in this sequel to the final strife, anoor, sylah, and hassa are each on their own journeys to seek the truth of the empire’s past.

in my reviews for second books in series, i often mention whether i feel the book experienced “second book syndrome.” however, it doesn’t even feel worth mentioning because this book skipped over it entirely. i could only wish half of the second books i read are executed as well as this one. every moment of this was so incredibly enthralling and i really didn’t want to put it down. i can’t wait to see what our protagonists get up to in the next book!

It’s been A LONG time since I was left completely speechless by a book. . . . But holy s**t that ending!! 🤯

I had to sit on my thoughts of this book for a night before writing a review, but god what can I say without spoiling it? Sylah’s journey into a new land was incredible if not somber to read. Hassa’s story made me not only root for her, but share in her devastation at the end of the book. How could you do her so dirty, Saara?! 😭

And Anoor. . . Oh this poor girl. I wanted to wrap her up in a lot of cotton blankets at times while also wanting to see her burn it all to the ground. That’s all I’ll say because my god I couldn’t get to her POV quick enough at times. 😫

This book was INCREDIBLE as the second installment of the trilogy. The plot twists, the side plots that all merged into one, and the heartbreak. . . I NEED that ending now!!! As the American version of Michael Scott from “The Office” says: “This is the worst.” 🥲

Thank you to @saaraelarifi @netgalley and @randomhouse for sending me this eARC of this incredible book!! I look forward to being emotionally damaged again in the future.❤️🥁

This book had me hooked from the beginning. It’s an excellent second installment in The Ending Fire Trilogy. One big point that I loved was that there was a recap of the first book, and it was told in a spoken word, poetic form. This book follows three main storylines with multiple points of view in each. I can honestly say that I was interested in each one. It made it difficult because I would be excited to get back to one storyline, yet I was still enjoying another! The world building continues from The Final Strife, and there were so many revelations and intriguing plot points added in The Battle Drum. It really is such a unique story, world, and magic system, and I’m more invested the more I read about it.

I’ve really been enjoying audiobooks recently, and I did listen to The Final Strife. While the narrator for the audiobook is truly outstanding, I’m glad that I read the ebook of The Battle Drum. I can’t really explain why, but I suggest reading a physical copy or an ebook of this series if you have the inclination/opportunity. Any way that you can get your hands or ears on it, I highly recommend this trilogy so far and can’t wait for the third book!

5🌟
Thank you to Del Rey Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

“I am the cause and the catalyst, the kindling and the spark.”

Plot: 5/5
There is so much happening in this book. There’s a murder investigation, a submarine trip to an acid forest, a giant mushroom fortress, and human sacrifice to become a prophet. Like what? Incredible. Seriously though, all three of the major plot lines arc at a good pace and the sun plots woven through tie everything together so well.
There are also huge editions to the world building. Arifi spaces out the information so perfectly in a way that you start to think you *might* know what the truth is. But it’s still such a gut punch when you find out. (That last twist though, I did NOT expect and holy shit)

Characters: 5/5
Anoor and Sylah are still main characters but we get a ton of development from Hassa, Jond, and a new character, Nayeli. I loved the added perspectives and how they rounded out the story.
Sylah and Anoor make such fantastic main characters because of how flawed they both are. They’re stubborn in different ways and fiercely loyal to each other despite the distance between them. Their individual paths in this book add so much to their characters.
There is a cat named Rascal who I would die for, best character added in this book hands down.

The Ending Fire series has such incredible representation. Not only is it a Ghanaian and Sudanese inspire fantasy, there are trans characters at all points of transitioning, non-binary characters, and disabled characters. There is a who community of people who‘s tongues and hands are removed and they have an intricate sign language that is very prevalent in the book.

Writing: 5/5
Arifi’s use of perspectives and suspense are impeccable. She cuts chapters at the perfect points, she never leaves a POV hanging for too long. The amount of different plots going on in this book is incredibl, idk how she kept track of it all.

A note— I deeply appreciate that there was a type of recap at the beginning. I think more series should do that.

Overall: 5/5

The Battle Drum- 2.75⭐️ 1🌶️

Anoor is the first blue-blooded ruler of the Wardens' Empire. But when she is accused of a murder she didn't commit, her reign is thrown into turmoil. She must solve the mystery and clear her name without the support of her beloved, Sylah.
Hassa's web of secrets grows ever thicker as she finds herself on a trail of crimes in the city. Her searching uncovers the extent of the atrocities of the empire's past and present. Now, she must guard both her heart and her land.

