving the war Linnia goes home and becomes a teenager again. She is not affected or doesn’t have any trauma from being a 15 year old in a war zone. She killed two people and wants to be respected. The fact that she equates killing people with being an adulthood is Jocelyn’s doing. As she is taught that the way of the sword master means death. Her trauma from the war reads like moody teenager angst rather than a battle hardened survivor.
There’s never a conversation between Linnia and Princess Adela that feels substantial enough. Given what Linnia went through in going east at Adela’s behest. This book has a real lack of Adela for that matter as she was more prominently
featured in prior books.
A conversation about Adela being used as a political piece and betrothed to Darren at 14 with her best friend Linnia would’ve been super helpful.
They don’t have a lot of one-on-one interactions. Darren is the worst and perhaps doesn’t have the best intentions for Adela. The fact that he is disrespectful to Linnia should at least piss off Adela. But this never comes up between them. Linnia just takes his abuse and acts subservient to both of them.
It takes Linnia 4 years to resume her search for Jocelyn and Tasia. The four year time jump is wild because during this time Mace becomes Emperor marries his mistress and has two sons. Th war in the east is lost and no one in the empire thinks the threat is big enough to explore despite having lost 30,000+ troops. Parts of the Empire fall apart and parts of it continue on business as usual.
Shadow infected and mountain men attack the empire but there are a lot of places untouched. Which is why it seems unnecessary for Tasia to have personally led the attack in the east. Doesn’t feel like the threat level was high enough to warrant a pregnant Empress going on a suicide mission. It was just an extreme choice made by someone who nobody outranked.
Bright spots
I loved the character Meg’s in the first quarter of the book. She is an imperial soldier who is one of Tasia’s victims having been directly affected by the Empress’s bad war. We understand just how badly parts of the empire have become through her prospective. Earlier in by book Meg’s recounts the moment when her brother Milo infected her entire family with evil shadows. Something that scars her for life. We next see her lose a woman (Azza) who is like a wife to her in the most terrible of ways. There are minor characters part of Meg’s found military family Zandera, Azza, and Rom. All of which are very likable and believable in their war weariness and resilience to survive.
You like them. And they all die. And then you feel bad for Meg’s and it’s only a small solace that she discovers Linnia in all of her loss. Linnia and Meg’s never meet in the flashbacks though they interact with the other characters in the book. They are both at the war in the east at the same time. Meg’s appears more haunted from war than Linnia.
Megs loss of Azza in the first half of the book is sooo compelling. Megs and Azza have a brief amount of scene time but it feels more natural and less forced than the Akella and Meg’s pairing.
This is because the first half of the book spends a lot of time with Meg’s prospective developing a world that has fallen in the absence of the Empress and Jocelyn. The world is bleak and this character is given a lot of time to shine as a leader who has stepped up in the absence of law and order.
Here’s why Meg’s and Azza relationship is compelling:
- Azza and Meg’s are together for over a year.
- They are survivors of war.
- Azza is a victim of implied sexual assault so it takes her a longtime to trust anyone with intimacy.
- Azza and Meg’s build enough trust to have intimacy and sex!
- Azza chooses to remain in a war zone for Megs. Instead of seeking personal safety.
- And, they fight like mom and dad in their shared tent ⛺️
- Meg’s goes into hulk mode trying to save Azza.
- Megs never found Azza’s body
- The tinkers prophecy’s is that she will reunite with a loss love had me thinking it would be either her brother Milo or Azza.
When Megs meets Linnia it’s totally compelling and you want to spend time with these characters. You want to spend time in the present seeing them travel together to the east. During this time poor Linnia develops feelings for Megs because they travel together off page for a very long time. Linnia was there when Megs buried her people and can respect that the woman is grieving and perhaps not emotionally available.
Akella the pirate woman. This character had their moments but like Jocelyn their piratey wiles makes them too perfect at everything they do. Akella is a smuggler who in the beginning of the book may have been involved in either the slave trade or drug trade or both. She’s has no qualms with killing people and yet also has a heart of gold. She’s a flirt. Who can out fight Linnia (a sword master). She calls Jocelyn a whore and concubine the entire book. Which makes her seem like a real asshole. Her pirate ways quickly make her more competent than all the imperial soldiers in the empire. Her ability to question everything makes her smarter than everyone else around. She can out sail and drink and charm her way out of trouble. She likes fucking and brothels yet in meeting Megs, she wants a long term relationship and to put a ring on it. The woman has a lot of contradictions. She reads like a lady Captain Sparrow but it’s doesn’t go deeper. Compared to Linnia, Megs, Jocelyn, and Tasia: she has the Mary Sue thing going on way too much. She’s a utility character who is good at everything and built to be lovable yet I couldn’t stand her.
