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Time of Iron #2
All Hail Chaos
Not yet published
Expected 12 May 26All Hail Chaos is Sarah Rees Brennan’s wicked, unmissable sequel to Long Live Evil.
"Delicious, subversive." —Leigh Bardugo, NYT bestselling author of The Ninth House
One of the New York Times "Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of 2024"
THE EMPEROR IS HERE. AND SHE MADE HIM WORSE.
Rae is a fantasy reader who’s been transported to her favorite fictional world of swords and sorcery, castles and monsters. Playing the villainess, she thought she could change the narrative, but this version of the plot is far more deadly than the one she knew. Her friends are on the the Cobra shelters in an eerie manor haunted by dark secrets, while Emer and Lia stoke a revolution in the gutters. Undead armies roam the kingdom, raiders camp at the city gates, and the all-powerful Emperor—Rae’s favorite character ever, now possibly the greatest monster in the land—wants her to be his evil queen.
Romantic in fiction, complicated in reality. What’s a villainess to do? Time for wicked bargains and fake engagements, in a fantasy where the most dangerous thing you can do is believe in someone.
"Delicious, subversive." —Leigh Bardugo, NYT bestselling author of The Ninth House
One of the New York Times "Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of 2024"
THE EMPEROR IS HERE. AND SHE MADE HIM WORSE.
Rae is a fantasy reader who’s been transported to her favorite fictional world of swords and sorcery, castles and monsters. Playing the villainess, she thought she could change the narrative, but this version of the plot is far more deadly than the one she knew. Her friends are on the the Cobra shelters in an eerie manor haunted by dark secrets, while Emer and Lia stoke a revolution in the gutters. Undead armies roam the kingdom, raiders camp at the city gates, and the all-powerful Emperor—Rae’s favorite character ever, now possibly the greatest monster in the land—wants her to be his evil queen.
Romantic in fiction, complicated in reality. What’s a villainess to do? Time for wicked bargains and fake engagements, in a fantasy where the most dangerous thing you can do is believe in someone.
Audible Audio
Expected publication May 12, 2026
94 people are currently reading
9261 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Rees Brennan
72 books6,070 followersSarah Rees Brennan is Irish and currently lives in Dublin. She's been writing YA books for more than ten years, which is terrifying to contemplate! She hopes you (yes you!) find at least one of them to be the kind of book you remember.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
Want to Read
June 17, 2025I told the author on instagram that her book made me cry and SHE LAUGHED
Want to Read
October 31, 2024me checking everyday for this sequel release date has paid off. Cannot wait WOOP
Want to Read
October 29, 2025October 28, 2025
FYI, release is now showing May 12, 2026 on retail sites…
Sept 9, 2025
Release date got pushed back to April 2026 😵
May 22, 2025
Not all of us waiting for September to come just to see the release date get pushed back to Feb 2026 😭
But hoping Sarah's surgery goes well and she makes a full recovery!
FYI, release is now showing May 12, 2026 on retail sites…
Sept 9, 2025
Release date got pushed back to April 2026 😵
May 22, 2025
Not all of us waiting for September to come just to see the release date get pushed back to Feb 2026 😭
But hoping Sarah's surgery goes well and she makes a full recovery!
Want to Read
March 21, 2025Gimme this book, I need to know what next for my wicked boy (it's Key, okey, he's my wicked, murderous boyfriend and I will fight everyone for him) 😭😭
Want to Read
October 31, 2024I AM READY. SEPTEMBER CAN'T COME SOON ENOUGH!!
April 23, 2026
“I CAN FIX HIM!!” I scream as they take me out the back and shoot me.
this was delightfully wicked and deliciously chaotic. I love these characters so much through all their terrible decision-making and unhinged dysfunction.
we pick up with Rae following the events of the last book: she has accidentally brought about the rise of the Emperor a bit too soon in the story, and also she may have egregiously messed up his character development a bit (or a lot.) however she quickly hatches a new plan to fix the story. will she be successful? if the last book is anything to go by, probably not.
I love Rae in all of her scheming and plotting, despite how misguided some of her decisions might be. she’s learned from the lessons of the last book but at the same time still making similar mistakes. she still thinks she can use her knowledge of tropes to “gameify” the story, just this time with the intention of fixing it. she realised how much of a mistake she made last time in not seeing Key as a person, however this time around she’s still not really thinking of him as a person, just as a character that matters rather than one that doesn’t. BUT. I still adore her. characters who make an absolute shitty mess of things with the best of intentions >>>>
Key is as entertaining as ever, but even more unhinged and insane this time around. his yandere tendencies are on full display now and he’s quite terrifying with his newfound godlike powers, but at his core he’s still just as desperate to be loved and eager to please. to say that his and Rae’s relationship is complicated would be an understatement. however I am rooting for them despite it all!! please give them a happy ending sarah 😭
I also loved following the adventures of Marius and the Cobra. Marius is so desperate to serve it’s insane!! honestly this whole book is filled with characters whose love language is acts of service. sarah rees brennan clearly knows what’s up because it is the SEXIEST love language.
will be forever mad about that cliffhanger ending and the emotional devastation I have been left with.
thank you to netgalley for the arc!
this was delightfully wicked and deliciously chaotic. I love these characters so much through all their terrible decision-making and unhinged dysfunction.
we pick up with Rae following the events of the last book: she has accidentally brought about the rise of the Emperor a bit too soon in the story, and also she may have egregiously messed up his character development a bit (or a lot.) however she quickly hatches a new plan to fix the story. will she be successful? if the last book is anything to go by, probably not.
