Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “King of the Rising (Islands of Blood and Storm, #2)” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

King of the Rising

(Islands of Blood and Storm #2)

Kacen Callender

3.56 · Rating details · 89 ratings · 21 reviews

The second novel in the Islands of Blood and Storm series set in a Caribbean-inspired fantasy world embattled by colonial oppression—perfect for fans of R.F. Kuang and Tasha Suri.

A revolution has swept through the islands of Hans Lollik and former slave Loren Jannik has been chosen to lead the survivors in a bid to free the islands forever. But the rebels are running out o ...more

Get A Copy

ebook, 480 pages

Published December 1st 2020 by Orbit

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about King of the Rising, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Girl with the Hazel Eyes by Callie Browning

Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Y. Dennis-Benn

Read Caribbean

365 books — 61 voters

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

2020 Fantasy and Science Fiction Books by Black Authors

50 books — 53 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 3.56 ·

Rating details

· 89 ratings · 21 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of King of the Rising (Islands of Blood and Storm, #2)

Nov 01, 2020 karen rated it liked it

Shelves: from-publisher-or-author

i don't know if i am going to actually review this book so much as talk around my experience with this book/series. there's a big fat (figurative) elephant at the end of this one, and it influenced the way i felt about the whole book, but it cannot be mentioned, so imma try to dance around it best i can. bear with me.

in short, i wanted to like this book/series more than i did. the covers are gorgeous, and—less superficially—the premise is appealing; a magic-infused take on slave rebellions duri ...more

flag 68 likes · Like · see review

Feb 14, 2020 Nenia ✨️ Socially Awkward Trash Panda ✨️ Campbell marked it as fantasy-wishlist

Shelves: poc-interracial, fantasy

Just checking in to see if it's December 2020 yet.

No? Cool, cool. I'll go back to my "screaming in agony of this wait" corner.

---

DECEMBER???????????

OMG. The wait may kill me. ...more

flag 45 likes · Like · see review

Dec 16, 2020 Tomoe Hotaru rated it really liked it

Shelves: adult, fantasy, mystery, twas-good, own-voices

16 Dec. '20
Read my review for Queen of the Conquered

Oh, wow. I am just utterly speechless. Not the ending I wanted, but maybe the ending we needed? Certainly it's the ending we deserve. Admittedly I went into this sequel with a faux optimism: for our characters, for their islands, for their revolt. But I should have known--and you should know, too--what to expect, if not from the general tone and conclusion to Queen of the Conquered then at least through the author's very own interviews, whe ...more

flag 34 likes · Like · see review

Feb 08, 2020 ☘Misericordia☘ ⚡ϟ⚡⛈⚡☁ ❇️❤❣ marked it as to-read

Shelves: fiction, adult

The next volume in line is out to wait for! Hopefully, it will be just as readworthy and untrivial as the 1st one.

Love the cover, btw.

flag 27 likes · Like · see review

Aug 02, 2020 Andi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, on-kindle

I have written, re-wrote, and hung onto writing this review.

First of all, this book has not yet been released.
Second of all, it's a very, very, very tough call on what I can rate this book. I am torn on the various view points that I felt as a reader and how I felt once the book ended and the duology was complete. In the end, I settled on a 5 star rating because I was being selfish and not thinking what was best for the book but which was best for me.

This series is NOT like your other fantasy I have written, re-wrote, and hung onto writing this review.

First of all, this book has not yet been released.
Second of all, it's a very, very, very tough call on what I can rate this book. I am torn on the various view points that I felt as a reader and how I felt once the book ended and the duology was complete. In the end, I settled on a 5 star rating because I was being selfish and not thinking what was best for the book but which was best for me.

This series is NOT like your other fantasy series. This series is graphic, brutal, sweeping, pointed, emotional, and a reflection of racism. In book one, we followed Sigourney Rose/Jannik and her quest to become queen/ruler of the various isles. We saw what became of her - imprisoned. We now see the continuation of the story through her captor and her once - enslaved bodyguard, Loren.

We are focusing on a time frame that begins two months after the fall of the island. How has the uprising gone? What is to happen? Will they find support?

