The Empress of Beasts

The Wandering Inn #13

by Pirateaba

Tiqr awakes. The dungeon moves! Wildlife and monsters have been stirred from their homes by intruders, both in the continent of Chandrar and the Empire of Tiqr, lead by Nsiia, the Empress of Beasts, and in Liscor's dungeon, where a certain skeleton continues to help both friend and foes in the only way he knows how. In Liscor, the election will result in a new group of leaders for the city. But is that for the better or worse?

The earth shakes with the consequences of unwary actions, both politically and in small ways. However, joy has to be had where you can find it, regardless if you're a skeleton or a Fraerling or [Innkeeper]. Just beware what's following you from behind. Whether it catches up to you now, or later, when the ground moves, nothing will be the same. What survives a Grand Elephant on the warpath, the machinations of undead, or the Titan's moves? Only time will tell.

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Humor, Magic

1119 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 10, 2024

Reviews

[Micah Ricks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pisces fans rise up!!! He is my absolute FAVORITE character in the whole series, and we get so much of him in this book! On top of that we get some awesome chapters for Flos and company which I am soooo here for! This book made me laugh out loud so many times and the vibes were just immaculate! I can’t wait for the next one!

[Dylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

RTC

Pisce's evolution and growth, I can't believe that at one stage I disliked him slightly in book 1... what a man. And now the empress of beast a new character in the series, but a glorious one. The new Nercomancer in this book was particularly fascinating.

[GҽɱɱαSM · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.7*
Aquest volum és un mosaic de contrastos brutals: la lleugeresa agredolça xoca amb el pes del fatalisme. Pirateaba domina l’equilibri entre escala èpica i intimitat desesperada. La tonalitat oscil·la entre el terror visceral, la sàtira política àcida i la tendresa precària, tot sota l’ombra d’una amenaça abstracta que simbolitza el passat ineludible i les conseqüències a l’aguait.

És un preludi del caos narratiu: cada escena acumula tensió com a plaques tectòniques a punt de xocar. L’estil és líquid i incisiu, saltant de perspectives sense perdre cohesió, mentre explora temes clau: el preu de les decisions antigues, la fragilitat del poder, i la resistència com a acte de bellesa fins en la foscor. Un volum exhaustiu, addictiu i emocionalment exigent amb la tonalitat trencada entre una esperança fragil i el fatalisme, que et fa riure però també plorar.

[Aubria L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The series continues to delight! Focused on some of my favorite characters in this installment! This author, Pirateaba is a very talented storyteller! What an engaging world she has created! And the bonus is the audiobook! Fabulous talent all around!

[Soo · Rating 3 out of 5]

2024/11/20 Notes: 1st Audio Read

Great narration by Andrea Parsneau! =)

Oddly enough, I had less patience to listen to parts of this audio installment than when I read it on the website. A part of that antsy vibe is due to the events that come into play later in Volume 7. I feel like I've been waiting to 'listen' to the later end parts of Vol7 since Vol6. XD

This intro into Vol7 has a nice deep dive into various side characters, introduces several new important side characters, and sets the stage for the next Wandering Inn tearjerker.

I'll probably up the rating to 4 stars on a future audio re-read.

[Luis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was ready to start swinging!

The humor, the tension building, best ex machinas in existence! Every one of these books is a delight that I savor as long as I can. Kidding, I stay up all night reading and know the website would devour me!

[Laura Cremers · Rating 4 out of 5]

First half, I enjoyed. I was not a fan of the Empress of Beast and King of Destruction chapters, I don’t care enough about these characters - maybe one day I will. But that last part of the book was awesome!! Bird’s comeback made my heart so happy!

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so relieved I read this book after hating the book before this one so much I almost quit the series. This one totally redeemed the series by not mentioning any of the loathed characters from the previous book. This was everything I wanted for this arc of the story and I am so excited for the next installment next month.