I love Rae in all of her scheming and plotting, despite how misguided some of her decisions might be. she’s learned from the lessons of the last book but at the same time still making similar mistakes. she still thinks she can use her knowledge of tropes to “gameify” the story, just this time with the intention of fixing it. she realised how much of a mistake she made last time in not seeing Key as a person, however this time around she’s still not really thinking of him as a person, just as a character that matters rather than one that doesn’t. BUT. I still adore her. characters who make an absolute shitty mess of things with the best of intentions >>>>
Key is as entertaining as ever, but even more unhinged and insane this time around. his yandere tendencies are on full display now and he’s quite terrifying with his newfound godlike powers, but at his core he’s still just as desperate to be loved and eager to please. to say that his and Rae’s relationship is complicated would be an understatement. however I am rooting for them despite it all!! please give them a happy ending sarah 😭
I also loved following the adventures of Marius and the Cobra. Marius is so desperate to serve it’s insane!! honestly this whole book is filled with characters whose love language is acts of service. sarah rees brennan clearly knows what’s up because it is the SEXIEST love language.
will be forever mad about that cliffhanger ending and the emotional devastation I have been left with.
thank you to netgalley for the arc!
Want to Read
August 14, 2025i legit can’t stop staring at the cover and i NEED this NOWWWW
Currently Reading
January 1, 2025I crave this. Give me fresh villainy. Give me more sly references to Shakespeare, Taylor Swift and memes.
February 5, 2026
Huge thanks to Orbit for the advance reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review!
If Long Live Evil (which I loved with my whole heart) was a campy, sparkling piece of costume jewelry, All Hail Chaos is a darkly glimmering black diamond. This picks up right where LLE left off, and Rae (and the reader) is deeply unsure how darling murderous puppy Key feels about her after she feigned nonchalance during his murder to save herself. This uncertainty — and the knowledge that her misunderstanding of the original novel led to this predicament — mean that Rae is on edge throughout the book, constantly trying to figure Key out and stay one step ahead of everyone else, and she can't exuberantly play with the story the way she did in LLE.
One thing that hasn’t changed is Rae’s metafictional awareness: heroines have demurely sized breasts, fake engagements lead to falling in love for real, readers will forgive all sorts of villainous deeds if committed by someone attractive. Sarah Rees Brennan is also clearly marvelously well-read, and sprinkles paraphrases of famous lines from classic literature — from Kerouac to Tennyson to Marvell — throughout the story. You’d have to have been an English major to catch all the references, but they (and Rae’s gimlet awareness of romantasy tropes) are delightful Easter eggs.
Our intrepid cast of secondary characters spend most of the novel away from all but their love interests: Emer and Lia are hiding in the Cauldron, the Golden Cobra and Lord Marius are off to the Valerius estate to save Marius' little sister, and Rae of course is at the Palace on the Edge with Key. The Cobra and Rae exchange letters, though, as they piece together how the original story has changed and figure out what does and does not work to as they try to fix it.
The romance that had me kicking my feet the most (to my surprise!) was Eric / Marius. We got just a hint at the end of LLE that Marius might have caught feelings, and those feelings have put down deep roots at this point. He doesn't yet seem to have admitted his feelings to himself, however, despite Eric doing his best to nudge him in that direction.
Lia… Lia I have thoughts about! Really intrigued to see where her character goes in Book 3.
Speaking of book 3… Sarah Rees Brennan has once again ended the book on a MASSIVE CLIFFHANGER (immediately following a pretty big unexpected reveal), and I am simply beside myself at how long I'll have to wait for it 😭
***
“Book boyfriends: you get older, they stay the same age. It gets awkward.”
“some readers defined “morally grey” as “a remorseless murderer who is good-looking”.
“It’s nice in a way, how books change. If the magic and illumination isn’t in the story any more, the magic and illumination was always in you. The story caught a reflection of you at the right time.”
“Treating everybody in the world as if they mattered would be disastrous for the economy.”
“Despite the horrors, people fell back into living their lives in the same old way. They wanted to talk about change but remain comfortable. Surely a true king or a just god would come soon, but tomorrow, not today. The enemy might be at the gates, but they surely wouldn’t get inside. No matter who sat the throne, surely those in charge had everything under control.”
“She loved the wolf-souled, who saw everything except for reason, who knew the only thing to do in a senseless world is start a howl of defiance echoing through the sky. The only ones for Rae were the wild ones, burning with a fire that would light up or burn down a world, but never go out.” (This is a paraphrase of Kerouac!)
“This type of heroine was never like the other girls. Ironically, this made them all very similar.”
“Heroines were always showing an anachronistic disregard for social class!”
“She held her brother’s sword as close as a childhood toy, and whispered, “I am half sick of waiting, Marius.” (Tennyson!)
“Mention of small breasts was perfectly acceptable and overlooked in books, while any character who happened to have a large chest was regarded as obtrusively pneumatic. Heroines didn’t get their tits out.”
“Half agony, half hope” (Austen!)
“That was the problem with a villain who would kill anybody, Rae thought with terrible clarity. You could pretend this was a video game, with every victim a faceless nonentity, but a villain who would kill anybody would eventually kill somebody you cared about. Someone brave and beloved, and that death would cast a light on all the other deaths and show their horror.”
“Listen, I wanted to make one thing clear. I know how fake engagements usually go, but please do not fall in love with me. I don’t mean that as a fun challenge. I have enough to deal with.”
“Had we but world enough and time” (Marvell!)
“I saw the red flags and I said red’s my favourite colour.”
“What a generous heart this woman had. Affection to spare for all the countless men to whom she was betrothed.”
If Long Live Evil (which I loved with my whole heart) was a campy, sparkling piece of costume jewelry, All Hail Chaos is a darkly glimmering black diamond. This picks up right where LLE left off, and Rae (and the reader) is deeply unsure how darling murderous puppy Key feels about her after she feigned nonchalance during his murder to save herself. This uncertainty — and the knowledge that her misunderstanding of the original novel led to this predicament — mean that Rae is on edge throughout the book, constantly trying to figure Key out and stay one step ahead of everyone else, and she can't exuberantly play with the story the way she did in LLE.
One thing that hasn’t changed is Rae’s metafictional awareness: heroines have demurely sized breasts, fake engagements lead to falling in love for real, readers will forgive all sorts of villainous deeds if committed by someone attractive. Sarah Rees Brennan is also clearly marvelously well-read, and sprinkles paraphrases of famous lines from classic literature — from Kerouac to Tennyson to Marvell — throughout the story. You’d have to have been an English major to catch all the references, but they (and Rae’s gimlet awareness of romantasy tropes) are delightful Easter eggs.