Sigourney and Loren are not your normal protagonists, nor are they lovers. Both are flawed individuals, and in Kacen's world, they both make faults that hurt them. Sigourney is too prideful, too dependent on gaining appreciation and respect for her people but go about it in the wrong ways. Loren is too empathetic, and he looses a lot of his support based on that fact that he lets his heart outweigh his choices. Both are not wrong, nor are both of them right.

I honestly say that when finished with the book the outcome was not one that I would have seen for these characters. I saw outcomes, but not ness. the outcome that happened to be. It is going to be one that is going to be discussed for quite some time and one that will have some strong opinions - both negative and positive.

I think the author chose the ending that they did because their characters had their own agendas, their own personalities and their own fates. The fact that they did not fall into the normal trappings of fantasy tales that feature a male and female protagonist is unique and for that it stands out quite vividly in my mind.

What is this ending? You will not find out from me in this review. I feel the ending has to be read and mediated on since again, it's going to be opinionated. (Maybe if you're lucky I'll tell you in a private message if asked nicely.)

I think Kacen is an amazing writer and that they have written a book that is perhaps one of the strongest fantasy books to debut in a while. It has been a LONG, LONG time since I have read a fantasy tale that has subverted my mind and left me speechless. How long it has been since I have read a story that has not been what I wanted or thought would happen but is right for the book? A while. A while. I really hope they keep giving us more of them. ...more

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Dec 02, 2020 maritareads rated it really liked it

Shelves: black-feminist-fridays

3.5

Thank you Orbit books and Caffeine Tours for providing me with an ARC.

This was much easier to read once I got over the visceral shock I had from the first book. It is once again a brutal read with characters that are perhaps too cruel (or naturally cruel, given the nightmares they endured) or too merciful and idealistic to lead a revolution, both of which make several fatal mistakes on the path to find freedom. Or perhaps the take away is the futility of matyrs for revolutions.

This should be 3.5

Thank you Orbit books and Caffeine Tours for providing me with an ARC.

This was much easier to read once I got over the visceral shock I had from the first book. It is once again a brutal read with characters that are perhaps too cruel (or naturally cruel, given the nightmares they endured) or too merciful and idealistic to lead a revolution, both of which make several fatal mistakes on the path to find freedom. Or perhaps the take away is the futility of matyrs for revolutions.

This should be read in companion with The Wretched of The Earth (which I haven't read yet but now will after seeing twitter posts which puts this book in context):

“in colonial countries only the peasantry is revolutionary. It has nothing to lose and everything to gain. The underprivileged and starving peasant is the exploited who very soon discovers that only violence pays. For him there is no compromise, no possibility of concession.”

“In its raw state this nonviolence conveys to the colonized intellectual and business elite that their interests are identical to those of the colonialist bourgeoisie and it is therefore indispensable, a matter of urgency, to reach an agreement for the common good.”

In this tale Callendar posits these two groups against each other and we see how their actions unfold in a revolution, the latter group becoming "surrogate oppressors" as established by the main oppressors, to paraphrase what Fanon said. The former group not being romanticised as is usually the case with fictional stories involving revolutions, being ready to die for a revolution, only accepting freedom when everybody is free. This is also not to say that the revolutionaries are pure. Curtains are pulled back on many characters and we see how war changes them, or rather how their true character is finally revealed, the deep effects of slavery and colonization on the mental psyche.

The writing style and world building is more of the same from the first and as a mystery I would have preferred a multiple POV that showed a cleverly woven plan rather than a rushed soliloquy at the end where all is revealed. However, this is a good book to be entered in a critical race theory reading list. ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Nov 14, 2020 Jordan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020

*4.5

Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!

The Islands of Blood and Storm duology has been an incredibly intense and unpredictable journey, and I am so glad I got to read it. I have had a hard time figuring out just how to rate this book, because on some levels it's an easy five stars, but then there are parts that weren't necessarily amazing. In the end, though, the plot, arc, and ending of the entire duology was just too effective and perfectly executed to not go for a high rating.

The *4.5

Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!

The Islands of Blood and Storm duology has been an incredibly intense and unpredictable journey, and I am so glad I got to read it. I have had a hard time figuring out just how to rate this book, because on some levels it's an easy five stars, but then there are parts that weren't necessarily amazing. In the end, though, the plot, arc, and ending of the entire duology was just too effective and perfectly executed to not go for a high rating.

