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The Hollow Covenant #2
The War Beyond
In this thrilling sequel to the Sunday Times bestseller The Gods Below, loyalties will be tested, long-lost secrets will be revealed, and two sisters will face each other on the battlefield as the war between the gods ignites.
Hakara risked her life to find her long-lost sister Rasha, only to lose her all over again. Now she and her Unanointed rebels hunt for the shapeshifter Lithuas, knowing that defeating her would strike a blow to the plans of the tyrant god Kluehnn.
Rasha once longed to be reunited with Hakara. No longer. Now she is a Godkiller and proud to serve Kluehnn’s divine will. Yet she also harbours doubts about Kluehnn’s teachings. When she is sent to destroy Hakara and her allies, Rasha will have to decide where her loyalty truly lies.
As the two sisters hurtle towards a bloody reunion, Sheuan continues her shadowy games of intrigue to uncover the secret that killed her father, while her cousin Mullayne seeks the tomb of Tolemne. There, Mull believes he’ll find the answers he desires.
Hakara risked her life to find her long-lost sister Rasha, only to lose her all over again. Now she and her Unanointed rebels hunt for the shapeshifter Lithuas, knowing that defeating her would strike a blow to the plans of the tyrant god Kluehnn.
Rasha once longed to be reunited with Hakara. No longer. Now she is a Godkiller and proud to serve Kluehnn’s divine will. Yet she also harbours doubts about Kluehnn’s teachings. When she is sent to destroy Hakara and her allies, Rasha will have to decide where her loyalty truly lies.
As the two sisters hurtle towards a bloody reunion, Sheuan continues her shadowy games of intrigue to uncover the secret that killed her father, while her cousin Mullayne seeks the tomb of Tolemne. There, Mull believes he’ll find the answers he desires.
487 pages, Hardcover
First published November 4, 2025
28 people are currently reading
1955 people want to read
About the author
Andrea Stewart
35 books2,313 followersAndrea Stewart is the Chinese American daughter of immigrants, and was raised in a number of places across the United States. Her parents always emphasized science and education, so she spent her childhood immersed in Star Trek and odd-smelling library books. When her (admittedly ambitious) dreams of becoming a dragon slayer didn't pan out, she instead turned to writing books. She now lives in sunny California, and in addition to writing, can be found herding cats, looking at birds, and falling down research rabbit holes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
November 24, 2025
this is a book for all the people who look at precious gems and go: forbidden snack
genuinely shook by that final twist, seeing the threads finally come together left me floored. ANDREA STEWART DID THAT
also f*ck [redacted] all my homies hate redacted
thassir cat daddy (never to be upstaged)
Andrea Stewart’s Hollow Covenant trilogy bridges the gap between climate fiction and high fantasy in a climate ravaged world where humanity is at the whim of a vengeful god who promises restoration with a price. In her sequel to The Gods Below, Stewart demonstrates her breadth of both plotting and storytelling as she amplifies her godly war and the history of centuries past to plunge ever deeper into revenge and the cost of excess on generations. As her four characters face down a restoration event, Hakara and Rasha, sisters separated by circumstance, find themselves on opposite sides of a war over the future of their world. Sheuan plots and Mullayne continues to pick at the threads of the past. Loyalties are tenuous at best and Stewart proves just how much in a sequel that questions the cost of vengeance and whether transformation is the true catalyst of change. Four perspectives, all concerning some aspect of the truth, are split apart on a shattered landscape, and as time runs out they will piece together the past behind the stories they've been taught to believe. Vengeance, grief, loyalty, and love coalesce in The War Beyond and it’s nothing short of world altering. With countless perspectives and a wealth of history to get lost in, the Hollow Covenant speaks to the best of the fantasy genre, and something tremendously human captured within a fantasy setting: consumption with no thought for consequence.
Read my review
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing the advance review copy.
Bookstagram | Blog
genuinely shook by that final twist, seeing the threads finally come together left me floored. ANDREA STEWART DID THAT
also f*ck [redacted] all my homies hate redacted
thassir cat daddy (never to be upstaged)
Andrea Stewart’s Hollow Covenant trilogy bridges the gap between climate fiction and high fantasy in a climate ravaged world where humanity is at the whim of a vengeful god who promises restoration with a price. In her sequel to The Gods Below, Stewart demonstrates her breadth of both plotting and storytelling as she amplifies her godly war and the history of centuries past to plunge ever deeper into revenge and the cost of excess on generations. As her four characters face down a restoration event, Hakara and Rasha, sisters separated by circumstance, find themselves on opposite sides of a war over the future of their world. Sheuan plots and Mullayne continues to pick at the threads of the past. Loyalties are tenuous at best and Stewart proves just how much in a sequel that questions the cost of vengeance and whether transformation is the true catalyst of change. Four perspectives, all concerning some aspect of the truth, are split apart on a shattered landscape, and as time runs out they will piece together the past behind the stories they've been taught to believe. Vengeance, grief, loyalty, and love coalesce in The War Beyond and it’s nothing short of world altering. With countless perspectives and a wealth of history to get lost in, the Hollow Covenant speaks to the best of the fantasy genre, and something tremendously human captured within a fantasy setting: consumption with no thought for consequence.
Read my review
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing the advance review copy.
Bookstagram | Blog
October 16, 2025
I am being SERVED 🥹 thank you to NetGalley & the publishers for this ARC! Seeing as book 1 was a 5 stars read for me - I’m super excited!!
The recap at the beginning was such a great addition! I wish every author did this.
I wasn’t the biggest fan of this sequel. Where the first book had some noble bright fantasy vibe going on that I was loving - the second instalment was darker and stalled, quite a lot. This will be a long review.
The plot fumbled right from the start, and the pacing was exceedingly slow. We’re following more characters in this sequel and the plot was lost to all of them. Where in the first one I had wrongly guessed some plot twists - this one didn’t surprise me. I was underwhelmed, to say the least. I was 84% in and the plot still hadn’t progressed. Some of the characters spend the whole book looking for someone, the others spend the whole book looking for answers and some are whining the whole time.
The characters lost their cleverness - and Hakara never had any plans. She was making it up as she went along, and no one seemed to have a smarter input. Their whole plot was to chase after the God and it was tedious. Rasha went back and forth with her emotions the whole book. Sheuran was in way over her head… there were no indications that she would succeed where her father hadn’t. Mull was grieving and lost. Thassir lost his whole personality and faded to the background.
Most of what I had loved in book 1 was notably absent in this one. I don’t think I expected it to be this different and that definitely had a part in my overall enjoyment. Some parts actually disturbed me and I didn’t expect that… the first instalment hadn’t went in those directions. With its slow pacing and stalling plot, this sequel did feel like a filler book. Some things were revealed that are needed for the continuity but I don’t think it needed to be 530 pages long. I was eager to be done with it.
The world building and magic system are definitely this series strong suit. It’s very unique and I’ve never read anything like this. Even if this sequel was a let down for me, I’m still invested in this series and I can’t wait to see how it ends.
The recap at the beginning was such a great addition! I wish every author did this.
I wasn’t the biggest fan of this sequel. Where the first book had some noble bright fantasy vibe going on that I was loving - the second instalment was darker and stalled, quite a lot. This will be a long review.
The plot fumbled right from the start, and the pacing was exceedingly slow. We’re following more characters in this sequel and the plot was lost to all of them. Where in the first one I had wrongly guessed some plot twists - this one didn’t surprise me. I was underwhelmed, to say the least. I was 84% in and the plot still hadn’t progressed. Some of the characters spend the whole book looking for someone, the others spend the whole book looking for answers and some are whining the whole time.