Our intrepid cast of secondary characters spend most of the novel away from all but their love interests: Emer and Lia are hiding in the Cauldron, the Golden Cobra and Lord Marius are off to the Valerius estate to save Marius' little sister, and Rae of course is at the Palace on the Edge with Key. The Cobra and Rae exchange letters, though, as they piece together how the original story has changed and figure out what does and does not work to as they try to fix it.
The romance that had me kicking my feet the most (to my surprise!) was Eric / Marius. We got just a hint at the end of LLE that Marius might have caught feelings, and those feelings have put down deep roots at this point. He doesn't yet seem to have admitted his feelings to himself, however, despite Eric doing his best to nudge him in that direction.
Lia… Lia I have thoughts about! Really intrigued to see where her character goes in Book 3.
Speaking of book 3… Sarah Rees Brennan has once again ended the book on a MASSIVE CLIFFHANGER (immediately following a pretty big unexpected reveal), and I am simply beside myself at how long I'll have to wait for it 😭
***
“Book boyfriends: you get older, they stay the same age. It gets awkward.”
“some readers defined “morally grey” as “a remorseless murderer who is good-looking”.
“It’s nice in a way, how books change. If the magic and illumination isn’t in the story any more, the magic and illumination was always in you. The story caught a reflection of you at the right time.”
“Treating everybody in the world as if they mattered would be disastrous for the economy.”
“Despite the horrors, people fell back into living their lives in the same old way. They wanted to talk about change but remain comfortable. Surely a true king or a just god would come soon, but tomorrow, not today. The enemy might be at the gates, but they surely wouldn’t get inside. No matter who sat the throne, surely those in charge had everything under control.”
“She loved the wolf-souled, who saw everything except for reason, who knew the only thing to do in a senseless world is start a howl of defiance echoing through the sky. The only ones for Rae were the wild ones, burning with a fire that would light up or burn down a world, but never go out.” (This is a paraphrase of Kerouac!)
“This type of heroine was never like the other girls. Ironically, this made them all very similar.”
“Heroines were always showing an anachronistic disregard for social class!”
“She held her brother’s sword as close as a childhood toy, and whispered, “I am half sick of waiting, Marius.” (Tennyson!)
“Mention of small breasts was perfectly acceptable and overlooked in books, while any character who happened to have a large chest was regarded as obtrusively pneumatic. Heroines didn’t get their tits out.”
“Half agony, half hope” (Austen!)
“That was the problem with a villain who would kill anybody, Rae thought with terrible clarity. You could pretend this was a video game, with every victim a faceless nonentity, but a villain who would kill anybody would eventually kill somebody you cared about. Someone brave and beloved, and that death would cast a light on all the other deaths and show their horror.”
“Listen, I wanted to make one thing clear. I know how fake engagements usually go, but please do not fall in love with me. I don’t mean that as a fun challenge. I have enough to deal with.”
“Had we but world enough and time” (Marvell!)
“I saw the red flags and I said red’s my favourite colour.”
“What a generous heart this woman had. Affection to spare for all the countless men to whom she was betrothed.”
Want to Read
December 29, 2025I sort of love this cover.
Want to Read
December 10, 2024WAHHHH I'm waiting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 10, 2026
A four if I'm thinking with my head, a five if I'm thinking with my heart.
This definitely feels like a second book, in that it's laying a lot (a lot) of groundwork that will see its pay off in a future instalment. It felt a little like Rae lost track of her braincells for a second there, in order to rally them all in the final third. I'm not trying to critique her for being stupid or acting unideally, it more just felt the book had to keep her in a plateaued state for longer in order to achieve its plot goals. I missed the genre savviness of Book 1, but that's bc genre savviness is my favourite thing.
But the character work still shone through so hard. And.... the good news is that this must mean there's a third book. Goodreads doesn't know that yet, but I do 💕✨️
This definitely feels like a second book, in that it's laying a lot (a lot) of groundwork that will see its pay off in a future instalment. It felt a little like Rae lost track of her braincells for a second there, in order to rally them all in the final third. I'm not trying to critique her for being stupid or acting unideally, it more just felt the book had to keep her in a plateaued state for longer in order to achieve its plot goals. I missed the genre savviness of Book 1, but that's bc genre savviness is my favourite thing.
But the character work still shone through so hard. And.... the good news is that this must mean there's a third book. Goodreads doesn't know that yet, but I do 💕✨️
Want to Read
January 7, 2026My motivation to survive until September 2025 tbh
upd: now it’s February 2026?? Girl, I’m already tired of surviving
upd2: well, now the book comes out in May 2026, and I’m not sure I can keep holding up, but that’s fine, no rush
upd: now it’s February 2026?? Girl, I’m already tired of surviving
upd2: well, now the book comes out in May 2026, and I’m not sure I can keep holding up, but that’s fine, no rush
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
that man is in leopard print armor you cannot change my mind.
April 23, 2026
I really wish this would’ve just been a duology. This book felt very much like a filler. The first half half was very drawn out and repetitive and the second one very convoluted. I still had fun, but honestly mostly cared about Eric and Marius. Still looking forward to the last book in this series.
Want to Read
February 15, 2025September cannot come soon enough 😭 (KEY MY BELOVED I MISS U ALREADY)
May 6, 2026
After being transported into her favorite book series, Rae thought it would be easy to complete one task and reclaim her life in the real world before the cancer that's been ravaging her body for years finally kills her. Instead, Rae was alarmed to find that the characters she knew as fictional were painfully real people.
Now Rae has to deal with the catastrophic consequences of her own actions.
Rae's favorite character the Once and Future Emperor is here. But he's come into his power too early and he is far too angry--especially at Rae. As she keeps trying to fix him and get him the happy ending he deserves, Rae is forced to admit that she made him worse. Which makes things worse for everyone else in the kingdom.