The Islands of Blood and Storm has been a really stand out fantasy series for a myriad of reasons. The magic itself takes the form of 'kraft' that some characters are gifted (or cursed, in some regards) with when they are born. The Jannik, or the white colonizer, are allowed to live with the kraft, but the islanders who are the slaves are often immediately killed upon discovery of their kraft. The slaves are, as might be expected, treated in a subhuman fashion, and revolution has been brewing slowly for years. There's not a lot of hope in this book, but in the moments where that hope is present, it really hits hard.

The first book followed the POV of Sigourney Rose, and this time we follow the POV of Loren, her previous bodyguard/slave who is now becoming leader of the rebellion/revolution. Loren is really a fascinating POV to follow, partially because of his need to constantly tell the truth and inability to lie to anyone. There's no coercion in this, it is simply that because of everything he has experienced, he refuses to lie to anyone, which in turn leads to some particularly interesting scenarios. He is very flawed and often lets his heart get in the way of making decisions that would help his cause and instead leads to fairly negative consequences more often than not. He gains support early on, but struggles to keep that support and encouragement from those who have chosen him, which acts as a major conflict and issue in the plot. This duology is a strong mix of slow burn and high action, with long build ups to major plot points with a lot of focus on themes and characters.

I was, admittedly, rather surprised by the ending. I expected something similar to it to maybe happen, but I was surprised by the direction Callender chose for the overall ending. It's a hard ending, but it fits for an equally hard book that is frequently brutal and unrelenting in the dark and cruel topics that it handles. There is a lot of cruelty throughout this story, and the depictions of racism are raw and demand attention. I think one of the my favorite things about the ending--and really, this duology in general--is the way that it demands discussions, focuses on reflections of racism, and really makes you evaluation what constitutes power, privilege, and what it means to both wield those and what it means when there are varying layers to power.

Overall, I've given King of the Rising 4.5 stars! For all intents and purposes, this is a five star read. The small knock in the rating is simply because I felt that a lot of the plot and general activity of this book was a bit stagnant in times and I felt like there was simply a lot of rowing back and forth between islands. I didn't really mind this, but at the same time it just felt a bit repetitive at times. If you're interested in reading a fantasy that looks at some real, relevant, and difficult topics while also telling a truly phenomenal story that is unpredictable and unmerciful, then I very much encourage you to pick up Queen of the Conquered and King of the Rising!

...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Dec 07, 2020 Arina rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorite, fantasy

Couldn't put down this book and now I can't get it out of my head. One of the strongest duologies I've read. Fans of deeply-thoughtful social examinations and suspense will hold onto this one like a lifeline, and that ending will plunge into you.

There’s just so much to love about this book and the entire duology; the magic in both it’s fantasy elements and the way it discusses tackles the present, the well-written narrative, the humanly flawed characters, the glorious way the political machinat ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 10, 2021 2TReads rated it liked it

🌊Reflections 🌊
Let me start by saying that there are things to love and enjoy about this book. The fact that Callender was able to centre islanders and their struggle for freedom and begin with a narrative that has not been done before (correct me if I'm wrong) with Sigourney's storyline is an achievement.
🌺
With this second instalment I loved the incorporation of keeping ancestral practices alive, of looking to both the young and old for strength in facing adversities, and of course never giving u ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 03, 2021 vitellan rated it it was ok

More of the first book but in some ways, the ending feels lazy. I had similar issues with the writing as with book 1, in that there's a lot of telling-without-showing. The pacing improved and Loren is a much more active participant as a POV character than Sigourney had been, but weirdly, characters grow even less. This is primarily a thought experiment in a fantasy/alternate world with the right conditions to allow for discussions of colonialism and systems that are inequitable by design. But be More of the first book but in some ways, the ending feels lazy. I had similar issues with the writing as with book 1, in that there's a lot of telling-without-showing. The pacing improved and Loren is a much more active participant as a POV character than Sigourney had been, but weirdly, characters grow even less. This is primarily a thought experiment in a fantasy/alternate world with the right conditions to allow for discussions of colonialism and systems that are inequitable by design. But because there are so many thoughts and threads to pull out of this discussion, they end up taking center stage, with different characters becoming mouthpieces (or thought pieces) for different perspectives. It would be a tough challenge to balance a compelling narrative with fleshed-out characters and an acknowledgement of all these threads. That doesn't really happen here, which is a shame, but I loved that the author tried to do it and did articulate so many ways those perspectives would play out.