The characters lost their cleverness - and Hakara never had any plans. She was making it up as she went along, and no one seemed to have a smarter input. Their whole plot was to chase after the God and it was tedious. Rasha went back and forth with her emotions the whole book. Sheuran was in way over her head… there were no indications that she would succeed where her father hadn’t. Mull was grieving and lost. Thassir lost his whole personality and faded to the background.
Most of what I had loved in book 1 was notably absent in this one. I don’t think I expected it to be this different and that definitely had a part in my overall enjoyment. Some parts actually disturbed me and I didn’t expect that… the first instalment hadn’t went in those directions. With its slow pacing and stalling plot, this sequel did feel like a filler book. Some things were revealed that are needed for the continuity but I don’t think it needed to be 530 pages long. I was eager to be done with it.
The world building and magic system are definitely this series strong suit. It’s very unique and I’ve never read anything like this. Even if this sequel was a let down for me, I’m still invested in this series and I can’t wait to see how it ends.
October 22, 2025
Whenever I see a summary at the start of an epic fantasy book, I rejoice.
When the older sister complex gets extreme and leads to a secret uprising.
Two orphaned sisters who find their paths diverged. One a godkiller. One the leader of the Unannointed, a rebel group trying to bring down the god her younger sister has pledged her loyalty to.
There are always points in history where people feel stuck, the forward progress of society a wheel with a stick caught in the spokes. But if enough pressure is applied, if even one person is forceful enough, the stick can be broken and momentum restored.
We learn more about the history of this world where knowledge is scarce to begin with. As a result, I can’t discuss much without risk of spoilers. Just know that I was turning the pages like it wasn’t almost midnight.
We have reunions, clashes, and, of course, more cats. It makes sense that Thassir, a large, winged altered man, also a god, collects strays like Hakara hoards guilt and responsibility and Rasha harbours questions.
Admittedly, the numerous POVs kept throwing me off. Once I got my footing and remembered who was who, I still agree with my critique of book one that there may have been too many. There are only five, but I think one of them could have easily been subsumed into others. It meant that there were some pacing issues where exciting chapters will end of a cliffhanger (fair enough) only to go to a slower perspective to force you to push on. Clever, but also frustrating.
I still don’t truly understand the magic system, but I don’t tend to get hung up on that unless there are clear fallacies.
Whilst we get some big revelations, the pace was so fast, we never had chance to sit and reflect on them.
Whilst book one showed us characters who relied on their smarts and planning over their brawn, spur-of-the-moment decisions seemed to have taken over.
Overall, I had a good time reading this and am (per usual) impressed by Stewart’s imagination and unique world-building. I just hope the plot doesn’t overtake the character arcs (which I felt happened with her debut series).
Physical arc gifted by Orbit.
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When the older sister complex gets extreme and leads to a secret uprising.
Two orphaned sisters who find their paths diverged. One a godkiller. One the leader of the Unannointed, a rebel group trying to bring down the god her younger sister has pledged her loyalty to.
There are always points in history where people feel stuck, the forward progress of society a wheel with a stick caught in the spokes. But if enough pressure is applied, if even one person is forceful enough, the stick can be broken and momentum restored.
We learn more about the history of this world where knowledge is scarce to begin with. As a result, I can’t discuss much without risk of spoilers. Just know that I was turning the pages like it wasn’t almost midnight.
We have reunions, clashes, and, of course, more cats. It makes sense that Thassir, a large, winged altered man, also a god, collects strays like Hakara hoards guilt and responsibility and Rasha harbours questions.
Admittedly, the numerous POVs kept throwing me off. Once I got my footing and remembered who was who, I still agree with my critique of book one that there may have been too many. There are only five, but I think one of them could have easily been subsumed into others. It meant that there were some pacing issues where exciting chapters will end of a cliffhanger (fair enough) only to go to a slower perspective to force you to push on. Clever, but also frustrating.
I still don’t truly understand the magic system, but I don’t tend to get hung up on that unless there are clear fallacies.
Whilst we get some big revelations, the pace was so fast, we never had chance to sit and reflect on them.
Whilst book one showed us characters who relied on their smarts and planning over their brawn, spur-of-the-moment decisions seemed to have taken over.
Overall, I had a good time reading this and am (per usual) impressed by Stewart’s imagination and unique world-building. I just hope the plot doesn’t overtake the character arcs (which I felt happened with her debut series).
Physical arc gifted by Orbit.
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October 29, 2025
First things first: I absolutely love it when authors put an actual summary of the previous book at the beginning of a sequel, because it's been a while and my brain is just not big enough to save all that information. Even though I really enjoyed the first book in the Hollow Covenant series - yes, I really needed the reminder. I wish more authors would do this, honestly.
But back to the book itself: I really do love the world Stewart so expertly builds in this series once again. It's at times a little confusing but not in a frustrating way, more in a "I want to learn more" way. Her writing is masterful as is expected, no surprise there.
I did struggle a little with the pacing this time around, mostly because some of the povs didn't really manage to captivate me enough to not get just a little bored whenever they came up. All of the pov characters were interesting and complex in their own right, don't get me wrong, but Mull especially felt like his part of the story could have easily been told in the pov chapters of other characters.
I was hoping for more development for the sister story between Hakara and Rasha. I liked what we got but it never really delved as deep as I wanted it too, though I do understand why Stewart might keep that for the final book. I do love both of the sisters and have a very soft spot for Sheuan, and they are really the characters I'm fully invested in. I didn't enjoy Thassir much in this book, he felt weirdly sidelined and. to be honest, pretty dull this time around. Which is why I didn't really root much for the romance between Hakara and him. Nor did I root for the other central romance despite loving both characters, so really, the romances as a whole in this series aren't its biggest draw at all.
It is also, admittedly, a little funny that both of the sisters happen to have two closest allies/friends which just happen to be a guy and a gal which just happen to be romantically involved which just happens to be a little uncreative, but I sadly didn't really care that much for any of them so I didn't mind too much.
This sounds like quite some criticism, but I did really enjoy my time with The War Beyond. It's an overall interesting, exciting plot with an actually terrifying antagonist, it has some amazing and relevant themes (be it personal ones of grief, forgiveness, responsibility, guilt or broader ones of religion and you know, the destruction of a world by stripping it of its resources right up to its breaking point if that sounds familiar to you) and the world as such is just really intriguing and well-crafted. I do feel like there's a bit of a pattern emerging with Stewart insofar that the first books in her series' are absolute bangers but the sequels just can't quite keep up that level of quality. They're still good, just not as good as they could be. I'll still devour the third book though.
Many thanks to Orbit and Netgalley for the arc!
But back to the book itself: I really do love the world Stewart so expertly builds in this series once again. It's at times a little confusing but not in a frustrating way, more in a "I want to learn more" way. Her writing is masterful as is expected, no surprise there.
I did struggle a little with the pacing this time around, mostly because some of the povs didn't really manage to captivate me enough to not get just a little bored whenever they came up. All of the pov characters were interesting and complex in their own right, don't get me wrong, but Mull especially felt like his part of the story could have easily been told in the pov chapters of other characters.
I was hoping for more development for the sister story between Hakara and Rasha. I liked what we got but it never really delved as deep as I wanted it too, though I do understand why Stewart might keep that for the final book. I do love both of the sisters and have a very soft spot for Sheuan, and they are really the characters I'm fully invested in. I didn't enjoy Thassir much in this book, he felt weirdly sidelined and. to be honest, pretty dull this time around. Which is why I didn't really root much for the romance between Hakara and him. Nor did I root for the other central romance despite loving both characters, so really, the romances as a whole in this series aren't its biggest draw at all.