Perhaps her most compelling quality is her cowardice as she retreats from battle after battle to save herself. She saves herself from falling victim to the deathless king but doesn’t quite leave the area. Akella stays for six months in a city infested with shadow infected people. During this time she survives by fishing. She can’t quite talk herself into the courage of going back for Tasia and Jocelyn even though she knows it’s a priority.
Akella falls in love with Meg’s in the flashbacks and these two are set up to be an OTP couple. However they never date or have any substantial moment. These two don’t have the on page scene work to be a convincing couple. Megs takes one nap on Akellas bed 🛌 and that is it! Akella’s tries to get Megs to agree to court her and it’s a side plot that gets buried in all the warfare flashbacks.
They meet again later in the present time but it’s after we’ve seen everything Meg has been through including her previous relationship with Azza. Megs is much darker and much more affected by the war than Akella is by comparison.
When they do meet Akella and Meg’s are still mentally years apart. Time doesn’t work in the same way in Persopos what feels like six months to Akella is actually 4 1/2 years in the world. Akella is overjoyed to find Megs alive and waste no time flirting with her. This felt again like given all the action happening in the end game chapters out of place. Akella is also totally an asshole calling Linnia little seagull even though she asked not to be called that repeatedly. At this point Linnia is a full grown adult and it’s condescending. Plus she flirting with Megs in front of Linnia and it’s sucks. Why even write that Linnia has a crush if she never gets to even act on it and it goes nowhere. Just kinda of reminds us that Linnia spent the book striving to be taken seriously she is still not viewed adult-enough.
We also have no idea what kind of relationship was happening between Megs and Linnia during their travels. We only feel bad for Linnia who seems to always crush on the wrong people. Megs easily starts to catch feelings for Akella and it hastens to love with no development.
There’s a whole side plot with Akellas former crew being used for their sperm to make evil witches which needed editing. Ewww.
Ultimately flashback and time shifts put characters into mismatch of mental states that affects their prospective of how they view each other. This felt messy in the final act. Considering for Tasia and Jocelyn are separate from each other for ten years. While for Jocelyn it was just like six months for Tasia it’s ten years. These time shifts are all over the place. And too much for the last 100 pages to unpack.
With so much to unpack in the final chapters. Tasia goes Ex Deus Machina on all her enemies. For a character who spent the series using her brains to get navigate herself out of trouble. Giving her magic felt a bit out of left field. Her expertise due to ten years of off page training also did sit well. Since we spent so much time with Jocelyn and even Linnia watching them master their craft.
Overall, this was an excellent series. Unique in its inclusivity of queer people in the heavy fantasy genre. I really like Eliza Andrew’s books. The first book in this series had an amazing court room finale that was thrilling. The second book really stretched Jocelyn and Tasia to the next level with separate character development.This book added some new and interesting characters Linnia who could carry the next trilogy. This story also doesn’t feel like it’s finished with an open ending and everyone is alive and kicking to continue onward minus akella who is the worst.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2023
What a great ride it was to experience this trilogy, know this characters and this world throughout these 3 beautifully written books. And also, what a great way for the trilogy to end. Although I must say Empress of Dorsa is my favorite of the series, since book 1 I was greatly pleased by the characters and the world they get to live in. (And the plot twists, oh my! No spoilers, though). All of the three books have a special place in my heart. A story that will keep lingering in my memory for a long time to come.
This series broke my heart while making me warm and fuzzy; made me angry, while making me feel utter happiness. And this is what a great author does to us. I’m so glad I got to experience the series. I loved falling in love with each character: Tasia and her journey to be a great leader and human being, I loved Joslyn’s strength, I loved how she never gives up, even though she has been through a lot. And the love they feel for each other is so well crafted and so real that even in the moments when everything seems to be broken, I was contented to know they still had each other. And then I feel in love with all the new characters and the old ones too: Linna, Megs, Akella. I’m not going to lie, I wish I could see more of them and by the end of the book, I felt like I would like to know the end of their stories as well, though, I’m positively confident we will get to see yet a lot of them in the (near?) future.
The world-building was also brilliant. I’m going to miss it so much being inside it. Getting to visit each city and their people, their different custom, the beauty of different parts of the world. (Also, I would love to play a round of Castles and Knights).
It was a long long journey, but one that I’d be blissful to experience all over again.
This series broke my heart while making me warm and fuzzy; made me angry, while making me feel utter happiness. And this is what a great author does to us. I’m so glad I got to experience the series. I loved falling in love with each character: Tasia and her journey to be a great leader and human being, I loved Joslyn’s strength, I loved how she never gives up, even though she has been through a lot. And the love they feel for each other is so well crafted and so real that even in the moments when everything seems to be broken, I was contented to know they still had each other. And then I feel in love with all the new characters and the old ones too: Linna, Megs, Akella. I’m not going to lie, I wish I could see more of them and by the end of the book, I felt like I would like to know the end of their stories as well, though, I’m positively confident we will get to see yet a lot of them in the (near?) future.