[Max Sarmento · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s always great diving back into fantasy after an extended break, and boy does this book not disappoint. This story expands on multiple POVs that encompass war, abduction, friendship, and world building. This has to be a top 3 so far of the series, and an easy 5 star. The pace of this book is fast and much better then the last (witch of webs) - which was one of my least favorites. Well done Pirataba, can’t wait for the next book

[Danny Moody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great one. Last book focused on Emperor Larkin, Ryoka and witches. This book gave us glimpses at a lot of different plot lines that are going on. The Empress of Beasts and King of Destruction stuff was interesting. I think it was overshadowed by the Pisces and Wystrum plot line. I’m really interested to seee where things go with that in the future.

[R. A. Strich · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC - some big highlights in here but also some setup that needs to prove itself in later books... Volume 6 so far is really great as a whole, but not as concise and smooth as volume 5 was for example...
But no judgement before the finale, so let's do this!

(Also no I'm not going to think about the fact that there will only be 3 more audiobooks for now!)

[Benjamin Sigman · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️❤️❤️❤️

[wissam · Rating 4 out of 5]

again not fair to give this book one rating
king half 0/5 I hate it
the rest 5/5

[Amanda Esthelm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great addition to the series, I particularly loved the Pisces sections. The character development he got in this was phenomenal

[Tee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐

[Sebastien Casimir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Need more Horns of Hammerad chapters

[Pepijn · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good one again. A bit weird that Erin had to pay taxes even for past year as she also did a lot of stuff that normal citizens inside the city didn't need to take care for.
Same with the elections where Erin's only reason to not make a big fuss about what the old council elected did was because Mrsha was there. Just go back to the inn.

The end was a bit weird with the magicians only having to pay money but I guess they are needed for the next part of the plot.

[Nick Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title of this book is a bit of a misnomer; it really should have been The Necromancer of Liscor. This was Pisces’ book to shine, and shine he did.

​The Good
- ​The Council Election: The transition from the old council to the new one was handled well, particularly the conflict and eventual compromise between Lism and Krshia. Lism actually became bearable in this book by advocating for others, which was a nice surprise.
- ​The Necromancer Mentorship: The dynamic between Az’kerash and Pisces was interesting. It sets up massive conflict for when the truth inevitably comes out - especially given the events later in the book where Pisces opens up about his past and asks the Horns for forgiveness.
​- The introduction of reporters and the new Earther, Remi, was great—finally, some Canadian representation.
​- Femithain of Illivere was a fun new POV character. The political maneuvering surrounding Nsiia’s surrender was clever on both their parts.
​- The Quarass was an interesting character to explore further through her interactions with Trey. Fetohep and his kingdom are a cool addition to the Chandrar mix, even if the Ancient Egypt inspiration felt a little on the nose.
- ​The Titan’s Question: I loved this chapter and the payoff from The Titan of Baleros. The conversation was insightful and provided exciting developments for Niers, Will, and Umina. I appreciated getting context on the battle between Niers and Queravia—even if we don't get more, the overview was satisfying. Umina’s question about "being special" and the honest response she received was excellent (it was everything Rise of Skywalker should have been). I am very excited to see where Umina’s (and Tulm’s) knowledge of dragons leads, and to watch Will go off adventuring now that Foliana has erased his memory of the first question for familial duty.
- ​The Battle at the Inn: Erin, Mrsha, and the company figuring out that the mages at the inn were the ones who attacked the Horns was perfection. The slow buildup - patrons leaving, the subtle hints - climaxing with Erin shoving a mage’s face into boiling soup was a great reveal. While I feel the mages were a bit too strong (Seborn and Moore deserve better), Relc, Erin, and Numbtongue put on a great show.
​- Bird is back, singing and ripping arrows into enemies. All is finally right with the world.
​- The politics between Wystram and Liscor were realistic, if annoying. Zevara was great throughout, essentially losing her mind at everyone.
- ​Pisces' character arc in that one chapter—going from rage to shame, and then taking accountability and apologizing—was believable and worked perfectly with MVP Mrsha. It was great to see the Horns open up to each other more, followed by Erin doing what she does best: creating fun with the slip-n-slide floor.