It is also, admittedly, a little funny that both of the sisters happen to have two closest allies/friends which just happen to be a guy and a gal which just happen to be romantically involved which just happens to be a little uncreative, but I sadly didn't really care that much for any of them so I didn't mind too much.
This sounds like quite some criticism, but I did really enjoy my time with The War Beyond. It's an overall interesting, exciting plot with an actually terrifying antagonist, it has some amazing and relevant themes (be it personal ones of grief, forgiveness, responsibility, guilt or broader ones of religion and you know, the destruction of a world by stripping it of its resources right up to its breaking point if that sounds familiar to you) and the world as such is just really intriguing and well-crafted. I do feel like there's a bit of a pattern emerging with Stewart insofar that the first books in her series' are absolute bangers but the sequels just can't quite keep up that level of quality. They're still good, just not as good as they could be. I'll still devour the third book though.
Many thanks to Orbit and Netgalley for the arc!
December 18, 2025
As the second book in the Hollow Covenant series, The War Beyond expands the world of The Gods Below, still focusing on the broken relationship between sisters Hakara and Rasha as they become central figures in a cosmic struggle among the gods, balancing their personal desires with massive consequences for humanity. Hakara is now a rebel leader fighting Kluehnn, searching for the shapeshifter Lithuas to strike back, while dealing with a powerful corestone she swallowed. Rasha is a loyal Godkiller, with growing doubts about Kluehnn’s agenda (to reform the world by eliminating elder gods and mortals) and her eventual assignment to kill her sister. Meanwhile, cousins Sheuan and Mullayne are involved in political intrigue with Sheuan inveigling herself in the Sovereign's court to uncover family secrets, while the explorer Mullayne seeks dangerous truths in the tomb of Tolemne in the gods' underground realm, Unterra, using his proprietary mask technology.
January 11, 2026
Review originally on Jamreads
The War Beyond is the second book in the epic fantasy series The Hollow Covenant, written by Andrea Stewart, published by Orbit Books. A sequel that picks after the ending of The Gods Below (and with a superb recap to let the reader jump with fresh memories), continues developing the world and fleshing out the characters, while revealing more about the gods and how the world reached the state it is.
Hakara and the Unanointed rebels are in the hunt for Lithuas; defeating her would be a great blow against Kluehn's plan. On the other side of the conflict lies her sister Rasha; once she longed to be reunited with Hakara, but now she's a Godkiller under Kluehn's orders. However, she's starting to have doubts about Kluehn's teachings, and when she's sent to kill her sister group, her loyalty will be tested to the limit.
In parallel, Mullayne continues investigating the truth about Tolemne, and why the books were wrong; and Sheuan is trying to survive the dangerous Sovereign's court game, all while trying to understand more about how the Sovereign reached his status.
Stewart continues with the difficult task of balancing the number of POVs in this novel, while the reader is invited to know more about the world and how it reached its current situation; it is complicated to talk without entering on spoilers, but there's a good balance between spectacular scenes and emotional heavy ones; after spending so much time with those characters, it is impossible to not develop a bond with them.
As a sequel, it adds a lot to the worldbuilding, especially revealing how the gods reached the current situation and how the knowledge of this world is being changed. The pacing can be a bit irregular due to the number of POVs, but all contributes toward setting up the big revelation at the end.
The War Beyond is a great second book in the Hollow Covenant series, a epic fantasy series whose climate message resonates hard nowadays; if you are looking for a big epic series, you should totally give this one a try!
The War Beyond is the second book in the epic fantasy series The Hollow Covenant, written by Andrea Stewart, published by Orbit Books. A sequel that picks after the ending of The Gods Below (and with a superb recap to let the reader jump with fresh memories), continues developing the world and fleshing out the characters, while revealing more about the gods and how the world reached the state it is.
Hakara and the Unanointed rebels are in the hunt for Lithuas; defeating her would be a great blow against Kluehn's plan. On the other side of the conflict lies her sister Rasha; once she longed to be reunited with Hakara, but now she's a Godkiller under Kluehn's orders. However, she's starting to have doubts about Kluehn's teachings, and when she's sent to kill her sister group, her loyalty will be tested to the limit.
In parallel, Mullayne continues investigating the truth about Tolemne, and why the books were wrong; and Sheuan is trying to survive the dangerous Sovereign's court game, all while trying to understand more about how the Sovereign reached his status.
Stewart continues with the difficult task of balancing the number of POVs in this novel, while the reader is invited to know more about the world and how it reached its current situation; it is complicated to talk without entering on spoilers, but there's a good balance between spectacular scenes and emotional heavy ones; after spending so much time with those characters, it is impossible to not develop a bond with them.
As a sequel, it adds a lot to the worldbuilding, especially revealing how the gods reached the current situation and how the knowledge of this world is being changed. The pacing can be a bit irregular due to the number of POVs, but all contributes toward setting up the big revelation at the end.
The War Beyond is a great second book in the Hollow Covenant series, a epic fantasy series whose climate message resonates hard nowadays; if you are looking for a big epic series, you should totally give this one a try!
December 15, 2025
First of all, the summary of book one at the beginning was genius. Thank you Andrea Stewart for that!
It was so great to catch up with all of these characters and get further and further into this story. The way the characters are written is incredible. The vision she paints in my head of each character is so vivid! I loved getting some more backstory for the gods in this book. It really thickened the plot for book three! I love this series!
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for this ARC!
It was so great to catch up with all of these characters and get further and further into this story. The way the characters are written is incredible. The vision she paints in my head of each character is so vivid! I loved getting some more backstory for the gods in this book. It really thickened the plot for book three! I love this series!
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for this ARC!
November 9, 2025
⤷ 4✩
Thanks to publishers for providing me with this E-ARC via NetGalley.
Stewart does phenomenal world building. In this book we get revealed more and more of the world, at the same time as the MCs discover the secrets the world holds. I am amazed by all the small hints dropped throughout that together form a tapestry showing a bigger picture. It is so unique and so entertaining to see.
I do think the characters can sometimes fall a bit flat. They are powered in the same way to reach their goals, even though the reasons have changed drastically. You can argue that Rasha simply is very stubborn, but Hikara’s belief system has basically turned upside down, role changed completely, and she keeps going just like she was. Nuance would be nice here.
I am very much looking forward to the conclusion in this series and hope I can also get the arc for that one!
Thanks to publishers for providing me with this E-ARC via NetGalley.
Stewart does phenomenal world building. In this book we get revealed more and more of the world, at the same time as the MCs discover the secrets the world holds. I am amazed by all the small hints dropped throughout that together form a tapestry showing a bigger picture. It is so unique and so entertaining to see.
I do think the characters can sometimes fall a bit flat. They are powered in the same way to reach their goals, even though the reasons have changed drastically. You can argue that Rasha simply is very stubborn, but Hikara’s belief system has basically turned upside down, role changed completely, and she keeps going just like she was. Nuance would be nice here.
I am very much looking forward to the conclusion in this series and hope I can also get the arc for that one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2025
4.5 rounded up. The summary of book one at the start was superb and allowed me to jump right back into the story with ease. while the end of book 1 left me feeling like I had very little grasp of the bigger picture, this book does an excellent job at filling in several gaps while setting the stage for book 3. There's a final twist at the end that made me even more excited to see how this trilogy concludes. Just like book one, there's our four main POVs, and one POV that is from a god's POV that is 572 years prior. For a story and world this grand and epic, all POVs are necessary and an important part of the narrative as a whole.
A huge thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for the eARC of the book!
A huge thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for the eARC of the book!
November 7, 2025
This was such a good sequel! I read the first book, The Gods Below, a little over a year ago and loved it, but was a little nervous going into the second book because I couldn’t remember everything that had happened. Luckily this book did a great job of reminding me of how the first book ended and who everyone was. I was able to get right back into the story easily.