The world-building was also brilliant. I’m going to miss it so much being inside it. Getting to visit each city and their people, their different custom, the beauty of different parts of the world. (Also, I would love to play a round of Castles and Knights).
It was a long long journey, but one that I’d be blissful to experience all over again.
October 13, 2022
Kudos to Andrews for writing a page-turning finale to the Chronicles of Dorsa.
I am a major fan of this series for the writing, world-building, political and religious machinations, and, above all else, Tasia and Joslyn. I love getting to learn more and go further with each of these characters but was disappointed we don't get to be with Joslyn and Tasia the whole time. There are new characters here that are well-written and thought out. I enjoyed these new characters (a pirate, a slave, a warrior) and learning about the world from different perspectives. Yet, in these new perspectives away from that of Joslyn and Tasia, there was this strange othering of Joslyn (largely by Akella, the pirate) portraying Joslyn as this stern rock with no emotion only good for defending and being Tasia's "concubine". This felt disrespectful to Joslyn and all she's been through, as well as dishonest to their relationship. In addition, the new character of Linna (the former slave) at times felt like a rewrite of Joslyn, like a redo. To be clear, I loved all the characters, I just wanted to flag.
In addition, with all the war going on and the new characters, I was hoping we would finally get the perspective of a mountain man tribes person. Why are they fighting? Who is their leader? Why are they aligned with their allies? What does their life look like? What's their history? The whole book and series does a really good job of painting the political, social, and economic situation of the empire and the other lands & peoples, yet we get next to nothing for the main opponent. This makes the mountain men seem like a dehumanized amorphous bloodthirsty mass. On the same note, the Kingdom of Persopos and their leader - the deathless king - is such an interesting one but one left somewhat unanswered. I do see (THANK GOODNESS) that Andrews will be doing a trilogy prequel about the first Empress Adela. Which I am THRILLED ABOUT. Perhaps this will answer some outstanding questions.
With all this said, I absolutely love the full series. While this book wasn't as big of a punch as the first and second, it was incredibly interesting, filled with cool characters, so much battle and action, rips your heart out, and puts it back together again. Thank you to Andrews for bringing us a powerful love story that spans decades, lifetimes, and locations. Thank you also for writing so many unabashedly and unquestionably badass queer women. That’s the world I want to live in. While it seemed like you ended up having more fun with the new characters than with our beloved Tasia and Josyln, thank you for bringing them back and for the full series. CANNOT WAIT for more.
I am a major fan of this series for the writing, world-building, political and religious machinations, and, above all else, Tasia and Joslyn. I love getting to learn more and go further with each of these characters but was disappointed we don't get to be with Joslyn and Tasia the whole time. There are new characters here that are well-written and thought out. I enjoyed these new characters (a pirate, a slave, a warrior) and learning about the world from different perspectives. Yet, in these new perspectives away from that of Joslyn and Tasia, there was this strange othering of Joslyn (largely by Akella, the pirate) portraying Joslyn as this stern rock with no emotion only good for defending and being Tasia's "concubine". This felt disrespectful to Joslyn and all she's been through, as well as dishonest to their relationship. In addition, the new character of Linna (the former slave) at times felt like a rewrite of Joslyn, like a redo. To be clear, I loved all the characters, I just wanted to flag.
In addition, with all the war going on and the new characters, I was hoping we would finally get the perspective of a mountain man tribes person. Why are they fighting? Who is their leader? Why are they aligned with their allies? What does their life look like? What's their history? The whole book and series does a really good job of painting the political, social, and economic situation of the empire and the other lands & peoples, yet we get next to nothing for the main opponent. This makes the mountain men seem like a dehumanized amorphous bloodthirsty mass. On the same note, the Kingdom of Persopos and their leader - the deathless king - is such an interesting one but one left somewhat unanswered. I do see (THANK GOODNESS) that Andrews will be doing a trilogy prequel about the first Empress Adela. Which I am THRILLED ABOUT. Perhaps this will answer some outstanding questions.
With all this said, I absolutely love the full series. While this book wasn't as big of a punch as the first and second, it was incredibly interesting, filled with cool characters, so much battle and action, rips your heart out, and puts it back together again. Thank you to Andrews for bringing us a powerful love story that spans decades, lifetimes, and locations. Thank you also for writing so many unabashedly and unquestionably badass queer women. That’s the world I want to live in. While it seemed like you ended up having more fun with the new characters than with our beloved Tasia and Josyln, thank you for bringing them back and for the full series. CANNOT WAIT for more.