​The Bad
​- Once again, I am very done with Toren. Thankfully it was only a brief chapter, but it was a rough start to the book. It also felt like a waste of cameos for Snatcher and Nokha. Ijvani’s section felt like filler just to keep a plot device for Az’kerash near Liscor.
- ​Nsiia’s Surrender: After the call with Flos and the emphasis on her forces, her surrendering felt like a big tease. I can see the creative logic in it - we are still teasing a larger Chandrar conflict to come - but it was anticlimactic.
​- I didn’t like how overpowered the Wystram mages were in taking down the Horns and the other Gold-rank adventurers. It felt a bit unrealistic, though at least Pisces got to put up a good fight.

​The Meh
- ​The Election Results: I understand why pirateaba had the election results tampered with to maintain the disparity of power for the Gnolls. What I disliked was how every character - especially Erin - just let it slide and celebrated. It felt very out of character for them to just accept that injustice without more pushback.
​- There is still very slow progress with Ilvriss, Osthia, and Az’kerash. However, I did appreciate the heartfelt scene of Ilvriss speaking with Periss’ parents.
​- There was a bit too much focus on the twins’ phones (apps, games, videos, etc.). It could have been a shorter "marvel of technology" moment before moving the plot forward.
​- I’m not sure if I’m interested in the Bloodfields being explored for this road construction arc. I’ll take what I can get, but I’m really just waiting for us to finally get deep into the dungeon and learn the lore I’m dying to know.
- ​The Wystram Bounty: I know there is more to come regarding the bounty on Pisces, but it was frustrating not having the context in the moment for this sudden change and kidnapping mission. Hopefully, more will be explained in the next book.

​Overall, this one felt very quick and had a different tone from The Witch of Webs, but the Liscor chapters elevated the book as a whole. Off to Book 14 — Hell’s Wardens.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the first ten or so books have spoiled me and created unrealistic expectations in my mind for each book Pirateaba releases. I've found myself greatly enjoying the last three odd books but not to the extent that I did the beginning. This is clearly a "me" issue. While I am still evaluating from how I feel, I want my own implicit bias noted as those who rank this (and the last several) a 5 star book have valid reasons for doing so.

I found this installment interesting as we had to face some unavoidable truths. In a book series where the "good guys" largely enjoy success over the bad, we had to accept that even in a fantasy world there are significant problems. Whether we saw it with the titular Empress of Beasts, typecasting classes, or how the maxim "no one is above the law" is only a tagline to make those without power feel better about those with power being above the law, this book showed us the harsh reality of the world - and as always, it is easy to put you finger on the direct parallel to our own world.

I cannot recall now when the change occurred, but somewhere around book 9 or so, there was a clear shift away from Liscor. A closing of one long chapter. It honestly could have been a conclusion to the entire series - even if there is a lot left unresolved. I would call us in Phase Two of this sprawling epic, and I think that Phase One was just soooo good that my expectations are unrealistic. I've built connections and developed strong emotional attachments to many of the characters in the early going and now that we are spreading out and exploring characters around the globe, I haven't been as enamored. While I admit this, I also must say that I have devoured these books and haven't been able to enjoy others knowing there are unread pages in this series. And more than anything I am excited to go down the rabbit hole of these other plot threads. So despite me not giving the last few novels an automatic 5 stars, I can only recommend this series wholeheartedly.

[Eru Ilúvatar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. The Empress of Beasts is, without hesitation, the strongest book of Volume 6 so far, and easily one of the high points of The Wandering Inn, on par with Tears of Liscor. The heavy refocusing on Liscor is a breath of fresh air. It brings the story back to its emotional core: a living city, deeply interconnected characters, and relationships shaped by shared history and conflict.

Pisces’ character arc is the undeniable standout of the book. Going far beyond what Wistram Days established, this volume offers a much deeper exploration of his temperament, his flaws, and his emotional scars. This added depth reshapes how we perceive his relationships with the people of Liscor, lending new weight and nuance to interactions that now feel richer and more grounded.