There are multiple POVs in this book and I really enjoyed all of them, which is rare because I usually have at least one POV I don’t love as much. Every character is enjoyable and I loved each of their plots. I loved that this book brought certain people together that had never interacted with each other yet. The characters in this series are all great and I don’t know if I can pick a favorite.
The world created in this series is so unique and I loved learning more about it. This book flew by for me and I think the pacing was perfect, especially for a second book in a series. I also thought the end reveals were great and some of them I didn’t see coming!
I love this series and cannot wait for the next book! I definitely recommend this book to any fantasy lovers looking for a unique world with an interesting magic system.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
There are multiple POVs in this book and I really enjoyed all of them, which is rare because I usually have at least one POV I don’t love as much. Every character is enjoyable and I loved each of their plots. I loved that this book brought certain people together that had never interacted with each other yet. The characters in this series are all great and I don’t know if I can pick a favorite.
The world created in this series is so unique and I loved learning more about it. This book flew by for me and I think the pacing was perfect, especially for a second book in a series. I also thought the end reveals were great and some of them I didn’t see coming!
I love this series and cannot wait for the next book! I definitely recommend this book to any fantasy lovers looking for a unique world with an interesting magic system.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
December 8, 2025
4⭐️
y'all are SLEEPING on andrea stewart!!! her writing is SO GOOD, and so are her books!!
this was an exceptional sequel. stewart balances 5 POVs so seamlessly and effortlessly, and she blends all plots together so well by the end of the book. i cannot wait for the finale hopefully in 2026!
(thassir i'd die for u)
y'all are SLEEPING on andrea stewart!!! her writing is SO GOOD, and so are her books!!
this was an exceptional sequel. stewart balances 5 POVs so seamlessly and effortlessly, and she blends all plots together so well by the end of the book. i cannot wait for the finale hopefully in 2026!
(thassir i'd die for u)
Want to read
March 14, 2025The Gods Below ★★★.5
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WE HAVE A SEQUEL!!!
November 3, 2025
The War Beyond by Andrea Stewart is the second book in The Hollow Covenant trilogy, and I absolutely devoured it. I couldn’t put it down. It picks up right where the first book left off and moves at a breakneck pace—fast, intense, and packed with action. We get so many answers this time around, which I loved, and a few characters really shine in unexpected ways. There are also a couple of twists I did not see coming.
The lore of this world and its gods was one of my favorite parts of book one, and it continues to captivate me here—I’m completely hooked. There are still plenty of mysteries left to unravel in the final book, but this one deepened the world beautifully. Where the author hides some of the answers and plot points so well within these other stories and you don't even realize it until the plot point is revealed or you're thinking about it after the fact—so good!
Hakara is hunting down Lithuas, Rasha has become a Godkiller while wrestling with her faith, Sheuan dives even deeper into politics, and Mull uncovers some of the biggest secrets of all. It’s a really fun ride, and there are some amazing quotes that had me giggling and kicking my feet.
That said, while the story was incredible, it wasn’t perfect. The fast pacing and action meant the character focus sometimes suffered. There’s plenty of angst (SO much angst), but not always enough time spent sitting with the characters and their emotions. Communication definitely isn’t anyone’s strong suit here, and that lack of emotional clarity made a few moments feel abrupt or confusing. There are some fantastic relationships here, and I'd love to see more of them in the final book.
If you can look past that, this is absolutely worth the read. It’s thrilling, imaginative, and full of heart—even when the characters can’t quite articulate theirs. I already cannot wait until the final book.
4.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
The lore of this world and its gods was one of my favorite parts of book one, and it continues to captivate me here—I’m completely hooked. There are still plenty of mysteries left to unravel in the final book, but this one deepened the world beautifully. Where the author hides some of the answers and plot points so well within these other stories and you don't even realize it until the plot point is revealed or you're thinking about it after the fact—so good!
Hakara is hunting down Lithuas, Rasha has become a Godkiller while wrestling with her faith, Sheuan dives even deeper into politics, and Mull uncovers some of the biggest secrets of all. It’s a really fun ride, and there are some amazing quotes that had me giggling and kicking my feet.
That said, while the story was incredible, it wasn’t perfect. The fast pacing and action meant the character focus sometimes suffered. There’s plenty of angst (SO much angst), but not always enough time spent sitting with the characters and their emotions. Communication definitely isn’t anyone’s strong suit here, and that lack of emotional clarity made a few moments feel abrupt or confusing. There are some fantastic relationships here, and I'd love to see more of them in the final book.
If you can look past that, this is absolutely worth the read. It’s thrilling, imaginative, and full of heart—even when the characters can’t quite articulate theirs. I already cannot wait until the final book.
4.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
December 31, 2025
[3.5 stars]
”what was more cruel? to betray someone you loved or to never love them at all?”
now why are we repeating something that was written in the last book word for word, bar for bar…? anyways!
i’m glad i picked up this sequel despite giving the first book 2.5 stars. i think this world is so interesting and the characters are all so great. except, and not to repeat my review of the first book but, Rasha… the younger sister who was altered and, after two instalments, still doesn’t know where she stands. i get her role in the story, i get that she has to be on one specific side so we can understand both sides of the war that’s brewing. i also understand that her questioning things makes sense to move the plot along, but i am SICK of this woman. she’ll start questioning Kluehnn for a while only to immediately decide that she has to stay faithful to him. and her “love” for Sheuan was still as underdeveloped as it was in the previous book, though i guess that will be a constant for the whole series.
everyone else though i loved reading from. unpopular opinion but i think my favorite perspective might be Mull’s. i know to some people his chapters are pointless since we could get the same information from other characters, but i find him to be such an interesting character, and have since the last book. if anything, i wish we got MORE chapters from him. and Hakara and Thassir's slow burn romance? spectacular give me 14 of them right now.
my biggest issue with this instalment was the pacing. there are a lot of characters and a lot of perspectives, and i don’t think they were spaced out properly. when something rather crucial would happen to a character we would move to someone else and it would take way too long to get back to that storyline.
however, the last like 20% of this book were sooo good, the reveals were insane and i can’t wait to read more
”what was more cruel? to betray someone you loved or to never love them at all?”
now why are we repeating something that was written in the last book word for word, bar for bar…? anyways!
i’m glad i picked up this sequel despite giving the first book 2.5 stars. i think this world is so interesting and the characters are all so great. except, and not to repeat my review of the first book but, Rasha… the younger sister who was altered and, after two instalments, still doesn’t know where she stands. i get her role in the story, i get that she has to be on one specific side so we can understand both sides of the war that’s brewing. i also understand that her questioning things makes sense to move the plot along, but i am SICK of this woman. she’ll start questioning Kluehnn for a while only to immediately decide that she has to stay faithful to him. and her “love” for Sheuan was still as underdeveloped as it was in the previous book, though i guess that will be a constant for the whole series.
everyone else though i loved reading from. unpopular opinion but i think my favorite perspective might be Mull’s. i know to some people his chapters are pointless since we could get the same information from other characters, but i find him to be such an interesting character, and have since the last book. if anything, i wish we got MORE chapters from him. and Hakara and Thassir's slow burn romance? spectacular give me 14 of them right now.
my biggest issue with this instalment was the pacing. there are a lot of characters and a lot of perspectives, and i don’t think they were spaced out properly. when something rather crucial would happen to a character we would move to someone else and it would take way too long to get back to that storyline.
however, the last like 20% of this book were sooo good, the reveals were insane and i can’t wait to read more
January 6, 2026
Thank you, Orbit, for the finished copy! I appreciate it so much! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I love it when an author starts each book with a summary of the previous one. It helps a lot, and I appreciate it! I wish more authors would do this.
