The Battle Drum
The Battle Drum is the second book in the Ending Fire Trilogy, following the Final Strife, which was a brilliant first book for the series. Unfortunately it didn’t quite meet the same brilliance that the first book gave. So much information was given, I appreciated the expansion of the world and more of the lore but it was so overwhelming that I couldn’t quite follow the plot. The plot, I could hardly tell you what progress was made, it just felt so slow and filler-like. The first book had a an exponential curve of plot but then The Battle Drum felt like a flat-line with an occasional upturn.

Its hard to suggest this book without knowing what will occur in the third, if the third proves to bring a good conclusion to the story than this filler is worth it. But if it is more of what this book was like, it may become a Do Not Finish. I hope to see more in this series as I really enjoyed the first book and had high hopes for this one. My hopes for the third book are not quite as high, hopefully it improves.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book. I preordered an edition of The Battle Drum from Goldsboro to have a matching copy with the one that came in the GSFF subscription, so I wanted to get started on this series to see if it was worth keeping. While I won't claim that the first one is perfect (all of those reviews about the author's fat phobia? Yep, it did happen and definitely not exaggerated) it was still well written and engaging and after finishing The Final Strife last week, I immediately picked this up because I didn't want to waste any time or forget any details. I ended up giving book one four stars, and while this one does rate lower for me, I will definitely be continuing the series.

In case you were wondering, there is ZERO comparisons of lard or any body shaming comments in this one directed at Anoor's size, at least that I remember. So for sure an improvement from book one. ALSO, in case it has been awhile since you have read The Final Strife, this book does start off with a nice refresher of what happened in the first book. Can all fantasy stories do this please? Even though I read them back to back, I loved that it was there. Let's normalize this in our fantasy books PLEASE. From there, I do feel like the story itself goes a bit downhill for me.

The middle definitely suffers from some pacing issues and dragged kind of a lot for me personally. It felt like it could have been shorted by at least a hundred pages or some conflicts reduced since they didn't really add anything to the story except to create more drama for characters that are already overflowing with tension at this point.

I also didn't like the Anoor and Sylah separation ONLY BECAUSE DAMN, are they annoying as hell when they aren't together. I loved Sylah's bad bitch attitude in book one. In The Battle Drum.... she's not that. She is a love sick teenager willing to cheat on the person she's wasted hours of my time pining for at this point because she's lonely. She cares nothing about her mission, nothing about the world as a whole, and just whines because she's horny. And if I thought that was bad, don't get me started on Anoor. She has zero personality except crying about how she misses Sylah and then CRYING SOME MORE thinking about how Sylah would be disappointed in her crying. It was rough to say the least.

Now, for the "twists"... Not good. At thirty-five percent I made a prediction with one hundred percent certainty on who committed a murder, and turns out, I was right. Also, a scene where Nayeli commits a murder? Also called what was happening there. And I get it, this is a fantasy and not a thriller, so the predictability doesn't necessarily lessen my enjoyment, it just made it feel like getting through those pages and pages of them trying to solve something that the author very obviously laid out for us, super tedious.

I feel like I'm making it sound too negative, and that's not my intention since I actually did like this book. I loved seeing other parts of the world and the plot and magic system expanding to give us an even wider view were well written, thought out, and executed. The inclusion of more characters and the developing relationships were also really nice and I don't think there was a single perspective or character mentioned frequently that I didn't want to know more about (except Ads, let's just forget about her annoying ass, thank you very much). I am not disappointed in this book at all and will be continuing the series whenever the next book is released.

I bought the first book so I could read this and I HAVE NO REGRETS. If you read The Final Strife and you think you have a solid foundation on the world and magic system ~ no you don't. You know nothing.

This was the best book that I've read in 2023 so far. It gave everything a book should give. As the second book in the trilogy, I feel like it was paced so much faster than the first installment. I know some reviewers stated that the middle dragged a bit for them, but I didn't really have that problem. The way that it is written is important. Sometimes you will be confused and sometimes you won't understand the relevance of something. You are learning about an expanding world WITH the characters who also don't understand the relevance of that particular thing. This book doesn't just hand you revelations, you walk the line with everyone else. As a result, I FELT everything right alongside the characters, their shock, their betrayal, their love, their heartbreak.

I also saw people complaining that Sylah and Anoor were separated for the whole book. I guess I'm not an expert on how the books were marketed, I'm sure a lot of people came for the promise of a lesbian power couple (which we all love) - but the romance is not the plot of the story. I personally loved how the story divided and we got to see Sylah and Anoor, who are both very human and flawed characters, fight their own individual battles in this interconnected plot. We also get more ghostings, some flawless side character development, and more Hassa who is simultaneously the most selfless and badass character ever.