May 12, 2024
i loved this entire series and it will always have a place in my heart. the whiplash of emotions i felt was unlike most other books i’ve read. Talia and Joslyn are one of my favourite book couples and i’m so happy to finally see sapphic representation in books. if you’re reading this review, then please read this series !!
May 10, 2022
Awesome
This was an epic read. I was lucky enough to be able to spend my entire weekend reading, and I ploughed through this. I only stopped to make food. It was wonderful to be back in this world with its enigmatic characters and high stakes adventures. I was completely absorbed. All I need now is a print copy to go on my shelves with the other two volumes. I'm looking forward to the prequel books.
This was an epic read. I was lucky enough to be able to spend my entire weekend reading, and I ploughed through this. I only stopped to make food. It was wonderful to be back in this world with its enigmatic characters and high stakes adventures. I was completely absorbed. All I need now is a print copy to go on my shelves with the other two volumes. I'm looking forward to the prequel books.
February 21, 2023
Man! This series really takes you for a ride. The time shifts got to be a bit much, but I was listening to the audio book so that probably didn’t help. I really loved the character growth for Linna, and the addition of Megs and Akella was fantastic. But the ending really left me wanting! I really love this series and it’s 100% worth reading, I just wanted better for the characters. I feel like another book is needed to wrap everything up. (MAJOR Spoilers ahead!)
—
Linna’s left pining after Tasia’s little sister, with no happy ending or even just decent ending for herself. Sure she couldn’t just run off with the princess because that would be unrealistic, but… what? Also Tasia just abandoning everything, including her sister because she wants some peace and quite? I mean I get it, but again… what??? You’re going to let your sister believe she has no more living blood relatives and has lost everyone she has ever really loved because you’re tired? After everything you’ve been through?
Finally, I really left like Tasia and Jocelyn’s relationship was stagnant and kinda flat. Neither character had much growth and they kinda felt like they were included as after thoughts to tell the story of Megs, Akella, and Linna.
—
Linna’s left pining after Tasia’s little sister, with no happy ending or even just decent ending for herself. Sure she couldn’t just run off with the princess because that would be unrealistic, but… what? Also Tasia just abandoning everything, including her sister because she wants some peace and quite? I mean I get it, but again… what??? You’re going to let your sister believe she has no more living blood relatives and has lost everyone she has ever really loved because you’re tired? After everything you’ve been through?
Finally, I really left like Tasia and Jocelyn’s relationship was stagnant and kinda flat. Neither character had much growth and they kinda felt like they were included as after thoughts to tell the story of Megs, Akella, and Linna.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2022
Loved the writing, but not the last third of the story. The ending unfortunately killed the series for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2024
Dnf after finding out the ending. It completely makes the whole trilogy pointless. Very disappointed.
November 2, 2024
The final installment of this trilogy sadly didn't hold up as well as the first two, due to a combination of meandering plot, reduction of the main duo to boring side characters and very very slow pacing.
We get three new POVs- Megs, an Imperial soldier, Akella, a pirate captain, and Linna, the freed slave turned guard. While they were all written well I did wonder why we had to spend so much attention with them when Tasia and Joslyn's story had plenty to offer. Megs I found particularly pointless as we didn't need any of her tragic backstory shown to us in such detail, it could have come later as an aside.
The book tended to do this a lot- spend a lot of time showing rather insignificant plot details (Meg's backstory or Tasia and Joslyn's 'dreamworld' for example) but then telling actual key plot points (such as Linna and Meg's journey east, how Linna developed feelings for Megs, how Tasia knew about Akella, Akella, Joslyn and Tasia's journey to Persopos). This was a huge shame and really broke the pacing for me as the book just dragged and dragged and dragged, and I kept waiting for the story to pick back up.
The setups also didn't quite work for me, such as Akella's introduction and why she was suddenly so vital. These all occurred off-screen which felt bizarre to me as they were important to establish. Other things like Tasia suddenly being able to use magic (again told, not shown) really made the climax lose much impact. The climax itself was extremely rushed (in fact the exact opposite of the brilliant one in book 2) and the epilogue forgot about half the characters the book spent so long introducing! Akella and Megs' first kiss? Milo's fate? Megs ever reuniting with her brother and confronting the pain of their familial loss? All glossed over.
Tasia and Joslyn also kept having to have forced conflict in their relationship which left a bad taste, especially all the 'she never really loved me anyway' drama that made me roll my eyes. Both of them also read much flatter and are far less compelling than in the previous books. I also didn't like the ending where Tasia essentially reverts back to her book 1 self and just wants to run from her responsibilities, including her sister.