I'm going to start off by saying that I adore the Drowning Empire, her previous series! I have struggled a little with this series. Mostly, because this book suffers from 'second book syndrome.' There is a huge chunk of the book that was confusing and crawled at a snail's pace. I know all the time references needed to be included, but it really slowed down the pacing. The first book created such a unique world, and the premise of this book requires spending too much time chasing someone down. Don't get me wrong, the magic system and world are still very interesting, but I wanted more.
I struggled a lot with Rasha. She was naive most of the book, and it became frustrating at times. I appreciated it when she finally started to question things, but it took a long time. I think the several characters getting their own POV slowed the pacing down, too. There were a couple of characters that I could have done without. I wanted Rasha and Hakara to have some deeper connections, but she's probably saving that for book three. The romances are okay. I do think the last 25% of this book was the best part. Everything finally started coming together and left for a great ending.
I know this isn't the most positive review, but I will still be reading book three. This book felt more like filler, which many second books fall victim to. I adore Andrea Stewart and love her mind. I am hoping book three elevates the series!
I love it when an author starts each book with a summary of the previous one. It helps a lot, and I appreciate it! I wish more authors would do this.
I'm going to start off by saying that I adore the Drowning Empire, her previous series! I have struggled a little with this series. Mostly, because this book suffers from 'second book syndrome.' There is a huge chunk of the book that was confusing and crawled at a snail's pace. I know all the time references needed to be included, but it really slowed down the pacing. The first book created such a unique world, and the premise of this book requires spending too much time chasing someone down. Don't get me wrong, the magic system and world are still very interesting, but I wanted more.
I struggled a lot with Rasha. She was naive most of the book, and it became frustrating at times. I appreciated it when she finally started to question things, but it took a long time. I think the several characters getting their own POV slowed the pacing down, too. There were a couple of characters that I could have done without. I wanted Rasha and Hakara to have some deeper connections, but she's probably saving that for book three. The romances are okay. I do think the last 25% of this book was the best part. Everything finally started coming together and left for a great ending.
I know this isn't the most positive review, but I will still be reading book three. This book felt more like filler, which many second books fall victim to. I adore Andrea Stewart and love her mind. I am hoping book three elevates the series!
November 2, 2025
This one felt slower than the previous one. I kept putting it down and letting myself get distracted even though I was curious about where things would end up (usually a sign that I didn’t jive with the pacing).
There was a lot of important stuff happening, but Hakara and Rasha especially felt like they weren’t really accomplishing anything with their travel (important things happened once they got to those places, kind of, but there was a lot of filler). Mull once again surprised me with how interesting his contributions to the story and the world were - though I think we left him in a really weird spot that feels kind of like an accidental cliffhanger (not very deliberate). Sheuen was much less interesting this time as well because she couldn’t “cleverly manipulate” her way out of anything, and that made her pretty impotent.
Probably should have just waited and listened to the audiobook for this one, but the worldbuilding continues to amaze and the characters are so REAL (even as most of the gods are kind of eye roll-worthy caricatures)
{Thank you Orbit Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}
There was a lot of important stuff happening, but Hakara and Rasha especially felt like they weren’t really accomplishing anything with their travel (important things happened once they got to those places, kind of, but there was a lot of filler). Mull once again surprised me with how interesting his contributions to the story and the world were - though I think we left him in a really weird spot that feels kind of like an accidental cliffhanger (not very deliberate). Sheuen was much less interesting this time as well because she couldn’t “cleverly manipulate” her way out of anything, and that made her pretty impotent.
Probably should have just waited and listened to the audiobook for this one, but the worldbuilding continues to amaze and the characters are so REAL (even as most of the gods are kind of eye roll-worthy caricatures)
{Thank you Orbit Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}
November 19, 2025
I really, really appreciated that there was a summary in the front of this book about the last one. It was a nice concise way to delve back into this world. I enjoyed this story, but I definitely thinks it suffers a little from second book syndrome. The first book had a lot more action and the political moves were more cunning. In this installment the action is put on the back burner and the world building and lore is all brought to the front. With such a large cast of characters, I think Stewart does an excellent job of character building and keeping their voices separate. You can pick up any chapter not knowing who it is and immediately be able to tell who the pov is about. I really enjoy the inner turmoil both of these sisters are experiencing and hope for a resolution that keeps them both alive. The ending reveal about the gods was very interesting and not something I guessed! That was a pleasant surprise! Overall I liked this book and liked the heavy world building and large cast, but I did find myself having to push through the middle section and let go of my expectations of an action packed story.
November 3, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The War Beyond by Andrea Stewart.
I enjoyed the first book, but this one was even better. The first introduced a complex world of gods, magic, and shifting POVs—but now that I know the lay of the land, I’m completely invested.
This is a story about war, change, and how people try to fix what they’ve broken. It’s found family, love in all its forms, and choosing to care no matter what happens.
“The elder gods made a blood promise to one another long ago…”
“Maybe you don’t owe me anything, but I owed you more.”
Andrea Stewart’s storytelling just keeps getting better.
I enjoyed the first book, but this one was even better. The first introduced a complex world of gods, magic, and shifting POVs—but now that I know the lay of the land, I’m completely invested.
This is a story about war, change, and how people try to fix what they’ve broken. It’s found family, love in all its forms, and choosing to care no matter what happens.
“The elder gods made a blood promise to one another long ago…”
“Maybe you don’t owe me anything, but I owed you more.”
Andrea Stewart’s storytelling just keeps getting better.
November 11, 2025
I love Andrea Stewart so much. The War Beyond is a great middle book, I just didn't love it as much as The Gods Below. I think she handled the middle book way better in her previous trilogy. That being said, it's still a solid 4 stars. My only critic really is that I didn't love it as much as I loved her previous books.
November 17, 2025
if book 1 was refreshing and incredible, book 2 slayed. i had high hopes for this one and omg it did not disappoint!! the reveals!! the action scenes!! more reveals and plot twists!! oh, and that ending, leading us to an ultimate battle… very very excited for what’s to come.
ps: thassir continues to be my little fav
ps: thassir continues to be my little fav
December 19, 2025
I did enjoy this book, but much like the first one, I feel like it took a while to get to the point. I kind of found the characters not super interesting, a lot of repetition, and no real character growth or progress, which is hard when you have a split narration.
I didn't feel like it took too long for me to get back into this book after reading book 1 a while ago.
I did eventually enjoy it, and even though developments took a while, I was happy when they happened.
I didn't feel like it took too long for me to get back into this book after reading book 1 a while ago.
I did eventually enjoy it, and even though developments took a while, I was happy when they happened.
October 30, 2025
I am a little torn, the pacing was slow and dragged on at points, but it felt like this was intentional..
Let me explain,..
Stewart did what all of us fantasy readers desire, a recap of the first book to help us get oriented again. We immediately find ourselves back in an amazing world and get introduced to new "friends".
Plenty of the book focuses on interpersonal and internal struggles the characters find themselves experiencing, and it makes you feel their dread and despair. Which makes me believe that the slower pacing of the book was a tool used to make us readers empathize.
Towards the end the pacing picks up and we start "cooking with gas", so to speak. If you aren't afraid of a story that doesn't serve instant gratification, but gives you a detailed world and characters - this is for you.
Thank you to Andrea Stewart for taking the "War Beyond" what I could have imagined! Thank you to Orbit Books and Netgalley for sending me on yet another adventure!
Let me explain,..
Stewart did what all of us fantasy readers desire, a recap of the first book to help us get oriented again. We immediately find ourselves back in an amazing world and get introduced to new "friends".
Plenty of the book focuses on interpersonal and internal struggles the characters find themselves experiencing, and it makes you feel their dread and despair. Which makes me believe that the slower pacing of the book was a tool used to make us readers empathize.