The so-called “side story” of the King chapters - particularly those set in Khelt - is equally compelling. It provides valuable insight into Chandrar as a whole, offers a fascinating external perspective on Reim, and adds much-needed complexity to Flos as a character. Rather than feeling like a diversion, these chapters complement the main narrative and significantly enrich the broader worldbuilding.

In the end, The Empress of Beasts strikes an excellent balance between intimate character-driven storytelling and expansive worldbuilding. It’s powerful, confident, and deeply satisfying—a reminder of just how extraordinary The Wandering Inn can be when all its elements align.

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars for consistent, great entertainment. Characters and real character progression take the font seat here, as elsewhere, but especially here.

Pisces evolution, or rather, his unearthing, has been especially sharp and painful. I can't believe I once kinda rather disliked him.

As for all the rest, I'm still fascinated by the King of Destruction and how smart he is to use EVERY tool at his disposal, including the kids and our world's tech. He's so damn charismatic. But isn't that the true danger? A cult of personality has always been our single most dangerous opponent. *stares pointedly out into the distance*

Either way, the climax of this one was rather low-scale but it seems to be long-term with potential for massive grief on a huge scale, later, assuming certain people don't throw away Pisces like they had thrown away goblins. Of course, him being a necromancer probably means exactly that in the end. *rages*

My synesthesia smells nothing but clean, clean soap. I suppose that's for the best.


Personal note:
If anyone reading my reviews might be interested in reading my own SF, I'm going to be open to requests. Just direct message me in goodreads or email me on my site. I'd love to get some eyes on my novels.

Arctunn.com

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is going to be a universal review of the series which I will cut and paste because I read all 14 books in this series (so far). They are all available at the Wandering Inn website for free if you read them as they were written as a web published serial. They are addicting. The basic premise (see my review of book 1) is that people from our world have been transported, solo or in groups, to another world where the ground rules resemble those of a role playing game like Dungeons and Dragons. Erin Solstice is the main character in the first book, but new characters are introduced throughout the book. Goblins, Drakes, Gnolls (bear-like), Lizard People, Humans, Flying Garudas, Antinium,and Dullahans are the people of the world, all of whom are sentient. Magic abounds, but technology is in short supply. This is fascinating world building. I believe that the author is currently at around 10 million words in the series. Much of it is dialogue, which makes for faster reading, but be prepared to give a significant portion of your reading time to these books.

[JJ Tin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I initially considered giving The Empress of Beasts a significantly lower rating, largely due to a title that feels misleading. The narrative devotes relatively little attention to the titular Empress, which may disappoint readers expecting her to be a central focus. Additionally, Flo remains one of the least engaging characters in the series; his storyline is consistently less compelling, and the chapters that shift away from his perspective are notably more enjoyable.

That said, the conclusion substantially elevates the overall experience. The subtle but meaningful challenge to Wistram Academy’s authority is particularly satisfying. Wistram has long been portrayed as an institution that cultivates arrogance rather than wisdom, and witnessing the first visible fractures in its power structure is both refreshing and rewarding. Furthermore, the encounters in the final battle are well-executed and memorable, providing a strong and impactful close to the book. These strengths ultimately bring the book back up to a five-star rating.

[Cmoore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet again pirateaba keeps me entranced... even though all the politicking. There's always, always gonna be a golden nugget found there! And as always with every character they've introduced, take heed as there's a good chance that you're gonna meet up with 'em in a future book. And, yes pirateaba is so skilled at weaving story threads in and out of the storyline and creating a dramatic textured story keeping their readers on edge, always wantin' more. Plus pirateaba knows how to end a book 'cause after all the strife and angst found throughout the story, you can always find a good time at the Wandering Inn when visiting, whether it for a good meal topped off with cake, catching up with old friends, listening to a guitar strum, watching a play, or just playing on the slippery floor, slipping and sliding for heck of it laughing all the while!!!
And wow Andrea Parsneau voice performance is just like visiting with a good friend.