The book remains well written with a compelling plot but the poor pacing, undoing of the character arcs for Tasia and Joslyn and the style of wanting to present mystery rather than show important plot points really brought it down for me. A shame that I will be treating this series more like a duology now but I'd be eager to read more from this author for sure.
We get three new POVs- Megs, an Imperial soldier, Akella, a pirate captain, and Linna, the freed slave turned guard. While they were all written well I did wonder why we had to spend so much attention with them when Tasia and Joslyn's story had plenty to offer. Megs I found particularly pointless as we didn't need any of her tragic backstory shown to us in such detail, it could have come later as an aside.
The book tended to do this a lot- spend a lot of time showing rather insignificant plot details (Meg's backstory or Tasia and Joslyn's 'dreamworld' for example) but then telling actual key plot points (such as Linna and Meg's journey east, how Linna developed feelings for Megs, how Tasia knew about Akella, Akella, Joslyn and Tasia's journey to Persopos). This was a huge shame and really broke the pacing for me as the book just dragged and dragged and dragged, and I kept waiting for the story to pick back up.
The setups also didn't quite work for me, such as Akella's introduction and why she was suddenly so vital. These all occurred off-screen which felt bizarre to me as they were important to establish. Other things like Tasia suddenly being able to use magic (again told, not shown) really made the climax lose much impact. The climax itself was extremely rushed (in fact the exact opposite of the brilliant one in book 2) and the epilogue forgot about half the characters the book spent so long introducing! Akella and Megs' first kiss? Milo's fate? Megs ever reuniting with her brother and confronting the pain of their familial loss? All glossed over.
Tasia and Joslyn also kept having to have forced conflict in their relationship which left a bad taste, especially all the 'she never really loved me anyway' drama that made me roll my eyes. Both of them also read much flatter and are far less compelling than in the previous books. I also didn't like the ending where Tasia essentially reverts back to her book 1 self and just wants to run from her responsibilities, including her sister.
The book remains well written with a compelling plot but the poor pacing, undoing of the character arcs for Tasia and Joslyn and the style of wanting to present mystery rather than show important plot points really brought it down for me. A shame that I will be treating this series more like a duology now but I'd be eager to read more from this author for sure.
December 13, 2025
Okay so. I was a bit dumb and I accidentally read the 3rd book before the 1st and 2nd. That's totally my bad, it was listed first when I sorted my Kindle library by author and I just didn't question it because it read so much like a standalone ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Thankfully, not even my idiocracy can stop me from giving this book a 5 stars! LMFAO
That was epic. Like, genuinely. Finally, another book was able to scratch that same itch that Priory of the Orange Tree, A Day of Fallen Night, and The Jasmine Throne also scratched. This book reads like proper fantasy—descriptive and gripping with fun prose and shockingly grounded characters. Between Megs, Akella, Linna, Joslyn, and Tasia, there wasn't a single character I didn't like. Everyone was so charming, and each chapter was so catered towards their individual POVs with different voices, and ugh I loved it.
It's so funny though. I genuinely didn't realize that this book was 3rd in the series until I finished it completely and it was like, "Thanks for reading Empress of Dorsa!" and I was like oh damn. I really read this book for 5 hours straight and did not question a single thing.
In hindsight, it would make sense—apparently, both Meg and Akella are completely new characters. The book opens with Megs' introduction, then she meets Linna (idk if she's in the prior books yet lol), and then Linna introduces Joslyn and Tasia to Megs, so I genuinely didn't feel like I was ever missing anything LMAO the book was so descriptive and engaging that I just never questioned if I was missing context bc it really didn't feel like it—you learn so much about every character's backstory, even Joslyn and Tasia, who I now know are prevalent in the previous books already. But yeah! It felt shocking fresh as a standalone, and if I enjoyed Andrews' writing here, I'm sure I'll enjoy the 1st and 2nd books as well lmfao
I think the only thing that mildly confused me was why Megs was introduced, got quite a lot of time, and then Joslyn was the main character for the other 75% of the book? But I never stopped to really question it bc I just loved her POV already LOL Linna is also great, I hope she gets a girlfriend eventually. She gets cucked like, 3 times in this novel and I feel so bad for the girl, she's always only done her best.
Thankfully, not even my idiocracy can stop me from giving this book a 5 stars! LMFAO
That was epic. Like, genuinely. Finally, another book was able to scratch that same itch that Priory of the Orange Tree, A Day of Fallen Night, and The Jasmine Throne also scratched. This book reads like proper fantasy—descriptive and gripping with fun prose and shockingly grounded characters. Between Megs, Akella, Linna, Joslyn, and Tasia, there wasn't a single character I didn't like. Everyone was so charming, and each chapter was so catered towards their individual POVs with different voices, and ugh I loved it.