Towards the end the pacing picks up and we start "cooking with gas", so to speak. If you aren't afraid of a story that doesn't serve instant gratification, but gives you a detailed world and characters - this is for you.
Thank you to Andrea Stewart for taking the "War Beyond" what I could have imagined! Thank you to Orbit Books and Netgalley for sending me on yet another adventure!
January 5, 2026
6/10
Unfortunately this seemed a bit weaker than the first entry in the series. A lot of the reveals here were more predictable and the stakes just felt a lot lower. Not a bad book by any means, but just average.
Unfortunately this seemed a bit weaker than the first entry in the series. A lot of the reveals here were more predictable and the stakes just felt a lot lower. Not a bad book by any means, but just average.
December 11, 2025
There’s a summary at the beginning of this book for book 1 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 and a great twist at the end. I’ll be needing book 3. Thank you.
January 2, 2026
4,5 ⭐️
I am in love with this series!! It's so fast paced and unique!!
I am in love with this series!! It's so fast paced and unique!!
November 15, 2025
*ARC generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley*
I don't think this series is for me. I'm through 2/3 of this trilogy and I really have no desire to see it through.
Hakara spends 3/4 of the book running wherever she wants to catch Lithuas for revenge despite her comrades telling her to turn back now that she's the de facto leader of the Unannointed.
Rasha goes down the "my religion is actually bad/evil route," starts questioning everything and gets in a lot of trouble for it. It's all very uninteresting as her path crosses with Mull's as he was determined to sneak into a Den to find the secrets of Tolomne's journey.
Any and all romances feel very forced and no real chemistry between any of the pairs. I will sadly not be returning for book 3
I don't think this series is for me. I'm through 2/3 of this trilogy and I really have no desire to see it through.
Hakara spends 3/4 of the book running wherever she wants to catch Lithuas for revenge despite her comrades telling her to turn back now that she's the de facto leader of the Unannointed.
Rasha goes down the "my religion is actually bad/evil route," starts questioning everything and gets in a lot of trouble for it. It's all very uninteresting as her path crosses with Mull's as he was determined to sneak into a Den to find the secrets of Tolomne's journey.
Any and all romances feel very forced and no real chemistry between any of the pairs. I will sadly not be returning for book 3
November 19, 2025
The book follows neatly after the previous one, with an introduction that efficiently reminds the reader of the context and main characters—better than many comparable sequels manage.
I remain torn about this book. I genuinely love the worldbuilding—what the author has created here is astounding and easily ranks in the top 5% of all fantasy fiction I’ve read. While there are similarities to Mistborn: The Final Empire, the overall narrative is far more nuanced and complex. This world is populated by flawed characters and gods who struggle to live up to their own mythic expectations, while fate and history are manipulated to construct narratives serving a clear agenda. This element, in particular, forms an excellent critique of religion and totalitarian control of history as a means to redefine people’s priorities and mindsets. It’s executed so well that this alone makes the book worth reading—and the mystery at the heart of this manipulation keeps the pages turning.
That said, the book is deeply flawed. The greatest weakness lies in its characters and their interactions. They all come across as juvenile and one-dimensional—each driven by a single idée fixe, unable or unwilling to grasp nuance or control their emotions. It’s as if every protagonist is a hormonal teenager, floundering through life and relationships. Some of the dialogue is downright cringeworthy, and the character development feels forced and shallow, lacking any real understanding of human nature. By contrast, in Scott Lynch’s work, the worldbuilding may be less intricate, but the characterisation and emotional depth are exemplary.
Still, this book remains worth reading for its worldbuilding and meta-narrative alone. The imagination underpinning these elements is extraordinary and almost compensates for the poor character work.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
I remain torn about this book. I genuinely love the worldbuilding—what the author has created here is astounding and easily ranks in the top 5% of all fantasy fiction I’ve read. While there are similarities to Mistborn: The Final Empire, the overall narrative is far more nuanced and complex. This world is populated by flawed characters and gods who struggle to live up to their own mythic expectations, while fate and history are manipulated to construct narratives serving a clear agenda. This element, in particular, forms an excellent critique of religion and totalitarian control of history as a means to redefine people’s priorities and mindsets. It’s executed so well that this alone makes the book worth reading—and the mystery at the heart of this manipulation keeps the pages turning.
That said, the book is deeply flawed. The greatest weakness lies in its characters and their interactions. They all come across as juvenile and one-dimensional—each driven by a single idée fixe, unable or unwilling to grasp nuance or control their emotions. It’s as if every protagonist is a hormonal teenager, floundering through life and relationships. Some of the dialogue is downright cringeworthy, and the character development feels forced and shallow, lacking any real understanding of human nature. By contrast, in Scott Lynch’s work, the worldbuilding may be less intricate, but the characterisation and emotional depth are exemplary.
Still, this book remains worth reading for its worldbuilding and meta-narrative alone. The imagination underpinning these elements is extraordinary and almost compensates for the poor character work.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2025
Actual Rating: 2.5/5
I'm sorry if this comes out rude as I am trying to say this in the absolute nicest way possible, but...
What happened here?
Like seriously, please someone catch me up on the memo because I feel like I lost some form of really important communication between the first and the second book....
Because much like The Gods Below, I was enthralled... my mind racing with questions, answers, and then more questions... of wanting to know more about Andrea's world and more about the characters within...And things just fell flat from there. What could've been such a bedazzling sequel... felt more like a hastily clumped together filler of information, random plot points, and spontaneous decisions... all done with almost no thought or actual meaningful contribution to the plot...
Throughout The War Beyond, it seems as though the concept of using a sequel to further grow your characters and be able to show their unique personalities and traits off is also tossed to the side, as there is really no distinct thoughts, no ideas, no true feelings that are conveyed... and this is especially more noticeable towards the ends, as it seems emotions and anything deep is just thrown out the window for a way to quickly wrap up the plot.
Although I am still very curious about this complex world, its gods, its secrets, and the way of life.... I'm hesitant about picking up the finale that this filler of a sequel (aka a literal disaster to some degree) builds up to. The War Beyond just seems rushed in a way that I don't think I can forgive... Not easily, anyway.
This review was held till 30 days in advanced of publishing per the request of the publisher. Thank you to Orbit Books, to Hachette Book Group, and to Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and the rest of my reviews can be found at: https://littlereapling.wixsite.com/fa....
I'm sorry if this comes out rude as I am trying to say this in the absolute nicest way possible, but...
What happened here?
Like seriously, please someone catch me up on the memo because I feel like I lost some form of really important communication between the first and the second book....
Because much like The Gods Below, I was enthralled... my mind racing with questions, answers, and then more questions... of wanting to know more about Andrea's world and more about the characters within...And things just fell flat from there. What could've been such a bedazzling sequel... felt more like a hastily clumped together filler of information, random plot points, and spontaneous decisions... all done with almost no thought or actual meaningful contribution to the plot...
Throughout The War Beyond, it seems as though the concept of using a sequel to further grow your characters and be able to show their unique personalities and traits off is also tossed to the side, as there is really no distinct thoughts, no ideas, no true feelings that are conveyed... and this is especially more noticeable towards the ends, as it seems emotions and anything deep is just thrown out the window for a way to quickly wrap up the plot.
Although I am still very curious about this complex world, its gods, its secrets, and the way of life.... I'm hesitant about picking up the finale that this filler of a sequel (aka a literal disaster to some degree) builds up to. The War Beyond just seems rushed in a way that I don't think I can forgive... Not easily, anyway.