Sylah braves new lands to find a solution for the hurricane that threatens to destroy her home. But in finding answers, she must make a decision, does she sacrifice her old life in order to raise up her sword once more?
The three women find their answers, but they're not the answers they wanted. The drumbeat of change thrums throughout the world.

Ready we will be, when the Ending Fire comes,
Ready we will be, for war will come.
And it sings a song of war.

✨My Opinion✨
The story being retold at the beginning was very helpful for diving back into the story. I wish that more authors did this!

This book was not for me. I felt like it suffered from the second book issue and I didn’t love the first enough. I will not be continuing the series.

Finishing this book was like pulling teeth. I just lost interest in how unfocused it was. It took forever to get to the underlying connections of the plot. One minute they are solving a murder mystery, the next we are on the ocean or in an earthquake/acid rain/monsoon rain situation. It seemed like pointless wandering in the plot. The mini cliffhangers at the end of POV’s didn’t drive the story forward for me, but annoyed me because I couldn’t really tell the difference between plot cliffhangers and POV cliffhangers. So when big plot reveals happened, they felt insignificant.

I was reminded time and time again why I didn’t like the MC’s in the first book. They didn’t improve in a tangible enough way for me to start liking them.

Sapphic
Traveling
Revolution
War

TW
Colonization
Miscarriage
Murder
Domestic abuse
Religious bigotry
Gore

Thank you Random House Publishing and Del Ray for an advanced reader copy of The Battle Drum in exchange for an honest review.

This book slapped me in the face, kicked me while I was down, and then told me to run for my life. And I loved every minute of it. Excellent follow up to The Final Strife. I honestly did not see so many of the twists coming, and some of them left me literally gasping. I cannot wait for the final book in this trilogy!

4.5 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
The Battle Drum is another excellent installment in Saara El-Arifi’s debut Ending Fire trilogy. I loved seeing more of the cultural influences from Ghana and Arabia come through in the world building, especially as the narrative takes us to new places on the world map. The prose is vivid and transformative, immersing the reader in the world of the story. I continue to be impressed with the caste system and blood color system, and how it draws parallels to the real world while still feeling original.
The central characters remain interesting, and I was once again won over by their developing dynamics. Anoor remains somewhat naive, in spite of what she’s been through, but I like that she continues to be balanced by the more emotionally mature Hassa. These two play off each other well, and while there are some things that present cause for concern for their fates going into the final book, I still feel pretty satisfied with where they ended up at the end of this book.
Sylah was also great in this one, especially as she’s the one whose journeys give the reader more access to different parts of the world. The exploration of her complexities, especially her struggle with addiction, are also well-rendered.
This book is on the longer side, but that just means it has a lot to offer. There’s a lot of politics and freedom-fighting, and even a bit of murder-mystery. While there were some moments when I did feel the length, it was more or less a read where every word earned its place in the narrative.
This is a stunning sequel, and I am eager for what’s to come in the final book. I recommend the series thus far to anyone looking for African/Middle Eastern inspired fantasy.

After discovering shocking secrets, Anoor, Sylah, and Hassa have put into motion a plan to hopefully save the empire from the increasingly devastating tidewind that strikes the country every night, killing any who stand in its path. Sylah is journeying to uncharted regions to seek out answers that may end the tidewind, while Anoor stays behind to govern and try to enact reforms that will hopefully keep all people safe, regardless of blood color. As Sylah’s journey takes unexpected turns, Anoor’s reign is almost immediately plagued by accusations of murder. And at the heart of everything is Hassa, a spy for the clear-blooded Ghostings who finds herself increasingly torn by her duty to her people and the bonds of friendship that grow as she develops a network of allies.

THE BATTLE DRUM is the kind of sequel that stuns the reader when it reveals just how narrow the focus was in book one. The reveals we get are not only surprising, but also ones that delight as they prove that the author had an overarching plan from the very beginning. There is supreme satisfaction in watching big picture puzzle pieces click into place, especially for pieces you didn’t even know existed. This is all extremely vague writing, but the journey is so worth experiencing fresh that I hesitate to get into any specifics. Just be assured that the overall story continues to be unexpected and wonderful (as well as dark and occasionally graphically violent – check your trigger warnings for sure on this one).