It's so funny though. I genuinely didn't realize that this book was 3rd in the series until I finished it completely and it was like, "Thanks for reading Empress of Dorsa!" and I was like oh damn. I really read this book for 5 hours straight and did not question a single thing.
In hindsight, it would make sense—apparently, both Meg and Akella are completely new characters. The book opens with Megs' introduction, then she meets Linna (idk if she's in the prior books yet lol), and then Linna introduces Joslyn and Tasia to Megs, so I genuinely didn't feel like I was ever missing anything LMAO the book was so descriptive and engaging that I just never questioned if I was missing context bc it really didn't feel like it—you learn so much about every character's backstory, even Joslyn and Tasia, who I now know are prevalent in the previous books already. But yeah! It felt shocking fresh as a standalone, and if I enjoyed Andrews' writing here, I'm sure I'll enjoy the 1st and 2nd books as well lmfao
I think the only thing that mildly confused me was why Megs was introduced, got quite a lot of time, and then Joslyn was the main character for the other 75% of the book? But I never stopped to really question it bc I just loved her POV already LOL Linna is also great, I hope she gets a girlfriend eventually. She gets cucked like, 3 times in this novel and I feel so bad for the girl, she's always only done her best.
November 14, 2022
If the author intended this series to be like Game of Thrones she suceeded in one thing: it left me as mad and - frankly - devastated as the ending of GoT did.
I really enjoyed the first two books, the story of Tasia and Joslyn as well as the palace intrigue, “playing” Castle and Knights and the way the two protagonists managed to outsmart everyone - especially the men who saw them as lesser and incapable of leading.
What we were left with in the end was Mace as Emperor, someone who Tasia found “acceptable” to marry in book 2 and somehow to rule the Empire in book 3, who remarried after her death and whose SONS will now inherit Tasia’s (!!!!) throne.
She also abandoned her sister to marry someone Tasia barely knew but at least Adella seems to love who also might rule the Empire both Tasia and Joselyn fought for in book 1 and 2.
She married Mace to bring peace to the Empire, she promised a marriage to Adella to bring peace to the Empire and also to prove that she could be a good Empress. And now all of a sudden she doesn’t care? She goes to live in a hut with Joselyn and never even plans on seeing her sister again?! What is this? And who wrote it? It sounds like a man wrote the last half of the book with all the men we are left with and who are supposed to rule. What about Tasia’s idol, Queen Adella?
I honestly hated the ending. It makes absolutely no sense in the context of how we got to know Tasia in the last two books and honestly feels like an affront to everyone who followed this story. What was the point? Tasia could have had basically the same outcome in book 1, why did she even continue to fight all this time if this is what we are left with?
Also, while I enjoy Linna and Akella as characters I felt this book in particular suffered from taking the focus off of Tasia and Joselyn and giving too much spotlight to other, minor, characters.
I’m stunned at how STUPID this is.
And as with GoT I have no further interest in reading anything about this world.
I really enjoyed the first two books, the story of Tasia and Joslyn as well as the palace intrigue, “playing” Castle and Knights and the way the two protagonists managed to outsmart everyone - especially the men who saw them as lesser and incapable of leading.
What we were left with in the end was Mace as Emperor, someone who Tasia found “acceptable” to marry in book 2 and somehow to rule the Empire in book 3, who remarried after her death and whose SONS will now inherit Tasia’s (!!!!) throne.
She also abandoned her sister to marry someone Tasia barely knew but at least Adella seems to love who also might rule the Empire both Tasia and Joselyn fought for in book 1 and 2.
She married Mace to bring peace to the Empire, she promised a marriage to Adella to bring peace to the Empire and also to prove that she could be a good Empress. And now all of a sudden she doesn’t care? She goes to live in a hut with Joselyn and never even plans on seeing her sister again?! What is this? And who wrote it? It sounds like a man wrote the last half of the book with all the men we are left with and who are supposed to rule. What about Tasia’s idol, Queen Adella?
I honestly hated the ending. It makes absolutely no sense in the context of how we got to know Tasia in the last two books and honestly feels like an affront to everyone who followed this story. What was the point? Tasia could have had basically the same outcome in book 1, why did she even continue to fight all this time if this is what we are left with?
Also, while I enjoy Linna and Akella as characters I felt this book in particular suffered from taking the focus off of Tasia and Joselyn and giving too much spotlight to other, minor, characters.
I’m stunned at how STUPID this is.
And as with GoT I have no further interest in reading anything about this world.
July 9, 2022
Normally, when a new book in a series is released, I'll read the previous book(s) to refresh my memory. I was not a fan of the second book (not so much the story as how it was written), and it was an issue, because I could not recall much of what happened in that book. A lot of it came back as the story progressed, thanks to little hints here and there. However, I could not recall Linna. She had an important role in the second book, apparently, but no matter how hard I tried, I could not remember. For that matter, was Megs a character in the second book?