This review was held till 30 days in advanced of publishing per the request of the publisher. Thank you to Orbit Books, to Hachette Book Group, and to Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and the rest of my reviews can be found at: https://littlereapling.wixsite.com/fa....
January 21, 2026
Thank you to Orbit for sending me an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
If there’s one thing I know, it is that Andrea Stewart can write one hell of a fantasy series. Getting my hands on this just reinforced that idea, and I was left both completely satisfied and dying for the next book to be available. I was blessed with not only a hard copy, but also an audiobook version, so I was able to switch between the two, making it easier to read almost constantly for days whether I was driving, relaxing, or even while doing chores.
The audiobook is narrated by three different narrators—Eunice Wong, Jonathan Waters, and Stephanie Németh-Parker. Using multiple narrators for a story that is told through the eyes of multiple characters adds depth and complexity to the narration. Each of the narrators does a fantastic job, and it differentiated the varied experiences that the characters were exposed to. In this case, I really appreciated the fact that the female and male characters each had a unique narrative voice in addition to Stewart’s gift for creating POV characters who are so different from each other that I never got confused about who was narrating.
Each chapter opens with the length of time since the Restoration of Kashan, as well as how long ago the Shattering occurred. It gives readers a better picture of how long things have been status quo, along with how the characters are faring. After more than a decade separated, things are not copacetic with Hakara and Rasha, the sister she never forgot about and spent her whole time in Langzu working to get back to Rasha.
The compelling story continues in this book as the characters each get closer to how their world really works and the truth of things around them that they never knew about before. Hakara is working with the Unanointed to fight off Kluehnn’s godkillers, setting her up for a confrontation with Rasha that isn’t going to leave either of them happy, no matter how it goes down. Mull pops up in the book with all the information he learned while searching for Unterra and Tolemne’s tomb, while Sheuan finds herself facing two very different paths depending on what she decides.
While this book is a bit on the slower paced side to allow the complexity of the characters and their interactions, especially as all of the characters cross paths in this story. There were still many battle scenes that were so vividly represented that I had no problem visualizing the carnage for myself. Despite all of the characters heading toward an inevitable showdown, the story really focused more on how the characters work to resolve conflicting information.
Rasha is the one who struggles the most in this story. She was taken in by Kluehnn’s representative, brainwashed, and trained to be a godkiller for the last ten years, sure that the only person who ever promised to come back has forgotten about her. When they do cross paths, there is a lot of new information for both Rasha and Hakara to absorb, and some of it conflicts with Rasha’s worldview. There are strict rules that Kluehnn maintains for his godkillers, so that he can get rid of all the ‘false gods’ in the different territories. Not only is Rasha trying to integrate what Kluehnn has told her with what she sees with her own eyes and learns from interacting with one of the false gods. But Kluehnn’s plan seems to be foolproof: Get rid of all the other gods, and Restore the worlds that haven’t been remade yet.
Despite the intense programming that Rasha had, the story really hinges on her—the one character who always felt as though she was seen as too young and unable to help. She’s the only one of the godkillers in her cohort that even entertains the idea that something they were told might be a lie, while the others have no problem toeing the line. It doesn’t surprise me that Rasha has a hard time following all the rules, since Hakara also has that tendency.
Where the story really shines is the character growth, which is also one of my own favorites aspects of a book. Rasha is just beginning her adult life, and is understandably curious about what she’s been told for the last decade when she sees conflicting evidence for herself, and is told the truth. However, it’s hard to overcome the kind of intense programming that she experienced in her burrow, almost like a cult. Rasha not only grows up and gains confidence, but we see Hakara learn to be a bit less rigid as well as she learns some important lessons. Sheuan had a fantastic arc in this story—going from someone who her entire clan is relying on to someone who stands up for herself, while her cousin Mull has the task of integrating potentially the most information, especially as he spends time with Hakara and Sheuan.
Overall, this is exactly what I’d have expected from Stewart—a gripping story peopled with realistic, complex characters. Each of them is forced to integrate new knowledge that conflicts with what they have been told. I loved watching each of the POV characters discover more and get closer to the mystery and truth of their world and the gods in it. The gods in this story are accessible, living among the people in some cases, and this reminds me of some of the Pagan and/or Eastern religions, where gods interact directly with characters. While reading, I couldn’t help but visualize the characters as being Asian, despite the fact that the story takes place in a completely fictional world. There are twists, turns, major reveals, and plenty of action throughout the story. My only criticism was that the ending felt kind of rushed, even though it left me feeling completely satisfied, and confident in keeping Stewart on my auto-read list.
Bottom Line: An outstanding second book in a series, and it is enjoyable in both print and audiobook format. Don’t miss this one.
If there’s one thing I know, it is that Andrea Stewart can write one hell of a fantasy series. Getting my hands on this just reinforced that idea, and I was left both completely satisfied and dying for the next book to be available. I was blessed with not only a hard copy, but also an audiobook version, so I was able to switch between the two, making it easier to read almost constantly for days whether I was driving, relaxing, or even while doing chores.
The audiobook is narrated by three different narrators—Eunice Wong, Jonathan Waters, and Stephanie Németh-Parker. Using multiple narrators for a story that is told through the eyes of multiple characters adds depth and complexity to the narration. Each of the narrators does a fantastic job, and it differentiated the varied experiences that the characters were exposed to. In this case, I really appreciated the fact that the female and male characters each had a unique narrative voice in addition to Stewart’s gift for creating POV characters who are so different from each other that I never got confused about who was narrating.
Each chapter opens with the length of time since the Restoration of Kashan, as well as how long ago the Shattering occurred. It gives readers a better picture of how long things have been status quo, along with how the characters are faring. After more than a decade separated, things are not copacetic with Hakara and Rasha, the sister she never forgot about and spent her whole time in Langzu working to get back to Rasha.
The compelling story continues in this book as the characters each get closer to how their world really works and the truth of things around them that they never knew about before. Hakara is working with the Unanointed to fight off Kluehnn’s godkillers, setting her up for a confrontation with Rasha that isn’t going to leave either of them happy, no matter how it goes down. Mull pops up in the book with all the information he learned while searching for Unterra and Tolemne’s tomb, while Sheuan finds herself facing two very different paths depending on what she decides.
While this book is a bit on the slower paced side to allow the complexity of the characters and their interactions, especially as all of the characters cross paths in this story. There were still many battle scenes that were so vividly represented that I had no problem visualizing the carnage for myself. Despite all of the characters heading toward an inevitable showdown, the story really focused more on how the characters work to resolve conflicting information.
Rasha is the one who struggles the most in this story. She was taken in by Kluehnn’s representative, brainwashed, and trained to be a godkiller for the last ten years, sure that the only person who ever promised to come back has forgotten about her. When they do cross paths, there is a lot of new information for both Rasha and Hakara to absorb, and some of it conflicts with Rasha’s worldview. There are strict rules that Kluehnn maintains for his godkillers, so that he can get rid of all the ‘false gods’ in the different territories. Not only is Rasha trying to integrate what Kluehnn has told her with what she sees with her own eyes and learns from interacting with one of the false gods. But Kluehnn’s plan seems to be foolproof: Get rid of all the other gods, and Restore the worlds that haven’t been remade yet.
Despite the intense programming that Rasha had, the story really hinges on her—the one character who always felt as though she was seen as too young and unable to help. She’s the only one of the godkillers in her cohort that even entertains the idea that something they were told might be a lie, while the others have no problem toeing the line. It doesn’t surprise me that Rasha has a hard time following all the rules, since Hakara also has that tendency.