I was really pleased to see Hassa have a more expanded presence in this book, as that was a big lament I had about THE FINAL STRIFE. She takes more of a center stage role in sussing out what secret happenings are going on in the city, and how all the pieces click together. We also get a few new POVs this go round, including a new character whose storyline is intriguing to follow as you wait to see how it connects with the main plot line.

There was one weakness, however, that stopped this from being as big a homerun as THE FINAL STRIFE, and that was Anoor. She and Sylah are separate from each other for the entire book, and the result was a character who seemed shockingly ineffectual. Anoor was priviledged and naive in book one, yes, but she also put plans into motion and did the work. This time, however, it felt like much of her time was spent flailing about, and even accounting for the emotional toll she goes through, I was surprised at much she was sidelined.

THE BATTLE DRUM is a worthy follow-up to THE FINAL STRIFE. I loved seeing new corners of this world and coming to understand the history that led to present day circumstances. Although Anoor’s storyline left me underwhelmed, the rest of the book held up, and I will be eagerly awaiting the third and final book in this trilogy.

This is the middle book in a trilogy and it picks up where The Final Strife left off. The action continues for the entire book. So many truths are revealed. This book definitely expands in the concepts from the first and also provide a lot more action. I cannot wait until the third book!

As the first blue-blooded ruler, Anoor is under considerable amounts of stress. This is increased dramatically when she's accused of a murder she didn't commit and must prove her innocence without Sylah, who had left for new lands. Sylah is at a crossroads herself, as she isn't sure if she should sacrifice everything about her old life in order to fight. In the meantime, Hassa is following a trail of crimes in the city, uncovering the extent of the atrocities the empire had committed, both past and present. All three are looking for answers, but they're not going to find the ones they wanted.

The Battle Drum is the sequel to The Final Strife, an imaginative fantasy with rules based on the magic able to be created by the color of someone's blood. We have a summary of the first book in the form of a griot tale, and then it takes off from there. We have aspects of the story not only from the three young women but from a new yellow-blooded POV. Sylah is sent to the Ghostings' enclave, and from there to the world her ancestors came from. Anoor is trying to learn how to be a good disciple but her adoptive mother is killed and the council thinks she did it. Hassa is teaching the ghosting sign language and sees bodies around town that were murdered then left for the tidewinds to scour and cover their tracks. Neyeli is from the Volcanic Isles, believing in the prophecy of the Child of Fire. This same prophecy led the Wardens to create their empire, and she's determined to see the truth of the prophecy as she interprets it come to fruition.

Many sequels deepen the world-building, and this novel is no different. Now we go beyond the Warden's empire, to the continent and the volcanic islands where the other groups live. There are eight colors of blood, each with their corresponding personality types, rather like a zodiac sign or the Asian blood type. This is reductive but plays a role in how Neyeli sees others, as she's more ambitious than others with yellow blood around her. This led her to take risks push beyond expectations, making others uncomfortable; we see at the very end what came out of that ambition, and it was shocking. I didn't see that coming at all. Anoor was floundering for so long, and Sylah was sick for a while; both of them are not good alone but need people with them to bring out their better selves.

I was sucked into their tale, staying up late to read it, and found the ending to be completely different from what I had expected. In a good way! I was so emotional and invested in their lives, and had to see that through. I look forward to the next step in their story because it doesn't end here. They're all looking to effect change, and I know they're going to do that. It might not be what they want, but it's definitely going to be a wild ride to get there.

I requested "The Battle Drum" from NetGalley without knowing it was an unfinished series. And I didn't realize this until I was wandering around the bookstore and found book one on the shelf and thought I should probably read that one first. I CONSUMED "The Final Strife" reading it in two days, which saw me through a pretty serious reading rut. I couldn't wait to continue the story of these characters in book two.

As Sylah sets out to discover all the secrets the Wardens have wanted to hide for years, Anoor's newly-earned leadership is threatened as the Tidewind becomes more and more violent and she inevitably sows dissent among her new peers. Supporting Anoor in her new position is Kwame and Gorn, ever faithful, but also Hassa, who takes more of a central role in this second novel of the series.

This book, however, has a bit of "second book syndrome" -- the author has to get from the dramatic, high-tension expositional material in book one to the epic, conclusive material in book three, so inevitably the pacing of book two feels slower. I found the most engaging parts to be Sylah's chapters exploring the empire beyond their small isle, but I found myself missing the banter between her and Anoor. I think I also wanted to see more character growth for the leading ladies -- we see Jond evolve quite a bit in this middle book, and arguably Hassa as well, which was great, but I yearned to see Sylah progress more than she did. Perhaps El-Arifi intended this book to focus on these two characters rather than Sylah and Anoor since they did develop so much in book one.