The conclusion of the trilogy, however, was an amazing read. Clocking in at almost 900 pages, the story sucked me and didn't let go. The book is divided in parts, starting with these little commentaries on what historians wrote about the ill-fated reign of Empress Natasia I. It's a tale of war, treason, love, courage, betrayal, and death. It was an absolutely amazing read.
Was it perfect? No, there were a few occasions where I questioned the actions of a few characters, and I thought some of Tasia's actions were downright stupid. I thought the War of the East part was a bit too long, but that had mostly to do with the fact that I was anticipating the return of megs and Linna, and I constantly had to look at the page count and wondering how much room they would get in the finale, which wasn't nearly enough for my tastes. This also meant the final battle felt a bit rushed and had too much of a Deus Ex Machina feeling for me. Although everything was resolved, it still felt like an open ending, and I do hope these characters may return in future books.
I will read the books in order again at some point in the futures, because maybe I wasn't fair in my assessment of the second book, even if it's just to see what Linna did :)
The conclusion of the trilogy, however, was an amazing read. Clocking in at almost 900 pages, the story sucked me and didn't let go. The book is divided in parts, starting with these little commentaries on what historians wrote about the ill-fated reign of Empress Natasia I. It's a tale of war, treason, love, courage, betrayal, and death. It was an absolutely amazing read.
Was it perfect? No, there were a few occasions where I questioned the actions of a few characters, and I thought some of Tasia's actions were downright stupid. I thought the War of the East part was a bit too long, but that had mostly to do with the fact that I was anticipating the return of megs and Linna, and I constantly had to look at the page count and wondering how much room they would get in the finale, which wasn't nearly enough for my tastes. This also meant the final battle felt a bit rushed and had too much of a Deus Ex Machina feeling for me. Although everything was resolved, it still felt like an open ending, and I do hope these characters may return in future books.
I will read the books in order again at some point in the futures, because maybe I wasn't fair in my assessment of the second book, even if it's just to see what Linna did :)
February 29, 2024
Tasia has returned to the palace, defeated the shadow-infected, removed the traitors, and taken her place as the Empress. Except that the third book in the series takes place around 4.5 years later, with the Empress and Joslyn both having died in a battle known as the Empresses Last Stand, while she was trying to liberate the east. Linna is the main opening character, and she for one believes that they aren't dead...
The final book to the trilogy is rather large, at 700+ pages long, and very much epic in scale. It starts with Linna heading east and meeting with Megs, a survivor of the imperial army, and then goes back in time to the events that have led up to this point, eventually meeting up with where it began and going on from there. Unlike the previous books which only had 3 parts, there is 6 parts (plus an epilogue) to this one, with a lot to be explored. Linna, Megs, Joslyn, and Akella take the majority of the pov's (Tasia only gets a small pov section, but the way it has been done works well). As previously, there are 'historical' excerpts at the beginning of each chapter, giving insight as to how future generations viewed this events (obviously quite a ways in the future), and these perspective are interesting to see, especially in comparison to what actually happens.
There is a lot to this book, a lot to take in, but it is a very enjoyable story, and a fitting conclusion to the trilogy. It has been woven incredibly well, with lots of twists and turns and unexpected moments, very much achieving what it wanted to be. There is some elements of romance between some of the new characters, and plenty of action and drama. I like how it ends, though I wouldn't mind seeing some more of Joselyn and Tasia's future. Irrespective, their journey has been an intense one, but well worth the read!
The final book to the trilogy is rather large, at 700+ pages long, and very much epic in scale. It starts with Linna heading east and meeting with Megs, a survivor of the imperial army, and then goes back in time to the events that have led up to this point, eventually meeting up with where it began and going on from there. Unlike the previous books which only had 3 parts, there is 6 parts (plus an epilogue) to this one, with a lot to be explored. Linna, Megs, Joslyn, and Akella take the majority of the pov's (Tasia only gets a small pov section, but the way it has been done works well). As previously, there are 'historical' excerpts at the beginning of each chapter, giving insight as to how future generations viewed this events (obviously quite a ways in the future), and these perspective are interesting to see, especially in comparison to what actually happens.
There is a lot to this book, a lot to take in, but it is a very enjoyable story, and a fitting conclusion to the trilogy. It has been woven incredibly well, with lots of twists and turns and unexpected moments, very much achieving what it wanted to be. There is some elements of romance between some of the new characters, and plenty of action and drama. I like how it ends, though I wouldn't mind seeing some more of Joselyn and Tasia's future. Irrespective, their journey has been an intense one, but well worth the read!