Rae's friend The Golden Cobra is in hiding with Marius Valerius, the Last Hope. The Cobra hopes to change things for the tragic Valerius line. But all Marius wants is for someone else to take charge instead of forcing him to acknowledge uncomfortable feelings he can't even name. Emer and Lia hide in the poorest parts of the city but although they are together they have very different goals with Emer struggling to help their friends while Lia grasps at the power that keeps eluding her.
In a world where the dead walk and lies travel through the court faster than beasts can take to the skies, the truth is a very dangerous thing. Especially when telling the truth means revealing your heart in All Hail Chaos (2026) by Sarah Rees Brennan.
All Hail Chaos is the second book in Rees Brennan's Time of Iron trilogy, picking up moments after the dramatic conclusion of book one, Long Live Evil. The story shifts perspectives between the main players as they are scattered throughout the kingdom dealing with the aftermath of the emperor's return. Epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter once again highlight the differences between the narrative before Rae's arrival began to shape the story into something new.
Dismayed to find herself still within the pages of her favorite book, Rae observes "Great sequels took risks and got complicated. Great sequels did everything great first books did, backwards and in high heels. Great sequels upped the stakes, the tension and especially the body count." Which All Hail Chaos does admirably with a repeat of the Queen's Trials from book one but this time in a bloodier form all while the Emperor runs riot through a court that knows they need his power as much as they despise his presence.
With a cast bumbling through their interpersonal relationships with mixed results, All Hail Chaos continues to explore themes of agency and feminism within a fantasy framework. The story also asks, repeatedly, what it means when a reader is changed by a story and, given the magic system at play, what it means when those same readers try to change the story in turn. With sky high stakes and danger at every turn, Rae has her worked cut out for her as she tries to save her favorite character and herself. Rae continues to lean into her villainess persona even as she works heroically to get the narrative back on track reminding readers that even the blackest hearts can sometimes change with the right plot devices at play.
All Hail Chaos is everything a reader could want in a sequel. Come for the beloved characters, stay to see everything blow up in their faces and anxiously wait for the sequel. Highly recommended.
Possible Pairings: The Witch Who Trades With Death by CM Alongi, This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews, The Empress by Kristin Cast, Kill the Farm Boy by Delilah S. Dawson, Mistress of Lies by KM Enright, The Deathless One by Emma Hamm, Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz, The Half King by Melissa Landers, The Scarlet Throne by Amy Leow, Assitant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer, Anji Kills a King by Evan Leikam, The Awakening by Caroline Peckham, Going Postal by Terry Pratchett, Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis, Starter Villain by John Scalzi, Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler
*An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration*
Now Rae has to deal with the catastrophic consequences of her own actions.
Rae's favorite character the Once and Future Emperor is here. But he's come into his power too early and he is far too angry--especially at Rae. As she keeps trying to fix him and get him the happy ending he deserves, Rae is forced to admit that she made him worse. Which makes things worse for everyone else in the kingdom.
Rae's friend The Golden Cobra is in hiding with Marius Valerius, the Last Hope. The Cobra hopes to change things for the tragic Valerius line. But all Marius wants is for someone else to take charge instead of forcing him to acknowledge uncomfortable feelings he can't even name. Emer and Lia hide in the poorest parts of the city but although they are together they have very different goals with Emer struggling to help their friends while Lia grasps at the power that keeps eluding her.
In a world where the dead walk and lies travel through the court faster than beasts can take to the skies, the truth is a very dangerous thing. Especially when telling the truth means revealing your heart in All Hail Chaos (2026) by Sarah Rees Brennan.
All Hail Chaos is the second book in Rees Brennan's Time of Iron trilogy, picking up moments after the dramatic conclusion of book one, Long Live Evil. The story shifts perspectives between the main players as they are scattered throughout the kingdom dealing with the aftermath of the emperor's return. Epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter once again highlight the differences between the narrative before Rae's arrival began to shape the story into something new.
Dismayed to find herself still within the pages of her favorite book, Rae observes "Great sequels took risks and got complicated. Great sequels did everything great first books did, backwards and in high heels. Great sequels upped the stakes, the tension and especially the body count." Which All Hail Chaos does admirably with a repeat of the Queen's Trials from book one but this time in a bloodier form all while the Emperor runs riot through a court that knows they need his power as much as they despise his presence.
With a cast bumbling through their interpersonal relationships with mixed results, All Hail Chaos continues to explore themes of agency and feminism within a fantasy framework. The story also asks, repeatedly, what it means when a reader is changed by a story and, given the magic system at play, what it means when those same readers try to change the story in turn. With sky high stakes and danger at every turn, Rae has her worked cut out for her as she tries to save her favorite character and herself. Rae continues to lean into her villainess persona even as she works heroically to get the narrative back on track reminding readers that even the blackest hearts can sometimes change with the right plot devices at play.
All Hail Chaos is everything a reader could want in a sequel. Come for the beloved characters, stay to see everything blow up in their faces and anxiously wait for the sequel. Highly recommended.
Possible Pairings: The Witch Who Trades With Death by CM Alongi, This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews, The Empress by Kristin Cast, Kill the Farm Boy by Delilah S. Dawson, Mistress of Lies by KM Enright, The Deathless One by Emma Hamm, Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz, The Half King by Melissa Landers, The Scarlet Throne by Amy Leow, Assitant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer, Anji Kills a King by Evan Leikam, The Awakening by Caroline Peckham, Going Postal by Terry Pratchett, Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis, Starter Villain by John Scalzi, Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler
*An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration*
May 7, 2026
4/5 ⭐️
I had such a fun time with All Hail Chaos. This is book two in the Time of Iron series and it continues Rae’s journey as she desperately tries to escape the fantasy world she’s trapped in while also trying to keep herself alive long enough to do it.
Like a lot of fantasy series, SO much happens while somehow barely inching closer to the actual end goal. But honestly? I didn’t even mind because the journey is the fun part here. The world is chaotic in the best way: undead armies, revolutions, creepy manors, dangerous emperors, fake engagements, ridiculous fantasy politics… there’s always something happening.