I'm upset I have to wait for the conclusion of this series -- I find myself inspired and fascinated by the world the author has built with all its many secrets, and I'll be worried about the ending for the next year and some change waiting for book three. If you're a lover of fantasy, get started and enjoy the wait with me!

After thoroughly enjoying The Final Strife, I was excited to dive into The Battle Drum to find out what the rest of the world held. El-Arifi did a great job of capturing emotions and exploring the world! I was heartbroken when the characters were heartbroken, I felt the tension and importance. There were a few times that the plot slogged a little once Syrah and Jond made it to the City of Rain and while Anoor was in hiding, but the overall worldbuilding and expansion of what readers already know more than made up for that. And the REVEALS at the end. I was SHOOK. I already want to go back and reread to see if I missed clues or if that reveal was well concealed. The Battle Drum isn't even fully published, yet, and I'm anxiously awaiting the third installment of this series!

The Battle Drum is the 2nd installment in the Ending Fire Triolgy. I did not read the 1st installment but I'm definately going back to read it. I loved this book and the pacing was right on point. The characters were compelling and I was invested into each one of them. Hassa, Sylah, Jond and Anoor are forever ingrained in my memory and I'm eagerly anticipating the next installment. There are some trigger moments in the book so get ready for those! This book was much darker than I expected judging by the cover since I did not read the 1st one. I loved how the author merged generes in this book. There's quite a bit of sci fi in this book. I loved the exploring of different cultures, religions, customs, climates and infrastructures. READ THIS BOOK! #TheBattleDrum #NetGalley

4.5 stars

First, let me press upon you how much I enjoyed and wanted to devour this book. I just had a baby. I'm supposed to sleep when the baby sleeps, yet I found myself sneaking in a chapter or two .. or three.. every night. There was even one night where I read for an hour because I just needed to know what happened next (I did regret this later when it came time to feed at 4 AM lol). And this book just builds up and up to a slam dunk ending.

The expansion of the world and characters is done super well. There is a lot of new information given, but it never felt like a giant info dump. I especially loved the exploration of Hassa's and Jond's characters. I've been a fan of Hassa since book one but she may be hands down my favorite now.

My only real issue with this book is how it handles Anoor's story (and maybe a bit of Sylah's too). Anoor has almost reverse development and I found myself annoyed at her quite a bit. This is reflected in the characters around her as well, so I'm sure its purposeful, I just wish it was developed better. Both Anoor and Sylah don't develop as much as other characters do in this book and I think its because they are both spending too much time focusing on what the other would think instead of actually focusing on themselves. It'll be interesting to see the results of this in book 3.

Overall The Battle Drum is a really strong follow up to The Final Strife. If you loved the first book, I am certain you will love this second book as well. Thank you Netgalley and Random House for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Battle Drum is a stunning sequel to The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi. I love how this author expanded upon the world being created. Especially with the inclusion of different cultures as inspiration for some of it. So far, I have not been disappointed at all throughout this series.

Sylah, Anoor, and Hassa show their bravery and courage in different ways. Hassa, in particular, is a favorite of mine. Jond also is an intriguing character in this book, only leading me to fall even more in love with this story.

I really don't want to give anything away, so I shall leave on this note. If you enjoyed The Final Strife or think you just might like this series, then I can not recommend picking these books up more! I feel like so many aspects to this story need to be told, and I'm so happy I got to read more!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

Out May 23, 2023!

Sometimes you don’t like the middle child (book) but I actually liked this one better than the first. DOn’t get me wrong I saw how raw and real the conflict with addiction Syrah was going through. But Battle Drum, just blew me mind with how much world building is going on. It expanded on the friendships we didn’t see enough in the first book. And a murder mystery?! Loved this book. I’ve already got my preorders in for UK and US.
YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED
I legit was moaning NO no no in the last 10& of the book and cried a little. I am way too emotionally invested in these characters, new and old from the last book.

"Yellow. A droplet of truth that could shatter the empire."