July 2, 2025
When I started reading this series, I thought of it as a lesbian romance, which I guess it kind of was? Only also with more plot and world-building and court intrigue than there was romance (or sex) but still, romance was a big piece. But book two went... another direction, and while the established couple was still established and figuring out their lives together, they were more so figuring out how to stay alive, defeat the threats from both inside and outside the kingdom, and a whole bunch of other stuff besides. Then book three - this was 713 pages long!!! This was a straight up ADVENTURE! Like, there's some mentions of how the OG couple just wants to go live their lives after this is over, and they do, so there is kind of an HEA? And there are hints of another couple forming or maybe not forming, as well, but seriously that's like 5% of this monster of an epic fantasy romp. This was so much better than my expectations. In my list at the end of the year where I count how many "real" books I read vs. just, straight up formulaic - I don't want to say trash, but many are low-quality and/or trashy - lesbian romances, this is going on the "OTHER - REAL" side of the count.
August 13, 2024
I love this series, but I honestly think this final addition was kind of a let-down. Don't get me wrong- I liked the ending and was satisfied with the plot. However, I think there was just SO MUCH in this book that was not fleshed out and just kinda stated like "Oh yeah, and THIS is a thing now!" Most of the book takes place in flashbacks, and when we finally return to the "present", we see that SO MUCH TIME has passed between the last time we were set there that what we thought was the present at the start of the book is now MONTHS in the past. I honestly felt we needed flashbacks to fill in the gaps left by giving us the original flashbacks 😭. I really think this book could've been two or even three books with how much is crammed into it. I loved the writing style and the storyline, but just wish all of it had been given the proper attention to detail and organic world/plot building that the last two installments had.`
March 20, 2023
It was a lovely book, with the perspective of present and past, it takes us trough all of the war in the east and against the shadows. But I think the part of the war was too detailed and the end was a bit rushed, like Linna feels something for Adela then months later she feels something for Megs, and we don’t see any of that transition. I missed a lot of Tasia’s perspective, we only see her renouncing the title of empress, and it all seem so suddenly, because we didn’t see all of the process when she was in the shadowland, the last time we saw her she was fighting with her life for the empire. I feel that we needed some more perspectives to understand the characters choices, some of them seemed unexpected, and some parts were too detailed without meaning. Any how, the ending was satisfactory, loved the new characters, the plot twists were really good and the romance was on point.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2022
An excellent finale to an excellent trilogy.
These books were good enough that I reviewed all 3, something I rarely do. But the series and author deserve the recognition and the miniscule boost another 5 stars will give.
The story comes to a satisfying end, most all threads were weaved into a beautiful tapestry. Are there questions left unanswered? Of course, some even semi-burning. But by and large we get the truly epic finale the story of Empress Natasia I and Commander Joslyn of Terinto deserved. And those questions left? Minor enough that leaving them to be stories for yourself to tell in the privacy of your own imagination will suffice.
Though honestly, now I'm hoping for a series following a certain pirate captain and her lover.... :)
These books were good enough that I reviewed all 3, something I rarely do. But the series and author deserve the recognition and the miniscule boost another 5 stars will give.
The story comes to a satisfying end, most all threads were weaved into a beautiful tapestry. Are there questions left unanswered? Of course, some even semi-burning. But by and large we get the truly epic finale the story of Empress Natasia I and Commander Joslyn of Terinto deserved. And those questions left? Minor enough that leaving them to be stories for yourself to tell in the privacy of your own imagination will suffice.
Though honestly, now I'm hoping for a series following a certain pirate captain and her lover.... :)
November 16, 2023
Fantastic saga. I love the world building and complexity of the novel. The characters are well developed and are easy to cheer for. If you enjoy fantasy reads this is the book for you. I love nice long novels and this fits the bill as well. If you are looking for a bodice ripping lesbian romance then you may be disappointed although there is a background romance going on. I read the previous two Dorsa novels in the series and loved those as well. The only negative that I can think of is that you MUST read the previous two novels in the series or you will definitely be lost. That is no hardship for me as those are fantastic as well. I rarely give 5 stars on anything but I do on this one. Highly recommended
May 20, 2024
I loved the book, and it was hard putting it away. I fell in love with all new characters and would have loved to read more from them at the end. The only thing i didn't like was the ending. It was a little poor and could have been much better. Linna was treated so poorly. All she wanted was to be loved and cared for, but she was always put aside. I also don't understand after everything tasia went through for her empire that she would just abandon it and live a quiet life with joslyn. And she abandoned her sister too, which made absolutely no sense to me. I'd love to see a new book about Linna. Maybe she could finally find some love. I really enjoyed this series. I was just disappointed in the last 10% of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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