What really makes this series stand out for me is Rae herself. She absolutely does not act like a traditional fantasy heroine. She still talks like a normal person from the real world, and her random one-liners and commentary completely catch you off guard. The author is so good at dropping quick little trope callouts that made me laugh out loud. The humor never feels forced because it sneaks up on you. I also continue to love the wildly over-the-top fantasy names throughout this series.
The audiobook is fantastic. Moira Quirk narrates almost the entire book again, and she is honestly perfect for this series. Every character has such a distinct voice and personality. And then we get a surprise chapter from Shane East as the Emperor which was an absolute treat. We always love a Shane East cameo.
Overall, this series continues to be weird, funny, chaotic fantasy fun and I’m definitely excited for the next book. Thanks to the author, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for the ALC.
I had such a fun time with All Hail Chaos. This is book two in the Time of Iron series and it continues Rae’s journey as she desperately tries to escape the fantasy world she’s trapped in while also trying to keep herself alive long enough to do it.
Like a lot of fantasy series, SO much happens while somehow barely inching closer to the actual end goal. But honestly? I didn’t even mind because the journey is the fun part here. The world is chaotic in the best way: undead armies, revolutions, creepy manors, dangerous emperors, fake engagements, ridiculous fantasy politics… there’s always something happening.
What really makes this series stand out for me is Rae herself. She absolutely does not act like a traditional fantasy heroine. She still talks like a normal person from the real world, and her random one-liners and commentary completely catch you off guard. The author is so good at dropping quick little trope callouts that made me laugh out loud. The humor never feels forced because it sneaks up on you. I also continue to love the wildly over-the-top fantasy names throughout this series.
The audiobook is fantastic. Moira Quirk narrates almost the entire book again, and she is honestly perfect for this series. Every character has such a distinct voice and personality. And then we get a surprise chapter from Shane East as the Emperor which was an absolute treat. We always love a Shane East cameo.
Overall, this series continues to be weird, funny, chaotic fantasy fun and I’m definitely excited for the next book. Thanks to the author, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for the ALC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
One thing about me is I am actually god's favorite etch a sketch so you better beliiiiiieeevvveee I don't recall that much from the first book. Luckily, for me at least, this book spent a bit of time rehashing events from the first book. I don't know how others who remember things better than I do or recently read the first book would feel about this, but for me and my memory, I was grateful.
I ended up liking this book way more than the first book, it felt like a really funny satire of high fantasy novels. So for me, I knew enough to know what was a good hearted ribbing of typical fantasy tropes and also probably simultaneously not enough of fantasy tropes to still be entertained by anything that wasn't satirical.
I guess what stopped this for being a five star read for me is I didn't really care enough about Emer's and Lia's side plot. (Though the twist about Emer was BONKERSSSS!) Similarly I wasn't into Caracalla's chapters either. I liked her enough, like she was perfectly funny, but I really just wanted to flip between my four favorite characters: Eric, Marius, Rae, and Key. Plus I sort of feel like flipping to certain character's POVs that didn't exactly further the plot which led to a lot of pacing issues and bloating of the story. Like, sorry, but I didn't need Pio's POV. All his chapters could have been cut and the story would have been absolutely fine. But I can't deny the worldbuilding in this book absolutely rocked, we see a lot more in this book than the first and that really worked in its favor. And man, can the author end on an absolute CLIFF HANGER that keeps me coming back to this series every. single. time!
Currently sitting outside Sarah Rees Brennan's house, silently crying and waiting for the third book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I ended up liking this book way more than the first book, it felt like a really funny satire of high fantasy novels. So for me, I knew enough to know what was a good hearted ribbing of typical fantasy tropes and also probably simultaneously not enough of fantasy tropes to still be entertained by anything that wasn't satirical.
I guess what stopped this for being a five star read for me is I didn't really care enough about Emer's and Lia's side plot. (Though the twist about Emer was BONKERSSSS!) Similarly I wasn't into Caracalla's chapters either. I liked her enough, like she was perfectly funny, but I really just wanted to flip between my four favorite characters: Eric, Marius, Rae, and Key. Plus I sort of feel like flipping to certain character's POVs that didn't exactly further the plot which led to a lot of pacing issues and bloating of the story. Like, sorry, but I didn't need Pio's POV. All his chapters could have been cut and the story would have been absolutely fine. But I can't deny the worldbuilding in this book absolutely rocked, we see a lot more in this book than the first and that really worked in its favor. And man, can the author end on an absolute CLIFF HANGER that keeps me coming back to this series every. single. time!
Currently sitting outside Sarah Rees Brennan's house, silently crying and waiting for the third book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 12, 2026
This series is my guilty pleasure. I need more key all the time, yes I’m the problem and I don’t care. I can fix him
April 27, 2026
This review is for All Hail Chaos by Sarah Rees Brennan which releases in the UK on the 12th May! Thanks so much to Netgalley and Orbit/Little Brown Books for giving me an eArc copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I absolutely loved the first book in this series and was so excited to get my hands on this early copy of the second. It lived up to every single expectation I had, and I ate up every bit of it.
The thing I loved the most, which was the same as the first, was the characters. Rae will always have a special place in my heart and I truly hope it works out for her, she truly deserves someone that will appreciate her loyalty. As per usual, I had a love/hate relationship with the rotating POV structure. Don’t get me wrong, I get why it’s there and it does show all aspects of what’s happening to all the various characters but it always moves at the most ANNOYING TIMES. But it works so well here and every single character feels so compelling, I found myself equally invested in all of them.
I was always left guessing where the story might go next, it’s so full of twists, turns and drama that genuinely caught me off guard. The storytelling and pace was perfect, just like the first, and there always something happening. Taking the story into a different direction and making the whole book feel like a little bit of chaos (see what I did there).
It does definitely fall under the curse of second book syndrome where you can see and feel a lot of the plot is readying up to the next one, but my god what a ride. And that ENDING??? I need the next one ASAP pls and thank you! Honestly cannot recommend this series enough and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do!