Where the story really shines is the character growth, which is also one of my own favorites aspects of a book. Rasha is just beginning her adult life, and is understandably curious about what she’s been told for the last decade when she sees conflicting evidence for herself, and is told the truth. However, it’s hard to overcome the kind of intense programming that she experienced in her burrow, almost like a cult. Rasha not only grows up and gains confidence, but we see Hakara learn to be a bit less rigid as well as she learns some important lessons. Sheuan had a fantastic arc in this story—going from someone who her entire clan is relying on to someone who stands up for herself, while her cousin Mull has the task of integrating potentially the most information, especially as he spends time with Hakara and Sheuan.
Overall, this is exactly what I’d have expected from Stewart—a gripping story peopled with realistic, complex characters. Each of them is forced to integrate new knowledge that conflicts with what they have been told. I loved watching each of the POV characters discover more and get closer to the mystery and truth of their world and the gods in it. The gods in this story are accessible, living among the people in some cases, and this reminds me of some of the Pagan and/or Eastern religions, where gods interact directly with characters. While reading, I couldn’t help but visualize the characters as being Asian, despite the fact that the story takes place in a completely fictional world. There are twists, turns, major reveals, and plenty of action throughout the story. My only criticism was that the ending felt kind of rushed, even though it left me feeling completely satisfied, and confident in keeping Stewart on my auto-read list.
Bottom Line: An outstanding second book in a series, and it is enjoyable in both print and audiobook format. Don’t miss this one.
January 23, 2026
The War Beyond is the second in the Hollow Covenant trilogy. It follows Hakara, who fights with the Unanointed and a god to stop the god Kluehnn and the restoration he brings; her younger sister Rasha, an altered who has become one of Kluehnn’s godkillers; Sheuan, the daughter of a noble family on the verge of collapse who plots only for her own benefit; and Mullayne, Sheuan’s scholar cousin who followed Tolemne’s path down to the gods’ former home in Unterra only to find Tolemne didn’t stay. As the elder gods hide and fight as they can against the younger gods and godkillers who follow Kluehnn, a handful of mortals are pawns in their games, until they start asking questions and uncovering secrets. While I continued to struggle to connect with the characters, there are so many secrets revealed, and so many twists and surprises that the story grabbed my attention and held on.
After the events of the first book, Hakara and Rasha still find themselves on opposite sides, but Rasha starts asking questions that will lead her on a dangerous path. Rasha might once have found favor with Kluehnn, but after mistakes and her inability to hurt her sister, she’s fallen from grace, making her think and wonder. Meanwhile, Hakara is hunting an elder god who is helping Kleuhnn, and discovering what it means now that she’s swallowed a corestone, much to Thassir’s dismay. At the same time, Mullayne has discovered unsettling secrets after being forced to leave his friend Imeah behind, leaving him determined to reach the tomb of Tolemne’s family, certain he’ll find the answers he needs there. He doesn’t count on one of Kluehnn’s dens being located there. And his cousin Sheuan seems to have found a favored place for herself in Langzu’s palace, but it comes at a cost.
The best part of The War Beyond was not the characters themselves, but in all the ways their stories start to intersect, making each other question things and come to new determinations. I loved the way they crossed paths, because the story itself is quite slow and the characters, while engaging, never really managed to feel like complex and complicated creatures. They each have their own mission and hurl themselves down their chosen path without looking either way. I admire their determination to achieve their sole goal, but it left me wondering what else there was to them.
Rasha came across as the most complex. She’s beginning to question things and play two sides. I found her story to be fascinating since she’s walking a razor’s edge. But she carries hurts from her childhood that often felt all-consuming, so I felt her obsession over it stunted any further complexity. Everyone else is notable in just how single-minded they are. Hakara seeks only to destroy Kluehnn, Sheuan only wants to survive, and Mullayne is desperate for the truth. While their stories were interesting and took them through many twists and turns, they never really seemed to change or grow, except literally. It was disappointing to feel like I was reading about people who just wanted to stay the same and hold to a single idea without considering anything else.
Fortunately, their stories were interesting, because they reveal so many secrets along the way, further building the world and creating a complex background for them to play on. The world building goes a step deeper in The War Beyond, especially since other places on the map are explored. Sometimes they felt like they were just there to serve the world building, to prove there’s something outside Langzu, but I found it fascinating, and I really enjoyed getting to know more of this world. But it’s the history and the interplay between mortals and gods that really caught my interest. Even though the characters felt stagnant, their stories were continually shifting. They were put through so many hurdles and challenges. It was fantastic to see their paths cross, tightening a net around them and further complicating their individual stories. Characters aside, I found this to be an engrossing middle book that feels like it’s hurtling towards an explosive conclusion.
The War Beyond suffers in that the characters themselves are not interesting. But the characters’ stories are filled with so many fun and interesting things that I found myself forgiving them. I was continually caught up in their adventures, and even found myself holding my breath whenever one of them seemed to be in terrible danger. But my favorite parts were always when secrets were revealed. I could see some coming, but others were surprising, and I loved how they made the story that much more complex. There’s a lot that this installment juggles, but I really enjoyed it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
After the events of the first book, Hakara and Rasha still find themselves on opposite sides, but Rasha starts asking questions that will lead her on a dangerous path. Rasha might once have found favor with Kluehnn, but after mistakes and her inability to hurt her sister, she’s fallen from grace, making her think and wonder. Meanwhile, Hakara is hunting an elder god who is helping Kleuhnn, and discovering what it means now that she’s swallowed a corestone, much to Thassir’s dismay. At the same time, Mullayne has discovered unsettling secrets after being forced to leave his friend Imeah behind, leaving him determined to reach the tomb of Tolemne’s family, certain he’ll find the answers he needs there. He doesn’t count on one of Kluehnn’s dens being located there. And his cousin Sheuan seems to have found a favored place for herself in Langzu’s palace, but it comes at a cost.
The best part of The War Beyond was not the characters themselves, but in all the ways their stories start to intersect, making each other question things and come to new determinations. I loved the way they crossed paths, because the story itself is quite slow and the characters, while engaging, never really managed to feel like complex and complicated creatures. They each have their own mission and hurl themselves down their chosen path without looking either way. I admire their determination to achieve their sole goal, but it left me wondering what else there was to them.
Rasha came across as the most complex. She’s beginning to question things and play two sides. I found her story to be fascinating since she’s walking a razor’s edge. But she carries hurts from her childhood that often felt all-consuming, so I felt her obsession over it stunted any further complexity. Everyone else is notable in just how single-minded they are. Hakara seeks only to destroy Kluehnn, Sheuan only wants to survive, and Mullayne is desperate for the truth. While their stories were interesting and took them through many twists and turns, they never really seemed to change or grow, except literally. It was disappointing to feel like I was reading about people who just wanted to stay the same and hold to a single idea without considering anything else.
Fortunately, their stories were interesting, because they reveal so many secrets along the way, further building the world and creating a complex background for them to play on. The world building goes a step deeper in The War Beyond, especially since other places on the map are explored. Sometimes they felt like they were just there to serve the world building, to prove there’s something outside Langzu, but I found it fascinating, and I really enjoyed getting to know more of this world. But it’s the history and the interplay between mortals and gods that really caught my interest. Even though the characters felt stagnant, their stories were continually shifting. They were put through so many hurdles and challenges. It was fantastic to see their paths cross, tightening a net around them and further complicating their individual stories. Characters aside, I found this to be an engrossing middle book that feels like it’s hurtling towards an explosive conclusion.
The War Beyond suffers in that the characters themselves are not interesting. But the characters’ stories are filled with so many fun and interesting things that I found myself forgiving them. I was continually caught up in their adventures, and even found myself holding my breath whenever one of them seemed to be in terrible danger. But my favorite parts were always when secrets were revealed. I could see some coming, but others were surprising, and I loved how they made the story that much more complex. There’s a lot that this installment juggles, but I really enjoyed it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
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