I'd add that while the world of these books is quite cynical about human character, it also makes humans far more consistent in personality and choice than they are. We can be both surprisingly horrible and surprisingly better than our worst natures at times. Beliefs are not personalities. Few people are so ideologically pure that their core values, thoughts, and actions can be traced in an unbroken line. It was frustrating that Sigourney and Loren, for all their mind-reading and empathetic ability, are the only ones permitted internal moral conflict (and only when they're the viewpoint characters in their respective books). There's some notion of Marieke caring for Sigourney (y/n) and yes, the resentment and desire for power/approval from the oppressor in conflict, but I think there's much more inner conflict than even that single dimension that fails to come across. As a reader, I felt like I received an abstract of each character's background but never got to watch the actual series.

Maybe just too much stuff was being juggled in only two books. I could have done with less explaining of people's thoughts all the time, and more doing. Unfortunately, the gimmick that lets the author keep the reader updated on everything that's happening also destroys a potential source of narrative suspense. And in making everyone's thoughts visible, the story itself becomes predestination. Little wonder that the characterization feels thin - characters are never allowed to have agency, even for a chapter. Still appreciated this duology and would look forward to the next one this author writes. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 24, 2021 Megan rated it really liked it

A heavy read. Like the first one, CW for lots of violence, slavery, racism, and similar. Callender is walking a tightrope of hope and realism in this that is just heartbreaking and reminiscent of so much historical colonial violence, and the uprisings that sought to throw it off. I’m glad I read it, but oof. Don’t read if you’re looking for a happy diversion, by any means.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 14, 2020 Tee rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-or-proof, blog-tour, ebook-library

4 stars

Disclaimer: I read an advanced copy of this book as part of the #KingOfTheRising blog tour with Caffeine Book Tours. This in no way impacts my review, or my opinions on the book.

Content Warnings: racisim, slavery, death, torture, violence, rape/sexual assault

King of the Rising begins shortly after Queen of the Conquered ends; however we are seeing the events through a new set of eyes: those of Løren. The story follows the rebel efforts of liberation from the oppressive Fjern presence of H 4 stars

Disclaimer: I read an advanced copy of this book as part of the #KingOfTheRising blog tour with Caffeine Book Tours. This in no way impacts my review, or my opinions on the book.

Content Warnings: racisim, slavery, death, torture, violence, rape/sexual assault

King of the Rising begins shortly after Queen of the Conquered ends; however we are seeing the events through a new set of eyes: those of Løren. The story follows the rebel efforts of liberation from the oppressive Fjern presence of Hans Lollik after the islanders’ successful overthrowing of Hans Lollik Helle. The story unfolds at a leisurely pace as we follow attempts to grow forces and gain the upper hand, all while struggling with limited resources, and finding trustworthy proponents.

This series is a stellar commentary on slavery, its effects, and the fight for liberation. While the first book in the series dealt with Sigourney trying to rise up in the hierarchal ranks of the Kongelig while being viewed as lesser by the Fjern she held all the same rights as, and as a traitor by the other islanders, this book deals more with the plight of the islanders. Løren is an islander, though he too has Fjern blood and has suffered with being cast out by both the other islanders and his Fjern family, he has the lived experience of being an islander and slave unlike Sigourney. We see him struggle to make decisions that will allow his people their freedom without falling prey to the same tactics the Fjern employ – a similar issue Sigourney faced in Queen of the Conquered. Both stories focus on the different ways in which two people have fought for their freedom and rights, one through power, and the other through empathy and community.

I think my favourite aspect of King of the Rising is the characterisation. We get to meet and know more characters, spending more time with them and learning more about their history, and as a result being allowed a peek into the history of the different islands of Hans Lollik. This is mostly due to Løren being a more engaged and empathetic character than Sigourney. These two characters are foils of each other, and we are granted a comparison between the actions Sigourney took and the ones Løren takes with regards to leadership, power, and beliefs.

Along with excellent characterisation, the worldbuilding is expanded upon in this book. While we had a glimpse of some worldbuilding through Sigourney’s callbacks in book 1, there are some exciting and daunting travel scenes in book 2 that allow us a deeper insight into how the rest of this world allows the slavery and mistreatment of the islanders of Hans Lollik to thrive.