[Felipe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thankfully, The Wandering Inn picks up the pace again, leaving the shadow of its predecessor long behind itself. This entry was marked by the result of Liscor's election, the war on Tiqr, and last but not least, the Wistram situation. The election results, while at first appearing controversial, was instead the best outcome possible that maximizes new situations going into the future. The war in Chandrar, while short, was satisfying. And later on, we are introduced to Fetohep, which, as I've gathered, is a fan favorite. But, tallest among these is the INSANE character development present in the Wistram incident. Pirateaba could have gone into a road of long and arduous character development, but that happened in a completely satisfying and believable way. I was genuinely delighted when everything went how I wanted, especially given that during the chapters, my sense of despair and apprehension was through the roof. I'm eager once again for the next!

[Jesse Muehlhauser · Rating 5 out of 5]

When it comes to entries in the Wandering Inn series, I already know I’m in for a cast of unique and interesting characters each with their own sagas to tell; so when reading them I care most about the character POVs and what said characters get up to when they get the spotlight. We get to see our lead Erin get involved in more political strife and learn that knowledge of her world is spreading fast in the Innverse. Our adorable albino gnoll practices her Druid craft while an undead Archmage relives some of his past joys. A skeleton comes to terms with grief in an underground tavern, and the great King of Destruction plays flappy bird. There are two things that stop me from rating this a 6/5; first Goodreads won’t allow it and second it didn’t have my favorite character (Tom the Clown), so unfortunately I’m gonna have to only stick to 5 stars.

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not actually that bad but it's getting a lower than usual rating mainly because of the two stories told not really meshing well together.

The Empress of Beasts part was good. Well done bouncing between the reports being read and the action being seen first hand.

The Pisces part, equally good. Very dramatic and very engrossing. I did stay up a bit later than normal trying to finish this off.

But they were two very different feels and as a single unit, didn't really work for me combined. That's it. Same great characters and writing and style. Still moving the world forward but not really jumping us anywhere abruptly.

Both stories are very enjoyable and have restored a bit of interest that the Witches whittled away.

Looking forward to the next installment.

Oh, and ASMR for dragons!

[AnnSophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good one. It did feel a bit like a filler at times, but in a way I didn’t mind. We didn’t get a flood of new characters, which I actually appreciate, because too many at once can be overwhelming. Instead, the book focused on building out the existing plots and deepening the storylines of characters we already know. with a decent peppering of new characters and plot lines.

There’s a stronger emphasis on war stories in this volume, though you still get plenty from the inn itself. I enjoyed it overall it wasn’t my favourite of the series, but it kept me hooked. Some characters grab me more than others, but I’m so invested at this point that I can’t stop reading. This series feels like it could go on forever, and honestly, with how many characters there are, it probably could keep going for years and years to come....

[Holwanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

The vast majority of this book was incredible...engaging, eliciting rapt attention, distracting from 'real life'. The overall series is utterly compelling, a character-driven legendarium, and beautifully plotted. Pirateaba is a masterful storyteller. The only part of the book I just wanted to get through was the part that gave it its title, Tiqr of Chandrar, plus Floss. I had a similar experience reading it long ago. I just don't care about Chandrar and its natives, and the interest only rises when characters I love interact with the land. I had forgotten how horrible the mages of Wistram were and I must say that Andrea Parsneau made it even more exciting. Every scene in Liscor was fabulous. Truly five stars!

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so grateful for these books, these beautifully woven stories and ever evolving characters. The WI world gets simultaneously bigger and smaller as points of connection between people and events are revealed while we get to see more places. The undead kingdom reminiscent of ancient Egypt was brilliant and I loved all the scenes there. The Empress's war could've been a book all on its own. It was sad, a little difficult to listen as you knew what would happen to these majestic creatures, but also such an admirable show of courage and loyalty. Then we see a parallel to that battle with Pisces and his unexpected trauma. I love that every installment keeps the story moving forward, peeling back layers. It's magical.