I absolutely loved the first book in this series and was so excited to get my hands on this early copy of the second. It lived up to every single expectation I had, and I ate up every bit of it.
The thing I loved the most, which was the same as the first, was the characters. Rae will always have a special place in my heart and I truly hope it works out for her, she truly deserves someone that will appreciate her loyalty. As per usual, I had a love/hate relationship with the rotating POV structure. Don’t get me wrong, I get why it’s there and it does show all aspects of what’s happening to all the various characters but it always moves at the most ANNOYING TIMES. But it works so well here and every single character feels so compelling, I found myself equally invested in all of them.
I was always left guessing where the story might go next, it’s so full of twists, turns and drama that genuinely caught me off guard. The storytelling and pace was perfect, just like the first, and there always something happening. Taking the story into a different direction and making the whole book feel like a little bit of chaos (see what I did there).
It does definitely fall under the curse of second book syndrome where you can see and feel a lot of the plot is readying up to the next one, but my god what a ride. And that ENDING??? I need the next one ASAP pls and thank you! Honestly cannot recommend this series enough and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do!
April 28, 2026
Long Live Evil was an instant favorite for me, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book. I’m thrilled that the author kept the elements that I loved including how meta this book can be at times. While this won’t work for all readers, I am absolutely here for it. I loved the commentary on book boyfriends and morally grey characters. This book has so much heart and soul to it. One moment I’d be kicking my feet and giggling while the next moment I’d be shocked or hit in the feels. The characters are everything in this book. I love how well developed they all are. This book is 100% setting up for an epic finale to Rae’s story, and I can’t wait.
eARC courtesy of Orbit Books
ALC courtesy of Hachette Audio
eARC courtesy of Orbit Books
ALC courtesy of Hachette Audio
May 3, 2026
Long Live Evil was one of the most clever and unique fantasy novels I’ve read in a long time, and one of my top reads of 2024. I naively thought this would be a duology so that’s on me for not looking into it, and All Hail Chaos definitely has a bit of middle child syndrome. The story meanders throughout the middle, with the end ramping things up for book three. Which I need, immediately.
Thank you to Little Brown Books for the advanced review copy!
Thank you to Little Brown Books for the advanced review copy!
May 1, 2026
Immaculate sequel! Absolutely incredible follow up, hooked from the get go. The characters are so easy to love and thoroughly engaging. Marius and Eric stole the show for me, once again. I wish I could scrub both these books from my brain to experience them for the first time again.
Want to Read
October 2, 2025Ahh this has been pushed back to April. The disappointment 🤌
Want to Read
February 2, 2025I need this immediately 😍
Want to Read
December 2, 2025I can't wait to read this and I think about it ALL THE TIME
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
“Rae loved the Once and Forever Emperor series because each sequel stepped it up, changing what you thought you knew about the familiar world and characters, or introducing new characters who altered the plot past recognition. Great sequels took risks and got complicated. Great sequels did everything great first books did, backwards and in high heels. Great sequels upped the stakes, the tension and especially the body count” - All Hail Chaos, Sarah Rees Brennan
[Long review ahead. Did I absolutely binge this? 100%] - 4.5 STARS
Ever since I finished Long Live Evil, before I even knew the title, All Hail Chaos already held one of the top spots in my most anticipated reads. With that also comes a lot of pressure on the sequel—could it live up to its predecessor? could the story progress in a logical but exciting manner? could it develop the romance, the characters, and avoid going stale? My first read/listen of this series was through the LLE audiobook wonderfully narrated by Moira Quirk—so it feels a little full circle that I return to where it started for me.
There is so, so much I love about this series and this book (like this series? no, like like—sorry I could not help myself iykyk). I love the elements established in Book 1—the characters, the world, the premise, the lore—so Book 2 starts on strong foundations. The cheeky meta acknowledgement (as we can now expect from Time of Iron books) of what a great sequel should be, also serves as a promise that Sarah Rees Brennan understands what she is aiming to do with this book. Do we get elements of the first book that we loved again? Check. Do we get new characters who change the direction of the plot? Check. Does the story get upped in stakes and tension? Check. As the list goes? Check, check, check. Was it perfect? No. But did I feel something reading it? Absolutely! Now where to begin…
Characters: Probably what I would define the heart and trademark of Sarah Rees Brennan books - characters that I just adore. The main cast are fascinating, loveable, with each possessing recognisable personalities and distinct flaws that make them ‘evil’ in different ways. We already had a grasp of the characters and fell in love with them in Book 1, so I will dedicate my focus instead on how Sarah Rees Brennan handled them in Book 2. I liked the way we can see the characters developing—Marius is having his worldviews challenged and broadened thanks to Eric’s influence and his new experiences, Key is devoted still but no longer as easily trusting, Rae is realising the people in this world feel just as real as her old world, Lia realising she would like a power that does not rely on others, and more. The interactions between characters remain delightful—with many scenes and pieces of dialogue I enjoyed and will be re-reading. I am liking the development of the relationships between the love interests—whilst the main relationship tension/ relationship in conflict has shifted from Marius/Cobra in book 1 to Key/Rae in book 2—that does not prevent the other relationships from progressing quietly simultaneously. For example, whilst Rae navigates her uncertain standing with the Emperor (loved the tension), Marius is clearly working hard to understand the Cobra better and better (and in many ways that matter—we can see how much he has developed from book 1 in that he DOES understand the Cobra well at some many points: “you pretend to be spoiled and outrageous to conceal your true nature, so you may help others unsuspected”, “Marius knew that pointing out the danger to others would work. Appealing to Eric’s sense of self-preservation would not: sadly, Eric didn’t have any. He waited until Eric sighed and relented”). It is super cute how hard Marius is trying to understand him, how he trusts him, and how he is trying to incorporate Eric’s vocabulary—but remains blissfully unaware of his true feelings due to how hard he has worked to suppress personal desires for years. In other words, I really like how the relationships have clearly progressed in book 2 from book 1, but leave further room for growth in book 3—the pacing is excellent for a trilogy. This also applies to the other relationships, but we would be here all day if I went into each one. Finally, I really liked the development of side characters from book 1 (for example Amelia or Fabianus), and the new cast of characters were interesting and I am already liking too (for example, Ivor the Heartless, Count Torhell Merac, and maybe even the introduction of Ink).