Callender masterfully weaves suspense and mystery into both instalments of this series - with Sigourney’s nightmares in Queen of the Conquered, and in a different yet just as unnerving way in King of the Rising. There are moments where you can feel the unease, but you aren’t sure if it’s a true fear to be held or the workings of Kraft and illusions. I really enjoyed these small moments in the story, they kept me on my toes while the story dives deeper into the bigger plot. Queen of the Conquered felt like a closed door (closed island?) mystery, but in King of the Rising the threats and mysteries are far-reaching.

I truly enjoyed this instalment – it held a lot of the most enjoyable aspects of the first book, while also upping the ante and being a more intense and engaging read. The Islands of Blood and Storm series by Kacen Callender tells a story of survival, fear, war, and oppression. It is a stunning tale of the lengths one will go to for power, and freedom, the ways in which oppression can forever alter the makeup of a society, complicit behaviour, and deftly handles the idea that there is no easy and gentle way to hold a revolution.
...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 08, 2021 Brianna rated it it was ok

Maybe the bleak ending would've been fine pre-coup but post coup it's just a big ole dislike ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 05, 2020 Fabienne Schwizer rated it really liked it · review of another edition

While Queen of the Conquered was Sigourney’s story, King of the Rising is all Loren’s. There is a total shift in voice and perspective between the two, not fully making it books able to stand on their own, but making them distinct stories. And while Sigourney is still present for large parts of the book, she is not the one telling the story, which I think makes the book all the much stronger for it. I find her an incredibly interesting character, but I noticed that I prefer her particular brand ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 08, 2020 Kimberly Leak rated it did not like it

I really wanted to like this series. I read the second book with the hope that it would get better. The first book ended with a great twist! This story is told from the viewpoint of Loren, and much like the first novel we are told what’s happening instead of shown. Barely any dialogue. Every side character is given a background that has no impact on the story much like the first book. But the ending?! It makes me look over everything and say what was the reason I read this? There was no point. T ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 07, 2020 John Folk-Williams rated it really liked it

Freedom from slavery has a cost, not just in human lives but in the internal torture of mind and morality brought on by lifetimes spent in forced repudiation of one’s language, culture, religion and self-esteem. For an ex-slave to have a position of privilege in the midst of this history of oppression is all the more problematic. This is the reality permeating the powerful, riveting and brave novel King of the Rising, the second part of Kacen Callender’s brilliant Islands of Blood and Storm duol ...more

flag Like · see review

Oct 10, 2020 Leah Rachel von Essen rated it really liked it

King of the Rising is the sequel to Kacen Callender’s Queen of the Conquered, a vivid, brutal high fantasy set in a Caribbean-inspired fantasy world. In this sequel, the slave revolution for their freedom has risen, and led by Løren Jannik, the strong, honest man who has the ability to take the Krafts of others and use them for himself.

Like the first in the series, King of the Rising is a slow, political build set in a complex world of colonialism and violence. I felt that the ending to one of t ...more

flag Like · see review

Dec 22, 2020 Corey (grimdark_dad) rated it it was amazing

The ISLANDS OF BLOOD AND STORM duology is just fucking brilliant. A brutal & gorgeous Caribbean-inspired fantasy, with fascinating characters and terrifying magic. These books aren’t easy reads…there were moments I felt almost nauseous from the stress and tension in this story. And just from the sheer brutality of this world. But this duology is an absolutely stunning achievement in fantasy, full stop. I am truly awed by Kacen Callender’s writing, and I’m anxious to read more of their work!

Full ...more

flag Like · see review

Dec 14, 2020 Soap rated it liked it

Once again got turned around and confused quite a bit because of the different names and islands and trying to figure out who belonged where. I also feel like this book progressed really fast, and if you missed a part, you were kind of thrown off (this is how I felt about Sigourney, I had no idea how she escaped because I was probably reading too fast or not paying enough attention). Overall though, I liked the story and I liked the various twists it provided.

flag Like · see review

Dec 21, 2020 Francis rated it it was amazing

Shelves: just-for-fun

Fantastic. Complex and thoughtful.

flag Like · see review

Dec 26, 2020 Julia Welsh rated it liked it

Real world predictable, and thus fantasy world slightly disappointing. Philosophical and enraging, and so well written it leaves a bitter taste for hours afterward.

flag Like · see review