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Ratings: ★★★★★ (4.7/5)
Genre: Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Military Fantasy, Fiction.

Book Review:
R. F. Kuang's ''The Burning God'' is a shattering, powerful, and utterly unforgettable conclusion to her acclaimed ''Poppy War'' trilogy. This is epic fantasy at its most ambitious and unflinching, a story that refuses to look away from the horrors of war, the seduction of power, and the cost of vengeance.

The novel picks up with Rin, the series' brilliant and tormented protagonist, at her lowest point. Betrayed and left for dead, she returns to her roots in the southern provinces, the village she once called home. But she is no longer the impoverished, determined girl who left to take the empire-wide exam. She is a shaman, a weapon, a goddess to some, and a monster to others. Fueled by a burning desire for revenge against the Dragon Republic and the colonizing Hesperians, she begins to rebuild, forging new alliances and rallying the common people to her cause.

Kuang's writing is as sharp and relentless as ever. She masterfully depicts the brutal realities of guerilla warfare, the political machinations of a fractured nation, and the psychological toll of Rin's escalating power. The novel is a relentless crescendo of violence and emotion, pushing its characters—and its readers—to the very edge. The presence of the Phoenix god within Rin grows stronger, urging her to burn everything, and the question of whether she can retain her humanity becomes more urgent with every page.

''The Burning God'' is a breathtaking and devastating read. It is a conclusion that will leave you reeling, a testament to Kuang's immense talent and her fearless storytelling. As Wired put it, her story is ''refreshing, shocking... Behold the horizons of fantasy expand.'' This is a must-read for fans of epic fantasy, and a fitting end to a modern classic of the genre.