Writing and Imagery: Sarah Rees Brennan’s writing can be somewhat divisive—you love it or you hate it. I will admit the first SRB book I ever read I found the writing a little off-putting, before I learned to lean in, embrace it and enjoy it. But what you can’t deny is that it is distinct, and she writes with a very strong voice—which is undoubtedly a hallmark of mature and developed writing. Less divisive, is that this book is packed with gorgeous imagery that really paints each scene, brings the story to life, and creates tension. And this is before you go in and start hunting for all the intertextual references and engagement of language techniques in her writing (of which there are many). I particularly like her use of imagery from the same subject category or extending the metaphor—e.g. in ““You lie so sweetly”. The words cut off any possibility of reply, cold as his blade to her throat. The Emperor’s smile widened like a wound. Almost his old smile, with an abyss behind it”. Further, I liked how meta this book continued being, how self-aware of tropes Rae is, and the way the book pokes fun at these tropes and treats them with humour. For example, “Rae was evil, not stupid. All characters with red eyes were bad news. This one was lethal. She should leave”, “According to all rules of narrative, Rae would die soon. Probably at the Emperor’s hands. Unless she ran like a cowardly rat. Hence, running like a rat was Rae’s new scheme”, morally-grey = good-looking murderer, fake engagement leads to love, heroic speeches, and many more! Additionally, I continue to enjoy the epigraphs at the start of the chapter from the book series—they provide insight into the original series and we get to see how the series has changed as a result of our protagonists—plus the scenes themselves are beautifully written and can hold emotional value (e.g. I will never get over the epigraph in chapter 33 of book 1 and accompanying epigraphs that spelt out the regret Marius felt in the original series after killing the Cobra—the things I would do for chapters of the original Time of Iron).
Plot: Perhaps what some will find the weaker aspect of this book. Middle books in a trilogy are tricky for the very reason that they need to progress book 1, whilst leaving enough tension for a grand finale in book 3. A lot of the tension, cliffhangers and plot points that were created in Long Live Evil gets heightened through the storyline in All Hail Chaos, but little of it gets resolved. So All Hail Chaos for the most part, felt like it was setting up for book 3—which makes the plot not stand as well on its own. It was a bit slower paced than the first book - although I do not mind slowing down to focus on the characters’ relationships, there were a few plot points that felt a little more filler and I wish had been resolved a little quicker. However, I still had a great time given how much I was enjoying seeing the character’s relationships develop and how you could feel the tension throughout the story and see how the characters were working towards an end goal (even if the resolution ends up being in book 3).
Social commentary (of sorts): There are so many little comments sprinkled throughout that will probably resonate with readers and prompt reflection. First, I like SRB’s discussion of how people slowly pull away when you get sick and the reality of being sick settles in (the additional inconvenience, the worsening mood, etc.). The way compassion wanes and novelty fades off - and then people no longer want to deal with you and the world continues to move on regardless. SRB drawing on her own experience with illness has helped make her writing feel incredibly authentic—and as someone who has previously been sick and firsthand experienced the way people pulled away, this part really connected with me. Other reflections I liked: the way we like revenge stories because people do not get justice in real life, the way how you feel about a book changes over time depending on who you were when you read it, the exploration of what it is to be a villain (and how ultimately being human means we are all villains—because we are not perfect and all sin in a sense, and these different ways are encapsulated by our varied cast who have their own distinct flaws).
Narration (audiobook): I love Moira Quirk as a narrator—she always brings the story to life with the energy and variety in her narration. Moira Quirk has a great range and I particularly enjoy the distinct voices she puts on for each character that helps distinguish them. I have mixed feelings about the addition of Shane East—whilst he does suit the Emperor’s voice, it felt a little jarring to me to suddenly switch narrators and I might have preferred just having Moira Quirk reading in a different character voice.
“The story caught a reflection of you at the right time” - All Hail Chaos, Sarah Rees Brennan
Finally, thank you so much to Sarah Rees Brennan, Orbit, NetGalley for an ARC of this audiobook. Maybe the story found me at the right time, but I enjoyed this book, have a bottomless adoration for this series that rivals the abyss in Eyam, and will be restlessly waiting (in “half agony, half hope” - austen, and now SRB too) for the next and final book.
[Long review ahead. Did I absolutely binge this? 100%] - 4.5 STARS
Ever since I finished Long Live Evil, before I even knew the title, All Hail Chaos already held one of the top spots in my most anticipated reads. With that also comes a lot of pressure on the sequel—could it live up to its predecessor? could the story progress in a logical but exciting manner? could it develop the romance, the characters, and avoid going stale? My first read/listen of this series was through the LLE audiobook wonderfully narrated by Moira Quirk—so it feels a little full circle that I return to where it started for me.