Anywayyy...it was dark, it was raw, you should read content warnings, and then you should read it. ** Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review**

The Battle Drum by Saara El-Arifi

544 Pages
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey
Release Date: May 23, 2023

Fiction, Sci Fi, Fantasy, Runes, Magic

This is the second book in the series. In the first book, we meet:

Hassa – A Ghostling with clear blood
Sylah – An Ember with red blood
Anoor – A Duster with blue blood, the current Disciple
Jond – An Ember with red blood
Yona – An Ember with red blood and former Warden
Gorn – An Ember, chief of staff to Anoor and Yona

This book picks up with Sylah on the way over the Marion Sea. She needs to get help for Anoor so she can reuinite all the blood clans. Now we are introduced to Nayeli, who becomes the Wife of Kabut, the Godpower. She has a difficult marriage with Chah and it does not end with for them.

The book has a steady pace, the characters are developed, and it is written in the third person point of view from three different perspectives. I love the women in this book. They are different but have one thing in common. They are all strong women filled with determination. Each of them has a duty or journey to fulfill. The book ends leaving you wondering about the next book in the trilogy. If you like fantasy books, especially with fighting clans, you will enjoy reading this book.

In The Battle Drum, we continue Anoor, Hassa, Jond, and Sylah's stories. I felt that this book was a great follow-up to The Final Strife but it felt a little slow for me and I wish more time has been spent with Anoor. That being said it was a great read and I am excited to read more from Saara El-Arifi!

This book was as good as the first one! I love the writing, characters, and world-building. Saara El-Arifi takes you away from your life and transports you into another, and it's full of intrigue and drama, and magic. The book was magical.

Saara El-Arifi, you meanie, writing a book that is so good, and ending it like that and now I have to wait so long to find out what happens and I’m in pain.

In all seriousness, The Battle Drum (the second book of The Ending Fire Trilogy) was so riveting and so painful. Anoor, Sylah, and Hassa my beloveds are all back and all the POV characters included in this book were so enlightening. Without spoilers, this book had so many revelations and new mysteries. Saara does such an amazing job with the worldbuilding.

Like The Final Strife, this was a five star read for me. A very satisfying middle book in a trilogy. Thank you to Random House for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book early! When I finished The Final Strife, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on its sequel. This picks up not long after the conclusion of book 1 and expands the story and world building in ways that are both complex and easy to follow. The characters only continued to grow in complexity as well and new characters were introduced that are sure to be just as beloved. An excellent addition to the series that fans of the first book will not be disappointed in.

Those who loved The Final Strife will also love The Battle Drum. El-Arifi's sequel is just as exciting as her first, and is an absolute joy to read.

The Battle Drum has many hurdles to overcome - it's the middle book of a trilogy with a large amount of world building from multiple points of views. El-Arifi is able to overcome all of these hurdles brilliantly. She is able to explain so much history and magical rules of this world without it feeling "info-dumpy," and she keeps you intrigued the whole way through. She is able to keep you invested in the mystery without feeling confused. For having five POVs, she's able to write in such a way where you are never wondering where you are in the story, and each POV has its own individual voice. So well done. My only complaint is that I do not know when the trilogy's finale will be released.

There are a few typos and errors that need to be addressed before publication (the biggest one being a chapter from Hassa's POV labeled as Anoor's), but I trust these will be fixed by el-Arifi's editors.

This sequel has been on my mind since I finished The Final Strife last year. I have been wanting answers for a very long time. That cliffhanger ending haunted me for months. Getting the arc for Battle Drum was a very fortuitous day.

Right off the bat I knew I was going to be in for another bumpy ride. Learning what the spider meant truly destroyed my pea brain sized mind. I was unprepared for the direction we went in but it was done in a way that made sense. The new characters and development made me more intrigued for what is to come.

My one complaint from Final Strife was Hassa wasn’t as prominent as I would’ve liked but this time she was clearly here to stay. Her storyline is incredibly fascinating and easily she’s one of my favorite characters. All the other characters were fantastic as always. There’s a few new characters I am over the moon about. Anoor’s chapters were a bit lacking but I think in the third book things will be different on that end. Also, Hoping we can see more of Jonds ‘child’.

Overall, another really solid fantasy read. I will say the middle part was more of a filler and you don’t understand it’s importance until way later. That did make it hard to be focused on the story when you weren’t sure what the point was. In my opinion it was still good just a bit confusing as to why it felt like the story is dragging. It picks up towards the end and made the middle worth it.

TW/CW: Death, murder, execution, sex, injury

REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and Del Rey and am voluntarily writing an honest review.