I didn't feel as engaged with The Battle Drum as I did with the first book. The pacing drug a bit in the middle and it wasn't as shockingly dark either. It was still a good fantasy but the expansion of the bloodlines even more than 4 felt one demensional. The characters here were still all fully fleshed. Hassa is still my favorite character. I like her sass. However, this storyline wasn't as layered and the new characters weren't as interesting. The politics with Anoor was great. By the end, however, the plotline had me in it's grips. If you're just starting this book please please keep reading. That stark ending is certainly worth it. In the end all I can say is utterly fantastic. Was it perfect, no but I enjoyed it so much. Saara El-Arifi has become a favorite author of mine with this sequel.

Oh the twists and turns of this book. I had to read the first book and afterwards I immediately dived into this one as I couldn’t put it down. It was good to see the characters returning, cultural significance preserved and an enticing story!

My Thoughts:
This is book 2 of the Ending Fire Trilogy. The first book The Final Strife had so much potential, but the problem with trilogies is that the second book has to act like a bridge so basically nothing really happens except building the bridge between the first and last book.

It bring in new elements, new worlds, new issues. There is death, murder, separation, large surprises, but Sylah and Jond are the main characters. Without Sylah, Anoor as a character cannot hold the story line with the people left behind. Those characters that are left behind, minus Anoor (specifically Kwame, the Wife and Hassan) really kept me invested in the Empire. This book could have done without Anoor, although she promises to be a large part in book three. I hope as a character she becomes more investment-worthy, but I really do not see the relationship with Sylah as anything beyond lust. Even Sylah's last decision in this book is disappointing and immature.

If like me, you really understand the deep love and hurt between Sylah and Jond, then Battle Drum keeps things exciting for a little bit. It has nothing to do with the non-cis, gender or pronoun issue, although there is a glossary of pronouns for characters at the end of this book. It really has to do with the maturity of the relationship. For example, I think the relationship between Loot and his husband Fayl was very deep. Loot's actions may be messed up, however, it is Fayl's compassion as well as his fierce loyalty despite his own misgivings that gives depth to this relationship.

If I were to "sell" this book to students, I will probably wait until the last one comes out. This book cannot be a stand alone and it does not end in a way that would sustain reluctant readers to wait for the third book.

From the Publisher:
Anoor is the first blue-blooded ruler of the Wardens’ Empire. But when she is accused of a murder she didn’t commit, her reign is thrown into turmoil. She must solve the mystery and clear her name without the support of her beloved, Sylah.

Sylah braves new lands to find a solution for the hurricane that threatens to destroy her home. But in finding answers, she must make a decision: Should she sacrifice her old life in order to raise up her sword once more?

Hassa’s web of secrets grows ever thicker as she finds herself on the trail of crimes in the city. Her search uncovers the extent of the atrocities of the empire’s past and present. Now she must guard both her heart and her land.

The three women find their answers, but not the answers they wanted. The drumbeat of change thrums throughout the world.

And it sings a song of war.

Ready we will be, when the Ending Fire comes,
When the Child of Fire brings the Battle Drum,
The Battle Drum,
The Battle Drum.
Ready we will be, for war will come.

Publication Information:
Author: Saara El-Arifi

Publisher: Del Ray (May 23, 2023)

Bio: Saara El-Arifi is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Final Strife, the first part of a trilogy inspired by her Ghanaian and Sudanese heritage. She has lived in many countries, had many jobs and owned many more cats. El-Arifi knew she was a storyteller from the moment she told her first lie. Over the years she has perfected her tall tales into epic ones. She currently resides in London, UK, as a full-time procrastinator.

Fans of the first book in the Fire Ending Trilogy, The Final Strife will likely be more than excited that the second book lives up to expectations.

The Battle Drum expands in all kinds of fun and exciting directions. Final Strife readers who felt that the first book was a bit constrictive or small will be happy to know that El-Arifi dramatically expands the woldbuilding here. At the end of The Final Strife, Sylah and Jond (the latter really against his wishes) were traveling beyond the borders of the Warden's Empire to try and save the world from worsening climatic conditions (to put it lightly!). They spend this book exploring the main continent across the sea. In doing so, El-Arifi is able to stretch some of her worldbuilding muscles. The continent has a very strange ecology - our protagonists encounter terrifying predators, giant mushroom cities, as well as new environmental disasters that are tearing the world apart.

On the continent, Sylah and Jond also learn about how bloodwerk operates beyond the Warden's Empire. I really liked how El-Arifi approached this element. Without getting into spoilers, she carefully constructs a brand new worldview/ideology around the blood magic we learned about in The Final Strife. Too often epic fantasy authors fail to make an expanding magic system feel authentic or plausible. Normally when characters go into a new land they learn about a new type of magic they have never experienced before, as if magic somehow follows sociopolitical boundaries. El-Arifi doesn't do this. Instead, she shows how different cultures, their history, their ideologies, and their biases impact how they perceive and practice the magic, while still following the rules of magic introduced in the first book.