There is so, so much I love about this series and this book (like this series? no, like like—sorry I could not help myself iykyk). I love the elements established in Book 1—the characters, the world, the premise, the lore—so Book 2 starts on strong foundations. The cheeky meta acknowledgement (as we can now expect from Time of Iron books) of what a great sequel should be, also serves as a promise that Sarah Rees Brennan understands what she is aiming to do with this book. Do we get elements of the first book that we loved again? Check. Do we get new characters who change the direction of the plot? Check. Does the story get upped in stakes and tension? Check. As the list goes? Check, check, check. Was it perfect? No. But did I feel something reading it? Absolutely! Now where to begin…
Characters: Probably what I would define the heart and trademark of Sarah Rees Brennan books - characters that I just adore. The main cast are fascinating, loveable, with each possessing recognisable personalities and distinct flaws that make them ‘evil’ in different ways. We already had a grasp of the characters and fell in love with them in Book 1, so I will dedicate my focus instead on how Sarah Rees Brennan handled them in Book 2. I liked the way we can see the characters developing—Marius is having his worldviews challenged and broadened thanks to Eric’s influence and his new experiences, Key is devoted still but no longer as easily trusting, Rae is realising the people in this world feel just as real as her old world, Lia realising she would like a power that does not rely on others, and more. The interactions between characters remain delightful—with many scenes and pieces of dialogue I enjoyed and will be re-reading. I am liking the development of the relationships between the love interests—whilst the main relationship tension/ relationship in conflict has shifted from Marius/Cobra in book 1 to Key/Rae in book 2—that does not prevent the other relationships from progressing quietly simultaneously. For example, whilst Rae navigates her uncertain standing with the Emperor (loved the tension), Marius is clearly working hard to understand the Cobra better and better (and in many ways that matter—we can see how much he has developed from book 1 in that he DOES understand the Cobra well at some many points: “you pretend to be spoiled and outrageous to conceal your true nature, so you may help others unsuspected”, “Marius knew that pointing out the danger to others would work. Appealing to Eric’s sense of self-preservation would not: sadly, Eric didn’t have any. He waited until Eric sighed and relented”). It is super cute how hard Marius is trying to understand him, how he trusts him, and how he is trying to incorporate Eric’s vocabulary—but remains blissfully unaware of his true feelings due to how hard he has worked to suppress personal desires for years. In other words, I really like how the relationships have clearly progressed in book 2 from book 1, but leave further room for growth in book 3—the pacing is excellent for a trilogy. This also applies to the other relationships, but we would be here all day if I went into each one. Finally, I really liked the development of side characters from book 1 (for example Amelia or Fabianus), and the new cast of characters were interesting and I am already liking too (for example, Ivor the Heartless, Count Torhell Merac, and maybe even the introduction of Ink).
Writing and Imagery: Sarah Rees Brennan’s writing can be somewhat divisive—you love it or you hate it. I will admit the first SRB book I ever read I found the writing a little off-putting, before I learned to lean in, embrace it and enjoy it. But what you can’t deny is that it is distinct, and she writes with a very strong voice—which is undoubtedly a hallmark of mature and developed writing. Less divisive, is that this book is packed with gorgeous imagery that really paints each scene, brings the story to life, and creates tension. And this is before you go in and start hunting for all the intertextual references and engagement of language techniques in her writing (of which there are many). I particularly like her use of imagery from the same subject category or extending the metaphor—e.g. in ““You lie so sweetly”. The words cut off any possibility of reply, cold as his blade to her throat. The Emperor’s smile widened like a wound. Almost his old smile, with an abyss behind it”. Further, I liked how meta this book continued being, how self-aware of tropes Rae is, and the way the book pokes fun at these tropes and treats them with humour. For example, “Rae was evil, not stupid. All characters with red eyes were bad news. This one was lethal. She should leave”, “According to all rules of narrative, Rae would die soon. Probably at the Emperor’s hands. Unless she ran like a cowardly rat. Hence, running like a rat was Rae’s new scheme”, morally-grey = good-looking murderer, fake engagement leads to love, heroic speeches, and many more! Additionally, I continue to enjoy the epigraphs at the start of the chapter from the book series—they provide insight into the original series and we get to see how the series has changed as a result of our protagonists—plus the scenes themselves are beautifully written and can hold emotional value (e.g. I will never get over the epigraph in chapter 33 of book 1 and accompanying epigraphs that spelt out the regret Marius felt in the original series after killing the Cobra—the things I would do for chapters of the original Time of Iron).
Plot: Perhaps what some will find the weaker aspect of this book. Middle books in a trilogy are tricky for the very reason that they need to progress book 1, whilst leaving enough tension for a grand finale in book 3. A lot of the tension, cliffhangers and plot points that were created in Long Live Evil gets heightened through the storyline in All Hail Chaos, but little of it gets resolved. So All Hail Chaos for the most part, felt like it was setting up for book 3—which makes the plot not stand as well on its own. It was a bit slower paced than the first book - although I do not mind slowing down to focus on the characters’ relationships, there were a few plot points that felt a little more filler and I wish had been resolved a little quicker. However, I still had a great time given how much I was enjoying seeing the character’s relationships develop and how you could feel the tension throughout the story and see how the characters were working towards an end goal (even if the resolution ends up being in book 3).
Social commentary (of sorts): There are so many little comments sprinkled throughout that will probably resonate with readers and prompt reflection. First, I like SRB’s discussion of how people slowly pull away when you get sick and the reality of being sick settles in (the additional inconvenience, the worsening mood, etc.). The way compassion wanes and novelty fades off - and then people no longer want to deal with you and the world continues to move on regardless. SRB drawing on her own experience with illness has helped make her writing feel incredibly authentic—and as someone who has previously been sick and firsthand experienced the way people pulled away, this part really connected with me. Other reflections I liked: the way we like revenge stories because people do not get justice in real life, the way how you feel about a book changes over time depending on who you were when you read it, the exploration of what it is to be a villain (and how ultimately being human means we are all villains—because we are not perfect and all sin in a sense, and these different ways are encapsulated by our varied cast who have their own distinct flaws).
Narration (audiobook): I love Moira Quirk as a narrator—she always brings the story to life with the energy and variety in her narration. Moira Quirk has a great range and I particularly enjoy the distinct voices she puts on for each character that helps distinguish them. I have mixed feelings about the addition of Shane East—whilst he does suit the Emperor’s voice, it felt a little jarring to me to suddenly switch narrators and I might have preferred just having Moira Quirk reading in a different character voice.
“The story caught a reflection of you at the right time” - All Hail Chaos, Sarah Rees Brennan
Finally, thank you so much to Sarah Rees Brennan, Orbit, NetGalley for an ARC of this audiobook. Maybe the story found me at the right time, but I enjoyed this book, have a bottomless adoration for this series that rivals the abyss in Eyam, and will be restlessly waiting (in “half agony, half hope” - austen, and now SRB too) for the next and final book.
Want to Read
December 28, 2024🕯🕯🕯 For September to come tomorrow.
Want to Read
November 6, 2024i need this book in my life T-T
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