I was very excited to be approved for this book since I really loved the first one. This one was very good too, although it suffered a little from ‘middle book syndrome.’ I’m going to try to write this review without spoilers, since I don’t want to ruin the first book OR this one, but that’s probably going to mean I can’t get very specific on the plot.

The Battle Drum begins where The Final Strife ends, following the journeys of both Anoor and Sylah, both dangerous and deadly in their own ways. Along the way, we learn more about the world introduced to us in The Final Strife, and we see characters taking sides for the battle that is sure to come in the final book.

This book is, without a doubt, interesting and well written. The characters, while not always loveable, are fascinating and you can’t help but care about what happens next. The world and its mythology are unique and feel deep and as if there is a great deal more to explore.

I love the LGBTQIA+ representation in this book, something it embraces fully and I loved reading.

I did think, however, that at 560 pages, this book was a little bit too long. I also thought that – as I said before – ‘middle book syndrome’ was a bit of a problem. There’s no real beginning and no real ending, so while stuff does happen you finish it wanting the ~real~ ending.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book though, and I would definitely recommend to fantasy fans!

Such a great world and story! I thought the world building in book one was amazing and the world was expanded even further with more secrets and places to discover. All the characters have great development and I can’t wait to read the next book! 🥰

The Final Strife was one of the best books I read last year and was absolutely overjoyed when I received an eARC of The Battle Drum.

The Battle Drum is an excellent continuation of the action and insane plot of the first book. With Sylah and Anoor split up, the story divides in two different directions. Sylah and Anoor desperately need each others help they are heartbreakingly alone. Sylah's storyline was horrifying (in a good way) and the world building was even more depressing than in the first book (in a good way). Anoor's storyline was also amazing as the tension and fear of Anoor radiated from the page. My favorite parts of the book were actually Nayeli's chapters. They were frightening and added to the horrifying lore of the world in such an amazing way. And the way all of the storylines wrapped into one -- brilliant. I have no idea how I am going to wait for the third book.

Overall, The Battle Drum in a wonderful continuation of The Ending Fire trilogy. Both The Final Strife and Teh Battle Drum are some of the best fantasy books I've read in years. The plot lines are original, teh characters are well developed, and the plot is perfect.

Oh my goodness, I need the next book as soon as humanly possible! The Battle Drum was amazing! The continued world building, the evolution and growth of characters, and the twists and turns I did not anticipate. Saara El-Arifi has created such a unique world and I absolutely cannot wait to see what will become of Sylah, Anoor, Hassa and all of the other characters I have grown to care for (or not) over the course of this trilogy!

I was nervous to read this since The Final Strife was one of my favorite books from last year, but this book was fantastic. The world is expanded SO much and there are many answers about the history, the blood colors, the magic, and more. It was twisty and exciting!!! There are lots of interesting settings and animals along the way, which are also fun in addition to strong characters and an engaging plot.
If you liked The Final Strife, even if you didn’t LOVE it, I’d recommend reading this one! It has a different feel and the world is fascinating.
I’m so curious how this will continue in the final book of the trilogy.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Final Strife gripped me from cover to cover, and while The Battle Drum's story wasn't quite as page-turning, El-Arifi's skills at character continue to shine. The Battle Drum lets us spend more time with Hassa, and I found myself looking forward to their POV chapters the most. Every character in the Ending Fire series is complex, contradictory, and caught between different desires and goals, but Hassa's identity and mission as a ghosting lead to some of the books more compelling stories and emotional moments. We learn so much more about the world in this book. Some aspects of it were quite interesting and added new layers to ongoing storylines, while other elements fell a bit flat compared to the vivid universe El-Arifi already set up. But overall, The Battle Drum is a compelling sequel that left me excited for more.

The Battle Drum is book two in The Ending Fire Trilogy by Saara El-Arifi.
And y’all this is one of the best books I've read this year.
Saara El-Arifi has created a cast of phenomenal characters and the journey was a great experience along the way.
The world-building is so well crafted, this novel kept me engaged while reading.
I read this impossibly fast because I was so invested.
The writing style is amazing (like everything this author writes) and the atmosphere of the book is stunning.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Random House, Ballantine & Del Rey for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this! It keeps me entertained and I didn’t want to stop reading! I can’t wait to see what’s next!

This second book was equal to the first in holding my attention and now I'm left waiting for the next book to bring the story to a climax.
I would recommend this series to all my friends and colleagues. Can't wait to get a physical copy in my hands. I still prefer opening a volume, turning pages, and feeling the weight of a book in my lap over the small screen of a phone.

This was my first 5 star read of 2023. I enjoyed The Final Strife, but felt it was a little slow in pacing. The Battle Drum did not have that issue. The story, plot, and character developments were brilliantly done especially Anoor's and I cannot wait to see how this all plays out in the finale!