The expansion of the book's plot beyond the Warden's Empire means that we also get a lot of answers for some of the lingering mysteries left at the end of The Final Strife. Going into The Battle Drum, we know that there is a world beyond the Empire, we know that there are people with yellow blood, and we know that the deadly tidewinds are getting worse and worse. I am happy to let you know that all of these mysteries get answered in The Battle Drum. El-Arifi brings out so much history in the world in this book; she isn't holding things back! There are a couple of places where the characters don't learn crucial information due to inconvenient circumstances, but El-Arifi usually provides those answers in due time. For those of you who are intrigued by the history of the larger world, the last 1/3 of the book is a totally wild and page-turning experience.

While this book completely worked for me and I tore through the 500+ pages in about two days, some readers may be a tad disappointed in what the The Battle Drum offers. Readers who hate multi-POV books where the main POV characters are largely separated from each may get frustrated with this book. We get the story namely from five major POV characters who are separated into three plot-lines. I'm not sure if this is the slightest of spoilers, but the characters in each of the plot threads largely don't communicate with one another nor interact. Therefore we don't' get any of the fun moments of Sylah and Anoor's developing relationship, nor Sylah and Hassa's friendship. This books does what many "second books" duo and expands the world and flings its characters across it. El-Arifi also ensures there is a world-changing or gut wrenching cliffhanger each time we switch which plot thread we are currently following. These kept me tearing through the (proverbial and digital) pages, but other readers may just be annoyed. I should also point out that the ending of The Battle Drum is not quite as strong as The Final Strife, which left us with so many great cliffhangers. The Battle Drum nicely sets up the conflict for the (presumably) third and final book, but the plot and characters arcs just kind of "stop" rather than conclude.

Speaking of POV characters, Sylah and Anoor are both back as major players in the narrative. Anoor was by far my favorite character from The Final Strife, and it is a lot of fun here to see her embody her more assertive confidence to attained in the previous book in her new role as disciple. I will say that while her character is still my favorite because of her depth and development, her plot arc might be the weakest here. She is trapped in a not very interested murder mystery where she keeps stumbling because she has less information than the other characters. I was very happy to see that Hassa had a much larger role in this book; her developing romantic relationship with Kwame was a real highlight in terms of small character moments in feelings where so much of the book is about the macro world stuff.

We also get two (?) new POV characters in this book. Jond ascends the ranks to full POV status (I think - I don't remember him being a POV character in The Final Strife. At first I found this annoying because I did not like Jond (even before we found how his big betrayals), but as the The Battle Drum developed I liked him more and more. El-Arifi does a lot of really humanize him and process the complex positions he navigates in the world. Still my least favorite POV character, but I didn't dread his chapters like I thought I would when I started! The other new POV character is a new character named Nayeli. Nayeli leaps off the page from the get-go, full of personality. I was drawn into her tragic backstory, while also figuring out the role she plays in the larger narrative. Her POV chapters take many turns I was not expecting!

Before wrapping up this review I also want to point to the major themes that El-Arifi explores in The Battle Drum. She continues her exploration of race and racism, and her critique of biological determinism is even more present here. Epic fantasy often has a problem of naturalizing race (like, as much as I love it, Avatar: The Last Airbender giving each ethnic group a different kind of magic). I can't get into too much depth here without going full on spoiler, but El-Arifi subverts these tropes in many interesting ways. She also introduces concepts of dogma, religious intolerance, and adherence to prophecy. She shows how our unquestioning devotion to a single creed can cloud our worldviews and make us singularly focused. I should note that part of this does involve the introduction of the chosen one trope (for anyone either looking for this or to avoid this); the chosen one plot never really resolves itself so I don't know if El-Arifi is leaning into the trope or subverting it.

I know I pointed out some flaws in this book, but I want to reiterate that I only did so to demonstrate to some readers why this book might not work for them as well as The Final Strife did. I personally loved this book and I am eagerly awaiting the next book!

Concluding Thoughts: A page turning sequel, The Battle Drum dramatically expands the world of the The Final Strife, while solving many of the trilogy's key mysteries. El-Arifi further develops all of my favorite characters while introducing several fascinating new ones. Don't miss this epic follow up!